Dallas has its dark side, but nothing compares the horror of a series of women found murdered with their eyeballs surgically removed. A pair beat cops use their street savvy to lead detectives to a sadistic killer and his bizarre motive. -The Eyeball Killer, Murder by Numbers (S2, E5)
Forensic Files:
Full Episode: A serial killer is prowling the streets of Dallas, targeting prostitutes. All the police know is that the killer has a bizarre signature. See No Evil, Forensic Files
Oxygen:
Rookie police officers Regina Smith and John Matthews gained intelligence from the sex workers on their beat. -Oxygen (February 7, 2019)
A prostitute in the Dallas spoke to police about a man who attempted to attack her, and his possible link to the string of other murders in the Dallas area. -Oxygen (February 11, 2019)
Elizabeth Peacock discovered Charles Albright’s victim had had her eyeballs cut out. -Oxygen (February 11, 2019)
Dallas Police find one of Charles Albright’s victims lying nude in the street, with a gunshot to the head. -Oxygen (February 11, 2019)
Dallas police discover three women murdered with their eyes surgically removed. Police believe they have a deranged doctor on the loose until two rookie cops find themselves on the trail of a man with a Psycho-esque mother, a talent for taxidermy, and a hatred for women. -Oxgen (February 12, 2019)
Serial killer, Charles Albright, removed the eyeballs of sex workers in Dallas,Texas. -Oxygen (February 14, 2019)
Dr. Michael Stone explains Charles Albright’s narcissistic behavior. -Oxygen (February 14, 2019)
Officer Regina Smith recounts the night she drove Charles Albright to the Dallas Homicide Division after he had murdered several sex workers in the Dallas area. -Oxygen (February 15, 2019)
Psychologist Dr. Michael Stone makes note that there are passages in the New Testament that talk about eyes in a special way. -Oxygen (February 15, 2019)
Editor’s note: With a cable subscription, you can download the free ID Go app and watch Investigation Discovery programming at your convenience. And for those who do not have cable, you can watch “unlocked” episodes on the ID Go app including the latest premieres. For those who prefer commercial free programming during your binge session, Prime Video has an ID channel: ‘True Crime Files by Investigation Discovery” available for $3.99 a month. It’s a compilation of older seasons but totally worth the cost if you are a true crime addict. Download the ID Go app or purchase ID True Crime Files & binge away.
Psychopaths and sociopaths behave differently but both can be just as dangerous. This public service announcement will help educate the reader about the sociopath specifically because sociopaths are both non-violent and violent and use charm and pity to enter your life. There is limited research available on the non-violent sociopath but Dr. Martha Stout, the author of The Sociopath Next Door, does a great job at helping the reader understand how the charming sociopaths operate. Many people have asked Dr. Stout how to protect themselves from the non-violent sociopath. Dr. Stout’s advice to those who want to protect themselves from these social predators is beware of those who use the ‘pity play’ in an effort to appeal to your sympathies.
The Sociopath Next Door is an eye-opening book and highly recommended reading for everyone, especially those interested in criminal justice reform and military justice reform. Research of sociopaths has revealed that the non-violent sociopath has a tendency to abuse the court processes and level false allegations against their enemy in an effort to harm reputations, improve their financial situation, or simply for revenge because you rejected them. Rejection is the trigger for sociopaths. If you find yourself dealing with a vindictive personality, it is best not to engage. If you provoke the non-violent sociopath, it will only make the situation worse. Learn more about the modus operandi of sociopaths to prevent getting entangled in their web of lies.
We are accustomed to think of sociopaths as violent criminals, but in The Sociopath Next Door, Harvard psychologist Martha Stout reveals that a shocking 4 percent of ordinary people have an often undetected mental disorder, the chief symptom of which is that that person possesses no conscience. He or she has no ability whatsoever to feel shame, guilt, or remorse. One in twenty-five everyday Americans, therefore, is secretly a sociopath. They could be your colleague, your neighbor, even family. And they can do literally anything at all and feel absolutely no guilt… (Inside Jacket Cover of The Sociopath Next Door)
1 in 25 ordinary Americans secretly has no conscience and can do anything at all without feeling guilty. Who is the devil you know? –The Sociopath Next Door
Think you can easily spot a sociopath? Think again. Sociopaths aren’t always the stereotypical “serial killer type” you might be thinking of. These individuals come in all shapes and sizes. Your best friend, significant other, roommate, or family member could be hiding a dark secret. Instant Checkmate compiled the 11 signs of a sneaky sociopath. Ready to learn more? Run a background check on them. -www.InstantCheckmate.com
Sociopaths are experts at presenting themselves as everyday people, so they can be difficult to identify…Unless you know the signs of a sociopath. Sociopathy is also known as antisocial personality disorder. A sociopathic person will typically have no understanding of right or wrong. There is no treatment for sociopathy. The disorder can be prevented in children who show early signs but among adults, the disorder is permanent. You may know an actual sociopath, though you may not even be aware of it. So what indicators can we look for?
Superficial Charm: Sociopaths often appear to be very charming on the surface in order to manipulate trust.
Narcissism: Sociopaths are extremely egocentric. They believe that everyone should agree with their actions and opinions.
Pathological Lying: Sociopaths will lie in order to create a false persona. They aim to hide their true motives.
Manipulative & Cunning: Sociopaths attempt to find and exploit other people’s weaknesses in order to get what they want.
Shallow Emotions: Sociopaths do not genuinely feel emotions. Many can fake their emotions to fool the people around them.
Lack of Remorse, Shame, or Guilt: Sociopaths do not feel bad about their actions, even if they hurt others.
Incapable of Human Attachment: Sociopaths can’t form genuine relationships with others. They may form relationships in order to appear normal.
Constant Need for Stimulation: Sociopaths may take unnecessary risks that put themselves and others in dangerous situations.
Lack of Empathy: Sociopaths are unable to relate the perspectives or problems of other people.
Impulsive Nature: Sociopaths will exhibit hostility, irritability, and aggression. They act on their impulses without caring without caring about any potential consequences.
Promiscuous Sexual Behavior: Sociopaths are likely to be unfaithful and promiscuous, which is connected to their tendency to get bored easily.
Sociopaths may have problems with drug and alcohol use. They may also have a criminal record related to their behavior. You can get a background check at Instant Checkmate.
With hearts of stone, these Deadly Women give their men special send-offs when “Love Leaves Town.” A young mom prefers her vices to her boyfriend. -Love Leaves Town, Deadly Women (S10, E12)
Editor’s note: With a cable subscription, you can download the free ID Go app and watch Investigation Discovery programming at your convenience. And for those who do not have cable, you can watch “unlocked” episodes on the ID Go app including the latest premieres. For those who prefer commercial free programming during your binge session, Prime Video has an ID channel: ‘True Crime Files by Investigation Discovery” available for $3.99 a month. It’s a compilation of older seasons but totally worth the cost if you are a true crime addict. Download the ID Go app or purchase ID True Crime Files & binge away.
Lorianna Parker dated her partner Rodney for four years before they became parents on April 5, 2012 in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Rodney was described as genuine; he had a heart of gold and treated Lorianna like a princess. Rodney’s job kept him on the road a lot and tragically on April 13, 2012, nine days after their first child was born, Rodney died in a car accident. Lorianna was devastated by the news his mother shared that day because Rodney was her life, Rodney was the father of her son. About a month later, Lorianna went back to work to support her family and eventually enrolled in school at the community college. It would be two years after Rodney’s death that she finally decided to date again. She used a social media dating app to begin the dating process and immediately recognized she was comparing everyone to Rodney.
Then one day Corey Davis showed up on Facebook. She noticed they had mutual friends and she thought he was super hot. She thought about friend requesting him but hoped he would friend request her. The next day Corey friend requested her. She couldn’t believe this hot guy was interested in her; he said he was a model, and looked like one too. He also mentioned that he noticed her at the community college; Lorianna was flattered that he noticed her and pursued her. The two chatted via text all day, every day from there on out. After two and a half weeks, Corey invited her to hang out with his friends. The first date didn’t pan out because Lorianna got sick. After canceling, Corey’s response was anger and she didn’t hear from him again until the next day. They ‘made up’ and everything was okay.
“Corey Davis” on Facebook
This time Corey invited Lorianna to hang out at his apartment in North Tulsa. He told her he left the apartment to pick up some food but suggested Lorianna go to his apartment and wait for him, his roommate Ashley and his son would be there to greet her. Lorianna finally found his apartment and Ashley Pullen and his five year old son Daniel were outside waiting for her. Ashley graciously invited Lorianna up to the apartment to wait until Corey came home. Lorianna felt safe because Ashley was a wonderful father. While they were chatting, Ashley shared that Daniels’s mom took off and abandoned him; he was a single dad. Then Lorianna got a text from Corey informing her he was going to be late (he was playing video games with his friends); he told her to relax and have a drink while she was waiting. Ashley offered Lorianna a vodka shot and then a second shot. By midnight, Lorianna felt like her chest was heavy and she could have slept for days.
When Lorianna woke up the first time, she was on a mattress on the floor and a man was on top of her. She was afraid to open her eyes and let him know that she was awake because she feared he would kill her. Lorianna drifted back into unconsciousness and what happened next was a blur. When she came to the second time, she was wearing someone else’s basketball shorts with no shirt. Her first instinct was to flee from the situation. She jumped up, got dressed, and gathered her belongings. In the meantime, Ashley awoke and before she could leave, he told her he had a great night and wanted to see her again. Lorianna was confused and left the apartment, she was thinking, “What just happened between you and I?’ There was so much confusion and Lorianna struggled to remember what happened. She wanted to believe that what she thought happened didn’t happen. Meanwhile, Ashley continued to text her and acted as if they both had a great time.
The next day, Lorianna got bombarded with text messages from both Ashley and Corey right in to the evening. Ashley texted Lorianna and told her Corey never showed up because he got pulled over for speeding and was thrown in jail for some outstanding tickets and warrants. Ashley also tried to make her believe that she came onto him. Adding to the confusion, she felt like he was trying to say everything was her fault. She decided she was done with him, told him to leave her alone, and blocked him on Facebook. Then Corey contacted her upset that she had sex with Ashley. He claimed he showed up to the apartment that night, saw them in bed, and left because he was angry. Corey was calling her names, including slut and whore, and belittling her because she slept with his roommate. Lorianna told Corey she was done with him to and to leave her alone.
Two weeks earlier, a young woman made a report of sexual assault to the Tulsa Police Department. She too met Corey Davis on Facebook and eventually went to his apartment where Ashley Pullen and his son were there to greet her. She too felt like she was drugged and sexually assaulted but could not identify who raped her. She was asked to get a sexual assault examination to determine if there was any DNA, but the victim reported two days after the assault so police were unable to obtain a DNA profile to match to a suspect. Meanwhile two more women reported the same eerily similar circumstances. Both alleged Ashley Pullen gave them two shots and after the second shot, they blacked out but they knew they were sexually assaulted. Unfortunately because they were most likely drugged, these three victims couldn’t positively identify who raped them. Then a fourth victim came forward who remembered the sexual assault and she could positively identify Ashley Pullen. As a result, Pullen was arrested. After the arrest, police learned Ashley Pullen was dishonorably discharged from the Army after he was convicted in 2002 and 2003 for assaulting two women at Fort Carson.
The Tulsa Police Department reached out to the media in an attempt to find out if there were more victims. After Lorianna learned of Ashley Pullen’s arrest, she contacted the police. She thought her social media messages would be helpful to the investigation. The police made copies of the messages and then Lorianna gave a statement. Lorianna remembered waking up with someone on top of her; she knew it was Ashley Pullen because she woke up next to him listening to his drivel about how they had a great time. As a result, she was the second woman to positively identify Ashley Pullen as the man who drugged and raped her. Both victims who could positively identify Ashley told police they had two shots with him then felt tired. It did not make sense. Why do I feel woozy, why is my head spinning, and why did I black out after only two shots? The police recognized the modus operandi of this serial rapist who used the second shot to drug his victims in an effort to incapacitate them. The police searched Ashley’s apartment for any traces of date rape drugs.
Investigators did in fact find unknown substances in Ashley Pullen’s home and forensic tests confirmed the unknown substances were GHB, which is a common date rape drug and usually given to those with sleep disorders. Unfortunately, this particular drug can be manufactured at home with common chemicals. GHB is clear and odorless and within 10 minutes one will feel the effects; all the victims noted they felt dizzy and unexplainably tired after the second shot they consumed. And like most, these victims assumed they overindulged, and that is was causes the confusion. Investigators explained that GBH metabolizes out of the system in 10 hours which makes it the perfect drug for a rapist. By the time the victim realizes what happened to them, it’s too late. GHB also makes the brain cease from properly forming memory which is identical to a blackout; the drug shuts down the brain. Victims have half memories at best. The Tulsa Police Department charged Ashley Pullen with first degree rape by narcotic agent.
Next investigators wanted to know who Corey Davis was? They wanted to know if he helped facilitate the crimes, if he himself committed similar crimes, or if he was a victim too. After some digging, the police deduced that ‘Corey Davis’ was a fictitious, manufactured profile on Facebook. Detectives could find no trace of Corey Davis anywhere. Corey Davis was a complete fabrication invented on a fake Facebook profile by Ashley Pullen. He created the fake profile using a ‘hot model’ to lure unsuspecting women to his home after ‘Corey’ asked them out on a date. Ashley created a person, a life, and he used Corey Davis to trick others; he friend requested females as Corey Davis the hot model to groom them and build trust. The victims reported Corey Davis was a nice guy, very flattering, and made them feel good about themselves. When Lorianna learned that Corey Davis was actually Ashley Pullen, she was felt sick to her stomach that she had been fooled by Ashley Pullen again.
According to investigators, Ashley Pullin had absolutely zero remorse. He was described as ‘evil to the core and a ruthless manipulator’. Ashley used his fake Facebook profile Corey Davis the model to reel in his victims. Then he used his fail safe strategy, his five year old son, to help make his future victims safe when they arrived to Corey’s home. None of women who arrived at Corey’s apartment thought they would be raped by someone with a five year old present. They thought Ashley was a great dad and as a result wouldn’t hurt anyone. Ashley told all of his victims that his son’s mother abandoned him when in fact he kidnapped the child from his mother three years prior to his string of sexual assaults. Ashley used his own child to further his deceit in an elaborate scheme to drug and rape unsuspecting women. On February 5, 2015, Ashley Pullen was convicted of first degree rape by narcotic agent. Pullen was sentenced to life in prison and it is not eligible for parole until 2060; he will be 77 years.
Tulsa Police Department say “before you meet someone in person, Google them or do a court records search, and even then, be careful. Meet in a public place somewhere, not just public, but public and crowded. If you do meet someone, you shouldn’t accept a drink from them because it’s easy to slip something in it.”
Single mom Lorianna Parker is excited when she meets popular good-looking Corey Davis online, and filled with hope as their friendship blossoms. But when she goes to meet him in the flesh, her dream date turns into a living nightmare. -People You May Know, Web of Lies (S4,E1)
Selfish women will sometimes sell their souls to the devil to get what they want. A scorned lover weaves a web of lies, a teenage Goth orders a reign of terror, and a gold-digger buries secrets in her basement. -Souls of Stone, Deadly Women (S7, E18)
Naughty by Monte Schulz (Book):
This crime noir novel, set in the 1950s, was inspired by the real life story of Iva Kroeger and her husband, indicted for the murders of Mildred and Jay Arneson in 1962. -Monte Schulz, Mr. Media Interviews By Bob Andelman
Editor’s note: With a cable subscription, you can download the free ID Go app and watch Investigation Discovery programming at your convenience. And for those who do not have cable, you can watch “unlocked” episodes on the ID Go app including the latest premieres. For those who prefer commercial free programming during your binge session, Prime Video has an ID channel: ‘True Crime Files by Investigation Discovery” available for $3.99 a month. It’s a compilation of older seasons but totally worth the cost if you are a true crime addict. Download the ID Go app or purchase ID True Crime Files & binge away.
It was a case that resonated with just about everyone who followed it. On New Year’s Day 2008, Meredith Emerson set out for a vigorous hike up Union County’s Blood Mountain with her black Labrador retriever mix, Ella. There she encountered a grizzled, toothless drifter searching for his next victim. AJC’s Rhonda Cook and Christian Boone talk about covering that story years ago, as well as talk to the lead GBI agent on the case John Cage, who is still moved by the very thought of Emerson, ten years later. Atlanta Journal-Constitution (December 31, 2017)
Oxygen’s Dateline: Secrets Uncovered featured ‘Mystery on Blood Mountain’ which is the true crime story of the ‘National Forest Serial Killer’ Gary Michael Hilton. The show started with the missing Meredith Emerson of Buford, Georgia who set out on a hike at Blood Mountain in the Chattahoochee National Forest with her rescue dog Ella. Meredith’s roommate became concerned when she never came back home and never showed up to work the next day. Meredith was reliable and never missed work so her roommate called the police department. Meredith’s friends and family and the local sheriffs office began a search for Meredith who was initially considered a missing hiker. Although the police found some disturbing items during their search for Meredith. The items were located in an area where the ground was disturbed, possibly a sign of a struggle and they were especially concerned about the expandable police baton they found. Witnesses reported seeing Meredith with a strange looking man with a white van. A hiker took a picture of the van and the police sent out a be on the lookout for the van. Police learned that Meredith wasn’t the only missing hiker.
A witness, John Tabor, suspected the description of the unsavory character police were looking for was Gary Hilton and he reported this information to the police. The police showed Hilton’s picture to the hikers who saw Meredith and they identified Gary Hilton as the man they saw with Meredith. The manhunt was on. In the meantime, police learned that Cheryl Dunlap of Florida was missing as well. Cheryl’s daughter-in-law called the police after Cheryl didn’t show up for work. After a search was initiated, the police found Cheryl’s car abandoned and parked well off the highway. It appeared, one of the tires had been purposefully flattened. More people gathered to look for Cheryl after it was confirmed something was definitely. In the meantime, the police looked at Cheryl’s financial activity and found that a male subject was using her ATM card. The police staked out the ATMs, but the man never reappeared. In mid-December 2007, hikers found a female body missing it’s head and hands. The police took a DNA sample and it matched Cheryl Dunlap. Authorities learned of two more homicides in the National Forest in North Carolina and this detective suspected Hilton was involved in these unsolved murders to.
John and Irene Bryant retired in North Carolina close to the hiking trails they loved. They traveled extensively and both loved hiking; John hiked the entire Appalachian Trail from Georgia to Maine. The couple went for a day hike in the Pisgah National Forest and they never came back. One of their sons started looking for them and eventually found their car. And not long after they began their search, they found Irene Bryant’s remains not far from their vehicle. She was bludgeoned to death. The search continued for John Bryant. During the course of the investigation, detectives discovered a male subject was successfully using the Bryant’s ATM card. Meanwhile, detectives in North Carolina noticed similarities in the Bryant’s case and Meredith Emerson’s case. They observed the crimes were all occurring in the National Forests. Gary Hilton was a suspect in the disappearance of Meredith Emerson and a person of interest in other homicides in the National Forest. John Tabor worked with Gary Hilton and he saw things change with him drastically in 2007. Hilton was missing several teeth and claimed he removed his own teeth with a pair of pliers. Tabor fired Hilton and Hilton threatened to kill him. Tabor armed himself and took every precaution including contacting the police and a couple days later, Hilton left.
Tabor said he spent 10 years with Gary Hilton and it wasn’t until the end of their friendship that he noticed the deterioration. A lawyer who represented Hilton claimed he was a conman but admitted that Hilton assisted him with making horror movies. One of the movies they worked on together was called Deadly Run. It featured women who were taken to the woods and murdered. Hilton wanted to make things dark and include rape and more murder. Coincidentally, they shot a scene in the Chattahoochee National Forest where Meredith went missing. The pair eventually had a falling out after Hilton stole his dog. After Meredith’s murder, Gary Hilton called his old boss John Tabor and acted like he knew nothing about the manhunt for him. He said he wanted to get back to work and was looking for money he felt was owed to him. John Tabor agreed to meet with him to give him the money and then called the police. On January 4, 2008, the U.S. Marshall’s Service discovered activity on Meredith’s bank card. They were failed attempts which most likely meant Meredith didn’t give Hilton the right code. Gary didn’t show up to pick up the money. Meanwhile, the Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI) got involved with Meredith Emerson’s missing persons case. Then one day someone reported that a dog was roaming around with no owner. The dog looked like Ella and an identity chip confirmed it.
While police were canvassing the location, they discovered some of Meredith’s belongings in a dumpster including her identification and her bloody clothing. Meanwhile, another person reported a sighting of Gary Hilton and his white van at a gas station. Police quickly arrived a the scene and arrested Hilton. Detectives attempted to interview Gary Hilton so they could find Meredith but he lawyered up. So investigators offered to cut a deal with Gary so they could retrieve Meredith Emerson’s body for her family. Hilton told them where she was located and the police found her remains in a wooded area. Investigators were stunned by Gary Hilton’s confession. He said he ambushed Meredith as she was walking down the trail. She fought back using her martial arts and was able to get two weapons out of his control, a knife and a police baton. Hilton admitted he fought back hard to subdue her. After he wore Meredith down, he tied her to a tree, and told her he was going to shoot her. Later he led her back to his van, tied her up, and then took her ATM cards. Meredith didn’t give him the right numbers, probably in an attempt to stay alive. He made camp with his captive in a remote forest. He tried the ATM card again the next day and still nothing so he returned to his van. He let Ella the dog go because he didn’t have the heart to kill the dog.
Gary Hilton admitted that he bludgeoned Meredith to death, decapitated her, and dumped bleach all over her body. In a stunning twist, Hilton would not talk about any of the other homicides the police believed he was involved in. Hilton was found guilty of Meredith’s murder and sentenced to life in prison in the State of Georgia. The prosecutor honored the plea agreement and removed the death penalty off the table. State and federal investigators in Florida and North Carolina continued their investigation. They learned Hilton was more than a vagrant in a van. He was an Army veteran, a college graduate, he got a pilot’s license on the GI Bill, and was married three times before the wheel’s came off. Hilton was raised by his mother and a step-father he claimed to not get along with. When he was 14 years old, he shot his step-father who lived; Gary was institutionalized. He later joined the Army and admitted his time in the Army was the only time he worked full-time. He admitted to being a career criminal; he was a scam artist. In his interview with the GBI, he had grandiose conversation about his life and touted his exceptionalism. Gary has a very high IQ and believed he was smarter than the investigators.
In January 2008, Mr. Bryant’s remains were discovered in the National Forest in North Carolina. And investigators in Florida believed Cheryl Dunlap’s case fit Gary Hilton’s modus operandi. The State of Florida indicted Gary Hilton in a capital murder trial for Cheryl Dunlap’s homicide but they were not allowed to enter any of the other suspected homicides or the Meredith Emerson case into evidence even to establish a pattern. In addition, the prosecution was not allowed to refer to the horror movie Hilton was involved with. A month after Cheryl went missing, Meredith went missing. So investigators went deep in the woods hoping to find additional evidence and they stumbled upon the head and hands of Cheryl Dunlap in a fire. It appeared someone had worked hard to destroy evidence. Unfortunately, no witnesses came forward to put Cheryl Dunlap with Gary Hilton so the prosecution had to make a connection in some other way. After they found the knife that Meredith wrestled away from Hilton, they found the link they needed to make the connection between Gary and Cheryl. The knife used in the Meredith Emerson abduction was the same knife used to decapitate Cheryl Dunlap.
Hilton’s homicide case for the murder of Cheryl Dunlap in Florida started in February 2011. This was a capital murder case and a death penalty case. Investigators left no stone unturned. They searched all of Gary Hilton’s belongings and his van and were able to make another connection. Cheryl’s DNA was found on Gary’s boots and his sleeping bag. In his defense, Gary Hilton declined to take the stand and his attorney claimed there was no direct evidence linking Gary Hilton to Cheryl Dunlap’s murder. The prosecution’s argument was compelling because Hilton was found guilty of first degree murder. And the prosecution was allowed to talk about Meredith Emerson’s homicide in the sentencing phase of the trial. The defense claimed Hilton suffered a Traumatic Brain Injury when he was a child and was also abused as a child. He was diagnosed with anti-social personality disorder and schizoaffective disorder. The prosecution’s rebuttal witnessed claimed Hilton was a psychopath who knew right from wrong. Gary Hilton was sentenced to death to by lethal injection in the State of Florida on April 21, 2011. Hilton was indicted in federal court in North Carolina for the murders of John and Irene Bryant and was a person of interest in other cases. Hilton filed an appeal in the State of Florida to have his death sentenced conviction overturned but the appeal was denied.
UPDATE: Gary Michael Hilton was found guilty of murdering Rossana Miliani, 26, Cheryl Hodges Dunlap, 46, John, 80, and Irene Bryant, 84, Michael Scot Louis, 27, and Meredith Hope Emerson, 24, between December 7, 2005 and January 4, 2008. Gary Hilton was sentenced to life in prison in Georgia on January 31, 2008, sentenced to death in Florida on April 21, 2011, and sentenced to four life sentences in North Carolina on April 25, 2013.
Source: ‘Mystery on Blood Mountain’ Dateline
Authorities met Tuesday to discuss possible links between Georgia murder suspect Gary Michael Hilton and cases in other states. -Associated Press (January 16, 2008)
Authorities say they have linked Gary Michael Hilton to the the slaying of a N.C. hiker and the disappearance of her husband. Earlier this month, he w as charged with killing a 24-year old female Georgia hiker. – Associated Press (January 17, 2008)
The man accused of killing a Hendersonville couple in the Pisgah National Forest was in court Monday morning. -WYFF News 4 (July 25, 2011)
A confessed serial killer, who pleaded guilty to killing two hikers from Henderson County, is sentenced to two consecutive life sentences without parole. Last year, Gary Hilton admitted to killing John and Irene Bryant as they hiked in the Pisgah National Forest in October 2007. -WLOS News 13 (April 25, 2013)
Gary Hilton was sentenced today for killing John and Irene Bryant from Henderson County in the Pisgah National Forest back in 2007. A federal judge gave Hilton four more life terms without parole. That’s on top of his Florida death sentence for a killing there, and a life term for a killing in Georgia. -WLOS News 13 (April 26, 2013)
A double murder case in the mountains involving a serial killer finally comes to a close almost six years later. Gary Hilton was sentenced today for killing John and Irene Bryant from Henderson County in the Pisgah National Forest back in 2007. A federal judge gave Hilton four more life terms without parole. -WLOS News 13 (April 29, 2013)
Psychopathic killers lurk in society, mostly acting alone. Sometimes fate brings them into contact with another person who shares their power to kill. Apart they are dangerous, together they form teams that commit murders beyond our comprehension. -Lethal Lovers, Deadly Women (S3,E9)
Forensic Files:
Full Episode: The couple spent Memorial Day weekend at the beach, and then they simply vanished. Their clothes and personal items were still in the rented condo, their car was parked outside, and there were no signs of forced entry or foul play. A week later, police would get an unexpected lead from a robbery in progress, and the evidence they found helped them to solve a crime of unparalleled violence and brutality. -Dirty Little Seacret, Forensic Files (S13, E46)
Investigation Discovery:
In 2002, Erika and BJ Sifrit’s vacation in Ocean City, MD ended with them in the back of a squad car arrested for armed robbery. When two dismembered bodies were later unearthed, the connection between the two crimes would reveal a grisly murder. -Ocean City, Sins and Secrets (S2,E8)
A seemingly perfect young couple is concealing a sinful life of crime and sexual depravity. Then later, a threesome of lovers ends in a bizarre homicide and cover-up. -Killers on the Run, Deadly Sins (S3,E9)
Oxygen:
A young woman’s scrapbook offers insight into a shocking crime. -Erika Sifrit, Snapped (S8,E11)
A vacationing couple’s disappearance exposes the horrific crimes of a murderous husband and wife. -Erika and BJ Sifrit, Killer Couples (S11,E2)
Podcast:
Once Upon A Crime – Episode 112: Listener Suggestions: Erika and Benjamin Sifrit – Killer Couple (December 22, 2018)
