Missing Elsberry Man Found Safe After Coordinated Multi-Agency Search

ELSBERRY, Mo. — A search involving emergency responders from across Lincoln County and neighboring communities ended with a positive outcome Saturday morning when missing endangered adult Dennis Porter was found safe along a wood line.

Porter, 72, was last seen at approximately 9 p.m. Friday near New Hope Road outside Elsberry. He was reported missing Saturday morning, prompting the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office to begin searching the surrounding area and request assistance from the public.

Porter was alive and talking when he was found shortly before 11:10 a.m. Responders took him to a waiting ambulance for medical evaluation and treatment.

Dennis Porter, 72, was found safe and talking Saturday morning along a wood line near New Hope Road outside Elsberry. He was taken to an ambulance for medical evaluation. Photo provided by the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office.

The response grew steadily throughout the morning as law enforcement, firefighters, emergency management personnel and medical crews converged on the New Hope Road area.

Agencies personally observed by Lincoln CountyWatch included the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office, Missouri State Highway Patrol, Troy Police Department, Lincoln County Emergency Management Agency, Lincoln County Fire Protection District, Elsberry Fire Protection District, Wright City Fire Protection District, Winfield-Foley Fire Protection District and Lincoln County Ambulance District.

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A K-9 team from the Missouri Department of Corrections was also called to assist with tracking efforts. Other agencies and individual responders may have participated in the search as well.

Lincoln CountyWatch spoke at the scene with officers from two separate agencies who had already worked overnight shifts before continuing into the search. Some had been working for approximately 18 hours. They were clearly tired, but remained focused and continued working as the search expanded.

Residents also responded to requests to check their property, garages, sheds, barns, vehicles and security cameras for anything that could help locate Porter or establish which direction he had traveled.

Porter’s safe recovery reflected a significant coordinated effort between agencies that brought different personnel, equipment and capabilities together with one shared goal.

The outcome was a positive conclusion to a long morning for Porter’s family, the responding agencies and the community that followed and shared the search.

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Sources:

• Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office

• Lincoln CountyWatch reporting from the search area

• Lincoln CountyWatch emergency dispatch monitoring

• Responders from participating agencies