Criminal Defense Attorney inHollywood, SC

HOLLYWOOD, S.C. (WCSC) — The Charleston County Sheriff’s Office is calling on the community to keep tips coming in on anything they know in the search for an elderly man with dementia.

David Graham, 82, walked away from his home on Dixie Plantation Road in Hollywood on Monday at around noon, investigators say.

He suffers from severe dementia and was last seen wearing a green shirt and khaki pants.

During a briefing Friday afternoon, Charleston County Sheriff Carl Ritchie asked the public to keep the tips coming in as the search continues to intensify. Richie said investigators learned that Graham had not returned to his home about 30 hours after he had last been seen there and immediately began a search.

Ritchie said some 200 first responders have been searching the area for any sign of Graham. Graham is known to walk around his community daily.

“We are committed to bringing Mr. Graham home,” Ritchie said. “Keep searching around your homes. Be vigilant for any signs of Mr. Graham.”

Ritchie said that includes checking security camera footage and checking any sheds on your property.

Hollywood Mayor Dr. Chardale Murray said he lives near her and that she did not realize that he had dementia.

“We are here, boots on the ground. Hollywood is a close-knit community,” she said. “I personally know Mr. Graham. He’s right here from my neighborhood.”

“He is very well-loved by the community. There’s no doubt about it, just based on the amount of calls we’ve received, the outpouring of support for us,” Ritchie said. “And what we’ve been told is he walks daily, so he’s probably in better shape than a lot of us.”

He said there has been no indication of foul play. Despite the length of time that has passed since Graham was last seen, Ritchie said they were not considering this a “recovery” mission.

“I am not prepared to go into recovery. We are going to bring Mr. Graham home,” Ritchie said. “We’re turning over every rock there is, every leaf, running every single lead, that’s why now we’ve pushed it out to the Tri-State area. We are looking to bring him home and reunite him with his family.”

Anyone with information on him or who may have seen him should call the Charleston County Sheriff’s Office at 843-202-1700.

CHARLESTON COUNTY, S.C. (WCIV) — A multiagency search continued in Hollywood as authorities entered the third day of looking for 82-year-old David Graham, who the Charleston County Sheriff’s Office said was last seen on Monday.

Charleston County Sheriff’s Office public information officer Lexi Douglas said Graham “left his home around noon on Feb. 16.”

Douglas said he was last seen at his residence in the Hollywood area.

Multiple agencies have joined the search, using a grid approach across the area. Sherilyn Williams, a community member, said search teams have used a range of resources.

“We’ve had an array of units out here," Williams said. "So we’ve had a drone, we have a TV, you’ve probably seen our canines already. Really just doing the gamut to try and canvas this area as best as we can."

Neighbors described seeing a heightened law enforcement presence, including aircraft. Williams said, “was sitting in my yard and all of a sudden I saw the helicopter come across my house and I didn’t know what was going on at that time and, um, until I came out here.”

Authorities described the search area as heavily wooded and rural, and said that the terrain is part of why specialized units were brought in.

“That definitely leads to why we’ve called in some of the units that we do," Douglas said. "Canines do especially well in these types of searches. Same with horses. They can probably get through some of these, you know, trenches and different areas and things like that more easily.”

Community members said they are hoping for Graham’s safe return.

“We're asking everybody to just keep everybody in prayer right now," Williams said. "We just need to pull together. Don’t look at color, just, just let’s, you know, pray and ask God to bring these people back to their family if possible.”

The sheriff’s office said the focus remains on the Hollywood area, but the search is expanding.

Anyone with information about where Graham could be is asked to call 911.