Parents of missing RIT student speak out and ask for public’s help

ROCHESTER, N.Y. — The parents of a missing RIT student are pleading for his safe return home. Matthew Grant, 22, has been missing for a week now.

There is new information regarding his disappearance and his parents are asking for the public’s help to find their son.

Matthew’s parents Mark and Nancy Grant are devastated dealing with their son going missing and no sign of him for days. His mom and dad traveled from Michigan and have been searching for him. On Monday night, his mom spent the day cleaning up his room hoping this would be the day he walked through the door, but still not sign of him.

Marsha Augustin: How are you staying positive, Nancy?

Nancy Grant: Hoping he walks in through the door and everything is okay.

You can see the pain on Nancy Grant’s face and hear it in her voice. Her cries are loud. She and her husband Mark are determined to find Matthew. He was last seen on Monday night at about 10 p.m. on Nov. 20 in Henrietta wearing a North Face jacket.

“Just that we love him and if he could come back,” Nancy said.

With tears rolling down her eyes she explained Matthew is in his fourth year at RIT and is co-captain of the wrestling team and is doing well in school. He had a lot of good things happening in his life. So, for him to go missing is uncharacteristic.

“His roommates got a hold of me Tuesday around 2:50 in the afternoon, asking me if I had heard from him and I said no why? Well because he left last night said he was going to meet someone and never came back,” Mark said.

Matthew has an olive complexion, black hair, brown eyes, 5’10” tall and weighs about 160 lbs.

The last time Mark spoke to his son was on Nov. 20, the day he went missing. Mathew expressed frustration because his wallet had been stolen and thieves cleaned out his bank account, but Mark says.
Matthew hardly seemed devastated.

Friends say Matthew told them he was going to meet up with a girl he was seeing. However, that girl later told his friends they didn’t have plans and she’s also been trying to contact him.

“The idea of his wallet having gone missing and then him going to meet somebody is very concerning to me,” Mark said.

Mark and Nancy tracked his dark grey jeep through his EZ-Pass to exit 36 in Syracuse on I-81. Where he went from there remains a mystery. In the meantime, they are holding family and faith close and pleading with the public to help them find their son.

“Please, please pay attention to the plate number. Michigan plate ESR8141. If you see that plate, call it. It’s a 2014 charcoal gray Cherokee. If you see it call,” Mark said.

Nancy says Matthew left his phone behind, which is not surprising because knowing Matthew he didn’t want to lose it, if he was going out.

Deputy Brendan Hurley with the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office explained they are working with the family and have reached out to Matthew’s contacts and have gone to where he is known to hang out. They did receive a tip, he may be in the Syracuse area, possibly Adirondacks and have reached out to their law enforcement partners in that area.

The family is offering a reward for any tips that lead to Matthew being found safely. Please call 911.