Search for missing man ends on sad note
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<strong>Raymond Baggott, 92, was found Wednesday morning, dead in a clover field located just northeast of Bethel Church.</strong>
<strong>Mr. Baggott had been subject of an extensive search along Wing Hill Road, about three miles east of Cobden.</strong>
A prayer was said early Wednesday morning as searchers resumed their effort to find a missing Union County man.
The prayer's message was simple and straightforward: be with those looking for the man, and bring him home safely.
The prayer was spoken at Bethel Baptist Church, which is located about 3 miles east of Cobden along Wing Hill Road. The church was serving as the center of search operations.
Emergency services personnel and volunteers were looking for Raymond Baggott, 92, of rural Cobden.
Baggott was reported missing Tuesday morning. He is 5 feet, 6 inches tall, and weighs 135. He has Alzheimer's and is legally blind.
He was wearing a light-colored shirt, khaki pants, white tennis shoes and a red and black winter-style cap.
Capt. Scott Harvel of the Union County Sheriff's Office in Jonesboro was coordinating the search for Baggott.
Harvel met Wednesday morning at Bethel Church with dozens of emergency services personnel, volunteers and local landowners to begin another day of searching for the missing man.
Harvel explained that maps had been prepared which identified areas that needed to be searched.
Those helping with the search were to be divided into teams of five to six persons. Harvel asked that each team have a person who was familiar with the rural, wooded areas east of Cobden which would be searched.
A number of local landowners were on hand and offered their assistance in the search.
Harvel said the sheriff's office received a report that Baggott was missing late Tuesday morning.
Baggott was last seen by a son at about 6 a.m. Tuesday. Neighbors spotted him walking at 7:20 a.m. Tuesday and again at about 9:30 or 10 o'clock that morning. When last seen, he was walking south on Bethel Church Road.
The search for Baggott began early Tuesday afternoon and continued until dark. Some search dog teams worked until about 11 p.m. Tuesday.
Search efforts resumed early Wednesday morning and were continued on the ground and in the air.
The search involved fixed-wing aircraft and a helicopter in the air.
On the ground, searchers were walking, using all-terrain vehicles and riding horses.
Harvel said that several hundred people from throughout the region, and from out of state, were involved in the search.
Weather conditions Tuesday and Wednesday were hot and humid, with high temperatures climbing into the 90s.