Last month a hiker was killed in the Tennesse woodlands. Initially, it was thought to have been an animal attack. However, it was later found to be a murder that was staged as a bear attack. Now, the identity of hiker has been revealed and a manhunt is underway to find the murderer.
Hiker Killed In Staged Bear Attack
Getty Images, Michigan
CBS News shared that the identify of the hiker who was killed is 34-year-old Steven Douglas Lloyd of Knoxville. He was killed in mid-October of this year in a supposed staged bear attack. However, now information has come out about his suspected killer. Nicholas Wayne Hamlett "remains wanted for murder and is still at large." While his identity is known that may not make him any easier to find.
This man uses many aliases and has had ties to "Tennessee, Montana, Alabama, Alaska, Kentucky, North Carolina, and Florida." The hiker that was killed in a staged bear attack suffered from reactive attachment disorder. When you are diagnosed with this disorder, it means you do not establish healthy relationships with your caregivers.
While it was not uncommon for Steven to leave home and live on the streets he always kept in contact with his family. However one day he stopped communicating with his family all together. The Monroe County Sheriff's Office received a distress call from an individual who said their name was "Brandon Andrade." They were told that Brandon had "fallen off a cliff while running from a bear."
The Truth About The Hiker Who Was Killed
While the phone call said it was a bear attack the evidence proved otherwise. Emergency personnel found the body of the hiker and Andrade's ID on the body. However upon further investigation it was proven that the body did not belong to Brandon Andrade. Instead, it was Steven Douglass Lloyd.
The ID had been stolen and "used on multiple occasions" by Hamlett. The Sheriff's Office believes that Hamlett befriended Stephen, then killed him and stole his identity. As the truth about this staged bear attack surfaces, investigations are still underway Additionally, law enforcement is still on the lookout for Hamlett and his potential new identity.
