Suvechha Sarkar
In November 2019, a quiet sense of normalcy was shattered across two continents when Alice Ku’s sudden disappearance sent waves of concern in Taiwan and Mountain View, California. The missing person case soon evolved into a deeply unsettling mystery marked by emotional turmoil, unanswered questions, and uncertainty surrounding those closest to the 36-year-old. NBC’s ‘Dateline: The Gorge’ offers a deeper look into the circumstances surrounding Alice’s disappearance, including evidence that reveals a bigger picture. The episode also features interviews with her loved ones and the officials who helped shed light on the case.
Alice Ku Was Presumed Dead After She Disappeared During a Vacation in Taiwan
Weichiao Ku and Pi-Lien Kuo experienced immense joy when they welcomed their youngest daughter, Alice Ku, into their lives on December 2, 1982. Alice was born in a loving household in Taiwan filled with the laughter of her four sisters, including her oldest sister, Josephine Ku, and brother, George Ku. The family moved to Fiji in 1989 and then relocated to San Jose, California, in 1991 due to fears of a communist invasion. Ultimately, they settled in Los Gatos, California, where Alice grew up. She was known for her sweet nature, and she loved making gifts for her siblings. According to George, Alice was a hardworking student and completed her initial education from Saratoga High School in 2001. When her own tutor helped her overcome a difficult test, she became inspired and began tutoring.
Josephine stated that Alice was an avid reader who often attempted to write a novel in Mandarin. She pursued higher education at Santa Clara University before graduating in 2006. In the meantime, Alice’s parents moved back to Taiwan while she settled into her apartment in Sunnyvale in 2007. Alice had always aspired to open her own tutoring center, and by 2017 she had established a tutoring business. In that same year, Alice crossed paths with Harald Herchen, and their relationship progressed rapidly. On October 6, 2017, they finally got married and began living in an apartment at 1725 Wright Avenue in Mountain View, California. Throughout that time, Alice maintained regular contact with Josephine, exchanging texts about their day-to-day lives.
Things took a turn on December 2, 2019, when Alice’s family members were unable to reach her on her 37th birthday. When Josephine’s repeated attempts to reach her sister proved futile, she reported Alice as missing on December 10, 2019. Simultaneously, Weichiao Ku and Pi-Lien Kuo also reported their daughter’s in Taiwan. As the search began, officials learned that on November 23, 2019, Alice went to Taiwan for a vacation with Harald. When questioned, Harald claimed that he and Alice first went sightseeing in Taroko National Park before he dropped Alice off at Hualien train station since she wanted to meet her parents near Taipei, on November 29. When officials were unable to find her despite intensive efforts, she was presumed dead. On March 6, 2024, a Santa Clara County Superior Court Judge signed an order legally declaring Alice dead.
Conflicting Claims and Digital Evidence Cast Doubt on Alice’s Husband
During the initial phase of the search, Josephine and her parents offered a reward of 1 million Taiwanese dollars for information about Alice. According to reports, they soon learned that Alice had secretly married Harald. Alice and Harald reportedly went on a vacation to Taiwan, flying out of San Francisco on November 23, 2019. When detectives questioned him about his wife’s whereabouts, he claimed that he had parted ways with her on November 29 at the Hualien station, since she wanted to meet her parents. In his statements, Harald told investigators that he and Alice were scheduled to return on December 1, 2019, but that Alice allegedly emailed him to ask to postpone her flight to December 7. As per reports, Harald flew back to California on December 1 and returned to Taiwan on December 7.
Harald continued that when Alice didn’t contact him, he returned to California again on December 8. According to court records, he claimed he didn’t look for Alice because he suspected she had run off with their tour guide in Taiwan, to allegedly return to her old life as an escort. Official records suggested that Harald claimed he had actually met Alice when he hired her as an escort for $400, but authorities found no evidence to corroborate the claim. Harald reportedly moved her belongings to a storage unit after she went missing. Furthermore, they discovered that Alice’s last confirmed proof of life was a picture she took of herself on November 29, 2019. Reports suggest that forensic experts traced the email sent to Harald back to the hotel where he and Alice were staying.
According to Taiwanese officials, license plate tracking and cell phone data revealed that Harald didn’t drop Alice off at the train station, contradicting his statements. They found no login data or credit card usage by Alice after the day she went missing. Investigators further discovered from a physician who treated Harald in Taiwan that he had fractured his hand on November 29, as per records. It was reported to be an injury likely caused by punching. Officials also noted that Harald’s second wife, Melissa Yu, died from sleep apnea on June 3, 2017, just weeks before he began his relationship with Alice. The Taiwanese officials got an arrest warrant for Harald regarding the death of Alice, but due to no extradition treaty between the US and Taiwan, he remained a free man.
Harald Herchen is Out of Custody on Bail Awaiting Trial on Perjury Charges
On January 12, 2021, Weichiao Ku and Pi-Lien Kuo filed a wrongful death civil lawsuit against Harald. The civil jury trial began on July 2, 2025, during which Alice’s parents claimed that Harald killed Alice on November 29, 2019, while they were on their trip in Taiwan. They insisted that Harald allegedly staged a cover-up by sending a “proof of life” email from Alice’s account to himself. Their attorney also introduced digital forensic evidence and argued about his lack of effort to find her and his inconsistent statements. They reportedly brought the physician from Taiwan to testify about treating Harald’s suspicious hand injury around the time of Alice’s disappearance.
On the contrary, the defense team denied all allegations, claiming that Alice was still alive and had voluntarily left. His attorney claimed Harald had indeed dropped her off at the train station and maintained the email was from Alice. Furthermore, his legal team contended that there was no direct physical evidence, such as Alice’s remains or a crime scene, to indicate that the case was a homicide. Ultimately, on July 18, 2025, the jury unanimously gave a 12–0 verdict, finding Harald liable for the death of Alice. Right after, the court awarded Weichiao Ku and Pi-Lien with $23,600,000 in damages.
Harald’s motion for a new trial and post-verdict settlements were also denied by the court. On September 11, 2025, he was arrested and charged with seven counts of perjury for allegedly lying under oath. He was initially held at the Elmwood Correctional Facility in Milpitas, California, before being released on bail. As of writing, Harald is wanted in Taiwan under an arrest warrant. He appears to be residing at his home in Los Altos, California, awaiting his trial date for the perjury charges.
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