Today’s Search Operations

Our expert K-9 team led by Dr. Tracy “Trace” Sargent returned today, clearing additional areas and furthering our systematic coverage. Team BUSAR, whose professionalism, compassion, and thoroughness have been exceptional, conducted comprehensive sweeps of two new zones and has committed to returning for continued operations. We also completed multiple drone sweeps of areas of interest.

Understanding Search Methodology

An important note regarding search methodology: while locating Charles remains our primary objective, cleared areas represent significant progress. We have learned from our search and rescue professionals that “clearing” an area—rendering it highly statistically unlikely that Charles is there—requires multiple searches rather than a single pass. The more frequently and carefully an area is searched, the greater our confidence in its status. Today’s cleared areas will inform our strategic priorities moving forward.

Growing Resources

Each new team has brought valuable insights, and we look forward to welcoming additional teams this week.

Next Weekend: Large-Scale Coordinated Operation

We are preparing for a large-scale search and rescue operation next weekend—a coordinated effort to bring Charles home before the holidays. This operation will represent one of our most comprehensive deployments of resources and personnel to date. Union County is fully supporting our efforts. Importantly, there will be opportunities for volunteers from Blairsville to Dallas to participate in person or support operations remotely. Details will be shared on this page tomorrow. Next weekend represents our strongest coordinated effort yet to bring Charles home.

Today, an expert K-9 team conducted thorough searches of previously covered areas. These zones have now been cleared, with the dog detecting no trace of Charles—important information that allows us to focus resources on other priority areas. Family, including Charles’s law partner Kate Morris (who has been part of all search efforts referenced in previous updates as “family”), maintained ground presence on the trail.

From an operational perspective, we have made significant progress in expanding our network of support. Additional search and rescue professional organizations (including a rope rappelling team) have committed to joining our efforts in the coming days, bringing fresh expertise and resources to the mission, as well as tactical ideas. Union County continues to provide advice, support, and discrete teams — our list of thank-you’s to them only grows longer.

While today’s K-9 results require us to refine our search focus, the growing coalition of professional teams and the systematic elimination of searched areas represent important steps forward. We remain determined and hopeful as we continue this comprehensive effort.

Today brought intensive search operations and important strategic enhancements. We have augmented our leadership team with experienced search and rescue professionals who have successfully directed prominent missing persons cases. This additional expertise elevates our strategic planning and operational coordination.

In the field, K-9 teams methodically covered priority areas while volunteers conducted extensive ground searches. Notably, a former Navy SEAL joined us in an ambitious off-trail effort, covering more than nine miles of challenging wilderness terrain. Drone operations surveyed targeted areas from above, providing a comprehensive aerial perspective.

This level of expertise, endurance, and dedication—from leadership to boots on the ground to eyes in the sky—exemplifies the remarkable commitment we continue to receive. We remain grateful and determined.

We are deeply encouraged by today's meeting with Union County officials, who have reaffirmed their commitment to Charles's search. Despite the pause of intensive operations, Union County has pledged to continue discrete search efforts in defined areas, working in close coordination with our volunteer teams. This continued partnership reflects the exceptional character of Union County's leadership and search and rescue community.

Today's field operations involved nearly a dozen volunteers, including professional K-9 teams, former military searchers, and experienced hikers. The recent substantial rainfall has dramatically improved conditions—oak leaf fall and compaction have significantly enhanced ground visibility, allowing more thorough examination of previously searched terrain.

We are grateful to the U.S. Forest Service for authorizing continued drone operations in the wilderness area. We have also received a response to our open records request and are actively pursuing that information.

Enhanced visibility, sustained inter-agency collaboration, and new information streams give us reason for continued hope and determination.

Following a morning coordination meeting with specialized search and rescue leaders, we deployed alongside Knox County Rescue to search targeted areas on Blood Mountain. Working with this exceptional team has been inspiring—their expertise and heart are evident in every aspect of their work. These are difficult days, but we are sustained by the extraordinary support we continue to receive from professional organizations, dedicated volunteers, and caring friends both near and far. We are deeply grateful.

We are deeply grateful to Knox County Rescue, who deployed their team today to conduct fresh search operations on Blood Mountain. Their expertise and commitment represent a significant addition to our efforts. Community members and family also continued searching throughout the day. The collaboration between professional rescue organizations and dedicated volunteers reflects the extraordinary commitment to finding Charles.

Every morning since we’ve begun the search, we have been greeted by a hungry rooster named Frank. Frank lives in the parking lot at the trailhead of Byron Herbert Reece trail. If you are an animal lover who is in the area, we will help you catch Frank and take him home for the winter. As Charles would say, “Oh, Frank!” For more details and the latest updates, click here.

Community members, volunteers, and family searched the trails today despite the rain. Tomorrow, professional search operations will resume, strengthening our coordinated efforts.

The momentum continues. We’ve welcomed another nonprofit search and rescue organization to our efforts, and by Monday, we’ll have expanded teams in the field.

We continue our systematic search for Charles. Today's efforts focused on drone operations with newly deployed analytics tools, allowing us to survey the terrain with greater precision. We have been encouraged by volunteer search and rescue organizations reaching out to offer support, and we need more help. If you have SAR experience, drone capabilities, K-9 teams, or other specialized skills, please contact us at julia@bringcharleshome.com. Your knowledge and resources are invaluable to our efforts. Our resolve remains unshaken.

Thanksgiving Message from Hosch & Morris, PLLC

On this Thanksgiving Day, Charles's law firm has shared a message of gratitude—for the search and rescue heroes who have worked tirelessly in the Georgia mountains, for the community that has rallied around our family, and most of all, for Charles himself and the life of purpose he has lived.

Read the firm's full Thanksgiving statement: https://www.hoschmorris.com/privacy-plus-news/thanksgiving-2025

We remain grateful for everyone who continues to search alongside us.

The search continues. Thank you for not giving up.

#BringCharlesHome

We have entered the second phase of our search for Charles with enhanced coordination and expertise. Today, we enlisted a distinguished leader in search and rescue operations to guide our continuing efforts. Two dog teams, along with a dedicated group of volunteers, conducted targeted searches across Blood Mountain. Seeing this continued determination strengthens our resolve and our hope. We look forward to working with our new professional team starting on Monday.

We’ve launched this dedicated website to help bring Charles home. Please also follow @BringCharlesHome on Facebook and Instagram.