A recent college graduate from New York, Yohanes Kidane, 22, who had just started working at Netflix in California, has mysteriously vanished. Kidane was last seen on Monday evening around 7:15 p.m. leaving his apartment in downtown San Jose and entering a vehicle displaying an Uber sticker, according to his family.
Kidane’s colleagues reported that they had spoken to him shortly before his disappearance. He had mentioned plans to travel to San Francisco, possibly to meet a friend. The last known sighting of Kidane was captured by a security camera as he entered a black Toyota Camry.
Kidane had relocated to the Bay Area in July and was in his second week of employment at Netflix, where he was working as a software engineer. His personal belongings, including his cell phone, wallet, and backpack, were later discovered near the Golden Gate Bridge Welcome Center in San Francisco.
According to his brother, Yosief Kidane, the location data from Yohanes’s phone indicated that he spent most of Monday night near the Golden Gate Bridge. A commuter in San Rafael found Kidane’s phone and wallet on a small grassy hill between the Welcome Center and a coffee shop. The wallet contained $30 in cash, ID cards, and the phone was untouched.
The following day, Kidane’s backpack was found closer to the bridge. It contained two laptops and personal documents. Kidane, a Cornell University graduate, is 5’8″, weighs 150 pounds, and was last seen wearing gray sweatpants, a black hoodie, and black shoes.
Kidane’s mother, Mehret Hana Beyene, made a heartfelt plea for her son’s safe return. She described him as a good man with a promising future who is deeply loved by his family.
A task force comprising Kidane’s friends and relatives has been formed to search for him. They have reached out to the San Jose Police and set up a GoFundMe to cover travel expenses for the family during the search.
Kidane’s former college roommate shared a concerning story about a suspicious Uber ride Kidane had taken just days before his disappearance. The driver had insisted on taking Kidane to Oakland instead of his intended destination, claiming it was safer. Kidane had texted his roommate during the ride, expressing concern that he “might be in trouble.”