Heidi Planck Went Missing in Los Angeles California

Heidi Planck was a 39-year-old mother living in West Los Angeles with her 13-year-old son and their beloved Labrador retriever. Known to friends and neighbors as a devoted parent and caring friend, she balanced work and family life, often cheering on her son at local sports events and walking their dog through neighborhood parks.

The Day That Changed Everything

On Sunday afternoon, October 17, 2021, Planck attended her son’s football game at a West LA school field. Mid-game, she told her ex-husband, Jim Wayne, that she felt “a little antsy” and needed to leave immediately, simply saying, “I’ve got to go,” before walking off with her dog and without her phone. She never returned.

Initial Search and Missing-Person Report

When Planck failed to pick up her son from school three days later, Wayne reported her missing to the Los Angeles Police Department. Detectives opened a missing-person file, assigning the case to the Robbery-Homicide Division amid suspicions of foul play. Within days, investigators began canvassing the areas Planck frequented, interviewing witnesses, and gathering surveillance footage from street cameras.

Surveillance Footage and Forensic Clues

Security video first captured Planck leaving her home in West LA with her dog that afternoon. Later, cameras recorded her walking in an alley near the Hope + Flower apartment building on South Hope Street in downtown Los Angeles, but there was no footage of her ever exiting the secure complex. Inside the lobby, officers found forensic evidence—blood swabs and disturbed fibers—leading them to treat the case as a presumed homicide. The following morning, her Labrador was discovered alone on an upper floor of the building, and later her Range Rover was recovered abandoned in a parking garage several blocks away.

The Chiquita Canyon Landfill Excavation

In November 2021, investigators executed a warrant to search the Chiquita Canyon Landfill in Castaic, north of Los Angeles. Heavy machinery sifted through thousands of tons of debris in hopes of locating human remains, but the exhaustive excavation yielded no conclusive evidence. Despite the setback, the LAPD maintained that the landfill search was a critical step given the forensic indicators at the apartment building.

Family, Friends, and Community Response

Heartbroken yet determined, Planck’s family and friends launched a public campaign to keep her case alive. They established the #FindHeidiPlanck website with an anonymous tip line and canvassed downtown streets, distributing flyers and setting up a small memorial near the apartment building where she was last seen. Volunteers knocked on doors, spoke to residents and visitors, and urged anyone with information—no matter how small—to come forward.

Billboards and Digital Outreach

Beginning in October 2023 and again in October 2024, the search effort included leasing digital billboards at high-traffic intersections—Venice Blvd & Olive St., Olympic Blvd & Hill St., and others—each displaying Planck’s photo alongside the words “MISSING MOM” and “#FindHeidiPlanck.” The campaign was designed to jog memories and apply public pressure, with large displays on the westbound I-10 Freeway and key downtown corridors. Social-media ads and sponsored posts further amplified the appeal across Los Angeles County.

Law Enforcement’s Ongoing Investigation

The LAPD’s Robbery-Homicide Division continues to treat Planck’s disappearance as an active homicide investigation. Detectives have re-interviewed multiple witnesses, reviewed new camera footage as it becomes available, and followed up on dozens of tips received through the campaign’s ProtonMail address. Investigators believe at least four or five individuals have direct knowledge of what happened and are urging them to provide information—anonymously if necessary—to bring closure to the case.

Theories and Unanswered Questions

Speculation has ranged from the accidental to the sinister: a private gathering gone wrong, an overdose at an after-party, or a targeted act by someone familiar with Planck’s routines. One tenant at the apartment building filed a lawsuit alleging that a body had been discarded down a trash chute—claims authorities have neither confirmed nor ruled out. Mental-health advocates have also noted Planck’s prior history of anxiety, though police stress there is no evidence she intentionally disappeared. Despite numerous conjectures, the core mystery remains: How did she vanish without a trace from such a secure location?

The Impact on Her Son and Loved Ones

For Planck’s son, birthdays and holidays have become fraught with absence and unanswered questions. According to family statements, father and son sometimes stay up late recalling memories of her laughter and kindness, desperate for reassurance that justice will be served. Friends describe the teenager as resilient but deeply affected, often participating in billboard sign-waving events and social-media livestreams pleading for help.

The Path Forward: Hope Amid Uncertainty

More than three years on, the search for Heidi Planck endures. Each anniversary sees renewed vigils, fresh billboard leases, and relentless digital outreach. Investigators have assured the public they will pursue every credible lead, while family and community volunteers vow to keep her story in the spotlight. In the absence of definitive answers, the hope remains that someone—perhaps someone who has remained silent—will come forward and finally reveal what happened on that October night in 2021.