MSU student missing since first of year

After going out for dinner and drinks in East Lansing on the evening of Dec. 31, Michigan State University student Ryan Getz split from his friends to usher in the new year with his girlfriend.

But after finding his girlfriend was not at home, Getz mysteriously disappeared, and friends and family have not heard from him since.

Barry Leslie, an LSA junior and Getz's friend, described him as "very responsible" and said running away would be out of character.

Getz

"He's had a girlfriend for two years. He has a 2-year-old little brother and a sister in 11th grade," Leslie said. "He was a happy guy."

Getz, 21, of Lapeer, Mich., planned to transfer to General Motors Institute in Flint this semester.

Michael Getz, Ryan's father, said his son was last seen in East Lansing's Cedar Village apartment complex, where his girlfriend lives, between 10 and 10:30 p.m.

"Ryan was planning on meeting his girlfriend later that night, but he decided to leave his friends and drop by his girlfriend's apartment to see if she had left yet," Michael Getz said. "She was not home and (Ryan) went to see some guys upstairs to call her apartment from there. They were the last ones to see Ryan."

Leslie said Getz was very drunk when he left to pick up his girlfriend. He said Getz might have hit his head and suffered from amnesia.

Michael Getz said some leads indicate that Ryan may have been involved in a fight.

"For some reason, no one has come forward," Michael Getz said. "We're very concerned that whatever happened involves people who've never been in a similar situation before, whether it involves a fight or something else.

"We're not worried about prosecution for crime, we just want to find what happened to Ryan," Getz said.

Family and friends have posted a $5,000 reward, and there have been "spottings everywhere around the state," said Lt. Lewis Munn of the East Lansing Police Department. But Munn said the case is highly unusual.

"We get missing person reports where people may be missing for a day or two," Munn said. "But Getz just vanished off the face of the Earth."

Sgt. Larry Jerue of the Ann Arbor Police Department said missing persons are usually found within a day or two. Alcohol is often involved because a person can pass out and not come home. But in this case, there is reason for concern, he said.

"This is very unusual," Jerue said. "I would be very concerned. This missing person is in serious trouble, if not deceased."

Getz's parents are directing the search for him out of the East Lansing restaurant Evergreen Grill. Michael Getz said his son was mature beyond his years, and that the possibility of "foul play or an accident" concerns him.

"He was the kind of kid who would call his grandma out of the blue just to see how she was doing," Michael Getz said.

Persons with information regarding Getz's whereabouts should contact Dave Vincent of the East Lansing Police Department at (517) 337-1731, ext. 251.

01-12-98