Massive ground search planned for Bryce Tarter

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By Melanie Ruberti - bio | email

SAVANNAH, GA (WTOC) - Blake and Michaella Tarter don't let a day go by without searching for their son, Bryce. "Every time we leave the house, we're searching," said Blake, Bryce's dad.

The lack of clues of the 19-year-old's whereabouts is wearing the Tarter family down. "Right now, we're really no further along than we were twenty days ago," exclaimed Blake. "I was frustrated two weeks ago. This is day 20. So amplify that."

Bryce's mom, Michaella, agreed. "It's not until you're in the middle of it that you realize, this is real," she said," And it's heartbreaking. It is beyond difficult."

Even more difficult, there's been no activity on Bryce's cell phone or bank accounts since he disappeared back on January 31 from an Armstrong Atlantic State University parking lot. His white, Nissan Frontier pick up truck is also gone.

The Georgia Bureau of Investigations and other law enforcement agencies have also been combing the woods and waterways, but have turned up nothing."It's extremely frustrating, " said Blake. "We just don't understand how Bryce and the truck can disappear. Somebody knows something."

They are hoping a massive ground search planned for Saturday will turn up some clue to where Bryce might be found.

Monica Caison with the Cue Center for Missing Persons has also joined the search for Bryce. She said it's important for people to continue to look for the missing 19 year old and his truck. "It is vital that we find the truck," she said. "If the truck has gone off the road, and if he is harmed, we may be past the point of a rescue, but we still want to locate him and help this family bring him home."

That may be the only way Blake and Michaella finally get the answers they need. "My son deserves to come home," Michaella said tearfully.

"At this point, we need some closure," explained Blake. "We need to find Bryce. I mean, we can't even grieve yet. We don't know where he is."

The Tarters are hoping the community will help them out on Saturday. There will be another massive search for Bryce starting at Scott Stell park off of Little Neck Road. They're asking volunteers to meet at the park at 8am, and please bring valid identification.

They will search the Little Neck Road area, and will have another group travel to the Statesboro area. Bryce was also seen at a party near the Georgia Southern Campus the night before he disappeared.

The CUE Center is hoping any one with an ATV, or with horses, will help with the search. The family has setup a website to help spead information about the search for Bryce, visit www.bringbrycehome.com.