The family of UCSB freshman Elizabeth “Liz” Hamel, who died from sustained injuries after being found unconscious near a university dorm, is asking for the public’s help identifying a man last seen with her on the night of Feb. 14. 

At a press conference held on Wednesday, April 30, the Hamel family released a photo of the man and distributed flyers urging students to submit videos, images, or tips that may help investigators fill a 20-minute gap in Liz Hamel’s timeline.

“I shouldn’t be standing here,” her father, Alain Hamel, said. “I should be at home grieving my daughter and trusting in the institutions that are responsible for this investigation.”

Liz Hamel was celebrating Valentine’s Day with friends at Lao Wang Noodle Bar in Goleta, California. She was last seen leaving the restaurant with an unidentified man at approximately 10:06 p.m. and was found unconscious just 20 minutes later outside UCSB’s San Rafael dorms, about 0.3 miles away.

She was transported to the hospital with a pulse, but her condition deteriorated. According to the Daily Nexus, doctors believed she fell 15 to 25 feet from a breezeway and issued a “very negative prognosis.” She died from her injuries on Feb. 20.

The man last seen with her is described as a white male, around 6 feet tall, with dark blonde hair. In the released image, he is wearing light blue Carhartt jeans, a gray Patagonia sweatshirt, and a carabiner with keys clipped to his right hip. 

Police have not identified the man as a suspect. He remains a person of interest to the family, who believe he may have information that could explain what happened in Liz Hamel’s final moments.

“If you recognize the individual, photos you saw, anything that night that might be relevant, no matter how small, please come forward,” Tyrone Maho, the family’s attorney said.

Flyers featuring a composite sketch and a QR code linking to an online tip form are being distributed on UCSB’s campus, in Isla Vista and on social media. Maho said Liz Hamel had been digitally removed from the original image on the flyer for respect reasons before its release.

The family believes the man may be connected to City College and is expanding outreach efforts beyond UCSB.

“We believe that this person of interest or someone who knows him is currently an SBCC student,” Maho said in an email to The Channels.

Private investigator Michael Claytor explained that the route Liz Hamel and the man took to the dorms was unusual. 

Alain Hamel said they are assuming, “He might have known someone [at the dorm],” Alain Hamel said. “[He] might have been staying here. We do not know. This was not her dorm.” 

With the academic year nearing its end, the family is racing to reach students before they leave for summer break. 

“We believe the UCSB community itself, the students, is the greatest resource we have,” said Alain.

Claytor emphasized the urgency and noted challenges faced by the detectives, including limited resources and the lack of camera coverage, which has hindered the investigation.

“My personal question is if they have limited resources, if they need extra help, there are additional agencies out there willing to assist,” Claytor said. “I just don’t think they’ve asked.” 

The family says they’ve shared all images and tips with police, but have received no updates or signs of progress.

It remains unclear whether UCSB police sanctioned the press conference. 

UCSB spokesperson Kiki Reyes issued a statement in an email to KEYT Wednesday, April 30 confirming that UC Police Department detectives have been working closely with the Santa Barbara District Attorney’s office and regularly meeting with the Hamel family. 

However, she said the department could not release specifics while the investigation is ongoing.

The family says their investigation is running parallel to official efforts. 

Anyone with information is urged to contact Claytor Investigations at (805) 335-3851 or UCSB Police at (805) 893-7274.