Suspect captured after multistate manhunt following suspicious emergency call and fake bear attack.
Law enforcement officials successfully apprehended Nicholas Wayne Hamlett, a wanted murder suspect in rural Tennessee, following a widespread manhunt that spanned multiple states. The case involved a peculiar sequence of events, including a suspicious emergency call, the use of a false identity, and a fabricated bear attack.
Sheriff Tommy J. Jones II of Monroe County, Tennessee, confirmed the arrest of Hamlett, aged 45, in Columbia, South Carolina. Hamlett was wanted on first-degree murder charges in connection with the death of Steven Douglas Lloyd, a 34-year-old from Knoxville, Tennessee. The discovery of Lloyd’s body near a bridge on the Cherohala Skyway in Tellico Plains prompted the investigation that ultimately led to Hamlett’s capture.
The initial 911 call, made on October 18 under the alias Brandon Kristopher Andrade, reported a man being chased off a cliff by a bear, resulting in injuries and submersion in water. Responding officers found a deceased individual with identification belonging to Mr. Andrade, but further examination revealed inconsistencies in the injuries that contradicted a bear attack or fall. It was determined that both the deceased man and the 911 caller were imposters using the stolen identity of Mr. Andrade, who had been unknowingly associated with various fraudulent activities.
Authorities identified Hamlett, a repeat offender with a lengthy criminal record, as the perpetrator behind the false identity usage. He was also implicated in the murder of the unidentified man found at the scene. Following the emergency call, Hamlett fled his residence and provided law enforcement in Knoxville, Tennessee, with a fake name.
Subsequent investigations by the sheriff’s office revealed the victim’s true identity as Steven Lloyd, a former foster child known to have lived on the streets but maintained contact with his adoptive family. Hamlett had purportedly gained Lloyd’s trust before leading him into the woods and committing the heinous crime.
The Monroe County Sheriff’s Office expressed the Lloyd family’s shock upon learning of their son’s tragic demise at the hands of someone he trusted. Hamlett’s capture in South Carolina was facilitated by a vigilant individual who recognized him at a local hospital and promptly alerted the authorities. In addition to the murder charge, Hamlett faces a parole violation in Alabama.
In summary, the arrest of Nicholas Wayne Hamlett marks the conclusion of a complex and disturbing case involving identity theft, deception, and a brutal murder. The collaborative efforts of law enforcement agencies across state lines led to the successful apprehension of the suspect, bringing a measure of closure to the grieving family of Steven Douglas Lloyd.
Source: The NY Times
