1 00:00:00,080 --> 00:00:03,680 Speaker 1: After Emory's death, her aunt Becky kept calling the LAPD 2 00:00:04,080 --> 00:00:08,719 Speaker 1: detective after detective just to check in for over a decade. 3 00:00:08,840 --> 00:00:13,240 Speaker 1: There's no faith to have. It's like I said, if 4 00:00:13,240 --> 00:00:16,160 Speaker 1: she wouldn't call, we probably wouldn't know anything. This is 5 00:00:16,200 --> 00:00:19,560 Speaker 1: Emory's sister, Crystal. Again, we'd probably be thirty steps behind 6 00:00:19,600 --> 00:00:23,119 Speaker 1: where we actually are now. And you know, I know 7 00:00:23,160 --> 00:00:26,520 Speaker 1: they have big jobs, big cases they need to take 8 00:00:26,560 --> 00:00:30,520 Speaker 1: care of, but she, along with the other millions of 9 00:00:30,800 --> 00:00:34,440 Speaker 1: people that have been murdered, meant something to us. She 10 00:00:34,560 --> 00:00:36,920 Speaker 1: had a family and she was only fourteen. She had 11 00:00:37,000 --> 00:00:40,199 Speaker 1: a future of out of her. It's hard to have 12 00:00:40,800 --> 00:00:44,400 Speaker 1: faith and something that you see no potential in because 13 00:00:44,400 --> 00:00:48,000 Speaker 1: the people in charge they're not They're not giving you 14 00:00:48,040 --> 00:00:50,720 Speaker 1: any insights, they're not keeping you updated, they're not keeping 15 00:00:50,760 --> 00:00:53,400 Speaker 1: you in the loop. They kind of just brush it 16 00:00:53,440 --> 00:00:57,360 Speaker 1: off in a sense. And you know, like I feel, 17 00:00:57,400 --> 00:01:02,040 Speaker 1: if she was taken to from the beginning, we would 18 00:01:02,120 --> 00:01:04,320 Speaker 1: probably know something Bry now. So when I did get 19 00:01:04,319 --> 00:01:09,320 Speaker 1: new information on Emory's case, I immediately called her aunt Becky. Hello, 20 00:01:10,640 --> 00:01:14,360 Speaker 1: Hi Becky, Hi, how are you hi? Good? This is 21 00:01:14,440 --> 00:01:17,640 Speaker 1: Janis from Vice Vice N Yes, yes, how are you 22 00:01:18,480 --> 00:01:23,400 Speaker 1: I'm okay, I'm waiting for my mouth to doct disappointment. Okay, 23 00:01:23,480 --> 00:01:28,640 Speaker 1: how oh so so we're we got here early, so 24 00:01:28,680 --> 00:01:31,560 Speaker 1: we're waiting in the car for the time. They don't 25 00:01:31,560 --> 00:01:37,080 Speaker 1: have you right, Yeah, exactly. Yeah, we've been trying to 26 00:01:37,080 --> 00:01:40,320 Speaker 1: get a hold of anyone at Central Bureau Homicide UM 27 00:01:40,360 --> 00:01:43,560 Speaker 1: because they've just stopped been answering our phone calls, not 28 00:01:43,680 --> 00:01:47,199 Speaker 1: been like you know, not not not answering anything. We've 29 00:01:47,240 --> 00:01:49,200 Speaker 1: been living voicemails, and they've been kind of hard to 30 00:01:49,200 --> 00:01:55,560 Speaker 1: getting in contact with. Yeah, yeah, and yeah, we finally did. 31 00:01:56,280 --> 00:02:01,080 Speaker 1: They said that the case is currently considered fresh, which 32 00:02:01,080 --> 00:02:04,000 Speaker 1: means it's active because of information that was provided by 33 00:02:04,040 --> 00:02:06,440 Speaker 1: the by the family. We don't know what the family 34 00:02:06,520 --> 00:02:11,400 Speaker 1: lead was, and LABD won't share more specifics. The family 35 00:02:11,400 --> 00:02:15,040 Speaker 1: members we talked to don't seem to know either. I'm 36 00:02:15,040 --> 00:02:18,160 Speaker 1: not really sure what he meant by information that was 37 00:02:18,200 --> 00:02:22,799 Speaker 1: provided by the family, but it was. Yeah. Every time 38 00:02:22,840 --> 00:02:26,760 Speaker 1: we'll hear like a rumor or somebody calls one of 39 00:02:26,880 --> 00:02:31,160 Speaker 1: us with some seeing that they heard, we called right 40 00:02:31,240 --> 00:03:15,240 Speaker 1: away and we let them know. From I Heearts, Michael 41 00:03:15,280 --> 00:03:19,359 Speaker 1: du A, Podcast Network, Vice and Elia Studios, this is 42 00:03:19,440 --> 00:03:57,760 Speaker 1: party cruise the Untold Story. I'm Genus Amalca. In November 43 00:03:57,760 --> 00:04:01,280 Speaker 1: of twenty twenty one, LIPD told us that Emory's case 44 00:04:01,480 --> 00:04:05,720 Speaker 1: was fresh again, meaning that while it had been cold, 45 00:04:06,320 --> 00:04:10,120 Speaker 1: they were investigating new information related to the case. We 46 00:04:10,200 --> 00:04:13,320 Speaker 1: kept calling for updates but couldn't get more information than that. 47 00:04:13,840 --> 00:04:17,720 Speaker 1: But a few months later we did get a new contact. Okay, 48 00:04:17,839 --> 00:04:21,800 Speaker 1: I'll hear you this. Yes, okay, I was out of 49 00:04:21,800 --> 00:04:24,760 Speaker 1: the country visiting my family in Peru for a few weeks. 50 00:04:25,320 --> 00:04:28,479 Speaker 1: So this is senior producer Sophia Palissa Carr on the 51 00:04:28,520 --> 00:04:31,359 Speaker 1: phone with Becky. I ended up getting a call and 52 00:04:31,440 --> 00:04:33,200 Speaker 1: she had some information that I wanted to pass on 53 00:04:33,320 --> 00:04:36,479 Speaker 1: to you. The corner investigator we interviewed in a past 54 00:04:36,560 --> 00:04:40,240 Speaker 1: episode told us she wanted us to pass on to 55 00:04:40,360 --> 00:04:44,120 Speaker 1: Emory's family the name and number of an investigator she knew. 56 00:04:44,680 --> 00:04:48,960 Speaker 1: His name is Moiss Castillo. Moses Castillo is a former 57 00:04:49,080 --> 00:04:53,320 Speaker 1: LPD detective supervisor where he worked specifically on crimes against 58 00:04:53,440 --> 00:04:58,120 Speaker 1: children for fifteen years. After close to three decades, he 59 00:04:58,200 --> 00:05:00,320 Speaker 1: retired from the force and now he work for a 60 00:05:00,360 --> 00:05:04,279 Speaker 1: law firm as a chief investigator where he also does 61 00:05:04,360 --> 00:05:09,039 Speaker 1: pro bone or work and what he told me. I 62 00:05:09,080 --> 00:05:11,240 Speaker 1: called him and just talked to him, and he told 63 00:05:11,240 --> 00:05:15,200 Speaker 1: me that his priority would be to make sure that 64 00:05:15,800 --> 00:05:19,080 Speaker 1: the family could meet with the police department and just 65 00:05:19,160 --> 00:05:21,719 Speaker 1: make sure that where the case is at now. And 66 00:05:22,000 --> 00:05:24,039 Speaker 1: I don't really know what that means exactly, but I 67 00:05:24,080 --> 00:05:26,120 Speaker 1: know that he has a lot of contacts in LAPD, 68 00:05:26,240 --> 00:05:28,520 Speaker 1: like you should really talk to him and see what 69 00:05:28,760 --> 00:05:34,240 Speaker 1: you want to do. So what do you think do 70 00:05:34,279 --> 00:05:36,320 Speaker 1: you think you might would like? Yeah, I would like 71 00:05:36,400 --> 00:05:39,520 Speaker 1: to meet with him, you know, and uh, you know 72 00:05:40,080 --> 00:05:45,600 Speaker 1: my niece Crystal and my sister Maria, and I was 73 00:05:45,760 --> 00:05:48,280 Speaker 1: say her dad. They don't live together anymore with him 74 00:05:48,320 --> 00:05:51,159 Speaker 1: and my sister, but he's still in the picture. So 75 00:05:51,760 --> 00:05:53,520 Speaker 1: I mean, I don't know if you would like to 76 00:05:53,560 --> 00:05:56,400 Speaker 1: be there too. I would love to be there just 77 00:05:56,440 --> 00:05:59,840 Speaker 1: to see the process. And I think how hard it 78 00:06:00,160 --> 00:06:02,880 Speaker 1: to get information is important for people to know, and 79 00:06:03,279 --> 00:06:06,919 Speaker 1: you know, it's been so long. But whatever you're comfortable with, 80 00:06:08,120 --> 00:06:10,960 Speaker 1: I'll stop calling people today and see and then call 81 00:06:11,120 --> 00:06:16,120 Speaker 1: him too. Sophia is going to take it from here. 82 00:06:18,279 --> 00:06:20,359 Speaker 1: HI can help you. Hi, I'm going up to sweet 83 00:06:20,480 --> 00:06:24,080 Speaker 1: nineteen ninety. Are you here for Moses Castillo Um He's 84 00:06:24,160 --> 00:06:27,160 Speaker 1: part of the law for After I talked to Becky, 85 00:06:27,400 --> 00:06:30,279 Speaker 1: she did end up reaching out to Moses, and a 86 00:06:30,320 --> 00:06:33,400 Speaker 1: couple of days later she let me know that they 87 00:06:33,480 --> 00:06:36,760 Speaker 1: had set a time to meet. I was surprised because 88 00:06:37,120 --> 00:06:41,240 Speaker 1: about ten people showed up. This is Maria, Emory's mom. 89 00:06:41,400 --> 00:06:48,080 Speaker 1: Helloa Becky, Emory's aunt, was there as well as Emory's 90 00:06:48,120 --> 00:06:51,520 Speaker 1: mom and her dad, and her brother John. John's wife 91 00:06:51,520 --> 00:06:53,840 Speaker 1: and his two kids also came out, and a couple 92 00:06:53,839 --> 00:06:56,960 Speaker 1: of Emory's friends too, Alejandra, who we've spoken to, and 93 00:06:57,040 --> 00:07:01,120 Speaker 1: her other friend Madison. Since originally Emory's mom hadn't been 94 00:07:01,160 --> 00:07:04,000 Speaker 1: interested in speaking to us for this story, this was 95 00:07:04,040 --> 00:07:06,440 Speaker 1: the first time that any of us had heard from 96 00:07:06,520 --> 00:07:10,200 Speaker 1: either of Emory's parents before we met. We did ask 97 00:07:10,240 --> 00:07:12,840 Speaker 1: the entire family for permission, and they agreed to let 98 00:07:12,920 --> 00:07:15,800 Speaker 1: us record it. The meeting was at a law firm 99 00:07:15,840 --> 00:07:19,520 Speaker 1: in downtown Glendale on a Saturday morning in February. It 100 00:07:19,560 --> 00:07:22,720 Speaker 1: was this tall, glossy building and because it was the weekend, 101 00:07:22,960 --> 00:07:31,160 Speaker 1: the entire office was empty and quiet. Anybody want any coffee? 102 00:07:31,600 --> 00:07:33,680 Speaker 1: And there's a little next for the kids too, for 103 00:07:33,840 --> 00:07:37,320 Speaker 1: the dults to This is the former detective Moses Castillo, 104 00:07:38,080 --> 00:07:40,520 Speaker 1: His demeanor was low key. He had brought some pandu 105 00:07:40,920 --> 00:07:42,640 Speaker 1: and he joked as he put it on the table 106 00:07:42,800 --> 00:07:46,240 Speaker 1: that quote I heard there were some Latinos here. He 107 00:07:46,360 --> 00:07:50,040 Speaker 1: clearly understood it was going to be intense for the family. Well, 108 00:07:50,040 --> 00:07:55,040 Speaker 1: first of all, I want to say thank you for 109 00:07:55,200 --> 00:07:59,680 Speaker 1: ling me in this journey that you've been going through 110 00:07:59,680 --> 00:08:03,800 Speaker 1: for so long. And it's I have no word for relate. 111 00:08:03,840 --> 00:08:08,160 Speaker 1: I dream he's the pain and that I want to 112 00:08:08,200 --> 00:08:11,240 Speaker 1: hear about Emory. I want you to tell me about Emory, 113 00:08:11,680 --> 00:08:13,520 Speaker 1: and I know that might be painful, but it still 114 00:08:13,600 --> 00:08:18,800 Speaker 1: be important because I want My ultimate goal is to 115 00:08:18,840 --> 00:08:21,960 Speaker 1: get you to me with the detectives on his case. 116 00:08:28,280 --> 00:08:31,440 Speaker 1: Before we ended up getting into the nitty gritty, Moses 117 00:08:31,480 --> 00:08:35,640 Speaker 1: asked to lead the room in prayer. Good God, I 118 00:08:35,760 --> 00:08:41,360 Speaker 1: thank you for your love and for you goodness, all right, grace, 119 00:08:43,360 --> 00:08:46,520 Speaker 1: that you would that Emory's family know that they are 120 00:08:46,559 --> 00:08:53,200 Speaker 1: not alone. During the prayer, Emory's mother started to get emotional. 121 00:08:53,800 --> 00:08:57,439 Speaker 1: Moses asked her to speak first, but she couldn't, so 122 00:08:57,480 --> 00:09:02,480 Speaker 1: he turned to Jose, Emory's dad. Because you want do 123 00:09:02,480 --> 00:09:07,160 Speaker 1: you want someone else to start or give you some time? 124 00:09:11,080 --> 00:09:14,000 Speaker 1: Who's it? Yes, sir, would you like to tell me 125 00:09:14,000 --> 00:09:18,640 Speaker 1: about I was not there. I was a father figure 126 00:09:19,520 --> 00:09:22,920 Speaker 1: and um but uh I would see them and give 127 00:09:23,000 --> 00:09:26,160 Speaker 1: them what they needed. As you know, they called me 128 00:09:26,160 --> 00:09:31,240 Speaker 1: and they tell me, and uh, you know, I just 129 00:09:32,840 --> 00:09:36,199 Speaker 1: I just I like I said, I was, I wasn't there, 130 00:09:37,160 --> 00:09:39,720 Speaker 1: you know, like the way I wish I would. I was. 131 00:09:40,760 --> 00:09:44,960 Speaker 1: And you know she was. She was a She was 132 00:09:45,000 --> 00:09:47,320 Speaker 1: a happy child. And I know she would cry and 133 00:09:47,360 --> 00:09:50,640 Speaker 1: say where's my dad? Where's my dad? Because I wasn't there. 134 00:09:51,320 --> 00:09:56,240 Speaker 1: But she, you know, I just she was. She was 135 00:09:56,280 --> 00:09:59,680 Speaker 1: a happy girl. When Maria was finally ready to talk, 136 00:10:00,080 --> 00:10:02,240 Speaker 1: she ended up echoing a lot of what Jose said. 137 00:10:02,840 --> 00:10:05,440 Speaker 1: She was wearing this silver chain necklace with two hearts, 138 00:10:05,640 --> 00:10:09,839 Speaker 1: which used to belong to Emory. So I shee was 139 00:10:09,880 --> 00:10:16,240 Speaker 1: a wonderful person. She was always singing, dancing. She's timing 140 00:10:16,320 --> 00:10:19,000 Speaker 1: that she wanted She had a lot of friends. She 141 00:10:19,120 --> 00:10:22,520 Speaker 1: wanted everybody to like her. She would put her brands 142 00:10:22,840 --> 00:10:25,840 Speaker 1: for her if they needed something. She was always copying 143 00:10:25,880 --> 00:10:30,080 Speaker 1: them out. And she was just a happy person. I 144 00:10:30,200 --> 00:10:34,280 Speaker 1: only told why somebody would want to hurt her. Maria 145 00:10:34,360 --> 00:10:37,400 Speaker 1: told Moses how Emory struggled at school, how there were 146 00:10:37,440 --> 00:10:40,280 Speaker 1: girls who wanted to jump her. We talked about this 147 00:10:40,320 --> 00:10:43,560 Speaker 1: in a previous episode about how the family recalls that 148 00:10:43,679 --> 00:10:45,439 Speaker 1: some girls showed up one day at the house and 149 00:10:45,559 --> 00:10:49,240 Speaker 1: harassed Emory with a baseball bat. So Maria had her 150 00:10:49,280 --> 00:10:52,520 Speaker 1: changed schools and then homeschooled her for two years, and 151 00:10:52,520 --> 00:10:55,600 Speaker 1: then she went to Francisco Bravo High School, where things 152 00:10:55,640 --> 00:10:58,280 Speaker 1: had seemed to be going well when she started going 153 00:10:58,320 --> 00:11:03,080 Speaker 1: to brav where her grace went back up. And I 154 00:11:03,080 --> 00:11:05,800 Speaker 1: guess said, maybe she's hang around with the wrong crowd 155 00:11:06,000 --> 00:11:08,959 Speaker 1: or because she wasn't having poulos though. It's like I 156 00:11:09,000 --> 00:11:11,440 Speaker 1: would ask her, is there anybody that wants to hurt true? 157 00:11:11,480 --> 00:11:14,559 Speaker 1: Is everybody wants you like tell you stuff? She's like, no, no, no, 158 00:11:14,880 --> 00:11:17,559 Speaker 1: they agreed to whatever. I guess it was just the 159 00:11:17,640 --> 00:11:21,680 Speaker 1: crowd she hanged around with that I don't know. The 160 00:11:21,760 --> 00:11:24,880 Speaker 1: other person that we haven't heard from directly, but whose 161 00:11:24,920 --> 00:11:28,040 Speaker 1: name had come up in other interviews was Emory's younger 162 00:11:28,080 --> 00:11:31,000 Speaker 1: brother John, any other questions, you want to share something 163 00:11:31,040 --> 00:11:35,080 Speaker 1: about your sister. John is the one who got in 164 00:11:35,080 --> 00:11:37,880 Speaker 1: a fight with her the day she disappeared. He was 165 00:11:37,920 --> 00:11:39,960 Speaker 1: sitting at the very end of the table and he 166 00:11:40,080 --> 00:11:45,280 Speaker 1: was wearing an La Rams jacket. Um, you know, I 167 00:11:45,440 --> 00:11:52,600 Speaker 1: was thirteen at the time, she was fourteen. I was, 168 00:11:57,679 --> 00:12:00,800 Speaker 1: I was all enough to know what was going on. 169 00:12:02,080 --> 00:12:08,360 Speaker 1: But we're too young to understand. My sister was involved 170 00:12:10,720 --> 00:12:14,280 Speaker 1: a lot. You know, she was too young to be 171 00:12:14,760 --> 00:12:20,240 Speaker 1: involved with the people that she hung around with, you know, 172 00:12:20,280 --> 00:12:24,920 Speaker 1: the party scene. She knew a lot for her aide um, 173 00:12:27,360 --> 00:12:33,760 Speaker 1: I'm at peace, you know, of what would occurred. I 174 00:12:34,000 --> 00:12:38,199 Speaker 1: came to peace with it. No matter what, you know, 175 00:12:38,880 --> 00:12:42,600 Speaker 1: doing justice or not, it doesn't I really, it doesn't 176 00:12:42,600 --> 00:12:46,080 Speaker 1: really matter to me. You know, I don't believe her 177 00:12:46,160 --> 00:12:56,600 Speaker 1: as well, and so I forgive the people or a 178 00:12:56,640 --> 00:13:07,600 Speaker 1: person that did the If we could find out what happened, 179 00:13:08,440 --> 00:13:13,000 Speaker 1: it'll be you know, from their mom. You know, she's 180 00:13:13,000 --> 00:13:19,360 Speaker 1: who will heard at it to the other part of 181 00:13:19,360 --> 00:13:22,200 Speaker 1: this meeting was creating a space to share tips and 182 00:13:22,320 --> 00:13:25,280 Speaker 1: theories that have come in over the years. As we've 183 00:13:25,320 --> 00:13:27,760 Speaker 1: mentioned in a previous episode, the family has a ton 184 00:13:27,800 --> 00:13:30,840 Speaker 1: of them. People have reached out from all over giving 185 00:13:30,840 --> 00:13:34,280 Speaker 1: them information after Emory's death, things they saw or things 186 00:13:34,280 --> 00:13:36,680 Speaker 1: they heard, and this is the type of information that 187 00:13:36,720 --> 00:13:40,560 Speaker 1: Becky would call LAPD detectives with whether they followed up 188 00:13:40,640 --> 00:13:43,400 Speaker 1: or not. The family doesn't know, but they would call 189 00:13:43,480 --> 00:13:46,960 Speaker 1: and relay everything that they heard. There are two theories 190 00:13:46,960 --> 00:13:49,240 Speaker 1: that we've heard that have come up again and again. 191 00:13:49,800 --> 00:13:52,719 Speaker 1: Like we said previously, given the total speculative nature of 192 00:13:52,760 --> 00:13:56,280 Speaker 1: these theories, we're only going to include first initials and 193 00:13:56,320 --> 00:13:58,079 Speaker 1: we're going to cut out full names in the tape 194 00:13:58,080 --> 00:14:01,480 Speaker 1: for privacy. So one of the theories was about Emory's 195 00:14:01,520 --> 00:14:03,760 Speaker 1: former boyfriend at the time of her death, who we 196 00:14:03,840 --> 00:14:07,640 Speaker 1: are calling r. He's currently in prison for a second 197 00:14:07,679 --> 00:14:11,480 Speaker 1: degree attempted murder. In the meeting, Emory's mom talked about 198 00:14:11,559 --> 00:14:14,160 Speaker 1: how a friend of the family ran into our after 199 00:14:14,200 --> 00:14:17,920 Speaker 1: Emory's death. They were talking to him through the window 200 00:14:18,200 --> 00:14:21,640 Speaker 1: and that she said that she hurled her out and 201 00:14:21,680 --> 00:14:25,760 Speaker 1: she's seen Emory's rings inside of struck. That was like 202 00:14:25,840 --> 00:14:30,840 Speaker 1: about six months she classed away. Oh my, yeah, we visit. 203 00:14:31,240 --> 00:14:33,840 Speaker 1: We mentioned this in episode four. But Emory was known 204 00:14:33,840 --> 00:14:36,680 Speaker 1: for wearing all these different rings, and when she was 205 00:14:36,720 --> 00:14:39,520 Speaker 1: found they were all gone, and there were tan lines 206 00:14:39,560 --> 00:14:41,840 Speaker 1: as well in her hands where they had been. Her 207 00:14:41,880 --> 00:14:46,200 Speaker 1: family never found those rings. The other theory is focused 208 00:14:46,240 --> 00:14:51,320 Speaker 1: on Emory's friend's ex boyfriend we're calling him. S Alejandra, 209 00:14:51,560 --> 00:14:53,680 Speaker 1: her high school friend, says he spoke to Emory the 210 00:14:53,760 --> 00:14:57,640 Speaker 1: day she disappeared, and I'm not sure what they talked about, 211 00:14:57,840 --> 00:15:01,680 Speaker 1: but I remember they were going to meet after school 212 00:15:01,920 --> 00:15:04,880 Speaker 1: and he was pretty upset about something that had happened. 213 00:15:05,040 --> 00:15:07,960 Speaker 1: She says that s got upset with Emory because he 214 00:15:08,000 --> 00:15:12,040 Speaker 1: felt that Emory got in between him and his ex girlfriend. Again, 215 00:15:12,120 --> 00:15:14,000 Speaker 1: We've tried to reach out to all of these people 216 00:15:14,120 --> 00:15:18,480 Speaker 1: numerous times. Maria. Emory's mom also said that they had 217 00:15:18,480 --> 00:15:21,120 Speaker 1: been told that the police did talk to s at 218 00:15:21,120 --> 00:15:24,360 Speaker 1: the time. They went to his house supposedly and he 219 00:15:24,440 --> 00:15:27,080 Speaker 1: got arrested to see the on guns in his house, 220 00:15:28,160 --> 00:15:30,360 Speaker 1: and he went in and they took him to jail 221 00:15:31,000 --> 00:15:35,440 Speaker 1: and then under clever cop pretending he was an inmate, 222 00:15:35,640 --> 00:15:38,200 Speaker 1: put him in the same sound to see if he 223 00:15:38,240 --> 00:15:41,800 Speaker 1: could get information from him, you know, brought up every 224 00:15:41,800 --> 00:15:43,520 Speaker 1: you know kime out and said, well, did you know, 225 00:15:43,600 --> 00:15:45,280 Speaker 1: did you hear what happened to that girl? They said that, 226 00:15:45,400 --> 00:15:47,680 Speaker 1: you know, to see if he would say anything, but 227 00:15:47,800 --> 00:15:51,800 Speaker 1: he never commented nothing. They never got nothing out of him. 228 00:15:51,960 --> 00:15:54,840 Speaker 1: Moses was taking notes the whole time, and after about 229 00:15:54,840 --> 00:15:57,320 Speaker 1: an hour an hour and a half John's baby started 230 00:15:57,320 --> 00:16:00,160 Speaker 1: to get fussy, and the family seemed pretty wiped and 231 00:16:00,240 --> 00:16:04,280 Speaker 1: the meeting ended. And if you are thinking of reaching 232 00:16:04,280 --> 00:16:08,880 Speaker 1: out to you at any point, don't hesitate you call them. Okay, 233 00:16:09,040 --> 00:16:11,240 Speaker 1: let me a little pick up. I'll pick up my cat. 234 00:16:11,360 --> 00:16:14,960 Speaker 1: I'll call you when I'm able to, because my knees 235 00:16:14,960 --> 00:16:19,240 Speaker 1: didn't very busy sometimes. But on the way out, I 236 00:16:19,320 --> 00:16:22,560 Speaker 1: caught up with Becky in the parking garage. I wanted 237 00:16:22,560 --> 00:16:24,600 Speaker 1: to know how she felt. Did you feel like your 238 00:16:24,600 --> 00:16:27,120 Speaker 1: expectations in the beginning changed over the course of the 239 00:16:27,160 --> 00:16:29,160 Speaker 1: meeting or are either the same or hown't you know? 240 00:16:29,560 --> 00:16:33,720 Speaker 1: My expectations are high. I love the way the detector 241 00:16:34,160 --> 00:16:37,240 Speaker 1: talked to us. I love that he began with a prayer, 242 00:16:37,440 --> 00:16:45,920 Speaker 1: thanking God like we should always. I felt that he's, uh, okay, 243 00:16:45,920 --> 00:16:49,840 Speaker 1: thank you, nice me you so you're welcome, thank you. 244 00:16:51,360 --> 00:16:57,960 Speaker 1: I feel this sincecere in in his voice and his heart. 245 00:16:58,440 --> 00:17:01,680 Speaker 1: After the family left, I asked Moses what he thought 246 00:17:01,680 --> 00:17:05,000 Speaker 1: about what he heard in the meeting. After hearing them 247 00:17:05,080 --> 00:17:07,639 Speaker 1: speak and giving me some insights as to what happened. 248 00:17:08,720 --> 00:17:12,959 Speaker 1: I do believe there's additional investigation that needs to be conducted, 249 00:17:13,680 --> 00:17:20,640 Speaker 1: such as interviewing ex boyfriends and someone who was considered 250 00:17:20,640 --> 00:17:26,160 Speaker 1: a person of interest. Revisit that person because now things 251 00:17:26,160 --> 00:17:30,399 Speaker 1: have changed and time has gone by, and sometimes people 252 00:17:30,440 --> 00:17:32,920 Speaker 1: can't add things that maybe they were afraid to say 253 00:17:33,040 --> 00:17:36,320 Speaker 1: back then. But now if this person's are reading cars, 254 00:17:36,720 --> 00:17:38,120 Speaker 1: maybe he says, you know what, I I have anything else 255 00:17:38,160 --> 00:17:40,119 Speaker 1: to gain or lose him, I would just tell the truth. 256 00:17:40,880 --> 00:17:43,919 Speaker 1: Somebody out there has information about what happened to Emory 257 00:17:43,960 --> 00:17:48,680 Speaker 1: that night. Somebody knows, somebody told someone, somebody confided in someone. 258 00:17:51,320 --> 00:17:53,680 Speaker 1: Moses told me that he reached out to Assistant Chief 259 00:17:53,720 --> 00:17:58,760 Speaker 1: Alfred Lebrata, who's part of Central Bureau where Emory's cases currently. Again, 260 00:17:58,840 --> 00:18:01,760 Speaker 1: he's doing this pro bo. He says he's taken on 261 00:18:01,800 --> 00:18:05,080 Speaker 1: a few cases since he retired from LAPD. The request 262 00:18:05,119 --> 00:18:10,280 Speaker 1: I made to him was a request that he assigned 263 00:18:10,880 --> 00:18:14,119 Speaker 1: a new set of detectives that would give it another look, 264 00:18:14,240 --> 00:18:18,280 Speaker 1: and then also requested that those detectives meet with the 265 00:18:18,359 --> 00:18:22,280 Speaker 1: family under what we call Marcy's Law, fit them build 266 00:18:22,280 --> 00:18:25,320 Speaker 1: of rights. He asked LAPD to meet with the family 267 00:18:25,359 --> 00:18:28,320 Speaker 1: and go over the case. Again. It's like this reminder 268 00:18:28,440 --> 00:18:32,040 Speaker 1: to LAPD that someone is paying attention and also to 269 00:18:32,080 --> 00:18:34,760 Speaker 1: get any more information that the family might not already have. 270 00:18:35,400 --> 00:18:37,439 Speaker 1: If you remember, they told us that the case was 271 00:18:37,480 --> 00:18:41,040 Speaker 1: fresh or active again, but they didn't clarify any more 272 00:18:41,040 --> 00:18:44,359 Speaker 1: than that. And there used to be a fifty thousand 273 00:18:44,359 --> 00:18:47,720 Speaker 1: dollars reward for any information in Emory's case. It was 274 00:18:47,760 --> 00:18:50,359 Speaker 1: approved by La City Council in two thousand and six, 275 00:18:50,560 --> 00:18:53,359 Speaker 1: two thousand and seven, and then again in twenty eleven, 276 00:18:54,160 --> 00:18:57,280 Speaker 1: but since then it's expired, so it's possible that the 277 00:18:57,320 --> 00:19:00,960 Speaker 1: reward could get renewed again. And the family is also 278 00:19:01,000 --> 00:19:04,000 Speaker 1: trying to raise awareness on Instagram. They made an account 279 00:19:04,000 --> 00:19:07,600 Speaker 1: called Justice for Emery Munyos. And that's where we left 280 00:19:07,600 --> 00:19:16,360 Speaker 1: off with the meeting. Hello, I think blame hi. How 281 00:19:16,400 --> 00:19:21,879 Speaker 1: are you? When I got back from Peru after visiting 282 00:19:21,920 --> 00:19:25,040 Speaker 1: my family for a few weeks, I called Becky and 283 00:19:25,119 --> 00:19:31,679 Speaker 1: she gave me some news. M okay, yes, overwhelmed them. 284 00:19:32,800 --> 00:19:35,560 Speaker 1: It seems like a lot kind of happens right in 285 00:19:35,560 --> 00:19:41,720 Speaker 1: the last two weeks. Yeah, it did. That's after the break. 286 00:20:05,240 --> 00:20:08,960 Speaker 1: Two weeks after Emory's family met in that conference room, 287 00:20:09,040 --> 00:20:11,199 Speaker 1: I got on the phone with Becky who told me 288 00:20:11,240 --> 00:20:14,639 Speaker 1: some news. They're happening, and that makes me feel good. 289 00:20:15,640 --> 00:20:19,840 Speaker 1: It makes me feel nervous. LPD agreed to meet with 290 00:20:19,880 --> 00:20:25,600 Speaker 1: a family. The former detective, Moses Castillo said that LPD 291 00:20:25,600 --> 00:20:28,439 Speaker 1: had Emory's file and had been looking at it for 292 00:20:28,480 --> 00:20:31,320 Speaker 1: a month and a half already, and so they're ready 293 00:20:31,359 --> 00:20:33,280 Speaker 1: to meet with the family and they're ready to do 294 00:20:33,320 --> 00:20:38,320 Speaker 1: it soon. This is big news. They haven't sat down 295 00:20:38,359 --> 00:20:41,760 Speaker 1: with a detective in years, and when we started reporting 296 00:20:41,760 --> 00:20:44,560 Speaker 1: the story, they were having trouble even finding the contact 297 00:20:44,640 --> 00:20:47,080 Speaker 1: for her case since it's been passed around so much 298 00:20:48,320 --> 00:20:54,480 Speaker 1: all emotions. Overwhelmed said, you know, all the things that 299 00:20:54,680 --> 00:20:59,240 Speaker 1: happened sixteen years ago, are the feelings, the thoughts and 300 00:20:59,359 --> 00:21:05,439 Speaker 1: everything come back, the emotions. But I'm glad you know 301 00:21:05,720 --> 00:21:09,560 Speaker 1: this is happening. That I guess is normal for us 302 00:21:09,600 --> 00:21:15,320 Speaker 1: to relive everything again. So but I'm glad they're happening, 303 00:21:15,720 --> 00:21:21,040 Speaker 1: and so thank you. The family meets with LAPD on 304 00:21:21,080 --> 00:21:24,920 Speaker 1: their own and then afterward we joined them. How did 305 00:21:24,960 --> 00:21:27,800 Speaker 1: the how did the meeting go? So they said they're 306 00:21:27,800 --> 00:21:30,400 Speaker 1: going to do everything they can, you know, and it's 307 00:21:30,440 --> 00:21:32,560 Speaker 1: gonna take a while on us as long as it's 308 00:21:32,600 --> 00:21:35,760 Speaker 1: not sixteen more years. Do you remember the feeling in 309 00:21:35,800 --> 00:21:38,880 Speaker 1: the room was it m was it just them talking 310 00:21:39,160 --> 00:21:42,600 Speaker 1: or it was emotional. Yeah, it was emotional because I 311 00:21:43,240 --> 00:21:46,719 Speaker 1: m I mentioned that all the detectives that she had, 312 00:21:47,359 --> 00:21:50,440 Speaker 1: you know, it's like, I don't feel like they care. 313 00:21:51,520 --> 00:21:53,080 Speaker 1: And I told him, I said, I know, to you 314 00:21:53,280 --> 00:21:57,159 Speaker 1: guys in new cases, just another number. And he's sitting 315 00:21:57,200 --> 00:22:01,760 Speaker 1: on all of us. Maria, Emory's mom is in the room. 316 00:22:02,640 --> 00:22:06,359 Speaker 1: It's the first time I'm meeting her. I can immediately 317 00:22:06,400 --> 00:22:14,960 Speaker 1: see where Emory inherited her big brown eyes. I feel 318 00:22:15,000 --> 00:22:19,840 Speaker 1: that I'm gonna get answers this time, I really do, 319 00:22:20,560 --> 00:22:24,760 Speaker 1: you see. And we never got none of this before. Never, 320 00:22:24,880 --> 00:22:28,800 Speaker 1: it was just like detectives. She wouldn't call. It even 321 00:22:28,800 --> 00:22:32,920 Speaker 1: messages and they wouldn't call, and we've never gotten this far. 322 00:22:33,600 --> 00:22:37,800 Speaker 1: They don't return calls, you any messages, and and then 323 00:22:37,800 --> 00:22:39,879 Speaker 1: when you call, it's like, oh, everything's the same, like 324 00:22:40,000 --> 00:22:42,960 Speaker 1: no big deal, you know, there's no leads. And I'm like, 325 00:22:43,520 --> 00:22:46,440 Speaker 1: so it's like sometimes I used to tell her, why 326 00:22:46,480 --> 00:22:49,679 Speaker 1: am I even gonna call? It's always the same thing, nothing, nothing, 327 00:22:49,720 --> 00:22:52,359 Speaker 1: and it just like it gets a mad, you know, 328 00:22:52,520 --> 00:22:55,520 Speaker 1: it's like it hurts. One of the reasons I was 329 00:22:55,640 --> 00:22:58,760 Speaker 1: hesitant to do the series is that Inherently looking at 330 00:22:58,800 --> 00:23:03,320 Speaker 1: someone's death means that the family has to revisit trauma, 331 00:23:03,520 --> 00:23:06,359 Speaker 1: and it's not always clear if making families revisit the 332 00:23:06,359 --> 00:23:10,719 Speaker 1: past is worth it. It hurts to know what they 333 00:23:10,800 --> 00:23:13,919 Speaker 1: did to her, but I want to know what did 334 00:23:13,960 --> 00:23:18,280 Speaker 1: to her. I need to know. It's like they just hurt. 335 00:23:18,920 --> 00:23:23,040 Speaker 1: It brings anger to me because when they were picking 336 00:23:23,080 --> 00:23:24,720 Speaker 1: her at the school, it's like I would go with 337 00:23:24,800 --> 00:23:26,800 Speaker 1: her everywhere because she was afraid to go into the 338 00:23:26,880 --> 00:23:29,520 Speaker 1: story wherever she wanted to go, and I was always 339 00:23:29,520 --> 00:23:32,000 Speaker 1: going with her. I went to school, I sat with her, 340 00:23:32,040 --> 00:23:35,160 Speaker 1: and it was like I protected her from nobody touching her. 341 00:23:35,480 --> 00:23:38,679 Speaker 1: Now we get into arguments, you know, when moms, you know, 342 00:23:38,760 --> 00:23:41,680 Speaker 1: to tell their daughter and name my z alone. And 343 00:23:42,359 --> 00:23:45,199 Speaker 1: when they killed her, it's like I was like, may 344 00:23:45,240 --> 00:23:46,960 Speaker 1: maybe I know she was yelling for me. I know 345 00:23:47,119 --> 00:23:50,320 Speaker 1: she was. She needn't be the most. It wasn't there 346 00:23:50,400 --> 00:23:57,640 Speaker 1: for her, and I would I need to know why. 347 00:23:58,320 --> 00:24:01,600 Speaker 1: What was the reason, because because you didn't like her, 348 00:24:01,760 --> 00:24:06,600 Speaker 1: did she do something that I don't know? And I 349 00:24:06,720 --> 00:24:10,080 Speaker 1: just like I told a detective, you know, with God's help, 350 00:24:10,080 --> 00:24:12,520 Speaker 1: when you guys find out, I don't give me names 351 00:24:12,560 --> 00:24:18,360 Speaker 1: all to see faces. I believe that we're gonna get 352 00:24:18,359 --> 00:24:21,240 Speaker 1: some answers. Now this is Emory's dad, We'll say again. 353 00:24:22,920 --> 00:24:28,000 Speaker 1: Because when I when this happened, I used to go. 354 00:24:28,359 --> 00:24:30,920 Speaker 1: I never called the LAPD. I just went down there. 355 00:24:31,359 --> 00:24:33,639 Speaker 1: And that will just sent me in the room the 356 00:24:33,720 --> 00:24:36,520 Speaker 1: first two times and leave me in there, you know, 357 00:24:36,720 --> 00:24:38,399 Speaker 1: like if somebody's gonna come and talk to him. But 358 00:24:38,440 --> 00:24:42,600 Speaker 1: they didn't, you know, so commanded. There's nothing to say 359 00:24:42,640 --> 00:24:44,600 Speaker 1: because we haven't found out nothing. So I used to 360 00:24:44,640 --> 00:24:47,760 Speaker 1: get mad, and I used to raise my voice out them, 361 00:24:47,760 --> 00:24:49,639 Speaker 1: you know, and say, if you guys ain't gonna do anything, 362 00:24:49,640 --> 00:24:52,760 Speaker 1: I'm gonna do something about it, you know, because I 363 00:24:52,840 --> 00:24:56,560 Speaker 1: mean I looked for answers or I got up, you know, 364 00:24:56,600 --> 00:24:59,280 Speaker 1: and I used to in other words, I was out there. 365 00:24:59,280 --> 00:25:03,119 Speaker 1: It's homeless. Three years they where they found her, you know, 366 00:25:03,960 --> 00:25:07,640 Speaker 1: and I was trying to find something, you know, and 367 00:25:08,320 --> 00:25:11,280 Speaker 1: nothing and nothing, and I started drinking and I became 368 00:25:11,359 --> 00:25:15,080 Speaker 1: an alcoholic for three years, you know, and all but 369 00:25:15,160 --> 00:25:17,919 Speaker 1: I was always trying to do something, and I iced 370 00:25:17,960 --> 00:25:21,000 Speaker 1: to go down to LAPD and just race. Somehow we 371 00:25:21,200 --> 00:25:24,880 Speaker 1: did ask LAPD about this, and they acknowledged that Emory's 372 00:25:24,960 --> 00:25:28,360 Speaker 1: case had gone through a lot of hands, but they 373 00:25:28,400 --> 00:25:30,880 Speaker 1: said every time they receive a tip from them, they 374 00:25:30,920 --> 00:25:35,600 Speaker 1: investigated it, and the detectives don't always share information because 375 00:25:35,600 --> 00:25:39,080 Speaker 1: they don't want to give families false hope or compromise 376 00:25:39,119 --> 00:25:44,960 Speaker 1: the investigation. While we were talking, there was a family 377 00:25:45,000 --> 00:25:48,600 Speaker 1: album on the table and we were flipping through pictures 378 00:25:48,600 --> 00:25:51,200 Speaker 1: of Emory with her siblings and every at them all, 379 00:25:52,280 --> 00:25:58,600 Speaker 1: and then Maria told us a story about her. She 380 00:25:58,720 --> 00:26:01,080 Speaker 1: used to talk my dad wish she's to him sugar daddy, 381 00:26:01,119 --> 00:26:04,680 Speaker 1: Mama daddy, mister mister baby, she should call my dad. 382 00:26:05,160 --> 00:26:08,720 Speaker 1: Mister baby was Emory's grandfather who has now passed away. 383 00:26:08,960 --> 00:26:10,480 Speaker 1: She used to go and sit in my dad's lap, 384 00:26:11,240 --> 00:26:15,879 Speaker 1: which mister mister baby. She says, you love me, and 385 00:26:15,920 --> 00:26:17,679 Speaker 1: he's like, yeah, she does. You want to buy me 386 00:26:17,720 --> 00:26:21,040 Speaker 1: a pizza or where she wanted to go McDonald's. What 387 00:26:21,119 --> 00:26:24,800 Speaker 1: do you want? You know? And they're like he was like, okay, 388 00:26:24,880 --> 00:26:27,440 Speaker 1: go ahead, order it whatever. But then he caught out 389 00:26:27,480 --> 00:26:29,040 Speaker 1: and she's like, do you love me? He's like no, 390 00:26:29,440 --> 00:26:33,320 Speaker 1: She's like, yeah you do, and she's like we're gonna 391 00:26:33,320 --> 00:26:35,359 Speaker 1: get pizza, and I'm like, how do you do that 392 00:26:35,600 --> 00:26:39,879 Speaker 1: what do you do? Yeah, doesn't she say? I have? 393 00:26:40,000 --> 00:26:43,360 Speaker 1: I got it? Like that? I love hearing the story. 394 00:26:44,080 --> 00:26:47,639 Speaker 1: It's like a little family inside joke, and Maria just 395 00:26:47,720 --> 00:26:50,880 Speaker 1: lights up with a smile on her face. It meant 396 00:26:50,880 --> 00:26:54,080 Speaker 1: a lot to hear Maria talk about emory outside of 397 00:26:54,080 --> 00:26:59,000 Speaker 1: her murder case. A word that's been coming to mind 398 00:26:59,200 --> 00:27:05,760 Speaker 1: is the sugar recently, especially in these times. I've heard 399 00:27:05,800 --> 00:27:08,399 Speaker 1: this word a lot from my father when it comes 400 00:27:08,440 --> 00:27:12,479 Speaker 1: to grief and pain. I don't know how to describe 401 00:27:12,480 --> 00:27:15,320 Speaker 1: it in English. It's like when you're literally drowning in 402 00:27:15,320 --> 00:27:18,000 Speaker 1: your emotions and you have to let it all out. 403 00:27:18,520 --> 00:27:22,600 Speaker 1: You have to lighten the load, bent unburdening yourself. Even 404 00:27:22,640 --> 00:27:26,080 Speaker 1: if it's not positive, it doesn't matter. Sometimes you just 405 00:27:26,119 --> 00:27:29,239 Speaker 1: have to yell at someone or cry to find some 406 00:27:29,280 --> 00:27:33,720 Speaker 1: way to keep going. Whatever happens with the investigation, which 407 00:27:33,760 --> 00:27:37,479 Speaker 1: is now active. According to Lapd, at least the family 408 00:27:37,520 --> 00:27:41,439 Speaker 1: had this moment to confront Lapd about how they were treated. 409 00:27:42,240 --> 00:27:47,200 Speaker 1: To release, but to the sugar is also an act 410 00:27:47,240 --> 00:27:51,240 Speaker 1: of survival, a way to cope when there isn't a solution, 411 00:27:52,359 --> 00:27:54,800 Speaker 1: when the reality of the world is just too heavy 412 00:27:54,800 --> 00:27:58,600 Speaker 1: to bear. But it's the world you have to live in, 413 00:28:01,320 --> 00:28:04,720 Speaker 1: and in the absence of an answer, what I heard 414 00:28:04,800 --> 00:28:07,879 Speaker 1: emerge in this intense conversation was a lot of guilt 415 00:28:08,080 --> 00:28:12,119 Speaker 1: and blame, and I can't help but feel reminded of 416 00:28:12,119 --> 00:28:15,440 Speaker 1: my own guilt, A guilt that I didn't feel when 417 00:28:15,440 --> 00:28:17,800 Speaker 1: I was a kid sneaking out at night without my 418 00:28:17,840 --> 00:28:22,560 Speaker 1: parents knowing, but as grown and groan since then, and 419 00:28:23,119 --> 00:28:27,560 Speaker 1: that I think I finally understand. In our final episode, 420 00:28:27,960 --> 00:28:30,639 Speaker 1: I talked to my mom and we follow up an 421 00:28:30,640 --> 00:28:40,640 Speaker 1: emory story that's next time. This episode was written, reported, 422 00:28:40,680 --> 00:28:44,640 Speaker 1: and hosted by me Janemocha. Our show is produced and 423 00:28:44,680 --> 00:28:49,400 Speaker 1: reported by Sofia Polissa, car Victoria Lejandro, and Kyle Chang, 424 00:28:50,120 --> 00:28:56,320 Speaker 1: and edited by Antonio Seihido. Additional editing by Carolina and 425 00:28:56,560 --> 00:29:02,000 Speaker 1: any Abulis, fact checking by Nidia about sound design and 426 00:29:02,080 --> 00:29:07,400 Speaker 1: original music composition by Kyle Murdoch. Our supervising producer is 427 00:29:07,480 --> 00:29:12,640 Speaker 1: Janet Lee, art by Julie Ruiz and Victoria Kollon. Our 428 00:29:12,680 --> 00:29:16,920 Speaker 1: executive producer from Vice Audio is Kate Osborne. Our executive 429 00:29:16,920 --> 00:29:21,920 Speaker 1: producers from Elias Studios are Antonia Seido and leog Our 430 00:29:22,040 --> 00:29:26,160 Speaker 1: Vice president of Podcasts from Elias Studios is Shanea Naomi 431 00:29:26,280 --> 00:29:30,840 Speaker 1: Krocmo special thanks to the UCLA Department of Communication Archive 432 00:29:31,400 --> 00:29:35,240 Speaker 1: for access to their news collection. Party Cruise The Untold 433 00:29:35,280 --> 00:29:38,240 Speaker 1: Story is a production of Elias Studios and Vice Audio 434 00:29:38,560 --> 00:29:43,240 Speaker 1: in partnership with Ihearts Michael Fluda podcast Network. For more podcasts, 435 00:29:43,360 --> 00:29:46,520 Speaker 1: listen to the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you 436 00:29:46,600 --> 00:29:49,680 Speaker 1: listen to your favorite shows, and Hey, were you and 437 00:29:49,720 --> 00:29:52,600 Speaker 1: a party crew? Send us your party flyers or photos. 438 00:29:52,800 --> 00:29:55,560 Speaker 1: I'd love to see them, even a voice message about 439 00:29:55,560 --> 00:29:58,160 Speaker 1: your memories anything. You can send us a message or 440 00:29:58,200 --> 00:30:02,480 Speaker 1: a picture at Party Cruise app at Elliot studios dot com. 441 00:30:02,640 --> 00:30:05,520 Speaker 1: Support for this podcast is made possible by Gordon and 442 00:30:05,560 --> 00:30:09,360 Speaker 1: Donna Crawford, who believed that quality journalism makes Los Angeles 443 00:30:09,440 --> 00:30:12,960 Speaker 1: a better place to live. This program is made possible 444 00:30:13,240 --> 00:30:17,160 Speaker 1: in part by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, a private 445 00:30:17,160 --> 00:30:19,560 Speaker 1: corporation funded by the American people.