Sons of missing Tennessee hunter join search efforts in Alaska

DEADHORSE, Alaska (KTUU) - For the past seven days, Liz Keel says her house in Tennessee has been packed with people making calls as they help her try and find her husband of 38 years Steve Keel, who disappeared on August 27 when he was on a hunting trip outside of Deadhorse.

“I mean he loves to hunt,” Keel said. “If he could hunt and fish year around, and do nothing else, that would have been the, you know like paradise for him.”

Steve was an avid hunter who had traveled all over the U.S. to hunt. He took his first trip up to Alaska and he was excited to go on a caribou hunting trip. On August 27, his hunting companion reported him missing. Liz foundout the next day.

“My heart dropped down into my toes and I just thought, oh my gosh, this can not be possible,” Keel said.

According to Liz, Steve went to grab some food and never returned back to the campsite.

Liz said that he had already been missing for 30 hours before a search and rescue team was deployed. Now almost a week later, she said her family still lacks answers. Her two oldest sons flew out to Alaska on Thursday morning to start looking for their father.

“I feel so good that they have eyes up there, that they can see what the terrain is like and where he could possibly be and how things played out,” Keel said. “But of course, on the other hand, to have two sons up there in the exact place where their father disappeared.”

Liz said her son’s plane tickets are open-ended. She believes they plan to stay out in Alaska until they can find answers. If anyone has information, she is asking that they reach out to her via Facebook.

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