1 00:00:07,440 --> 00:00:10,276 [dramatic music] 2 00:00:10,910 --> 00:00:12,879 - Placentia is a very quiet 3 00:00:12,912 --> 00:00:15,882 bedroom community in Orange County. 4 00:00:15,915 --> 00:00:18,585 - This is a town that was defined by its orange groves 5 00:00:18,618 --> 00:00:22,555 and by its walnuts and fruits and other farming. 6 00:00:22,589 --> 00:00:26,126 - Lynsie loved everything about Orange County. 7 00:00:26,159 --> 00:00:27,193 What's not to love? 8 00:00:27,227 --> 00:00:29,295 * * 9 00:00:29,329 --> 00:00:32,899 - But even in this quaint, agricultural hamlet, 10 00:00:32,932 --> 00:00:35,502 evil hides in the shadows. 11 00:00:35,535 --> 00:00:38,772 - That night, I watched her drive away. 12 00:00:38,805 --> 00:00:40,674 And that was it. 13 00:00:40,707 --> 00:00:41,675 * * 14 00:00:41,708 --> 00:00:44,744 - Because of her disabilities, the force 15 00:00:44,778 --> 00:00:47,280 that would be necessary to overtake her 16 00:00:47,313 --> 00:00:50,617 would be far less than perhaps the average person. 17 00:00:50,650 --> 00:00:54,287 - I was terrified that she had trusted the wrong person. 18 00:00:54,320 --> 00:00:56,189 - Who could possibly want to harm 19 00:00:56,222 --> 00:00:59,492 this beautiful young woman, and why? 20 00:00:59,526 --> 00:01:02,062 - The investigators ask him, why the fake name? 21 00:01:02,095 --> 00:01:03,530 - She has no driver's license. 22 00:01:03,563 --> 00:01:04,764 She has no car. 23 00:01:04,798 --> 00:01:06,733 Why would he drop her off there? 24 00:01:06,766 --> 00:01:09,469 - When this person talked about Lynsie, 25 00:01:09,502 --> 00:01:11,938 he talked about her in the past tense. 26 00:01:11,971 --> 00:01:15,141 - Nancy says that an older gentleman comes to her work 27 00:01:15,175 --> 00:01:16,576 looking for Lynsie. 28 00:01:16,609 --> 00:01:18,345 - I thought it was very strange. 29 00:01:18,378 --> 00:01:20,647 Why would he be doing that? 30 00:01:20,680 --> 00:01:23,783 - We needed to somehow chum the waters. 31 00:01:23,817 --> 00:01:26,353 - We searched this whole area to see if we could get 32 00:01:26,386 --> 00:01:28,321 any hits with cadaver dogs. 33 00:01:28,355 --> 00:01:30,490 - It was like a needle in a haystack. 34 00:01:30,523 --> 00:01:32,392 - I was just totally alone. 35 00:01:32,425 --> 00:01:36,963 I had to keep my hope alive. 36 00:01:36,996 --> 00:01:40,133 [waves crashing] 37 00:01:40,166 --> 00:01:43,136 [dramatic music] 38 00:01:43,169 --> 00:01:50,310 * * 39 00:01:55,715 --> 00:01:58,685 [waves crashing] 40 00:01:58,718 --> 00:02:02,522 * * 41 00:02:02,555 --> 00:02:04,691 - My name is Corrine Loomis, and in 2001, 42 00:02:04,724 --> 00:02:07,460 I was a detective in Placentia. 43 00:02:07,494 --> 00:02:10,296 My caseload was primarily domestic violence, 44 00:02:10,330 --> 00:02:12,732 sexual assault, and missing persons. 45 00:02:12,766 --> 00:02:14,834 [tense music] 46 00:02:14,868 --> 00:02:18,805 On February 19, 2001, a woman named Nancy Ekelund 47 00:02:18,838 --> 00:02:20,874 made a police report that their daughter, 48 00:02:20,907 --> 00:02:23,243 Lynsie, had not come home. 49 00:02:23,276 --> 00:02:26,079 * * 50 00:02:26,079 --> 00:02:28,081 - My name is Nancy Ekelund, 51 00:02:28,081 --> 00:02:30,784 and my daughter is Lynsie Ekelund. 52 00:02:30,817 --> 00:02:32,285 [somber music] 53 00:02:32,318 --> 00:02:34,554 When the police came over to my home, 54 00:02:34,587 --> 00:02:38,324 I said I haven't seen Lynsie in over 48 hours. 55 00:02:38,358 --> 00:02:40,360 [dramatic music] 56 00:02:40,393 --> 00:02:42,862 At the time, she was 19 years old. 57 00:02:42,896 --> 00:02:46,199 She went to Fullerton Junior College on Chapman Avenue. 58 00:02:46,232 --> 00:02:47,867 She lived at home. 59 00:02:47,901 --> 00:02:50,637 Lynsie was very dependable. 60 00:02:50,670 --> 00:02:52,706 If she was going to be late for something, 61 00:02:52,739 --> 00:02:55,108 she always called me. 62 00:02:55,108 --> 00:02:56,910 I knew something was terribly wrong. 63 00:02:56,943 --> 00:02:59,512 * * 64 00:02:59,546 --> 00:03:03,583 - In the peaceful Orange County community of Placentia, 65 00:03:03,616 --> 00:03:06,619 Nancy Ekelund is beside herself with worry. 66 00:03:06,653 --> 00:03:08,722 She tells police that she's seen 67 00:03:08,755 --> 00:03:10,457 no trace of her daughter, Lynsie, 68 00:03:10,490 --> 00:03:13,960 since the night she left to go out with friends. 69 00:03:14,060 --> 00:03:17,530 - Nancy was very concerned but very obviously eager 70 00:03:17,564 --> 00:03:21,067 to try to give us any information that she could. 71 00:03:21,067 --> 00:03:25,271 - I told the police February 16, 2001. 72 00:03:25,305 --> 00:03:26,940 It was a Friday night, 73 00:03:26,973 --> 00:03:29,909 and Lynsie was going to spend the night at Andrea's house 74 00:03:29,943 --> 00:03:31,911 with another girl from college. 75 00:03:31,945 --> 00:03:33,546 I'd never met the girls, 76 00:03:33,580 --> 00:03:35,982 but they were friends from school. 77 00:03:36,082 --> 00:03:39,619 I was comfortable with her staying overnight with Andrea. 78 00:03:39,652 --> 00:03:41,421 So I helped her put a few things 79 00:03:41,454 --> 00:03:44,858 in a little duffel bag-type thing. 80 00:03:44,891 --> 00:03:46,993 And then the door rang. 81 00:03:47,093 --> 00:03:48,395 I opened it. 82 00:03:48,428 --> 00:03:52,098 There was a boy that she was friends with, Chris. 83 00:03:52,098 --> 00:03:53,533 * * 84 00:03:53,566 --> 00:03:57,704 He was taking her over to Andrea's house. 85 00:03:57,737 --> 00:03:59,639 She always got a ride with different people 86 00:03:59,673 --> 00:04:02,108 she was friends with because she didn't drive. 87 00:04:02,142 --> 00:04:04,644 * * 88 00:04:04,678 --> 00:04:09,249 And I watched her drive away, and that was it. 89 00:04:09,282 --> 00:04:11,117 * * 90 00:04:11,151 --> 00:04:14,120 [dramatic music] 91 00:04:14,154 --> 00:04:16,890 * * 92 00:04:16,923 --> 00:04:19,359 - Nancy tells police that the next day 93 00:04:19,392 --> 00:04:21,061 started out perfectly normal. 94 00:04:21,094 --> 00:04:22,595 [phone ringing] 95 00:04:22,629 --> 00:04:26,800 - The next morning, Chris called me around 10:00. 96 00:04:26,833 --> 00:04:29,069 He asked if he could talk to Lynsie, 97 00:04:29,069 --> 00:04:30,804 and I said Lynsie is still 98 00:04:30,837 --> 00:04:32,739 over at her girlfriend's house. 99 00:04:32,772 --> 00:04:36,309 - Nancy was expecting to see her daughter around lunchtime, 100 00:04:36,343 --> 00:04:39,112 but things didn't go as planned. 101 00:04:39,145 --> 00:04:41,514 - Lynsie was gonna tutor two children 102 00:04:41,548 --> 00:04:43,683 that she tutored every Saturday. 103 00:04:43,717 --> 00:04:45,518 - About a quarter after 11:00, 104 00:04:45,552 --> 00:04:48,555 the mother of the two little girls called, 105 00:04:48,588 --> 00:04:50,690 asking if Lynsie was coming. 106 00:04:50,724 --> 00:04:53,093 And I says, I have not seen her. 107 00:04:53,093 --> 00:04:57,330 I assumed that she was already there teaching your children. 108 00:04:57,364 --> 00:04:58,965 * * 109 00:04:58,998 --> 00:05:01,501 And then I really got worried, 110 00:05:01,534 --> 00:05:05,171 because Lynsie was always reliable. 111 00:05:05,205 --> 00:05:07,140 * * 112 00:05:07,173 --> 00:05:12,712 - As panic sets in, Nancy springs into action. 113 00:05:12,746 --> 00:05:16,549 - I called everybody that knew her, 114 00:05:16,583 --> 00:05:19,185 but I did not know Andrea's phone number, 115 00:05:19,219 --> 00:05:21,121 and I should have had the phone number. 116 00:05:21,154 --> 00:05:25,291 That's basic information, to know where your daughter is. 117 00:05:25,325 --> 00:05:27,794 So I called the hospital. 118 00:05:27,827 --> 00:05:29,195 I was panicking. 119 00:05:29,229 --> 00:05:30,764 * * 120 00:05:30,797 --> 00:05:33,433 Something definitely was wrong. 121 00:05:33,466 --> 00:05:36,202 * * 122 00:05:36,236 --> 00:05:38,204 You have to wait 48 hours to file 123 00:05:38,238 --> 00:05:40,073 the missing persons report. 124 00:05:40,106 --> 00:05:41,708 So the next day, 125 00:05:41,741 --> 00:05:43,910 Corinne Loomis took the report. 126 00:05:43,943 --> 00:05:45,545 * * 127 00:05:45,578 --> 00:05:47,714 - In speaking with Nancy, we needed to get 128 00:05:47,747 --> 00:05:50,216 more details about Lynsie's background 129 00:05:50,250 --> 00:05:53,086 to determine what happened. 130 00:05:53,119 --> 00:05:55,422 * * 131 00:05:55,455 --> 00:05:58,091 - Lynsie was born in 1980. 132 00:05:58,091 --> 00:06:02,028 She had two older brothers, Scott and Christian. 133 00:06:02,028 --> 00:06:05,065 My husband at the time, his name was Stuart. 134 00:06:05,098 --> 00:06:08,368 Lynsie was about four weeks early when she was born, 135 00:06:08,401 --> 00:06:10,670 but it was like a dream come true. 136 00:06:10,704 --> 00:06:12,706 She was always smiling. 137 00:06:12,739 --> 00:06:15,108 She was just a happy little girl. 138 00:06:15,141 --> 00:06:18,111 [solemn music] 139 00:06:18,144 --> 00:06:19,913 * * 140 00:06:19,946 --> 00:06:23,917 When Lynsie was about five years old, 141 00:06:23,950 --> 00:06:26,353 Christmas Day, 142 00:06:26,386 --> 00:06:28,421 we're driving to Placerville, California, 143 00:06:28,455 --> 00:06:29,756 where my mom and dad lived. 144 00:06:29,789 --> 00:06:33,159 We got as far as Bakersfield... 145 00:06:33,193 --> 00:06:35,395 [dramatic music] 146 00:06:35,428 --> 00:06:37,897 And we were hit by another car. 147 00:06:37,931 --> 00:06:40,433 [siren wailing] 148 00:06:40,467 --> 00:06:45,538 Lynsie sustained massive head injuries. 149 00:06:45,572 --> 00:06:47,207 As a result of the head injury, 150 00:06:47,240 --> 00:06:50,810 she was partially paralyzed on her left side. 151 00:06:50,844 --> 00:06:54,114 She didn't have normal function on her left hand. 152 00:06:54,147 --> 00:07:00,153 Her left leg and foot were also impaired. 153 00:07:00,186 --> 00:07:02,022 My husband and I separated 154 00:07:02,022 --> 00:07:06,026 about a year after the accident. 155 00:07:06,059 --> 00:07:09,596 The divorce, in part, was caused by the accident 156 00:07:09,629 --> 00:07:11,531 because I was driving, and I think 157 00:07:11,564 --> 00:07:16,803 I was probably accused of causing it. 158 00:07:16,836 --> 00:07:21,307 Stuart moved to Texas with the boys after the divorce. 159 00:07:21,341 --> 00:07:23,276 So my marriage was broken, 160 00:07:23,309 --> 00:07:25,879 and Lynsie and I were on our own. 161 00:07:25,912 --> 00:07:28,648 * * 162 00:07:28,682 --> 00:07:30,517 - My name is Francine Bless. 163 00:07:30,550 --> 00:07:32,686 Lynsie Ekelund was my student. 164 00:07:32,719 --> 00:07:35,055 She was in my class for fourth grade. 165 00:07:35,055 --> 00:07:36,856 She had some pretty horrific injuries. 166 00:07:36,890 --> 00:07:38,558 Her left side was compromised. 167 00:07:38,591 --> 00:07:40,960 * * 168 00:07:41,061 --> 00:07:43,663 - When Lynsie went back to school, kids were mean, 169 00:07:43,697 --> 00:07:45,899 and that's normal for kids. 170 00:07:45,932 --> 00:07:48,101 They made fun of her, and it bothered her, 171 00:07:48,134 --> 00:07:52,138 but she was so determined to overcome that. 172 00:07:52,172 --> 00:07:55,075 [soft music] 173 00:07:55,075 --> 00:07:58,078 - She was a very determined student. 174 00:07:58,078 --> 00:08:00,347 She had been left-handed before the accident, 175 00:08:00,380 --> 00:08:01,915 and now she had to learn to do everything 176 00:08:02,015 --> 00:08:05,518 with her right hand, which was extremely difficult. 177 00:08:05,552 --> 00:08:08,254 But she had such a grit about her. 178 00:08:08,288 --> 00:08:11,057 As she got older, she wanted to be a journalist. 179 00:08:11,091 --> 00:08:14,761 She was involved in tutoring students, community service. 180 00:08:14,794 --> 00:08:17,364 She just thrived on helping people. 181 00:08:17,397 --> 00:08:18,832 * * 182 00:08:18,865 --> 00:08:21,201 Lynsie loved everything about this community. 183 00:08:21,234 --> 00:08:24,137 She loved everything about Orange County. 184 00:08:24,170 --> 00:08:28,508 * * 185 00:08:28,541 --> 00:08:31,344 But she was such a trusting person, 186 00:08:31,378 --> 00:08:33,380 to the point of being naive. 187 00:08:33,413 --> 00:08:35,582 She trusted everybody. 188 00:08:35,615 --> 00:08:38,385 That was her personality. 189 00:08:38,418 --> 00:08:41,254 [dramatic music] 190 00:08:41,287 --> 00:08:42,555 - For the most part, 191 00:08:42,589 --> 00:08:44,057 she's just kind of like every other kid, 192 00:08:44,057 --> 00:08:46,626 but because of her disabilities, 193 00:08:46,659 --> 00:08:49,396 the force that would be necessary to overtake her 194 00:08:49,429 --> 00:08:52,665 would be far less than, perhaps, the average person. 195 00:08:52,699 --> 00:08:55,101 * * 196 00:08:55,135 --> 00:08:56,736 - Given her vulnerability, 197 00:08:56,770 --> 00:08:59,072 police are even more anxious to track down 198 00:08:59,072 --> 00:09:03,076 the friends Lynsie was with the night she disappeared. 199 00:09:03,109 --> 00:09:05,578 So they canvassed Fullerton Junior College, 200 00:09:05,612 --> 00:09:07,714 where she goes to school. 201 00:09:07,747 --> 00:09:09,149 - My name is Geoff Boucher. 202 00:09:09,182 --> 00:09:11,618 I was a staff writer at "The Los Angeles Times," 203 00:09:11,651 --> 00:09:14,020 and I covered crime in Orange County. 204 00:09:14,020 --> 00:09:15,855 Investigators, for them, the starting point 205 00:09:15,889 --> 00:09:18,591 would be Amy, Andrea, and Chris, 206 00:09:18,625 --> 00:09:21,661 the people that were mentioned by the mom. 207 00:09:21,695 --> 00:09:25,432 Amy and Andrea were going to college at Fullerton College 208 00:09:25,465 --> 00:09:27,367 in the neighboring city. 209 00:09:27,400 --> 00:09:28,902 * * 210 00:09:28,935 --> 00:09:31,571 - One day after Lynsie is reported missing, 211 00:09:31,604 --> 00:09:33,440 detectives get their first break 212 00:09:33,473 --> 00:09:36,743 when a student from Fullerton College puts police in touch 213 00:09:36,776 --> 00:09:39,245 with Amy and Andrea, the friends 214 00:09:39,279 --> 00:09:43,316 Lynsie was with the night she disappeared. 215 00:09:43,350 --> 00:09:45,552 - The girls were both visually very upset 216 00:09:45,585 --> 00:09:47,887 hearing that Lynsie was reported missing. 217 00:09:47,921 --> 00:09:50,824 They confirmed that regarding the movements that night 218 00:09:50,857 --> 00:09:53,927 on February 16th, Amy, Chris, and Andrea, 219 00:09:53,960 --> 00:09:56,863 all of them were together. 220 00:09:56,896 --> 00:09:59,099 - And what detectives find out next 221 00:09:59,132 --> 00:10:02,068 makes the case even more challenging. 222 00:10:02,102 --> 00:10:05,238 - Both Amy and Andrea told us 223 00:10:05,271 --> 00:10:07,340 that Lynsie had lied to her mother 224 00:10:07,374 --> 00:10:08,975 and told her that she was spending the night, 225 00:10:09,009 --> 00:10:10,810 but that she really hadn't. 226 00:10:10,844 --> 00:10:14,147 All of them had decided to go to San Diego and go to a club. 227 00:10:14,180 --> 00:10:16,349 And I'm thinking, what happened? 228 00:10:16,383 --> 00:10:18,651 What happened to Lynsie? 229 00:10:18,685 --> 00:10:20,820 We had more questions than we had answers, 230 00:10:20,854 --> 00:10:23,923 and the answers that we needed weren't even close 231 00:10:23,957 --> 00:10:25,658 at that point to coming true. 232 00:10:25,692 --> 00:10:26,760 It's all just a puzzle. 233 00:10:26,793 --> 00:10:29,729 * * 234 00:10:29,763 --> 00:10:32,732 - I was at work, and an older gentleman 235 00:10:32,766 --> 00:10:34,501 met me in the parking lot. 236 00:10:34,534 --> 00:10:37,504 And he says, this is Lynsie's money. 237 00:10:37,537 --> 00:10:39,105 I thought it was very strange. 238 00:10:39,139 --> 00:10:43,510 - That was scary because this was so out of character. 239 00:10:43,543 --> 00:10:45,712 - He got quite upset. 240 00:10:45,745 --> 00:10:47,881 He seemed to me to be very suspicious. 241 00:10:47,914 --> 00:10:50,316 - He was very evasive. 242 00:10:50,350 --> 00:10:52,752 I was thinking, he knows where she is. 243 00:11:00,426 --> 00:11:03,062 [dramatic music] 244 00:11:03,328 --> 00:11:09,968 * * 245 00:11:10,069 --> 00:11:12,404 - The day after Lynsie Ekelund is reported 246 00:11:12,438 --> 00:11:16,442 missing in the quiet Orange County enclave of Placentia, 247 00:11:16,475 --> 00:11:19,478 detectives discover that Lynsie lied to her mother 248 00:11:19,511 --> 00:11:22,114 about her whereabouts on the night she vanished. 249 00:11:22,147 --> 00:11:24,983 * * 250 00:11:25,084 --> 00:11:26,885 - In reality, the plan of the evening 251 00:11:26,919 --> 00:11:30,656 was that Amy and Andrea and Lynsie and Chris 252 00:11:30,689 --> 00:11:32,424 were headed to San Diego. 253 00:11:32,458 --> 00:11:34,793 * * 254 00:11:34,827 --> 00:11:38,330 - San Diego is about 100 miles south of Placentia. 255 00:11:38,364 --> 00:11:40,332 [tense music] 256 00:11:40,366 --> 00:11:43,002 Amy and Andrea had said they were gonna go meet up 257 00:11:43,102 --> 00:11:45,104 with a couple girlfriends who lived down 258 00:11:45,137 --> 00:11:47,206 in the San Diego area and go to a club, 259 00:11:47,239 --> 00:11:49,341 but through a series of missteps, 260 00:11:49,375 --> 00:11:52,478 they never connected with the friends in San Diego, 261 00:11:52,511 --> 00:11:53,912 and they got frustrated. 262 00:11:53,946 --> 00:11:56,415 So around midnight or so, they went and had breakfast 263 00:11:56,448 --> 00:11:58,517 at Denny's, and then they decided 264 00:11:58,550 --> 00:12:00,686 to just drive back up to Placentia. 265 00:12:00,719 --> 00:12:02,521 * * 266 00:12:02,554 --> 00:12:05,124 - Amy and Andrea said that Chris is at the wheel, 267 00:12:05,157 --> 00:12:08,093 and he drops the girls off at their homes. 268 00:12:08,127 --> 00:12:11,797 Lynsie is the last person to be dropped off. 269 00:12:11,830 --> 00:12:14,800 That's the last known path of Lynsie. 270 00:12:14,833 --> 00:12:16,535 * * 271 00:12:16,568 --> 00:12:20,839 - Chris and Lynsie were left alone in the car ultimately, 272 00:12:20,873 --> 00:12:24,243 and then Chris ostensibly was the last person who saw her. 273 00:12:24,276 --> 00:12:27,379 So now we needed to talk to Chris. 274 00:12:27,413 --> 00:12:30,516 Amy and Andrea gave us his contact information. 275 00:12:30,549 --> 00:12:32,117 * * 276 00:12:32,151 --> 00:12:34,553 The next day, Chris voluntarily spoke to us. 277 00:12:34,586 --> 00:12:38,924 He spoke freely and confirmed what Amy and Andrea had said, 278 00:12:38,957 --> 00:12:41,527 that all of them had decided to go to San Diego 279 00:12:41,560 --> 00:12:44,463 and go to a club. 280 00:12:44,496 --> 00:12:46,098 Chris told us that later that night, 281 00:12:46,098 --> 00:12:48,567 he drove Lynsie, Amy, and Andrea 282 00:12:48,600 --> 00:12:50,569 back up to Placentia. 283 00:12:50,602 --> 00:12:53,572 Chris was driving his truck, and the other girls 284 00:12:53,605 --> 00:12:55,007 got dropped off first. 285 00:12:55,107 --> 00:12:59,111 He then drove Lynsie up to her home. 286 00:12:59,144 --> 00:13:00,312 - Chris tells the investigators that 287 00:13:00,346 --> 00:13:02,748 at about 4:30, he dropped Lynsie off 288 00:13:02,781 --> 00:13:04,583 near her house, but not at her house. 289 00:13:04,616 --> 00:13:06,318 [dramatic music] 290 00:13:06,352 --> 00:13:09,054 - Chris said he dropped her off on the corner 291 00:13:09,054 --> 00:13:10,856 because Lynsie didn't want her mother 292 00:13:10,889 --> 00:13:13,058 to know that she was returning home 293 00:13:13,058 --> 00:13:14,426 in the middle of the night. 294 00:13:14,460 --> 00:13:18,230 So he did not see her go into the house. 295 00:13:18,263 --> 00:13:20,432 - Investigators find it odd that Lynsie would want 296 00:13:20,466 --> 00:13:22,835 to be dropped off on a dark corner 297 00:13:22,868 --> 00:13:25,471 at 4:30 in the morning. 298 00:13:25,504 --> 00:13:27,439 But when they ask her friends about it, 299 00:13:27,473 --> 00:13:30,275 they don't bat an eye. 300 00:13:30,309 --> 00:13:32,778 - Amy and Andrea said that Lynsie had, in fact, 301 00:13:32,811 --> 00:13:35,781 been asked to be dropped off on that corner in the past. 302 00:13:35,814 --> 00:13:39,084 - Her friends said she wanted to not disturb her mom 303 00:13:39,084 --> 00:13:40,719 or get into the house quietly. 304 00:13:40,753 --> 00:13:43,155 So according to the girls, that is not 305 00:13:43,188 --> 00:13:45,524 necessarily an unusual pattern. 306 00:13:45,557 --> 00:13:48,227 * * 307 00:13:48,260 --> 00:13:51,196 - Still, investigators have no choice than 308 00:13:51,230 --> 00:13:54,433 to press Chris for more answers. 309 00:13:54,466 --> 00:13:57,636 - He told us that after he left Lynsie at the corner, 310 00:13:57,670 --> 00:14:02,241 he made a U-turn and went back up to his house and-- 311 00:14:02,274 --> 00:14:05,277 in his apartment-- and went to sleep. 312 00:14:05,310 --> 00:14:07,179 So we couldn't verify that. 313 00:14:07,212 --> 00:14:10,516 He lived alone, but he seemed to be forthcoming. 314 00:14:10,549 --> 00:14:13,252 He didn't seem like he had anything to hide. 315 00:14:13,285 --> 00:14:15,354 * * 316 00:14:15,387 --> 00:14:17,256 And also, Amy, Chris, and Andrea, 317 00:14:17,289 --> 00:14:20,259 their stories all matched, so it kind of lent credence 318 00:14:20,292 --> 00:14:23,662 to the fact that Chris then took Lynsie up 319 00:14:23,696 --> 00:14:26,498 and dropped her off. 320 00:14:26,532 --> 00:14:28,634 - But to clear him of any wrongdoing, 321 00:14:28,667 --> 00:14:31,670 Detective Loomis needs to verify his innocence 322 00:14:31,704 --> 00:14:33,339 any way she can. 323 00:14:33,372 --> 00:14:36,075 * * 324 00:14:36,075 --> 00:14:38,577 - We asked Chris if we could look at his truck, 325 00:14:38,610 --> 00:14:41,146 and he said yes. 326 00:14:41,180 --> 00:14:43,582 So crime scene investigators come and take swabs 327 00:14:43,615 --> 00:14:46,685 from the car to see if we could locate any bodily fluids 328 00:14:46,719 --> 00:14:49,555 or any blood or DNA that would indicate 329 00:14:49,588 --> 00:14:52,691 that there was some sort of struggle in the vehicle. 330 00:14:52,725 --> 00:14:54,693 But we didn't find anything. 331 00:14:54,727 --> 00:14:56,428 So we really had to take Chris's statement 332 00:14:56,462 --> 00:15:01,266 at face value while we continued to move forward. 333 00:15:01,300 --> 00:15:04,703 - Four days have passed since Lynsie was last seen. 334 00:15:04,737 --> 00:15:07,339 As detectives continue searching for her, 335 00:15:07,373 --> 00:15:12,711 word spreads across peaceful Placentia that she is missing. 336 00:15:12,745 --> 00:15:17,182 - Lynsie Ekelund was my student and became my friend. 337 00:15:17,216 --> 00:15:20,386 When Lynsie didn't come home, that was scary, 338 00:15:20,419 --> 00:15:23,555 because this was so out of character. 339 00:15:23,589 --> 00:15:26,892 I was terrified that she had trusted the wrong person, 340 00:15:26,925 --> 00:15:28,827 that something had happened to her, 341 00:15:28,861 --> 00:15:31,663 that she could not get home. 342 00:15:31,697 --> 00:15:35,067 I was very, very worried. 343 00:15:35,067 --> 00:15:36,669 - The disappearance of Lynsie Ekelund 344 00:15:36,702 --> 00:15:40,272 is just a savage shock for the people that knew her 345 00:15:40,305 --> 00:15:43,375 and for that community in Orange County. 346 00:15:43,409 --> 00:15:46,578 - Nobody wanted to believe in our little town of Placentia 347 00:15:46,612 --> 00:15:50,482 that something bad could happen to such a beautiful young lady. 348 00:15:50,516 --> 00:15:54,920 She was the kind of person that just cared about everybody. 349 00:15:54,953 --> 00:15:58,490 And you just couldn't imagine anyone being unkind to her. 350 00:15:58,524 --> 00:15:59,758 * * 351 00:15:59,792 --> 00:16:01,160 - Five days pass. 352 00:16:01,193 --> 00:16:03,028 Desperate to find Lynsie, 353 00:16:03,028 --> 00:16:05,531 detectives scour her cell phone records, 354 00:16:05,564 --> 00:16:08,033 looking for any calls that may have taken place 355 00:16:08,067 --> 00:16:10,235 before she disappeared. 356 00:16:10,269 --> 00:16:12,071 - One thing we're able to do in the investigation 357 00:16:12,104 --> 00:16:14,306 is to look at Lynsie's phone records 358 00:16:14,340 --> 00:16:15,641 and see who she may have called. 359 00:16:15,674 --> 00:16:18,077 And we did determine that she had made 360 00:16:18,110 --> 00:16:21,046 a phone call around 2:00 in the morning 361 00:16:21,046 --> 00:16:23,482 to somebody named Matt. 362 00:16:23,515 --> 00:16:25,117 * * 363 00:16:25,150 --> 00:16:28,053 - Matthew was a student at Fullerton College, 364 00:16:28,053 --> 00:16:31,056 and they had gone out a few times, 365 00:16:31,056 --> 00:16:33,225 but nothing serious. 366 00:16:33,258 --> 00:16:37,363 She didn't come home and endlessly talk about him. 367 00:16:37,396 --> 00:16:40,566 She didn't say that he was the love of her life. 368 00:16:40,599 --> 00:16:42,701 He was just a friend. 369 00:16:42,735 --> 00:16:45,738 - Nancy said that they were dating on again, off again. 370 00:16:45,771 --> 00:16:48,807 So he was someone that we needed to talk to. 371 00:16:48,841 --> 00:16:51,410 It's always important to look at a boyfriend 372 00:16:51,443 --> 00:16:54,279 when someone goes missing because the dynamics 373 00:16:54,313 --> 00:16:56,648 of those relationships can often be volatile. 374 00:17:07,427 --> 00:17:10,030 [dramatic music] 375 00:17:10,230 --> 00:17:17,270 * * 376 00:17:17,303 --> 00:17:20,106 - After one week of searching for 20-year-old 377 00:17:20,140 --> 00:17:23,109 Lynsie Ekelund, Placentia detectives are 378 00:17:23,143 --> 00:17:25,045 zeroing in on a new suspect: 379 00:17:25,045 --> 00:17:28,281 her on again, off again boyfriend, Matt. 380 00:17:28,314 --> 00:17:32,285 - We did determine that she had made a phone call to Matt 381 00:17:32,318 --> 00:17:35,055 around 2:00 in the morning. 382 00:17:35,055 --> 00:17:37,323 Maybe they could have argued because she had gone 383 00:17:37,357 --> 00:17:39,059 to San Diego with other people. 384 00:17:39,059 --> 00:17:40,660 So was he jealous? 385 00:17:40,694 --> 00:17:42,762 Did he have a reason to maybe kill her 386 00:17:42,796 --> 00:17:45,632 or abduct her or do something to her? 387 00:17:45,665 --> 00:17:47,634 * * 388 00:17:47,667 --> 00:17:50,236 So detectives called and asked Matt to come in 389 00:17:50,270 --> 00:17:53,840 and speak with us, which he freely did. 390 00:17:53,873 --> 00:17:55,642 And he told us about the dynamics 391 00:17:55,675 --> 00:17:56,976 of their relationship. 392 00:17:57,077 --> 00:17:58,611 * * 393 00:17:58,645 --> 00:18:00,547 - Matt tells them that he and Lynsie 394 00:18:00,580 --> 00:18:03,249 had just broken up a week earlier, 395 00:18:03,283 --> 00:18:04,651 right before Valentine's Day. 396 00:18:04,684 --> 00:18:06,419 * * 397 00:18:06,453 --> 00:18:09,222 Matt said that the last time Lynsie had contact with him 398 00:18:09,255 --> 00:18:13,026 of any kind was that 2:00 AM phone call. 399 00:18:13,059 --> 00:18:15,862 - Matt told us that he and Lynsie were on good terms 400 00:18:15,895 --> 00:18:18,331 and that she left a voicemail message. 401 00:18:18,365 --> 00:18:20,667 She just basically said, I'm on my way home. 402 00:18:20,700 --> 00:18:23,336 Sweet dreams. 403 00:18:23,370 --> 00:18:25,672 - The only way to confirm Matt isn't involved 404 00:18:25,705 --> 00:18:28,675 in Lynsie's disappearance is to get an alibi 405 00:18:28,708 --> 00:18:31,211 for the night she went missing. 406 00:18:31,244 --> 00:18:34,214 - We asked Matt where he was the night Lynsie went missing, 407 00:18:34,247 --> 00:18:38,351 and he said that he was at home with his parents. 408 00:18:38,385 --> 00:18:41,488 - And that alibi checks out as they follow up. 409 00:18:41,521 --> 00:18:45,091 So investigators find him to be credible. 410 00:18:45,125 --> 00:18:47,127 * * 411 00:18:47,160 --> 00:18:49,429 - It's a very frustrating feeling, 412 00:18:49,462 --> 00:18:51,297 because you want to find Lynsie. 413 00:18:51,331 --> 00:18:54,200 So it's a big weight when you just don't have 414 00:18:54,234 --> 00:18:56,870 anything else to go on. 415 00:18:56,903 --> 00:19:00,707 - But more than one week after Lynsie's disappearance, 416 00:19:00,740 --> 00:19:03,743 Nancy is approached by a strange character. 417 00:19:03,777 --> 00:19:07,080 - I was at work, and an older gentleman 418 00:19:07,113 --> 00:19:08,915 met me in the parking lot. 419 00:19:09,015 --> 00:19:12,218 He said he knew Lynsie because he offered her 420 00:19:12,252 --> 00:19:15,088 a ride home a few times. 421 00:19:15,121 --> 00:19:17,657 And he says, this is Lynsie's money. 422 00:19:17,691 --> 00:19:21,094 It was $250. 423 00:19:21,127 --> 00:19:24,464 And I says, well, why would you have Lynsie's money? 424 00:19:24,497 --> 00:19:28,902 And he said, she gave it to me for safekeeping for school. 425 00:19:28,935 --> 00:19:30,570 * * 426 00:19:30,603 --> 00:19:32,138 And I thought it was very strange 427 00:19:32,172 --> 00:19:34,407 that an older man would be holding 428 00:19:34,441 --> 00:19:36,876 that money for my daughter. 429 00:19:36,910 --> 00:19:38,945 Why would he be doing that? 430 00:19:39,045 --> 00:19:40,847 * * 431 00:19:40,880 --> 00:19:42,782 - My name is Michael Michelena. 432 00:19:42,816 --> 00:19:45,919 In 2001, I had been working with the DA's office 433 00:19:45,952 --> 00:19:47,287 during the investigation. 434 00:19:47,320 --> 00:19:49,456 Detectives get a call from Nancy. 435 00:19:49,489 --> 00:19:52,459 She says that an older gentleman comes to her work 436 00:19:52,492 --> 00:19:54,361 looking for Lynsie. 437 00:19:54,394 --> 00:19:56,196 This person who approached Nancy 438 00:19:56,229 --> 00:19:58,865 said that his name was Marty Rossler. 439 00:19:58,898 --> 00:20:02,235 - It just seemed to be a very odd dynamic, 440 00:20:02,268 --> 00:20:03,870 given the age difference. 441 00:20:03,903 --> 00:20:08,641 And their relationship just somehow didn't make sense. 442 00:20:08,675 --> 00:20:10,977 * * 443 00:20:11,011 --> 00:20:14,547 So we needed to talk to him about his relationship 444 00:20:14,581 --> 00:20:16,716 with her and when was the last time he saw her. 445 00:20:16,750 --> 00:20:20,487 [tense music] 446 00:20:20,520 --> 00:20:23,223 - Police obtain Marty's contact information 447 00:20:23,256 --> 00:20:25,425 from Lynsie's cell phone records 448 00:20:25,458 --> 00:20:28,595 and bring him in for questioning. 449 00:20:28,628 --> 00:20:31,231 - I remember him being relaxed. 450 00:20:31,264 --> 00:20:33,600 And ultimately, in speaking with Marty, 451 00:20:33,633 --> 00:20:35,935 we find out his last name is not Rossler. 452 00:20:46,546 --> 00:20:49,349 - The fact he gave a different name really stood out. 453 00:20:49,382 --> 00:20:51,518 We found that very suspicious. 454 00:20:51,551 --> 00:20:54,220 - It's just--it's a red flag, 455 00:20:54,254 --> 00:20:56,623 because, you know, somewhere between 456 00:20:56,656 --> 00:20:59,759 the truth and a crime, you find a lie. 457 00:20:59,793 --> 00:21:02,796 So investigators ask him why the fake name, 458 00:21:02,829 --> 00:21:05,498 and he says he was trying to protect his marriage. 459 00:21:13,907 --> 00:21:15,075 - His explanation was 460 00:21:15,075 --> 00:21:16,409 just that he was married, 461 00:21:16,443 --> 00:21:18,311 and he didn't think his wife would like it 462 00:21:18,345 --> 00:21:19,679 that he was hanging out with 463 00:21:19,713 --> 00:21:22,349 and driving around a 20-year-old. 464 00:21:22,382 --> 00:21:25,085 - Marty was trying to protect his marriage 465 00:21:25,085 --> 00:21:26,753 and in the process of doing so, 466 00:21:26,786 --> 00:21:28,722 was putting himself square in front 467 00:21:28,755 --> 00:21:30,924 of a missing person investigation. 468 00:21:30,957 --> 00:21:32,959 - Marty told us that he had first 469 00:21:32,992 --> 00:21:35,962 met Lynsie when he saw her walking up the street, 470 00:21:35,995 --> 00:21:37,697 juggling flower pots. 471 00:21:37,731 --> 00:21:40,500 And she seemed to be clumsy with them and dropping them. 472 00:21:40,533 --> 00:21:42,669 And so he stopped to help her. 473 00:22:02,655 --> 00:22:06,659 - Marty said he had met Lynsie and felt bad for her 474 00:22:06,693 --> 00:22:09,963 and started to drive her around. 475 00:22:10,063 --> 00:22:12,932 - Marty said that she had physical difficulty 476 00:22:12,966 --> 00:22:14,267 holding on to her money. 477 00:22:14,300 --> 00:22:16,703 He said that he took her shopping, 478 00:22:16,736 --> 00:22:18,104 that he took her to school. 479 00:22:18,138 --> 00:22:21,875 He seemed to have an inordinate interest in her. 480 00:22:21,908 --> 00:22:23,543 - Investigators asked me if Lynsie 481 00:22:23,576 --> 00:22:25,812 had ever talked about Marty to me, 482 00:22:25,845 --> 00:22:27,747 and she had never mentioned him. 483 00:22:27,781 --> 00:22:29,115 I thought maybe it's someone that she 484 00:22:29,149 --> 00:22:31,918 just was friends with, and he gave her rides home. 485 00:22:31,951 --> 00:22:34,754 It didn't seem odd to me because Lynsie had 486 00:22:34,788 --> 00:22:38,491 friends of all ages, all types of people. 487 00:22:38,525 --> 00:22:40,660 - So we asked Marty to take a polygraph 488 00:22:40,694 --> 00:22:43,897 because it is a good tool to see if there is deception. 489 00:22:43,930 --> 00:22:45,565 * * 490 00:22:45,598 --> 00:22:47,767 - At first, Marty seems okay with it, 491 00:22:47,801 --> 00:22:51,137 but as the topic is kind of pressed, Marty gets angry, 492 00:22:51,171 --> 00:22:53,940 and he cuts the interview short. 493 00:22:53,973 --> 00:22:57,143 There's a lot of things about him that seemed suspicious. 494 00:23:09,556 --> 00:23:12,058 [dramatic music] 495 00:23:12,258 --> 00:23:14,861 * * 496 00:23:14,894 --> 00:23:18,064 - More than one week after Lynsie Ekelund went missing, 497 00:23:18,064 --> 00:23:23,436 police grill a man named Marty about her disappearance. 498 00:23:23,470 --> 00:23:25,772 - They ask him to submit to a polygraph test, 499 00:23:25,805 --> 00:23:29,075 but he didn't want any part in talking to them anymore. 500 00:23:29,109 --> 00:23:32,579 His reaction was to become very defensive. 501 00:23:32,612 --> 00:23:33,947 - These interviews are consensual. 502 00:23:33,980 --> 00:23:35,482 They don't have to answer any questions. 503 00:23:35,515 --> 00:23:37,150 So that's all voluntary. 504 00:23:37,183 --> 00:23:39,552 And there's no evidence showing that Marty 505 00:23:39,586 --> 00:23:41,788 is responsible for this. 506 00:23:41,821 --> 00:23:43,523 - He had an alibi for that evening, 507 00:23:43,556 --> 00:23:45,392 and it completely checked out. 508 00:23:45,425 --> 00:23:48,862 We couldn't prove anything with him, so we had to let him go. 509 00:23:48,895 --> 00:23:51,698 * * 510 00:23:51,731 --> 00:23:54,401 - Investigators are back to square one. 511 00:23:54,434 --> 00:23:57,837 So once again, they circle back to Chris McAmis, 512 00:23:57,871 --> 00:24:00,807 the last known person to see Lynsie alive, 513 00:24:00,840 --> 00:24:04,711 to retrace his steps the night he dropped off Lynsie. 514 00:24:04,744 --> 00:24:08,682 - We asked Chris to come in for a second interview. 515 00:24:08,715 --> 00:24:11,518 My intent was to try and basically marry him 516 00:24:11,551 --> 00:24:14,054 to the story of where he said he went 517 00:24:14,054 --> 00:24:17,857 after he left Lynsie at the corner. 518 00:24:17,891 --> 00:24:20,760 - Chris's version is that he drops her off 519 00:24:20,794 --> 00:24:22,195 at 4:00 in the morning 520 00:24:22,228 --> 00:24:25,065 and returned to his apartment in Whittier. 521 00:24:25,098 --> 00:24:26,966 * * 522 00:24:27,067 --> 00:24:29,369 - His route would have been to go north up 523 00:24:29,402 --> 00:24:30,870 through the intersection where there is 524 00:24:30,904 --> 00:24:33,073 a Wells Fargo bank on the corner. 525 00:24:33,106 --> 00:24:37,711 So we seized the film from the Wells Fargo Bank. 526 00:24:37,744 --> 00:24:39,346 We knew that Chris drove 527 00:24:39,379 --> 00:24:41,414 a white Ford extended cab truck. 528 00:24:41,448 --> 00:24:44,217 So detectives did view the film and saw, 529 00:24:44,250 --> 00:24:47,454 in fact, a white truck that passed that camera 530 00:24:47,487 --> 00:24:49,356 at about 4:15 in the morning. 531 00:24:49,389 --> 00:24:51,391 The truck matched the description 532 00:24:51,424 --> 00:24:53,727 of Chris's truck. 533 00:24:53,760 --> 00:24:55,895 - It seems to corroborate his story, 534 00:24:55,929 --> 00:24:57,731 especially in a town that's not very big 535 00:24:57,764 --> 00:24:59,866 with not a lot of traffic. 536 00:24:59,899 --> 00:25:02,035 - The bank film lent credence to the fact 537 00:25:02,068 --> 00:25:05,372 that Chris was telling the truth. 538 00:25:05,405 --> 00:25:09,943 - Chris was essentially off the table as far as suspects. 539 00:25:10,043 --> 00:25:12,545 - More than two weeks into the investigation, 540 00:25:12,579 --> 00:25:16,383 the hopes of finding Lynsie alive begin to dwindle. 541 00:25:16,416 --> 00:25:18,451 * * 542 00:25:18,485 --> 00:25:21,054 - At this point, we believed that Lynsie 543 00:25:21,054 --> 00:25:25,358 had been abducted and/or killed. 544 00:25:25,392 --> 00:25:28,695 It was frustrating because we couldn't really prove 545 00:25:28,728 --> 00:25:31,731 anything with Chris or Matt. 546 00:25:31,765 --> 00:25:34,501 And now, as suspicious as Marty might look, 547 00:25:34,534 --> 00:25:36,269 we couldn't prove anything with him either. 548 00:25:36,302 --> 00:25:41,274 * * 549 00:25:41,307 --> 00:25:43,276 - As time went by, 550 00:25:43,309 --> 00:25:46,446 all the possible leads dried up. 551 00:25:46,479 --> 00:25:49,282 - We felt like we were never going to be able to find out 552 00:25:49,315 --> 00:25:51,584 what happened to Lynsie and give her mother 553 00:25:51,618 --> 00:25:53,153 and her family closure. 554 00:25:53,186 --> 00:25:55,288 * * 555 00:25:55,321 --> 00:25:59,292 - As weeks become months and months turned to years, 556 00:25:59,325 --> 00:26:02,629 there's still no traction in the case 557 00:26:02,662 --> 00:26:05,098 and no sign of Lynsie. 558 00:26:05,131 --> 00:26:08,868 - There was nothing positive out of those years. 559 00:26:08,902 --> 00:26:11,571 I was just totally alone. 560 00:26:11,604 --> 00:26:15,141 I had to keep my hope alive. 561 00:26:15,175 --> 00:26:19,112 I just went all over the city, putting up flyers. 562 00:26:19,145 --> 00:26:23,316 I wanted Lynsie to be home safe. 563 00:26:23,350 --> 00:26:25,652 * * 564 00:26:28,088 --> 00:26:29,923 [soft music] 565 00:26:29,956 --> 00:26:32,092 - But Placentia police never give up 566 00:26:32,125 --> 00:26:36,096 on finding closure for Lynsie's family. 567 00:26:36,129 --> 00:26:39,466 Finally, seven years after Lynsie vanished, 568 00:26:39,499 --> 00:26:43,103 a new investigator breathes life into the case. 569 00:26:43,136 --> 00:26:44,671 - My name is Larry Montgomery. 570 00:26:44,704 --> 00:26:46,673 In 2008, I was given the opportunity 571 00:26:46,706 --> 00:26:48,308 to work in a cold case unit 572 00:26:48,341 --> 00:26:50,343 at the Orange County District Attorney's Office. 573 00:26:50,377 --> 00:26:52,512 I saw this case in the files, 574 00:26:52,545 --> 00:26:54,547 and I have, you know, daughters, 575 00:26:54,581 --> 00:26:57,217 and I really felt for her mom. 576 00:26:57,250 --> 00:27:00,020 It was like, I just wanted to do something. 577 00:27:00,053 --> 00:27:05,091 So I was able to take over the Lynsie Ekelund cold case. 578 00:27:05,125 --> 00:27:07,360 - The first thing Detective Montgomery reviews 579 00:27:07,394 --> 00:27:10,030 from the case files are the police interviews 580 00:27:10,030 --> 00:27:12,332 with the three potential suspects. 581 00:27:12,365 --> 00:27:14,234 - All the cases I've had where the innocent people 582 00:27:14,267 --> 00:27:16,503 that are talked to, they are the person that's worried, 583 00:27:16,536 --> 00:27:18,304 they are the person that's scared, 584 00:27:18,338 --> 00:27:21,041 and they would ask what's gonna be done. 585 00:27:21,074 --> 00:27:22,876 I listened to Lynsie's boyfriend, 586 00:27:22,909 --> 00:27:26,913 Matthew, his interviews after she was missing. 587 00:27:26,946 --> 00:27:30,050 And everything I saw him do, the actions he took 588 00:27:30,050 --> 00:27:32,519 were all consistent with a boyfriend 589 00:27:32,552 --> 00:27:35,088 who's missing his girlfriend, and he's really worried. 590 00:27:35,121 --> 00:27:37,657 * * 591 00:27:37,691 --> 00:27:39,759 - Larry is very meticulous. 592 00:27:39,793 --> 00:27:41,928 He starts going over every single thing 593 00:27:41,961 --> 00:27:46,499 from the beginning, including an older gentleman, Marty. 594 00:27:46,533 --> 00:27:49,235 [dramatic music] 595 00:27:49,269 --> 00:27:51,237 - During the interview that Marty had with the police, 596 00:27:51,271 --> 00:27:53,740 he was suspicious because he used a phony name, 597 00:27:53,773 --> 00:27:55,842 and he didn't want to take a polygraph. 598 00:27:55,875 --> 00:27:57,777 But Marty had an alibi. 599 00:27:57,811 --> 00:28:00,680 He actually asked about where Lynsie is, 600 00:28:00,714 --> 00:28:02,749 and he was doing everything you would do 601 00:28:02,782 --> 00:28:04,551 if you really wanted to find her 602 00:28:04,584 --> 00:28:06,286 and she's missing and he's concerned. 603 00:28:06,319 --> 00:28:09,789 I don't see murderers usually do those kind of things. 604 00:28:09,823 --> 00:28:12,258 So I was able to rule him out fairly quickly. 605 00:28:12,292 --> 00:28:17,931 * * 606 00:28:18,031 --> 00:28:20,033 - But when Detective Montgomery reviews 607 00:28:20,033 --> 00:28:22,569 the tapes of Chris's interviews with the police, 608 00:28:22,602 --> 00:28:26,272 he notices something out of the ordinary. 609 00:28:26,306 --> 00:28:28,875 - He was very evasive. 610 00:28:28,908 --> 00:28:31,311 I noticed numerous occasions 611 00:28:31,344 --> 00:28:33,947 where he'd hold his hand in front of his mouth, 612 00:28:34,047 --> 00:28:37,050 and he'd talk kind of covering it. 613 00:28:37,050 --> 00:28:38,451 You know, what do you think happened to her? 614 00:28:38,485 --> 00:28:39,919 Well, I--I don't know. 615 00:28:39,953 --> 00:28:43,123 I--I hope nothing bad. 616 00:28:43,156 --> 00:28:45,358 - There's one more very telling pattern 617 00:28:45,392 --> 00:28:49,462 Detective Montgomery notices during Chris's interview. 618 00:28:49,496 --> 00:28:52,098 - When Chris is asked questions about Lynsie, 619 00:28:52,132 --> 00:28:54,567 and the person who's asking the questions, 620 00:28:54,601 --> 00:28:56,970 she actually says things in present tense 621 00:28:57,070 --> 00:29:00,006 about Lynsie's activities and what she's doing, 622 00:29:00,006 --> 00:29:03,143 and when Chris answered and talked about Lynsie, 623 00:29:03,176 --> 00:29:07,480 he talked about her in the past tense, 624 00:29:07,514 --> 00:29:10,016 which is very interesting because if she's still alive, 625 00:29:10,016 --> 00:29:11,151 you wouldn't do that. 626 00:29:11,184 --> 00:29:12,852 If she's dead and you know it, 627 00:29:12,886 --> 00:29:14,854 but you don't think about it, 628 00:29:14,888 --> 00:29:16,389 that slips out. 629 00:29:16,423 --> 00:29:18,091 * * 630 00:29:18,124 --> 00:29:19,826 So that was a big red flag. 631 00:29:19,859 --> 00:29:22,062 * * 632 00:29:22,095 --> 00:29:25,031 I started looking very closely at Chris. 633 00:29:25,065 --> 00:29:28,101 - Larry starts to review the video from the ATM 634 00:29:28,134 --> 00:29:31,104 that, in theory, Chris's truck drove by 635 00:29:31,137 --> 00:29:34,507 after dropping Lynsie off. 636 00:29:34,541 --> 00:29:38,945 Now, of course, we're talking about early 2000s videos. 637 00:29:39,045 --> 00:29:41,181 They were not very clear. It wasn't high def. 638 00:29:41,214 --> 00:29:42,849 - And I was looking at that to see, 639 00:29:42,882 --> 00:29:44,517 well, is that really his truck? 640 00:29:44,551 --> 00:29:46,052 * * 641 00:29:46,052 --> 00:29:48,188 And lo and behold, I do notice the mirror 642 00:29:48,221 --> 00:29:50,190 that was on the side of the truck 643 00:29:50,223 --> 00:29:54,260 didn't have a white front, and Chris's truck did. 644 00:29:54,294 --> 00:29:58,131 So then I knew that's not his truck. 645 00:29:58,164 --> 00:30:01,301 Finding that this was not his truck in that picture, 646 00:30:01,334 --> 00:30:02,969 he could have never been there at all. 647 00:30:03,003 --> 00:30:06,172 And it just opens up that possibility. 648 00:30:06,206 --> 00:30:09,542 I was thinking Chris knows where she is. 649 00:30:18,451 --> 00:30:21,087 [dramatic music] 650 00:30:21,354 --> 00:30:28,294 * * 651 00:30:28,328 --> 00:30:32,399 - By 2009, more than eight years after Lynsie Ekelund 652 00:30:32,432 --> 00:30:36,469 vanished, cold case detectives uncover inconsistencies 653 00:30:36,503 --> 00:30:39,773 in Chris McAmis's previous statements to police 654 00:30:39,806 --> 00:30:41,708 and with his alibi. 655 00:30:41,741 --> 00:30:47,514 - Larry realizes that the truck on the video of the ATM 656 00:30:47,547 --> 00:30:50,383 is not McAmis's truck. 657 00:30:50,417 --> 00:30:53,086 - Basically, Chris's story is not confirmable, 658 00:30:53,119 --> 00:30:55,755 and the question is, was he lying about that? 659 00:30:55,789 --> 00:30:58,758 At this point, I was interested as to what his activities were 660 00:30:58,792 --> 00:31:01,127 when Lynsie disappeared. 661 00:31:01,161 --> 00:31:02,762 - To get a better understanding 662 00:31:02,796 --> 00:31:04,264 of McAmis's movements 663 00:31:04,297 --> 00:31:07,534 the days following Lynsie's disappearance, 664 00:31:07,567 --> 00:31:11,571 cold case detectives subpoena his bank records. 665 00:31:11,604 --> 00:31:14,240 - Early in 2010, one of the things I looked at 666 00:31:14,274 --> 00:31:16,276 was his credit card usage. 667 00:31:16,309 --> 00:31:18,578 And on the day that she disappeared, 668 00:31:18,611 --> 00:31:22,349 the particular date and time that he was apparently home, 669 00:31:22,382 --> 00:31:25,952 according to him, all day, his credit card was used 670 00:31:25,985 --> 00:31:29,789 in Santa Clarita at a gas station. 671 00:31:29,823 --> 00:31:32,859 That made me wonder why. 672 00:31:32,892 --> 00:31:34,794 Why is he up in Santa Clarita? 673 00:31:34,828 --> 00:31:36,429 [dramatic music] 674 00:31:36,463 --> 00:31:38,865 - Larry spoke to multiple family members 675 00:31:38,898 --> 00:31:41,501 and discovered that Chris had been working 676 00:31:41,534 --> 00:31:44,504 with his father doing construction. 677 00:31:44,537 --> 00:31:47,540 It was under the table at a site in Santa Clarita. 678 00:31:47,574 --> 00:31:51,244 So Chris has access to heavy machinery, 679 00:31:51,277 --> 00:31:55,615 heavy equipment that can help him bury a body. 680 00:31:55,648 --> 00:31:58,118 * * 681 00:31:58,151 --> 00:32:01,488 - Once we learn that Chris had access to a tractor, 682 00:32:01,521 --> 00:32:03,957 we figured, okay, if he did bury her up there, 683 00:32:04,057 --> 00:32:05,625 we need to look. 684 00:32:05,658 --> 00:32:07,527 Maybe she's up there. 685 00:32:07,560 --> 00:32:11,498 * * 686 00:32:11,531 --> 00:32:13,566 We went up, and we searched this whole area 687 00:32:13,600 --> 00:32:16,603 where the tractor was being used to see if we could get 688 00:32:16,636 --> 00:32:18,805 any hits with cadaver dogs. 689 00:32:18,838 --> 00:32:21,508 * * 690 00:32:21,541 --> 00:32:23,076 - You don't know what physical evidence 691 00:32:23,109 --> 00:32:25,111 you're gonna get, especially after all that time. 692 00:32:25,145 --> 00:32:27,080 It was like a needle in a haystack. 693 00:32:27,080 --> 00:32:29,516 * * 694 00:32:29,549 --> 00:32:33,119 - We spent months and months up in the Santa Clarita area 695 00:32:33,153 --> 00:32:34,387 where this dig occurred, 696 00:32:34,421 --> 00:32:37,657 and we looked for any possibility, 697 00:32:37,691 --> 00:32:39,492 but we could not find her. 698 00:32:39,526 --> 00:32:46,266 * * 699 00:32:46,299 --> 00:32:48,101 We decided we needed to go use 700 00:32:48,101 --> 00:32:49,936 a different technique to find her. 701 00:32:49,969 --> 00:32:52,572 One possible way is to try to get the person 702 00:32:52,605 --> 00:32:57,377 who buried her to show us where it is. 703 00:32:57,410 --> 00:33:00,947 - Larry decided that we needed to somehow 704 00:33:01,047 --> 00:33:02,349 chum the waters here. 705 00:33:02,382 --> 00:33:05,352 We needed to stir Chris up and somehow 706 00:33:05,385 --> 00:33:08,555 get him to speak or get him to make some sort of mistake. 707 00:33:08,588 --> 00:33:12,392 - We decided we would try to give him the impression 708 00:33:12,425 --> 00:33:14,461 that the body's been found. 709 00:33:14,494 --> 00:33:18,264 And we thought that if we could bring somebody to his door 710 00:33:18,298 --> 00:33:21,801 one night and give him that information, 711 00:33:21,835 --> 00:33:24,604 that may trigger him to want to go up 712 00:33:24,637 --> 00:33:26,172 to see if it's true. 713 00:33:26,206 --> 00:33:29,576 * * 714 00:33:29,609 --> 00:33:32,645 - Larry has another officer play the role 715 00:33:32,679 --> 00:33:35,715 of a journalist for a local college paper 716 00:33:35,749 --> 00:33:37,617 and knock on Chris's door. 717 00:33:37,650 --> 00:33:39,519 * * 718 00:33:39,552 --> 00:33:41,454 - And Chris answered the door. 719 00:33:41,488 --> 00:33:43,690 She told him that she's with the newspaper for the school. 720 00:33:43,723 --> 00:33:46,292 And it looks like they may have found Lynsie's body, 721 00:33:46,326 --> 00:33:48,728 and she was hoping that she could get an interview 722 00:33:48,762 --> 00:33:50,897 with Chris about that. 723 00:33:50,930 --> 00:33:52,399 And he didn't want to do that. 724 00:33:52,432 --> 00:33:54,267 He said, no, I'm not interested. 725 00:33:54,300 --> 00:33:57,137 And she left her card with him, and she left. 726 00:33:57,170 --> 00:33:58,738 * * 727 00:33:58,772 --> 00:34:01,408 And our hope was that if he buried the body, 728 00:34:01,441 --> 00:34:04,678 he may want to go up and see if there's a hole there 729 00:34:04,711 --> 00:34:06,112 or if the body is gone. 730 00:34:06,146 --> 00:34:08,281 * * 731 00:34:08,314 --> 00:34:09,749 - With a trap baited, 732 00:34:09,783 --> 00:34:13,253 on the night of October 21, 2010, 733 00:34:13,286 --> 00:34:15,455 undercover officers sit in waiting 734 00:34:15,488 --> 00:34:19,192 outside of Chris McAmis's house. 735 00:34:19,225 --> 00:34:21,494 - That night, about 3:00 in the morning, 736 00:34:21,528 --> 00:34:23,129 a light turns on in the house. 737 00:34:23,163 --> 00:34:25,632 * * 738 00:34:25,665 --> 00:34:28,234 The garage door opens, and he took off fast, 739 00:34:28,268 --> 00:34:29,703 and he went through neighborhoods. 740 00:34:29,736 --> 00:34:32,772 And I think five or six vehicles were following. 741 00:34:32,806 --> 00:34:34,574 * * 742 00:34:34,607 --> 00:34:36,443 It looked like he was gonna get on the freeway 743 00:34:36,476 --> 00:34:39,779 to go northbound towards Santa Clarita. 744 00:34:39,813 --> 00:34:41,948 - But the way he was driving, 745 00:34:41,981 --> 00:34:45,118 it kind of makes it seem like Chris was very much on edge, 746 00:34:45,151 --> 00:34:47,087 and he was very nervous 747 00:34:47,120 --> 00:34:50,790 and was checking behind him at every step. 748 00:34:50,824 --> 00:34:53,326 - And he floored his car and went really fast 749 00:34:53,360 --> 00:34:55,628 and tried to get out of the track really quick, 750 00:34:55,662 --> 00:34:57,664 but they were still following him. 751 00:34:57,697 --> 00:35:01,735 And he went to the Fullerton Police Department. 752 00:35:01,768 --> 00:35:05,238 - Chris reported that he was being followed. 753 00:35:05,271 --> 00:35:07,807 Fullerton PD gave him the standard, you know, 754 00:35:07,841 --> 00:35:09,042 do you owe money to anybody? 755 00:35:09,042 --> 00:35:10,243 Do you do drugs? 756 00:35:10,276 --> 00:35:12,512 Just be careful of your surroundings. 757 00:35:12,545 --> 00:35:17,117 And Chris then left the police department in Fullerton. 758 00:35:17,150 --> 00:35:18,818 So we got burned on the surveillance. 759 00:35:18,852 --> 00:35:21,221 * * 760 00:35:21,254 --> 00:35:23,189 - We decided to call off the plan. 761 00:35:23,223 --> 00:35:27,527 So we figured we would have to try another idea. 762 00:35:27,560 --> 00:35:30,363 I wanted to be able to find Lynsie's body, 763 00:35:30,397 --> 00:35:33,433 get some closure, even though it's terrible, 764 00:35:33,466 --> 00:35:37,237 some closure for Nancy, her mom. 765 00:35:37,270 --> 00:35:40,807 The biggest hurdle was getting him to admit that he did it, 766 00:35:40,840 --> 00:35:42,142 and can we find her body? 767 00:35:42,175 --> 00:35:43,677 * * 768 00:35:43,710 --> 00:35:45,845 - After mulling over possible options, 769 00:35:45,879 --> 00:35:48,715 detectives decide to take the ultimate risk 770 00:35:48,748 --> 00:35:51,084 in hopes of finally getting answers 771 00:35:51,084 --> 00:35:52,719 about what happened to Lynsie. 772 00:35:52,752 --> 00:35:55,221 * * 773 00:35:55,255 --> 00:35:57,323 - At the time, investigators really only 774 00:35:57,357 --> 00:36:00,226 had a suspicion that Chris was the person 775 00:36:00,260 --> 00:36:02,429 involved in this crime. 776 00:36:02,462 --> 00:36:04,397 - So we went for broke and decided, 777 00:36:04,431 --> 00:36:06,833 let's just get the Ramey warrant. 778 00:36:06,866 --> 00:36:09,636 - What that means is that they're allowed to arrest him, 779 00:36:09,669 --> 00:36:11,304 and they're allowed to hold him, 780 00:36:11,338 --> 00:36:13,340 and of course, they can interview him. 781 00:36:13,373 --> 00:36:15,342 But they have to decide within two days 782 00:36:15,375 --> 00:36:17,043 whether the case is fileable. 783 00:36:17,043 --> 00:36:20,547 And realistically, if they didn't find anything more, 784 00:36:20,580 --> 00:36:22,716 he was gonna be released in two days. 785 00:36:22,749 --> 00:36:27,354 * * 786 00:36:27,387 --> 00:36:30,523 - On October 27, 2010, 787 00:36:30,557 --> 00:36:34,094 more than nine years since Lynsie Ekelund disappeared, 788 00:36:34,127 --> 00:36:38,264 detectives issue Chris McAmis a Ramey warrant for his arrest 789 00:36:38,298 --> 00:36:40,767 and bring him in for questioning. 790 00:36:40,800 --> 00:36:43,169 - Deciding to make an arrest on Chris 791 00:36:43,203 --> 00:36:48,608 was a difficult one to make because if he invokes Miranda 792 00:36:48,641 --> 00:36:50,443 immediately and doesn't talk, 793 00:36:50,477 --> 00:36:53,213 we're not gonna have much that we can do. 794 00:36:58,752 --> 00:37:00,453 - It was a make-or-break interview. 795 00:37:03,656 --> 00:37:05,692 If he doesn't talk, we won't have enough for the DA 796 00:37:05,725 --> 00:37:07,794 to file charges, and he would be let go. 797 00:37:21,473 --> 00:37:23,909 [dramatic music] 798 00:37:24,176 --> 00:37:27,646 * * 799 00:37:27,680 --> 00:37:30,349 - More than nine years after the disappearance 800 00:37:30,382 --> 00:37:33,619 of Orange County college student Lynsie Ekelund, 801 00:37:33,652 --> 00:37:35,387 cold-case detectives have 802 00:37:35,421 --> 00:37:37,790 the potential killer in custody. 803 00:37:37,823 --> 00:37:40,459 - Chris McAmis had been given the Miranda warning, 804 00:37:40,492 --> 00:37:43,262 so he knew he didn't have to speak to us. 805 00:37:43,295 --> 00:37:47,099 But if Chris doesn't confess, he's gonna walk out the door, 806 00:37:47,132 --> 00:37:48,734 and justice will not be served. 807 00:37:53,939 --> 00:37:55,674 - When Chris brings up the fact that he thinks 808 00:37:55,708 --> 00:37:57,543 he might need a lawyer, we're really getting close 809 00:37:57,576 --> 00:37:59,445 to that area where he might ask for one, 810 00:37:59,478 --> 00:38:01,347 but then my partner gave the idea 811 00:38:01,380 --> 00:38:03,215 that we want to hear your side. 812 00:38:14,860 --> 00:38:16,428 - And that's what actually broke him, 813 00:38:16,462 --> 00:38:19,465 and he immediately decided to start to talk to us 814 00:38:19,498 --> 00:38:21,200 about what really happened. 815 00:38:47,092 --> 00:38:50,562 - Chris said he drinks quite a bit, he says. 816 00:38:50,596 --> 00:38:53,499 And then he gets more energy, whatever. 817 00:38:53,532 --> 00:38:57,403 He comes back in to try again to have sex with Lynsie. 818 00:39:27,032 --> 00:39:29,935 - Hearing somebody actually speak the words, 819 00:39:30,035 --> 00:39:32,037 I was stunned. 820 00:39:32,037 --> 00:39:34,740 I never sensed remorse. 821 00:39:34,773 --> 00:39:37,943 He was finally unburdening himself 822 00:39:38,043 --> 00:39:40,813 from this horrible thing that he had done. 823 00:40:02,034 --> 00:40:04,136 [dramatic music] 824 00:40:04,169 --> 00:40:06,972 - Chris McAmis agrees to show investigators 825 00:40:07,006 --> 00:40:10,042 exactly where he buried her in Los Angeles County. 826 00:40:10,075 --> 00:40:11,677 * * 827 00:40:11,710 --> 00:40:13,345 - As we arrived at the construction site 828 00:40:13,379 --> 00:40:16,715 in Santa Clarita, Chris said it was very different-looking 829 00:40:16,749 --> 00:40:18,050 10 years earlier when he buried her. 830 00:40:18,083 --> 00:40:19,952 * * 831 00:40:19,985 --> 00:40:22,855 Then he said it could be as far as maybe 832 00:40:22,888 --> 00:40:28,794 about 10 to 15 feet that way or 10 or 15 feet that way. 833 00:40:28,827 --> 00:40:31,296 - The LA County coroners have the scooper, 834 00:40:31,330 --> 00:40:32,831 and they're digging. 835 00:40:32,865 --> 00:40:37,469 And they're digging and digging and digging here. 836 00:40:37,503 --> 00:40:40,973 And I'm thinking, we're not gonna get anything. 837 00:40:41,006 --> 00:40:43,542 - We spent one full day digging. 838 00:40:43,575 --> 00:40:45,077 * * 839 00:40:45,110 --> 00:40:50,082 And then one scoop brought up a bright blue shoe. 840 00:40:50,115 --> 00:40:52,051 * * 841 00:40:52,084 --> 00:40:55,454 And in it were the bones of a foot. 842 00:40:55,487 --> 00:40:58,257 * * 843 00:40:58,290 --> 00:41:00,492 And I knew we found her. 844 00:41:00,526 --> 00:41:02,795 * * 845 00:41:02,828 --> 00:41:04,096 - I couldn't even believe it. 846 00:41:04,129 --> 00:41:05,831 We actually found her. 847 00:41:05,864 --> 00:41:07,533 And Chris was telling the truth. 848 00:41:07,566 --> 00:41:09,802 * * 849 00:41:09,835 --> 00:41:13,739 - I got a call at work in the middle of the day 850 00:41:13,772 --> 00:41:17,743 from the police, saying that we have news about Lynsie. 851 00:41:17,776 --> 00:41:19,278 Can you come home? 852 00:41:19,311 --> 00:41:21,080 And as I'm coming through the parking lot 853 00:41:21,113 --> 00:41:22,915 of my apartment, 854 00:41:22,948 --> 00:41:24,983 I knew that Lynsie was going to be standing there. 855 00:41:25,084 --> 00:41:27,986 There was no other thought in my mind. 856 00:41:28,087 --> 00:41:30,856 [somber music] 857 00:41:30,889 --> 00:41:32,524 And I looked up, and she wasn't there. 858 00:41:32,558 --> 00:41:34,560 I saw Mrs. Loomis. 859 00:41:34,593 --> 00:41:36,528 - She looked at me, and she said, I was hoping 860 00:41:36,562 --> 00:41:38,530 that when I walked up the stairs, 861 00:41:38,564 --> 00:41:41,367 that you would be standing there with Lynsie. 862 00:41:41,400 --> 00:41:43,102 That was heartbreaking. 863 00:41:43,135 --> 00:41:47,606 So even after all those years, when common sense 864 00:41:47,639 --> 00:41:49,875 and just rational thinking tells you, 865 00:41:49,908 --> 00:41:51,477 this person's not coming back, 866 00:41:51,510 --> 00:41:53,112 she still held on to that hope. 867 00:41:53,145 --> 00:41:55,147 And that's-- that's what parents do. 868 00:41:55,180 --> 00:41:56,849 * * 869 00:41:56,882 --> 00:41:58,717 - And then it hit me. 870 00:41:58,751 --> 00:42:01,153 Then they said she was dead. 871 00:42:01,186 --> 00:42:04,056 * * 872 00:42:04,056 --> 00:42:06,358 I felt that everything was just gone. 873 00:42:06,392 --> 00:42:10,062 Nothing mattered anymore. 874 00:42:10,062 --> 00:42:12,898 - With Lynsie's remains finally recovered 875 00:42:12,931 --> 00:42:15,534 and Chris McAmis's confession on tape, 876 00:42:15,567 --> 00:42:16,935 Chris hires an attorney 877 00:42:16,969 --> 00:42:19,271 who offers prosecutors a plea deal. 878 00:42:19,304 --> 00:42:22,574 - Chris's attorney came to me and said he would plea 879 00:42:22,608 --> 00:42:25,377 right away to second-degree murder 880 00:42:25,411 --> 00:42:27,846 for 15 years to life in prison. 881 00:42:27,880 --> 00:42:32,484 - That decision was run by Lynsie's mother, Nancy. 882 00:42:32,518 --> 00:42:34,887 She agreed to go along with that 883 00:42:34,920 --> 00:42:37,189 and just conclude the matter. 884 00:42:37,222 --> 00:42:41,093 * * 885 00:42:41,126 --> 00:42:43,796 - Almost a decade after she went missing, 886 00:42:43,829 --> 00:42:47,199 Lynsie Ekelund is finally laid to rest. 887 00:42:47,232 --> 00:42:50,936 - Lynsie's memorial service was in December 2010. 888 00:42:50,969 --> 00:42:52,471 We wanted to go. I think it's because 889 00:42:52,504 --> 00:42:54,973 we had been embedded with the family 890 00:42:55,007 --> 00:42:57,810 and embedded with this case for so long. 891 00:42:57,843 --> 00:43:02,815 I remember how emotional it was, even for me. 892 00:43:02,848 --> 00:43:06,218 - There was a lot of people there because all of us 893 00:43:06,251 --> 00:43:07,953 cared so deeply for Lynsie. 894 00:43:08,053 --> 00:43:10,589 And the memorial gave us closure, 895 00:43:10,622 --> 00:43:11,957 just to hug each other 896 00:43:12,057 --> 00:43:15,894 and to just have that special moment. 897 00:43:15,928 --> 00:43:17,930 - I did speak at her memorial. 898 00:43:17,963 --> 00:43:22,067 I thanked everyone for being there. 899 00:43:22,067 --> 00:43:26,105 And I said, Lynsie, up there, somewhere, is your star. 900 00:43:26,138 --> 00:43:28,540 Your angels are looking over you. 901 00:43:28,574 --> 00:43:31,243 I know she's there. 902 00:43:31,276 --> 00:43:34,747 I can't physically see her anymore, 903 00:43:34,780 --> 00:43:37,683 but she's always on my mind. 904 00:43:37,716 --> 00:43:42,087 * * 905 00:43:42,087 --> 00:43:44,390 [seagull calling] 906 00:43:44,423 --> 00:43:46,191 [waves crashing]