Dandy

[Native New Yorker]

You know, I think that the fact that he went back and got Ella is not so much because Meredith was upset, but because she would have told him that Ella would die in the car ( due to cold, no water, etc. ) if left alone.
I do not think that Hilton was and is capable of any feelings towards humans. I do not think he cared at all about Meredith being upset, etc....

And it may well be that he never even had a pet as a child, but later found that animals, unlike people, could be controlled.

I am also an animal lover....3 cats, one dog....

 

[MeoW333]

The thing with Hilton is, i don't think he can form an emotional attachment at all with people. Unlike us, we can and we also love animals. He may have been in some kind of neglect abuse situation as a child like i mentioned above. There's been research done on it, failure to thrive, psychosocial dwarfism, etc. He can still interact with people, yet the emotional connection or empathy is not present at all. With dogs, it is there. I think it may have stemmed from conditions in his early childhood. That and him isolating himself different times over the years would make him even worse off in relations with people. He may have been married a few times, yet all those relationships ended. I don't think he can empathize with humans at all.

 

[Hiker]

I think that Hilton's great concern for Dandy will give us hints as to how his childhood was.
Hiker, you were a child abuse investigator for years, what is your take on how Hilton's childhood could have been?
This may be the only way we can figure it out as there are doubtfully any records from back then or witnesses alive now.

My guess is GMH is the product of one of these two different times of homes and had a dog during his childhood - and the unconditional love of the dog became very important to him:

• Chaotic home with constant family conflict, violence and/or a lack of supervision. His parents may have been abusive and either alcoholics, drug addicts or seriously mentally ill. As a result Hilton may have difficulty developing emotional bonds with other people. He may seek the ultimate control over others to feel empowered in a world he sees as dangerous and unpredictable
• An overly punitive home where there were no clear rules for conduct and discipline - a child in such an environment comes to believe punishment is meted out randomly and become unclear as to what behaviors are acceptable and unacceptable - and they tend to mete out punishment randomly as adults.

 

[MeoW333]

My guess is GMH is the product of one of these two different times of homes and had a dog during his childhood - and the unconditional love of the dog became very important to him:

• Chaotic home with constant family conflict, violence and/or a lack of supervision. His parents may have been abusive and either alcoholics, drug addicts or seriously mentally ill. As a result Hilton may have difficulty developing emotional bonds with other people. He may seek the ultimate control over others to feel empowered in a world he sees as dangerous and unpredictable
• An overly punitive home where there were no clear rules for conduct and discipline - a child in such an environment comes to believe punishment is meted out randomly and become unclear as to what behaviors are acceptable and unacceptable - and they tend to mete out punishment randomly as adults.

Hiker, thank you, your information is valuable, as we will likely have little to go on regarding his childhood.
I guess we kind of have to work with whatever information we can and his whereabouts at different times, as surely he has more victims out there.
Also, insight into Hilton's background, even as a child, will hopefully help identify signs in children early on, so that they can get therapy that is needed to prevent them from turning to crime when they are older.

 

[mysteriew]

I was told that a female member of the search and rescue team that searched Blood Mountain and then the roadways for Meredith Emerson adopted Dandy.

Media reports say that being able to pick the person who would get Dandy - meaning interviewing the person and likely discuss his care - was part of the bargain when GMH agreed to disclose the location of Meredith's body. Given that, a lot of people would have been willing to talk with Hilton - even those not in LE.

I've had to talk with pedophiles and people who have horribly abused or neglected children many times. While they look like monsters on paper, they look like people in person. It isn't as hard as you might think to talk with someone who has done something really horrible - especially if you know doing so will keep them from being able to do it again.

Don't sell yourself short. This insight alone is valuable. Most people don't realize that in looking at a guy, that being a child molester won't stand out. And that sometimes you can't tell from their actions until it is too late. That sometimes the "nicest" people commit the most horrendous crimes. And the same is often true of people who have done all types of crimes.

 

[MeoW333]

I really think GMH should be studied by forensic psychiatrists who will be able to read through him. It's not everyday we have a serial killer who travels with his dog, and then barters into his plea bargain well being for the dog.