Search continues for Xavior Harrelson, missing since Thursday

MONTEZUMA, Iowa (KCRG) - The search for 11-year-old Xavior Harrelson continued in Montezuma on Sunday.

Harrelson was last seen at about 11:00 A.M. on Thursday in Montezuma.

The Poweshiek County Sheriff’s Office said he was last seen wearing a red t-shirt, blue pajama pants, and black high-top shoes. He has brown hair and blue eyes, and he is about 4′8″ tall and 100 pounds.

Volunteers were asked to meet at Montezuma High School on Sunday morning to begin a public-assisted search for Harrelson.

Montezuma residents are also being asked to check their own properties and surveillance systems.

Anyone with information related to Xavior’s disappearance, please call the Poweshiek County Sheriff’s Office at 641-623-2107.

Sunday is Harrelson’s 11th birthday.

On Saturday, law enforcement from all points of the state searched for hours for Harrelson. They told KCRG-TV9 that the focus has been around the lake near Harrelson’s home, but, after not finding him on Saturday, they said they were confident they could start looking elsewhere.

Dean Chandler of New Sharon is taking the long weekend to camp at Diamond Lake Campground. But knowing the park as well as he does, he said he didn’t expect the trip to include dive teams, boats, and drones searching for a young boy.

“Little different, I mean I’ve never seen that done before so it’s kind of interesting,” Chandler told KCRG-TV9.

“We’re going through ditches and timber and the park area, we also felt we should check the lake as well,” said Mitch Mortvedt, Assistant Director of the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation.

Mortvedt said the park is close to Harrelson’s home and a place he might come to play. But the search now moves on to day three after not being able to find him.

“Most of us out here are parents ourselves and it’s hard not to make it personal, so to say, and to see the anguish that family members and friends in the community in the school district goes through it makes it extremely difficult for everyone involved,” he said.

Mortvedt asked the public for help in the search on Sunday morning.

For Chandler, a father himself, he’s just hoping for the best.

“It’s very heartbreaking to see what’s happening. I feel for the family,” he said.

Editor’s note: an earlier version of this article stated that Xavior Harrelson is 10-years-old. His birthday is May 30th and turned 11 on Sunday, May 30, 2021. This article has been updated with this correction.

Copyright 2021 KCRG. All rights reserved.