Police say missing 'Gossip Girl' actress has been found, but family disagrees
Nov 13, 2024
LOS ANGELES (KTLA) – Police say a 36-year-old California woman who has not been seen or heard from in nearly two weeks has been found in Texas, but her family disagrees.
Chanel Banks, according to family members, moved to Los Angeles more than a decade ago to pursue a career in acting. According to her IMDB page, the 36-year-old is best known for roles on "Gossip Girl," "Blue Bloods" and "Twelve."
Her cousin, Danielle-Tori Singh, recently told Nexstar's KTLA that she never thought her first trip to California would be to look for Banks, who hasn’t been heard from since late October.
“The last text we got from her before her phone went off the grid was Oct. 30,” Singh explained. “I’m not going to leave California until I find my cousin.”
Once she learned that Banks’ phone was dead, and her car and dog were still at her Playa Vista apartment along Jefferson Boulevard, she notified the police.
Chanel Banks and her husband seen in this undated photo. (Danielle-Tori Singh)Chanel Banks, seen in this undated photo. (Danielle-Tori Singh)Family members seen passing out flyers of Chanel Banks, missing since at least Oct. 30, 2024. (KTLA)Chanel Banks, seen in this undated photo. (Danielle-Tori Singh)Chanel Banks' vehicle seen at her apartment in Playa Vista on Nov. 12, 2024. (KTLA)Chanel Banks, seen in this undated photo. (Danielle-Tori Singh)
Los Angeles police previously confirmed to KTLA that they were looking into Banks' disappearance and conducted four separate, unsuccessful welfare checks.
On Wednesday, however, police told KTLA that Banks had been found in Texas on Monday and that they were closing their case. A search of California's missing persons database by KTLA showed Banks is no longer listed. Investigators said no foul play or crime was suspected, and no additional details were immediately available.
Banks' family, however, doesn't agree with the development. Singh slammed TMZ for reporting that Banks was found, writing on Facebook that "TMZ IS REPORTING FAKE NEWS."
In a lengthy video posted to the platform, Singh said she had seen body camera footage from Texas police showing an interaction with a person authorities claim is Banks. Singh said the woman was not her cousin, claiming police are basing the identification off of the woman having Banks' New York driver's license, which Singh said is 10 years old and expired.
"Please don't stop looking for my cousin," Singh pleaded.
Banks’ mother Judy Singh has also flown to L.A. from New York to help with the search.
“Pray for my daughter because at this point, we don’t know exactly [what happened],” the worried mother previously said. “We are hearing stuff here and there, people saying this and that, but I know that’s not my daughter.”
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In the meantime, Banks' family says her husband, Carlos Jimenez, has been uncooperative. It's been reported he's told her family that she was upset with them.
A GoFundMe campaign has been organized to help the family hire a private investigator and cover expenses in L.A. while they continue the desperate search for their loved one.