In the late winter of 2002, a promising university student's vacation to the tropical paradise of Maui took a bewildering turn, leaving his family and friends in a state of perpetual uncertainty. Torey Newlin, a 23-year-old senior at Colorado State University, traveled to Lahaina, Hawaii, with a group of friends for what was meant to be a seven-day escape. A highlight of their trip was to be a concert by the band String Cheese Incident, a group Torey was particularly fond of, having attended over 100 of their shows. On the evening of the concert, the friends gathered at the Lahaina Civic Center. However, the night veered tragically off course after Torey reportedly became disoriented. He was last seen by his friends at the concert, seemingly paranoid and confused as he left the venue on foot.
Witnesses reported seeing a distressed Torey shortly after he left the concert.
A security guard at the civic center recalled Torey approaching him and repeatedly stating, 'I don't know where I am,' before running out of the building. He left behind all his personal belongings, including his wallet, backpack, and cell phone. A law enforcement officer later observed him yelling as he walked along Honoapiilani Highway near the beach. The last known sighting of Torey was of him sitting on a bench in front of Wahikuli State Wayside Park, close to the concert venue. At the time of his disappearance, he was wearing only white shorts and a puka shell necklace, with no shoes, identification, or money. His friends searched for him for two days before officially reporting him as a missing person.
In the immediate aftermath of Torey's disappearance, an extensive search was launched by the Maui Police Department, which included the use of search dogs, while the Maui Fire Department assisted with an aerial search. Torey's family, devastated by the news, flew to Maui and even rented their own helicopter to conduct a private search of West Maui, but their efforts yielded no clues. His father offered a $5,000 reward for any information that would lead to finding his son. The family also put up a large vinyl banner with Torey's picture along Honoapiilani Highway, hoping to jog someone's memory. Despite these efforts and a few unconfirmed sightings, no credible leads have ever emerged. The case of Torey Newlin remains an unsolved and heart-wrenching mystery, a story of a young man with a bright future who vanished without a trace, leaving behind a grieving family, a pregnant girlfriend at the time, and a son he would never meet.Last Seen: Feb 16, 2002
