onths After He Disappeared on Veterans Day Hike

Charles Hosch was last seen on Nov. 11, 2025, according to authorities

Charles Hosch, who has been missing since November 2025.Credit : 

Union County Sheriff’s Office – Georgia/Facebook

NEED TO KNOW

Charles Hosch was last seen “descending from the top of Blood Mountain” while hiking in Georgia on Nov. 11, 2025
The initial search for the law professor was paused two weeks after he was reported missing
Volunteers from several states gathered in March 2026 for another search, according to his family

The search for a missing law professor from Texas continues in Georgia four months after he vanished while hiking the Appalachian Trail.

The Union County Sheriff’s Office (UCSO) previously said 67-year-old Charles Hosch disappeared on Nov. 11, 2025.

Hosch was last seen “descending from the top of Blood Mountain,” according to information previously shared on his law firm website, Hosch & Morris, PLLC, which now lists the attorney as “on leave.”

The law firm later announced on Nov. 24 that authorities have “paused [their] active search operations while awaiting new information or clues,” but insisted the search was not over.

Julia Hosch-Singh, Hosch’s daughter, said volunteers from Tennessee, Alabama, North Carolina and Georgia gathered in March 2026 for another search for Hosch, according to NBC affiliate KXAS-TV.

“It is a powerful time to still be here months in with people that have still committed to that,” she said. “It is just humbling.”

Charles Hosch, who has been missing since Veterans Day in 2025.Union County Sheriff’s Office – Georgia/Facebook

Kate Morris, his law partner, said Hosch “was visiting with his brother in Gainesville, Georgia, where they were from” when he vanished, according to CBS affiliate KTVT.

Hosch’s firm described him as a Harvard Law School graduate who has “dedicated more than three decades to mentoring law students at SMU Dedman School of Law and has been a cornerstone of our legal community.”

The firm also said Hosch is “a former Eagle Scout who has volunteered with the Scouts for years” and teaches Sunday school at University Park United Methodist Church.

Family has been sharing updates on the search for Hosch on the website BringCharlesHome.com, which is dedicated to helping find the missing professor.

In an update from Monday, March 16, family said search experts “executed a carefully planned, multi-agency search” over the weekend, but Hosch still was not found.

Now the family says “new efforts” to find Hosch will “take shape” in the coming weeks. “Charles’ legacy is the reminder that one life, lived well, creates ripples that reach farther than we ever know,” they said.

A photo of Charle Hosch from the day he disappeared in November 2025.Union County Sheriff’s Office – Georgia/Facebook

Volunteer search teams have been “prioritizing rocky terrain where Hosch may have fallen, including areas where he could have crawled under boulders or into caves,” according to the website.

The terrain along Blood Mountain “is extremely challenging,” family said, noting, “dense brush and thick rhododendron cover obscure the ground, while boulders, cliffs, and rocky outcroppings create countless hidden spaces.”

Efforts to track down Hosch’s phone have been unsuccessful, according to his family, who believe the device “was likely dead when he went missing.”

A total of $80,000 has been raised through a GoFundMe set up to help support search efforts for Hosch, with family noting that “time is critical” in the case.

Family is asking anyone who was hiking on Blood Mountain between 1:30 p.m. and 5 p.m. local time on Nov. 11 to contact them, noting that “any information, no matter how insignificant it may seem, could be crucial to our search efforts.”

Anyone with information regarding Hosch’s whereabouts is asked to contact the Union County Emergency Operations Center at (706) 439-6091. Those in Union County, Georgia can also call 911.

Charles Hosch, a 67-year-old respected Dallas attorney and adjunct law professor at Southern Methodist University’s Dedman School of Law, vanished under mysterious circumstances on November 11, 2025—Veterans Day—while hiking in the rugged terrain of Blood Mountain in northern Georgia. Nearly four months later, as of mid-March 2026, the case remains unresolved, with ongoing volunteer-led searches and no definitive answers. Recent reports of a white hat discovered in the woods have sparked renewed speculation about what might have happened during his final hours, though official confirmation of such a find and its direct connection to Hosch appears limited or unverified in major news outlets.

Hosch, originally from Georgia but long established in Texas through his private practice at Hosch & Morris and his teaching role, had deep personal ties to the area. Blood Mountain, the highest peak in Georgia at over 4,400 feet and part of the Appalachian Trail, held childhood memories for him. He chose the Byron Herbert Reece Trailhead for what family described as a familiar day hike—something he had done multiple times before. Surveillance footage captured him arriving and beginning the ascent, and two witnesses reported seeing him descending from the summit that afternoon. After that, he simply disappeared.

Initial response from authorities was swift. The Union County Sheriff’s Office launched a large-scale search involving ground teams, helicopters, drones, and K-9 units. Volunteers from across the region, including specialized teams like Knox County Rescue from Tennessee, joined in the effort. Despite exhaustive coverage of trails, creeks, debris fields, and surrounding wilderness, no trace of Hosch was found in the early weeks. By late November 2025, official organized searches were suspended due to weather, terrain challenges, and lack of leads, though the family refused to give up.

The Hosch family shifted to private initiatives, hiring professional search and rescue experts and project managers to coordinate renewed efforts. They created a dedicated website, bringcharleshome.com, to share updates, coordinate volunteers, and raise awareness. Multiple “pushes” occurred through December 2025 and into early 2026, including cold-weather operations before Christmas and additional sweeps in January. Volunteers braved freezing temperatures and dense forest to check previously unsearched areas. Family statements expressed hope that Hosch might have “hunkered down” somewhere safe, perhaps injured or disoriented, though the passage of time made such optimism increasingly difficult.

As spring approached in March 2026, searches intensified again ahead of vegetation growth that would obscure visibility. Teams returned to Blood Mountain, focusing on spots near where Hosch’s vehicle was parked. Media coverage from outlets like People Magazine, NBC DFW, and local Georgia sources highlighted the family’s persistence, with updates noting dozens of volunteers gathering for continued grid searches. The case drew attention from hiking communities on forums like WhiteBlaze.net, where users speculated on possible scenarios ranging from a fall off-trail to getting lost in the steep, rocky landscape.

The recent mention of a white hat found in the woods has circulated as a potential breakthrough, described in some online discussions and unverified posts as a “white hat” (possibly a baseball cap) located in the forested area. Such an item could theoretically provide clues—if it belonged to Hosch—about his path, a possible fall site, or environmental factors in his final movements. Hosch was last seen wearing typical hiking attire, though specific details on headwear were not prominently noted in early reports. If authentic, this discovery could prompt forensic analysis for DNA, fingerprints, or signs of trauma, potentially narrowing search zones or shedding light on whether foul play, accident, or exposure played a role. However, major news sources as of mid-March 2026 focus primarily on the ongoing nature of the search rather than confirming this specific item as a game-changer. No official statements from law enforcement or the family have widely publicized the hat as a confirmed belonging or pivotal evidence, suggesting it may be preliminary, speculative, or part of broader rumor in missing-persons networks.

The Blood Mountain region is notoriously challenging. Steep drops, dense underbrush, creeks, and unpredictable weather create hazards even for experienced hikers. Hypothermia, injury from a fall, or disorientation remain leading theories among observers. Hosch was described as fit and familiar with the trail, making a simple wrong turn seem unlikely to some, yet the Appalachian Trail’s side paths and off-grid areas have claimed others before. Foul play has not been ruled out entirely, though no evidence of struggle or third-party involvement has surfaced.

The emotional toll on Hosch’s loved ones is profound. Family members have spoken publicly about their determination to bring him home, emphasizing his role as a beloved father, colleague, and mentor. Colleagues at SMU and the legal community in Dallas have rallied in support, sharing stories of his intellect, kindness, and passion for teaching. The #BringCharlesHome campaign continues to amplify calls for information, with flyers, social media posts, and volunteer coordination keeping the case visible.

As of March 2026, Charles Hosch remains missing, a stark reminder of nature’s unforgiving power and the enduring hope of those left searching. The white hat—if linked to him—offers a faint glimmer of progress in an otherwise silent mystery. Until concrete evidence emerges, the question lingers: What happened in those final hours on Blood Mountain? Volunteers, professionals, and a devoted family press on, refusing to let the trail go cold.