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Kobayashi case in LA; missing daughter, dad jumped to his death

shadow_operative2.0

By shadow_operative2.0
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shadow_operative2.0

shadow_operative2.0 16,030

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The father of missing Hawaii woman Hannah Kobayashi was found dead in Los Angeles on Sunday, according to police.

Ryan Kobayashi, who had traveled to LA to help in the search for his daughter, was found dead in a parking lot near Los Angeles International Airport, authorities said. The 58-year-old's case is listed as "open," the Los Angeles County Department of Medical Examiner noted on its website. 

The Los Angeles Police Department confirmed that officers responded to a call around 4 a.m. reporting a body found in the area. Police said Kobayashi apparently jumped to his death from a parking structure.

"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," the family said in a statement released through a nonprofit group helping with the search for Hannah Kobayashi.

"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 statement read.

Hannah Kobayashi was reported missing by her family on Nov. 12 after she missed a connecting flight from Maui to New York City at LAX days earlier on Nov. 8.

Since her disappearance, the elder Kobayashi - who said he was estranged from his daughter - had spoken on behalf of his family as they begged the public for help in the search.

"I just wish I could have been there more for her. Trying to find her is everything," he told FOX 11 during a rally outside Crypto.com Arena in downtown Los Angeles last week.

"Ryan was one of the most incredible, compassionate, loving, yet very sensitive man. He had a really big heart," Larie Pidgeon, Hannah Kobayashi's aunt, told FOX 11's Hailey Winslow. "We believe that after 12 days of searching, with maybe an hour of sleep each night… having all the possibilities swirl… we think Ryan basically broke, and he couldn't take it, and he took his life."

The family said they do not believe he had anything to do with Hannah's disappearance.

"It was just a broken father who couldn't take it any longer," Pidgeon said.

Security footage obtained by Kobayashi's family shows her leaving the airport on Nov. 8, wearing a black hoodie, tie-dye leggings, and carrying a dark green backpack. 

According to her family, Kobayashi was seen at The Grove on Nov. 9 and 10.  On the 10th, Kobayashi posted to her Instagram a black-and-white photo from the two-day Nike and LeBron James event she apparently attended at the shopping center located about 14 miles north of the airport.

Kobayashi returned to LAX on Nov. 11 but did not board a flight, according to the family, who said she was seen talking to an American Airlines agent for nearly 40 minutes to rebook a flight. That's the last time Kobayashi's phone pinged.

"It's just very unlike her to disappear," said sister Sydni Kobayashi.

Concerns grew when family said they received "strange" messages from her cell phone that "didn't sound like her."

"Even in those text messages, it just didn't seem like her or it seemed like someone else, or maybe someone did something to her to alter her state of mind, because that's not how she normally speaks," Sydni said. 

The family said they also obtained surveillance video showing Kobayashi in the area of the Pico Metro station near Crypto.com Arena. It's unclear when the footage was taken, but the family indicated that "it is evident Hannah does not appear to be in good condition and she is not alone."

They said that based on that evidence, Hannah was in extreme danger and possibly being sex trafficked.

"That fear is still with the family, very fearful of that," Pidgeon said. 

Hannah Kobayashi is described as 5'10", 140 lbs., with brown hair and hazel eyes. She has freckles on her face and a tattoo of a knife on her forearm, according to the LAPD. 

hannah-kobayashi-255146744-16x9-0.jpg

hannah3.jpg

 

Let's get @Nicole44 on the case. 

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BurntEyes

BurntEyes 6,034

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There's absolutely some strange shit going on in this one. I'm lost as fuck but perhaps that's because the current details are sketchy at best. Lots of things don't track for me.

I'm not going to dismiss some mental illness issue possibly leading to the fathers estrangement from his daughter. Likely a big factor in his suicide as well. However, even without a child, and admittedly no bad mental illness issue, I can't imagine dying before resolution. I also can't imagine being in those shoes so..

It's also suspicious.. lots left unclear. 

Edited by BurntEyes
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C-Man

C-Man 27,280

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5 hours ago, AbeFroman said:

"Hannah was finally seen leaving the Metro Pico Station with the unidentified person at 10:03pm."

Could be cross-country trekking adventure style.  She just broke up and apparently lost her money.  What does that do to someone psychologically?

Story I read a day or two ago said she wasn't alone at the metro station and appeared to be under duress.

Also said there were several odd text messages sent from her phone to family saying she'd been hacked and had all her money stolen, something along those lines.

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Gatorubet

Gatorubet 30,321

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1 hour ago, Paper_jam said:

Just on pure speculation I'm figuring she got to LAX, had some kind of anxiety attack or breakdown at the prospect of going back to NYC, and decided to hang out in LA for an extra day or two, and met some bad people.

Prolly met vampires walkin' through the Valley, moving west down Ventura Boulevard. 

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C-Man

C-Man 27,280

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16 hours ago, Paper_jam said:

Just on pure speculation I'm figuring she got to LAX, had some kind of anxiety attack or breakdown at the prospect of going back to NYC, and decided to hang out in LA for an extra day or two, and met some bad people.

 

She's from Hawai'i.

She and the boyfriend were together when the trip was planned and plane tickets were bought. They broke up but decided to both make the trip "apart" and were both on the Hawai'i-to-LA leg of the trip. He made it to NYC. Girl did not.

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Parliament

Parliament 14,333

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56 minutes ago, C-Man said:

She's from Hawai'i.

She and the boyfriend were together when the trip was planned and plane tickets were bought. They broke up but decided to both make the trip "apart" and were both on the Hawai'i-to-LA leg of the trip. He made it to NYC. Girl did not.

I’m no detective, but I think they should check that guy out.

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hornbri

hornbri 1,416

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4 hours ago, Parliament said:

I’m no detective, but I think they should check that guy out.

If those details are correct he was in NYC while she was at the grove and on the bus right? Not saying he couldn’t be involved somehow but it feels more like she walked out of the airport and met some bad people. 

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shadow_operative2.0

shadow_operative2.0 16,030

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Dog the Bounty Hunter, whose daughter knew Kobayashi, suggested she was potentially “snatched” and expressed hope she is still alive. He also noted the text messages did not sound like Kobayashi’s typical communication style.

“All women, beware,” he said. “There are things happening that are unbelievable.” 

Of course. 

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