1 00:00:14,214 --> 00:00:15,782 >>> I'M LESTER HOLT. 2 00:00:15,782 --> 00:00:18,985 TONIGHT ON "DATELINE"- A MISSING TEENAGER 3 00:00:18,985 --> 00:00:22,622 AN ABANDONED HOUSE AND A HEARTBREAKING DISCOVERY. 4 00:00:22,622 --> 00:00:24,891 >> THIS COULD HAVE BEEN ANYBODY'S CHILD. 5 00:00:24,891 --> 00:00:26,926 THIS COULD HAVE BEEN ANYBODY'S SISTER 6 00:00:26,926 --> 00:00:30,897 AND SHE JUST DISAPPEARS. >> AJ'S WALLET WAS SITTING ON 7 00:00:30,897 --> 00:00:34,901 THE COUCH. SOMETHING HAS HAPPENED ABRUPTLY. 8 00:00:34,901 --> 00:00:37,537 >> SHE WOULD NEVER RUN AWAY. >> Reporter: THERE'S A LOT OF 9 00:00:37,537 --> 00:00:39,105 SUSPECTS IN THIS CASE. >> OH, YEAH. 10 00:00:39,105 --> 00:00:42,308 >> THEY WERE JUST ASKING QUESTIONS NONSTOP. 11 00:00:42,308 --> 00:00:44,444 >> THEY SAID, "WE NEED YOU TO TELL US WHERE AJ IS. 12 00:00:44,444 --> 00:00:48,415 >> I SAID, "I KNOW WHAT YOU DID. 13 00:00:48,415 --> 00:00:50,784 >> WE FOUND AMMUNITION HIDDEN IN A VENT IN HIS HOTEL ROOM 14 00:00:50,784 --> 00:00:53,953 >> Reporter: DO YOU THINK AJ IS IN THE VAN, STILL ALIVE? 15 00:00:53,953 --> 00:00:56,589 >> YES, I DO >> IT WAS VERY MUCH AN ABANDONED 16 00:00:56,589 --> 00:00:58,258 LOOKING HOME >> Reporter: IT'S LIKE OUT OF 17 00:00:58,258 --> 00:01:01,895 THE MOVIES >> IT HAD A VERY CREEPY FEEL TO 18 00:01:01,895 --> 00:01:04,597 IT IT KIND OF ALL CAME CRASHING 19 00:01:04,597 --> 00:01:08,835 DOWN AT THAT MOMENT, THE REALITY OF IT. 20 00:01:08,835 --> 00:01:15,842 >> HEARTBREAKING, BUT ALSO A SENSE OF NOW THERE ARE SOME 21 00:01:15,842 --> 00:01:18,178 SENSE OF NOW THERE ARE SOME ANSWERS. 22 00:01:18,311 --> 00:01:32,659 >> HERE'S ANDREA CANNING WITH "THE JACKET. 23 00:01:32,659 --> 00:01:36,730 >> Reporter: NORFOLK, VIRGINIA, HOME TO THE NATION'S LARGEST 24 00:01:36,730 --> 00:01:41,534 NAVAL BASE, WHERE SHIPS OF WAR CROWD THE HARBOR, SYMBOLS OF 25 00:01:41,534 --> 00:01:45,238 SAFETY AND SECURITY. LIFE HERE IS TIED TO THE SLOW, 26 00:01:45,238 --> 00:01:50,010 PREDICTABLE EBB AND FLOW OF THE SURROUNDING WATERS 27 00:01:50,010 --> 00:01:53,680 BUT IN MARCH OF 2015, A CRIME HIT THIS SEASIDE COMMUNITY LIKE 28 00:01:53,680 --> 00:01:55,849 A HURRICANE AND UPENDED ITS SENSE OF SECURITY. 29 00:01:55,849 --> 00:01:57,951 >> THIS WAS A MASSIVE STORY, YOU KNOW 30 00:01:57,951 --> 00:02:00,653 AN 18-YEAR-OLD GIRL, A BEAUTIFUL GIRL WHO GREW UP IN THIS 31 00:02:00,653 --> 00:02:03,790 COMMUNITY, JUST DISAPPEARS BASICALLY OUT OF NOWHERE 32 00:02:03,790 --> 00:02:06,526 >> Reporter: THE INVESTIGATION THAT FOLLOWED WAS ANYTHING BUT 33 00:02:06,526 --> 00:02:09,596 PREDICTABLE. >> IT QUICKLY SPIRALED INTO 34 00:02:09,596 --> 00:02:13,900 SOMETHING MUCH, MUCH LARGER. >> Reporter: AND REVEALED HOW 35 00:02:13,900 --> 00:02:18,738 EVIL PENETRATED AN INNER CIRCLE OF FRIENDS AND FAMILY, SOWING 36 00:02:18,738 --> 00:02:21,875 SEEDS OF LIES, BETRAYAL, DECEPTION, AND PROVING HOW, 37 00:02:21,875 --> 00:02:25,545 SOMETIMES, THOSE CLOSEST TO US CAN HURT US THE MOST 38 00:02:25,545 --> 00:02:29,282 >> IT'S JUST HORRIBLY TRAGIC THAT SOMEBODY COULD DO SOMETHING 39 00:02:29,282 --> 00:02:34,587 TO SOMEONE WHO TRUSTED THEM SO VERY MUCH. 40 00:02:34,587 --> 00:02:38,291 >> Reporter: IT ALL STARTED WHEN ANJELICA HADSELL, ALSO KNOWN AS 41 00:02:38,291 --> 00:02:41,461 AJ, CAME HOME FROM COLLEGE ON SPRING BREAK AND SIMPLY 42 00:02:41,461 --> 00:02:43,596 VANISHED >> THIS COULD HAVE BEEN 43 00:02:43,596 --> 00:02:45,732 ANYBODY'S CHILD. THIS COULD HAVE BEEN ANYBODY'S 44 00:02:45,732 --> 00:02:47,834 SISTER >> Reporter: REPORTER 45 00:02:47,834 --> 00:02:49,936 KAYLA GASKINS COVERED THE STORY FOR NBC AFFILIATE WAVY TV. 46 00:02:49,936 --> 00:02:52,639 WAS THERE THOUGHT IN THE COMMUNITY THAT MAYBE AJ RAN 47 00:02:52,639 --> 00:02:56,343 AWAY >> EVERY SINGLE PERSON THAT 48 00:02:56,343 --> 00:02:58,478 KNOWS HER HAS SAID THIS IS EXTREMELY OUT OF CHARACTER 49 00:02:58,478 --> 00:03:01,114 THIS IS NOT WHAT WE EXPECT FROM AJ. 50 00:03:01,114 --> 00:03:04,284 SHE DOESN'T JUST FALL OFF THE FACE OF THE EARTH. 51 00:03:04,284 --> 00:03:07,053 >> Reporter: IT WAS MIDAFTERNOON WHEN AJ'S DAD WESLEY HADSELL 52 00:03:07,053 --> 00:03:09,556 SAID HE GOT A TEXT FROM HIS WIFE 53 00:03:09,556 --> 00:03:14,361 >> HER WORDS WERE, "HAVE YOU HEARD FROM AJ? 54 00:03:14,361 --> 00:03:18,631 AND I SAYS, "NO, WHY?" SHE SAID, "I TEXTED HER AND SHE 55 00:03:18,631 --> 00:03:20,233 SAID SHE WAS OUT WITH FRIENDS. >> Reporter: THAT WAS 56 00:03:20,233 --> 00:03:22,369 SURPRISING >> IF SHE WENT SOMEWHERE, SHE 57 00:03:22,369 --> 00:03:23,937 WOULD NORMALLY TELL US WHERE SHE WAS GOING. 58 00:03:23,937 --> 00:03:27,107 >> Reporter: SO WESLEY SAID HE SENT AJ A TEXT OF HIS OWN. 59 00:03:27,107 --> 00:03:28,708 >> I'VE ASKED HER VERY SPECIFIC -- "HEY, WHERE ARE YOU? 60 00:03:28,708 --> 00:03:30,844 WHAT ARE YOU DOING?" >> Reporter: DID YOU GET ANY 61 00:03:30,844 --> 00:03:32,412 RESPONSE >> I GOT RESPONSES, BUT SHE 62 00:03:32,412 --> 00:03:33,980 WOULDN'T TELL US WHERE SHE WAS AT 63 00:03:33,980 --> 00:03:37,150 SHE SAID SHE NEEDED TIME SHE NEEDED SPACE 64 00:03:37,150 --> 00:03:39,252 >> Reporter: LATER THAT EVENING, AJ'S MOM RETURNED HOME FROM 65 00:03:39,252 --> 00:03:41,921 WORK AJ WASN'T THERE. 66 00:03:41,921 --> 00:03:45,692 BUT A NOTE IN HER HAND WRITING WAS. 67 00:03:45,692 --> 00:03:47,827 WHAT DID IT SAY? >> IT SAID, "DEAR MADRE, WITH 68 00:03:47,827 --> 00:03:52,599 EVERYTHING THAT'S GOING ON, IT'S A LOT TO DEAL WITH." 69 00:03:52,599 --> 00:03:54,701 >> Reporter: BOTH PARENTS KNEW AJ WAS DEALING WITH A LOT OF 70 00:03:54,701 --> 00:03:56,569 STRESS IT WAS HER FRESHMAN YEAR IN 71 00:03:56,569 --> 00:03:59,439 COLLEGE, WHICH PROVED TO BE HARDER THAN SHE THOUGHT. 72 00:03:59,439 --> 00:04:02,642 PLUS SHE WAS BREAKING UP WITH HER BOYFRIEND, JOSH CAMPBELL 73 00:04:02,642 --> 00:04:05,345 WAS SHE IN LOVE WITH THIS BOY? >> SHE WAS HEAD OVER HEELS 74 00:04:05,345 --> 00:04:07,047 HE WAS THE ONE >> Reporter: COULD YOU SEE THAT 75 00:04:07,047 --> 00:04:10,050 SHE WAS HURTING FROM THE BREAKUP? 76 00:04:10,050 --> 00:04:15,588 >> YES SHE WAS DEVASTATED 77 00:04:15,588 --> 00:04:17,524 >> Reporter: ALSO DEVASTATING, RIGHT BEFORE SPRING BREAK, 78 00:04:17,524 --> 00:04:20,160 AJ LEARNED HER DAD WESLEY HAD STARTED ABUSING DRUGS. 79 00:04:20,160 --> 00:04:23,329 AJ'S MOM ASKED HIM TO LEAVE THE HOUSE, FORCING HIM TO MOVE INTO 80 00:04:23,329 --> 00:04:28,134 A NEARBY HOTEL AJ TOOK THE NEWS HARD. 81 00:04:28,134 --> 00:04:30,236 >> SHE LOOKED AT ME AND SHE HAD SOME TEARS IN HER EYES 82 00:04:30,236 --> 00:04:31,938 I WENT TO GIVE HER MY HAND, AND SHE'S LIKE, YOU KNOW, "JUST GET 83 00:04:31,938 --> 00:04:33,907 AWAY FROM ME I DON'T WANT TO TALK TO YOU 84 00:04:33,907 --> 00:04:35,542 RIGHT NOW. >> Reporter: YOU COULD SEE THE 85 00:04:35,542 --> 00:04:37,243 DISAPPOINTMENT IN AJ'S EYES? >> YES, MA'AM. 86 00:04:37,243 --> 00:04:39,245 YES. >> Reporter: THIS IS NOT A GOOD 87 00:04:39,245 --> 00:04:41,381 TIME FOR AJ. >> IT WAS JUST PILIN' ON 88 00:04:41,381 --> 00:04:43,516 >> Reporter: AJ'S PARENTS REACHED OUT TO HER FRIENDS 89 00:04:43,516 --> 00:04:46,886 NO ONE HAD SEEN OR HEARD FROM HER. 90 00:04:46,886 --> 00:04:49,289 BY MIDAFTERNOON THE NEXT DAY, THE TEXTS FROM HER PHONE STOPPED 91 00:04:49,289 --> 00:04:50,924 COMING ALTOGETHER. >> MY WIFE GOT OFF OF WORK 92 00:04:50,924 --> 00:04:52,525 I ASKED HER IF SHE HAD HEARD FROM AJ. 93 00:04:52,525 --> 00:04:54,260 SHE SAID NO. SHE'S LIKE, "WHAT DO YOU WANT TO 94 00:04:54,260 --> 00:04:59,366 DO?" I WAS LIKE, "WELL, WE NEED TO GO 95 00:04:59,366 --> 00:05:01,468 TO THE POLICE. >> Reporter: NORFOLK POLICE 96 00:05:01,468 --> 00:05:03,603 DETECTIVE DAVID BENJAMIN GOT THE CASE 97 00:05:03,603 --> 00:05:07,273 AFTER SPEAKING TO HER PARENTS, HE CONSTRUCTED A TIMELINE OF THE 98 00:05:07,273 --> 00:05:10,410 DAY SHE WENT MISSING >> TIMELINE BEGINS ON MARCH 2nd 99 00:05:10,410 --> 00:05:13,046 AT 7:00 IN THE MORNING >> Reporter: ACCORDING TO HER 100 00:05:13,046 --> 00:05:15,382 MOM, THAT'S WHEN SHE LEFT AJ AT HOME SO SHE COULD TAKE HER OTHER 101 00:05:15,382 --> 00:05:18,885 DAUGHTERS TO SCHOOL AND THEN HEAD TO WORK 102 00:05:18,885 --> 00:05:23,256 AJ SEEMED FINE HER DAD WESLEY SAID HE LAST SAW 103 00:05:23,256 --> 00:05:25,959 HER SHORTLY AFTER NOON THAT DAY WHEN HE MET HER AT THIS GAS 104 00:05:25,959 --> 00:05:30,730 STATION TO GIVE HER MONEY. >> HE STATED THAT HE GAVE HER 105 00:05:30,730 --> 00:05:33,366 $200 AND THEN SPOKE WITH HER FOR ABOUT A HALF AN HOUR 106 00:05:33,366 --> 00:05:35,468 SHE DIDN'T SAY WHY SHE NEEDED THE MONEY. 107 00:05:35,468 --> 00:05:39,172 SHE SEEMED TO BE OKAY. HE SAID THAT SHE WAS WEARING HER 108 00:05:39,172 --> 00:05:42,609 UNIVERSITY JACKET, AND IT'S, LIKE, A BLUE JACKET, HAD HER 109 00:05:42,609 --> 00:05:44,511 NAME EMBROIDERED ON IT >> Reporter: HE ALSO SAID THAT 110 00:05:44,511 --> 00:05:47,147 WHEN THE TWO PARTED, AJ HEADED HOME 111 00:05:47,147 --> 00:05:50,850 BUT A COUPLE OF HOURS LATER, WHEN HER SISTERS RETURNED FROM 112 00:05:50,850 --> 00:05:54,087 SCHOOL, SHE WASN'T THERE >> THE DOOR WAS UNLOCKED 113 00:05:54,087 --> 00:05:59,325 THERE WAS HALF-FOLDED LAUNDRY IN THE LIVING ROOM. 114 00:05:59,325 --> 00:06:02,028 AJ'S WALLET, WITH MONEY IN IT, WAS SITTING ON THE -- THE COUCH. 115 00:06:02,028 --> 00:06:04,631 ALL VERY ODD ANJELICA WOULD TYPICALLY NOT 116 00:06:04,631 --> 00:06:06,700 LEAVE THINGS UNDONE. SO SHE WOULD'VE FINISHED THE 117 00:06:06,700 --> 00:06:08,535 LAUNDRY. SHE WOULD'VE TAKEN HER WALLET IF 118 00:06:08,535 --> 00:06:10,503 SHE WAS GOING TO LEAVE >> Reporter: WHAT DOES THAT SAY 119 00:06:10,503 --> 00:06:14,674 TO YOU WHEN YOU'RE TRYING TO PUT THIS PUZZLE TOGETHER 120 00:06:14,674 --> 00:06:17,911 >> IT SAID THAT SOMETHING HAS HAPPENED ABRUPTLY. 121 00:06:17,911 --> 00:06:20,313 >> Reporter: ARE YOU STARTING TO FEAR THE WORST, THAT SOMETHING 122 00:06:20,313 --> 00:06:22,682 HAS HAPPENED TO AJ >> I'M NOT FEARING THE WORST 123 00:06:22,682 --> 00:06:26,386 BUT I WAS SCARED I WAS SCARED FOR HER SAFETY. 124 00:06:26,386 --> 00:06:28,521 I DIDN'T KNOW WHAT WAS GOING ON. >> Reporter: A DAUGHTER 125 00:06:28,521 --> 00:06:30,657 SEEMINGLY IN DISTRESS. HAD AJ REACHED THE BREAKING 126 00:06:30,657 --> 00:06:33,360 POINT? OR WAS SOMETHING MORE SINISTER 127 00:06:33,360 --> 00:06:35,528 OR WAS SOMETHING MORE SINISTER AT WORK? 128 00:06:35,662 --> 00:06:42,068 >>> THAT NOTE HER MOM FOUND WAS SUPPOSEDLY FROM AJ 129 00:06:42,068 --> 00:06:45,238 BUT DID AJ WRITE IT? WHEN WE COME BACK -- 130 00:06:45,238 --> 00:06:47,407 >> IT WAS VERY ODD THAT SHE WOULD LEAVE A NOTE 131 00:06:47,407 --> 00:06:49,442 THAT'S NOT SOMETHING SHE EVER DID. 132 00:06:49,442 --> 00:06:51,311 >> AND THE FIRST BREAK IN THE CASE 133 00:06:51,311 --> 00:06:54,247 THIS WAS A LITTLE SUSPICIOUS, TOO. 134 00:06:54,247 --> 00:06:56,383 >> I SAW A LITTLE WHITE RECTANGLE ON THE GROUND. 135 00:06:56,383 --> 00:06:58,518 I SAW HER NAME ON IT >> Reporter: DID ANY ALARM BELLS 136 00:06:58,518 --> 00:07:01,654 GO OFF THAT HERE THIS IS HER EX- BOYFRIEND WHO HAPPENS TO FIND 137 00:07:01,654 --> 00:07:03,623 HER CREDIT CARD? >> IT DID SEEM LIKE A BIG 138 00:07:03,623 --> 00:07:23,209 COINCIDENCE. >> Reporter: AJ HADSELL HAD BEEN 139 00:07:23,209 --> 00:07:26,346 MISSING FOR OVER 24 HOURS. TEXT MESSAGES FROM HER CELLPHONE 140 00:07:26,346 --> 00:07:29,582 INDICATED SHE WAS STRESSED OUT, OVERWHELMED, AND IN NEED OF SOME 141 00:07:29,582 --> 00:07:33,286 TIME ALONE BUT TO DETECTIVE BENJAMIN, NONE 142 00:07:33,286 --> 00:07:35,422 OF IT MADE SENSE >> HAD ANYONE SEEN HER 143 00:07:35,422 --> 00:07:37,524 >> NOBODY'D SEEN HER >> NOTHING 144 00:07:37,524 --> 00:07:39,259 >> NO. >> WHAT DID YOU LEARN ABOUT AJ 145 00:07:39,259 --> 00:07:41,261 WHO WAS SHE? >> SHE WAS AN ATHLETE. 146 00:07:41,261 --> 00:07:43,363 SHE WAS VERY OUTGOING. GOOD KID 147 00:07:43,363 --> 00:07:46,533 NO ISSUES WITH DRUGS OR ALCOHOL. REALLY WAS KINDA FLYING 148 00:07:46,533 --> 00:07:49,736 STRAIGHT >> Reporter: SHE WAS A STAR ON 149 00:07:49,736 --> 00:07:52,906 THE SOFTBALL DIAMOND IT'S WHERE SHE DEVELOPED A 150 00:07:52,906 --> 00:07:55,575 REPUTATION FOR BEING TOUGH >> WHAT WAS AJ'S PERSONALITY 151 00:07:55,575 --> 00:07:59,279 LIKE >> SHE WAS QUIET AND RESERVED, 152 00:07:59,279 --> 00:08:02,015 YOU KNOW BUT WHEN SHE WAS IN HER ELEMENT, 153 00:08:02,015 --> 00:08:04,050 SHE WAS HELL ON WHEELS SHE DID EVERYTHING THAT THE BOYS 154 00:08:04,050 --> 00:08:07,220 DID. SHE HAD MORE GUY FRIENDS THAN 155 00:08:07,220 --> 00:08:09,923 GIRL FRIENDS >> Reporter: COREY FRENCH WAS 156 00:08:09,923 --> 00:08:12,592 ONE OF THOSE FRIENDS THEY DATED BRIEFLY IN JUNIOR 157 00:08:12,592 --> 00:08:14,661 HIGH >> WHAT WAS IT ABOUT AJ THAT 158 00:08:14,661 --> 00:08:16,796 DREW YOU TO HER? >> WHEN I MET HER SHE JUST HAD 159 00:08:16,796 --> 00:08:20,033 THIS -- THIS THING ABOUT HER AND I JUST COULDN'T STOP WANTING TO 160 00:08:20,033 --> 00:08:22,068 SEE HER MORE SHE WAS JUST -- SHE HAD 161 00:08:22,068 --> 00:08:24,170 SOMETHING ABOUT HER AND I JUST COULDN'T STEER AWAY. 162 00:08:24,170 --> 00:08:26,272 >> SHE WAS GORGEOUS. >> YEAH. 163 00:08:26,272 --> 00:08:28,475 >> I MEAN, I'M SURE YOU MUST'VE NOTICED THAT 164 00:08:28,475 --> 00:08:33,680 >> [ LAUGHTER OH, YEAH 165 00:08:33,680 --> 00:08:36,950 SHE WAS BEAUTIFUL. >> Reporter: AJ GREW UP RELYING 166 00:08:36,950 --> 00:08:39,619 MOSTLY ON HER MOM AND CARING FOR HER TWO YOUNGER HALF SISTERS 167 00:08:39,619 --> 00:08:43,323 SHE NEVER KNEW HER BIOLOGICAL DAD. 168 00:08:43,323 --> 00:08:46,059 AND A BITTER DIVORCE PUT A WEDGE BETWEEN AJ AND HER FIRST 169 00:08:46,059 --> 00:08:49,162 STEPFATHER. THEN WESLEY MARRIED AJ'S MOM 170 00:08:49,162 --> 00:08:51,297 WESLEY AND AJ QUICKLY HIT IT OFF. 171 00:08:51,297 --> 00:08:54,467 EVENTUALLY, HE ASKED TO ADOPT AJ 172 00:08:54,467 --> 00:08:56,603 >> I ADORED ANJELICA SHE WAS MY DAUGHTER. 173 00:08:56,603 --> 00:08:58,204 YOU KNOW, SHE WAS MY FAMILY. SO IT FELT RIGHT TO JUST MAKE IT 174 00:08:58,204 --> 00:09:00,840 OFFICIAL >> WHAT DID SHE SAY TO YOU 175 00:09:00,840 --> 00:09:04,010 >> SHE SAID IF I WAS BEING SERIOUS THAT SHE WOULD LIKE TO 176 00:09:04,010 --> 00:09:08,014 TAKE MY NAME THE FEELINGS THAT I FELT WERE 177 00:09:08,014 --> 00:09:10,350 OVERWHELMING >> SHE FELT HAPPY. 178 00:09:10,350 --> 00:09:11,918 LIKE SHE GOT THE FATHER FIGURE THAT SHE HAD WANTED. 179 00:09:11,918 --> 00:09:14,387 I THINK IT WAS SOMETHING THAT SHE HAD BEEN MISSING FOR A 180 00:09:14,387 --> 00:09:17,791 WHILE. SHE FELT LIKE THAT PART OF HER 181 00:09:17,791 --> 00:09:20,427 FAMILY WAS NOW COMPLETE. >> Reporter: WHEN AJ WAS 17, SHE 182 00:09:20,427 --> 00:09:23,096 LEFT NORFOLK AND HEADED TO COLLEGE. 183 00:09:23,096 --> 00:09:26,266 >> WHAT WERE HER DREAMS? >> SHE HAD A LOT OF ASPIRATIONS. 184 00:09:26,266 --> 00:09:32,105 SHE WAS DEFINITELY AN OVERACHIEVER 185 00:09:32,105 --> 00:09:36,876 SHE WAS TRYING TO GRADUATE WITH A DOUBLE MAJOR IN THREE YEARS. 186 00:09:36,876 --> 00:09:39,045 >> Reporter: BUT ALL THE RECEN STRESS IN AJ'S LIFE LEFT THE 187 00:09:39,045 --> 00:09:41,081 DETECTIVE WONDERING IF THE YOUNG OVERACHIEVER HAD PUSHED HERSELF 188 00:09:41,081 --> 00:09:42,682 TO THE BREAKING POINT. >> DID YOU THINK THAT MAYBE SHE 189 00:09:42,682 --> 00:09:44,250 RAN AWAY >> INITIALLY, THAT WAS ONE OF 190 00:09:44,250 --> 00:09:45,785 THE POSSIBLE THEORIES. >> JUST OVERWHELMED. 191 00:09:45,785 --> 00:09:48,054 JUST POSSIBLY COULD'VE JUST SAID, "I CAN'T DEAL WITH THIS 192 00:09:48,054 --> 00:09:50,156 ANYMORE. >> CORRECT 193 00:09:50,156 --> 00:09:53,360 >> Reporter: BUT THE MORE PEOPLE BENJAMIN TALKED TO, THE MORE HE 194 00:09:53,360 --> 00:09:55,795 LEARNED, THAT SIMPLY WASN'T AJ >> WAS SHE THE TYPE WHO WOULD 195 00:09:55,795 --> 00:09:57,063 EVER RUN AWAY IF THINGS GOT TOO HEAVY? 196 00:09:57,063 --> 00:09:59,199 >> NO. SHE WAS A FIGHTER. 197 00:09:59,199 --> 00:10:02,402 SHE WOULD TAKE THINGS HEAD ON. SHE WOULD NEVER RUN AWAY, SHE 198 00:10:02,402 --> 00:10:05,572 WOULDN'T RUN AWAY FROM ANYTHING. >> Reporter: AJ'S FRIEND 199 00:10:05,572 --> 00:10:07,240 ANDRE BARR FELT THE SAME WAY >> NOBODY THOUGHT SHE HAD JUST 200 00:10:07,240 --> 00:10:09,809 RAN AWAY >> WHY 201 00:10:09,809 --> 00:10:11,945 >> AJ WOULDN'T HAVE DONE THAT WITHOUT TELLING AT LEAST ONE OF 202 00:10:11,945 --> 00:10:14,047 US >> Reporter: BUT IT SEEMED AJ 203 00:10:14,047 --> 00:10:17,584 WAS TRYING TO REACH OUT TO HER PARENTS. 204 00:10:17,584 --> 00:10:19,853 AFTER ALL, SHE LEFT THAT NOTE FOR HER MOM AT THE HOUSE 205 00:10:19,853 --> 00:10:23,923 BUT THERE WAS SOMETHING PECULIAR ABOUT IT 206 00:10:23,923 --> 00:10:27,060 >> IT LOOKED LIKE HER DAUGHTER'S HANDWRITING, BUT IT WAS VERY ODD 207 00:10:27,060 --> 00:10:28,828 THAT SHE WOULD LEAVE A NOTE. THAT'S NOT SOMETHING SHE EVER 208 00:10:28,828 --> 00:10:30,797 DID. >> Reporter: AS FOR THOSE TEXT 209 00:10:30,797 --> 00:10:33,667 MESSAGES, THERE WAS SOMETHING ODD ABOUT THEM, TOO. 210 00:10:33,667 --> 00:10:39,005 >> ONE, SHE REFUSED TO SAY WHERE SHE WAS OR WHO SHE WAS WITH. 211 00:10:39,005 --> 00:10:41,107 TWO, SHE WAS USING LANGUAGE THAT WAS INCONSISTENT WITH HOW SHE 212 00:10:41,107 --> 00:10:44,811 WOULD NORMALLY SEND TEXT MESSAGES 213 00:10:44,811 --> 00:10:46,880 I BECAME MORE AND MORE CONCERNED THAT SHE WAS IN DANGER 214 00:10:46,880 --> 00:10:50,417 IT WAS LOOKING MORE AND MORE LIKE AN ABDUCTION. 215 00:10:50,417 --> 00:10:53,853 >> Reporter: BUT WHO WOULD WANT TO KIDNAP AJ 216 00:10:53,853 --> 00:10:56,489 THE DETECTIVE STARTED TO BUILD A LIST OF SUSPECTS WORKING FROM 217 00:10:56,489 --> 00:11:00,226 THE INSIDE OUT HIGH ON THAT LIST WAS HER 218 00:11:00,226 --> 00:11:04,798 BOYFRIEND, JOSH CAMPBELL REMEMBER, THEY WERE BREAKING UP. 219 00:11:04,798 --> 00:11:09,169 >> WHEN I FIRST MET JOSHUA, I FELT LIKE HIS AFFECT WAS STRANGE 220 00:11:09,169 --> 00:11:12,205 AND A LITTLE INCONSISTENT WITH WHAT HE SHOULD BE LIKE BASED ON 221 00:11:12,205 --> 00:11:13,973 THE SITUATION. >> MEANING WHAT? 222 00:11:13,973 --> 00:11:17,677 HE SHOULD HAVE BEEN MORE UPSET? OR - 223 00:11:17,677 --> 00:11:20,880 >> MORE UPSET AND PERHAPS MORE INVOLVED IN THE SEARCH PROCESS 224 00:11:20,880 --> 00:11:22,949 >> DID YOU THINK THAT THERE COULD BE A MOTIVE THERE? 225 00:11:22,949 --> 00:11:26,720 THAT MAYBE AJ BROKE UP WITH HIM, HE WAS UNHAPPY WITH HER? 226 00:11:26,720 --> 00:11:28,521 >> ABSOLUTELY. >> Reporter: BUT JOSH HAD A 227 00:11:28,521 --> 00:11:31,491 STRONG ALIBI AND HE SAID THE BREAK UP WITH AJ 228 00:11:31,491 --> 00:11:33,727 WAS MUTUAL >> WAS HE CLEARED OR WAS HE SET 229 00:11:33,727 --> 00:11:37,831 ASIDE? >> HE WAS SET ASIDE. 230 00:11:37,831 --> 00:11:42,736 THERE WERE VERY FEW PEOPLE THAT WERE COMPLETELY ELIMINATED 231 00:11:42,736 --> 00:11:44,738 >> Reporter: THEN, THREE DAYS INTO DETECTIVE BENJAMIN'S 232 00:11:44,738 --> 00:11:46,873 INVESTIGATION, THE FIRST SIGNIFICANT CLUE 233 00:11:46,873 --> 00:11:50,110 >> IT WASN'T ACTUALLY US THAT FOUND IT 234 00:11:50,110 --> 00:11:52,178 IT WAS A FRIEND OF ANGELICA'S, COREY FRENCH 235 00:11:52,178 --> 00:11:55,915 >> YOU MAKE A BIG DISCOVERY. >> YES 236 00:11:55,915 --> 00:11:58,551 >> Reporter: COREY SAID THAT WHILE WALKING HOME FROM WORK, HE 237 00:11:58,551 --> 00:12:01,521 SPOTTED A PIECE OF A CREDIT CARD ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. 238 00:12:01,521 --> 00:12:04,391 >> I SAW A LITTLE WHITE RECTANGLE ON THE GROUND, SO I 239 00:12:04,391 --> 00:12:08,094 WENT TOWARD IT AND WHEN I PICKED IT UP TO FLIP 240 00:12:08,094 --> 00:12:10,230 IT OVER, I SAW HER NAME ON IT. >> Reporter: IT WAS AJ'S 241 00:12:10,230 --> 00:12:15,068 POLICE SEARCHED THE AREA AND FOUND SEVERAL MORE PIECES. 242 00:12:15,068 --> 00:12:17,137 >> DID ANY ALARM BELLS GO OFF THAT HERE THIS IS HER 243 00:12:17,137 --> 00:12:19,272 EX-BOYFRIEND WHO HAPPENS TO FIND HER CREDIT CARD? 244 00:12:19,272 --> 00:12:20,807 I MEAN, THAT'S A PRETTY BIG COINCIDENCE. 245 00:12:20,807 --> 00:12:23,977 >> IT DID SEEM LIKE A BIG COINCIDENCE. 246 00:12:23,977 --> 00:12:26,646 >> Reporter: WHEN INVESTIGATORS QUESTIONED COREY, HE TOLD THEM 247 00:12:26,646 --> 00:12:31,451 HE AND AJ WERE CLOSE BUT THAT HE HADN'T SEEN HER FOR MONTHS 248 00:12:31,451 --> 00:12:34,087 >> HE HAD REACHED OUT TO A.J. WHEN SHE WAS HOME FOR SPRING 249 00:12:34,087 --> 00:12:37,223 BREAK AND WANTED TO SEE HER, AND KEPT ASKIN' TO SEE HER 250 00:12:37,223 --> 00:12:39,793 >> Reporter: BUT WESLEY TOLD POLICE THIS WAS FAR MORE THAN A 251 00:12:39,793 --> 00:12:43,096 COINCIDENCE. HE INSISTED THEY NEEDED TO 252 00:12:43,096 --> 00:12:46,299 INVESTIGATE COREY. >> WE HAD GOTTEN SOME 253 00:12:46,299 --> 00:12:50,837 INFORMATION FROM WESLEY THAT COREY WAS OBSESSIVE IN REFERENCE 254 00:12:50,837 --> 00:12:53,239 TO ANGELICA AND THAT HE REALLY WANTED TO BE WITH HER AGAIN. 255 00:12:53,239 --> 00:12:56,409 >> COREY FRENCH WAS THE EX-BOYFRIEND 256 00:12:56,409 --> 00:12:59,813 THEY HAD A BAD BREAKUP EVEN FOR KIDS AT THAT AGE, IT 257 00:12:59,813 --> 00:13:01,715 WAS CONSIDERED BAD WHERE HE JUST HUNG AROUND, MADE HIS PRESENCE 258 00:13:01,715 --> 00:13:03,383 KNOWN. >> YOU'RE THINKING AT THIS POINT 259 00:13:03,383 --> 00:13:07,053 THAT COREY FRENCH HAD SOMETHING TO DO WITH AJ'S DISAPPEARANCE. 260 00:13:07,053 --> 00:13:11,257 >> CORRECT >> Reporter: THEN, THE NEXT DAY, 261 00:13:11,257 --> 00:13:13,393 A GAME CHANGER AJ'S OTHER FRIEND, ANDRE BARR, 262 00:13:13,393 --> 00:13:16,563 CALLED POLICE AND SAID HE FOUND ANOTHER PIECE OF THE PUZZLE. 263 00:13:16,563 --> 00:13:21,334 >> THERE IT WAS. >> IN PLAIN SIGHT. 264 00:13:21,334 --> 00:13:24,237 >>> COMING UP -- ANOTHER CLUE LINKED TO 265 00:13:24,237 --> 00:13:26,606 COREY FRENCH >> DOES YOUR MIND JUMP TO MAYBE 266 00:13:26,606 --> 00:13:28,208 COREY DID THIS >> IT DID. 267 00:13:28,208 --> 00:13:30,310 IT'S TROPHY BEHAVIOR YOU KNOW, SOMEONE WHO KILLS 268 00:13:30,310 --> 00:13:32,479 SOMEONE AND WANTS A TROPHY TO REMEMBER THAT EVENT. 269 00:13:32,479 --> 00:13:52,565 >> IT'S MAKING ME LOOK REALLY BAD. 270 00:13:52,565 --> 00:13:55,135 >> Reporter: ALMOST A WEEK HAD PASSED SINCE AJ HADSELL 271 00:13:55,135 --> 00:13:58,304 DISAPPEARED. BY NOW, PRACTICALLY EVERYONE IN 272 00:13:58,304 --> 00:14:01,041 NORFOLK HAD HEARD ABOUT THE MISSING TEEN. 273 00:14:01,041 --> 00:14:03,109 HER CLOSE-KNIT COMMUNITY RALLIED BEHIND HER DESPERATE FAMILY TO 274 00:14:03,109 --> 00:14:05,745 OFFER ITS SUPPORT. HOW WAS AJ'S FAMILY HOLDING UP 275 00:14:05,745 --> 00:14:08,948 >> THEY WERE CONSTANTLY TALKING TO THE MEDIA 276 00:14:08,948 --> 00:14:11,584 THEY WERE DOING THE INTERVIEWS WE GOT THE IMPRESSION THEY 277 00:14:11,584 --> 00:14:13,753 WANTED TO DO EVERYTHING IN THEIR POWER TO FIND AJ AND TO BRING 278 00:14:13,753 --> 00:14:15,822 HER BACK >> Reporter: WAVY-TV REPORTER 279 00:14:15,822 --> 00:14:20,627 KAYLA GASKINS. >> HER FAMILY AND HER FRIENDS 280 00:14:20,627 --> 00:14:22,696 HELD A BALLOON RELEASE >> Reporter: AJ'S MOM, JENNIFER, 281 00:14:22,696 --> 00:14:26,433 WAS THERE. >> EVERYBODY HAS HER IN THEIR 282 00:14:26,433 --> 00:14:28,568 PRAYERS AND, UM, YOU KNOW EVERYBODY'S GOT HOPE AND PRAYING 283 00:14:28,568 --> 00:14:30,704 FOR HER TO COME HOME EVERYDAY. >> Reporter: JENNIFER WORKED 284 00:14:30,704 --> 00:14:34,407 BEHIND THE SCENES. BUT WESLEY SEEMED TO BE 285 00:14:34,407 --> 00:14:36,509 EVERYWHERE >> SHE DIDN'T GO ON HER OWN. 286 00:14:36,509 --> 00:14:39,179 YOU KNOW, SHE'S NOT JUST SITTING SOMEWHERE HAPPY, WATCHING TV, 287 00:14:39,179 --> 00:14:40,780 WATCHING THIS. I BECAME THE LEADER AT THAT 288 00:14:40,780 --> 00:14:42,415 POINT. >> Reporter: YOU'RE DRIVING 289 00:14:42,415 --> 00:14:44,484 AROUND TALKING TO PEOPLE >> CORRECT 290 00:14:44,484 --> 00:14:46,086 >> Reporter: TRYING TO SEE IF ANYONE'S SEEN HER. 291 00:14:46,086 --> 00:14:47,987 >> CORRECT >> HE IS THE PERSON ORGANIZING 292 00:14:47,987 --> 00:14:51,391 EVERYONE TO GO AND FIND HIS DAUGHTER 293 00:14:51,391 --> 00:14:54,094 HE IS HELPING PASS OUT FLIERS. >> Reporter: FAMILY AND FRIENDS 294 00:14:54,094 --> 00:14:56,663 SPREAD THE WORD THROUGHOUT NORFOLK TO BE ON THE LOOKOUT FOR 295 00:14:56,663 --> 00:14:59,366 AJ HER STORY EVEN WENT NATIONAL 296 00:14:59,366 --> 00:15:03,069 WHEN WE FEATURED IT IN OUR MISSING IN AMERICA SERIES. 297 00:15:03,069 --> 00:15:07,674 MEANWHILE, DETECTIVE BENJAMIN CALLED IN HELP 298 00:15:07,674 --> 00:15:10,477 >> WE HAD INVOLVED THE STATE WE INVOLVED FEDERAL AGENTS 299 00:15:10,477 --> 00:15:12,145 WE INVOLVED THE CENTER FOR THE MISSING AND EXPLOITED CHILDREN 300 00:15:12,145 --> 00:15:14,214 >> Reporter: THE CLOCK WAS TICKING IN THIS CASE 301 00:15:14,214 --> 00:15:17,384 >> CORRECT >> Reporter: THEN, THE 302 00:15:17,384 --> 00:15:21,588 INVESTIGATION WENT INTO OVERDRIVE AFTER ANDRE BARR FOUND 303 00:15:21,588 --> 00:15:27,961 A STUNNING NEW CLUE. >> HE OBSERVED A.J.'S LONGWOOD 304 00:15:27,961 --> 00:15:30,563 UNIVERSITY JACKET, THE ITEM THAT SHE WAS LAST SEEN ALIVE IN, BY 305 00:15:30,563 --> 00:15:33,233 WESLEY HADSELL >> Reporter: IT WAS FOUND IN THE 306 00:15:33,233 --> 00:15:38,071 HOUSE WHERE COREY FRENCH LIVED THIS IS HUGE 307 00:15:38,071 --> 00:15:40,940 >> IT IS HUGE. >> Reporter: REMEMBER, AJ'S 308 00:15:40,940 --> 00:15:43,343 MIDDLE SCHOOL BOYFRIEND HAD JUST TOLD POLICE IT HAD BEEN MONTHS 309 00:15:43,343 --> 00:15:45,078 SINCE HE LAST SAW HER. THEY HADN'T SEEN EACH OTHER? 310 00:15:45,078 --> 00:15:47,080 >> THEY HAD NOT. >> Reporter: AJ AND COREY. 311 00:15:47,080 --> 00:15:48,648 SHE NEVER MET UP WITH HIM. >> CORRECT 312 00:15:48,648 --> 00:15:50,784 >> Reporter: SO, THERE WOULD BE NO REASON? 313 00:15:50,784 --> 00:15:52,952 >> CORRECT >> Reporter: WHEN YOU SAW THE 314 00:15:52,952 --> 00:15:56,089 JACKET THERE, WHAT ARE YOU THINKING 315 00:15:56,089 --> 00:15:59,092 >> JUST ANGRY, MORE THAN ANYTHING 316 00:15:59,092 --> 00:16:00,827 NOTHING MADE SENSE >> Reporter: ANDRE DIDN'T TELL 317 00:16:00,827 --> 00:16:04,631 COREY WHAT HE SAW. INSTEAD, HE LEFT THE JACKET 318 00:16:04,631 --> 00:16:07,200 WHERE IT WAS AND IMMEDIATELY CALLED THE POLICE. 319 00:16:07,200 --> 00:16:09,336 DOES YOUR MIND JUMP TO MAYBE COREY DID THIS 320 00:16:09,336 --> 00:16:11,471 >> IT DID. IT'S TROPHY BEHAVIOR 321 00:16:11,471 --> 00:16:15,709 YOU KNOW, SOMEONE WHO KILLS SOMEONE AND WANTS A TROPHY TO 322 00:16:15,709 --> 00:16:18,378 REMEMBER THAT EVENT. >> Reporter: SO BENJAMIN WANTED 323 00:16:18,378 --> 00:16:23,583 TO TALK TO COREY AGAIN THIS TIME AS A SUSPECT 324 00:16:23,583 --> 00:16:24,818 INVESTIGATORS BROUGHT COREY TO POLICE HEADQUARTERS, WHILE THEY 325 00:16:24,818 --> 00:16:26,853 SEARCHED THE TEEN'S HOME >> WE'RE WONDERING WHAT OTHER 326 00:16:26,853 --> 00:16:29,489 PIECE OF EVIDENCE MIGHT BE FOUND, OR IS ANGELICA THERE. 327 00:16:29,489 --> 00:16:33,159 IS IT POSSIBLE THAT WE'RE GONNA FIND HER BODY IN THE HOUSE 328 00:16:33,159 --> 00:16:35,895 >> Reporter: THEY DIDN'T FIND AJ 329 00:16:35,895 --> 00:16:39,065 BUT THEY DID FIND HER JACKET, BEHIND A COUCH CUSHION, JUST AS 330 00:16:39,065 --> 00:16:42,235 ANDRE DESCRIBED. BACK AT THE STATION, BENJAMIN 331 00:16:42,235 --> 00:16:44,371 TURNED UP THE HEAT ON COREY FRENCH 332 00:16:44,371 --> 00:16:48,074 >> WE DID BEGIN TO LEAN ON HIM PRETTY HARD. 333 00:16:48,074 --> 00:16:51,244 YOU KNOW, WENT THROUGH A BASIC INTERVIEW AND THEN WE STARTED TO 334 00:16:51,244 --> 00:16:56,082 GET MORE AND MORE ACCUSATORY AS THE INTERVIEW PROGRESSED 335 00:16:56,082 --> 00:16:57,584 >> THEY WERE ASKING QUESTIONS. THEY WERE ASKING MY RELATIONSHIP 336 00:16:57,584 --> 00:17:00,353 WITH ANJELICA, HOW MUCH I CARED ABOUT HER. 337 00:17:00,353 --> 00:17:03,423 AND THEN EVENTUALLY, THEY HIT ME WITH, "WE KNOW YOU HAD SOMETHING 338 00:17:03,423 --> 00:17:06,126 TO DO WITH IT. AND, WE NEED YOU -- YOU TO LET 339 00:17:06,126 --> 00:17:08,228 US KNOW WHAT IT IS YOU DID." >> Reporter: WHAT DID YOU SAY TO 340 00:17:08,228 --> 00:17:11,398 THEM >> I DON'T KNOW WHERE SHE IS 341 00:17:11,398 --> 00:17:15,135 I DON'T -- I DON'T -- WHY ARE YOU ASKING ME THIS 342 00:17:15,135 --> 00:17:17,771 >> Reporter: THEN, THE BIG REVEAL, BENJAMIN PULLED OUT THE 343 00:17:17,771 --> 00:17:21,041 JACKET. >> HE HAD AN EXTREME REACTION TO 344 00:17:21,041 --> 00:17:24,177 SEEING THE JACKET. HE PHYSICALLY PULLED AWAY, CAME 345 00:17:24,177 --> 00:17:26,813 UP OUT OF HIS CHAIR A LITTLE BIT. 346 00:17:26,813 --> 00:17:29,749 HE SWORE >> THEY SAID, "WE FOUND THIS IN 347 00:17:29,749 --> 00:17:30,550 YOUR HOUSE BEHIND YOUR COUCH CUSHION. 348 00:17:30,550 --> 00:17:32,619 >> Reporter: HAD YOU EVER SEEN THAT JACKET BEFORE 349 00:17:32,619 --> 00:17:36,356 >> NO. >> Reporter: HOW DID THAT JACKET 350 00:17:36,356 --> 00:17:38,491 GET IN THE HOUSE THEN? >> MY MIND WAS ASKING THAT OVER 351 00:17:38,491 --> 00:17:42,562 AND OVER AND OVER AND OVER AGAIN. 352 00:17:42,562 --> 00:17:44,330 >> Reporter: COREY CONTINUED TO DENY HAVING ANYTHING TO DO WITH 353 00:17:44,330 --> 00:17:45,865 AJ'S DISAPPEARANCE >> MY ANSWERS WERE ALWAYS THE 354 00:17:45,865 --> 00:17:46,933 SAME "I DON'T KNOW. 355 00:17:46,933 --> 00:17:48,568 I DON'T KNOW I DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU ARE 356 00:17:48,568 --> 00:17:50,637 TALKING ABOUT. IT KEPT GOING. 357 00:17:50,637 --> 00:17:53,940 >> IT JUST WAS A TENNIS MATCH AND I KEPT LOSING. 358 00:17:53,940 --> 00:17:55,542 >> Reporter: YOU FOUND THE CREDIT CARD AND THE JACKET IS 359 00:17:55,542 --> 00:17:58,645 NOW FOUND IN YOUR HOUSE. >> YEAH. 360 00:17:58,645 --> 00:18:03,016 IT'S MAKING ME LOOK REALLY BAD >> Reporter: BUT AT THE END OF A 361 00:18:03,016 --> 00:18:04,084 LENGHTHY INTERROGATION, DETECTIVE BENJAMIN LET COREY GO 362 00:18:04,084 --> 00:18:06,052 HOME >> WE HAVE THE JACKET BUT THAT'S 363 00:18:06,052 --> 00:18:09,756 ALL WE HAD WE WERE IN THAT VERY 364 00:18:09,756 --> 00:18:14,060 UNCOMFORTABLE GRAY ZONE WHERE WE'VE GOT SOMEONE WHO LOOKS VERY 365 00:18:14,060 --> 00:18:17,931 BAD IN TERMS OF, YOU KNOW, BEING A SUSPECT BUT NOT ENOUGH TO 366 00:18:17,931 --> 00:18:21,468 CHARGE THEM FOR IT, AND GET THEM OFF THE STREET 367 00:18:21,468 --> 00:18:25,205 >> Reporter: AFTER LEARNING POLICE RELEASED COREY, WESLEY 368 00:18:25,205 --> 00:18:27,273 TOOK MATTERS INTO HIS OWN HANDS. >> I FELT COREY FRENCH WAS 369 00:18:27,273 --> 00:18:29,409 DEFINITELY INVOLVED, SO I THOUGHT THAT SOMETHING DRASTIC 370 00:18:29,409 --> 00:18:32,212 NEEDED TO HAPPEN TO GET SOME ANSWERS. 371 00:18:32,212 --> 00:18:35,248 >> WESLEY REALLY DID GO AFTER COREY. 372 00:18:35,248 --> 00:18:38,952 HE POSTED HIMSELF UP ACROSS THE STREET FROM COREY'S HOUSE. 373 00:18:38,952 --> 00:18:43,156 AND HE GOT AN AIR HORN AND HE WAS BLOWING THE AIR HORN 374 00:18:43,156 --> 00:18:45,825 REPEATEDLY THROUGHOUT THE NIGHT. >> Reporter: WESLEY EVEN SENT 375 00:18:45,825 --> 00:18:47,927 COREY A PIZZA WITH A MESSAGE ON THE BOX. 376 00:18:47,927 --> 00:18:50,063 >> I SAID, "I KNOW WHAT YOU DID. 377 00:18:50,063 --> 00:18:52,132 THAT WAS IT. JUST BIG BLACK LETTERS 378 00:18:52,132 --> 00:18:55,402 "I KNOW WHAT YOU DID." AND I SAID, "HEY, GO DELIVER 379 00:18:55,402 --> 00:18:57,070 THAT TO THEIR HOUSE. >> Reporter: TO SOME IN THE 380 00:18:57,070 --> 00:18:59,639 COMMUNITY, WESLEY'S VIGILANTE BEHAVIOR CROSSED A LINE. 381 00:18:59,639 --> 00:19:02,275 TO OTHERS, IT WAS UNDERSTANDABLE 382 00:19:02,275 --> 00:19:07,580 >> I THINK PEOPLE GAVE HIM A PASS FOR THAT BEHAVIOR BECAUSE 383 00:19:07,580 --> 00:19:11,851 OF THE SITUATION I THINK PEOPLE RELATED TO HIM AS 384 00:19:11,851 --> 00:19:16,056 A DAD, A FATHER IN PAIN WHO WANTS TO KNOW WHAT HAPPENED. 385 00:19:16,056 --> 00:19:19,259 >> Reporter: DESPITE WESLEY'S INSISTANCE THAT POLICE LOOK NO 386 00:19:19,259 --> 00:19:21,928 FURTHER THAN COREY FRENCH, DETECTIVE BENJAMIN EXPANDED HIS 387 00:19:21,928 --> 00:19:25,098 FOCUS. HE NOW SET HIS SITES ON YET A 388 00:19:25,098 --> 00:19:27,734 THIRD PERSON AJ'S FIRST STEPFATHER 389 00:19:27,734 --> 00:19:31,438 ZACH HOFFER. >> WE REALLY, REALLY LOOKED 390 00:19:31,438 --> 00:19:35,175 CAREFULLY AT HIM >>> COMING UP -- 391 00:19:35,175 --> 00:19:38,378 >> Reporter: WAS YOUR GUT TELLIN' YOU WE'RE GONNA FIND 392 00:19:38,378 --> 00:19:42,082 THIS PERSON IN HER INNER CIRCLE? >> WE FELT SO, BUT WESLEY WAS 393 00:19:42,082 --> 00:19:45,251 GROWING FRUSTRATED WITH THE PACE OF THE INVESTIGATION 394 00:19:45,251 --> 00:19:47,921 HE WAS ACCUSING US OF NOT LOOKING IN THE RIGHT PLACES, 395 00:19:47,921 --> 00:19:49,889 ESSENTIALLY NOT BEING AS COMMITTED TO THE CASE AS WE 396 00:19:49,889 --> 00:20:08,808 SHOULD BE. >> Reporter: THE SEARCH FOR 397 00:20:08,808 --> 00:20:10,910 AJ HADSELL WAS WELL INTO ITS SECOND WEEK. 398 00:20:10,910 --> 00:20:14,114 HER FATHER WAS NOW TELLING ANYONE WHO WOULD LISTEN THAT HE 399 00:20:14,114 --> 00:20:16,783 KNEW WHO WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR HER DISAPPEARANCE -- COREY FRENCH. 400 00:20:16,783 --> 00:20:20,487 WAS THE COMMUNITY REALLY ZEROING IN AS WELL ON COREY FRENCH 401 00:20:20,487 --> 00:20:23,123 >> AJ'S FRIENDS WERE AJ'S FAMILY WAS. 402 00:20:23,123 --> 00:20:26,793 HIS OWN FRIENDS STARTED TO SPY ON HIM 403 00:20:26,793 --> 00:20:28,895 >> Reporter: STILL NO ONE KNEW FOR SURE WHAT HAD HAPPENED TO 404 00:20:28,895 --> 00:20:32,699 AJ THERE MUST HAVE BEEN SUCH 405 00:20:32,699 --> 00:20:35,935 FRUSTRATION FROM THE FAMILY AND FRIENDS AS EACH DAY GOES BY AND 406 00:20:35,935 --> 00:20:39,606 NO SIGHTING OF AJ. >> THEY WERE FRUSTRATED BUT 407 00:20:39,606 --> 00:20:41,207 DETERMINED THEY WERE GONNA DO THEIR OWN WORK ASIDE FROM 408 00:20:41,207 --> 00:20:44,911 POLICE THEY WERE GONNA ORGANIZE THEIR 409 00:20:44,911 --> 00:20:47,781 OWN SEARCHES >> Reporter: LIKE THIS ONE THIS 410 00:20:47,781 --> 00:20:50,216 FOR AJ'S PHONE WESLEY SAID HE GOT A TIP THAT IT 411 00:20:50,216 --> 00:20:52,318 WAS IN THIS FIELD. SO HE RALLIED THE TROOPS TO 412 00:20:52,318 --> 00:20:54,988 SEARCH FOR IT. BUT THEY FOUND NOTHING 413 00:20:54,988 --> 00:20:56,589 YOU WERE TAKING CHARGE OF SEARCHING, REACHING OUT TO 414 00:20:56,589 --> 00:20:58,858 PEOPLE >> I WAS REACHING OUT. 415 00:20:58,858 --> 00:21:00,293 IF I KNEW SOMETHING, I HEARD SOMETHING, I REACHED OUT TO 416 00:21:00,293 --> 00:21:01,928 PEOPLE >> Reporter: HOW DID YOU FEEL 417 00:21:01,928 --> 00:21:04,064 ABOUT HOW THE POLICE WERE HANDLING THIS? 418 00:21:04,064 --> 00:21:06,666 >> I -- I HAD NO FEELINGS OTHER THAN HELPLESSNESS. 419 00:21:06,666 --> 00:21:09,302 THEY WEREN'T TELLING US ANYTHING 420 00:21:09,302 --> 00:21:11,971 >> HE WAS BECOMING QUITE FRUSTRATED WITH US 421 00:21:11,971 --> 00:21:15,141 HE WAS ACCUSING US OF NOT LOOKING IN THE RIGHT PLACES, 422 00:21:15,141 --> 00:21:18,345 ESSENTIALLY NOT BEING AS COMMITTED TO THE CASE AS WE 423 00:21:18,345 --> 00:21:20,980 SHOULD BE. >> Reporter: DETECTIVE BENJAMIN 424 00:21:20,980 --> 00:21:24,184 IGNORED WESLEY'S COMPLAINTS AND CONTINUED TO FOCUS ON THOSE 425 00:21:24,184 --> 00:21:26,820 CLOSEST TO AJ. WAS -- WAS YOUR GUT TELLIN' YOU 426 00:21:26,820 --> 00:21:30,523 ANYTHING, LIKE, "I FEEL LIKE WE'RE GONNA FIND THIS PERSON IN 427 00:21:30,523 --> 00:21:33,193 HER INNER CIRCLE"? >> WE FELT SO BECAUSE SHE HAD A 428 00:21:33,193 --> 00:21:35,829 VERY KIND OF DEFINED GROUP OF FOLKS THAT SHE STUCK WITH. 429 00:21:35,829 --> 00:21:39,866 >> Reporter: NEXT ON INVESTIGATORS' LIST OF SUSPECTS 430 00:21:39,866 --> 00:21:42,769 WAS ZACH HOFFER, AJ'S FIRST STEPDAD. 431 00:21:42,769 --> 00:21:47,507 THEY LEARNED ZACH'S RELATIONSHIP WITH AJ HAD BECOME STRAINED. 432 00:21:47,507 --> 00:21:50,677 IT WAS A RELATIONSHIP THAT BEGAN WHEN SHE WAS A TODDLER 433 00:21:50,677 --> 00:21:53,813 >> SHE ULTIMATELY STARTED CALLIN' ME DADDY WHEN SHE WAS, 434 00:21:53,813 --> 00:21:56,549 LIKE, PROBABLY 2 OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT. 435 00:21:56,549 --> 00:21:59,686 AND I BECAME DADDY SO SHE BECAME MY CHILD 436 00:21:59,686 --> 00:22:02,856 I MEAN, IT WAS JUST THAT SIMPLE. >> Reporter: SOON AFTER 437 00:22:02,856 --> 00:22:05,058 MARRYING, AJ'S MOM AND ZACH HAD TWO DAUGHTERS OF THEIR OWN 438 00:22:05,058 --> 00:22:07,127 >> ANJELICA WAS AN AMAZING BIG SISTER 439 00:22:07,127 --> 00:22:08,795 THEY WERE MY LIFE, MY THREE DAUGHTERS, MY THREE CUBS, AS I 440 00:22:08,795 --> 00:22:12,399 CALLED 'EM YOU KNOW 441 00:22:12,399 --> 00:22:16,136 >> Reporter: WHEN AJ WAS 8 YEARS OLD, THINGS BETWEEN ZACH AND 442 00:22:16,136 --> 00:22:19,873 AJ'S MOM STARTED TO FALL APART >> AT THE SAME TIME, THE 443 00:22:19,873 --> 00:22:24,110 RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN AJ AND ZACH ALSO STARTED TO FALL APART 444 00:22:24,110 --> 00:22:26,746 A DIVORCE HAPPENED THERE WAS A LOT OF STRIFE 445 00:22:26,746 --> 00:22:28,882 BETWEEN THE FAMILY >> Reporter: THEN WESLEY CAME 446 00:22:28,882 --> 00:22:32,085 ALONG. EVEN THOUGH ZACH WASN'T THE 447 00:22:32,085 --> 00:22:35,755 BIOLOGICAL DAD, HE FOUGHT FOR CUSTODY OF AJ AND LOST 448 00:22:35,755 --> 00:22:41,594 >> ZACH WAS FEELING MARGINALIZED FROM THE FAMILY, HIS GIRLS, AND 449 00:22:41,594 --> 00:22:43,730 FROM ANGELICA. >> Reporter: IT MUST'VE STUNG 450 00:22:43,730 --> 00:22:45,765 WHEN WESLEY ADOPTED AJ NOW HE'S OFFICIALLY HER DAD. 451 00:22:45,765 --> 00:22:47,967 >> YES SHE WAS ANJELICA HOFFER HER 452 00:22:47,967 --> 00:22:49,502 WHOLE LIFE BEFORE THAT THAT'S WHAT EVERYBODY KNEW HER 453 00:22:49,502 --> 00:22:52,172 AS I WAS ANGRY AND HURT 454 00:22:52,172 --> 00:22:55,375 SO I FELT LIKE IT WAS A STAB IN THE HEART. 455 00:22:55,375 --> 00:22:58,578 >> Reporter: DETECTIVE BENJAMIN WONDERED -- COULD ZACH HAVE FELT 456 00:22:58,578 --> 00:23:01,214 BETRAYED, LEADING HIM TO ULTIMATELY HARM AJ 457 00:23:01,214 --> 00:23:03,316 DID YOU BRING ZACH IN MULTIPLE TIMES -- 458 00:23:03,316 --> 00:23:07,587 >> MULTIPLE INTERVIEWS SOME VERY LENGTHY ONES 459 00:23:07,587 --> 00:23:09,689 SOME VERY, UM -- SOME ACCUSATORY 460 00:23:09,689 --> 00:23:15,061 >> Reporter: HOW WAS ZACH ACTING AS YOU'RE INTERVIEWING HIM 461 00:23:15,061 --> 00:23:17,130 >> HE SEEMED TO BE OVERLY INTERESTED IN THE PROGRESSION OF 462 00:23:17,130 --> 00:23:19,799 THE CASE >> Reporter: BUT THE HARDER THEY 463 00:23:19,799 --> 00:23:22,402 LOOKED, THE LESS SUSPICIOUS HE SEEMED 464 00:23:22,402 --> 00:23:25,071 THEY DETERMINED HE WAS NOWHERE NEAR AJ AT THE TIME SHE WENT 465 00:23:25,071 --> 00:23:28,241 MISSING. STILL, AS IT WAS WITH ALMOST 466 00:23:28,241 --> 00:23:31,945 EVERYONE HE LOOKED AT, BENJAMIN WASN'T YET WILLING TO CLEAR 467 00:23:31,945 --> 00:23:34,080 ZACH >> HE WAS NOT PUT ON A BACK 468 00:23:34,080 --> 00:23:36,316 BURNER HE WAS ALWAYS KINDA RIGHT THERE. 469 00:23:36,316 --> 00:23:38,318 >> Reporter: HE WAS ON THE BURNER 470 00:23:38,318 --> 00:23:40,987 >> YES >> Reporter: AS THE 471 00:23:40,987 --> 00:23:44,190 INVESTIGATION HEADED INTO ITS THIRD WEEK, BENJAMIN LEARNED 472 00:23:44,190 --> 00:23:48,428 WESLEY AND A FRIEND OF AJ'S MADE ANOTHER MAJOR DISCOVERY. 473 00:23:48,428 --> 00:23:51,664 WESLEY SAID A TIP LED THEM TO ARTICLES OF CLOTHING ALONG THE 474 00:23:51,664 --> 00:23:53,700 SIDE OF A ROAD TURNS OUT THEY WERE AJ'S 475 00:23:53,700 --> 00:23:56,836 BUT TO THE DETECTIVE, THERE WAS SOMETHING UNSETTLING ABOUT THE 476 00:23:56,836 --> 00:24:02,275 DISCOVERY. THE FRIEND WHO HELPED FIND THE 477 00:24:02,275 --> 00:24:05,412 CLOTHING WAS ANDRE BARR. >> SO ANDRE FINDS THE JACKET IN 478 00:24:05,412 --> 00:24:09,649 COREY FRENCH'S HOUSE, AND HE HAPPENS TO ALSO FIND THE NEXT 479 00:24:09,649 --> 00:24:14,187 LARGE PIECE OF EVIDENCE, WHICH IS ANJELICA'S CLOTHING STREWN 480 00:24:14,187 --> 00:24:15,522 ABOUT ON SOUTH BATTLEFIELD BLVD. ARE YOU STARTING TO THINK ANDRE 481 00:24:15,522 --> 00:24:18,158 MIGHT HAVE SOMETHING TO DO WITH IT 482 00:24:18,158 --> 00:24:21,327 >> IT JUST SEEMED VERY ODD THAT, YOU KNOW, TWO OF THE THREE MAJOR 483 00:24:21,327 --> 00:24:23,463 PIECES OF EVIDENCE SO FAR IN THIS CASE WAS FOUND BY 484 00:24:23,463 --> 00:24:25,865 ANDRE BARR >> Reporter: WOULD HE HAVE A 485 00:24:25,865 --> 00:24:29,302 POSSIBLE MOTIVE? HE'S IN HER INNER CIRCLE, TOO. 486 00:24:29,302 --> 00:24:30,770 >> HE IS IN HER CIRCLE >> Reporter: SO DID YOU BRING 487 00:24:30,770 --> 00:24:34,407 ANDRE IN FOR QUESTIONING >> WE DID. 488 00:24:34,407 --> 00:24:37,210 WELL, WE POINT OUT HOW NONE OF THIS MAKES SENSE 489 00:24:37,210 --> 00:24:42,082 >> HE FINALLY CRACKS THAT. >> THE STORY THAT HE GAVE US 490 00:24:42,082 --> 00:24:44,150 ABOUT HOW HE FOUND THE JACKET IN COREY FRENCH'S HOUSE WAS NOT HOW 491 00:24:44,150 --> 00:24:48,922 IT ACTUALLY HAPPENED >> Reporter: THE PLOT THICKENS 492 00:24:48,922 --> 00:24:52,125 >>> COMING UP -- WESLEY KEEPS POLICE BUSY WITH 493 00:24:52,125 --> 00:24:55,295 TIPS >> WE DID COME TO BELIEVE THAT 494 00:24:55,295 --> 00:24:58,998 HE WAS INSERTING HIMSELF TOO MUCH IN THE INVESTIGATION. 495 00:24:58,998 --> 00:25:01,668 >> AND A GRAY DAY AT AN ABANDONED HOUSE. 496 00:25:01,668 --> 00:25:04,304 >> LITTLE FURNITURE, IF ANY. OVERGROWN. 497 00:25:04,304 --> 00:25:06,506 >> IT HAD A VERY CREEPY FEEL TO IT 498 00:25:06,506 --> 00:25:24,224 >> WHEN "DATELINE" CONTINUES >> Reporter: ANDRE BARR WAS NOW 499 00:25:24,224 --> 00:25:27,327 THE LATEST PERSON ON DETECTIVE BENJAMIN'S RADAR 500 00:25:27,327 --> 00:25:31,131 ANDRE HAD HELPED FIND NOT ONE BUT TWO KEY PIECES OF EVIDENCE 501 00:25:31,131 --> 00:25:34,834 FIRST, AJ'S JACKET, AND NOW MORE PIECES OF AJ'S CLOTHING. 502 00:25:34,834 --> 00:25:38,338 >> WE'RE NOT SURE WHAT DYNAMICS ARE PLAYING OUT AT THIS POINT. 503 00:25:38,338 --> 00:25:41,708 BUT WE DO THINK IT'S ODD THAT HE WAS INVOLVED IN -- IN THE 504 00:25:41,708 --> 00:25:44,911 FINDING OF BOTH OF THESE PIECES OF EVIDENCE. 505 00:25:44,911 --> 00:25:47,080 >> Reporter: SO DETECTIVE BENJAMIN SAT ANDRE DOWN FOR AN 506 00:25:47,080 --> 00:25:49,149 INTENSIVE GRILLING >> THEY WERE JUST ASKING 507 00:25:49,149 --> 00:25:51,284 QUESTIONS NONSTOP. >> Reporter: DID YOU ASK ANDRE, 508 00:25:51,284 --> 00:25:53,720 "DID YOU HAVE ANYTHING TO DO WITH AJ'S DISAPPEARANCE? 509 00:25:53,720 --> 00:25:55,522 >> OH, OF COURSE HE DENIED, OBVIOUSLY, ANYTHING 510 00:25:55,522 --> 00:25:58,658 LIKE THAT. HE WAS SHOCKED WE WERE EVEN 511 00:25:58,658 --> 00:26:01,428 GOING DOWN THAT PATHWAY. >> Reporter: THAT'S WHEN ANDRE 512 00:26:01,428 --> 00:26:04,531 REVEALED SOMETHING STARTLING ABOUT HOW HE FOUND AJ'S JACKET 513 00:26:04,531 --> 00:26:07,200 AT COREY'S HOUSE WESLEY HAD TOLD HIM WHERE TO 514 00:26:07,200 --> 00:26:09,836 LOOK FOR IT. HOW DID WESLEY KNOW WHERE IT 515 00:26:09,836 --> 00:26:14,240 WAS? >> ANDRE TELLS US THAT 516 00:26:14,240 --> 00:26:18,311 WESLEY HADSELL APPROACHES HIM AND SAYS THAT HE BROKE INTO 517 00:26:18,311 --> 00:26:21,481 COREY FRENCH'S HOUSE IN AN ATTEMPT TO LOOK FOR AJ AND TO 518 00:26:21,481 --> 00:26:24,150 LOOK FOR ANY EVIDENCE 'CAUSE HE SO STRONGLY SUSPECTED 519 00:26:24,150 --> 00:26:30,523 COREY FRENCH OF BEING INVOLVED AND THAT WHILE HE WAS IN THE 520 00:26:30,523 --> 00:26:33,760 HOUSE, HE FOUND AJ'S JACKET. >> Reporter: WESLEY SAID HE 521 00:26:33,760 --> 00:26:35,829 DIDN'T TELL POLICE ABOUT HIS DISCOVERY BECAUSE HE FEARED THEY 522 00:26:35,829 --> 00:26:39,532 WOULD ARREST HIM FOR BREAKING AND ENTERING 523 00:26:39,532 --> 00:26:44,304 >> HE SAYS TO C -- TO ANDRE, "I WANT YOU TO GET INTO COREY 524 00:26:44,304 --> 00:26:47,974 FRENCH'S HOUSE, USE SOME KIND OF RUSE, AND FIND THE JACKET AND 525 00:26:47,974 --> 00:26:50,110 THEN REPORT IT TO THE POLICE." >> Reporter: HE WANTS TO MAKE IT 526 00:26:50,110 --> 00:26:51,711 LOOK LIKE YOU FOUND IT >> YEAH. 527 00:26:51,711 --> 00:26:53,279 >> Reporter: AND HE WANTS TO KEEP THAT STORY ALIVE. 528 00:26:53,279 --> 00:26:54,848 >> RIGHT >> Reporter: THIS IS A CRAZY 529 00:26:54,848 --> 00:26:56,983 STORY. >> IT IS A CRAZY STORY 530 00:26:56,983 --> 00:27:00,754 >> Reporter: TO BENJAMIN IT ALSO MADE A LOT OF SENSE. 531 00:27:00,754 --> 00:27:04,024 EARLY ON IN THE INVESTIGATION, HE LEARNED THERE WAS MORE IN 532 00:27:04,024 --> 00:27:07,127 WESLEY'S CHECKERED PAST THAN JUST DRUG ABUSE. 533 00:27:07,127 --> 00:27:10,830 WESLEY HAD AN EXTENSIVE CRIMINAL RECORD THAT INCLUDED, WHAT ELSE? 534 00:27:10,830 --> 00:27:13,733 BREAKING AND ENTERING. >> HE HAD A FAIRLY LENGTHY 535 00:27:13,733 --> 00:27:16,603 CRIMINAL PAST, STARTING FROM WHEN HE WAS A JUVENILE 536 00:27:16,603 --> 00:27:18,705 HE HAD ROBBED A BANK AT ONE POINT. 537 00:27:18,705 --> 00:27:22,542 HE HAD BURGLARIZED SEVERAL BUSINESSES 538 00:27:22,542 --> 00:27:24,644 >> Reporter: BUT IT WASN'T JUST WESLEY'S PAST THAT RAISED A 539 00:27:24,644 --> 00:27:27,447 FLAG BENJAMIN SAID HE'D BEEN ACTING 540 00:27:27,447 --> 00:27:32,185 STRANGE EVER SINCE THE INVESTIGATION STARTED. 541 00:27:32,185 --> 00:27:35,789 >> HE WAS CONSTANTLY RECEIVING TIPS THAT WOULD REQUIRE US TO 542 00:27:35,789 --> 00:27:38,458 FOLLOW UP, FINDING EVIDENCE. >> Reporter: ISN'T THAT 543 00:27:38,458 --> 00:27:41,294 SOMETHING A DAD WOULD OR SHOULD DO IF THEIR DAUGHTER WAS 544 00:27:41,294 --> 00:27:46,366 MISSING? >> YES, TO AN EXTENT 545 00:27:46,366 --> 00:27:51,137 BUT WE DID COME TO BELIEVE THAT HE WAS INSERTING HIMSELF TOO 546 00:27:51,137 --> 00:27:53,206 MUCH IN THE INVESTIGATION WHICH IS A RED FLAG FOR US, AS IF HE 547 00:27:53,206 --> 00:27:57,444 WANTS TO KNOW WHAT WE'RE DOING, WHAT WE KNOW 548 00:27:57,444 --> 00:28:00,146 >> Reporter: EVEN MORE TROUBLING, INVESTIGATORS 549 00:28:00,146 --> 00:28:04,417 COULDN'T VERIFY WESLEY'S ACCOUNT OF WHERE HE LAST SAW AJ. 550 00:28:04,417 --> 00:28:07,053 >> HE WAS INSISTENT THAT HE MET HER AT A GAS STATION OFF OF 551 00:28:07,053 --> 00:28:11,825 TIDEWATER DRIVE. WHAT HE DIDN'T KNOW, WAS THAT WE 552 00:28:11,825 --> 00:28:17,163 HAD OBTAINED THE SURVEILLANCE VIDEO FROM THE GAS STATION FOR 553 00:28:17,163 --> 00:28:21,401 SEVERAL HOURS PRIOR TO THE TIME THAT HE SAYS HE MET HER TO 554 00:28:21,401 --> 00:28:23,536 SEVERAL HOURS AFTER THE TIME THAT HE SAYS HE LEFT HER THERE 555 00:28:23,536 --> 00:28:25,138 >> Reporter: WAS HE ON THAT VIDEO WITH AJ? 556 00:28:25,138 --> 00:28:26,706 >> HE WAS NOT ON THEIR VIDEO AT ALL. 557 00:28:26,706 --> 00:28:28,308 >> Reporter: WAS -- WASN'T EVEN AT THE GAS STATION 558 00:28:28,308 --> 00:28:29,843 >> WASN'T EVEN AT THE GAS STATION. 559 00:28:29,843 --> 00:28:32,712 >> Reporter: SO THE STORY TOTALLY ISN'T ADDING UP. 560 00:28:32,712 --> 00:28:33,646 >> NOT AT ALL. THAT DIDN'T SIT RIGHT WITH US 561 00:28:33,646 --> 00:28:36,249 AND WAS POINTING TOWARDS HIM AS A SUSPECT. 562 00:28:36,249 --> 00:28:39,419 >> Reporter: IT WAS HARD TO BELIEVE. 563 00:28:39,419 --> 00:28:48,828 AFTER WEEKS OF TALKING TO NUMEROUS PEOPLE INSIDE AJ'S 564 00:28:48,828 --> 00:28:52,565 CIRCLE, IT WAS AJ'S ADOPTIVE FATHER, THE PERSON ADAMANT ABOUT 565 00:28:52,565 --> 00:28:53,800 FINDING HER, WHO HAD NOW BECOME BENJAMIN'S NUMBER ONE SUSPECT. 566 00:28:53,800 --> 00:28:55,935 THE DETECTIVE DIDN'T HAVE ENOUGH TO ACCUSE HIM OF ABDUCTING AJ. 567 00:28:55,935 --> 00:28:58,605 BUT HE DID HAVE ENOUGH TO ARREST WESLEY FOR BREAKING INTO COREY'S 568 00:28:58,605 --> 00:29:01,775 HOUSE. >> WE THOUGHT WE HAD ENOUGH AT 569 00:29:01,775 --> 00:29:10,483 LEAST FOR A BURGLARY CHARGE. >> Reporter: THE ARREST STUNNED 570 00:29:10,483 --> 00:29:17,624 THE NORFOLK COMMUNITY. >> THE MISSING GIRL'S FATHER WAS 571 00:29:17,624 --> 00:29:20,827 ARRESTED BY NORFOLK POLICE OVERNIGHT. 572 00:29:20,827 --> 00:29:23,596 >> Reporter: TONI COLVIN IS A SOUTH HAMPTO 573 00:29:23,596 --> 00:29:25,198 COUNTY COMMONWEALTH ASSISTANT ATTORNEY 574 00:29:25,198 --> 00:29:27,300 >> WHEN AJ WENT MISSING, I WAS AWARE. 575 00:29:27,300 --> 00:29:29,436 I REMEMBER SEEING THE SEARCHES AND THEN STARTED TO SEE WHAT WAS 576 00:29:29,436 --> 00:29:31,037 GOING ON WITH MR. HADSELL, WHEN HE GOT ARRESTED FOR THAT 577 00:29:31,037 --> 00:29:33,707 BURGLARY CHARGE. >> Reporter: WESLEY'S ARREST 578 00:29:33,707 --> 00:29:35,375 GAVE THEM PROBABLE CAUSE TO SEARCH HIS PROPERTY, STARTING 579 00:29:35,375 --> 00:29:36,810 WITH HIS HOTEL ROOM. >> WE FOUND AMMUNITION 580 00:29:36,810 --> 00:29:39,045 NOW, HE'S A CONVICTED FELON. HE'S NOT SUPPOSED TO HAVE 581 00:29:39,045 --> 00:29:41,114 AMMUNITION AND IT WAS HIDDEN IN A VENT IN 582 00:29:41,114 --> 00:29:43,783 HIS HOTEL ROOM >> Reporter: BENJAMIN THEN MOVED 583 00:29:43,783 --> 00:29:48,822 ON TO WESLEY'S WORK VAN. >> INSIDE HIS WORK VAN, WE SEE A 584 00:29:48,822 --> 00:29:52,225 GARMIN GPS DEVICE THAT'S IN THE DASH OF THE VEHICLE. 585 00:29:52,225 --> 00:29:55,428 >> Reporter: INVESTIGATORS PAINSTAKINGLY ANALYZED THE DATA 586 00:29:55,428 --> 00:29:59,165 FROM THAT DEVICE, FOCUSING ON THE SEVERAL DAYS BEFORE AND 587 00:29:59,165 --> 00:30:01,801 AFTER AJ WENT MISSING. >> HE TURNS ON HIS GPS AND HE 588 00:30:01,801 --> 00:30:03,937 GOES TO SOME LOCATION IN SUFFOLK. 589 00:30:03,937 --> 00:30:07,640 AND THEN HE JUST KEEPS THE GPS ON 590 00:30:07,640 --> 00:30:11,911 >> AND WE GOT THIS WONDERFUL TRACK OF EVERY PLACE THAT THAT 591 00:30:11,911 --> 00:30:14,547 GPS UNIT HAD BEEN. IT'S PINGING OFF THE SATELLITE 592 00:30:14,547 --> 00:30:17,217 AND LEAVING BREAD CRUMBS VERY CLOSE TOGETHER 593 00:30:17,217 --> 00:30:20,387 >> Reporter: MOST OF WESLEY'S MOVEMENTS DURING THAT PERIOD OF 594 00:30:20,387 --> 00:30:23,023 TIME COULD BE EXPLAINED. BUT THERE WAS ONE UNUSUAL DETOUR 595 00:30:23,023 --> 00:30:26,760 WESLEY TOOK THAT SEEMED VERY SUSPICIOUS 596 00:30:26,760 --> 00:30:29,362 IT LED INVESTIGATERS TO THIS ABANDONED HOUSE IN A REMOTE, 597 00:30:29,362 --> 00:30:31,498 RURAL AREA ABOUT AN HOUR WEST OF NORFOLK. 598 00:30:31,498 --> 00:30:34,701 >> IT WAS VERY MUCH AN ABANDONED LOOKING HOME 599 00:30:34,701 --> 00:30:37,337 LITTLE FURNITURE, IF ANY OVERGROWN. 600 00:30:37,337 --> 00:30:38,905 >> Reporter: THAT DOESN'T SOUND GOOD 601 00:30:38,905 --> 00:30:41,574 >> IT DIDN'T SOUND GOOD AND IT DIDN'T MAKE A LOTTA SENSE. 602 00:30:41,574 --> 00:30:45,345 >> Reporter: THE DETECTIVE IMMEDIATELY GATHERED HIS TEAM 603 00:30:45,345 --> 00:30:48,982 AND RACED OUT TO THE LOCATION. >> IT WAS M -- GRAY AND MISTY 604 00:30:48,982 --> 00:30:55,221 OUT. IT HAD A VERY CREEPY FEEL TO IT. 605 00:30:55,221 --> 00:30:58,525 >> Reporter: AS INVESTIGATORS SLOWLY WALKED THE PROPERTY 606 00:30:58,525 --> 00:31:00,060 BENJAMIN MADE HIS WAY TO AN AREA IN THE BACK. 607 00:31:00,060 --> 00:31:02,729 >> AND I'M LOOKING AT THIS LITTLE WATERWAY. 608 00:31:02,729 --> 00:31:08,101 IT'S LIKE A DRAINAGE DITCH AND SOMEBODY HAD PLACED A -- A SHEET 609 00:31:08,101 --> 00:31:12,339 OF PLYWOOD TO BRIDGE THIS LITTLE WATERWAY, SO, I -- I PUT MY 610 00:31:12,339 --> 00:31:16,242 RIGHT TOE UNDERNEATH THE PIECE OF WOOD AND I PULLED UP ON IT 611 00:31:16,242 --> 00:31:19,746 AND KIND OF LEANED OVER AND LOOKED UNDERNEATH IT 612 00:31:19,746 --> 00:31:22,248 >> Reporter: IT WAS THERE DETECTIVE BENJAMIN FOUND AJ. 613 00:31:22,248 --> 00:31:23,983 IT HAD BEEN FIVE WEEKS SINCE SHE DISAPPEARED. 614 00:31:23,983 --> 00:31:27,187 SHE WAS LYING FACE DOWN IN THE WATER, HER BODY BADLY 615 00:31:27,187 --> 00:31:31,391 DECOMPOSED >> THERE WERE SOME TELLTALE 616 00:31:31,391 --> 00:31:35,662 SIGNS THAT WERE VERY DISTURBING. HER PANTS HAD OBVIOUSLY BEEN 617 00:31:35,662 --> 00:31:39,666 PULLED DOWN, SO WHAT THIS IS SAYING TO US IS THAT SHE HAD 618 00:31:39,666 --> 00:31:42,102 BEEN SEXUALLY ASSAULTED. IT KIND OF ALL CAME CRASHING 619 00:31:42,102 --> 00:31:44,704 DOWN AT THAT MOMENT FOR US WE WERE ALWAYS HOLDING OUT HOPE 620 00:31:44,704 --> 00:31:46,840 THAT SHE WAS ALIVE AND NOW IT HAD JUST -- THE 621 00:31:46,840 --> 00:31:49,609 REALITY OF IT, HERE SHE WAS IN A DITCH. 622 00:31:49,609 --> 00:31:53,179 >> Reporter: NEWS QUICKLY SPREAD THAT THAT AJ HAD BEEN FOUND. 623 00:31:53,179 --> 00:31:56,883 SUCH A SAD ENDING. THE COMMUNITY MUST HAVE JUST 624 00:31:56,883 --> 00:32:00,053 BEEN IN A STATE OF SHOCK >> HEARTBREAKING, BUT ALSO A 625 00:32:00,053 --> 00:32:04,858 SENSE OF -- NOW THERE ARE SOME ANSWERS. 626 00:32:04,858 --> 00:32:07,494 >> Reporter: WITH THE DISCOVERY OF AJ'S BODY IN HER COUNTY, 627 00:32:07,494 --> 00:32:10,163 TONI COLVIN WOULD PROSECUTE THE CASE 628 00:32:10,163 --> 00:32:14,401 >> ANY TIME YOU HAVE A CIRCUMSTANTIAL CASE YOU ALWAYS 629 00:32:14,401 --> 00:32:18,138 ARE CONCERNED THAT YOU CAN PAINT AN ADEQUATE PICTURE FOR THE JURY 630 00:32:18,138 --> 00:32:22,909 TO UNDERSTAND WHAT HAPPENED, AND THAT THEY CAN PUT ALL OF THOSE 631 00:32:22,909 --> 00:32:24,978 PIECES TOGETHER. >>> COMING UP -- 632 00:32:24,978 --> 00:32:30,817 >> Reporter: THERE ARE PEOPLE WHO THINK YOU'RE A MONSTER 633 00:32:30,817 --> 00:32:32,919 >> WELL, PEOPLE HAVE OPINIONS. I NEVER DID ANYTHING WRONG TO 634 00:32:32,919 --> 00:32:35,355 THAT KID >> WHAT WILL THE JURY'S 635 00:32:35,355 --> 00:32:37,290 >> WHAT WILL THE JURY'S "OPINION" BE 636 00:32:37,424 --> 00:32:55,241 >> Reporter: THE SEARCH FOR AJ LASTED MORE THAN FIVE WEEKS. 637 00:32:55,241 --> 00:32:58,411 MULTIPLE POLICE AGENCIES HAD ANSWERED THE CALL. 638 00:32:58,411 --> 00:33:01,047 AS DID AN ENTIRE COMMUNITY NOW IT WAS OVER WITH THE 639 00:33:01,047 --> 00:33:05,318 DISCOVERY OF AJ'S BODY BEHIND AN ABANDONED HOME 640 00:33:05,318 --> 00:33:09,622 >> THAT'S WHEN I JUST LOST IT. AND IN THAT MOMENT, I FELT LIKE 641 00:33:09,622 --> 00:33:11,658 I JUST KINDA DIED. >> I COULDN'T BELIEVE WHAT HAD 642 00:33:11,658 --> 00:33:16,429 HAPPENED I COULDN'T BELIEVE THAT -- THAT 643 00:33:16,429 --> 00:33:20,533 SHE WAS NOW GONE >> Reporter: PROSECUTOR COLVIN 644 00:33:20,533 --> 00:33:23,870 AND DETECTIVE BENJAMIN BEGAN BUILDING THEIR CASE AGAINST AJ'S 645 00:33:23,870 --> 00:33:26,506 FATHER WESLEY HADSELL. >> ARE YOU CONVINCED IN THIS 646 00:33:26,506 --> 00:33:29,709 MOMENT THAT WESLEY DID THIS? >> YES 647 00:33:29,709 --> 00:33:33,413 HIS GPS LED US TO HER BODY THERE IS NO GETTING AROUND IT 648 00:33:33,413 --> 00:33:36,516 WHATSOEVER >> Reporter: SO THEY WENT BACK 649 00:33:36,516 --> 00:33:39,786 TO THE BEGINNING TO THE MORNING AJ WENT MISSING 650 00:33:39,786 --> 00:33:43,490 >> Reporter: ON A HUNCH, THE DETECTIVE HAD HIS INVESTIGATORS 651 00:33:43,490 --> 00:33:45,592 COMB THROUGH HOURS OF FOOTAGE FROM A 7/11 SECURITY CAMERA THAT 652 00:33:45,592 --> 00:33:48,762 CAPTURED TRAFFIC NEAR THE HADSELL RESIDENCE. 653 00:33:48,762 --> 00:33:53,533 THE TEDIOUS WORK PAID OFF WHEN THEY SPOTTED WESLEY DRIVING TO 654 00:33:53,533 --> 00:33:57,270 THE HOUSE AROUND NOON. >> WE WERE ABLE TO DETERMINE 655 00:33:57,270 --> 00:34:00,473 THAT WESLEY HADSELL LEFT HIS WORK, WENT TO THE RESIDENCE 656 00:34:00,473 --> 00:34:03,076 KNOWING THAT ANJELICA WAS GOING TO BE HOME ALONE, AND THAT 657 00:34:03,076 --> 00:34:05,745 SOMETHING HAPPENED WHEN HE WAS THERE. 658 00:34:05,745 --> 00:34:08,948 >> SO, OUR THEORY IS THAT'S WHEN HE ABDUCTED HER. 659 00:34:08,948 --> 00:34:11,084 WE BELIEVE THAT HE FORCED HER TO WRITE THAT NOTE. 660 00:34:11,084 --> 00:34:14,254 THE NOTE WAS OUT OF CHARACTER FOR AJ 661 00:34:14,254 --> 00:34:16,890 >> Reporter: INVESTIGATORS THEN SAW HIM ON THAT SAME SECURITY 662 00:34:16,890 --> 00:34:20,627 FOOTAGE DRIVING HIS VAN AWAY FROM THE HOUSE AT 1:27PM 663 00:34:20,627 --> 00:34:23,797 >> ARE YOU THINKING SHE'S IN THAT VAN 664 00:34:23,797 --> 00:34:26,933 >> AT THAT POINT, MOST LIKELY BECAUSE W -- THERE WOULD HAVE 665 00:34:26,933 --> 00:34:30,170 BEEN NO OTHER PLACE TO HIDE HER. >> Reporter: ALTHOUGH THEY CAN'T 666 00:34:30,170 --> 00:34:33,873 SAY EXACTLY WHEN OR WHERE IT HAPPENED, BENJAMIN BELIEVES AT 667 00:34:33,873 --> 00:34:38,445 SOME POINT OVER THE NEXT SEVERAL HOURS, WESLEY KILLED AJ. 668 00:34:38,445 --> 00:34:41,314 >> AND, THEN HE DROVE HER OUT TO AN ABANDONED HOUSE, TOOK HER 669 00:34:41,314 --> 00:34:43,950 BEHIND THE HOUSE AND DUMPED HER, FACE DOWN IN A DITCH 670 00:34:43,950 --> 00:34:46,086 >> AND THEN WENT AND JOINED THE FAMILY 671 00:34:46,086 --> 00:34:48,221 >> AND ACTED LIKE NOTHING HAPPENED 672 00:34:48,221 --> 00:34:51,458 THAT HE HAD NO INVOLVEMENT IN IT 673 00:34:51,458 --> 00:34:54,094 >> NOT ONLY THAT, ACTED AS A VERY CONCERNED FATHER. 674 00:34:54,094 --> 00:34:56,162 >> CORRECT >> Reporter: THAT'S WHEN THEY 675 00:34:56,162 --> 00:34:58,765 SAY WESLEY STARTED COVERING HIS TRACKS 676 00:34:58,765 --> 00:35:03,069 HE SENT THOSE CRYPTIC TEXT MESSAGES FROM AJ'S PHONE 677 00:35:03,069 --> 00:35:05,205 HE ALSO BEGAN PLANTING EVIDENCE. FIRST, PIECES OF AJ'S CREDIT 678 00:35:05,205 --> 00:35:08,908 CARD THEN, HER JACKET 679 00:35:08,908 --> 00:35:11,911 >> YOU'RE NOW THINKING THAT WESLEY BROKE INTO COREY FRENCH'S 680 00:35:11,911 --> 00:35:14,547 HOUSE AND PLANTED AJ'S JACKET. >> THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT WE 681 00:35:14,547 --> 00:35:16,816 THOUGHT. >> IT'S LIKE OUT OF THE MOVIES, 682 00:35:16,816 --> 00:35:19,052 FRAMING SOMEBODY FOR MURDER. >> YEP 683 00:35:19,052 --> 00:35:23,523 COREY FRENCH WAS THE PERFECT PATSY FOR THIS 684 00:35:23,523 --> 00:35:24,457 HE HAD BEEN IN A RELATIONSHIP WITH ANGELICA. 685 00:35:24,457 --> 00:35:27,460 AND IT HAD ENDED AND HE OBVIOUSLY STILL HAD 686 00:35:27,460 --> 00:35:29,596 FEELINGS FOR HER >> YOU WERE FRAMED FOR MURDER. 687 00:35:29,596 --> 00:35:31,464 >> YEAH. I WAS. 688 00:35:31,464 --> 00:35:33,833 >> OR AT LEAST SOMEONE ATTEMPTED TO FRAME YOU FOR MURDER. 689 00:35:33,833 --> 00:35:37,070 >> YEAH. IT STILL AFFECTS ME TO THIS DAY. 690 00:35:37,070 --> 00:35:39,172 EVERY GOOD MOMENT I HAD GROWING UP IN NORFOLK, ANYTHING LIKE 691 00:35:39,172 --> 00:35:42,876 THAT ALL OF IT'S GONE 692 00:35:42,876 --> 00:35:46,579 IT BROKE ME DOWN TO -- TO ALMOST NOTHING. 693 00:35:46,579 --> 00:35:49,215 >> Reporter: COLVIN BELIEVES THAT OF ALL THE EVIDENCE AGAINST 694 00:35:49,215 --> 00:35:51,885 WESLEY, THE MOST DAMNING IS AJ'S CAUSE OF DEATH 695 00:35:51,885 --> 00:35:54,521 THE MEDICAL EXAMINER DETERMINED THAT SHE DIED OF HEROIN 696 00:35:54,521 --> 00:35:58,591 POISONING. >> SHE WAS NOT A DRUG USER 697 00:35:58,591 --> 00:36:01,561 THERE WAS NO EVIDENCE THAT SHOWED THAT SHE WOULD HAVE BEEN 698 00:36:01,561 --> 00:36:04,097 ABLE TO HAVE ACCESS TO HEROIN. THE ONLY EVIDENCE OF ANYBODY 699 00:36:04,097 --> 00:36:07,534 THAT HAD THAT ACCESS TO HEROIN IS THE DEFENDANT 700 00:36:07,534 --> 00:36:09,302 >> Reporter: POLICE LOCATED WESLEY'S DRUG DEALER 701 00:36:09,302 --> 00:36:12,472 HE TOLD THEM HE SOLD WESLEY HEROIN SOON AFTER AJ WENT 702 00:36:12,472 --> 00:36:14,708 MISSING. AND IN ANOTHER SEARCH OF 703 00:36:14,708 --> 00:36:17,844 WESLEY'S HOTEL ROOM, POLICE FOUND HEROIN HIDDEN IN THE 704 00:36:17,844 --> 00:36:25,752 CEILING. >> SO HE'S THE INDIVIDUAL THAT 705 00:36:25,752 --> 00:36:27,887 WAS ABLE TO OBTAIN HEROIN. HE DID OBTAIN HEROIN, AND THEN 706 00:36:27,887 --> 00:36:29,556 HE FORCED HER TO CONSUME IT. >> Reporter: BUT THE QUESTION 707 00:36:29,556 --> 00:36:31,691 REMAINED -- WHY? WHY WOULD THIS SEEMINGLY LOVING 708 00:36:31,691 --> 00:36:34,260 STEP-FATHER, WHO ULTIMATELY ADOPTED AJ, WANT TO KILL HER 709 00:36:34,260 --> 00:36:37,430 THE DETECTIVE HAD A THEORY >> I THINK HE HAD MAYBE AN 710 00:36:37,430 --> 00:36:40,600 UNHEALTHY ATTRACTION TO ANGELICA 711 00:36:40,600 --> 00:36:43,803 HE MIGHT HAVE TRIED SOMETHING. SHE MIGHT HAVE RESISTED. 712 00:36:43,803 --> 00:36:47,507 WITH HIS DRUGS, EVERYTHING UNRAVELING IN HIS LIFE, I THINK 713 00:36:47,507 --> 00:36:51,745 HE LOST CONTROL. >> Reporter: ALMOST SEVEN YEARS 714 00:36:51,745 --> 00:36:54,414 AFTER AJ DISAPPEARED, HER FATHER WESLEY HADSELL FACED A JURY OF 715 00:36:54,414 --> 00:36:56,549 HIS PEERS. >> Reporter: DEFENSE ATTORNEY 716 00:36:56,549 --> 00:36:59,719 JAMES ELLENSON KNEW HE HAD HIS WORK CUT OUT FOR HIM 717 00:36:59,719 --> 00:37:02,856 BUT HE ALSO BELIEVED THAT AS STRONG AS THE COMMONWEALTH'S 718 00:37:02,856 --> 00:37:07,160 CASE WAS, IT STILL COULDN'T PROVE HOW AND WHEN WESLEY 719 00:37:07,160 --> 00:37:13,033 POISONED AJ WITH THE HEROIN. >> I WOULD CHALLENGE ANYBODY AS 720 00:37:13,033 --> 00:37:14,567 TO HOW DID SHE ACTUALLY DIE. >> THERE'S NO SOLID EVIDENCE 721 00:37:14,567 --> 00:37:16,169 THAT - >> NO. 722 00:37:16,169 --> 00:37:17,837 I DON'T -- >> -- THAT PUTS HIM THERE WITH 723 00:37:17,837 --> 00:37:21,341 KILLING HER. >> I -- NO 724 00:37:21,341 --> 00:37:24,110 I DON'T SEE WHERE THERE WAS PROOF BEYOND A REASONABLE DOUBT. 725 00:37:24,110 --> 00:37:26,780 >> Reporter: ELLENSON ALSO POINTED OUT, THE COMMONWEALTH 726 00:37:26,780 --> 00:37:29,416 COULDN'T SAY FOR CERTAIN WHY WESLEY KILLED AJ 727 00:37:29,416 --> 00:37:31,518 >> WAS THERE ANY EVIDENCE TO SHOW THAT WESLEY WAS IN LOVE 728 00:37:31,518 --> 00:37:33,153 WITH AJ? THAT WESLEY WAS OBSESSED WITH 729 00:37:33,153 --> 00:37:36,856 AJ >> NOTHING 730 00:37:36,856 --> 00:37:40,060 ABSOLUTELY NOTHING THERE IS ABSOLUTELY NOT A SHRED 731 00:37:40,060 --> 00:37:42,162 OF EVIDENCE OF ANY OF THAT >> Reporter: AFTER 2 WEEKS OF 732 00:37:42,162 --> 00:37:49,836 TESTIMONY, JURORS LEFT THE COURTROOM TO DELIBERATE. 733 00:37:49,836 --> 00:37:51,838 THEY DIDN'T NEED MUCH TIME >> 40 MINUTES FOR AN ALMOS 734 00:37:51,838 --> 00:37:53,440 THREE-WEEK TRIAL TO COME TO A DECISION THAT QUICKLY IS NOT 735 00:37:53,440 --> 00:37:55,542 SOMETHING ANYBODY THOUGHT WAS GOING TO HAPPEN. 736 00:37:55,542 --> 00:37:59,245 >> WE THE JURY FIND THE DEFENDANT WESLEY HADSELL 737 00:37:59,245 --> 00:38:03,016 GUILTY - >> WERE YOU S -- JUST SO 738 00:38:03,016 --> 00:38:06,653 SURPRISED? >> I THINK IT SHOWED US HOW 739 00:38:06,653 --> 00:38:09,322 STRONG OF A CASE THAT WE HAD >> Reporter: WESLEY HADSELL 740 00:38:09,322 --> 00:38:12,525 CHOSE NOT TO TESTIFY IN COURT. BUT HE DID SPEAK TO US FROM 741 00:38:12,525 --> 00:38:15,161 JAIL HE MAINTAINED HIS INNOCENCE. 742 00:38:15,161 --> 00:38:17,931 DESPITE ALL THE EVIDENCE INDICATING OTHERWISE 743 00:38:17,931 --> 00:38:22,302 WESLEY DENIED PLANTING THE CREDIT CARD AND THE CLOTHES. 744 00:38:22,302 --> 00:38:24,704 AS FOR THE JACKET? >> THAT JACKET, IT WASN'T THERE 745 00:38:24,704 --> 00:38:26,806 BY MY MEANS. I DIDN'T PLANT THAT JACKET 746 00:38:26,806 --> 00:38:29,442 >> Reporter: WHAT ABOUT THE GARMIN THAT LED INVESTIGATORS TO 747 00:38:29,442 --> 00:38:32,679 THE ABANDONED HOUSE? >> IT'S YOUR GPS 748 00:38:32,679 --> 00:38:34,280 >> IT'S MY GPS YOU KNOW, I CAN'T EXPLAIN WHY IT 749 00:38:34,280 --> 00:38:37,417 WAS THERE. >> I DEFINITELY KNOW THAT I 750 00:38:37,417 --> 00:38:39,519 WASN'T THERE >> WHAT DO YOU SAY TO ANYONE 751 00:38:39,519 --> 00:38:42,155 WHO'S HEARING THIS WHO'S SAYING, "THIS GUY IS TELLING LIE AFTER 752 00:38:42,155 --> 00:38:45,792 LIE AFTER LIE. THAT HE IS THE WORST KIND OF 753 00:38:45,792 --> 00:38:47,494 HUMAN BEING THAT WOULD DO THIS TO HIS OWN DAUGHTER AND TRY TO 754 00:38:47,494 --> 00:38:51,197 COVER IT UP? >> THAT'S THEIR OPINION. 755 00:38:51,197 --> 00:38:53,867 I HAVE NOT HURT ANGELICA EVER. >> WERE YOU OBSESSED WITH HER? 756 00:38:53,867 --> 00:38:55,702 >> NO, MA'AM >> WERE YOU HARBORING SECRET 757 00:38:55,702 --> 00:38:57,537 FEELINGS FOR -- FOR HER? >> NO. 758 00:38:57,537 --> 00:38:59,673 NO, MA'AM. >> DID YOU SEXUALLY ASSAULT AJ 759 00:38:59,673 --> 00:39:04,444 >> NO, MA'AM >> THERE ARE PEOPLE WHO THINK 760 00:39:04,444 --> 00:39:07,647 YOU'RE A MONSTER >> WELL, PEOPLE HAVE OPINIONS. 761 00:39:07,647 --> 00:39:09,282 >> WOULD YOU LIKE TO CONFESS HERE TODAY THAT -- 762 00:39:09,282 --> 00:39:11,084 >> NO, MA'AM >> -- THAT YOU KILLED AJ 763 00:39:11,084 --> 00:39:13,486 >> NO, MA'AM I NEVER DID ANYTHING WRONG TO 764 00:39:13,486 --> 00:39:15,855 THAT KID >> HE DENIED IT TO US THAT HE 765 00:39:15,855 --> 00:39:17,724 HAD ANYTHING TO DO WITH AJ'S DEATH. 766 00:39:17,724 --> 00:39:22,462 >> THE EVIDENCE IS OVERWHELMING, ABSOLUTELY OVERWHELMING. 767 00:39:22,462 --> 00:39:25,665 I FEEL 100% CONFIDENT THAT WE GOT THE RIGHT PERSON AND THAT HE 768 00:39:25,665 --> 00:39:28,335 GOT THE APPROPRIATE PUNISHMENT >> Reporter: PROSECUTORS NEVER 769 00:39:28,335 --> 00:39:32,238 BROUGHT SEXUAL ASSAULT CHARGES AGAINST WESLEY 770 00:39:32,238 --> 00:39:34,174 HIS SENTENCE FOR MURDER -- LIFE IN PRISON. 771 00:39:34,174 --> 00:39:37,911 WHICH WAS VINDICATION FOR THE MANY PEOPLE CAUGHT IN HIS WEB OF 772 00:39:37,911 --> 00:39:40,613 DECEIT. INCLUDING ZACH HOFFER, AJ'S 773 00:39:40,613 --> 00:39:43,183 FIRST STEPFATHER, WHOSE DEEP LOVE FOR HER WAS QUESTIONED AS 774 00:39:43,183 --> 00:39:46,386 SOMETHING SINISTER >> YOU WERE THE CARING PARENT 775 00:39:46,386 --> 00:39:49,055 HERE YOU OBVIOUSLY CARED A LOT ABOUT 776 00:39:49,055 --> 00:39:50,890 HER. >> THAT'S ALL IT WAS 777 00:39:50,890 --> 00:39:52,759 IT'S JUST THAT SIMPLE. I JUST CARED ABOUT HER 778 00:39:52,759 --> 00:39:55,929 CARED ABOUT MY CHILDREN. AND THAT'S IT. 779 00:39:55,929 --> 00:40:00,166 >> Reporter: LIKE ZACH HOFFER, ANDRE BARR BECAME A SUSPECT TOO. 780 00:40:00,166 --> 00:40:03,036 WORSE, HE WAS USED BY WESLEY TO TRY AND FRAME A CLOSE FRIEND 781 00:40:03,036 --> 00:40:09,175 >> WES WAS JUST GOOD AT MANIPULATING PEOPLE. 782 00:40:09,175 --> 00:40:13,613 HE PLAYED EVERYBODY IN HIS GAME OF CHESS AND HE LOST 783 00:40:13,613 --> 00:40:15,782 >> Reporter: AS FOR COREY FRENCH, THE YOUNG MAN 784 00:40:15,782 --> 00:40:17,384 WESLEY TRIED TO FRAMED FOR AJ'S MURDER, HE SAYS HIS LIFE WILL 785 00:40:17,384 --> 00:40:19,486 NEVER BE THE SAME. >> THE ONLY THING I REALLY HAVE 786 00:40:19,486 --> 00:40:21,688 TO SAY TO HIM IS BASICALLY, --- YOU, DUDE. 787 00:40:21,688 --> 00:40:25,392 THAT'S, THAT'S ALL I CAN SAY I JUST I HOPE THAT HE SEES HER 788 00:40:25,392 --> 00:40:28,028 EVERY SINGLE DAY AND THAT IN THE WAY THAT HE LEFT 789 00:40:28,028 --> 00:40:30,697 HER. >> Reporter: AJ HADSELL LEFT AN 790 00:40:30,697 --> 00:40:33,566 INDELIBLE MARK ON HER FAMILY AND ALL HER MANY FRIENDS 791 00:40:33,566 --> 00:40:38,138 THROUGH THEM, HER MEMORY WILL LIVE ON. 792 00:40:38,138 --> 00:40:41,841 >> I JUST HOPE THAT EVERYONE IS AWARE OF HOW GREAT SHE WAS 793 00:40:41,841 --> 00:40:44,511 OF HOW AMAZING SHE WAS, HOW SMART SHE WAS, HOW DEDICATED SHE 794 00:40:44,511 --> 00:40:51,384 WAS. >> YEAH, I JUST MISS HER 795 00:40:51,384 --> 00:40:56,156 AND I JUST -- I KNOW I'LL NEVER FORGET HER 796 00:40:56,156 --> 00:41:00,427 >>> THAT'S ALL FOR THIS EDITION OF DATELINE. 797 00:41:00,427 --> 00:41:03,063 WE'LL SEE YOU AGAIN NEXT FRIDAY AT TEN, NINE CENTRAL AND OF 798 00:41:03,063 --> 00:41:05,699 COURSE, I'LL SEE YOU EACH WEEKNIGHT FOR NBC NIGHTLY NEWS 799 00:41:05,699 --> 00:41:07,734 I'M LESTER HOLT. FOR ALL OF US AT NBC NEWS,