Who was Christopher Woitel? Missing California IT guru’s body found in flat despite cops searching it many times
SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA: The body of an IT guru who was missing for weeks has been found inside his home in San Francisco despite police and a private detective repeatedly searching for it for days. Christopher Woitel was reported missing on January 13. He was last caught on CCTV in early January entering his home but was not seen leaving the place. His family has now confirmed his death and said that police discovered his body inside the building on Guerrero Street in the Mission District.
Mark Guarino, a Freelance Writer at the Washington Post as per his social media profile, put up the update on Facebook by writing, “Dear Friends: The body of Christopher Woitel was found today. Christopher, 50, went missing 1/9/21. The Woitel family has released a statement tonight: ‘Today, the San Francisco Police Department and the Medical Examiner notified us that they have located Chris. It is with a heavy heart that we must inform you of Chris' passing. Please help us by preserving Chris' legacy in your memories. Thank you for your love and caring support through these very difficult times.’ The autopsy is still pending. Because of that, the family has no further comment. The family asks for the media's sensitivity in its coverage.”
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The exact date and time of Woitel’s death are not known yet. Also, the details regarding at which place in his flat his remains were found or how it had not been found during several searches executed by police and the private investigator his family had hired are not declared. Several people on Facebook extended their tribute to the deceased man as one wrote, “Chris was a sweet and funny kid. I knew him from OPRF. We used to hang out in Scoville Park. Thinking of him at peace. We are the ones who suffer. So sorry.” The second user commented, “I am so sad and so sorry to hear of this gentle souls passing. Chris was a special friend in so many ways. Much love to the Woitel family.”
“Words cannot truly express how sad this is. Chris was quiet and gentle. Our prayers go out to all the Woitels and all who knew and loved Chris,” another one stated while a third added, “I don’t even know how to feel right now chris was like a father too me when I needed to run away from all the bullshit life throws at you he always housed me and fed me. He loved art in all forms loved that I played music and supported my graffiti in everyway! He fought for the rights of black and brown and the lgbtq!!”
The Sun reported that Woitel’s mysterious death has also been compared with the disappearance and death of Elisa Lam - a Canadian student - whose body was found inside a water tank at the Cecil Hotel in LA. Before her death, the young woman was also last caught on an elevator’s CCTV but what happened after that no one knows. The IT guru was recorded going into his apartment around 8.30 in the evening on January 8. But he was never caught leaving the place.
He was reported missing on January 13 by his mother after she failed to contact him for four days. According to his family, he was a very generous man who sometimes used to offer his flat to homeless individuals. “It was always a little concerning, and he didn’t really like to talk to me about it too much because I would always say ‘What are you doing, why are you doing that?’” Woitel’s friend Jennifer Berg said.
During the investigation, CCTV footage showed a homeless man entering into and then exiting Woitel’s apartment in the past. Private investigator Scott Williams found one of the unhoused men who had gone to Woitel’s apartment. The detective said that the man told him he had “psychic abilities” and thought that Woitel was "shot in the head and wrapped in plastic before his body was dumped in the water at the end of Mariposa Street in San Francisco.” However, Williams dismissed his claims as the person could be delusional due to a mental illness. Also, one of Woitel’s friends said he could not harm him because of his leg injury.
Besides, some reports stated that before vanishing Woitel had been acting paranoid. He had been sharing his concerns over the possibility of unrest in San Francisco by former President Donald Trump’s supporters. He also reportedly said to his sister he was feeling “unsafe” and heard sounds of explosions.