The Missing
Mortimer Wortman
Jackson Township, New Jersey
🔍🆘 Search Continues for Missing Rutgers University Student Mortimer “Morty” Wortman 🆘🔍
22-year-old Mortimer “Morty” Mekhai Wortman has been missing from Jackson Township, leaving his family and community searching tirelessly for answers. Morty, a senior at Rutgers University studying landscape architecture, was last seen on November 21, 2025. That morning, he texted his mother, Johanna Reyes, reassuring her: “Hi, Mom. I’m OK. I’ll be home to pick up my phone today.” It was the last message she ever received from him.
Later that day, a friend reported that after a heated argument, Morty walked off into a wooded area near High Bridge Road, saying he was heading home. Around 10:30 p.m., he was last seen near the Regional Day School, adjacent to the Collier Mills Wildlife Management Area. His car was discovered parked at the school.
The Jackson Township Police Department, along with the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office, New Jersey State Police, and Ocean County Sheriff’s Office, have conducted extensive searches of the surrounding woods. Law enforcement has deployed K9 units, drones, and underwater recovery teams. Despite these efforts, no new leads have been announced, and the investigation remains active and ongoing. No suspects or persons of interest have been named.
Morty is described as 5’10”, approximately 180–200 pounds, with light skin, dark brown hair, and brown eyes. He has a pierced nose and tattoos on his right arm and a star on his thigh. He was last seen wearing a burgundy hoodie over a black T-shirt and dark pants or blue jeans. His iPad, wallet, and keys have not been recovered.
His mother, Johanna, has spent nearly every day searching the wooded area where he was last seen. “I just need to be out there,” she said. Family members devoted weeks to combing through the preserve, calling his name for hours at a time. Though she fears something may have happened to him, Johanna continues to hold onto hope. “Somebody has to know something,” she said. “Just come forward.”
The family has launched a “Bring Morty Home” campaign across social media and created a website to keep his story in the public eye. A GoFundMe has also been established to support search efforts and potentially hire a private investigator.
In January, Jackson Township Mayor Jennifer Kuhn personally offered a $1,000 reward for information leading to Morty’s location. The nonprofit CUE Center for Missing Persons has since joined the effort, increasing the total reward to $10,000 for information that directly leads to finding him. Tipsters can remain anonymous.
Rutgers University has shared public messages of support and is working closely with authorities as the search continues.
Anyone with information is urged to contact the Jackson Township Police Department at 732-928-1111 (press 0 to speak with a dispatcher). Tips can also be submitted anonymously to the CUE Center’s 24-hour tip line at 910-232-1687.
Morty’s family remains steadfast in their mission: to bring him home.
Sources:
https://www.nbcnews.com/dateline/missing-in-america/missing-new-jersey-rutgers-student-mortimer-wortman-rcna260980
https://nj1015.com/morty-wortman-missing-jackson-2/
https://www.nj.com/ocean/2025/11/nj-man-went-missing-near-wooded-area-a-week-ago-police-are-seeking-answers.html
https://www.silive.com/news/2025/12/new-jersey-college-student-22-missing-for-more-than-a-week.html
https://people.com/missing-college-students-car-found-last-seen-wooded-area-11861178
The Lost & The Taken 
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