Nicholas Wayne Hamlett: Tennessee authorities are looking for a man charged with murder after spoofing a 911 call

CNN
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Tennessee authorities are looking for a man they say called 911 claiming he was being chased by a bear, which led rescuers to the body and sparked a manhunt for the caller.

The incident occurred on October 18, when a man called 911, pretending to be a concerned tourist. according to a Friday press release from the Monroe County, Tennessee, Sheriff’s Office. The caller identified himself as Brandon Andrade and claimed that he fell off a cliff while running away from a bear.

According to the sheriff’s office, when first responders arrived on the scene in Tellico Plains, they found a man dead with identification belonging to Andrade. However, investigators soon determined that the body was not Andrade’s and that Andrade’s identification had been “stolen and used multiple times,” a sheriff’s news release said.

According to the statement, the deceased has still not been identified. Investigators are currently working to develop a sketch of the victim, which will be released to the public to help identify him.

The sheriff’s office said investigators discovered that Nicholas Wayne Hamlett, 45, of Alabama, was using Andrade’s identification and that he was wanted in Alabama on a parole violation, the sheriff’s office said.

Authorities have already issued an arrest warrant for Hamlett for first-degree murder. The press release says he is “armed and dangerous.” The sheriff’s office advises anyone with information on this case to share it with them and to call 911 if they see Hamlett.

The release said the sheriff’s office is working with the FBI, Tennessee Bureau of Investigation and other agencies to identify the victim and find Hamlett.

CNN has reached out to the Monroe County, Tennessee Sheriff’s Office for more information.

Tellico Plains, where the victim was found, is a small town in eastern Tennessee with a population of just under 1,000.