ALBANY — Possibly suffering from Alzheimer’s disease, Clora Williams, 79, was found dead at about 4 p.m. Wednesday near the Dawson Country Club, said Gene Shattles, Dawson Police Department investigator.

“The Georgia Bureau of Investigation is on its way and an autopsy will be done,” Shattles said. “Until then, there will be no cause of death or other details announced.”

Earlier in the day, Shattles said that there was what could be called a massive search by this little community for Williams when she was reported missing by her son. Shattles would not release the son’s name.

“He noticed her gone from the house at about 7 a.m.,” Shattles said. “We were dispatched at about 7:30. We don’t know what time she left the house on 12th Avenue.”

The search involved anywhere from 25-50 people at one time, Shattles said. The Georgia State Patrol put a helicopter in the air to aid with the search, he said.

“We had a helicopter in the area,” a state patrol spokesman said. “We didn’t find her; they found her by ground search.”

Shattles wouldn’t go into details concerning who found the body and where. He did say there was an outpouring of concerned volunteers from the community.

It seemed every government agency from his own police department to the Terrell County Sheriff’s Office to game wardens, the local EMS, the Georgia Forestry Commission, volunteer firefighters and the Terrell County Chamber of Commerce turned out for the search, Shattles said.
Terrell County Sheriff John Bowens is Williams’ nephew. He could not be reached by 8 p.m. Wednesday.