The older brother of Jordan Dawson, Jaryd Dawson, has been found dead after going missing from Robe on Tuesday afternoon, bringing a heartbreaking end to a search that had gripped his family and community.
South Australia Police confirmed on Wednesday that the search had been called off, with a report now being prepared for the coroner following what they described as the “sudden death of a man in the state’s South East”.
“There are no suspicious circumstances. We ask that you respect the family’s privacy at this time,” police said in a statement.
Emergency services had spent hours searching near a coastal lookout in Robe where Jaryd’s car was discovered. His body was later located nearby and retrieved.
The tragic news came just hours after his wife, Jessica Carter Dawson, issued a desperate public plea for information. Posting on Instagram, she urged anyone who had seen or heard from her husband since Tuesday afternoon to come forward.
“If anyone has seen or heard from Jaryd Dawson since around 2.30pm yesterday please, please let us know,” she wrote, tagging family members in the hope of spreading the message.
The appeal was shared widely, including by Jordan Dawson’s wife, Milly, as concern grew for the missing father.
At the same time, Jordan Dawson was absent from Adelaide Crows training on Wednesday, with coach Mathew Nicks earlier telling reporters the club captain would not attend due to “personal reasons”.
Jaryd’s death has resonated deeply in his hometown of Robe, a small coastal community more than 300 kilometres from Adelaide, where he and his younger brother grew up and forged their love of football.
A talented player in his own right, Jaryd was a two-time best-and-fairest winner with the Robe Roosters Football Club and played in the club’s A Grade Grand Final in the Mid South Eastern Football League last year.
Beyond football, he was also a co-founder of Domus Design & Build, a boutique home building company based in the region.
Friends and community members have begun sharing tributes, remembering Jaryd as a devoted family man, a new father, and a respected local figure.
He had married Jessica in late 2024, and the couple welcomed their first child, Hudson Ronald Dawson, in September, a milestone that makes the loss all the more devastating.
As the investigation continues through the coroner, the focus remains on supporting a grieving family and community coming to terms with a sudden and profound loss.
Image: Instagram
