The remains of a tech CEO whose loved ones have been desperately searching for him for a year and a half have been found at an abandoned property in the Los Angeles area.
Police in Santa Monica released few details about where Beau Mann, 39, was found or how he’s suspected of dying, saying only in a Facebook post Monday that officers got a phone call about human remains being found in the courtyard of an abandoned property.
Mann’s remains have been turned over to the county coroner, who will determine how he died.
Mann last seen in November 2021
Mann was last seen outside a convenience store in Studio City at 2:06 p.m. on Nov. 30, 2021, according to the Los Angeles Police Department. Less than 10 minutes later at 2:15 p.m., Mann texted 911, the department said.
Police didn’t immediately respond to a request from USA TODAY on Tuesday for more information about the property where Mann was found or whether foul play is suspected.
Mann was the co-founder and CEO of Sober Grid, a social network for those recovering from and suffering with addiction.
Mann suffered from addiction when he was younger and founded the company in 2016 to create a safety network and online resource for others like him, Mann’s fiancé, Jason Abate, told NBC’s “Dateline” last year.
“I don’t want to sound overly dramatic but he’s kind of changed the world,” Abate said.
Since his fiancé’s disappearance, Abate has been working to find him, dedicating a popular TikTok account to spreading the word about Mann’s case and starting a Facebook group called Help Find Beau Mann.
“Now, I think that I should have known that he was magic all along,” Abate posted on the group’s page after learning of Mann’s death. “I did know it ‒ but I should have guessed that it would be too much to ask to grow old with and see our children grow up together. So now, he is a legend when he would have preferred to be a man.”
Abate did not immediately respond to an interview request from USA TODAY.
Abate previously told “Dateline” that he and Mann were in a long-distance relationship but were set to be married in June 2022. He said he last spoke with his fiancé the day before his disappearance.
“He told me he loved me, and he wanted to adopt children with me,” he said. “That was the last message I ever got from him.”
Sandy Eggers, who describes herself as a sort of godmother to Mann, posted on the Facebook page dedicated to the search for him that Mann’s smile will “always light us up.”
“So many fond memories,” she wrote. “You are missed and will always be remembered.”
In a statement sent to USA TODAY, Mann’s family thanked everyone who helped search for him over the past year and a half.
“Beau was a beautiful soul who spent the better part of his life helping others,” the statement said. “We miss his infectious smile and positive attitude every day. We know his spirit will live on through his company and passion, Sober Grid, as it continues to help those struggling with the grip of addiction.”