♪♪
Lori Jones: THANKS FOR CALLING 459-8460.
SORRY I MISSED YOU.
LEAVE YOUR NAME AND NUMBER,
AND I'll CALL YOU BACK AS SOON AS I CAN.
THANKS. BYE.
[ ANSWERING MACHINE BEEPS ]
♪♪
WHEN I WAS 11 YEARS OLD,
AND I TRIED TO CALL MY MOM THAT WEEKEND,
THAT'S THE LAST TIME I HEARD THAT VOICE RECORDING.
AND I HADN'T HEARD HER VOICE SINCE.
GOSH, WHO WOULD'VE THOUGHT THAT BOTH OF OUR WORST FEARS
ACTUALLY CAME TRUE?
[ SNIFFLES ]
Officer: SHOOTS HAS FIRED AGAIN. SHOOTS FIRING AGAIN.
Reinhold: I DIDN'T KNOW WHAT I WAS WALKING INTO.
HE HAD JUST DUMPED THE BODY IN A SINGLE LOCATION
WITHOUT ANY ATTEMPT TO HIDE IT.
THIS PERSON IS DANGEROUS.
HOW MANY MORE WOMEN ARE GOING TO SUFFER?
Woman: SUSPECTED SERIAL KILLER LINKED.
TO THE DISAPPEARANCE OF FIVE WOMEN.
Reinhold: HOW AM I GOING TO STOP THIS PERSON?
♪♪
[ TELEPHONE BEEPS ]
Jaffar: ALL RIGHT, MOM, I'VE BEEN CALLING FOR THREE DAYS,
AND YOU HAVE NOT ANSWERED.
ARE YOU ALIVE?
ALL I REMEMBER IS CRYING.
THIS JUST CAN'T BE TRUE. WHAT COULD'VE HAPPENED?
I WAS JUST CRYING AND SCREAMING, LIKE,
"NO WAY, THIS CANNOT BE REAL.
THIS CANNOT BE REAL."
♪♪
Captions by VITAC... www.vitac.com
CAPTIONS PAID FOR BY DISCOVERY COMMUNICATIONS
♪♪
Jones: MY MOTHER WAS MY BEST FRIEND.
WE'D ALWAYS WALK DOWN TO THE LAKE AND HANG OUT THERE,
AND I'D GO SWIMMING.
SHE WAS THE KIND OF MOM WHO WANTED ME TO EXPERIENCE
MY CHILDHOOD TO THE FULLEST.
♪♪
[ CHILDREN LAUGHING ]
THE PLAN FOR THE WEEKEND THAT FOURTH OF JULY
WAS TO GO CHARTER-BOAT FISHING WITH A COUPLE FRIENDS OF MINE
AND MY DAD'S EX-GIRLFRIEND.
I WAS SO EXCITED TO GO ON THIS FISHING TRIP
THAT I WOULDN'T LEAVE MY MOM ALONE.
YOU KNOW, "WHEN ARE THEY COMING? WHEN ARE THEY COMING.
WHEN ARE THEY GOING TO GET HERE?"
MY LAST MEMORY OF MY MOM, SHE WAS JUST WAVING AT US, GOOD-BYE,
AND SAID, "I LOVE YOU."
♪♪
AS A KID, I THINK YOU GET SO EXCITED FOR STUFF THAT YOU...
KIND OF, LIKE, "BYE, MOM," YOU KNOW, "I'll SEE YOU LATER."
BUT I DO REMEMBER HER BEING AT THE TOP OF THE STAIRS,
WAVING BYE AND SAYING, "I LOVE YOU."
AND THAT WILL FOREVER STICK WITH ME.
[ SNIFFLES ]
♪♪
I WASN'T EXPECTING TO CATCH A LOT OF FISH,
BUT I CAUGHT A TON, AND I WAS SO EXCITED TO SHOW MY MOM.
I WAS SO EXCITED.
WE GET TO THE APARTMENT.
I REMEMBER KNOCKING ON THE DOOR...
AND NO ANSWER.
THE BLINDS WERE SHUT, SO I COULDN'T SEE IN.
WE WALKED AROUND THE WHOLE ENTIRE APARTMENT COMPLEX,
AND SHE JUST WASN'T THERE.
AND ODDLY ENOUGH, HER CAR WAS SITTING IN THE PARKING SPOT.
THAT'S WHEN IT REALLY STARTED TO SET IN,
THAT SOMETHING REALLY WAS WRONG.
SOMETHING WAS WRONG.
♪♪
WE CONTACTED THE ASSISTANT MANAGER TO SEE
IF SHE COULD LET US IN, AND IT LOOKS NORMAL.
IT LOOKS NORMAL IN HERE.
AND SO WE'RE WALKING PAST THE LIVING ROOM, TOWARDS MY ROOM.
I NOTICED THAT MY BLINDS ON MY WINDOW
HAD BEEN BENT ON THE SIDE,
AND THEY HADN'T BEEN LIKE THAT WHEN I LEFT,
SO THAT WAS ODD TO ME.
I WENT DOWN THE HALLWAY TO MY MOM'S ROOM...
♪♪
AND THE FIRST THING I SAW WAS HER BOOKS
ALL MESSED UP ON HER BEDSIDE TABLE.
♪♪
AND BEFORE I COULD EVEN UNDERSTAND,
YOU KNOW, WHAT WAS GOING ON,
THE ASSISTANT MANAGER LIFTED UP THE SIDE OF THE BED SKIRT
ON THE SIDE OF THE BED.
♪♪
AND SHE SCREAMED, "OH, MY GOD. SHE'S IN THERE."
♪♪
IN THAT VERY MOMENT, THIS INTENSE SENSE OF PANIC
AND FRIGHT JUST TOTALLY CONSUMED ME,
AND I SPRINTED OUT OF THE APARTMENT.
♪♪
I THINK THEY HAD ME GO SIT WITH THE OTHER KIDS IN THE CAR,
AND I REMEMBER LOOKING OUT OF THE WINDOW AND BAWLING,
AND SCREAMING, LIKE, "MY MOM IS DEAD.
MY MOM IS DEAD. MY MOM IS DEAD."
♪♪
Reinhold: I WAS ON CALL THAT WEEK OF FOURTH OF JULY.
I WAS NOT PREPARED FOR WHAT I SAW WHEN I GOT THERE.
♪♪
WHEN I FIRST WALK IN THROUGH THE DOOR,
THE HOUSE IS VERY NEAT, NO SIGNS OF ANY STRUGGLE.
STRAIGHT AHEAD WAS A BATHROOM.
THE ONLY THING THAT I NOTED IN THAT
WAS IS THAT THE TOILET LID WAS UP,
AND I KNEW THAT ONLY ELISA AND HER MOM LIVED THERE.
AND THERE WAS A CIGARETTE BUTT IN THE TOILET.
AND THEN, TO THE RIGHT WAS A BEDROOM.
AND THE BED WAS VERY LOW,
SO I ACTUALLY HAD TO GET DOWN ON MY HANDS
AND KNEES TO LOOK UNDER THE BED.
AND I SAW, JUST, LIKE, THE SIDE OF HER ARM AND LEG,
AND SHE WAS, FROM WHAT I COULD SEE, COMPLETELY NUDE.
I KIND OF WENT [GASPS]
BECAUSE I WAS NOT EXPECTING THAT.
♪♪
I REMEMBER THINKING, "THERE IS A CHILD THAT LIVES IN THIS HOUSE,"
AND TO THINK THAT THE LAST MEMORY
THAT A CHILD HAS OF HER MOM
IS BEING FOUND MURDERED UNDERNEATH HER OWN BED,
IN HER OWN APARTMENT.
WHERE IS THEIR LIFE GOING TO GO AFTER THIS?
AND THEN, YOU'VE GOT TO SWITCH GEARS AND SAY,
"OKAY, SO NOW WHAT DO I HAVE TO DO TO FIGURE OUT WHAT HAPPENED?"
YOU WANT TO FIND OUT WHO DID IT,
AND THE LONGER YOU WAIT, THE HARDER IT IS.
[ SOBS ]
♪♪
Jaffar: FOURTH OF JULY WAS THE LAST TIME I SPOKE TO MY MOM,
AND WE JUST TALKED ABOUT WHAT WE WERE DOING,
JUST A REGULAR, CASUAL CONVERSATION, AND THAT WAS THAT.
♪♪
WE TALKED A LOT.
I MEAN, WE'D CALL EACH OTHER ALL THE TIME.
- HEY, MOM. - I MEAN, I COULD CALL HER
ANY HOUR OF THE NIGHT, AND SHE WOULD GET UP.
SHE WOULD GET UP, AND WE WOULD TALK.
THERE WASN'T ANYTHING I DIDN'T FEEL LIKE
I COULDN'T CALL HER ABOUT, AND SHE WAS THE FIRST PERSON
THAT I WOULD REACH OUT TO.
♪♪
THAT FRIDAY, SO TWO DAYS AFTER FOURTH OF JULY,
I CALLED HER JUST TO CHAT.
SHE DIDN'T ANSWER.
I THOUGHT, "WELL, THAT'S WEIRD, WHERE IS SHE?" YOU KNOW,
BECAUSE NORMALLY SHE'D BE HOME.
[ ANSWERING MACHINE BEEPS ]
SUNDAY MORNING, I GOT HOME FROM CHURCH
AND FELT A PIT IN MY STOMACH,
BECAUSE THEN I THOUGHT, "NOW, IT'S SUNDAY.
I'VE BEEN TRYING TO REACH HER SINCE FRIDAY.
AND WHERE IS MY MOM?"
BUT MY HUSBAND JUST SAID, "LOOK, SHE'S YOUR MOM.
SHE'S NOT YOUR CHILD, AND I'M SURE SHE'S FINE."
♪♪
I JUST WALKED OUTSIDE, AND I JUST THOUGHT
I WANTED TO RUN AND RUN AND RUN
UNTIL SOMETHING WOULD GIVE INSIDE OF ME
BECAUSE I DIDN'T KNOW WHAT TO THINK OR FEEL OR DO.
THIS WAS THE PICTURE THAT THEY SHOWED ME DURING THE TRIAL
THAT TOTALLY MADE ME BREAK DOWN
WHEN THEY HAD ME IDENTIFY WHO MY MOM WAS.
SO PRETTY.
IT'S HER EYES, HER NOSE, HER SMILE,
HER CUTE OVERALLS THAT SHE WOULD WEAR.
SHE WAS JUST SO SWEET AND SO...
I JUST LOVED HER SO MUCH.
IT WAS JUST MY MOM, HOW I REMEMBER HER,
SO IT MAKES ME JUST REALLY SAD TO LOOK AT IT,
AND I JUST WISH SHE WAS HERE.
♪♪
Jaffar: SUNDAY NIGHT, I WENT TO BED PRETTY EARLY.
MY HUSBAND WAS STILL AWAKE, OUT IN THE LIVING ROOM WATCHING TV.
AND HE WOKE ME UP.
HE CAME IN, AND SAID, YOU KNOW, "MINDY, WAKE UP.
YOUR SISTER IS ON THE PHONE."
ELISA, WHAT'S WRONG?
♪♪
I DO REMEMBER MY DAD SAYING,
"ELISA, YOU HAVE TO CALL YOUR SISTER AND TELL HER."
AND I REMEMBER THINKING, LIKE, "I CAN'T.
LIKE, I CAN'T CALL HER.
WHY WOULD YOU MAKE ME CALL MY SISTER
AND TELL HER THAT MY MOM'S DEAD?"
Jaffar: I DON'T EVEN THINK I SAID, "HI," OR, "HELLO.
I THINK I JUST SAID, YOU KNOW,
"WHERE HAVE YOU GUYS BEEN ALL WEEKEND?
LIKE, WHAT IS GOING ON?"
AND SHE JUST SAID, "MINDY, MOM IS DEAD."
I SAID, "KNOCK IT OFF. PUT HER ON THE PHONE RIGHT NOW.
THIS ISN'T A JOKE."
I WAS JUST SITTING THERE, TRYING TO MAKE MY SISTER
UNDERSTAND THAT MOM, OUR MOM WAS JUST...
SHE'S DEAD NOW.
I DON'T EVEN KNOW MY THOUGHTS THAT I HAD AT THAT POINT.
IT WAS JUST HEARTBREAK.
♪♪
[ SOBS ]
[ SNIFFLES ] I FELT LIKE I WAS 5 YEARS OLD.
AND HOW WOULD I SURVIVE?
I FELT SO LOST, IMMEDIATELY.
I JUST WALKED OUTSIDE, AND I JUST THOUGHT
I WANTED TO RUN AND RUN AND RUN
UNTIL SOMETHING WOULD GIVE INSIDE OF ME
BECAUSE I DIDN'T KNOW WHAT TO THINK, OR FEEL, OR DO.
AND THEN, I THOUGHT, "OH, MY GOD, MY POOR SISTER.
I'VE GOT TO GET TO HER,"
BECAUSE I CAN'T IMAGINE WHAT SHE WAS FEELING.
♪♪
Jones: SHE FLEW IN, AND I REMEMBER SEEING HER.
AND JUST FEELING SO MUCH COMFORT,
THE COMFORT I HAD NEEDED.
I JUST REMEMBER SEEING HER, AND JUST FEELING LIKE,
"THANK GOD. LIKE, THANK GOD YOU'RE HERE."
I THINK, GETTING TO MY SISTER, I JUST AUTOMATICALLY KNEW
THAT I HAD TO BE THERE FOR HER.
YOU KNOW, "HOW AM I GOING TO MAKE THIS GIRL
FEEL SECURE AGAIN?"
♪♪
Jones: I WAS JUST THINKING, LIKE, "WHO WOULD WANT.
TO DO THAT TO MY MOM? WHO?"
BECAUSE EVERYONE LOVED HER.
SHE HAD THE BIGGEST HEART I'VE EVER MET.
Jaffar: I KNEW SHE DIDN'T HAVE A BOYFRIEND,
I KNEW SHE WASN'T IN A RELATIONSHIP.
MY MOM DID NOT HAVE A LIFE OUTSIDE OF ELISA.
I WANTED HER TO GO ON DATES.
I WANTED HER TO MEET PEOPLE, AND SHE WASN'T.
I JUST KEPT TRYING TO THINK, "WHAT COULD'VE HAPPENED?
WHO WAS IT? YOU KNOW, DID SHE INVITE HIM IN?
DID SHE KNOW HIM? WHO IS HE?
WHO AM I NOT AWARE OF THAT WOULD'VE BEEN IN HER HOME?"
♪♪
Reinhold: LORI JONES WAS JUST YOUR AVERAGE WORKING MOM,
A SINGLE MOM RAISING A CHILD,
DOING EVERYTHING THAT SHE CAN FOR THAT CHILD.
I WAS A SINGLE MOM AT THE TIME, AND I REMEMBER THINKING,
"GOSH, ANY ONE OF MY DECISIONS,
COULD MY SON BE WITHOUT HIS MOM?"
YES, I AM. I'M STILL AT WORK.
BALANCING THE ROLE BETWEEN BEING A MOM
AND WORKING FULL TIME IN ANY JOB IS DIFFICULT,
BUT WHEN YOU'RE IN LAW ENFORCEMENT,
IT IS A BALANCING ACT,
BECAUSE YOU...
ESPECIALLY WHEN YOUR KIDS ARE YOUNGER,
THEY DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY YOU'RE GONE
FOR TWO OR THREE DAYS.
I LOVE YOU, TOO.
IT'S HARD.
GOOD NIGHT.
BUT I NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT I FOUND WHO DID THIS.
♪♪
THE NEXT MORNING, I WENT THROUGH AND TAGGED ITEMS
THAT COULD BE OF EVIDENTIARY VALUE.
AND WE FOUND HER PURSE.
THERE WAS A RECEIPT FOR BAILEY'S MOTOR INN,
WHICH IS A BAR THAT WAS DATED HOURS
BEFORE THE BODY WAS FOUND.
SO I WENT IN, AND I TALKED WITH THE BARTENDER,
AND I SHOWED HIM A PICTURE OF LORI
AND ASKED IF HE REMEMBERED HER.
AND HE RECOGNIZED HER RIGHT AWAY AND SAID THAT,
YES, SHE WAS IN THERE THAT FRIDAY NIGHT.
HE REMEMBERED THAT, NOT LONG AFTER SHE SAT DOWN,
THAT THIS OTHER PERSON CAME UP,
AND IT WAS HIS IMPRESSION THAT THEY DIDN'T KNOW EACH OTHER.
IT APPEARED THAT THEY LIKED EACH OTHER,
AND THAT THEY, YOU KNOW, WERE HAVING A GOOD TIME, LAUGHING.
HE THOUGHT THAT THEY ENDED UP LEAVING TOGETHER.
BARTENDER REMEMBERED THAT HE WAS A TALLER WHITE GUY,
THIN BUILD, WAS WEARING A COWBOY HAT AND JEANS,
SO I NEEDED TO FIND OUT WHO THAT PERSON WAS.
♪♪
Jones: I WANTED TO KNOW WHAT MY MOM WENT THROUGH.
I WANTED TO KNOW HER LAST MOMENTS.
I MEAN, I EVEN CHOSE TO HAVE AN OPEN CASKET.
I DON'T KNOW IF IT HELPED ME OR NOT
BECAUSE THE HEARTACHE OF TOUCHING MY MOM'S COLD HAND,
AND IT WASN'T HER ANYMORE,
BUT I THOUGHT THAT THAT WOULD BRING ME
A SENSE OF CLOSENESS TO HER THAT I HAD BEEN WANTING.
I EVEN KEPT THE BOX OF HER ASHES,
SO SHE HAD A HEADSTONE WITH NOTHING UNDER IT
BECAUSE I COULD NOT GIVE IT UP.
I COULDN'T LET GO OF IT.
AND I REMEMBER MY DAD FINALLY TOLD ME, LIKE,
"ELISA, YOU'VE GOT TO LAY HER TO REST."
♪♪
Reinhold: THE CHANCES OF DEVELOPING A FINGERPRINT, SO RARE,
I COULDN'T EVEN TELL YOU WHAT INFINITY NUMBER IT WOULD BE,
AND ADDITIONALLY, THAT THERE IS ENOUGH DATA ON THAT FINGERPRINT
TO MATCH IT TO SOMEONE IN THE SYSTEM.
THE PRINT BELONGED TO MICHAEL JOHN BRAAE.
HIS CRIMINAL HISTORY STARTED BACK A NUMBER OF YEARS AGO,
SOME DRIVING OFFENSES, STOLEN PROPERTY,
POSSESSION OF SOME DRUGS.
IT SORT OF SEEMED, LIKE, THERE WAS, LIKE,
THIS ESCALATION OF CRIME.
BUT HE WAS MORE OF A PERSON OF INTEREST.
I WAS NOT PREPARED TO SAY THAT HE WAS THE SUSPECT.
JUST BECAUSE HIS FINGERPRINT WAS THERE,
DOESN'T MEAN THAT HE KILLED HER,
DOESN'T MEAN ANYTHING OTHER THAN HE WAS
IN THE APARTMENT AT SOME POINT,
AND LEFT HIS FINGERPRINT THERE.
SO NOW, THE WORKS BEGINS IN TRYING TO FIND HIM
AND TRYING TO FIND OUT WHY HIS PRINT WAS THERE.
♪♪
WE STARTED CONTACTING ANYBODY THAT KNEW ANYTHING ABOUT HIM.
I WENT TO INTERVIEW AN ACQUAINTANCE,
AND WHEN I ASKED FOR SOME PICTURES OF HIM,
SHE TOLD ME THAT SHE THOUGHT SHE HAD A COUPLE.
ONE OF THEM, HE'S SITTING ON A COUCH,
AND HE'S GOT A COWBOY HAT ON, HOLDING A GUITAR.
♪♪
SO I TOOK IT BACK TO THE BARTENDER.
HE EASILY PICKED OUT MICHAEL BRAAE
AS THE PERSON WHO LORI JONES LEFT WITH.
I WAS, LIKE, "YES. NOW, I THINK WE HAVE HIM."
♪♪
IT SEEMED ALMOST IMMEDIATE THAT HE WAS ALL OVER THE NEWS
AND THAT THEY WERE LOOKING FOR HIM,
THAT HE WAS CONNECTED TO MY MOM'S MURDER.
HE DIDN'T LOOK TERRIFYING IN THE PICTURE THAT I SAW.
HE JUST LOOKED LIKE A REGULAR GUY.
♪♪
Jones: YOU COULD SEE HOW HE WOULD'VE BEEN HANDSOME.
WHEN HE WAS YOUNGER, A VERY HANDSOME GUY.
BUT I FELT CONFUSION WHEN THEY SAID THIS MIGHT BE THE PERSON.
I JUST DIDN'T UNDERSTAND WHY.
Jaffar: MY BIGGEST CONCERN WAS JUST, FIND HIM,
SO THAT HE WASN'T OUT THERE. THAT WAS SCARY.
WHO IS HE? DOES HE KNOW ABOUT US?
COULD HE FIND US?
♪♪
I GOT A CALL FROM ANOTHER DETECTIVE
WHO HAD INVESTIGATED THE DEATH OF A WOMAN NAMED VELINA LARSON.
MICHAEL BRAAE WAS LAST SEEN WITH HER
AND WAS CERTAINLY A PERSON OF INTEREST IN HER DISAPPEARANCE.
AND THEN, IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT A WOMAN NAMED DEB VANLUVEN,
WHO WAS A LONG TIME GIRLFRIEND OF MICHAEL BRAAE,
HAD DISAPPEARED, AND NOBODY HAD SEEN HER FOR A YEAR.
AND THEN, I GOT A CALL FROM A PIERCE COUNTY DEPUTY,
WHO WAS LOOKING FOR A WOMAN NAMED SUSAN AULT.
SUSAN AULT WAS SEEN HAVING AN ARGUMENT WITH MICHAEL BRAAE,
AND THEN THE NEXT MORNING, SHE'S NOT THERE,
AND SHE HAS NOT BEEN LOCATED.
AND THIS WAS TWO WEEKS BEFORE LORI JONES WAS KILLED.
♪♪
SEEMS LIKE, EVERY PLACE THAT HE LIVED,
THERE WAS SOME TYPE OF PHYSICAL OR SEXUAL ASSAULT
THAT HE WAS LINKED TO.
I WAS INCREDIBLY SAD THAT THESE VICTIMS OF THESE OTHER CRIMES
NEVER GOT ANY KIND OF JUSTICE FOR WHAT HAPPENED TO THEM
THEN, I STARTED GETTING ANGRY, AND THINKING, YOU KNOW,
"IT CAN'T KEEP HAPPENING."
BUT I'D BE ONE STEP AHEAD OF HIM,
AND I COULD NOT WANT TO HAVE ANOTHER VICTIM
BECAUSE I COULDN'T FIND HIM.
♪♪
[ TELEPHONE RINGS ]
I GOT A CALL AT MY HOME FROM A DETECTIVE,
AND HE'S FROM WASHINGTON.
YES, THIS IS DETECTIVE REINHOLD.
HE TOLD ME THAT MICHAEL BRAAE WAS BELIEVED
TO HAVE SHOT HIS GIRLFRIEND IN THE HEAD
AND THAT THEY WERE ACTIVELY LOOKING FOR HIM AS WELL.
MY HEART JUST SUNK.
HOW AM I GOING TO STOP THIS PERSON?
♪♪
[ TELEPHONE RINGING ]
Reinhold: WHEN THE DETECTIVE CALLED,
AND HE TOLD ME THAT MICHAEL BRAAE
WAS A SUSPECT IN A SHOOTING...
MY HEART JUST SUNK BECAUSE I WANTED TO BE ABLE
TO FIND HIM BEFORE THAT HAPPENED.
IT'S JUST THIS FEELING OF DEFEAT.
HOW MANY MORE WOMEN ARE GOING TO SUFFER,
AND WHAT AM I GOING TO DO, OR WHAT HAVEN'T I DONE,
OR WHAT MORE DO I NEED TO DO?
WE NEEDED MORE EYES AND EARS LOOKING FOR HIM.
Woman: SUSPECTED SERIAL KILLER LINKED TO THE DEATHS.
AND DISAPPEARANCE OF FIVE WOMEN.
IT'S PRETTY SCARY, THOUGH,
BECAUSE YOU HEAR A REPORT OF A SERIAL KILLER.
HE HAD JUST DUMPED THE BODY IN A SINGLE LOCATION
WITHOUT ANY ATTEMPT TO HIDE IT.
AND SOMETIMES, I GOT THE FEELING, LIKE,
HE WAS DRIVING THE BUS,
YOU KNOW, THAT WE WERE SORT OF SPINNING OUR WHEELS.
WE WERE STILL DOING THINGS, BUT WE WERE DOING THINGS
AND THEN HAVING TO WAIT.
WE WERE SENDING OUT PEOPLE TO LOOK FOR HIM IN BARS.
WE'RE ONLY A FEW STEPS BEHIND HIM
AND COMING UP EMPTY-HANDED, AND IT WAS FRUSTRATING.
♪♪
Jaffar: THAT WAS THE HARDEST DAY,
TO GO TO MY MOM'S APARTMENT IN WASHINGTON
AND HAVE IT PACKED UP.
JUST TO LOOK AROUND, AND, YOU KNOW, THINK, LIKE,
"GOD, SHE WOULD'VE NEVER KNOWN THAT SHE WOULD NEVER
MAKE ANOTHER POT OF COFFEE,"
OR HERE'S HER, YOU KNOW, HER CLOTHES OR HER SOAP,
YOU KNOW, AND HER PERFUME AND BLANKETS
AND JUST HER PERSONAL ITEMS.
THAT WAS JUST SO SAD AND HARD.
♪♪
ME AND MY SISTER JUST STARTED BAWLING,
AND WE JUST HELD EACH OTHER AND JUST BAWLED
FOR I DON'T EVEN KNOW HOW LONG.
♪♪
WOW.
THIS IS WHERE ME AND MOM LIVED.
♪♪
IT'S SO WEIRD, LOOKING BACK.
AS AN ADULT, IT SEEMS SO MUCH SMALLER THAN WHEN YOU'RE A KID.
EVERYTHING SEEMS SO SPACIOUS.
I KNOW.
WOW. IT DOES SEEM SMALLER.
AND THIS IS MY ROOM.
YEAH, WOW.
THE BLINDS, THAT'S THE VERY FIRST THING
THAT I NOTICED WHEN WE CAME BACK.
I MEAN, I'M NOT GOING TO CREASE THEM, OBVIOUSLY,
BUT THERE WAS SIGNIFICANT
BENDING RIGHT IN THE SIDE, RIGHT IN HERE.
SO IT KIND OF LOOKED LIKE THIS, ALMOST, A LITTLE CRUMPLED,
AND THAT'S WHEN I KNEW SOMETHING WAS REALLY WEIRD,
NOT NORMAL, DEFINITELY OUT OF THE NORM.
BUT I REMEMBER HAVING A CONVERSATION WITH MY MOM.
I MEAN, IT COULD'VE... IT WAS ONLY ABOUT TWO WEEKS
PRIOR TO HER DEATH,
THAT SHE SAT ME DOWN AND SAID, YOU KNOW,
"ELISA, WHAT WOULD YOU DO, SWEETHEART,
IF SOMEONE WERE TO COME AFTER YOU,
A STRANGER, TAKE YOU, WHATEVER?"
AND I, YOU KNOW, BEING A KID,
YOU DON'T KNOW THE EXACT ANSWER YOU SHOULD PROBABLY GIVE.
SO, LIKE, "I DON'T KNOW."
I WAS, LIKE, "I DON'T KNOW, MOM."
"WHAT WOULD YOU DO?"
AND I'll NEVER FORGET THIS.
[ Voice breaking ] SHE SAID, "BABY, I WOULD FIGHT.
UNTIL I COULDN'T FIGHT ANYMORE."
AND I KNEW SHE DID, AND THAT'S WHY THAT STRUCK ME
BECAUSE I KNEW SHE FOUGHT.
♪♪
THAT WILL NEVER LEAVE MY MEMORY.
♪♪
[ SIGHS ] LET'S GO TO MOM'S ROOM.
I REMEMBER WALKING IN AND DIRECTLY OVER BY HER BED,
OVER HERE, WAS HER NIGHTSTAND AND HER BOOKS,
AND HER BOOKS WERE ALL...
THEY WERE SCATTERED. ...SCATTERED.
LIKE, YOU KNEW THERE WAS A STRUGGLE.
YEAH.
MY MOM USED TO BE HERE.
LIKE, THIS WAS HER...
THIS IS... SHE WAS HERE.
WE LIVED HERE.
JUST KNOWING I WAS A LITTLE KID IN HERE
WITH MY MOMMA
[Voice breaking] BRINGS BACK A LOT.
[ SNIFFLES ]
[ SIGHS ]
[ CHUCKLES ]
[ SNIFFLES ]
[ EXHALES SHARPLY ] SO WEIRD.
[ SNIFFLES, SIGHS ]
YOU OKAY?
DARN IT.
[ Voice breaking ] JUST WANT HER HERE.
I KNOW. I JUST WANT HER, YOU KNOW?
I KNOW. I JUST WANT HER.
[ SNIFFLES ]
♪♪
Reinhold: IT HAD BEEN, YOU KNOW, ABOUT TWO WEEKS.
SINCE WE STARTED THE INVESTIGATION
INTO LORI JONES' MURDER.
I WAS SORT OF THE VOICE AND THE FACE OF THIS INVESTIGATION.
I GOT VERY LITTLE SLEEP.
OFFICERS WOULD GO OUT ON AN ASSIGNMENT AND COME BACK,
AND I WOULD STILL BE THERE.
THEY WOULD GO HOME AND COME BACK,
AND I'D STILL BE THERE.
YOU KNOW, I DIDN'T WANT HIM TO WIN.
♪♪
- THAT'S THE GUY. - THAT'S THE GUY?
Man: THAT'S THE GUY.
I GOT A CALL THAT HE WAS LOCATED AT A TRUCK STOP IN IDAHO.
[ INDISTINCT RADIO CHATTER ]
TWO OFFICERS CAME AND SET UP BEHIND HIS CAR.
THEY'RE CALLING HIM OUT TO SHOW HIS HANDS,
COME OUT OF THE CAR,
AND HE SAT OUT, REACHED OVER,
PUT HIS COWBOY HAT ON, STARTED HIS TRUCK
AND THEN JUST DROVE OUT OF THE PARKING LOT.
I WAS JUST SECRETLY PRAYING, "DON'T LET HIM GET AWAY.
DON'T LET HIM GET AWAY."
THIS IS THE CLOSEST WE HAVE BEEN TO CAPTURING HIM.
THERE'S ABOUT, YOU KNOW, 25 POLICE CARS
FROM VARIOUS JURISDICTIONS BEHIND HIM.
AND THERE WERE OFFICERS THAT WERE LAYING IN THE GRASS,
AND THEN THEY SHOT OUT HIS TIRES.
HE'S ON RIMS NOW.
THERE'S SMOKE COMING OUT OF THE BACK OF HIS CAR.
HE JUST SORT OF DRIVES OVER TO THE SNAKE RIVER BRIDGE,
AND HE JUST PULLS OVER, OPENS THE DOOR.
HE WALKS OVER TO THE RAILING, AND HE JUMPS OFF THE BRIDGE.
[ SIRENS WAILING ]
Officer: HE JUMPED OFF!
Reinhold: MICHAEL BRAAE JUMPS OFF FROM THE SNAKE RIVER BRIDGE,
AND HE JUST STARTS FLOATING ON HIS BACK DOWN THE RIVER.
[ SIRENS WAILING ]
Woman: SELF-DESCRIBED COWBOY MICHAEL BRAAE.
WAS ARRESTED AFTER A DRAMATIC HIGH-SPEED CHASE.
Man: WHEN POLICE SHOT OUT HIS TIRES,
BRAAE ABANDONED HIS TRUCK ON THE SNAKE RIVER BRIDGE
AND JUMPED, SWIMMING TWO MILES BEFORE HE WAS APPREHENDED.
♪♪
I HADN'T SEEN MY SON FOR, YOU KNOW,
THE PREVIOUS 3 1/2 WEEKS,
AND I JUST WENT IN AND LAID DOWN WITH HIM FOR A LITTLE BIT.
MOM?
I SLEPT, KNOWING THAT NOBODY ELSE WAS GOING TO GET HURT.
♪♪
Jones: I REMEMBER SEEING THE NEWSPAPER.
I REMEMBER SEEING HIM DRENCHED IN WATER.
THAT'S WHEN I JUST FELT LIKE, "THANK GOD,
YOU KNOW, THEY FINALLY GOT HIM, FINALLY."
I HOPED THAT HE WOULD NEVER SEE LIGHT
AND THAT HE WOULD BE BY HIMSELF FOR THE REST OF HIS LIFE.
YOU KNOW, I JUST WANTED HIM TO FEEL
PAIN AND LONELINESS
AND EVERYTHING THAT I FELT.
♪♪
Jaffar: MY MOM DIED IN JULY, AND I HAD MY SISTER.
IN THAT CHRISTMAS.
I HAD BOUGHT HER PRESENTS, YOU KNOW, OF COURSE,
AND SHE DIDN'T REALLY CARE FOR WHAT I GOT HER.
SO WE WENT TO THE MALL TO EXCHANGE,
AND SHE DIDN'T LIKE ANYTHING IN THERE.
AND I WAS FEELING FRUSTRATED BECAUSE, YOU KNOW,
I BOUGHT WHAT I COULD, WHAT I COULD AFFORD.
I DID WHAT I COULD TO TRY TO MAKE CHRISTMAS
AS BEST AS POSSIBLE, AND I KEPT SAYING, LIKE,
"WELL, WHAT ABOUT THIS? WHAT ABOUT THIS T-SHIRT?
I MEAN, IS THERE ANYTHING IN HERE THAT YOU LIKE AT ALL?"
AND SHE GOT UPSET, AND WE WALKED OUT OF THE STORE,
AND SHE STARTED CRYING AND SAID, "I JUST WANT MOM. I MISS MOM."
AND I JUST LIKE, I THINK,
SHOVED HER AGAINST THE WALL IN THE MALL AND SAID,
"SHE IS NOT HERE."
YOU'RE NEVER GOING TO HAVE ANOTHER CHRISTMAS WITH HER.
I AM GOING TO BE BUYING YOUR CHRISTMAS PRESENTS,
[Voice breaking] SO YOU HAVE TO FIGURE IT OUT.
"YOU HAVE TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO LIKE THIS."
♪♪
AND I SAID, "I MISS HER, TOO.
I WANT HER, TOO, BUT SHE IS NOT HERE, AND NEVER WILL BE AGAIN."
AND I WAS OVERWHELMED.
I WAS YOUNG, YOU KNOW, AND I...
HOW DO YOU KNOW YOU'RE NOT PREPARED
TO DEAL WITH ANYTHING LIKE THAT?
SO I WAS HARSH, BUT SHE KNEW THAT I LOVED HER,
AND SHE KNEW I LOVED MOM JUST AS MUCH AS SHE DID.
I JUST COULDN'T FALL APART.
YOU KNOW?
♪♪
Reinhold: I WANTED TO LOOK AT HIS FACE AND SAY,
"YOU FINALLY ARE BEING HELD ACCOUNTABLE.
YOU MURDERED SOMEONE, AND NOW YOU'RE GOING TO PRISON."
I HAVE REGRETS THAT HE WAS NOT SENTENCED
FOR THE OTHER CRIMES
THAT HE WAS LINKED TO.
AND THE BODIES OF DEB VANLUVEN AND SUSAN AULT
HAVE NEVER BEEN FOUND,
WHICH MEANS THAT THEIR FAMILIES DIDN'T GET ANY KIND OF JUSTICE.
♪♪
Jaffar: I THINK AT THIS POINT IN MY LIFE,
I AM READY TO FORGIVE HIM.
IT'S JUST SO SAD AND UNFORTUNATE THAT WE LOST MY MOM SO YOUNG,
BUT HE JUST HAPPENS TO BE THE PERSON WHO DID IT.
HE'S NOTHING MORE TO ME THAN THAT.
I MISS MY MOM, BUT I FEEL SO ASSURED THAT SHE IS IN HEAVEN
AND THAT SHE'S OKAY.
♪♪
Jones: I WANT SO BADLY TO BE ABLE TO SAY.
THAT I FORGIVE MICHAEL BRAAE,
NOT FOR HIM BUT FOR MY OWN HEART.
I THINK THAT WOULD DO SO MUCH FOR ME.
IT'S JUST SOMEWHERE I REALLY WANT TO GET TO,
BUT I DON'T THINK I'M THERE YET.
♪♪
MY DAD, YOU KNOW, HE'D REALLY WANTED TO TRY AND GIVE ME
A GOOD HOME AND STUFF,
BUT AFTER MY MOM DIED, I THINK I WAS JUST SO LOST.
I HAD REALLY NO SOURCE OF HAPPINESS IN MY LIFE,
OTHER THAN MY SISTER, WHO I WAS, YOU KNOW, AWAY FROM.
♪♪
Jaffar: MY SISTER AND I ARE GOING TO LIVE NEAR EACH OTHER FOREVER.
I THINK IT'S A PACT, NO MATTER WHAT.
WE'RE GOING TO STAY NEAR EACH OTHER.
WE HAVE SO MUCH MORE LIFE TO LIVE THAT
WE JUST WANT TO MAKE IT THE BEST.
Jones: HAD I NOT HAD MY SISTER,
I WOULD NOT BE ANYTHING CLOSE TO WHO I AM.
SHE IS THE STRONGEST WOMAN I'VE EVER MET IN MY ENTIRE LIFE,
AND SHE HAS DONE SUCH A GOOD JOB
AT HELPING ME TO GROW
AND NOT TO JUST DWELL ON NEGATIVE THINGS
BECAUSE WE CAN'T CHANGE WHAT HAPPENED, AND SHE KNOWS THAT.
I ALWAYS TELL HER, "I LOVE YOU. YOU'RE NOT FORGOTTEN,"
AND I THINK ABOUT HER EVERY SINGLE DAY,
AND SHE'S ALWAYS WITH ME.
THAT'S WHAT I SAY EVERY TIME.
YEAH.
IT BREAKS MY HEART TO THINK
THAT HER GRAVE WILL GO WITHOUT FLOWERS.
I THINK THAT'S THE HARDEST PART.
Jaffar: IT'S GOING TO BE AWHILE UNTIL WE EVER COME BACK.
MM-HMM. BUT, I MEAN, I DON'T THINK IT'S A GOOD-BYE.
I DON'T THINK I'M SAYING GOOD-BYE TO HER
BECAUSE I TALK TO HER ALL THE TIME ANYWAY.
I KNOW.
♪♪
OKAY.
WE LOVE YOU SO MUCH I LOVE YOU.
♪♪
I CANNOT WAIT TO MOVE FORWARD.
I CANNOT WAIT TO BE DOWN HERE WITH MY FAMILY
AND JUST BE HAPPY, LIVE A FULL LIFE
THAT I KNOW MY MOM WOULD WANT FOR ME,
AND SHE WOULDN'T WANT ME TO BE SAD.
SHE WOULDN'T WANT ME TO THINK ABOUT THAT STUFF,
SO I'M EXCITED.
I'M REALLY EXCITED TO MOVE ON.
♪♪
MY HEART BROKE.
I WAS KIND OF ALMOST IN A NUMB STATE,
AND I JUST REALLY COULDN'T UNDERSTAND
WHY THINGS LIKE THIS KEEP HAPPENING.
MY FATHER, HE WAS A REALLY GOOD GUY.
EVERYONE WHO KNEW HIM KNEW HE WAS HILARIOUS.
HE HAD A GREAT SENSE OF HUMOR.
HE LOVED TO FISH.
IT'S JUST ODD THAT IT WOULD HAPPEN TO BOTH MY PARENTS.
IT'S JUST REALLY SURREAL.
I WAS TELLING MY SISTER THAT, SINCE LOSING MY MOM, I...
THAT'S REALLY THE WORST THING I COULD EVER GO THROUGH IN LIFE.
SO, ANYTHING ELSE, IT'S HARD,
BUT I'VE ALREADY ENDURED THE WORST.
♪♪