The search for missing boater Harvey Cox, 58, was terminated Thursday, after the Georgetown County Sheriff's Office discovered Cox had taken a several cabs from Murrells Inlet to Marion, where a friend picked him up and took him to Florence.
According to Georgetown County Deputy Russell Goodale, Cox was last seen in the Florence County area just after midnight on Tuesday, January 18th.
A warrant, obtained by NewsChannel 15 from the Florence County Sheriff's Office, shows Cox is wanted for Lewd Act with a Minor Under the Age of 16. It says the crimes happened at Cox's home on Laurel Lane between July 2008 and January 2011. The sheriff's office has entered Harvey Cox in a national database as a wanted person. They're not actively searching for him because they're not sure where to begin to search. Deputies say Cox knew he was going to be interviewed about the lewd act on Tuesday morning, before he disappeared.
The South Carolina Department of Natural Resources, the Georgetown County Sheriff's Office, and the Coast Guard searched for Cox in the waters off Murrells Inlet Tuesday and Wednesday after his boat was found empty in the inlet.
Duck hunters found Cox's boat in the grass about one mile north of the Murrells Inlet Public Boat Landing on Tuesday morning. His Toyota truck and boat trailer were also found at the landing. Cox's wallet was inside the boat.
Cox's family told officials they knew he was going out on the boat, but didn't know where he was.
Deputies are asking anyone with information to call the Florence County Sheriff's Office at 665-2121 or Pee Dee CrimeStoppers at 667-TIPS.
