Investigators Search River For Missing Student

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. -- For the second straight day, investigators Thursday searched parts of the Wabash River for a Purdue University freshman who has been missing for nearly two weeks.

No clues developed in the river search for Wade Steffey were reported by late Thursday afternoon.

Law enforcement agencies searched the river in West Lafayette and areas to the south.

"There is nothing in our investigation that leads us to the river, but it is so close in proximity to the campus that we feel it is really important to look there," Purdue spokeswoman Jeanne Norberg told 6News' Jack Rinehart.

Steffey, 19, of Bloomington, was last seen early Jan. 13 leaving a party at the Phi Kappa Theta fraternity house on the north side of campus. His cell phone emitted a signal for five days after his disappearance, but authorities know only generally where the signal could have come from -- an area north and east of Purdue's Rose-Ade stadium.

Authorities and volunteers have looked for the cell phone as well as Steffey, but neither have been found.

Police plan to use a helicopter to examine large retention ponds, culverts and drainage ditches -- both on and off campus -- Rinehart reported.

More than 700 volunteers have taken part in two major searches of the campus. Since Steffey's disappearance, police have received more than 150 tips from the public.

This week, Patti Bishop, who belongs to a volunteer group of families with missing relatives, opened a volunteer center just off campus near the stadium.

"About the time they lose that little piece of help, something else comes along and ... we get more hope, and that's what we need. We're not going to give up hope," Bishop said.