The remains of missing UCLA student, David John Goeser, were found in the Pacific Palisades Saturday morning, exactly two months after he first went missing.
Police were called about human remains spotted by hikers near the Los Liones Canyon Trail in the Pacific Palisades, according to a statement released by the Los Angeles Police Department on Sunday. At the time, police said they could not verify if the findings were related to Goeser’s disappearance.
According to an updated statement from the LAPD released Thursday, the coroner’s office confirmed the remains belonged to Goeser. The coroner’s report determined the 23-year-old student died from a single, self-inflicted gunshot wound in the head. A semiautomatic pistol was found near the remains, according to the statement.
“The UCLA community mourns this tragedy. Our thoughts, prayers and deepest condolences are with his family and friends,” Chancellor Gene Block said in a statement.
In the past year, David Goeser had shown signs of depression and anxiety and was under a doctor’s care before he went missing, his mother Christi Goeser told the Bruin in July.
The fourth-year English student was last seen by his roommates on July 22 at his apartment in the North Village.
His car was found in the Pacific Palisades three days after he was last seen.
After searching extensively in the Pacific Palisades area, police expanded the search to the entire West Coast, the Bruin reported in late July.
It is unknown why the remains were not found in July when police searched the trails using dirtbikes, horses and helicopters, police said.
Goeser’s family plans to hold a memorial service for the student on Oct. 6 at 2 p.m. at the Calvary Community Church in Westlake Village, according to the press release.
“We are ever grateful to law enforcement who worked tirelessly in searching for David,” Goeser’s family stated in a press release. “We would also like to thank all the thousands of volunteers who helped in the search for our son.”
Compiled by Erin Donnelly and Naheed Rajwani, Bruin senior staff.