Justin Gaines is still missing and why you should care

Still no news about Justin Gaines, the young man who disappeared from a nightclub in Duluth near I-85 back in November. They've done searches on foot, by air, and by water. There's been no activity on his credit cards or cell phone.

His mother says she thinks he took a ride home that night, and it was the wrong ride. I think she is right.

It's just shocking to me that a person can seemingly disappear off the face of the earth like that.
They don't have anything beyond knowing he was in the parking lot of the nightclub, Wild Bill's. But after that - absolutely nothing.

I saw in a comment on a blog or news article that someone posted that he felt "No sympathy for Justin Gaines" because Justin was too young to be going out to a club, he shouldn't have had fake IDs, and that he was a kid up to no good, so he "had it coming to him." Yes, he shouldn't have been there - he shouldn't have had fake identification - I completely agree with that...but the rest is just nonsense...wake up people! There is a possible KILLER running around free.

What's really scary is that if he did meet with foul play, whoever did it is obviously very skilled at their evil acts...and that killer is still out there, probably preying on new victims. Also the killer isn't hard up for money (since the credit card use hasn't been attempted) and/or the killer is smart enough to know that the use of the cards or phone will be traced.

Article from OnlineAthens.com

The Search for Justin Gaines

Justin Gaines' mother Erika Wilson has put aside her real estate career and remains focused on finding her son. It has been 6 months now since her son disappeared from a night out with friends at a Duluth nightclub.

She spends her time printing and distributing fliers, updating the website for Justin and whatever it takes. She is pretty sure that Justin got on someone's bad side that night.

I can understand as a mother, what an all-consuming passion it must be. It's impossible to do anything else. She considers the search for her son to be her new job.

AJC Story Here

A picnic and vigil for Justin Gaines will be held on Friday May 2, 2008
5:30 to 9:00pm at Bethesda Park, 225 Bethesda Church Rd in Lawrenceville.
See www.JustinGaines.com for more information and updates.

Justin Gaines Disappearance - New Developments

Gwinnett Police are working new leads connected to evidence to foul play in the disappearance of Justin Gaines. Police are unable to elaborate on the leads and the evidence at this time.

Foul Play Suspected In Missing Gwinnett Teen Case
CBS 46 - Atlanta,GA,USA
Gwinnett County police said Justin Gaines, 18,
disappeared after he was last seen at Wild Bill’s nightclub
in Duluth. Friends and family members have tried ...

New developments in case of missing GSC student
Access North Georgia - Gainesville,GA,USA
... Friday for the publics' help in the case of the November
disappearance of Justin Gaines - a student at the Oconee
campus of Gainesville State College. ...

Search for Justin Gaines Expands to Cherokee County

Search for Gaines Expands
WXIA-TV - Atlanta,GA,USA
Family and friends of 18-year-old Justin Gaines passed out flyers in Cherokee County Saturday. Gaines was last seen at Wild Bill's night club in Duluth on ...

Justin Gaines Missing Person

I haven't written much about Justin Gaines lately, and that's unfortunately because there hasn't been any news. It breaks my heart that there couldn't be any closure by Christmas for his family.

Back on November 27th, I felt that perhaps Justin was just 'laying low,' wanting the warrant issue to blow over (not that it would, but that's the way teenagers tend to think.) But now, I am definitely having the feeling that his disappearance is something awful. I don't want to think that way. I hate to lose hope, and I hope I am completely wrong on this.

If it is hard for us to not know anything, imagine the torture his family is going through.

If I hear anything, I will be sure to share it here. For more information on how you can help in the searches or in other ways, see the website that has been set up for Justin at http://justingaines.com/

Justin Gaines Fundraiser at Urban Flats Restaurant Thursday

You will need to eat somewhere tomorrow, right?!?

The owners of Urban Flats restaurant in Snellville have declared this Thursday [December 20, 2007] “Justin Gaines Day of Hope.” The business will donate all of that day's profits to help the family pay for their efforts.

"There's a mom and dad and five or six brothers and sisters who are hurting,” said owner Bob Rodgers. “We wanted to do something to benefit them."

FROM: » More Help in Search for Missing Teen
WXIA-TV - Atlanta,GA,USA
It's been well over a month now since 18-year-old Justin Gaines was captured on security video entering Wild Bill's Club in Duluth ...

Missing Person Justin Gaines to be on America's Most Wanted Tonight

The story of Justin Gaines' disappearance is going to be on America's Most Wanted tonight (Saturday December 8th) at 9 pm.

AMW Link

Fox 5 Atlanta Link to this Story

Grainy Video of Justin Gaines at Wild Bills has Surfaced

Big enough news for me to break my blog-hiatus

A grainy, 10 second long video showing Justin Gaines at Wild Bill's has been found.
A private investigator hired by Justin's family located it after watching surveillance videos from the bar. It is among the last sightings of the teenager. Perhaps it will yield some clues.
WSB full story here

Video from 11Alive News
On this one, you can actually see the footage of Justin.

Fox5 News Atlanta
Shows the video and some pleas from family and friends for Justin's safe return.

http://www.justingaines.com

Justin Gaines previously unknown arrest reported

According to a news report by Channel 46 in Atlanta, missing 18 year old Justin Gaines was arrested by the Athens-Clarke County police June 21, 2007 in Athens GA for driving intoxicated, having an open container of Vodka in his car, and for fake ID. He was scheduled to appear in court on November 16th, but he went missing November 1st. His parents didn't know anything about the arrest.

You can read the entire news story here. LINK

Note inaccuracies in the news report - if you notice that the report says he was arrested earlier this month. He wasn't arrested earlier this month - he was arrested in June, but his court appearance was to be this month. I think they meant to say he was arrested earlier this YEAR.

His stepfather doesn't think the arrest is related to his disappearance.
Because Justin didn't show up for the court appearance on November 16th, there is a Warrant out for his arrest. To his family, this just puts more power behind finding Justin, because it means that law enforcement will be looking for Justin Gaines more intensely.

See www.JustinGaines.com, the official Justin Gaines search website, for updates and information about the searches and how you can help.

Georgia State Defense Force looking for new members

The Georgia State Defense Force is looking for new members.

MySnellvilleBlog reader and GSDF member OC O'Dwyer writes, "The larger the GSDF becomes, the more soldiers we can deploy to missions like this particular search.[the Justin Gaines missing person search] The GSDF is one of the three branches of the GA Dept of Defense that report up to the Governor: Air National Guard, Army National Guard, and GA State Defense Force."

More info on joining is available at http://www.ga-statedefenseforce.info

The photo was sent to me by OC O'Dwyer and shows some of the area that they searched on Saturday when looking for signs of Justin Gaines or clues to his disappearance. You can see how small the humans look, compared to the terrain.

See their website for details on joining. I am SO glad there are folks like this in the world.

For updates in the Justin Gaines disappearance, please visit www.JustinGaines.com

PHOTO CREDIT: CPL Bridges

GA State Defense Force Joins Search for Justin Gaines

I have been trying to keep up with the latest news in the disappearance of a Gwinnett teenager named Justin Gaines, who has been missing since the beginning of November.
Justin graduated from Brookwood High School here in Snellville.

The latest I have heard is that the Georgia State Defense Force, a volunteer group, will be joining the searches. This is a good thing, because the numbers of searchers have been dwindling - maybe it's because of the holiday, I'm not sure - but it could be the creeping sense of dread that I have written about previously. People are all gung-ho to go on searches in the beginning, and then later I think people get so depressed about the lack of progress that they just find it hard to face it anymore. I know it makes me sad - I wish I could do more about it than just work here and there when I can on my blog to get some word out about the latest news and updates on Justin Gaines.

When I check my blog hit-counter, 90% of the hits to this blog lately have all been searching for news on Justin, so I work to continue to provide it. I do still feel though, that for the most accurate and up-to-date information, people should regularly check Justin Gaines' website at www.JustinGaines.com . Please check there for information on donating money to make sure you will be sending to the correct places. Unfortunately, there are unscrupulous people in the world, and you want to make sure your donation does go to the family as you intend it to.

The Georgia State Defense force will add 100 searchers. They are citizen-soldiers, they are not armed, but they are trained in search and rescue missions.

WSB Story
Channel 46 related news video

Donate to Justin Gaines Search Fund

You may have heard that there is a $50,000 reward for the return of Justin Gaines to his family, and there is a $10,000 reward for valid information that leads the search to Justin.

Keep in mind that those are just reward funds, funds earmarked only for rewards. That is not money for the family to live on while they conduct the search. It is traumatic emotionally as well as financially. Obviously it has been impossible for Justin's parents to work during this time.

Even if you can only send $5, that is worthwhile. Every little bit adds up.

"We have two banks set up one in GA and one in OH for donation to be used for the search for Justin and for unexpected expenses that the family is experiencing during their time of need searching for Justin and not being able to work."

Checks should be made out to: Justin Gaines Search Fund

and here are the banks

Peoples Bank
c/o Michael Wilson
P.O. Box 1277
Lithonia, GA 30058

and

National City Bank
c/o Justin Gaines Search Fund
34305 Center Ridge Rd.
North Ridgeville, Ohio 44039

Justin Gaines Tribbit Page

I have tried out the Tribbit website that I mentioned yesterday. It is incredible and very easy to use.

I made a page for Justin Gaines today, so if you will contribute to the page, that would be great.
By 'contribute,' I mean add comments or messages, photos, etc.

The page URL is: http://www.tribbit.com/JustinGaines
or Click Here. The more traffic the page gets, the more people will see it, and maybe the 'right' person will see it and be moved to tell what they know about Justin's disappearance. It certainly can't hurt.

Justin is 18, and his acquaintances probably use the Internet quite a bit.
There are already MySpace users who have changed their MySpace Avatar (personal image) to Justin's picture, blogged about his disappearance, and are adding each other to their MySpace friend's list and adjusting their 'Top Friends' to show other MySpace users who have changed their picture to Justin's. This is a great free way of getting the word out.

Command Center for Justin Gaines search

GWINNETT COUNTY, Ga. -- Family and friends of a missing Gwinnett County teen are now getting some help from a professional team of searchers.It has been two weeks since 18-year-old Justin Gaines disappeared from a Duluth bar. Thursday, dozens of volunteers scoured the area for any sign of Gaines.

Texas EquuSearch last helped find the missing grandson of an Alabama senator in Georgia. Now, they’ve set up a command center at Berkmar United Methodist Church to find Gaines.

Full story from AJC

Now from me:
Berkmar United Methodist church is on Pleasant Hill Road. The search is going on today. It started at 8:30 am. Volunteer searchers were advised to wear very warm clothes, closed-toe shoes, hats, etc. The search is being guided by the professional searchers from Texas EquuSearch, who have arrived from Texas. The founder of EquuSearch lost his own daughter in 1984, and that was the impetus for starting the search organization. It is non-profit, they do it out of the goodness of their hearts, because they have been there.

Folks on the ScanGwinnett forums are working on getting some donations of catered food, drinks, ice, etc from local businesses like Chick-Fil-A of Snellville, Frontera of Snellville, Papa John's and Pizza Hut. I think they said Frontera is donating the ice. As you can imagine, it's a big deal to feed and support a lot of hungry searchers. So if you know anyone who manages or owns a food establishment, maybe you can ask them if they can help. The location to take the things would be the Berkmar Methodist Church. I imagine they will continue to search tomorrow.