Music Producer Calls Friend Before Disappearance

The case of the missing music producer is getting darker, weirder and scarier. Christian Julian Irwin, 48, has been missing since early Sunday morning. His last known contact was a frantic cell phone call saying he was being chased by people with dogs. He said he believed these people would kill him.

Glasses that are believed to be his were found part way down the hill behind his house in Topanga, CA, and what investigators believe are his shoes were discovered in a nearby creek (click here for a satellite image of his last known location).

Authorities said the case has signs of foul play.

What follows is a summary of information from the Los Angeles Times and MSNBC.

The Phone Call

On Sunday morning, a friend of Irwin’s said he was awakened by a phone call that was picked up by his answering machine. When he played the recording, he heard Irwin asking for help. Irwin said he was in hiding and someone was in close pursuit.

The friend said he tried calling Irwin on his cellphone but couldn’t reach him. Concerned, he said, he and his girlfriend began driving up Pacific Coast Highway toward Irwin’s home in Topanga.

On the way, the friend’s cellphone rang. It was Irwin telling him that he had been chased from his house down a ravine in back by people and possibly dogs. He told his freind he was barefoot, having lost his shoes, and feared for his life.

The friends added that Irwin connected his pursuers to the Internet scam, but did not elaborate. “He was on the run, in the woods and very afraid,” he said.

Irwin was an Accomplished Producer

According to Irwin’s online resume, he has worked with such musicians as David Bowie, David Crosby, Art Garfunkel, Carly Simon, and Vanessa Williams. The resume says his production enterprises have been nominated for three Grammy Awards. Irwin has also scored music for television and radio commercials, according to his resume, and run a Topanga-based recording studio called Treefort.

Nigerian Scam Involved?

Irwin’s friends and relatives say his pursuers may be linked to con artists who had entangled him in a so-called Nigerian Internet scam. Several months ago, Irwin told a friend that he had been unwittingly drawn into a Nigerian Internet fraud and had been threatened by the con artists.

“He did receive a check in the mail last week for $50,000,” said Sharon Riolo, Irwin’s sister. “That frightened him. All of the sudden it became a little bit scary.”

Authorities said Irwin returned the check.

This type of scam is commonly initiated by e-mail, and usually involves appeals for advance money to help transfer large sums out of Nigeria. The victim is promised a share of the supposed fortune in exchange for his or her help. Irwin reportedly told a friend months ago that he feared such scam artists might be after him.

The Unanswered Questions:

• Why call a friend who lives 20 minutes away instead of 911?

• What was the $50,000 check really for? So-called “Nigerian Scams” rarely involve money coming to the victim — the intention is to have the victim wire money to the scammers.

Of course, these questions are secondary to finding Irwin. Irwin is described as 6 feet 2 inches, 190 pounds, brown and gray hair, blue eyes and was last seen wearing a blue and red shirt, blue jeans and no shoes. Here’s an uncredited photo from the site WorldNetDaily:

Anyone with information is asked to contact the LA County Sheriff’s Homicide Bureau, Missing Persons Detail at (323) 890-5500.

Click here to see the missing persons bulletin.

Click here to access all of Independent Sources postings on the disappearance of Christian Irwin.

This entry was posted on Thursday, August 25th, 2005 at 1:30 pm by Insider and is filed under Big Thoughts. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.