Justice For Don Phillips

Our Goal-

We are raising money to hire a private investigator to help find my father's remains and to bring justice to him as well as my family. Whoever killed him is still out there walking free and we need to find out what happened, we simply cannot move on without the answers, without his remains and without his killer(s) facing the justice they deserve to face for taking him from us all.

What Happened-

April 19th, 2017 was the last time my father Donald James Phillips was known to be alive. 5 weeks after he was reported missing, his 2006 Pontiac Grand Prix was found in a secluded spot deep in the Sam Houston National Forests, it had been there for weeks according to park officials. Inside of the trunk was his wallet, 3-4 days of clothing, his sheets, bedding and other personal items. We believe something happened which prompted him to flee the home he was renting with his belongings. He shared the home with his landlord and other roommates who are highly suspected to be in connection with his disappearance. My father would never have hurt himself and it is the collective belief of us all that something was done to him. Two searches were conducted by volunteers in the nearby forest. Planes, atvs, riders on horseback and a grid of volunteers combed the forest and found nothing of significance in the area. We do not believe he is anywhere near the vehicle, we believe he was taken somewhere else. His cell phone, boots and belt are presumed to be on his persons, wherever he is. There are many facts that lead us to believe he has been taken from us and disposed of. I promised him I would never give up searching for him and no matter what comes of this I will keep fighting for him like he would and always had for me. Donald Phillips loved making people smile and laugh, he didn't care if he knew you or not, he was going to make you smile if he had the chance. He deserved the world and whoever took him from us needs to be brought to justice. We need to find him and give him a proper burial, this is the most painful and angering situation I have ever been through in my life.

Constant Let Downs-

For over 10 months we have searched for him and clues to what happened tirelessly. The detective and his superiors on the case have let us down severely, ignoring calls, not following up on leads/suspects and not keeping in communication with us for months at a time. I got tired of waiting for the police to help and drove 2,000 miles to Houston in search of him myself 3 times. I was determined to do anything I had to to find father, my best friend. I questioned individuals who I believe had something to do with his disappearance, I connected dots and learned many disturbing details. I forwarded the information to authorities; nothing was done. I posted fliers all over the area, in the worst neighborhood where many of the suspected individuals frequent, the fliers were consistently taken down, but I kept putting them back up. I received messages from random people who told me who they believed was involved as gossip circulated locally. Again, I forwarded this information and the messages to the detective and his seargant, and once again not one of the individuals were ever contacted by police.
Now, the lead detective on the case is on leave for several months and there is no detective active on the case according the Montgomery County Sherriffs Office themselves. Nothing is being done by law enforcement and we won't stop just because they have given up on the case.

No Help From The Media

I contacted every local news station, I visited their corporate offices and was turned away by their security and locked doors. When I called the stations and asked for help, they told me they do not publicise missing persons cases unless they are asked to do so by the police, which wasn't going to happen. I visited a diner where Texas Rangers have breakfast and posted the fliers there with notes asking for their help. I was told to file a formal report with the Rangers, to date no responses have yet been received. I even gained the support of local bike-clubs and after a few weeks of their help, something strange happened and they told me to leave town, not to ask anymore questions and to stop coming around and to accept that my dad just walked into the woods and got bitten by a snake... Someone got to them, clearly... However their commands meant nothing to me, the search continued.

Never Giving Up-

I have tried to do every single thing I could possibly think of and at times I have felt hopeless like I let him down. How have I not yet found him?.. He would have never stopped looking for me or any of us who love him. I will never stop pushing for answers, I will fight for the rest of my life if it takes that to find my father and put him to rest, to bring him and ourselves peace, and to bring his killer(s) to justice.

Hope At Last-

Last week, I was referred to a local private investigator, a wholesome man by the name of Brad Perkins who operates 'Your Eye Investigations' a highly respected private investigations organization with powerful resources and experience. I contacted Brad with my story and he was very willing to help. He jumped right on the case, building an electronic footprint of my father's last known whereabouts, getting tons of information about those in question and preparing to get news coverage from his connections in media. He told me "You and your family are no longer alone, you have me now". He is a very diligent, proactive and aggressive investigator who has found missing person even when the FBI couldn't. His services require money though, we were able to make the payment to retain him for $2,000, but going forward costs will persists and as things develop we will need to hire attorneys and cover other services. This is priceless to so many people who's lives he changed. He was a beautiful person and we need help to get the proper justice he deserves, to give him the proper burial he deserves and to get the closure we need.

How You Can Help-

Many people have asked us how they can help. For the longest I just didn't know what to say, I had considered hiring a P.I. early on, but never found anyone who made me feel so confident in them, so hopeful and strong again. This man is a blessing to us and we need help to provide him with the resources and ability to attack this case with ferocity. My dad deserves it, he was the strongest person I ever knew, so full of love and kindness, I know he is looking down and giving us strength in this seemingly endless struggle. Please help us fulfill this goal, for those who wanted to help and just didn't know how, here is a way to make all the difference. Thank you so much to everyone who has already shown so much support. This situation is ongoing and we need help to finance this investigator to get the justice my father Don Phillips deserves. Thank you SO MUCH everyone.

Sincerely- David Phillips, Family And Friends Of Don Phillips