A man who has been missing for over a month after CCTV footage captured him entering his apartment but never leaving has been found dead.
Christopher Woitel, 50, was last seen on January 8 on surveillance footage from his apartment block in San Francisco, US.
The computer programmer was captured walking up the stairs with a bottle of wine before entering his home.
But, according to private investigator Scott Williams who was hired by the family, the cameras in the building never showed him leaving.
Police launched an urgent investigation into his disappearance and searched his home but could not find him.
Mr Williams also searched the apartment and found it undisturbed.
But Christopher’s family have now confirmed that his body has in fact been found in the building.
“Today (February 16), the San Francisco Police Department and the Medical Examiner notified us that they have located Chris,” spokesperson Mark Guarino wrote in a Facebook status update.
“It is with a heavy heart that we must inform you of Chris' passing.
“Please help us by preserving Chris' legacy in your memories. Thank you for your love and caring support through these very difficult times.”
There has been no further details on where the body was found and an autopsy is pending.
Christopher was reported missing by his mother on January 13. She said her last contact with him was on January 9 – the day after he was captured on the CCTV footage.
The private investigator said the apartment building had a back door, but the CCTV footage form that area did not show him leaving.
His bank account and credit cards had not been used since early January.
Lara Haben, Christopher’s sister, told Mission Local before the tragic news of his passing: “My gut feeling is something bad happened.”
Friends and family have described him as a kind-hearted and generous man who was known to bring food and open his home to people down on their luck, including some of San Francisco's numerous homeless.
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