Search for missing Henderson teen resumes south of Hoover Dam

By Jackie Valley

Published Sunday, Sept. 26, 2010 | 8:30 p.m.

Updated Monday, Sept. 27, 2010 | 9:32 a.m.

Rescuers resumed their search this morning for a missing 16-year-old Henderson boy who disappeared in the Lake Mead National Recreation Area on Saturday.

Rescuers are focusing the search for Shane McNeil in areas south of the Hoover Dam along the Colorado River based on cell phone records provided by Verizon Wireless, National Park Service officials said.

The records show the last known location of McNeil's cell phone was a point along the Colorado River about 3.7 miles southeast of the Hoover Dam, officials said. That is a popular hiking area, but NPS rangers said sheer cliff faces and loose rocks exist off the trail.

McNeil went missing Saturday night after hiking near Gold Strike Canyon and White Rock Canyon in the Lake Mead National Recreation Area.

Two Metro Police helicopters and one helicopter from the Arizona Department of Public Safety are searching by air today, and other rescue crews from the National Park Service, Mohave County Sheriff's Office and Metro are scouring the ground and water, officials said.

Park Service officials said McNeil was last seen in that area south of the Hoover Dam and east of Boulder City wearing a white T-shirt, gray shorts and white sunglasses and carrying a black backpack. He also was carrying Bibles and bottled water.

McNeil had hiked from his Henderson home near the Interstate 215 and U.S. 93 interchange to the Lake Mead area, communicating with his mother along the way via text messages, officials said.

When McNeil failed to show up at a pre-arranged meeting spot with his mother, she reported him missing to a Hoover Dam police officer at 10 p.m. Saturday.

McNeil last sent his mother a text message at about 7 p.m. Saturday saying he was near the Hoover Dam and could see the Colorado River, officials said. He was described as white, weighing 150 pounds with short blond hair and blue eyes.

Hoover Dam Police and Park Service rangers searched for McNeil until 3 a.m. Sunday and resumed at 6:30 a.m. Sunday with the help of Metro Police. Authorities searched by land, air and water for him. The search was suspended Sunday night and resumed at 6:30 a.m. today.

Anyone who may have seen McNeil or has information about his whereabouts is being asked to contact the National Park Service at (702) 293-8998 or (800) 680-5851.