Twenty-year-old man who vanished in frigid Minnesota is found dead after massive Christmas Day search
‘He told us he had to go to the bathroom and then he never returned’
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Your support makes all the difference.A 20-year-old man has been found dead after going missing in Minnesota.
The search for George Musser ended on Christmas Day at around 7pm after his body was found in Baytown Township.
“George’s family has been notified. There is no other information at this time as this case is still under investigation,” police said on Sunday, according to CBS News.
Hundreds of people showed up on Christmas morning to search for Mr Musser, who had last been spotted in Brian’s Bar in Stillwater, east of Minneapolis-St. Paul early the previous day, CBS Minnesota reported.
Ally McKay, one of the last people to see Mr Musser, told CBS that “at approximately 1.30am, he came up to the booth I was sitting in with my friends and he was talking to us. And he told us he had to go to the bathroom and then he never returned”.
Police said in a statement that he was last seen at the bar at around 2.10am.
His keys and wallet were found close to the bar and his car remained parked outside. He was wearing a black hat, a grey flannel shirt, and jeans – despite the freezing temperatures, Mr Musser wasn’t wearing a jacket.
“We looked for him at the bar’s closing, but Brian’s was persistent that everyone get out, so we left and we had to assume that he had found his way home,” Ms McKay added.
Friends and Family began searching on Saturday, with others joining on Christmas Day.
“We’re preparing for the worst but hoping for the best — and that’s why we’re getting everyone in the community to start looking,” Mr Musser’s cousin, Emily Dalbec, told CBS at the time.
Stillwater Chief of Police Brian Mueller told the outlet that efforts to find Mr Musser via surveillance footage and cellphone data were unsuccessful, saying that it was “a very difficult situation”.
The local police department said in a press release late on Sunday that “there is no other information at this time as this case is still under investigation. We appreciate all the wonderful volunteers that came out on Christmas to help search for George”.
“Our prayers are with all those family and friends that knew and loved George. We ask that you respect the family’s privacy during this difficult time,” police said.
Police requested that area residents join the search and check their garages, sheds, and backyards and review any security footage they may have.
Heidi Kram, Mr Musser’s cousin, wrote on the page of a GoFundMe fundraiser that “this was not the outcome we were praying for. We know George has entered heaven and God and all of his family in heaven will take care of him until we can see him again. We are raising money to help his family with his funeral expenses”.
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