HIT ABC NEWS STUDIOS TRUE-CRIME DOCU-SERIES 'WILD CRIME' RETURNS FOR THIRD SEASON ON HULU, DOCUMENTING THE CHILLING PURSUIT OF JUSTICE IN THE WILDERNESS

New Season Features the Search for Missing Hiker Meredith Emerson and Unravels the Twisted Mind Behind a String of Murders in National Forests

'Wild Crime: Blood Mountain' Premieres on Thursday, Nov. 30, Only on Hulu

ABC News Studios announced today season three of "Wild Crime," "Wild Crime: Blood Mountain," which follows the case of experienced hiker Meredith Emerson, who, along with her dog, vanished without a trace on Blood Mountain in Georgia. When two murdered hikers in other national forests across the southeast are discovered, it raises the question: Is Emerson just another lost hiker - or is there something more sinister behind her disappearance? "Blood Mountain" follows the twists and turns of this gripping true-crime tale, including the massive search-and-rescue operation for Emerson and investigations into the two similar cases, leading authorities to believe Emerson may have been the next victim of a serial killer. "Wild Crime: Blood Mountain" premieres Thursday, Nov. 30, only on Hulu.

The four-part docu-series explores how authorities identified Gary Michael Hilton as a person of interest in Meredith's disappearance and how, over the course of that investigation, he had become a top suspect in the similar disappearances of retirees John and Irene Bryant, who were hiking in North Carolina, and Sunday school teacher Cheryl Dunlap, who disappeared while hiking in Florida. After Hilton is apprehended, his chilling confession leads authorities to a major development in Emerson's case and peels back the curtain to expose his twisted mind. "Wild Crime: Blood Mountain" is told from the point of view of the investigators working to solve the case in real time and features footage of Hilton's confession and interviews with those close to the victims.

With hundreds of millions of visitors to America's wildlands every year, bad things are bound to happen. ABC News Studios' original series "Wild Crime" chronicles notable crimes committed in America's most majestic wilderness and the elite detectives who investigate them. Seasons one and two of "Wild Crime" are available to stream on Hulu.

"Wild Crime" is produced for Hulu by ABC News Studios and Lone Wolf Media. Lisa Q. Wolfinger is executive producer and director, and Rushmore DeNooyer is executive producer. Beth Hoppe serves as executive producer, and David Sloan serves as senior executive producer for ABC News Studios.

EPISODE SYNOPSIS

"THE MISSING"

After experienced hiker Meredith Emerson goes missing on Blood Mountain in Georgia, a massive search-and-rescue operation begins. But when investigators learn of two other missing hiker cases that ended in murder, they are left wondering: Has a serial killer taken Meredith? Can she be rescued in time?

"CAT AND MOUSE"

Serial killer Gary Michael Hilton has killed two women in national forests across the southeast - and he has also taken Meredith Emerson. Hilton has escaped twice so far, leaving his victims without justice. But as police search a dumpster full of bloody clothes, Hilton is spotted nearby. Can authorities apprehend Hilton before he kills Emerson?

"DEAL WITH THE DEVIL"

After police catch Hilton, he offers a chilling confession and confirms Emerson is dead, but he does not disclose the location of her body. Investigators choose to make a deal with the devil, offering no death penalty if he takes them to her. But if the Emerson case is closed, what about the other missing and dead hikers?

"MORE VICTIMS?"

After Georgia sentences Hilton to life in prison, Florida tries him for killing Cheryl Dunlap. Experts review Hilton's childhood for possible new insights into why he became a killer, and a look into other unsolved missing hiker cases raises questions about additional murders he may have committed. Investigators also reflect on Emerson's legacy and how her case affected them.

About ABC News Studios

ABC News Studios, inspired by ABC News' trusted reporting, is an award-winning, premium news and documentary original production house and commissioning partner of series and specials. ABC News Studios champions untold and authentic stories driving the cultural zeitgeist spanning true-crime, investigations, pop culture and news-adjacent stories. ABC News Studios' original titles include critically acclaimed documentaries "Pretty Baby: Brooke Shields," "Sound of the Police," "The Lady Bird Diaries" and "Aftershock," and popular docu-series and documentaries, including "Killing County," "Wild Crime," "Mormon No More," "The Randall Scandal: Love, Loathing, and Vanderpump" and "Jelly Roll: Save Me."

About Lone Wolf Media

Founded in 1997 by Kirk and Lisa Wolfinger, Lone Wolf Media has a long-standing reputation for producing award-winning programming across a wide variety of genres, including high-end expedition specials, action-packed reality, primetime drama and docu-drama, and true crime. In addition to "Wild Crime: Blood Mountain," Lone Wolf's 2023 slate includes "Birth of Shadow Ops" for Paramount+, "American Experience: War on Disco" for PBS, and season 2 of "Bermuda Triangle: Into Cursed Waters" for HISTORY.