I’d be very surprised if he’s alive.
He’s alive. If he were dead then no one would have an incentive to cover that up. Everyone would want you to know he was dead so you’d give up looking for him. Also I’ve read he has a history of disappearing at convenient times. I note that his disappearance did occur at a convenient time. I doubt his death would have been so convenient.
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/3747559/posts