MONROE COUNTY, Tenn. (WVLT) – The arrest warrant for Nicholas Wayne Hamlett, the man accused in a Monroe County murder, is providing an inside look at how police investigated the case.
We also now know that Hamlett had opened $8 million in life insurance policies under the false identity he was using at the time.
Timeline
The Investigation Begins
According to the warrant, police first received a 911 call from Hamlett himself around 11:30 p.m. on Oct. 18. On the call, Hamlett identified himself as Brandon Kristopher Andrade and said he was an injured hiker.
The call prompted an emergency response, sparking what would become a complicated case of accused murder and identity theft.
Police found a body near the Charles Hall Bridge on the Cherohala Skyway with Andrade’s ID. We now know that Andrade was never in Monroe County, and police said that Hamlett had stolen the name and planted the ID on the real victim: 34-year-old Steven Douglas Lloyd.
Steven Douglas Lloyd (MCSO)
During that 911 call, Hamlett had told police that a driver had dropped him off in Monroe County. That prompted investigators to reach out to the Knox County Sheriff’s Office, asking them to investigate that driver.
Previous Coverage: ‘Beloved son’ | Monroe County Sheriff’s Office identifies murder victim, suspect in custody
On Oct. 18, the warrant said, KCSO deputies went to 612 Highland View Drive in Knoxville and spoke to a man who called himself Nick. That man, who police later found out was Hamlett, also claimed to be Andrade’s brother.
The Manhunt
It wasn’t much longer before Hamlett’s wife, Taylor Ann Fiber, bought him a Greyhound bus ticket and a tent, allowing him to travel out of state. This, according to Fiber’s own arrest warrant; she was taken into custody earlier in the week.
Previous Coverage: Monroe County murder suspect’s wife arrested, warrant says
Meanwhile, on Oct. 24, Monroe County’s Violent Crimes Task Force went to the scene off the Cherohala Skyway and tried to call 911, just like “Andrade” had done days before. According to the warrant, there wasn’t enough signal to complete the call.
Hamlett led several local, state and federal law enforcement agencies on an almost month-long manhunt before he was arrested in South Carolina.
Throughout the course of the investigation, Hamlett popped up in several locations in South Carolina. WVLT sister station WIS reported that a nursing home resident spotted him in Chapin, prompting a search from the U.S. Marshals Office.
Hamlett’s Arrest
Hamlett was finally caught after a stint at a hospital in Columbia on Nov. 10. According to Carlos Flores with the U.S. Marshals, someone brought Hamlett to the hospital as a John Doe after finding him unconscious at a park.
While at the hospital, staff treated him for severe dehydration before an employee recognized him from a wanted poster.
Nicholas Wayne Hamlett made headlines after he was accused of murdering 34-year-old Steven Douglas Lloyd.
A call from the hospital then brought the Columbia Police Department to the scene, where they took him into custody. Hamlett was extradited to Monroe County late Thursday night.
What’s Next?
Looking ahead, the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office is expected to provide an update around 3:30 p.m. Friday. WVLT News will carry it live here.
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Monroe County murder suspect opened $8M in life insurance policies under false identity, warrant says
