Family and friends are trying to find a Midway man who went missing April 26.
Ray Acklin, a retired soldier and current federal employee, was last reported to be seen on a casino boat in East Chicago, Ind., where he and his wife, Djamila were staying in the attached resort hotel. The Acklins were in the Chicago area for a court hearing on April 25 about some property they owned.
After court, the Acklins went back to the hotel, where Djamila Acklin went upstairs and Ray Acklin went to play poker.
Acklin said it was early evening when she went with her mother-in-law to get her husband, but could not find him.
"We contacted the boat security and the only thing that they could do was page him," Acklin explained. "But he never came back to the poker room."
She filed a missing person's report with the East Chicago Police Department the next day.
Before coming back to Georgia, she checked other casino boats in the area and the hotel gave her three local hospitals to check.
"They didn't have a John Doe listed as going through the ER or admitted under Ray Acklin," Acklin said.
She said she is trying to get the East Chicago media to broadcast the disappearance.
Det. Clarence Anderson from the East Chicago Police Department has been handling the case. He has worked with the hotel police and seen the surveillance videos confirming that Ray Acklin was in the casino room.
"As of right now, we don't have any proof that Mr. Acklin even returned to the hotel at this time, other than the information that was given by Mrs. Acklin," Anderson said.
He said investigators have been trying to develop a timeline for Mr. Acklin, relying on his wife's reports.
"Right now we're focusing our investigation on Mrs. Acklin," Anderson said.
While the police are not accusing her of anything, he said some of her information has been contradictory.
Acklin said her husband was "a big socializer," and "loved by so many."
Glenda Dobson is one of those. She is the LCRD cheerleading coach for the Acklins' 10 year-old daughter, Alexi, and came to know the family.
She explained that Acklin was very involved with the LCRD and his daughter's extracurricular activities.
"(Acklin is a) very good man, very funny. You'd really like him," she said.
She has helped Mrs. Acklin open a "Bring Ray-Ray Home" donation reward account with Bank of America for those wanting to help. She is also hoping more people will hear about Ray Acklin's disappearance and come forward with information.
"They may not think it's important, but it may be the key that breaks this case and brings him home," she said.
Dobson was one of the first to know about the disappearance when Mrs. Acklin called her from East Chicago.
"When he went downstairs to play cards at the casino, he just vanished," she explained. "No one has seen or heard from him since, no activity on the credit cards, bank account, no phone activity. Nothing."
"This is just so out of his character. This is so not like him," she said. "He's responsible. He loves his family and kids. This is just not something that he would have done."
Ray Acklin, a retired soldier and current federal employee, was last reported to be seen on a casino boat in East Chicago, Ind., where he and his wife, Djamila were staying in the attached resort hotel. The Acklins were in the Chicago area for a court hearing on April 25 about some property they owned.
After court, the Acklins went back to the hotel, where Djamila Acklin went upstairs and Ray Acklin went to play poker.
Acklin said it was early evening when she went with her mother-in-law to get her husband, but could not find him.
"We contacted the boat security and the only thing that they could do was page him," Acklin explained. "But he never came back to the poker room."
She filed a missing person's report with the East Chicago Police Department the next day.
Before coming back to Georgia, she checked other casino boats in the area and the hotel gave her three local hospitals to check.
"They didn't have a John Doe listed as going through the ER or admitted under Ray Acklin," Acklin said.
She said she is trying to get the East Chicago media to broadcast the disappearance.
Det. Clarence Anderson from the East Chicago Police Department has been handling the case. He has worked with the hotel police and seen the surveillance videos confirming that Ray Acklin was in the casino room.
"As of right now, we don't have any proof that Mr. Acklin even returned to the hotel at this time, other than the information that was given by Mrs. Acklin," Anderson said.
He said investigators have been trying to develop a timeline for Mr. Acklin, relying on his wife's reports.
"Right now we're focusing our investigation on Mrs. Acklin," Anderson said.
While the police are not accusing her of anything, he said some of her information has been contradictory.
Acklin said her husband was "a big socializer," and "loved by so many."
Glenda Dobson is one of those. She is the LCRD cheerleading coach for the Acklins' 10 year-old daughter, Alexi, and came to know the family.
She explained that Acklin was very involved with the LCRD and his daughter's extracurricular activities.
"(Acklin is a) very good man, very funny. You'd really like him," she said.
She has helped Mrs. Acklin open a "Bring Ray-Ray Home" donation reward account with Bank of America for those wanting to help. She is also hoping more people will hear about Ray Acklin's disappearance and come forward with information.
"They may not think it's important, but it may be the key that breaks this case and brings him home," she said.
Dobson was one of the first to know about the disappearance when Mrs. Acklin called her from East Chicago.
"When he went downstairs to play cards at the casino, he just vanished," she explained. "No one has seen or heard from him since, no activity on the credit cards, bank account, no phone activity. Nothing."
"This is just so out of his character. This is so not like him," she said. "He's responsible. He loves his family and kids. This is just not something that he would have done."