DAVAO CITY – American vlogger Elliot Eastman, 26, reportedly died in captivity the night of his abduction on October 17, 2024.
This was revealed by Police Regional Office (PRO)-Zamboanga Peninsula acting spokesperson, Lieutenant Colonel Ramoncelio Sawan, on Thursday, December 5, 2024.
Police said they are yet to find Eastman’s body and have not clarified the motive behind the abduction.
In an interview, Sawan disclosed that two suspects arrested in connection with the kidnapping confessed that Eastman was fatally shot when he resisted his captors.
Eastman was abducted from his residence in Sitio Tungawan, Barangay Poblacion in the coastal town of Sibuco, Zamboanga del Norte, around 10 p.m. on October 17. He was staying at the home of his Muslim Filipina wife, Karisha Jala, when armed men, posing as police officers, forcibly dragged him out.
The suspects claimed that Eastman was shot in the leg during his struggle against the gunmen. Despite their efforts to transport him by boat, he succumbed to his injuries. According to their affidavit, his body was thrown into the sea.
Former Sibuco Mayor Norbideiri Edding speculated that Eastman may have been targeted because his kidnappers assumed he was a wealthy foreigner.
He further revealed that Eastman had been facing financial troubles after being scammed by a previous girlfriend he had planned to marry.
Weeks before his abduction, Eastman expressed fears for his safety in a Facebook livestream. On September 22, he described his living conditions as perilous “As long as I’m here, my life is still at risk, you know,” he said in his vlog, adding, “It’s like living in the most dangerous area in the country. It’s literally the red zone.”
Sawan confirmed that a suspect, during an extrajudicial confession, corroborated earlier reports that Eastman was killed and his body dumped at sea. The confession has been submitted to the Prosecutor’s Office, which has since filed charges against those involved.
Sawan noted that authorities had been searching intensively for Eastman, hoping he was still alive. While they have yet to recover his body, the investigation continues, and the motive behind the abduction remains unclear.
The police, in coordination with the U.S. Embassy, have informed Eastman’s family of the developments.
Meanwhile, authorities are pursuing leads to locate Eastman’s remains and hold the perpetrators fully accountable.
Edith Z Caduaya studied Bachelor of Science in Development Communication at the University of Southern Mindanao.
The chairperson of Mindanao Independent Press Council (MIPC) Inc.
