RENSSELAER COUNTY, N.Y. - Police and family members aren't the only ones looking for Jaliek Rainwalker, who has been missing for 5 months. A pair of private investigators who work for Mission Possible Investigations are usually hired for their work. But since January, they've been volunteering their services, putting in dozens of hours looking for the boy.
Private investigator Stacy Jones said, "We've been investigating any leads in our search for Jaliek."
Some of those new leads have led them to search in Rensselaer County.
It has been five months since anyone has seen 12-year-old Jaliek Rainwalker. While police and family members continue to look for him, a set of private investigators have also spent the last several months volunteering their own time looking for him. Now they say they have new information about where they believe he may be. Our Jessica Mokhiber reports.
"Police believe that Stephen Kerr did not take the route home that he said. Jaliek's grandparents live in Wynantskill. That coupled with some new information leads us to believe that Wynantskill, South Troy and Poestenkill are areas to focus on."
The private investigators can't talk about that new information because they don't want to compromise their investigation, and one of the investigators didn't want to talk on camera because he's been doing surveillance. They hope that because Jaliek disappeared around a holiday, people may be able to recall what they were doing at that time.
Jones said, "Most of us can't remember what we were doing on a random date in November, but maybe they remember what they were doing in and around Halloween."
The investigators know that as time goes on, it's harder for people to remember what they were doing on the night of Nov. 1. But they're asking anyone who may remember anything suspicious, to come forward. Even if the detail seems small or insignificant, it may be a clue that can shed light on the investigation.
"It could be the critical piece of information to find Jaliek," said Jones.
Jones and her partner also said they'll continue to work on this case until it is closed.