A Father’s Tragedy: The Case of John Eisenman and the Limits of Vigilante Justice

In 2020, a tragic story from Spokane, Washington, captured national attention.
John Eisenman, a father from the region, was charged with murder after allegedly taking justice into his own hands in the wake of his daughter’s reported abduction and trafficking.

According to court documents, Eisenman believed that his teenage daughter had been sold into sex trafficking in the Seattle area for approximately $1,000. Determined to find her, he conducted his own investigation and eventually located her, bringing her home safely.

What followed, however, turned a story of rescue into one of tragedy.
Authorities allege that Eisenman tracked down the person he believed was responsible — his daughter’s 19-year-old boyfriend, Andrew Sorensen — and fatally attacked him in November 2020. Sorensen’s body was later discovered in the trunk of an abandoned car in Spokane.

Police arrested Eisenman and charged him with first-degree murder. He later pleaded not guilty. The case reignited public debate about vigilante justice, moral boundaries, and the emotional toll of crimes involving human trafficking.

While many sympathized with Eisenman’s pain as a father, legal experts emphasized that taking the law into one’s own hands undermines justice and due process.
Human trafficking advocates also used the case to highlight the urgent need for stronger support systems for victims and their families — systems that can prevent such desperate acts from ever taking place.

The Eisenman case remains a somber reminder that when tragedy and vengeance intertwine, no one truly wins.