SMU law professor reported missing in Georgia
A Dallas-area law school instructor is missing in north Georgia, where multiple agencies are searching the Appalachian Trail after he failed to return from a hike earlier this week.
A Dallas-area law school instructor is missing in north Georgia, where multiple agencies are searching the Appalachian Trail after he failed to return from a hike earlier this week.
Details of the disappearance 
What we know:
The Union County Sheriff’s Office says 67-year-old Charles Hosch, an adjunct professor at SMU’s Dedman School of Law, was last seen Tuesday at the Byron Herbert Reece Trailhead, a popular entry point to the Appalachian Trail near Blairsville, Georgia. He has not been heard from since.
Hosch is described as 6 feet 1, about 200 pounds, and was last seen wearing khaki pants, a camel-colored sweater and a dark green jacket, according to a missing person poster from the sheriff’s office.
Deputies released an updated photo Thursday morning showing the clothing he was believed to be wearing at the time.
In a public alert, the sheriff’s office asked anyone who was on the trail or near the Mountain Crossings store on Nov. 11 to come forward if they saw Hosch.
SMU confirms faculty member missing
Local perspective:
SMU confirmed Thursday that Hosch is a member of its adjunct faculty and said the university community is closely following the search.
“SMU is aware that Charles Hosch, an adjunct faculty member in the Dedman School of Law, was reported missing while hiking in Georgia,” the university said in a statement. “We are keeping his family and all who care about him in our thoughts and are grateful for the efforts of the agencies leading the search.”
Kate Morris, a friend of Hosch, says she and his wife began searching when they were unable to contact him or see his phone’s location.Â
“Unfortunately, it is very dense woods out here. A lot of leaves are on the ground, but there’s still these on the trees, which are blocking visibility for helicopter syndrome. But they’ve been using infrared to try to detect these signatures,” Morris said.
Morris said Hosch had planned to take a short walk on the trail and return to Dallas in time to teach.Â
“He was not an adventurous hiker. He was a nature Walker. So you know, he was not dressed for Appalachian Trail crossing,” Morris said.
Friends and family of Hosch continue to hold on to hope that he will be found safe.
“He inspires all of us to just be positive and keep pressing on and trying to help, trying to help him, because he would have been doing the exact same thing for anyone else who asked,” Morris said.
Search continues
What you can do:
If you see Charles or know of his whereabouts, please contact the Emergency Operations Center at (706) 439-6091 or dial 911.
Search crews have been combing steep, heavily wooded terrain near the trailhead since his disappearance was reported.
Anyone with information is urged to contact Union County authorities immediately.
The Source: Information in this article was provided by Union County Sheriff’s Office in Georgia.