Reny Jose was a brilliant mechanical engineering student at the very selective Rice University in March 2014.
Not only was Reny a senior with a 4.0-grade point average, but he also had plans for his future job and had already purchased some business suits, worked on his resume, and even printed business cards.
Reny Jose was a go-getter with a bright future.
He was a studious student, and not a ‘partyer’ by many college students’ standards. However, in March 2014, he wanted to go away for spring break with some friends for one last hurrah.
His mom was happy to hear he would go have some fun for a week, and told him so, while also telling him to be careful.
Reny and 22 other students left Rice University in Houston, Texas on March 1, 2014, and headed to Panama City Beach.
Two days later, something was very wrong.
On the morning of March 3, some kids from the group noticed that Reny hadn’t been seen in a while. Someone recalled last seeing him at 7:00 p.m. the previous evening.
It wasn’t until later in the day when Reny’s clothing was found in the trash can at the rental home the students were staying at, they decided to call authorities.
The search for Reny began immediately, and while a few other clues were uncovered, Reny was never found.
Where is Reny Jose?
Vacations should be a time of fun, relaxation, and maybe even adventure. Sadly, there are those out there who leave for a vacation, and never return.
Sadly, Reny Jose would become one of those missing vacationers.
Reny was born on May 21, 1992, and lived and grew up in Latham, New York. Latham is a small town, or a Hamlet, in the state of New York, just north of the capital city of Albany.
Reny attended Shaker High School and was an excellent student.
After graduation, Reny went on to attend the prestigious Rice University in Houston, Texas. He majored in mechanical engineering and maintained a 4.0 grade point average throughout his four years.
During his senior year at Rice, Reny decided to take a spring break vacation with friends to Panama City Beach, Florida.
He talked to his mom, telling her that 22 other students were also going, and she was excited for her hard-working son to go off and have some well-deserved fun.
The group of students left Rice University on March 1, 2014, and made the ten-hour drive to Panama City Beach where they rented a place on Front Beach Road.
Panama City Beach has long been a popular destination for college students on spring break. The city has admittedly tried throughout the years to keep things safe, but it has been known to get a little wild this time of year.
For the first couple of days, things seemed to be going well. However, March 3rd would change all of that.
On the morning of March 3rd, Reny’s roommates walked up and noticed Reny wasn’t there. They didn’t think much about it, however. It was spring break after all, and Reny was 21 years old. And, there was a large group staying in this home.
It wasn’t until someone at the house said they found some of Reny’s belongings in the trash can in the backyard of the house.
It was then they decided to call the authorities.
Local police received the call around 11:00 a.m. on March 3rd. They came out immediately to take the report, and by 4:00 p.m., they notified Reny’s parents, who made plans to travel from New York down to Panama City Beach as quickly as possible.
Authorities interviewed a few of the students that were there but didn’t feel they were being very cooperative or helpful. They learned that Reny was last seen at 7:00 p.m. the night before.
One of the fellow students told the police that Reny had done LSD and was talking about harming himself.
This seemed wholly out of character for Reny.
Reny was never known to do drugs at all, even casually or experimentally. But, it was spring break after all, and perhaps he decided to do some LSD after being offered some.
Officers searched the home the students were staying at, and found no drugs, or anything suspicious at all.
They had spoken to a few of the students, who told them that the last time they saw Reny he was taking a walk. Each one told them he went in a different direction, which made officers wonder if they were telling the truth, or if they just didn’t know.
Soon, authorities were alerted that some of Reny’s belongings were found on the walkway near the local beach.
It was the clothes Reny had been wearing the evening before, and they were draped over a railing.
Interestingly, beach clean-up crews scour the area every morning at 6:00 a.m., and they said those items were not there at that time.
Had they simply missed seeing them? Or, had they been put there after the fact?
And if so- was it by Reny? Or someone else?
By the time Reny’s parents arrived, they were told that 16 out of 22 of the students staying in the home had decided to cut their vacation short and head back to Houston. They wouldn’t talk to Reny’s mom or dad, or authorities, and two of them even obtained a lawyer.
Reny with his SisterPhoto byFamily Photo
To this day, eleven years later, those students have never spoken to police, detectives, or Reny’s family.
It seemed Panama City Beach authorities did hit the ground running when it came to searching for Reny.
They had to wonder if he had possibly taken something, like LSD, and went into the water and drowned. The Coast Guard conducted water searches and even flew helicopters above to search.
Nothing was found.
Authorities wondered if drugs played a role in his disappearance, or even if he had wanted to harm himself, as his fellow classmates had said.
His family didn’t believe he would harm himself on purpose. This was a young man who had a bright future and he was excited for it. He would be graduating soon and had been making plans. He bought suits, had been working on his resumes, and even printed up business cards.
Graduation was looming and Reny couldn’t have been more excited.
Why would he suddenly want to harm himself?
Nothing was adding up. Most of the time, if someone drowns in that area, the body is quickly found due to the way the currents and tides flow. But, perhaps Reny’s case was different.
Or, is it possible the students at the home know more than they are saying?
This is the theory that Reny’s family believes. They think it is suspicious how 16 of the students fled the home and went back to Houston before investigators could even question them.
And then, they wouldn’t speak to anyone.
Reny’s family has tried for years to speak to them, and they have hired a private investigator to help as well, but all 16 have refused to speak.
Front Beach Road, the location of the home where the students stayed, is the main beachfront road running through Panama City Beach.
During spring break time, Panama City Beach is flooded with students and vacationers from all over. It is said that throughout March, over 500,000 students will visit Panama City Beach for vacation.
Which makes is even more bizarre, that no one saw Reny after 7:00 p.m. If he had been walking as they said, someone should have seen him. Or, had he blended in with the crowns and gone unnoticed?
Did no one see him at the beach? Did no one see the clothes being put on the railing?
In a town full of hundreds of thousands of people, Reny Jose vanished.
What do you think happened to Reny Jose?
Reny is described as an Asian male with brown hair and brown eyes. Reny is of Indian descent.
He stood 5’10” and weighed around 220 pounds when he was last seen in March of 2014. Reny was 21 years old then and would today be 32.
Anyone with any information on the case of Reny Jose, is asked to contact the Bay County Sheriff’s Department at 850–747–4700.
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