New Jersey man, 61, found dead on Appalachian Trail in PA: reports

NEW JERSEY – A New Jersey man was found dead along the Appalachian Trail in Pennsylvania on Sunday, according to multiple reports.

The body of 61-year-old Raghu Kodali was found in a wooded area near the trail in Lehigh Township near Blue Mountain Ski Area around 3 p.m., Morning Call reported.

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The search, supported by K9 units and multiple fire departments, began late Saturday when Kodali did not return home, Lehigh Township Fire Commissioner Rick Hildebrand told LehighValleyLive.com. Kodali’s car was found near the Blue Mountain Ski Resort.

According to NBC Philadelphia, the New Jersey resident was from Whitehouse Station in Readington. He was described as a diabetic man in need of medical attention, according to a search alert re-released by the Lehigh Township Police Department.

The Appalachian Trail runs 2,190 miles from Georgia to Maine. It is unclear how far Kodali intended to travel along the way.