Elliot Eastman

Status:

Open

Jurisdiction:

Philippine National Police Regional Office 9 Pro (9)

Missing From:

Sibuco, Zamboanga del Norte, Philippines

Summary:

Elliot Onil Eastman was a 26-year-old American YouTuber from Vermont who was kidnapped on October 17, 2024, from his home in Sibuco, Zamboanga del Norte, Philippines. He was shot during the abduction and presumed deceased in December 2024 based on witness and suspect testimony. His body has never been recovered.

Vital Statistics

Circumstances of Disappearance:

On the evening of October 17, 2024, Elliot Eastman conducted a livestream from his home in Sitio Tungawan, Barangay Poblacion, Sibuco, Zamboanga del Norte. He appeared withdrawn and disheveled, discussing his dissatisfaction with life in the Philippines. Approximately two hours after ending the livestream, four armed men posing as police officers arrived at his property. When Eastman resisted, they shot him in the leg and abdomen. The assailants forcibly dragged him to a motorized banca (small boat) and fled toward the Sulu Sea with him aboard. According to police, Eastman was shot multiple times during the struggle to prevent his escape.

Additional Details:

Eastman had first traveled to the Philippines in 2023, where he met Karisha Jala, a local Sama-Sibuco woman. They married in a traditional Muslim ceremony in July 2023, with Eastman converting to Islam. After briefly returning to the United States for work, he relocated permanently to Sibuco in May 2024 to live with his wife. He was documenting his life in the remote region through a YouTube channel and other social media platforms. No ransom demand was ever made, and authorities found no proof of life following the abduction. In late November 2024, one arrested suspect confessed that Eastman had died from his wounds during the abduction and that his body had been discarded in waters near Zamboanga City. On December 5, 2024, Philippine National Police announced they believed Eastman was deceased based on witness testimony and suspect statements. Three suspects—Mursid Ahod, Abdul Sahibad, and Fahad Sahibad—were killed in police encounters in November 2024. On October 29, 2024, kidnapping and serious illegal detention charges were filed against six suspects. The alleged mastermind, Jackaria Siddik Jamani, 35, a resident of Sibuco described as an Abu Sayyaf Group supporter, was arrested on January 7, 2025, aboard a ferry in the Basilan Strait between Zamboanga City and Basilan Strait. He was apprehended on a warrant issued December 25, 2024, and denied bail. Several other suspects surrendered or were arrested in October 2024. As of mid-2025, three perpetrators remain at large.

Case Last Updated:

Jun 15, 2026