West
Family of woman who went missing on cross-country vacation says cryptic texts sent from phone unlike her
Hannah Kobayashi’s family has gathered in Los Angeles to retrace the missing photographer’s steps after she missed her transfer flight to New York then disappeared after a series of cryptic messages and a brief appearance with an unknown man on surveillance footage near Skid Row.
The 31-year-old Oahu, Hawaii, resident had planned a vacation to see her aunt in New York City and flew from Maui to Los Angeles International Airport on Nov. 8, her aunt, Larie Pidgeon, told Fox News Digital. She was elated about her first music photography gig in the city, had an involved trip itinerary and had paid thousands for her hotel room, Pidgeon said.
Kobayashi was scheduled to take a connecting flight to New York, with a 40-minute layover at 11 a.m., and planned to go to a show with her aunt, but she never got on that flight. Her family is unsure why.
Then friends and family received a flurry of bizarre text messages that didn’t match the young woman’s usual cadence. She texted a friend that she “got tricked into pretty much giving away all my funds” and that she was tricked “for someone I thought I loved.”
HAWAII WOMAN’S CRYPTIC TEXT MESSAGES PROMPT CONCERN AFTER DISAPPEARANCE
Hannah Kobayashi, 31, was last seen on surveillance footage from the Pico Metro station with an unknown man on Nov. 11. She never boarded her flight from LAX to JFK on Nov. 8. (Larie Pidgeon)
“There was not a single emoji. She’s an artist. … Instead of a … question mark, she would put a crystal ball – she’s just that cute – and there was none of that,” Pidgeon said on Thursday. “She said that someone was trying to steal her funds, not cash, not money, funds. Like, who uses that word?”
“She [wrote she] was having a spiritual awakening, that she was concerned about the matrix. It was just the most bizarre text messages. And it went from, ‘Hi, I can’t wait to see you guys. Love you. Everything’s great.’”
Before sending the messages, Kobayashi was seen talking to a ticketing agent and trying to get a direct flight to New York rather than waiting on standby, Pidgeon said.
Hannah Kobayashi is pictured on surveillance footage from LAX on Nov. 8. Her family says there is also surveillance footage from Nov. 11 showing her with an unknown man at the Pico Metro Station in downtown Los Angeles but that it has yet to be released to the public. (Missing People of America/Facebook)
Kobayashi’s mother reported her missing on Nov. 11, Pidgeon said, the day that communications from the woman’s phone to family and friends halted. Through their own investigative work, the family viewed surveillance footage of Kobayashi from that day with an unknown man near the Pico Metro station in downtown L.A.
“The Pico station is in a very bad neighborhood, [and] it was late at night,” Pidgeon said. “That causes us even more alarm because it’s not a place that Hannah would go. There’s no reason that she would go to a neighborhood of crime. Even if she said, ‘Hey, I need to go get a hotel room because I’m tired,’ there’s 18 hotels by the airport … she would have to have two transfer stations to get to this station.”
MOM 9 MONTHS PREGNANT MISSING FOR A MONTH, LAST SEEN AT BOYFRIEND’S HOUSE, FAMILY SAYS
Hannah Kobayashi’s family traveled to Los Angeles to distribute fliers near where she was last seen. (Larie Pidgeon)
“We can’t release the footage; we would love to get it released to the public by the LAPD,” Pidgeon said on Thursday. “We’ve seen it, we know that it’s out there, and we’re like, ‘Why is it not getting released?’ At this point it’s been 10 days, I feel like it could help so much in the investigation.”
Pidgeon said Thursday morning that the Los Angeles Police Department had yet to reach out since the family filed a missing persons report. Several hours later, Kobayashi’s family said that a detective had spoken to them.
The LAPD said on Thursday morning that it could not confirm whether they had viewed the surveillance footage or contacted the family, only that Kobayashi had been reported missing and that they had distributed a flier on their social media accounts.
Kobayashi also charged her phone with an employee within The Grove outdoor open-air mall and had filled out an application for a book club at the TASCHEN book store using her Hawaii address on Nov. 11, her aunt said. Witnesses there told the family that Kobayashi “was in good spirits” and said that “she had a little bit of time to explore in L.A.,” Pidgeon said.
SUZANNE SIMPSON’S HOME MAY BE SOLD AS MISSING REALTOR HUSBAND REMAINS BEHIND BARS IN MURDER CASE
Kobayashi sent mysterious texts to friends and family before losing contact entirely, writing that she “got tricked into pretty much giving away all [her] funds.” (Larie Pidgeon)
“Every confirmed sighting that she has with an individual, she’s of sound mind,” Pidgeon said of her conversations with those who last spoke to her niece. “She’s happy, she’s kind. She doesn’t appear [to be] drunk or on any substances. … That is why we are here handing out fliers and flying in, because it is so unlike our character.”
Kobayashi’s family held a rally on Thursday at the Crypto.com Arena to hand out fliers and search the area near where she was last seen.
“We’re just running,” Pidgeon said. “You know, we’re just going down and up and down Skid Row.”
Pidgeon described her niece, pictured, as an outgoing person who makes those around her laugh and dabbles in fire spinning, DJing and charity work. (Larie Pidgeon)
“We want to do as many interviews as we can. The longer that we keep her name out there, the longer that she’s on the news, the better chance that her family has to get her back,” Pidgeon said. “I’ve become a press secretary, a journalist, a photographer. This is how much we love her.”
Pidgeon said the 31-year-old “does everything” and dabbles in fire spinning, DJing and charity work.
“She’s a pivotal person in her community, she’s a wonderful person, a great daughter, she makes everyone laugh,” Pidgeon said. “If I’m having a problem at 2 a.m., I can call Hannah because she’ll pick up.”
Hannah Kobayashi, 31, was heading to New York City to visit family. (Hannah Kobayashi via Instagram)
Friends and family have been making minute-long videos sharing memories of Kobayashi to distribute under the hashtag “#FindHannah.” Thus far, Pidgeon said, about 30 people have sent videos, a testament to “how incredible she is.”
“I’m just grateful for all the other best wishes and support from the community and Hawaii, New York, California, everywhere,” Kobayashi’s father, Ryan Kobayashi, told Fox News Digital. “You know, it’s just amazing. We miss you, Hannah. We love you.”
Anyone with information is asked to call the RAD Movement hotline at 619-904-0840.
Read the full article from Here
Alaska
Gargantuan Rockfish Pulled From The Depths Of Alaska Ocean By Florida Man Is Older Than Your Grandmother
Ryan Izquierdo is a prominent figure in the fishing community with millions of followers social media. His most recent catch, a yelloweye rockfish, is not only the most orange fish you have ever seen, it is (probably) older than your grandmother.
He pulled the dinosaur-sized aquatic creature from the depths of the Pacific Ocean in Alaska.
For someone who has done a lot of fishing in remote locations all over the world to get this excited about a new catch should tell you everything you need to know. It is extremely difficult to catch this specific fish at this size!
Who is Ryan Izquierdo?
If you are a member of the angler community, you might already be familiar with ‘Ryan Iz.’ I compare him to a modern-day Jeremy Wade because he also catches prehistoric-looking fish on a rod and reel and documents his adventures on video.
Instead of a TV show that airs on Animal Planet or Discover Channel, Izquierdo posts on social media. He has more than three million followers on TikTok, 350,000 followers on Instagram and one million subscribers on YouTube.
Ryan Izquierdo travels all over the world to hunt monsters. He spent seven days hunting the world’s fiercest fish in the Amazonian jungle.
He caught some of the biggest golden dorado you will ever see in Argentina.
His recent trip to Texas with Field and Stream saw him catch a literal dinosaur.
However, most of Izquierdo’s time is spent in South Florida. The Sunshine State is home base.
Wherever he goes, big fish follow. Or maybe it’s the other way around?
A yelloweye rockfish caught in Alaska is older than your grandma.
Ryan Izquierdo’s latest fishing trip brought him out to Sitka, Alaska with ‘Cast Alaska’ Charters and Lodge. It was a once-in-a-lifetime experience.
“Fishing in the most scenic places I’ve ever seen that hold true sea monsters. Every drop feels like it could connect you to a true giant hiding on the bottom. It could take hours, minutes, or not come at all. But when you do connect.. it’s epic!”
Sitka is located in the southernmost region of the state on the Pacific Ocean next to British Columbia near Juneau. The fish were biting!
Izquierdo caught his first Alaskan halibut.
He also reeled in a few different kinds of rockfish. The quillback rockfish absolutely crushed his jig.
The highlight was a yelloweye rockfish— also known as the Pacific red snapper, red rock cod or the Alaskan goldfish. It was over 90 years old and covered in spines. It was the most orange fish Ryan Izquierdo had ever seen.
He mentioned at the end of the video that the yelloweye rockfish was throwing up her stomach. That is because of a phenomenon known as “barotrauma,” which happens because of rapid decompression. These fish live in such deep water where the pressure keeps its organs in place. The air inside its swim bladder rapidly expands as it nears the surface, which pushes other organs like the stomach out of the mouth.
I don’t know whether or not Izquierdo kept this specific fish for his own consumption, because yelloweye rockfish is a highly sought-after table fare, but there is a way to release deep-sea fish back into the water safely. A device called a ‘SeaQualizer’ is used to compress the fish’s air bladder upon release, which allows them to regain neutral buoyancy and swim away.
Arizona
‘Multiple victims’ in shooting at Westgate Entertainment District, police say
GLENDALE, AZ (AZFamily) — Multiple people have been shot at a popular entertainment spot in Glendale, according to officials with the city’s police department. No suspect or suspects have been caught, police said.
Officers responded to the Westgate Entertainment District, near Glendale and 91st avenues, around 9 p.m. for reports of a shooting.
Police said they believe the injuries are not life-threatening.
Police said the individuals involved may have known one another and this was an isolated incident. No other information was given.
This is a developing story.
See a spelling or grammatical error in our story? Please click here to report it.
Do you have a photo or video of a breaking news story? Send it to us here with a brief description.
Copyright 2026 KTVK/KPHO. All rights reserved.
Colorado
Bishop Castle is still standing as Aspen Acres wildfire continues to burn nearby
RYE, Colo. (KOAA) — Bishop Castle faces an uncertain, but hopeful, future as the Aspen Acres wildfire burns nearby and its caretaker recovers in the hospital following a fall.
Daniel Bishop, who cares for Bishop Castle — the landmark his father built brick by brick — was admitted to the hospital more than a week ago after a fall. Soon after, evacuation orders came, putting the beloved structure in the Aspen Acres wildfire red zone.
“The whole backdrop of my life just changing from one drastic nightmare to the next,” Daniel said.
His wife, Sage Bishop, described the toll the back-to-back crises have taken on the family.
“We’re used to being in the mountains and working with our hands and doing things and our lives have been turned upside down,” Sage said.
And while recovering, Bishop says he didn’t know what would come of the iconic Colorado landmark.
“By the time the whole scene was printed, it was a nightmare,” Daniel said.
Many people online have been asking whether Bishop Castle survived the fire. The Bishop Castle Facebook page posted that, according to the incident management team, Bishop Castle is still standing.
For Daniel, that news brings only partial relief.
“I generally don’t celebrate until I really know it’s time to celebrate. Until I lay my eyes on the property and know exactly what’s happened,” Daniel said.
He also said fires can be unpredictable, so getting excited about the condition of the castle feels too soon.
“The truth is the fire is still burning, and fires are very predictable, and it could turn around and come back from the other direction,” said Daniel.
But he did say there is some reassuring news on the ground.
“There are actual fire crews there doing their job to protect the castle, there are actually people in there. Boots on the ground and helping out,” Daniel said.
He said he still worries for the many people whose homes are nearby. People who continue to support the family.
“God bless the first responders for every piece of structure, everybody’s property that they managed to save, because we are the fortunate ones in all of this right now. There are so many that have lost everything they had,” Daniel said.
Even with the uncertainty, the family is definitely certain about one thing… Sage said the outpouring of concern from the public has meant a great deal to the family.
“The support from people that care about us is amazing,” Sage said.
The family says Daniel is progressing very well and appreciates the support and kind words from the community. He said he couldn’t get through this without those at Encompass Health Rehabilitation.
___
47,000 Acres, 0% Containment, and New Evacuations
The Aspen Acres Fire continues to rage out of control, growing to over 47,000 acres with zero containment. New mandatory evacuations have been issued for the Red Creek area as the fire threatens thousands of structures across multiple counties.
47,000 Acres, 0% Containment, and New Evacuations
News Tips
What should KOAA5 cover? Is there a story, topic, or issue we should revisit? Have a story you believe should make the light of day? Let our newsroom know with the contact form below.
____
Watch KOAA News5 on your time, anytime with our free streaming app available for your Roku, FireTV, AppleTV and Android TV. Just search KOAA News5, download and start watching.
-
Milwaukee, WI3 minutes agoBrandon Woodruff exits Milwaukee Brewers' loss in 4th inning
-
Atlanta, GA10 minutes agoAtlanta United 2 Earns 1-0 Win Against Toronto FC II | Atlanta United 2
-
Minneapolis, MN13 minutes agoTeen in critical condition after being pulled from Minnehaha Falls
-
Indianapolis, IN18 minutes agoPeace on the Plaza: Community building through basketball
-
Pittsburg, PA25 minutes agoPittsburgh's Paul Skenes Named To National League All-Star Team
-
Augusta, GA28 minutes agoBREAKING: Parents of missing 4-year-old arrested, child believed to be deceased
-
Washington, D.C33 minutes agoUS at 250: How celebrations unfolded in Washington DC
-
Cleveland, OH40 minutes agoCleveland marks America’s 250th birthday with lakefront fireworks show