Found Deceased IA - Abdullahi "Abdi" Sharif, 18, Des Moines, 17 Jan 2020

[PommyMommy]

Family members worry for safety of missing Des Moines man

According to Des Moines police, Abdullahi "Abdi" Sharif, 18, was last seen Friday night at Merle Hay Mall.

• Abdi is approximately 5'4" in height, weighing 120 lbs.
• He was last seen wearing a dark-colored winter coat, khaki-colored pants, and tennis shoes.
• Anyone with information is asked to call 911.

Des Moines Police

 

[PommyMommy]

JAN 20, 2020
Mother of Missing Des Moines Teen Praying for Signs of Hope
It's been days since a now weary Fadumo Ahmed last saw her 18-year-old son Abdullahi Sharif.

"Four days, never sleeping, never anything. Oh my God," said Fadumo.

Abdullahi, who is often called "Abdi" by his family and friends, was last seen on surveillance video Friday night at Target inside Des Moines' Merle Hay Mall. It is a place he's worked at for nearly two years.

[...]

Investigators say Abdi's cell phone is either off or disabled. They say evidence shows Abdi spends time at three places almost exclusively: his job at Target, with family at home in Des Moines and at Roosevelt High School, where he is a senior. Parizek said, "He had three numbers in his phone that he calls all the time. All family."

One of Abdi's teachers is MD, who has Abdi in a homeroom class. "This is just out of character for him. He's been an office helper the last couple semesters at Roosevelt. Everybody thinks the world of him and it's so bizarre," MD said. ...

While the surveillance video of Abdi seen Friday at Target is a starting point, police say what's giving them the most problem is his lack of presence on social media. It's something extremely rare for a teen in this digital age. "The troubling piece for us is there is nothing we can find in his background, at home or at school that would indicate he's got any reason to take off or anything that he's running with the wrong crowd. Nothing like that."

[...]

 

[PommyMommy]

JAN 21, 2020
DMPD says evidence indicates Des Moines 18-year-old voluntarily missing
[...]

Police say attempts by police and his family to locate him have been unsuccessful but offered new information in the case Tuesday.

"We have just found some evidence that indicates his absence is most likely voluntary, but that doesn't really calm our concerns about his welfare."

[...]

 

[snoflake20]

Des Moines police, family share concern for safety of missing 18-year-old

School officials, family members and friends say the 18-year-old is a bright student who was not involved in drugs and did not have any prior mental health issues.

Ahmed said she calls her son's phone every hour, but it is turned off.

Shortly before he disappeared, Sharif posted a Snapchat that said, "I got bad news … bad bad news."

"(Ahmed) believes that there is someone else out there," Hashi said. "Someone else has that information and she is willing to talk to that person."

Ahmed said she had a message for her son.

"He is not in trouble," Hashi said on Ahmed's behalf. "His mom loves him. No matter what happens, she wants to see him home."

Des Moines Police said detectives searched for Sharif throughout the day Tuesday, asking businesses for surveillance video and speaking to residents.

Anyone with information regarding Sharif's location is asked to call the Des Moines Police Department at 515-283-4811.

 

[airportwoman]

I live in this region. It's a huge mystery, so far.

 

[snoflake20]

I live in this region. It's a huge mystery, so far.

I have family in Iowa. I heard it was bitterly cold (in the single digits) and snowing on Friday night in Des Moines. I'm wondering how he left Target? Did he just walk off? It didn't look like he had warm enough clothing on for a long walk.

 

[PommyMommy]

How did Abdi get to and from work? Anyone know? MOO

 

[snoflake20]

There is a comment on the Des Moines Police Facebook post, that possibly answers this, but I won't post the actual comment since it's SM.

 

[PommyMommy]

There is a comment on the Des Moines Police Facebook post, that possibly answers this, but I won't post the actual comment since it's SM.

That'll work. Thanks!

 

[snoflake20]

www.facebook.com/abdullahi.sharif.524

 

[PommyMommy]

Noting from the video in this article: Family members worry for safety of missing Des Moines man

• Abdi was at Target on Friday visiting work friends and left the store.
• He never showed up for work on Saturday.
• That's when the store called the family and police.
• Sgt. Parizek says there's nobody at work that's had any issues with him and nobody at school who has had any issues with him.
• He disappeared during a winter storm.

From the video in this article: Des Moines police, family share concern for safety of missing 18-year-old

• Abdi does not have a car.
  
• His mom went to Target to pick him up around 9:30 Friday night but he never showed.

Brandon Lawrence on Twitter
FUN FACT: Today (5.7") was officially the snowiest day @dsmairport
since November 20, 2015 (6.7" then). That doesn't mean a single event didn't have higher amounts, but highest in a single day since 2015.
6:58 PM · Jan 17, 2020·TweetDeck

No one wondered where he was Friday night? MOO

 

[snoflake20]

Noting from the video in this article: Family members worry for safety of missing Des Moines man

• Abdi was at Target on Friday visiting work friends and left the store.
• He never showed up for work on Saturday.
• That's when the store called the family and police.
• Sgt. Parizek says there's nobody at work that's had any issues with him and nobody at school who has had any issues with him.
• He disappeared during a winter storm.

From the video in this article: Des Moines police, family share concern for safety of missing 18-year-old

• Abdi does not have a car.
  
• His mom went to Target to pick him up around 9:30 Friday night but he never showed.

Brandon Lawrence on Twitter
FUN FACT: Today (5.7") was officially the snowiest day @dsmairport
since November 20, 2015 (6.7" then). That doesn't mean a single event didn't have higher amounts, but highest in a single day since 2015.
6:58 PM · Jan 17, 2020·TweetDeck

No one wondered where he was Friday night? MOO

I think the family did, especially his mom, but I imagine a police department isn't going to be in a rush to look for an 18 year old on a Friday night. JMO

 

[PommyMommy]

I think the family did, especially his mom, but I imagine a police department isn't going to be in a rush to look for an 18 year old on a Friday night. JMO

Well, I suppose all parents are different but 1) he wasn't at Target when his mother went to pick him up, 2) he wasn't answering her phone calls, 3) there was severe weather and he was possibly on foot, and 4) he didn't make it home that night.

Please don't get me wrong - I'm not trying to insinuate that his family is involved, but it just seems odd to me that they didn't notify police that night OR the next morning, yet his employer was apparently concerned enough to call.

I'm just wondering if we're missing a part of the story here, ykwim? For example, could there have been a family squabble and they assumed he was at a friend's house cooling off or something? MOO

 

[snoflake20]

Well, I suppose all parents are different but 1) he wasn't at Target when his mother went to pick him up, 2) he wasn't answering her phone calls, 3) there was severe weather and he was possibly on foot, and 4) he didn't make it home that night.

Please don't get me wrong - I'm not trying to insinuate that his family is involved, but it just seems odd to me that they didn't notify police that night OR the next morning, yet his employer was apparently concerned enough to call.

I'm just wondering if we're missing a part of the story here, ykwim? For example, could there have been a family squabble and they assumed he was at a friend's house cooling off or something? MOO

I see what you are saying...

MOO based on a few things you pointed out in your post, I just copied an pasted below:

• Abdi was at Target on Friday visiting work friends and left the store.
• He never showed up for work on Saturday
• Abdi does not have a car.
• His mom went to Target to pick him up around 9:30 Friday night but he never showed.

I'm wondering if Abdi told his mom he was going to work on Friday night. From your bullet point above, it doesn't sound like he was working. But since he doesn't have a car, it might be his only way to hangout/get out of the house. I wonder when his shifts typically ended and was 9:30 the usual pick up time? Maybe Abdi's phone died before his mom picked him up. My cell phone battery drains very fast in cold weather. They weren't able to coordinate the pick up and Abdi decided to just walk home in the snow storm? MOO

Also looking at a Google Earth image of Merle Hay Mall, there appears to be construction going on behind the Target? Hopefully no holes were obscured by snow and Abdi fell in? MOO All my own speculation. I'm very worried for Abdi and his family.

 

[PommyMommy]

I see what you are saying...

MOO based on a few things you pointed out in your post, I just copied an pasted below:

• Abdi was at Target on Friday visiting work friends and left the store.
• He never showed up for work on Saturday
• Abdi does not have a car.
• His mom went to Target to pick him up around 9:30 Friday night but he never showed.

I'm wondering if Abdi told his mom he was going to work on Friday night. From your bullet point below, it doesn't sound like he was working. But since he doesn't have a car, it might be his only way to hangout/get out of the house. I wonder when his shifts typically ended and 9:30 was the usual pick up time? Maybe Abdi's phone died before his mom picked him up. My cell phone battery drains very fast in cold weather. They weren't able to coordinate the pick up and Abdi decided to just walk home in the snow storm? MOO

I'm leaning toward a weather-related event. Unfortunately, a similar thing just happened in CO and the MP was found in a snowbank along the route he walked home. Horrible.

The snap also bothers me, though. "I got bad news … bad bad news." Did he leave the mall to go help someone? MOO

 

[snoflake20]

I'm leaning toward a weather-related event. Unfortunately, a similar thing just happened in CO and the MP was found in a snowbank along the route he walked home. Horrible.

The snap also bothers me, though. "I got bad news … bad bad news." Did he leave the mall to go help someone? MOO

MOO
Yes, the snap bothers me too. I first thought maybe Abdi was fired/layed off from Target, I know that some businesses hire lots of holiday help and then need to let go of people after Christmas, but he was scheduled to work on Saturday... I guess this still could be the "bad news" and Target gave him notice they were cutting his hours? or maybe if he had been telling his mom he was working, but just hanging out at the mall some days, maybe she found this out and would be upset? This is ALL SPECULATION! MOO

I'm still new to websleuths but I am quickly learning how rumors can start and then later on in the thread are stated as fact.

Any time I post my own musings/speculation/thoughts on the case, I put MOO (My Own Opinion) so it should not be taken as fact. But I will always base my speculation on something that has been posted in MSM.

 

[PommyMommy]

MOO
Yes, the snap bothers me too. I first thought maybe Abdi was fired/layed off from Target, I know that some businesses hire lots of holiday help and then need to let go of people after Christmas, but he was scheduled to work on Saturday... I guess this still could be the "bad news" and Target gave him notice they were cutting his hours? or maybe if he had been telling his mom he was working, but just hanging out at the mall some days, maybe she found this out and would be upset? This is ALL SPECULATION! MOO

I'm still new to websleuths but I am quickly learning how rumors can start and then later on in the thread are stated as fact.

Any time I post my own musings/speculation/thoughts on the case, I put MOO (My Own Opinion) so it should not be taken as fact. But I will always base my speculation on something that has been posted in MSM.

Well, I'm very glad that you're here and appreciate the fact that you clearly define what is fact and what is not.

Possible scenario (includes speculation):

1. He gets bad news.
2. *Speculation* He is seen on video willingly getting into someone's vehicle. (Evidence that he left voluntarily.)
3. Mom arrives to pick him up but he is not there.
4. He is not answering his phone.

How did he receive this bad news? Call, text, in person...and what was it? IF he met with someone, why haven't they come forward, or have they? MOO

 

[GuyfromCanada]

A big article about the case (Jan 28).

A teenage Target employee left his store on a Friday night almost 2 weeks ago. He hasn't been seen since.

 

[PommyMommy]

A big article about the case (Jan 28).

A teenage Target employee left his store on a Friday night almost 2 weeks ago. He hasn't been seen since.

Thank you so much! I've been hoping to see some news in this case.

Noting:

1. January 17 was a snow day, so Abdi had the day off from school.
2. His mother drove him to the mall that evening after he told her that he'd been called in for a shift.
3. He asked her to to pick him up at 9:30 p.m.
4. Abdi's loved ones say that neither he nor his sister were scheduled to work that night.
5. Target provided police with footage of Abdi in the store and he appears to be wearing a dark winter coat, khakis, and sneakers and also seen holding a phone, with earbuds plugged into his ears.
6. Sgt. Parizek, declined to say what time exactly Abdi left the Target store.
7. His phone was either shut off or completely drained of its battery shortly after his disappearance.
8. Abdi's sister and Levine are attempting to access his Apple account, to access data regarding his phone's location.
9. Despite requests for expedited access, Apple has told them that they may not be able to get into the account until February 20.
10. Detectives have gone to businesses and homes in the area to check if anyone has captured Abdi on video.
11. "At this point, the only thing that we can say is that we found some evidence that indicates that his absence is voluntary," Parizek said.
12. His sister and Levine have expressed worry about Abdi's health as he has missed weekly shots needed to treat his allergies.
13. Levine flew to Des Moines after Abdi disappeared, and she and Abdi's sister have launched their own search for clues in his disappearance.
14. They have gained access to his Snapchat, Facebook, emails, and bank account but haven't yet found anything that sheds light on what happened to him.

 

[PommyMommy]

JAN 29, 2020
Family of missing Des Moines teen offers $5,000 reward
The Des Moines Police Department and the family of a missing Des Moines teenager have announced a $5,000 reward for information regarding the location of Abdullahi Sharif.

[...]

The family asked that anyone with information about Sharif's whereabouts share it with the Des Moines Police Department at 515-283-4811.