Appalachian Trail Safe Again Following Hiker Scare

Author:

Inside Edition

Keywords:

appalachia,crime,james jordan,appalachian trail,cat-crime,caught,hikers,ie newsdesk,inside edition,inside_edition,nature,nature trail,safe

Subtitles:

It is an American treasure, the majestic Appalachian Trail. It starts in Georgia and goes all the way north to Maine. Now police say this man, 30 year old James Jordan brought terror to the trail menacing hikers with a machete. I was freaked out, it was scary, it's terrifying. Ronald Sanchez, a 35 year old Army veteran was stabbed to death and a woman hiker badly wounded. This is the area of the trail where terror struck in the middle of the night. Investigators say James Jordan fatally stabbed one hiker then tried to kill another leaving her with multiple stab wounds. She actually played dead and when the killer fled the scene she had to hike an additional six miles with her injuries to find help. Just the willpower, the sheer willpower of her to do that, that really shows the strengths of these hikers, it's incredible. For several weeks hikers had been warning each other about sightings of Jordan and his dog, Felicia. The warning, anyone who spots this individual call 911 was posted on social media. There are about 200 of these shelters where hikers can get out of the elements and put their feet up for the night. And at each one of these shelters is a log book like this. This is the form of communication among the hikers. Now when James Jordan started hiking the trail, you started to see some entries from hikers warning each other of his eradicate behavior. Warnings like, keep your heads up, stay together. Keep your wits about you. 36 year old hiker, Matthew Norman actually found Jordan and persuaded him to leave the trail and go home to Massachusetts. I bought him a bus ticket and I drove him an hour off trail, got him a hotel room, a nice meal. He took these photos of Jordan and the dog but his act of kindness did not help. Unfortunately he did not take that bus trip the entire way and at some got back on the Appalachian Trail and of course, that led to the murder. Ronald Sanchez was murdered a week later. Jordan was arrested on the trail the following day and charged with murder and now hikers say the trail is safe again. (dramatic music)