"He just completely disappeared." Words Michaella Tarter never thought she would say about her 19-year-old son, Bryce Tarter. "Bryce is our world, he's our middle child and he is the glue that holds our family together," said Tarter.
The Armstrong Atlantic State University student was last seen around 5 a.m. Sunday morning leaving the college campus. Friends and family are doing everything they can to find him including creating a website and a Facebook page.
"We're monitoring all of his email accounts, we're monitoring his cell phone, we're monitoring all of his internet social networking, all those things, there's been no activity whatsoever" said Chief Wayne Willcox with University Police.
Police say Tarter went to a party Saturday night in Statesboro, rode back to the AASU campus with friends, then left in his truck. Police say he told friends he was heading back to Effingham County where he lives with his aunt and uncle. They also say he may have been drinking. A search so far of the area has turned up nothing. "There are multiple ways that you can get from here to Effingham County so it's a guess as to what route he might have taken," said Chief Willcox.
University Police have made a flyer and posted it around campus, emailed it to students, and handed it out to law enforcement agencies in South Georgia.
“Something is keeping him from coming home or calling, he would never put his family through this," said Michaella Tarter.
His disappearance is baffling University Police. "It doesn't appear to be anything in his life at the moment that you would put your finger on that would say, the young man wanted to possibly get away or that he's in trouble," said Chief Willcox.
"Wherever he is we just need him to know that we love him and that we won't give up," said Tarter.
University Police don't suspect foul play. They've asked Metro Police to aid in the search, including the use of a helicopter to fly over the route Bryce may have taken home Sunday morning.
For more information you can log onto to the
website dedicated to finding Bryce. If you know anything you can call AASU Police at 912-344-3333 or Michaella Tarter at 401-207-5431.
