By Darlene "Scoop" McCoy | Community & Breaking News Reporter
LOGAN COUNTY, WV — A West Virginia man contacted authorities Saturday afternoon after his wife entered a local Dollar General to purchase paper towels and failed to return to the vehicle nearly three hours later.
According to witnesses, 43-year-old Melissa Carter entered the store at approximately 1:17 p.m. after telling her husband, “I'll be right back. I only need one thing.”
Her husband, Travis Carter, said he initially wasn't concerned.
“First hour, I figured she ran into somebody she knew,” Carter said. “Second hour, I started getting worried. By hour three, I went inside looking for her and somehow ended up back at the front door without ever finding the paper towels.”
Authorities arrived shortly afterward and established a command post in the parking lot.
Search-and-rescue crews entered the store at approximately 4:26 p.m. carrying radios, bottled water and enough supplies to remain inside overnight if necessary.
Officials divided the store into sectors, beginning with groceries and household cleaning supplies before attempting to push deeper into what rescuers described as an increasingly confusing maze of merchandise.
Communication with two members of the search team was lost approximately 40 minutes later.
Their last radio transmission indicated they had passed Valentine's Day decorations, children's swimming pools, motor oil and a display of Christmas wrapping paper despite it being September.
“We believe they're somewhere between seasonal decorations and automotive supplies,” Logan County search coordinator Randy Mullins said. “Unfortunately, that doesn't narrow it down nearly as much as you'd think.”
A third rescue team was preparing to enter when Carter's wife unexpectedly emerged from the store carrying six shopping bags.
She told authorities she had located the paper towels within minutes but became disoriented after attempting to find the checkout counter.
“I just kept following the aisles,” she said. “At one point I passed the same stack of plastic storage totes three times. That's when I knew I was in trouble.”
Carter's purchases reportedly included paper towels, laundry detergent, a phone charger, two decorative pumpkins, dog treats, a scented candle, a garden hose nozzle and a package of socks.
The total came to $47.83.
She could not explain where the socks came from.
As of press time, both missing rescuers had made radio contact and reported they were safe.
However, officials said recovery efforts have been temporarily suspended after neither man could provide enough information to determine which part of the store they were currently standing in.
“We asked them to describe what's around them,” Mullins said.
“They said laundry baskets, windshield washer fluid and Easter decorations.”
Mullins paused.
“That could be anywhere.”
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