Authorities in Oklahoma identify remains located in McIntosh County as those of missing Sand Springs man
- Dennis McCaslin
- 2 days ago
- 1 min read
The skeletal remains of Zachary Paul Smith Sr., a Sand Springs man missing since December 8, 2024, were discovered in a body of water in McIntosh County on Monday, bringing aclose to a missing person case in Oklahoma.
Smith’s disappearance sparked an extensive search across multiple counties after his luxury car was found abandoned in McIntosh County and personal items, including legal documents, were discovered in a box at a business in Okmulgee County.
The case, described as a “jurisdictional nightmare,” prompted Smith’s family to hire private investigator Eric Cullen of Cullen Investigations to assist in the search.
In December, Cullen led search and rescue teams on horseback and ATVs through miles of wooded areas in McIntosh County. During those efforts, a search dog detected Smith’s scent, tracking it several hundred yards north from the west side of the turnpike before the trail went cold.
“We were on the right track that day,” Cullen told a local news station. “If we’d had more time and access to private property, we might have found him sooner.” Smith’s remains were ultimately located one to two miles from the search area, near a body of water.
Cullen praised the Osage County Sheriff’s Office for their dedication, noting, “This is probably the most involved I’ve seen a law enforcement agency be in a missing adult case.”
Despite the discovery, the cause of Smith’s death remains unclear, and both Osage and McIntosh County authorities are continuing their investigations.
