The National Park Service (NPS) is urgently requesting the public’s help in locating Christopher Lee Palmer, 39, who was officially declared missing by Arkansas authorities on January 16, 2026. Palmer, who was last seen in his red 2017 Ford F-250, is believed to have been traveling with his German shepherd, and investigators are focusing their efforts on his possible whereabouts in Dare County, North Carolina.

After reviewing traffic camera footage from Dare County, investigators confirmed that Palmer’s vehicle was spotted as early as the afternoon of January 9, 2026, with a blue and white kayak visible in the truck’s bed. Further analysis of Palmer’s mobile phone indicates that he was near Avon on the evening of January 10, and in the Cape Point area of Buxton on January 11. Despite these clues, Palmer’s exact location remains unknown.

On January 12, NPS law enforcement rangers found Palmer’s vehicle stuck on the beach at Cape Hatteras National Seashore, and reports suggest the vehicle had been stranded there since January 11. However, the kayak has not been located, and it remains a key part of the investigation.

Palmer is described as a white male, approximately 5 feet 6 inches tall, with blue eyes and strawberry-blond hair. He may still be in the area, and authorities are asking anyone, especially boaters, who might have seen Palmer or his vehicle, to come forward with information.

The search for Palmer is ongoing, and his family is desperate for answers. If you have any information about Christopher Palmer’s whereabouts or have seen his vehicle or kayak, please contact the National Park Service or local authorities immediately. Your help could be critical in bringing Palmer home safely.