This Med Student Was Last Seen Walking Alone In 2014 Before He Vanished, And Potential Sightings Led His Family To Believe He Was Alive In San Diego
In 2014, Derek Seehausen was a fourth-year medical student at the University of Southern California (USC). He was known as an athletic outdoorsman who was also at the top of his class and loved by his peers.
Yet, on August 5, 2014, the 26-year-old mysteriously disappeared, and possible sightings caused his loved ones to believe he could still be alive.
That Tuesday evening, Derek reportedly told a friend he needed to be up early the following morning for work and went home.
Then, he was seen driving to a Vons supermarket located on Alvarado Street and withdrew $200 cash from an ATM at 10:34 p.m.
This was unusual for Derek, who didn’t typically carry a lot of cash around. Additionally, he bought milk and cereal, which were subsequently found in his home.
Later that night, Derek was spotted returning a set of keys to his friend’s house, located on the 1000 block of Wilshire Boulevard. Next, he sent a payment of $2,999 to a friend using his iPhone to repay a loan for medical school.
Derek must have returned home afterward since his cell phone, wallet, and keys were found there. His car was left behind as well.
He was last seen at 12:02 a.m., walking on foot on the 2000 block of Alvarado Street. Derek was not carrying a bag; he was only carrying his ID and $200 in cash.
Derek’s disappearance was shocking for his friends and family. There was no indication that he intended to hurt himself.
Facebook – pictured above is Derek
Rather, only one week before he vanished. Derek reportedly posted a video of himself scuba diving on Facebook.
According to his mother, Jean Gadra, he also sent her an email discussing his spring graduation dates and plans for Christmas.
“As you can imagine… this is an unimaginable nightmare for our family. We don’t understand it. It isn’t at all… if you took a thousand people, Derek would be the last person to do this,” Jean said.
Shuhan He, one of Derek’s close friends, was baffled when Derek went missing, too. The pair had spoken three days prior, making plans to attend a dinner party and watch a movie the following weekend.
So, once Shuhan heard that Derek hadn’t attended class in a few days on August 8, 2014, he was shocked, considering the fact that Derek was a very dedicated student.
“Med school is a difficult place, but he was someone who handled it well. This was not something in character for him,” Shuhan explained.
Following his disappearance, Derek’s family hired a private investigator, Thomas Martin, who thought Derek may still be alive and in need of medical attention. Following some strange potential sightings, his family believed Derek could be in San Diego.
First, on September 5, 2014, LA County Sheriff’s Department deputies were reviewing surveillance footage on a metro bus when they saw a man who fit Derek’s description.
“A photo released by LAPD on Friday, September 5, 2014, of a man on a metro LA bus bearing a striking resemblance to Derek has fueled a sense of urgency to locate the missing student,” Thomas stated at the time.
Then, on September 10, 2014, a man who looked like Derek was seen shuffling between Solana Beach and Cardiff by the Sea on Pacific Coast Highway. Thomas suspected that it was Derek since he suffered from plantar fasciitis, a painful condition that impacts the heel of his foot.
According to a spokesperson for Derek’s family, he frequently visited San Diego, as he had friends who lived there and enjoyed surfing at Mission Beach.
Despite these sightings, though, no further clues to Derek’s whereabouts were uncovered. Derek has remained missing for over 10 years, and his loved ones continue searching for answers.
They created a website, HelpFindDerek.com, to raise awareness about his case. A Facebook page entitled “Help Find Derek Seehausen” was also launched with the same purpose.
On August 6, 2019, Shuhan shared an update on both the Facebook page and website.
“It’s hard to believe that five years later, Derek Seehausen is still missing. We have not had new significant updates since 2016, but what we have seen in the interim is an outpouring of support, love, and memories that we will always hold dear,” he wrote.
“His Facebook page is a monument to the amazing mark he left on us all, and even though he is still missing five years later, he is not missing in our hearts or our memories.”
Shuhan went on to say that Thomas Martin created a $25,000 reward for information that led to Derek’s location and urged anyone with tips to get in touch.
“Derek will always be with us and, personally, with me. Derek’s vibrance for life inspires me every day. His patience and kindness have always pushed me to be kinder, more giving, and more loving,” Shuhan said.
“His legacy will always continue, not just through me, but all the countless lives that he touched, the hundreds and thousands of friends who helped support the effort to find him, who remind us they love him on his Facebook wall.”
Derek was six feet tall, weighed about 180 pounds, and had brown hair and hazel eyes. He was last seen wearing blue jeans and a light-colored T-shirt.
Anyone with information regarding his case is urged to contact the Los Angeles Police Department Rampart Station at (213) 484-3400.
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