DULUTH, Ga. — An explosive new podcast is giving a whole new look into the mystery surrounding the 2007 disappearance of a Gainesville State College student.
Justin Gaines, who was 18 years old at the time, was last seen in the early morning hours of Thursday, November 2, 2007. Surveillance video captured him inside Wild Bill's on Marketplace Street in Gwinnett County. The nightclub has since closed.
As the investigation continued over the years, 11Alive has covered new developments, including potential breaks in the case and even arrests tied to Gaines' disappearance. However, officially, he remains a missing person.
His body has never been found.
The case originated in Gwinnett County where Gaines disappeared. However, over the years the Walton County Sheriff's Office got involved on the case as new leads were developed.
After 16 years, Walton County Sheriff Joe Chapman agreed to allow unprecedented access to Sean Kipe, a podcaster, storyteller and composer.
Kipe said in 2023 he received several messages regarding Gaines' case from listeners of his former podcasts, asking him to consider looking into the nearly two-decades-old investigation.
"I think what really drew me to this case was there was a confession and there were arrests made but no one was charged with murder," Kipe explained.
In 2015, a warrant was issued for the arrest of Martin Wilkie. The Walton County Sheriff's Office charged him with concealing the death of another in the case of Gaines. In that warrant, an alleged confession was mentioned and tied to Dustin Dylan Glass. Glass was never charged but is currently serving time in prison on a number of unrelated charges.
"No one has ever heard the main suspect give an interview because he never has," said Kipe.
Nine years after that warrant detailed his alleged confession, Glass breaks his silence for the first time in Kipe's podcast "Drowning Creek."
"No matter how you dress it up or make it look, I never killed that boy," Dustin Glass told Kipe.
Kipe said his year-long investigation has led him to interviews with people who have never come forward until now. However, he explained, there are still a lot of people out there who know what happened to Gaines but remain silent.
"A lot of people don't want to talk," he explained.
Gaines added, "I think a lot of that is fear."
While Gaines' case officially remains a "missing person" case, Kipe doesn't believe he's still alive.
"I mean you have to call a spade a spade, it's most likely a murder," he said.
Kipe believes the case is solvable but it's important to find Gaines.
"I think finding Justin's body is really the key," he explained.
Since the podcast dropped on June 21, Kipe said they've received several tips. The podcast has also shot up to No. 1 on Apple.
"You know going to number one in a couple hours after it was released, was not expecting that." he said.
Episodes drop every Friday.
"My goal was to put it out there and as information starts coming in, craft those last two episodes," Kipe said.
You can find the Drowning Creek podcast here.
Kipe has also hosted other true crime podcasts including “In the Red Clay," “Fox Hunter," and “In the Land of Lies." You may also recognize Kipe who was lead guitar and backup vocals for the American rock band "The Calling" who is best known for their hit single 'Wherever You Will Go.'