TULSA, Okla. — Deer gun hunting season just kicked off this weekend and the daughter of a missing man is hoping that it can bring closure to her family. Timothy VanMatre hasn’t been seen since March when he was spotted on his home security video leaving his Owasso home.
Emily Smith, Timothy’s daughter, read the inscription on her Father’s Day gift to her dad from last year.
“To dad, I love you,” said Smith. “I’m so grateful for all the love and adventures you brought to my life. You’re my greatest inspiration. Happy Father’s Day.”
Smith also has a bracelet she gifted her father, that was encouragement to never give up as he trained for the Ironman.
“I gave it to him as a reminder for him to keep going, and now it kind of felt like him telling me to keep going,” said Smith.
“No matter what it was, he was always there to do whatever he could for us and there’s just this huge hole in our lives now that almost every day we stop and we look at each other and say you know who would really like that, is papa,” said Smith.
Smith just wants to know what happened to her dad. After extensive searches of the area where his car was found near 66th Street North and Mingo area, investigators with the Tulsa County Sheriff’s Office don’t have much to go on.
“Had there been something that happened in that area like a fight or he got hit or a little bit of blood or anything, they would have found that and there was just nothing,” said Smith.
She says with deer gun hunting season underway, she’s hoping the extra bodies in the woods will help locate a clue that can bring closure to her family.
“Even if it’s not my dad’s body that we’re finding, it could be a sign of what direction that he went or give us some kind of idea on what led to this happening and where he could be at this point,” said Smith.
Smith never thought she’d be going into the holiday season without her dad.
“I just can’t believe that the is where we’re at now,” said Smith. “It’s November and we have Christmas decorations up and he’s still not here. It’s not easy for sure.”
You can call the Tulsa County Sheriff's Office if you have information about this case at 918-956-5600.
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