missing hiker - body found

[forestgnome]

I hope she is OK, but I doubt it, because I'm a realist.

Noone is losing their heads if they assume that bad people could suddenly cross their path, no matter where they are. Losing one's head would describe refraining from solo hiking out of fear.

Using one's head would describe being well-prepared, and karate, pepper spray and dogs just won't cut it for a 120lb. female. I'm sure glad that Maddy was aided by her Akita, but reality says that the odds were not in her favor. An Akita is an extremely powerful dog, but most of us have lab-types, as does this missing hiker. A gun or a knife will take out the biggest dog real fast.

Anecdotes about thousands of miles hiked without incidence don't mean much to those who have been murdered. And all were unarmed.

 

[SteveHiker]

Second, I'd like to point out that dozens of people are murdered every day in this country, and the loss of any one of them is sad. The potential victim in this situation may have been a hiker, but we need to keep things in perspective. Lots of people get murdered in and around grocery stores. Does this mean you'll never buy a head of lettuce again, or get gasoline at a convenience store? No, but it does mean we (and that extends to men as well) need to pay some attention to our personal safety as we go about life. Not get hysterical, just pay attention.

While that's true, this is a hiking website not a going-to-the-grocery-store website. That's why it strikes such a nerve. Besides if you really want to parse murder statistics, you're probably more likely to get killed by a family member than a random stranger, does that mean stay away from family reunions?

 

[audrey]

HapyHikngSmile (sp?) - in the Escalante, Zion, and Bryce, there are lots of trails with enough traffic for solo safety. I'd be comfortable on most of the ones I PM'ed you about, except Red Breaks and Phipps Wash which are pretty lonely.

I personally don't like to hike solo, but then I got to thinking about all the local walks I take alone with my dog...I've seen some real characters at the Middlesex Fells, Great Meadows, etc. That should scare me a lot more.

 

[HikerAmiga]

I sometimes hike solo though try not to especially in the winter but even then, I do sometimes when I can't get company. I simply try to be cautious and 'trail (street) smart'. There have been many times when I've been asked if I am hiking alone and I've never denied this. A few times, I've even spooked myself imagining that someone (another solo hiker) may be following me, only to later realize (when breathless in trying to put distance between us) that they weren't and were, in fact, harmless.

I really hope that this missing hiker is found soon and that she is unharmed. Apparently a website has been created by her friends to assist in her being found. It's here: http://www.helpfindmeredith.com/

 

[sli74]

Reports coming in that her dog was found wandering into a grocery store about 50 miles from where she went missing. There are also some reports that her personal belongings were found in a dumpster near that same area and they have the "person of interest" in custody. This isn't sounding like it will be a happy ending. My heart goes out to her family and friends.

sli74

 

[king tut]

The police are saying that he is also a person of interest in the murder of two other hikers in N Carolina. A man of his stature was seen wearing the same yellow coat of the missing deceased NC hikers while using their debit card at an ATM. It appears to most likely be the same coat that people recently saw him wearing on the trail. Creepy and sad case.

 

[rocket21]

Just heard they've arrested a suspect and charged him with kidnapping and causing bodily harm if I heard correctly. Pretty creepy looking guy from the photo they showed.

 

[carole]

"The search has changed from rescue to recovery, based on the evidence we've uncovered so far," according to msnbc news

 

[forestgnome]

This is so sad. Thanks for links. Thoughts and prayers for family and freinds.

 

[DougPaul]

Family told chances "slim to none" that hiker alive: http://www.ajc.com/news/content/met...g_0106_web2.html?cxntlid=homepage_tab_newstab

Doug

 

[Bobby]

It is a horrible thing for Meredith's family and friends to cope with, and I'm sure a terrible ordeal for Meredith herself. My thoughts and prayers are with her family and friends.

As far as the rest of us, while we should remember that this sort of thing is possible, it shouldn't consume us. Trust your instinct. Your first instinct is usually the right one. If something is telling you that the situation isn't right, get away.

We usually have self defense mechanisms in our hands, such as poles, and in winter conditions, ice axes. The flilp side of that is so may the attacker.

Create distance, get away as fast as you can, toward a trailhead, hut or shelter where other people may be. Make noise. Pepper spray attached to a pack strap isn't a bad idea, but I don't know if the cold weather will freeze the dispenser. You also have to take into consideration which way the wind is blowing. RAD classes are a great idea, most local police departments offer the course.

The same things we do to stay safe in the city can apply on the trail. If you pull into a trailhead on a solo hike and people in the lot cause you concern, don't get out of your car. Drive off and call the police and report them.

This is something we may never encounter, but having a plan of action isn't a bad idea.

 

[daxs]

I hike alone, mountain bike alone, trail run alone and kayak alone. This story really bothers me and has me rethinking all of the outdoor activites I do by myself. I can't imagine the terror ( is this the right word) this woman must have gone through.

 

[amstony]

While that's true, this is a hiking website not a going-to-the-grocery-store website. That's why it strikes such a nerve. Besides if you really want to parse murder statistics, you're probably more likely to get killed by a family member than a random stranger, does that mean stay away from family reunions?

What happened to this woman is horrible, we all travel to the woods and hope to escape this type of thing and leave it in the city. My condolences go to her friends and family.

Steve- On that note your correct, we are not a going to the grocery store website. In fact you can order thru "PeaPod" and "Fresh Direct" and never venture into one. As for random killings, take New York City and its 5 boroughs, less than 500 homicides and roughly 10% or less were complete stranger to stranger / random killings you see so often on TV. And I try to stay away from reunions!

When hiking or trail running alone or in small groups you need to be alert, aware of your environment- whether male or female. Early warning is your biggest defense, those few seconds or minutes can give you the time you need to survive. You can have dogs, mace, pepper spray, pistol, whatever, but if you can't get to the defensive item fast or its neutralized its not going to help you. I can't count count the number of times I have zipped up a trail and come upon someone with headphones, or tuned out or tuned into the environment, zoned out stoned out or whatever, but their reaction time to my arrival is near zero!

I do allot of running, sometimes at bizarre hours (thankfully rare)- midnight, 3 or 4 or 5 AM, especially when in the marathon training mode, sometimes around the Charles River Basin in Boston/Cambridge, whenever I can get out basically. You see some odd stuff at that time of day.... However, when out there someone knows where I am going, routes, when expected back, etc. I carry a cell phone and a mag light- which serves 2 purposes. I also keep an eye out for abnormal things, the odd person in the odd place, slow moving cars, groups of people, appearances of being followed.

The old maxims "Stay Alert, Stay Alive", applies to hiking too, as does using your gut reaction: "if it looks wrong or feels wrong, it probably is wrong".

Same rules carry over to hiking. There are nuts in the woods too, and not just the kind growing on trees.
Predators do exist and need to be watched for, but you can't stop living for fear of being a victim of one of them.

 

[chinooktrail]

Any more information on this unfortunate young woman?

 

[Christa]

Here's this mornings Atlanta Journal Constitution Article

In a nutshell, no new information. They still haven't found her body but are still searching for it, although civillians have been pulled back due to the criminal investigation.

The guy they arrested over the weekend is scheduled to be arraigned this afternoon. It's going to be a couple of more days before lab work comes back on the clothes and other items they found in the dumpster to make sure that they were heres.

 

[Gris]

Details

From the article Sli74 mentioned:

Also Friday, after two days of searching for him, DeKalb County police found Hilton at a convenience store along Ashford-Dunwoody Road. The GBI brought him in for questioning.

He has not been cooperative, authorities said.

At a pay phone outside the QuikTrip convenience store, near Kroger at Ga. 306 and Freedom Parkway, it was determined Hilton placed a phone call Friday, according to the arrest warrant. In the Dumpster outside the store, police made three other key discoveries, according to the warrant:

> A portion of an automobile seat belt "with apparent blood transfer stains." According to the warrant, the rear seat belt in Hilton's 2001 Chevrolet Astro van had been cut out. The warrant also stated, "Hilton was attempting to vacuum the vehicle and wash portions of it with a bleach and water solution."> Emerson's black leather wallet, which included her driver's license and University of Georgia student ID card.

> Three fleece tops, "found to contain substantial amounts of human blood."

It was a cold day when Emerson, known for her love of the outdoors, went hiking. Snow had fallen. Friends said she'd been wearing warm clothes, including a fleece jacket.

 

[SAR-EMT40]

From the article Sli74 mentioned:
The warrant also stated, "Hilton was attempting to vacuum the vehicle and wash portions of it with a bleach and water solution."

10% bleach solution is what we use to clean blood and other bodily fluids from the ambulance and equipment. It is very effective in that capacity. Luckily they caught him doing it and had plenty of other material with bodily fluids to test.

It really sounds like this guy knew the things to try to get rid of and how to do it. I would be astounded if this was the only time he has done something like this.

If it was his first murder (alleged) then everyone was very fortunate because I'm sure he would have done it again.


Keith

 

[MtLady]

I've been thinking of a dog and I think this will make it a bit sooner than I originally thought.
My prayers are also with her.

 

[sli74]

Here are a couple of more recent news reports. The family/families must be SO devastated. I cannot imagine.

http://www.ajc.com/metro/content/metro/gwinnett/stories/2008/01/07/hilton_0108_web.html
http://www.ajc.com/metro/content/me...kidnap_0107.html?cxntlid=homepage_tab_newstab

sli74

 

[coldfeet]

Sad news, she was discovered...just saw it on the web..My eldest daughter is leaving for Israel on Thurs for a 10 day trip, hope she comes back with a Uzzi for protection..