Rob AriasSan Francisco police are asking for the public’s help locating a man reported missing in January and are circulating a photo in the hope someone might recognize him. 50-year Christopher Woitel, a computer programer, is known to frequent Emeryville as well as the town of Sonora according to police.
Woitel was reported missing by his mother on Jan. 13 and she said he last contacted her via social media on Jan. 9. He has not been heard from or seen by his family since.
He is described as a white male, 5-foot-10, 200 pounds, with brown hair and brown eyes. Woitel lives on Guerrero Street in SF’s Mission District.
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Woitel’s family has mobilized to assist in the search and passed out missing person flyers near his building on Friday afternoon. “There isn’t a day goes by at this point without wondering, ‘What happened? Where is he?,’” asked older brother Frank Woitel in this KPIX report.
According to The Bay Area Reporter LGBTQ news publication, Emeryville Police Department have interviewed a homeless man who claims to have information that Woitel may have been murdered.
“We believe with a high level of confidence that the individual — at the very least — has information, and we know the Emeryville Police Department conducted an interview,” Woitel’s younger brother Michael told the publication.
Police ask anyone who sees Woitel to contact their local law enforcement agency and be prepared to provide his current location and clothing description.
February 18th update to story:
Police found the body of a man reported missing five weeks ago in a crawl space at his own home.
During a second search of the man’s residence Monday, San Francisco police found the body of Christopher Woitel, 50, in a three-foot high space above the bathroom of his home on Guerrero Street in the city’s Mission District.
The San Francisco Medical Examiner’s Office has begun an investigation into his death, although police said foul play in not suspected in this incident. The cause of death has not yet been released.
Police said Woitel likely accessed the crawl space from the roof of the building and not from inside his home. He was reported missing Jan. 13 by his mother, who said she had not heard from him since Jan. 9.
Anyone with information regarding this investigation is asked to call the police department’s 24-hour tip line at 1-415-575-4444 or text a tip to TIP411 and begin the text message with SFPD.
