Search Suspended for 21-Year-Old NMU Student Missing in Marquette

UPDATE: 2:26

The Marquette Police Department says the search for 21-year-old NMU student Trenton Massey has been suspended pending new information. Police also shared more about the timeline, saying Massey’s cellphone was turned in around 8 a.m. Sunday, Feb. 22, after it was found along the city’s multiuse path between UPHS-Marquette and McDonald’s.

Officers contacted a family member at that time, who said they would notify him about the recovered phone. Around 1:30 p.m., that same family member reported that Massey had not been heard from and was missing. He was last seen early Sunday in the downtown Marquette area.

Surveillance video later showed Massey walking eastbound on the path near UPHS-Marquette around 2:50 a.m., then heading toward the Founder’s Landing Boardwalk. Police say Massey appeared disoriented in the footage. At approximately 3:35 a.m., he was seen walking out onto the ice from the north Founder’s Landing Pier before disappearing from camera view. That is the last known image of him.

Search efforts over the past several days have included operations on land, on the ice, from the air, and underwater, using divers, sonar, drones, and K9 teams. Multiple local, state, and federal agencies assisted, along with many community volunteers.

As of 4 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 25, Massey has not been located. Police say the investigation remains ongoing. Volunteer search efforts may continue, but authorities are urging people to stay off the ice and respect private property.

UPDATE: 2/24:

At 5:30p.m. on Feb. 24, the Marquette Police Department shared that the search for Trenton Massey continued on Tuesday in the Founder's Landing Area. The search will resume Wednesday at 9 a.m.

ORIGINAL STORY:

Volunteers and police are racing against time in snow and bitter cold to find 21-year-old Trenton Massey in Marquette. The Northern Michigan University student has been missing since early Sunday morning.

Where Trenton Massey Was Last Seen

Massey had been out at a bar with friends earlier that evening and was last seen on surveillance video around 3:25 a.m. walking alone near East Baraga Ave. by the Founder's Landing Boardwalk. According to police, he appeared disoriented while navigating snowy, icy conditions. He was wearing a black and olive-green coat and no gloves, and authorities have classified him as an endangered missing person.

Family Involvement

According to reports shared on Facebook, his family believes he may have been downtown searching for his phone. In a video posted Monday, a woman who identified herself as Massey’s mom in footage she'd seen of him that was captured near One Marquette Place, “appeared to have severe stages of hypothermia: running, falling, running, falling”. His family is actively involved in the search.

Winter Storm Makes Search Urgent

Temperatures hovered around 20 degrees Fahrenheit when he was last seen, dropping to near 10 by Monday as a winter storm swept through that area of the Upper Peninsula, forcing Northern Michigan University to close campus.

Neighbors, students, and alumni have joined police in scouring downtown and south Marquette despite the harsh conditions. Northern Michigan University thanked volunteers for stepping up, highlighting the community’s determination to help.

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Authorities Step Up Search Efforts

According to the latest police update, search efforts resumed Tuesday at 9 a.m., concentrating on the lower harbor near Founder’s Landing. Specialized teams with equipment and training are leading this part of the search, and multiple agencies, including the Marquette County Sheriff’s Office, Michigan State Police, NMU Police, the U.S. Coast Guard, and conservation officers are involved.

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Anyone with information is urged to contact the Marquette Police Department at 906-228-0400. Police are also asking residents and businesses to check doorbell and security cameras for any footage that could help.

This is a developing story.

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