Netflix software engineer disappears after last being spotted entering Uber, only weeks into new job

A young man from New York, who had recently secured a position at Netflix in California straight out of college, has gone missing after being spotted entering an Uber earlier this week.

Yohanes Kidane, aged 22, was caught on security camera leaving his apartment complex in downtown San Jose at approximately 7:15 p.m. on Monday. He then entered a vehicle with an Uber decal, according to his family’s account to KTVU.

“Two young colleagues of his saw him and were able to talk to him,” Kidane’s brother, Yosief, said. “He said he was heading to San Francisco to maybe meet a friend. The last footage I’ve seen of him was leaving his apartment building and getting into a black Toyota Camry.” 

Kidane had recently relocated to the Bay Area in July and was only in his second week of employment at the prominent streaming company, where he was employed as a software engineer.

His cell phone, wallet, and backpack were discovered near the Welcome Center of the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco, as indicated in a missing persons flyer distributed by Yosief Kidane.

On the night of Monday, Kidane’s phone’s GPS data indicated that he had spent the majority of the time at the Golden Gate Bridge.

“Someone who was in San Rafael, who was on a commute, saw a phone and wallet sitting on this small grassy hill right between the Welcome Center and coffee shop,” Kidane’s brother told the station. “Thirty bucks in cash was in his wallet, IDs cards, phone untouched.” 

United Airlines flight to Rome rapidly drops 28,000 feet in 10 minutes before making course correction
Yohanes Kidane, 22, was captured on security camera leaving his apartment building in downtown San Jose around 7:15 p.m. on Monday before stepping into a vehicle that bore an Uber sticker.
Yohanes Kidane/LinkedIn

The following day, the backpack was discovered in closer proximity to the bridge. It contained two of his laptops as well as personal documents.

Kidane, a recent graduate from Cornell University in May, is characterized as standing at 5’8″ and weighing 150 pounds. He was last seen dressed in gray sweatpants, a black hoodie, and black shoes.

In this difficult time, his mother, overcome with distress, made a heartfelt plea for her son’s safe return.

“We want to take him home. I need my son. I need my son,” Mehret Hana Beyene told KTVU. “He’s a good man who has a bright future, very loving to his family.” 

A task force consisting of Kidane’s friends and relatives has been formed to actively search for him. They have reached out to the San Jose Police for assistance and have also initiated a GoFundMe campaign to support their efforts.

“Yohanes has gone missing in San Francisco. This fundraiser is for covering travel expenses for his family as they search for him,” the crowdfunding page said.

According to Kidane’s former college roommate, the individual from Rochester shared a story with them about an unsettling Uber ride that occurred mere days before his sudden disappearance.

United Airlines flight to Rome rapidly drops 28,000 feet in 10 minutes before making course correction
“We want to take him home. I need my son. I need my son,” Kidane’s mother said. “He’s a good man who has a bright future, very loving to his family, said Yohanes’s mother. 
KTVU/YouTube

“The Uber driver insisted, if it was an actual Uber driver, that instead of taking him to the location that he needed to be, he’s like, ‘Oh, I’m going to take you to Oakland. It’s much safer there,’” Austin Farmer told Fox News.

“And he just wouldn’t let Yohanes go where he needed to go. So they took him to downtown Oakland. I guess he eventually got back to his apartment or wherever he lives, but that was pretty suspicious.”

During that particular ride, Kidane reportedly sent a text message to Farmer, indicating that he “might be in trouble.” In response, the driver advised him to cancel any additional payment for the ride.

United Airlines flight to Rome rapidly drops 28,000 feet in 10 minutes before making course correction
Kidane’s phone’s location showed he was at the Golden Gate Bridge the majority of Monday night.
KTVU/YouTube
United Airlines flight to Rome rapidly drops 28,000 feet in 10 minutes before making course correction
His cell phone and wallet were discovered near the Golden Gate Bridge Welcome Center on Tuesday.
KTVU/YouTube

“I got a sense he’s taking me there for no good reason,” Kidane said.

When he got back to San Jose, Kidane said he was “Never going in Uber solo again in SF.”

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