More than 18 months later, a former Iowa State student is still missing.

Samir Mahesh Patel, a former student, was reported missing in August of 1995.

Patel, who is from Detroit, reportedly checked out of his room in Friley Hall on Aug. 12 of 1995. It is not known why he checked out or where he was going.

The summer before his disappearance, Patel, then 22, was working as a painter on a university crew.

He was last classified in the spring semester of 1995 as a junior in computer science.

“There is no suspicion of foul play or criminal activity. We just want to help the family locate him,” Department of Public Safety Director Loras Jaeger said.

DPS officials were notified of the disappearance on Sept. 5, 1995. DPS officials opened a case four days later.

After a local search and investigation found nothing, Patel’s name was sent to the Missing Persons Clearinghouse and entered into the FBI’s National Missing Persons Index.

Patel’s disappearance is baffling to officials because he did check out of his dorm room, but he did not tell anyone he was leaving — not even his family.

“It appears that he left completely voluntarily,” Jaeger said.

Jaeger said officials have done everything they can to find Patel. They’ve kept a watch on his social security number as well as his banking accounts.

“He had a banking account here, and we watch that for any activity. We are also watching his social security number to see if maybe it has been activated somewhere, like if he has a job somewhere else in the country,” Jaeger said. “So far, there has been nothing.”

At the time of his disappearance, Patel was said to have some sort of emotional problems although authorities could not be specific.

Patel is 5 feet 6 inches tall, about 250 pounds, with brown eyes and black hair.

His appearance can be described as that of an African-American, but he is of Middle Eastern decent.

Anyone with information about Patel is encouraged contact DPS at 294-4428.

“We want people to contact DPS so we can contact Patel and leave it up to him to contact his family. We’re just going to be the facilitator,” Jaeger said.