NORTH PLAINS, Ore. (KOIN) — The search resumed Christmas morning for Allyson Watterson, a 20-year-old who went missing while hiking on December 22.
The Washington County Sheriff’s Office organized the search which included more volunteers than the party needed. They spent Wednesday following up on possible leads. The sheriff’s office said they have been flooded with tips.
“The amount of people coming out here, with it being Christmas—totally amazed by that,” said Deputy Tony Morris.
Investigators said Allyson and her boyfriend, Benjamin Garland, got separated while hiking near Old Pumpkin Ridge Road in a wooded area near North Plains.
“The terrain is very diverse,” said Morris. “I wouldn’t say it’s wilderness area, but there’s a lot of heavy timber, a lot of undergrowth and it’s private property, so we have to get permission. So it takes time to get into areas we want to be in.”
She was last seen wearing an orange-yellow hooded sweatshirt, a red backpack, black jeans and brown Calvin Klein boots.
She is white with blue eyes and dark brown hair. She’s about 5-feet-7 and 120 pounds. She has 2 tattoos: an eye on the front of her left shoulder and a fairy sitting on a spider web on her left forearm.
A total of 100 people broke into teams to look for Allyson—70 volunteers and 30 trained Search and Rescue members—on Christmas Day. By 5 p.m. the sheriff’s office wrapped up the search, with a plan to start again the next morning. For those looking to volunteer on Thursday, the WCSO is asking for anyone who has a FRS radio to please bring it with them.
Deputies also said that over the last few days, rumors have been circulating on social media about the search for Allyson. They are asking that people not post unconfirmed information out of respect for the search efforts and Allyson’s family.
Garland is cooperating with the investigation, which is not a criminal investigation at this point. But he is in the Washington County Jail awaiting a court appearance on Thursday on a stolen vehicle charge plus a bench warrant for possession of meth, both unrelated to the search for Allyson.
KOIN 6 News will continue to follow this story.