Remembering Bryce Tarter

May 3, 2010
AASU held a memorial gathering today at noon in honor of Bryce Tarter. Many students, faculty and staff were in attendance. Armstrong President Dr. Linda Bleicken gave some kind words, as well as, SGA representatives Zerik Samples, Ty Slater and Whitney Maxwell. The AASU Gospel Choir performed a few very touching selections and the ceremony was closed with a moment of silence for our lost pirate.

April 30, 2010
A remembrance of Bryce Tarter will be held at noon, Monday, May 3 on the west lawn of the Student Union. Students, faculty and staff are invited to join in remembering a beloved son and Armstrong student. Speakers will include Zerik Samples, president of the Student Government Association, and student Whitney Maxwell, who has known the Tarter family.


April 29, 2010
On Wednesday afternoon (April 28) authorities positively identified the body found inside the pickup as missing AASU student Bryce Tarter. A vigil is being planned in remembrance of Bryce at 8:30 p.m. tonight (April 29) at Bell’s Landing.

On Monday, the AASU Student Government Association will hold an event on campus to remember Bryce. Details about the event will be posted here.

Visit WTOC-TV and Savannah Morning News for the latest news reports on Bryce.


April 27, 2010
Dear Armstrong Students, Faculty and Staff,
I know you have likely heard the news and are concerned to know that Bryce Tarter’s white Nissan Frontier pickup truck was found this afternoon (Tuesday, April 27). The Camden County Sheriff’s Office Marine Patrol located the white Nissan pickup in 13 feet of water at Bell's Landing near the AASU campus. The plates match those belonging to Bryce’s truck. Authorities have confirmed to media that a body was found inside.

The Georgia Bureau of Investigation is continuing the investigation and will be working over the next hours to determine the identity of the body. At this moment our thoughts and most sincere concerns are with Bryce’s family. We will share additional information with the campus community as it becomes available.

Wayne Willcox
AASU Chief of Police


Update
March 5, 2010
Worldwide Candlelight Vigil for Bryce Tarter
By Andrew Davis | Anchor/Reporter
WSAV-TV Savannah
Published: March 3, 2010

For updates on this story visit www.wsav.com/.

As the search continues for a missing Armstrong Atlantic State student, the family of Bryce Tarter is looking to friends and supporters for help and prayers.

It's being called a worldwide candlelight vigil for Bryce. At 8pm Friday March 5, they want candles to be lit around the area, the state, the country and even the world.

Right now there are locations in Georgia, California, Maine and South Carolina where folks can honor Bryce at a candlelight vigil, and help support the search for answers in his disappearance.

The 19 year old Tarter was last seen around 5 a.m. January 31, leaving the AASU campus. The Georgia Bureau of Investigation is working on the case and Tarter's family and friends have also launched massive search efforts.

Tarter was driving a white 2000 Nissan Frontier with Maine license plate 9447QD. There are an Atlanta Braves and Atlanta Falcons stickers on the back window. If you have any information, you're asked to call AASU Police at 912-344-3333 or the Cue Center for Missing Persons at (910) 343-1131.

For more information, just log on to the Candles for Bryce Facebook page.

This is a temporary list of the candlelight vigil locations below. More are expected to be added as the day gets closer.
GEORGIA
1. Flowery Branch: Location to be determined and added soon 8PM 3/5/10
2. Richmond Hill: The Ju-Jitsu Center (across from the new Food Lion) on US Hwy 17 8PM 3/5/10
3. Rincon: Church location pending; please contact me to update this item 8PM 3/5/10 Goshen United Methodist Church on church property, From I-95 from Savannah N, Exit 109/Port Wentworth, left onto GA Hwy 21, drive 10-15 mins until you see buildings again, the church is a huge white building on the left at the first stoplight when entering Rincon.
4. Saint Marys, Georgia: Location pending; please contact me to update this item 8PM 3/5/10
5. Savannah: Armstrong Atlantic State University (AASU) Parking Lot 8PM 3/5/10

CALIFORNIA
1. Yucca Valley: Location to be determined and added soon 5PM 3/5/10

MAINE
1. Allagash: Location private residence, 8PM 3/5/10
2. Cumberland: Location private residence, 8PM 3/5/10
3. Fort Kent: Location private residence, 8PM 3/5/10
4. Kittery: Location Kittery Recreation Department , Cole Street, Kittery, Maine 03904 . 8PM 3/5/10
5. St. Francis: Location private residence, 8PM 3/5/10
6. St. John: Location private residence, 8PM 3/5/10 SOUTH

CAROLINA
1. Camden: Location private residence

The family has also started a campaign "Miles for Bryce" asking everyone to look in their neighborhoods and streets, and then "adopting" those roads. For more information, visit http://www.ncmissingpersons.org/milesforbryce-2
This is a partial list of the candlelight vigil locations below. More are expected to be added as the day gets closer.

Update
March 2, 2010

On Tuesday, February 2, the Armstrong Atlantic University Police Department (AASU PD) received a call from Michaella Tarter reporting that her son, Bryce Tarter, a 19-year-old freshman, non-resident student at AASU was missing.

Bryce, who lives with his aunt and uncle in Effingham County, had been on campus on Saturday, January 30 to meet with some friends. Together, they planned to attend a party in Statesboro. They returned to the AASU campus around 3:30 a.m. on Sunday and, according to witnesses, Bryce was last seen leaving the campus in his white Nissan Frontier pickup shortly after that time.

Since then, the AASU Police Department has not only committed its resources to assist Bryce's family, but also enlisted the help of other regional and national law enforcement agencies to intensify the search.

AASU Police Chief Wayne Willcox and his officers have conducted witness interviews including some in Statesboro, aided in ground searches and collaborated with the family to publicize the case. Officers have contacted national missing persons' organizations, prompting the National Center for Missing Persons to send a team to Savannah to conduct a search. Officers have fielded hundreds of calls from the public responding to the publicity. America's Most Wanted has listed Bryce as missing and will include a mention of the case on their February 20 show.

The AASU PD entered Bryce Tarter into the Georgia Crime Information Center and the National Crime Information Center, which allows any enforcement agency in the country that comes in contact with Bryce or his vehicle to be alerted to his disappearance. Officers have contacted hospitals, jails and pawnshops in Chatham and adjoining counties, including Camden, for any clues regarding Bryce. The military bases were also notified, as Bryce's car has military ID stickers.

AASU PD officers have interviewed students and faculty about Bryce's interactions on campus prior to his disappearance. Officers have obtained security camera video from multiple locations and analyzed their content for any clues.

On February 4, Chief Willcox engaged the Georgia Bureau of Investigation to assist with the investigation. Additionally, he called for and received assistance from Savannah-Chatham Metro PD and the Effingham, Bryan and Chatham County Sheriffs.

The additional resources brought by these law enforcement agencies have allowed for expansive ground, air and water searches along and near the routes that Bryce may have taken from the campus to his uncle's house in Effingham or his grandparents' home in Savannah. Three helicopters and two airplanes have flown the area extensively. Flight paths have covered the I-95 corridor from South Carolina to Florida and the I-16 corridor from Savannah to Statesboro. Boat searches have covered the waterways in Chatham and Effingham counties.

Finally, the university community has created a Web page to aid in the effort to find Bryce. A link to that site can be found on the university's homepage.

To date, there have been no credible sightings of Bryce Tarter or his vehicle and he has not tried to access his bank account, cell phone, email accounts, or social networking accounts. After four weeks of searches and investigative efforts, there is no indication of where he might have gone. In addition, no evidence of foul play has been found in connection with his disappearance. As additional leads come in, however, the AASU PD will continue to follow up, working with the support of external law enforcement agencies and national organizations.



February 11, 2010
The search for missing student Bryce Tarter, 19, has grown to include several law enforcement agencies. While the Armstrong Atlantic State University Police Department is directing the missing person investigation, other organizations providing assistance include the Georgia Bureau of Investigation, the Naval Criminal Investigative Service, Savannah-Chatham Metro Police, Chatham County Sheriff, Effingham County Sheriff, Camden County Sheriff, Appling County Sheriff and other law enforcement agencies throughout Southeast Georgia.

AASU Police Chief Wayne Willcox has worked closely with Bryce's family and the different law enforcement agencies since Bryce was first reported missing to the AASU PD on Tuesday, February 2.

Bryce's disappearance has been reported in multiple print and TV media outlets throughout the region, including Atlanta, Augusta, Columbus and Macon in Georgia; Greenville-Spartanburg, Charleston and Myrtle Beach in South Carolina; and Jacksonville, Panama City and Tallahassee in Florida.

Bryce was last seen driving away from the campus early morning on Sunday, January 31 in a 2000 white Nissan Frontier pickup with Maine license plate 944 7QD. He is 6 feet tall, weighs 140-155 pounds and has short sandy brown hair and blue eyes.

Anyone with information about Bryce Tarter should contact the AASU PD at 912.344.3333.