California Man Texted 911 For Help Before Vanishing In 2021, His Remains Have Now Been Found

The future was looking bright for 39-year-old Beau Mann in late 2021. He had overcome a lot, and he used his experiences to help others. He founded and served as the CEO for Sober Grid, an app for those recovering from addiction. After overcoming addiction in his youth, he started the company in 2016 to help others have a safety network and find the resources they need to thrive in recovery, reported USA Today.

Mann also had a devoted fiancé, Jason Abate. The two had a long-distance relationship. Mann lived in Los Angeles, while Abate lived in Michigan, but they planned to get married in June 2022, according to NBC News. On the night before he disappeared, Mann spoke with Abate, expressing his love and his intent to adopt children with him.

What happened the next day is a mystery. Mann was last seen outside a 7-Eleven convenience store on Nov. 30, 2021. He got in an Uber, and less than ten minutes after he was last seen, he tried to send a text for help to 911. PEOPLE reported that police tried to call him back after the 911 text but were unable to reach him.

“It was a gibberish text maybe and then he didn’t respond. It’s just another thing that we’re going to be looking into,” Santa Monica Police Lt. Erika Aklufi told The Los Angeles Times.

Mann was reported missing on Dec. 4, and his loved ones were left to search for him for nearly a year and a half. Abate started a Facebook group to help find Mann. Abate also took to TikTok and other social media platforms to help spread the word about his fiancé’s disappearance.

Then, on May 8, 2023, the Santa Monica Police Department shared that police had received a report that human remains were discovered in the courtyard of an abandoned building on Santa Monica Boulevard. That was near the drop-off site from the last Uber ride Mann was known to take. Those remains were later positively identified as those of Beau Mann.

Aklufi confirmed that Mann’s death is being investigated as a possible homicide, according to the Los Angeles Times. “We’re looking at pretty much any option at this point to make sure it’s thorough,” she added.

Aklufi said they were planning to speak to the Uber driver, but she also shared that he isn’t considered a suspect.

According to KTLA, Mann’s family suspects that foul play was involved in his death. Among their reasons was the fact that Mann bought ice at the 7-Eleven before he called the Uber which indicates he was heading home.

His family stated, “We want to thank all of those who helped us search for him and who prayed for Beau’s safe return over the past year and a half. Beau was a beautiful soul who spent the better part of his life helping others. 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.”

“Now, I think that I should have known that he was magic all along,” Abate posted on Facebook after Mann’s remains were found and identified. “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.”

The Santa Monica Police Department asks that anyone with information pertaining to Beau Mann’s death please contact SMPD Detective Ismael Tavera at 310-458-2256 or the watch commander at 310-458-8427.