Search For Missing Uintah County Teen Enters Day Nine
May 30, 2021, 3:52 PM | Updated: Jul 6, 2023, 1:09 pm
UINTAH COUNTY, Utah — It has been nine days since friends and family last heard from a 19-year-old in Uintah County.
On Sunday, searchers said they had ramped up efforts to include an aerial search for Max Stubbs.
Officials with the Uintah County Sheriff’s Office said multiple aircraft from the Utah and Colorado wings of the Civil Air Patrol and a Classic Air Medical helicopter have joined law enforcement and search and rescue to find the missing teen.
“We’re honestly hoping that he got hung up and is full of life some place and is waiting for somebody to find him,” Fletcher said.
The aerial search was focused in canvassing all of Uintah County, an area which is approximately 4,500 square miles, Chief Deputy Brian Fletcher with the Uintah County Sheriff’s Office told KSL-TV.
“They’ve flown multiple missions,” he said. “We’re trying to grid out areas of Uintah County to search — and eliminate if you will. Right now, it’s more of a needle in a haystack.”
Stubbs was last seen in Jensen, Utah on Friday, May 21.
Officers believe he is driving a Silver 2000 Chevy Silverado Extended Cab with Utah license plate number U224JY.
The Uintah County Sheriff’s Office was provided this photo of the truck they believe Stubbs is driving.
Stubbs was described as approximately 5 feet 8 inches tall, with blonde hair and hazel eyes.
“I don’t know. He’s just not here anymore. I have no explanations,” said David Hall, Stubbs’ older brother. “It doesn’t make any sense.”
Hall said he last saw his brother early in the morning on May 21st.
“I got up in the morning to go to work and he was in the bathroom, so I knocked on the door and he opened it and didn’t say anything and went straight to his room,” said Hall. “It was like 7:20 a.m., so not out of the ordinary. It was pretty early.”
Around that time, Hall said Stubbs got into his 2000 Chevy truck and left the home.
“He didn’t say anything to me or my wife,” Hall said.
According to Hall, Stubbs moved in with his family after the death of their mother last year.
“That was hard on all of us,” Hall said, adding that Stubbs recently lost his job.
Hall said they became worried when Max didn’t come home, especially after realizing he didn’t take his wallet with him.
“When he left his home, he left without anything. It would suggest that he was running an errand or going some place. It didn’t seem like it would be a long-term thing,” said Fletcher.
Fletcher said they have no evidence to suspect foul play or indicate Max wanted to take his life.
“We have no reason to suggest that occurred,” he said.
However, deputies said they were looking into all possibilities.
Anyone with information has been asked to call the Uintah County Sheriff’s Office at 435-789-2511 or Central Dispatch at 435-789-4222.
