True Crime with Kendall Rae

Episode: Vanished From School? The Disappearance of Nathaniel Holmes
Date: September 11, 2025
Host: Kendall Rae

Episode Overview

In this episode, Kendall Rae explores the perplexing disappearance of Nathaniel Holmes, a 17-year-old from Colorado who vanished after walking out of his alternative high school just before winter break in December 2017. Through an empathetic and thorough recounting, Kendall seeks to raise public awareness and encourages listeners to help spread Nathaniel’s story, highlighting the failures in the response to his disappearance and the ongoing, tireless search by his family.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Nathaniel’s Background and Family Dynamics

[01:06 – 06:18]

• Early Life:
  • Born November 5, 2000, to Wendy Keitel and Ben Holmes in Arvada, Colorado; had two sisters and a younger brother.
  • Parents divorced when Nathaniel was eight; father gained full custody.
  • Weekly family dinners maintained with mother.
  • Noted as a strong, caring sibling—put others before himself.
• Interests & Personality:
  • Quiet, shy, but passionate about bagpipes, aviation, and video games (especially World of Warcraft).
  • Ben (father) played in a local bagpipes band, Celtic Legacy; made a deal Nathaniel could join if he advanced his skills—which he did, performing alongside his father at the Renaissance Festival in summer 2017.
  • “Playing there with his son alongside him was one of the best times of his life.” (Kendall Rae, 06:05)

2. Struggles Leading to Disappearance

[06:18 – 13:57]

• School Troubles:
  • Difficulties at Pomona High School due to slow-paced classes; transitioned to online school, which also didn’t work out.
  • Enrolled at Hidden Lake, an alternative high school, hoping for a better fit.
• Teenage Setbacks:
  • Fender bender led to loss of car privileges.
  • Phone broke; unable to replace it, waited for Christmas.
  • Increasingly withdrawn and depressed, as noted by family.
• Substance Issues:
  • The night before disappearance, returned home noticeably out of sorts.
    • "He was nodding off, he was slurring his words. He was just not making any sense." (Kendall Rae, 11:20)
  • Admitted to trying weed and Xanax at school for the first time; grounded.
  • Mom found additional pills in his wallet; Nathaniel pleaded, saying “they belonged to someone at school” and was fearful about not being able to return them.

3. Day of Disappearance: December 19, 2017

[13:57 – 17:50]

• Morning Routine:
  • Appeared relatively calm. “He didn’t seem too stressed or upset, just really in a hurry...” (Kendall Rae, 12:38)
  • Last seen by family as he left for school; Wendy dropped him off and watched him enter.
• Odd Behavior at School:
  • Arrived late. Two versions of events:
    • Spoke with principal, insisted he urgently needed to speak to friend Anthony, denied.
    • Told principal “he didn’t have to go to class because he was switching schools anyway” (which family says wasn't planned).
  • Simply walked out of the school.
• Lack of Institutional Response:
  • School security and cameras failed to capture anything conclusive; parents not immediately contacted about his departure.
  • “If his parents were alerted right away when he left the school… things probably... could be different.” (Kendall Rae, 16:55)

4. The Last Known Contact

[17:50 – 19:44]

• Walked to a nearby park and called his mom from a stranger’s phone.
• Claimed he’d be picked up by “Dad’s friend, Michelle,” and didn’t need a ride home.
• Wendy, suspicious, confirmed with Michelle this was untrue and went to the school to seek Nathaniel, only to learn he never attended classes that day and had left.

5. The Immediate Aftermath & Family’s Search

[21:43 – 28:22]

• Family frantically searched Nathaniel’s known hangouts, friends’ houses, and checked his possessions (wallet, ID, iPad) which were all left behind.
• Missing person report filed by 5:00 PM—but Nathaniel was quickly classified as a runaway by police, leading to minimal law enforcement involvement.
  • “I just don’t understand how police departments can even get away with declaring someone a runaway unless you have concrete evidence…” (Kendall Rae, 22:57)
• Ben (father) sold his car (to avoid spooking Nathaniel, if hiding) and persistently advocated for his son, including stopping local officers to distribute flyers.
• Occasional possible sightings near unhoused communities (e.g., Oldtown Arvada church), but nothing substantial resulted.

6. Leads, Theories, and Possible Sightings

[28:22 – 41:10]

• Unconfirmed Sighting:
  • Friend Jake claimed (April 2018) to have seen Nathaniel entering a drug dealer’s apartment. Police unable to verify.
• Jake’s Revelations:
  • Jake told “Disappeared” that Nathaniel’s drug use was more serious than parents knew—friends provided drugs, shielded from direct dealer contact.
  • “He called Jake crying and pleading to help him get drugs.” (Kendall Rae, 31:30)
• Family Theories:
  • Did he run to protect relatives from drug dealers?
  • Did he have an accident or foul play after leaving school?
  • Was he planning a break, or was his flight impulsive and unplanned (since he took no belongings)?
• Possible Sightings (All Unconfirmed):
  • Jan 2020 – Weatherford, TX:
    • Man matching Nathaniel’s description at a counseling center, caught on low-quality camera.
    • Wendy unsure if it was him.
  • Mar 2021 – Gallup, NM:
    • Truck driver reports encounter with a young man calling himself “Nate Holmes,” claiming he couldn’t return to Colorado as “people are looking for him.”
  • Sep 2021 – Oceanside, CA:
    • Man borrows phone, looks up Nathaniel’s missing person’s page and Ben’s profile. Ben flew out to investigate, but tipster withdrew contact.
  • None of these leads produced confirmation or closure.

7. Frustrations, Systemic Failures, and Ongoing Hope

[41:10 – end]

• School’s lack of timely communication and urgent action.
• Police’s reliance on the “runaway” label limited early investigation and public alerts.
• Unsearched electronics (phone, iPad) left critical clues unexamined by authorities.
• Heartbreak and hope:
  • Family continues with vigils, outreach, and public awareness, including Ben’s poignant bagpipes performance at a 2020 vigil.
• Kendall’s Call to Action:
  • Encourages listeners to boost awareness by sharing Nathaniel’s story and supporting the “Bring Nathaniel Home” Facebook page.
  • “Even though he left school on his own that day, it doesn’t mean he deserves to be missing, especially after all this time.” (Kendall Rae, 42:08)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “He was a normally pretty quiet kid... It was super cool to see him sort of come out of his shell while he was performing [the bagpipes].”
  —Kendall Rae [05:30]

• “That night that Wendy took his drugs away... he was very worried about whoever they belonged to not getting them back.”
  —Kendall Rae [31:50]

• “If his parents were alerted right away when he left the school... things probably could be different.”
  —Kendall Rae [16:55]

• (On the family’s relentless searching) “Anytime that he saw a police officer... he would stop and tell them about Nathaniel… but none of them had heard of Nathaniel’s disappearance.”
  —Kendall Rae [24:43]

• “This is just one of those cases where you could sit there and theorize and come up with questions for hours, and then... think, ‘hmm, maybe I didn’t even come close to guessing what actually happened.’”
  —Kendall Rae [33:45]

• “So please help spread the word about Nathaniel Holmes... I know that it just helps so much for these families to feel like they have as much support in their corner as possible.”
  —Kendall Rae [42:30]

Important Timestamps

• 01:06 — Kendall begins Nathaniel’s background and family life
• 06:18 — School struggles, life changes, shifting behavior
• 11:20 — Discoveries about drug use and family concerns
• 13:57 — Timeline of the disappearance (last day at school)
• 16:55 — Analysis of school and systemic failures
• 19:44 — Family realizes Nathaniel is missing; police response
• 24:43 — Family’s search efforts and unique approaches
• 28:22 — Tip from Jake and subsequent events
• 33:45 — Discussion of leads, theories, and possible encounters
• 41:10 — Emotional toll and ongoing search; family’s lasting hope
• 42:08 — Kendall’s reflection and call to action for listeners

Official Description

• Nathaniel Holmes:
  • Height: 5’9”
  • Hair: Blonde
  • Eyes: Blue
  • Ethnicity: Caucasian
  • Age at Disappearance: 17 (now 24)
  • Weight: ~140 lbs

If you have information:
Contact Westminster Police Tip Line: 303-658-4360

Support:
Follow or share the Bring Nathaniel Home Facebook page (linked by Kendall)

Final Thoughts

Kendall closes with an urgent appeal for ongoing public assistance and recognition for Nathaniel’s family’s pain and perseverance. The episode stands as a moving reminder of the many unanswered questions in missing persons cases and the vital role of community support in seeking justice and answers.