KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — It's been around three weeks since a Knoxville man was killed and his body was found in Monroe County. Authorities are still searching for the man accused of the murder, who they describe as a dangerous master manipulator.
They said Nicholas Wayne Hamlett called 911 on Oct. 18 pretending to be an injured hiker who fell off a cliff while running from a bear and who was partially in some nearby water. Hamlett told dispatchers that he was "Brandon Andrade." When authorities arrived, they found a body — but it wasn't Andrade's.
The body turned out to be that of Steven Douglas Lloyd, a 34-year-old man from Knoxville who struggled with his mental health and subsequently spent some time living on the streets. The body had identification belonging to Andrade, which authorities said had been stolen and used several times before.
Dozens of people near a Knoxville shelter said they recognized a picture of Lloyd, and a few said he had been in the area weeks before his death. They also described him as a person who kept to himself and was respectful.
Authorities said Hamlett had befriended Lloyd before the murder, gaining his trust in order to later steal his identity.
"It's amazing. Some of the people we've interviewed were just convinced of that, and believed in some of the absolute lies Hamlett had told them. He's a very good con man," said David Jolley, a United States Marshal in East Tennessee.
Authorities are continuing to search for Hamlett in South Carolina. They said he has connections across the U.S., and are offering a $5,000 reward for information leading to his arrest. Anyone who sees him should call 911.
