>>> I'M LESTER HOLT.
TONIGHT ON "DATELINE" -- A CROWDED CARNIVAL
A MISSING CHILD. AND A ROLLER COASTER RIDE WITH A
HEAD SNAPPING TWIST. >> MICHELLE WAS HYSTERICAL
SHE SAID, "TIMMY'S MISSING." >> IF SOMEBODY HAS HIM, I DON'T
CARE WHO YOU ARE I JUST WANT MY SON BACK.
>> THEY JUST KEPT DRILLING HER AND DRILLING HER AND DRILLING
HER. >> WE KIND OF FELT LIKE THERE
WAS MORE TO THIS THAN SHE WAS TELLING US
>> Reporter: THERE'S NEWS REPORTS THAT MICHELLE HAS BEEN
KIDNAPPED. >> THAT WAS A SHOWSTOPPER.
>> I'M THINKING, LIKE, "THE SAME PEOPLE THAT TOOK TIMMY, THEY
CAME BACK AND NOW THEY'RE GONNA KILL HER."
>> THERE WAS A BLANKET RECOVERED ABOUT 15 FEET ON THE EMBANKMENT.
>> Reporter: YOU RECOGNIZED THAT BLANKET RIGHT AWAY
>> RIGHT AWAY. >> WITHOUT THE BLANKET, THERE
WAS NO CASE. >> YOU CRACK A COLD CASE, YOU
GET ON "DATELINE." >> WE WERE LIKE, "I DON'T
UNDERSTAND HOW COULD THEY ARREST YOU?
YOU DIDN'T DO ANYTHING?" >> THIS IS WHERE IT GETS EVEN
CRAZIER. >> WE EXPECT THAT ONCE THE JURY
MAKES THEIR DECISION, GAME OVER. BUT NOT IN THIS CASE
* >> HERE'S ANDREA CANNING WITH
"THE BLUE BLANKET MYSTERY. >> Reporter: IT WAS A MOMENT
THAT DEVASTATED NEARLY EVERYONE IN THIS QUIET CORNER OF
SUBURBIA THIS IS REALLY A PARENT'S WORST
NIGHTMARE. >> YES, ABSOLUTELY
>> Reporter: THE LITTLE BOY AT A CARNIVAL WHO SUDDENLY VANISHED
>> THE INNOCENCE THAT WE HAD AS A COMMUNITY WAS CHANGED FROM
THAT DAY ON. >> Reporter: EVERYONE WAS
TOUCHED BY THIS CASE FROM THE PARENTS WHO SWORE NEVER
TO LOSE SIGHT OF THEIR CHILDREN AGAIN --
>> I WENT HOME I HUGGED MY KIDS
I FELT SO BAD. >> Reporter: -- TO THE TIRELESS
DETECTIVES WHO SEARCHED AND LABORED, LOSING HOPE THEY WOULD
EVER FIND ANSWERS. >> I HAVE NIGHTMARES EVERY
MAY 25th WHEN HE DISAPPEARED >> Reporter: 30 YEARS OF TWISTS
AND TURNS. >> IT'S LIKE MYSTERY ON TOP OF
MYSTERY ON TOP OF MYSTERY. >> Reporter: AND THEN, JUST A
FEW MONTHS AGO, THE CASE SUDDENLY CAME TO A DRAMATIC AND
CONTROVERSIAL END. >> THAT WE DIDN'T SEE COMING
>> I SCREAMED. AND I GOT ON MY KNEES.
>> Reporter: THIS IS ONE OF THE MOST SHOCKING TWISTS FOR THE END
OF A CASE THAT I'VE EVER SEEN. >> YES
UNBELIEVABLE >> Reporter: IT WAS MEMORIAL DAY
WEEKEND, MAY 25th. 1991 WHEN THIS CARNIVAL ROLLED
INTO A WORKING CLASS NEW JERSEY TOWN
THE RATTLE OF RIDES AND LAUGHTER OF CHILDREN MARKED THE
UNOFFICIAL START OF SUMMER >> IT WAS PACKED
A LOT OF RIDES I COULD JUST HEAR THE NOISE,
SMELL THE POPCORN AND, YOU KNOW, ALL THE FOOD
>> Reporter: A COUPLE OF HUNDRED LOCALS, MANY OF THEM PARENTS
WITH KIDS IN TOW, ENJOYED THE WARM SATURDAY NIGHT.
>> MUSIC WAS LOUD, AND IT SEEMED LIKE EVERYONE WAS HAVING A GOOD
TIME >> Reporter: SEEMS LIKE NOTHING
OUT OF THE ORDINARY. >> NO, NOTHING
>> Reporter: JUST ANOTHER CARNIVAL
>> YES >> Reporter: JENNIFER DILCHER
WAS 15 YEARS OLD AT THE TIME SHE AND HER FRIEND ARRIVED
AROUND 7:00. >> SO I WALK INTO THE CARNIVAL
IT'S STILL LIGHT OUT >> Reporter: SHE WAS EXCITED TO
MEET UP WITH HER AUNT, 23-YEAR-OLD MICHELLE LODZINSKI,
AND MICHELLE'S 5-YEAR-OLD SON TIMMY.
>> THAT WAS MY BABY. HE'D HAVE BEEN MY CHOICE FOR A
SON IF I COULD CHOOSE. >> Reporter: SHE BABY SAT TIMM
MOST WEEKENDS. SHE CALLED HIM HER LITTLE MAN.
ARE YOU AWARE IF MICHELLE AND TIMMY ARE ALREADY THERE?
>> IT'S THE TIME WE'RE SUPPOSED TO MEET THEM
AND I SEE MICHELLE JUST STANDING THERE.
>> Reporter: SOMETHING WAS WRONG.
TIMMY WASN'T WITH HIS MOM, AND SHE LOOKED WORRIED
>> ME AND MY FRIEND WALK UP TO HER AND, LIKE, "MICHELLE,
WHERE'S TIMMY AT?" SHE'S LIKE, "I DON'T KNOW.
I CAN'T FIND HIM." SO WE RAN OFF AND WE GOT A
POLICE OFFICER >> Reporter: SHE SPOTTED
KEVIN SKOLNIK, AN AUXILIARY OFFICER WITH THE SAYREVILLE
POLICE DEPARTMENT, AND BROUGHT HIM TO MICHELLE.
>> HE JUST STARTS ASKING HER QUESTIONS.
SHE TELLS HIM, YOU KNOW, SHE CAN'T FIND HER LITTLE BOY.
>> SHE SAYS TO ME, "I WAS AT THE FOOD STAND GETTING HIM A SODA.
WHICH WAS IN HER HANDS "AND I TURNED AROUND TO GIVE IT
TO HIM, AND HE WAS GONE. >> Reporter: WHAT ARE YOU
THINKING >> I SAID TO MYSELF, "OKAY,
LET'S SEE IF WE CAN FIND HIM." SO WE WALKED AROUND ALMOST LIKE
IN AN "O" -- "O" PATTERN >> Reporter: MICHELLE DESCRIBED
TIMMY TO THE OFFICER HE WAS WEARING A RED TANK TOP,
RED SHORTS, AND TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLE SNEAKERS.
ARE YOU THINKING, "I'M SURE HE'S JUST, YOU KNOW, WANDERED OFF TO
A GAME OR A RIDE, AND I'M SURE HE'S FINE"
THIS IS NOT -- >> YES, THAT WAS -
>> Reporter: -- A DANGEROUS LOCATION
>> AND IT WASN'T THAT BIG. AND YOU COULD SEE FROM ONE SIDE
TO THE OTHER >> Reporter: BUT AFTER
20 MINUTES OF LOOKING AND NO SIGN OF TIMMY, THE OFFICER KNEW
HE NEEDED HELP >> SO I NOTIFIED MY LIEUTENANT
WHO WAS ON DUTY, AND THEN THAT'S WHEN WE -- WE NOTIFIED POLICE
HEADQUARTERS THAT WE HAVE A POSSIBLE MISSING CHILD
>> Reporter: YOU'RE STARTING TO GET WORRIED.
>> YEAH. >> Reporter: VERY WORRIED?
>> YEAH, DEFINITELY. NOW I'M VERY WORRIED BECAUSE
NOBODY'S SEEN HIM. >> Reporter: SO THE POLICE
SUGGESTED MICHELLE MAKE AN ANNOUNCEMENT
>> SHE GOT ON THE LOUD SPEAKER YOU KNOW, TO SAY, "TIMMY, IF YOU
CAN HEAR ME, MOMMY NEEDS YOU TO COME OUT NOW."
>> Reporter: AT THAT POINT, THE HAPPY SOUNDS AT THE CARNIVAL
ABRUPTLY STOPPED >> THE MUSIC WAS SHUT OFF.
MORE UNITS SHOWED UP AND THAT'S WHEN THE DETECTIVES
CAME AND THE WHOLE THING STARTED TO TURN.
>> Reporter: BY NOW THE FIRE DEPARTMENT AND RESCUE SQUAD HAD
JOINED THE POLICE, ALONG WITH HUNDREDS OF VOLUNTEERS
THE SEARCH WENT WELL BEYOND THE CARNIVAL GROUNDS
>> I WOULD SAY WITHIN AN HOUR AND A HALF, THAT'S WHEN WE HAD
ALL THESE PEOPLE >> Reporter: THIS IS A BIG
SEARCH >> YES
I MEAN, IT'S A BIG -- I MEAN, IT'S HUGE.
IT'S A HUGE AREA >> Reporter: KEITH HACKETT WAS A
DETECTIVE WITH THE NEW JERSEY STATE POLICE
>> WHILE RIDING AROUND IN MY TROOPER CAR, I HAD HEARD ON THE
RADIO THAT THEY HAD A MISSING KID FROM A CARNIVAL IN
SAYREVILLE AND I'M LIKE, "OH, WOW," YOU
KNOW, "THAT'S RIGHT UP MY ALLEY.
>> Reporter: HE WAS NORMALLY A PLAINCLOTHES DETECTIVE IN TH
MISSING PERSONS UNIT BUT BECAUSE IT WAS A HOLIDAY
WEEKEND, HE HAD BEEN ASSIGNED HIGHWAY TRAFFIC DUTY
>> I SAID TO MY SERGEANT, I SAID, "HEY, I'D LIKE TO LEAVE
THE DETAIL AND MAKE SOME PHONE CALLS.
HE SAID, "WELL, JUST FINISH THE DETAIL
THEN YOU CAN MAKE YOUR CALL. >> REALLY?
>> Reporter: THE DETECTIVE FELT FRUSTRATED, BUT HE WAS TOLD LAW
ENFORCEMENT WAS DOING EVERYTHING TO FIND TIMMY.
>> THEY HAD A STATE POLICE HELICOPTER ABOVE
THEY HAD A BUNCH OF LOCAL POLICE OFFICERS AND, I BELIEVE, THE
SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT THERE SEARCHING, AS WELL AS CIVILIANS
HELPING OUT. >> Reporter: THE SEARCH WENT ON
FOR HOURS WITH NO SIGN OF TIMMY. FINALLY, IT WAS CALLED OFF
AROUND 2:00 A.M. THAT'S WHEN YOUR HEART DROPS,
THAT "THIS IS SERIOUS" MOMENT. >> YEAH, DEFINITELY.
IT WAS HARD TO LEAVE TO GET IN THE CAR AND FEEL LIKE YOU'RE
LEAVING HIM BEHIND, YOU KNOW LIKE, I DON'T WANNA GO
>> Reporter: MICHELLE, IN THESE EARLY MORNING HOURS, HOW'S SHE
HOLDING UP >> SHE WAS PRETTY EMOTIONAL.
>> Reporter: USUALLY WHEN WE HAVE THAT MOMENT OF PANIC AND,
YOU KNOW, YOUR CHILD DISAPPEARS, YOU FIND THEM.
YOU KNOW, MINUTES LATER, HOPEFULLY.
BUT NOT IN THIS CASE >> NO.
>> Reporter: TIMMY DID NOT TURN UP
>> NOPE. HE DIDN'T TURN UP.
AND WHAT ENSUED WAS A MASSIVE INVESTIGATION.
>>> TIMMY'S BEST FRIEND FROM CHILDHOOD STILL REMEMBERS THAT
AWFUL NIGHT. WHEN WE COME BACK --
>> MY MOM AND MY DAD STARTED SEARCHING THE BACK YARD.
THEY SEARCHED THE WHOLE APARTMENT.
>> WHEN SOMEONE GOES MISSING, THE FIRST 24 HOURS CAN BE
CRITICAL WAS IT ALREADY TOO LATE?
>> HE JUST DIDN'T WANDER OFF AND HE DIDN'T FALL IN THE WATER,
OR HE WASN'T LOST IN THE SURROUNDING WOODS.
IT GOT SERIOUS >> IF SOMEBODY HAS HIM, I JUST
WANT HIM BACK. I DON'T CARE WHO YOU ARE
>> Reporter: IT WAS 2:00 A.M., AND 5-YEAR-OLD TIMMY WAS STILL
MISSING. HIS MOTHER MICHELLE HAD SOME
GUT-WRENCHING EARLY MORNING CALLS TO MAKE, INCLUDING ONE TO
HER BIG SISTER, LINDA HISEY, WHO WAS IN FLORIDA
>> SHE WAS HYSTERICAL. AND SHE SAID, "TIMMY'S MISSING,"
YOU KNOW AND I'M LIKE, "WHAT?
AND, YOU KNOW, I WAS JUST TRYING TO WRAP MY HEAD AROUND IT.
YOU KNOW, YOU WAKE UP OUT OF A DEAD SLEEP
>> Reporter: DID YOU IMMEDIATELY GET OUT OF BED AND -
>> OH, YEAH. >> Reporter: WHAT WAS YOUR PLAN
OF ACTION? >> EVENTUALLY I JUST SAID, "DO
YOU NEED ME TO COME THERE? AND I WENT
>> Reporter: THE SEARCH FOR TIMMY RESUMED AT SUNRISE
MORE THAN 300 PEOPLE ANXIOUSLY SEARCHED EVERY INCH OF THE
TEN-ACRE PARK AND SURROUNDING AREA
THE STATE POLICE CHOPPER FLEW OVERHEAD AGAIN, AND A DIVING
UNIT WADED THROUGH TWO NEARBY PONDS.
EVERYONE WAITED FOR NEWS >> WE REALLY HOPE AND PRAY THAT
THIS LITTLE BOY IS FOUND >> Reporter: DETECTIVE
KEITH HACKETT WAS NOW OFFICIALLY ON THE CASE.
>> I WAS GETTING CONCERNED BECAUSE HE JUST DIDN'T WANDER
OFF. AND HE DIDN'T FALL IN THE WATER,
OR HE WASN'T LOST IN THE SURROUNDING WOODS.
IT GOT SERIOUS >> THE COMMUNITY WAS RISING UP
LIKE, EVERYONE WANTED TO DO SOMETHING.
>> Reporter: JIM RYAN, THEN IN HIS 20s, WAS HEAD OF THE
VOLUNTEER FIRST AID SQUAD FROM THE NEIGHBORING TOWN OF
SOUTH AMBOY. >> WE INITIALLY STARTED WITH
20 MEMBERS ON SUNDAY NIGHT, HELPING OUT.
AND IT'S BEEN IN THE HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE THAT HAVE COME FORWARD TO
ASSIST US AT THIS POINT IN TIME. >> Reporter: TIMMY AND MICHELLE
LIVED JUST A FEW BLOCKS FROM THE FIRST AID STATION WHERE JIM'S
SQUAD WAS LOCATED. AND SO THIS IS ONE OF YOUR OWN
THAT'S GONE MISSING. >> YES
>> Reporter: YOU IMMEDIATELY SPRING INTO ACTION
>> WE DECIDED THAT WE WERE GONNA CREATE FLYERS.
>> Reporter: CREATING FLYERS WAS AN URGENT NEED
THERE WAS NO SOCIAL MEDIA BACK THEN TO BLAST OUT TIMMY'S PHOTO.
>> THE CHALLENGE WAS ACTUALLY GETTING THE FLYERS MADE BECAUSE
OF THE HOLIDAY WEEKEND SO WE ASKED PEOPLE, COULD THEY
OPEN UP THE BUSINESSES IF THEY HAD A COPY MACHINE TO MAKE
COPIES FOR US? >> Reporter: WAS EVERYONE
COMPLYING? >> YEAH.
IT SPOKE TO THE KIND OF COMMUNITY WE WERE IN THAT
EVERYONE WAS ALL HANDS ON DECK TO TRY TO FIGURE OUT WHAT THEY
COULD DO >> Reporter: MICHELLE'S SISTER
ARRIVED FROM FLORIDA READY TO HELP
HOW IS MICHELLE DOING WHEN YOU GET THERE?
>> SHE'S JUST DEVASTATED AND NUMB
SHE DIDN'T, YOU KNOW, TALK A LOT.
SHE CRIED A LOT. >> Reporter: LINDA DID HER BEST
TO COMFORT MICHELLE. 11 YEARS OLDER, SHE HAD ALWAYS
BEEN LIKE A SECOND MOTHER TO HER.
>> I WAS THE BIG SISTER. THERE WAS SIX OF US, AND
MICHELLE WAS THE ONLY OTHER GIRL
I HELPED COOK DINNERS. YOU KNOW, I TOOK THEM ROLLER
SKATING. >> Reporter: LINDA AND HER
SIBLINGS GREW UP ON THE JERSEY SHORE.
SHE SAYS THEY DIDN'T HAVE A LOT OF MONEY, BUT THEY MADE THE BEST
OF IT. >> WE WERE RIGHT DOWN THE STREET
FROM THE BEACH, AND WE'D SWIM. AND SO WE'D HAVE FUN THERE
WE HAD THE LITTLE STORE DOWN FRONT, AND WE'D GO HAVE A SODA
YOU KNOW, IT WAS A CUTE LITTLE TOWN
>> Reporter: EVEN THOUGH LINDA WAS THE OLDEST, SHE SAYS
MICHELLE WAS THE STRONGER ONE. >> SHE WOULD GIVE YOU THE SHIRT
OFF HER BACK SHE'S DEFINITELY A STRONGER
PERSONALITY THAN I AM. >> Reporter: SO IT KINDA -
>> ROLE REVERSAL >> -- SWITCHED AROUND?
>> Reporter: IN HIGH SCHOOL, SHE SAYS MICHELLE WAS QUIET BUT ALSO
HAD AN ADVENTUROUS SPIRIT. WHEN HER OLDEST BROTHER, WHO
LIVED IN IOWA, INVITED MICHELLE TO VISIT, SHE JUMPED AT THE
CHANCE SO SHE GOES OUT THERE TO TAKE A
LITTLE TRIP. >> UH-HUH.
>> Reporter: SOMETHING DIFFERENT?
>> SOMETHING DIFFERENT BECAUSE WE DIDN'T TRAVEL A LOT
WE DIDN'T GO ON VACATIONS A LOT. >> Reporter: IT WAS SUPPOSED TO
BE A SHORT GETAWAY, BUT MICHELLE MET SOMEONE AND STAYED FOR A
WHILE. THEN THE WHIRLWIND ROMANCE GOT
SERIOUS. >> SHE GOT PREGNANT.
>> Reporter: AND EVEN THOUGH MICHELLE WAS ONLY 17, LINDA SAYS
SHE WANTED THE BABY. >> I DO REMEMBER THE CALL WHEN
SHE CALLED TO SAY THE BABY WAS BORN, YOU KNOW
>> Reporter: HOW EXCITED WAS SHE?
>> SHE WAS EXCITED SHE WAS VERY EXCITED
>> Reporter: MICHELLE'S SON TIMOTHY WAS BORN ON AUGUST 6th,
1985, IN CEDAR RAPIDS, IOWA. DID SHE WANT TO STAY IN IOWA AND
RAISE THE BABY >> I BELIEVE SHE WAS GONNA STAY
BECAUSE SHE WAS WITH GEORGE. AND I THINK SHE THOUGHT THAT WAS
THE RIGHT THING TO DO. >> Reporter: THAT WAS THE
PLAN -- TO STAY WITH TIMMY'S FATHER, GEORGE WILTSEY
ESPECIALLY WITH A BABY, AND THINGS BETWEEN THE COUPLE
QUICKLY DETERIORATED >> EVENTUALLY SHE ASKED FOR MY
HUSBAND TO COME GET HER BECAUSE IT WASN'T GOOD
>> Reporter: SO MICHELLE AND TIMMY MOVED BACK TO NEW JERSEY
AND IN WITH LINDA AND HER FAMILY
TIMMY WAS LESS THAN A YEAR OLD HOW WAS SHE AS A MOM
NOW YOU'RE LIVING WITH HER AND TIMMY, YOU'RE SEEING IT
FIRSTHAND. >> SHE WAS A GOOD MOM.
HE WAS JUST -- YOU KNOW, THAT WAS HER LIFE
SHE DID WHATEVER SHE NEEDED TO TO SUPPORT HIM
>> Reporter: INCLUDING WORKING SEVERAL JOBS TO MAKE SURE TIMMY
WAS ALWAYS WELL DRESSED AND WELL FED.
SHE SAYS MICHELLE WAS VERY ACTIVE IN HER SON'S LIFE AND
WAS ALWAYS AROUND TO CELEBRATE EVERY BIRTHDAY, EVERY HOLIDAY,
EVERY MILESTONE. AND HOW DID YOU FEEL HAVING A
BABY AROUND THE HOUSE? >> OH, I LOVED IT.
I HAD TWO BOYS TOO, SO THEY WERE HIS, LIKE, BIGGER BROTHERS, YOU
KNOW >> Reporter: IT WAS A HAPPY
EXTENDED FAMILY. BUT A FEW YEARS LATER, LINDA AND
HER HUSBAND, STRUGGLING FINANCIALLY, FELT THEY NEEDED A
CHANGE SO THEY PACKED UP AND MOVED TO
FLORIDA. MICHELLE CHOSE TO STAY IN
NEW JERSEY AND EVENTUALLY FOUND THAT APARTMENT NEAR THE FIST AID
STATION. >> I WAS SO EXCITED.
>> Reporter: TARA PACKARD WAS 6 YEARS OLD WHEN MICHELLE AND
TIMMY MOVED INTO THE OTHER HALF OF HER PARENTS' DUPLEX
HER PARENTS KNEW MICHELLE BECAUSE TARA AND TIMMY WERE
CLASSMATES AND BEST FRIENDS AT THE LOCAL CATHOLIC SCHOOL.
MICHELLE HAD SCRAPED TOGETHER ENOUGH MONEY TO SEND HER SON
THERE. DID YOU AND TIMMY ONLY GROW
CLOSER LIVING IN THAT DUPLEX >> YES
WE WERE PRETTY MUCH, LIKE, TOGETHER EVERY DAY
LIKE, WE WALKED TO SCHOOL TOGETHER
IT WAS A SHARED BACKYARD, SO WE'D GO OUT AND PLAY TOGETHER.
WE WOULD EAT DINNER AT EACH OTHER'S HOUSES
>> Reporter: SO YOU TWO ACTUALLY SHARED A WALL --
>> YES >> Reporter: -- BETWEEN YOUR
BEDROOMS IN THE DUPLEX >> WE DID.
AND I'D KNOCK ON THE WALL WITH A TOY SO HE COULD HEAR ME.
IT WAS SORT OF LIKE WE'D DO LIKE A CODE.
>> Reporter: TARA SAYS SHE AND TIMMY COMPLIMENTED EACH OTHER
PERFECTLY. SHE WAS PAINFULLY SHY, AND HE
WAS ANYTHING BUT >> HIS PERSONALITY WAS THE
BIGGEST ONE IN THE ROOM. AND HE WAS AS CUTE AS HIS
PICTURES ARE HE LOVED PLAYING IN THE
BACKYARD HE HAD, LIKE, LOTS OF TRUCKS --
LIKE, DUMP TRUCKS OUT THERE. AND HE ALSO LOVED NINJA TURTLES.
THAT WAS HIS FAVORITE. >> Reporter: ON THE NIGHT TIMMY
WENT MISSING, TARA REMEMBERS HER FAMILY WAS IN THE MIDDLE OF
DINNER HER MOTHER GOT A CALL FROM
MICHELLE ASKING IF SHE'D SEEN HIM.
>> WE IMMEDIATELY STOPPED EATING, AND MY MOM AND MY DAD
STARTED SEARCHING THE BACKYARD THEY SEARCHED THE WHOLE
APARTMENT BECAUSE THE POLICE WERE CONCERNED, LIKE, WHAT IF
HE -- SOMEHOW SOMEBODY FOUND HIM AND BROUGHT HIM BACK OR HE
WALKED BACK? >> Reporter: BUT THERE WAS NO
SIGN OF TIMMY. TARA EVENTUALLY WENT TO BED.
YOU TRIED TO COMMUNICATE WITH HIM WITH YOUR SECRET KNOCK, YOUR
SECRET CODE THROUGH THE WALL >> WELL, YES, I WAS SO SCARED
AND WORRIED ABOUT HIM. SO I WENT OVER IN MY CLOSET, GOT
ONE OF MY TOYS OUT, AND KNOCKED ON THE WALL AND, LIKE, LISTENED.
AND THERE WAS NEVER ANY -- NEVER A SOUND BACK
>> Reporter: DEAFENING SILENCE TARA SAYS EXCRUCIATING DAYS WENT
BY WITH NO NEWS. CAMERA CREWS WERE CAMPED OUTSIDE
THEIR DUPLEX MICHELLE HAD MOSTLY BEEN STAYING
INSIDE BUT DID AGREE TO THIS INTERVIEW WITH A WNBC REPORTER
>> NO CLUES AT THIS POINT, NO LEADS?
>> I DON'T -- THE POLICE ARE LOOKING TO EVERYTHING THEY GET
IF SOMEBODY HAS HIM, I JUST WANT HIM BACK
I DON'T CARE WHO YOU ARE I JUST WANT MY SON BACK.
LEAVE HIM ON A STREET AND LET SOMEONE FIND HIM
I JUST WANT HIM BACK >> Reporter: AS MICHELLE WAS
PLEADING FOR HER SON'S SAFE RETURN, POLICE WERE PURSUING
THEIR FIRST REAL LEAD IN THE CASE
THEY HAD A POSSIBLE SUSPECT TO TRACK DOWN
A WOMAN NAMED ELLEN WITH A MYSTERIOUS PAST.
ELLEN IS AT THE CARNIVAL >> WITH A CHILD, A 2-YEAR-OLD
CHILD. >> Reporter: POLICE GOT A TIP
THAT SHE MIGHT HAVE SOMETHING TO DO WITH TIMMY'S DISAPPEARANCE.
AN URGENT SEARCH WAS ON. FIND ELLEN, AND HOPEFULLY FIND
TIMMY. >>> COMING UP --
WHO IS ELLEN >> SHE SAID THERE WAS THIS GIRL
NAMED ELLEN WHO SHE WAS FAMILIAR WITH
AND ELLEN SAID, "LISTEN, HAVE TIMMY STAY WITH ME
I'LL PUT HIM ON THE RIDE GO GET HIM A SODA.
>> Reporter: BUT MICHELLE SAYS SHE CAME BACK AND ELLEN AND
TIMMY WERE GONE? >> RIGHT
>> Reporter: JUST A FEW DAYS AFTER HIS DISAPPEARANCE, THE
CASE OF MISSING 5-YEAR-OLD TIMMY WILTSEY HAD CAPTIVATED THE
NATION >> IT WAS FEATURED ON "AMERICA'S
MOST WANTED. FLYERS GOT SENT OUT ALL OVER THE
COUNTRY. >> Reporter: HIS FACE ENDED UP
ON MILK CARTONS? >> YES
YES. >> Reporter: NEW YORK YANKEE
DON MATTINGLY APPEARED IN THE PAPER HOLDING A PHOTO OF TIMMY
AND ASKING FOR HIS SAFE RETURN AND MICHELLE'S MOTHER MADE A
TEARFUL PLEA ON LOCAL NEWS >> IT'S HER ONLY CHILD
THIS IS ALL SHE HAS IN LIFE. PLEASE, GOD, IF YOU HAVE ANY --
ANY MERCY, GIVE THIS GIRL HER KID.
AND GIVE ME BACK MY GRANDCHILD >> Reporter: THE WHOLE AREA WAS
ON EDGE. PARENTS KEPT THEIR CHILDREN
CLOSE, WHILE THEIR KIDS LOOKED OVER THEIR SHOULDERS
>> WE REALLY WERE ALL AFRAID THAT SOMETHING TERRIBLE WAS
GONNA HAPPEN TO US >> Reporter: TIMMY'S COUSIN
JENNIFER DID HER BEST TO COMFORT HER AUNT MICHELLE.
>> I THINK I SLEPT OVER RIGHT NEXT TO HER.
SHE WAS ON THE COUCH AND I WAS ON THE FLOOR
>> Reporter: YOU ALL LOVED TIMMY SO MUCH.
HOW WERE YOU COPING AS THE DAYS GO BY AND HE'S JUST VANISHED
>> IT'S HARD WE'RE ZOMBIES.
>> Reporter: AND YOU ALL HAD THE ADDED PRESSURE OF THE MEDIA, YOU
KNOW, CAMPED OUTSIDE THE DOOR. >> YEAH.
THAT WAS ROUGH ME AND MICHELLE WOULD TRY TO GO
ON THE BACK PORCH TO GET SOME SOLACE FROM THEM ALL IN THE
FRONT, BANGING ON THE DOOR AND EVERYTHING
AND I REMEMBER LOOKING OVER, AND I SEE THIS NEWS REPORTER
AND HE'S STANDING ON TOP OF SOMEBODY'S LEDGE OR CAR OR
SOMETHING. AND HE IS ACTUALLY TRYING TO
RECORD US IN HER BACKYARD. >> Reporter: AWAY FROM THE
MEDIA'S GLARE, POLICE WERE WORKING TIRELESSLY TO FIND
TIMMY. FOR DETECTIVE KEITH HACKETT,
THIS CASE FELT PERSONAL. YOU YOURSELF HAVE YOUNG SONS
WHEN THIS IS HAPPENING, 4 AND 6, RIGHT AROUND TIMMY'S AGE
WAS THAT HITTING YOU >> YES
THAT COULD BE MY SON THAT'S MISSING.
>> Reporter: THE PUBLIC WAS PUTTING ENORMOUS PRESSURE ON LAW
ENFORCEMENT TO SOLVE THE CASE. BUT INVESTIGATORS WEREN'T SAYING
MUCH ONE NEW LEAD DETECTIVE HACKETT
AND OTHER INVESTIGATORS JUMPED ON CAME FROM MICHELLE HERSELF.
IT HAD TO DO WITH WHEN SHE LAST SAW TIMMY.
SHE'D ONLY TOLD POLICE PART OF THE STORY.
>> TIMOTHY WANTED TO GO ON A RIDE, AND HE WAS ALSO THIRSTY.
SO SHE WENT TO GET HIM A DRINK WHEN SHE CAME BACK, HE WAS
MISSING. >> Reporter: BUT NOW SHE ADDED
NEW DETAILS. >> SHE SAID THERE WAS THIS GIRL
NAMED ELLEN WHO SHE WAS FAMILIAR WITH
AND ELLEN WAS THERE WITH A LITTLE GIRL, ABOUT 2 YEARS OLD,
AND 2 MEN. >> Reporter: MICHELLE SAID SHE
LEFT TIMMY WITH ELLEN SO SHE COULD GET THAT DRINK
>> APPARENTLY TIMMY WANTED TO GO ON THE RIDE BEFORE MORE PEOPLE
GOT ON SO ELLEN SAID, "LISTEN, HAVE
TIMMY STAY WITH ME I'LL PUT HIM ON THE RIDE
GO -- GO GET HIM A SODA. >> Reporter: BUT MICHELLE SAYS
SHE CAME BACK AND ELLEN AND TIMMY WERE GONE?
>> RIGHT >> Reporter: MICHELLE TOLD
INVESTIGATORS SHE HAD BEEN AFRAID TO TELL THEM ABOUT ELLEN.
SHE WAS WORRIED WHEN THEY FOUND OUT MORE ABOUT THIS WOMAN, THEY
WOULD THINK SHE WAS A BAD MOM FOR LEAVING TIMMY WITH SOMEONE
WITH A QUESTIONABLE REPUTATION SHE EXPLAINED THAT WHEN SHE
WORKED AS A BANK TELLER, ELLEN USED TO COME TO HER WINDOW TO
CASH HER WELFARE CHECKS. >> ELLEN NOT ONLY CASHED WELFARE
CHECKS AT THE BANK, BUT ALSO WAS A GO-GO GIRL
>> Reporter: OH, WOW IS THAT ALSO, SORT OF, EXOTIC
DANCER, LIKE, GENTLEMEN'S CLUB >> THAT'S HOW WE -- WE PERCEIVED
IT THERE WAS A PLACE IN SAYREVILLE,
GO-GO RAMA, I GUESS, WHERE THEY HAD EXOTIC DANCERS
>> Reporter: MICHELLE FELT THAT THIS WAS NOT THE MOST UPSTANDING
PROFESSION AND WAS EMBARRASSED THAT SHE HAD LEFT HER CHILD WITH
SOMEONE LIKE ELLEN >> RIGHT
THAT'S THE REASON WHY SHE SAID, "I DIDN'T TELL YOU ABOUT ELLEN
INITIALLY. >> Reporter: SO THE HUNT FOR
ELLEN WAS ON POLICE STARTED SEARCHING LOCAL
GENTLEMEN'S CLUBS. >> THE STATE POLICE -- WE DID A
SKETCH OF WHAT ELLEN LOOKED LIKE TO TRY TO TRACK HER DOWN AND
FIND OUT WHO SHE WAS >> Reporter: AND THE FBI PUT
TOGETHER A LIST OF ALL WELFARE RECIPIENTS NAMED ELLEN OR WITH
NAMES SIMILAR TO ELLEN THEY PRINTED OUT PHOTOS OF THOSE
WOMEN AND SHOWED THEM TO MICHELLE, BUT SHE SAID NONE OF
THEM LOOKED FAMILIAR >> THE FBI RAN DOWN EXTENSIVELY,
AND THEN SO DID SAYREVILLE, TRYING TO IDENTIFY HER
>> Reporter: AND WHILE THE SEARCH FOR ELLEN CONTINUED,
DETECTIVES HAD PLENTY OF OTHER LEADS TO FOLLOW.
WITH ALL THE MEDIA ATTENTION, THEIR PHONES HADN'T STOP RINGING
ALL SUMMER >> YOU GET A LOT OF TIPS AND
SIGHTINGS. YOU MIGHT HAVE SOMEONE CALL UP
AND SAY, "WE THINK WE SAW A KID THAT LOOKED LIKE TIMOTHY AT A
TRUCK STOP." OR "WE THINK WE SAW A KID THAT
RESEMBLES TIMOTHY WILTSEY IN A CAMPGROUND."
SO, OF COURSE, WHEN YOU GET THOSE LEADS COMING IN, YOU GOTTA
RUN 'EM DOWN >> Reporter: BUT NOTHING SEEMED
TO PAN OUT, AND THEY WERE GETTING DESPERATE.
THE SUMMER COMES TO AN END HOW FRUSTRATED ARE YOU, FEELING
THAT YOU'RE NO CLOSER TO FINDING TIMMY OR FINDING OUT WHAT
HAPPENED >> IT WAS FRUSTRATING.
AS TIME GOES ON, THAT OPPORTUNITY OF BRINGING HIM HOME
ALIVE SHRINKS. I MEAN, THAT'S JUST A COLD, HARD
FACT >> Reporter: DETECTIVE HACKETT
SAYS HE REFUSED TO GET DISCOURAGED.
HE FOLLOWED EVERY CLUE NO LEAD WAS TOO SMALL OR TOO
OUTRAGEOUS >> AT ONE POINT, WE WERE ASKED
TO DO A SEARCH OF A PORTION OF SAYREVILLE WHERE A PSYCHIC HAD
GIVEN US INFORMATION >> Reporter: SO YOU TOOK THE
PSYCHIC SERIOUSLY? >> WELL, THE PSYCHIC'S NAME WAS
DOROTHY ALLISON, A WELL-KNOWN PSYCHIC.
AND SHE HAD CALLED WITH INFORMATION.
>> Reporter: SHE TOLD THEM TIMMY MIGHT BE NEAR WATER AT AN
ABANDONED FACTORY BEHIND THE SAYREVILLE POLICE STATION.
SO THE DETECTIVE GRABBED THE DEPARTMENT'S CADAVER DOG BUFFY
AND WENT LOOKING SO YOU CHECKED
>> YEAH, WITH BUFFY, FOR HOURS, SEARCHING.
>> Reporter: AND DID YOU HIT ON ANYTHING
>> NO. NO
>> Reporter: ANOTHER DEAD END. BUT HACKETT'S LUCK WAS ABOUT TO
CHANGE FIVE MONTHS AFTER TIMMY
DISAPPEARED, DAN O'MALLEY WAS HIKING ACROSS THE RIVER FROM THE
CARNIVAL GROUNDS IN A MARSHY AREA WHEN HE SPOTTED SOMETHING
THAT LOOKED OUT OF PLACE >> WE WERE IN A DESOLATE,
DESERTED, BARREN AREA. WHAT IS A CHILD'S ARTICLE OF
CLOTHING DOING THERE >> Reporter: THIS DISCOVERY YOU
MADE COULD POTENTIALLY BE A GAME CHANGER IN ONE OF THE BIGGEST
CASES THIS AREA HAS EVER SEEN. >> I AGREE
>>> COMING UP -- >> THERE WAS A TEENAGE MUTANT
NINJA TURTLE CHILD'S SNEAKER >> A BREAKTHROUGH OR ANOTHER
DEAD END >> SHOWED IT TO MICHELLE
>> Reporter: LIKE EVERYONE ELSE IN THE SAYREVILLE, NEW JERSEY,
AREA, DAN O'MALLEY, A HIGH SCHOOL SCIENCE TEACHER, KNEW ALL
ABOUT MISSING TIMMY WILTSEY. >> IT WAS IMPOSSIBLE TO AVOID.
IT WAS SO WELL PUBLICIZED. >> Reporter: HE'D READ THE NEWS
AND SEEN THE FLYERS WITH TIMMY'S PICTURE IN STORE WINDOWS AND ON
TELEPHONE POLES. >> I HAD A 10-YEAR-OLD BOY AT
THE TIME EVERY PARENT WAS FOCUSED ON THE
STORY. >> Reporter: SO DAN KNEW WHAT
TIMMY LOOKED LIKE AND WHAT HE'D BEEN WEARING WHEN HE
DISAPPEARED. >> IT WAS TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA
TURTLE SNEAKERS. >> Reporter: AN IMPORTANT DETAIL
THAT WOULD PAY OFF ON A SATURDAY AFTERNOON THAT OCTOBER
IT'S ABOUT FIVE MONTHS AFTER TIMMY WENT MISSING AND -
>> RIGHT >> Reporter: -- YOU'RE OUT FOR
THE DAY. YOU'RE AT A SPORTS
MEMORABILIA -- >> IT WAS A TWO-DAY EXPO, YEAH
>> Reporter: DAN AND A FRIEND ATTENDED THE EXPO AT THE RARITAN
CENTER IN EDISON, NEW JERSEY >> WE BOTH HAD AN INTEREST IN
SPORTS CARDS AND SPORTS MEMORABILIA AND ALSO THE
INTEREST IN -- IN THE WILDLIFE >> Reporter: SO AFTER THEY'D HAD
ENOUGH AT THE EXPO, THEY DECIDED TO TAKE A WALK IN A MARSHY AREA
BEHIND THE RARITAN CENTER. >> IT WAS THE KIND OF AREA THAT
WOULD HARBOR SMALLER ANIMALS THAT WE WERE INTERESTED IN
>> Reporter: DAN TOOK US TO THE PLACE WHERE HE AND HIS FRIEND
WENT EXPLORING AND SO YOU WENT IN HERE?
>> AND WE WENT IN RIGHT ABOUT HERE
>> Reporter: THEY HADN'T BEEN WALKING VERY LONG WHEN SOMETHING
CAUGHT HIS EYE >> I LOOKED DOWN, AND THERE WAS
A TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES CHILD'S SNEAKER.
>> Reporter: WAS YOUR GUT TELLING YOU THAT THIS IS
CONNECTED TO TIMMY'S DISAPPEARANCE?
>> I ALWAYS HAD A SENSE OF UNBELIEF ABOUT IT BECAUSE WHO
EXPECTS TO GET -- TO STUMBLE ON WHAT COULD BE A POTENTIAL --
>> Reporter: A CLUE. A BIG CLUE
>> A PIECE OF EVIDENCE >> Reporter: TELL US WHAT YOU
DID NEXT >> I TOOK THE SNEAKER TO MY CAR,
PUT IT IN A PLASTIC BAG. >> Reporter: HE TOOK THE SNEAKER
STRAIGHT TO THE SAYREVILLE POLICE DEPARTMENT.
>> THERE WAS A NICE YOUNG OFFICER, TOOK A WRITTEN REPORT,
AND I LEFT AND I EXPECTED THEM TO CONTACT
ME THIS WAS A SATURDAY.
SO I THOUGHT, "OKAY, IT'LL BE MONDAY."
AND MONDAY CAME AND WENT AND - >> Reporter: NOTHING
>> NOTHING >> Reporter: BUT WHAT DAN DIDN'T
KNOW WAS THAT THE POLICE WERE IN FACT WORKING HARD TO DETERMINE
IF THE SHOE BELONGED TO TIMMY. IT WAS A LEFT SHOE, SIZE 13, THE
SAME SIZE TIMMY WAS WEARING. DID YOU THINK THAT THIS COULD BE
MAYBE THE BREAK YOU WERE LOOKING FOR?
>> YOU KNOW WHAT IT WAS JUST ONE SHOE
BACK THEN, NINJA TURTLES WAS BIG.
IT WAS, LIKE, HUGE PEOPLE HAD BALLOONS.
THEY HAD THE SHOES THEY HAD THE T-SHIRTS.
>> Reporter: BUT WHERE THE SNEAKER WAS FOUND WAS CLOSE TO
THE CARNIVAL GROUNDS >> WHERE THE CROWS FLY, IT'S A
VERY SHORT DISTANCE. YOU KNOW
YOU'RE AT THE CARNIVAL YOU CROSS THE RIVER.
AND THEN THERE'S OLYMPIC DRIVE >> Reporter: SAYREVILLE POLICE
SENT THE SHOE TO THE FBI HOPING FOR DNA EVIDENCE THAT WOULD
CONFIRM IT WAS TIMMY'S BUT THE RESULTS WERE
INCONCLUSIVE, SO POLICE TRIED SOMETHING ELSE
>> EVENTUALLY SHOWED IT TO MICHELLE
AND SHE INITIALLY SAID THAT IT WASN'T HIS
IT HAD A DIFFERENT EMBLEM ON IT OR SOMETHING
>> Reporter: ALL THE WHILE, DAN O'MALLEY HAD BEEN WAITING
FOR HIS PHONE TO RING, HOPING SOMEONE FROM LAW ENFORCEMENT
WOULD CONTACT HIM. >> I WENT ABOUT MY BUSINESS
TEACHING I GAVE IT THREE WEEKS.
AND THAT WAS VERY PAINFUL AND HARD JUST TO GO THREE WEEKS.
>> Reporter: WITH STILL NO WORD FROM THE POLICE, HE CALLED THE
LOCAL PAPER TO TELL THEM ABOUT THE SNEAKER HE'D FOUND
AND DID THEY BITE? DID -- WERE THEY INTERESTED IN
WHAT YOU HAD TO SAY? >> OH, WHOEVER PICKED UP THE
PHONE REFERRED IT TO THE EDITOR, AND HE GOT ON THE LINE
AND THE NEXT DAY IT WAS FRONT PAGE NEWS.
>> Reporter: NOW EVERYONE WAS TALKING ABOUT THE SNEAKER.
DETECTIVE HACKETT SAYS THAT PROMPTED MICHELLE TO CONTACT THE
POLICE DOES MICHELLE TAKE A SECOND LOOK
AT THE SNEAKER >> I BELIEVE SHE TOOK A SECOND
LOOK AT IT AND SAY, "HEY, IT MAY BE HIS."
AND THEN SHE ALSO BROUGHT IN A PAIR OF HIS SHOES, DRESS SHOES
AND THEY WERE SENT TO THE FBI LAB FOR FORENSIC ANALYSIS.
THEY DO AN EXAMINATION OF THE WEAR PATTERN OF THE SHOES.
>> Reporter: AGAIN THE RESULTS WERE INCONCLUSIVE.
BUT INVESTIGATORS WERE ABLE TO MATCH THE MODEL NUMBER ON THE
SNEAKER TO THE SHOE BOX THAT MICHELLE GAVE THEM
SO WAS IT NOW APPEARING THAT THIS WAS TIMMY'S SHOE?
>> I STILL DON'T KNOW IF THEY CONCLUSIVELY MADE THAT
DETERMINATION THAT IT WAS HIS. >> Reporter: TIMMY'S COUSIN
JENNIFER DIDN'T NEED POLICE TO CONFIRM WHAT SHE INSTINCTIVELY
KNEW >> THE DAY I HEARD ABOUT THE
SNEAKER, I BELIEVED IT WAS HIS >> Reporter: WHAT DID IT SAY TO
YOU ABOUT WHAT HAD HAPPENED TO HIM?
>> I JUST THOUGHT THAT WHOEVER TOOK HIM HAD TO CHANGE HIS
CLOTHES, SO THEY WERE JUST SCATTERING HIS STUFF AROUND
MAYBE. THERE WAS NOTHING IN ME THAT WAS
GONNA LET ME BELIEVE THAT HE WASN'T COMING HOME
THERE WAS NO WAY MY LIFE WAS GONNA GO ON AND TIMMY WASN'T
GONNA BE HERE. >> Reporter: STILL, THE SNEAKER
DIDN'T SEEM TO BE LEADING INVESTIGATORS ANYWHERE
AND A SEARCH OF THE AREA WHERE THE SNEAKER HAD BEEN FOUND WAS
NO HELP EITHER THE FIRST SEARCH THAT WAS DONE
AFTER THE SHOE WAS FOUND TURNED UP NOTHING
>> RIGHT SAYREVILLE DID THAT, AND THEY
DIDN'T FIND ANYTHING >> Reporter: MORE MONTHS WENT BY
WITHOUT ANY NEW CLUES. UNTIL ANOTHER BIG DISCOVERY IN
THAT MARSHY AREA >> AND I GOT CHILLS UP AND DOWN
MY SPINE >> Reporter: AND THIS TIME A
POSSIBLE ANSWER TO THE QUESTION, "WHERE WAS TIMMY?"
>> I SAID, "GOD, IF HE'S HERE, LET'S GIVE US A SIGN
LET US FIND SOMETHING. AND IT WAS JUST, LIKE, A
MIRACLE. >>> COMING UP --
WAS THE SEARCH ABOUT TO END? >> WE FOUND THE SECOND SNEAKER
ABOUT 30 YARDS AWAY FROM THE FIRST SNEAKER THAT WAS FOUND
BACK IN OCTOBER. >> DETECTIVES ALSO FOUND WHAT
MIGHT BE A KEY PIECE OF EVIDENCE
>> THERE WAS A BLANKET RECOVERED ABOUT 15 FEET ON THE EMBANKMENT.
>> WHO DID IT BELONG TO? >> Reporter: IT HAD BEEN MORE
THAN FIVE MONTHS WITH NO SIGN OF LITTLE TIMMY
BUT VOLUNTEER EMT JIM RYAN WAS STILL DETERMINED TO FIND HIM
>> I WAS 22 YEARS OLD. I BELIEVED WE COULD SAVE THE
WORLD. >> Reporter: SO HE CAME UP WITH
A PLAN >> WE DIDN'T WANT TIMMY'S STORY
TO FADE FROM THE SPOTLIGHT THE NATIONAL CENTER FOR MISSING
CHILDREN HAD INDICATED THE BEST WAY TO FIND MISSING KIDS IS KEEP
THE ATTENTION ON IT. SO WE'RE LIKE, "OKAY, HOW CAN WE
DO THAT? LET'S GET BILLBOARDS."
>> Reporter: BUT BILLBOARDS WERE EXPENSIVE.
SO TO RAISE MONEY, JIM AND THE PRINCIPAL OF TIMMY'S CATHOLIC
SCHOOL DECIDED TO FORM A GROUP CALLED "FRIENDS OF TIMMY."
JIM HAD A MEETING WITH TIMMY'S MOM, MICHELLE.
>> I DO HAVE A CONVERSATION WITH HER AND I ASK IF THIS IS AN IDEA
THAT SHE'D BE RECEPTIVE TO >> Reporter: WAS SHE RECEPTIVE
>> SHE WAS >> Reporter: MICHELLE EVEN
JOINED THE "FRIENDS OF TIMMY" BOARD.
SHE HELPED PLAN THEIR FIRST FUND-RAISER, A BASKETBALL GAME
AT HER SON'S SCHOOL. >> THE BASKETBALL GAME INVOLVED
A RADIO STATION OUT OF NEW YORK CITY CALLED WPLJ AND THE
CHIPPENDALES >> Reporter: I'M ASSUMING YOU'RE
TALKING ABOUT HUNKY, KIND OF, MEN WHO SHOW OFF THEIR ABS AND
THEIR MUSCLES. >> YEAH.
>> Reporter: JIM SAYS THE COMMUNITY'S RESPONSE TO HUNKY
DANCERS IN A CATHOLIC SCHOOL GYM WAS LUKEWARM, TO SAY THE LEAST
>> I THINK PEOPLE INTERPRETE THAT -- THAT, YOU KNOW, THE
CHIPPENDALES ARE HERE. WE'RE A SMALL COMMUNITY.
>> Reporter: I HAVE TO SAY THE CHIPPENDALES, TO ME, DOESN'T
SEEM OVERLY APPROPRIATE FOR A MISSING CHILD.
>> IT DOESN'T. IT DOESN'T AT ALL.
>> Reporter: HE KNEW IT WAS A MISSTEP, SO JIM AND THE OTHER
BOARD MEMBERS WORKED ON A NEW STRATEGY
>> ONE OF THE THINGS THAT YOU COULD DO EASILY WITH TIMMY'S
CASE IS GET LOST IN DISTRACTIONS
SO I TRIED TO STAY FOCUSED ON A 5-YEAR-OLD MISSING
>> Reporter: AND SO DID THE FBI. ALMOST A YEAR AFTER TIMMY WENT
MISSING, AGENTS HAD A NEW GAME PLAN
>> THE OVERALL CONCLUSION WAS GO BACK AND REDO ALMOST EVERY
INVESTIGATIVE STEP THAT HAD BEEN DONE AND DO IT AGAIN AND AGAIN
>> Reporter: WHICH MEANT TAKING A SECOND LOOK AT THE PLACE WHERE
THE SNEAKER WAS FOUND. ON APRIL 23rd, 1992, A TEAM OF
INVESTIGATORS BEGAN SCOURING THE MARSHY AREA BEHIND THE RARITAN
CENTER DETECTIVE HACKETT WAS ON THE
TEAM YOU GET A CALL FROM THE FBI TO
COME DOWN HERE >> YES
THE FBI HAD CONTACTED US AND REQUESTED THAT WE COME OUT HERE
WITH OUR CADAVER DOG TO DO A SEARCH OF THIS AREA.
>> Reporter: WITHIN MINUTES, THEY MADE A DISCOVERY.
>> WE FOUND THE SECOND SNEAKER ABOUT 30 YARDS AWAY FROM THE
FIRST SNEAKER THAT WAS FOUND BACK IN OCTOBER.
>> Reporter: IT WAS ANOTHER TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLE
SNEAKER, SIZE 13, THE RIGHT SHOE
IT APPEARED TO BE A MATCH TO THE LEFT SNEAKER FOUND MONTHS
EARLIER. WHY POLICE HADN'T SPOTTED IT
BEFORE WAS A HEAD SCRATCHER. THEY CONTINUED SEARCHING FOR
SEVERAL MORE HOURS BUT DIDN'T FIND ANYTHING ELSE
DETECTIVE HACKETT WAS GETTING ANTSY AND HAD AN IDEA.
HE CALLS IT DIVINE INTERVENTION. >> THE SEARCH WAS CONCENTRATED
ON THAT SIDE OF THE ROAD BECAUSE THAT'S WHERE THE SNEAKER WAS
FOUND. >> Reporter: BUT YOU DECIDED TO
SEARCH THIS SIDE EVEN THOUGH EVERYONE ELSE WAS SEARCHING THAT
SIDE >> YES
AFTER A FEW HOURS, I JUST KINDA TOOK A WALK OVER HERE ON MY OWN
JUST TO GET A LITTLE BIT OF THE LAY OF THE LAND.
>> Reporter: YOU HAD SAID A PRAYER THAT DAY?
>> YES I WAS GETTING FRUSTRATED
AND AS I WAS WALKING UP ON THE BANK RIGHT THERE, I SAID, "GOD,
IF HE'S HERE, JUST GIVE US A SIGN
LET US FIND SOMETHING. AND IT WAS JUST, LIKE, A
MIRACLE. I JUST HAPPENED TO LOOK DOWN
INTO THIS DRAINAGE AREA, CREEK AND I SAW WHAT APPEARED TO BE A
SKULL. >> Reporter: WOW
>> OF COURSE, I WAS VERY EMOTIONAL, AND I FELT IN MY
HEART THAT IT HAD TO BE TIMOTHY. >> Reporter: HE RACED BACK UP
THE EMBANKMENT TO ALERT THE OTHERS
WHAT IS THAT MOMENT LIKE WHERE YOU SEE WHAT LOOKS LIKE A SKULL
THAT -- AND IT'S A SMALL ONE THAT COULD BE A CHILD'S?
>> WELL, A LOT OF STUFF IS RUNNING THROUGH MY HEAD.
I HAD KIDS THAT AGE, YOU KNOW? BUT I WAS LIKE, "THANK YOU,
GOD. IT WAS, LIKE, THE CRAZIEST
THING. >> Reporter: ALONG WITH THE
SMALL SKULL, THEY FOUND SEVERAL OTHER BONES, REMNANTS FROM THE
WAISTBAND OF CHILD SIZED UNDERWEAR AND SHORTS, A
PILLOWCASE AND SOMETHING ELSE. >> THERE WAS A BLANKET RECOVERED
ABOUT 15 FEET ON THE EMBANKMENT THAT WAS TAKEN AS EVIDENCE TOO
>> Reporter: A LARGE, BLUE AND WHITE, HEAVY COTTON BLANKET.
IS IT BECOMING MORE AND MORE APPARENT TO YOU THAT -- THAT
THIS IS HIGHLY LIKELY THAT THIS IS TIMMY
>> YEAH, WELL, THE NEXT DAY, THEY HAD A FORENSIC DENTIST LOOK
AT THE SKULL AND COMPARE THE TEETH WITH TIMMY'S DENTAL
RECORDS AND MADE A POSITIVE IDENTIFICATION THAT IT WAS
TIMOTHY WILTSEY. >> Reporter: TIMMY'S REMAINS
WERE FOUND YOU FINALLY HAD TO GIVE UP THAT
HOPE >> OH, GOD
>> Reporter: HOW DID YOU FIND OUT?
>> MY GRANDMOTHER CALLED ME AND TOLD ME TO COME OVER TO
MICHELLE'S HOUSE AND SO I THOUGHT THAT TIMMY WAS
GONNA BE THERE I THOUGHT THEY FOUND HIM
WHEN I GOT THERE, HE WASN'T THERE.
AND MY GRANDMOTHER TOLD ME THEY FOUND HIM.
HE WASN'T COMING HOME. >> Reporter: SHE SAYS MICHELLE
HAD BEEN TOLD BY POLICE AT THE STATION AND IMMEDIATELY CALLED
HER SISTER LINDA HOW WERE YOU FEELING WHEN YOU
GET THIS NEWS THAT IT IS HIM >> DEVASTATED BUT RELIEVED THAT
THE SEARCH IS OVER AND THAT -- I MEAN, HE'S WITH GOD.
HE'S -- HE'S GONE. >> Reporter: AND HOW'S MICHELLE
DOING DURING THIS TIME >> SHE'S DEVASTATED, AND SHE'S
TURNING TO ME. >> Reporter: MICHELLE'S MOM TOLD
REPORTERS HER DAUGHTER WAS UP IN TIMMY'S ROOM, ON HIS BED,
CRYING >> WE WANT THEM TO FIND WHO DID
THIS TO MY GRANDSON, TO PLEASE JUST LET HER GRIEVE IN PEACE
>> Reporter: A FEW WEEKS LATER, TIMMY'S FAMILY HELD A FUNERAL
MASS FOR HIM HOW WAS MICHELLE AT THE FUNERAL?
>> SHE WAS DISTRAUGHT. YEAH, SHE WAS CRYING
SHE WAS UPSET. BUT, YOU KNOW, I WAS SO UPSET I
WASN'T, YOU KNOW -- I FELT LIKE I LOST MY OWN SON.
>> MICHELLE WAS IN SHOCK >> Reporter: YOUR DAD HAD TO
HOLD HER UP AS SHE WALKED UP THE STAIRS
>> MY DAD WAS ON ONE SIDE, AND I WAS ON THE OTHER
>> IT WAS SO HARD JUST TO SEE A TINY, LITTLE CASKET, YOU KNOW.
I MEAN, IT WAS LIKE -- >> Reporter: IT'S HEARTBREAKING.
>> MY -- MY COUSIN WAS NARROWED DOWN TO A SHOEBOX.
YOU KNOW LIKE, THAT'S BASICALLY WHAT HIS
REMAINS FIT INTO >> Reporter: THE MEDICAL
EXAMINER DIDN'T FIND EVIDENCE OF TRAUMA IN THE REMAINS THAT WERE
FOUND AND COULDN'T DETERMINE HOW TIMMY DIED
BUT HE DID RULE IT A HOMICIDE. DETECTIVES WERE NOW ON THE HUNT
FOR A KILLER AND ONE PERSON WAS IN THEIR
SIGHTS >> I LEARNED IMMEDIATELY FROM
THE FIRST ANSWER SHE GAVE THAT SHE WAS NOT BEING TRUTHFUL ABOUT
THIS SHE WAS BEING DECEPTIVE.
>>> COMING UP -- >> I TURNED AROUND, AND HE WAS
GONE >> DETECTIVES QUESTION
MICHELLE'S STORY AND AN ANONYMOUS LETTER OFFERS A
NEW STORY AND A POSSIBLE NEW SUSPECT.
>> "TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN, IN THE CASE OF TIMOTHY WILTSEY, T
>> Reporter: GRIEF SETTLED OVER THIS CLOSE KNIT COMMUNITY AS
NEIGHBORS SHARED THE GRIM NEWS THAT TIMMY WILTSEY'S REMAINS HAD
BEEN FOUND >> I JUST FELT SO COLD INSIDE.
>> Reporter: THE 5-YEAR-OLD HAD BEEN MURDERED.
>> I MUST HAVE BEEN IN SHOCK 'CAUSE I DON'T EVEN
REMEMBER CRYING. >> Reporter: WHO COULD'VE DONE
SUCH A HORRIFIC THING? TIMMY'S AFTER SCHOOL TEACHER,
SISTER YVONNE, PRAYED FOR POLICE TO FIND HIS KILLER
>> HOPEFULLY BY PRAYER AND HARD WORK, IN THE END IT WILL BE
TAKEN CARE OF. >> Reporter: DETECTIVES HAD BEEN
QUIETLY BUILDING A LIST OF POSSIBLE SUSPECTS.
ONE OF THEM WAS GEORGE WILTSEY, TIMMY'S FATHER
HE HADN'T BEEN A PART OF TIMMY'S LIFE FOR YEARS, BUT THEY STILL
NEEDED TO CHECK HIM OUT. >> HE WAS QUICKLY RULED OUT OF
HAVING ANYTHING TO DO WITH IT. >> Reporter: WHY WAS HE RULED
OUT SO QUICKLY >> BECAUSE HE WAS NOWHERE NEAR
NEW JERSEY AT THE TIME TIMOTHY WAS MISSING.
>> Reporter: POLICE ALSO INTERVIEWED SEVERAL OF
MICHELLE'S FORMER BOYFRIENDS, BUT THAT WENT NOWHERE.
AND AS FOR THE ELUSIVE ELLEN, THE WOMAN MICHELLE SAID SHE LEFT
TIMMY WITH AT THE CARNIVAL >> ELLEN WAS NEVER FOUND
WE COULD NEVER, DESPITE THE MASSIVE INVESTIGATIVE ASPECT OF
THAT >> Reporter: REMEMBER, MICHELLE
NEVER EVEN MENTIONED ELLEN THE FIRST TIME SHE TALKED TO THE
POLICE THE FACT THAT SHE TOLD HER STORY
IN BITS AND PIECES NAGGED AT THEM
AND SO DID WHAT POLICE PERCEIVED AS MICHELLE'S LACK OF EMOTION
THE NIGHT OF TIMMY'S DISAPPEARANCE.
SHE WAS AT THE POLICE STATION DESCRIBING THE LAST MOMENT SHE
SAW TIMMY. >> WHEN I WENT UP TO GET A SODA,
I WAS PAYING FOR IT, AND I WAS GETTING MY CHANGE BACK
AND I TURNED AROUND, AND HE WAS GONE
>> Reporter: TO DETECTIVES, SHE SOUNDED NOTHING LIKE A DESPERATE
MOM. IS IT POSSIBLE THAT PEOPLE
HANDLE THESE SITUATIONS DIFFERENTLY?
>> YEAH, OF COURSE BUT SOME OF HER FRIENDS AND
ACQUAINTANCES COULDN'T UNDERSTAND HER DEMEANOR.
>> Reporter: POLICE HAD BEEN SPEAKING TO SEVERAL PEOPLE WHO
KNEW MICHELLE AND HEARING MORE STORIES ABOUT HER PUZZLING
BEHAVIOR DURING THE TIME TIMMY WAS STILL MISSING.
JIM RYAN TOLD THEM SOMETHING ODD ABOUT THE CHIPPENDALES
FUND-RAISER. DID MICHELLE GET UPSET WHEN SHE
HEARD THAT CHIPPENDALES WOULD BE A PART OF THE FUND-RAISING
EFFORTS? >> MY RECOLLECTION WAS THAT
CHIPPENDALES MIGHT HAVE BEEN A CONTACT THAT SHE MIGHT HAVE
DEVELOPED. >> Reporter: AND JIM SAYS SHE
WANTED THE NEXT FUND-RAISER TO INVOLVE THE DANCERS, TOO
BUT THE BOARD OF "FRIENDS OF TIMMY" SAID NO
THEN MICHELLE QUIT SO THAT WAS WHY YOU ENDED UP
PARTING WAYS, YOU BELIEVE, OVER THE -- OVER CHIPPENDALES
>> I BELIEVE THAT THAT WOULD BE ONE OF THE FACTORS
>> Reporter: JIM SAYS HE COULDN'T BELIEVE WHAT HAPPENED
NEXT THE BOARD GOT A LETTER FROM
MICHELLE'S ATTORNEY SAYING THEY WERE NO LONGER ALLOWED TO USE
TIMMY'S IMAGE. >> WE'RE KIND OF, LIKE, CONFUSED
AND OVERWHELMED. OUR EFFORTS ARE TO LOCATE A
5-YEAR-OLD MISSING BOY WHO IS STILL MISSING.
AND YET A LAWYER HAS DRAFTED A LETTER INFORMING US THAT IF WE
PUT HIS IMAGE UP, THAT WE COULD BE SUED.
>> Reporter: DETECTIVES' EYEBROWS WERE RAISED
BUT NONE OF THIS MADE MICHELLE GUILTY OF ANYTHING
IT JUST SEEMED STRANGE AND THERE WAS MORE
WHILE POLICE WERE WORKING TIRELESSLY TO FIND HER SON,
MICHELLE TOOK OFF WITH A FRIEND ON A CARIBBEAN VACATION.
>> MONTHS AFTER TIMOTHY WAS MISSING, SHE'S IN THE BAHAMAS,
YOU KNOW, DANCING THE NIGHT AWAY
>> Reporter: DETECTIVE HACKETT HEARD ABOUT THE TRIP BECAUSE TWO
OFF-DUTY STATE TROOPERS JUST HAPPENED TO BE AT THE SAME
RESORT >> SAW HER THERE AND RECOGNIZED
HER AS, "HEY, THIS IS THE WOMAN WHOSE KID'S MISSING.
AND THEY SAID, "WELL, BASICALLY, SHE WAS OUT HAVING, LIKE, NOT A
CARE IN THE WORLD. >> Reporter: DETECTIVES
CONTINUED TO WORK EVERY ANGLE, INCLUDING A BAFFLING, UNEXPECTED
CLUE AN ANONYMOUS LETTER HAD ARRIVED
AT THE SAYREVILLE POLICE DEPARTMENT THE VERY DAY TIMMY'S
REMAINS WERE FOUND JERRY LEWIS WAS A DETECTIVE
SERGEANT WITH THE NEW JERSEY STATE POLICE
HE WAS ASKED TO EXAMINE THE LETTER
>> "TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN, IN THE CASE OF TIMOTHY WILTSEY, THE
MAN YOU ARE LOOKING FOR IS" -- >> Reporter: THE LETTER CLAIMED
A FORMER BOYFRIEND OF MICHELLE'S KILLED TIMMY
AND IT EVEN GAVE A MOTIVE. >> "HE HAD A GRUDGE AGAINST
MICHELLE AND WANTED TO GET BACK AT HER
I KNOW THIS TO BE A FACT BECAUSE LAST FEBRUARY, 1991, HE WANTED
ME TO HELP HIM KILL MICHELLE OR HER LITTLE BOY."
>> Reporter: WHOEVER WROTE IT MADE IT CLEAR THEY WANTED TO
STAY ANONYMOUS >> "I WILL NOT, UNDER ANY
CIRCUMSTANCES, COME FORWARD VOLUNTARILY BECAUSE I HAVE
WAITED TOO LONG ALREADY. I DON'T KNOW IF HE FOUND SOMEONE
ELSE TO HELP HIM OR HE DID THIS TERRIBLE THING HIMSELF
BUT BE CERTAIN THAT HE DID IT. >> Reporter: WHAT WAS YOUR
ANALYSIS OF THE NOTE >> WELL, IT'S INTERESTING THAT
MICHELLE'S NAME BOTH TIMES WAS SPELLED WITH ONE "L.
>> Reporter: MICHELLE'S NAME HAS TWO "Ls.
THE DETECTIVE WONDERED, WAS IT SPELLED WRONG ON PURPOSE
>> SO IS THIS SOMEONE TRYING TO MAKE IT LOOK LIKE IT'S NOT THEM?
BUT THE MOST INTERESTING PART OF THIS IS THIS PART OF THE
STATEMENT. "I WILL NOT UNDER ANY
CIRCUMSTANCES COME FORWARD VOLUNTARILY.
MOST PEOPLE SAY, "BECAUSE I'M AFRAID
IF I COME FORWARD AND TELL YOU THIS PERSON'S NAME, THEY'RE
GONNA GET ME THEY'RE GONNA KILL ME.
AND THIS NOTE SAYS, "I CAN'T COME FORWARD VOLUNTARILY BECAUSE
I'VE WAITED TOO LONG ALREADY." IT MAKES NO SENSE.
IT'S NOT A REASON. THEY'RE ALREADY COMING FORWARD
WITH THE NOTE. >> Reporter: JERRY DIDN'T
BELIEVE A WORD OF IT, AND HE HAD A SURPRISING SUSPICION ABOUT WHO
WAS BEHIND IT. >> I THINK MICHELLE WROTE IT
THE MAN THAT'S SPELLED OUT HERE IS A FORMER BOYFRIEND OF
MICHELLE'S THAT HELPED THE FBI FILL OUT THEIR BEHAVIORAL
ANALYSIS >> Reporter: HE WAS HELPING THEM
WITH THE PROFILE OF MICHELLE >> UH-HUH.
>> Reporter: OH, WOW DETECTIVES SENT THE LETTER TO
THE FBI TO SEE IF THERE WERE FINGERPRINTS OR DNA THAT MIGHT
REVEAL IF SHE SENT IT. THE RESULTS WERE NOT WHAT THEY
WERE EXPECTING SOMEONE'S DNA WAS ON THERE
BUT IT WASN'T MICHELLE'S THEY HAD NO IDEA WHO IT BELONGED
TO AND COULDN'T PROVE MICHELLE WROTE THE LETTER
SO THIS WENT NOWHERE, THIS LETTER
>> RIGHT >> Reporter: BUT MICHELLE WAS
HARDLY IN THE CLEAR. JUST THE OPPOSITE.
POLICE WERE GROWING INCREASINGLY FOCUSED ON HER
TURNS OUT THE REASON THE FBI DID THAT SECOND SEARCH AND FOUND
TIMMY'S REMAINS WAS BECAUSE AGENTS DID A DEEPER DIVE INTO
MICHELLE'S WORK HISTORY. THEY LEARNED SHE WORKED NEAR
THAT MARSHY AREA BUT HADN'T DISCLOSED IT IN HER INITIAL
INTERVIEWS SO THIS, FOR THEM, WAS A
CRITICAL PIECE OF INFORMATION. WHY WOULD YOU NOT INCLUDE THAT
>> RIGHT >> Reporter: SO LAW ENFORCEMENT
KEPT GOING BACK TO THOSE INTERVIEWS
AND FOR ONE INVESTIGATOR, THERE'D BEEN A MOMENT HE THOUGHT
MICHELLE JUST MIGHT CRACK. MORE STRANGE BEHAVIOR FROM
MICHELLE >> SHE EXPLODED AND RAN OUT OF
HER HOUSE. SHE DROPPED AN F-BOMB ON THE WAY
OUT. >> AND SHE SHARES A TERRIFYING
NEW DETAIL >> SHE SAID, "ALL OF A SUDDEN,
THE MAN NEXT TO TIMMY TOOK OUT A KNIFE AND HELD IT TO TIMMY."
>> Reporter: IT HAD BEEN WEEKS SINCE THE DISCOVERY OF
TIMMY WILTSEY'S REMAINS, AND DETECTIVES STILL HADN'T MADE ANY
ARRESTS. THEY PORED OVER EVERY DETAIL OF
THE CASE FROM THE BEGINNING, FOCUSING ON THEIR EARLIER
INTERVIEWS WITH TIMMY'S MOTHER, MICHELLE LODZINSKI
THINGS WEREN'T ADDING UP >> HER STORIES CHANGING
CONSTANTLY AND NOT STICKING TO ANYTHING
AND THEY COULDN'T VERIFY HER STATEMENTS, THINGS THAT SHE
SAID >> Reporter: IT WAS THREE WEEKS
AFTER TIMMY WENT MISSING WHEN DETECTIVE SERGEANT JERRY LEWIS
BROUGHT MICHELLE INTO HIS OFFICE
>> I WAS EXPECTING ANGRY, FRUSTRATED FROM EVERYTHING THAT
I HAD HEARD. SHE WAS ACTUALLY LIGHTHEARTED
AND LAUGHING >> Reporter: HE STARTED THE
INTERVIEW BY ASKING HER TO TELL HIM WHAT HAPPENED.
SHE QUICKLY BROUGHT UP THE GO-GO DANCER, ELLEN.
>> SHE SAID, "ELLEN LEFT HIM ON A RIDE
I CAME BACK AND ELLEN WAS GONE." >> Reporter: BUT THEN SHE ADDED
SOMETHING NEW. SHE SAID TWO MEN WITH KNIVES
WERE THERE AND ONE OF THEM THREATENED HER
>> SHE SAID, "THIS MAN CAME OVER AND HE PUT HIS RIGHT ARM AROUND
MY SHOULDER, AND HE SAID, 'YOU KNOW, TIMMY HAS A PRETTY FACE
AND YOU WOULDN'T WANT TO DO ANYTHING TO MESS THAT UP
SO JUST KEEP WALKING AND SHUT UP.'
AND SHE SAID, "HE SHOWED ME A KNIFE IN HIS HAND.
>> Reporter: JERRY SAYS HE TOLD MICHELLE THAT STORY DIDN'T MAKE
SENSE. >> IF THEY WANT TO KIDNAP TIMMY,
YOU'RE ALREADY LEAVING HIM WITH THEM AND YOU'RE WALKING AWAY
NO REASON FOR THIS MAN TO ALERT YOU THAT THEY'RE GONNA TAKE
TIMMY BY COMING UP AND THREATENING YOU.
>> Reporter: AND HE QUESTIONED SOMETHING ELSE
>> YOU'RE IN THE MIDDLE OF A CARNIVAL
SCREAM DO SOMETHING
AND SHE SAID, "WELL, I WAS GOING TO, BUT ALL OF A SUDDEN, THE MAN
NEXT TO TIMMY TOOK OUT A KNIFE AND HELD IT TO TIMMY."
>> THIS IS ALL NEW INFORMATION THAT YOU'RE GETTING OUT OF HER
NOW. >> YES
>> NOW THESE MEN HAVE KNIVES >> YES
>> ARE YOU BELIEVING ANY OF THIS
>> NO. IF THIS WAS REALLY WHAT
HAPPENED, IT WOULD HAVE BEEN HER ORIGINAL STORY
"TWO MEN THREATENED US WITH KNIVES AND TOOK TIMMY.
>> Reporter: SO HE DECIDED TO TAKE THE INTERVIEW IN A NEW
DIRECTION AND TRY SOMETHING UNCONVENTIONAL
HE TOLD HER HE KNEW WHO HAD TAKEN TIMMY, A DIABOLICAL GANG
AND HE ASSURED HER NONE OF IT WAS HER FAULT.
>> I WAS TRYING TO COME UP WITH AN INTERVIEW THEME THAT WOULD
ALLOW HER TO TELL ME WHERE TIMMY'S BODY WAS LOCATED AND,
YET, NOT ACCEPT ANY GUILT FOR IT
>> Reporter: HE TOLD HER THE KIDNAPPERS WERE COLLEGE STUDENTS
MAKING THEIR WAY ACROSS THE COUNTRY.
>> PSYCHOLOGY MAJORS FROM BERKELEY UNIVERSITY IN
CALIFORNIA, AND THEY DECIDED TO FORM A GANG TO KIDNAP KIDS,
STARTING ON THE WEST COAST MOVING EAST.
AND WE'VE BEEN TRACKING THIS GROUP OF PEOPLE AND TRYING TO
CATCH 'EM. >> Reporter: WOW
SO YOU'RE TELLING HER A BIG LIE. >> YES
>> Reporter: HE WENT ON TO SAY HE KNEW THE KIDNAPPERS TOLD HER
WHERE THEY WOULD DROP OFF TIMMY, BUT SHE WASN'T ALLOWED TO TELL
ANYONE OR ELSE THEY'D KILL HIM >> AND THEN THEY SAY, "KEEP YOUR
MOUTH SHUT DON'T SAY ANYTHING ABOUT WHAT
WE'RE TELLING YOU AND YOU'RE GONNA GET TIMMY BACK."
>> Reporter: HE TOLD HER HE KNEW THAT'S WHY SHE'D BEEN LYING TO
POLICE IS SHE BUYING THIS
>> YEAH. SHE WAS LOOKING AT ME INTENTLY
SHE WAS LEANING FORWARD. AND I SAID, "SO WHERE IS THIS
PLACE? AND SHE GOES, "WELL, IT'S IN THE
WOODS AND THERE'S AN ABANDONED BUILDING THERE
AND THERE'S A BIG TREE." I SAID, "MAN, THAT'S EXCELLENT
AND WE'RE NOT GONNA GO THERE AND WE'RE NOT GONNA LOOK."
I SAID, "JUST ONE LAST THING, MICHELLE, WHERE IS THIS
ABANDONED BUILDING?" SO SHE JUST LEANED FORWARD AND
SHE WAS LOOKING DOWN AT THE GROUND, AND SHE JUST NEVER SAID
ANOTHER WORD >> Reporter: THAT WAS IT
>> AND IT'S JUST SILENCE >> Reporter: THEN ANOTHER
DETECTIVE WHO WAS IN THE ROOM BROKE THE SILENCE.
>> THAT PERSON SAID TO ME, "JER, I THINK SHE MIGHT BE LYING."
AND SHE IMMEDIATELY JUMPED UP. SHE SAID, "CHARGE ME OR I'M
LEAVING. AND SHE WALKED OUT
>> Reporter: AND WITH THAT, THE INTERVIEW WAS OVER
BUT IT WAS HARDLY A BUST MICHELLE HAD CHANGED HER STORY
ONCE AGAIN, AND SHE'D PLAYED ALONG WITH DETECTIVE LEWIS'
"KIDNAPPERS" STORY >> NO INNOCENT, TRUTHFUL MOM
WOULD BE GOING WITH THIS STORY >> Reporter: FIVE DAYS AFTER
THAT INTERVIEW, INVESTIGATORS ARRANGED TO SPEAK WITH MICHELLE
AGAIN. SO FAR SHE'D ONLY SPOKEN TO MALE
DETECTIVES THIS TIME THEY SENT A WOMAN TO
TALK TO HER. >> I WAS SORT OF A LAST RESORT
>> Reporter: MARY ROBILLARD WAS A DETECTIVE WITH THE MIDDLESEX
COUNTY PROSECUTOR'S OFFICE, A RARITY AT THE TIME
>> IN A VERY LARGE, ALL-MALE DEPARTMENT, THERE WERE THREE OF
US >> Reporter: DID YOU HAVE KIND
OF A STRATEGY GOING IN >> YES, I DID.
THE FBI HAD SUGGESTED THAT I FIND A TOY OF TIMMY'S, AND PUT
IT ON THE TABLE BETWEEN US AND PLAY WITH IT, TO MAKE HER
UNCOMFORTABLE. >> Reporter: SHE ARRIVED AT
MICHELLE'S HOUSE ACCOMPANIED BY TWO MALE OFFICERS.
FROM THE MOMENT MICHELLE ANSWERED THE DOOR, THEY WERE
TAKEN ABACK. WHAT WAS HER DEMEANOR LIKE
>> HOSTILE HOSTILE FROM THE GET-GO.
IN FACT, SHE WAS CHILLING. I'VE WORKED WITH ALL KINDS OF
SUSPECTS, ALL KINDS OF WITNESSES OVER THE YEARS, AND SHE
LITERALLY MADE THE HAIR STAND UP ON MY ARMS
>> Reporter: AND AS SOON AS MARY WALKED INTO THE HOUSE, SHE
NOTICED SOMETHING THAT DIDN'T SEEM RIGHT
>> ON THE RIGHT-HAND SIDE ON THE WAY IN WAS A STAIRWAY BANISTER
AND IT WAS BEING STRIPPED. ALL THE -- THE VARNISH AND
EVERYTHING WAS OFF IT. THE PAINT CANS WERE THERE.
AND I THOUGHT IT WAS ODD THAT HER CHILD WAS MISSING FOR A
COUPLE OF WEEKS, AND SHE WAS -- I COMMENTED TO HER ON THE
BANISTER >> Reporter: WHAT DID SHE SAY
WAS WRONG WITH IT? >> SHE JUST SAID IT HAD TO BE
DONE >> Reporter: DID YOU THINK
SOMETHING HAD HAPPENED WITH THAT BANISTER THAT SHE WAS TRYING TO
COVER UP >> CERTAINLY THE THOUGHT
OCCURRED TO ME, YES. THAT IT COULD'VE BEEN AN
ACCIDENTAL FALL -- THAT HE COULD'VE BEEN PUSHED
THERE WERE A NUMBER OF POSSIBILITIES.
>> Reporter: MARY AND MICHELLE THEN LEFT THE TWO OFFICERS AND
MOVED INTO THE DINING ROOM WHERE THEY COULD BE ALONE.
DID YOU FIND A TOY AS THE FBI SUGGESTED?
>> I DID IT WAS A SMALL STUFFED ANIMAL.
SHE NEVER LOOKED AT IT, NEVER SAID A WORD ABOUT IT, JUST WAS
CONTINUALLY HOSTILE. >> Reporter: DO YOU THINK MAYBE
SHE WAS GETTING TIRED OF SORT OF, YOU KNOW, PLAYING THE ROLE
OF SUSPECT >> I'M SURE SHE WAS. I WOULD'VE
BEEN TIRED OF IT IF I'D BEEN IN HER SHOES.
HOWEVER, IF MY SON WERE MISSING, I WOULD PROBABLY BE MORE
COOPERATIVE. >> Reporter: THE INTERVIEW
CONTINUED WITH MICHELLE GIVING ONE-WORD ANSWERS
AND THEN MARY SAYS MICHELLE STARTED LAUGHING
>> I SAID, "MICHELLE, WHY ARE YOU LAUGHING
I'M TRYING TO FIND YOUR SON. AND THAT WAS ENOUGH.
I PUSHED HER TOO FAR SHE EXPLODED
SHE GOT UP AND RAN OUT OF HER HOUSE, UTTERING AN EXPLETIVE
SHE DROPPED AN F-BOMB ON THE WAY OUT.
>> Reporter: WOW DO YOU THINK THERE WAS ANY WAY
THAT HER LAUGHTER WAS NERVOUS LAUGHTER AND IT WAS
MISINTERPRETED >> CERTAINLY IT COULD'VE BEEN,
YES. BUT THAT WAS NOT MY GUT FEELING
AT THE TIME. IT WAS DISARMING
>> Reporter: WHAT WAS HER RESPONSE WHEN YOU ASKED HER IF
SHE HAD ANYTHING TO DO WITH TIMMY'S DISAPPEARANCE?
>> THAT'S ABOUT THE TIME SHE BLEW UP AND SAID, "I'M GETTING
SICK AND TIRED OF HAVING YOU GUYS ACCUSE ME OF SOMETHING I
DIDN'T DO. THAT WAS AT THE END OF THE
INTERVIEW, RIGHT BEFORE SHE BOLTED OUT THE DOOR.
>> Reporter: THE OTHER OFFICERS WENT AFTER MICHELLE AND BROUGHT
HER BACK, BUT SHE WAS DONE TALKING.
>> SHE SLAMMED THE DOOR IN MY BACK
WE WERE OUT OF THERE >> Reporter: EVEN THOUGH THEY
HAD NO PHYSICAL EVIDENCE TO PROVE IT, MANY IN LAW
ENFORCEMENT NOW BELIEVED MICHELLE WAS SOMEHOW RESPONSIBLE
FOR HER SON'S DEATH. THEY JUST COULDN'T GET PAST HER
LACK OF EMOTION AT LOSING HER SON AND HER EVER-CHANGING STORY
ABOUT WHAT HAPPENED TO HIM AND THERE WAS ONE MORE THING
THE DAY AFTER TIMMY WENT MISSING, POLICE HAD GIVEN
MICHELLE A POLYGRAPH TEST, NOT AN UNCOMMON THING FOR PARENTS OF
MISSING CHILDREN >> WHEN SHE WAS FIRST GIVEN A
FBI POLYGRAPH, IT WAS DECEPTIVE. >> Reporter: SHE FAILED.
AND A FEW WEEKS LATER, THEY GAVE HER ANOTHER POLYGRAPH.
SHE FAILED THAT ONE, TOO BUT THOSE RESULTS WEREN'T
ADMISSIBLE IN COURT, AND THE FEW THINGS THEY FOUND NEAR TIMMY'S
REMAINS, LIKE HIS SHOES AND THAT MYSTERIOUS BLUE BLANKET, DIDN'T
SEEM TO LEAD ANYWHERE. SO THE CASE GREW COLD.
PEOPLE WENT ON WITH THEIR LIVES. THEN, A FEW YEARS LATER,
MICHELLE WAS SUDDENLY BACK IN THE NEWS
>> IN NEW JERSEY, HER YOUNG SON'S MURDER MADE HEADLINES.
AND NOW THE WOMAN ONCE RUMORED TO BE A SUSPECT HAS DISAPPEARED
UNDER MYSTERIOUS CIRCUMSTANCES >> THAT WAS A SHOWSTOPPER.
MICHELLE KIDNAPPED WHAT IS GOING ON HERE?
>>> COMING UP -- >> MICHELLE'S BROTHER SAYS THAT
HE FOUND MICHELLE'S CAR EMPTY, ENGINE STILL RUNNING
>> WHERE WAS MICHELLE? >> I'M THINKING, LIKE, "THE SAME
PEOPLE THAT TOOK TIMMY, THEY CAME BACK, AND NOW THEY'RE GONNA
>> Reporter: MICHELLE LODZINSKI HAD TALKED HER WAY INTO AN AWFUL
MESS HER VARYING VERSIONS OF WHAT
HAPPENED TO HER SON TIMMY TURNED HER INTO THE PRIME SUSPECT IN
HIS MURDER >> THERE'S SOMETHING STRANGE
ABOUT THE FACT THAT SHE CAN'T EVEN GET THE STORY RIGHT IN
TERMS OF HOW HE DISAPPEARED. WHY ARE THERE SO MANY VERSIONS
>> Reporter: TV REPORTER SIBILE MARCELLUS COVERED THE
TIMMY WILTSEY STORY. >> IS MICHELLE A MURDERER, OR IS
SHE A MOTHER WHO LOST HER 5-YEAR-OLD SON WHO SHOULD GET A
LOT MORE COMPASSION? >> Reporter: POLICE HAD
SUSPICIONS BUT DIDN'T HAVE THE EVIDENCE TO BUILD A CASE
MONTHS WENT BY WITHOUT A BREAK THEN A YEAR.
THEN ANOTHER MICHELLE WAS IN LEGAL LIMBO, NOT
CHARGED, BUT NOT CLEARED, UNDER A CLOUD OF SUSPICION THAT SIMPLY
WOULDN'T GO AWAY MICHELLE, WHO'D ALWAYS BEEN SO
STRONG, WAS SHE STARTING TO -- TO COME APART A LITTLE BIT
>> I BELIEVE SHE PROBABLY HAD A NERVOUS BREAKDOWN AND --
>> Reporter: REALLY? >> AND HOW COULD YOU NOT
>> Reporter: FOR MICHELLE'S NIECE JENNIFER, STILL JUST A
TEENAGER, LOSING TIMMY WAS MORE THAN SHE COULD BEAR, ESPECIALLY
WITH THE UGLY TAUNTING SHE FACED AT SCHOOL.
>> KIDS ARE MEAN YOU KNOW
MOST OF 'EM KNEW THAT THAT WAS MY -- MY AUNT.
AND, YOU KNOW, THEY WOULD JUST WALK AROUND TALKING ABOUT, "BABY
KILLER," AND, "YOUR AUNT'S A BABY KILLER.
>> Reporter: OH, MY GOSH >> AND SO I KINDA STOPPED GOING
TO SCHOOL FOR A LITTLE WHILE >> Reporter: MICHELLE WAS
FEELING THE HEAT, TOO. SHE LEFT SOUTH AMBOY AND MOVED
IN WITH HER BROTHER IN A NEIGHBORING TOWN
BUT THINGS DIDN'T GET ANY EASIER
SHE SAID SOMEONE WAS STALKING HER.
SHE THOUGHT PEOPLE WERE OUT TO GET HER.
AND MAYBE THERE WAS SOMETHING TO IT
NEARLY THREE YEARS AFTER TIMMY DISAPPEARED, JENNIFER GOT
A TERRIFYING CALL FROM HER UNCLE THAT SOMETHING HAD HAPPENED TO
MICHELLE >> HE SAID, "I WANT TO TELL YOU
SOMETHING BEFORE YOU SEE IT IN THE PAPERS."
HE SAID, "MICHELLE WAS KIDNAPPED.
>> A NEW JERSEY MOTHER WHOSE 5-YEAR-OLD SON WAS KIDNAPPED AND
BRUTALLY KILLED IS MISSING TONIGHT.
>> Reporter: MICHELLE KIDNAPPED? HOW?
WHY? HER BROTHER HAD NO ANSWERS
HE CALLED THE POLICE >> MICHELLE'S BROTHER SAYS THAT
HE FOUND MICHELLE'S CAR EMPTY, ENGINE STILL RUNNING, AND HER
GLASSES AND PURSE ARE STILL IN THE CAR.
WHERE'S MICHELLE >> I'M THINKING, LIKE, THE SAME
PEOPLE THAT TOOK TIMMY, THEY CAME BACK, AND NOW THEY'RE GONNA
KILL HER AND THAT'S ALL I COULD THINK
ABOUT. I WAS -- I WAS A WRECK AGAIN
>> Reporter: THERE WAS NO PHONE CALL FROM KIDNAPPERS
NO RANSOM NOTE BUT THERE WAS ONE CHILLING PIECE
OF EVIDENCE. THE BUSINESS CARD OF AN FBI
AGENT LEFT AT THE SCENE WITH THE WORDS "SEE YOU SOON -- IT'S NOT
OVER" WRITTEN ON IT. THEN, JUST ONE DAY LATER,
MICHELLE CALLED THE POLICE SHE SAID SHE'D BEEN RELEASED BY
HER KIDNAPPERS MORE THAN 600 MILES AWAY IN DETROIT.
>> SHE'S UNHARMED AND SAID TWO FBI AGENTS APPROACHED HER AT
GUNPOINT AND THEY PUT A BLANKET ON TOP OF
HER AND ABDUCTED HER AT GUNPOINT AND BROUGHT HER TO DETROIT
>> Reporter: THEN, SHE SAID, THEY SIMPLY LET HER GO
HER STORY WAS EQUAL PARTS HARROWING, EQUAL PARTS STRANGE
AND WHEN FBI AGENTS HEARD IT, THEY DIDN'T BELIEVE A WORD OF
IT AND FOR GOOD REASON.
THAT FBI BUSINESS CARD WITH THE THREATENING NOTE
WELL, THE NAME OF THE AGENT ON THE CARD WAS A FAKE.
THERE WAS NO ONE AT THE BUREAU WITH THAT NAME
AND MICHELLE'S PHONE CALL TO LAW ENFORCEMENT FROM DETROIT CAME
FROM A PAY PHONE NEXT TO THE GREYHOUND BUS STATION.
IT DIDN'T TAKE LONG FOR AGENTS TO FIND A GREYHOUND TICKET FROM
NEWARK TO DETROIT FROM THE DAY BEFORE PURCHASED BY MICHELLE
>> SHE GOT BUSTED. >> Reporter: BUT SHE WAS
ACTUALLY IN DETROIT. >> SHE WAS ACTUALLY IN DETROIT,
BUT SHE HAD NOT BEEN KIDNAPPED AT GUNPOINT.
SHE TOOK A BUS >> Reporter: YOU FIND OUT IT WAS
A LIE, THAT SHE WASN'T REALLY KIDNAPPED.
>> THEN I START GETTING REALLY ANGRY.
HOW DARE YOU PUT US THROUGH THIS
AND THEN IT GETS IN THE NEWSPAPER.
AND HERE IT COMES AGAIN. "YEP, SHE MURDERED HER SON
BECAUSE LOOK WHAT SHE'S DOING NOW.
>> Reporter: WHY'D SHE DO IT POLICE HAD A THEORY.
REMEMBER, MICHELLE BELIEVED SHE WAS BEING STALKED, FOLLOWED BY A
CAR. SO SHE ASKED HER BOYFRIEND, A
UNION COUNTY POLICE OFFICER NAMED ROBERT JAVICK, TO CHECK
OUT THE CAR. HE RAN THE LICENSE PLATE ON A
POLICE COMPUTER. THAT'S A NO-NO
>> HE'S A POLICE OFFICER, AND HE'S NOT ALLOWED TO USE STATE
POLICE RESOURCES FOR PERSONAL REASONS.
AND HE WAS BASICALLY DOING THIS AS A FAVOR FOR MICHELLE.
THAT'S NOT ALLOWED >> Reporter: DID HE GET IN
TROUBLE AT WORK? >> HE GOT INTO BIG TROUBLE
AN INVESTIGATION WAS STARTED AT WORK
A GRAND JURY WAS ASSEMBLED, UNION COUNTY GRAND JURY.
>> Reporter: JAVICK WAS NOT CHARGED.
BUT POLICE SAY MICHELLE THOUGHT SHE'D HAVE TO APPEAR BEFORE THE
GRAND JURY AND DIDN'T WANT TO TESTIFY.
SO SHE FAKED HER OWN KIDNAPPING AND SKIPPED TOWN
FOR JERRY LEWIS OF THE NEW JERSEY STATE POLICE, NONE OF
IT MADE SENSE. BUT IT DID CONFIRM WHAT HE
ALREADY THOUGHT ABOUT MICHELLE >> IT TELLS YOU AN AWFUL LOT
ABOUT HER DEMEANOR AND PERSONALITY THAT SHE WOULD GO TO
THOSE LENGTHS AND PHONY UP A KIDNAPPING
>> Reporter: AFTER HER ANGER SUBSIDED, JENNIFER LANDED ON A
MORE COMPASSIONATE EXPLANATION HER AUNT WAS, AFTER ALL, A YOUNG
WOMAN WHO NOT ONLY LOST HER CHILD, BUT WAS ACCUSED OF
KILLING HIM BY SOME PEOPLE IN HER HOME TOWN.
>> SHE'D BEEN THROUGH A LOT. SHE'S BEEN TRAUMATIZED, YOU
KNOW AND SOMETIMES PEOPLE DO CRAZY
THINGS, YOU KNOW, SAY CRAZY THINGS WHEN THEY'RE TRAUMATIZED.
>> SHE ENDED UP PLEADING GUILTY TO HAVING MADE FALSE STATEMENTS
TO THE FBI AND ALSO FRAUDULENT USE OF A GOVERNMENT SEAL, THAT
FBI LOGO THAT SHE USED ON THOSE FAKE BUSINESS CARDS.
>> Reporter: MICHELLE WAS SENTENCED TO SIX MONTHS OF HOUSE
ARREST AND GIVEN THREE YEARS OF PROBATION.
CASE CLOSED ON A TRULY BIZARRE EPISODE.
BUT IT DIDN'T HELP ANSWER WHAT HAPPENED TO TIMMY.
THAT WAS STILL THE BIG MYSTERY AND THERE WOULD BE A LOT OF
STRANGE DAYS STILL TO COME >>> COMING UP --
>> IT'S LIKE MYSTERY ON TOP OF MYSTERY ON TOP OF MYSTERY.
>> AND NOW A NEW MYSTERY >> I CALLED TO TALK TO MY
DAUGHT >> Reporter: IF THERE EVER WAS A
TIME FOR MICHELLE LODZINSKI TO KEEP A LOW PROFILE, THIS WAS IT.
SHE WAS STILL A SUSPECT IN HER SON'S MURDER, AND NOW SHE WAS
ALSO ON PROBATION AFTER STAGING A FAKE KIDNAPPING.
MICHELLE WAS STILL DATING POLICE OFFICER ROBERT JAVICK, BUT
MANAGED TO FIND TROUBLE AGAIN. SHE'S STILL WITH THE POLICE
OFFICER. >> IT LOOKS LIKE THEIR
RELATIONSHIP WAS STILL ONGOING >> Reporter: THEY'D BECOME CLOSE
DURING THE DARK DAYS AFTER TIMMY WENT MISSING
HE WAS MARRIED BUT THEIR FRIENDSHIP QUICKLY TURNED INTO
AN AFFAIR. THE ROMANCE CONTINUED FOR
SEVERAL YEARS. IN 1995, MICHELLE GAVE JAVICK A
VERY GENEROUS CHRISTMAS PRESENT, A LAPTOP WORTH MORE THAN $3,000.
BUT THERE WAS A PROBLEM. IT WASN'T HERS TO GIVE
SHE'D TAKEN IT FROM THE OFFICE WHERE SHE WORKED
BEFORE LONG, MICHELLE WAS BUSTED AGAIN
>> HE ENDED UP CALLING FOR SERVICING FOR THE COMPUTER, AND
THAT'S WHEN THEY FOUND OUT THAT THIS COMPUTER HAD BEEN STOLEN.
SHE ENDED UP SPENDING 24 HOURS IN JAIL WITH AN ADDITIONAL
4 MONTHS OF HOUSE ARREST >> Reporter: THIS IS GETTING
NUTTY. >> IT IS
THERE ARE SO MANY TWISTS AND TURNS TO MICHELLE'S STORY.
IT'S LIKE MYSTERY ON TOP OF MYSTERY ON TOP OF MYSTERY.
>> Reporter: MICHELLE'S RELATIONSHIP WITH ROBERT JAVICK
ENDED, BUT SHE COULDN'T SEEM TO GET HER LIFE BACK ON TRACK
SO IN 2001, 10 YEARS AFTER HER SON WAS KILLED, SHE DECIDED TO
LEAVE NEW JERSEY AND MOVE SOMEPLACE FAR AWAY WHERE NO ONE
KNEW HER >> SHE MOVED TO MINNESOTA BY MY
BROTHER. >> Reporter: SHE MEETS A NEW MAN
IN MINNESOTA >> SHE MEETS A FRIEND OF MY --
ONE -- MY OLDER BROTHER. >> Reporter: THINGS WERE
CHANGING FOR MICHELLE IN A BIG WAY.
SHE FELL IN LOVE AND GOT MARRIED, AND ALONG THE WAY, HAD
TWO MORE SONS. SHE ALSO SEEMED TO FIND THE ONE
THING THAT HAD BEEN SO ELUSIVE TO HER
DID SHE SEEM HAPPY >> SHE DID
SHE SEEMED, YOU KNOW, LIKE LIFE WAS GETTING BACK TO NORMAL
>> Reporter: BUT THERE WOULD BE NO FAIRY TALE ENDING
THE MARRIAGE WAS SHORT-LIVED, AND AFTER JUST THREE YEARS IN
MINNESOTA, SHE GOT DIVORCED AND MOVED AGAIN.
THIS TIME TO FLORIDA NEAR BIG SISTER LINDA
MICHELLE LANDED A GOOD JOB AT A LAW FIRM AND LIVED A QUIET LIFE
WITH HER SONS. DESPITE THE DIVORCE, WAS -- WAS
SHE BOUNCING BACK AGAIN? >> YEAH, SHE'S STRONG, SHE WAS
MY ROCK. YOU KNOW, SHE'S JUST A STRONG
WOMAN. >> Reporter: JENNIFER FELT THE
SAME WAY ABOUT HER AUNT MICHELLE, AND WHEN SHE BECAME AN
ADULT AND HAD TWO KIDS OF HER OWN, SHE CAME TO RELY ON HER
>> I TRUSTED HER, I TRUSTED HER WITH MY CHILDREN, I TRUSTED HER
WITH ME, MY LIFE >> Reporter: AND NOW AS A YOUNG
MOTHER OF TWO GIRLS, JENNIFER NEEDED SOMEONE SHE COULD TRUST
SHE'D RECENTLY SEPARATED FROM HER HUSBAND AND WAS IN A BAD
PLACE. WHAT WAS GOING ON IN YOUR LIFE
>> I HAD STARTED TO USE DRUGS, AND SHE WAS BEGGING ME, YOU
KNOW, "COME OUT HERE TO FLORIDA," THAT SHE WORKED FOR A
PLACE THAT COULD GET ME INTO A GOOD REHAB FACILITY, AND THAT
SHE WOULD TAKE CARE OF MY GIRLS, AND I WOULDN'T HAVE TO WORRY
ABOUT ANYTHING >> Reporter: SO YOU WENT DOWN TO
FLORIDA? >> WENT TO FLORIDA.
>> WENT INTO REHAB >> WELL, I WENT TO A DETOX
CENTER AND WHILE I WAS IN THERE, I
CALLED TO TALK TO MY DAUGHTERS, AND THEY WERE GONE
>> Reporter: THEY WERE AT MICHELLE'S PLACE
>> YEAH. >> Reporter: AND YOU CALLED?
>> YEAH. >> Reporter: WHAT -- WHAT DO YOU
MEAN THEY'RE GONE? >> THEY WERE GONE.
>> Reporter: MICHELLE THOUGHT JENNIFER WAS IN NO CONDITION TO
TAKE CARE OF HER YOUNG CHILDREN AND DECIDED TO DO SOMETHING
ABOUT IT >> SHE'S NOT GIVING 'EM BACK TO
A DRUG ADDICT. I'M SORRY.
>> Reporter: SO SHE REACHED OUT TO JENNIFER'S IN-LAWS.
>> SHE GOT THE TWO GRANDPARENTS ON THE SAME PAGE, SAID, "YOU
GUYS NEED TO, YOU KNOW, DO WHAT'S BEST AND TAKE CARE OF
THESE CHILDREN." >> Reporter: THE GRANDPARENTS
AGREED THAT THE BEST PLACE FOR THE GIRLS WAS WITH THEM.
JENNIFER SAYS WHILE SHE WAS IN THE DETOX CENTER, MICHELLE
HANDED OVER THE KIDS TO HER MOTHER-IN-LAW, WHO TOOK THEM
BACK TO NEW JERSEY YOU FEEL THAT MICHELLE DID THE
RIGHT THING? >> SHE DID, ABSOLUTELY
SHE WAS PROTECTING HER NIECE'S CHILDREN
>> Reporter: JENNIFER, NO SURPRISE, DIDN'T SEE IT THAT
WAY. SHE LOVED HER MOTHER-IN-LAW, WHO
SHE KNEW WANTED THE BEST FOR HER KIDS
JENNIFER'S PROBLEM WAS WITH MICHELLE
>> I FELT BETRAYED BY HER. I WAS SO JUST DISTRAUGHT, AND I
WAS GOING THROUGH MY, YOU KNOW, DRUG DETOX THING AT THE SAME
TIME >> Reporter: SO WHAT -- WHAT
HAPPENED WHEN YOU LEFT REHAB >> MY UNCLE CAME AND GOT ME AND
RACED ME TO THE AIRPORT, AND I JUST JUMPED ON A PLANE AND WENT
HOME AND GOT MY KIDS >> Reporter: YOU GOT THEM BACK
NO PROBLEM >> YEAH.
OH, YEAH OF COURSE.
YEAH I WAS --
>> Reporter: SOBER >> YEAH.
WELL, I HAD TO BE. >> Reporter: WHAT DID YOU SAY TO
MICHELLE >> I TOLD HER, "AT THE WORST
TIME IN MY LIFE, HOW COULD YOU DO THAT?
LIKE, I'VE BEEN THERE FOR YOU, FOR YOUR -- FOR EVERYTHING."
>> Reporter: AT THAT POINT, WAS THAT THE BREAKDOWN OF YOUR
RELATIONSHIP WITH MICHELLE >> IT WASN'T NO BITTER, YOU
KNOW, "I HATE YOU" STUFF IT WAS JUST, "I'M NOT GONNA TALK
TO YOU NO MORE." >> Reporter: JENNIFER AND
MICHELLE WENT THEIR SEPARATE WAYS
BUT THEIR PATHS WOULD CROSS AGAIN.
AND WHEN THEY DID, IT WOULD FINALLY BLOW THE INVESTIGATION
INTO TIMMY'S MURDER WIDE OPEN. >>> COMING UP --
COULD AN OLD BLANKET WARM UP A DECADES-OLD COLD CASE?
>> IT WAS HEARTBREAKING BECAUSE NOW I KNOW THE PERSON THAT I HAD
DEFENDED FOR SO MANY YEARS HAD >> Reporter: MICHELLE LODZINSKI
HAD SETTLED INTO A COMFORTABLE LIFE IN FLORIDA.
IT SEEMED THE CHAOS OF HER OLD LIFE WAS BEHIND HER.
AND TIMMY'S MURDER INVESTIGATION?
THAT REMAINED ICE COLD ARE YOU THINKING THE CASE IS
NEVER GONNA GET SOLVED >> YEAH.
AND I WASN'T EVEN THINKING ABOUT IT, BECAUSE I KNEW TIMMY WAS AT
REST, AND THAT WAS THE MOST IMPORTANT THING.
>> I JUST THOUGHT THEY PUT THE CASE ON THE SHELF, YOU KNOW.
THEY WERE DONE >> Reporter: SO IT WOULD JUST --
>> IT WOULD JUST SIT THERE AND COLLECT DUST -
>> Reporter: -- SIT THERE FOREVER.
>> -- YEAH, FOREVER. >> Reporter: POLICE AND
PROSECUTORS WERE STYMIED, BUT THERE WAS NO WAY THEY WERE GOING
TO SHELVE THE CASE NOT THIS ONE
>> PROSECUTORS WERE REALLY ALMOST OBSESSED WITH THIS CASE
I MEAN, IT'S THIS 5-YEAR-OLD KID.
WHO KILLED HIM >> Reporter: IT'S AMAZING HOW
MANY TIMES NEW PROSECUTORS TRIED TO LOOK AT THIS CASE AND -- AND
TRIED TO REOPEN IT WITH NO LUCK. >> YEAH.
ONE OF THE PROSECUTORS ENDED UP RETIRING AFTER AND SAID THAT --
THAT WAS ONE OF HIS BIGGEST REGRETS IS NOT BEING ABLE TO
SOLVE THE DEATH OF TIMMY >> Reporter: THEN, 20 LONG YEARS
AFTER TIMMY WAS KILLED, A NEW PROSECUTOR DECIDED TO TAKE A
CRACK AT THE CASE. THIS TIME WITH A DIFFERENT
APPROACH INVESTIGATORS REACHED OUT TO
JENNIFER THEY ASKED HER TO GET BACK IN
TOUCH WITH MICHELLE, SO SHE MESSAGED HER ON FACEBOOK
WHAT DID THEY WANT YOU TO DO >> THEY JUST -- THEY THOUGHT
MAYBE SHE WOULD TELL ME SOMETHING --
>> Reporter: -- TRY TO DRAW SOMETHING OUT OF HER
>> YEAH, YEAH. >> Reporter: LIKE A CONFESSION
>> YEAH. I MEAN, ANYTHING THAT HAD TO DO
WITH IT, YOU KNOW, WITH THE CASE
BUT SHE NEVER TALKED ABOUT TIMMY AT ALL
>> Reporter: IT WAS A LONGSHOT THAT FAILED.
BUT INVESTIGATORS WANTED SOMETHING ELSE FROM JENNIFER AND
ASKED HER TO COME DOWN TO THEIR OFFICE
>> THEY SAID THEY HAD TO SHOW ME SOMETHING.
>> Reporter: THAT'S INTERESTING. >> LIKE -- YEAH.
I'M, LIKE, "WHAT YOU NEVER SHOWED ME ANYTHING
BEFORE." >> Reporter: IT WAS AN OLD PIECE
OF EVIDENCE FOUND BY AN FBI AGENT IN THE AREA WHERE
DETECTIVE HACKETT DISCOVERED TIMMY'S REMAINS, THAT BLUE
BLANKET. DID YOU THINK THAT THERE
MIGHT'VE BEEN A CONNECTION BETWEEN THE BLANKET AND TIMMY
AT -- AT THE TIME? >> I DON'T THINK WE DID AT THE
TIME >> Reporter: WHEN NOTHING CAME
FROM A DNA TEST, INVESTIGATORS ESSENTIALLY FORGOT ABOUT IT AND
DIDN'T SHOW THE BLANKET TO ANYONE FOR 20 YEARS UNTIL
JUNE 30th, 2011. JENNIFER HAD BEEN KEPT IN THE
DARK ABOUT WHY SHE'D BEEN SUMMONED TO THE PROSECUTOR'S
OFFICE >> THEY JUST OPENED THE DOOR,
AND THE BLANKET WAS THERE ON THE TABLE, JUST SPREAD OUT, A DIRTY,
YOU KNOW, TATTERED BLANKET, I JUST BROKE DOWN WHEN I SAW IT.
>> Reporter: YOU RECOGNIZED THAT BLANKET RIGHT AWAY
>> RIGHT AWAY. THE PROSECUTOR SAID, "DO YOU
RECOGNIZE THIS BLANKET?" AND I SAID, "YES, IT -- YOU
KNOW, IT WAS FROM TIMMY'S HOUSE.
>> Reporter: JENNIFER, TIMMY'S COUSIN AND NUMBER ONE
BABY-SITTER IMMEDIATELY KNEW WHAT THAT MEANT.
>> THERE WAS NO REASON FOR THAT BLANKET TO BE NEXT TO HIM UNLESS
SOMEBODY IN HIS HOUSE DID SOMETHING TO HIM AND WRAPPED HIM
IN IT AND THREW HIM AWAY >> Reporter: JENNIFER'S THOUGHTS
TURNED TO THE PERSON SHE'D BELIEVED IN FOR SO LONG, HER
AUNT MICHELLE. >> IT WAS HEARTBREAKING, BECAUSE
NOW I KNOW THE PERSON THAT I HAD DEFENDED FOR SO MANY YEARS HAD
KNOWLEDGE OF WHAT HAPPENED >> Reporter: LEARNING THAT THE
BLANKET FOUND WITH TIMMY'S REMAINS CAME FROM MICHELLE'S
HOUSE CONVINCED PROSECUTORS HER STORY OF TIMMY BEING ABDUCTED
WAS A LIE, BECAUSE HE WOULDN'T HAVE BEEN WALKING AROUND THE
CARNIVAL WITH A BIG BLANKET. THEY BELIEVED THEY NOW HAD PROOF
THAT SOMEONE WITH ACCESS TO THE HOUSE WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR HIS
MURDER, AND THEY HAD NO DOUBT THAT PERSON WAS MICHELLE
SO, THEY MADE THEIR MOVE LINDA WAS AT HOME IN FLORIDA
WITH MICHELLE'S TWO SONS >> I GET A PHONE CALL FROM MY
SISTER SAYING, "I'VE BEEN ARRESTED FOR TIMMY'S MURDER.
I SAID, "WHAT? LIKE, "WHAT ARE YOU TALKING
ABOUT? >> Reporter: MICHELLE WAS
CHARGED WITH FIRST DEGREE MURDER AND TRANSFERRED TO A JAIL IN
NEW JERSEY WHERE SHE WOULD BE HELD UNTIL HER TRIAL
THIS IS A BOMBSHELL FOR HER, FOR YOU, YOUR FAMILY
>> UH-HUH. IT WAS UNBELIEVABLE.
WE WERE LIKE, "HOW COULD THEY ARREST YOU, YOU DIDN'T DO
ANYTHING?" >> Reporter: IT WAS A STUNNING
TURN OF EVENTS SET IN MOTION BY A TATTERED BLUE BLANKET THAT HAD
BEEN IN EVIDENCE FOR DECADES IT WAS A GAME CHANGER.
>> IT WAS THE ENTIRE GAME. WITHOUT THE BLANKET, THERE WAS
NO CASE. >> Reporter: DANNY CEVALLOS IS
AN NBC NEWS LEGAL ANALYST. >> THE BLANKET WAS THE ENTIRE
CASE AGAINST MICHELLE BECAUSE EVERYTHING ELSE BEFORE THE
BLANKET WAS NOT ENOUGH THAT'S NOT MY OPINION.
THAT WAS THE PROSECUTOR'S OPINION WHEN THEY DECLINED TO
PROSECUTE. >> Reporter: NEW JERSEY ATTORNEY
GERRY KROVATIN HEARD ABOUT THE ARREST FROM A LAWYER HE KNEW IN
FLORIDA. >> HE CALLED ME AND SAID,
"YOU'RE NOT GONNA BELIEVE WHAT NEW JERSEY IS DOING TO THIS
WOMAN. >> Reporter: KROVATIN READ UP ON
THE CASE AND AGREED TO HANDLE MICHELLE'S DEFENSE
>> IT WAS ONE OF THE OLDEST AND MOST PROMINENT COLD CASES IN THE
STATE, WHICH I THINK IS WHY THE STATE TOOK A HOLD OF THIS AND
FOCUSED ON THE BLUE BLANKET. YOU KNOW, YOU CRACK A COLD CASE,
YOU GET ON "DATELINE." >> Reporter: TRUE.
THE TIMMY WILTSEY CASE HAD BEEN AN EMOTIONAL ROLLER COASTER FOR
EVERYBODY TOUCHED BY IT. AND NOW THOSE PEOPLE WERE ABOUT
TO TAKE A WILD RIDE THROUGH THE COURTS THAT NOBODY COULD HAVE
IMAGINED >>> COMING UP --
>> THERE WAS NO PHYSICAL EVIDENCE WHATSOEVER.
>> Reporter: WILL THAT MATTER? >> SOMETIMES CIRCUMSTANTIAL
EVIDENCE IS EVEN MORE POWERFUL THAN DIRECT EVIDENCE
>> Reporter: IT HAD TAKEN 25 LONG YEARS TO GET TO THIS
DAY -- MARCH 16th, 2016. OPENING ARGUMENTS BEGAN IN
MICHELLE LODZINSKI'S MURDER TRIAL.
THE NEW JERSEY MOTHER WAS ACCUSED OF KILLING HER OWN SON
PROSECUTOR CHRISTIE BEVACQUA SET THE TONE
>> A MOTHER'S INSTINCT IS TO PROTECT HER CHILD.
A KILLER'S INSTINCT IS TO LIE. >> Reporter: MICHELLE'S
CHARACTER WAS REALLY ON TRIAL. >> ABSOLUTELY.
CHARACTER EVIDENCE IS NOT NORMALLY SUPPOSED TO BE PART OF
A TRIAL, BUT IT COULDN'T BE HELPED IN THIS CASE BECAUSE
MICHELLE DID NOT HELP HERSELF WHEN SHE GAVE SEVERAL
INCONSISTENT STATEMENTS ABOUT WHAT HAPPENED TO TIMMY
>> Reporter: PROSECUTORS CALLED A STRING OF INVESTIGATORS TO
TESTIFY, ALL WITH THE SAME MESSAGE.
MICHELLE LODZINSKI COULDN'T KEEP HER STORY STRAIGHT AND DIDN'T
ACT LIKE A GRIEVING MOTHER >> HER DEMEANOR WAS AT TIMES
HOSTILE, SOMETIMES VULGAR. SHE HAD LEFT AN INTERVIEW.
AS AN INVESTIGATOR, THAT GETS YOUR ATTENTION
>> Reporter: THE STATE SAID TIMMY HAD BECOME A BURDEN TO
MICHELLE AND SHE THOUGHT LIFE WITHOUT HIM WOULD BE EASIER.
THAT WAS THE MOTIVE. BUT THEY OFFERED NO THEORY ABOUT
HOW TIMMY DIED THEY SAID MICHELLE KILLED HIM
BEFORE GOING TO THE CARNIVAL, THAT TIMMY WAS NEVER THERE
BEVACQUA THEN TURNED TO THE EVIDENCE AND METHODICALLY
CONNECTED THE DOTS OF HER CIRCUMSTANTIAL CASE.
>> THIS CREEK WHERE TIMMY'S REMAINS WERE FOUND WAS LITERALLY
RIGHT AROUND THE CORNER FROM WHERE MICHELLE LODZINSKI USED TO
WORK >> Reporter: IN A THEATRICAL
MOMENT, THE PROSECUTOR UNVEILED THE FADED BLUE BLANKET FOR THE
JURY TO SEE. >> THIS BLANKET RIGHT HERE
>> Reporter: THEN SHE PAUSED, LETTING THE MOMENT SINK IN
>> HAS BEEN IDENTIFIED AS COMING FROM THE HOME OF
MICHELLE LODZINSKI >> Reporter: IT WOULD BE UP TO
JENNIFER TO BACK UP THAT STATEMENT.
SHE KNEW HOW IMPORTANT THAT WAS BUT SAYS TAKING THE STAND,
FACING MICHELLE, WAS A TERRIFYING THOUGHT
>> Reporter: I WOULD IMAGINE THERE WAS A LOT OF PRESSURE ON
YOU. >> OH, GOD
I WAS SUPPOSED TO TESTIFY ONE DAY, AND I RAN AWAY.
>> Reporter: REALLY? >> YES, I RAN AWAY
I WENT AND I HID OUT I DIDN'T GO.
>> Reporter: WHILE THE TRIAL'S GOING ON
>> YEAH. YEP.
>> Reporter: HOW DID THEY FIND YOU AND GET YOU BACK IN THERE?
>> I CAME BACK IN. MY MOM, YOU KNOW, I CALLED HER
FINALLY, AND SHE'S, "TIMOTHY NEEDS YOU TO DO THIS, AND YOU'RE
VERY IMPORTANT, YOU KNOW, TO THE CASE."
SO, YEAH, I WENT >> Reporter: VISIBLY SHAKEN,
JENNIFER FINALLY TOOK THE STAND. >> DO YOU RECOGNIZE THIS ITEM?
>> YES YES.
>> WHERE WOULD YOU SLEEP AT MS. LODZINSKI'S APARTMENT?
WOULD YOU USE THAT BLANKET >> I BELIEVE I USED THE BLANKET
BEFORE WHEN I WOULD SNUGGLE UP WITH TIMOTHY
>> Reporter: IN THE END, PROSECUTORS WOULDN'T RELY ON
JENNIFER ALONE JUST MONTHS BEFORE THE TRIAL
STARTED, TWO OTHER WOMEN WHO BABY SAT FOR TIMMY CAME FORWAR
TO SAY THEY ALSO RECOGNIZED THE BLANKET.
PROSECUTORS PUT THEM ON THE STAND, TOO
>> ARE YOU POSITIVE THAT THIS BLANKET IS FROM MICHELLE'S HOME?
>> YES >> Reporter: THIS WAS LARGELY A
CIRCUMSTANTIAL CASE. WAS THAT SOMETHING THAT WAS
REALLY WORKING IN THE DEFENSE'S FAVOR?
>> NOT NECESSARILY IT'S A MYTH THAT YOU NEED DIRECT
EVIDENCE TO GET A CRIMINAL CONVICTION BECAUSE SOMETIMES
CIRCUMSTANTIAL EVIDENCE IS EVEN MORE POWERFUL THAN DIRECT
EVIDENCE >> Reporter: WHEN DEFENSE
ATTORNEY GERRY KROVATIN HAD HIS TURN, HIS FIRST PRIORITY WAS TO
TEAR DOWN THE STATE'S PORTRAYAL OF MICHELLE.
>> THIS CASE WAS ABOUT CHARACTER ASSASSINATION, NOT ABOUT THE
EVIDENCE THIS WAS A GOOD MOTHER WHO CARED
DEEPLY FOR THIS LITTLE BOY >> Reporter: GERRY SHOWED THE
JURY A KINDERGARTEN GRADUATION GOWN THAT MICHELLE BOUGHT FOR
TIMMY JUST BEFORE HE DISAPPEARED.
HE SAID BUYING THAT WAS THE ACT OF A LOVING MOTHER, NOT A
KILLER >> Reporter: MICHELLE LODZINSKI
IS NOT THE MONSTER THEY WANT TO PAINT HER AS TO YOU.
>> Reporter: CHARACTER WITNESSES SANG MICHELLE'S PRAISES AS A
MOTHER AND TALKED ABOUT HOW DEVASTATED SHE WAS ABOUT LOSING
TIMMY. HER SISTER LINDA RECALLED
MICHELLE'S ANGUISH THE DAY OF THE FUNERAL.
>> SHE WAS IN SHOCK. HER FACE WAS ALL SWOLLEN
MY DAD AND I HAD TO HOLD HER FROM ONE SIDE TO THE OTHER,
WALKING UP THE STAIRS OF THE CHURCH
>> Reporter: THE STATE CLAIMED THAT TIMMY WAS NEVER AT THE
CARNIVAL BUT THE DEFENSE HAD WITNESSES TO
REFUTE THAT. JAMES O'CONNELL WAS ONE OF THEM.
HE WAS OPERATING A RIDE THAT DAY.
>> I SAW A YOUNG BOY FITTING THE DESCRIPTION OF TIMOTHY WILTSEY
>> DESCRIBE THE BOY THAT YOU SAW THAT DAY
>> A YOUNG BOY ABOUT 5 YEARS OLD.
TANK TOP, SHORTS HE HAD TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA
TURTLE SHOES ON. >> THE STATE'S THEORY WAS
MICHELLE HAD KILLED TIMMY THAT DAY OR THE DAY BEFORE -- HAD
GONE TO THE CARNIVAL WITHOUT HIM.
SO IF ANY OF THE EYEWITNESSES SAW TIMMY, IDENTIFIED TIMMY AT
THE CARNIVAL, THAT'S THE END OF THE STATE'S CASE
>> Reporter: JURORS ALSO HEARD A LOT ABOUT THE ITEMS FOUND IN
THAT MARSH BUT ACCORDING TO THE DEFENSE,
NONE OF THEM POINTED TO MICHELLE AS THE KILLER.
>> THERE WAS NO PHYSICAL EVIDENCE WHATSOEVER.
THERE WAS NO DNA, NO HAIR SAMPLES, NO FIBERS, NO MURDER
WEAPON, NO CONFESSIONS, NO ADMISSIONS FROM HER.
NOTHING. >> Reporter: BUT THERE WAS
POWERFUL TESTIMONY THAT THE BLANKET CAME FROM MICHELLE'S
HOUSE. THE DEFENSE WAS DISMISSIVE OF
THE TWO BABY-SITTERS WHO CAM FORWARD JUST BEFORE THE TRIAL.
>> GIVEN 25 YEARS PASSING BETWEEN THE EVENT AND THEIR
INTERVIEWS, COUPLED WITH THE GLARE OF THE PUBLICITY
SURROUNDING THE BEGINNING OF THE TRIAL, I DOUBT THE CREDIBILITY
OF THEIR IDENTIFICATION. >> Reporter: JENNIFER HAD
IDENTIFIED THE BLANKET WITHOUT EVER HEARING ABOUT IT IN THE
NEWS BUT THAT DIDN'T MATTER TO THE
DEFENSE. THEY SAW A CLEAR OPENING TO
ATTACK HER CREDIBILITY YOU ALLEGE THAT MICHELLE'S NIECE
WAS REALLY LOOKING FOR PAYBACK WITH IDENTIFYING THIS BLANKET.
THAT SHE WAS GONNA PAY BACK MICHELLE FOR HAVING HER CHILDREN
TAKEN AWAY >> CORRECT
SHE WAS IN SERIOUS TROUBLE, YOU KNOW, IN TERMS OF HER ADDICTION
AT THAT POINT. AND MICHELLE DIDN'T FEEL IT WAS
THE RESPONSIBLE THING TO DO TO GIVE HER HER CHILDREN BACK
AND JENNIFER HATED MICHELLE EVER SINCE FOR THAT
>> JENNIFER HAD ISSUES AND JENNIFER WAS OUT TO GET MY
SISTER BECAUSE SHE LOST HER CHILDREN
>> Reporter: HOW ANGRY DID JENNIFER GET OVER THAT
>> SO ANGRY THAT SHE TESTIFIED AND LIED
>> Reporter: JENNIFER EMPHATICALLY DENIES THAT AND
SAYS SHE TESTIFIED TRUTHFULLY. THE DEFENSE HAD PUSHED BACK ON
EVERY ANGLE OF THE STATE'S CASE AND EVEN OFFERED UP THEIR OWN
THEORY OF WHAT HAPPENED TO TIMMY.
RIGHT BEFORE TRIAL, A MAN CAME FORWARD AND SAID THAT ANOTHER
MAN HAD CONFESSED TO HIM THAT HE HAD KILLED A LITTLE BOY IN A
PARK >> YEAH.
DAMIEN DOWDLE. >> Reporter: DAMIEN DOWDLE WAS
AN EX-CON WHO'D SERVED TIME FOR AN ARMED ROBBERY HE COMMITTED IN
ARIZONA WITH AN ACCOMPLICE NAMED JOE McSHANE.
WHEN THEY WERE IN PRISON TOGETHER, DOWDLE SAYS McSHANE
CONFESSED THAT HE'D COMMITTED A HORRIBLE CRIME INVOLVING A YOUNG
BOY. YEARS LATER, WHEN DOWDLE READ
ABOUT THE TIMMY WILTSEY CASE, IT ALL SOUNDED VERY FAMILIAR.
>> WHEN DOWDLE GETS OUT OF PRISON, HE CALLS ME OUT OF THE
CLEAR BLUE >> Reporter: HE TOLD THE DEFENSE
ALL ABOUT McSHANE'S CONFESSION >> McSHANE TELLS HIM HE HAD GONE
TO AN EVENT IN A PARK, THAT HE HAD ABDUCTED A LITTLE BOY AND
THE BOY CRIED OUT, AND HE STRANGLED HIM AND KILLED HIM TO
AVOID DETECTION AND -- >> Reporter: ARE YOU TAKING THIS
SERIOUSLY? THIS IS AN EX-CON.
>> I TOOK IT VERY SERIOUSLY BECAUSE DOWDLE REPORTED THIS AT
THE TIME THAT McSHANE MADE THIS STATEMENT TO HIM IN 1991 TO THE
POLICE >> Reporter: AND NOW, UNDER
OATH, DOWDLE REPEATED THE LURID STORY.
>> THE KID BEGAN SCREAMING AND CRYING
HE SAID THAT HE WAS AFRAID THAT THIS KID'S CRIES WERE GOING TO
BRING PEOPLE TO WHERE HE WAS AT, AND HE SAID HE STRANGLED THE
KID. >> Reporter: THE STATE HAD A
REBUTTAL FOR DOWDLE. THEY CALLED McSHANE HIMSELF.
HE DENIED HAVING ANYTHING TO DO WITH TIMMY'S DEATH
BUT GERRY KROVATIN THOUGHT HE'D GIVEN THE JURY SOMETHING TO
THINK ABOUT. >> I CERTAINLY THOUGHT IT RAISED
A REASONABLE DOUBT ABOUT THE STATE'S CASE
>> Reporter: AFTER EIGHT WEEKS OF HOTLY CONTESTED TESTIMONY,
THE CASE WENT TO THE JURORS. THEY DELIBERATED FOR TWO DAYS
AND STILL COULDN'T REACH A VERDICT.
>> THERE'S ALL KINDS OF ASTROLOGY THAT YOU CAN USE TO
PROJECT, "WELL, IF THEY'RE OUT FOR THIS LONG, IT MEANS THAT."
IT'S ALL HOGWASH WHEN THEY'RE OUT THAT LONG, YOU
HAVE NO IDEA WHAT'S GOING ON IN THERE.
>> Reporter: THERE'D BE A VERDICT SOON ENOUGH.
BUT THAT WOULDN'T BE THE END OF THE STORY.
THIS CASE STILL HAD A LONG WAY TO GO.
AND THE BIGGEST SURPRISE OF ALL WAS STILL TO COME.
>>> COMING UP -- WILL TIMMY FINALLY GET JUSTICE
THIS WAS LIKE A CHESS GAME >> THIS IS WHERE IT GETS EVEN
>> Reporter: AFTER 25 YEARS, IT LOOKED LIKE THE LONG SEARCH FOR
JUSTICE FOR TIMMY WILTSEY HAD FINALLY REACHED THE FINISH LINE.
>> HAS THE JURY ARRIVED AT A VERDICT?
>> YES, WE HAVE. >> Reporter: THE JURY FOREMAN
ANNOUNCED THE VERDICT. >> GUILTY.
>> Reporter: MICHELLE LODZINSKI, GUILTY OF FIRST-DEGREE MURDER.
THE JUDGE WOULD SENTENCE HER TO 30 YEARS IN PRISON
WHAT WAS MICHELLE'S REACTION DID SHE SAY ANYTHING IN THAT
COURTROOM? >> NO.
SHE WAS HEARTBROKEN. >> Reporter: HOW WERE YOU
FEELING AFTER ALL THAT WORK THAT YOUR TEAM HAS PUT INTO THIS?
>> DEVASTATED. FELT LIKE IT WAS A MISCARRIAGE
OF JUSTICE >> I BROKE DOWN.
I HAD TO TELL HER BOYS THEY WERE DEVASTATED
HOW ELSE WOULD THEY REACT? >> Reporter: YOU ALL FELT VERY,
VERY STRONGLY THAT SHE WAS INNOCENT
>> I KNOW SHE'S INNOCENT >> I WAS TORN IN A WAY OF SHE
WAS STILL MY AUNT, AND I JUST COULDN'T THINK ABOUT SOMEBODY IN
MY FAMILY ACTUALLY BEING IN PRISON
>> Reporter: FOR POLICE AND PROSECUTORS, THIS WAS A VICTORY
25 YEARS IN THE MAKING >> WE WERE ALL ELATED.
JUST TO SEE JUSTICE DONE FOR THAT LITTLE BOY, ONE LAST TIME,
WAS A LIFESAVER FOR ME >> Reporter: AFTER THE VERDICT,
THE JURORS GOT TOGETHER ONE LAST TIME
THEY DECIDED TO VISIT THE PLACE WHERE TIMMY WAS FOUND.
>> WE JUST WANTED TO SHOW TIMMY THAT WE CARED FOR HIM.
>> Reporter: JOE MULVANERTON WAS AN ALTERNATE JUROR
>> WE ALL BROUGHT LITTLE TOYS AND BALLOONS TO THE SITE, NINJA
TURTLE >> Reporter: YOU BROUGHT A
BALLOON? >> YEAH.
CAN I -- CAN I READ YOU SOMETHING?
>> Reporter: OF COURSE, YEAH >> I HAD WRITTEN THIS RIGHT
AFTER WE WENT TO THE SITE. "ALONG WITH THE FLOWERS AND
NINJA TURTLE TOYS THAT WE ALL BROUGHT TO THE SITE, I ALSO
BROUGHT A LARGE NINJA TURTLE BALLOON.
THE BALLOON, ALMOST AS IF IT WERE BEING TUGGED OUT OF MY
HAND, CAME LOOSE FROM THE RIBBON AND FLOATED STRAIGHT UP INTO THE
HEAVENS. I'LL FOREVER BELIEVE THAT TIMMY
TOOK THAT BALLOON TO LET US KNOW HE'S OKAY.
COWABUNGA, DUDE. >> Reporter: WHAT THE JURORS
NEVER IMAGINED IS THAT THEIR VERDICT WOULDN'T BE THE FINAL
WORD ON THE TIMMY WILTSEY CASE THE LEGAL BATTLE WOULD CONTINUE
FOR YEARS. >> THIS CASE NEVER SHOULD'VE
BEEN CHARGED >> Reporter: AFTER THE TRIAL,
ATTORNEY DAVID FASSETT JOINED MICHELLE'S DEFENSE TEAM TO WORK
ON AN APPEAL >> I WAS APPALLED THAT MICHELLE
HAD BEEN CONVICTED BECAUSE OF THE UTTER ABSENCE OF ANY
EVIDENCE >> Reporter: AND THAT WAS THE
ARGUMENT BEFORE THE APPELLATE COURT.
THERE SIMPLY WASN'T ENOUGH EVIDENCE TO PROVE MICHELLE'S
GUILT. >> THEY REJECTED ALL OF OUR
ARGUMENTS, WHICH WAS VERY DISAPPOINTING AND DEFLATING.
>> Reporter: NEXT THE NEW JERSEY SUPREME COURT AGREED TO TAKE THE
CASE BUT ONE OF THE SEVEN JUSTICE'S
RECUSED HIMSELF. HE DIDN'T EXPLAIN WHY, BUT IT
MEANT ONLY SIX WOULD DECIDE. >> AND LO AND BEHOLD, THEY
SPLIT, 3-3 >> Reporter: A TIE IN THE
NEW JERSEY SUPREME COURT NORMALLY MEANS A CONVICTION
STANDS BUT WOULD IT FOR MICHELLE?
>> WHAT WE DECIDED TO DO WAS TO ASK THE COURT TO RECONSIDER THE
CASE NOW, I'M TOLD THAT THE SUPREME
COURT OF NEW JERSEY HAD NEVER PREVIOUSLY GRANTED A
RECONSIDERATION MOTION I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S TRUE --
>> Reporter: HOW DID THEY -- >> -- OR NOT, BUT I'M NOT AWARE
OF ONE >> Reporter: THE DEFENSE ARGUED
THE TIE VIOLATED MICHELLE'S RIGHTS AND ASKED THE COURT TO
BRING IN A LOWER COURT JUDGE FOR JUST THIS ONE CASE
THIS WAS LIKE A CHESS GAME >> THIS IS WHERE IT GETS EVEN
CRAZIER. THEY MAKE THE ARGUMENT, AND IT'S
CONVINCING ENOUGH THAT THE STATE SUPREME COURT SAYS, "WE'RE GONNA
BORROW A JUDGE FROM THE LOWER APPELLATE DIVISION
NOW WE'LL HAVE SEVEN." REALLY, IT ALL COMES DOWN TO
THIS ONE JUDGE - >> Reporter: TIE BREAKER
>> -- WHO'S NOW THERE JUST TO BE A TIE BREAKER.
>> Reporter: ON DECEMBER 28th, 2021, THAT ONE JUDGE BROKE THE
TIE IN MICHELLE'S FAVOR. HER CONVICTION WAS OVERTURNED.
>> I SCREAMED. AND I GOT ON MY KNEES.
I WAS SO ECSTATIC AND SO HAPPY, AND I JUST WAS LIKE, "WOW, AFTER
ALL THIS TIME, FINALLY." >> Reporter: MICHELLE WALKED OUT
OF PRISON THAT SAME DAY. HER LAWYERS WERE THERE TO GREET
HER. >> JUST GRATEFUL FOR ALL THE
PEOPLE THAT HELPED ME AND STOOD BY MY SIDE TO GET ME HOME TO MY
FAMILY AND FRIENDS >> Reporter: MICHELLE LEFT NEW
JERSEY AND REUNITED WITH HER TWO SONS AND HER SISTER LINDA.
>> WE JUST HUGGED HER. AND SHE SAID, "DON'T CRY
PLEASE DON'T CRY." AND IT WAS JUST EXCITING
>> Reporter: BACK IN NEW JERSEY, JUROR JOE MULVANERTON WAS
OUTRAGED BY THE SUPREME COURT'S DECISION AND SAYS HIS FELLOW
JURORS WERE, TOO >> THE ONES THAT I'VE SPOKEN
WITH ARE AS EQUALLY SHOCKED AND AS EQUALLY INFURIATED AS I AM.
FOUR JUDGES DECIDED THAT WE MADE THE WRONG DECISION
I THINK THAT'S AN INDICTMENT ON THE JURY SYSTEM.
>> Reporter: IN FACT, THE SUPREME COURT DID SAY THE
MISTAKE MADE AT THE TRIAL WAS THE JURY'S, THAT THE EVIDENCE
DIDN'T SUPPORT A CONVICTION. SO THEY REPLACED THE JURY'S
GUILTY VERDICT WITH AN ACQUITTAL.
SHE CAN'T BE RETRIED THIS IS DOUBLE JEOPARDY.
>> NO. DOUBLE JEOPARDY, YEAH, CAN'T BE
RETRIED. WHERE'S OUR APPEAL
WHERE'S THE JURY'S APPEAL? >> Reporter: FOR KEVIN SKOLNIK,
THE VERY FIRST POLICE OFFICER TO RESPOND TO TIMMY'S
DISAPPEARANCE, THE SUPREME COURT'S DECISION WAS HARD TO
SWALLOW. >> SHE'S A FREE WOMAN.
IT'S, LIKE, UNBELIEVABLE >> Reporter: WERE YOU ANGRY?
>> I WAS DISAPPOINTED AND UPSET BECAUSE, AGAIN, THIS BOY CANNOT
REST IN PEACE. >> Reporter: JIM RYAN TRIES NOT
TO DWELL ON THE LEGAL TWISTS AND TURNS.
HE'D RATHER FOCUS ON HOW HIS COMMUNITY OPENED ITS HEART AND
CAME TOGETHER FOR A MISSING 5-YEAR-OLD BOY
>> THERE WERE SO MANY GOOD POLICE OFFICERS, FIREFIGHTERS,
EMS, CITIZENS WHO JUST ROSE UP AND SAID, "WE ARE NOT GONNA
TOLERATE SOMEONE SAYING THAT A 5-YEAR-OLD'S MISSING IN OUR
COMMUNITY WITHOUT DOING SOMETHING.
>> Reporter: SAD ENDING, BUT REALLY SHOWED YOU WHAT YOUR
COMMUNITY WAS MADE OF. >> YEAH.
THEY TOOK BACK CONTROL OF THEIR COMMUNITY IN THE WORST FEAR OF A
CHILD MISSING. >> IT WAS PROBABLY THE BIGGEST
CASE I EVER WORKED >> Reporter: DETECTIVE HACKETT,
NOW A GRANDFATHER, IS STILL HAUNTED BY THE CASE AND OFTEN
THINKS ABOUT LITTLE TIMMY. >> AS I SEE MY OWN CHILDREN
GROW, YOU WONDER TIMMY COULD BE WALKING AROUND
TODAY, 35 YEARS OLD. YOU KNOW, IT'S A SHAME
>> Reporter: TIMMY'S NAME AND FACE, ONCE SO FAMILIAR, HAVE
FADED FROM VIEW OVER THE DECADES, ALONG WITH ALL THE
POSSIBILITIES OF A LONG LIFE THAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN HIS.
>> I WANT PEOPLE TO REMEMBER HIM FOR MORE THAN HOW HE DIED.
TIMMY WAS BRAVE AND OUTSPOKEN AND FULL OF LIFE
AND HE WAS ROBBED OF ALL OF THE OPPORTUNITIES THAT LIFE HAD TO
OFFER. HE DIDN'T EVEN MAKE IT TO HIS
KINDERGARTEN GRADUATION. >> Reporter: TIMMY'S
KINDERGARTEN GRADUATION GOWN IS IN AN EVIDENCE VAULT NOW, ALONG
WITH A PAIR OF NINJA TURTLE SNEAKERS AND A FADED BLUE
BLANKET. SAD REMINDERS OF AN INNOCENT
LIFE FROZEN IN TIME AND A DEATH WITH QUESTIONS THAT MAY NEVER BE
ANSWERED >>> THAT'S ALL FOR THIS EDITION
OF "DATELINE." WE'LL SEE YOU AGAIN NEXT FRIDAY
AT 9:00, 8:00 CENTRAL. AND, OF COURSE, I'LL SEE YOU
EACH WEEKNIGHT FOR "NBC NIGHTLY NEWS."
I'M LESTER HOLT.