McCurtain County man believed drowned found alive

IDABEL, Okla. (AP) -- A man was arrested on a theft warrant after he triggered a major search effort by trying to fake his death, authorities said.<br/><br/>Robert Parsons, 41, was arrested Sunday, said

Tuesday, May 11th 2004, 12:42 pm

By: News On 6

IDABEL, Okla. (AP) -- A man was arrested on a theft warrant after he triggered a major search effort by trying to fake his death, authorities said.

Robert Parsons, 41, was arrested Sunday, said McCurtain County Sheriff Mike Willeby.

Parson's family reported him missing during the last week of April when he failed to return home from a fishing trip on the Mountain Fork River, about 30 miles north of Broken Bow in McCurtain County.

Search crews spent six days dragging the river and searched from the air and with cadaver dogs in an effort to locate Parsons, Willeby said.

"It's a shame what the family and search teams had to go through both mentally and physically," Willeby said.

Law enforcement received information late last week that Parsons was alive and may have tried to stage his death to run away from personal problems, Willeby said.

He faces an outstanding charge of threat by fraud from Pushmataha County.