Solving Drowning Creek: Bring Justin Gaines Home
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Help Us Bring Justin Home
I want you to think about your children. Think about...
- The moment they were born.
- The first time you looked in their eyes.
- Their first steps...
- Their first words...
- The first time they said, "I love you"...
And every other happy memory along the way.
Now I want you to imagine that you wake up one day and they've vanished.
And like any rational person, you go to the police.
But what happens when the police don't help?
You do everything you can, but still, days turn to weeks...
then weeks into months...
then months into years.
My name is Erika Wilson, and I’m reaching out to you today with a heavy heart.
My son, Justin Gaines, has been missing since November 2, 2007.
He was only 18 years old, full of life, dreams, and potential.
Justin was last seen outside a nightclub in Duluth, Georgia, and since that terrible night, our lives have been a never-ending nightmare of uncertainty and pain.
You may recognize this story from the recent podcast titled "Drowning Creek" by Sean Kipe.
For over a decade, we have searched tirelessly for Justin.
We’ve followed every lead, turned over every stone, and spent countless sleepless nights hoping for a miracle.
As you may have heard on the podcast, the authorities believe Justin may have been the victim of a heinous crime, but despite their efforts, we have not been able to bring Justin home.
As a mother, the not knowing is the hardest part.
Every day, I imagine what his life would have been like—he would have graduated from college, maybe started a family of his own by now.
But instead, we’re left with only memories and an unending ache in our hearts.
We are not giving up. We are determined to find Justin and bring him home where he belongs. But to do this, we need your help. The funds raised through this campaign will go directly towards continuing the search for Justin:
- AI Forensic Analysis of Security Camera Video: As technology has continued to improve over the years, new tools have become available to examine the critical evidence in Justin's case. The security camera footage from Wild Bills night club where Justin went missing needs to be enhanced using cutting edge artificial intelligence and expensive video forensic software typically reserved for police departments. There is approximately 30 hours of security camera footage that needs to be enhanced using AI, color graded, and analyzed which we expect to cost approximately $50,000.
- Support any legal action that may be required to keep this case active. Justin's case has been hindered since the start due to various laws in Georgia, as well as the case being transferred to different municipalities. We need to get Justin's case taken over as an active investigation by the Georgia Bureau of Investigations and are prepared to take the necessary legal actions required in order to make that happen. Until that happens we're largely left to our own devices for gathering crucial evidence in Justin's case - and unfortunately these days that means we may have to file legal action in order to get access to evidence that we believe is relevant in Justin's case.
- Hire recovery teams to search several places of interest. This is by far the greatest expenditure that we're looking to raise funds for. There are 3 separate places of interest that we intend to search and each location requires experts that specialize in recovery within that particular environment. We expect the recovery efforts to cost at least $100,000.
Any amount you can give will bring us one step closer to finding Justin. And even if you can’t donate, sharing this campaign with others who might be able to help would mean the world to us. From the bottom of my heart, thank you for standing with us during this unimaginable time.
With hope and gratitude,
Erika Wilson
Organizer and beneficiary
Michael Heiser
Organizer
Franklin, TN
Erika Wilson
Beneficiary