Jedidiah Kowchee Missing Person Case

Dec 22, 2023

Jan 23, 2024

Jedidiah

Kowchee

29

28

64 inches

155 lbs

American Indian / Alaska Native

Male

In the coastal Alaskan town of Sitka, a sense of concern grew within the community following the disappearance of 28-year-old Jedidiah David Trinity Kowchee on December 13, 2023. He was last seen at approximately 4:07 p.m. leaving the AC Lakeside grocery store shopping center. Security footage from that day shows him wearing a black jacket with a hoodie underneath, tan-colored khaki pants, and black running shoes with black and white soles. He also had on clear-framed eyeglasses and a black hat. Jedidiah, an American Indian / Alaska Native male with black hair and brown eyes, stood at 5 feet 4 inches and weighed around 155 pounds. He was reported missing two days later, on December 15, 2023, by which time no one had heard from him. The initial report of Jedidiah's disappearance sparked immediate action from local law enforcement and the community. The Sitka Police Department, along with the Alaska State Troopers, began an investigation into his whereabouts. Search and rescue teams, aided by volunteers, conducted extensive ground searches, particularly during the daylight hours of December 23 and 24. Despite these dedicated efforts, their searches yielded no clues as to where Jedidiah might have gone. His father, Jerry Kowchee, expressed deep gratitude for the support from the Sitka community, the Sitka Tribe, and the search and rescue teams. He noted that while his son, who had been living with him since the fall of 2023, enjoyed hiking, it was highly unusual for him to be gone for more than a day. As time passed with no new leads, the investigation continued with law enforcement "actively searching and exploring every avenue possible." The case remained open, and the community was urged to come forward with any information. In July 2025, a new tip prompted a renewed search effort. Based on a witness who thought they might have seen Jedidiah behind Blatchley Middle School or near the University of Alaska Southeast campus on the night he went missing, search teams with dog units were dispatched. Tragically, this four-hour search of the abandoned areas and buildings also came up empty. The disappearance of Jedidiah Kowchee remains a painful mystery for his family and the close-knit community of Sitka, a case marked by a concerning lack of information and the ongoing hope for answers.

Dec 13, 2023

Sitka

Alaska

Sitka Borough

99835

No

133302

Sitka Police Department

Sitka

Alaska

Sitka Borough

99835

304 Lake Street, Suite 102, Alaska

9077473245

Local

Law Enforcement

http://www.sitkapd.com/

23-00591

2023-12-15

Sitka Police Department

na

Black

Brown

Brown

07/01/2026