MONROE COUNTY, Tenn. — Authorities in Tennessee gave an update on the case of a murder suspect who they say used a stolen identity when reporting his crime to dispatchers in Polk County.
New information from the Monroe County, Tennessee sheriff:
- The ‘armed and dangerous’ suspect, Nicholas Wayne Hamlett, is still on the run Wednesday, and authorities are now offering a $5,000 reward for information leading to his capture.
- The man who police say was Hamlett’s victim had injuries that weren’t consistent with a bear attack or a fall off of a cliff.
- Investigators believe the suspect knew the victim.
Watch the full news conference below:
This is a very serious charge,’ said Monroe County Sheriff Tommy Jones. ‘There is a family suffering and there is a violent wanted person walking our streets.
Scroll down to read more background.
As of Wednesday afternoon, Nicholas Wayne Hamlett remains on the run. Authorities are now offering a $5,000 reward for information leading to his capture.
Authorities say they now know more information about the man they say Hamlett killed.
Back on October 18th, those dispatchers in Polk County got a call from a man who identified himself as a hiker who was halfway in the water after falling off a cliff while running from a bear.
Dispatchers learned he was calling from nearby Monroe County, Tennessee, and alerted their counterparts there.
When deputies arrived on the scene near the Cherahola Skyway in Tellico Plains, they found a man’s body.
Authorities said Wednesday that the victim’s injuries were not consistent with a bear attack or with falling off of a cliff.
In his pockets was a card that identified him as Brandon Andrade.
But authorities say they soon learned that name was one Hamlett had stolen, and used in the past, as well as after they say he committed the murder.
That left the murder victim unidentified.
At a Wednesday afternoon news conference, authorities plan to share more information about the case, which could possibly include the victim’s identity or how he died.
We have a crew in Monroe County for the news conference, which we’ll stream live on our Facebook and YouTube pages.
Depend on us to keep you posted.
Earlier:Tennessee murder suspect uses stolen identity to report his crime, sheriff says