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Officials: Hiker was alive for days; suspect now faces murder charge
CNN ^ | 1/8/2008 | AP

Posted on 01/09/2008 6:20:56 AM PST by Red in Blue PA

BLAIRSVILLE, Georgia (CNN) -- A young hiker whose body was found in northern Georgia was probably alive for three days before she died from blunt force trauma to the head, authorities said Tuesday.

Meredith Emerson was last seen hiking with her dog on Blood Mountain in Georgia on New Year's Day.

1 of 3 Meredith Emerson, 24, was decapitated after her death, an autopsy also found.

Investigators believe she was killed January 4, said Lee Darragh, district attorney for Hall and Dawson counties.

That's the same day suspect Gary Michael Hilton, 61, allegedly made a phone call from a pay phone at a convenience store in Cumming, Georgia, where Emerson's black leather wallet containing her identification cards was discovered in a trash bin.

(Excerpt) Read more at cnn.com ...


TOPICS: News/Current Events; US: Georgia
KEYWORDS: emerson; hilton; missing
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1 posted on 01/09/2008 6:20:58 AM PST by Red in Blue PA
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To: Red in Blue PA

So... he just kept her around for days beating her? What a nutjob. does GA have capital punishment?


2 posted on 01/09/2008 6:22:45 AM PST by Terriergal ("I am ashamed that women are so simple To offer war where they should kneel for peace," Shakespeare)
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To: Red in Blue PA

I read the story, and now I’m angry.


3 posted on 01/09/2008 6:25:51 AM PST by swain_forkbeard (Rationality may not be sufficient, but it is necessary.)
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To: swain_forkbeard

Understood. I’m beyond angry. It is mind bending unfairness. Evil does exist.


4 posted on 01/09/2008 6:28:36 AM PST by Lee'sGhost (Crom! Non-Sequitur = Pee Wee Herman.)
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To: Lee'sGhost

Yes. And it’s the evil that will spare him in court.


5 posted on 01/09/2008 6:34:55 AM PST by SMARTY (Public opinion has the power of the lie/creating it is the work of radical politicians in a democra)
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To: Red in Blue PA
A man does not commit this kind of horrific crime for the first time at the age of 61.

This piece of excrement has done this, or something similar to it, before.

If the police involved are competent, they will be busy compiling a list of his known addresses from over the years and cross-referencing them to disappearances, unidentified bodies and unsolved homicides.

This was sadistic and methodical.

6 posted on 01/09/2008 6:38:12 AM PST by wideawake (Why is it that so many self-proclaimed "Constitutionalists" know so little about the Constitution?)
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To: Terriergal

He led investigators to her body Monday in exchange for prosecutors’ agreeing to drop consideration of the death penalty against him, according to Union County District Attorney Stan Gunter.


7 posted on 01/09/2008 6:38:15 AM PST by randog (What the...?!)
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To: randog

He’s 61. With the average length of death penalty appeals, he’d probably die in prison of old age before they could execute him.


8 posted on 01/09/2008 6:39:26 AM PST by wideawake (Why is it that so many self-proclaimed "Constitutionalists" know so little about the Constitution?)
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To: randog

Thats OK. For about a hundred bucks, they can buy a hit on him within prison.


9 posted on 01/09/2008 6:41:06 AM PST by crz
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To: wideawake

‘A man does not commit this kind of horrific crime for the first time at the age of 61.’

Exactly.


10 posted on 01/09/2008 6:42:53 AM PST by Badeye (No thanks, Huck, I'm not whitewashing the fence for you this election cycle)
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To: Red in Blue PA

My idea of hiking is with a concealed handgun and a nice big knife.


11 posted on 01/09/2008 6:43:00 AM PST by sarasota
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To: Terriergal

Yes, but according to a news report, he won’t face execution.

Since he showed the authorities where her body was, maybe that was the agreement made.

Still ought to kill the son of a bitch, just slowly.


12 posted on 01/09/2008 6:43:17 AM PST by RangerM (Jesus was likely a very good carpenter.)
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To: Red in Blue PA
Shows the importance of quick action and notification.

The killer should get the death penalty.

13 posted on 01/09/2008 6:43:19 AM PST by Jane Austen
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To: RangerM

I agree. I hate bargains like that.


14 posted on 01/09/2008 6:44:04 AM PST by Terriergal ("I am ashamed that women are so simple To offer war where they should kneel for peace," Shakespeare)
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To: wideawake; Badeye

The article mentions that they’re also looking at him for a case in Florida. I bet they’ll find a whole string of cases connected with him in the Southeast.

I also bet he’s been in jail for some kind of sexual offense (or possibly even murder) in the past and was released. They haven’t let out much info about him.


15 posted on 01/09/2008 6:46:47 AM PST by livius
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To: livius

I’ve heard the same things you mention here.


16 posted on 01/09/2008 6:47:43 AM PST by Badeye (No thanks, Huck, I'm not whitewashing the fence for you this election cycle)
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To: Terriergal
From article...

Charges against Hilton were upgraded to murder Tuesday.

He led investigators to her body Monday in exchange for prosecutors' agreeing to drop consideration of the death penalty against him, according to Union County District Attorney Stan Gunter.

17 posted on 01/09/2008 6:48:40 AM PST by gridlock (300 Million Americans will not be elected President in 2008. Hillary Clinton will be one of them.)
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To: randog
He led investigators to her body Monday in exchange for prosecutors’ agreeing to drop consideration of the death penalty against him, according to Union County District Attorney Stan Gunter.

In this case. But if they can tie him to a different murder, he can get the death penalty for that one.

18 posted on 01/09/2008 6:48:47 AM PST by r9etb
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To: SMARTY
Yes. And it’s the evil that will spare him in court.

Yep. And there will be lawyers lining up to defend him just to get their name in the paper.

19 posted on 01/09/2008 6:50:35 AM PST by raybbr (You think it's bad now - wait till the anchor babies start to vote!)
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To: gridlock

yeah got that now.

I hate anything resembling a pleabargain.


20 posted on 01/09/2008 6:52:15 AM PST by Terriergal ("I am ashamed that women are so simple To offer war where they should kneel for peace," Shakespeare)
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