Found Deceased CA - Alex Holden, 25, Sacramento, 31 Dec 2019

[Evergreen1]

I have to agree re: substance use/abuse. While I appreciate the need and right for privacy, his level of intoxication - particularly as observed by others the night he went missing - would be extremely helpful when trying to gauge his judgement and state of mind.

 

[distracted]

Since they don't have him or his phone, I'm assuming the info about the text came from the friend in Missouri, who simply said that they'd received a text at 3:30 a.m. from Alex and no one reporting thought that through. So more likely 1:30 a.m., and if we accept the current scenario, from the apartment.

Wouldn't he have noticed his phone was nearly dead when he sent the text? Mine starts warning me at 15%. His girlfriend had made the comment that his phone died right after he left the apartment at 2:30.

There have been MANY comments locally--by searchers, by concerned local people--that there's a way to track both the AirPods and an iPhone with a dead battery (I've seen the link to wherever provided several times), but I haven't seen a response as to why neither has been/can be done.

Totally my opinion, but does anyone else find the "carrying a passport instead of a drivers license" to be, well, odd? I wonder if people who've known him a long time could verify that he always did that. Or if he just recently started doing that.

No, I don't find carrying a passport odd as identification. My daughter who is his age does the same thing. She let her driver's license expire because she wasn't driving much and was away at college and it just became habit.

His car may not have been in working order which may be the reason he did a lot of walking, as reported.

 

[MSCJgrad]

The only relevance to substance abuse is it would completely change the trajectory of the investigation ‍, including the search efforts of volunteers.

So the longer this goes on the more it reminds me of that poor kid that disappeared in Boston a couple winters ago. They didn't think they had any leads on him either until the very end they finally got footage of the train bridge over the river where they could see him drop right through the slats into the river.

I am glad the K9 seems to think Alex made it across. Don't the bridges have CCTV?



i thought that was really indicative that he left on purpose until I remembered that a lot of people have the passport card which doubles as an ID so maybe it wasn't the booklet kind. There is a pending check on his passport though so that tells me LE thinks it is a possible lead. Oh wouldn't that be great if he just decided screw everyone, I'm going to Tokyo for New Years or something?



So that would be right where one of my 'hot zones' was in my initial search area analysis. I hope they search that reservoir too. Can any locals chime in on how much water is in that creek right now? Of course someone could have picked him up there, too. I hope we get some video of the k9.



It is a rather small motel-style flathouse. Maybe a person could get mugged behind it and not be seen, but I doubt it - the streets are lit and residences closely packed, he would have been seen exiting his door in any case. I agree though that the alley, dumpsters and his trunk should be searched (and his apartment of course).



Well, considering his family and career, I think speculating about drug use or outing any drug use would be irresponsible. No one needs to know about that other than LE at this point. What if someone said "yeah, I've seen Alex blow a few lines here and there" on reddit, and then the news quotes that person like they're a verifiable source, and then Alex is found alive? It is a lot different than someone with a clear history of addiction. By comparison, Alex is super wholesome with 0 indications he does more than drink - I don't even see him as the kind of guy to eat a pot brownie. JMO



I'm glad you're here - I was hoping you'd catch this case since its in your neck of the woods. The above info is very interesting as well, thank you!

The only relevance to substance abuse is it would completely change the trajectory of the investigation ‍, including the search efforts of volunteers.

no idea why there is a gender sign on my post lol. Can’t edit the post on my phone for some reason!

 

[distracted]

A missing piece for me is his level of intoxication, which has been (IMO) conspicuously not addressed. If he was inebriated, I would be more concerned about the river. Otherwise, my gut sadly leads me to think he net with foul play while walking. He strikes me as a bright but probably not very street-smart young man, who as a taller guy (I think he’s 6’1 or 6’2?) from a well-off family in Missouri likely has not had to worry much about people starting trouble with him. As such, I can imagine that he might have felt comfortable in an environment that would feel dangerous to others - for example, alone on a trail at 2:30am with AirPods in. JMO.

His level of intoxication is a big part of the story. If he was home for almost three hours and did not continue to drink or did not take any drugs, he likely would have been sober when he left.

I do think there's a lot more to this story than what's been told so far.

 

[Seajay]

His level of intoxication is a big part of the story. If he was home for almost three hours and did not continue to drink or did not take any drugs, he likely would have been sober when he left.

I do think there's a lot more to this story than what's been told so far.

Yes, it is. Until we have a better idea of how much he had to drink or if any drugs were involved, it would affect decision making and inhibitions to potentially dangerous situations we have no clue what he might have thought was a great idea. Like skinny dipping in ice cold water, or taking a ride from someone his normal gut would have told him wasn't wise. JMO

 

[almagata]

No, I don't find carrying a passport odd as identification. My daughter who is his age does the same thing. She let her driver's license expire because she wasn't driving much and was away at college and it just became habit.

His car may not have been in working order which may be the reason he did a lot of walking, as reported.

Another reason for using a passport might be that he never got a California driver's license when he moved from Missouri. I lived in Miami and did not get a Florida driver's license for a couple of years and used my passport as id. Registering a car from out of state in California is expensive and a hassle. Getting a CA driver's license is also a hassle with the Real id requirements.

 

[cb73]

Another reason for using a passport might be that he never got a California driver's license when he moved from Missouri. I lived in Miami and did not get a Florida driver's license for a couple of years and used my passport as id. Registering a car from out of state in California is expensive and a hassle. Getting a CA driver's license is also a hassle with the Real id requirements.

He's been here for 2 years and Real ID just recently started--plus it's not mandatory (I still have the old kind.) For his car to sit on the street it would need to have current California registration or it would be subject to being towed. Unless he's breaking the law and renewing it through Missouri, of course.

 

[Seattle1]

His level of intoxication is a big part of the story. If he was home for almost three hours and did not continue to drink or did not take any drugs, he likely would have been sober when he left. I do think there's a lot more to this story than what's been told so far.

^^ bbm

OK, you lost me here with being home for 3 hours. Wasn't it reported by his GF that he got home around 2 AM and woke her up, she had to be up early in the morning and not really pleased about it and he soon left the apartment planning to walk the trail and sleep elsewhere?

 

[distracted]

^^ bbm

OK, you lost me here with being home for 3 hours. Wasn't it reported by his GF that he got home around 2 AM and woke her up, she had to be up early in the morning and not really pleased about it and he soon left the apartment planning to walk the trail and sleep elsewhere?

He arrived home around midnight of the 30th and then left again around 2:30am on the 31st.

It's all in here:
Sacramento police: 'No new information' on Alex Holden, missing since Dec. 31

ETA: This is the most comprehensive account of events, that I have read.

 

[JerseyGirl]

Ex-Missouri governor's nephew missing in California for week

 

[Evergreen1]

Ex-Missouri governor's nephew missing in California for week

He sure has a lot of high-profile family members. Aren’t both of his parents judges?

 

[Occam's Zebra]

'tis ok, i think because they kept repeating it was a 2 hour walk.

The entire trail is 11 miles; his friend's house was about 1/3 of the way there, according to previous posts. He'd have not walked all 11 miles of the trail.

He was out with friends at a specific bar until 11:45 pm on Dec 30. That's all we truly know (well, we don't even really know that, unless >1 person has independently said they saw him at that bar that night).

Then he *allegedly* went home. There's no camera evidence anywhere that this is the case (but phone pings could confirm it). His GF had to be up early the next day and she said he woke her up at some point but doesn't say when. He sent a text to someone in Missouri at 1:53 am (what did it say? We don't know). We don't know if this was before, after or during the "emotional talk" (argument? or just an intense discussion?) he had with GF.

She says he left at about 2:30 am Dec 31, saying he was walking to Natomas, and that his phone went dead soon after.

My questions:
What did he do between the time he got home and 2:30 am? Was he drinking that whole time? Was she awake the whole time as well, and if not, when did he wake her?
Why didn't he charge his phone while he was home, if the battery was so low that the phone went dead just after he left around 2:30?
Are we sure his phone went dead, or was it turned off instead?
What did the text to Missouri say?
Why would it seem normal for someone to leave at 2:30 am to walk several miles and spend the night elsewhere? (The GF didn't seem fazed by his intention to do this. I can see my SO going out for a walk to clear his head... but not to walk however many miles and spend the night elsewhere. It's already 2:30 am... by the time he gets there, the night is basically over.)

 

[PommyMommy]

Gregory Holman on Twitter
Folks, we continue to monitor the case of Springfield native Alex Holden, missing in Sacramento since Dec. 31. A couple updates follow in this thread. Looks like there's activity, but not progress, in the case since we last made a report Monday: Sacramento police: 'No new information' on Alex Holden, missing since Dec. 31
1:11 PM - 8 Jan 2020

Gregory Holman on Twitter
Just now @SacPolice emailed me to say that "Detectives did an extensive search yesterday and are still actively investigating this case." They are extremely prompt to reply, for which this reporter is grateful.
1:11 PM - 8 Jan 2020

Gregory Holman on Twitter
The Sacramento reddit user said to be closely tied to Alex posted that on Monday 7 p.m. Cali time "the detectives took Alex’s sneaker for a strong scent. The dogs led the detectives around Arden/Northgate area by the river but no true conclusions from this area."
1:11 PM - 8 Jan 2020

Gregory Holman on Twitter
Maps show Arden/Northgate areas are located east of the Natomas area where Alex was initially thought to be headed when he left his apartment at 2:30 a.m. 12/31. All are to the north of Alex's apartment in midtown Sacramento
1:11 PM - 8 Jan 2020

Gregory Holman on Twitter
Around noon Missouri time I reached out to Judge Calvin Holden, Alex's dad, for comment, and should we hear back we will update via @springfieldNL. Naturally, everyone hopes Alex is found safe.
1:11 PM - 8 Jan 2020

Gregory Holman on Twitter
A Help Find Alex Holden Facebook page is active. We're monitoring it, too. https://www.facebook.com/Help-Find-Alex-Holden-100457344825918/ …
1:13 PM - 8 Jan 2020

 

[Beth11311]

They need to get divers in the water...

 

[cb73]

They need to get divers in the water...

In Sacramento we have DART (Drowning Accident Recovery Team) that goes out when it's known that the person went into the river--that isn't actually known here. Even then, they do a very short, limited search. They are volunteers and funded by donations. We apparently don't have a city or county rescue team.

My co-worker and his wife both drowned in that same river. The family ended up hiring a private company to locate and recover them.

 

[mrstfs]

In Sacramento we have DART (Drowning Accident Recovery Team) that goes out when it's known that the person went into the river--that isn't actually known here. Even then, they do a very short, limited search. They are volunteers and funded by donations. We apparently don't have a city or county rescue team.

My co-worker and his wife both drowned in that same river. The family ended up hiring a private company to locate and recover them.

That’s really sad, condolences. I saw someone in the thread earlier, refer to it as a creek so I’m glad you shared this story that shows the dangers associated with the river.

 

[cb73]

That’s really sad, condolences. I saw someone in the thread earlier, refer to it as a creek so I’m glad you shared this story that shows the dangers associated with the river.

The American River joins with the Sacramento River on a direct path to the Pacific Ocean. We occasionally get whales that have come up from the ocean--it is not a creek or small river by any means.

 

[inmyhumbleopinion]

GREGORY J. HOLMAN | SPRINGFIELD NEWS-LEADER | 2 hours ago
“Editor's note: Wednesday afternoon, this report was updated with comments from Judge Calvin Holden, father of Alex Holden, and new information from Sacramento police. This report was updated earlier with new information about social media posts tied to the search for the missing 25-year-old.

On Wednesday, Greene County Judge Calvin Holden told the News-Leader that the search for his 25-year-old son, Alex, continues, without much progress.

‘There’s not much to update,’ Judge Holden said on a call from Sacramento, California, where Alex Holden disappeared around 2:30 a.m. Dec. 31. Alex, nephew of former Missouri Gov. Bob Holden, is from Springfield but has lived in Sacramento since 2017 and worked as a manager for Amazon.

’The police are still out searching, running leads,’ Judge Holden said. ’We are out going along the paths that he might walk or run.’

The family has checked with Sacramento homeless shelters in case someone using services has encountered Alex, the judge said.

‘We're still hopeful,’ Judge Holden said. ‘We're just trying to think of leads, other ways to find out where he may be. Each day, as it goes on, it gets harder, but we're still hopeful, but there's been no word from him.’

Sacramento police told the News-Leader Wednesday that ‘detectives did an extensive search yesterday and are still actively investigating this case.’

Judge Holden said cooperation from Sacramento authorities has been ‘very good.’

‘They've been very much on this from the beginning,’ he said. ‘We met with them yesterday for an hour. They had three detectives in the room, and another three or four working on other things. They've done drone searches, things like that, had the dogs out twice to catch scents of Alex, so they've been very helpful.’

Judge Holden said the Sacramento community and Alex's Amazon colleagues have also been ‘extremely helpful and hopeful.’

[SBM]” (BBM)
Sacramento police: 'No new information' on Alex Holden, missing since Dec. 31

 

[Seajay]

Good grief, where could he have gone? They have been searching all the likely places he might have taken. He didn’t just fall off the face of the earth.

If he had been abducted and held for ransom because of who his family members are, by now they would have heard something.

There are just way too many cases of college aged men going out after drinking and finding water somewhere and drowning. It’s like this weird phenomenon that’s been happening for years. IMO

 

[distracted]

The entire trail is 11 miles; his friend's house was about 1/3 of the way there, according to previous posts. He'd have not walked all 11 miles of the trail.

He was out with friends at a specific bar until 11:45 pm on Dec 30. That's all we truly know (well, we don't even really know that, unless >1 person has independently said they saw him at that bar that night).

Then he *allegedly* went home. There's no camera evidence anywhere that this is the case (but phone pings could confirm it). His GF had to be up early the next day and she said he woke her up at some point but doesn't say when. He sent a text to someone in Missouri at 1:53 am (what did it say? We don't know). We don't know if this was before, after or during the "emotional talk" (argument? or just an intense discussion?) he had with GF.

She says he left at about 2:30 am Dec 31, saying he was walking to Natomas, and that his phone went dead soon after.

My questions:
What did he do between the time he got home and 2:30 am? Was he drinking that whole time? Was she awake the whole time as well, and if not, when did he wake her?
Why didn't he charge his phone while he was home, if the battery was so low that the phone went dead just after he left around 2:30?
Are we sure his phone went dead, or was it turned off instead?
What did the text to Missouri say?
Why would it seem normal for someone to leave at 2:30 am to walk several miles and spend the night elsewhere? (The GF didn't seem fazed by his intention to do this. I can see my SO going out for a walk to clear his head... but not to walk however many miles and spend the night elsewhere. It's already 2:30 am... by the time he gets there, the night is basically over.)

I have the same questions. And I don’t like any of the answers I come up with.

The GF seems to be the only person who can describe his mental state after the “emotional” discussion/ argument they had before he left. Hopefully, she’s been frank with LE because it’s my opinion it was the catalyst to his decision to leave in the middle of the night.

My guess is he was so upset when he left, he immediately turned off his phone. And then he made an irreversible decision.