doesn't he kinda look like couey (the man who killed jessica lunsford) all these sick people are startin' to look alike; sick.
DAWSONVILLE, Ga. --- A judge denied bond Wednesday for a drifter accused of kidnapping and killing a 24-year-old hiker in the north Georgia mountains, and Florida authorities said he is now a "prime suspect" in a homicide investigation there.
Gary Hilton, 61, had his first appearance in the Dawson County courtroom after being charged Tuesday afternoon with murder in the death of Meredith Emerson.
Mr. Hilton had led authorities to Ms. Emerson's body Monday evening in exchange for an agreement that prosecutors not seek the death penalty against him for Ms. Emerson's killing, according to Union County's district attorney, Stan Gunter.
Dawson County District Attorney Lee Darragh said Wednesday that he was not part of discussions between Mr. Hilton and other jurisdictions, including Union County. He said he does plan to work with other jurisdictions involved in the case.
Mr. Darragh declined comment on whether he plans to seek the death penalty against Mr. Hilton.
Mr. Gunter did not return calls Wednesday.
The Georgia Bureau of Investigation was part of the negotiation with Mr. Hilton, but it was ultimately up to Mr. Gunter, GBI spokesman John Bankhead said Wednesday.
"We felt it was the only way to find the body," Mr. Bankhead said.
Clad in an orange jumpsuit during Wednesday's five-minute hearing, Mr. Hilton spoke only to his attorney, telling him he had finished two years of college in response to a question from the judge.
Mr. Hilton's attorney, Neil A. Smith, declined comment after the hearing, other than to say "there are significant mental health issues, I would think" involved in the case.
Ms. Emerson's body was found nearly 50 miles from where she vanished during a New Year's Day hike. Ms. Emerson disappeared near Blood Mountain in Union County, where Mr. Hilton is charged with kidnapping with intent of bodily injury. He was denied bond on that charge Monday.
An autopsy report says Ms. Emerson was beaten to death and then decapitated three days after her disappearance, according to a GBI news release. The autopsy report is not being made public because it is part of the investigation, Mr. Bankhead said.
Mr. Hilton was the last person seen with Ms. Emerson on the hiking trail and had tried to use her credit card, according to his arrest warrant.
Three bloody fleece tops and a bloodstained piece of a car's seat belt were found in a trash bin beside a convenience store where Mr. Hilton had used a pay phone, his arrest warrant stated. Mr. Hilton had tried to vacuum and wash portions of his 2001 Chevrolet Astro van, which was found without the rear seat belt, according to the document.
Authorities still are not releasing information on how Ms. Emerson met Mr. Hilton and what happened between the time she disappeared and when she was killed. Those details will come out in court proceedings, authorities said.
Meanwhile, the Leon County, Fla., sheriff's office said Mr. Hilton can be considered a prime suspect in the death of Cheryl Hodges Dunlap.
Her body was found Dec. 19 in the Apalachicola National Forest, southwest of Tallahassee. Authorities say a masked person suspected in Ms. Dunlap's death used her ATM card three times after her disappearance Dec. 1.
Leon County sheriff's Maj. Mike Wood said Wednesday that authorities have confirmed that Mr. Hilton "was in our community during the time of Cheryl Dunlap's disappearance."
He added that based on similarities in the Georgia and Florida cases, "... I am able to tell you he is the focus of our investigation right now."
Comments
doesn't he kinda look like couey (the man who killed jessica lunsford) all these sick people are startin' to look alike; sick.
Evil tends to carry the same characteristics...
He needs to be placed in 10X10 cell for the rest of his life with no contact with the outside world. Allow him the religious book or tome of his choice he gets three squares a day but ZIP ZERO NADA in the way of contact. Additionally there will be a container with two cyanide tablets in the cell..when he wants to go he can.
Either that or let it be known that special priviledges will be granted to all prisoner who rape him in prison.
These people are nothing but scum. Meth, cocaine, are all the number 1 drugs in america. I wonder why. Looks like this guy had some meth also.
Black is the only race that teen age pregnacy has gone down. White and hispanic teenage pregnacy has gone up. With the shooting at the utah mall, the two colorado churches. The north ga hiker, staci peterson, and the family from connecticut. Where the father was tied up by two white men. While his mother and two daughters were raped. It seems we need to start passing out birth control, and condoms to white girls. Seems like they are having sex like rabbits. The trailer park of washington rd in evans going to lincoln county. And the one by kmart on washington rd. There are alot white girls who all have about 6 kids apeice. Some was as young as 14 with a kid. One girl was 17 with 3 kids. One was mix with hispanic the other all white. It was funny, because nobody knows who their dad is. And all the boyfriends try to act like gangsters. Im like you are a white dude, stop trying. Just because you sell meth, or cocaine does no mean you are a thug or tough guy. Its kinda sad though, but there are some freaks who live there. Some if you want a quickie im sure they will be down.
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