American YouTuber Feared Dead Following October Abduction in the Philippines

Police say Vermont native Elliot Onil Eastman was shot and killed while attempting to fight off his abductors on Oct. 17.

A policeman checks an area where an American identified as Elliot Onil Eastman, from Vermont, was reportedly abducted by gunmen in Sibuco town, Zamboanga del Norte province, southern Philippines, on Oct. 18, 2024. Philippine National Police Regional Office 9 via AP

Kidnapped American YouTuber Elliot Onil Eastman is feared dead, as Philippine authorities investigate reports of a shooting in the country’s south in October.

On Dec. 5, police said the 26-year-old, originally from Vermont, was shot twice with an M16 rifle while attempting to fight off four abductors.