New FBI press release about Stonewall investigation

[Lauriep]

The FBI has requested the Appalachian Trail Conservancy to send out the following revised press release, dated today, about the Scott “Stonewall” Lilly investigation.


Federal Bureau of Investigation
Richmond Division
1970 East Parham Road
Richmond, Virginia 23228
________________________________________
Public Relations Office, (804) 627-4482

September 2, 2011

Media Coordinator: Dee Rybiski


UPDATE OF INVESTIGATION INTO SUSPICIOUS DEATH IN THE
GEORGE WASHINGTON NATIONAL FOREST


On August 12, 2011, hikers reported the discovery of a deceased individual located near a hiking trail in close proximity to the Appalachian Trail, in the Northwest part of Amherst County, Virginia. Investigators from the Amherst County Sheriff’s Office, the Virginia State Police, the United States Forest Service and the Federal Bureau of Investigation responded to the scene and the body was transported to the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner, Virginia Department of Health.

Subsequent investigation identified the victim as Mr. Scott Lilly of South Bend, Indiana, known by the trail name “Stonewall.” It appears Mr. Lilly was hiking the Appalachian Trail and the circumstances of his death are suspicious.

While this multiagency investigation is ongoing, and the release of information may be limited, it is important for the public to be aware that no information has been developed by these agencies that would lead investigators to believe other hikers would be targeted. However, hikers are encouraged to continue exercising the usual precautions while on any trail.

Information provided by the public thus far has been extremely beneficial in advancing this investigation. Investigators are now seeking to locate and identify several additional hikers, who while using the following trail names, may have had contact with Mr. Lilly. These individuals are:

“Mr. Coffee”
“White Wolf”
“Papa Smurf”
“Combat Gizmo” and “Space Cadet” (possibly a husband/wife team)

Anyone with information regarding these individuals is once again urged to call the FBI at 1-800-225-5324, option #4 (1-800-CALL FBI, #4).

###


Laurie Potteiger
Information Services Manager
Appalachian Trail Conservancy
799 Washington Street | P.O. Box 807
Harpers Ferry, WV 25425-0807
Phone: 304.535.2200 x128
[email protected]
www.appalachiantrail.org

[Five Bears]

We continue to follow this story.

http://www2.newsadvance.com/news/201...th-ar-1282332/

Chris Dumond
The News & Advance

[Driver8]

This Papa Smurf fellow is already wanted by NY and PA, I think it is. Grim, but interesting.

[Blissful]

The hikers I talked to on the trail this week were saying rumors were he was shot and it may have been some hunting accident gone awry. ? They weren't buying the hunting as it isn't hunting season unless someone was playing with a gun or doing illegal hunting and it went off ? But several hikers were rather nervous, esp SOBOers. They all want more info to feel safer trekking in that part of the trail. I did tell them to skip Hog Camp Gap (near a road) and Cow Camp shelter. If a crime did happen in the vicinty of that shelter, hope they do away with the shelter area. Just my thought though

[fishinfred]

This guy Papa Smurf AKA TEARDROP threatened to eat my dog Elvis back in april at the Hiker Bash , when I told him to shut up about eatin my dog he said "OH YEAH" and reached like he was goin for a weapon then his friend (whom he had given a black eye) ??? pushed him away before he actually pulled a weapon out so I don't know what he had BUT THE FRANKLIN NC POLICE DEPT were called by himself, , and the last I saw he was being hauled off in cuffs.......found out later he was only taken to a different motel and told to stay in room or go to jail ... hopefully the cops searched him(made a report) and know what weapons were on him at that time .....Thats all I got .I hope it helps ......DOES ANYONE REMEMBER WHAT HIS FRIENDS NAME WAS (with the BlackEye?) PLEASE POST OR CALL THE NUMBER LISTED

RIP Mr.Lilly whatever happened to you?

This whole thing really sucks .Was he murdered or what ? I have friends out there right now ! We ALL NEED TO KNOW !
AND REMEMBER this Papa Smurf is not the one whose name resides on the Fontana Hilton! He is a good guy! Thankfully there are more of those than this other type .....on the Trail!

PEACE

[Sierra Echo]

This guy Papa Smurf AKA TEARDROP threatened to eat my dog Elvis back in april at the Hiker Bash , when I told him to shut up about eatin my dog he said "OH YEAH" and reached like he was goin for a weapon then his friend (whom he had given a black eye) ??? pushed him away before he actually pulled a weapon out so I don't know what he had BUT THE FRANKLIN NC POLICE DEPT were called by himself, , and the last I saw he was being hauled off in cuffs.......found out later he was only taken to a different motel and told to stay in room or go to jail ... hopefully the cops searched him(made a report) and know what weapons were on him at that time .....Thats all I got .I hope it helps ......DOES ANYONE REMEMBER WHAT HIS FRIENDS NAME WAS (with the BlackEye?) PLEASE POST OR CALL THE NUMBER LISTED

RIP Mr.Lilly whatever happened to you?

This whole thing really sucks .Was he murdered or what ? I have friends out there right now ! We ALL NEED TO KNOW !
AND REMEMBER this Papa Smurf is not the one whose name resides on the Fontana Hilton! He is a good guy! Thankfully there are more of those than this other type .....on the Trail!

PEACE

I remember the guy with the black eye. He wondered around wearing dirty pjs and bumming cigarettes off people. It seems to me he was a Franklin Local and not actually a hiker.

[kayak karl]

we are positive Papa Smurf is the killer.?

[WingedMonkey]

We continue to follow this story.

http://www2.newsadvance.com/news/201...th-ar-1282332/

Chris Dumond
The News & Advance

I certainly hope you continue to get your facts from the proper authorities and not from gossip and assumptions that you may read in a chat room.

[fishinfred]

No he could be a harmless person with some problems but he did make threats and if you read the SUSPECT HIKER THREAD you will see he has threatened others too . Just givin info ...

[kanga]

we are positive Papa Smurf is the killer.?

that's not what fred is saying. he is just saying papa smurf is a bad apple and needs to be looked at.

[Sir-Packs-Alot]

Thanks Laurie.

[Lone Wolf]

I remember the guy with the black eye. He wondered around wearing dirty pjs and bumming cigarettes off people. It seems to me he was a Franklin Local and not actually a hiker.

had a white panel van with maryland tags

[Sierra Echo]

had a white panel van with maryland tags

I remember the van. It was parked in front of the pool next to the food. I doubt I ever even looked at the
tags. I do remember the dude kept walking around humming Old McDonald.

[Sly]

Why doesn't the local authorities or the FBI give the cause of death?

[Trail Bug]

Because it is an active investigation and certain details will be kept secret.

[rickb]

Why doesn't the local authorities or the FBI give the cause of death?

The FBI looks to be standing by its its position that quote "it is important for the public to be aware that no information has been developed by these agencies that would lead investigators to believe other hikers would be targeted". And that quote, "hikers are encouraged to continue exercising the usual precautions while on any trail".

While I can't help but wonder if the investigators would share that same advise were their own child walking the Trail alone (or with a friend-- the most of the murders on the AT were of a pair), it is noteworthy that this advise was not only offered to the hiking community on the 19th, but also restated yesterday.

As such, I have to think that it must be well considered and vetted by the investigative team.

I hope so, anyway.

[ATladyinpa]

No he could be a harmless person with some problems but he did make threats and if you read the SUSPECT HIKER THREAD you will see he has threatened others too . Just givin info ...

I agree with your statement somewhat. Having had a personal experience with Papa Smurf aka Teardrop, It would be unlikely that he is a "harmless person with some problems". Yes, he does have problems (mental) but he is by no means "harmless" he attacked my son with a large stick, hitting him in the head. He becomes very violent when he has been drinking, which is anytime he can con someone into buying it or when he gets his government check on the 1st of the month. He stayed with us a couple of weeks and during that period I grew more and more tenuous about him. There was never a time I worried to much about it because I knew my son was protecting me. But I feared for others he might come in contact with. He is a transient, has no permanent living arrangements and is wanted in GA, NY and PA. Let the warrants speak for his personality.

[modiyooch]

so the guy is wanted in ga, ny and pa? I assume it's from the complaints lodged against him in regards to his behavior on the appalachian trail, which were reported. How hard is it to find an alcoholic, drifter, toublemaker on the AT?? Did each state just ignore the problem and let the next state deal with this guy? I surely hope not. What is our recourse for the safety of our hikers? Knowing that there are warrants out on this guy, I certainly hope he wasn't involved with this homicide.

[Crickett]

This is all so troubling. Was planning to section hike this w/e in VA. I hate to mention this but Amherst Co. is where female college student, Morgan Harrington was found murdered in Oct 2010. Hope there isn't a connection.

[Pedaling Fool]

The FBI looks to be standing by its its position that quote "it is important for the public to be aware that no information has been developed by these agencies that would lead investigators to believe other hikers would be targeted". And that quote, "hikers are encouraged to continue exercising the usual precautions while on any trail".

While I can't help but wonder if the investigators would share that same advise were their own child walking the Trail alone (or with a friend-- the most of the murders on the AT were of a pair), it is noteworthy that this advise was not only offered to the hiking community on the 19th, but also restated yesterday.

I'll cut the FBI some slack. Yes, it's true that they may give their kids hiking in the area different advice, but not the same as making a public statement. They have to walk a tight line in the same way meterologist have to when predicting storm intensities and such. No exact science to either, but experience tells them that there's a micro-fine line between pissing off a unrealistic public by either "downplaying" or "hyping" a given situation.

And let's not forget we just don't know what they know.