GAINESVILLE, Ga. — The family of 18-year-old Jacqueline Elaine Nix is still hoping for justice in her murder 25 years later.
Every year on September 29th, Elaine's family and friends reunite at her gravesite in Gainesville to grieve and bring awareness to the importance for justice in her case.
"Just be aware, there is a killer out there and somebody knows something about her case, you can't go 25 years with telling somebody something," Jennifer Boyd, Elaine's friend, said. "Somebody knows something, please come forward and contact Gwinnett County, contact Hall County."
The frustration felt by Elaine's family is unimaginable; they never thought it would take police nearly a quarter century to solve her murder.
"It's disheartening that we're not getting any answers and no one is reaching out," Stephanie Reese, Elaine's cousin, said. "We feel like it's been put on a shelf and nobody's really worked on it."
As of Sept. 12, 2024, Gwinnett County Police confirmed there were no updates in Elaine's murder.
Boyd is urging police to re-open the case.
"Take her case off the shelf, look at it again after 25 years and re-examine everything," Boyd said. "Let somebody with fresh eyes look."
On Sept 20, 1999, Nix stopped at Zack's Food Rack convenience store on Candler Road in Hall County to use a payphone to call her boyfriend.
She vanished shortly after, but her car was left behind in the lot with her keys in the ignition and her purse in the backseat.
Nix's nude body was found nine days later 17 miles away in a wooded area in the Buford area of Gwinnett County.
Twenty-five years later, the family still remembers Elaine as fun, happy, energetic and eager for the possibilities her future held.
"By now she would have been married with kids, nursing and living her best life, but her life was taken from her at the age of 18," Boyd said.
Anyone with information should contact Gwinnett Police Department or Hall County Sheriff's Office.
This is a developing story, check back with 11 Alive News for updates.
