South Carolina Man Arrested in Alleged Murder and Fake Bear Attack Scheme to Steal Identity
(Image: U.S. Marshals Office)
In a shocking case involving alleged murder and an elaborate identity theft scheme, authorities have arrested a South Carolina man accused of killing a Tennessee resident and attempting to stage the death as a bear attack. Nicholas Wayne Hamlett, 45, was taken into custody by police in Columbia, South Carolina, on Sunday after he was reportedly recognized at a local hospital.
According to the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office. Investigators identified Hamlett using fingerprints, ending a nearly two-week-long search. The victim in this complex case was 34-year-old Steven Douglas Lloyd from Knoxville, Tennessee, who was initially unidentified when authorities discovered his body.
According to the sheriff’s office, Lloyd suffered from a mental health disorder and was known to wander, often living on the streets. His family told authorities that he had been diagnosed with reactive attachment disorder, making it challenging for him to establish trust or healthy relationships.
Hamlett, who is also wanted for a parole violation in Alabama, faces pending murder charges in Tennessee. The sheriff’s office has not confirmed whether he has secured legal representation at this time. The investigation began on October 18, when a 911 call was made by a person claiming to be a distressed hiker named “Brandon Andrade.”
The caller reported that he had fallen off a cliff after being chased by a bear. However, when first responders arrived near Tellico Plains, Tennessee, they found a deceased man carrying identification that matched Andrade. Authorities soon discovered that the body was not Andrade and that the ID had been stolen and used multiple times by Hamlett.
According to the sheriff’s office, Hamlett had befriended Lloyd and lured him into a wooded area to kill him and assume his identity. “The family was shocked to learn that their beloved son’s life had been taken by someone that Steven trusted,” the sheriff’s office said in a statement.
Throughout the investigation, Hamlett was considered armed and dangerous. He reportedly fled his Tennessee residence before authorities could fully confirm his identity. The Monroe County Sheriff’s Office revealed that Hamlett has connections across several states, including Tennessee, Montana, Alabama, Alaska, Kentucky, North Carolina, and Florida. This case has left authorities and the victim’s family reeling, with Hamlett’s elaborate attempt to stage a murder as a bear attack drawing widespread attention.
