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| Matthew Anderson |
A press release issued Sept. 24 by The Ramsey County Sheriff’s Office said their investigation revealed that Anderson had “left Minnesota on his own volition,” traveling to Las Vegas via Chicago.
According to The Pioneer Press, there are no plans to press charges against Anderson since he made the kidnapping claim to his wife and not to the police.
The young man's family plans to bring him home.
"There have been a lot of people praying for him, a lot of people with nothing but optimism and positive vibes," his father, William Anderson, told The Pioneer Press.
Footprints at the River's Edge is thankful that this young man can be brought home safely to his family!
Matthew William Anderson, 29, was last seen around 1:30 p.m. on Friday, September 17 at the Rosewood Village Apartments where he works as a maintenance man. The Shoreview man was supposed to pick up his one-year old daughter from daycare at 3 p.m., but never showed up.
Anderson's wife, Amber, became concerned when she returned home from work at 3 p.m. and didn't find her husband or their 1-year-old daughter, Amelia. A call to the daycare provider revealed that he hadn't shown up. Anderson's friends also did not know where he was.
"These guys took me. I don't know where I am — I think I might be in Iowa. I think they're going to do something to me."At 6:59 p.m., Anderson called his wife, telling her in a hushed voice that he didn't have long to talk; he had been abducted by two men he thought were going to hurt him, and he believed he was now somewhere in Iowa. She recounted to the Pioneer Press her husband's words: "These guys took me. I don't know where I am — I think I might be in Iowa. I think they're going to do something to me." Then heard him say "Oh, no, no, no," before the phone went dead.
- Matthew Anderson
"It's like someone caught him," Amber says. "It was terrifying. He only talked for 32 seconds. He was talking in a soft voice, and he sounded very scared."
About an hour later, Amber Anderson received a text message from her husband saying, "I love you babe, and Amelia." Even though the message arrived about 8 p.m., the cell phone company said it was sent at 6:09 p.m., Amber Anderson said.
Authorities are trying to sort out exactly when the text message was sent.
“At this point, it’s a missing person under suspicious circumstances case,” said Undersheriff George Altendorfer of the Ramsey County Sheriff’s Department, which is heading the investigation. “The story is rolling out as though it were an abduction or kidnapping. He is missing. We cannot locate him.”
According to WCCO.com, Anderson's wife is distraught and family and friends are with her as she waits for word about her husband.
The Investigation
Police obtained phone records and say that incoming call actually came from an area near Wisconsin Dells, Wis.
Anderson has no criminal record, and the family can think of no reason why the Shoreview man would leave on his own. His sister, Emily Samarzia of Duluth, said the authorities were skeptical at first and thought he may have run away, but they have completely ruled that out.
“He could not just disappear,” said Anderson’s mother, Kathy Hochstetler of Milltown, Wis. She added that no one had any problems with Anderson and "everybody loved him.” (Duluth-News Tribune, 9/19/10.)
On 9/22, she told the Inter-County Leader, that there was no doubt that her son had been abducted. She said his daughter just had her first birthday, his wedding anniversary is coming up, and his best friend is getting married in two weeks. The disappearance is " so far out of character for him."
Police initially said that the family's bank accounts and credit cards had not been used, but on Sept. 20, they revealed that Anderson had withdrawn $1,000 from his bank account around 1 p.m. on the day he went missing. They believe he was alone at the time.
By Saturday afternoon, the FBI and Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension had been brought in and a nationwide missing person's alert had been issued to law enforcement agencies. Anderson's disappearance under suspicious circumstances has also been entered into a national computer database of missing people, according to Altendorfer.
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| 2001 Pontiac Montana similar to Anderson's |
Anderson is 6'3" tall and weighs approximately 200 pounds. He has brown hair and hazel eyes.
Early on it was reported that Anderson was believed to be in his maroon 2001 Pontiac Montana van with a Minnesota license plate number 922 DUZ. That vehicle was located in Chicago, IL in the South Loop area and appeared to be in good condition.
Matthew Anderson found safe
On September 24, Matthew Anderson was found unharmed at a construction site in Las Vegas, Nevada and taken to a hospital. He was described as being in "good medical condition." Authorities have declined to answer whether Anderson was alone or why he was taken to the hospital.
A press release issued Sept. 24 by The Ramsey County Sheriff’s Office said their investigation revealed that Anderson had “left Minnesota on his own volition.”
According to The Pioneer Press, there are no plans to press charges against Anderson since he made the kidnapping claim to his wife and not to the police.
The young man's family plans to bring him home.
"There have been a lot of people praying for him, a lot of people with nothing but optimism and positive vibes," his father, William Anderson, told The Pioneer Press.
15 comments:
His car has been found in Chicago.
http://www.tmcnet.com/usubmit/2010/09/19/5015143.htm
Mpls Star Tribune is reporting Matthew withdrew $1k a half an hour before being last seen at the apt. complex. He was apparently alone when he w/d the money. That is the latest news.
http://wcco.com/local/missing.man.roseville.2.1922705.html
here is a link to WCCO with this news of the bank withdrawal.
@ Tarmancer
Hmmm...It's starting to look like he faked his own disappearance,
@BoyintheMachine
Most people posting in comments sections of the local online newspapers have been thinking Matthew left of his own accord. I did too. But now I am beginning to wonder since he only took $1k and his vehicle found in Chicago. How long could he get by on that? Unless he had a secret friend in Chicago? Hopefully he did just leave to get his head straight and not forced. They say he is a good man who would help anyone. That worries me too.
I'd be looking into this guy's internet activity. I know it sounds crass, but that is just enough money to go somewhere and start again if you have someone else waiting for you: friend, girlfriend, etc.
It sounds horrible to say, but if someone kidnapped him...they have that van and its going to tell them a lot. It isn't trashed and someone left it with some care. It would be interesting to see if the seat was moved to see if someone his height would have been driving it. they have a lot of info with that van, I would think. They likely haven't released it to the public.
http://the-leader.net/where-is-matthew-anderson-p9762-61.htm
Here is more info than I have seen in awhile.
hahaha he faked his own kidnapping. What an effing dick. His poor family.
I see divorce in his future.
What a jerk. Faked his own kidnapping and then turned up in Vegas. i don't think he had any intention of returning home with the set-up he pulled the "I love you, goodbye" text and the "no,no,no,no.." cut off conversation that was untruthful. Who knows? Everyone always says "nice guy, never would have expected this." This is ALWAYS the story...but I think this just means that the media and the people that they talk to really don't know squat. What sounds better to report? "We don't know anything" or "People say he was unassuming and quiet and kept to himself." Most of the time they are interviewing passers by, neighbors who know nothing about someone privately or family who are generally the last to know anything a person may be embarrassed, ashamed of or secretive.
He was found in VEGAS. Perhaps he had some debt problem that his own family didn't know about or he had a gambling jones. No one wants to say anything bad about their own husband or kid when they are missing and might not come back. This could have been a secret to them or known but unmentionable. I'm glad he was found safe, but what a jerk. I mean, really.
You make a great point--a neighbor or friend or the casual observer doesn't really have much insight to be able to comment on what is going on in someone's head. "Quiet" doesn't tell us much.
The possibility of a mental illness has crossed my mind. Perhaps he truly believed people were after him, but it was all concocted in his head. It would be very sad if he had a mental illness, but it would certainly would make this all a bit easier to digest. It is otherwise just too frightening to think that a husband/father could scare the daylights out of everyone like this---just to hit Vegas.
That is true, Lisa. He could have simply been at the end of his rope in some way and suffered it in silence. I am one of those people that ends to think that society lends itself to expecting people to be to "perfect". Everywhere you look, perfection is the benchmark. I am not saying that it is alright for everyone to go off and do whatever they want, but you know...some people DO find out that they are not really happy or cut out to be a family man. What is worse...saying "I am not happy.fulfilled living this life" or living a life you don't want and mentally cracking, or making up an elaborate ruse to run away? There is something wrong with our society when making up an elaborate ruse and feigning you have been abducted and possibly killed is the best option out there.
So true! There have been stories of people faking their own abductions before (thankfully, it seems to be relatively rare). Often it does seem to come from a combination of extreme pressure/perfectionism plus some deep-seeded unhappiness in their lives. Society does place an expectation on people to be perfect; and because of this, many people also place added pressure on themselves to perform.
Mental/emotional trouble doesn't justify concocting such a story. Yet I have much more sympathy for someone who has snapped in this way than I would for someone who did this purely for greed.
I have no idea what the case is here. But from the outside looking in, it seems that either way, this would be a very hard thing for a loved one to be able to forgive. I am hoping that they are all just so thankful/relieved that he is back home safely that they'll be able to work through it together.
This man is my father and he doesn’t want to speak with me or want to get to know who I am
I am so sorry Sage. I know you story, and I know your father pretty well, he failed me too.
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