Sadly, Meredith is found
Unfortunately, Meredith Emerson has been found. She’s dead, and it’s no accident. Gary Michael Hilton led law enforcement officers to her body. There is no official statement as to the cause of death, but it’s pretty obvious she didn’t just fall off the trail and freeze to death.
Mr. Hilton will get his day in court, but his lawyer has a lot to overcome in mounting a defense. Hilton was caught red-handed cleaning his van at a convenience-store car wash. Blood-soaked clothing and other articles belonging to Miss Emerson were found in close proximity to where—apparently—Hilton was attempting to dispose of evidence. Meredith’s dog, Ella, was cut loose in a suburb of Atlanta, miles from where Emerson was the last person seen talking to Meredith. Hilton finally caved under the pressure of questioning, and led the police straight to the body; it’s no accident that he knew exactly where it was.
I was somewhat surprised that the execrable Greta Van Susteren didn’t show up here during the search, but I suppose a visit to the mountains in winter has less appeal than traipsing around Aruba on the beach looking for Natalee Holloway. I have an intense dislike for Van Susteren; she presents herself as a tireless victim’s advocate, but when I asked for help in reopening my father’s murder case, she blew me off literally with a “Gee whiz! What a story!” Thanks, Greta. We know how important those ratings are.
It sounds pretentious, but I have begun to introduce myself to law enforcement officials as “a victim’s rights advocate”. Like many things in life, you have to make it up as you go along, but kiss my grits if cops don’t respond and talk to me. I am the only one who speaks for my father and the other three victims of that particular serial killer, and for whatever my words may be worth, I will speak for others in whatever forum I can enter. There are plenty of misguided people who will start hollering about the rights of killers, but the victims seem to get double-dealt and forgotten. People accused of murder are certainly entitled to their day in court, with a fair trial and a vigorous defense, but who speaks for the dead?
Meredith Emerson’s family will never get over this. Pop psychologists like to use the “C” word: “closure”. There is no such entity. We, the living, continue with our lives because it is all we know how do to, and because there is the knowledge that the departed would want it thus. Some of us may even find it in our hearts to forgive the malefactors, albeit with conditions, like “Tell me why you did it.” One thing that no murder victim’s family ever does is forget what happened to their loved one. The knowledge of what happened is always right there on the edge of your mind, and the most innocuous stimulus can trigger a torrent of tears. I still have trouble talking to people face-to-face about my father after 23 years without choking up and wanting to leave the room to cry privately. There is no “closure” on murder, even if the perpetrator is caught and convicted.
I have put forth my defense of “hillbillies” in a previous post, and it appears I’m correct. What we apparently have is a monster from the big city of Atlanta, who made the two-hour drive to a county that is 60% national forest. I know enough about evil to know that it can happen anywhere, but the notion that some fiend was using our quiet community as a happy hunting ground is almost inconceivable. Before this, Union County had two murders in the past five years. Both were blunt-force traumas; what we might characterize as "crimes of passion". In both cases, someone got beaten to death in the heat of anger. Despite the presence of firearms in almost every household, it’s been a long, long time since anyone was shot and killed in Union County.
When Hilton comes to trial, UPI will be there to cover it. I have zero tolerance for murder, and deep-seated anger that some predator will invade my community to commit wanton, cold-blooded homicide. A call to the Union County Sheriff’s Office minutes ago yielded nothing new; they are still playing everything close to the vest, as is proper.
To offset this terrible loss, please join me in thanking God for the lives of those lost snowmobilers along the New Mexico/Colorado state line. I had the good fortune to be tuned in this morning when a true “TV moment” occurred. FOX News’s Meghan Kelly was talking live to the father of one of the missing adventurers, when a local sheriff called in on another line to tell the world that those folks had been found alive and well, and rescue was on the way. There was no video of the lucky father, but his reaction over the phone sounded a lot like crying with relief. I cried, too. God’s inscrutable, and I long ago gave up trying to discern His purposes, but we thank Him for life where He gives it.
Mr. Hilton had best pray for a trial in DeKalb County, where he was arrested. It would be extremely difficult to seat a fair-minded jury in Blairsville; our sense of shock and outrage is too great.
Let us now pray that Meredith’s family will find some small solace of peace as they get on with their lives. It will never go away, but unlike my father’s unsolved murder, there may be a sense of finality about this.
Updates will be posted when appropriate.
Mr. Hilton will get his day in court, but his lawyer has a lot to overcome in mounting a defense. Hilton was caught red-handed cleaning his van at a convenience-store car wash. Blood-soaked clothing and other articles belonging to Miss Emerson were found in close proximity to where—apparently—Hilton was attempting to dispose of evidence. Meredith’s dog, Ella, was cut loose in a suburb of Atlanta, miles from where Emerson was the last person seen talking to Meredith. Hilton finally caved under the pressure of questioning, and led the police straight to the body; it’s no accident that he knew exactly where it was.
I was somewhat surprised that the execrable Greta Van Susteren didn’t show up here during the search, but I suppose a visit to the mountains in winter has less appeal than traipsing around Aruba on the beach looking for Natalee Holloway. I have an intense dislike for Van Susteren; she presents herself as a tireless victim’s advocate, but when I asked for help in reopening my father’s murder case, she blew me off literally with a “Gee whiz! What a story!” Thanks, Greta. We know how important those ratings are.
It sounds pretentious, but I have begun to introduce myself to law enforcement officials as “a victim’s rights advocate”. Like many things in life, you have to make it up as you go along, but kiss my grits if cops don’t respond and talk to me. I am the only one who speaks for my father and the other three victims of that particular serial killer, and for whatever my words may be worth, I will speak for others in whatever forum I can enter. There are plenty of misguided people who will start hollering about the rights of killers, but the victims seem to get double-dealt and forgotten. People accused of murder are certainly entitled to their day in court, with a fair trial and a vigorous defense, but who speaks for the dead?
Meredith Emerson’s family will never get over this. Pop psychologists like to use the “C” word: “closure”. There is no such entity. We, the living, continue with our lives because it is all we know how do to, and because there is the knowledge that the departed would want it thus. Some of us may even find it in our hearts to forgive the malefactors, albeit with conditions, like “Tell me why you did it.” One thing that no murder victim’s family ever does is forget what happened to their loved one. The knowledge of what happened is always right there on the edge of your mind, and the most innocuous stimulus can trigger a torrent of tears. I still have trouble talking to people face-to-face about my father after 23 years without choking up and wanting to leave the room to cry privately. There is no “closure” on murder, even if the perpetrator is caught and convicted.
I have put forth my defense of “hillbillies” in a previous post, and it appears I’m correct. What we apparently have is a monster from the big city of Atlanta, who made the two-hour drive to a county that is 60% national forest. I know enough about evil to know that it can happen anywhere, but the notion that some fiend was using our quiet community as a happy hunting ground is almost inconceivable. Before this, Union County had two murders in the past five years. Both were blunt-force traumas; what we might characterize as "crimes of passion". In both cases, someone got beaten to death in the heat of anger. Despite the presence of firearms in almost every household, it’s been a long, long time since anyone was shot and killed in Union County.
When Hilton comes to trial, UPI will be there to cover it. I have zero tolerance for murder, and deep-seated anger that some predator will invade my community to commit wanton, cold-blooded homicide. A call to the Union County Sheriff’s Office minutes ago yielded nothing new; they are still playing everything close to the vest, as is proper.
To offset this terrible loss, please join me in thanking God for the lives of those lost snowmobilers along the New Mexico/Colorado state line. I had the good fortune to be tuned in this morning when a true “TV moment” occurred. FOX News’s Meghan Kelly was talking live to the father of one of the missing adventurers, when a local sheriff called in on another line to tell the world that those folks had been found alive and well, and rescue was on the way. There was no video of the lucky father, but his reaction over the phone sounded a lot like crying with relief. I cried, too. God’s inscrutable, and I long ago gave up trying to discern His purposes, but we thank Him for life where He gives it.
Mr. Hilton had best pray for a trial in DeKalb County, where he was arrested. It would be extremely difficult to seat a fair-minded jury in Blairsville; our sense of shock and outrage is too great.
Let us now pray that Meredith’s family will find some small solace of peace as they get on with their lives. It will never go away, but unlike my father’s unsolved murder, there may be a sense of finality about this.
Updates will be posted when appropriate.
posted by Robert at 7:06 PM
4 Comments:
At least the murderer had the decency to take the police to her body. Many refuse to do that. For her parents the only thing that could be worse that this ,is not ever finding her body. But what a sad horrible consolaion. And he did spare the dog ,which surprises me. I can't think the dog left her. It is so sad ,but I would like to take all the young people and shake them and say ,"Listen, don't go out into danger alone ,whether it is a mountain hike,bike path or the bars. Take a friend and stay togeher." Then I think "Why? Why should anyone not be able to go where they want ,when they want and not have some depraved monster attack them?" We shouldn't have to give up our freedoms to be safe, but that is what happens when the Judges keep freeing rapists and murderers. They emptied our Insane asylums and pushed people who can't care for themselves out into the streets.
Don't be surprised if this killer is back on the streets within 7 years. Oh, he will probably get a life sentence ,but today ,that means nothing.
I feel bad for you ,because I know when something like this happens your heart goes back to your own loss,but I can't tell you not to care so much ,we need people who "care so much". That is the only way any of this can change.
That poor kid. What a terrible waste.
I hope that Hilton scumbag gets his due...
Hot off CCN, which I stumbled across on my way to The Weather Channel a few minutes ago: Hilton is now "a prime suspect" in the disappearance of a Florida woman. North Carolina is also taking a closer look at him as "the man in the yellow jacket", thought responsible for another murder in this area. (Hilton was seen wearing a yellow jacket when he was talking to Meredith Emerson.)
Ella the dog didn't "leave" Meredith and travel 65 miles to Cumming overnight. She was dragged down there, stripped of her collar, and turned loose. She was identified via a microchip implant when animal control picked her up and scanned her. Hilton apparently worried that she'd lead searchers to the body if he left her in the area.
I may have to turn this into a new blog post on the front page if it gets more terrible. Now we may be into some serious serial murder. Georgia still has the death penalty, and I can't think of a more appropriate current case for its judicious application.
I sure would like to know how many times Hilton has been arrested, then freed,even convicted and freed . How many times did the law have Ted Bundy in their handsand had to set them free. I'm not blaming the Police, it's the Judges who keep sending this scum back into society.
I know it is a minor point ,but I am glad the dog didn't leave her. that makes me cry ,too ,how confused that poor dog must have been.
I just hope no Democrats get on the jury,so Hilton is permanently stopped from murdering any more young girls.
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