PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) – The search continued Wednesday in Oregon for a University of Portland student who went missing earlier this month.
18-year-old freshman Owen Klinger vanished on October 6.
Investigators say he took money out of an ATM, switched off his phone, left campus and hasn’t been seen since.
It’s a mother’s worst fear. “It’s another hard day without knowing where Owen is,” said his mom, Mary Klinger.
Owen has missing for 10 days with little clues. Dozens of people are searching for him around Portland and now, police say they think the 18-year-old might have wanted to go undetected.
Mary said, “Owen has never been out of touch with his friends, never been out of touch with his family. If he wanted to go on an adventure or on a trip, he would’ve taken a friend. He would have taken more of his stuff.”
An investigation shows the freshman at the University of Portland was watching videos on hopping trains and the film “Into the Wild,” a movie based on a true story focusing on a man who gives up his possessions and lives in the Alaskan wilderness.
Mary explained, “All the theories are equally terrifying for a mom.”
His family said there is no evidence to believe the theory is true.
“I hope that he is out there somewhere still okay and that these efforts that everyone is helping with will bring him home,” Mary said.
Owen Traw has known Klinger since middle school and says none of the theories make sense. He said, “You can’t really know what is going on behind the scenes but I think everyone was really surprised by this because, for those of us who know him, it doesn’t seem like something he would do.”
Tommy Albo has been part of search parties before. “I searched for him and it still stays with me every day.”
His former colleague Mark Bosworth went missing in 2011 and was never found. He is hoping for a different ending for Owen and his family. “it’s encouraging to see other people who care so much and it is not just the people here it is in everyday conversations at work, at home we are all thinking about him,” Tommy said.
Anyone with information about Owen Klinger is asked to call 9-1-1.
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