Mystery of missing Appalachian Trail hiker still vexes wardens, locals one ... - Bang

[Ground Control]

She could probably still be right off the trail and no one would see her.

Exactly. Remember, Irene Bryant was 25 yards away from her car, with multiple agencies searching that exact area in Pisgah forest, and they still didn't find her for three days. Just like the above listed unknown day hiker (case report linked in a previous post) - she could be likely just off the trail.

I hate to mention Gary Hilton, but let's remember that he might very well be at large if it were not for three vigilant people:

1) Merideth Emerson, skilled at martial arts, fought him so hard that he dropped a metal baton and the area he ambushed her showed ground disturbance and evidence of a struggle. This, a dropped dog leash, and multiple other items dropped during the struggle were crucial to the Law Enforcement and the eventual apprehension.

2) Gary Hilton's old employer heard about the description of the suspicious person last seen near Merideth Emerson. Then he heard about the baton, red dog, and Blood Mountain and connected this to his creepy ex-employee and alerted authorities as to his actual name and identity.

3) The 911 caller in Dekalb GA who saw Hilton cleaning out his van and alerted authorities. This action led to Hilton's arrest.

Add in the multiple hikers who provided descriptions that connected Hilton to Emerson and also Cheryl Dunlap in Apalachicola, FL. Each little tip was a piece of the puzzle, and each one was instrumental in moving the case along.

We don't know what Law Enforcement knows, but best to report anything out of the ordinary.

[Gambit McCrae]

I just think its sick that we cant go to our trails and into nature without fear. Knowledge is your best weapon. And a Colt .45 lol

[Seatbelt]

The third possibility is she went off the trial to get water, use a latrine, or photograph something (pick a reason) and ran into a hazard of some kind or was disorientated and went the wrong way to the point she could not be found near her last sighting.

I agree that this is a real possibility as well. As a spouse to a head-injury victim, I can understand how she could have slipped, fallen, hit her head and become disoriented. If this were to happen, she could be a long way from the trail and maybe not found anytime soon if ever....

[vamelungeon]

I check Whiteblaze daily just for any new discussion about this disappearance. I'm hoping some day to see that she has been found. I was a police officer for many years and have been involved in some searches in the woods, and it's just so easy to miss things. I have a friend whose brother died from a gunshot, either suicide or murder, next to a popular lake in a national forest. Untold numbers of people would have walked within feet of his body without seeing it all summer and fall, until finally a deer hunter stumbled across his remains that November. It may be that we just never know but I keep reading these threads about Inchworm anyway.

[RED-DOG]

lol.... cracks me up - "you've" had enough, so the admin is suppose to close the thread. How 'bout you simply stop checking in?

We need to let this LADY to rest in peace, if their is any changes in the investigation i am sure the ATC will post it as always, so far their been everything except an alien abduction theory.

[rocketsocks]

We need to let this LADY to rest in peace, if their is any changes in the investigation i am sure the ATC will post it as always, so far their been everything except an alien abduction theory.

...actually....I think that one was posed. but I hear ya. I think the first thread got way outta hand, so i just quit postin' in it....just kinda figured this was for discussin' stuff.

[Don H]

I believe searchers with K-9s were all up and down the trail so if a body was near the trail they would have picked up scent. In fact if a body was near the trail and was dead more than a few days everyone would have certainly smelled it. Searches did pick up the smell of something dead at one point but the dogs didn't alert to it so it was probably a dead animal. The dogs are trained to only alert on human scent using small pieces from cadavers for training.

[Lone Wolf]

I believe searchers with K-9s were all up and down the trail so if a body was near the trail they would have picked up scent. In fact if a body was near the trail and was dead more than a few days everyone would have certainly smelled it. Searches did pick up the smell of something dead at one point but the dogs didn't alert to it so it was probably a dead animal. The dogs are trained to only alert on human scent using small pieces from cadavers for training.

correct.......

[Don H]

We need to let this LADY to rest in peace, if their is any changes in the investigation i am sure the ATC will post it as always, so far their been everything except an alien abduction theory.

Ground Control just posted how hikers and others have provided information to help solve murder cases.

So why should we stop legitimate discussion on a case which has been reported on publicly? I find that counterproductive.

Keep Gerry's case in the public eye and maybe someone will remember something or come up with an idea that will help find her.

[T.S.Kobzol]

Interesting. In this case, however, I would have wanted to see the dead animal just to be sure. Even animals make mistakes.

I believe searchers with K-9s were all up and down the trail so if a body was near the trail they would have picked up scent. In fact if a body was near the trail and was dead more than a few days everyone would have certainly smelled it. Searches did pick up the smell of something dead at one point but the dogs didn't alert to it so it was probably a dead animal. The dogs are trained to only alert on human scent using small pieces from cadavers for training.

[Gambit McCrae]

We are not stopping the discussion, (Insert Rant Here).

Keeping this active could cause someone to come forward with information as well as keep moral of volunteer searchers up. And further more, keep her in our thoughts.

We shall not abandon thoes so quickly who fall unto silence before their time.

I agree that this is a real possibility as well. As a spouse to a head-injury victim, I can understand how she could have slipped, fallen, hit her head and become disoriented. If this were to happen, she could be a long way from the trail and maybe not found anytime soon if ever....

I have given this some thought and its quite possible. Due to how far I remember having to go one fall day up past Vendeventner Shelter along Watauga Lake Ridge Line for water, it was probably close to .75 down the ridge, and come to find out we were on a game trail, exausted, and didnt even find water. Live and learn. So yes I now agree that it could have been just bad fortune.


QUESTION (PLEASE REPLY WITH QUOTE): How far was the distance between where she stayed the night before and where she was suppposed to meet her husband? And did she have to cross any roads before she was supposed to arrive? I would like a link to more details as I have a good amount of gaps to fill in. thanks in advance

[Lone Wolf]

We are not stopping the discussion, (Insert Rant Here).

Keeping this active could cause someone to come forward with information as well as keep moral of volunteer searchers up. And further more, keep her in our thoughts.

We shall not abandon thoes so quickly who fall unto silence before their time.



I have given this some thought and its quite possible. Due to how far I remember having to go one fall day up past Vendeventner Shelter along Watauga Lake Ridge Line for water, it was probably close to .75 down the ridge, and come to find out we were on a game trail, exausted, and didnt even find water. Live and learn. So yes I now agree that it could have been just bad fortune.


QUESTION (PLEASE REPLY WITH QUOTE): How far was the distance between where she stayed the night before and where she was suppposed to meet her husband? And did she have to cross any roads before she was supposed to arrive? I would like a link to more details as I have a good amount of gaps to fill in. thanks in advance

21.5 miles. 1 road

[Turtle Feet]

QUESTION (PLEASE REPLY WITH QUOTE): How far was the distance between where she stayed the night before and where she was suppposed to meet her husband? And did she have to cross any roads before she was supposed to arrive? I would like a link to more details as I have a good amount of gaps to fill in. thanks in advance

Well, to cut to the chase Gambit - it's been determined that she went missing in an approximately 7-8 hour time frame from the time she left Poplar LT until the time she was suppose to have made it to Spaulding LT roughly 8 miles away.

She should have been seen by a group of 3 SOBO hikers (Gerry was NOBO), that originally mistook her identity on the slope of Lone Mountain. It was later determined that the hiker they actually saw was "Ivanic", another hiker from the Poplar LT the night before. She left approx. 1 1/2 hrs. after Gerry, so by my calculations, she should have passed Gerry as well. Gerry was never seen by anyone once she left Poplar around 0700.

There are two "road crossings" between Poplar & Spaulding. Neither of which are legit vehicle crossings, but more or less ATV crossings. It's my understanding that the trail can be accessed about 1 mile from where a vehicle would need to stop and park.

Gerry sent her husband a text as she was leaving Poplar. He sent her a text at 1426 that was not read. Her phone "pinged" at 1430, but no call or text was sent (according to authorities, the ping simply means the phone was turned on). She also received a text at 1030, that was not read - authorities have not released the sender for privacy purposes.

Factually, that's all we really know.

[Turtle Feet]

What I wanted to throw out there....

I was on Google Earth, and noticed that there is a date stamp at the bottom of the page - today it's stamped 9/17/13. Seems to me that theoretically anyway, there could have been an image from the day that Gerry went missing. Maybe even multiple images.

I'm not so much thinking that she could have been spotted through the trees, but I'm thinking about any vehicle/ATV activity on any of the surrounding roads. I mean - what if?!?.....

[Lone Wolf]

There are two "road crossings" between Poplar & Spaulding. Neither of which are legit vehicle crossings, but more or less ATV crossings. It's my understanding that the trail can be accessed about 1 mile from where a vehicle would need to stop and park.

there's only 1 real road crossing. Caribou valley road. you can drive right up to the AT and park

[Turtle Feet]

there's only 1 real road crossing. Caribou valley road. you can drive right up to the AT and park

Caribou Valley is beyond (north) Spaulding though, isn't it???

[Gambit McCrae]

Caribou Valley is beyond (north) Spaulding though, isn't it???

That is correct. Its about 5 miles north of spaulding.

Im guessing she was supposed to stay at spaulding thenight after poplar ridge but never showed up or passed the people staying at that shelter?

[Turtle Feet]

That is correct. Its about 5 miles north of spaulding.

Im guessing she was supposed to stay at spaulding thenight after poplar ridge but never showed up or passed the people staying at that shelter?

Correct. Originally, there was speculation that she could have by-passed Spaulding, but as extensively as that section was searched, and the fact that no SOBO's spotted her, that's been more or less discounted.

[imscotty]

Correct. Originally, there was speculation that she could have by-passed Spaulding, but as extensively as that section was searched, and the fact that no SOBO's spotted her, that's been more or less discounted.

I agree it is likely that she went off trail before Spaulding. Still, it is worth considering the possibility that she made it past Spaulding Shelter. I have not been there but I understand that you can walk past Spaulding Shelter without being seen. I understand she did not typically sign shelter registers. It is also possible that Inchworm was somewhat off the trail doing some private business when the SOBO's went by. Yes, perhaps that is unlikely timing but it is a possibility.

[rocketsocks]

I agree it is likely that she went off trail before Spaulding. Still, it is worth considering the possibility that she made it past Spaulding Shelter. I have not been there but I understand that you can walk past Spaulding Shelter without being seen. I understand she did not typically sign shelter registers. It is also possible that Inchworm was somewhat off the trail doing some private business when the SOBO's went by. Yes, perhaps that is unlikely timing but it is a possibility.

Do you mean you can go by the shelter without anyone seeing you? (line of sight), or that you can go by it and miss seeing the shelter (again, it's not in view)...or perhaps both, I guess.