Former MTV VJ Jesse Camp Missing

FONTANA (CBSLA) — Jesse Camp, who made a name for himself in the 90s as an MTV VJ, was missing Monday night.

As CBSLA's Tina Patel reports, Camp's family is now using social media to try and spread the word and bring him home.

Camp rose to fame in the 1990s, winning a contest to become an MTV VJ. Not only did he get to interview some of the biggest stars of the time, he also got to put out his own music and videos.

He wasn't seen as much publicly in recent years, but he still kept in close contact with friends and family around the country until earlier this month. They reached out to police and filed a missing persons report last week.

"His kind of routine, almost nightly contact with some family members ceased about a week prior," said Riverside Police Officer Ryan Railsback. "So they were starting to get worried."

According to police, Camp had some minor run-ins with the law in the Inland Empire over the past couple years. Just last Thursday, before the missing persons report was filed, an officer with Fontana Police contacted him behind a shopping center in an area frequented by homeless people.

"That's the impression he had, that maybe Mr. Camp was possibly living out of a car and on the streets," said Railsback.

Monica Garcia works as a security guard in the area. She didn't recognize Camp's photo, but hates to think someone who once had it all might be in trouble now.

"It's sad to see and to hear," said Garcia.

Garcia says substance abuse is an issue for many in the area.

"Honestly I think when the drugs are there. So they can't get nothing, they fell behind," said Garcia.

Police don't know if Camp might be fighting addiction, but they hope they can find him to see if he needs help.

"It's not against the law to not talk to your family. So if he doesn't want to, that's OK," said Railsback. "We just want to get word to his family that he's doing OK."