Search underway for murder suspect after man told 911 bear chased him off a cliff

MONROE COUNTY, Tenn. ( WATE ) — Authorities in Tennessee are searching for a man they consider armed and dangerous after a body was found earlier this month.

The sheriff’s office in Monroe County, located in the state’s southeastern corner along the North Carolina border, said Friday that an arrest warrant has been issued for Nicholas Wayne Hamlett, 45, for first-degree murder as part of an ongoing investigation.

On October 18, a man who identified himself as Brandon Andrade called 911, claiming to be a distressed hiker. According to the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office, the man told the dispatcher he had fallen off a cliff while running from a bear and was injured and partially in the water.

The phone the call was made from pinged in the area of the Charles Hall bridge on the Cherohala Skyway in Tellico Plains, about 60 miles southwest of Knoxville. Emergency services set up a command center in the area, and search and rescue teams from various agencies were called in.

During the search, authorities said a man’s body was found. An identification found with the body had the name “Brandon Kristopher Andrade” on it. The body was taken to the Knox County Regional Forensic Center.

As detectives continued to investigate the case and reviewed the scene, it was determined that the man was not Andrade, and the ID that had been found on the victim’s body had been stolen and used on multiple occasions.

Investigators were able to determine Hamlett had been using the ID and was wanted out of Alabama on a parole violation.

According to the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office, Hamlett had used a false name while speaking to law enforcement in nearby Knox County after the distressed hiker call. Before his real identity had been verified, Hamlett is believed to have fled from his Tennessee residence.

The sheriff’s office is now working with multiple agencies, including the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation and the FBI to not only locate Hamlett but identify the body found.

Authorities told CBS News that Hamlett has ties in not only Alabama and Tennessee but also Alaska, Florida, Kentucky, and Montana. Investigators also told WSB that Hamlett was arrested in Florida several years ago after allegedly luring a man into the woods in Alabama and may have connections in South Carolina as well.

He is described as 5’7″ and weighing around 170 pounds with brown hair and blue eyes.

Because he is considered armed and dangerous, the sheriff’s office says Hamlett should not be approached. Anyone who sees him is urged to call 911 or Monroe County Dispatch at 423-442-4357 immediately.

Anyone with information on the case is urged to contact the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office by calling 423-442-3911.

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