Elliot Eastman, an American vlogger, lived in Sibuco, the “red zone” in the Philippines, documenting his life in a region marked by beauty and danger. On October 17, 2024, he was abducted by armed men posing as police officers, leading to his tragic death and a sea of unanswered questions. This episode explores Elliot’s journey, the theories surrounding his kidnapping, and the cultural and social complexities of living in such a high-risk area. Tune in as we explore this case.
It’s important to understand that just because certain sources are referenced, it doesn’t imply that their information was utilized. We strive to rely on the most credible and trustworthy sources available.
https://www.reddit.com/r/Philippines_Expats/comments/1gaxigr/the_elliot_eastman_kidnapping_was_a_message/ https://www.youtube.com/@ElliotBeastman/videos
In the most dangerous parts of the world, “red zone” is a term that speaks to areas of extreme risk—places often controlled by violence, lawlessness, or conflict. Sibuco, a remote town in the Philippines, is one such place, known for its challenges and uncertainty. Despite its reputation, a YouTuber made it his mission to document life in the red zone, getting married, opening a small shop and sharing the raw reality of living in a place most people would avoid entirely. It was here that Elliot Eastman was kidnapped on October 17th by four men posing as police officers.
Welcome to Shall We Brew? I’m your host Hayley. Here we talk about true crime, bizarre stories, and shocking scandals. Just a quick disclaimer in this episode, I’ll be discussing the Philippines and sharing perspectives based on what has been written by netizens. These views do not reflect my personal opinions or beliefs; rather, they are a collection of insights and commentary gathered from various sources. My goal is to provide an accurate and balanced narrative while respecting the culture and people.
This is also an ongoing case, there are not a lot of details as of now.
Now with that being said – pour yourself a cup and settle in, because once we start brewing…the truth can’t be unsipped.
Sibuco, a remote town in the Zamboanga del Norte province of the Philippines, is a place that feels like it exists on the edge of the world. Nestled on the rugged western coastline of Mindanao, it’s surrounded by dense forests, winding rivers, and a coastline that could be stunningly picturesque if not for the shadow of danger that looms over it. This is a region where beauty and peril coexist, where the landscape is as raw and untamed as the challenges of daily life.
Sibuco’s isolation is both its charm and its curse. The area is largely rural, with small communities relying on fishing, farming, and logging to survive. Infrastructure is limited, with few roads and even fewer reliable services connecting the town to the rest of the province. It’s the kind of place where time moves slower, not by choice, but by necessity.
Zamboanga del Norte has long been considered part of Mindanao’s “red zone,” and Sibuco is no exception. The term “red zone” applies to regions deemed high-risk due to insurgencies, lawlessness, and sporadic violence. Sibuco, in particular, has been marked by the presence of armed groups like the Abu Sayyaf, known for kidnappings, extortion, and clashes with government forces.
To some, it’s simply home—a place of deep cultural roots, unbreakable family ties, and traditions passed down through generations. To others, especially those unfamiliar with its complexities, it’s a place shrouded in beauty, mystery, and apprehension.
For some, Sibuco is simply home. It is a place of deep cultural roots, unbreakable family ties, and traditions passed down through generations.
I was reading a post on Reddit, cautioning newcomers about life in the Philippines paints a stark picture of cultural nuances and financial boundaries—a sentiment many expats echo when describing their experiences. It warns against the pitfalls of generosity, emphasizing the risks of being too trusting or overly open.
For expats like Elliot Eastman, navigating these unspoken rules can mean the difference between blending in and standing out in ways that might attract the wrong kind of attention.
Elliot was an American vlogger who gained attention for documenting his life in Sibuco. He was originally from Vermont, and went to college in New York. Through Instagram and YouTube, he shared everything from the challenges of daily life to opening a small grocery store in one of the most dangerous regions of the Philippines. His channel reads: I am 26 years old and I came to the Philippines about a year and half ago where I met the love of my life deep in the mountains of the red zone of the Philippines. Zamboanga del Norte is a recently developed area of the Philippines that was once only accessible by boat. I will be showing you my day to day life as the first and only foreigner to have ever lived here in Sibuco for a long period of time. I am from the USA!
He has a small grocery store where it’s set up more like a concession stand, attached to his in-laws’ house, sat right on the beach and sold essentials like diapers, candles, Gatorade, coffee, snacks, and laundry detergent. Elliot had moved to the Philippines in May 2024 after marrying his wife, Karisha, likely in November 2023.
Elliot had recently traveled out of the Philippines but had returned to Sibuco to attend his wife’s graduation. Then on October 17, 2024, Elliot was kidnapped by four men posing as police officers. Reports state that he attempted to escape but was shot in the leg and then shot once more after resisting. His captors dragged him onto a motorboat and sped off into the night. Elliot’s remains have not been found.
The chilling part is that just hours before his abduction, Elliot had been livestreaming on YouTube. In one video, he sits on the floor in shorts, surrounded by concrete walls, casually snacking and chatting with his viewers. The dim lighting and his seemingly calm demeanor – in that moment give no hint what was about to happen. He even comments on Liam Payne’s recent death, which had been in the news just the day before. I mean in hindsight yes you could possibly look into body language and say he looks nervous… but body language it’s not an exact science and cannot be read accurately. Some netizens believe he looks nervous and unsettled – when I watch the videos I get a different impression.. He appears calm, like he’s not grasping the entirety of the situation.
In another video, recorded on October 16, Elliot’s words take on a haunting tone in hindsight. Speaking to his wife, he expresses a desire to leave, saying he’s been there too long and doesn’t feel comfortable anymore.
Some of Elliot’s earlier videos feel equally unsettling. On a livestream from September 27, he talks for over two hours about his plans to visit the U.S. and his struggles with family relationships. He candidly admits, “Honestly, my life here is kinda ass… If I were to do it again, I wouldn’t do it like this.” When a viewer asks if it’s dangerous for him, Elliot hesitates before responding, “I feel like I’ve been staying in this place too long. I don’t even know if people like me anymore… Maybe they want bad things to happen to me now.”
A viewer reassures him, saying, “I don’t think anyone wants bad stuff to happen to you.” Elliot replies, “I don’t know what would happen if someone did try to come and kidnap me, right? Would the neighbors help me, or would they just sit there and watch?”
The police report states the men were armed with rifles and introduced themselves as police officers and forcibly took Elliot.. Who had tried to escape. Shooting him in the leg. They then drug Elliot onto a speedboat then fled by sea further south towards the provinces of Basilan or Sulu.
A massive search for Elliot and his abductors led to the arrest of one suspect and once police finally found the three other suspects, a gunfight broke out, which then resulted in the death of the three kidnappers.
Apparently one of the suspect’s relatives gave information to detectives stating that Elliot had died due to a gunshot wound in the thigh and the abdomen while being taken. The abductors decided to throw Elliots body into the sea after he died. This information was then corroborated by a key suspect who had been arrested. Authorities have made search efforts to find Elliots remains, unfortunately he has not been found yet.
Theories:
With this specific case, Elliot’s videos and social media is all still up as of now. So many comments either blame the victim or say his wife’s family did it, and his wife had set him up. So this leads me to talk about the theories.
According to one news site based in the Philippines (just a disclaimer we have no idea how reliable this information is so take it with a grain of salt). According to the news site Elliot married Karisha about five months after losing his money to another woman in Zamboanga City – a woman that he had planned to initially marry. It also states Elliot had converted to Islam. So early on in the case it might have been possible investigators were looking into reports that his kidnapping may have been linked to his marriage with his wife.. Karisha was previously in a relationship with a Sama Sibuco indigenous man who wanted her back… but there are no official reports of it being linked.
A lot of netizens believe there are a few main reasons or behaviors that contributed to Elliots kidnapping and death.
- Loan sharking – possibly loaning people up to 40% interest… this seems to pop up everywhere you look, but I myself have not found any reliable sources or information stating he was loaning out money. Except for a video where Elliot talks about loaning money to someone… but borrowing money is a common practice among Filipinos. He does make a profit off lending out money but other than that – I have yet to see concrete proof of Elliot being a loan shark.
- Converted to Islam but didn’t really honor it. He also responded on his live stream to a comment that basically says “I want to marry many women and have many kids..create a village” and Elliot responds by saying ‘’You can probably do that if you really want to..” “the right way to do it.. is .. you can do that… You just become a muslim and then it’s okay to marry many women. It’s like part of the culture. You can marry up to seven women”… as long as your supporting them all. Mind you, Elliot is saying this in a culturally sensitive place. The way he speaks about it nonchalantly, like it’s no big deal just convert.. Which could be triggering for someone who follows the teachings of Islam.
- One really big reason I see – is that he wasn’t respectful to the community. He talks about someone getting road rage, people’s attitudes are hard to deal with… A lot of people say he really should have immersed himself into the culture and at least tried to learn the language.
- He talked about money quite a bit in his videos. There are several videos where Elliot talks about how much he made, or how much a roof cost, or what he bought a dirt bike for. I think this goes hand in hand with the reddit post warning expats of what not to do.
A lot of theories suggest that Elliot’s wife had something to do with it – and I just would like to reiterate, this happens time and time again when cases go viral. It’s detrimental to not accuse someone and start pointing fingers all over the internet… of course people can form their own opinion but wrongful speculation has long term effects on innocent people’s lives.
Again, I would like to just say these are all things that netizens have posted – I’m relaying the information and it’s not to be taken as my own opinion.
If you were investigating this case, where would you focus your attention? Is there a detail or aspect you think hasn’t been explored enough? Comment your thoughts below.
In the end, Elliot’s story is a complex and tragic one. The speculation surrounding his life and death serves as a reminder of how the internet can shape narratives, sometimes without full context or evidence. Whether it’s debates about his cultural understanding, his faith, or his personal relationships, we must tread carefully in forming conclusions. Speculation, while inevitable in high-profile cases like this, can have real-world consequences, especially for the people left behind.
At the heart of it all, Elliot was a person—a son, a husband, and someone navigating life in a foreign place. It’s easy to get caught up in the theories, but we should remember to focus on the facts we know and approach this tragedy with empathy. Did Elliot make some mistakes while living in the red zone? It certainly sounds like it, but he certainly did not deserve to die.
Thank you for joining me on today’s episode of Shall We Brew? If you’d like to share your thoughts or dive deeper into the conversation, comment below! And as always, stay curious, stay safe, and until next time, let’s keep brewing the truth together