2012-08-09 / Front Page

Volunteers scour Pacific Palisades for signs of missing UCLA student

By Anna Bitong


Goeser Goeser An extensive search for missing UCLA senior David Goeser in Pacific Palisades over the weekend brought together more than 100 volunteers but did not reveal any clues to the 22-year-old’s whereabouts, said David’s father, Mark Goeser.

On Aug. 4 and 5, search teams, which included police with dogs, covered a threemile radius from where David’s white 2001 Toyota Corolla was found by police in front of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Pacific Palisades on July 25. The discovery last month prompted a 24-hour search through nearby trails, said David’s mother, Christi, a teacher at Oaks Christian School, where David graduated in 2008.

The latest search still produced nothing, Mark said.

“We didn’t turn up anything as far as clues. It does say he’s not here,” Mark told the Acorn this week. “We’re continuing to conduct our search up and down the West Coast.”

Mark said the community has been instrumental in efforts to find his son.

“The amount of volunteers, support, interest and concern directed our way has been amazing,” Mark said. “The countless hours volunteers have directed to this search have been a great help, and we’re very grateful.”

David had been battling depression before his disappearance, his mother said.

He was last seen by his roommates at their apartment in the 1000 block of Roebling Avenue in Westwood on July 22, according to the Los Angeles Police Department, which is helping with the search.

His parents reported him missing on July 24 after he hadn’t returned to his apartment for two days. He’d left behind his cellphone, wallet and other personal items.

David, an honors student, is an English major interested in film and music, his mother said. Though he’d been under a doctor’s care for depression, he was working and doing fine, Christi said, and she has no idea why he left without contacting his family.

Anyone with information regarding his whereabouts is asked to call the LAPD’s missing persons unit at (213) 996-1800 or (877) 527-3247.

For photos and updates, visit his family’s Facebook page, “Find David Goeser.”

Return to top