View Full Version : UGA murder suspect AT hiker?
I have been following this case, but this is the first article that I saw where they mention the AT:
http://www.ajc.com/metro/content/metro/stories/2009/04/29/zinkhan_search_athens.html
Anyone see any "wanted signs" on the AT regarding this guy? It's an unfortunate tragedy of what happened.
- Greg
Ox97GaMe
04-29-2009, 14:07
They arent posting 'Wanted' signs. However, the GATC, NOC, and SMHC have all been notified. National Forest and National Park staffs have been alerted. Local law enforcement agencies in GA, NC, TN, and VA are also on alert.
The person is considered armed and dangerous, and hikers should not try to confront the individual if they see them. Try to remain calm if you encounter this person, get to a trail crossing, and contact authorities.
I heard he bought a ticket to the Netherlands.
I think he bought that a while back, and the ticket was for May 2.
It's the armed hiker's time to shine ell oh ell
I hope he doesn't filter. That'll teach him!
he dropped his kids off and told them he was going camping. had lots of gear in his car. "claims" to be an AT enthusiast. they think he has gone off to shoot himself in the woods. the plane tickets are for amsterdam for saturday evening.
scary stuff... anyone know if they released any details on what his motive was? the whole thing seems confusing in that sense...
I don't expect him to last long if he's on the AT with half the people here claiming to be the Ultimate Badass with their Jeet Kune Do and their 2 six shooters.
scary stuff... anyone know if they released any details on what his motive was? the whole thing seems confusing in that sense...
well.... he went to a local theatre and shot his "estranged" wife and two other men, who may or may not have been with her, dead as a doornail. i'd say he was jealous, but that may be a shot in the dark. sorry. no pun intended.
MintakaCat
04-29-2009, 17:17
they think he has gone off to shoot himself in the woods.
I don't know, seems if that was his plan they would have found the vehicle by now.
The fact that there is not a single trace of him or his vehicle just is odd. No bank withdraw, no credit card usage, nothing. They think he didn't plan this but the longer time goes by without a trace, the more convinced I am that he planned some escape.
I also doubt he's on the AT. My bet is that he's in Canada by now.
Maybe he went to Mexico and will catch the swine flue!:-?
Blue Jay better not catch him using trekking poles
Nicksaari
04-29-2009, 19:18
let him off himself in the punchbowl shelter. seems to be the place for everyone else.
Nicksaari
04-29-2009, 19:19
okay that was a little callous. let him off himself in some grotto way off trail and his rotting body will taint the stream running to some yokel's meth lab farm
Skidsteer
04-29-2009, 19:24
All right Nick, let's take some deep breaths and relax...:)
I don't know, seems if that was his plan they would have found the vehicle by now.
Eric Rudolph's truck wasn't discovered for a few days either, hiding a vehicle in the woods with leaf cover getting thicker everyday would be fairly easy right now. And red Jeeps in the UGA area pretty common.
Nicksaari
04-29-2009, 19:35
i hope this guy isnt ruining any thru hikers vacation! (deep breath)
freefall
04-29-2009, 19:42
Eric Rudolph's truck wasn't discovered for a few days either, hiding a vehicle in the woods with leaf cover getting thicker everyday would be fairly easy right now. And red Jeeps in the UGA area pretty common.
And then look how long it took to catch Eric. Course this guy probably ain't related to 50% of the locals so they wouldn't cover for him.
Phoenixdadeadhead
04-29-2009, 19:45
How many times have we met that quiet hiker who writes in the book, barely acknowledges you are there, and when he does look up has the bewildered caveman look in his eyes. I bet if we saw him on the trail we wouldn't give him a second thought lol
Chaco Taco
04-29-2009, 19:49
Cosby Knob Shelter last year. CREEPY dude walks in and insist that he must sleep against the wall. No one argued with him. Said he was walking home to Mass. Didnt say a word, had a crazy eye, and really creeped everyone out. Was glad when I saw him fly past me at Mt Cammerer.
Then there was Red Eyes!
2011_thruhiker
04-29-2009, 20:16
There is miles and miles (hundreds) of unmapped roads-mostly logging roads-but passable in a Liberty (I take my Rodeo down them) in the George Washington National Forest-one could live quietly, and not see another person for months-until hunting season begins-or you come out and back into civilization....And the GWNF is much more wilderness that most of the federal parks, as it really doesn't attract a lot of tourists and about twice the size of SNP....
It's possible...
halibut15
04-29-2009, 20:25
If he's in the woods, I'd bet he's staying off the AT and is somewhere isolated...there are some way back places in north GA and NC where you wouldn't look for a car.
MintakaCat
04-29-2009, 20:53
Eric Rudolph's truck wasn't discovered for a few days either, hiding a vehicle in the woods with leaf cover getting thicker everyday would be fairly easy right now. And red Jeeps in the UGA area pretty common.
That's true. However, I get the impression that Rudolph knew the woods better than this guy, plus I think most people will agree he had help. Granted, Zinkhan is a fan of the AT, but I get the feeling he didn't hike the AT that much and I don't think anybody is helping him.
In addition, this guy has done some international travel. If he is going into hiding mode, I would think it would be something on a global nature.
Chances are we'll soon know, but, it is possible we may never know.
Dances with Mice
04-29-2009, 21:01
well.... he went to a local theatre and shot his "estranged" wife and two other men, who may or may not have been with her, dead as a doornail. i'd say he was jealous, but that may be a shot in the dark. sorry. no pun intended.Maybe. Or he really didn't like the play.
In addition, this guy has done some international travel. If he is going into hiding mode, I would think it would be something on a global nature.Probably, but that isn't as easy as it used to be. Even in a place as backwater as Central America, half the hostels I stayed at in Guatemala and Honduras took my passport and wrote down the info. I suppose you could get another passport in another name, but with RFID implants in the passports, fake ones are tougher to do.
Flush2wice
04-29-2009, 22:59
Maybe they should stake out the dumpster behind the BI-LO in Murphy.
daddytwosticks
04-30-2009, 07:29
I'm on it this morning...will report back this afternoon on my findings. :)
MintakaCat
05-01-2009, 08:41
This just showed up on the AJC:
Missing professor’s Jeep found
The red Jeep belonging to murder suspect and former University of Georgia professor George Zinkhan has been found.
According to an alert posted just after 8 a.m. Friday on the UGA Web site, the vehicle was found in northwestern Clarke County. Zinkhan, who is suspected of killing his wife and two other people on Saturday, is still at large.
“Yes, we did find the truck this morning. He’s not in it,” said FBI Special Agent in Charge Gregory Jones.
Jones said the truck was found by tracking a brief signal transmitted by one of Zinkhan’s phones.
The Jeep was found not far from Zinkhan’s Bogart home.
Jones said that it “tells us that there could have been a little more planning on his part. What might have looked like a hasty murder might have been a little more planned.”
http://www.ajc.com/metro/content/metro/stories/2009/05/01/zinkhan_jeep_found.html
lord, at least they could report it correctly.
the jeep got found on cleveland road which is right down the street from his house in athens/clarke co.
he sent a text msg and the bleep showed up enough for them to track him to the jeep, which he abandoned before the cops showed up.
he's also been seen at walmart since then.
the cops down here couldn't find a diamond in their own ******** even if they were the ones to put it there..