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Family of missing ASU student near Grand Canyon seeks help identifying man who returned backpack
Sandarsh Krishna, 26, an ASU student, was reported missing more than a week ago near the Grand Canyon. Now, his family is asking for help, while park rangers are looking to identify a man who turned in his backpack. FOX 10's Jacob Luthi has the latest on the search efforts and what the family is saying.
TEMPE, Ariz. - The family of a missing Arizona State University student is pleading for the public’s help after his recent trip to the Grand Canyon. Investigators say they’re now looking to identify and speak with a person who may hold key information in the case.
What we know:
April 27 was the last day Sandarsh Krishna’s family says they'd heard from him.
"We haven’t had any success in finding him," said Pooja Shivananjappa, Krishna's sister-in-law.
Courtesy: Pooja Shivananjappa
Krishna, who lives in Tempe, told his family he was traveling to Las Vegas, with a stop at the Grand Canyon’s South Rim. He was expected back for finals this week at ASU and for a job interview.
"They’re doing the best they can, but unfortunately we do not have the exact location to see where he went missing. The cell phone data has not moved since Tuesday," Shivananjappa said.
While Krishna’s sister-in-law Pooja Shivananjappa says the family has also hired a private investigator while the National Park Service leads the investigation. Investigators say Krishna's last known possible location was along the Rim Trail off Hermit Road, between Bright Angel Lodge and Mohave Point.
What you can do:
NPS is now asking for the public’s help identifying the individual who they say returned a backpack belonging to Krishna at Bright Angel Lodge on the morning of April 28, a day after Krishna went missing. Investigators say he’s not a suspect, but believe he may have critical information that could help narrow the search area.
"The reason why finding the guy would be extremely helpful. So we can gain more information as to where the backpack was found. That way we can focus on that specific area," Shivananjappa said.
Anyone with information is asked to call or text National Park Service rangers at the Grand Canyon at 1-888-653-0009.
Dig deeper:
Krishna moved to Arizona in 2024 from India to pursue a master’s degree in computer science at ASU and is set to graduate May 9. His family describes him as someone who is brilliant, loves chess, close to loved ones, and who called his mom almost every day.
"It's impossible to not like him. He has a helping hand. As I said, he has the heart of a kid and can be terribly missed him as of now. And I want him to know that," Shivananjappa said.
The Source: This information was gathered from the family of Sandarsh Krishna and the Grand Canyon National Park.