Yohanes Kidane, a 22-year-old man who had recently started working at Netflix in California, went missing after he was last seen entering an Uber earlier this week. Kidane was captured on security camera leaving his apartment building in downtown San Jose around 7:15 p.m. on Monday before getting into a vehicle with an Uber sticker.
According to Kidane’s brother, he told two colleagues that he was heading to San Francisco, possibly to meet a friend. The last footage of him shows him entering a black Toyota Camry. Kidane had just moved to the Bay Area in July and was working as a software engineer at Netflix.
His cell phone, wallet, and backpack were found near the Golden Gate Bridge Welcome Center in San Francisco. The location of his phone indicated that he had spent the majority of Monday night at the Golden Gate Bridge. A passerby found his phone and wallet on a grassy hill between the Welcome Center and a coffee shop, with cash, IDs, and his phone untouched.
The following day, Kidane’s backpack was discovered closer to the bridge. It contained two laptops and personal documents. Kidane, who graduated from Cornell University in May, is described as 5’8″, 150 pounds, and was last seen wearing gray sweatpants, a black hoodie, and black shoes. His mother made an emotional plea for her son’s return, expressing her need to have him home and describing him as a good and loving person.
Concerned friends and relatives have formed a task force to search for Kidane, reaching out to the San Jose Police and creating a GoFundMe to cover travel expenses for his family during the search. Kidane’s former college roommate disclosed that Kidane had shared a story about a suspicious Uber ride that occurred a few days before he disappeared. The Uber driver insisted on taking him to Oakland instead of his intended destination, raising suspicion.
Kidane allegedly texted a friend during the ride, expressing concern about the situation. Upon returning to San Jose, Kidane stated that he would never take an Uber alone again in San Francisco. The investigation into his disappearance is ongoing.
