Overview

• Full name: Sergei Turin
• Age at disappearance: 22
• Date of birth: August 29, 1990
• Date last seen: November 17, 2012, according to The Charley Project information reproduced in historical case discussions; December 26, 2012, according to other missing-person records
• Last known location: Berkeley, Alameda County, California
• Case classification: Missing person
• Current case status: Listed in California’s missing-person database; no publicly verified resolution located
• Investigating agency: Berkeley Police Department
• Police case number: 1305964
• Physical description: White male, approximately 5 feet 9 inches tall, weighing 120 pounds, with brown hair and brown eyes
• Distinguishing background: Of Russian descent and formerly attended the University of California, Berkeley

Circumstances: Turin disappeared from Berkeley in late 2012. Available records provide few details about his final known activities, the circumstances leading to his disappearance, or his whereabouts afterward.

Detailed Case Breakdown

Sergei Turin Missing in Berkeley, California: The Unsolved 2012 Disappearance of a Former UC Berkeley Student

The disappearance of Sergei Turin, a 22-year-old former University of California, Berkeley student, remains an unresolved missing-person case in Berkeley, Alameda County, California. Turin vanished in late 2012, leaving behind a case with limited publicly documented circumstances and unanswered questions about what happened to him.

Although the case was initially identified as involving 2011, available missing-person records place Turin’s disappearance in 2012. Public sources also report two different last-seen dates: November 17 and December 26, 2012. This discrepancy is important because it affects the documented timeline of his disappearance.

Case Summary

• Full name: Sergei Turin
• Age at disappearance: 22
• Date of birth: August 29, 1990
• Date last seen: November 17, 2012, according to The Charley Project information reproduced in historical case discussions; December 26, 2012, according to other missing-person records
• Last known location: Berkeley, Alameda County, California
• Case classification: Missing person
• Current case status: Listed in California’s missing-person database; no publicly verified resolution located
• Investigating agency: Berkeley Police Department
• Police case number: 1305964
• Physical description: White male, approximately 5 feet 9 inches tall, weighing 120 pounds, with brown hair and brown eyes
• Distinguishing background: Of Russian descent and formerly attended the University of California, Berkeley

Circumstances: Turin disappeared from Berkeley in late 2012. Available records provide few details about his final known activities, the circumstances leading to his disappearance, or his whereabouts afterward.

Background: Who Was Sergei Turin?

Sergei Turin was born on August 29, 1990, and was 22 years old when he disappeared in 2012. He was of Russian descent and had previously attended the University of California, Berkeley, one of California’s major public research universities.

His connection to the university is among the limited personal details available in publicly accessible missing-person descriptions. Those records do not establish whether he was enrolled in classes when he disappeared, where he was living at the time, or what he was doing immediately before his last reported sighting.

Turin was described as approximately 5 feet 9 inches tall and weighing 120 pounds. He had brown hair and brown eyes. These physical characteristics remain important identifying information in the absence of a publicly confirmed resolution.

Unlike some missing-person investigations that have extensive contemporary news coverage, Turin’s case has relatively little publicly documented biographical information. Details about his family, employment, friendships, and personal circumstances have not been sufficiently established in the available records.

The lack of public information should not be interpreted as evidence that Turin lacked close personal relationships or that his disappearance received no investigative attention. It simply reflects the limits of the information that can currently be verified.

The Disappearance of Sergei Turin in Berkeley

Sergei Turin was last reported seen in Berkeley, California, in late 2012. However, publicly available case information contains a significant discrepancy concerning the date of his disappearance.

Information attributed to The Charley Project identifies November 17, 2012, as the date Turin was last seen. Other missing-person listings, including information attributed to NamUs, identify December 26, 2012.

The difference between these dates is approximately five and a half weeks. Without access to the underlying police report or a current official clarification, it is not possible to establish why the dates differ or which represents the last independently confirmed sighting.

No sufficiently verified public account establishes the precise location in Berkeley where Turin was last seen. Similarly, available information does not confirm whether he disappeared from a residence, university property, a public location, or somewhere else in the city.

There is also no reliable public documentation establishing his final conversations, travel plans, transportation arrangements, or possessions at the time he disappeared.

The available case descriptions state that Turin has not been heard from since his disappearance. His whereabouts remain unconfirmed in the publicly accessible information reviewed.

Investigation History and Available Evidence

Berkeley Police Department Investigation

The Berkeley Police Department is identified by the California Department of Justice as the law enforcement agency associated with Turin’s missing-person case.

California’s missing-person records list police case number 1305964 and provide a contact number for the department. This establishes a documented law enforcement reference for the case.

However, publicly accessible records provide little information about the investigative work conducted after Turin was reported missing.

The available sources do not establish the dates of police interviews, the extent of searches, or whether investigators obtained surveillance recordings, electronic communications, or other evidence.

The absence of these details from public sources does not establish that such investigative steps were never taken.

Physical and Forensic Evidence

No publicly verified account located for this article identifies physical evidence that conclusively explains Turin’s disappearance.

There is no confirmed public documentation of a recovered vehicle, abandoned belongings, forensic evidence, or a discovery of human remains linked to him.

Likewise, no verified public announcement was located describing DNA testing, investigative genetic genealogy, or a forensic identification connected to the case.

Witnesses and Potential Leads

The publicly accessible case descriptions do not identify a named witness who reported observing Turin immediately before he disappeared.

No officially identified suspect or person of interest was located in the available records.

There is also no verified public announcement of an arrest, criminal charge, or prosecution directly associated with his disappearance.

These limitations make it difficult to reconstruct his final known movements or determine whether investigators developed leads that have not been publicly disclosed.

Theories and Unresolved Questions

The circumstances surrounding Sergei Turin’s disappearance remain unclear. With so few verified details available, it would be inappropriate to assign a specific explanation to his disappearance.

Could Turin Have Left Berkeley Voluntarily?

A voluntary departure is one possible explanation considered generally in missing-person cases. However, there is no verified public evidence establishing that Turin deliberately left Berkeley, planned to relocate, or intended to stop communicating with people who knew him.

Accordingly, voluntary disappearance should not be presented as an established investigative theory in this case.

Was an Accident or Medical Emergency Involved?

An accident or unexpected emergency is another general possibility when a person’s whereabouts become unknown.

Nevertheless, no publicly verified evidence connects Turin’s disappearance to a particular accident, medical event, wilderness location, or transportation incident.

There is insufficient information to determine whether any such event occurred.

Was Foul Play Involved?

There is no verified public finding establishing that Turin was the victim of a homicide.

No confirmed evidence identifying an attacker, criminal motive, or crime scene was located in the sources reviewed.

His case should therefore continue to be described as a missing-person investigation rather than a confirmed homicide.

The Most Significant Unanswered Questions

Several fundamental questions remain unresolved:

• What was Turin’s actual last confirmed sighting date?
• Where in Berkeley was he last reliably seen?
• What activities or communications preceded his disappearance?
• Did investigators identify evidence or witnesses that have not been publicly disclosed?
• Has any information received since 2012 helped narrow the possible explanations?
• Does law enforcement have updated information that has not appeared in public missing-person listings?

Until additional verified records or official statements become available, these questions cannot be answered responsibly.

Latest Publicly Available Investigative Updates

As of October 27, 2026, Sergei Turin continues to appear in the California Department of Justice’s publicly accessible missing-person listings.

The state database identifies the Berkeley Police Department and its associated case number, providing a current public reference for inquiries about the disappearance.

A Websleuths discussion dedicated to Turin’s disappearance was established in March 2016, and the forum index shows activity as recently as July 17, 2026. Such community discussion may help maintain awareness, but it does not independently establish new evidence or investigative progress.

No publicly confirmed recent investigative breakthroughs were located.

In particular, the reviewed information did not establish any recent arrest, newly identified suspect, recovery of remains, forensic identification, or official announcement resolving Turin’s disappearance.

There was also no verified public announcement of a recent genetic genealogy effort, age-progression release, or formally announced cold-case review.

The continuing appearance of Turin’s information in missing-person resources should not be confused with a new investigative development. Database listings may remain accessible for years without indicating a change in case status.

The most authoritative way to obtain an updated official status would be to contact the Berkeley Police Department using the case reference listed by California authorities.

Conclusion: The Search for Answers in Sergei Turin’s Disappearance

More than thirteen years after Sergei Turin disappeared from Berkeley, his publicly documented case remains unresolved.

He was a young man with a connection to the University of California, Berkeley, whose disappearance left fundamental questions unanswered. The conflicting last-seen dates and scarcity of verified investigative details make the case particularly difficult to reconstruct from public records.

What can be established is that Turin was reported missing in late 2012 and that the Berkeley Police Department is the law enforcement agency identified in California’s missing-person database.

There is no reliable public basis for concluding that he was murdered, that he intentionally disappeared, or that any particular individual was responsible for what happened.

Anyone who possesses firsthand information about Turin’s whereabouts, activities in November or December 2012, or circumstances surrounding his disappearance is encouraged to contact the Berkeley Police Department.

Even information that initially seems minor may help investigators clarify the timeline or establish where Turin was last seen.

Berkeley Police Department: (510) 981-5938

Case reference: 1305964

Anyone reporting information should reference Sergei Turin by name and provide the police case number when possible.