May is recognized as Missing and Unidentified Persons Month.  Over the last four years the Cold Case Task Force has held events each May to raise awareness of the unidentified cases in DeKalb County, as well as accept missing persons reports and collect DNA for law enforcement databases.  

2026 Missing Persons and DNA Event 

Hosted by the DeKalb County Cold Case Task Force 

Sunday, May 17, 2026

10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

During the Avondale Estates Farmers Market

on the Town Green

64 N. Avondale Rd.

Avondale Estates, GA 30002

The DeKalb County Cold Case Task Force will visit the Avondale Farmers Market to share information with the community and provide resources to families and friends searching for missing loved ones. Personnel from the DeKalb County Police Department and the DeKalb County District Attorney’s Office will take missing persons reports or add to existing reports. Case information will be entered into national law enforcement and missing persons databases. Attendees may also donate DNA for uploading to law enforcement and genealogy databases. 

Filing a Missing Persons Report?  What to Bring:

• Photos of your missing loved one

• Photos of their tattoos (if applicable)

• A copy of the original police report (if possible)

• Medical documents of the missing person

• ID documents for the missing person

• For families wishing to submit DNA samples, if possible, please bring two family members from two different branches of your family tree (mother and father’s side) for the most robust CODIS search.

Please note, these items are helpful, but not required. We encourage you to attend the event even if you do not have access to them.

Partners:

DeKalb County District Attorney’s Office

DeKalb County Medical Examiner’s Office

DeKalb County Police Department

Georgia Bureau of Investigation

Federal Bureau of Investigation

Raymond Green International Outreach of Hope

NamUs

National Center for Missing & Exploited Children

National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives (NOBLE) - Georgia Chapter

The Black and Missing Foundation

Fulton Medical Examiner’s Office

Cobb Medical Examiner’s Office

Gwinnett Medical Examiner’s Office

The Bureau of Indian Affairs

Georgia Council on American Indian Concerns