DeKalb police searching for beloved fixture of Tucker HS sports games

DEKALB COUNTY, Ga. — DeKalb County police are searching for a beloved fixture of the Tucker community with mental disabilities who vanished on Saturday.

James King, 57, known as “Coach Bud” was last seen leaving an Applebee’s on Lawrenceville Highway around 10 p.m. He hasn’t been seen since.

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King is described as 5′8″ and 200 pounds with brown eyes and grey hair. He was wearing a burgundy hoodie sweatshirt, khaki pants, black and white sneakers and was carrying a black winter jacket.

King has been a longtime fixture of Tucker High School sports and was at the school’s basketball game earlier in the night.

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“Bud has mental disabilities, does not own or operate a vehicle, no credit cards to check for any purchases to identify any normal activity, rides Marta buses to go to Tucker each day and back to his family home in Decatur,” his family wrote in a GoFundMe set up to help fund the search.

The community is gathering for a search for King at the Applebee’s on Memorial Drive near his family’s home on Thursday at 4 p.m.

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“We’ve searched in person for him by driving through the streets, alleys, looking in the woods, under bridges, stopping in on local businesses asking for any leads, and checked with the hospitals, jail, and county coroner office,” his family wrote on GoFundMe.

Community members filled social media with posts about “Coach Bud.”

“He is from Tucker and has been Tucker High School’s biggest fan forever. I went to Tucker High and he was at every sporting event. He’s known and loved by all,” one Facebook user wrote.

DeKalb police is asking anyone who sees King to call 911 or SVU at 770-724-7710.

You can contribute to the GoFundMe HERE.

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