WESTWOOD—On December 17, the UCLA Police Department indicated it is still investigating a cold case involving the disappearance of Michael Negrete. On December 10, 1999, UCLA student Michael Negrete was last seen in his dorm, Dykstra Hall.
The 18-year-old music student’s sudden disappearance sparked a massive search by UCLA PD, LASD, and the FBI. This month, UCLA PD sat down with the Daily Bruin to share updates on the investigation and efforts to find Michael. He was a freshman at the school on a scholarship studying music.
The UCLA PD spoke with the Daily Bruin where they revealed he performed at a concert with his band fever on December 9, 1999. He was last seen congratulating a friend on his victory playing an online game around 4 a.m. and was returning to his dorm. He hasn’t been seen since, but his wallet, shoes, keys and other belongings were still at his dorm.
The Nightly Bruin a podcast with hosts Olivia Miller, Jina Bae and Mia Hernandez spoke to Jeff Chobanian, the acting captain of the UCPD, William Hodgman, the director of special investigations about the case.
It was reported that a Caucasian male around 35 was seen hovering around the dorm during the time Michael was last seen, but it was not further pursued by authorities. His family paid $100,000 to hire two private investigators to try to track down what happened to Michael. Dogs tracked Michael’s scent to a bus stop at Sunset and Bellagio, but Michael was not found, despite authorities interviews a slew of bus drivers.
Anyone with details on the whereabouts of Michael Negrete or the case is asked to call the UCLA PD at (323) 890-5500.
By Trevor