The Worst Death Story in Appalachian Trail History (*DISTURBING*)

The Worst Death Story in Appalachian Trail History (DISTURBING)

Рет қаралды 585,695

7 ай бұрын

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This is the story of the first murder in Appalachian Trail history.
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Пікірлер: 1 000

@connie7128 7 ай бұрын

Another story where someone had a gut feeling but didn't pay attention to it. If you ever come across someone and you get that gut feeling that something isn't right about them, don't let anything change that. Just leave the situation. it doesn't matter if it doesn't make sense, just follow your gut. Always.

@culturebreath369 7 ай бұрын

Agreed. Been in many situations that's proven that true.

@WestyCoastHermit 7 ай бұрын

Yep, yep, yep

@kristita_888 7 ай бұрын

Trust your gut! Always!

@myeyeswentdeaf6213 7 ай бұрын

Yep! Screw all that being cordial, not wanting to to offend anybody, sh**. Just get the F outta there.

@Officialmonicajohnson 7 ай бұрын

💯

@kellie5476 7 ай бұрын

I might be wrong but I think Kyle doesn't actually hate hiking...

@fuzyfuzfuz2 7 ай бұрын

😂😂😂

@4evelyn734 7 ай бұрын

Lol!

@cindyhesson9213 7 ай бұрын

I think you may be right 😳 An investigation may be necessary 🧐

@Hankhill6 7 ай бұрын

How dare you?

@elizabethduncan1550 7 ай бұрын

He does

@InkyM4 7 ай бұрын

"Oh no, I couldn't let you hitchhike alone," the serial killer said earnestly. "Who knows what might happen?"

@riftvallance2087 7 ай бұрын

Well he should know better then anyone.

@bamagalforever 6 ай бұрын

For real 🤦🏻‍♀️

@triggerbunny 6 ай бұрын

If a serial killer is genuinely worried about other creeps out there ...as silly/crazy as it seems...it's probably true and what other choice did she have at that point? Thankfully, he honored his promise to let her go. Indeed...there are worse people out there....he at least had some shred of honor/honesty/compassion left to let her go, without harming or touching her at all.

@kmdkrohn 6 ай бұрын

he might be a murderer and a thief, but he's not a ✨monster✨

@miadel5846 4 ай бұрын

Humans are the only thing I'm afraid of in the woods. The woods make me feel safe. People don't. Feral hogs aren't that fun either, but not as bad as people.

@JASONMCDONALD2 6 ай бұрын

I used to disregard my gut feeling about people, but not anymore. That gut feeling is your mind's way of taking in all of the data around you and telling you something is wrong. I think in our culture we are socialized to be polite to everyone, so we choose politeness over our gut feeling. I feel bad for this lady.

@reizak8966 6 ай бұрын

I prefer to be alive and rude than dead and polite.

@angelicajacobs584 5 ай бұрын

@@reizak8966 This was legit word for word my mum taught me at 10 years old especially when it came to strangers. Rude and alive always trumps sweet and dead.

@allensmith.aaffect.1626 5 ай бұрын

Yeah, i have never hesitated to tell someone to get tf away from me if they weird me out. . I have prob come across as a dick or a weirdo before but I'm alive. . Also I used to hitchhike around the country in my early 20s. 😅

@jasonadersonwedion9874 5 ай бұрын

@@reizak8966👍

@katamine11 4 ай бұрын

100%

@ElizabethBattle 6 ай бұрын

"Do not spend the night with someone that gives you a bad feeling." Dang good advice right there.

@horvathsogranfume658 3 ай бұрын

or even a few minutes in the day light

@thesouthshoreanglerfishing 6 ай бұрын

Maybe the first known killer, but definitely not the first killer on that trail….

@brandy_lish 5 ай бұрын

i think he mean the first murder victim on the trail was Joel

@katamine11 4 ай бұрын

@@brandy_lishI’m almost certain that that isn’t true either.

@peggywilliams2049 3 ай бұрын

OMGOSH that's what I said ! They're in walking distance from me in Wiley Ford W. Va. Right next to Cumberland MD. I've been on them. 😮

@HeatherHolt 3 ай бұрын

Yeah I was thinking that too, like hmm I bet there have been so many murders on the trail from the beginning of time when humans first wandered it. Before it was even a “trail” too. Maybe the first one that gained notoriety. But def not the first!

@piggypoo 7 ай бұрын

So letting people out on parole only so they can commit the same heinous crimes again isn't a new thing....

@yoututs1597 6 ай бұрын

Seriously, so infuriating.🙁

@afterschok6627 6 ай бұрын

Yes, it's a very common thing these days.

@mommag3600 6 ай бұрын

Sadly

@bags4930 6 ай бұрын

It is the Democrat way............ Catch and release.

@namesake7885 6 ай бұрын

what a dingleberry comment clearly made by someone either too far into reactionary 2 party groupthink or whose prefrontal cortex hasnt fully developed. you do realize our criminal "justice" system for the most part of its existence historically has been republican ran right? the biggest contributions democrats historically have made to the criminal justice system systemically is in terms of prison reform for PR, outside of their own privatized prison labor profits and interests, but both parties politicians benefit from that. you say "it's the democrat way" as though there haven't been numerous republican DOJs since this crime and long before under which heinous criminals have been released too soon or without care for what impact their release might have. stop huffing the two party glue and realize they're 2 sides of the same corrupt coin that profit from prison labor and the fact our country is the highest prison population per capita in the world.@@bags4930

@katemaloney4296 6 ай бұрын

The saddest thing is had Joel not asked Margaret to accompany him , he would've hiked alone and Bern murdered and no one would've been the wiser. He would've disappeared off of the face of the earth and not been missed and there is no telling how many people would've been murdered. Maybe the construction workers would've been murdered--who knows? Margaret gave Joel justice and a proper burial. Because of her Joel will be remembered.

@horvathsogranfume658 3 ай бұрын

the serial killer might not have even killed him if he didnt have a female to steal

@snowangelnc 3 ай бұрын

@@horvathsogranfume658 Why would you assume that? He said that he'd killed Joel for his gear, which he did take for himself, and he didn't even know what to do with Margaret at the time. At first he tried tying her up and leaving her right away, then when he changed his mind and took her out of the woods he still ended up letting her go. That doesn't sound like someone that killed just to "have a female to steal."

@Clippidyclappidy Ай бұрын

@@horvathsogranfume658⁠⁠⁠You don’t seem to know how these trail bandits work. They rob and sometimes even kill to supply themselves.

@catboyYuta 17 күн бұрын

@@snowangelncit’s just an incel loser blaming women as always.

@kpoppy9635 7 ай бұрын

Its surprising that he so casually killed a man over gear but then did all that so that he wouldnt have to kill the woman. He may have had a crush on her but he still risked everything in order to not kill her. I'm also shocked he didnt try anything in the hotel room. But still...he killed a man, abducted a woman and hiked for miles and eventually got arrested...over hiking gear!

@Neophema 6 ай бұрын

Then he killed a woman when he was out on parole... the dude was just insane.

@alaska3390 6 ай бұрын

He was many things but he wasn’t a monster

@DarkCrystal777 6 ай бұрын

@alaska3390 huh?...

@pavelslama5543 5 ай бұрын

He killed a man because he was insane / couldnt control his murderous impulse, not because of the gear. That was obviously a retroactively added reasoning once he got asked the question he never thought about answering.

@REALBjornTV 3 ай бұрын

Not a monster?? @@alaska3390

@TheScapegoat420 7 ай бұрын

What a psycho and complete failure by the system. Rip Joel. I hope Margaret is well. What a scary thing to go through. Gotta go with those gut feelings.

@marknewton6984 6 ай бұрын

Yes trust your instincts.

@MadderMel 6 ай бұрын

Yes ! Go with your gut !

@whitedragoness23 6 ай бұрын

Poor Joe, he had met his killer and had a bad feeling

@billyshears921 7 ай бұрын

She was a "hippie chick" who worked at The Backpacker/head shop near USC. Hitchhiking back then was no big deal male or female but she was very fortunate to live through this.

@cadillacslim73 7 ай бұрын

Very fortunate

@amagab2346 6 ай бұрын

I’ll add it was a big deal they just didn’t know it.

@kissedbysun2517 Ай бұрын

@@amagab2346yeah, there were constantly stories of people, especially young women who disappeared while hitch hiking

@blakedesmond 7 ай бұрын

From all these stories, sounds like we should avoid shelters at all cost. That’s where all the creeps stay.

@riftvallance2087 7 ай бұрын

Im not even sure why people use the shelters at all. Half the experience is sleeping in your tent or hammock.

@blakedesmond 7 ай бұрын

@@riftvallance2087 Right. I’m assuming that’s an emergency type of thing if you got lost and didn’t have a tent.

@riftvallance2087 7 ай бұрын

@@blakedesmond No ,some people rely on them not bringing a shelter at all. It saves on Weight and time, still a terrible idea though. I always consider it a dick move of sleeping in one when you have a shelter.

@easygoer1234 7 ай бұрын

I know right !!!!!!!!

@tomnoyb8301 7 ай бұрын

Tents/hammocks are tiny, muddy places requiring effort to setup and cleanup packing-up. Shelters are dry for hiker and gear. Despite the occasional murderer, there's also comradery with fellow hikers. Camping away from trail and shelter is essentially 'stealth' camping, introducing other complexities. Potentially getting lost, for example. And if a murderer catches you far from trail/shelter, chances diminish considerably. Most hikers are social and would rather put up with snoring and mice than stealth camp (especially in rain).

@amstarla 6 ай бұрын

I think the most shocking part of this story is hearing that Ralph was 31😂

@InfiniteTriztan1111 6 ай бұрын

I thought he was around 40-50.

@vsanchez7158 6 ай бұрын

Maybe being evil ages you?

@funnycalicocat3690 6 ай бұрын

The photo is probably already from much later years when he was in jail.

@user-bv7mk8id5t 6 ай бұрын

Right 😂!? I thought 60’s..

@user-bv7mk8id5t 6 ай бұрын

@@vsanchez7158also being white. But the other commenter is prob correct that it’s an older photo.

@maryplatzer6842 7 ай бұрын

The irony, when the dude holding her hostage at gunpoint says he doesn’t feel it’s “safe for her to hitchhike alone”, what?!

@cjtherou4427 7 ай бұрын

My thoughts exactly, i was like "you don't want her to hitchhike because you're afraid of her coming across someone like you???"

@thegrimlooper 3 ай бұрын

@@cjtherou4427 Their mindset is there is always someone worse than them, so the victim should be lucky they got him, instead of someone worse.

@mrsevelync6900 3 ай бұрын

He knows how crazy his fellow crazies can be

@KenLieck 7 күн бұрын

"I mean, look at what's happened to you already, and you even had a partner!"

@eugenia523 4 ай бұрын

Our ancestors relied on their instincts for survival, yet we push them down. Never ignore a gut feeling.

@joshuawhite4330 Ай бұрын

And a lot of our ancestors died because of it lol

@topsykretts2264 24 күн бұрын

@@joshuawhite4330how?

@NomadLand666 6 ай бұрын

in my opinion everyone who hikes the trail should be aware of these murders and know the things that have transpired on the trail. It's part of preparedness.

@MakeCaliRedAgain 5 ай бұрын

There are 13 murders on the trail since 1974.

@YelahStone18 2 ай бұрын

Yes !

@albertforletta1498 Ай бұрын

Exactly!! My number one rule when I’m in the wilderness is I always conceal bear repellent!!! Did I mention that my bear repellent is extremely lethal. Always be prepared!!!!!

@no_step_on_snek9796 Ай бұрын

@@albertforletta1498you should carry a weapon. A rifle is best, handgun as a backup. Your bear spray is a joke even to the bears.

@albertforletta1498 Ай бұрын

@@no_step_on_snek9796 , lol, look up the word lethal in the dictionary. Or, maybe you missed the word lethal? Of course I carry a gun.

@garlickebagg 7 ай бұрын

RIP for the lady he killed in Michigan.

@amwright63 6 ай бұрын

What an incredible/horrific story. I'm always telling my husband and our two kids that we have a "Sixth Sense" for a reason! It's there to alert or even protect us from potential dangers.

@faronrich9381 4 ай бұрын

My family lives near the Appalachian Trail, and no one has hiked it. It's too easy to walk into and out of the trail from roads going up the mountain, and many hikers are joined by sketchy people.

@horvathsogranfume658 3 ай бұрын

be the sketchy hiker

@KenLieck 7 күн бұрын

@@horvathsogranfume658 "sketchhiker"

@dawny190284 7 ай бұрын

He was 31?????!!?? Tell me that's a mugshot from 3 decades later 😐😐

@JulieRushworth 6 ай бұрын

Yes he looked at least 55

@ChrisNahrgang 6 ай бұрын

The farther back you go, the older people seem to look. Hairstyle, facial hair style, and accessories contribute a surprising amount to our judgement of a person's age. Not to mention the fact that medical care and skincare are constantly improving, so people generally maintain "youthful" traits later into life than in the past.

@em84c 4 ай бұрын

@@ChrisNahrgangyou see photos of teenagers in the 80s and they look 30. Because of the hairstyles I think.

@longfootbuddy Ай бұрын

no, thats when he was 28

@slipslider9048 Ай бұрын

The state have been lacing food and water to systematically reduce testosterone levels in men since the 1970s. That’s why “men” now look more like children.

@Pipsqwak 4 ай бұрын

An incident similar to this happened in Oregon more than 50 years ago. A teenaged girl and her new husband were fishing and camping in the Oregon Cascades when a man shot the husband (and the couple's dog), kidnapped the girl, and forced her to hike through miles of wilderness while he threatened and raped her. At the same time, he "took care of her" and when he finally took her into town, HE reported the death of her husband and claimed to just have "found her". She was so traumatized that she went along with his story for months but finally told the police the true story. The guy was finally arrested and convicted for the murder of her husband.

@marcusknoll9500 2 ай бұрын

See....that's REAL LIFE out there......gotta have a gun Society is not real life When you're out in those woods......... Me n my bro were in woods.....I was doing my thing and he was doing his When we met back up He said some guy was trying to get him to come to him My brother didn't But ya.......in the woods..........real life...real shit

@lifeisadrag7705 25 күн бұрын

@@marcusknoll9500 ...what

@ghostcat2467 15 күн бұрын

@@lifeisadrag7705 Some guy tried to kidnap his brother because societal rules don't apply in the wilderness

@cjalexanderjr8811 6 ай бұрын

I would NEVER hike that trail without a firearm.

@SoulDevoured 2 ай бұрын

It's incredibly difficult to legally carry on the AT because of different state laws and a need to register with several of them. So more than a million people walk the trail without one every year.

@Yehoshua66 2 ай бұрын

I would never even go anywhere near the Appalachian wilderness. Period. That place is beyond sinister

@LaurenceDay-d2p 2 ай бұрын

With exception of anti-gun Communist New York State, all the states on the Appalachian Trail are open-carry states, so by all means, carry a pistol.

@dittohead7044 Ай бұрын

@@SoulDevoured. Most friends I have that hike carry and worry about the legalities after.

@albertforletta1498 Ай бұрын

I walk into the wilderness, I conceal a firearm. No other way to walk into the wilderness, period!!!

@bartholomewjames1003 Ай бұрын

I highly recommend anyone to read the book "The Gift of Fear". It talks exactly about "gut feeling" and why you should not ignore it. It is there for a reason and it can save you. Trust your intuition.

@scottj214 Ай бұрын

I gave a copy of it to all of my kids years ago. I’ve now started giving copies to my grandchildren.

@KenLieck 7 күн бұрын

On the other hand, my girlfriend tells the story about how she was introduced to a man who had supposedly abused and killed an 8-year-old girl, but in her heart -- using her intuition -- she looked right into his eyes and she could tell he didn't do it, and so she would see him and give him hugs and stuff... and then later came absolute proof that he *had* done the horrible deed after all, and it messed her up pretty bad...

@pamengland7863 6 ай бұрын

It’s like people afraid of flying. It’s much safer than driving to the corner market every day. RIP Joel indeed. So glad Margaret went on to be successful in life & didn’t let that experience ruin her. She is surely a brave individual. Thanks again Kyle for covering another amazing AT story!

@user-is4gr3bq8w 6 ай бұрын

Well buddy I've totaled 13 cars and bounced off cars , trucks and ditches on a m/c...and I'm still here & breathing, I don't think I would be if those were plane crashes, just saying...

@skylar12250 5 ай бұрын

@@user-is4gr3bq8wi think the point is that there are more car crashes than plane crashes😭

@LarryWater 4 ай бұрын

Hiking is unnecessary risk

@kissedbysun2517 Ай бұрын

Fears are not always rational

@SometimesMyself 5 ай бұрын

When I was a kid in the 70s and 80s, my family had a cabin right off the trail, so we hiked there rather often. At that time, coming across a thru-hiker was a rare thing, indeed. There was no such thing as ultralight (or even lightweight) gear. Nor were there cell phones or SOS devices. Even credit cards were uncommon. Imagine trying to carry enough cash (or traveler’s checks) to make the journey. It simply wasn’t as do-able back then. These two were daring and brave to even try.

@daisycocoa2557 5 ай бұрын

Grew up in the woods and I can attest to listening to your gut is everything. Also the city streets are MUCH safer than the woods…

@user-ms2mk2rm3t 3 ай бұрын

🙄🙄🙄 go to Patterson NJ ... you may change ur mind

@heide-raquelfuss5580 3 ай бұрын

The cities are more safe? Not at all! The city is a jungle. Danger from every direction! Included full of @rseholles everywhere.

@longfootbuddy Ай бұрын

unless a killers around

@mariavittoria9248 Ай бұрын

I prefer country living over city living. I feel pretty safe where I live. Big cities and people scare the crap outta me. I rarely leave home at all unless I absolutely have to. I have no address n I've only had probably 5 people stop by. Nobody ever comes over without a proper heads up notice.

@no_step_on_snek9796 Ай бұрын

Chicago, New York, LA, San Francisco, Portland, DC, and every other major city disagrees with you based on pure statistics.

@MakeCaliRedAgain 5 ай бұрын

There have been 13 murders on the App trail since 1974. You should do a montage briefly covering each one!

@josephsorrendino4920 7 ай бұрын

I've met a rather disturbing amount of odd people on various trails. The AT, in particular.

@marknewton6984 6 ай бұрын

Off grid people are scary. Be careful.

@josephsorrendino4920 6 ай бұрын

@KyleHatesHiking-- how?

@WoodyXRay 7 ай бұрын

I camped at Low Gap last March. I’m glad that I didn’t see this story before that hike.

@Amber-vq5ud 5 ай бұрын

I’m from Appalachia. There’s no way I would ever walk any part of the Appalachian Trail. It’s too dangerous.

@kissedbysun2517 Ай бұрын

And uncomfortable. Living out west ruined me for hiking and camping in the east. Humid, buggy jungles

@joannebiddle8572 9 күн бұрын

Those who live there know , the more I research the less I want to find out for myself 😢

@Vendettis 6 ай бұрын

One of my friends years ago walked the Appalachian Trail, he was gone for months and months, I was nervous and scared for him. He wanted to walk it before the disease that takes over every male in his family and makes it hard to move took over.

@LOVEBABY138 10 күн бұрын

Did he come back?

@jimhenderson387 7 ай бұрын

Great job of telling this story, Kyle. It infuriates me how many stories I've heard of murderers being let out of prison only to murder again. Why can't the people in charge of the so called corrections system learn?

@sportdriver 6 ай бұрын

It's not necessarily the fault of the correction employees. They have to follow the laws. Blame the politicians who passed these laws

@akala-bluesaville9866 6 ай бұрын

So? You are happy with the broken and interrupted storytelling? To promote his crap? You obviously are not a Premium user! Gobsmacked by this low level standards. HE FAILS ABYSMALLY AS A TRUE AUTHENTIC STORYTELLER. From my experience they NEVER include advertising!SMMFH

@bobbiingram4258 6 ай бұрын

@@akala-bluesaville9866 Huh?

@evelynwaugh4053 6 ай бұрын

It isn't generally due to corrections. In most states, for most crimes, there is determinate sentencing, which means that a judge imposes a sentence (7 to 15 years, for example) that has been set forth in statute (such as a state penal code). Being released at that time is required as he has served his sentence. A long time ago, sentencing was indeterminate, so there was discretion by corrections. Now, the only time corrections has discretion is when a life term is imposed, such as 15 to life. But those terms are unusual, at least in my state. Also, many murderers are allowed to plead to manslaughter, which has a much lower term. Over that corrections obviously has no control whatsoever. Also, governors close prisons, and decide its budget. With fewer prisons, the entire system is affected.

@MrJest2 6 ай бұрын

Because politicians value their ideology as dogma, and pay no attention to the real world at all.

@wakranich3488 7 ай бұрын

ALWAYS listen to your gut!! Your intuition tells you what you need to know..

@liminalcriminal_ 6 ай бұрын

No it always doesn’t. It’s pseudoscience. You may notice artificiality in someone’s speech but other than that your gut is fucking useless and knows nothing you don’t. Same shit as “trust your faith”

@marcomcdowell8861 6 ай бұрын

Ah the 70s. Strange times bred strange people. As someone who was accidentally created during that decade, I can verify that the strangeness carries on.

@N.I.R.A.T.I.A.S. 6 ай бұрын

I too was created accidentally during the 70s and yes the strangeness carries on ... but to a somewhat lessened extent. For example, I don't know about you but I've never murdered a guy and/or abducted a woman. Maybe I haven't truly lived.

@es9758 6 ай бұрын

@@N.I.R.A.T.I.A.S.😮😮😊

@horvathsogranfume658 3 ай бұрын

the ppl being weird in the 70s were created and a product of the even weirder 50s

@Bard_Land 7 ай бұрын

Another great grisly tale! I keep watching them even though they're making me more and more terrified of doing any kind of thru-hike.

@jessicacecil7791 6 ай бұрын

I don’t know if I would say the AT is safer than any city street. Do you know just how many people go missing every year from the AT?! Crazy high numbers. I grew up in the city. I can spot danger there a mile away. On the AT, it’s easy to get caught up in the tranquility of the landscape and forget to watch your back.

@Paparoxx 6 ай бұрын

A lot of people go missing from ATMs in the cities....

@Susan-lf2hl 4 ай бұрын

@@Paparoxx lol

@chris_m986 6 ай бұрын

31 y/o, that ralph looks around 60 at least. WOW

@Justicia007 6 ай бұрын

RIP Joel. Sorry about what happened to you 😢

@coreyseals4269 7 ай бұрын

The bad thing is that a gut feeling wouldn't have done anything! They were already in the web of deceit. The 3 of them together and no one else around was bad since he had a gun! It is really sad to think people just want to have fun and hike! This wack job had to come into the picture.

@scorpiouk5914 6 ай бұрын

This creeped me out. I was born & raised in a North Georgia town very close to these events. All of the town and park names are familiar places from my youth. Hope you are resting in peace, Joel. Margaret, you earned your survival! Very smart lady and I hope you are well & happy.

@magentapyramid9245 6 ай бұрын

I wouldn't be alive today if I didn't heed my gut instincts. It's saved my own life numerous times and definitely rescued those of others as well. It's more than just a gut feeling - I've also had countless premonitions come true too. I guess these "gifts" are supposed to compensate for my really shitty life. RIP Joel. And SO well done Margaret!

@chrism4008 6 ай бұрын

They aren't gifts, they are the latent abilities of our species which the elite have been programming our of the children for a very, very long time. They can be found again, and even sharpened with enough work. Lots of people are starting to notice too

@katsmeow6946 5 ай бұрын

Wthink our gifts are because of a shite life.

@mspbhappy Ай бұрын

Have you done the story of “Mostly Harmless”? He was found dead in a tent and although many people on the trail had encountered him and some even spent considerable time with him, they realized that no one knew who the guy was. They had to launch a whole “investigation” into figuring it out. It got pretty crazy

@LaurelsChannel 23 күн бұрын

I frequently tell my son and daughter - currently in their 20s - to trust their guts, especially when in a vulnerable situation. That's your subconscious picking up on things your conscious mind can't articulate.

@ididntwantthischannel5538 7 ай бұрын

Poor joel. Maybe if they hadn't hurried back to the shelter, ralph would have just stolen their stuff and been on his way.

@lamonster87 6 ай бұрын

Holy crap. Hartsville is the sister city of my hometown. They're within the same county, just didn't city names. Very small towns around here. Wild to hear about it on a bigger KZfaq channel

@stormsiren7207 6 ай бұрын

Thank you for sharing these stories. Although situations like this may be rare, clearly they can happen, so it's good to know. Trust your instincts when they are telling you something is wrong, and maybe think about carrying some form of protection when you go hiking out in the wilderness where if you find yourself in just about any kind of trouble, help is not coming any time soon.

@HomeGrownCountryGirl 7 ай бұрын

Thanks, Kyle. You’ve come a long way. I enjoy your trail tales

@Alloverthecouch 7 ай бұрын

This may be the most disturbing story I’ve seen on this channel. It just proves that you should never trust a stranger. Never.

@rebecculousrk 6 ай бұрын

You can’t trust some strangers, but you should always trust your gut. ❤

@jellomonster531 6 ай бұрын

You’ve never trusted a stranger before?

@joebauers3746 6 ай бұрын

Yea, and his takeaway is "Always trust your gut" uhhh, here I am thinking better advice would be "stay strapped or get clapped" ...

@Erica-bo7nk 6 ай бұрын

Or Joe Biden

@peneloperosethompson2176 6 ай бұрын

She got out completely unharmed!!! I’ve heard a whole lot worse. This is child’s play.

@chrism4008 6 ай бұрын

This actually got dark and scary when you learn this adult man convinced an underage girl to lie to her family to go on an ill advised journey. Just because the dude became a victim doesnt make the first part ok. Grown men need to leave kids that aren't theres alone. Same goes for the opposite as well, yall are just as bad about it as men

@TheMarinemom02 6 ай бұрын

BOOM!! Well said!!!

@allisonoconnor8055 7 ай бұрын

Not the first. My grandparents were from by the Appalachian trail. My mom hiked it with her siblings when young. There was a real nasty piece of work in the 30s. But I'm certain not rhe first. Peoples have been around there for awhile

@giovanni5819 6 ай бұрын

I believe it, this might of just been the 1st mainstream murder with the suspect being exposed and reported. Were those cases in the 30’s solved?

@benthere23 7 ай бұрын

I stopped and had lunch at this shelter last year. It's far out there.

@BatCaveOz 6 ай бұрын

I remember a couple of hundred thousand subscribers ago, when Kyle assured us that his hiking channel wouldn't transform into a "spooky things that happened to hikers" channel. 😀 (BTW - I like the "spooky things that happened to hikers" stories)

@dawny190284 7 ай бұрын

Never been so new to one of your videos. You're so respectful and kind and you don't exploit, which is unfortunately not the case for similar channels. Love from the UK and keep up the brilliant work Kyle ❤

@peteywheatstraws4909 6 ай бұрын

There's been quite a few brutal murders on that trail. Dam thing goes about 2,500 miles, from Georgia to New York.

@itsmysniff4950 3 ай бұрын

It goes from Georgia to Maine.

@TheIckpa 6 ай бұрын

Ah… I feel like once the two arrived to the shelter, their fate was sealed. Unless they left without gear… even if they left the moment they arrived, the psycho could have pulled out his gun and got the gear… staying the night, might have given him opportunity to spare the girl. 🤔 What a sad story! 😔

@FrankDufek 6 ай бұрын

Yep. The correct course of action after getting that gut feeling would probably have been to just abandon most of their gear and sneak away in the dead of the night after noticing he fell asleep.

@TheIckpa 6 ай бұрын

@@FrankDufek good point. Didn’t think about middle of the night as being an option.. or just ditching everything right away. 😞

@tonyacampos85 5 ай бұрын

6:38 “lets get back to the vid….” KZfaq ad starts 😂

@CleoHarperReturns 7 ай бұрын

Hearing you speak about this in a previous video I was hoping you'd share this with us. Thanks, Kyle! RIP Joel, the world needs more kind, adventurous spirits like yours. And Margaret, your perseverance both during and after is truly inspiring.

@dtblack123 7 ай бұрын

I need help choosing a code to alert my hiking buddies when I think a murderer might be in our midst. I am torn between 'Hey I really feel like playing bongo drums right now' or the more straightforward 'Hey I think this guy is going to kill us'. Which is better?

@ashmaybe9634 6 ай бұрын

Bongo

@dtblack123 6 ай бұрын

@@ashmaybe9634 What if someone has actually brought some bongos along on the hike?

@cheesecrackers3928 6 ай бұрын

"TippyToe"

@nancyhampton7932 6 ай бұрын

@@cheesecrackers3928lollllll yes! That episode is one of my absolute favorites… When he remembers to yell tippytoe 🤣🤣🤣🤣

@jessicacecil7791 6 ай бұрын

Our safe expression is “Man, I could really go for some pineapple right now.” 😅

@abc-wv4in 3 ай бұрын

So many murderers, rapists, and kidnappers are let out on parole only to kill again. It's heart-breaking and infuriating. I live in Georgia and knew there had been several murders on the AT but didn't know the first happened in Georgia. And yes about following your gut instincts.

@seanbowen9891 6 ай бұрын

HOLY SHIT ! Love your spin on these stories...! KEEP IT UP BROTHER !

@waylongreger8158 6 ай бұрын

Always infuriating when a killer gets released, especially on parole and ESPECIALLY when it was in cold blood. You shouldn’t be able to serve a quarter of your life for taking someone else’s

@claudeanmankin1539 7 ай бұрын

It was supposed to be a group trip but over months of planning it ended up being the two of them. I have always wondered what the dropouts feel about their decision.

@poetrymafia27 7 ай бұрын

Oh that's interesting. Makes sense that there were meant to be more. I feel for her parents too, I'm sure they wished they'd followed up more before letting her go.

@wendisparadeofperfumes5034 6 ай бұрын

It sounds like she lied to her parents about that aspect in order to assuage fears in their part about letting their 17 year old daughter go out in the trail.

@subtropicalsteph 6 ай бұрын

This is like Dateline, the outdoor edition. Love it 👍👍 great storytelling

@untimatrix 3 ай бұрын

never ignore your feelings about something

@VeganWellnessTribe 7 ай бұрын

Yayyyyy!! Kyle posted 🔥👏

@WhispersFromTheDark 6 ай бұрын

Bless his heart. Rest in peace, you are not forgotten.

@adogshope7399 2 ай бұрын

Hey Kyle, you are definitely gonna get to your goal to 1M subscribers because of how genuine your content is. I think people would subscribe without you even askin 😉 Love the channel! I also “hate” hiking lol

@dylanarrowood7823 6 ай бұрын

These towns in this story Helen and Cleveland basically are surrounding towns around my hometown and where I live now.

@crowsandravens8998 6 ай бұрын

Amazing story! Terrifying. On a lighter note I love the old rotary dial phone.

@jamest2401 6 ай бұрын

Because I thought this was the beginnings of another retelling of the Randall Lee Smith story; of which I’m already quite familiar, I was just about to click away. So it’s fortunate that you put the killer’s name out there right at the outset. I’m always up for a new 'in the woods' or 'in the wilderness' horror story.😉

@montanawife2717 4 ай бұрын

I spent all of 1980 hitch hiking around the states. I was 19 and needed to go !!!! I only had 1 experience that freaked me out,my intuition definitely helped keep me alive!!

@Primrosethegoose 6 ай бұрын

Kyle I wish you had a million story videos and they were at least an hour long I LOVE YOUR VIDEOS

@shellyannehan2834 6 ай бұрын

The worst death story of appalacian trail ??? What? There have been horrific murders that outdo this one. Good story telling though.

@CL00_ 7 ай бұрын

Good job - it's clean, simple, and easy to understand!! Love ya vids

@jantefft2442 6 ай бұрын

Kyle I really enjoy your reporting stories; always very good.

@connierussell6966 2 ай бұрын

I just discovered your channel. I absolutely love it ❤I have liked and subscribed. Hello from Kentucky keep up the good work

@kimberlymiller4914 7 ай бұрын

I live in ga and have hiked in this area many times. Sometimes solo. I’m sure it’s much more populated now than it was back then.

@lydiagould3090 7 ай бұрын

What a terrifying ordeal for that young girl. But she did the right thing not trying to escape him (and get shot) Good story, thanks for the video😊

@cheesecrackers3928 7 ай бұрын

Always try to escape.

@dawny190284 7 ай бұрын

@@cheesecrackers3928 that's not always the right thing to do. We can all say that given hindsight and lots of details after the fact.

@poetrymafia27 7 ай бұрын

@cheesecrackers3928 sometimes biding your time is safer and smarter, like in this case he took her towards civilization where yeah, maybe she could've escaped. But you gotta be smart about that. Waiting is often smarter than running or fighting.

@cheesecrackers3928 6 ай бұрын

@@dawny190284 Not hindsight. The general advice is scream, yell FIRE!, attract attention etc.. Never get in a car with someone. Always fight. If they are going to kill you its best to try getting away. I've taught my daughters this. Oh course this one was isolated but still she saw her friend killed she knew he will do it. Eh...do what you want.

@gerrywhelan5761 6 ай бұрын

@@cheesecrackers3928"That's why it's called General advice" it's not specific, like what good would it be to scream, yell fire etc in the middle of nowhere with nobody around perhaps for miles, in front of a guy that had just shot your friend, common sense please!

@gwhite7136 4 ай бұрын

Being from this area, and have stayed at many shelters over the years, I've noticed that over the last number of years, people have a way of letting trouble makers know, this isn't the shelter, time and place to mess with anyone. Many now days simply gather around others, start conversating, talking about family values and need to protect as they brandish their weapons of choice for all around to see. Imagine Ralph today, how much sleep he would get with folks sleeping with, "security" and the desire to protect from evil doers. Things that make you smile out on the trail..

@marcusknoll9500 2 ай бұрын

It's interesting how you put that They r SHOWING other people their weapons A lot of people don't understand that...y you would Purposely let people see you have a weapon on you

@Ryo7_7 5 ай бұрын

Awesome story. I've never heard of this case and I'm a fan of the Appalachia. Just subbed. 👍

@chrislnflorida5192 7 ай бұрын

U have great stories. I for 1 spent alot of time in the woods kicking and camping. There were times being our there alone when your imagination goes wild.. After hearing All your stories, now going on 66 thinking back to my free spirit days its spooky now days to hike or camp without being with a group.

@user-dx6ke4pn5l 6 ай бұрын

Hey Kyle, really enjoying your videos and learning the complete truth about the pros and cons of hiking. Appreciate your honesty.

@deborahklodowski5922 7 ай бұрын

New hat alert Kyle! Great videos dude

@duckygibson2075 5 ай бұрын

I’m never hiking it so I’m fine with watching these videos 😂😂

@sindythebeautiful3252 6 ай бұрын

Oh geez, I'm only minutes in and it has become stressful to me. Should I continue listening? ABSOLUTELY!!

@coreencasey5109 7 ай бұрын

Amazing how trusting people are. NEVER trust strangers. Isnt that what we teach our kids?

@covetprice 7 ай бұрын

Hi, my name's Chucky.

@LivinOnSpokes 6 ай бұрын

don't bother hiking the AT then.

@heide-raquelfuss5580 3 ай бұрын

We teach our kids TRUST STRANGERS! TRUST TEACHERS TRUST OTHER KIDS FROM THE AGE OF KINDERGARTEN TRUST FAMILY TRUST THE MILKMAN TRUST STRANGERS IN YOUR HOUSE LIKE CARPENTERS AND OTHER WORKMEN TRUST POLICE OFFICERS TRUST DOCTORS, NURSES, SPECIALISTS, PSYCHIATRISTS, CHILD WELLFARE, BABY SITTERS, HOME DELIVERY MEN, OFFICIALS, TAXI DRIVERS, MAIL MEN, NEIGHBOURS, FRIENDS, ZOO KEEPERS SHOP EMPLOYEES, OLD LADIES, OLD FOLKS, LAWJERS, TRAVEL FLIGHT ATTENDANTS, LANDLORDS. We parents teach DO NOT TRUST STRANGERS, but we TEACH them trust strangers, who have no interrest in you. As a child of another male's semen and womb, your child is seen as disposeable, as a future and current concurrent/enemy/resources consumer and so on. WE CREATE THE EVIL THAT CAN HAPPEN WITH OUR CHILDREN THE MOMENT WE LET OUR CHILDREN SOCIALIZE WITH OTHERS AND STAY WITH OTHERS UNSUPERVIZED WITHOUT YOU BY THEIR SIDE. WE TEACH THEM TO BE TRUSTING, THE MOMENT WE LEAVE OUR CHILDREN ALONE WALKING TO SCHOOL, ON THE BUS, TRAIN, PLAYYARD, STREETS to buy a bread at the nearest bakery. We all are miserable lousy parents, no matter what.

@musingwithreba9667 7 ай бұрын

It's too bad the distress hand signal didn't exist back then. She would have had plenty of opportunity to use it with all the people that came across. What a terrifying experience for her 😢

@all-to-Him-I-owe100 7 ай бұрын

Forgive my ignorance, but what is the distress hand signal?

@cadillacslim73 7 ай бұрын

Ditto

@pluggedfinn-bj3hn 7 ай бұрын

And she would've dared to use it when being controlled by a killed who had said many times he'd kill everyone in sight if she alerted anyone? The hand signal is suitable for domestic violence, not for being kidnapped by a killer. Also for those asking, just google "domestic violence hand signal" or something like that and you'll find it.

@musingwithreba9667 7 ай бұрын

@pluggedfinn-bj3hn actually, quite a few people who have been kidnapped have used the signal and have been rescued. In restaurants, in highway rest stops, even in moving vehicles on the freeway.

@petergomez6991 7 ай бұрын

@@all-to-Him-I-owe100you put up your hand, fold your thumb in and then fold your four fingers down together

@yvonnesmith8245 7 ай бұрын

Thank you for the excellent video on this sad story. Great advice on trusting one’s intuition in sketch circumstances.

@GravityLeaks 6 ай бұрын

Just found your channel threw a buddy who was already a subscriber. . I have been binge-watching your crime stories really enjoy them very well put together

@Larry-rz4ed 6 ай бұрын

R.I.P Joel 😪

@alicialabare5424 6 ай бұрын

Good segment. Sensitive to this serious matter.

@daymare-bm1tq Ай бұрын

a fugitive guy sleep in my tent terrace when i solohike a mountain in ina, the basecamp administrator told me this after i lost most of my gears. please be careful for all of hikers

@jenlarge9036 7 ай бұрын

If I was Margaret at the bus station, I would have bought a ticket to anywhere.

@Blakenew127 4 ай бұрын

That is what I thought too but sis clearly wasn’t 100% rational at this point

@letsrock1729 3 ай бұрын

Yes, I thought that at first, but then it occurred to me that he was probably standing right next to her while she was trying to buy her ticket. If she had already told him which general area she was travelling back to (during one of their 'hike conversations'), he would have then realised she wasn't sticking to their 'plan' and may have killed her and others.

@elizabethmcglothlin5406 7 ай бұрын

What a wild and frightening story!

@rockerbob949 7 ай бұрын

Greetings from Southern California. New Subscriber. Love your videos

@0zthehikingsailor 5 ай бұрын

In 2019 we stopped for a snack at low gap shelter. There were 2 very different type of people there.. i told Thumper my hiking partner that I left something at our last stop. He looked at me surprised as this was not my character. But we left together and I explained what i was thinking and we just ket it go abd continued our hike. After we finished our section hike that year we heard another death on the AT and at that same shelter. The survivor played dead and lived. We found out later that the killer was actually the guy that gave me the shivers.

@rdred8693 5 ай бұрын

What? I don't believe it.

@heide-raquelfuss5580 3 ай бұрын

Oooh my...your gut was screaming at you, saving your both lives i am shure. Clever of you, using your head and creativity- kind- of - lie.

@ameliarhodes5000 6 ай бұрын

It's pretty simple. Life has changed. These trails are not the Hallowed Grounds I felt they were in the 80s. If they ever were. Yes, these stories are tragic exceptions to the rule. However, if I were still able to hike, I would never consider hiking without a firearm either open carry or concealed. Probably against the law for what the Law is worth in the middle of nowhere. Concealed carry yet readily and easily accessible for immediate defensive use is a more acceptable option. You can be friendly with STRANGERS you meet on your hike, even generous. But never trust a stranger anywhere with your life. Never sleep in the presence of a lone stranger especially if hiking in a small group of two. Hiked most of the AT in Georgia, I've been to this location it's very beautiful but even in the 80s I recall it as being a bit eerily quiet and still when I visited.

@bobbiingram4258 6 ай бұрын

“Hallowed” is the word you were looking for, I think.

@ameliarhodes5000 6 ай бұрын

@@bobbiingram4258 TY Grammar Nazi.

@bobbiingram4258 6 ай бұрын

@@ameliarhodes5000 You are very welcome. All the best! :)

@_MjG_ 6 ай бұрын

As someone who finds it very difficult to sleep at any new locations, even amongst company with whom I trust, I can't imagine falling asleep near someone who you know is a murderer & may kill you. Yet she supposedly got a good night sleep??? I just can't fathom that.

@chrism4008 6 ай бұрын

People back then weren't born and bred into a fear based lifestyle like the culture they've cultivated for us out of that generation

@_MjG_ 6 ай бұрын

@@chrism4008 I respectively disagree. I get your point about it being a more fear based society now. However, it doesn't matter what culture you grew up in when it comes to seeing a friend get murdered & having to sleep near that murderer. In that case, an equal amount of fear would kick in, regardless if experienced the exact same scenerio 50 years ago or if it happened now.

@chrism4008 6 ай бұрын

@@_MjG_ obviously im speaking about the very first initial encounter

@_MjG_ 6 ай бұрын

@@chrism4008 Yes. However I never mentioned the first night prior to the murder occurring in my comment. My comment was solely about the second night, after she already witnessed the murder & had to sleep near him. This video stated the young women supposedly got a good night sleep, knowing she could potentially be murdered.

@todayslist37737 5 ай бұрын

@@_MjG_She hiked with heavy gear. She was tired.

@jimmymccarter1140 6 ай бұрын

OK… I keep coming back to watch your videos so I subscribed

@lizzie7825 7 ай бұрын

I remember in Canada the Prime Minister prior to Trudeau advocated for mandatory minimums to heinous crimes. The outrage machine was really effective. I guess lots of people have been harmed and even lost their lives by that virtuous outrage. I hope people reading this keep an eye on your criminal justice reform and bail over haul. People get hurt.

@thecatatemyhomework 7 ай бұрын

Canada to this day has the worst criminal justice system, same for Great Britain, Australia and New Zealand.

@valerielevasseur8674 6 ай бұрын

@@thecatatemyhomework"The absolute worst, just like all the others."