Crime Stories with Nancy Grace S01E174 - Episode 173

NOTE:  After our broadcast, Los Angeles Police announced Hannah Kobayashi had been seen on security footage crossing the U.S. border into Mexico. She was alone, on foot, with luggage in hand.  The case is now classified as a voluntary missing person case. 

30-year-old Hannah Kobayashi is on a bucket list trip from her home in Hawaii to New York, where she is going to visit an aunt in upstate New York,  and take photos at a DJ's show in Brooklyn. Kobayashi plans the trip with her boyfriend but they breakup before the planned trip. Unable to get a refund they agree to fly together to New York and go their separate ways upon arrival. Hannah and her ex arrive at Los Angeles International Airport on Friday at 9:53 p.m. and have a connecting flight to JFK in New York scheduled for 11:00 p.m. 

Pictures show Hannah Kobayashi arriving in a black hoodie with colorful sweatpants, while wearing a pair of headphones as she walks through LAX. Her ex-boyfriend makes it to the connecting flight to JFK in New York, but Hannah does not. There isn't a lot of time between landing from Hawaii and catching the connecting flight to JFK, just over 60 minutes, and some believe she simply missed the connecting flight and will take the next available flight on Saturday. Her suitcase is on the plane to JFK. 

 After missing her connecting flight to New York, Hannah Kobayashi remains at LAX Friday night into Saturday.  On Saturday between 12 noon and 3 p.m. she is seen at "The Grove". According to Discover LA, The Grove is a World-Renowned Shopping, Dining, and entertainment destination. Located about 10 miles from LAX, Hannah Kobayashi sends a photo to her aunt at 2:43pm from Taschen Books where she is charging her phone.  On the evening of Saturday, November 9, Hannah Kobayashi makes two payments via Venmo on November 9. One payment is made at 6:25pm to a woman named Veronica Alamendarez. The payment includes a description of a bow and arrow emoji. Less than one hour later at 7:19 pm, Kobayashi makes a Venmo payment to Jonathan Taylor. In the subject line of the second Venmo payment is the word "reading". 

Sunday November 10th, Hannah Kobayashi is back at The Grove in downtown Los Angeles and is seen on a video posted to YouTube at the LeBron James Trial Experience at the Nike Store. A photo of the event is posted on Kobayashi's Instagram account. Hannah had been texting with family members telling them she couldn't wait to get to New York, and it was a nightmare trying to get another flight.

Hannah Kobayashi is keeping in regular contact with family and while she is frustrated about getting to New York there doesn't seem to be anything to worry about, until Monday, November 11 when a series of text messages to family and friends causes alarm.  Kobayashi's mother sends her a text asking if she has made it to New York and Hannah responds "no". Then friends and family start getting messages from Kobayashi's phone saying someone has stolen her identity and all of her money.  Concerned, family members try calling and texting but don't hear back from Hannah.