A missing American YouTuber, Elliot Eastman, 26, was shot and killed during a failed kidnapping in the Philippines, with his body discarded at sea, according to police reports.
Eastman was abducted from his residence in Sibuco, Zamboanga del Norte, on October 17, and died that same night.
The assailants, posing as police officers, allegedly shot Eastman in the leg as he resisted and transported him by boat. He reportedly succumbed to his injuries en route.
Blood stains and other evidence, including an M16 bullet casing, were discovered at the scene where he was dragged away. His body has not yet been found.
Acting spokesman for the Police Regional Office-Zamboanga Peninsula, Lieutenant Colonel Ramoncelio Sawan, detailed the investigation.
“Sometime late October, during our investigation, we encountered one witness who claimed Eastman had been shot during the abduction. On their way to escape by sea, the abductors noticed that Elliot Eastman was already dead. They threw his body into the water,” Sawan said.
Initially, authorities were cautious about the account but later obtained confirmation from a captured suspect.
Sawan explained, “But then later on, sometime in November, we caught a suspect linked to the kidnapping. He himself confirmed what happened. He confirmed Elliot had been shot and that the man was dumped overboard. This suspect was able to execute an extrajudicial confession and then we submitted it to the Prosecutor’s Office where we filed the complaint. The prosecutors accepted it.”
The U.S. Embassy has notified Eastman’s family of the developments. Police had been searching for the vlogger, holding out hope that he was still alive. The pursuit of his captors led to clashes with armed groups in Mindanao, a region fraught with conflict and crime. Three suspects were killed in a shootout with police on November 12.
Eastman was reportedly at home with his Muslim Filipina wife, Karisha Jala, when four armed men stormed their house around 10 p.m. on October 17.
The kidnappers, claiming to be law enforcement, shot him when he resisted and fled with him in a speedboat. Police arrived about an hour later and documented the crime scene, where blood was smeared across vinyl flooring.
Former Sibuco Mayor Norbideiri Edding suggested the kidnappers may have targeted Eastman, believing he was wealthy due to his status as a foreigner living with a local Muslim woman.
Edding added that Eastman was allegedly experiencing financial issues after being defrauded by a previous partner.
In a Facebook livestream on September 22, Eastman expressed fear about living in the region, stating, “As long as I’m here, my life is still at risk, you know. That’s the reality, especially the area that I’m in. It’s not even just the Philippines. This area that I’m in is like the most dangerous area in the country, so it’s literally like the red zone.”
The southern Philippines, known for its ongoing separatist conflicts, remains a hotspot for extremist activity, including groups like the Abu Sayyaf and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front.
Despite efforts toward peace, including the creation of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region, instability persists due to poverty and sporadic violence.
