New nonprofit joins search for missing Texas attorney near Blood Mountain

article

Charles Hosch missing in Union County. Photo courtesy of Union County Sheriff's Office

UNION COUNTY, Ga. - The family of 67-year-old attorney and law professor Charles Hosch, who vanished while hiking Blood Mountain earlier this month, says a new nonprofit search team will join efforts to find him beginning Monday.

What we know:

The added support comes roughly a week after officials called off the formal search for the Dallas-based attorney.

One nonprofit group is already conducting searches using K-9 units, drones, and ground teams, according to a website dedicated to finding Hosch. The newly added nonprofit will expand the number of search teams covering the area.

The backstory:

Hosch was last seen on Nov. 11 while descending the Byron Herbert Reece Trail along the Appalachian Trail. He had reached the summit and even spoke with a ham radio operator before heading back down. Witnesses reported seeing him on the trail, but search teams have found no trace of him since.

Nearly 100 responders participated in the original search, including K-9 units, helicopters, drones and specialized crews navigating steep, hazardous terrain. Last week, dogs briefly picked up a scent that allowed crews to narrow the search area — but no additional clues were found.

According to a website dedicated to finding Hosch, the family’s efforts have not stopped, even after the official search ended.

Dig deeper:

Hosch, originally from Gainesville, is an adjunct professor at Southern Methodist University’s Dedman School of Law and a lifelong hiker familiar with the Blood Mountain trail system.