MURFREESBORO, Tenn. (WGNS News) - A Rutherford County Sheriff’s Office bloodhound from the Murfreesboro area helped bring a missing Wilson County woman to safety Wednesday after authorities requested assistance in connection with a Tennessee Bureau of Investigation Silver Alert.

The woman, identified in the alert as 44-year-old Christina Paine, had been reported missing from Lebanon. According to information released in the Silver Alert, Paine was last seen on June 23, 2026, and authorities said she had a medical condition that could impair her ability to return safely without assistance.

Rutherford County Sheriff’s K9 Deputy Richard Tidwell responded to Wilson County with K9 Fred, a bloodhound trained to track missing people. Once there, Tidwell coordinated with Wilson County K9 Sgt. Smith and obtained one of Paine’s shoes to help Fred pick up her scent.

Tidwell said Fred first sniffed the area, then smelled the shoe before guiding his handler along a property line toward the roadway. From there, Fred crossed a road, traveled along a row of trees, circled a yard, moved near a small tree line, and continued down a driveway.

The track then led past two driveways and through tall grass before Fred continued about 50 yards down a gravel driveway and turned into a wooded area. The bloodhound moved around a shed, returned to the road, and eventually stopped near a driveway with a large gate, where he began sniffing toward a culvert.

“K9 Fred's tail started wagging franticly and at this point, we could hear the victim saying, ‘I'm over here,’” Tidwell reported. “K9 Fred started howling and wagging his tail as he confirmed that this was the person he was looking for.”

Wilson County deputies responded to Paine’s location and called for an ambulance to transport her to the hospital.

According to Rutherford County Sheriff’s Patrol Sgt. Nick Coble, the search track covered about eight-tenths of a mile and lasted 18 minutes before Fred located the missing woman. The route took Fred and Tidwell through open fields, wooded areas, outbuildings and the culvert area where Paine was found.

After the successful rescue, Fred received his favorite reward: chicken.

Rutherford County Sheriff’s officials said K9 Fred and Deputy Tidwell are always happy to help neighboring counties find missing people. Wilson County authorities also thanked Rutherford County Sheriff’s Office and K9 Fred for their assistance.