Stephen Pearrow: Founder and Director - Master K-9 Instructor

Steve is the founder and director of S.T.A.R.R. He is the primary K-9 and handler instructor. He has an extensive history in service and working canines including narcotics, explosive, accelerants, live tracking, patrol, personal protection and cadaver detection. Steve worked on the idea of the search team in 1997 and S.T.A.R.R. was born in 2002. He is employed with the Richland County Sheriff's Department as a K-9 specialist.

Steve is a certified recovery diver through PADI. He is also the certifying official for all canines on the S.T.A.R.R. Team. Steve is married to Brandy Pearrow and has one daughter, Peyton, who is ten.

Kaya is a 7 year old German Shepard. She is trained in HRD (human remains detection)

You can contact the director at spearrow@starrsearchteam.com

Don Hale: Assistant Director/Safety Officer - K-9 Handler

Don is the assistant director of the S.T.A.R.R. Team. He has been a member of the team since 2003. Don has an extensive background in safety, emergency operations including high and low angle rescue as well as confined space. He is also the team's safety officer. Don is employed with PHTS in Columbia. He serves as a guest instructor for TEEX, TX A&M University, Industrial Fire School teaching Incident Safety Officer classes each year. Don is married to Deb Hale and has three grown children.

Annie is a six year old Doberman Pincher. She is trained in HRD (human remains detection) and article search.

You can contact Don at dhale@starrsearchteam.com

Christen Adkins: K-9 Handler

Christen joined the team in 2010. She lives in Dearing, GA. Christen is employed as an obedience instructor and kennel supervisor; and is currently going to school for a degree in Criminal Justice. She has extensive history in K-9 handling.

Buddy is a 5 year old American Pit Bull Terrier who is certified in HRD (human remains detection).

You can contact Christen at cadkins@starrsearchteam.com

Ted Andrus: Tracking Specialist / Instructor

Ted brings a wealth of experience to the team, having taught Animal and Man Tracking for 25 years. He is a lifetime member of the Search and Rescue Tracking Institute; with knowledge in survival skills, primitive skills and cave rescue. Ted lives in Greer, SC and joined STARR in 2010.

You can contact Ted at tandrus@starrsearchteam.com

Crystal Baughman: Search Support

Crystal joined the team in 2010. She has been a member of the Fairfield County Rescue Squad for 15 years and is currently employed with the Fairfield County Coroner's Office as Administrative Assistant and Deputy Coroner. Crystal is married with 3 kids and lives in Winnsboro, SC.

You can contact Crystal at cbaughman@starrsearchteam.com

Linda Bommer: Search Support

Linda joined the team in October 2009 as a guest for a search in Shelby, NC before joining the team. She lives in Ohio and owns R & W pools.

You can contact Linda at lbommer@starrsearchteam.com

Jerome Caughman: Search Support

Jerome works for the Newberry County Sheriff's Office Correction's Division. He is a state and national certified Basic EMT. He has been involved in Fire Service since 2005 and still volunteers with Newberry County Fire & Rescue.

You can contact Jerome at
jcaughman@starrsearchteam.com

Josh Chaplin: Search Support

Josh joined the S.T.A.R.R. team early 2011. He recently graduated high school, and lives near Branchville, SC. Josh is currently pursuing interests in Archaeology and History. His father, Parrish Chaplin, is also a member of S.T.A.R.R.

You can contact Josh at
jchaplin@starrsearchteam.com

Parrish Chaplin: Search Support

Parrish joined the team in 2010. He is trained in confined space rescue and he is a medical first responder. Parrish is a primitive skills pracitioner and an avid outdoorsman. He works at Santee Cooper as an electrician/instrument technician and lives in the Branchville, SC area.

You can contact Parrish at
pchaplin@starrsearchteam.com

Jessica Chew: Secretary and Search Support

Jessica is the communication specialist in the command post for the team. She is also the assistant to the community relations officer. She speaks with the family of the missing during a search and relays information to command and ground searchers. Jessica also takes care of many of the administrative duties for the team. Jessica is attending college at Winthrop University in the upstate of South Carolina.

You can contact Jessica at jechew@starrsearchteam.com

Joe Chew: Maintenance Specialist

Joe has the responsibility of equipment maintenance. All the equipment is repaired, updated and maintained under his supervision. Joe has the responsibility to maintain the command post if needed. He handles all communication between command and the team members in the field during a search. Joe has been with the team since 2000. He works for KOYO in Orangeburg, SC. Joe is married to Martha Chew and has three children, one is a member of S.T.A.R.R.

You can contact Joe at jchew@starrsearchteam.com

Hannah Davis: Search Support

Hannah Davis joined the team in 2011. She lives in Florence, South Carolina with her husband John (also a member of STARR), daughter Claire, and two huskies, Roman and Hugo. She works as the Curator of the Dr. N. Lee Morris Gallery at the Florence County Public Library in Florence. Her background is in historic structures. With the purchase of her new dog, a German Shepherd, in early 2012, she hopes to become a K-9 Handler for the team. She is also taking her SARTECH 3 Exam in December.

You can contact Hannah at
hdavis@starrsearchteam.com

John Davis: Search Support

John Davis joined the team in 2011. He lives in Florence, South Carolina. John is a Senior Patrol Officer with the City of Florence Police Department and a Petty Officer First Class in the United States Navy Seabees. He is married to Hannah Davis and they have two Siberian Huskies, Roman and Hugo, and a daughter, Claire, who was born in July. John is interested in becoming part of the ATV team with STARR.

You can contact John at
jdavis@starrsearchteam.com

Rodney Dove: Search Support

Rodney joined in the S.T.A.R.R Team in 2011. He is employed by the City of Charlotte as Chief Videographer/Assistant Manager for the Government Channel. Rodney is a amateur radio operator (KJ4KJC) and resides in Mint Hill, NC.

You can contact Rodney at
rdove@starrsearchteam.com

Mike Ehrmanntraut: Equine Division Chief

Mike joined the team in 2009. Mike has a 14 year old Bashkir Curly Named Jane. He has been riding horses for 10 years. Mike has worked in the Fire and EMS for 20 years and is currently a loss control consultant for the Cincinnati Insurance Companies.

You can contact Mike at mehrmanntraut@starrsearchteam.com

Shelley Ehrmanntraut: Equine Division Asst. Chief

Shelley joined the team in 2010. She has been riding horses for 33 years. Her current horse is a 7 year old Bashkir Curly names Joey. Shelley and her husband Mike live in Chester with their two dogs.

You can contact Shelley at sehrmanntraut@starrsearchteam.com

Jaime Gunter: Primary Master K-9 Instructor

Jaime is the primary canine instructor for the team and works mainly with the tracking dogs and handlers. She has been with the team since 2001. Jamie is also a certifying official for the team. Jaime has a strong successful history with working canines. She is a deputy with the Lexington County Sheriff's Department. Jaime is married to Robert Gunter, Robert is a member of S.T.A.R.R. They have two children, Savannah and Brandon.

Jamie is a K-9 handler in tracking, her canine Allie passed away in 2005.

Mia is a 3 year old Belgian Malinois certified in human remains detection (HRD).

You can contact Jamie at jgunter@starrsearchteam.com

Hunter Hendricks: K-9 Handler/ATV Team Leader

Hunter is the leader of ATV groups in search efforts. He joined the team in 2007. He has helped with a lot of projects for the team including building of the command post, and renovation of the equipment trailer. Hunter is a supply chain management analyst at Boeing in North Charleston, SC.

Duke- is a 5 year old Belgian Malinois currently training in cadaver detection.

You can contact Hunter at whendricks@starrsearchteam.com

Debbie Jordan: Family Support

Deb is the primary contact with families during our search efforts. She joined the team in 2009. She talks with the families before and after searches to remain coordinated and keep them up to speed with our efforts. Deb is the Curriculum Coordinator for Special Education in the Richland 2 School District. Debbie is married to Jeff Jordan who is a member of S.T.A.R.R.

Jeff Jordan: K-9 Handler and Military Liaison ATV Team/Field Commander

Jeff commands the South Carolina State Guard when they are working with our team. For several years the guard has been our best partner when searches need a high number of manpower. Jeff has the responsibility to pass information from the S.T.A.R.R. Team to the Guard. Jeff has been with the team since 2004. Jeff also handles all training aids and assists with all training props. Jeff is employed with the Kershaw County School District. He is a school principal at Camden Middle School and coordinates the school districts emergency preparedness. He is the vice chairman of the Kershaw County Emergency Preparedness Committee. Jeff is also a Colonel in the South Carolina State Guard. Jeff is married to Debbie Jordan and has two children, Caroline and Thomas.

Fritz is a 9 year old German Shepherd trained in HRD (human remains detection).

Trooper is a young German Shepherd in training for HRD (human remains detection).

You can contact Jeff at jjordan@starrsearchteam.com

Dan Libertella: Search Support

Dan joined the team in 2010. He is currently the owner of a small construction company and lives in Columbia, South Carolina.

You can contact Dan at
dlibertella@starrsearchteam.com

Sandy Middendorf: Search Support / ATV Team

Sandy joined STARR team in 2010. She has received training in first aid and handling hazardous material while working with a Hazardous Waste Transportation company. Sandy is now retired and operates a small farm with her family.

You can contact Sandy at smiddendurf@starrsearchteam.com

Bob Morvay: Search Support / ATV Team

Bob joined the ranks of the team in 2009. He was introduced to S.T.A.R.R. as a guest in a search deployment in Myrtle Beach, SC. Bob is currently seeking a new career. He is interested in learning the trade of being a dog handler in our recovery efforts. He is another one of our valuable ATV team members. Bob is married to Stephanie Morvay.

You can contact Bob at bmorvay@starrsearchteam.com

Dave Rader: Search Support / ATV Team

Big Dave joined the team in 2009 during a search in Shelby NC. He drove down from Ohio just to help and assist in a search for a lost victim. He has been on several searches since joining the team. Dave is the first member of STARR in there effort to expand nationwide. Dave works for R&W Pools and lives in Cincinnati OH. We welcome Dave in our efforts to expand our team membership to more than the state of South Carolina.

You can contact Dave at drader@starrsearchteam.com

Barkley Ramsey: Search Support

Barkley joined the team is 2010. He is employed as the Fairfield County Coroner, Chief of Fairfield Rescue Squad and Chief of Lebanon Fire Department. He is a valuable member of the team, certified in death investigation, crime scene management with experience in urban search and rescue and ATV rescue. He lives in Winnsboro, SC.

You can contact Barkley at bramsey@starrsearchteam.com

Debra Skelly: Search Support

Debra joined the team in 2010. She is employed at CVS Pharmacy as a Pharmacy Technician and is currently enjoys volunteering at the YMCA in Columbia. Debra is married to Dan Libertella who is also a member of S.T.A.R.R.

You can contact Debra at
dskelly@starrsearchteam.com

Lana Ward: Search Support

Lana Ward joined the team in January 2010. She is married to S.T.A.R.R. Team member Todd Ward. They live in Cleveland County, NC with their 10 year old Siberian Husky, “Riley”. Lana is employed by Cleveland County Health care System as an Administrative Secretary in the Rehab department. She has an associate degree in Web Technologies.

You can contact Lana at lward@starrsearchteam.com

Todd Ward: Search Support / Communication Specialist

Todd joined the team in January of 2010. He is employed by Gaston County, NC as the Coordinator for the Government Access Channel. He is an amateur radio operator (KJ4IVL), and certified open water diver. He is married to member Lana Ward and resides in Cleveland County, NC.

You can contact Todd at tward@starrsearchteam.com

Alex Williams: Team Paramedic

Alex joined the team in 2010. He recently passed his National Registry EMT Exam and is NASAR level III. He lives in Central South Carolina.

You can context Alex at awilliams@starrsearchteam.com