UPDATE, FEBRUARY 14, 3:30 P.M.
To the Middlebury College Community:
Our thoughts and prayers continue to be with the family and friends of Nicholas Garza, a first-year student at Middlebury College who has been missing since Tuesday, February 5. Please note that the Middlebury Police Department's investigation of Nick’s disappearance is ongoing, although the physical search of the campus has been suspended until Saturday, February 16. The Middlebury College Department of Public Safety continues to interview students and review records with the purpose of guiding MPD's investigation. We urge anyone with relevant information to contact the Middlebury Police (388-3191) or the Department of Public Safety (443-5911).
Some students have asked what they can do to assist the search teams. Although the College appreciates their offers to help, this effort must be left to the professionals who are experienced in this line of work. When the search resumes on Saturday, students are asked to please remain on the sidewalks and to refrain from entering areas where search team members are working.
One thing students can do to help is assist in putting up posters of Nick stating that he is missing. Public Safety has printed 500 posters and the effort to place the posters in various locations is being coordinated by the College's office of Alliance for Civic Engagement, located on the first floor of McCullough Student Center.
We are grateful to the students and others who have taken the time to spread the word about Nick’s disappearance, including the establishment of a group on Facebook.
I also want to mention that a close friend of the Garza family, Margaret Falcone, has established a fund on the family’s behalf. We understand that this fund has been set up to assist Natalie Garza, Nick’s mother, and her family with travel and other expenses during this critical time.
Checks can be made out to Garza Family Fund and mailed to:
Natalie Garza
c/o Margaret Falcone
8444 Vista Verde
Albuquerque NM 87120
If you have any questions about this fund, you may contact Margaret Falcone at (505) 620-4575 or Margaret.Falcone@delta.com.
A note to the College community from President Ronald D. Liebowitz is below. Director of Public Safety Lisa Boudah and I will continue to provide updates at this Web site as they become available.
— Tim Spears
Professor of American Studies
Dean of the College
Middlebury College
Middlebury, VT 05753
802-443-3300