12/17/2024
True Crime Story Magazine
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The Hannah Kobayashi Saga
Monday, December 16, 2024
Part One - The Mysterious Disappearance of Hannah Kobayashi
Written by A.k.Finch
This article mentions su***de. If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, please call or text 988. You can also visit 988lifeline.org
What started out as an ordinary, everyday trip has turned into a horrific labyrinth of unanswered questions and a tragedy that has changed the course of the Kobayashi family forever. Hannah Kobayashi, a budding photographer, had planned a “bucket list” trip to New York City. While in New York, Hannah had planned to visit her aunt, Geordan Montalvo, go to a concert, check out the art scene, and explore the city. However, that never happened. Hannah mysteriously disappeared and, in a strange sequence of events, sent the Kobayashi family into a harrowing and inexplicable cascade that plunged her family into despair.
Ms. Kobayashi happened to be on the flight to New York with her ex-boyfriend. They purchased the plane tickets while they were still together. Since they could not get the tickets refunded, they decided to keep them, and when Hannah and her ex landed in New York, they planned to take separate vacations. The plan seemed simple enough. Yet, those plans went awry. There was a layover at LAX Airport. Hannah never made it on the connecting flight and never made it to New York.
Timeline:
• On November 8th, Hannah Kobayashi left Maui headed toNew York City
o landed at LAX at 9:53 p.m.
• On November 9th, seen at Taschen Books at The Grove Mall
On November 10th, seen at the Nike Store at The Grove Mall at 3:40 p.m.
o talked to a ticket agent at LAX at 5:00 p.m.
• On November 11th, boarded the LAX Metro C Line at Aviation/Center Station at 9:02 p.m.
o Changed trains at Rosa Parks Station
o Leaves the Metro Pico Station at 10:03 p.m.
Last Communications
Hannah Kobayashi, 30, has been missing in Los Angeles and the last time her friends or family heard from her was November 11th. She had missed her connecting flight and had told her family that she had planned to sleep at the airport.
“So, I reached out to her and I’m like, ‘Hey, are you in New York yet?’ And she’s like, ‘Not yet.’ And it was weird because the flight that she was supposed to go on had already flown,” Brandi Yee, Hannah's mother, said. (Aizin, 2024)
The following day, November 9th, Hannah visited Taschen Books at The Grove Mall. While at the bookstore, she asked an employee if she could charge her phone. While her phone charged, she ate some food and filled out a mailing list card with her Hawaiian address listed on it. She later returned to the airport after her phone was charged.
The next day, she was seen on surveillance cameras at The Grove Mall again. This time, she was at the Nike store for a LeBron XXII Trial Experience. Hannah was seen in the background of a YouTube video. She also posted photos of the event to her Instagram account. At five o'clock that same day, she was back at the airport. She spoke to a ticketing agent for almost an hour. She was trying to get her ticket figured out and get a flight to New York. She had been in contact with family, texting them, telling them that getting a new ticket to New York had been a nightmare.
Her communication with her friends and family seemed normal until November 11th. Things seemed to take a strange turn. Hannah had sent some unusual texts. She sent messages to her aunts saying that she believed that someone had stolen her identity and all her money, her aunt, Larie Pidgeon, told the police.
Then, they received more cryptic text messages saying that she had a spiritual awakening. There were words used in the texts that seemed odd. Words she never used, like hun, babe, and love.
"She texted her that she was scared and that she couldn’t come back home or something," Sydni, Hanna’s sister, told Hawaii News Now. "It was just really weird texts … it doesn’t sound like her, like there’s just something off about it. So, I wasn’t too sure. I don’t know if it’s her or if someone else was texting.” (Aizin, 2024).
Soon after that, no one could reach Hannah. They believe her phone died, and there was no way to get in touch with her. There are security videos of Kobayashi taking the LAX Metro C Line at Aviation/Century Station, changing trains at Rosa Parks Station, and then leaving Pico Station at 10:03 p.m. that evening. Her family said she was with an unknown man in the video from the Metro Station. They said it was her for sure, but she did not look well.
Missing Persons
Immediately, her father, Ryan Kobayashi, and other family members rushed to Los Angeles to look for Hannah. They traced her steps to the bookstore. It was confirmed that the mailing list. Hannah filled out was her handwriting. Ryan hit the streets with several volunteer groups and searched for Hannah. They checked everywhere, including Skid Row and other places in the L.A. area. The Los Angeles Police Department told family and volunteers that they should not be in these areas at night. It just is not safe.
On November 12th, the Kobayashi family filed a Missing Person’s report with the Los Angeles Police Department. The LAPD spokesperson, Jeff Lee, announced that they are doing everything they can to find Hannah. They believe the case to be either an abduction or a human trafficking situation.
On November 15th, the Los Angeles Police Department launched a full-fledged social media campaign to raise awareness of the situation.
For weeks, her father searched the streets and looked for Hannah. He hardly slept. Ryan told the news, “Everything is just a blur, it seems, because I haven’t slept well since I’ve heard the news.” (Yousif, 2024)
On November 24th, Ryan Kobayashi was found dead in a parking lot adjacent to the LAX Airport. The LAPD reported that her father died from blunt force trauma. It is believed that he jumped from a parking structure to the parking lot below. Later, on Facebook, his family reported that her father died from su***de.
"He just died of a broken heart," Pidgeon said. "Being on the streets and seeing what the possibilities of where his daughter could be. No sleep. The speculating rumors that are going around. It just took a toll on him." "This is a man who just had a mental breakdown from sleep deprivation," Pidgeon said. "Su***de is not something that was even spoken of. It wasn't even a concept that we would think would happen. And now we have suffered two tragedies. We're hanging on by a thread and we just need the search to continue, because there's still hope for Hannah." (Robledo and Powel, 2024)
Hannah’s family has asked the public to actively help search for her. The Kobayashi family has been through so much in the past few weeks. “At this point, we can’t rule anything out because it’s been 15 days since she’s been missing, and nobody’s heard from her,” Pidgeon added. “We are considering abduction or trafficking. That’s something the family had to come to grips with over the past couple of weeks, but that doesn’t mean we’re losing hope or giving up.” (Lin, 2024)
Ryan’s niece, Emi Ko, has set up a GoFundMe account to help his fiancée pay for his funeral costs. On Facebook: https://gofund.me/bf003b8b or https://www.gofundme.com/f/prayers-for-ryan-kobayashi
At this point, they are currently looking into two suspects. Hannah’s family told police that two suspicious payments were made via Venmo around the time that she went missing. One payment was made on November 11th at 6:25 p.m. It was sent to a woman named Veronica Almendarez, and the only description was a bow-and-arrow emoji. The other payment was made less than an hour later, at 7:19 p.m. This payment was to a man named Jonathan Taylor. The subject line for this payment was “Reading,” which seemed like it was for a tarot card reading. Both amounts have not been made public, and neither suspect has been accused of any wrongdoing.
Many conspiracy theories have made their way into the media about this case. Hannah’s family has made it clear that these are not true. Her aunt has said that people are just trying to make more out of the story than there really is. One thing that still has not been mentioned is if the ex-boyfriend made it to New York City. Nothing has been mentioned about him except for the fact that they both were on the same flight.
Hannah is described as five feet, ten inches tall, with brown hair, brown eyes, fair skin, and freckles. She has a knife tattoo on her forearm. She was last seen in the Los Angeles area. If you have any information that can help find Hannah, please contact the LAPD at (877) 527-3247.
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Part Two - The Mysteries of Hannah Kobayashi - Updated
Written by A.k.Finch
A strange new chapter has unfolded in the whirling mystery surrounding Hannah Kobayashi's disappearance. Since Hannah was last spotted at Los Angeles International Airport on November 11th, the case has taken many fierce turns, including the tragic death of her father, Ryan Kobayashi, the discovery that she had turned up in Mexico, and the mystery behind her alleged Green Card marriage only further deepens the sorrow. As the Kobayashi family grapples with loss, the new developments and theories raise more questions with no definite answers. One thing that is known for sure is that a lot of people have been sending money to Hannah through Venmo.
On November 8th, Hannah missed her connecting flight to New York City and then allegedly spent time around The Grove and LAX while attempting to get a new flight until she mysteriously disappeared on the 11th. LAX footage showed her speaking with an attendant for almost an hour. Previously, it was believed that Hannah asked the attendant about getting a new flight without success. It is now known that she was making arrangements for her luggage to be returned to LAX from her missed flight to NYC.
Coincidently, her luggage was returned to LAX on November 11th, the day all communication with her went dark.
It has been reported that Hannah was seen crossing the border to Mexico on November 12th, one day before her family filed a Missing Person report with the LAPD. According to her mother, Brandi Yee, immigration papers were found in Hannah’s home. Her mother immediately contacted a lawyer, Sara Azari, with this new information. These papers were then turned over to the FBI and LA Police. This news of a “marriage for money” goes even deeper with several reports that Hannah’s ex-boyfriend, her new husband, Alan Cacace, and Alan’s girlfriend, Marianna, all were on the flight together.
"This is one of many leads we are actively investigating with the help of our attorney and investigative team. We would also like to confirm that we turned over the alleged information to law enforcement immediately upon receipt," the Kobayashi family said in a statement, in part through their attorney, Sara Azari. (Balagtas, 2024)
“A Facebook user sent what looked like a Hawaiian beach wedding photo of Hannah with another man with leis around their necks wearing white, and they said that they learned off of Reddit that there was this sham marriage for money and that this is the wedding picture that’s being circulated on Reddit,” said Sara Azari, the Kobayashi family attorney, to NewsNation. “Of course, that came as a shock to Hannah’s sister.” (Loo & Kolinsky, 2024)
These photos have since been removed from Instagram. The Kobayashi family remains silent until more information has been confirmed. Hannah’s aunt, Larie Pidgeon, has told reporters that she plans on traveling to Mexico to find her niece and ensure her safety.
Through the never-ending searches and investigations, the LAPD was able to track down the unknown man in the videos with Kobayashi around the LA area. The police spoke to the unnamed man twice. What he had to say to the police shed a lot of light on the situation. The man told the police that Hannah was not in any danger. They had met each other and hit it off immediately. In fact, she spent most of their time together talking about herself, her family, her plans to go to New York, and her desire to visit the Redwoods. The man said she seemed like a free spirit. The two of them fell asleep at Union Station, and at 6:10 a.m. on November 12th, she boarded the train headed to the Mexico border through San Diego. She arrived there safely and crossed the border into Mexico around noon.
Hannah’s family has said they are doing everything to ensure she is brought home safely. At this time, the police are not continuing the investigation because Hannah crossed the border voluntarily and was not under any duress. However, the police stated that they had not heard from her and that they wanted to hear her side of the story.
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Part Three - Hannah Kobayashi: The Unfolding Tale
Written by A.k.Finch
This story includes the subject of su***de. If you or someone you know needs help, the National Su***de and Crisis Lifeline in the U.S. is available by calling or texting 988. There is also an online chat at 988lifeline.org.
Hannah Kobayashi has finally been found. In a gripping tale with more twists and turns than a rollercoaster, her family is happy to report that they have spoken to Hannah, and she is safe.
This unusual story started in October when Hannah married Alan Cacace in a Green Card scam. While on a flight to New York, she was promised $15,000 upfront and another $15,000 after all the immigration documents had been approved. However, Hannah was not on the flight alone. She was accompanied by her ex-boyfriend, Amun Miranda, her new Green Card husband, and his girlfriend, Marianne. Co-workers confirmed that Hannah confided in them that Marianne was upset and jealous of Hannah for marrying her boyfriend. Interestingly, Amun had also married Alan’s girlfriend, making the situation even more complicated. This was not a love triangle situation; it was a love square.
Allegedly, the entire plan was not a secret. Hannah had spoken about her plans to her co-workers at Up N Smoke. “There was no secret,” Desiree, Hannah’s co-worker, told the Daily Mail, “She told us about her plans.” The plans included visiting all of the “iconic” spots in New York: The Statue of Liberty, Central Park on Broadway, and The Empire State Building. They planned to take fake honeymoon pictures to help verify their sham of a marriage. Co-workers also disclosed that Hannah was unhappy about the whole situation. She was excited about her trip to New York but did not want to share it with her ex, Alan, and Marianne. Kobayashi did not want this to interrupt her plans, yet, hesitantly, she said she could devote one day to it. Alan posted photos of him and Hannah, believing that the pictures would be enough evidence to convince immigration of their happy union. Those photos have since been taken down and deleted.
On November 8th, 2024, Hannah got on a plane from Maui to LAX, with a connecting flight 42 minutes later, leaving for New York City. However, her plans went south, as she never made the connecting flight. At this point, a web of lies, confounding actions, and cryptic communications plunged her family, the LAPD, and several volunteer groups into a whirlwind of confusion and urgent action.
Desiree had known Hannah’s ex for a long time. When she did not board her connecting flight and was considered “missing,” Desiree began messaging Amun.
“We’re all doing our best to track down Hannah with no luck yet. What is the couples names (you know who is talking about. Aka fake husband) and did they make it to New York as well?
All seems very sus and you should have told her family she didn’t get on the flight.
Actually no you should’ve got off that flight when you realized she wasn’t on it.
Explain.”
“It was a short connection, 20 minutes. I made it and everyone else did because we hustled to the gate. Me and her hadn’t talked since August. I had to reason to suspect anything strange. I’m visiting my sister here. She’s and adult and I’d heard she’d also possibly had plans in Cali. I have no reason to get off a plane and miss time on my own trip for something I thought was as simple as just missing one flight and catching the next available one. I shouldn’t have had to do anything because her and I split up 3-4 months ago and agreed to no contact. Her husband is sweet and just a lil guy and wouldn’t hurt a fly. He has nothing to do with any of this.”
Amun also mentioned to Desiree that Hannah had an issue with drug addiction.
According to the Perezhilton, “Anita Lopez, an insider close to the Kobayashi family, told the outlet Hannah was, indeed, struggling with a ‘heavy drug problem’ and that it played a role in her split from Amun.”
Between November 9th and the 11th, Hannah was seen by surveillance cameras around the LAX area. She visited The Grove a couple of times, a bookstore, and was last seen at the Pico Metro Station near the Crypto.com Arena around 10 p.m. on Nov. 11. She was accompanied by an unknown man with whom she spent her last few hours in California. He later spoke with the Los Angeles Police, reassuring them that she was in no danger. She spoke with him about her life, her family, and her future plans.
Her communication with her friends and family seemed normal until November 11th, when things seemed to take a strange turn. Her aunt, Larie Pidgeon, told the police that she sent messages to her aunts saying that she believed someone had stolen her identity and all of her money.
Then, they received more cryptic text messages saying she had had a spiritual awakening. The texts used odd words like "hun," "babe," and "love." These were words she wasn’t known to use.
"She texted her that she was scared and that she couldn’t come back home or something," Sydni, Hanna’s sister, told Hawaii News Now. "It was just really weird texts … it doesn’t sound like her, like there’s just something off about it. So, I wasn’t too sure. I don’t know if it’s her or if someone else was texting.”
Soon after that, communications with Hannah ceased. They believed her phone had died and that there was no way to contact her. In the early morning of November 12, Hannah purchased a train ticket to San Diego and left her phone at the station.
When her family saw the footage of her at the Metro Station, they said it was her for sure, but she did not look well.
Missing Persons
Immediately, Hannah’s father, Ryan Kobayashi, and other family members rushed to Los Angeles to look for her. They didn’t know that, at that time, she had already headed for San Diego and crossed the border to Mexico. They traced her steps to the bookstore, where it was confirmed that a mailing list she had filled out was done in her handwriting. Ryan hit the streets with several volunteer groups and searched for Hannah. They checked everywhere, including Skid Row and other places in the L.A. area. The Los Angeles Police Department told her family and volunteers that they would not want to be in these areas at night. It just wasn’t safe.
The Kobayashi family filed a Missing Person’s report with the Los Angeles Police Department. The LAPD spokesperson, Jeff Lee, announced that they had been doing everything they could to find Hannah. They believed the case to be either an abduction or a human trafficking situation.
The LAPD launched a full-fledged social media campaign to raise awareness of the situation on November 15th.
For weeks, her father searched the streets and looked for Hannah. He hardly slept. Ryan told the news, “Everything is just a blur, it seems, because I haven’t slept well since I’ve heard the news.”
On November 24th, Ryan Kobayashi was found dead in a parking lot adjacent to the LAX Airport. The LAPD reported that her father died from blunt force trauma, and it is believed that he jumped from a parking structure to the parking lot below. Later, on Facebook, his family reported that he had died from su***de.
"He just died of a broken heart," Pidgeon said. "Being on the streets and seeing what the possibilities of where his daughter could be. No sleep. The speculating rumors that are going around. It just took a toll on him."
"This is a man who just had a mental breakdown from sleep depression," She added. "Su***de is not something that was even spoken of. It wasn't even a concept that we would think would happen. And now we have suffered two tragedies. We're hanging on by a thread, and we just need the search to continue, because there's still hope for Hannah.”
During this time, the Kobayashi family set up a couple of GoFundMe accounts to help Ryan’s fiancé pay for funeral expenses and to help the family with the cost of everything. The family raised over $47,000.
According to the Daily Mail, “A post made to the fundraiser has since said the family would be turning donations off and that they would honor any claims submitted for a refund. They said: 'We are turning donations off, and any donor who would like a refund can submit a claim by December 18th, and it will be honored.'”
Throughout this ordeal, the Kobashi family remained very tight-lipped and mostly spoke through their lawyer.
The LAPD spoke out, saying that, the moment they saw the video of Hannah crossing the San Diego border into Tijuana on her own accord, they changed the status from “missing” to “voluntarily missing” and closed the book on the search.
On December 11th, it was reported that Hannah had finally spoken to her family. Until that day, everything was speculation because no one had heard from her. Still, no definitive details have been given. The family only stated that they had spoken to her and that she was safe.
“We are incredibly relieved and grateful that Hannah has been found safe,” the statement published by the International Business Times said. “This past month has been an unimaginable ordeal for our family, and we kindly ask for privacy as we take the time to heal and process everything we have been through.”
“I've been running my brain all day, every day for the past month,” Desiree told the Daily Mail just days before Kobayashi reached out to her family.
“Something freaked her out that she dumped her trip and went to freaking Mexico.” she went on to say, “I can't understand why she'd miss out on her bucket list trip.”
Alan and Marianne, the Argentinian couple at the center of the whole marriage sham, have not been seen or heard from since the plane landed in New York. Amun Miranda, Hannah’s ex-boyfriend, has reportedly returned safely to Maui. Yet, he is conveniently avoiding any public attention.
For the Kobayashi family, learning that Hannah is safe does not end the situation. Through the past month, they have suffered a tragic loss with the death of Ryan Kobayashi and tension between family members regarding the way the whole situation was handled.
In the United States, immigration fraud is a serious offense with severe consequences. Hannah’s involvement in the scam surrounding the Green Card marriage raises more questions for her and her family. What will happen when she returns to the States? Is this why Hannah has taken refuge in Mexico for the time being?
This whole situation should remind us to consider the thin line between seeking a new life and falling into a spiral of deception. Hannah's eventual fate and the decisions that led up to her current situation remain as mysterious as the day she vanished, leaving us to wonder about the true cost of a dream deferred.
***de
