Amber Aiaz, 34, and her 12-year-old daughter, Melissa Fu, were last seen on November 22, 2019, in Irvine, California. The circumstances surrounding their disappearance are complex and troubling, primarily revolving around the account provided by Amber's husband and Melissa's stepfather, Cheng Zhang. On the day they went missing, Amber was reportedly driving back from Las Vegas, where she had sourced produce for her business.
According to Zhang, at approximately 4:30 p.m. on November 22, 2019, a man and a woman of Chinese descent knocked on the door of their apartment in the vicinity of Michelson and University. When Zhang answered, he claims he was rendered unconscious by a substance sprayed in his face. Hours later, he awoke to find bloodstains on the carpet and a bloody handprint on the kitchen wall. Both Melissa, who had been home with him, and Amber, who was expected to return, were gone.
Zhang told investigators he found a handwritten note in Chinese from the alleged kidnappers. The note asserted that Amber and Melissa were unharmed and would be returned in a few days if he refrained from contacting the police. He was instructed to clean the apartment and act as if nothing was wrong. Over the next week, Zhang claimed to have received further notes with similar instructions, which led him to dispose of the bloody carpet and paint over the handprint. He also posed as his wife on the messaging app WeChat and informed his stepdaughter's school that she was ill. Zhang finally reported them missing on December 2, 2019.
Initially, the Irvine Police Department considered Zhang the primary suspect in the disappearance of his wife and stepdaughter. However, after an extensive investigation, which included over 40 hours of interviews and 44 days of constant surveillance, authorities were unable to find any evidence to contradict his account or link him to their disappearance. During this time, Zhang reportedly cooperated fully with the police. The investigation revealed that Amber Aiaz, also known as Mei Yi Wu, had a background that included moving from China to the United States, starting a business, and a brief separation from Zhang in 2018.
The case remains unsolved, and the Irvine Police Department, along with the FBI, have investigated it as a possible kidnapping. A $10,000 reward has been offered by the FBI for information leading to the whereabouts of Amber and Melissa. Despite the investigation, there has been no sign of either Amber or her daughter since their disappearance. Their bank accounts and passports have not been used, and there is no evidence to suggest they have left the country. The mysterious circumstances and the lack of concrete leads have left law enforcement and the community baffled.
Last Seen: Nov 22, 2019
