HOSCHTON — The search for a missing Hoschton man ended Thursday after searchers found a body in a wooded area near the Hoschton city limits.

John Richard Nash, 24, who lived on West Jefferson Street, was reported missing Sunday by his mother.

"We have called off the search," Hoschton Police Chief Jeremy Howell said. "We have located a body."

The body, which is believed to be Nash’s, was found at 10:30 a.m. in a wooded area along McEver Lane, which has a Hoschton mailing address but is not within the city limits.

The road is located off Ga. 124 near Maddox Road in Jackson County, where the department and several other law enforcement agencies had begun searching for Nash earlier that morning.

Though Howell said the body has preliminarily been identified as Nash’s, final confirmation will come from the Georgia Bureau of Investigation Medical Examiner’s Office.

Since the body was found outside Hoschton’s jurisdiction, Howell said the GBI and the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office now are handling the investigation.

In a press release, Howell said he would not comment on the cause of death until an autopsy had been completed.

Nash was last seen on Friday in a residential subdivision in the area of Ga. 124 and Maddox Road between 5 and 6 p.m. At 7:30 p.m., Nash called and spoke with an officer at the Hoschton Police Department. However, Howell would not elaborate on what was discussed.

But in the release, Howell stated that Nash often called the police department to check on its officers.

"John Richard Nash was a friend to all of the officers with the Hoschton Police Department, and he often called during the beginning or end of a shift to ask us how our day had been," Howell said.

Between 20 and 30 volunteers, the Jefferson and Braselton police departments, Jackson County Sheriff’s Office, West Jackson Fire Department, Jackson County Emergency Management Agency, Jackson County Rescue, Jackson County Correctional Institute, Citizens Emergency Response Team, an amateur radio club, and Tracy Sargent with K9 Search and Rescue and her search dog, Cinco, all helped in the search.

At the close of his release, Howell also said this about Nash: "John was a true friend of the Hoschton Police Department and truly cared about the quality of life of those that lived on West Jefferson Street. His efforts to make life better for those that live in this area of Hoschton will not be soon forgotten.

"During our frequent conversations, John would often say that ‘the only easy day was yesterday.’ His words could not have been more true."