Justin Gaines 18, missing Nov/2007 from Duluth, GA

[vms]

Gwinnett Teen Still Missing After 19 Days 
 
Last Edited: Tuesday, 20 Nov 2007, 10:27 PM EST 
Created: Tuesday, 20 Nov 2007, 10:27 PM EST 

 
Missing Gwinnett Teen 
ATLANTA (FOX 5) -- After 19 days -- still no sign of a missing Gwinnett County teenager. Police say there's still no sign of foul play in the disappearance of 18-year-old Justin Gaines. Justin Gray reports. Click video for more information.
 

[vms]

Justin's family is requesting eveyone to email Governor Perdue and the elected officials listed below. Ask for a Georgia search and rescue team to be deployed to assist the family in finding Justin. Whether you live in Georgia or not, please take a minute and do this. It is heartbreaking. The family is out searching every day with only 8 to 10 people helping. They are desperate and are not getting a lot of community support. The hope is that a tracking dog could at least pinpoint an area to search.


Governor Perdue
http://www.gov.state.ga.us/contact_dom.shtml

Snellville Mayor
Jerry Oberholtzer
Joberholtzer@snellville.org

Gwinnett County Commissioner for District 3
Mike Beaudreau
mikeb@mikebeaudreau.com

Gwinnett County Commission Chairman
Charles E. Bannister
Charles.Bannister@gwinnettcounty.com

[klaasend]

Thanks VMS - will do.

Didn't TES help search about a or so ago?

[vms]

Thanks VMS - will do.

Didn't TES help search about a or so ago?

They did, Klaas, but had so few people show up to help. 
TES was wonderful. I was told many left with tears in their eyes because they could not find Justin. I don't think they had tracking dogs with them though.

The problem here is that the SAR's teams have to be deployed by LE and that hasn't happened. My understanding is they are sitting on ready but have to have the order from the right place to go...

[vms]

UPDATE:
We have the Georgia State Defense Force http://www.gasdf.com/ coming in to help with the search for Justin. We need volunteer searchers and food. We will start accepting food donations on Friday at 8am...through Saturday. Searchers...we need people to help us search. PLEASE PEOPLE...WE NEED YOUR HELP!!

from Justin's facebook group

[vms]

Effort to Find Missing Gwinnett Co. Teen Continues 
 
Last Edited: Saturday, 24 Nov 2007, 6:28 PM EST 
Created: Saturday, 24 Nov 2007, 6:28 PM EST 

Reported By: Justin Gray



GWINNETT COUNTY, Ga. (FOX 5) – The search for Gwinnett County teenager Justin Gaines continued Saturday and there was new hope that someone would find a trace of the missing student.

Extra manpower and extra help were called in for the 18-year-old Gaines. 

"They've all had wilderness search and rescue training and they're good at it," said

More than 120 members of the Georgia Defense Force fanned out across Gwinnett County and a private investigator who has worked on the Natalee Holloway case also joined in the effort.

"We plan for a full-scale investigation and with my presence to assist in that investigation and to keep this case active and live," said private investigator TJ Ward.

Gaines has been missing for 23 days and he was last seen November 1 at the Wild Bill's nightclub in Gwinnett County.

"I just want to find my son.  I have to make my family whole again," said Gaines' mother Erika Wilson.

Investigators said there has been no sign of a crime, but Gaines' family thinks someone knows something about the teen's disappearance.

FOX 5's Justin Gray can be reached at justin.gray@myfoxatlanta.com.


Article Link

Video Link

[Jennifer34]

any updates from Saturday?

[vms]

ONLY ON 46: Gwinnett Teen Arrested Before Disappearance


UPDATED: 6:21 pm EST November 26, 2007

    * Video: ONLY ON 46: Gwinnett Teenager Arrested Months Before Disappearance



DULUTH, Ga. -- A Gwinnett teenager who has been missing for more than three weeks was arrested earlier this month in Athens, according to police report obtained exclusively by CBS 46 News.

According to Athens-Clarke County police, Justin Gaines, 18, was arrested June 21, after an officer found an open bottle of vodka in Gaines’ car.

According to the report, the arresting officer found Gaines passed out in his car.

“Have you been drinking?” the officer asked. Gaines said no, according to the report.

After being asked whether he would take a Breathalyzer test, Gaines said “Yes, I’ll do anything,” according to the report.

The report said Gaines blew a .11 blood alcohol level, well above the state limit of .08 percent. Gaines was charged with second-degree forgery for a fake ID, possession of alcohol by a minor and open container.

Gaines had a court hearing scheduled for Nov. 21, but failed to show up.

Gaines disappeared on Nov. 2. He was last seen at Wild Bill's nightclub in Duluth.

CBS 46 talked with Gaines’ stepfather, Steven Wilson, Monday. He said he was not aware of the charges before Gaines disappeared.

But Wilson said he does not believe Gaines’ disappearance is related to the charges.

http://www.cbs46.com/news/14697360/detail.html

[vms]

Missing Gwinnett Teen Was Facing Charges

POSTED: 7:39 am EST November 27, 2007
UPDATED: 8:07 am EST November 27, 2007


LAWRENCEVILLE, Ga. -- The Gwinnett County teen missing since a night of drinking last month was facing previous alcohol-related charges, WSB-TV Channel 2 Action News has learned.

Family members confirmed that Athens police arrested Justin Gaines, 18, for underage drinking, an open container and possession of a fake ID on June 21.

He was scheduled to make a court appearance last week.

His family dismissed suggestions that the legal problem was behind Gaines' disappearance.

The teen has been missing since a night out November 1 with friends at Wild Bill's nightclub in Duluth.

Several searches and a $50,000 reward have failed to turn up any sign of Gaines.

The Gainesville College student came home the night he disappeared and told his mother he was going out with friends. He was dropped off at Wild Bill's. Later that night, he called a friend to pick him up, but his friend told him that he could not.

Police have said the investigation has slowed due to lack of cooperation from some of Gaines' close friends.

http://www.wsbtv.com/news/14701618/detail.html

[MumInOhio]

Thanks vms...I've been looking out for updates....I do not believe he went missing over a fake ID and open container.  Did you ever see anything else on his friends that were not cooperating with the authorities? That seemed a little strange to me.

[vms]

Thanks vms...I've been looking out for updates....I do not believe he went missing over a fake ID and open container.  Did you ever see anything else on his friends that were not cooperating with the authorities? That seemed a little strange to me.

Hi Mum,

As far as I know, the friends are "lawyered up" and still not cooperating.

[Jennifer34]

I have been trying to follow up on this as well.  I don't think he vanished into thin air and I hardly think he disappeared because of these charges.  What was the worst that would happen?  A bunch of fines?  It's not like he would be facing some extened jail time.  I just dont think he would disappear on the 1st or 2nd when his court date wasn't even until the 21st. 

VMS, do you know why his friends would "lawyer up"?  I have heard that there are no leads, but it has to be a little telling that these friends don't want to talk.  Wouldn't that mean they are covering up something? 

I just feel like I am missing something.  I can only imagine how his parents must feel. 

[vms]

I have been trying to follow up on this as well.  I don't think he vanished into thin air and I hardly think he disappeared because of these charges.  What was the worst that would happen?  A bunch of fines?  It's not like he would be facing some extened jail time.  I just dont think he would disappear on the 1st or 2nd when his court date wasn't even until the 21st. 

VMS, do you know why his friends would "lawyer up"?  I have heard that there are no leads, but it has to be a little telling that these friends don't want to talk.  Wouldn't that mean they are covering up something? 

I just feel like I am missing something.  I can only imagine how his parents must feel. 

No, I wish I knew. 

[vms]

Search Continues for Justin Gaines

GWINNETT COUNTY, Ga. (FOX 5) -- The search for missing Gwinnett County man Justin Gaines enters its third week.  Search groups set out again on Monday from Berkmar United Methodist Church in Lilburn.

Gaines was last seen at the Wild Bill's nightclub in Gwinnett County on November 1.  Gaines' mother called police November 4 after her son failed to return home. There have been no signs of him since then. 

Family members say the search has been difficult because some of Gaines’ friends haven’t been cooperative in providing information about the night of his disappearance.

According to the Gwinnett County police department, the case is still listed as a missing person case and there was no evidence to support or deny foul play.

Anyone with information on the case should call the Criminal Investigations Section of the Gwinnett County Police Department at 770-513-5300.

Article Link

FOX 5 Video Link

[MumInOhio]

vms   Just wanted to let you know that we have put Justin's name on a list we are putting together in the 'Project Dead Zone' thread along with Benjamin Stanford's(seems there is some questions there). There seems to be a lot of missing persons along I-20 from Tx through Georgia. Also, are you aware of Jason Roark,from Snellville,who went missing November 2006 near there?

[MsVada]

Thanks vms...I've been looking out for updates....I do not believe he went missing over a fake ID and open container.  Did you ever see anything else on his friends that were not cooperating with the authorities? That seemed a little strange to me

Is it possible that these friends that lawyered up did something because they were afraid that Justin would rat them out somehow?  Maybe they were with Justin just before he was busted?  I don't know,  not cooperating with authorities makes them look awfully suspicious....PLUS,  I don't know of any teens that drink alone,  they always are in groups!!! 

[vms]

vms   Just wanted to let you know that we have put Justin's name on a list we are putting together in the 'Project Dead Zone' thread along with Benjamin Stanford's(seems there is some questions there). There seems to be a lot of missing persons along I-20 from Tx through Georgia. Also, are you aware of Jason Roark,from Snellville,who went missing November 2006 near there?

Thank you, Mum. 

Yes, I am aware of Jason Roark's case. The same PI is working on both cases. Probably a good thing...

[vms]

Thanks vms...I've been looking out for updates....I do not believe he went missing over a fake ID and open container.  Did you ever see anything else on his friends that were not cooperating with the authorities? That seemed a little strange to me

Is it possible that these friends that lawyered up did something because they were afraid that Justin would rat them out somehow?  Maybe they were with Justin just before he was busted?  I don't know,  not cooperating with authorities makes them look awfully suspicious....PLUS,  I don't know of any teens that drink alone,  they always are in groups!!! 

Some interesting comments:


I have been reading this because im not home to do any help. I am a freshmen at Utah State and havent been home to be caught up on all the details. I knew justin a little but not a lot.

However on the two friends who wont cooperate one of them is my best friend. She was at Wild Bills that night with them and has told the police all she knows. They have held her in a room and made her cry hysterically because her "times do not add up" anyone who goes out knows that you dont check your watch every 5 min. I know it is important to get the times right but when you are out you dont check the watch.

It is not her fault that justin went missing and i would appreciate if everyone would stpo bashing the "two friends". She has told EVERYTHING she knows and has been involved in the search's for him.

I dont think you should be so rude when its not you being bashed by the police you dont know how it feels.
Ryan | 11.27.07 - 5:19 pm | #

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 I am praying for justin and his family and wish there were something that i could do.

In my heart i am home. But please stop bashing the fwo friends. They have seriously told all they know. && perhaps they were a little drunk. That seriously impares their judgemnet.

*Praying for Justin*
Ryan | 11.27.07 - 5:29 pm | #
 
Link

[Jennifer34]

That is interesting.  There is a difference in not cooperating and telling all you know and there is nothing else to tell. 

Makes you wonder which is true.

[vms]

http://www.amw.com/missing_persons/brief.cfm?id=51347