OSINT CTF: The Escape Tracking Down the Fugitive Architect

A step-by-step walkthrough uncovering the digital footprints, affiliations, and final geolocation of federal fugitive Tag Gilkeson.

1. Challenge Overview

“The Escape” challenges analysts to track the open-source digital footprint of federal fugitive Tag Gilkeson (alias: Thomas Allen Gilkeson). Gilkeson cut his ankle monitor near Streetman, Texas, and failed to appear in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas on June 8, 2026.

By analyzing and correlating publicly available data across LinkedIn, Behance, Google Local Guides, and public analyst notes, we must identify four core intelligence requirements to construct the final submission flag:

1. The name of the High School he attended in 1990.
2. The name of the foundation he volunteered for starting in September 2017.
3. The name of the project he published on December 25, 2011.
4. The full name of the hotel he visited on February 13, 2026, at 5:00 PM before disappearing in June 2026.

Flag Schema:

OSINT{High_School_Name-Name_of_Foundation-NAME_OF_PROJECT-Full_Hotel_Name}

2. Intelligence Gathering & Methodology

Step 1: Identifying the High School (1990)

The investigation starts with Tag Gilkeson’s professional profile on LinkedIn. Navigating down to the Education section provides a historical timeline of his degrees and schooling. At the bottom of the list, his high school education is explicitly documented:

• Institution: Greenbrier West High School
• Focus / Major: Accounting Major
• Attended Dates: 1990 – 1993

Step 2: Uncovering the Foundation (September 2017)

Reviewing his charitable and non-profit activity under the Volunteering & Philanthropy section reveals several community engagements in Texas (such as the Genesis Women’s Shelter and the Children’s Advocacy Center of Collin County).

However, filtering strictly for an organization established as a foundation with an official start date of September 2017 isolates the correct entity:

• Organization: Trumpets4Kids
• Role: Philanthropist
• Start Date: Sep 2017 – Present
• Scope: A non-profit foundation established by Freddie Jones dedicated to empowering youth through musical performance and education.

Step 3: Finding the Project Published on December 25, 2011

Pivoting across design platforms using the handle and real name leads to Gilkeson’s public portfolio on Behance (Tag Gilkeson, Carrollton, TX).

Among his uploaded architectural drawings and CAD/BIM models, inspecting the metadata reveals a project published on the exact requested date:

• Project Name: CAPSTONE PROJECT
• Published Date: 25 Aralık 2011 (December 25, 2011)
• Description: A Revit BIM model developed for the Falcon Ridge Manor Golf Course capstone project during his academic coursework.

Step 4: Geolocation & Correlating the Hotel Visit (13 February 2026, 5:00 PM)

The challenge briefing provided an email address uncovered by independent analysts: tigron.inc@gmail.com.

1. Contextual Timeline (IBS / KBIS 2026)

During mid-February 2026, Gilkeson extensively posted updates on LinkedIn from the NAHB International Builders’ Show (IBS 2026 / KBIS 2026) held at the Orange County Convention Center (OCCC) in Orlando, Florida. His posts detailed “Day 1 Summary” events and evening networking receptions beginning around 3:30 PM to 5:00 PM.

2. Google Local Guides Pivot

Tracing tigron.inc@gmail.com led to his linked Google account operating as a Level 6 Local Guide under the name tag gilkeson.

3. Correlating the Venue Review

Cross-referencing his public reviews for the Orlando area during the event dates revealed a 5-star review left for a nearby suite accommodation featuring dual climate controls:

• Full Venue Name: Four Points by Sheraton Orlando Convention Center
• Location: 6435 Westwood Blvd, Orlando, FL

3. Flag Construction

Correlating the four discovered parameters:

ParameterExtracted ValueHigh School

Greenbrier West High School

Foundation

Trumpets4Kids

Project Name

CAPSTONE PROJECT

Full Hotel Name

Four Points by Sheraton Orlando Convention Center

Connect & Follow

If you enjoyed this writeup or have questions about OSINT methodologies, feel free to connect across my platforms:

• LinkedIn: alpakciger
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