MERIDIAN, Idaho — The Idaho Peace Officers Memorial is honoring missing Idaho Deputy Game Warden Ellsworth Arthur Teed 89 years after he went missing in Shoshone County.
"I don’t know [if we will ever know what happened to Teed], but I certainly hope so," Idaho Fish & Game (IFG) Panhandle Communications Manager T.J. Ross said. "Mines were shutting down so workers could go help with the search. Everyday civilians heading into the woods."
A IFG conservation officer recently traced back Teed's steps to apply for his membership into the state's memorial. Teed was last seen Aug. 28, 1934 while looking to confront suspected poachers outside Mullan, Idaho. Teed’s coat, car, and lunch were found in town.
He never returned home that night.
"The fact he went into the woods on what would appear to be a typical day for him - that was it," Ross said. "That was all that was known."
Teed may have been the first full-time deputy game warden in the state, according to Ross. He was a pioneer of the industry when it had little regulation and training.
"It was the wild west. People at that time were readily committing wildlife crimes. He was stepping into some risky situations," Ross said. "So, this was on everybody's radar at that time."
Search teams were up to 1,000 people, according to initial newspaper reports. Speculation circulated about Teed sighting in Republic, Washington nearly a month after his disappearance; others believe the poachers killed Teed, newspapers wrote.
"There was no specific evidence discovered that indicated what had happened," Ross said. "And a lot of the stories, if you read through them, there are allusions to hot clues and sightings of Teed. Law enforcement didn't give them any weight based on what they knew."
Teed was declared dead in 1942; however, new information may offer answers nearly 90 years after his disappearance. A credible source has offered additional details about what happened to Teed in 1934, according to Ross. The case has been reopened by the Shoshone County Sheriff's Office.
"The was an unanticipated thing. We don't know what will come of it," Ross said.
Teed has also been added to the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial in Washington D.C.
Watch more Local News:
See the latest news from around the Treasure Valley and the Gem State in our YouTube playlist: