DAWSONVILLE, Ga. — A drifter agreed to lead investigators to a hiker’s decapitated body in the woods of northern Georgia only after prosecutors pledged not to seek the death penalty against him, authorities said yesterday.

Gary Michael Hilton, 61, was charged with murder after Meredith Emerson’s body was found Monday night. The 24-year-old died of a blow to the head three days after she disappeared during a New Year’s Day hike, District Attorney Lee Darragh of Dawson County said.

Mr. Hilton had already been charged Saturday with kidnapping with intent of bodily injury. He is being held in the Dawson County jail.

The finding that Emerson died before being decapitated was made by Kris Sperry, the state’s chief medical examiner, a Georgia Bureau of Investigation spokesman, John Bankhead, said.

Mr. Hilton was charged Saturday with kidnapping with intent of bodily injury. He appeared Monday before a judge who denied his request for bail. Hours later, he took investigators to Emerson’s body, an agent for the Georgia Bureau of Investigation, John Cagle, said.

Emerson had gone hiking with her dog. Mr. Hilton was the last person seen with her on a hiking trail and had tried to use her credit card, according to his arrest warrant. Authorities are not releasing information on how Emerson met Mr. Hilton and what happened between the time she disappeared and when she was killed, Mr. Bankhead said.

Mr. Hilton’s attorney, Neil Smith, declined to comment yesterday.

At a news conference yesterday in Athens, Ga., Emerson’s godmother, Peggy Bailey, thanked law enforcement agencies and the press.

“We would also like to thank the untold number of friends, volunteers, and family who helped search and support all of us at this tragic and troubling time,” she said. Asked whether the family was told of the arrangement with Mr. Hilton before it was made, Ms. Bailey said, “We’re just not discussing anything about that at all.”