FBI now has case of missing California man

Vehicle found Sept. 24 at McGuireville rest area

VERDE VALLEY – Tuesday marked the 80th day since Shane Michael Rollman was last seen by his family. Recently, the FBI joined the effort to locate the California man. Rollman, 31, according to video surveillance and bank records, shopped at Bashas’ supermarket in Camp Verde and fueled up a Chevron gas station Sept. 13.

He hasn’t been seen or heard from since.

Shane Rollman’s car was found at the McGuireville rest area along I-17 on Thursday, Sept. 24. His phone and computer were in the car. His FBI missing person page can be found here: https://www.fbi.gov/wanted/kidnap/shane-michael-rollman

Shane’s father, Steven, said both his grandmothers passed away within the past year, and his mother, Steven’s wife, nearly died from medical issues. Steven Rollman said residents of Camp Verde and other Verde Valley communities have been extremely helpful in trying to help locate Shane.

Steve Rollman and his wife, Sherry, came to the Verde Valley in September to meet with first responders.

“The community has been very warm and helpful to us, but we don’t really know much to tell them about where they can help look for our son,” Steven Rollman said.

Steven Rollman said his son was living in his late grandmother’s home. Shane had purchased a new refrigerator about one week before he disappeared.

“Things were starting to smooth out for him,” Steven Rollman said. “The day he left, we were over at the house he lives in, and he said he wanted to take a nap. But by 6 p.m., he and his car were gone.”

Shane Rollman didn’t take a suitcase with him to Arizona, his father said. He also didn’t pack up any personal effects. Steven Rollman said his son was captured on video at Bashas’, but that was the last place he was seen. His son also took out $700 in cash.

His phone showed a ping at 6:30 a.m., Monday, Sept. 14, that T-Mobile initially told him was in the West Covina area, but he later learned that ping was in Arizona.

“We started searching for him around here,” Steven Rollman said.

Where his son went between Sept. 14 and the afternoon of Sept. 24 — when his BMW 328i was found — is unclear. The gas tank was empty and his computer and phone were in the car. Law enforcement determined the car was brought to the McGuireville rest area sometime after 8 a.m. Sept. 24 and found that afternoon, Steven Rollman said.

It was parked in the first possible parking place one could choose upon entering the rest area parking lot. Steven Rollman thinks the car might have run out of gas. He said it wasn’t clear to him yet if video surveillance determined who parked the car at the rest area.

Shane Rollman’s debit card is with him, but hadn’t not been used since Sept. 13.

“It was clean inside,” Steven Rollman said. “There was the ice cream cup from Bashas’ and a water bottle from Love’s (Travel Stop, the nearest location being in Williams), but not the kind of trash or things you’d expect to see if someone were traveling.” Steven Rollman said his son might have hitched a ride at the rest area.

His mother, Sherry, said Shane is not experienced in camping or hiking. Searches have been done by helicopter, infrared technology, horseback and off-road vehicle. Nothing has been found.

Steven Rollman said Shane hadn’t been able to continue his job selling Samsung products, due to COVID-19 shutdowns. He had been a top producer with that company. Shane had performed eulogies for friends who had lost loved ones to COVID-19.

Rollman is 5-feet, 9-inches tall and 180 pounds, with brown hair. His mother, Sherry, recently was interviewed by CBS Los Angeles: https://losangeles.cbslocal.com/2020/11/17/fbi-assists-search-west-covina-man-missing-september/?fbclid=IwAR1LOV1P8exUoHZ-APiN8u68xyP-cxJqSM95-CplxnC_fYNMNr2atE_Ly-0