Missing hiker’s remains found in the Ponca Wilderness of Buffalo National River

Update 11/16/2020: The date of body recovery: June 17, 2020.

According to a news release by WMC5, the remains of a missing hiker from West Memphis were found in northwest Arkansas Wednesday morning, according to the National Park Service.

Search and rescue personnel discovered the remains of Thomas Reid in the Sneeds Creek drainage area within the Ponca Wilderness area of Buffalo National River (the first designated national river in the United States), south of Compton.

The original NPS release stated the following:

The National Park Service is seeking information to help locate a missing man from West Memphis, Arkansas. Thomas (Tom) Reid, age 65, was last seen on the Sneeds Creek trail within the boundaries of Buffalo National River south of Compton at approximately 5:00 p.m. on Saturday, June 13, 2020. Reid is 6 feet tall, 185 pounds, with gray hair and a gray beard. He was last seen wearing blue jeans, a denim button up shirt, and hiking boots.

Reid was reported injured to US Park Rangers by his brother at 7:24 p.m. on Saturday, June 13. The two had been hiking together when Reid injured his knee. Reid’s brother went to get help, but upon returning to the area, Reid was not found.

Special Agents with the National Park Service Investigative Services Branch have opened a missing person investigation in coordination with the Newton County Sheriff’s Office and Arkansas State Police.


If you have information that could help investigators, if you may have seen Thomas Reid, or if you were in the area of Sneeds Creek around June 13-14, you are asked to contact the NPS Investigative Services Branch, at (202) 379-4761.

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