Police continue to search for missing 19-year-old Native American man
As of 4 p.m., police said they have still not located Juan Romero III, a missing 19-year-old Shepherd man with mental disorders.
The Isabella County Sheriff’s Department coordinated searches by the Michigan State Police Helicopter, Civil Air Patrol, Isabella County Community Emergency Response Team, Midland Search and Rescue Team and Mid-Michigan Working Dog K-9 Units.
Numerous leads were phoned in and followed-up on.
Police will be discontinuing searches at dark this evening.
Anyone with tips is asked to contact the Isabella County Central Dispatch at 911 or (989) 773-1000.
Do not attempt to initiate contact on with Romero because he may become violent, Isabella County Sheriff Leo Mioduszewski said.
Mioduszewski thanked the above mentioned units, as well as the Michigan State Police, DNR, Tribal Police, Shepherd Police, Isabella County Central Dispatch, Isabella County Emergency Management Office, Domino's Pizza, which provided pizzas for searchers, and Ric’s Food Center, which provided soft drinks for searchers.
As previously reported by Central Michigan Life, a missing persons report was issued for Romero shortly after 3:30 a.m.
Romero is missing from his group home at 9080 E. Pleasant Valley Road.
He was discovered missing yesterday around 11 p.m. following an assault on one of the workers in his group home.
Romero is 5 feet 11 inches tall, weighs 280 pounds and has long black hair that is usually worn in a ponytail.
Mioduszewski said Romero has a tattoo of “Big Brother” on the left side of his neck and another tattoo with “Juan” and the number “3? on his right forearm.
He was last seen wearing a royal blue shirt, dark gray zip-up hoodie, black sweatpants and white and black shoes. He might have an MP3 player with gold headphones with him.
Mioduszewski said Romero is a vulnerable adult who can be violent. He has not taken his medications since yesterday morning.
Romero in not familiar with the area, does not drive and is not capable of taking care of himself, Mioduszewski said.
