Virginia high school football coach Travis Turner is now considered a fugitive after disappearing days after being charged with child pornography and computer solicitation of a minor. Authorities have obtained 10 warrants against Turner, who vanished last week, and the investigation continues with additional charges pending.
The accusations against Turner, which included five counts of possession of child pornography and five counts of using a computer to solicit a minor, had been circulating for years before authorities launched an investigation, according to reports. Turner, who vanished last week, is being actively sought by Virginia State Police (VSP), and the case has drawn significant attention within the local community, where the allegations stirred both shock and disbelief.
While the announcement of Turner’s charges and subsequent disappearance shocked the Union High School community, some local residents reportedly took to social media to express their lack of surprise at the news. Others, however, indicated that many in the community had long suspected the allegations were true, suggesting that the rumors had been present for years.
Turner’s wife, Leslie Caudill Turner, has denied the accusations, calling them ‘false.’ She stated, ‘He’s a good dad and a good husband, and we want him home. That’s it.’ She added she had no knowledge of the allegations, emphasizing her family’s support for her husband.
Turner’s case is not the first to rock the Union High School community. In 2023, another staff member, Timothy Lee Meador, pleaded guilty to two charges of indecent liberties with a child and served one year and three months in prison. Meador, who also worked at the same school, had previously been linked to Turner, suggesting potential overlap in the staff’s history and the community’s response.
The investigation into Turner remains ongoing, with authorities indicating that additional charges are still pending. The VSP’s main priority is locating Turner safely, according to their statement. The district also confirmed that a staff member had been placed on administrative leave pending review of an external allegation.
Turner hails from a long-established football family embedded in the community. His late father, Tom Turner, also worked as a coach at Appalachia High School and led his teams to five state championships during his 26-year career before his death in 2006. The community’s history with Turner is complex, given both his achievements and the recent allegations against him.
While many within the community have expressed their devastation and loss of trust, others have expressed that they had always suspected the truth, highlighting the tension between public perception and the legal process. The community’s reaction underscores the impact such allegations can have on both individuals and the institution they are part of.