1 00:00:15,371 --> 00:00:15,931 Speaker 1: Pushkin. 2 00:00:18,930 --> 00:00:22,011 Speaker 2: Subscribe to Pushkin Plus to hear the entire season of 3 00:00:22,091 --> 00:00:26,371 Speaker 2: Valley of Shadows ad free starting January twelfth. You'll also 4 00:00:26,371 --> 00:00:30,091 Speaker 2: get bonus episodes, full audiobooks, and early ad free listening 5 00:00:30,211 --> 00:00:34,171 Speaker 2: from your favorite Pushkin hosts and authors. Find Pushkin Plus 6 00:00:34,290 --> 00:00:36,931 Speaker 2: on the Valley of Shadows show page on Apple podcast 7 00:00:37,451 --> 00:00:41,251 Speaker 2: or at pushkin dot fm, slash plus and thanks for 8 00:00:41,290 --> 00:00:45,290 Speaker 2: your support. This series includes content that may not be 9 00:00:45,331 --> 00:00:48,731 Speaker 2: suitable for all listeners. Listener discretion is advised. 10 00:00:51,091 --> 00:00:52,971 Speaker 3: So it's okay, yeah, I'll. 11 00:00:52,851 --> 00:00:54,491 Speaker 4: Turn it down just a little bit, because sometimes you 12 00:00:54,531 --> 00:00:55,251 Speaker 4: get animated. 13 00:00:56,011 --> 00:00:58,211 Speaker 3: I get pissed off, pissed off old cop. 14 00:00:59,251 --> 00:01:01,531 Speaker 4: This pissed off old cop is Mike Bauer. 15 00:01:02,691 --> 00:01:05,530 Speaker 5: Okay, my name is Mike Bauer, retired Captain LA Sheriff. 16 00:01:05,731 --> 00:01:08,891 Speaker 5: I retired in two thousand and two. My last assignment 17 00:01:08,971 --> 00:01:11,971 Speaker 5: was Major Crimes Bureau, Detective Division, LA Sheriff. 18 00:01:13,170 --> 00:01:15,931 Speaker 4: Bower spent thirty three years climbing the ranks of the 19 00:01:15,971 --> 00:01:19,291 Speaker 4: Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department, and he looks the part 20 00:01:19,331 --> 00:01:22,611 Speaker 4: of a retired captain. His white hair and mustache are 21 00:01:22,651 --> 00:01:26,090 Speaker 4: neatly groomed, and his eyes were permanently fixed and a 22 00:01:26,131 --> 00:01:28,771 Speaker 4: look that says, do not fuck up on my watch. 23 00:01:29,651 --> 00:01:31,651 Speaker 4: And he's pissed off because of something that happened to 24 00:01:31,651 --> 00:01:34,731 Speaker 4: one of his guys on his squad back in the 25 00:01:34,731 --> 00:01:39,931 Speaker 4: summer of nineteen ninety eight. June eleventh started off like 26 00:01:39,931 --> 00:01:43,931 Speaker 4: a normal day in Los Angeles, June gloom and bad traffic. 27 00:01:45,211 --> 00:01:47,291 Speaker 5: I got up early out of Long Beach and headed 28 00:01:47,371 --> 00:01:50,651 Speaker 5: up the six zero five and into East La. Our 29 00:01:50,691 --> 00:01:51,611 Speaker 5: office in East LA. 30 00:01:52,571 --> 00:01:54,931 Speaker 4: Bauer was doing paperwork when a call came into the 31 00:01:54,931 --> 00:01:57,971 Speaker 4: front desk. The receptionist answered. 32 00:01:58,651 --> 00:02:00,531 Speaker 5: Then she hung up and she comes down to get 33 00:02:00,531 --> 00:02:03,771 Speaker 5: a cup of coffee across the hall, and I said, hey, 34 00:02:03,811 --> 00:02:06,571 Speaker 5: who was that? It was? John Aujay. 35 00:02:08,011 --> 00:02:10,971 Speaker 4: John auj was a t eight year old canine cop 36 00:02:11,531 --> 00:02:14,210 Speaker 4: and he was calling to inquire about an upcoming job assignment. 37 00:02:15,370 --> 00:02:17,370 Speaker 5: I said, well, I've been trying to get hold him, 38 00:02:17,851 --> 00:02:21,011 Speaker 5: and she says, oh, well, maybe he'll call back. 39 00:02:22,531 --> 00:02:23,531 Speaker 3: He never called back. 40 00:02:26,331 --> 00:02:28,891 Speaker 4: John aj was working for the unit Bower headed up 41 00:02:28,891 --> 00:02:34,131 Speaker 4: at the time, the Special Enforcement Bureau or SEB for short. 42 00:02:34,291 --> 00:02:38,691 Speaker 5: Which consists of seven or eight SWAT teams, and the 43 00:02:38,731 --> 00:02:43,571 Speaker 5: SWAT teams were involved in tactical responses to high risk 44 00:02:43,611 --> 00:02:45,251 Speaker 5: situations in the field. 45 00:02:46,131 --> 00:02:51,731 Speaker 4: Seb handled things like active shooter situations, hostage negotiations, search 46 00:02:51,771 --> 00:02:55,530 Speaker 4: and rescue. It was a job that attracted adrenaline junkies 47 00:02:55,611 --> 00:02:59,691 Speaker 4: like Aj. He was an Army paratrooper and a survivalist, 48 00:02:59,971 --> 00:03:02,971 Speaker 4: and those military skills, along with his buzz cut and 49 00:03:03,011 --> 00:03:06,251 Speaker 4: square build, made him a shoe in for the Sheriff's Department. 50 00:03:07,211 --> 00:03:10,091 Speaker 5: He was in the Army in Special Forces. He was 51 00:03:10,131 --> 00:03:13,731 Speaker 5: working at the elite unit of the department. I have 52 00:03:13,811 --> 00:03:16,331 Speaker 5: to call him a loaner, but he was an elite 53 00:03:16,411 --> 00:03:21,371 Speaker 5: loaner because the guy was doing fifty mile runs. He 54 00:03:21,491 --> 00:03:22,251 Speaker 5: was an animal. 55 00:03:25,811 --> 00:03:28,411 Speaker 4: Auj got his kicks by going on long runs through 56 00:03:28,411 --> 00:03:32,411 Speaker 4: California's back country. He'd go out deep into the wilderness 57 00:03:32,451 --> 00:03:36,611 Speaker 4: to conquer the only obstacle course that still challenged him. 58 00:03:36,931 --> 00:03:39,451 Speaker 4: And that's how Auj was spending his day off. On 59 00:03:39,531 --> 00:03:43,131 Speaker 4: June eleventh, nineteen ninety eight, he woke up, put on 60 00:03:43,171 --> 00:03:46,011 Speaker 4: his running gear and drove to one of his favorite parks, 61 00:03:46,731 --> 00:03:50,291 Speaker 4: the Devil's Punch Bowl. It's a rugged canyon where the 62 00:03:50,331 --> 00:03:53,931 Speaker 4: Angelus National Forest, the San Gabriel Mountains, and the Mojave 63 00:03:54,051 --> 00:04:02,771 Speaker 4: Desert all converge. Auj entered the park just before noon, 64 00:04:03,131 --> 00:04:05,891 Speaker 4: used a payphone to call into the Sheriff's department, and 65 00:04:05,931 --> 00:04:10,571 Speaker 4: then he took off running. Never listen to any music, 66 00:04:11,131 --> 00:04:13,531 Speaker 4: just the sounds of nature as he jogged along a 67 00:04:13,571 --> 00:04:17,091 Speaker 4: maze of switchbacks and up a nearly ten thousand foot mountain. 68 00:04:18,570 --> 00:04:21,491 Speaker 4: By early evening, he looped back towards the parking lot, 69 00:04:23,051 --> 00:04:25,890 Speaker 4: but as the sun began to set, the shadows of 70 00:04:25,931 --> 00:04:30,010 Speaker 4: trees and rocks grew until night engulfed the park. 71 00:04:37,211 --> 00:04:41,491 Speaker 5: That evening, I got a phone call saying that Wog 72 00:04:41,651 --> 00:04:45,771 Speaker 5: is missing, that he didn't come back to his vehicle, 73 00:04:46,611 --> 00:04:49,130 Speaker 5: and that they were going to start some more extensive 74 00:04:49,171 --> 00:04:52,251 Speaker 5: searching for him. 75 00:04:52,531 --> 00:04:55,331 Speaker 6: It's an all out manhunt for John Aujay. Every search 76 00:04:55,371 --> 00:04:57,491 Speaker 6: and rescue team in La County has been called in 77 00:04:57,491 --> 00:05:00,211 Speaker 6: to help the thirty eight year old when hiking Thursday 78 00:05:00,211 --> 00:05:03,051 Speaker 6: in a rugged section of the Angelos National Forest known 79 00:05:03,091 --> 00:05:06,690 Speaker 6: as Double Punch Bowls Park. It's a beautiful but dangerous area, 80 00:05:06,851 --> 00:05:09,851 Speaker 6: an area where it may be extremely difficult to find 81 00:05:09,891 --> 00:05:10,291 Speaker 6: all Jay. 82 00:05:11,331 --> 00:05:15,251 Speaker 4: It's a pretty unique situation. The Sheriff's department is called 83 00:05:15,251 --> 00:05:17,931 Speaker 4: in to look for a missing hiker who's one of 84 00:05:17,971 --> 00:05:21,131 Speaker 4: their own, So the search and rescue team sent out 85 00:05:21,171 --> 00:05:24,331 Speaker 4: to look for Auj consists of his friends and colleagues. 86 00:05:25,211 --> 00:05:27,731 Speaker 7: We took our teams out and deployed in two man 87 00:05:28,011 --> 00:05:30,531 Speaker 7: teams over the edges of the trails, into the little 88 00:05:30,731 --> 00:05:33,531 Speaker 7: nooks and crannies and the gullies that he could have 89 00:05:33,531 --> 00:05:34,530 Speaker 7: slipped and fallen into. 90 00:05:35,891 --> 00:05:39,651 Speaker 4: But searchers find no trace of Aj. It was as 91 00:05:39,690 --> 00:05:43,331 Speaker 4: if he just vanished into thin air. And now, nearly 92 00:05:43,371 --> 00:05:46,891 Speaker 4: thirty years later, the deputy is still missing. 93 00:05:52,690 --> 00:05:54,130 Speaker 5: I guess I'll open a box. 94 00:05:56,051 --> 00:05:59,091 Speaker 4: All that remains from Auj's life is packed into five 95 00:05:59,211 --> 00:06:03,811 Speaker 4: cardboard boxes. The items are wrapped in plastic and Bauer 96 00:06:03,851 --> 00:06:05,531 Speaker 4: wears gloves as he combs through them. 97 00:06:07,451 --> 00:06:12,011 Speaker 5: This is John's work jacket, and it's an SEB jacket 98 00:06:12,051 --> 00:06:14,931 Speaker 5: with his name embroidered on it. And Bossco his. 99 00:06:15,011 --> 00:06:20,091 Speaker 4: Dog now bowers preserving Auja's belongings for future developments in 100 00:06:20,131 --> 00:06:20,491 Speaker 4: the case. 101 00:06:21,051 --> 00:06:23,811 Speaker 5: Okay, so here's his running shoes with his name on 102 00:06:23,891 --> 00:06:27,291 Speaker 5: the back. Those should have some DNA in him. 103 00:06:28,651 --> 00:06:31,971 Speaker 4: The artifacts also tell us who Auja was. There's a 104 00:06:31,971 --> 00:06:36,411 Speaker 4: photocollage full of happy memories him and his high school 105 00:06:36,451 --> 00:06:39,770 Speaker 4: sweetheart Dub on their wedding day, a birthday party for 106 00:06:39,811 --> 00:06:43,051 Speaker 4: their daughter, Chloe, who was just five when he disappeared, 107 00:06:43,731 --> 00:06:47,291 Speaker 4: and puppy picks of Bosco. Auj's department issued K nine 108 00:06:48,571 --> 00:06:51,770 Speaker 4: And next to these snapshots of domestic life, there's a 109 00:06:51,811 --> 00:06:57,091 Speaker 4: steel ballistics helmet intended to stop rifle rounds, trophies for marksmanship, 110 00:06:57,651 --> 00:07:03,091 Speaker 4: army fatigues, you know, tough guys stuff. Auj moved at 111 00:07:03,131 --> 00:07:06,251 Speaker 4: a fast clip, trying to balance the competing demands of 112 00:07:06,331 --> 00:07:10,051 Speaker 4: home and work, but his life came to an abrupt 113 00:07:10,091 --> 00:07:11,251 Speaker 4: and puzzling end. 114 00:07:12,691 --> 00:07:17,291 Speaker 5: A death certificate says cause a death unknown manner, a 115 00:07:17,331 --> 00:07:20,931 Speaker 5: death unknown no body. 116 00:07:21,531 --> 00:07:25,051 Speaker 4: The deputy's body has never been found, which raises a 117 00:07:25,051 --> 00:07:29,531 Speaker 4: lot of questions for Mike Bauer and a survivalist getting 118 00:07:29,571 --> 00:07:34,611 Speaker 4: lost in the woods another big question mark. Over time, 119 00:07:34,731 --> 00:07:37,251 Speaker 4: the mystery of it all has turned into something else, 120 00:07:38,011 --> 00:07:44,371 Speaker 4: deep and unsettling, suspicion about the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department, the. 121 00:07:44,291 --> 00:07:46,971 Speaker 5: Only law enforcement agency in this country that I know of, 122 00:07:47,011 --> 00:07:50,331 Speaker 5: and I've looked around who has a missing deputy sheriff 123 00:07:51,051 --> 00:07:55,291 Speaker 5: and doesn't seem to care. What the hell happened? What's 124 00:07:55,331 --> 00:07:58,011 Speaker 5: the answer? Who's motivated to find. 125 00:07:57,731 --> 00:08:03,371 Speaker 4: The answer, And that's Mike cue. When Mike Bauer first 126 00:08:03,411 --> 00:08:07,171 Speaker 4: told me about Auja, I thought an unsolved disappearance involving 127 00:08:07,211 --> 00:08:11,131 Speaker 4: a cop, that's unusual. But when he started talking about 128 00:08:11,131 --> 00:08:15,011 Speaker 4: the Sheriff's Department, his department, that's when I locked in. 129 00:08:15,811 --> 00:08:18,811 Speaker 4: Because you'd expect the La County Sheriff's Department to turn 130 00:08:18,811 --> 00:08:22,451 Speaker 4: over every stone to find their guy. So the claim 131 00:08:22,531 --> 00:08:25,171 Speaker 4: that the LASD may have an interest in not solving 132 00:08:25,171 --> 00:08:30,491 Speaker 4: the case, now that's a story. So I called up 133 00:08:30,531 --> 00:08:34,891 Speaker 4: my friend Hayley Fox. Like me, she's an investigative journalist, 134 00:08:34,930 --> 00:08:38,410 Speaker 4: and she knows a lot about the Sheriff's department because 135 00:08:38,410 --> 00:08:41,971 Speaker 4: she's reported on it for many years. Hey, Betsy, Hey. 136 00:08:41,891 --> 00:08:44,050 Speaker 5: Do I'm good? 137 00:08:44,210 --> 00:08:44,690 Speaker 2: I'm ready. 138 00:08:45,011 --> 00:08:45,970 Speaker 4: Yeah, I go to do this. 139 00:08:46,330 --> 00:08:47,011 Speaker 8: It's about time. 140 00:08:47,050 --> 00:08:49,131 Speaker 2: I'm a little road trip adventure. 141 00:08:50,050 --> 00:08:51,050 Speaker 9: All right, let's do it. 142 00:08:52,851 --> 00:08:55,771 Speaker 4: We've teamed up on stories before and decided to get 143 00:08:55,771 --> 00:08:59,251 Speaker 4: the band back together to find answers about this missing 144 00:08:59,290 --> 00:09:03,170 Speaker 4: deputy and to take on the largest sheriff's department in 145 00:09:03,210 --> 00:09:03,810 Speaker 4: the country. 146 00:09:04,410 --> 00:09:06,891 Speaker 10: There's a code of silence in law enforcement. You break 147 00:09:06,891 --> 00:09:09,211 Speaker 10: that code of silence, you're done. 148 00:09:09,570 --> 00:09:11,771 Speaker 1: Hey, if don't fucking kill a Copponberry's what are you 149 00:09:11,771 --> 00:09:12,250 Speaker 1: gonna do to me. 150 00:09:12,810 --> 00:09:18,410 Speaker 5: It's an obstruction of justice of a very large scale. 151 00:09:19,170 --> 00:09:23,410 Speaker 2: I'm Betsy Shepherd, I'm Haley Fox, and this is Valley 152 00:09:23,450 --> 00:09:27,930 Speaker 2: of Shadows, a show about crime and corruption in California's 153 00:09:27,970 --> 00:09:44,530 Speaker 2: High Desert. Episode one, the Devil's Punch Bowl. Betsy and 154 00:09:44,570 --> 00:09:47,290 Speaker 2: I are making the trek from downtown Los Angeles to 155 00:09:47,330 --> 00:09:51,410 Speaker 2: the Antelope Valley, that's the desert area north of La 156 00:09:51,491 --> 00:09:55,931 Speaker 2: where Deputy auj disappeared. The drives about sixty miles but 157 00:09:56,410 --> 00:09:58,450 Speaker 2: takes an hour and a half to two hours because 158 00:09:58,450 --> 00:09:59,571 Speaker 2: of the mountainous. 159 00:09:59,170 --> 00:10:03,371 Speaker 4: Terrain, so you actually have to take We gotta go north. 160 00:10:04,251 --> 00:10:06,691 Speaker 2: Yeah, we're gonna go north, but this is La Dude. 161 00:10:06,731 --> 00:10:10,371 Speaker 2: We gotta go south. One in south five north fourteen 162 00:10:11,050 --> 00:10:12,651 Speaker 2: and then I think there's a one thirty eighth throat 163 00:10:12,690 --> 00:10:14,771 Speaker 2: in there, but nothing's a street shot. 164 00:10:15,930 --> 00:10:17,610 Speaker 3: Spoken like a true Angelino. 165 00:10:19,491 --> 00:10:22,530 Speaker 2: I was born and raised in La County, Go Dodgers, 166 00:10:23,210 --> 00:10:27,851 Speaker 2: but this part of it feels worlds away. The Antelope Valley, 167 00:10:27,930 --> 00:10:30,811 Speaker 2: or the av as it's sometimes called, is a three 168 00:10:30,810 --> 00:10:34,570 Speaker 2: thousand square mile stretch of the Mojave, But this part 169 00:10:34,611 --> 00:10:37,131 Speaker 2: of the High Desert doesn't have the same allure and 170 00:10:37,290 --> 00:10:41,530 Speaker 2: vibingess as places like Joshua Tree. Instead, the avy is 171 00:10:41,611 --> 00:10:46,090 Speaker 2: mostly empty space, dotted with defence plants, bedroom communities, and 172 00:10:46,131 --> 00:10:47,210 Speaker 2: tumbleweed towns. 173 00:10:48,611 --> 00:10:49,971 Speaker 11: So a lot of just like. 174 00:10:51,410 --> 00:10:54,410 Speaker 4: Trailers kind of just park down in the desert. 175 00:10:56,570 --> 00:11:02,210 Speaker 2: Yeah, I mean power lines and scrubbrush. Our story takes 176 00:11:02,251 --> 00:11:06,011 Speaker 2: place in and around Pair Blossom, California. It has a 177 00:11:06,050 --> 00:11:09,170 Speaker 2: population of fifteen hundred and it's where the Devil's Punch 178 00:11:09,210 --> 00:11:13,491 Speaker 2: Bowl located. Driving through it, Betsy gets a case of 179 00:11:13,530 --> 00:11:14,090 Speaker 2: deja vu. 180 00:11:14,970 --> 00:11:17,091 Speaker 4: I had anxiety coming to places like this because it 181 00:11:17,090 --> 00:11:18,851 Speaker 4: reminds me of like a town that I grew up 182 00:11:18,851 --> 00:11:22,451 Speaker 4: and there's just just like I feel, the oppressive weight 183 00:11:22,491 --> 00:11:27,691 Speaker 4: of boredom. Oh really. I moved to La several years 184 00:11:27,690 --> 00:11:31,210 Speaker 4: ago from South Louisiana. I had never been to Anelo 185 00:11:31,330 --> 00:11:35,050 Speaker 4: Valley before, but it was immediately familiar to me because 186 00:11:35,050 --> 00:11:38,011 Speaker 4: if you were to replace desert with swamp, this region 187 00:11:38,050 --> 00:11:40,170 Speaker 4: would look a lot like the small town I'm from. 188 00:11:40,891 --> 00:11:43,810 Speaker 4: It's rural and kind of run down. There's more landscape 189 00:11:43,810 --> 00:11:47,571 Speaker 4: than real estate, lots of pickup trucks in town. Life 190 00:11:48,131 --> 00:11:49,810 Speaker 4: seems like a thing of the past. 191 00:11:50,771 --> 00:11:51,410 Speaker 9: We got. 192 00:11:52,930 --> 00:11:54,891 Speaker 1: An abandoned motel. 193 00:11:55,410 --> 00:12:00,251 Speaker 4: What's this oh, like an abandoned old restaurant and rec 194 00:12:00,330 --> 00:12:07,330 Speaker 4: hall and people getting gas to presumably be all their way. 195 00:12:08,170 --> 00:12:10,050 Speaker 2: Yeah, I mean, I think the three stations in a 196 00:12:10,090 --> 00:12:12,810 Speaker 2: road tell the story. 197 00:12:13,570 --> 00:12:15,891 Speaker 4: But the closer we get to the Devil's Punch Bowl 198 00:12:15,930 --> 00:12:20,651 Speaker 4: where auj was last spotted, and other worldly landscape appears, 199 00:12:21,131 --> 00:12:24,810 Speaker 4: full of spiky joshua trees and sandstone columns. 200 00:12:26,530 --> 00:12:28,290 Speaker 2: It's actually really beautiful out here. 201 00:12:28,290 --> 00:12:29,610 Speaker 1: It's not expected to lay. 202 00:12:30,491 --> 00:12:33,530 Speaker 2: Are you looking at these huge rocks jutting out of 203 00:12:33,570 --> 00:12:36,771 Speaker 2: the ground and like they're making all those crazy shadows? 204 00:12:36,851 --> 00:12:39,090 Speaker 2: For seeing anything like them, I haven't either. 205 00:12:40,410 --> 00:12:42,371 Speaker 4: I feel like I've been an old Western movie, you know, 206 00:12:42,491 --> 00:12:47,050 Speaker 4: like we're just got this like wide epic landscape shots. 207 00:12:46,930 --> 00:12:49,810 Speaker 2: Total endless horizons, totally endless horizons. 208 00:12:49,851 --> 00:12:52,730 Speaker 4: I can see why John aj likes to come out here. 209 00:12:53,050 --> 00:12:54,490 Speaker 1: Yeah, it's pretty pretty umpig. 210 00:12:59,330 --> 00:13:03,971 Speaker 2: Okay, we are pulling into the Devil's Punch Bowl County 211 00:13:04,050 --> 00:13:05,530 Speaker 2: Park parking lot. 212 00:13:06,090 --> 00:13:07,011 Speaker 9: Here we are. 213 00:13:11,090 --> 00:13:14,131 Speaker 2: We've come here to retrace John Aujay's last known steps 214 00:13:15,090 --> 00:13:18,491 Speaker 2: and to meet with ranger Jack Farley. He was working 215 00:13:18,530 --> 00:13:20,810 Speaker 2: on the punch Bowl the day the deputy disappeared. 216 00:13:24,131 --> 00:13:26,170 Speaker 12: Hi are you? 217 00:13:26,251 --> 00:13:26,931 Speaker 13: But are you Jack? 218 00:13:26,970 --> 00:13:33,330 Speaker 4: Farley by chance, I am. This is my reporting partner, Haley, nice. 219 00:13:33,651 --> 00:13:36,851 Speaker 2: Too, Thank you for meeting us out here. Yes, Jack 220 00:13:36,930 --> 00:13:40,010 Speaker 2: Farley's retired now, but for thirty five years he was 221 00:13:40,050 --> 00:13:41,610 Speaker 2: assigned to work the punch Bowl. 222 00:13:42,930 --> 00:13:44,050 Speaker 1: What a cool job. 223 00:13:45,170 --> 00:13:48,290 Speaker 13: Great for me, Yeah, it was awesome, good job. 224 00:13:49,491 --> 00:13:51,571 Speaker 2: It was Farley's job to keep an eye on things, 225 00:13:51,771 --> 00:13:55,250 Speaker 2: to tend the grounds and patrol the area. So he 226 00:13:55,410 --> 00:13:57,970 Speaker 2: noticed when auj became a regular at the punch Bowl, 227 00:13:58,450 --> 00:14:02,051 Speaker 2: and he clocked Aujay's regular parking space the one closest 228 00:14:02,090 --> 00:14:02,930 Speaker 2: to the trailhead. 229 00:14:03,771 --> 00:14:05,971 Speaker 13: So I can remember seeing him sitting in the back 230 00:14:05,970 --> 00:14:09,290 Speaker 13: of his truck when you get done with a run 231 00:14:10,090 --> 00:14:12,651 Speaker 13: in the mountains. So when I'd walk out into the 232 00:14:12,690 --> 00:14:14,771 Speaker 13: parking lot, I'd see him sitting out there and ask 233 00:14:14,851 --> 00:14:15,690 Speaker 13: him about his run. 234 00:14:17,170 --> 00:14:20,491 Speaker 2: Farley remembers that the day all Jay disappeared, his white 235 00:14:20,571 --> 00:14:23,411 Speaker 2: Ford F one fifty truck was parked in that very 236 00:14:23,451 --> 00:14:27,250 Speaker 2: same spot, surrounded on all sides by wilderness. 237 00:14:28,291 --> 00:14:30,851 Speaker 4: One thing that impresses us so much about this area 238 00:14:31,090 --> 00:14:34,251 Speaker 4: is that you have a desert landscape on one side, 239 00:14:34,330 --> 00:14:36,811 Speaker 4: you have mountains and forests on the other, and then 240 00:14:36,891 --> 00:14:41,051 Speaker 4: in between it's these really cool rock formations. 241 00:14:41,731 --> 00:14:45,971 Speaker 13: Right, it's all uplifted from earthquake activity. Oh wow, that's 242 00:14:46,011 --> 00:14:49,691 Speaker 13: a punch bowl fault and that runs parallel with the mountains. 243 00:14:50,210 --> 00:14:52,011 Speaker 13: And then when you came up to here, you cross 244 00:14:52,011 --> 00:14:54,730 Speaker 13: the San Andreas Fault, which of course the big one 245 00:14:54,731 --> 00:14:58,491 Speaker 13: that runs through California, several faults in the area. It 246 00:14:58,531 --> 00:15:01,451 Speaker 13: took all this sand that was laid down flat by 247 00:15:01,491 --> 00:15:04,531 Speaker 13: streams and tilted up into vertical relief. 248 00:15:04,970 --> 00:15:07,051 Speaker 2: And it creates a bowl shape. 249 00:15:07,210 --> 00:15:10,611 Speaker 13: You can see a definite bowl shape coming around like this. Well, 250 00:15:10,651 --> 00:15:12,130 Speaker 13: that's where it got the punch bowl name. 251 00:15:13,531 --> 00:15:16,171 Speaker 2: We're not totally sure about the devil part of it, though. 252 00:15:18,251 --> 00:15:21,971 Speaker 2: According to local lore, early homesteaders saw grinning devil in 253 00:15:22,011 --> 00:15:25,771 Speaker 2: the rock formations. We didn't see satan in the rock face, 254 00:15:26,330 --> 00:15:29,571 Speaker 2: but we did see something else thanks to a county 255 00:15:29,611 --> 00:15:31,451 Speaker 2: park employee named Dave Numar. 256 00:15:32,891 --> 00:15:36,171 Speaker 9: See this right where the shadow ends, there's that big 257 00:15:36,251 --> 00:15:39,171 Speaker 9: rock kind of all by itself. If you look, it's 258 00:15:39,210 --> 00:15:41,611 Speaker 9: like a forehead is facing us and there's a nose 259 00:15:41,651 --> 00:15:42,171 Speaker 9: pointing street. 260 00:15:42,251 --> 00:15:43,491 Speaker 4: It looks like George Washington. 261 00:15:43,571 --> 00:15:47,970 Speaker 9: Yeah, it's a natural not reshmre cool. So there's all 262 00:15:48,011 --> 00:15:50,571 Speaker 9: kinds of faces out here because it's like oh, our 263 00:15:50,611 --> 00:15:52,770 Speaker 9: brains are programmed to see patterns. 264 00:15:54,011 --> 00:15:57,051 Speaker 2: Pattern recognition is why we see gods and goddesses in 265 00:15:57,090 --> 00:16:00,490 Speaker 2: the stars and the man in the moon. It's also 266 00:16:00,611 --> 00:16:03,811 Speaker 2: a key part of criminal investigations, a way to turn 267 00:16:03,851 --> 00:16:07,811 Speaker 2: information into a story. And that's why we've come to 268 00:16:07,851 --> 00:16:10,571 Speaker 2: the Devil's punch bowl see if we can make sense 269 00:16:10,691 --> 00:16:15,731 Speaker 2: of what happened on June eleventh, nineteen ninety eight. So 270 00:16:15,771 --> 00:16:17,931 Speaker 2: we pull out a map we printed from the internet 271 00:16:18,131 --> 00:16:22,171 Speaker 2: because we're prepared journalists and elder millennials, and we present 272 00:16:22,210 --> 00:16:23,451 Speaker 2: it to Ranger farltly. 273 00:16:24,771 --> 00:16:25,931 Speaker 4: Let me show you what it looks like. 274 00:16:27,571 --> 00:16:29,251 Speaker 13: Yeah, line will definitely better. 275 00:16:29,330 --> 00:16:31,850 Speaker 9: It's definitely get us lost in the wilderness. 276 00:16:32,611 --> 00:16:37,411 Speaker 2: Good God. Farley proves his outdoor prowess by whipping out 277 00:16:37,491 --> 00:16:40,371 Speaker 2: some real maps of the area to help orient us 278 00:16:40,411 --> 00:16:42,651 Speaker 2: to our surroundings. 279 00:16:41,891 --> 00:16:44,011 Speaker 13: Okay, here's the Devil's Point. 280 00:16:44,171 --> 00:16:49,691 Speaker 14: Okay, and there's Burkharp tree all right. 281 00:16:49,731 --> 00:16:53,571 Speaker 13: There goes over toward Devil's Chairs, so that'd be just 282 00:16:53,651 --> 00:16:56,211 Speaker 13: to the east, goes to south Fork. 283 00:16:57,931 --> 00:17:01,330 Speaker 2: One witness reported seeing auj near the picnic tables at 284 00:17:01,371 --> 00:17:05,491 Speaker 2: the main trailhead sometime before noon. This witness was a 285 00:17:05,531 --> 00:17:08,011 Speaker 2: local teacher there on a field trip with a bunch 286 00:17:08,051 --> 00:17:11,571 Speaker 2: of elementary school kids, Auj stopped to talk to him. 287 00:17:11,771 --> 00:17:14,251 Speaker 2: He pointed to a jaggon mountain in the distance, Mount 288 00:17:14,291 --> 00:17:17,051 Speaker 2: Baden Powell, and said that's where he was headed. 289 00:17:18,051 --> 00:17:21,851 Speaker 13: So the high mountain behind the telephone poll over there. Yeah, 290 00:17:21,851 --> 00:17:25,731 Speaker 13: that's Baden Powell and that's where he would go sometimes. 291 00:17:25,771 --> 00:17:28,211 Speaker 13: How tall of the mountain, jeez, that is one of 292 00:17:28,211 --> 00:17:30,891 Speaker 13: the higher ones. Let me think ten thousand ten, I 293 00:17:30,931 --> 00:17:32,051 Speaker 13: mean in this range. 294 00:17:32,371 --> 00:17:36,130 Speaker 4: And he would run from here to that mountain all 295 00:17:36,131 --> 00:17:37,571 Speaker 4: the way over there and then run up it. 296 00:17:38,251 --> 00:17:41,171 Speaker 13: Yeah, he'd run over there, and then there're sitchbacks all 297 00:17:41,211 --> 00:17:43,731 Speaker 13: the way to the top of that mountain. 298 00:17:44,051 --> 00:17:47,371 Speaker 2: Auj was spotted again later in the day, when multiple 299 00:17:47,411 --> 00:17:50,211 Speaker 2: witnesses say they saw him jogging through a campground just 300 00:17:50,371 --> 00:17:53,371 Speaker 2: north of the mountain in the direction of the punch 301 00:17:53,411 --> 00:17:57,130 Speaker 2: Bowl parking lot. But when Farley left his post at 302 00:17:57,131 --> 00:18:00,611 Speaker 2: five PM, Auj's truck was still parked in the lot, 303 00:18:01,411 --> 00:18:04,411 Speaker 2: and it stayed parked there as the evening bloomed over 304 00:18:04,451 --> 00:18:09,651 Speaker 2: the desert, and then close to midnight, Auj's wife hold 305 00:18:09,691 --> 00:18:31,051 Speaker 2: the sheriff station to report him missing. 306 00:18:40,011 --> 00:18:43,931 Speaker 4: As June eleventh, nineteen ninety eight years its end. Debbie 307 00:18:43,931 --> 00:18:48,771 Speaker 4: Auja becomes increasingly panicked because her husband, Deputy John Auj, 308 00:18:49,171 --> 00:18:51,571 Speaker 4: told her he'd be home around dark and by now 309 00:18:51,611 --> 00:18:54,411 Speaker 4: he's several hours late. So she dials up one of 310 00:18:54,451 --> 00:18:56,370 Speaker 4: the shriff stations where Auja worked. 311 00:18:57,411 --> 00:19:01,171 Speaker 11: The call comes into the desk and it's from Debbie 312 00:19:01,291 --> 00:19:04,451 Speaker 11: and it says, hey, my husband, who's a deputy, he 313 00:19:04,611 --> 00:19:07,091 Speaker 11: went for a run and he didn't come home. 314 00:19:08,131 --> 00:19:11,491 Speaker 4: Vince Burton was a sergeant in the Antelope Valley. He 315 00:19:11,611 --> 00:19:14,651 Speaker 4: was also Auj's colleague and friend. So he gets on 316 00:19:14,691 --> 00:19:15,611 Speaker 4: the phone with Debbie. 317 00:19:16,931 --> 00:19:22,091 Speaker 11: She was just upset. She was crying. She was obviously 318 00:19:22,211 --> 00:19:22,931 Speaker 11: very concerned. 319 00:19:23,331 --> 00:19:26,211 Speaker 8: I just I said, Okay, Debbie, we're sending people up there, 320 00:19:26,451 --> 00:19:28,131 Speaker 8: you know, keep you posted. 321 00:19:29,331 --> 00:19:32,171 Speaker 4: Patrol deputies high tail it to the punch Bowl, where 322 00:19:32,171 --> 00:19:36,171 Speaker 4: they find Auj's truck, but no Auj. They think maybe 323 00:19:36,211 --> 00:19:38,890 Speaker 4: he got injured, slipped and fell for how to run 324 00:19:38,971 --> 00:19:43,491 Speaker 4: in with some wildlife. So Burton dispatches Search and Rescue 325 00:19:43,491 --> 00:19:46,571 Speaker 4: to the site and he calls in their coordinator, Dave Soer, 326 00:19:46,811 --> 00:19:48,811 Speaker 4: to discuss Auj's likely route. 327 00:19:49,891 --> 00:19:52,971 Speaker 11: And Dave comes in and we pull up a map 328 00:19:53,051 --> 00:19:54,131 Speaker 11: of the area. 329 00:19:54,051 --> 00:19:56,931 Speaker 8: And I told him at that time, I said, you know, 330 00:19:57,171 --> 00:20:01,371 Speaker 8: John's a runner, and he goes yeah, and I said no, 331 00:20:01,411 --> 00:20:04,651 Speaker 8: he's a long distance run and he's an ultra marathoner. 332 00:20:05,171 --> 00:20:05,691 Speaker 1: He's like what. 333 00:20:07,851 --> 00:20:12,971 Speaker 4: Ultra marathoners are running extremists who power through long distances. 334 00:20:13,691 --> 00:20:16,251 Speaker 4: In fact, Auj was scheduled to compete in a one 335 00:20:16,331 --> 00:20:19,850 Speaker 4: hundred mile run the week after he went missing. So 336 00:20:19,931 --> 00:20:22,610 Speaker 4: responders have a hard time wrapping their heads around the 337 00:20:22,691 --> 00:20:23,651 Speaker 4: scale of the search. 338 00:20:24,771 --> 00:20:27,171 Speaker 12: I gave them the best information I could give them. 339 00:20:27,171 --> 00:20:29,811 Speaker 12: You know, don't start your grid pattern so small. 340 00:20:30,851 --> 00:20:33,891 Speaker 4: This is Randy Meggerdley. He was a patrol deputy for 341 00:20:33,931 --> 00:20:37,771 Speaker 4: the Sheriff's Department and one of Auj's running buddies. He 342 00:20:37,851 --> 00:20:41,531 Speaker 4: reiterates to the command post that Auj was a beast. 343 00:20:42,091 --> 00:20:45,971 Speaker 12: You're running goat trails is basically what I categorize them as. 344 00:20:46,051 --> 00:20:47,571 Speaker 4: What do you mean by that goat trails? 345 00:20:47,931 --> 00:20:52,451 Speaker 12: Well, they're just megshift trails. Sometimes they'll be covered with snow, 346 00:20:52,811 --> 00:20:57,011 Speaker 12: sometimes they'll be covered with mud, crossing rivers. I mean, 347 00:20:57,331 --> 00:21:00,331 Speaker 12: it's crazy what kind of stuff that we were doing. 348 00:21:01,291 --> 00:21:03,851 Speaker 12: There was one that we did. It was hand over 349 00:21:04,051 --> 00:21:06,571 Speaker 12: foot trying to get up this mountain. 350 00:21:07,011 --> 00:21:11,691 Speaker 4: Wow, and so part of the activity was figuring out 351 00:21:12,171 --> 00:21:13,451 Speaker 4: how to get to the end of it. 352 00:21:14,091 --> 00:21:15,531 Speaker 12: Yeah, and one piece. 353 00:21:17,171 --> 00:21:21,171 Speaker 4: Hearing Meggridly talk about ultra marathoners, it sounds like they 354 00:21:21,211 --> 00:21:25,931 Speaker 4: have no off switch. So maybe Auj just overdid it. 355 00:21:27,251 --> 00:21:32,771 Speaker 12: Your brain does some wonky stuff when you're dehydrated, and 356 00:21:32,811 --> 00:21:34,891 Speaker 12: they thought maybe he got on the trail and he 357 00:21:34,971 --> 00:21:38,131 Speaker 12: was doing the forest gump just kept running. 358 00:21:39,331 --> 00:21:42,251 Speaker 4: That's a theory that Auj was doing the forest Gump 359 00:21:42,291 --> 00:21:45,811 Speaker 4: and just kept running and got himself into a tailspin 360 00:21:45,851 --> 00:21:50,211 Speaker 4: of dehydration. Responders take note and fan out across the 361 00:21:50,251 --> 00:21:50,811 Speaker 4: search grid. 362 00:21:51,611 --> 00:21:53,051 Speaker 13: I was nice to him, I said, do you know 363 00:21:53,131 --> 00:21:55,251 Speaker 13: I know the area pretty well if you guys want help? 364 00:21:55,731 --> 00:21:58,211 Speaker 4: Ranger Jack Farley again, and the guy. 365 00:21:58,051 --> 00:22:00,691 Speaker 13: Goes, no, we're search and rescue. We pretty much know 366 00:22:00,731 --> 00:22:05,011 Speaker 13: what we're doing, you know. So I go okay, okay. 367 00:22:05,651 --> 00:22:08,611 Speaker 4: But it doesn't take long for the pros realize they're 368 00:22:08,611 --> 00:22:09,371 Speaker 4: in over their heads. 369 00:22:10,371 --> 00:22:12,371 Speaker 13: So then they're going, hey, are you the guy that 370 00:22:12,491 --> 00:22:14,411 Speaker 13: knows the area? You know, maybe you could give us 371 00:22:14,411 --> 00:22:15,051 Speaker 13: a little help. 372 00:22:16,051 --> 00:22:19,091 Speaker 4: So Farley leads a few groups of deputies and bloodhounds 373 00:22:19,211 --> 00:22:20,331 Speaker 4: down the local trails. 374 00:22:21,251 --> 00:22:24,171 Speaker 13: At one time thought they caught a scent and it 375 00:22:24,211 --> 00:22:27,011 Speaker 13: went up on the trail going toward the Burckhart Trail, 376 00:22:27,051 --> 00:22:29,731 Speaker 13: and we had talked about someone saying they heard a gunshot. 377 00:22:30,411 --> 00:22:33,531 Speaker 13: You can't see the house from here, but it's like 378 00:22:34,251 --> 00:22:36,571 Speaker 13: a half mile below the trail up there where the 379 00:22:36,571 --> 00:22:37,771 Speaker 13: people lived that said. 380 00:22:37,531 --> 00:22:41,731 Speaker 4: They heard that the dogs pick up a scent. Possibly 381 00:22:41,731 --> 00:22:44,571 Speaker 4: Auja is on a trail that's near a local resident. 382 00:22:45,931 --> 00:22:48,131 Speaker 4: That guy reported to searchers that he heard a single 383 00:22:48,171 --> 00:22:52,611 Speaker 4: gunshot at sunset the day Auj vanished. It's a detail 384 00:22:52,811 --> 00:22:55,411 Speaker 4: the Sheriff's department registers as a potential clue. 385 00:22:56,531 --> 00:22:59,090 Speaker 13: So I took a group of deputies over there and 386 00:22:59,131 --> 00:23:01,811 Speaker 13: we went that really rugged wooded canyon. 387 00:23:02,331 --> 00:23:06,891 Speaker 4: They didn't find anything, but searchers do spot some footprints 388 00:23:06,891 --> 00:23:09,371 Speaker 4: on the mountain where Auj told people he was going. 389 00:23:10,411 --> 00:23:13,771 Speaker 4: So Auja's captain, Mike Bauer, takes to the skies to 390 00:23:13,811 --> 00:23:14,971 Speaker 4: see where they lead. 391 00:23:16,011 --> 00:23:17,971 Speaker 5: And that was the first time I ever stepped out 392 00:23:17,971 --> 00:23:21,491 Speaker 5: of a huge helicopter on the side of a mountain 393 00:23:22,491 --> 00:23:26,651 Speaker 5: with one skid touching, and then that helicopter flew off 394 00:23:27,011 --> 00:23:30,610 Speaker 5: while we examined the openings a big horn mine to 395 00:23:30,651 --> 00:23:32,731 Speaker 5: see whether or not it had been broken into. 396 00:23:33,851 --> 00:23:36,731 Speaker 4: Bighorn is a mine on top of the mountain leftover 397 00:23:36,771 --> 00:23:39,691 Speaker 4: from the gold rush days. Its entrance has been welded 398 00:23:39,691 --> 00:23:43,011 Speaker 4: shut to keep out hikers, and when the helicopter lands, 399 00:23:43,251 --> 00:23:47,491 Speaker 4: nineties action movie style Bowers crew finds no signs of 400 00:23:47,531 --> 00:23:53,011 Speaker 4: a break in. Aujay's reported missing late Thursday night. By 401 00:23:53,051 --> 00:23:56,011 Speaker 4: the end of the day Sunday, the Sheriff's Department kicks 402 00:23:56,051 --> 00:23:59,531 Speaker 4: things into high gear. They call in the US Army 403 00:23:59,651 --> 00:24:03,971 Speaker 4: and Air Force along with the LASD heavy hitters. It's 404 00:24:04,011 --> 00:24:08,611 Speaker 4: a specialized squad called Emergency Services Detail or ESD. 405 00:24:10,251 --> 00:24:13,650 Speaker 3: They do search and rescue, underwater search and recovery, and 406 00:24:13,691 --> 00:24:18,291 Speaker 3: they support the special Weapons team with medical skills. 407 00:24:19,531 --> 00:24:22,851 Speaker 4: Dave Rathman was one of the ESD members sent out 408 00:24:22,851 --> 00:24:23,451 Speaker 4: to search for. 409 00:24:23,411 --> 00:24:27,610 Speaker 3: Auj and the adrenaline that you get from ESD is 410 00:24:27,691 --> 00:24:29,731 Speaker 3: different from any other adrenaline. 411 00:24:31,051 --> 00:24:35,371 Speaker 4: ESD deputies are equips to handle all types of emergency scenarios. 412 00:24:36,131 --> 00:24:39,011 Speaker 4: But it wasn't just the rocky ledges and wild animals 413 00:24:39,051 --> 00:24:41,891 Speaker 4: they had to worry about here. The area was full 414 00:24:41,971 --> 00:24:45,691 Speaker 4: of all kinds of criminal activity. 415 00:24:46,291 --> 00:24:50,451 Speaker 3: One of the things they told our search teams on 416 00:24:50,611 --> 00:24:56,571 Speaker 3: day one was John may have stumbled into a meth 417 00:24:56,691 --> 00:25:00,491 Speaker 3: lab by accident. So that was told to us when 418 00:25:00,491 --> 00:25:03,011 Speaker 3: we were out searching. And the reason they told us 419 00:25:03,171 --> 00:25:05,251 Speaker 3: is they recommend it we take weapons. 420 00:25:06,491 --> 00:25:08,731 Speaker 4: Rathman and his team of searchers come to the punch 421 00:25:08,771 --> 00:25:13,411 Speaker 4: Bowl armed and ready for action because maybe Auj isn't 422 00:25:13,451 --> 00:25:17,771 Speaker 4: lost or injured or running for the hills. Maybe he's 423 00:25:17,811 --> 00:25:21,611 Speaker 4: the victim of foul play. The command post doesn't expand 424 00:25:21,651 --> 00:25:23,971 Speaker 4: on why they thought Auj may have been taken out 425 00:25:23,971 --> 00:25:28,251 Speaker 4: by meth related violence, but to Rathbun this theory doesn't 426 00:25:28,291 --> 00:25:32,331 Speaker 4: sound too far fetched because the Anelo Valley is isolated 427 00:25:32,731 --> 00:25:37,370 Speaker 4: outlawsh and on account of its size, difficult to police. 428 00:25:38,931 --> 00:25:42,331 Speaker 3: There are a lot of people who just don't want 429 00:25:42,371 --> 00:25:45,371 Speaker 3: to be around other human beings out there, which makes 430 00:25:45,411 --> 00:25:51,451 Speaker 3: them sometimes dangerous. There's people cooking meth. Ah. It was 431 00:25:51,531 --> 00:25:55,211 Speaker 3: a little bit like the Old West in a way. 432 00:25:55,251 --> 00:25:59,330 Speaker 3: I mean, this is a very unusual, strange place. 433 00:26:00,411 --> 00:26:04,171 Speaker 4: And remember that abandoned mind searcher scoped out. Well, it 434 00:26:04,211 --> 00:26:07,731 Speaker 4: turns out they're everywhere and they are a prime location 435 00:26:08,171 --> 00:26:09,211 Speaker 4: for body dumbing. 436 00:26:10,611 --> 00:26:14,091 Speaker 3: One of the things ESD did was recover dead bodies 437 00:26:14,131 --> 00:26:15,531 Speaker 3: from mines. 438 00:26:16,051 --> 00:26:19,371 Speaker 4: And it wasn't just the mines. Corpses turn up all 439 00:26:19,411 --> 00:26:20,330 Speaker 4: over these parts. 440 00:26:21,611 --> 00:26:23,491 Speaker 3: You know, if all the dead bodies that were up 441 00:26:23,531 --> 00:26:26,811 Speaker 3: there from being deliberately disposed of, stood up and once 442 00:26:26,811 --> 00:26:28,531 Speaker 3: they'd be shoulder to shoulder. 443 00:26:30,531 --> 00:26:34,731 Speaker 4: It's a chilling image of the area's darker side. Auj 444 00:26:34,851 --> 00:26:37,691 Speaker 4: would jog from the Devil's Punch Bowl into the Angelus 445 00:26:37,811 --> 00:26:41,211 Speaker 4: National Forest, which has been called the most dangerous national 446 00:26:41,211 --> 00:26:44,850 Speaker 4: forest in America. Around the time of Auji's disappearance, it's 447 00:26:45,011 --> 00:26:47,971 Speaker 4: estimated that two to three dozen corpses turned up in 448 00:26:48,011 --> 00:26:50,811 Speaker 4: the forest every year, and those were just the ones 449 00:26:50,851 --> 00:26:54,811 Speaker 4: that were found. So Rathman understands the danger he faces, 450 00:26:55,451 --> 00:26:58,171 Speaker 4: but pushes on in search of footprints. 451 00:26:58,651 --> 00:27:01,011 Speaker 3: You have to look at the ground and look at 452 00:27:01,131 --> 00:27:03,811 Speaker 3: bushes that have been pushed in. We walked and walked 453 00:27:03,811 --> 00:27:06,090 Speaker 3: and walked and walked and walked and walked, and we 454 00:27:06,211 --> 00:27:09,971 Speaker 3: generally don't give up until it's just ridiculous. 455 00:27:11,731 --> 00:27:16,531 Speaker 2: The search is taxing for Rathban physically and emotionally, because 456 00:27:16,571 --> 00:27:18,691 Speaker 2: he and Auj were friends, and back in the early 457 00:27:18,771 --> 00:27:21,211 Speaker 2: nineties they were even partners. 458 00:27:21,691 --> 00:27:23,851 Speaker 3: If it was me that needed cover, he'd be there. 459 00:27:24,011 --> 00:27:27,851 Speaker 3: I didn't even think about it. Someone you could definitely 460 00:27:27,851 --> 00:27:28,331 Speaker 3: depend on. 461 00:27:30,091 --> 00:27:33,011 Speaker 2: Rathbin and Auj spent a lot of time driving around together, 462 00:27:33,811 --> 00:27:36,371 Speaker 2: but they didn't sit around riffing like partners in a 463 00:27:36,371 --> 00:27:37,251 Speaker 2: buddy cop movie. 464 00:27:38,531 --> 00:27:42,850 Speaker 3: He was laconic, didn't have a lot to say unless 465 00:27:42,891 --> 00:27:47,571 Speaker 3: you worked on him, and he was always kind of 466 00:27:47,611 --> 00:27:49,651 Speaker 3: severe serious. 467 00:27:50,211 --> 00:27:53,811 Speaker 2: Auj was hardly two dimensional, though he used his dead 468 00:27:53,851 --> 00:27:56,370 Speaker 2: pan personality to mess with people. 469 00:27:57,731 --> 00:28:02,251 Speaker 3: He had this secret sense of humor, but it was 470 00:28:02,291 --> 00:28:05,251 Speaker 3: really hard to tell which card he was playing, the 471 00:28:05,291 --> 00:28:08,531 Speaker 3: funny card or the I'm John and I'm dead serious card. 472 00:28:10,731 --> 00:28:13,571 Speaker 2: One time, Rathbin and Auj had to chase down a suspect. 473 00:28:14,331 --> 00:28:17,090 Speaker 2: Rathbn was driving and he ends up reversing down a 474 00:28:17,091 --> 00:28:20,851 Speaker 2: one way street. They got the guy, but Auj. 475 00:28:20,771 --> 00:28:24,411 Speaker 3: Looked pissed, and he added that Dave, I need to 476 00:28:24,451 --> 00:28:24,931 Speaker 3: talk to you. 477 00:28:26,451 --> 00:28:30,651 Speaker 2: Rathven's gotten pretty good at impersonating John Auj's baritone voice. 478 00:28:31,451 --> 00:28:33,451 Speaker 2: He says he sounded a lot like Lurch from the 479 00:28:33,451 --> 00:28:34,251 Speaker 2: Adams Family. 480 00:28:35,331 --> 00:28:39,611 Speaker 3: What you just did was a violation of California state law, 481 00:28:40,611 --> 00:28:42,571 Speaker 3: and if you do something like that again, I'll have 482 00:28:42,611 --> 00:28:44,011 Speaker 3: to write you up. 483 00:28:44,731 --> 00:28:45,051 Speaker 4: John. 484 00:28:45,211 --> 00:28:48,811 Speaker 3: We were chasing a suspect and we are law enforcement officers, 485 00:28:49,291 --> 00:28:54,211 Speaker 3: and so we get exemptions during those things that may 486 00:28:54,251 --> 00:29:00,651 Speaker 3: be true, but it was illegal. Is this John being funny? 487 00:29:00,811 --> 00:29:03,371 Speaker 3: You would not know, and he will never let you know. 488 00:29:06,291 --> 00:29:10,771 Speaker 2: Auj was hard to read. In fact, there's even confusion 489 00:29:10,851 --> 00:29:14,771 Speaker 2: over the pronunciation of his last name. His family says Oj, 490 00:29:15,611 --> 00:29:16,891 Speaker 2: but to his friends. 491 00:29:17,371 --> 00:29:20,691 Speaker 3: It was Auj, and he never corrected us. And he's 492 00:29:20,691 --> 00:29:21,931 Speaker 3: not very bashful. 493 00:29:23,291 --> 00:29:25,491 Speaker 2: We'll never know why he didn't tell people how to 494 00:29:25,531 --> 00:29:28,971 Speaker 2: pronounce his name, but it seems fitting for someone who 495 00:29:29,011 --> 00:29:32,971 Speaker 2: remains a mystery to so many. Auj was an enigma 496 00:29:33,131 --> 00:29:36,251 Speaker 2: to just about everyone around him, so when he disappeared, 497 00:29:36,451 --> 00:29:40,891 Speaker 2: he became an easy target for conspiracy theories. Stories began 498 00:29:40,971 --> 00:29:44,251 Speaker 2: to circulate that Auj's alive and well, living in Alaska. 499 00:29:44,611 --> 00:29:47,971 Speaker 2: Others say Mexico. Some say he was recruited by a 500 00:29:48,011 --> 00:29:53,011 Speaker 2: mercenary group or join the CIA. These theories were fueled 501 00:29:53,011 --> 00:29:56,771 Speaker 2: by weird comments Aj had made to friends like Dave rathmun. 502 00:29:57,931 --> 00:30:04,411 Speaker 3: Dave, Yes, you guys think you can find people with 503 00:30:04,491 --> 00:30:06,651 Speaker 3: your searches, and you think you're pretty good at it. 504 00:30:06,771 --> 00:30:06,971 Speaker 4: Right. 505 00:30:08,331 --> 00:30:10,891 Speaker 3: I could go on the mountain and you'd never find me. 506 00:30:12,171 --> 00:30:14,491 Speaker 3: And I said, there are people who want to be 507 00:30:14,571 --> 00:30:17,931 Speaker 3: found that we can't find. So I'm not really impressed 508 00:30:18,011 --> 00:30:23,291 Speaker 3: with your with your declaration there, if you don't want 509 00:30:23,331 --> 00:30:26,211 Speaker 3: to be found, pretty sure I wouldn't be able to 510 00:30:26,251 --> 00:30:26,571 Speaker 3: find you. 511 00:30:26,691 --> 00:30:30,531 Speaker 2: So I agree, And of course that conversation takes on 512 00:30:30,691 --> 00:30:34,091 Speaker 2: extra meaning a searchers keep coming up empty handed. 513 00:30:34,971 --> 00:30:38,731 Speaker 3: I participated in that search until my feet were bloody, 514 00:30:39,491 --> 00:30:44,571 Speaker 3: as did several of my peers. But day six they said, 515 00:30:44,611 --> 00:30:47,491 Speaker 3: well shut it down. What do you mean, shut it down? 516 00:30:48,811 --> 00:30:51,451 Speaker 3: Who said that? Who gave that order? And shut this 517 00:30:51,491 --> 00:30:52,651 Speaker 3: thing down? What are you talking about? 518 00:30:52,691 --> 00:30:56,731 Speaker 2: Day six, the Sheriff's department folds the search after six 519 00:30:56,851 --> 00:31:00,531 Speaker 2: days and gives a statement to the press. Sergeant Sower, 520 00:31:00,691 --> 00:31:04,651 Speaker 2: one of the deputies overseeing the operation, says, quote, A 521 00:31:04,651 --> 00:31:07,131 Speaker 2: good analogy would be someone coming up to you and 522 00:31:07,171 --> 00:31:09,491 Speaker 2: giving you two to three pieces of a five one 523 00:31:09,571 --> 00:31:12,091 Speaker 2: hundred piece puzzle and asking you to guess what the 524 00:31:12,091 --> 00:31:15,411 Speaker 2: picture is. Throw into that a few pieces of an 525 00:31:15,571 --> 00:31:18,971 Speaker 2: entirely different puzzle, and that is what we work with. 526 00:31:19,611 --> 00:31:22,131 Speaker 2: We might never get it right. End quote. 527 00:31:23,131 --> 00:31:25,971 Speaker 3: You want to trust the department that they're doing the 528 00:31:26,051 --> 00:31:29,171 Speaker 3: right thing, But no one asked us if we should 529 00:31:29,211 --> 00:31:32,451 Speaker 3: shut it down. If I'm the search and rescue guy, 530 00:31:33,611 --> 00:31:36,371 Speaker 3: and my partners are search and rescue guys, and the 531 00:31:36,371 --> 00:31:39,451 Speaker 3: helicopter pilots have been on hundreds of searches. Why are 532 00:31:39,491 --> 00:31:41,931 Speaker 3: we asking them what they think and their input? 533 00:31:43,131 --> 00:31:46,651 Speaker 2: Rathman says searches for missing hikers typically last seven to 534 00:31:46,691 --> 00:31:50,771 Speaker 2: fourteen days, depending on the viability of the person. Paul 535 00:31:50,851 --> 00:31:54,211 Speaker 2: Jay was not your typical hiker, and given his personal 536 00:31:54,251 --> 00:31:57,851 Speaker 2: and professional connection to the Sheriff's Department, it seems like 537 00:31:57,891 --> 00:32:00,531 Speaker 2: the LASD would go the extra mile to find it. 538 00:32:01,531 --> 00:32:05,091 Speaker 3: So it's six days you cancel or search for somebody 539 00:32:05,091 --> 00:32:08,371 Speaker 3: who can run fifty or one hundred miles in the wilderness, 540 00:32:09,571 --> 00:32:12,571 Speaker 3: really knows the wilderness is good or better than anybody 541 00:32:12,651 --> 00:32:15,531 Speaker 3: in ESD. They set it down. Why are you shutting 542 00:32:15,531 --> 00:32:15,891 Speaker 3: it down? 543 00:32:17,291 --> 00:32:20,931 Speaker 2: The Sheriff's Department tells the public that Auj disappeared without 544 00:32:20,931 --> 00:32:24,171 Speaker 2: a trace and that they're ending the search because they're 545 00:32:24,171 --> 00:32:28,131 Speaker 2: just spinning their wheels. But behind the scenes, they're telling 546 00:32:28,251 --> 00:32:29,611 Speaker 2: a very different story. 547 00:32:30,691 --> 00:32:51,851 Speaker 15: Well, they say that they decided he committed suicide. 548 00:32:59,851 --> 00:33:03,531 Speaker 4: Internal LASD reports planing that Auj was distraught over his 549 00:33:03,611 --> 00:33:06,371 Speaker 4: failing marriage and took his own life in the punch bowl. 550 00:33:07,531 --> 00:33:10,491 Speaker 4: That gunshot. The area resident heard that could have been 551 00:33:10,491 --> 00:33:13,011 Speaker 4: the sound of auj just putting an end to it all, 552 00:33:14,251 --> 00:33:17,491 Speaker 4: But the Sheriff's department makes that determination without a body. 553 00:33:18,091 --> 00:33:22,491 Speaker 4: They don't find any remains, blood, bullets, or a suicide note. 554 00:33:23,131 --> 00:33:23,491 Speaker 5: Nothing. 555 00:33:24,611 --> 00:33:26,451 Speaker 4: The only thing they think they may have found of 556 00:33:26,451 --> 00:33:29,371 Speaker 4: Aujay's was an energy bar wrapper left on one of 557 00:33:29,411 --> 00:33:32,651 Speaker 4: the trails. From what we can tell, there's not a 558 00:33:32,691 --> 00:33:35,931 Speaker 4: lot pointing to suicide, so we reach out to Aujay's 559 00:33:35,971 --> 00:33:38,411 Speaker 4: colleagues and friends to get their thoughts. 560 00:33:39,011 --> 00:33:42,611 Speaker 14: He was obviously down, he was obviously upset, but was 561 00:33:42,691 --> 00:33:44,131 Speaker 14: it enough to commit suicide? 562 00:33:45,371 --> 00:33:48,451 Speaker 4: Sergeant Vince Burden is still on the fence. On the 563 00:33:48,491 --> 00:33:51,811 Speaker 4: one hand, Aj did appear torn up over his marital problems. 564 00:33:52,531 --> 00:33:54,531 Speaker 4: On the other he seemed to be coping. 565 00:33:55,491 --> 00:33:59,131 Speaker 14: Would you be telling me about your ultra marathon if 566 00:33:59,131 --> 00:34:01,531 Speaker 14: you were just going to end it all? Would you 567 00:34:01,611 --> 00:34:04,531 Speaker 14: even be planning to go run at the punch Bowl, 568 00:34:04,571 --> 00:34:06,091 Speaker 14: which is an ugly area anyway? 569 00:34:06,891 --> 00:34:10,051 Speaker 4: For fact checking purposes, we want to make clear is 570 00:34:10,091 --> 00:34:10,731 Speaker 4: not ugly. 571 00:34:11,571 --> 00:34:14,491 Speaker 14: But go on, Vince, None of that made sense to me. 572 00:34:14,571 --> 00:34:15,451 Speaker 14: With the suicide. 573 00:34:16,571 --> 00:34:20,651 Speaker 4: Frady's running buddy Randy Meggerley, there's no question. 574 00:34:21,211 --> 00:34:21,971 Speaker 12: Plain and simple. 575 00:34:22,251 --> 00:34:23,411 Speaker 1: I think he killed himself. 576 00:34:23,731 --> 00:34:25,291 Speaker 12: That's the only way I can explain it. 577 00:34:26,131 --> 00:34:29,731 Speaker 4: Because he says Auj was acting strangely, even more strangely 578 00:34:29,731 --> 00:34:32,331 Speaker 4: than usual in the weeks before his disappearance. 579 00:34:33,131 --> 00:34:36,091 Speaker 12: He says, you know, there's a bunch of caves and 580 00:34:36,131 --> 00:34:40,451 Speaker 12: stuff out here, you can pretty much disappear I think 581 00:34:40,651 --> 00:34:43,331 Speaker 12: was the word that he used, and nobody would ever 582 00:34:43,371 --> 00:34:43,731 Speaker 12: find you. 583 00:34:45,291 --> 00:34:48,890 Speaker 4: Auj said similar things to Dave Rathman, but he didn't 584 00:34:48,891 --> 00:34:50,851 Speaker 4: put a lot of stock into any of the statements 585 00:34:51,451 --> 00:34:54,250 Speaker 4: because he says, Aujay is just a weird guy. 586 00:34:55,491 --> 00:34:59,091 Speaker 3: Our unit was next to a big, giant duck pond, 587 00:34:59,091 --> 00:35:01,171 Speaker 3: and one of the ways we used to make jokes 588 00:35:01,171 --> 00:35:03,291 Speaker 3: about each other is kind of like, where do you 589 00:35:03,331 --> 00:35:06,931 Speaker 3: fit in the duck pond? John was an I don't 590 00:35:07,131 --> 00:35:09,771 Speaker 3: malign him, but he was one of the oddest ducks 591 00:35:09,771 --> 00:35:12,331 Speaker 3: in the punt, which is good, right. You need him, 592 00:35:12,571 --> 00:35:14,851 Speaker 3: You don't want everybody swim in the same. 593 00:35:16,491 --> 00:35:20,531 Speaker 4: Initially, Rathbin was open to the possibility of suicide, but 594 00:35:20,611 --> 00:35:24,971 Speaker 4: he's become increasingly skeptical over time because if Aoja had 595 00:35:25,091 --> 00:35:28,291 Speaker 4: killed himself, he thinks his body or some trace of 596 00:35:28,371 --> 00:35:32,131 Speaker 4: him would have turned up by now, so Auji's colleagues 597 00:35:32,131 --> 00:35:35,131 Speaker 4: are divided on what happened to him. It's kind of 598 00:35:35,171 --> 00:35:37,331 Speaker 4: like those faces seen in the rocks at the Devil's 599 00:35:37,331 --> 00:35:42,891 Speaker 4: Punch Bowl. Same details, but interpreted in different ways. And 600 00:35:42,931 --> 00:35:46,210 Speaker 4: that makes sense because we feel conflicted about it too. 601 00:35:47,251 --> 00:35:50,891 Speaker 4: Auja did say some eerie things about disappearing, but this 602 00:35:50,971 --> 00:35:54,451 Speaker 4: disappearing act would be pretty hard to pull off. I mean, 603 00:35:54,531 --> 00:35:57,091 Speaker 4: how could he have buried himself and stay buried for 604 00:35:57,171 --> 00:36:03,091 Speaker 4: almost three decades. Rathbin asked the Sheriff's department to explain 605 00:36:03,171 --> 00:36:03,531 Speaker 4: that one. 606 00:36:04,411 --> 00:36:07,051 Speaker 3: Okay, so well, we think he might have sat on 607 00:36:07,131 --> 00:36:10,131 Speaker 3: the edge of one of those mines and blowing himself 608 00:36:10,171 --> 00:36:15,931 Speaker 3: into the mind thinking, okay, we are really stretching now 609 00:36:16,171 --> 00:36:21,851 Speaker 3: for an explanation as to whine we can't find him. 610 00:36:21,891 --> 00:36:27,331 Speaker 5: I didn't accept it. Just common sense told me you 611 00:36:27,411 --> 00:36:30,331 Speaker 5: probably ought to see whether there's any evidence of self infliction. 612 00:36:32,131 --> 00:36:35,851 Speaker 2: Pissed off Old copp. Mike Bauer is evangelical in his 613 00:36:35,891 --> 00:36:40,291 Speaker 2: belief that the suicide theory is bullshit, because he says 614 00:36:40,651 --> 00:36:44,651 Speaker 2: the Sheriff's Department didn't arrive at this conclusion, they led 615 00:36:44,691 --> 00:36:48,411 Speaker 2: with it, and that poisoned the investigation. From the start. 616 00:36:49,691 --> 00:36:52,651 Speaker 2: Bower says that as early as day three, an LASD 617 00:36:52,771 --> 00:36:56,931 Speaker 2: official was pushing the suicide narrative during search team briefings. 618 00:36:57,411 --> 00:37:01,250 Speaker 2: To Bauer, this was equivalent to telling searchers to let up. 619 00:37:02,731 --> 00:37:06,531 Speaker 5: I took that person outside, and I said, what and 620 00:37:06,571 --> 00:37:09,411 Speaker 5: the hell did you say that for? How could you 621 00:37:09,611 --> 00:37:13,171 Speaker 5: possibly know that at this point? How could you possibly 622 00:37:13,251 --> 00:37:16,571 Speaker 5: discourage them to search for somebody that worked for you? 623 00:37:17,971 --> 00:37:21,411 Speaker 2: The Sheriff's department was even sharing this theory with the press. 624 00:37:21,891 --> 00:37:24,531 Speaker 7: We haven't ruled out the possibility of suicide, but we 625 00:37:24,571 --> 00:37:26,291 Speaker 7: don't have any evidence to support that. 626 00:37:26,291 --> 00:37:27,331 Speaker 11: That's what he came here to do. 627 00:37:28,611 --> 00:37:31,651 Speaker 2: Bow are things that's irresponsible to promote the suicide theory 628 00:37:31,691 --> 00:37:34,651 Speaker 2: without a high degree of certainty. So he prodded the 629 00:37:34,651 --> 00:37:36,250 Speaker 2: department to keep investigating. 630 00:37:37,171 --> 00:37:42,131 Speaker 5: I kept contacting homicide and saying something's wrong. I'm telling 631 00:37:42,171 --> 00:37:43,931 Speaker 5: you there's a problem. 632 00:37:44,331 --> 00:37:46,651 Speaker 2: But he says, the department ignored the case to such 633 00:37:46,691 --> 00:37:49,491 Speaker 2: an extent that he began to question their motives. 634 00:37:50,411 --> 00:37:53,451 Speaker 5: Nobody was in charge of it, and nobody wanted any 635 00:37:53,491 --> 00:37:56,771 Speaker 5: of it once they saw how stinky it was getting. 636 00:38:01,291 --> 00:38:05,051 Speaker 4: Randy meggerdly represents the other end of the spectrum, so 637 00:38:05,091 --> 00:38:07,771 Speaker 4: we ask him what he thinks about the possibility of 638 00:38:07,811 --> 00:38:08,451 Speaker 4: foul play. 639 00:38:09,531 --> 00:38:12,171 Speaker 12: I refer to myself as a mushroom. They just feed 640 00:38:12,211 --> 00:38:14,091 Speaker 12: me a little bit of poop every once in a while. 641 00:38:14,451 --> 00:38:16,770 Speaker 12: I wasn't in the know on that whole thing. 642 00:38:17,411 --> 00:38:19,611 Speaker 4: I've never heard the mushroom poop bataphor before. 643 00:38:19,931 --> 00:38:22,011 Speaker 12: Yeah, yeah, you seed you a little bit of poopy, 644 00:38:22,611 --> 00:38:23,571 Speaker 12: you grow a little bit. 645 00:38:26,171 --> 00:38:29,411 Speaker 4: At first, the mushroom poop analogy went way over my head. 646 00:38:30,011 --> 00:38:32,731 Speaker 4: It sounded like a Southern expression. My mom just forgot 647 00:38:32,771 --> 00:38:35,851 Speaker 4: to teach me. But then it clicked while I was 648 00:38:35,891 --> 00:38:39,770 Speaker 4: watching The Departed, the Martin Scorsese movie about corruption within 649 00:38:39,811 --> 00:38:41,171 Speaker 4: the Boston Police Department. 650 00:38:41,931 --> 00:38:44,810 Speaker 10: My theory Unfeeds is they're like mushrooms, feed them shit 651 00:38:44,851 --> 00:38:45,611 Speaker 10: and keep in the dock. 652 00:38:47,131 --> 00:38:49,651 Speaker 4: I think what Meggerdley is saying is that he doesn't 653 00:38:49,691 --> 00:38:52,171 Speaker 4: ask a lot of questions because he prefers to be 654 00:38:52,251 --> 00:38:54,810 Speaker 4: kept in the dark about things that don't concern him. 655 00:38:55,571 --> 00:38:58,691 Speaker 4: And who can really blame him? I mean, law enforcement 656 00:38:58,691 --> 00:39:03,330 Speaker 4: agencies are not exactly known for their culture of transparency. 657 00:39:03,691 --> 00:39:07,651 Speaker 3: That file, you'd have to get special, special permission to 658 00:39:07,651 --> 00:39:08,411 Speaker 3: touch that file. 659 00:39:09,651 --> 00:39:13,571 Speaker 4: Dave Rathman Audi's former partner says, the Sheriff's department is 660 00:39:13,691 --> 00:39:18,011 Speaker 4: unusually protective of the AUJ case file and they don't. 661 00:39:17,811 --> 00:39:22,811 Speaker 3: Even like to hear you talking about it. Well, to me, 662 00:39:23,131 --> 00:39:26,451 Speaker 3: that's what you would call a red flag. 663 00:39:28,651 --> 00:39:32,091 Speaker 4: So Rafman asked his buddy, a retired detective working cold 664 00:39:32,091 --> 00:39:35,091 Speaker 4: cases for the Sheriff's apartment, to review the AUJ case. 665 00:39:36,171 --> 00:39:39,770 Speaker 3: Could you maybe grab that case file? And he went, 666 00:39:39,851 --> 00:39:43,171 Speaker 3: oh no. I said, what do you mean, no, No, 667 00:39:44,291 --> 00:39:46,411 Speaker 3: Why wouldn't you want to take a look at it? 668 00:39:46,531 --> 00:39:48,691 Speaker 3: He said, no, that's a hot potato. No one's allowed 669 00:39:48,691 --> 00:39:51,251 Speaker 3: to touch that. If I start poking around that case, 670 00:39:51,891 --> 00:39:55,770 Speaker 3: they'd let me go. I said, well, that's interesting. Why 671 00:39:55,811 --> 00:40:00,611 Speaker 3: it's a suicide. He said, I don't know. I just 672 00:40:00,771 --> 00:40:03,171 Speaker 3: know that that case can't be touched. 673 00:40:05,171 --> 00:40:08,571 Speaker 4: Those red flags are another reason Rathbin and others just 674 00:40:08,691 --> 00:40:11,291 Speaker 4: can't get behind the party line. 675 00:40:11,731 --> 00:40:14,891 Speaker 3: As my father would say, God bless him, there's something 676 00:40:14,931 --> 00:40:19,331 Speaker 3: rotten in the woodpile and it stinks and I can. 677 00:40:19,211 --> 00:40:25,051 Speaker 4: Smell it, and that brings us back to the poop mushroom. 678 00:40:25,651 --> 00:40:28,891 Speaker 4: It might thrive in darkness, but to me, that's not 679 00:40:29,011 --> 00:40:33,091 Speaker 4: an ideal environment for policing. I mean the whole concept 680 00:40:33,171 --> 00:40:38,331 Speaker 4: behind law enforcement isn't watchfulized deter crime, right, but who 681 00:40:38,411 --> 00:40:41,571 Speaker 4: is watching the police? There's very little oversight of law 682 00:40:41,651 --> 00:40:45,051 Speaker 4: enforcement agencies, and it's hard to hold them accountable since 683 00:40:45,171 --> 00:40:49,251 Speaker 4: they control the collection and release of information about internal problems. 684 00:40:49,891 --> 00:40:52,651 Speaker 5: The philosophy of the Sheriff's department is to hide it, 685 00:40:53,451 --> 00:40:56,011 Speaker 5: and the philosophy of government in a lot of respects 686 00:40:56,571 --> 00:40:59,251 Speaker 5: is that way. Now, with the terrible way they handle 687 00:40:59,371 --> 00:41:03,690 Speaker 5: public records requests and stuff, they just basically stonewall. They 688 00:41:03,731 --> 00:41:06,371 Speaker 5: give you the middle finger. If you're asking for something 689 00:41:06,411 --> 00:41:07,770 Speaker 5: that the public has a right to know. 690 00:41:09,811 --> 00:41:13,011 Speaker 2: Tell me about it, Bauer, we tried with those public 691 00:41:13,011 --> 00:41:17,451 Speaker 2: records requests and got the proverbial middle finger. Without access 692 00:41:17,491 --> 00:41:19,931 Speaker 2: to the information, it's hard for us to know how 693 00:41:19,971 --> 00:41:23,811 Speaker 2: the Sheriff's department handled the Auj case, and we'd remain 694 00:41:23,891 --> 00:41:26,210 Speaker 2: in the dark if it weren't for Mike Bauer and 695 00:41:26,291 --> 00:41:32,731 Speaker 2: other deputies coming forward. Bauer retired in two thousand and 696 00:41:32,771 --> 00:41:35,131 Speaker 2: two and has spent the better part of his retirement 697 00:41:35,251 --> 00:41:40,171 Speaker 2: investigating Auj's disappearance, and he's uncovered what looks like some 698 00:41:40,251 --> 00:41:42,971 Speaker 2: pretty damning information about the Sheriff's department. 699 00:41:43,931 --> 00:41:45,331 Speaker 3: They lied to me. They lied to me. 700 00:41:45,371 --> 00:41:47,811 Speaker 5: As a fucking captain of the fucking Sheriff's department with 701 00:41:47,851 --> 00:41:50,131 Speaker 5: thirty three years on the job, they fucking lie to 702 00:41:50,211 --> 00:41:53,971 Speaker 5: me while I'm in charge of Sheriff's intelligence. They're fucking 703 00:41:54,051 --> 00:41:56,331 Speaker 5: lying to me about what they're doing in homicide to 704 00:41:56,371 --> 00:41:58,690 Speaker 5: shut this thing up. They don't want me involved in it. 705 00:42:00,211 --> 00:42:02,931 Speaker 3: Oh imagine that's. 706 00:42:02,771 --> 00:42:03,851 Speaker 5: How fancy that is. 707 00:42:06,011 --> 00:42:09,250 Speaker 2: We know that law enforcement has its problems, but they're 708 00:42:09,251 --> 00:42:11,771 Speaker 2: not usually laid out for us by dyed in the 709 00:42:11,811 --> 00:42:15,651 Speaker 2: wool cops, people who know this world from the inside 710 00:42:16,051 --> 00:42:19,531 Speaker 2: and can show us where the bodies are buried. Figuratively speaking, 711 00:42:20,731 --> 00:42:22,531 Speaker 2: we tell Bauer we want to do a deep dive 712 00:42:22,571 --> 00:42:25,611 Speaker 2: on the Aujy case, beginning with his investigation. 713 00:42:27,371 --> 00:42:30,131 Speaker 5: You guys have stumbled into a cluster of shit. 714 00:42:31,731 --> 00:42:34,330 Speaker 2: But he's not as encouraging as we expect him to be, 715 00:42:35,651 --> 00:42:36,731 Speaker 2: and for good reason. 716 00:42:37,691 --> 00:42:40,451 Speaker 4: Do you have any advice for us while looking into 717 00:42:40,491 --> 00:42:41,651 Speaker 4: this disappearance. 718 00:42:43,411 --> 00:42:47,770 Speaker 5: I wouldn't do it alone. In the event somebody did 719 00:42:47,851 --> 00:42:50,531 Speaker 5: decide that you were getting too close to something, you 720 00:42:50,611 --> 00:42:55,210 Speaker 5: will not be found killed. You will simply disappear. 721 00:43:01,531 --> 00:43:04,210 Speaker 2: This season on Valley of Shadows. 722 00:43:04,331 --> 00:43:08,011 Speaker 3: Early on I let the suicide theory sit at fifty 723 00:43:08,011 --> 00:43:12,651 Speaker 3: to fifty. As I've learned more and more, I'm at 724 00:43:12,651 --> 00:43:18,371 Speaker 3: about ninety five murder, five to ten percent suicide. 725 00:43:19,051 --> 00:43:23,211 Speaker 4: They rumor around the drug scene was that a deputy 726 00:43:23,771 --> 00:43:27,611 Speaker 4: stumbled onto something he shouldn't have and he was taken 727 00:43:27,651 --> 00:43:28,011 Speaker 4: care of. 728 00:43:28,851 --> 00:43:31,291 Speaker 1: I'm here, it's shit on the street minute, bugie. He 729 00:43:31,331 --> 00:43:33,851 Speaker 1: didn't get suicide. He was murdered. I'm hearing for more 730 00:43:33,851 --> 00:43:35,011 Speaker 1: than one person that. 731 00:43:35,131 --> 00:43:38,371 Speaker 3: I started hearing some rumors that there was a. 732 00:43:38,331 --> 00:43:43,051 Speaker 8: Gun, and yet there's no indication that gun was ever 733 00:43:43,051 --> 00:43:43,971 Speaker 8: booked into evidence. 734 00:43:44,491 --> 00:43:46,250 Speaker 10: If you're at it or they thought you were gonna 735 00:43:46,331 --> 00:43:50,811 Speaker 10: rat it wasn't. Hey, don't do that ever again, you're done. 736 00:43:51,091 --> 00:43:53,171 Speaker 10: They got rid of you. So that's where the murders 737 00:43:53,211 --> 00:43:53,611 Speaker 10: came in. 738 00:43:54,211 --> 00:43:57,531 Speaker 2: He was describing with his hands and his arms and 739 00:43:57,571 --> 00:44:00,690 Speaker 2: his whole body where this cap was buried at. 740 00:44:00,931 --> 00:44:03,571 Speaker 5: In other words, it's not safe not because of criminals, 741 00:44:03,891 --> 00:44:06,611 Speaker 5: it's not safe because of law enforcement. And there's nothing 742 00:44:06,651 --> 00:44:07,210 Speaker 5: worse than that. 743 00:44:08,091 --> 00:44:10,451 Speaker 2: Hey, dude, we're getting like far out in the middle 744 00:44:10,451 --> 00:44:12,011 Speaker 2: of nowhere and no one knows we're out here. 745 00:44:12,771 --> 00:44:14,210 Speaker 1: You've got to be careful where you go and who 746 00:44:14,251 --> 00:44:14,730 Speaker 1: you talk to. 747 00:44:35,651 --> 00:44:38,451 Speaker 2: If you have any information or tips related to the 748 00:44:38,491 --> 00:44:42,931 Speaker 2: disappearance of John Aujay, please call two one three two 749 00:44:43,051 --> 00:44:48,091 Speaker 2: six two nine eight eight nine or email Shadows at 750 00:44:48,171 --> 00:44:53,131 Speaker 2: pushkin dot Fm. Valley of Shadows is reported, written and 751 00:44:53,211 --> 00:44:58,411 Speaker 2: produced by us Haley Fox and Betsy Sheppard. Our editor 752 00:44:58,491 --> 00:45:02,411 Speaker 2: is Dianne Hodson. Our executive producers are Jacob Smith and 753 00:45:02,531 --> 00:45:07,850 Speaker 2: Alexandra Garreton. Original music by Jake Gorski, Ray Lynch, Mike 754 00:45:07,971 --> 00:45:13,290 Speaker 2: Jersich and Hayden Guard. Sound designed by Jake Gorski, fact 755 00:45:13,371 --> 00:45:18,211 Speaker 2: checking by Aica Robbins. Additional production support by Sonia Gerwick 756 00:45:18,931 --> 00:45:21,851 Speaker 2: and our show art was designed by Sean Carney and 757 00:45:21,931 --> 00:45:26,451 Speaker 2: Betsy Shepherd. Special thanks to Nick White for show art photography. 758 00:45:27,331 --> 00:45:32,091 Speaker 2: Additional thanks to Jeremy Tao. Valley of Shadows is a 759 00:45:32,091 --> 00:45:36,851 Speaker 2: production of Pushkin Industries. To find more Pushkin podcasts, listen 760 00:45:36,931 --> 00:45:40,531 Speaker 2: on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen 761 00:45:40,571 --> 00:45:44,651 Speaker 2: to podcasts from Type two fun. We're Haley and Betsy. 762 00:45:45,211 --> 00:45:48,971 Speaker 2: See you next week.