Missing 20-year-old George Musser found dead after Christmas Day search

Stillwater, Minn. — A Christmas Day search ended in tragedy: Stillwater Police said missing 20-year-old George Musser was found dead around 7 p.m. in Baytown Township, CBS Minnesota reported.

"George's family has been notified. There is no other information at this time as this case is still under investigation," police said Sunday. 

Hundreds of people had gathered on Christmas morning to take part in a search for Musser, who was last seen at a bar in the Minneapolis-St. Paul area early Saturday morning, CBS Minnesota's Ren Clayton reports. He was at Brian's Bar in downtown Stillwater, the station says.

Ally McKay was one of the last people to see him.

"At approximately 1:30 a.m., he came up to the booth I was sitting in with my friends and he was talking to us," said McKay. "And he told us he had to go to the bathroom and then he never returned."

Musser's keys and wallet were found near the bar. His car was still in the parking lot. He was wearing a black beanie, a grey button-up flannel and dark jeans. He didn't have a jacket on despite frigid temperatures.

"We looked for him at the bar's closing, but Brian's was persistent that everyone get out, so we left and we had to assume that he had found his way home," said McKay.

"We're preparing for the worst but hoping for the best — and that's why we're getting everyone in the community to start looking," said Emily Dalbec, Musser's cousin.

Family and friends searched on Saturday and that continued, in greater numbers, on Christmas Day.

Stillwater Chief of Police Brian Mueller said they did not have much luck checking security cameras and cellphone tracking data, calling it "a very difficult situation."