The body of a software engineer who recently relocated to San Francisco for a job at Netflix was found in the San Francisco Bay, revealing the cause of his death as a drowning by suicide.
Yohanes Kidane, 22, had recently graduated from Cornell University. His body was discovered northeast of the Golden Gate Bridge on Tuesday morning, August 29. Riders on a passing boat saw his remains and notified the Coast Guard, according to the Marin County Sheriff’s Office.
Kidane, who originally hailed from Webster, New York, had been reported missing since August 14. He was last seen when he left his apartment in San Jose via an Uber. His brother mentioned the last communication he had with Kidane was on August 13. His sister later traced his phone near the Golden Gate Bridge, but subsequent efforts to contact him were in vain.
The state of Kidane’s body showed signs of advanced decomposition, evidence of being in the water for an extended period, and significant damage, as per the sheriff’s office reports.
With the absence of any identification on the body, it posed challenges for the investigating authorities. However, on September 7, the coroner identified the remains as Kidane’s and informed his family about the tragic discovery.
The sheriff stated that the cause of death was due to blunt force injuries in conjunction with drowning, and it was conclusively deemed a suicide. Near the Golden Gate Bridge Welcome Center, personal items belonging to Kidane were found, which included his wallet, cellphone, and backpack. The images stored on his phone showed he spent considerable time near the bridge on the night he went missing.
Kidane had just marked the end of his second week working at Netflix when he disappeared. In the days leading up to his disappearance, Kidane had shared an unsettling experience with friends and family, revealing that he was taken on an unexpected detour through Oakland by a rideshare driver, which made him apprehensive about using such services solo. The implications of this experience are unclear.
A GoFundMe campaign was initiated in the wake of his disappearance by his loved ones. They managed to raise over $100,000, which was used to set up a search team.