The residents of North Pond, Maine, were used to things disappearing from their kitchen, cupboards, and closets. Familiar with legends of mythical creatures and beasts that lurk in the dark, the locals started to suspect that these creatures were causing the sudden disappearance of food and clothes. Although they were never able to get proof, they still had a hard time truly believing that magical creatures could be held accountable. In 2013, the truth finally came out.
It wasn’t a mythical creature responsible for all the missing goods in the area, but a man. A man who hasn’t spoken to anyone in 3 decades. It was like he had vanished from the earth. After 27 years missing, he was finally found.
Now in jail, he shares the story of his life.
Growing Up Normally
Christopher Knight King had quite a normal life. He was born in 1965 and grew up in a simple and normal family in Central Maine. He had five siblings: 4 older brothers and a younger sister.
They were all smart kids who knew how to maintain the house and do odd jobs around it. Their family did not have a lot of money, and grew some vegetables in the greenhouse. From a very young age they knew how to fix automobiles, do basic plumbing and contributed to the family’s livelihood. Despite that, they grew up reading Shakespeare and poetry every evening.
Into Adulthood
Knight had difficulty in his human interaction and was a shy kid – but nothing out of the ordinary. All his life, he felt more comfortable when he was alone and preferred not to be surrounded by people.
As a young adult, he found a job near Boston, Massachusetts installing vehicle and home alarm systems. As he wasn’t an outgoing man, none of his co-workers really knew him and he didn’t have many social interactions besides with his family. This is the life he chose to live and he was happy with it.
His Sudden Disappearance
One day his family noticed that Knight had disappeared. He didn’t leave any notes. His car was found next to the forest but there were no signs of him. Police investigated but couldn’t find anything. It didn’t seem like there was violence involved but no one could tell what had happened to Christopher.
The fact that he left his keys in the car was somewhat strange for the police. Why were the keys left inside? Did someone attack him and he had to run? Or did he just forget them when he wandered off? Where was he?
These were the questions that lingered within the minds of his family and the police.
His Family’s Suffering
His family was worried about what happened to him but they never filed a missing person’s report. The police weren’t surprised that the family didn’t call for a search. They said that they are the kind of family which is “very-keep-to-themselves”. They were worried but didn’t want to involve the authorities. That was just the way they lived.
How come a 20-year-old man just vanished into thin air? His family suffered, having no idea what had happened to him. Slowly, they started to accept the fact that he might not come back ever again. Not knowing whether he may be dead was torture for them.
Where is Christopher?
For years, the disappearance of Knight was a well-known mystery in Maine, and someone was yet to come forward with knowledge of his whereabouts. His family considered him dead, and there were no connections or leads that could point to where he was or what had happened.
It was like he went camping in the woods but never came back.
Thieving and Housebreaking in North Maine
After Knight’s mysterious disappearance, the residents of North Maine began to experience other mysterious events like missing produce and clothes from their houses.
They were not sure what caused these things to disappear from inside their homes. There were never signs of violence or disturbing noises that typically preceded the thefts. Not only was it clothes and food, it was also tools and equipment from people’s garages.
Is There a Connection?
Even though the police investigated the housebreakings in Maine, they couldn’t locate any suspects.
Then, the police uncovered something else, something they had stopped investigating a long time ago. They were now able to link together the two mysteries that bothered the residents of Maine for so long.
27 years after he disappeared, Christopher Knight was found in the forest – alive. The police were looking for the person connected to all of the house break-ins in the area, and eventually were led to him. But they never imagined this is who they would find.
Knight was finally arrested
For 27 years, the residents of Maine didn’t know who was responsible for all of the seemingly random thefts in the area, but now they had a new name for the man who had gone missing – “The North Pond Hermit”.
Terry Hughes, a game warden, has put an end to this story. Using state-of-the-art surveillance he caught the Knight.
Christopher Knight was arrested after many years spent in isolation. He was charged with theft and burglary and was taken to the local jail. His arrest led to a commotion, with many visitors and letters arriving at the local jail.
So what really happened over the course of 3 decades? How did he detach himself from society, and moreover – why?
Life Changing Decision
After being captured by the authorities, Knight revealed the circumstances that led him to live in the forest. It all happened before the day that his car was left in the forest.
One day, on-site at his job in Boston, without any notice he quit his job and never returned his tools. He received his last paycheck and then left without a word.
He decided to travel alone for the very first time. He just got in a car and drove until he reached the southern part of the east coast, staying in cheap hotels and eating fast food along the way, he eventually found himself in Florida.
After exploring the east coast for a few days, he drove back to his town in Maine and went straight to his family home. He didn’t stop. He just looked at their house through the windshield of his car, and said his goodbyes.
Consequences of living alone
He was only 20 at the time. His peers were going to college, getting jobs and some even starting to have relationships and families. There was no clear reason for his decision to abandon society. He never explained himself or wrote about his experiences. So people could not see into his mind or understand the motivation for his choice.
He brought with him only a few camping supplies, some clothes, a small amount of food and nothing more. He tried to prepare for life in solitude, but he wasn’t sure how we would be able to feed himself. Yet none of this made him rethink what he was about to do or made him change his mind.
He left his car by the forest, took his supplies and started walking, not looking back.
His departure from society was a mix of commitment and courage for a 20-year-old man.
Telling the whole story
He started living on his own, all alone among the huge trees and cool air of the forest. He loved every second of it.
At some point, his supplies started to run out. His goal was to explore and survive in nature on his own, but this was not a suicide mission. He needed to find food to survive, and although Maine forests are vast, there are no fruit trees available. Without the possibility of fishing and trapping, he would surely starve.
Forced to go without food for days at a time he understood that this was not the solution. Hunger is hard to ignore. He had to think of ways to feed himself. He started thinking that maybe it was not possible to live alone in the woods for much longer. Then he found a solution good enough for him.
Surviving After All
Christopher didn’t want to go back to society. Despite his lack of a sustainable food source, he was still not willing to give up his freedom. He decided not to go back to society, but use the fact that it’s there to maintain his lifestyle.
Knight found that he could easily reach homes along the pond and near his hidden campsite. He did this a few times and eventually devised a plan, one that eventually worked for him for over a decade. When he arrived at his target site, he would make sure that there were no signs of people inside. He was careful not to get caught. One mistake and he would be discovered. Then he would have no choice, and be forced back into society. There were times when the cabins were left unlocked. This was the easiest time to enter and just take the supplies he needed.
Knight’s tactics and tricks
As the local residents started installing home security alarms, Christopher adapted. Since he was knowledgeable about security alarms from his previous job, he used some old tricks he knew to help him continue stealing. He sometimes disabled the system and removed the memory cards from the surveillance camera, for example. The crime scenes were always left clean and with no signs of burglary other than the missing items.
Even though he did it for years, each time he entered a cabin, he felt ashamed. He was conscious that he was doing something wrong and he took no pleasure at it at all. Each house break-in brought Knight enough supplies to last him 2 weeks. Every time he returned to his hideout in the wilderness, he experienced a deep sense of calmness.
The guy who arrested him
Terry Hughes, the man who brought about his arrest, was known as a law-and-order man. He said that he was already prepared to hate Knight before ever meeting.
When Christopher was caught, he accompanied Hughes back to the site in the woods he called home. During their walk into the woods, Hughes was amazed at the way Knight’s carried himself and moved through the wilderness.
Hughes later described his movements like those of a cat. He moved with grace and agility, so quietly it was almost imperceptible. The cleanliness of his crimes was also noted by the police. No one was ever harmed or suffered more than the loss of property due to Knight’s actions. Additionally, police were surprised to discover that even though he had lived in the forest for almost three decades, he did not own or carry a weapon.
His Extraordinary Strategies
Hughes was amazed by Knight’s ability to survive. He never left any trace of his presence such as footprints or tracks behind, and had an unbelievable intuition to know which houses to rob so he wouldn’t get caught.
Hughes was fascinated by Knight’s survival tactics. For example, he woke up every morning during winter at 2:30 am. It was his routine to use a little camp stove to melt the snow for drinking water.
People’s Reaction
Knight not only stole food and goods from people, but their peace of mind and security as well. When he was apprehended, people had different reactions to the news. Many of the owners of the cabins and houses that he stole from thought that he deserved to go to jail. Yet, there were others who were victims of his actions and thought of him as no more than a seasonal, harmless housefly, willing to overlook the trespassing and larceny.
Everyone wanted to know more about his circumstances and how he felt about the situation. People were eager to get a deeper insight into his mine, mainly because he lived his life so differently from most people. Some have expressed admiration for his survival skills, especially during winter. Others, were more cynical and thought he might have been taking shelter in the vacant cabins to survive.
No one knew what he was actually thinking and what was the truth, until he started talking.
People’s intriguing Questions for Him
Knight didn’t interact with other people for 27 years, and people were curious to know the true reason behind his isolation. They were intrigued to learn about why he left society and what insights he may have about the world as a result of his self-imposed segregation.
Was he truly an anti-social loner? Or was there a deeper meaning to his isolation? Was it an attempt to learn more about the effects of society on the mind? People waited in anticipation to hear from Knight himself about how he survived, without ever starting a fire, and why he chose to go it alone.
Behavior Expert’s Opinion about Him
A week after being arrested, it was still unclear what led Knight to disappear into the woods for nearly three decades and what he might reveal to the world about his experience. While he decided to avoid human interaction, he still depended on his neighborhood in rural Smithfield and Rome to steal batteries, food, and other necessary supplies that kept him alive for 27 years.
Behavior experts couldn’t diagnose his motives without examining him first, but they had some possible explanations for his reclusive, anti-social behavior. They said that emotional trauma, an onset of mental illness and the painful social awkwardness which can all manifest and become overwhelming at the onset of one’s 20s may have pushed him to make a permanent break with society.
Knight Finally Breaks His Silence
Christopher started sharing his story. He went into the wilderness after the Chernobyl nuclear plant explosion in the Soviet Union in 1986, never planning to speak with anyone ever again.
He stayed in his campsite during the day and ventured out every night to avoid being captured.
Knight spent his days reading the books that he stole from his neighborhood, fixing his campsite, looking at the sky, sitting on a container and watching the eagles fly by. Usually, he ate more during the fall so he could eat less during the snow season and he avoided making treks that would leave footprints. He chose to wrap himself in layered sleeping bags rather than starting fires that would draw people’s attention. This is how he lived in the forest and the steps he took to survive all those years.
What Makes a Man Become a Hermit?
There are a lot of hermits, people who want to be alone. They are known by many names such as loners, anchorites, and recluses. It is common for people to seek solitude for religious purposes,but Knight said that he wasn’t a religious man and he had no opinion about society that would push him away.
The most popular kind of hermit nowadays is one who leaves society for scientific, artistic and personal reasons, called a pursuer. But Chris Knight did not fit in this category either. He never painted or wrote. His goal was not to achieve some sort of higher plane of being or remove himself from the pressures of society in order to create art uninhibitedly. His life, though reluctantly spent as a burglar, was almost more rigid than anyone in human history.
His real reasons for hiding in the wilderness
We are all looking to achieve contentment and happiness in life. Knight wanted the same, but he could only attain this goal by means of isolating himself from society. He was not satisfied being around other people and he found contentment and satisfaction in the woods alone. He had no idea what would happen to him, but he ultimately found what he was looking for. He found a comfortable place which filled him a sense of fulfillment and joy.
He left society because he was not comfortable with himself and his perceived lack of place in the world among others. He was an extremely bright man, but he did not feel like he fit in.
Knight has pleaded guilty to 13 times
Knight was admitted to the Co-Occurring Disorders Court, a special court set up to help people with mental health problems and substance abuse issues. He was ordered to work and live in the area while reporting weekly to a judge.
Knight during his hearing
Knight was scheduled for a conference in connection with his case, the theft, and burglary charges. He even told to the authorities that he was the one responsible for burglaries in the East Pond, Little North Pond, and North Pond over the 27 years he spent alone in the woods.
He was held in custody since his initial arrest at the camp, where a policeman and the game warden stopped him as he was leaving the dining area with a backpack loaded with tools and food. During his hearing, he only spoke to Billings and they sat in a place reserved for those people in police custody.
His Delayed Hearing
His hearing was delayed due to miscommunication between his defense and the state over initial jail time. Justice Nancy Mill said that the prosecutor told the victims that nine months would be the best period of time but Walter’s McKee, Knight’s attorney, said that it would be best if it was seven months, which was time served.
Justice Nancy Mill eventually sided with the defense, and decided that his jail time would be 7 months. Her goal was to teach him ways to succeed through the program. If Knight wasn’t able to complete the program, there was a big possibility that his sentence would be a maximum of seven years.
Detailed Evidence Against Him
When Maine State Police Trooper Diane Perkins-Vance first questioned him, he said that he had no contact with any of his family members since 1980. He also said that it was the last time he had purchased anything and everything he owned except his eyeglasses was robbed.
District Attorney Maeghan Maloney detailed the evidence and explained that Knight was charged with only crimes that were reported to the police prior to April 4. After the hearing, Knight’s attorney said that there is no exact date set for his release from jail. He stated some details about Knight’s living arrangement and the assistance he will be receiving from his family.
Some Reclaimed Items
The police discovered his site was full of propane tanks, clothes, batteries, camping gear, foodstuffs, and sleeping bags. The police collected all the stolen property and allowed victims of burglaries in the East Pond, Little North Pond, and North Pond to reclaim their possessions. Only a few people chose to take back their things.
Many people said that knowing the longtime burglar was inside the jail made them feel safer. Knight’s sentence was compulsory upon completion of Co-Occurring Disorders Court. If he did not pass the requirements then the result would be an immediate sentencing.
Where is He Now?
After the news came out about him being captured, people were intrigued. Curiosity grew and questions about his current whereabouts intensified. Was he still in jail? What does society think of him now, all of these years later? How much time will he spend in jail? What he is going to do after his eventual release from jail?
Knight’s story of isolation and theft for survival, as well as his arrest in April 2013 set the worldwide media abuzz with interest. Since he already served his initially set prison time, his remaining sentence amounted only to probation. According to his attorney, Knight worked for one of his brothers in exchange for board and room. He still doesn’t talk and say much.
Knight’s New Life
Mills praised McKee and Maloney for letting Knight go to the Co-Occurring Disorders Court. She said the Knight really benefited from the experience. He is now a volunteer in his community and regularly helps his family. She also said that previously, Knight said that he felt bad for what he did and that’s the reason why he didn’t allow for interviews from the media.
An officer of the Kennebec jail said that as part of his special court-ordered program, Knight was released on Nov. 3 after serving for about 7 months in jail. There are few details about his release and his life outside of jail. Kennebec’s District Attorney Maloney and Walter McKee, Knight’s attorney are said to be aware of where he is working and living.
More to Know about Him
Knight’s attorney said that Knight was being looked after. He had a place to live and work, but they did not want to disclose too much personal information, as they didn’t want Knight to be the subject of intense media attention and public scrutiny.
When a reporter tried to ask a woman, who answered the telephone at Knight mother’s home in Albion, about Knight, the woman said that she has no information at all and then hung up. Now, out of jail, Knight mainly keeps to himself and has spurned all contact with media. Maybe despite all of Knights efforts in rehabilitation he was still too uncomfortable with that much attention from society, or it was just his way of showing the world that no matter what he was sticking to his prefered method of existence, far from the influence and gaze of the masses.
He Needs Our Help
The co-founder of Co-Occurring Disorders Court said that their aim was to help people exactly like Knight. These people have challenges and should not be punished and then released, with giving the opportunity to work on existing in the public spaces allotted for by society. Knight’s condition requires regular reporting to a judge at Kennebec County Superior Court, following a plan for his treatment in compliance with the prescribed medicine.
He also needs to stay away from illegal drugs and alcohol, comply with random drug testing and avoid all contact with drug users. While he was in jail, compliance in this program was much easier. Maloney also explained that the point of having the court check-ins, is to maintain that connection with the community. It becomes extremely hard to stay within the fold when there is little to no contact with members of society.
Why He Needed the Co-Occurring Disorders Court
Knight only remembered the event that marked the date of his departure from the world. There still was no clear motive and the police never got an official answer from him regarding his reason for leaving.
There were instances where Maloney and McKee said that he had an alcohol problem and needed counseling. Also, allegations of mental issues, which probably led to his admission into court in the first place. She? also said that Knight reported to court for his closed proceedings weekly. Also, he has no contact with the alleged victims. He was also aware that if he fails to complete the program, he will need a longer period of time in jail.