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East TN murder suspect accused of staging hiker's death as a bear attack

MADISONVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — A man wanted as part of a nationwide manhunt for a murder in East Tennessee has been captured. Nicholas Hamlett was taken into custody at a hospital in Columbia, South Carolina, on Sunday.

Hamlett has been on the run since mid-October after police said he killed 34-year-old Steven Lloyd and stole his identity. The Monroe County Sheriff believed that Hamlett had met Lloyd, befriended him and lured him into a wooded area to take his life and his identity.

Authorities believe he posed as a victim when calling 911 and staged a bear attack. Police officials say they may link Lloyd's death to Hamlett.

He was later recognized at a local hospital in Colombia. The FBI was able to confirm his identity by checking his fingerprints. Hamlett is currently charged with first-degree murder in Tennessee and a probation violation in Alabama.

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