This week in the Cottage, Nym and Nylene’s garden variety conversation about gardens devolves into a detour about Monster Hunting… Put down the wooden stakes and holy water - it’s not that kind.

After the foreplay of talking nerdy to each other about critically acclaimed action-rpgs from the land of the Rising Sun, it's onto the main topics of the day… Oh wait - just one?

Well I'll be! It's a Nylene-centric extravaganza today as she steals the show to talk about a real life monster, Gary Hilton! Taking some time to get into the weeds of how the so-called National Forest Killer was caught, she gives us a full scoop on the investigation that saw him dragged from out of the woods and into the hands of law enforcement.

Fascinating and horrifying in equal measure - you definitely don't want to miss it!

Pisgah National Forest, Transylvania County, North Carolina - Location where the Bryant's went missing

John & Irene evidence & timeline of events

Apalachicola Nation Forest - Leon Sinks, Florida - where Cheryl Dunlap went missing

Gary Hilton using Cheryl's ATM card. His face id distorted with a mask on the lower half of his face & glasses.

Crime Map following the Bryant & Emerson murders

Gary Hilton's White Van where he was apprehended clearing everything out of his car into a nearby dupster.

Gary Hilton's car being examined by the Crime Scene Investigators

Mask Gary used to obscure his face at the ATMs - Found in Gary Hilton's car

Meredith Emerson's wallet - Found in Gary Hilton's car.

Knife found in Hilton's car. One of the weapons he used.

Listen to Episode

Rosen, F. (2016, February 16). Trail of Death: The Hunt for Gary Hilton Part II. The Lineup.
Wikipedia contributors. (2025, April 4). Gary Hilton. Wikipedia.
“Wild Crime” Blood Mountain (TV Episode 2023) | Documentary, crime, mystery. (2023, November 30). IMDb.

Ep. 17 - Gary Hilton State Park Murderer

Sources