AZ Mathew Spencer, 28, Missing in Northern AZ 8/9/25 when moving to TX. Car possibly broke down

[FoxxTraxx]

28-Year-Old Man Was Driving Cross-Country to Begin New Chapter. Then His Car Broke Down and He Disappeared​

• The Flagstaff Police Department shared a missing person’s bulletin for Mathew Spencer, 28, who was on driving to Houston from Las Vegas on Aug. 5
• He last contacted his family on Aug. 6
• Based on Mathew’s internet activity, authorities suspect the 28-year-old broke down somewhere between Bellemont and Williams in Arizona off Interstate 40

People - Mathew Spencer Missing in Nothern Arizona

This man is still missing. Flagstaff AZ police re-issued a missing person report on 9/9/2025.

 

[The4TierBridge]

I think you accidentally tagged this under Arkansas.

 

[Eli9]

If he was traveling from Las Vegas to Houston why was he driving through Arizona? Was he just wanting a long road trip? That wouldn't be my choice if I was moving and my belongings were in my car. When I moved from CA to where I live now I was worried about my car being broken into on the nights I needed lodging.

Paraphrasing from article linked.

Flagstaff police seek information on missing traveler Matthew Spencer

Matthew Spencer is 5-foot-9 and approximately 200 pounds, with brown hair and hazel eyes.

azdailysun.com

It sounds like he departed on Aug. 5 2025. Same day he was recorded in Flagstaff by automated license plate reader.
Same day at 10:54 pm he messaged family and said he was crossing through Cloudcroft New Mexico.

"However, location data from internet searches conducted through Spencer’s Google account showed an approximate position between Williams and Bellemont, west of Flagstaff, on both Aug. 6 and Aug. 7."

"Spencer has tattoos of the characters Darth Vader and Deadpool on his left arm, a tattoo of the word “Mom” on his right arm, and a tattoo of a shark on his right leg."

 

[GraceG]

If he was traveling from Las Vegas to Houston why was he driving through Arizona? Was he just wanting a long road trip? That wouldn't be my choice if I was moving and my belongings were in my car. When I moved from CA to where I live now I was worried about my car being broken into on the nights I needed lodging.

Paraphrasing from article linked.

Flagstaff police seek information on missing traveler Matthew Spencer

Matthew Spencer is 5-foot-9 and approximately 200 pounds, with brown hair and hazel eyes.

azdailysun.com

It sounds like he departed on Aug. 5 2025. Same day he was recorded in Flagstaff by automated license plate reader.
Same day at 10:54 pm he messaged family and said he was crossing through Cloudcroft New Mexico.

"However, location data from internet searches conducted through Spencer’s Google account showed an approximate position between Williams and Bellemont, west of Flagstaff, on both Aug. 6 and Aug. 7."

"Spencer has tattoos of the characters Darth Vader and Deadpool on his left arm, a tattoo of the word “Mom” on his right arm, and a tattoo of a shark on his right leg."

I thought that initially until I looked at the map. Las Vegas is in the lower SE part of Nevada and unless you want to go out of your way and head north into Utah before going east you have to drive through Arizona and New Mexico from LAS to get to Texas. Experience

If his location was tagged by google west of Flagstaff the quickest route that way is via US-93 S and I-40 E. But that's only a 4 hour drive. from Vegas. Sounds like he left LAS on the 5th and his location was in that area on the 6th. Sounds like he broke down just west of Flagstaff. I'm assuming he'd planned on heading south on 17 once he got to Flagstaff, then east towards Texas.

My questions: His plates were from Washington, there's reports he started in CA and then stopped in Vegas to visit a sibling. His facebook page said he was was living in Oakland, originally from Virginia. Did he have employment lined up in Texas and was going to HOU for a job? (i.e. was he free to take an extended road trip or was he expected somewhere to work).

The only indication we have of a vehicular breakdown is an inernet search of a vehicular problem. No car has been found. If he's broken down on I-40 E I would have thought Highway Patrol would have stopped and tagged the vehicle (unless he pulled off on a side road to troubleshoot a problem).

Although his Facebook shows a sociable, happy young man, some of his posts are concerning. He talks in May of being homeless. There are multiple posts about running out of gas and not having money to purchase more. (May 18, May 31, July 22). His move to Oakland in June seems to have been met with surprise in the comments. Now he's moving again. I worry if he had car issues, and was in a strange place, low on money he might have had a physical or psychological reaction to all the stress. I'm so glad they are out actively searching for him and family is spreading the word.

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