EXCLUSIVE Gage Wilson vanished from his Mullumbimby home at dawn. Search parties found his ute crashed into a tree - but no trace of him. Now his heartbroken family has a chilling theory about his mysterious fate
Mr Wilson, 31, was last seen at his Mullumbimby home in far northern NSW about 5am on May 18, 2024.
His abandoned white ute was later found crashed into a tree on Koonyum Range Road in Wilsons Creek, less than 10km away in the Byron Bay hinterland.
Family, friends and the local community searched for three months until Mr Wilson's remains were found on August 4 at an abandoned property 1km from the ute crash.
Almost one year on, the circumstances of his death still remain shrouded in mystery.
Now his sister Niki Manidakis has broken her silence to reveal her sinister fear that Mr Wilson was brutally murdered.
On the eve of the first anniversary of his body being found, the family has now been told an inquest into his death will be held in the coming months.
But Ms Manidakis is adamant her brother met with foul play, and insisted: 'This doesn't feel like a tragic accident - this feels deliberate and staged.'
'I have no doubt in my mind that Gage was murdered,' she told Daily Mail Australia.
'I can't say more than that right now out of respect for the coronial process, however I believe the truth will come out.
'I think the question we keep coming back to is: Why wasn't more done? Why hasn't Gage's case received the urgency and attention it deserved from the start?
'There are pieces of this that don't make sense and until we have answers, we're left questioning everything.'
Within the first two days of the hunt for Mr Wilson, police found his clothing, but no other trace of him.
The family then coordinated searches, organised volunteers, chased leads and raised awareness until their worst fears were realised three months later.
Ms Manidakis spent weeks spearheading the search while pregnant with her fourth child.
'Instead of being able to rest or grieve, I found myself desperately searching for my brother alongside my family,' she said.
'This meant the responsibility fell entirely on us. Our persistence and hard work - not the police - led to Gage being found.
'We had to organise volunteers, coordinate mapping, spread awareness, chase leads, all while in survival mode.'
Gage's death rocked the entire family, she said.
'Emotionally, we're still in limbo. There's trauma, a million unanswered questions, and a deep sadness that's settled into everything,' Ms Manidakis said.
'It's not something you ever truly recover from.'
She is hopeful that a new public appeal and the upcoming inquest will finally shed some light of the tragic mystery.
'Our family needs closure, and Gage deserves justice,' she said, ahead of National Missing Persons Week which coincides with the anniversary of the discovery of his remains.
'The community deserves to feel protected and to trust that if someone they love goes missing, their case will be taken seriously.
'Gage wasn't just a name on a list. He was a person, a son, a brother, an uncle, a cousin, a grandchild and he mattered.'
Ms Manidakis has now launched renewed appeals on social media for information about her brother's death.
'Nothing about what happened makes any sense,' she posted. 'His body was found in a place that had already been searched.
'To date, police have not said they've ruled out foul play, and neither can we.'
Ms Manidakis also listed the names of dozens of men who vanished or died in similar circumstances in the Byron Bay region since 2019.
Mr Wilson disappeared almost five years to the day after Belgian backpacker Theo Hayez, 18, who vanished after leaving Cheeky Monkeys bar in Byron Bay on May 31, 2019. His remains have never been found.
'This isn't over and I won't stop,' Ms Manidakis added.
NSW Police was unable to comment on whether foul play had been ruled out.
'As the matter is before the coroner, no further comment can be made regarding the investigation,' a spokesman said.
'The officer in charge of the investigation continues to offer assistance to the family.'
Ms Manidakis urged anyone with information to come forward.
'If you know something but you're scared to come forward, I understand. But this is bigger than fear,' she said.
'You don't have to be publicly involved. You can remain anonymous. Please contact me directly or speak to Crime Stoppers.
'Any piece of information, no matter how small, could help bring the truth to light.'
A GoFundMe page set up for Mr Wilson at the time of his death described him as 'a unique individual with a wonderful, generous heart', leaving loved ones with 'profound disbelief and sorrow'.
'Gage was a gentle, free spirit, with a deep love for peace, nature, and humanity. We can only hope that his final moments were as serene as his soul,' it added.
'This is our worst nightmare, and our hearts ache for other families of missing loved ones in the Byron Shire area. We send our love and strength to those who are grieving alongside us.'
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