Friend Missing since NYE

[funkymatt]

A friend of mine is in town for a convention, but came early to socialize. He arrived last Monday and stayed with some of his friends in a city south of me (Vista, CA). No one that I know has heard from him since new year eve. Tomorrow the conference starts, I'm going to go look for him there at his booth. This is out of character for him, but I'm hesitant to contact the police or his parents since I don't have any information to give them.

What should I do?

update:

I can't find his parents phone number using white pages (There are quite a few Lyons' in Kenosha). I tracked down some of his collegues that may be at the conference with him and sent them an email. I also emailed his professor to see if he had an emergency contact for him. Still hesitant to create a missing persons report without contacting his parents first.

I may end up calling a lot of wrong numbers today in order to get ahold of his parents.

Another Update:
Got ahold of his parents, they heard from him yesterday. I guess they were trying to get ahold of him all week too. His mom asked me to kick him in the ass when I see him, lol. Planning on tracking him down at the conference tonight or tomorrow.

Thanks for the support everybody.

Final update:

His dad nearly cut off his thumb with a table saw, so thats why his voice mailbox was full. The guy he was staying with (hesitant to say friend after this event) left him in Vista without a ride when he went up to Huntington Beach without him the night before the conference. His cell phone died and he didnt have a charger- ended up spending a shitload of money on one in Long Beach. The internet wasn't working at the guy's house in Vista, so he couldnt even check his email. lol, what a culmination of unfortunate events. He's doing fine now and got invited to go whale watching today. I'm going up there tomorrow night to hang out, maybe grab dinner and have a couple beers.

 

[KLin]

You can call up the parents and ask them if they've heard from him? Or just wait until the conference and see if he's there. If he isn't, then I'd probably get the police involved.

 

[funkymatt]

Originally posted by: KLin
You can call up the parents and ask them if they've heard from him? Or just wait until the conference and see if he's there. If he isn't, then I'd probably get the police involved.

I will look thru my contacts tonight to see if I even have his parents number. I've only met his dad a couple times and he's the type that blows little things into much larger than needed ordeals. Don't want to worry them unnecessarily. But it _has_ been 3 days today.

 

[DVad3r]

Check with parents. Don't go out of your way to seek him out at the conference. Maybe he is just avoiding you.

 

[funkymatt]

Originally posted by: DVad3r
Check with parents. Don't go out of your way to seek him out at the conference. Maybe he is just avoiding you.

First, he's not the type to avoid me- we've been buddies since 10th grade.
2nd, it's the "superbowl of astronomy".. a very large conference that I was planning on going to anyways.

 

[DVad3r]

Originally posted by: funkymatt

Originally posted by: DVad3r
Check with parents. Don't go out of your way to seek him out at the conference. Maybe he is just avoiding you.

First, he's not the type to avoid me- we've been buddies since 10th grade.
2nd, it's the "superbowl of astronomy".. a very large conference that I was planning on going to anyways.

Check with rents. Hopefully it's all just a misunderstanding/confusion and your friend is ok.

 

[funkymatt]

I also hope it's just a misunderstanding/ lack of planning. His cell phone goes straight to VM, and his mailbox is full- im guessing he has a lot of messages on there now.

 

[Zee]

yeah he could havge lost his cell phone. update and good luck

 

[TallBill]

Thats funky, matt.

 

[Black88GTA]

Call police departments in areas he was likely to be, ask if they happened to take in "missing friend" in given time frame. Maybe he got rowdy on NYE and they locked him up.

 

[slayer202]

Originally posted by: Black88GTA
Call police departments in areas he was likely to be, ask if they happened to take in "missing friend" in given time frame. Maybe he got rowdy on NYE and they locked him up.

if the conference starts tomorrow, wait till then to do anything. if you don't see him there, do what this guy said, call up local police and explain the situation, they won't start a manhunt or anything. after you check with them, parents could be next, and back to police if needed

 

[ConstipatedVigilante]

50 bucks says he's found in a hotel room covered in blow with a kidney missing.

 

[Cdubneeddeal]

Originally posted by: ConstipatedVigilante
50 bucks says he's found in a hotel room covered in blow with a kidney missing.

You'll feel like the biggest asshole if indeed something bad happened.

 

[bunnyfubbles]

3 days is 72 hours, and isn't the rule of thumb for missing persons that time frame...?

 

[looker001]

Originally posted by: bunnyfubbles
3 days is 72 hours, and isn't the rule of thumb for missing persons that time frame...?

Under normal circumstances i would agree with you, but from reading op post i would think that the friends with whom he was staying, would report him missing if anything happened to him

 

[rudeguy]

I would be pissed if no one had called the jails to see if I was in there...

SOP with me is that if I don't make it home, call the jail.

 

[LilPima]

Most likely scenario - he lost his phone. He can't call you either since your number is in there. Hopefully you'll see him at the conference though! GL

 

[moshquerade]

Let us know how this plays out. I hope all is well.

 

[NeoAaronX]

Yeah your plan should be, first call the local jail and see if he did something stupid. This should be first because its quick, easy and you won't worry anyone.

Second,... Hmmm,.. you can wait to see if he shows up tomorrow.
But, if he doesn't then you should call his parents and if they haven't heard from him,...

then third,.. call the police and file a report.

What worries me here is that his voice mailbox is full.
That could mean a lot of things,... but all of them point to trouble.

Good luck and keep us updated.

 

[Azraele]

Hope your friend turns up ok. Keep us updated.

 

[Elganja]

do you have a way of contacting his friends he was staying with?

 

[moparacer]

Just try to get a hold of some of his friends/family and see if they have heard from him.....

Calling around the jails asking, if they happened to arrest your friend, is stupid IMO......

 

[dbk]

I hope he's alright.

 

[Cuda1447]

Originally posted by: Cdubneeddeal

Originally posted by: ConstipatedVigilante
50 bucks says he's found in a hotel room covered in blow with a kidney missing.

You'll feel like the biggest asshole if indeed something bad happened.

Ya no shit dude, why don't you go jump off a cliff or something.

 

[zinfamous]

Originally posted by: funkymatt

Originally posted by: DVad3r
Check with parents. Don't go out of your way to seek him out at the conference. Maybe he is just avoiding you.

First, he's not the type to avoid me- we've been buddies since 10th grade.
2nd, it's the "superbowl of astronomy".. a very large conference that I was planning on going to anyways.

ignore that guy's advice. He hasn't stepped far out of his parent's basement more than a few times in his life.