Chris Palmer’s father is calling on the United Cajun Navy to help find Chris and his dog, Zoey.
As of January 22nd, 2026, the National Park Service has provided an update and a new picture showing that the red Ford F150 was in Dare County, NC, as early as January 9th, 2026, as it was caught on the Dare County traffic footage with the blue and white kayak in the bed of the truck.
Additional information from the NPS states that Chris’s phone pinged near Avon on the evening of January 10th, 2026, and near Cape Point in Buxton on January 11th, 2026.
At this time, the search for Chris Palmer and his dog Zoey remains ongoing.
Information that we previously knew is included below.
Chris and Zoey started a camping trip in the Smoky Mountains on December 8th, 2025. During this trip, he traveled to multiple places and kept in touch with his family. They last heard from him by text on January 9th, 2026. He said he was headed to the Monongahela National Forest in West Virginia
On January 12th, 2026 (previously reported as January 10th, 2026), National Park Service Rangers found his red Ford F250 abandoned on the page at Cape Hatteras National Seashore.
On January 16th, 2026, Authorities in Arkansas officially declared Chris Palmer a missing person.
Other sources are now reporting that Chris and Zoey were seen on the beach with a kayak, and that Chris did have a kayak that was not found in or near his truck.
Chris is described as 39 years old, 5′ 6″ tall, with strawberry blonde hair and blue eyes.
The National Park Service is requesting any and all public information that could help them locate Chris and Zoey.
