A Southern California woman, reportedly an actress and writer, is missing under suspicious circumstances.
Chanel Banks, 36, from Playa Vista, has not been seen or heard from in nearly two weeks. Her family members have come from all over the country to California to search for her, except for her husband, who has not been involved in the search.
According to her family, Chanel moved to Los Angeles over 10 years ago to pursue her acting career. She appeared in three episodes of the TV series Gossip Girl in 2009.
Her cousin stated that the last time anyone heard from her was in late October. Chanel’s cousin, Danielle-Tori Singh, told a local news outlet that the last text anyone received from her before her phone went off was on Wednesday, October 30.
Danielle, who traveled from Canada to California to look for her cousin, said she never imagined her first trip to California would be to search for Chanel. She also stated she won’t leave until she finds her.
After discovering that Chanel’s phone was dead and both her car and dog were still at her Playa Vista apartment, her family specifically her cousin Danielle reported her missing to the police. Chanel’s apartment is located along West Jefferson Boulevard in the Club Marina Apartments.
Investigators with the Los Angeles Police Department have confirmed they are investigating her disappearance and have conducted four separate welfare checks.
Chanel’s husband has reportedly not been assisting in the family’s search efforts and has declined to respond to news outlets for comments. According to Danielle, who shared a post on Facebook, Chanel’s husband has been uncooperative with both the family and the police. He has allegedly been seen removing missing-person flyers from cars and the surrounding area.
Danielle, who has been inside Chanel’s apartment since her disappearance, said that all of Chanel’s belongings are still there, including her dog, whom she would never leave behind.
Danielle wrote on GoFundMe:
Hi, my name is Danielle and my cousin Chanel is missing. She lives in the Playa Vista area in Los Angeles, California. Our last contact with her was October 30, 2024. 2 welfare checks were performed on November 7, and another 2 welfare checks on November 8. She was not in her apartment. Chanel is an official missing person in California. Her missing person Case # 241414853. She has been married for just over a year, and her husband is being uncooperative with police. On November 10 my aunt and I were able to get into the apartment and all of her belongings are still there. The only items we did not locate are her phone and laptop. She also does not go anywhere without her little dog, which also has been left behind. She also does not have her vehicle because it’s parked in her garage. She would NEVER go anywhere without telling her mom or myself. We noticed on November 10 that her husband has a busted lip and marks and scratches on his neck and arms. Police were called on November 10 and they took pictures of his injuries, which he did not have two days ago when police did the last welfare check. We asked him where is Chanel, and all he continues to say is “she does not want to be found, she will reach out when she’s ready.” He claims he does not know where she is, he says he hasn’t seen or heard from her since November 7, but never called police to say she’s gone. I’m creating this go fund me because we need to hire a private investigator. LAPD have told us because there’s no signs of foul play, and her husband has not committed any crime by with-holding information, there’s nothing they can do until they have evidence or probable cause to arrest him. We also need money for hotels, food, rental car and gas. We are not from Los Angeles. I flew in from Toronto, Canada and her mom flew here from New York. Chanel has no family or friends here and would NEVER go somewhere without telling her mom. Please help us find my cousin.
The family is deeply worried that something terrible may have happened to Chanel. Danielle stated that they love her immensely and only want to know that she’s safe and unharmed. Chanel’s mother, Judy, flew from New York to LA to help search for her daughter, asking the public to pray for Chanel’s safe return. While the family doesn’t know what happened, they are following up on all leads they come across.
A GoFundMe has been set up to help cover expenses and pay for a private investigator to look into Chanel’s disappearance. Chanel is described as 5’4″ and 130 pounds, with fair skin and long brown hair, according to a flyer shared by Danielle. Click here to donate.
If you have any information regarding her whereabouts, please contact the Los Angeles Police Department or 911.
