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Authorities in central Minnesota believe a professor from St. Cloud State University who has gone missing in Utah may have wanted to disappear.

Police say it now appears 65-year-old Jerry Wolff went to Canyonlands National Park to take his own life. 

Sartell Police Chief Jim Hughes says family members began receiving letters from Wolff dated the day he left for a solo backpacking trip.

"One of the family members from out of the area did send us the letter that was sent to her, and some comments were made in it, obviously that led us to believe that he went out there with the idea that he would not be coming back to Minnesota," Hughes said.

In one letter Wolff said there was no need to look for him because he had gone to a remote wilderness where he could return his body and soul to nature. Extensive air and ground searches have found no sign of Wolff.

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Minn. professor still missing in Utah desert

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Authorities in central Minnesota believe a professor from St. Cloud State University who has gone missing in Utah may have wanted to disappear.


Officials suspect professor wanted to disappear

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