Hannah Kobayashi -- Weird missing person situation started November 11, and now her dad is dead, too

[Dan Druff]

Hannah Kobayashi is a 31-year-old woman from Maui, Hawaii, who was on her way to New York (roughly 6000 miles away) when she vanished in Los Angeles earlier this month.

(She's pictured on the left below)



The media is mainly taking an interest because she's a pretty female under 35 who disappeared, but the story itself is bizarre, and now it's taken an even stranger twist. Her dad just died, and his cause of death is said to be suicide.

Traveling from Hawaii to the east coast of the US takes about 10-11 hours by plane (not including layovers), usually requiring a plane change in California. It is similar to people from Los Angeles traveling to London. This is the reason people from the eastern US don't go to Hawaii that often.

On November 8, Kobayashi had a flight from Maui, connecting through Los Angeles' LAX airport, and then continuing on to New York. Originally she booked to travel with her then-boyfriend, but they broke up before the trip took place. Since the tickets were non-refundable, he chose to take the trip anyway, but sat in another part of the plane. She landed in Los Angeles, exited the plane, and left the airport. Her ex-boyfriend got on the plane to New York, as scheduled, and was not seen with her at LAX.

That night, she texted her family stating that she would "sleep at the airport", leading them to presume she would grab a flight in the morning to New York. However, on the next day, November 9, she texted that she would be sightseeing in Los Angeles.

On November 10, she was at The Grove shopping mall in Los Angeles, and was attending a Lebron James Nike event. By coincidence, a YouTuber there caught her on camera at the 31 second mark (she has on glasses and headphones):




On November 11, Kobayashi woke up and texted a friend about a "spiritual awakening" she had while in Los Angeles:



She then returned to LAX, spoke to an American Airlines agent in the afternoon, but did not board any flight. It is not clear what she said to the AA agent. After that, she seemed to melt down. She sent strange texts to the family saying, "I got hacked, stripped of my identity, I can’t fly." She also texted, "I got tricked pretty much into giving away my funds for someone I thought I loved. I’ve been on the streets."

She also texted a friend, saying, "Deep Hackers wiped my identity, stole all of my funds, & have had me on a mind fuck since Friday."




Then, at 10pm that night, she was seen on video at the Pico Metro Station in downtown LA, about a block from the Crypto.com arena. She was "not alone" and "didn't look well", according to family. That was the last anyone heard from her. She has not made contact with anyone in the past 2 weeks, and has not been seen anywhere. It is unclear if the person with her was male or female, or who they were.

It was found that she sent money to two people unfamiliar to the family, while in LA, via Venmo.

[Dan Druff]

But that's not all.

Now her father, Ryan Kobayashi, is dead from suicide. He was 58.

https://www.cnn.com/2024/11/25/us/ha...hnk/index.html




Here is the statement from the family:

OFFICIAL STATEMENT FROM THE IMMEDIATELY FAMILY OF HANNAH KOBAYASHI:

The family of Hannah Kobayashi is urgently pleading with the public to maintain focus on the search for her. Hannah IS still actively missing and is believed to be in imminent danger. It is crucial for everyone to remain vigilant in their efforts to locate Hannah.

The Kobayashi family endured a devastating tragedy today. After tirelessly searching throughout Los Angeles for 13 days, Hannah’s father, Ryan Kobayashi, tragically took his own life. This loss has compounded the family's suffering immeasurably.

What the family needs most in this difficult time is for all communities to rally around them with support, compassion, and prayers. Please be considerate with your comments and posts. The trauma they are enduring is profound, and they now face the additional burden of grieving the loss of their family's pillar and navigating next steps.

We kindly ask that you respect the family's privacy during this period. Please refrain from contacting any family members, regardless of any previous connections you may have had.

Your understanding and cooperation are greatly appreciated. Allow them the space to grieve and process this significant loss.

Again, it is the family wish that the public keep the focus on locating and recovering Hannah safely.

If you see Hannah, please call 911 immediately. Please obtain a photograph if possible. Your prompt action is crucial. If you’re able to safely keep eyes on her until law enforcement arrives, please do so.

In accordance with the family's wishes, all information, tips and media inquiries are to be directed via text to (619) 904-0840 or emailed to radthemovement@gmail.com.

The family wants to expressly state that if you or anyone you know is struggling with suicidal ideation, they want to encourage you to reach out to the suicide and crisis lifeline: 988

[Dan Druff]

The father's suicide is especially bizarre because it's not clear if Hannah is dead or alive, and she had only been missing for 13 days when he killed himself.

Is it possible he felt responsible for her disappearance in some way, such as refusing to pay for her flight to continue to NYC after she missed the connection and was acting strangely?

This appears to be a mental health breakdown. It's possible that, while going around Los Angeles for 3 days in an unstable state of mind, she met someone who took advantage of it and harmed her. However, I do believe she was the one who sent the weird texts on November 11, and I don't believe anyone hacked her phone or stole her identity. She was probably in the middle of a breakdown, which likely began sometime during the flight between Maui and Los Angeles.

I do wonder if perhaps being on the same plane with her ex-boyfriend, knowing they were traveling separately, was the trigger of her mental meltdown.

I actually think it's more likely she's alive than dead, but might be hiding with some weirdo she met in LA, claiming that she is in danger.

I would guess her body would've been found by now if she had some sort of accidental death, or even if she were murdered on the streets.

What about the two Venmo transactions to people she didn't know? It wouldn't surprise me if she got scammed on social media while in this crazy state of mind, or if she sent money to randoms she met around LA.

Very strange story.

[Dan Druff]

Here is her Instagram btw: https://www.instagram.com/midorieve/

[dwai]

dad killed her obv

[Texter]

Here is her Instagram btw: https://www.instagram.com/midorieve/

She’s no Colleen Sanland.

My guess is acid trip or similar.

[desertrunner]

Was waiting for Druff to post this story. Wild.

[The Boz]

Over/under on guys that fucked her in LA by now?

[sonatine]

yeah if i had to guess, she got roofied at the nike event and whether shes dead or alive, her assailants have been on her phone since then. every single text message since the event has been a setup for a grift; explain why her personality is different (spiritual awakening), make a sympathetic plea (oh help me ive been taken advantage of by someone i love), start pressuring people for money (i might need some help etc etc).

entirely possible the kidnappers reached out to the dad, dad got the fbi involved, it went poorly, he felt responsible, and couldnt take it.

[gut]

How many hot dogs can she eat tho?

[BCR]

[Jayjami]

yeah if i had to guess, she got roofied at the nike event and whether shes dead or alive, her assailants have been on her phone since then. every single text message since the event has been a setup for a grift; explain why her personality is different (spiritual awakening), make a sympathetic plea (oh help me ive been taken advantage of by someone i love), start pressuring people for money (i might need some help etc etc).

entirely possible the kidnappers reached out to the dad, dad got the fbi involved, it went poorly, he felt responsible, and couldnt take it.

LA is full of predators, and she was easy prey. She’s probably dead. Hope not. One bad mistake as a young person shouldn’t cost you your life.

[gut]

Im now pissed at myself for thinking of the OTHER pop culture reference before that one.

[Dan Druff]

A PI from San Francisco got involved, and he believes the family is bullshitting somewhat. He is "stepping back" from helping, as he believes Hannah intentionally vanished in Los Angeles, and in fact changed her ticket to where she was never going to NYC at all. He also believes the family knows the identity of the guy she's with in LA, but has been pretending they don't, so they don't lose public support.

Embedded Tweet

https://twitter.com/SF_investigates/status/1860190264725504094

I finished searching for Hannah Kobayashi for the day and have decided to step back from the search altogether. I have seen much of the evidence and I now believe there is a strong possibility that Hannah is seeking time alone and may be exploring a spiritual path.

One detail that continues to raise questions is her travel itinerary. We were informed that she was flying from Maui to JFK via LAX. However, I’ve surveillance footage shows her deplaning at LAX without any bags, followed by footage of her leaving the LAX baggage claim area with a suitcase and backpack displaying claim tickets. If her bags were only checked to LAX, then her ticket was only booked to LAX. By law, passengers cannot check their luggage to a destination they are not traveling to. Even if her bags were rerouted, this would mean she filed a report at LAX and remained there for at least 16 hours to retrieve them.

Additionally, Hannah posted on Instagram from an event at The Grove in Los Angeles. She had previously expressed a desire to visit the Redwoods in Northern California, citing a deep personal connection to the area. She even has a close friend posting and encouraging her to continue her path, to stay on her journey.

Despite media reports suggesting "hard evidence" that Hannah is being drugged and trafficked, the LAPD has classified her as a voluntary missing person. If there were concrete evidence of abduction or trafficking, she would be categorized as endangered, and her case would be handled as an abduction. To date, LAPD detectives have not made any public statements about the case, despite widespread media attention.

I am not suggesting that the search for Hannah should cease. However, I personally feel uncomfortable continuing without clearer evidence that she is not a voluntary missing person. We cannot be certain of her circumstances, and I would be deeply troubled to play a role in returning someone to a situation they may be trying to escape.

To be clear, I have no definitive proof that she hasn’t been abducted or is not being held against her will—she very well could be. But my professional instinct leads me to believe that stepping back is the right course of action for now.

If Hannah happens to see this message, I hope she understands that she can contact law enforcement to confirm her safety. It is not a crime to go missing, and law enforcement will not disclose her location if she is safe and capable of caring for herself.

I will say that this PI is making too big of a deal about her bags being accessible in LA. In some cases, you are asked to pick up your bags and move them to the next flight, such as when the connecting flight is with a different airline.

[Dan Druff]

More from the same PI:

Embedded Tweet

https://twitter.com/SF_investigates/status/1860440176423539194

I have been informed (though not directly by the family) that Hannah Kobayashi's family is aware—and has been aware—of the identity of the man seen with her in the unreleased surveillance footage. However, to the public and searchers, they have stated that they do not know who he is. I would be interested to know if they have told law enforcement if they know the individual or not.

I believe this is a critical point that press agencies should address, as it could significantly change the dynamics of the case. If Hannah knows this individual, it would suggest that her trip to Los Angeles was planned, which might also explain her attendance at events during her time there.

Embedded Tweet

https://twitter.com/SF_investigates/status/1860473189920379002

I am getting messages from family of Hannah Kobayashi claiming I am saying that I am "related to the family" and "doing a private investigation", and they said they want to "control the narrative." I am not sure where they are getting that false information. Below are the links to the 4 tweets I have made about the case. A public plea was made to search for Hannah and as a missing persons specialist and search and rescue specialist i dedicated two 8-10 hour days searching. As an investigator I asked questions and obtained information and imagery etc. My tweets are my personal thoughts based on the evidence I have seen.

I never said the family is lying, I just pointed out in my professional opinion this is a voluntary missing case and nothing points to abduction or "drugging." That all starts with the fact that her ex-boyfriend made the connecting flight so there was enough time. Your luggage is not sent back to your connection city when you are on standby. There were 12 flights within 24 hours from LAX to JFK on AA that were not full so she would have cleared the standby list.

There is surveillance which i have images from of her in LAX baggage claim, with her checked bags, all alone, using her phone. She attended at least 2 events hosted by Lebron James and Christina Ricci in Los Angeles. There is more that is personal so I wont share but I am entitled to my professional opinion. A family should be searching not controlling the narrative. The narrative is what the narrative is. If you are controlling it it's not the actual truth. There is also a reason that she is not listed as an endangered missing and there hasn't been comments from law enforcement.

[Dan Druff]

Her father jumped off an LAX parking structure to kill himself.

He also indicated while in LA that he was "not close" with Hannah growing up, and that he came out to help search for her in order to "make up for lost time".

He and Hannah's mom divorced a long time ago.



My theory as of now is that Hannah met some dude online from LA, and decided in advance to abandon the NYC flight at the LAX connection, and go be with him. Her family might have been aware of him, and not liked him because he was a degenerate. When it became clear she wasn't going to see the aunt in NY, and instead was rambling weird shit about her money getting stolen and being hacked, they assumed she was on some kind of drugs with him, panicked, and called her a missing person. The father possibly killed himself when he tried to come out and find her, and he made contact and she told him to scram because he was never in her life.

I bet she will be found alive in the company of some LA druggie, and will tell everyone she's fine and just wanted to get away.

Why would the family refuse to release the photo of the last person seen with her, unless they're lying about something regarding the matter?

[Jayjami]

Her father jumped off an LAX parking structure to kill himself.
I bet she will be found alive in the company of some LA druggie, and will tell everyone she's fine and just wanted to get away.

Seeing your daughter sucking some black guy’s cock for a rock probably isn’t something you can get out of your mind.

[Dan Druff]

Starting to look like a grift.

Authorities have not made any statement that Hannah is actually missing or in danger. They also haven't released the photo of the man last seen with her, nor are they explaining who he is.

In the meantime, her sister has racked up $42k in Gofuckme donations.


According to this Daily Beast article, the two Venmo payments are likely innocent. One of them has the heading of "Reading", and the guy receiving it was a known tarot card reader in Los Angeles. The dude will not answer anything on social media, and has since made his accounts private. The other is to a woman, with a "bow and arrow" emoji. I'm assuming this is some other person from whom she bought some kind of service in LA. The tarot cards thing is not surprising at all, as apparently Hannah was known to be into that.

I really think that when this is all done, she will be found hanging out with LA druggies, and tell people she just wanted to get away for awhile and grow spiritually. No idea why her sister needs $42k. A PI already looked into this (see posts above) and determined it's mostly bullshit.

[Dan Druff]

https://www.tiktok.com/embed/7442031531238935854


You can ignore like 80% of this weird, overly emotional video (I don't believe this chick knows Hannah or the family).

However, she does seem to imply that she called LAPD Missing Persons, and that she was told that Hannah is voluntarily missing.

[Texter]

Starting to look like a grift.

Authorities have not made any statement that Hannah is actually missing or in danger. They also haven't released the photo of the man last seen with her, nor are they explaining who he is.

In the meantime, her sister has racked up $42k in Gofuckme donations.


According to this Daily Beast article, the two Venmo payments are likely innocent. One of them has the heading of "Reading", and the guy receiving it was a known tarot card reader in Los Angeles. The dude will not answer anything on social media, and has since made his accounts private. The other is to a woman, with a "bow and arrow" emoji. I'm assuming this is some other person from whom she bought some kind of service in LA. The tarot cards thing is not surprising at all, as apparently Hannah was known to be into that.

I really think that when this is all done, she will be found hanging out with LA druggies, and tell people she just wanted to get away for awhile and grow spiritually. No idea why her sister needs $42k. A PI already looked into this (see posts above) and determined it's mostly bullshit.

I am sure the dads funeral will eat up $1299 of the. $50k she wants