Appalachian |  |
The following Incident Reports were extracted from the NPS Morning Reports/Coalition Reports from 1989-current. They are not a complete record of all incidents which occurred in this park during this timeframe. INCIDENTS | |
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Monday, September 17, 1990 Southbound hikers on the Appalachian Trail discovered two bodies in the Thelma Marks Shelter on Pennsylvania State Game Commission lands about four miles south of Duncannon on the evening of the 13th. Preliminary indications are that the victims - one male and one female - were also southbound hikers and that they were murdered in the shelter on the night of the 12th. It is believed that the murderer may still be hiking on the trail. At the request of the Pennsylvania State Police and Game Commission, the NPS and Appalachian Trail Conference have issued warnings to hikers on the trail. Pennsylvania State Police are conducing the investigation. (Telefax from Bill Sanders, CR, ANST [Appalachian National Scenic Trail], 9/14).
Rangers and law enforcement officers are on the lookout for an unidentified male for questioning in the murders of M.L. and J.H., who were killed on the Appalachian Trail south of Duncannon, Pennsylvania, on the night of the 12th. The man, who is believed to either be local to the central Pennsylvania area or travelling on the trail, has been described as a rough-looking white male with a beard and wearing outdoors clothing with some military-looking gear. He may be carrying two tube-type gym bags, a small backpack, and/or one of the victim's Gregory brand, Cassin model, forest green internal frame backpack. (Telefax from Bill Sanders, CR, ANST, 9/17).
On the afternoon of the 21st, park rangers in Harpers Ferry NHP apprehended the man who was wanted by Pennsylvania State Police for the murders of M.L. and J.H. Following the release of a description of the suspect in the murder, rangers were able to confirm that they matched the description of a "weird" hiker who had been encountered by southbound hikers on the Appalachian Trail. Their reports led rangers to believe that the suspect was still on the trail and travelling southbound on it through Maryland, perhaps even as far south as Virginia. As a trail block operation was being planned with Shenandoah, a hiker sighted the suspect as he was about to cross the Potomac River into Harpers Ferry. Rangers responded immediately and were able to confine the suspect on the park's narrow, enclosed pedestrian walkway on the B&O railroad bridge over the river. He offered no resistance when stopped. He was frisked, then accompanied rangers to the park's ranger station. After particulars were checked with the Pennsylvania State Police, the suspect, who identified himself as C.H., was detained until the state could issue arrest warrants charging Horn with criminal homicide. The warrants were transmitted to West Virginia State Police, who arrested Horn as a fugitive from justice. A search of the backpack C.H. was carrying was conducted by Pennsylvania and West Virginia troopers pursuant to a warrant obtained by the West Virginia State Police. That search revealed evidence linking C.H. to the homicides. C.H. has no address and carried no identification, but claimed to have previously lived in both North and South Carolina. He apparently intended to flee from justice via the trail, then live off the land in the southern Appalachians. (Telefaxed report from Bill Sanders, CR, ANST, 9/23).
The man who Harpers Ferry rangers arrested on the 21st for the murders of M.L. and J.H. has been identified as a fugitive from justice from Florida who is on the FBI's "Ten Most Wanted" list. A check of the fingerprints of the man who identified himself as D.C.H. showed that he was in fact P.D.C., 38, of Lor is, South Carolina, who was being sought by the FBI for the 1986 murder of a 59-year-old widow in Bartow, Florida. P.D.C. had been incarcerated in that state, but escaped from custody. It is believed that P.D.C. will fight extradition to Pennsylvania. P.D.C. has been the subject of a televised segment in the television show, "America's Most Wanted." Fox Television was in the park yesterday filming a follow-up segment to that show. (Telefaxed report from Bill Sanders, CR, ANST, 9/24, with supplemental information from UP story, 9/24).
Paul David Crews, who was arrested for the homicides on the Appalachian Trail, was not listed on the FBI's "Ten Most Wanted" list. Crews was highly sought- after by the FBI, however, and had appeared on numerous fugitive posters and circulars. (Telefax from Bill Sanders, CR, ANST, 9/25).
On September 13, 1990, Appalachian Trail hikers M.L. and G.H. were murdered in a shelter just south of Duncannon, Pennsylvania. A major investigation and search for the murderer was immediately begun, and descriptions of the probable assailant and the items he was carrying were disseminated all along the trail. Eight days later, an Appalachian Trail Conference (ATC) volunteer spotted a man meeting this description on the C&O Canal footpath just north of Harpers Ferry. He reported the sighting to Harpers Ferry rangers, and rangers Bob Mackreth, Bill Scofield and John Bailey apprehended the man, later identified as P.D.C., who was wanted by the state of Florida for a homicide committed there. On May 26th, P.D.C. was found guilty of two counts of first degree murder in a state court in New Bloomfield, Pennsylvania, and sentenced to death. The murder case was investigated by the Pennsylvania State Police and prosecuted by the district attorney for Perry County, Pennsylvania. The ATC played a major role in the investigation, providing expert assistance, support (including maps, guides, trail registers, witnesses and volunteer evidence searchers), funding for investigators' travel, and effective courtroom displays. The close cooperation and coordination of many law enforcement agencies and Appalachian Trail management units brought this case to a successful conclusion. [Telefax from APTR, 5/29]
A search is underway for a 15-year-old boy who is believed to be on the Appalachian Trail and under the control of an adult who is a known sex offender. The pair was last seen in Waynesboro, Pennsylvania, on May 2nd or 3rd and are thought to be hiking the trail southbound towards Harpers Ferry. The boy, S.L., has been missing from his home in Lebanon, Pennsylvania, since April 25th. He left town for a Grateful Dead concert on that date with several other youths and 50-year-old man known as "Uncle Ed"; the other youths returned home, but reported that S.L. had remained with U.E., and that Uncle Ed may have sexually molested him. U.E., whose actual name is E.I. (spelling of last name uncertain), is a drifter who has a long history of child molestation and employs drugs to keep his victims under passive control at all times. He is also said to be a Satanist and a member of the Rainbow Family. Several boys who've taken hikes with him have never been seen again. E.I. is very tall (6'1" to 6'4") and heavy (240 to 260 pounds), has a black and gray beard, wears his hair in a pony tail or keeps it under a cap or bandanna, wears glasses, and carries an old backpack that may be of a military style. S.L. is 5'10" tall, weighs from 130 to 140 pounds, and has a fair complexion with blond hair and blue eyes. Yesterday, ATC staffers and volunteers, including off- duty Harpers Ferry ranger Bruce Hassen, searched Maryland sections of the AT from Route 16 in Pennsylvania all the way to Harpers Ferry but found nothing. Hiking was very difficult in northern Maryland due to extremely heavy storm damage and blowdowns. Two volunteers contacted a park worker who is a retired policeman along the trail in Pen Mar, Pennsylvania; he reported contacting a suspicious person matching the description of E.I. around 11 a.m. on May 5th. The person was alone at the time. Recent information indicates that E.I. may be heading to Harpers Ferry to pick up a package, and that he may be planning to follow the AT south, then branch off into Kentucky to attend a coming gathering of the Rainbow Family in Cumberland National Forest. Searchers have also learned that E.I. does not hike long distances, but instead hitchhikes from place to place, then uses AT lands and shelters (and other park lands) to camp at night. Although there are no known active warrants against him at this time, Lebanon, Pennsylvania, police will obtain an arrest warrant and request extradition if E.I. is located alone. [Bill Sanders, CR, AT, 5/5 and 5/6]
Reports have been received that E.I. - also known as "U.J.", not "Uncle Ed" as previously reported - and Steven Labe were taken by car to a bus station in Hagerstown, Maryland, last Wednesday afternoon, but investigators have not yet been able to determine if they actually boarded the bus. There are also indications that the two are aware of the effort to locate them and are actively trying to avoid detection. Both have altered their appearances. Labe now has short brown hair and is using the name "Phoenix". E.I. has cut his hair and beard but retained a moustache; he is posing as Labe's father and tells people to call him "Dad". The pair may still be heading to Harpers Ferry to pick up a package or cash while on their way south to the Rainbow Festival, which will be held in the Daniel Boone National Forest from May 8th to the 16th. About 800 attendees are expected in the forest's Morehead District, and another 200 in the Somerset District. The forest's law enforcement staff has been advised. [Bill Sanders, CR, APPA, 5/7; Charlie Chadwell, CUGA, 5/7]
Several likely sightings of E.I. ("U.J.") have been made over the last two days; in none of these instances was he accompanied by Steven Labe, the boy he is charged with kidnapping. A Maryland state trooper stationed in Hagerstown reported talking to a man fitting E.I.' description at Pen Mar Park on the morning of May 9th. The trooper was off-duty at the time and unaware that a warrant had been issued, so he did not detain the man. The trooper believes that the man was headed south on the Appalachian Trail toward Harpers Ferry. Later that day, a Pennsylvania trooper reportedly sighted E.I. in the same park. E.I. was asking for information about two shelters which are located approximately three and a half and seven miles further north on the trail. Yesterday, a hiker reported that he had met a man who met E.I.'s description on the trail near Raven Rock, Maryland, about five miles south of Pen Mar Park. Two troopers were dispatched to the site yesterday afternoon. Pennsylvania has issued a felony warrant for E.I. for kidnapping and interference with a minor; a federal fugitive warrant will be sought by the FBI today. E.I. has a history of criminal convictions dating to 1962. He pleaded guilty to several crimes in recent years, including three counts of corruption of minors, criminal conspiracy to commit involuntary deviate sexual intercourse and indecent assault, open lewdness, and indecent exposure. [Don Owen, RMS, APPA, 5/10]
E.I. ("U.J.") was apprehended by Pennsylvania state troopers yesterday in the Allegheny National Forest in northwestern Pennsylvania. He was accompanied by S.L. at the time of the arrest. E.I. was charged with kidnapping and interference with a minor. The Lebanon police extend their thanks to all those who assisted in the hunt for E.I. and S.L. [Don Owen, RMS, APPA, 5/11]
Investigators have learned that E.I. ("U.J.") fled the Appalachian Trail once he learned that he was being sought there. He went by bus directly to the North Country Trail in the Allegheny National Forest and began hiking west. E.I. had a North Country Trail brochure in his possession when arrested; a contingent from the Rainbow Family gathered in the Allegheny last summer, so he may have been there before. E.I. was arrested by Pennsylvania state troopers after a citizen reported giving him and his victim a ride to the trail. They apparently hiked the trail through the forest, and were arrested as they hiked along a road south of Cook State Forest. [Bill Sanders, CR, APPA, 5/13]
The badly burned body of a female homicide victim was discovered yesterday morning on the Appalachian Trail in northern Maryland. Two southbound hikers came upon the body just south of the Hemlock Hill Shelter, near Smithsburg, Maryland, and reported it to Maryland state park rangers. Early indications are that the victim was not a hiker, but details are sketchy. The body was located on Maryland park lands, and the investigation is being handled by Maryland DNR and state police. [Bill Sanders, CR, APPA, 5/27]
A coroner has determined that the woman whose body was found near the Hemlock Hill shelter on the trail was a suicide and not a violent crime against a hiker. The incident occurred on a segment of the trail under the jurisdiction of the state of Maryland. Although the NPS owns about 100,000 acres from Maine to North Carolina in fee and has over 330 easements of various kinds (with proprietary jurisdiction on both types of areas), the trail corridor also runs through many other public lands, including eight national forests, TVA lands, state forests and parks, and municipal watersheds. The NPS has direct law enforcement authority over the trail and is also responsible for coordinating enforcement provided by over 150 law enforcement agencies along its 2100-mile length. [Bill Sanders, APPA, 6/4]
A trunk containing the body of a dead male was found on May 13th at Potomac Wayside, an area administered by the Appalachian National Scenic Trail. The trunk was not there when rangers from nearby Harpers Ferry closed the area at 5:30 p.m. that evening. A county deputy found it while on patrol about five hours later. The investigation is being handled by the county and the FBI. [APPA Project Office]
On the night of June 26th, a couple camping at the Alex Kennedy shelter four miles south of Boiling Springs, Pennsylvania, was awakened by someone standing at the open end of their three-sided shelter, shouting that he was W.L., the owner of the trail, and that they'd better move on. The couple had heard of the Shenandoah murders, but nothing of W.L., who has been living on the trail for the past several years and has a long record of harassing hikers. When they shined their light on him and their dog barked, he disappeared. They were quite frightened and did not sleep the rest of the night. They left the next morning and reported the incident at the ATC office in Boiling Springs. Appalachian Trail chief ranger Bob Gray filed a complaint against W.L., obtained a warrant from the U.S. magistrate, then arrested W.L. with the assistance of the Pennsylvania state police. The magistrate had W.L. committed for mental evaluation; since there are few federal facilities that can handle mentally ill prisoners, he was flown to Los Angeles for the evaluation. He was also interviewed by the FBI in connection with the Shenandoah homicides, but is not a suspect. He will be returned to Pennsylvania for trial in August. [Bob Gray, CR, APTR]
A small plane crashed on the trail on Catawba Mountain in southwest Virginia near midnight on August 12th. The pilot and sole occupant was killed. Virginia state troopers led the effort to recover the body; the NTSB is investigating the accident. It was rainy and foggy at the time of the crash. The extent of resource damage is not yet known. [APPA Forest Service Liaison]
The victim of the August 13th air crash on Catawba Mountain in southwest Virginia has been identified as P.B., 28, a former native of India. He was flying the single-engine Beech Bonanza for an air cargo company that transports mail and loan documents for a Virginia bank. P.B. was flying IFR from Charlotte, North Carolina, to Roanoke, Virginia, but strayed from his route on the approach to the airport and crashed into the mountain. Conditions were rainy and foggy at the time. The plane's wreckage was removed by an insurance company contractor. There was little resource damage to the trail. [Robert Gray, APPA]
A single-engine Piper Cherokee crashed on the trail near Stokes State Forest in New Jersey on the afternoon of September 7th. The 59-year-old pilot and sole occupant was killed. The wreckage was discovered by hikers the following day. The NTSB is investigating the accident; wreckage was to be removed yesterday. [APPA Project Office]
On June 3rd, a lone female backpacker was assaulted and raped while hiking on the Appalachian Trail in the Michaux State Forest, a state reservation in Pennsylvania. The NPS and Appalachian Trail Conference assisted the Pennsylvania State Police (PSP) in their investigation. On Monday, June 8th, a PSP trooper spotted a man fitting the description of the suspect riding his bicycle on a state highway about 25 miles north of the scene of the assault and near the Appalachian Trail. The man - subsequently identified as T.B., 33, no known address - fled into the nearby woods, but was captured after a two-day search. T.B. was held on outstanding warrants for theft, and has since been charged with the rape and placed in jail on a $150,000 bond. T.B. apparently used a bike to travel back roads paralleling the trail. Although the Appalachian Trail is a national scenic trail, the case will be prosecuted through the state court system. Cooperation with PSP and other state agencies has been particularly good since a trailwide law enforcement conference sponsored by the NPS last November. [Robert Gray, CR, ANST, 6/10]
On August 24, 1997, a hiker on the Appalachian Trail near Pawling, New York, found logging operations underway on and near the trail. She reported the logging to local trail volunteers, who immediately contacted the loggers on site and stopped the work. Unfortunately, some 2,400 feet of skid roads had by that time been constructed on a combination of NPS and scenic easement lands and 125 mature hardwoods had been cut and stacked for removal. The Boston Support Office assisted the Appalachian Trail Park Office with investigative services. The investigation revealed that the timber company was cutting on what they thought were Pawling township lands. Due to erroneous information provided by township officials and poor field supervision, the timber company mistakenly cut on protected lands. The commercial valuation of the timber removed was placed at $11,757. The total cost for reimbursing the government for the trees and to remove the skid roads, replant 125 two-inch diameter trees, and recoup investigative expenses came to $35,972. Blue Ridge Parkway landscape architect Will Orr also determined the scenic valuation costs of the damage using the International Society of Arboroculturist "Guide to Plant Appraisal." According to this court-accepted valuation, the cost of the trees removed came to $692,700. The logging company's attorney pressed the company's insurance carrier to settle the claim. Nearly one year after the discovery of the incident, the case was settled for $35,972. The NPS is permitted to retain the funds to restore the lands under the authority of the Park System Protection Act. [Robert Gray, CR, ATPO, 8/25]
Chief Richard Velky of the Schaghticoke Tribal Nation has sent a letter to the secretary announcing that the tribe will be closing a portion of the Appalachian Trail near Kent, Connecticut, from 8 a.m. on Saturday, July 1st, to 8 p.m. on Tuesday, July 4th. The action is reportedly in response to long-pending land claims and federal recognition of the tribe. A temporary detour will be posted through the area on a town-owned road. Media interest has been high. [Robert Gray, CR, ANST, 6/27]
Two hikers discovered skeletal remains while hiking off-trail within the Appalachian Trail corridor about five miles south of Harpers Ferry on April 22nd. Search parties were not able to locate the site until the following morning. The federally-owned corridor straddles the boundary between Virginia and West Virginia; the remains were found within 200 feet of that boundary in West Virginia. Harpers Ferry NHP and AT Park Office rangers are assisting both states in the investigation. Foul play is suspected. [Robert Gray, CR, APPA, 4/24]
On Saturday, June 9th, Appalachian Trail ridgerunner M.C. came upon four men digging a hole on NPS Appalachian NST corridor lands near the Limestone Spring shelter in Salisbury, Connecticut. Upon investigation, he found that the men were members of a caving organization who were attempting to open an entrance to a supposed cavern. They had dug a shaft over 20 feet deep using hand shovels, five-gallon buckets, and a rope-pulley system. Connecticut state park rangers assisted with the initial investigation. Roosevelt-Vanderbilt NHS criminal investigator Nick Valhos is leading the follow-up investigation. It is believed that several other persons assisted with the excavation over the past several months. [Bob Gray, CR, ANST, 6/29]
Human skeletal remains were found on Appalachian National Scenic Trail lands near Harpers Ferry, West Virginia, on Sunday, March 10th, by an adjoining landowner. Harpers Ferry NHP rangers are assisting the Loudoun County Sheriff's Department in the investigation. It appears that a 50-year-old Baltimore area man died of a self-inflicted gunshot to the head at that location some time between six months and a year ago. The FBI, alerted to the case by a Washington television station, initially thought the remains might be related to the disappearance of Chandra Levi and responded with an agent and evidence recovery team. The FBI team assisted with the investigation and recovery of the remains. This is the second set of skeletal remains found on NPS lands near Harpers Ferry within the past year. [Robert Gray, CR, ANST, 3/12]
On January 2, J.P., 47, of Hampden, Maine, fell to his death
while hiking along an icy section of the Appalachian Trail within Gulf
Hagas, a rugged gorge that is part of and adjacent to the trail. J.P.
was hiking with his 24-year-old daughter when he slid off the trail and
fell 100 feet. His daughter summoned help from a forester in the
isolated area. The Main Warden Service conducted the difficult recovery
operation utilizing military aircraft. The NPS has no personnel in Maine
assigned to the trail and has an agreement with the Maine Warden Service
to fund their search and rescue activities on NPS lands. The wardens
described the roads and trails in the area as being covered with sheets
of ice.
A Vermont state trooper was killed while attempting to apprehend a
fleeing driver on June 15th. Sgt. M.J., 39, was struck and
killed by E.D., 23, of Lebanon, New Hampshire. E.D. abandoned his
car after hitting M.J., leaving him lying in the median with fatal
injuries. He caught a ride down the Connecticut River with an
unsuspecting canoeists, then headed south with the assistance of
friends. Investigators developed information that E.D. had been dropped
off in Delaware Water Gap NRA, where he was going to pick up the
Appalachian Trail in an effort to elude police. Delaware Water Gap
rangers joined the search for E.D. on June 17th. E.D. was found and
captured by Pennsylvania state troopers on the Appalachian Trail near
Wind Gap that day. He had backpacking equipment and fishing gear with
him and had shaved off his goatee in an apparent attempt to change his
appearance. E.D. did not resist arrest. He's being extradited back to
Vermont to face state charges. M.J. is the fourth Vermont trooper to
die in the line of duty and the first to be killed by the actions of
another person.
Two brothers drowned at the base of Billings Falls in a particularly
remote and rugged area along the trail on Tuesday, June 17th. Despite a
high flow due to recent rains, one brother entered the water at the base
of the falls and was caught up in a hydraulic. His brother attempted to
rescue him, but both drowned. The Maine Warden Service provides search
and rescue services for federal lands under a cooperative agreement with
the NPS and recovered both bodies, one on Tuesday and the other on
Wednesday.
Yesterday's efforts focused largely on organizing incident management operations, orienting incoming personnel, obtaining equipment, and gathering important damage cost data for the regional and Washington offices. Initial recovery efforts were hampered by heavy rain that fell on Tuesday night and Wednesday morning, causing new flood damage in many areas already affected by Isabel. The following reports were received from parks and regions over the past 24 hours. They are listed from south to north. This information either supplements or revises information previously reported; no effort is being made to recap earlier submissions with each new summary. Through the assistance of David Duran in the Service's National Information Systems Center in Denver, URL's are posted below for maps of three of the hardest hit parks - Cape Lookout, Cape Hatteras, and Colonial - so that readers can more easily determine referenced locations. Others will be added in the future as needed. You can zoom in or out or pan from one park to another and can also turn additional data layers on or off, e.g. National Geographic TOPO!, Relief Imagery, Flood Hazard Areas, Land Cover Imagery, etc. The sites are, respectively: http://maps2.itc.nps.gov/nps/parkatlas/jsp/atlas.jsp?zoomtopark=Cape%20Lookout%20National%20Seashore For a gallery of photos of the hurricane's effects on several parks, put together by WASO ITC's Ken Handwerger, please go to http://inside.nps.gov/ people/hurricane/. This gallery will be added to on a regular basis. Appalachian Trail The trail is open throughout its length, but there are many trees down across it. Trail club volunteers are currently assessing damage and clearing trees. No reports of damage to shelters on the trail have been received. Additional reports will appear daily during recovery operations, which will likely go on for some time. Current information and essential documents from the incident management teams will be available at the IMT web page: http://www.nps.gov/fire/allrisk/. Please check if for additional details. Reports compiled from submissions by Kris Fister, IO, Type 1 IMT; Barb Stewart, IO, Type 2 IMT; Don Boucher, NCRO; Dan Davidson, Shenandoah EICC; Bob Kirby, Superintendent, PETE; Clay Jordan, IC, Type 3 IMT, SHEN; Bob Martin, Regional Chief Ranger, NERO; Russ Smith, Superintendent, FRSP; Cindy McLeod, Superintendent, RICH.
Long-time NPS dam tender and volunteer Jim Robson suffered a fatal
heart attack and died on Christmas Eve. Jim and his wife P. lived in
an NPS-owned house near Nuclear Lake, an unusual location on the
Appalachian Trail near Poughquag, New York. The lake and surrounding
area were owned by a Cold War era plutonium processing company.
Following NPS acquisition, Jim assisted the NPS with site cleanup and
subsequent repair of the dam. He faithfully maintained and operated the
dam as a volunteer for many years thereafter.
Skeletal remains were found on NPS lands near the Appalachian Trail
two miles south of Delaware Water Gap NRA on Monday, November 24th. A
man was searching for his lost dog when he found the remains about 500
feet from the trail and near the Kirkridge shelter. Investigators
suspected that they were the remains of C.D., who had been missing
since he killed his wife with a hammer on May 31, 1988. His wrecked car
had been found about a half mile from the point where the remains were
discovered, but he had not been seen since that date. It took some time
for DNA tests to be completed to determine the identity of the victim.
The county coroner worked with a forensic anthropologist to match DNA
from the remains with one of C.D.'s surviving brothers. The two samples
had the same DNA sequence. C.D., who was 65 at the time of his death,
was a decorated World War II veteran who was among just a handful of
survivors from the infamous "Malmedy Massacre" that occurred during the
Battle of the Bulge in 1944. He had reportedly been treated for medical
and emotional problems at VA hospitals shortly before his wife was
killed. His case has been profiled on the television program "America's
Most Wanted."
On March 1, 2002, a private land owner severely damaged a wooden trestle within Appalachian National Scenic Trail while burning brush on his property. The land owner's property is adjacent to the Virginia Creeper Trail Trestle Bridge #17, a part of the trail in Damascus, Virginia. The USFS maintains the trestle and had recently completed a pedestrian walkway across it. A USFS patrol captain, assisted by a USFS LE officer, investigated the incident and determined that the land owner's fire started the fire that damaged Trestle #17. The investigation showed that the landowner left his property for an hour to have dinner after starting a number of small fires, which he thought were extinguished. When he returned to his property to check for hot spots, he found the trestle on fire. The damage to the trestle, including response and assessment costs, totaled $43,000. The case was forwarded to the DOI Solicitor's Office and eventually on to the AUSA for the Western District of Virginia. Although the NPS was willing to settle and ultimately dropped the figure to $26,000 during settlement negotiations, the responsible party's insurance company was unwilling to raise their counter offer above $8,000. In coordination with the Environmental Response Damage Assessment and Restoration Unit (ERDAR), the NPS decided to not accept the counter offer from the insurance company and moved forward with litigation. The jury trial was held on October 25th and 26th in Abingdon, Virginia. The AUSA, with the assistance of a DOI solicitor, successfully argued the NPS case. The jury returned late in the day on October 26th with a verdict in favor of the United States. This is the first 19jj case that has gone to trial. With the successful outcome, the park will receive the $43,000, which both parties had stipulated to before trial, for restoration of the trestle and reimbursement of the parks response and assessment costs. Parks are reminded that under DO-14, parks are to contact ERDAR concerning all potential 19jj cases which include injuries to facilities (fences, stop signs, patrol cars etc), natural and cultural resources. The contact should be made before a value is placed on the resource injured to insure Servicewide consistency. The authorized official for all 19jj cases is the Associate Director, Natural Resource Stewardship and Science, who is the only person with the delegated authority to officially refer a civil 19jj case to the DOI Solicitors Office or to DOJ (including the AUSA). Parks should consult with ERDAR before contacting the DOI Solicitors Office or the civil AUSA. Please refer to DO-14, Resource Damage Assessments and Restoration Policies and Implementation Handbook, for general guidance. If you have questions concerning the case, please contact Robert Gray, chief ranger for the Appalachian Trail, at 304-535-6171. Questions concerning 19jj should go to Karen Battle, damage assessment case officer, at 404-331-0334. For assignment of a case officer for your 19jj case, please contact Rick Dawson, damage assessment program manager, at 404-331-0185. [Submitted by Robert Gray, Chief Ranger, APPA, and Karen Battle, ERDAR]
On Saturday, March 1st, and Sunday, March 2nd, rangers from Harpers Ferry NHP, C&O Canal NHP and the Appalachian Trail Project Office conducted an operation targeting car clouters at the Keys Gap parking area, an NPS-owned lot along the Appalachian Trail near Harpers Ferry. On Sunday, rangers saw M.C. break into a car, remove a purse, then quickly flee the scene in his vehicle. A lengthy, high-speed, multi-state (West Virginia, Virginia and Maryland) pursuit ensued that was eventually joined by units from many surrounding police agencies. M.C. eventually abandoned his car and a foot chase followed. M.C. eventually flagged down a car and obtained a ride back towards West Virginia. The act was observed by another motorist, though, and reported to rangers. The vehicle was stopped by assisting police agencies and M.C. was arrested. Rangers took custody of M.C., who had numerous outstanding warrants against him from nearby jurisdictions in West Virginia and Virginia. Field training ranger Dan Johnston (C&O Canal) and trainee Dan Kiger (Everglades) are leading the investigation. Numerous stolen items were recovered from the suspect vehicle, including electronics, and an array of charges are being considered in several jurisdictions. [Brad Clawson, Acting Chief Ranger, C&O NHP]
A once-notorious southwest Virginia man died in jail Saturday night, a day after he was charged with shooting and wounding two campers on the Appalachian Trail, not far from the isolated area where he killed two hikers in 1981. R.L.S., 54, was hospitalized with multiple injuries last Tuesday night after crashing a pickup that he'd stolen from one of the victims during a police chase. R.L.S. was jailed on Friday after being discharged from a hospital in Roanoke. He faced several felony charges, including attempted capital murder. Although it appears that he didn't commit suicide, he'd earlier told officers that he was ready to die. An autopsy will be performed to determine the cause of death. The shootings brought back memories of the spring 1981 discovery of two bodies in shallow graves near Pearisburg, Virginia, a town near the Appalachian Trial, about 270 miles southwest of Washington. S.R. and R.M. Jr., 27-year-old social workers from Ellsworth, Maine, had been hiking and camping on the popular trail. Ramsey was stabbed more than a dozen times in the back. R.M. was shot three times in the head. R.L.S. was captured about two weeks later in a wooded area of Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, by a dozen police officers and FBI agents. He pleaded guilty to second-degree murder and spent 14 years in prison. By all accounts, R.L.S. had led a quiet, if at times impoverished, life since his release in 1996, and was off probation. In early March, R.L.S. left home with his dog and headed into the woods. The Appalachian Trail was directly behind his house. On Tuesday, May 6th, R.L.S. befriended two campers on the trail, spending about three hours talking and sharing a meal around a campfire with S.J., 37, and S.F., 33, both from Virginia. Around 8 p.m., R.L.S. "just got up from his chair around the fire and said, 'I gotta go,'" Hamlin said, recounting what the victims had told investigators. "Then he stood up and starting popping them [with a gun]. It was like firecrackers. Pop, pop, pop, pop, pop." S.J. was shot in the back and neck; S.F., in the face and chest. Both are currently doing well in the hospital. R.L.S. was captured driving S.J.'s pickup. [Washington Post and other news accounts]
Reports are beginning to come in on Hurricane Florence's impact on parks, most of them pertaining to closures and reopenings. At the time of writing (Tuesday morning), however, the storm's remnants were still moving up through New York toward New England and hadn't yet brought anticipated heavy rains to a number of sites along its projected route. Over the weekend, the NPS mobilized an incident management team to begin coordination of recovery operations for affected parks. Plans called for it to move to a location in North Carolina sometime on Monday. Here are reports from some of the larger areas in or near the storm's path — see the link below for further reports from smaller sites and additional details and updates from all areas: Appalachian NST — All NPS-owned trail corridor lands in North Carolina through Virginia were closed last Thursday, and hikers were strongly advised to get off the trail and to seek shelter or postpone their hikes, as rescue services might be unable to reach them in the event of an emergency. Source: NPS Hurricane and Severe Weather Response webpage.
J.L.J., 30, faces federal charges in a brutal attack this past Saturday on two Appalachian Trail hikers that left a man dead and a woman hospitalized with severe stab wounds. J.L.J. was arrested early Saturday after sheriff's deputies in Wythe County, Virginia, located him along the trail in southwestern Virginia by tracking an SOS signal triggered by one of the victims. J.L.J. has been charged with murder and assault with intent to murder in connection with the attack. The names of the victims have not been released, but law enforcement described the horrific scene that involved multiple agencies in a combined effort to catch J.L.J.. It is high season for "thru-hikers" traveling the length of the famed scenic trail, which stretches along 2,100 miles from Georgia to Maine. Hikers typically begin around spring and trek north. The one-mile length of the trail that passes through Wythe County is rural, but runs adjacent to Interstate 81 and is full of hikers this time of year. Wythe County deputies were the first to encounter J.L.J., who was found several yards from the scene of Saturday's attack. It had been reported that a man wielding a large knife, accompanied by a dog, had threatened a group of four hikers camped out late Friday. Authorities said that J.L.J. pursued two of the hikers, who fled north and eluded him. Those two reached sheriff's deputies in nearby Bland County and reported the nighttime attack. The other two hikers fled south but were unable to escape. J.L.J. chased and caught up with them, leading to the attack. The male victim managed to trigger an SOS signal on his phone, and the mobile service provider alerted deputies to his location just north of Mount Rogers National Recreation Area. The woman — who suffered defensive wounds and was severely injured by the stabbing — escaped by pretending to be dead. When J.L.J. walked away, she fled and eventually encountered another group of hikers six miles away. She was taken to a nearby trauma center. The Wythe County Sheriff's Office tactical team traveled four miles into the woods, following the wounded man's SOS signal. They initially came across walkers who described a knife-wielding man known as "Sovereign" who roamed the trail with a dog. While authorities were talking to the group, a dog ambled over to the camp. Deputies followed the animal, who led them back to J.L.J., and he was taken into custody without incident. Investigators later found a 20-inch knife nearby along the trail and soon discovered the male victim. J.L.J., who authorities said they think is "Sovereign," is well known to the community of hikers on the trail. Recent news reports of incidents in Tennessee, North Carolina and Georgia describe a man threatening and chasing other hikers with a machete or large knife. In late April, J.L.J. pleaded guilty to charges of drug possession and criminal impersonation (for giving deputies a fake ID) following a confrontation with a group of hikers in Unicoi County, Tennessee near the North Carolina border. He was sentenced to probation, fined and released from custody. Appalachian Trail hikers are a well-connected community of athletes, enthusiasts and outdoors lovers who stay in close online contact. Word had spread among them about J.L.J.'s frequent confrontations with hikers; two videos about J.L.J. on Facebook garnered a combined 26,000 views, and his website chronicles hiker life with photographs from nearly 2,000 people. Source: Arelis R. Hernández, Washington Post.
Below are short follow-ups on incidents previously reported in this newsletter: Appalachian NST — The murder of a hiker and serious stabbing of his companion that occurred on the trail on May 11th (see the last issue) has drawn considerable attention nationwide. Here are a few of the stories that have appeared: A May 14th Washington Post article identified the murder victim as R.S.S. Jr., 43, of Oklahoma, and provided additional details on the attack. A CNN story on May 15th described R.S.S.'s PTSD and depression following his service in the Army and told how he relieved that stress by hiking and engaging in other outdoor activities. And two Roanoke stations added more information on the incident — a WGHL report on the 14th focused on a statement on the attack made by S.D., president of the Appalachian Trail Conservancy, and a WSLS story on May 13th reported on the court appearance of J.J., the accused murderer, and cited information from court documents about the case.
Below are short follow-ups on incidents previously reported in this newsletter: Appalachian NST — The May 25th edition of the Boston Globe ran a story about "the twisted, fatal journey" of accused Appalachian Trail killer J.J. It's a story of how J.J. "unraveled" psychologically over a lifetime until he became a delusional paranoid. "He was a hazard in plain view, a long, loud cry for help that was never really answered," the authors write. "[His story is that of] a man trapped and tormented by his own mind, whose efforts to escape his troubles led him out into nature and, ultimately, onto the Appalachian Trail...His transformation into the menacing S. [his trail name], say many who know him, was at once shocking and sadly predictable." Source: By Evan Allen, Laura Crimaldi and Alejandro Serrano, Boston Globe.
Below are short follow-ups on incidents previously reported in this newsletter: Appalachian NST — Reverberations continue from last month's tragic murder on the trail. The Appalachian Trail Conservancy has redesigned its safety and incident reporting webpage, which now includes a bright red 911 button, an NPS phone number, an email address, and online reporting forms. The online form has been designed with mobile phone users in mind. Source: Henri Gendreau, The Roanoke Times.
Below are short follow-ups on incidents previously reported in this newsletter. Appalachian NST — J.J., 30, the man who's been accused of the fatal stabbing attack on the Appalachian Trail last April, has been deemed not competent to stand trial. The court has ordered that he be transferred to a federal facility to be "restored to competency." Source: Alex Newman, Barnstable-Hyannis Patch.
Below are short follow-ups on incidents previously reported in this newsletter. Appalachian NST — J.J., who was arrested in May for stabbing a hiker to death on the trail, continues to undergo psychological evaluation. In July, he was deemed unfit to stand trial and in October was admitted to a federal medical center for a psychological evaluation. It's now expected that this assessment will be committed by the end of January and submitted to the federal court. Source: WSLS News.
Below are short follow-ups on incidents previously reported in this newsletter. Appalachian NST — K.M., the hiker who was attacked by a man with a knife while thru-hiking the Appalachian Trail earlier this year, has announced that she plans to return to the trail next year. In May, K.M. was camping with three other thru-hikers when she and another hiker, R.S., were beaten and stabbed by J.J, a hiker with known mental health issues. R.S. died from his injuries. K.M. managed to escape the attacker, hiking three hours to safety. She suffered 9 stab wounds and 40 lacerations and has been recovering at her home in New Brunswick, Canada, since the attack. K.M. says she plans to head back to Georgia in March to start the Appalachian Trail over again. "I always wanted to do the whole trail from end to end, and I didn't get to do it," she told Canada's CTV News. Source: Kim Dinan, Blue Ridge Outdoors.
A summary of recent openings, closures and other changes in the status of parks and their facilities, Harpers Ferry NHP/C&O Canal NHP/Appalachian NST — Several cars of a CSX train derailed off a bridge while crossing the Potomac River at Harpers Ferry early on the morning of December 21st, causing the NPS to close sites at Harpers Ferry, including The Point and John Brown's Fort, as well as parts of Chesapeake & Ohio National Historical Park and the Appalachian National Scenic Trail. Other areas — including the crossings from Harpers Ferry to the Maryland Heights trail and the C&O Canal towpath, plus the footbridge attached to the CSX bridge —have also been closed. Source: Hallie Miller, Baltimore Sun.
A summary of recent openings, closures and other changes in the status of parks and their facilities, Harpers Ferry NHP/Appalachian NST — The pedestrian bridge crossing the Potomac River, which was partially destroyed in December when a CSX freight train derailed in Harpers Ferry, remains closed. The bridge connects West Virginia to Maryland as part of the Appalachian Trail. Questions remain about funding for repairs and the soundness of the railway bridge trusses. Discussions are continuing regarding the possibility of providing shuttle service for those who wish to access the C&O Canal or Maryland Heights from Harpers Ferry. Source: Toni Milbourne, Shepherdstown Chronicle.
E.N., a resident of North Carolina, started hiking the Appalachian Trail on Friday, February 14th. Over the ensuing weekend, he made several 911 calls to Dawson County, reportedly sounding confused. A search for E.N. was immediately begun, but no sign of him was found until Monday, when staff from the Len Foote Hike Inn located some of his personal belongings near the Hike Inn trail. Efforts to find E.N. continued through Monday night, with six canine teams searching a large grid area around the Approach Trail in Amicalola Falls State Park. The search was suspended on Tuesday night due to weather conditions, but resumed on Wednesday with more than 130 searchers and additional assistance from north Georgia agencies. Searchers were pelted with heavy rain, wind and frigid temperatures throughout the four days. E.N.'s body was discovered at about 2:30 p.m. on Wednesday afternoon in a rugged, inaccessible area of the state park. The cause of death has not been determined, but foul play is not suspected. Source: Alexander Popp, Forsyth County News.
Below are short follow-ups on incidents previously reported in this newsletter. Appalachian NST/Harpers Ferry NHP — The footbridge across the Potomac that was damaged two months ago when a CSX freight train derailed on the tracks next to it will remain closed indefinitely. The park is coordinating restoration efforts with CSX, which will cover the cost for the repairs. The trail closure affects thousands of visitors and hikers on the AT. The closure has created problems for hikers who have had to rely on private shuttle services to get across, a problem that will worsen as the weather warms up and the number of through hikers increases significantly. The National Park Service and CSX are planning to provide a shuttle service that would transport hikers and visitors around the footbridge closure until repairs can be completed. Source: Luz Lazo, Washington Post.
Below are short follow-ups on incidents previously reported in this newsletter. Appalachian NST — Attorneys for J.J., who is accused of killing an Appalachian Trail hiker in southwest Virginia last year, intend to employ an insanity defense at his trial. Attorneys are asking the court to direct any evaluation of 31-year-old J.J.'s mental state at the time to be conducted in the least restrictive manner possible. J.J. remains in custody at the Southwest Virginia Regional Jail in Abingdon. His attorneys ask that he remain at the Abingdon facility and undergo any necessary evaluations and treatment in the region, rather than be transferred into federal custody. Source: Robert Sorrell, Bristol Herald-Courier.
A 67-year-old backpacker on the northern portion of the Appalachian Trail was reported overdue by family on July 24. They had last been heard from on July 9 at the Inn at the Long Trail in Killington, Vermont. The Vermont State Police started a search, which was complicated by the length of time that had passed and conflicting reports about whether or not the individual had been seen more recently. On July 29, police recovered a body that was believed to be the individual, located along Stony Brook in Stockbridge, Vermont. The individual is believed to have perished while crossing Stony Brook during a flashflood event on July 10. The victim's body was found 1.5 miles downstream from the location where the trail crosses the creek. An autopsy to determine the cause of death is underway. Source: Rutland Herald, VT Digger
On March 26, the NPS announced that there is an increasing number of reports of gastrointestinal illness among hikers on the trail in North Carolina, Georgia, and Tennessee. It is suspected to be norovirus. Source: WLOS
Over the weekend of May 4-5, a hiker on the Appalachian Trail discovered dog treats stuffed with fish hooks scattered along the path near the George W. Outerbridge shelter in Lehigh County, Pennsylvania. The Pennsylvania Game Commission is investigating and has asked the public for any additional information about the incident or further incidences. Source: News Nation
Many parks were affected by Hurricane Helene, up and down the Eastern seaboard. The following updates are as of Tuesday, October 1. For the latest update, please see each park's website. Appalachian National Scenic Trail: Substantial sections are closed in Georgia, Tennessee, North Carolina, and southwest Virginia
Many parks were affected by Hurricane Helene, up and down the Eastern seaboard the week of September 22. Several parks were still in recovery when Hurricane Milton landed the week of October 6. The following updates are as of Monday, October 14. For the latest updates, please see each park's website. Appalachian National Scenic Trail: There are a number of closures along the trail and assessments have still not been completed for many sections, particularly through Virginia and North Carolina.
On December 13, the section of trail from Elk Garden Trailhead to the Virginia-Tennessee line will reopen for the first time since Hurricane Helene damaged much of the trail in early October. Source: WFXR
On May 21, the Appalachian Trail Conservancy announced the closure of Mollies Ridge Shelter, Russell Field Shelter, and Icewater Springs Shelter due to "heightened, aggressive black bear activity," including obtaining human food and circling a shelter for several hours. Source: The Trek
An outbreak of norovirus recently took place in the park, including a positive detection at Blackrock Hut. The park and the Virginia Department of Public Health remind visitors to wash their hands, treat all water, and dispose of waste properly. Source: WJLA | |