A vigil was held Saturday night for a tech CEO who was found dead under mysterious circumstances.
The body of Beau Mann, 39, was discovered in Santa Monica on May 8, nearly a year and a half after his disappearance.
On Nov. 30, 2021, Mann was last seen at a 7-Eleven in Studio City when an Uber picked him up from the store and dropped him off on Berkeley Street in Santa Monica.
He had been in contact with his family two days prior, but a text to 911 was the last time anyone heard from him.
Mann’s remains were found in the courtyard of an abandoned property on the 2900 block of Santa Monica Boulevard, according to LAPD. The remains were identified by the L.A. County coroner through dental records.
The cause of the death, however, has not been released. Many questions remain about the circumstances surrounding Mann’s death and loved ones are still seeking answers.
His family believes foul play was involved, pointing to the fact that he bought a bag of ice at the store before taking an Uber, a sign he was intending to go home.
Mann was the founder of SoberGrid, an app designed to help recovering addicts. Mann was also in the middle of planning his wedding to fiancé Jason Abate when he disappeared.
Abate has been dedicated to finding him from the start.
“What did alarm me was the fact that he went to 7-Eleven and had programmed his destination and was to go home after that,” said Abate. “So he went to 7-Eleven and he bought a bunch of stuff for him home like cleaning stuff and a big bag of ice because anyone who knows Beau knows he loves to chew on ice and his ice maker didn’t work so none of that surprised me.”
What was inexplicable, however, was a sudden change of direction during the Uber ride home.
“When someone is going to do their grocery shopping and they’re buying ice to go home, and that’s where they’re scheduled to go home, it doesn’t make sense for him to suddenly change his address to 1338 Berkeley Street and during that change, he texted 911 and used the app’s emergency feature,” said Abate.
Mann’s family has hired a private investigator to try and piece together the details.
The vigil held Saturday night was a time for friends and loved ones to remember the service and impact Mann brought to those around him.
“There’s a lot of questions and I wish I had the answers,” said Julie Gallegos, a friend. “It’s just heartbreaking because he was such a giving person that he deserved so much better than this.”
On Facebook, his family and friends thanked those who helped look for Mann:
“Beau was a beautiful soul who spent the better part of his life helping others. We miss his infectious smile and positive attitude every day. We know his spirit will live on through his company and passion, Sober Grid, as it continues to help those struggling with the grip of addiction.”
Anyone with any information on Mann’s death is asked to contact the Santa Monica Police Department at 310-395-9931.