Family desperate to find man with Alzheimer's who wandered away from senior home

HAPEVILLE, Ga. — UPDATE: Hapeville police announced Thursday morning that family members had identified the body of Ozzie Murphy. He was found Tuesday and taken to a hospital, where he died. Read the latest here.

The family of a man with Alzheimer's disease says it is desperately searching for him after he walked away from a Hapeville senior living center.

Ozzie Murphy was seen Monday night at Hapeville Manor along Coleman Street in Hapeville.

On Wednesday afternoon, Murphy's fraternity brothers and family passed out flyers in the area around the senior home.

"If anybody find(s) him or see(s) him or see(s) someone who might be with him, your job is to notify the authorities," said Julius Murphy, the missing man's son.

Friends, family and Murphy's fraternity brothers from Omega Psi Phi met Wednesday afternoon at the senior care facility to begin a search party.

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"It's that bond, that relationship, and when one hurts, all hurts," said fraternity brother Marques Fletcher.

Murphy has Alzheimer's. His son told Channel 2's Lauren Pozen that his fear is his dad won't be able to ask for help or tell someone he is lost because of his condition.

"His communication is a little bit lower at this point. He doesn't communicate as well. He will use a lot of physical gestures to communicate," Julius Murphy said.

The group said they won't rest until Ozzie Murphy is found safe.

"We are going to stop at some of the local businesses and put flyers out there and see if anyone has seen or heard from him," Fletcher said.

Through this difficult time, Julius Murphy said it's the support from the brotherhood of Omega Psi Phi that's helping him stay positive.

"At times like this, no matter how negative it could be, it shows the type of person he is and the community we have been brought upon. Omega Psi Phi has been big in both of our lives," Julius Murphy said.

The fraternity brothers told Pozen they have contacted other chapters throughout the state to let them know that Murphy has disappeared.

They're on alert for him.

Ozzie Murphy is 6 feet, 2 inches tall and weighs around 155 pounds. If you see him, you are asked to call police right away.

Cox Media Group