The Police Regional Office-Zamboanga (PRO-9) on Thursday, December 5, 2024, said American content creator Elliot Eastman who was abducted in Sibuco, Zamboanga del Norte may already be dead based on accounts of a witness and one of the suspects.

PRO-9 said the “Critical Incident Management Task Group (CIMTG) Eastman” has obtained information from a witness that Eastman died the night of his abduction on October 17, 2024.

Police said that according to the witness, Eastman sustained two gunshot wounds after he tried to resist when four armed men abducted him and forced him to board a banca.

The witness also reportedly said Eastman died in the banca while being transported away from the town and his abductors threw his body into the sea.

However, “CIMTG Eastman” has yet to find his body after search operations were conducted.

Meanwhile, PRO-9 assured that there will be no letup in holding the perpetrators accountable.

“We would like to assure the public that PRO 9 CIMTG Eastman is exhausting all available resources to arrest them. PRO 9 would like to assure the public that the ongoing investigation will eventually result in the complete resolution of the case, and all perpetrators will be made accountable for this crime,” PRO-9 said.

“CIMTG Eastman” has already filed kidnapping and serious illegal detention charges against four identified suspects on October 29, 2024.

On November 18, authorities arrested one of the suspects involved in the abduction while two of the four captors remain at large.

Police said one of the suspects arrested corroborated the witness’ accounts.

“Later in November, may nahuli po tayong suspect, one of the participants in the abduction doon sa apat. Siya po yung nag-corroborate na sabi yun nga ang nangyari, nabaril sa Elliot, sinakay siya sa bangka, namatay siya sa bangka, at tinapon sa laot. However, it’s so unfortunate that until now, we are still unable to locate the body of Elliot Eastman despite diligent efforts to conduct search and retrieval operation,” PRO-9 Spokesperson Officer-in-Charge, Lt. Col. Ramoncelio Sawan, said.

Authorities said they have already informed the family of Eastman.

“The Filipina wife was already informed, and we believe also that his family in the US were already informed by their embassy,” Sawan added.

(With reports from Efren Mamac, GMA Regional TV One Mindanao)