18 days later, body of alzheimer patient is located

By PEARCE ADAMS
Anderson Independent-Mail
January 19, 2006

CLAYTON — Eighteen days after a man with Alzheimer’s disease wandered from his home, his body was found at a creek about a quarter-mile away, authorities said.

The body of Earl Lawrence Ritchie, 61, was found Jan. 14 about 440 yards from his house at Mountain City, said Patrick Marcellino Jr., emergency management director in Rabun County.

An autopsy has been requested to determine the cause of death. Mr. Marcellino could not say if foul play is expected.
Mr. Ritchie’s body was sent Tuesday to the Georgia Bureau of Investigation’s crime lab.

GBI Special Agent in Charge John Cagle said such a request is "not necessarily a sign of an investigation."

A search for Mr. Ritchie began around 6:15 p.m. Dec. 27, about 15 minutes after he left the home that he shared with his 85-year-old mother, Mr. Marcellino said.

Hundreds of searchers from Anderson and Oconee counties, three helicopters, six trained dogs and swift-water rescue teams joined the search. No trace of Mr. Ritchie could initially be found.

Then "eight of us went out Saturday morning to hit high-priority areas when we found him" in a creek ravine around 12:45 p.m., Mr. Marcellino said.

"The area where we found him is brushy and grassy and not a lot of water," he said.

A dog trained to find cadavers led searchers to Mr. Ritchie’s body, Mr. Marcellino said.

"This is a mystery to us," Mr. Marcellino said. "We searched the area twice, plus helicopters, plus people nearby searched it and never saw him.

"To know what his family is going through now is tough."