26-year-old Colin Arey was last seen in Brewer, Maine on January 25, 2017. He was not reported missing until a year later because his family thought he had moved back to New York where he went to college.
Background
Colin James Arey was born on June 22, 1990. He is originally from Bucksport, Maine.
In 2010, Colin Arey graduated from the Art Institute of New York City where he studied fashion design. He lived in Manhattan, New York, and was in a two and a half year relationship with his boyfriend whom he had met online.
In 2017, four years after breaking up with his boyfriend, Colin was living in Bucksport, Maine, with his stepfather and siblings. He had worked as a substitute teacher and education technician at a local elementary school.
Colin didn’t drive, and relied on relatives for transportation.
Disappearance
On January 25, 2017, Colin Arey’s last known contact was a text message with his ex-boyfriend who resided in New York. The two had maintained a friendship and often communicated online.
In January 2017, Colin was reportedly last seen by his stepfather when he was dropped off at the Brewer Auditorium on Wilson Street in Brewer, Maine. He was scheduled to start a new job at the Sears department store inside Bangor Mall.
Colin never returned home and hasn’t been heard from since. His family initially thought he had moved back to New York, but grew concerned when they were unable to contact him about his grandmother who was hospitalized with congestive heart failure.
On June 25, 2018, his aunt filed a missing person’s report with the Bucksport Police Department.
His grandmother died on October 10, 2018, but Colin never showed up to the funeral.
Investigation
Colin Arey was not known to struggle with drugs or alcohol, nor did he have any issues with depression, according to friends and family. His phone records and social media have had no activity since he disappeared.
Colin had expressed his desire to move back to New York before he disappeared, and was reportedly saving up money for it, though no specific plans had been made according to his friends.
A search for Colin is planned for April 6, 2024, at 1739 River Road in Bucksport. The search was organized by the Colin Arey Search Group who has been working with local law enforcement.
Whereabouts
Police found no evidence for foul play in Colin Arey’s disappearance. The circumstances of Colin Arey’s disappearance remain unclear and his case is currently classified as missing. His case remains unsolved.
Investigating Agency
If you have any information regarding the disappearance of Colin James Arey please contact the Bucksport Police Department at (207) 469-7951. Agency Case Number: 18BK-2271
