In the wake of the case of Meredith Emerson, questions arise about other cases that are unsolved still, but have similar traits to those of Meredith Emerson. Which brings the inevitable question:Is Gary Michael Hilton responsible for all of these disappearances and/or murders? Here are some that are being checked out to see if there is a connection:

John and Irene Bryant: A couple in their 80s who disappeared in October while hiking in the western North Carolina mountains. Irene Bryant’s body was found the next month; her husband remains missing but is presumed to have been killed.

Patrice Tamber-Endres: Her body was found behind a Dawson County church in December 2004 several months after she disappeared in 2006. She was a hairdresser in Cumming

Cayle Bywater: She was last seen with her dog at Memorial Park in Athens on the afternoon of Dec. 29.
*updated*

Cheryl Hodges Dunlap : Her body was found Dec. 15 in the Apalachicola National Forest in Leon County, FL. It is rumored, but unconfirmed that she was also decapitated. Authorities announced today, Jan. 9, that Gary Michael Hilton is indeed a suspect in her murder.
Now I wonder if there are others and how many?
Hikers’ Disappearances May Be Related
Missing hiker cases connect
Missing woman suspect linked to 4 murders?
Suspect in hiker’s disappearance may be linked to 3 other cases
HIKER’S BODY FOUND: Similar cases may be linked
Meredith Emerson Case Linked to John and Irene Bryant Murder
Come and discuss this case (and many others) at my new discussion forum: Discussion Forum









January 9, 2008 at 6:28 am
[...] January 9, 2008 · No Comments Gary Michael Hilton – Serial Killer? [...]
January 9, 2008 at 7:27 am
Do you think he murdered Cheryl Hodges Dunlap? It’s likely Hilton is well-practiced in the taking of human life. (I’ve hiked in the area where Emerson was abducted. One must be extremely cautious on these Appalachian Trail access paths.) I think we have another serial murderer on our hands- a “Watcher in the Woods”, so to speak. For the sake of the families of these missing/deceased people, I certainly hope they can tie Hilton to other unsolved cases. In any event, we should all be extremely relieved that this dangerous psychopath is in custody.
January 9, 2008 at 4:02 pm
Yes, he has been identified in the Cheryl Dunlap case.
January 9, 2008 at 4:24 pm
And what about the 1997 killing of 9 year old Levi Frady?
Gary Hilton was released from prison in 1995, and in 1997 Levi’s body was found dumped in the same forest area where they have now found Meredith Emerson.
Plus, the police composite of the suspect looks a lot like Gary Hilton, and was described as “a white male, in his 50’s and “scruffy” looking, and walked “stooped”.
It’s possible that Gary Hilton may have been killing people and dumping them in various parks for over 12 years… and was the reason for Georgia creating the ‘Levi’s Alert’ system for missing children.
January 9, 2008 at 5:22 pm
Alan,
You have a good point. That is one that should be checked out. I am going to look at that one and post on it also. I am glad you said something.
January 9, 2008 at 6:37 pm
I know that life imprisonment for Gary Hilton would be cheaper than putting him to death…But it just seems that when a crime is so horrendous–that he made her his captive for 3 days, and probably raped Meredith Emerson–that monster should pay with his life.
January 9, 2008 at 6:40 pm
Gary Hilton committed such a heinous crime that the death penalty seems to be the only way to assure the public that this monster will not kill again.
January 9, 2008 at 8:38 pm
I saw this guy in my neighborhood several times, and he always gave me a very creepy feeling. I knew something was not right about him. I just wish he could have been convicted of some small crime and put behind bars and potentially detained from committing more severe crimes such as what it appears he may be responsible for now. It’s truly horrible.
January 10, 2008 at 2:22 am
Somewhere online there’s a man by this same name connected with a Doctor and a tax scam. Interstingly enough the Doctor ran a mental health facility and the patients were in on the sacam. Could this be him?
January 10, 2008 at 3:51 am
Peter, if they find that he indeed is responsible for Cheryl Dunlaps murder … I can almost assure you that the prosecutors in Leon/Wakulla Counties will seek the death penalty. Georgia may not seek the death penalty, but Florida will fry him if he is found guilty!
January 10, 2008 at 5:59 am
Mikah – It appear the mental patient in Colorado involved in a tax scam is a different Gary Michael Hilton.
January 10, 2008 at 6:17 am
Ironically, in early 2007 there was a widely distributed email warning that there was a serial killer stalking the hiking trails of Georgia, Florida, Tenessee, and the Carolinas. The email said the killer was raping/killing female hikers, decapitating them, and that the police were covering up the simularities of the killings. Police were asked about the email, and responded that it was a hoax.
But in December, after Cheryl Hodges Dunlap was discovered in a forest park near Tallahasee there was a rumor she had been decapitated. When asked if the body had been decapitated the police refused to deny or confirm the issue. Meanwhile, a forest ranger had written the tag number of Hilton’s van for camping in the area, and the masked man that used Dunlap’s Debit Card has exactly the same build and posture as Hilton.
January 10, 2008 at 10:46 am
What about the recent disappearances of Kyle Fleischmann and Justin Gaines? They were never found and both disappeared under strange circumstances.
I really think this Hilton guy could be responsible for numerous murders and I hope he is really looked into for many cases. This guy has been grazing around the southern US (or even broader) without a physical home and living out of the mountains.
I hate to get into his mind…but if he was mentally messed up enough to kill this girl, he could have became obsessed with it long before and went to a life of murdering people and really…go unnoticed because of his living circumstances and unusual behavior.
This guy could have some kind of hideout in the mountains where he has multiple bodies or even people still alive that he has kidnapped. I fear that unless he cracks, we may never know. Fortunately, the serial killers usually do eventually spill the beans because they always want to be “more famous” than the last serial killer.
This is all just horrible and my VERY first thought whenever the Meredith girl went missing was that he was connected to the Bryant’s disappearance. I have an eerie feeling he is now, and for many others’ since they are now thinking he is responsible for one in Florida.
January 10, 2008 at 12:14 pm
The Florida police have now admitted that Cheryl Hodges was also decapitated.
A Tallahassee ATM video camera showed a thin man wearing a homemade mask, long sleeve shirt, gloves, goggles, and a black knit cap using Hodges debit card.
In October, a police car dash camera taped Gary Hilton (wearing a black knit cap) being chased off private land by a Georgia police officer.
In December, Hilton was repeatedly seen camping in the Tallahassee area from December 7th (by a hunter) until December 28th (by a forest ranger). A check by an officer showed there was an outstanding warrant for Hilton for recieving stolen merchandise in Miami… but it HAD EXPIRED NOVEMBER 9TH.
This means that when the Georgia officer questioned Hilton on October… there was an outstanding warrant for him! I bet the police officer is kicking himself today for not running a full check. If he had, both Meredith and (apparently) Cheryl would have been alive today.
Also, while Hilton was in the Tallahassee area, on December 15th an elderly woman named Osteen was abducted in the middle of the night. (She is still missing) Her sister described the intruder as ‘a white man who is balding and has short gray hair’. Sound familiar?
January 11, 2008 at 4:03 pm
I remeber hiking in the smokies (tn) in 1996 with my family and there were signs posted everywhere warning that there had been two female hikers murdered on the Appalachian Trail that May. After doing some research, I have since found out that they arrested a man they thought had committed these murders, but have since let him go since they have DNA evidence of a male suspect, but it wasn’t his……just wondering…
January 11, 2008 at 4:54 pm
This guy looks like a man who came into our walmart store to do a return without a receipt. We turned him down because when we used his ID he already had 5 previous at 5 different stores. When we looked at the store list they were all in the N.C., Ga., and Tennessee mountain areas. Might be how he was getting gas money to travel around?
January 12, 2008 at 7:44 am
I hike the North Carolina area frequently where the older
couple was killed and am always amazed to see young women hikers alone. I always hike with my German Shepherd and can take care of myself.
I reported this at the hiking store recently after a hike and commented to the store owner”whats wrong with these girls”?
Everyone should appreciate that not everyone you meet on the trail is out enjoying Gods creation.
Be cautious ,wary,and use good judgment and never hike alone. Mace is not a bad idea either.
January 13, 2008 at 8:09 pm
This reminds me of a case that goes back 20 years ago in VA. The Colonial Parkway Murders. Couples were being murdered along the parkway and along trails. There are some differences. But serial killers change and develop as they go on. I keep wondering if this psycho was in VA during that time. He’s 60 years old, and I cringe to think how long he has been doing this or how many victims are out there. I read most of thiese killers begin in their 30’s or so. It’s scary and so sad. I used to hike alone until the Parkway Murders and that made the woods look so different and less appealing to me.
January 13, 2008 at 10:37 pm
Even death penalty is too good for this psychopathic monster. He should be executed by Ling Chi, an ancient Chinese execution method, meaning “death by a thousand cuts”.
January 14, 2008 at 12:17 pm
There is a case here in Murfreesboro, TN of an elderly woman named Marcy Smith. She disappeared on or around the 5th of December. Her family reported her missing and her SUV was found at Wal Mart. An elderly man was seen driving it, and he was caught on video leaving the vehichle after parking it between 2 big trucks, taking a bike which was not hers out of the back and peddling away. The video is blurry and his face is not decernable. Her body has not been found, and interest has shifted to her husband. From what I’ve seen, Hilton could very well have been in the Murfreesboro area. If he was involved in the murder of the elderly couple and tried to use their bank cards in Ducktown, that is only about 2 and a half hours east of Murfreesboro. His next known location was at the forest in Tallahasse, FL., only 8 hours south of Murfreesboro on the 7th, plenty of time to drive from Murfreesboro after the 5th. Just a thought. Even though the suspect left on a bike, it is suspected he had a vehicle somewhere else. Although Marcy Smith was 69, she does bare a striking resemblance to some of the other victims. Of course, I am only going on bits and pieces I catch on the news. I don’t know if Hiltons whereabouts are accounted for for any of this time and I’m sure there are things about the Marcy Smith case that are kept out, but I would like to know.
January 16, 2008 at 11:13 am
I am hoping that FL, GA, NC, SC, and TN will be able to close some cold cases for many years back…I would not be surprised to hear he’s been doing this for 30 years or more. I’d bet money that he isn’t new to this.
A timeline of his whereabouts for at least 30 years needs to be done. Hope law enforcement will ASK the public to help and actually follow up on the leads.
I’m willing to bet Hilton had something to do with at least 4 murders/disappearances here in the Tallahassee, Fl area while he was “visiting”. (a man found o Tram Rd, a man found in an RV, Cheryl Dunlap, and the disappearance of Judith Osteen from Old Town, FL).
I suspect he just circles TN, FL, GA, SC, NC back and forth….commits his crimes and heads out…I am sure he is the man that drove into my driveway one day as I was unloading plants from my truck….said he needed gas money as he had left his wallet at home…constantly looking over his shoulder at traffic, and chatting on and on….even though he tried to smile and look pleasant there was an underlying creepinees that set me instantly on edge. Think this is one of his ways to get people up close….I am glad for the traffic that day!
I hope anyone that thinks they have seen him (anywhere) will get the info to Law Enforcement to build a timeline.
He’s been doing this for a long time….hope no more deals for him….unfortunately, he would still live on for a long time in prison before the sentence could be carried out (appeals). We could hope for an escape attemt and a good marksmanship of a deputy….
I am hoping that Law Enforcement will cooperate with each other, and allow the public to help….Public turned out to be of great help in catching him….Law Enforcement, quit cutting the public out(as they did in Tallahassee)….even going so far as to call the public” liars” when one tried to warn people of a possible serial killer. I hope Law Enforcement will also make more of an effort to follow up on leads (instead of ignoring some GREAT tips in Tallahassee).
I admit I am angry about Cheryl Dunlap…and the way her case was handled (only info the public got from the sheriff’s dept. was incorrect/inaccurate)…This very sweet, kind woman deserved a better investigation.
January 19, 2008 at 6:48 pm
I was doing a web search on Gary Michael Hilton and came across your blog. I’m wondering if he has ever been in Texas. Around the year 2000, back when I was in college, I was driving home late (2am) from a friends house and was followed and almost driven off the rode by a man in a Chevy Astro van (white). I have never forgotton his face nor his long forhead and bald head. I see his picture on the news and I get a little wigged out seeing it (almost like he is familiar to me). I can’t help but wonder if this is who was following me and trying to run me off the rode 8 years ago. Just a thought. Wish I knew where he had lived before.
January 21, 2008 at 10:56 pm
He may have also been responsible for the death of my mother.
January 21, 2008 at 10:57 pm
myspace.com/regankendall
January 22, 2008 at 10:22 am
This guy is the Zodiac Killer – fits the profile to a “T” (age, hair color – when younger, motive – just likes to kill, military history, etc…) – and if I recall correctly Zodiac’s last letter stated he was “headed to the mountains for a while”… We need to get this guy’s DNA into a database quick!! Bet it would solve numerous crimes!!
February 5, 2008 at 12:16 am
[...] visitor resource centre – Last Updated – Thursday January 31 Request a Trackback Gary Michael Hilton – Serial Killer? In the wake of the case of Meredith Emerson, questions arise about other cases that are unsolved [...]
February 5, 2008 at 7:46 am
I live in North Georgia Mountains. He lived in the Rockcreek and Deep Hole area for several month until Game wardens went head to head with him. He laid out in a parking lot of a local store talking to his dog. He became upset that a store up in this part of the mountain did not sell Iams. I think he has been killing for a very long time and his love for dogs helped get him caught. I would like to know what this man has done and where he has lived. I feel there is a long trail.
Many of us ladies have always felt safe in the woods. I hike with my boys . We have never known fear up here. I do now. I reminded the boys of the day we encountered him and who he was. He acted like he was sick and weak my oldest son thought I was mean for not helping him. He gave me cold chills. I can not get over how close we could have come. I believe Meridith tried to help the poor old man and it got her killed. A very slow death which makes him even scarier. This man has been encountered multiple times by law enforcement and managed to get away with out alarming them. The zodiac killer is very interesting. I just feel in my heart he has been killing for a very long time. He was not running in fear. He was very calm. He let the dog go which put the police on his trail. Ella got to have her say.
February 10, 2008 at 12:33 pm
Wanda, you were so right in listening to the “still, small voice” within your head. Bless her heart, Cheryl Dunlap was such a strong Christian, that she helped him anyway, even though the still small voice may have been crying “no, no!”. But that voice is put there within us by God to keep us safe.
Yin Bin, I have to admit to so many thoughts just like yours ever since Hilton was caught. I, like many on this blog, am a woman who used to hike along a LOT. Scary to think that Hilton may have been waiting for me, too. He probably has a long trail; I agree with the other bloggers here.
Let the punishment fit the crime! If he’s in prison for any length of time, he may get his just desserts, it will just take time. The cops didn’t put a bullet proof jacket on him in the trial for nothing.
February 12, 2008 at 5:16 pm
curious in cola- the bad thing is he wont confess because he doesnt want the death penalty which he got out of for meredith but if he confesses to others they can give him the death penalty if i could only get my hands on him the son of a bitch would talk i guarentee it maybe one day i will in which case ill make him confess on tape and then kill him and leave him to rot in the woods
February 15, 2008 at 8:24 am
I personally knew Cheryl Dunlap. She was undoubtedly one of the sweetest, most caring and loving individuals I have ever known. My mother and her were very close and as were my sisters and I. I find this whole thing to be sickening and gut wrenching. It makes my heart ache for all of these friends and families. One thing I do know for sure is that Cheryl was devout in her faith in God. She had a profound trust and belief in God and she professed it daily in her actions and words. I am pleased to know that she is in a much better place today, but the thought of her family, her sons and friends having to go on without her here brings tears to my eyes and an ache to my heart. Of course to lose someone so dear to your heart is already one of the most painful things, but in this manner and way is absolutely horrifying. I pray peace upon the family of Cheryl, Meredith, The Bryants and any other dear people who might have been a victim of Gary Michael Hilton. I hope that Florida authorities find and confirm evidence to give him the death penalty. I am so sorry for everyones loss because of the horrible acts of this wicked man. I so wish that there was something we could do to bring them back. All I know is that I hope a lot of people (women especially) are a lot more careful when alone doing anything. It only takes a matter of seconds, you can never be too prepared. Also, authorities and officials will not disregard criminals for “small” acts of violence. It always starts with ust a “little”, Gary Hilton didn’t become a serial killer overnight. It was little by little. Be careful out there, we live in a world full of hatred and violence. It’s sad but true. God have mercy and protect us.
~Amber Collins (Pensacola, FL)
March 17, 2008 at 6:05 am
so many others …www.glennindawson.blogspot.com
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QIj3rE2NaTw – 88k – Similar pages
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QIj3rE2NaTw
YouTube – In Memory of Meredith Emerson
After I made the video montage dedicated to Steve and Meredith, Steve asked me … This is a video response to Tribute to Meredith Hope Emerson 1983 ~ 2008 …
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ARtBfVSs04g&watch... – 63k – Similar pages
[ More results from http://www.youtube.com ]
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ARtBfVSs04g&watch_response
Firstgiving Blog: Tribute to Meredith Hope Emerson 1983 – 20…
Tribute to Meredith Hope Emerson 1983 – 2008. Firstgiving would like to thank Susan Bongiorno for creating and sending along this incredible video in …
firstgiving.typepad.com/communityblog/2008/01/tr… – 18k – Similar pages
http://firstgiving.typepad.com/communityblog/2008/01/tribute-to-mere.html
Tribute to Meredith Hope Emerson 1983 ~ 2008 – Video Spider….
Tribute to Meredith Hope Emerson 1983 ~ 2008 I’m sure most of you have heard about the tragic disappearance and murder of hiker Meredith Emerson. …
http://www.videospider.tv/Videos/Detail/1461974039.aspx – 51k – Similar pages
http://www.videospider.tv/Videos/Detail/1461974039.aspx
World All Offerings For Prayers, Worships, departed, traditi…
Tribute to Meredith Hope Emerson 1983 ~ 2008 · Bless · Alvin and the Chipmunks-Bleed it Out … Brad Renfro Tribute · My message to. …
http://www.worldallofferings.com/index.cfm?activevideo=... – 96k – Similar pages
http://www.worldallofferings.com/index.cfm?activevideo=2&showvideos=1&showall=0&nav=3
UGA Scholarship Fund In Memory of Meredith Emerson | News Ch…
Jan 28, 2008 … “I think this is a wonderful tribute to her, I think the spirit of Meredith … Once established, the “Meredith Hope Emerson Award for Study …
http://www.wneg32.com/index.php/news/article/uga-schola... – 29k – Similar pages
http://www.wneg32.com/index.php/news/article/uga-scholarship-fund-in-memory-of-meredith-emerson/631/
Meredith Emerson – Mahalo
Official MySpace Page: Meredith WARNING: Set to private; YouTube: Tribute to Meredith Hope Emerson 1983 ~ 2008 (Time 4:23) …
http://www.mahalo.com/Meredith_Emerson – 62k – Similar pages
Nancy, I have found women clothes, shoes, purses, his burial grounds etc. Why is the media avoiding this story like the plague? He helped write for Murder Run in the North GA Mountains: Sauel Rael. How simple is this, A serial killer with a script? How many movies were in the past or in the future? How mny victims; alive and dead? Why aren’t these questions nswered? Shame on the Media. Here’s why: Meredith should have been rescued, she did her part. She was my neighbor for just 4 days… glennindawson:L Retired: AFD Squad #%
– epic poems, spoken poetry, poem interpretation, life poetry, famous poetry
Web ResultsYouTube – Tribute to Meredith Hope Emerson 1983 ~ 2008
I’m sure most of you have heard about the tragic disappearance and murder of hiker Meredith Emerson. Her story has touched me deeply and I like so many othe …
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QIj3rE2NaTw – 88k – Similar pages
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QIj3rE2NaTw
YouTube – In Memory of Meredith Emerson
After I made the video montage dedicated to Steve and Meredith, Steve asked me … This is a video response to Tribute to Meredith Hope Emerson 1983 ~ 2008 …
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ARtBfVSs04g&watch... – 63k – Similar pages
[ More results from http://www.youtube.com ]
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ARtBfVSs04g&watch_response
Firstgiving Blog: Tribute to Meredith Hope Emerson 1983 – 20…
Tribute to Meredith Hope Emerson 1983 – 2008. Firstgiving would like to thank Susan Bongiorno for creating and sending along this incredible video in …
firstgiving.typepad.com/communityblog/2008/01/tr… – 18k – Similar pages
http://firstgiving.typepad.com/communityblog/2008/01/tribute-to-mere.html
Tribute to Meredith Hope Emerson 1983 ~ 2008 – Video Spider….
Tribute to Meredith Hope Emerson 1983 ~ 2008 I’m sure most of you have heard about the tragic disappearance and murder of hiker Meredith Emerson. …
http://www.videospider.tv/Videos/Detail/1461974039.aspx – 51k – Similar pages
http://www.videospider.tv/Videos/Detail/1461974039.aspx
World All Offerings For Prayers, Worships, departed, traditi…
Tribute to Meredith Hope Emerson 1983 ~ 2008 · Bless · Alvin and the Chipmunks-Bleed it Out … Brad Renfro Tribute · My message to. …
http://www.worldallofferings.com/index.cfm?activevideo=... – 96k – Similar pages
http://www.worldallofferings.com/index.cfm?activevideo=2&showvideos=1&showall=0&nav=3
UGA Scholarship Fund In Memory of Meredith Emerson | News Ch…
Jan 28, 2008 … “I think this is a wonderful tribute to her, I think the spirit of Meredith … Once established, the “Meredith Hope Emerson Award for Study …
http://www.wneg32.com/index.php/news/article/uga-schola... – 29k – Similar pages
http://www.wneg32.com/index.php/news/article/uga-scholarship-fund-in-memory-of-meredith-emerson/631/
Meredith Emerson – Mahalo
Official MySpace Page: Meredith WARNING: Set to private; YouTube: Tribute to Meredith Hope Emerson 1983 ~ 2008 (Time 4:23) …
http://www.mahalo.com/Meredith_Emerson – 62k – Similar pages
Meredith is only one of Gary Hilton’s many victims both living and deceased, many are in prison, and many are in graves. I feel that our Justice System is broken to allow such a tragic incident to happen. He was the creative Writer for the Movie: “Murder Run in the North GA Mountains: Wolfcratch. How many movies did he act out/ How many victims are there, and why is the media shut down. I feel that Hilton is not the first, last, or only. God, I hope I am wrong, but I am confident that I m not. Please help me get Justice for Meredith and his many other victims.
Sincerely: Glenn Adams: Wolfscratch
I have backtracked Hilton since 01/06/08, he is the Hannibal Lectar of the 21st century. It is my opinion that he is not the first, last or only, or the Murder Run Movie ios not the only movie he stared in or intended on making.
I am a dowser, and have found 6 of his burial grounds, I feel he has many more. This is not conjecture. I called out the K9’s, they were blocked. Safety tips blog was shut down twice with 3000 comments total. Contact WXIA TV, Atlanta, GA, and voice your opinion of this censorship; nonsense. Lack of media truth is why he was allowed to do his evil deeds for decades!…
I documented my findings for protection and memory purposes. I know where he has been in;”Wolfscratch”, and what he did while he was here. I even took on his physical apearance and was assaulted twice, because of this.
I will not give up on getting justice for his victims until: I am committed, arrested, or my dowsing rods point to me!…
Glenn Adams; wolfscratch
March 17, 2008 at 6:48 am
In my search for the truth concerning Hilton’s rein of terror, I have uncovered many ironies; He was arrested for 3 counts of attempted murder when he torched his fiancees house with her and her parents inside. This was in Dekalb Co., GA. The arrest records are available, the Court Records: Vanished! Who was the Judge? DA? Arson Investigator? Arresting Officer? Does the Brian Nichols case or fiasco have anything to do with the records disapearing?
Hilton was ritual killer. This is why he had no victim profile. I have tied 15 identical traits to; Joshua from the “Old Testament. He was a soldier, as Hilton portrayed. Hilton hijacked hs traits in an evil way. Joshua took the helm when Moses died at the top of Mount Pisgah. The Bryants were captured at Pisgah National Forrest. It is my opinion that Hilton’s next movie would have been tittled “The Jerrico Wall”.. I will elaborate later……
Wolfscratch
March 19, 2008 at 7:12 am
Finding the white clay substance, at two of his campsites that is similar to the white clay, of the mask Hilton, used when he us; Mrs. Duncan’s; ATM cards is why I am leaning in this direction: Hilton emulating Joshua in an evil way.
White clay substance: Dowsing rods indicate it is of human origin.
Hilton carried a Huge Huntint Knife; similar to machette
Appalacian Mountains: Ancient; oldest in the world.
Steve Watson: “I saw him standing in front of the abandoned; Densmore House like a statue.” Joshua did this after conquering a people.
Joshua stood on a mound, like a statue, after conquering Jerusalem, Hilton always camped near East Mississipian; Indian Mound. The Cherokees called them; “The Ancient Ones.”
Gary Hilton collected the Mound Dwellers; Artifacts, and adorned his victims graves with them. He could read the signs in these artifacts, which were tools and artwork made from rocks.
Appalachicola Indians: Appalaciatian Mountains named after them. Appalacicola; where Mrs. Duncan, was taken.
Amicacola River; same size as Jordan river, where it dumps into the dead sea.
Ritual Killer; Joshua, would hang victims from a tree until sundown, then perform rituals on them.
Joshua was the Soldier’s soldier; Hilton claimed to be a two tour of Vietnam; Airborn Army Ranger. He actually went to Germany, as I. In his deviated mind he believed this to be true, and carried himself as it were true. While back-tracking him, this was very obvious. He left his campsites as they were when he arrived; as rangers are trained. He would bury his trash in black plastic bags.
If you observe; Hilto, in court, he carries himself as a Soldier, showing no remorse, as did the Oklahoma; Fed Bldg. bomber; McVay…
Joshua, ha one member from each tribe under his command. I am concerned that Hilton, did not act alone!
How many decades, has this Evil, demonic, ritualistic, cannibalistic: SERIAL KILLER, of Hannibal Lectur; magnitude, been doing his dirty deeds? How many others are involved? Why was he not encarcerated in 1982; for life, in Dekalb Co., GA. Why have the Court Records Vanished?
These are only a few of the questions, that the media needs to be asked…
Will it be 40 years before Hilton’s victims are reunited with their families? The Truth will perservere!…
Wolfscratch; may they rest in peace…
March 19, 2008 at 11:48 am
A few points that were left out in my last post:
The white clay mask was placed on the Skull during burial rituals in the Neolithic(Stone) Age. The people buried their dead beneath the floors of their dwellings. The burials were very elaborate, and included the molding of a clay shell over the skull. Sea shells were used as the eyes. This clay mask is identical to the one Hilton wore.
The E. Mississippian Indians built rock walls that were used to trap fish when the river got out of it’s banks. Hilton Stayed near these walls in Wolfscratch/Dawson Forest; WMA. The Jerrico wall.
He marks his burial grounds, which have multiple graves, with multiple remains in many of them, with glass canning jars. His victims are decapitated with glass jars. And Hilton destroyed; man, woman, young and old, with the edge of his sword, as did Joshua..
Joshua rose early in the morning. The abandoned house is less than 300 yards from my home, it is for sale, with sign. I woke up at 4 AM, every morning he was here with knots in my stomach. I have never done this before or since…
It was reported by the GBI that; Hilton has MS. He was self diagnosed MS, and had a DR., Prescribing him Riddilin in large doses. I feel he has CJD; Creichfield Jacobs Disease. Research this. The GBI; PR unit said Hilton held Meredith for 3 days: Tues, Wed, Thurs, Friday = 4 days: GBI Math! Following SOP, and a simple 911 call by John Tabor would have captured Hilton and rescued Meredith Emerson, I am confident of this. I saw his vehicle in the woods next to my house on thurs., but thought it was campers. The GBI, did not get this info to the media…
He used broomsticks, in a perverted way. IMO
Wolfscratch: may they rest in peace…
March 19, 2008 at 12:34 pm
Bonnie, by the way, that’s my wife’s name. I have put my family and friends through severe stress through out my journey to get Justice for Meredith and Hilton’s many, many victims. I feel that I am being led by his victims. I can not explain why I can see things that I shouldn’t, know things that I shouldn’t, or find things that dogs cvan’t find. I just know that I have, and I can’t get any help from Law Enforcement, only hinderance. They don’t have a clue and don’t want one. IMO I feel that tyhey are in the PR; CYA mode due to the ramifications of what I have been reporting since 01/06/08: Over 100+ victims in graves and in Prisons. Just my Humble Opinion.
If anyone saw the new show; “Castlebury’s Law”, this will give a clue to my knowledge on this subject. I would much rather the news media do this, but they seemed to be in hiding…
Wolfscratch; may they rest in peace…
March 19, 2008 at 2:25 pm
This is my response to another bloggers question; why is the media silenced about Hilton? Why do they keep censoring my posts and closing blogs that I comment o? There are many possible reasons for the silence:
Indictment; against the Justice System: 100’s of innocent people in Prison. If your spouse or lover came up missing, and you did not have an alibi, you would be charged, and with an indictment above 90%, chances are you will go to prison. Gary Hilton was a secret until; January of 08…
The “Good Ole Boy”; network, has been retributing amnd intimidating the common folks, while letting this evil demonic serial killer, live in our community, oblivious to LE.
Embarrassment and Pending litigation from admitting incompetence.
Upcoming Presidential and other Elections; politics.
Truth of 1982 Court records; Dekalb County; 3 counts of attempted murder by Arson.
For this to have gone on for so many decades, there has to be other people involved, IMO. Were they people in authority? Is this being investigated by a higher power? In my opinion, it is….may Hilton’s many, many victims rest in peace….
Wolfscratch…
March 19, 2008 at 3:23 pm
If it has not been sensored yet, you can click my name and go to my blog where I have a few pics of my journey and the Tribute memorial I built for Meredith Hope Emerson.
My plan for the Memorial is; Get media attention while letting people visit it at 105 Goshen Church Rd, Dawsonville GA, 30534. I am in the process of adding music and placing it on Utube and My Space. After a few months I will try to get sponsors to place it at Licensed Animal Rescues for a few months, to help them with donations and adoptions, then pass it on to another. I feel that this is the least I can do in her memory, she was my neighbor for just four days…
Wolfscratch….
March 19, 2008 at 3:57 pm
This blog was censored by : “The King” at WXIA T, for not agreeing with his philosophy. It had 2000 comments, The next blog which was started by loyal bloggers was: What happened to safety Tips? It had 1200 comments in 4 days. The 3rd blog, was called What Happened? If you say: Santa says Ho Ho Ho Ho merry Christmas, it will display as “Santa says ** ** ** ** Merry Christmas. What is Santa to do? That’s WXIA TV topix.net, ridiculous!
—– Bonnieglenn@aol.com Wrote —–
Oops! We can’t find the webpage you’re looking for
Here are some suggestions:
Check the address for typing errors such as ww.example.com instead of http://www.example.com
If you are unable to load any pages, check your computer’s internet connection.
If your computer or network is protected by a firewall or proxy, make sure that your browser is permitted to access the Web.
ORTry a Search
enhanced by google
AOL Search
search
Wolfscratch
March 19, 2008 at 4:10 pm
Linda Bass, Most of these LE Departments are in the pre 09/11/08; mode or strategy. It is the us against them attitude, or the “This case is under investigation;” routine.
This policy is causing precious lives, due to the loss of resources. The American public could be the eyes and ears of LE, but due to EGO’s, it is not utilized, and it is free. AMW; 985 Fugitives apprehended due to public involvement. When will they learn, lives are too precious to gamble with!
Wolfscratch…
March 19, 2008 at 4:19 pm
I am going to give a descriptive name to Gary Hilton that should paint a picture for the bloggers, that is based on my findings: Evil, Demonic, Caniballistic, Ritual: SERIAL KILLER: The Hannibal Lectur, of the 20th and 21st century. I would to love to put him to death for his evil deeds, revive him, and repeat, however he doesn’t care. He would be a Lieutenant upon arrival in Hell! If he has CJD, he has a short life span. He needs to be studied and interrogated to get the truth about any accomplices…..
Wolfscratch; taking a break so someone can post…
Wolfscratch
March 19, 2008 at 4:42 pm
My reply to Sleddog, from another blog. He is a researcher, and had a map with Hilton’s possible victims on it. Over 200, from Vermont to Florida, and west to Memphis, TN. M. King at WXIA, censorsed this valuable info. He should be ashamed..
Sleddog, how was the Ididarod? Notice you are plural. How’s the trip? I am very concerned that the fox is investigating the henhouse robbery in this incidence. Seems obvious to me that he had accomplices, I feel that they are destroying evidence as these items and info, that I have discovered are being ignored.
The room in the Abandoned house by my home is identical to the one on the Tallahassee News; site Murder Movie of Rael’s.
Sleddogs, thanks for your concern and much apreciated support, trust me, the PTSS, is only a minuet part of this equation.
I sure do miss your victim map. Could you re post it? How many possible victims are on it now? Did you ever find Vann Mason.
By the way, you sure show up at the darnedest times..
About your BIL, tell him I said hello, and he knows the old, “you go we go; rule, well Hilton’s victims, are gone
March 19, 2008 at 6:34 pm
This poem is inscribed in the White Cherokee; marble memorial, with a scene of Meredith and Ella, enjoying the peace , tranquility and spectacular views of the Appalacians…
Glenn Adams
February 17th, 2008 at 2:31 am Meredith Hope Emerson, loving, caring, an important part of nature, She and her dog Ella, loved the mountains and outdoors. Where the rhodendrum grow , the hemlock stand tall, and the Eagle soars, Just sitting marvelling at the appalacians; so majestic with splendor, She and Ella, playing, hiking, and bonding with love, The forest, inhabitants; birds, and deer meander, The meadows in Bucktown, will take your breath, and wild azaleas bloom, The sun rising high, the forest comes alive, the honey bees and Butterflys. Black bears just lumbering along, the birds singing mother nature’s favorite song. Hikers come from all over to hike the AT, some hiking it short, some hiking it long, She and Ella thought of this as a paradise, for whatever it’s worth, When they were one, with the earth, my only request is, and I pray, That they meet again on that endless Rainbow Bridge, entering Heaven , Someday. In nature she’ll be missed, by family, friends, and loved ones. As our somber nation prays, she was my neighbor for just Four Days….
March 20, 2008 at 2:17 am
wolfscratch
There are two metal real estate signs; From two different Mountain Properties;located near an abandoned house at Hwy 183 and Afton Rd., Dawsonville, GA 30534. The RE companies are located in; Murphy, NC. Hilton used these signs for two purposes: 1. In case LE caught him on the posted land, he would tell them that he worked for the RE company, and was placing the land on the market; cagey and calculating. 2. He also used the two signs for blinds to hide his and Meredith’s presence, under a large hemlock tree.
I called the broker, the signs were like new. I ask if he and his competitor were missing them. He said yes, so I ask him to find out where the property is that they came from, and report to LE. He camped at these locations nd graves may be located there. I called Murphy, NC; Sheriffs, Dawsonville Sheriffs Dept. This was weeks ago. The Signs are still there. I rode back by a couple of days later and 2 wo Buzzards were perched above two gravesites that I located. Damn
March 20, 2008 at 11:25 pm
From Wolfscratch: someone email the: “; wxia KING”, CBS and ABC together lost nearly 2 million viewers, or a combined 10 percent, during the Iraq war period, according to NIELSEN MEDIA RESEARCH. tell him: with love from “Wolfscratch”.
Hello bloggers: I hijacked LB’s PC…
Fungsway: Google earth zip code 30534, Dawsonville, GA Hwy 9 South of dawsonville about 5 miles: Atlanta tract of Dawson Forrest: WMA; Lockheed nuclear testing facility, near where Levi frady was found. Hilton and another man’s sketch is on his site, and Hilton is on Patrice Endres’ site. Check it out.
LB; told me that Hilton’s ID# has 666; in it. Not to scare anyone, but my ss# does too. Had it since I was about 17 years old= 40 years…never thought about it before now…
All my emails and comments on gretawire are vannishing, like the DC;GA court records.
Check to see who represented Hilton in the Arson case. If it was the moviemaker. Wouldn’t Arson be a violent crime, especially with 3 people, inside?
Yall take care and keep in touch, their is LE; everywhere in Wolfscratch, don’t know what their doing. Hope they do. I will come back tonight when it cools down. I will be lerking, but will keep it toned down, so yall can blog.
2 and 5 tv’s; filmed the abandoned house on 01/07/08. Am I the only one that thinks the room with the mattresses, is identical to the one in the movie. Read up on Joshua, Moses, and Neamiah; Jerrico Wall, We haven’t led you astray yet, I am not going to start now. This scenerio began 40 years ago, when I was sent to live with my Aunt Grace: “Amazing Grace”, I am confident of this….
Wolfscratch. I will attempt to post on Gretawire: sent her some pics, fox news is going to the Supreme Court; to fight for the 1st Amendment; seems that Cher let, a 4 letter word slip during a concert they were broadcasting. Cher, is a 4 letter word, isn’t it? I told them they should use the Stormy Weather: Defense. What ya think?
Wolfscratch
March 21, 2008 at 8:55 am
I have learned of a PR campaign, that started on 01/06/08. The press conference by the GBI, concerning Meredise Emerson: Blood Mtn. Hiler; AT, and the Capture of Gary Michael Hilton. I am still wondering why they labeled this a press conference. The only answer that I heard quoted by the GBI; agent in charge of the mission wsa’ “NO COMMENT THIS IS UNDER INVESTIGATION”.
This attitude of us against them, leave the public and the media is the pre 09/11/01; strategy that contributed to the demise of Meredith Hope Emerson, and the incompetence that caused her life, his mny other victims, both in graves and in prison due to Hilton. being oblivious to LE. From info, that I have gathered backtracking Hilton for 2 months, info from the internet, and near of a dozen of his prey, that go back decades, as well as two of the GBI’s; own website, with their own; Sketch Artist, that have been on the web for 10 years: Levi Frady, and Patrtice Endres. I met the other person on Levi’s site. Why hasn’t he been interviewed in 10 years. Why wasn’t Hilton encarcerater for life when he torched his fiancee’s house with her and her parents inside; 1982; Dekalb Co., GA ?
He made the ‘Murder Run”;Sameul Rael: movie in 1995. A SERIAL KILLER WITH A SCRIPT:
How simple cvan that be.
I know their is alot of Justice Dept officials and Law Enforcement that are very Honorable. Please stop giving them a bad name and quit spinning this “BLUNDER!
A simple 911 call at the Huddle House at 5 Pm on 01/03/08; from Hilton, to John Tabor would have captured Hilton and Rescued Meredith Hope Emerson, In My Opinion.
The Spin the GBI PR unit and the GA State Legislature is putting on this Story is a Disgrace! In my Humble Opinion. Please stop the Backpatting, this operation was not a success, due to incompetence and the pre 09/11/01: antiquated Strategy.. May his many, many; victims rest in peace..
Wolfscratch: Glenn Adams
March 21, 2008 at 8:57 am
Meredith Hope Emerson, was a typo on my last, I apologize for this error…
Wolfscratch
March 23, 2008 at 1:07 am
I just received an email about the AJC: article. This article has been spoon fed by the GBI’s Elite PR Squad; ‘Propaganda and Rumor’ SQUAD. IMO. After reading the article at AJC.com about Meredith Emerson; fighting Hilton, it is filled with half truths and info to intentionally paint an eroneous picture in the mind of the reader. One example of this is: she appeared to be going along with her abductor, as Hilton described, Keenan said it was only to survive. “She struggled to live,” the GBI director said.
Hilton knew he was a wanted man, telling investigators he had followed the AJC’s coverage of Emerson’s abduction. On the day she died, Jan. 4, he was pictured on the newspaper’s front page alongside a story in which police named him a “person of interest” in the Buford hiker’s disappearance.
That day, Hilton said that he told Emerson “she was going home.”
Although the AJC paper referred too, was Jan 4, 2008(papers arrive one day early here) one block from where he made the Huddle House phone call. He had the paper in hand when he ask directions to a pay phone, and called John Tabor for money to get out of town with. Tabor who was working in conjunction with the GBI; set the scheme, or sting up, that in my opinion not only contributed too, but CAUSED MEREDITH’S DEATH! A SIMPLE 911 CALL, THAT ANY 7 YEAR OLD CHILD WOULD MADE, would have resulted in the capture of Hilton and the RESCUE OF MEREDITH. Due to this deviation in SOP, Hilton went into the “Rid evidence; mode”, which included Meredith. I feel that Meredith, would be celebrating Easter with her loved ones, including her precious lab; Ella, if the GBI had put the info out to the public sooner(I saw his van in the field at 6PM: Thurs1/03/08), and thought they were campers. The GBI didn’t notify the local Law Enforcement, of his presence, according to my info, and missled the media, by corraling them and the volunteers at Blood Mountain, to prevent interference with their investigation.
Their pre 09/11/01; strategy, in my opinion contributed to her demise and prevented her from being Rescued on the first day.
Hilton was the creative writer of the Murder Run Movie: by Samuel Rael. I have located his burial grounds: EIGHT TOTAL. I called the K9’s to verify and they were blocked by Law Enforcement? WHY? How hard is it to apprehend an : EVIL, DEMONIC, CANNIBALISTIC, RITUAL: SERIAL KILLER, that has a moviescript.
May all Hilton’s Many, many
victims
,receive Justice! May they rest in peace!!!
WOLFSCRATCH; vinny
The ladies pants, with the pink panties attached, that I found after Law Enforcement responded t, Hilton’s Wildcat Tract: Dawson Forest; Campsite, are still on the ground with a few more leaves on them; like a piece of discarded trash. You can view them at :www.glennindawson.blogspot.com
Keep Meredith, and his other victims in your prayers this Easter. May they rest in Peace….
Glenn Adams: wolfscratch
March 23, 2008 at 4:27 am
Bloggers, Happy Easter. I can’t think of a better day for Devine Intervention to take hold, can you?
As I said 2 months ago, I have much more info to share, as I get that missing piece of the puzzle. Please help me diseminate this info to other websites and news media. As the little facts slip out here and there the truth will eventually emerge, and the Victims will receive Justice, despite certain media outlets and the Justice Systems efforts to impeach the messenger and sweep this tragic affair under the rug. Thank everyone for their support and encouragment:
Hello bloggers, you too shippy. Shippy, you sure have been stirring up a lot of bloggers, on a lot of different sites, you furry wascal..
I can talk until I am blue in the face, but you are so good at what you do, you remind me of a camelian; “Solid Gold”. Too bad you can’t do nothin else…
Man I have bigger and more important things to get my BP; up about:
Heres one of them:
janetlsingh // January 9, 2008 at 6:59 pm
thats very sad that a woman is not safe to do what she wants to do. these are some trying times. what he did to her was unreal and i pray he gets what hes got comeing to him and not set free. he had no right to kill her. it makes me so angry about people like him walking the face of the earth.
Linda Bass // January 14, 2008 at 6:31 pm
I am hoping that Gary Hilton is looked at for any unsolved murders for Fl, Ga, NC, SC, TN for at least the last several years….minimum.
He didn’t “just start” murdering….I’d love to see him looked at for murders in this same area for at least 35 years (or back to just before his DUI in 73 or thereabouts).
In the Tallahassee Florida area about the time he was here there were 4 “deaths”…2 men and 2 women….1 man in an RV, one man found off Tram Road, Cheryl Dunlap and in nearby Old Town, FL Judith Osteen was abducted from her home by a man fitting Hiltons description….I am hoping FDLE looks at Hilton for all these (if the shoe fits).
I had an encounter with Hilton in my driveway…he drove into my driveway as I was unloading plants from my truck and started a rambling, nervous, odd conversation along the lines of needing gas money as he had left his wallet at home….I was instantly uneasy with this man and dug into my pocket and handed him a few dollars….never taking my eyes off him….he left with “I’ll come back in a few days and repay you…” A few days later I found a butcher knife on my back deck…..didn’t put it together then….
I hope a LOT of unsolved cases are looked at now and I expect Hilton will fit the perp to a T.
I’d even like to see him looked at for Adam Walsh’s murder….I think he’s been active that long…..
The other is the “Proclamation by the Legislature”, on a job well done by Law Enforcement; The Meredith Emerson Fiasco; This is a disgrace and they should be ashamed!..
This evil demon has been slaughtering our families, friends, and love ones for decades, oblivious to LE, and should have been encarcerated in 1982, had the Justice System worked. The truth would be an Indictment on the Justice system The Truth will prevail! May Gary Hilton and Associates; many, many victims rest in peace……
Wolfscratch
The truth is coming out slowly: cannibal, rapist, were two new verifications of what I visioned on 01/06/08, and for a few days later. I could not only see where he had been, but what he did when he got there. He tortured his victims, as well as performed rituals, and marked his gravesites with glass canning jars, to be able to relocate them, in case of his extended absence.
Is imperative, that bright minds research the connection between him and Joshua, of the Old Testament. He has no less than 15 identicle traits. Hershey says, “There is no such thing as coincidence!”
I found another book yesterday; “The Dead Sea Scrolls”, don’t know what this means, but it must be pertinent. I guess I m just talking to myself. My comments are vanishing….like the 1982 Dekalb County, GA; Court Records when Hilton, torched his fiance’s house, with her and her parents inside: Three counts of attempted murder by Arson; a cowardly crime and a feeble attempt to cover this miscarriage of justice, up! A “Nifong”; manuever, in my opinion. I know the answer, I just need verification. Does the Brian Nichols; case; have any significance?
Wolfscratch
March 23, 2008 at 7:55 am
The AT stats aren’t that accurate in my opinion. Van Mason Oct. 2004; found near where Meredith was taken, had a broke neck. Had a treelimb in his hand: Ruled accidental fall from tree. Yea right!
Gary Hilton, tried to capture another female hiker the day before he took Meredith. Says he took her for her money, yea right. Took Mr Bryant instead of Mrs. Bryant for PIN numbers. Yea Right.
One more time: Gary Michael “Mack” Hilton: Evil, Demonic, Cannibal, Ritual: SERIAL KILLER. In my opinion, and this is not conjecture, Hilton had no victim Profile, due to the ritual killing. 11 year old: Levi Frady,Forsyth Co, GA, Oct 22, 1997. Patrice Endres: Hairdressor; Forsyth Co, GA 2004, and Mrs Bryant; Pisgah Nat. Forrest, NC; 83 years old.
The verification of cannibalism, lends credence to the Creichfield Jacobs Disease; theory. This can be a result of Cannibalism; symptoms similar to MS; causes cell mutation; which in turn causes a demonic personality. Hilton fits the Bill! Check the Harvard University Study, on a New Gennea tribe of cannibals. Wickopedia.com
Wolfscratch
March 23, 2008 at 6:11 pm
Wolf: Happy Easter to you. Looks like I finally found where you have been posting your new info. Will check back here since never catch you ” you know where”.
March 23, 2008 at 8:30 pm
Had The “King” at WXIA TV #11 not “Shut Down” the “Safety Tips; blog”, and 3 others, they could have read this breaking news on or about 01/10/08…
I would like to Salute the AJC and the Reporter that reported this story: a flicker of light shining through;
GARY MICHAEL HILTON; EVIL,DEMONIC, CANNIBALISTIC RITUALISTIC: SERIAL KILLER: HANNIBAL LECTUR OF THE 20TH AND 21ST CENTURY..
ajc.com > Metro > Atlanta
Hiker never gave up fight, Hilton said
By RHONDA COOK, CHRISTIAN BOONE
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Published on: 03/23/08
Gary Michael Hilton acknowledged that the petite woman nearly overpowered him when he first accosted her. As they struggled near the Appalachian Trail, Meredith Emerson disarmed her attacker of a knife and baton.
Hilton eventually subdued Emerson, kidnapped her and later killed her. She did not make it easy for him, according to interviews Hilton gave to investigators that were obtained by The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
RELATED LINKS:
• More Atlanta news
• More Metro news
• Metro photo galleries
Speaking to Georgia Bureau of Investigation agent Clay Bridges only days after killing the young woman, Hilton said: “I think it was you probably, or one of the GBIs, said ‘That little 120-pound-girl about probably came close to whipping your ass.’ She about did.”
Her life in danger, Emerson fought back using her strength, her wits and a large measure of courage and determination. In the four days after she disappeared on a Blood Mountain hiking trail in Union County, investigators said, Emerson never gave up.
Bridges said he talked with the South Florida-born vagrant as authorities drove him from the Union County Jail to the Dawson Forest Wildlife Management Area, where Hilton killed Emerson. Hilton made a deal with prosecutors that he would lead investigators to her remains, if they would not seek the death penalty.
As they descended the winding North Georgia mountain roads, the Army veteran casually detailed the abduction and slaying of the 24-year-old University of Georgia graduate.
Bridges said Hilton clearly relished the attention, and authorities described his account as “self-serving.”
Still, Emerson’s tenacity and smarts are evident throughout, and, despite Hilton’s best attempts, her actions overwhelm the one-sided narrative.
“She was doing everything she could to stay alive,” GBI Director Vernon Keenan said. “It’s not something you can train for. Instinct kicks in. … She nearly got the best of him. … She’s very much a hero.”
Meredith Emerson was described as “feisty” by her roommate and close friend. Her Judo teacher said at 5 feet 4 inches and 120 pounds, she “trained with us like she lived every day — hard and with everything she had.”
Hilton, 61, told investigators he abducted her because she was a woman.
Easy prey, he figured.
‘Wouldn’t stop fighting’
Both were with their dogs when they met near the Appalachian Trail in Union County on New Year’s Day. For a time they walked together, but, as Hilton later admitted, he couldn’t keep up with her and fell behind. He intercepted her on her way down, producing a military-style knife and demanding her ATM card.
Without pause, Emerson fought back.
“The bayonet is probably still up there,” Hilton told Bridges. “I lost control, and … she fought. And as I read in the paper, she’s a martial artist.”
Emerson, who held a green belt and a blue belt in two different martial arts, grabbed the blade.
He countered with a baton. She grabbed it, too. They stepped off the trail and fell down a slope, leaving the weapons behind.
“I had to hand-fight her,” Hilton said. “She wouldn’t stop. She wouldn’t stop fighting,” he said. “And yelling at the same time. … So I needed to both control her and silence her.”
He kept punching her, so hard it left both her eyes black and may have fractured her nose. Hilton said his hand was broken by the blows. He figured she had worn down, and they moved farther off the trail.
Then Emerson started fighting again. He finally got her to stop by telling her all he wanted was her credit card and PIN. He then restrained her hands with a zip tie.
Then, Hilton told Bridges, “I had to go back and clean the crime scene.”
But he couldn’t find any of his weapons. He said he spotted three hikers nearby and assumed they had found the knife and baton.
It was one of several close calls that continue to haunt Hilton’s captors. On at least three other occasions before he killed Emerson, Hilton crossed paths or was in the vicinity of law-enforcement officials.
On the day he abducted her, he was worried police officers might be waiting for him in the parking lot as he led Emerson back down the mountain, staying off the established trails. He assumed whoever retrieved his baton and knives had called police, or perhaps they had heard Emerson’s cries for help.
Apparently no one did.
Without incident, Hilton placed Emerson and her dog, Ella, in his van and secured his victim with a padlocked chain.
Chained or bound
In the following hours and days, Emerson kept Hilton off-balance by repeatedly giving him the wrong PIN for her ATM card but assuring each time that this time the numbers were correct.
She bought time with that ploy. Three days.
“That’s one thing that broke my heart in this case,” Bridges said. “She was doing everything she was supposed to do to stay alive, and we didn’t get there in time.”
In recounting conversations with Emerson, Hilton revealed himself as a killer without shame or remorse — and unwittingly provided testament to her resolve.
Hilton said he and Emerson camped all three nights during a spell of bitter cold.
To keep her from running away, he usually kept a chain or nylon rope around her neck and she was often tethered to a tree or inside the van. When they slept, Emerson was tied to him so he would know if she tried to escape.
Hilton claimed he tried to make Emerson comfortable, at one point saying he gave her the warmer sleeping bag because temperatures had dropped to 4 degrees. He offered her aspirin for a lingering headache that followed their fight the first day.
“I was solicitous of her … comfort and everything else,” said Hilton, seemingly oblivious to the contradiction.
Perhaps one of the most chilling details followed, as Hilton nonchalantly told Bridges, he raped Emerson that first night. He was angry she’d made him drive around from bank to bank and still had nothing to show for it.
Their second day together, Hilton set up camp in Dawson Forest, where they hiked for several hours. He insisted she was free, but he also said he told her he would shoot her and anyone around if she tried to get away.
“We took both dogs and went hiking along Shoal Creek,” Hilton said. He said she was not bound while they hiked.
If she appeared to be going along with her abductor, as Hilton described, Keenan said it was only to survive. “She struggled to live,” the GBI director said.
Hilton knew he was a wanted man, telling investigators he had followed the AJC’s coverage of Emerson’s abduction. On the day she died, Jan. 4, he was pictured on the newspaper’s front page alongside a story in which police named him a “person of interest” in the Buford hiker’s disappearance.
That day, Hilton said that he told Emerson “she was going home.”
“I said, ‘I’m giving you all your stuff back.’ I had all her stuff bagged up together. I made a point of showing her.”
They drove to the spot where he would kill her. On the way, they passed a law-enforcement officer.
“I waved at him,” Hilton said. “It was that close.”
Though a police bulletin had been issued for Hilton’s van with a DeKalb County license plate, by then he had switched that tag for a stolen North Carolina tag.
“I walked her into the woods,” Hilton said. He carried two sleeping bags, an air mattress “for her to sit on,” two bags and a chain.
“Secured her to a tree. Walked back to the van. Kinda got myself together. Made some coffee.”
Killing was difficult
When he came back to her, Hilton said with a little laugh, Emerson told him, ” ‘I was afraid you weren’t coming back.’ ”
He gave her a book to read, “Cannibals and Kings: Origins of Cultures” by Marvin Harris, walked behind her as if he were going to remove the chains holding her to the tree and hit her several times with the handle from a tire jack.
Hilton both killed and decapitated Emerson in a vain effort to destroy evidence that might incriminate him.
Hilton was worried about another piece of evidence that might link him to the slaying — Emerson’s dog. She had told him the Lab-mix carried a microchip identifying it as her pet.
“If I wanted to ensure that no one would associate the dog with her, I would’ve killed the dog,” Hilton said. “But there’s no way I could do that.”
He had no such reservations about killing Emerson.
“Was it difficult for you at all?” GBI agent Bridges asked after Hilton finished his account of the murder.
“It was like an out-of-body experience. It was surreal. … You look back on it, and you say ‘That wasn’t even real.’ You might say it was an altered state. …
“It was hard,” Hilton continued. “You gotta remember we had spent several good days together.”
More on ajc.com
Hiker never gave up fighting, her killer told investigators
Hiker never gave up fight, her killer said
LEGISLATIVE BRIEFS: Bill would aid solving of crimes
Case closed
Serial killer experts target Hilton case
Meredith Emerson’s death haunts lead GBI investigator
Hilton indicted in killing in Florida
Hilton, a serial killer? Experts examine profile
Women vow to ‘take back’ hiking trail
Hiker fought Hilton until death.
Wolfscratch; May she rest in peace. She was a kindred spirit, and a fighter. If we could only fight half as hard….
March 24, 2008 at 5:37 am
WolfS: In your own way, you are fighting hard to see that the true story comes out. Reading this article was a heartbreaker. Sounds like she did everything “right” to make a friend with Hilton…forget what that’s called…but nothing worked.
Now I’m wondering if one should just run if you ever find yourself in this situation…and take your chance at being shot. Sounds like she was trying to build up his trust by hiking with him waiting for a chance to get away when he would be “off guard”.
Glad to see that Rhonda and Christian cared enough to write this story. They’re talking about it now on Fox and Friends!
Take care dear friends in Georgia.
March 24, 2008 at 9:11 am
Hilton oughta be tied to a tree and set on fire!
March 24, 2008 at 6:43 pm
If I remember correctly Hilton, had 3 bb pistols in his van, when he was apprehended. IMO, these pistols were used to keep dogs, away from him and Dandy, and any other dogs in his presence. It could possibly have been used in the Murder Run scenario. My question; Why Three?
Wolfscratch…
March 25, 2008 at 3:40 am
Bloggers,
The following is the interview with GARY MICHAEL HILTON: SERIAL KILLER. It is very Graphic. It is very traumatic to read. I am very confident that he has been doing his evil deeds for decades. May his many, many victims rest in peace…
Wolfscratch
http://www.11alive.com/news/article_news.aspx?storyid=113395
March 25, 2008 at 3:43 am
Reb, fire is his friend, he is Satan’s Desciple….
Wolfscratch…
March 25, 2008 at 3:53 am
If you complete this lenthy interview, you will see where Hilton says that he went from Gainesville to Daholonega. and Hwy 52 W. This is the direction of the abandoned House, where he actually held Meredith. He was visualoly sighted ther by Steve Watson, at 9 AM on Friday, 01/04/08. He was also confronted at little Mill and Hwy 306 at 2 PM, on that same day, trying to gain entrance through the fence at the Nuclear Facility, and a locked Dumpster. He does not Law Enforcement to know where his other victims are hidden. Meredith was placed in the Atlanta Tract, temporarily. This is why he only covered her remains with leaves.
This is similar to alot of birds deflection of preditors from their young….
Wolfscratch…
March 25, 2008 at 5:22 am
WolfS: maybe he used bb’s guns to kill small animals like rabbits, squirrels for food. What do you think about that? He seems like he was resourceful. BBL…we need food in house here, too. Can’t survive much longer on candy bars and hot chocolate.
March 29, 2008 at 3:42 pm
Gary Hilton, while held in the Dawson County,GA; Detention Center, was asked, by one of the correction officers,” If you are so intelligent, why did you get arrested. Hilton’s reply, “They haven’t caught me since I was; Fourteen Years old!” Was he just boasting” I am confident that he has been killing for decades….This is not based on conjecture….
Wolfscratch
April 5, 2008 at 3:03 am
Meredith Hope Emerson, loving, caring, an important part of nature, She and her dog Ella, loved the mountains and outdoors. Where the rhodendrum grow , the hemlock stand tall, and the Eagle soars, Just sitting marvelling at the appalacians; so majestic with splendor, She and Ella, playing, hiking, and bonding with love, The forest, inhabitants; birds, and deer meander, The meadows in Bucktown, will take your breath, and wild azaleas bloom, The sun rising high, the forest comes alive, the honey bees and Butterflys. Black bears just lumbering along, the birds singing mother nature’s favorite song. Hikers come from all over to hike the AT, some hiking it short, some hiking it long, She and Ella thought of this as a paradise, for whatever it’s worth, When they were one, with the earth, my only request is, and I pray, That they meet again on that endless Rainbow Bridge, entering Heaven , Someday. In nature she’ll be missed, by family, friends, and loved ones. As our somber nation prays, she was my neighbor for just Four Days
April 5, 2008 at 3:04 am
Arrests Made in Dangerous Forest Park Armed Robbery
Last Edited: Friday, 04 Apr 2008, 11:26 PM EDT
Created: Friday, 04 Apr 2008, 11:26 PM EDT
Arrests in Forest Park Armed Robbery
ATLANTA (FOX 5) — FOX 5 viewers have helped police captured some dangerous armed robbers. Last Friday FOX 5 showed you the incredible surveillance video from a hold up in Forest Park. Five men — all armed — roughed up and robbed a clerk and some customers. Doug Evans reports. Click video for more information. SideBar
Related Items
Stories
Chilling Forest Park Armed Robbery Caught on Tape
Forest Park Police Search for 6 Armed Robbery Suspects
This is why Law Enforcement and the American Citizens are winners when the natural resources of the Public are utilized in crime investigations, as opposed to the us against them strategy employed by many agencies today. Kudoos to Fox 5 Atlanta…
Wolfscratch
Comment by SISSI
April 5, 2008 at 3:05 am
Comment by Wolfscratch
April 5th, 2008 at 5:36 am
PJ, he was my teacher:
Wonder or wives’ tale?
Local dowser sounds ground with brass rods
By Jeff Warren
Trying is believing. I stepped slowly across a burying ground, carrying two brass dowsing rods ahead of me. Held level and a little higher than my waist, the 21-inch rods pointed straight ahead. An additional five and a half inches of brass turned down at 90 degrees through my fingers.
With my fingers curled, the long brass of the rods lay across my index fingers between the hand and first knuckle. At the 90-degree bend, the short handles pointed straight down, curled inside my fingers, excluding the two smallest digits. The brass rode against the outside of my pinkie fingers. Thumbs stayed folded out of the way.
As I moved on to a grave, the rods turned inward toward each other and aligned parallel to the plot. The sensation was only as eerie as watching the play of a compass needle. I was doing this under the tutelage of an expert, Jasper dowser Joe Chastain.
A longtime resident of Pickens County, Chastain is retired from Lockheed. He started dowsing when he was nineteen years old.
“I didn’t have a teacher,” Chastain said. “The first time I ever used the rods, an old farmer had some. I was in a little disbelief.” But as the rods acted in his hands, Chastain discovered there was something to it.
Tradition calls for a forked peach branch when hunting for water, but that is unnecessary, Chastain says. Any forked stick, dry or green, works just as good, the expert said. “The forked stick that the old-timers use works very good with water,” Chastain said. “It works with me too. I just don’t like it.”
“Brass is easier,” Chastain explained. “I like to think it picks up better, but that’s just me. Aluminum is not good, because it’s too light. It doesn’t feel right in your hands.”
Fine-tuning the art, Chastain discovered he could find most anything with the rods: water pipes; mineral veins; a quarter tossed out on the ground. Chastain said that when crossing a vein of iron ore “the rods will open, close and open again.”
“Water is the most pronounced thing you’ll find when you look for something,” Chastain said. But he said the rods’ reaction to graves is also pronounced.
Some fifteen years ago, Chastain taught Carl Etheridge to use the rods. Now retired from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Etheridge was chief ranger in charge of land management at the Corps’ Allatoona reservoir when Chastain taught him the dowser’s art.
With some information from a member of the Brooke family and his newfound dowsing skills, Etheridge said he located the old Brooke family cemetery on Corps land after a topographical map plotted the graveyard in the wrong position. He located the graveyard in the Sweetwater Campground near Lake Allatoona in Cherokee County, Etheridge said. A monument marks the site today.
Etheridge has practiced his dowsing to a point where he now assists land developers in locating graves to move them. Etheridge said he once assisted an archaeologist, moving some graves. Using his dowsing rods, Etheridge said, he found one more grave than the archaeologist. The scientist told Etheridge he had only found a stump hole and wrapped up the dig without exploring the final find.
Etheridge said he shortly returned to the finished dig and conducted a dig of his own. He said he found an infant grave: coffin hardware and glass from a porthole-style coffin, popular in the late 1800s. Under the glass was the one piece of bone Etheridge discovered in the grave, the back of a child’s skull.
Etheridge said in Georgia’s acidic soil, sometimes all you find in an old grave is a blue residue in the soil indicating where the body lay.
Etheridge said he boxed all the contents of the child grave he found and presented them to the doubting archaeologist.
But if dowsing for graves works, the question is why. Chastain says anything buried, whether once living or not, gives off rings of energy–something like the magnetic lines of force surrounding a magnet.
For the Pickens County Historical Society, Chastain has located what are believed to be unmarked graves at the Fitzsimmons Cemetery at Marble Hill. Society members also believe he has found 20 graves of the previously lost Daniels Cemetery near Tate.
But if folks ask too many questions regarding the science of the process, Chastain sometimes tells them it might more than they need to know. Soft-spoken and slightly mystical in demeanor, Chastain’s large brown eyes peer through eyeglasses with gentle intensity. Around him, you get the sense Chastain is tuned to the natural world.
And while science might attempt to explain Chastain’s locating technique, it would fall all over itself trying to explain some of his other claimed abilities with the rods. The rods can tell him the gender of a grave occupant, Chastain says.
“Normally, on a female, the rod will point to the head,” he explained. “On a male, to the feet.”
Chastain admits he is the only dowser he knows who can make the gender determination. Chastain says he can know if there is more than one occupant in a grave. Sometimes women who died in childbirth were buried with the child lost in the birthing.
But more eerie still, Chastain says he can feel through the rods if a grave occupant died a violent death. He says the brass goes crazy in his hands.
Wives tales? Maybe. I can only say I know the rods aligned with a grave when I stepped across it.
Chastain says focusing your mind on what you are hunting is the key to finding with the rods–tuning yourself to the pointing brass.
“You have to know how to use ‘em. You have to know how to hold ‘em. You have to know how to read ‘em,” Chastain said.
“Don’t bury it,” he said. “I’ll find it.”
Wolfscratch
April 5, 2008 at 3:06 am
I have had support emotionaly from friends, family, and complete strangers, and they will never know how valuable it has been in the journey to get Justice for his victims; both alive and deceased. I have experienced many coincidences, ironies, and said you son of a ****, so many times, I can’t count them all. The journey is not over and I am comitted(Pardon the Pun) to see this through!
I made this statement early in my journey and meant it: I will continue our journey until: I am locked up, comitted, or until my dowsing rods point to me! I hve not waivered, and don’t intend too.
If you want some irony: I found out today; Meredith Hope Emerson’s Boyfriend is a Gwinett Co., GA: Firefighter…
Wolfscratch
April 5, 2008 at 3:07 am
on or about the 10th of Jan., I received info from Steve an eyewitness that saw him in the Wildcat Campgronud of Dawson Forest. My wife had had enough on my weirdness by then and went to stay at my daughters. I went to the campground. When I got 100 yards from his site the demon left my head and I felt euphoria. I knew then his victims had to be near.
After searching and exploring his capsite, I went home, and documented what I found, stayed up all night, talked to Joe Chstin a master Dowser. Got a refresher course from him, made me some dowsing rods from coat hngers, and called my son to meet me there at daylght. He said, “Your Crazy”, “I am not going to do no such thing, I said fine! Well, I got there 2 hours before daylight. Drank coffee, and felt so peaceful and serene. When daybreak came, the woods came alive, and I have never experienced anything as magnificient in my life.! It was as if the animals knew that that Evil Demonic Beast, would never return…..I dowsed the area amd found multiple graves with multiple remains in some. so sad. may they rest in peace…
wolfscratch..
April 5, 2008 at 3:08 am
PJ, I am a dowser, I have located 8 of his burial grounds, he marks them with canning jars. I have found his icebox, he is cannibal. he uses broomsticks. makes ice with 5 gal buckets. Sleddog; a researcher, and a darn good one has a map that is on http://community.myfoxatlanta.com/boards/post.aspx?topic_id=121980 Go back few weeks or to glenn in dawson, which has multiple victims on the Eastern US. Jeremy Jones is one of his associates, I have 5 ore that I feel are involved, two for sure.
It would take weeks for me to tell you all that I know, and all the pieces have not been put together.
I found a religious tpe that describes my journey since 01/06/08, word for word. I am a retired Fire Cptain From AFD Haz Mat High Rise Rescue, help call Squad #%. Demons are very similart to fighting fires. The fire is a demon; tries to prevent you from extinguishing it!
wolfscratch
April 5, 2008 at 3:10 am
Yes, once I have had reflection time I have put many unexplained events together.
I purchased this property to Turkey Hunt; the
Dawson Forest WMA. It had a trailer with a concrete front porch. While sleeping about 2;30 am, someone walked in on me. I was asleep, and told them they must have the wrong address, couldn’t see except his siloutte, and they had 30 seconds to leave or I was going to crank my turkey gun up on them. I heard them close the door, and walk across the porch, went back to sleep. I am confident; That was Hilton.
When I marked the driveway on the ridge behind the house, I found a military tripwire that extended the length of the property;500′. It was his. He carries himself as a soldier.
He moves around with neccessity and from habit…
Wolfscratch;
Hilton tried to capture a hiker Dec 31, 07; the day before Meredith, she was lucky. Hilton had no victim profile: 11 year old Levi Frady to 83 year old Mrs Bryant: NC Hikers, black, white. He didn’t care, he was just evil..
I found the scarf, and a 20# bag of dogfood under the bridge, a few days after he was arrested; 50 ‘ from my property line. I saw his van in the field thursday, at 6 pm, thought they were campers…..
April 10, 2008 at 7:06 am
While googling the GBI Interogation of GMH, I was corrected; FBI Interogation of Gary M. Hilton. We visited the site where Meredith’s remains were found yesterday. It was a very traumatic and sombering experienced.
First, let me say, that I feel that a shabby job was done searching the area where her remains were found. We found a paper towel with fluids on it and singed edges, in the shallow dug hole that contained her head.
I also picked up another gravesite with the dowsing rods, aproximately 80′ NW, of this spot. It may be a grave from an old homesite, don’t think so, it was only one grave. The reason that I feel that it was not searched properly is; a pile of roofing material that had not been disturbed by LE, aproximately 100′ from the site of her head. Hilton would put tin roofing, and other covers over his graves sometimes.
I feel very strongly that Hilton placed these remains there, only temporarily. Once he received the money promised by John Tabor, in Atlanta, I am confident he was going to retrieve them to place in on of his burial grounds. The places he left the remains are too close to hunter, and hiker trails, and would have been discovered. The reason he didn’t dispose of the clothes 20′ from the head, is he was going to wrap it in them when he retrieved it. IMO
I will disect his interogation in the next couple of days. He is very calculating and deflecting.
Wolfscratch.
Go: to Appalacian Trail Murders and share. Please spread the word!
May 13, 2008 at 5:06 am
What I want to know is how many folks in his past tried to warn THE LAW about him, and what type of trouble they brought on themselves for their efforts.
May 13, 2008 at 10:07 pm
http://appalachiantrailmurders.blogspot.com
come visit, stay awhile. Janet
June 14, 2008 at 4:56 am
http://www.blueridgenow.com/article/20080612/NEWS/ 676213198/1008/NEWS/NEWS/Hendersonville_native_eye s_record_hike
Now this is what I call comittment and dedication! “IN MEMORY OF MEREDITH HOPE EMERSON: BLOOD MTN., GA HIKER”
Hendersonville native Jennifer Pharr will attempt to break the supported female speed record for completing the Appalachian Trail, beginning June 20.
Click here to enlarge.
Buy a copy of this picture.
Hendersonville native Jennifer Pharr will attempt to break the supported female speed record for completing the Appalachian Trail, beginning June 20.
As a lifelong customer, she will rely on Diamond Brand Outdoors as her primary sponsor for the journey.
Pharr, 25, hopes to complete the hike between 60 and 80 days. The current record is 87 days, held by Jenny Jardine.
Diamond Brand will provide all the essentials — gear, footwear, socks, maps, and a plentiful supply of energy bars.
Pharr will travel north to south on the Appalachian Trail, beginning in Katahdin, Maine, right after her honeymoon.
Her husband, Brew Davis, will run support for her along the trail. The couple were married June 8 in Charlottesville, Va.
Pharr is attempting the feat in honor of Meredith Emerson, who was murdered on Blood Mountain by serial killer Gary Michael Hilton earlier this year. Hilton is also the prime suspect in the murder of John and Irene Bryant, a retired couple from Horse Shoe who were avid hikers.
In 25 years, Pharr has amassed an impressive athletic resume, having played Division I tennis at Samford University and having successfully completed both road marathons and ultra-trail marathons.
She began hiking in 2005 and since then has covered over 6,000 miles of U.S. National Scenic Trail. She has successfully completed hikes on six continents. This fall after she completes her journey, she plans on starting a hiking business in Asheville.
Wolfscratch: shared by HGTV from TPF C/P by Wolfscratch
July 2, 2008 at 6:44 pm
Is there any evidence that GMH may have been in Pennsylvania in 1969 and 1994. There is an unsolved murder of a young female in the Allegheny region in 1969. The sketches of an unknown man strongly resembles GMH. A postcard, possibly from the perp, was received by le postmarked from either Atlanta, GA or New Orleans in 1979. A memorial was set up on the very spot of her death in 1994 with original newspaper articles from the time of her murder.
July 6, 2008 at 10:00 am
Jennifer Pharr-Davis, feels Meredith’s Kindred Spirit as many across the Nation and World does.
She has channeled these emotions in a positive manner by devoting this challenge to her Memory…
*******************
Not Backing Down:
by Jennifer Pharr
My phone rang on January 3rd.
“Hey, Jen. Glad you picked up. I wanted to make sure you were okay.”
“Yeah, I’m fine.” I reassured my friend. “What’s up?”
“Well, I heard a report on the news that a 24-year-old female was missing after hiking alone in the Southern Blue Ridge and, well…I just wanted to make sure you were okay.”
That phone call marked the moment that Meredith Emerson began to impact my life.
Within the past four months, the deaths of Irene Bryant, Cheryl Hodges Dunlap, and especially Meredith Emerson have deeply penetrated my thoughts and emotions. Like all three women, I love hiking. I have hiked over 5,000 miles in the past three years, and 95 percent of those steps have been taken alone as a solo hiker.
When Irene Bryant, who lived 15 minutes from my hometown of Hendersonville, N.C., was found murdered on a popular trail 20 miles away, I was sickened by how close the event was to me, both physically and emotionally. I remember second-guessing my upcoming day and overnight hikes in the area, and I particularly remember a phone conversation with my concerned dad who begged me to be extra cautious of people and surroundings while hiking in the local parks.
Then, two months later when I heard Cheryl Hodges Dunlap’s body had been recovered in a Florida national forest, I felt violated and angered that someone would prey on a single female hiking alone. The event further confirmed my recent decision not to hike the 1,400-mile Florida Trail alone this winter.
But when the story of Meredith Emerson’s tragic death began to surface, I couldn’t verbalize my emotions. I didn’t know how to feel. The only thing I could do was cry. For a full week after her body was recovered, I would turn on my computer every morning and cry over a new article. I cried over her disappearance, and then I cried over her confirmed death. I cried over the touching sentiments of Meredith’s friends and family in the wake of her passing. I cried over her obituary and the many internet memorials that testified to a life well lived, but one that was cut short. I cried for Meredith, I cried for her family, and—unknowingly—I cried for myself.
Meredith’s bio is eerily similar to my own. We were the same age, the same marital status, and the same race. We were recent college graduates with similar degrees. We both loved wine and foreign culture, four-legged creatures, and good books. We both loved creation and the Creator to the point that both of us volunteered in a Presbyterian Church nursery during our college years. On top of that, we both loved the woods, loved to hike, and felt safe and experienced in the wilderness. Reading Meredith’s obituary was like staring death in the face. The realization of her fate shook me because I could not separate what happened to her from what could or may still happen to me.
I don’t remember school psychology so I don’t know what stages of grief I went through. All I know is that initially I felt scared. I felt scared to hike, scared to pursue what I love. I felt anxious on my next trail run and paranoid on my next hike. I even flipped out when a neighbor of mine unexpectedly approached me in the dark. As someone not easily upset or scared, I was now constantly looking over my shoulder.
Eventually, though, my fear evolved into anger. How could someone carry out such a hateful and twisted act? What kind of deranged background and mental disorder does this killer have that would cause him to do such evil? How dare he end such a beautiful life with his sinister motives? And why Meredith? Why this gracious, loving woman in the prime of her youth? Why not someone else? Why not me?
I’m not sure why Meredith experienced this painful departure, but what I do know is that in her passing I witnessed sincere sorrow for of this 24-year old hiker. Meredith’s memorial page on the internet was bombarded with messages and prayers from men and women, young and old, East-Coasters, West-Coasters, and residents everywhere in between. The page had posts from animal lovers, tree huggers, and people who simply recognized a shining star snuffed out by the evil of the world. After several weeks of reading about and praying for Meredith Emerson, I now carry peace that she lived life to the fullest, that she loved and was dearly loved, and that she will never be forgotten.
Although I sometimes feel guilty that fate called Meredith home early when it just as easily could have been me, I have found peace and purpose in attempting to keep her memory alive and her passion ablaze. This summer I am thru-hiking the Appalachian Trail for myself, for Cheryl, for Irene, and especially for Meredith. I am thru-hiking as a statement to any human predators who disturb the serenity, peace, and safety of the woods. Such men cannot take stifle my love of nature and solitude; they can only make me appreciate it more.
I am hiking the trail north to south this year. Providentially, on my second to last day of the trail, I will pass over Blood Mountain, the site of Meredith’s last hike. There I will pause, pray, and remember Meredith Emerson. I will sit on the mountain and whisper words into the breeze, and the words will be carried away to where Meredith can hear them. I will thank her for her courage and her example. I will tell her how she inspired me to hike, and more importantly, I will tell her how she inspired me to live. I will remind her that she hasn’t been forgotten, and that she never will be forgotten. Then, I will stand up and do exactly what Meredith would want me to do – I’ll keep hiking.
C/P by Wolfscratch: A salut to Jennifer for such a powerful statement!
September 2, 2008 at 9:14 pm
The following is a possible victim map of Hilton’s: may they rest in peace…
http://tinyurl.com/2aja6w
Wolfscratch
rozey, it is very possible. If you go to the link above, you will see that GMH, traveled to PA, on his evil trail of terror. He was oblivious to Law Enforcement, and had no victim profile, only a preference..
Go to this linl for the discussion forum on Cheryl Dunlap. This is the Tallahassee Democrat News Forum: http://www.tallahassee.com/apps/pbcs.dll/section?category=PluckForum&plckForumPage=ForumDiscussion&plckDiscussionId=Cat:e82f5d39-1de2-4768-8885-11c710d422b9Forum:0f68a77c-19d4-44f5-b805-72161556ce7aDiscussion:a26c27db-3216-45d2-ba0e-96fb303a2939&plckCurrentPage=212&sid=sitelife.tallahassee.com
Wolfscratch: May his many victims rest in peace..
GMH’s words, “Since I was 14 years old.” That’s 47 years of possible victims…
December 31, 2008 at 1:00 am
Thank you i was watching a movie and looked up something and this came up this has interested me and i thank you very much for all that you are doing this man should burn in hell
I find it offensive that this man was ever in the army as i am an Army Medic i believe he should die a slow agonizing death such as the mayans used to give
Wolfscratch i read all of your articles i thank you for what you do keep it up
March 16, 2009 at 9:02 pm
The media has been silent since March 2008, concerning Gary M Hilton & Associates ‘Trail of Terror’. It is my opinion that it is due to the magnitude and duration.
His many, many victims need to be revealed. Silence was his most effective weapon.
Wolfscratch
March 16, 2009 at 9:08 pm
Hunting Humans
Alaskan Serial Killer: Robert Hansen,
Whenever Hansen got a victim under his control, he would normally take her to his plane and fly them out to his remote cabin. According to Newton, he would brutally rape and torture the women. Afterwards, he would strip them naked, sometimes going so far as blindfolding them, and set them free in the woods. Hansen would give his victim a brief head start and then hunt them down with a hunting knife or a high-powered rifle. In describing his hunts to investigators, Hansen said that it was like “going after a trophy Dall sheep or a grizzly bear..
*******************************************
“Deadly Run” was loosely based on Alaskan serial killer,Robert Hansen, who was also a trophy animal hunter that lured an assortment of females to his remote cabin.
The film’s plot: a serial killer who murders women in the north Georgia mountains.
The film was made in 1995. Fast forward to 2008 — Gary Hilton has confessed to killing a hiker in the north Georgia mountains. He is also suspected in three other murders, each in National Parks.
Samuel Rael is not only a lawyer, he has also produced movies — including one that went straight to video in 1995. The title: “Deadly Run.” It’s about a man who stalks and kills women in the north Georgia mountains.
Rael said Gary Michael Hilton helped him with the plot — the same Gary Michael Hilton who has admitted he stalked and killed Meredith Emerson in the north Georgia mountains in January.
A bearded and much younger Gary Michael Hilton is pictured long before he would earn a reputation as one of Georgia’s most notorious killers. In those days, Hilton faced a variety of criminal charges, like arson, theft and drugs. In those days, Hilton’s lawyer was Samuel Rael.
“It was clear he was a sociopath,” said Rael. “But I thought he had a very creative imagination.”
In 1995, Samuel Rael the lawyer became Samuel Rael the movie producer. He wanted to make an action film about a killer. He said he shared his idea with Gary Michael Hilton.
“He was very enthused about that,” Rael said. “And helped me outline the plot, the concept, and the ideas behind it.”
Rael said Hilton was bubbling with suggestions for the plot.
“He had ideas of how we could do what we did, which was ‘Deadly Run’,” Rael said. “Having people let lose in the woods then hunted down like prey.”
In the movie, the main character would meet women, then take them to the north Georgia mountains.
“He would have people tied up in a cabin somewhere in the mountains, and then let them go and see if he could catch up with them,” Rael said.
Wolfscratch: GMH, was/is the master of evil emulation…
July 3, 2009 at 1:07 am
Thanks guys, good info.