Campus Alert Archive
UNH

A Mercedes at a Rest Area, Then a Months-Long Search for Alexis Garcia

NHmissing personmissing studentmedium confidence
Confirmed Threat

University of New Hampshire student Alexis Garcia, 24, was last seen by friends on November 21, 2024, and his black 2021 Mercedes was found unoccupied at the Scammell Bridge rest area off Route 4 in Durham on November 26. Durham Police issued a missing-person report on November 27 and asked the public for help. Garcia's body was recovered from Little Bay in Newington on May 23, 2025; police found no evidence of foul play and closed the case.

Alerts
2
Response
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Killed
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Injured
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Institution
University of New Hampshire
Public R1 · NH
~16,000 studentsUNH Alert
Confirmed Timeline

Alert Sequence

2 messages in sequence

Some alert texts below are approximate reconstructions from news coverage, not confirmed verbatim transcripts. Reconstructed texts are shown in italic with a dashed border. Verified verbatim texts have a solid border and are marked accordingly.

INITIAL ALERTWebsite
Approximate reconstruction299 chars
Durham Police are seeking the public's help in locating Alexis Garcia, 24, a UNH student last seen on November 21. He is described as 5'9" with brown hair and brown eyes. His vehicle was located at the Scammell Bridge rest area off Route 4. Anyone with information is asked to contact Durham Police.

This text has been reconstructed from news coverage and may not reflect the exact original wording.

Reconstructed from the Durham Police public appeal reported on November 27, 2024; the exact wording of the notification was not published in full.
The physical description (5'9", brown hair, brown eyes) and the Scammell Bridge rest area location are taken directly from police statements quoted in local coverage.
UPDATEWebsite
Approximate reconstruction273 chars
Update: Investigators believe Alexis Garcia may have been wearing white sneakers, dark colored pants, and a plaid button-up shirt over a grey or light colored hooded sweatshirt when last seen. Anyone with information about his whereabouts is urged to contact Durham Police.

This text has been reconstructed from news coverage and may not reflect the exact original wording.

Reconstructed from the December 12, 2024 update in which police described the clothing Garcia may have been wearing; the clothing details are quoted from that police statement.
Classified as an update rather than an all-clear because the search remained active and Garcia had not been found at the time of this notice.
Context

Background

Alexis Garcia, a 24-year-old University of New Hampshire student originally from Illinois with ties to the U.S. Navy and Air Force ROTC, was last seen by friends on Thursday, November 21, 2024. His black 2021 Mercedes was discovered unoccupied at the Scammell Bridge rest area off Route 4 in Durham on Tuesday, November 26, and was believed to have sat there since the evening of November 23. Durham Police issued a missing-person report on November 27 and requested public assistance, with UNH Police joining the search. On December 12 police released details of the clothing Garcia may have been wearing. The case underscores the distinct legal framework of missing-student notifications under the 2008 Higher Education Opportunity Act, which differs from Clery emergency notifications and timely warnings. Garcia's body was recovered from Little Bay in Newington on May 23, 2025; the medical examiner confirmed his identity and police, finding no evidence of foul play, closed the case.
Analysis

Key Findings

Garcia was last seen November 21, 2024, and his vehicle was found at the Scammell Bridge rest area off Route 4 in Durham on November 26
Durham Police issued a public missing-person appeal on November 27, 2024, with UNH Police assisting the search
A December 12 update added detailed clothing information, illustrating how missing-person appeals evolve as investigators gather facts
Missing-student cases operate under the HEOA 2008 framework, a separate legal track from Clery emergency notifications
Garcia's remains were recovered from Little Bay in Newington on May 23, 2025; police found no evidence of foul play and closed the case
Outcome
Garcia's remains were recovered from Little Bay in Newington on May 23, 2025, and identified following an autopsy. Police found no evidence of foul play and officially closed the case.
Provenance

Sources

  1. News
    UNH student Alexis Garcia missing: Durham police seek public's help - Laconia Daily Sun
    laconiadailysun.com
  2. Student Paper
    UNH Police still searching for missing student Alexis Garcia - The New Hampshire
    tnhdigital.com
  3. News
    Body of UNH student missing since November found in nearby town - Boston.com
    boston.com
  4. News
    Body of missing UNH student Alexis Garcia has been located - News Center Maine
    newscentermaine.com
Tags
missing-personmissing-studentnew-hampshireheoadurhampublic-appeal
Added May 2026Updated May 2026Via ingestion