Search continues for missing fisherman Michael Dewayne Smith in Greers Ferry

Crews continue searching for Michael Dewayne Smith after he vanished while boating at Greers Ferry Lake. His family seeks answers while emergency workers scour the water for his missing boat. Smith launched his 14-foot jon boat around 6:30 p.m. on October 4. His family found his unattended truck near the boat ramp on October 8.

They contacted law enforcement after finding the truck. Searchers have not located the vessel, and Smith is still missing. “What has not been brought forth is the boat, and my brother is still missing,” said Mary Wildhaber, Smith’s sister.

A breakthrough came on Monday, October 12, according to Wildhaber. Someone saw family social media posts and reported finding items from the boat. The person found the belongings floating on October 5. They contacted the family one week later.

The recovered items include a black fishing bucket, a gas can and Walmart garbage bags. However, the boat, another gas can and a yellow-handled paddle remain missing. The vessel carried a Yamaha motor estimated at 15 to 20 horsepower.

Smith’s sister said her brother was an avid fisherman. Greers Ferry Lake was not among his usual spots. “He’s not very familiar with the water, if there are any rocks or stumps or anything, so considering he went in at nighttime, we don’t know if he hit something and just didn’t see it,” Wildhaber said.

Wildhaber also expressed concern about her brother’s health. Smith survived esophageal cancer and had surgery that left him with a stoma. The condition could hinder his breathing or calling for help.

“He does know how to swim, but the fact that he did beat esophageal cancer, obviously knew that he shouldn’t be in a boat, but that was his life prior to being sick,” Wildhaber said. “So it was a little hard to take that away from him.”

Wildhaber said about nine agencies have joined search operations. Responders include the Conway County Sheriff’s Office and the Cleburne County Sheriff’s Office. Weather conditions limited crews on the water on Wednesday.

Family members have searched shorelines, marinas and cliffs around Greers Ferry. “We as a family have walked the banks, we have gotten on jet skis, we have climbed cliffs to be able to see in the water,” Wildhaber said. She said deep water remains hard to search without specialized equipment.

Smith stands 6 feet, 1 inch tall and weighs around 160 pounds. He has salt-and-pepper hair and a matching beard. Relatives described him as a quiet person who loved fishing, animals and family.

“We’ve been here since the day he went missing, and we haven’t left. We don’t even leave to go and eat,” Wildhaber said. She said relatives are preparing for the possibility that he did not survive.

“It’s been rough. At this point, we’re realistic, we are retrieving a body,” Wildhaber said. “But that body belongs to our brother, and we want him home.”

Wildhaber said she will stay until searchers find him. “We’re not going to have closure, and we’re not going to leave until we bring him home,” she said. She wants to ensure people remember her brother.

“I just don’t want my brother to not be remembered and be left because everybody’s lives are going on,” she said. The family asks anyone who spotted the boat or gear to report it.

The sheriff’s office asked the public to report floating items near several Greers Ferry Lake landmarks:

• Dam Site
• Old Highway 25
• Brighton Point
• Miller’s Mansion

Search and rescue operations combine water vessels, shoreline teams and specialized gear to track missing boaters. Multiple jurisdictions coordinate efforts when incidents occur across large waterways. Agencies evaluate weather and water conditions each day to guide deployment plans.

Anyone with information can call the Cleburne County Sheriff’s Office at 501-362-8143 or dispatch at 501-362-8291.