on august 4, 2013, sotloff was kidnapped in aleppo, syria near the turkey border. he is currently being held captive by isis islamic militants in eastern syria. on august 19, 2014, the islamic state of iraq and the levant released a video titled "a message to america", showing the beheading of fellow journalist james foley. at the end of the video, isis threatened u.s. president barack obama, telling him that "his next move" will decide the fate of sotloff.