Lone hiker's body found south of Blood Mountain
Autopsy results: 'blunt, force trauma' cause of death
By FRANK BRADLEY Sentinel writer

Meredith Emerson and her dog, Ella, in a photo that helped gain national attention in the search for the missing hiker.

Meredith Emerson's body has been found, discovered Monday about 7:30 p.m. after her kidnapper led investigators to a wooded site near Dawsonville, according to Georgia Bureau of Investigation officials.

Five hours earlier, Gary Michael Hilton was arraigned in Union County where he was charged with the kidnapping with bodily injury to Ms. Emerson. At the time, it was a case based on strong circumstantial evidence. Hilton had reportedly not been cooperative with investigators.

Meredith Emerson disappeared New Year's Day when she went walking with her dog on Blood Mountain in Union County. Her disappearance had kicked off an intensive weeklong search by deputies, emergency personnel and volunteers, who scoured the trails and forested mountain.

Days later, her missing dog was found wandering around a parking lot about 50 miles south of where she had last been seen. Her wallet with a University of Georgia student ID along with some bloody clothing, believed to be hers, was also found in a dumpster not far from where the dog was picked up.

Photos/Ben Gray Above: Magistrate Johnie Garmon denied bond in the case. Right: Gary Michael Hilton is shown with his court-appointed public defender, Neil Smith.

Witnesses reported seeing Emerson in conversation with Hilton on the day she went missing. Shortly afterwards, Hilton had attempted to use her credit card. A seat belt had been cut from his Astro van. A cut car seat belt was found in a dumpster in Cumming, Georgia, along with the bloody clothing. When Hilton was picked up he was washing out the interior of his van.

At two minutes past 2 p.m. Monday, Hilton, a balding, slightly hunched-back man with pale wrinkled skin, wearing an orange jumpsuit, was brought into the courtroom in chains by a deputy. Public defender Neil Smith had been appointed counsel for him. Stanley Gunter, district attorney for the Enotah District was on hand representing the state.

Union County magistrate Johnie Garmon read the charges against Hilton and explained his legal rights, including the right to a trial by jury, the right for a speedy trial, and the right to be represented by a lawyer of his own choosing.

Judge Garmon said he was denying bond in this case.

At 2:15 p.m., the arraignment ended and Hilton was ushered out of the courtroom.

In a press conference following the arraignment, Gunter, said the case was still under investigation by the GBI. He said his goal was to find Emerson.

Although the Union County Grand Jury met the following day (Tuesday, January 8), this case did not come before them.

Gunter said, "We'll probably call them back, after more evidence is firmed up."

Under the current charges, Gunter said Hilton could be facing a maximum life-time sentence.

Since the crime appears to have happened on U.S. Forest property, Gunter said there is a possibility that Hilton would be tried in federal court.

"If the feds prosecute, I don't know that the state will," he said.

Union County Sheriff Scott Stephens said his deputies initially became involved with the search for Emerson along with other emergency personnel and volunteers when she was reported missing. He said when it appeared that a crime had been committed, he called in the GBI.

Sentinel photo/Harrison Keely District attorney Stan Gunter speaks to the media at a press conference following Hilton's court appearance in at the Union County Courthouse on Monday, January 7, 2008.

"In the beginning, the weather hurt us," Stephens said. "It snowed, then thawed, which messed up the tracks."

He said personnel from the sheriff's departments of White, Lumpkin and Forsyth counties had been in Union County and had assisted with the search. He said the Union County Sheriff's Department had fielded something like a thousand calls from people throughout the region providing information regarding the case.

Stephens said since much of his effort has been concentrated on the search, he didn't have a lot of background information on Hilton.

"I understand he lived in a van and traveled around staying at different camping areas," Stephens said.

Sentinel photo/Harrison Keely The Union County Courthouse parking lot, crowded with satellite trucks and crawling with reporters, was an unfamiliar scene in the small town of Blairsville.

Asked if there had been other instances of hikers being attacked or killed in the parks within the county, Stephens said he wasn't aware of any in the six years he has been in office.

"We've had a couple of deaths in that area," he said. "One was lost and died of exposure, and another died of dehydration, but no one was attacked that I know of."

GBI officials said Emerson's body would be taken to their crime lab where a medical examiner would perform an autopsy.

Details released Tuesday afternoon revealed that Meredith Emerson died from fatal injuries to the head before she was decapitated.

Her body was found in Dawson Forest, about 50 miles from where she went missing, and about 10 miles from where her I.D. and bloody garments were found in a garbage bin. Her dog Ella was found across the street from the garbage bin in a Kroger parking lot.

Sentinel photo/Harrison Keely Union County Sheriff Scott Stephens answers reporters' question at a press conference.

Hilton was denied bail Wednesday for the alleged murder of Buford hiker Meredith Emerson.