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True Crime Friends and Foes |"48 Hours" Full Episodes

September 07, 2024 / 02:04:55

This episode covers the mysterious disappearance and murder of Lori Slazinski, the investigation into her friend Rick Andis, and the eventual trial that led to his conviction. Key topics include the timeline of Lori's last known movements, the involvement of Rick Andis, and the evidence that ultimately linked him to her murder.

Lori Slazinski was a recent graduate of Auburn University who went missing on June 10, 2006. Her friend Lindsay Braa recounts the last phone call she received from Lori, which was cut short. Concern grew when Lori failed to show up for work, prompting her family and friends to search for her.

Four days later, Lori's car was found burned, but there was no trace of her. Investigators focused on Rick Andis, who had been seen with Lori before her disappearance. As the investigation unfolded, it was revealed that Rick had a troubling past, having murdered his parents at a young age.

Despite initial challenges, evidence began to mount against Rick, including DNA found at the scene. After years of investigation, Rick was arrested and charged with Lori's murder. The episode details the trial, the emotional testimonies from Lori's family, and the eventual conviction of Rick Andis.

Ultimately, the episode highlights the tragic loss of Lori Slazinski and the long road to justice for her family.

TLDR

Lori Slazinski disappeared in 2006; Rick Andis, her friend with a violent past, was convicted of her murder years later.

Episode

2:04:55
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[Music] Auburn Alabama is home to Auburn University which is a major football school in a college town it happens that
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students sometimes may go often you know they may be missing for a little while but they come
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back Lori was a student at Auburn University and she had recently graduated June 10th 2006 which is the
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fateful day in Lor's life we were going to have drinks at my house we were going
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to have um rum runners I believe and watch a movie and just kind of hang out do girl time she called me around 6:30
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and said I'm going to stop by the store pick up the drink mixes and then I'll be
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headed to your house and then the phone rang about 30 minutes later it rang once
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or twice I answered no one was there how many times had she simply not showed up
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and not called you never my daughter was a very good person a kind person a loving girl very
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studious student she loved Sports loved her dog she had a little Yorkie named Peanut that was her baby when did you
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realize that something was wrong I was at work A lady called I believe it was her boss and she told me that I just
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want to tell you your daughter Lori has not showed up for work and right away bells and whistles went off I called her
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and she didn't answer her phone I called her house several times left voicemails
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on her home answering machine you go over to her mobile home the door was unlocked which was not like her the air
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condition was running her dog peanut was in the crate we walked through the house she
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wasn't there what are you thinking something's terribly wrong there is no way she would
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have left peanut this is it it's about 4:40 a.m. 4 days after Lori is missing the car was right here dead in the
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center engulfed in flames was Lori in this car Lori was not in the vehicle there was no trace of her
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whatsoever I mean none just vanished just vanished and nobody knows what happened to Lori
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slazinski I know somebody that knows Rick Enis your daughter had no idea about his past no I met Rick Enis
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when he was 12 years old he's sitting back there in that seat behind you and I said where are your
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parents he looks right back at me and he says I killed them both [Music] [Music]
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I can still see her smile her smile is just edged in my memory to this day Lindsay braa is
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haunted by the final call from Lorie slazinski on June 10th 2006 when they were supposed to get together for drinks
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and a movie that last call did it indicate it was her phone yes she calls and it hangs up yes and no one's there
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just no one was there it was just dead end did you call her right back I did no answer Lori and Lindsay became fast
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friends when they met junior year at Auburn University in 2002 I remember the day I met her we just kind of
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immediately clicked I could just tell that she was a warm person very friendly just outgoing
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loving all those good things Lorie's family her older brother Paul and their parents arleene and Casey were actually
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from New York State they headed south to rural Alabama Farm country when Lori was
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13 years old just loved animals we always had animals in our house Lorie's mother arleene very student a student
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she was a good girl when she enrolled in nearby Auburn University her parents bought Lori a
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mobile home to live off- campus in a manicured trailer park popular with students so from valad dictorian of her
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high school class was it tough for you to see your baby girl leave the house and head off to University oh yeah it
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was very tough I called her every day she's like Mom this has got to stop I was like but you're my baby and I worry
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about you don't worry about me I'm fine Lori majored in Psychology and minored in criminal justice she graduated with
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honors there she is with Mom and Dad she looks so happy there she was she was over the moon happy after graduation Lor
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and Lindsay started working together at a local mental health facility did you sense that she had any enemy in this
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world no the day that Lori disappeared June 10th 20 six was anyone with Lori that
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day Rick was at her house Rick Was Daryl Richard Andis when I had spoken to her he was in the
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background Lori got to know Rick back when she was still a student she hung out at the local bowling alley where he
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worked I didn't know much about him at all except he was her friend Arlene says just before Christmas in 2005 Lori asked
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if Rick could join them she asked me she said mom he has no family can I invite him she kind of you know felt bad that
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he was going to spend Christmas alone he was friendly um very polite Lindsay says Lori often spent
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time with Rick so she wasn't surprised that he had been at Lor's home the day she disappeared they were friends so I I
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wasn't concerned but now you're at home yes waiting for Lori to come on and you went to bed that night thinking you know
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I hope she's okay but the next morning Lindsay started to worry I called her house several times left voicemails on
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her home answering machine hey Lori checking on you are you okay where are you you went to work on that Monday
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right yeah uh she wasn't there in my mind something's wrong I had Rick's number so I did text him and ask have
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you seen Lori where is she I'm worried about her um his conversation back was no I haven't and I'm worried now too
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when Lori didn't show up at work a second day that's when Lindsay headed to Lorie's home no one answered and found
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her dog peanut in his crate I'm an animal lover so the very first thing I did was let the dog out that's when she
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noticed something else strange Lori was missing 3 days but the crate was spotless and peanut seemed happy and
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appeared to be well fed as though someone had taken care of him and there was more one thing I remember about
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peanut is he wouldn't walk on tile so she had these rugs in her uh kitchen and he would hop on the rugs and the rugs
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were gone I noticed that immediately her outside trash can was missing she had one that she had like yard Tools in and
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the answer machine had actually been unplugged so those messages were not there by this time Lor's mother heard
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that she hadn't been showing up at work I have got to go to Auburn and see what's going on where she is cuz I
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called her and she didn't answer her phone she headed off on an agonizing Drive calling her husband an alert the
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police finally arriving at her daughter's home and when the police got there what was their attitude well you
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know they were like she's got to be missing 48 hours and they didn't really think a big make a big deal out of it
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they wanted to just think she ran away Lor's parents could only wait for Lori to walk through the door or
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call and finally the phone rang late that afternoon but Arlene says it wasn't Lori it was her friend friend Rick Andis
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he said that Lori had gone to make a big drug deal what yes and I was like there
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ain't no way that my daughter would not do anything like that did you tell the police what he told you I didn't Rick
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told them and the police came to the trailer banging on the door and they raided the mobile home and they found
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nothing then just before Dawn that's when Loris linsky's missing car suddenly exploded
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into a fireball on a desolate dead end outside a construction site the feelings were just unbelievable of fear and
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knowing something really bad has happened who would set her car on fire exactly and
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why the investigation shifted from a missing person to a possible homicide investigators dug into Rick's tip about
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Lori dealing drugs but found no evidence none that he was telling the truth now investigators started digging deeper
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into Rick Andis they wanted to know if he was hiding something from them did you have any sense as to why Rick Andis
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didn't have a family no I had no idea why at all eventually you learned I did it's beyond shocking
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[Music] this is my daughter Lorie's trailer and do you go into that trailer from time to time just to connect with
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her um I do just go in there and think about the happier times this room besides the memories is also a
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solemn place cuz you believe some Horrors went on in this room correct yes in the early days of the
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investigation back in 2006 Arlene says she became suspicious of Rick Anis when he told her that the night Lori
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disappeared she had gone out to make a drug deal and why would he be doing that do you think I think to take the heat
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off of him I was thinking this guy is lying through his teeth police suspected the same but without direct evidence
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linking Rick Andis to Lor's disappearance police could not make an arrest and the case quickly went
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cold did Rick Andis stick around town he was there for a couple of days but within a week after his third interview
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he left town he never came back to Auburn again in 16 10 years after Lori disappeared Mark Whitaker a special
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agent with the Alabama State Bureau of Investigation started a Cold Case unit he chose The Disappearance of Lorie
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slazinski as his first case any estimate how many murder cases you've been involved with in your career probably
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about a 100 where does this one rank in terms of Fascination for you as an investigator this number one it was a
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very difficult case cuz there was no body we don't know exactly what happened and uh we don't know where she
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is but it didn't take long for Rick Andis to become Whitaker's Prime Suspect we couldn't eliminate him his
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inconsistencies and his statements made no sense whatsoever we knew Lori was not
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a drug dealer I mean she vanished off the face of the earth when he's the last one to ever see
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her and when police spoke to Rick hours after Lori was reported missing they noticed these scratches on his hands and
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arms right here that is a thumb print where somebody's digging in she's fighting for her life and doing
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everything she can to get away from it in Rick's car there were handcuffs this knife and cleaning
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supplies and they soon learned something startling about Rick's past turned into
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one of the most bizarre cases I've ever been associated with former Alabama State TR Trooper John Clark I was
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patrolling this County when I got a call it was March 5th 1993 the call from dispatch said a car
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had gone off this very Highway and struck a fence and as my uh headlights take in the curve I see it looks like a
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young boy with a backpack it's a 12-year-old Rick Anis and he admits he had been driving the
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car Clark searches his backpack the first thing I pull out is is a kitchen knife about that long there's some 12
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gauge and some 22 caliber loose ammunition in the bottom of the bag he's sitting back there in that seat behind
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you and I said where are your parents he looks right back at me and he says I killed them both I killed them both I
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killed them both no tears no emotion nothing Clark then radioed for local police to get over to en's home state
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troopers working a involv in a 12y old at the time a show called MPD the television series was following the
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officers the boys telling them that they killed his daddy and Mom cameras entered
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the home of Rick's mother and stepfather Police Department on the floor of a bedroom are
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two dead bodies there's pieces of a baseball bat in the bedroom that has quite a bit of blood on it Rick's own
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mother Dolly flowers was shot in the face and then beaten to death with this baseball bat Rick told investigators he
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covered her face with a velvet blanket and placed a rose on her chest on the walll Bladers on the door Rick's
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stepfather Eddie Joe flowers was known as Elvis for his sideburns and colorful personality Rick shot him in the face
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using this shotgun Rick told cops he was mad that his parents planned to move he said he
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didn't want to leave his school for 2 days investigators believe he lived with their bodies while continuing to go to
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school investigators say they found what they describe as an's to-do list that included killing his three stepsisters
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so he wanted to kill all three of you oh yeah I feel very blessed to be here and
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not to be one of his victims Donna fur Angela flowers and Tina ston are all Eddie's daughters Tina was 20 when her
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dad was murdered it's changed everything my dad was my world I'm never getting to see him again
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the sisters say dolly was a sweet outgoing woman who met their father in church Rick was the polar opposite every
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time I would go and visit my dad and Dolly they he would go into his bedroom and close himself off he'd come out and
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eat and then he'd go back back in his room what is the longest conversation you ever had with him 5 seconds maybe he
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didn't talk to nobody what did your father think of Rick he just said he's just a little different than than y'all
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were when y'all were coming up he just thought that they were in a new relationship and you know that it would
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he would outgrow it and things would get better over time but just 10 months after they married the happy couple were
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dead he was 12 years old and had murdered two people brutally murdered them at age 12 Rick Andis
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couldn't be tried as an adult he spent 9 years in juvenile detention in Alabama and was released after he turned
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21 it was now up to agent Whitaker and his team to determine whether Rick Enis had murdered
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again should juveniles convicted of murder get a second chance chat now with the for 8 hours te on Facebook and
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[Music] Twitter Agent Mark Whitaker knew what Rick Enis did to his parents and his instincts told him Andis
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had done something horrible to Lori 2 but now he had to prove it the burn site that's found on the
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14th the car was right here facing out back toward the bowling alley there's nothing else around here at the time
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there's not Apartments it's just a paved Road The Blaze destroyed whatever evidence there was in the car but an
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investigator reported finding a tiny item on the ground nearby and he found a handrolled cigarette butt about right
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here and he collected that it was not tested kind of got lost in the shuffle the case agent retired Whitaker's team
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now submitted it for testing and there was this gas can that had been found nearby it was right in this area right
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here it looked like one that had been missing from the bowling alley where Rick had worked and it's right here
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1,000 yards from the bowling alley 30 yards from her car Whitaker's partner JW Barnes showed us something that for
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police tied everything together these railroad tracks these are the same tracks that go right by the bowling
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alley they run right across the street from where L's car was found burning I've always thought that's what inis
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used for transportation was walking down the railroad tracks cuz it's a straight
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shot you're not going to be seen unless you want to be seen and those railroad tracks run by Lor's house and in that
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house were signs of a violent struggle says Whitaker these areas you see right here that have been cut out that's where
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the scuff marks were they were black just like the bottom of her shoes and and it was even some up as high here so
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it's obviously those was are struggling here with somebody kicking their legs probably up in the air remember Lorie's
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dog peanut seemed happy and taken care of my theory is that Rick Enis stayed in the house after he had murdered L I
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believe so it's the only way to explain it we don't have a cause of death but I've always thought that he strangled
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her the scratches that he had all over his arm were just indicative of Defense wounds when your fighting somebody
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Whitaker says the phone in the corner of the bedroom was missing its cord it was
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a long cord and it ran all the way through the room and what do you think that cord was used for I think it was
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used to bound her to tie her up yes sir could it have been used to strangle her sure that phone C was missing that's not
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the only thing that was missing there were those three rugs in the kitchen they were kind of strategically put out
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so that peanut Lor's dog and hop B know and be back on carpet the rugs turned up
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he says a few years later and has had a former roommate who reached out to law enforcement and told them hey there's
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this guy left behind three rugs Peter I want to show you something else Lori had a table set up about right
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here and on this table days before Lori went missing a love letter was left here
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for her from Rick people who knew Lori said Andis wanted to be more than just a friend friend police say Andis told a
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buddy that Lori rejected him and he was devastated by that so do you believe this rejection may have been a motive
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for murder I think that's what sent him over the edge I I absolutely do despite the mounting evidence agent
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Whitaker still needed something more that tied Enis directly to the crime scene as far as I'm concerned he is
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investigating this case like glorious own daughter I mean he has a picture of Lori
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in his house I've had her in my closet it made me think about her every day when I was getting ready for work when I
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would put my Ties on I would just remember what I was supposed to be doing every single
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day and then it's like 1:00 in the morning and JW calls me JW Barnes found exactly what they needed in the Case
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Files collecting dust for 10 years he goes I just found a report that was in an envelope that hadn't been opened
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Whitaker could hardly believe it when Lori disappeared in 2006 police collected evidence from her trailer but
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by the time the results came in no one followed up the report contained critical evidence Rick's DNA was
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identified in semen found on Lor's bed sheet and in Blood on the interior of the front door and it turned out his
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blood was also found on one of the rugs investig tigators say we're in Lor's kitchen you got his blood on a rug here
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you got his seing back there you got his blood on a door most people's blood is not inside somebody else's home unless
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something really bad had happened 12 years after Lori disappeared there was now enough evidence to charge
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Rick Andis with her murder but by this time Rick Andis was happily engaged to school librarian
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Elena Atkinson and living 500 M away in Virginia he was designing and building portable living structures called Yurts
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for Sharon Morley's company Morley liked Andis from the moment they met he was just so open and friendly and had a
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great sense of humor but on August 6 2018 Rick's birthday Morley saw a task force of lman arve walking out of the
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woods they were hiding behind trees they had the place surrounded it was a highlight of my
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career to make the phone call to Arlene and Casey slinsky that morning to tell them that we just took Rick inis custody
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for Lor's murder was this kind of a Bittersweet moment for you most definitely yes I
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guess psychologically I never accepted the fact that she really was gone and I I cried big time
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yeah later that month Andis appeared before an Alabama judge with Lor's parents facing
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him I guess he kind of seemed surprised that we were there what did you want him
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to know that we finally got you you're not going to get away with us news of an's arrest quickly spread I
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read it and I'm like thinking to myself it's Rick boo says he was friends with Rick and suddenly remembered a
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conversation he had with him years earlier at a bar when he asked him why he left Alabama what did he say he just
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mainly said I had to get rid of a and I'm thinking H this guy's just messing around with me but that changed
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when he learned of Rick's arrest and it was real he wasn't joking I couldn't sleep the whole night he called
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Whitaker's task force and it was just unbelievable what inoc told him but the most explosive news of all came later
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and Incredibly while Whitaker was with Anis at another court hearing an investigator from Au PD comes up to me
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and tells me you're not going to believe this that handrolled cigarette butt next
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to the car has his DNA on it I wanted to do a somersault in the courtroom but I couldn't everyone now was prepared to go
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to trial but the courts quickly ground to a halt because of the pandemic and Arlene slazinski suffered more losses
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first her son to cancer and then her husband Casey to co got to call him I think you better come when I got there
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he was gone you lose your daughter you lose your son and then you lose your husband
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how do you go on with all this I guess my faith my friends family and I just did not want to die
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not knowing what happened to my daughter or seeing Justice being done but Rick Enis was determined to
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prove police had it all wrong and he wasn't the only one fighting to prove his innocence they
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have the wrong person there's there's no way his fiance Elena Atkinson do you believe Rick had anything to do with
00:26:27
Lor's disappearance with her death no I do not you not only do I believe Rick is
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innocent I believe that he would have given his life for Lori if he had been there that's the kind of person he is
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and she believes that despite the fact that she knows Rick murdered his mother and stepfather when he was 12 people
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would wonder why is it hard for you to believe that he could kill again she says Rick told her something
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about what happened with his mother mother something that convinced her he had nothing to do with what happened to
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[Music] Lori Rick Enis is one of the most compassionate generous kind people that I've ever
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known Elena Atkinson has been in love with Rick Andis for 4 years I love his intelligence I always
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joke with him and tell him I fell in love with his brain first but just two months into their
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romance Elena an amateur genealogist was researching Rick's ancestry when she stumbled upon news that he had killed
00:27:52
his mother and stepfather my first thought was what in world happened in his home life that
00:28:01
pushed him to that point Rick would tell her something she didn't see in any article Rick it's Peter vanent with 48
00:28:10
Hours reached by phone Rick told us what he insists happened I was molested by my mother
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Rick says his mother sexually abused him and he snapped I exploded and the result was
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that I I took my mother's life and then have took my st's but remember back then
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he told authorities he killed his parents because he didn't want to move I was deeply ashamed about my mother
00:28:41
molesting me and I had a really hard time talking about it still we could find no evidence to corroborate Rick's
00:28:50
abuse allegation you know I Rick I have to tell you obviously I I have no idea what happened uh a skeptic would say
00:28:59
you've conveniently accused the mother that you murdered of molesting you and she can't defend herself you understand
00:29:06
how that's difficult for some to believe well I mean it it's something that I work through with a a
00:29:14
psychiatrist what I did when I was 12 is the greatest regret of my life Rick insists he's no longer that angry
00:29:23
12-year-old now 41 Rick Enis would stand trial for yet another murder I never murdered
00:29:32
lorinsky she was a very close dear friend of mine I never would have hurt her prosecutor Jessica venieri is sure
00:29:41
that is a lie but at trial she wouldn't be allowed to tell the jury anything about Rick's
00:29:48
past this is by far the most complicated case of my career he becomes a venti's first hurdle was convincing the jury
00:30:00
that Lori was in fact dead she called Lor's mother arleene to the stand did she make contact with you after her
00:30:08
brother died noen have you ever received a birthday card no a Mother's Day card have you ever heard from your
00:30:18
daughter in any way since that Thursday before she disappeared no Lindsay braa was next seemingly
00:30:28
setting up a motive telling the jury that Lori rejected Rick she told me about a letter that he had written her
00:30:37
was it a love letter yes she told me that she wasn't interested him in him that way and Terry Boo would take the
00:30:44
stand to recount that troubling remark he said Rick made he had to tr that she was a white piece of trail
00:30:53
park trash the district attorney built her case with t testimony about the scuff
00:30:59
marks on the wall and the blood in Lorie's trailer Rick Seaman on her bed and the cigarette butt with Rick's DNA
00:31:07
found near Lor's scorched car they've got problems with this evidence but defense attorney William
00:31:15
Watley claimed that handrolled cigarette was planted arguing police could have taken it from Rick's home had cigarette
00:31:24
button didn't come from B the defense suggested Lori was responsible for her own disappearance they portrayed her as
00:31:33
a drug dealer you knew that Lori had grown marw yes Lindsay insisted however that it was only for Lor's personal use
00:31:42
for herself or so she didn't have to purchase any but to drive home their points Watley called Rick Anis himself
00:31:51
to the STA spent a lot of time with her Rick insisted he had no reason to hurt Lori did you you write a letter to
00:31:59
Lori um yes sir I did I I asked her if she wanted to date it would have been a month or two before she went missing I'm
00:32:10
not certain but even though she turned him down Rick says they were still intimate now did you ever have sex with
00:32:21
Lori um yes sir so what about what he said to Terry Booth Andis says it never happened did you never got drinking with
00:32:30
Terry Boo yes sir did you tell Terry Boo that you strangled someone yes sir Rick I will show you some
00:32:38
photographs here and those rugs given to police by his former roommate Rick claims they were not from Lorie's
00:32:46
trailer where did you get these from Target you get any of those more that's sir Rick says Lori was fine when he left
00:32:57
her that Saturday he says he headed off to sell some weed and he claims she was off to do the same the last time you saw
00:33:06
Lori did you have any kind of an argument with her no sir did you break into Lor's trailer that
00:33:12
Saturday I did not did you kidnap Lori no sir did you kill Lori I I did not did you burn Lor's car yes sir so what about
00:33:24
the knife handcuffs and cleaning items in his car Rick says it had nothing to do with Lori
00:33:31
he was moving things from his apartment and those scratches on him back in 2006 police say he had no explanation but at
00:33:41
the trial he had an answer I I got them from playing with my dog venieri barely made it to the podium to start her
00:33:50
cross-examination is there anything else you'd like to blame on ven tiary questioned Rick about that blood on
00:33:57
Lor's door blood of Lor's trailer has your DNA in it how did that get there I have no
00:34:05
idea and the question vinary really wanted an answer for she never got where did
00:34:13
you I didn't tell B's body anywhere who did I have no idea both sides had their final chance
00:34:23
to persuade the jury defense attorney Watley told the jurors there wasn't any evidence that a crime had even been
00:34:31
committed there's no evidence that Lori was kidnapped there's no evidence that she
00:34:37
was forly taken against her will venieri attacked Rick's defense and this is you was upstairs
00:35:00
vener insisted that the volume of evidence against Rick Anis was overwhelming even if police still
00:35:07
couldn't find Lorie's [Music] remains and she reminded the jury that Lori would never just take off she would
00:35:17
never ever ever laid peanut F Never After 7 Days of testimony it was now up to the jury to decide I'm
00:35:33
terrified I only get one shot at this but you just never know what a jury is going to
00:35:41
do do you believe Rick Enis is a changed man see more of the investigation into Lor's disappearance at 48 hours.com
00:35:56
[Music] all right and L gentlemen jury g b to this case hand that to the B please
00:36:06
ma'am when the jury came back into the courtroom did you look at their faces yes I did it was very hard to read their
00:36:15
faces I still wasn't sure what the verdict was going to be please stand nearly 16 years after Lorie slazinski
00:36:23
vanished the jury reached a verdict during their second day of deliberations we the jury find the
00:36:31
offended darl Richard Enis guilty of offenseive C murder guilty of the murder of Lorie
00:36:41
slazinski give me a sense of what that meant to you sheer relief joy that he was finally
00:36:50
convicted and would never get to do this to anyone else again I'm thrilled that we were able to
00:36:57
to bring Justice for Lori after such a long time immediately following the jury's verdict da vener went to our lean
00:37:06
with a proposal Rick was now facing a possible death sentence but that would trigger years of appeals and legal
00:37:13
wrangling to spare arleene all that veneri suggested offering Rick life without parole Arlene agreed it's s the
00:37:23
court that you be prisoned the penitentiary of the state of Alabama for a term of why without the possibility of
00:37:30
coron Elena Atkinson was stunned just complete shock disbelief I was devastated she was so certain Rick would
00:37:44
be exonerated she'd made plans to celebrate a celebration Rick told us that he would be part of I thought that
00:37:52
we were going to go and have a nice dinner and that I was going to get to start my life over
00:37:59
[Music] arleene headed home to savor the Bittersweet Victory after this verdict did you have a conversation with Lori I
00:38:19
did I just said Lor justice has finally come we've waited for this for a long time and I hope you're all celebrating
00:38:27
and with the entire family and I wish you were all here to see this day this tragic murder the Ripple
00:38:41
effects across your family it's just incredible it has left a very large void in my life I was getting ready to retire
00:38:52
I mean I could have been enjoying my grandchildren possibly um just spending time with my daughter who I
00:39:02
loved this is lorri at her trailer and peanut who she absolutely adored and vice
00:39:11
versa we brought peanut home with us and he stayed with us till he was I guess about 16 years old and he died every
00:39:21
time we mentioned Lor's name he it would I don't care where he was in the house it was like he just heard her name and
00:39:27
he run in there and like where is she it just totally amazed me that he he never forgot her
00:39:38
never did you ever think that 6 years ago we would be here today with her husband and both her children gone this
00:39:47
tragic story has brought new friendships into Arlene's life Mark Whitaker is my hero him and his wife are like family to
00:39:55
me now this was on her graduation day Casey her and me that's a great photo and this was her a month before she
00:40:04
disappeared at her cousin Jennifer's wedding with her cousin Thomas wow not a care in the world no she's one of the
00:40:12
bravest women that I've I've ever met you showing all these to me just makes everything more real for
00:40:19
me beautiful girl thanks for sharing those with me you're welcome I could tell she seems to be happier now
00:40:28
I can't thank you enough for it it was just wonder I love you too you're one tough
00:40:35
[Music] [Music] lady a wife and mother was said to have gone for a bike ride and never returned
00:40:52
the initial thought is kidnapped she had used a spy pen to make SI recordings it's like James Bond would they help
00:41:00
solve the case Nothing Is What It Seems 48 hours Saturday on CBS [Music] when you hear the name Gabby petito what
00:41:37
comes to mind a young aspiring blogger who love life love Adventures how a girl who was on
00:41:47
the cusp of beginning life and whose life was tragically taken from her the FBI announcing a medical
00:41:56
examiner said says the body found in Wyoming was indeed that of Gabby petito the coroner calling her death a
00:42:03
homicide Brian lre I believe made his decision to kill himself after he killed Gabby
00:42:10
Patito investigators say human remains found in Florida this week are those of Brian laundry the only person of
00:42:17
interest in the death of his fiance Gabby petito Gabby Patito has been gone for over a year now is this case over
00:42:28
no this case is far from over my name is Mary F Jan and I'm a former Federal prosecutor and defense
00:42:36
attorney there are still a lot of questions for Gabby's parents the primary one being would Gabby petito
00:42:43
still be alive today if the case have been handled differently hello hello and good
00:42:50
morning we came to know Gabby petito and Brian laundry because they were putting
00:42:55
themselves out there in social media documenting their travels throughout America this young couple in love living
00:43:03
out of their van seeing what the world had to offer live in the dream my name is Dr Chris Mandi and I'm
00:43:11
a forensic psychologist but what we come to learn is that that was a veneer all the
00:43:18
chocolate mountain I know it's a river of chocolate much as I know Gabby and feel like I know Brian you just never
00:43:28
know when it comes to relationships we've been lucky so far at all the places we've stayed but I'd say this is
00:43:35
one of the best so far anyone that's met the two of them has been like they seem
00:43:39
like such a nice couple but a lot of couples look nice on Instagram about a month into their trip
00:43:46
Gabby and Brian have a lot of arguments it gets physical a witness reports it to the
00:43:55
Moab police hey how are you I'm good I'm with Moab police they respond and now we
00:44:03
see that there's trouble in Paradise he walked me out of the car and told me to go take a breather but I didn't want to
00:44:09
take a breather I'm fine I look at I hope she doesn't have too many complaints about me I'm just uh know I
00:44:17
feel bad after get so public when you look back could that Moab police stop than a game changer oh
00:44:29
absolutely it's hard not to wonder what would have happened uh to Gabby if either Gabby or Brian had been arrested
00:44:37
that day two people went on a trip one person returned and that person that returned isn't providing us any
00:44:45
information where we believe the circumstantial evidence demonstrates that the laundry
00:44:51
family was aware that their son had murdered Gabby and that they were aware of the location of her mans they refused
00:44:58
to communicate to petito family as human beings How could somebody not pick up that phone and say I'm so sorry we don't
00:45:07
know what happened what can we do to help and the only reason why you wouldn't is if obviously something went
00:45:12
a foul Gabby is the most amazing person I've ever met I've never felt a pain like
00:45:22
this I have screamed into the air what happened because I want answers we will get Justice for her no
00:45:33
matter what [Music] [Music] Gabby potito's road trip in the summer of 2021 started as an adventure story I
00:46:36
love the B months later it turned into a nationwide search for a missing woman the search for missing 22-year-old Gabby
00:46:44
Patito is now a multi-state effort before ending here earlier today human remains were discovered with a discovery
00:46:53
of her remains and Grand Teton National Park it has now become a cautionary tale
00:47:01
ultimately her death will hopefully lead to many women being rescued and saved from these situations well before it
00:47:10
gets to murder former prosecutor and CBS consultant Mary fan says Gabby's story is really about recognizing the warning
00:47:20
signs of domestic violence which are often hard to read there are people who believe that Gabby petito story didn't
00:47:27
have to end the way it did if only the warning signs had been picked up on would it have been
00:47:34
[Music] different to most eyes Gabby petito and her fiance Brian laundry were compatible
00:47:44
in every way Gabby poo never goes outside coolest Shick you ever met Man by far she she's going to make you
00:47:56
she's going to make you smile Gabby's dad Joseph coolest Shick you ever met simple as that 22 years old a New York
00:48:06
girl from Long Island an appetite for adventure she knew she wanted to take this trip her mom Nicole Schmidt she had
00:48:16
told me about it um probably a year before it started Brian stretching doing some morning
00:48:25
yoga Brian's very charismatic he always comes off as such a sweet person and just kind of like I'm here one of
00:48:34
Gabby's close friends Rose Davis they met soon after Gabby moved to Florida she texted me one of the sweetest
00:48:41
messages I think I've ever got from someone and it was just like you seem so cool I really want to be your friend and
00:48:49
I was just absolutely they made Tik Tok videos together for fun Rose says Gabby was good friends with
00:48:59
Brian back in high school in New York then after Brian moved to Florida Gabby moved there too to be closer to him I
00:49:08
always told her her life is kind of like a movie cuz I was just like this happens in
00:49:13
movies soon they were in love and living together she'd let me know what they did
00:49:20
and you know he he'd make her breakfast and it was always such a cute little thing and they did cute little dinners
00:49:26
in July of 2020 they got engaged they even got tattoos together but Rose says Brian could sometimes exhibit what she
00:49:35
calls toxic traits we spoke to Rose when Gabby was first reported missing when Brian wants something he's going to get
00:49:43
it and I don't mean in a physical way he's going to force it he's just going to I don't want people to say I'm
00:49:50
calling him a full manipulator but he'll manipulate the situation to get what he
00:49:55
wants out of it and you know he didn't want her to go out one night with me and he stole her ID because you can't
00:50:03
get into the bar without your ID and you know this was really upsetting to her you know you're you're engaged it's not
00:50:11
you know it's not supposed to be like that but the couple seemed to put any drama behind them as they got ready for
00:50:19
their Adventure Gabby worked hard at Taco Bell and with Brian at public supermarket saving money for their trip
00:50:28
they bought the van they converted it the goal was to spend four or five months crisscrossing the country having
00:50:35
Adventures even working on organic farms and chronicling it all in real time on social media she was just like I want to
00:50:45
document this this is so cool to be doing and she just kind of yeah kind of like a vlogger just let everyone know
00:50:51
what she was up to she was excited starting her van life digital Journey where she's creating this
00:50:59
whole you know following of van liers and that's what she was really into at the moment they rolled out officially on
00:51:07
July 2nd Gabby posted constantly hello hello and good morning every little detail you can't keep chocolate in
00:51:18
Utah not in July but all those selfies may have been hiding a darker story there everything
00:51:28
behind the scenes you don't know 6 weeks into their trip on the afternoon of August 12th in Utah near
00:51:38
the Arches National Park Gabby and Brian's Instagram road trip came to a shuddering stop driver is showing some
00:51:47
obscure driving possibly intoxicated it was around 4:45 in the afternoon according to this police officer's body
00:51:55
cam currently doing 45 M an hour Zone through here is 25 oh subjects just hit the
00:52:06
curb correction speed limit is 15 what your guys' names Gabby Brian Gabby Brian okay it was the stop that
00:52:23
could have changed everything [Music] [Music] Grand County Sheriff's Office this 911
00:52:53
call was made on August 12th 2021 in Moab Utah four weeks before Gabby Patito was reported missing we're driving by
00:53:02
and I'd like to report a domestic dispute the caller reports seeing what appeared to be an alarming confrontation
00:53:08
between Gabby and Brian Florida license plate white land what were they doing uh
00:53:14
we drove by and the gentleman was slapping the girl who was slapping her yes and then we stopped they ran up and
00:53:20
down the sidewalk he proceeded to hit her hopped in the car and they drove off officers from the Moab Police Department
00:53:28
are dispatched and within minutes Gabby and Brian's white van is spotted driving
00:53:33
erratically outside the Arches National Park they're pulled over the officers separate the couple and begin
00:53:42
questioning them over here Gabby is visibly shaken you want to tell yeah I don't know it's just some
00:53:54
days I really bad OCD and I just I was just cleaning and straightening up back before and I was apologizing to him and
00:54:03
saying I'm sorry that I'm so mean and I'm trying to start a blog I have a vog stuff so I've been building my website
00:54:12
so I've just been really stressed and he doesn't really believe that I could do any of it so that's kind of been like a
00:54:18
I don't know he's like down I don't know we have been fighting all morning and and he wouldn't let me in the car before
00:54:26
let you in the car cuz you're OCD told me I needed to calm down right so tell me what's going
00:54:33
on the see this gets worked up sometimes and I try and really distance myself from her so like I I locked a car and I
00:54:39
walked away from her Brian tells police that Gabby attacked him scratching his face and his arm as she tried to get
00:54:47
back into the van had her phone trying to get P got away I was just trying to I know I shouldn't push it I just trying
00:54:54
to push your way to go let's let's just take a minute step back and breathe and she she got people that came to us and
00:55:01
told us that they saw him hit you another officer asked Gabby for more details about what happened well to be
00:55:08
honest I definitely hit him first where' you hit him I slapped you slapped him first and then
00:55:15
on his face he to shut up how many times did you slap him Romeo India a couple and then what and his
00:55:22
reaction was to do what so I happen he just grabbed you yeah did he did he hit you though I mean I mean
00:55:32
it's okay if you're saying you hit him and then I understand if he hit you but we want to know the truth if he actually
00:55:36
hit you you I guess yeah but I hit him first where did he hit you don't don't worry just be honest gra my face like I
00:55:46
guess uhhuh um he didn't hit me in the face like like punch me in the face or anything did he slap your face or what
00:55:54
well like he like grabbed me like with his nail and I guess that's why it looks I then have a cut right here like a PE
00:56:01
touch it burs the officers never directly asked Brian if he slapped or hit Gabby they
00:56:08
also didn't talk to the 911 caller who reported seeing Brian hit Gabby but one of the officers did speak with a second
00:56:17
eyewitness that day witness says I never saw him hit her I saw him shove her but
00:56:22
I couldn't tell if it was an aggression against her or a defense against her so at this point from what unless the
00:56:28
guy's screaming that he he go to jail and did something to this girl it sounds to me like she is the primary aggressive
00:56:35
now in Utah if officers find evidence of a domestic violence assault they are required to make an arrest or issue a
00:56:44
citation an independent investigation would later conclude that the officers did not have a clear understanding of
00:56:51
the law got me this is a very very important question how you answer this question is going to
00:56:58
determine what happens next but the only person who can answer this question is you they mistakenly believed that Gabby
00:57:06
had to intend to harm Brian to require an arrest when you slapped him those times were you attempting to cause him
00:57:18
physical pain or physical impairment was that what you were attempting to do to him no what were you what were you
00:57:24
attempting to do what was the reason behind the slapping and stuff what was what was you were
00:57:31
attempting to accomplish by slapping I was trying to get to stop well doesn't sound to me like she
00:57:38
attempted in ultimately officers on the scene decided to separate the couple for
00:57:44
the night I'm going to give you the keys to the van Gabby was told to stay with the van I'm giving him a ride over to
00:57:50
the hotel okay as the assumed victim Brian was sent to a hotel I really appreciate thank you so much for
00:57:57
everything no problem it's nice to meet you right nice to meet you no one was arrested or issued a
00:58:04
citation forensic psychologist Chris Mandi has worked closely with law enforcement on issues of domestic
00:58:12
violence the officers that responded to Gabby and Brian were compassionate their
00:58:19
hearts were in the right place of wanting to help they were trying to do what they mistakenly believed was the
00:58:28
right thing by cutting them a break weeks later when the body cam footage was released there was a public uproar
00:58:36
newly released video shows what looks like the aftermath of an argument between Gabby Patito and Brian lry for
00:58:41
her friend Rose those images were almost impossible to watch it takes a lot for her to get that hysterical I perfectly
00:58:50
Cal I'm calm all the time and he really stresses me out and so when I saw the body body cam I knew it was more than
00:58:58
just a little argument she's not going to slap him for no reason the release of the 911 call Drew
00:59:06
outrage who was slapping her followers of the story on social media erupted in Anger my blood is boiling at how they
00:59:16
failed this poor girl all I know is this didn't have to end like this police missed an
00:59:23
opportunity Mandi says the officers seem to miss signs of domestic abuse just crazy and
00:59:33
Gabby accepting the blame and I was apologizing to him and saying I'm sorry that I'm so mean because in a
00:59:40
domestically violent relationship it's not uncommon for one party to take the blame for what really is the behavior of
00:59:49
the other party the independent investigator later wrote that it's very likely that Gabby was a long long-term
00:59:56
victim of domestic violence the ramifications of the officer's actions during that stop would
01:00:04
play out in the days ahead and months later would be questioned by Gabby's parents and their
01:00:13
[Music] lawyers just days after that traffic stop Gabby and Brian were back on the
01:00:20
road headed north to Salt Lake City it rained all afternoon yesterday on August 19th Gabby posted an edited 8-minute
01:00:30
video showing their journey together it is really nice and sunny today the video
01:00:38
showed no signs of any tension between Gabby and Brian later Gabby told her mom they were
01:00:47
leaving Utah and driving to Grand Teton National Park in Wyoming she was happy she was excited to keep going on her
01:00:56
journey and um that was the last time I spoke to her verbally on August 25th Gabby posted a
01:01:09
series of photos on Instagram and front of a butterfly mural in Ogden Utah it would be her final post on
01:01:19
Instagram [Music] [Music] Gabby never goes outside the Instagram post on August 25th 2021 was the last
01:01:41
time Gabby Patito would publish on social media and shortly after she said she and Brian were headed to Grand ton
01:01:49
National Park Gabby's parents stopped hearing from her she seemed to have been in communication with her parents on a
01:01:56
regular basis throughout the totality of this trip and they were checking in on her
01:02:03
regularly then on August 27th 2021 her mother says she received a strange text message from Gabby's phone
01:02:12
it read can you help Stan I just keep getting his voicemails and missed calls Stan is Gabby's grandfather the
01:02:21
mother thought it was odd because she never refers to her grandfather as Stan it was out of character and
01:02:27
disconcerting but as far as the petito family knew Gabby and Brian were still together on their
01:02:34
trip hi my name is Miranda Baker and on August 29th my boyfriend and I picked up
01:02:40
Brian at Grand Tian national park at 5:30 at night at cter Bay 48 hours after Gabby's mother
01:02:52
received that cryptic text Miranda Baker says she and her boyfriend picked up a man she believes was Brian laundry she
01:03:00
says he was alone he approached us asking us for a ride cuz he needed to go to Jackson before he came in the car he
01:03:08
offered to pay us like $200 to give him a ride like 10 miles so that was kind of
01:03:15
weird he then told us he's been camping for multiple days without his fiance and
01:03:20
that she was working on their social media page back at their van suddenly says Miranda things took a
01:03:28
turn when there was confusion over where they were going he freaked out he's like
01:03:33
nope I need to get out right now like pullover we dropped him off at 6:09 p.m. on August
01:03:41
29th meanwhile Gabby's mother Nicole did receive one more text from Gabby's phone
01:03:47
it said that there was no service in yosity the last text I received from her phone was August 30th are you you
01:03:55
confident that was from her or you're not sure I can't comment on [Music] that during Gabby's travels she had been
01:04:05
staying in touch with her friend Rose Davis Rose was expecting to hear from Gabby on her birthday so we talked and
01:04:13
my birthday is August 29th so we decided call me then but no birthday call or text came I honestly didn't think
01:04:23
anything of it when she didn't text me or anything cuz she's traveling cross country and you know once it got uh it
01:04:32
got later into it around like 8th and 9th of September that was the point where I was like she would have called
01:04:40
me why haven't I heard from her yet what Rose did not know was that on September 1st Brian laundry was back in
01:04:51
Northport Florida he had driven the van there and he was alone the petito family
01:04:57
knew none of this but they had already become alarmed when they stopped hearing from Gabby Al together and her cell
01:05:05
phone had stopped working did you ever reach out to her boyfriend to figure out what happened
01:05:14
and where where your daughter is we can't comment we're not commenting on that but Gabby's mother did reach out to
01:05:22
police it was actually Friday the 10th that I decided to call police because I had had 10 days 10 almost 11 days was
01:05:31
enough for me to not hear from my child and um I got the runaround nobody wanted
01:05:37
to report her missing um she's an adult she's traveling as a mother I said it's not like her finally that Saturday I um
01:05:46
went personally to suffet County fifth Precinct and now this is where we are Gabby petito was officially declared
01:05:57
a missing person on September 11th just over 2 weeks after her last Instagram post as the nation remembered so many
01:06:06
lives lost 20 years earlier the petito family focused on One Life that of their missing
01:06:13
daughter we're looking for her and only her not the van not the two of them just
01:06:21
just her keep your eyes out and we'll find her a woman disappears on a cross country trip with her boyfriend in a van
01:06:30
on Monday September 13th 20121 the story of Gabby potito's disappearance hit the news the parents
01:06:39
of a missing woman from Long Island need help finding her Gabby's mom and stepdad
01:06:44
Nicole and Jim Schmidt held up her photo for reporters uh Gabby's 22 years old um
01:06:53
she's an absolutely beautiful Beautiful Soul Inside and Out rose Davis was devastated to see her friend's picture
01:07:01
on TV my mom called me into her room and uh Gabby's face was all over the news and uh I kind of just went into
01:07:13
shock what happened to Gabby Patito once it became clear that Gabby Patito had gone missing her mom and stepdad her
01:07:34
father Joe Patito and stepmom Tara set up a fine Gabby page where people could post tips and information she was
01:07:42
reportedly last seen near Grand Teton National Park in Wyoming around August 27th
01:07:50
20121 we're home safe and sound I immediately immediately made like a collage of all
01:07:58
of our photos and for a Tik Tok and posted the information Facebook Instagram everything within Days videos
01:08:07
about Gabby's disappearance exploded across social media even people with no connection to Gabby join the search to
01:08:16
help find her we are going to be going to the Grand tons to see if there's anything that we can do to help in the
01:08:20
search of Gabby petito you know the social media has been amazing um watch it getting everybody to post it repost
01:08:27
it we need for her to come back home and anything you guys can do to help us get
01:08:31
there is just appreciated and we just got to keep doing it for Gabby's parents this Spotlight in
01:08:39
the media and online was invaluable but there was one person who wasn't helping solve the mystery of what
01:08:46
happened to Gabby Brian laundry Northport Florida police spokesman Josh Taylor said investigators
01:08:54
were frust frustrated neither he nor his parents would answer their questions even though Gabby had lived with them we
01:09:03
were essentially handed uh the information for their attorney that is the extent of our conversation with them
01:09:10
first word that popped in my brain was coward to be honest with you you're supposed to love her you're supposed to
01:09:17
marry her where is she police confiscated the white Ford van searched it for evidence and then released Ed
01:09:26
posting that Brian was now a person of interest in Gabby's disappearance laundry family attorney stepen bertolino
01:09:34
spoke briefly to the Press on behalf of the laundry family I will hope that miss
01:09:39
petito is located and that she's reunited with her family Gabby's parents responded through attorney Rick Stafford
01:09:46
with a scathing letter we believe you know the location of where Brian left Gabby we beg you to tell us as a parent
01:09:55
how could you let us go through this pain and not help us 6 days after Gabby was declared missing the laundry family
01:10:04
reported that they didn't know where Brian was they said he'd left for a hike at the Carlton Reserve days
01:10:12
[Music] earlier police immediately began to comb the huge local park looking for
01:10:23
Bryan a massive search more than 50 officers and FBI agents combing a 24,000 acre park near Sarasota Florida looking
01:10:33
for Brian laundry anger at the laundry family silence prompted protesters to gather outside the laundry home
01:10:41
demanding [Applause] answers while authorities were searching for Brian in Florida the search for
01:10:52
Gabby in and around Wyoming intense ified it was like a nationwide Hut too you know between social media and all
01:10:59
the other avenues and people were looking for the van people were looking for where it went when it went they were
01:11:05
looking for Gabby petito and in this case all of that social media attention ultimately helped
01:11:14
investigators locate Gabby when Kyle and Jen bethon came forward with information
01:11:20
they had spotted Gabby and Brian's van the bathoon had been in Wyoming's Grand Teton National Park around the
01:11:28
time Gabby's family last heard from her on August 27th 2021 the bons had their GoPros rolling
01:11:37
for their YouTube channel when they went looking for a campground we're driving down this road past this van and it had
01:11:45
Florida plates however the van was completely dark we assumed that they were just out hiking or doing something
01:11:52
else once the bons left the park they didn't think about the van again until late on Saturday September 18th
01:12:01
when Jen checked her phone and was stunned to learn authorities now believed Gabby had been in the Tetons
01:12:08
the very same night the bons were there Jen instantly remembered the white van and I immediately got Goosebumps all
01:12:17
over my body I rushed back to the computer and I saw that white specka van and I was like please keep keep going
01:12:25
please keep going and it did and it got bigger and bigger we just some reason instantly knew that it was hers when I
01:12:33
called the FBI I was like I have found Gabby's footage like patch me across to somebody like this is huge because I
01:12:40
knew deep down what it was and I knew how important this footage would be to finding Gabby as instructed the btho
01:12:50
uploaded their footage to the FBI website they also posted it on on YouTube and Facebook just hours later came the
01:13:00
devastating announcement earlier today human remains were discovered consistent with the description of Gabrielle Gabby
01:13:10
[Music] Patito the FBI says Gabby's remains were found at the spread Creek Camping Area
01:13:20
inside Bridger Teton National Forest in Wyoming an autopsy confirmed the remains
01:13:26
were Gabby's and the coroner determined her death was a homicide by manual strangulation we have no additional
01:13:34
comments Gabby's family asked for privacy but her father Joe sent out a tweet that summed up the moment it read
01:13:43
simply she touched the world hours after it was announced Gabby had been found over a dozen FBI agents
01:13:57
and police officers swarmed the home of Brian's parents police arrived the FBI arrived they were carrying a battering
01:14:05
ram they also announced that they had a warrant I think seeing these FBI agents and police here you wonder do they now
01:14:12
know where he is the next day Northport police the FBI and other agencies ramped up the search
01:14:21
of the nature preserve near Bran's home trains very difficult essentially 75% of
01:14:29
it's underwater 49 days after Brian had returned home without Gabby on October 20th
01:14:38
2021 the FBI made an announcement earlier today investigators Found What appears to be human remains an autopsy
01:14:47
revealed Brian laundry had died from a self-inflicted gunshot to the head and there was something
01:14:55
else along with personal items such as a backpack and notebook belonging to Brian
01:15:01
lry that notebook contained writings from Brian explaining what he says really happened to Gabby petito writing
01:15:11
I ended her life I thought it was merciful [Music] before Brian laundry put a bullet
01:15:36
through his head he wrote a story describing how Gabby ptito died it was dark they were running across a stream
01:15:44
she must have fell and hurt herself and he went to help her but she seemed to be
01:15:50
in extreme pain in that small notebook found in a dry bag near Brian's remains he
01:16:01
wrote I ended her life I thought it was merciful that it is what she wanted but I see now all the mistakes I
01:16:13
made it was a self-serving narrative that portrayed that there had been an accident and that there had been a mercy
01:16:20
killing by him of her because she was suffering by stretching it speaks to selfishness and a degree of narcissism
01:16:30
that it was important for how other people looked at him his image you know he had the last
01:16:37
word while Gabby's parents will never see Brian laundry face a jury they are seeking their own version of Justice
01:16:45
suing Brian's estate for wrongful death and his parents for intentional infliction of emotional distress
01:16:53
where attorney Patrick Riley it's our belief that the laundry family was aware that Brian had murdered Gabby and was
01:17:01
aware where her body was located Riley says that belief is based on information from the FBI he says the
01:17:10
FBI believes that Gabby was murdered on August 27th 2021 and that Brian made a lengthy phone
01:17:17
call to his parents on the 28th he says according to the FBI Brian's parents then contacted attorney that same day
01:17:27
how damning is that why would they get an attorney so fast very it's very damning it doesn't pass the smell test
01:17:34
the laundry's attorney issued a statement denying the allegations made in the lawsuits and saying this lawsuit
01:17:40
does not change the fact that the laundries had no obligation to speak to law enforcement or any third party
01:17:47
including the Patito family but there's more says Riley a letter allegedly WR written to Brian by
01:17:55
his mother Roberta laundry Riley says he and Gabby's mom read it while reviewing
01:18:01
evidence at the FBI's Tampa office there was one part that sticks out which is if you go to prison I'll
01:18:10
bake a cake with a shiv in it and by the way the envelope that the letter came in
01:18:16
had written on the front of it Burn After Reading if it can be proven when and if
01:18:23
Bryan's mother did indeed write that letter it could be very damaging says Mary fulan cuz it shows the mindset of
01:18:31
the mother that she'll do anything to protect her child in addition to the cases in
01:18:37
Florida Gabby's parents filed a lawsuit against the Moab Police Department how's
01:18:42
it going how you doing relating to how they handled that domestic violence stop with Gabby and bran attorney Brian
01:18:50
Stewart the family believes that Gabby would still be Al today if the police officers had had the proper training and
01:18:58
had followed the law in how they responded to Gabby's situation hey how are you according to Stewart the body cam
01:19:07
footage shows there was a fundamental problem the very best thing I can do is call my supervisor and see if I'm
01:19:14
missing something here it's clear that the officers did not have a clear understanding of the law that they were
01:19:20
supposed to enforce that day try to calm down and I'm going to go call Super the Moab Police Department
01:19:26
commissioned the captain of another Utah police department to conduct that independent review of the officer's
01:19:33
actions that day among the report's conclusions there was probable cause for an arrest by choosing not to apply the
01:19:43
statute and affect an arrest the officers left Gabby and Brian in a dangerous situation the report cited other
01:19:53
unintentional mistakes says Mary F genan they didn't follow up with a key witness
01:19:58
which is the 911 caller they did not follow up with questions to Brian Landry about whether or not he grabbed her face
01:20:05
or grabbed her arm they didn't document Gabby's wounds photographically or in the report Mary fulan believes they also
01:20:13
missed some classic telltale signs of domestic violence when he was a girl who was hysterically crying who has
01:20:20
immediately taken the blame who is also trying to minimize her boyfriend transactions all of this while he
01:20:26
remained calm cool and collected through his an interview so I think if you look
01:20:31
at that in the totality and had all those things been addressed we might have had a different outcome here oh
01:20:37
this could have been a game Cher we don't know for sure we'll never know but certainly intervention would have been
01:20:44
more possible under that scenario one of the officers involved told the independent investigator after
01:20:53
Gabby's death quote I would have done anything to stop it if I would have known that was coming what happened
01:21:00
what's going on in a statement the city of Moab said it believed the officer showed kindness you want to come stand
01:21:06
in the shade respect and empathy in their handling of this incident you in the van s you on your way all right the
01:21:12
city intends to implement the recommendations of the independent review which include more domestic
01:21:18
violence investigation related training and legal training to ensure officers understand Utah state
01:21:27
laws the attorneys for Gabby's parents insist their lawsuits are not about money they're about raising
01:21:35
awareness Gabby's mother Nicole told the Associated Press I get people messaging
01:21:40
me all the time that they were inspired by her to get out of a relationship yeah and I think that in
01:21:47
and of itself is a huge huge victory for a family that has sadly uh encountered such tragedy but there can be these
01:21:58
bright lights that come out of these bad circumstances and if there is one to be
01:22:02
shined here it will be hopefully that there will be young girls out there that say you know what I'm going to walk away
01:22:08
I'm not going to stay or I'm going to get myself the help I need to get the strength to walk
01:22:14
away Gabby Patito doing in death what she did in life always described her as this light you know she'll do everything
01:22:23
to bring the light out in you and if she can't she'll give you some of hers [Music]
01:22:55
a conw woman's uniquely lethal plan for identity theft I've seen people killed with knives and machetes and guns death
01:23:03
by dessert I have never seen anyone try to kill another person with a piece of cheesecake until now until now 48 hours
01:23:10
Saturday on CBS and streaming on Paramount Plus [Music] Ally got along with everyone she was
01:23:32
very bubbly and spirited she always had a smile on her [Music] face Ally what are you doing taking a
01:23:43
picture of her sunsets by Ally follow she wanted to live the college life in in a large University
01:23:55
she really wanted to be involved in a school that had that ranking good football team bald Hing way Stadium
01:24:03
Oxford Mississippi it is the home opener for the home Miss Rebels it's fair to say she loved ol Miss yes Ally loved
01:24:17
miss it was fairly late at night she was going out to the bar and wasn't weird for her to like go
01:24:26
out on her own and meet up with other people at the square where all the bars are she takes an Uber and uh she goes
01:24:34
home [Music] alone Sardis Lake is a big area there's lots of hunting camps and recreational
01:24:49
spaces that people use on the lake the sheriff department here does a really good job of doing their best to patrol
01:24:55
these locations the deputy is on a routine Patrol of that area I don't know what the Moonlight was
01:25:05
like but you're there's nothing around you you're in the pitch black dark it's not like a Lover's Lane or nothing I
01:25:11
mean it's just rule a lot of people don't know about it when you got there what did you find
01:25:17
a white female laid on the ground with multiple gunshot Wings to her back I have not worked a murder where
01:25:26
somebody's been shot that many times when the amulet crew was driving in they noticed the PS in the road ditch
01:25:34
soon as we open the purse ow Miss ID card and a driver's [Music] license hey Morgan This Is mik East as
01:25:45
the county sheriff's department I'm calling in regards to a friend of yours alley hostel I realized I had a Miss
01:25:53
call and it was the police and they were calling about Ally the police came to the door and uh they told us what did
01:26:01
they tell you there had been a homicide and that she was the victim and I still don't believe it here
01:26:12
we [Music] are that led investigators to go and look in her apartment and her room and
01:26:23
they found her Apple watch watch and even though her phone was not there some of those messages still synced to that
01:26:30
watch the hardest thing to do is to go back and read her messages the heinousness of this the
01:26:40
crime itself to shoot her as many times as she had been shot seemed so personal yeah basically almost was like execution
01:26:53
type Style in your mind the motive for murder was get rid of a problem how would you describe this case
01:27:07
a tragedy of Shakespearean proportions [Music] [Music] it's unclear why a 21-year-old student
01:28:03
would be in that area some 30 m away from campus authorities have released limited
01:28:10
details on the case but did say they suspect Foul [Music] Play though it's been years since Cindy
01:28:18
and Keith costell's daughter Ally was found murdered on July 20th 2019 it still doesn't seem real to them it
01:28:27
does seem like she's still away at school and I still don't believe it and here we
01:28:33
are still in denial the costals had visited Ally at her apartment a few days before she
01:28:41
wanted us to stay an extra day she was having so much fun she wanted me to cook our home-cooked meals we went shopping
01:28:48
she loves a beach theme so we just bought a bunch of new Decor you know Cindy and Keith had returned home to St
01:28:57
Louis when Cindy spoke with Ally on the phone just hours before she died it was like 7:00 at night she had just woken up
01:29:05
from a nap because she had a test actually on that day I said what are you going to do tonight she said I'm going
01:29:10
to go out with some friends 24 hours later leet County Sheriff's Department investigator Jared
01:29:18
bundren was hoping Clues from alie's Apple watch might lead to the first break in the case we just started from
01:29:28
there what was she like to you she was like my sister like so many who knew and loved
01:29:35
Ally Maddie Norris one of her best friends in high school was trying to make sense of what had happened I just
01:29:41
was like in shock the two were inseparable it was like if Ally was there Maddie was her I love you too she
01:29:51
was like my other half we have to bunch of adventures together girl things watching
01:29:58
chickflix watching ly [Music] blind driving in her convertible when it came time to go prom
01:30:11
dress shopping she just tried on this red dress and she called her mom was like Mom I have to get this
01:30:18
dress did she have a boyfriend in high school she had boys she had like crushes on but nothing ever
01:30:27
serious she didn't find a date for prom and so I asked her to [Music] be after graduation Ally was thrilled to
01:30:40
be heading to a college steeped in Tradition history and football the University of
01:30:47
Mississippi she liked the preppy life very like girl like pearls Ally arrived in the fall of
01:30:59
2016 but the marketing business major may have had something more on her mind she wanted to meet a southern boy and
01:31:07
get married and have children one day and she thought that would be a a perfect setting for her to meet her her
01:31:14
companion for Life by junior year we were thickest thieves like best friends Morgan Hull went to college with Ally
01:31:23
there's always is like rearranging and redecorating her room too which is always so funny to find little Ally like
01:31:29
moving all the furniture around by herself we were both from St Louis Elizabeth Brock met Ally at a campus
01:31:35
party and became fast friends so then we're like oh my God how did we like not meet until now Elizabeth says Ally was
01:31:44
fascinated by sunsets she had a a sunset Instagram account where she'd post pictures that she took of sunsets
01:31:55
as for dating at College Cindy recalled Ally saying she'd met someone her freshman year she said um I met this boy
01:32:02
he's from Texas she for whatever reason loves the state of Texas and she was really excited to invite him to the
01:32:10
sorority dance that's the boy she really liked what did she first say about him that she
01:32:18
found a guy that was cute that she was stting to like how a crush on that Crush would turn out to be
01:32:28
fellow student Brandon theesfeld from Fort Worth was she really excited about him yes like C Over Heels I think she
01:32:38
took him to most of her date parties that her sity had so when Maddie went down to Oxford
01:32:45
to visit she was looking forward to meeting the new man in Ali's life unfortunately I never met him things did
01:32:54
not go as planned you never met him mm because he never came around never came around how did she feel about that I
01:33:05
mean it hurt her you had like your best friend from high school coming down to visit you
01:33:12
and your crush is Mia Maddie was concerned that there was something about her friend's
01:33:20
relationship that wasn't quite right but other wise Ally seemed to be thriving at
01:33:26
college she loved it she could not get enough of it she finally achieved the goal of going there and she just was
01:33:33
living her life 3 years later her life was cut short now with a clock ticking on
01:33:41
finding her killer Allie's Apple watch proved invaluable to investigators what did the watch tell you the watch was
01:33:50
telling you she was having very lengthy text message coming conv ation with Brandon Brandon theld alli's freshman
01:33:58
year crush it seemed the two were planning to see each other that very [Applause]
01:34:14
[Music] night when investigators discovered that Ali's last text messages were with
01:34:25
Brandon theesfeld they wanted to talk to him and soon we called Blake Saturday early Sunday morning to come in and give
01:34:35
her interview investigators also tried tracking alie's phone on Saturday but it only pinged once in Oxford before the
01:34:43
signal died theld responded but made excuses about why he couldn't meet all weekend finally he said that he would be
01:34:53
there at 8:30 Monday morning and 8:30 Monday morning came no Brandon lefet County assistant district attorney
01:35:01
Mickey Mallet says that's when the decision was made to start tracking his phone when they do that midm morning uh
01:35:09
on a a real time situation they can see where he is what did you find out that he was on Interstate 55 headed North
01:35:17
toward Memphis from here to go to where he lives in Texas that's probably the most common way to go they can see his
01:35:24
location moving away from Oxford District Attorney Ben Creekmore says with theld appearing to be on the Run
01:35:32
investigators got an Affidavit of arrest for murder and immediately sent out a bulletin when we saw that his truck was
01:35:41
leaving Oxford there was a bolo for his tag a bolo on Lookout it didn't take long for the Memphis fugitive task force
01:35:50
to spot these Fells about an hour and a half two hours later they caught him at the gas station bundren says theld was
01:35:57
sitting at the pumps in his pickup truck which had easy to spot license plates the tag on the plates says take
01:36:07
it hard to miss very hard to miss a dash cam captured thel being taken into custody police immediately alerted
01:36:17
investigators in Mississippi about what they found in the truck and on his clothing he had a 40 caliber gun
01:36:25
consistent with the caliber of the shell casings that were found on the scene and
01:36:30
he had blood on him bundren headed north to pick him up he was calm you know read him his rights
01:36:38
he invoked his rights wanted his returning he was picked up in Tennessee we asked him if he would sign a waiver
01:36:44
expedition to come back to Mississippi and he signed it we brought him back with th felt in custody
01:36:51
investigators began retracing his steps the weekend of Ali's murder they learned that he had been
01:36:58
popping up all over Oxford starting on Saturday he stayed with some friends they said it was very casual um they
01:37:07
went bowling uh normal stuff but there was nothing normal about what he brought to a friend's house on Sunday said he
01:37:16
came in to his house carrying a gun and unloaded the gun in the house brought in
01:37:21
a six-pack of beer and said that they set up for a while when he got up the next morning he was
01:37:26
gone while theld wasn't talking to investigators he would eventually talk to an attorney Tony fice hired by his
01:37:36
family he had a life full of Promise uh received uh lots of love in a good Christian family fice learn theesfeld
01:37:45
was a doctor's son he seemed to have enjoyed a typical Texas childhood he liked outdoors hunting fishing he was a
01:37:54
soccer player he had never been in a fight in school no History of Violence it wasn't long after arriving
01:38:02
in Oxford that theld met Ally he met her at a local bar uh they dated casually uh
01:38:10
during their freshman year I think she was uh more enthralled with Brandon than Brandon was with her quite candidly
01:38:19
according to fice their relationship became complicated ated when they were sophomores did he actually block her
01:38:27
from his phone yes she had uh texted him so much late at night when she's out and
01:38:34
uh drinking and partying and uh it got to the point where he did block her phone yes but something shifted by their
01:38:42
junior year and the two got back in touch I think she saw this as a mutual romantic Endeavor and Brandon did not
01:38:53
see it that way which would explain one thing so when did you first meet him I never met him alli's closest friends
01:39:03
didn't know theld at all Morgan says she'd only met him one time get so odd that we were her best friends and we
01:39:11
still really didn't even know him that well like when this happened we didn't even know his last
01:39:16
name but in August of 2019 feld's name was front page news that's when the case was presented to a
01:39:24
grand jury the evidence included pictures of the gun and shell casings and this letter investigators recovered
01:39:32
during a search of his apartment apparently written by theld the weekend Ally was found dead prosecutors say it's
01:39:41
a confession the letter that he's written to his mom and dad concerned about what he's done theesfeld wrote
01:39:49
that he'd always had terrible thoughts and this is the end for me I'm either going to prison or going to die he also
01:39:58
wrote I know I'm going to get caught he confessed I think he did he he didn't say he committed the murder you could
01:40:07
argue that it was a confession an apology to his mom was an apology Tony fice says he spoke to theld about the
01:40:14
letter and says it was also something more a suicide note he writes a goodbye note to his family tells them that he
01:40:24
loves them uh apologizes for what he's done I am told by Brandon that he has the gun to his head and then passes out
01:40:33
the grand jury handed down their indictment Capital One murder at the Time Jake Thompson was a reporter for
01:40:41
the local paper the Oxford Eagle he says th Feld face the death penalty for kidnapping and murdering Ally it rocked
01:40:49
Oxford to its core because you know Oxford takes in these people they they're one of their own for four years
01:40:55
5 years however long you're here and so it was it was tough for both the academic and the university and the
01:41:01
citizens of Oxford in late September theesfeld appeared in court to enter a plea not guilty it's the big question
01:41:09
you know of course why did it happen and that was something that we were all initially trying to to figure
01:41:15
out investigators hope to find some answers in hundreds of text messages between Ally and theesfeld and what they
01:41:24
discovered included some lifechanging news the first messages about it started in early April
01:41:33
[Music] we're stuck can't move forward days are just rough when you think about her not being
01:42:07
here that makes you feel what sad and like [Music] broken back up as Ali's friends and family waited for
01:42:25
Brandon theesfeld to go to trial for her murder prosecutors were building their case all right they were hoping text
01:42:33
messages between the two could provide insight about what may have led to her death we know more about what he may
01:42:41
have been thinking and we know more about what she may have been thinking what was the relationship between these
01:42:46
two well that that might be different depending on who you ask I think it would be fair to say that she looked at
01:42:53
it with a more serious eye over the entirety of their relationship feld's defense attorney Tony fice from
01:43:01
Brandon's standpoint it was a casual sexual relationship they were never boyfriend and girlfriend they didn't go
01:43:07
on dates like he didn't pick her up take her anywhere after to dinner none of that but he would tell her that he
01:43:13
wasn't good enough for her and that's why they couldn't be together Morgan and Elizabeth say was an odd relationship he
01:43:19
definitely manipulated her carried out over text I think we were just more like upset with how if she would show us like
01:43:27
texts from him or tell us things he would say that we really unkind to her so you knew she liked this boy yeah yeah
01:43:35
but she never really had mentioned him at least to me over time or that he was you know even in the scene at all was
01:43:44
there anything in her behavior that suggested things weren't normal see and that's thing she's told
01:43:53
me everything in life but never disgusted him Cindy and Keith say they have not read their daughter's text conversations
01:44:07
uncovered by investigators no we haven't read any of it will you I don't know if
01:44:14
I can in April 2019 just 3 months before her death Ally was getting ready for during semester
01:44:24
finals what her mom didn't know was Ally was focused on a different kind of test
01:44:29
a home pregnancy test when you learned about that was that something so out of line
01:44:40
for Ally in her behavior big time yeah on April 14 she texted Brandon theesfeld a photo of an inconclusive home
01:44:51
pregnancy test and this message like it's a very faint blue line but I don't know I guess I can wait and see if my
01:44:59
period comes th feld's response well all right we will see but if it is pregnant
01:45:06
we are not keeping we can get a pill she was definitely worried she thought she might be pregnant in this text Ally it
01:45:14
seems was anxious and conflicted I'm not saying what I am going to do because I don't know what's happening but even if
01:45:23
you don't want to be involved like I am really pretty and sweet and I know I will meet a real man one day it appeared
01:45:31
thel did not see fatherhood in his immediate future I'm serious no kid at all it will ruin my life she was trying
01:45:40
to get into contact with Brandon about this and she had texted him and he would either just ignore her or do the thing
01:45:46
where he would tell her okay like I will come over tonight and we can talk about
01:45:50
this and then he would never show up so she talked to you about about this yeah she came to us right
01:46:00
away investigators would later learn after Brandon theesfeld received news about that pregnancy test he had been
01:46:07
searching the internet for mother wants kid father does not yes he did um suggest an abortion uh initially there
01:46:17
was uh talk about that he regrets that but uh that did occur that's Memorial ized in the text messages so in your
01:46:25
mind if she was pregnant she would have had the baby she would have given it the
01:46:29
world honestly Ally despite the ambiguous test result would text these fell day and night many of her messages
01:46:37
are long revealing and troubling says forensic psychologist Chris Mandi he was not involved in the case we asked him to
01:46:47
read some of the text messages these lengthy pretty much one-sided conversations that were initiated by
01:46:56
Ally you know with very little in return from Brandon make this a very lopsided investment into this relationship this
01:47:06
exchange begins on Monday April 15 2019 at 12:57 a.m. with Ally writing I lived it up this weekend and was drunk
01:47:17
247 I did that so my body might decide haha no not today then at 2:37 a.m. she texts I thought about it if you want to
01:47:27
talk to me in person that would be better th Feld responds almost 9 hours later I can talk tomorrow I'm busy today
01:47:37
I'm still going to have the decision of the pill to me there's several layers there you sense that at all based on
01:47:45
what you've read that he has any desire to keep her on the sideline it appears that he has no desire to keep her on the
01:47:56
sideline from what I've seen in these communications he's communicating just enough for a purpose to try to influence
01:48:04
her into terminating the pregnancy if indeed she is pregnant that seems to me to be his only investment in any of
01:48:12
these communications Mandi says Ally may have been trying to get Brandon thel's attention with texts about her drinking
01:48:20
in the past 48 hours I've literally drank a full bottle of tequila two bottles of champagne seven beers a glass
01:48:29
of wine I I can't even imagine someone her size being able to consume that much alcohol that's a lot of alcohol to
01:48:41
consume for somebody of her size and for many people if not most people my concern would be you know alcohol
01:48:48
poisoning or an overdose from alcohol which is why I raised the question of how much she's drinking or it's being
01:48:55
exaggerated to show hey to tell Brandon I'm self-destructive come to my rescue you got to help me I'm desperate do you
01:49:04
believe brandan believed she was pregnant I know that Ally claimed to have been pregnant so the question is
01:49:10
why would she claim to be pregnant if she were not pregnant hence my conclusion is that uh she wanted a
01:49:19
serious relationship with Brandon which in her mind could have included marriage
01:49:24
the text messages had created a digital map of a complicated relationship they also gave investigators clues about
01:49:32
where theesfeld was heading a week before Ali's death on Friday July 12th theld would
01:49:42
take a road trip home to Fort Worth Texas that same day Ally texted him a photo of two more ambiguous home
01:49:51
pregnancy tests less than 48 hours later at 4:16 p.m. he posts a disturbing photo on social media
01:50:01
he does a Snapchat saying with with a picture of this 4orty caliber gun and there's a chilling caption finally
01:50:09
taking my baby back to Oxford [Music] by the time Brandon thel drove back from Texas to Mississippi he'd left a digital
01:50:36
footprint and prosecutor say it revealed a deeply disturbing web search history he is doing some computer searches on
01:50:48
how to get away with crimes how to conceal crimes planning preparation type stuff how to tie people up how to lure
01:50:57
them in he did a search on for Ali's friend Morgan it was an eerie reminder a few months before this
01:51:10
happened Ally and I watched the Ted Bundy movie together extremely Wicked shockingly evil vile and we just sat in
01:51:19
her bed and we ate popcorn and snacks and we were like this is so mess up and then months later you know this happens
01:51:25
to Ali what explanation do you have for what he was thinking when he's making these searches well he certainly has
01:51:35
some uh searches that could be troubling it depends on how you view those when you start looking at someone's search
01:51:42
history you're watching TV you've got all sorts of news shows uh that feature Ted Bundy attorney Tony fice says the
01:51:50
search history doesn't prove theld had been planning to shoot Ally he says there's an innocent explanation for why
01:51:58
his client brought that pistol back to Mississippi that's not outlandish that in our part of the country in
01:52:06
Mississippi in Texas uh people people shoot we've got shooting ranges here in Oxford so we deny that it was brought
01:52:13
back for the sole purpose of killing Ali but it was clear to prosecutors thel's trip to Texas and the computer searches
01:52:22
were part of a carefully laid out plan when you put it together would appear to us what his purpose was in bringing the
01:52:29
gun back a gun that apparently he didn't even know how to use if you sit there and you go through all of his Google
01:52:36
searches he don't even really know how to work a gun he was Googling hollow point ammo and what button does what on
01:52:43
a Glock pistol on Thursday July 18th shortly before 2: in the morning Ali text thievel a photo of her
01:52:54
stomach the following day Friday July 19th the day before her death theld texts Ally are you going to be home
01:53:03
today cuz I could visit almost 2 hours later Ally texts him another photo and this message like it isn't like I'm not
01:53:12
that small anymore and I can pretend I'm fat right now but I don't know it's getting hard after a few more texts from
01:53:21
Ally th fell writes just let me know when you are back from going out is your house private right now the horrifying
01:53:30
irony is that text messages from him to her were asking is it a good environment
01:53:36
are your friends going to be there and you could assume that she's thinking he wants to talk about the pregnancy issue
01:53:44
and to work on the relationship in his mind he's thinking I don't want any Witnesses when I get her
01:53:51
in the car with me minutes before midnight a security camera captured Ally walking out of a
01:54:00
bar in Oxford Square then around 1:30 in the morning prosecutors say theesfeld and Ally take
01:54:08
that dark and desolate drive to Sardis Lake Once you turn off that paved Road onto the dirt road and then another 10
01:54:19
minutes to get to here there's no one out here I mean this is an abandoned Fish Camp yes ma'am assistant district
01:54:26
attorney Mickey Mallet and investigator Jared bundren took us to the place where
01:54:31
it happened where there's now a makeshift Memorial I mean I can only imagine what was going through her head
01:54:38
wasn't she alarmed wasn't she concerned you know in her mind she may not have had a reason before that to be in the
01:54:46
same kind of fear um you know we'll never know but I think she was just so blinded by her
01:54:53
desperation to talk about what to do in their relationship investigators found cans of
01:55:01
white claw hard Seltzer on the picnic table 11 shell casings were discovered on the ground would did ballistics tell
01:55:09
you ballistics told me he was sitting either AC cross RoR on that side of the table uh he fired one shot there was one
01:55:15
Shas here and the other 10 were in that area coming around the table they was not all in one spot it like started and
01:55:24
started coming all the way around he circled her yes and with every move he was fired me even one round hit the
01:55:32
table right there and he just left her here left her here theesfeld knew all about that place
01:55:43
on the lake he'd been there his freshman year his attorney told us what theld says happened that night he had been
01:55:51
drinking all that day she had been drinking they're listening to music they start talking Brandon has some cocaine
01:55:58
he goes to the truck uh does a little cocaine inside of the truck goes back to the picnic table theesfeld he says goes
01:56:06
back to his truck again grabs his pistol and fires a shot across the lake she states oh you're
01:56:15
crazy you sit there and talk then he shoots her remember at was shot at least nine
01:56:25
times why it just came out of nowhere I'm not sure out of nowhere Brandon denies that
01:56:35
it was planned when he took her out there I don't think Brandon would have been in this situation but for his
01:56:40
choice of consuming alcohol and then using cocaine so you're saying in that moment under the influence of alcohol
01:56:49
and cocaine he snapped that's what I'm saying it was out of Rage out of rage and rage for
01:56:59
what maybe he thought he was going to be a father and he wanted to end it his own
01:57:03
way [Music] the evidence against Brandon theesfeld according to prosecutors was overwhelming there was a lot of planning
01:57:35
on th feld's part about what he was going to do I'm not saying it was smart the way he did it but pretty good
01:57:44
indication that he was looking for a remote location so her body would not be discovered no doubt in your mind that
01:57:51
this was premeditated no doubt no doubt heat of passion no no was cold and calculated this was calculated over a
01:57:58
very extended period of time which is why it was capital murder in Mississippi a capital murder charge means another
01:58:05
felony crime was involved and in this case prosecutors say that crime was kidnapping they believe theld lured Ally
01:58:15
into his truck under the guise of working the relationship out when he had a 40 Cali pistol
01:58:22
and had planned her murder all along thel's attorney says that theory might be tough to prove a trial they were
01:58:30
going to have to show that we kidnapped Ally she voluntarily gets in the truck they're going to try to say that we
01:58:36
tricked her that's a very very big stretch with thel facing a possible death sentence and prosecutors knowing a
01:58:45
capital murder trial could be grueling emotional and risky for everyone involved they presented the defense with
01:58:52
an offer if you get a plea offer other than death then guess what you've got a scenario
01:59:00
where a plea to a lesser charge of first-degree murder is certainly more attractive and that's exactly what
01:59:08
happened on August 27th 2021 Too Close Brandon thel dressed in an orange jumpsuit pleaded guilty to first-degree
01:59:18
murder Ali's family and friends were there wearing her favorite color pink the judge sentenced Brandon to life
01:59:27
in prison reporter Jake Thompson was in the courtroom we never saw a motion from
01:59:32
him until uh they The Plea hearing where he spoke or read a little bit he broke down in tears that was the first time I
01:59:39
he showed emotion feld's audio was muffled when he faced the judge and addressed the court he said in part
01:59:47
quote there is no excuse for my actions I have asked God for forgiveness and I hope one day that you will find it in
01:59:55
your hearts to forgive me Brandon dville stood up and accepted responsibility in
02:00:02
open court and the realization of the consequences of his actions are very real and sobering there is no parole for
02:00:13
murder in Mississippi so let me tell you that is a terrible penalty why did he say he killed her there is no
02:00:23
justification for his conduct and I believe no good explanation for what he did does he say why though no I'm just
02:00:31
telling you to the best of I mean there there is no good answer I think what has
02:00:37
been explained is he's impaired uh on alcohol he's drunk he's impaired on cocaine we certainly know uh what that
02:00:46
does to someone's mind you know was he justified absolutely not were they arguing not to my knowledge did the
02:00:53
allegation of pregnancy going uh on and on and on contribute to that certainly could have he shared with us that he
02:01:02
didn't uh he didn't know but uh he didn't believe that she were pregnant but he he said he didn't believe she she
02:01:10
well he doubted that she was he doubted she wasant he doubted that she was pregnant prosecutors say the home
02:01:15
pregnancy test results were inconclusive alli's autopsy report however was definitive
02:01:22
we know medically she was not pregnant could ally have been pregnant in the months leading up to her
02:01:30
death according to a text message she sent theesfeld in early July Ally says she had been bleeding and believed
02:01:37
something was wrong there was some evidence that would have uh that could indicate she had a miscarriage do you
02:01:44
believe she was pregnant I do at some point I do to your knowledge was she pregnant we
02:01:55
just don't know she could have been but also the results were inconclusive so we
02:02:01
really just aren't sure prosecutors believe what happened between Ally costell and Brandon theld is a
02:02:08
cautionary tale now I can't imagine how there could be any way possible that Ally could have known that Brandon thfi
02:02:20
was capable of doing what he did to her if she had any idea that this is what this person
02:02:28
was capable of she would never have gotten in that truck I think love can blind us to
02:02:38
certain things that other people can see that we can't Brandon thel's family chose not to participate in our
02:02:46
broadcast his mother asked his attorney to share these words when I heard Brandon was was being spoken to by the
02:02:53
police I still had no single thought that it could be him now after 2 years and knowing more of the details of their
02:03:00
relationship I'm heartbroken for every person this impacts and crushed that our son did not share with us any of the
02:03:08
turmoil he was trying to manage I encourage every parent to regularly sit down with their children teenagers young
02:03:15
adults and discuss with them that there will never be anything too big too complicated too out of control that they
02:03:23
cannot tell you about we will always pray for the family and friends of Ali [Music]
02:03:33
Castell Cindy and Keith are holding on to their memories how are you doing it's the the the quietest moments that are
02:03:43
the most haunting chose my life my everything for her friends Ali's love love for sunsets still shines through
02:03:55
Ally what are you doing taking a picture for sunsets by Alex follow it so every time we see a sunset or a pink sunset
02:04:02
we're like that's Aly and we just try to live for her and bring her light into the
02:04:07
[Music] world 48 Hours don't miss an episode [Music]

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Episode Highlights

  • Lori's Last Call
    Lori Slazinski's final call to her friend Lindsay marked the beginning of a tragic mystery.
    “That last call did it.”
    @ 03m 56s
    September 07, 2024
  • Rick Andis Arrested
    After years of investigation, Rick Andis is finally arrested for Lori's murder, shocking the community.
    “You're not going to get away with this.”
    @ 24m 18s
    September 07, 2024
  • Arlene's Heartbreak
    Arlene Slazinski shares the devastating losses of her family, including her daughter and husband.
    “You lose your daughter, you lose your son, and then you lose your husband.”
    @ 25m 50s
    September 07, 2024
  • Verdict Reached
    The jury finds Rick Enis guilty of the murder of Lori Slazinski after years of waiting for justice.
    “Justice has finally come, we've waited for this for a long time.”
    @ 38m 22s
    September 07, 2024
  • The Traffic Stop That Changed Everything
    Gabby and Brian's stop by police revealed troubling signs of domestic conflict.
    “It was the stop that could have changed everything.”
    @ 52m 23s
    September 07, 2024
  • Gabby's Last Instagram Post
    Gabby's final Instagram post was a cheerful moment before her disappearance.
    “Gabby never goes outside.”
    @ 01h 01m 37s
    September 07, 2024
  • The Cryptic Text
    Gabby's mother received a strange text from her phone, raising alarms.
    “Can you help Stan?”
    @ 01h 02m 09s
    September 07, 2024
  • Seeking Justice for Gabby
    Gabby's parents are suing for wrongful death, believing the Laundries knew more than they let on.
    “How damning is that?”
    @ 01h 17m 27s
    September 07, 2024
  • Lawsuit Against Moab Police
    Gabby's parents filed a lawsuit against the Moab Police for mishandling a domestic violence stop.
    “Gabby's family believes she would still be alive today if the police had acted properly.”
    @ 01h 18m 54s
    September 07, 2024
  • The Impact of Gabby's Story
    Gabby's mother hopes her daughter's story inspires others to escape abusive relationships.
    “There can be these bright lights that come out of these bad circumstances.”
    @ 01h 21m 55s
    September 07, 2024
  • Brandon's Guilty Plea
    On August 27, 2021, Brandon Theesfeld pleaded guilty to first-degree murder, receiving a life sentence.
    “There is no excuse for my actions.”
    @ 01h 59m 47s
    September 07, 2024
  • A Cautionary Tale
    Prosecutors believe the tragic events between Ally and Brandon serve as a cautionary tale.
    “I can't imagine how Ally could have known what Brandon was capable of.”
    @ 02h 02m 08s
    September 07, 2024

Episode Quotes

  • I killed them both.
    True Crime Friends and Foes |"48 Hours" Full Episodes
  • You lose your daughter, you lose your son, and then you lose your husband.
    True Crime Friends and Foes |"48 Hours" Full Episodes
  • This is a very, very important question.
    True Crime Friends and Foes |"48 Hours" Full Episodes
  • I ended her life. I thought it was merciful.
    True Crime Friends and Foes |"48 Hours" Full Episodes
  • Gabby Patito doing in death what she did in life.
    True Crime Friends and Foes |"48 Hours" Full Episodes
  • There is no excuse for my actions.
    True Crime Friends and Foes |"48 Hours" Full Episodes

Key Moments

  • Missing Person02:30
  • Final Call03:56
  • Rick Andis Arrested24:18
  • Justice Served38:22
  • Last Instagram Post1:01:41
  • Brian's Confession1:16:05
  • Police Mishandling1:18:40
  • Digital Footprint1:50:36

Words per Minute Over Time

Vibes Breakdown