Hi, Park enthusiasts. I'm your host, D'Ilya Diambra, and the case I'm going to unpack today

is one that I imagine very few of you have ever heard of. It's a story about one man's terrible

death, but it's also a tale about a group of people's decisions to make a series of bad choices

that ultimately led to murder and their own demise. This case is so obscure that I could not have

covered it without access to the police reports. Thanks to some digging and a helpful chat with

one of the investigators who worked the case, as well as the victim's closest relatives,

I got a hold of all the information I needed, and I think I've crafted what is probably the

most comprehensive telling of this story to date.

It happened in 2015 in Tennessee's Cherokee National Forest, which is a roughly 650,000-acre

tract of public land divided by the Great Smoky Mountains National Park.

The National Forest butts up to other national forests in neighboring states like Virginia

and North Carolina.

And if you've ever been there, then you know this is a special and beautiful place.

A stretch of the Appalachian Trail cuts through it, and there are some really spectacular

wooded areas that lead to panoramic views, quiet creeks, serene rivers, and several

waterfalls. You can camp, go rafting in seven whitewater rivers,

meander on scenic drives, or stay at one of the many campgrounds.

In December 2015, though, the three people at the center of this story

didn't do any of those things while in the forest.

They came and went but left nothing but destruction behind.

This is Park Predators. Music I'm I'm I'm

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