What Happened to Pat Collins?

This website was created to accompany my investigation of the 1986 disappearance of Patrick Collins, a graduate student at the University of Virginia, and the subsequent actions of UVA Police Department, UVA administration, and FBI. The article was published in The Hook‘s March 24, 2011, print edition.

I hope you’ll use this website (which is separate from The Hook) to conduct your own investigation. I’m eager to hear from anyone who lived in Charlottesville in the mid-1980s, especially men who worked out at Mem Gym–and from anyone else who has questions, suggestions, or ideas.

Pat’s family is offering a $10,000 reward for information that leads to the recovery of his remains. Here’s the rub: After reading my article, it’s doubtful that anyone with information would feel confident about giving it to the UVA Police Department. For now, all I can say is that if someone comes forward with information (and I fervently hope someone will), I’ll be able to suggest several trustworthy routes to take that detour around the UVAPD.

If you’d like to increase the chance that someone, somewhere, will finally solve this mystery, forward this website to friends, family, colleagues, social-justice advocates, and anyone who enjoys a mystery; post it on your Facebook wall; tweet about it.

Thanks and best wishes,
Barbara Nordin
Charlottesville, VA