Ronald S. Sanchez, Jr., aka Stronghold, a US Army veteran from Oklahoma, was pronounced dead at the scene after he and several other hikers were menaced and attacked by a knife-wielding assailant in southwest Virginia on May 11. He said the trout was delicious but for a man who looked as if he'd missed many meals, he didnt eat with the vigor expected. as Scott A. Lilly, 30, of South Bend, Indiana. Great now he can get out so he can kill again like the one that killed 2 hikers in VA back in 1981, wrote one person on the Facebook page of the Appalachian Long Distance Hikers Association, referring to previous killings on the trail. He had returned to the United States with PTSD as well as combat-related injuries, according to his former wife, Elizabeth Sanchez. Whetherman, in Harpers Ferry last Monday, was a little freaked out and skipped the Duncannon area. He was pronounced dead at 6 pm, May 10 at a Pulaski County hospital. She said numbers were starting to rebound after the conservancy urged hikers last year to stay away because of the pandemic. He was likely dead around 12 days before his discovery. The Cove Mountain Shelter replaced the Thelma Marks Shelter in 2000. While in custody, Smith was noted to be exhibiting dissociative behavior and having forgotten everything about his past, though psychiatric testing ultimately concluded that he was faking it. Some hikers walk the entire AT from one end to the other, then turn around and thru-hike the trail the other way. Information networks share advice about trail conditions and supplies. They set off into the forest and encountered other hikers who said they had been unnerved by a man who had talked to them during the night, trying to get them to unzip their tent so he could borrow a flashlight, Sheriff Dunagan said. On Thursday, a judge found Mr. Jordan, who had been charged with murder, not guilty by reason of insanity and committed him to a psychiatric institution, Mr. Jordans lawyers said in a statement. Nonetheless, the numbers are surprising. However, there are no utopias in this world. On the morning of May 11th, the group encountered 30-year-old James Louis Jordan, nicknamed Sovereign, from Yarmouth Mass. Thanks again for taking time to make an astute comment. There are lots of places where people can fall through the cracks, unfortunately, he says. There was a rape reported at the Trail Days festival in Damascus, VA, that year. The trail climbed steadily, unmercifully, and burdened by their overloaded external-frame packs, the unseasoned hikers felt every foot. The victims and their stories are in order as follows. Andrew Caballero-Reynolds/Agence France-Presse Getty Images. He returned to Ingram to live with his mother and wore an electronic monitoring anklet as part of his ten years of supervision. But severe mental illness alone isnt enough to legally compel someone into treatment, says Jos Ashford, professor of social work and director of the Office of Offender Diversion and Sentencing Solutions at Arizona State University. Im not advocating guns, but bear spray, or a fixed blade knife like our forefathers carried when in the wilderness should be adequate in defending yourself. After arriving at the Doyle, the couple unpacked, called their parents, got a meal and picked up their mail. All rights reserved (About Us). Further investigations revealed that the strange man, calling himself Ricky Williams, was actually 54-year-old Randall Lee Smith, the same man who killed two Appalachian Trail hikers in 1981, Laura Susan Su Su Ramsay , 27 and Robert Mountford Jr., 27, in Virginia. In an emergency, or when encountering threatening behavior, hikers are advised to call 9-1-1 immediately. The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Advance Local. Here it contours along the mountain making several small stream crossings before entering an old clearing where an old cabin stood known as the Hotel. This is what real news organizations do, and it costs money! But, what I find disturbing is that this was not a singular incident. Experts from both sides, the lawyers added, agreed that, at the time of the attack, he could not appreciate the nature and quality of his actions and therefore he met the legal standard for insanity., Mr. Jordan is now deeply remorseful for the profound sorrow he has caused, the lawyers said in the statement. Fatal Stabbing on Appalachian Trail Is Uncovered Thanks to GPS and a Dog, https://www.nytimes.com/2019/05/13/us/appalachian-trail-hikers-murder-.html. Jordan is currently facing charges of murder and assault with intent to murder in a Virginia federal court. Still much safer than the real world, but not hundreds of times safer. Read more: The unsolved Williams and Winans camping murders in Shenandoah National Park. The victims and their stories are in order as follows. The book Murder on the Appalachian Trail, written in 1984 by Jess Carr, is based on the true events of the deaths of Robert Mountford and Laura Ramsay. Since 1974 there have been nine murders near or on the A.T. and two attempted murders, some involving serial killers. From unpredictable weather to animal encounters, to dehydration to infections, theres a slew of threats hikers should always keep at least one eye out for. A search was started by the authorities and Louises silver Ford Focus was found at the Glen Falls Parking Area on November 20. Law enforcement officials followed an emergency signal that had been sent from a hikers GPS device, and as they stopped to talk to people on the trail, a dog wandered over. They were planning to hike the Appalachian Trail to raise money to help the mentally ill. REPORT SUSPICIOUS ACTIVITY OR INDIVIDUALS. I got my trail name, Pony, in 2015 when I hiked the Colorado Trail. Other threats that make the list include untreated tick-borne illnesses, dehydration, lightning strikes, and falling trees. Lillys cause of death was labeled a homicide caused by asphyxia by suffocation. At 3 pm Louise was seen for the last time at the Appalachian Mountain Club visitors center in Pinkham Grant, New Hampshire. He had embarked on his Appalachian journey as a path to self-discovery and finding himself as well as visiting the Civil War battlefields. The trails community has embraced a neighborly spirit, creating an insiders lingo and culture of hospitality. His head was in a plastic bag and the bag had been tied around his head with a piece of string. The clerk at the visitors center recommended the Lost Pond Trail on route 16, a short trail, that started nearby. Personally and anecdotally on many days of my thru-hike I met and interacted with many more people than I typically do in synthetic life on a daily basis. On her way back down the mountain, she crossed paths with Hilton again who, this time, attacked her. https://www.strangeoutdoors.com/true-crime-in-the-outdoors/2020/5/4/scott-lilly-unsolved-murders-on-the-appalachian-trail, https://medium.com/true-crime-addiction/true-crime-murder-on-mount-isolation-8a89ff71dfc9, https://www.pennlive.com/life/2019/05/fatal-appalachian-trail-attack-resurrects-memories-of-double-murder-on-the-trail-in-pennsylvania.html, https://medium.com/true-crime-addiction/true-crime-murder-on-cove-mountain-b7f52a3b542d, https://www.outsideonline.com/2011326/murder-appalachian-trail, https://www.wistv.com/story/5842730/appalachian-trail-killer-to-be-resentenced/, https://mpora.com/outsiders/the-gruesome-truth-behind-those-murders-on-americas-famous-appalachian-hiking-trail/, https://criminalminds.fandom.com/wiki/Randall_Lee_Smith, https://www.newspapers.com/clip/8224118/janice-balza/, https://www.outsideonline.com/2359316/appalachian-trail-shelter-first-murder-1974, https://scnow.com/lifestyles/pair-encounters-killer-lives-to-tell-about-it/article_5c9de749-d8bb-5031-bcc9-e781a6639e58.html, Tagged: Murder on the Appalachian Trail, Appalachian Trail Murders, What is the Appalachian Trail (the AT)?, Ronald S. Sanchez Jr murder, James jordan Appalachian trail, Scott Lilly murder, Louise Chaput, Lost Pond Trail murder, Geoffrey Hood and Molly LaRue murders appalachian trail, Paul David Crews murders, Robert Mountford Jr. and Laura Susan Ramsay murders, Randall Lee Smith serial killer, Janice Balza Vandeventer Shelter murder, Joel Polson, Low Gap Shelter murder, Ralph Fox appalachian trail murder, Scott Johnston and Sean Farmer attempted murder, StrangeOutdoors.com Terms of use/Cookie notice/Privacy Policy, Exclusive members-only articles on StrangeOutdoors.com, The unsolved Williams and Winans camping murders in Shenandoah National Park, James Jordan - The Appalachian Trail Murderer, Scott Lilly - unsolved murders on the Appalachian trail, Geoffrey Hood and Molly LaRue murders appalachian trail, Robert Mountford Jr. and Laura Susan Ramsay murders, The horrific rape and murder of Sophie Louise Hook whilst camping in her Uncle's garden, The miracle rescue of Alan Lee Phillips at Colorados Guanella Pass - the man who turned out to be a serial killer, The chilling story of Thomas Lee Dillon - the Ohio Outdoorsmen killer, The miraculous escape of the Brazilian and German backpackers at Salt Creek in South Australia, Robert Hansen Butcher Baker - the Alaska Serial killer who hunted his victims in the wilderness, The shocking unsolved Keddie Cabin murders, The disturbing death of Fiona Torbet in the Scottish highlands, The real Wolf Creek - The Backpacker Murders in the Australian Outback, The disturbing story of David Shearing and the Wells Gray Park camping murders, The mysterious death of Carol Laughlin in Yosemite National Park, The frightening case of the Trailside Killer David Carpenter, The mysterious Koh Tao - Death Island in Paradise, The Yosemite National Park Sightseer Murders and the two faces of evil, The disturbing disappearance of the Beaumont children on Glenelg Beach, The Kamloops Triangle - The British Columbia murders and disappearances, The Delphi hiking murders - Abigail Williams and Liberty German, The Peter Falconio disappearance in the Australian Outback, The unsolved murder of Scott Lilly on the Appalachian trail, The disturbing case of James Jordan - The Appalachian Trail Murderer. They had something he wanted and he took advantage of it. The last time anyone had seen or heard from him was around July 31st when he climbed The Priest, a 4,063-foot mountain in Nelson County, Virginia, and the Appalachian Trail crosses it. He told Margaret that if she wanted to keep a memento of Joel, she was welcome to go through his pack. and out of the 3 millions you mentioned, only 600 complete the entire hike. The murder of Scott Lilly remains unsolved. As Johnston banged on the door and pleaded for help, Farmer staggered out of the Jeep. The Bowens headed back to Duncannon, the closest town, to report the crime to the authorities. Statistically speaking, the AT is a safe place. James L. Jordan, 30, of West Yarmouth, Mass., was charged in the fatal stabbing of one person and the wounding of another on the Appalachian Trail. Four months after the attack, Kirby Morrill, the hiker who survived the stabbing, climbed Maines Mount Katahdin, at the northern end of the trail. He regrets that his lifelong battle with mental illness ultimately resulted in this trauma and loss for innocent hikers and their families.. If we packed for all the just in case events then wed all be transporting an absurd amount of gear. He pointed out she could go to Cornelia, a town to the southeast which had a Greyhound station with buses directly to the East. Theyre out there Id count three people, total, in 2,189 miles, who made me slightly uncomfortable (I suspect two of them were either on drugs or perhaps struggling with mental health issues; the third person was just aggressively rude). In 2006, Crews agreed to drop his appeals in exchange for two life sentences without the possibility of parole. This means that the average population on the AT will be much, much lower than 3 million. Farmer held up his hand through the window to block the bullet, but he didn't fire. Of the AT-state attacks, two occurred about 10 miles from the trail (one in the Smokys; the other was the first recorded bear fatality in New Jersey history); the other two were at least 50 miles from the trail. (This seems to be super a important point!). The AT/Hotel Trail Loop in the Mount Pleasant National Scenic Area is 7.5 miles long. As it had in the days after the stabbings in May 2019, the news about Mr. Jordans case last week spread quickly along the grapevine, which usually shares notes about more common perils, such as lightning strikes or bears foraging for food. I work from home, so outside of exercising (usually running) there are many days when the only person I really come into contact with is my wife. Sometimes she would go with a friend, but it wasnt unusual for her to pack up her gear and hike by herself, heading into the woods for days to hike and take in nature. Still nervous Margaret and Joel, they decided should leave first thing in the morning and theyd have breakfast when they were a mile or two up the trail to the north. Using 10k instead of 3 million, we get a murder rate of roughly 2/100,000k. James Louis Jordan, 30, approached a group of four hikers, somewhere in Jefferson National Forest in western Virginia, on the evening of May 10, 2019. They could have arrested him for disturbing the peace but those small towns wouldnt have mental health care., When asked if it was possible that Jordans psychological state could have further deteriorated on the AT, Ashford noted: He would find it strange that people knew his namethat could enhance his paranoia.. Personally, I would therefore choose not to do the whole trail. Assaults are rare. In 1975, Janice Balza was murdered with a hatchet in Tennessee. The Cow Camp Gap Shelter is another 0.6 miles off the Appalachian Trail down the Hotel Trail. Of CDT-state grizzly attacks, six occurred in Yellowstone (around 4 million annual visitors) or Teton (around 3 million annual visitors) national parks. Many people turn, unsurprisingly, from there and point the finger at the hikers who declined to be witnesses (i.e. The man was identified as Ralph Howard Fox, 31, from Detroit. Thompson waited inside for Ralph to return and he was quickly arrested. 4. We need constitutional carry acknowledged in all states; or at the very least for these hikers, a permit allowed reciprocity for them to legally carry in the states they are hiking through! Since 1974 there have been nine murders near or on the A.T. and two attempted murders, some involving serial killers. It would be the first of many lies he told. Chestnut Knob Shelter, VA. Clay Bonnyman Evans photo. Testimony began on May 15. When I began looking into this, I guessed I might see that by this measure, the trail would be maybe 40-50 times safer than the US at large. Her body was found three miles from where she was last seen. 9 out of 10 hikers start in Georgia and head north. Then Ralph announced he in fact would not let Margaret go as he had planned when they reached the road., the Georgia route 75. They called 911 at 2.30 am, saying that they were being chased by a madman with a knife. The Appalachian Trail is a relatively safe environment, a refuge that welcomes more than three million users a year, Suzanne Dixon, president of the Appalachian Trail Conservancy, said in a May 14 statement. At this point, Ann divorced Ralph. The knife was nearby. Agent Thompson and Sheriff Baker drove to Atlanta, where police obtained a search warrant. It was a three-sided lean-to, around 30 feet from the trail, surrounded by trees. Whether or not to carry any form of protection is a personal choice for each hiker to make. As they ate, Ralph left the shelter and headed into the trees before returning with food for fire. Bigley was tried and convicted of murder and spent the rest of his life in prison. (I only say this out loud as of late, because the California AG just spewed all personal information, so its all public now.). A judge found James L. Jordan not guilty by reason of insanity in the fatal stabbing of Ronald S. Sanchez Jr. along the trail in 2019. He retrieved a trail map from Joels pack and was surprised to find that the next road crossing was less than three miles away. She introduced him to her parents in mid-April 1974. Really would have helped to just address the thru hiker population (~4K attempts per year) to do the stats and then use the 3 million day hikers as a bonus point. (Dan Gleiter, PennLive.com)Dan Gleiter/The Patriot-News. One of Scotts interests was Civil War history and that was what brought him to Virginia, and to hike the trail, starting June 15, 2011. Ralph ordered her to eat and drink while he went through Joels pack. The Appalachian Trail community was shocked when one hiker was killed and another critically wounded in a recent pre-dawn attack on the trail. Hikers are advised to plan ahead and prepare for their journeys, be self-reliant, and use situational awareness with a back-up plan in case they encounter the unexpected. Two hikers found the bodies of Hood of Signal Mountain, Tenn., and LaRue of Shaker Heights, Ohio, in the early evening on Sept. 13. Patriot-News reporter Ted Anthony, now of the Associated Press, wrote about some of those messages at the time: Molly and Geoff, Im sure, were wonderful people that are now walking in heaven on the trail that never ends. Perry County agreed to reduce his sentence to life in prison and Crews agreed to drop his appeals. We asked the Appalachian Trail Conservancy: The Appalachian Trail (A.T.) is a relatively safe place, but it is not immune from crime or insulated against the problems of larger society. Crews second wife recounted the story that in 1977 in Indiana that he climbed in behind her in bed and held a bayonet to her throat. You must be scared of your own shadow at noon. (The photo was provided by their families. Molly was face down in a pool of blood, with her hands tied behind her back, and Geoff was partially naked with a white shirt in his hand. In 1974, Joel Polson was murdered in Chattahoochee National Forest, Georgia. The ATC (Appalachian Trail Conservancy) and NPS (U.S. National Park Service) say heart attacks or other health-related issues are the leading cause of death while hiking on the trail. After a few minutes of conversation, Margaret crossed the clearing to wash up in the stream and Joel joined her saying that he didnt know that he trusted Ralph. Forensic evidence after the event showed that Molly was tied up with a rope looped to her neck before she was raped and stabbed to death by slashing her neck, throat, and back 8 times with an 8 and 3/4 inch double edge blade. Statistics for assault and sexual assault are harder to come by, but the ATC receives reports of just about one assault per year and one rape every three years on the trail. He was eventually tracked down in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. Williams came around the front of the Jeep and pointed the gun at Farmer. 2023 Advance Local Media LLC. Louise left a few minutes later in her car and was never seen again. Join Outside+ to get access to exclusive content, 1,000s of training plans, and more. I think that people are a little bit more vigilant now than they were.. Hi Trump's Boeing 757-200 landed at Aberdeen airport just after 11.30am GMT. White Mountain National Forest, home to theLost Pond Trail inNew Hampshire. Camaraderie and friendship are the rule on the AT. They were recent college graduates with art degrees, but had committed their lives to working with troubled children, he told The Patriot-News. In June 2020, after lawyers said he had been treated with psychotropic medication, he was found mentally competent, a court document showed. Before driving off, Johnston told the man he was camping just up the road at the Lions Den Campground. Around 8.30 pm, the camp started to get dark and Johnston and Farmer, each privately wondered why the visitor was staying so long as he had mentioned to them his campsite was an hour away. He was sentenced to life in prison, later being charged with three additional murders. The murderer was never found. His family members said in impact statements provided to the judge, James P. Jones, that Mr. Sanchez was a great father to his two children, and that the family members lives have been shattered beyond words, The Washington Post reported last week. Best Appalachian Trail Books. 2019: Ronald Sanchez Jr Murderer: James Louis Jordan Location: Wythe County, VA Motive: Ongoing investigation However theres a difference here, thecAT is not a sanctuary, it is a wilderness trail. Although you are still more likely to run into problems on the trail because of inclement weather or slipping and falling, violent crime on the trails is not an uncommon occurrence. How safe is the Appalachian Trail? The next morning, they headed back to the Wurst Haus restaurant to cash more travelers checks, The restaurant had no money in the till, so they headed to a gas station up the street, where Ralph got $20. And the citizens were not protected.. What you dont seem to get is that anomaly or not statistically, one female was seriously injured, one male thru hiker killed. Chris also wrote How to Hike the Appalachian Trail. Personally, I carry some extra ounces. According to Brian King, publisher for the Appalachian Trail Conservancy, there have been 10 murders in eight incidents on the trail since the first murder was recorded in 1974. For These Refugee Women, the Trail is a Sanctuary, 3 Ways To Keep Your Sanity On A Thru-Hike. Farmer crouched down in his seat, waiting for the next shot. But if the motivation is I dont want to take it because the devil has poisoned it or something of a bizarre nature, that person isnt in the right mind to deny it Its kind of a catch-22., Ashford notes that officials look to the systems structure while evaluating potential risks: Are they civilly committable or not? A family member of Mr. Sanchez declined to comment on Monday. Anyone can read what you share. James LaRue, father of Molly LaRue, said the family was supposed to reunite the following weekend in Harpers Ferry. 2008-Two fisherman were shot on the Appalachian Trail by Randall Lee Smith. Get epic tips, guides and how-to's in your inbox every two weeks. Heres some info about bears: Between 2000 and 2019, there have been just 53 documented fatal attacks on humans by bears in North America, or about 2.8 per year. He stopped her by a tree, told her to sit on the ground, pulled her legs around the tree, and tied her feet together. Even so, the, lets call it, lemons-to-oranges murder rates Ive compared here, and your revised version, demonstrate the trails remarkable safety. This trail follows the AT through the bald on Cole Mountain before descending to Cow Camp Gap and the Cow Camp Gap Shelter.
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