Nihar Mehta, a 22-year-old man from Chicago, Illinois, was last seen on June 2, 2023, in Orange, California. Standing 6 feet 3 inches tall and weighing 225 pounds, Mehta had black hair, brown eyes, and a mustache at the time of his disappearance. He was pursuing a business degree at Ohio State University and had relocated to Southern California to explore opportunities in the medicinal cannabis industry, aiming to develop products for pain relief, anxiety, and other health conditions.
On the night of June 2, Mehta was captured on surveillance footage around 3:00 a.m. at his warehouse located at 1440 West Taft Avenue in Orange. He appeared to be accompanied by another individual. This person later claimed to have left Mehta at a Walmart parking lot in Covina, but this account remains unverified, and the individual has since become untraceable.
Mehta's vehicle, a white van, was discovered on June 23, 2023, abandoned in the parking lot of an auto shop in Placentia, California. Surveillance footage from June 12 showed an unidentified young white male driving the van and leaving it with the keys inside and a window rolled down, suggesting potential foul play.
In the months following his disappearance, Mehta's phone remained off, and there was no activity on his social media or financial accounts. His family, deeply concerned, traveled from Chicago to Orange County to retrace his steps and seek answers. They have been working closely with the Orange Police Department and private investigators. A person of interest, Manuel "Manny" Chavez Zamudio, a former business associate of Mehta's, has been identified. Zamudio has not been located, and authorities believe he may have information crucial to the case.
Mehta's family has offered a $10,000 reward for information leading to his whereabouts. They urge anyone with information to contact the Orange Police Department at 744-7377 or submit an anonymous tip through MissingInOrangeCounty.com. As of now, Mehta's case remains unsolved, and his family continues to seek answers and hold onto hope for his safe return. Last Seen: Jun 2, 2023
