Hilton made plans for dog as part of plea agreement

GAINESVILLE - Authorities said the drifter who pleaded guilty to killing 24-year-old hiker Meredith Emerson in Dawson County made plans for his dog's future as part of his plea agreement.

Dandy, the reddish golden retriever that belonged to 61-year-old Gary Michael Hilton, has been adopted into a new home. Brad Morris, the Public Defender for the Gainesville-based Northeastern Judicial Circuit, said Hilton was concerned that his dog have a good home.

Hilton is serving a life sentence in the death of Emerson, who disappeared on New Year's Day while hiking with her dog at Blood Mountain in Union County.

Authorities believe Hilton's dog was with him when he kidnapped Emerson and probably the day he killed her.

The dog's new owner is someone close to the case who offered to take the dog. Morris said Hilton did not know the person before the killing and that the person does not want to be identified.

Emersons' parents took her black Labrador retriever mix, Ella, back to Colorado to live with them.

Authorities are investigating Hilton's possible connection to deaths in Florida and North Carolina.