Celebrity manhunter boosts search for missing TN teen as new clues emerge

New breakthroughs have emerged in the search for a missing 15-year-old autistic boy in Tennessee, and a celebrity bounty hunter has joined in the effort.

Sebastian Rogers, who has "high-functioning autism" according to his mother, was last seen in his Hendersonville home on the evening of Feb. 25.

Search efforts were widespread when Sebastian was first reported missing, but cops scaled back their resources after conducting extensive sweeps of the area with no sight of the boy. He also wasn't spotted on any video surveillance cameras in the area, according to local news outlets.

Now, celebrity bail officer Duane Chapman, better known as "Dog the Bounty Hunter," has stepped up to lend a hand to the Rogers family in locating the missing teenager.

Chapman says they have already found promising leads.

15-year-old Sebastian Rogers went missing the night of Feb. 25 at his home in Hendersonville, TN. Sebastian has high-functioning autism, according to his mother. Tennessee Bureau of Investigation

"Dog Nation!!! We have new leads from Oregon and New York, and we're moving fast on them. We are confident that our confidential informants have provided valuable new information about those states, so we're raising the reward to $175K (ONE HUNDRED SEVENTY-FIVE THOUSAND DOLLARS)!!!!!," Chapman said in a post to his more than 600,000 followers on X last week.

Efforts to locate Sebastian had dwindled since his disappearance nearly nine months ago — but new leads are emerging. Tennessee Bureau of Investigation/Facebook

Sebastian was reported missing after his mother went into his room to wake him for school around 6:00 a.m. on Feb. 26. Rogers was living with his mother and stepfather at the time, who said they have been cooperating with authorities in a March interview with WSMV 4.

Chapman announced in September he would be joining the search alongside Sebastian's biological father, Seth Rogers.

Duane Chapman, aka "Dog the Bounty Hunter," has led efforts with Sebastian's biological father to bring the case back into the public eye. Denver Post via Getty Images

"This is one of the most horrendous cases of missing children that we've ever, ever worked on," Chapman told local news network WKRN.

"The bottom line is if you hurt a child like this, you've got a problem, so that is the main motivation for me to be hunting who did this," he said.

Chapman is working in tandem with private investigation company AtNight Intelligence, who say they have found credible leads connected to Oregon and New York, though no verified sightings of Sebastian have been reported.

Chapman raised the reward for information on Sebastian's whereabouts to $175,000 as of last week. @DogBountyHunter/X

"Our investigation has uncovered credible intelligence suggesting key connections in Oregon neighboring states. We are actively pursuing these leads across multiple states and regions of interest," the intelligence group said in a post on X.

The group also claimed that they are looking at potential access points near the Canadian border, and have notified proper authorities with urgency.

AtNight Intelligence told The Post in a statement they are looking ahead to 2025 and have notified President-elect Donald Trump's team about the case.

"We can confirm that important discussions regarding the disappearance of 15-year-old Sebastian Wayne Drake Rogers have been held with members of former President Donald J. Trump's team. The incoming administration has indicated plans to allocate significant federal resources to this case, with increased support anticipated to begin in February," a spokesperson for AtNight Intelligence told The Post.

"If you hurt a child like this, you've got a problem, so that is the main motivation for me to be hunting who did this," Chapman said. Tennessee Bureau of Investigation/Facebook

"As we continue working with locals in Oregon and New York, we remain grateful for the public's patience and support," the spokesperson added.

"We won't stop until we've exhausted every resource and every lead to bring Sebastian home safely to his family," they said.

Chapman's team did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

Chapman and AtNight Intelligence are asking anyone with information about Sebastian's whereabouts to call Chapman's tip line at 833-835-5364, the Sumner County Sheriff's Office at 615-451-3838, or contact the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation at 1-800-TBI FIND or email TipsToTBI@tbi.tn.gov.

Tips can also be made through local FBI offices or the nearest American Embassy or Consulate. Or submit a tip online at tips.fbi.gov.