Active search ends for missing Powell Butte woman
A two-week ground and air search for a missing Powell Butte woman ended Friday as the Crook County Sheriff’s Office announced it will now focus the investigation in a new direction.
Search and rescue crews and major incident teams from several Central Oregon law enforcement agencies have been looking for 27-year-old Shauna Fowler since she went missing late March 26th from her travel trailer — leaving her car, cell phone, keys and pets behind.
Crook County Undersheriff John Gautney said since then, there have been few leads as to what what happened to Fowler or where she might be, but they have made some progress.
“Based on what we found from search and rescue, we know we won’t be successful at finding her out there,” Gautney said of efforts to find her in the brush surrounding Powell Butte. “We’re moving from a search and rescue case to a missing person case.”
He added, ‘We have found some clues, but we’re not going to let that out yet, because we don’t know if we have a criminal case yet. We’re looking at all avenues.”
Posters of Fowler cover storefronts, posts and windows, and the tight-knit community waits and worries.
“It’s just really sad that something would happen in a little town like this,” Powell Butte resident Chad Cross said Friday.
Gautney said Fowler has not used her phone, social media or credit cards since she was last seen.
“You have to suspect the worst has probably happened, but we don’t know that, so we’re looking at everything possible,” Gautney said.
Gautney said although the search efforts have ended, the investigation into Fowler’s disappearance is ongoing. He said investigators will dive deeper into her social media accounts and will continue to speak to those who know her, or may have seen her.
Meanwhile, community members continue to wait for any news.
“I hope for her family that they get some kind of answer,” said Powell Butte Country Store employee Amber Eby.
Cross said he no longer lets his children walk alone to the bus stop.
“It kind of makes me worry. It’s a small town, and it’s hitting home,” Cross said. “I just hope they find her.”
Fowler is described as 5-foot-4 and weighs 110 pounds, with blonde hair and green eyes. She last was seen wearing tan corduroy pants, a light-colored shirt and black vest.
Anyone who has seen or heard from Fowler was asked to contact the sheriff’s office at 541-447-6398.
A friend created the “Help Find Shauna!” Facebook group, and Smart asked everyone to join the group and share it with everyone.
