The truck belonging to a missing Burlison man was recovered from the Mississippi River Monday, the Tipton County Sheriff’s Office announced.
Paul Rodgers has been missing since July 18 when he left his Munford-Giltedge Road home at approximately 4 p.m., reportedly headed to work.
“A follow-up with his employer revealed he had called in on Thursday the 19th stating he would need to be off for several days,” said Sheriff Pancho Chumley. “A search was immediately initiated using all available resources, with regional broadcasts being made to law enforcement agencies and first responders, as well as announcements on social and mainstream media.”
The search effort has involved ground and air searches across the region as well as other means of investigation. Rodgers is known to frequent the area along the Mississippi and detectives have scoured portions of the river using sonar technology, Chumley said.
“Using the sonar, search parties were able to locate and later identify Mr. Rodger’s truck, where it was salvaged this morning by black water diving crews, marine contractors and a local towing service. The search for Mr. Rodgers has been intensive and efforts are ongoing.”
Detectives and other first responder personnel are continuing to search for Rodgers.
TCSO said the search for Rodgers and Monday’s recovery operation has been a collaborative effort between a multitude of local law enforcement and first responders, state and federal authorities, as well as local farmers and community members. We would like to thank the following for the assistance provided during this investigation, as well as countless others: Sheriff Steve Sanders and the Lauderdale County Sheriff’s Office, the Lauderdale County Rescue Squad, Sheriff Bobby Riles and the Fayette County Sheriff’s Office, the Marshall County (MS) Sheriff’s Office, the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency, the Tennessee Highway Patrol, the Memphis Police Department, the Tipton County Fire Department Chief Jon Piercey, the Tipton County Emergency Unit, the Tipton County Emergency Communications Center, the Gilt Edge Fire Department, the United States Coast Guard, the United States Army Corps of Engineers, Luhr Bros. Inc., Alpha Marine Services and Jim’s Towing Service.
The investigation is ongoing. If anyone has information in this case, please call the Criminal Investigations Division at 901-475-3300, Central Dispatch after hours at 901-475-4300, phone in tips at 901-475-3307, email tips to sheriff@tiptonco.com or Facebook Sheriff J.T. Pancho Chumley. Anonymous tips may be submitted to the Tipton County tip411 app or by texting “Tipton” to 847411.
“We continue to remember Mr. Rodgers’ family in our prayers,” said the sheriff. “We would like to thank the host of emergency service agencies, community members, and area businesses involved for their assistance during the search efforts.”
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