On October 17, 2024, Elliot Eastman, an American

YouTuber A YouTuber is a content creator and social media influencer who uploads or creates videos on the online video-sharing website YouTube, typically posting to their personal YouTube channel. The term was first used in the English language in 2006 ...

residing in the Philippines, was kidnapped and wounded by armed men from his home in Sibuco,

Zamboanga del Norte Zamboanga del Norte (Cebuano language, Cebuano: ''Amihanang Zamboanga''; Subanon language, Subanon: ''Utara Sembwangan''; ), officially the Province of Zamboanga del Norte, is a Provinces of the Philippines, province in the Philippines situated w ...

. Police reports have stated he was shot in the leg and abdomen and was last seen being dragged into a boat into the

Sulu Sea The Sulu Sea (; Tausug: ''Dagat sin Sūg''; ; ) is a body of water in the southwestern area of the Philippines, separated from the South China Sea in the northwest by Palawan and from the Celebes Sea in the southeast by the Sulu Archipela ...

. The suspects were identified as Mursid Ahod, Abdul Sahibad, and Fahad Sahibad. As of December 2024, he is presumed dead and rescue operations are still ongoing.

Background

Eastman was a 26-year-old man from Hinesburg,

Vermont Vermont () is a U.S. state, state in the New England region of the Northeastern United States. It borders Massachusetts to the south, New Hampshire to the east, New York (state), New York to the west, and the Provinces and territories of Ca ...

, who graduated from

Champlain Valley Union High School Champlain Valley Union High School (CVU) is a high school located in the town of Hinesburg, Vermont, United States. The school serves the towns of Charlotte, Vermont, Charlotte, Hinesburg, Shelburne, Vermont, Shelburne, St. George, Vermont, St. Ge ...

in 2016. Eastman first travelled to the Philippines in 2023. In July of that same year, he married Karisha Jala, a Sama-Sibuco native. He returned to the United States briefly for work. In May 2024, he settled in the municipality of Sibuco,

, in the Philippines to live with his Filipino wife.

Kidnapping and apparent death

On October 17, 2024, Eastman was abducted from his home in Sibuco. He was shot in the leg and abdomen to prevent his escape. The men escaped with Eastman via a motorized

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towards the

. The perpetrators never released their demands for ransom or proof of his life as of December 6, 2024. Two months after the kidnapping, the police concluded in December that he is likely dead (possibly having bled to death from his wounds) and that his body was thrown into the Sulu Sea by the perpetrators.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Eastman, Elliot 2020s missing person cases 2024 crimes in the Philippines History of Zamboanga del Norte Kidnappings in the Philippines Kidnapping in the 2020s Missing person cases in the Philippines October 2024 crimes in Asia

Background

Kidnapping and apparent death

See also

References