Derek Samuel, 20-Year-Old Georgia Man Missing After Leaving East Point Target, Family Pleads for Answers Nearly a Month Later

 Authorities in East Point, Georgia, are continuing their search for 20-year-old Derek Samuel, who has been missing since April 29, 2026, after last being seen in surveillance footage leaving a Target store at Camp Creek Marketplace. Police say the video shows him exiting the area wearing a black hoodie and black sweatpants, a detail that has now become central to ongoing public awareness efforts as investigators and family members work together to retrace his final known movements.

Derek Samuel is described as 5 feet 8 inches tall and weighing approximately 127 pounds. According to East Point Police, there has been limited confirmed information since the day he was last seen, leaving both investigators and loved ones relying heavily on surveillance footage, witness outreach, and community tips to piece together what may have happened in the hours after he left the shopping center.

His mother, Nishae Samuel, has said that Derek was expected to meet someone at the location that day, a detail investigators are now examining closely as they try to establish a clearer timeline of events. Family members believe that understanding who he was meeting could be critical in determining where he went next and whether he left the area on his own or with someone else.

The emotional toll on the family has been growing as weeks pass without answers. Derek’s aunt, Carmalita Howard, described the search as a daily commitment that now defines their lives, saying that family members are actively searching after work hours and before their shifts, refusing to step back despite exhaustion and uncertainty as they continue covering local areas and sharing his information widely.

In recent days, the family has increased their outreach efforts, offering a $15,000 reward for any credible information that could lead to Derek’s whereabouts. Public figures including Tyrese Gibson and Gary Dourdan have contributed to the reward fund, helping amplify attention to the case and encouraging broader community involvement across social media platforms and national awareness channels.

East Point Police have urged anyone with information, no matter how small it may seem, to come forward and contact investigators directly. Authorities have emphasized that tips related to surveillance sightings, transportation records, or interactions in the Camp Creek Marketplace area could be especially valuable as they continue reviewing available evidence and following up on leads.

As the search continues, family members say they are holding onto hope while preparing for every possible outcome. Community members have joined in sharing flyers, reviewing nearby footage, and organizing local searches. For Derek’s loved ones, each day without answers brings new pain, but also a renewed determination to keep his name visible until there is clarity about what happened after he was last seen in East Point and beyond.