LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — Currently, there are nearly 500 people that have been reported missing in Arkansas.
An announcement was made on Tuesday afternoon at the annual missing persons event in Benton that may bring hope to their families and loved ones.
That event brought together families of missing people, law enforcement officers who work to find them, and Arkansas Attorney General Tim Griffin.
At the event, AG Griffin announced that his office was forming a new cold cases unit.
"If you get one family reunited, or get answers for one family, you're going to make an immediate impact,” Griffin said.
A few years ago, Arkansas State Police launched a cold case division. However, Griffin explained how this new division will be able to help with those cases and hopefully solve some that local police can’t.
"They often rely on us for certain resources that we have,” Griffin said, “And also we just have a presence all over the state."
Holly Beckwith, a family member who attended the event shared that her brother, Shannon Collins, has been missing from Pottsville, Arkansas for over three years.
Beckwith joined other family members in carrying a lantern and observing a moment of silence for their missing loved ones.
She said she hopes the new unit will help give her family more options as they continue looking for her brother.
"I'm hopeful for what can come from that,” Beckwith said. “Maybe some more resources for us to be able to use, if it keeps continuing on like we're dealing with."
The AG’s office also has a website featuring information on every single missing persons case reported in Arkansas. To check out that website, please click here.