It’s been almost two years since MMA fighter David Koenig went missing in Branson, Missouri, and now his family can officially add some closure to an unimaginable two years.
According to Outdoor Life, a Missouri shed hunter searching for antlers discovered human remains in the woods in southern Branson, northeast of Table Rock Lake on December 22.
Police arrived to the scene and confirmed they were human remains, and after a forensic odontologist examined the dental records, law enforcement confirmed that the remains were those of Koenig, who’d been missing since February 2020.
Oddly enough, there appeared to be no trauma or signs of foul play.
He had last been seen walking away from the Peach Tree Inn on February 8th, 2020, with the remains being found 1.5 miles from the hotel.
His mother, Tracy Green Koenig, told Dateline NBC:
“He messaged a few of his friends asking for help. He thought he might be in some sort of trouble. But by the time they read the messages and tried to respond to him, he had stopped messaging. There was no answer from him.”
Tracy Koenig wrote in an emotional Facebook message the Mystery of the Missing Fighter! group:
“He was not shot, stabbed, no broken bones of any sort.
He wasn’t robbed, as his tattered wallet was still in tact as well as the two silver necklaces he always wore amongst some other things. All the rumors were FALSE! Nobody killed Dave. Nobody! He left the Peachtree on foot and never made it home.
Why he was in distress, and why he walked through the deep woods… we most likely will never know. But he is GONE. So PLEASE… NO MORE RUMORS… NO CONSPIRACY THEORIES… NO BLAMING BRANSON PD.
We do not want to hear your thoughts on what could have happened. It won’t bring him back, and we are in enough pain already.”
Branson Police Chief Jeff Matthews said in a statement:
“Our department and the amazing group of volunteers never stopped in our efforts to find Mr. Koenig. While this is not the ending we hoped for, we offer our sincere condolences to the family and friends of Mr. Koening.”
And shoutout to the shed hunter too. Talk about being in the right place at the right time.
RIP David.
