Search crews and family members are still working to find a missing Texas law professor who disappeared during a short hike in North Georgia.
RELATED STORY: Search continues for missing SMU Law Professor in North Georgia
Charles Hosch, 67, was last heard from on Nov. 11 when he set out on a nearby trail not far from the Appalachian Trail. When his wife was unable to reach him the next morning — something his daughter says is highly unusual — the family immediately alerted authorities.
Search Intensifies in Mountain Terrain
Search and rescue teams began combing the forest soon after Hosch was reported missing. The Union County Sheriff’s Office has expanded its efforts in recent days, asking hunters to review game camera footage and urging anyone who may have been in the area between Tuesday and Thursday to share photos or possible sightings.
Temperature drops and rough terrain are among the major challenges rescuers say Hosch could be facing.
Family Holding onto Hope
Hosch’s daughter, Julia, traveled to Georgia to help with the search and says she is trying to think the way her father would in a survival situation. She believes his background as an Eagle Scout could be helping him stay sheltered and warm.
Call for the Public’s Help
Investigators are asking anyone who was hiking, camping, hunting, or photographing in the area earlier in the week to contact the Union County Sheriff’s Office with any potential information.
Hosch is described as a respected professor at Southern Methodist University’s Dedman School of Law in Dallas. His disappearance has prompted concern in both Georgia and Texas as the search continues.
More about Charles
Those who know Charles — whether through his decades in the courtroom or his years in the classroom — describe him as far more than a respected legal scholar, according to Hosch & Morris law firm. A Harvard Law School graduate, he has spent more than 30 years teaching at SMU’s Dedman School of Law, where he has mentored generations of future attorneys and become a cornerstone of the academic community.
Before co-founding Hosch & Morris, PLLC, Charles served as a partner at Strasburger & Price, LLP for 35 years. Those who have worked alongside him say his reliability, warmth, and quiet encouragement have shaped countless careers.
Charles and his wife, Beth, met in college and have been married for 42 years. He is a devoted father to daughters Julia Hosch-Singh and Mary Catherine “Cat” Hosch, father-in-law to Aditya “Adi” Singh, and a proud new grandfather. He is also a brother to Heyward Hosch, brother-in-law to Julie Schieve, and an uncle to four nieces and nephews.
Additionally, Charles teaches Sunday school at University Park United Methodist Church and strives to embody the values he learned as a young Scout: trustworthy, loyal, helpful, friendly, courteous, kind, cheerful, brave and reverent.
Originally from Gainesville, Georgia, he has lifelong ties to the North Georgia mountains and knows many of the area’s trails intimately — a reality his family hopes is aiding him now as the search continues.
This remains an active search effort. Authorities have not indicated when operations might scale back and continue to urge continued vigilance from the public.
