Let me start by acknowledging that this is a travel blog, and I don’t usually cover missing people stories. However, this is something I wrote about early on (given the airline industry connection). In the weeks and months following the incident, it’s something I checked on almost daily, and lately it’s something I’ve looked at…
Continue reading: United Airlines Executive Still Missing, One Year Later
Share your questions, experiences, and thoughts below.
So he had 2 girlfriends and a family, was under criminal investigation, and had fanaticized about going off the grid, and then he disappeared with no trace?
hmmm.. 🙂
Will this become an annual post?
He “disappeared” himself. Unless he gets sloppy or the authorities (who don’t seem to be actively looking) get lucky I’ll look forward to the 2022 update!
It's especially sad since I know and have worked with Jake in his capacity before he was promoted to SVP sales and after he was promoted. The Jake I knew was an awesome guy. I feel awful for his family and colleagues at United. @Lucky - thanks for keeping this story alive.
The older fleet of the aircraft of the 1990s with three girlfriends and four people whom live in Atlanta Georgia of United.
I know this is speculation and don't mean to upset anyone that may have been friends of this man but it seems apparent he is no longer alive. To drop off the face of the earth and disappear to avoid criminal charges is very difficult and well beyond the scope of most people so assume that isn't the case. It would seem likely he either had an accident hiking and later perished or possible committed suicide since he was obviously under a lot of stress with the events in his life.
In any event very sad for the family.
Was his company photo a glamour shot? I’m like oh yum then see the other photo and am like am I being catfished.
I’m sure he’s in Barbados or grand caymans lying low. His body would’ve been found otherwise.
Ben, why haven't you said what the criminal investigation is/was about? Is it classified or just too icky to mention?
Agreed. The odds he's alive are virtually zero. Which is tragic, but is probably the case sadly.
He was probably one of the few united bigwigs not to go along with Newsom's bribery plan to help UA at SFO.
If I was writing a mystery novel, the criminal investigation would probably be implicating himself and some other party, and he went to meet up with someone representing the other party. It would explain why he filled up his gas (he intended to remain alive) but left behind everything traceable.
From what I’m seeing on the web they aren’t telling what the investigation is about.
So strange the family hasn’t been more present in the media re the search and keeping the story alive.
And Elmhurst PD knows a lot more about motives with that search warrant
Thanks for the update
Some of my friends suspect he’s in witness protection. Explains why his family don’t want any help.
Waterfall Glen is actually a pretty big place, so (sadly) his remains could still be there - especially if he intended to commit suicide and not be found. It's a lot harder to stay off the grid and not be seen or detected by anyone for all this time. For starters, you would need another form of transportation to leave that area and you would need (lots of) cash. Again, I suppose he could have set that up - and if he did, I'd be fascinated to know the details. But it would seem unlikely.
1. He went off the grid and did a great job.
2. He is under witness protection.
3. He was a witness without protection.
4. He doesn't want his body to be found.
@Lucky
You need to travel more, things are starting to get a bit too slow here now. If you are settling down and this will be OMAAT moving forward, you will be losing readers. The Greece trip was good, make more trips.
It's 2020/2021. A person with that much responsibility in life doesn't just leave both their iPhone and Apple Watch at home by accident. Maybe one, but not the other too. That leads to intent to be lost. Now, suicide or escaping "off the grid" are all possible, but given the fact he left his devices at home, accident is certainly the last possibility. When you go on a solo hike, you *want* your communications device(s) with you. Not the other way around.
Also, warrants are not that vague. Literally, it's not legally possible to get a warrant that doesn't specifically say what they're after, and "evidence" doesn't cut it. Either it's redacted in what law enforcement was seeking at his house, or you only have part of the warrant. But the reason is in there... it's just not available to the public.
Where is the money for his house that was sold ? What happened to the person who represented him to sell the house ? Lots of unanswered questions here. Wouldn't finding these answers make tracking him down very easy ?
Another question -- couldn't the person who sold his house be funding him cash for him to remain quiet ?