The mystery surrounding the man who was missing for more than a week near Tallulah Falls in Rabun County has people asking questions, wondering what happened to him.
Authorities believe the body found in the Gorge Thursday is 36-year-old William Woodward, who went by Billy. Yet the friend he was believed to be with was found alive days before.
11Alive's Ashley Johnson spoke with Woodward's family and walks us through this tragic timeline.
"He was kinda at that place in his life where things were really leveling out and starting to blossom again," said Tony Crecelius, Woodard's cousin.
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"He loved his girls and he loved his wife, Mindy," Christine Crecelius said, another one of the victim's family members.
Woodward, known to be a family man, took a trip to Tallulah Falls to see his brother in hospice on August 14.
His cousins, Christine and Tony say that same night Woodward went back to the actual falls where they believe he lost his phone. His friend Morgan Mitchell was with him.
"Mitchell dropped him off he didn't want to go back into the woods," Christine said.
On August 16th, two days, later an extensive search was launched at Tallaluh Falls for both of them. Mitchell was found on August 18th in the woods alive.
"Them getting separated that's one of the biggest things I struggled with," Tony said.
His family believes he slipped into the Gorge being out there in the dark. They said his mother is really having a tough time.
"She called me today and said 'Christine, they're going to have to identify Billy by his teeth' and she said 'maybe it's not him,'" Christine said.
Authorities said they do not believe the death is suspicious.
