Report of missing man spurs search

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Man’s dog located in Sautee Nacoochee area

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  • Bobby Levesque
    Bobby Levesque
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A Cleveland man has been reported missing, and searchers are looking for more clues to his whereabouts.

As of Wednesday morning, Sept. 18, White County Sheriff’s Office Capt. Rick Kelley said the search continues for 42-year-old Bobby Levesque. He was reported missing after a friend filed a missing person report on Monday, Sept. 9. Kelley says the friend reported last seeing Levesque on Aug. 14, but they were able to confirm he was at work on Aug. 23, though he hasn’t been seen since.

Kelley said Levesque’s vehicle, a white Chevrolet Trailblazer, which did not have a license plate, was found just past a bridge on Lynch Mountain Road. It appeared the vehicle had been parked there for a couple of weeks, and when deputies checked it out on Aug. 26, it appeared as if somebody was living out of it though there was nobody around at the time, Kelley said.

Authorities once again located the vehicle after learning a company out of Habersham County towed the vehicle, Kelley said. He added that the property owner had it removed.

After Levesque was reported missing, two canine units searched the area where the vehicle was initially located on Lynch Mountain Road, including around the bridge and water’s edge, but were unable to find anything, Kelley said.

Levesque’s dog, who was with him, was located in Sautee Nacoochee after a photo of the dog was posted on Facebook, Kelley said. The friend who filed the missing person report saw the post about the dog being found.

A Facebook page, Help Find Bobby Levesque, has been set up to help search for him. Friends came out to search for him on Saturday, Sept. 14, but were unable to find anything, said Todd Demars, a friend of Levesque’s.

Demars said that Levesque likes to hike and camp, and he’ll sometimes come and go, but he would never leave his dog. He said he hopes his friend simply went to be alone somewhere.

“I hope and pray that that is exactly what he’s doing,” Demars says. “If it hadn’t been for his dog turning up, we probably wouldn’t have thought a whole lot. A lot of times he’ll let somebody know [where he’s going], but of course he didn’t do that this time. He usually checks in.”

Demars said he hopes they find answers soon.

“It’s the unknown. Where did he go? Where’s he at?” Demars said. “We’ve been wracking our brains. I just hope he’s OK. He’s like my little brother. I’ve known him for over 20 years.”