Jonathan "Jonny" Dorey, an exchange student attending Virginia Commonwealth University was last seen March 2 leaving his campus dormitory at the Gladding Residence Center with his mountain bike at 11:19 a.m. Since then, neither Dorey or his mountain bike has been seen.
It appears that the last class Dorey attended was Tuesday morning (3/2), and he last used his cell phone that morning. The phone is apparently turned off.
The last purchase he is known to have made also was Tuesday morning at a 7-Eleven.
VCU police Capt. Grant Warren said, "We wish we had more to go on."
Dorey, who is from Guernsey, a small island in the English Channel, attends Great Britain's University of the West of England and was on an exchange to VCU. He was studying geography.
Dorey was reported missing on March 4 by friends. His friends and family say it is out of character fot he young man to leave without telling anyone where he was going.
Police said they do not suspect foul play.
The Search for Jonathan Dorey
During the search for Dorey, University police have worked with Richmond police, the FBI, the U.S. Marshals Service, the Virginia State Police, the Virginia Department of Emergency Management and the American Red Cross.
Dorey has been described as an experienced mountain biker. Search efforts have focused on bicycle trails near the James River in Richmond.
On March 16, VCU Police released photos captured by a security camera on March 2 outside of Gladding Residence Center. The surveillance cameras show Dorey leaving the lobby of his dorm with his bicycle.
Dorey's bike is a black single-speed bicycle with an Azonic Steelhead frame, an SDG Bel-Air seat, Race Face lock-on grips, DMR V8 pedals and Kenda tires. It has a black seat with a red stripe down the middle.
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| Dorey is 6 feet tall, weighs 180 pounds, has brown hair and speaks with a British accent. He was last seen wearing a blue and white plaid jacket with a hood and dark blue jeans. Dorey wears glasses. He was carrying a navy blue Eastpak ruckpak. |
VCU and the University of the West of England, Dorey's home university, are offering a combined $10,000 reward for any information leading to Dorey's location.
Belongings found
On March 23, Dorey's backback containing some personal belongings was found near his clothes at Rockett's Landing near Dock and Pear Streets. The items were found by a passerby. The following month, Dorey's parents made the announcement that an empty bottle of gin had also been found at the site.
The area is a popular fishing spot, and the items were reportedly in a hollow area under a large concrete pad beside the north bank of the river. After the discovery, Richmond rescue dive teams searched the nearby James River until 5:30 p.m. and again the following day.
Dorey's parents, Alan and Debbie Dorey, and his brother Simon have flown to the US to help in the search. A Facebook group has also been created to appeal for information; at last count it had 24,635 members.
In April 2010, a witness came forward to say he believed he saw a man fitting Jonny's description swimming in the river on the afternoon Jonny went missing. According to the Charley Project, the weather that day was rainy and mixed with snow.
In September 2011, Dorey's parents planted a tree on the VCU campus in their son's memory. They have stated that they believe he was depressed and committed suicide by drinking a bottle of gin and jumping into the James River.
"Combined with information we got from the Internet sites and writings that we found by the FBI on Jonny's computer - leads us to believe that Jonny died of a suicide or a reckless act as the result of a mental breakdown..." said Debbie Dorey during a brief news conference outside of Harris Hall.
On March 3, 2011, after the one-year anniversary of Dorey's disappearance, a spokesman for VCU Police told NBC12.com that the investigation is still open.
Anyone with information about Jonathan Dorey should contact VCU Police Communications at (804) 828-1196.
Facts in this Case:
Name/age: Jonathan "Jonny" Dorey, 22
Hometown: Guernsey, Great Britain
Residence: Richmond, VA
College: Dorey was an exchange student at Virginia Commonwealth University. He had previously been attending the University of the West of England.
Last seen: 3/2/10, 11:19 a.m., Gladding Residence Center dormitory
Physical Description: 6'0", 180 pounds, brown hair, green eyes. Speaks with a British accent. Last seen wearing: blue and white plaid jacket with hood, dark blue skinny jeans, black shoes. Dorey wears glasses.
Notes: Jonathan Dorey's bike is also missing. It is a black single-speed bicycle with an Azonic Steelhead frame, an SDG Bel-Air seat, Race Face lock-on grips, DMR V8 pedals and Kenda tires. It has a black seat with a red stripe down the middle.
Links: Project Jason, Charley Project
Investigating Agency: VCU Police (804) 828-6409
Originally Posted 3/25/10. Revised 3/16/11.
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