73-year-old man found dead in Chatham County in apparent hit-and-run

At approximately 9:30 a.m. Tuesday the family reported Cotton missing. Investigators began searching, and at approximately 3 p.m. sergeants found his body.

The family says Cotton had walked to his brother's house and was headed home when he was hit.

"The loss is hard to put into words," brother Walter Cotton said.

According to family members, the community of Bear Creek is small enough that most residents know all their neighbors. Many of Cotton's family members live on the same road. "Everybody knows us here," said one family member. He believes, "[The culprit] is most likely someone we know, who's afraid to speak up."

Officials don't know how exactly whether or how long Cotton was alive after being hit, nor how long he lay in the ditch. This leaves family members wondering whether or not Cotton suffered for long and why nobody stopped to help.

Cotton's son, Stephon Cotton, said, "I don't understand how you can hit somebody and just leave them there."

Officials are still investigating.