Update 5:50 p.m.
MSU spokesman Jason Cody issued a statement regarding astrophsyics junior David Quang Pham's disappearance and said, "Our thoughts and prayers are with the family of the missing student and our number one hope right now is that the student can be found safe and can be found soon. ... (The university community) will stand by to assist in any way possible."
Further details surrounding Pham's disappearance emerged during the day on Dec. 30 as theatre senior Lee Cleaveland, a fraternity brother and close friend of Pham, said Pham’s roommates and family found letters addressed to friends when looking through his room.
Cleaveland said some of the letters were ambiguous, suggesting Pham would be making another brief disappearance, and some had more frightening tones.
“I used to live with David, and he’s always been the type of dude to drive and go on road trips and stuff and disappear for a couple days at a time, that’s always been part of his charm, but this time around he’s been missing for awhile now, so it’s more concerning,” Cleaveland said.
Cleaveland said he and the brothers at Phi Kappa Sigma miss Pham and hope he can return soon.
“I have a lot of hope that he’s safe, he’s well and alive somewhere, he’s a really smart guy and I feel like he’s been planning this for awhile, I think he’s smart enough to take care of himself,” Cleaveland said. “I have confidence in him. … Hopefully he can see how much everybody loves him and is looking for him, and we can find him."
Local authorities in Wyoming, Mich. are currently searching for MSU astrophysics junior David Quang Pham, who has reportedly been missing since Dec. 19.
WoodTV.com reports Pham was last seen at his family’s home in the early morning of Dec. 19, adding that the family told officers he has been known to disappear for brief amounts of time, but never this long. Pham’s family also said he has been struggling with depression, according to WoodTV.
Pham’s car and keys were reportedly left at his family's home and his phone was left behind at his MSU residence, according to the report.
Phi Kappa Sigma, the fraternity Pham belongs to, is spreading word of Pham’s disappearance in hopes he’ll be found. Phi Kappa Sigma President Paul Sullivan said members of the fraternity who are close to Pham have been in contact with police.
“We’re just doing everything we can for his family and hoping that he turns up,” Sullivan said.
A description published by WoodTV lists the 20-year-old Pham as 5-foot-8 with black hair and brown eyes and said he was last seen wearing a black coat.
Anyone with information that may help find Pham may contact Wyoming Public Safety Detective Bureau at 616-530-7335 or Silent Observer at 616-774-2345.
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More information will be published as it becomes available.
