SOUTH CHARLESTON, WV (WOWK) – The investigation into the missing Chapmanville Police Department K-9 is still active weeks after he went missing.

K-9 Chase went missing on April 11, 2023 after his handler reported that chase jumped over the fence and escaped his home in South Charleston. Chase was known as an intelligent and hardworking dog during his several months of training earlier this year at Battle Ridge K-9.

Chase finished his training just this past March before working with the Chapmanville Police Department.

Mike Mayes is the owner of Battle Ridge K-9 training. He said he originally trained Chase during the start of Chase’s narcotics detection training this past winter.

“Chase was just one of those dogs that you liked working [with] him. He liked the ball. That was his reward. He liked to interact with me,” Mayes said. “He was just a team player type of a dog and one you enjoyed training with.”   

Mayes said Chase was always willing to work hard during his training.

“His world revolved around the ball. Of course, you add interaction with me as his handler at that time during training, he was just an easy dog to work and loved to please,” Mayes said.  

Mayes said it hurts that more than three weeks later, Chase is still missing.

“I hope that Chase turns up, but you know the longer it goes and nobody has seen him, heard anything about it – no credible leads or anything like that as far as I’m aware of – it just gets more and more disheartening that he’s not going to be returned,” Mayes said.

The South Charleston Police Department is investigating Chase’s disappearance. Officers have told WOWK 13 News that Chase’s former handler, Marcus Dudley’s story doesn’t add up. Dudley was placed on administrative leave the day Chase went missing, and as of April 24, he is no longer employed with the Chapmanville Police Department.

“I don’t really want to comment on their investigation,” Mayes said. “I just don’t think that things happened like Marcus said. He’s changed his story, which is public knowledge. So, like I said, the longer the time goes on, it’s going to be harder and harder for me to think that Chase is going to be returned.”

The South Charleston Police Department has been in contact with WOWK. They said while there are no updates at the moment, they are actively working to locate Chase.

Anyone with information about his disappearance is encouraged to call the South Charleston Police Department or Metro 911 at 304-348-8111.