1 00:00:06,552 --> 00:00:10,112 Speaker 1: True Crime Conversations acknowledges the traditional owners of land and 2 00:00:10,152 --> 00:00:13,192 Speaker 1: waters that this podcast was recorded on Hey there, just 3 00:00:13,232 --> 00:00:15,832 Speaker 1: before we kick off True Crime Conversations today, I want 4 00:00:15,872 --> 00:00:18,032 Speaker 1: to let you know this episode does mention a story 5 00:00:18,112 --> 00:00:21,112 Speaker 1: of suicide at the Cecil Hotel. If you or anyone 6 00:00:21,152 --> 00:00:24,032 Speaker 1: you know needs to speak with an expert, please contact 7 00:00:24,032 --> 00:00:26,432 Speaker 1: your GP, or if you are here in Australia, you 8 00:00:26,472 --> 00:00:29,712 Speaker 1: can reach out to Lifeline on thirteen eleven fourteen, or 9 00:00:29,752 --> 00:00:32,032 Speaker 1: if you're a bit younger, Kids Helpline one eight hundred, 10 00:00:32,072 --> 00:00:35,752 Speaker 1: double five eighteen hundred or Beyond Blue on thirteen hundred, 11 00:00:35,872 --> 00:00:39,352 Speaker 1: twenty two forty six thirty six. All of these will 12 00:00:39,351 --> 00:00:42,472 Speaker 1: provide trained counselors you can talk to twenty four seven. 13 00:00:43,751 --> 00:00:47,912 Speaker 1: On a Tuesday morning in February twenty thirteen, complaints start 14 00:00:47,912 --> 00:00:50,632 Speaker 1: to trickle into the front desk of the Cecil Hotel. 15 00:00:51,672 --> 00:00:55,072 Speaker 1: The water is coming out brown. One guest says it 16 00:00:55,112 --> 00:00:59,312 Speaker 1: tastes metallic, says another, I can't shower in this. The 17 00:00:59,352 --> 00:01:02,192 Speaker 1: front desk clerk is used to hearing complaints like these 18 00:01:02,392 --> 00:01:05,912 Speaker 1: working at the Cecil, an infamous hotel located in the 19 00:01:05,912 --> 00:01:09,712 Speaker 1: heart of downtown LA. The maintenance supervisor a weathered man 20 00:01:09,752 --> 00:01:13,112 Speaker 1: who's seen everything the seasil can throw at him, finally 21 00:01:13,112 --> 00:01:17,112 Speaker 1: decides to investigate. He's dealt with burst pipes, backed up sewage, 22 00:01:17,112 --> 00:01:19,232 Speaker 1: and electrical fires in his fifteen years there. 23 00:01:19,592 --> 00:01:21,592 Speaker 2: Water problems are usually pretty straightforward. 24 00:01:21,752 --> 00:01:24,512 Speaker 1: It'll be a broken mane, some corroded pipes, maybe even 25 00:01:24,551 --> 00:01:27,712 Speaker 1: a dead rat in the system. He climbs the narrow 26 00:01:27,752 --> 00:01:31,631 Speaker 1: service ladder to the rooftop and approaches four large water tanks. 27 00:01:31,752 --> 00:01:34,672 Speaker 1: Now they supplied the hotel six hundred rooms, which are 28 00:01:34,672 --> 00:01:38,792 Speaker 1: spread out across fourteen floors. He notices on approach that 29 00:01:38,872 --> 00:01:42,752 Speaker 1: the lid on the far tank is sitting just slightly askew. 30 00:01:43,592 --> 00:01:46,152 Speaker 1: Now he's noted it, but it's nothing unusual. The wind 31 00:01:46,191 --> 00:01:48,592 Speaker 1: and weather has been known to be pretty strong up there, 32 00:01:48,712 --> 00:01:53,192 Speaker 1: enough to shift the heavy coverts. But as he approaches, 33 00:01:53,872 --> 00:01:58,632 Speaker 1: he's hit with something a smell so pungent he. 34 00:01:58,672 --> 00:01:59,912 Speaker 2: Could almost touch it. 35 00:02:01,072 --> 00:02:03,192 Speaker 1: He lifts the lid, the one that he'd noticed wasn't 36 00:02:03,232 --> 00:02:06,192 Speaker 1: quite un right, and peers into the darkness below. 37 00:02:07,192 --> 00:02:09,192 Speaker 2: What he sees will set. 38 00:02:09,032 --> 00:02:13,632 Speaker 1: Off an investigation and internet tidal wave that will leave 39 00:02:13,672 --> 00:02:19,072 Speaker 1: the employees dumbfounded, web slutes, intrigued, and detectives scratching their heads. 40 00:02:19,712 --> 00:02:22,912 Speaker 1: But the reality is it's all part of the history 41 00:02:22,912 --> 00:02:26,672 Speaker 1: of a hotel that has seen it all, including a 42 00:02:26,752 --> 00:02:32,712 Speaker 1: lot of death. I'm Claire Murphy and this is True 43 00:02:32,712 --> 00:02:36,832 Speaker 1: Crime Conversations, a podcast exploring the world's most notorious crimes 44 00:02:37,032 --> 00:02:40,192 Speaker 1: by speaking to the people who know the most about them. 45 00:02:40,232 --> 00:02:44,072 Speaker 1: Floating in the dark water, nineteen days after she was 46 00:02:44,152 --> 00:02:47,112 Speaker 1: last seen alive is the body of twenty one year 47 00:02:47,112 --> 00:02:50,392 Speaker 1: old Elisa Lamb. The Canadian student had checked into the 48 00:02:50,432 --> 00:02:53,312 Speaker 1: Cecil Hotel on January twenty eighth. She was on a 49 00:02:53,312 --> 00:02:56,431 Speaker 1: solo adventure, traveling around the US and experiencing the life 50 00:02:56,432 --> 00:02:59,392 Speaker 1: she'd always dreamed of. On January thirty one, the day 51 00:02:59,432 --> 00:03:01,672 Speaker 1: before Lisa was supposed to check out of room five 52 00:03:01,792 --> 00:03:05,832 Speaker 1: one four, she visited a bookstore and spoke to the staff. Now, 53 00:03:05,912 --> 00:03:08,232 Speaker 1: they would be the last people to have any contact 54 00:03:08,272 --> 00:03:11,432 Speaker 1: with her. If you have spent any time at all 55 00:03:11,472 --> 00:03:13,832 Speaker 1: on the Internet, you've probably already seen Elsa. 56 00:03:14,432 --> 00:03:15,352 Speaker 2: Police would release a. 57 00:03:15,392 --> 00:03:17,992 Speaker 1: Video of her stepping into the hotel's elevator. 58 00:03:18,432 --> 00:03:21,352 Speaker 2: There's no sound, but her actions are. 59 00:03:21,472 --> 00:03:24,792 Speaker 1: Creepy, to say the least, disturbing almost and for those 60 00:03:24,832 --> 00:03:27,952 Speaker 1: investigating her disappearance incredibly confusing. 61 00:03:28,992 --> 00:03:31,112 Speaker 2: She steps in and immediately. 62 00:03:30,592 --> 00:03:32,832 Speaker 1: Scoops to the wall beside the door, putting her back 63 00:03:32,832 --> 00:03:35,312 Speaker 1: to the surface where the buttons sit. She seems to 64 00:03:35,392 --> 00:03:38,632 Speaker 1: be glancing outside, possibly looking for someone that she doesn't 65 00:03:38,632 --> 00:03:40,912 Speaker 1: want to see her is someone following her? 66 00:03:41,672 --> 00:03:42,432 Speaker 2: She presses some. 67 00:03:42,392 --> 00:03:46,032 Speaker 1: Buttons, but not just for her floor multiple floors. She 68 00:03:46,072 --> 00:03:49,512 Speaker 1: then repeatedly steps out of and back into the elevator again. 69 00:03:49,552 --> 00:03:51,432 Speaker 1: She puts her back up against the wall, this time 70 00:03:51,472 --> 00:03:54,712 Speaker 1: on the outside, and at one stage she makes gestures 71 00:03:54,712 --> 00:03:57,112 Speaker 1: with her hands, so it looks like she's trying to 72 00:03:57,672 --> 00:04:03,272 Speaker 1: maybe touch something or gesture towards someone who just isn't there. Strangely, 73 00:04:03,672 --> 00:04:06,272 Speaker 1: the door of the elevator stays open for this entire 74 00:04:06,432 --> 00:04:09,352 Speaker 1: higher time, even when she's outside of it. The doors 75 00:04:09,712 --> 00:04:13,192 Speaker 1: remain open, allowing us to see Lisa and her strange 76 00:04:13,192 --> 00:04:17,272 Speaker 1: behaviors from the camera mounted inside the elevator itself. It's 77 00:04:17,312 --> 00:04:20,272 Speaker 1: only when she eventually disappears from view to the doors 78 00:04:20,432 --> 00:04:24,632 Speaker 1: finally close, and Alisa Lamb is never seen alive again. 79 00:04:25,752 --> 00:04:28,272 Speaker 1: What led to her ending up inside the water tank 80 00:04:28,392 --> 00:04:30,432 Speaker 1: up on the roof has been the cause of speculation 81 00:04:30,832 --> 00:04:32,312 Speaker 1: by thousands of people. 82 00:04:32,152 --> 00:04:33,112 Speaker 2: Across the globe. 83 00:04:33,512 --> 00:04:36,352 Speaker 1: But for those who called the Cecil their workplace, this 84 00:04:36,432 --> 00:04:38,351 Speaker 1: case is just one of many deaths I've had to 85 00:04:38,392 --> 00:04:42,272 Speaker 1: face during their time matting the desk. Amy Price managed 86 00:04:42,272 --> 00:04:45,072 Speaker 1: the hotel Cecil for ten years, including at the time 87 00:04:45,112 --> 00:04:48,272 Speaker 1: Alisa Lamb died, and she has many tales to tell 88 00:04:48,352 --> 00:04:52,712 Speaker 1: about the grand entrance Cecil, how that very expensive chandelier 89 00:04:52,712 --> 00:04:55,392 Speaker 1: and the lobby gave her and the hotel's guests a 90 00:04:55,392 --> 00:04:59,752 Speaker 1: false first impression when so much darkness lurked not only 91 00:04:59,792 --> 00:05:02,072 Speaker 1: within its walls but all around it. 92 00:05:02,512 --> 00:05:07,512 Speaker 2: Amy joins us. Now, Amy, thank you so much for 93 00:05:07,632 --> 00:05:08,592 Speaker 2: joining us today. 94 00:05:08,712 --> 00:05:11,712 Speaker 1: I think the thing that stood out for me in 95 00:05:11,792 --> 00:05:15,912 Speaker 1: reading your book and seeing you in the Netflix documentary 96 00:05:16,112 --> 00:05:20,912 Speaker 1: is there is such a weird like clash between you 97 00:05:20,992 --> 00:05:25,472 Speaker 1: as this kind of young, glamorous, very well dressed woman 98 00:05:25,832 --> 00:05:28,072 Speaker 1: working at a hotel that had a reputation in a 99 00:05:28,112 --> 00:05:34,592 Speaker 1: place that seemed like really quite hard to do, And like, 100 00:05:34,752 --> 00:05:38,032 Speaker 1: how did you feel walking into that place on your 101 00:05:38,192 --> 00:05:41,072 Speaker 1: very first day? And I apologize because we refer to 102 00:05:41,112 --> 00:05:43,192 Speaker 1: it as Cecil, but I understand you guys pronounce it 103 00:05:43,192 --> 00:05:47,512 Speaker 1: as Cecil, So walking into the Cecil that very first day, 104 00:05:48,712 --> 00:05:49,192 Speaker 1: what was your. 105 00:05:49,232 --> 00:05:50,192 Speaker 2: Very first impression. 106 00:05:50,192 --> 00:05:51,392 Speaker 1: And I know that you mentioned in the book the 107 00:05:51,432 --> 00:05:54,312 Speaker 1: lobby certainly did not match the rest of the hotel. 108 00:05:54,992 --> 00:05:58,392 Speaker 3: Yeah, and you have to understand when I first started 109 00:05:58,392 --> 00:06:00,671 Speaker 3: at the Cecil, it was supposed to be only for 110 00:06:00,832 --> 00:06:05,032 Speaker 3: a few days, so I was helping a friend, gladly, 111 00:06:05,152 --> 00:06:08,272 Speaker 3: you know, glad to help, and you know, looking at 112 00:06:08,312 --> 00:06:13,232 Speaker 3: it as a very temporary situation. And you know, when 113 00:06:13,272 --> 00:06:16,912 Speaker 3: I was driving downtown and noticed the area, I certainly, 114 00:06:18,032 --> 00:06:20,512 Speaker 3: you know, I was I always unsure, you know, it 115 00:06:20,552 --> 00:06:24,632 Speaker 3: didn't look that great, you know, so, but also in 116 00:06:24,672 --> 00:06:27,431 Speaker 3: the same breath, you know, for years and years people 117 00:06:27,472 --> 00:06:30,552 Speaker 3: talk about the revival of Los Angeles, and it seemed 118 00:06:30,552 --> 00:06:32,592 Speaker 3: like it would be really a great opportunity to be 119 00:06:32,632 --> 00:06:35,912 Speaker 3: a part of it. So my first day on the 120 00:06:35,992 --> 00:06:41,032 Speaker 3: job was definitely overwhelming, just trying to navigate such a 121 00:06:41,072 --> 00:06:43,992 Speaker 3: different place. You know, I was given a tour, and 122 00:06:44,752 --> 00:06:46,992 Speaker 3: none of the things that I was seeing were anything 123 00:06:47,232 --> 00:06:49,312 Speaker 3: like a hotel I had checked into before. 124 00:06:50,192 --> 00:06:51,832 Speaker 1: Can you give us an idea of what the building 125 00:06:51,912 --> 00:06:54,192 Speaker 1: is like, because it's funny because on the outside there's 126 00:06:54,232 --> 00:06:56,712 Speaker 1: these really big signs that advertise that there are seven 127 00:06:56,792 --> 00:07:00,752 Speaker 1: hundred rooms within this hotel. Structure, which is like these 128 00:07:00,792 --> 00:07:05,231 Speaker 1: big towers, which is massive in itself, but also apparently 129 00:07:05,272 --> 00:07:08,752 Speaker 1: this six hundred room, which is a weird thing in itself. 130 00:07:09,232 --> 00:07:12,432 Speaker 1: But can you explain to us just how huge these 131 00:07:12,472 --> 00:07:15,792 Speaker 1: places and what it was like in the different sections 132 00:07:15,832 --> 00:07:16,432 Speaker 1: of the hotel. 133 00:07:16,912 --> 00:07:19,792 Speaker 3: Well, when I first started, it was all one section. 134 00:07:19,912 --> 00:07:23,832 Speaker 3: It was a hotel along with you know, full time 135 00:07:23,992 --> 00:07:25,672 Speaker 3: residents had the same look. 136 00:07:25,752 --> 00:07:29,112 Speaker 4: Everything was the same and just. 137 00:07:29,072 --> 00:07:32,752 Speaker 3: A very very rundown, bare bones place, a place that 138 00:07:32,792 --> 00:07:35,032 Speaker 3: I had never visited before in my life. You know, 139 00:07:35,592 --> 00:07:39,072 Speaker 3: there's zero air conditioning. The rooms are about one hundred 140 00:07:39,072 --> 00:07:41,832 Speaker 3: and twenty square feet. Most of them do not have 141 00:07:41,872 --> 00:07:45,112 Speaker 3: a bathroom. I had never seen a hotel without a 142 00:07:45,112 --> 00:07:48,112 Speaker 3: bathroom in the US at that time, there weren't any 143 00:07:48,152 --> 00:07:51,912 Speaker 3: youth hostels where it was normal for Americans to be 144 00:07:51,952 --> 00:07:56,872 Speaker 3: doing a hostile situation. So just the overall set up, 145 00:07:56,912 --> 00:08:00,872 Speaker 3: the public bathrooms, the demographic of the people walking around, 146 00:08:00,992 --> 00:08:03,672 Speaker 3: it was all very, very different. 147 00:08:04,032 --> 00:08:06,152 Speaker 4: Than anything that I'd ever experienced before. 148 00:08:06,912 --> 00:08:08,352 Speaker 1: Well, you mentioned that you got a tour of the 149 00:08:08,352 --> 00:08:11,432 Speaker 1: hotel from a man who has become quite a good 150 00:08:11,472 --> 00:08:13,592 Speaker 1: friend of yours since you worked together for such a 151 00:08:13,592 --> 00:08:14,072 Speaker 1: long time. 152 00:08:14,152 --> 00:08:15,232 Speaker 2: Pedro and he. 153 00:08:15,192 --> 00:08:17,952 Speaker 1: Tells you pretty quickly that a lot of people die 154 00:08:18,232 --> 00:08:20,912 Speaker 1: inside the Cecil Hotel. Can you tell us a few 155 00:08:20,912 --> 00:08:22,352 Speaker 1: of the things that he filled you in on on 156 00:08:22,392 --> 00:08:23,032 Speaker 1: that first tour? 157 00:08:24,312 --> 00:08:25,232 Speaker 4: One hundred percent. 158 00:08:25,752 --> 00:08:27,832 Speaker 3: So during the tour, you know, we went into a 159 00:08:27,872 --> 00:08:30,192 Speaker 3: lot of the rooms that were unoccupied, and they had 160 00:08:30,232 --> 00:08:33,792 Speaker 3: been unoccupied for years and years and years, so. 161 00:08:34,952 --> 00:08:36,792 Speaker 4: A lot of cases were walking in and. 162 00:08:36,752 --> 00:08:39,792 Speaker 3: You know, there's just bad smells and it's not necessarily 163 00:08:40,352 --> 00:08:42,992 Speaker 3: always related to what happened in the room, but there 164 00:08:43,032 --> 00:08:46,792 Speaker 3: were just like unsettling sense every time we walked into 165 00:08:46,792 --> 00:08:49,432 Speaker 3: a room and I would ask him what happened in here? 166 00:08:49,632 --> 00:08:52,072 Speaker 3: You know, it just I got the vibe that there 167 00:08:52,192 --> 00:08:54,472 Speaker 3: was a lot of things that had gone on in 168 00:08:54,552 --> 00:08:57,072 Speaker 3: some of these rooms. And he shared a lot of 169 00:08:57,112 --> 00:09:03,432 Speaker 3: the stories with me, which again was it was interesting 170 00:09:03,512 --> 00:09:06,631 Speaker 3: to hear that these situations had happen and then he 171 00:09:06,672 --> 00:09:09,552 Speaker 3: had seen them. And to top it off, while I 172 00:09:09,632 --> 00:09:12,872 Speaker 3: was doing that tour, somebody did pass away, you know, 173 00:09:13,312 --> 00:09:15,872 Speaker 3: at the hotel, and I heard it on the intercom 174 00:09:16,352 --> 00:09:17,392 Speaker 3: and it shocked me. 175 00:09:17,592 --> 00:09:20,832 Speaker 4: I thought, what's going on? You know, somebody's died, you know, 176 00:09:21,072 --> 00:09:21,752 Speaker 4: like you know. 177 00:09:21,792 --> 00:09:24,912 Speaker 3: It just it was my first experience with anything like that, 178 00:09:25,592 --> 00:09:28,032 Speaker 3: and he said, he said, yes, it happens all the time. 179 00:09:28,872 --> 00:09:31,312 Speaker 4: And I thought, wow. 180 00:09:31,192 --> 00:09:34,992 Speaker 3: Okay, you know, and again I you know, as I 181 00:09:35,032 --> 00:09:38,152 Speaker 3: stayed on longer and got to got familiar with what 182 00:09:38,392 --> 00:09:39,472 Speaker 3: was going on at the cecil. 183 00:09:41,112 --> 00:09:43,391 Speaker 4: These aren't murders you know that are going on. 184 00:09:43,472 --> 00:09:45,912 Speaker 3: You know that that's what people tend to jump to, 185 00:09:46,072 --> 00:09:48,872 Speaker 3: is that they're you know, they're murders and and things 186 00:09:49,072 --> 00:09:50,832 Speaker 3: you know, associated with with that. 187 00:09:50,952 --> 00:09:52,792 Speaker 4: But a lot of them were just you. 188 00:09:52,672 --> 00:09:57,512 Speaker 3: Know, old age overdose of course, but not like not murders. 189 00:09:58,392 --> 00:10:00,511 Speaker 1: Not to say that there weren't any murders though, because 190 00:10:00,512 --> 00:10:02,512 Speaker 1: you mentioned in the book that the rooms that you 191 00:10:02,552 --> 00:10:04,312 Speaker 1: were first given because you're only supposed to be there 192 00:10:04,312 --> 00:10:06,272 Speaker 1: for a few days, to kind of overhaul the room 193 00:10:06,392 --> 00:10:08,632 Speaker 1: to make it look like a big chain hotel in 194 00:10:08,672 --> 00:10:11,232 Speaker 1: this idea that maybe it would be turned into that eventually. 195 00:10:11,672 --> 00:10:14,792 Speaker 1: And the room that you're given to overhaul, you're told 196 00:10:15,152 --> 00:10:16,592 Speaker 1: a murder had taken place in. 197 00:10:17,552 --> 00:10:20,952 Speaker 3: Yes, you're correct on that, and that involves my friend Pedro, 198 00:10:21,392 --> 00:10:25,072 Speaker 3: and it was a circumstance that happened many years ago 199 00:10:25,512 --> 00:10:30,872 Speaker 3: where somebody had been stabbed in that room many many times, 200 00:10:31,392 --> 00:10:33,272 Speaker 3: and to top it off, my friend Pedro at the 201 00:10:33,272 --> 00:10:37,512 Speaker 3: time was taken in for questioning. And if you ever Metam, 202 00:10:37,632 --> 00:10:39,272 Speaker 3: I mean, there was just no way that he would 203 00:10:39,272 --> 00:10:41,592 Speaker 3: be capable of harming anybody. 204 00:10:42,112 --> 00:10:45,912 Speaker 1: I'd love to get an understanding from you and myself 205 00:10:45,912 --> 00:10:48,432 Speaker 1: and the producers of this show have talked about this 206 00:10:48,512 --> 00:10:51,912 Speaker 1: as we've been researching your story. Like if any of 207 00:10:51,952 --> 00:10:54,552 Speaker 1: us were taken into our new workplace, shown around and 208 00:10:54,632 --> 00:10:56,232 Speaker 1: understand you're only supposed to be there for a few 209 00:10:56,272 --> 00:10:59,512 Speaker 1: days to start with. But if someone showed me this 210 00:10:59,632 --> 00:11:01,832 Speaker 1: place and told me people die here all the time, 211 00:11:01,952 --> 00:11:04,352 Speaker 1: I probably would have turned around and walked out on 212 00:11:04,432 --> 00:11:04,992 Speaker 1: that day. 213 00:11:05,512 --> 00:11:06,592 Speaker 2: What maje is day? 214 00:11:08,152 --> 00:11:11,511 Speaker 3: The creative element I you know, I'm extremely creative. I've 215 00:11:11,512 --> 00:11:14,912 Speaker 3: been creative most of my life, and it was an 216 00:11:14,992 --> 00:11:19,952 Speaker 3: excellent opportunity to to do something new, you know, the vision. 217 00:11:20,032 --> 00:11:22,432 Speaker 3: I was more sold, I guess at that time, on 218 00:11:22,512 --> 00:11:26,752 Speaker 3: the vision of what would be the end result, which 219 00:11:26,752 --> 00:11:30,552 Speaker 3: would be revival and a lot of opportunity. So that's 220 00:11:30,592 --> 00:11:33,632 Speaker 3: why I continued to focus on exactly what I was doing, 221 00:11:33,632 --> 00:11:37,312 Speaker 3: And at that time I wasn't involved with when those 222 00:11:37,352 --> 00:11:39,992 Speaker 3: things happened. I wasn't taking care of it, like I 223 00:11:40,032 --> 00:11:43,631 Speaker 3: would pretty pretty soon, you know, But at that time, 224 00:11:43,712 --> 00:11:46,232 Speaker 3: I was focused on what I was hired to do. 225 00:11:46,992 --> 00:11:51,032 Speaker 3: At that time, we didn't have iPhones like we do now, 226 00:11:51,232 --> 00:11:53,552 Speaker 3: Like you know, where you would type in the hotel 227 00:11:53,632 --> 00:11:55,432 Speaker 3: the history. I mean, I would have known so much 228 00:11:55,472 --> 00:11:58,392 Speaker 3: more if things were different during that period, you know, 229 00:11:58,552 --> 00:12:01,432 Speaker 3: just exactly the history, and maybe I would have asked, 230 00:12:01,592 --> 00:12:04,232 Speaker 3: you know, a few more questions prior to you know, 231 00:12:04,312 --> 00:12:08,712 Speaker 3: starting the position, but the information was not available. It 232 00:12:08,832 --> 00:12:11,232 Speaker 3: was just known that downtown Los Angeles was a rough 233 00:12:11,272 --> 00:12:13,631 Speaker 3: area and that they were trying to make a comeback. 234 00:12:14,152 --> 00:12:15,312 Speaker 1: Can you give us a bit of an idea of 235 00:12:15,312 --> 00:12:19,712 Speaker 1: what downtown LA was like, because I mean, at some 236 00:12:19,752 --> 00:12:22,672 Speaker 1: stage skid Row was basically right outside the Cecil's front 237 00:12:22,712 --> 00:12:24,672 Speaker 1: door until it was kind of shoved back a little bit. 238 00:12:24,712 --> 00:12:28,072 Speaker 1: But what what was that area actually like around the hotel? 239 00:12:28,952 --> 00:12:30,992 Speaker 3: It certainly wasn't great, that's for sure. You know, if 240 00:12:30,992 --> 00:12:32,632 Speaker 3: you walk on the sidewalk that you see a lot 241 00:12:32,672 --> 00:12:35,152 Speaker 3: of homeless people, and you know, that's shocking in itself 242 00:12:35,192 --> 00:12:38,112 Speaker 3: to see so many people in despair. You know that 243 00:12:38,112 --> 00:12:40,592 Speaker 3: they clearly don't have a place to go. And we're 244 00:12:40,632 --> 00:12:43,032 Speaker 3: also catering to those people at the first of the month. 245 00:12:43,112 --> 00:12:46,432 Speaker 3: You know, at that time as well, downtown Los Angeles, 246 00:12:46,872 --> 00:12:49,432 Speaker 3: I feel and still will say, it feels dirty. It 247 00:12:49,472 --> 00:12:52,192 Speaker 3: was dirty, but there was also evidence that, you know, 248 00:12:52,272 --> 00:12:55,352 Speaker 3: things were moving along. There were a lot of developers 249 00:12:55,392 --> 00:12:59,152 Speaker 3: that were working on multiple projects, you know, at the time, 250 00:12:59,232 --> 00:13:02,272 Speaker 3: with high rise housing for the young and the hip, 251 00:13:02,392 --> 00:13:05,072 Speaker 3: and you know, I just became sold on the story 252 00:13:05,232 --> 00:13:06,712 Speaker 3: that I wanted to be a part of it. 253 00:13:08,032 --> 00:13:10,632 Speaker 1: You mentioned that you served a lot of those people 254 00:13:10,632 --> 00:13:12,472 Speaker 1: that you saw outside the building on the first of 255 00:13:12,512 --> 00:13:15,192 Speaker 1: the month, and that was due to their welfare checks 256 00:13:15,232 --> 00:13:16,952 Speaker 1: coming in at that time, so they would come to 257 00:13:16,992 --> 00:13:18,992 Speaker 1: you to try and find somewhere to stay, even if 258 00:13:19,032 --> 00:13:20,472 Speaker 1: it was for a short period of time. 259 00:13:21,192 --> 00:13:21,912 Speaker 4: That's correct. 260 00:13:21,952 --> 00:13:25,312 Speaker 3: I mean, my first experience with the First of the 261 00:13:25,392 --> 00:13:27,152 Speaker 3: month was shocking. 262 00:13:27,432 --> 00:13:29,872 Speaker 4: You know. I remember walking into the lobby. 263 00:13:29,632 --> 00:13:32,472 Speaker 3: And seeing such a long line of people checking in 264 00:13:32,552 --> 00:13:35,512 Speaker 3: with garbage bags, you know, and then you know, I 265 00:13:35,552 --> 00:13:37,752 Speaker 3: ask a lot of questions. I'm a very curious person, 266 00:13:37,832 --> 00:13:41,072 Speaker 3: so Peter was always that person for me, and you know, 267 00:13:41,112 --> 00:13:43,352 Speaker 3: I would ask them what's going on, and you said, oh, 268 00:13:43,352 --> 00:13:44,992 Speaker 3: it's the first of the month. You know, they got 269 00:13:45,272 --> 00:13:46,992 Speaker 3: they got their checks, so they'll come in for a 270 00:13:46,992 --> 00:13:49,992 Speaker 3: couple of days and clean up and then go back 271 00:13:50,032 --> 00:13:51,792 Speaker 3: out like it was normal. 272 00:13:52,592 --> 00:13:55,472 Speaker 1: In the book, you mentioned that the Cecil is sometimes 273 00:13:55,472 --> 00:13:59,192 Speaker 1: referred to as the hotel inside a hotel, because at 274 00:13:59,232 --> 00:14:01,912 Speaker 1: one stage, later on down the track, there is like 275 00:14:01,992 --> 00:14:06,752 Speaker 1: a more high end hotel created within the building, while 276 00:14:06,792 --> 00:14:09,072 Speaker 1: at the same time it's still servicing those people you 277 00:14:09,112 --> 00:14:10,952 Speaker 1: were talking about, and some of the people who are 278 00:14:10,992 --> 00:14:14,112 Speaker 1: longtime residents had been there for decades and decades, which 279 00:14:14,152 --> 00:14:17,672 Speaker 1: is really interesting too. How was that for you to 280 00:14:17,792 --> 00:14:22,232 Speaker 1: run two very different businesses at that time, catering to 281 00:14:22,272 --> 00:14:25,312 Speaker 1: people who were really doing it tough, will also welcoming 282 00:14:25,352 --> 00:14:26,952 Speaker 1: guests who are travelers essentially. 283 00:14:27,952 --> 00:14:30,592 Speaker 3: Well, I would say that there was actually three categories, 284 00:14:30,672 --> 00:14:33,072 Speaker 3: you know, the full time tenants, which is also you know, 285 00:14:33,192 --> 00:14:36,632 Speaker 3: another whole category, and they were located in a certain 286 00:14:36,712 --> 00:14:40,472 Speaker 3: area in the hotel, and then the Cecil hotel, and 287 00:14:40,512 --> 00:14:45,032 Speaker 3: then the stay which was you know, inside inside the Cecil. 288 00:14:45,592 --> 00:14:49,112 Speaker 3: So we never could quite separate them because of the 289 00:14:49,112 --> 00:14:53,272 Speaker 3: elevator banks, so all the demographics are riding up together, 290 00:14:53,392 --> 00:14:57,512 Speaker 3: and that was that was tough too. There were some 291 00:14:57,632 --> 00:15:01,552 Speaker 3: tough times on that but initially when we did launch, 292 00:15:02,072 --> 00:15:04,392 Speaker 3: you know, Stay was originally called Stay. We had a 293 00:15:04,432 --> 00:15:06,632 Speaker 3: lot of success. I mean we were on the cover 294 00:15:06,752 --> 00:15:10,192 Speaker 3: of Hospitality Design. I mean that's something to be proud of, 295 00:15:10,272 --> 00:15:13,792 Speaker 3: you know, to be able to create a concept and 296 00:15:14,472 --> 00:15:17,512 Speaker 3: you know, work on site to make it happen. And 297 00:15:17,712 --> 00:15:19,632 Speaker 3: it was a lot of hard work that was very intense, 298 00:15:19,712 --> 00:15:21,552 Speaker 3: you know, and we did it in a short period 299 00:15:21,632 --> 00:15:24,112 Speaker 3: of time. But it was super rewarding, you know, to 300 00:15:24,112 --> 00:15:27,232 Speaker 3: see these people arrive, you know, from all over the world. 301 00:15:27,352 --> 00:15:29,512 Speaker 4: You know, stay at a hotel that you designed. 302 00:15:30,512 --> 00:15:34,592 Speaker 3: But the link between the two properties, you know, with 303 00:15:34,672 --> 00:15:37,352 Speaker 3: the two elevator banks, they were always mixed, so that 304 00:15:37,472 --> 00:15:40,432 Speaker 3: you know, there were circumstances where these young travelers are 305 00:15:40,472 --> 00:15:44,232 Speaker 3: writing with some of these people with garbage bags, and 306 00:15:44,312 --> 00:15:48,072 Speaker 3: you know, it was questionable, you know, but it was inevitable. 307 00:15:48,912 --> 00:15:51,912 Speaker 1: You talk about some of the people who lived at 308 00:15:51,912 --> 00:15:53,672 Speaker 1: the hotel for long periods of time that you got 309 00:15:53,712 --> 00:15:57,552 Speaker 1: to know quite well. You must have some favorite characters 310 00:15:57,912 --> 00:16:00,312 Speaker 1: from your experience over the ten years that you worked there. 311 00:16:01,192 --> 00:16:02,792 Speaker 4: I do, I do. 312 00:16:03,072 --> 00:16:05,232 Speaker 3: Yeah, there was there was one I did write about 313 00:16:05,232 --> 00:16:08,832 Speaker 3: in the book that he was absolutely. 314 00:16:09,672 --> 00:16:10,152 Speaker 4: Crazy. 315 00:16:10,192 --> 00:16:13,112 Speaker 3: He was crazy from the beginning, but there was just 316 00:16:13,152 --> 00:16:16,072 Speaker 3: something about him that just we developed some sort of 317 00:16:16,072 --> 00:16:18,792 Speaker 3: friendship where, you know, I would say I have a 318 00:16:18,872 --> 00:16:21,272 Speaker 3: soft spot for I mean, some of these people they 319 00:16:21,392 --> 00:16:24,632 Speaker 3: just didn't have anybody, you know, So you know, it's 320 00:16:24,672 --> 00:16:26,312 Speaker 3: not like I had a lot of time to sit 321 00:16:26,312 --> 00:16:28,312 Speaker 3: around and talk with them, but that I did get 322 00:16:28,352 --> 00:16:30,152 Speaker 3: an opportunity to get to know a lot of them 323 00:16:30,752 --> 00:16:33,232 Speaker 3: and learn about their lives and their history and where 324 00:16:33,232 --> 00:16:33,792 Speaker 3: they came from. 325 00:16:33,832 --> 00:16:36,272 Speaker 4: And you know, I found that quite interesting too. 326 00:16:36,872 --> 00:16:40,112 Speaker 3: This particular one that I'm talking about, he passed away 327 00:16:40,112 --> 00:16:42,512 Speaker 3: and I even tried to locate some family members, you know, 328 00:16:42,632 --> 00:16:44,832 Speaker 3: like most of these people didn't have anybody, you know, 329 00:16:44,952 --> 00:16:46,632 Speaker 3: they there was just a loan. 330 00:16:47,312 --> 00:16:49,552 Speaker 1: What's really sad too, that you do outline in the 331 00:16:49,552 --> 00:16:52,112 Speaker 1: book really well, is how many of these people died 332 00:16:52,152 --> 00:16:56,792 Speaker 1: alone inside the rooms of the cecil. Sometimes people didn't 333 00:16:56,792 --> 00:16:59,192 Speaker 1: realize they'd passed for quite some time if their rent 334 00:16:59,272 --> 00:17:02,072 Speaker 1: was being paid. And often you would go into the 335 00:17:02,152 --> 00:17:05,152 Speaker 1: rooms afterwards and have to clear out people's personal belongings, 336 00:17:05,152 --> 00:17:07,071 Speaker 1: and sometimes they would really must have nothing. 337 00:17:08,432 --> 00:17:09,391 Speaker 4: And that's true. 338 00:17:09,432 --> 00:17:11,511 Speaker 3: I mean I was told many times, you know, just 339 00:17:11,591 --> 00:17:14,232 Speaker 3: throw everything away. You know, there wasn't anyone to come 340 00:17:14,272 --> 00:17:16,712 Speaker 3: for the property. It was just you know, like they 341 00:17:16,712 --> 00:17:17,351 Speaker 3: were just gone. 342 00:17:19,512 --> 00:17:23,871 Speaker 1: Can you talk to me about the mental health issues 343 00:17:24,512 --> 00:17:28,631 Speaker 1: that seemed to impact quite a large amount of people 344 00:17:28,631 --> 00:17:32,431 Speaker 1: who ended up staying at the cecil because as we know, 345 00:17:32,871 --> 00:17:36,071 Speaker 1: mental health can impact people who do end up on 346 00:17:36,111 --> 00:17:38,071 Speaker 1: the street, and that sometimes can be the reason why 347 00:17:38,111 --> 00:17:41,631 Speaker 1: they do end up without a home. But that's something 348 00:17:41,671 --> 00:17:45,911 Speaker 1: that you were having to face every day. And you're 349 00:17:45,911 --> 00:17:48,872 Speaker 1: not a mental health professional, none of your stuff were 350 00:17:48,871 --> 00:17:51,471 Speaker 1: healthcare professionals. How was that for you to try and 351 00:17:51,591 --> 00:17:55,992 Speaker 1: handle those people who were obviously suffering, maybe not medicated, 352 00:17:56,032 --> 00:17:57,311 Speaker 1: maybe struggling with medication. 353 00:17:57,472 --> 00:17:59,831 Speaker 2: Like, that's a lot for you guys to take on board. 354 00:18:01,151 --> 00:18:03,831 Speaker 3: Yeah, there were a lot of very very difficult challenges 355 00:18:03,871 --> 00:18:05,752 Speaker 3: when it came to that, you know, and in some 356 00:18:05,831 --> 00:18:09,311 Speaker 3: cases safety, you know, where people are off kilter and 357 00:18:09,752 --> 00:18:12,512 Speaker 3: you know they're and they can be perceived as dangerous, 358 00:18:12,552 --> 00:18:14,432 Speaker 3: you know, these it could be people that are running 359 00:18:14,631 --> 00:18:16,752 Speaker 3: in from off the street that aren't staying there at all, 360 00:18:17,391 --> 00:18:20,071 Speaker 3: or people that are staying there, you know. So I 361 00:18:20,631 --> 00:18:22,671 Speaker 3: really tried to do the best I could to support 362 00:18:22,792 --> 00:18:26,111 Speaker 3: my staff, like, you know, how to handle these situations 363 00:18:26,472 --> 00:18:29,552 Speaker 3: and always, you know, call the police when you feel unsafe. 364 00:18:30,151 --> 00:18:32,591 Speaker 3: But you know, that's another thing to note that in 365 00:18:32,631 --> 00:18:35,911 Speaker 3: that area, the police don't come right away. You know, 366 00:18:36,111 --> 00:18:38,351 Speaker 3: you learn that pretty quick, you know, when you're calling 367 00:18:38,431 --> 00:18:40,552 Speaker 3: the nine one one. And I know I do write 368 00:18:40,552 --> 00:18:43,511 Speaker 3: about this in the book because most people think, you know, 369 00:18:43,512 --> 00:18:45,032 Speaker 3: if you call a nine one one, help us on 370 00:18:45,071 --> 00:18:48,392 Speaker 3: the way, and in some of these areas where they're 371 00:18:48,431 --> 00:18:52,672 Speaker 3: probably extremely busy, it's just not the case. So I always, 372 00:18:52,752 --> 00:18:55,511 Speaker 3: you know, emphasize, you know, when you're making these calls, 373 00:18:55,552 --> 00:18:58,111 Speaker 3: you know, for the police, support like please let them 374 00:18:58,111 --> 00:18:59,751 Speaker 3: know you're in danger, that you know, you see a 375 00:18:59,792 --> 00:19:02,272 Speaker 3: weapon or whatever, to get somebody over there to help you, 376 00:19:02,712 --> 00:19:05,031 Speaker 3: because we were not equipped to deal with those things. 377 00:19:05,311 --> 00:19:08,191 Speaker 1: We were not That of course, would also lead to 378 00:19:08,272 --> 00:19:11,472 Speaker 1: quite a few people taking their own lives. 379 00:19:11,512 --> 00:19:12,792 Speaker 2: Within the building as well. 380 00:19:12,911 --> 00:19:15,512 Speaker 1: How was that to try and because not only were 381 00:19:15,552 --> 00:19:19,191 Speaker 1: you confronted with that as a staff member in that hotel, 382 00:19:19,232 --> 00:19:24,512 Speaker 1: but also you would have people who would come back 383 00:19:24,512 --> 00:19:28,151 Speaker 1: and say, can I see where my son spent his 384 00:19:28,311 --> 00:19:31,711 Speaker 1: last moments? Like you were essentially supporting family members in 385 00:19:31,712 --> 00:19:32,831 Speaker 1: the aftermath of that too. 386 00:19:33,712 --> 00:19:37,911 Speaker 3: Yeah, there was two major cases for that did occur, 387 00:19:38,032 --> 00:19:42,351 Speaker 3: and it was extremely hard, you know, just to work 388 00:19:42,391 --> 00:19:45,191 Speaker 3: with the family and and you know, especially they're dealing 389 00:19:45,232 --> 00:19:48,431 Speaker 3: with something that is just just awful, you know. So 390 00:19:49,151 --> 00:19:51,791 Speaker 3: you know, there was a particular case where, you know, 391 00:19:51,792 --> 00:19:54,671 Speaker 3: a woman passed away and the sister did drive up 392 00:19:54,712 --> 00:19:58,151 Speaker 3: from San Francisco and we did, we did build a 393 00:19:58,192 --> 00:20:01,511 Speaker 3: relationship just you know, with her and what she was 394 00:20:01,552 --> 00:20:04,032 Speaker 3: dealing with, and she needed my support on what to expect. 395 00:20:04,032 --> 00:20:08,552 Speaker 3: She hadn't done anything like this before. It was it 396 00:20:08,631 --> 00:20:10,512 Speaker 3: was hard, but I also learned, you know, a lot 397 00:20:11,151 --> 00:20:13,471 Speaker 3: more about you know, the person that passed away that 398 00:20:13,992 --> 00:20:16,391 Speaker 3: come to find out, you know, she struggled with mental 399 00:20:16,391 --> 00:20:18,952 Speaker 3: illness or her entire life, you know, and and her 400 00:20:19,032 --> 00:20:21,591 Speaker 3: sister said, you know, this time she finally succeeded, Like 401 00:20:21,671 --> 00:20:23,472 Speaker 3: it wasn't the first time. 402 00:20:23,591 --> 00:20:23,791 Speaker 4: You know. 403 00:20:23,871 --> 00:20:27,111 Speaker 3: It's chilling, you know, and it's sad and all those things, 404 00:20:27,272 --> 00:20:30,232 Speaker 3: you know, And I knew her, you know, I knew her. 405 00:20:30,952 --> 00:20:31,271 Speaker 4: It was. 406 00:20:31,351 --> 00:20:37,272 Speaker 3: And then with the the other suicide that was it's 407 00:20:37,311 --> 00:20:40,031 Speaker 3: also in the book, and that was truly like the 408 00:20:40,032 --> 00:20:43,232 Speaker 3: most so out of all the people, and I estimate 409 00:20:44,272 --> 00:20:47,431 Speaker 3: probably over eighty people died while I worked there, that 410 00:20:47,552 --> 00:20:50,791 Speaker 3: I only saw one body, and I just I'm not 411 00:20:50,952 --> 00:20:53,551 Speaker 3: that I'm not curious about that stuff, you know, I 412 00:20:53,671 --> 00:20:56,511 Speaker 3: just I never wanted to see. But it was getting 413 00:20:56,631 --> 00:21:00,391 Speaker 3: closer to the end of my tenure there, and a 414 00:21:00,431 --> 00:21:02,831 Speaker 3: young man jumped off I believe it was the eighth 415 00:21:02,911 --> 00:21:05,712 Speaker 3: or ninth floor. He landed right on top of my office. 416 00:21:06,391 --> 00:21:08,232 Speaker 3: I mean, I felt the impact. I was sitting there 417 00:21:08,272 --> 00:21:11,192 Speaker 3: from the beginning, like, oh my gosh, what's happened here? 418 00:21:11,351 --> 00:21:14,071 Speaker 4: You know. It was a lot to feel, you know. 419 00:21:14,992 --> 00:21:18,111 Speaker 3: And when the police came, you know, we were able 420 00:21:18,151 --> 00:21:21,112 Speaker 3: to find where he jumped. He hadn't actually even been 421 00:21:21,151 --> 00:21:25,871 Speaker 3: staying at the hotel. And the police officer said, oh, 422 00:21:26,151 --> 00:21:27,311 Speaker 3: I said, is it really bad? 423 00:21:27,391 --> 00:21:27,552 Speaker 1: You know. 424 00:21:27,591 --> 00:21:29,671 Speaker 3: I was sitting out there like in the hallway, you know, 425 00:21:29,831 --> 00:21:34,071 Speaker 3: just letting them go through their investigation. And the police 426 00:21:34,111 --> 00:21:36,631 Speaker 3: officer said, it's not bad at all. It's just like 427 00:21:36,671 --> 00:21:39,232 Speaker 3: the movies. Come over and take a look, just like that. 428 00:21:41,391 --> 00:21:44,351 Speaker 3: And for some for some reason, it was probably curiosity 429 00:21:44,472 --> 00:21:46,552 Speaker 3: or maybe all those years and knowing that it was 430 00:21:46,552 --> 00:21:50,032 Speaker 3: coming to a close that maybe it would be okay 431 00:21:50,071 --> 00:21:52,512 Speaker 3: to take a look and I could handle it. And 432 00:21:52,631 --> 00:21:54,432 Speaker 3: when I looked over it, I would just I'll never 433 00:21:54,472 --> 00:21:57,552 Speaker 3: forget what I saw, you know, such a young man, 434 00:21:58,151 --> 00:22:00,392 Speaker 3: a young man, you know, just. 435 00:22:01,952 --> 00:22:02,591 Speaker 4: Life lost. 436 00:22:02,712 --> 00:22:05,591 Speaker 3: I mean, it just it was It was extremely hard 437 00:22:05,591 --> 00:22:09,071 Speaker 3: for me to act up after I saw it. But then, 438 00:22:09,311 --> 00:22:12,272 Speaker 3: you know, a couple of weeks later, his father arrives 439 00:22:12,311 --> 00:22:14,432 Speaker 3: at the hotel and this is the only person I've 440 00:22:14,472 --> 00:22:18,711 Speaker 3: ever seen and he's he's arriving at the hotel for 441 00:22:18,831 --> 00:22:21,512 Speaker 3: me to show him where everything occurred. 442 00:22:22,272 --> 00:22:24,591 Speaker 4: You know, And it wasn't scheduled. He just popped in, 443 00:22:24,871 --> 00:22:25,872 Speaker 4: you know, and it was. 444 00:22:27,712 --> 00:22:30,391 Speaker 3: Something I'll never forget, sitting out there on the standing 445 00:22:30,391 --> 00:22:34,351 Speaker 3: on the sidewalk in downtown Los Angeles, meeting this man's 446 00:22:34,391 --> 00:22:37,792 Speaker 3: father and he's asking me to show him, you know, 447 00:22:37,831 --> 00:22:40,751 Speaker 3: where his son died. And I knew quite well that 448 00:22:40,871 --> 00:22:44,671 Speaker 3: I didn't have a responsibility to do that. I didn't 449 00:22:44,831 --> 00:22:48,111 Speaker 3: have the responsibility to do that. But after talking to him, 450 00:22:48,111 --> 00:22:51,231 Speaker 3: and he asked me directly, have you ever lost anybody 451 00:22:51,512 --> 00:22:55,751 Speaker 3: in your life that you loved? And I had, you know, 452 00:22:55,752 --> 00:22:58,311 Speaker 3: I lost my father suddenly. It was, you know, a 453 00:22:58,351 --> 00:23:02,951 Speaker 3: sudden death. And he said, I'm not here to harm you. 454 00:23:02,992 --> 00:23:05,671 Speaker 3: I'm not here for a lawsuit. I'm here so you 455 00:23:05,712 --> 00:23:06,991 Speaker 3: can show me where he died. 456 00:23:07,272 --> 00:23:12,791 Speaker 4: And I looked at him with you know, I believed him, 457 00:23:12,831 --> 00:23:14,231 Speaker 4: and I said, I will show you. 458 00:23:15,272 --> 00:23:17,431 Speaker 3: So it was just the two of us with Pedro 459 00:23:17,552 --> 00:23:21,751 Speaker 3: going up the elevator bank, and he had he had 460 00:23:21,752 --> 00:23:24,311 Speaker 3: told me that while we were outside that he was 461 00:23:24,351 --> 00:23:28,272 Speaker 3: a retired police officer in New York City, and he 462 00:23:28,591 --> 00:23:31,671 Speaker 3: explained that, you know, his main problem was how things 463 00:23:31,671 --> 00:23:34,871 Speaker 3: were handled here and how he learned how his son 464 00:23:35,151 --> 00:23:38,391 Speaker 3: passed away. He had been out mowing the lawn and 465 00:23:39,032 --> 00:23:41,631 Speaker 3: he heard his wife screaming inside from a telephone call. 466 00:23:42,391 --> 00:23:45,711 Speaker 3: So I mean, that's you know, that's just hard to imagine. 467 00:23:46,151 --> 00:23:48,871 Speaker 3: And this young man was very young, I want to say, like, 468 00:23:48,911 --> 00:23:49,992 Speaker 3: you know, in his twenties. 469 00:23:50,032 --> 00:23:50,512 Speaker 4: He was young. 470 00:23:51,472 --> 00:23:54,591 Speaker 3: So when we were going up the elevator bank, I 471 00:23:54,952 --> 00:23:57,111 Speaker 3: did say to him, I said, I saw your son, 472 00:23:57,911 --> 00:23:58,231 Speaker 3: you know, I. 473 00:23:59,831 --> 00:24:01,552 Speaker 4: I just don't understand what happened. 474 00:24:02,192 --> 00:24:05,392 Speaker 3: And he expressed that I believe there was some sort 475 00:24:05,431 --> 00:24:08,711 Speaker 3: of sporting accident or something that happened, like maybe in 476 00:24:08,752 --> 00:24:11,191 Speaker 3: his younger days, and maybe he just wasn't the same 477 00:24:11,232 --> 00:24:14,311 Speaker 3: after that, and he had struggled with mental illness. He 478 00:24:14,391 --> 00:24:16,591 Speaker 3: said that he had just talked to his son that 479 00:24:16,752 --> 00:24:18,871 Speaker 3: morning when he was released from the hospital, and it 480 00:24:18,911 --> 00:24:20,351 Speaker 3: seemed like he was on the right track. 481 00:24:20,831 --> 00:24:23,232 Speaker 4: And when he was found, I mean it was. 482 00:24:24,631 --> 00:24:26,391 Speaker 3: He plugged at his cell phone in the room that 483 00:24:26,431 --> 00:24:29,912 Speaker 3: he jumped from, deleted everything on the phone, and there 484 00:24:29,992 --> 00:24:32,472 Speaker 3: was a bag that said patient belonging. It's just something 485 00:24:32,512 --> 00:24:34,871 Speaker 3: I just couldn't even get out of my head, patient belongings. 486 00:24:34,911 --> 00:24:37,912 Speaker 3: Like he came directly from the hospital to our hotel 487 00:24:37,952 --> 00:24:41,871 Speaker 3: and he jumped, you know, So it was it was 488 00:24:41,911 --> 00:24:44,551 Speaker 3: really it was really hard to take that ride with him. 489 00:24:44,591 --> 00:24:45,911 Speaker 4: But also I think it was. 490 00:24:47,712 --> 00:24:50,951 Speaker 3: A little healing on both sides, a little, you know, 491 00:24:51,032 --> 00:24:52,831 Speaker 3: But I mean, how do you ever get anything over 492 00:24:52,911 --> 00:24:53,712 Speaker 3: anything like that. 493 00:24:54,512 --> 00:24:55,232 Speaker 2: It's gonna say. 494 00:24:56,232 --> 00:25:00,191 Speaker 1: I got a feeling maybe his father appreciated that you 495 00:25:00,272 --> 00:25:03,471 Speaker 1: at least could walk him through those final moments for 496 00:25:03,552 --> 00:25:03,952 Speaker 1: his son. 497 00:25:04,631 --> 00:25:05,871 Speaker 4: Yeah, I did. 498 00:25:05,952 --> 00:25:08,992 Speaker 3: And I also what his wife was in the car 499 00:25:09,032 --> 00:25:11,151 Speaker 3: and she was just too upset to come in and 500 00:25:11,272 --> 00:25:13,432 Speaker 3: I and I said, you know, if she changes her mind, 501 00:25:13,512 --> 00:25:15,911 Speaker 3: that you know, just let me know. And that was 502 00:25:15,952 --> 00:25:18,432 Speaker 3: the only meeting we ever had. But I'll never forget it. 503 00:25:21,431 --> 00:25:24,911 Speaker 1: You mentioned before that on entering the season, you didn't 504 00:25:25,232 --> 00:25:27,311 Speaker 1: have access to like the internet, in your pocket like 505 00:25:27,351 --> 00:25:27,991 Speaker 1: we do today. 506 00:25:28,071 --> 00:25:30,071 Speaker 2: So you didn't know to google all. 507 00:25:29,952 --> 00:25:31,831 Speaker 1: Of the history of the place, but you would have 508 00:25:31,871 --> 00:25:33,871 Speaker 1: started to learn over the ten years that you were 509 00:25:33,911 --> 00:25:38,512 Speaker 1: there about the hotel's history. What did you learn about 510 00:25:38,831 --> 00:25:41,192 Speaker 1: the hotel itself, like where it had come from and 511 00:25:41,272 --> 00:25:43,712 Speaker 1: the things that had happened there that made it such 512 00:25:43,752 --> 00:25:46,391 Speaker 1: a landmark of downtown LA. 513 00:25:46,712 --> 00:25:49,472 Speaker 3: That's what I find fascinating about the hotel, And I 514 00:25:49,552 --> 00:25:53,871 Speaker 3: often have referred to the hotel as using the Titanic 515 00:25:53,911 --> 00:25:57,632 Speaker 3: as an example, you know, because you know, a beautiful 516 00:25:57,671 --> 00:26:00,152 Speaker 3: ship was built, it was supposed to be unsinkable, and 517 00:26:00,591 --> 00:26:02,831 Speaker 3: you know, and we all know what happened. It didn't 518 00:26:02,871 --> 00:26:05,471 Speaker 3: work out for the Titanic. I feel it was the 519 00:26:05,512 --> 00:26:07,871 Speaker 3: same for the season the time that it was built. 520 00:26:08,032 --> 00:26:10,952 Speaker 3: You know, in the nineteen twenties, people weren't driving cars. 521 00:26:11,032 --> 00:26:13,512 Speaker 3: You know, people were taking trains, they were taking buses. 522 00:26:13,952 --> 00:26:17,351 Speaker 3: Men were traveling, not so much women. So this was 523 00:26:17,431 --> 00:26:21,272 Speaker 3: really designed for a for the business traveler. And you 524 00:26:21,311 --> 00:26:23,711 Speaker 3: can find evidence on that, like all over the place, 525 00:26:23,792 --> 00:26:27,992 Speaker 3: built for the modern business businessman. Well, I mean that's 526 00:26:27,992 --> 00:26:31,591 Speaker 3: certainly that ship has sailed on that, But in some 527 00:26:31,631 --> 00:26:36,511 Speaker 3: ways I do I feel I feel a lot for 528 00:26:36,552 --> 00:26:38,511 Speaker 3: the Cecil that it didn't work out because it was 529 00:26:38,552 --> 00:26:42,111 Speaker 3: built to be something and it just couldn't keep up 530 00:26:42,111 --> 00:26:42,871 Speaker 3: with the times. 531 00:26:43,272 --> 00:26:45,391 Speaker 4: And that's because of the way that it was built 532 00:26:45,552 --> 00:26:46,552 Speaker 4: with the bathrooms. 533 00:26:46,712 --> 00:26:49,151 Speaker 3: You know, it's just you know, in what kind of 534 00:26:49,151 --> 00:26:53,111 Speaker 3: demographic once people are taking you know, automobiles to work, 535 00:26:53,391 --> 00:26:55,391 Speaker 3: what kind of demographic is going to be staying at 536 00:26:55,391 --> 00:26:58,311 Speaker 3: a hotel once you know, things advanced without a bathroom 537 00:26:58,311 --> 00:26:58,752 Speaker 3: in the room. 538 00:26:59,591 --> 00:27:02,671 Speaker 1: Yeah, and it's the locations quite close to a train 539 00:27:02,712 --> 00:27:05,431 Speaker 1: station too, right, So it had great location. It was 540 00:27:05,552 --> 00:27:07,911 Speaker 1: fully geared up for the time that it was built, 541 00:27:08,151 --> 00:27:09,752 Speaker 1: but just too late. 542 00:27:10,351 --> 00:27:10,552 Speaker 4: Yeah. 543 00:27:10,552 --> 00:27:12,272 Speaker 3: There's even a news piece that I have and I 544 00:27:12,272 --> 00:27:15,711 Speaker 3: haven't been able to confirm if it's actually authentic, but 545 00:27:15,831 --> 00:27:18,671 Speaker 3: there is a news there's a news piece La Times 546 00:27:18,712 --> 00:27:21,591 Speaker 3: about how a celebrity is arriving to the Cecil, you know, 547 00:27:21,712 --> 00:27:24,871 Speaker 3: to stay there, and you see these elaborate, like you know, 548 00:27:24,992 --> 00:27:27,552 Speaker 3: nineteen twenty automobiles that are like, you know, in the 549 00:27:27,591 --> 00:27:30,952 Speaker 3: parking lot next door, and it's just hard to imagine 550 00:27:31,391 --> 00:27:34,831 Speaker 3: what that period of time must have been like, you know, 551 00:27:34,911 --> 00:27:37,711 Speaker 3: because I never I never got to see it, you know. 552 00:27:37,792 --> 00:27:39,352 Speaker 3: As far as the glitz and the glamour. 553 00:27:41,111 --> 00:27:43,552 Speaker 1: Well what comes with hotels, And then the Cecil isn't 554 00:27:43,552 --> 00:27:47,111 Speaker 1: alone in this in sometimes things happen inside its walls 555 00:27:47,192 --> 00:27:50,232 Speaker 1: that give it a reputation, and for the Cecil there's 556 00:27:50,232 --> 00:27:54,232 Speaker 1: a few things. So some high profile criminals are reported 557 00:27:54,232 --> 00:27:56,591 Speaker 1: to have stayed at the hotel. 558 00:27:56,792 --> 00:27:57,751 Speaker 2: Were you aware of that? 559 00:27:59,232 --> 00:28:01,111 Speaker 4: Absolutely? Even before. 560 00:28:02,272 --> 00:28:05,992 Speaker 3: In the early days, people often would come to visit 561 00:28:05,992 --> 00:28:10,792 Speaker 3: the whole hotel because of hearing that possibly the nightstalker 562 00:28:10,871 --> 00:28:14,911 Speaker 3: stayed there, even though there is no evidence. 563 00:28:14,351 --> 00:28:16,671 Speaker 4: That he actually stayed there. But I am not saying 564 00:28:16,671 --> 00:28:17,791 Speaker 4: that it didn't happen. 565 00:28:18,591 --> 00:28:22,512 Speaker 3: There was also an Austrian serial killer that stayed there 566 00:28:22,512 --> 00:28:24,512 Speaker 3: and that's confirmed. He did stay there, and a lot 567 00:28:24,552 --> 00:28:29,232 Speaker 3: of people actually came from Austria over time to check 568 00:28:29,311 --> 00:28:31,871 Speaker 3: it out because of him. Yeah, but at that point 569 00:28:31,911 --> 00:28:34,032 Speaker 3: it had been years, like Richard Vernmires would have been 570 00:28:34,071 --> 00:28:36,031 Speaker 3: in the eighties. You know, I started at the Cecil 571 00:28:36,111 --> 00:28:37,191 Speaker 3: in two thousand and seven. 572 00:28:38,072 --> 00:28:41,392 Speaker 1: Does it like, does that confuse you why people are 573 00:28:41,392 --> 00:28:43,392 Speaker 1: so obsessed with stuff like that? Bex Understond You used 574 00:28:43,431 --> 00:28:44,991 Speaker 1: to also get a lot of people asking you if 575 00:28:45,032 --> 00:28:47,872 Speaker 1: the place was haunted and whether you. 576 00:28:47,832 --> 00:28:50,072 Speaker 2: Know ghosts walked the holes too. 577 00:28:50,152 --> 00:28:52,512 Speaker 1: Does that confuse you just how obsessive people get about 578 00:28:52,512 --> 00:28:54,792 Speaker 1: the darker side of the hotel's history. 579 00:28:55,512 --> 00:28:56,271 Speaker 4: It truly is. 580 00:28:57,272 --> 00:29:00,471 Speaker 3: There's a category of people that are just continued to 581 00:29:00,512 --> 00:29:03,911 Speaker 3: be intrigued by the building. Even if I drove by today, 582 00:29:04,112 --> 00:29:08,072 Speaker 3: there would be people outside taking pictures. People are intrigued, 583 00:29:08,112 --> 00:29:11,152 Speaker 3: They're drawn to it. They're like a good ghost story. 584 00:29:11,552 --> 00:29:15,112 Speaker 3: I've never denied that there's they're a ghost or not. 585 00:29:15,431 --> 00:29:18,711 Speaker 3: I mean, my personal opinion is I think that the 586 00:29:18,832 --> 00:29:19,672 Speaker 3: living are, like. 587 00:29:19,792 --> 00:29:21,392 Speaker 4: You know, more scary than the ghosts. 588 00:29:21,392 --> 00:29:23,752 Speaker 3: But you know, there's a lot of stories and there's 589 00:29:23,792 --> 00:29:26,072 Speaker 3: only one that I can actually identify with that, Like 590 00:29:26,192 --> 00:29:29,231 Speaker 3: I would say, that's definitely like a ghost story that 591 00:29:29,232 --> 00:29:32,191 Speaker 3: I'm familiar with. But the rest, I mean, that's their 592 00:29:32,232 --> 00:29:33,272 Speaker 3: personal experience. 593 00:29:34,752 --> 00:29:37,711 Speaker 1: You're listening to True Crime Conversations with me, Claire Murphy, 594 00:29:37,832 --> 00:29:40,832 Speaker 1: I'm speaking with former manager of the Cecil Hotel, Amy Price. 595 00:29:41,512 --> 00:29:44,511 Speaker 1: Up next, Amy delves into the most infamous death to 596 00:29:44,592 --> 00:29:47,791 Speaker 1: ever occur at the Cecil Hotel, the mysterious case of 597 00:29:47,832 --> 00:29:55,711 Speaker 1: Elisa Lamb. Well, that does bring us to probably the 598 00:29:55,752 --> 00:29:59,832 Speaker 1: hotel's most high profile death, and I understand that you 599 00:29:59,911 --> 00:30:03,352 Speaker 1: have copped quite a bit of online abuse. Since this 600 00:30:03,472 --> 00:30:07,392 Speaker 1: story was profiled in a Netflix documentary, we do want 601 00:30:07,431 --> 00:30:10,312 Speaker 1: to hear your side of it, in your words, because 602 00:30:10,392 --> 00:30:12,752 Speaker 1: of course you were managing the hotel at the time 603 00:30:12,832 --> 00:30:18,152 Speaker 1: that Alisa Lamb passed away, well disappeared, to start with, 604 00:30:19,032 --> 00:30:21,872 Speaker 1: Can you give us an idea of what it was 605 00:30:21,872 --> 00:30:24,592 Speaker 1: like when you first heard her name, because you were 606 00:30:24,632 --> 00:30:26,832 Speaker 1: dealing with her before her disappearance too. 607 00:30:26,752 --> 00:30:29,271 Speaker 4: Right, Yeah, I was. 608 00:30:29,552 --> 00:30:31,552 Speaker 3: I was aware of Elisa Lamb like while she was 609 00:30:31,552 --> 00:30:34,872 Speaker 3: staying at the hotel, because she was disruptive. So when 610 00:30:35,512 --> 00:30:38,752 Speaker 3: you know, there would be an elevated situation, I would 611 00:30:38,792 --> 00:30:41,511 Speaker 3: be brought on board of course, to like assister staff 612 00:30:41,512 --> 00:30:43,911 Speaker 3: and making a decision of what to do, you know, 613 00:30:44,032 --> 00:30:47,352 Speaker 3: And in this particular case with Alisa Lamb, it didn't 614 00:30:47,392 --> 00:30:50,392 Speaker 3: take long where she was disruptive and she was staying 615 00:30:50,392 --> 00:30:54,872 Speaker 3: in a room with eight other eight other women, you know. 616 00:30:55,272 --> 00:30:58,032 Speaker 2: Because it we had like dorm like situations in some rooms. 617 00:30:58,152 --> 00:31:01,072 Speaker 3: Was that I loved eight people, so and of course 618 00:31:01,152 --> 00:31:03,072 Speaker 3: that's the cheapest rate, you know, with the you know, 619 00:31:03,152 --> 00:31:03,672 Speaker 3: the bugs. 620 00:31:03,712 --> 00:31:06,152 Speaker 4: But you know, she she. 621 00:31:06,192 --> 00:31:09,592 Speaker 3: Was leaving notes, you know, on other people's beds, you know, 622 00:31:09,671 --> 00:31:11,511 Speaker 3: and she was not letting people in the room and 623 00:31:11,552 --> 00:31:14,792 Speaker 3: asking for passwords. It just didn't seem to make sense 624 00:31:14,832 --> 00:31:16,392 Speaker 3: that like she was going to fit in with the 625 00:31:16,431 --> 00:31:20,632 Speaker 3: others just because of her behavior. So what we decided 626 00:31:20,671 --> 00:31:22,832 Speaker 3: to do was just put her in a different room, 627 00:31:23,431 --> 00:31:26,511 Speaker 3: I believe, even for the same price to you know, 628 00:31:26,552 --> 00:31:30,152 Speaker 3: to eliminate what was going on. And you also have 629 00:31:30,192 --> 00:31:34,792 Speaker 3: done taken into consideration that yes, she was displaying you know, 630 00:31:34,952 --> 00:31:37,471 Speaker 3: odd behavior, and we did have to relocate her, but 631 00:31:39,072 --> 00:31:42,431 Speaker 3: we were running a hotel, you know, not not a hospital. 632 00:31:42,512 --> 00:31:45,952 Speaker 3: So when that would be the first step to try 633 00:31:45,992 --> 00:31:49,312 Speaker 3: to you know, manage a situation where everybody could stay peacefully, 634 00:31:49,392 --> 00:31:51,751 Speaker 3: and we're still you know, we're still having her at 635 00:31:51,752 --> 00:31:54,431 Speaker 3: the hotel. And that seemed to work, you know, and 636 00:31:54,472 --> 00:31:58,712 Speaker 3: then then she disappeared, you know, So those two things happened. First, 637 00:31:58,792 --> 00:32:00,911 Speaker 3: she stayed you know, in a room with eight with 638 00:32:00,952 --> 00:32:05,272 Speaker 3: eight seven other women. We relocated her to her own room, 639 00:32:05,632 --> 00:32:07,511 Speaker 3: and then she then she won't missing. 640 00:32:08,712 --> 00:32:10,431 Speaker 1: So the police then do turn up, and by this 641 00:32:10,512 --> 00:32:12,872 Speaker 1: stage it's February first, but she was supposed to check 642 00:32:12,911 --> 00:32:16,271 Speaker 1: out before that. So it's really common policy that if 643 00:32:16,312 --> 00:32:18,431 Speaker 1: people don't check out and you check their rooms and 644 00:32:18,431 --> 00:32:21,272 Speaker 1: they've left stuff behind that you guys just automatically pack 645 00:32:21,312 --> 00:32:23,031 Speaker 1: it up and put it aside in case they come 646 00:32:23,072 --> 00:32:23,511 Speaker 1: back for it. 647 00:32:23,592 --> 00:32:27,432 Speaker 3: Right, It's a common occurrence. I mean, you'd be surprised. 648 00:32:27,552 --> 00:32:30,512 Speaker 3: You know what people do leave, you know in hotel rooms. 649 00:32:30,712 --> 00:32:33,552 Speaker 3: They or they don't check out. So there wasn't really 650 00:32:33,632 --> 00:32:36,431 Speaker 3: a flag at that point. Just you know, that just 651 00:32:36,632 --> 00:32:39,592 Speaker 3: was protocol to you know, actually bag up her property 652 00:32:39,632 --> 00:32:42,472 Speaker 3: and then you know, wait to get contacted and most 653 00:32:42,552 --> 00:32:44,072 Speaker 3: likely have to ship the contents. 654 00:32:44,112 --> 00:32:44,272 Speaker 1: You know. 655 00:32:44,392 --> 00:32:47,431 Speaker 3: So that's probably what we imagine the case would be, 656 00:32:47,872 --> 00:32:50,112 Speaker 3: you know, in the meantime she's missing and you know, 657 00:32:50,192 --> 00:32:54,872 Speaker 3: but then things would unfold when the police got called at. 658 00:32:54,671 --> 00:32:58,152 Speaker 1: That time when someone doesn't check out, like it wouldn't 659 00:32:58,192 --> 00:33:00,392 Speaker 1: be automatic for you to contact police and let them 660 00:33:00,431 --> 00:33:02,352 Speaker 1: know that this person hasn't checked out. 661 00:33:03,072 --> 00:33:03,911 Speaker 4: Absolutely not. 662 00:33:04,552 --> 00:33:07,592 Speaker 3: You wouldn't be contacting the police, You would be contacting family. 663 00:33:07,671 --> 00:33:10,472 Speaker 3: It's just not the way hotels are built, you know. 664 00:33:11,152 --> 00:33:12,792 Speaker 3: You just you know, you get ready for your other 665 00:33:12,872 --> 00:33:15,352 Speaker 3: check ins and you have to you know, collect the 666 00:33:15,872 --> 00:33:18,512 Speaker 3: you know, the contents and stand by for a phone call. 667 00:33:19,792 --> 00:33:22,512 Speaker 1: So the police then do come to speak to you guys, 668 00:33:22,592 --> 00:33:25,992 Speaker 1: because Elisa's parents have gotten in contact with him because 669 00:33:25,992 --> 00:33:27,632 Speaker 1: she was supposed to contact them every day and they 670 00:33:27,632 --> 00:33:30,511 Speaker 1: couldn't get a hold of her. What do you remember 671 00:33:30,552 --> 00:33:34,072 Speaker 1: happening from that point when the police arrived, because press 672 00:33:34,112 --> 00:33:36,392 Speaker 1: attention came pretty quick after that, didn't it. 673 00:33:38,512 --> 00:33:41,191 Speaker 3: When the police arrived, you know, they asked questions, you know, 674 00:33:41,392 --> 00:33:43,911 Speaker 3: and we told them everything that we knew. You know, 675 00:33:44,072 --> 00:33:48,592 Speaker 3: everything is documented. The hotel had log books, security, you know, entries. 676 00:33:48,671 --> 00:33:51,711 Speaker 3: I mean, we did a pretty good job and documenting 677 00:33:51,712 --> 00:33:55,032 Speaker 3: and having the information that would be you know, helpful 678 00:33:55,112 --> 00:34:00,392 Speaker 3: to them. So at that point, the police officers decided 679 00:34:01,112 --> 00:34:05,232 Speaker 3: to essentially move in the property, you know, and gain 680 00:34:05,272 --> 00:34:07,951 Speaker 3: access to all of us security footage, which wasn't a 681 00:34:07,992 --> 00:34:10,591 Speaker 3: problem for us at all. I mean we actually gave 682 00:34:10,672 --> 00:34:13,592 Speaker 3: them their own room and full access and they were 683 00:34:13,632 --> 00:34:16,471 Speaker 3: just on their own for I think days, actually just 684 00:34:16,672 --> 00:34:20,312 Speaker 3: reviewing all the footage trying to find anything. And that's 685 00:34:20,352 --> 00:34:23,352 Speaker 3: what would strike the you know, the next you know, 686 00:34:23,431 --> 00:34:27,231 Speaker 3: the next phase of you know, the media covers when 687 00:34:27,672 --> 00:34:30,632 Speaker 3: they did find her on the elevator in that footage 688 00:34:30,672 --> 00:34:32,911 Speaker 3: and they released it you know, to the to the 689 00:34:33,352 --> 00:34:37,191 Speaker 3: you know, to the press, and I know I've seen 690 00:34:37,232 --> 00:34:39,752 Speaker 3: it many times. It is it's very bizarre, you know. 691 00:34:39,911 --> 00:34:43,712 Speaker 3: So that's where things really changed about what's going on 692 00:34:43,792 --> 00:34:44,151 Speaker 3: with her? 693 00:34:44,312 --> 00:34:44,991 Speaker 4: Where is she? 694 00:34:45,312 --> 00:34:48,551 Speaker 3: She's at this hotel with a dark history, and it 695 00:34:49,232 --> 00:34:50,992 Speaker 3: essentially exploded from there. 696 00:34:51,872 --> 00:34:54,031 Speaker 1: So I think if the CISO hadn't had the reputation 697 00:34:54,112 --> 00:34:56,352 Speaker 1: that it had with some of the stories already floating 698 00:34:56,392 --> 00:34:59,272 Speaker 1: around online, that maybe Lisa's story wouldn't have been as 699 00:34:59,312 --> 00:35:02,111 Speaker 1: intriguing to all the web slutes that started to step in. 700 00:35:02,792 --> 00:35:05,832 Speaker 4: Yeah. Well, and then ultimately the way that she died. 701 00:35:06,551 --> 00:35:08,752 Speaker 1: Can we talk a little bit about the police theories 702 00:35:08,792 --> 00:35:11,111 Speaker 1: and the investigation within the hotel because they brought in 703 00:35:11,192 --> 00:35:14,832 Speaker 1: sniffer dogs to try and trace her as well. 704 00:35:15,152 --> 00:35:15,752 Speaker 2: What was their. 705 00:35:15,592 --> 00:35:18,431 Speaker 1: Investigation and their initial theories about what had happened to her? 706 00:35:18,511 --> 00:35:19,471 Speaker 2: How did they come to be? 707 00:35:20,592 --> 00:35:22,712 Speaker 4: Well, as the days went on and she was still missing, 708 00:35:22,712 --> 00:35:23,152 Speaker 4: I mean. 709 00:35:22,991 --> 00:35:27,031 Speaker 3: It it was alarming, you know, And I can say 710 00:35:27,031 --> 00:35:29,991 Speaker 3: that I never felt that she would be found at 711 00:35:29,991 --> 00:35:32,551 Speaker 3: the hotel. I Mean, my my feeling was, you know, 712 00:35:32,551 --> 00:35:35,471 Speaker 3: she struggling with mental illness. Maybe she you know, she 713 00:35:35,592 --> 00:35:38,591 Speaker 3: walked in an area she shouldn't be, you know, walking in, 714 00:35:38,632 --> 00:35:40,672 Speaker 3: and she you know, got taken advantage. 715 00:35:40,872 --> 00:35:43,232 Speaker 4: I thought, you know, something like that might have happened 716 00:35:43,272 --> 00:35:45,832 Speaker 4: to her. I would have never imagined that she was 717 00:35:46,031 --> 00:35:47,111 Speaker 4: at the hotel, you know. 718 00:35:47,832 --> 00:35:52,551 Speaker 3: So the concepts, the theories that evolved with the two 719 00:35:52,551 --> 00:35:57,112 Speaker 3: police officers that I worked with daily daily, they started 720 00:35:57,152 --> 00:35:59,872 Speaker 3: asking me, were the garbage is being taken out of 721 00:35:59,911 --> 00:36:00,872 Speaker 3: the hotel? 722 00:36:01,031 --> 00:36:02,752 Speaker 4: You know, talking to our employees. 723 00:36:02,832 --> 00:36:06,071 Speaker 3: I mean, it was it was shifting to like, oh 724 00:36:06,112 --> 00:36:09,551 Speaker 3: my god, gosh, you think someone here like the garbage 725 00:36:09,551 --> 00:36:12,872 Speaker 3: like you know, so to me was unimaginable, you know, 726 00:36:13,712 --> 00:36:14,832 Speaker 3: unimaginable that. 727 00:36:14,792 --> 00:36:15,592 Speaker 4: Could be the case. 728 00:36:15,592 --> 00:36:18,712 Speaker 3: But again, we cooperated every step of the way, and 729 00:36:18,991 --> 00:36:21,192 Speaker 3: I know that they would say the same about about 730 00:36:21,192 --> 00:36:25,551 Speaker 3: our team and us. So when they the dogs, that 731 00:36:25,672 --> 00:36:27,991 Speaker 3: wasn't a surprise, you know. They they told me that 732 00:36:28,031 --> 00:36:29,951 Speaker 3: they were going to be coming in with dogs, and 733 00:36:30,152 --> 00:36:31,911 Speaker 3: you know, I had I was a part of one 734 00:36:31,951 --> 00:36:34,392 Speaker 3: of the teams walking through. You know, we did, We 735 00:36:34,792 --> 00:36:39,552 Speaker 3: did our best, and that's when I learned when Elisa 736 00:36:41,031 --> 00:36:43,152 Speaker 3: had gone off her medication in the past, that she 737 00:36:43,752 --> 00:36:46,872 Speaker 3: liked to find a place to hide. So then I thought, 738 00:36:47,592 --> 00:36:51,111 Speaker 3: we're looking for someone sleeping in one of these closets, like, 739 00:36:51,112 --> 00:36:53,312 Speaker 3: you know, because she had gone off her meds and 740 00:36:53,352 --> 00:36:55,151 Speaker 3: I guess you can, you know, stay up for an 741 00:36:55,192 --> 00:36:58,272 Speaker 3: extended period of time and you could experience paranoia and 742 00:36:58,272 --> 00:36:59,752 Speaker 3: then you could crash. 743 00:37:00,192 --> 00:37:03,031 Speaker 1: And in six hundred room hotel, plenty of places to hide, 744 00:37:03,112 --> 00:37:05,111 Speaker 1: right exactly. 745 00:37:05,232 --> 00:37:05,512 Speaker 4: Yes. 746 00:37:05,551 --> 00:37:08,512 Speaker 3: And I remember going through, you know, that process and thinking, 747 00:37:09,152 --> 00:37:10,911 Speaker 3: you know, this would have been nice to know in 748 00:37:10,911 --> 00:37:13,191 Speaker 3: the beginning, because if she's in a closet, let's find her. 749 00:37:13,272 --> 00:37:14,951 Speaker 3: You know, I mean we you know, we were we 750 00:37:15,031 --> 00:37:18,552 Speaker 3: looked everywhere for I certainly wanted her to be found, 751 00:37:18,551 --> 00:37:21,752 Speaker 3: you know, I I we did our very best to 752 00:37:21,951 --> 00:37:24,872 Speaker 3: you know, to cooperate and uh and do everything right, 753 00:37:25,031 --> 00:37:28,392 Speaker 3: you know. And so then after the dog search and 754 00:37:28,551 --> 00:37:31,272 Speaker 3: you know, I guess continued, you know, a contact with 755 00:37:31,312 --> 00:37:34,312 Speaker 3: the police. It kind of faded a little bit because 756 00:37:34,352 --> 00:37:36,671 Speaker 3: there wasn't any findings, so. 757 00:37:36,672 --> 00:37:39,392 Speaker 1: That when you look at it in hindsight, the sniffer 758 00:37:39,471 --> 00:37:42,232 Speaker 1: dogs took the police to the fire escape, and they 759 00:37:42,232 --> 00:37:45,111 Speaker 1: didn't think anything of that after that, did they and. 760 00:37:45,112 --> 00:37:48,191 Speaker 3: The and the dogs were also on the roof. They 761 00:37:48,232 --> 00:37:50,792 Speaker 3: did go to the roof. It's just the time of year. 762 00:37:50,832 --> 00:37:54,191 Speaker 3: It was February, so it was cold, you know, they 763 00:37:54,192 --> 00:37:55,312 Speaker 3: didn't they didn't. 764 00:37:55,031 --> 00:37:56,111 Speaker 4: Pick up anything there. 765 00:37:56,152 --> 00:37:58,792 Speaker 3: But I mean, did you know the tour was on 766 00:37:58,832 --> 00:38:01,471 Speaker 3: the roof as well, so nothing was missed when it 767 00:38:01,592 --> 00:38:03,712 Speaker 3: was you know, when when it came to trying to 768 00:38:03,792 --> 00:38:04,432 Speaker 3: find her. 769 00:38:05,511 --> 00:38:08,431 Speaker 1: After the break, Amy unpacks the aptum off and public 770 00:38:08,471 --> 00:38:13,991 Speaker 1: reaction following the discovery of Elisa's body, Can you tell 771 00:38:14,031 --> 00:38:16,352 Speaker 1: me through the moment that the maintenance workers came to 772 00:38:16,392 --> 00:38:17,872 Speaker 1: you and said that they'd found her body? 773 00:38:19,752 --> 00:38:22,991 Speaker 3: Yes, at that point, I you know, I'd worked there 774 00:38:23,031 --> 00:38:26,431 Speaker 3: many years and Pedro, who you know, I dedicated my 775 00:38:26,592 --> 00:38:32,712 Speaker 3: entire book to him. He rarely ever presented a major problem. 776 00:38:32,792 --> 00:38:35,352 Speaker 3: I mean he you know, he could handle a lot, 777 00:38:35,392 --> 00:38:38,951 Speaker 3: and nothing was ever too much. So the day that 778 00:38:38,991 --> 00:38:42,632 Speaker 3: he came into my office with Santiago, who was also 779 00:38:43,192 --> 00:38:45,911 Speaker 3: you know, a part of the Netflix show and you know, 780 00:38:46,031 --> 00:38:49,591 Speaker 3: the maintenance person that actually discovered Alisa Lamb. They came 781 00:38:49,592 --> 00:38:52,312 Speaker 3: in and he said, Price, we have a problem. 782 00:38:54,112 --> 00:38:55,872 Speaker 4: You know, people that know me, well that's what they 783 00:38:55,872 --> 00:38:57,272 Speaker 4: call me. My last name is Price. 784 00:38:58,192 --> 00:39:00,832 Speaker 3: And my heart just dropped because I knew that the 785 00:39:00,872 --> 00:39:03,352 Speaker 3: problem must be so big for him to even say 786 00:39:03,392 --> 00:39:06,632 Speaker 3: something like that to me so close my office. Store 787 00:39:06,752 --> 00:39:09,792 Speaker 3: we sit down and that's when he discloses, you know 788 00:39:09,911 --> 00:39:13,991 Speaker 3: that the missing girl she's here and yeah, and I 789 00:39:14,031 --> 00:39:19,832 Speaker 3: asked where and he told me in the tank. And 790 00:39:19,911 --> 00:39:23,392 Speaker 3: at that point it all happened so fast, but also, 791 00:39:23,592 --> 00:39:26,551 Speaker 3: you know, slowly, because it's a lot to process, you know, 792 00:39:26,752 --> 00:39:30,471 Speaker 3: just to take in, you know, and obviously being the 793 00:39:30,511 --> 00:39:33,832 Speaker 3: one in charge and having to handle it all was 794 00:39:34,192 --> 00:39:38,672 Speaker 3: my responsibility. So once I learned what I needed to learn, 795 00:39:39,511 --> 00:39:41,672 Speaker 3: I asked them to leave, and I remained in my 796 00:39:41,752 --> 00:39:45,832 Speaker 3: office with the door closed for several minutes because I 797 00:39:45,911 --> 00:39:51,071 Speaker 3: knew at that point that this in my mind, it 798 00:39:51,152 --> 00:39:53,392 Speaker 3: was over for the cecil, you know, I mean, how 799 00:39:53,392 --> 00:39:55,792 Speaker 3: would you ever bounce back from something like this? And 800 00:39:56,272 --> 00:39:59,471 Speaker 3: what was going to happen once I made the call. 801 00:40:00,112 --> 00:40:03,872 Speaker 3: And I understand that people feel maybe I should not 802 00:40:03,951 --> 00:40:07,752 Speaker 3: have called my mother, but I already knew that she 803 00:40:08,312 --> 00:40:11,511 Speaker 3: was gone, so it was I guess maybe it was 804 00:40:11,551 --> 00:40:14,751 Speaker 3: just like a reaction that I had because I knew 805 00:40:14,752 --> 00:40:17,951 Speaker 3: I wouldn't be able to receive any support for hours, 806 00:40:18,031 --> 00:40:21,352 Speaker 3: you know, my next steps and what would happen after 807 00:40:21,792 --> 00:40:24,272 Speaker 3: was an absolute mob scene and would remain a mob 808 00:40:24,312 --> 00:40:26,152 Speaker 3: scene forever. 809 00:40:26,352 --> 00:40:32,511 Speaker 1: Actually, when you do finally call police, one of the 810 00:40:32,551 --> 00:40:36,312 Speaker 1: offices tells you that he'd actually received a phone call 811 00:40:36,752 --> 00:40:40,752 Speaker 1: from a clairvoyant that almost sort of points them in 812 00:40:40,792 --> 00:40:41,552 Speaker 1: the right direction. 813 00:40:41,672 --> 00:40:42,631 Speaker 2: Can you talk us through that? 814 00:40:43,592 --> 00:40:43,872 Speaker 4: Yeah? 815 00:40:43,911 --> 00:40:49,231 Speaker 3: So I was working with two particular police officers and 816 00:40:49,272 --> 00:40:52,471 Speaker 3: I immediately try to call them since they were, you know, 817 00:40:52,551 --> 00:40:56,752 Speaker 3: the lead investigators. I tried to call them first versus 818 00:40:57,112 --> 00:41:00,352 Speaker 3: the nine one one. I wasn't able to reach them, 819 00:41:00,392 --> 00:41:03,752 Speaker 3: so then I had to go with nine to one one. 820 00:41:03,832 --> 00:41:06,712 Speaker 3: And where you're sitting at from the seesaw, hear the 821 00:41:06,752 --> 00:41:10,511 Speaker 3: sirens comments not far. So I would meet up with 822 00:41:10,592 --> 00:41:12,991 Speaker 3: him a couple hours later in the lobby, along with 823 00:41:13,152 --> 00:41:16,672 Speaker 3: many other people that arrived, and he took me aside 824 00:41:16,712 --> 00:41:19,392 Speaker 3: and said that he had been an investigator for many, 825 00:41:19,511 --> 00:41:23,392 Speaker 3: many years and he had served or received so many 826 00:41:23,431 --> 00:41:28,312 Speaker 3: different tips and also from clairvoyant psychics over time, but 827 00:41:28,352 --> 00:41:30,792 Speaker 3: he said this one really was pretty chilling that he 828 00:41:30,792 --> 00:41:34,832 Speaker 3: had gotten contact. So he had been contacted from somebody 829 00:41:34,872 --> 00:41:38,192 Speaker 3: in China and the message was she's in the water. 830 00:41:40,672 --> 00:41:43,552 Speaker 3: But given that the time, and you know, we hadn't 831 00:41:43,592 --> 00:41:49,712 Speaker 3: found her, how would you even I don't know what 832 00:41:49,792 --> 00:41:50,151 Speaker 3: to say. 833 00:41:50,911 --> 00:41:57,152 Speaker 1: Yeah, that's a pretty difficult connection to make, isn't it right? Yeah, 834 00:41:57,272 --> 00:42:02,672 Speaker 1: I mean, obviously this news impacts a lot of people, 835 00:42:03,712 --> 00:42:05,911 Speaker 1: but I'd like to start with how it impacted your 836 00:42:05,951 --> 00:42:10,111 Speaker 1: stop and yourself. Because you guys are pretty used to 837 00:42:10,551 --> 00:42:14,472 Speaker 1: death in the cecil. You've heard it happen many many times. 838 00:42:14,471 --> 00:42:16,672 Speaker 1: Some of your staff have to clean up after some 839 00:42:16,752 --> 00:42:21,912 Speaker 1: of these times. Did Elisa's death hit differently you think, 840 00:42:22,272 --> 00:42:24,951 Speaker 1: and especially because it was so widely publicized? 841 00:42:26,431 --> 00:42:30,352 Speaker 3: Yees, it affected all so much and in so many 842 00:42:30,431 --> 00:42:33,911 Speaker 3: different ways. But those are a lot of trauma, you know, 843 00:42:34,511 --> 00:42:39,031 Speaker 3: with our staff, you know, it was a lot. I 844 00:42:39,031 --> 00:42:41,591 Speaker 3: mean I offered, you know, some therapy, like if people 845 00:42:41,632 --> 00:42:44,031 Speaker 3: wanted to talk to somebody about it, because that's how 846 00:42:44,392 --> 00:42:47,272 Speaker 3: I felt that that could be necessary. That is not 847 00:42:47,392 --> 00:42:49,751 Speaker 3: something that you should have to experience on the job, 848 00:42:50,312 --> 00:42:53,431 Speaker 3: you know, not to mention. I never ever want to 849 00:42:53,431 --> 00:42:56,312 Speaker 3: forget about the loss of life. A life was lost. 850 00:42:56,352 --> 00:42:59,272 Speaker 3: A young woman died, you know, and the way she 851 00:42:59,312 --> 00:43:03,711 Speaker 3: died it's horrific, but you know, life was lost, someone 852 00:43:03,752 --> 00:43:04,432 Speaker 3: lost a daughter. 853 00:43:04,471 --> 00:43:04,672 Speaker 4: You know. 854 00:43:05,152 --> 00:43:07,671 Speaker 3: I'm not sure it ever returned to being the same. 855 00:43:07,752 --> 00:43:10,392 Speaker 3: I mean, the employees, I don't. I'm not sure they 856 00:43:10,392 --> 00:43:13,152 Speaker 3: ever drank the water again, which you know, I can understand. 857 00:43:13,192 --> 00:43:14,991 Speaker 3: I mean, we did everything right as far as to 858 00:43:14,991 --> 00:43:16,752 Speaker 3: try to turn her around and fix it and make 859 00:43:16,792 --> 00:43:20,632 Speaker 3: it a safe place to be again. But after that happened, 860 00:43:20,672 --> 00:43:23,712 Speaker 3: it just changed everything for the hotel really and then 861 00:43:23,792 --> 00:43:28,791 Speaker 3: also it quickly went into you know, the hotel death 862 00:43:28,832 --> 00:43:31,032 Speaker 3: and all the horrible things that happened to the cecil 863 00:43:31,072 --> 00:43:34,471 Speaker 3: and just an absolute rehash of everything that's occurred over time, 864 00:43:34,551 --> 00:43:36,112 Speaker 3: like we were living in that day again. 865 00:43:36,991 --> 00:43:40,151 Speaker 1: Something you do is like covering your book, is how 866 00:43:40,192 --> 00:43:45,191 Speaker 1: this impacted Elisa herself. Because you described the tank where 867 00:43:45,352 --> 00:43:48,111 Speaker 1: her body was found. It wasn't ever designed to have 868 00:43:48,152 --> 00:43:51,951 Speaker 1: anyone inside it, so it wasn't designed for anyone to get. 869 00:43:51,792 --> 00:43:52,312 Speaker 2: Out of it. 870 00:43:53,152 --> 00:43:56,071 Speaker 1: So you talk about the fact that you think about 871 00:43:56,112 --> 00:43:58,072 Speaker 1: her a lot, and you think about what that experience 872 00:43:58,112 --> 00:43:59,672 Speaker 1: would have been like for her and how scary that 873 00:43:59,712 --> 00:44:00,551 Speaker 1: would have been for her. 874 00:44:02,632 --> 00:44:05,431 Speaker 3: What that elevator footage means to me is somebody that 875 00:44:05,551 --> 00:44:09,511 Speaker 3: is very parent, somebody that is yes, she might have 876 00:44:09,551 --> 00:44:11,312 Speaker 3: been afraid, but mostly paranoid. 877 00:44:11,792 --> 00:44:14,392 Speaker 4: And if she was looking for a hiding spot, she 878 00:44:14,511 --> 00:44:16,951 Speaker 4: found one. But to me, when I. 879 00:44:16,951 --> 00:44:20,792 Speaker 3: Envisioned her path and how she ended up there in 880 00:44:20,792 --> 00:44:23,992 Speaker 3: the result, because there would have been some time before 881 00:44:24,192 --> 00:44:29,072 Speaker 3: she actually passed away. It's almost hard to even think about, 882 00:44:29,192 --> 00:44:32,712 Speaker 3: you know, just being there alone, knowing that there is 883 00:44:32,752 --> 00:44:35,591 Speaker 3: nobody to help you, you know, and it is a 884 00:44:35,632 --> 00:44:38,911 Speaker 3: restricted area, so there wasn't anybody around, you know, to 885 00:44:39,592 --> 00:44:42,551 Speaker 3: hear her when she probably did go into distress. 886 00:44:43,352 --> 00:44:46,752 Speaker 1: It also obviously hit Elisa's family very hard too, and 887 00:44:46,832 --> 00:44:49,712 Speaker 1: they did fly in from Canada and come and speak 888 00:44:49,752 --> 00:44:52,712 Speaker 1: to you. And as you mentioned, when you helped the 889 00:44:52,712 --> 00:44:55,952 Speaker 1: man whose son had jumped from the window, you also 890 00:44:56,072 --> 00:45:00,231 Speaker 1: took the time to spend some time with Elisa's family too. 891 00:45:00,431 --> 00:45:02,312 Speaker 4: I did. I did at that time. 892 00:45:02,551 --> 00:45:07,431 Speaker 3: When the Lambs came to Los Angeles, I was contacted 893 00:45:07,551 --> 00:45:11,471 Speaker 3: through our attorney and the request was, will you have 894 00:45:11,551 --> 00:45:14,111 Speaker 3: the Is it okay to bring the Lambs here and 895 00:45:14,152 --> 00:45:18,071 Speaker 3: show them where their daughter died? And I didn't have 896 00:45:18,152 --> 00:45:20,832 Speaker 3: to do that, but I felt that that was fair, 897 00:45:21,551 --> 00:45:25,191 Speaker 3: you know, I felt that was fair. So there was 898 00:45:25,431 --> 00:45:27,631 Speaker 3: quite a few people that arrived that day to go 899 00:45:28,031 --> 00:45:28,991 Speaker 3: up to the roof. 900 00:45:28,792 --> 00:45:28,991 Speaker 4: You know. 901 00:45:29,752 --> 00:45:31,272 Speaker 3: On our side, you know, it was Pedro and I, 902 00:45:31,352 --> 00:45:34,111 Speaker 3: which always that one was that way was Pedro and I, 903 00:45:34,511 --> 00:45:36,632 Speaker 3: and then a team of attorneys on the other side 904 00:45:37,112 --> 00:45:38,071 Speaker 3: with the Lambs. 905 00:45:38,352 --> 00:45:40,551 Speaker 4: You know, writing separate elevators. You know, it was. 906 00:45:40,712 --> 00:45:44,031 Speaker 3: It was uncomfortable. It really was. Now I've you know, 907 00:45:44,872 --> 00:45:47,312 Speaker 3: in most business meetings you start, you shake hands, and 908 00:45:47,352 --> 00:45:50,071 Speaker 3: you know, it wasn't one of those, you know, So 909 00:45:50,672 --> 00:45:53,271 Speaker 3: we we met on the roof and I'll just never 910 00:45:53,312 --> 00:45:57,431 Speaker 3: forget the horror and what it felt to hear and 911 00:45:57,511 --> 00:46:00,111 Speaker 3: see Alisa Lamb's mother and the pain that she was in. 912 00:46:00,192 --> 00:46:01,352 Speaker 4: It was. It was horrific. 913 00:46:01,592 --> 00:46:03,511 Speaker 3: And for Peter and I off to be on the 914 00:46:03,551 --> 00:46:07,792 Speaker 3: sidelines just you know, allowing them their time, it was 915 00:46:07,872 --> 00:46:11,752 Speaker 3: heart wrenching because it's just it's hard to understand, you know, 916 00:46:11,872 --> 00:46:14,192 Speaker 3: and the pain that the woman felt and she displayed 917 00:46:14,192 --> 00:46:15,631 Speaker 3: that day. I'll never forget. 918 00:46:16,832 --> 00:46:16,911 Speaker 4: It. 919 00:46:16,991 --> 00:46:21,712 Speaker 1: Also to impacted every single resident who was staying or 920 00:46:21,752 --> 00:46:24,071 Speaker 1: who lived permanently at the Cecil as well, because it 921 00:46:24,152 --> 00:46:26,872 Speaker 1: impacted the water supply for them, and so you had 922 00:46:26,911 --> 00:46:30,672 Speaker 1: to essentially evacuate everybody, and then you're in that hotel 923 00:46:31,232 --> 00:46:35,792 Speaker 1: and there's no people. That must have been a really 924 00:46:35,832 --> 00:46:36,911 Speaker 1: surreal moment. 925 00:46:38,392 --> 00:46:40,551 Speaker 3: It was, you know, and it again, I don't want 926 00:46:40,551 --> 00:46:43,272 Speaker 3: to highlight the hardship of the hotel and everything that 927 00:46:43,832 --> 00:46:44,551 Speaker 3: was related to. 928 00:46:46,192 --> 00:46:47,512 Speaker 4: What happened to Alisa Lamb. 929 00:46:47,511 --> 00:46:50,272 Speaker 3: But it was an extremely difficult time because we didn't 930 00:46:50,312 --> 00:46:50,992 Speaker 3: have any water. 931 00:46:51,511 --> 00:46:51,872 Speaker 4: I did. 932 00:46:51,911 --> 00:46:54,752 Speaker 3: I actually had to drive around downtown Los Angeles in 933 00:46:54,792 --> 00:46:58,872 Speaker 3: my personal vehicle looking for lodging for our tenants. You know, 934 00:46:59,031 --> 00:47:01,592 Speaker 3: it was and that was you know, the same day. 935 00:47:01,792 --> 00:47:03,592 Speaker 4: You know that that occurred. 936 00:47:03,872 --> 00:47:06,672 Speaker 3: But we also had to relocate all the other guests 937 00:47:06,672 --> 00:47:09,191 Speaker 3: to other hotels. And you know, we were pretty much 938 00:47:09,192 --> 00:47:12,072 Speaker 3: always the cheapest hotel in town, so you know, it's 939 00:47:12,112 --> 00:47:14,991 Speaker 3: a little different when you're you know, now relocating everybody 940 00:47:14,991 --> 00:47:17,232 Speaker 3: else to like, you know, other hotels in town. 941 00:47:17,312 --> 00:47:19,392 Speaker 4: And and not to mention. 942 00:47:19,312 --> 00:47:22,431 Speaker 3: The horror, you know, everybody out front and you know, 943 00:47:22,471 --> 00:47:26,751 Speaker 3: the media and helicopters overhead, just no words to even 944 00:47:26,792 --> 00:47:28,672 Speaker 3: really describe what all. 945 00:47:28,551 --> 00:47:29,152 Speaker 2: That was like. 946 00:47:31,031 --> 00:47:33,951 Speaker 1: And eventually you describe in the book how you just 947 00:47:34,031 --> 00:47:37,951 Speaker 1: had to empty the water in those tanks and just 948 00:47:38,832 --> 00:47:40,071 Speaker 1: let it kind of all flow out. 949 00:47:41,511 --> 00:47:45,392 Speaker 3: Yeah, yep, yep, all the water was drained and there, 950 00:47:45,431 --> 00:47:47,432 Speaker 3: I mean we were we were shut down for quite 951 00:47:47,431 --> 00:47:49,512 Speaker 3: some time, and you know, we had to lay everybody 952 00:47:49,511 --> 00:47:52,071 Speaker 3: off at the hotel we did. You know, it was 953 00:47:52,312 --> 00:47:54,951 Speaker 3: it was an eerie, eerie time for sure to be 954 00:47:54,991 --> 00:47:57,912 Speaker 3: present in a place where you know, usually the lights 955 00:47:57,911 --> 00:47:59,631 Speaker 3: are on and you know, people are in and out, 956 00:47:59,672 --> 00:48:02,711 Speaker 3: and suddenly it's just, you know, a crew of maybe 957 00:48:02,752 --> 00:48:03,592 Speaker 3: five six people. 958 00:48:04,471 --> 00:48:05,431 Speaker 2: How did. 959 00:48:07,152 --> 00:48:10,672 Speaker 1: The Netflix documentary impact you, guys? And I mean, I 960 00:48:10,712 --> 00:48:11,431 Speaker 1: know you. 961 00:48:11,312 --> 00:48:15,711 Speaker 2: Personally have had quite a horrible time of it. 962 00:48:17,352 --> 00:48:20,072 Speaker 1: Because the Internet has its own theories about what happened 963 00:48:20,072 --> 00:48:22,591 Speaker 1: to Alisa Lamb. Even if the police investigation in their 964 00:48:22,632 --> 00:48:25,912 Speaker 1: findings say otherwise, people believe other things, and they believe 965 00:48:25,991 --> 00:48:28,911 Speaker 1: things of you. How has that impacted you and your 966 00:48:28,951 --> 00:48:31,872 Speaker 1: team who've contributed to that documentary to try and tell 967 00:48:31,911 --> 00:48:32,512 Speaker 1: that story. 968 00:48:35,272 --> 00:48:38,712 Speaker 3: When I was when I was asked to participate in 969 00:48:38,752 --> 00:48:41,352 Speaker 3: the Netflix show, I was no longer at the hotel. 970 00:48:41,471 --> 00:48:44,832 Speaker 3: Those days were over. I had been asked many many 971 00:48:44,872 --> 00:48:48,552 Speaker 3: times for comment. You know, you wouldn't find any comment 972 00:48:48,632 --> 00:48:51,511 Speaker 3: for me at any time with anything that happened at 973 00:48:51,511 --> 00:48:55,751 Speaker 3: the hotel. So when I was asked, I really thought 974 00:48:55,792 --> 00:48:59,951 Speaker 3: about it, and I thought, I've never said anything. Maybe 975 00:48:59,991 --> 00:49:03,832 Speaker 3: it would be helpful to explain to people what actually happened. 976 00:49:03,872 --> 00:49:06,151 Speaker 3: Because I'm aware of all the conspiracy theories, you. 977 00:49:06,112 --> 00:49:08,791 Speaker 4: Know, and I was there. 978 00:49:09,312 --> 00:49:11,552 Speaker 3: There's not really anything I can't answer when it comes 979 00:49:11,551 --> 00:49:14,232 Speaker 3: to her disappearance, what happened to her, and I thought 980 00:49:14,392 --> 00:49:16,672 Speaker 3: it might be helpful just to clarify. That was my 981 00:49:16,792 --> 00:49:21,792 Speaker 3: reason for participating. I just never saw the rest coming. 982 00:49:22,031 --> 00:49:24,712 Speaker 3: I really didn't, So it took me all by surprise. 983 00:49:25,392 --> 00:49:28,471 Speaker 3: I never lived in Los Angeles to be you know, 984 00:49:28,592 --> 00:49:31,752 Speaker 3: on camera or anything like that. So the things that 985 00:49:31,872 --> 00:49:35,112 Speaker 3: happened immediately after, you know, the show came out were. 986 00:49:36,551 --> 00:49:37,072 Speaker 4: In the beginning. 987 00:49:37,112 --> 00:49:40,991 Speaker 3: It was fairly crippling because I just wasn't expecting it. 988 00:49:41,072 --> 00:49:45,072 Speaker 3: And then the things that were being said, like are hard. 989 00:49:44,832 --> 00:49:45,712 Speaker 4: To hear, you know that. 990 00:49:45,792 --> 00:49:48,631 Speaker 3: I I've heard that people do not think I have 991 00:49:48,752 --> 00:49:52,312 Speaker 3: enough emotion. Well, you know, when you're in being interviewed 992 00:49:52,352 --> 00:49:54,752 Speaker 3: and you're not, they can't you can't even hear most 993 00:49:54,792 --> 00:49:57,832 Speaker 3: of the questions I'm being asked. I'm just answering the questions, 994 00:49:57,832 --> 00:50:00,272 Speaker 3: like you know. So my interview was much different than 995 00:50:00,352 --> 00:50:02,911 Speaker 3: the other people that were on the show, you know, 996 00:50:02,951 --> 00:50:05,312 Speaker 3: and I'm the most credible source because I actually worked there. 997 00:50:05,672 --> 00:50:05,911 Speaker 4: You know. 998 00:50:06,072 --> 00:50:10,352 Speaker 3: So my family was threatened. I mean I've received multiple 999 00:50:10,792 --> 00:50:12,911 Speaker 3: you know, threats that you know, people are coming from 1000 00:50:12,911 --> 00:50:16,632 Speaker 3: me and my family, you know, things about my appearance. 1001 00:50:16,672 --> 00:50:18,791 Speaker 3: I mean, it was it was really a lot to take, 1002 00:50:18,832 --> 00:50:21,271 Speaker 3: you know, and it went on for quite some time. 1003 00:50:22,112 --> 00:50:24,152 Speaker 2: What's it like for you today? You still having to 1004 00:50:24,192 --> 00:50:24,631 Speaker 2: deal with. 1005 00:50:24,551 --> 00:50:29,512 Speaker 3: Them occasionally it happens, you know, mostly on social media. 1006 00:50:29,752 --> 00:50:30,432 Speaker 4: It does happen. 1007 00:50:30,672 --> 00:50:32,551 Speaker 3: But I've learned how to work through it, you know, 1008 00:50:32,592 --> 00:50:37,872 Speaker 3: and I fully understand. The lesson is that no one's 1009 00:50:37,872 --> 00:50:40,112 Speaker 3: ever really all going to We're not all going to agree, 1010 00:50:40,352 --> 00:50:43,192 Speaker 3: you know, and there are people that just can't accept 1011 00:50:43,471 --> 00:50:45,712 Speaker 3: that that was the outcome, you know, they want it 1012 00:50:45,752 --> 00:50:48,671 Speaker 3: to be something else, And I think that that's going 1013 00:50:48,752 --> 00:50:51,551 Speaker 3: to remain the story. And I know that I was 1014 00:50:51,551 --> 00:50:54,471 Speaker 3: one hundred percent honest and I've answered all the questions 1015 00:50:54,511 --> 00:50:59,312 Speaker 3: that I ensured everything that I know. And I'm also 1016 00:50:59,431 --> 00:51:02,312 Speaker 3: terribly sorry that that it happened in the first place. 1017 00:51:02,352 --> 00:51:04,072 Speaker 4: I mean, it's it's awful. 1018 00:51:06,592 --> 00:51:08,552 Speaker 2: Well finally made you walk away from the Seasil. 1019 00:51:11,312 --> 00:51:13,752 Speaker 3: I actually probably would have never left the seesaw the 1020 00:51:14,951 --> 00:51:18,472 Speaker 3: secel closed, so it was purchased by another a group 1021 00:51:18,911 --> 00:51:22,232 Speaker 3: and they had their own ideas of what would happen, 1022 00:51:22,471 --> 00:51:24,551 Speaker 3: you know with the hotel, so we closed it and 1023 00:51:24,991 --> 00:51:27,071 Speaker 3: I was a part of that closure as well, which 1024 00:51:27,192 --> 00:51:30,151 Speaker 3: was also a really sad time, you know, all the 1025 00:51:30,152 --> 00:51:34,031 Speaker 3: things that we had been through together ten years. I 1026 00:51:34,152 --> 00:51:40,112 Speaker 3: learned so much in the period of time it was. 1027 00:51:38,072 --> 00:51:39,671 Speaker 4: It was it was really hard to leave. 1028 00:51:39,672 --> 00:51:41,431 Speaker 3: So that really is the reason why I did leave 1029 00:51:41,431 --> 00:51:43,832 Speaker 3: the Cecils, because it actually closed, and the moment that 1030 00:51:43,911 --> 00:51:49,591 Speaker 3: I walked out the door, it felt like it was 1031 00:51:49,632 --> 00:51:52,272 Speaker 3: a lot to process, you know, looking up at the 1032 00:51:52,272 --> 00:51:57,071 Speaker 3: building and thinking it's over, you know, because every day 1033 00:51:57,232 --> 00:51:59,152 Speaker 3: was it was constant chaos. 1034 00:51:59,392 --> 00:52:01,471 Speaker 4: It was always just constant chaos. 1035 00:52:02,991 --> 00:52:05,191 Speaker 1: And you say that, and you outline a really willing 1036 00:52:05,192 --> 00:52:07,151 Speaker 1: your book, but when you say chaos, you actually really 1037 00:52:07,192 --> 00:52:10,631 Speaker 1: mean that that. Sometimes you know, a naked person might 1038 00:52:10,712 --> 00:52:11,792 Speaker 1: run through the lobby. 1039 00:52:11,872 --> 00:52:14,591 Speaker 2: You've been you know, physically. 1040 00:52:14,031 --> 00:52:17,192 Speaker 1: Threatened, or there's you know, a lovely man who you 1041 00:52:17,232 --> 00:52:20,312 Speaker 1: describe who just gave you lovely compliments every day. Like 1042 00:52:20,352 --> 00:52:22,791 Speaker 1: it was just one extreme to the other for that time, 1043 00:52:22,872 --> 00:52:23,232 Speaker 1: wasn't it. 1044 00:52:23,672 --> 00:52:28,672 Speaker 3: Yes, And I have to say that there's resilience in 1045 00:52:28,712 --> 00:52:29,551 Speaker 3: the chaos. 1046 00:52:30,031 --> 00:52:32,031 Speaker 4: You know, I learned resilience. 1047 00:52:32,592 --> 00:52:35,152 Speaker 2: So what's there today at the season. 1048 00:52:36,431 --> 00:52:39,792 Speaker 3: They're presently, as far as I know, they're presently filling 1049 00:52:39,792 --> 00:52:45,031 Speaker 3: it up with homeless people. So it's returning to basically 1050 00:52:45,072 --> 00:52:50,471 Speaker 3: a hotel that is housing the homeless, which you know, 1051 00:52:51,272 --> 00:52:52,991 Speaker 3: we have a lot of homeless people here in Los 1052 00:52:53,031 --> 00:52:57,111 Speaker 3: Angeles and they do need housing. So yeah, it will 1053 00:52:57,152 --> 00:52:59,352 Speaker 3: never be a hotel again. I can't imagine that would 1054 00:52:59,352 --> 00:53:01,631 Speaker 3: ever operate as a hotel again. It's over for the 1055 00:53:01,632 --> 00:53:04,272 Speaker 3: Cecil in that way. 1056 00:53:06,551 --> 00:53:08,511 Speaker 1: Thank you so much to Amy for helping us tell 1057 00:53:08,551 --> 00:53:11,431 Speaker 1: the story of the Cecil Hotel and Alisa Lamb. You 1058 00:53:11,471 --> 00:53:13,511 Speaker 1: can read more about her book Behind the Door at 1059 00:53:13,511 --> 00:53:15,232 Speaker 1: the link in our show notes. If you want to 1060 00:53:15,232 --> 00:53:16,991 Speaker 1: see images from this story, you can head to our 1061 00:53:17,031 --> 00:53:20,071 Speaker 1: Instagram page at True Crime Conversations, and also if you 1062 00:53:20,072 --> 00:53:22,272 Speaker 1: wouldn't mind give us a follow and have a look 1063 00:53:22,272 --> 00:53:25,152 Speaker 1: at our case explainers as well. If you enjoyed this episode, 1064 00:53:25,152 --> 00:53:27,631 Speaker 1: please review our show on Apple Podcast or leave a 1065 00:53:27,632 --> 00:53:30,951 Speaker 1: comment on Spotify. True Crime Conversations is hosted by me 1066 00:53:31,112 --> 00:53:34,032 Speaker 1: Claire Murphy and produced by Tarlie Blackman, with the audio 1067 00:53:34,031 --> 00:53:37,151 Speaker 1: designed by Jacob Brown. Thanks so much for listening. I'll 1068 00:53:37,152 --> 00:53:39,752 Speaker 1: be back next week with another True Crime Conversation.