18 year old Brendan Santo was last seen in East Lansing, Michigan on October 29, 2021. He disappeared while visiting friends at Michigan State University during the weekend of the Michigan vs Michigan State football game.
Background of Brendan Santo
Brendan Santo was born on April 1, 2003 to parents Brad and Wendy Santo.
Santo attended Rochester Adams High School in Rochester Hills, Michigan, and was a member of Rochester United.
Santo was a freshman at Grand Valley State University in Allendale majoring in cybersecurity at the time of his disappearance. He lived in Rochester Hills, Oakland County, with his parents.
Details of Disappearance
Brendan Santo drove from Grand Valley University to East Lansing on October 29, 2021, to visit friends at Michigan State University over Halloween weekend. The next day also happened to be the big football game between Michigan State University and the University of Michigan.
On the evening of October 29, Santo went out with friends before returning to his friend’s dorm, where he was staying. Between 11:30 and 11:45 p.m., he texted several friends, telling them he was on his way to meet them, before his phone died.
Brenda Santo did not appear at his friend’s dorm and has not been heard from since.
When his friends were unable to contact him the next morning, they filed a missing persons report with the Michigan State University campus police.
Investigation of Case
Brendan Santo was last seen leaving Michigan State University’s Yakeley Hall. Because the security cameras at Yakeley Hall’s entrance were not operational on the night he went missing, they were unable to determine where he was going.
Authorities believe Santo was walking towards the Brody Neighborhood, where he was staying at a friend’s dorm a half mile away on campus’ west side.
His phone, which vanished with him, last pinged to a cell tower near Michigan Avenue and Beal Street, not far from the Red Cedar River, around midnight.
Surveillance cameras in the area were not operational at the time, so there is no evidence of where he was or which direction he was walking.
Since his disappearance, there has been no activity on his phone, bank account, or social media.
Because the Red Cedar River is so close to where Santo went missing, authorities conducted a thorough search of the area, including dive teams searching the river by boat, state police aircraft, drones, and police dogs.
On the MSU campus, 800+ volunteers participated in two civilian searches.
Police discovered his vehicle in the same spot where Santo had parked when he arrived on campus for the weekend. A Halloween costume purchased the day before was discovered inside the car. They believe he did not leave the East Lansing area.
Following Brendan Santo’s disappearance, multiple unconfirmed sightings were reported in the Lansing area, with some tips coming from as far away as Oklahoma.
Santo’s disappearance prompted the FBI and the Michigan State Police Department to get involved in his case.
Whereabouts
There was no evidence, means, or motive for foul play in Brendan Santo’s disappearance, according to police. According to his family, he was looking forward to his college life and future, and simply disappearing would be completely out of character for him.
His family is offering a reward of more than $20,000 through Crime Stoppers of Mid-Michigan for information leading to his whereabouts.
The circumstances of Brendan Santo’s disappearance remain unclear and his case is currently classified as missing. His case remains unsolved.
Appearance
Physical Description:
Caucasian male born on April 1, 2003. He has brown hair and hazel eyes. Brendan is 5’10 tall and weighs 160 pounds.
Brendan was last seen in grey sweatpants, a black t-shirt, a black Red Wing (Yzerman) baseball hat, and white Comme des Garcons Converse high-top sneakers.
He was wearing a gold necklace with a Celtic cross and carrying his dark brown wallet and an iPhone 12 in a blue case.
Investigating Agency
If you have any information regarding the disappearance of Brendan Santo please contact the Michigan State University Police at (517) 355-2221. Tips can be made anonymously at 844-99-MSUPD (844-996-7873) or to the Crime Stoppers of Mid-Michigan at 517-843-STOP.