HELENA — The search for 27-year old Meghan Rouns continued on Monday, October 7, 2024.
On Sunday at McMaster Hills Trailhead helicopters, search and rescue teams, the Sheriff’s Department, and numerous volunteers continued the search for Meghan, who was last seen on Friday, October 4th.
On Saturday, October 5th, her horse and her phone were found.
According to her parents, she was supposed to return from a horseback ride by 2 p.m. on Friday. Her parents called the Sheriff's Office at 8:00 p.m. Friday and search and rescue was mobilized in the McMaster Recreation area.
Searchers brought in specialized dogs from Gallatin County on Monday to try and locate Meghan Rouns by scent.
The focus of the search is at the Hauser Lake shoreline along a 500-yard stretch between where Rouns' horse Betty, and Rouns' hat and phone, were found on Saturday.
The Lewis & Clark County Sheriff’s Office has asked volunteers and the public to avoid the area so as not to interfere with the dog’s search.
According to law enforcement, volunteers are being asked to focus their efforts on dense brush and foliage away from the shoreline, between the east and west McMaster Trailheads.
Rouns' father called to report her missing Friday around 8 p.m. and her last known activity was a post to Snapchat around 4 p.m. that day.
Multiple family members told MTN that Rouns has a strong bond with her horse and that she enjoys trail riding.
Volunteers say they are committed to bringing Rouns home.
Gabrielle Murphy, a volunteer from Townsend who grew up in the area where Meghan was last seen says,"Thinking about that of if this was your family member, if this was your spouse, your daughter, sister, whoever. I think that is the importance of volunteering. If we do not have community we do not have anything."
