News Now Update: Hilton Indicted for Cheryl Dunlap's Murder
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Updated: 11:16 PM Feb 28, 2008
News Now Update: Hilton Indicted for Cheryl Dunlap's Murder
A Leon County grand jury indicts Gary Michael Hilton for the murder of Crawfordville Sunday school teacher Cheryl Dunlap.
Posted: 4:45 PM Feb 28, 2008
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Update 6:30 p.m.
Leon County Sheriff's Official Press Release Cheryl Dunlap Grand Jury Indictment

After months of investigative work, Detectives with the Leon County Sheriff’s Office and Investigators with the Florida Department of Law Enforcement testified today before a Leon County Grand Jury; presenting evidence and testimony relating to the Cheryl Dunlap murder. This presentation of the facts to the Grand Jury has led to a true bill indictment of Gary Michael Hilton for the kidnapping and murder of Cheryl Dunlap. While Gary Michael Hilton has been indicted by the Grand Jury, the Leon County Sheriff’s Office and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement will continue the investigative process of analyzing all available forensic evidence and sorting through vast amounts of physical evidence and witness statements.

Sheriff Larry Campbell said “this indictment of Gary Michael Hilton is a result of excellent cooperation and hard work between many agencies and jurisdictions. I am confident that based on the forensic evidence collected and the investigative efforts of all the law enforcement officers involved, a dangerous killer will be brought to justice in Leon County.”

Gary Michael Hilton is indicted for the following offenses:
1 Count of Murder – No Bond
1 Count of Kidnapping – No Bond
2 Counts of Grand Theft - $25,000 each count
Leon County Sheriff's Office
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Update 5:30 p.m.
Eyewitness News Reporter Blaine Tolison was the only reporter in the courtroom at the time of this major announcement

The Grand Jury started proceedings at 9:30 this morning... and it took them the entire day to review evidence in the case.

At 4:30 this afternoon, Judge James Hankinson approved the indictments on Gary Michael Hilton on first degree murder, kidnapping and two counts of theft.

Hilton is currently in prison for killing 24-year-old Meredith Emerson in Georgia.

Now he's charged in another murder-- this one for the death of 46 year old Cheryl Dunlap.

The Crawfordville woman's body was found on Saturday, Dec. 15 in the Apalachicola National Forest.

State Attorney Willie Meggs says a lot of hard work has gone into this arrest.

The next step will be setting a date for the murder trial.

On Eyewitness News at 6:00 p.m., we'll have exclusive footage inside the Leon County Courthouse where the grand jury met.
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Update 5:01 p.m.
Hilton was indicted on first degree murder, kidnapping and two counts of theft.

Judge James Hankinson approved the indictment and warrant for the arrest of Gary Michael Hilton. Proceedings started around 9:30 this morning. The indictment was approved around 4:30 this afternoon.

State Attorney Willie Meggs did not elaborate on the evidence he presented to the Grand Jury but he says a lot of work went into the presentation and he says it came together with the help of several agencies.
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4:46 p.m.
A Leon County Grand Jury has just indicted Gary Michael Hilton for the murder of Crawfordville Sunday School teacher Cheryl Dunlap.

A judge is now issuing a warrant for his arrest.

Dunlap disappeared December first and her body was found a couple of weeks later in the Apalachicola National Forest.

Hilton was arrested soon afterward in Georgia in connection with the dismemberment and murder of hiker Meredith Emerson. He plead guilty to her murder and is now serving a life sentence for it.

Leon County investigators named Hilton the prime suspect in Dunlap's murder earlier this month and recently brought two truck loads of evidence from Georgia to the FDLE crime lab in Tallahassee.


Latest Comments

Posted by: Debby Location: Hwy 20 on Feb 29, 2008 at 11:55 AM

Oh come on, let him out... pretty please? Just drop him off on Hwy 20...