Body of missing 76-year-old SC man found in woods days after search was called off

The body of a 76-year-old South Carolina man with dementia was found Thursday, 14 days after he was reported missing.

Dale Hunter's body was discovered in a wooded area near Old Altamont Ridge Road, according to the Greenville County Sheriff's Office, foxcarolina.com reported.

The sheriff's office said a person reported finding a dead body about 5:30 p.m. Deputies and members of the Greenville County Coroner's Office responded to the scene and identified the body.

Hunter went missing from his Altamont Drive home April 5 about 11:45 a.m., according to the Greenville County Sheriff's Office. Hunter reportedly left his residence to go walking and had not been seen since, despite a significant search.

The sheriff’s office reported it used air support and bloodhounds, and received help from volunteers to look for Hunter for several days.

The search involved more than 170 agencies and encompassed the entire Paris Mountain area, which Sgt. Ryan Flood said is vast and includes rough terrain and heavily wooded areas.

The search was called off April 13.

"Search teams have conducted extensive searches in the area throughout the past week with no indication to his whereabouts," Flood said in a release.

Hunter's family had offered a $10,000 reward for information that led to his safe return, the Greenville News reported.

This story was originally published April 19, 2018 at 9:12 PM with the headline "Body of missing 76-year-old SC man found in woods days after search was called off."