NC NC - Virginia Wood, Kelly Gaskins & Ervin Williams, Chocowinity, 2007

[JerseyGirl]

http://www.morganton.com/gallery/no..._fbc25a89-9899-5f97-9444-556d5b9be839.html#27

 

[notforgottenproject]

Today is 10 years from one of the dates out there for when these 3 were last seen/heard from. I don't see any newish updates.

 

[jrowe0311]

I have always been really interested in disappeared and cold cases. It just so happens I only made a name like two days ago or something because I have just gotten so much more interested in these things. I was watching a case and saw where a guy put in his state i did just this and saw no other then Kelly Gaskins... Then i couldnt believe there was Ginni Lynn I didnt even know her name was actually Virigian. We all went to school together at Chocowinity and seeing this is really nuts. Kelly was always different when I went to school with her she was very quiet. I was friends more so with Ginni and she was more outgoing and fun. I am very shocked to see this and especially because I know these two girls.

Today is 10 years from one of the dates out there for when these 3 were last seen/heard from. I don't see any newish updates.

 

[lonewanderer]

I graduated in the same graduating class (2006) as both Ginny and Kelly, from Southside High School in Chocowinity NC.

I was often in the same classes as both of them.

This has haunted me terribly....and as you can see....it has taken me a while to want to post about it.

I don't really know what to say about it all...its just surreal, even after all this time.

 

[somequestions]

I recently watched the Disappeared episode, "The Road Not Taken".

This case is a classic example of probably getting mixed up with the wrong crowd. To summarize, a good college student, named Virginia Wood("Ginny") travels to Brownsville, Texas in March 2007 during her college spring break to see her friend, Kelly Gaskins, and Kelly's boyfriend, Ervin Williams. Both Kelly and Ervin had left for the Texas/Mexico border earlier in January 2007 for good reason. Ervin was facing charges related to assault, arson, and cocaine possession and Kelly had a small charge for marijuana.

While Virginia Woods was a good student, Kelly Gaskins changed after meeting Ervin Williams and basically followed him wherever he went. Kelly's grades suffered as well as she did not pass 12th grade in order to graduate. Virginia Woods did graduate high school and was in her freshman year of college in March 2007 when she decided to make this fateful trip to Texas to visit her friend Kelly. When Virginia did not return to her classes after spring break ended, her mother, who had already been trying to get ahold of her by calling her down in Texas, decided to file a missing person's report with the local North Carolina sheriff's office. And neither of these three people has been located since.

The first thing that struck me right off was when Virginia told her mother before she left that Kelly and Ervin were working at a hotel/motel in Brownsville, Texas. I doubted that very much as it would be very difficult to live on the pay you receive from those type of jobs. Later in the episode Virginia's mother contacts a Houston attorney who specializes in finding missing people in Mexico. First, it was learned that Kelly and Ervin were more likely in the Mexican town across the border(Metamoros) from Brownsville, Texas. If they did work at a hotel/motel/inn it would be in this Mexican town across the border. When the attorney checked it out, it turned out no one had ever seen Kelly or Ervin working at this place.

And that is the problem with this case. Because Kelly and Ervin probably did not want to be found, anything they said was probably not the whole truth. About the only thing investigators know is that Virginia Wood's cell phone could be tracked to hitting off various cell phone towers south of the Mexican border in various Mexican cities, but nothing specific. Virginia used her mother's credit card one time to make a purchase at a grocery store in Metamoros across the border from Brownsville, Texas.

Because Kelly Gaskin's boyfriend, Ervin Williams, had been arrested for assault in North Carolina one theory is that maybe he did something with both women. But as far as I know he has never been found either. I agree with the investigators in this case who said that once you cross into Mexico, you are crossing into the unknown.

A final theory was that all three decided to go to Cancun, Mexico. This is sort of interesting because it was Virginia Wood's spring break at the time. But this would have been a 1,500 mile drive from the Metamoros, Mexico area. And as investigators said, a 1,500 mile road trip in Mexico to get to your destination is a lot different than in the United States. So basically anything could have happened to them over the course of 1,500 miles. The search area could be 1,500 miles. This is also assuming they did not get mixed up in the drug trade too.

About the only thing conclusive in this case is that based on the credit card used at the Metamoros, Mexico grocery store, someone who had Virginia Wood's mother's credit card had made it to Metamoros, Mexico.

Many people go missing in Mexico each year. Hopefully someone someday will see the missing posters put up in Metamoros or Cancun and provide some type of information that leads to the whereabouts of these three people who disappeared in March 2007.

 

[lonewanderer]

The last time I saw either girl was over 15 years ago, but I do remember some things about them.

Ginny almost always wore a hoodie, and she often (if not always) wore a necklace with a pentagram (I am not sure if there is a different name for it or not, hope I am saying that right).

Ginny is also abnormally, insanely intellectual. I spoke to our genius level class valedictorian years later and he told me that if anyone could pull of running away forever without leaving a trace, it would be Ginny. But I digress, that was a few years after they went missing.

I have a couple of stories about Kelly, but they aren't suitable for the case, and I will keep them to myself as fond memories.

Irvin and his family had rough lives, and his brother that was the same age as Ginny, Kelly, and myself committed suicide a few years back.

Feel free to ask me anything about them, and I will answer with what I can remember.

One last thing, I think one of the pictures on Ginny's NAMUS is not her, but is her sister. How would I address that to the proper person?

 

[somequestions]

The last time I saw either girl was over 15 years ago, but I do remember some things about them.

Ginny almost always wore a hoodie, and she often (if not always) wore a necklace with a pentagram (I am not sure if there is a different name for it or not, hope I am saying that right).

Ginny is also abnormally, insanely intellectual. I spoke to our genius level class valedictorian years later and he told me that if anyone could pull of running away forever without leaving a trace, it would be Ginny. But I digress, that was a few years after they went missing.

I have a couple of stories about Kelly, but they aren't suitable for the case, and I will keep them to myself as fond memories.

Irvin and his family had rough lives, and his brother that was the same age as Ginny, Kelly, and myself committed suicide a few years back.

Feel free to ask me anything about them, and I will answer with what I can remember.

One last thing, I think one of the pictures on Ginny's NAMUS is not her, but is her sister. How would I address that to the proper person?

The questions I would like to know about have to do with the investigation.

Did investigators ever figure out where Kelly and Ervin were living when Ginny visited them in March 2007? Simply put, what location did Ginny drive to in order to meet Kelly and Ervin? Was that location in Mexico or the United States? How could border patrol not have any record for Ginny crossing the border if she went into Mexico?

While I do not doubt Ginny's intelligence, I think whenever more than one person is involved it is very difficult to keep the disappearance a secret. All three of them have not been heard from since March 2007.

My complete guess theory is that Ervin was involved in some type of drug business down in Mexico. Kelly and Ginny went along to whatever place he had to go. And they ended up missing along with Ervin.

But I remember a friend of mine who went to Cancun, Mexico when he was younger and came back with a totally different opinion about Mexico. He said that while the resorts were nice, the rest of it is rundown and dilapidated. By the time his vacation was over, he wanted to return to the United States. Also, each year the government tends to send out traveler warnings about going to Mexico. It seems as long as you stay in the resorts area you are fine, but the moment you venture out into the surrounding poor towns, you are asking for trouble. If all three of them drove to Cancun, they would literally have to pass through 1,500 miles of a possible bad area. Anything could have happened to them during the trip.

What a difficult case to try and solve especially when you are in a foreign land and have no jurisdiction. Hopefully someone from Mexico or Brownsville, Texas can provide some sort of information as to what happened to Virginia Wood, Kelly Gaskins, and Ervin Williams back in March 2007. How do you find someone in such a large area when you do not even know where to start looking for them?

 

[lonewanderer]

The questions I would like to know about have to do with the investigation.

Did investigators ever figure out where Kelly and Ervin were living when Ginny visited them in March 2007? Simply put, what location did Ginny drive to in order to meet Kelly and Ervin? Was that location in Mexico or the United States? How could border patrol not have any record for Ginny crossing the border if she went into Mexico?

While I do not doubt Ginny's intelligence, I think whenever more than one person is involved it is very difficult to keep the disappearance a secret. All three of them have not been heard from since March 2007.

My complete guess theory is that Ervin was involved in some type of drug business down in Mexico. Kelly and Ginny went along to whatever place he had to go. And they ended up missing along with Ervin.

But I remember a friend of mine who went to Cancun, Mexico when he was younger and came back with a totally different opinion about Mexico. He said that while the resorts were nice, the rest of it is rundown and dilapidated. By the time his vacation was over, he wanted to return to the United States. Also, each year the government tends to send out traveler warnings about going to Mexico. It seems as long as you stay in the resorts area you are fine, but the moment you venture out into the surrounding poor towns, you are asking for trouble. If all three of them drove to Cancun, they would literally have to pass through 1,500 miles of a possible bad area. Anything could have happened to them during the trip.

What a difficult case to try and solve especially when you are in a foreign land and have no jurisdiction. Hopefully someone from Mexico or Brownsville, Texas can provide some sort of information as to what happened to Virginia Wood, Kelly Gaskins, and Ervin Williams back in March 2007. How do you find someone in such a large area when you do not even know where to start looking for them?

There has been conflicting information about that. From everything I initially heard, Kelly and Irvin where in Texas when they called Ginny. From what I believe to be true, Ginny was driving to Texas.

Its also my understanding that a US citizen can cross freely into Mexico, but is inspected for passports upon re-entering the US. I don't know how reliable that is, but that was what I was told before.

From my perspective, it was probably a mixture of things. It is an established fact that both Kelly and Irvin had warrants out for their arrests. What they did to have warrants out, I don't know. Ginny was really close friends with Kelly, and if I had to guess, Ginny was pretty lonely in her first year of college. So I could see Ginny taking a trip to see her good friend in Texas. I can also see Kelly "luring" her there to an extent. I don't think Kelly had bad intentions, but I am sure her an Irvin where out of money by this time, and she could have been wanting to ask Ginny for some money once she made it there.

I am not sure what else was happening, as I have read before that Irvin's brother and sister were making there way to his location too, but turned around halfway.

If I was to bet money on anything, it would be that Irvin did something stupid and got them all killed.

 

[somequestions]

There has been conflicting information about that. From everything I initially heard, Kelly and Irvin where in Texas when they called Ginny. From what I believe to be true, Ginny was driving to Texas.

Its also my understanding that a US citizen can cross freely into Mexico, but is inspected for passports upon re-entering the US. I don't know how reliable that is, but that was what I was told before.

From my perspective, it was probably a mixture of things. It is an established fact that both Kelly and Irvin had warrants out for their arrests. What they did to have warrants out, I don't know. Ginny was really close friends with Kelly, and if I had to guess, Ginny was pretty lonely in her first year of college. So I could see Ginny taking a trip to see her good friend in Texas. I can also see Kelly "luring" her there to an extent. I don't think Kelly had bad intentions, but I am sure her an Irvin where out of money by this time, and she could have been wanting to ask Ginny for some money once she made it there.

I am not sure what else was happening, as I have read before that Irvin's brother and sister were making there way to his location too, but turned around halfway.

If I was to bet money on anything, it would be that Irvin did something stupid and got them all killed.

I did not think about Ginny's car. According to what I read, her 2003 Nissan Sentra has never been recovered either. With all that driving, for anyone knows maybe her car broke down somewhere in Mexico?

The only place you can start in this case is at the grocery store in Metamoros, Mexico where the credit card was last used. But it sounds like Gilbert, the Houston attorney who helped in the case, thoroughly investigated that last known area.

There are so many unknowns in this case because you have no substantial information to go on. I think it could be a drug deal gone bad just as much as it could be three young people who found themselves in the wrong place at the wrong time with the wrong person anywhere within a 1500 mile area between Metamoros and Cancun, Mexico. Hopefully someday there is some sort of closure in this case.

 

[calocjane7890]

I thought I replied to this years ago under ocealot2. I was Ginni's best friend in college. I met her one of the first days of college, and we became inseparable. Ginni was having problems because she left her high school boyfriend for Hubert (Irvin's brother). Hubert knocked some other girl up back home, so they broke up. Hubert broke Ginni's heart.

I do not get where people got that Ginni didn't have a lot of friends in college. She did, and we all partied our asses off when we were studying. I'm surprised I did not get kicked out of the dorm from some of the parties we had. Those pictures of Ginni with beads around her neck in her missing pics were from when I took her to Mardi Gras 2007.

I was supposed to be on that trip with her. At first she made it seem that I was going to meet her best friend, Kelly, and her boyfriend, Irvin, in Mexico. I kept having these aweful dreams, and Ginni finally told me the truth behind Kelly and Irvin living in Mexico.

They last morning I saw her, we smoked a bowl, and I begged her not to go and cried my eyes out. She kept promising me how she was coming back. She made some comment about bringing drugs back to for me to help her sell. She told me, if she decided to stay down there longer I was to mail her stuff to her. I never got that phone call. The last time I spoke to her was March 9, 2007 as she was crossing the border into Mexico, and then she called her ex boyfriend (not Hubert).

My ex just found all the mixed tapes Ginni, and I made together. I thought they had been lost. My heart was ripped open all over again, and I've dealt with survivors guilt and therapist for along time. Ginni was the first real true friend I ever had. She loved me for me, and I loved her, too.

 

[calocjane7890]

I am pretty sure I took the last known picture of Ginni being alive, and here it is.

 

[calocjane7890]

I also want to add that even though I never met Kelly in person, but Ginni put me on the phone with her once when Kelly called her. For whatever reason it was important to Ginni. I just remember Ginni handing me the phone, and I have no idea what was said between us. Before Ginni left I gave her my nice camera to take down to Mexico, and Ginni gave me her computer to hold onto. Before Ginni left she showed me where she was supposed to be going on her computer. She even made the comment that if anything were to happen to her that her mom would find her. (Hell, we were 18/19 and invincible.) I'm pretty sure I tried to get her mother's phone number out of her and she would not give it to me.

Of course, Ginni lied to her mom she was going to Texas instead of Mexico. Ginni's mom did the most for her. She even gave Ginni a credit card. I can't remember the reasoning, but Ginni wasn't going to use the card while she was in Mexico. So I always wander if that was really her that used it at the store. I dont know if there was cameras to prove it was her.

Everyday, I'd pass by her dorm room down the hall from me multiple times a day after she was supposed to be back. This is going to sound crazy Ginni came to me a dream March 11, 2007 and in that dream she drove to me to some desert area and told me that was where she was buried and when her mom would call I would have to tell her everything. But just because I had that dream did not mean it was real.

Eventually, I got the dreaded call from her sister, and I talked to her mom. I listened to the Ginni in my dream and made the choice to tell them everything I knew as crazy as I sounded. Her mom's computer man came to get the computer (after I made her pay for my camera.) I had the FBI and police calling me. Somehow someone gave me the numbers Ginni's phone had been in contact with. I asked the Spanish Guy (Jesse Escobar? I can't remember how to spell his last name.) in my dorm to translate and call them. One number answered and lied to us saying they have just gotten the phone number however many weeks ago and did not know anything, but given the dates they would have had the phone number during the time Ginni's phone made contact with it.

My professors and friends were really there for me when I was hitting rock bottom, especially Lizz Flemming, who actually passed away 6 years from the day I believe Ginni and the others were killed.

https://www.legacy.com/us/obituaries/troyrecord/name/elizabeth-fleming-obituary?pid=163607429

The only good thing that happened was I became friends with the guy that was Kelly's first love 6 or 7 years ago, and it gave me closure. We are friends to this day, and we understand the pain we feel for missing our loved ones. One day, I hope to meet him in person, but it's never worked out.

I've never been able to make myself watch that episode of Disappeared.

(I have another thought back picture of the cabbage beads I let Ginni tackle me for. Anyone else I would have been to fast for. She was all excited when she sold them to some tourist $5.)

 

[lonewanderer]

I thought I replied to this years ago under ocealot2. I was Ginni's best friend in college. I met her one of the first days of college, and we became inseparable. Ginni was having problems because she left her high school boyfriend for Hubert (Irvin's brother). Hubert knocked some other girl up back home, so they broke up. Hubert broke Ginni's heart.

I do not get where people got that Ginni didn't have a lot of friends in college. She did, and we all partied our asses off when we were studying. I'm surprised I did not get kicked out of the dorm from some of the parties we had. Those pictures of Ginni with beads around her neck in her missing pics were from when I took her to Mardi Gras 2007.

I was supposed to be on that trip with her. At first she made it seem that I was going to meet her best friend, Kelly, and her boyfriend, Irvin, in Mexico. I kept having these aweful dreams, and Ginni finally told me the truth behind Kelly and Irvin living in Mexico.

They last morning I saw her, we smoked a bowl, and I begged her not to go and cried my eyes out. She kept promising me how she was coming back. She made some comment about bringing drugs back to for me to help her sell. She told me, if she decided to stay down there longer I was to mail her stuff to her. I never got that phone call. The last time I spoke to her was March 9, 2007 as she was crossing the border into Mexico, and then she called her ex boyfriend (not Hubert).

My ex just found all the mixed tapes Ginni, and I made together. I thought they had been lost. My heart was ripped open all over again, and I've dealt with survivors guilt and therapist for along time. Ginni was the first real true friend I ever had. She loved me for me, and I loved her, too.

Did my post get deleted or something?

I swear I replied to this.

Anyways, Ginni and Hubert ever being romantically involved is very shocking to me. I could never picture that. I grew up with both of them and was in the same graduating class at the same high school with Ginni, pretty sure Hubert dropped out (or just stopped going altogether) but he also went to the same schools all the way from Pre-K to 12th grade as Ginni and I. So this is very interesting news to me.

If you don't want to name him, don't feel pressured to do say, but who was Ginni's ex boyfriend? More than likely, I know him. I can also pinpoint exactly who was talking about going to school with them in a post from years ago. The context clues in the post tells me who it was.

Once again, don't feel pressured, but what exactly were Kelly and Irvin doing where they were?

This case is pretty personal to me, so if there is any way I can help, please let me know.

 

[Deleted member 269000]

Did my post get deleted or something?

I swear I replied to this.

Anyways, Ginni and Hubert ever being romantically involved is very shocking to me. I could never picture that. I grew up with both of them and was in the same graduating class at the same high school with Ginni, pretty sure Hubert dropped out (or just stopped going altogether) but he also went to the same schools all the way from Pre-K to 12th grade as Ginni and I. So this is very interesting news to me.

If you don't want to name him, don't feel pressured to do say, but who was Ginni's ex boyfriend? More than likely, I know him. I can also pinpoint exactly who was talking about going to school with them in a post from years ago. The context clues in the post tells me who it was.

Once again, don't feel pressured, but what exactly were Kelly and Irvin doing where they were?

This case is pretty personal to me, so if there is any way I can help, please let me know.

If your post was deleted, I’m guessing the mod wants y’all to become verified insiders, so you can freely discuss your personal knowledge of the case and those involved. I don’t know how to tag the mod, though, so he or she can share the link to the process for becoming a VI.

 

[calocjane7890]

G

Did my post get deleted or something?

I swear I replied to this.

Anyways, Ginni and Hubert ever being romantically involved is very shocking to me. I could never picture that. I grew up with both of them and was in the same graduating class at the same high school with Ginni, pretty sure Hubert dropped out (or just stopped going altogether) but he also went to the same schools all the way from Pre-K to 12th grade as Ginni and I. So this is very interesting news to me.

If you don't want to name him, don't feel pressured to do say, but who was Ginni's ex boyfriend? More than likely, I know him. I can also pinpoint exactly who was talking about going to school with them in a post from years ago. The context clues in the post tells me who it was.

Once again, don't feel pressured, but what exactly were Kelly and Irvin doing where they were?

This case is pretty personal to me, so if there is any way I can help, please let me know.

Message me, if you want to, but I shouldn't name the living in this. I waited almost 15 years to say what I said publicly. Ginni's first bf is married now, and I haven't spoke to him since 2009.

 

[calocjane7890]

If your post was deleted, I’m guessing the mod wants y’all to become verified insiders, so you can freely discuss your personal knowledge of the case and those involved. I don’t know how to tag the mod, though, so he or she can share the link to the process for becoming a VI.

Whats it take to be a verified insider? Talking in here has actually been helping me cope after my ex found Ginni and my cds... The hardest thing I've come to realize is I can't remember all the the songs on the cds anymore. If I can't remember that. What else am I forgetting?

You said you knew her lonewander? What's your favorite memory of Ginni?

 

[Deleted member 269000]

Whats it take to be a verified insider? Talking in here has actually been helping me cope after my ex found Ginni and my cds... The hardest thing I've come to realize is I can't remember all the the songs on the cds anymore. If I can't remember that. What else am I forgetting?

You said you knew her lonewander? What's your favorite memory of Ginni?

Verification Process for Professional or Insider Posters

That should be it.

 

[calocjane7890]

Verification Process for Professional or Insider Posters

That should be it.

Thank you. I sent them an email.

 

[Sillybilly]

Hey everyone,

calocjane7890 is now Verified as a long time friend of Virginia Wood, and as a VI, they are not required to provide links to what they state regarding their knowledge and facts in this discussion. In all other respects, our VIs are required to post in accordance with Websleuths TOS (aka The Rules, found here).

We always welcome and value our Verified members. Please treat our VI with respect at all times. It is up to members to decide for themselves how much weight to give to information provided, but if you disagree at all, do not argue with our VI or challenge them in any way. If you do happen to disagree, just scroll and roll.

Thank you to calocjane7890 for being here for your friend Ginni, and to all others who are here to discuss this case.

 

[lonewanderer]

Hey everyone,

calocjane7890 is now Verified as a long time friend of Virginia Wood, and as a VI, they are not required to provide links to what they state regarding their knowledge and facts in this discussion. In all other respects, our VIs are required to post in accordance with Websleuths TOS (aka The Rules, found here).

We always welcome and value our Verified members. Please treat our VI with respect at all times. It is up to members to decide for themselves how much weight to give to information provided, but if you disagree at all, do not argue with our VI or challenge them in any way. If you do happen to disagree, just scroll and roll.

Thank you to calocjane7890 for being here for your friend Ginni, and to all others who are here to discuss this case.

I went to high school with Ginni and Kelly, and know a lot about them as well as other people that they were close friends with. How can I also become Verified?