Two Girls Lost in the Forest — 5 Years Later, Found in the Most Unexpected Place
On June 23, 2020, a seemingly ordinary day in Pisgah National Forest, North Carolina, transformed into a scene of unimaginable horror. Ranger Kevin Jacobs, a seasoned veteran with 25 years of experience, was patrolling a remote trail when he stumbled upon an anomaly that would lead to one of the most shocking discoveries in recent history. Hidden beneath the roots of a massive oak tree, he found a metal hatch—an entrance to a dark secret that had remained buried for five long years.
The Discovery
As Jacobs opened the hatch, he felt a chill run down his spine. Descending the metal ladder into the darkness, he and his team uncovered a concrete bunker measuring approximately 4×6 meters. Inside, the air was thick with the stench of decay and despair. Two metal beds were chained to the walls, surrounded by empty plastic bottles and remnants of food. But it was in the far corner, behind a makeshift partition of dirty blankets, that they found them—two women, alive but barely.
Haley Watson and Emma Hirs, once vibrant young women, now resembled shadows of their former selves. Weighing no more than 30 kilograms each, their skin was covered in sores, their hair matted and dirty. They could not speak, only making faint noises as if they had forgotten how to use their voices. The medics who arrived immediately began to provide assistance, but the reality of their condition was grim. One of them was critically dehydrated, while the other hovered on the brink of life and death.
Five days later, as they began to recover in Mission Hospital, one of the women whispered her name: Haley Watson. It was a name that North Carolina authorities had not heard in five years, a name linked to a disappearance that had once been classified as hopeless. The nightmare that had begun as a hiking trip in July 2015 had transformed into a harrowing story of survival, captivity, and unimaginable horror.
The Disappearance
The summer morning of July 10, 2015, was warm and inviting. Haley, then 19, a sophomore at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, awoke excited for a two-day hiking trip with her best friend, 20-year-old Emma Hirs. The two had planned this getaway for months, eager to escape the hustle of college life and immerse themselves in the beauty of nature.
After packing their gear and sending reassuring messages to their parents, they set off in Emma’s old Honda Civic, their spirits high as they drove towards Pisgah National Forest. The last known footage of the girls, captured by a gas station security camera, showed them laughing and smiling, blissfully unaware of the horrors that awaited them.
Upon entering the forest, they checked in with Ranger Thomas Henderson, who recalled their cheerful demeanor and their questions about the safety of the trails. At 1:15 PM, Emma sent a message to her family, stating they had arrived and were about to head to Looking Glass Falls. That was the last anyone would hear from them.
By July 12, when the girls were due back and failed to make contact, their families reported them missing. A search party was quickly mobilized, beginning at their last known location. The searchers found Emma’s car parked at a dirt lot, keys in the ignition, but no sign of the girls. Tracking dogs picked up their scent, leading the team deep into the forest where they discovered a partially burned tent, blood stains, and signs of a violent struggle.
Detective Sarah Collins, who took over the investigation, quickly classified the case as a suspected abduction. The amount of blood found indicated serious injuries, and the scene suggested a deliberate attempt to destroy evidence. As the investigation unfolded, it became clear that the girls had vanished without a trace, and the search soon attracted national media attention.
The Search and Investigation
For weeks, volunteers and authorities scoured the forest, but their efforts yielded no leads. Theories emerged, ranging from animal attacks to accidents, but none fit the evidence. The FBI joined the investigation, and authorities interviewed registered sex offenders in the area, but all leads turned cold. The case soon reached a dead end, and by 2016, it was officially classified as cold, leaving the families heartbroken and desperate for answers.
Despite the bleak outlook, Detective Collins refused to give up. She continued to review the case, convinced that the truth was hidden within the forest. Little did she know that the answers would come from a horrific ordeal that had begun in the dark depths of the bunker.
Five Years in Captivity
Haley and Emma’s nightmare began that fateful evening when a seemingly friendly man approached their campsite. He introduced himself as Tom, claiming to be lost and asking to join them by the fire. They welcomed him, unaware that he was a predator. In a terrifying turn of events, he revealed a gun, threatening their lives and forcing them into submission.
After binding their hands and feet, he set their tent on fire, creating a chaotic scene designed to mislead any potential searchers. He then kidnapped them, taking them to a hidden bunker he had constructed deep within the forest—a place designed for horror.
Inside the bunker, the two young women faced unimaginable cruelty. They were subjected to systematic abuse, both physical and sexual, by the man who had taken them captive. He visited sporadically, bringing meager supplies to keep them alive but also inflicting violence for any perceived disobedience. The psychological toll was as devastating as the physical; he manipulated them into believing they had been forgotten by the world.
Despite the horror, Haley and Emma developed a survival strategy—obeying their captor to minimize violence and supporting each other emotionally. They clung to the hope that one day they would be rescued or find a way to escape. But as the years passed, their hope began to wane, and the darkness of their situation threatened to consume them.
The Turning Point
In June 2020, after weeks without visits from their captor, Haley and Emma found themselves in a dire situation. With dwindling food and water supplies, they resorted to drinking condensation from the walls and eating mold. They were on the brink of death when, on June 23, Haley heard distant voices—real voices. Summoning every ounce of strength, she began to make noise, desperate for rescue.
Ranger Kevin Jacobs and his team heard the faint sounds and descended into the bunker. What they found was shocking: two emaciated women, barely clinging to life. The medics worked urgently to stabilize them, but the horror of their five-year ordeal was only beginning to unfold.
The Pursuit of Justice
As Haley and Emma recovered in the hospital, investigators turned their attention to finding the man who had held them captive. Forensic experts combed through the bunker, collecting DNA samples and fingerprints. Within 48 hours, they identified the kidnapper as David Thomas Williams, a man with a criminal past who had lived a seemingly ordinary life in the community.
On June 25, just two days after the girls’ rescue, a SWAT team surrounded Williams’ home. He was arrested without incident, showing no surprise at his capture. Inside his house, investigators found a trove of evidence, including the girls’ personal belongings and hundreds of photographs documenting their captivity. Williams had meticulously planned the abduction, researching how to build an underground bunker and how to avoid detection.
Charged with multiple counts of kidnapping, sexual assault, and attempted murder, Williams faced the possibility of the death penalty. However, after discussions with the victims and their families, a plea deal was reached. Haley, wanting to avoid a lengthy trial, chose to spare herself and Emma from reliving their trauma in court.
On July 13, 2020, Williams was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole. For Haley and Emma, it was a moment of bittersweet relief. They had survived an unimaginable ordeal and now had the opportunity to begin healing.
The Aftermath
The story of Haley Watson and Emma Hirs is one of resilience in the face of horror. It raises pressing questions about safety and the ability of predators to blend into society, hiding in plain sight. Their experience serves as a stark reminder of the darkness that can exist even in the most beautiful places.
As they work towards recovery, Haley and Emma have become symbols of hope and survival. Their bond, forged in the depths of despair, remains unbreakable. They have emerged from their ordeal not just as survivors but as advocates for awareness and prevention, determined to ensure that their story is not forgotten.
In the end, the forest that once concealed their nightmare became the backdrop for their incredible survival story—a tale that underscores the strength of the human spirit against the most harrowing of circumstances.
