Jack Stein has been missing since the night of Tuesday, July, 13
Jan. 13 marks six months since the disappearance of Jack Stein, who has been missing since the night of Tuesday, Jul. 13.
According to the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, Stein, 25, was last seen around 7:45 p.m. at his residence in Agoura Hills. He was last seen wearing a navy blue hooded Tommy Hilfiger sweatshirt, black shorts, and a gray t-shirt.
His sister Zoë Kustritz said the areas that he knows well in Los Angeles are Malibu, Venice, Agoura Hills, Newbury Park, Westlake, and Thousand Oaks.
“It’s been so long that he could be anywhere at this point, but I think it’s unlikely that he has left the LA area,” Kustritz said in an email to The Malibu Times. “He doesn’t have any ID or money. We drove every inch of Agoura Hills, Thousand Oaks, and Westlake; we looked all over Malibu and Venice.”
Kustritz recalls the night of his disappearance.
“The first night Jack went missing was very intense with the LASD. Many deputies and sheriffs converged on the house where Jack was staying, and my mom and I tried to provide as much information as we could; we stayed there late into the night.” Kustritz said. “Malibu Search and Rescue went up the mountain to try and find a trail. I particularly remember the compassion and heart of the leader of the Malibu volunteer search and rescue team, who advocated on our behalf to the fire department to send up the second helicopter.”
Stein was described by his family as an incredibly talented artist, conversationalist, athletic, who loved to surf, skateboard, snowboard—anything that moved fast.
“I miss talking to him on the phone and his sense of humor. We have really different interests, so he always taught me new things. He showed me things I never would have pursued on my own, like TikTok, meditation, surfing, and Yerba Mate Tea,” Kustritz said. “The three most salient parts of his personality for me are his love for moving fast on any type of board, surfboard, skimboard, skateboard, snowboard, his ambition and charisma, and his artistic side.”
In hopes of bringing awareness to his disappearance, they’ve created an Instagram account, a website “helpfindjackstein.com,” and recently added a billboard on Venice Beach.
“If people want to help, the biggest thing they can do is share the missing poster with their network and ask people to keep an eye out,” Kustritz said. “The most important thing is for people in the LA area to watch out for him. I would especially like to encourage people who are in the LA area to join the Facebook group for updates.”
Kustritz said Detective Shannon Rincon was assigned to the case the following day.
“Detective Rincon has been great to work with and took the case seriously from the beginning. She was the one who sent up a helicopter for a third search of the Kanan Road-Agoura Road-Lindero Canyon Road triangle the day after Jack went missing and also sent the bloodhound. She has renewed the BOLO [be on the lookout] order for Jack a few times,” Kustritz said. “She added him to all the local and national databases and made sure to check the John Does at hospitals and other institutions. Every time we’ve gotten a tip, Rincon has immediately taken action. She follows up on every tip, no matter how tenuous.”
“What I miss the most has to be the support, love, and conversations we shared. He makes everything more fun,” Kustritz said. “Not being able to talk to him has been excruciating.”
Anyone with information on his whereabouts is asked to contact the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Homicide Missing Person Unit, Det. Shannon Rincon at (323)890-5500.
