A man was caught for murdering a hiker and falsely claiming a bear caused him to fall off a cliff.

A shocking turn of events has unfolded as Nicholas Wayne Hamlett, a 45-year-old man, has been arrested in connection with a hiker's death. The victim, identified as Brandon Kristopher Andrade, was found lifeless in the secluded Charles Hall Bridge area in Tellico Plains, Tennessee. But what makes this case even more disturbing is the alleged cover-up attempt by Hamlett, who had called 911 claiming to be Andrade himself.

According to reports from the Monroe County Sheriff's Office, Hamlett had made the call back in late October, pretending to be Andrade and stating that he had been injured while escaping from a bear. However, upon further investigation, detectives discovered that Andrade's identity had been stolen and used on multiple occasions. This raised suspicions and led to the revelation that the injuries sustained by the deceased were not consistent with a bear attack or a fall.

As Sheriff Tommy Jones II stated, "Once detectives laid eyes on the body, it was very easy to rule out a bear attack." It was determined that the victim had died from blunt-force trauma to the head, further solidifying the suspicion that this was not a case of a hiker being attacked by a wild animal. With this new information, the focus quickly shifted to finding the suspect responsible for this heinous crime.

A manhunt was launched for Hamlett, who was already wanted for violating parole in Alabama and for using Andrade's stolen identification. After a few weeks of searching, the hunt came to an end when a hospital worker in Columbia, South Carolina recognized Hamlett and alerted the police. He was subsequently taken into custody on Sunday and is now awaiting extradition back to Tennessee.

The events surrounding this case have left the small mountain town of Tellico Plains in shock and disbelief. The idea that someone could try to cover up a murder by pretending to be the victim is truly disturbing. The investigation is ongoing, and authorities are determined to uncover the truth and bring justice for Brandon Andrade.

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