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Jan from Toyota
Hey, campers, it's Jan from Toyota. This summer we're headed to Camp Toyota and the fun starts now. We're kicking things off by kicking up mud. Jump in, campers. We're going off roading in a 4Runner. Next, we're heading to the hot springs in Arav 4. And finally, park your tundras in TAC around the campfire because we're roasting marshmallows. Dumb. Start here.
Mike Ferguson
Dealer inventory may vary, so you're participating Toyota dealer for details at Ben Hand Street First Toyota. Let's go places. Hello everyone and welcome to episode 466 of the True Crime all the Time Unsolved podcast. I'm Mike Ferguson and with me, as always, is my partner in true crime, Mike Gibson. Gibby, how are you?
Mike Gibson
Hey. I'm doing pretty good. How about you?
Mike Ferguson
I'm doing about as well as one could do.
Mike Gibson
That's pretty damn good.
Mike Ferguson
It is. Got a lot going on though. We're getting ready for Crime Con. Yeah. My family's getting ready for this wedding. You're getting ready for an upcoming trip to Greece. So we got a lot of things in motion.
Mike Gibson
We're busy.
Mike Ferguson
Yeah. Let's go ahead and give our Patreon shout outs. We had Brianna. Jeanette.
Mike Gibson
What's going on, Brianna?
Mike Ferguson
Aaron Groff.
Mike Gibson
Hey, Aaron.
Mike Ferguson
Lindsay Chandler.
Mike Gibson
Ah, thanks, Lindsay.
Mike Ferguson
Megan and Teddy.
Mike Gibson
Oh, Megan and Teddy together.
Mike Ferguson
Thank you, Ansley.
Mike Gibson
Hey, Ansley.
Mike Ferguson
And last but not least, Robin Jennings.
Mike Gibson
Oh, what's up, Robin?
Mike Ferguson
Yeah, we appreciate the new Patreon support. And then if we go back into the vault this week, we selected Don Parker.
Mike Gibson
The Don Parker.
Mike Ferguson
The Don Parker of the famous Parkers. Maybe the Parker Pen. Okay, family.
Mike Gibson
The park. Oh, the Parker Pen. I see what you did there. Why not though?
Mike Ferguson
Took you, took you a minute though there Mensa, didn't it?
Mike Gibson
I was like, parker Pen. What? I was thinking like the, I was going to say from the famous Parker Family, but that's not the name of the show. It's the Partridge Family.
Mike Ferguson
Oh, yeah. That's not even close to being the same thing. It starts with a P. Well, it does.
Mike Gibson
Yeah.
Mike Ferguson
So it's in the par.
Mike Gibson
Yeah, it's in the ballpark.
Mike Ferguson
It's in the ballpark. You're not even playing the right sport. All right, so on TCAT, it's our 500th episode and we're starting a kind of a. A four parter on the Gilgo Beach, Long island serial killer case that for years was unsolved.
Mike Gibson
Yeah.
Mike Ferguson
They identified rex Sherman in 2022, and then just this year he pleaded guilty to seven murders. There's just a ton of information to, to go through.
Mike Gibson
It really is. It's a, it's a huge case.
Mike Ferguson
It is, it is. All right, buddy, are you ready to get into this episode of True Crime all the Time Unsolved?
Mike Gibson
I am.
Mike Ferguson
We're talking about the disappearance of Justin Gaines. In November 2007, 18 year old Justin Gaines went missing a few months into his freshman year of college. He was last seen outside a bar in the early morning hours. But despite numerous leads and a few persons of interest, Justin's disappearance remains unsolved. Justin Gaines was born in Westlake, Ohio. When he was six years old, his family moved to Snellville, Georgia, a suburb of Atlanta.
Mike Gibson
Snellville sounds like it's a slow moving town.
Mike Ferguson
Well, a lot of places in Georgia, South Carolina, they move, at least from my experience, a little bit slower. Yeah, they're not in as big a hurry. Now if you're in Atlanta, that's probably different.
Mike Gibson
Sure.
Mike Ferguson
But I've stopped at Walmarts in different places in smaller towns, and in some of these southern states, they are in no hurry whatsoever.
Mike Gibson
They'll get to you, but they get to you.
Mike Ferguson
Exactly. Justin was the second oldest of eight kids growing up. He always had someone to play games with or go swimming and exploring with. And I mean, we've talked about it before, but, you know, eight kids, I think for the kids, that could be awesome. Now it could also not be awesome. Maybe it depends on where you are in the, the birthing order.
Mike Gibson
Yeah, that would be important because if you're the oldest now, you have all the responsibility of all the other kids. And then if you're the youngest, can you keep up with all the other older kids? And do you feel like they don't really want you around? Yeah.
Mike Ferguson
Do you get left out of things. And if you're in the middle, do you just kind of get looked over? I don't know how it all works because I'm an only child, so I don't have that experience.
Mike Gibson
Middle kid always gets overlooked because I'm a middle kid. No one cares about us.
Mike Ferguson
But it would have been nice when I was a kid to kind of have like this built in group to play with.
Mike Gibson
Yeah, right.
Mike Ferguson
Like if your friends aren't home, well, you got all these siblings to play games with. The family went on many camping trips and vacations to Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. Justin's grandmother, Karen Yaroma, told the Atlanta Constitution that growing up, Justin was a chubby little freckled kid with not a friend in the world. In high school, he started weightlifting and going to the tanning bed. All of a sudden, that one summer, he redesigned himself.
Mike Gibson
It's like being a kid that wore huskies and all of a sudden got in shape and then bam. Wow.
Mike Ferguson
And is now wearing a singlet and starring on the wrestling team. I could see it happening.
Mike Gibson
Yeah.
Mike Ferguson
But let's face it, right? A lot of us redesign or whatever word you want to use ourselves over the years, Whether it's, you know, getting into shape or starting to play sports. A lot of this happens when you're younger and you're in school. Maybe it's switching interests from one thing to another. When it was time to enroll in college, Justin wanted to stay close to home, to be near friends and family. So in the fall of 2007, Justin started his freshman year at Gainesville State College, now the University of North Georgia. It's just about an hour from his home. And I think a lot of people, you know, if they make that decision to go to college, they can go a couple of different ways. One is the stay very close to home route. I mean, like real close, where you're actually still living at home.
Mike Gibson
Right.
Mike Ferguson
The other, which is. Sounds to me like is kind of what Justin chose was to get just far enough away to get some freedom, but be close enough that you could pretty much come back anytime you want and hang out with your friends and family.
Mike Gibson
Yeah, I ended up staying very close to home because I lived at home and then commuted from there. And. And I think that was probably a little bit because I saw what going to a college far away, farther away did to my older brother. You know, he went to the same college you did, so, you know, didn't have any supervision. Right.
Mike Ferguson
And did little Frank the Tank like I did. Exactly. And then I think the Third one is some people want to get as far away as they can, and it's not always because they don't love their family or anything like that, but they might want to go from the east coast to the west coast or vice versa.
Mike Gibson
And that's a big move.
Mike Ferguson
It is a big move. Justin was a popular student, but also a bit of a partier, as reported by the Atlanta Constitution. And that is one thing I can definitely understand.
Mike Gibson
The parting part.
Mike Ferguson
Yeah, not being popular, but the parting part, definitely. You know, it did, for a time there derail my college studies. I mean, let's face it, there wasn't a whole lot of studying going on. It was mostly just partying.
Mike Gibson
Well, you did go to the number one partying university at that time.
Mike Ferguson
That's true.
Mike Gibson
I don't know if it still is,
Mike Ferguson
but I don't know if it was or not, but yeah. His mother, Erica Wilson, told Dateline that Justin loved college, and he would send her regular updates. One of his first assignments for English class was to write a paper about how his college experience was going so far. In this paper, Justin wrote that he wanted to be successful so he could take care of his mom like his parents took care of him.
Mike Gibson
It's a good kid.
Mike Ferguson
It is, because I don't know how many college students are thinking like that now. Maybe that was just for the paper. Maybe that was genuine. I don't know. I do think there are a lot of, you know, really talented kids in sports who, you know, they always say, hey, when I make it, I'm going to buy my mom house or my mom and dad a house. And most of them do. Justin went missing just a few months into his freshman year. On Thursday, November 1, 2007, Justin went home to Snellville for the weekend. He had plans to spend time with family and make extra money by helping his stepfather, Steve, clean gutters. And then when he was done for the day, Justin planned to go out with friends. Hey, I'm all about making extra money, sure. But I am very picky in what I have to do to make that extra money. I always have been.
Mike Gibson
There's the difference between you and I,
Mike Ferguson
because you will do anything for money and have made no bones about it.
Mike Gibson
Anything for a buck, which, you know,
Mike Ferguson
let's face it, is a big part of what's gotten you into trouble, you know, all these many years. That's why there's so much out there on you that is just waiting to be. Waiting to surface.
Mike Gibson
Yeah, that's true.
Mike Ferguson
We know it's Just a ticking time bomb.
Mike Gibson
A matter of time. Right.
Mike Ferguson
Erica recalled that a couple of hours before he went out, Justin picked out two shirts and asked his stepfather, hey, which shirt should I wear tonight for the ladies?
Mike Gibson
It's a question you ask yourself sometimes, right?
Mike Ferguson
I do not, since I just had my 30 year anniversary.
Mike Gibson
That's correct.
Mike Ferguson
I might ask my wife which. Which shirt do you think looks better? Justin was picked up by his friend Chris. Chris dropped Justin off at a nightclub called Wild Bills about an hour away in Duluth, Georgia. Justin was familiar with Wild Bills because he had gone there for teen nights in the past. He went into Wild Bills alone because Chris didn't have a pass to access the club. The Atlanta Constitution reported that Justin had two VIP tickets. Justin also had two fake IDs he used to buy alcohol, which his friends later told his parents.
Mike Gibson
Fake IDs. Boy wonder who made those at the college? Wonder who made those at the college you went to?
Mike Ferguson
Yeah, I, you know, I think the statute of limitations is up on that. I did make my fair share of fake IDs back in the day.
Mike Gibson
Yeah, you were very well known for it.
Mike Ferguson
But Justin wasn't deterred that his friend couldn't go with him. He was very sociable and made friends easily. It was said he could talk to a stranger for hours. And let's face it, not a lot of people are like that. No, some people are, but I think, by and large, I would have to think the majority of people are a little more reserved than that, even getting into the area of being shy and things like that. But there are some of those people who, you know, can just walk into any place and strike up a conversation with somebody.
Mike Gibson
We have a friend that you and I both are friends with that can.
Mike Ferguson
Hence. Hence the. We have a friend part.
Mike Gibson
Yeah, that can talk for hours and hours and hours and.
Mike Ferguson
And maybe a few more hours.
Mike Gibson
Yes.
Mike Ferguson
Justin went inside wild bills at 11:38pm it was thirsty Thursday at the nightclub. And according to one officer, there were almost 3,000 people there.
Mike Gibson
It's a lot of people, man.
Mike Ferguson
Well, I'm assuming Thirsty Thursday is. Is going to be one of those, like, slashing prices on drinks or something like that. I mean, I remember being in college, Gibbs. Now, obviously this was like the very early 1990s, because I'm old. But, you know, every bar, it seemed like, had something on different nights, a gimmick, and one was like, you know, a drinking drown. You pay like three bucks and you get a cup and you can just fill it up as many times as you want.
Mike Gibson
Oh, nice.
Mike Ferguson
And there was another bar that they had. It was called Progressive, where beer started at 5 cents and then they went up 5 cents every hour. Oh, I mean, I mean, if you had that today, I mean, you'd be loving it.
Mike Gibson
Oh, yeah.
Mike Ferguson
It also might have been the reason why it was voted the one of the biggest party schools in America.
Mike Gibson
I think it probably had something to do with it.
Mike Ferguson
The bartenders at Wild Bills recognized Justin throughout the night. He was captured by the club's security camera. The bar closed at 1:30am on November 2nd. Justin walked out and was last captured on camera standing outside the club. Based on his phone records, he was calling friends to ask for a ride home. When Justin didn't come home on November 2nd, Erica wasn't worried at first and thought, you know what, he's probably just hanging out with friends. But then when Saturday, November 3rd rolled around and Justin still hadn't come home or returned her calls, she thought something might be wrong. And that makes perfect sense to me. You know, one of the things that we're always dissecting, and I think even more so in the unsolved cases, is when do people start to get worried?
Mike Gibson
Yeah.
Mike Ferguson
And then when do they really start to get worried? Because, all right, you know, here's a guy who is going to go out to the clubs. When he doesn't come home that night, I think there's probably a lot of ex explanations that, you know, let's say his mom could come up with. Maybe he met someone, maybe he just decided to crash at Chris's house. But probably not, you know, thinking the worst at that point.
Mike Gibson
No, I would think like everything you mentioned there, most likely he tied one on a little bit too much and just didn't make his way back home.
Mike Ferguson
But then when the next day comes and, you know, doesn't show up at home, not returning phone calls. Okay, then the level of concern definitely goes up. Erica called Justin's friends, but they hadn't heard from him. She told Dateline, in my mom heart, I just knew that something wasn't right. By Monday, November 5, Justin's friends were getting worried and they started calling Erica for updates. Justin was supposed to have taken Chris back to school, but he never showed up. Justin's wallet, car and ID were all still at Erica's house. Erica had access to Justin's school portal. She checked it and saw that he hadn't turned in an assignment that was due Monday morning. He always turned in his schoolwork on time and not doing so was highly out of character for him.
Mike Gibson
So this is the point I would be to that. Really, really worried.
Mike Ferguson
Yeah. And we always talk about, you know, like, what do people normally do?
Mike Gibson
Yeah.
Mike Ferguson
And how is it that what they're doing now or not doing now is just so completely out of character for them that it's alarming to those, you know, around them. Friends and family. So Erica reported Justin missing. Friends and family rejected the idea that Justin left on his own, claiming he would never leave for so long without contacting someone. And I'll be honest, I. That's what I always think. Now we're hearing some pretty strange, unusual cases here recently of people who we thought went missing. They did go missing, but it turns out they went missing voluntarily.
Mike Gibson
Right.
Mike Ferguson
So it does happen. I still don't think it's the norm. And when we do an unsolved case, I'm still never going to go to that place first.
Mike Gibson
Yeah. It makes sense. It's a possibility, but it's not the most likely.
Mike Ferguson
Yeah. That's kind of how I look at it. Yeah. Friends and family gathered at the Wilson house to pass out missing persons flyers. They drove around Wild Bill's nightclub looking for Justin. Even checking dumpster.
Mike Gibson
I mean, not a bad thing to do. We had other cases where bodies were found in dumpsters, so why not give it a look, Right? Check it off the box.
Mike Ferguson
Yeah, but how nerve wracking would that be to lift open a dumpster, hoping beyond hope that you're not going to find him in there? Because obviously if he's in the dumpster, it's going to be really bad.
Mike Gibson
Yeah.
Mike Ferguson
The search party expanded as the week went on. The team had maps, a command center, they even hired a private investigator, but there were no signs of Justin.
Mike Gibson
It sounds like they're doing everything the right way, just not having any luck.
Mike Ferguson
Yeah, I think they're actually going, you know, really above and beyond now. I don't know if it's above and beyond because actually, I think all of us would go as far as we could. Right. If. If a loved one was missing. But the one thing you'd have to say about friends and family is that they were worried and everybody was pitching in. Right. To. To look for him. This episode is sponsored by ro. I'm sure all of you are hearing a lot about GLP1s and how amazing they are, but most people think GLP1s cost a fortune. Roe wants to help people lose weight. That's why they have the lowest cost options out there. Whether you're paying with insurance or cash and they have a free insurance checker that makes it super easy to see if you're covered. All you have to do is submit your insurance card and RO handles the rest. No paperwork, no waiting on hold, no confusing phone calls, and if insurance doesn't cover treatment, there are still options. RO offers lower cost cash pay FDL approved GLP1s including newer dosage forms like daily pills and multi dose pins. RO offers a multi month membership option in addition to multi month medications that help members prepay and save on their GLP1 medications. I take a weekly injection for my diabetes but if I didn't I would definitely use RO. Join the over 1.5 million people who've trusted RO on their weight loss journey. Go to RO CO Unsolved to see if you qualify. That's R O CO Unsolved. To get started on ro, go to RO Co Safety for boxed warning and full safety information about GLP1 medications. You know, Gibby and I were a little fearful when we started this podcast 10 years ago. We had no idea what we were doing and we really didn't know if anybody would listen. It's scary to try something new and it's scary to, you know, start your own business. Now we know we were right in believing in ourselves and launching the podcast despite all the fears. But it also helps when you have a partner like Shopify on your side to help. Shopify is the commerce platform behind millions of businesses around the world and 10% of all e commerce in the US from household names like Gymshark to True Crime all the time to brands just getting started. With hundreds of ready to use templates, Shopify helps you build a beautiful online store that matches your brand style. They help you easily create email and social media campaigns wherever your customers are scrolling or strolling. And if you get stuck, Shopify is always around to share advice with their award winning 24. 7 customer support. We've been using Shopify for many years now and it's been a game changer. It's time to turn those what ifs into with Shopify today. Sign up for your $1 per month trial today at shopify.com unsolved. Go to shopify.com unsolved that's shopify.com unsolved the Gwinnett County Police Department led the initial investigation. Investigators received dozens of leads but had few solid theories about what happened to Justin. One of those theories was that he may have gotten a ride from a person who wanted to do him harm. There were some reports that Justin May have gotten into a black vehicle that night. Someone lured him into a car, possibly a blonde woman wearing a black dress. Justin was then taken to a house in Snellville on Pleasant Hill Road and attacked.
Mike Gibson
I mean, it's kind of a detailed theory.
Mike Ferguson
Yeah, that was my thought. Very detailed. Right. Now, when you hear that there are some reports that he might have gotten into a black vehicle that night. Okay, that's somewhat specific, but also leaves a lot to be desired. Number one, there are million, you know, black vehicles. But then when somebody goes on to say, you know, maybe a blonde woman lured him into the car wearing a black dress. Well, now you're getting much more specific. And then you have him being taken to this house in Snellville on a specific road and attacked. And that's even more specific.
Mike Gibson
So I'm thinking, okay, so go to that road, look for a black vehicle where a blonde woman lives.
Mike Ferguson
And I'm sure they checked it out. I mean, they did follow up on a ton of leads over the years. Investigators did. There were even some international tips they followed up on. But nothing has led to Justin's recovery. In March 2014, Gwinnett county deputies dug up an old well off Highway 315 out of Dakula, Georgia, based on a tip about Justin's disappearance. And I'm not sure I'm saying that correctly. It could be the cooler. I'm sure I will get an email because I always do.
Mike Gibson
I'm sure you said it wrong.
Mike Ferguson
I, I normally do choose incorrectly because Dakula, like Dracula without the R. Yes. The biggest development in the case came in 2015 when inmate Dustin Dillon Glass, who was in prison on unrelated charges, claimed he had information about Justin's disappearance. Glass is a self professed gang member and was in federal prison for drug charges when he came forward in December 2014, Glass pled guilty to distribution of methamphetamine. In April 2015, he was sentenced to 170 months in federal prison.
Mike Gibson
Okay, well, that's what happens when you mess around with that meth.
Mike Ferguson
Yeah, but that's, that's a really healthy sentence. But he also had prior convictions, right? Prior state convictions that included sale of meth, possession of meth, aggravated assault, possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony, and battery. So I, I'm sure that had a lot to do with his lengthy sentence.
Mike Gibson
I think so.
Mike Ferguson
Judge probably took all the priors into account. In August 2015, three defendants in a racketeering and conspiracy to commit murder case pleaded guilty in return for a negotiated Plea bargain, Jason Conway Barnes, Sarah Elizabeth Evans and Dustin Dillon Glass pled guilty to one count of racketeering. Co defendant Eric Bernard Randolph was offered a plea option as well. In March 2015, multiple defendants were indicted on three counts of the RICO Act. Several of them, including Glass, were also charged with seven counts of aggravated assault, one count of conspiracy to commit murder, and 14 counts of criminal street gang related acts. All right, so there's a lot going on here, but the one thing that you can definitely say about this Dust and Glass guy is that man, he has racked up a boatload of charges or has. The indictment was said to have followed a nine month long investigation involving 11 agencies.
Mike Gibson
Pretty intense.
Mike Ferguson
Chad Ashley Allen was convicted in 2013 of the murder of Robert Andrew Nichols and sentenced to life in prison. Allen conspired with the other co defendants to murder witness Chadwick Little, who testified against Allen. Glass and Eric Randolph fired multiple shots at the home where Little and seven others were staying. It was believed they were paid by Allen's mother afterwards.
Mike Gibson
That's interesting.
Mike Ferguson
Well, it's nothing like mom coming in, trying to, you know, save her son by paying a bunch of people to kill witnesses against him.
Mike Gibson
Need a little favor. Here's some payment for this favor. Now go kill these people.
Mike Ferguson
Now, we know, you know, mothers love their sons, they love their children, but we have seen mothers go to unbelievable lengths. Yeah. To help out their kids. I mean, unbelievably, criminal links. They were also charged with involvement in the Ghostface Gangsters, a group with violent criminal histories thought to be operating inside and outside Georgia Department of Correction facilities.
Mike Gibson
Okay. The Ghostface Gangsters.
Mike Ferguson
Glass pleaded guilty to multiple counts of conspiracy to commit murder, aggravated assault, violation of the Street Gang Terrorism act, and possession of a firearm during the commission of a felon. And, you know, we have to lay out everything against Glass because we know that he comes forward with information about the disappearance of Justin Gaines. And what's the first thought you have when I say that?
Mike Gibson
Well, he's going to want to make some type of deal, right? He's got all these charges. Can you get some of those charges knocked down?
Mike Ferguson
Yeah, well, my thought is, you know, let's say the information is real. He's not coming forward with it out of some sense of honor or duty.
Mike Gibson
No.
Mike Ferguson
Right. I don't think Glass is that type of individual. My thought is it's all about, you know, what can I get out of this?
Mike Gibson
What's in it for me?
Mike Ferguson
How much can I get knocked off my sentence, you know, things like that. When he came forward to talk about the disappearance of Justin Gaines, Glass claimed that he and a man named Martin Leonard Wilkie assaulted Justin, shot him, and put his body in a black metal toolbox. Glass also claimed he took Justin's diamond earring and that he was part of the assault, but that he didn't kill him. He could not reveal the location of Justin's body. So my first thought is Glass is giving some information here. He's implicating himself, which. Okay, you would think that might lend a little bit of credibility to what he's saying to investigators. Now he is also trying to distance himself a bit. He's saying, well, I was part of the assault, but I didn't kill him, and I also don't know where the body is. So on the one hand, he is putting himself into a crime against Justin, but he's also not giving the type of details that would lend, like, 100% credibility to his story. It'd be different if he could provide them with the location of his body. Then. Yeah, you would. You'd have to buy into that story, at least some version of it.
Mike Gibson
Yeah, it sounds like he's just kind of staying vague.
Mike Ferguson
Then Glass's mother, Tammy Blue, told police she assisted Martin Wilkie in and another man in disposing of Justin's body in a well in High Shoals, Walton County.
Mike Gibson
So that has a little bit more bite to it.
Mike Ferguson
It does, you know, when your mom comes in and adds more details. But now she's also implicating herself as well. On August 31, 2015, authorities initiated a new search for Justin's body. Authorities in Walton county searched wells in the High Shoals area off Georgia Highway 186, where three counties, Walton, Morgan and Oconee intersect. Investigators said they were also searching a wooded area based on tips from an inmate who was described as a person of interest. This inmate was later identified as Tammy Ballou. So not only is Glass in prison or incarcerated, his mom is as well.
Mike Gibson
Shocker.
Mike Ferguson
So, I don't know, maybe they're both trying to, you know, lighten up their sentences, or maybe they really have good information. It's so hard to tell in these situations.
Mike Gibson
Yeah, I mean, I think officials have been burnt many times in the past.
Mike Ferguson
Yeah, I think. And because of that, they're probably very wary. Right. When an inmate comes forward with some piece of information, they probably almost always start out thinking, well, we know we're going to have to check it out, but I'm not putting that much stock into it because these People, they never, you know, their information never pans out.
Mike Gibson
Yeah.
Mike Ferguson
They're always just trying to get something, which I don't understand. I understand the trying to get something out of it part, but I don't understand not being credible. Like, how do you think providing false information because, you know police are going to try to check it out is ever going to help you at all?
Mike Gibson
Yeah. If anything, it could end up hurting you. Right. By providing false information, you could get
Mike Ferguson
some type of charge. I'm sure. Gwinnett County Sheriff Butch Conway said about the tip her. Fox 5 Atlanta was. Well, it's coming from somebody close to the incident that happened. That's why we're calling them a person of interest. It's the most credible lead to this point. And I can understand him saying that, because I don't know that they had a lot of credible leads. So maybe it wasn't such a high hurdle to clear because there wasn't a lot to compare it to.
Mike Gibson
Yeah. I mean, if that's the only thing that you really have to go on, and you've heard about this from both Glass and his mom. I mean, you're taking the word of two people at this point. Two good people. No, but still two people.
Mike Ferguson
The. Well searches ended on September 3rd with no answers. Gwinnett County Sheriff Conway told 11 a lot that authorities know who is behind Justin's disappearance. They just have to prove it. And that's a very interesting statement.
Mike Gibson
It is.
Mike Ferguson
And to me, it means they either have some information related to somebody that we haven't talked about yet, or he's directly talking about Glass and, you know, his mother and Martin Wilkie. He just can't come out and, like, point the finger at them directly.
Mike Gibson
Yeah.
Mike Ferguson
The day before September 2nd, officials issued an arrest warrant for Martin Leonard Wilkie, who was accused of helping to conceal the death of Justin Gaines. As mentioned, both Walton and Gwinnett counties had received tips that Wilkie knew about Justin's disappearance. Authorities in Walton county accused Wilkie of helping to dispose of Justin's body after an assault that ended in a shooting. The arrest warrant stated that Justin was assaulted, shot and. And then stuffed in a metal toolbox. His body was allegedly transported to Walton county for disposal. And we can go back and forth and debate the veracity of, you know, Glass and Tammy and. And all that, but, I mean, at least at this point in the story, authorities are all in on Wilkie, that's for sure.
Mike Gibson
Yeah.
Mike Ferguson
According to the warrant, Dustin Dillon Glass told authorities that he and Wilkie actively participated in the assault of Justin, which ultimately led to Gaines being shot to death. And then I said it, right? His mom, Tammy Ballew, claimed that she assisted Wilkie in transporting the body in the black metal toolbox to the High Shoals area. So it's two people not only incriminating themselves, but both incriminating Wilkie. Now, to your point, are these, you know, upstanding individuals? Well, no, not really. They're already incarcerated, but that doesn't mean they're not telling the truth.
Mike Gibson
Yeah, I mean, Glass to say that he actively participated in the assault, that's a pretty big statement to make, especially if you followed up with the assault, is what ultimately led to him being shot to death.
Mike Ferguson
Yeah. Now he's. He's saying, I didn't pull the trigger. Yeah, I didn't kill him. But that's still a very serious charge that he would get. And Tammy helping dispose of the body would be a pretty serious charge as well. Now it's not first degree murder. Wilkie turned himself in and posted his bond. Gwinnett County DA Danny Porter said they had already looked at Wilkie and interviewed him twice. They declined to arrest him for unspecified reasons. And I think, Gibbs, in a lot of these unsolved cases, the police have a very good idea of who is behind a disappearance or murder. They may never even come out and, you know, release the person's name, but it's like they just never get to the point where they have the evidence they need to arrest or charge that person.
Mike Gibson
Well, so he turns himself in, which is great. Right now it's up to the investigators to pry information out of him.
Mike Ferguson
But DA Porter did warn that the arrest warrant may come to a dead end, saying, I think they're following up on an unproductive lead that has already been investigated. So that's kind of interesting for the, you know, Gwinnett County DA to come out and say that. He's basically saying, I don't think you got the right guy there.
Mike Gibson
Which can't make the investigators feel too great, right?
Mike Ferguson
No. Two law enforcement sources told Fox 5 that several witnesses said Justin's body was first taken to Lake Lanier for disposal, but was then moved because the lake levels dropped. Later that month, authorities officially identified Tammy Ballew and charged her with making a false statement. However, investigators still believed both Tammy and her son could be involved in Justin's disappearance. Tammy may have lied about the location of the remains, but authorities believed much of her information was credible. Lead investigator Lt. Col. Carl Sims revealed his theory to Fox 5 Atlanta saying, I believe Justin got in a vehicle with someone he knew. They went to another location where he got into a dispute with someone that went south. But I want to go back for just a sec and talk about Tammy. So they, they think that she lied about, you know, where Justin's remains were, but they thought that a lot of her information could still be credible. Is that possible? Yeah, it is. I kind of feel like if you're going to come forward and implicate yourself and, and why wouldn't you just tell the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth?
Mike Gibson
Yeah, I'm sure there's a reason. And the reason is she's trying to figure out how to protect her son.
Mike Ferguson
Yeah, that's possible. Could be that either she or Glass had a lot more of a role in the murder, but they're trying to downplay it and push it all onto this Wilkie guy. Justin's family spoke to the media after these developments. Erica Wilson told Fox 5 Atlanta that it was hard to watch, but she was ready for the truth, no matter how painful. And that's where, you know, kind of the information on Wilkie and Baloo kind of drops off the cliff because, you know, during the research really couldn't find any official confirmation. But it seems like the charges against both Wilkie and Baloo were dropped because there just wasn't any more, you know,
Mike Gibson
reporting on it, which for the family, I'm sure is disappointing.
Mike Ferguson
Yeah, absolutely. You're listening to this podcast, so I know you've got a curious mind. Here's a helpful fact you might not know yet. Drivers who switch and save with Progressive save over 900 on average. They make it super simple. Pop over to progressive.com, answer some questions and you'll get a quick quote with coverage options tailored to your choices. Plus you'll see which discounts you may qualify for, like the online quote discount or savings for paying in full. In fact, 99% of Progressive Auto customers earn at least one discount. See if you could save when you switch to Progressive. You'll feel good about making a savvy choice. Visit progressive.com and see if you can enjoy a little extra cash back. Progressive Casualty Insurance Company and affiliates and national average 12 month savings of $946 by new customers surveyed who save with Progressive between June 2024 and May 2025. Potential savings will vary.
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Mike Ferguson
Private investigator Bob Polnod began working with Erica shortly after Justin disappeared. He told KCEN TV in 2017, at this point, we believe we know what happened to Justin Gaines, but we cannot find the body. There's enough information or evidence that we've gathered over the years that keeps going, knowing at some point there's a good possibility of it being solved. And, you know, this is what's fascinating in this case to me. When you hear from authorities, when you hear from this private investigator, everybody keeps saying that we think we know what happened to Justin. Yeah, we've got a lot of information. We've got some evidence. We think, you know, it's going to be solved, all of these types of things. But then it's like nothing happens after that.
Mike Gibson
They can't bring it home. They can't finalize it.
Mike Ferguson
KCENTV provided a timeline of what investigators believe happened to Justin. After leaving the nightclub, he was lured into a car and taken to a house in Snellville. He was attacked inside the house around 2:30am Investigators believe there were multiple witnesses. Justin was attacked as soon as he walked into the garage, beaten, choked and shot to death. It sounds like a. A horrific death.
Mike Gibson
And for what, you know, why would someone want to do that?
Mike Ferguson
Well, here's what I was thinking about. I mean, obviously any murder like this is tragic. It would be one thing, you know, if you found out that this was some stranger, not that it would make it better, but the fact that these were thought to be people he knew and they lured him in to his death, that even makes it worse somehow. The attackers drove his body to a houseboat on Lake Lanier at 3am weighed it down and threw it into the water. But his body surfaced a few days later. So the suspects brought his body to Barrow or Walton county and dropped it into a well somewhere along the Apalachee River.
Mike Gibson
You'll drop it in the well. Kind of hard to recover a body from a well if you don't know where that well sits. And there's a lot of empty wells out there.
Mike Ferguson
Oh, yeah, I'm sure. And maybe that's why, you know, if Tammy really did have something to do with the disposal of his body, and let's say it was a well, maybe she just couldn't remember where the well was. Now, for me, I feel like that would be something that's kind of seared into your brain.
Mike Gibson
I would think so, too.
Mike Ferguson
Like, it's not an everyday occurrence. And if it is, you got a serious. I mean, you got a problem either way, but if you're doing it every day, you got a super mega problem. Yeah, I just think acts like that, that are so heinous. I don't know how you forget all the details about. Was reported that police have a photo of Dylan Glass inside a Gwinnett county pawn shop on the morning of November 2, 2007. In the photo, he's wearing a similar earring to Justin. Now, the photo quality isn't great, but you can see that it looks like the same earring.
Mike Gibson
I mean, it's not great evidence, but it's still something to make you feel like you're on the right track.
Mike Ferguson
Yeah, it's highly circumstantial. Right. But if you can combine that with a bunch of other stuff, would it be helpful? Yeah, maybe. Lieutenant Colonel Carl Sims told Casey entv, Dylan Glass has told me and has confessed in his own way. He said that he took that earring out of Justin's ear the night that he was killed. But despite this, Justin has not been charged in connection with Justin's disappearance. According to Lt. Col. Sims, when it gets right down to it, when we ask where the body is and we try to put closure to it, he's live and we catch him in another lie, he's just not credible. And that's kind of what I think maybe is the situation here. You have multiple people involved in some way in the death of Justin Gaines, but the involvement is so murky because each person is telling a different story, adding different elements to it. So when it comes down to it, who do you charge with what? Because you don't know who's telling the truth. I mean, a lot of these individuals are putting themselves in the middle of a crime, but. But who actually pulled the trigger? Who actually is responsible for killing Justin Gaines? That might be a lot harder to prove if nobody's willing to admit to that.
Mike Gibson
Yeah, I agree with you. And I think that's kind of. That's where they're at.
Mike Ferguson
According to KCEN tv, investigators have searched multiple properties in Walton and Barrow counties. They have recovered the earring, but they can't find Justin's DNA on it. Additionally, the houseboat and van in question were gone. The owner of the van, boat and house died in 2017. Sims noted that sometimes unsolved cases can catch a break if someone comes forward. There's somebody who knows how Justin Gaines got in that car that night. How did he leave Wild Bills that night? If somebody could tell me that, that would give me a whole fresh start as to where I need to go.
Mike Gibson
I'm thinking he needs any, any information, you know, just time to renew the case. So give me anything that you can think of.
Mike Ferguson
Yeah, he, you know, they either need information that helps clear up the role of these three suspected individuals or some information that says these people are just telling tall tales. And that's kind of hard for me to believe though. I mean, what's in it for you to insert yourself into the case as having, you know, some major culpability? Even if you didn't pull the trigger, you're still going to get a very serious charge.
Mike Gibson
Yeah. So why put yourself through it?
Mike Ferguson
It's not the typical scenario when you think of like an, an inmate, a jailhouse informant. Normally that person's trying to rat on someone else to shave off time for their sins. But if you're ratting on yourself, aren't you just going to add more time? They're not going to say, hey, that's great man, that you told us all that we're not going to charge you for this and we're actually going to cut you a break on the sentence
Mike Gibson
that you already have because you're such a wonderful person.
Mike Ferguson
It's just not going to work that way. So it's a real strange dynamic here. I think think it's one of the reasons why this case is so fascinating to me. The news outlet 11 Alive also reported that during their interviews, investigators revealed that in the days following Justin's disappearance, a woman, possibly a middle aged mother, called an anonymous tip line. She talked about a man who lived near the intersection of Pleasant Hill Road and Club Drive who she thought was involved in Justin's case. And you and I talk about tips all the time. I think a lot of people are, well meaning, you know, trying to call in and just give information that they think may or may not be helpful. They're definitely not doing it out of malice, but I do think there are some people who are either trying to mess with police or they're having a problem with someone else in their life and they might want to direct police to look into them.
Mike Gibson
Well, that's a good point. That's a really good point.
Mike Ferguson
I think it does happen.
Mike Gibson
Yeah. I also think if you're the one that did it, if you can find a way to leave tips to get them to chase some other rabbit hole, to leave you, you know, kind of leave your, your Piece alone and you get them onto something else, it buys you more time and maybe get you off, you know, scot free. Yeah.
Mike Ferguson
I mean, that. That's a good thought as well. Little misdirection, possibly.
Mike Gibson
Yeah.
Mike Ferguson
In the summer of 2019, human remains were found near Lake Lanier, raising the family's hopes for closure. Erica Wilson told 11 a lot. It's hard. It's wearing. Every time we hear about something about skeletal remains, it makes your mind run and wonder and relive everything you've heard over the years. And to me, that's the roller coaster effect that we talk about in so many episodes, especially unsolved. Right. You're hearing that, oh, police got this great information. You're riding high with the thought that they're getting close to solving the case, and then you find out that the information turned out to be nothing.
Mike Gibson
Yeah.
Mike Ferguson
So you're high and then you're low, and it's just a constant cycle. Investigators shared their official working theory on the motive for Justin's disappearance with 11 alive. Justin was wearing diamond earrings and flashing cash on the night he disappeared. Investigators believe he caught the wrong person's attention. He may have been offered a ride by the unidentified blonde woman outside the club and. And was then taken to the house in Snellville where he was robbed and shot to death. Justin's mother thinks Dylan Glass knows something about his death. She said he could be lying, of course. It's a name. I've heard from day one the rumors that he told someone he killed Justin. He said that before I reported Justin missing. So that's something that sticks in my mind.
Mike Gibson
As it should. Yeah.
Mike Ferguson
If it's true, I think that does not make Dylan Glass look good at all. She said she considered going to visit Glass in jail. She said maybe he has a heart if I would go see him. What do we have to lose at this point? It's been a long time.
Mike Gibson
I mean, valid point. What do you have to lose? I mean, maybe he'll see you and answer your question.
Mike Ferguson
Yeah, maybe. But my question is what is in it for Dylan Glass to confess to the murder if he was, you know, one of the individuals responsible? He's already in prison.
Mike Gibson
Yeah.
Mike Ferguson
Is this an individual who just needs to clear his conscience? I don't know how many people are like that. I'll be honest with you. And I already talked about the deal. What deal is he going to be getting?
Mike Gibson
Yeah, there really is no deal to
Mike Ferguson
be had unless he's rolling over on somebody else and can prove that. What he's saying is credible, then maybe he does get a little bit of a break, because the only way they're going to solve it is by kind of making a deal with the devil. Right. You hear about prosecutors throwing around that term all the time. Chief Deputy Luis Solis of the Gwinnett County Sheriff's Office was asked if he believed they had already spoken to the killer or killers. He responded, we've interviewed people who know more than they should, and I'm taking that to be a very diplomatic way of saying yes. The Walden County Sheriff's Department is now leading the investigation into Justin's disappearance. Lead investigator Michael Rising, who's been involved in the case since February 2022, told Dateline that the theories remain the same. One theory is that he was interested in a girl that was someone else's girlfriend and that upset some people and got in his face. The other theory is that he appeared as though he had some catch. He was wearing a nice earring, and the robbery may have been a motive. And both of those make sense to me because when it comes to motives, those are two of the most common ones.
Mike Gibson
Yeah, right.
Mike Ferguson
You have greed, pretty big one. And then you have kind of love slash jealousy, another big one. In 2023, Rising told Dateline he had three leads he felt good about. Erica Wilson told Dateline that the family just wants closure. It's not even about arresting someone anymore. It's just about bringing him home and having closure. Investigators still have persons of interest, but as of 2026, there have been no new charges in connection with Justin's disappearance. Justin Gaines would be 37 years old if he were alive today. He was described as being 5 foot 11, 210 pounds, with blue eyes and brown hair. At the time of his disappearance, he was wearing a gray Abercrombie long sleeve T shirt and ripped blue jeans. In 2023, Erica told Dateline that the family received an anonymous donation of $25,000.
Mike Gibson
Wow.
Mike Ferguson
To offer as a reward for information leading to an arrest. That's amazing.
Mike Gibson
It is.
Mike Ferguson
Anyone with information about the disappearance of Justin Gaines is asked to contact Walton County Sheriff's cold case investigator Michael rising at 770-266-1558. So, Gibbs, as we wrap this one up, you know, we have a lot of different types of unsolved cases. You have some of them where police don't really have anything and there's speculation, there's innuendo, but they don't really have what you would call persons of interest or really even a leading theory about what happened to the person. Here you have multiple people who have essentially incriminated themselves to one degree or another in the death of Justin Gaines.
Mike Gibson
Yeah.
Mike Ferguson
And I just find that fascinating. Now they're already incarcerated, Right?
Mike Gibson
True.
Mike Ferguson
My only thought is that if these three people all had something to do with it, their statements have muddied the water so much that authorities don't believe they can get a conviction against any of them.
Mike Gibson
I mean, that's a true point. I just feel like. I do feel like this is solvable, this is going to be solved.
Mike Ferguson
Oh, yeah, me too. I definitely do, but I don't know if it's going to be solved using DNA or not. I mean, from the comments made by investigators, it really seems like they believe they know who was involved.
Mike Gibson
Yeah.
Mike Ferguson
It's just a matter of getting the information they need to charge and the information and evidence that they think a jury would need to convict, and they just don't feel like they've had it up to this point.
Mike Gibson
I feel like they. They feel like. I feel like they think they're pretty warm.
Mike Ferguson
Yeah, I do, too. But then you have, you know, Rising saying just a few years ago that he had three leads that he felt really good about.
Mike Gibson
Yeah, Okay.
Mike Ferguson
I don't know, because he didn't expand on the leads. I just wonder what they are. But I'm with you. I think this is one that is solvable and will be solved, and we'll be doing an update on it at some point in the future. Yeah. But that's it for our episode on Justin Gaines. We got a voicemail. You want to check that out?
Mike Gibson
Let's hear it.
Mike Ferguson
Hey, guys. Really appreciate the show. You guys do a wonderful job. I love the way you guys feed off of each other, and you guys get me through so many times out there mowing the yard. So thanks for everything you guys do. Just wanted to mention, I've been listening to the Michelle Hunley Smith case, and I just wondered if you guys had thought about the fact that maybe the husband knew she was gonna go missing. There was a couple things during the show that made me think that maybe that's where she could just go away and nobody would know. I mean, maybe that's the shock of why she didn't know for sure that they were still searching and horror. But anyways, just a thought. I'm team both of you and keep your own time ticking and keep that all sw. All right. Appreciate the voicemail. Yeah, that was actually a tcat episode, but, yeah, I think it's possible.
Mike Gibson
I think so too. I know there's been a lot of conversation thrown around about that case.
Mike Ferguson
Yeah, there has been, and for good reason. Right? It's one of those very interesting ones. But we appreciate the voicemail very much. All right, buddy, that is it for another episode of True Crime, all the time unsolved. So for Mike and Gibby, stay safe and keep your own time ticking.
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Mike Ferguson
Dealer inventory may vary. So your participating Toyota dealer for details and then ends June 1st Toyota let's go places.
Jan from Toyota
Hey campers, it's Jan from Toyota. This summer we're headed to Camp Toyota and the fun starts now we're kicking things off by kicking up mud. Jump in campers. We're going off roading in a 4Runner. Next we're heading to the hot springs in Arav 4 and finally park your tundras in Tacoma was around the campfire because we're roasting marshmallows. The summer start here.
Mike Ferguson
Dealer inventory may vary so you're participating Toyota dealer for details and then ends June 1st. Toyota let's go places.
Release Date: May 25, 2026
Hosts: Mike Ferguson & Mike Gibson (Gibby)
This episode dives into the 2007 unsolved disappearance of 18-year-old Justin Gaines, a college freshman who vanished after a night out at Wild Bill’s, a nightclub near Atlanta. Ferguson and Gibson meticulously walk listeners through Justin’s background, the night he disappeared, investigative developments, and ongoing theories, all while balancing detail, empathy, and their characteristic banter.
Family & Upbringing
College Life
Personality
Night of Disappearance
Immediate Aftermath
Initial Investigation
Detailed Theories & Suspects
Law Enforcement Response & Skepticism
Charges and Setbacks
Motive
Sequence of Events (as pieced together by investigators):
| Timestamp | Segment | |-----------|---------| | 04:06 | Justin's childhood and family background | | 07:57 | Justin’s college choices and personality | | 10:09 | Plans on night of disappearance | | 13:42 | Entering Wild Bill’s & last sighting | | 16:28 | The growing worry and search efforts | | 22:19 | Police involvement & early theories | | 29:15 | Prison informant Dustin Glass's confession | | 31:23 | Glass’s mother, Tammy Ballew’s statements | | 34:06 | Sheriff’s comments on the case’s status | | 44:00 | Timeline theory: Attacked, body moved | | 47:00 | Issues with informant credibility | | 51:49 | Motive theories summarized | | 55:50 | Erica Wilson on closure | | 56:58 | Hosts reflect on the muddied investigation |
If you have information about the disappearance of Justin Gaines, contact Walton County Sheriff's cold case investigator Michael Rising at 770-266-1558.
Tone:
Hosts maintain an empathetic, methodical approach with moments of light banter that reinforce their genuine investment in the case and respect for both the victim and his family.
Summary Usefulness:
This comprehensive summary offers an accessible overview for listeners unfamiliar with the episode, covering every major development and encapsulating both the emotional and investigative facets of the case, with direct quotes and clear timestamped structure for further exploration.