The father of a 31-year-old woman missing more than two weeks after arriving at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) was found dead on Sunday. Ryan Kobayashi, 58, had flown to Los Angeles to look for his daughter, Hannah Kobayashi, but tragically died in what police believe was a suicide.
According to the Long Beach Press Telegram, Ryan reportedly jumped out of a parking lot near LAX around 4 a.m. Sunday. While police suspect suicide, the medical examiner has not yet confirmed the official cause of death. The search for Hannah began after her family received alarming text messages from her on November 11, three days after she landed at LAX.
In the messages, Hannah expressed fear and claimed that someone might be trying to steal her money and identity. “The last message Hannah sent us was alarming: she mentioned that she was feeling scared and that someone might be trying to steal her money and identity.” his family said. “We have not heard from her since and are very concerned for her safety.”
Hannah, who flew from Maui, Hawaii, to LAX on Nov. 8, missed her connecting flight to New York, where she was supposed to meet her family and attend events. On November 10, she attended a Nike event at The Grove shopping center in Los Angeles and shared a photo on Instagram. The next day, his family started receiving unusual text messages.
His aunt, Laurie Pidgeon, said NBC Los Angeles that the messages included “weird things” and terms like “babe,” which Hannah never used with them. The family recently obtained security footage showing Hannah at a downtown subway station near the Crypto.com Arena. The footage reportedly shows her sick and in the company of other people, although it is unclear when the video was recorded.
“It is evident that Hannah does not appear to be in good condition and is not alone,” the family said. Hannah’s phone rang one last time at LAX, and her ex-boyfriend, who was on the flight with her from Maui but did not speak to her, reportedly continued on to New York without incident. He has been cooperating with authorities.
The circumstances surrounding Hannah’s disappearance remain a mystery. A vigil was held for her in downtown Los Angeles and the search for answers continues. The tragic death of his father adds another layer of anguish to an already disturbing case.