The Battlefield

Hikers in Chickamauga and Chattanooga National Military Park near Fort Oglethorpe, Georgia, found the body of 59-year-old Dwayne Hollenbeck on December 12, 2015, next to a trail. The disabled military veteran from Dryden, New York, had died four days earlier from blunt force trauma to the head. A cane lay on his body, and nearby evidence included a bloodied rock and shoe prints from two different sizes, suggesting a man and woman. This sparked a missing persons case that traced back to a road trip with a much younger couple, revealing exploitation and violence.

Initial Discovery and Victim Background

Fort Oglethorpe police, with help from the FBI, Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI), and coroner, responded to the scene. An autopsy confirmed homicide, and Dwayne's flip phone—linked to a missing smartphone—was recovered. His neighbor in Dryden had reported him missing on December 10, after noticing his absence for five days. She cared for him daily due to his mobility issues from recent foot surgery, health problems, and reliance on a cane, walker, or wheelchair. She last saw him on December 5 leaving with Jennifer DeMott, 25, and Robert Brooks, 38—acquaintances via Jennifer's late mother, who had dated Dwayne. Texts showed Jennifer inviting him on a drive south, promising favors, followed by "Come out with your bags."