HAPEVILLE, Ga. — After a 51-day search, family members informed the Hapeville community that the search for father, brother and business partner Jason Salter was over.
The remains of two people were found near the bank of the Chattahoochee Hills Farm, with dental records of one matching those of Salter, according to the Fulton County Medical Examiner's Office. The other body has not been identified.
"This is like a lifetime story for us," Michelle Johnson, Salter's cousin, said. "It hit home."
Relatives and loved ones stood in front of the Georgia Bureau of Investigation's headquarters in Atlanta Tuesday to let the public know that the remains found belonged to a man they all admired.
Salter went missing back in February along with his best friend and business partner, Kenny Guerra.
"They were very special men that just were trying to take care of their families," said Shauntrella Kollo, Salter's sister.
Search parties quickly were underway, with billboards posted around the city to find the beloved fathers.
"We solicit special prayers for Jason’s mother, his children, his family, his friends," said Eric Lee, Salter's cousin. "Those who love him dearly. His siblings."
11Alive first met Jason Salter in 2018 after a single mother of seven was killed at work. Salter, Gurrera and other friends banded together to raise money for the children left behind. Now Salter's children are looking at the same future - one without their father.
"This was a very traumatic for me and my family," Kollo said. "This is not easy to go through; he has children."
Fulton County Medical Examiner's Office was made aware of the remains at the 8,000-acre farm last month and told the family they matched Salter on Monday. Guerra's disappearance remains under investigation.
"Special prayers to the family of Kenny Guerra," Lee said.
The family said they would keep fighting to discover what happened to the two friends and fathers. The two owned a printing shop on Old National Highway in Atlanta called Rockstar Print Shop.
"We will continue to seek justice on behalf of Jason," Johnson said. "And we’d like to thank everyone again for embracing us with your love."
Anyone with information about the two best friends is urged to call authorities in Fulton County or contact the GBI Tip Line at (800) 597-8477 or through their "See Something, Send Something" mobile app. Tips can be submitted anonymously.