Man linked to missing woman is sex offender
Authorities were looking Friday for John Steven Burgess, a registered sex offender, in connection with the disappearance of a Rancho Santa Margarita honor student.
Donna Haghighat Jou, 19, was last seen June 23 at a party at Burgess’ Los Angeles home, Orange County sheriff’s spokesman Jim Amormino said.
Investigators believe that Burgess, 35, picked Jou up on his motorcycle that day near the apartment she shares with her mother. She had told people she was going on a date.
Jou and Burgess apparently met online, Amormino said.
Amormino said Burgess goes by the alias Sinjin Stevens and owns a 1998 Ford pickup with the license plate Sinjin1.
Neighbors saw Burgess at the house in the 3600 block of Faris Drive in the Palms area days after the party, but he has not been seen for a week.
Jou is a physics major at San Diego State University.
“As more time goes on, the likelihood that she has become a victim of foul play certainly increases,” Amormino said.
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