Family, law enforcement seeks missing teen

POMEROY–An Amber Alert was issued Monday by the Idaho State Police for a 15-year-old Lewiston, Idaho, female, Lillian R. Dixon, who is considered missing and endangered in the rural area of Columbia County, near Starbuck or Waitsburg. The FBI, Idaho State Police, Washington State Patrol, Lewiston Police Department, Garfield, Columbia, Asotin, Walla Walla and Nez Perce (Id.) counties' Sheriff's Departments are taking cooperative measures to search for the missing teen.

Dixon was last seen at Lewiston High School Friday, December 3, 2021, at 2:45 p.m., according to Detective Corporal Cody Bloomberg of the Lewiston Police Department (LPD). Another source stated her cell phone and laptop were found at the high school library.

She was last seen wearing a black and white California stocking cap, black and white jacket with "8" on the back, black shirt, blue jeans, brown and blue cowboy boots, and a yellow and blue backpack.

It has been reported that Dixon, a five-foot-two inch, 100 lb., female with brown hair and brown eyes, is allegedly in the company of Jonathan Wayne Bowles. He is 36 years old, six feet, two inches, with brown hair and blue eyes, and weighs 235 lbs., and has a scar on his right elbow, and a scar on his right forearm. Police say Bowles is a non-compliant sex offender with multiple felony warrants for his arrest.

Bowles is believed to have cultivated a relationship with Dixon, according to the Amber Alert published by the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. Bowles is believed to have convinced her to go along with any story to evade capture. Bowles may be armed and should be considered dangerous. Both the suspect and the victim may be on foot in the area, the Alert indicated.

"The two know each other through social media, said Dixon's uncle Richard Samayoa of Clarkston, Wash., and have had previous person to person contact."

The family had no warning the two were planning to leave together, or if this is the situation. But, according to Samayoa, once Dixon's cell phone and laptop were found at the high school library, they knew something was wrong. "There was no indication that the two had planned to meet up and leave together, said Samayoa, but she went to school Friday morning and has not been seen since. Her cell phone and laptop were left behind at the school library alerting the family something was wrong."

Detective Bloomberg stated any locations Bowles has been known to frequent have been passed onto those jurisdictions.

Garfield County Sheriff Drew Hyer said all possible leads are being followed and cooperation between the various jurisdictions is paramount, which includes efforts extended by the FBI.

Both Dixon and Bowles remain at large at the time of this publication.

The family would like for anyone who has knowledge of their whereabouts to please contact either Garfield, Asotin, Nez Perce, or Columbia County sheriff's department.