**Missing Missouri Deputy Attorney General Rescued After Six Days in Wyoming Wilderness**
The Deputy Attorney General of Missouri, Shaun Mackelprang, went missing last week while hiking in the remote wilderness of Wyoming. However, six days later, rescue teams successfully located him and brought him to safety.
It was reported by the Sublette County Sheriff’s Office in Wyoming that 55-year-old Mackelprang went missing on August 20 in the Wind River mountain range in the western part of the state while preparing to climb Gannett Peak. Gannett Peak, standing at an altitude of 13,804 feet (about 4,207 meters), is the highest peak in Wyoming.
Sublette County, adjacent to the Wind River range, collaborated with the nonprofit organization “Tip Top Search and Rescue” upon receiving the report of Mackelprang’s disappearance to conduct search operations in the area. His car was later found at the trailhead by rescue personnel.
A search team comprised of ground searchers, drones, and aircraft from the Sublette County Sheriff’s Office and the Tip Top Search and Rescue located him near Scott Lake in the wilderness on Wednesday (August 26) and airlifted him to safety by helicopter. Photos released by the Sheriff’s Office showed Mackelprang embracing a woman on the airport tarmac after being rescued.
A spokesperson from the Sublette County Sheriff’s Office expressed gratitude on Facebook to all involved in the rescue efforts, including those who provided relevant information.
Initially, authorities did not disclose Mackelprang’s medical condition. However, Missouri Attorney General Catherine Hanaway informed a local radio station that he suffered from dehydration and is currently receiving treatment in the hospital, with a full recovery expected.
The Sublette County Sheriff’s Office later stated that Mackelprang is continuing to “recover very well,” with Sheriff K.C. Lehr describing it as a “miraculous recovery.”
According to Mackelprang’s profile on LinkedIn, he has been working in the Missouri Attorney General’s Office since 1998 and served as the Deputy Attorney General for the Criminal Division since 2021.
After being rescued, Mackelprang released a statement expressing gratitude to those who risked their lives to search for him in the remote mountainous area.