Search continues for missing Gillette woman

GILLETTE (WNE) — Search and rescue efforts continue for a 55-year-old woman who went missing Saturday evening south of Gillette.

Tami Lynn Sturgeon, of Gillette, was reported missing at about 7 p.m. Saturday by her 60-year-old husband. She has not been found as of Monday morning.

Sheriff’s Sgt. Gary Sams said the two were south of Bishop Road in the Yellow Hammer Buttes area shed hunting when Sturgeon lost her cellphone. She and her husband went back to search for her phone and the two became separated.

“She discovered her phone was missing and they went back to that area to search for it and then they got separated,” Sams said, adding that the snow and cold weather complicated the search. Sams said the woman was dressed for the weather Saturday and the two had a backpack with some supplies, but that pack was not with Sturgeon.

Multiple agencies have joined the search including search and rescue teams from Sheridan, Crook and Johnson counties, Sheriff Scott Matheny said. Drones were also used and on Sunday a request for a Black Hawk helicopter was approved.

The plan was to use the helicopter to search the area Monday.

“It’s open but it's a rough area and it’s hard to navigate in that area,” Matheny said.

This story was published on March 25, 2024.