Serial killer ‘breaks his silence’ after 17 years with death row confession

A murderer known as the National Forest Serial Killer has confessed for the first time to killing of one of his victims.

Gary Michael Hilton - a.k.a. the National Forest Serial Killer - has been found guilty of four homicides which took place across three states' national forests, between 2007 and 2008.

The 78-year-old was sentenced to four life sentences in North Carolina for the 2012 kidnapping and murder of John D. Bryant and Irene W. Bryant - alongside 15 years in prison for a related robbery offence - and sentenced to life imprisonment in Georgia for the 2008 murder of Meredith Emerson.

He also received the death sentence in Florida for the 2007 murder of nurse Cheryl Hodges Dunlap in Leon County.

While Hilton admitted to the murders of the Bryants and Emerson, he's never admitted to killing Dunlap - until now.

In an interview with Court TV reporter David Scott as part of original series Interview with a Killer - set to air on Sunday (April 13) - he revealed: "It's time, it's time after 17 years to break my silence."

When asked whether he thrives on the 'power' he has to instil fear in people as a murderer, he responded: "You know in a perverse kind of way I do."

Speaking about Dunlap, he continued: "The woman I killed in Tallahassee that I have my current death sentence for, she was a devout Christian and a real wheel in the Church."

Despite noting the case surrounding Dunlap's murder is 'currently under appeal' and 'hasn't been finally adjudicated', Hilton resolved to give the reporter 'a new scoop'.

He continued: "I did it. So there you have it. Yes, I'm confessing to her murder on camera - that I never had before. So, I'm giving you something David.

Gary Hilton has previously confessed to three of the four murders he's been convicted for (Florida Department of Corrections)

He continued: "Yes, I did it. And I'll be glad to tell anyone I did."

A trailer for the new season of the series sees Hilton resolve: "I'm your worst nightmare."

At the time Hilton was sentenced to four life sentences by United States Attorney Anne M. Tompkins Western in the District of North Carolina, the attorney said: "Our thoughts and prayers are with the family and friends of the victims and while today’s outcome cannot bring back John and Irene Bryant, it is our sincere hope that everyone impacted by Hilton’s heinous crime can finally have some closure."

Hilton remains a suspect in multiple other murder cases which saw remains discovered in National Forest areas - from Judy Smith's remains being found on September 7, 1997 to the disappearances of Jason Andrew Knapp and Patrice Marie Tamber Endres, Rossana Miliani and Michael Scot Louis.

Whether he'll confess to more crimes after 17 years of silence we'll have to wait and see.

If you have experienced a bereavement and would like to speak with someone in confidence, contact GrieveWell on (734) 975-0238, or email [email protected].