Three people have been arrested over the kidnapping of still-missing newlywed American YouTuber Elliot Eastman in the Philippines – which police now believe may have been part of a violent love triangle.
The arrests came as the FBI has joined the hunt for the 26-year-old Vermont native, who was ambushed from his in-laws’ home in Sibuco, a coastal town on the island of Mindanao, on Oct. 17.
“Sadly, we still don’t have any proof of life,” Philippine National Police Brigadier General Jean Fajardo told GMA News Online.
The three unidentified suspects are in custody awaiting inquest proceedings on charges of kidnapping and serious illegal detention, police told the outlet.
The trio also identified three other accomplices who remain at large, the report said.
One of the persons of interest may be the former partner of Eastman’s new wife, Filipino news site Rappler reported.
The unidentified ex was keen on rekindling his relationship with Karisha Jala, who wed the American in July and was interviewed by officers a day after her husband was snatched, the reports said.
The kidnappers allegedly forced their way into the house Eastman shared with Jala and opened fire when he tried to fight them off.
The FBI is currently scouring the country for the Vermont native alongside local authorities – though the PNP said there have been no updates about his current condition.
“It appears initially in our investigation, at least in the investigation of the task group, that the motive here is really kidnapping,” Fajardo said. “But until now we have not received any information about the demand for ransom.”
Eastman regularly shared footage of his life in the Philippines on YouTube and social media.
In previous vlogs, he discussed “not being liked” in the area and claimed that people wanted “bad things to happen” to him, GMA News noted.
The mayor of Sibuco is currently offering a reward of around $2,500 for information that could lead to Eastman’s whereabouts.
