A Texas college football reporter who vanished after reportedly texting her roommate about being followed by a suspicious man was found Monday under an overpass and appeared to be unharmed, Houston police said.
Courtney Roland, 29, was located near the Houston Galleria mall, according to a police tweet.
“We don’t have too many details right now; we’re just happy she’s OK,” her father Steve Roland told the Houston Chronicle.
Police said “after seeing Ms. Roland’s case in the news this morning, a passerby called us about 8:15am, stating Ms. Roland was under an overpass at the 610 West Loop at Richmond.
“Our officers arrived, confirmed it was her and arranged she be checked at an area hospital,” police added.
Our friend and colleague @Rivals, Courtney Roland, is currently missing in the Houston area. If you have any information or have seen her at all, please contact the HPD missing person line at 832-394-1840. pic.twitter.com/66kKDPenRT
— Matt Clare (@MattClareRivals) January 8, 2018
Roland, who covers Texas A&M University football for the college sports website Rivals, was last seen Sunday around 5:40 pm walking alone in a store at the Houston Galleria, investigators had said.
A white Jeep belonging to Roland was discovered by police Monday in a parking lot across the street from the mall, with her phone and other items still inside.
Any Texas Dawgs out there, especially in the Houston area…anyone out there…please keep an eye out for @CourtneyRivals. Left in an UBER and hasn’t been heard from. If seen please call HPD at 832-394-1840…@RealJoshReddick could you please retweet bud..thanks pic.twitter.com/zlOHsfVeQ6
— Anthony Dasher (@AnthonyDasher1) January 8, 2018
Her purse, which contained an iPad, computer and credit cards inside, also was found inside the mall, according to family members who spoke to KHOU.
Roland’s roommate told Click 2 Houston she received a text from Roland on Sunday saying she was being followed by a blue truck driven by a suspicious man she saw in a Walgreens store.
The roommate said the man followed Roland to her home in the truck, circled back around, parked behind her in her driveway and sped away when Roland exited her vehicle, although it was not immediately clear how the roommate knew that information or how Roland arrived at the home.
If anyone has seen @CourtneyRivals today or last night, please call HPD missing person at 832-394-1840 pic.twitter.com/pAuURGxbuQ
— Brian Perroni (@Perroni247) January 8, 2018
The roommate told the station that they were supposed to meet up on Sunday, but she never heard back.
Later Sunday, Roland’s mother received a text from her phone saying, “hello the owner of this phone Courtney. I am buying an iPad,” according to Click 2 Houston.
Roland’s roommate also told Click 2 Houston that Roland had been on high alert for weeks after someone broke into her car.
Several of Roland’s colleagues had taken to Twitter to ask for help finding her. She had been covering a Houston football camp Saturday and had left in an Uber, Click 2 Houston reported.
