The father of missing Arkansas man Chris Palmer believes his son may have taken his own life after a terminal illness diagnosis.

The father of a missing Arkansas man said that he believes his son may have taken his own life after being diagnosed with a terminal illness. The family has also requested that all active search efforts be halted.

Chris Palmer was out with his dog Zoey when the two appeared to go missing. (Facebook/Bren Palmer)
Chris Palmer was out with his dog Zoey when the two appeared to go missing. (Facebook/Bren Palmer)

Chris Palmer, 39, was reported missing by Arkansas authorities on January 16, following the discovery of his abandoned red 2017 Ford F-250 at Cape Hatteras National Seashore. Palmer was believed to be traveling with his German Shepherd, according to the National Park Service (NPS).

Family requests search halt

In a Facebook post on January 24, Palmer’s father, Bren Palmer, said the family had “made the difficult decision to request all active search efforts for our son cease.” He noted that recent searches had focused on the Outer Banks.

“We recently learned that Christopher was facing a terminal illness,” Bren Palmer wrote. “Knowing this has helped us understand the choices he made. Christopher loved the outdoors and valued his independence. The treatments ahead would have taken much of that away, and he did not want that future for himself.”

Investigation details

The NPS reported that Palmer’s truck was first observed in Dare County on January 9, and was later found stuck on the beach at Cape Hatteras National Seashore on January 12. A blue and white kayak, seen in surveillance footage, was missing from the truck.

Mobile phone pings suggested Palmer’s phone was near Avon on January 10 and near Cape Point in Buxton on January 11.

As recently as January 23, the Buxton community had organized a search for Palmer. In his statement, Bren Palmer expressed gratitude for volunteers, first responders, and community members who assisted in the search.

“We are deeply proud of the man Christopher was, and we hope his story brings awareness to the emotional and mental burdens people can face during serious medical challenges,” Bren Palmer wrote. He asked that the family’s privacy be respected as they seek closure.