Overview

Date Last Seen: August 8, 2004

Location Last Seen: Bella Vista Apartments, 300 block of Eastern Street, New Haven, Connecticut

Circumstances at a Glance

Investigation remains open and unsolved.

Last seen during the early morning hours leaving or near his apartment.

Left behind his wallet, money, passport, identification, and other personal belongings.

No activity on his bank accounts or ATM cards after his disappearance.

Regular contact with family abruptly stopped.

No evidence he traveled back to China despite previously discussing the possibility.

Detailed Case Breakdown

Ande Fan Missing Person Case:
Disappearance, Investigation, and Latest Information

Overview

Ande “Andy” Fan disappeared without a trace from New Haven, Connecticut, on August 8, 2004. More than two decades later, the 31-year-old’s disappearance remains one of Connecticut’s enduring unsolved missing person cases. Despite extensive searches and years of investigation, no confirmed sightings, financial activity, or physical evidence have revealed what happened to him.

Fan’s case is particularly puzzling because he left behind virtually everything he would have needed to start a new life, including his money, identification, passport, and personal belongings. Investigators have never found evidence that he voluntarily left the country, died by suicide, or became the victim of a confirmed crime. His disappearance remains classified as an endangered missing person case.

Last Seen Summary

Date Last Seen: August 8, 2004

Location Last Seen: Bella Vista Apartments, 300 block of Eastern Street, New Haven, Connecticut

Circumstances at a Glance

1. Last seen during the early morning hours leaving or near his apartment.
2. Left behind his wallet, money, passport, identification, and other personal belongings.
3. No activity on his bank accounts or ATM cards after his disappearance.
4. Regular contact with family abruptly stopped.
5. No evidence he traveled back to China despite previously discussing the possibility.
6. Investigation remains open and unsolved.

The Disappearance

Born in China on March 21, 1973, Ande Fan moved to New Haven in 1998. He lived at the Bella Vista Apartments, an independent living facility, where he received support services while managing bipolar disorder and other medical conditions.

Friends, staff members, and family described him as friendly, outgoing, and someone who frequently rode his bicycle throughout New Haven. Although he had expressed interest in eventually returning to China, there was never any indication he planned to leave abruptly.

During the early morning hours of August 8, 2004, Fan vanished.

When investigators searched his apartment, they discovered something that immediately raised concerns. His passport, identification, money, keys, and other personal belongings remained inside. There was no indication he had packed for travel or intentionally disappeared. Investigators also determined he never accessed his bank accounts, used an ATM card, or wrote checks after that day.

Investigation

The New Haven Police Department immediately began investigating Fan’s disappearance.

Authorities interviewed people familiar with him and reviewed available financial records. Detectives found no evidence that he purchased airline tickets or left the United States.

His family was equally perplexed.

Fan regularly telephoned his mother in China and maintained frequent contact with his sister in California. His sister later stated that their final conversation occurred only days before he disappeared and that nothing seemed unusual.

Because Fan lived with bipolar disorder, investigators considered whether a medical or mental health crisis contributed to his disappearance. However, police have consistently stated they found no evidence of suicide, and the circumstances of leaving all essential belongings behind have remained difficult to explain.

Witness Information

One of the few publicly discussed details came from staff members at Bella Vista Apartments.

A resident service coordinator recalled seeing Fan with an unidentified Black man who appeared to be friendly with him shortly before he disappeared. Investigators have never publicly identified the individual or stated whether the sighting played a role in the investigation.

Beyond that account, no confirmed witnesses have publicly reported seeing Fan after August 8, 2004.

Latest Investigation Information

The case remains open with the New Haven Police Department.

Although there have been no publicly announced breakthroughs, arrests, or identified suspects, Fan continues to be listed in national missing persons databases, including NamUs. His case is periodically highlighted by missing persons organizations and cold case advocates to generate new leads.

Authorities continue to encourage anyone with information—even seemingly minor details—to contact investigators. Because the case has never been resolved, detectives have not ruled out foul play or other possibilities.

Why the Case Remains So Mysterious

Several aspects of Fan’s disappearance continue to stand out:

1. He disappeared without taking money or identification.
2. His passport remained in his apartment.
3. There has been no confirmed financial activity since he vanished.
4. Family members never heard from him again.
5. No confirmed sightings have ever been verified.
6. No physical evidence has been publicly identified.
7. Police have never announced a suspect or identified a definitive theory.

Conclusion

More than twenty years after Ande Fan disappeared, investigators still do not know what happened to him. The absence of financial activity, travel records, or reliable sightings has left the case surrounded by unanswered questions. His family continues to seek answers, while investigators hope that someone who remembers something from August 2004 may eventually provide the information needed to solve the case.