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Search suspended for Ohio hiker missing in Arizona mountains

Posted at 11:26 AM, Feb 12, 2019
and last updated 2019-02-12 13:26:32-05

NOGALES, Ariz. (AP) - Authorities in southern Arizona have suspended an unsuccessful weeklong search for an Ohio man who a sheriff says is now presumed dead after getting lost while hiking in rugged terrain in the Santa Rita Mountains near Tucson.

Santa Cruz County Sheriff Tony Estrada said Tuesday that searchers did everything they could to first try to rescue Harold "Joe" Smallwood and then locate and recover the body of the 82-year-old Springboro, Ohio, resident who had been staying in Tucson.

A search began Feb. 5 after Smallwood called 911 to report being lost.

The National Weather Service says there was snowfall early the next morning in the Santa Rita Mountains where temperatures dropped as low as 17 degrees (-8.33 Celsius).

Over 100 searchers from multiple agencies participated in the search.