Iowa State University Police say they’re scaling back search efforts for a missing student. Twenty-one-year-old Jon Lacina of Grinnell was reported missing on Saturday morning. A weekend search of the I.S.U. campus involved around 250 people, a helicopter and a dive team that searched Lake LuVerne.
On Monday, custodians and other campus employees dug through snow banks and scoured buildings – but found no signs of Lacina. University spokesperson Annette Hacker says the focus will now shift to the “investigative elements” of the search. “That includes looking more deeply at computer records, other electronic information, interviewing family, friends, acquaintances and anyone who may have more information about Jonathan Lacina’s whereabouts since January 22,” Hacker said.
Lacina, a senior graphic design major, was last seen on January 22, but wasn’t reported missing until January 30. “I think when you have any student, who are adults on a busy campus – particularly design students who are coming and going at all hours and working on projects for long periods of time – several days can pass between when friends see each other or when family members check in,” Hacker said.
Lacina was reported missing by his father. Lacina’s last sighting was at a small party at a friend’s Campustown apartment. Alcohol was present at the gathering, but Lacina was not believed to be intoxicated when he left at 9:30 p.m.
Hacker says Lacina was in “good spirits” and told friends he was going home. A check on Lacina’s bank and cell phone records have not turned up many clues. Hacker says those items and his building access cards haven’t been used since the night he disappeared. University police say they have not discovered anything that would suggest foul play.
Authorities say they’ll continue to search the campus, although the search won’t be as “intensive” as the last three days.
Anyone with any information on Lacinda is asked to call I.S.U. police at 515-294-4428.
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