Man Accused of Murder Found and Arrested After Fake Bear Attack 911 Call
The Investigation
A man accused of murder after a 911 call about a fake bear attack in the mountains of Tennessee led authorities to a dead man in October has been found and arrested, police said Sunday. The arrest of Nicholas Wayne Hamlett, 45, in Columbia, South Carolina, ends a manhunt that was launched after the call late October 18 to 911 dispatchers in Monroe County.
The Discovery
The Monroe County Sheriff’s Office said that it was informed Sunday that Hamlett, who had been sought on a warrant of first-degree murder, was located and arrested in South Carolina. "The sharing of Hamlett’s wanted poster led the public, whom is our most valuable resource, to act as our eyes and ears," Monroe County Sheriff Tommy J. Jones II said in a statement.
The Case
The case began when a man claiming to be Brandon Andrade called 911 and claimed that he was injured after being chased by a bear and falling off a cliff, authorities have said. That call was pinged in the area of the Charles Hall Bridge on the Cherahola Skyway in Tellico Plains, a small mountain town in Tennessee with a population of about 800 people.
The Body
A body was found, with an ID of Brandon Kristopher Andrade — but it wasn’t him, and Andrade’s identity had been stolen and used multiple times, the sheriff’s office said. The person also was not killed by a bear, officials said. "Once detectives laid eyes on the body, the injuries that the deceased had was not consistent with a bear attack, was not consistent with a fall," Jones said at an October news conference. The cause of death was found to be blunt-force trauma to the head, he said.
The Investigation Continues
A warrant for first-degree murder was obtained against Hamlett after investigators determined that Hamlett, who was wanted on a parole violation out of Alabama, had been using that stolen identification before the body was found. The dead man was later identified as Steven Douglas Lloyd, a 34-year-old who authorities have said had been befriended by Hamlett during the summer.
The Arrest
Hamlett was arrested in South Carolina after a hospital employee recognized him and alerted authorities, the Columbia Police Department said. Fingerprints confirmed his identity, police said. Hamlett was in custody Sunday and arrangements were being made to extradite him to Tennessee.
Conclusion
The arrest of Nicholas Wayne Hamlett brings an end to a manhunt that began after a fake 911 call about a bear attack. The investigation revealed that Hamlett had used stolen identification and was wanted on a parole violation out of Alabama. The case highlights the importance of public cooperation in solving crimes.
FAQs
Q: What was the initial call about?
A: The initial call was about a fake bear attack, where a man claiming to be Brandon Andrade called 911 and claimed that he was injured after being chased by a bear and falling off a cliff.
Q: Who was the actual victim?
A: The actual victim was Steven Douglas Lloyd, a 34-year-old man who had been befriended by Hamlett during the summer.
Q: What was the cause of death?
A: The cause of death was blunt-force trauma to the head.
Q: How was Hamlett arrested?
A: Hamlett was arrested in South Carolina after a hospital employee recognized him and alerted authorities. Fingerprints confirmed his identity.
