1 00:00:00,240 --> 00:00:04,000 Speaker 1: Okay, So we have a woman who disappeared on September 2 00:00:04,040 --> 00:00:08,720 Speaker 1: two one, we have nine eleven, we have a frantic search. 3 00:00:09,480 --> 00:00:14,280 Speaker 1: Then what what do we know? In many ways, it's 4 00:00:14,320 --> 00:00:18,240 Speaker 1: easier to highlight what we don't know. Was snayha alone 5 00:00:18,360 --> 00:00:21,120 Speaker 1: when she was last seen alive in century twenty one 6 00:00:21,320 --> 00:00:25,799 Speaker 1: the department store? Or was she with another woman? Why 7 00:00:25,920 --> 00:00:29,280 Speaker 1: wasn't snak caught on camera anywhere other than the women's 8 00:00:29,320 --> 00:00:32,879 Speaker 1: coat area, especially the shoe area where she made her 9 00:00:32,880 --> 00:00:38,559 Speaker 1: final purchase. Where did Snah go after century? Did she 10 00:00:38,680 --> 00:00:42,280 Speaker 1: really tell Sonya Mora, the shoe saleswoman, that she was 11 00:00:42,320 --> 00:00:46,320 Speaker 1: going to Victoria's Secret and Jones, New York. Did Snah 12 00:00:46,520 --> 00:00:49,680 Speaker 1: speak with either or both of her brothers the day 13 00:00:49,720 --> 00:00:54,200 Speaker 1: she disappeared, If so, what did she say? Did ron 14 00:00:54,240 --> 00:00:58,680 Speaker 1: Liebermann's husband sleep dial his cell phone from his landline 15 00:00:59,040 --> 00:01:02,360 Speaker 1: at four oh five m on nine eleven? Does that 16 00:01:02,440 --> 00:01:07,160 Speaker 1: explain the otherwise unexplainable call made from inside the apartment 17 00:01:07,640 --> 00:01:10,160 Speaker 1: It is the woman who exited snay Has building at 18 00:01:10,840 --> 00:01:14,720 Speaker 1: three am on nine eleven. Actually, snay Haa did say 19 00:01:15,000 --> 00:01:18,399 Speaker 1: attend a party on September ten at a hotel next 20 00:01:18,440 --> 00:01:20,800 Speaker 1: to the Twin towers. Did she go shopping on nine 21 00:01:20,880 --> 00:01:23,800 Speaker 1: eleven in the mall underneath the day she visit Windows 22 00:01:23,840 --> 00:01:25,920 Speaker 1: on the World on top of the North Tower. Was 23 00:01:25,959 --> 00:01:29,240 Speaker 1: she just walking home when the attacks began, or none 24 00:01:29,240 --> 00:01:34,800 Speaker 1: of the above? We don't know. Most of all, where 25 00:01:34,959 --> 00:01:38,360 Speaker 1: did snay Has stay the night of the tenth? And 26 00:01:38,760 --> 00:01:41,480 Speaker 1: as if this wasn't enough, let me throw a few 27 00:01:41,520 --> 00:01:45,240 Speaker 1: new questions at you. First, how did snay House family 28 00:01:45,400 --> 00:01:48,960 Speaker 1: know that she dropped off dry cleaning one after she 29 00:01:49,040 --> 00:01:52,120 Speaker 1: left her apartment but before she got to Century One? 30 00:01:52,680 --> 00:01:56,120 Speaker 1: Maybe credit card records, But wouldn't she have paid when 31 00:01:56,160 --> 00:01:59,120 Speaker 1: she picked up her clothes, not when she dropped them off. 32 00:01:59,600 --> 00:02:02,720 Speaker 1: So did her family interview someone at the dry cleaners? 33 00:02:03,080 --> 00:02:06,240 Speaker 1: And if so, what did that person say about snay 34 00:02:06,280 --> 00:02:09,480 Speaker 1: Has state of mind? What's she with someone? Then? What 35 00:02:09,680 --> 00:02:14,600 Speaker 1: she caught on security footage there we don't know. Finally, 36 00:02:14,919 --> 00:02:18,320 Speaker 1: in the Century one footage, say, does not appear to 37 00:02:18,320 --> 00:02:21,400 Speaker 1: be wet, nor is she carrying an umbrella, even though 38 00:02:21,440 --> 00:02:25,440 Speaker 1: it was storming outside. So did she walk to Century 39 00:02:25,639 --> 00:02:28,800 Speaker 1: maybe during a pause in the rain. Did someone drop 40 00:02:28,800 --> 00:02:32,160 Speaker 1: her off or did she take a cab? We don't 41 00:02:32,160 --> 00:02:36,680 Speaker 1: know what happened to snay Ha And if the explanation 42 00:02:36,760 --> 00:02:40,480 Speaker 1: really is so simple, why are there so many discrepancies 43 00:02:40,480 --> 00:02:45,079 Speaker 1: and unanswered questions. I don't know, we don't know. No 44 00:02:45,120 --> 00:02:49,920 Speaker 1: one knows, not the NYPD, not private investigators, not us, 45 00:02:50,360 --> 00:02:58,560 Speaker 1: not yet for my Heart media, this is missing. On 46 00:02:58,680 --> 00:03:01,040 Speaker 1: nine eleven, the story were you of one woman who 47 00:03:01,120 --> 00:03:03,840 Speaker 1: vanished on the eve of history and my quest to 48 00:03:03,880 --> 00:03:36,720 Speaker 1: find her? I'm your host, John Wallzac. On October one, 49 00:03:37,240 --> 00:03:42,279 Speaker 1: NYPD Detective Richard Stark ends his investigation into snay house disappearance. 50 00:03:42,800 --> 00:03:47,000 Speaker 1: There's nothing left to do, he says. Snayhouse family vehemently 51 00:03:47,080 --> 00:03:51,680 Speaker 1: disagrees their private investigator can go on continues to hunt 52 00:03:51,720 --> 00:03:56,800 Speaker 1: for clues. He finds few, if any. By coincidence, the 53 00:03:56,920 --> 00:04:00,600 Speaker 1: same day Detective Stark ends his investigation, snay Haa was 54 00:04:00,640 --> 00:04:04,480 Speaker 1: supposed to be in court facing charges of harassment, assault, 55 00:04:04,560 --> 00:04:07,960 Speaker 1: and falsely reporting an incident, but because no one knows 56 00:04:08,000 --> 00:04:12,800 Speaker 1: where she is, her case is adjourned again. Two thousand 57 00:04:12,800 --> 00:04:18,920 Speaker 1: one ends. Then on January two thousand two, a judge 58 00:04:18,960 --> 00:04:22,400 Speaker 1: issues a bench warrant for snay Has arrest. She's not 59 00:04:22,480 --> 00:04:25,280 Speaker 1: showing up to court. She's a wall and since there's 60 00:04:25,279 --> 00:04:29,159 Speaker 1: no official declaration of death, he has no choice, he says. 61 00:04:29,960 --> 00:04:33,440 Speaker 1: One month later, the Associated Press runs a short article 62 00:04:33,560 --> 00:04:38,120 Speaker 1: about snay haa quote. Police theorized she orchestrated her own 63 00:04:38,160 --> 00:04:42,440 Speaker 1: disappearance to escape personal problems, but her family says this 64 00:04:42,600 --> 00:04:48,200 Speaker 1: doesn't make sense. Snay was accomplished, graceful, and stable, they say. 65 00:04:48,560 --> 00:04:52,080 Speaker 1: Ron says, quote, we had a great marriage. We were 66 00:04:52,080 --> 00:04:56,400 Speaker 1: talking about having babies. D NYPD, however, says that snay 67 00:04:56,480 --> 00:05:01,400 Speaker 1: House disappearance is unrelated to the World Trade Center. By 68 00:05:01,400 --> 00:05:04,839 Speaker 1: August two thousand two, the initial list of thousands of 69 00:05:04,880 --> 00:05:07,760 Speaker 1: people missing on nine eleven has been whittled down to 70 00:05:07,839 --> 00:05:12,280 Speaker 1: just nine. Some victims were reported missing multiple times by 71 00:05:12,320 --> 00:05:16,760 Speaker 1: different people, a genuine mistake. Then there were cases of fraud, 72 00:05:17,400 --> 00:05:21,560 Speaker 1: but also, amazingly, at least seven people initially thought to 73 00:05:21,640 --> 00:05:25,279 Speaker 1: have died on nine eleven are found alive. According to 74 00:05:25,320 --> 00:05:27,960 Speaker 1: The New York Post, one is a homeless man named 75 00:05:27,960 --> 00:05:31,360 Speaker 1: Albert Vaughan, last scene in the subway station beneath the 76 00:05:31,400 --> 00:05:34,960 Speaker 1: World Trade Center in June two thousand two, nine months 77 00:05:35,000 --> 00:05:40,320 Speaker 1: after the attacks. His family finds him in a psychiatric hospital. Another, 78 00:05:40,640 --> 00:05:43,360 Speaker 1: George Simms, was thought to have been working as an 79 00:05:43,360 --> 00:05:47,000 Speaker 1: informal street vendor, near the Trade Center on nine eleven. 80 00:05:47,560 --> 00:05:51,680 Speaker 1: Like Vaughan Simms, it's found in a psychiatric hospital, diagnosed 81 00:05:51,680 --> 00:05:57,840 Speaker 1: with amnesia and schizophrenia. On September eleven, two thousand two, 82 00:05:58,240 --> 00:06:01,240 Speaker 1: the one year anniversary of the attacks, snay House family 83 00:06:01,279 --> 00:06:05,200 Speaker 1: holds a small memorial service in Poughkeepsie, New York. Publicly, 84 00:06:05,320 --> 00:06:09,560 Speaker 1: they've given up any hope that Snah will be found alive. Privately, 85 00:06:09,600 --> 00:06:14,200 Speaker 1: though some of them still do not believe that she's dead. Nonetheless, 86 00:06:14,480 --> 00:06:18,239 Speaker 1: they bury and earned with unidentified ashes collected from ground zero. 87 00:06:19,600 --> 00:06:22,960 Speaker 1: One month later, snay House husband Ron files a claim 88 00:06:23,000 --> 00:06:26,240 Speaker 1: with the nine eleven Victims Compensation Fund worth three to 89 00:06:26,320 --> 00:06:30,200 Speaker 1: four million dollars, but because has not an official nine 90 00:06:30,200 --> 00:06:35,120 Speaker 1: eleven victim, because there's no death certificate, it's denied. By 91 00:06:35,160 --> 00:06:39,440 Speaker 1: this point, snay House family is starting to get ticked off. Publicly, 92 00:06:39,640 --> 00:06:43,200 Speaker 1: they've settled on the hero narrative that Snah ran into 93 00:06:43,240 --> 00:06:46,680 Speaker 1: the burning towers to help people and died as a result. 94 00:06:47,200 --> 00:06:51,279 Speaker 1: They say they're not motivated by money. Instead, they're motivated 95 00:06:51,400 --> 00:06:55,720 Speaker 1: by legacy. They want recognition for snay house bravery or 96 00:06:55,839 --> 00:06:58,919 Speaker 1: and there's no way to say this nicely, her theoretical 97 00:06:58,960 --> 00:07:03,119 Speaker 1: bravery Still, the City of New York declines to issue 98 00:07:03,120 --> 00:07:06,599 Speaker 1: a death certificate stating that Snayhu died on nine eleven 99 00:07:06,920 --> 00:07:36,600 Speaker 1: at the World Trade Center. On September two thousand three, 100 00:07:37,040 --> 00:07:40,960 Speaker 1: Ron files a petition seeking a judicial declaration of death. 101 00:07:41,600 --> 00:07:45,080 Speaker 1: Two months later, a lawyer named Ellen Winner is appointed 102 00:07:45,120 --> 00:07:49,320 Speaker 1: as snay House Guardian ad litem. Basically, it's Ellen's role 103 00:07:49,440 --> 00:07:52,920 Speaker 1: to fight for Snah on her behalf, to serve as 104 00:07:52,920 --> 00:07:57,360 Speaker 1: her advocate and absentia. In turn, snay House family hires 105 00:07:57,360 --> 00:08:01,880 Speaker 1: a lawyer named Mark Bogutin by Ron Lieberman, and he 106 00:08:02,000 --> 00:08:05,480 Speaker 1: was this fiving spouse bringing this proceeding in servius court. 107 00:08:05,680 --> 00:08:08,080 Speaker 1: And that's what I did. I filed the petition in 108 00:08:08,160 --> 00:08:12,560 Speaker 1: Sagret's court to for the judicial declaration of death. We 109 00:08:12,600 --> 00:08:16,600 Speaker 1: interviewed Bogutin at his Manhattan office, about twelve hundred feet 110 00:08:16,640 --> 00:08:21,080 Speaker 1: northeast of the World Trade Center on January five, the 111 00:08:21,200 --> 00:08:24,360 Speaker 1: day before the Capitol riot in d C. We sat 112 00:08:24,400 --> 00:08:28,440 Speaker 1: in a conference room, faces covered because well COVID, it 113 00:08:28,520 --> 00:08:32,079 Speaker 1: was gray and drizzly. Looking out the window, we could 114 00:08:32,080 --> 00:08:35,840 Speaker 1: see Bogutin's old office, the one he had on nine eleven, 115 00:08:36,280 --> 00:08:39,800 Speaker 1: only two blocks away near City Hall. That's where he 116 00:08:39,880 --> 00:08:43,240 Speaker 1: was headed on nine eleven when the attacks began. It 117 00:08:43,360 --> 00:08:46,520 Speaker 1: just got out of the subway Chambers and West Broadway 118 00:08:46,640 --> 00:08:49,480 Speaker 1: and started to walk and I hear above me a 119 00:08:49,520 --> 00:08:51,840 Speaker 1: plane or see a plane. Look at the plane and 120 00:08:51,880 --> 00:08:54,680 Speaker 1: it's going right into the trade center. Boom floats, and 121 00:08:54,679 --> 00:08:58,040 Speaker 1: I said, my god, it's it's awful. And all those 122 00:08:58,080 --> 00:09:00,920 Speaker 1: people not awful. Then also people other stuff, and so 123 00:09:01,280 --> 00:09:03,319 Speaker 1: I was a block away now I just moved the 124 00:09:03,320 --> 00:09:07,120 Speaker 1: blockler still looking, and then I saw this explosion in 125 00:09:07,160 --> 00:09:09,280 Speaker 1: the tower where I saw this big explosion of the 126 00:09:09,320 --> 00:09:11,559 Speaker 1: flames coming out, and I thought it was maybe a bomb, 127 00:09:11,679 --> 00:09:14,480 Speaker 1: or maybe it was something like eight attack mortar attacks. 128 00:09:14,480 --> 00:09:16,600 Speaker 1: I didn't actually see the second plane, but you know, 129 00:09:16,679 --> 00:09:20,040 Speaker 1: once I saw that, everybody once any everybody, so that 130 00:09:20,040 --> 00:09:23,200 Speaker 1: everybody knew then it was terrorism. Obviously. Bocatin made his 131 00:09:23,240 --> 00:09:26,200 Speaker 1: way into his office, which had a partial view of 132 00:09:26,200 --> 00:09:29,760 Speaker 1: the Trade Center. All of a sudden, everyone's running, people 133 00:09:29,760 --> 00:09:32,559 Speaker 1: would standing watching was running, running, running and knowing something happened. 134 00:09:32,559 --> 00:09:35,439 Speaker 1: I happened, and then I heard we heard on the 135 00:09:35,480 --> 00:09:38,040 Speaker 1: TV that the first one fell down, and so then 136 00:09:38,080 --> 00:09:40,440 Speaker 1: I looked at my window second and was still there, 137 00:09:41,400 --> 00:09:44,000 Speaker 1: and I left then the whole area was closed like 138 00:09:44,160 --> 00:09:48,959 Speaker 1: a week or so. But I remember that, remember calling 139 00:09:48,960 --> 00:09:51,400 Speaker 1: the court and they say, oh, yeah, we know, we 140 00:09:51,480 --> 00:09:57,240 Speaker 1: know what happened. No, there's no court today, there's no 141 00:09:57,360 --> 00:10:01,240 Speaker 1: court today. A few years later, Polcatin got a call 142 00:10:01,320 --> 00:10:05,000 Speaker 1: from his friend Mark Freiberg, a fellow attorney. Mark Freiberg 143 00:10:05,240 --> 00:10:10,319 Speaker 1: had represented Snea and Philip before she disappeared. So basically, 144 00:10:10,960 --> 00:10:12,839 Speaker 1: Mark Friberry came to me and talking about the case. 145 00:10:12,880 --> 00:10:15,160 Speaker 1: He said that Nia and Philip had lived across the 146 00:10:15,160 --> 00:10:17,599 Speaker 1: street from the Trade Center, and he first told me, 147 00:10:17,600 --> 00:10:19,400 Speaker 1: you know, she went missing on Stember eleven. They said, 148 00:10:19,400 --> 00:10:21,760 Speaker 1: actually she went missing on September tenth, or was last 149 00:10:21,760 --> 00:10:24,079 Speaker 1: sing on the tenth, which made the case obviously a 150 00:10:24,120 --> 00:10:28,840 Speaker 1: little bit different. And m Mark Fribery had representing and Philip. 151 00:10:28,880 --> 00:10:32,200 Speaker 1: She had a very small criminal case pending in the 152 00:10:32,200 --> 00:10:34,679 Speaker 1: New York City Criminal Court and he represented her and 153 00:10:34,760 --> 00:10:37,760 Speaker 1: that and that was pending on nine eleven, and then 154 00:10:37,960 --> 00:10:40,760 Speaker 1: you know, she didn't she disappeared at nine eleven. And 155 00:10:40,840 --> 00:10:46,920 Speaker 1: so what happened was initially, when whatever agency was putting 156 00:10:46,920 --> 00:10:49,280 Speaker 1: together the list of the dead people died at the 157 00:10:49,320 --> 00:10:53,400 Speaker 1: Trade Center, Nia and Philip's name was originally included on 158 00:10:53,520 --> 00:10:56,440 Speaker 1: the list prepared by the government of those who died, 159 00:10:57,000 --> 00:11:01,040 Speaker 1: not missing, but died at the trade Center. At the 160 00:11:01,200 --> 00:11:05,319 Speaker 1: very beginning, snay How was listed as the nine eleven victim. 161 00:11:05,360 --> 00:11:10,200 Speaker 1: After nine eleven, some public agency brought proceeding on behalf 162 00:11:10,200 --> 00:11:12,920 Speaker 1: of everybody on the list, the two thousand, seven hundred 163 00:11:12,920 --> 00:11:15,400 Speaker 1: people who are on the list and there are no 164 00:11:15,440 --> 00:11:17,679 Speaker 1: body recovered. There was a proceeding brought in servius who 165 00:11:17,679 --> 00:11:21,240 Speaker 1: are to have them judicially they are dead, and death 166 00:11:21,240 --> 00:11:24,360 Speaker 1: certificates ordered issued by the services for those twenty seven people. 167 00:11:25,400 --> 00:11:28,320 Speaker 1: And again with the Matthew RECEDINGSNA was included in that 168 00:11:29,000 --> 00:11:31,040 Speaker 1: as a results of that proceeding in the fact show 169 00:11:31,120 --> 00:11:34,640 Speaker 1: that everybody would be entitled to decertificate that they died 170 00:11:34,640 --> 00:11:37,839 Speaker 1: at the trade center except for two people, and one 171 00:11:37,840 --> 00:11:40,760 Speaker 1: of the two was and Philip, And there were two 172 00:11:40,840 --> 00:11:45,600 Speaker 1: cases of the surrogates. Representatives said it's not it's not fraud, 173 00:11:45,960 --> 00:11:48,520 Speaker 1: but we just need more evidence and we need more 174 00:11:48,559 --> 00:11:53,280 Speaker 1: information before we feel comfortable issuing the death certificate. And 175 00:11:53,320 --> 00:11:55,439 Speaker 1: again THEA was one of these two cases, and the 176 00:11:55,480 --> 00:12:01,440 Speaker 1: other one Juan la Fuente. Another strange ace, strange enough 177 00:12:01,559 --> 00:12:05,600 Speaker 1: that it's worth going into a bit of detail. Wan 178 00:12:05,720 --> 00:12:08,840 Speaker 1: the front A was last seen alive around six am 179 00:12:08,960 --> 00:12:11,600 Speaker 1: on nine eleven, on his way to a train station 180 00:12:11,720 --> 00:12:14,920 Speaker 1: in Pokeepsie, New York, where he lived with his wife, Colette. 181 00:12:15,320 --> 00:12:18,760 Speaker 1: At the time, Collette was the mayor of Poughkeepsie. Juan 182 00:12:18,920 --> 00:12:22,160 Speaker 1: worked for City Bank at one eleven Wall Street in Manhattan. 183 00:12:22,679 --> 00:12:25,559 Speaker 1: On nine eleven, he made it to Grand Central station, 184 00:12:25,840 --> 00:12:29,800 Speaker 1: where he swiped his metro card at eight oh six am. Then, 185 00:12:29,960 --> 00:12:33,479 Speaker 1: presumably he caught a subway to Wall Street and Broadway, 186 00:12:33,800 --> 00:12:37,400 Speaker 1: eleven hundred feet southeast of the World Trade Center. Per 187 00:12:37,480 --> 00:12:42,560 Speaker 1: court records, that trip typically took about sixteen minutes. Wan 188 00:12:42,720 --> 00:12:46,959 Speaker 1: likely exited onto the street around eight thirty am, only 189 00:12:47,080 --> 00:12:52,319 Speaker 1: sixteen minutes before American Airlines flight eleven the North Tower. However, 190 00:12:52,640 --> 00:12:55,960 Speaker 1: like snay Ha, Land did not work at the Trade Center, 191 00:12:56,160 --> 00:12:59,520 Speaker 1: he had no real reason to be there. In fact, 192 00:13:00,040 --> 00:13:03,640 Speaker 1: Bickly after exiting onto the street, he would have walked 193 00:13:03,720 --> 00:13:07,439 Speaker 1: the other way to his Wall Street office. So in 194 00:13:07,559 --> 00:13:10,240 Speaker 1: order to say that he died on nine eleven at 195 00:13:10,280 --> 00:13:14,040 Speaker 1: the Trade Center during the attacks, his family, like snay 196 00:13:14,080 --> 00:13:17,000 Speaker 1: House family, had to answer why he was there in 197 00:13:17,040 --> 00:13:21,520 Speaker 1: the first place. At first, they two chose the hero narrative. 198 00:13:21,880 --> 00:13:25,040 Speaker 1: They said that One probably saw the attacks and ran 199 00:13:25,160 --> 00:13:29,079 Speaker 1: into the towers to help people. As evidence, they cited 200 00:13:29,080 --> 00:13:32,960 Speaker 1: the fact that he was a volunteer fire marshal. Later, though, 201 00:13:33,280 --> 00:13:36,240 Speaker 1: a witness came forward and claimed that two or three 202 00:13:36,320 --> 00:13:40,080 Speaker 1: days before nine eleven, he overheard One say that he 203 00:13:40,120 --> 00:13:45,080 Speaker 1: planned to attend a meeting at the Trade Center. Okay, 204 00:13:45,080 --> 00:13:49,840 Speaker 1: but which meeting best guests the Risk Waters Financial Technology 205 00:13:49,920 --> 00:13:52,440 Speaker 1: Congress at Windows on the World on top of the 206 00:13:52,480 --> 00:13:56,320 Speaker 1: North Tower on the morning of nine eleven. However, as 207 00:13:56,400 --> 00:13:59,040 Speaker 1: with Snah, there's no proof that One was at the 208 00:13:59,080 --> 00:14:03,840 Speaker 1: Trade Center, no evidence, just speculation as to the critical 209 00:14:03,920 --> 00:14:06,680 Speaker 1: question of why he would have attended the conference why 210 00:14:06,720 --> 00:14:10,920 Speaker 1: he died. His family ditched the hero narrative and instead 211 00:14:11,200 --> 00:14:16,280 Speaker 1: cited frugality. They posited that he wanted free food. Wan 212 00:14:16,480 --> 00:14:19,360 Speaker 1: was so frugal, according to The New York Times that 213 00:14:19,520 --> 00:14:23,400 Speaker 1: quote he scavenged his morning paper from a dumpster. His 214 00:14:23,520 --> 00:14:27,560 Speaker 1: frugality is why he died. According to his family, His 215 00:14:27,600 --> 00:14:32,840 Speaker 1: wife Colette said, quote, it was a free breakfast. Now 216 00:14:33,040 --> 00:14:37,000 Speaker 1: with the Flente, The cops did consider non nine eleven 217 00:14:37,000 --> 00:14:44,120 Speaker 1: explanations for one suicide. One was undergoing psychiatric treatment for depression. Coincidentally, 218 00:14:44,400 --> 00:14:47,440 Speaker 1: on nine eleven, he had an eight pm appointment with 219 00:14:47,480 --> 00:14:52,640 Speaker 1: a psychiatrist, which obviously he missed. They also considered whether 220 00:14:52,760 --> 00:14:55,760 Speaker 1: or not he ran off. Wan and Colette had an 221 00:14:55,760 --> 00:14:59,920 Speaker 1: interesting marriage. According to The Times, once a month, Wants 222 00:15:00,000 --> 00:15:03,880 Speaker 1: stayed away from home overnight in Manhattan in a quote 223 00:15:04,080 --> 00:15:08,360 Speaker 1: shabby genteel tourist hotel. As to what one did at 224 00:15:08,400 --> 00:15:12,760 Speaker 1: the hotel, a manager said, quote, we don't ask those questions. 225 00:15:13,400 --> 00:15:16,400 Speaker 1: In addition, Juan's daughter, who said she had a good 226 00:15:16,440 --> 00:15:19,280 Speaker 1: relationship with him, could not remember whether or not he 227 00:15:19,320 --> 00:15:25,480 Speaker 1: called her on her birthday September, so, exercising caution, Pickepsie 228 00:15:25,480 --> 00:15:30,080 Speaker 1: Detective Walter Horton considered everything. He told The Times quote, 229 00:15:30,360 --> 00:15:32,520 Speaker 1: I don't want to find out six months from now 230 00:15:32,640 --> 00:15:35,440 Speaker 1: that he's living in the Bahamas. But in the end 231 00:15:35,680 --> 00:15:39,840 Speaker 1: a judge ruled that nine eleven was the answer, writing quote. 232 00:15:40,240 --> 00:15:44,480 Speaker 1: The absentee was described in polite terms by his wife 233 00:15:44,600 --> 00:15:48,520 Speaker 1: and Detective Horton as a frugal person. He would often 234 00:15:48,560 --> 00:15:53,040 Speaker 1: take advantage of trade shows offering free refreshments, such as 235 00:15:53,080 --> 00:15:57,280 Speaker 1: the one sponsored by Risk Waters. The morning of September eleven, 236 00:15:57,840 --> 00:16:02,720 Speaker 1: it is tragically ironic that the absentees zest for thriftiness 237 00:16:03,080 --> 00:16:07,480 Speaker 1: was the underlying factor which may have contributed in large 238 00:16:07,560 --> 00:16:12,880 Speaker 1: part to his unexpected demise. Under the totality of the circumstances, 239 00:16:13,120 --> 00:16:18,120 Speaker 1: there is no reasonable explanation for his disappearance other than 240 00:16:18,240 --> 00:16:22,359 Speaker 1: death by an act of terrorism. Therefore, the court determines 241 00:16:22,520 --> 00:16:28,560 Speaker 1: that Juan M. La Fuente died September eleven, two thousand one, 242 00:16:29,440 --> 00:16:34,040 Speaker 1: and with that family, unlike snay Haas family, got a 243 00:16:34,120 --> 00:17:03,000 Speaker 1: death certificate quickly. Mark Bogatin, the attorney hired by snay 244 00:17:03,040 --> 00:17:07,359 Speaker 1: House husband Ron, later referenced the Plante case multiple times 245 00:17:07,400 --> 00:17:10,920 Speaker 1: in court, arguing that in snay House case, like the 246 00:17:11,200 --> 00:17:15,840 Speaker 1: Puante case, nine eleven was the obvious answer, just common sense. 247 00:17:16,240 --> 00:17:19,399 Speaker 1: I mean, even without court being involved. It's submasing to me. 248 00:17:19,480 --> 00:17:21,240 Speaker 1: And I was talking to somebody in the bar and 249 00:17:21,280 --> 00:17:24,080 Speaker 1: they gave me the effects. It's just obviously that what else, 250 00:17:24,480 --> 00:17:26,440 Speaker 1: what else could have happened? She died at the trade center. 251 00:17:26,440 --> 00:17:29,560 Speaker 1: Why would you even consider anything else. It's like I said, 252 00:17:29,600 --> 00:17:32,199 Speaker 1: you can't stay present. There's no alien induction here. But 253 00:17:32,200 --> 00:17:34,600 Speaker 1: I'm pretty confident, you know, as a rationally human being, 254 00:17:34,680 --> 00:17:37,360 Speaker 1: it's highly unlikely there was an alien induction, and it's 255 00:17:37,359 --> 00:17:39,800 Speaker 1: more than highly unlikely there was some voul play. So 256 00:17:40,080 --> 00:17:41,919 Speaker 1: other than I was the foul play involved in what 257 00:17:41,960 --> 00:17:44,919 Speaker 1: al Qaida did. This is not what snay House family 258 00:17:45,040 --> 00:17:49,199 Speaker 1: originally thought in the beginning. They wanted the NYPD to 259 00:17:49,280 --> 00:17:54,440 Speaker 1: investigate everything, suicide, murder, everything, But by the time Mark 260 00:17:54,480 --> 00:17:57,920 Speaker 1: Bogatin enters the picture late two thousand three early two 261 00:17:57,920 --> 00:18:02,160 Speaker 1: thousand four, both snay House family and the NYPD, despite 262 00:18:02,200 --> 00:18:06,120 Speaker 1: previous clashes, agreed that sna Ha did die on nine 263 00:18:06,160 --> 00:18:10,560 Speaker 1: eleven at the Trade Center. Now though someone else is 264 00:18:10,600 --> 00:18:13,840 Speaker 1: on the case, Ellen Winner, the Guardian ad vit um, 265 00:18:14,080 --> 00:18:18,800 Speaker 1: the attorney appointed to represent sna in absentia, and basically 266 00:18:19,119 --> 00:18:21,760 Speaker 1: she says, not so fast. She was appointed by the 267 00:18:21,800 --> 00:18:24,600 Speaker 1: court to be represents. Nia's interesting, but she is. She 268 00:18:24,640 --> 00:18:27,719 Speaker 1: investated the facts like I investated the facts, and basically 269 00:18:28,800 --> 00:18:33,119 Speaker 1: her reports said, well, there's evidence that Nia led a 270 00:18:33,200 --> 00:18:37,119 Speaker 1: dangerous lifestyle, that she went to bars and lesbian bars 271 00:18:37,200 --> 00:18:39,840 Speaker 1: or bisexual bars, or I forget how they characterize it. 272 00:18:39,880 --> 00:18:42,280 Speaker 1: I think they're called bars fremented by women, I think 273 00:18:42,440 --> 00:18:44,600 Speaker 1: is what one of the reports referred to them as. 274 00:18:44,640 --> 00:18:47,520 Speaker 1: And then she may have been unfaithful and she may 275 00:18:47,560 --> 00:18:53,000 Speaker 1: have you know whatever. So she pointed to this dangerous 276 00:18:53,000 --> 00:18:56,280 Speaker 1: in her mind, dangerous life stuff as an alternative explanation 277 00:18:56,600 --> 00:18:59,800 Speaker 1: for Snia's disappearance. So basically the theory that oh, very 278 00:18:59,800 --> 00:19:03,280 Speaker 1: possible she ran went into the bar, had the unfortunate 279 00:19:03,280 --> 00:19:07,600 Speaker 1: circumstance of striking up an acquaintance with a person who 280 00:19:07,640 --> 00:19:09,920 Speaker 1: turned out to be a crazed killer, and that's how 281 00:19:10,280 --> 00:19:14,000 Speaker 1: she met her demise, demise to use the stupid term 282 00:19:14,240 --> 00:19:18,440 Speaker 1: um demise, and that's the exclamations. So since she made 283 00:19:18,520 --> 00:19:20,560 Speaker 1: since she had this dangerous lifestyle, went to bars and 284 00:19:20,640 --> 00:19:23,160 Speaker 1: may have been lesbian, Well she didn't say she died 285 00:19:23,200 --> 00:19:26,639 Speaker 1: because she was lesbian, but she did say because she 286 00:19:26,720 --> 00:19:31,080 Speaker 1: frequented bars uh and may have been unfaithful and struck 287 00:19:31,119 --> 00:19:35,040 Speaker 1: up acquaintances with strangers at these bars, that somehow, yeah, 288 00:19:35,240 --> 00:19:36,960 Speaker 1: she had a dangerous lifestyle, so we can't say with 289 00:19:37,040 --> 00:19:39,760 Speaker 1: any confidence, can't rule out foul play. And that was 290 00:19:39,840 --> 00:19:44,160 Speaker 1: her take on it, and that actually was the conclusion 291 00:19:44,440 --> 00:19:47,399 Speaker 1: reached by the surrogate, who was the judge, and the 292 00:19:47,440 --> 00:19:50,840 Speaker 1: final decision on the surrogate was because that there was 293 00:19:50,880 --> 00:19:54,240 Speaker 1: this dangerous lifestyle and she went to these bars and 294 00:19:54,280 --> 00:19:56,960 Speaker 1: stuff and all these you know, these things in her background. 295 00:19:57,240 --> 00:20:00,159 Speaker 1: Can't say that you can't rule out foul play and 296 00:20:00,160 --> 00:20:03,199 Speaker 1: she that she had my mind, that's just that's crazy 297 00:20:03,280 --> 00:20:07,840 Speaker 1: because for the reason I've already said, just crazy and 298 00:20:07,920 --> 00:20:11,080 Speaker 1: my p D thought it was crazy. Uh, prior to 299 00:20:11,119 --> 00:20:13,520 Speaker 1: the tactles it was crazy. And if you could go 300 00:20:13,640 --> 00:20:15,760 Speaker 1: and say she she was killed by a crazy killer, 301 00:20:15,880 --> 00:20:18,400 Speaker 1: you know, there has to be some evidence of that something. 302 00:20:18,600 --> 00:20:21,760 Speaker 1: So the crriot court rules, yes, she's dead, she's she's gone. 303 00:20:22,359 --> 00:20:25,800 Speaker 1: I think they set her day to death as three 304 00:20:25,880 --> 00:20:28,919 Speaker 1: years after her disappearance. Maybe she didn't die at the 305 00:20:28,920 --> 00:20:33,400 Speaker 1: Trade Center. And that was very upsetting experience. Well when 306 00:20:33,800 --> 00:20:36,120 Speaker 1: originally when her initially when her name was removed from 307 00:20:36,119 --> 00:20:38,680 Speaker 1: the list of people died at Trade Center, that was 308 00:20:38,800 --> 00:20:41,600 Speaker 1: very very upsetting to the family. By the family, I 309 00:20:41,600 --> 00:20:44,400 Speaker 1: mean her mother and father, I mean I mean Ron 310 00:20:44,520 --> 00:20:48,880 Speaker 1: was not happy either. I uh met the parents later 311 00:20:49,000 --> 00:20:50,920 Speaker 1: in the representation and the first time I met them, 312 00:20:51,960 --> 00:20:54,600 Speaker 1: I said the mother and she said to me Steia 313 00:20:54,720 --> 00:20:58,320 Speaker 1: was an American hero and meaning that she's one of 314 00:20:58,320 --> 00:21:00,840 Speaker 1: the people died at the Trade Center. And it was 315 00:21:00,840 --> 00:21:03,840 Speaker 1: the first time that it really really appreciated obviously from 316 00:21:03,800 --> 00:21:07,000 Speaker 1: the beginning, understood what the death of what's child would 317 00:21:07,080 --> 00:21:11,520 Speaker 1: mean does mean. Obviously appreciated that, but I didn't appreciate 318 00:21:12,320 --> 00:21:15,040 Speaker 1: how the fact that she had died at the Trade 319 00:21:15,040 --> 00:21:18,720 Speaker 1: Center and was included in this group of Americans who 320 00:21:18,720 --> 00:21:22,639 Speaker 1: had basically been killed because they were Americans. That fact 321 00:21:22,680 --> 00:21:26,520 Speaker 1: that circumstance gave her some solace and sort of eased 322 00:21:26,600 --> 00:21:29,040 Speaker 1: the pain. And so her death was not with that 323 00:21:29,200 --> 00:21:33,879 Speaker 1: certificance was part of a larger national tragedy. But she 324 00:21:33,920 --> 00:21:36,959 Speaker 1: said she was an American heroine. Also, I guess she 325 00:21:37,000 --> 00:21:39,439 Speaker 1: also believed that she would have been going to help 326 00:21:39,480 --> 00:21:43,399 Speaker 1: as a physician Sona's death, that that her death was 327 00:21:43,400 --> 00:21:46,080 Speaker 1: part of this larger national tragedy and this larger historical 328 00:21:46,119 --> 00:21:49,560 Speaker 1: significance even apart from her being as a physician going 329 00:21:49,600 --> 00:21:52,600 Speaker 1: to help people. Uh, it gave them some comfort and 330 00:21:52,680 --> 00:21:54,920 Speaker 1: some solace, and that was all taken away from them 331 00:21:55,040 --> 00:21:57,600 Speaker 1: when they ruled out, she's not she's not, she's not 332 00:21:57,800 --> 00:22:01,000 Speaker 1: on the list. And then obviously were very disappointed when 333 00:22:01,000 --> 00:22:04,520 Speaker 1: the trial judge ruled, oh, she died but not at 334 00:22:04,520 --> 00:22:07,040 Speaker 1: the Trade Center. And at that point we took an appeal. 335 00:22:07,119 --> 00:22:08,800 Speaker 1: We went to the Pelt Court. What did you think 336 00:22:08,800 --> 00:22:11,440 Speaker 1: when you got the decision? Wasn't surprised, I gas, I 337 00:22:11,480 --> 00:22:15,320 Speaker 1: thought it was ridiculous. It's just ridiculous. You know, as 338 00:22:15,320 --> 00:22:17,440 Speaker 1: an attorney, you know you win cases, your loose cases, 339 00:22:18,280 --> 00:22:20,920 Speaker 1: and and actually the first bless they had, the only 340 00:22:20,960 --> 00:22:23,879 Speaker 1: bless they had. You said, of the cases that you 341 00:22:23,920 --> 00:22:28,000 Speaker 1: guys an attorney or trial attorney, lawyering doesn't make a difference. 342 00:22:28,000 --> 00:22:32,159 Speaker 1: You could have Perry Mason, Mason you're gonna have, you know, 343 00:22:32,200 --> 00:22:34,919 Speaker 1: you have Johnny Conquer, definitely Bailey, or you're gonna have 344 00:22:35,080 --> 00:22:37,520 Speaker 1: the guy who got out law school you know yesterday, 345 00:22:37,840 --> 00:22:40,240 Speaker 1: not either. The cases doesn't matter. The cases are based 346 00:22:40,240 --> 00:22:42,360 Speaker 1: on the facts. The facts beek for themselves. The case 347 00:22:42,480 --> 00:22:44,720 Speaker 1: decides itself, you know, and then there's a temperate five temper. 348 00:22:44,840 --> 00:22:46,840 Speaker 1: Any cases where lawyering does make a difference, where could 349 00:22:46,880 --> 00:22:50,400 Speaker 1: go either way. And this was one of those cases, 350 00:22:50,840 --> 00:22:54,760 Speaker 1: a complicated case, a legacy case. We had one or 351 00:22:54,800 --> 00:22:58,560 Speaker 1: two conferences with the courts clerk before we actuid the hearing. 352 00:22:59,040 --> 00:23:03,840 Speaker 1: They were very, very doubtful of our case. I just 353 00:23:04,000 --> 00:23:06,240 Speaker 1: I was just surprised, I thought, to me, as a 354 00:23:06,520 --> 00:23:09,800 Speaker 1: not even being an attorney, just as a common as 355 00:23:09,840 --> 00:23:13,560 Speaker 1: a person walking around with I guess as a sentient. 356 00:23:14,119 --> 00:23:17,080 Speaker 1: That's the right pronunciation, as senting a human being. What 357 00:23:17,200 --> 00:23:19,399 Speaker 1: else you think one of the conclusion could you reach? 358 00:23:20,200 --> 00:23:22,680 Speaker 1: I guess the only the big question which everybody had 359 00:23:22,720 --> 00:23:25,160 Speaker 1: and that I would ask you is obviously, she says, 360 00:23:25,200 --> 00:23:27,280 Speaker 1: somewhere the night of the tenth. So it would have 361 00:23:27,320 --> 00:23:30,240 Speaker 1: been either with somebody she knew or with a stranger. 362 00:23:30,320 --> 00:23:34,000 Speaker 1: She would stay somewhere Ranticly, she could have walked up 363 00:23:34,080 --> 00:23:37,320 Speaker 1: the street all night. Possible, It's one of those. Yeah, 364 00:23:37,359 --> 00:23:38,719 Speaker 1: she could have been with a stranger, could have been 365 00:23:38,760 --> 00:23:41,800 Speaker 1: somebody she knew. She could have been walking literally walking 366 00:23:41,880 --> 00:23:44,120 Speaker 1: up I mean I remember was in college ones. Actually 367 00:23:44,560 --> 00:23:47,600 Speaker 1: I actually did that. I actually left the dorm at 368 00:23:47,600 --> 00:23:49,440 Speaker 1: eight at night. I didn't come back to like five 369 00:23:49,480 --> 00:23:51,639 Speaker 1: in the morning. She could have been doing that, walking around. 370 00:23:51,760 --> 00:23:54,199 Speaker 1: But more probably she would have been with somebody. If 371 00:23:54,320 --> 00:23:56,400 Speaker 1: if she was with somebody she knew, though, why would 372 00:23:56,440 --> 00:23:59,880 Speaker 1: they not come forward? Obviously she wasn't with somebody she knew. Well, 373 00:24:00,400 --> 00:24:04,680 Speaker 1: she wasn't with somebody that their family knew about. Okay, 374 00:24:04,880 --> 00:24:08,240 Speaker 1: they know that she was her last um, last trace 375 00:24:08,280 --> 00:24:10,199 Speaker 1: of her was a purchase he made a century one 376 00:24:10,200 --> 00:24:12,800 Speaker 1: because it's a credit card or whatever store receipt. I 377 00:24:12,800 --> 00:24:15,600 Speaker 1: think was like eight o'clock to night, eating something like that. 378 00:24:15,600 --> 00:24:18,119 Speaker 1: That's the last actual trace, so they know she was 379 00:24:18,119 --> 00:24:21,720 Speaker 1: attentual twenty one sometime that evening of the tenth. Uh 380 00:24:21,960 --> 00:24:25,439 Speaker 1: where she was in between there and the morning of 381 00:24:25,640 --> 00:24:31,480 Speaker 1: the eleven that, you're right, that's not it's not precisely 382 00:24:31,720 --> 00:24:36,240 Speaker 1: known or determined. Okay, just getting using logic. Could she 383 00:24:36,280 --> 00:24:40,720 Speaker 1: have been with somebody she knew, Uh, that's possible. But 384 00:24:40,800 --> 00:24:42,760 Speaker 1: like you just said, while it was somebody she do, 385 00:24:43,000 --> 00:24:45,560 Speaker 1: why did that person go forward? Okay? Could she have 386 00:24:45,600 --> 00:24:48,359 Speaker 1: been with somebody she didn't know, that's possible. Could she 387 00:24:48,400 --> 00:24:50,840 Speaker 1: have been with nobody like I, like I referred to 388 00:24:50,880 --> 00:24:54,240 Speaker 1: my experience one night in college walking that's possible. I 389 00:24:54,320 --> 00:24:57,679 Speaker 1: don't know, you know who knows? It's possible. She may 390 00:24:57,720 --> 00:24:59,919 Speaker 1: have been walking around the street with a heavy shopping 391 00:25:00,280 --> 00:25:08,080 Speaker 1: though I don't know. I forget how I mean, I 392 00:25:08,119 --> 00:25:10,560 Speaker 1: forget the size or weight of the purchase. Okay, you're right. 393 00:25:11,080 --> 00:25:13,280 Speaker 1: Maybe she wasn't walking the streets a bit. She probably 394 00:25:13,640 --> 00:25:21,480 Speaker 1: spending on the you're right, h so many questions, so 395 00:25:21,560 --> 00:25:27,280 Speaker 1: many unanswered questions. So much we don't know. But that's okay, 396 00:25:27,720 --> 00:25:32,080 Speaker 1: because sometimes the best clues are in the questions, in 397 00:25:32,160 --> 00:25:35,840 Speaker 1: what people hide, what they lie about, in what we 398 00:25:35,920 --> 00:25:40,840 Speaker 1: don't know. Next time, on Missing on nine eleven, I 399 00:25:40,920 --> 00:25:44,359 Speaker 1: just remember her confiding in me about not being happy 400 00:25:44,400 --> 00:25:48,439 Speaker 1: in her current position, feeling pressured, whether there was pressure 401 00:25:48,520 --> 00:25:50,800 Speaker 1: or not from her family, but feeling pressured to become 402 00:25:50,840 --> 00:25:53,800 Speaker 1: a doctor, and then realizing she didn't really want to become. 403 00:25:53,880 --> 00:26:00,240 Speaker 1: One homework this week one Ellen Winner the Guardian adl 404 00:26:00,280 --> 00:26:04,600 Speaker 1: item decline interview requests. Ellen, if you're listening, I'd still 405 00:26:04,640 --> 00:26:08,440 Speaker 1: love to speak with you. Two. Do you have any 406 00:26:08,520 --> 00:26:12,040 Speaker 1: new information on the La Fente case? You can reach 407 00:26:12,119 --> 00:26:15,720 Speaker 1: us by phone at one eight three three new Tips 408 00:26:15,720 --> 00:26:19,600 Speaker 1: that's one eight three three six three nine eight four 409 00:26:19,800 --> 00:26:24,560 Speaker 1: seven seven again one eight three three six three nine 410 00:26:24,920 --> 00:26:28,280 Speaker 1: eight four seven seven, or you can reach us via 411 00:26:28,359 --> 00:26:32,200 Speaker 1: email at tips at iHeart media dot com. That's tips, 412 00:26:32,440 --> 00:26:36,640 Speaker 1: T I p s at iHeart media dot com. Ben 413 00:26:36,680 --> 00:26:40,560 Speaker 1: Bowen is our executive producer. Paul Decan is our supervising producer. 414 00:26:40,760 --> 00:26:44,359 Speaker 1: Chris Brown is our assistant producer. Seth Nicholas Johnson is 415 00:26:44,359 --> 00:26:47,879 Speaker 1: our producer. Sam t Garden is our research assistant and 416 00:26:47,920 --> 00:26:51,359 Speaker 1: I'm your host and executive producer, John Wallzac. Cover art 417 00:26:51,400 --> 00:26:54,400 Speaker 1: by Pam Peacock Bluff One Day Judge voiced by Mike 418 00:26:54,440 --> 00:26:57,520 Speaker 1: Smith of New Orleans. Special thanks to Tamika Campbell at 419 00:26:57,520 --> 00:27:00,800 Speaker 1: iHeart and to Christoph Zapary in New Orleans. Also thank 420 00:27:00,840 --> 00:27:03,880 Speaker 1: you to Mark Bogutin and a soop rock original theme 421 00:27:03,960 --> 00:27:07,200 Speaker 1: music by ASoP Rock. Check out a soops website at 422 00:27:07,240 --> 00:27:10,000 Speaker 1: ASoP rock dot com. You can find me on Twitter 423 00:27:10,040 --> 00:27:13,680 Speaker 1: at at John Wallzack j O, n W A l 424 00:27:14,040 --> 00:27:17,520 Speaker 1: c z a K. If you like this show, check 425 00:27:17,560 --> 00:27:20,840 Speaker 1: out our first season, Missing in Alaska, about the nineteen 426 00:27:20,920 --> 00:27:24,880 Speaker 1: seventy two disappearance of two congressmen Missing on nine eleven, 427 00:27:25,040 --> 00:27:27,520 Speaker 1: is a co production of I Heeart Media and Greenford 428 00:27:27,600 --> 00:27:36,119 Speaker 1: Media