Matthew Royer, 21, Disappears While Driving Home From College
Matthew Royer, 21, has been reported missing after failing to return home on the drive from the University of Rhode Island to Pennsylvania. Royer made it within 30 miles of his home but never arrived; police are now conducting a full investigation into Royer's disappearance, and his family is pleading for his safe return.
Royer was last seen on May 16, the day that he left the university to return to Skippack Township, Penn. His family was already there and expecting him to arrive home, but around 6 p.m., his mother, Janet, received a text message from Matthew saying that he overslept and was "about to leave" for the drive home.
Surveillance footage from a Sunoco gas station on Route 100 showed him stopping to get gas.
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"He bought water at the station, he opened it in the car and headed southbound on 100. He looked fine, not distraught," Janet told WPVI.
Police now say they have a reported sighting of Royer's vehicle on Friday, at Route 501 and Route 422 in Lebanon County, Penn.
"We've narrowed it down to 30-40 miles from our house and we can't find him," Janet told ABC news. "You couldn't ask for a better son. It's not like him. If he wasn't coming home, he would've told me he wasn't coming home, unless he couldn't."
Royer was last seen wearing a beige baseball cap with the word "Biltmore" on it, a dark green golf shirt, khaki pants and sandals. He is driving a silver 2008 Chevrolet Cobalt with Penn. license plates GZR-9059.
"Matthew is very bright," his grandfather, Thomas Scully, said. "I used to check his homework because I was a good student. He'd correct a mistake before I could fix it … he's a really intelligent fellow."
Police have asked anyone with information to call the Pennsylvania State Police at 610-584-1250 and give the reference number K03-1918501.
