Sheriff Shirley Provides Additional Details of Recent Search for Habersham Man

 As reported by WNEG Radio yesterday, the body of a Habersham man that had been reported missing last week was found in Stephens County. 

Yesterday, Stephens County Sheriff Randy Shirley issued a press release providing additional details regarding the search by Stephens County personnel for Tony Mooney.  The full press release is below:

The Stephens County Sheriff’s Office was notified via 911 Dispatch regarding a missing person from Habersham County. 

The family of Tony Mooney had reported him missing Wednesday, February 21. Habersham County reported to Stephens County authorities that they were successful with a phone ping, and that it was plotting near Braswell Street in Toccoa. A thorough search of that area was conducted, but Mooney was not located.

Late Friday afternoon, February 23, a Stephens County deputy K-9 Unit was on Georgia 365 near the Habersham County Line when he observed the Mooney family out along the roadway. The deputy stopped to see if the family needed any assistance. They advised that their son had been missing since Wednesday and was possibly suicidal because he had missed a probation visit on Monday. They went on to say that he had been trying to kick a substance abuse addiction and he feared he was going back to jail. The mother advised that his vehicle was located on Rock Road inside Habersham County. 

Our deputy, K-9 Sergeant Micheal Vice, contacted his supervisor asking for permission to meet the family on Rock Road located in Habersham County where their son’s vehicle had been abandoned. 

After deputy Vice spoke with neighbors, they stated a male was seen getting out of the vehicle and went straight into the National Forrest located behind the neighboring houses. Deputy Vice and his K-9, Lady, were deployed. After tracking about a mile into the wooded area, the K-9 located Mooney’s jacket laying beside a tree at approximately 10:30 PM Friday night. The jacket was positively identified by Mooney’s family.

The search was called off for the evening because of safety concerns, and the need for additional personnel for the vast area needing to be searched. The Sheriff’s Office contacted Stephens County Dispatch to mobilize the Stephens County Search and Rescue Unit and First Responders to meet back at 8 a.m. Saturday morning for a more intense and widened search in the National Forrest.

An intense search began at 8 a.m. Saturday, February 24, utilizing multiple Stephens County K9’s, as well as First Responders, and the Stephens County Search and Rescue Unit. A K9 track was established and after approximately 2 1/2 hours, Mooney was located, but sadly deceased in a wooded area in proximity to the old Rock Quarry in Stephens County. 

Investigators with the Stephens County Sheriff’s Office then responded to the scene to investigate the incident.

Tony Quinnon Mooney, 26, of Lunsford Street in Mt. Airy, was released to the Stephens County Coroner’s Office where his cause of death will be determined by the Georgia Bureau of Investigations Crime Lab. There is no foul play suspected.

 Sheriff Randy Shirley said that he along with all the volunteers are deeply saddened that the efforts of all those volunteers who came out to canvass the heavily wooded area to locate Mr. Mooney ended so tragically.  On behalf of all those emergency services, we send our deepest condolences to the family of Tony Mooney.