The body of a 22-year-old UCLA honors student who died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound was found by hikers near a trailhead in Pacific Palisades on Saturday, two months after he went missing.
David John Goeser had last been seen by his roommates about 10 a.m. July 22 at his home in the 1000 block of Roebling Avenue in Westwood, just west of UCLA, according to Los Angeles police.
Goeser's car was located three days later near Los Liones Drive and Sunset Boulevard, near the Getty Villa, in Pacific Palisades, but searches of the area, which is thick with vegetation, proved fruitless.
On Saturday, two hikers came across Goeser's remains a few hundred yards from where his car was found, according to his parents.
Goeser's remains were identified Wednesday by the coroner's office, which determined he had died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound, his parents said. A semiautomatic pistol was found next to the body, according to the Los Angeles Police Department.
He had struggled with severe depression for years, they added.
Goeser's parents thanked law enforcement officials, fellow students and members of the public for helping to search for their son and asked for privacy as they grieve their loss.
The following excerpt is from the family's update early Thursday morning on their Facebook page Find David Goeser:
Friends, we are deeply saddened to report that Wednesday, September 26, the Los Angeles County Coroner’s office confirmed that the remains found this past Saturday belong to our dear son, David. Regrettably, David took his own life. While we grieve this tremendous loss, we are immensely grateful for the love and support of all who helped us in our search.
A memorial service for Goeser will be held at 2 p.m. on Oct. 6 at Calvary Community Church in Westlake Village. More details will be posted at the website www.finddavidgoeser.com, they said.
