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On March 5, 2016, ”’Michael Vanzandt”’, a 36‑year‑old former [[United States Air Force|Air Force]] veteran from [[Lancaster, California]], disappeared in [[Hermosa Beach, California|Hermosa Beach]] after becoming separated from friends during a night out. Surveillance footage later showed him walking alone toward the beach shortly before midnight. Despite shoreline searches, public appeals, and an ongoing investigation by the Hermosa Beach Police Department, no trace of Vanzandt has been found, and his disappearance remains unsolved.
On March 5, 2016, ”’Michael Vanzandt”’, a 36‑year‑old former [[United States Air Force|Air Force]] veteran from [[Lancaster, California]], disappeared in [[Hermosa Beach, California|Hermosa Beach]] after becoming separated from friends during a night out. Surveillance footage later showed him walking alone toward the beach. Despite shoreline searches, public appeals, and an ongoing investigation by the Hermosa Beach Police Department, no trace of Vanzandt has been found, and his disappearance remains unsolved.
== Background ==
== Background ==
|
Michael Vanzandt |
|
|---|---|
 Vanzandt prior to his disappearance |
|
| Born | (1980-01-17)January 17, 1980 |
| Disappeared | March 5, 2016(2016-03-05) (aged 36) Hermosa Beach, California, U.S. |
| Status | Missing for 9 years, 10 months and 23 days |
On March 5, 2016, Michael Vanzandt, a 36‑year‑old former Air Force veteran from Lancaster, California, disappeared in Hermosa Beach after becoming separated from friends during a night out. Surveillance footage later showed him walking alone toward the beach. Despite shoreline searches, public appeals, and an ongoing investigation by the Hermosa Beach Police Department, no trace of Vanzandt has been found, and his disappearance remains unsolved.
Background
Michael David Vanzandt was born on January 17, 1980, and grew up in Pleasant Lake, Michigan. His parents divorced when he was two years old, and he was largely brought up by his mother. He had two brothers and a stepbrother. Vanzandt developed an interest in the military at a young age and later chose to pursue it as a career. He enlisted in the United States Air Force after graduating from high school in 1999. In January 2000, while stationed in Japan, he met the woman who would later become his wife; she was also from Michigan. They married in October 2001 and went on to have three children together. By 2006, Vanzandt had been transferred to Edwards Air Force Base near Lancaster. He completed two tours in Iraq and served in the Air Force for twelve years before transitioning to civilian life. Vanzandt left active duty in 2011 and moved into a civilian role with the Air Force in human resources. He and his wife separated in 2014.[1]
Disappearance
On the afternoon of March 5, 2016, Vanzandt had lunch with his children at about 3 p.m. before driving to Hermosa Beach, California, to meet a coworker and her friends for an evening out to watch mixed martial arts fights. During the drive, he spoke with his brothers and his former girlfriend. He parked his vehicle in the garage at the Quality Inn hotel, where his friend had rented a room so the group would not have to drive home later, and took an Uber to The Underground Pub & Grill at around 7 p.m. to meet her.[1]
At about 10 p.m., the group left that bar and continued to other establishments along the waterfront. At approximately 10:15 p.m., while they were waiting in line outside American Junkie, Vanzandt told his friend he was going to use the restroom at the liquor store next door. Surveillance footage later showed him entering the store, but he left shortly afterward. Investigators have assumed he may not have been able to find or use a restroom there, as he then continued southbound on Hermosa Avenue, possibly looking for another one.[1]
During this period, his friend tried calling and texting him to let him know that she and the others were going into the bar next door. CCTV later recorded the group leaving the line to head there. Only seconds after they walked away, Vanzandt appeared on camera returning toward the line area and seemed to be looking for them, but they had already gone. Later in the night, another camera captured him only a short distance behind the group as they continued bar‑hopping, though neither he nor the others appeared to notice each other. He eventually returned to the liquor store, where he purchased a small bottle of whiskey. Footage also showed him attempting to turn on his phone, but the screen did not illuminate, leading investigators to believe the battery had died, which would explain why he did not respond to calls or texts from his friends. The final known image of him was recorded at 11:27 p.m., showing him walking toward the beach.[1]
Search efforts and aftermath
In the days after Vanzandt disappeared, his wife, his former girlfriend, and two of his brothers assisted in the search. They coordinated volunteer efforts from a hotel in Hermosa Beach, distributing missing‑person flyers, reviewing available surveillance footage, and walking the beach in an attempt to locate any trace of him. No belongings linked to Vanzandt were found. A fundraising campaign supported the search, helping cover costs for equipment such as a drone used to survey the shoreline, and additional aerial searches were conducted by helicopter.[1]
Vanzandt was a swimmer and scuba diver, and according to his family, he enjoyed being in the water, particularly when he had been drinking. They said that on previous occasions he had gone for a swim late at night after consuming alcohol, and they considered the possibility that he may have done so on the night he disappeared.[1]
In 2024, human remains were discovered on Rat Beach, a short distance south of Hermosa Beach.[2] In 2025, the remains were reported to be those of another individual.[3]
