Hiker's body not found
By BECKY LANDRESS Sentinel Writer

On Thursday and Friday, January 24-25, local, state and federal authorities searched the wooded areas of Towns and Union counties for the body of a missing elderly hiker from North Carolina.

Gary Michael Hilton, according to reports, was spotted in the Hiawassee area in October, around the time of the disappearance of hiker John Bryant. Bryant's wife Irene's body was found in North Carolina in November.

Conclusive and substantial reports have been given to the GBI that Hilton was in this area. Hilton is suspected in the case and during the time frame of the Bryants' disappearance, Hilton was in the Western North Carolina and north Georgia area, leaving an extremely large and rough searching canvas. Local law enforcement from Towns and Union counties took part countless hours in the search. Authorities thought that it was best to have local law enforcement searching because they knew the area and terrain best.

The search ended Friday with no discoveries to be made.