Missing Neligh-Oakdale Graduate Found Safe

A Neligh-Oakdale graduate who has been missing for six days has been found.

Tucker Hood, a 2014 graduate of Neligh-Oakdale, was found late this afternoon in Washington state, according to his uncle Adam Jones. He was found in his car and is presently on his way home.

Jones said Hood was found sitting in his car near Mills Canyon, which is located about six miles west of Entiat, Wash. Hood had been living in Entiat with his aunt and uncle. 

Jones said he did not have information at this time as to any of the reasons surrounding Hood's disappearance, but he did say Hood had not been in an accident and was safe. 

Hood was entered as a missing/endangered person in the state of Washington by the Chelan County Sheriff's Department on Thursday night, according to his family. Hood had been last seen Sunday, Oct. 28, at around 7 a.m. at his aunt and uncle’s home in Entiat, Wash. He was believed to be driving a 1999 teal-colored Honda Civic with a ski rack on top and Washington license plate with the number BIC2590.

An attempt to locate was issued for Hood by the sheriff's department on Thursday, according to Hood’s uncle Adam Jones. Hood is the son of Tim Hood of Neligh and Rowena Redli of Okanogan, Wash. Jones and Redli are siblings, and Hood has been living with Jones and his family for about seven months.

Jones said his nephew left his home on Sunday morning with plans to help his sister Kathryn, who also lives in Entiat, a community of 1,100 people located between the eastern foothills of the Cascade Mountain range, Lake Entiat and the Entiat River.

Jones said he later discovered that Hood never arrived at his sister’s home on Sunday, located about three miles away, and had assumed Hood spent several nights at her house rather than returning to Jones' home. Jones said it was unusual that no one heard from Hood during that time and he missed work. 

According to his uncle, Hood was working for US Aluminum Castings, a precision aluminum casting foundry in Entiat. Jones said Hood’s job entailed pouring aluminum into casting forms. 

Jones said he had a detailed conversation with Hood on Saturday evening, and Hood was in “high spirits” and didn’t seem upset about anything. ​