A North Carolina man’s audacious attempt to fake his own death in a kayaking accident to evade criminal charges has come to a crashing end.
Melvin Emde, 41, found himself in custody in Georgia after a traffic stop and motorcycle crash exposed his elaborate charade. It all began on August 7 when Emde’s son reported him missing, alleging he had fallen overboard while kayaking on the Mississippi River near Hahnville, Louisiana, according to a Facebook post from the St. Charles Parish Sheriff’s Office.
However, authorities smelled something fishy right from the start, suspecting the incident was a ruse to escape pending charges in North Carolina, allowing the hoax to play out.
The scheme quickly unraveled as Emde was found to be wearing his court-ordered ankle monitor, while supposedly submerged. Ultimately, a motorcycle encounter in Georgia led to his capture.
Fingerprint analysis confirmed his true identity, concluding a bizarre and ill-fated escape plan. Sheriff Greg Champagne declared it was time for Emde to face the legal consequences of his actions in North Carolina.