UPDATED:
Pike County authorities are searching for a missing man this hour.
According to Pike County Sheriff David Greenwood, just before 2PM on Sunday, the sheriff’s office received a report of 30 year old Austin J. Shaw as a missing person. According to the missing persons report, Shaw has been missing since March 7th.
Shaw is described as a white male, with brown hair, reddish-brown goatee, brown eyes, and he has a barbwire tattoo on his right bicep. He was last seen wearing a green & white baseball cap, an olive green hoodie, jeans, and thigh high hunting boots.
Shaw was last seen just southwest of Fishhook, which is reportedly where he was dropped off to go rock hunting. A couple of items belonging to Shaw were reportedly found in this area. The area was searched on foot on Monday. The Illinois State Police Air Operations also searched the area on Monday. On Tuesday, a large scale ground search was conducted of the area with 34 volunteers including the Baylis Fire Department, Brown County EMA, Griggsville Fire, North Pike Fire, Meredosia Fire, the Pike County Volunteer Emergency Corps, and Pike County EMS. This group also included family and private citizens.
On Tuesday, the Pike County Sheriff’s Department received a tip that said Shaw was observed walking north of Route 104 on 372nd Street on March 10th around 4:30PM.
According to Sheriff Greenwood, this is a much larger area that was also searched by ISP Air Operations for three hours on Tuesday. Ground searches are still continuing in this area.
The Pike County Sheriff’s Office says if you know of Shaw’s whereabouts or wish to leave an anonymous tip to please call 217-285-5011.
UPDATE: Pike County Sheriff David Greenwood confirmed Friday afternoon it was NOT Austin who was seen walking on 372nd St, North of State Highway 104.
He was last seen at a Pike Co Business wearing a two tone brown hat with a white patch on the front, a grey hoodie, muck type boots, and jeans with the right back side ripped around the whole pocket.