CA CA - Michael Negrete, 18, Los Angeles, 10 Dec 1999

still thinking of mike every day.
MG
 
Still thinking of mike as well His birthday is coming up. I think that picture sure does look like him in all features.
 
Hello,

I'm new to this forum and only registered because I was thinking about Mike for some odd reason.

I heard of his disappearance a number of years ago and thought it was very strange circumstances.

I knew Mike from Long Beach Poly high school, before he transferred to the school in San Diego (though not outside of school interaction). He was involved in the Jazz/Marching/Steel drum bands if I recall correctly, and was exceptionally talented. He also knew it, and I think that had a tendency to come across as a bit cocky to some people.

He was a pretty small guy in terms of stature when I knew him, and none of those previous pictures seem like him to me (especially the boxer).

The only details I recall hearing about his disappearance was that he left his room without his shoes. I didn't know about the online game, and I think that has a lot of value to it, depending on what game it was and his level of involvement (IE online hearts is one thing, a roleplaying game or MUD is another).

From personal experience, certain gaming communities are rather tight knit, to the level of developing rather personal relationships or heated conflicts. Griefing and bullying could be quite common in some cases. The anonymity of a computer screen tends to bring out the best and worse in people, though it doesn't seem apparent if his internet activity had anything to do with his disappearance.

At the time of his disappearance there weren't nearly as many online games as there are nowadays, either, though I am doubtful about what could come of it this far out.
 
James--

Since you knew Mike personally, do you have any theories, ideas or feelings about what may have happenned?

You mentioned he could be percieved as cocky, any inkling that this could have lead to a confrontration of some sort?

Did he have a lot of friends on campus?

Also, you may have seen the photo of the person of interest in the case. Do you know if (seemingly out of place) visitors were common in these dorms?

THANKS for any guidance or insight.
 
I will post more on this thread tomorrow. I am glad this case is being revisited here. Need to get to bed. As a UCLA student, this case has bothered me since I heard about it in 2002 as an undergrad.

It is very uncommon for out-of-place people to be seen in any UCLA dorm at this time of night, let alone during the daytime. The occasional parent may drop by, but that would be during the day time. Except for some of the newer residence halls, the hallways are pretty active during the daytime. I think since his disappearance, a Bruin card is required to access the building. Only residents of that building can access it.

The last I checked, I believe he went missing on Thursday night (4:30am Friday morning actually) of 10th week, which is the last week of classes before finals. There would been *some* party activity (Thursday is party night) as people return for the night (although parties usually end much earlier), or people studying in public places in the building. Dykstra Hall is known for being one of the more social dorms as opposed to the newer residence halls where it is very quiet.

I have seen the campus change a ton over the years, and I fear that may have contributed to the mystery.
 
Hello. My name is Patty and I am a forensic science teacher. One of my projects during class is to have the students try to find a missing person starting with the DoeNetwork. One of my students chose to look for Mike. Normally we dont find anything worth noting but this student did find an UM that could be looked into for more information. What should we do with the information we have gathered?
 
Hello. My name is Patty and I am a forensic science teacher. One of my projects during class is to have the students try to find a missing person starting with the DoeNetwork. One of my students chose to look for Mike. Normally we dont find anything worth noting but this student did find an UM that could be looked into for more information. What should we do with the information we have gathered?

By "UM" do you mean "unidentified male"? If you think there is a match, you can either submit it to the Doe Network review panel, or call the contact number for the medical examiner or LE agency that is handling the decedent's case. (at the bottom of the DoeNet page). You will probably find more cooperation if you approach it from the Decedent side than from the Missing Person side.

You can also try to see if there is any additional info on the decedent or missing person by going to the NamUs website.

For Unidentified Decedents:
https://identifyus.org/search
The best way to find the NamUs record is to search on the NCIC number located at the bottom of the DoeNetwork page. (You may need to omit the dash from the NCIC number in the search)

For Missing Persons:
https://www.findthemissing.org/searches/
The easiest way to search for the Missing person is by name.
 
We called the investigator with the information. He is going to look into it and get back to us.

The Doe Network:
Case File 1092UMCA

Composite of Victim by NCMEC

Unidentified White or Hispanic Male


The victim was discovered on May 8, 2006 in Yermo, San Bernardino County, California
Estimated Date of Death: May 8, 2006
Manner of Death: Homicide
State of Remains: Charred/Burned

While this would mean that Mike would have been alive for 6 years after first reported missing...ANything is possible....So we shall see...
 
This is such an odd case. I wonder if he was under a lot of stress during the time of his disapperance? Are there any updates?
 
I've followed this from the beginning...it's amazing to me that he disappeared so completely in the middle of a huge city. I took classes through UCLA Extension in the early 2000's, and even after night classes, I felt fairly safe on campus. I hope that someday his family will find an answer to what happened to him.
 
Chat logs can't usually be lifted, esp back in 1999 unless the user specified saving chats. In a dorm, likely running Win95 (or maybe win98, depending on how important it was that he have the latest OS), and not having the computer completely secured, he wouldn't specify chat logs be saved. He wouldn't want his room mates looking at his chat logs.

Computer may have been password protected too, but password protecting wasn't as huge an issue then as it is now.

In 1999 some people had cells, some didn't. It wasn't like now where nearly every employed person and every teen has a cell. It still cost 80 bucks for a basic phone, and there were more limitations on the number of calls one could make; cellphone keyboard was not standard, and text messages were uncommon then due to the hassle of entering them on a number pad. In any case, obviously, he didn't have a cell, or they'd have mentioned whether it was/wasn't with him.

Lured?
I don't understand how he was lured to the street corner or would even go there at that time. It would have been cold at that time of night--in the 50s, tops, and a damp cold because it's close to the Santa Monica beach and it's always chilly around there, and where the dogs detected his scent isn't where the action is. It's dark over there at night. You have to go the right direction to get to the action, and that's toward Wilshire (along Westwood).

I work right outside of UCLA. Have worked there since late 2000. I never heard of this case until recently when I discovered it at CharleyProject. Media wasn't able to get the message out there then like it can now.

Anyway, I can't imagine him just walking off without shoes to a bus stop over on Bellagio. Sounds like the dogs traced a previous walk. Lots of free time as a student. He may have gone some place prior and used the bus.

If he left the campus, he'd have gone up Westwood toward Wilshire. To get coffee? To get something to eat or drink, real quick after the 1 on 1 game. They said it was an intranet game--so maybe Starcraft or something that's pretty competitive and fun to play with just one other person.

Chatroom?
Maybe someone in a chatroom wanted to meet up. But if he had just finished playing a video game 1 on 1 with a friend, then he'd go look to meet some afterward? Who's up looking for chats after 4am or in the very early morning? Doesn't make sense.

Maybe he just went for an early stroll + coffee. This would explain someone getting shot or robbed late at night--maybe even killed--but not kidnapped.

There's also the chance he fell somewhere. There are still parks and places for him to get lost or be left in, but not very many--there was a case where a student took a service door while trying to get back into his dorm, and in the dark got electrocuted. Is that even possible. I can't see how someone dragged him out of the dorm room and into a car. That also makes no sense.

Fell or had an accident somewhere around there.
Went for a walk and got abducted? I can't see it.
Got willingly into someone's car at night.
"Hey, it's 4am. Just finished playing [video game]--want to go hang out?"
I can't see it. Makes no sense.
Wandered off...just took off because bad grades were coming--overwhelmed by finals. Seems extremely unlikely given the whole data set.

Seems like option 1 makes the most sense unless a really big piece of pertinent information is missing. Big secret or something this kid had.
 
If these articles have already been posted I apologize in advance.

http://www.dailybruin.com/articles/2000/12/7/anniversary-of-negretes-disapp/
Dec. 7, 2000 at midnight

...Michael was last accounted for around 4 a.m. Dec. 10, when he logged off a computer game he was playing with a friend down the hall. He was last seen wearing a blue plaid shirt and khaki shorts. He left behind his wallet and other personal belongings in his room...

... Early in the investigation, bloodhounds from the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department traced his scent from the dormitory to a bus stop on the corner of Sunset Boulevard and Bellagio Drive...

...detectives released a sketch in July of a man allegedly seen on Negrete’s floor the night he disappeared.The man, who was reportedly wearing a gray jacket with a turquoise design, is described as white, 35 years old, 5 feet 7 inches, with a heavy build and no facial hair...

http://www.dailybruin.com/articles/2003/4/4/mary-negrete-continues-search-/
April 4, 2003 at midnight

...Negrete disappeared in the early morning hours of Dec. 10, 1999. A first-year student at the time, he spent several hours playing computer games after returning from a party that night.

He was last seen at 4 a.m. on the sixth floor of Dykstra Hall. Howell said there may be witnesses who saw a man matching his description walking out the front door around 4:35 a.m.

Howell said that from the beginning of the investigation, there was no indication Negrete was still alive. In the three years since his disappearance, there has been no activity on his credit cards, bank accounts, or Ralph’s club card. All of Negrete’s possessions were left in his dorm room.

“Usually, when someone wants to disappear, they take something they want,” Howell said. “Everything that meant anything to Michael was left in the room.”...
 
Chat logs can't usually be lifted, esp back in 1999 unless the user specified saving chats. In a dorm, likely running Win95 (or maybe win98, depending on how important it was that he have the latest OS), and not having the computer completely secured, he wouldn't specify chat logs be saved. He wouldn't want his room mates looking at his chat logs.

Computer may have been password protected too, but password protecting wasn't as huge an issue then as it is now.

Yes, but something may have been cached to disk especially if RAM was full. Of course, recovery technology is more advanced these days. I am not sure how fine grained enterprise Internet routers are nowadays or back then, but if a synopsis of traffic (IPs via HTTP) was recorded for security auditing (or nowadays, DMCA violations), that information would have helped.

Lured?
I don't understand how he was lured to the street corner or would even go there at that time. It would have been cold at that time of night--in the 50s, tops, and a damp cold because it's close to the Santa Monica beach and it's always chilly around there, and where the dogs detected his scent isn't where the action is. It's dark over there at night. You have to go the right direction to get to the action, and that's toward Wilshire (along Westwood).

If he was "lured" I would think it would have been to keep something secret or otherwise private.


If he left the campus, he'd have gone up Westwood toward Wilshire. To get coffee? To get something to eat or drink, real quick after the 1 on 1 game. They said it was an intranet game--so maybe Starcraft or something that's pretty competitive and fun to play with just one other person.

Nothing is open at 4:30am (except Subway, maybe Ralphs' and maybe a bar). One time a friend and I foolishly worked late on campus until 4am. We walked home. The campus is dead. There is nobody on the street, no noise, nothing. It was downright eery despite how safe the campus is.

Chatroom?
Maybe someone in a chatroom wanted to meet up. But if he had just finished playing a video game 1 on 1 with a friend, then he'd go look to meet some afterward? Who's up looking for chats after 4am or in the very early morning? Doesn't make sense.

He was playing a game with someone else in a dorm. Articles seem to suggest it was someone else on the same floor and he went to congratulate them. Thing is, it's possible it was another dorm building entirely. That would fit in with him leaving with no shoes. The wallet, key etc. is another story though.

There's also the chance he fell somewhere. There are still parks and places for him to get lost or be left in, but not very many--there was a case where a student took a service door while trying to get back into his dorm, and in the dark got electrocuted. Is that even possible.

Yes, I think that is very possible. 1999 was a period where there was heavy construction in the immediate area (DeNeve Plaza). This is definitely possible, but if it really did happen it would be the biggest coverup.

Big secret or something this kid had.

I think that is likely, but no more likely than the other rational options.

Keep in mind that this was Thursday/Friday of 10th week, and Finals Week was the following week. Thursday night/Friday morning is party night at UCLA. With really drunk late night partiers, and people studying 24/7 for finals (they exist), the dorm area would not have been as deserted as usual. Somebody saw something, but it probably didn't register as unusual. That combined with the fact that he did not take his wallet, Bruin Card or keys, he may have left the building with another student. However, I think I read that security cameras captured him leaving alone.

If this was not an accident, then somebody that knew (of) Mike abducted him. If that was the case, I think he may have been tricked.
 
I forgot to mention, there is a Michael Negrete group on Facebook. The comments on there are a bit curious. It seems there is consensus that he disappeared voluntarily, but that is not believe to be the case with law enforcement etc.
 
I forgot to mention, there is a Michael Negrete group on Facebook. The comments on there are a bit curious. It seems there is consensus that he disappeared voluntarily, but that is not believe to be the case with law enforcement etc.

Can you please link the facebook profile? It should be okay in this case.
 
Sure. Here it is:

http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=31780627704&ref=ts

Some things to note:

1. Note that the group is called "Never Forget Mike Negrete" not "Where is..." or "Missing: ..." or "Find ..."

2. There is a somewhat freaky message from someone with the same name, but I am hoping it is a language barrier that made his message seem weird.

3. The comments look different than comments I've seen on other missing person pages on Facebook.
 
I forgot to mention, there is a Michael Negrete group on Facebook. The comments on there are a bit curious. It seems there is consensus that he disappeared voluntarily, but that is not believe to be the case with law enforcement etc.

Thanks for your previous response. You make some interesting points. Maybe he was tricked.
As far as people suggesting he left on his own: it seems to arise from the fact that there don't seem to be any other viable theories.

Recently, a kid left a party somewhere along the 405 near the Getty Museum and disappeared. They sent in teams fast and found him--turned out he got hit walking along the freeway and left to die. Not that such is a possibility here, but sometimes a one-off improbable event does occur.

There was a case where a man in this 30s got up in the middle of the night and went for a drive from his home in Thousand Oaks--insomnia--and never came back. People thought he might have left on his own too for a long time, even though it was not in his character.
They found his car at the bottom of a ravine (I think along Kanan Dume) 3 years later. These sorts of cases happen more than most might think. Whenever someone disppears with their car, I imagine they're at the bottom of a river or canyon somewhere.

But these scenarios don't apply to this kid without a car at UCLA.

I go back and forth between falling down an elevator shaft or equivalent and hooking up with the wrong person. It's important to note that the kid who went in the wrong door and got electocuted was found within a year--the next time someone went to that room for something.

If not that, then it was a person he met, a person who knew the meeting would be secret at all costs, and then who used that to his advantage. 1st Semester way from home, wants to explore life a bit; spills the beans on chat, and hooks up with the wrong person.

There is also the highly improbable case that he did meet someone, and they left in a car, and rather than murder, they both went down with the car similar to the Kanan Dume case. But I can't find any missing persons in CA in a similar time frame--could have been an older person who was reported missing within a few weeks or that time period, but again, nothing comes up. Can't imagine why anyone would want to hurt this kid. Crime of opportunity, bad luck, naivete etc, related to a private personal life or something related.
 
I forgot about the Bel Air case. Interesting to see where that leads. The party he was at was in Bel Air. He was found on the 405 in the Sepulveda Pass, not all that close for walking. I wonder how he got there.

Reviewing some old things and the DB articles I haven't read in a while, I noticed some things:

1. His mother became concerned after he had missed a practice or recital with a steel drum band in Mission Viejo. If he had no car, how was he supposed to get there?

2. The flyer on his family's website, which shows several pictures of him, looks completely different from the main picture that had been used on missing posters. In those pictures, he is always with the same two guys. I hope they were questioned thoroughly. Additionally, I think using that picture did not help since he looked different at the time (mainly the crew cut, and possibly gained a bit of weight).

3. An article from early 1998 vaguely describes what Dykstra Hall was like during the heavy construction. Students speak of the "dog" walk, a narrow passage that lead to the main entrance as being very dark and unsafe. The University responded by hiring security guards to patrol the entrance from 7pm to 3am. A lot changes in 1 year on this campus, so not sure that article still applied. If that was still the case, perhaps the timing was not a coincidence.

Article: http://www.dailybruin.com/articles/1998/1/29/residents-complain-about-payin/print/

I would imagine the smell would have been very noticeable if this was an accident involving an elevator shaft. Additionally, if his body was disposed of within the building, I would think there would be too much physical evidence to ignore it.
 
No one speaks bout the possibility of drug or alcohol use. Is that possible? Perhaps a drunken disappearance and falling in an unsafe area, and then a cover up by the University?
 

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