MARCO DRAYTON - 20 yo - Three Rivers MI

Three Rivers family seeks word of man missing since Sunday

Published: Wednesday, July 25, 2012, 12:25 PM
Updated: Wednesday, July 25, 2012, 2:37 PM
Rosemary Parker | rparker3@mlive.com By Rosemary Parker

THREE RIVERS, MI -- Although he is listed as "voluntarily missing," police are distributing a family's flyers as they seek word of a young man who left for a friend's house Sunday and never arrived.

Marco Drayton, 20, was last seen at about 9:30 p.m. when he left in his mom's 1999 green Ford van to visit a friend who lived a few miles away, the flyer says.

Drayton was living at home. The van has a cracked windshield, a missing passenger door handle, and two gold stickers on the rear bumper that says "I am a West Point parent."

Drayton was one of three local men accepted at the United States Military Academy in January, 2010 as part of the Class of 2014. School officials said he left the academy in May, 2011 after two terms.

Drayton is currently a student at Michigan State University. Police, friends and family are following up on information received regarding Drayton's whereabouts, Sgt. Mike Mohney of the Three Rivers Police Department said.

The family asks that anyone with information about Drayton's whereabouts call Three Rivers Police Department at 269-278-1235 or St. Joseph County Central Dispatch at 269-467-4195.

http://www.mlive.com/news/kalamazoo/index.ssf/2012/07/three_rivers_family_seeks_word.html

Marco Drayton found alive in Ohio

Sunday, July 29, 2012 9:48 a.m. EDT

THREE RIVERS (WKZO) -- The Search for Marco Drayton of Three River has reportedly ended. A Three Rivers Police dispatcher says his understanding was that he had been located in Cleveland, Ohio, but he didn’t have details. A County Dispatcher says that’s their information too and that he is alive and well.

The 20-year-old Drayton, an MSU Student, disappeared last Sunday night with his mother’s Ford van. His wallet, phone, shoes and t-shirt were found near a local lake Monday, but no body was found. A prayer vigil was held Thursday evening.

Three Rivers Police are reportedly working on a press release.

http://whtc.com/news/articles/2012/jul/29/marco-drayton-found-alive-in-ohio/

Marco Drayton apologizes to friends, family after returning safely

By Kellie Rowe
Originally Published: 14 hours ago
Modified: 14 hours ago

Missing MSU junior Marco Drayton was found alive and safe on Saturday evening in Cleveland, Ohio, according to Three Rivers Police Department.

Drayton, 20, was reported missing on July 22 when he failed to return home from a trip to his friend’s house a few miles away from his residence in Three Rivers, Mich. The following day, July 23, Drayton’s clothes, shoes, wallet and phone were found by a lake.

He had last been seen at 10:20 p.m. buying a tool set from a local Meijer.

At about 5:30 p.m. Sunday, Drayton posted a video to Facebook apologizing to friends and family for “leaving them in the dark,” explaining his absence was his choice and he did not inform anyone he was leaving. He said the reasons behind his departure were not based on financial issues or criminal activity, but a personal problem he needed to work out.

“The reasons I left my whereabouts unknown to everyone was because I did not know when or if I was returning,” Drayton said in the video. “I expect that you all understand that everyone has those pivotal moments in life that they must find their own way to deal with. In this particular case, I tried to deal with it in a way that would protect my loved ones from guilt because the situation was out of their control.”

Drayton said he believed the community’s support and prayers brought him home from his journey from Indiana, Ohio, West Virginia, Virginia, back to West Virginia and finally to Cleveland, Ohio.

He said everything in the video was honest, except for the private details he only wants to share with friends and family. Drayton explained he is home safe, both mentally and physically healthy.

“I look forward to seeing all of you who were searching and praying for me so I can say thank you and I love you,” he said.

http://www.statenews.com/index.php/article/2012/07/marco_drayton_apologizes_to_friends_family_after_returning_safely_0729