HERE IS THE PRESS CONFERENCE ON DEREK:
http://keckmedia.usc.edu/Mediasite/Play/ee308e5dd3cd4c438a8e8ae3fead3c1d1d
***I learned a lot watching the whole thing...the Mom made me cry...wow, just wow.***
I made some notes....
Facts from PI
- Derek scored in top 99% percentile in both MCAT and US Medical Licensing Examination. He is "smartest guy in the room"
- Derek scuba dives, is an avid camper, rock climber and accomplished outdoorsman
- Aug 5th @ 10:34pm, Derek went to Vons on Alvarado St; withdrew $200 and bought cereal and milk (found in his apt, cereal opened/eaten, milk not opened).
- @11:15pm – computer edits made (inside his apt)
- @11:34pm – returned keys to front desk of friend’s house on 1000 block of Wilshire (have video), then returned home
- @11:54pm –Derek made a $2999 payment via his iPhone
- @12:02am – Last known photo of Derek; last seen with only $200 and driver’s license; heading north on 2000 block of Alvarado, just past the 76 station.
- 12am-6am – LE reviewed video footage – no other sightings of Derek; was not seen further north on Alvarado. No sighting on Glendale/Alvarado intersection. Likely took public transport/bus.
- Sept 5, 2014 – LAPD was notified of a man on footage similar to Derek (came from LA Sheriff’s Dept -- were doing unrelated investigation)
- Sept 10, 2014 – man matching Derek’s description seen “shuffling” along PCH (Derek has foot condition)
Mother's Statement
- Thanks everyone.
- Thinks this is the best and last hope for finding Derek.
- Family doesn’t understand it. Derek would be last person that you would think that would do this.
- Derek was very well loved.
- Has left void in family; Derek has three brothers and a sister.
- It makes no sense to the family. Derek was full of life. He often talked to his mom about interesting things he was doing in medical school.
- Derek loved the outdoors – loved to hike, scuba dive, camp. Said he was living the dream in California. His mom said she knew they’d “
never get him back from California” – he loved the outdoors here.
- Shortly before his disappearance, he asked his mom about Christmas plans and emailed her dates for the medical school’s spring graduation so none of this makes any sense to them.
-
If Derek happens to watch this, and I hope to God, I pray to God he does, I want to say to him that we love him and we want him back. He’s left such a void in our family, and I know that it would be very hard for him to come back, very very difficult for him to come back, but he needs to do that. And we love him and we want him back.
Q&A (PI)
- Derek owed one of his best friends $2800 (loan) so he decided at that time to pay the debt back though his iphone.
- PI believes Derek is alive; no credible evidence and no one that he has spoken with in LE believes he is dead. When he left, he had no way to harm himself that they are aware of.
- Don’t believe he would put his family through this. PI believes maybe at some point if he did contemplate hurting himself (“foul play”
he changed his mind or he just wanted to get away for awhile and is having a hard time coming back. But "you can come back"; they have the resources to take care of whatever problem it is.
- Medical school is a lot of stress.
- Did find that there may have been some recreational drug use but doesn’t see it as being factor in why he left.
- Spotting along PCH was between Solana Beach and Cardiff-by-the-Sea; the tip stood out, most credible.
- Video from Sept. 5th was from bus and bus station (LA Sheriff's Dept investigation).
- Derek has never disappeared or gone away for couple of days without telling anyone.
- Early on it was reported that Derek was last seen around 6am in Glendale; PI said it was not correct – was mistake by one of local channels.
Q&A (Friend)
- Talked to Derek maybe 3 days before disappearance; talked specifically about plans for following weekend – Derek was going to come over for dinner party and were going to see movie.
- Derek went home and was intending to go to work next day – even bought breakfast food.
- Medical school is stressful and difficult but Derek was someone who handled it very well.
- Derek always went to class. Was very responsible. Star student.
Q&A (Mother)
- Derek started at Columbia in chemical engineering but after a year decided wanted to move into bio chemistry. Decided in junior year that he wanted to go to medical school. Originally wanted to be an orthopedic surgeon.
- His condition, plantar fasciitis, made it difficult for him to stand for long periods without significant pain. He tried a couple of years of therapy, injections, orthotics to resolve issue but ultimately did surgery and took a year off (did research during this time). The surgery made it better but did not cure him so he was looking for fields where he wouldn’t have to stand for long periods so was considering anesthesiology.
Q&A (Friend):
- They had plans for Derek to visit San Diego around this time. He loves surfing. He went to San Diego often to surf. He was fond of it and they had talked often about moving there.