The body of a British tourist who vanished two years ago after getting into a taxi in the US has been found.
Alex Hodgson Doughty was visiting North Florida in September 2022 when his mum reported him missing. She contacted local police after failing to reach him, concerned about his wellbeing.
According to a previous missing persons report, the 32-year-old was last located at a bar and grill in Jacksonville at 3:30pm before being dropped off by taxi to Kingsland, Georgia, an hour later.
In January 2023, his mother Pamela Hodgson wrote on a Facebook page: “Alex has been missing now for four months. Please help find him. While there are still uncertainties in Alex's disappearance … it is believed he stopped in Callahan and/or Fernandina, Fla., on this journey.”
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She added that Doughty hadn't 'been in contact with his friends or family' since he got to Florida and that they were 'extremely worried' about him.
Nearly three years since his disappearance, the FBI Jacksonville Division released a statement last Friday (21 February) that they had located his remains on 4 February 2025 in a wooded area on private land near Kingsland.
“While we had hoped to bring Mr. Doughty’s family better news, we are thankful to be able to provide them with some closure," said Special Agent in Charge Kristin Rehler. "This discovery is the direct result of our partnerships and special agents from FBI Jacksonville’s Cellular Analysis Survey Team (CAST), who were relentless in their efforts to narrow down potential search locations."
The UK citizen’s identity was confirmed by the Georgia Bureau of Investigation medical examiner, and no criminal charges are expected.
Since Doughty’s mother reported him missing in 2022, investigators from multiple federal, state, local, and international agencies have contributed to the search for answers.
A release from the FBI added: “In addition to the efforts of law enforcement, the Doughty family thanks the volunteer search teams who contributed their time and resources in six additional searches.”
A Facebook group had reportedly offered a $5,000 reward to find the British man, and those who might have had information on his whereabouts were urged to contact Kingsland police.
According to First Coast News the FBI made use of phone-based technology to track Doughty's location.
"This isn't a traditional investigative technique, such as interviews", an official said. "We used phone-based location information and geolocation information derived from electronics we surround ourselves with every day to retrace their footsteps and to narrow a search area."
The case was investigated by the FBI Jacksonville Division and State Attorney’s Office for the Fourth Judicial Circuit, Thames Valley (UK) Police Department, Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office, and Kingsland (Georgia) Police Department. Additional local law enforcement provided resources to aid in the search.
Jess Battison