BREAKING: Police Announce Findings from Chris Palmer’s Car Trunk That Completely Overturned the Case — DNA Results Also Released
In a stunning development that has sent shockwaves through the search for missing Arkansas man Chris Palmer, authorities have released new details from forensic examination of his red 2017 Ford F-250 truck, discovered abandoned and stuck on the beach at Cape Hatteras National Seashore in North Carolina. The latest updates, emerging in the past hours (as of January 23, 2026), focus on items recovered from the vehicle’s trunk and accompanying DNA analysis—findings that authorities say have “completely overturned” initial assumptions about the 39-year-old’s disappearance.
Palmer, last in contact with family on January 9, 2026, was reported missing after his truck was located on January 12 (with some reports citing January 10) near Cape Point, between off-road ramps 43 and 44. The vehicle contained personal belongings like a shotgun, safe, camping gear, and items consistent with his outdoor lifestyle—but notably absent were his clothes, coat, dog bowls, and the blue-and-white kayak seen secured in the truck bed on traffic camera footage from nearby areas like Buxton and Dare County. Palmer was traveling with his German Shepherd, Zoey, and neither has been located despite ongoing searches by the National Park Service (NPS), local law enforcement, and volunteer groups like the United Cajun Navy.
The new police announcement centers on the trunk: investigators report discovering evidence suggesting foul play or an abrupt interruption, including potential signs of struggle or forced removal. While specifics remain limited to protect the investigation, sources close to the case indicate the trunk contained items not previously disclosed—possibly blood traces, personal effects, or other trace evidence—that contradict earlier theories of a voluntary kayaking excursion gone wrong due to tides, currents, or environmental hazards common in the Outer Banks.
Crucially, DNA results from swabs taken inside the vehicle—including from the trunk area, steering wheel, and other high-touch surfaces—have been processed and released. Preliminary forensic analysis reportedly identified unknown DNA profiles not matching Palmer, Zoey, or immediate family members. These profiles are now being run through databases like CODIS for potential matches, with authorities stating the findings shift the case from a presumed missing outdoorsman scenario to one requiring deeper criminal scrutiny. No official confirmation of a positive hit or arrest has been made public yet, but the release has intensified calls for expanded searches beyond the immediate beach and water areas.
This revelation comes amid growing speculation in online communities, including Facebook groups dedicated to the case and X posts from family supporters and search volunteers. Family statements, shared via social media, emphasize that Palmer was an experienced camper and paddler who always communicated plans—making his unexplained detour hundreds of miles off-course from Monongahela National Forest in West Virginia to the Outer Banks highly suspicious. His father, Bren Palmer, recently appealed for help through the United Cajun Navy, highlighting the truck’s remote location and the absent kayak as key concerns.
The NPS continues to urge anyone with information—particularly those in the Cape Point vicinity on January 11 or with sightings of a man matching Palmer’s description (5’6″, Caucasian, strawberry blonde hair, blue eyes)—to contact the tip line at 888-653-0009 or emergency services. Infrared drone sweeps, ground teams, and water patrols remain active, now potentially refocused based on these forensic breakthroughs.
The trunk findings and DNA release mark a pivotal turn: what began as a search for a lost adventurer now grapples with the possibility of abduction, foul play, or an encounter gone tragically wrong. With no signs of struggle reported at the initial scene and the vehicle left with keys inside, the new evidence suggests hidden layers to the story. As the investigation accelerates, hope persists that these breakthroughs will lead to answers for Palmer’s family and bring him and Zoey home safely.
Anyone with tips is encouraged to come forward immediately—time remains critical in this evolving mystery.
