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  1. #1
    Join Date
    Jan 2006
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    Appalachian Trail murder and attack, too close for comfort

    After getting itchy to do something fun, my daughter bailed on the last month of ski season and started the AT in Georgia.

    She is about 600 miles in and enjoying the trail.

    Three weeks ago Liberty was chased out of a shelter by a crazy man with a shovel. That same day a couple was chased and threatened with some kind of machete. Chased my daughter down trail with a shovel. It was snowing/cold/rainy that night and the couple squeezed her in a tiny tent- with their pooch. She was drenched and cold. Super thankful for good, helping people.

    Dude was arrested, hikers interviewed, my daughter included, usual cop stuff took place and was quickly released.

    He got back on the trail immediately.

    Fast forward to last Friday. Same crazed guy murders one man and seriously hacked up a woman. Now the clincher, my daughter was hiking with the victims that day. Almost set up camp with them, but decided at the last minute to hike to the next shelter to catch some other hikers.

    In the middle of the night he came up to a group of tents and started to threaten them. The one gal ran down the trail and when caught pleaded for her life. She survived by playing dead. Hacked up she hiked six miles to help.

    Crazy. My daughter was just a few miles away. She had hiked several days with the lady. SWAT team rolled in early:thirty jackboot style looking for victims and the assailant. It very emotional for her and considered leaving the trail, but decided to continue.

    He’s now in custody, who knows, maybe they’ll let him go again.
    Ski Shop - Basement of the Hostel



    Do not tell fish stories where the people know you; but particularly, don't tell them where they know the fish.

    Mark Twain

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Feb 2013
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    959
    Holyshit....that was close.
    I hope your daughter is handling this experience ok. She is incredibly strong, and brave to continue.

    If the dude does end up getting released; you know what has to be done.....

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Feb 2008
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    here and there
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    Is she into Va?
    watch out for snakes

  4. #4
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    Oct 2004
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    50 miles E of Paradise
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    15,570
    Woah, that is intense. Read about the murder/assault and though WTF

    Hope Liberty (great name btw) comes through this without major emotional scars. Madd props to her taking on this adventure by herself

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Sep 2001
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    The Cone of Uncertainty
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    49,306
    Wow I read the story this morning. Very glad your daughter is ok. Crazy to think how she could easily have been there. What a fucked-up guy, and situation.

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Jan 2010
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    In the swamp
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    11,124
    Holy shit. Glad she’s ok. Vibes to the victims.

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Sep 2008
    Location
    Geopolis
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    16,085
    that is truly fucked up. glad your daughter is safe, but it’s hard to imagine being ‘ok’ after this. that’s awful and i have no words good enough for those poor hikers. my heart goes out to their families. fuck
    j'ai des grands instants de lucididididididididi

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Feb 2013
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    959
    Quote Originally Posted by tango uniform View Post
    Holyshit....that was close.
    I hope your daughter is handling this experience ok. She is incredibly strong, and brave to continue.

    If the dude does end up getting released; you know what has to be done.....
    How old is she? If you don't mind me asking of course.

    The reason I ask; I have a free spirited teenage daughter, that is very adventurous.

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Aug 2007
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    At the beach
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    I wonder if bear spray or pepper spray would have slowed that assholes roll down? I would have a hard time with my daughter out there with nuthin.
    Quote Originally Posted by leroy jenkins View Post
    I think you'd have an easier time understanding people if you remembered that 80% of them are fucking morons.
    That is why I like dogs, more than most people.

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Dec 2005
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    STL
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    13,294
    Wow. Glad your daughter is safe.

    Send her a Glock.


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  11. #11
    Join Date
    Dec 2010
    Posts
    670
    I want to know how in the hell this guy was released without a charge after the 1st shovel-chasing, machete wielding incident? Someone F'd up down south of Virginia on this one.

  12. #12
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    Mar 2012
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    The Bull City
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    Quote Originally Posted by liv2ski View Post
    I wonder if bear spray or pepper spray would have slowed that assholes roll down? I would have a hard time with my daughter out there with nuthin.
    Our scout troop was out there two weeks ago along the NC/VA border. Most folks don't bother with bear spray there because there's no grizzlies, just black bears that are only a problem if you happen to corner them or get too close to a cub.

    Most do have hatchets on their packs though. Doubt the flake would have been trying to hassle a large group of older teens and adult men though.
    Go that way really REALLY fast. If something gets in your way, TURN!

  13. #13
    Join Date
    Nov 2014
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    SLC
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    that is insane and terrifying, glad she is ok.

  14. #14
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    Apr 2008
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    Treading Water
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    I live just down the road from there. Super fucked up. Glad your daughter is okay.

    FWIW, the local paper quoted the sheriff from the first arrest as saying he tried everything he could to keep the guy off the trial but no hikers were willing to press charges so he was forced to let the guy go.
    However many are in a shit ton.

  15. #15
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    Jan 2014
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    Masshole
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    Quote Originally Posted by jm2e View Post
    I live just down the road from there. Super fucked up. Glad your daughter is okay.

    FWIW, the local paper quoted the sheriff from the first arrest as saying he tried everything he could to keep the guy off the trial but no hikers were willing to press charges so he was forced to let the guy go.
    And this is how shit happens. They probably thought he was just having a bad day and compassion would make him a better person. Or they couldn't be bothered trying g to prevent a worse situation from happening by taking time out of their day to follow through. Maybe none of these are true but maybe they both are

    Sent from my Pixel 2 XL using TGR Forums mobile app
    Why don't you go practice fallin' down? I'll be there in a minute.

  16. #16
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    Apr 2004
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    Southeast New York
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    11,767
    Or they don' live anywhere close and didn't want to travel back there to go to court. I bet they feel like shit now.

  17. #17
    Join Date
    Jan 2008
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    Big Sky/Moonlight Basin
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    14,418
    Wow, glad that your daughter is OK.
    "Zee damn fat skis are ruining zee piste !" -Oscar Schevlin

    "Hike up your skirt and grow a dick you fucking crybaby" -what Bunion said to Harry at the top of The Headwaters

  18. #18
    Join Date
    Nov 2018
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    202
    Quote Originally Posted by liv2ski View Post
    I wonder if bear spray or pepper spray would have slowed that assholes roll down? I would have a hard time with my daughter out there with nuthin.
    Speer gold dots center mass may be a little more effective.

    Crazy story. Some very, very feral 2 legged critters out there.

  19. #19
    Join Date
    Dec 2007
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    3
    Quote Originally Posted by SumJongGuy View Post
    Most do have hatchets on their packs though.
    The average thru-hiker has no hatchet, machete, ax, or bear spray. Many do not even carry a pocket knife. The trail has always been seen as a very safe place, and statistically it still is. Thousands upon thousands hike it every year, and serious crimes are few and far between. The trail has a very unique "community," which is part of what makes the experience of hiking it so special.

    Unfortunately an individual such as the one mentioned can cause a tremendous amount of harm. It's not practical or legal to carry a firearm, as the trail passes through 14 states each with their own carry laws. It's really scary to think that there is no practical way to protect against this type of attack. Hopefully all of the news this is garnering will not alert other psychos to the trail.

  20. #20
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    Nov 2010
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    Montrose, CO
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    4,618
    Too close for comfort indeed. I would certainly have my guard down in a situation like that. Hell I was car camping one time and almost got car jacked in the middle of the night and I was totally bewildered lol.

  21. #21
    Join Date
    Feb 2005
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    19,215
    When I hiked in 96, this happened and sent a chill up and down the trail.

    https://www.fredericksburg.com/news/...1f186ae79.html

    I am glad she is pressing on. The trail family is insanely strong.
    Is it radix panax notoginseng? - splat
    This is like hanging yourself but the rope breaks. - DTM
    Dude Listen to mtm. He's a marriage counselor at burning man. - subtle plague

  22. #22
    Join Date
    May 2006
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    Back in SEA
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    9,657
    Quote Originally Posted by iFlip View Post
    The average thru-hiker has no hatchet, machete, ax, or bear spray. Many do not even carry a pocket knife. The trail has always been seen as a very safe place, and statistically it still is. Thousands upon thousands hike it every year, and serious crimes are few and far between. The trail has a very unique "community," which is part of what makes the experience of hiking it so special.

    Unfortunately an individual such as the one mentioned can cause a tremendous amount of harm. It's not practical or legal to carry a firearm, as the trail passes through 14 states each with their own carry laws. It's really scary to think that there is no practical way to protect against this type of attack. Hopefully all of the news this is garnering will not alert other psychos to the trail.
    Why on earth would you worry about the carry laws in such a situation? Do they search packs out on the trail or something?!?
    ... jfost is really ignorant, he often just needs simple facts laid out for him...

  23. #23
    jgb@etree Guest
    Quote Originally Posted by jfost View Post
    Why on earth would you worry about the carry laws in such a situation? Do they search packs out on the trail or something?!?
    Gunz r bad. Stories like these are why we need common sense shovel laws, National Undertakers Association be damned. Perhaps we could be more enlightened like the Brits and restrict access to knives as well.

    If we had these kinds of common sense laws, the attacker would not have had access to a shovel or machete, and there is no way this psycho could have bashed a sleeping hikers head in with a rock.

    (Glad to hear that OPs daughter is OK and that the young lady has the guts to continue her hike)

  24. #24
    Join Date
    Jul 2014
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    TennesseeJed
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    Quote Originally Posted by iFlip View Post
    It's not practical or legal to carry a firearm, as the trail passes through 14 states each with their own carry laws. It's really scary to think that there is no practical way to protect against this type of attack. Hopefully all of the news this is garnering will not alert other psychos to the trail.
    I would imagine a taser or can of bear spray would be better than nothing. A 9mm handgun is the best choice though.
    "I don't pretend to have all the answers, and I think there's something to be said for that" -One For The Road

    Brain dead and made of money.

  25. #25
    Join Date
    Dec 2005
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    STL
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    These are the types of experiences that changes people attitudes towards firearms and self defense. Especially for females.


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