Tanner Hoang Missing Texas A&M student found dead on Xmas Eve in suspected suicide: What led to mechanical engineering student taking his own life? Disappeared on day of graduation.
A Texas university student who vanished on what was supposed to be his graduation day last week was found dead on Christmas Eve following an eight day search.
Tanner Hoang, 22, an A&M pupil studying mechanical engineering, was discovered in Austin close to where the missing pupil’s vehicle was discovered abandoned on Thursday. The student’s wallet and debit card were located inside the vehicle.
The missing son was nowhere to be found setting off a wide search that involved volunteers searching on foot and on boats for two days, along with three drones before the somber recovery of the student’s body on Saturday.
Hoang was reported missing by his family on December 16 after shutting his phone off early that morning. Tanner’s father said he sent him a text around 8:30 a.m. and got a notification that Tanner had read it before his son’s phone was turned off.
Relatives confirmed that there is ‘no foul play suspected’ in his death.
‘Tanner, we will always miss and love you’
Amber Alert Network Brazos valley put out an alert for the college student on December 18 after he disappeared.
Authorities confirmed that Hoang was last seen in the 900 block of Colgate Drive in College Station around 11 am and getting gas around noon in Caldwell.
His family said that they had been on their way to his graduation on the weekend that he went missing, and were supposed to meet him for lunch on December 16, according to KVUE. The son according to family never arrived.
‘He was supposed to graduate but I’m not sure what happened that would cause him to leave,’ his uncle, Bao Hoang, told KXXV, noting his sudden disappearance was out of character for the student.
‘He is always available, always showing up to help,’ his uncle told KXXV. ‘Anytime that I’ve been back to Texas or anytime his grandparents would need help, he would show up there. Anytime his parents would need help, family gatherings, always show up.’
‘That’s why we’re quite in disbelief that he would leave without notifying us,’ he added.
The uncle paid tribute to his nephew, saying: ‘Tanner, we will always miss and love you, my nephew and brother in Christ.
What led to graduating student committing suicide?
‘Thank you for so many wonderful and joyful memories that you gave us. Our hearts are broken, yet we have the surest hope in Christ that you are in His loving arms, completely healed and restored.
‘We love you so much and look forward to being reunited with you again in His presence.’
Authorities shared images of the student as well as his silver Lexus which he was last seen driving, and he was found close to the vehicle.
Officials say that his body was found near Pennybacker Bridge on Saturday afternoon, with authorities calling off a search on Christmas Eve, ABC News reported.
His housemate Luke added: ‘The unfortunate reality is a person who can seem so happy and content on the outside can still be dealing with so much that no one knows about.
‘We had absolutely no idea of what he was going through and no reason to think anything was up.
‘There is always help all around you and the hardest part is asking for it.
‘I would give anything to have the chance to sit down with Tanner and find a way to help him through whatever is going on, no matter what it is.’
