Alice Ku, a 36-year-old tutor from Mountain View, California, disappeared under suspicious circumstances during a trip to Taiwan with her husband, Harald Herchen, in late November 2019. The couple arrived in Taiwan on November 23, 2019, supposedly for a business trip. Ku was last seen on November 29, when she was reportedly dropped off at a train station in Hualien by Herchen. She was supposed to visit her parents near Taipei, but she never arrived, and her family had no knowledge of her plans to visit.
Her disappearance raised significant concerns, especially when inconsistencies emerged in Herchen’s account of events. Investigators from Taiwan’s Criminal Investigation Bureau uncovered evidence suggesting that an email Herchen claimed to have received from Ku after she left was actually sent from the same location where he was staying. Taiwan authorities believe that Alice Ku was murdered on or before November 29, 2019, and they have identified Herchen as a suspect. Despite this, Ku’s body has never been found, and Herchen remains wanted for questioning regarding her disappearance.
Ku’s family, devastated by her disappearance, filed a wrongful death lawsuit against Herchen in 2021. They have continued to seek justice and answers regarding what happened during that fateful trip to Taiwan.
Last Seen: Nov 30, 2019
