1 00:00:14,014 --> 00:00:15,515 >>> I'M LESTER HOLT. 2 00:00:15,515 --> 00:00:18,985 TONIGHT ON "DATELINE" -- A CROWDED CARNIVAL 3 00:00:18,985 --> 00:00:23,623 A MISSING CHILD. AND A ROLLER COASTER RIDE WITH A 4 00:00:23,623 --> 00:00:28,661 HEAD SNAPPING TWIST. >> MICHELLE WAS HYSTERICAL 5 00:00:28,661 --> 00:00:31,064 SHE SAID, "TIMMY'S MISSING." >> IF SOMEBODY HAS HIM, I DON'T 6 00:00:31,064 --> 00:00:34,634 CARE WHO YOU ARE I JUST WANT MY SON BACK. 7 00:00:34,634 --> 00:00:37,704 >> THEY JUST KEPT DRILLING HER AND DRILLING HER AND DRILLING 8 00:00:37,704 --> 00:00:39,906 HER. >> WE KIND OF FELT LIKE THERE 9 00:00:39,906 --> 00:00:43,109 WAS MORE TO THIS THAN SHE WAS TELLING US 10 00:00:43,109 --> 00:00:45,445 >> Reporter: THERE'S NEWS REPORTS THAT MICHELLE HAS BEEN 11 00:00:45,445 --> 00:00:49,716 KIDNAPPED. >> THAT WAS A SHOWSTOPPER. 12 00:00:49,716 --> 00:00:51,551 >> I'M THINKING, LIKE, "THE SAME PEOPLE THAT TOOK TIMMY, THEY 13 00:00:51,551 --> 00:00:55,121 CAME BACK AND NOW THEY'RE GONNA KILL HER." 14 00:00:55,121 --> 00:00:57,490 >> THERE WAS A BLANKET RECOVERED ABOUT 15 FEET ON THE EMBANKMENT. 15 00:00:57,490 --> 00:00:58,892 >> Reporter: YOU RECOGNIZED THAT BLANKET RIGHT AWAY 16 00:00:58,892 --> 00:01:01,594 >> RIGHT AWAY. >> WITHOUT THE BLANKET, THERE 17 00:01:01,594 --> 00:01:03,797 WAS NO CASE. >> YOU CRACK A COLD CASE, YOU 18 00:01:03,797 --> 00:01:05,432 GET ON "DATELINE." >> WE WERE LIKE, "I DON'T 19 00:01:05,432 --> 00:01:07,967 UNDERSTAND HOW COULD THEY ARREST YOU? 20 00:01:07,967 --> 00:01:12,539 YOU DIDN'T DO ANYTHING?" >> THIS IS WHERE IT GETS EVEN 21 00:01:12,539 --> 00:01:16,609 CRAZIER. >> WE EXPECT THAT ONCE THE JURY 22 00:01:16,609 --> 00:01:30,557 MAKES THEIR DECISION, GAME OVER. BUT NOT IN THIS CASE 23 00:01:30,557 --> 00:01:37,230 * >> HERE'S ANDREA CANNING WITH 24 00:01:37,230 --> 00:01:39,699 "THE BLUE BLANKET MYSTERY. >> Reporter: IT WAS A MOMENT 25 00:01:39,699 --> 00:01:42,335 THAT DEVASTATED NEARLY EVERYONE IN THIS QUIET CORNER OF 26 00:01:42,335 --> 00:01:44,604 SUBURBIA THIS IS REALLY A PARENT'S WORST 27 00:01:44,604 --> 00:01:46,773 NIGHTMARE. >> YES, ABSOLUTELY 28 00:01:46,773 --> 00:01:50,510 >> Reporter: THE LITTLE BOY AT A CARNIVAL WHO SUDDENLY VANISHED 29 00:01:50,510 --> 00:01:52,645 >> THE INNOCENCE THAT WE HAD AS A COMMUNITY WAS CHANGED FROM 30 00:01:52,645 --> 00:01:55,515 THAT DAY ON. >> Reporter: EVERYONE WAS 31 00:01:55,515 --> 00:01:57,417 TOUCHED BY THIS CASE FROM THE PARENTS WHO SWORE NEVER 32 00:01:57,417 --> 00:01:58,952 TO LOSE SIGHT OF THEIR CHILDREN AGAIN -- 33 00:01:58,952 --> 00:02:01,254 >> I WENT HOME I HUGGED MY KIDS 34 00:02:01,254 --> 00:02:04,457 I FELT SO BAD. >> Reporter: -- TO THE TIRELESS 35 00:02:04,457 --> 00:02:07,727 DETECTIVES WHO SEARCHED AND LABORED, LOSING HOPE THEY WOULD 36 00:02:07,727 --> 00:02:11,231 EVER FIND ANSWERS. >> I HAVE NIGHTMARES EVERY 37 00:02:11,231 --> 00:02:13,066 MAY 25th WHEN HE DISAPPEARED >> Reporter: 30 YEARS OF TWISTS 38 00:02:13,066 --> 00:02:16,102 AND TURNS. >> IT'S LIKE MYSTERY ON TOP OF 39 00:02:16,102 --> 00:02:18,805 MYSTERY ON TOP OF MYSTERY. >> Reporter: AND THEN, JUST A 40 00:02:18,805 --> 00:02:21,641 FEW MONTHS AGO, THE CASE SUDDENLY CAME TO A DRAMATIC AND 41 00:02:21,641 --> 00:02:25,245 CONTROVERSIAL END. >> THAT WE DIDN'T SEE COMING 42 00:02:25,245 --> 00:02:29,215 >> I SCREAMED. AND I GOT ON MY KNEES. 43 00:02:29,215 --> 00:02:31,384 >> Reporter: THIS IS ONE OF THE MOST SHOCKING TWISTS FOR THE END 44 00:02:31,384 --> 00:02:36,656 OF A CASE THAT I'VE EVER SEEN. >> YES 45 00:02:36,656 --> 00:02:40,493 UNBELIEVABLE >> Reporter: IT WAS MEMORIAL DAY 46 00:02:40,493 --> 00:02:43,997 WEEKEND, MAY 25th. 1991 WHEN THIS CARNIVAL ROLLED 47 00:02:43,997 --> 00:02:45,799 INTO A WORKING CLASS NEW JERSEY TOWN 48 00:02:45,799 --> 00:02:49,102 THE RATTLE OF RIDES AND LAUGHTER OF CHILDREN MARKED THE 49 00:02:49,102 --> 00:02:51,104 UNOFFICIAL START OF SUMMER >> IT WAS PACKED 50 00:02:51,104 --> 00:02:54,207 A LOT OF RIDES I COULD JUST HEAR THE NOISE, 51 00:02:54,207 --> 00:02:58,945 SMELL THE POPCORN AND, YOU KNOW, ALL THE FOOD 52 00:02:58,945 --> 00:03:00,613 >> Reporter: A COUPLE OF HUNDRED LOCALS, MANY OF THEM PARENTS 53 00:03:00,613 --> 00:03:02,148 WITH KIDS IN TOW, ENJOYED THE WARM SATURDAY NIGHT. 54 00:03:02,148 --> 00:03:03,583 >> MUSIC WAS LOUD, AND IT SEEMED LIKE EVERYONE WAS HAVING A GOOD 55 00:03:03,583 --> 00:03:05,318 TIME >> Reporter: SEEMS LIKE NOTHING 56 00:03:05,318 --> 00:03:06,820 OUT OF THE ORDINARY. >> NO, NOTHING 57 00:03:06,820 --> 00:03:08,355 >> Reporter: JUST ANOTHER CARNIVAL 58 00:03:08,355 --> 00:03:10,924 >> YES >> Reporter: JENNIFER DILCHER 59 00:03:10,924 --> 00:03:13,426 WAS 15 YEARS OLD AT THE TIME SHE AND HER FRIEND ARRIVED 60 00:03:13,426 --> 00:03:16,162 AROUND 7:00. >> SO I WALK INTO THE CARNIVAL 61 00:03:16,162 --> 00:03:19,833 IT'S STILL LIGHT OUT >> Reporter: SHE WAS EXCITED TO 62 00:03:19,833 --> 00:03:21,568 MEET UP WITH HER AUNT, 23-YEAR-OLD MICHELLE LODZINSKI, 63 00:03:21,568 --> 00:03:24,437 AND MICHELLE'S 5-YEAR-OLD SON TIMMY. 64 00:03:24,437 --> 00:03:28,508 >> THAT WAS MY BABY. HE'D HAVE BEEN MY CHOICE FOR A 65 00:03:28,508 --> 00:03:31,077 SON IF I COULD CHOOSE. >> Reporter: SHE BABY SAT TIMM 66 00:03:31,077 --> 00:03:33,380 MOST WEEKENDS. SHE CALLED HIM HER LITTLE MAN. 67 00:03:33,380 --> 00:03:35,548 ARE YOU AWARE IF MICHELLE AND TIMMY ARE ALREADY THERE? 68 00:03:35,548 --> 00:03:37,851 >> IT'S THE TIME WE'RE SUPPOSED TO MEET THEM 69 00:03:37,851 --> 00:03:40,253 AND I SEE MICHELLE JUST STANDING THERE. 70 00:03:40,253 --> 00:03:42,789 >> Reporter: SOMETHING WAS WRONG. 71 00:03:42,789 --> 00:03:46,893 TIMMY WASN'T WITH HIS MOM, AND SHE LOOKED WORRIED 72 00:03:46,893 --> 00:03:49,896 >> ME AND MY FRIEND WALK UP TO HER AND, LIKE, "MICHELLE, 73 00:03:49,896 --> 00:03:52,799 WHERE'S TIMMY AT?" SHE'S LIKE, "I DON'T KNOW. 74 00:03:52,799 --> 00:03:55,769 I CAN'T FIND HIM." SO WE RAN OFF AND WE GOT A 75 00:03:55,769 --> 00:03:59,706 POLICE OFFICER >> Reporter: SHE SPOTTED 76 00:03:59,706 --> 00:04:01,474 KEVIN SKOLNIK, AN AUXILIARY OFFICER WITH THE SAYREVILLE 77 00:04:01,474 --> 00:04:03,410 POLICE DEPARTMENT, AND BROUGHT HIM TO MICHELLE. 78 00:04:03,410 --> 00:04:05,879 >> HE JUST STARTS ASKING HER QUESTIONS. 79 00:04:05,879 --> 00:04:08,848 SHE TELLS HIM, YOU KNOW, SHE CAN'T FIND HER LITTLE BOY. 80 00:04:08,848 --> 00:04:11,818 >> SHE SAYS TO ME, "I WAS AT THE FOOD STAND GETTING HIM A SODA. 81 00:04:11,818 --> 00:04:13,386 WHICH WAS IN HER HANDS "AND I TURNED AROUND TO GIVE IT 82 00:04:13,386 --> 00:04:14,821 TO HIM, AND HE WAS GONE. >> Reporter: WHAT ARE YOU 83 00:04:14,821 --> 00:04:18,058 THINKING >> I SAID TO MYSELF, "OKAY, 84 00:04:18,058 --> 00:04:21,795 LET'S SEE IF WE CAN FIND HIM." SO WE WALKED AROUND ALMOST LIKE 85 00:04:21,795 --> 00:04:24,798 IN AN "O" -- "O" PATTERN >> Reporter: MICHELLE DESCRIBED 86 00:04:24,798 --> 00:04:29,102 TIMMY TO THE OFFICER HE WAS WEARING A RED TANK TOP, 87 00:04:29,102 --> 00:04:32,539 RED SHORTS, AND TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLE SNEAKERS. 88 00:04:32,539 --> 00:04:37,377 ARE YOU THINKING, "I'M SURE HE'S JUST, YOU KNOW, WANDERED OFF TO 89 00:04:37,377 --> 00:04:38,845 A GAME OR A RIDE, AND I'M SURE HE'S FINE" 90 00:04:38,845 --> 00:04:40,213 THIS IS NOT -- >> YES, THAT WAS - 91 00:04:40,213 --> 00:04:41,614 >> Reporter: -- A DANGEROUS LOCATION 92 00:04:41,614 --> 00:04:43,316 >> AND IT WASN'T THAT BIG. AND YOU COULD SEE FROM ONE SIDE 93 00:04:43,316 --> 00:04:45,085 TO THE OTHER >> Reporter: BUT AFTER 94 00:04:45,085 --> 00:04:48,655 20 MINUTES OF LOOKING AND NO SIGN OF TIMMY, THE OFFICER KNEW 95 00:04:48,655 --> 00:04:52,225 HE NEEDED HELP >> SO I NOTIFIED MY LIEUTENANT 96 00:04:52,225 --> 00:04:54,894 WHO WAS ON DUTY, AND THEN THAT'S WHEN WE -- WE NOTIFIED POLICE 97 00:04:54,894 --> 00:04:56,963 HEADQUARTERS THAT WE HAVE A POSSIBLE MISSING CHILD 98 00:04:56,963 --> 00:04:59,099 >> Reporter: YOU'RE STARTING TO GET WORRIED. 99 00:04:59,099 --> 00:05:00,834 >> YEAH. >> Reporter: VERY WORRIED? 100 00:05:00,834 --> 00:05:03,703 >> YEAH, DEFINITELY. NOW I'M VERY WORRIED BECAUSE 101 00:05:03,703 --> 00:05:05,438 NOBODY'S SEEN HIM. >> Reporter: SO THE POLICE 102 00:05:05,438 --> 00:05:10,510 SUGGESTED MICHELLE MAKE AN ANNOUNCEMENT 103 00:05:10,510 --> 00:05:12,412 >> SHE GOT ON THE LOUD SPEAKER YOU KNOW, TO SAY, "TIMMY, IF YOU 104 00:05:12,412 --> 00:05:14,647 CAN HEAR ME, MOMMY NEEDS YOU TO COME OUT NOW." 105 00:05:14,647 --> 00:05:17,283 >> Reporter: AT THAT POINT, THE HAPPY SOUNDS AT THE CARNIVAL 106 00:05:17,283 --> 00:05:20,353 ABRUPTLY STOPPED >> THE MUSIC WAS SHUT OFF. 107 00:05:20,353 --> 00:05:23,923 MORE UNITS SHOWED UP AND THAT'S WHEN THE DETECTIVES 108 00:05:23,923 --> 00:05:28,361 CAME AND THE WHOLE THING STARTED TO TURN. 109 00:05:28,361 --> 00:05:30,964 >> Reporter: BY NOW THE FIRE DEPARTMENT AND RESCUE SQUAD HAD 110 00:05:30,964 --> 00:05:33,900 JOINED THE POLICE, ALONG WITH HUNDREDS OF VOLUNTEERS 111 00:05:33,900 --> 00:05:37,070 THE SEARCH WENT WELL BEYOND THE CARNIVAL GROUNDS 112 00:05:37,070 --> 00:05:38,271 >> I WOULD SAY WITHIN AN HOUR AND A HALF, THAT'S WHEN WE HAD 113 00:05:38,271 --> 00:05:39,739 ALL THESE PEOPLE >> Reporter: THIS IS A BIG 114 00:05:39,739 --> 00:05:41,574 SEARCH >> YES 115 00:05:41,574 --> 00:05:46,379 I MEAN, IT'S A BIG -- I MEAN, IT'S HUGE. 116 00:05:46,379 --> 00:05:47,981 IT'S A HUGE AREA >> Reporter: KEITH HACKETT WAS A 117 00:05:47,981 --> 00:05:50,216 DETECTIVE WITH THE NEW JERSEY STATE POLICE 118 00:05:50,216 --> 00:05:53,386 >> WHILE RIDING AROUND IN MY TROOPER CAR, I HAD HEARD ON THE 119 00:05:53,386 --> 00:05:54,888 RADIO THAT THEY HAD A MISSING KID FROM A CARNIVAL IN 120 00:05:54,888 --> 00:05:56,423 SAYREVILLE AND I'M LIKE, "OH, WOW," YOU 121 00:05:56,423 --> 00:06:00,026 KNOW, "THAT'S RIGHT UP MY ALLEY. 122 00:06:00,026 --> 00:06:01,661 >> Reporter: HE WAS NORMALLY A PLAINCLOTHES DETECTIVE IN TH 123 00:06:01,661 --> 00:06:04,130 MISSING PERSONS UNIT BUT BECAUSE IT WAS A HOLIDAY 124 00:06:04,130 --> 00:06:10,303 WEEKEND, HE HAD BEEN ASSIGNED HIGHWAY TRAFFIC DUTY 125 00:06:10,303 --> 00:06:11,471 >> I SAID TO MY SERGEANT, I SAID, "HEY, I'D LIKE TO LEAVE 126 00:06:11,471 --> 00:06:12,906 THE DETAIL AND MAKE SOME PHONE CALLS. 127 00:06:12,906 --> 00:06:14,674 HE SAID, "WELL, JUST FINISH THE DETAIL 128 00:06:14,674 --> 00:06:16,943 THEN YOU CAN MAKE YOUR CALL. >> REALLY? 129 00:06:16,943 --> 00:06:18,878 >> Reporter: THE DETECTIVE FELT FRUSTRATED, BUT HE WAS TOLD LAW 130 00:06:18,878 --> 00:06:21,314 ENFORCEMENT WAS DOING EVERYTHING TO FIND TIMMY. 131 00:06:21,314 --> 00:06:28,054 >> THEY HAD A STATE POLICE HELICOPTER ABOVE 132 00:06:28,054 --> 00:06:30,423 THEY HAD A BUNCH OF LOCAL POLICE OFFICERS AND, I BELIEVE, THE 133 00:06:30,423 --> 00:06:32,692 SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT THERE SEARCHING, AS WELL AS CIVILIANS 134 00:06:32,692 --> 00:06:34,694 HELPING OUT. >> Reporter: THE SEARCH WENT ON 135 00:06:34,694 --> 00:06:38,298 FOR HOURS WITH NO SIGN OF TIMMY. FINALLY, IT WAS CALLED OFF 136 00:06:38,298 --> 00:06:41,634 AROUND 2:00 A.M. THAT'S WHEN YOUR HEART DROPS, 137 00:06:41,634 --> 00:06:46,339 THAT "THIS IS SERIOUS" MOMENT. >> YEAH, DEFINITELY. 138 00:06:46,339 --> 00:06:50,710 IT WAS HARD TO LEAVE TO GET IN THE CAR AND FEEL LIKE YOU'RE 139 00:06:50,710 --> 00:06:52,712 LEAVING HIM BEHIND, YOU KNOW LIKE, I DON'T WANNA GO 140 00:06:52,712 --> 00:06:54,481 >> Reporter: MICHELLE, IN THESE EARLY MORNING HOURS, HOW'S SHE 141 00:06:54,481 --> 00:06:57,884 HOLDING UP >> SHE WAS PRETTY EMOTIONAL. 142 00:06:57,884 --> 00:07:04,624 >> Reporter: USUALLY WHEN WE HAVE THAT MOMENT OF PANIC AND, 143 00:07:04,624 --> 00:07:06,926 YOU KNOW, YOUR CHILD DISAPPEARS, YOU FIND THEM. 144 00:07:06,926 --> 00:07:08,528 YOU KNOW, MINUTES LATER, HOPEFULLY. 145 00:07:08,528 --> 00:07:09,596 BUT NOT IN THIS CASE >> NO. 146 00:07:09,596 --> 00:07:10,930 >> Reporter: TIMMY DID NOT TURN UP 147 00:07:10,930 --> 00:07:12,732 >> NOPE. HE DIDN'T TURN UP. 148 00:07:12,732 --> 00:07:15,869 AND WHAT ENSUED WAS A MASSIVE INVESTIGATION. 149 00:07:15,869 --> 00:07:19,706 >>> TIMMY'S BEST FRIEND FROM CHILDHOOD STILL REMEMBERS THAT 150 00:07:19,706 --> 00:07:22,909 AWFUL NIGHT. WHEN WE COME BACK -- 151 00:07:22,909 --> 00:07:25,078 >> MY MOM AND MY DAD STARTED SEARCHING THE BACK YARD. 152 00:07:25,078 --> 00:07:26,579 THEY SEARCHED THE WHOLE APARTMENT. 153 00:07:26,579 --> 00:07:29,616 >> WHEN SOMEONE GOES MISSING, THE FIRST 24 HOURS CAN BE 154 00:07:29,616 --> 00:07:33,820 CRITICAL WAS IT ALREADY TOO LATE? 155 00:07:33,820 --> 00:07:36,690 >> HE JUST DIDN'T WANDER OFF AND HE DIDN'T FALL IN THE WATER, 156 00:07:36,690 --> 00:07:40,894 OR HE WASN'T LOST IN THE SURROUNDING WOODS. 157 00:07:40,894 --> 00:07:43,730 IT GOT SERIOUS >> IF SOMEBODY HAS HIM, I JUST 158 00:07:43,730 --> 00:08:03,416 WANT HIM BACK. I DON'T CARE WHO YOU ARE 159 00:08:03,416 --> 00:08:05,552 >> Reporter: IT WAS 2:00 A.M., AND 5-YEAR-OLD TIMMY WAS STILL 160 00:08:05,552 --> 00:08:08,355 MISSING. HIS MOTHER MICHELLE HAD SOME 161 00:08:08,355 --> 00:08:11,658 GUT-WRENCHING EARLY MORNING CALLS TO MAKE, INCLUDING ONE TO 162 00:08:11,658 --> 00:08:15,128 HER BIG SISTER, LINDA HISEY, WHO WAS IN FLORIDA 163 00:08:15,128 --> 00:08:17,664 >> SHE WAS HYSTERICAL. AND SHE SAID, "TIMMY'S MISSING," 164 00:08:17,664 --> 00:08:23,103 YOU KNOW AND I'M LIKE, "WHAT? 165 00:08:23,103 --> 00:08:24,371 AND, YOU KNOW, I WAS JUST TRYING TO WRAP MY HEAD AROUND IT. 166 00:08:24,371 --> 00:08:25,705 YOU KNOW, YOU WAKE UP OUT OF A DEAD SLEEP 167 00:08:25,705 --> 00:08:26,940 >> Reporter: DID YOU IMMEDIATELY GET OUT OF BED AND - 168 00:08:26,940 --> 00:08:28,508 >> OH, YEAH. >> Reporter: WHAT WAS YOUR PLAN 169 00:08:28,508 --> 00:08:29,609 OF ACTION? >> EVENTUALLY I JUST SAID, "DO 170 00:08:29,609 --> 00:08:32,045 YOU NEED ME TO COME THERE? AND I WENT 171 00:08:32,045 --> 00:08:35,382 >> Reporter: THE SEARCH FOR TIMMY RESUMED AT SUNRISE 172 00:08:35,382 --> 00:08:38,852 MORE THAN 300 PEOPLE ANXIOUSLY SEARCHED EVERY INCH OF THE 173 00:08:38,852 --> 00:08:41,321 TEN-ACRE PARK AND SURROUNDING AREA 174 00:08:41,321 --> 00:08:43,757 THE STATE POLICE CHOPPER FLEW OVERHEAD AGAIN, AND A DIVING 175 00:08:43,757 --> 00:08:47,060 UNIT WADED THROUGH TWO NEARBY PONDS. 176 00:08:47,060 --> 00:08:50,497 EVERYONE WAITED FOR NEWS >> WE REALLY HOPE AND PRAY THAT 177 00:08:50,497 --> 00:08:53,333 THIS LITTLE BOY IS FOUND >> Reporter: DETECTIVE 178 00:08:53,333 --> 00:08:55,568 KEITH HACKETT WAS NOW OFFICIALLY ON THE CASE. 179 00:08:55,568 --> 00:08:58,071 >> I WAS GETTING CONCERNED BECAUSE HE JUST DIDN'T WANDER 180 00:08:58,071 --> 00:09:00,907 OFF. AND HE DIDN'T FALL IN THE WATER, 181 00:09:00,907 --> 00:09:03,576 OR HE WASN'T LOST IN THE SURROUNDING WOODS. 182 00:09:03,576 --> 00:09:05,612 IT GOT SERIOUS >> THE COMMUNITY WAS RISING UP 183 00:09:05,612 --> 00:09:08,081 LIKE, EVERYONE WANTED TO DO SOMETHING. 184 00:09:08,081 --> 00:09:10,917 >> Reporter: JIM RYAN, THEN IN HIS 20s, WAS HEAD OF THE 185 00:09:10,917 --> 00:09:12,786 VOLUNTEER FIRST AID SQUAD FROM THE NEIGHBORING TOWN OF 186 00:09:12,786 --> 00:09:15,522 SOUTH AMBOY. >> WE INITIALLY STARTED WITH 187 00:09:15,522 --> 00:09:18,258 20 MEMBERS ON SUNDAY NIGHT, HELPING OUT. 188 00:09:18,258 --> 00:09:21,027 AND IT'S BEEN IN THE HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE THAT HAVE COME FORWARD TO 189 00:09:21,027 --> 00:09:23,630 ASSIST US AT THIS POINT IN TIME. >> Reporter: TIMMY AND MICHELLE 190 00:09:23,630 --> 00:09:26,499 LIVED JUST A FEW BLOCKS FROM THE FIRST AID STATION WHERE JIM'S 191 00:09:26,499 --> 00:09:29,035 SQUAD WAS LOCATED. AND SO THIS IS ONE OF YOUR OWN 192 00:09:29,035 --> 00:09:30,904 THAT'S GONE MISSING. >> YES 193 00:09:30,904 --> 00:09:33,106 >> Reporter: YOU IMMEDIATELY SPRING INTO ACTION 194 00:09:33,106 --> 00:09:36,209 >> WE DECIDED THAT WE WERE GONNA CREATE FLYERS. 195 00:09:36,209 --> 00:09:38,912 >> Reporter: CREATING FLYERS WAS AN URGENT NEED 196 00:09:38,912 --> 00:09:42,148 THERE WAS NO SOCIAL MEDIA BACK THEN TO BLAST OUT TIMMY'S PHOTO. 197 00:09:42,148 --> 00:09:47,754 >> THE CHALLENGE WAS ACTUALLY GETTING THE FLYERS MADE BECAUSE 198 00:09:47,754 --> 00:09:49,389 OF THE HOLIDAY WEEKEND SO WE ASKED PEOPLE, COULD THEY 199 00:09:49,389 --> 00:09:50,523 OPEN UP THE BUSINESSES IF THEY HAD A COPY MACHINE TO MAKE 200 00:09:50,523 --> 00:09:52,058 COPIES FOR US? >> Reporter: WAS EVERYONE 201 00:09:52,058 --> 00:09:53,059 COMPLYING? >> YEAH. 202 00:09:53,059 --> 00:09:54,694 IT SPOKE TO THE KIND OF COMMUNITY WE WERE IN THAT 203 00:09:54,694 --> 00:09:56,196 EVERYONE WAS ALL HANDS ON DECK TO TRY TO FIGURE OUT WHAT THEY 204 00:09:56,196 --> 00:09:57,697 COULD DO >> Reporter: MICHELLE'S SISTER 205 00:09:57,697 --> 00:09:59,632 ARRIVED FROM FLORIDA READY TO HELP 206 00:09:59,632 --> 00:10:01,768 HOW IS MICHELLE DOING WHEN YOU GET THERE? 207 00:10:01,768 --> 00:10:03,703 >> SHE'S JUST DEVASTATED AND NUMB 208 00:10:03,703 --> 00:10:08,375 SHE DIDN'T, YOU KNOW, TALK A LOT. 209 00:10:08,375 --> 00:10:11,177 SHE CRIED A LOT. >> Reporter: LINDA DID HER BEST 210 00:10:11,177 --> 00:10:12,979 TO COMFORT MICHELLE. 11 YEARS OLDER, SHE HAD ALWAYS 211 00:10:12,979 --> 00:10:15,281 BEEN LIKE A SECOND MOTHER TO HER. 212 00:10:15,281 --> 00:10:18,785 >> I WAS THE BIG SISTER. THERE WAS SIX OF US, AND 213 00:10:18,785 --> 00:10:22,989 MICHELLE WAS THE ONLY OTHER GIRL 214 00:10:22,989 --> 00:10:25,525 I HELPED COOK DINNERS. YOU KNOW, I TOOK THEM ROLLER 215 00:10:25,525 --> 00:10:27,060 SKATING. >> Reporter: LINDA AND HER 216 00:10:27,060 --> 00:10:29,195 SIBLINGS GREW UP ON THE JERSEY SHORE. 217 00:10:29,195 --> 00:10:30,463 SHE SAYS THEY DIDN'T HAVE A LOT OF MONEY, BUT THEY MADE THE BEST 218 00:10:30,463 --> 00:10:33,333 OF IT. >> WE WERE RIGHT DOWN THE STREET 219 00:10:33,333 --> 00:10:36,403 FROM THE BEACH, AND WE'D SWIM. AND SO WE'D HAVE FUN THERE 220 00:10:36,403 --> 00:10:39,973 WE HAD THE LITTLE STORE DOWN FRONT, AND WE'D GO HAVE A SODA 221 00:10:39,973 --> 00:10:42,142 YOU KNOW, IT WAS A CUTE LITTLE TOWN 222 00:10:42,142 --> 00:10:45,278 >> Reporter: EVEN THOUGH LINDA WAS THE OLDEST, SHE SAYS 223 00:10:45,278 --> 00:10:46,746 MICHELLE WAS THE STRONGER ONE. >> SHE WOULD GIVE YOU THE SHIRT 224 00:10:46,746 --> 00:10:51,384 OFF HER BACK SHE'S DEFINITELY A STRONGER 225 00:10:51,384 --> 00:10:55,555 PERSONALITY THAN I AM. >> Reporter: SO IT KINDA - 226 00:10:55,555 --> 00:10:57,390 >> ROLE REVERSAL >> -- SWITCHED AROUND? 227 00:10:57,390 --> 00:10:59,459 >> Reporter: IN HIGH SCHOOL, SHE SAYS MICHELLE WAS QUIET BUT ALSO 228 00:10:59,459 --> 00:11:00,960 HAD AN ADVENTUROUS SPIRIT. WHEN HER OLDEST BROTHER, WHO 229 00:11:00,960 --> 00:11:03,897 LIVED IN IOWA, INVITED MICHELLE TO VISIT, SHE JUMPED AT THE 230 00:11:03,897 --> 00:11:05,532 CHANCE SO SHE GOES OUT THERE TO TAKE A 231 00:11:05,532 --> 00:11:07,067 LITTLE TRIP. >> UH-HUH. 232 00:11:07,067 --> 00:11:11,805 >> Reporter: SOMETHING DIFFERENT? 233 00:11:11,805 --> 00:11:12,872 >> SOMETHING DIFFERENT BECAUSE WE DIDN'T TRAVEL A LOT 234 00:11:12,872 --> 00:11:14,574 WE DIDN'T GO ON VACATIONS A LOT. >> Reporter: IT WAS SUPPOSED TO 235 00:11:14,574 --> 00:11:16,443 BE A SHORT GETAWAY, BUT MICHELLE MET SOMEONE AND STAYED FOR A 236 00:11:16,443 --> 00:11:18,778 WHILE. THEN THE WHIRLWIND ROMANCE GOT 237 00:11:18,778 --> 00:11:22,148 SERIOUS. >> SHE GOT PREGNANT. 238 00:11:22,148 --> 00:11:25,285 >> Reporter: AND EVEN THOUGH MICHELLE WAS ONLY 17, LINDA SAYS 239 00:11:25,285 --> 00:11:27,354 SHE WANTED THE BABY. >> I DO REMEMBER THE CALL WHEN 240 00:11:27,354 --> 00:11:29,689 SHE CALLED TO SAY THE BABY WAS BORN, YOU KNOW 241 00:11:29,689 --> 00:11:31,224 >> Reporter: HOW EXCITED WAS SHE? 242 00:11:31,224 --> 00:11:33,960 >> SHE WAS EXCITED SHE WAS VERY EXCITED 243 00:11:33,960 --> 00:11:37,764 >> Reporter: MICHELLE'S SON TIMOTHY WAS BORN ON AUGUST 6th, 244 00:11:37,764 --> 00:11:39,899 1985, IN CEDAR RAPIDS, IOWA. DID SHE WANT TO STAY IN IOWA AND 245 00:11:39,899 --> 00:11:44,704 RAISE THE BABY >> I BELIEVE SHE WAS GONNA STAY 246 00:11:44,704 --> 00:11:46,139 BECAUSE SHE WAS WITH GEORGE. AND I THINK SHE THOUGHT THAT WAS 247 00:11:46,139 --> 00:11:49,009 THE RIGHT THING TO DO. >> Reporter: THAT WAS THE 248 00:11:49,009 --> 00:11:53,513 PLAN -- TO STAY WITH TIMMY'S FATHER, GEORGE WILTSEY 249 00:11:53,513 --> 00:11:57,217 ESPECIALLY WITH A BABY, AND THINGS BETWEEN THE COUPLE 250 00:11:57,217 --> 00:11:59,552 QUICKLY DETERIORATED >> EVENTUALLY SHE ASKED FOR MY 251 00:11:59,552 --> 00:12:02,722 HUSBAND TO COME GET HER BECAUSE IT WASN'T GOOD 252 00:12:02,722 --> 00:12:05,225 >> Reporter: SO MICHELLE AND TIMMY MOVED BACK TO NEW JERSEY 253 00:12:05,225 --> 00:12:08,361 AND IN WITH LINDA AND HER FAMILY 254 00:12:08,361 --> 00:12:11,097 TIMMY WAS LESS THAN A YEAR OLD HOW WAS SHE AS A MOM 255 00:12:11,097 --> 00:12:12,565 NOW YOU'RE LIVING WITH HER AND TIMMY, YOU'RE SEEING IT 256 00:12:12,565 --> 00:12:14,734 FIRSTHAND. >> SHE WAS A GOOD MOM. 257 00:12:14,734 --> 00:12:17,737 HE WAS JUST -- YOU KNOW, THAT WAS HER LIFE 258 00:12:17,737 --> 00:12:20,740 SHE DID WHATEVER SHE NEEDED TO TO SUPPORT HIM 259 00:12:20,740 --> 00:12:22,442 >> Reporter: INCLUDING WORKING SEVERAL JOBS TO MAKE SURE TIMMY 260 00:12:22,442 --> 00:12:25,845 WAS ALWAYS WELL DRESSED AND WELL FED. 261 00:12:25,845 --> 00:12:32,218 SHE SAYS MICHELLE WAS VERY ACTIVE IN HER SON'S LIFE AND 262 00:12:32,218 --> 00:12:33,420 WAS ALWAYS AROUND TO CELEBRATE EVERY BIRTHDAY, EVERY HOLIDAY, 263 00:12:33,420 --> 00:12:34,954 EVERY MILESTONE. AND HOW DID YOU FEEL HAVING A 264 00:12:34,954 --> 00:12:38,324 BABY AROUND THE HOUSE? >> OH, I LOVED IT. 265 00:12:38,324 --> 00:12:40,560 I HAD TWO BOYS TOO, SO THEY WERE HIS, LIKE, BIGGER BROTHERS, YOU 266 00:12:40,560 --> 00:12:44,097 KNOW >> Reporter: IT WAS A HAPPY 267 00:12:44,097 --> 00:12:46,433 EXTENDED FAMILY. BUT A FEW YEARS LATER, LINDA AND 268 00:12:46,433 --> 00:12:48,802 HER HUSBAND, STRUGGLING FINANCIALLY, FELT THEY NEEDED A 269 00:12:48,802 --> 00:12:51,705 CHANGE SO THEY PACKED UP AND MOVED TO 270 00:12:51,705 --> 00:12:54,207 FLORIDA. MICHELLE CHOSE TO STAY IN 271 00:12:54,207 --> 00:12:56,943 NEW JERSEY AND EVENTUALLY FOUND THAT APARTMENT NEAR THE FIST AID 272 00:12:56,943 --> 00:12:59,879 STATION. >> I WAS SO EXCITED. 273 00:12:59,879 --> 00:13:02,882 >> Reporter: TARA PACKARD WAS 6 YEARS OLD WHEN MICHELLE AND 274 00:13:02,882 --> 00:13:06,052 TIMMY MOVED INTO THE OTHER HALF OF HER PARENTS' DUPLEX 275 00:13:06,052 --> 00:13:08,388 HER PARENTS KNEW MICHELLE BECAUSE TARA AND TIMMY WERE 276 00:13:08,388 --> 00:13:10,957 CLASSMATES AND BEST FRIENDS AT THE LOCAL CATHOLIC SCHOOL. 277 00:13:10,957 --> 00:13:13,560 MICHELLE HAD SCRAPED TOGETHER ENOUGH MONEY TO SEND HER SON 278 00:13:13,560 --> 00:13:15,962 THERE. DID YOU AND TIMMY ONLY GROW 279 00:13:15,962 --> 00:13:18,498 CLOSER LIVING IN THAT DUPLEX >> YES 280 00:13:18,498 --> 00:13:20,667 WE WERE PRETTY MUCH, LIKE, TOGETHER EVERY DAY 281 00:13:20,667 --> 00:13:23,570 LIKE, WE WALKED TO SCHOOL TOGETHER 282 00:13:23,570 --> 00:13:25,138 IT WAS A SHARED BACKYARD, SO WE'D GO OUT AND PLAY TOGETHER. 283 00:13:25,138 --> 00:13:27,674 WE WOULD EAT DINNER AT EACH OTHER'S HOUSES 284 00:13:27,674 --> 00:13:29,142 >> Reporter: SO YOU TWO ACTUALLY SHARED A WALL -- 285 00:13:29,142 --> 00:13:31,244 >> YES >> Reporter: -- BETWEEN YOUR 286 00:13:31,244 --> 00:13:33,847 BEDROOMS IN THE DUPLEX >> WE DID. 287 00:13:33,847 --> 00:13:42,589 AND I'D KNOCK ON THE WALL WITH A TOY SO HE COULD HEAR ME. 288 00:13:42,589 --> 00:13:44,124 IT WAS SORT OF LIKE WE'D DO LIKE A CODE. 289 00:13:44,124 --> 00:13:45,458 >> Reporter: TARA SAYS SHE AND TIMMY COMPLIMENTED EACH OTHER 290 00:13:45,458 --> 00:13:47,260 PERFECTLY. SHE WAS PAINFULLY SHY, AND HE 291 00:13:47,260 --> 00:13:48,361 WAS ANYTHING BUT >> HIS PERSONALITY WAS THE 292 00:13:48,361 --> 00:13:50,096 BIGGEST ONE IN THE ROOM. AND HE WAS AS CUTE AS HIS 293 00:13:50,096 --> 00:13:52,932 PICTURES ARE HE LOVED PLAYING IN THE 294 00:13:52,932 --> 00:13:55,902 BACKYARD HE HAD, LIKE, LOTS OF TRUCKS -- 295 00:13:55,902 --> 00:13:59,639 LIKE, DUMP TRUCKS OUT THERE. AND HE ALSO LOVED NINJA TURTLES. 296 00:13:59,639 --> 00:14:02,175 THAT WAS HIS FAVORITE. >> Reporter: ON THE NIGHT TIMMY 297 00:14:02,175 --> 00:14:04,310 WENT MISSING, TARA REMEMBERS HER FAMILY WAS IN THE MIDDLE OF 298 00:14:04,310 --> 00:14:06,446 DINNER HER MOTHER GOT A CALL FROM 299 00:14:06,446 --> 00:14:09,149 MICHELLE ASKING IF SHE'D SEEN HIM. 300 00:14:09,149 --> 00:14:12,519 >> WE IMMEDIATELY STOPPED EATING, AND MY MOM AND MY DAD 301 00:14:12,519 --> 00:14:15,088 STARTED SEARCHING THE BACKYARD THEY SEARCHED THE WHOLE 302 00:14:15,088 --> 00:14:18,058 APARTMENT BECAUSE THE POLICE WERE CONCERNED, LIKE, WHAT IF 303 00:14:18,058 --> 00:14:20,293 HE -- SOMEHOW SOMEBODY FOUND HIM AND BROUGHT HIM BACK OR HE 304 00:14:20,293 --> 00:14:23,063 WALKED BACK? >> Reporter: BUT THERE WAS NO 305 00:14:23,063 --> 00:14:27,801 SIGN OF TIMMY. TARA EVENTUALLY WENT TO BED. 306 00:14:27,801 --> 00:14:31,571 YOU TRIED TO COMMUNICATE WITH HIM WITH YOUR SECRET KNOCK, YOUR 307 00:14:31,571 --> 00:14:35,942 SECRET CODE THROUGH THE WALL >> WELL, YES, I WAS SO SCARED 308 00:14:35,942 --> 00:14:41,314 AND WORRIED ABOUT HIM. SO I WENT OVER IN MY CLOSET, GOT 309 00:14:41,314 --> 00:14:46,920 ONE OF MY TOYS OUT, AND KNOCKED ON THE WALL AND, LIKE, LISTENED. 310 00:14:46,920 --> 00:14:50,690 AND THERE WAS NEVER ANY -- NEVER A SOUND BACK 311 00:14:50,690 --> 00:14:54,828 >> Reporter: DEAFENING SILENCE TARA SAYS EXCRUCIATING DAYS WENT 312 00:14:54,828 --> 00:14:57,831 BY WITH NO NEWS. CAMERA CREWS WERE CAMPED OUTSIDE 313 00:14:57,831 --> 00:15:01,501 THEIR DUPLEX MICHELLE HAD MOSTLY BEEN STAYING 314 00:15:01,501 --> 00:15:04,204 INSIDE BUT DID AGREE TO THIS INTERVIEW WITH A WNBC REPORTER 315 00:15:04,204 --> 00:15:09,209 >> NO CLUES AT THIS POINT, NO LEADS? 316 00:15:09,209 --> 00:15:12,746 >> I DON'T -- THE POLICE ARE LOOKING TO EVERYTHING THEY GET 317 00:15:12,746 --> 00:15:15,115 IF SOMEBODY HAS HIM, I JUST WANT HIM BACK 318 00:15:15,115 --> 00:15:17,050 I DON'T CARE WHO YOU ARE I JUST WANT MY SON BACK. 319 00:15:17,050 --> 00:15:20,220 LEAVE HIM ON A STREET AND LET SOMEONE FIND HIM 320 00:15:20,220 --> 00:15:23,056 I JUST WANT HIM BACK >> Reporter: AS MICHELLE WAS 321 00:15:23,056 --> 00:15:25,058 PLEADING FOR HER SON'S SAFE RETURN, POLICE WERE PURSUING 322 00:15:25,058 --> 00:15:27,427 THEIR FIRST REAL LEAD IN THE CASE 323 00:15:27,427 --> 00:15:31,131 THEY HAD A POSSIBLE SUSPECT TO TRACK DOWN 324 00:15:31,131 --> 00:15:34,434 A WOMAN NAMED ELLEN WITH A MYSTERIOUS PAST. 325 00:15:34,434 --> 00:15:37,404 ELLEN IS AT THE CARNIVAL >> WITH A CHILD, A 2-YEAR-OLD 326 00:15:37,404 --> 00:15:40,306 CHILD. >> Reporter: POLICE GOT A TIP 327 00:15:40,306 --> 00:15:43,510 THAT SHE MIGHT HAVE SOMETHING TO DO WITH TIMMY'S DISAPPEARANCE. 328 00:15:43,510 --> 00:15:48,381 AN URGENT SEARCH WAS ON. FIND ELLEN, AND HOPEFULLY FIND 329 00:15:48,381 --> 00:15:51,151 TIMMY. >>> COMING UP -- 330 00:15:51,151 --> 00:15:54,954 WHO IS ELLEN >> SHE SAID THERE WAS THIS GIRL 331 00:15:54,954 --> 00:15:59,826 NAMED ELLEN WHO SHE WAS FAMILIAR WITH 332 00:15:59,826 --> 00:16:01,227 AND ELLEN SAID, "LISTEN, HAVE TIMMY STAY WITH ME 333 00:16:01,227 --> 00:16:02,762 I'LL PUT HIM ON THE RIDE GO GET HIM A SODA. 334 00:16:02,762 --> 00:16:04,431 >> Reporter: BUT MICHELLE SAYS SHE CAME BACK AND ELLEN AND 335 00:16:04,431 --> 00:16:21,481 TIMMY WERE GONE? >> RIGHT 336 00:16:21,481 --> 00:16:24,451 >> Reporter: JUST A FEW DAYS AFTER HIS DISAPPEARANCE, THE 337 00:16:24,451 --> 00:16:26,920 CASE OF MISSING 5-YEAR-OLD TIMMY WILTSEY HAD CAPTIVATED THE 338 00:16:26,920 --> 00:16:29,856 NATION >> IT WAS FEATURED ON "AMERICA'S 339 00:16:29,856 --> 00:16:31,658 MOST WANTED. FLYERS GOT SENT OUT ALL OVER THE 340 00:16:31,658 --> 00:16:33,126 COUNTRY. >> Reporter: HIS FACE ENDED UP 341 00:16:33,126 --> 00:16:35,061 ON MILK CARTONS? >> YES 342 00:16:35,061 --> 00:16:38,431 YES. >> Reporter: NEW YORK YANKEE 343 00:16:38,431 --> 00:16:41,334 DON MATTINGLY APPEARED IN THE PAPER HOLDING A PHOTO OF TIMMY 344 00:16:41,334 --> 00:16:44,738 AND ASKING FOR HIS SAFE RETURN AND MICHELLE'S MOTHER MADE A 345 00:16:44,738 --> 00:16:48,708 TEARFUL PLEA ON LOCAL NEWS >> IT'S HER ONLY CHILD 346 00:16:48,708 --> 00:16:52,212 THIS IS ALL SHE HAS IN LIFE. PLEASE, GOD, IF YOU HAVE ANY -- 347 00:16:52,212 --> 00:16:55,782 ANY MERCY, GIVE THIS GIRL HER KID. 348 00:16:55,782 --> 00:16:57,550 AND GIVE ME BACK MY GRANDCHILD >> Reporter: THE WHOLE AREA WAS 349 00:16:57,550 --> 00:17:00,620 ON EDGE. PARENTS KEPT THEIR CHILDREN 350 00:17:00,620 --> 00:17:03,890 CLOSE, WHILE THEIR KIDS LOOKED OVER THEIR SHOULDERS 351 00:17:03,890 --> 00:17:06,726 >> WE REALLY WERE ALL AFRAID THAT SOMETHING TERRIBLE WAS 352 00:17:06,726 --> 00:17:09,029 GONNA HAPPEN TO US >> Reporter: TIMMY'S COUSIN 353 00:17:09,029 --> 00:17:11,731 JENNIFER DID HER BEST TO COMFORT HER AUNT MICHELLE. 354 00:17:11,731 --> 00:17:13,333 >> I THINK I SLEPT OVER RIGHT NEXT TO HER. 355 00:17:13,333 --> 00:17:15,435 SHE WAS ON THE COUCH AND I WAS ON THE FLOOR 356 00:17:15,435 --> 00:17:19,873 >> Reporter: YOU ALL LOVED TIMMY SO MUCH. 357 00:17:19,873 --> 00:17:21,541 HOW WERE YOU COPING AS THE DAYS GO BY AND HE'S JUST VANISHED 358 00:17:21,541 --> 00:17:24,310 >> IT'S HARD WE'RE ZOMBIES. 359 00:17:24,310 --> 00:17:26,780 >> Reporter: AND YOU ALL HAD THE ADDED PRESSURE OF THE MEDIA, YOU 360 00:17:26,780 --> 00:17:28,882 KNOW, CAMPED OUTSIDE THE DOOR. >> YEAH. 361 00:17:28,882 --> 00:17:32,318 THAT WAS ROUGH ME AND MICHELLE WOULD TRY TO GO 362 00:17:32,318 --> 00:17:36,156 ON THE BACK PORCH TO GET SOME SOLACE FROM THEM ALL IN THE 363 00:17:36,156 --> 00:17:40,260 FRONT, BANGING ON THE DOOR AND EVERYTHING 364 00:17:40,260 --> 00:17:43,963 AND I REMEMBER LOOKING OVER, AND I SEE THIS NEWS REPORTER 365 00:17:43,963 --> 00:17:47,133 AND HE'S STANDING ON TOP OF SOMEBODY'S LEDGE OR CAR OR 366 00:17:47,133 --> 00:17:49,703 SOMETHING. AND HE IS ACTUALLY TRYING TO 367 00:17:49,703 --> 00:17:52,272 RECORD US IN HER BACKYARD. >> Reporter: AWAY FROM THE 368 00:17:52,272 --> 00:17:54,074 MEDIA'S GLARE, POLICE WERE WORKING TIRELESSLY TO FIND 369 00:17:54,074 --> 00:17:58,945 TIMMY. FOR DETECTIVE KEITH HACKETT, 370 00:17:58,945 --> 00:18:00,847 THIS CASE FELT PERSONAL. YOU YOURSELF HAVE YOUNG SONS 371 00:18:00,847 --> 00:18:05,018 WHEN THIS IS HAPPENING, 4 AND 6, RIGHT AROUND TIMMY'S AGE 372 00:18:05,018 --> 00:18:06,286 WAS THAT HITTING YOU >> YES 373 00:18:06,286 --> 00:18:08,288 THAT COULD BE MY SON THAT'S MISSING. 374 00:18:08,288 --> 00:18:10,590 >> Reporter: THE PUBLIC WAS PUTTING ENORMOUS PRESSURE ON LAW 375 00:18:10,590 --> 00:18:12,859 ENFORCEMENT TO SOLVE THE CASE. BUT INVESTIGATORS WEREN'T SAYING 376 00:18:12,859 --> 00:18:17,097 MUCH ONE NEW LEAD DETECTIVE HACKETT 377 00:18:17,097 --> 00:18:18,932 AND OTHER INVESTIGATORS JUMPED ON CAME FROM MICHELLE HERSELF. 378 00:18:18,932 --> 00:18:21,401 IT HAD TO DO WITH WHEN SHE LAST SAW TIMMY. 379 00:18:21,401 --> 00:18:24,070 SHE'D ONLY TOLD POLICE PART OF THE STORY. 380 00:18:24,070 --> 00:18:27,240 >> TIMOTHY WANTED TO GO ON A RIDE, AND HE WAS ALSO THIRSTY. 381 00:18:27,240 --> 00:18:30,110 SO SHE WENT TO GET HIM A DRINK WHEN SHE CAME BACK, HE WAS 382 00:18:30,110 --> 00:18:33,713 MISSING. >> Reporter: BUT NOW SHE ADDED 383 00:18:33,713 --> 00:18:37,851 NEW DETAILS. >> SHE SAID THERE WAS THIS GIRL 384 00:18:37,851 --> 00:18:44,057 NAMED ELLEN WHO SHE WAS FAMILIAR WITH 385 00:18:44,057 --> 00:18:45,458 AND ELLEN WAS THERE WITH A LITTLE GIRL, ABOUT 2 YEARS OLD, 386 00:18:45,458 --> 00:18:46,893 AND 2 MEN. >> Reporter: MICHELLE SAID SHE 387 00:18:46,893 --> 00:18:48,928 LEFT TIMMY WITH ELLEN SO SHE COULD GET THAT DRINK 388 00:18:48,928 --> 00:18:52,065 >> APPARENTLY TIMMY WANTED TO GO ON THE RIDE BEFORE MORE PEOPLE 389 00:18:52,065 --> 00:18:53,833 GOT ON SO ELLEN SAID, "LISTEN, HAVE 390 00:18:53,833 --> 00:18:55,535 TIMMY STAY WITH ME I'LL PUT HIM ON THE RIDE 391 00:18:55,535 --> 00:18:58,405 GO -- GO GET HIM A SODA. >> Reporter: BUT MICHELLE SAYS 392 00:18:58,405 --> 00:19:01,141 SHE CAME BACK AND ELLEN AND TIMMY WERE GONE? 393 00:19:01,141 --> 00:19:04,010 >> RIGHT >> Reporter: MICHELLE TOLD 394 00:19:04,010 --> 00:19:07,313 INVESTIGATORS SHE HAD BEEN AFRAID TO TELL THEM ABOUT ELLEN. 395 00:19:07,313 --> 00:19:10,283 SHE WAS WORRIED WHEN THEY FOUND OUT MORE ABOUT THIS WOMAN, THEY 396 00:19:10,283 --> 00:19:13,787 WOULD THINK SHE WAS A BAD MOM FOR LEAVING TIMMY WITH SOMEONE 397 00:19:13,787 --> 00:19:16,923 WITH A QUESTIONABLE REPUTATION SHE EXPLAINED THAT WHEN SHE 398 00:19:16,923 --> 00:19:20,727 WORKED AS A BANK TELLER, ELLEN USED TO COME TO HER WINDOW TO 399 00:19:20,727 --> 00:19:24,431 CASH HER WELFARE CHECKS. >> ELLEN NOT ONLY CASHED WELFARE 400 00:19:24,431 --> 00:19:27,100 CHECKS AT THE BANK, BUT ALSO WAS A GO-GO GIRL 401 00:19:27,100 --> 00:19:30,303 >> Reporter: OH, WOW IS THAT ALSO, SORT OF, EXOTIC 402 00:19:30,303 --> 00:19:31,871 DANCER, LIKE, GENTLEMEN'S CLUB >> THAT'S HOW WE -- WE PERCEIVED 403 00:19:31,871 --> 00:19:33,840 IT THERE WAS A PLACE IN SAYREVILLE, 404 00:19:33,840 --> 00:19:36,543 GO-GO RAMA, I GUESS, WHERE THEY HAD EXOTIC DANCERS 405 00:19:36,543 --> 00:19:40,747 >> Reporter: MICHELLE FELT THAT THIS WAS NOT THE MOST UPSTANDING 406 00:19:40,747 --> 00:19:43,850 PROFESSION AND WAS EMBARRASSED THAT SHE HAD LEFT HER CHILD WITH 407 00:19:43,850 --> 00:19:45,452 SOMEONE LIKE ELLEN >> RIGHT 408 00:19:45,452 --> 00:19:48,722 THAT'S THE REASON WHY SHE SAID, "I DIDN'T TELL YOU ABOUT ELLEN 409 00:19:48,722 --> 00:19:51,124 INITIALLY. >> Reporter: SO THE HUNT FOR 410 00:19:51,124 --> 00:19:53,927 ELLEN WAS ON POLICE STARTED SEARCHING LOCAL 411 00:19:53,927 --> 00:19:57,664 GENTLEMEN'S CLUBS. >> THE STATE POLICE -- WE DID A 412 00:19:57,664 --> 00:20:00,233 SKETCH OF WHAT ELLEN LOOKED LIKE TO TRY TO TRACK HER DOWN AND 413 00:20:00,233 --> 00:20:03,670 FIND OUT WHO SHE WAS >> Reporter: AND THE FBI PUT 414 00:20:03,670 --> 00:20:06,639 TOGETHER A LIST OF ALL WELFARE RECIPIENTS NAMED ELLEN OR WITH 415 00:20:06,639 --> 00:20:09,009 NAMES SIMILAR TO ELLEN THEY PRINTED OUT PHOTOS OF THOSE 416 00:20:09,009 --> 00:20:12,045 WOMEN AND SHOWED THEM TO MICHELLE, BUT SHE SAID NONE OF 417 00:20:12,045 --> 00:20:17,984 THEM LOOKED FAMILIAR >> THE FBI RAN DOWN EXTENSIVELY, 418 00:20:17,984 --> 00:20:19,486 AND THEN SO DID SAYREVILLE, TRYING TO IDENTIFY HER 419 00:20:19,486 --> 00:20:22,122 >> Reporter: AND WHILE THE SEARCH FOR ELLEN CONTINUED, 420 00:20:22,122 --> 00:20:25,291 DETECTIVES HAD PLENTY OF OTHER LEADS TO FOLLOW. 421 00:20:25,291 --> 00:20:27,360 WITH ALL THE MEDIA ATTENTION, THEIR PHONES HADN'T STOP RINGING 422 00:20:27,360 --> 00:20:29,562 ALL SUMMER >> YOU GET A LOT OF TIPS AND 423 00:20:29,562 --> 00:20:32,065 SIGHTINGS. YOU MIGHT HAVE SOMEONE CALL UP 424 00:20:32,065 --> 00:20:38,138 AND SAY, "WE THINK WE SAW A KID THAT LOOKED LIKE TIMOTHY AT A 425 00:20:38,138 --> 00:20:41,341 TRUCK STOP." OR "WE THINK WE SAW A KID THAT 426 00:20:41,341 --> 00:20:44,911 RESEMBLES TIMOTHY WILTSEY IN A CAMPGROUND." 427 00:20:44,911 --> 00:20:46,513 SO, OF COURSE, WHEN YOU GET THOSE LEADS COMING IN, YOU GOTTA 428 00:20:46,513 --> 00:20:47,647 RUN 'EM DOWN >> Reporter: BUT NOTHING SEEMED 429 00:20:47,647 --> 00:20:49,282 TO PAN OUT, AND THEY WERE GETTING DESPERATE. 430 00:20:49,282 --> 00:20:51,418 THE SUMMER COMES TO AN END HOW FRUSTRATED ARE YOU, FEELING 431 00:20:51,418 --> 00:20:53,053 THAT YOU'RE NO CLOSER TO FINDING TIMMY OR FINDING OUT WHAT 432 00:20:53,053 --> 00:20:57,257 HAPPENED >> IT WAS FRUSTRATING. 433 00:20:57,257 --> 00:20:59,626 AS TIME GOES ON, THAT OPPORTUNITY OF BRINGING HIM HOME 434 00:20:59,626 --> 00:21:02,062 ALIVE SHRINKS. I MEAN, THAT'S JUST A COLD, HARD 435 00:21:02,062 --> 00:21:03,496 FACT >> Reporter: DETECTIVE HACKETT 436 00:21:03,496 --> 00:21:07,467 SAYS HE REFUSED TO GET DISCOURAGED. 437 00:21:07,467 --> 00:21:10,070 HE FOLLOWED EVERY CLUE NO LEAD WAS TOO SMALL OR TOO 438 00:21:10,070 --> 00:21:14,574 OUTRAGEOUS >> AT ONE POINT, WE WERE ASKED 439 00:21:14,574 --> 00:21:17,110 TO DO A SEARCH OF A PORTION OF SAYREVILLE WHERE A PSYCHIC HAD 440 00:21:17,110 --> 00:21:20,080 GIVEN US INFORMATION >> Reporter: SO YOU TOOK THE 441 00:21:20,080 --> 00:21:24,851 PSYCHIC SERIOUSLY? >> WELL, THE PSYCHIC'S NAME WAS 442 00:21:24,851 --> 00:21:26,319 DOROTHY ALLISON, A WELL-KNOWN PSYCHIC. 443 00:21:26,319 --> 00:21:27,687 AND SHE HAD CALLED WITH INFORMATION. 444 00:21:27,687 --> 00:21:29,356 >> Reporter: SHE TOLD THEM TIMMY MIGHT BE NEAR WATER AT AN 445 00:21:29,356 --> 00:21:32,625 ABANDONED FACTORY BEHIND THE SAYREVILLE POLICE STATION. 446 00:21:32,625 --> 00:21:36,563 SO THE DETECTIVE GRABBED THE DEPARTMENT'S CADAVER DOG BUFFY 447 00:21:36,563 --> 00:21:38,531 AND WENT LOOKING SO YOU CHECKED 448 00:21:38,531 --> 00:21:39,432 >> YEAH, WITH BUFFY, FOR HOURS, SEARCHING. 449 00:21:39,432 --> 00:21:40,867 >> Reporter: AND DID YOU HIT ON ANYTHING 450 00:21:40,867 --> 00:21:46,172 >> NO. NO 451 00:21:46,172 --> 00:21:47,640 >> Reporter: ANOTHER DEAD END. BUT HACKETT'S LUCK WAS ABOUT TO 452 00:21:47,640 --> 00:21:50,643 CHANGE FIVE MONTHS AFTER TIMMY 453 00:21:50,643 --> 00:21:53,646 DISAPPEARED, DAN O'MALLEY WAS HIKING ACROSS THE RIVER FROM THE 454 00:21:53,646 --> 00:21:56,549 CARNIVAL GROUNDS IN A MARSHY AREA WHEN HE SPOTTED SOMETHING 455 00:21:56,549 --> 00:22:00,553 THAT LOOKED OUT OF PLACE >> WE WERE IN A DESOLATE, 456 00:22:00,553 --> 00:22:04,290 DESERTED, BARREN AREA. WHAT IS A CHILD'S ARTICLE OF 457 00:22:04,290 --> 00:22:07,293 CLOTHING DOING THERE >> Reporter: THIS DISCOVERY YOU 458 00:22:07,293 --> 00:22:10,430 MADE COULD POTENTIALLY BE A GAME CHANGER IN ONE OF THE BIGGEST 459 00:22:10,430 --> 00:22:18,304 CASES THIS AREA HAS EVER SEEN. >> I AGREE 460 00:22:18,304 --> 00:22:22,409 >>> COMING UP -- >> THERE WAS A TEENAGE MUTANT 461 00:22:22,409 --> 00:22:24,277 NINJA TURTLE CHILD'S SNEAKER >> A BREAKTHROUGH OR ANOTHER 462 00:22:24,277 --> 00:22:41,728 DEAD END >> SHOWED IT TO MICHELLE 463 00:22:41,728 --> 00:22:44,097 >> Reporter: LIKE EVERYONE ELSE IN THE SAYREVILLE, NEW JERSEY, 464 00:22:44,097 --> 00:22:48,234 AREA, DAN O'MALLEY, A HIGH SCHOOL SCIENCE TEACHER, KNEW ALL 465 00:22:48,234 --> 00:22:50,804 ABOUT MISSING TIMMY WILTSEY. >> IT WAS IMPOSSIBLE TO AVOID. 466 00:22:50,804 --> 00:22:53,773 IT WAS SO WELL PUBLICIZED. >> Reporter: HE'D READ THE NEWS 467 00:22:53,773 --> 00:22:57,177 AND SEEN THE FLYERS WITH TIMMY'S PICTURE IN STORE WINDOWS AND ON 468 00:22:57,177 --> 00:23:00,080 TELEPHONE POLES. >> I HAD A 10-YEAR-OLD BOY AT 469 00:23:00,080 --> 00:23:02,382 THE TIME EVERY PARENT WAS FOCUSED ON THE 470 00:23:02,382 --> 00:23:04,584 STORY. >> Reporter: SO DAN KNEW WHAT 471 00:23:04,584 --> 00:23:06,519 TIMMY LOOKED LIKE AND WHAT HE'D BEEN WEARING WHEN HE 472 00:23:06,519 --> 00:23:09,756 DISAPPEARED. >> IT WAS TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA 473 00:23:09,756 --> 00:23:12,892 TURTLE SNEAKERS. >> Reporter: AN IMPORTANT DETAIL 474 00:23:12,892 --> 00:23:17,697 THAT WOULD PAY OFF ON A SATURDAY AFTERNOON THAT OCTOBER 475 00:23:17,697 --> 00:23:19,099 IT'S ABOUT FIVE MONTHS AFTER TIMMY WENT MISSING AND - 476 00:23:19,099 --> 00:23:20,567 >> RIGHT >> Reporter: -- YOU'RE OUT FOR 477 00:23:20,567 --> 00:23:23,136 THE DAY. YOU'RE AT A SPORTS 478 00:23:23,136 --> 00:23:25,605 MEMORABILIA -- >> IT WAS A TWO-DAY EXPO, YEAH 479 00:23:25,605 --> 00:23:28,575 >> Reporter: DAN AND A FRIEND ATTENDED THE EXPO AT THE RARITAN 480 00:23:28,575 --> 00:23:35,982 CENTER IN EDISON, NEW JERSEY >> WE BOTH HAD AN INTEREST IN 481 00:23:35,982 --> 00:23:37,384 SPORTS CARDS AND SPORTS MEMORABILIA AND ALSO THE 482 00:23:37,384 --> 00:23:39,786 INTEREST IN -- IN THE WILDLIFE >> Reporter: SO AFTER THEY'D HAD 483 00:23:39,786 --> 00:23:42,288 ENOUGH AT THE EXPO, THEY DECIDED TO TAKE A WALK IN A MARSHY AREA 484 00:23:42,288 --> 00:23:45,191 BEHIND THE RARITAN CENTER. >> IT WAS THE KIND OF AREA THAT 485 00:23:45,191 --> 00:23:47,861 WOULD HARBOR SMALLER ANIMALS THAT WE WERE INTERESTED IN 486 00:23:47,861 --> 00:23:50,363 >> Reporter: DAN TOOK US TO THE PLACE WHERE HE AND HIS FRIEND 487 00:23:50,363 --> 00:23:52,132 WENT EXPLORING AND SO YOU WENT IN HERE? 488 00:23:52,132 --> 00:23:53,900 >> AND WE WENT IN RIGHT ABOUT HERE 489 00:23:53,900 --> 00:23:57,504 >> Reporter: THEY HADN'T BEEN WALKING VERY LONG WHEN SOMETHING 490 00:23:57,504 --> 00:24:01,441 CAUGHT HIS EYE >> I LOOKED DOWN, AND THERE WAS 491 00:24:01,441 --> 00:24:03,076 A TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES CHILD'S SNEAKER. 492 00:24:03,076 --> 00:24:04,844 >> Reporter: WAS YOUR GUT TELLING YOU THAT THIS IS 493 00:24:04,844 --> 00:24:08,114 CONNECTED TO TIMMY'S DISAPPEARANCE? 494 00:24:08,114 --> 00:24:11,951 >> I ALWAYS HAD A SENSE OF UNBELIEF ABOUT IT BECAUSE WHO 495 00:24:11,951 --> 00:24:14,454 EXPECTS TO GET -- TO STUMBLE ON WHAT COULD BE A POTENTIAL -- 496 00:24:14,454 --> 00:24:17,323 >> Reporter: A CLUE. A BIG CLUE 497 00:24:17,323 --> 00:24:19,526 >> A PIECE OF EVIDENCE >> Reporter: TELL US WHAT YOU 498 00:24:19,526 --> 00:24:22,529 DID NEXT >> I TOOK THE SNEAKER TO MY CAR, 499 00:24:22,529 --> 00:24:24,330 PUT IT IN A PLASTIC BAG. >> Reporter: HE TOOK THE SNEAKER 500 00:24:24,330 --> 00:24:27,667 STRAIGHT TO THE SAYREVILLE POLICE DEPARTMENT. 501 00:24:27,667 --> 00:24:30,804 >> THERE WAS A NICE YOUNG OFFICER, TOOK A WRITTEN REPORT, 502 00:24:30,804 --> 00:24:34,174 AND I LEFT AND I EXPECTED THEM TO CONTACT 503 00:24:34,174 --> 00:24:37,811 ME THIS WAS A SATURDAY. 504 00:24:37,811 --> 00:24:41,648 SO I THOUGHT, "OKAY, IT'LL BE MONDAY." 505 00:24:41,648 --> 00:24:43,550 AND MONDAY CAME AND WENT AND - >> Reporter: NOTHING 506 00:24:43,550 --> 00:24:46,119 >> NOTHING >> Reporter: BUT WHAT DAN DIDN'T 507 00:24:46,119 --> 00:24:50,457 KNOW WAS THAT THE POLICE WERE IN FACT WORKING HARD TO DETERMINE 508 00:24:50,457 --> 00:24:54,094 IF THE SHOE BELONGED TO TIMMY. IT WAS A LEFT SHOE, SIZE 13, THE 509 00:24:54,094 --> 00:24:55,695 SAME SIZE TIMMY WAS WEARING. DID YOU THINK THAT THIS COULD BE 510 00:24:55,695 --> 00:24:57,897 MAYBE THE BREAK YOU WERE LOOKING FOR? 511 00:24:57,897 --> 00:25:00,433 >> YOU KNOW WHAT IT WAS JUST ONE SHOE 512 00:25:00,433 --> 00:25:02,202 BACK THEN, NINJA TURTLES WAS BIG. 513 00:25:02,202 --> 00:25:05,305 IT WAS, LIKE, HUGE PEOPLE HAD BALLOONS. 514 00:25:05,305 --> 00:25:07,907 THEY HAD THE SHOES THEY HAD THE T-SHIRTS. 515 00:25:07,907 --> 00:25:11,344 >> Reporter: BUT WHERE THE SNEAKER WAS FOUND WAS CLOSE TO 516 00:25:11,344 --> 00:25:12,746 THE CARNIVAL GROUNDS >> WHERE THE CROWS FLY, IT'S A 517 00:25:12,746 --> 00:25:14,114 VERY SHORT DISTANCE. YOU KNOW 518 00:25:14,114 --> 00:25:19,052 YOU'RE AT THE CARNIVAL YOU CROSS THE RIVER. 519 00:25:19,052 --> 00:25:20,520 AND THEN THERE'S OLYMPIC DRIVE >> Reporter: SAYREVILLE POLICE 520 00:25:20,520 --> 00:25:23,923 SENT THE SHOE TO THE FBI HOPING FOR DNA EVIDENCE THAT WOULD 521 00:25:23,923 --> 00:25:27,260 CONFIRM IT WAS TIMMY'S BUT THE RESULTS WERE 522 00:25:27,260 --> 00:25:29,295 INCONCLUSIVE, SO POLICE TRIED SOMETHING ELSE 523 00:25:29,295 --> 00:25:31,731 >> EVENTUALLY SHOWED IT TO MICHELLE 524 00:25:31,731 --> 00:25:36,903 AND SHE INITIALLY SAID THAT IT WASN'T HIS 525 00:25:36,903 --> 00:25:38,271 IT HAD A DIFFERENT EMBLEM ON IT OR SOMETHING 526 00:25:38,271 --> 00:25:40,073 >> Reporter: ALL THE WHILE, DAN O'MALLEY HAD BEEN WAITING 527 00:25:40,073 --> 00:25:42,509 FOR HIS PHONE TO RING, HOPING SOMEONE FROM LAW ENFORCEMENT 528 00:25:42,509 --> 00:25:45,111 WOULD CONTACT HIM. >> I WENT ABOUT MY BUSINESS 529 00:25:45,111 --> 00:25:49,215 TEACHING I GAVE IT THREE WEEKS. 530 00:25:49,215 --> 00:25:52,352 AND THAT WAS VERY PAINFUL AND HARD JUST TO GO THREE WEEKS. 531 00:25:52,352 --> 00:25:54,621 >> Reporter: WITH STILL NO WORD FROM THE POLICE, HE CALLED THE 532 00:25:54,621 --> 00:25:56,956 LOCAL PAPER TO TELL THEM ABOUT THE SNEAKER HE'D FOUND 533 00:25:56,956 --> 00:25:58,692 AND DID THEY BITE? DID -- WERE THEY INTERESTED IN 534 00:25:58,692 --> 00:26:01,895 WHAT YOU HAD TO SAY? >> OH, WHOEVER PICKED UP THE 535 00:26:01,895 --> 00:26:05,131 PHONE REFERRED IT TO THE EDITOR, AND HE GOT ON THE LINE 536 00:26:05,131 --> 00:26:09,102 AND THE NEXT DAY IT WAS FRONT PAGE NEWS. 537 00:26:09,102 --> 00:26:12,272 >> Reporter: NOW EVERYONE WAS TALKING ABOUT THE SNEAKER. 538 00:26:12,272 --> 00:26:15,041 DETECTIVE HACKETT SAYS THAT PROMPTED MICHELLE TO CONTACT THE 539 00:26:15,041 --> 00:26:17,210 POLICE DOES MICHELLE TAKE A SECOND LOOK 540 00:26:17,210 --> 00:26:19,546 AT THE SNEAKER >> I BELIEVE SHE TOOK A SECOND 541 00:26:19,546 --> 00:26:22,382 LOOK AT IT AND SAY, "HEY, IT MAY BE HIS." 542 00:26:22,382 --> 00:26:26,319 AND THEN SHE ALSO BROUGHT IN A PAIR OF HIS SHOES, DRESS SHOES 543 00:26:26,319 --> 00:26:29,356 AND THEY WERE SENT TO THE FBI LAB FOR FORENSIC ANALYSIS. 544 00:26:29,356 --> 00:26:32,092 THEY DO AN EXAMINATION OF THE WEAR PATTERN OF THE SHOES. 545 00:26:32,092 --> 00:26:35,662 >> Reporter: AGAIN THE RESULTS WERE INCONCLUSIVE. 546 00:26:35,662 --> 00:26:38,465 BUT INVESTIGATORS WERE ABLE TO MATCH THE MODEL NUMBER ON THE 547 00:26:38,465 --> 00:26:41,634 SNEAKER TO THE SHOE BOX THAT MICHELLE GAVE THEM 548 00:26:41,634 --> 00:26:45,405 SO WAS IT NOW APPEARING THAT THIS WAS TIMMY'S SHOE? 549 00:26:45,405 --> 00:26:48,875 >> I STILL DON'T KNOW IF THEY CONCLUSIVELY MADE THAT 550 00:26:48,875 --> 00:26:50,844 DETERMINATION THAT IT WAS HIS. >> Reporter: TIMMY'S COUSIN 551 00:26:50,844 --> 00:26:53,947 JENNIFER DIDN'T NEED POLICE TO CONFIRM WHAT SHE INSTINCTIVELY 552 00:26:53,947 --> 00:26:55,915 KNEW >> THE DAY I HEARD ABOUT THE 553 00:26:55,915 --> 00:26:58,418 SNEAKER, I BELIEVED IT WAS HIS >> Reporter: WHAT DID IT SAY TO 554 00:26:58,418 --> 00:27:02,022 YOU ABOUT WHAT HAD HAPPENED TO HIM? 555 00:27:02,022 --> 00:27:06,026 >> I JUST THOUGHT THAT WHOEVER TOOK HIM HAD TO CHANGE HIS 556 00:27:06,026 --> 00:27:07,560 CLOTHES, SO THEY WERE JUST SCATTERING HIS STUFF AROUND 557 00:27:07,560 --> 00:27:11,097 MAYBE. THERE WAS NOTHING IN ME THAT WAS 558 00:27:11,097 --> 00:27:14,267 GONNA LET ME BELIEVE THAT HE WASN'T COMING HOME 559 00:27:14,267 --> 00:27:17,037 THERE WAS NO WAY MY LIFE WAS GONNA GO ON AND TIMMY WASN'T 560 00:27:17,037 --> 00:27:20,140 GONNA BE HERE. >> Reporter: STILL, THE SNEAKER 561 00:27:20,140 --> 00:27:22,442 DIDN'T SEEM TO BE LEADING INVESTIGATORS ANYWHERE 562 00:27:22,442 --> 00:27:26,046 AND A SEARCH OF THE AREA WHERE THE SNEAKER HAD BEEN FOUND WAS 563 00:27:26,046 --> 00:27:28,715 NO HELP EITHER THE FIRST SEARCH THAT WAS DONE 564 00:27:28,715 --> 00:27:30,116 AFTER THE SHOE WAS FOUND TURNED UP NOTHING 565 00:27:30,116 --> 00:27:32,619 >> RIGHT SAYREVILLE DID THAT, AND THEY 566 00:27:32,619 --> 00:27:36,122 DIDN'T FIND ANYTHING >> Reporter: MORE MONTHS WENT BY 567 00:27:36,122 --> 00:27:41,461 WITHOUT ANY NEW CLUES. UNTIL ANOTHER BIG DISCOVERY IN 568 00:27:41,461 --> 00:27:43,096 THAT MARSHY AREA >> AND I GOT CHILLS UP AND DOWN 569 00:27:43,096 --> 00:27:46,132 MY SPINE >> Reporter: AND THIS TIME A 570 00:27:46,132 --> 00:27:48,201 POSSIBLE ANSWER TO THE QUESTION, "WHERE WAS TIMMY?" 571 00:27:48,201 --> 00:27:50,670 >> I SAID, "GOD, IF HE'S HERE, LET'S GIVE US A SIGN 572 00:27:50,670 --> 00:27:54,074 LET US FIND SOMETHING. AND IT WAS JUST, LIKE, A 573 00:27:54,074 --> 00:27:57,677 MIRACLE. >>> COMING UP -- 574 00:27:57,677 --> 00:28:00,814 WAS THE SEARCH ABOUT TO END? >> WE FOUND THE SECOND SNEAKER 575 00:28:00,814 --> 00:28:03,550 ABOUT 30 YARDS AWAY FROM THE FIRST SNEAKER THAT WAS FOUND 576 00:28:03,550 --> 00:28:10,256 BACK IN OCTOBER. >> DETECTIVES ALSO FOUND WHAT 577 00:28:10,256 --> 00:28:12,025 MIGHT BE A KEY PIECE OF EVIDENCE 578 00:28:12,025 --> 00:28:13,526 >> THERE WAS A BLANKET RECOVERED ABOUT 15 FEET ON THE EMBANKMENT. 579 00:28:13,526 --> 00:28:30,076 >> WHO DID IT BELONG TO? >> Reporter: IT HAD BEEN MORE 580 00:28:30,076 --> 00:28:34,047 THAN FIVE MONTHS WITH NO SIGN OF LITTLE TIMMY 581 00:28:34,047 --> 00:28:37,951 BUT VOLUNTEER EMT JIM RYAN WAS STILL DETERMINED TO FIND HIM 582 00:28:37,951 --> 00:28:39,719 >> I WAS 22 YEARS OLD. I BELIEVED WE COULD SAVE THE 583 00:28:39,719 --> 00:28:42,288 WORLD. >> Reporter: SO HE CAME UP WITH 584 00:28:42,288 --> 00:28:46,426 A PLAN >> WE DIDN'T WANT TIMMY'S STORY 585 00:28:46,426 --> 00:28:49,129 TO FADE FROM THE SPOTLIGHT THE NATIONAL CENTER FOR MISSING 586 00:28:49,129 --> 00:28:51,264 CHILDREN HAD INDICATED THE BEST WAY TO FIND MISSING KIDS IS KEEP 587 00:28:51,264 --> 00:28:52,599 THE ATTENTION ON IT. SO WE'RE LIKE, "OKAY, HOW CAN WE 588 00:28:52,599 --> 00:28:54,367 DO THAT? LET'S GET BILLBOARDS." 589 00:28:54,367 --> 00:28:57,237 >> Reporter: BUT BILLBOARDS WERE EXPENSIVE. 590 00:28:57,237 --> 00:29:00,407 SO TO RAISE MONEY, JIM AND THE PRINCIPAL OF TIMMY'S CATHOLIC 591 00:29:00,407 --> 00:29:03,076 SCHOOL DECIDED TO FORM A GROUP CALLED "FRIENDS OF TIMMY." 592 00:29:03,076 --> 00:29:06,346 JIM HAD A MEETING WITH TIMMY'S MOM, MICHELLE. 593 00:29:06,346 --> 00:29:08,114 >> I DO HAVE A CONVERSATION WITH HER AND I ASK IF THIS IS AN IDEA 594 00:29:08,114 --> 00:29:09,749 THAT SHE'D BE RECEPTIVE TO >> Reporter: WAS SHE RECEPTIVE 595 00:29:09,749 --> 00:29:11,651 >> SHE WAS >> Reporter: MICHELLE EVEN 596 00:29:11,651 --> 00:29:15,655 JOINED THE "FRIENDS OF TIMMY" BOARD. 597 00:29:15,655 --> 00:29:17,457 SHE HELPED PLAN THEIR FIRST FUND-RAISER, A BASKETBALL GAME 598 00:29:17,457 --> 00:29:21,027 AT HER SON'S SCHOOL. >> THE BASKETBALL GAME INVOLVED 599 00:29:21,027 --> 00:29:23,096 A RADIO STATION OUT OF NEW YORK CITY CALLED WPLJ AND THE 600 00:29:23,096 --> 00:29:25,899 CHIPPENDALES >> Reporter: I'M ASSUMING YOU'RE 601 00:29:25,899 --> 00:29:28,201 TALKING ABOUT HUNKY, KIND OF, MEN WHO SHOW OFF THEIR ABS AND 602 00:29:28,201 --> 00:29:30,704 THEIR MUSCLES. >> YEAH. 603 00:29:30,704 --> 00:29:34,674 >> Reporter: JIM SAYS THE COMMUNITY'S RESPONSE TO HUNKY 604 00:29:34,674 --> 00:29:40,380 DANCERS IN A CATHOLIC SCHOOL GYM WAS LUKEWARM, TO SAY THE LEAST 605 00:29:40,380 --> 00:29:41,514 >> I THINK PEOPLE INTERPRETE THAT -- THAT, YOU KNOW, THE 606 00:29:41,514 --> 00:29:44,451 CHIPPENDALES ARE HERE. WE'RE A SMALL COMMUNITY. 607 00:29:44,451 --> 00:29:46,720 >> Reporter: I HAVE TO SAY THE CHIPPENDALES, TO ME, DOESN'T 608 00:29:46,720 --> 00:29:50,056 SEEM OVERLY APPROPRIATE FOR A MISSING CHILD. 609 00:29:50,056 --> 00:29:56,529 >> IT DOESN'T. IT DOESN'T AT ALL. 610 00:29:56,529 --> 00:29:57,731 >> Reporter: HE KNEW IT WAS A MISSTEP, SO JIM AND THE OTHER 611 00:29:57,731 --> 00:29:58,665 BOARD MEMBERS WORKED ON A NEW STRATEGY 612 00:29:58,665 --> 00:30:00,033 >> ONE OF THE THINGS THAT YOU COULD DO EASILY WITH TIMMY'S 613 00:30:00,033 --> 00:30:01,835 CASE IS GET LOST IN DISTRACTIONS 614 00:30:01,835 --> 00:30:05,171 SO I TRIED TO STAY FOCUSED ON A 5-YEAR-OLD MISSING 615 00:30:05,171 --> 00:30:07,173 >> Reporter: AND SO DID THE FBI. ALMOST A YEAR AFTER TIMMY WENT 616 00:30:07,173 --> 00:30:13,013 MISSING, AGENTS HAD A NEW GAME PLAN 617 00:30:13,013 --> 00:30:14,848 >> THE OVERALL CONCLUSION WAS GO BACK AND REDO ALMOST EVERY 618 00:30:14,848 --> 00:30:17,050 INVESTIGATIVE STEP THAT HAD BEEN DONE AND DO IT AGAIN AND AGAIN 619 00:30:17,050 --> 00:30:22,022 >> Reporter: WHICH MEANT TAKING A SECOND LOOK AT THE PLACE WHERE 620 00:30:22,022 --> 00:30:25,425 THE SNEAKER WAS FOUND. ON APRIL 23rd, 1992, A TEAM OF 621 00:30:25,425 --> 00:30:27,427 INVESTIGATORS BEGAN SCOURING THE MARSHY AREA BEHIND THE RARITAN 622 00:30:27,427 --> 00:30:29,963 CENTER DETECTIVE HACKETT WAS ON THE 623 00:30:29,963 --> 00:30:32,132 TEAM YOU GET A CALL FROM THE FBI TO 624 00:30:32,132 --> 00:30:34,868 COME DOWN HERE >> YES 625 00:30:34,868 --> 00:30:37,671 THE FBI HAD CONTACTED US AND REQUESTED THAT WE COME OUT HERE 626 00:30:37,671 --> 00:30:40,707 WITH OUR CADAVER DOG TO DO A SEARCH OF THIS AREA. 627 00:30:40,707 --> 00:30:44,611 >> Reporter: WITHIN MINUTES, THEY MADE A DISCOVERY. 628 00:30:44,611 --> 00:30:46,713 >> WE FOUND THE SECOND SNEAKER ABOUT 30 YARDS AWAY FROM THE 629 00:30:46,713 --> 00:30:50,050 FIRST SNEAKER THAT WAS FOUND BACK IN OCTOBER. 630 00:30:50,050 --> 00:30:54,087 >> Reporter: IT WAS ANOTHER TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLE 631 00:30:54,087 --> 00:30:58,591 SNEAKER, SIZE 13, THE RIGHT SHOE 632 00:30:58,591 --> 00:30:59,759 IT APPEARED TO BE A MATCH TO THE LEFT SNEAKER FOUND MONTHS 633 00:30:59,759 --> 00:31:04,197 EARLIER. WHY POLICE HADN'T SPOTTED IT 634 00:31:04,197 --> 00:31:05,331 BEFORE WAS A HEAD SCRATCHER. THEY CONTINUED SEARCHING FOR 635 00:31:05,331 --> 00:31:11,071 SEVERAL MORE HOURS BUT DIDN'T FIND ANYTHING ELSE 636 00:31:11,071 --> 00:31:13,306 DETECTIVE HACKETT WAS GETTING ANTSY AND HAD AN IDEA. 637 00:31:13,306 --> 00:31:14,541 HE CALLS IT DIVINE INTERVENTION. >> THE SEARCH WAS CONCENTRATED 638 00:31:14,541 --> 00:31:16,409 ON THAT SIDE OF THE ROAD BECAUSE THAT'S WHERE THE SNEAKER WAS 639 00:31:16,409 --> 00:31:20,213 FOUND. >> Reporter: BUT YOU DECIDED TO 640 00:31:20,213 --> 00:31:21,548 SEARCH THIS SIDE EVEN THOUGH EVERYONE ELSE WAS SEARCHING THAT 641 00:31:21,548 --> 00:31:23,183 SIDE >> YES 642 00:31:23,183 --> 00:31:25,752 AFTER A FEW HOURS, I JUST KINDA TOOK A WALK OVER HERE ON MY OWN 643 00:31:25,752 --> 00:31:27,087 JUST TO GET A LITTLE BIT OF THE LAY OF THE LAND. 644 00:31:27,087 --> 00:31:30,256 >> Reporter: YOU HAD SAID A PRAYER THAT DAY? 645 00:31:30,256 --> 00:31:34,094 >> YES I WAS GETTING FRUSTRATED 646 00:31:34,094 --> 00:31:35,295 AND AS I WAS WALKING UP ON THE BANK RIGHT THERE, I SAID, "GOD, 647 00:31:35,295 --> 00:31:36,663 IF HE'S HERE, JUST GIVE US A SIGN 648 00:31:36,663 --> 00:31:38,298 LET US FIND SOMETHING. AND IT WAS JUST, LIKE, A 649 00:31:38,298 --> 00:31:42,168 MIRACLE. I JUST HAPPENED TO LOOK DOWN 650 00:31:42,168 --> 00:31:44,104 INTO THIS DRAINAGE AREA, CREEK AND I SAW WHAT APPEARED TO BE A 651 00:31:44,104 --> 00:31:51,111 SKULL. >> Reporter: WOW 652 00:31:51,111 --> 00:31:52,612 >> OF COURSE, I WAS VERY EMOTIONAL, AND I FELT IN MY 653 00:31:52,612 --> 00:31:54,547 HEART THAT IT HAD TO BE TIMOTHY. >> Reporter: HE RACED BACK UP 654 00:31:54,547 --> 00:31:57,584 THE EMBANKMENT TO ALERT THE OTHERS 655 00:31:57,584 --> 00:32:00,587 WHAT IS THAT MOMENT LIKE WHERE YOU SEE WHAT LOOKS LIKE A SKULL 656 00:32:00,587 --> 00:32:04,124 THAT -- AND IT'S A SMALL ONE THAT COULD BE A CHILD'S? 657 00:32:04,124 --> 00:32:08,461 >> WELL, A LOT OF STUFF IS RUNNING THROUGH MY HEAD. 658 00:32:08,461 --> 00:32:09,929 I HAD KIDS THAT AGE, YOU KNOW? BUT I WAS LIKE, "THANK YOU, 659 00:32:09,929 --> 00:32:11,097 GOD. IT WAS, LIKE, THE CRAZIEST 660 00:32:11,097 --> 00:32:13,333 THING. >> Reporter: ALONG WITH THE 661 00:32:13,333 --> 00:32:16,436 SMALL SKULL, THEY FOUND SEVERAL OTHER BONES, REMNANTS FROM THE 662 00:32:16,436 --> 00:32:18,805 WAISTBAND OF CHILD SIZED UNDERWEAR AND SHORTS, A 663 00:32:18,805 --> 00:32:21,341 PILLOWCASE AND SOMETHING ELSE. >> THERE WAS A BLANKET RECOVERED 664 00:32:21,341 --> 00:32:25,612 ABOUT 15 FEET ON THE EMBANKMENT THAT WAS TAKEN AS EVIDENCE TOO 665 00:32:25,612 --> 00:32:28,348 >> Reporter: A LARGE, BLUE AND WHITE, HEAVY COTTON BLANKET. 666 00:32:28,348 --> 00:32:29,749 IS IT BECOMING MORE AND MORE APPARENT TO YOU THAT -- THAT 667 00:32:29,749 --> 00:32:35,522 THIS IS HIGHLY LIKELY THAT THIS IS TIMMY 668 00:32:35,522 --> 00:32:37,791 >> YEAH, WELL, THE NEXT DAY, THEY HAD A FORENSIC DENTIST LOOK 669 00:32:37,791 --> 00:32:40,660 AT THE SKULL AND COMPARE THE TEETH WITH TIMMY'S DENTAL 670 00:32:40,660 --> 00:32:44,097 RECORDS AND MADE A POSITIVE IDENTIFICATION THAT IT WAS 671 00:32:44,097 --> 00:32:49,302 TIMOTHY WILTSEY. >> Reporter: TIMMY'S REMAINS 672 00:32:49,302 --> 00:33:04,184 WERE FOUND YOU FINALLY HAD TO GIVE UP THAT 673 00:33:04,184 --> 00:33:05,885 HOPE >> OH, GOD 674 00:33:05,885 --> 00:33:07,420 >> Reporter: HOW DID YOU FIND OUT? 675 00:33:07,420 --> 00:33:08,788 >> MY GRANDMOTHER CALLED ME AND TOLD ME TO COME OVER TO 676 00:33:08,788 --> 00:33:10,857 MICHELLE'S HOUSE AND SO I THOUGHT THAT TIMMY WAS 677 00:33:10,857 --> 00:33:26,506 GONNA BE THERE I THOUGHT THEY FOUND HIM 678 00:33:26,506 --> 00:33:28,141 WHEN I GOT THERE, HE WASN'T THERE. 679 00:33:28,141 --> 00:33:32,178 AND MY GRANDMOTHER TOLD ME THEY FOUND HIM. 680 00:33:32,178 --> 00:33:34,414 HE WASN'T COMING HOME. >> Reporter: SHE SAYS MICHELLE 681 00:33:34,414 --> 00:33:37,117 HAD BEEN TOLD BY POLICE AT THE STATION AND IMMEDIATELY CALLED 682 00:33:37,117 --> 00:33:40,353 HER SISTER LINDA HOW WERE YOU FEELING WHEN YOU 683 00:33:40,353 --> 00:33:45,625 GET THIS NEWS THAT IT IS HIM >> DEVASTATED BUT RELIEVED THAT 684 00:33:45,625 --> 00:33:49,529 THE SEARCH IS OVER AND THAT -- I MEAN, HE'S WITH GOD. 685 00:33:49,529 --> 00:33:51,398 HE'S -- HE'S GONE. >> Reporter: AND HOW'S MICHELLE 686 00:33:51,398 --> 00:33:54,968 DOING DURING THIS TIME >> SHE'S DEVASTATED, AND SHE'S 687 00:33:54,968 --> 00:33:57,871 TURNING TO ME. >> Reporter: MICHELLE'S MOM TOLD 688 00:33:57,871 --> 00:34:01,508 REPORTERS HER DAUGHTER WAS UP IN TIMMY'S ROOM, ON HIS BED, 689 00:34:01,508 --> 00:34:06,613 CRYING >> WE WANT THEM TO FIND WHO DID 690 00:34:06,613 --> 00:34:10,717 THIS TO MY GRANDSON, TO PLEASE JUST LET HER GRIEVE IN PEACE 691 00:34:10,717 --> 00:34:12,752 >> Reporter: A FEW WEEKS LATER, TIMMY'S FAMILY HELD A FUNERAL 692 00:34:12,752 --> 00:34:15,455 MASS FOR HIM HOW WAS MICHELLE AT THE FUNERAL? 693 00:34:15,455 --> 00:34:17,791 >> SHE WAS DISTRAUGHT. YEAH, SHE WAS CRYING 694 00:34:17,791 --> 00:34:23,563 SHE WAS UPSET. BUT, YOU KNOW, I WAS SO UPSET I 695 00:34:23,563 --> 00:34:24,964 WASN'T, YOU KNOW -- I FELT LIKE I LOST MY OWN SON. 696 00:34:24,964 --> 00:34:26,366 >> MICHELLE WAS IN SHOCK >> Reporter: YOUR DAD HAD TO 697 00:34:26,366 --> 00:34:27,734 HOLD HER UP AS SHE WALKED UP THE STAIRS 698 00:34:27,734 --> 00:34:32,839 >> MY DAD WAS ON ONE SIDE, AND I WAS ON THE OTHER 699 00:34:32,839 --> 00:34:36,076 >> IT WAS SO HARD JUST TO SEE A TINY, LITTLE CASKET, YOU KNOW. 700 00:34:36,076 --> 00:34:38,511 I MEAN, IT WAS LIKE -- >> Reporter: IT'S HEARTBREAKING. 701 00:34:38,511 --> 00:34:41,448 >> MY -- MY COUSIN WAS NARROWED DOWN TO A SHOEBOX. 702 00:34:41,448 --> 00:34:44,084 YOU KNOW LIKE, THAT'S BASICALLY WHAT HIS 703 00:34:44,084 --> 00:34:47,187 REMAINS FIT INTO >> Reporter: THE MEDICAL 704 00:34:47,187 --> 00:34:48,922 EXAMINER DIDN'T FIND EVIDENCE OF TRAUMA IN THE REMAINS THAT WERE 705 00:34:48,922 --> 00:34:52,926 FOUND AND COULDN'T DETERMINE HOW TIMMY DIED 706 00:34:52,926 --> 00:34:55,729 BUT HE DID RULE IT A HOMICIDE. DETECTIVES WERE NOW ON THE HUNT 707 00:34:55,729 --> 00:34:59,532 FOR A KILLER AND ONE PERSON WAS IN THEIR 708 00:34:59,532 --> 00:35:03,036 SIGHTS >> I LEARNED IMMEDIATELY FROM 709 00:35:03,036 --> 00:35:04,504 THE FIRST ANSWER SHE GAVE THAT SHE WAS NOT BEING TRUTHFUL ABOUT 710 00:35:04,504 --> 00:35:08,608 THIS SHE WAS BEING DECEPTIVE. 711 00:35:08,608 --> 00:35:10,276 >>> COMING UP -- >> I TURNED AROUND, AND HE WAS 712 00:35:10,276 --> 00:35:14,547 GONE >> DETECTIVES QUESTION 713 00:35:14,547 --> 00:35:16,149 MICHELLE'S STORY AND AN ANONYMOUS LETTER OFFERS A 714 00:35:16,149 --> 00:35:20,453 NEW STORY AND A POSSIBLE NEW SUSPECT. 715 00:35:20,453 --> 00:35:43,476 >> "TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN, IN THE CASE OF TIMOTHY WILTSEY, T 716 00:35:43,476 --> 00:35:45,412 >> Reporter: GRIEF SETTLED OVER THIS CLOSE KNIT COMMUNITY AS 717 00:35:45,412 --> 00:35:46,980 NEIGHBORS SHARED THE GRIM NEWS THAT TIMMY WILTSEY'S REMAINS HAD 718 00:35:46,980 --> 00:35:50,083 BEEN FOUND >> I JUST FELT SO COLD INSIDE. 719 00:35:50,083 --> 00:35:54,688 >> Reporter: THE 5-YEAR-OLD HAD BEEN MURDERED. 720 00:35:54,688 --> 00:35:56,089 >> I MUST HAVE BEEN IN SHOCK 'CAUSE I DON'T EVEN 721 00:35:56,089 --> 00:35:58,124 REMEMBER CRYING. >> Reporter: WHO COULD'VE DONE 722 00:35:58,124 --> 00:36:00,593 SUCH A HORRIFIC THING? TIMMY'S AFTER SCHOOL TEACHER, 723 00:36:00,593 --> 00:36:05,031 SISTER YVONNE, PRAYED FOR POLICE TO FIND HIS KILLER 724 00:36:05,031 --> 00:36:10,437 >> HOPEFULLY BY PRAYER AND HARD WORK, IN THE END IT WILL BE 725 00:36:10,437 --> 00:36:12,906 TAKEN CARE OF. >> Reporter: DETECTIVES HAD BEEN 726 00:36:12,906 --> 00:36:15,608 QUIETLY BUILDING A LIST OF POSSIBLE SUSPECTS. 727 00:36:15,608 --> 00:36:19,045 ONE OF THEM WAS GEORGE WILTSEY, TIMMY'S FATHER 728 00:36:19,045 --> 00:36:25,118 HE HADN'T BEEN A PART OF TIMMY'S LIFE FOR YEARS, BUT THEY STILL 729 00:36:25,118 --> 00:36:26,586 NEEDED TO CHECK HIM OUT. >> HE WAS QUICKLY RULED OUT OF 730 00:36:26,586 --> 00:36:28,054 HAVING ANYTHING TO DO WITH IT. >> Reporter: WHY WAS HE RULED 731 00:36:28,054 --> 00:36:34,227 OUT SO QUICKLY >> BECAUSE HE WAS NOWHERE NEAR 732 00:36:34,227 --> 00:36:35,628 NEW JERSEY AT THE TIME TIMOTHY WAS MISSING. 733 00:36:35,628 --> 00:36:37,097 >> Reporter: POLICE ALSO INTERVIEWED SEVERAL OF 734 00:36:37,097 --> 00:36:38,565 MICHELLE'S FORMER BOYFRIENDS, BUT THAT WENT NOWHERE. 735 00:36:38,565 --> 00:36:40,500 AND AS FOR THE ELUSIVE ELLEN, THE WOMAN MICHELLE SAID SHE LEFT 736 00:36:40,500 --> 00:36:44,904 TIMMY WITH AT THE CARNIVAL >> ELLEN WAS NEVER FOUND 737 00:36:44,904 --> 00:36:47,974 WE COULD NEVER, DESPITE THE MASSIVE INVESTIGATIVE ASPECT OF 738 00:36:47,974 --> 00:36:49,776 THAT >> Reporter: REMEMBER, MICHELLE 739 00:36:49,776 --> 00:36:52,245 NEVER EVEN MENTIONED ELLEN THE FIRST TIME SHE TALKED TO THE 740 00:36:52,245 --> 00:36:54,080 POLICE THE FACT THAT SHE TOLD HER STORY 741 00:36:54,080 --> 00:36:57,417 IN BITS AND PIECES NAGGED AT THEM 742 00:36:57,417 --> 00:36:58,952 AND SO DID WHAT POLICE PERCEIVED AS MICHELLE'S LACK OF EMOTION 743 00:36:58,952 --> 00:37:01,788 THE NIGHT OF TIMMY'S DISAPPEARANCE. 744 00:37:01,788 --> 00:37:05,125 SHE WAS AT THE POLICE STATION DESCRIBING THE LAST MOMENT SHE 745 00:37:05,125 --> 00:37:08,094 SAW TIMMY. >> WHEN I WENT UP TO GET A SODA, 746 00:37:08,094 --> 00:37:10,130 I WAS PAYING FOR IT, AND I WAS GETTING MY CHANGE BACK 747 00:37:10,130 --> 00:37:13,233 AND I TURNED AROUND, AND HE WAS GONE 748 00:37:13,233 --> 00:37:15,068 >> Reporter: TO DETECTIVES, SHE SOUNDED NOTHING LIKE A DESPERATE 749 00:37:15,068 --> 00:37:18,038 MOM. IS IT POSSIBLE THAT PEOPLE 750 00:37:18,038 --> 00:37:20,306 HANDLE THESE SITUATIONS DIFFERENTLY? 751 00:37:20,306 --> 00:37:22,742 >> YEAH, OF COURSE BUT SOME OF HER FRIENDS AND 752 00:37:22,742 --> 00:37:25,512 ACQUAINTANCES COULDN'T UNDERSTAND HER DEMEANOR. 753 00:37:25,512 --> 00:37:28,815 >> Reporter: POLICE HAD BEEN SPEAKING TO SEVERAL PEOPLE WHO 754 00:37:28,815 --> 00:37:31,317 KNEW MICHELLE AND HEARING MORE STORIES ABOUT HER PUZZLING 755 00:37:31,317 --> 00:37:35,188 BEHAVIOR DURING THE TIME TIMMY WAS STILL MISSING. 756 00:37:35,188 --> 00:37:37,857 JIM RYAN TOLD THEM SOMETHING ODD ABOUT THE CHIPPENDALES 757 00:37:37,857 --> 00:37:40,627 FUND-RAISER. DID MICHELLE GET UPSET WHEN SHE 758 00:37:40,627 --> 00:37:42,595 HEARD THAT CHIPPENDALES WOULD BE A PART OF THE FUND-RAISING 759 00:37:42,595 --> 00:37:44,597 EFFORTS? >> MY RECOLLECTION WAS THAT 760 00:37:44,597 --> 00:37:46,399 CHIPPENDALES MIGHT HAVE BEEN A CONTACT THAT SHE MIGHT HAVE 761 00:37:46,399 --> 00:37:49,869 DEVELOPED. >> Reporter: AND JIM SAYS SHE 762 00:37:49,869 --> 00:37:51,504 WANTED THE NEXT FUND-RAISER TO INVOLVE THE DANCERS, TOO 763 00:37:51,504 --> 00:37:55,675 BUT THE BOARD OF "FRIENDS OF TIMMY" SAID NO 764 00:37:55,675 --> 00:37:59,079 THEN MICHELLE QUIT SO THAT WAS WHY YOU ENDED UP 765 00:37:59,079 --> 00:38:01,014 PARTING WAYS, YOU BELIEVE, OVER THE -- OVER CHIPPENDALES 766 00:38:01,014 --> 00:38:02,782 >> I BELIEVE THAT THAT WOULD BE ONE OF THE FACTORS 767 00:38:02,782 --> 00:38:04,818 >> Reporter: JIM SAYS HE COULDN'T BELIEVE WHAT HAPPENED 768 00:38:04,818 --> 00:38:07,554 NEXT THE BOARD GOT A LETTER FROM 769 00:38:07,554 --> 00:38:10,457 MICHELLE'S ATTORNEY SAYING THEY WERE NO LONGER ALLOWED TO USE 770 00:38:10,457 --> 00:38:13,827 TIMMY'S IMAGE. >> WE'RE KIND OF, LIKE, CONFUSED 771 00:38:13,827 --> 00:38:16,763 AND OVERWHELMED. OUR EFFORTS ARE TO LOCATE A 772 00:38:16,763 --> 00:38:23,236 5-YEAR-OLD MISSING BOY WHO IS STILL MISSING. 773 00:38:23,236 --> 00:38:24,838 AND YET A LAWYER HAS DRAFTED A LETTER INFORMING US THAT IF WE 774 00:38:24,838 --> 00:38:26,673 PUT HIS IMAGE UP, THAT WE COULD BE SUED. 775 00:38:26,673 --> 00:38:28,842 >> Reporter: DETECTIVES' EYEBROWS WERE RAISED 776 00:38:28,842 --> 00:38:31,211 BUT NONE OF THIS MADE MICHELLE GUILTY OF ANYTHING 777 00:38:31,211 --> 00:38:34,214 IT JUST SEEMED STRANGE AND THERE WAS MORE 778 00:38:34,214 --> 00:38:37,117 WHILE POLICE WERE WORKING TIRELESSLY TO FIND HER SON, 779 00:38:37,117 --> 00:38:41,087 MICHELLE TOOK OFF WITH A FRIEND ON A CARIBBEAN VACATION. 780 00:38:41,087 --> 00:38:44,891 >> MONTHS AFTER TIMOTHY WAS MISSING, SHE'S IN THE BAHAMAS, 781 00:38:44,891 --> 00:38:46,126 YOU KNOW, DANCING THE NIGHT AWAY 782 00:38:46,126 --> 00:38:50,096 >> Reporter: DETECTIVE HACKETT HEARD ABOUT THE TRIP BECAUSE TWO 783 00:38:50,096 --> 00:38:51,398 OFF-DUTY STATE TROOPERS JUST HAPPENED TO BE AT THE SAME 784 00:38:51,398 --> 00:38:56,236 RESORT >> SAW HER THERE AND RECOGNIZED 785 00:38:56,236 --> 00:39:00,540 HER AS, "HEY, THIS IS THE WOMAN WHOSE KID'S MISSING. 786 00:39:00,540 --> 00:39:02,442 AND THEY SAID, "WELL, BASICALLY, SHE WAS OUT HAVING, LIKE, NOT A 787 00:39:02,442 --> 00:39:04,911 CARE IN THE WORLD. >> Reporter: DETECTIVES 788 00:39:04,911 --> 00:39:07,614 CONTINUED TO WORK EVERY ANGLE, INCLUDING A BAFFLING, UNEXPECTED 789 00:39:07,614 --> 00:39:10,550 CLUE AN ANONYMOUS LETTER HAD ARRIVED 790 00:39:10,550 --> 00:39:13,720 AT THE SAYREVILLE POLICE DEPARTMENT THE VERY DAY TIMMY'S 791 00:39:13,720 --> 00:39:15,655 REMAINS WERE FOUND JERRY LEWIS WAS A DETECTIVE 792 00:39:15,655 --> 00:39:17,457 SERGEANT WITH THE NEW JERSEY STATE POLICE 793 00:39:17,457 --> 00:39:21,528 HE WAS ASKED TO EXAMINE THE LETTER 794 00:39:21,528 --> 00:39:25,765 >> "TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN, IN THE CASE OF TIMOTHY WILTSEY, THE 795 00:39:25,765 --> 00:39:27,734 MAN YOU ARE LOOKING FOR IS" -- >> Reporter: THE LETTER CLAIMED 796 00:39:27,734 --> 00:39:30,270 A FORMER BOYFRIEND OF MICHELLE'S KILLED TIMMY 797 00:39:30,270 --> 00:39:32,872 AND IT EVEN GAVE A MOTIVE. >> "HE HAD A GRUDGE AGAINST 798 00:39:32,872 --> 00:39:36,643 MICHELLE AND WANTED TO GET BACK AT HER 799 00:39:36,643 --> 00:39:40,347 I KNOW THIS TO BE A FACT BECAUSE LAST FEBRUARY, 1991, HE WANTED 800 00:39:40,347 --> 00:39:42,582 ME TO HELP HIM KILL MICHELLE OR HER LITTLE BOY." 801 00:39:42,582 --> 00:39:44,584 >> Reporter: WHOEVER WROTE IT MADE IT CLEAR THEY WANTED TO 802 00:39:44,584 --> 00:39:47,420 STAY ANONYMOUS >> "I WILL NOT, UNDER ANY 803 00:39:47,420 --> 00:39:50,890 CIRCUMSTANCES, COME FORWARD VOLUNTARILY BECAUSE I HAVE 804 00:39:50,890 --> 00:39:54,761 WAITED TOO LONG ALREADY. I DON'T KNOW IF HE FOUND SOMEONE 805 00:39:54,761 --> 00:39:58,064 ELSE TO HELP HIM OR HE DID THIS TERRIBLE THING HIMSELF 806 00:39:58,064 --> 00:39:59,866 BUT BE CERTAIN THAT HE DID IT. >> Reporter: WHAT WAS YOUR 807 00:39:59,866 --> 00:40:03,570 ANALYSIS OF THE NOTE >> WELL, IT'S INTERESTING THAT 808 00:40:03,570 --> 00:40:06,539 MICHELLE'S NAME BOTH TIMES WAS SPELLED WITH ONE "L. 809 00:40:06,539 --> 00:40:12,045 >> Reporter: MICHELLE'S NAME HAS TWO "Ls. 810 00:40:12,045 --> 00:40:14,147 THE DETECTIVE WONDERED, WAS IT SPELLED WRONG ON PURPOSE 811 00:40:14,147 --> 00:40:16,716 >> SO IS THIS SOMEONE TRYING TO MAKE IT LOOK LIKE IT'S NOT THEM? 812 00:40:16,716 --> 00:40:19,386 BUT THE MOST INTERESTING PART OF THIS IS THIS PART OF THE 813 00:40:19,386 --> 00:40:21,421 STATEMENT. "I WILL NOT UNDER ANY 814 00:40:21,421 --> 00:40:23,690 CIRCUMSTANCES COME FORWARD VOLUNTARILY. 815 00:40:23,690 --> 00:40:26,760 MOST PEOPLE SAY, "BECAUSE I'M AFRAID 816 00:40:26,760 --> 00:40:28,595 IF I COME FORWARD AND TELL YOU THIS PERSON'S NAME, THEY'RE 817 00:40:28,595 --> 00:40:31,364 GONNA GET ME THEY'RE GONNA KILL ME. 818 00:40:31,364 --> 00:40:34,200 AND THIS NOTE SAYS, "I CAN'T COME FORWARD VOLUNTARILY BECAUSE 819 00:40:34,200 --> 00:40:35,935 I'VE WAITED TOO LONG ALREADY." IT MAKES NO SENSE. 820 00:40:35,935 --> 00:40:38,104 IT'S NOT A REASON. THEY'RE ALREADY COMING FORWARD 821 00:40:38,104 --> 00:40:41,107 WITH THE NOTE. >> Reporter: JERRY DIDN'T 822 00:40:41,107 --> 00:40:43,743 BELIEVE A WORD OF IT, AND HE HAD A SURPRISING SUSPICION ABOUT WHO 823 00:40:43,743 --> 00:40:48,715 WAS BEHIND IT. >> I THINK MICHELLE WROTE IT 824 00:40:48,715 --> 00:40:52,686 THE MAN THAT'S SPELLED OUT HERE IS A FORMER BOYFRIEND OF 825 00:40:52,686 --> 00:40:54,721 MICHELLE'S THAT HELPED THE FBI FILL OUT THEIR BEHAVIORAL 826 00:40:54,721 --> 00:40:57,657 ANALYSIS >> Reporter: HE WAS HELPING THEM 827 00:40:57,657 --> 00:40:59,559 WITH THE PROFILE OF MICHELLE >> UH-HUH. 828 00:40:59,559 --> 00:41:02,462 >> Reporter: OH, WOW DETECTIVES SENT THE LETTER TO 829 00:41:02,462 --> 00:41:05,732 THE FBI TO SEE IF THERE WERE FINGERPRINTS OR DNA THAT MIGHT 830 00:41:05,732 --> 00:41:10,837 REVEAL IF SHE SENT IT. THE RESULTS WERE NOT WHAT THEY 831 00:41:10,837 --> 00:41:12,906 WERE EXPECTING SOMEONE'S DNA WAS ON THERE 832 00:41:12,906 --> 00:41:14,674 BUT IT WASN'T MICHELLE'S THEY HAD NO IDEA WHO IT BELONGED 833 00:41:14,674 --> 00:41:17,143 TO AND COULDN'T PROVE MICHELLE WROTE THE LETTER 834 00:41:17,143 --> 00:41:19,813 SO THIS WENT NOWHERE, THIS LETTER 835 00:41:19,813 --> 00:41:22,082 >> RIGHT >> Reporter: BUT MICHELLE WAS 836 00:41:22,082 --> 00:41:24,784 HARDLY IN THE CLEAR. JUST THE OPPOSITE. 837 00:41:24,784 --> 00:41:28,388 POLICE WERE GROWING INCREASINGLY FOCUSED ON HER 838 00:41:28,388 --> 00:41:31,791 TURNS OUT THE REASON THE FBI DID THAT SECOND SEARCH AND FOUND 839 00:41:31,791 --> 00:41:34,661 TIMMY'S REMAINS WAS BECAUSE AGENTS DID A DEEPER DIVE INTO 840 00:41:34,661 --> 00:41:37,597 MICHELLE'S WORK HISTORY. THEY LEARNED SHE WORKED NEAR 841 00:41:37,597 --> 00:41:40,400 THAT MARSHY AREA BUT HADN'T DISCLOSED IT IN HER INITIAL 842 00:41:40,400 --> 00:41:42,869 INTERVIEWS SO THIS, FOR THEM, WAS A 843 00:41:42,869 --> 00:41:45,538 CRITICAL PIECE OF INFORMATION. WHY WOULD YOU NOT INCLUDE THAT 844 00:41:45,538 --> 00:41:47,107 >> RIGHT >> Reporter: SO LAW ENFORCEMENT 845 00:41:47,107 --> 00:41:50,143 KEPT GOING BACK TO THOSE INTERVIEWS 846 00:41:50,143 --> 00:41:55,448 AND FOR ONE INVESTIGATOR, THERE'D BEEN A MOMENT HE THOUGHT 847 00:41:55,448 --> 00:41:59,119 MICHELLE JUST MIGHT CRACK. MORE STRANGE BEHAVIOR FROM 848 00:41:59,119 --> 00:42:04,057 MICHELLE >> SHE EXPLODED AND RAN OUT OF 849 00:42:04,057 --> 00:42:05,091 HER HOUSE. SHE DROPPED AN F-BOMB ON THE WAY 850 00:42:05,091 --> 00:42:06,626 OUT. >> AND SHE SHARES A TERRIFYING 851 00:42:06,626 --> 00:42:09,062 NEW DETAIL >> SHE SAID, "ALL OF A SUDDEN, 852 00:42:09,062 --> 00:42:28,748 THE MAN NEXT TO TIMMY TOOK OUT A KNIFE AND HELD IT TO TIMMY." 853 00:42:28,748 --> 00:42:30,950 >> Reporter: IT HAD BEEN WEEKS SINCE THE DISCOVERY OF 854 00:42:30,950 --> 00:42:32,552 TIMMY WILTSEY'S REMAINS, AND DETECTIVES STILL HADN'T MADE ANY 855 00:42:32,552 --> 00:42:35,388 ARRESTS. THEY PORED OVER EVERY DETAIL OF 856 00:42:35,388 --> 00:42:41,194 THE CASE FROM THE BEGINNING, FOCUSING ON THEIR EARLIER 857 00:42:41,194 --> 00:42:42,729 INTERVIEWS WITH TIMMY'S MOTHER, MICHELLE LODZINSKI 858 00:42:42,729 --> 00:42:44,164 THINGS WEREN'T ADDING UP >> HER STORIES CHANGING 859 00:42:44,164 --> 00:42:45,598 CONSTANTLY AND NOT STICKING TO ANYTHING 860 00:42:45,598 --> 00:42:47,801 AND THEY COULDN'T VERIFY HER STATEMENTS, THINGS THAT SHE 861 00:42:47,801 --> 00:42:49,869 SAID >> Reporter: IT WAS THREE WEEKS 862 00:42:49,869 --> 00:42:51,604 AFTER TIMMY WENT MISSING WHEN DETECTIVE SERGEANT JERRY LEWIS 863 00:42:51,604 --> 00:42:56,443 BROUGHT MICHELLE INTO HIS OFFICE 864 00:42:56,443 --> 00:43:00,146 >> I WAS EXPECTING ANGRY, FRUSTRATED FROM EVERYTHING THAT 865 00:43:00,146 --> 00:43:04,250 I HAD HEARD. SHE WAS ACTUALLY LIGHTHEARTED 866 00:43:04,250 --> 00:43:06,553 AND LAUGHING >> Reporter: HE STARTED THE 867 00:43:06,553 --> 00:43:07,654 INTERVIEW BY ASKING HER TO TELL HIM WHAT HAPPENED. 868 00:43:07,654 --> 00:43:10,824 SHE QUICKLY BROUGHT UP THE GO-GO DANCER, ELLEN. 869 00:43:10,824 --> 00:43:12,826 >> SHE SAID, "ELLEN LEFT HIM ON A RIDE 870 00:43:12,826 --> 00:43:14,761 I CAME BACK AND ELLEN WAS GONE." >> Reporter: BUT THEN SHE ADDED 871 00:43:14,761 --> 00:43:16,730 SOMETHING NEW. SHE SAID TWO MEN WITH KNIVES 872 00:43:16,730 --> 00:43:20,633 WERE THERE AND ONE OF THEM THREATENED HER 873 00:43:20,633 --> 00:43:25,939 >> SHE SAID, "THIS MAN CAME OVER AND HE PUT HIS RIGHT ARM AROUND 874 00:43:25,939 --> 00:43:27,340 MY SHOULDER, AND HE SAID, 'YOU KNOW, TIMMY HAS A PRETTY FACE 875 00:43:27,340 --> 00:43:29,109 AND YOU WOULDN'T WANT TO DO ANYTHING TO MESS THAT UP 876 00:43:29,109 --> 00:43:32,212 SO JUST KEEP WALKING AND SHUT UP.' 877 00:43:32,212 --> 00:43:34,848 AND SHE SAID, "HE SHOWED ME A KNIFE IN HIS HAND. 878 00:43:34,848 --> 00:43:37,717 >> Reporter: JERRY SAYS HE TOLD MICHELLE THAT STORY DIDN'T MAKE 879 00:43:37,717 --> 00:43:41,087 SENSE. >> IF THEY WANT TO KIDNAP TIMMY, 880 00:43:41,087 --> 00:43:44,591 YOU'RE ALREADY LEAVING HIM WITH THEM AND YOU'RE WALKING AWAY 881 00:43:44,591 --> 00:43:48,495 NO REASON FOR THIS MAN TO ALERT YOU THAT THEY'RE GONNA TAKE 882 00:43:48,495 --> 00:43:50,096 TIMMY BY COMING UP AND THREATENING YOU. 883 00:43:50,096 --> 00:43:51,831 >> Reporter: AND HE QUESTIONED SOMETHING ELSE 884 00:43:51,831 --> 00:43:52,999 >> YOU'RE IN THE MIDDLE OF A CARNIVAL 885 00:43:52,999 --> 00:43:57,203 SCREAM DO SOMETHING 886 00:43:57,203 --> 00:43:59,305 AND SHE SAID, "WELL, I WAS GOING TO, BUT ALL OF A SUDDEN, THE MAN 887 00:43:59,305 --> 00:44:01,041 NEXT TO TIMMY TOOK OUT A KNIFE AND HELD IT TO TIMMY." 888 00:44:01,041 --> 00:44:03,610 >> THIS IS ALL NEW INFORMATION THAT YOU'RE GETTING OUT OF HER 889 00:44:03,610 --> 00:44:06,813 NOW. >> YES 890 00:44:06,813 --> 00:44:08,214 >> NOW THESE MEN HAVE KNIVES >> YES 891 00:44:08,214 --> 00:44:09,516 >> ARE YOU BELIEVING ANY OF THIS 892 00:44:09,516 --> 00:44:10,917 >> NO. IF THIS WAS REALLY WHAT 893 00:44:10,917 --> 00:44:13,253 HAPPENED, IT WOULD HAVE BEEN HER ORIGINAL STORY 894 00:44:13,253 --> 00:44:17,257 "TWO MEN THREATENED US WITH KNIVES AND TOOK TIMMY. 895 00:44:17,257 --> 00:44:19,592 >> Reporter: SO HE DECIDED TO TAKE THE INTERVIEW IN A NEW 896 00:44:19,592 --> 00:44:25,699 DIRECTION AND TRY SOMETHING UNCONVENTIONAL 897 00:44:25,699 --> 00:44:26,866 HE TOLD HER HE KNEW WHO HAD TAKEN TIMMY, A DIABOLICAL GANG 898 00:44:26,866 --> 00:44:29,202 AND HE ASSURED HER NONE OF IT WAS HER FAULT. 899 00:44:29,202 --> 00:44:33,606 >> I WAS TRYING TO COME UP WITH AN INTERVIEW THEME THAT WOULD 900 00:44:33,606 --> 00:44:36,676 ALLOW HER TO TELL ME WHERE TIMMY'S BODY WAS LOCATED AND, 901 00:44:36,676 --> 00:44:39,079 YET, NOT ACCEPT ANY GUILT FOR IT 902 00:44:39,079 --> 00:44:41,281 >> Reporter: HE TOLD HER THE KIDNAPPERS WERE COLLEGE STUDENTS 903 00:44:41,281 --> 00:44:44,117 MAKING THEIR WAY ACROSS THE COUNTRY. 904 00:44:44,117 --> 00:44:48,288 >> PSYCHOLOGY MAJORS FROM BERKELEY UNIVERSITY IN 905 00:44:48,288 --> 00:44:50,123 CALIFORNIA, AND THEY DECIDED TO FORM A GANG TO KIDNAP KIDS, 906 00:44:50,123 --> 00:44:53,426 STARTING ON THE WEST COAST MOVING EAST. 907 00:44:53,426 --> 00:44:54,894 AND WE'VE BEEN TRACKING THIS GROUP OF PEOPLE AND TRYING TO 908 00:44:54,894 --> 00:44:56,329 CATCH 'EM. >> Reporter: WOW 909 00:44:56,329 --> 00:44:59,299 SO YOU'RE TELLING HER A BIG LIE. >> YES 910 00:44:59,299 --> 00:45:02,035 >> Reporter: HE WENT ON TO SAY HE KNEW THE KIDNAPPERS TOLD HER 911 00:45:02,035 --> 00:45:05,472 WHERE THEY WOULD DROP OFF TIMMY, BUT SHE WASN'T ALLOWED TO TELL 912 00:45:05,472 --> 00:45:07,340 ANYONE OR ELSE THEY'D KILL HIM >> AND THEN THEY SAY, "KEEP YOUR 913 00:45:07,340 --> 00:45:09,376 MOUTH SHUT DON'T SAY ANYTHING ABOUT WHAT 914 00:45:09,376 --> 00:45:11,678 WE'RE TELLING YOU AND YOU'RE GONNA GET TIMMY BACK." 915 00:45:11,678 --> 00:45:13,580 >> Reporter: HE TOLD HER HE KNEW THAT'S WHY SHE'D BEEN LYING TO 916 00:45:13,580 --> 00:45:16,716 POLICE IS SHE BUYING THIS 917 00:45:16,716 --> 00:45:22,622 >> YEAH. SHE WAS LOOKING AT ME INTENTLY 918 00:45:22,622 --> 00:45:25,625 SHE WAS LEANING FORWARD. AND I SAID, "SO WHERE IS THIS 919 00:45:25,625 --> 00:45:29,496 PLACE? AND SHE GOES, "WELL, IT'S IN THE 920 00:45:29,496 --> 00:45:34,534 WOODS AND THERE'S AN ABANDONED BUILDING THERE 921 00:45:34,534 --> 00:45:37,837 AND THERE'S A BIG TREE." I SAID, "MAN, THAT'S EXCELLENT 922 00:45:37,837 --> 00:45:41,541 AND WE'RE NOT GONNA GO THERE AND WE'RE NOT GONNA LOOK." 923 00:45:41,541 --> 00:45:43,076 I SAID, "JUST ONE LAST THING, MICHELLE, WHERE IS THIS 924 00:45:43,076 --> 00:45:46,446 ABANDONED BUILDING?" SO SHE JUST LEANED FORWARD AND 925 00:45:46,446 --> 00:45:47,947 SHE WAS LOOKING DOWN AT THE GROUND, AND SHE JUST NEVER SAID 926 00:45:47,947 --> 00:45:50,283 ANOTHER WORD >> Reporter: THAT WAS IT 927 00:45:50,283 --> 00:45:55,088 >> AND IT'S JUST SILENCE >> Reporter: THEN ANOTHER 928 00:45:55,088 --> 00:45:58,091 DETECTIVE WHO WAS IN THE ROOM BROKE THE SILENCE. 929 00:45:58,091 --> 00:46:01,428 >> THAT PERSON SAID TO ME, "JER, I THINK SHE MIGHT BE LYING." 930 00:46:01,428 --> 00:46:02,896 AND SHE IMMEDIATELY JUMPED UP. SHE SAID, "CHARGE ME OR I'M 931 00:46:02,896 --> 00:46:05,298 LEAVING. AND SHE WALKED OUT 932 00:46:05,298 --> 00:46:08,935 >> Reporter: AND WITH THAT, THE INTERVIEW WAS OVER 933 00:46:08,935 --> 00:46:12,038 BUT IT WAS HARDLY A BUST MICHELLE HAD CHANGED HER STORY 934 00:46:12,038 --> 00:46:16,042 ONCE AGAIN, AND SHE'D PLAYED ALONG WITH DETECTIVE LEWIS' 935 00:46:16,042 --> 00:46:20,880 "KIDNAPPERS" STORY >> NO INNOCENT, TRUTHFUL MOM 936 00:46:20,880 --> 00:46:23,783 WOULD BE GOING WITH THIS STORY >> Reporter: FIVE DAYS AFTER 937 00:46:23,783 --> 00:46:26,052 THAT INTERVIEW, INVESTIGATORS ARRANGED TO SPEAK WITH MICHELLE 938 00:46:26,052 --> 00:46:28,621 AGAIN. SO FAR SHE'D ONLY SPOKEN TO MALE 939 00:46:28,621 --> 00:46:32,058 DETECTIVES THIS TIME THEY SENT A WOMAN TO 940 00:46:32,058 --> 00:46:35,495 TALK TO HER. >> I WAS SORT OF A LAST RESORT 941 00:46:35,495 --> 00:46:37,630 >> Reporter: MARY ROBILLARD WAS A DETECTIVE WITH THE MIDDLESEX 942 00:46:37,630 --> 00:46:41,267 COUNTY PROSECUTOR'S OFFICE, A RARITY AT THE TIME 943 00:46:41,267 --> 00:46:42,936 >> IN A VERY LARGE, ALL-MALE DEPARTMENT, THERE WERE THREE OF 944 00:46:42,936 --> 00:46:45,405 US >> Reporter: DID YOU HAVE KIND 945 00:46:45,405 --> 00:46:50,276 OF A STRATEGY GOING IN >> YES, I DID. 946 00:46:50,276 --> 00:46:53,079 THE FBI HAD SUGGESTED THAT I FIND A TOY OF TIMMY'S, AND PUT 947 00:46:53,079 --> 00:46:55,548 IT ON THE TABLE BETWEEN US AND PLAY WITH IT, TO MAKE HER 948 00:46:55,548 --> 00:46:57,951 UNCOMFORTABLE. >> Reporter: SHE ARRIVED AT 949 00:46:57,951 --> 00:47:00,754 MICHELLE'S HOUSE ACCOMPANIED BY TWO MALE OFFICERS. 950 00:47:00,754 --> 00:47:02,756 FROM THE MOMENT MICHELLE ANSWERED THE DOOR, THEY WERE 951 00:47:02,756 --> 00:47:05,692 TAKEN ABACK. WHAT WAS HER DEMEANOR LIKE 952 00:47:05,692 --> 00:47:12,432 >> HOSTILE HOSTILE FROM THE GET-GO. 953 00:47:12,432 --> 00:47:14,434 IN FACT, SHE WAS CHILLING. I'VE WORKED WITH ALL KINDS OF 954 00:47:14,434 --> 00:47:17,904 SUSPECTS, ALL KINDS OF WITNESSES OVER THE YEARS, AND SHE 955 00:47:17,904 --> 00:47:22,208 LITERALLY MADE THE HAIR STAND UP ON MY ARMS 956 00:47:22,208 --> 00:47:24,310 >> Reporter: AND AS SOON AS MARY WALKED INTO THE HOUSE, SHE 957 00:47:24,310 --> 00:47:26,413 NOTICED SOMETHING THAT DIDN'T SEEM RIGHT 958 00:47:26,413 --> 00:47:30,050 >> ON THE RIGHT-HAND SIDE ON THE WAY IN WAS A STAIRWAY BANISTER 959 00:47:30,050 --> 00:47:31,551 AND IT WAS BEING STRIPPED. ALL THE -- THE VARNISH AND 960 00:47:31,551 --> 00:47:33,620 EVERYTHING WAS OFF IT. THE PAINT CANS WERE THERE. 961 00:47:33,620 --> 00:47:37,190 AND I THOUGHT IT WAS ODD THAT HER CHILD WAS MISSING FOR A 962 00:47:37,190 --> 00:47:38,358 COUPLE OF WEEKS, AND SHE WAS -- I COMMENTED TO HER ON THE 963 00:47:38,358 --> 00:47:39,626 BANISTER >> Reporter: WHAT DID SHE SAY 964 00:47:39,626 --> 00:47:41,161 WAS WRONG WITH IT? >> SHE JUST SAID IT HAD TO BE 965 00:47:41,161 --> 00:47:44,798 DONE >> Reporter: DID YOU THINK 966 00:47:44,798 --> 00:47:46,332 SOMETHING HAD HAPPENED WITH THAT BANISTER THAT SHE WAS TRYING TO 967 00:47:46,332 --> 00:47:48,201 COVER UP >> CERTAINLY THE THOUGHT 968 00:47:48,201 --> 00:47:51,071 OCCURRED TO ME, YES. THAT IT COULD'VE BEEN AN 969 00:47:51,071 --> 00:47:52,505 ACCIDENTAL FALL -- THAT HE COULD'VE BEEN PUSHED 970 00:47:52,505 --> 00:47:54,941 THERE WERE A NUMBER OF POSSIBILITIES. 971 00:47:54,941 --> 00:47:57,110 >> Reporter: MARY AND MICHELLE THEN LEFT THE TWO OFFICERS AND 972 00:47:57,110 --> 00:48:00,013 MOVED INTO THE DINING ROOM WHERE THEY COULD BE ALONE. 973 00:48:00,013 --> 00:48:01,848 DID YOU FIND A TOY AS THE FBI SUGGESTED? 974 00:48:01,848 --> 00:48:05,051 >> I DID IT WAS A SMALL STUFFED ANIMAL. 975 00:48:05,051 --> 00:48:08,054 SHE NEVER LOOKED AT IT, NEVER SAID A WORD ABOUT IT, JUST WAS 976 00:48:08,054 --> 00:48:10,323 CONTINUALLY HOSTILE. >> Reporter: DO YOU THINK MAYBE 977 00:48:10,323 --> 00:48:13,026 SHE WAS GETTING TIRED OF SORT OF, YOU KNOW, PLAYING THE ROLE 978 00:48:13,026 --> 00:48:16,663 OF SUSPECT >> I'M SURE SHE WAS. I WOULD'VE 979 00:48:16,663 --> 00:48:19,566 BEEN TIRED OF IT IF I'D BEEN IN HER SHOES. 980 00:48:19,566 --> 00:48:22,669 HOWEVER, IF MY SON WERE MISSING, I WOULD PROBABLY BE MORE 981 00:48:22,669 --> 00:48:27,807 COOPERATIVE. >> Reporter: THE INTERVIEW 982 00:48:27,807 --> 00:48:29,275 CONTINUED WITH MICHELLE GIVING ONE-WORD ANSWERS 983 00:48:29,275 --> 00:48:30,577 AND THEN MARY SAYS MICHELLE STARTED LAUGHING 984 00:48:30,577 --> 00:48:33,913 >> I SAID, "MICHELLE, WHY ARE YOU LAUGHING 985 00:48:33,913 --> 00:48:36,049 I'M TRYING TO FIND YOUR SON. AND THAT WAS ENOUGH. 986 00:48:36,049 --> 00:48:39,853 I PUSHED HER TOO FAR SHE EXPLODED 987 00:48:39,853 --> 00:48:42,222 SHE GOT UP AND RAN OUT OF HER HOUSE, UTTERING AN EXPLETIVE 988 00:48:42,222 --> 00:48:44,591 SHE DROPPED AN F-BOMB ON THE WAY OUT. 989 00:48:44,591 --> 00:48:46,860 >> Reporter: WOW DO YOU THINK THERE WAS ANY WAY 990 00:48:46,860 --> 00:48:49,662 THAT HER LAUGHTER WAS NERVOUS LAUGHTER AND IT WAS 991 00:48:49,662 --> 00:48:52,599 MISINTERPRETED >> CERTAINLY IT COULD'VE BEEN, 992 00:48:52,599 --> 00:48:56,102 YES. BUT THAT WAS NOT MY GUT FEELING 993 00:48:56,102 --> 00:48:57,971 AT THE TIME. IT WAS DISARMING 994 00:48:57,971 --> 00:49:00,040 >> Reporter: WHAT WAS HER RESPONSE WHEN YOU ASKED HER IF 995 00:49:00,040 --> 00:49:03,343 SHE HAD ANYTHING TO DO WITH TIMMY'S DISAPPEARANCE? 996 00:49:03,343 --> 00:49:07,147 >> THAT'S ABOUT THE TIME SHE BLEW UP AND SAID, "I'M GETTING 997 00:49:07,147 --> 00:49:08,581 SICK AND TIRED OF HAVING YOU GUYS ACCUSE ME OF SOMETHING I 998 00:49:08,581 --> 00:49:10,350 DIDN'T DO. THAT WAS AT THE END OF THE 999 00:49:10,350 --> 00:49:12,819 INTERVIEW, RIGHT BEFORE SHE BOLTED OUT THE DOOR. 1000 00:49:12,819 --> 00:49:14,087 >> Reporter: THE OTHER OFFICERS WENT AFTER MICHELLE AND BROUGHT 1001 00:49:14,087 --> 00:49:16,356 HER BACK, BUT SHE WAS DONE TALKING. 1002 00:49:16,356 --> 00:49:19,426 >> SHE SLAMMED THE DOOR IN MY BACK 1003 00:49:19,426 --> 00:49:26,666 WE WERE OUT OF THERE >> Reporter: EVEN THOUGH THEY 1004 00:49:26,666 --> 00:49:28,335 HAD NO PHYSICAL EVIDENCE TO PROVE IT, MANY IN LAW 1005 00:49:28,335 --> 00:49:30,370 ENFORCEMENT NOW BELIEVED MICHELLE WAS SOMEHOW RESPONSIBLE 1006 00:49:30,370 --> 00:49:31,638 FOR HER SON'S DEATH. THEY JUST COULDN'T GET PAST HER 1007 00:49:31,638 --> 00:49:34,207 LACK OF EMOTION AT LOSING HER SON AND HER EVER-CHANGING STORY 1008 00:49:34,207 --> 00:49:37,544 ABOUT WHAT HAPPENED TO HIM AND THERE WAS ONE MORE THING 1009 00:49:37,544 --> 00:49:42,916 THE DAY AFTER TIMMY WENT MISSING, POLICE HAD GIVEN 1010 00:49:42,916 --> 00:49:45,218 MICHELLE A POLYGRAPH TEST, NOT AN UNCOMMON THING FOR PARENTS OF 1011 00:49:45,218 --> 00:49:47,821 MISSING CHILDREN >> WHEN SHE WAS FIRST GIVEN A 1012 00:49:47,821 --> 00:49:51,091 FBI POLYGRAPH, IT WAS DECEPTIVE. >> Reporter: SHE FAILED. 1013 00:49:51,091 --> 00:49:53,760 AND A FEW WEEKS LATER, THEY GAVE HER ANOTHER POLYGRAPH. 1014 00:49:53,760 --> 00:49:59,899 SHE FAILED THAT ONE, TOO BUT THOSE RESULTS WEREN'T 1015 00:49:59,899 --> 00:50:01,468 ADMISSIBLE IN COURT, AND THE FEW THINGS THEY FOUND NEAR TIMMY'S 1016 00:50:01,468 --> 00:50:04,170 REMAINS, LIKE HIS SHOES AND THAT MYSTERIOUS BLUE BLANKET, DIDN'T 1017 00:50:04,170 --> 00:50:07,741 SEEM TO LEAD ANYWHERE. SO THE CASE GREW COLD. 1018 00:50:07,741 --> 00:50:09,909 PEOPLE WENT ON WITH THEIR LIVES. THEN, A FEW YEARS LATER, 1019 00:50:09,909 --> 00:50:13,413 MICHELLE WAS SUDDENLY BACK IN THE NEWS 1020 00:50:13,413 --> 00:50:16,483 >> IN NEW JERSEY, HER YOUNG SON'S MURDER MADE HEADLINES. 1021 00:50:16,483 --> 00:50:19,619 AND NOW THE WOMAN ONCE RUMORED TO BE A SUSPECT HAS DISAPPEARED 1022 00:50:19,619 --> 00:50:23,923 UNDER MYSTERIOUS CIRCUMSTANCES >> THAT WAS A SHOWSTOPPER. 1023 00:50:23,923 --> 00:50:28,862 MICHELLE KIDNAPPED WHAT IS GOING ON HERE? 1024 00:50:28,862 --> 00:50:33,700 >>> COMING UP -- >> MICHELLE'S BROTHER SAYS THAT 1025 00:50:33,700 --> 00:50:37,303 HE FOUND MICHELLE'S CAR EMPTY, ENGINE STILL RUNNING 1026 00:50:37,303 --> 00:50:39,539 >> WHERE WAS MICHELLE? >> I'M THINKING, LIKE, "THE SAME 1027 00:50:39,539 --> 00:50:59,125 PEOPLE THAT TOOK TIMMY, THEY CAME BACK, AND NOW THEY'RE GONNA 1028 00:50:59,125 --> 00:51:00,927 >> Reporter: MICHELLE LODZINSKI HAD TALKED HER WAY INTO AN AWFUL 1029 00:51:00,927 --> 00:51:03,563 MESS HER VARYING VERSIONS OF WHAT 1030 00:51:03,563 --> 00:51:05,932 HAPPENED TO HER SON TIMMY TURNED HER INTO THE PRIME SUSPECT IN 1031 00:51:05,932 --> 00:51:08,768 HIS MURDER >> THERE'S SOMETHING STRANGE 1032 00:51:08,768 --> 00:51:11,905 ABOUT THE FACT THAT SHE CAN'T EVEN GET THE STORY RIGHT IN 1033 00:51:11,905 --> 00:51:15,909 TERMS OF HOW HE DISAPPEARED. WHY ARE THERE SO MANY VERSIONS 1034 00:51:15,909 --> 00:51:22,082 >> Reporter: TV REPORTER SIBILE MARCELLUS COVERED THE 1035 00:51:22,082 --> 00:51:24,250 TIMMY WILTSEY STORY. >> IS MICHELLE A MURDERER, OR IS 1036 00:51:24,250 --> 00:51:26,653 SHE A MOTHER WHO LOST HER 5-YEAR-OLD SON WHO SHOULD GET A 1037 00:51:26,653 --> 00:51:29,356 LOT MORE COMPASSION? >> Reporter: POLICE HAD 1038 00:51:29,356 --> 00:51:32,625 SUSPICIONS BUT DIDN'T HAVE THE EVIDENCE TO BUILD A CASE 1039 00:51:32,625 --> 00:51:35,462 MONTHS WENT BY WITHOUT A BREAK THEN A YEAR. 1040 00:51:35,462 --> 00:51:41,101 THEN ANOTHER MICHELLE WAS IN LEGAL LIMBO, NOT 1041 00:51:41,101 --> 00:51:42,869 CHARGED, BUT NOT CLEARED, UNDER A CLOUD OF SUSPICION THAT SIMPLY 1042 00:51:42,869 --> 00:51:46,106 WOULDN'T GO AWAY MICHELLE, WHO'D ALWAYS BEEN SO 1043 00:51:46,106 --> 00:51:49,476 STRONG, WAS SHE STARTING TO -- TO COME APART A LITTLE BIT 1044 00:51:49,476 --> 00:51:51,277 >> I BELIEVE SHE PROBABLY HAD A NERVOUS BREAKDOWN AND -- 1045 00:51:51,277 --> 00:51:54,647 >> Reporter: REALLY? >> AND HOW COULD YOU NOT 1046 00:51:54,647 --> 00:51:59,419 >> Reporter: FOR MICHELLE'S NIECE JENNIFER, STILL JUST A 1047 00:51:59,419 --> 00:52:01,254 TEENAGER, LOSING TIMMY WAS MORE THAN SHE COULD BEAR, ESPECIALLY 1048 00:52:01,254 --> 00:52:03,623 WITH THE UGLY TAUNTING SHE FACED AT SCHOOL. 1049 00:52:03,623 --> 00:52:06,292 >> KIDS ARE MEAN YOU KNOW 1050 00:52:06,292 --> 00:52:10,563 MOST OF 'EM KNEW THAT THAT WAS MY -- MY AUNT. 1051 00:52:10,563 --> 00:52:12,532 AND, YOU KNOW, THEY WOULD JUST WALK AROUND TALKING ABOUT, "BABY 1052 00:52:12,532 --> 00:52:13,867 KILLER," AND, "YOUR AUNT'S A BABY KILLER. 1053 00:52:13,867 --> 00:52:16,536 >> Reporter: OH, MY GOSH >> AND SO I KINDA STOPPED GOING 1054 00:52:16,536 --> 00:52:19,606 TO SCHOOL FOR A LITTLE WHILE >> Reporter: MICHELLE WAS 1055 00:52:19,606 --> 00:52:21,675 FEELING THE HEAT, TOO. SHE LEFT SOUTH AMBOY AND MOVED 1056 00:52:21,675 --> 00:52:23,209 IN WITH HER BROTHER IN A NEIGHBORING TOWN 1057 00:52:23,209 --> 00:52:25,211 BUT THINGS DIDN'T GET ANY EASIER 1058 00:52:25,211 --> 00:52:27,747 SHE SAID SOMEONE WAS STALKING HER. 1059 00:52:27,747 --> 00:52:29,683 SHE THOUGHT PEOPLE WERE OUT TO GET HER. 1060 00:52:29,683 --> 00:52:34,721 AND MAYBE THERE WAS SOMETHING TO IT 1061 00:52:34,721 --> 00:52:41,194 NEARLY THREE YEARS AFTER TIMMY DISAPPEARED, JENNIFER GOT 1062 00:52:41,194 --> 00:52:42,429 A TERRIFYING CALL FROM HER UNCLE THAT SOMETHING HAD HAPPENED TO 1063 00:52:42,429 --> 00:52:45,532 MICHELLE >> HE SAID, "I WANT TO TELL YOU 1064 00:52:45,532 --> 00:52:46,933 SOMETHING BEFORE YOU SEE IT IN THE PAPERS." 1065 00:52:46,933 --> 00:52:48,435 HE SAID, "MICHELLE WAS KIDNAPPED. 1066 00:52:48,435 --> 00:52:50,236 >> A NEW JERSEY MOTHER WHOSE 5-YEAR-OLD SON WAS KIDNAPPED AND 1067 00:52:50,236 --> 00:52:51,538 BRUTALLY KILLED IS MISSING TONIGHT. 1068 00:52:51,538 --> 00:52:52,872 >> Reporter: MICHELLE KIDNAPPED? HOW? 1069 00:52:52,872 --> 00:52:57,243 WHY? HER BROTHER HAD NO ANSWERS 1070 00:52:57,243 --> 00:53:02,549 HE CALLED THE POLICE >> MICHELLE'S BROTHER SAYS THAT 1071 00:53:02,549 --> 00:53:05,185 HE FOUND MICHELLE'S CAR EMPTY, ENGINE STILL RUNNING, AND HER 1072 00:53:05,185 --> 00:53:10,056 GLASSES AND PURSE ARE STILL IN THE CAR. 1073 00:53:10,056 --> 00:53:12,759 WHERE'S MICHELLE >> I'M THINKING, LIKE, THE SAME 1074 00:53:12,759 --> 00:53:15,195 PEOPLE THAT TOOK TIMMY, THEY CAME BACK, AND NOW THEY'RE GONNA 1075 00:53:15,195 --> 00:53:17,163 KILL HER AND THAT'S ALL I COULD THINK 1076 00:53:17,163 --> 00:53:20,266 ABOUT. I WAS -- I WAS A WRECK AGAIN 1077 00:53:20,266 --> 00:53:23,403 >> Reporter: THERE WAS NO PHONE CALL FROM KIDNAPPERS 1078 00:53:23,403 --> 00:53:26,072 NO RANSOM NOTE BUT THERE WAS ONE CHILLING PIECE 1079 00:53:26,072 --> 00:53:31,578 OF EVIDENCE. THE BUSINESS CARD OF AN FBI 1080 00:53:31,578 --> 00:53:34,080 AGENT LEFT AT THE SCENE WITH THE WORDS "SEE YOU SOON -- IT'S NOT 1081 00:53:34,080 --> 00:53:36,783 OVER" WRITTEN ON IT. THEN, JUST ONE DAY LATER, 1082 00:53:36,783 --> 00:53:40,987 MICHELLE CALLED THE POLICE SHE SAID SHE'D BEEN RELEASED BY 1083 00:53:40,987 --> 00:53:45,859 HER KIDNAPPERS MORE THAN 600 MILES AWAY IN DETROIT. 1084 00:53:45,859 --> 00:53:49,129 >> SHE'S UNHARMED AND SAID TWO FBI AGENTS APPROACHED HER AT 1085 00:53:49,129 --> 00:53:52,232 GUNPOINT AND THEY PUT A BLANKET ON TOP OF 1086 00:53:52,232 --> 00:53:56,770 HER AND ABDUCTED HER AT GUNPOINT AND BROUGHT HER TO DETROIT 1087 00:53:56,770 --> 00:53:59,706 >> Reporter: THEN, SHE SAID, THEY SIMPLY LET HER GO 1088 00:53:59,706 --> 00:54:03,343 HER STORY WAS EQUAL PARTS HARROWING, EQUAL PARTS STRANGE 1089 00:54:03,343 --> 00:54:05,445 AND WHEN FBI AGENTS HEARD IT, THEY DIDN'T BELIEVE A WORD OF 1090 00:54:05,445 --> 00:54:08,048 IT AND FOR GOOD REASON. 1091 00:54:08,048 --> 00:54:11,217 THAT FBI BUSINESS CARD WITH THE THREATENING NOTE 1092 00:54:11,217 --> 00:54:13,586 WELL, THE NAME OF THE AGENT ON THE CARD WAS A FAKE. 1093 00:54:13,586 --> 00:54:18,124 THERE WAS NO ONE AT THE BUREAU WITH THAT NAME 1094 00:54:18,124 --> 00:54:21,061 AND MICHELLE'S PHONE CALL TO LAW ENFORCEMENT FROM DETROIT CAME 1095 00:54:21,061 --> 00:54:24,230 FROM A PAY PHONE NEXT TO THE GREYHOUND BUS STATION. 1096 00:54:24,230 --> 00:54:29,302 IT DIDN'T TAKE LONG FOR AGENTS TO FIND A GREYHOUND TICKET FROM 1097 00:54:29,302 --> 00:54:31,371 NEWARK TO DETROIT FROM THE DAY BEFORE PURCHASED BY MICHELLE 1098 00:54:31,371 --> 00:54:33,707 >> SHE GOT BUSTED. >> Reporter: BUT SHE WAS 1099 00:54:33,707 --> 00:54:36,476 ACTUALLY IN DETROIT. >> SHE WAS ACTUALLY IN DETROIT, 1100 00:54:36,476 --> 00:54:40,347 BUT SHE HAD NOT BEEN KIDNAPPED AT GUNPOINT. 1101 00:54:40,347 --> 00:54:42,482 SHE TOOK A BUS >> Reporter: YOU FIND OUT IT WAS 1102 00:54:42,482 --> 00:54:46,319 A LIE, THAT SHE WASN'T REALLY KIDNAPPED. 1103 00:54:46,319 --> 00:54:47,787 >> THEN I START GETTING REALLY ANGRY. 1104 00:54:47,787 --> 00:54:49,389 HOW DARE YOU PUT US THROUGH THIS 1105 00:54:49,389 --> 00:54:53,093 AND THEN IT GETS IN THE NEWSPAPER. 1106 00:54:53,093 --> 00:54:56,830 AND HERE IT COMES AGAIN. "YEP, SHE MURDERED HER SON 1107 00:54:56,830 --> 00:54:59,299 BECAUSE LOOK WHAT SHE'S DOING NOW. 1108 00:54:59,299 --> 00:55:02,235 >> Reporter: WHY'D SHE DO IT POLICE HAD A THEORY. 1109 00:55:02,235 --> 00:55:05,038 REMEMBER, MICHELLE BELIEVED SHE WAS BEING STALKED, FOLLOWED BY A 1110 00:55:05,038 --> 00:55:08,475 CAR. SO SHE ASKED HER BOYFRIEND, A 1111 00:55:08,475 --> 00:55:10,710 UNION COUNTY POLICE OFFICER NAMED ROBERT JAVICK, TO CHECK 1112 00:55:10,710 --> 00:55:14,047 OUT THE CAR. HE RAN THE LICENSE PLATE ON A 1113 00:55:14,047 --> 00:55:16,116 POLICE COMPUTER. THAT'S A NO-NO 1114 00:55:16,116 --> 00:55:18,952 >> HE'S A POLICE OFFICER, AND HE'S NOT ALLOWED TO USE STATE 1115 00:55:18,952 --> 00:55:21,654 POLICE RESOURCES FOR PERSONAL REASONS. 1116 00:55:21,654 --> 00:55:24,290 AND HE WAS BASICALLY DOING THIS AS A FAVOR FOR MICHELLE. 1117 00:55:24,290 --> 00:55:26,426 THAT'S NOT ALLOWED >> Reporter: DID HE GET IN 1118 00:55:26,426 --> 00:55:29,062 TROUBLE AT WORK? >> HE GOT INTO BIG TROUBLE 1119 00:55:29,062 --> 00:55:32,499 AN INVESTIGATION WAS STARTED AT WORK 1120 00:55:32,499 --> 00:55:34,868 A GRAND JURY WAS ASSEMBLED, UNION COUNTY GRAND JURY. 1121 00:55:34,868 --> 00:55:37,237 >> Reporter: JAVICK WAS NOT CHARGED. 1122 00:55:37,237 --> 00:55:39,272 BUT POLICE SAY MICHELLE THOUGHT SHE'D HAVE TO APPEAR BEFORE THE 1123 00:55:39,272 --> 00:55:42,442 GRAND JURY AND DIDN'T WANT TO TESTIFY. 1124 00:55:42,442 --> 00:55:46,079 SO SHE FAKED HER OWN KIDNAPPING AND SKIPPED TOWN 1125 00:55:46,079 --> 00:55:48,515 FOR JERRY LEWIS OF THE NEW JERSEY STATE POLICE, NONE OF 1126 00:55:48,515 --> 00:55:52,085 IT MADE SENSE. BUT IT DID CONFIRM WHAT HE 1127 00:55:52,085 --> 00:55:55,088 ALREADY THOUGHT ABOUT MICHELLE >> IT TELLS YOU AN AWFUL LOT 1128 00:55:55,088 --> 00:55:57,691 ABOUT HER DEMEANOR AND PERSONALITY THAT SHE WOULD GO TO 1129 00:55:57,691 --> 00:56:01,861 THOSE LENGTHS AND PHONY UP A KIDNAPPING 1130 00:56:01,861 --> 00:56:05,865 >> Reporter: AFTER HER ANGER SUBSIDED, JENNIFER LANDED ON A 1131 00:56:05,865 --> 00:56:09,269 MORE COMPASSIONATE EXPLANATION HER AUNT WAS, AFTER ALL, A YOUNG 1132 00:56:09,269 --> 00:56:11,037 WOMAN WHO NOT ONLY LOST HER CHILD, BUT WAS ACCUSED OF 1133 00:56:11,037 --> 00:56:14,507 KILLING HIM BY SOME PEOPLE IN HER HOME TOWN. 1134 00:56:14,507 --> 00:56:17,243 >> SHE'D BEEN THROUGH A LOT. SHE'S BEEN TRAUMATIZED, YOU 1135 00:56:17,243 --> 00:56:21,214 KNOW AND SOMETIMES PEOPLE DO CRAZY 1136 00:56:21,214 --> 00:56:26,720 THINGS, YOU KNOW, SAY CRAZY THINGS WHEN THEY'RE TRAUMATIZED. 1137 00:56:26,720 --> 00:56:30,223 >> SHE ENDED UP PLEADING GUILTY TO HAVING MADE FALSE STATEMENTS 1138 00:56:30,223 --> 00:56:32,659 TO THE FBI AND ALSO FRAUDULENT USE OF A GOVERNMENT SEAL, THAT 1139 00:56:32,659 --> 00:56:36,162 FBI LOGO THAT SHE USED ON THOSE FAKE BUSINESS CARDS. 1140 00:56:36,162 --> 00:56:38,331 >> Reporter: MICHELLE WAS SENTENCED TO SIX MONTHS OF HOUSE 1141 00:56:38,331 --> 00:56:40,567 ARREST AND GIVEN THREE YEARS OF PROBATION. 1142 00:56:40,567 --> 00:56:45,472 CASE CLOSED ON A TRULY BIZARRE EPISODE. 1143 00:56:45,472 --> 00:56:47,674 BUT IT DIDN'T HELP ANSWER WHAT HAPPENED TO TIMMY. 1144 00:56:47,674 --> 00:56:53,179 THAT WAS STILL THE BIG MYSTERY AND THERE WOULD BE A LOT OF 1145 00:56:53,179 --> 00:56:56,549 STRANGE DAYS STILL TO COME >>> COMING UP -- 1146 00:56:56,549 --> 00:57:00,653 >> IT'S LIKE MYSTERY ON TOP OF MYSTERY ON TOP OF MYSTERY. 1147 00:57:00,653 --> 00:57:07,460 >> AND NOW A NEW MYSTERY >> I CALLED TO TALK TO MY 1148 00:57:07,460 --> 00:57:24,744 DAUGHT >> Reporter: IF THERE EVER WAS A 1149 00:57:24,744 --> 00:57:28,782 TIME FOR MICHELLE LODZINSKI TO KEEP A LOW PROFILE, THIS WAS IT. 1150 00:57:28,782 --> 00:57:32,185 SHE WAS STILL A SUSPECT IN HER SON'S MURDER, AND NOW SHE WAS 1151 00:57:32,185 --> 00:57:35,288 ALSO ON PROBATION AFTER STAGING A FAKE KIDNAPPING. 1152 00:57:35,288 --> 00:57:38,425 MICHELLE WAS STILL DATING POLICE OFFICER ROBERT JAVICK, BUT 1153 00:57:38,425 --> 00:57:40,527 MANAGED TO FIND TROUBLE AGAIN. SHE'S STILL WITH THE POLICE 1154 00:57:40,527 --> 00:57:43,530 OFFICER. >> IT LOOKS LIKE THEIR 1155 00:57:43,530 --> 00:57:45,398 RELATIONSHIP WAS STILL ONGOING >> Reporter: THEY'D BECOME CLOSE 1156 00:57:45,398 --> 00:57:48,335 DURING THE DARK DAYS AFTER TIMMY WENT MISSING 1157 00:57:48,335 --> 00:57:50,904 HE WAS MARRIED BUT THEIR FRIENDSHIP QUICKLY TURNED INTO 1158 00:57:50,904 --> 00:57:54,374 AN AFFAIR. THE ROMANCE CONTINUED FOR 1159 00:57:54,374 --> 00:57:58,645 SEVERAL YEARS. IN 1995, MICHELLE GAVE JAVICK A 1160 00:57:58,645 --> 00:58:01,781 VERY GENEROUS CHRISTMAS PRESENT, A LAPTOP WORTH MORE THAN $3,000. 1161 00:58:01,781 --> 00:58:05,018 BUT THERE WAS A PROBLEM. IT WASN'T HERS TO GIVE 1162 00:58:05,018 --> 00:58:09,556 SHE'D TAKEN IT FROM THE OFFICE WHERE SHE WORKED 1163 00:58:09,556 --> 00:58:12,559 BEFORE LONG, MICHELLE WAS BUSTED AGAIN 1164 00:58:12,559 --> 00:58:15,161 >> HE ENDED UP CALLING FOR SERVICING FOR THE COMPUTER, AND 1165 00:58:15,161 --> 00:58:19,265 THAT'S WHEN THEY FOUND OUT THAT THIS COMPUTER HAD BEEN STOLEN. 1166 00:58:19,265 --> 00:58:21,634 SHE ENDED UP SPENDING 24 HOURS IN JAIL WITH AN ADDITIONAL 1167 00:58:21,634 --> 00:58:23,303 4 MONTHS OF HOUSE ARREST >> Reporter: THIS IS GETTING 1168 00:58:23,303 --> 00:58:24,771 NUTTY. >> IT IS 1169 00:58:24,771 --> 00:58:26,306 THERE ARE SO MANY TWISTS AND TURNS TO MICHELLE'S STORY. 1170 00:58:26,306 --> 00:58:30,944 IT'S LIKE MYSTERY ON TOP OF MYSTERY ON TOP OF MYSTERY. 1171 00:58:30,944 --> 00:58:32,445 >> Reporter: MICHELLE'S RELATIONSHIP WITH ROBERT JAVICK 1172 00:58:32,445 --> 00:58:37,250 ENDED, BUT SHE COULDN'T SEEM TO GET HER LIFE BACK ON TRACK 1173 00:58:37,250 --> 00:58:40,053 SO IN 2001, 10 YEARS AFTER HER SON WAS KILLED, SHE DECIDED TO 1174 00:58:40,053 --> 00:58:42,922 LEAVE NEW JERSEY AND MOVE SOMEPLACE FAR AWAY WHERE NO ONE 1175 00:58:42,922 --> 00:58:44,591 KNEW HER >> SHE MOVED TO MINNESOTA BY MY 1176 00:58:44,591 --> 00:58:47,827 BROTHER. >> Reporter: SHE MEETS A NEW MAN 1177 00:58:47,827 --> 00:58:49,763 IN MINNESOTA >> SHE MEETS A FRIEND OF MY -- 1178 00:58:49,763 --> 00:58:51,297 ONE -- MY OLDER BROTHER. >> Reporter: THINGS WERE 1179 00:58:51,297 --> 00:58:54,200 CHANGING FOR MICHELLE IN A BIG WAY. 1180 00:58:54,200 --> 00:58:56,903 SHE FELL IN LOVE AND GOT MARRIED, AND ALONG THE WAY, HAD 1181 00:58:56,903 --> 00:58:59,205 TWO MORE SONS. SHE ALSO SEEMED TO FIND THE ONE 1182 00:58:59,205 --> 00:59:01,541 THING THAT HAD BEEN SO ELUSIVE TO HER 1183 00:59:01,541 --> 00:59:04,077 DID SHE SEEM HAPPY >> SHE DID 1184 00:59:04,077 --> 00:59:07,180 SHE SEEMED, YOU KNOW, LIKE LIFE WAS GETTING BACK TO NORMAL 1185 00:59:07,180 --> 00:59:13,620 >> Reporter: BUT THERE WOULD BE NO FAIRY TALE ENDING 1186 00:59:13,620 --> 00:59:15,455 THE MARRIAGE WAS SHORT-LIVED, AND AFTER JUST THREE YEARS IN 1187 00:59:15,455 --> 00:59:17,323 MINNESOTA, SHE GOT DIVORCED AND MOVED AGAIN. 1188 00:59:17,323 --> 00:59:18,758 THIS TIME TO FLORIDA NEAR BIG SISTER LINDA 1189 00:59:18,758 --> 00:59:22,395 MICHELLE LANDED A GOOD JOB AT A LAW FIRM AND LIVED A QUIET LIFE 1190 00:59:22,395 --> 00:59:25,231 WITH HER SONS. DESPITE THE DIVORCE, WAS -- WAS 1191 00:59:25,231 --> 00:59:28,368 SHE BOUNCING BACK AGAIN? >> YEAH, SHE'S STRONG, SHE WAS 1192 00:59:28,368 --> 00:59:31,171 MY ROCK. YOU KNOW, SHE'S JUST A STRONG 1193 00:59:31,171 --> 00:59:33,540 WOMAN. >> Reporter: JENNIFER FELT THE 1194 00:59:33,540 --> 00:59:36,476 SAME WAY ABOUT HER AUNT MICHELLE, AND WHEN SHE BECAME AN 1195 00:59:36,476 --> 00:59:40,046 ADULT AND HAD TWO KIDS OF HER OWN, SHE CAME TO RELY ON HER 1196 00:59:40,046 --> 00:59:44,217 >> I TRUSTED HER, I TRUSTED HER WITH MY CHILDREN, I TRUSTED HER 1197 00:59:44,217 --> 00:59:48,054 WITH ME, MY LIFE >> Reporter: AND NOW AS A YOUNG 1198 00:59:48,054 --> 00:59:51,057 MOTHER OF TWO GIRLS, JENNIFER NEEDED SOMEONE SHE COULD TRUST 1199 00:59:51,057 --> 00:59:53,860 SHE'D RECENTLY SEPARATED FROM HER HUSBAND AND WAS IN A BAD 1200 00:59:53,860 --> 00:59:59,432 PLACE. WHAT WAS GOING ON IN YOUR LIFE 1201 00:59:59,432 --> 01:00:02,469 >> I HAD STARTED TO USE DRUGS, AND SHE WAS BEGGING ME, YOU 1202 01:00:02,469 --> 01:00:06,806 KNOW, "COME OUT HERE TO FLORIDA," THAT SHE WORKED FOR A 1203 01:00:06,806 --> 01:00:08,541 PLACE THAT COULD GET ME INTO A GOOD REHAB FACILITY, AND THAT 1204 01:00:08,541 --> 01:00:11,011 SHE WOULD TAKE CARE OF MY GIRLS, AND I WOULDN'T HAVE TO WORRY 1205 01:00:11,011 --> 01:00:13,213 ABOUT ANYTHING >> Reporter: SO YOU WENT DOWN TO 1206 01:00:13,213 --> 01:00:17,050 FLORIDA? >> WENT TO FLORIDA. 1207 01:00:17,050 --> 01:00:20,420 >> WENT INTO REHAB >> WELL, I WENT TO A DETOX 1208 01:00:20,420 --> 01:00:22,322 CENTER AND WHILE I WAS IN THERE, I 1209 01:00:22,322 --> 01:00:23,723 CALLED TO TALK TO MY DAUGHTERS, AND THEY WERE GONE 1210 01:00:23,723 --> 01:00:25,225 >> Reporter: THEY WERE AT MICHELLE'S PLACE 1211 01:00:25,225 --> 01:00:26,760 >> YEAH. >> Reporter: AND YOU CALLED? 1212 01:00:26,760 --> 01:00:27,727 >> YEAH. >> Reporter: WHAT -- WHAT DO YOU 1213 01:00:27,727 --> 01:00:29,696 MEAN THEY'RE GONE? >> THEY WERE GONE. 1214 01:00:29,696 --> 01:00:30,930 >> Reporter: MICHELLE THOUGHT JENNIFER WAS IN NO CONDITION TO 1215 01:00:30,930 --> 01:00:34,734 TAKE CARE OF HER YOUNG CHILDREN AND DECIDED TO DO SOMETHING 1216 01:00:34,734 --> 01:00:36,636 ABOUT IT >> SHE'S NOT GIVING 'EM BACK TO 1217 01:00:36,636 --> 01:00:38,505 A DRUG ADDICT. I'M SORRY. 1218 01:00:38,505 --> 01:00:41,074 >> Reporter: SO SHE REACHED OUT TO JENNIFER'S IN-LAWS. 1219 01:00:41,074 --> 01:00:43,243 >> SHE GOT THE TWO GRANDPARENTS ON THE SAME PAGE, SAID, "YOU 1220 01:00:43,243 --> 01:00:45,745 GUYS NEED TO, YOU KNOW, DO WHAT'S BEST AND TAKE CARE OF 1221 01:00:45,745 --> 01:00:48,581 THESE CHILDREN." >> Reporter: THE GRANDPARENTS 1222 01:00:48,581 --> 01:00:51,851 AGREED THAT THE BEST PLACE FOR THE GIRLS WAS WITH THEM. 1223 01:00:51,851 --> 01:00:54,354 JENNIFER SAYS WHILE SHE WAS IN THE DETOX CENTER, MICHELLE 1224 01:00:54,354 --> 01:00:57,057 HANDED OVER THE KIDS TO HER MOTHER-IN-LAW, WHO TOOK THEM 1225 01:00:57,057 --> 01:00:58,925 BACK TO NEW JERSEY YOU FEEL THAT MICHELLE DID THE 1226 01:00:58,925 --> 01:01:02,362 RIGHT THING? >> SHE DID, ABSOLUTELY 1227 01:01:02,362 --> 01:01:05,632 SHE WAS PROTECTING HER NIECE'S CHILDREN 1228 01:01:05,632 --> 01:01:07,967 >> Reporter: JENNIFER, NO SURPRISE, DIDN'T SEE IT THAT 1229 01:01:07,967 --> 01:01:10,337 WAY. SHE LOVED HER MOTHER-IN-LAW, WHO 1230 01:01:10,337 --> 01:01:12,372 SHE KNEW WANTED THE BEST FOR HER KIDS 1231 01:01:12,372 --> 01:01:16,943 JENNIFER'S PROBLEM WAS WITH MICHELLE 1232 01:01:16,943 --> 01:01:20,647 >> I FELT BETRAYED BY HER. I WAS SO JUST DISTRAUGHT, AND I 1233 01:01:20,647 --> 01:01:22,716 WAS GOING THROUGH MY, YOU KNOW, DRUG DETOX THING AT THE SAME 1234 01:01:22,716 --> 01:01:29,422 TIME >> Reporter: SO WHAT -- WHAT 1235 01:01:29,422 --> 01:01:32,726 HAPPENED WHEN YOU LEFT REHAB >> MY UNCLE CAME AND GOT ME AND 1236 01:01:32,726 --> 01:01:34,928 RACED ME TO THE AIRPORT, AND I JUST JUMPED ON A PLANE AND WENT 1237 01:01:34,928 --> 01:01:36,463 HOME AND GOT MY KIDS >> Reporter: YOU GOT THEM BACK 1238 01:01:36,463 --> 01:01:37,397 NO PROBLEM >> YEAH. 1239 01:01:37,397 --> 01:01:38,665 OH, YEAH OF COURSE. 1240 01:01:38,665 --> 01:01:40,233 YEAH I WAS -- 1241 01:01:40,233 --> 01:01:41,267 >> Reporter: SOBER >> YEAH. 1242 01:01:41,267 --> 01:01:42,569 WELL, I HAD TO BE. >> Reporter: WHAT DID YOU SAY TO 1243 01:01:42,569 --> 01:01:43,937 MICHELLE >> I TOLD HER, "AT THE WORST 1244 01:01:43,937 --> 01:01:45,705 TIME IN MY LIFE, HOW COULD YOU DO THAT? 1245 01:01:45,705 --> 01:01:47,340 LIKE, I'VE BEEN THERE FOR YOU, FOR YOUR -- FOR EVERYTHING." 1246 01:01:47,340 --> 01:01:50,176 >> Reporter: AT THAT POINT, WAS THAT THE BREAKDOWN OF YOUR 1247 01:01:50,176 --> 01:01:55,115 RELATIONSHIP WITH MICHELLE >> IT WASN'T NO BITTER, YOU 1248 01:01:55,115 --> 01:01:56,449 KNOW, "I HATE YOU" STUFF IT WAS JUST, "I'M NOT GONNA TALK 1249 01:01:56,449 --> 01:01:57,917 TO YOU NO MORE." >> Reporter: JENNIFER AND 1250 01:01:57,917 --> 01:01:59,586 MICHELLE WENT THEIR SEPARATE WAYS 1251 01:01:59,586 --> 01:02:01,688 BUT THEIR PATHS WOULD CROSS AGAIN. 1252 01:02:01,688 --> 01:02:06,793 AND WHEN THEY DID, IT WOULD FINALLY BLOW THE INVESTIGATION 1253 01:02:06,793 --> 01:02:10,563 INTO TIMMY'S MURDER WIDE OPEN. >>> COMING UP -- 1254 01:02:10,563 --> 01:02:14,401 COULD AN OLD BLANKET WARM UP A DECADES-OLD COLD CASE? 1255 01:02:14,401 --> 01:02:17,971 >> IT WAS HEARTBREAKING BECAUSE NOW I KNOW THE PERSON THAT I HAD 1256 01:02:17,971 --> 01:02:37,390 DEFENDED FOR SO MANY YEARS HAD >> Reporter: MICHELLE LODZINSKI 1257 01:02:37,390 --> 01:02:40,560 HAD SETTLED INTO A COMFORTABLE LIFE IN FLORIDA. 1258 01:02:40,560 --> 01:02:42,328 IT SEEMED THE CHAOS OF HER OLD LIFE WAS BEHIND HER. 1259 01:02:42,328 --> 01:02:45,598 AND TIMMY'S MURDER INVESTIGATION? 1260 01:02:45,598 --> 01:02:47,500 THAT REMAINED ICE COLD ARE YOU THINKING THE CASE IS 1261 01:02:47,500 --> 01:02:50,637 NEVER GONNA GET SOLVED >> YEAH. 1262 01:02:50,637 --> 01:02:53,807 AND I WASN'T EVEN THINKING ABOUT IT, BECAUSE I KNEW TIMMY WAS AT 1263 01:02:53,807 --> 01:02:56,443 REST, AND THAT WAS THE MOST IMPORTANT THING. 1264 01:02:56,443 --> 01:03:01,881 >> I JUST THOUGHT THEY PUT THE CASE ON THE SHELF, YOU KNOW. 1265 01:03:01,881 --> 01:03:03,183 THEY WERE DONE >> Reporter: SO IT WOULD JUST -- 1266 01:03:03,183 --> 01:03:04,718 >> IT WOULD JUST SIT THERE AND COLLECT DUST - 1267 01:03:04,718 --> 01:03:06,586 >> Reporter: -- SIT THERE FOREVER. 1268 01:03:06,586 --> 01:03:07,520 >> -- YEAH, FOREVER. >> Reporter: POLICE AND 1269 01:03:07,520 --> 01:03:08,922 PROSECUTORS WERE STYMIED, BUT THERE WAS NO WAY THEY WERE GOING 1270 01:03:08,922 --> 01:03:11,224 TO SHELVE THE CASE NOT THIS ONE 1271 01:03:11,224 --> 01:03:13,560 >> PROSECUTORS WERE REALLY ALMOST OBSESSED WITH THIS CASE 1272 01:03:13,560 --> 01:03:16,062 I MEAN, IT'S THIS 5-YEAR-OLD KID. 1273 01:03:16,062 --> 01:03:21,167 WHO KILLED HIM >> Reporter: IT'S AMAZING HOW 1274 01:03:21,167 --> 01:03:23,536 MANY TIMES NEW PROSECUTORS TRIED TO LOOK AT THIS CASE AND -- AND 1275 01:03:23,536 --> 01:03:27,340 TRIED TO REOPEN IT WITH NO LUCK. >> YEAH. 1276 01:03:27,340 --> 01:03:29,509 ONE OF THE PROSECUTORS ENDED UP RETIRING AFTER AND SAID THAT -- 1277 01:03:29,509 --> 01:03:35,248 THAT WAS ONE OF HIS BIGGEST REGRETS IS NOT BEING ABLE TO 1278 01:03:35,248 --> 01:03:39,452 SOLVE THE DEATH OF TIMMY >> Reporter: THEN, 20 LONG YEARS 1279 01:03:39,452 --> 01:03:41,521 AFTER TIMMY WAS KILLED, A NEW PROSECUTOR DECIDED TO TAKE A 1280 01:03:41,521 --> 01:03:43,423 CRACK AT THE CASE. THIS TIME WITH A DIFFERENT 1281 01:03:43,423 --> 01:03:47,794 APPROACH INVESTIGATORS REACHED OUT TO 1282 01:03:47,794 --> 01:03:49,462 JENNIFER THEY ASKED HER TO GET BACK IN 1283 01:03:49,462 --> 01:03:51,398 TOUCH WITH MICHELLE, SO SHE MESSAGED HER ON FACEBOOK 1284 01:03:51,398 --> 01:03:55,201 WHAT DID THEY WANT YOU TO DO >> THEY JUST -- THEY THOUGHT 1285 01:03:55,201 --> 01:03:56,503 MAYBE SHE WOULD TELL ME SOMETHING -- 1286 01:03:56,503 --> 01:03:58,304 >> Reporter: -- TRY TO DRAW SOMETHING OUT OF HER 1287 01:03:58,304 --> 01:03:59,239 >> YEAH, YEAH. >> Reporter: LIKE A CONFESSION 1288 01:03:59,239 --> 01:04:00,573 >> YEAH. I MEAN, ANYTHING THAT HAD TO DO 1289 01:04:00,573 --> 01:04:02,075 WITH IT, YOU KNOW, WITH THE CASE 1290 01:04:02,075 --> 01:04:04,678 BUT SHE NEVER TALKED ABOUT TIMMY AT ALL 1291 01:04:04,678 --> 01:04:13,219 >> Reporter: IT WAS A LONGSHOT THAT FAILED. 1292 01:04:13,219 --> 01:04:14,354 BUT INVESTIGATORS WANTED SOMETHING ELSE FROM JENNIFER AND 1293 01:04:14,354 --> 01:04:16,890 ASKED HER TO COME DOWN TO THEIR OFFICE 1294 01:04:16,890 --> 01:04:18,324 >> THEY SAID THEY HAD TO SHOW ME SOMETHING. 1295 01:04:18,324 --> 01:04:19,659 >> Reporter: THAT'S INTERESTING. >> LIKE -- YEAH. 1296 01:04:19,659 --> 01:04:21,161 I'M, LIKE, "WHAT YOU NEVER SHOWED ME ANYTHING 1297 01:04:21,161 --> 01:04:22,896 BEFORE." >> Reporter: IT WAS AN OLD PIECE 1298 01:04:22,896 --> 01:04:25,865 OF EVIDENCE FOUND BY AN FBI AGENT IN THE AREA WHERE 1299 01:04:25,865 --> 01:04:27,434 DETECTIVE HACKETT DISCOVERED TIMMY'S REMAINS, THAT BLUE 1300 01:04:27,434 --> 01:04:29,502 BLANKET. DID YOU THINK THAT THERE 1301 01:04:29,502 --> 01:04:31,504 MIGHT'VE BEEN A CONNECTION BETWEEN THE BLANKET AND TIMMY 1302 01:04:31,504 --> 01:04:34,474 AT -- AT THE TIME? >> I DON'T THINK WE DID AT THE 1303 01:04:34,474 --> 01:04:40,347 TIME >> Reporter: WHEN NOTHING CAME 1304 01:04:40,347 --> 01:04:43,383 FROM A DNA TEST, INVESTIGATORS ESSENTIALLY FORGOT ABOUT IT AND 1305 01:04:43,383 --> 01:04:47,087 DIDN'T SHOW THE BLANKET TO ANYONE FOR 20 YEARS UNTIL 1306 01:04:47,087 --> 01:04:48,388 JUNE 30th, 2011. JENNIFER HAD BEEN KEPT IN THE 1307 01:04:48,388 --> 01:04:50,090 DARK ABOUT WHY SHE'D BEEN SUMMONED TO THE PROSECUTOR'S 1308 01:04:50,090 --> 01:04:53,693 OFFICE >> THEY JUST OPENED THE DOOR, 1309 01:04:53,693 --> 01:04:58,898 AND THE BLANKET WAS THERE ON THE TABLE, JUST SPREAD OUT, A DIRTY, 1310 01:04:58,898 --> 01:05:00,767 YOU KNOW, TATTERED BLANKET, I JUST BROKE DOWN WHEN I SAW IT. 1311 01:05:00,767 --> 01:05:03,503 >> Reporter: YOU RECOGNIZED THAT BLANKET RIGHT AWAY 1312 01:05:03,503 --> 01:05:10,043 >> RIGHT AWAY. THE PROSECUTOR SAID, "DO YOU 1313 01:05:10,043 --> 01:05:11,745 RECOGNIZE THIS BLANKET?" AND I SAID, "YES, IT -- YOU 1314 01:05:11,745 --> 01:05:13,113 KNOW, IT WAS FROM TIMMY'S HOUSE. 1315 01:05:13,113 --> 01:05:15,582 >> Reporter: JENNIFER, TIMMY'S COUSIN AND NUMBER ONE 1316 01:05:15,582 --> 01:05:19,819 BABY-SITTER IMMEDIATELY KNEW WHAT THAT MEANT. 1317 01:05:19,819 --> 01:05:25,258 >> THERE WAS NO REASON FOR THAT BLANKET TO BE NEXT TO HIM UNLESS 1318 01:05:25,258 --> 01:05:28,328 SOMEBODY IN HIS HOUSE DID SOMETHING TO HIM AND WRAPPED HIM 1319 01:05:28,328 --> 01:05:29,462 IN IT AND THREW HIM AWAY >> Reporter: JENNIFER'S THOUGHTS 1320 01:05:29,462 --> 01:05:32,665 TURNED TO THE PERSON SHE'D BELIEVED IN FOR SO LONG, HER 1321 01:05:32,665 --> 01:05:37,837 AUNT MICHELLE. >> IT WAS HEARTBREAKING, BECAUSE 1322 01:05:37,837 --> 01:05:40,440 NOW I KNOW THE PERSON THAT I HAD DEFENDED FOR SO MANY YEARS HAD 1323 01:05:40,440 --> 01:05:42,942 KNOWLEDGE OF WHAT HAPPENED >> Reporter: LEARNING THAT THE 1324 01:05:42,942 --> 01:05:45,512 BLANKET FOUND WITH TIMMY'S REMAINS CAME FROM MICHELLE'S 1325 01:05:45,512 --> 01:05:49,282 HOUSE CONVINCED PROSECUTORS HER STORY OF TIMMY BEING ABDUCTED 1326 01:05:49,282 --> 01:05:52,385 WAS A LIE, BECAUSE HE WOULDN'T HAVE BEEN WALKING AROUND THE 1327 01:05:52,385 --> 01:05:54,921 CARNIVAL WITH A BIG BLANKET. THEY BELIEVED THEY NOW HAD PROOF 1328 01:05:54,921 --> 01:05:59,159 THAT SOMEONE WITH ACCESS TO THE HOUSE WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR HIS 1329 01:05:59,159 --> 01:06:03,163 MURDER, AND THEY HAD NO DOUBT THAT PERSON WAS MICHELLE 1330 01:06:03,163 --> 01:06:06,299 SO, THEY MADE THEIR MOVE LINDA WAS AT HOME IN FLORIDA 1331 01:06:06,299 --> 01:06:11,037 WITH MICHELLE'S TWO SONS >> I GET A PHONE CALL FROM MY 1332 01:06:11,037 --> 01:06:13,773 SISTER SAYING, "I'VE BEEN ARRESTED FOR TIMMY'S MURDER. 1333 01:06:13,773 --> 01:06:16,743 I SAID, "WHAT? LIKE, "WHAT ARE YOU TALKING 1334 01:06:16,743 --> 01:06:19,779 ABOUT? >> Reporter: MICHELLE WAS 1335 01:06:19,779 --> 01:06:22,282 CHARGED WITH FIRST DEGREE MURDER AND TRANSFERRED TO A JAIL IN 1336 01:06:22,282 --> 01:06:27,053 NEW JERSEY WHERE SHE WOULD BE HELD UNTIL HER TRIAL 1337 01:06:27,053 --> 01:06:31,591 THIS IS A BOMBSHELL FOR HER, FOR YOU, YOUR FAMILY 1338 01:06:31,591 --> 01:06:32,392 >> UH-HUH. IT WAS UNBELIEVABLE. 1339 01:06:32,392 --> 01:06:34,060 WE WERE LIKE, "HOW COULD THEY ARREST YOU, YOU DIDN'T DO 1340 01:06:34,060 --> 01:06:37,831 ANYTHING?" >> Reporter: IT WAS A STUNNING 1341 01:06:37,831 --> 01:06:41,067 TURN OF EVENTS SET IN MOTION BY A TATTERED BLUE BLANKET THAT HAD 1342 01:06:41,067 --> 01:06:44,204 BEEN IN EVIDENCE FOR DECADES IT WAS A GAME CHANGER. 1343 01:06:44,204 --> 01:06:46,773 >> IT WAS THE ENTIRE GAME. WITHOUT THE BLANKET, THERE WAS 1344 01:06:46,773 --> 01:06:49,676 NO CASE. >> Reporter: DANNY CEVALLOS IS 1345 01:06:49,676 --> 01:06:53,413 AN NBC NEWS LEGAL ANALYST. >> THE BLANKET WAS THE ENTIRE 1346 01:06:53,413 --> 01:06:56,816 CASE AGAINST MICHELLE BECAUSE EVERYTHING ELSE BEFORE THE 1347 01:06:56,816 --> 01:06:58,952 BLANKET WAS NOT ENOUGH THAT'S NOT MY OPINION. 1348 01:06:58,952 --> 01:07:01,921 THAT WAS THE PROSECUTOR'S OPINION WHEN THEY DECLINED TO 1349 01:07:01,921 --> 01:07:04,424 PROSECUTE. >> Reporter: NEW JERSEY ATTORNEY 1350 01:07:04,424 --> 01:07:06,593 GERRY KROVATIN HEARD ABOUT THE ARREST FROM A LAWYER HE KNEW IN 1351 01:07:06,593 --> 01:07:09,496 FLORIDA. >> HE CALLED ME AND SAID, 1352 01:07:09,496 --> 01:07:11,831 "YOU'RE NOT GONNA BELIEVE WHAT NEW JERSEY IS DOING TO THIS 1353 01:07:11,831 --> 01:07:14,100 WOMAN. >> Reporter: KROVATIN READ UP ON 1354 01:07:14,100 --> 01:07:18,171 THE CASE AND AGREED TO HANDLE MICHELLE'S DEFENSE 1355 01:07:18,171 --> 01:07:21,875 >> IT WAS ONE OF THE OLDEST AND MOST PROMINENT COLD CASES IN THE 1356 01:07:21,875 --> 01:07:25,145 STATE, WHICH I THINK IS WHY THE STATE TOOK A HOLD OF THIS AND 1357 01:07:25,145 --> 01:07:27,647 FOCUSED ON THE BLUE BLANKET. YOU KNOW, YOU CRACK A COLD CASE, 1358 01:07:27,647 --> 01:07:31,351 YOU GET ON "DATELINE." >> Reporter: TRUE. 1359 01:07:31,351 --> 01:07:34,821 THE TIMMY WILTSEY CASE HAD BEEN AN EMOTIONAL ROLLER COASTER FOR 1360 01:07:34,821 --> 01:07:37,857 EVERYBODY TOUCHED BY IT. AND NOW THOSE PEOPLE WERE ABOUT 1361 01:07:37,857 --> 01:07:43,430 TO TAKE A WILD RIDE THROUGH THE COURTS THAT NOBODY COULD HAVE 1362 01:07:43,430 --> 01:07:45,665 IMAGINED >>> COMING UP -- 1363 01:07:45,665 --> 01:07:48,168 >> THERE WAS NO PHYSICAL EVIDENCE WHATSOEVER. 1364 01:07:48,168 --> 01:07:51,171 >> Reporter: WILL THAT MATTER? >> SOMETIMES CIRCUMSTANTIAL 1365 01:07:51,171 --> 01:08:11,024 EVIDENCE IS EVEN MORE POWERFUL THAN DIRECT EVIDENCE 1366 01:08:11,024 --> 01:08:13,793 >> Reporter: IT HAD TAKEN 25 LONG YEARS TO GET TO THIS 1367 01:08:13,793 --> 01:08:16,296 DAY -- MARCH 16th, 2016. OPENING ARGUMENTS BEGAN IN 1368 01:08:16,296 --> 01:08:19,132 MICHELLE LODZINSKI'S MURDER TRIAL. 1369 01:08:19,132 --> 01:08:22,936 THE NEW JERSEY MOTHER WAS ACCUSED OF KILLING HER OWN SON 1370 01:08:22,936 --> 01:08:25,805 PROSECUTOR CHRISTIE BEVACQUA SET THE TONE 1371 01:08:25,805 --> 01:08:29,943 >> A MOTHER'S INSTINCT IS TO PROTECT HER CHILD. 1372 01:08:29,943 --> 01:08:32,812 A KILLER'S INSTINCT IS TO LIE. >> Reporter: MICHELLE'S 1373 01:08:32,812 --> 01:08:35,582 CHARACTER WAS REALLY ON TRIAL. >> ABSOLUTELY. 1374 01:08:35,582 --> 01:08:38,051 CHARACTER EVIDENCE IS NOT NORMALLY SUPPOSED TO BE PART OF 1375 01:08:38,051 --> 01:08:40,954 A TRIAL, BUT IT COULDN'T BE HELPED IN THIS CASE BECAUSE 1376 01:08:40,954 --> 01:08:43,656 MICHELLE DID NOT HELP HERSELF WHEN SHE GAVE SEVERAL 1377 01:08:43,656 --> 01:08:47,594 INCONSISTENT STATEMENTS ABOUT WHAT HAPPENED TO TIMMY 1378 01:08:47,594 --> 01:08:51,564 >> Reporter: PROSECUTORS CALLED A STRING OF INVESTIGATORS TO 1379 01:08:51,564 --> 01:08:53,366 TESTIFY, ALL WITH THE SAME MESSAGE. 1380 01:08:53,366 --> 01:08:58,171 MICHELLE LODZINSKI COULDN'T KEEP HER STORY STRAIGHT AND DIDN'T 1381 01:08:58,171 --> 01:09:04,678 ACT LIKE A GRIEVING MOTHER >> HER DEMEANOR WAS AT TIMES 1382 01:09:04,678 --> 01:09:07,681 HOSTILE, SOMETIMES VULGAR. SHE HAD LEFT AN INTERVIEW. 1383 01:09:07,681 --> 01:09:09,916 AS AN INVESTIGATOR, THAT GETS YOUR ATTENTION 1384 01:09:09,916 --> 01:09:12,919 >> Reporter: THE STATE SAID TIMMY HAD BECOME A BURDEN TO 1385 01:09:12,919 --> 01:09:15,555 MICHELLE AND SHE THOUGHT LIFE WITHOUT HIM WOULD BE EASIER. 1386 01:09:15,555 --> 01:09:18,425 THAT WAS THE MOTIVE. BUT THEY OFFERED NO THEORY ABOUT 1387 01:09:18,425 --> 01:09:21,594 HOW TIMMY DIED THEY SAID MICHELLE KILLED HIM 1388 01:09:21,594 --> 01:09:26,766 BEFORE GOING TO THE CARNIVAL, THAT TIMMY WAS NEVER THERE 1389 01:09:26,766 --> 01:09:28,401 BEVACQUA THEN TURNED TO THE EVIDENCE AND METHODICALLY 1390 01:09:28,401 --> 01:09:33,173 CONNECTED THE DOTS OF HER CIRCUMSTANTIAL CASE. 1391 01:09:33,173 --> 01:09:37,344 >> THIS CREEK WHERE TIMMY'S REMAINS WERE FOUND WAS LITERALLY 1392 01:09:37,344 --> 01:09:40,613 RIGHT AROUND THE CORNER FROM WHERE MICHELLE LODZINSKI USED TO 1393 01:09:40,613 --> 01:09:43,483 WORK >> Reporter: IN A THEATRICAL 1394 01:09:43,483 --> 01:09:46,353 MOMENT, THE PROSECUTOR UNVEILED THE FADED BLUE BLANKET FOR THE 1395 01:09:46,353 --> 01:09:50,056 JURY TO SEE. >> THIS BLANKET RIGHT HERE 1396 01:09:50,056 --> 01:09:55,128 >> Reporter: THEN SHE PAUSED, LETTING THE MOMENT SINK IN 1397 01:09:55,128 --> 01:09:58,598 >> HAS BEEN IDENTIFIED AS COMING FROM THE HOME OF 1398 01:09:58,598 --> 01:10:00,533 MICHELLE LODZINSKI >> Reporter: IT WOULD BE UP TO 1399 01:10:00,533 --> 01:10:04,037 JENNIFER TO BACK UP THAT STATEMENT. 1400 01:10:04,037 --> 01:10:06,973 SHE KNEW HOW IMPORTANT THAT WAS BUT SAYS TAKING THE STAND, 1401 01:10:06,973 --> 01:10:08,842 FACING MICHELLE, WAS A TERRIFYING THOUGHT 1402 01:10:08,842 --> 01:10:10,410 >> Reporter: I WOULD IMAGINE THERE WAS A LOT OF PRESSURE ON 1403 01:10:10,410 --> 01:10:12,012 YOU. >> OH, GOD 1404 01:10:12,012 --> 01:10:13,880 I WAS SUPPOSED TO TESTIFY ONE DAY, AND I RAN AWAY. 1405 01:10:13,880 --> 01:10:17,550 >> Reporter: REALLY? >> YES, I RAN AWAY 1406 01:10:17,550 --> 01:10:20,320 I WENT AND I HID OUT I DIDN'T GO. 1407 01:10:20,320 --> 01:10:21,721 >> Reporter: WHILE THE TRIAL'S GOING ON 1408 01:10:21,721 --> 01:10:23,123 >> YEAH. YEP. 1409 01:10:23,123 --> 01:10:24,724 >> Reporter: HOW DID THEY FIND YOU AND GET YOU BACK IN THERE? 1410 01:10:24,724 --> 01:10:27,127 >> I CAME BACK IN. MY MOM, YOU KNOW, I CALLED HER 1411 01:10:27,127 --> 01:10:29,162 FINALLY, AND SHE'S, "TIMOTHY NEEDS YOU TO DO THIS, AND YOU'RE 1412 01:10:29,162 --> 01:10:33,867 VERY IMPORTANT, YOU KNOW, TO THE CASE." 1413 01:10:33,867 --> 01:10:37,404 SO, YEAH, I WENT >> Reporter: VISIBLY SHAKEN, 1414 01:10:37,404 --> 01:10:42,609 JENNIFER FINALLY TOOK THE STAND. >> DO YOU RECOGNIZE THIS ITEM? 1415 01:10:42,609 --> 01:10:46,479 >> YES YES. 1416 01:10:46,479 --> 01:10:49,649 >> WHERE WOULD YOU SLEEP AT MS. LODZINSKI'S APARTMENT? 1417 01:10:49,649 --> 01:10:53,253 WOULD YOU USE THAT BLANKET >> I BELIEVE I USED THE BLANKET 1418 01:10:53,253 --> 01:10:55,488 BEFORE WHEN I WOULD SNUGGLE UP WITH TIMOTHY 1419 01:10:55,488 --> 01:10:57,857 >> Reporter: IN THE END, PROSECUTORS WOULDN'T RELY ON 1420 01:10:57,857 --> 01:11:00,727 JENNIFER ALONE JUST MONTHS BEFORE THE TRIAL 1421 01:11:00,727 --> 01:11:03,363 STARTED, TWO OTHER WOMEN WHO BABY SAT FOR TIMMY CAME FORWAR 1422 01:11:03,363 --> 01:11:05,765 TO SAY THEY ALSO RECOGNIZED THE BLANKET. 1423 01:11:05,765 --> 01:11:09,402 PROSECUTORS PUT THEM ON THE STAND, TOO 1424 01:11:09,402 --> 01:11:11,971 >> ARE YOU POSITIVE THAT THIS BLANKET IS FROM MICHELLE'S HOME? 1425 01:11:11,971 --> 01:11:15,108 >> YES >> Reporter: THIS WAS LARGELY A 1426 01:11:15,108 --> 01:11:17,677 CIRCUMSTANTIAL CASE. WAS THAT SOMETHING THAT WAS 1427 01:11:17,677 --> 01:11:20,447 REALLY WORKING IN THE DEFENSE'S FAVOR? 1428 01:11:20,447 --> 01:11:23,516 >> NOT NECESSARILY IT'S A MYTH THAT YOU NEED DIRECT 1429 01:11:23,516 --> 01:11:25,919 EVIDENCE TO GET A CRIMINAL CONVICTION BECAUSE SOMETIMES 1430 01:11:25,919 --> 01:11:28,688 CIRCUMSTANTIAL EVIDENCE IS EVEN MORE POWERFUL THAN DIRECT 1431 01:11:28,688 --> 01:11:31,624 EVIDENCE >> Reporter: WHEN DEFENSE 1432 01:11:31,624 --> 01:11:34,494 ATTORNEY GERRY KROVATIN HAD HIS TURN, HIS FIRST PRIORITY WAS TO 1433 01:11:34,494 --> 01:11:37,197 TEAR DOWN THE STATE'S PORTRAYAL OF MICHELLE. 1434 01:11:37,197 --> 01:11:39,799 >> THIS CASE WAS ABOUT CHARACTER ASSASSINATION, NOT ABOUT THE 1435 01:11:39,799 --> 01:11:43,103 EVIDENCE THIS WAS A GOOD MOTHER WHO CARED 1436 01:11:43,103 --> 01:11:46,339 DEEPLY FOR THIS LITTLE BOY >> Reporter: GERRY SHOWED THE 1437 01:11:46,339 --> 01:11:47,674 JURY A KINDERGARTEN GRADUATION GOWN THAT MICHELLE BOUGHT FOR 1438 01:11:47,674 --> 01:11:50,677 TIMMY JUST BEFORE HE DISAPPEARED. 1439 01:11:50,677 --> 01:11:53,279 HE SAID BUYING THAT WAS THE ACT OF A LOVING MOTHER, NOT A 1440 01:11:53,279 --> 01:12:00,787 KILLER >> Reporter: MICHELLE LODZINSKI 1441 01:12:00,787 --> 01:12:04,057 IS NOT THE MONSTER THEY WANT TO PAINT HER AS TO YOU. 1442 01:12:04,057 --> 01:12:06,526 >> Reporter: CHARACTER WITNESSES SANG MICHELLE'S PRAISES AS A 1443 01:12:06,526 --> 01:12:09,062 MOTHER AND TALKED ABOUT HOW DEVASTATED SHE WAS ABOUT LOSING 1444 01:12:09,062 --> 01:12:11,064 TIMMY. HER SISTER LINDA RECALLED 1445 01:12:11,064 --> 01:12:14,067 MICHELLE'S ANGUISH THE DAY OF THE FUNERAL. 1446 01:12:14,067 --> 01:12:17,871 >> SHE WAS IN SHOCK. HER FACE WAS ALL SWOLLEN 1447 01:12:17,871 --> 01:12:19,606 MY DAD AND I HAD TO HOLD HER FROM ONE SIDE TO THE OTHER, 1448 01:12:19,606 --> 01:12:23,143 WALKING UP THE STAIRS OF THE CHURCH 1449 01:12:23,143 --> 01:12:25,178 >> Reporter: THE STATE CLAIMED THAT TIMMY WAS NEVER AT THE 1450 01:12:25,178 --> 01:12:28,081 CARNIVAL BUT THE DEFENSE HAD WITNESSES TO 1451 01:12:28,081 --> 01:12:30,183 REFUTE THAT. JAMES O'CONNELL WAS ONE OF THEM. 1452 01:12:30,183 --> 01:12:34,487 HE WAS OPERATING A RIDE THAT DAY. 1453 01:12:34,487 --> 01:12:37,757 >> I SAW A YOUNG BOY FITTING THE DESCRIPTION OF TIMOTHY WILTSEY 1454 01:12:37,757 --> 01:12:39,426 >> DESCRIBE THE BOY THAT YOU SAW THAT DAY 1455 01:12:39,426 --> 01:12:44,964 >> A YOUNG BOY ABOUT 5 YEARS OLD. 1456 01:12:44,964 --> 01:12:48,268 TANK TOP, SHORTS HE HAD TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA 1457 01:12:48,268 --> 01:12:52,305 TURTLE SHOES ON. >> THE STATE'S THEORY WAS 1458 01:12:52,305 --> 01:12:54,341 MICHELLE HAD KILLED TIMMY THAT DAY OR THE DAY BEFORE -- HAD 1459 01:12:54,341 --> 01:13:00,280 GONE TO THE CARNIVAL WITHOUT HIM. 1460 01:13:00,280 --> 01:13:03,149 SO IF ANY OF THE EYEWITNESSES SAW TIMMY, IDENTIFIED TIMMY AT 1461 01:13:03,149 --> 01:13:06,786 THE CARNIVAL, THAT'S THE END OF THE STATE'S CASE 1462 01:13:06,786 --> 01:13:08,588 >> Reporter: JURORS ALSO HEARD A LOT ABOUT THE ITEMS FOUND IN 1463 01:13:08,588 --> 01:13:11,591 THAT MARSH BUT ACCORDING TO THE DEFENSE, 1464 01:13:11,591 --> 01:13:15,328 NONE OF THEM POINTED TO MICHELLE AS THE KILLER. 1465 01:13:15,328 --> 01:13:20,266 >> THERE WAS NO PHYSICAL EVIDENCE WHATSOEVER. 1466 01:13:20,266 --> 01:13:22,402 THERE WAS NO DNA, NO HAIR SAMPLES, NO FIBERS, NO MURDER 1467 01:13:22,402 --> 01:13:26,206 WEAPON, NO CONFESSIONS, NO ADMISSIONS FROM HER. 1468 01:13:26,206 --> 01:13:28,541 NOTHING. >> Reporter: BUT THERE WAS 1469 01:13:28,541 --> 01:13:31,077 POWERFUL TESTIMONY THAT THE BLANKET CAME FROM MICHELLE'S 1470 01:13:31,077 --> 01:13:35,181 HOUSE. THE DEFENSE WAS DISMISSIVE OF 1471 01:13:35,181 --> 01:13:37,617 THE TWO BABY-SITTERS WHO CAM FORWARD JUST BEFORE THE TRIAL. 1472 01:13:37,617 --> 01:13:42,422 >> GIVEN 25 YEARS PASSING BETWEEN THE EVENT AND THEIR 1473 01:13:42,422 --> 01:13:46,659 INTERVIEWS, COUPLED WITH THE GLARE OF THE PUBLICITY 1474 01:13:46,659 --> 01:13:49,095 SURROUNDING THE BEGINNING OF THE TRIAL, I DOUBT THE CREDIBILITY 1475 01:13:49,095 --> 01:13:51,097 OF THEIR IDENTIFICATION. >> Reporter: JENNIFER HAD 1476 01:13:51,097 --> 01:13:52,799 IDENTIFIED THE BLANKET WITHOUT EVER HEARING ABOUT IT IN THE 1477 01:13:52,799 --> 01:13:55,101 NEWS BUT THAT DIDN'T MATTER TO THE 1478 01:13:55,101 --> 01:13:59,239 DEFENSE. THEY SAW A CLEAR OPENING TO 1479 01:13:59,239 --> 01:14:02,575 ATTACK HER CREDIBILITY YOU ALLEGE THAT MICHELLE'S NIECE 1480 01:14:02,575 --> 01:14:05,078 WAS REALLY LOOKING FOR PAYBACK WITH IDENTIFYING THIS BLANKET. 1481 01:14:05,078 --> 01:14:06,780 THAT SHE WAS GONNA PAY BACK MICHELLE FOR HAVING HER CHILDREN 1482 01:14:06,780 --> 01:14:10,383 TAKEN AWAY >> CORRECT 1483 01:14:10,383 --> 01:14:12,886 SHE WAS IN SERIOUS TROUBLE, YOU KNOW, IN TERMS OF HER ADDICTION 1484 01:14:12,886 --> 01:14:16,189 AT THAT POINT. AND MICHELLE DIDN'T FEEL IT WAS 1485 01:14:16,189 --> 01:14:18,858 THE RESPONSIBLE THING TO DO TO GIVE HER HER CHILDREN BACK 1486 01:14:18,858 --> 01:14:22,829 AND JENNIFER HATED MICHELLE EVER SINCE FOR THAT 1487 01:14:22,829 --> 01:14:24,764 >> JENNIFER HAD ISSUES AND JENNIFER WAS OUT TO GET MY 1488 01:14:24,764 --> 01:14:26,666 SISTER BECAUSE SHE LOST HER CHILDREN 1489 01:14:26,666 --> 01:14:30,136 >> Reporter: HOW ANGRY DID JENNIFER GET OVER THAT 1490 01:14:30,136 --> 01:14:33,306 >> SO ANGRY THAT SHE TESTIFIED AND LIED 1491 01:14:33,306 --> 01:14:36,976 >> Reporter: JENNIFER EMPHATICALLY DENIES THAT AND 1492 01:14:36,976 --> 01:14:40,313 SAYS SHE TESTIFIED TRUTHFULLY. THE DEFENSE HAD PUSHED BACK ON 1493 01:14:40,313 --> 01:14:42,148 EVERY ANGLE OF THE STATE'S CASE AND EVEN OFFERED UP THEIR OWN 1494 01:14:42,148 --> 01:14:45,585 THEORY OF WHAT HAPPENED TO TIMMY. 1495 01:14:45,585 --> 01:14:49,089 RIGHT BEFORE TRIAL, A MAN CAME FORWARD AND SAID THAT ANOTHER 1496 01:14:49,089 --> 01:14:50,957 MAN HAD CONFESSED TO HIM THAT HE HAD KILLED A LITTLE BOY IN A 1497 01:14:50,957 --> 01:14:54,127 PARK >> YEAH. 1498 01:14:54,127 --> 01:14:57,330 DAMIEN DOWDLE. >> Reporter: DAMIEN DOWDLE WAS 1499 01:14:57,330 --> 01:14:59,866 AN EX-CON WHO'D SERVED TIME FOR AN ARMED ROBBERY HE COMMITTED IN 1500 01:14:59,866 --> 01:15:04,037 ARIZONA WITH AN ACCOMPLICE NAMED JOE McSHANE. 1501 01:15:04,037 --> 01:15:06,306 WHEN THEY WERE IN PRISON TOGETHER, DOWDLE SAYS McSHANE 1502 01:15:06,306 --> 01:15:09,209 CONFESSED THAT HE'D COMMITTED A HORRIBLE CRIME INVOLVING A YOUNG 1503 01:15:09,209 --> 01:15:11,811 BOY. YEARS LATER, WHEN DOWDLE READ 1504 01:15:11,811 --> 01:15:16,416 ABOUT THE TIMMY WILTSEY CASE, IT ALL SOUNDED VERY FAMILIAR. 1505 01:15:16,416 --> 01:15:20,820 >> WHEN DOWDLE GETS OUT OF PRISON, HE CALLS ME OUT OF THE 1506 01:15:20,820 --> 01:15:25,859 CLEAR BLUE >> Reporter: HE TOLD THE DEFENSE 1507 01:15:25,859 --> 01:15:31,131 ALL ABOUT McSHANE'S CONFESSION >> McSHANE TELLS HIM HE HAD GONE 1508 01:15:31,131 --> 01:15:36,336 TO AN EVENT IN A PARK, THAT HE HAD ABDUCTED A LITTLE BOY AND 1509 01:15:36,336 --> 01:15:39,539 THE BOY CRIED OUT, AND HE STRANGLED HIM AND KILLED HIM TO 1510 01:15:39,539 --> 01:15:42,709 AVOID DETECTION AND -- >> Reporter: ARE YOU TAKING THIS 1511 01:15:42,709 --> 01:15:45,311 SERIOUSLY? THIS IS AN EX-CON. 1512 01:15:45,311 --> 01:15:52,585 >> I TOOK IT VERY SERIOUSLY BECAUSE DOWDLE REPORTED THIS AT 1513 01:15:52,585 --> 01:15:54,087 THE TIME THAT McSHANE MADE THIS STATEMENT TO HIM IN 1991 TO THE 1514 01:15:54,087 --> 01:15:55,588 POLICE >> Reporter: AND NOW, UNDER 1515 01:15:55,588 --> 01:15:57,791 OATH, DOWDLE REPEATED THE LURID STORY. 1516 01:15:57,791 --> 01:16:01,461 >> THE KID BEGAN SCREAMING AND CRYING 1517 01:16:01,461 --> 01:16:07,367 HE SAID THAT HE WAS AFRAID THAT THIS KID'S CRIES WERE GOING TO 1518 01:16:07,367 --> 01:16:09,035 BRING PEOPLE TO WHERE HE WAS AT, AND HE SAID HE STRANGLED THE 1519 01:16:09,035 --> 01:16:11,037 KID. >> Reporter: THE STATE HAD A 1520 01:16:11,037 --> 01:16:14,607 REBUTTAL FOR DOWDLE. THEY CALLED McSHANE HIMSELF. 1521 01:16:14,607 --> 01:16:17,110 HE DENIED HAVING ANYTHING TO DO WITH TIMMY'S DEATH 1522 01:16:17,110 --> 01:16:20,847 BUT GERRY KROVATIN THOUGHT HE'D GIVEN THE JURY SOMETHING TO 1523 01:16:20,847 --> 01:16:22,882 THINK ABOUT. >> I CERTAINLY THOUGHT IT RAISED 1524 01:16:22,882 --> 01:16:26,953 A REASONABLE DOUBT ABOUT THE STATE'S CASE 1525 01:16:26,953 --> 01:16:30,490 >> Reporter: AFTER EIGHT WEEKS OF HOTLY CONTESTED TESTIMONY, 1526 01:16:30,490 --> 01:16:32,759 THE CASE WENT TO THE JURORS. THEY DELIBERATED FOR TWO DAYS 1527 01:16:32,759 --> 01:16:36,763 AND STILL COULDN'T REACH A VERDICT. 1528 01:16:36,763 --> 01:16:39,499 >> THERE'S ALL KINDS OF ASTROLOGY THAT YOU CAN USE TO 1529 01:16:39,499 --> 01:16:42,669 PROJECT, "WELL, IF THEY'RE OUT FOR THIS LONG, IT MEANS THAT." 1530 01:16:42,669 --> 01:16:44,871 IT'S ALL HOGWASH WHEN THEY'RE OUT THAT LONG, YOU 1531 01:16:44,871 --> 01:16:47,207 HAVE NO IDEA WHAT'S GOING ON IN THERE. 1532 01:16:47,207 --> 01:16:49,175 >> Reporter: THERE'D BE A VERDICT SOON ENOUGH. 1533 01:16:49,175 --> 01:16:51,778 BUT THAT WOULDN'T BE THE END OF THE STORY. 1534 01:16:51,778 --> 01:16:54,080 THIS CASE STILL HAD A LONG WAY TO GO. 1535 01:16:54,080 --> 01:17:00,020 AND THE BIGGEST SURPRISE OF ALL WAS STILL TO COME. 1536 01:17:00,020 --> 01:17:04,157 >>> COMING UP -- WILL TIMMY FINALLY GET JUSTICE 1537 01:17:04,157 --> 01:17:24,644 THIS WAS LIKE A CHESS GAME >> THIS IS WHERE IT GETS EVEN 1538 01:17:24,644 --> 01:17:26,613 >> Reporter: AFTER 25 YEARS, IT LOOKED LIKE THE LONG SEARCH FOR 1539 01:17:26,613 --> 01:17:29,149 JUSTICE FOR TIMMY WILTSEY HAD FINALLY REACHED THE FINISH LINE. 1540 01:17:29,149 --> 01:17:31,484 >> HAS THE JURY ARRIVED AT A VERDICT? 1541 01:17:31,484 --> 01:17:33,586 >> YES, WE HAVE. >> Reporter: THE JURY FOREMAN 1542 01:17:33,586 --> 01:17:38,692 ANNOUNCED THE VERDICT. >> GUILTY. 1543 01:17:38,692 --> 01:17:41,361 >> Reporter: MICHELLE LODZINSKI, GUILTY OF FIRST-DEGREE MURDER. 1544 01:17:41,361 --> 01:17:45,131 THE JUDGE WOULD SENTENCE HER TO 30 YEARS IN PRISON 1545 01:17:45,131 --> 01:17:47,634 WHAT WAS MICHELLE'S REACTION DID SHE SAY ANYTHING IN THAT 1546 01:17:47,634 --> 01:17:49,102 COURTROOM? >> NO. 1547 01:17:49,102 --> 01:17:51,871 SHE WAS HEARTBROKEN. >> Reporter: HOW WERE YOU 1548 01:17:51,871 --> 01:17:54,207 FEELING AFTER ALL THAT WORK THAT YOUR TEAM HAS PUT INTO THIS? 1549 01:17:54,207 --> 01:17:56,543 >> DEVASTATED. FELT LIKE IT WAS A MISCARRIAGE 1550 01:17:56,543 --> 01:18:02,415 OF JUSTICE >> I BROKE DOWN. 1551 01:18:02,415 --> 01:18:06,853 I HAD TO TELL HER BOYS THEY WERE DEVASTATED 1552 01:18:06,853 --> 01:18:08,888 HOW ELSE WOULD THEY REACT? >> Reporter: YOU ALL FELT VERY, 1553 01:18:08,888 --> 01:18:13,159 VERY STRONGLY THAT SHE WAS INNOCENT 1554 01:18:13,159 --> 01:18:16,296 >> I KNOW SHE'S INNOCENT >> I WAS TORN IN A WAY OF SHE 1555 01:18:16,296 --> 01:18:18,465 WAS STILL MY AUNT, AND I JUST COULDN'T THINK ABOUT SOMEBODY IN 1556 01:18:18,465 --> 01:18:20,834 MY FAMILY ACTUALLY BEING IN PRISON 1557 01:18:20,834 --> 01:18:24,037 >> Reporter: FOR POLICE AND PROSECUTORS, THIS WAS A VICTORY 1558 01:18:24,037 --> 01:18:27,640 25 YEARS IN THE MAKING >> WE WERE ALL ELATED. 1559 01:18:27,640 --> 01:18:32,178 JUST TO SEE JUSTICE DONE FOR THAT LITTLE BOY, ONE LAST TIME, 1560 01:18:32,178 --> 01:18:34,347 WAS A LIFESAVER FOR ME >> Reporter: AFTER THE VERDICT, 1561 01:18:34,347 --> 01:18:37,417 THE JURORS GOT TOGETHER ONE LAST TIME 1562 01:18:37,417 --> 01:18:41,421 THEY DECIDED TO VISIT THE PLACE WHERE TIMMY WAS FOUND. 1563 01:18:41,421 --> 01:18:45,158 >> WE JUST WANTED TO SHOW TIMMY THAT WE CARED FOR HIM. 1564 01:18:45,158 --> 01:18:52,298 >> Reporter: JOE MULVANERTON WAS AN ALTERNATE JUROR 1565 01:18:52,298 --> 01:18:53,833 >> WE ALL BROUGHT LITTLE TOYS AND BALLOONS TO THE SITE, NINJA 1566 01:18:53,833 --> 01:18:54,868 TURTLE >> Reporter: YOU BROUGHT A 1567 01:18:54,868 --> 01:18:56,202 BALLOON? >> YEAH. 1568 01:18:56,202 --> 01:18:57,904 CAN I -- CAN I READ YOU SOMETHING? 1569 01:18:57,904 --> 01:19:02,642 >> Reporter: OF COURSE, YEAH >> I HAD WRITTEN THIS RIGHT 1570 01:19:02,642 --> 01:19:06,713 AFTER WE WENT TO THE SITE. "ALONG WITH THE FLOWERS AND 1571 01:19:06,713 --> 01:19:08,014 NINJA TURTLE TOYS THAT WE ALL BROUGHT TO THE SITE, I ALSO 1572 01:19:08,014 --> 01:19:09,716 BROUGHT A LARGE NINJA TURTLE BALLOON. 1573 01:19:09,716 --> 01:19:12,218 THE BALLOON, ALMOST AS IF IT WERE BEING TUGGED OUT OF MY 1574 01:19:12,218 --> 01:19:15,121 HAND, CAME LOOSE FROM THE RIBBON AND FLOATED STRAIGHT UP INTO THE 1575 01:19:15,121 --> 01:19:17,223 HEAVENS. I'LL FOREVER BELIEVE THAT TIMMY 1576 01:19:17,223 --> 01:19:23,697 TOOK THAT BALLOON TO LET US KNOW HE'S OKAY. 1577 01:19:23,697 --> 01:19:25,532 COWABUNGA, DUDE. >> Reporter: WHAT THE JURORS 1578 01:19:25,532 --> 01:19:28,501 NEVER IMAGINED IS THAT THEIR VERDICT WOULDN'T BE THE FINAL 1579 01:19:28,501 --> 01:19:32,539 WORD ON THE TIMMY WILTSEY CASE THE LEGAL BATTLE WOULD CONTINUE 1580 01:19:32,539 --> 01:19:34,207 FOR YEARS. >> THIS CASE NEVER SHOULD'VE 1581 01:19:34,207 --> 01:19:37,043 BEEN CHARGED >> Reporter: AFTER THE TRIAL, 1582 01:19:37,043 --> 01:19:39,446 ATTORNEY DAVID FASSETT JOINED MICHELLE'S DEFENSE TEAM TO WORK 1583 01:19:39,446 --> 01:19:42,582 ON AN APPEAL >> I WAS APPALLED THAT MICHELLE 1584 01:19:42,582 --> 01:19:46,186 HAD BEEN CONVICTED BECAUSE OF THE UTTER ABSENCE OF ANY 1585 01:19:46,186 --> 01:19:48,121 EVIDENCE >> Reporter: AND THAT WAS THE 1586 01:19:48,121 --> 01:19:49,889 ARGUMENT BEFORE THE APPELLATE COURT. 1587 01:19:49,889 --> 01:19:52,392 THERE SIMPLY WASN'T ENOUGH EVIDENCE TO PROVE MICHELLE'S 1588 01:19:52,392 --> 01:19:56,830 GUILT. >> THEY REJECTED ALL OF OUR 1589 01:19:56,830 --> 01:20:00,667 ARGUMENTS, WHICH WAS VERY DISAPPOINTING AND DEFLATING. 1590 01:20:00,667 --> 01:20:03,503 >> Reporter: NEXT THE NEW JERSEY SUPREME COURT AGREED TO TAKE THE 1591 01:20:03,503 --> 01:20:06,539 CASE BUT ONE OF THE SEVEN JUSTICE'S 1592 01:20:06,539 --> 01:20:14,514 RECUSED HIMSELF. HE DIDN'T EXPLAIN WHY, BUT IT 1593 01:20:14,514 --> 01:20:18,184 MEANT ONLY SIX WOULD DECIDE. >> AND LO AND BEHOLD, THEY 1594 01:20:18,184 --> 01:20:19,919 SPLIT, 3-3 >> Reporter: A TIE IN THE 1595 01:20:19,919 --> 01:20:21,087 NEW JERSEY SUPREME COURT NORMALLY MEANS A CONVICTION 1596 01:20:21,087 --> 01:20:25,125 STANDS BUT WOULD IT FOR MICHELLE? 1597 01:20:25,125 --> 01:20:27,861 >> WHAT WE DECIDED TO DO WAS TO ASK THE COURT TO RECONSIDER THE 1598 01:20:27,861 --> 01:20:30,897 CASE NOW, I'M TOLD THAT THE SUPREME 1599 01:20:30,897 --> 01:20:34,901 COURT OF NEW JERSEY HAD NEVER PREVIOUSLY GRANTED A 1600 01:20:34,901 --> 01:20:37,370 RECONSIDERATION MOTION I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S TRUE -- 1601 01:20:37,370 --> 01:20:38,772 >> Reporter: HOW DID THEY -- >> -- OR NOT, BUT I'M NOT AWARE 1602 01:20:38,772 --> 01:20:40,774 OF ONE >> Reporter: THE DEFENSE ARGUED 1603 01:20:40,774 --> 01:20:43,476 THE TIE VIOLATED MICHELLE'S RIGHTS AND ASKED THE COURT TO 1604 01:20:43,476 --> 01:20:46,212 BRING IN A LOWER COURT JUDGE FOR JUST THIS ONE CASE 1605 01:20:46,212 --> 01:20:49,249 THIS WAS LIKE A CHESS GAME >> THIS IS WHERE IT GETS EVEN 1606 01:20:49,249 --> 01:20:53,319 CRAZIER. THEY MAKE THE ARGUMENT, AND IT'S 1607 01:20:53,319 --> 01:20:56,656 CONVINCING ENOUGH THAT THE STATE SUPREME COURT SAYS, "WE'RE GONNA 1608 01:20:56,656 --> 01:20:59,726 BORROW A JUDGE FROM THE LOWER APPELLATE DIVISION 1609 01:20:59,726 --> 01:21:02,128 NOW WE'LL HAVE SEVEN." REALLY, IT ALL COMES DOWN TO 1610 01:21:02,128 --> 01:21:04,431 THIS ONE JUDGE - >> Reporter: TIE BREAKER 1611 01:21:04,431 --> 01:21:10,337 >> -- WHO'S NOW THERE JUST TO BE A TIE BREAKER. 1612 01:21:10,337 --> 01:21:16,142 >> Reporter: ON DECEMBER 28th, 2021, THAT ONE JUDGE BROKE THE 1613 01:21:16,142 --> 01:21:19,412 TIE IN MICHELLE'S FAVOR. HER CONVICTION WAS OVERTURNED. 1614 01:21:19,412 --> 01:21:23,917 >> I SCREAMED. AND I GOT ON MY KNEES. 1615 01:21:23,917 --> 01:21:29,089 I WAS SO ECSTATIC AND SO HAPPY, AND I JUST WAS LIKE, "WOW, AFTER 1616 01:21:29,089 --> 01:21:31,491 ALL THIS TIME, FINALLY." >> Reporter: MICHELLE WALKED OUT 1617 01:21:31,491 --> 01:21:33,226 OF PRISON THAT SAME DAY. HER LAWYERS WERE THERE TO GREET 1618 01:21:33,226 --> 01:21:37,097 HER. >> JUST GRATEFUL FOR ALL THE 1619 01:21:37,097 --> 01:21:40,900 PEOPLE THAT HELPED ME AND STOOD BY MY SIDE TO GET ME HOME TO MY 1620 01:21:40,900 --> 01:21:43,670 FAMILY AND FRIENDS >> Reporter: MICHELLE LEFT NEW 1621 01:21:43,670 --> 01:21:46,740 JERSEY AND REUNITED WITH HER TWO SONS AND HER SISTER LINDA. 1622 01:21:46,740 --> 01:21:49,442 >> WE JUST HUGGED HER. AND SHE SAID, "DON'T CRY 1623 01:21:49,442 --> 01:21:53,113 PLEASE DON'T CRY." AND IT WAS JUST EXCITING 1624 01:21:53,113 --> 01:21:56,616 >> Reporter: BACK IN NEW JERSEY, JUROR JOE MULVANERTON WAS 1625 01:21:56,616 --> 01:21:58,451 OUTRAGED BY THE SUPREME COURT'S DECISION AND SAYS HIS FELLOW 1626 01:21:58,451 --> 01:22:02,822 JURORS WERE, TOO >> THE ONES THAT I'VE SPOKEN 1627 01:22:02,822 --> 01:22:05,792 WITH ARE AS EQUALLY SHOCKED AND AS EQUALLY INFURIATED AS I AM. 1628 01:22:05,792 --> 01:22:10,964 FOUR JUDGES DECIDED THAT WE MADE THE WRONG DECISION 1629 01:22:10,964 --> 01:22:12,532 I THINK THAT'S AN INDICTMENT ON THE JURY SYSTEM. 1630 01:22:12,532 --> 01:22:15,769 >> Reporter: IN FACT, THE SUPREME COURT DID SAY THE 1631 01:22:15,769 --> 01:22:18,638 MISTAKE MADE AT THE TRIAL WAS THE JURY'S, THAT THE EVIDENCE 1632 01:22:18,638 --> 01:22:20,907 DIDN'T SUPPORT A CONVICTION. SO THEY REPLACED THE JURY'S 1633 01:22:20,907 --> 01:22:23,410 GUILTY VERDICT WITH AN ACQUITTAL. 1634 01:22:23,410 --> 01:22:25,078 SHE CAN'T BE RETRIED THIS IS DOUBLE JEOPARDY. 1635 01:22:25,078 --> 01:22:26,312 >> NO. DOUBLE JEOPARDY, YEAH, CAN'T BE 1636 01:22:26,312 --> 01:22:30,617 RETRIED. WHERE'S OUR APPEAL 1637 01:22:30,617 --> 01:22:32,986 WHERE'S THE JURY'S APPEAL? >> Reporter: FOR KEVIN SKOLNIK, 1638 01:22:32,986 --> 01:22:36,089 THE VERY FIRST POLICE OFFICER TO RESPOND TO TIMMY'S 1639 01:22:36,089 --> 01:22:38,091 DISAPPEARANCE, THE SUPREME COURT'S DECISION WAS HARD TO 1640 01:22:38,091 --> 01:22:43,296 SWALLOW. >> SHE'S A FREE WOMAN. 1641 01:22:43,296 --> 01:22:47,567 IT'S, LIKE, UNBELIEVABLE >> Reporter: WERE YOU ANGRY? 1642 01:22:47,567 --> 01:22:50,704 >> I WAS DISAPPOINTED AND UPSET BECAUSE, AGAIN, THIS BOY CANNOT 1643 01:22:50,704 --> 01:22:52,205 REST IN PEACE. >> Reporter: JIM RYAN TRIES NOT 1644 01:22:52,205 --> 01:22:55,175 TO DWELL ON THE LEGAL TWISTS AND TURNS. 1645 01:22:55,175 --> 01:22:57,577 HE'D RATHER FOCUS ON HOW HIS COMMUNITY OPENED ITS HEART AND 1646 01:22:57,577 --> 01:23:01,114 CAME TOGETHER FOR A MISSING 5-YEAR-OLD BOY 1647 01:23:01,114 --> 01:23:04,317 >> THERE WERE SO MANY GOOD POLICE OFFICERS, FIREFIGHTERS, 1648 01:23:04,317 --> 01:23:06,686 EMS, CITIZENS WHO JUST ROSE UP AND SAID, "WE ARE NOT GONNA 1649 01:23:06,686 --> 01:23:08,421 TOLERATE SOMEONE SAYING THAT A 5-YEAR-OLD'S MISSING IN OUR 1650 01:23:08,421 --> 01:23:10,256 COMMUNITY WITHOUT DOING SOMETHING. 1651 01:23:10,256 --> 01:23:11,825 >> Reporter: SAD ENDING, BUT REALLY SHOWED YOU WHAT YOUR 1652 01:23:11,825 --> 01:23:15,495 COMMUNITY WAS MADE OF. >> YEAH. 1653 01:23:15,495 --> 01:23:17,063 THEY TOOK BACK CONTROL OF THEIR COMMUNITY IN THE WORST FEAR OF A 1654 01:23:17,063 --> 01:23:18,898 CHILD MISSING. >> IT WAS PROBABLY THE BIGGEST 1655 01:23:18,898 --> 01:23:22,268 CASE I EVER WORKED >> Reporter: DETECTIVE HACKETT, 1656 01:23:22,268 --> 01:23:27,073 NOW A GRANDFATHER, IS STILL HAUNTED BY THE CASE AND OFTEN 1657 01:23:27,073 --> 01:23:33,213 THINKS ABOUT LITTLE TIMMY. >> AS I SEE MY OWN CHILDREN 1658 01:23:33,213 --> 01:23:34,247 GROW, YOU WONDER TIMMY COULD BE WALKING AROUND 1659 01:23:34,247 --> 01:23:36,549 TODAY, 35 YEARS OLD. YOU KNOW, IT'S A SHAME 1660 01:23:36,549 --> 01:23:40,186 >> Reporter: TIMMY'S NAME AND FACE, ONCE SO FAMILIAR, HAVE 1661 01:23:40,186 --> 01:23:43,323 FADED FROM VIEW OVER THE DECADES, ALONG WITH ALL THE 1662 01:23:43,323 --> 01:23:47,293 POSSIBILITIES OF A LONG LIFE THAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN HIS. 1663 01:23:47,293 --> 01:23:50,997 >> I WANT PEOPLE TO REMEMBER HIM FOR MORE THAN HOW HE DIED. 1664 01:23:50,997 --> 01:23:56,002 TIMMY WAS BRAVE AND OUTSPOKEN AND FULL OF LIFE 1665 01:23:56,002 --> 01:23:57,837 AND HE WAS ROBBED OF ALL OF THE OPPORTUNITIES THAT LIFE HAD TO 1666 01:23:57,837 --> 01:24:02,042 OFFER. HE DIDN'T EVEN MAKE IT TO HIS 1667 01:24:02,042 --> 01:24:04,744 KINDERGARTEN GRADUATION. >> Reporter: TIMMY'S 1668 01:24:04,744 --> 01:24:08,581 KINDERGARTEN GRADUATION GOWN IS IN AN EVIDENCE VAULT NOW, ALONG 1669 01:24:08,581 --> 01:24:12,252 WITH A PAIR OF NINJA TURTLE SNEAKERS AND A FADED BLUE 1670 01:24:12,252 --> 01:24:16,389 BLANKET. SAD REMINDERS OF AN INNOCENT 1671 01:24:16,389 --> 01:24:23,063 LIFE FROZEN IN TIME AND A DEATH WITH QUESTIONS THAT MAY NEVER BE 1672 01:24:23,063 --> 01:24:25,932 ANSWERED >>> THAT'S ALL FOR THIS EDITION 1673 01:24:25,932 --> 01:24:28,902 OF "DATELINE." WE'LL SEE YOU AGAIN NEXT FRIDAY 1674 01:24:28,902 --> 01:24:32,339 AT 9:00, 8:00 CENTRAL. AND, OF COURSE, I'LL SEE YOU 1675 01:24:32,339 --> 01:24:34,874 EACH WEEKNIGHT FOR "NBC NIGHTLY NEWS." 1676 01:24:34,874 --> 01:24:34,874 NEWS." 1677 01:24:34,874 --> 01:24:34,874 I'M LESTER HOLT.