1 00:00:01,000 --> 00:00:03,295 ♪ 2 00:00:03,295 --> 00:00:05,797 NARRATOR: Apps are meant to improve our lives, 3 00:00:05,797 --> 00:00:07,549 to entertain us, 4 00:00:07,549 --> 00:00:09,218 to teach us, 5 00:00:09,218 --> 00:00:10,719 to aid us. 6 00:00:12,054 --> 00:00:15,140 14-year-old April Millsap had such an app. 7 00:00:17,392 --> 00:00:20,103 - She had that fitness app to count her steps. 8 00:00:21,396 --> 00:00:23,023 NARRATOR: But one July night, 9 00:00:23,023 --> 00:00:24,942 she turns on that app, 10 00:00:24,942 --> 00:00:25,984 goes on a walk, 11 00:00:25,984 --> 00:00:27,861 and never comes home. 12 00:00:29,530 --> 00:00:31,615 No witnesses, no DNA, 13 00:00:31,615 --> 00:00:34,243 no solid leads. 14 00:00:34,243 --> 00:00:37,162 - The chances of solving it are little to none. 15 00:00:37,162 --> 00:00:38,914 [phone ringing] 16 00:00:38,914 --> 00:00:40,207 NARRATOR: But then, 17 00:00:40,207 --> 00:00:44,378 everything changes with one crucial discovery. 18 00:00:44,378 --> 00:00:48,757 WOMAN: Just by using that little fitness app tracker, 19 00:00:48,757 --> 00:00:52,344 she was able to tell the police what happened. 20 00:00:54,388 --> 00:00:56,473 NARRATOR: And it helps paint a picture... 21 00:00:56,473 --> 00:00:57,307 [motorcycle revving] 22 00:00:57,307 --> 00:00:59,184 ...of true horror. 23 00:00:59,184 --> 00:01:02,187 ♪ 24 00:01:05,566 --> 00:01:07,568 ♪ eerie music playing ♪ 25 00:01:07,568 --> 00:01:10,070 MAN 1: She solved her own murder from beyond the grave. 26 00:01:10,070 --> 00:01:14,408 MAN 2: The fitness app on the phone, it was overwhelming evidence. 27 00:01:14,408 --> 00:01:19,997 ♪ I've been haunted by the visions that I've seen with my own eyes ♪ 28 00:01:19,997 --> 00:01:23,417 ♪ And the only way to find you ♪ 29 00:01:23,417 --> 00:01:27,588 ♪ Is to open up the lies ♪ 30 00:01:29,173 --> 00:01:31,675 MAN 3: She did help catch this killer. 31 00:01:36,513 --> 00:01:41,351 ♪ Why you always wanna go and get me so emotional ♪ 32 00:01:42,936 --> 00:01:47,858 NARRATOR: 35 miles from Detroit is the quaint, idyllic village of Armada. 33 00:01:49,484 --> 00:01:52,487 But on the evening of July 24, 2014... 34 00:01:52,487 --> 00:01:55,490 ♪ 35 00:01:55,490 --> 00:02:00,204 a grim discovery sparks the beginning of a small-town murder mystery. 36 00:02:03,165 --> 00:02:06,168 [phone ringing] 37 00:02:30,150 --> 00:02:33,153 ♪ uneasy music playing ♪ 38 00:02:43,330 --> 00:02:45,123 PHILIP NEUMEYER: My name is Philip Neumeyer. 39 00:02:45,999 --> 00:02:48,961 I was an officer with the Armada Police Department. 40 00:02:48,961 --> 00:02:51,505 I was the first officer on scene. 41 00:02:53,882 --> 00:02:55,926 She was back in here, 42 00:02:55,926 --> 00:02:58,679 um, past the ditch line 43 00:03:00,180 --> 00:03:01,181 over in there. 44 00:03:02,516 --> 00:03:04,184 When we first got here, 45 00:03:04,184 --> 00:03:07,354 we had myself and the two EMS people, 46 00:03:07,354 --> 00:03:09,398 crossed over through the ditch 47 00:03:09,398 --> 00:03:11,108 and then we saw her 48 00:03:11,108 --> 00:03:12,860 laying there. 49 00:03:12,860 --> 00:03:15,863 ♪ ominous music playing ♪ 50 00:03:17,823 --> 00:03:20,492 ♪ somber music playing ♪ 51 00:03:21,827 --> 00:03:22,953 It was ugly. 52 00:03:24,955 --> 00:03:28,000 She was severely beaten about the head and chest. 53 00:03:28,000 --> 00:03:30,210 Her shorts that she was wearing, 54 00:03:30,210 --> 00:03:33,380 along with more undergarments, were pulled down to her ankles, 55 00:03:33,380 --> 00:03:35,465 uh, so she was partially nude. 56 00:03:37,009 --> 00:03:38,427 Believe her eyes were still open. 57 00:03:40,721 --> 00:03:42,431 It was difficult 58 00:03:42,431 --> 00:03:43,640 to get an age. 59 00:03:44,474 --> 00:03:46,101 She was violently beaten. 60 00:03:47,477 --> 00:03:49,438 It was obvious it wasn't an accident. 61 00:03:53,609 --> 00:03:54,693 It was a homicide. 62 00:03:56,236 --> 00:03:58,697 We don't have those kinda things in Armada. 63 00:03:58,697 --> 00:04:01,700 ♪ somber music playing ♪ 64 00:04:06,788 --> 00:04:08,290 [sniffling] 65 00:04:09,458 --> 00:04:10,459 Um... 66 00:04:12,586 --> 00:04:13,670 They're one of your citizens. 67 00:04:13,670 --> 00:04:16,048 They're one of the people you're charged to care for. 68 00:04:17,799 --> 00:04:21,887 And, uh, I guess you feel some guilt that you didn't keep 'em safe. 69 00:04:24,473 --> 00:04:26,808 Excuse me. [sniffling] 70 00:04:37,027 --> 00:04:38,820 ♪ uneasy music playing ♪ 71 00:04:38,820 --> 00:04:40,364 MAN: Bill Cataldo, take one. 72 00:04:43,158 --> 00:04:44,493 WILLIAM CATALDO: I'm William Cataldo. 73 00:04:45,369 --> 00:04:48,539 I'm chief of homicide for the Macomb County Prosecutor's Office. 74 00:04:52,209 --> 00:04:54,336 Armada is a small jurisdiction. 75 00:04:54,336 --> 00:04:57,923 Armada's maybe three or four police officers. 76 00:04:57,923 --> 00:05:02,511 They don't have the resources to handle this type of crime. 77 00:05:04,555 --> 00:05:08,350 But they contacted the Michigan State Police. 78 00:05:08,350 --> 00:05:10,269 REBECCA MACARTHUR: My name is Rebecca MacArthur, 79 00:05:10,269 --> 00:05:13,146 and I was a detective sergeant with the Michigan State Police. 80 00:05:13,146 --> 00:05:16,108 [siren wailing] 81 00:05:20,863 --> 00:05:24,908 I got the call around nine o'clock that night 82 00:05:24,908 --> 00:05:28,871 and was shocked to hear that there was a female body found 83 00:05:28,871 --> 00:05:32,374 in this small town where that doesn't happen. 84 00:05:35,169 --> 00:05:40,048 You could see the imprint of the shoe tread on her face. 85 00:05:40,048 --> 00:05:42,634 You could see a clear herringbone pattern. 86 00:05:43,844 --> 00:05:46,346 She was actually stomped 87 00:05:46,346 --> 00:05:47,598 to death. 88 00:05:47,598 --> 00:05:50,893 ♪ uneasy music playing ♪ 89 00:05:50,893 --> 00:05:53,687 To actually stomp on somebody's face 90 00:05:53,687 --> 00:05:58,525 is so disrespectful and so demeaning. 91 00:05:59,693 --> 00:06:03,530 Whoever did this not only had complete rage 92 00:06:03,530 --> 00:06:05,949 but it seemed very personal. 93 00:06:05,949 --> 00:06:08,952 ♪ dramatic music playing ♪ 94 00:06:10,662 --> 00:06:14,082 [siren wailing] [indistinct radio chatter] 95 00:06:15,042 --> 00:06:20,464 I was alerted that a mother and young man showed up 96 00:06:21,006 --> 00:06:22,966 on the outskirts of where the scene was. 97 00:06:24,551 --> 00:06:26,929 NARRATOR: In Armada, news travels fast. 98 00:06:28,680 --> 00:06:33,602 14-year-old April Millsap went on a walk with her dog just a few hours earlier 99 00:06:33,602 --> 00:06:34,770 and hasn't come home. 100 00:06:36,522 --> 00:06:40,234 So her mother, Jennifer, and April's boyfriend, Austin, 101 00:06:40,234 --> 00:06:43,737 show up to the crime scene, fearing the worst. 102 00:06:45,239 --> 00:06:48,450 - They told one of the officers that April was missing. 103 00:06:48,450 --> 00:06:52,746 And when they gave a description of what she was wearing, 104 00:06:52,746 --> 00:06:54,748 that's when the officer told 'em 105 00:06:54,748 --> 00:06:58,168 to go down to the station and talk to a detective. 106 00:07:00,045 --> 00:07:03,799 NARRATOR: And soon, a mother's worst fear is realized. 107 00:07:04,550 --> 00:07:06,468 MAN: Jennifer Millsap interview, take one. 108 00:07:06,468 --> 00:07:08,554 NARRATOR: April was a loving daughter, 109 00:07:09,221 --> 00:07:10,973 always helping her mother, 110 00:07:10,973 --> 00:07:15,310 who struggles with a neurological disease that affects her balance and speech. 111 00:07:22,860 --> 00:07:25,863 ♪ 112 00:07:32,452 --> 00:07:35,664 NARRATOR: The body discovered that night belongs to April Millsap. 113 00:07:37,708 --> 00:07:40,836 She was just about to start her freshman year at Armada High School. 114 00:07:42,254 --> 00:07:45,841 Even as a teenager, she had a close-knit bond with her family. 115 00:07:47,259 --> 00:07:50,470 And from an early age, she became close with her stepdad. 116 00:08:22,794 --> 00:08:25,839 ♪ Lay low ♪ 117 00:08:25,839 --> 00:08:28,509 ♪ Don't need to feel a part of... ♪ 118 00:08:37,017 --> 00:08:41,313 NARRATOR: But by middle school, social media had taken a toll on April 119 00:08:41,313 --> 00:08:43,732 and she became concerned about her body image. 120 00:08:46,818 --> 00:08:49,071 MADISON ADAMS: My name is Madison Adams. 121 00:08:49,071 --> 00:08:52,908 I've known April since sixth grade. 122 00:08:52,908 --> 00:08:58,664 Social media and phones had the impact of, like, self-esteem issues, 123 00:08:58,664 --> 00:09:01,083 just comparing yourselves to others. 124 00:09:02,751 --> 00:09:05,921 Every day at school lunches, we would get salads 125 00:09:05,921 --> 00:09:08,590 and that would be the only thing we ate. 126 00:09:09,591 --> 00:09:12,553 She had that fitness app to count her steps. 127 00:09:12,553 --> 00:09:14,680 She took her dog for walks all the time. 128 00:09:24,481 --> 00:09:26,650 MADISON: Austin was a very nice guy, 129 00:09:26,650 --> 00:09:30,320 but he was also very loud and very obnoxious. 130 00:09:31,071 --> 00:09:36,660 I do think that him and April had maybe a few arguments here and there. 131 00:09:37,786 --> 00:09:40,330 I think a lot of the school might've labeled him, 132 00:09:40,330 --> 00:09:43,292 maybe as a little bit of a troublemaker. 133 00:09:43,292 --> 00:09:44,585 NARRATOR: In Armada, 134 00:09:44,585 --> 00:09:47,045 April and her friend group always stood out. 135 00:09:48,255 --> 00:09:50,507 ♪ apprehensive music playing ♪ 136 00:09:50,507 --> 00:09:52,968 MADISON: We were kinda the misfits of the area 137 00:09:52,968 --> 00:09:54,970 'cause we didn't really fit in with that country life. 138 00:09:57,514 --> 00:09:59,641 For us being in that small town, 139 00:09:59,641 --> 00:10:01,268 like, every day after school, 140 00:10:01,268 --> 00:10:03,562 we'd be out on the streets, going to parks 141 00:10:04,771 --> 00:10:06,106 or a-- a trail. 142 00:10:07,649 --> 00:10:11,820 But never really thought about what could be lurking behind the trees. 143 00:10:22,873 --> 00:10:24,875 ♪ gentle music playing ♪ 144 00:10:24,875 --> 00:10:28,921 NARRATOR: On July 24, 2014, around 06:00 p.m., 145 00:10:30,005 --> 00:10:32,716 April opens the fitness app on her phone 146 00:10:33,842 --> 00:10:37,763 and takes her dog, Penny, for a walk along the Macomb Orchard Trail. 147 00:10:37,763 --> 00:10:40,015 ♪ uneasy music playing ♪ 148 00:10:40,015 --> 00:10:41,475 She wants to get her steps in. 149 00:10:46,188 --> 00:10:47,439 But an hour passes 150 00:10:49,441 --> 00:10:50,984 and she's still not home. 151 00:10:56,865 --> 00:10:58,867 ♪ foreboding music playing ♪ 152 00:11:04,665 --> 00:11:08,502 NARRATOR: April's mother isn't the only one who knows something's not right. 153 00:11:08,502 --> 00:11:10,671 MADISON: I ended up texting all my friends. 154 00:11:10,671 --> 00:11:15,342 Everybody, basically, responded back to me except April. 155 00:11:15,342 --> 00:11:18,220 ♪ foreboding music playing ♪ 156 00:11:20,889 --> 00:11:23,433 NARRATOR: About an hour after April leaves her house, 157 00:11:23,433 --> 00:11:27,980 a married couple spots something unusual on the Macomb Orchard Trail. 158 00:11:29,857 --> 00:11:31,191 It's a border collie, 159 00:11:31,191 --> 00:11:32,693 alone, 160 00:11:33,569 --> 00:11:35,153 dragging its leash behind it. 161 00:11:38,156 --> 00:11:40,868 - The dog, basically, would run into the woods, run back out. 162 00:11:41,910 --> 00:11:44,705 And so, the gentleman actually got off his bike 163 00:11:45,747 --> 00:11:49,209 and went to see where the dog had gone to try and corral it 164 00:11:50,878 --> 00:11:53,130 and then discovered April. 165 00:11:53,130 --> 00:11:55,090 [line ringing] 166 00:11:58,093 --> 00:12:01,054 NARRATOR: April's murder is tragic and mysterious, 167 00:12:01,054 --> 00:12:05,017 but investigators already have a person of interest. 168 00:12:05,017 --> 00:12:06,852 REBECCA: The next morning, 169 00:12:06,852 --> 00:12:09,605 we started interviewing April's boyfriend. 170 00:12:22,409 --> 00:12:24,620 NARRATOR: In any murder investigation, 171 00:12:24,620 --> 00:12:27,080 husbands, boyfriends, 172 00:12:27,080 --> 00:12:29,333 they get looked at first. 173 00:12:29,333 --> 00:12:35,214 It's 'cause 55% of all female murders are committed by an intimate partner, 174 00:12:35,214 --> 00:12:37,382 and it's usually the guy they're with. 175 00:12:38,717 --> 00:12:40,344 And in his interview, 176 00:12:40,344 --> 00:12:43,805 Austin says something that detectives just can't shake. 177 00:12:47,643 --> 00:12:51,480 - We found he had erased some messages with April. 178 00:12:51,480 --> 00:12:54,483 ♪ unsettling music playing ♪ 179 00:13:04,493 --> 00:13:07,996 REBECCA: He admitted that it had not been a great relationship more recently, 180 00:13:07,996 --> 00:13:12,209 that they had arguments texting back-and-forth on their phones. 181 00:13:36,900 --> 00:13:38,485 REBECCA: That was suspicious 182 00:13:38,485 --> 00:13:41,822 as far as why he would feel the need to erase 'em. 183 00:13:43,991 --> 00:13:47,703 All of a sudden, he was our prime suspect. 184 00:13:47,703 --> 00:13:50,581 ♪ dramatic music playing ♪ 185 00:13:50,581 --> 00:13:53,458 [heart beating] 186 00:13:56,712 --> 00:14:00,299 ♪ Where we going... ♪ 187 00:14:00,299 --> 00:14:03,343 NARRATOR: After 14-year-old April Millsap is found murdered, 188 00:14:03,343 --> 00:14:08,015 investigators begin to question her boyfriend, Austin, 189 00:14:08,015 --> 00:14:09,391 and they're shocked to learn 190 00:14:09,391 --> 00:14:13,896 he's deleted text messages between the two of them from his phone. 191 00:14:18,108 --> 00:14:19,568 But even more shocking 192 00:14:20,652 --> 00:14:23,530 is the text that is still on Austin's phone 193 00:14:23,530 --> 00:14:25,490 from the evening of the murder. 194 00:14:25,490 --> 00:14:29,870 - He showed us the last text message April had sent him 195 00:14:29,870 --> 00:14:32,539 around 06:26 p.m. 196 00:14:32,539 --> 00:14:34,333 ♪ 197 00:14:34,333 --> 00:14:37,085 NARRATOR: "I think I almost got kidnapped. 198 00:14:37,085 --> 00:14:38,545 Oh, my fucking God." 199 00:14:39,963 --> 00:14:41,507 ♪ unsettling music playing ♪ 200 00:14:51,517 --> 00:14:55,896 - Austin did not call police, he did not call the mother, 201 00:14:55,896 --> 00:15:00,108 and his story was that he didn't look at the message... 202 00:15:00,108 --> 00:15:01,860 [phone ringing] 203 00:15:01,860 --> 00:15:05,531 ...until April's mom called him, looking for her. 204 00:15:07,115 --> 00:15:10,827 And so, that was a little odd because he's a teenager, 205 00:15:10,827 --> 00:15:13,163 and teenagers always look at their phones. 206 00:15:24,967 --> 00:15:29,847 - We had to, at length, go over and over again 207 00:15:29,847 --> 00:15:33,642 where he was and what he was doing. 208 00:15:52,327 --> 00:15:55,706 NARRATOR: New Haven, Michigan, is about 10 miles south of Armada. 209 00:15:57,791 --> 00:16:00,961 REBECCA: He was with a friend, he said, that evening. 210 00:16:00,961 --> 00:16:03,213 He had mentioned they went to a McDonald's. 211 00:16:15,058 --> 00:16:18,061 ♪ uneasy music playing ♪ 212 00:16:20,981 --> 00:16:24,610 NARRATOR: Investigators have to verify Austin's alibi 213 00:16:24,610 --> 00:16:28,197 that he was in another town with a friend at the time of the murder. 214 00:16:29,406 --> 00:16:33,952 So on the same day, July 25, 2014, 215 00:16:33,952 --> 00:16:36,830 the day after April is found, 216 00:16:36,830 --> 00:16:39,166 police notify the community. 217 00:16:39,166 --> 00:16:41,752 - The Armada Police Department and the Michigan State Police 218 00:16:41,752 --> 00:16:46,798 are currently investigating a homicide on the Macomb Orchard Trail. 219 00:16:46,798 --> 00:16:50,761 The body was discovered approximately 08:20 last night. 220 00:16:51,929 --> 00:16:55,599 The victim has been identified as April Dawn Millsap. 221 00:16:59,728 --> 00:17:02,523 NARRATOR: The entire town of Armada is in disbelief. 222 00:17:02,523 --> 00:17:04,525 ♪ somber music playing ♪ 223 00:17:04,525 --> 00:17:09,780 - I still do get, like, crying spells every day [sobbing] 224 00:17:09,780 --> 00:17:11,406 from what happened back then. 225 00:17:11,406 --> 00:17:13,408 Like, that was my friend. 226 00:17:13,408 --> 00:17:16,078 [sobbing] 227 00:17:16,078 --> 00:17:18,038 It still affects me a lot. 228 00:17:18,789 --> 00:17:22,501 ♪ Come lay... ♪ 229 00:17:26,547 --> 00:17:30,467 ♪ Come heal me now ♪ 230 00:17:41,979 --> 00:17:43,689 NARRATOR: And just like that, 231 00:17:43,689 --> 00:17:46,567 April's death changes their community forever. 232 00:17:51,113 --> 00:17:52,823 ♪ 233 00:17:52,823 --> 00:17:58,787 MADISON: As soon as that murder happened, we were very scared. 234 00:17:58,787 --> 00:18:00,789 There weren't kids playing outside. 235 00:18:10,340 --> 00:18:12,718 NARRATOR: Authorities want to heal this community 236 00:18:12,718 --> 00:18:15,012 and find justice fast. 237 00:18:15,012 --> 00:18:18,432 They question April's mother for any leads, 238 00:18:18,432 --> 00:18:21,560 and one detail becomes very important. 239 00:18:23,562 --> 00:18:27,191 - When the police officers spoke to April Millsap's mother, 240 00:18:27,191 --> 00:18:30,611 she indicated that April always has her phone with her. 241 00:18:30,611 --> 00:18:33,447 ♪ tense music playing ♪ 242 00:18:33,447 --> 00:18:36,867 REBECCA: If she was meeting somebody on the path that night, 243 00:18:36,867 --> 00:18:39,536 the text messages should be on her phone. 244 00:18:39,536 --> 00:18:41,246 But her phone was not there. 245 00:18:45,626 --> 00:18:48,879 NARRATOR: Local and state police start scouring the region 246 00:18:48,879 --> 00:18:50,881 for April's missing cell phone. 247 00:18:50,881 --> 00:18:54,510 - We expanded the area to the three counties 248 00:18:54,510 --> 00:18:56,929 with a team of 40 people, 249 00:18:56,929 --> 00:19:00,265 and then we called in every detective for the three counties 250 00:19:00,265 --> 00:19:02,726 because we had a lotta ground to cover. 251 00:19:04,436 --> 00:19:06,438 NARRATOR: It's a massive effort. 252 00:19:06,438 --> 00:19:10,025 [indistinct radio chatter] 253 00:19:11,318 --> 00:19:13,278 MAN: Ray Pechman interview, take one. 254 00:19:14,655 --> 00:19:15,864 RAY PECHMAN: My name is Ray Pechman. 255 00:19:15,864 --> 00:19:18,408 I'm a sergeant with the Michigan State Police. 256 00:19:18,408 --> 00:19:20,369 They had an article search dog 257 00:19:20,369 --> 00:19:23,038 that was searching that area 258 00:19:23,038 --> 00:19:25,249 and ultimately found her phone 259 00:19:25,249 --> 00:19:28,001 in some brush off the dirt road. 260 00:19:28,001 --> 00:19:28,877 [radio beeping] 261 00:19:31,672 --> 00:19:33,340 DISPATCHER: [over radio] [indistinct] 1490, roger. 262 00:19:33,340 --> 00:19:37,261 - We actually found it intact, which was a godsend. 263 00:19:37,261 --> 00:19:40,013 NARRATOR: Investigators might've just found 264 00:19:40,013 --> 00:19:43,642 the one thing that could solve the murder of April Millsap. 265 00:19:45,477 --> 00:19:48,397 But no one is ready for the secrets it would reveal. 266 00:19:50,399 --> 00:19:53,402 ♪ uneasy music playing ♪ 267 00:19:57,531 --> 00:20:02,202 ♪ I've been watching for a while... ♪ 268 00:20:02,202 --> 00:20:04,746 NARRATOR: April Millsap's cell phone is discovered 269 00:20:05,664 --> 00:20:07,291 and is immediately sent 270 00:20:07,291 --> 00:20:10,252 to the Michigan State Police Crime Lab for analysis. 271 00:20:11,753 --> 00:20:15,924 Meanwhile, investigators start checking on their prime suspect, 272 00:20:16,675 --> 00:20:18,760 April's boyfriend, Austin. 273 00:20:20,137 --> 00:20:22,681 And they question people that know him firsthand. 274 00:20:23,557 --> 00:20:27,644 MADISON: The police did end up talking to me about Austin. 275 00:20:29,688 --> 00:20:31,773 I knew that they were very much in love, 276 00:20:31,773 --> 00:20:35,277 and I did not think Austin was capable of that. 277 00:20:36,278 --> 00:20:39,072 People in the community did suspect him for it. 278 00:20:40,157 --> 00:20:43,744 When he deleted those text messages, it was probably going through his head, 279 00:20:43,744 --> 00:20:45,913 like, "Oh, no, they're gonna really think that I did it 280 00:20:45,913 --> 00:20:47,331 because we were fighting." 281 00:20:47,331 --> 00:20:49,750 282 00:20:49,750 --> 00:20:52,336 NARRATOR: As they continue to dive into Austin's story 283 00:20:52,336 --> 00:20:54,254 and his history with April, 284 00:20:54,254 --> 00:20:58,759 the police have to also consider another terrifying possibility. 285 00:20:59,259 --> 00:21:01,887 ♪ 286 00:21:01,887 --> 00:21:04,223 - This could be a stranger murder. 287 00:21:08,143 --> 00:21:09,937 And if that's the case, 288 00:21:09,937 --> 00:21:13,607 the chances of solving it are little to none. 289 00:21:15,192 --> 00:21:17,402 NARRATOR: Through relentless questioning, 290 00:21:17,402 --> 00:21:21,490 detectives begin to uncover people who were on the Macomb Orchard Trail 291 00:21:21,490 --> 00:21:23,575 on the day of April's murder. 292 00:21:26,620 --> 00:21:29,706 REBECCA: One of our detectives came across this young girl 293 00:21:29,706 --> 00:21:32,668 who said, "I saw a white van and he was acting creepy." 294 00:21:33,544 --> 00:21:35,838 ♪ uneasy music playing ♪ 295 00:21:35,838 --> 00:21:37,756 RAY: She was at her house. 296 00:21:37,756 --> 00:21:40,926 White van was driving slowly through the neighborhood, 297 00:21:40,926 --> 00:21:43,303 and looked like it was two individuals in it, 298 00:21:43,303 --> 00:21:46,223 which, now, seemed very suspicious. 299 00:21:48,141 --> 00:21:50,477 REBECCA: The young girl who saw the van 300 00:21:50,477 --> 00:21:53,814 had the insight to take a picture of it just in case. 301 00:21:55,023 --> 00:21:58,068 NARRATOR: Whether it's intuition or just plain luck, 302 00:21:58,068 --> 00:22:02,573 something tells this eyewitness that van was important. 303 00:22:02,573 --> 00:22:04,491 REBECCA: It wasn't a great picture, 304 00:22:04,491 --> 00:22:06,451 we couldn't see a plate or anything like that, 305 00:22:06,451 --> 00:22:09,955 but it was good enough to get a description that it was like a box, 306 00:22:09,955 --> 00:22:11,915 like a cargo van. 307 00:22:16,253 --> 00:22:19,464 NARRATOR: April texts Austin at 06:28 p.m. 308 00:22:21,675 --> 00:22:26,013 The van is spotted somewhere around 06:30 p.m. 309 00:22:26,013 --> 00:22:28,098 down by the Macomb Orchard Trail. 310 00:22:31,268 --> 00:22:32,436 The timeline fits. 311 00:22:33,896 --> 00:22:37,024 - If you know somebody that has that type of van, 312 00:22:37,024 --> 00:22:39,234 the police are asking, uh, the citizens 313 00:22:39,234 --> 00:22:42,154 to contact the Michigan State Police tip line. 314 00:22:45,240 --> 00:22:47,451 NARRATOR: As investigators make a public plea 315 00:22:47,451 --> 00:22:50,120 for information about the mysterious van, 316 00:22:51,371 --> 00:22:54,833 police continue to look into April's boyfriend, Austin. 317 00:22:56,877 --> 00:22:58,212 JAMES SHARP: My name is James Sharp, 318 00:22:58,212 --> 00:23:01,215 and I'm a detective sergeant with the Armada Police Department. 319 00:23:01,215 --> 00:23:04,551 I followed up on-- on the boyfriend. 320 00:23:04,551 --> 00:23:06,553 ♪ 321 00:23:06,553 --> 00:23:10,224 We were able to time stamp him being at a fast-food place 322 00:23:10,224 --> 00:23:13,477 and that he could not have been at the scene of the murder. 323 00:23:13,477 --> 00:23:16,063 So it cleared him from the list of suspects. 324 00:23:18,232 --> 00:23:19,650 NARRATOR: With Austin cleared, 325 00:23:19,650 --> 00:23:23,862 there's even more pressure to find the suspicious white van 326 00:23:23,862 --> 00:23:27,407 spotted near the Macomb Orchard Trail on the day of April's murder. 327 00:23:28,867 --> 00:23:30,702 ♪ pensive music playing ♪ 328 00:23:30,702 --> 00:23:33,205 MADISON: Police are searching for a white van. 329 00:23:35,123 --> 00:23:39,002 They would close down roads entering and exiting the town. 330 00:23:39,002 --> 00:23:40,212 [phone ringing] 331 00:23:40,212 --> 00:23:41,713 RAY: Tips start flowing in, 332 00:23:41,713 --> 00:23:44,925 over 1,000 tips during this investigation. 333 00:23:44,925 --> 00:23:47,302 [overlapping phones ringing] 334 00:23:47,302 --> 00:23:50,973 - We're literally just looking for a needle in a haystack. 335 00:23:52,975 --> 00:23:55,727 NARRATOR: Detectives stop dozens of white vans, 336 00:23:55,727 --> 00:23:57,896 hoping to find the one from the photo. 337 00:23:59,356 --> 00:24:00,732 And then, 338 00:24:00,732 --> 00:24:02,734 they find it. 339 00:24:02,734 --> 00:24:04,236 ♪ 340 00:24:04,236 --> 00:24:08,448 - Eventually, the owner of that van actually called himself in. 341 00:24:09,950 --> 00:24:15,581 He was watching the news about the van, and he realized that was him. 342 00:24:15,581 --> 00:24:18,333 He was a builder, 343 00:24:18,333 --> 00:24:20,961 and he was showing a co-worker of his 344 00:24:20,961 --> 00:24:24,173 different, uh, homes that he had built in that area. 345 00:24:29,511 --> 00:24:33,348 NARRATOR: The van may have been spotted by the Macomb Orchard Trail, 346 00:24:33,348 --> 00:24:36,268 but there's nothing to tie the driver to the crime. 347 00:24:37,644 --> 00:24:39,688 Investigators are back to square one. 348 00:24:41,732 --> 00:24:44,776 JAMES: Knowing the gravity of the situation you were in, 349 00:24:45,819 --> 00:24:47,696 the pressure was immense. 350 00:24:49,865 --> 00:24:51,658 It's an important case. 351 00:24:53,076 --> 00:24:54,828 We needed all the help we could get. 352 00:24:57,915 --> 00:25:00,667 NARRATOR: And they get it from the community. 353 00:25:00,667 --> 00:25:03,295 ♪ uneasy music playing ♪ 354 00:25:03,295 --> 00:25:06,256 REBECCA: Finally, an actual witness came in. 355 00:25:08,342 --> 00:25:11,136 It was a man and his two daughters 356 00:25:11,136 --> 00:25:13,138 who had been walking on the path. 357 00:25:14,890 --> 00:25:17,518 - They had seen this individual... 358 00:25:17,518 --> 00:25:19,102 [motorcycle revving] 359 00:25:19,102 --> 00:25:20,812 ...with a motorcycle, 360 00:25:22,189 --> 00:25:23,941 talking to April Millsap. 361 00:25:26,527 --> 00:25:29,530 ♪ tense music playing ♪ 362 00:25:29,530 --> 00:25:32,824 - His daughters went to school with April, and so they knew her. 363 00:25:36,662 --> 00:25:38,121 RAY: So he looked on the internet 364 00:25:38,121 --> 00:25:41,416 and sent us a picture of the bike he believed he'd seen on the trail. 365 00:25:41,416 --> 00:25:42,918 [motorcycle revving] 366 00:25:42,918 --> 00:25:47,047 NARRATOR: In addition to providing a picture of a blue-and-white motorcycle, 367 00:25:47,047 --> 00:25:49,716 they also describe the man in detail 368 00:25:50,384 --> 00:25:51,385 and a sketch is made. 369 00:25:52,970 --> 00:25:53,971 But... 370 00:25:53,971 --> 00:25:57,182 ♪ bleak music playing ♪ 371 00:25:57,599 --> 00:26:03,605 In 2014, there are 249,321 motorcycles 372 00:26:03,605 --> 00:26:05,941 registered in the state of Michigan. 373 00:26:07,276 --> 00:26:08,652 But it's something. 374 00:26:08,652 --> 00:26:09,987 It's hope. 375 00:26:09,987 --> 00:26:13,073 ♪ Hide your eyes ♪ 376 00:26:13,073 --> 00:26:16,159 ♪ Keep real quiet ♪ 377 00:26:16,159 --> 00:26:19,288 ♪ They can hear you ♪ 378 00:26:19,288 --> 00:26:21,957 ♪ They can hear you... ♪ 379 00:26:21,957 --> 00:26:23,292 And there's more. 380 00:26:23,292 --> 00:26:27,045 [phone ringing] Investigators get a call from the crime lab. 381 00:26:27,880 --> 00:26:31,842 - The FBI managed to get into April's phone 382 00:26:31,842 --> 00:26:34,595 and extract the data on that phone. 383 00:26:35,846 --> 00:26:38,307 NARRATOR: On April's phone is an app, 384 00:26:38,307 --> 00:26:42,644 and that app will change the course of the entire investigation. 385 00:26:42,644 --> 00:26:45,189 ♪ They cannot conquer you here ♪ 386 00:26:48,150 --> 00:26:50,319 ♪ ominous music playing ♪ 387 00:26:50,319 --> 00:26:54,156 - A fitness app was found running in the background on April's phone 388 00:26:54,156 --> 00:26:56,909 that had been on the day of her murder. 389 00:26:58,118 --> 00:26:59,369 NARRATOR: This particular app, 390 00:26:59,369 --> 00:27:01,663 it not only counts steps, 391 00:27:01,663 --> 00:27:03,582 it tracks pace, 392 00:27:03,582 --> 00:27:05,042 from walking 393 00:27:06,168 --> 00:27:07,169 to jogging 394 00:27:08,962 --> 00:27:10,547 to running for your life. 395 00:27:15,344 --> 00:27:16,470 REBECCA: The fitness app shows 396 00:27:16,470 --> 00:27:19,556 that April left her house around 06:00 p.m. that evening. 397 00:27:21,683 --> 00:27:23,519 WILLIAM: She's walking under two miles an hour, 398 00:27:23,519 --> 00:27:24,978 getting from the house to the trail. 399 00:27:26,355 --> 00:27:29,358 At approximately 06:20, April speeds up. 400 00:27:31,568 --> 00:27:33,403 She's walking at 2.2, 401 00:27:33,403 --> 00:27:36,698 changes direction, comes back at 4.4 miles per hour. 402 00:27:38,200 --> 00:27:42,454 At 06:28, she texts her boyfriend, Austin, 403 00:27:42,454 --> 00:27:45,040 something that foreshadows her death. 404 00:27:45,874 --> 00:27:49,253 She felt that she was almost kidnapped. 405 00:27:49,253 --> 00:27:52,005 ♪ 406 00:27:52,005 --> 00:27:55,008 - Then it showed a chaotic moment 407 00:27:55,008 --> 00:27:59,680 as the line on the map would zigzag back and forth kinda crazily 408 00:28:00,764 --> 00:28:02,015 just off the path, 409 00:28:06,395 --> 00:28:09,565 we believe, when April was pretty much fighting for her life. 410 00:28:09,565 --> 00:28:12,401 ♪ Capture ♪ 411 00:28:12,401 --> 00:28:16,029 ♪ My shadows can be so haunting... ♪ 412 00:28:16,029 --> 00:28:18,615 - You can see the panic 413 00:28:19,741 --> 00:28:22,953 because the phone is moving all over the whole time. 414 00:28:22,953 --> 00:28:26,498 ♪ If I run and hide ♪ 415 00:28:26,498 --> 00:28:31,044 ♪ Find a way save me ♪ 416 00:28:33,005 --> 00:28:35,674 ♪ Breathing ♪ 417 00:28:39,511 --> 00:28:42,097 ♪ Take me ♪ 418 00:28:42,097 --> 00:28:47,060 ♪ Up to Heaven ♪ 419 00:28:47,060 --> 00:28:49,855 ♪ Save me ♪ 420 00:28:49,855 --> 00:28:54,860 ♪ From the demons ♪ 421 00:28:57,654 --> 00:28:59,448 ♪ uneasy music playing ♪ 422 00:28:59,448 --> 00:29:02,326 NARRATOR: Then, April's phone takes off. 423 00:29:03,660 --> 00:29:07,289 - The speed of the app goes up to 18 miles an hour. 424 00:29:08,582 --> 00:29:11,001 NARRATOR: Investigators come up with a theory. 425 00:29:11,001 --> 00:29:14,713 The killer fled the scene on the blue-and-white motorcycle 426 00:29:14,713 --> 00:29:17,549 that was spotted on the trail that day. 427 00:29:17,549 --> 00:29:20,177 REBECCA: He must've had the phone on him, 428 00:29:20,177 --> 00:29:25,766 and so, the murderer's escape route was in the data on that phone. 429 00:29:26,266 --> 00:29:28,435 [motorcycle revving] 430 00:29:28,435 --> 00:29:31,355 RAY: It runs towards the end of the trail, 431 00:29:31,355 --> 00:29:35,317 and the line takes a little jog to where that phone was dumped. 432 00:29:35,317 --> 00:29:38,654 NARRATOR: The data from April's fitness app tells a story, 433 00:29:38,654 --> 00:29:40,489 a story about a girl, 434 00:29:40,489 --> 00:29:41,573 a monster, 435 00:29:42,241 --> 00:29:43,617 and a motorcycle. 436 00:29:44,201 --> 00:29:46,787 REBECCA: Only in the movies would this happen 437 00:29:46,787 --> 00:29:48,705 where you get this kinda great evidence. 438 00:29:48,705 --> 00:29:52,084 [motorcycle rumbling] 439 00:29:52,084 --> 00:29:55,170 We just had to figure out who this person was. 440 00:29:55,170 --> 00:29:58,173 ♪ 441 00:30:02,094 --> 00:30:05,430 ♪ Have you come ♪ 442 00:30:05,430 --> 00:30:07,474 ♪ To catch me... ♪ 443 00:30:18,485 --> 00:30:21,697 ♪ Have you come ♪ 444 00:30:21,697 --> 00:30:27,703 ♪ To say goodbye ♪ 445 00:30:30,539 --> 00:30:33,083 NARRATOR: One day after the murder of April Millsap, 446 00:30:36,253 --> 00:30:40,048 investigators have collected a few key pieces of evidence. 447 00:30:40,048 --> 00:30:43,218 ♪ tense music playing ♪ 448 00:30:43,218 --> 00:30:45,304 Data from a fitness app, 449 00:30:45,304 --> 00:30:47,389 a sketch, 450 00:30:47,389 --> 00:30:49,850 and the description of the motorcycle 451 00:30:49,850 --> 00:30:52,311 that investigators believe sped away from the crime. 452 00:30:53,395 --> 00:30:57,107 - We were now looking for a motorcycle. 453 00:30:58,025 --> 00:30:59,902 NARRATOR: If police find that motorcycle, 454 00:31:01,069 --> 00:31:03,697 there's a good chance they find April's killer. 455 00:31:09,328 --> 00:31:11,955 ♪ 456 00:31:11,955 --> 00:31:16,335 RAY: On the evening of the 25th, during our canvass of the area, 457 00:31:16,335 --> 00:31:20,172 I was driving about 25 minutes outside of Armada, 458 00:31:21,548 --> 00:31:26,345 when I noticed a motorcycle parked down in a driveway 459 00:31:26,345 --> 00:31:30,891 very similar to the type of bike that's being described by some witnesses. 460 00:31:32,851 --> 00:31:34,728 My mind started wondering, 461 00:31:34,728 --> 00:31:39,942 "Could that possibly be this motorcycle? What would be the odds of that?" 462 00:31:39,942 --> 00:31:43,445 I ran the license plate, found out the name, 463 00:31:43,445 --> 00:31:45,155 James VanCallis Jr. 464 00:31:47,950 --> 00:31:52,412 NARRATOR: 32-year-old James VanCallis Jr. grew up in Armada. 465 00:31:53,497 --> 00:31:58,585 - James VanCallis, on paper, he did not match who we were looking for. 466 00:31:58,585 --> 00:32:01,964 He had no documented history of violence, 467 00:32:03,340 --> 00:32:06,051 seemed like a personable guy. 468 00:32:06,718 --> 00:32:09,304 RAY: Later that evening, about 11:00 p.m., 469 00:32:09,304 --> 00:32:12,015 we went out to James VanCallis' residence. 470 00:32:15,477 --> 00:32:18,146 James VanCallis Jr. came out on the porch, 471 00:32:18,146 --> 00:32:21,608 followed by his father, James Sr. 472 00:32:23,735 --> 00:32:25,320 He did take us around the side of the house 473 00:32:25,320 --> 00:32:28,448 so I was able to take a couple of photos of the motorcycle. 474 00:32:29,283 --> 00:32:32,077 NARRATOR: The bike is a blue-and-white dirt bike, 475 00:32:32,077 --> 00:32:33,871 exactly like the witness statement. 476 00:32:35,163 --> 00:32:36,290 But is there anything else 477 00:32:36,290 --> 00:32:39,585 that would make this 32-year-old man a suspect? 478 00:32:41,336 --> 00:32:43,380 April was stomped to death. 479 00:32:44,673 --> 00:32:47,551 Her killer left a distinct shoe print on her chest. 480 00:32:50,137 --> 00:32:54,892 So does VanCallis Jr. own a pair of shoes that could make those same marks? 481 00:32:56,059 --> 00:32:57,936 - I asked him what kinda shoes he was wearing 482 00:32:57,936 --> 00:32:59,396 and if I could see them. 483 00:33:00,564 --> 00:33:05,986 And he showed me a pretty beat-up old pair of K-Swiss tennis shoes. 484 00:33:06,987 --> 00:33:09,156 I knew when I flipped those shoes over 485 00:33:11,700 --> 00:33:15,037 that that was not the tread pattern we were looking for. 486 00:33:16,371 --> 00:33:20,626 NARRATOR: James VanCallis Jr. doesn't seem to raise any red flags, 487 00:33:21,960 --> 00:33:24,087 but the other man that comes to the door, 488 00:33:24,087 --> 00:33:28,842 his father, 67-year-old James VanCallis Sr. 489 00:33:30,052 --> 00:33:35,641 - His father had been convicted of a sexual offense with a minor girl. 490 00:33:35,641 --> 00:33:38,185 ♪ uneasy music playing ♪ 491 00:33:42,231 --> 00:33:46,735 NARRATOR: And investigators believe April's murder was sexually motivated. 492 00:33:49,321 --> 00:33:52,783 RAY: His demeanor seemed a little strange. 493 00:33:52,783 --> 00:33:55,035 Something's just not right about this guy. 494 00:33:56,745 --> 00:33:58,956 ♪ uneasy music playing ♪ 495 00:33:58,956 --> 00:34:01,625 REPORTER: State police and the FBI raiding this home today. 496 00:34:01,625 --> 00:34:03,585 Officers confirming the search is in connection 497 00:34:03,585 --> 00:34:05,796 with the murder investigation of April Millsap. 498 00:34:07,840 --> 00:34:10,884 - When the team made entry on the front door, 499 00:34:12,261 --> 00:34:13,428 smell was bad. 500 00:34:14,388 --> 00:34:17,933 There was garbage and junk just piled up. 501 00:34:18,600 --> 00:34:20,185 It was disgusting. 502 00:34:20,185 --> 00:34:22,563 And then, in the backyard, 503 00:34:22,563 --> 00:34:25,524 we came across an enclosure for a dog, 504 00:34:25,524 --> 00:34:27,150 and much to our surprise, 505 00:34:27,150 --> 00:34:29,987 it was filled with, uh, marijuana plants growing. 506 00:34:30,946 --> 00:34:34,116 NARRATOR: Growing marijuana in Michigan isn't illegal, 507 00:34:35,158 --> 00:34:38,829 but the VanCallis family doesn't have the proper permits. 508 00:34:38,829 --> 00:34:41,915 - The two of them were arrested at that point. 509 00:34:41,915 --> 00:34:45,836 The motorcycle was seized, the helmet was seized. 510 00:34:45,836 --> 00:34:49,298 They would then take it directly back to the lab for processing. 511 00:34:50,465 --> 00:34:52,050 NARRATOR: On August 1st, 512 00:34:52,050 --> 00:34:56,388 VanCallis Jr. and Sr. are arraigned on drug charges. 513 00:35:02,019 --> 00:35:03,020 That same day, 514 00:35:03,020 --> 00:35:06,148 a little more than a week after April's death, 515 00:35:06,148 --> 00:35:09,151 the town of Armada turns out to say goodbye. 516 00:35:09,151 --> 00:35:12,154 ♪ somber music playing ♪ 517 00:35:12,154 --> 00:35:15,532 Jennifer sees her daughter for the first time at her funeral. 518 00:35:40,849 --> 00:35:45,521 ♪ I can see there's more than meets the eye... ♪ 519 00:35:46,772 --> 00:35:49,525 NARRATOR: It's not your normal funeral. 520 00:35:49,525 --> 00:35:54,112 Law enforcement is still at the height of an active homicide investigation. 521 00:36:07,793 --> 00:36:10,754 NARRATOR: Investigators are looking for any evidence 522 00:36:10,754 --> 00:36:15,133 tying either VanCallis Sr. or Jr. to April's murder. 523 00:36:16,927 --> 00:36:18,929 ♪ 524 00:36:18,929 --> 00:36:21,306 And then, a call comes in. 525 00:36:22,766 --> 00:36:23,934 [line ringing] 526 00:36:23,934 --> 00:36:28,146 - When James VanCallis was in jail, his girlfriend called us, crying. 527 00:36:28,146 --> 00:36:29,648 [phone ringing] 528 00:36:29,648 --> 00:36:31,567 NARRATOR: She has a story to tell, 529 00:36:31,567 --> 00:36:33,777 but it isn't about VanCallis Sr. 530 00:36:33,777 --> 00:36:36,947 It's about her boyfriend, James Jr. 531 00:36:46,999 --> 00:36:50,002 ♪ 532 00:36:52,963 --> 00:36:54,423 MAN: Krystal Stradler, take one. 533 00:36:57,384 --> 00:36:58,886 KRYSTAL STRADLER: My name is Krystal Stradler. 534 00:37:02,014 --> 00:37:06,810 ♪ So, I start a storm inside my head... ♪ 535 00:37:06,810 --> 00:37:10,981 - I met James... I think it was right outta high school, 536 00:37:10,981 --> 00:37:12,524 like senior year. 537 00:37:12,524 --> 00:37:14,693 I guess you could call it love at first sight. 538 00:37:14,693 --> 00:37:15,944 I mean, he was a nice guy. 539 00:37:17,362 --> 00:37:20,449 But we got into the relationship, 540 00:37:20,449 --> 00:37:22,242 and he totally changed. 541 00:37:23,368 --> 00:37:24,828 He got abusive. 542 00:37:29,166 --> 00:37:30,167 - Yes. 543 00:37:31,960 --> 00:37:34,505 He always threatened to kill my family. 544 00:37:34,505 --> 00:37:37,883 If I would ever leave him, he was gonna kill my family, 545 00:37:37,883 --> 00:37:40,344 so that's why I ended up staying in this relationship, 546 00:37:40,344 --> 00:37:42,054 'cause I didn't want my family dead. 547 00:37:47,059 --> 00:37:49,645 NARRATOR: After his arrest on drug charges, 548 00:37:49,645 --> 00:37:52,481 Krystal tells investigators a story, 549 00:37:53,148 --> 00:37:57,361 something that happened on the night April Millsap was murdered. 550 00:37:57,361 --> 00:38:00,697 [water running] 551 00:38:00,697 --> 00:38:02,199 KRYSTAL: I woke up in the middle of the night 552 00:38:02,199 --> 00:38:03,909 and see James cleaning his shoes, 553 00:38:07,037 --> 00:38:09,331 his, uh, black-and-white ones, 554 00:38:09,331 --> 00:38:13,126 uh, uh, the one with the little dude on it, Air Jordans. 555 00:38:15,295 --> 00:38:18,006 He was using hand sanitizer with a sack. 556 00:38:19,591 --> 00:38:23,637 He told me he got oil on them, that he was cleaning oil off of them. 557 00:38:25,806 --> 00:38:27,724 And then I ended up going back to sleep. 558 00:38:30,769 --> 00:38:35,023 But it just didn't sound right with me. 559 00:38:38,527 --> 00:38:39,820 When the police showed up, 560 00:38:40,988 --> 00:38:43,532 James told us to lie about his shoes 561 00:38:43,532 --> 00:38:46,285 and tell them that he was wearing K-Swiss shoes. 562 00:38:47,452 --> 00:38:48,912 I was freaking out. 563 00:38:48,912 --> 00:38:52,416 NARRATOR: James VanCallis Jr. had told investigators 564 00:38:52,416 --> 00:38:56,670 that he was wearing K-Swiss shoes on the day of April's murder. 565 00:38:58,881 --> 00:39:01,633 But according to Krystal, it was a lie. 566 00:39:02,968 --> 00:39:04,344 And there was something else. 567 00:39:09,141 --> 00:39:12,644 KRYSTAL: The sketch came out in the newspapers and all over. 568 00:39:16,523 --> 00:39:17,941 - Yeah, it did. 569 00:39:21,320 --> 00:39:23,113 I was freaking out, like... 570 00:39:23,113 --> 00:39:26,200 I mean, it was kind of hard to deal with. 571 00:39:26,200 --> 00:39:28,911 You know, I just-- I kinda kept to myself. 572 00:39:28,911 --> 00:39:31,914 ♪ uneasy music playing ♪ 573 00:39:31,914 --> 00:39:36,293 WILLIAM: Krystal had been groomed from an early age by VanCallis. 574 00:39:36,293 --> 00:39:41,340 She started dating him when he was 27 575 00:39:41,340 --> 00:39:43,383 and she was 17. 576 00:39:43,383 --> 00:39:46,512 She moved into their compound. 577 00:39:46,512 --> 00:39:49,765 And most like pedophiles, 578 00:39:49,765 --> 00:39:54,728 he was able to isolate her in this place. 579 00:39:57,606 --> 00:39:59,816 KRYSTAL: But because he's locked up in jail, 580 00:39:59,816 --> 00:40:01,860 I got over the fear of-- 581 00:40:01,860 --> 00:40:03,529 He's not gonna come and do anything to me. 582 00:40:05,197 --> 00:40:08,742 So I came and told the police everything that I knew. 583 00:40:13,872 --> 00:40:15,040 - His Jordans. 584 00:40:15,666 --> 00:40:17,292 His black-and-white ones. 585 00:40:18,377 --> 00:40:22,506 NARRATOR: Nike Air Jordans, not the K-Swiss shoes he'd shown police. 586 00:40:24,007 --> 00:40:28,470 And while the investigators do not find Air Jordans in the VanCallis home, 587 00:40:30,305 --> 00:40:32,641 they do find a clue on social media. 588 00:40:35,477 --> 00:40:39,648 RAY: We were able to find a Facebook photo of James 589 00:40:39,648 --> 00:40:42,025 wearing these pair of shoes. 590 00:40:45,028 --> 00:40:49,575 We were able to identify the shoes as being Air Jordan tennis shoes. 591 00:40:49,575 --> 00:40:51,577 The make was Flight-the-Power. 592 00:40:53,954 --> 00:40:57,040 Once we identified the style, 593 00:40:57,040 --> 00:41:01,545 a pair was ordered online in the size that James VanCallis wears 594 00:41:01,545 --> 00:41:04,923 and those shoes were then given to the lab. 595 00:41:04,923 --> 00:41:06,800 The lab was able to produce 596 00:41:06,800 --> 00:41:11,763 a scan-type photo of that shoe print 597 00:41:11,763 --> 00:41:14,850 and lay that shoe print over April 598 00:41:16,351 --> 00:41:19,188 and line up that tread pattern exactly. 599 00:41:19,188 --> 00:41:23,233 ♪ suspenseful music playing ♪ 600 00:41:23,233 --> 00:41:27,279 NARRATOR: Not only was James VanCallis Jr. in possession of the shoes 601 00:41:27,279 --> 00:41:30,282 that matched the tread marks found on April's body, 602 00:41:31,491 --> 00:41:35,787 investigators are able to put him in close proximity to the crime scene. 603 00:41:35,787 --> 00:41:39,082 ♪ 604 00:41:40,751 --> 00:41:42,544 REBECCA: We did a search of his phone records 605 00:41:42,544 --> 00:41:47,257 and found that he was actually in the village of Armada 606 00:41:47,257 --> 00:41:48,675 at the time of her murder, 607 00:41:48,675 --> 00:41:50,719 which was around 06:30 p.m. 608 00:41:52,763 --> 00:41:57,476 The murderer's escape route was in the data on that fitness app, 609 00:41:58,310 --> 00:42:00,395 and he went back through town, 610 00:42:00,395 --> 00:42:05,359 and he just so happened to go past a video surveillance camera. 611 00:42:07,027 --> 00:42:10,822 So, the fitness app data and the video surveillance 612 00:42:10,822 --> 00:42:12,199 matched up perfectly. 613 00:42:13,617 --> 00:42:16,203 WILLIAM: Once we got James VanCallis' phone, 614 00:42:16,203 --> 00:42:18,413 it had so much information. 615 00:42:18,413 --> 00:42:23,585 The shoes that he wore during the time that he killed April Millsap. 616 00:42:23,585 --> 00:42:26,672 The Google searches that he did, 617 00:42:26,672 --> 00:42:30,217 like, "How to get young girls interested in older guys." 618 00:42:30,676 --> 00:42:34,179 And you have April being 14 years old. 619 00:42:34,179 --> 00:42:38,559 I'm saying to myself, "This guy killed April Millsap." 620 00:42:42,771 --> 00:42:44,940 NARRATOR: On October 8, 2014, 621 00:42:44,940 --> 00:42:48,443 six months after her body was found, 622 00:42:48,443 --> 00:42:53,615 police charge James VanCallis Jr. with the murder of April Millsap. 623 00:42:55,409 --> 00:42:57,369 ERIC SMITH: VanCallis is charged with three counts: 624 00:42:58,328 --> 00:43:01,081 count one - first-degree premeditated murder, 625 00:43:02,291 --> 00:43:04,877 count two - felony murder, 626 00:43:04,877 --> 00:43:09,298 and count three - assault with intent to commit sexual penetration. 627 00:43:14,970 --> 00:43:18,098 - My sister actually ended up growing up with him. 628 00:43:20,309 --> 00:43:23,145 And my mom also drove him on the bus. 629 00:43:23,145 --> 00:43:26,648 She had said she always knew this man would grow up 630 00:43:26,648 --> 00:43:28,567 to break the law in some way, 631 00:43:28,567 --> 00:43:30,694 she just didn't expect it to be this bad. 632 00:43:33,238 --> 00:43:36,158 NARRATOR: On February 8, 2015, 633 00:43:36,158 --> 00:43:39,995 one of the biggest murder cases in Macomb County history 634 00:43:39,995 --> 00:43:41,538 gets its day in court. 635 00:43:45,000 --> 00:43:46,585 MAN: Doug Scott interview, take one. 636 00:43:47,669 --> 00:43:50,714 ♪ 637 00:43:50,714 --> 00:43:52,174 DOUG SCOTT: My name is Doug Scott, 638 00:43:52,174 --> 00:43:57,429 and I was chosen to be the jury foreman in the James VanCallis murder trial. 639 00:43:58,388 --> 00:44:01,308 There was so much circumstantial evidence, 640 00:44:02,184 --> 00:44:04,811 the shoes that came up missing, 641 00:44:04,811 --> 00:44:06,271 but he had pictures of 'em in his phone. 642 00:44:06,271 --> 00:44:08,732 WILLIAM: What was he telling to everybody in the house? 643 00:44:08,732 --> 00:44:11,652 KRYSTAL: To tell 'em that he was wearing K-Swiss shoes. 644 00:44:11,652 --> 00:44:16,406 DOUG: The tread prints from another pair of the same company, same brand, 645 00:44:16,406 --> 00:44:18,200 matched what was on her. 646 00:44:18,200 --> 00:44:20,160 WILLIAM: Was he wearing K-Swiss shoes that night? 647 00:44:20,160 --> 00:44:21,453 KRYSTAL: No. 648 00:44:21,453 --> 00:44:25,249 DOUG: The biggest thing was the fitness app on the phone. 649 00:44:33,924 --> 00:44:35,759 - Uh, to see that-- Very heartbreaking. 650 00:44:37,511 --> 00:44:40,806 To think of what it's like to fight for your life for seven minutes 651 00:44:40,806 --> 00:44:43,267 from somebody who's trying to steal it from you. 652 00:44:43,267 --> 00:44:44,268 That's a lot. 653 00:44:44,268 --> 00:44:47,938 ♪ Pick up your feet, child... ♪ 654 00:44:47,938 --> 00:44:50,691 - It was overwhelming evidence. 655 00:44:51,900 --> 00:44:55,404 ♪ World knows no peace, child... ♪ 656 00:44:57,281 --> 00:45:01,159 NARRATOR: It takes the jury six hours to consider the evidence, 657 00:45:02,327 --> 00:45:04,788 but they finally come back with a verdict. 658 00:45:04,788 --> 00:45:08,166 ♪ Don't get too close to the fire... ♪ 659 00:45:08,166 --> 00:45:10,878 REPORTER: James VanCallis found guilty of first-degree murder. 660 00:45:10,878 --> 00:45:13,964 - Guilty of murdering 14-year-old April Millsap. 661 00:45:15,924 --> 00:45:18,218 NARRATOR: On March 30, 2015, 662 00:45:18,218 --> 00:45:22,848 James VanCallis Jr. is sentenced to life in prison without parole. 663 00:45:22,848 --> 00:45:26,101 ♪ Oh, let it rain ♪ 664 00:45:48,540 --> 00:45:51,710 ♪ 665 00:45:52,836 --> 00:45:56,548 MADISON: Just by using that fitness app tracker, 666 00:45:56,548 --> 00:46:00,928 she was able to tell the police, without using any of her own words, 667 00:46:02,596 --> 00:46:05,432 where she was at what time 668 00:46:05,432 --> 00:46:09,520 and literally showed what happened, 669 00:46:09,520 --> 00:46:11,313 not through a video camera, 670 00:46:11,313 --> 00:46:14,816 but through movements that were tracked on the phone. 671 00:46:14,816 --> 00:46:18,737 ♪ Ooh, let it rain ♪ 672 00:46:21,865 --> 00:46:24,910 ♪ somber music playing ♪ 673 00:46:32,835 --> 00:46:35,587 NARRATOR: It's quiet now in April's garden, 674 00:46:36,338 --> 00:46:37,881 a place where you can witness 675 00:46:37,881 --> 00:46:42,553 the cycle of life, death, and rebirth with the seasons. 676 00:46:43,971 --> 00:46:45,722 It's a place of remembrance. 677 00:47:11,957 --> 00:47:15,210 ♪ And I won't let it bring me down... ♪ 678 00:47:19,006 --> 00:47:21,675 NARRATOR: The fitness app on April Millsap's phone 679 00:47:21,675 --> 00:47:25,220 helps track her journey to become her best self. 680 00:47:25,220 --> 00:47:28,015 But when that journey came to an end, 681 00:47:28,015 --> 00:47:30,934 it became the key to track down her killer. 682 00:47:32,186 --> 00:47:35,731 - I like to imagine that she's with me all the time. 683 00:47:37,357 --> 00:47:40,485 It kinda gives her, like, some sort of memory, 684 00:47:40,485 --> 00:47:42,070 like she still exists. 685 00:47:44,364 --> 00:47:46,783 She's gone and I'm never gonna get her back. 686 00:47:48,160 --> 00:47:51,955 But I'm trying to keep April's memory alive. 687 00:47:51,955 --> 00:47:55,334 ♪ And I won't let it bring me down ♪ 688 00:47:55,334 --> 00:47:58,337 [bell tolling] 689 00:48:05,093 --> 00:48:08,472 ♪ I don't know where my head is lately ♪ 690 00:48:08,472 --> 00:48:10,849 ♪ Have I lost my mind ♪ 691 00:48:18,690 --> 00:48:22,152 ♪ But I know that I have a secret ♪ 692 00:48:22,152 --> 00:48:24,154 ♪ And it's only mine ♪ 693 00:48:32,287 --> 00:48:35,832 ♪ And the only way to find me ♪ 694 00:48:35,832 --> 00:48:39,419 ♪ Is to open up the lies ♪