VALDOSTA, Ga. (WALB) - On Saturday, November 7, 2020, 26-year-old Derrick Evans Jr. known as “Tank” vanished without a trace, and his disappearance has left his family not just heartbroken, but isolated and guarded in ways they never imagined.

“This has really changed our life,” Tamara Jackson, Evan’s mother said.

She says her son was waiting on someone to come to his home, before he was supposed to meet with his friend at a Valdosta nightclub the night he went missing. But he never made it.

The last anyone heard from him was when he spoke to his friend before the person coming over arrived.

“This has really changed our life. It’s hurting and I just want closure, I just want to know where my baby is at. Whatever happened or whatever...all of that will come. Just give us closure so we can go on with life, because this is hurting,” Jackson said.

The last five years, Evan’s family has conducted searches, passed out flyers, and on Tank’s 31^st birthday in April 2025, a billboard was placed in Remerton with hopes that it would lead to some answers.

Jackson said, “We didn’t get anything good out of the billboard. I appreciate them but they are still not saying anything, regardless of what we do.”

WALB spoke with Valdosta Police earlier this year and investigators said the search has led across multiple jurisdictions but there is still no answer to why or how Evans disappeared. His mother says that she, her children and close family members miss Tank’s laugh, outgoing spirit, and his dancing.

“If you hear anything, you know anything, you don’t have to reach out to me. Reach out to the detective, to reach out to you, anybody,” Jackson said. “I don’t care if it’s a stranger on the street. If you feel like leaving that message with that stranger would help us, help. Because we need it.”

This is what Derrick “Tank” Evans Jr. looked like at the time of his disappearance...he is now 31 years old.

Anyone with information on Evans whereabouts is encouraged to call VPD at 229-293-3145 or submit a tip anonymously.

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