New details about the disappearance of Chris Palmer, a 39-year-old Arkansas man on a camping trip in several East Coast national forests, have been revealed.
On January 12, National Park Service (NPS) rangers discovered Palmer’s red 2017 Ford F-250 bogged down in the sand on the Cape Hatteras National Seashore near Buxton, nearly six hours southeast of the direction Palmer last told his family he was traveling. Surveillance footage reviewed by investigators shows a blue and white kayak in the truck bed when it was in Dare County, but that kayak was not present when officers located the vehicle.
Arkansas authorities declared Palmer missing on January 16 after rangers found the vehicle abandoned and no sign of Palmer or his German shepherd, Zoey. According to official statements, Palmer was last in confirmed contact with his family on January 9 before vanishing.
Strange discoveries and unanswered questions
Social media updates from True Crime Mama have highlighted several suspicious details of his disappearance. According to her post, the traffic cameras confirmed Palmer drove to the beach area with his kayak, so he “may have kayaked over to one of the other islands,” True Crime Mama speculated.
According to those close to him, Palmer is a former military man with elite survival skills, a certified level 5 whitewater rafter, and someone who has spent far more time outdoors than indoors. They emphasized that he had no known mental health issues, was deeply devoted to family, and would never willingly abandon his dog Zoey.
Forum posts also claim several personal items — including his shotgun, safe, and camping gear — were found in the truck, while clothes, his coat, and Zoey’s dog bowls were missing, raising further questions about what transpired after the truck was left on the beach. Official statements have not confirmed these details.
Discrepancies in communication and timeline
A recent TikTok breakdown from @TrueCrimeTalkwithSam echoed concerns about inconsistencies in Palmer’s known movements. Family members received a mix of text messages and videos that Palmer may not have made, and his last verified phone contact was on Christmas Day. The details in later texts and videos reportedly came from unknown senders.
The TikTok clip also points out that early reports misidentified the location where the truck was found as “Monroe, North Carolina” before it was corrected to Cape Hatteras National Seashore.
As far as official statements, Palmer is still considered missing, and law enforcement have not confirmed any foul play. The National Park Service continues to lead search operations in cooperation with local and state law enforcement, urging visitors in the Cape Point area and surrounding stretches of Hatteras Island to share any information that might aid the investigation.
The NPS has also released cell phone ping data indicating Palmer’s mobile device showed activity near Avon on January 10 and near Cape Point in Buxton on January 11, suggesting he was present in the area shortly before the truck was found.
Authorities are asking anyone who may have been near the Outer Banks between January 9–12 — especially around Cape Point — to contact the NPS tip line at 888-653-0009 or submit tips online.
Published: Jan 22, 2026 12:06 pm