1
00:00:03,670 --> 00:00:04,921
NARRATOR: A young woman
with a troubled past
2
00:00:05,714 --> 00:00:08,550
looks for a fresh start.
3
00:00:08,591 --> 00:00:10,093
MORGAN: She was ready
to prove that
4
00:00:10,135 --> 00:00:11,511
she could move
her life forward.
5
00:00:11,553 --> 00:00:13,179
NARRATOR: In a new home
6
00:00:13,221 --> 00:00:15,432
with a promising
new group of friends.
7
00:00:15,473 --> 00:00:17,308
SARAH: He owned
his own home
8
00:00:17,350 --> 00:00:19,686
and was involved
in the community.
9
00:00:19,728 --> 00:00:23,356
And he was a member
of the town council.
10
00:00:25,400 --> 00:00:26,609
NARRATOR:
When she goes missing,
11
00:00:26,651 --> 00:00:29,362
her family fears the worst.
12
00:00:29,404 --> 00:00:30,864
VONDA: She didn't call.
13
00:00:30,905 --> 00:00:32,741
And I said,
"Something's wrong."
14
00:00:32,782 --> 00:00:35,285
NARRATOR:
And an ominous text message.
15
00:00:35,326 --> 00:00:38,288
VONDA: All it said was,
"Stay by your phone."
16
00:00:38,329 --> 00:00:41,374
"I think something
is going to happen."
17
00:00:41,416 --> 00:00:44,419
NARRATOR: Leads police
to a surprising suspect.
18
00:00:44,461 --> 00:00:48,214
DAN: A neighbor
saw him burying something.
19
00:00:48,256 --> 00:00:49,799
NARRATOR:
And the discovery that even
20
00:00:49,841 --> 00:00:53,720
the nicest of neighbors
have buried secrets.
21
00:00:53,762 --> 00:00:57,223
They were just trying to be
their own little biker gang.
22
00:00:59,434 --> 00:01:01,436
[**]
23
00:01:04,439 --> 00:01:06,608
[**]
24
00:01:08,777 --> 00:01:11,237
[TRAIN HORN HONKING]
25
00:01:11,279 --> 00:01:14,282
SARAH: Laramie draws in
a lot of people
26
00:01:14,324 --> 00:01:16,618
from the surrounding area,
Colorado,
27
00:01:16,659 --> 00:01:18,495
Northern Wyoming.
28
00:01:18,536 --> 00:01:21,581
NARRATOR: Laramie, Wyoming,
is an old frontier town
29
00:01:21,623 --> 00:01:26,294
that conjures up images
of the historic Wild West.
30
00:01:28,797 --> 00:01:32,550
SARAH: It's also a great
jumping point for skiing,
31
00:01:32,592 --> 00:01:36,554
snowboarding, hiking,
and hunting elk.
32
00:01:40,975 --> 00:01:42,560
NARRATOR:
But as the last snow melts
33
00:01:42,602 --> 00:01:46,606
on a sunny day in April 2016,
34
00:01:46,648 --> 00:01:48,817
there's a disturbing scene
in the shadow
35
00:01:48,858 --> 00:01:52,445
of the majestic Rocky Mountains
outside Laramie.
36
00:01:52,487 --> 00:01:55,782
Acting on a tip,
police vehicles converge
37
00:01:55,824 --> 00:01:59,619
on an isolated area
in the Wyoming woods.
38
00:02:02,288 --> 00:02:04,541
BEN: Based on all the
interviews that we had done,
39
00:02:04,582 --> 00:02:05,834
we were able
to narrow it down
40
00:02:05,875 --> 00:02:07,711
to about a quarter mile
stretch of road.
41
00:02:07,752 --> 00:02:10,630
So we started walking
on one end of that quarter mile
42
00:02:10,672 --> 00:02:11,715
and then we had
a couple detectives
43
00:02:11,756 --> 00:02:12,841
start on the other end.
44
00:02:16,219 --> 00:02:19,305
ROBB: And they found a body
buried in a shallow grave,
45
00:02:19,347 --> 00:02:20,890
covered by bushes
and other sticks
46
00:02:20,932 --> 00:02:23,560
behind a prominent log
in the ground.
47
00:02:25,020 --> 00:02:26,688
NARRATOR: Evidence found
with the body
48
00:02:26,730 --> 00:02:29,399
tells the police
this is the missing woman
49
00:02:29,441 --> 00:02:31,192
they've been searching for.
50
00:02:31,234 --> 00:02:32,819
BEN: It was all
rolled up in this carpet,
51
00:02:32,861 --> 00:02:37,323
along with a blanket
that was very specific to her.
52
00:02:37,365 --> 00:02:40,869
ROBB: The body was decomposed
and with multiple stab wounds.
53
00:02:42,620 --> 00:02:44,247
DAN: I could see her
sticking out
54
00:02:44,289 --> 00:02:47,834
at the top of the carpet,
and a tattoo.
55
00:02:47,876 --> 00:02:49,627
And that was still visible.
56
00:02:54,841 --> 00:02:56,426
BEN: We called in
57
00:02:56,468 --> 00:02:57,552
all of our field
evidence technicians
58
00:02:57,594 --> 00:02:59,846
to start processing that scene.
59
00:02:59,888 --> 00:03:01,639
DAN:
I'm sure as heck we found her.
60
00:03:01,681 --> 00:03:02,974
We still don't know
which version of the story
61
00:03:03,016 --> 00:03:04,517
really happened.
62
00:03:04,559 --> 00:03:05,643
But there's only one truth.
63
00:03:05,685 --> 00:03:07,729
[**]
64
00:03:14,402 --> 00:03:16,446
NARRATOR: Seventy-five miles
south of Laramie,
65
00:03:16,488 --> 00:03:18,698
across the state line
in Colorado
66
00:03:18,740 --> 00:03:24,287
lies the remote town of Pierce,
a tiny speck of a place.
67
00:03:24,329 --> 00:03:25,747
ROBB: Pierce is so small,
68
00:03:25,789 --> 00:03:27,540
they don't have
their own police agency.
69
00:03:27,582 --> 00:03:29,876
There's only a couple cafes
and a bar.
70
00:03:29,918 --> 00:03:33,296
It's just a small town
where everyone knows everyone.
71
00:03:33,338 --> 00:03:34,964
NARRATOR:
Town Board Member DJ Myer
72
00:03:35,006 --> 00:03:37,884
is especially well-known
in Pierce.
73
00:03:37,926 --> 00:03:40,720
DJ sometimes rents out rooms
in his house
74
00:03:40,762 --> 00:03:42,806
to newcomers in town.
75
00:03:42,847 --> 00:03:47,018
His latest lodger is
34-year-old Tera Lewandowski,
76
00:03:47,060 --> 00:03:49,562
who has moved to Pierce
from nearby Loveland
77
00:03:49,604 --> 00:03:51,731
and has big plans.
78
00:03:51,773 --> 00:03:54,734
[**]
79
00:03:54,776 --> 00:03:57,404
MORGAN: Tera was feeling like
she could go out on her own,
80
00:03:57,445 --> 00:03:58,988
things were going really well.
81
00:03:59,030 --> 00:04:01,491
And I think she was just kind of
ready for that step
82
00:04:01,533 --> 00:04:05,745
and to prove that she could
move her life forward.
83
00:04:05,787 --> 00:04:08,790
NARRATOR: From an early age,
it's been clear to everyone
84
00:04:08,832 --> 00:04:12,043
that Tera is whip-smart
and multitalented.
85
00:04:12,085 --> 00:04:14,087
AUSTIN:
She was extremely smart,
86
00:04:14,129 --> 00:04:16,339
Trigonometry, Geometry.
87
00:04:16,381 --> 00:04:18,758
She knew how to divide
into the third decimal
88
00:04:18,800 --> 00:04:20,677
before I could put it
into a calculator.
89
00:04:20,719 --> 00:04:23,054
She was beyond smart.
90
00:04:23,096 --> 00:04:26,016
She was my best friend.
91
00:04:26,057 --> 00:04:28,935
VONDA: I was 21
when Tera was born,
92
00:04:28,977 --> 00:04:31,771
so everything I did,
everything I thought of
93
00:04:31,813 --> 00:04:35,817
was in regards to
what it would do with Tera.
94
00:04:38,445 --> 00:04:40,447
NARRATOR: But Tera's world
changed forever
95
00:04:40,488 --> 00:04:41,990
after two bad car wrecks,
96
00:04:42,032 --> 00:04:44,451
the first when she was just 16.
97
00:04:44,492 --> 00:04:47,704
[TIRES SCREECH THEN BANGS]
98
00:04:47,746 --> 00:04:50,582
AUSTIN: A drunk driver
T-boned into the driver door.
99
00:04:50,623 --> 00:04:52,083
They had to remove an ovary,
100
00:04:52,125 --> 00:04:55,337
infused her hip
to her lower vertebrae together.
101
00:04:56,921 --> 00:04:59,716
NARRATOR: Not long after,
she was behind the wheel again,
102
00:04:59,758 --> 00:05:01,801
driving friends home
from a party
103
00:05:01,843 --> 00:05:04,929
when another drunk driver
plowed into her car.
104
00:05:07,515 --> 00:05:12,020
VONDA: They rear-ended her
going about 55 miles an hour.
105
00:05:14,064 --> 00:05:15,857
AUSTIN: Her second accident,
106
00:05:15,899 --> 00:05:19,027
she had three vertebrae
and her hip all fused together.
107
00:05:19,069 --> 00:05:21,529
She went through all of that
and she never quit smiling.
108
00:05:24,616 --> 00:05:25,867
[**]
109
00:05:25,909 --> 00:05:27,744
NARRATOR: Despite the setbacks,
110
00:05:27,786 --> 00:05:29,662
Tera heads off to college,
111
00:05:29,704 --> 00:05:33,166
unwilling to give up on her
big plans for the future.
112
00:05:33,208 --> 00:05:34,834
MORGAN: When we were kids,
113
00:05:34,876 --> 00:05:37,087
Tera always talked about
being a veterinarian.
114
00:05:37,128 --> 00:05:38,880
Anything she could do
to help animals
115
00:05:38,922 --> 00:05:40,507
was where she wanted to be
116
00:05:40,548 --> 00:05:42,926
and where she wanted
to spend her energy.
117
00:05:42,967 --> 00:05:45,136
NARRATOR: But the severity
of Tera's injuries
118
00:05:45,178 --> 00:05:46,930
complicate her studies
119
00:05:46,971 --> 00:05:49,557
and begin to derail her dreams.
120
00:05:49,599 --> 00:05:53,019
VONDA: Tera from the accident
was in a lot of pain.
121
00:05:53,061 --> 00:05:54,854
She had
the different surgeries,
122
00:05:54,896 --> 00:05:57,482
and so their answer
was to just give her
123
00:05:57,524 --> 00:06:01,111
more pain pills, um,
which she became addicted to.
124
00:06:01,152 --> 00:06:04,406
She had different times
that she was sober,
125
00:06:04,447 --> 00:06:06,157
then she went into rehab,
126
00:06:06,199 --> 00:06:07,450
and then would come out
127
00:06:07,492 --> 00:06:09,411
and stay sober
for quite a while,
128
00:06:09,452 --> 00:06:12,747
and then would
end up relapsing.
129
00:06:12,789 --> 00:06:14,833
NARRATOR: In September 2015,
130
00:06:14,874 --> 00:06:17,544
Tera's mother Vonda
feels Tera's sobriety
131
00:06:17,585 --> 00:06:20,755
is on solid ground
after a stint in rehab
132
00:06:20,797 --> 00:06:22,215
where she's become friendly
133
00:06:22,257 --> 00:06:25,802
with another recovering addict,
DJ Meyer.
134
00:06:27,554 --> 00:06:29,889
[**]
135
00:06:29,931 --> 00:06:34,102
VONDA: I looked at DJ
just like I did anybody else.
136
00:06:34,144 --> 00:06:35,687
He's in rehab.
137
00:06:35,729 --> 00:06:37,814
He's trying to get
his life better.
138
00:06:37,856 --> 00:06:40,859
DJ and Tera,
they were both in their 30s,
139
00:06:40,900 --> 00:06:42,444
so it was a situation
140
00:06:42,485 --> 00:06:44,904
where they got to know
each other in the rehab
141
00:06:44,946 --> 00:06:46,573
and became friends.
142
00:06:46,614 --> 00:06:48,491
SARAH: He was involved
in the community
143
00:06:48,533 --> 00:06:51,619
and was a member
of the town council.
144
00:06:51,661 --> 00:06:54,998
[**]
145
00:06:55,040 --> 00:06:58,001
NARRATOR: DJ soon begins
dating Crystal Griffin,
146
00:06:58,043 --> 00:07:01,588
another mutual friend
at the live-in rehab center.
147
00:07:01,629 --> 00:07:03,214
When they leave the facility,
148
00:07:03,256 --> 00:07:06,593
the couple offers Tera
a place to make a fresh start,
149
00:07:06,634 --> 00:07:09,471
a room in DJ's house in Pierce.
150
00:07:09,512 --> 00:07:11,765
She said, "Yeah, Mom.
We're all kind of like-minded."
151
00:07:11,806 --> 00:07:13,600
"We all wanna help each other
stay sober."
152
00:07:13,641 --> 00:07:15,727
"And it'll be fine."
And I'm like,
153
00:07:15,769 --> 00:07:17,228
"Well, all right."
154
00:07:17,270 --> 00:07:19,147
It looked like
the whole situation
155
00:07:19,189 --> 00:07:20,982
was gonna be a good fit.
156
00:07:21,024 --> 00:07:23,234
[**]
157
00:07:27,030 --> 00:07:29,032
NARRATOR: Tera moves in
to her new home
158
00:07:29,074 --> 00:07:32,786
accompanied by
her Chihuahua puppy, Diablo.
159
00:07:32,827 --> 00:07:36,289
MORGAN: She was over the moon
for Diablo.
160
00:07:36,331 --> 00:07:38,958
He was just this
tiny little thing
161
00:07:39,000 --> 00:07:42,796
that was glued to her
and loved her.
162
00:07:42,837 --> 00:07:45,006
Everywhere she went,
this dog went.
163
00:07:45,048 --> 00:07:48,176
[**]
164
00:07:50,679 --> 00:07:53,640
NARRATOR: Just nine days after
moving in with her friends,
165
00:07:53,682 --> 00:07:57,060
Tera comes down
with a bad chest cold.
166
00:07:57,102 --> 00:07:58,978
VONDA: I picked up
her prescriptions,
167
00:07:59,020 --> 00:08:01,940
even food and things,
and went over to the house.
168
00:08:01,981 --> 00:08:04,818
Well, Tera was the only one
at the house
169
00:08:04,859 --> 00:08:08,988
and you could tell
she wasn't feeling good.
170
00:08:09,030 --> 00:08:11,825
She took me upstairs
and showed me her bedroom.
171
00:08:11,866 --> 00:08:14,536
And we had dinner together
172
00:08:14,577 --> 00:08:17,831
and I sat and talked to her
for several hours.
173
00:08:17,872 --> 00:08:20,667
It was about 9:30, 10:00
174
00:08:20,709 --> 00:08:24,004
when I left there
and went home.
175
00:08:24,045 --> 00:08:27,757
[**]
176
00:08:27,799 --> 00:08:29,175
NARRATOR:
The following morning,
177
00:08:29,217 --> 00:08:31,845
Vonda wakes up
to a strange text message
178
00:08:31,886 --> 00:08:34,139
sent during the night by Tera.
179
00:08:34,180 --> 00:08:37,017
VONDA: All it said was,
"Stay by your phone."
180
00:08:37,058 --> 00:08:40,729
"I think something's
going to happen."
181
00:08:40,770 --> 00:08:42,939
And I was like, "What?"
182
00:08:42,981 --> 00:08:45,108
"What does this mean?"
183
00:08:45,150 --> 00:08:48,069
I tried calling her
and I couldn't get her.
184
00:08:48,111 --> 00:08:50,196
And I thought, "Well, you know,
she's not feeling good,"
185
00:08:50,238 --> 00:08:52,157
"she's probably sleeping."
186
00:08:52,198 --> 00:08:54,868
And so I went to work.
187
00:08:54,909 --> 00:08:58,329
And I remembered Tera had
a pain specialist appointment.
188
00:08:58,371 --> 00:09:00,206
And so I called the office
and I said,
189
00:09:00,248 --> 00:09:02,334
"Did she come
to her appointment?"
190
00:09:02,375 --> 00:09:06,004
And they said, "No.
And she didn't call."
191
00:09:06,046 --> 00:09:08,798
And I said,
"Something's wrong."
192
00:09:08,840 --> 00:09:10,342
NARRATOR:
Concerned when she doesn't hear
193
00:09:10,383 --> 00:09:12,886
from Tera all day, after work,
194
00:09:12,927 --> 00:09:15,805
Vonda drives to Tera's home.
195
00:09:15,847 --> 00:09:17,349
She's greeted
by Tera's friends
196
00:09:17,390 --> 00:09:19,768
and roommates, DJ and Crystal.
197
00:09:19,809 --> 00:09:22,145
VONDA: DJ said,
"Tera's not here."
198
00:09:22,187 --> 00:09:24,773
And he said that morning
they had taken her
199
00:09:24,814 --> 00:09:28,860
to the urgent care
because she was sick.
200
00:09:28,902 --> 00:09:30,987
And I said, "You come and say
she's not here."
201
00:09:31,029 --> 00:09:33,031
"All her belongings are gone."
202
00:09:33,073 --> 00:09:34,783
And I walked into the house,
203
00:09:34,824 --> 00:09:36,409
and he takes me
through the living room
204
00:09:36,451 --> 00:09:38,328
and through the kitchen,
and he said,
205
00:09:38,370 --> 00:09:42,040
"That was her bedroom
right there, downstairs."
206
00:09:42,082 --> 00:09:44,918
At that point,
I knew something wasn't right.
207
00:09:44,959 --> 00:09:48,046
Because I knew my daughter's
bedroom was upstairs
208
00:09:48,088 --> 00:09:49,964
and on the left,
209
00:09:50,006 --> 00:09:52,133
she showed me
the night before.
210
00:09:53,843 --> 00:09:55,762
I walked straight out the door,
211
00:09:55,804 --> 00:09:59,891
and got in my car,
and I was shaking so bad,
212
00:09:59,933 --> 00:10:03,186
and I was calling 911
while I was driving.
213
00:10:03,228 --> 00:10:07,816
[**]
214
00:10:07,857 --> 00:10:09,776
NARRATOR:
Vonda tells the police
215
00:10:09,818 --> 00:10:12,237
she's worried that something
has happened to her daughter.
216
00:10:12,278 --> 00:10:15,031
Because Tera's disabilities
maker her vulnerable,
217
00:10:15,073 --> 00:10:17,075
officers immediately follow up
218
00:10:17,117 --> 00:10:19,285
and ask DJ
to come into the station
219
00:10:19,327 --> 00:10:21,663
to answer a few questions.
220
00:10:35,051 --> 00:10:36,928
NARRATOR: When they go
to DJ's home,
221
00:10:36,970 --> 00:10:40,056
he explains the discrepancy
that has Vonda so concerned
222
00:10:40,098 --> 00:10:42,434
is just a misunderstanding.
223
00:10:51,317 --> 00:10:53,862
ROBB: And the officer notices
the place is very dirty.
224
00:10:55,447 --> 00:10:58,908
But there was no sign of Tera.
225
00:10:58,950 --> 00:11:02,912
NARRATOR: DJ tells the officers
he doesn't know where Tera is,
226
00:11:02,954 --> 00:11:04,247
but he adds something
227
00:11:04,289 --> 00:11:06,124
he didn't share
with her mother.
228
00:11:06,166 --> 00:11:08,168
ROBB: DJ talks to them
and says, you know,
229
00:11:08,209 --> 00:11:11,504
"I dropped her off in Greeley,
that's the last time I saw her."
230
00:11:11,546 --> 00:11:14,174
DJ said he thought Tera
was looking for her drug dealer
231
00:11:14,215 --> 00:11:15,425
who is named Chich.
232
00:11:17,510 --> 00:11:21,264
NARRATOR: Given Tera's history,
the story is troubling.
233
00:11:21,306 --> 00:11:22,849
If Tera has relapsed,
234
00:11:22,891 --> 00:11:25,226
she could be in grave danger.
235
00:11:25,268 --> 00:11:27,228
[**]
236
00:11:27,270 --> 00:11:30,148
Tera wasn't the type of person
to go missing.
237
00:11:30,190 --> 00:11:32,734
No matter if she was using
or not using,
238
00:11:32,776 --> 00:11:35,528
she wasn't one of those people
that would just disappear.
239
00:11:35,570 --> 00:11:38,531
There was that kind of panic.
240
00:11:38,573 --> 00:11:39,866
This was really bad.
241
00:11:39,908 --> 00:11:42,994
[**]
242
00:11:44,913 --> 00:11:49,000
VONDA: I decided I was gonna
put Diablo on the poster also
243
00:11:49,042 --> 00:11:53,129
because I know people may not
remember another person,
244
00:11:53,171 --> 00:11:55,924
but they'll remember a puppy.
245
00:11:55,965 --> 00:11:57,425
ROBB: The neighbor said
he was burying something
246
00:11:57,467 --> 00:11:59,219
in the backyard.
247
00:11:59,260 --> 00:12:00,929
I look over there
and I see the skeleton bones.
248
00:12:11,189 --> 00:12:11,523
[**]
249
00:12:12,857 --> 00:12:14,526
NARRATOR: Tera Lewandowski
has disappeared
250
00:12:14,567 --> 00:12:17,445
from a small town
of Pierce, Colorado,
251
00:12:17,487 --> 00:12:19,280
and police are following a lead
252
00:12:19,322 --> 00:12:20,615
that she may have given in
253
00:12:20,657 --> 00:12:23,576
to her addiction
to painkillers.
254
00:12:23,618 --> 00:12:26,287
BEN: Her friends,
DJ Meyer and Crystal Griffin
255
00:12:26,329 --> 00:12:28,998
indicated that Tera had possibly
been with a drug dealer
256
00:12:29,040 --> 00:12:30,792
in the Greeley area.
257
00:12:30,834 --> 00:12:33,044
ROBB: Given what DJ
had told Vonda
258
00:12:33,086 --> 00:12:35,422
and also told officers
at his house,
259
00:12:35,463 --> 00:12:36,756
law enforcement did check
260
00:12:36,798 --> 00:12:38,299
the Lincoln Park area
in Greeley.
261
00:12:38,341 --> 00:12:39,801
They also checked
with the urgent care
262
00:12:39,843 --> 00:12:43,555
on 10th Street where, uh,
DJ had dropped her off,
263
00:12:43,596 --> 00:12:45,598
to see if they could
gather any information
264
00:12:45,640 --> 00:12:47,684
about Tera's whereabouts
at that point in time.
265
00:12:51,563 --> 00:12:53,523
NARRATOR: The investigators'
concern grows
266
00:12:53,565 --> 00:12:56,609
when they visit
the urgent care clinic.
267
00:12:56,651 --> 00:12:58,486
They can find no indication
268
00:12:58,528 --> 00:13:00,488
that Tera ever entered
the building.
269
00:13:00,530 --> 00:13:04,743
[**]
270
00:13:04,784 --> 00:13:08,663
VONDA: DJ and Crystal knew
I was out looking,
271
00:13:08,705 --> 00:13:10,331
and they started texting me,
272
00:13:10,373 --> 00:13:13,585
and say, "We had looked
at this part of Greeley."
273
00:13:13,626 --> 00:13:16,796
"We've checked here.
We've checked there."
274
00:13:16,838 --> 00:13:18,798
ROBB: Law enforcement did go
look for this guy
275
00:13:18,840 --> 00:13:21,176
named Chich in Greeley,
276
00:13:21,217 --> 00:13:23,428
unfortunately they were not able
to locate Tera.
277
00:13:23,470 --> 00:13:25,388
They were also unable
to locate Chich
278
00:13:25,430 --> 00:13:28,433
and didn't come up with anyone
involved in drug dealing.
279
00:13:30,560 --> 00:13:32,520
BEN: Vonda was able
to give us information
280
00:13:32,562 --> 00:13:36,149
on Tera's bank accounts.
281
00:13:36,191 --> 00:13:38,193
None of the accounts
has been touched
282
00:13:38,234 --> 00:13:39,736
since the time that
she had last gotten
283
00:13:39,778 --> 00:13:41,571
the text message from Tera.
284
00:13:43,907 --> 00:13:46,242
Tera was using a tablet
rather than a cell phone
285
00:13:46,284 --> 00:13:47,702
to communicate with Vonda
286
00:13:47,744 --> 00:13:50,288
because she was able
to connect to WiFi.
287
00:13:50,330 --> 00:13:52,665
So she didn't have any
sort of trackable means
288
00:13:52,707 --> 00:13:55,835
when she was outside
of the WiFi signal.
289
00:13:55,877 --> 00:13:58,213
ROBB: It had now been two
or three days.
290
00:13:58,254 --> 00:13:59,839
There was no sign of Tera.
291
00:13:59,881 --> 00:14:02,801
They didn't have any information
as to where she might be,
292
00:14:02,842 --> 00:14:07,514
and they were suspicious of
what might have happened to her.
293
00:14:07,555 --> 00:14:09,641
NARRATOR: While police dig
for other leads,
294
00:14:09,683 --> 00:14:12,394
Vonda takes things
into her own hands,
295
00:14:12,435 --> 00:14:14,396
printing missing persons flyers
296
00:14:14,437 --> 00:14:17,649
and posting them around town.
297
00:14:17,691 --> 00:14:21,820
VONDA: I decided I was gonna
put Diablo on the poster also
298
00:14:21,861 --> 00:14:25,907
because I know people
may not remember another person,
299
00:14:25,949 --> 00:14:29,869
but they'll remember a puppy.
300
00:14:29,911 --> 00:14:32,580
I have them all over
the town of Pierce,
301
00:14:32,622 --> 00:14:35,750
all over the town of Ault,
the part of Greeley,
302
00:14:35,792 --> 00:14:37,460
and everywhere
I could put them.
303
00:14:41,589 --> 00:14:43,758
NARRATOR:
A week after Tera went missing,
304
00:14:43,800 --> 00:14:46,177
Vonda's effort pays off.
305
00:14:46,219 --> 00:14:48,680
A farmer thinks
he has found Diablo.
306
00:14:50,348 --> 00:14:51,766
BEN:
We went out there
307
00:14:51,808 --> 00:14:54,894
and I was able to take
photographs of the dog.
308
00:14:54,936 --> 00:14:57,272
VONDA: I said, "That's Diablo."
309
00:14:57,313 --> 00:14:59,232
"I know it's him."
310
00:15:01,192 --> 00:15:03,278
ROBB: He was in the middle
of a country road,
311
00:15:03,319 --> 00:15:05,363
out in the dirt
by Pawnee Grasslands,
312
00:15:05,405 --> 00:15:08,825
north and east of Pierce.
313
00:15:08,867 --> 00:15:10,618
The fact he survived
with coyotes
314
00:15:10,660 --> 00:15:12,328
and other sorts of
predators out there
315
00:15:12,370 --> 00:15:13,538
was amazing.
316
00:15:15,790 --> 00:15:17,625
AUSTIN:
From the looks of him,
317
00:15:17,667 --> 00:15:21,254
he had to have been out there
for about two, three days.
318
00:15:21,296 --> 00:15:24,466
VONDA: Tera treated Diablo
just like he was her baby,
319
00:15:24,507 --> 00:15:25,967
her kid, you know.
320
00:15:26,009 --> 00:15:28,636
And they were inseparable.
321
00:15:28,678 --> 00:15:30,430
MORGAN: There was definitely
the thought that
322
00:15:30,472 --> 00:15:33,641
maybe Tera is somewhere nearby.
323
00:15:33,683 --> 00:15:35,310
ROBB: The fact that Diablo
was found out
324
00:15:35,352 --> 00:15:36,811
in the middle of nowhere
325
00:15:36,853 --> 00:15:39,314
definitely put up some red flags
for law enforcement.
326
00:15:41,524 --> 00:15:43,318
The Weld County
Sheriff's Office
327
00:15:43,360 --> 00:15:46,529
has sheriffs and deputies
to ride horses.
328
00:15:46,571 --> 00:15:48,656
They were riding
the Pawnee Grasslands
329
00:15:48,698 --> 00:15:50,492
looking for Tera.
330
00:15:50,533 --> 00:15:53,495
They had aircraft
doing grid searches.
331
00:15:53,536 --> 00:15:55,747
DAN: We're looking
for something abnormal.
332
00:15:55,789 --> 00:15:58,625
Uh, maybe a mound,
maybe some clothing.
333
00:15:58,667 --> 00:16:01,795
Just something different
than everything else.
334
00:16:01,836 --> 00:16:04,631
And it all looked the same.
There was nothing undisturbed.
335
00:16:08,551 --> 00:16:10,470
NARRATOR: As police
and Tera's family
336
00:16:10,512 --> 00:16:14,349
learned more details about how
and where Diablo was found,
337
00:16:14,391 --> 00:16:17,560
their concerns
continue to escalate.
338
00:16:17,602 --> 00:16:21,356
VONDA: The police found out
that Diablo had been found
339
00:16:21,398 --> 00:16:24,693
about seven days
after Tera was missing.
340
00:16:24,734 --> 00:16:26,820
But the farmer actually had him
341
00:16:26,861 --> 00:16:29,614
at that point for seven days.
342
00:16:29,656 --> 00:16:31,658
That changed things,
343
00:16:31,700 --> 00:16:35,995
because DJ told the officers
that he had dropped Tera,
344
00:16:36,037 --> 00:16:37,622
Diablo and all her belongings
345
00:16:37,664 --> 00:16:40,834
off at the urgent care
on September 30th.
346
00:16:40,875 --> 00:16:43,003
But actually that same morning
347
00:16:43,044 --> 00:16:45,630
is when the farmer's wife
found Diablo
348
00:16:45,672 --> 00:16:48,591
walking up
a country road.
349
00:16:50,010 --> 00:16:52,262
NARRATOR: The discrepancies
in the timeline
350
00:16:52,303 --> 00:16:53,888
caused investigators to wonder
351
00:16:53,930 --> 00:16:55,557
whether Tera's friend DJ
352
00:16:55,598 --> 00:16:57,559
has been telling them
the whole story
353
00:16:57,600 --> 00:17:00,061
of the day she disappeared.
354
00:17:00,103 --> 00:17:03,898
They decide they need to do
a deeper search of DJ's home.
355
00:17:03,940 --> 00:17:05,984
ROBB: On October 7th,
after hearing of this,
356
00:17:06,026 --> 00:17:07,777
the Ault Police Department
357
00:17:07,819 --> 00:17:10,071
along with the Weld County
Sheriff's Office, uh,
358
00:17:10,113 --> 00:17:12,991
got a search warrant
for DJ's house.
359
00:17:13,033 --> 00:17:14,826
BEN:
Inside the house,
360
00:17:14,868 --> 00:17:18,872
they were able to find a lot
of cleaning solutions, uh, rags.
361
00:17:18,913 --> 00:17:22,042
ROBB: There was bleach
bottles left out.
362
00:17:22,083 --> 00:17:25,420
Part of the carpet
in the room Vonda believe
363
00:17:25,462 --> 00:17:26,629
was Tera's was torn up.
364
00:17:28,381 --> 00:17:30,592
The fact that bleach
bottles were out
365
00:17:30,633 --> 00:17:32,635
was not overly concerning,
366
00:17:32,677 --> 00:17:34,596
but at that point
their interest was piqued
367
00:17:34,637 --> 00:17:37,057
more than it had been.
368
00:17:37,098 --> 00:17:39,642
NARRATOR: As the detectives
consider what they found,
369
00:17:39,684 --> 00:17:41,770
they get another surprise.
370
00:17:41,811 --> 00:17:44,647
ROBB: When law enforcement
was at DJ's house,
371
00:17:44,689 --> 00:17:46,566
a neighbor had contacted them
372
00:17:46,608 --> 00:17:48,818
and said DJ was burying
something in the backyard.
373
00:17:50,487 --> 00:17:51,863
DAN: There's some
fresh mound of dirt.
374
00:17:53,490 --> 00:17:55,367
BEN: The evidence technicians
were on scene.
375
00:17:56,743 --> 00:17:59,704
They have dig up
a shallow grave.
376
00:17:59,746 --> 00:18:01,790
I look over
and I see the skeleton bones.
377
00:18:14,594 --> 00:18:15,595
NARRATOR:
A little more than a week
378
00:18:16,763 --> 00:18:18,139
since Tera Lewandowski
vanished,
379
00:18:18,181 --> 00:18:20,225
police have made
an alarming discovery
380
00:18:20,266 --> 00:18:23,645
in the backyard of the house
in Pierce, Colorado
381
00:18:23,687 --> 00:18:25,021
that she shares
with roommates,
382
00:18:25,063 --> 00:18:27,816
DJ Meyer and Crystal Griffin.
383
00:18:27,857 --> 00:18:30,193
The neighbor advised
that they saw
384
00:18:30,235 --> 00:18:32,195
DJ burying something
in the backyard
385
00:18:32,237 --> 00:18:33,947
and there was
a fresh mound of dirt.
386
00:18:35,115 --> 00:18:37,325
That area was excavated and...
387
00:18:39,244 --> 00:18:42,122
there was a skeleton of a dog.
388
00:18:42,163 --> 00:18:45,709
It happened to be
an old dog that he buried.
389
00:18:45,750 --> 00:18:47,877
After police find the dog,
390
00:18:47,919 --> 00:18:51,673
they realized
this is yet another dead end.
391
00:18:51,715 --> 00:18:53,717
NARRATOR: Detectives
take a closer look at
392
00:18:53,758 --> 00:18:56,219
roommates, DJ,
a trusted public official
393
00:18:56,261 --> 00:18:58,847
elected to the town board
394
00:18:58,888 --> 00:19:00,974
and his girlfriend Crystal.
395
00:19:01,016 --> 00:19:02,726
They really didn't have
396
00:19:02,767 --> 00:19:04,811
any criminal history
that we could find.
397
00:19:04,853 --> 00:19:08,606
But we knew something
was up in that house.
398
00:19:08,648 --> 00:19:10,900
NARRATOR: The detectives
asked Tera's mother, Vonda,
399
00:19:10,942 --> 00:19:13,069
if there's any more
information she can give them
400
00:19:13,111 --> 00:19:16,031
about her daughter's
living situation.
401
00:19:16,072 --> 00:19:18,908
She tells them how Tera
was learning her new home
402
00:19:18,950 --> 00:19:21,911
was not the fresh start
she expected.
403
00:19:23,204 --> 00:19:25,123
ROBB: DJ was in his 30s
404
00:19:25,165 --> 00:19:27,917
and he hung out
with some younger guys,
405
00:19:27,959 --> 00:19:29,210
Mike Vassil,
406
00:19:29,252 --> 00:19:30,295
Chad Iler,
407
00:19:30,337 --> 00:19:32,088
Karly Hanchett.
408
00:19:32,130 --> 00:19:33,757
DJ's house
was kind of the hangout
409
00:19:33,798 --> 00:19:35,759
for this younger group
of people.
410
00:19:38,887 --> 00:19:41,306
All of them,
Chad Iler, Mike Vassil,
411
00:19:41,348 --> 00:19:43,767
Karly Hanchett
were all from the area
412
00:19:43,808 --> 00:19:46,728
and they would just come and go
as they please.
413
00:19:46,770 --> 00:19:49,397
And Tera thought
that was disrespectful
414
00:19:49,439 --> 00:19:51,274
to just walk into
someone's house
415
00:19:51,316 --> 00:19:53,151
without knocking
or anything like that.
416
00:19:55,445 --> 00:19:58,198
Tera had told me
that she was laying there,
417
00:19:58,239 --> 00:19:59,949
watching a movie,
418
00:19:59,991 --> 00:20:01,951
and that she had, like,
five minutes left,
419
00:20:01,993 --> 00:20:03,787
and, uh, DJ and Crystal
420
00:20:03,828 --> 00:20:06,206
and, uh, bunch of others
had come in.
421
00:20:08,291 --> 00:20:11,336
SARAH: A girl named Karly
blasted the radio
422
00:20:11,378 --> 00:20:15,048
and Tera thought that
that was extremely rude.
423
00:20:15,090 --> 00:20:18,093
And she asked her
to turn the radio down.
424
00:20:18,134 --> 00:20:21,221
VONDA: And they refused
to turn the music off
425
00:20:21,262 --> 00:20:23,973
and said that
she didn't own the house.
426
00:20:24,015 --> 00:20:27,310
She didn't have the right
to tell them what to do.
427
00:20:27,352 --> 00:20:30,105
NARRATOR: The investigators
realize they must now confront
428
00:20:30,146 --> 00:20:31,981
an alarming possibility
429
00:20:32,023 --> 00:20:35,151
that the tense situation
in Tera's new home
430
00:20:35,193 --> 00:20:37,779
escalated into violence.
431
00:20:37,821 --> 00:20:40,031
ROBB: Law enforcement
was looking at all angles,
432
00:20:40,073 --> 00:20:43,702
whether one person within
that group of friends,
433
00:20:43,743 --> 00:20:45,870
DJ, uh, Mike Vassil,
434
00:20:45,912 --> 00:20:48,039
any of the other folks
just committed the crime
435
00:20:48,081 --> 00:20:49,457
and didn't tell anyone else.
436
00:20:49,499 --> 00:20:51,835
Or if Tera did go try
and find drugs
437
00:20:51,876 --> 00:20:54,337
and was back
in that lifestyle.
438
00:20:54,379 --> 00:20:56,965
No one knew
exactly what happened
439
00:20:57,007 --> 00:20:59,217
and Tera still
hadn't been found.
440
00:20:59,259 --> 00:21:01,761
At that point in time,
they were certainly not enough
441
00:21:01,803 --> 00:21:05,140
to arrest anyone or charge
anyone with the crime.
442
00:21:05,181 --> 00:21:06,850
But law enforcement
was keeping an eye
443
00:21:06,891 --> 00:21:09,144
on DJ and DJ's house.
444
00:21:11,563 --> 00:21:14,858
[**]
445
00:21:16,234 --> 00:21:18,194
NARRATOR:
Each day with no news
446
00:21:18,236 --> 00:21:21,281
is a struggle
for Tera's family.
447
00:21:21,322 --> 00:21:23,408
We had a lot
of those moments,
448
00:21:23,450 --> 00:21:25,201
waiting,
thinking maybe,
449
00:21:25,243 --> 00:21:27,829
and it kind of turning
into nothing.
450
00:21:31,416 --> 00:21:34,919
NARRATOR: But then
on October 16th, 2015,
451
00:21:34,961 --> 00:21:37,881
just over two weeks
after Tera vanished,
452
00:21:37,922 --> 00:21:41,343
the investigation
suddenly becomes white hot.
453
00:21:43,261 --> 00:21:44,888
ROBB: A person called
into law enforcement,
454
00:21:44,929 --> 00:21:48,391
saying he knew
where Tera Lewandowski is.
455
00:21:48,433 --> 00:21:50,810
NARRATOR:
The caller is the brother
456
00:21:50,852 --> 00:21:52,896
of Tera's roommate,
Crystal Griffin.
457
00:21:52,937 --> 00:21:57,442
He tells police that Crystal
knows what happened to Tera,
458
00:21:57,484 --> 00:21:59,944
but has been too afraid
to come forward.
459
00:22:02,280 --> 00:22:06,368
Now, she's decided
she can no longer keep silent.
460
00:22:06,409 --> 00:22:07,494
BEN: I helped
with the initial interviews
461
00:22:07,535 --> 00:22:09,120
with Crystal Griffin.
462
00:22:19,422 --> 00:22:21,257
NARRATOR:
She claims that her boyfriend,
463
00:22:21,299 --> 00:22:24,260
mild-mannered,
town board member DJ Meyer,
464
00:22:24,302 --> 00:22:27,931
has been leading
a bizarre double life.
465
00:22:27,972 --> 00:22:30,600
She describes that
this group of friends,
466
00:22:30,642 --> 00:22:33,395
DJ, Chad, Mike,
467
00:22:33,436 --> 00:22:35,063
and Karly
468
00:22:35,105 --> 00:22:36,481
had formed
their own little gang.
469
00:22:36,523 --> 00:22:39,442
They refer to themselves as
470
00:22:39,484 --> 00:22:43,238
the Unforgiven or the 21 Gang.
471
00:22:43,279 --> 00:22:44,906
DAN:
According to Crystal,
472
00:22:44,948 --> 00:22:46,449
the gang would
practice fighting
473
00:22:46,491 --> 00:22:50,245
or stabbing trees,
having big knife infatuation.
474
00:22:50,286 --> 00:22:52,956
All kinds of homemade weapons.
475
00:23:01,464 --> 00:23:03,341
NARRATOR: Crystal tells
investigators that Tera
476
00:23:03,383 --> 00:23:07,262
had no idea she had walked
into this violent world.
477
00:23:07,303 --> 00:23:10,015
And she claims
the group ganged up on Tera
478
00:23:10,056 --> 00:23:13,268
because of an argument she had
with one of its members,
479
00:23:13,309 --> 00:23:14,561
Karly.
480
00:23:20,233 --> 00:23:22,652
BEN: Crystal said
because Karly was dating Mike
481
00:23:22,694 --> 00:23:26,322
who was supposed to be
higher up in their gang,
482
00:23:26,364 --> 00:23:29,242
Tera's disrespect to Karly
had to be dealt with.
483
00:23:31,202 --> 00:23:33,663
ROBB: Crystal said
they decided to get revenge
484
00:23:33,705 --> 00:23:35,957
on Tera a few days later,
485
00:23:35,999 --> 00:23:39,044
so they ran upstairs
to her room.
486
00:23:50,638 --> 00:23:51,973
BEN:
She said that she had heard
487
00:23:52,015 --> 00:23:53,391
what she described as
488
00:23:53,433 --> 00:23:55,393
being sounds of Tera
being murdered.
489
00:23:57,395 --> 00:23:58,646
ROBB: Crystal said
she was not involved
490
00:23:58,688 --> 00:24:00,690
in the actual murder itself.
491
00:24:00,732 --> 00:24:02,567
She did say she was
with them when they went
492
00:24:02,609 --> 00:24:05,236
and disposed of her body.
493
00:24:05,278 --> 00:24:06,613
NARRATOR:
According to Crystal,
494
00:24:06,654 --> 00:24:09,157
the group dumped
Tera's body on a quiet,
495
00:24:09,199 --> 00:24:11,326
rural lane
in neighboring Wyoming.
496
00:24:13,203 --> 00:24:14,537
It's a frightening story,
497
00:24:14,579 --> 00:24:16,373
but for the detectives,
498
00:24:16,414 --> 00:24:19,334
there's a lot of it
that is hard to believe.
499
00:24:20,669 --> 00:24:22,629
BEN:
DJ was part of the town board
500
00:24:22,671 --> 00:24:26,466
for the town of Pierce,
but she said he had a drive
501
00:24:26,508 --> 00:24:31,429
to portray himself
as some sort of a gang member.
502
00:24:31,471 --> 00:24:34,224
It was strange to hear
that he was doing two
503
00:24:34,265 --> 00:24:37,310
so different things
at the same time.
504
00:24:37,352 --> 00:24:39,646
DAN: We have experts
here in Greeley,
505
00:24:39,688 --> 00:24:41,231
they're the gang unit.
506
00:24:41,272 --> 00:24:42,649
And you contact them
and you'd say,
507
00:24:42,691 --> 00:24:44,484
"Hey, have you ever heard
of this dude?"
508
00:24:44,526 --> 00:24:47,320
And they're like,
"Never heard of him."
509
00:24:47,362 --> 00:24:49,489
ROBB: Law enforcement were
trying to vet everything
510
00:24:49,531 --> 00:24:52,075
to see if this is an accurate
account of what happened.
511
00:24:52,117 --> 00:24:55,078
And to make sure Crystal
wasn't herself involved.
512
00:24:56,413 --> 00:24:58,415
DAN:
DJ said Crystal killed her.
513
00:25:05,422 --> 00:25:08,091
[**]
514
00:25:08,133 --> 00:25:09,426
[SIGHS]
515
00:25:21,563 --> 00:25:21,896
[**]
516
00:25:23,273 --> 00:25:24,524
NARRATOR:
The search for Tera Lewandowski
517
00:25:24,566 --> 00:25:26,568
takes a frightening turn
518
00:25:26,609 --> 00:25:28,361
when one of her housemates
519
00:25:28,403 --> 00:25:30,572
Crystal Griffin
comes forward claiming
520
00:25:30,613 --> 00:25:33,408
Tera was brutally murdered
in her own bedroom.
521
00:25:34,868 --> 00:25:37,245
ROBB:
Crystal said they decided
522
00:25:37,287 --> 00:25:38,496
to get revenge on Tera
523
00:25:38,538 --> 00:25:42,292
for some sort of sleight
towards their gang.
524
00:25:44,336 --> 00:25:46,838
BEN: She told us that
she didn't remember exactly
525
00:25:46,880 --> 00:25:50,008
where Tera's body was even
though she had gone on the ride
526
00:25:50,050 --> 00:25:51,509
to get rid of Tera's body.
527
00:25:52,927 --> 00:25:56,681
NARRATOR: Crystal story
is detailed and chilling.
528
00:25:56,723 --> 00:25:59,559
Yet, detectives have questions
about her credibility,
529
00:25:59,601 --> 00:26:02,479
since she's a potential
suspect herself.
530
00:26:02,520 --> 00:26:05,690
Police bring everyone known
to hang around
531
00:26:05,732 --> 00:26:07,609
the house in
for questioning,
532
00:26:07,650 --> 00:26:09,694
including Karly Hanchett,
533
00:26:10,945 --> 00:26:12,781
Mike Vassil,
534
00:26:14,407 --> 00:26:17,327
and Chad Iler.
535
00:26:17,369 --> 00:26:19,454
ROBB: Karly refused
to talk to police
536
00:26:19,496 --> 00:26:20,663
and said she didn't know
anything.
537
00:26:22,540 --> 00:26:25,877
Mike also said
he doesn't know anything.
538
00:26:25,919 --> 00:26:27,712
BEN: And they all denied
any involvement
539
00:26:27,754 --> 00:26:29,673
or any knowledge
of where Tera would be.
540
00:26:31,633 --> 00:26:33,551
NARRATOR:
The town board member DJ Meyer
541
00:26:33,593 --> 00:26:36,471
has a very different story.
542
00:26:36,513 --> 00:26:38,515
He claims that
everything his girlfriend
543
00:26:38,556 --> 00:26:41,810
Crystal has told police
is a lie.
544
00:26:41,851 --> 00:26:43,436
DAN: DJ said
that Crystal killed her.
545
00:26:44,604 --> 00:26:45,980
He was nowhere around,
546
00:26:46,022 --> 00:26:48,316
when he got home
Crystal rolled Tera
547
00:26:48,358 --> 00:26:49,818
in his carpet,
548
00:26:49,859 --> 00:26:52,445
and was trying to carry her
out to the truck.
549
00:27:20,098 --> 00:27:22,517
NARRATOR: Detectives have
their work cut out for them.
550
00:27:22,559 --> 00:27:24,602
They're looking
at conflicting stories
551
00:27:24,644 --> 00:27:25,937
about what happened to Tera
552
00:27:25,979 --> 00:27:27,772
without any solid evidence
553
00:27:27,814 --> 00:27:30,817
that a murder
has even taken place.
554
00:27:32,360 --> 00:27:34,446
With nothing to hold
their suspects on,
555
00:27:34,487 --> 00:27:36,990
the investigators must
let them walk free
556
00:27:37,032 --> 00:27:38,825
while they keep digging.
557
00:27:38,867 --> 00:27:40,785
BEN: After the interview
with Crystal,
558
00:27:40,827 --> 00:27:42,620
we were able to get
enough probable cause
559
00:27:42,662 --> 00:27:45,707
to conduct a search warrant
out at Mike's house
560
00:27:45,749 --> 00:27:49,127
where Karly Hanchett
and Mike Vassil
561
00:27:49,169 --> 00:27:52,797
were living with his father,
Tom Vassil.
562
00:27:52,839 --> 00:27:55,050
NARRATOR: The detectives want
to check out something else
563
00:27:55,091 --> 00:27:56,968
Crystal claimed
in her interview,
564
00:27:57,010 --> 00:27:59,471
that the gang burned
Tera's belongings
565
00:27:59,512 --> 00:28:01,890
at the Vassil house
after they killed her.
566
00:28:01,931 --> 00:28:04,351
BEN:
Tom Vassil was older,
567
00:28:04,392 --> 00:28:06,811
uh, had a lot
of health issues.
568
00:28:06,853 --> 00:28:08,480
Every time
that I talked to him,
569
00:28:08,521 --> 00:28:11,649
he was compliant
he was cooperative.
570
00:28:11,691 --> 00:28:14,652
At his house,
we did find a burn pit
571
00:28:17,030 --> 00:28:18,698
and we found the evidence there
572
00:28:18,740 --> 00:28:21,743
that someone had burned
some of Tera's belongings.
573
00:28:23,536 --> 00:28:27,999
We found pieces of her iPad
in that burn pit.
574
00:28:28,041 --> 00:28:31,378
NARRATOR: It seems to support
Crystal's version of events,
575
00:28:31,419 --> 00:28:32,879
but without a body,
576
00:28:32,921 --> 00:28:35,382
detectives still lack
enough solid evidence
577
00:28:35,423 --> 00:28:38,385
to take anyone into custody
for Tera's murder.
578
00:28:38,426 --> 00:28:40,428
DAN: But with what
we knew from Crystal
579
00:28:40,470 --> 00:28:42,055
and the burn pit evidence,
580
00:28:42,097 --> 00:28:45,016
we had enough reason
to get their phones,
581
00:28:45,058 --> 00:28:47,602
which was huge.
582
00:28:47,644 --> 00:28:51,147
The phones from Mike,
Chad, Karly, and DJ
583
00:28:51,189 --> 00:28:52,857
were submitted to the crime lab
584
00:28:52,899 --> 00:28:55,777
to get cell tower dumps.
585
00:28:55,819 --> 00:28:57,529
NARRATOR:
Could the cell phone data
586
00:28:57,570 --> 00:29:00,115
lead detectives
to Tera's body?
587
00:29:00,156 --> 00:29:02,158
While they wait
for the tech report,
588
00:29:02,200 --> 00:29:05,412
the detectives bring Crystal in
for another interview.
589
00:29:05,453 --> 00:29:08,998
They want to either
definitely prove her story
590
00:29:09,040 --> 00:29:13,628
or catch her in a lie.
591
00:29:13,670 --> 00:29:16,172
Crystal throws a new name
into the mix,
592
00:29:16,214 --> 00:29:20,760
expanding the group she says
killed Tera Lewandowski.
593
00:29:20,802 --> 00:29:24,180
BEN: Scott Hanchett
was Karly's brother.
594
00:29:24,222 --> 00:29:26,808
He had decided to come
from Rapid City, South Dakota
595
00:29:26,850 --> 00:29:29,894
down to Colorado to see her.
596
00:29:29,936 --> 00:29:32,147
SARAH: Crystal said
that Scott was the one
597
00:29:32,188 --> 00:29:37,152
who gave the final blow
that killed Tera.
598
00:29:37,193 --> 00:29:39,571
NARRATOR:
After that, Crystal claims
599
00:29:39,612 --> 00:29:41,906
the killers drove
Tera's body to Wyoming
600
00:29:41,948 --> 00:29:45,910
and buried her somewhere
in the woods.
601
00:29:45,952 --> 00:29:47,912
DAN: Uh, we needed
to get DJ's pickup truck
602
00:29:47,954 --> 00:29:51,041
because that's what Crystal said
the body was moved to Wyoming.
603
00:29:52,584 --> 00:29:55,795
BEN:
DJ's truck was impounded.
604
00:29:55,837 --> 00:29:58,256
During the search warrant,
in the back of the pickup,
605
00:29:58,298 --> 00:30:00,258
they found some luminol hits
606
00:30:00,300 --> 00:30:02,719
indicating blood
on one of the floorboards
607
00:30:02,761 --> 00:30:04,471
on the rear of the vehicle.
608
00:30:07,265 --> 00:30:09,601
DAN:
Everything was adding up
609
00:30:09,642 --> 00:30:10,977
that this really did happen.
610
00:30:14,981 --> 00:30:17,108
NARRATOR: Even though
they haven't found Tera's body,
611
00:30:17,150 --> 00:30:18,985
investigators are confident
612
00:30:19,027 --> 00:30:22,197
they now have enough
circumstantial evidence.
613
00:30:22,238 --> 00:30:23,907
They bring murder charges
614
00:30:23,948 --> 00:30:25,950
against everyone connected
with the house
615
00:30:25,992 --> 00:30:29,496
that Tera once believed
held the key to her future.
616
00:30:29,537 --> 00:30:32,624
VONDA: When we got the
confirmation from the police
617
00:30:32,665 --> 00:30:34,000
that she was dead
618
00:30:34,042 --> 00:30:37,128
and that they had
murdered her,
619
00:30:37,170 --> 00:30:41,508
my first thought was
Tera misread that one.
620
00:30:42,676 --> 00:30:44,636
And then I felt so sorry
621
00:30:44,678 --> 00:30:48,682
that I hadn't pursued
some of that further.
622
00:30:48,723 --> 00:30:52,227
And why those younger kids
were there.
623
00:30:55,188 --> 00:30:57,982
Finding out there were
so many people involved
624
00:30:58,024 --> 00:31:00,819
was really--
really shocking.
625
00:31:00,860 --> 00:31:03,071
I think that none of them
had a had a conscious
626
00:31:03,113 --> 00:31:06,032
to come forward or stop
anything from happening.
627
00:31:06,074 --> 00:31:08,326
NARRATOR:
But there's just one problem.
628
00:31:08,368 --> 00:31:09,953
DAN:
We're looking for everybody,
629
00:31:26,052 --> 00:31:27,220
NARRATOR: A month after
Tera Lewandowski
630
00:31:28,013 --> 00:31:29,889
vanished in Colorado,
631
00:31:29,931 --> 00:31:34,060
there's mounting evidence
that she was murdered.
632
00:31:34,102 --> 00:31:35,770
There are several suspects,
633
00:31:35,812 --> 00:31:37,230
but detectives discovered
634
00:31:37,272 --> 00:31:40,108
they're all
nowhere to be found.
635
00:31:40,150 --> 00:31:43,945
Mike Vassil and Karly Hanchett
got married at a courthouse
636
00:31:43,987 --> 00:31:47,866
and then left immediately
for their honeymoon in Texas.
637
00:31:47,907 --> 00:31:50,035
They knew that we were starting
638
00:31:50,076 --> 00:31:53,830
to put two and two together.
639
00:31:53,872 --> 00:31:55,331
DAN:
We had gotten their phones
640
00:31:55,373 --> 00:31:58,168
after their first denial
of their first interviews.
641
00:31:58,209 --> 00:32:00,211
BEN:
We did call their families
642
00:32:00,253 --> 00:32:02,922
and told them that the phones
that they had confiscated
643
00:32:02,964 --> 00:32:05,133
were available for release.
644
00:32:05,175 --> 00:32:09,137
When they came in,
they had Chad Iler with them
645
00:32:09,179 --> 00:32:12,307
and all three of them
were taken into custody.
646
00:32:13,558 --> 00:32:14,601
DAN:
We had surveillance
647
00:32:14,642 --> 00:32:17,354
on DJ and Crystal,
648
00:32:17,395 --> 00:32:19,314
so the next day
when they drove down to Greeley,
649
00:32:19,356 --> 00:32:21,941
I went to DJ's grandma's house
and arrested them there.
650
00:32:25,236 --> 00:32:27,030
NARRATOR:
U.S. Marshalls tracked down
651
00:32:27,072 --> 00:32:28,948
the remaining murder suspect,
652
00:32:28,990 --> 00:32:30,533
Karly's brother, Scott,
653
00:32:30,575 --> 00:32:34,287
and arrest him
in Rapid City, South Dakota.
654
00:32:34,329 --> 00:32:37,207
As soon as he's brought back
to Colorado,
655
00:32:37,248 --> 00:32:39,376
he confesses to everything.
656
00:32:39,417 --> 00:32:42,879
He admitted
to actually stabbing Tera
657
00:32:42,921 --> 00:32:45,006
along with others in the room.
658
00:32:46,383 --> 00:32:50,553
DAN: Scott says that
Karly hit her with a bat
659
00:32:50,595 --> 00:32:54,391
and DJ stabbed her
in the chest area.
660
00:32:54,432 --> 00:32:56,309
Scott said,
"She was suffering"
661
00:32:56,351 --> 00:32:57,977
"and so I stabbed her twice
in the back,"
662
00:32:58,019 --> 00:33:00,939
"trying to cut her spine,"
663
00:33:00,980 --> 00:33:03,983
"so she wouldn't suffer."
664
00:33:04,025 --> 00:33:06,986
BEN: Scott was supposed
to kill Diablo,
665
00:33:07,028 --> 00:33:09,322
and he said that
it was strange to him
666
00:33:09,364 --> 00:33:11,074
after having just stabbed Tera,
667
00:33:11,116 --> 00:33:12,534
but he was unable
to kill the dog.
668
00:33:15,078 --> 00:33:16,246
They just set it free.
669
00:33:20,083 --> 00:33:21,876
NARRATOR:
A few days after the arrest,
670
00:33:21,918 --> 00:33:24,254
the analysis
of the suspect's cell phones
671
00:33:24,295 --> 00:33:27,173
finally comes in.
672
00:33:27,215 --> 00:33:29,092
ROBB: Cell phone records
were very revealing
673
00:33:29,134 --> 00:33:30,427
in this case.
674
00:33:30,468 --> 00:33:32,637
They determined
that all of them
675
00:33:32,679 --> 00:33:34,264
shut their cell phones off
676
00:33:34,305 --> 00:33:36,474
at the same time
on September 29th
677
00:33:36,516 --> 00:33:39,310
except Mike Vassil.
678
00:33:39,352 --> 00:33:41,896
Because Mike Vassil left
his cell phone on,
679
00:33:41,938 --> 00:33:44,983
you could see the path
they took to dump Diablo,
680
00:33:45,025 --> 00:33:46,568
and then they came back,
681
00:33:46,609 --> 00:33:50,238
and took Tera to Wyoming.
682
00:33:50,280 --> 00:33:52,157
NARRATOR: But the phone data
cannot provide
683
00:33:52,198 --> 00:33:54,242
one crucial
piece of information.
684
00:33:54,284 --> 00:33:58,955
Where did the band
of accused killers bury Tera?
685
00:33:58,997 --> 00:34:00,707
ROBB:
We charged all of them
686
00:34:00,749 --> 00:34:03,126
before having Tera's body found.
687
00:34:03,168 --> 00:34:05,128
They were all looking at
life sentences
688
00:34:05,170 --> 00:34:08,131
and they begin giving us
information,
689
00:34:08,173 --> 00:34:09,466
trying to get a better deal.
690
00:34:09,507 --> 00:34:12,552
[**]
691
00:34:14,512 --> 00:34:16,181
BEN: Unfortunately,
some of the parties
692
00:34:16,222 --> 00:34:18,516
weren't given the opportunity
to take us
693
00:34:18,558 --> 00:34:20,935
to where Tera had been buried,
694
00:34:20,977 --> 00:34:24,147
either didn't recall
or were taking us
695
00:34:24,189 --> 00:34:25,648
in the complete
opposite direction,
696
00:34:25,690 --> 00:34:28,276
which is what DJ did
on multiple occasions.
697
00:34:33,114 --> 00:34:35,075
But January of 2016,
698
00:34:35,116 --> 00:34:37,202
we have logged hundreds
and hundreds of miles
699
00:34:37,243 --> 00:34:38,411
and still did not know
700
00:34:38,453 --> 00:34:40,080
where Tera Lewandowski's
body was.
701
00:34:41,623 --> 00:34:43,625
VONDA: As a mom,
702
00:34:43,667 --> 00:34:45,585
you wanna recover their body.
703
00:34:45,627 --> 00:34:49,339
You wanna know
where your child is.
704
00:34:49,381 --> 00:34:51,257
Dead or alive, whatever,
705
00:34:51,299 --> 00:34:54,302
you want to have them
back with you.
706
00:34:55,762 --> 00:34:57,472
DAN: Finding Tera
was like finding
707
00:34:57,514 --> 00:35:00,141
a needle in a haystack,
literally.
708
00:35:00,183 --> 00:35:02,519
Next to a hayfield.
709
00:35:02,560 --> 00:35:04,270
ROBB: There were
couple things consistent
710
00:35:04,312 --> 00:35:05,980
with all their descriptions.
711
00:35:06,022 --> 00:35:08,316
One was a sign
that said Laramie
712
00:35:08,358 --> 00:35:10,151
and had an arrow
pointing to the left.
713
00:35:12,654 --> 00:35:14,614
BEN: We received
a list of signs
714
00:35:14,656 --> 00:35:16,616
from the Wyoming Department
of Transportation.
715
00:35:16,658 --> 00:35:19,411
The list was approximately
200 long.
716
00:35:19,452 --> 00:35:23,623
I was able to check
on the Google Maps application
717
00:35:23,665 --> 00:35:25,750
and narrowed it down.
718
00:35:25,792 --> 00:35:28,461
Crystal had, uh,
described to us
719
00:35:28,503 --> 00:35:30,171
that one lane dirt road,
720
00:35:30,213 --> 00:35:32,048
they took a right-hand turn,
and went right
721
00:35:32,090 --> 00:35:35,427
into what appeared to be
the side of a mountain.
722
00:35:35,468 --> 00:35:38,638
She told us that she had been
able to hear water running,
723
00:35:38,680 --> 00:35:40,765
but not actually see it.
724
00:35:40,807 --> 00:35:43,560
So there was a creek nearby.
725
00:35:43,601 --> 00:35:46,396
[**]
726
00:35:50,358 --> 00:35:52,485
NARRATOR: On a bright
April morning,
727
00:35:52,527 --> 00:35:55,822
a small search team armed
with maps and satellite photos
728
00:35:55,864 --> 00:35:58,533
descends on the possible
location.
729
00:35:58,575 --> 00:36:01,828
They spread out
over the wooded area.
730
00:36:01,870 --> 00:36:03,788
It doesn't take long
to discover
731
00:36:03,830 --> 00:36:05,665
that their painstaking research
732
00:36:05,707 --> 00:36:08,376
has finally led them
to Tera's body.
733
00:36:08,418 --> 00:36:11,087
[**]
734
00:36:15,091 --> 00:36:16,634
ROBB: Tera's body was found
735
00:36:16,676 --> 00:36:19,220
a hundred and eighty-seven days
after her murder.
736
00:36:19,262 --> 00:36:22,057
[**]
737
00:36:24,434 --> 00:36:26,061
VONDA: There was a fallen tree
738
00:36:26,102 --> 00:36:28,730
and her body was laid
by the fallen tree.
739
00:36:28,772 --> 00:36:32,734
And there was a stream
running right alongside there.
740
00:36:32,776 --> 00:36:37,238
And wildflowers
and it would have been a place
741
00:36:37,280 --> 00:36:39,574
that she felt at peace in.
742
00:36:41,743 --> 00:36:44,496
It helped to--
to tolerate it better,
743
00:36:44,537 --> 00:36:47,165
knowing that she laid there
for seven months.
744
00:36:53,421 --> 00:36:55,382
NARRATOR: The day after police
find the body
745
00:36:55,423 --> 00:36:57,550
buried in the Wyoming woods,
746
00:36:57,592 --> 00:36:59,844
the medical examiner
uses dental records
747
00:36:59,886 --> 00:37:04,099
to confirm that
it is Tera Lewandowski.
748
00:37:05,767 --> 00:37:07,143
The cause of death
was determined
749
00:37:07,185 --> 00:37:08,520
by the medical examiner,
750
00:37:08,561 --> 00:37:11,564
would be multiple stab wounds
to her spine
751
00:37:11,606 --> 00:37:14,275
and other vital areas
of her body.
752
00:37:18,571 --> 00:37:19,823
Scott Hanchett described
753
00:37:19,864 --> 00:37:22,575
that they disposed
of the murder weapons
754
00:37:22,617 --> 00:37:24,786
in a pond near Pierce, Colorado
755
00:37:24,828 --> 00:37:27,414
by throwing all the knives used
in the murder
756
00:37:27,455 --> 00:37:29,249
as well as the pipe
that Karly used
757
00:37:29,290 --> 00:37:31,418
to hit Tera into this pond.
758
00:37:32,919 --> 00:37:34,838
So they go out in scuba gear
759
00:37:34,879 --> 00:37:37,340
and looked for the murder
weapons there.
760
00:37:38,675 --> 00:37:42,887
And they find two knives
and the pipe.
761
00:37:42,929 --> 00:37:46,266
And the knives were very similar
to the ones seen in the photos
762
00:37:46,307 --> 00:37:48,601
recovered from DJ's house.
763
00:37:52,814 --> 00:37:54,733
NARRATOR: But after months
in the water,
764
00:37:54,774 --> 00:37:59,237
no DNA is found
on any of the weapons.
765
00:37:59,279 --> 00:38:02,240
Now prosecutors must find a way
to convince the jury
766
00:38:02,282 --> 00:38:05,452
that this group of seemingly
mild-mannered young adults
767
00:38:05,493 --> 00:38:08,246
is actually a murderous gang.
768
00:38:10,957 --> 00:38:13,251
ROBB: The 21 group
or the Unforgiven
769
00:38:13,293 --> 00:38:17,255
was not on law enforcement's
radar before.
770
00:38:17,297 --> 00:38:21,217
It was not a real gang under
the true meaning of the word.
771
00:38:21,259 --> 00:38:22,594
They were just trying
to be their own
772
00:38:22,635 --> 00:38:25,889
little Pierce biker gang.
773
00:38:25,930 --> 00:38:27,891
DAN: We had to figure
out how this group of people
774
00:38:27,932 --> 00:38:31,478
went from zero to a hundred.
775
00:38:31,519 --> 00:38:34,272
From no criminal history
to killing somebody.
776
00:38:46,159 --> 00:38:47,327
NARRATOR: As prosecutors
build their case
777
00:38:48,912 --> 00:38:51,206
against Tera Lewandowski's
accused killers,
778
00:38:51,247 --> 00:38:52,874
they're trying to unravel
779
00:38:52,916 --> 00:38:56,628
how a trusted
town board member, DJ Meyer,
780
00:38:56,670 --> 00:38:58,713
and his young friends
became a gang
781
00:38:58,755 --> 00:39:00,048
capable of murder.
782
00:39:04,219 --> 00:39:06,054
BEN: As we did
these interviews,
783
00:39:06,096 --> 00:39:08,515
the impression that I got
is that the gang members,
784
00:39:08,556 --> 00:39:10,517
they're all lost people
that had found each other
785
00:39:10,558 --> 00:39:13,478
and just decided that this is
how they're gonna feel tough
786
00:39:13,520 --> 00:39:17,232
and accepted
was by having a gang.
787
00:39:17,273 --> 00:39:20,568
DAN: It was all about
a disrespect issue
788
00:39:20,610 --> 00:39:22,904
between Tera and Karly
789
00:39:22,946 --> 00:39:25,865
over loud music of the TV.
790
00:39:27,742 --> 00:39:30,662
NARRATOR: Committing murder
over a seemingly small argument
791
00:39:30,704 --> 00:39:32,580
seems puzzling,
792
00:39:32,622 --> 00:39:35,000
but investigators discovered
a key detail
793
00:39:35,041 --> 00:39:39,004
in the gang hierarchy that
helps put the pieces together.
794
00:39:39,045 --> 00:39:41,006
ROBB: In this fledgling
biker gang,
795
00:39:41,047 --> 00:39:44,634
you have Mike Vassil
who was dubbed
796
00:39:44,676 --> 00:39:47,512
kind of the leader
of this group.
797
00:39:47,554 --> 00:39:49,597
BEN:
We found out that Mike
798
00:39:49,639 --> 00:39:51,891
was not doing anything
without the okay
799
00:39:51,933 --> 00:39:54,144
from his father, Tom Vassil.
800
00:39:54,185 --> 00:39:55,854
DAN:
Tom was the president,
801
00:39:55,895 --> 00:39:59,649
Mike was the vice-president,
DJ was the enforcer.
802
00:39:59,691 --> 00:40:01,943
ROBB: Tom Vassil
rarely left his house.
803
00:40:01,985 --> 00:40:04,154
He was attached to oxygen,
804
00:40:04,195 --> 00:40:06,156
but he was involved
in a biker gang
805
00:40:06,197 --> 00:40:08,116
in the 70s or 80s.
806
00:40:08,158 --> 00:40:11,536
They considered Tom Vassil
kind of the OG,
807
00:40:11,578 --> 00:40:14,289
the old gangster,
and would see him
808
00:40:14,330 --> 00:40:16,499
for what they thought
was advice.
809
00:40:18,960 --> 00:40:22,797
And when Tom was told
about the squabble
810
00:40:22,839 --> 00:40:25,216
between Tera and Karly,
811
00:40:25,258 --> 00:40:27,594
Tom said,
"You got to handle it."
812
00:40:27,635 --> 00:40:29,721
And ultimately gave the command
to kill her.
813
00:40:32,182 --> 00:40:34,851
We believed Tera had heard
the gang downstairs
814
00:40:34,893 --> 00:40:37,645
planning on hurting her,
but she didn't know
815
00:40:37,687 --> 00:40:41,232
if they were
just talking or not.
816
00:40:41,274 --> 00:40:43,943
NARRATOR: That's when Tera
sent the ominous text message
817
00:40:43,985 --> 00:40:45,278
to her mother saying,
818
00:40:45,320 --> 00:40:48,198
"Something is going to happen."
819
00:40:48,239 --> 00:40:51,201
But the cry for help
came too late.
820
00:40:54,871 --> 00:40:57,832
All of the gang members
are offered a plea deal
821
00:40:57,874 --> 00:41:00,669
and all of them take it
except town board member
822
00:41:00,710 --> 00:41:02,837
DJ Meyer,
823
00:41:02,879 --> 00:41:05,215
who decides to take his chances
with the jury.
824
00:41:08,134 --> 00:41:11,012
VONDA: When I found out
the way they did it
825
00:41:11,054 --> 00:41:13,181
and how they went about it
826
00:41:13,223 --> 00:41:15,058
makes it even worse
827
00:41:15,100 --> 00:41:18,019
that they would plan
to kill somebody like this.
828
00:41:20,730 --> 00:41:23,692
They're all monsters.
829
00:41:23,733 --> 00:41:25,735
NARRATOR: It takes the jury
less than an hour
830
00:41:25,777 --> 00:41:29,656
to find DJ guilty
of first-degree murder.
831
00:41:29,698 --> 00:41:33,576
He is sentenced to life
plus 18 years in prison.
832
00:41:35,203 --> 00:41:37,997
MORGAN: The shock
of actually hearing the words
833
00:41:38,039 --> 00:41:40,750
that he was guilty was...
834
00:41:41,835 --> 00:41:44,587
like nothing you can imagine.
835
00:41:44,629 --> 00:41:46,256
Justice was served.
836
00:41:47,632 --> 00:41:50,135
VONDA: I have
no compassion for DJ.
837
00:41:51,261 --> 00:41:52,595
None.
838
00:41:53,763 --> 00:41:55,807
I wanted him to go away.
839
00:41:57,767 --> 00:41:59,894
These people strip the world
840
00:41:59,936 --> 00:42:04,315
of a really beautiful,
loving soul.
841
00:42:08,945 --> 00:42:10,613
She'll be greatly missed.
842
00:42:10,655 --> 00:42:12,699
[**]
843
00:42:21,249 --> 00:42:22,834
That's it.
Good boy.
844
00:42:22,876 --> 00:42:25,920
MORGAN: We have this
amazing happy Diablo,
845
00:42:25,962 --> 00:42:27,881
and we adore him.
846
00:42:27,922 --> 00:42:29,382
Diablo.
847
00:42:29,424 --> 00:42:30,884
MORGAN: You know, he holds
a very special place
848
00:42:30,925 --> 00:42:33,011
in our family.
849
00:42:33,053 --> 00:42:35,430
AUSTIN: She can't be here
physically,
850
00:42:35,472 --> 00:42:37,932
but she's always in my heart
and always beside me.
851
00:42:39,142 --> 00:42:41,436
VONDA: I always try to find
852
00:42:41,478 --> 00:42:45,398
the blessings
in bad things, too.
853
00:42:45,440 --> 00:42:48,860
I think it helps me
to cope with things.
854
00:42:48,902 --> 00:42:52,447
I know it--
it gives me comfort
855
00:42:52,489 --> 00:42:55,075
that I guarantee
the only reason
856
00:42:55,116 --> 00:42:57,285
Diablo is alive is Tera.
857
00:42:57,327 --> 00:43:00,997
And she was with Diablo
to keep him safe.
858
00:43:02,040 --> 00:43:03,958
One of the things they said,
859
00:43:04,000 --> 00:43:06,127
it was the last thing Tera said
860
00:43:06,169 --> 00:43:09,422
before she passed away was,
"Don't hurt my puppy,"
861
00:43:11,341 --> 00:43:14,177
which would be the last thing
she would say.
862
00:43:14,219 --> 00:43:17,347
[**]
863
00:43:19,849 --> 00:43:24,896
[**]