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