Dad and Son Vanished in the Bitterroot Range — 7 Years Later, a Drone Revealed the Truth… | HO

Hamilton, Montana — When Garrett Hail and his 5-year-old son Caleb set out for a summer hike in the Bitterroot Range in July 2013, it was supposed to be a day of adventure. But when their Honda Pilot sat abandoned at the Pine Creek trailhead for three days, doors unlocked and keys in the ignition, the small town of Hamilton was thrust into a mystery that would haunt the valley for years.

For seven years, the disappearance of the father and son remained one of Montana’s most perplexing cold cases. The mountains kept their secrets—until a drone flight over Granite Hollow finally revealed the truth.

A Routine Adventure Turns Tragic

Garrett, 34, had planned the hike for weeks. His wife Emma was visiting family in Denver, leaving Garrett and Caleb to bond over trail mix and mountain views. The Pine Creek Loop, a moderate six-mile trail, was chosen for its family-friendly terrain and scenic vistas.

On July 16th, 2013, Garrett loaded their Honda Pilot with hiking gear, water bottles, and Caleb’s red backpack. Locals recall seeing the boy, blonde hair shining in the morning sun, clutching a toy compass and chatting about “finding treasure in the mountains.”

They signed the trail register at 8:45 a.m., noting a planned return at 4:00 p.m. The parking lot was unusually empty for a summer morning, but nothing seemed amiss.

Into the Wilderness

The hike started smoothly. Caleb peppered his father with questions about birds and rocks, stopping often for water breaks and photos. By late morning, they reached Granite Falls, the halfway point. Caleb ate his sandwich with care, packing out his trash as Garrett had taught him.

At noon, Caleb spotted a faint side trail leading toward Granite Hollow—a narrow gorge known for its steep drops and mining remnants. Garrett, cautious, insisted they stick to marked paths. But the weather began to turn. By 1:00 p.m., clouds gathered, and rain swept the mountains. Garrett hurried their pace, but the hike back grew difficult for Caleb’s small legs.

They never returned to the trailhead.

The Search Begins

When Garrett and Caleb failed to return, Emma was notified. The Honda Pilot remained untouched, Caleb’s extra jacket folded on the front seat. By dawn on July 17th, volunteer search teams mobilized, combing the Pine Creek Loop and flying drones and helicopters over the dense forest.

For 12 days, more than 40 volunteers searched the area. No footprints off the main trail, no torn clothing, no emergency signals. Garrett’s phone, tracked by tower data, had last pinged near Granite Falls before losing signal.

Theories abounded: a medical emergency, getting lost during the storm, or an accidental fall in the gorge. The side trail to Granite Hollow was searched extensively. Teams found only old mining equipment and a 130-foot drop into darkness.

By August 1st, the search was suspended. The Hails joined the ranks of the missing, their case file marked “presumed deceased due to misadventure.”

Seven Years of Silence

Emma refused to accept the official conclusion. She returned to Pine Creek trailhead 17 times in the first year, calling their names until her voice cracked. Locals grew accustomed to the sight of the thin woman in Garrett’s oversized jacket, haunting the trails.

The Honda Pilot was eventually towed. The mountains, it seemed, had swallowed the father and son whole.

A Drone’s Discovery

In September 2020, advances in drone technology provided the breakthrough investigators had long sought. Detective Marin Cole, newly assigned to the Ravalli County Sheriff’s Office, decided to revisit the case with fresh eyes. A volunteer drone pilot, testing thermal imaging equipment for wildlife surveys, offered to scan the remote reaches of Granite Hollow.

On a crisp autumn morning, the drone hovered above the gorge’s sheer walls. The camera picked up metallic glints and unusual shapes among the rocks. When the search team rappelled down, they found a backpack frame, boot fragments, and fabric samples—long exposed to the elements but protected enough for DNA testing.

Forensic analysis confirmed what Emma had feared: the remains belonged to Garrett Hail. But there was no trace of Caleb.

A Trail of Clues

The drone’s discovery prompted a full re-investigation. Detective Cole pored over old witness statements, trail register logs, and Forest Service personnel files. The original search had focused on accidental death, but new evidence suggested a more troubling scenario.

Among the items recovered was a child’s braided bracelet, spelling out “Caleb” in wooden beads. It showed little weathering, suggesting it had not been exposed to the elements for seven years. Wrapped in tissue paper was Caleb’s toy compass.

Most disturbing was a handwritten note: “Property of Jay Morrison. Personal effects. August 2013.” Morrison, a seasonal maintenance worker, had left the Forest Service abruptly after the search, moving to Utah. His sudden departure and possession of Caleb’s belongings made him a person of interest.

Suspicions and Revelations

Cole’s investigation uncovered inconsistencies in Morrison’s work logs. Scheduled for Bear Creek on July 16th, Morrison was nonetheless seen near Pine Creek, according to some witnesses. But further review suggested that Morrison may have been framed.

Attention shifted to Silus Mercer, a veteran ranger who had coordinated the search effort. Mercer’s encyclopedic knowledge of the area, his role in guiding search teams, and his access to storage areas where Caleb’s bracelet was found made Cole uneasy.

A breakthrough came when a local real estate agent, Barbara Hutchkins, recalled seeing a boy resembling Caleb walking with a man in Forest Service clothing in 2017. She identified the man as Mercer.

The Confrontation

Detective Cole and Emma’s father, retired electrician Lel Grant, confronted Mercer at his remote cabin. Mercer, sensing the investigation closing in, confessed to killing Garrett during a storm at Granite Creek shelter. He described how he had taken Caleb—whom he and his wife Joanna raised as their own son, “Oliver”—and disposed of Garrett’s body in the gorge.

Mercer claimed his actions were motivated by desperation: years of failed attempts to have children, a wife sinking into depression, and the sudden opportunity to “save” Caleb. He maintained that Caleb, now Oliver, was happy, healthy, and loved.

Law enforcement, alerted by Cole’s emergency GPS beacon, raided the cabin. Mercer surrendered without violence, and provided details that led police to locate Joanna and Oliver at a shopping center in Missoula.

The Aftermath

Oliver, now 12, was confused and terrified when approached by police. He clung to Joanna, the only mother he remembered. Child psychologists worked with him for weeks, helping him process the sudden upheaval. Emma watched her son through a one-way glass, tears streaming as she saw the boy who bore Garrett’s features and her own blonde hair.

The reunion was slow, cautious, and fraught with emotional turmoil. Oliver showed no memory of his early childhood, no recognition of Emma, and little interest in stories about his life before the Mercers. The psychological scars of seven years of deception ran deep.

Mercer was charged with first-degree murder, kidnapping, and child endangerment. Joanna faced charges as an accessory. Their trial, scheduled for the following spring, promised to be one of Montana’s most closely watched legal proceedings.

Healing and Unanswered Questions

The recovery of Caleb Hail—now Oliver—was both a triumph and a tragedy. Emma and her father Lel struggled to reconnect with a child who had been lost to them for seven years. The community, once united in search and sympathy, grappled with the revelation that a trusted ranger had hidden his crimes in plain sight.

“The Hail investigation demonstrates that justice and healing are not synonymous,” Detective Cole wrote in her final report. “Legal resolution does not automatically restore what was taken from victims. The recovery of Caleb Hail represents both the best and worst outcomes possible—a child returned alive, but forever changed.”

As autumn settled over the Bitterroot Range, the mountains kept their eternal silence. The drone had finally revealed the truth, but the human cost of that revelation would echo through the valley for years to come.