Timothy Oneil, a 16-year-old boy from Kingsport, Tennessee, became the subject of a public missing-person notice after authorities reported that he was believed to have left voluntarily from Dobyns-Bennett High School in Kingsport. The Kingsport Police Department described Timothy as a white male juvenile and said he was approximately 5 feet 5 inches tall and 150 pounds, with red hair and green eyes. At the time he was last seen, police said he was wearing ripped black pants, a black hooded sweatshirt, and a purple hat. The case was treated seriously from the beginning because Timothy was a minor, and even in circumstances where a teenager is believed to have left on their own, the uncertainty surrounding their safety can be frightening for family, friends, school staff, and the broader community.
Public records connected to the case also show how the information moved through official missing-person systems. NamUs listed the case as Missing Person / NamUs #MP158780 and identified the case as involving Timothy Oneil, missing from Kingsport, Tennessee, with a date created in the system of May 21, 2026. The attached public case information from NamUs identified the investigating agency as the Sullivan County Sheriff’s Office and connected the case to Sullivan County, while the Kingsport Police Department public notices listed a separate police case number and asked anyone with information to contact Kingsport Central Dispatch or the Criminal Investigations Division. Together, these public postings show a coordinated effort to document Timothy’s disappearance, circulate his identifying information, and make it possible for the public to report sightings or information that might help bring him home.
As the search continued, Kingsport Police re-released the alert, stating that they were still searching for Timothy and still seeking information that could help locate him. That renewed appeal repeated the most important identifying details: his age, physical description, clothing, residency in Kingsport, and last known location at Dobyns-Bennett High School. Police also noted that Timothy had been entered into the National Crime Information Center as a runaway juvenile, a step that helps law enforcement agencies identify and respond if a missing juvenile is encountered outside the immediate area. The language of the release remained focused on finding Timothy safely and encouraged the public to share information through dispatch, investigators, or anonymous online citizen feedback forms.
The case later reached a relieved conclusion when the Kingsport Police Department updated its notice to say that Timothy Oneil had been located and found safe. The public update did not specify the exact date or circumstances of his recovery, so the exact date he was found safe is unknown from the available online public information. What is clear from the official update is that this is no longer an active missing-person search, and the police department thanked the public for helping locate him. In overview, Timothy’s case began as a missing juvenile report out of Kingsport, Tennessee, centered on a 16-year-old last associated publicly with Dobyns-Bennett High School; authorities released his description, clothing, and contact information for tips; the alert was reissued while the search continued; and the case ended with the best possible public outcome, with Timothy located and reported safe.
Last Seen: May 16, 2026
