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"Just come back safe": Authorities, volunteers search for Paul Shuman-Moore '09, missing since early Monday morning

BY SARAH PIERCE

Paul Shuman-Moore '09 has been missing since early Monday morning. Volunteers and emergency personnel have been searching both on and off campus without success since Shuman-Moore was reported missing late Monday night.

"We had over 400 searchers assisting us today," said Grinnell Chief of Police Jody Matherly in a press conference Wednesday. "We've left no stone unturned and we still can't find him."

Mike Horrell '09, Shuman-Moore's roommate, last saw Shuman-Moore just before 8:30 p.m. Sunday night.

Shuman-Moore spent late Sunday evening at a small party in an apartment downtown. Francis O'Rourke '08 said Shuman-Moore looked like he was having a good time. "He seemed to be genuinely happy and enjoying himself," O'Rourke said.

Matherly said Shuman-Moore was last seen at 1:23 a.m. on Monday morning. "He was on campus going towards his dorm when a couple students saw him last," Matherly said.

Horrell felt alarmed after not seeing Shuman-Moore all day Monday and searched their Lazier 4th room for some sign of where his roommate had gone. He found a note from Shuman-Moore on his desk and notified East Campus RLC Billy Kennedy, who called Security.

Security guards began searching, both on and off campus, and alerted friends of Shuman-Moore, including members of the Grinnell College Frisbee team, of which Shuman-Moore is a member.

Several members of the team searched the campus on foot. Others soon joined them, and they split into three groups to search the area by car.

At daylight Tuesday morning the search was expanded. A command center was set up at the Security office. Volunteers as well as formal investigators went out in groups, searching the campus, the town and the surrounding miles on foot.

Around 80 people helped look for Shuman-Moore Tuesday. Police also sent up airplanes for aerial searches and thermal scans at night, but nothing was found.

Shuman-Moore's parents were notified on Tuesday and soon traveled to Grinnell.

On Wednesday, hundreds of volunteers turned out at 7 a.m. to comb the area.

"There has been a huge outpouring from his friends, family [and] people that didn't know him but are concerned because he is one of our community members and people from outside our community," Matherly said.

Despite the large number of searchers, few solid leads turned up. Police had scattered reports of sightings as far away as Shuman-Moore's hometown of Chicago, but none of the leads panned out.

On Thursday, authorities changed the search pattern from sweeps involving large numbers of volunteers to targeted searches aimed at focusing on hard-to-search areas and checking out leads.

In addition, the search command center was moved from the Grinnell Security office to the Grinnell Public Safety building in town at 611 4th Avenue.

Instead of taking all volunteers who showed up, Matherly asked interested volunteers to contact Security and submit their name and contact information. When he needs searchers, he will contact people on the list.

"We have received a lot of leads from different areas. We are trying to digest the information we have received so far," said Matherly. "We do encourage the public to come forward with any information that they may have."

Over the first several days of the search, many students, staff and faculty volunteered their time. Director of Security Steve Briscoe said the college gave faculty and staff paid time off if they wanted to participate.

Adam Brumer '07 skipped classes on both Wednesday and Thursday in order to participate in the effort.

"I don't know Paul at all, but Grinnell has a really strong sense of community, and one of the things I've learned is that it really does exist outside of the college, too, where the College and the town really come together in a positive way," said Brumer. When asked what he would say to Shuman-Moore, Brumer had a simple message.

"I hope you are okay," said Brumer. "We are all thinking about you. Just come back safe."

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