FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

September 15, 2025

CONTACT INFORMATION
Justin Mikel
Investigator, Champlin Police Department
 11955 Champlin Drive
 Champlin, Minnesota 55316
investigations@ci.champlin.mn.us 

John Cox
The Champlin Project
 612.849.9794
johncox12257@gmail.com 

BILLBOARD CAMPAIGN AND $5,000 REWARD ANNOUNCED IN 25-YEAR-OLD MISSING PERSON CASE
Champlin Resident Georgia Smith Missing Since June 30, 1999

Champlin, MN – The City of Champlin, in partnership with The Champlin Project and Outfront Media, has announced a new billboard campaign and reward in the 25-year-old missing person case of Georgia Smith.

Throughout September, digital billboards across the Twin Cities will display “Find Georgia” messages as part of an ad campaign donated by Outfront Media, aiming to generate new leads in the search for the Champlin resident who disappeared on June 30, 1999. In addition, The Champlin Project, a local podcast, is offering a $5,000 reward for information leading to the location of Georgia Smith.

The case has drawn national attention over the years, including coverage by The Deck, a popular true crime podcast hosted by Ashley Flowers. In 2022, The Deck dedicated a full episode titled “Eight of Hearts” to Smith’s disappearance. In 2023, Adventures with Purpose, a national nonprofit organization specializing in missing person cases, searched several water bodies and covered Georgia Smith's disappearance, though unsuccessful.

“Just because a case is cold does not mean it is forgotten,” said Champlin Police Chief Glen Schneider. “The police department continues to provide resources to this case and reviews it periodically, with a fresh set of eyes to look for new evidence or develop a different 

theory, which is helpful. This disappearance was new when I started in December of the year she went missing, and I have carried it with me all these years. I remain dedicated to seeking the truth. Georgia is not forgotten, and we will not stop working to find her.”

“We are grateful to the Champlin Police Department and our partners who remain committed to bringing closure to families of missing persons,” said Champlin Mayor Ryan Sabas. “It takes persistence, compassion, and collaboration to keep these cases active in the public eye, and Georgia’s story deserves to be told until answers are found.”

For more on this case, listen to The Champlin Project or The Deck.  Anyone with information is urged to contact the Champlin Police Department at (763) 421-2971. View the official September 8, 2025, Georgia Smith Press Release (PDF).

View City of Champlin Press Releases.