<p>As my son is in the air travelling back to Rice for his final semester, my thoughts turn to the family and friends of Matthew Wilson, the Rice University junior who has been missing since the start of finals during the middle of December. Rice and the family are now offering a $20,000 reward for information leading to his return. I’ve seen one report of his disappearance on Fox back before Christmas and the Houston Chronicle has had various sporatic articles. Given, I’m located in New Hampshire and don’t hear the local buzz, however, I’m just surprised and disappointed that this has not received more national media attention. </p>
<p>My thoughts and prayers are with Matthew, his family and friends.</p>
<p>Maybe the lack of attention to this particular situation is because it seems to be happening all over.</p>
<p>This guy graduated with my D, and many form my church have been involved in the search. Missing since Nov 2.
[Find</a> Justin Gaines, If you have any info call 1-877-270-9500](<a href=“http://www.justingaines.com/]Find”>http://www.justingaines.com/)</p>
<p>Every single situation is heartbreaking, and I can’t and don’t want to imagine what these families are going through. I hope Matthew’s family gets good news, soon. Beyond that, I hope all these families get closure.</p>
<p>I was just going to post this on the Rice area, when I saw this..Maybe we can do what I did below for all missing students?? Go over the facts and think about idea.</p>
<p>Where is Matthew Wilson?</p>
<p>As a parent of another Rice Comp sci junior, I am very upset that there is no news on his disappearance in December.</p>
<p>Being an active member of College confidential I had an idea. Not that any of us really knows what happened, but what if all of the bright minds on here, worked together to piece together ideas for what might have happened or what needs to be checked that might have been overlooked.</p>
<p>I’ve been obsessing over this since he disappeared and there a a couple of things that I wonder about.</p>
<p>Why was the cell phone left at his apartment?.</p>
<p>Why did he take out $400 and then go back to his apartment and then disappear?</p>
<p>Where is his car? </p>
<p>Why did he plan on picking up his friend for a trip to the airport and then not show up.</p>
<p>As a parent of a fellow geek, I know most serious students would not desert their families, even if they don’t talk to them everyday, nor would they ever not turn in papers or miss taking people where they said they would take them.</p>
<p>Did the police check email or phone messages to see with whom Matthew communicated before he went missing? The reason I ask that is that I kept wondering what the $400 was for. It came into my mind last night that maybe he went to buy something tech related, but not necessarily from a store. Could he have gone to someone’s home to buy something he saw advertised on Craig’s list, or something like it?? Maybe it was a fake ad? But where is the car? Does anyone else have any ideas or questions that might open up new ideas for the police? We’ve all read detective novels and watched shows in that genre. What is missing from the equation??</p>
<p>Let’s see if all the bright sparks on this site can shine some light on this horrible disappearance.</p>
<p>My daughter (Rice grad- still lives near campus) said reports are that there is no indication of any foul play. They suspect this kid willingly disappeared for some reason. Too much pressure??? This seems to be something kids think is OK to do these days. To hell with how much the parents will worry. My kid and his friend were basically going to do this last March and were headed to Utah to live in the wilderness but some thoughtful friends of theirs called us.</p>
<p>Down here in south Florida, it seems like every month or so, someone disappears on the way home from the store or on their way to work or driving to the airport – and invariably, their car is found months or even years later in one of the many canals or man-made lakes in the area. </p>
<p>I know Houston doesn’t have the waterways that Florida has, but it has occurred to me that Matthew Wilson’s car might have gone off the road into a ravine or something, where it couldn’t be seen from the highway. </p>
<p>I also wonder why there hasn’t been more publicity on this. Seems like only females get the cable news coverage and the Nancy Grace hype. It’s a shame, because I think more national publicity would help.</p>
<p>What an interesting idea. They do have bayou’s. I’ve read about all the people being found in ravines, with no way to see them, although the area is not that hilly, as far as I remember. Always carry a cell phone…
As far as disappearing…I think he would have run out of his $400 by now and would need to take more out??</p>
<p>For such a small school, Rice has unfortunately shouldered more than its share of tragedies in recent years. They lost 5 students last year, Matt Wilson is still missing, and now a female Rice grad student in the Shepherd school of Music was found dead at a local shooting range. It is all so tragic. Matt’s roommate is a friend of my s’s. I can’t imagine how he is feeling with the uncertainty of his roommate’s whereabouts.</p>
<p>Binx-
I am aware of the missing student on your side of town. So sorry that he was a personal family aquaintance/friend. Sadly, I think that missing females get more media attention than missing males. Sadly, as you know, Meredith Emerson’s remains were found today.</p>
<p>It never ceases to amaze me how some people can successfully access and use the media. The daughter and son-in-law of a local physcican made it to the Today show to discuss the kidnapping of their pug, Scooter, in Dallas, by a woman who wrote a remorseful note and enclosed $20. Newsworthy? Maybe. Worthy of more attention than the missing students in Houston or Atlanta (or anywhere else), I hope not. I grieve for the families of these missing boys. Today, as we also grieve thee loss of the head of our s’s school, I even more appreciate the fragility of life.</p>
<p>Bringing this thread back up, perhaps to be merged with the other thead on this topic? Sadly, not only is Matt still missing, but another Rice student (grad student) was found dead a few days ago. So many tragedies for such a small school…</p>
<p>Jym - sorry about your son’s headmaster - saw it on the news last night. Will be interested in follow-up - sounds like he gave no warnings. Looked up the Rice student who shot herself - that is also very sad. Family is in Sweden - can’t imagine what they must be feeling. And poor Meredith Emerson, alive apparently for 3 days.</p>
<p>So much grief - so many tough starts to the new year.</p>
<p>Thank you for updating this thread–the holidays were heavy this year with much sad news. It has indeed been curious to see what the media finds as newsworthy–I just do not understand why there has not been more info/alerts regarding this missing student. We do indeed live in dangerous times.</p>
<p>Thank you binx. My condolences go out to the Williams, Hamilton and Haverford communities as well, as our late headmaster had presided as president over these schools during the course of his academic career. Such a tragic loss.</p>
<p>I just read an update in the paper about this. He evidently purchased a car cover, car window shade, charcoal and matches before he left so the assumption is that his disappearance was voluntary. The family has a web site [$20,000</a> Reward offered for the safe return of Matthew Wilson](<a href=“http://www.findmattwilson.org%5D$20,000”>http://www.findmattwilson.org)</p>
<p>strange, I had typed in the web site and when I read my post it has come up as the $20,000 reward bit. Maybe I’m going crazy and typed in that, but I don’t think so. The web site is findmattwilson.org</p>