TN TN - Matthew Pendergrast, 23, Memphis, 1 Dec 2000

[ChatteringBirds]

I read back through the above article, and now I don't think the quote asking if it was Matthew at the polygraph was literally asking that. I think they just meant was the letter they received about a missing person case and those mentioned in it involved in his case?

I'd like to know why LE suspects a car jacking? And the criminal then cleaned the car so well there was no DNA, took the time to take Matthew's clothes to stage a scene, leaving money behind? IMO that's unlikely.

It says his car was found at a levee. Was there a river or water in walking distance? It sounds like he went swimming, don't you think? And folded up his clothes before swimming, despite not being Mr. Neatness (per the article) is not implausible for me.

Without further information, I wonder if he developed a mental illness (can happen in your 20s) and in his mind had a reason to travel there. And then experienced misadventure.

My opinions only, and only until having more information.

@buffetoflies If you're still here, maybe you could expand on what you found researching back in 2017.

 

[dotr]

Just came across this case on the "Mostly Harmless" thread and although i have not read anything about Matt wearing glasses and it may not be likely, subscribing with suggestion..
CANADA - Canada - Laurentian Hills, WhtMale 334UMON, 28-40, eyeglasses, Sep'01

 

[thebigcookie]

Surprised I had never heard of this one either. I live in the Memphis suburb of Germantown and have lived here since 1995 so this would have been just two weeks before my tenth birthday and I don’t remember hearing about it then. Seems like a strange disappearance. I wonder why there’s not much on this one?

 

[dotr]

Matthew David Pendergrast – The Charley Project
Matthew David Pendergrast

• 
• 
• 

''Pendergrast, circa 2000

• Missing Since 12/01/2000
• Missing From Memphis, Tennessee
• Classification Endangered Missing
• Sex Male
• Race White
• Date of Birth 01/04/1977 (43)
• Age 23 years old
• Height and Weight 5'6, 110 pounds
• Clothing/Jewelry Description A black leather cord necklace with a blue crystal pendant.
• Distinguishing Characteristics Caucasian male. Brown hair, blue eyes. Pendergrast is right-handed. He has facial dimples. His nicknames are Matt and Mateo.''
• ''Pendergrast was a student at Rhodes College in Memphis, Tennessee in 2000; he was within two weeks of graduation. His family resided in Atlanta, Georgia, where his father worked as a plastic surgeon.
  
  Pendergrast was last seen leaving his residence in Memphis between 7:30 and 8:00 a.m. on December 1, 2000. He was driving his navy 1998 Toyota 4Runner SUV with the Georgia license plate number 934-PT at the time.
  
  Pendergrast was scheduled to attend a Spanish class four blocks from his home that morning. He never arrived and has not been seen again. He apparently called a friend in Atlanta that morning; it was the last time anyone has heard from him.''
  

 

[dotr]

.

 

[Rockfarmer]

bump

 

[ShakeyGraves]

I think this may be a possible lead :

Facebook Groups

His name is Matthew David and he goes by Mateo which the missing did as well. Can’t remember anything and he’s around the right age

 

[ChatteringBirds]

I think this may be a possible lead :

Facebook Groups

His name is Matthew David and he goes by Mateo which the missing did as well. Can’t remember anything and he’s around the right age

Interesting. A long shot, but this man in Mexico appears to be missing from somewhere. What is being said on that Facebook group - did anyone send in the possibility to law enforcement?

 

[Curious_in_NC]

I think this may be a possible lead :

Facebook Groups

His name is Matthew David and he goes by Mateo which the missing did as well. Can’t remember anything and he’s around the right age

Interesting possibility, especially with the name and nickname, and the blue eyes. And welcome to Websleuths.

Not sure what to think about the USMC tattoo. I suppose Pendergrast could have enlisted after disappearing but it seems like someone in his family would have been contacted re: benefits etc. Wouldn't you have had to list a next of kin when enlisting? His family were also in Georgia not California. Then again, having a tattoo doesn't necessarily mean one was ever in the USMC.

Pendergrast went missing on his way to a Spanish class, not sure at what level. Taking a basic course wouldn't have made him fluent in Spanish but he would at least have some rudimentary reading and communication skills.

But the name Matthew David and nickname Mateo is a such a remarkable coincidence I can't rule this one out. Pendergrast may have been in some kind of weird fugue state when he disappeared. Joining the marines and wandering the world on a bike over the last twenty years would make it one extraordinary journey since then.

 

[justinkjones1993]

I think this may be a possible lead :

Facebook Groups

His name is Matthew David and he goes by Mateo which the missing did as well. Can’t remember anything and he’s around the right age

I usually don't put a lot of stock in these random homeless person sightings, but WOW he looks a lot like Matt. Look at the nose and head shape. Super similar and the fact that he goes by Mateo. Interesting.

 

[Curious_in_NC]

I think this may be a possible lead :

Facebook Groups

His name is Matthew David and he goes by Mateo which the missing did as well. Can’t remember anything and he’s around the right age

You should submit that info to the Lonoke County Sherriff's Office. Their contact info is given earlier in this thread.

 

[dotr]

I think this may be a possible lead :

Facebook Groups

His name is Matthew David and he goes by Mateo which the missing did as well. Can’t remember anything and he’s around the right age

Welcome to Ws ShakeyGraves, thanks for chiming in with that very interesting suggestion!
Hope you contact LE.
Matthew David Pendergrast – The Charley Project
Investigating Agency

• Arkansas State Police
• 800-553-3820
• Lonoke County Sheriff's Department
• 501-676-6494
• 501-843-2611

 

[Curious_in_NC]

Did anything ever come from this? Was he submitted?

 

[Curious_in_NC]

Did anything ever come from this? Was he submitted?

 

[pinkhistorybuff]

I live in Memphis and I am 2 years younger than Matthew. I remember when he went missing and his case always stuck with me.
Every 2 or 3 years I google his name to see if there are any updates. I actually started googling him about an hour ago. I came to Websleuths because of another case I was looking at and I was so surprised to see his name pop up with a recent post.

Does anyone know how tall this Mateo person is? Matthew was a fairly small person, 5'6 and 110 pounds.

 

[pinkhistorybuff]

One thing that throws me about this, Matthew's major was Spanish and he was just a week or so from graduating.

 

[Saranmuff]

I think this may be a possible lead :

Facebook Groups

His name is Matthew David and he goes by Mateo which the missing did as well. Can’t remember anything and he’s around the right age

ShakeyGraves can you tell me if this was ever shared with the Lonoke County SD??

 

[Shade13]

Bump

 

[Pennysmom1]

Still missing

The Sudden Disappearance of Matthew Pendergrast

A college student didn’t show up for class, and then his car and clothes were found in a different state. 20 years later, he’s never been found, and the case remains unsolved.

coldcaseexplorations.com

 

[SHSASUsleuth23]

Random theory, but could Matthew's reference to "silver elves" have to do with the "machine elves" described by recreational users of DMT?

From what I've read online, the term "machine elves" was coined by Terence McKenna in 1993 to describe what he saw while under the influence of DMT. He described them as "self-transforming," meaning the elves' shapes would emerge from and collapse back into fractal symmetry. Is that what Matthew meant when wrote about elves "walking into water and becoming one with nature again"?

If this is true, could Matthew have been a user? With all due respect to his family, many young people experiment with drugs and successfully hide it from parents or other loved ones. He didn't need to be a regular or dependent user, just maybe recreationally. And if so, maybe he got into trouble that morning because he owed someone money?

That is a plausible theory. **BUMPING for Matthew and family in April 2024.