In the winter of 2019, the life of Travis 'Eric' Smith, also known as Eric Waters, took a turn that left his family searching for answers. He was last seen by friends and acquaintances in the Statesboro, Georgia area. At the time of his disappearance, he was 36 years old, stood at 5 feet 9 inches tall, and weighed approximately 175 pounds. He had distinctive red/auburn, short, curly hair and green eyes. Numerous tattoos adorned his extremities, back, chest, and neck. When he was last seen, he was reportedly wearing blue jeans and a North Face hoodie-style shirt. The circumstances surrounding his disappearance remain unclear, with reports suggesting he was with friends or acquaintances. The Bulloch County Sheriff's Office opened an investigation into his case on December 23, 2019.
The days and weeks following Eric's disappearance were filled with anguish and a desperate search for information by his loved ones. His mother, Frankie Waters, expressed her profound grief, stating that her son would never voluntarily cut off contact, especially not during the Christmas season. Friends and family organized their own search parties, turning over any potential evidence they found to the Bulloch County Sheriff's investigators. The official investigation involved law enforcement from both Bulloch and Candler counties, who conducted searches based on leads they received. Despite their efforts, these searches did not yield any sign of Eric. His mother advocated for the Georgia Bureau of Investigation to join the search, a request that was not fulfilled at the time.
The investigation into Eric's disappearance uncovered a complex web of relationships and events that occurred around the time he went missing. Reports emerged linking his case to a battery incident that took place on the same night he was last seen. A woman who was considered a person of interest in Eric's disappearance was also the reported victim in the battery case. The man identified as the offender in the battery incident was later arrested on aggravated assault charges involving one of Eric's friends who was actively searching for him. This individual was reportedly one of the last people seen with Eric. The investigation has been described as active and ongoing, with law enforcement following up on every lead. While authorities have not publicly confirmed foul play, the unusual nature of his complete disappearance has been acknowledged. The case is a distressing puzzle, with a family left waiting for any news that might bring them closure and an understanding of what happened to their son.
Last Seen: Dec 21, 2019
