Sheriff’s Office leading search near Tilley Road for missing Olympia High football player
Thurston County deputies have asked the public to avoid the area around Tilley Road south of Millersylvania State Park as search and rescue teams search for a missing 16-year-old Olympia High School football player.
Gabriel Davies has been missing since about 4 p.m. Wednesday “under suspicious circumstances,” according to the Thurston County Sheriff’s Office.
He reportedly left his Olympia home to attend football practice at Olympia High School, but he never arrived.
A property owner reported finding his vehicle in the 16100 block of Tilley Road South, west of Tenino, according to the Sheriff’s Office. Davies’ family didn’t know he was missing until deputies called them to ask why their vehicle was there, Sheriff’s Lt. Cameron Simper said at a Thursday afternoon news conference. They thought he was at practice, Simper said.
Deputies found items strewn about the inside of the vehicle as well as some blood. Simper said they have no indication he was with anyone else.
Davies was last seen walking north alone toward Millersylvania State Park at about 5:30 p.m. Wednesday, the Sheriff’s Office reported. He was wearing a football jersey when he left the vehicle, because that’s how people spotted him, Simper said.
“We are working every angle we can to bring Gabriel home,” Sheriff John Snaza said at the afternoon news conference.
The Sheriff’s Office encourages anyone with immediately useful information to call dispatch at 360-704-2740. General information can be sent via email to detectives@co.thurston.wa.us.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Washington State Patrol aviation unit, Olympia Police and the Washington State Parks Department are all involved in the investigation.
This story was originally published September 1, 2022 at 10:28 AM.
