Account
Jan 28, 2026
Jan 28, 2026
Frederic
Hiro Yamamoto
55
55
5'8 inches
140 lbs
White
Male
In the quiet town of Bothell, Washington, a 55-year-old man named Frederic Hiro Yamamoto lived a solitary life in the Park Lane Townhouses. Known to his friends as Fred, he was a man who largely kept to himself. The last time anyone is known to have seen him was on September 29, 2009. Because of his private nature and the fact that he lived alone, his absence went unnoticed for some time. His family, residing in California, typically only heard from him around Christmastime, so they had no immediate cause for concern. It wasn't until November of that year that the manager of his apartment complex, realizing he hadn't been seen, contacted his family and a missing person report was finally filed with the police. The investigation into Frederic's disappearance began to piece together a timeline of his last known movements. On October 10, his car was found abandoned at O.O. Denny Park in the nearby city of Kirkland. At the time, law enforcement was unaware that the owner of the vehicle was a missing person, so the car was towed several days later. It was not until November 20 that the vehicle was searched, but the examination yielded no signs of foul play. A significant clue was discovered inside the car: an empty bag for an inflatable red and gray kayak. This led to a prevailing theory that Frederic may have gone kayaking on Lake Washington, though this has never been confirmed. Neither the kayak nor a paddle have ever been recovered. Further details emerged that added layers of complexity to Frederic's case. Investigators learned that he typically paid his rent three months in advance. However, just the day before he was last seen, he gave his apartment manager a check for only a single month's rent, stating that was all he had at the moment. This raised questions about whether he was experiencing financial difficulties and if that could be connected to his disappearance. Frederic, who was born in Japan and raised in Tokyo, was a graduate of the Brooks Institute of Photography in California. His sister described him as a talented photographer and a skilled guitar player. The case of Frederic Hiro Yamamoto is a somber reminder of how a quiet life can vanish without a trace. Despite the discovery of his car and the kayak theory, the lack of concrete evidence has left his family and investigators without answers for years. His disappearance remains an unsolved and poignant mystery.
Sep 29, 2009
Bothell
Washington
Bothell
Snohomish County Sheriff's Departmen
425-388-3523
06/15/2026
