Police pick up 'person of interest' in disappearance Georgia hiker

BLAIRSVILLE, Ga. -- Police on Friday were questioning a man they called a "person of interest" in the disappearance of a 24-year-old hiker from a state park in northern Georgia.

Gary Michael Hilton, who was reportedly seen with Meredith Emerson several times on New Year's Day, was picked up at a convenience store in an Atlanta suburb by DeKalb County police and taken for questioning at a Georgia Bureau of Investigation office, Union County investigator Kimberly Verdone said.

"Meredith was not with him," Verdone said. "Six four-man search and rescue teams are in the woods right now searching for her."

Meanwhile, Emerson's black Labrador retriever, "Ella," missing since Tuesday, when friends said Emerson took the dog hiking, was found at a grocery store in Forsyth County. The dog wandered to the store, at least 40 miles from where Emerson's car was discovered abandoned on Wednesday, and was identified by an implanted microchip, Verdone said.

Emerson's car was found at the base of Blood Mountain, and authorities also found a water bottle and a dog leash that belonged to her.

Clear weather Friday allowed helicopters to join rescue workers and canine teams in the search for Emerson.

Fifteen professional search and rescue teams were searching for Emerson and volunteers were asked to pass out fliers instead of searching on the trails, said Verdone. The searchers were combing a 400 square mile area of rugged terrain.

Emerson's roommate, Julia Karrenbauer, said as many as 100 friends and family members have come to Vogel State Park to aid in the search. Emerson's father, Dave Emerson of Longmont, Colo., headed to the mountain trails Friday with rescue workers.

"They're frightened, scared and we're all very hopeful," Karrenbauer said of Emerson's parents. "We're all trying to stay really positive here. It's been a really long three days."

Karrenbauer said Emerson is an experienced hiker who has a blue belt in martial arts.

The Georgia Bureau of Investigation declined to specify how investigators learned Hilton's name and other details about him.

Emerson is formerly of Longmont, Colo., and recently became a resident of Buford, Ga., in suburban Atlanta.

One of Georgia's oldest and most popular state parks, Vogel State Park is located at the base of Blood Mountain in the Chattahoochee National Forest.