Search Now a Recovery Mission

DAYTON, November 3, 2009 - Tuesday afternoon Sgt. Coleman of the Dayton Police Department advised i-dinetou.com that the search being conducted off FM 1008 just outside of Dayton had become a recovery mission.

It is thought by those conducting the search that if Gene Roberts age 45 of Dayton had been able to get to the railroad tracks near the search area, US Highway 90 or back out to FM 1008 there had been ample time elapsed for him to do so and he would have been spotted. Roberts has been unaccounted for since Sunday afternoon.

Those searching in boats, on horseback, in airboats, and ATV’s will call off the effort for today around 5:00 PM and return in the morning around 6:00 to continue this recovery effort to locate Roberts. There will be no searching conducted after dark.

Areas normally dry are now under several feet of water due to the flooding of the Trinity River. Cadaver dogs were stationed on the bow of small boats combing the area attempting to pick up a scent.

Small boats seem to be the most effective method of searching in the flooded river bottom and have been able to cover considerable ground, according to Sgt. Coleman.

The railroad tracks leaving Dayton are somewhat of a southern boundary of the search zone. Roberts was last seen near a clearing in the woods once used to exercise horses commonly called a racetrack.

According to Coleman the river seems to be receding in some areas but that process is slow to aid search efforts.

Sgt. Coleman expressed his appreciation to Dayton Churches, Thriftee Foods and others who have provided food for the search personnel on the scene.

Those assisting in the effort today included the Cleveland Police Department, Dayton Police Department, Liberty Police Department, Equistar, Kenefick VFD, Dayton VFD, Pct. 3 Harris County Constable’s Office, Citizens on Horseback, the FBI Conducted an Aerial Search, Liberty County Sheriff’s Office and the Texas Department of Criminal Justice using Cadaver Dogs.