ST. CLAIR, Mo. (KMOX)–Divers and dogs are being enlisted in the search for Michael Murphy, the man being sought for the murder of a his girlfriend near Lake St. Clair in Franklin County.

Sheriff Gary Toelke says they’re looking in a heavily wooded area at the west end of the lake, where Murphy’s truck was found, “We’ve got a dive team in place that is checking the end of the lake near the area where the truck was abandoned. When they’re finished then we’re going to have a K-9 go in. If the K-9  isn’t able to pick up a scent then we’ll probably do a line search in that area.”

Toelke says they don’t know if Murphy is dead or alive but he says it’d be hard to find him either way, “He could be 15 to 20 feet away from us in some of those areas and not be seen. It’s really remote.”

Murphy is believed to be armed with a long-gun, but Toelke there’s no indication he would be violent with anyone else.

Toelke says Murphy and the woman he’s accused of murdering had an off and on relationship with a history of domestic violence. The victim’s name is not being released, pending an autopsy.