Yohanes Kidane is a 22-year-old software engineer who recently moved to California to work for Netflix. He has been missing since August 13, 2023, when he took an Uber from his apartment in San Jose to San Francisco. His family, friends, and colleagues have launched a massive search effort to find him, raising over $70,000 on GoFundMe for travel expenses, private investigators, attorneys, and other resources. His disappearance has baffled and worried his loved ones, who describe him as a smart, bright, and loving person.
Who was Yohanes Kidane?
Yohanes Kidane was born and raised in Rochester, New York. His parents immigrated to the United States from Eritrea, a country in East Africa. He has two siblings: an older brother, Yosief, and a younger sister, Sara. Yohanes and Yosief were very close, sharing similar names, appearance, mannerisms, and interests. They both attended Cornell University, where they studied computer science and worked together on homework assignments. Yohanes graduated from Cornell in May 2023 with honors. He was one of the best engineers in his class, according to his brother.
Career
Yohanes Kidane was hired by Netflix as a software engineer in July 2023. He moved to San Jose to start his new job on August 7, 2023. He was excited to work for the streaming giant, where he found his coworkers to be wise and capable. He was in his second week of work when he went missing.
Yohanes Kidane Missing Case: Disappearance
On Sunday, August 13, 2023, Yohanes Kidane left his downtown San Jose apartment around 7:15 p.m. He was seen by two of his colleagues entering a black Toyota Camry with an Uber sticker on display. He told them he was heading to San Francisco to maybe meet a friend. That was the last time anyone saw or heard from him.
His sister was checking his phone location and noticed it changed around 8 p.m. She saw that he was at the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco, which she thought was not unusual. She assumed he was sightseeing or hanging out with someone. However, when his location did not change by the next morning, she started to panic.
She contacted her brother Yosief, who lives in New York City. They tried to call Yohanes multiple times, but his phone was off. They also reached out to his friends and coworkers, but no one knew where he was or what he was doing.
They reported him missing to the San Jose Police Department around 2:45 p.m. on Monday, August 14, 2023. The police took an initial report and investigated the circumstances of his disappearance.
Search Effort
Yosief Kidane and his father flew to California to look for Yohanes. They were joined by other family members and friends who came from different states. They also received support from the local community, especially from the Third Baptist Church in San Francisco, where they attended service on Sunday.
They launched a GoFundMe campaign to raise funds for their search effort. The campaign has raised over $74,000 as of Tuesday morning, August 22, 2023. The money is being used for travel expenses, private investigators, attorneys, and other resources.
They also created posters and flyers with Yohanes’ picture and information. They distributed them around San Jose and San Francisco, especially near the Golden Gate Bridge area. They also posted them on social media platforms and asked people to share them.
Yohanes Kidane (22) was last seen on August 14th in San Jose, California after getting into an Uber in front of his apartment. His phone’s last location was at the Golden Gate Bridge. His phone, wallet, and backpack found near the welcome center. Yohanes was recently hired for… pic.twitter.com/4NbOtxz1Ik
— Rose (@901Lulu) August 19, 2023
They have been searching for clues and leads that could help them find Yohanes. They have been checking surveillance footage from his apartment building and the Uber vehicle he took. They have also been contacting the rideshare service company and the driver who picked him up.
They have been working with the police and other agencies to track down Yohanes’ whereabouts. The police have coordinated their investigation with the California Highway Patrol, the Golden Gate Bridge Highway and Transportation District, the United States Coast Guard, and the involved rideshare service.
Findings
During their search effort, some of Yohanes’ belongings have been found near the Golden Gate Bridge. On Monday morning, August 14, 2023, a commuter found his phone and wallet on a grassy hill between the Welcome Center and a coffee shop. He brought them to the Marin California Highway Patrol’s office. The phone and wallet were untouched, with $30 in cash and ID cards inside.
On Tuesday morning, August 15, 2023, the police found his backpack near the Golden Gate Bridge Welcome Center. The backpack contained two laptops and personal documents that were seemingly untouched.
However, there has been no sign of Yohanes himself. The police have said that there is no evidence to suggest that a crime has occurred. They have not ruled out any possibilities, including foul play, accident, or voluntary disappearance.
| Name | Yohanes Kidane |
|---|---|
| Age | 22 |
| Height | 5 feet 8 inches |
| Weight | 150 pounds |
| Race | Black |
| Hair | Black |
| Eyes | Brown |
| Last seen | August 13, 2023, around 7:15 p.m. in San Jose, California |
| Last seen wearing | Gray sweatpants, black hoodie, black shoes |
| Last seen entering | A black Toyota Camry with an Uber sticker on display |
| Last known location | The Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco, California |
