More than ten years after the murder of Meredith Emerson, lead investigator John Cagle reveals his take on the case and the lasting impact it has had on his life in a book titled "Those Days in January: The Abduction and Murder of Meredith Hope Emerson."
The 24-year-old Emerson, who was from Buford, was kidnapped by 61-year-old Gary Michael Hilton while hiking at Blood Mountain with her dog on New Year’s Day 2008. Hilton held her captive for three days before killing her. He was found not long after that, pleaded guilty and was sentenced to life in prison. He was late given a death sentence in Florida for killing a 42-year-old hiker in the Apalachicola National Forest.
“Meredith Emerson seemed to be the all-American girl with a wonderful family and group of friends who loved and supported her,” says Cagle. “For her life to end this way at the hands of such an evil person was such a tragedy.”
In his book, according to a news release announcing its publication, Cagle takes readers through the investigation from start to finish from the mountains of Northeast Georgia to the streets of Gainesville in a day-by-day account. "Readers witness firsthand the struggle to seek justice for Emerson, all while law enforcement does their best to protect her memory from the opportunists, sensationalist reporters, and unscrupulous practices that threatened to deny her the dignity she deserves. Chapter by chapter, Cagle reveals not only the facts of her murder but the impact on the personal lives of those who worked tirelessly to find Meredith."
Cagle wrote "Those Days in January" to give those interested in the case an intimate look into what happened in the investigation.
He says he also hopes it can be therapeutic for himself and others who were close to the case. “For years I have struggled with this case, as some other agents have,” says Cagle. “I broke a rule that every investigator must follow. I let this case become personal. I simply got too close to it. I’m hopeful telling this story will help me move on.”
Those Days in January is available now on Amazon.com and Shop.BookLogix.com.
