Travis Turner's high school makes move to distance themselves further from fugitive coach wanted on child porn charges
Union High School in Virginia has taken the decision to name a new head football coach, months after Travis Turner vanished.
Fugitive Turner, a 46-year-old married father-of-three, went on the run days before it emerged police wanted him for 10 alleged child sex offenses.
They were on the way to his house when he ran away and he was last seen heading into the Appalachian woods, carrying a firearm, on November 20. Four months later, there have been no sightings of him.
Turner is still wanted for five counts of possession of child pornography and five counts of using a computer to solicit a minor.
The charges are said to center on text and picture exchanges between Turner and a 16-year-old female student at Union High School.
But while the search for Turner goes on, Union High School has acted swiftly to secure a new football leader.
Missing coach Travis Turner has been replaced as head football coach of Union High School
Union High School has taken the decision to name Jamie Harless as their new football coach
It was announced on Tuesday that the Bears have appointed Jamie Harless as their new head coach.
He has an impressive track record having led Lord Botetourt High School in Daleville to 134 victories across 14 years in charge. They won four regional titles and claimed three state runner-up finishes.
Earlier this month the family of Turner's alleged victim came forward and revealed more devastating details to The US Sun.
Turner allegedly exposed himself in photos sent to the girl during text exchanges that are said to have lasted for three months.
The school reportedly became aware of the allegedly inappropriate exchange between the student and Turner when she was overheard discussing the purported texts in the library.
The girl was then allegedly brought in to be interviewed by school officials about the messages without the knowledge of her parents. Two days later, Turner allegedly fled.
'It all happened very quickly,' the source told The US Sun. 'First came the accusation, then the police became involved. Then Turner went missing. It was overwhelming.'
They said that most of the anger was directed at Turner, who, as a married father-of-three, 'should have known better.'
Turner vanished from his family home in Appalachia, Virginia (pictured), on November 20 and left the property armed with a gun and walked into a 'heavily wooded and mountainous area'
The alleged victim's family said they were furious at Union High School for allegedly failing to contact them about the matter
The girl's furious family took aim at Union High School principal Jerred Chandler, claiming that school officials failed to notify them or call them to discuss the matter.
The school reportedly refused to provide answers when questioned by the family over the failure to notify them.
The family also claimed that there has been no official school investigation. The principal allegedly suggested that Turner had been tricked into communicating with an individual who was pretending to be someone else. Therefore, the school claimed that there was no case for him to answer to.
The alleged meeting took place on November 18, 2025, according to The US Sun. Turner is said to have attended school the following morning but is believed to have been informed of the decision to put him on leave amid an investigation at some point during the day.
However, he was reportedly still being paid by the school up until the end of January and was only officially terminated by the school board on February 9, according to The US Sun.
Meanwhile, Turner's alleged victim is said to be in a 'very depressive state' and has been mocked by other students about the incident, sources added.
They claimed that the football playoffs were the only thing people cared about at the time.
Turner had led Union High School football team to an undefeated season and, even after his vanishing, his players continued their pursuit of a championship.
