First of all, I really feel for the family of this boy and hope he will re-appear unharmed and/or be found soon. Everybody is someones child, brother, cousin etc and there is heart ache, fear and anxiety involved.

I can not understand why the police and worse yet, the Media finds the need to make assumptions, that the young man was drunk (which can only come from a witness and is subjective to begin with) and a homeless guy, also unconfirmed. This certainly sets the tone of interest of finding this man and apparently not only for the general public but also for the police. Is it a race card…i think it is at least in part, then add drunk and homeless and you get "nobody cares".
Which means, there will be few resources used for this guy.
In Girdwood was a huge search effort for like a week for a guy from Texas, who was reported missing 3 days after last seen and they were on it like a fly. Maybe because he was a tourist, white and from Texas!!! I am white, but I get it.