Age 30 Hannah Kobayashi had a distinct presence that came through in her art and demeanour
Hannah Kobayashi is a gifted photographer from Maui, Hawaii, who is well-known on Instagram for her geometric and mandala pieces.
Who is Hannah Kobayashi as Hawaii photographer goes missing and isn’t found yet, bio, age, height, father, mother, sister, husband and Instagram
The 30 year old is 5 feet 10 inches tall, has brown hair, hazel eyes and a knife tattoo on her forearm.
Hannah Kobayashi was traveling to New York for what she called a “bucket list” adventure because she was passionate about using photography to tell stories. She was going to photograph a show in Brooklyn on November 13 and spend time with her aunt in upstate New York.
#UPDATE : Missing photographer Hannah Kobayashi spotted buying bus ticket day before police said she crossed border into Mexico.#HannahKobayashi #Mexico #MISSING #HannahKobayashiMissing pic.twitter.com/ziPQtJt7Sm
— upuknews (@upuknews1) December 4, 2024
But on November 8, she missed a connecting flight in Los Angeles, and her adventure took an enigmatic turn. Her family and detectives are baffled by the sequence of events that transpired. Hannah missed her trip to New York after landing at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX), and on November 9 and 10, she was spotted at a Nike store event and the Taschen bookstore, respectively.
On November 11, she was captured on camera getting on a Metro train with an unnamed male and getting off at Pico station.
The man described her as a “free spirit” and said she was cool and collected. They ate dinner and chatted before bed at Union Station during the evening before falling asleep in a waiting area before Hannah vanished. The man has been questioned twice but is not being treated as a suspect in her disappearance.
Hannah bought a bus ticket early on November 12, drove to the border with Mexico, and entered Tijuana without her phone. Later, the LAPD declared that no criminal activity was suspected and listed her as a “voluntary missing person.”
Hannah Kobayashi is married, as is her ex-boyfriend. Here's why I am disclosing this information:
Hannah's family and now legal counsel has repeatedly criticized the LAPD, claiming they are dissatisfied with the investigation into her situation. Time and again, they have spoken… pic.twitter.com/3Ph45uJlIv
— SF INVESTIGATES • STEVE FISCHER (@SF_investigates) December 4, 2024
Claims by the family
Hannah’s family is still sceptical despite the police’s findings, pointing to odd behaviour and possible connections to a marriage fraud scam. Hannah’s mother, Brandi Yee, found documentation that linked her to a green card scam involving an Argentinian national named Alan Cacace and his girlfriend.
Recently, photos of what appears to be Kobayashi getting married have circulated on social media but her marital status isn’t officially confirmed yet.
Her mother reportedly discovered the alleged marriage to an Argentinian national via immigration documents that listed the name of an immigration lawyer found in Hannah’s Hawaii home and the Argentinian man involved, Alan Cacace, was reportedly aboard the flight from Maui to LAX on Nov. 8; the same flight Kobayashi’s ex-boyfriend also boarded.
Los Angeles Magazine, citing unnamed sources, said Kobayashi may have been involved in a secret marriage plot for money and the magazine characterized the marriage as an immigration scheme where Hannah was tricked out of the money that she was supposed to receive.
“A Facebook user sent what looked like a Hawaiian beach wedding photo of Hannah with another man with leis around their necks wearing white, and they said that they learned off of Reddit that there was this sham marriage for money and that this is the wedding picture that’s being circulated on Reddit,” said Sara Azari, the Kobayashi family attorney. “Of course, that came as a shock to Hannah’s sister.”
Her family has been pushing back on police’s claims that she voluntarily left after she went missing in California.
“Hannah’s actions are completely out of character,” her sister Sydni said. Sydni criticised her aunt, Larie Pidgeon, for pursuing media attention rather than supporting the search efforts.
Her family has questioned her ties in Los Angeles and voiced concerns about her mental health. They think she might have been tricked into going or that she was a victim of fraud.
When Hannah’s father, Ryan Kobayashi, committed suicide in Los Angeles on November 18, the hunt for Hannah took a terrible turn. He had gone to California to assist in the search for his daughter, but he gave in to the strain of the situation. He was found dead on November 24 in a parking lot near the LA International airport.
Nearly a month after a woman from Hawaii went missing after arriving at LAX, the family is now demanding to see the surveillance footage of her crossing the border into Mexico as according to the Los Angeles Police Department, Hannah Kobayashi entered Mexico voluntarily and there were no signs of foul play or her being trafficked.
Missing woman Hannah Kobayashi possibly involved in 'marriage'
byu/TheExpressUS inMissingPersons
The family has also hired their own private investigator and attorney, saying that they still believe she is in danger.
Her family reported her missing to law enforcement on Nov. 11 after relatives received strange and cryptic, just alarming text messages after she did not board a flight to New York City at LAX and Kobayashi crossed into Mexico at the San Ysidro border crossing Nov. 12, according to authorities.
We have lots of new info! The police NOW reveal that “missing” Hawaii woman #HannahKobayashi… pic.twitter.com/2FAz5vK4jf
— Perez (@ThePerezHilton) December 8, 2024