Blake Tyler Chappell was born on February 7, 1994. He loved skateboarding and riding dirt bikes, and he was always the first to help anyone in need. On the evening of October 15, 2011, Blake attended his East Coweta High School homecoming dance with his girlfriend, Rion. Later, during a phone call with his mother, he shared that it had been the best night of his life, filled with fun, dancing, and time spent with friends.

After the dance, Blake and Rion were picked up and taken back to her home, where they watched a movie. Around 11:00 PM, Blake asked his mother if he could spend the night at his friend Austin's house in the Summer Grove subdivision in Newnan, GA.

Between 2:00 AM and 2:30 AM on October 16, 2011, Blake left Austin's house on foot to make the roughly 3-mile walk back to his girlfriend's home, a plan they had previously discussed. Blake arrived at her house at approximately 4:00 AM and crawled in through her bedroom window. They spent some time together in her room until her grandmother interrupted them, discovering Blake there.

After quickly sneaking out of the house at 5:00 AM, Blake begins the walk back to Austin's house. During his walk, he sends several text messages to his girlfriend, Rion, and her mother, apologizing for being at their home so late without permission. At approximately 5:30 AM, Blake sent a text to his girlfriend explaining that he had been stopped by a police officer who asked him where he was headed and requested his ID. Blake later told Rion that after reviewing his ID, the officer allowed him to continue on his way. A short time later, Blake sent his final text message, mentioning how cold it was and that he was trying to buy a Monster energy drink.

Later that morning, Rion and her mother start to feel concerned when Blake stops responding to their messages. They decide to contact Austin to check if Blake returned to his house. Austin confirms that Blake is not there and hasn't been seen. At this point, the search for Blake officially begins. His mother reports him missing shortly after realizing that her son is nowhere to be found.

Nearly two months later, on December 19, 2011, passersby alerted Newnan police that they had found remains in a nearby creek near the bridge on Summergrove Parkway and Lower Fayetteville Road in Newnan, GA. The remains, later identified as Blake, were discovered wearing only a white undershirt and underwear and had suffered a gunshot wound to the head. Investigators could not find any other clothing articles, including the white Aeropostale hoodie, black pants, or shoes that Blake had been wearing when he left his girlfriend's house. They could not locate his message-only cell phone, wallet, ID, or other personal belongings.

Newnan investigators and the coroner's office are unable to confirm the exact time of Blake's death. However, due to the rate of decomposition, they believe Blake had not been dead since the day he disappeared in October and that he had not been in the creek for more than three days.