In the early morning hours of May 28, 2017, 24-year-old Austin Wise was at a friend's home on Griffin Road in Waycross, Georgia. He had spent the night there and, at some point, called his family for a ride. His mother, Launa Hall, missed the call as she was at work. He then contacted his father, who agreed to pick him up. However, by the time his father arrived at the residence, Austin was gone. He was last seen wearing a white t-shirt, blue jeans, and white shoes. Two days later, his family officially reported him as a missing person. This began a years-long search and a painful quest for answers for his loved ones, who firmly believe that foul play was involved in his disappearance.
The investigation into Austin's disappearance involved extensive searches of the area around Griffin Road by law enforcement. Detectives on foot and ATVs, along with a Georgia State Patrol helicopter, scoured the vicinity. Cadaver dogs were also brought in to aid in the search, but no trace of Austin was found. Investigators interviewed numerous witnesses and family members, diligently following up on every lead. A trace of Austin's phone indicated its last known location was near a highway, but the phone itself was never recovered. The case has been complicated by the passage of time and the deaths of two individuals who were with Austin before he vanished. These individuals, the friend he was visiting and her uncle who lived in a nearby camper, have since passed away from circumstances unrelated to Austin's case.
Austin's family has been tormented by his absence and the many unanswered questions surrounding his case. His mother expressed that it was entirely out of character for him to be out of contact. She revealed that her son was upset in the days leading up to his disappearance and that he owed money to an acquaintance, a fact she fears may be connected to his vanishing. She also recalled a chilling incident just two days before he went missing when she had picked him up from the same house on Griffin Road; he was terrified and claimed someone there had pulled a gun on him, and he vowed never to return. Despite this, he did go back. The family does not believe the story that Austin simply walked off into the woods, as he had a fear of spiders and the outdoors. The Ware County Sheriff's Office continues to seek information from the public, and a reward has been offered for any information that could lead to a breakthrough in the case. The disappearance of Austin Wise remains an unsolved case, leaving a void in the lives of those who love him.
Last Seen: May 29, 2017
