Crime & Safety
Missing Scotts Valley Man Found in Utah
Matthew Abraham was located in Salt Lake City and his parents are on their way to be reunited with their son in Utah.
Editor's Note: The following was released by the Santa Cruz County Sheriff's Office at 6:42 p.m. Friday:
On March 15 at approximately 4:45 p.m., Sheriff’s Office personnel learned of a possible sighting of Matthew Abraham in Salt Lake City, Utah.
Follow up investigation and a coordinated effort with Salt Lake City Police Department lead to the detention of Matthew in a Salt Lake City Public Library around 5 p.m. Preliminary reports indicate that he is in good health despite his brain injury and cooperating with Salt Lake City Police for the reunification with his parents.
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The Santa Cruz County Search and Rescue Team had searched for 20-year-old Matthew around Scotts Valley and other areas until 1:30 p.m. on Thursday and reconvened the search early Friday morning. After the search convened on Friday, a long-distance bus driver told authorities that Matthew was on her bus to Sparks, Nevada, on Thursday.
Law enforcement in Nevada and Utah were notified in an effort to locate Matthew. The tip lead to the discovery of video surveillance that depicted Matthew and helped confirm his identity.
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Search and Rescue personnel suspended their search for Abraham after they learned he'd been spotted in Nevada. It was during this transfer of the investigation to Sparks Police when Matthew’s traveling companion contacted his family and the Sheriff’s Office. This person was instrumental with helping local law enforcement locate Matthew in Salt Lake City.
Matthew had met this person while traveling and asked for help getting to the East Coast. Abraham has a severe head injury from a recent mountain bike fall from a trestle in Henry Cowell State Park and this is believed to have contributed to his erratic behavior.
Matthew’s parents are currently traveling to Salt Lake City to be reunited with their son. The community and media involvement helped resolve this potentially life threatening incident in a timely fashion.
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