Search for Shipley Still Active

Though it's been more than a month since Brian Shipley's disappearance, Northampton Township police are still working actively on the case and have no reason to believe he isn't still alive.

The 20-year-old Holland resident went around 10:30 p.m. and hasn't been seen or heard from by friends and family members since that time. 

"There's no trail and no track," Detective John Gross said. "He almost dissolved into thin air."

Several searches, including one by helicopter, were conducted of the area where Shipley was said to disappear and none of them found anything. The Second Alarmers Rescue Squad, Greater Philadelphia Search and Rescue and Philadelphia State Police all aided in the search efforts, he said.

As time goes on, Gross said they have to continue to find ways to rejuvinate the case. It becomes much harder the more time that passes. Also, because Shipley brought no cell phone or wallet with him, tracking those types of records is useless.

This has forced the department to have a strong connection with his friends' and family's web communications on Facebook and Twitter. Gross said they continue to put the word out there and hope everyone contacts their friends.

That's exactly the . They maintain a Facebook group, Twitter account, website and several have posted urging him to come home. 

Because Shipley is an adult, he's allowed to be out on his own. The police are asking that anyone who might be helping him hide simply contact them and let them know he's all right.

"There's no reason to keep that from us," Gross said. "We just want to make sure he's safe." 

He added that it's very difficult to survive without a network of people helping, and he's not sure how Shipley is making do. 

Gross said that Shipley had spent about two years in Europe recently, and therefore some of his records have been difficult to track. However, he said the family has been very cooperative in helping him obtain as much information as possible and the police are in the process of sending DNA to national databases.

The department receives notifications of unidentified missing persons that might match Shipley's description, and so far none have come in that led police to believe they were him.

"It's really tough," Gross said. "I almost struggle with it on a daily basis. I don't know what else we can do."

Police have contacted everyone they could think of who might've had a connection to Shipley, including the college he attended for a little while and his friends in the electronic dance music scene. They've all been very cooperative and are concerned about Shipley's wellbeing as well, Gross said.

Right now, the best way the community can help is to call 911 right away if they spot someone who fits his description. While the police have had a few calls in, most were delayed by a few days and Gross said at that point, it's too late. 

"I believe ... he may be out there somewhere. I just wish he would make contact with somebody," Gross said.