When Khaled Baptiste and his 15-year-old niece, Lisa, set out for what was supposed to be a peaceful hiking trip in Grand Teton National Park in May 2015, no one in their Georgia hometown could have imagined that it would turn into one of the park’s darkest mysteries. For three years, Lisa’s parents, Andre and Sabrina, clung to the belief that their daughter’s disappearance was the result of an accident—maybe a fall, a bear encounter, or a sudden storm.
But what later came to light shattered that hope and revealed a horrifying betrayal at the hands of someone they trusted the most. Khaled, known as a devoted outdoorsman and a patient, reliable uncle, had always been regarded as the safe pair of hands within the family. When he suggested taking Lisa on a “rite of passage” hike, her parents didn’t hesitate to agree. On May 29, 2015, the two were captured on a surveillance camera at Timber Basin trailhead. Khaled carried backpacks, a cooler, and camping gear, while Lisa clutched her black journal and kept her hoodie pulled over her head.
At 9:13 a.m., Lisa sent her last message: a photo of sunlight piercing through pine trees, with the caption, “Feels like magic here.” Her phone shut off shortly after. Search teams launched extensive efforts when the pair didn’t return, combing rugged terrain with dogs, helicopters, and rangers. Still, no signs emerged—no campsite, no belongings, not even footprints. The only clue was a faint trail ending near a dangerous stretch of Deer Creek Fork. Investigators speculated about wild animals, accidents, or even the possibility that Lisa had run away, but her parents insisted she would never abandon her family.
As time passed, the case went cold, and while Khaled’s wife moved to Montana still believing he was alive, Andre and Sabrina left Lisa’s room untouched, waiting for an answer that seemed destined never to come. That answer arrived in May 2018, when retired ranger Miles Dupri and his search dog uncovered a scrap of pink fabric near Timber Basin. Forensic testing confirmed it belonged to Lisa. Soon after, investigators found her remains buried under stones and branches, showing signs of restraint and head trauma.
The grisly discovery didn’t end there. Nearby, under a rock shelf, they discovered a crude shelter stocked with supplies and, most shockingly, eight journals filled with Khaled’s handwriting. What those journals contained revealed a side of him no one could have predicted. Khaled had carefully groomed Lisa, disguising his predatory intentions as mentorship. His writings spoke of “sacred bonds,” “purity through isolation,” and described Lisa as “the chosen one.” Months before the hike, he meticulously planned supply lists, routes, and ways to conceal their presence.
Along with the journals were photographs of Lisa, often taken without her knowledge, annotated with chilling notes like “Ready soon.” Though the journals ended before Lisa’s final hours, they painted a clear picture: her disappearance was no accident but the culmination of a disturbing plan. With this evidence, authorities classified the case as homicide. A manhunt began, and in August 2018, Khaled was spotted on surveillance footage in Sheridan, Montana, purchasing supplies. When authorities closed in on his trailer, he surrendered without resistance, claiming, “You don’t understand.
She loved me back.” The arrest devastated both families. Deja, his wife, collapsed upon learning the truth, while Andre and Sabrina were forced to relive every trusting moment they had shared with Khaled, now tainted forever. Inside his hideout, investigators found fake IDs, travel tickets, and survivalist gear—proving he had been hiding deliberately, not lost. In October 2019, Khaled pleaded guilty to second-degree murder, kidnapping, and unlawful sexual contact with a minor.
He received a 40-year prison sentence without parole. Lisa’s parents, heartbroken, scattered her ashes along the trail she never finished, and a small marker was placed at Timber Basin trailhead in her memory. Visitors now leave pinecones, drawings, and notes, honoring the girl who loved nature but trusted the wrong person. Lisa’s story is more than a tragedy—it’s a cautionary tale about the dangers that can exist behind familiar faces.
Khaled’s calm demeanor and reputation for reliability were masks hiding his darker intentions. His journals revealed not a man consumed by wilderness survival but one consumed by obsession and control. Ultimately, Lisa’s life was stolen not by the wild but by misplaced trust. Her case reminds us that the greatest dangers aren’t always strangers lurking in the shadows but sometimes the very people we believe will protect us. It is a story of loss, betrayal, and the importance of vigilance—a truth that lingers long after the forests gave up their secret.
