Justin Gaines disappearance: New podcast hopes to shed new light on cold case

DULUTH, Ga. - What happened to Justin Gaines? It's a cold case that has stumped investigators for more than 16 years.  

Now, there is a new effort to find answers. A podcast is about to be released about Gaines’ case.  

Investigative podcaster Sean Kipe said several people approached him about Justin's case. Kipe and the Gaines family hope it will generate enough interest that someone will come forward with information.  

Justin was an 18-year-old college student. While home for a weekend, he went out to a club called Wild Bill's in Duluth on Nov. 1, 2007. Surveillance video captured him at the club around 1:30 a.m. on Nov. 2, 2007. That was the last image of Gaines before he vanished.  

Justin Gaines was last seen on a surveillance video at Wild Bill’s in Duluth on Nov. 2, 2007.  (Supplied)

"Over the last 16-and-a-half years, I've received leads every year throughout the year. Unfortunately, it hasn't brought us the final answer, but it's another piece to the puzzle," said Erika Wilson, his mother.  

"It's important to the family, not just to find answers, to have a case closed, but for their kid's story to be told," said Kipe, an investigative podcaster. 

Kipe has spent the last year digging into this cold case. He interviewed more than 50 people for his podcast, Drowning Creek.  

Justin Gaines was last seen at Wild Bill’s in Duluth on Nov. 2, 2007.  (FOX 5)

"Law enforcement, witnesses, suspects, friends of Justin's. I've been able to interview people who have never given public interviews before," said Kipe.   

There have been many leads over the years, including one where Gaines was killed, and his body dumped in Lake Lanier. Another one in 2015, was that he was killed, and his body was dumped in a well, which led to days of searching by investigators.  

Nothing ever came of those leads.  

Justin's mom is hoping this podcast will reach that one person who may have information, and enough compassion, to come forward.  

"It's going to take that one person to give us closure, to find us answers, to help settle all the questions I've had in my mind the last 16 and a half years," said Wilson.  

"Getting this project to be heard by the right set of ears, and that final piece of information that's needed to close the case is going to come out. I believe that," said Kipe. 

The podcast, Drowning Creek, is a 10-episode series. The first two episodes will be released June 21, then a new episode every week. It will be available on all major podcast platforms, and it's free to listen to.