Virginia Tech student goes missing driving home to take exam

Written by ABC Audio. All rights reserved. on February 20, 2024

(MERRIMAC, Va.) — A 20-year-old Virginia Tech student has been reported missing after he vanished days ago, according to the university.

Johnny Roop, a senior at the school’s business college, was last seen on Friday at his apartment complex in Merrimac in Montgomery County, just south of the Virginia Tech campus, the university said.

At 4:26 p.m. Friday, the university said Roop’s phone pinged near the New River Valley Mall, which is a few miles south of the apartment complex.

Roop was traveling to drive to his parent’s house, which is 100 miles away in Abingdon, Virginia, to take an online exam by 5 p.m., but he never arrived, according to the university.

Authorities believe Roop left Montgomery County on his own Friday afternoon, and most likely traveled southwest toward Abingdon, the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office said. He was seen on surveillance video in Montgomery County at about 3:30 p.m., according to the sheriff’s office.

“Based on interviews with friends and family (in addition to video surveillance) it was noted that Mr. Roop’s behavior on Friday was not consistent with his normal patterns of behavior; however, information received seems to indicate that he was alone,” the sheriff’s office said in a statement Tuesday. “We have received no information leading us to believe that he is in immediate danger; however, due to the fact that Mr. Roop appears to be acting outside of his normal behavior we would like to make contact with him to confirm that he is indeed ok.”

Roop drives a black 2018 Toyota Camry with a sticker of the Virginia Tech flag on the back window, the university said. The car has Virginia license plate number TXW6643.