UPDATE [1/8, 10 a.m. ET]: Houston police announced Monday morning that Courtney Roland has been found and taken to a local hospital for evaluation.
Thank Jesus! Courtney Roland has been found by the Houston Police. Thank you to everybody for your prayers and please respect the family at this time #HelpFindCourtney
— Brian Perroni (@Perroni247) January 8, 2018
Police did not reveal where Roland was found and the hospital she was taken to, presumably for safety and investigative purposes. Officers reported she appeared unharmed.
Soon after reports of Roland’s disappearance and a missing person’s report was filed, the Houston Police Department asked for information. Approximately four hours later, police provided updates in the investigation.
We are investigating this missing person's case. We encourage anyone with information on Ms. Courtney Roland's whereabouts to call our Missing Person's Unit at 832-394-1840 #hounews CC7 https://t.co/bN6Y6kYMKS
— Houston Police (@houstonpolice) January 8, 2018
We do have Ms. Roland's vehicle, a white Jeep, found by officers overnight in a parking lot at 5006 Westheimer. Her phone and other items were inside the vehicle. Her purse was found at a nearby business. #HouNews https://t.co/IrMzu9Xr2v
— Houston Police (@houstonpolice) January 8, 2018
Information obtained in our investigation thus far indicates Ms. Roland was last seen about 5:40 p.m. on Sunday (Jan 7) walking alone in a store in the mall. Anyone who has seen her since that time is encouraged to call our Missing Persons Unit 713-394-1840. #HouNews https://t.co/kyp3yBsS7b
— Houston Police (@houstonpolice) January 8, 2018
One hour after posting those updates, Houston police announced that Roland had been found.
UPDATE: Our officers have found Ms. Roland in the Galleria area. She appears unharmed. She'll be taken to an area hospital for an evaluation. We are not providing the location where she was found or hospital at this time. More info to follow. #HouNews https://t.co/btdaJLbifW
— Houston Police (@houstonpolice) January 8, 2018
As the police department’s tweet states, more information has yet to be revealed. Presumably, that could include whether or not any arrests were made in this case.
[Original story follows]
A reporter for Rivals’ Texas A&M site Aggie Yell was last heard from via text at 12:30 a.m. Sunday, which has prompted the filing of a missing persons report with the Houston Police Department.
The reporter in question is Courtney Roland, who was covering the Texas Team Elite 7-on-7 team tryouts Saturday. She left that camp at 4 p.m., was reportedly seen later that night, and then sent a text at 12:30 a.m. that she was in her car and being followed by a suspicious man.
As of Sunday evening, no one had heard anything further from her, and Houston ABC affiliate KTRK reported that her family had filed a missing persons report with the Houston police. Houston NBC affiliate KPRC has a story with some comments from Roland’s roommate:
Roland’s roommate, Autumn Vara, told KPRC that Roland texted her about a suspicious man she saw in Walgreens who was following her.
Vara said he followed Roland to her home in a blue truck as she was parked in the driveway. Vara said the blue truck looped back around and parked behind her and Roland got out of her car and the truck sped off.
Vara said Roland and her was suppose to meet up, but Vara didn’t hear from her again.
On Sunday, Roland’s mother received a text from her phone saying, “hello the owner of this phone Courtney. I am buying an iPad.”
Vara also said Roland’s vehicle was broken into six weeks ago and she’s been on high-alert since.
Here are some tweets with further details:
https://twitter.com/ArRecruitingGuy/status/950207290585513985
A little more on Courtney Roland @CourtneyRivals. She drives a 2015 white Jeep Cherokee. License plate HZC 7778 pic.twitter.com/lMVlCxKLDM
— Brian Perroni (@Perroni247) January 8, 2018
That quickly spread through the sports world, with everyone from other college football reporters to NFL columnists to other journalists to UFC president Dana White tweeting appeals to look for Roland:
Houston need your help! Courtney Roland was last seen the evening of 1/6 in the Heights. She texted her roommate she was being followed by suspicious man in a blue truck. She was driving a '15 Silver Jeep Cherokee Plate HZC7778. PLEASE call HPD missing person 832-394-1840 w/ info pic.twitter.com/OvdGIEz4tq
— danawhite (@danawhite) January 8, 2018
TWITTER WE NEED YOU NOW MORE THAN EVER … Houston/Texas … pic.twitter.com/WBuMxKh1DM
— Eric Winter (@elwinter) January 8, 2018
https://twitter.com/LyndsayALee/status/950206245700558848
Courtney Roland’s @CourtneyRivals family and friends are looking for her. She was last seen Saturday covering a football camp in Houston. Last texts anyone received were 12:30 AM. If you have info please call HPD’s missing persons bureau 713 884 3131
— John McClain (@McClain_on_NFL) January 8, 2018
Y'all, Houston-based sports reporter @CourtneyRivals is missing. Help spread the word. #missing #courtneyroland https://t.co/grhjd6sFcW
— Carolyn Callahan (@CarolynCal_) January 8, 2018
