Dandy

[Native New Yorker]

http://www.ajc.com/news/content/metro/gwinnett/stories/2008/02/13/dandy_0214.html?cxntlid=homepage_tab_newstabhttp://www.ajc.com/news/content/metro/gwinnett/stories/2008/02/13/dandy_0214.html?cxntlid=homepage_tab_newstab

[indigomood]

http://www.ajc.com/news/content/metro/gwinnett/stories/2008/02/13/dandy_0214.html?cxntlid=homepage_tab_newstabhttp://www.ajc.com/news/content/metro/gwinnett/stories/2008/02/13/dandy_0214.html?cxntlid=homepage_tab_newstab

:( Heartbreaking to read this part...

"When Hilton kidnapped Emerson, he also took her black Labrador retriever mix, Ella. Enotah Judicial Circuit District Attorney Stan Gunter said Hilton told them that initially he left Ella in Emerson's car after kidnapping her. "But he said Emerson was so upset by that, that he turned around and went back and got her," Gunter said."

[Native New Yorker]

I know, that just broke my heart! Just think, leaving Ella might have saved her life, however, I am sure she was worried that Ella might die from cold, before she was discovered. Just so sad.......

[Hiker]

Given this information, promises of visits with Dandy in return for evidence about other murders just might be appropriate. This information fits what hikers who have met GMH said about his behavior on trails - he would interact with their dogs and act like they weren't even there - little to no conversation and no eye contact.

[panglossian]

Seems the rumors Hiker heard about Dandy finding a home were correct.

I knew there was more to his plea deal than we heard.

[Native New Yorker]

And I was wrong about how much he did care for this dog...thanks to those feelings, many open cases may indeed be closed.

[panglossian]

If he has deep feelings and cares for Dandy, he wouldn't want to see the dog so as not to confuse him and thus enable Dandy to adjust to his new home. I guess we will see.

[Hiker]

If he has deep feelings and cares for Dandy, he wouldn't want to see the dog so as not to confuse him and thus enable Dandy to adjust to his new home. I guess we will see.Good point. I'm not a dog person so I don't know what would be considered appropriate by someone who cares for a dog.

[InterestedNHelping]

I also read that the person who took the dog, was "close to the case", and doesn't want to be identified...

What exactly does 'close to the case' mean? Would this be someone related to Hilton?

I would also like to know if in his youth he lived anywhere else in the US, it seems there is little info out there from back then.

[Native New Yorker]

No, I am thinking that "close to the case" means someone in LE, or the shelter that took Dandy in...I mean, who else would have been willing to talk to the monster about how to care for the dog...

Inside Edition had a report on Hilton...he grew up in Atlanta. Needless to say, there have not been any childhood chums, girlfriends coming forward with warm and fuzzy ( or any) memories of his early life. His own family had not heard from him in 20 years, and does not sound as if they cared to.....

[Hiker]

No, I am thinking that "close to the case" means someone in LE, or the shelter that took Dandy in...I mean, who else would have been willing to talk to the monster about how to care for the dog...I was told that a female member of the search and rescue team that searched Blood Mountain and then the roadways for Meredith Emerson adopted Dandy.

Media reports say that being able to pick the person who would get Dandy - meaning interviewing the person and likely discuss his care - was part of the bargain when GMH agreed to disclose the location of Meredith's body. Given that, a lot of people would have been willing to talk with Hilton - even those not in LE.

I've had to talk with pedophiles and people who have horribly abused or neglected children many times. While they look like monsters on paper, they look like people in person. It isn't as hard as you might think to talk with someone who has done something really horrible - especially if you know doing so will keep them from being able to do it again.

[Truly]

I've had to talk with pedophiles and people who have horribly abused or neglected children many times. While they look like monsters on paper, they look like people in person. It isn't as hard as you might think to talk with someone who has done something really horrible - especially if you know doing so will keep them from being able to do it again.

Wow. You know, I think this last bit really deserves it's own thread. I think a lot more people at WS would be interested in hearing how to stop pedaphiles than might otherwise click on a link about Hilton's dog. Seriously, I think your insights deserve an audience.

[Native New Yorker]

Hiker, I understand you to mean that the person who got Dandy knew that by making a deal, that it would keep GMH from ever harming again.....
and I am also guessing that you are saying that sometimes 'striking a deal with the devil" is in society's best interests??

I think that there are many in LE who walk this fine line all the time, and do help to keep us safer.....

[Hiker]

Wow. You know, I think this last bit really deserves it's own thread. I think a lot more people at WS would be interested in hearing how to stop pedophiles than might otherwise click on a link about Hilton's dog. Seriously, I think your insights deserve an audience.I was a child abuse investigator for a number of years and then worked with the bio families with mental health and / or substance abuse issues in the foster care system. Much of what I would say cannot be employed by anyone outside of protective services or LE.

I do read some of the abuse and pedophile threads here and contribute when I feel my insight may help. However, it is hard because so many are focused on looking at them as monsters only. In order to understand what makes someone like GMH or a child abuser tick and how they think, you have to accept them where they are and work from there. It is hard to do - you have to have a really, really strong stomach and the ability to defer emotions like rage until later to do it.

[Tallytowngirl]

I also got the impression that "someone close to the case" meant somebody who's working on it, rather than a relative or the like. So whoever it was, may very well be trained in negotiation tactics - and if s/he isn't, works with somebody who is.

Part of Hilton's agreement was that Dandy went to a good home, and to me it sounded like he wouldn't talk to anybody about anything until he was assured of that. So agreeing to take care of the dog got information out of Hilton.

The added benefit of course is that Dandy got a good home.

[panglossian]

I'd like to know if Ella was released by Hilton or escaped out his van on the day she was found.
It sounds to me that Ella escaped death 3 times: first by being retrieved from a freezing death in Meredith's car, 2nd by him not killing her along with Meredith, and 3rd by not getting hit as she roamed the street and parking lot after her escape/release from the van.

[gardenmom]

I know, that just broke my heart! Just think, leaving Ella might have saved her life, however, I am sure she was worried that Ella might die from cold, before she was discovered. Just so sad.......

What do you mean about leaving Ella may have saved Meredith's life?

[Hiker]

LE would have known Meredith had made it back to her car if Ella were inside. They wouldn't have wasted three days scouring Blood Mountain for her.

[MeoW333]

That link made me cry.. Honestly i think Hilton was more concerned about Dandy than his impending Death Penalty part of the deal.
I can only guess that his childhood was a mess of neglect and abuse and somehow he only became able to identify with dogs. If his primary caregivers were unable to give him the emotional support and trust he needed as a child, he most likely got it from the family dog or pets. He probably showed failure to thrive as a young child, also.


I think they would have had to search Blood Mt anyway regardless if Ella was in Meredith's car or not; they would have to search it to rule it out. Despite Hilton being a monster, at least he went and brought Ella after Meredith got upset about him leaving her in the car. I'm sure during the time Meredith was suffering, that Ella's presence was helping her through the horrors. I am a animal lover myself, and have a cat and dog, and know how it is.

[MeoW333]

I think that Hilton's great concern for Dandy will give us hints as to how his childhood was.
Hiker, you were a child abuse investigator for years, what is your take on how Hilton's childhood could have been?
This may be the only way we can figure it out as there are doubtfully any records from back then or witnesses alive now.

[Native New Yorker]

You know, I think that the fact that he went back and got Ella is not so much because Meredith was upset, but because she would have told him that Ella would die in the car ( due to cold, no water, etc. ) if left alone.
I do not think that Hilton was and is capable of any feelings towards humans. I do not think he cared at all about Meredith being upset, etc....

And it may well be that he never even had a pet as a child, but later found that animals, unlike people, could be controlled.

I am also an animal lover....3 cats, one dog....

[MeoW333]

The thing with Hilton is, i don't think he can form an emotional attachment at all with people. Unlike us, we can and we also love animals. He may have been in some kind of neglect abuse situation as a child like i mentioned above. There's been research done on it, failure to thrive, psychosocial dwarfism, etc. He can still interact with people, yet the emotional connection or empathy is not present at all. With dogs, it is there. I think it may have stemmed from conditions in his early childhood. That and him isolating himself different times over the years would make him even worse off in relations with people. He may have been married a few times, yet all those relationships ended. I don't think he can empathize with humans at all.

[Hiker]

I think that Hilton's great concern for Dandy will give us hints as to how his childhood was.
Hiker, you were a child abuse investigator for years, what is your take on how Hilton's childhood could have been?
This may be the only way we can figure it out as there are doubtfully any records from back then or witnesses alive now.My guess is GMH is the product of one of these two different times of homes and had a dog during his childhood - and the unconditional love of the dog became very important to him:

Chaotic home with constant family conflict, violence and/or a lack of supervision. His parents may have been abusive and either alcoholics, drug addicts or seriously mentally ill. As a result Hilton may have difficulty developing emotional bonds with other people. He may seek the ultimate control over others to feel empowered in a world he sees as dangerous and unpredictable
An overly punitive home where there were no clear rules for conduct and discipline - a child in such an environment comes to believe punishment is meted out randomly and become unclear as to what behaviors are acceptable and unacceptable - and they tend to mete out punishment randomly as adults.

[MeoW333]

My guess is GMH is the product of one of these two different times of homes and had a dog during his childhood - and the unconditional love of the dog became very important to him:
Chaotic home with constant family conflict, violence and/or a lack of supervision. His parents may have been abusive and either alcoholics, drug addicts or seriously mentally ill. As a result Hilton may have difficulty developing emotional bonds with other people. He may seek the ultimate control over others to feel empowered in a world he sees as dangerous and unpredictable
An overly punitive home where there were no clear rules for conduct and discipline - a child in such an environment comes to believe punishment is meted out randomly and become unclear as to what behaviors are acceptable and unacceptable - and they tend to mete out punishment randomly as adults.

Hiker, thank you, your information is valuable, as we will likely have little to go on regarding his childhood.
I guess we kind of have to work with whatever information we can and his whereabouts at different times, as surely he has more victims out there.
Also, insight into Hilton's background, even as a child, will hopefully help identify signs in children early on, so that they can get therapy that is needed to prevent them from turning to crime when they are older.

[mysteriew]

I was told that a female member of the search and rescue team that searched Blood Mountain and then the roadways for Meredith Emerson adopted Dandy.

Media reports say that being able to pick the person who would get Dandy - meaning interviewing the person and likely discuss his care - was part of the bargain when GMH agreed to disclose the location of Meredith's body. Given that, a lot of people would have been willing to talk with Hilton - even those not in LE.

I've had to talk with pedophiles and people who have horribly abused or neglected children many times. While they look like monsters on paper, they look like people in person. It isn't as hard as you might think to talk with someone who has done something really horrible - especially if you know doing so will keep them from being able to do it again.

Don't sell yourself short. This insight alone is valuable. Most people don't realize that in looking at a guy, that being a child molester won't stand out. And that sometimes you can't tell from their actions until it is too late. That sometimes the "nicest" people commit the most horrendous crimes. And the same is often true of people who have done all types of crimes.

[MeoW333]

I really think GMH should be studied by forensic psychiatrists who will be able to read through him. It's not everyday we have a serial killer who travels with his dog, and then barters into his plea bargain well being for the dog.