1 00:00:03,601 --> 00:00:05,868 How did you get involved in the case? 2 00:00:09,167 --> 00:00:10,667 Sheriff's office 3 00:00:10,834 --> 00:00:15,100 received a 911 call that there was a dead female 4 00:00:15,267 --> 00:00:17,667 out in the middle of nowhere. 5 00:00:17,834 --> 00:00:19,601 I knew this was no hunting accident. 6 00:00:20,601 --> 00:00:21,868 She was totally nude. 7 00:00:23,000 --> 00:00:25,100 She had a gunshot wound to the back of her head. 8 00:00:26,767 --> 00:00:29,300 It looked like an execution. 9 00:00:31,767 --> 00:00:36,000 An officer gave me the news that they had found her. 10 00:00:36,167 --> 00:00:37,901 Why would somebody do this? 11 00:00:40,367 --> 00:00:42,200 I just started banging the wall. 12 00:00:42,367 --> 00:00:44,868 My life went blank. It was just horrible. 13 00:00:49,000 --> 00:00:53,000 There had been a guy that Inez had been in the Navy with 14 00:00:53,167 --> 00:00:54,400 that had harassed her. 15 00:00:54,567 --> 00:00:58,000 Inez had told her sister, "If anything happens to me, 16 00:00:58,167 --> 00:00:59,701 you need to look at him." 17 00:00:59,868 --> 00:01:03,801 Law enforcement pulled a photograph of his truck, 18 00:01:03,968 --> 00:01:06,300 and it showed a dark-headed female with him. 19 00:01:06,467 --> 00:01:09,801 It was just another piece of the puzzle. 20 00:01:09,968 --> 00:01:14,100 Have you ever heard a more callous murder? 21 00:01:14,267 --> 00:01:17,400 The cold-bloodedness does stand out. 22 00:01:17,567 --> 00:01:19,767 Inez, out in the middle of nowhere, 23 00:01:19,934 --> 00:01:22,367 shot in the back of the head. 24 00:01:24,033 --> 00:01:24,968 This was just... 25 00:01:26,400 --> 00:01:27,400 awful. 26 00:01:41,300 --> 00:01:45,367 Hi, I'm Paula Zahn, and tonight we're on the case 27 00:01:45,534 --> 00:01:47,367 in Edwards County, Texas, 28 00:01:47,534 --> 00:01:49,767 not far from the Mexican border. 29 00:01:49,934 --> 00:01:52,100 The region's sprawling countryside is 30 00:01:52,267 --> 00:01:55,000 a nature lover's dream, with many more miles 31 00:01:55,167 --> 00:01:58,100 of rugged terrain than residents. 32 00:01:58,267 --> 00:02:02,167 Folks who visit come prepared to face the elements, 33 00:02:02,334 --> 00:02:05,901 but no one here was ready for what unfolded after 34 00:02:06,067 --> 00:02:08,567 a woman's lifeless body was discovered 35 00:02:08,734 --> 00:02:10,701 near a remote campsite. 36 00:02:10,868 --> 00:02:14,267 What they found led investigators to sift through 37 00:02:14,434 --> 00:02:18,667 the clues of a bizarre mystery that hid a sinister plot 38 00:02:18,834 --> 00:02:21,601 filled with betrayal and deception. 39 00:02:27,767 --> 00:02:30,667 September 2nd, 2012. 40 00:02:30,834 --> 00:02:33,567 It was the Sunday of Labor Day weekend, and while much 41 00:02:33,734 --> 00:02:37,501 of the country was enjoying backyard barbecues by the pool, 42 00:02:37,667 --> 00:02:40,701 Mark Bauer and his friends had a different plan 43 00:02:40,868 --> 00:02:42,467 for celebrating the holiday. 44 00:02:43,901 --> 00:02:46,667 We were out here recreational hunting 45 00:02:46,834 --> 00:02:50,000 and just enjoying our company and time out in nature. 46 00:02:50,167 --> 00:02:53,701 It was around noon when Mark and his friend Tommy began 47 00:02:53,868 --> 00:02:55,801 a typical day of boar hunting. 48 00:02:59,801 --> 00:03:03,767 But first, Tommy made a life-changing decision 49 00:03:03,934 --> 00:03:07,367 to check on their friend in a neighboring campsite. 50 00:03:07,534 --> 00:03:10,000 Tommy went up the road to check on a fellow, Troy, 51 00:03:10,167 --> 00:03:13,000 because we had drank all night, and Tommy wanted to make sure 52 00:03:13,167 --> 00:03:14,701 that he was good to drive because some of the terrain 53 00:03:14,868 --> 00:03:16,767 out here is pretty extreme. 54 00:03:16,934 --> 00:03:20,267 But what Tommy found was far more disturbing 55 00:03:20,434 --> 00:03:22,000 than he could have imagined. 56 00:03:24,100 --> 00:03:26,968 He drove up on what appeared to be a dead girl. 57 00:03:28,467 --> 00:03:31,367 Tommy asked what happened, and Troy said, 58 00:03:31,534 --> 00:03:33,100 "I found her like this." 59 00:03:35,467 --> 00:03:37,000 Tommy was stunned. 60 00:03:38,667 --> 00:03:41,567 He raced to his campsite and brought Mark with him 61 00:03:41,734 --> 00:03:42,901 to the grisly scene. 62 00:03:44,167 --> 00:03:46,400 Upon arriving up on the scene, it was shocking 63 00:03:46,567 --> 00:03:48,467 to find a female body 64 00:03:49,567 --> 00:03:52,300 laying on the side of the road with clothes 65 00:03:52,467 --> 00:03:54,167 scattered about in the brush. 66 00:03:56,267 --> 00:03:59,100 I knew this was no hunting accident because she was 67 00:03:59,267 --> 00:04:01,767 totally nude and she had a trash bag over her head. 68 00:04:03,400 --> 00:04:06,067 It was very, very concerning, and that's when I called 69 00:04:06,234 --> 00:04:07,300 the sheriff's department. 70 00:04:10,267 --> 00:04:15,200 Mark's report triggered a rush of law enforcement activity. 71 00:04:15,367 --> 00:04:17,868 How did you get involved in the case? 72 00:04:18,033 --> 00:04:21,000 Sheriff's office received a 911 call. 73 00:04:21,167 --> 00:04:26,000 The individual reported that there was a dead, naked female. 74 00:04:27,767 --> 00:04:28,701 They arrived. 75 00:04:28,868 --> 00:04:30,767 They started processing the scene. 76 00:04:30,934 --> 00:04:35,100 They then requested assistance from the Texas Rangers. 77 00:04:36,701 --> 00:04:40,000 Mark, Tommy, and Troy were waiting 78 00:04:40,167 --> 00:04:42,767 for investigators at the gruesome crime scene. 79 00:04:44,367 --> 00:04:47,567 Was it obvious how she had been murdered? 80 00:04:47,734 --> 00:04:49,801 No, she was found face down. 81 00:04:49,968 --> 00:04:52,367 It wasn't until they removed the bag that they were able 82 00:04:52,534 --> 00:04:54,567 to see the gunshot wound to the back of her head. 83 00:04:56,801 --> 00:05:00,067 Did it appear as if the victim had been killed there? 84 00:05:00,234 --> 00:05:03,367 Yes, the way they're able to determine that is through 85 00:05:03,534 --> 00:05:05,767 the puddle of blood that was surrounding the body. 86 00:05:07,634 --> 00:05:10,267 Could they get any sense as to how long 87 00:05:10,434 --> 00:05:11,767 the victim had been there? 88 00:05:11,934 --> 00:05:13,467 Not exactly, no. 89 00:05:13,634 --> 00:05:16,200 However, it had not been very long. 90 00:05:21,801 --> 00:05:25,167 Based on those early observations, police began 91 00:05:25,334 --> 00:05:27,868 to formulate a theory of the crime. 92 00:05:28,033 --> 00:05:30,567 Did the investigators believe 93 00:05:30,734 --> 00:05:33,567 that sexual violence was the motive? 94 00:05:33,734 --> 00:05:36,567 Yes, because the body was naked, there's always gonna 95 00:05:36,734 --> 00:05:38,968 be an assumption it was sexual violence. 96 00:05:39,133 --> 00:05:42,868 And this young lady had abrasions and contusions 97 00:05:43,033 --> 00:05:46,534 that were indicative of sexual trauma. 98 00:05:49,000 --> 00:05:52,968 But as investigators continued to process the area, 99 00:05:53,133 --> 00:05:55,567 they noticed some clues that didn't fit. 100 00:05:57,567 --> 00:06:01,200 Were there any signs of struggle at the crime scene? 101 00:06:01,367 --> 00:06:02,667 No, there was not. 102 00:06:04,067 --> 00:06:07,767 There was blood on the clothing, which indicated that she was 103 00:06:07,934 --> 00:06:09,901 murdered prior to being unclothed. 104 00:06:11,501 --> 00:06:14,167 The gunshot wound was to the back of her head, 105 00:06:14,334 --> 00:06:16,868 suggesting that she did not even know it was coming. 106 00:06:17,968 --> 00:06:19,601 Looked like a execution. 107 00:06:23,367 --> 00:06:26,501 And there was another clue that raised suspicions. 108 00:06:26,667 --> 00:06:29,767 Investigators noted the unmistakable smell 109 00:06:29,934 --> 00:06:34,501 of bleach, often used to destroy DNA. 110 00:06:34,667 --> 00:06:36,400 What did that indicate to you? 111 00:06:36,567 --> 00:06:39,167 Well, that indicated to me that the suspect was trying 112 00:06:39,334 --> 00:06:41,100 to throw the investigators off. 113 00:06:45,000 --> 00:06:47,100 The garbage bag over the victim's head, 114 00:06:47,267 --> 00:06:50,767 as well as the body's proximity to the Mexican border, 115 00:06:50,934 --> 00:06:53,167 raised new concerns. 116 00:06:53,334 --> 00:06:56,367 It was disgusting that possibly the cartel might have had 117 00:06:56,534 --> 00:06:57,467 something to do with the murder. 118 00:07:02,067 --> 00:07:06,400 Could the young woman have been murdered by sadistic drug lords 119 00:07:06,567 --> 00:07:08,367 who had tried to cover their tracks? 120 00:07:10,167 --> 00:07:13,901 Police hope that a wallet found along with the victim's clothing 121 00:07:14,067 --> 00:07:17,200 might help them answer that question. 122 00:07:17,367 --> 00:07:19,767 Investigators found her billfold, 123 00:07:19,934 --> 00:07:23,000 and inside the billfold were items that helped them 124 00:07:23,167 --> 00:07:27,167 to identify her as being Inez Santa Cruz from Arizona. 125 00:07:28,467 --> 00:07:29,901 What did they learn about her? 126 00:07:30,067 --> 00:07:34,000 They learned that she was a nurse at a hospital in Tucson 127 00:07:34,167 --> 00:07:38,601 and a Navy reservist in the military. 128 00:07:38,767 --> 00:07:40,667 Police were puzzled. 129 00:07:40,834 --> 00:07:46,367 Inez was more than 700 miles from her Tucson home and seemed 130 00:07:46,534 --> 00:07:50,167 an unlikely victim for this type of crime. 131 00:07:50,334 --> 00:07:53,367 Do they have any understanding of how she ended up 132 00:07:53,534 --> 00:07:55,300 in such a remote place? 133 00:07:55,467 --> 00:07:57,968 They had no idea why she was there or how she got there. 134 00:08:02,501 --> 00:08:06,300 Investigators now had a lot of questions for the men 135 00:08:06,467 --> 00:08:08,868 who had found Inez. 136 00:08:09,033 --> 00:08:11,868 Could investigators find any ties between 137 00:08:12,033 --> 00:08:14,000 the hunters and the victim? 138 00:08:14,167 --> 00:08:17,400 Only the proximity of the victim to the hunters. 139 00:08:19,367 --> 00:08:22,467 According to the hunters, they did not know who Inez was. 140 00:08:24,667 --> 00:08:27,367 In fact, those at the scene offered little 141 00:08:27,534 --> 00:08:30,167 that advanced the investigation. 142 00:08:30,334 --> 00:08:33,667 Did any of the hunters report hearing gunfire 143 00:08:33,834 --> 00:08:35,000 that morning in the area? 144 00:08:35,167 --> 00:08:38,000 They did, but that would not have been unusual at all. 145 00:08:41,067 --> 00:08:42,567 The whole scene was odd. 146 00:08:42,734 --> 00:08:45,067 I mean, here's a woman out literally 147 00:08:45,234 --> 00:08:49,868 in the middle of nowhere. There's hunters nearby. 148 00:08:50,033 --> 00:08:52,367 They separated them. They asked them questions. 149 00:08:52,534 --> 00:08:55,000 That led the investigators to realize, "Well, we're gonna 150 00:08:55,167 --> 00:08:57,400 have to do some more work on this." 151 00:09:01,601 --> 00:09:05,601 Would the jumble set of puzzle pieces start to fit together 152 00:09:06,567 --> 00:09:08,167 after detectives spoke with 153 00:09:08,334 --> 00:09:10,801 Inez Santa Cruz's loving family? 154 00:09:18,267 --> 00:09:20,267 2 155 00:09:25,567 --> 00:09:28,100 Police trying to solve the brutal murder 156 00:09:28,267 --> 00:09:31,667 of 27-year-old Inez Santa Cruz had little to go on. 157 00:09:33,701 --> 00:09:37,200 They hoped that the Naval Reservists' autopsy report 158 00:09:37,367 --> 00:09:39,667 might provide a new lead. 159 00:09:39,834 --> 00:09:45,067 Instead, the findings only added mysterious new details, 160 00:09:45,234 --> 00:09:48,968 starting with the odd test results from Inez's blood. 161 00:09:50,200 --> 00:09:53,100 What did the toxicology report indicate? 162 00:09:53,267 --> 00:09:56,567 She had the presence of benzodiazepines in her system. 163 00:09:58,200 --> 00:10:01,767 A very strong dose of Xanax, basically. 164 00:10:01,934 --> 00:10:05,100 The large amount of sedative was surprising. 165 00:10:05,267 --> 00:10:08,400 It didn't fit with any of the other aspects 166 00:10:08,567 --> 00:10:10,000 of the brutal crime. 167 00:10:12,267 --> 00:10:14,601 It was just another piece of the puzzle they were 168 00:10:14,767 --> 00:10:16,067 trying to put together. 169 00:10:16,901 --> 00:10:20,701 The medical examiner's sexual assault exam also told 170 00:10:20,868 --> 00:10:22,968 an unexpected story. 171 00:10:23,133 --> 00:10:26,167 The autopsy revealed no DNA evidence that would be 172 00:10:26,334 --> 00:10:28,167 consistent with a sexual assault. 173 00:10:28,334 --> 00:10:29,466 What did they make of that? 174 00:10:29,467 --> 00:10:34,701 Once he knew she was dead, he removed her clothing. 175 00:10:36,267 --> 00:10:39,167 He wanted to make it look like a sexual assault. 176 00:10:41,467 --> 00:10:44,567 Police were convinced that whoever murdered Inez 177 00:10:44,734 --> 00:10:49,100 had gone out of his way to leave evidence that muddied the true 178 00:10:49,267 --> 00:10:50,167 motive of the crime. 179 00:10:51,868 --> 00:10:52,868 But why? 180 00:10:58,300 --> 00:11:00,100 When officers arrived to deliver 181 00:11:00,267 --> 00:11:04,300 the heartbreaking death notification to Inez's family, 182 00:11:04,467 --> 00:11:08,701 they had few specific details to offer. 183 00:11:08,868 --> 00:11:14,400 When did you find out that something tragic had happened? 184 00:11:14,567 --> 00:11:17,567 It was Sunday morning. An officer gave me the news 185 00:11:18,567 --> 00:11:20,200 that they had found her. 186 00:11:24,667 --> 00:11:27,400 They said they found Inez's body. 187 00:11:27,567 --> 00:11:30,000 I just started banging the wall. 188 00:11:30,167 --> 00:11:32,400 It was just horrible. 189 00:11:32,567 --> 00:11:35,667 I just couldn't believe it. It was like my life went blank. 190 00:11:37,267 --> 00:11:38,767 And I was like, "What do you mean, 'found'? 191 00:11:39,767 --> 00:11:41,367 Like, what happened?" 192 00:11:41,534 --> 00:11:47,167 I really thought it was like an accident. 193 00:11:52,467 --> 00:11:56,400 Erica Santa Cruz told police that her sister Inez had been 194 00:11:56,567 --> 00:11:58,167 kind-hearted and humble. 195 00:11:59,367 --> 00:12:02,868 What is it that you most respected about her? 196 00:12:03,033 --> 00:12:05,601 What I respected about her was each accomplishment, 197 00:12:05,767 --> 00:12:07,868 it was as if it was nothing. 198 00:12:08,033 --> 00:12:11,367 She never bragged about what she had done. 199 00:12:11,534 --> 00:12:13,267 She was just so down to earth. 200 00:12:15,467 --> 00:12:16,601 One of those achievements 201 00:12:16,767 --> 00:12:20,300 was a successful enlistment in the U.S. Navy. 202 00:12:20,467 --> 00:12:23,701 It was there as a corpsman that Inez learned the skills 203 00:12:23,868 --> 00:12:26,701 she needed to become a top surgical assistant. 204 00:12:28,367 --> 00:12:31,868 She had just been chosen to do an open-heart surgery. 205 00:12:32,033 --> 00:12:34,267 It was one of the first ones that was gonna be done 206 00:12:34,434 --> 00:12:35,968 in Tucson, Arizona. 207 00:12:36,133 --> 00:12:37,167 She loved it. 208 00:12:37,334 --> 00:12:38,667 She loved helping people. 209 00:12:39,300 --> 00:12:41,868 Inez could have worked anywhere, but she had chosen 210 00:12:42,033 --> 00:12:44,067 to settle down in Tucson so she could be 211 00:12:44,234 --> 00:12:45,300 close to her family. 212 00:12:46,367 --> 00:12:49,567 How would you describe where she was in her life 213 00:12:49,734 --> 00:12:51,200 at the time of this tragedy? 214 00:12:51,367 --> 00:12:54,000 Inez seemed to be very happy. 215 00:12:54,167 --> 00:12:56,467 She had many, many friends. 216 00:12:57,968 --> 00:12:59,200 I was so proud of her. 217 00:13:03,501 --> 00:13:07,367 Letty and Erica told police there was no reason for Inez 218 00:13:07,534 --> 00:13:10,100 to be in the remote area where she was found. 219 00:13:11,767 --> 00:13:14,667 As far as they knew, she was supposed to be spending 220 00:13:14,834 --> 00:13:19,767 that weekend with her friend Rosa Medina in San Antonio. 221 00:13:19,934 --> 00:13:24,667 Rosa had a photo shoot to do, and she didn't have anybody 222 00:13:24,834 --> 00:13:26,601 to help her with her daughters. 223 00:13:28,067 --> 00:13:33,367 Inez had planned on babysitting Rosa's two daughters while Rosa 224 00:13:33,534 --> 00:13:34,767 did photography at a wedding. 225 00:13:36,868 --> 00:13:39,367 Police quickly followed up on the lead. 226 00:13:40,868 --> 00:13:44,667 What happened when investigators reached out to Rosa? 227 00:13:44,834 --> 00:13:49,701 She told investigators that although her and Inez initially 228 00:13:49,868 --> 00:13:54,200 had plans that weekend, that Inez had canceled her trip. 229 00:13:56,667 --> 00:14:02,367 Rosa was devastated to hear that her friend had been murdered. 230 00:14:02,534 --> 00:14:05,901 She and Inez's family were quick to point police 231 00:14:06,067 --> 00:14:07,467 to a potential suspect. 232 00:14:08,501 --> 00:14:10,000 What did investigators find out? 233 00:14:10,167 --> 00:14:15,767 Investigators were told about a coworker, a naval cadet, 234 00:14:15,934 --> 00:14:19,467 and evidently he was pretty sweet on her and made 235 00:14:19,634 --> 00:14:23,901 her uncomfortable so much that Inez had told her sister that, 236 00:14:24,067 --> 00:14:26,200 "Hey, if anything happens to me, you need to look at him." 237 00:14:32,601 --> 00:14:35,367 It was investigators' first big lead. 238 00:14:37,167 --> 00:14:40,100 Did you think it was possible he could have been involved? 239 00:14:40,267 --> 00:14:41,167 Yes. 240 00:14:43,400 --> 00:14:45,067 Did you think he was in love with her? 241 00:14:45,234 --> 00:14:46,767 He was. 242 00:14:46,934 --> 00:14:50,267 He was becoming a little too controlling for her. 243 00:14:52,467 --> 00:14:56,868 Investigators immediately set about tracking down Inez's 244 00:14:57,033 --> 00:14:59,100 former Navy coworker. 245 00:14:59,267 --> 00:15:02,701 But when they found him, the promising lead became 246 00:15:02,868 --> 00:15:04,167 a dead end. 247 00:15:04,334 --> 00:15:07,400 He had been on duty over Labor Day weekend. 248 00:15:07,567 --> 00:15:10,267 They checked his whereabouts during the time of the murder 249 00:15:10,434 --> 00:15:13,567 and found out that he wasn't anywhere close to Texas, 250 00:15:13,734 --> 00:15:15,133 so they ruled him out pretty fast. 251 00:15:17,000 --> 00:15:21,167 Investigators were back at square one with challenging 252 00:15:21,334 --> 00:15:23,400 questions to answer. 253 00:15:23,567 --> 00:15:26,000 How did Inez Santa Cruz end up dead 254 00:15:26,167 --> 00:15:29,100 at an isolated campsite in Texas? 255 00:15:29,267 --> 00:15:33,167 And who had a motive to kill her? 256 00:15:40,100 --> 00:15:42,067 2 257 00:15:46,767 --> 00:15:50,100 Police, trying to solve the murder of Inez Santa Cruz, 258 00:15:51,200 --> 00:15:54,367 still couldn't understand why she was in the secluded area 259 00:15:54,534 --> 00:15:56,467 of Texas where she was killed. 260 00:16:00,100 --> 00:16:03,601 That led them to dig deeper into Inez's relationship 261 00:16:03,767 --> 00:16:07,367 with Rosa Medina, the only person she knew 262 00:16:07,534 --> 00:16:09,767 in the Lone Star State. 263 00:16:09,934 --> 00:16:14,100 Some aspects of the long-term friendship raised new questions. 264 00:16:20,367 --> 00:16:23,400 Rosa had a pretty troubled background, 265 00:16:23,567 --> 00:16:27,267 and so Inez's mother helped raise Rosa. 266 00:16:27,434 --> 00:16:30,567 Rosa was living with them while they were in high school. 267 00:16:31,701 --> 00:16:35,200 I did always accept Rosa as like my daughter. 268 00:16:35,367 --> 00:16:39,801 She'd call me mom. Very respectful young lady. 269 00:16:41,067 --> 00:16:43,300 My parents' house was always open for everyone. 270 00:16:43,467 --> 00:16:44,767 She would stay with us. 271 00:16:50,000 --> 00:16:53,167 But what really caught investigators' attention was 272 00:16:53,334 --> 00:16:56,267 that their friendship had actually been something more. 273 00:16:58,067 --> 00:17:02,200 I noticed that Rosa did have a crush on Inez, 274 00:17:02,367 --> 00:17:06,100 but she knew that I was against any type of relationship. 275 00:17:06,267 --> 00:17:08,467 If it did happen, it happened behind my back. 276 00:17:10,501 --> 00:17:13,367 They actually started the romantic relationship 277 00:17:13,534 --> 00:17:15,667 when they were in high school. 278 00:17:15,834 --> 00:17:18,801 I don't think, I would say they fell in love. 279 00:17:18,968 --> 00:17:21,100 My sister was just one of those people who, 280 00:17:21,267 --> 00:17:24,000 whether it was love or just a friendship, 281 00:17:24,167 --> 00:17:26,701 she was always gonna be there for everyone. 282 00:17:30,467 --> 00:17:32,567 After Inez left home for the Navy, 283 00:17:32,734 --> 00:17:35,501 her family believed the couple had drifted apart. 284 00:17:36,567 --> 00:17:40,267 It looked like she had moved on from the relationship with Rosa. 285 00:17:41,501 --> 00:17:46,100 But Inez and Rosa remained close, even as Rosa struggled 286 00:17:46,267 --> 00:17:49,667 through a failed relationship that left her a single mother 287 00:17:49,834 --> 00:17:50,868 of two young girls. 288 00:17:52,000 --> 00:17:54,267 Rosa would be gone for two, three years, 289 00:17:54,434 --> 00:17:56,467 and then she'd show back up, bring the kids over. 290 00:17:56,634 --> 00:17:58,667 I always kept in touch one way or another. 291 00:18:03,801 --> 00:18:06,501 The new information about the nature of Rosa's 292 00:18:06,667 --> 00:18:10,100 relationship with Inez led the Texas Rangers to bring 293 00:18:10,267 --> 00:18:12,067 her in for a formal interview. 294 00:18:42,968 --> 00:18:47,868 Investigators read the text message Inez sent Rosa. 295 00:18:48,033 --> 00:18:50,167 Amor, I'm not gonna be able to go. 296 00:18:55,868 --> 00:19:01,167 In fact, Inez's cancelation forced Rosa to change all 297 00:19:01,334 --> 00:19:04,000 of her holiday weekend plans. 298 00:19:04,167 --> 00:19:06,868 Instead of doing the photo shoot she had scheduled, 299 00:19:07,033 --> 00:19:08,767 she went to a concert with her kids. 300 00:19:10,567 --> 00:19:14,100 She had recorded footage of the concert on her phone. 301 00:19:14,267 --> 00:19:17,367 There was no question that she was at this concert. 302 00:19:19,801 --> 00:19:23,467 The evidence had police ready to accept Rosa's story, 303 00:19:23,634 --> 00:19:27,000 but there was one detail that just didn't fit. 304 00:19:29,467 --> 00:19:32,701 According to the airlines, Inez Santa Cruz had actually 305 00:19:32,868 --> 00:19:35,567 boarded her flight that weekend, just as she had 306 00:19:35,734 --> 00:19:36,968 originally planned. 307 00:19:38,567 --> 00:19:41,901 She flew Southwest Airlines from Tucson to San Antonio. 308 00:19:43,968 --> 00:19:48,367 Was Rosa confronted with the fact that Inez had gotten 309 00:19:48,534 --> 00:19:50,067 on the plane? - She was. 310 00:19:50,234 --> 00:19:51,868 What was her reaction? 311 00:19:52,033 --> 00:19:55,601 She said she had no idea what had happened. 312 00:20:16,267 --> 00:20:19,367 So far, everything Rosa had told police had only 313 00:20:19,534 --> 00:20:21,667 deepened the mystery. 314 00:20:21,834 --> 00:20:24,167 But before detectives ended the interview, 315 00:20:24,334 --> 00:20:28,100 Her answer to a routine question would give 316 00:20:28,267 --> 00:20:31,467 the investigation a very clear focus. 317 00:20:39,667 --> 00:20:41,667 2 318 00:20:46,868 --> 00:20:51,200 Police believe that Inez's friend Rosa Medina had shared 319 00:20:51,367 --> 00:20:54,100 everything she knew about the case when a routine 320 00:20:54,267 --> 00:20:57,767 question about Troy Ryder, the hunter who had discovered 321 00:20:57,934 --> 00:20:59,901 Inez, changed everything. 322 00:21:01,167 --> 00:21:03,267 How did his name come up in the first place? 323 00:21:03,434 --> 00:21:07,367 They asked her about Troy Ryder because he was at the scene 324 00:21:07,534 --> 00:21:11,601 where Inez was murdered. 325 00:21:11,767 --> 00:21:15,400 Did Rosa reveal anything that advanced the investigation? 326 00:21:15,567 --> 00:21:16,801 Yes. 327 00:21:17,667 --> 00:21:22,167 The most shocking thing that they found out was Rosa knew 328 00:21:22,334 --> 00:21:24,300 Troy Ryder for approximately three months. 329 00:21:26,767 --> 00:21:28,367 Police were stunned. 330 00:21:29,968 --> 00:21:33,868 And when they told Rosa he had found Inez's body, 331 00:21:34,033 --> 00:21:36,801 she appeared to be as surprised as they were. 332 00:21:50,367 --> 00:21:54,467 Rosa immediately told police everything she could about 333 00:21:54,634 --> 00:21:56,767 her relationship with Troy Ryder, 334 00:21:56,934 --> 00:22:00,767 including a detail she was desperate to keep hidden 335 00:22:00,934 --> 00:22:05,367 from her friends and family-- how she and Troy had met. 336 00:22:06,801 --> 00:22:13,100 She revealed that she knew him through the adult club 337 00:22:13,267 --> 00:22:14,968 where she was a dancer. 338 00:22:24,167 --> 00:22:27,767 Rosa insisted the relationship was platonic, 339 00:22:27,934 --> 00:22:31,467 but admitted she had seen Troy outside of the club. 340 00:22:32,567 --> 00:22:35,467 She had established a friendship with him, 341 00:22:35,634 --> 00:22:38,567 and they had gone to lunch a few times. 342 00:22:42,667 --> 00:22:48,167 Investigators pressed Rosa about whether Troy had ever met 343 00:22:48,334 --> 00:22:52,367 Inez, or if he knew that she and Inez had a romantic history. 344 00:23:19,567 --> 00:23:23,767 Suddenly everything police knew about Inez's murder had to be 345 00:23:23,934 --> 00:23:26,267 viewed through a different lens. 346 00:23:26,434 --> 00:23:31,100 Once investigators established that Rosa Medina knew Troy, 347 00:23:31,267 --> 00:23:33,767 how did they go about investigating him? 348 00:23:33,934 --> 00:23:36,267 At that point, he was a suspect in the murder. 349 00:23:38,501 --> 00:23:42,467 And that meant re-interviewing the hunters who had been 350 00:23:42,634 --> 00:23:45,267 with him the night before Inez had been killed. 351 00:23:46,868 --> 00:23:50,067 When Troy showed up at my camp, he had stated that he was out 352 00:23:50,234 --> 00:23:52,067 looking for a place to go dove hunting. 353 00:23:52,234 --> 00:23:55,701 One thing I found peculiar was he was not dressed 354 00:23:55,868 --> 00:23:56,868 in hunting clothes. 355 00:23:57,033 --> 00:24:00,501 He was in a dress cowboy shirt, blue jeans. 356 00:24:00,667 --> 00:24:02,567 He didn't have any camping gear. 357 00:24:02,734 --> 00:24:05,767 When police dug deeper into Troy's activities 358 00:24:05,934 --> 00:24:08,300 that weekend, what struck them? 359 00:24:08,467 --> 00:24:13,667 That he had been woefully unprepared 360 00:24:13,834 --> 00:24:16,667 for a hunting weekend out in the desert. 361 00:24:16,834 --> 00:24:19,000 He was there to hunt birds. 362 00:24:19,167 --> 00:24:21,968 And he didn't bring a shotgun, which he would normally use 363 00:24:22,133 --> 00:24:26,033 to hunt birds. He brought a.22 rifle. 364 00:24:28,467 --> 00:24:33,100 That was the same caliber rifle as the one used to kill Inez. 365 00:24:35,567 --> 00:24:39,667 That convinced investigators that Troy Ryder had not visited 366 00:24:39,834 --> 00:24:41,767 the campsite to hunt. 367 00:24:41,934 --> 00:24:45,667 He had been there to murder Inez Santa Cruz. 368 00:24:48,434 --> 00:24:51,367 And they quickly got additional evidence to support 369 00:24:51,534 --> 00:24:53,968 their theory from the U.S. Border Patrol. 370 00:24:55,367 --> 00:24:57,200 Law enforcement ran his plate, 371 00:24:57,367 --> 00:24:59,868 and they saw where it had gone through 372 00:25:00,100 --> 00:25:02,167 a Border Patrol checkpoint. 373 00:25:03,467 --> 00:25:07,167 They were able to pull a photograph of the vehicle, 374 00:25:07,334 --> 00:25:12,067 and it showed Troy Ryder in his truck with a female. 375 00:25:16,000 --> 00:25:17,567 The woman was small 376 00:25:17,734 --> 00:25:19,767 and had dark hair like Inez. 377 00:25:23,667 --> 00:25:27,467 Can you make out Inez's face in that surveillance video? 378 00:25:27,634 --> 00:25:30,100 No, ma'am, you cannot. But Mr. Ryder had said 379 00:25:30,267 --> 00:25:33,100 that he had gotten out to the campsite by himself. 380 00:25:34,400 --> 00:25:38,267 It seemed like all the pieces were rapidly coming together. 381 00:25:39,667 --> 00:25:44,667 Police felt they now had enough to confront Ryder face to face. 382 00:25:44,834 --> 00:25:46,601 Investigators visited with him, hoping to get 383 00:25:46,767 --> 00:25:47,801 a confession from him. 384 00:25:47,968 --> 00:25:50,767 Did he admit to knowing Inez? 385 00:25:50,934 --> 00:25:54,167 No, ma'am. He said he didn't know Inez. 386 00:25:54,334 --> 00:25:59,501 He claimed that he had picked a hitchhiker up on the highway 387 00:25:59,667 --> 00:26:02,067 and he had given her a ride to Brackettville, Texas. 388 00:26:02,234 --> 00:26:06,167 Detectives were confident that Ryder was lying, 389 00:26:06,334 --> 00:26:09,868 and cameras that captured Inez getting off her flight 390 00:26:10,033 --> 00:26:12,901 in San Antonio provided proof. 391 00:26:16,567 --> 00:26:19,267 What did the surveillance video actually show 392 00:26:19,434 --> 00:26:21,701 at the airport when Inez landed? 393 00:26:21,868 --> 00:26:24,367 There are cameras located throughout the airport, 394 00:26:24,534 --> 00:26:27,801 which showed her leaving the arrivals area, 395 00:26:27,968 --> 00:26:30,467 walking through the baggage claim area. 396 00:26:31,601 --> 00:26:33,167 And Troy Ryder was there, 397 00:26:34,300 --> 00:26:35,767 waiting to meet her. 398 00:26:37,467 --> 00:26:40,100 Mr. Ryder had actually made a little cardboard sign 399 00:26:40,267 --> 00:26:42,567 that said Inez on it. 400 00:26:42,734 --> 00:26:45,467 There's a short conversation between the two of them. 401 00:26:45,634 --> 00:26:49,000 The next surveillance we have is of the two of them 402 00:26:49,167 --> 00:26:52,100 walking out to the parking area next to each other, 403 00:26:55,501 --> 00:26:59,467 with Inez being in no visible state of distress 404 00:26:59,634 --> 00:27:00,701 or anything like that. 405 00:27:04,100 --> 00:27:06,300 Police were puzzled. 406 00:27:06,467 --> 00:27:10,701 Why would Inez have willingly left the airport with a man 407 00:27:10,868 --> 00:27:12,167 she had never even met? 408 00:27:13,267 --> 00:27:16,567 A man they now believe shot her to death 409 00:27:16,734 --> 00:27:19,367 less than 24 hours later. 410 00:27:30,467 --> 00:27:32,267 2 411 00:27:39,367 --> 00:27:43,501 The damning video evidence that documented Inez Santa Cruz 412 00:27:43,667 --> 00:27:47,868 being lured out of the San Antonio airport was chilling 413 00:27:48,033 --> 00:27:51,200 even for veteran investigators like Pamela Elliott. 414 00:27:52,567 --> 00:27:55,000 The weirdest part of this that kind of gave me the creeps was 415 00:27:55,167 --> 00:27:57,767 to watch him stand in the corner in baggage 416 00:27:57,934 --> 00:28:00,067 and watch her walk. 417 00:28:00,234 --> 00:28:03,267 But it was like a lion stalking its prey. 418 00:28:08,400 --> 00:28:12,100 Prosecutors were confident that the case police had composed 419 00:28:12,267 --> 00:28:15,100 proved Troy Ryder was a sadistic killer. 420 00:28:19,400 --> 00:28:23,501 Investigators quickly took Ryder into custody. 421 00:28:38,767 --> 00:28:42,000 He was initially charged with capital murder. 422 00:28:42,167 --> 00:28:44,868 Capital murder in Texas is punishable by either 423 00:28:45,033 --> 00:28:48,701 life in prison without parole or the death penalty. 424 00:28:49,667 --> 00:28:53,601 At first, Ryder tried to stonewall police, 425 00:28:53,767 --> 00:28:55,667 but the possibility of the death penalty 426 00:28:55,834 --> 00:28:57,901 forced him to reconsider. 427 00:28:59,067 --> 00:29:01,467 I guess Troy had sit in jail long enough. 428 00:29:01,634 --> 00:29:04,767 He was ready to confess and go ahead and give information. 429 00:29:06,300 --> 00:29:10,567 Police still had no idea why Ryder had targeted Inez. 430 00:29:12,100 --> 00:29:14,367 And the story he shared was shocking. 431 00:29:15,567 --> 00:29:17,868 He claimed that Rosa Medina, 432 00:29:18,033 --> 00:29:19,868 as his best friend and lover, 433 00:29:20,033 --> 00:29:23,100 was the real mastermind of the crime. 434 00:29:51,634 --> 00:29:56,667 Police were skeptical. Why would Rosa want Inez dead? 435 00:29:56,834 --> 00:29:58,901 Ryder's answer was stunning. 436 00:30:00,367 --> 00:30:04,400 Rosa told Troy that Inez was blackmailing her 437 00:30:04,567 --> 00:30:08,868 and threatening her to tell Rosa's family 438 00:30:09,033 --> 00:30:10,367 that Rosa was a stripper. 439 00:30:10,534 --> 00:30:13,367 And Rosa was afraid she was gonna lose her 440 00:30:13,534 --> 00:30:14,567 two daughters. 441 00:30:19,367 --> 00:30:21,567 The story was a lie. 442 00:30:21,734 --> 00:30:25,100 The investigation revealed that Rosa's family already knew 443 00:30:25,267 --> 00:30:27,701 she was a dancer and there was no threat 444 00:30:27,868 --> 00:30:30,267 of losing her children. 445 00:30:30,434 --> 00:30:34,567 But there was a simple reason why Ryder never questioned it. 446 00:30:34,734 --> 00:30:40,801 What Ryder explained was that he wanted a relationship with 447 00:30:40,968 --> 00:30:45,200 Rosa Medina, and that Rosa Medina had said that while 448 00:30:45,367 --> 00:30:48,667 she would like that, there was this roadblock, 449 00:30:48,834 --> 00:30:52,000 and this roadblock was Inez. 450 00:31:01,100 --> 00:31:05,100 Rosa told Ryder the only way for them to be together was 451 00:31:05,267 --> 00:31:08,367 for him to execute her murderous plan. 452 00:31:17,200 --> 00:31:22,267 Rosa also gave Ryder the story that persuaded Inez to leave 453 00:31:22,434 --> 00:31:23,968 the airport with him. 454 00:31:24,133 --> 00:31:26,467 He told her that Rosa had sent him. 455 00:31:37,400 --> 00:31:40,767 But not all of the plot worked as planned 456 00:31:40,934 --> 00:31:43,968 Rosa had supplied Ryder with what she believed 457 00:31:44,133 --> 00:31:46,267 was a deadly dose of Xanax. 458 00:32:00,701 --> 00:32:04,300 In the truck, Ryder gave Inez the spiked drink. 459 00:32:18,968 --> 00:32:21,300 Ryder then drove Inez to the campsite. 460 00:32:22,501 --> 00:32:25,267 When they arrived, he expected that it was just 461 00:32:25,434 --> 00:32:27,767 a matter of time until she was dead. 462 00:32:29,300 --> 00:32:32,367 But the overdose of pills wasn't fatal. 463 00:32:34,367 --> 00:32:37,000 When Ryder returned from a night of drinking 464 00:32:37,167 --> 00:32:40,067 with the hunters he had met, he came back to his trailer 465 00:32:40,234 --> 00:32:45,667 to find Inez alive, awake, and furious with Rosa. 466 00:32:56,567 --> 00:33:00,567 At that point, he convinced her to call Rosa, 467 00:33:00,734 --> 00:33:02,100 and her friend would explain everything. 468 00:33:03,367 --> 00:33:07,100 Ryder explained there was a spot a few hundred yards away 469 00:33:07,267 --> 00:33:08,667 where she could get reception. 470 00:33:10,100 --> 00:33:13,601 He said that while she was on the rock trying to call Rosa, 471 00:33:13,767 --> 00:33:18,667 he retrieved his.22 rifle out of his Suburban and shot her 472 00:33:18,834 --> 00:33:20,167 in the back of the head. 473 00:33:33,901 --> 00:33:39,200 As part of his confession, police took Ryder to the crime scene. 474 00:33:39,367 --> 00:33:45,467 Today's date is 12-10-2012. The time is 5:35. 475 00:33:45,634 --> 00:33:47,167 Where he walked investigators 476 00:33:47,334 --> 00:33:50,000 through the final moments of the attack. 477 00:34:19,868 --> 00:34:24,200 Ryder claimed it was his idea to stage the scene to look like 478 00:34:24,367 --> 00:34:26,567 a sexually motivated cartel hit. 479 00:34:43,701 --> 00:34:47,367 Ryder may have done more to stage the scene if he hadn't 480 00:34:47,534 --> 00:34:49,901 been interrupted by the arrival of the hunters. 481 00:34:53,467 --> 00:34:56,767 Detectives still couldn't understand why Ryder would 482 00:34:56,934 --> 00:34:58,901 murder a woman he didn't even know. 483 00:35:34,367 --> 00:35:37,200 I drove up, came up that way, came around. 484 00:35:37,367 --> 00:35:39,901 The disturbing confession closed the case 485 00:35:40,067 --> 00:35:41,868 against Troy Ryder. 486 00:35:42,033 --> 00:35:46,767 He got a 75-year sentence in exchange for his guilty plea. 487 00:35:52,100 --> 00:35:56,100 But investigators knew their job was far from done, 488 00:35:56,267 --> 00:35:58,067 and bringing the mastermind of the crime 489 00:35:58,234 --> 00:36:00,667 to justice wouldn't be easy. 490 00:36:00,834 --> 00:36:03,801 What evidence did you have against Rosa Medina? 491 00:36:03,968 --> 00:36:09,000 The evidence against Rosa Medina was scant at best. 492 00:36:09,167 --> 00:36:14,000 The primary evidence was Troy Ryder's statement. 493 00:36:14,167 --> 00:36:17,601 That is not enough to indict somebody, 494 00:36:17,767 --> 00:36:20,067 much less convict somebody of murder. 495 00:36:24,801 --> 00:36:29,467 Still, police hope that one day they could support Troy Ryder's 496 00:36:29,634 --> 00:36:32,200 confession with physical evidence. 497 00:36:32,367 --> 00:36:35,200 And it would take a decade of improvements in 498 00:36:35,367 --> 00:36:40,000 digital forensic science to uncover a trail of clues Rosa 499 00:36:40,167 --> 00:36:42,567 believed to be buried forever. 500 00:36:43,767 --> 00:36:49,367 In the end, what was the most indicting evidence that 501 00:36:49,534 --> 00:36:52,067 came out of the advances in technology? 502 00:36:52,234 --> 00:36:55,667 They were able to get deleted text messages, 503 00:36:55,834 --> 00:36:59,300 and those text messages showed communication 504 00:36:59,467 --> 00:37:06,267 between Inez and Rosa on September 1st, 2012. 505 00:37:06,434 --> 00:37:09,267 Those messages showed Inez saying that she was getting 506 00:37:09,434 --> 00:37:13,100 on the plane and that she would see her soon. 507 00:37:15,567 --> 00:37:19,467 It was concrete evidence that Medina knew Inez was flying 508 00:37:19,634 --> 00:37:22,200 that day and that she had the information 509 00:37:22,367 --> 00:37:24,100 to give to Troy Ryder. 510 00:37:26,467 --> 00:37:28,300 And there was more. 511 00:37:30,767 --> 00:37:35,868 The second component were the deleted web searches 512 00:37:36,033 --> 00:37:39,467 on Rosa's phone. Some of those web searches 513 00:37:39,634 --> 00:37:43,267 were for things like, "How do you slip a Mickey to somebody?" 514 00:37:45,167 --> 00:37:47,267 "How to make untraceable phone calls." 515 00:37:51,901 --> 00:37:54,968 Each of those details were part of the murder plot, 516 00:37:55,133 --> 00:37:58,000 and each was corroborated by the testimony of 517 00:37:58,167 --> 00:38:00,200 Medina's accomplice, Troy Ryder. 518 00:38:01,667 --> 00:38:05,467 Dorian Cotlar believed it was enough to issue a warrant 519 00:38:05,634 --> 00:38:06,501 for her arrest. 520 00:38:27,801 --> 00:38:30,567 She showed no empathy, just complete denial 521 00:38:30,734 --> 00:38:32,868 and a lack of acceptance of responsibility. 522 00:38:34,100 --> 00:38:37,267 But when Assistant Attorney General Dorian Cotlar finished 523 00:38:37,434 --> 00:38:38,767 showing her the evidence, 524 00:38:38,934 --> 00:38:43,567 Rosa Medina agreed to plead guilty to manslaughter. 525 00:38:43,734 --> 00:38:47,300 She was sentenced to 18 years behind bars. 526 00:38:49,767 --> 00:38:53,100 Inez's family saw the plea deal as a blessing. 527 00:38:55,000 --> 00:38:58,567 It took a lot off my shoulders because I didn't want to have 528 00:38:58,734 --> 00:39:01,801 to hear anything from her or see her. 529 00:39:01,968 --> 00:39:03,968 It's not gonna give me my daughter back. 530 00:39:11,167 --> 00:39:14,467 Rosa Medina has never offered a confession, 531 00:39:14,634 --> 00:39:17,601 but police have a theory of the crime. 532 00:39:17,767 --> 00:39:21,868 They believe that Medina was still in love with Inez, 533 00:39:22,033 --> 00:39:24,767 and when Inez decided to settle down in Arizona, 534 00:39:24,934 --> 00:39:29,067 it ended her last hope of them sharing a life together. 535 00:39:29,234 --> 00:39:34,067 Rather than accept Inez's choice, Medina became enraged 536 00:39:34,234 --> 00:39:38,167 and saw Troy Ryder as a tool she could use for vengeance. 537 00:39:39,501 --> 00:39:42,267 She dances for a living, in an adult club. 538 00:39:42,434 --> 00:39:44,667 She knows what sells. 539 00:39:44,834 --> 00:39:46,367 She knows how to manipulate people. 540 00:39:46,534 --> 00:39:49,701 She was never gonna enter into a relationship with Troy Ryder. 541 00:39:49,868 --> 00:39:50,801 She used him. 542 00:39:54,467 --> 00:39:59,501 How many levels of betrayal are there in this story? 543 00:39:59,667 --> 00:40:02,667 Rosa was very close with Inez's family. 544 00:40:02,834 --> 00:40:04,501 She had been brought into their home. 545 00:40:04,667 --> 00:40:10,100 It's a massive betrayal on the part of Rosa Medina. 546 00:40:14,434 --> 00:40:19,868 A betrayal that has left many wounds that will never heal. 547 00:40:20,033 --> 00:40:24,100 Do you ever think you'll make sense of what happened to Inez? 548 00:40:24,267 --> 00:40:26,968 No, I won't-- we won't. 549 00:40:27,133 --> 00:40:28,100 Every day is a battle. 550 00:40:29,667 --> 00:40:31,868 Every single day we wake up. 551 00:40:38,868 --> 00:40:42,467 How do you keep Inez's memory alive? 552 00:40:42,634 --> 00:40:45,767 There's not a day that goes by that I don't think about her. 553 00:40:48,100 --> 00:40:50,968 She'll live on with us forever. 554 00:40:55,167 --> 00:40:58,567 Investigators hope the new technology that allowed them 555 00:40:58,734 --> 00:41:01,667 to bring Rosa Medina to justice will help them 556 00:41:01,834 --> 00:41:04,968 to close other cold cases as well. 557 00:41:05,133 --> 00:41:06,467 I'm Paula Zahn. 558 00:41:06,634 --> 00:41:09,868 Please join us again next time when we're back on the case. 559 00:41:11,300 --> 00:41:13,767 On the next On the Case... 560 00:41:13,934 --> 00:41:16,367 Did your heart sink when 561 00:41:16,534 --> 00:41:18,367 you watched the surveillance tape? 562 00:41:18,534 --> 00:41:19,701 Absolutely. 563 00:41:19,868 --> 00:41:21,968 You see her just walk into the darkness, 564 00:41:22,133 --> 00:41:24,000 she's never seen again. 565 00:41:24,167 --> 00:41:25,400 Someone was here waiting for the perfect 566 00:41:25,567 --> 00:41:27,567 moment to abduct her. 567 00:41:27,734 --> 00:41:29,067 This individual, he's a monster.