Missing gay man safe, police say

A gay Virginia man who was reported missing June 14 after attending D.C.’s Capital Pride festivities informed authorities this week that he traveled to another state rather than return to his home and is safe.

“Edward Roland Minnoe IV contacted Spotsylvania County detectives and informed them that he left the D.C. metropolitan area on his own free will and is safe in another state,” the Spotsylvania County Sheriff’s Office in Virginia said in a statement released Thursday.

“This has been confirmed by several interviews conducted by the detectives assigned to the case,” said the statement. “The Spotsylvania County Sheriff’s Office would like to thank the media and D.C. Metropolitan Police Department for their assistance in this case.”

Law enforcement officials did not immediately respond to a request for more details on why Minnoe apparently did not inform family members, his roommates and co-workers at the Petco pet services store in Fredericksburg, where he worked, that he would not immediately return to Virginia.

The sheriff’s office issued an alert last week saying Minnoe was reported missing and last seen June 13 by his roommates at the D.C. gay nightclub Secrets while speaking with a man of “unknown race.” The roommates told authorities that Minnoe said he wanted to remain at the club and chose not to drive back to the Fredericksburg area with them, even though he had ridden with them to D.C. to attend the Capital Pride events.

D.C. police, including the department’s Gay & Lesbian Liaison Unit, assisted in the investigation to find Minnoe. The Spotsylvania Sheriff’s Office issued posters bearing a photo of Minnoe that urged anyone with information on his whereabouts to contact police.

An employee at the Petco store where Minnoe worked told the Blade on Thursday that Minnoe was no longer employed there.

One person who knows Minnoe left a message on Minnoe’s Facebook page saying Minnoe acted irresponsibly by not informing others of his whereabouts.