Rabun County authorities issued a lookout Wednesday for a 56-year-old Kennesaw man who disappeared possibly while hiking in the Kelsey Mountain/Bartram Trail area of the North Georgia mountains.
Richard Arnold "Rick" Masters was reported missing by his brother Ken Masters of Acworth on July 21, according to Rabun County Sheriff Frank Andrews. The brother said he had not seen his sibling since July 19, but that he was known to enjoy hiking in the Tallulah Falls area of Rabun County.
Sheriff's personnel, assisted by officers of the state Department of Natural Resources, U.S. Forest Service and Tallulah Falls police began searching for Richard Masters' vehicle. Last Thursday, sheriff's deputies found the vehicle — dark blue late 1990s-model Jeep Cherokee — unoccupied at the end of Kelsey Mountain Road.
"The vehicle was secured and did not show any evidence of foul play," Capt. Gerald Johnson, chief investigator of the Sheriff's Office, said in a news release.
Authorities conducted an extensive search of area trails, using aircraft and K-9 teams. They also distributed photos of Masters to other hikers and posted them in area stores, but the man was not found. The search continues on a smaller scale.
Masters is described as a white male standing 5 feet, 10 inches tall, weighing 165 to 170 pounds, and with brown/gray hair, brown eyes and possibly a mustache.
Anyone who has seen him or knows his whereabouts is asked to contact the Rabun County Sheriff's Office at 706-782-3612 or Rabun County Emergency Dispatch at 706-782-6226.
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