Potential Sighting Ignites Search for Missing USC Med Student

LOS ANGELES (CBSLA.com) — A potential sighting has reignited the search for a missing fourth-year USC medical student.

Derek Seehausen, 26, was last seen leaving an apartment in the 400 block of West Glenoaks Boulevard in Glendale in the early morning hours of Aug. 5, the Los Angeles Police Department said.

Seehausen's family held a news conference Friday morning about the student's disappearance.

"I think that this is our best and last hope for finding him," Seehausen's mother, Jean Gadra said. "If Derek happens to watch this, and I hope to God, I pray to God he does, I want to say to him we love him and we want him back."

A private investigator hired by the family believes Seehausen is alive and may be in need of immediate medical attention.

"A photo released by LAPD on Friday, Sept. 5, 2014, of a man on a metro LA bus bearing striking resemblance to Derek has fueled a sense of urgency to locate the missing student," PI Thomas Martin said.

Seehausen is white, 6 feet tall and weighs about 180 pounds, police said. He has brown hair and hazel eyes, and was last seen wearing a light-colored T-shirt and blue jeans.

Authorities ask that anyone with information on his whereabouts call USC police at (213) 740-6000 or detectives with the LAPD Rampart Division at (213) 484-3400.