Buncombe County-- May 26, 2026: A new felony kidnapping charge has been filed against Dillion James Curtis, 29, in connection with an alleged attack on an Asheville-based outdoor content creator, Emily Sutherland, in the popular Bent Creek Experimental Forest.
The Buncombe County Sheriff’s Office added the second-degree kidnapping charge against Curtis on Sunday, May 24, following an ongoing investigation. Warrants allege that Curtis unlawfully confined Emily Sutherland without her consent, with the purpose of terrorizing her. This new charge escalates the legal proceedings against Curtis, who was initially arrested on Saturday, May 23, in Henderson County on warrants stemming from Sutherland's report.
Sutherland, an Asheville-based outdoor content creator, had previously filed warrants alleging she was attacked while finishing a 13-mile trail run in the Bent Creek Experimental Forest. This area, just southwest of Asheville and near the NC Arboretum, is a US Forest Service research area and one of the most heavily used trail and mountain-biking networks in the region. The initial charges against Curtis included assault on a female, false imprisonment, interfering with emergency communication, and communicating threats.
Captain Dustan Auldredge of the Buncombe County Sheriff's Office District 1 confirmed that deputies continued their investigation after the initial charges were filed, determining that second-degree kidnapping was an appropriate additional charge.
Curtis is currently being held in the Buncombe County Detention Facility without bond due to the additional charge.
Initial charges:
Assault on a female
False imprisonment
Interfering with emergency communication
Communicating threats
He is scheduled to make his first court appearance on Tuesday, May 26.