The search for Caleb Harris, the 21-year-old Texas A&M-Corpus Christi student missing since early Monday, has intensified, with law enforcement joining forces with volunteers and a dive team to find any trace of the young man. Harris was last seen at an off-campus apartment complex, and his disappearance has prompted a significant search effort. Family and friends have rallied to support the search, with Corpus Christi Police Department bringing in their Dive and Recovery Team to survey nearby canals and the Oso wetlands, according to KIII TV.
As the community gathers to aid in the efforts, Caleb's father, Randy Harris, has hired San Antonio private investigator Charlie Parker. Parker helped him access his son's last phone calls, "I asked him to call the phone supplier, and since, it was in his name, he was able to get the last phone calls the son made on that phone," Randy told KIII TV. Volunteers, including A&M-CC student Logan Johnson, have also dedicated time to the search, with Johnson postponing his work to assist in spreading the word.
Meanwhile, the search for Harris has shed light on other ongoing missing person cases in the Coastal Bend area. Nina Glass, who operates a search and rescue non-profit, has joined the search and is using her resources, including underwater drones, in the hope of finding Harris and others. "Wooded areas, grassy areas, the nature preserve, some parks, bodies of water, everything we can; we came down with underwater drones," Glass said in an interview obtained by 3NEWS.
The disappearance of Harris has also resonated with families and friends of other missing persons, such as Ivie Joe Gutierrez, reported missing since February 2022. Darian Ronje, a friend of Gutierrez, joined the search for Harris and highlighted their shared hope, stating, "Everyone deserves to be found, we are here to locate both of them," according to a 3NEWS interview. Social media posts have arisen from this unified search, calling attention to several missing persons cases in the region, with the intent of bringing closure to the families involved.
With the dawn of a new day, the search for Harris is set to continue, focusing on areas such as the dunes on Padre Island, as volunteers and law enforcement alike refuse to relent in their endeavor to bring answers to a waiting community. A dedicated Facebook page has emerged as well, serving to consolidate efforts and information aimed at locating the student and supporting his return home.
