Camera found in missing man, Mancilla-Velez’s car

The GBI (Georgia Bureau of Investigation) and its Joint Task Force investigating the disappearance of Jesus Mancilla-Velez is requesting the public’s assistance in identifying a camera found by investigators during a search of Mancilla-Velez’s vehicle.

On Wednesday, the GBI announced a black Q-See brand video camera was located in the vehicle. The camera has lime green or beige paint on the side and has one red and one yellow connector, which appear to have been unplugged.

On Wednesday, September 16, 2020, the joint task force was formed. The task force includes the GBI, the Houston County Sheriff’s Office, the Crawford County Sheriff’s Office, the Peach County Sheriff’s Office, the Byron Police Department and the Fort Valley Police Department. 

An abandoned vehicle was found on a dirt road by a landowner in Crawford County, Georgia on Saturday, September 5, 2020. It was later identified as Mancilla-Velez’s vehicle. 

The Houston County Sheriff’s Office, along with the Crawford County Sheriff’s Office, Peach County Sheriff’s Office, the Byron Police Department and Fort Valley Police Department initiated a missing person investigation. Before leading the task force, the GBI was assisting with processing the vehicle and Mancilla-Velez’s residence.

GBI Special Agent in charge Todd Crosby said the task force has conducted searches on foot and air in Crawford, Houston and Peach counties.

“We’ve identified several areas and have searched some twice and cleared with no evidence,” Crosby said. “There is another area that we are waiting until the weather is right to search.”

Crosby said now the task force is trying to identify where the camera came from so that investigators can further look into if there is any footage.

“Family members said that Jesus kept his car very clean,” Crosby said. “Friends that were with him on the previous night before he was declared missing, stated they did not see that camera in the car. So far, we have had a couple of calls come in through the tip line in reference to the camera.”

Investigators will begin looking into Mancilla-Velez’s phone records this week, but still have not found his cell phone.

“We have been very fortunate that calls have been coming in almost daily to our tip line since Jesus has been reported missing,” Crosby said. “Whenever the calls stop, that’s when the case goes cold, and we do not want that to happen. We want to use everything that we have available to us to help bring closure to this family and community.”

Anyone with information is urged to contact the GBI Tip Line at 1-800-597-8477 or https://gbi.georgia.gov/submit-tips-online.

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