Thomas Bearson Dead Breaking News #RIPTom....A search conducted Tuesday morning in relation to missing student Thomas Bearson turned up the body of a deceased male.An
outdoor area of Moorhead was being searched when investigators found a
body around 11:20 Tuesday morning. Fargo Police Chief Keith Ternes says
the physical description of the body matches that of Thomas Bearson.
A
death investigation will now be done in Minnesota to confirm the
person's identity. Just after 1:30 p.m. Moorhead Police Lt. Tory
Jacobson told Valley News Live they have secured a crime scene in south
Moorhead, near Sam's Club and Menard's. A Bureau of Criminal
Apprehension (BCA) agent is on scene and authorities are awaiting the
BCA mobile crime lab to arrive to continue their investigation.
Stay with Valley News Live for updates on this breaking news story.
MONDAY UPDATE
Searchers
combed a neighborhood where missing NDSU student, Thomas Bearson, was
last seen and along the Red River and found nothing. Investigators
continue to follow up on tips and determine if another ground search
will take place tomorrow.
Friends and dorm neighbors of Bearson
told us he was an all-around nice guy. Many were stunned when they
first saw the email from the university stating that he was missing.
Even residential assistants went knocking door to door in the dorms
informing students to keep an eye out for Bearson and their safety too.
When friends didn't see or hear from Bearson by the end of the night
after a party, they got suspicious. Some described Bearson as the life
of the party.
"He's always nice and approachable,”
said Michael Wagner, a dorm neighbor. “He seems really genuine. You
know, easy to talk to."
"He's definitely a really
wild person,” said close friend, Michael Miller. “He's always trying to
go out, do things and gets a little bit crazy at times.”
Just two weeks into the semester friends are stunned there's a missing
persons report on campus. But, some aren't shocked that it's Bearson.
Just last week he was slapped with a DUI. And, he has a minor for
possession of alcohol.
"I'm less surprised that it's
him than say over someone else,” said Miller. “But, at the same time
I'm just really, really scared and wondering what it could be."
Friends also told us, Bearson had a good head on shoulders pursing a
degree in nursing. They hope with increased awareness, police will find
their friend sooner than later.
"I like to think for the best and hope he's not in danger, but I really don't know,” said Wagner.
Again if you have any information give Fargo PD a call.
Police said the missing student was last seen in a blue Sartell track
and field t-shirt, a baseball hat, and khaki pants. He is six-foot-one
and 155 pounds with blonde hair and blue eyes.
UPDATE
The
Fargo Police Department updated the public on the search for a missing
NDSU student. Tommy Bearson has been missing since early Saturday
morning. Fargo Police Lt. Joel Vettel says the 18-year-old was last seen
near the 800 block of 14th Street North at approximately 3:40 Saturday
morning.
The NDSU Police Department got a 911 call at 5:30 p.m.
Saturday from family members of Bearson. He was supposed to meet up with
family and never showed up, so his family called for a welfare check in
his dorm room. After police weren't able to find Bearson, a search
began immediately. Right now, police say this is a documented missing
persons report and there is no indication of foul play.
Authorities
say the next move is an extensive canvas of the area where Bearson was
last seen. Lt. Joel Vettel says in the coming hours, you may see police,
fire and K9 units in north Fargo conducting searches. Fire teams will
use a boat to search the Red River, which Lt. Vettel says is to "cover
all of our bases."
Lt. Vettel says tips from the public are
needed, adding they have been very helpful with ideas and issues so far
in this investigation. He adds that people need to be cautious of
believing rumors on social media.
Authorities at NDSU are
checking surveillance video from some of their campus buildings, but say
there is no confirmation that Bearson appears on any of those videos.
Due to the amount of resources available, the NDSU Police Department has
turned the investigation over to Fargo Police.
Lt. Vettel says
they are contacting people who were last with Bearson, interviewing and
re-interviewing people. Authorities say there is no information about
whether or not he was intoxicated at the time of his disappearance.
Through interviews, friends have told authorities Bearson was "in a good
mood and everything seemed to be fine" on Friday night and Saturday
morning.
Bearson is from Sartell, Minnesota and Fargo Police say they have alerted other law enforcement agencies down the I-94 corridor.
Bearson
is approximately 6'1 and 160 pounds with blonde hair and blue eyes. He
was last seen wearing a baseball hat, blue Sartell track and field shirt
and khaki pants. If you have any information on Tommy Bearson's
whereabouts, call NDSU Police at 701-231-8998 or text a tip to
701-526-6006.
ORIGINAL STORY
A North Dakota State
University student has been missing since early Saturday morning. Tommy
Bearson was last seen leaving a party around 3:00 a.m. He was supposed
to meet his parents and never showed up.
Sunday night, NDSU's Vice President For Student Affairs asked for your help in finding Bearson.
"At
this point it's really early. And, again, he's a first year student and
we need help and we need to get the word out. We need help. Again,
asking people to keep an eye out," Alvarez said.
Bearson is from
Sartell, Minnesota. Investigators have tried to call his cell phone, but
say that the phone appears to have run out of power. If you have any
information on Tommy Bearson's whereabouts, call NDSU Police at
701-231-8998 or text a tip to 701-526-6006.
