Great Smoky Mountains National Park Searchers Locate Body of Florida Man

GREAT SMOKY MOUNTAINS NATIONAL PARK - On Tuesday, May 24, search dog teams called in by Great Smoky Mountains National Park Rangers found the body believed to be that of 58-year-old David Harrington of Largo, Fla., whose SUV had been parked for nearly a week in a pullout along Newfound Gap Road.

The pullout is .6 miles from the Smokemont Campground, but serves no trailheads, so vehicles would not normally be there overnight. Rangers initiated a search on Monday for Harrington, while at the same time, continuing the search for Christopher Cessna, the missing man from Cary, N.C.

Rangers ran checks on Harrington’s car’s license plate several times over the past week, but there were no outstanding warrants posted by any law enforcement agency seeking the vehicle and the vehicle provided no reason for suspicion upon inspection.

On Monday night Rangers were able to locate family members and learned that Harrington had been missing. A search dog from the North Carolina Search and Rescue Dog Association located the body in a steep, thickly wooded location about 250 yards from the vehicle. National Park Service investigators found a handgun at the scene and no evidence of foul play.

The Swain County Medical Examiner’s Office has determined the cause of death to be from a self-inflicted gunshot wound. The body has been transferred to Chapel Hill for a dental records evaluation to confirm identification.

Great Smoky Mountains National Park Chief Ranger Clayton Jordan said, “The role of the search dogs and their volunteer handlers was key to locating this subject so quickly and safely. In the type of steep terrain and dense brush in the search area it could have taken numerous ground searchers an extended period to complete this mission.”

Sunny Side Trail is new Scenic Byway

SEVIERVILLE - The Tennessee Department of Tourist Development has launched the Sunny Side Trail, the second trail to officially open in the Discover Tennessee Trails & Byways statewide program.

The Sunny Side Trail will highlight more than 330 significant tourism sites, promoting Sevier, Cocke, Greene, Washington, Unicoi, Carter, Johnson, Sullivan, Hawkins, Hancock, Hamblen and Jefferson counties.

Discover Tennessee Trails & Byways is a statewide initiative encompassing all 95 counties along 16 regional trails, and featuring Tennessee's five National Scenic Byways.

1875 Harrisburg Covered Bridge in Sevierville is a point of interest on the Sunny Side Trail.

In addition to the Tennessee Department of Tourist Development and Department of Transportation, state agencies participating in the trails program include the Departments of Economic and Community Development, Environment and Conservation, and Agriculture.

Jump-start your journey in Dolly Parton's hometown, Sevierville, and relax with a little outlet shopping before winding through Smoky Mountain backroads and lush Appalachian countryside.

See carriage makers, glassblowers, potters and blacksmiths at Gatlinburg's Great Smoky Mountains Arts and Crafts Community and stop at the Newport/Cocke County Museum for Appalachian and Native American Artifacts.

Click here for a link to the trailmap or get more information here.