On Feb 28, 2023, Investigator Hunter Fowler was dispatched to 3410 Rugby Pike in the Armathwaite Community to do a welfare check at that residence, and to try and make contact with the subject living, there a Mr. Gerald “Gary” Volkenand. His son had not been able to make contact with him in several days and was worried about his safety and stated that Mr. Volkenand had not been seen by his neighbors in over a week. Mr. Volkenand does suffer from dementia. Investigator Fowler could not make contact with the subject and noticed all his vehicles were there and all doors were locked to the house. At that time family members had arrived and ask Investigator Fowler to enter the residence and a forced entry was made to the residence. Mr. Volkenand was not inside and it was noticed that Mr. Volkenand’s two small dogs, that he inside the house, had no water or food. Deputies from the Fentress County Sheriff’s Office have searched the area around the house and did not see Mr. Volkenand anywhere around the property. As the search continued Investigator Chris Anderson was checking all the fields and property surrounding the residence as some neighbors stated that he would take off walking in the woods a lot. As Investigator Chris Anderson was exiting Floyd Conatser Road at 5:00 pm on Feb 28th he noticed a big footprint in a mudhole by the road in front of an old barn. Investigator Anderson was able to make access to the barn and found Mr. Volkenand laying in the back of the barn on his back. The subject looked to have been laying there for several days and EMS was called to Floyd Conatser Road to remove Mr. Volkenand and give him medical attention due to a possible broken leg and dehydration.
Investigator: Chris Anderson
