Below is an e-mail sent by a member of an Atlanta hiking group about her encounter with Gary Hilton on the same trail the day before Meredith Emerson went missing.

Subject: We, as women, are known for being too nice even when our gut tells us otherwise!

Hey everybody- I am sure you have all heard about the hiker who went missing on New Year's Day and the guy who is in custody for kidnapping her. Her body was found today and I am sure they will be charging him with her murder. He is also suspected in several other murders in Florida, North Carolina, and Georgia.

I wanted to tell you all about what happened to me so that you will all be aware of who you talk to and to pay attention to your "something is weird here" radar. The day before the girl, Meredith Emerson, went missing, I was hiking on the same trail on Blood Mountain. I saw the man who is suspected of killing her and I talked to him for about 10 minutes. He asked me if I was alone and if I had a cell phone. It wasn't particularly odd that he asked me those questions, because he worked them into the conversation. My radar did go off because he is very strange. I didn't feel like I was in danger because I was with a group that I was hiking ahead of when I encountered him on the trail.

I'd like to think I wouldn't have talked to him if I was alone, but I probably would have- just to be polite. He was most likely 'shopping' me as a victim. He was walking very quickly ahead of me as we talked and I walked more quickly to be able to hear him and continue the conversation. I kept looking back to make sure I could see or hear my group. When the trail split, he went the other way than we did. My husband noticed that when we got to the bottom of the trail, the suspect, Hilton, was behind us. I don't know if he doubled back to see if I was alone or not.

That encounter was a little too close to home. I always try to be friendly and polite, but I've found that is not such a good idea. Who cares if a stranger thinks you snubbed them?

Just keep in mind that the world is full of bad people and that they are very good at manipulating situations to get you involved with them. Be safe and listen to your gut! "Stranger Danger" applies to grown-ups, too.