Reward For Missing West Chester University Senior Shane Montgomery Increased To $31,000

On Wednesday a candlelight vigil was held at West Chester University in support of the search for missing student Shane Montgomery. The 21-year-old senior has been missing since early Thanksgiving morning.

The reward for information on Montgomery’s whereabouts has reached $31,000.

The candlelight vigil was held at 6 p.m. outside the Sykes Student Union. Family, friends and classmates gathered together in support. The vigil comes nearly a week after Montgomery’s family reported him missing, reports NBC.

Montgomery, a Roxborough native, was last seen on Main Street at the Kildare Irish Pub. Management at the club state that they asked Montgomery to leave around 1:45 a.m. and that he was polite and respectful. They added that he did not appear intoxicated, reports People.

What was supposed to be a fun night out on Thanksgiving Eve has turned into heartbreak for Montgomery’s family and friends.

“The true mystery begins when he supposedly left the bar around 1:45 a.m. We are confounded because we don’t know what happened,” First Deputy Police Commissioner Richard Ross told People.

Montgomery’s disappearance has been listed as suspicious, though Philadelphia police say at this time that they do not suspect foul play. So far in the search, authorities have used helicopters, K-9s, and marine units to search the Manayunk and Roxborough area. Authorities have also searched the Schuylkill River, which borders Main Street.

On Saturday, the FBI joined the search efforts. Agents posted digital billboards in hopes of locating Montgomery. FBI task forces often becomes involved when a missing person case is considered suspicious.

Despite efforts by both local and federal authorities, as well as family, friends, and volunteers, Montgomery remains missing.

Volunteers gathered on Wednesday at the St. John Baptist church located on Rector Street in Manayunk to put up and pass out flyers with Montgomery’s photo on it. The flyers were put up in the area where he was last seen.

The reward was raised by contributions from the Student Government Association at West Chester University and a suburban Philly bar, The Grog, upped the reward to $31,000 from $25,000.

Montgomery weighs 140 pounds and stands 5-foot-11. He was last seen wearing a buttoned-down gray shirt, gray hoodie and jeans. He has a unique Celtic cross on his shoulder.

“We’re waiting for him to walk in the door, but you realize that each hour goes… it’s just harder and harder,” said Kevin Montgomery, Shane’s father.

The Philadelphia police department asks that anyone with information on Montgomery’s whereabouts contact Philadelphia Police at 215-686-3353 or the FBI at 215-418-4000.