On March 20, 2017, 35-year-old Christopher Everett Preuitt, a male from Columbia, Missouri, was reported missing. An avid outdoorsman, Chris had planned a camping and canoeing trip on the Missouri River near Tadpole Island. This was a familiar solace for him, a place where he often retreated to enjoy the companionship of his dogs and the serenity of nature.
His family and friends knew him as a man who cherished God's creation, with a passion for camping, hiking, and collecting rocks along the way. The last communication anyone had with him was on March 22, 2017. After that, an unnerving silence began.
The initial discovery that something was amiss came when Preuitt's vehicle, a gold 2000 Mazda 626, was found abandoned near the Missouri River at Huntsdale. This prompted a search, and authorities soon located a campsite across the river on Tadpole Island, which is situated just inside Moniteau County. As search teams, including the Missouri State Highway Patrol's air and water units, scoured the area, they found items on the island believed to belong to Chris. Despite the extensive search of the island on foot and the surrounding river, there was no sign of Preuitt. The official search was eventually suspended after authorities felt they had exhausted all available resources, though the case remained open.
Christopher was a family man, married to his wife Gerrin, and a father to their five-month-old son, Dawes. He was described as a compassionate and caring individual, a quality that extended from his personal life into his professional role in Radiologic Technology. He had a gift for making people laugh, even during difficult times. His family holds the belief that he likely drowned in the river he so loved. The case of Christopher Everett Preuitt remains a painful mystery for his loved ones. A man who found so much peace in the great outdoors vanished from that very setting, leaving behind a young family and a community to wonder what happened on that March day. Without any further evidence or his recovery, his disappearance is classified as a lost/injured missing person case, with the prevailing theory being a tragic accident in the waters of the Missouri River.Last Seen: Mar 20, 2017
