thedailytimes.com : Your 24/7 news source

Emergency personnel Tuesday renewed a search in Happy Valley for 51-year-old Mike Hearon, who has been missing since Aug. 23.

Sixty-nine people arrived from multiple local agencies at 9 a.m., and 53 of them joined 11 teams to search the surrounding area of Happy Valley Loop.

Michael Edwin Hearon was last seen Aug. 23 leaving his residence on Bell Branch Road on a 4-wheeler. An extensive five-day search was conducted by authorities and emergency personnel following his disappearance. During that search, his ATV was found on Aug. 26, but Hearon was not located and no other clues to his disappearance have been found since.

During the searches in August, dozens of volunteers joined to help look for the missing contractor. On this search, only emergency personnel are participating in a more concentrated search.

Authorities from the Blount County Sheriff's Office planned this second search because foliage has cleared since their last attempt, making it easier to search the area.

Members of the Blount Special Operations Response Team (BSORT), Blount County Sheriff's Office, Alcoa Fire Department, Blount County Fire Department, Maryville Fire Department, Blount County Volunteer Rescue Squad, Rural/Metro Ambulance Service, National Park Services, Blount County Communications Center and Blount County Emergency Management Agency participated.

The searchers met at Look Rock in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park where they were divided into teams and briefed. BCSO Capt. Jeff Burchfield thanked the searchers on behalf of Sheriff James Berrong, Deputy Chief Ron Dunn and the entire sheriff's office.

"Hopefully we're going to cover a lot of area through the day," Burchfield said. "What we don't cover today, we'll cover tomorrow."

Detective Mike Seratt told searchers to be careful and pay attention to their packet of information that includes different items to watch for.

"If anybody finds anything, notify your team leader," Seratt said.

The searchers then went to the Abrams Creek Ranger Station and were taken to their designated search area from there.

Each team was assigned a team leader and a sheriff's deputy. Deputy Paige Craig reminded her group that Hearon was last seen wearing a pink or maroon colored shirt, shorts and sandals. She also described the area that they would be searching.

"This is the second piece of property that he (Mike Hearon) owned," Craig said.

Bones, shirt found

At 2:30 p.m., the search was called off due to the gray clouds and snow flurries. At that point, bones had been found in a fire pit, but were determined not to be human bones.

A shirt had also been found by another team. Marian O'Briant, public information officer for the sheriff's office, said detectives did not believe it belonged to Hearon but were investigating the find.

If weather permits, the emergency workers plan to meet back at 9 a.m. today to continue searching for one last day. Burchfield told the searchers as they left that they had one more area they wanted to search.

Andy and Matt Hearon, Mike Hearon's sons, said in October that they feel like there is someone out there who knows something about their dad's disappearance, and they are pleaded for anyone to come forward with information -- even if it doesn't seem relevant. They asked for the community to "pray for the best and don't hold back information."

A $15,000 reward is being offered for information leading to Hearon's location. The sheriff's office offered $5,000, and an anonymous contributor added $10,000.

Anyone with any information on Hearon's disappearance is encouraged to call the Blount County Sheriff's Office Criminal Investigation Division between 8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. at 273-5001, or the 24-hour Crime Hotline at 865-273-5200. To be eligible for any reward, individuals reporting information must be willing to give their name and contact information.