Human Remains Found During Search For Missing Man In Mayes County

The remains of an elderly man may have been found after he went missing three and a half years ago in Mayes County.

Wesley Stillsmoking disappeared in October of 2018, his car was found later abandoned near Locust Grove, and he was pictured on a trail camera about a mile away from his car. On Monday, nearly 70 people from a number of law enforcement and first responder agencies were searching the area Stillsmoking went missing when they found human remains. Searchers say the remains were located by one of the cadaver dogs brought in for the search.

Authorities at the scene say the remains have not been fully identified at this time and that they are waiting for a forensic investigator.

This has been a disappointing and exhausting last few years for both Stillsmoking's family and for the dozens of people who have helped with the search.

The only clue that search teams had to go on was the picture of Stillsmoking caught on a trail camera the day after he went missing. Stillsmoking's family believes he got lost trying to go to Tulsa to meet his wife who was recovering from a recent car accident. They think he ran out of gas, became disoriented, and walked into the woods.

State, federal and local agencies and many volunteers helped with the search.