Morgan County Sheriff Wayne Potter says a Polaris RZR belonging to Kevin Hamby, who has been missing for over three years, was found late yesterday in a remote location in the county.

Hamby was last seen on the RZR leaving his home in the Gobey area the evening of November 14, 2017.  Authorities have tried to run down numerous leads, rumors, and tips over the years. The Tennessee Highway Patrol (THP) and TBI have both flown an area multiple times where they believed, based on the best information available, Hamby may have ridden and went missing.

The RZR was found when the Tennessee Highway Patrol was flying in the area close to, but outside of the previous zone of coverage. Sheriff Potter, assisted by Wartburg Police Chief Teddy Bales, sent younger deputies, officers and a member of the district attorney’s office, down the steep slope about 250 yards below a ridge line where a THP helicopter directed the searchers to the location of the RZR which was lodged against a tree.

The searchers confirmed that the RZR did indeed belong to Hamby when they found the VIN.

They also located a shoe that was confirmed by a family member as belonging to Hamby.

While Sheriff Potter went to inform Kevin Hamby‘s family, EMS, firefighters, rescue squad, and agents from the TBI were being called by Sheriff Potter to the scene to conduct a grid search of the area for a possible body or other evidence. It was growing dark and rain is expected. Depending on the weather, the plan is to conduct an additional search using a K9 this morning (March 23, 2021).

Sheriff Potter cautioned that the conditions are already not so safe given the steep degree of the slope where the RZR is located.

He also says Hamby‘s father had recently heard new information from an individual. This individual was interviewed and the location that he gave for possibly finding the RZR led to today’s THP flyover.

Sheriff Potter is glad to have found the RZR and hopes that it and the search will provide clues to Hamby’s disappearance, but at the same time, realizes the new grief and questions that the discovery of the RZR may bring for Hamby’s family.

Anyone with information about Hamby‘s disappearance is asked to contact the sheriff’s office at (865) 346-6262.