On October 18, a 911 caller in rural Tennessee told dispatchers he was injured after being chased by a bear off a cliff and into water. However, when emergency workers arrived, they discovered a completely different situation, authorities said.
Near a bridge along the scenic Cherohala Skyway in Tellico Plains, emergency responders discovered the body of a man who appeared to have been killed, according to the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office. The man had identification under the name Brandon Kristopher Andrade—the same name given by the 911 caller.
However, authorities quickly discovered that the body did not belong to Mr. Andrade. Instead, his I.D. had been stolen and used by Nicholas Wayne Hamlett, a 45-year-old parolee with an extensive criminal record.
Monroe County Sheriff Tommy J. Jones II announced on Friday that an arrest warrant had been issued for Nicholas Wayne Hamlett on a first-degree murder charge. Hamlett, currently on the run, is described as “armed and dangerous,” according to the sheriff’s statement.
As of Friday, authorities had yet to identify the deceased man or disclose details of how he was killed. They planned to release a sketch to assist in identifying him. Messages left on Monday with the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office and with a man named Brandon Kristopher Andrade were not immediately returned.
Officials stated that Hamlett used an alias when speaking to authorities in another Tennessee county after the initial 911 call. They believe he has since fled his Tennessee residence.
Hamlett’s criminal record includes prison sentences for assault, forgery, and theft, according to court documents. Interestingly, this isn’t the only recent case where a caller falsely blamed a bear for what later turned out to be a homicide.
Earlier this month near Bozeman, Montana, someone reported finding a man dead in his tent, seemingly from a bear attack. However, authorities later concluded the camper was likely the victim of a violent homicide. An autopsy revealed that he had suffered “multiple chop wounds.”
No suspects have been arrested in connection with that case.
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