Account
Jan 09, 2017
May 25, 2023
Matthew
Rozario
30
22
72 inches
76 inches
155 lbs
165 lbs
White / Caucasian
Male
In the early morning hours of December 24, 2016, a heart-wrenching story began to unfold in Mount Vernon, Washington, involving 22-year-old Matthew James Rozario. On what should have been a day filled with holiday anticipation, Matthew was a passenger in a vehicle being driven by his father. It was approximately 7:45 a.m., and they were traveling south on Interstate 5. Matthew was in a state of distress, having reportedly been drinking and claiming to be under the influence of drugs. His agitation was palpable as he repeatedly uttered the troubling phrase, "Everything is bad," a sentiment that hinted at a deeper turmoil. The situation escalated dramatically when Matthew attempted to exit the moving vehicle, a desperate act that prompted his father to immediately leave the interstate at the Anderson Road exit. Once the car had stopped, Matthew fled, disappearing from his father's sight despite desperate pleas for him to return. The moments leading up to his disappearance paint a picture of a young man in crisis. His family described him as being about 6 feet tall and weighing around 155 pounds, with brown hair and hazel eyes. At the time he was last seen, he was wearing a black mechanic-style jacket, tan pants, and black work boots, and had a full, bushy beard. The location where he vanished was near Blodgett Road, south of Anderson Road in Mount Vernon. His sudden departure on foot into the morning cold sparked immediate concern from his family, who were left with no indication of where he was headed or what his intentions were. The Mount Vernon Police Department was notified and swiftly opened an investigation into his disappearance, entering his information into state and national databases for missing persons. In the days and weeks that followed, Matthew's family and friends were left in a state of agonizing uncertainty. The Mount Vernon Police Department followed up on various tips and potential sightings that were called in by the family, but unfortunately, none of these leads materialized. The family issued public pleas for help, hoping that someone, somewhere, had seen Matthew and could provide information that would lead to his safe return. Despite the ongoing investigation and the hopes of his loved ones, the search for Matthew ended in the most tragic way possible. It was confirmed that Matthew James Rozario passed away on the same day he went missing, Saturday, December 24, 2016. The case, which began with a young man's troubled flight, is now a closed missing persons case, leaving behind a family to grieve the profound loss of a son.
Dec 24, 2016
Mount Vernon
Washington
Skagit County
98273
No
19250
Mount Vernon Police Department
Mount Vernon
Washington
Skagit County
98273
Rick Vander Griend
Detective
1805 Continental Place, Washington
3603366271
Local
Law Enforcement
16-M22638
2016-12-25
Mount Vernon Police Department
Brown
Brown
Brown
06/21/2026
