Murdered While Hiking | Rachel Morin, Meredith Emerson & Lauren Heike

According to a study by the Outdoor Industry Association, 43% of women who hike have experienced some form of violence or harassment while on a trail. This includes everything from unwanted comments or advances to actual physical assault.

In this episode of the True Crime Society Podcast, we discuss the cases of three different women who were murdered while hiking.

• Mackenzie Shirilla final thoughts (7:01)
• Hiking Murders (10:36)

• Rachel Morin went for a hike in Bel Air, Maryland on August 5, 2023.  Her boyfriend raised the alarm later that night when she didn’t return.  Her body was found on a trail the following day.  Rachel’s killer is still at large and police believe he may be responsible for an assault in Los Angeles earlier this year.  The worry is that the perpetrator is escalating in the severity of his crimes.
• Meredith Emerson took her dog Ella for a hike on New Year’s Day in 2008.  She ran across Gary Michael Hilton on the trail.  Gary attacked Meredith and he kept her alive for three terrifying days, before brutally murdering and decapitating her.  Gary has since been charged with three additional murders.
• Lauren Heike had recently moved from Washington to Arizona.  She told a friend on April 28, 2023 that she was grateful to be able to get a coffee and go for a walk that day.  Lauren did not show up for work when she was meant to and her body was found on April 29.  She had been stabbed 15 times while out for a walk.  Zion William Teasley (22) has been arrested and charged with Lauren’s seemingly random murder.