Officials Confirm 65-year-old Social Circle Man's Death Was A Suicide

Social Circle's director of Public Safety Tom Fox confirmed the death of the 65-year-old Social Circle man who went missing earlier in the week was a suicide. The body of James "Jim" Welch was discovered early Thursday morning following an extensive search.

"Mr. Welch died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head, fired from a weapon that he owned," Fox said, adding Welch's body was found in a wooded area off of Memorial Drive in Social Circle, approximately 50 yards off the road. Fox also confirmed that Welch had left two notes visible, one asking whoever found him to call 911, and another directing his family to look in his wallet for another note.

Following an investigation of the scene, the Walton County Coroner's Office decided that there would be no autopsy completed.

Fox said he wanted to thank everyone who helped with the search, including both Walton and Newton County Sheriff's Departments, Walton County Fire Rescue, the Georgia State Patrol, and Walton County EMS.  

The search was undertaken when an emergency bulletin was issued by the Social Circle Department of Public Safety after being notified that Welch did not return home. Welch reportedly got out of a vehicle at the intersection of Highway 11 and West Hightower Trail to walk home to his residence on West Hightower at 11 a.m. on Tuesday.

A Mattie’s Call was issued by the Georgia Bureau of Investigation Wednesday and Welch's body was subsequently located during the search.