Juneau student attending college in Michigan found dead after 20-hour search in extreme cold

Lucas Mattson, 19, an engineering student at the University of Michigan, didn’t have a coat; no foul play expected, according to officials

Lucas Mattson, 19, a Juneau resident attending the University of Michigan, was found dead on Saturday, Jan. 24, 2026, after apprent long exposure to extreme cold, according to officials. (Photo provided by Jennie Schoeppe)

By Mark Sabbatini

Juneau Independent

This is a developing story.

A Juneau teenager attending college at the University of Michigan was found dead Saturday in "extreme cold conditions" about 35 hours after he was last seen, according to police and college officials.

Lucas Mattson, 19, was last seen at about 1 a.m. Friday (Michigan time) walking without a coat and reported missing 15 hours later, according to a statement issued Saturday by the City of Ann Arbor Police Department.

"The nearly 20-hour search effort to locate him took place in extreme cold conditions and included officers from AAPD and University of Michigan Division of Public Safety and Security, as well as the University of Michigan Police Department Drone Unit," the statement notes.

Mattson was discovered at about 12:05 p.m. Saturday (Michigan time), according to the department. There were no obvious signs of trauma. Temperatures during the search were as low as zero degrees Fahrenheit, according to the university’s Division of Public Safety and Security.

University of Michigan President Domenico Grasso issued what he called a rare public statement involving a student death, calling Mattson’s passing "a tragic loss." The president also cautioned "in moments like these, misinformation and speculation can spread quickly."

"At this time, we can share that prior to disappearing, Lucas was attending a party at a fraternity house as a guest; he was neither a member nor a pledge," Grasso wrote. "We must let the investigators complete their work and refrain from speculation until the facts are known."

Although the party was not on campus, "I have also asked our vice president for student life and executive director of public safety and security to retrace the events that occurred this weekend," the president added. "We want to better understand what transpired and identify possible steps to help prevent similar tragedies in the future."

An October 2023 Juneau Empire article reports Mattson and Elizabeth Djajalie won the mixed doubles title at ASAA Alaska State Tennis Championship in Anchorage that month.

A GoFundMe to cover funeral and other expenses for Lucas’ family, set up by an extended family member, has raised more than $56,000 as of Tuesday night.

• Contact Mark Sabbatini at editor@juneauindependent.com or (907) 957-2306.