Police Seek Help in Finding Missing Newton Man [UPDATED]

Updated 2/26, 6:50 p.m. 

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"He is a very good boy, a good person," Garcia's mother, Luzmilla Garcia, told Patch. "His dream was to--is to finish Chemistry, to be a doctor in Chemistry."

Garcia's mother also spoke about her son's love of music and how he plays in the college's marching band. 

"I need all the help everybody can give me," Luzmilla Garcia said. 

Franco Garcia, 21, of West Newton, has been missing since roughly 12:15 a.m. Wednesday. The Boston College student was last seen at Mary Ann's bar in Cleveland Circle (Brighton).

Those who stood outside Mary Ann's today spoke warmly of Franco Garcia, who also served on the Executive Board for the school's symphonic band. 

Volunteers handed out flyers in both Spanish and English, and held posters with photos of Garcia. 

"The outpouring of support has been amazing," said Rachele Reis, a BC student and one of Garcia's friends. "Yesterday, when we put the flyers up around BC campus and surrounding area, we had about 50 student volunteers just show up, going 'give me tape, give me flyers, let me do what I can.'"

Meanwhile, a Facebook group created about Garcia's disappearance has reached more than 2,000 members. 

Anyone who may have taken photos at Mary Ann's Tuesday night -- regardless of whether they know if Garcia is in them -- is encouraged to send them to findfrancobc@gmail.com. 

Patch will have more details and video from Garcia's friends and family posted tomorrow morning. 

2/26, 1:30 p.m. According to Spokesman Jack Dunn, Boston College Police are assisting Newton Police in the search of Franco Garcia, a student of BC's Woods College of Advancing Studies.

Dunn said in an email Sunday afternoon that a number of BC students helped Garcia's friends and family canvass the area with flyers Saturday, hoping to spread more information about Garcia's disappearance.

Family and friends are also down in the Cleveland Cirlce area this afternoon handing out flyers sharing information about Garcia. 

Meanwhile, students at all campus Masses have been asked to pray for Garcia and his family, Dunn said. 

"He is popular with classmates and comes from a loving, close-knit family in Newton," Dunn said. 

2/26, 12:59 p.m. According to Newton Police Lt. Bruce Apotheker, Newton Police detectives requested a State Police helicopter do a surface scan of the Chestnut Hill Reservoir, which is near where Garcia was last seen.

However, Apotheker said the State Police helicopter search turned up with negative results.

According to scanner reports around 1 p.m., Newton Police were cleared from the Chestnut Hill Reservoir.

Apotheker added that the investigation in Garcia's disappearance is ongoing.

2/26, 12:44 p.m.

Although State Police said this morning they have not received a request to do a helicopter search of the Chestut Hill Reservoir, New England Cable News reporter Scot Yount is reporting via Twitter this afternoon that a helicopter is searching the reservoir and numerous police units from Newton and Boston College are gathered near the reservoir. 

Garcia was last seen at Mary Ann's Bar in Cleveland Circle, which is right next to the Chestnut Hill Reservoir.

Patch is on scene at the reservoir and will have updates as they become available. 

2/26, 10:20 a.m. Friends of Garcia are , hoping to spread the word about their missing friend. 

According to one of Garcia's classmates, the information table will have flyers to hand out to people passing by. Those flyers have already been posted in the area around the bar, all the way down to the Coolidge Corner area of Brookline. 

My Fox Boston reported Saturday that State Police planned to fly a helicopter over the Chestnut Hill Reservoir on Sunday to look for Garcia. Authorities say Garcia's phone signal was last found in that area.

However, a State Police Spokesman told Newton Patch Sunday that Newton Police have not requested any assistance from the State Police in searching for Garcia.

[Update: The family of Franco Garcia, the missing BC Student, made a moving plea for him to return home. See more on WCVB's video. 

His friends made a Facebook page to spread the word about his disappearance. The story has also been picked up by LostNMissing, a Londonderry, NH non-profit which assists law enforcement and families in finding missing people. Anyone with information should also contact the  at 617-796-2100 or the Detective Division at 617-796- 2104. 9:36 a.m.]

The Newton Police Department is seeking the public's help in finding a missing Newton man who was last seen on Wednesday at a Brighton bar. 

Franco Garcia, 21, of West Newton, is a evening student, police said. He was last seen on Feb. 22 around 12:15 a.m. at Mary Ann's Bar, 1937 Beacon St., Brighton (Cleveland Circle). 

Since that time, police say Garcia has not attended any classes at Boston College and has not shown up for work in Waltham. His vehicle is still parked at Boston College, where he left it on Feb. 21. According to his Facebook page, Garcia works at one of the CVS locations in Waltham.

Garcia was last seen wearing a long-sleeved white and blue striped shirt and jeans. 

Garcia's family and friends tell police that it is highly unusual for Garcia not to contact anyone for this amount of time.

Amelia Zani, one of Garcia's Boston College classmates, described Garcia as an "all-around great person" in an email sent to Newton Patch Friday evening.

Garcia is a senior who performs in the Marching Band and Symphonic Band, Zani told Patch. He is also a member of the Executive Board of the Symphonic Band. 

"He has a wonderful and kind personality and is sorely missed by those who share laughs and music with him on a daily basis," Zani said. 

Zani described Garcia as 5'9" and roughly 200 pounds.

Anyone with any information is urged to contact the at 617-796-2100 or the Detective Division at 617-796- 2104.