So when was he reported missing?

From the article:

“He was reported missing in October and all things indicate he most likely hanged himself around that time,” Stephen McCausland, Maine State Police spokesman, said Wednesday.

He was not reported missing until December because his mother said she thought he needed time to “cool off.”

A lot more details are needed though for me to come to any sort of conclusion.

Do they read what they write? Thats the first thing i saw.

This is unfortunate. My condolences to the family.

My sympathies to the family.

As for the comments about the article...I would infer from reading it that he was reported missing in December, as having already been missing (not seen or heard from) since October. It's symantics...should have said since October not "in October."

This is small town Maine were talking about....How did this man disappear on the 1st of Oct. and not be reported missing until December? I grew up in this area, and as I remember it, everyone knew everyone else's business. People in rural Maine just don't go "missing", let alone go missing for 3 months without someone noticing.

The article states that Ricker was found by a family member, and that "the wooded area where the body was found is not far from the roadway, but “it was down over a little bit of a knoll and snowbanks would have blocked” visibility". If visibility was blocked, what lead the relative to search that particular area after 6 long months? This whole incident seems very bizarre and difficult to believe as told by the family.

Matt was known to do this type of thing to go for a while and then he would come back. HIs family did everything to find him once they realized that this time when he disapeared that something was definatly wrong. Please don't pick everybody apart, it's not needed at this time.

It may sound a bit bizarre but they are not writing all the facts, please don't jump to conclusions.

I think there are WAY too many people ,who comment here , have nothing to do except nitpick articles like this.

These people are truly showing their ignorance.

No one knows the details of this except perhaps the people involved.

It's such a sad occurance, it deserves better than this. Come on folks, smarten up or find another place to vent your cruelty and hate. My heart and prayers go out to all who are close to this siuation.

heres idea, back off from the famiy so the can grieve. i know the family know the surrounding grounds and don't care what others have to say about the dam dates months or whatever. matt is gone from us all that knew him and that is his family. people can't say nice things then keep your mouths shut. thank-you obie for your comment.matt was my best friend he wouldn't wan tto see his family run through the mud like this.

Matthew,

I never knew you, never heard your voice, saw your tears.

You must have had some happiness and joy through the years.

What could one have done to help you, had one known your broken heart?

The loss of one you loved had torn at you and finally tore you apart.

The heart is fragile and easily can take away all ,if not able to mend.

If we could be like a tree ,able to still grow and in the wind able to bend.

I wish you had sat and looked at that tree and saw how in the breeze it still stood.

Though broken and with a part of you missing, believing you ,too ,could.

Wish you could have reached out and found comfort and hope there.

You were filled with sadness, loss of human spirit and despair.

I know from where you come, broken heart and all.

I thank the Lord for taking my hand and helping me stand, again, tall.

I would have wished that for you too, your pain, heart aches and despair.

Had they only known, they would have reached out and help this heart , repair.

God Bless you and your loved ones. I wish for you and for them you had known you had another choice. You chose a permanent solution for a temporary problem. No second chance. These things can break many hearts. Your life has touched mine.

Uh, he went missing in October and it was officially reported in December. See how easy that was?

BDN writer Diana Bowley contributed to this report. Nuff Said~

Glad Scottcom36 thinks he has all the answers. Yes that sounds about right, but the reporters need to do their job a little better.

How sad :(

This is very sad and my heart goes out to the family!

As much as I never got along well with everyone in his family, Matt was a very nice man always trying to help anyone he could. I'm sure his family, and his friends will miss him tuns. I don't know why people would would wait so long to report him missing, but even if they had they would have come up with the same outcome. Nothing anyone could do... To bad it had to happen. To Matt's Family I'm sorry and I know you all need time to grieve so don't bother reading what people on here have to say if its no good.

TIME TO R-- no...

Obviou -- hmm

I can't say anything here. Perhaps caused by Hollywo--

Ok, the most logical thing I can say is that he will be judged by God?

I knew Matt very well and he was the kind of guy the world needed more of. Woman ask all of the time where are all of the good guys and well here was one but his own as ignorant as she was pushed him over the edge. If only he had called on any one of us true friends maybe this would not have been the outcome. his wife will get her on her judgement day. To the family, Cathy I am so sorry to hear about this, you and mike as well as his siblings meant so much to matt. The people who really know you know how much you have always done for your kids and what they mean to you. My deepest sympathies are with you all at this most difficult time.

This is sad and my thoghts and prayers got out to all his family and friends.

I would greatly appreciate anyone not making rude or snyde remarks about Mathew or his family. You don't know him or his family. Matt was a great guy who loved his family and his friends. He would do anything for them.

To the person who is known as RedhandofUstler the family member that found Matthew was walking her dog that night and her dog looked that way and was heading in that direction and then she saw what looked like a body and called the police. You have no clue what the area looked like that you can't see anything from the road where she was you would have had to go over and really look in the area to see anything. You have never walked the property to know what the layout of the land looks like. So keep your comments to yourself in regard to how well you know the area. It was the dog who noticed something don't go insulting the family member who have no idea how hard this family searched for Mathew. This family has gone to extreme lenghts to find Mathew Lee. You have no idea how hard and what lengths they have gone to find this young man. Stop insulting and decrading this family.You are the one that is bizzare you have no clue what you are talking about.

This reporter doesn't have all the facts from the family members. The family members weren't even talked to before this article was written. Therefore they don't have all the facts. There are a bunch of wholes in this story and not well researched before this story was published. Kathy hadn't even been notified of what was being said in this report. This story caught the whole family off gaurd and caused alot of caos. This story hurt alot of people in this family. If anything this family deserves an appolgy from this reporter and all those people who made rotten comments about their family and Mathew.

Mathew will be greatly missed by all. My heart goes out to the enitre family and you all are in my prayers. Mathew Lee is my nephew and will be greatly missed. I love you mathew. I will miss your bright and shining smile and the way you could make us all laugh and forget our problems like they were nothing. I will have many memories of you and papa with the animals and granpa Forest in the shop. I will never forget the good times we had together.

Love you xoxoxoxoxo

Auntie

this is a small community and affects everyone. my condolences to the ricker family. when you don't know all the facts, it is difficult to make an educated statement. i did not know matthew, but know his mother. she is a fine person. so very sorry.

I am a might as well be relative. Matthew Lee may have had issues but don't we all? I love his whole family with all of my heart including him. This is greater than a normal sadness. His relative only discovered the body due to her dog.Her dog is part black lab which means good nose and sight.Things were perfect that night for the dog to catch a whiff or a glimpse therefore bringing attention to matt's body. The article that was printed was bull. I understand "freedom of the press" and all but I believe a corrected retraction should be printed. For all the street gawkers please no there is nothing there now to see. There are young kids living on this street. PLEASE I beg of you LEAVE THIS FAMILY ALONE. I feel their pain. Kathy and MIke I love you.I'm there for all.

To all of you negative onlookers,commentors and gossipers......To get you above the ignorance and into the know.....I was the relitive who found Matt when i was walking my dog....I feel very sorry for all of you people with nothing better to do with your life but hurt others with your negative comments and so on ...you weren't there and i hope you never ....ever.... are put in a position that i was ....or that my family is in.... As for this family....we loved matthew very much ....This is a very tough time for us please put a hold on your negativity let the family try and move foward ....Thanks to all for your condolences and kind words God Bless ...Matt's.Narnie

Well.well we sure have lots of folks who think they know everything.GET A LIFE. I am Matt's Aunt . WHAT TO HELL IS WRONG WITH YOU PEOPLE? WAKE UP. I DO WANT TO THANK ALL OF YOU WHO HAVE SO KIND TO ALL OF US. If you want facts go to the people who knows what has happened. Please do not believe all thats written or on our TV's. If our police department had done their job Matt would have been found mounth's ago. We will miss you Matt,and we love you. Your pain is gone and you are now safe in GOD'S hands.

I DONT UNDERSTAND WHY PEOPLE HAVE TO BE SO RUDE ABOUT THIS NO ONE KNOWS WHAT HAPPEN ......WILL SOME OF THESES COMMENTS ARE VERY RUDE.....ALL OF YOU GUYS NEED TO GROW UP AND RELIZE WHAT YOU ARE SAYING BEFORE YOU POST IT I KNOW THE FAMILY AND ITS A SAD ENDING FOR THEM SO I HOPE PEOPLE WILL THINK BEFORE THEY WRITE STUFF

I am sorry to hear of your loss. It sounds as though this young man touched a lot of lives in a positive manner and will be great loss to all who knew him. My condolences to all those touched by an amazing man.

I am truly saddened to learn this young mans death. My deepest sympathies goes out to his family & friends