**Man Posing as Hiker Leads Tennessee Police to Dead Body and Becomes Murder Suspect**

In a startling twist of events, Tennessee authorities have issued a first-degree murder warrant for a man who misled police with a false story of falling off a cliff while fleeing from a bear. The incident unfolded on October 18, when the individual called Monroe County dispatchers, falsely identifying himself as Brandon Andrade.

Claiming to be injured and stranded in water near the Charles Hall Bridge on Cherahola Skyway in Tellico Plains, emergency services and search and rescue teams mobilized to find the alleged distressed hiker. That search led to the discovery of a dead body, which had identification for Brandon Kristopher Andrade.

Upon deeper investigation, authorities revealed that the deceased was not Andrade and that the identification had been stolen and used multiple times. It was uncovered that Nicholas Wayne Hamlett, 45, had been using the stolen identity of Andrade. Hamlett, who was already wanted in Alabama for a parole violation, had previously provided a false name to law enforcement officials in Knox County, Tennessee.

Before confirming his true identity, Hamlett had managed to flee from his Tennessee residence. As a result, the Monroe County Sheriff's Office has issued a warrant for Hamlett's arrest, charging him with first-degree murder. The true identity of the deceased has not been determined, and efforts are ongoing by the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation to develop a sketch for identification.

Multiple agencies, including the TBI and the FBI, are actively involved in the search for both the identity of the deceased and Hamlett's whereabouts. Authorities warn that Hamlett is considered armed and dangerous, frequently using various aliases. The public is urged to call 911 or Monroe County Dispatch immediately if they have any information on Hamlett's location.