A manhunt is under way in connection with the death of a man in Tennessee whose murder was initially reported as a bear attack.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation has joined the search for Nicholas Wayne Hamlett, according to Fox News.
Police believe that Hamlett called police on Oct. 18 saying he was Brandon Andrade. The man making the call claimed he had been chased by a bear, was injured and fell into a body of water.
Police find dead body after man using fake name calls 911 and claims to have been chased by bear https://t.co/VMw3q1S9R3
— True Crime News (@MyTrueCrimeNews) October 28, 2024
When police arrived the next day at the location northeast of Chattanooga, Tennessee, they found a dead man with Andrade’s ID, but who was not in fact Andrade.
Police theorize that Hamlett had taken Andrade’s ID at some previous time and had been using it.
NEW- The U.S. Marshals have joined the hunt for Nicholas Hamlett, the suspect in a Monroe County murder. https://t.co/sVrAC6PbFN
— Camruinn Morgan-Rumsey 🏤 (@camruinn) October 30, 2024
Police are still trying to identify the dead man.
Hamlett was questioned about the 911 call, but used a fake name and was not detained by police.
“Mr. Hamlett had used a false name when speaking with law enforcement in Knox County, TN after the distressed hiker call. Before his real identity had been verified, Mr. Hamlett is believed to have fled from his Tennessee residence,” the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office said in a news release, according to NBC.
Monroe County has since issued a warrant for Hameltt’s arrest on a charge of first-degree murder.
Hamlett was wanted in Alabama on a parole violation at the time of the incident, the Monroe County sheriff’s office said in a news release.
Authorities believe he has since fled Tennessee, and have said he has connections in in Alabama, Montana, Alaska, Kentucky and Florida, according to WHAS-TV.
FBI, US Marshal Service join nationwide manhunt for murder suspect accused of faking bear attack: A slurry of agencies have joined the manhunt for Nicholas Wayne Hamlett, who killed a man and staged the death as a bear attack in what was… https://t.co/sYaDzIQ2Yv #BreakingNews pic.twitter.com/xCB07iPQ4O
— ZBreakingNewz (@ZBreakingNewz) October 30, 2024
“The FBI is providing technical and investigative assistance to the state and local authorities. Since the matter is ongoing, there isn’t much that we can say specifically,” an FBI representative said, according to Fox News.
Fox News reported that in 2012, Hamlett was sentenced to 20 years in prison in Alabama in connection with a 2009 incident that led to a conviction on a charge of felony assault.
Hamlett is considered armed and dangerous and the public has been warned not to engage with him, but report a sighting to authorities.
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