1 00:00:08,285 --> 00:00:25,965 Speaker 1: School of Humans. It's Friday night, and we're driving down 2 00:00:26,005 --> 00:00:29,685 Speaker 1: the Pacific Coast Highway that winds through Malibu toward the 3 00:00:29,725 --> 00:00:34,885 Speaker 1: blue neon glow of Jeoffrey's Restaurant. On September sixteenth, two 4 00:00:34,965 --> 00:00:38,165 Speaker 1: thousand and nine, twenty four year old my Trees Richardson 5 00:00:38,445 --> 00:00:41,805 Speaker 1: took this same route in her nineteen ninety eight Honda Civic. 6 00:00:42,925 --> 00:00:45,645 Speaker 1: She went inside the restaurant and ordered a Kobe's Steak 7 00:00:45,765 --> 00:00:50,205 Speaker 1: and a sea breeze. Many diners and restaurant workers noted 8 00:00:50,205 --> 00:00:56,205 Speaker 1: her behavior as quote off. Before the night was over, 9 00:00:56,645 --> 00:00:59,805 Speaker 1: my Trees found herself in a Lost Hills Sheriff's Department 10 00:00:59,805 --> 00:01:06,165 Speaker 1: holding cell. The officers who took her to jail drove 11 00:01:06,245 --> 00:01:10,045 Speaker 1: way past the strip of sand called Billionaire Beach, home 12 00:01:10,085 --> 00:01:15,645 Speaker 1: to CEOs and Hollywood Royalty. My Trees was in the 13 00:01:15,645 --> 00:01:17,925 Speaker 1: back of the cruiser as it curved sharply into the 14 00:01:17,925 --> 00:01:22,125 Speaker 1: Santa Monica Mountains, near the gated communities of Calabasas that 15 00:01:22,245 --> 00:01:25,725 Speaker 1: Kim Kardashian West and Will and Jada Pinkett Smith call home. 16 00:01:26,885 --> 00:01:29,125 Speaker 1: But it's a long way from the surfers and the 17 00:01:29,165 --> 00:01:34,725 Speaker 1: celebrity hotspots up here. The roads have no shoulders, and 18 00:01:34,765 --> 00:01:38,605 Speaker 1: steep drop offs. Her final destination was the Lost Hills 19 00:01:38,645 --> 00:01:44,525 Speaker 1: Sheriff Station in the middle of nowhere, and that's where 20 00:01:44,725 --> 00:01:50,285 Speaker 1: on Thursday at twelve fifteen am, My Trees was released. Now, 21 00:01:50,285 --> 00:01:53,005 Speaker 1: this is the same sheriffs station where mel Gibson was 22 00:01:53,085 --> 00:01:57,565 Speaker 1: arrested for drunk driving. Even after a drunken rant, officers 23 00:01:57,605 --> 00:02:00,245 Speaker 1: safely drove Meil back to his car when he sobered up. 24 00:02:01,125 --> 00:02:03,965 Speaker 1: There was no courtesy ride for My Trees, the young 25 00:02:04,045 --> 00:02:08,285 Speaker 1: African American woman with no famous last name. She was 26 00:02:08,325 --> 00:02:11,365 Speaker 1: released into the pitch black night and had no car, 27 00:02:11,885 --> 00:02:17,045 Speaker 1: no cell phone, no money. She was forty miles from 28 00:02:17,045 --> 00:02:20,965 Speaker 1: home and had no way of getting back. My Trees 29 00:02:21,045 --> 00:02:24,645 Speaker 1: disappeared into the darkness and was never seen alive again. 30 00:02:25,685 --> 00:02:29,205 Speaker 1: To this day, no one knows what happened to My Trees. 31 00:02:30,125 --> 00:03:12,365 Speaker 1: I'm Catherine Townsend. This is Helen Gone. So Catherine, where 32 00:03:12,405 --> 00:03:15,765 Speaker 1: are we going. We're going to Inglewood Cemetery and we're 33 00:03:15,765 --> 00:03:20,645 Speaker 1: going to talk to doctor Ronda Hampton at my Teresa's 34 00:03:20,725 --> 00:03:24,925 Speaker 1: grave site, because today is the anniversary of the day 35 00:03:24,925 --> 00:03:29,085 Speaker 1: that she disappeared. Take the next right onto East Florence Avenue. 36 00:03:29,165 --> 00:03:37,285 Speaker 1: Then your destination will be on the right, Sorry, excuse me. 37 00:03:38,845 --> 00:03:43,805 Speaker 1: Inglewood Cemetery is located right next to the airport. The 38 00:03:43,845 --> 00:03:47,285 Speaker 1: cemetery is huge, so huge that it's divided by two 39 00:03:47,365 --> 00:03:51,285 Speaker 1: way streets, beautiful, peaceful lots of palm tree line streets. 40 00:03:51,765 --> 00:03:57,525 Speaker 1: My Teresa's plot is located on fair Haven. Today, some 41 00:03:57,565 --> 00:04:02,045 Speaker 1: of her friends and loved ones have gathered to remember her. Oh. 42 00:04:02,405 --> 00:04:06,325 Speaker 1: Doctor Ronda Hampton organized the event today. Doctor Ronda is 43 00:04:06,325 --> 00:04:09,085 Speaker 1: a clinical psychologist who first met my Trees in two 44 00:04:09,085 --> 00:04:11,765 Speaker 1: thousand and six when My Trees was her intern. This 45 00:04:12,405 --> 00:04:19,725 Speaker 1: is where my Trees is laid to rest and next 46 00:04:19,765 --> 00:04:23,365 Speaker 1: to her great grandmother and her uncle. She's buried next 47 00:04:23,365 --> 00:04:25,845 Speaker 1: to her uncle who was shot and killed by police 48 00:04:25,845 --> 00:04:29,405 Speaker 1: in nineteen eighty six, and her great grandmother Mildred, who 49 00:04:29,445 --> 00:04:32,005 Speaker 1: my trace was living with when she went missing. Okay, 50 00:04:32,085 --> 00:04:34,485 Speaker 1: let's see this all right. Dear Father, God, would come 51 00:04:34,525 --> 00:04:37,125 Speaker 1: before you and we thank you that this is the 52 00:04:37,245 --> 00:04:42,005 Speaker 1: day that you have made. We are accepting Father, what 53 00:04:42,245 --> 00:04:47,405 Speaker 1: has happened to my Trees, but we are not accepting Father, 54 00:04:47,645 --> 00:04:52,885 Speaker 1: that justice is has happened. So Father, we're praying for 55 00:04:53,005 --> 00:04:57,245 Speaker 1: today that this would be a reminder for us that 56 00:04:57,325 --> 00:05:01,685 Speaker 1: we will all continue to work together to push forward 57 00:05:02,325 --> 00:05:07,365 Speaker 1: for justice, and even though the road becomes hard and difficult, 58 00:05:07,965 --> 00:05:10,325 Speaker 1: we thank you that we can rely upon your strength. 59 00:05:11,845 --> 00:05:15,485 Speaker 1: Doctor Ronda and mourners have brought dozens of sunflowers, my 60 00:05:15,605 --> 00:05:18,845 Speaker 1: Teresa's favorite. She sets up a memorial display with my 61 00:05:18,925 --> 00:05:22,405 Speaker 1: Teresa's graduation photo, and she brought gift bags for anyone 62 00:05:22,445 --> 00:05:25,605 Speaker 1: coming by today featuring the Justice for my Terre's logo, 63 00:05:26,325 --> 00:05:30,365 Speaker 1: a sunflower with a butterfly inside her masks, a sign 64 00:05:30,405 --> 00:05:34,445 Speaker 1: of the COVID times, and sunflower seeds. Anytime I see sunflowers, 65 00:05:34,805 --> 00:05:37,005 Speaker 1: that always makes me happy, I think because because my 66 00:05:37,045 --> 00:05:39,165 Speaker 1: trees love the flowers. And then when I see some 67 00:05:39,285 --> 00:05:43,365 Speaker 1: flowers for her, then it makes me feel really happy. 68 00:05:44,285 --> 00:05:47,925 Speaker 1: And actually I've been really scared to come to her 69 00:05:49,525 --> 00:05:53,605 Speaker 1: her sight. I don't even know why. Yeah, and this 70 00:05:53,765 --> 00:05:57,045 Speaker 1: is the first time you've been here since yeah, since 71 00:05:57,085 --> 00:06:02,645 Speaker 1: the service. Yeah, I don't know. This is the first 72 00:06:02,645 --> 00:06:05,285 Speaker 1: time that Ronda has been to my Teresa's grave site 73 00:06:05,565 --> 00:06:08,485 Speaker 1: since the day they buried her. And that is a 74 00:06:08,565 --> 00:06:11,165 Speaker 1: day she doesn't want to remember. And on that day, 75 00:06:12,125 --> 00:06:14,085 Speaker 1: you know, like it's not done, you know what I mean, 76 00:06:14,125 --> 00:06:16,965 Speaker 1: It's like, Okay, here we're burying her. It was like 77 00:06:17,005 --> 00:06:20,045 Speaker 1: a circus. It was like a media circus to begin 78 00:06:20,125 --> 00:06:23,925 Speaker 1: with no respect for her whatsoever, you know, Like the 79 00:06:23,925 --> 00:06:26,325 Speaker 1: sheriffs were talking shit. It's like, come on, let her 80 00:06:26,365 --> 00:06:30,245 Speaker 1: just be buried, you know. So that was just very frustrating. 81 00:06:30,285 --> 00:06:33,605 Speaker 1: And then and then on the day of her funeral, 82 00:06:35,125 --> 00:06:38,405 Speaker 1: I so this is what happened. I asked the forensic 83 00:06:38,445 --> 00:06:43,565 Speaker 1: anthropologist that was volunteering that whenever, whenever we found my 84 00:06:43,645 --> 00:06:48,605 Speaker 1: Teresa's body, would she come and do like an autopsy. Right, 85 00:06:49,085 --> 00:06:51,805 Speaker 1: So when she was found, then I called her and 86 00:06:51,845 --> 00:06:54,285 Speaker 1: I said, they found her. The thing is, she was 87 00:06:54,285 --> 00:06:57,525 Speaker 1: in England at the time, so she had to She says, 88 00:06:57,565 --> 00:07:00,245 Speaker 1: the way. The only day I can get back is 89 00:07:00,285 --> 00:07:03,965 Speaker 1: on September seventeenth, And that was the day that the 90 00:07:04,005 --> 00:07:08,405 Speaker 1: service was already planned, so like only hours before her funeral. 91 00:07:08,725 --> 00:07:13,645 Speaker 1: She uh was doing the autopsy just hours before. So 92 00:07:14,685 --> 00:07:18,165 Speaker 1: then right when the service was gonna start, right then, 93 00:07:18,165 --> 00:07:22,765 Speaker 1: that's when I get the phone call. Right, her body 94 00:07:22,845 --> 00:07:26,885 Speaker 1: had not been analyzed, her clothing were in the body bag, 95 00:07:27,405 --> 00:07:30,525 Speaker 1: clothing in the body bag, her body had not been analyzed. 96 00:07:30,805 --> 00:07:33,885 Speaker 1: And apologist is like, we gotta figure out what to do, right, 97 00:07:33,925 --> 00:07:39,205 Speaker 1: So we got like five minutes to make a decision. 98 00:07:39,245 --> 00:07:41,325 Speaker 1: What are we gonna do. I was at the church. 99 00:07:43,685 --> 00:07:47,205 Speaker 1: Everybody's rolling in. Yeah, so we were like, okay, so 100 00:07:47,325 --> 00:07:49,325 Speaker 1: we're just gonna have We're just gonna have to bury 101 00:07:50,245 --> 00:07:54,245 Speaker 1: because we were It's like if they would put her 102 00:07:54,525 --> 00:07:58,965 Speaker 1: clothing in the body bag to be buried, you know 103 00:07:59,485 --> 00:08:03,245 Speaker 1: that they're trying to high. So we had so we 104 00:08:03,325 --> 00:08:05,605 Speaker 1: had to We just had to have the funeral. So 105 00:08:05,845 --> 00:08:09,445 Speaker 1: all the time we're sitting there or I don't even 106 00:08:09,485 --> 00:08:11,005 Speaker 1: think I told her mom. I think I just had 107 00:08:11,005 --> 00:08:13,925 Speaker 1: to wait, like just sitting there. It's like, okay, so 108 00:08:13,925 --> 00:08:17,285 Speaker 1: we're just gonna let this uner what happens. So I'm preoccupied. 109 00:08:17,725 --> 00:08:20,725 Speaker 1: I'm not thinking about none of this. I'm thinking about 110 00:08:21,405 --> 00:08:26,245 Speaker 1: Colin Lee Baka in the corners and like what the fuck? 111 00:08:26,845 --> 00:08:31,725 Speaker 1: So all that, I'm not even thinking about it, none 112 00:08:31,725 --> 00:08:37,365 Speaker 1: of it. Sitting in the church, pissed off, right, Yeah, 113 00:08:37,405 --> 00:08:39,085 Speaker 1: so that's what happened on that day. So no, that 114 00:08:39,205 --> 00:08:42,245 Speaker 1: was not a beautiful day or whatever. I was there 115 00:08:42,365 --> 00:08:44,685 Speaker 1: a p occupied, getting the hell out of here and 116 00:08:44,805 --> 00:08:49,445 Speaker 1: just jamming up whoever needed to be jammed up. I've 117 00:08:49,445 --> 00:08:52,565 Speaker 1: been following my Teresa's case for a long time. I 118 00:08:52,645 --> 00:08:54,565 Speaker 1: first heard about it in late two thousand and nine 119 00:08:54,885 --> 00:08:57,045 Speaker 1: when I was living in LA and I remember seeing 120 00:08:57,045 --> 00:09:00,045 Speaker 1: a mention of the search in Malibu. The story seems 121 00:09:00,085 --> 00:09:03,045 Speaker 1: so strange, a woman who had been arrested, then let 122 00:09:03,045 --> 00:09:05,205 Speaker 1: go in the middle of the night, and then vanished 123 00:09:05,205 --> 00:09:08,765 Speaker 1: without I was actually working and training as a PI 124 00:09:08,885 --> 00:09:11,245 Speaker 1: during that time in Agra Hills, so I would have 125 00:09:11,285 --> 00:09:14,605 Speaker 1: to make the drive through the Calabasas area. I remember 126 00:09:14,605 --> 00:09:17,285 Speaker 1: seeing people holding signs and wearing have you seen my 127 00:09:17,325 --> 00:09:21,325 Speaker 1: Tree's t? Shirts. According to news reports, there were multiple 128 00:09:21,325 --> 00:09:25,005 Speaker 1: searches by police in Malibu, by the LAPD, and by 129 00:09:25,125 --> 00:09:29,445 Speaker 1: hundreds of volunteers, but then the story just seemed to disappear. 130 00:09:30,165 --> 00:09:32,365 Speaker 1: I never even knew that her remains had been found. 131 00:09:34,405 --> 00:09:36,805 Speaker 1: When I first read about my Teresa's story, it was 132 00:09:36,885 --> 00:09:38,645 Speaker 1: kind of presented as a girl who may have been 133 00:09:38,645 --> 00:09:41,485 Speaker 1: on drugs or on the streets, or possibly wandered into 134 00:09:41,485 --> 00:09:44,805 Speaker 1: the woods and was suicidal. As it turns out, it 135 00:09:44,885 --> 00:09:47,645 Speaker 1: wasn't like that at all. My Teres was a young 136 00:09:47,645 --> 00:09:50,565 Speaker 1: woman with a caring family who was vulnerable on one night, 137 00:09:51,125 --> 00:09:53,245 Speaker 1: and the people around her wanted her to be safe. 138 00:09:54,085 --> 00:09:56,005 Speaker 1: Then she went to what should have been the safest 139 00:09:56,005 --> 00:09:59,045 Speaker 1: place in the world the Lost Hills Sheriff Station, and 140 00:09:59,085 --> 00:10:02,285 Speaker 1: then just vanished. Another thing that interested me about the 141 00:10:02,325 --> 00:10:04,485 Speaker 1: area where this took place was the fact that it's 142 00:10:04,645 --> 00:10:07,925 Speaker 1: very remote. People have this misconception that this area is 143 00:10:07,925 --> 00:10:11,045 Speaker 1: buzzing because it's close to Malibu Beach in the Hollywood hangouts, 144 00:10:12,205 --> 00:10:14,445 Speaker 1: but the truth is, once you turn up toward the canyon, 145 00:10:15,085 --> 00:10:18,485 Speaker 1: the areas around there are cut off from anywhere you're 146 00:10:18,525 --> 00:10:21,125 Speaker 1: in the mountains within a couple of minutes up there. 147 00:10:21,125 --> 00:10:24,685 Speaker 1: It's all horse trails and very remote neighborhoods that are 148 00:10:24,685 --> 00:10:26,725 Speaker 1: cut off from the surrounding world by the Santa Monica 149 00:10:26,765 --> 00:10:30,565 Speaker 1: Mountains and the nearby communities of Agora Hills and Simi 150 00:10:30,645 --> 00:10:33,445 Speaker 1: Valley are also very different from Malibu and Los Angeles. 151 00:10:34,005 --> 00:10:38,565 Speaker 1: They're small town, predominantly white, very conservative, and heavily populated 152 00:10:38,565 --> 00:10:43,245 Speaker 1: by people who work in law enforcement. Side note, the 153 00:10:43,285 --> 00:10:45,605 Speaker 1: community of Simi Valley was the home of two of 154 00:10:45,645 --> 00:10:49,405 Speaker 1: the Ventura County jurors who acquitted the police officers who 155 00:10:49,405 --> 00:10:53,445 Speaker 1: beat Rodney King in nineteen ninety two, triggering the La riots, 156 00:10:54,325 --> 00:10:57,045 Speaker 1: and in the past couple of years there have been 157 00:10:57,085 --> 00:11:01,525 Speaker 1: several mysterious deaths in the area. In January twenty seventeen, 158 00:11:02,045 --> 00:11:04,125 Speaker 1: twenty year old a Lane Park had a date night 159 00:11:04,165 --> 00:11:07,005 Speaker 1: with her boyfriend. He said she left in the early 160 00:11:07,045 --> 00:11:11,165 Speaker 1: morning hours the next day. Her car was found abandoned 161 00:11:11,365 --> 00:11:14,645 Speaker 1: on Pacific Coast Highway a few days later, but she 162 00:11:14,765 --> 00:11:20,245 Speaker 1: was never seen again. Then, in twenty eighteen, Tristan Bodett, 163 00:11:20,605 --> 00:11:23,605 Speaker 1: a young father of two, was shot while sleeping in 164 00:11:23,685 --> 00:11:28,245 Speaker 1: his tent in the Santa Monica National Park campground. A 165 00:11:28,365 --> 00:11:31,645 Speaker 1: drifter named Anthony Rauta has been charged with Bodet's murder, 166 00:11:32,245 --> 00:11:34,805 Speaker 1: but there have been many other mysterious shootings in the area, 167 00:11:35,405 --> 00:11:37,805 Speaker 1: and a lot of people believe that Rauta is not 168 00:11:37,845 --> 00:11:41,965 Speaker 1: responsible for all of them. But what's so odd to 169 00:11:42,005 --> 00:11:43,965 Speaker 1: me about my Teres's case is the fact that you 170 00:11:44,005 --> 00:11:47,125 Speaker 1: can disappear so close to one of the most star 171 00:11:47,165 --> 00:11:57,045 Speaker 1: studded and populated places in the world. When my Terce 172 00:11:57,125 --> 00:11:59,445 Speaker 1: was taking the drive that night, she had a lot 173 00:11:59,485 --> 00:12:03,085 Speaker 1: on her mind. For the past several months, her life 174 00:12:03,085 --> 00:12:07,765 Speaker 1: had been in transition. She was interning with Ronda and 175 00:12:07,805 --> 00:12:11,405 Speaker 1: looking at graduate schools. Before we went to the cemetery 176 00:12:11,445 --> 00:12:14,125 Speaker 1: with Ronda, we gave her a call to get her 177 00:12:14,165 --> 00:12:18,085 Speaker 1: perspective on the case. She's been investigating my Teresa's death 178 00:12:18,365 --> 00:12:24,485 Speaker 1: for over ten years or else. Oh hi, doctor Hampton, Hi, 179 00:12:24,605 --> 00:12:27,405 Speaker 1: how are you. I'm good? Thank you for talking to me. 180 00:12:27,685 --> 00:12:30,045 Speaker 1: Ronda says she will never forget the first day that 181 00:12:30,125 --> 00:12:35,085 Speaker 1: my ries walked into her office. What was she like? So, 182 00:12:35,925 --> 00:12:39,525 Speaker 1: my Trees, I have to tell you when. Okay, So 183 00:12:39,645 --> 00:12:41,685 Speaker 1: I kind of had a little bit of an attitude 184 00:12:41,725 --> 00:12:43,765 Speaker 1: taking on an intern. I really didn't want to. My 185 00:12:43,845 --> 00:12:47,685 Speaker 1: daughter was just starting school that week, first grade, and 186 00:12:48,125 --> 00:12:50,885 Speaker 1: I just was really not interested in supervising someone because 187 00:12:50,885 --> 00:12:53,285 Speaker 1: it's quite you know, it's a bit of a responsibility, right, 188 00:12:53,605 --> 00:12:57,165 Speaker 1: And so on the very first day that she came 189 00:12:57,205 --> 00:12:59,285 Speaker 1: into my office was the first day that my daughter 190 00:12:59,405 --> 00:13:04,165 Speaker 1: started school, right, So I, you know, come rushing into 191 00:13:04,205 --> 00:13:06,405 Speaker 1: the office and she was already there. But I'll tell 192 00:13:06,405 --> 00:13:08,445 Speaker 1: you when I fell in love with her. I in 193 00:13:08,525 --> 00:13:11,725 Speaker 1: between clients, I overheard her talking to someone else over 194 00:13:11,765 --> 00:13:15,285 Speaker 1: the phone. Now I don't actually recall who it was, 195 00:13:15,725 --> 00:13:18,765 Speaker 1: but she was very clear in saying, well, this is 196 00:13:18,765 --> 00:13:21,685 Speaker 1: doctor Hampston's office and this is how she runs things. 197 00:13:21,765 --> 00:13:24,645 Speaker 1: And you know, I will take your you know, your message, 198 00:13:24,645 --> 00:13:26,325 Speaker 1: and I will pose it onto her, but she was 199 00:13:26,525 --> 00:13:28,125 Speaker 1: very stern and the way she said it, and I 200 00:13:28,165 --> 00:13:32,045 Speaker 1: was like, wait a minute, car she was just like 201 00:13:32,165 --> 00:13:34,485 Speaker 1: laying down the law. Its very in a very very 202 00:13:34,485 --> 00:13:38,005 Speaker 1: respectful manner, but really firm. So I absolutely I was 203 00:13:38,045 --> 00:13:43,565 Speaker 1: like just double take, like, way, who are we? And 204 00:13:43,605 --> 00:13:45,605 Speaker 1: a couple hours later I had a break and then 205 00:13:45,685 --> 00:13:49,045 Speaker 1: you know, we just it was just you know, it 206 00:13:50,565 --> 00:13:53,525 Speaker 1: was on, you know, and I was I had graduated 207 00:13:53,525 --> 00:13:55,725 Speaker 1: from cal State Polishes, so we had that in common. 208 00:13:55,805 --> 00:13:58,085 Speaker 1: And and she was just smart as a whip, so 209 00:13:58,165 --> 00:14:01,125 Speaker 1: it was nothing to kind of just really take her 210 00:14:01,165 --> 00:14:04,925 Speaker 1: under my wing and you know, just show her everything 211 00:14:04,925 --> 00:14:08,805 Speaker 1: that I possible it could. Yeah, she seemed like an 212 00:14:08,805 --> 00:14:13,365 Speaker 1: amazing She seemed like a really amazing person. The good thing. 213 00:14:14,205 --> 00:14:16,365 Speaker 1: She really was. And it's hard to you know, you 214 00:14:16,405 --> 00:14:18,205 Speaker 1: hear that stuff all the time, but it's like she 215 00:14:18,405 --> 00:14:23,045 Speaker 1: was so dynamic, you know, just just smart and very 216 00:14:23,085 --> 00:14:28,725 Speaker 1: pleasant and very very cheerful and you know, just respectful 217 00:14:28,885 --> 00:14:32,565 Speaker 1: and and inquisitive like all those things. And and and 218 00:14:32,725 --> 00:14:36,445 Speaker 1: also I learned very quickly that she definitely was uh 219 00:14:36,885 --> 00:14:41,165 Speaker 1: going to be a better therapist than than me. And 220 00:14:40,965 --> 00:14:43,965 Speaker 1: she had much more compassion natural combassion than I do 221 00:14:54,485 --> 00:14:57,525 Speaker 1: the week My Trees disappeared, she had scheduled lunch with 222 00:14:57,645 --> 00:15:01,205 Speaker 1: Ronda to talk about her grad school application. She wanted 223 00:15:01,205 --> 00:15:04,685 Speaker 1: to become a child psychologist, but until then she was 224 00:15:04,685 --> 00:15:07,685 Speaker 1: working to pay the bill. She worked a clerical job 225 00:15:07,725 --> 00:15:10,725 Speaker 1: with a shipping company, and on Friday nights she was 226 00:15:10,765 --> 00:15:13,405 Speaker 1: a go go dancer at an LGBT club in Long 227 00:15:13,405 --> 00:15:17,445 Speaker 1: Beach called Deborah's. My Trees lived with her great grandmother, Mildred, 228 00:15:17,445 --> 00:15:20,805 Speaker 1: in Inglewood, a neighborhood in South Los Angeles near lax. 229 00:15:22,365 --> 00:15:25,725 Speaker 1: Her father, Michael Richardson, had not been around much during 230 00:15:25,725 --> 00:15:28,925 Speaker 1: My Teresa's childhood, but she grew up. They started to 231 00:15:28,965 --> 00:15:32,285 Speaker 1: rebuild their relationship and they were in touch regularly. When 232 00:15:32,285 --> 00:15:36,245 Speaker 1: My Trees disappeared. My Trees had also recently come out 233 00:15:36,245 --> 00:15:39,245 Speaker 1: as a lesbian, and she started dating a boxer named Tessa. 234 00:15:39,765 --> 00:15:41,805 Speaker 1: Tessa and My Trees had broken up in the spring. 235 00:15:42,805 --> 00:15:46,245 Speaker 1: My Trees reportedly became fixated on a woman named Vanessa, 236 00:15:46,645 --> 00:15:50,965 Speaker 1: who was a regular at Deborah's, but Vanessa wasn't interested. 237 00:15:52,165 --> 00:15:54,365 Speaker 1: But My Trees also appeared to be suffering from some 238 00:15:54,405 --> 00:15:59,205 Speaker 1: mental health issues. After her disappearance, her mom, Lettie Sutton, 239 00:15:59,405 --> 00:16:02,485 Speaker 1: went through My Teresa's social media posts and what she 240 00:16:02,605 --> 00:16:07,725 Speaker 1: found there was disturbing. On my my Trees had posted 241 00:16:08,405 --> 00:16:10,845 Speaker 1: have you ever woke up at seven am crying on 242 00:16:10,885 --> 00:16:13,325 Speaker 1: a Saturday? Because now that you see the light, you 243 00:16:13,365 --> 00:16:16,085 Speaker 1: see all the people lost in the dark. Welcome to 244 00:16:16,125 --> 00:16:22,645 Speaker 1: my reality. In the days before her disappearance, my Teres 245 00:16:22,685 --> 00:16:25,565 Speaker 1: wrote on Facebook that she was not sleeping and her 246 00:16:25,605 --> 00:16:28,445 Speaker 1: thoughts appeared to be becoming more and more erratic and 247 00:16:28,485 --> 00:16:32,525 Speaker 1: had a kind of manic energy. Then on the day 248 00:16:32,605 --> 00:16:35,205 Speaker 1: she went missing, her boss said that she showed up 249 00:16:35,205 --> 00:16:37,685 Speaker 1: for work in a good mood. She went out for 250 00:16:37,765 --> 00:16:41,525 Speaker 1: lunch but didn't come back. This was totally out of 251 00:16:41,605 --> 00:16:45,965 Speaker 1: character for her. Then my Teres went back to her 252 00:16:45,965 --> 00:16:50,325 Speaker 1: great grandmother's house in Inglewood. She had some business cards 253 00:16:50,325 --> 00:16:53,405 Speaker 1: printed up with her dancer name Hazel on them, and 254 00:16:53,485 --> 00:16:55,605 Speaker 1: she pasted them all over the windows of the house. 255 00:16:56,605 --> 00:16:59,765 Speaker 1: After my Trees left that afternoon, my Teresa's aunt, Lauren, 256 00:16:59,925 --> 00:17:02,205 Speaker 1: found that she'd also left a strange note on her 257 00:17:02,245 --> 00:17:06,645 Speaker 1: husband's windshield with some nonsensical writing and the words black 258 00:17:06,685 --> 00:17:11,445 Speaker 1: woman scorned. Ronda also said my Trees had visited an 259 00:17:11,445 --> 00:17:15,005 Speaker 1: old professor of hers that day. The day before my 260 00:17:15,045 --> 00:17:21,285 Speaker 1: trees went missing. She had shown up to her old 261 00:17:21,325 --> 00:17:24,805 Speaker 1: college professor's office. So this is a woman who she really, 262 00:17:25,125 --> 00:17:27,805 Speaker 1: you know, liked a lot, so showed up and the 263 00:17:27,925 --> 00:17:31,445 Speaker 1: office staff told her My treats like, you know, she's 264 00:17:31,485 --> 00:17:32,565 Speaker 1: not going to be out for a while because she 265 00:17:32,605 --> 00:17:36,605 Speaker 1: was teaching a class. My treets waited there for a 266 00:17:36,685 --> 00:17:40,525 Speaker 1: long time, and then eventually the professor came and the professor, 267 00:17:40,685 --> 00:17:43,325 Speaker 1: I know because I talked to the professor. The professor 268 00:17:43,565 --> 00:17:46,725 Speaker 1: thought that my truf was acting odd. So she walked 269 00:17:46,765 --> 00:17:50,965 Speaker 1: the trees over to and to a psychologist that you know, 270 00:17:51,085 --> 00:17:54,045 Speaker 1: was in the same dome with her, in the hopes 271 00:17:54,045 --> 00:17:56,045 Speaker 1: that this person would get my treat some help. And 272 00:17:56,085 --> 00:17:58,205 Speaker 1: my treeth kind of picked up on it, and she 273 00:17:58,405 --> 00:18:00,005 Speaker 1: ran away and said, okay, that's fine, I'm just going 274 00:18:00,045 --> 00:18:02,685 Speaker 1: to go be with my friends. So she left and 275 00:18:02,725 --> 00:18:04,565 Speaker 1: then she met up with her friends and she was 276 00:18:04,605 --> 00:18:07,685 Speaker 1: crying because, you know, the progressor didn't believe her and 277 00:18:07,685 --> 00:18:10,925 Speaker 1: thought that something was wrong with her. So everybody was 278 00:18:10,965 --> 00:18:12,845 Speaker 1: picking up on that something was wrong with her. She 279 00:18:12,885 --> 00:18:15,565 Speaker 1: was just acting on and she was posting on Facebook 280 00:18:15,605 --> 00:18:18,605 Speaker 1: all kinds of odd things, probably for twenty four hours straight, 281 00:18:19,165 --> 00:18:23,205 Speaker 1: constantly posting, and so one of the things that she posted, 282 00:18:23,525 --> 00:18:25,765 Speaker 1: or I don't remember, she posted this a toll on 283 00:18:25,805 --> 00:18:27,205 Speaker 1: her friends. I'd have to look at my notes, but 284 00:18:27,285 --> 00:18:30,645 Speaker 1: that the ocean was calling her, and so we believe 285 00:18:30,685 --> 00:18:33,045 Speaker 1: that that's why she went to Malibu, because the ocean 286 00:18:33,085 --> 00:18:38,805 Speaker 1: was calling her. We're driving out to Jeffrey's to retrace 287 00:18:38,925 --> 00:18:41,965 Speaker 1: my Teresa's steps the night she went missing. Yeah, so 288 00:18:42,125 --> 00:18:45,245 Speaker 1: right now, we're going to Jeffrey's restaurant in Malibu, which 289 00:18:45,325 --> 00:18:48,085 Speaker 1: is along the Pacific Coast Highway, and it's the last 290 00:18:48,125 --> 00:18:51,005 Speaker 1: place where my Terse was. It's where she went the 291 00:18:51,085 --> 00:18:55,205 Speaker 1: night that she disappeared and where she was arrested and 292 00:18:55,765 --> 00:19:00,445 Speaker 1: taken into custody. So we're going to go and scope 293 00:19:00,445 --> 00:19:01,605 Speaker 1: it out, and then we're going to go to the 294 00:19:01,645 --> 00:19:04,525 Speaker 1: last hill Shriff station. Malibu, California, is one of the 295 00:19:04,525 --> 00:19:08,045 Speaker 1: most famous cities in the world, known for its spectacular 296 00:19:08,085 --> 00:19:11,925 Speaker 1: beaches and breathtaking views. It's also home to one of 297 00:19:11,925 --> 00:19:16,045 Speaker 1: the country's most impressive restaurants, renowned for its natural beauty, 298 00:19:16,325 --> 00:19:21,805 Speaker 1: impeccable service, and fabulous cuisine. Jeffrey's Malibu, an ocean side 299 00:19:21,845 --> 00:19:29,925 Speaker 1: dining experience. From the way that my Trees was acting 300 00:19:29,965 --> 00:19:33,205 Speaker 1: earlier in the day, we know that something wasn't quite right. 301 00:19:34,365 --> 00:19:37,165 Speaker 1: According to an LA magazine article written by Mike Kessler, 302 00:19:37,605 --> 00:19:41,285 Speaker 1: when my Trees got to Joffrey's, she did something pretty strange. 303 00:19:41,885 --> 00:19:44,525 Speaker 1: She got out of her car and into the valet's car. 304 00:19:45,365 --> 00:19:48,485 Speaker 1: Then the valet, Kenneth Cargle, asked my Trees what she 305 00:19:48,565 --> 00:19:53,485 Speaker 1: was doing there. She said it's subliminal and then started 306 00:19:53,525 --> 00:19:57,565 Speaker 1: muttering something about avenging the death of Michael Jackson. Kenneth 307 00:19:57,605 --> 00:20:00,125 Speaker 1: said he parked her car and when he came back, 308 00:20:00,165 --> 00:20:02,045 Speaker 1: he noticed that my Rise was still sitting in his 309 00:20:02,085 --> 00:20:06,165 Speaker 1: car going through a CD collection. Kenneth if he was 310 00:20:06,165 --> 00:20:09,085 Speaker 1: a music lover. When he said that he was, she 311 00:20:09,165 --> 00:20:11,165 Speaker 1: said she couldn't figure out how to get his car started. 312 00:20:12,005 --> 00:20:15,205 Speaker 1: Despite the strange behavior, Kenneth said that my Terse was 313 00:20:15,245 --> 00:20:18,845 Speaker 1: polite and friendly this entire time. Then my Teres asked 314 00:20:18,885 --> 00:20:21,725 Speaker 1: Kenneth if he had seen Vanessa, as if he knew 315 00:20:21,725 --> 00:20:24,605 Speaker 1: the person she was talking about. She told him to 316 00:20:24,685 --> 00:20:27,045 Speaker 1: keep an eye out for a girl with tattooed arms. 317 00:20:27,765 --> 00:20:30,725 Speaker 1: Vanessa was most likely the girl that my Teresa's friends 318 00:20:30,725 --> 00:20:34,365 Speaker 1: and family said she had a crush on my Terce 319 00:20:34,405 --> 00:20:37,405 Speaker 1: then went to the hostess dan. That's where Caroline Paris 320 00:20:37,445 --> 00:20:40,405 Speaker 1: was stationed that night. She'd been working at Jeffrey's for 321 00:20:40,445 --> 00:20:44,005 Speaker 1: a few months. Caroline immediately noticed that my Terse was 322 00:20:44,045 --> 00:20:48,125 Speaker 1: acting a little strangely. She arrived near the hostess stand 323 00:20:48,605 --> 00:20:52,205 Speaker 1: where I worked, so I greeted her and asked if 324 00:20:52,245 --> 00:20:57,085 Speaker 1: she was having dinner with us, and said, you know't 325 00:20:57,125 --> 00:20:58,685 Speaker 1: let you come over towards me and we'll put your 326 00:20:58,765 --> 00:21:00,565 Speaker 1: name in the computer because I think she was standing 327 00:21:00,565 --> 00:21:02,965 Speaker 1: in it a sense, and we'll check you in for dinner. 328 00:21:03,765 --> 00:21:06,965 Speaker 1: But she didn't. She didn't respond to me, so I 329 00:21:08,365 --> 00:21:10,725 Speaker 1: went back to the host to stand myself. I think 330 00:21:10,725 --> 00:21:13,165 Speaker 1: I'd gone up to her and I encouraged her to 331 00:21:13,245 --> 00:21:16,245 Speaker 1: come with me, but she didn't respond. So I went 332 00:21:16,285 --> 00:21:21,125 Speaker 1: back to the computer, saw what tables were available, got 333 00:21:21,205 --> 00:21:24,205 Speaker 1: a menu, and went back to her and said, you know, 334 00:21:24,285 --> 00:21:27,965 Speaker 1: you can follow me to a table, and she didn't 335 00:21:28,285 --> 00:21:31,205 Speaker 1: respond again, so I wasn't totally sure. Maybe she was 336 00:21:31,245 --> 00:21:34,725 Speaker 1: shy or I just led her to a table and 337 00:21:34,845 --> 00:21:37,005 Speaker 1: told her to enjoy her meal, and that's when she 338 00:21:37,085 --> 00:21:39,605 Speaker 1: responded for the first time, and she smiled back and 339 00:21:39,725 --> 00:21:45,085 Speaker 1: said thank you so much. After seating My Trees. The valet, Kenneth, 340 00:21:45,325 --> 00:21:47,925 Speaker 1: told Caroline that there was something off about My Trees 341 00:21:48,725 --> 00:21:50,805 Speaker 1: and told her about the odd comments My Trees had 342 00:21:50,805 --> 00:21:54,045 Speaker 1: made in his car. He also said My Trees had 343 00:21:54,045 --> 00:21:56,805 Speaker 1: told him she was there to avenge the death of 344 00:21:56,805 --> 00:22:00,765 Speaker 1: Michael Jackson. And the valet told me all this thing 345 00:22:00,845 --> 00:22:03,245 Speaker 1: that he didn't think she was dangerous. He just thought 346 00:22:03,325 --> 00:22:06,365 Speaker 1: something was off. That was a word we used that night, 347 00:22:06,405 --> 00:22:09,725 Speaker 1: if something was just off. So Caroline went over to 348 00:22:09,765 --> 00:22:12,885 Speaker 1: Jeoffrey's manager and said that they had a customer acting bizarrely. 349 00:22:14,285 --> 00:22:17,365 Speaker 1: He basically told her not to worry. This was Malibu, 350 00:22:17,445 --> 00:22:22,725 Speaker 1: which definitely saw it's share of eccentric characters. My Trees 351 00:22:22,845 --> 00:22:25,965 Speaker 1: sat at her table alone. She ordered an Ocean Breeze 352 00:22:25,965 --> 00:22:29,845 Speaker 1: cocktail and a Kobe steak. She started to eat, and 353 00:22:29,885 --> 00:22:32,445 Speaker 1: at some point she joined a large party of seven 354 00:22:32,445 --> 00:22:35,925 Speaker 1: people who were sitting nearby. Later, I did my rounds, 355 00:22:35,965 --> 00:22:38,685 Speaker 1: like walking around the tables, and I noticed that she 356 00:22:38,725 --> 00:22:42,045 Speaker 1: had gotten up from her table and moved to a 357 00:22:42,165 --> 00:22:46,765 Speaker 1: large party table, a table with several other people, and 358 00:22:48,325 --> 00:22:50,885 Speaker 1: she was talking and all the people were listening to her. 359 00:22:53,805 --> 00:22:56,045 Speaker 1: One of the customers got up from the table and 360 00:22:56,685 --> 00:22:59,285 Speaker 1: as they walked past me, I asked if everything was okay, 361 00:22:59,365 --> 00:23:02,485 Speaker 1: and they said that they used the word off, so 362 00:23:02,565 --> 00:23:05,085 Speaker 1: that something was off with the person who joined their table, 363 00:23:05,125 --> 00:23:09,805 Speaker 1: but she was harming anyone. I just at that point 364 00:23:09,845 --> 00:23:12,405 Speaker 1: just kept working. I didn't really think anything of it 365 00:23:12,445 --> 00:23:17,245 Speaker 1: because being in La things often seemed off to me. 366 00:23:17,325 --> 00:23:20,445 Speaker 1: They were really different than where I was from and Malibu. 367 00:23:20,805 --> 00:23:22,845 Speaker 1: We would get lots of different people out there, so 368 00:23:22,885 --> 00:23:26,925 Speaker 1: I just at that point wasn't concerned. And the depositions 369 00:23:26,965 --> 00:23:29,565 Speaker 1: of the people at the table my Teresa joined, They 370 00:23:29,605 --> 00:23:33,165 Speaker 1: said my Teresa's behavior was strange, but they said she 371 00:23:33,245 --> 00:23:36,565 Speaker 1: was friendly and animated. But it was not long before 372 00:23:36,605 --> 00:23:39,845 Speaker 1: the conversation took a turn for the bizarre. She said 373 00:23:39,845 --> 00:23:42,485 Speaker 1: she was from Mars and started talking about numerology and 374 00:23:42,485 --> 00:23:45,765 Speaker 1: how everything was connected. She said a soap opera character 375 00:23:45,845 --> 00:23:50,165 Speaker 1: had told her to drive there. Her server, Omar Martinez, 376 00:23:50,245 --> 00:23:53,765 Speaker 1: told Caroline and others that something seemed off. This is 377 00:23:53,805 --> 00:23:56,965 Speaker 1: the second person after the Valet to make that remark. 378 00:23:57,885 --> 00:24:00,405 Speaker 1: Omar had asked my Trees where she was from, and 379 00:24:00,445 --> 00:24:02,565 Speaker 1: he got a different answer from what she told people 380 00:24:02,605 --> 00:24:06,205 Speaker 1: at the table. Omar suspected my Trees might not pay 381 00:24:06,205 --> 00:24:10,245 Speaker 1: her bill. He said that he would make sure before 382 00:24:10,285 --> 00:24:11,925 Speaker 1: she left and let me know that she had paid, 383 00:24:12,885 --> 00:24:17,285 Speaker 1: and I said okay. He was said Genishal, probably just forget. 384 00:24:17,485 --> 00:24:19,365 Speaker 1: She might forget. I don't think it's that she doesn't 385 00:24:19,405 --> 00:24:21,765 Speaker 1: want to like. I think she just might forget to 386 00:24:21,765 --> 00:24:23,405 Speaker 1: do it, because you know, she's in some kind of 387 00:24:23,445 --> 00:24:29,085 Speaker 1: distracted state. At some point, the large party paid and left. 388 00:24:30,005 --> 00:24:32,405 Speaker 1: My Trees got up to leave as well. When she 389 00:24:32,445 --> 00:24:35,565 Speaker 1: got to the valet, the manager intercepted her and asked 390 00:24:35,565 --> 00:24:37,885 Speaker 1: her how she planned to pay her eighty nine dollars tab. 391 00:24:39,085 --> 00:24:42,245 Speaker 1: My Trees seemed surprised and said that the large party 392 00:24:42,285 --> 00:24:45,165 Speaker 1: should have covered her tab. My Trees then told him 393 00:24:45,165 --> 00:24:49,885 Speaker 1: that he wasn't understanding the language of numbers. She said, 394 00:24:50,405 --> 00:24:52,605 Speaker 1: it's okay for me not to pay the bill because 395 00:24:52,605 --> 00:24:55,525 Speaker 1: the language of numbers, when they coincide like this, it 396 00:24:55,605 --> 00:25:00,765 Speaker 1: makes sense. At this point, the manager is starting to 397 00:25:00,765 --> 00:25:03,925 Speaker 1: suspect that something is seriously wrong. He asked her if 398 00:25:03,925 --> 00:25:06,285 Speaker 1: she had any money in her pockets, and, according to 399 00:25:06,325 --> 00:25:10,845 Speaker 1: his deposition, Mitrees said, I am busted. She then told 400 00:25:10,925 --> 00:25:12,765 Speaker 1: him that she was from Mars and made a comment 401 00:25:12,805 --> 00:25:16,325 Speaker 1: about settling her debt with sex. The manager was really 402 00:25:17,285 --> 00:25:20,565 Speaker 1: patient with her, and she seems really jovial. She was 403 00:25:20,645 --> 00:25:24,885 Speaker 1: laughing and joking and very lighthearted and friendly. He then 404 00:25:24,965 --> 00:25:26,645 Speaker 1: told her that he was going to have to call 405 00:25:26,685 --> 00:25:29,365 Speaker 1: the police if she couldn't pay for her bill, and 406 00:25:29,405 --> 00:25:33,445 Speaker 1: she said, okay, Losci Shore Station definish if I can 407 00:25:33,485 --> 00:25:37,685 Speaker 1: help you, Hi, I'm calling from Jeffrey's Restaurant, Malibu. This 408 00:25:37,725 --> 00:25:40,205 Speaker 1: is one of the Jeffrey servers on the phone with police. 409 00:25:40,565 --> 00:25:43,325 Speaker 1: We have a guest here who is refusing to pay 410 00:25:43,325 --> 00:25:46,685 Speaker 1: her bill, and you think she may she sounds really crazy, 411 00:25:46,685 --> 00:25:49,485 Speaker 1: she may be on drugs or something. We're wondering if 412 00:25:49,485 --> 00:25:52,325 Speaker 1: someone to come by and pick her up. And is 413 00:25:52,365 --> 00:25:56,605 Speaker 1: she a white, Black, Asian Hispanic? She's young black girls, 414 00:25:56,645 --> 00:26:00,605 Speaker 1: probably in her twenties. Okay, what you're wearing. She's wearing 415 00:26:00,645 --> 00:26:05,685 Speaker 1: a black T shirt and I think blue jeans with 416 00:26:05,685 --> 00:26:13,125 Speaker 1: anybody else her With the police on the way, My 417 00:26:13,205 --> 00:26:14,925 Speaker 1: Trees sat at the bar and then went over to 418 00:26:14,965 --> 00:26:18,525 Speaker 1: the hostess stand. That's when Caroline had a longer conversation 419 00:26:18,605 --> 00:26:21,165 Speaker 1: with my Trees. She felt like they had a connection 420 00:26:21,405 --> 00:26:23,365 Speaker 1: because both of them were in times of transition in 421 00:26:23,405 --> 00:26:27,165 Speaker 1: their lives. Caroline had recently moved to La to pursue acting, 422 00:26:27,525 --> 00:26:31,285 Speaker 1: but was realizing that she didn't actually want to do it. Likewise, 423 00:26:32,005 --> 00:26:34,325 Speaker 1: my Rise was figuring out her next steps in life. 424 00:26:35,725 --> 00:26:40,645 Speaker 1: That's when we interacted, and no one was with us 425 00:26:40,645 --> 00:26:42,445 Speaker 1: while we hung out for a few minutes. I asked 426 00:26:42,445 --> 00:26:44,045 Speaker 1: her her name and she told me it was my 427 00:26:44,165 --> 00:26:47,125 Speaker 1: Trees and she spelled it. I can still kind of 428 00:26:47,165 --> 00:26:51,565 Speaker 1: see I can still kind of see her face as 429 00:26:51,565 --> 00:26:57,045 Speaker 1: she spell I'm sorry, she felt all her name. She 430 00:26:57,165 --> 00:26:59,685 Speaker 1: smiled really brightly and said, M I t R I C. 431 00:27:01,925 --> 00:27:05,045 Speaker 1: She said, it's like mitt Rice. I told her my 432 00:27:05,165 --> 00:27:07,645 Speaker 1: name and asked her what her age was, and she said, 433 00:27:07,645 --> 00:27:10,525 Speaker 1: I'm twenty four. Since we were almost the same age, 434 00:27:10,565 --> 00:27:13,005 Speaker 1: I told her that I was twenty five, and then 435 00:27:13,045 --> 00:27:16,325 Speaker 1: I told her and I told her my birthday and 436 00:27:16,325 --> 00:27:18,445 Speaker 1: that I was a Leo because I had heard her 437 00:27:18,525 --> 00:27:22,125 Speaker 1: mentioning signs to the table that she had joined earlier, 438 00:27:22,165 --> 00:27:25,365 Speaker 1: and she laughed and said, oh yeah, you Leo's are 439 00:27:25,405 --> 00:27:29,685 Speaker 1: the worst. We laughed, and we made small talk, and 440 00:27:29,725 --> 00:27:34,125 Speaker 1: then she made some additional odd comments about the language 441 00:27:34,125 --> 00:27:36,485 Speaker 1: of numbers, and I asked her if she was talking 442 00:27:36,485 --> 00:27:40,965 Speaker 1: about the binary system, and she said, what's that so 443 00:27:41,005 --> 00:27:42,645 Speaker 1: then I said, well, what do you mean about the 444 00:27:42,725 --> 00:27:45,925 Speaker 1: language of numbers? And she said, you know when a 445 00:27:46,005 --> 00:27:49,045 Speaker 1: number and a number coincide. You know what I mean, Caroline, 446 00:27:49,285 --> 00:27:51,205 Speaker 1: And it was like she was talking to old friends 447 00:27:51,205 --> 00:27:54,005 Speaker 1: when she engaged with me or the manager. And at 448 00:27:54,005 --> 00:27:56,445 Speaker 1: that time I thought she was under the influence of 449 00:27:56,525 --> 00:27:59,325 Speaker 1: a drug or had some sort of mental illness, But 450 00:27:59,485 --> 00:28:03,525 Speaker 1: again I was younger and didn't really know what I 451 00:28:03,565 --> 00:28:07,525 Speaker 1: know now based on the way she spoke to me 452 00:28:07,565 --> 00:28:09,445 Speaker 1: out a feeling she had a lot going on and 453 00:28:09,605 --> 00:28:16,805 Speaker 1: was trying to keep it together. Caroline asked if there 454 00:28:16,845 --> 00:28:19,805 Speaker 1: was someone that she could call. My Trees said she 455 00:28:19,845 --> 00:28:22,605 Speaker 1: had no parents, but My Trees did give Caroline her 456 00:28:22,605 --> 00:28:26,885 Speaker 1: great grandmother's phone number, so Caroline called Mildred, who offered 457 00:28:26,885 --> 00:28:30,605 Speaker 1: to pay my Trees's bill, but Jeoffrey's had no system 458 00:28:30,645 --> 00:28:34,125 Speaker 1: for paying over the phone without a signature. Mildred was concerned. 459 00:28:34,805 --> 00:28:36,845 Speaker 1: She said she couldn't drive up to Malibu because she 460 00:28:36,885 --> 00:28:39,485 Speaker 1: was ninety one years old. My Trees got on the 461 00:28:39,525 --> 00:28:44,205 Speaker 1: phone with Mildred and reassured her she was fine. At 462 00:28:44,205 --> 00:28:49,445 Speaker 1: around nine pm, Frank Brower and Armando Lurero, both deputies 463 00:28:49,485 --> 00:28:52,205 Speaker 1: from the Lost Hills Sheriff's station showed up on the scene. 464 00:28:52,885 --> 00:28:57,285 Speaker 1: A third deputy, John McKay, arrived as well. When they 465 00:28:58,805 --> 00:29:03,205 Speaker 1: showed up, the police showed up and one of them 466 00:29:03,245 --> 00:29:06,765 Speaker 1: got on the phone with the great grandmother. It sounded 467 00:29:06,845 --> 00:29:09,925 Speaker 1: like she was trying to get all the details from 468 00:29:09,925 --> 00:29:12,245 Speaker 1: what I based off of what I could hear. It 469 00:29:12,325 --> 00:29:14,565 Speaker 1: sounded like she was asking him details because he was 470 00:29:14,605 --> 00:29:17,685 Speaker 1: giving her details as to where my Treuth was going 471 00:29:17,725 --> 00:29:22,525 Speaker 1: to be taken. While one of the officers was on 472 00:29:22,565 --> 00:29:25,005 Speaker 1: the phone with her, my trace told one of the 473 00:29:25,085 --> 00:29:28,485 Speaker 1: other deputies that she was scared and asked her and 474 00:29:28,525 --> 00:29:31,365 Speaker 1: the deputy asked her, why are you scared, and she said, well, 475 00:29:31,765 --> 00:29:34,525 Speaker 1: the city where I live in. If three officers walk 476 00:29:34,605 --> 00:29:36,565 Speaker 1: up to a girl like me, then it's a bad sign. 477 00:29:37,765 --> 00:29:40,125 Speaker 1: She also said I've had an officer if they needed me. Once. 478 00:29:41,405 --> 00:29:43,885 Speaker 1: I remember there was one deputy who was really kind 479 00:29:44,165 --> 00:29:46,565 Speaker 1: and said, look, I'm a person just like you, just 480 00:29:46,605 --> 00:29:50,965 Speaker 1: a normal person. They just made me aware of this uniform. 481 00:29:51,485 --> 00:29:54,005 Speaker 1: My Treece said okay, and seemed to be comforted by that. 482 00:29:55,285 --> 00:29:57,525 Speaker 1: And she said, okay, I want to talk to you 483 00:29:57,685 --> 00:30:01,245 Speaker 1: to one of the deputies, and it seemed like a 484 00:30:01,325 --> 00:30:05,045 Speaker 1: kind of cordial exchange, and one of the deputies started 485 00:30:05,085 --> 00:30:13,725 Speaker 1: asking her questions. I at that point felt really sad 486 00:30:13,805 --> 00:30:17,605 Speaker 1: about what was happening, and I didn't want to watch 487 00:30:17,885 --> 00:30:20,165 Speaker 1: her get arrested if that was what was going to happen. 488 00:30:20,245 --> 00:30:22,725 Speaker 1: So I went to the break room for about five 489 00:30:22,805 --> 00:30:27,445 Speaker 1: or ten minutes, which so I didn't see what was happening. 490 00:30:28,885 --> 00:30:33,045 Speaker 1: Deputies McKay and Brower searched my Teresa's cluttered car. They 491 00:30:33,085 --> 00:30:35,005 Speaker 1: would later say the car looked like it had been 492 00:30:35,045 --> 00:30:38,805 Speaker 1: trashed and maybe even lived in. The deputies found my 493 00:30:38,885 --> 00:30:42,805 Speaker 1: Teresa's driver's license, along with marijuana scraps and partially finished 494 00:30:42,845 --> 00:30:46,965 Speaker 1: bottles of booze. In a later deposition, Brower said Lurero 495 00:30:47,085 --> 00:30:51,245 Speaker 1: told him that my Terce was possibly drunk making odd statements. 496 00:30:51,725 --> 00:30:54,765 Speaker 1: For this reason, Brower said he was instructed to administer 497 00:30:54,805 --> 00:30:57,885 Speaker 1: a field sobriety test. Brower said that he checked my 498 00:30:57,925 --> 00:31:01,445 Speaker 1: Teresa's eyes and pulse to complete the test to determine 499 00:31:01,485 --> 00:31:04,605 Speaker 1: that she was sober. He estimated the test took around 500 00:31:04,685 --> 00:31:08,245 Speaker 1: fifteen minutes, though Lrrero would later state in his deposition 501 00:31:08,325 --> 00:31:11,205 Speaker 1: that he did not order Broward administer any sobriety test. 502 00:31:12,645 --> 00:31:15,605 Speaker 1: Brower asked my trees if she was on medication and 503 00:31:15,645 --> 00:31:17,765 Speaker 1: if she had ever been placed on a seventy two 504 00:31:17,805 --> 00:31:21,725 Speaker 1: hour hold. My Treece said no, she was asthmatic and 505 00:31:21,805 --> 00:31:25,765 Speaker 1: had an inhaler, but that was it. At that point, 506 00:31:25,845 --> 00:31:29,485 Speaker 1: employees at Jeoffrey's considered paying my Teres's bill themselves so 507 00:31:29,485 --> 00:31:32,165 Speaker 1: she could walk with only a misdemeanor ticket for pot possession. 508 00:31:33,325 --> 00:31:35,605 Speaker 1: The manager and some of the other staff were worried 509 00:31:35,645 --> 00:31:37,605 Speaker 1: that my Treece may not be safe behind the wheel 510 00:31:37,645 --> 00:31:40,205 Speaker 1: of a car, so they did what they thought was 511 00:31:40,205 --> 00:31:43,325 Speaker 1: the safest thing for her. They made sure that she 512 00:31:43,405 --> 00:31:46,885 Speaker 1: went with the police. My Treece was charged with the 513 00:31:46,925 --> 00:31:50,565 Speaker 1: defrauding and innkeeper and possession of marijuana. She was placed 514 00:31:50,605 --> 00:31:53,085 Speaker 1: under arrest, put into the back of the police car, 515 00:31:53,445 --> 00:32:02,885 Speaker 1: and taken to the Lost Hill station. While my Triese 516 00:32:02,925 --> 00:32:05,365 Speaker 1: was still on the back of the police cruiser, her mother, 517 00:32:05,685 --> 00:32:08,965 Speaker 1: Latise called the station. I am calling. I'm a little 518 00:32:09,005 --> 00:32:11,725 Speaker 1: strapped up right now. I understand my daughter is being 519 00:32:11,765 --> 00:32:15,685 Speaker 1: brought into the station. My Terce Richard's son. Has they 520 00:32:15,805 --> 00:32:19,645 Speaker 1: made it to the station yet and she's been booked? Okay? 521 00:32:19,725 --> 00:32:22,805 Speaker 1: Is do you know where she's coming from? It's some 522 00:32:23,205 --> 00:32:27,085 Speaker 1: onstaurant out in Malibu, and I didn't even think to 523 00:32:27,125 --> 00:32:29,805 Speaker 1: get the name the manager. The only place we have 524 00:32:29,885 --> 00:32:32,565 Speaker 1: somebody that's in custody that they just announced on the 525 00:32:32,645 --> 00:32:36,645 Speaker 1: radio that they're coming up as from Jeffrey's in Jo Highway. 526 00:32:37,445 --> 00:32:39,365 Speaker 1: Is the only female that's bringing brought up to the 527 00:32:39,365 --> 00:32:41,565 Speaker 1: station as we speak. They actually just put it on 528 00:32:41,565 --> 00:32:45,725 Speaker 1: the radio right before you call it. Okay, okay, I'm 529 00:32:45,805 --> 00:32:48,645 Speaker 1: her mother, and are you guys want to book her 530 00:32:48,685 --> 00:32:52,325 Speaker 1: and then release her on her own recognian tonight because 531 00:32:52,885 --> 00:32:54,965 Speaker 1: it's dark, she doesn't have a car, and I don't 532 00:32:54,965 --> 00:32:58,765 Speaker 1: want her wandering out. I'm totally just taken aback because 533 00:32:58,765 --> 00:33:01,965 Speaker 1: it's so out of character for her, and you'll see 534 00:33:02,085 --> 00:33:05,005 Speaker 1: when she comes in she's well spoken. I think the 535 00:33:05,045 --> 00:33:07,045 Speaker 1: only way I will come and get her tonight is 536 00:33:07,085 --> 00:33:09,725 Speaker 1: if you guys are going to release her tonight, it's 537 00:33:09,845 --> 00:33:12,085 Speaker 1: going to be held in custody for some type of 538 00:33:12,205 --> 00:33:16,045 Speaker 1: arraignment tomorrow. Then I will wait until tomorrow. She definitely 539 00:33:16,085 --> 00:33:18,125 Speaker 1: has no place, you know, I mean, she's not from 540 00:33:18,125 --> 00:33:21,085 Speaker 1: that area, and I would hate to wake up to 541 00:33:21,125 --> 00:33:24,925 Speaker 1: a morning report so lost somewhere with her head chopped off. 542 00:33:25,085 --> 00:33:26,725 Speaker 1: So I guess I would have to come and get her. 543 00:33:26,765 --> 00:33:28,525 Speaker 1: Oh my god. Yeah, we're in a great hose. The 544 00:33:28,525 --> 00:33:30,285 Speaker 1: only thing is, at least in the station here she 545 00:33:30,365 --> 00:33:34,045 Speaker 1: will be separated, so nobody's going to be with her certainly, 546 00:33:34,165 --> 00:33:35,845 Speaker 1: that's you know, the fust thing. So she don't have 547 00:33:35,845 --> 00:33:38,845 Speaker 1: to worry about her safety. Oh yeah, no, I feel 548 00:33:38,885 --> 00:33:41,845 Speaker 1: safe with her being in custody. It's being released, but 549 00:33:41,925 --> 00:33:53,485 Speaker 1: I'm worried about it. It's crazy out here. Early the 550 00:33:53,525 --> 00:33:57,445 Speaker 1: next morning, Latise called the station again. This time she 551 00:33:57,525 --> 00:34:01,285 Speaker 1: talked to the jailer. She your own Cummings. Cummings told 552 00:34:01,285 --> 00:34:04,845 Speaker 1: the tease that my Trees had already been released. The 553 00:34:04,925 --> 00:34:08,325 Speaker 1: jailer said she had released my Trees at twelve fifteen am. 554 00:34:08,765 --> 00:34:11,605 Speaker 1: At this point, my Treese was forty miles from home. 555 00:34:12,485 --> 00:34:15,125 Speaker 1: Cummings has maintained that My Trees declined an offer to 556 00:34:15,165 --> 00:34:18,045 Speaker 1: stay in the lobby and said that she told Cummings 557 00:34:18,045 --> 00:34:20,845 Speaker 1: that she was going to meet friends. But the reality 558 00:34:20,925 --> 00:34:24,005 Speaker 1: is my Treece had no car, no purse, no money, 559 00:34:24,245 --> 00:34:27,885 Speaker 1: no cell phone, and no way home. And at night, 560 00:34:28,165 --> 00:34:31,685 Speaker 1: the area around Lost Hills Station is pitch black. All 561 00:34:31,685 --> 00:34:35,685 Speaker 1: the businesses are closed, there are no buses, there's no 562 00:34:35,765 --> 00:34:39,965 Speaker 1: public transportation. My trees walked out of the station at 563 00:34:40,005 --> 00:34:45,565 Speaker 1: around twelve forty am into the darkness. Later, Latisse called again. 564 00:34:46,565 --> 00:34:50,725 Speaker 1: This time she spoke to Kenneth Bombgardner. She asked him 565 00:34:50,725 --> 00:34:53,285 Speaker 1: how long she had to wait to follow missing persons report. 566 00:34:54,045 --> 00:34:59,365 Speaker 1: By this point you can hear the desperation in Latis's voice. 567 00:34:59,725 --> 00:35:03,925 Speaker 1: Ma Field Station bomb Gardener. Yes, Hi, my name is Latise. 568 00:35:03,965 --> 00:35:06,325 Speaker 1: That night car. That's too long ago regarding my daughter 569 00:35:06,405 --> 00:35:10,325 Speaker 1: my treats, which is how long before a missing person's 570 00:35:10,365 --> 00:35:14,925 Speaker 1: report can be found. This phone call led to months 571 00:35:14,965 --> 00:35:20,405 Speaker 1: of searching for my Trees. Next time on Helen Gone, 572 00:35:20,485 --> 00:35:23,885 Speaker 1: it just didn't ring true to me that she went missing, 573 00:35:24,085 --> 00:35:27,165 Speaker 1: and I think she was considered to be inexpendable, young 574 00:35:27,725 --> 00:35:31,565 Speaker 1: Likeaeloman from South la. It's a fifty mile long range 575 00:35:31,605 --> 00:35:34,325 Speaker 1: and you could theoretically walk for a long way and 576 00:35:34,405 --> 00:35:37,965 Speaker 1: not hit anything. And where my trease was found was 577 00:35:38,325 --> 00:35:42,365 Speaker 1: five steps from the starting area of the twenty seven 578 00:35:42,485 --> 00:35:45,245 Speaker 1: square miles that they were going to start looking. It 579 00:35:45,285 --> 00:35:47,285 Speaker 1: continues like this, I'm going to go ahead and say 580 00:35:47,285 --> 00:35:49,685 Speaker 1: there's no way she walked to herself. I'm now more 581 00:35:49,725 --> 00:35:54,845 Speaker 1: convinced that she did not walk here. Helen Gone is 582 00:35:54,885 --> 00:35:58,285 Speaker 1: a production of School of Humans and iHeartRadio. It's written 583 00:35:58,285 --> 00:36:02,205 Speaker 1: and narrated by me Catherine Townsend. Our producers are Gabby Watts, 584 00:36:02,365 --> 00:36:06,125 Speaker 1: Taylor Church and James Morrison. Music is by Ben Sale. 585 00:36:06,645 --> 00:36:10,645 Speaker 1: Mix is by Tunewelders. Our executive producers are Brandon Barr, 586 00:36:10,765 --> 00:36:15,405 Speaker 1: Elsie Crowley and Brian Lavin. Special thanks to Chip Craft 587 00:36:15,485 --> 00:36:35,205 Speaker 1: for use of footage from his documentary Loss Compassion, School 588 00:36:35,245 --> 00:36:41,365 Speaker 1: of Humans. School of Humans