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Dawson News and Advertiser
Emerson was easy prey for Hilton
By CHARLES DUNCAN
DAWSONVILLE - Gary Michael Hilton's only motive for choosing Meredith Emerson: she was a female and hiking alone on Blood Mountain, the confessed killer told authorities.
The 24-year-old avid hiker from Buford wasn't Hilton's first choice to kidnap from the Apalachian Trail in Union County. On Dec. 31, he had been closely watching another woman along the trail, authorities revealed Thursday.
He abandoned that potential victim because he couldn't catch the woman in a situation where she was alone on the popular hiking trail in mountainous Union County.
"He actually talked with her, but she was with other people," Northeastern Judicial Circuit District Attorney Lee Darragh said during Hilton's sentencing hearing in the Dawson County Courthouse.
Unfortunately at 1 p.m. on New Year's Day, Meredith Hope Emerson arrived alone with her dog Ella at the Byron Herbert Reece Memorial Trailhead. She was looking forward to a day hike on her favorite mountain trail, Darragh said.
Darragh sized up the case. He said Hilton's home amounted to sleeping in his van in national and state parks. On Dec. 31, Hilton was seen hiking on the same trail that he kidnapped Meredith Emerson from and he confronted a female hiker on that day. However, that hiker had company and eliminated Hilton's criminal window of opportunity.
On the next day, Hilton spotted Emerson, hiking with her Labrador mix named Ella. Darragh said witnesses noticed Hilton following Emerson along the trail. One witness, a former law enforcement officer, said Hilton had a large knife and a police-style baton attached to his belt.
Later that afternoon, that witness found two water bottles, a dog leash and some dog treats along with a police-style baton at the edge of the hiking trail, Darragh said.
"(The witness) believed that the baton was dropped by this defendant and became concerned for Miss Emerson's well being," Darragh said. "He suspected a struggle at that location.
"Evidence has shown that in fact, there was a struggle at that location between Miss Emerson and this defendant," Darragh said. "The defendant, however, was able to place her under his control eventually."
After Hilton subdued Emerson, he took her back down the trail to where her car and his van were located. Hilton took her purse from her car and took ATM cards, other cards and other identifying information, Darragh said.
At that time "Miss Emerson was placed into his van," Darragh said.
Throughout the next couple of days Hilton drove Emerson from bank-to-bank and various locations throughout North Georgia attempting to secure money from ATMs, Darragh said.
"At those times, Miss Emerson gave him incorrect PIN numbers," Darragh said. "He was unsuccessful (at getting money from her bank account)."
"I like to think that she was doing everything she could in hopes that perhaps he would get caught at these ATMs," Darragh said.
On Jan. 4, witnesses placed Hilton driving along the Dawson Forest Road area. Later that day, Hilton was captured in DeKalb County attempting to sanitize his white, Chevrolet Astro van.
"He was disposing of evidence from his van," Darragh said. "Evidence included blood evidence that was connected to Miss Emerson through DNA testing.
"He was arrested on a warrant that was issued out of the Northern District of Georgia," Darragh said. "He was taken into custody by the United States Marshals' Service."
On Saturday, Jan. 5, Hilton was charged with kidnapping with bodily injury and subsequently on Monday, Jan. 7, he was denied bond by a Union County magistrate judge.
"Following those court proceedings some plea negotiations took place between the district attorney in Union County and the person who had been representing him," Darragh said.
"As a result of those negotiations, the defendant Hilton agreed to tell the GBI where to find the body of Meredith Emerson," Darragh said. "He took them there (Shoal Creek Road, in the Dawson Forest Wildlife Management Area).
"During the statements that he gave, he stated that he unlawfully abducted Meredith Emerson on the Freeman Trail on Jan. 1. He chose her because she was a female and alone.
"His sole purpose was to acquire her ATM card and PIN number," Darragh said. "He mentioned at one point during the interview that he knew eventually, he would take her life."
"As I mentioned before, there was a struggle. Eventually, he was able to get her to be compliant. At various locations, at Gainesville and other places, he tried to get money from her account. He didn't get one dime."
On Jan. 4, he told Emerson he was going to let her go. He tied her to a tree at a location in the Dawson Forest Wildlife Management Area. The two conversed no more. He walked to his van to secure an instrument of death - his van's tire tool.
"When he came back, he turned with a jack handle and struck Miss Emerson in the head several times," Darragh said. "He struck her until she was deceased."
Hilton then took steps to try to confuse the evidence, Darragh said.
"He used the phrase 'for forensic purposes.' As mentioned before, there was a decapitation of Miss Emerson, however, that was after her death. The evidence is clear that the homicide occurred in Dawson County in Dawson Forest Management Area," Darragh said.
When the day was done, Darragh stood in his office, numb from his day's work. He smiled as he remembered Meredith Hope Emerson.
"She was a hero," he said. "She was smart and resourceful. Gary Hilton had a expandable baton and a knife. Due to Meredith's physical prowess, Mr. Hilton was forced to leave those items behind on the Apalachian Trail.
"Still, he was able to control her. Through her resourcefulness, she was able to extend her life for three days, eventually, charting a course that would lead to Hilton's capture," Darragh said. "Unfortunately, she would lose her life on that desperate journey.
"Our thoughts and prayers will always be with the family of Meredith Hope Emerson.
"We'll always remember that for a short while in January 2008, she brought a nation together in humble prayer," he said. "Now, she will spend an eternity with the angels in Heaven."
Emerson was easy prey for Hilton
By CHARLES DUNCAN
DAWSONVILLE - Gary Michael Hilton's only motive for choosing Meredith Emerson: she was a female and hiking alone on Blood Mountain, the confessed killer told authorities.
The 24-year-old avid hiker from Buford wasn't Hilton's first choice to kidnap from the Apalachian Trail in Union County. On Dec. 31, he had been closely watching another woman along the trail, authorities revealed Thursday.
He abandoned that potential victim because he couldn't catch the woman in a situation where she was alone on the popular hiking trail in mountainous Union County.
"He actually talked with her, but she was with other people," Northeastern Judicial Circuit District Attorney Lee Darragh said during Hilton's sentencing hearing in the Dawson County Courthouse.
Unfortunately at 1 p.m. on New Year's Day, Meredith Hope Emerson arrived alone with her dog Ella at the Byron Herbert Reece Memorial Trailhead. She was looking forward to a day hike on her favorite mountain trail, Darragh said.
Darragh sized up the case. He said Hilton's home amounted to sleeping in his van in national and state parks. On Dec. 31, Hilton was seen hiking on the same trail that he kidnapped Meredith Emerson from and he confronted a female hiker on that day. However, that hiker had company and eliminated Hilton's criminal window of opportunity.
On the next day, Hilton spotted Emerson, hiking with her Labrador mix named Ella. Darragh said witnesses noticed Hilton following Emerson along the trail. One witness, a former law enforcement officer, said Hilton had a large knife and a police-style baton attached to his belt.
Later that afternoon, that witness found two water bottles, a dog leash and some dog treats along with a police-style baton at the edge of the hiking trail, Darragh said.
"(The witness) believed that the baton was dropped by this defendant and became concerned for Miss Emerson's well being," Darragh said. "He suspected a struggle at that location.
"Evidence has shown that in fact, there was a struggle at that location between Miss Emerson and this defendant," Darragh said. "The defendant, however, was able to place her under his control eventually."
After Hilton subdued Emerson, he took her back down the trail to where her car and his van were located. Hilton took her purse from her car and took ATM cards, other cards and other identifying information, Darragh said.
At that time "Miss Emerson was placed into his van," Darragh said.
Throughout the next couple of days Hilton drove Emerson from bank-to-bank and various locations throughout North Georgia attempting to secure money from ATMs, Darragh said.
"At those times, Miss Emerson gave him incorrect PIN numbers," Darragh said. "He was unsuccessful (at getting money from her bank account)."
"I like to think that she was doing everything she could in hopes that perhaps he would get caught at these ATMs," Darragh said.
On Jan. 4, witnesses placed Hilton driving along the Dawson Forest Road area. Later that day, Hilton was captured in DeKalb County attempting to sanitize his white, Chevrolet Astro van.
"He was disposing of evidence from his van," Darragh said. "Evidence included blood evidence that was connected to Miss Emerson through DNA testing.
"He was arrested on a warrant that was issued out of the Northern District of Georgia," Darragh said. "He was taken into custody by the United States Marshals' Service."
On Saturday, Jan. 5, Hilton was charged with kidnapping with bodily injury and subsequently on Monday, Jan. 7, he was denied bond by a Union County magistrate judge.
"Following those court proceedings some plea negotiations took place between the district attorney in Union County and the person who had been representing him," Darragh said.
"As a result of those negotiations, the defendant Hilton agreed to tell the GBI where to find the body of Meredith Emerson," Darragh said. "He took them there (Shoal Creek Road, in the Dawson Forest Wildlife Management Area).
"During the statements that he gave, he stated that he unlawfully abducted Meredith Emerson on the Freeman Trail on Jan. 1. He chose her because she was a female and alone.
"His sole purpose was to acquire her ATM card and PIN number," Darragh said. "He mentioned at one point during the interview that he knew eventually, he would take her life."
"As I mentioned before, there was a struggle. Eventually, he was able to get her to be compliant. At various locations, at Gainesville and other places, he tried to get money from her account. He didn't get one dime."
On Jan. 4, he told Emerson he was going to let her go. He tied her to a tree at a location in the Dawson Forest Wildlife Management Area. The two conversed no more. He walked to his van to secure an instrument of death - his van's tire tool.
"When he came back, he turned with a jack handle and struck Miss Emerson in the head several times," Darragh said. "He struck her until she was deceased."
Hilton then took steps to try to confuse the evidence, Darragh said.
"He used the phrase 'for forensic purposes.' As mentioned before, there was a decapitation of Miss Emerson, however, that was after her death. The evidence is clear that the homicide occurred in Dawson County in Dawson Forest Management Area," Darragh said.
When the day was done, Darragh stood in his office, numb from his day's work. He smiled as he remembered Meredith Hope Emerson.
"She was a hero," he said. "She was smart and resourceful. Gary Hilton had a expandable baton and a knife. Due to Meredith's physical prowess, Mr. Hilton was forced to leave those items behind on the Apalachian Trail.
"Still, he was able to control her. Through her resourcefulness, she was able to extend her life for three days, eventually, charting a course that would lead to Hilton's capture," Darragh said. "Unfortunately, she would lose her life on that desperate journey.
"Our thoughts and prayers will always be with the family of Meredith Hope Emerson.
"We'll always remember that for a short while in January 2008, she brought a nation together in humble prayer," he said. "Now, she will spend an eternity with the angels in Heaven."
kicked out of him every day while he is in prison.
