Read this - Post from another hiker- details about GMH a bit..

[LionRun]

Bedangit, Jinxie and cwiz! What excellent finds! Either one or both men spoken about in those blogs may have been Hilton. If so, it seems that he may have been sizing up his chances for attack on both. And, if the man in the reported white van was not Hilton, whomever it was may have been sizing up one or both women for an eventual attack. Scary stuff!

Any news on who to send this info on? They are probably getting many, many tips/leads/sitings concerning Hilton these days, so I understand the importance of getting this and any other info directly to the correct department.

Lion

 

[MeoW333]

MasterJ that does sound like him.

MeoW..not sure about that post. What would be the connection to Hilton? Am I missing something?

I'm sorry SS, i forget.. i'm going through some of the hiking journals using "vietnam vet" (Hilton pay have tried to pass himself off as one)
In case of hiker ran across him on the trails and then we can get the potential siting date down maybe we can rule out which ones may be Hilton then we can connect if there were any murders in that area.

 

[MeoW333]

Jinxie, how are ya'll dividing up the trailjournals to search? I can check some years if you want

 

[InterestedNHelping]

hey folks, if you don't know who in LE to contact in Georgia, contact Christine2448, she's a mod and in GA, she will help you forward this stuff to LE.(ps.most trail folks that hike regularly have trail names)
Best Wishes
(hope that's ok Christine!)

 

[i.b.nora]

http://trailjournals.com/entry.cfm?id=214369

"Thursday, January 10, 2008

As of 8am this morning, I have contacted GBI and the Union Co. Sheriff's department to give my statement about my encounter in the previous journal entry.

If there are any other hikers out there who can remember meeting Gary Micheal Hilton along any part of the trail in North Georgia/North Carolina in the past five years, I would strongly suggest letting them know.

-Wind-up"

 

[JinxieJada]

http://trailjournals.com/entry.cfm?id=214369

"Thursday, January 10, 2008

As of 8am this morning, I have contacted GBI and the Union Co. Sheriff's department to give my statement about my encounter in the previous journal entry.

If there are any other hikers out there who can remember meeting Gary Micheal Hilton along any part of the trail in North Georgia/North Carolina in the past five years, I would strongly suggest letting them know.

-Wind-up"

Thanks for the update - since he directly contacted them, I'm going to hold off. I think it's better anyways it came from "the source" vs a reader?

MeoW, I haven't gotten around to getting w/ anyone to divide it up. My youngest is teething atm so I'm hit or miss here. Ya'll want to figure something out amongst us via pms? I'll be on for a bit here....lmk!o

Everyone that seems to recall him, recalls the van and his dog, maybe we should focus on those key words to get started? Are we focusing on the Appy trail to start with. I know we have ideas and even evidence he's been elsewhere, but we have to start somewhere right?


L

 

[cwiz24]

Everyone that seems to recall him, recalls the van and his dog, maybe we should focus on those key words to get started? Are we focusing on the Appy trail to start with. I know we have ideas and even evidence he's been elsewhere, but we have to start somewhere right?

L

I've already searched both the journals and the forums on that site for 'Dandy', 'white van', and 'Mack'. That's where I found the entry I added above. Remember, if you search the forums, you cannot only search the Appalachian Trail--all journals from all hikers are accessed.

 

[MeoW333]

This story is weird:
http://www.trailjournals.com/entry.cfm?id=97749

 

[JinxieJada]

This story is weird:
http://www.trailjournals.com/entry.cfm?id=97749

Wow..Freaky!

Not sure if it's our guy though. No mention of the dog..the other blog is from 2005, and the dog is mentioned. BUT he could have the dog stashed somewhere..The white van. UGH...I'm paranoid when I see one now!

Should we compile a list of "almost certain, possibles, and nah don't thinks so's" lol or something similiar once we find more of these?

 

[MeoW333]

It sounds good to me!! =)

 

[close_enough]

This story is weird:
http://www.trailjournals.com/entry.cfm?id=97749

yikes! i agree...weird for sure...i have a very good friend that doesn't live too far from Damascus....

 

[aj1020]

This story is weird:
http://www.trailjournals.com/entry.cfm?id=97749

SUPER SUPER weird! I got the heebie jeebies reading that!

 

[Kristins1223]

Well I've never posted anything before but I'm so interested in what is going to unfold with this story. I checked out the hikers website and found this.....possibly using a fake accent??

http://www.trailjournals.com/text/entry.cfm?id=4255

http://www.trailjournals.com/entry.cfm?id=4976

 

[JinxieJada]

I've found a couple different entries from different hikers/posters in the Damascus area talking about a roaming golden retriever, but the dog does NOT appear friendly nor well trained. BUT what caught me, is one person called the dog "daisy" and it laid right down on the spot....


That's the only thing that closely (daisy/dandy a bit similiar) matches, other than the desc. of the dog. Ya'll want me to post the entries anyway, or just keep them saved in case we need them for later?

 

[gardenmom]

hey folks, if you don't know who in LE to contact in Georgia, contact Christine2448, she's a mod and in GA, she will help you forward this stuff to LE.(ps.most trail folks that hike regularly have trail names)
Best Wishes
(hope that's ok Christine!)

I don't know if it was a trail name, but it was reported he called himself "Mack".

 

[happy2bn10ec]

yikes! i agree...weird for sure...i have a very good friend that doesn't live too far from Damascus....

Yep, that would be me and here is the email I just sent to close today -

I have been hanging on that one, too. Which led me to this: last night I was talking about it and looking at pictures of the guy and Dylan comes in here and started talking about this guy that used to hang out at the campground a couple of summers ago. He drove a white van (don't know what kind)with FL tags and Dylan was scared of him. He would park in the lower parking lot and open the side door. He had a dog with him - don't know what kind of dog either - and he would lay there and sleep in the back of the van UNTIL anyone walked through that end of the park or parking lot. Then he would shut the door and drive off. Well...you know how suspicious I am about people - but I wasn't the only one. Everyone up there was talking about this guy being creepy and just acting strange. Anyway, we mentioned this to Scott, the Law Enforcement Ranger from the Forest Service that occasionally came through. The next time he saw that van down there, he went up and tried to start a converstaion with him - he asked him first if he had paid the fee to park there and the guy says no, he had a Golden Age pass, which by the way, doens't mean you can go free - just half-price. But Scott said the guy acted so irritated that he didn't even correct him on that point - it's only $1 to park anyway. Seems like he asked him to see his license and he must have had it. Anyway, he said the guy just acted really aggravated at him and when he walked off, the man shut the van up and left. The next morning, Scott said he got to the Forest Service office in Erwin, and there was a two-page typed complaint sent in an email from the library in Damascus about him "harassing" this guy. THE GUY HAD WENT TO TOWN AND EMAILED THEM A COMPLAINT!!!

I showed Dylan his picture and of course, this is a kid's memory, but he said it could be him. He said he had a white beard at the time and had on some type of hat but he couldn't remember what kind. I never got near enough to see him or the van for that matter. But I am wondering if this could have been that guy. He NEVER showed up around there again after Scott talked to him that day.

 

[angelwngs]

Yep, that would be me and here is the email I just sent to close today -

I have been hanging on that one, too. Which led me to this: last night I was talking about it and looking at pictures of the guy and Dylan comes in here and started talking about this guy that used to hang out at the campground a couple of summers ago. He drove a white van (don't know what kind)with FL tags and Dylan was scared of him. He would park in the lower parking lot and open the side door. He had a dog with him - don't know what kind of dog either - and he would lay there and sleep in the back of the van UNTIL anyone walked through that end of the park or parking lot. Then he would shut the door and drive off. Well...you know how suspicious I am about people - but I wasn't the only one. Everyone up there was talking about this guy being creepy and just acting strange. Anyway, we mentioned this to Scott, the Law Enforcement Ranger from the Forest Service that occasionally came through. The next time he saw that van down there, he went up and tried to start a converstaion with him - he asked him first if he had paid the fee to park there and the guy says no, he had a Golden Age pass, which by the way, doens't mean you can go free - just half-price. But Scott said the guy acted so irritated that he didn't even correct him on that point - it's only $1 to park anyway. Seems like he asked him to see his license and he must have had it. Anyway, he said the guy just acted really aggravated at him and when he walked off, the man shut the van up and left. The next morning, Scott said he got to the Forest Service office in Erwin, and there was a two-page typed complaint sent in an email from the library in Damascus about him "harassing" this guy. THE GUY HAD WENT TO TOWN AND EMAILED THEM A COMPLAINT!!!

I showed Dylan his picture and of course, this is a kid's memory, but he said it could be him. He said he had a white beard at the time and had on some type of hat but he couldn't remember what kind. I never got near enough to see him or the van for that matter. But I am wondering if this could have been that guy. He NEVER showed up around there again after Scott talked to him that day.

OMG, sounds way too familiar to discount. It could very well have been him!

 

[KR2tonenow]

I'm sorry SS, i forget.. i'm going through some of the hiking journals using "vietnam vet" (Hilton pay have tried to pass himself off as one)
In case of hiker ran across him on the trails and then we can get the potential siting date down maybe we can rule out which ones may be Hilton then we can connect if there were any murders in that area.

Right, plus he could be Mack?? The way he rambled on sounds like the personality MO. A personality that stands out in everyone minds. Not scary enough to report, but creepy enough to document.

 

[close_enough]

Yep, that would be me and here is the email I just sent to close today -

I have been hanging on that one, too. Which led me to this: last night I was talking about it and looking at pictures of the guy and Dylan comes in here and started talking about this guy that used to hang out at the campground a couple of summers ago. He drove a white van (don't know what kind)with FL tags and Dylan was scared of him. He would park in the lower parking lot and open the side door. He had a dog with him - don't know what kind of dog either - and he would lay there and sleep in the back of the van UNTIL anyone walked through that end of the park or parking lot. Then he would shut the door and drive off. Well...you know how suspicious I am about people - but I wasn't the only one. Everyone up there was talking about this guy being creepy and just acting strange. Anyway, we mentioned this to Scott, the Law Enforcement Ranger from the Forest Service that occasionally came through. The next time he saw that van down there, he went up and tried to start a converstaion with him - he asked him first if he had paid the fee to park there and the guy says no, he had a Golden Age pass, which by the way, doens't mean you can go free - just half-price. But Scott said the guy acted so irritated that he didn't even correct him on that point - it's only $1 to park anyway. Seems like he asked him to see his license and he must have had it. Anyway, he said the guy just acted really aggravated at him and when he walked off, the man shut the van up and left. The next morning, Scott said he got to the Forest Service office in Erwin, and there was a two-page typed complaint sent in an email from the library in Damascus about him "harassing" this guy. THE GUY HAD WENT TO TOWN AND EMAILED THEM A COMPLAINT!!!

I showed Dylan his picture and of course, this is a kid's memory, but he said it could be him. He said he had a white beard at the time and had on some type of hat but he couldn't remember what kind. I never got near enough to see him or the van for that matter. But I am wondering if this could have been that guy. He NEVER showed up around there again after Scott talked to him that day.

what do you want to bet it was him...course i guess we'll never know for SURE, but that's awfully close, girl!!....all the woods, mountains, trails & all around you....eeeeek!

just got back from doing a load of laundry, so i haven't checked email yet...ugh, getting a new washer tomorrow, thank GOD!!!!...had some comforters & a BUNCH of stuff, so i loaded up two of the triple loaders at the laundromat, lol......will be drying clothes all night, i guess

 

[happy2bn10ec]

what do you want to bet it was him...course i guess we'll never know for SURE, but that's awfully close, girl!!....all the woods, mountains, trails & all around you....eeeeek!

just got back from doing a load of laundry, so i haven't checked email yet...ugh, getting a new washer tomorrow, thank GOD!!!!...had some comforters & a BUNCH of stuff, so i loaded up two of the triple loaders at the laundromat, lol......will be drying clothes all night, i guess

Just for curiosity's sake, I am going to see if I can find out more about the email he sent to the regional office - I know some people that could find out if any info is still available about it - mostly I want to know when it was written. I am thinking it was 2005, but it may have been 2006. I am sure that he didn't sign his name to it, but maybe there will be something I can learn. The only thing - I probably won't be seeing any of those people that could find out for me until April.