Smokies Death

[The Solemates]

Body of woman found in Great Smoky Mountains National Park
January 17 2006 at 2:00 PM Ken Akerman (Login KenAkerman)


Response to January 2006 Accidents/Rescues

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DEEP CREEK, NC — The body of a young woman was found Sunday afternoon in the Deep Creek Area of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park.

A church group hiking in the area discovered the body just off Toms Branch Road, a narrow gravel road, according to Park Service spokeswoman Nancy Gray. The body was about a half-mile inside the park boundary in Swain County.

“We don’t know her age, but she appears to be in her teens or early twenties,” Gray said. “It is being investigated as a criminal case.”

The Park Service, the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Swain County Sheriff’s Office are investigating. The body was removed around 1 p.m. Monday and taken to Chapel Hill for an autopsy.

Police ask anyone with information about the case to call the Park Service at (865) 436-1230 or the Swain County Sheriff’s Office at (828) 488-2197.

Click here to read the article.

[timhines]

I heard about this Monday but haven't found out any more info. All I know was she was supposedly shot in the head. guessing they just dumped her body there.

Feel bad for her family, hopefully they can identify her so her family isn't doing a fruitless search.

[ScottP]

Wow...I hiked that trail last spring and the spring two years before that.

[general]

heartbreaking

[Stoker53]

Very sad news indeed. This is a story from today's Asheville paper.

DEEP CREEK — Federal police on Wednesday identified a body found in the Deep Creek area of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park as a Cherokee teenager.
The N.C. Medical Examiner’s Office used dental records to identify 17-year-old Tamara Susan Seay of Cherokee, said Chief Park Ranger Bill Wright. The park could not provide her home address.
“It is being investigated as a homicide,” Wright said. “We really can’t release any other details until the autopsy is completed.”
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A Baptist church group from Florida discovered Seay’s body about 4 p.m. Sunday while hiking on Toms Branch Road, half a mile inside the park.
Her body was sent to the medical examiner after an FBI evidence team processed the crime scene.
Park investigators are working with the FBI, the Swain County Sheriff’s Office and the Cherokee Indian Police Department on the case.
“We are going to aggressively pursue every lead,” said Rick Schwein, supervisor of the FBI’s Asheville office.
Violent crime is unusual in the Smokies. Most fatalities in the park are from car accidents.
“I can say this is unusual in any national park,” said Wright, who has been the park’s top law enforcement officer since September.
The Seay family could not be reached for comment.
The Deep Creek area of the park, north of Bryson City, is popular for hiking, camping and tubing in the summer season. Warm weather in the winter can also attract hikers to its gravel roads and trails.
Some people who live near Deep Creek said they did not notice anything unusual on Sunday.

[jade070578]

This young girl was my cousin. I found out today about her death after my mother called me with the news. I dont know anything more than everyone else though and it is frusturating. Tks everyone for your concern..

[Hikerhead]

I'm very sorry to hear this. My deepest sympathies to you and her family.

[colbys]

man what the hell is wrong with people....im so dam sorry to hear about your loss...

[frieden]

This young girl was my cousin. I found out today about her death after my mother called me with the news. I dont know anything more than everyone else though and it is frusturating. Tks everyone for your concern..

I'm sorry to hear of your loss. You all will be in my prayers.

A young girl I worked with was just shot in the head by her step-father. They had escaped his abuse, but he found them. He shot her mother, her, and then himself. What is wrong with these people?!?

[Tweety]

My sympathy is with you and your family. What a horrible thing for anyone to experience. Each day we hear of this type of thing happening more and more. I, too, ask the question...What's wrong with these people?

[Rain Man]

Jade, please accept all our sympathies and know that we feel for you and your whole family.

Rain Man

.

[jade070578]

I would like to take this time to thank everyone for their prayers. Thought It had been sometime since I've seen my cousin the news bothered me much more than I had expected it to. I have yet to talk to any other family members or my mother to find out if there is any recent news. It just makes me think and to ask the same questions as everyone else. Why would any person do something like this to another? Should we be considered animals just like other species who kill within there own groups for no known reason? Something like this happening dosent just hurt the families but the community as a whole. Even further than that it hurts the nation as a whole yet it happens hundred times in a day. I guess I will just close with that..... Thank everyone for your support...

[neo]

This young girl was my cousin. I found out today about her death after my mother called me with the news. I dont know anything more than everyone else though and it is frusturating. Tks everyone for your concern..

i am so sorry to here this,my deepest sympathy to you and your family neo

[Ramble~On]

It is very strange to find out local news when you're on WhiteBlaze.

I work for the tribe and know a ton of people both in Cherokee and Bryson and this was the first I've heard of any of this. Sad.

This story reminds me of another recent body being found.
Not too long ago a female body was found near Big Cove, which is on the reservation and close to the boundary with the park.
I guess I've been so busy lately I've lost track of local news but it is strange that I haven't heard anyone talking about this in the past week.

[walkingbear]

Jade,
sorry for your lose, I live on the Tn side in Pigeon Forge, It is terrible when we lose someone so young, And for the sick people that take them from us, My thoughts and prayers are with you.

[Big Guy]

Senseless loss. Deepest sympathy to you ans your family.

[Nean]

This story reminds me of another recent body being found.

I hope there isn't a serial killer in that neck of the woods. I'm glad the media did not turn this tragedy into another "murder on the AT" as they did when those girls got killed in SNP.

[ndnchik]

In response to the "serial killer" theory. The incident in Big Cove is not related to the Deep Creek incident. Both are tragic however. The big Cove woman was missing since November and her death is thought to be a homicide. She was found less than a mile from her home. Tamara's death is being investigated but there is no connection between the 2 murders.

[Ridge]

http://www.citizen-times.com/apps/pb.../60122006/1001

http://www.tuscaloosanews.com/apps/p...plate=dateline

[Nean]

In response to the "serial killer" theory. Tamara's death is being investigated but there is no connection between the 2 murders.

Never posed a "theory" but thank you officer. Glad they got this guy before he would never do it again.