1 00:00:10,360 --> 00:00:15,480 Speaker 1: You're listening to part two of Unexplained, Season seven, episode fourteen. 2 00:00:16,720 --> 00:00:27,360 Speaker 1: If These Walls could scream. Early in the afternoon of 3 00:00:27,400 --> 00:00:31,640 Speaker 1: February fifth, twenty thirteen, shortly after getting off the phone 4 00:00:31,720 --> 00:00:36,080 Speaker 1: with Missing Persons, detectives Wallace, to Nelly and Greg Stearns, 5 00:00:36,479 --> 00:00:39,520 Speaker 1: along with the small team of officers, made the short 6 00:00:39,600 --> 00:00:43,159 Speaker 1: journey from their offices to the Stayone main hostel in 7 00:00:43,200 --> 00:00:48,279 Speaker 1: the Cecil Building. To Nelly observed the vast building as 8 00:00:48,320 --> 00:00:52,360 Speaker 1: it came into view, looming, hulking and high over the street. 9 00:00:53,600 --> 00:00:57,800 Speaker 1: It had recently been repainted in alabaster, the color of 10 00:00:57,920 --> 00:01:03,400 Speaker 1: new beginnings, the colour of a pale skin. On the side, 11 00:01:03,760 --> 00:01:08,960 Speaker 1: a large painted sign, the color of deoxygenated blood red 12 00:01:09,000 --> 00:01:15,320 Speaker 1: Cecil Hotel, low daily weekly rates. Tornelli and Sterns pulled 13 00:01:15,440 --> 00:01:19,360 Speaker 1: up outside and stepped into the cool winter air as 14 00:01:19,440 --> 00:01:24,800 Speaker 1: thick dark clouds hung low in the sky above. Once inside, 15 00:01:25,160 --> 00:01:28,880 Speaker 1: Tonelli and Sterns took a moment to admire the recently 16 00:01:29,000 --> 00:01:33,920 Speaker 1: refurbished grand foyer, no less spectacular than the day when 17 00:01:33,959 --> 00:01:38,920 Speaker 1: the hotel first opened. You could almost imagine the boisterous 18 00:01:39,000 --> 00:01:43,160 Speaker 1: guests of eighty years ago sweeping through in sharp suits 19 00:01:43,200 --> 00:01:47,160 Speaker 1: and party dresses on their way to the theater, an 20 00:01:47,200 --> 00:01:50,800 Speaker 1: image soon punctured by a sign on the wall warning 21 00:01:50,920 --> 00:01:54,880 Speaker 1: that no visitors were allowed upstairs and for guests to 22 00:01:54,960 --> 00:01:59,559 Speaker 1: show keys upon request for their own protection, a mark 23 00:01:59,640 --> 00:02:05,200 Speaker 1: perhaps of the hotel's more recent sketchy reputation. A few 24 00:02:05,240 --> 00:02:08,640 Speaker 1: residents shuffled in and out as detectives to Nelly and 25 00:02:08,760 --> 00:02:12,919 Speaker 1: stern snooped around before a member of staff directed them 26 00:02:12,960 --> 00:02:17,480 Speaker 1: to the Stay On Main reception located next door. As 27 00:02:17,480 --> 00:02:21,160 Speaker 1: it transpired, the main entrance was only used by Stay 28 00:02:21,160 --> 00:02:26,960 Speaker 1: On Main guests after eleven PM. A single receptionist was 29 00:02:27,000 --> 00:02:31,160 Speaker 1: stationed at a bright white and orange desk to Nelly 30 00:02:31,200 --> 00:02:35,160 Speaker 1: approached them and requested to speak to the manager. A 31 00:02:35,240 --> 00:02:39,800 Speaker 1: moment later, General manager Amy Price appeared from a back 32 00:02:39,880 --> 00:02:45,320 Speaker 1: room to Nelly confirmed with her that Elisa was traveling alone. 33 00:02:45,760 --> 00:02:48,520 Speaker 1: Then he asked Price if she could remember seeing the 34 00:02:48,560 --> 00:02:52,280 Speaker 1: young woman entering or leaving the hotel with anyone else 35 00:02:52,360 --> 00:02:56,560 Speaker 1: during her stay. But Price was adamant that Elisa had 36 00:02:56,639 --> 00:02:59,720 Speaker 1: last been seen by a member of staff entering the 37 00:02:59,760 --> 00:03:03,880 Speaker 1: big building alone on the afternoon of January thirty. First 38 00:03:11,120 --> 00:03:14,760 Speaker 1: Manager Amy Price took the men through Elisa's booking history, 39 00:03:15,200 --> 00:03:18,240 Speaker 1: explaining that she had initially made reservations to stay for 40 00:03:18,320 --> 00:03:22,720 Speaker 1: three nights, starting on the evening of Monday, January twenty eight, 41 00:03:23,280 --> 00:03:28,040 Speaker 1: with the intention of checking out on January thirty first. However, 42 00:03:28,639 --> 00:03:32,359 Speaker 1: Elisa had decided to extend her stay for one more night. 43 00:03:33,480 --> 00:03:39,720 Speaker 1: Price didn't know why. Then she mentioned something intriguing. Elisa 44 00:03:39,800 --> 00:03:43,600 Speaker 1: had originally booked into Room five oh six B, a 45 00:03:43,720 --> 00:03:47,400 Speaker 1: six bed shared dorm, but she'd later be moved to 46 00:03:47,440 --> 00:03:52,320 Speaker 1: a private room after some of Eliza's roommates made complaints 47 00:03:52,480 --> 00:03:58,000 Speaker 1: about Elisa's odd behavior. The detectives made a note and 48 00:03:58,080 --> 00:04:03,160 Speaker 1: requested all CCTV footage covering the duration of Elisa's stay 49 00:04:03,560 --> 00:04:08,200 Speaker 1: be handed over to them. Next, the detectives examined the 50 00:04:08,240 --> 00:04:12,960 Speaker 1: belongings that had been removed from Elisa's room. They found 51 00:04:12,960 --> 00:04:16,640 Speaker 1: a backpack full of clothes, as well as a large handbag, 52 00:04:17,080 --> 00:04:21,760 Speaker 1: an overnight bag full of cosmetics, and Elisa's laptop, but 53 00:04:21,960 --> 00:04:28,240 Speaker 1: conspicuously no mobile phone. This collection of items was troubling 54 00:04:28,480 --> 00:04:33,040 Speaker 1: to Tonelli and Sterns. These weren't ordinarily the type of 55 00:04:33,080 --> 00:04:37,400 Speaker 1: things you abandoned out of choice. There was one other 56 00:04:37,440 --> 00:04:43,280 Speaker 1: item among Eliza's possessions, that the detectives hadn't expected, a 57 00:04:43,320 --> 00:04:48,000 Speaker 1: small bag of pill bottles. To Nelly didn't recognize all 58 00:04:48,040 --> 00:04:51,440 Speaker 1: the names, but knew enough to understand that it was 59 00:04:51,520 --> 00:04:56,560 Speaker 1: psychiatric medication. Tonelli had an officer bag it all up 60 00:04:56,880 --> 00:04:59,880 Speaker 1: before they made their way to the fifth floor, led 61 00:05:00,080 --> 00:05:06,719 Speaker 1: by maintenance worker Santiago Lopez. To Nelli and Sterns stepped 62 00:05:06,760 --> 00:05:09,599 Speaker 1: out of the lift into the quiet of an empty 63 00:05:09,640 --> 00:05:14,039 Speaker 1: corridor that stretched out in front of them its walls. 64 00:05:14,360 --> 00:05:20,600 Speaker 1: An oppressive shade of brown, muffled sounds emanated from behind 65 00:05:20,680 --> 00:05:24,640 Speaker 1: closed doors as the detectives made their way down the hall, 66 00:05:25,120 --> 00:05:30,120 Speaker 1: deeper into the heart of the building. Finally, they stopped 67 00:05:30,400 --> 00:05:34,520 Speaker 1: outside room five to one, one, where Elisa had last 68 00:05:34,520 --> 00:05:40,599 Speaker 1: stayed inside. It was small and cramped, taken up mostly 69 00:05:40,680 --> 00:05:44,800 Speaker 1: by a single queen sized double bed. Its orange and 70 00:05:44,880 --> 00:05:49,200 Speaker 1: white sheets clashed garishly with the sky blue walls and 71 00:05:49,440 --> 00:05:54,400 Speaker 1: umber colored carpet. A small flat screen bolted to the 72 00:05:54,400 --> 00:05:58,400 Speaker 1: back wall played soundless scenes of the day's news as 73 00:05:58,440 --> 00:06:03,440 Speaker 1: Tonelli inspected the tiny en suite, its shower and lavatory 74 00:06:03,920 --> 00:06:09,200 Speaker 1: separated only by a flimsy shower curtain. To Nelli listened 75 00:06:09,279 --> 00:06:13,360 Speaker 1: for a moment as the sound of clanging pipes drifted 76 00:06:13,440 --> 00:06:17,360 Speaker 1: up from the depths of the building. Stepping back into 77 00:06:17,400 --> 00:06:21,560 Speaker 1: the dimly lit corridor to Nelly clocked the communal bathroom 78 00:06:21,680 --> 00:06:24,400 Speaker 1: and shower area at the far end of the floor. 79 00:06:25,560 --> 00:06:30,680 Speaker 1: Maintenance worker Santiago Lopez confirmed that each floor was set 80 00:06:30,800 --> 00:06:33,640 Speaker 1: up in a similar fashion, with a fire exit at 81 00:06:33,680 --> 00:06:38,080 Speaker 1: each end, allowing access onto the floor from anywhere else 82 00:06:38,160 --> 00:06:41,599 Speaker 1: in the building. It only then became clear to the 83 00:06:41,680 --> 00:06:45,760 Speaker 1: detectives just how big a task they had on their hands. 84 00:06:47,000 --> 00:06:50,680 Speaker 1: Though the Stay on Maine operated independently to the Cecil, 85 00:06:51,200 --> 00:06:54,560 Speaker 1: thanks to the fire exits, any of the main building's 86 00:06:54,600 --> 00:06:59,320 Speaker 1: temporary or permanent residents technically had access to the Stay 87 00:06:59,360 --> 00:07:03,640 Speaker 1: on Mainz rooms. In other words, that meant there were 88 00:07:03,760 --> 00:07:10,160 Speaker 1: seven hundred rooms worth of potential suspects related to Elisa's disappearance. 89 00:07:17,280 --> 00:07:21,560 Speaker 1: By early afternoon, with more officers requested to join the search, 90 00:07:22,000 --> 00:07:24,520 Speaker 1: a command post was set up in the lobby of 91 00:07:24,560 --> 00:07:30,200 Speaker 1: the main building. LAPD officers, grouped in pairs were instructed 92 00:07:30,240 --> 00:07:33,560 Speaker 1: to go from room to room searching for any sign 93 00:07:33,800 --> 00:07:38,600 Speaker 1: that a body might be hidden in sight. Maintenance worker 94 00:07:38,840 --> 00:07:43,160 Speaker 1: Santiago Lopez was requested to assist in the opening of doors, 95 00:07:43,680 --> 00:07:47,880 Speaker 1: along with chief engineer Pedro Tova, who'd worked at the 96 00:07:47,960 --> 00:07:52,520 Speaker 1: Cecil for over thirty years. A team of sniffer dogs 97 00:07:52,760 --> 00:07:56,760 Speaker 1: who'd been given some samples of Elisa's clothing were also 98 00:07:56,920 --> 00:08:03,520 Speaker 1: brought in to help. Vancouver, Elisa's family waited with increasing 99 00:08:03,640 --> 00:08:08,880 Speaker 1: desperation for any more news. Having learned that afternoon that 100 00:08:08,960 --> 00:08:11,800 Speaker 1: there was still no sign of a Lisa, they made 101 00:08:11,800 --> 00:08:16,680 Speaker 1: the decision to fly down to Los Angeles. Back at 102 00:08:16,720 --> 00:08:19,680 Speaker 1: the Cecil, the last floor of the hotel to be 103 00:08:19,800 --> 00:08:24,200 Speaker 1: checked whilst the fifteenth, though as low Pairs explained to Tanelli, 104 00:08:24,600 --> 00:08:29,880 Speaker 1: technically it was actually the fourteenth. Like many hotels for 105 00:08:29,960 --> 00:08:36,320 Speaker 1: superstitious reasons, the Cecil had no thirteenth floor because you know, 106 00:08:37,400 --> 00:08:41,880 Speaker 1: something terrible might happen if it did. Although it was 107 00:08:41,960 --> 00:08:44,640 Speaker 1: possible to get to the fifteenth floor in the lift, 108 00:08:45,040 --> 00:08:48,560 Speaker 1: it was off limits to guests and residents alike, and 109 00:08:48,600 --> 00:08:51,160 Speaker 1: the doors would not open up on it without a 110 00:08:51,240 --> 00:08:55,240 Speaker 1: maintenance key. After a quick sweep of the floor with 111 00:08:55,320 --> 00:09:00,160 Speaker 1: the dogs, nothing of note was found, and attention then 112 00:09:00,280 --> 00:09:04,400 Speaker 1: turned to the roof. There were four ways to gain 113 00:09:04,480 --> 00:09:08,280 Speaker 1: access to it, by one of the three fire escapes 114 00:09:08,559 --> 00:09:11,960 Speaker 1: that ran the full height of the building, or through 115 00:09:12,000 --> 00:09:16,959 Speaker 1: the access door on the fifteenth floor. As the detectives 116 00:09:16,960 --> 00:09:21,000 Speaker 1: had already established the fire escapes could be accessed from 117 00:09:21,040 --> 00:09:25,400 Speaker 1: any floor of the hotel, but Pedro Tovar, the engineer, 118 00:09:26,040 --> 00:09:29,120 Speaker 1: suspected it would be difficult for anyone to get up 119 00:09:29,200 --> 00:09:34,000 Speaker 1: them without being noticed. As for the access door, not 120 00:09:34,080 --> 00:09:37,800 Speaker 1: only was it located on the top floor only accessible 121 00:09:38,000 --> 00:09:41,400 Speaker 1: with a maintenance key, but it was also kept locked 122 00:09:41,440 --> 00:09:46,080 Speaker 1: at all times and was linked to the fire alarm system. 123 00:09:46,440 --> 00:09:49,680 Speaker 1: Tovar led them to the access door, then by way 124 00:09:49,720 --> 00:09:55,840 Speaker 1: of demonstration, pushed it open, instantly triggering the fire alarm. 125 00:09:56,000 --> 00:09:59,240 Speaker 1: As he headed off to disable it. Detectives to Nelly 126 00:09:59,360 --> 00:10:02,520 Speaker 1: and Stern stepped back to let the dog team head 127 00:10:02,520 --> 00:10:07,960 Speaker 1: out first before following them onto the roof. The roof 128 00:10:08,080 --> 00:10:12,200 Speaker 1: was much as they expected, comprised of three large rectangular 129 00:10:12,240 --> 00:10:15,920 Speaker 1: sections following the shape of the hotel, like the three 130 00:10:15,960 --> 00:10:19,160 Speaker 1: prongs of the letter E, stretching out from the back 131 00:10:19,200 --> 00:10:24,520 Speaker 1: of the hotel to the front. Each section was completely empty, 132 00:10:24,800 --> 00:10:27,680 Speaker 1: while at the very back of the roof, just behind 133 00:10:27,760 --> 00:10:32,640 Speaker 1: them stood four large water cisterns raised on a four 134 00:10:32,679 --> 00:10:37,320 Speaker 1: foot high platform. Each of the tanks stood roughly ten 135 00:10:37,360 --> 00:10:40,920 Speaker 1: feet high by six feet wide and could hold up 136 00:10:40,920 --> 00:10:44,280 Speaker 1: to a thousand gallons of water pumped up from below 137 00:10:44,400 --> 00:10:50,320 Speaker 1: street level. A small and empty maintenance hut overlooked the tanks. 138 00:10:51,360 --> 00:10:55,080 Speaker 1: To Nelli gazed out at the downtown Los Angeles skyline, 139 00:10:55,640 --> 00:10:59,320 Speaker 1: rendered even more flat and dull than usual by the 140 00:10:59,360 --> 00:11:04,480 Speaker 1: low hanging cloud, remembering again the pills he found in 141 00:11:04,520 --> 00:11:10,560 Speaker 1: Elisa's bag. Might she have been suicidal? He thought. He 142 00:11:10,640 --> 00:11:13,440 Speaker 1: wandered across to the edge of the roof and peered 143 00:11:13,480 --> 00:11:17,800 Speaker 1: over the side, taking in the full fourteen story drop, 144 00:11:18,480 --> 00:11:22,560 Speaker 1: then looked back across the empty roof. There was nothing 145 00:11:22,600 --> 00:11:27,319 Speaker 1: there for them. Okay, let's wrap it up, he said. 146 00:11:37,520 --> 00:11:41,520 Speaker 1: The following day, Elisa's parents, Yena and David, and sister 147 00:11:41,679 --> 00:11:45,760 Speaker 1: Sarah flew to LA to assist the police with their inquiries. 148 00:11:46,840 --> 00:11:49,840 Speaker 1: With the press beginning to sniff out the story, the 149 00:11:50,000 --> 00:11:54,320 Speaker 1: LAPD decided to hold a press conference to get ahead 150 00:11:54,320 --> 00:11:57,040 Speaker 1: of them, but also to make an appeal to the 151 00:11:57,080 --> 00:12:02,800 Speaker 1: public for help. A host of journalists and photographers jostled 152 00:12:02,840 --> 00:12:08,040 Speaker 1: for position outside one hundred West first Street. Lieutenant Walter 153 00:12:08,200 --> 00:12:12,280 Speaker 1: Tigue took to the microphone and announced that Alisa Lamb, 154 00:12:12,800 --> 00:12:16,360 Speaker 1: a Canadian citizen, who'd last been seen at the Cecil 155 00:12:16,480 --> 00:12:22,800 Speaker 1: Hotel on January thirty first, was officially missing. As members 156 00:12:22,840 --> 00:12:27,880 Speaker 1: of the press shouted out questions, Sarah, Yina and David, 157 00:12:28,040 --> 00:12:30,480 Speaker 1: who was barely able to bring his eyes up from 158 00:12:30,559 --> 00:12:36,080 Speaker 1: the floor, stirred in somber silence. Behind Teague, a large 159 00:12:36,120 --> 00:12:40,000 Speaker 1: photo of a smiling a Lisa in puce colored glasses 160 00:12:40,120 --> 00:12:43,679 Speaker 1: and a pink and blue checkered hoodie was displayed prominently 161 00:12:43,720 --> 00:12:48,000 Speaker 1: on a poster to their right. Within days, it would 162 00:12:48,040 --> 00:12:52,480 Speaker 1: be plastered throughout the downtown area for the rest of 163 00:12:52,520 --> 00:12:56,760 Speaker 1: the day to Nelly and Stearns interviewed the family in 164 00:12:56,840 --> 00:13:01,920 Speaker 1: the hope of getting a better understanding of Elsa's carriay. First, 165 00:13:02,280 --> 00:13:06,480 Speaker 1: they wanted to know about the pills they found. In total. 166 00:13:06,880 --> 00:13:11,200 Speaker 1: Among the sinus and pain relief tablets, the officers found 167 00:13:11,280 --> 00:13:17,240 Speaker 1: seventy LAMYCHTYL tablets, twenty SERA cole tablets, one hundred and 168 00:13:17,280 --> 00:13:21,600 Speaker 1: twenty four Offexa x R capsules, as well as fifty 169 00:13:21,640 --> 00:13:26,600 Speaker 1: seven bupropion tablets, all commonly used in the treatment of 170 00:13:26,720 --> 00:13:33,640 Speaker 1: psychiatric ailments. As the detectives had suspected her sister, Sarah 171 00:13:33,800 --> 00:13:39,280 Speaker 1: confirmed that Elisa suffered from depression. She was diagnosed with 172 00:13:39,360 --> 00:13:43,000 Speaker 1: bipolar disorder in her final year of high school and 173 00:13:43,040 --> 00:13:47,720 Speaker 1: had taken medication for it ever since. The medication was 174 00:13:47,760 --> 00:13:54,040 Speaker 1: not insignificant. Lamictyl is a brand name of lamotrogene, an 175 00:13:54,080 --> 00:13:58,440 Speaker 1: anticonvulsant that prevents the rapid fire of neurons that can 176 00:13:58,559 --> 00:14:02,680 Speaker 1: lead to epileptic seisure, but it's also used to treat 177 00:14:02,800 --> 00:14:09,400 Speaker 1: bipolar depression by preventing the onset of mania. Seraquel, a 178 00:14:09,480 --> 00:14:14,079 Speaker 1: brand name of quettiepine, helps manage the balance of dopamine 179 00:14:14,080 --> 00:14:18,839 Speaker 1: and serotonin levels in the brain. Although both medications are 180 00:14:18,880 --> 00:14:22,440 Speaker 1: fairly common in the treatment of bipolar they are not 181 00:14:22,600 --> 00:14:28,480 Speaker 1: without potentially harmful side effects. Limotrogene can lead to blurring 182 00:14:28,520 --> 00:14:33,600 Speaker 1: of vision, loss of balance, and memory loss, and quetiepine 183 00:14:33,920 --> 00:14:38,240 Speaker 1: can often cause a hellish combination of insomnia and fatigue, 184 00:14:38,640 --> 00:14:42,440 Speaker 1: although Eleas's prescribed dosage was at the lower end of 185 00:14:42,520 --> 00:14:49,200 Speaker 1: the scale for this drug. Venlafaccine, the chemical compound of effexa, 186 00:14:49,840 --> 00:14:54,800 Speaker 1: is also commonly prescribed for sufferers of depression, which, like quetiepine, 187 00:14:55,240 --> 00:14:59,720 Speaker 1: is used to control potentially dangerous chemical imbalances in the 188 00:14:59,720 --> 00:15:06,440 Speaker 1: brain that can lead to suicidal thoughts. Pupropion is one 189 00:15:06,480 --> 00:15:17,640 Speaker 1: of the most frequently prescribed antidepressants in the States. It 190 00:15:17,680 --> 00:15:20,960 Speaker 1: was a difficult subject approach, but one that had to 191 00:15:21,000 --> 00:15:25,800 Speaker 1: be addressed. The detectives in quiet if Elisa had ever 192 00:15:25,880 --> 00:15:31,040 Speaker 1: expressed any suicidal tendencies, but her sister Sarah was adamant 193 00:15:31,120 --> 00:15:35,920 Speaker 1: that she hadn't. It's not uncommon for sufferers of depression 194 00:15:36,160 --> 00:15:40,720 Speaker 1: to have long periods of lucidity and apparent happiness, only 195 00:15:40,800 --> 00:15:43,560 Speaker 1: for that to be offset by one event or other 196 00:15:43,920 --> 00:15:49,080 Speaker 1: that could trigger a dangerous and sometimes irretrievable downward spiral. 197 00:15:50,160 --> 00:15:54,320 Speaker 1: The detectives wondered whether anything specific might have happened in 198 00:15:54,360 --> 00:15:58,280 Speaker 1: Elisa's life recently that could have caused such an event. 199 00:15:59,160 --> 00:16:03,480 Speaker 1: The family weren't entirely sure either way. The more the 200 00:16:03,560 --> 00:16:07,560 Speaker 1: detectives learned about the missing woman, the more tangible their 201 00:16:07,640 --> 00:16:13,320 Speaker 1: sense of who exactly they were searching for became. Elisa 202 00:16:13,520 --> 00:16:17,040 Speaker 1: was twelve years old when she arrived in Vancouver from 203 00:16:17,160 --> 00:16:21,560 Speaker 1: China with her family in two thousand and three. It 204 00:16:21,640 --> 00:16:24,880 Speaker 1: hadn't been an easy adjustment for a young girl to make, 205 00:16:25,480 --> 00:16:30,680 Speaker 1: coming to a due culture and facing stereotypical prejudices, but 206 00:16:30,760 --> 00:16:35,120 Speaker 1: Elisa was smart, warm, and approachable, and despite being a 207 00:16:35,160 --> 00:16:39,480 Speaker 1: little self conscious, she was outgoing and always eager to 208 00:16:39,480 --> 00:16:43,880 Speaker 1: meet new people. At school, she was a high achiever, 209 00:16:44,640 --> 00:16:47,680 Speaker 1: but as she neared the end of high school, things 210 00:16:47,840 --> 00:16:54,000 Speaker 1: began to change. Elisa's parents sensed her listlessness, but talking 211 00:16:54,040 --> 00:16:58,440 Speaker 1: about it was complicated and nothing they did seemed to help. 212 00:16:59,280 --> 00:17:04,280 Speaker 1: A doctor consulted, prescriptions were written, and by the time 213 00:17:04,359 --> 00:17:08,760 Speaker 1: Elisa was applying for college, she was regularly taking medication 214 00:17:09,000 --> 00:17:13,840 Speaker 1: for depression. Elisa earned a place to study history at 215 00:17:13,880 --> 00:17:17,439 Speaker 1: the University of British Columbia, but by the summer of 216 00:17:17,520 --> 00:17:20,919 Speaker 1: her third year in twenty twelve, she had yet to 217 00:17:20,960 --> 00:17:25,240 Speaker 1: complete a single year of her studies. Her parents, David 218 00:17:25,280 --> 00:17:28,800 Speaker 1: and Yena, were all too aware that she was failing 219 00:17:28,840 --> 00:17:33,040 Speaker 1: her course, but perhaps they didn't know how much she 220 00:17:33,119 --> 00:17:36,960 Speaker 1: appreciated what it took for them to afford her that opportunity, 221 00:17:37,440 --> 00:17:40,879 Speaker 1: only for her to be throwing it all away, and 222 00:17:41,000 --> 00:17:45,240 Speaker 1: how much that crippled her. Neither did they know about 223 00:17:45,240 --> 00:17:49,119 Speaker 1: the anonymous blog and tumbler pages that she kept online, 224 00:17:49,680 --> 00:17:53,560 Speaker 1: added with the Chuck Paula nick quote, You're always haunted 225 00:17:53,600 --> 00:17:58,200 Speaker 1: by the idea you're wasting your life, and how her 226 00:17:58,240 --> 00:18:03,840 Speaker 1: emotions would often leave her feeling isolated, but her sister 227 00:18:04,040 --> 00:18:08,439 Speaker 1: Sarah knew, as she explained to Detective to Nelly, that 228 00:18:08,560 --> 00:18:14,600 Speaker 1: Eliza wasn't suicidal like most people. She just wanted time 229 00:18:15,040 --> 00:18:18,439 Speaker 1: to figure out who she was supposed to be before 230 00:18:18,480 --> 00:18:28,800 Speaker 1: the world and all its potential, spiraled away from her. 231 00:18:29,960 --> 00:18:33,880 Speaker 1: In August twenty twelve, Aliza was told that she wouldn't 232 00:18:33,880 --> 00:18:37,200 Speaker 1: be kicked out of college after all, but was advised 233 00:18:37,200 --> 00:18:40,399 Speaker 1: to take the year off and return the following summer 234 00:18:40,680 --> 00:18:45,199 Speaker 1: to begin again. Slowly, she found a renewed sense of 235 00:18:45,240 --> 00:18:48,480 Speaker 1: purpose and she was determined to make the most of 236 00:18:48,520 --> 00:18:53,960 Speaker 1: her unofficial year out. In October, she made inquiries about 237 00:18:54,080 --> 00:18:57,919 Speaker 1: volunteering on a farm and found the perfect location in 238 00:18:58,040 --> 00:19:02,119 Speaker 1: Santa Cruz, California. She had always wanted to visit la 239 00:19:02,720 --> 00:19:05,560 Speaker 1: and made a plan to stop off there on the way. 240 00:19:06,840 --> 00:19:11,439 Speaker 1: In November, Elisa suffered a sudden drop in her mood, and, 241 00:19:11,600 --> 00:19:16,520 Speaker 1: unknown to her family, she wrote anonymously about having suicidal 242 00:19:16,600 --> 00:19:22,040 Speaker 1: thoughts on tumbler. However, things had sufficiently lifted by the 243 00:19:22,160 --> 00:19:25,160 Speaker 1: end of the month for her to undertake a seemingly 244 00:19:25,520 --> 00:19:31,320 Speaker 1: much enjoyed solo trip to Toronto and Ottawa. Detective to 245 00:19:31,400 --> 00:19:36,440 Speaker 1: Nelly asked the family about relationships and discovered that Elisa 246 00:19:36,640 --> 00:19:41,640 Speaker 1: had a relatively long term boyfriend until recently. Although they'd 247 00:19:41,680 --> 00:19:45,399 Speaker 1: broken up shortly before the New Year, she hadn't seemed 248 00:19:45,480 --> 00:19:49,840 Speaker 1: too upset by it, But perhaps Elisa hadn't shared with 249 00:19:49,920 --> 00:19:53,440 Speaker 1: anyone how the emotion of the break up had suddenly 250 00:19:53,480 --> 00:19:56,639 Speaker 1: caught up with her in the weeks prior to leaving 251 00:19:56,720 --> 00:20:02,600 Speaker 1: for America. Another area of concern for the detectives was 252 00:20:02,640 --> 00:20:06,320 Speaker 1: the possibility that Elisa may have come off her drugs, 253 00:20:06,800 --> 00:20:10,680 Speaker 1: but as Elisa's parents attested, she'd always been good at 254 00:20:10,720 --> 00:20:14,680 Speaker 1: taking her medication and didn't seem to suffer any obvious 255 00:20:14,720 --> 00:20:19,439 Speaker 1: side effects from it. What's more, the drugs appeared to 256 00:20:19,480 --> 00:20:24,439 Speaker 1: be working. Prior to her trip, the family had enjoyed 257 00:20:24,440 --> 00:20:28,480 Speaker 1: a pleasant holiday season together, with Elisa appearing in good 258 00:20:28,520 --> 00:20:33,119 Speaker 1: spirits right up to the time she'd left. Having booked 259 00:20:33,160 --> 00:20:36,800 Speaker 1: the flights in early January, Alisa was looking forward to 260 00:20:36,840 --> 00:20:39,880 Speaker 1: getting out there, and from what they could tell from 261 00:20:39,880 --> 00:20:45,920 Speaker 1: her daily calls back home, she'd been positively buoyant. Elisa 262 00:20:46,000 --> 00:20:49,720 Speaker 1: began what she called her West Coast tour on January 263 00:20:49,840 --> 00:20:53,760 Speaker 1: twenty second, and spent a week in San Diego before 264 00:20:53,800 --> 00:20:57,720 Speaker 1: she arrived in Los Angeles by train on January twenty eighth. 265 00:20:58,880 --> 00:21:01,479 Speaker 1: The family didn't know if she'd planned to meet up 266 00:21:01,520 --> 00:21:05,359 Speaker 1: with anyone, but she'd definitely been alone when she checked 267 00:21:05,400 --> 00:21:09,040 Speaker 1: into the Stay on Maine. They knew little about her 268 00:21:09,080 --> 00:21:13,159 Speaker 1: subsequent movements, other than the fact that she attended that 269 00:21:13,359 --> 00:21:17,320 Speaker 1: recording of the Conan O'Brien show on the night at Wednesday, 270 00:21:17,480 --> 00:21:24,600 Speaker 1: January thirtieth, presumably alone, they thought. Before her disappearance, Elisa 271 00:21:24,680 --> 00:21:29,840 Speaker 1: had called her parents every day and sounded happy to 272 00:21:29,880 --> 00:21:34,359 Speaker 1: Nellie asked them if Elisa had mentioned anything about having 273 00:21:34,400 --> 00:21:37,280 Speaker 1: to move rooms at the Stay on Maine, but it 274 00:21:37,400 --> 00:21:41,960 Speaker 1: was the first they'd heard about it. The detectives thanked 275 00:21:42,000 --> 00:21:45,840 Speaker 1: the family for their time and reassured them they would 276 00:21:45,840 --> 00:21:59,840 Speaker 1: do everything they could to find their daughter. The lap 277 00:22:00,320 --> 00:22:03,560 Speaker 1: press conference led to a flood of phone calls and 278 00:22:03,640 --> 00:22:08,720 Speaker 1: speculative reports of Elisa's whereabouts, but nothing much of use 279 00:22:08,840 --> 00:22:14,840 Speaker 1: turned up. That was until the following day, when Katie Orphan, 280 00:22:15,280 --> 00:22:19,240 Speaker 1: the manager of the last bookstore located just a few 281 00:22:19,280 --> 00:22:22,760 Speaker 1: minutes walk from the Stay on Maine, got in contact 282 00:22:22,800 --> 00:22:27,560 Speaker 1: with the police. Orton had seen Alsa in the store 283 00:22:27,880 --> 00:22:32,120 Speaker 1: on the afternoon of January thirty first, the day she'd 284 00:22:32,200 --> 00:22:37,360 Speaker 1: last been seen by hotel staff. Often even remembered speaking 285 00:22:37,440 --> 00:22:40,520 Speaker 1: with the young woman who dropped in to buy presents 286 00:22:40,560 --> 00:22:45,160 Speaker 1: for her family around about noon. This put her whereabouts 287 00:22:45,440 --> 00:22:48,439 Speaker 1: at least in the vicinity of the hotel prior to 288 00:22:48,520 --> 00:22:55,080 Speaker 1: returning there later that afternoon. Perhaps most significantly, Katie Orten 289 00:22:55,200 --> 00:22:59,040 Speaker 1: remembered that Elisa was not only alone, but that she 290 00:22:59,160 --> 00:23:06,520 Speaker 1: was outgoing, friendly and completely lucid. Then, after days trawling 291 00:23:06,600 --> 00:23:11,280 Speaker 1: through over eight hundred hours of CCTV footage taken from 292 00:23:11,320 --> 00:23:15,960 Speaker 1: inside the hotel and surrounding eight ms, the police tech 293 00:23:16,040 --> 00:23:21,080 Speaker 1: team finally made a breakthrough. Elisa was picked up on 294 00:23:21,200 --> 00:23:25,080 Speaker 1: security footage recorded from inside the lobby of the Stay 295 00:23:25,119 --> 00:23:29,840 Speaker 1: on Maine on the afternoon of the thirty first. The 296 00:23:29,880 --> 00:23:34,080 Speaker 1: first piece of footage showed Elisa engaged in a short 297 00:23:34,320 --> 00:23:40,360 Speaker 1: and seemingly innocuous conversation with two men. The men appeared 298 00:23:40,359 --> 00:23:44,560 Speaker 1: to handle Lisa a small box before they each said 299 00:23:44,600 --> 00:23:48,679 Speaker 1: their goodbyes, with the men then leaving the hotel and 300 00:23:48,760 --> 00:23:52,720 Speaker 1: Elisa heading off alone in the other direction toward the 301 00:23:52,760 --> 00:23:58,919 Speaker 1: lift and presumably back to her room. Detectives to Nellie 302 00:23:58,920 --> 00:24:01,600 Speaker 1: and Stearns were called in to take a look at 303 00:24:01,600 --> 00:24:05,960 Speaker 1: the footage for themselves. They watched the first clips eagerly, 304 00:24:06,440 --> 00:24:10,359 Speaker 1: flush with excitement at the possibility of having a major 305 00:24:10,480 --> 00:24:15,800 Speaker 1: lead to follow up on, maybe even potential suspects they 306 00:24:15,840 --> 00:24:20,719 Speaker 1: could interview. However, they had disappointed to learn that the 307 00:24:20,720 --> 00:24:24,960 Speaker 1: two men, whose faces were not easy to see, didn't 308 00:24:24,960 --> 00:24:29,080 Speaker 1: appear on any further clips entering or exiting the building. 309 00:24:30,119 --> 00:24:33,359 Speaker 1: But that wasn't the footage the tech team wanted the 310 00:24:33,400 --> 00:24:37,439 Speaker 1: detectives to see. The footage they really wanted them to 311 00:24:37,520 --> 00:24:50,159 Speaker 1: watch was something altogether different. Detectives to Nelly and Sterns 312 00:24:50,680 --> 00:24:54,320 Speaker 1: watched on as the next clip was loaded up. Then 313 00:24:54,359 --> 00:25:00,000 Speaker 1: the technician hit play. The footage that played out before 314 00:25:00,000 --> 00:25:02,280 Speaker 1: all of them had been recorded in one of the 315 00:25:02,359 --> 00:25:07,920 Speaker 1: hotel's lifts later that evening, to Nelly and Sterns moved 316 00:25:07,960 --> 00:25:11,520 Speaker 1: in closer to the screen as a silent colored shot 317 00:25:11,960 --> 00:25:15,159 Speaker 1: flickered up on the monitor of an empty lift car. 318 00:25:16,359 --> 00:25:19,320 Speaker 1: The car then begins to move up through the levels 319 00:25:19,920 --> 00:25:23,560 Speaker 1: until stopping at the fourteenth floor, or what would have 320 00:25:23,640 --> 00:25:27,840 Speaker 1: been the thirteenth if it wasn't for the superstitious contractors. 321 00:25:29,320 --> 00:25:33,480 Speaker 1: A short time later, the lift doors open to reveal 322 00:25:33,560 --> 00:25:36,960 Speaker 1: an empty corridor from out of which a young woman 323 00:25:37,520 --> 00:25:42,479 Speaker 1: matching Elisa's description appears from the left hand side and 324 00:25:42,760 --> 00:25:47,560 Speaker 1: enters the lift. The woman, wearing a burgundy hooded sweater, 325 00:25:48,119 --> 00:25:52,520 Speaker 1: black shorts and sandals, turns immediately to the control panel, 326 00:25:52,960 --> 00:25:57,040 Speaker 1: bends in close to the buttons, and bizarrely presses the 327 00:25:57,240 --> 00:26:03,399 Speaker 1: entire middle row, lighting up fl ten seven four, the 328 00:26:03,440 --> 00:26:09,879 Speaker 1: mezzanine level the basement, and one further button below. After 329 00:26:09,920 --> 00:26:13,760 Speaker 1: pressing the buttons, the woman casually steps back into the 330 00:26:13,800 --> 00:26:17,080 Speaker 1: corner of the lift, keeping her eyes fixed on the 331 00:26:17,119 --> 00:26:22,320 Speaker 1: seemingly empty corridor beyond as her hands dangle by her side. 332 00:26:23,480 --> 00:26:28,240 Speaker 1: But the doors don't close as might be expected. Then 333 00:26:28,440 --> 00:26:34,000 Speaker 1: something even more strange happens. The woman takes a small 334 00:26:34,040 --> 00:26:38,040 Speaker 1: step toward the open door, then, in one quick movement, 335 00:26:38,720 --> 00:26:42,960 Speaker 1: slides herself forward on one leg before sticking her head 336 00:26:43,000 --> 00:26:47,600 Speaker 1: out into the corridor. After a quick look left and right, 337 00:26:48,359 --> 00:26:52,199 Speaker 1: the woman then steps hurriedly back into the lift and 338 00:26:52,320 --> 00:26:57,320 Speaker 1: retreats first against the right wall before backing into the corner, 339 00:26:57,880 --> 00:27:01,240 Speaker 1: pulling her body in tight as if she is hiding 340 00:27:01,280 --> 00:27:06,560 Speaker 1: from somebody. When no one comes, the woman then steps 341 00:27:06,640 --> 00:27:10,439 Speaker 1: back into the open doorway of the lift. She stays 342 00:27:10,480 --> 00:27:14,720 Speaker 1: there for a moment, peering out into the apparently empty corridor, 343 00:27:15,240 --> 00:27:20,320 Speaker 1: before jumping out suddenly, as if trying to surprise someone. 344 00:27:20,640 --> 00:27:25,919 Speaker 1: But again there seems to be nobody else there, and 345 00:27:26,000 --> 00:27:30,640 Speaker 1: all the while the doors remain open, refusing to shut, 346 00:27:32,200 --> 00:27:42,240 Speaker 1: and there is more as detectives. To Nelly and Steren's 347 00:27:42,560 --> 00:27:45,600 Speaker 1: struggle to comprehend what it is they are looking at, 348 00:27:46,040 --> 00:27:52,000 Speaker 1: the CCTV footage gets increasingly strange as the woman continues 349 00:27:52,040 --> 00:27:55,200 Speaker 1: to stand in the corridor. She puts her arms above 350 00:27:55,240 --> 00:27:58,560 Speaker 1: her head for a moment and walks back into the lift. 351 00:27:59,600 --> 00:28:04,119 Speaker 1: Her moods are now languid and off balance. She turns 352 00:28:04,160 --> 00:28:08,239 Speaker 1: back to the control panel and once again presses the 353 00:28:08,280 --> 00:28:11,879 Speaker 1: same middle row of buttons, going back over them a 354 00:28:11,960 --> 00:28:16,600 Speaker 1: number of times before stepping again into the empty corridor beyond. 355 00:28:17,720 --> 00:28:20,920 Speaker 1: She waits for a moment, then turns to the right, 356 00:28:21,600 --> 00:28:25,040 Speaker 1: and for a brief second, it appears that she is 357 00:28:25,119 --> 00:28:29,919 Speaker 1: speaking to someone, her arms moving up and down in 358 00:28:30,000 --> 00:28:36,080 Speaker 1: a strange, undulating manner, but still there is seemingly nobody there. 359 00:28:37,600 --> 00:28:42,040 Speaker 1: To Nelly and Stern's watch transfixed as the woman's peculiar 360 00:28:42,160 --> 00:28:47,040 Speaker 1: dance of hand gestures plays out. At one point, she 361 00:28:47,080 --> 00:28:50,320 Speaker 1: seems to move them speculatively in front of her, as 362 00:28:50,320 --> 00:28:53,000 Speaker 1: if she were fumbling her way across a dark room. 363 00:28:53,760 --> 00:28:58,040 Speaker 1: Then suddenly she grabs at her fingers, twisting them as 364 00:28:58,040 --> 00:29:02,680 Speaker 1: if ringing out a wet cloth. After a few more seconds, 365 00:29:03,200 --> 00:29:06,880 Speaker 1: the woman simply spins to the left and walks away 366 00:29:09,280 --> 00:29:12,920 Speaker 1: to Nellie keeps his eyes locked on the corridor, waiting 367 00:29:12,960 --> 00:29:16,840 Speaker 1: for a glimpse of whommeever she'd been speaking to, But 368 00:29:16,960 --> 00:29:23,160 Speaker 1: nobody comes. As the timecode continues running, the doors finally 369 00:29:23,200 --> 00:29:29,320 Speaker 1: close softly, and the now deserted lift begins to move, slowly, 370 00:29:29,520 --> 00:29:32,640 Speaker 1: making its way through each of the different floors that 371 00:29:32,720 --> 00:29:37,960 Speaker 1: the woman had selected. The footage was taken a matter 372 00:29:38,040 --> 00:29:43,600 Speaker 1: of hours after an outgoing, friendly and lucid Elisa had 373 00:29:43,640 --> 00:29:48,840 Speaker 1: spoken to bookshop manager Katie Orphan. But that isn't all. 374 00:29:50,160 --> 00:29:54,520 Speaker 1: With no subsequent footage found of Alisa leaving the building, 375 00:29:55,200 --> 00:29:58,959 Speaker 1: detectives to Nellie and Sterns have something solid at last 376 00:29:59,160 --> 00:30:04,600 Speaker 1: to go on whether Elisa is alive or dead. She 377 00:30:04,760 --> 00:30:14,080 Speaker 1: is still somewhere inside the hotel. You've been listening to 378 00:30:14,160 --> 00:30:19,920 Speaker 1: part two of Unexplained, Season seven, episode fourteen if these 379 00:30:20,000 --> 00:30:24,360 Speaker 1: Walls could scream. The third and final part will be 380 00:30:24,440 --> 00:30:32,280 Speaker 1: released next Friday, February second. This episode was written by 381 00:30:32,440 --> 00:30:37,240 Speaker 1: Richard McLain smith. Unexplained is an Avy Club Productions podcast 382 00:30:37,760 --> 00:30:41,920 Speaker 1: created by Richard McLain Smith. All other elements of the podcast, 383 00:30:42,000 --> 00:30:45,400 Speaker 1: including the music, are also produced by me Richard mc 384 00:30:45,480 --> 00:30:50,320 Speaker 1: clean smith. Unexplained. The book and audiobook, with stories never 385 00:30:50,360 --> 00:30:54,360 Speaker 1: before featured on the show, is now available to buy worldwide. 386 00:30:54,680 --> 00:30:58,560 Speaker 1: You can purchase from Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Waterstones and 387 00:30:58,680 --> 00:31:03,000 Speaker 1: other bookstores. Please subscribe to and rate the show wherever 388 00:31:03,080 --> 00:31:05,640 Speaker 1: you get your podcasts, and feel free to get in 389 00:31:05,720 --> 00:31:09,160 Speaker 1: touch with any thoughts or ideas regarding the stories you've 390 00:31:09,240 --> 00:31:11,960 Speaker 1: heard on the show. Perhaps you have an explanation of 391 00:31:12,000 --> 00:31:14,720 Speaker 1: your own you'd like to share. You can find out 392 00:31:14,720 --> 00:31:18,520 Speaker 1: more at Unexplained podcast dot com and reach us online 393 00:31:18,560 --> 00:31:23,640 Speaker 1: through Twitter at Unexplained Pod and Facebook at Facebook dot com, 394 00:31:23,680 --> 00:31:26,040 Speaker 1: Forward Slash Unexplained Podcast