Meredith Emerson

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Meredith Emerson

Photos of Meredith Emerson, the 24-year-old woman who was kidnapped and murdered while hiking in the North Georgia mountains.

May 2007: Meredith and Ella with Ella's certificate of training.

Roommates, friends and even one guy who tossed her around her martial-arts training class described Meredith Emerson as engaging, quick, exuberant young woman with a zest for life and a love of people.

Born in Charleston, S.C., Meredith Emerson spent most of her formative years in Raleigh, where Peggy Bailey was one of her seventh-grade teachers. This week, Bailey has been the spokeswoman for the grieving family. "Even back then, she was very organized, friendly, very cute but not girlie," Bailey said. "She was an excellent student, outgoing, polite and well-mannered at home and school."

Meredith liked to bring her dog, Ella, along when she explored the great outdoors.

Meredith Emerson fell hard for her roommate's dog and decided to get her own. She went on the Internet and found a dog to adopt from a shelter. She loved the face and little pot belly of her new friend, Ella. Here Emerson is seen in Flowery Branch, in May 2007, training Ella.

Meredith Emerson was described as "feisty" by her roommate and close friend. Her Judo teacher said at 5-feet, 4-inches, 120 pounds, she "trained with us like she lived every day --hard and with everything she had." If she appeared to be going along with her abductor, as Hilton described, GBI Director Vernon Keenan said, it was only to survive.

Blairsville, Thursday, Jan. 3: As authorities and volunteers combed the snow-covered North Georgia mountains searching for missing hiker Meredith Emerson, fliers of Meredith and Ella were posted around the search area at Vogel State Park.

Blairsville, Thursday, Jan. 3: Dog trainer Pat Mitchell of Flowery Branch, who helped Meredith train Ella, came to the search area in North Georgia.

Blairsville, Saturday, Jan. 5: Angie Bogen (hat), 30, of Lawrenceville, and Michael Merritt, 24, of Buford, friends of Meredith Emerson, await their assignments on a search team.

Blairsville, Saturday, Jan. 5: Julia Karrenbauer, roommate of Meredith Emerson, at the main search site.

Blairsville, Saturday, Jan. 5: Chris Hendley, former coworker and supervisor of Meredith Emerson, at the search command center in Vogel State Park.

Holly Springs, N.C., Sunday, Jan. 6: Friends gather at a hometown vigil for Meredith.

Blairsville, Monday, Jan. 7: As searching for Meredith Emerson continues, Susan and Dave Emerson walk with Ella, their missing daughter's dog, at Vogel State Park

Hilton was worried about another piece of evidence that might link him to the slaying --Emerson's dog. She had told him the Lab-mix carried a microchip identifying it as her pet. "If I wanted to ensure that no one would associate the dog with her, I would've have killed the dog," Hilton said. "But there's no way I could do that."

Monday, Jan. 7: Steve Segers, a close friend of missing hiker Meredith Emerson, speaks of his relationship with Emerson and the days following her disappearance.

Blairsville, Monday, Jan. 7: Dave Emerson makes a statement about the disappearance of his daughter at Vogel State Park. Emerson plead for people to "search their hearts and memories for anything they can remember and do" to help find Meredith.

Blairsville, Monday, Jan. 7: Meredith's parents, Susan and Dave Emerson, embrace at Vogel State Park.

He walked away with Verdone at his side.

Blairsville, Monday, Jan. 7: As Georgia law enforcement and emergency service officials continue searching for Meredith Emerson, flyers for the hiker were posted at the Visitor's Center of Vogel State Park.

Athens, Tuesday, Jan. 8: Emerson spokesperson Peggy Bailey issues a statement to the media, the family's first comments since Meredith's body was found.

Athens, Tuesday, Jan. 8: A note to the media is posted on the garage door of family spokesperson Peggy Bailey.

Athens, Wednesday, Jan. 9: A statement from Meredith Emerson's family.

"That's one thing that broke my heart in this case," Georgia Bureau of Investigation agent Clay Bridges said. "She was doing everything she was supposed to do to stay alive, and we didn't get there in time."

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May 2007: Meredith and Ella with Ella's certificate of training.

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