Authorities are searching for an alleged killer. They claim that a wanted man faked a bear attack to cover up a murder and also committed identity theft.
Wait what? Okay, so let's rewind here folks. On October 24, 45-year-old Nicholas Wayne Hamlett called emergency services in Tennessee. He was using the name Brandon Andrade. He claimed that a bear chased him until he fell of a cliff. During the 911 call, Hamlett said that he was injured and also in the water as well, according to the Monroe County Sheriff's Office.
When authorities arrived at the scene, they found the body of Andrade at the bottom of a cliff. Well, they thought it was Andrade anyway finding an ID on the mangled body. A further autopsy showed that it was actually the corpse of an unidentified man and not the caller. Further investigation showed that Hamlett had stolen the real Andrade's identity and used it on several occasions.
Fake Bear Attack
Now, they're on the hunt for Hamlett. They claim that Hamlett tried to fake his death. Hamlett had been on parole at the time. They're a bit stumped why Hamlett faked his death at the time. But it's clear to them that he faked a bear attack to cover up a very real murder.
He's since skipped town, and no one has seen him since. He abandoned his home in Tennessee with connections to Alabama, Montana, Alaska, Kentucky, and Florida. There's no telling where he may be.
Previously, authorities arrested Hamlett in 2009. he held a man at gunpoint. He also attempted to hit the man with a baseball bat and bury him. During that incident, Hamlett was using another fake identity. He introduced himself as Joshua Jones to the man, saying he was trying to get "some insurance."
Authorities charged him with attempted murder and kidnapping. Later, he pled guilty to a reduced charge of felony assault in 2012. He also had four prior convictions as well. Authorities consider him armed and dangerous. He's wanted for first degree murder following the fake bear attack.
They're also trying to solve the mystery of who the deceased victim is.
