On Facebook, thousands join hunt for missing man

When Daniel Scagnelli’s best friend went missing this month, he turned to an unusual source for help -- Facebook, the ubiquitous social-networking website popular with college students and young adults.

Scagnelli asked more than 400 friends linked to his Facebook page to spread the word about Kyle Fleischmann, who disappeared Nov. 9 after leaving a saloon in Charlotte, N.C. So far, about 56,000 people have joined Scagnelli’s Facebook group and more than 1,700 messages have been posted.

The exponential reach of Facebook has fanned national interest in an otherwise routine missing-person case. Hundreds of volunteers have combed downtown Charlotte for signs of Fleischmann, 24. A retired police officer from Burlington, N.C., conducted searches using tracking dogs. Local firefighters have volunteered for several searches, Scagnelli said, and the offices of the governor of North Carolina and the mayor of Charlotte have contacted friends and family.

The “Today” show and “America’s Most Wanted” have publicized the case, along with newspapers, websites and radio and TV stations in North Carolina and beyond. Donors have contributed more than $30,000, which has been used to post a $10,000 reward and hire private investigators, Scagnelli said.

“This is a unique way to use Facebook . . .,” said Dick Fleischmann, Kyle’s father, who has helped organize searches in Charlotte. “It’s been incredibly valuable to us.”

Facebook has been used before to help find missing people, but in most of those groups, only a few hundred or a few thousand people joined. Scagnelli, 23, said he thought of Facebook immediately after Kyle Fleischmann failed to show up for work at his job as a healthcare recruiter.

“I asked my friends to contact their friends, and to tell their friends to contact their friends, and it took off from there,” said Scagnelli, who lives in Charlotte. Scagnelli and friends also set up a website, helpfindkyle.com.

Julie Hill, a spokeswoman for the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department, said the Facebook entries “contributed to more people knowing about the case. And the more information, the better.” Police said they had conducted numerous interviews and reviewed a security video from the saloon. But there were no solid leads, Hill said.

She said attention focused on the case had renewed interest in other missing-person cases in Charlotte. Of the 3,500 missing-person reports filed in the city each year, 70% involve 13- to 17-year-old juveniles. Less than 10% involve foul play, police said.

Kyle Fleischmann, who graduated last year with Scagnelli from Elon University near Burlington, was last seen Nov. 9 leaving the Buckhead Saloon at 2:20 a.m. He had attended a comedy concert with Scagnelli and other friends before they headed to the saloon, Scagnelli said.

Scagnelli said he left the bar later that night, while Fleischmann remained with three young women. A security camera recorded Fleischmann leaving alone as the bar was closing, said Scagnelli and Kyle’s father.

Dick Fleischmann said his son left behind his jacket and debit card. He said bar employees told him that people often forget their debit cards when they have to leave them on the bar while running a tab.

Fleischmann speculated that Kyle was unable to hail a cab and accepted a ride “from maybe the wrong people.” He said his son probably had never been in a fight in his life, but “if somebody tried to rob him, he’d defend himself. He’s a pretty strong kid.” Kyle is 6 feet, 180 pounds with an athletic build and dark hair.

Scagnelli said Kyle made three cellphone calls about 3:30 a.m. -- to his roommate and sister, and to Scagnelli. He left no messages, Scagnelli said, and calls to Kyle’s cellphone go straight to his voice mail.

Family and friends will continue to search and raise money, Scagnelli said. The helpfindkyle website contains a message thanking the thousands of people who have responded and closes with: “We’re going to bring Kyle home!”

--

david.zucchino@latimes.com