close
close

South Carolina police arrest murder suspect wanted for 911 call

play

The nationwide manhunt for the man police wanted for murder is over after they say he used a false identity in a bizarre 911 call to fake his own death by claiming he was on the run from one Bears fallen off a cliff near the scenic Cherohala Skyway.

A hospital worker in Columbia, South Carolina, recognized Nicholas Hamlett and called police, the Columbia Police Department said on the evening of Nov. 10. An officer confirmed Hamlett's identity with a fingerprint scanner and he was taken into custody by the U.S. Marshals Service.

Officials in South Carolina and Tennessee are coordinating his extradition.

Monroe County Sheriff Tommy Jones announced Oct. 25 that Hamlett, who used the name Brandon Andrade, frantically called 911 on Oct. 18 to say he was being chased by a bear and was near one Waterfall fallen from a cliff. Jones said first responders who arrived at the scene found the body of a man with Andrade's identification.

However, investigators later determined that the victim was not Andrade and that he had been murdered, Jones said. Police identified the victim as Steven Douglas Lloyd of Knoxville and Jones said he died of blunt force trauma to the head, injuries not consistent with a bear attack or a fall.

Hamlett, 45, was wanted by police in Alabama for a probation violation and was living in East Tennessee. However, he was not a resident of Monroe County.

In a press conference on October 30, FBI Special Agent in Charge Joseph Carrico appealed directly to Hamlett and Jones reiterated that law enforcement considered him very dangerous and although the victim knew Hamlett, Jones said the murder was not an isolated incident.

“Nic, let’s end this peacefully,” Carrico said. “Be yourself. Enjoy your day in court.”

“We will find you no matter where you hide.”

Hamlett knew his victim

The Monroe County Sheriff's Office named Hamlett's victims in an Oct. 4 Facebook post. Lloyd, 34, befriended Hamlett, lured him to a wooded area along the Cherohala Skyway and murdered him so Hamlett could steal his identity, the post said.

The post didn't say how long the two had known each other, but Lloyd, who was from Knoxville, was diagnosed with reactive attachment disorder and was known to leave home and live on the streets.

“Steven’s mental health issues had led to his living conditions and his family continued to support and love him. … The family was shocked to learn that their beloved son's life was taken by someone Steven trusted,” the post said.

A violent past

Hamlett is wanted by police in Alabama for a probation violation. In 2009, he was charged with attempted murder in Alabama after police said he held a man at gunpoint and attempted to hit him with a baseball bat, with the intent of eventually disposing of the man's body in rural Elmore County, Alabama , according to court documents.

Hamlett used the alias Joshua Jones to lure a man to a park by claiming he would sell him insurance, but Hamlett held him at gunpoint and led him to a nearby wooded area with a shallow grave. But the man fought back.

Although court records provide few details, Hamlett appears to have suffered the worst of it. His victim called 911 after hitting Hamlett and knocking him unconscious. Hamlett had to be flown by helicopter to a local hospital, where he fell into a coma.

Hamlett was charged with attempted murder and kidnapping, but pleaded less to aggravated assault, according to court records. He had four previous felonies and was sentenced to 20 years in prison.

Emergency call: “Escape from a bear”

Knox News received the dispatch call about the fake fall on October 18th. The forwarding occurred at 11:37 p.m

“Units en route to the Cherohala Skyway area at Falls Branch Road. Have a male subject who fell off a cliff. He can't move. He was running from a bear. His battery is at 2% – he is unable to restore the emergency call.

“… traveling in the area of ​​Cherohala Skyway and Falls Branch Road. Cherohala Skyway and Falls Branch Road to support Turkey Creek. I received a call from Polk County. They point out that a male subject fell off a cliff while fleeing a bear. Can't move his legs. Hit his head. He will be at the falls…”

The 43-mile Cherohala Skyway passes through the federally owned Cherokee National Forest and into Robbinsville, North Carolina.

The Hamlett investigation involved investigators from the Knox County Sheriff's Office, the Knoxville Police Department, the Monroe County Sheriff's Office, the Tenth Judicial District Attorney's Office, the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, the FBI, and the U.S. Marshals Service, which offered a reward of up to A $5,000 reward for information leading to Hamlett's arrest.

Tyler Whetstone is an investigative reporter focused on accountability journalism. Get in touch with Tyler by sending him an email at [email protected]. Follow him on X, formerly known as Twitter, @tyler_whetstone.

You may also like...