Gary Michael Hilton: The National Forest Serial Killer
Background
Gary Michael Hilton, born on November 22, 1946, in Atlanta, Georgia, is an American serial killer known as "The National Forest Serial Killer." He was responsible for at least four known homicides between 2007 and 2008, all committed within national forests in the United States.
Crimes
Hilton's crimes were brutal and calculated. He targeted hikers in remote areas, often using their ATM cards to withdraw money after killing them. His known victims include:
- John and Irene Bryant: On October 21, 2007, John Davis "Jack" Bryant, 80, and Irene Woods Bryant, 84, went for a hike in the Pisgah National Forest, North Carolina. Irene's body was found on November 10, 2007, bludgeoned to death. John's remains were discovered on February 3, 2008.
- Cheryl Hodges Dunlap: On December 1, 2007, Cheryl Hodges Dunlap, 46, went missing while hiking in the Apalachicola National Forest, Florida. Her decapitated body was found on December 15, 2007.
- Meredith Emerson: On January 1, 2008, Meredith Emerson, 24, disappeared while hiking in the Blood Mountain area of Georgia. She was held captive for four days before being killed. Her body was found on January 4, 2008.
Capture and Conviction
Hilton was apprehended on January 4, 2008, after being identified through surveillance footage and eyewitness accounts. He was sentenced to death in Florida and life imprisonment in Georgia and North Carolina.
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