GREENSBORO - Search teams spent Monday probing the area in and around Guilford Courthouse Military Park in search of a local musician who went missing from his home Sunday.
Just after 4:30 p.m., crews called off their search for Russell James Peck, 64, after a day tracking through the woods in heavy snow failed to produce results.
Peck, who is well known for his orchestra compositions, went missing from his home at 3605 Brandywine Drive after failing to return from a walk.
A search began in the rain Sunday afternoon and resumed Monday morning following the heavy overnight snowfall.
Peck is known to frequent running trails in both Guilford Courthouse and Country parks, where authorities spent much of their time Monday, said Capt. Janice Rogers of the Greensboro Police Department.
"We did about everything we could do (with a search) without even knowing for sure he was even out here," Rogers said.
"He could have gotten in a vehicle, walked off on foot or caught a cab - we really don't know."
Rogers said crews searched both parks by foot, on all-terrain vehicles and did a surface search of all ponds and waterways.
She said crews do not plan to resume searching on Tuesday, but may search the area again later in the week once the remaining snow melts if he isn't found.
Peck is a white man, 6 feet tall and weighs 153 pounds. He has gray hair, blue eyes and was last seen wearing a navy blue sweatshirt, black sweat pants and white sneakers.
According to past news articles about his work, Peck's musical career began in childhood and has continued as he's produced countless works inside of a small studio at his home.
His work has been performed thousands of times by hundreds of orchestras in the United States and internationally, including performances by the London and Montréal symphonies.
He is also well known for his work with the Greensboro Youth Symphony.
His best known pieces include Harmonic Rhythm timpani concerto, The Glory and the Grandeur percussion concert, The Thrill of the Orchestra narrated demonstration piece and Signs of Life for strings, according to his web site russellpeck.com.
"The symphony builds up a momentum and inspires a certain feeling you can't get anywhere else," Peck said in a 1998 interview with the News & Record..
"The symphony makes you feel 10-feet tall and gives you a sense of grandeur in what's possible with being a human being. It's like looking at the Earth from outer space."
His family was not immediately available for comment Monday afternoon.
Anyone with information about Peck's whereabouts is urged to call Guilford Metro 911 at 373-2222 or Greensboro police at 373-2255.
Contact Ryan Seals at 373-7077 or ryan.seals@news-record.com
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