MISSOURI – Thieves stole 6,000 copies of the student newspaperat the University of Missouri at Columbia–half of the Sept. 7 press run.
The issue of The Maneaterthat was stolen featured a controversialcover story about a missing student and a theory behind his disappearance.
Jake Wagman, editor in chief of The Maneater,said the newspaperswere published on a Friday and stolen sometime during the following weekend.The stolen papers were worth approximately $1,500, Wagman said.
“Six Months Later,” a feature article that Wagman believes may haveprompted the theft, told the story of the disappearance of Damon White,former president of the Legion of Black Collegians and the Iota Phi Thetafraternity, through an interview with his mother, Janet White. The storyincluded the progression of the case since White’s disappearance on March2.
Janet White told Maneaterreporters that her son’s boyfriend,who claimed White gave him the HIV virus, may have had some responsibilityfor Damon’s disappearance.
“The campus did not know [he was gay],” Wagman said. “As far as we know,we outed him.”
Wagman said The Maneaterstaff has no clue as to who stole thepapers.
“It’s not a stretch that [the groups White was involved with] were unhappyabout the article,” Wagman said.
The Maneateris not planning to pursue the case, Wagman said.
“The next day is a new day and a new issue,” Wagman said. “Rather thanfocus on the past, we are just going to keep publishing.”