MeatEater, Inc. is an outdoor lifestyle company founded by renowned writer and TV personality Steven Rinella. Host of the Netflix show MeatEater and The MeatEater Podcast, Rinella has gained wide popularity with hunters and non-hunters alike through his passion for outdoor adventure and wild foods, as well as his strong commitment to conservation. Founded with the belief that a deeper understanding of the natural world enriches all of our lives, MeatEater, Inc. brings together leading influencers in the outdoor space to create premium content experiences and unique apparel and equipment. MeatEater, Inc. is based in Bozeman, MT.

Lost in the Dark

Blood Trails Case Files
Man kneeling behind a downed deer holding antlers, wearing black T-shirt with MeatEater logo

In September 2012, 35-year-old Jeffrey Gebhardt vanished in the Georgia woods during an early-season deer hunt. Just a few hours later, search teams discovered his body on the edge of Clarks Hill Lake—hands folded neatly on his chest, gear scattered nearby, and eighteen stab wounds across his torso.

What investigators didn’t find was even more disturbing. No defensive wounds. No footprints except Jeff’s. No blood trail, no drag marks, no sign of a struggle. And a knife beneath him containing only his DNA

Was Jeff murdered by someone hiding deep in the forest? Did he witness something he shouldn’t have? Or did he experience a darker, far more complex crisis that left even forensic experts baffled?

In this episode of Blood Trails, we break down the full case file—interviews with Jeff’s hunting partner, GBI agents, forensic specialists, and members of Jeff’s community—to uncover why investigators ultimately reached the most controversial conclusion of all.

This is the story of a death that defies logic, a crime scene that rewrites itself, and a mystery that refuses to stay buried.

Click here to listen onSpotify,Apple Podcasts, orYouTube.

Got a tip about this case or know about another you think we should cover? Send us an email at[email protected].

Photo Evidence

Hunter kneeling in grassy field holding elk antlers and head, trees in background
Man with short reddish beard wearing orange shirt in blue bedroom with ceiling fan
Granite grave marker reading JEFFREY "POOH" GEBHARDT; OCT. 27, 1976 — SEPT. 23, 2012; LOVING SON. BROTHER. FRIEND
Three men in a small interview room, top-down view: camo-clad man seated; two dark-shirted men labeled "CEN", one writing.
Footprint with 12-inch ruler at left and boot sole at right; text labels "Print from the scene" and "David's boot"
GEORGIA BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION receipt reading One Grey stock Remington Model 710 Serial #71120365
Georgia Bureau of Investigation receipt handwritten: "one Kershaw folding knife with bloodstains"
GEORGIA BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION RECEIPT FOR PROPERTY — handwritten list: Craftsman flashlight; Verizon Pantech phone; "Boston Red Sox" cap; treestand harness; orange vest; brown towel; Great Value water.

Conversation