Matthew Wilson 20 yr. old Rice University Student [FOUND SAFE] 12-15-07

[Grande]

Rice University Student Vanishes During Finals
Family Worried About 20-Year-Old's Disappearance

UPDATED: 9:59 pm CST December 21, 2007

MANSFIELD, Texas -- The family of a Rice University student who vanished during his finals said Friday they were worried about him.

The student, 20-year-old Matthew Wilson, is from Oklahoma, NBC 5 reported, but he spent Thanksgiving in Mansfield at his sister's home.

"I'm not worried about Christmas," said Wilson's mother, Cathy. "If Matthew doesn't come home, I'm not worried about Christmas."

Wilson added, "I can't sleep at night. All I can think about I'm trying to solve this in my head."

Wilson vanished Saturday, just before finals, authorities said. At first, his family said they thought he was studying, but not anymore.

Investigators said they found Wilson's cell phone in his off-campus Houston apartment. Wilson's car and backpack are also missing, police also said.

Wilson's family said he didn't drink alcohol or use drugs, and he seemed to be happy the last time they were all together for Thanksgiving in Mansfield.

http://www.nbc5i.com/news/14910685/detail.html

[Grande]

Straight-A Student Disappears During Finals
Rice University Junior, His Vehicle Missing Almost a Week



Matthew Wilson, described by family and friends as a diligent computer science major, owed four Rice University professors four exams by the close of the academic semester Wednesday evening.

Wilson never turned in the work, and now, police are considering that the 20-year-old Rice junior who went missing nearly a week ago may have met with foul play.

"We've been checking the health care facilities, mental health facilities, the morgue," said Rice University Police Chief Bill Taylor, who said there have been some tips, but they have all proved fruitless. "We've found nothing."

Authorities were holding out hope that the shaggy haired, bearded student, last seen Saturday, Dec. 15, would emerge from some academic cubby hole and his focus on acing his finals would explain his temporary disappearance.

"Often students will go into seclusion to complete papers and study for final exams, but that apparently was not the case here," the Rice University Police Department wrote in a release intended to elevate the profile of the missing person's case around the Houston campus.

Wilson's roommate at an apartment near campus, identified in the Houston Chronicle as history major Elliott Harwell, first noticed that Wilson was missing Sunday, according to Rice police. Harwell last saw Wilson Saturday around noon when Wilson was working on one of his finals inside his room. Harwell, also busy with his own work, reportedly left the apartment and did not return to the apartment until Sunday. Tuesday, he filed a report with the Rice police.

Police later learned that Wilson had failed to drive a friend to the airport Saturday night as promised.

Missing along with Wilson were his car, a silver Neon and a backpack, Taylor said. His phone, however, had been left in his room.

Cathy Wilson, Matthew's mother, told the Chronicle that her straight-A student son withdrew $400 Friday, Dec. 14, the day before his disappearance. Police would not confirm that information but said they are working on gainiing access to Wilson's credit card information.

Wilson's mother initially speculated that the money may be used to cover his share of December's rent, but Harwell told her that they had already paid for December and had not discussed any splitting up of the month's bills.

B.J. Almond, a spokesman for the 5,000-student university, said that the staff has blanketed the campus with fliers about Wilson's disappearance. Almond said that Wilson is "definitely in good academic standing."

Taylor took that character description a step further, adding that, according to Wilson's acquaintances, he doesn't participate in high-risk behavior often associated with the college student lifestyle. "He doesn't drink, he doesn't smoke," Taylor said. "He drives a conservative vehicle ... and usually walks to and from campus."

There is no indication that Wilson had suicidal intentions or that he had any contentious relationships of note, Taylor said.

"All this combined, it's behavior that's out of place," he said, "and of course, that has us even more concerned."

Taylor said that it's the first missing person case involving a Rice student in more than a decade. In the last case, he said, the student who took off was found safe a few days later.

Wilson has red hair and green eyes and wears glasses. He is described by police 5 feet, 7 inches tall, weighing 135 pounds.

http://abcnews.go.com/US/story?id=4038322&page=1

[CatToy]

Hey Grande nice to see you it's been awhile. This case aired breifly last night on Fox...he took $500.00 outta the ATM it was reported. Please post if you hear anything.
MerryXmas
Cat

[Polonius]

Matthew J. Wilson has been missing for a week now. His car is too. Didn't show up for his final exams. Left his cell at home and had promised to take a friend to the airport. Withdrew $400+ dollars from his bank account, and I heard on TV news last night that his bank is helping law enforcement officials.
Details in the Houston Chronicle links below.

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/...o/5395884.html

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/...o/5392354.html

[The Kitchen Guy]

Dec. 27, 2007, 1:05AM Link: Houston Chronicle

Police sift through tips regarding missing Rice student

By MIKE TOLSON
Copyright 2007 Houston Chronicle

Rice University police are sifting through a handful of tips that arrived Wednesday from Crime Stoppers concerning the disappearance two weeks ago of student Matthew J. Wilson.

Police Chief Bill Taylor said nothing yet has pointed to foul play. The 20-year-old Wilson, a straight-A computer science major, was last seen Dec. 14.

"It's still a missing person case," Taylor said. "We have nothing to indicate this is a criminal act."

Police were hoping Wilson, a first-semester junior, would make contact with family or friends over Christmas, but no one heard from him, Taylor said.

Wilson made two ATM withdrawals from his bank account, one for $400 and one for $100, on the 14th, and returned to his apartment later that day. There has been no activity in his bank account since then, and there still is a significant balance, Taylor said.

Wilson was reported missing by his roommate Dec. 18. Wilson's car, a silver 2004 Dodge Neon with Oklahoma plates (863 MCZ), is gone, as is his backpack. His cell phone was left in his apartment, and all of his clothing appears to be there as well.

Thought at first to be hiding out in a quiet spot to work on his take-home exams, Wilson never turned them in. His mother, Cathy Wilson of Haworth, Okla., has not spoken to him since earlier in December.

Matthew Wilson is 5-7 and weighs approximately 135 pounds. He has red hair and green eyes, wears glasses and sports a full beard.

Rice classes resume Jan. 7.

[Audie]

From what I have heard, Matthew would walk to classes. He would only drive to classes if it was raining or to go shopping at a couple specific stores.

[Grande]

Still No Sign of Rice University Ace
Computer Science Major Matthew Wilson and His Car Missing Nearly Two Weeks

First he missed final exams, then Christmas.

Now, family and friends of Matthew Wilson fear that something terribly wrong may have happened to the 20-year-old Rice University student.

Nearly two weeks have gone by since the computer science major was last seen at his off-campus apartment near the Rice campus in Houston.

"He is known for always attending classes and always getting good grades," Elliot Harwell, Wilson's roommate, told "Good Morning America" today. Harwell notified authorities after the straight-A student failed to return home for three days during the run-up to finals.

Also missing are Wilson's silver Neon and his backpack. Wilson's cell phone was found in his room.

"He takes school seriously," Harwell said, "but he didn't turn in his finals, so it is clear that he is behaving out of character. It's just every day that he is gone, it just seems like something bad might have happened."

Harwell first noticed that Wilson was missing Dec. 16, according to Rice campus police. Harwell says he saw Wilson the day before around noon when Wilson was working on one of his finals inside his room. Harwell, also busy with his own work, reportedly left the apartment and did not return to the apartment until Dec. 16. Dec. 18, he filed a report with the Rice police.

Police later learned that Wilson had failed to drive a friend to the airport the night of Dec. 15 as promised.

Bill Taylor, chief of the Rice University Police Department, said that authorities initially thought that the shaggy-haired, bearded college junior had holed up somewhere to prepare for his finals.

"He does on occasion go and do his study and what have you, but it's usually a day or so," Taylor said.

The chief said that, according to Wilson's acquaintances, he doesn't participate in high-risk behavior often associated with the college lifestyle. "He doesn't drink, he doesn't smoke," Taylor said. "He drives a conservative vehicle … and usually walks to and from campus."

While there have been no immediate signs of foul play, one clue Taylor said police are looking into is a $400 ATM withdrawal Wilson made in the days before he disappeared.

It's the first missing person's case involving a Rice University student in more than a decade.

Wilson was expected home in Haworth, Okla., for the Christmas holiday, but never showed up. His unopened gifts sit in his bedroom.

"That boy is my heart and soul," Cathy Wilson, the student's mother, said about her high school valedictorian son. "He's worked too hard for this to happen to him."

Wilson has red hair and green eyes and wears glasses. He is described by police as 5 feet, 7 inches tall and weighing 135 pounds.

http://www.abcnews.go.com/US/story?id=4055611&page=1

[Grande]

Originally Posted by CatToy

Hey Grande nice to see you it's been awhile. This case aired breifly last night on Fox...he took $500.00 outta the ATM it was reported. Please post if you hear anything.
MerryXmas
Cat

CatToy; Great to see you also. Hope you enjoyed the holidays!

I sure wish there was something positive to report with regards to Matthew Wilson.

Take care and Happy New Year!

[Grande]

<Snip>

"Wilson's roommate at an apartment near campus, identified in the Houston Chronicle as history major Elliott Harwell, first noticed that Wilson was missing Sunday, according to Rice police. Harwell last saw Wilson Saturday around noon when Wilson was working on one of his finals inside his room. Harwell, also busy with his own work, reportedly left the apartment and did not return to the apartment until Sunday. Tuesday, he filed a report with the Rice police."

http://abcnews.go.com/US/story?id=4038322&page=1

[Polonius]

Now Rice University and the family are offering a $20,000 reward. There has been no bank account or credit card activity, and his car remains missing.

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/front/5429701.html