Gary Michael Hilton, a drifter with an insatiable darkness, seemed like an ordinary man to those he passed on forest trails and isolated paths. But beneath his unassuming exterior lurked one of the most chilling predators of the Southeast-known today as "The National Forest Killer." This true crime book delves into the life and crimes of Hilton, a man whose twisted psyche drove him to stalk, abduct, and brutally murder innocent hikers across Georgia, North Carolina, and Florida. From his isolated childhood and troubled military service to the calculated brutality of his murders, The Killer on Blood Mountain explores the sinister forces that shaped Hilton's descent into violence. Readers will follow the haunting details of each case: the disappearance of young Meredith Emerson on a remote trail, the tragic deaths of elderly hikers John and Irene Bryant, and the chilling murder of nurse Cheryl Dunlap, whose body was found deep within the forest she had cherished. Through eyewitness accounts, chilling confessions, and FBI profiles, this book examines how Hilton chose his victims, the unsettling patterns of his crimes, and the unrelenting search that ultimately led to his capture. A gripping story of one man's horrific obsession with power and control, The Killer on Blood Mountain combines the intensity of true crime with a psychological dive into the mind of a serial predator who terrorized the innocent in the very heart of nature. This is the story of how the wilderness, once a place of peace, became the hunting ground for a monster-and how, finally, he was brought to justice.