In rural southeast Tennessee, a manhunt is underway for Nicholas Hamlett, who is wanted for a parole violation in Alabama and is now a suspect in a murder case. Hamlett used a stolen identity to make a bizarre 911 call claiming he fell off a cliff while running from a bear near the Cherohala Skyway. The caller identified himself as Brandon Andrade, but it was later discovered that the victim was not Andrade but someone else who had been murdered. Hamlett fled the scene after his real identity was confirmed, and an arrest warrant for first-degree murder has been issued for him. The FBI, along with state and local authorities, are searching for Hamlett and trying to identify the victim. The mysterious case has left investigators puzzled as they work to unravel the events leading up to the victim’s death. Tellico Plains, where the incident took place, is located near the Great Smoky Mountains and is on the 43-mile Cherohala Skyway that passes through the Cherokee National Forest. The case remains under investigation, with a briefing planned for Wednesday to provide updates on the ongoing search for Hamlett and the victim’s identity.
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