Written by: E. George
Published June 12, 2024 @ 5:05 PM ET
HALL COUNTY, Ga. – On Tuesday, June 11, 2024, Hall County Sheriff Gerald Couch delivered a status report on the active investigation into the disappearance of 12-year-old Gainesville girl Maria Gomez-Perez. The victim is currently listed as missing and endangered, and it is unclear where she is or what occurred.
Authorities stated that Gomez-Perez was last seen in a bright blue shirt at her Westside Drive residence on May 29, 2024. She stands at five feet three inches, weighs approximately 105 pounds, and has long black hair and brown eyes.
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported that authorities revealed that Gomez-Perez is likely in serious and immediate danger and may have traveled from her home with an unknown individual with whom she had previously communicated. Police acknowledged that Maria may have willingly left her home.
Reported missing on May 30, 2024, multiple agencies have joined forces for this mysterious case, including the Georgia Bureau of Investigation, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Gainesville Police Department, U.S. Homeland Security Investigations, the Consulate General of Guatemala in Atlanta, and community members.
The Hall County Sheriff’s Office’s involvement includes members of their Criminal Investigations Bureau, the Persons Section, the Special Investigations Unit, the Intelligence Unit, the Crime Scene Unit, the Patrol Division, the K-9 Unit, the Warrant Service Unit, administrative staff, and the Court Services Division. Anonymous donors are offering a $30,000 reward for information leading to Gomez-Perez’s safe return.
Sheriff Couch stated, “We are all doing everything within our power to bring Maria home safe and sound. Make no mistake, the men and women of the sheriff’s office and numerous other agencies have Maria’s image burned into our hearts and minds.”
The FBI has provided 12 investigators, HSI offered six, and the GBI contributed four, bringing the total number of investigators working on the case to approximately 70. Since publicizing contact information, the sheriff’s office’s tip line received roughly 70 tips, all of which were thoroughly examined.
Investigators also visited Gomez-Perez’s residence multiple times, conducting interviews and utilizing forensics, electronics, and K-9s to search the area. They interviewed all family members living in the home, including her father, all of whom are believed to be from Guatemala.
Members of the Guatemalan Consulate have assisted with interviews regarding language barriers. Investigators also interviewed Maria’s friends, school officials, neighbors, and social media friends.
Officials canvassed the neighborhood, traveling door-to-door, seeking information. They executed targeted ground searches featuring drones and K-9 officers and used the sheriff’s office’s Marine Unit boat to search Lake Lanier.
Investigators seized numerous cellular phones and downloaded data for processing. Leads are continually being explored.
The FBI has assisted with out-of-state leads as well. The sheriff’s office distributed approximately 5,000 fliers and posters, shared information on websites and social media accounts, placed several traffic message boards and billboards on roadways, and reported the case to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, which featured the story on various channels.
Couch said, “We understand that cases like these can leave the community very unsettled, wanting to do anything it can to help. First, it sounds cliché, but remember Maria and the folks working to bring her home in your thoughts and prayers.”
He stated, “Someone out in the community has that one clue or bit of information that could be the key to breaking this case wide open. I urge anyone who might have information about Maria’s disappearance to reach out to our investigators and share what they have.
Please also remember the $30,000 reward for information leading to Maria’s safe return. We again thank the anonymous donors who stepped forward with generosity to make that happen.
We hope this reward money prompts someone who knows something about Maria’s whereabouts to come forward. Our investigators and investigative partners are following every lead they get, but so far, none of those leads have led us to Maria.”
He asked the community to continue spreading the word and sharing accurate information regarding the investigation. The widely distributed sheriff’s office flier can be downloaded from the county’s website.
Anyone with information can contact the sheriff’s office’s Special Investigations Unit at 770-503-3232 or intelrequest@hallcounty.org. You can also call 911 or Hall County Dispatch at 770-536-8812 with information. Tipsters can remain anonymous as well.
