Texas Student Vanishes, Leaving Few Clues

Matthew J. Wilson's mother, Cathy Wilson, has said it's not unusual for her son to ignore phone calls or e-mails while studying for final exams at Rice University, but he never would have missed the deadline for tests and projects at school.

The straight-A computer science student has been missing for nearly two weeks, but police said Wednesday they are working with few clues.

"I've never had to worry about Matthew until now," Cathy Wilson said. "He's a 20-year-old who acts like a mature 50-year-old man. He's not only intelligent, he uses good sense - a child most mothers would like to have."

Matthew Wilson of Haworth, Okla., was last seen by his roommate at their off-campus apartment on the evening of Dec. 14, five days before the deadline to turn in take-home exams.

Earlier that day, Wilson had withdrawn $400 from his bank account, which his family and authorities said was an unusual transaction. Wilson's car is also missing.

Rice Police Chief Bill Taylor said investigators have checked the account for further activity or clues but turned up nothing.

"I think Matthew's the only person that knows what he withdrew that money for," Taylor told CBS' The Early Show. "And at this point, we don't have any way of determining that. We have no indication that he spent it on anything before he left."

Taylor said there's nothing to suggest the $400 withdrawal was coerced because Wilson was back at his apartment that evening, along with his roommate.

"There's no indication of any foul play," Taylor said. "We're at a wait and hold."

He said authorities and Wilson's family in Oklahoma hoped the junior had gone off in search of solitude to prepare for finals. But the Dec. 19 deadline passed with no sign of him.

Wilson's roommate notified police Dec. 18 that Wilson had not been back to the apartment since the previous Saturday.

"We were hoping something might happen on Christmas Day, but still no sign of him, no clues, no nothing," Rice spokesman B.J. Almond said Wednesday.

The roommate tried to call Wilson's cell phone but discovered the phone was inside their apartment.

His mother last saw Wilson at Thanksgiving.

"I adored him," Cathy Wilson said Wednesday. "He's my life. I can't live without him."

The family was supposed to spend Christmas at a daughter's home in Tulsa, Okla.

"I have confidence in Matt," she told The Early Show. "He's smart, so I'm praying and hoping that he isn't in some trouble and that he's trying to get home."