Authorities in Monroe County, Tennessee, are actively searching for Nicholas Wayne Hamlett, 45, who is wanted for first-degree murder following the discovery of a body earlier this month. The Monroe County Sheriff’s Office issued an arrest warrant as part of an ongoing investigation into the circumstances surrounding the death.
On October 18, a man identifying himself as Brandon Andrade called 911, claiming to be a distressed hiker who had fallen off a cliff while fleeing from a bear. The call was traced to the area near the Charles Hall bridge on the Cherohala Skyway in Tellico Plains. Emergency services responded, and during the search, a man’s body was found nearby. Identification discovered with the body had the name “Brandon Kristopher Andrade,” but investigators later confirmed that the ID was stolen and had been used fraudulently on multiple occasions.
As the investigation unfolded, it was revealed that Hamlett had used Andrade’s identity and was wanted in Alabama for a parole violation. Authorities believe Hamlett fled the scene after initially interacting with law enforcement in Knox County, Tennessee.
The Monroe County Sheriff’s Office is collaborating with multiple agencies, including the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation and the FBI, to locate Hamlett, who is considered armed and dangerous. He has connections to several states, including Alabama, Tennessee, Florida, Kentucky, Montana, and potentially South Carolina.