1 00:00:00,560 --> 00:00:02,960 Speaker 1: Hey, Hey, Hey, what's up. What's up? What's up, dear listener. 2 00:00:03,279 --> 00:00:05,880 Speaker 2: So today on Latino USA, we're going to share with 3 00:00:05,960 --> 00:00:09,480 Speaker 2: you a new podcast hosted by someone that we know 4 00:00:09,760 --> 00:00:14,240 Speaker 2: pretty well. That's our former producer, Janice Yamoca. The new 5 00:00:14,320 --> 00:00:18,480 Speaker 2: show is called Party Cruise The Untold Story. In the 6 00:00:18,560 --> 00:00:22,280 Speaker 2: nineteen nineties and two thousands, Latino and Latina high school 7 00:00:22,280 --> 00:00:27,280 Speaker 2: teens in Los Angeles organized themselves into groups or crews, 8 00:00:28,080 --> 00:00:32,160 Speaker 2: and they threw these massive parties out of their backyards 9 00:00:32,280 --> 00:00:36,800 Speaker 2: or empty warehouses. They would design flyers DJ the parties 10 00:00:36,960 --> 00:00:40,479 Speaker 2: run the door. It was their way of escaping from 11 00:00:40,600 --> 00:00:44,120 Speaker 2: the pressures of having immigrant parents and of some pretty 12 00:00:44,159 --> 00:00:48,680 Speaker 2: harsh realities. Janie, who today is an audio producer Advice, 13 00:00:49,159 --> 00:00:51,920 Speaker 2: was a member of one of those party crews, but 14 00:00:52,200 --> 00:00:56,080 Speaker 2: as she grew older, she left that scene behind until 15 00:00:56,600 --> 00:01:01,080 Speaker 2: last year when she learned about the unsolved murder of 16 00:01:01,240 --> 00:01:05,800 Speaker 2: fourteen year old Emery Munios. Emory's body was found in 17 00:01:05,840 --> 00:01:10,840 Speaker 2: a warehouse that authorities claimed was used for throwing those parties. 18 00:01:11,319 --> 00:01:15,039 Speaker 2: The case would pull Jenis back into her old party 19 00:01:15,120 --> 00:01:19,080 Speaker 2: crew days. Here's episode one of Party Cruise The Untold Story. 20 00:01:20,240 --> 00:01:28,959 Speaker 1: We're on what March April May June, so we're going 21 00:01:29,080 --> 00:01:36,800 Speaker 1: on the fourth month of quarantine of the pandemic. I'm 22 00:01:36,840 --> 00:01:40,319 Speaker 1: an audio journalist and a few years ago I decided 23 00:01:40,360 --> 00:01:43,000 Speaker 1: to do this assignment with some friends. It was a 24 00:01:43,080 --> 00:01:44,959 Speaker 1: kind of assignment where we had to turn around a 25 00:01:45,000 --> 00:01:48,440 Speaker 1: story in twenty four hours. We were talking on the phone, 26 00:01:48,560 --> 00:01:51,840 Speaker 1: just spitballing ideas and just overall talking about how we 27 00:01:51,840 --> 00:01:55,480 Speaker 1: were feeling in twenty twenty. I was only recording my 28 00:01:55,560 --> 00:01:58,320 Speaker 1: side of the conversation, so all you hear on the 29 00:01:58,400 --> 00:02:02,720 Speaker 1: tape is me. And there's one thing I haven't done 30 00:02:02,880 --> 00:02:09,680 Speaker 1: in so long that I completely miss and that's dancing. 31 00:02:10,240 --> 00:02:17,640 Speaker 1: Like I haven't moved in this like grinding dancing way, 32 00:02:18,919 --> 00:02:21,480 Speaker 1: which sounds really weird to say out loud. And then 33 00:02:21,720 --> 00:02:24,520 Speaker 1: one of the people I'm talking to brought something up 34 00:02:24,560 --> 00:02:28,040 Speaker 1: I hadn't mentioned in passing about my time in a 35 00:02:28,080 --> 00:02:31,600 Speaker 1: party crew. I haven't really talked a lot about it. 36 00:02:32,240 --> 00:02:34,760 Speaker 1: When I do talk about it, it's usually like a haha, 37 00:02:34,880 --> 00:02:37,760 Speaker 1: I was part of part of this party crew, haha, 38 00:02:38,040 --> 00:02:40,880 Speaker 1: Like you know, we had little signs and stuff like that, 39 00:02:41,680 --> 00:02:45,120 Speaker 1: but it doesn't really ever get deep where I'm talking 40 00:02:45,160 --> 00:02:50,120 Speaker 1: about how dangerous it was When I was a teen 41 00:02:50,160 --> 00:02:52,600 Speaker 1: in the mid two thousands, I was part of a 42 00:02:52,600 --> 00:02:55,960 Speaker 1: party scene. A bunch of my girlfriends and I we 43 00:02:56,120 --> 00:02:59,720 Speaker 1: formed a group and we called ourselves a party crew. 44 00:03:03,480 --> 00:03:07,120 Speaker 1: The party Creui scene was all underground parties. We were 45 00:03:07,160 --> 00:03:10,480 Speaker 1: partying in backyards and warehouses, setting up a dance floor 46 00:03:10,520 --> 00:03:14,120 Speaker 1: wherever we could. And what made it unique is that 47 00:03:14,200 --> 00:03:16,359 Speaker 1: it wasn't just me and my friends who were into this. 48 00:03:17,160 --> 00:03:21,320 Speaker 1: There were hundreds, maybe thousands of mostly LATINX teams all 49 00:03:21,360 --> 00:03:24,400 Speaker 1: across LA in the scene, in places like East La, 50 00:03:24,880 --> 00:03:28,440 Speaker 1: South Central, and the San Gabriel Valley where I grew up. 51 00:03:34,040 --> 00:03:36,920 Speaker 1: My parents are both from Peru. They came to the 52 00:03:37,040 --> 00:03:40,560 Speaker 1: US in the mid eighties, and growing up we had 53 00:03:40,560 --> 00:03:44,120 Speaker 1: some rules. As a student, my parents had high expectations 54 00:03:44,160 --> 00:03:48,320 Speaker 1: of me, no bad grades, nothing below abe and when 55 00:03:48,360 --> 00:03:51,520 Speaker 1: I started high school, I had a curfew. I had 56 00:03:51,520 --> 00:03:55,560 Speaker 1: to be home by nine. I know those are typical 57 00:03:55,640 --> 00:03:59,200 Speaker 1: rules for a lot of kids, especially for kids of immigrants, 58 00:03:59,600 --> 00:04:01,680 Speaker 1: but when you're the oldest and the first sing your 59 00:04:01,760 --> 00:04:05,960 Speaker 1: family born in this country, the stakes automatically feel higher, 60 00:04:07,280 --> 00:04:09,320 Speaker 1: and in my house it felt like there was this 61 00:04:09,440 --> 00:04:13,440 Speaker 1: other extra layer. My mom is religious. She grew up 62 00:04:13,440 --> 00:04:16,839 Speaker 1: evangelical as a teen in Peru, so when it was 63 00:04:16,880 --> 00:04:19,760 Speaker 1: time to raise me, she raised me the only way 64 00:04:19,839 --> 00:04:23,400 Speaker 1: she knew. Church every Sunday was a given, but there 65 00:04:23,440 --> 00:04:27,200 Speaker 1: was also stuff like no dancing, no dating, no trick 66 00:04:27,240 --> 00:04:31,320 Speaker 1: or treating on Halloween. It was a whole thing. But 67 00:04:31,400 --> 00:04:32,839 Speaker 1: I knew that as long as I stayed out of 68 00:04:32,839 --> 00:04:36,200 Speaker 1: trouble and followed the rules, I could fly by as 69 00:04:36,240 --> 00:04:42,000 Speaker 1: your typical, good church going daughter of immigrants. But when 70 00:04:42,000 --> 00:04:46,240 Speaker 1: I found the party Crui scene, I felt like I 71 00:04:46,279 --> 00:04:50,039 Speaker 1: was able to become a new version of myself. It 72 00:04:50,120 --> 00:04:52,400 Speaker 1: was the one place where I felt comfortable enough to 73 00:04:52,440 --> 00:04:56,640 Speaker 1: move my body, let lose them, be wild, free from 74 00:04:56,640 --> 00:05:03,920 Speaker 1: my parents' rules and expectations, a safe faced That was 75 00:05:03,960 --> 00:05:06,719 Speaker 1: twenty years ago, and when I was talking to my 76 00:05:06,800 --> 00:05:10,360 Speaker 1: friend about this time, I realized it was the first 77 00:05:10,360 --> 00:05:14,080 Speaker 1: time in a long time that I talked about the 78 00:05:14,080 --> 00:05:17,320 Speaker 1: party Crui scene to someone who wasn't a part of it. 79 00:05:21,200 --> 00:05:23,800 Speaker 1: Listening back to myself, I can hear a kind of 80 00:05:23,839 --> 00:05:29,560 Speaker 1: hesitation in my voice, I guess, and I you know, 81 00:05:29,640 --> 00:05:32,680 Speaker 1: I was going through all that without telling my parents, 82 00:05:32,720 --> 00:05:34,320 Speaker 1: like I wasn't telling them. I was going to go 83 00:05:34,360 --> 00:05:36,520 Speaker 1: see my friend who got shot. I wasn't telling them 84 00:05:36,560 --> 00:05:42,520 Speaker 1: that I was doing all these things. It felt like 85 00:05:42,520 --> 00:05:46,280 Speaker 1: I was sharing a hazy dream, these fragments of my past. 86 00:05:47,440 --> 00:05:49,159 Speaker 1: It's not really a time in my life that I 87 00:05:49,160 --> 00:05:51,640 Speaker 1: talk a lot about, because as one as it was, 88 00:05:52,360 --> 00:05:56,760 Speaker 1: there was also a dark side to the scene. 89 00:05:57,680 --> 00:06:00,640 Speaker 3: It's a Saturday night house party and hunt in park, 90 00:06:01,320 --> 00:06:07,800 Speaker 3: strobe lights, color and evening of dancing. 91 00:06:06,200 --> 00:06:09,279 Speaker 1: Drinking and joke smoking. 92 00:06:11,240 --> 00:06:13,320 Speaker 4: The intent, they say is to have a good time, 93 00:06:13,640 --> 00:06:15,560 Speaker 4: but the price for that good time can. 94 00:06:15,440 --> 00:06:17,440 Speaker 1: Often be violence or even death. 95 00:06:17,839 --> 00:06:20,480 Speaker 3: In an instance, a party scene can turn into a 96 00:06:20,520 --> 00:06:21,119 Speaker 3: war zone. 97 00:06:21,640 --> 00:06:25,040 Speaker 1: These were the parties that made headlines when something bad happened, 98 00:06:25,880 --> 00:06:27,839 Speaker 1: and it made us teens who were part of the 99 00:06:27,839 --> 00:06:30,080 Speaker 1: party cruise seem out of control. 100 00:06:30,279 --> 00:06:32,640 Speaker 5: That people who throw these kind of parties are called 101 00:06:32,720 --> 00:06:36,080 Speaker 5: party crews, but police say they're very similar to gangs. 102 00:06:37,720 --> 00:06:40,000 Speaker 1: I ended up watching a bunch of old news coverage 103 00:06:40,000 --> 00:06:43,440 Speaker 1: at the scene, and it was jarring to relive those memories. 104 00:06:44,200 --> 00:06:46,880 Speaker 1: It was a time and place I recognized, but it 105 00:06:46,920 --> 00:06:50,040 Speaker 1: felt like it only caught one side of the story. 106 00:06:50,200 --> 00:06:51,640 Speaker 1: An outsider's perspective. 107 00:06:52,160 --> 00:06:55,480 Speaker 6: On January twenty fifth, two thousand and six, Emery Munusa's 108 00:06:55,520 --> 00:06:59,320 Speaker 6: lifeless body was found nearby this warehouse on Mariso and 109 00:06:59,400 --> 00:06:59,839 Speaker 6: Olympic and. 110 00:07:00,040 --> 00:07:03,719 Speaker 5: Royal Heights, a popular area for underground parties. 111 00:07:04,279 --> 00:07:06,159 Speaker 1: And that's when I came across a story about a 112 00:07:06,160 --> 00:07:11,320 Speaker 1: teen girl. Her name was Emery Munos. She was killed 113 00:07:11,320 --> 00:07:14,520 Speaker 1: in two thousand and six, and her case was never solved. 114 00:07:14,960 --> 00:07:18,000 Speaker 1: Investigators say an illegal rave party was going on at 115 00:07:18,000 --> 00:07:20,920 Speaker 1: the warehouse on Marisol Street the night she was killed. 116 00:07:21,000 --> 00:07:24,400 Speaker 1: The teenager was killed after attending one of those parties. 117 00:07:25,280 --> 00:07:27,800 Speaker 1: She was in an all girl party crew like I was, 118 00:07:28,520 --> 00:07:32,080 Speaker 1: around the same time that I was going out. Her killing, 119 00:07:32,440 --> 00:07:35,440 Speaker 1: they think she was strangled. Now tied to the world 120 00:07:35,520 --> 00:07:44,760 Speaker 1: of illegal underground parties, learning about Emory immediately, it felt 121 00:07:44,800 --> 00:07:48,200 Speaker 1: so personal to me. It was hard to hear about 122 00:07:48,200 --> 00:07:51,400 Speaker 1: a teen girl who didn't make it out of the scene. 123 00:07:52,000 --> 00:07:52,720 Speaker 6: She was only a. 124 00:07:52,720 --> 00:07:55,800 Speaker 1: Few years younger than me, growing up a few cities 125 00:07:55,800 --> 00:07:59,680 Speaker 1: away from me. I wondered, could I have bumped into 126 00:07:59,680 --> 00:08:04,679 Speaker 1: her at a party. I kept thinking about our case. 127 00:08:05,320 --> 00:08:08,040 Speaker 1: I couldn't get it out of my head. The idea 128 00:08:08,120 --> 00:08:11,160 Speaker 1: that maybe it was pure luck that something didn't happen 129 00:08:11,200 --> 00:08:14,000 Speaker 1: to me back then, and the fact that nearly two 130 00:08:14,040 --> 00:08:17,440 Speaker 1: decades later, still nobody knew what really happened to her. 131 00:08:18,600 --> 00:08:21,880 Speaker 1: I needed to find out more, so I started to 132 00:08:21,880 --> 00:08:26,160 Speaker 1: dig into her story, and doing that would start me 133 00:08:26,200 --> 00:08:30,840 Speaker 1: on a journey to unpack that time in my life. 134 00:08:32,080 --> 00:08:35,280 Speaker 1: I joined a party crew at fifteen, and now as 135 00:08:35,320 --> 00:08:39,160 Speaker 1: an adult, I see it in a different light, and 136 00:08:39,240 --> 00:08:41,559 Speaker 1: I want to know what does it mean when you're 137 00:08:41,600 --> 00:09:09,319 Speaker 1: safe space isn't actually safe? From Iheart's Michael da Podcast Network, 138 00:09:09,679 --> 00:09:15,080 Speaker 1: Bice and Ellie Studios, this is Party Cruise, the untold story, 139 00:09:16,160 --> 00:09:17,719 Speaker 1: a look back at the scene that I came of 140 00:09:17,840 --> 00:09:21,679 Speaker 1: agent and an unsolved murder that is forever tied to it. 141 00:09:22,520 --> 00:09:50,600 Speaker 1: I'm Janasimocha. I knew I needed to start somewhere to 142 00:09:50,679 --> 00:09:53,959 Speaker 1: look into Emory's case, so I started looking for the 143 00:09:54,040 --> 00:09:56,080 Speaker 1: names I found in the coverage around her murder. 144 00:10:00,760 --> 00:10:04,480 Speaker 7: I think we have found Homonos, who is Amri's father, 145 00:10:05,880 --> 00:10:12,360 Speaker 7: So let me give him a call? 146 00:10:15,320 --> 00:10:19,120 Speaker 1: Uh on? 147 00:10:25,120 --> 00:10:32,160 Speaker 7: Okay, some calling who I think could be Cherry, one 148 00:10:32,160 --> 00:10:35,439 Speaker 7: of the heads of Vicious Ladies at that time. 149 00:10:36,360 --> 00:10:37,600 Speaker 1: Okay, wish we luck. 150 00:10:40,520 --> 00:10:58,120 Speaker 8: Mhm h mh. Sorry and there's not enough has been 151 00:10:58,240 --> 00:11:00,559 Speaker 8: restricted or he is unavailable. 152 00:11:04,679 --> 00:11:08,880 Speaker 1: Let's try the last number that I have on this list. 153 00:11:12,440 --> 00:11:13,640 Speaker 4: Heal yourself. 154 00:11:14,280 --> 00:11:15,280 Speaker 8: It's your message. 155 00:11:16,800 --> 00:11:20,240 Speaker 7: Hi, Becky, this is Janice. I'm a reporter producer of 156 00:11:20,280 --> 00:11:23,959 Speaker 7: the Vice News. I actually got your contact your number 157 00:11:24,000 --> 00:11:26,760 Speaker 7: from Crystal. Still get nervous every time I leave a 158 00:11:26,840 --> 00:11:29,920 Speaker 7: voicemail for some reason, I look forward to speaking with you. 159 00:11:30,120 --> 00:11:42,040 Speaker 9: Bye. 160 00:11:42,559 --> 00:11:46,120 Speaker 1: It took me months, but I found Emory's aunt, Becky Harrow, 161 00:11:46,640 --> 00:11:48,720 Speaker 1: and her sister Crystal. 162 00:11:52,720 --> 00:11:53,120 Speaker 4: Okay. 163 00:11:54,679 --> 00:11:58,400 Speaker 1: After a few long conversations on the phone, they agree 164 00:11:58,400 --> 00:12:01,600 Speaker 1: to meet me at a halfway point. We met inside 165 00:12:01,600 --> 00:12:04,960 Speaker 1: a hotel in Pomona in a small conference room. I 166 00:12:05,040 --> 00:12:08,160 Speaker 1: came with free water bottles and a jar peppermints, a 167 00:12:08,280 --> 00:12:12,920 Speaker 1: plus hospitality. Becky and Crystal were both warm and friendly. 168 00:12:13,600 --> 00:12:17,320 Speaker 1: They're both petite with big brown eyes, just like Emery 169 00:12:17,360 --> 00:12:20,079 Speaker 1: and the pictures I've seen of her. The three of 170 00:12:20,160 --> 00:12:22,800 Speaker 1: us sat at the end of a long table and 171 00:12:22,880 --> 00:12:24,880 Speaker 1: talked for hours. 172 00:12:24,679 --> 00:12:26,480 Speaker 5: And I not only had it for a brief moment 173 00:12:26,520 --> 00:12:29,480 Speaker 5: of time, but in those six years, she'd taught me 174 00:12:29,559 --> 00:12:31,640 Speaker 5: basically everything you would expect from a big sister. 175 00:12:34,600 --> 00:12:38,320 Speaker 1: That's Crystal. She was six when her sister went missing. 176 00:12:39,440 --> 00:12:42,040 Speaker 1: I learned that Emory was the oldest of three siblings, 177 00:12:42,920 --> 00:12:46,160 Speaker 1: one brother and one little sister, Crystal. 178 00:12:46,720 --> 00:12:47,840 Speaker 5: I had my bodyguards. 179 00:12:49,040 --> 00:12:50,320 Speaker 1: In what ways did she perfect? 180 00:12:50,360 --> 00:12:50,440 Speaker 8: You? 181 00:12:50,559 --> 00:12:50,839 Speaker 10: Gotten? 182 00:12:50,840 --> 00:12:54,720 Speaker 5: Every way imaginable? One thing I really remember is my 183 00:12:54,760 --> 00:12:56,320 Speaker 5: mom would always yell at because I was a little 184 00:12:56,320 --> 00:12:59,440 Speaker 5: brown when I was little, and my sister, she would 185 00:12:59,480 --> 00:13:02,480 Speaker 5: just jump and Toya my sister, Doya my sister. My 186 00:13:02,480 --> 00:13:04,640 Speaker 5: brother would try to punk on me. She would end 187 00:13:04,720 --> 00:13:07,760 Speaker 5: up like punking on him. Every way. Anything that I 188 00:13:07,760 --> 00:13:12,040 Speaker 5: wanted she's got for me, toys, candies, whatever it was 189 00:13:12,360 --> 00:13:15,760 Speaker 5: she would get from me. Our mom wasn't always, you know, 190 00:13:16,320 --> 00:13:19,080 Speaker 5: mentally there. She was physically there, she wasn't always mentally there. 191 00:13:19,480 --> 00:13:21,760 Speaker 5: So my sister took on a very big role and 192 00:13:21,840 --> 00:13:26,440 Speaker 5: she was always making sure I was fed, bathed, clothed, everything. 193 00:13:26,480 --> 00:13:29,680 Speaker 1: She took care of me. I'm the eldest kid in 194 00:13:29,720 --> 00:13:32,360 Speaker 1: my family too, so I know it comes with a 195 00:13:32,400 --> 00:13:37,800 Speaker 1: lot of responsibility. Emory's mom's family is Mexican American. They're 196 00:13:37,840 --> 00:13:42,240 Speaker 1: an immigrant household like mine. As a teen, sometimes you 197 00:13:42,280 --> 00:13:45,400 Speaker 1: take for granted how much influence you have over your siblings, 198 00:13:45,880 --> 00:13:50,440 Speaker 1: how a small gesture can create a lasting impact. 199 00:13:51,120 --> 00:13:53,680 Speaker 5: They used to go take like those two thousand pictures. 200 00:13:53,720 --> 00:13:54,480 Speaker 1: The story shops. 201 00:13:54,679 --> 00:13:58,120 Speaker 5: Yeah. Yeah, actually I found one on my phone the 202 00:13:58,120 --> 00:13:59,719 Speaker 5: other day of me an memory when I think I 203 00:13:59,920 --> 00:14:04,600 Speaker 5: was like four, so she had to be like twelve thirteen. 204 00:14:05,520 --> 00:14:08,360 Speaker 1: Star shots were like these wallet sized pictures you would 205 00:14:08,360 --> 00:14:11,720 Speaker 1: take with your best friend, your boyfriend, or your little sister. 206 00:14:12,360 --> 00:14:14,880 Speaker 1: You would show up with your freshly plucked brows and 207 00:14:15,000 --> 00:14:18,160 Speaker 1: best glossy lip to a small photo studio inside the mall, 208 00:14:18,640 --> 00:14:21,680 Speaker 1: pose in front of an airbrush backdrop, and wait for 209 00:14:21,720 --> 00:14:25,160 Speaker 1: like an hour to get your pictures printed. Very nineties, 210 00:14:25,480 --> 00:14:29,320 Speaker 1: very two thousands. One of Crystal's few momentos of her 211 00:14:29,360 --> 00:14:33,120 Speaker 1: sister Emory is a star shot they took together. What's 212 00:14:33,120 --> 00:14:34,920 Speaker 1: the background of the one that you. 213 00:14:34,840 --> 00:14:37,360 Speaker 5: Are It's like blue with stars and stairs. 214 00:14:37,600 --> 00:14:40,640 Speaker 1: I love that I get to show you. Oh my god, 215 00:14:42,720 --> 00:14:44,320 Speaker 1: let's describe it. To describe it for me. 216 00:14:46,040 --> 00:14:50,200 Speaker 5: So there's a there's a blue background, there's stairs, and 217 00:14:50,240 --> 00:14:53,920 Speaker 5: we're supposed to be sitting on the stairs. My sister, 218 00:14:53,960 --> 00:14:55,880 Speaker 5: I think, was going through an eyebrow crisis at the 219 00:14:55,920 --> 00:14:57,920 Speaker 5: time and got a little too carried away with the tweezers. 220 00:14:59,480 --> 00:15:03,720 Speaker 5: And she had on a white shirt kind of like 221 00:15:03,760 --> 00:15:06,440 Speaker 5: the three fourth quarter sleeve. 222 00:15:06,680 --> 00:15:10,040 Speaker 1: In the picture. Emory hows her long brown hair pulled back, 223 00:15:10,400 --> 00:15:13,680 Speaker 1: half up, half down, and her mouth is closed with 224 00:15:13,760 --> 00:15:17,480 Speaker 1: a soft smile. It's like her signature smile. I've seen 225 00:15:17,480 --> 00:15:19,560 Speaker 1: it in a lot of pictures of her as a teen. 226 00:15:20,320 --> 00:15:21,520 Speaker 5: She's holding me, tugging me. 227 00:15:21,760 --> 00:15:22,120 Speaker 6: I was. 228 00:15:22,800 --> 00:15:25,280 Speaker 5: I think for right here, I have on a blue 229 00:15:25,320 --> 00:15:28,400 Speaker 5: little sweater that has fluff around the neck. Because two 230 00:15:28,440 --> 00:15:29,560 Speaker 5: thousands of baby in the prime. 231 00:15:32,280 --> 00:15:35,520 Speaker 1: Back then, star shots brought friendships and relationships to a 232 00:15:35,560 --> 00:15:38,240 Speaker 1: new level. I meant you were close and the world 233 00:15:38,320 --> 00:15:39,120 Speaker 1: was going to see it. 234 00:15:39,360 --> 00:15:43,480 Speaker 5: That was our very first picture. I don't remember that day, 235 00:15:43,520 --> 00:15:49,360 Speaker 5: but I feel super connected to the day. 236 00:15:49,520 --> 00:15:52,720 Speaker 1: Crystal is in her early twenties, and every story she 237 00:15:52,760 --> 00:15:55,680 Speaker 1: shared of her sister peeled back a layer of emory 238 00:15:55,960 --> 00:15:58,080 Speaker 1: that I couldn't find in the news coverage. 239 00:15:58,280 --> 00:16:01,840 Speaker 5: She was always dancing, no matter what the song was, 240 00:16:01,880 --> 00:16:04,880 Speaker 5: she was always dancing, and I remember she would try 241 00:16:04,880 --> 00:16:06,320 Speaker 5: to teach me and I was just write there like 242 00:16:06,400 --> 00:16:07,920 Speaker 5: a little four year old, didn't know what the heck 243 00:16:07,960 --> 00:16:08,480 Speaker 5: I was doing. 244 00:16:08,600 --> 00:16:11,640 Speaker 1: Crystal shared one of her earliest memories of emory growing 245 00:16:11,720 --> 00:16:14,320 Speaker 1: up in their home on one of the highest hills 246 00:16:14,400 --> 00:16:15,240 Speaker 1: in City Terrace. 247 00:16:15,960 --> 00:16:19,280 Speaker 5: I think we lived at the top of the highest 248 00:16:19,320 --> 00:16:21,960 Speaker 5: hill because we lived on three and so we lived 249 00:16:22,080 --> 00:16:24,760 Speaker 5: right on the top. But I remember us dancing like outside. 250 00:16:24,800 --> 00:16:27,520 Speaker 5: We had like the biggest like garden ever, a bunch 251 00:16:27,520 --> 00:16:28,560 Speaker 5: of grass, bunch of flowers. 252 00:16:28,680 --> 00:16:29,560 Speaker 1: You could just be dancing. 253 00:16:33,560 --> 00:16:34,400 Speaker 4: She loved dancing. 254 00:16:35,000 --> 00:16:40,920 Speaker 1: That's Becky Harrow, Emory's aunt and godmother, her Nina. That summer, 255 00:16:41,000 --> 00:16:44,440 Speaker 1: I wrote a letter to the family, including Emory's mother Maria, 256 00:16:45,200 --> 00:16:48,480 Speaker 1: but she didn't respond to us at first. However, her 257 00:16:48,480 --> 00:16:51,200 Speaker 1: sister Becky, who over the years has been sort of 258 00:16:51,240 --> 00:16:55,000 Speaker 1: a spokesperson for the family regarding Emory's case, she did 259 00:16:55,040 --> 00:16:58,080 Speaker 1: get back to us. She let her sister know that 260 00:16:58,200 --> 00:16:59,160 Speaker 1: she was talking to us. 261 00:16:59,400 --> 00:17:01,800 Speaker 4: You used to check me. I was like her second mom. 262 00:17:02,080 --> 00:17:05,040 Speaker 1: Becky tells me Emory was her informal dance coach. 263 00:17:05,560 --> 00:17:08,760 Speaker 4: She actually told me I had to lafitte. I remember 264 00:17:08,840 --> 00:17:12,439 Speaker 4: her saying, when you're gonna do some jest like this, 265 00:17:12,560 --> 00:17:15,400 Speaker 4: she says, don't put your legs because that wouldn't make 266 00:17:15,480 --> 00:17:18,119 Speaker 4: it look sexy, because you had to spread them a 267 00:17:18,119 --> 00:17:20,720 Speaker 4: little bit and move your hips side to side. And 268 00:17:20,920 --> 00:17:23,399 Speaker 4: she will go behind me. I will be cooking or 269 00:17:23,440 --> 00:17:26,680 Speaker 4: doing something, and then she says that you're practicing your hips, 270 00:17:26,960 --> 00:17:28,800 Speaker 4: and I'll just look at her and laugh, and then 271 00:17:28,840 --> 00:17:30,920 Speaker 4: she will go behind me, and then she will move 272 00:17:30,960 --> 00:17:34,280 Speaker 4: my hips. She will start cracking up. She said that 273 00:17:34,359 --> 00:17:36,639 Speaker 4: I was like a stick, and because you need to 274 00:17:37,000 --> 00:17:41,840 Speaker 4: like relax or you go relax both those hips. 275 00:17:44,080 --> 00:17:48,080 Speaker 1: Emory with her family was playful. She felt comfortable enough 276 00:17:48,119 --> 00:17:49,719 Speaker 1: to let loose and be silly. 277 00:17:50,480 --> 00:17:53,840 Speaker 4: The last time I saw her was Christmas Day and 278 00:17:54,080 --> 00:17:57,280 Speaker 4: I just remember her going by Nana see you later, 279 00:17:57,440 --> 00:18:02,240 Speaker 4: and I said why sweetie, and she fluid kiss, throw 280 00:18:02,240 --> 00:18:07,840 Speaker 4: a kiss, And that's my last memory. And I can 281 00:18:07,920 --> 00:18:12,240 Speaker 4: still see it here. As a matter of fact, she'd 282 00:18:12,240 --> 00:18:14,960 Speaker 4: wrought me a little note that day before I went home. 283 00:18:15,800 --> 00:18:19,280 Speaker 4: This is a piece of favor for anybody, quite a 284 00:18:19,440 --> 00:18:20,159 Speaker 4: treasure for me. 285 00:18:20,880 --> 00:18:23,320 Speaker 1: Becky pulls out a little blue post it note that 286 00:18:23,400 --> 00:18:25,800 Speaker 1: she's been carrying with her for over a decade. 287 00:18:26,200 --> 00:18:27,280 Speaker 6: Do you mind reading it to me? 288 00:18:29,680 --> 00:18:33,600 Speaker 4: To my Nina and Uncle Ron, Merry Christmas. I love 289 00:18:33,640 --> 00:18:38,120 Speaker 4: you guys with all my heart. Emory. 290 00:18:39,440 --> 00:18:44,640 Speaker 1: That was the last time Becky saw her. To learn 291 00:18:44,680 --> 00:18:47,919 Speaker 1: more about Emory's last days, I talked to the friends 292 00:18:47,920 --> 00:18:51,720 Speaker 1: she was with before she went missing. That's after the 293 00:18:51,720 --> 00:19:18,280 Speaker 1: break Hello Hi, Alexandra. Hi, This is Alexandra Toledo. She 294 00:19:18,440 --> 00:19:21,479 Speaker 1: was one of Emory's friends in high school. Hi, this is Janice. 295 00:19:21,760 --> 00:19:23,160 Speaker 1: We have some time to talk right now? 296 00:19:23,880 --> 00:19:24,560 Speaker 8: Yeah, I do. 297 00:19:25,200 --> 00:19:27,359 Speaker 11: I just if I talk a little spose, just because 298 00:19:27,400 --> 00:19:29,520 Speaker 11: I got my wisdom taken out this morning. 299 00:19:31,160 --> 00:19:32,760 Speaker 7: Yeah, but I'm okay to talk. 300 00:19:32,880 --> 00:19:35,240 Speaker 1: Thank you for talking to me. Well, while you're a 301 00:19:35,280 --> 00:19:37,720 Speaker 1: little swollen. I had mine taken out like years ago, 302 00:19:37,800 --> 00:19:40,120 Speaker 1: and I was like chipmunk cheeks forever. 303 00:19:41,800 --> 00:19:44,040 Speaker 8: Yeah. Oh, I am right now, but this will the 304 00:19:44,160 --> 00:19:44,600 Speaker 8: fact be. 305 00:19:46,960 --> 00:19:49,720 Speaker 1: After our initial phone call, I met up with Alexandra 306 00:19:49,760 --> 00:19:52,919 Speaker 1: and her family home in Bell Gardens, a few miles 307 00:19:52,920 --> 00:19:53,960 Speaker 1: from where she grew up. 308 00:19:54,359 --> 00:19:56,359 Speaker 11: I grew up in Easter Lake, so that's how I 309 00:19:56,400 --> 00:19:59,280 Speaker 11: met Emory. I was there up until I was fifteen, 310 00:19:59,640 --> 00:20:01,960 Speaker 11: And one of the reasons why we moved is because 311 00:20:01,960 --> 00:20:03,240 Speaker 11: of what happened with Emory. 312 00:20:04,040 --> 00:20:06,840 Speaker 1: It took a minute for Emory and Alejandra to get close. 313 00:20:07,359 --> 00:20:09,120 Speaker 1: You said he didn't get along at the beginning. 314 00:20:09,359 --> 00:20:10,560 Speaker 6: Wow, she didn't like me. 315 00:20:11,240 --> 00:20:12,919 Speaker 11: She Yeah, she didn't like me. 316 00:20:13,040 --> 00:20:13,760 Speaker 6: She was so. 317 00:20:15,160 --> 00:20:15,879 Speaker 11: She was sassy. 318 00:20:16,280 --> 00:20:18,520 Speaker 1: In the fall of two thousand and five, she and 319 00:20:18,600 --> 00:20:23,040 Speaker 1: Emory were the new kids together freshman at Francisco Bravo 320 00:20:23,119 --> 00:20:23,679 Speaker 1: High School. 321 00:20:23,800 --> 00:20:25,760 Speaker 11: I don't know why she didn't like me, but we 322 00:20:25,800 --> 00:20:29,879 Speaker 11: had pe class and homeroom together, and she had a 323 00:20:29,920 --> 00:20:31,920 Speaker 11: group of friends and I had my group of friends. 324 00:20:32,520 --> 00:20:35,080 Speaker 11: And you know, I would hear things like, oh, she's 325 00:20:35,160 --> 00:20:37,720 Speaker 11: talking shit about you, or she said this, she said that. 326 00:20:38,480 --> 00:20:42,560 Speaker 11: So one day after school she was standing outside outside 327 00:20:42,640 --> 00:20:44,119 Speaker 11: the school and I came up to her and I 328 00:20:44,160 --> 00:20:45,760 Speaker 11: was like, hey, you know, why are you talking shit? 329 00:20:45,880 --> 00:20:47,640 Speaker 11: And then she's like, do you want to walk home 330 00:20:47,680 --> 00:20:49,880 Speaker 11: while we talk about it? And I was like, yeah, sure. 331 00:20:50,320 --> 00:20:52,439 Speaker 1: Emory was on our way to a football game at 332 00:20:52,480 --> 00:20:56,320 Speaker 1: Wilson High School, a rival high school in East, LA. 333 00:20:56,480 --> 00:20:57,720 Speaker 11: So she invited me. 334 00:20:58,119 --> 00:21:01,480 Speaker 1: It just happened so fast, and that was it. They 335 00:21:01,520 --> 00:21:12,919 Speaker 1: became friends. That fall of two thousand and five, it 336 00:21:12,960 --> 00:21:19,000 Speaker 1: was Alexandra and Emory together all the time, every day 337 00:21:19,240 --> 00:21:19,960 Speaker 1: after school. 338 00:21:20,280 --> 00:21:22,120 Speaker 11: I don't know why that memory always comes to my mind, 339 00:21:22,160 --> 00:21:26,679 Speaker 11: but I remember like the smell of Halloween during like 340 00:21:26,800 --> 00:21:29,960 Speaker 11: during those years. I don't know I kind of describe it, 341 00:21:30,000 --> 00:21:31,600 Speaker 11: but every time I go outside, I'm like, oh my god, 342 00:21:31,600 --> 00:21:34,320 Speaker 11: it smells like EASTI layers, it smells like Halloween. I 343 00:21:34,560 --> 00:21:37,959 Speaker 11: personally loved East Like you know, my parents didn't. They 344 00:21:37,960 --> 00:21:40,719 Speaker 11: thought it was pretty dangerous. But we had all our 345 00:21:40,760 --> 00:21:43,280 Speaker 11: friends living in the area, so we could walk to 346 00:21:43,359 --> 00:21:47,560 Speaker 11: each other's house. Emory lived pretty far from me, but 347 00:21:47,640 --> 00:21:50,520 Speaker 11: we would still do the walk like we would. I 348 00:21:50,520 --> 00:21:52,040 Speaker 11: don't know if you knew where she lived, but I 349 00:21:52,119 --> 00:21:54,560 Speaker 11: lived City Terrast right yeat City Terrace, and I lived 350 00:21:55,080 --> 00:21:57,280 Speaker 11: like in Boyle Heights. So but we would walk over 351 00:21:57,320 --> 00:21:58,440 Speaker 11: to each other's house. 352 00:21:58,920 --> 00:22:01,760 Speaker 1: Yeah, we were still get through hour now, No. 353 00:22:02,200 --> 00:22:03,080 Speaker 9: We would. 354 00:22:03,119 --> 00:22:06,800 Speaker 11: I would run because my parents didn't know where I 355 00:22:06,840 --> 00:22:08,120 Speaker 11: was at, so I would be like, Oh, I'm gonna 356 00:22:08,160 --> 00:22:09,679 Speaker 11: go with my friend down the street, But really I 357 00:22:09,680 --> 00:22:10,520 Speaker 11: would walk all. 358 00:22:10,359 --> 00:22:11,120 Speaker 6: The way over there. 359 00:22:15,119 --> 00:22:16,920 Speaker 1: How would you describe her personality? 360 00:22:17,640 --> 00:22:22,159 Speaker 11: Just very happy, very bubbling, and she was so silly, 361 00:22:22,240 --> 00:22:24,840 Speaker 11: like she would always try to make jokes. She'd love 362 00:22:24,960 --> 00:22:29,560 Speaker 11: singing and dancing. She loved Mariah Carey, so I remember 363 00:22:29,600 --> 00:22:33,400 Speaker 11: her always singing and writing the lyrics down. And one 364 00:22:33,440 --> 00:22:36,120 Speaker 11: of the things I remember the most is her laugh 365 00:22:37,359 --> 00:22:41,280 Speaker 11: like it was just so contagious. She would crack up 366 00:22:41,320 --> 00:22:42,240 Speaker 11: every single time. 367 00:22:42,560 --> 00:22:45,920 Speaker 1: Alejandra and Emory wrote letters to each other and left 368 00:22:45,960 --> 00:22:50,000 Speaker 1: them in each other's lockers. They wrote about boys, their day, 369 00:22:50,720 --> 00:22:54,680 Speaker 1: anything and everything. And when they hung out, they danced 370 00:22:54,720 --> 00:22:58,120 Speaker 1: around their rooms and listen to Mariah Carey's entire catalog. 371 00:22:59,000 --> 00:23:02,479 Speaker 1: I can only imagine them harmonizing to we Belong Together. 372 00:23:07,960 --> 00:23:10,119 Speaker 11: There was a few people that, like I said, she 373 00:23:10,119 --> 00:23:12,720 Speaker 11: would be silly with, she would joke around with, but 374 00:23:12,920 --> 00:23:16,199 Speaker 11: if you didn't really know her, she wouldn't make the 375 00:23:16,240 --> 00:23:19,240 Speaker 11: effort to really talk to you. And I think that's 376 00:23:19,280 --> 00:23:22,280 Speaker 11: why a lot of girls used to like think she 377 00:23:22,400 --> 00:23:25,720 Speaker 11: was conceited or you know, try to fight her, because 378 00:23:25,760 --> 00:23:29,080 Speaker 11: they didn't really know her. She was in her own 379 00:23:29,119 --> 00:23:30,880 Speaker 11: little world, like she was serious, she didn't care what 380 00:23:30,920 --> 00:23:31,680 Speaker 11: other people thought. 381 00:23:31,800 --> 00:23:34,000 Speaker 1: You know, she wasn't trying to be everyone's friend. 382 00:23:35,640 --> 00:23:39,679 Speaker 11: There's just times where girls would talk shit and she 383 00:23:39,720 --> 00:23:40,600 Speaker 11: would get crazy. 384 00:23:41,720 --> 00:23:41,959 Speaker 4: You know. 385 00:23:42,480 --> 00:23:45,520 Speaker 11: One time we were at a fair and she had 386 00:23:45,560 --> 00:23:49,640 Speaker 11: this boyfriend and I guess he was with another girl 387 00:23:49,680 --> 00:23:53,920 Speaker 11: at the fair or something like that. So we actually 388 00:23:54,760 --> 00:23:57,440 Speaker 11: left the fair and then she was like, oh, let's 389 00:23:57,480 --> 00:24:00,159 Speaker 11: pass by, you know, let's pass by his house. And 390 00:24:00,200 --> 00:24:02,000 Speaker 11: at the same time we saw them going in, the 391 00:24:02,080 --> 00:24:04,480 Speaker 11: girl and him and she got out of the car 392 00:24:04,560 --> 00:24:06,800 Speaker 11: and she was just trying to fight her and just 393 00:24:06,840 --> 00:24:07,600 Speaker 11: get crazy. 394 00:24:10,720 --> 00:24:12,240 Speaker 1: I think we're just like figuring it out. 395 00:24:12,520 --> 00:24:15,200 Speaker 7: Yeah, kids in our teens, like your whole world revolves 396 00:24:15,240 --> 00:24:16,200 Speaker 7: around Yeah, that guy. 397 00:24:16,320 --> 00:24:18,760 Speaker 11: Sometimes I was so in love with him. Yeah, she 398 00:24:18,960 --> 00:24:23,399 Speaker 11: loved him. But mm hmmm, were you like, you know, 399 00:24:24,000 --> 00:24:26,880 Speaker 11: I don't really know him. I've seen him a few times, 400 00:24:27,119 --> 00:24:30,760 Speaker 11: but he just wasn't someone I wanted to talk to 401 00:24:30,920 --> 00:24:33,359 Speaker 11: or you know, be cold with. And she had her 402 00:24:33,400 --> 00:24:34,280 Speaker 11: own group of friends. 403 00:24:37,800 --> 00:24:40,200 Speaker 1: Did you ever tell any of the parties with Emory? 404 00:24:40,400 --> 00:24:40,600 Speaker 8: No. 405 00:24:40,680 --> 00:24:43,720 Speaker 11: My mom would have never let me go. So that's 406 00:24:43,760 --> 00:24:45,639 Speaker 11: why I'm telling you. Like she would tell me like, oh, 407 00:24:45,680 --> 00:24:47,040 Speaker 11: I'm gonna go to a party, do you want to go? 408 00:24:47,119 --> 00:24:49,600 Speaker 11: But she always knew that I was I wasn't gonna go, 409 00:24:51,040 --> 00:24:52,600 Speaker 11: so yeah, I would just see the pictures. 410 00:24:52,760 --> 00:24:54,640 Speaker 1: Did she like invite you before she goes. 411 00:24:54,800 --> 00:24:55,080 Speaker 6: Yeah. 412 00:24:55,200 --> 00:24:56,959 Speaker 11: Yeah, she would let me know or she would be 413 00:24:57,040 --> 00:24:58,600 Speaker 11: like she would be like, oh, come on, we'll tell 414 00:24:58,640 --> 00:25:00,760 Speaker 11: your mom this or that, you know, when I'm like, 415 00:25:00,880 --> 00:25:01,560 Speaker 11: that's not you. 416 00:25:01,560 --> 00:25:03,000 Speaker 6: Know, that's not gonna work. 417 00:25:03,080 --> 00:25:04,000 Speaker 11: I was so scared. 418 00:25:07,920 --> 00:25:10,480 Speaker 6: Our parents thought we were going to painting at us 419 00:25:10,520 --> 00:25:12,080 Speaker 6: because that's how we would tell them. 420 00:25:12,480 --> 00:25:17,240 Speaker 1: This is Regina Barinian. She knew Emory from the party cruisine, 421 00:25:17,800 --> 00:25:19,640 Speaker 1: but they also went way back. 422 00:25:20,800 --> 00:25:24,359 Speaker 6: Was a childhood friend of mine growing up since kindergarten. 423 00:25:24,600 --> 00:25:28,159 Speaker 8: Like some of the first experiences were with her, you know, 424 00:25:28,600 --> 00:25:30,080 Speaker 8: when we went on our first. 425 00:25:29,880 --> 00:25:32,960 Speaker 10: Field trip in school, when we had our first crushes, 426 00:25:33,240 --> 00:25:36,200 Speaker 10: our school gaps, and. 427 00:25:35,400 --> 00:25:36,280 Speaker 8: She was smart. 428 00:25:36,600 --> 00:25:39,280 Speaker 6: She didn't kick any ship. She was super stopped being 429 00:25:39,400 --> 00:25:41,840 Speaker 6: she and everybody liked hurt. 430 00:25:42,920 --> 00:25:46,360 Speaker 8: Our mothers were friends when they were kids. I've known 431 00:25:46,400 --> 00:25:50,760 Speaker 8: her a very long time. We've been bonded through our linkage. 432 00:25:51,200 --> 00:25:54,040 Speaker 1: She lived down the street from Emory in City Terrace. 433 00:25:54,520 --> 00:25:56,320 Speaker 1: Their mothers were friends when they were growing up. 434 00:25:56,520 --> 00:25:58,560 Speaker 6: We started to go to school together, and then we 435 00:25:58,640 --> 00:26:03,400 Speaker 6: became really close friends. And there was five of us Me, Emery, Diane, 436 00:26:03,600 --> 00:26:07,520 Speaker 6: Cynthia and Ashley, so we were able to have a 437 00:26:07,560 --> 00:26:10,320 Speaker 6: certain kind of freedom that other kids didn't have. 438 00:26:11,240 --> 00:26:13,560 Speaker 8: I mean, her mom and my mom lived the same lifestyle. 439 00:26:14,640 --> 00:26:16,879 Speaker 6: Me and Emory became friends because we were able to 440 00:26:16,960 --> 00:26:20,000 Speaker 6: bond over the same disconnecting that we've had. 441 00:26:19,840 --> 00:26:21,119 Speaker 8: With our mothers. 442 00:26:21,560 --> 00:26:24,320 Speaker 1: Regina is in her thirties now and she no longer 443 00:26:24,359 --> 00:26:27,639 Speaker 1: lives in City Terrace. She was very straight up with 444 00:26:27,680 --> 00:26:28,800 Speaker 1: me about that time. 445 00:26:29,560 --> 00:26:33,639 Speaker 8: Now when I look back, like I have an eleven year. 446 00:26:33,480 --> 00:26:37,399 Speaker 10: Old daughter right now, and when I was her age, 447 00:26:37,680 --> 00:26:40,320 Speaker 10: I had already smoked. 448 00:26:39,920 --> 00:26:41,159 Speaker 8: Weed for the first time. 449 00:26:42,119 --> 00:26:44,760 Speaker 10: I was walking home from school already, like I would 450 00:26:44,800 --> 00:26:45,840 Speaker 10: never let her do any of that. 451 00:26:51,480 --> 00:26:54,320 Speaker 1: Along with a bunch of neighborhood girls, Regina was in 452 00:26:54,359 --> 00:26:56,680 Speaker 1: a party crew called Tempted to Touch. 453 00:26:56,880 --> 00:26:59,560 Speaker 6: And it was fine because I felt like at that 454 00:26:59,680 --> 00:27:04,679 Speaker 6: time we were experimenting and nobody was violating one another. 455 00:27:04,800 --> 00:27:07,119 Speaker 8: We all made sure we got home one time. All 456 00:27:07,160 --> 00:27:11,600 Speaker 8: theod opt for one another. This was the community thing. 457 00:27:11,680 --> 00:27:14,160 Speaker 8: This was in the inner city community that we did 458 00:27:14,160 --> 00:27:17,000 Speaker 8: that because a lot of people it was part of 459 00:27:17,040 --> 00:27:17,600 Speaker 8: the culture. 460 00:27:18,119 --> 00:27:21,080 Speaker 1: Regina explained to me how she understands the context of 461 00:27:21,119 --> 00:27:22,520 Speaker 1: the party cruisine. 462 00:27:22,359 --> 00:27:27,800 Speaker 8: In two thousand one. You know, it evolved from the 463 00:27:27,960 --> 00:27:32,800 Speaker 8: nineties to Tupac Bigy having backyard bookies, and then we 464 00:27:32,800 --> 00:27:35,560 Speaker 8: were the new generation. Most of these kids that are 465 00:27:35,640 --> 00:27:39,200 Speaker 8: partying and two thousand and one to two thousand and. 466 00:27:39,080 --> 00:27:42,840 Speaker 6: Six were the fucking kids of these teen moms from 467 00:27:42,880 --> 00:27:45,040 Speaker 6: the nineties, like you know. 468 00:27:45,359 --> 00:27:49,520 Speaker 10: So I think that should be highlighted because people have 469 00:27:49,520 --> 00:27:50,640 Speaker 10: a lot of understanding. 470 00:27:53,640 --> 00:27:56,879 Speaker 1: A few months before Emory died, Regina and Emory had 471 00:27:56,880 --> 00:27:59,720 Speaker 1: a falling out. Emory had been hanging out with you 472 00:27:59,800 --> 00:28:03,720 Speaker 1: friend and the girls and the Vicious Ladies Crew, and 473 00:28:03,760 --> 00:28:08,040 Speaker 1: there was some teen drama, but their family connection ultimately 474 00:28:08,160 --> 00:28:08,960 Speaker 1: kept their bond. 475 00:28:09,200 --> 00:28:11,080 Speaker 6: My mom made me say sorry to her after she 476 00:28:11,160 --> 00:28:14,280 Speaker 6: found out what had happened, because you know, she felt, 477 00:28:14,320 --> 00:28:16,280 Speaker 6: what the fuck I've been knowing her mom before you 478 00:28:16,280 --> 00:28:19,160 Speaker 6: guys were even born, you know, like, I don't care 479 00:28:19,200 --> 00:28:21,159 Speaker 6: about your little girl cat drama. 480 00:28:22,720 --> 00:28:24,600 Speaker 8: So yeah, I had apologized to her. 481 00:28:25,200 --> 00:28:30,120 Speaker 6: We were like settled with our little scuffle, and then 482 00:28:30,160 --> 00:28:34,440 Speaker 6: she went missing. We were all fourteen year old litle 483 00:28:34,440 --> 00:28:36,639 Speaker 6: girls walking down City terrace. 484 00:28:36,680 --> 00:28:38,200 Speaker 8: That could have been any one of us. You know. 485 00:28:44,360 --> 00:28:46,000 Speaker 1: You know, what do you remember about the week that 486 00:28:46,120 --> 00:28:47,040 Speaker 1: Emory went missing? 487 00:28:47,640 --> 00:28:47,960 Speaker 7: Mmm? 488 00:28:49,800 --> 00:28:56,560 Speaker 11: I remember that day she came to school really pissed 489 00:28:56,560 --> 00:28:58,520 Speaker 11: off because of her mom. 490 00:28:58,760 --> 00:29:03,000 Speaker 1: This is Alexandra, her high school friend. Again. She remembers 491 00:29:03,040 --> 00:29:05,880 Speaker 1: that the last day she saw Emory, Emory was mad 492 00:29:05,880 --> 00:29:06,640 Speaker 1: at her mom. 493 00:29:06,800 --> 00:29:11,720 Speaker 11: And I remember she was just talking shit like that 494 00:29:11,800 --> 00:29:15,920 Speaker 11: her mom had gotten mad at her. Because I don't 495 00:29:15,920 --> 00:29:17,920 Speaker 11: really know what happened, but I know she was mad 496 00:29:17,960 --> 00:29:20,480 Speaker 11: at her or like getting ready or something like that, 497 00:29:21,960 --> 00:29:23,720 Speaker 11: and so she was really upset that. 498 00:29:23,720 --> 00:29:27,680 Speaker 1: Morning, Alejandra and Emory had plans to go to Kinzanghera, 499 00:29:28,160 --> 00:29:30,520 Speaker 1: so they planned to go shopping to pick out outfits 500 00:29:30,520 --> 00:29:31,160 Speaker 1: after school. 501 00:29:31,800 --> 00:29:35,520 Speaker 11: But that same day, my mom called me and told 502 00:29:35,560 --> 00:29:37,320 Speaker 11: me that I couldn't stay because I had to go 503 00:29:37,360 --> 00:29:39,080 Speaker 11: to the dentist. So I was like, okay, you know, 504 00:29:39,120 --> 00:29:42,680 Speaker 11: I'll call you later. So the next day, on Saturday, 505 00:29:42,880 --> 00:29:45,880 Speaker 11: I called her and her mom was like, I don't 506 00:29:45,880 --> 00:29:46,680 Speaker 11: know where she's at. 507 00:29:47,360 --> 00:29:51,160 Speaker 1: According to Emory's mom, Emory had left the house that 508 00:29:51,240 --> 00:29:56,000 Speaker 1: Friday afternoon to go to a friend's house. Emory's mom 509 00:29:56,080 --> 00:29:59,640 Speaker 1: called Emory that night, but she didn't pick up. 510 00:30:03,680 --> 00:30:06,240 Speaker 11: At that point, I was just like, damn, she went 511 00:30:06,280 --> 00:30:08,480 Speaker 11: somewhere and then tell me like that's messed up. 512 00:30:09,120 --> 00:30:13,680 Speaker 1: Remember, Emory would normally tell Alejandra about the parties, even 513 00:30:13,720 --> 00:30:15,840 Speaker 1: if she couldn't go, just to keep her in the loop, 514 00:30:16,640 --> 00:30:21,920 Speaker 1: so it seemed weird to her. The next day, Saturday, 515 00:30:23,000 --> 00:30:26,000 Speaker 1: Emory's mom and aunt Becky went to the Los Angeles 516 00:30:26,080 --> 00:30:29,880 Speaker 1: County Sheriff's Department station in Eastlea to file a missing 517 00:30:29,920 --> 00:30:31,160 Speaker 1: person's report. 518 00:30:31,360 --> 00:30:34,840 Speaker 4: And they said how long how she's been missing? And 519 00:30:34,880 --> 00:30:37,560 Speaker 4: they said, you know, it hadn't been twenty four hours, 520 00:30:37,880 --> 00:30:41,240 Speaker 4: and then I said, I'm the first forty eight hours, 521 00:30:41,280 --> 00:30:45,920 Speaker 4: the most critical ones, And right away they said that 522 00:30:46,000 --> 00:30:49,960 Speaker 4: if she was twelve, then they would look for her, 523 00:30:50,360 --> 00:30:53,760 Speaker 4: but once you're a teenager, they don't. You have to 524 00:30:53,760 --> 00:30:55,480 Speaker 4: wait the forty eight hours. 525 00:30:56,800 --> 00:30:59,320 Speaker 1: We reached out to the Sheriff's apartment about this, but 526 00:30:59,440 --> 00:31:03,440 Speaker 1: they declined to comment. They did confirm that by law, 527 00:31:03,840 --> 00:31:06,840 Speaker 1: the Sheriff's department is supposed to take missing persons reports 528 00:31:06,920 --> 00:31:09,840 Speaker 1: right away, there is no waiting period. 529 00:31:11,760 --> 00:31:15,200 Speaker 4: So I made a fuss over it, so they did 530 00:31:15,240 --> 00:31:17,040 Speaker 4: take a report from us. 531 00:31:18,360 --> 00:31:22,920 Speaker 1: Days passed and still no one had heard from Emory. 532 00:31:23,480 --> 00:31:27,000 Speaker 1: Her friends and family put up missing person flyers all over, 533 00:31:27,920 --> 00:31:30,080 Speaker 1: using her school portrait as a photo. 534 00:31:30,440 --> 00:31:32,480 Speaker 11: I stayed after school and I remember putting up the 535 00:31:32,560 --> 00:31:35,280 Speaker 11: last poster and I got like this really horrible feeling. 536 00:31:35,560 --> 00:31:39,920 Speaker 1: It was a Wednesday, January twenty fifth, six days since 537 00:31:40,000 --> 00:31:43,440 Speaker 1: Emory went missing, and I left. 538 00:31:43,560 --> 00:31:45,920 Speaker 11: It was after school, was like around five. I left, 539 00:31:46,000 --> 00:31:48,040 Speaker 11: and when I got home, my friend called me and 540 00:31:48,080 --> 00:31:49,920 Speaker 11: she's like, I just saw the cops. I get the 541 00:31:49,960 --> 00:31:53,960 Speaker 11: school and I heard what happened. So I ran back 542 00:31:53,960 --> 00:32:00,200 Speaker 11: and that's when they told me that they had found her. 543 00:32:00,800 --> 00:32:04,920 Speaker 1: Emory's sister Crystal, also remembers that day. 544 00:32:05,960 --> 00:32:09,400 Speaker 5: It was just it was It's a very vivid timeline 545 00:32:10,480 --> 00:32:13,480 Speaker 5: that seems that it went on forever and ever, but 546 00:32:13,560 --> 00:32:16,400 Speaker 5: like there's so little memory to actually like pulled. 547 00:32:16,200 --> 00:32:17,360 Speaker 9: Out of it. 548 00:32:17,360 --> 00:32:20,040 Speaker 5: It just feels like it was everlasting. Like nothing felt, 549 00:32:20,080 --> 00:32:23,520 Speaker 5: nothing felt right. Like I said, everything felt super gloomy. 550 00:32:23,600 --> 00:32:26,720 Speaker 5: Everything was like when I picture all this, I picture 551 00:32:26,800 --> 00:32:29,000 Speaker 5: just gray clouds in the sky. It was probably like 552 00:32:29,040 --> 00:32:32,240 Speaker 5: the sunniest day in January, but I picture clouds. 553 00:32:33,400 --> 00:32:33,800 Speaker 11: It was. 554 00:32:34,200 --> 00:32:36,840 Speaker 5: It was a hard I mean till this day it's hard, 555 00:32:36,880 --> 00:32:42,720 Speaker 5: but that that time it was it was so off, 556 00:32:43,240 --> 00:32:43,760 Speaker 5: so dark. 557 00:32:50,400 --> 00:32:53,320 Speaker 1: Emory's body was found at a warehouse in Boyle Heights, 558 00:32:53,400 --> 00:32:58,160 Speaker 1: a few miles away from her home. LPD described the 559 00:32:58,200 --> 00:33:03,920 Speaker 1: warehouse as a place where teens would gather to throw parties. Immediately, 560 00:33:04,520 --> 00:33:06,880 Speaker 1: it was assumed that she must have been at a 561 00:33:06,880 --> 00:33:09,959 Speaker 1: party that night she went missing, or that someone from 562 00:33:10,000 --> 00:33:11,840 Speaker 1: the party cruisine knew something. 563 00:33:13,960 --> 00:33:16,760 Speaker 6: When we found out that they found her in a warehouse, 564 00:33:16,760 --> 00:33:20,080 Speaker 6: Supposedly that's where parties have been helped, but that doesn't 565 00:33:20,440 --> 00:33:25,120 Speaker 6: connect Emory to a certain party that night or fire 566 00:33:25,200 --> 00:33:28,840 Speaker 6: party are the reason why she got killed. They're trying 567 00:33:28,840 --> 00:33:30,880 Speaker 6: to connect two things that don't go together. 568 00:33:31,280 --> 00:33:33,640 Speaker 1: This is Regina Emory's childhood friend. 569 00:33:33,640 --> 00:33:36,360 Speaker 8: Again, that's why you're right now. Emory is no fucking 570 00:33:36,400 --> 00:33:37,000 Speaker 8: way that she. 571 00:33:36,920 --> 00:33:39,840 Speaker 10: Would leave the house going to go to a flyer 572 00:33:39,880 --> 00:33:42,040 Speaker 10: party with no bag, no backpack. 573 00:33:42,640 --> 00:33:45,320 Speaker 8: She's not going in a Kinkerbolt sleater with tennis shoes. 574 00:33:45,400 --> 00:33:46,840 Speaker 8: That was not how we went. 575 00:33:51,320 --> 00:33:55,480 Speaker 6: I feel like when I see her story, it's I 576 00:33:55,480 --> 00:33:58,720 Speaker 6: feel like it's misdirected for sure, Like, yes, Emory was 577 00:33:58,800 --> 00:34:02,240 Speaker 6: a teenager going to a party, but how do you 578 00:34:02,320 --> 00:34:06,080 Speaker 6: not know some serial killer freaking picked her up and 579 00:34:06,680 --> 00:34:10,680 Speaker 6: just dumped her body there at a coincidence. I just 580 00:34:10,719 --> 00:34:13,480 Speaker 6: don't like how her image is put out there, you know, 581 00:34:13,840 --> 00:34:19,200 Speaker 6: like this beautiful fourteen year old girl missing and going 582 00:34:19,280 --> 00:34:21,720 Speaker 6: to a fire party and she never came come home. 583 00:34:21,920 --> 00:34:26,160 Speaker 8: Like it's a good storyline, but it doesn't get closure to. 584 00:34:26,120 --> 00:34:31,920 Speaker 1: Her family, Like Regina says, it's a good storyline, but 585 00:34:32,040 --> 00:34:36,000 Speaker 1: how much of it is true? So that's what I 586 00:34:36,040 --> 00:34:42,160 Speaker 1: want to find out. And I'm going to be real 587 00:34:42,200 --> 00:34:45,200 Speaker 1: with you. I know that when you hear Unsolved murder, 588 00:34:45,440 --> 00:34:49,480 Speaker 1: you immediately think, okay, true crime podcast that this is 589 00:34:49,520 --> 00:34:51,839 Speaker 1: going to all be about finding the person who did 590 00:34:51,880 --> 00:34:56,040 Speaker 1: this to her, And yes we will get into her 591 00:34:56,080 --> 00:35:00,000 Speaker 1: case from the investigation into her death and the miss 592 00:35:00,320 --> 00:35:02,239 Speaker 1: that remained around it. 593 00:35:02,440 --> 00:35:05,319 Speaker 10: When I got to the scene that I knew that 594 00:35:05,760 --> 00:35:08,160 Speaker 10: I knew she had been dead for a while and 595 00:35:08,239 --> 00:35:10,320 Speaker 10: it appeared to me that she didn't die there. 596 00:35:10,480 --> 00:35:12,440 Speaker 1: To the way in which your case got co opted 597 00:35:12,480 --> 00:35:15,359 Speaker 1: by a local politician, But we have to. 598 00:35:15,200 --> 00:35:18,560 Speaker 5: Put everyone un notice that these parties may it can 599 00:35:18,680 --> 00:35:22,200 Speaker 5: be dangerous and the city should be doing more to 600 00:35:22,239 --> 00:35:23,479 Speaker 5: stop these To. 601 00:35:23,440 --> 00:35:26,520 Speaker 1: How we were targeted by police who believe the party 602 00:35:26,560 --> 00:35:29,320 Speaker 1: CRUI scene was a threat and mostly gang members. 603 00:35:29,400 --> 00:35:31,920 Speaker 5: It started off as the normal rating the party, with 604 00:35:32,000 --> 00:35:35,040 Speaker 5: one cop car or sometimes ten or fifteen cop cars 605 00:35:35,239 --> 00:35:39,360 Speaker 5: blocking off the street, helicopters showing up in flashing everybody. 606 00:35:39,840 --> 00:35:44,759 Speaker 3: It is a lacity gang that started off as a 607 00:35:44,800 --> 00:35:51,239 Speaker 3: tag banging gang. They are morphing into a traditional Hispanic 608 00:35:51,520 --> 00:35:52,120 Speaker 3: turf gang. 609 00:35:52,680 --> 00:35:55,880 Speaker 1: But in Emery's case, I also see another question that 610 00:35:55,960 --> 00:35:59,360 Speaker 1: is important to explore. Why did party crews get blamed 611 00:35:59,400 --> 00:36:02,240 Speaker 1: for her death? And what does that say about us? 612 00:36:03,880 --> 00:36:06,480 Speaker 1: It's easy to forget that Emory and I were just 613 00:36:06,640 --> 00:36:10,520 Speaker 1: kids navigating through a world that wasn't made for us. 614 00:36:11,160 --> 00:36:14,319 Speaker 1: We built somethings shiny and fun, a world of our own. 615 00:36:21,080 --> 00:36:23,520 Speaker 1: In the next episode, I look back at my own 616 00:36:23,560 --> 00:36:26,880 Speaker 1: teenage years to understand the thrill of the party cruising. 617 00:36:27,360 --> 00:36:30,399 Speaker 11: I had friends catching me through my window to sneak out. 618 00:36:30,719 --> 00:36:31,680 Speaker 6: I mean ten thirties. 619 00:36:31,680 --> 00:36:33,359 Speaker 1: When the party starts, I. 620 00:36:33,280 --> 00:36:36,279 Speaker 7: Can't believe I drove my moms like cleaning astro van 621 00:36:36,600 --> 00:36:38,360 Speaker 7: and drove with girls through parties. 622 00:36:39,960 --> 00:36:54,680 Speaker 1: Oh that's next time. This episode was written, reported, and 623 00:36:54,719 --> 00:36:58,799 Speaker 1: hosted by me Jane Siamoca. Our show is produced and 624 00:36:58,840 --> 00:37:03,520 Speaker 1: reported by Sophia Pelisa car Victoria Lejandro, and Kyle Chang, 625 00:37:04,320 --> 00:37:09,480 Speaker 1: and edited by Antonia Seri Huido. Additional editing by Annie Avilus, 626 00:37:10,320 --> 00:37:14,640 Speaker 1: fact checking by Nitia Aboutista, sound design and original music 627 00:37:14,680 --> 00:37:19,400 Speaker 1: composition by Kyle Murdoch. Our supervising producer is Janet Lee, 628 00:37:20,040 --> 00:37:24,840 Speaker 1: Art by Julie Ruiz and Victois Collon. Our executive producer 629 00:37:24,880 --> 00:37:28,799 Speaker 1: from Vice Audio is Kate Osborne. Our executive producers from 630 00:37:28,840 --> 00:37:33,520 Speaker 1: Elias Studios are Antonia Seri Huido and Leo g Our. 631 00:37:33,600 --> 00:37:37,200 Speaker 1: Vice President of Podcasts from Elias Studios is Shane and 632 00:37:37,280 --> 00:37:41,920 Speaker 1: Naomi Krackmo. Special thanks to the UCLA Department of Communication 633 00:37:42,160 --> 00:37:46,160 Speaker 1: Archive for access to their news collections. Party Cruise The 634 00:37:46,200 --> 00:37:49,439 Speaker 1: Untold Story is a production of Elias Studios in Vice 635 00:37:49,480 --> 00:37:53,920 Speaker 1: Audio in partnership with Iheart's Mico Dura podcast network. For 636 00:37:54,000 --> 00:37:58,000 Speaker 1: more podcasts, listen to the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or 637 00:37:58,040 --> 00:38:01,600 Speaker 1: wherever you listen to your favorite shows. Yes and Hey, 638 00:38:01,960 --> 00:38:04,200 Speaker 1: were you and a party crew? Send us your party 639 00:38:04,239 --> 00:38:07,320 Speaker 1: flyers or photos. I'd love to see them, even a 640 00:38:07,400 --> 00:38:10,279 Speaker 1: voice message about your memories. Anything. You can send us 641 00:38:10,280 --> 00:38:14,800 Speaker 1: a message or a picture at party crusat eliastudios dot com. 642 00:38:15,200 --> 00:38:18,120 Speaker 1: Support for this podcast is made possible by Gordon and 643 00:38:18,160 --> 00:38:22,080 Speaker 1: Donna Crawford, who believe that quality journalism makes Los Angeles 644 00:38:22,120 --> 00:38:25,719 Speaker 1: a better place to live. This program is made possible 645 00:38:26,000 --> 00:38:29,760 Speaker 1: in part by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, a private 646 00:38:29,800 --> 00:38:32,200 Speaker 1: corporation funded by the American people.