Book: Murder on the Appalachian Trail

[Alleghanian Orogeny]

I can't provide a link to an authoritative site, but an acquaintance of mine recently gave me an account of the attack near Buck Mountain. His brother was one of the perps. Apparently those locals, yes they were high-school/college aged beer guzzlers, spotted the girls crossing Walnut Mtn. Road, followed them into the remote area and had their way. He never mentioned Moreland Gap as the exact location, but indicated the attack was something like a half-mile NOBO of the road crossing.

The distance from Walnut Mtn. Rd. to Moreland Gap is something like 7 miles. No drunk redneck is gonna hike that far for anything. In general, you should never stop, loiter or camp anywhere near a road crossing. These people live in their vehicles, and they judge each other by what vehicles they own. When you come to a road crossing, cross the damn road and move on. They don't like to be too far from their truck.

He went on to say how the hostility in this area goes back to the days of the TVA with their forced relocation of thousands of families, and then again when the guv'mint took the land they needed (eminent domain) to make the AT go through Buck Mtn. in the forest rather than on the road. The burning of Don Nelan shelter back in about '92 was supposedly another response by the locals to show those SOB yankees who's boss 'round those parts. The people here are, well let's say they're not very sophisticated, and burning someone's house to the ground is a perfectly acceptable way to set things a-right when you've been done wrong.

However, he went on to say: that was then and this is now, the old wounds about the AT have mostly healed, the old disgruntled hillbillies are now doting grandparents or have died off and today hikers are as safe here as anywhere. I've been in Roan Mtn. 3 years now, I see hikers walking down 19E into town nearly year-round. Don't know of any incidents. If I see ya, I'll pick you up and bring you into town or you can camp in my back holler.

I'd never heard of the location of the attacks directly from the victim's family who are fellow church members. One of the many newspaper articles mentioned Moreland Gap shelter as being the spot. It's not unusual for reporters to get it wrong. Thanks for the details.

Despite a nearly lifelong periodic presence in the vicinity of Boone, NC, and innumerable trips from there through Elk Park and the village of Roan Mountain, TN, I'd never been up to Carvers Gap, etc, until January of this year. What a splendid place to visit, and I will undoubtedly be back for more come warmer weather.

AO

[Lone Wolf]

it happened around a fire tower that used to be on the AT a couple miles north of moreland gap shelter. you could drive right up to it

[Alleghanian Orogeny]

it happened around a fire tower that used to be on the AT a couple miles north of moreland gap shelter. you could drive right up to it

GOOD MORNING, SIR, GREAT TO SEE YOU POSTING!

The various accounts of these attacks refer to the perps having driven to a point close to the site of the attacks, and to the assaults ending only when the sound of an approaching vehicle caused the perps to flee.

Get well soon, LW.

AO

[Lone Wolf]

GOOD MORNING, SIR, GREAT TO SEE YOU POSTING!

The various accounts of these attacks refer to the perps having driven to a point close to the site of the attacks, and to the assaults ending only when the sound of an approaching vehicle caused the perps to flee.

Get well soon, LW.

AO

i'm well. the post about my heart attack and surgery is 4 years old. thank you though

[Nomad]

Ah, I was wondering how: "The attack ended only when the sound of a vehicle alarmed the attackers and they fled" because there is no public road to Moreland Gap. Well, there is a dirt road that goes from 19E straight up to Moreland Gap Shelter, and it -is- named Moreland Gap Rd., but you can't just waltz thru there past the private property and FS gates. I hiked around there recently and found an old 70s model abandoned car on the side of the road, so maybe this fire road was unblocked back in '78. But what LW says sound right anyway, because you -can- drive to the old fire tower, which is now a cell tower (and if you look around, you'll find an old 2-seat privy ).

[Alleghanian Orogeny]

i'm well. the post about my heart attack and surgery is 4 years old. thank you though

I guess I need to be more careful with my reading. Glad to know all's well.

AO

[Alleghanian Orogeny]

Ah, I was wondering how: "The attack ended only when the sound of a vehicle alarmed the attackers and they fled" because there is no public road to Moreland Gap. Well, there is a dirt road that goes from 19E straight up to Moreland Gap Shelter, and it -is- named Moreland Gap Rd., but you can't just waltz thru there past the private property and FS gates. I hiked around there recently and found an old 70s model abandoned car on the side of the road, so maybe this fire road was unblocked back in '78. But what LW says sound right anyway, because you -can- drive to the old fire tower, which is now a cell tower (and if you look around, you'll find an old 2-seat privy ).

Again citing newspaper articles from the time of the attacks and trials, it was reported that some folks local to the road on which the perps parked their car were annoyed with the presence of a vehicle they didn't recognize (perhaps it having crossed or being parked on private land?) and they let the air out of all 4 tires. When the perps subsequently fled, they drove the vehicle on 4 flat tires for some distance. One perp was arrested the next morning and was charged, booked, and released on trespassing and related charges. Only later did the hikers emerge from the woods up towards Hampton, and with that, the Sheriff hied off to Buck Mountain and arrested the same fellow a second time, and started the manhunt for the others. The prosecutor who represented the Government at the criminal trials was one David Crockett, a direct descendent of Davey Crockett.

AO

[mother goose]

The shelter that is there now is not the same one where the killings took place, it was rebuilt in another area and the old one stood for a while then eventually wasngone, the same as the Thelma Marks shelter where two were killed in 1990 it was also torn down but a new one I think called Cove Mtn ( not positive ab out that name ) but it's located in the same spot.