1999- Leslie "Hope" Houston with her daughter Megan.
WHAT WE DO
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What We Do
At Silver Lining of Hope, we serve as a vital resource for families, survivors and law enforcement.
We act as a specialized resource for families navigating the unthinkable and a dedicated partner for Law Enforcement (LE) and investigative agencies.
Our approach is simple: help those who need help.
Our Pillars of HOPE
We organize our mission into four core pillars, which house our specific projects initiatives:
H✨Homicides
Suspicious deaths, hidden homicides, cold cases, and overlooked evidence.
O✨Outreach + Advocacy
Support, advocacy, and guidance for families navigating the unthinkable.
P✨Persons Missing
Investigative insight, case development, OSINT and digital analysis, public awareness, and support for missing loved ones.
E✨Education & Reform
Awareness, investigative insight, reform, and training resources grounded in real cases.
Investigative advocacy for families and victims without a voice.
We're Here To Help
Are you a family member or friend of someone who's...
• Missing
• Murdered & Unsolved
• Murdered & Uncharged
• Died Suspiciously
Are you a detective, prosecutor, or part of a law enforcement team working a missing persons case, a domestic violence case, or a cold case?
Silver Lining of Hope is here to help you at no cost.
Reach out today to see how we can help.
CURRENT PROJECTS
Hidden Homicides, Cold Cases & Missing Persons
We are currently helping multiple families of the missing, 1-on-1.
We are currently helping 3 different families with uncharged homicides.
We are currently helping 1 family with a cold case.
& more!
Here’s what we're currently working on:
'Indiana Missing Persons Project'
We are compiling data on missing persons in Indiana. We believe that by the time we're done, that at least 1 person will be able to be marked as "FOUND."
When we are done with Indiana, we will move to the surrounding states of Ohio, Illinois, Michigan and Kentucky, with a goal of this being completed for each state.
What that means in practice:
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Reconciliation of records: Cross-referencing the Indiana statewide missing-persons spreadsheet with NamUs, The Doe Network, The Charley Project, newspaper articles and more to find gaps and duplicates.
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Standardized case data: Cleaning names, dates, last-seen locations, agencies, and links so cases are searchable and comparable.
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Mapped by ISP Districts: Grouping and color-coding cases by Indiana State Police districts to reveal geographic patterns and potential clusters.
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Public-records: Filing APRA and FOIA requests with departments across the state to confirm details, fill in missing data.
Coming soon: A public, searchable directory of more than 1,000 missing persons in Indiana, featuring the newly compiled data gathered through our research. As the project grows, we will expand to include surrounding states, with the long-term goal of building a nationwide directory that is consistently updated and accessible to the public.
Our Mission
Silver Lining of Hope, Inc. is a dedicated resource for families and a strategic partner to law enforcement. We provide specialized investigative research and advocacy centered on our four pillars of HOPE—Homicides, Outreach, Persons Missing, and Education. Our mission is to ensure that even in the darkest circumstances, no case is forgotten and that expert support is always available to reignite hope for those navigating the unthinkable.
Vision
A Silver Lining of Hope, Inc envisions a world where no family is left behind—where abuse is recognized before it turns fatal, the missing are urgently searched for, and the murdered are not forgotten.
In this future, survivors are heard and protected, professionals are trained to act on red flags, and trauma-informed systems respond with urgency—not apathy. Justice is not delayed or denied. Research informs policy, evidence leads to accountability, and the lived experiences of survivors help shape a safer, more responsive world.
We imagine a system that learns from its failures—and chooses to do better. For each victim still with us, and every one lost too soon.
"A Silver Lining of Hope"
What does a "Silver Lining of Hope" mean?
First, it's important to know the term, "Every cloud has a silver lining." Which means there is something good in every bad situation." Its origin can be traced back to John Milton's poem "Comus," written in
1634. In the poem, Milton wrote, "Was I deceived, or did a sable cloud / Turn forth her silver lining on the night?"
Silver Lining of Hope was created by Megan Tomlinson in honor of her mother, Leslie Hope Houston, whose life was taken in October 2024.
Her case was not immediately treated as a homicide. Megan spent seven months researching, organizing records, and analyzing evidence—efforts that ultimately contributed to the case being reopened and her husband being charged with murder.
A “silver lining” is that light in the darkness. While Hope’s murder was devastating and should have never happened, her name will live on—bringing hope to victims of domestic violence, the missing, the murdered, and the unidentified.
Recent Blog Posts
STATUS & TAX DEDUCTIBILITY
Silver Lining of Hope, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit. Our EIN is 39-2169099. If you would like a copy of our 501(c)(3) determination, contact us.
vision
When tragedy strikes—whether someone is missing, murdered, or left unidentified— we work to ensure justice or answers aren’t buried or delayed. We aim to strengthen the systems families depend on by helping build clearer, more effective protocols across law enforcement and frontline response. Officers, medical professionals, EMTs, and first responders must be not just aware—but fully trained to recognize and respond to domestic violence in all its forms. Missing person cases must be taken seriously from the very beginning—because every moment matters. And the unidentified deserve more than a case number—they deserve their name, their story, and to be brought home. Because what’s missed in an ER… what’s dismissed during a 911 call… what’s overlooked during a wellness check… what’s ignored in a missing person case—when urgency and diligence are lacking… or when the unidentified are left without a name… can be the difference between life and death—justice or answers. And when tragedy does strike, we stand beside the families of the missing, the murdered, and the unidentified—actively investigating, helping uncover the truth, and ensuring they are never left searching alone. Silver Lining of Hope exists to be that support—for as many families, survivors, investigators, and cases as we can reach.
goals
We work across investigative, medical, and legal systems to support families, strengthen investigations, and improve how cases are handled from the very beginning. We support families seeking answers. Providing guidance, case organization, and advocacy for the missing, the murdered, and the unidentified—so no one is left navigating these situations alone. We strengthen investigations through evidence-based analysis. Reviewing case materials, medical records, timelines, and documentation to identify overlooked details, clarify inconsistencies, and support investigative efforts. We bridge the gap between families and professionals. Helping improve communication and collaboration between families, law enforcement, medical experts, and legal systems. We promote urgency and accountability in missing person cases. Advocating for immediate, thorough responses and ensuring cases are treated with the seriousness they deserve from the start. We work to restore identity to the unidentified. Organizing case data, highlighting distinguishing features, and supporting efforts to give individuals their names back. We advance education and systemic change. Promoting trauma-informed training in domestic violence, strangulation, and investigative response across law enforcement, medical, and emergency systems. Because every case deserves attention. Every person deserves answers. And every name deserves to be known.
your support helps us...
Your support helps bring answers, accountability, and identity to the missing, the murdered, and the unidentified. • Provide direct case support to families navigating unexplained injuries, overlooked evidence, and fatal domestic violence outcomes • Review case materials, timelines, and records to identify missed details and support investigative efforts • Assist in missing person and unidentified cases—helping organize information, raise awareness, and work toward answers • File public records requests and gather critical information needed to move cases forward • Expand our website into a 24/7 resource hub for families, survivors, law enforcement, medical professionals, and prosecutors • Create, print, and distribute evidence-based forensic guides and toolkits for survivors, families, and frontline responders • Build a multidisciplinary team of advisors across legal, forensic, and investigative fields to strengthen our work • Fund travel, conferences, and outreach—allowing us to advocate, collaborate, and connect with the professionals and families who need us most