1 00:00:46,480 --> 00:00:51,961 Speaker 1: School of Humans. Helen Got Murder Line actively investigates cold 2 00:00:52,040 --> 00:00:55,361 Speaker 1: case murders in an effort to raise public awareness invite 3 00:00:55,401 --> 00:00:58,761 Speaker 1: witnesses to come forward and present evidence that could potentially 4 00:00:58,840 --> 00:01:02,961 Speaker 1: be further investigated by law enforcement. While we value insights 5 00:01:03,001 --> 00:01:06,160 Speaker 1: from family and community members, their statements should not be 6 00:01:06,200 --> 00:01:09,961 Speaker 1: considered evidence and point to the challenges of verifying facts 7 00:01:10,041 --> 00:01:14,041 Speaker 1: inherent in cold cases. We remind listeners that everyone has 8 00:01:14,080 --> 00:01:17,160 Speaker 1: presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. 9 00:01:17,961 --> 00:01:20,840 Speaker 1: Nothing in the podcast is intended to state or imply 10 00:01:21,041 --> 00:01:23,601 Speaker 1: that anyone who has not been convicted of a crime 11 00:01:24,161 --> 00:01:29,121 Speaker 1: is guilty of any wrongdoing. Thanks for listening. 12 00:01:29,761 --> 00:01:32,401 Speaker 2: Her eleven year old granddaughter would grow faf at the 13 00:01:32,401 --> 00:01:35,041 Speaker 2: bus about seven am this morning and never made it 14 00:01:35,080 --> 00:01:37,121 Speaker 2: on the bus and has not been seen since ty 15 00:01:37,161 --> 00:01:40,320 Speaker 2: twenty six. Female is about cross my four for eleven 16 00:01:40,401 --> 00:01:43,641 Speaker 2: eighty six pounds, blond, long hair, blue eyes, lasting war 17 00:01:43,920 --> 00:01:44,521 Speaker 2: her dark colored. 18 00:01:47,681 --> 00:01:51,921 Speaker 3: On February fifteenth, twenty twenty four, the day after Valentine's Day, 19 00:01:52,481 --> 00:01:55,561 Speaker 3: eleven year old Audrey Cunningham, a fifth grade student at 20 00:01:55,561 --> 00:01:59,441 Speaker 3: Creekside Elementary in Livingston, Texas, never made it to the 21 00:01:59,441 --> 00:02:04,321 Speaker 3: bus stop. Audrey's parents are divorced. She lived with her father, 22 00:02:04,561 --> 00:02:08,041 Speaker 3: Joshua Lee Cunningham, in Livingston, which is about seventy five 23 00:02:08,081 --> 00:02:12,281 Speaker 3: miles north of Houston in Polk County. Some other family members, 24 00:02:12,321 --> 00:02:16,881 Speaker 3: including her grandmother, also lived on the same property. Audrey 25 00:02:16,960 --> 00:02:20,281 Speaker 3: was born on February fifteenth, twenty thirteen, so she had 26 00:02:20,361 --> 00:02:24,321 Speaker 3: just turned eleven years old. She loved animals. In fact, 27 00:02:24,321 --> 00:02:26,441 Speaker 3: one of her favorite things in the world to do 28 00:02:27,001 --> 00:02:29,321 Speaker 3: was in the morning, when she would walk to the 29 00:02:29,321 --> 00:02:32,081 Speaker 3: bus stop, she would stop to pet her neighbor's dog. 30 00:02:33,001 --> 00:02:35,960 Speaker 3: The first people to notice that Audrey was missing were 31 00:02:36,001 --> 00:02:40,561 Speaker 3: at her school. Apparently, school officials notified her father, Joshua 32 00:02:40,601 --> 00:02:42,680 Speaker 3: at around noon that she never made it to school 33 00:02:42,680 --> 00:02:46,561 Speaker 3: that day. Now, that's what law enforcement has stated, but 34 00:02:46,641 --> 00:02:50,201 Speaker 3: I have seen other reports saying that in Texas, like 35 00:02:50,240 --> 00:02:53,041 Speaker 3: in many other states, they have an automated system that 36 00:02:53,121 --> 00:02:56,401 Speaker 3: techts parents when a child doesn't show up, So it 37 00:02:56,481 --> 00:02:58,961 Speaker 3: may have taken longer for that to happen for her 38 00:02:58,961 --> 00:03:02,441 Speaker 3: father to receive that message. But either way, when Audrey 39 00:03:02,481 --> 00:03:05,561 Speaker 3: did not come home after school, her family knew that 40 00:03:05,641 --> 00:03:11,201 Speaker 3: something was very wrong. Audrey's custody situation sounds a little complicated. 41 00:03:11,601 --> 00:03:14,921 Speaker 3: Apparently her dad had full custody and there seemed to 42 00:03:14,961 --> 00:03:19,561 Speaker 3: be some animosity there between her dad and her mom. Apparently, 43 00:03:19,641 --> 00:03:23,161 Speaker 3: Audrey's mother, Cassie, allowed her to live with her father, Joshua, 44 00:03:23,721 --> 00:03:26,241 Speaker 3: and from what the mother has said, it seems like 45 00:03:26,281 --> 00:03:28,961 Speaker 3: that arrangement was not court ordered. It was just something 46 00:03:28,961 --> 00:03:31,601 Speaker 3: they figured out on their own. It had been going 47 00:03:31,641 --> 00:03:35,321 Speaker 3: on for a few years. Cassie said that she allowed 48 00:03:35,401 --> 00:03:37,721 Speaker 3: Audrey to live with her father in order for her 49 00:03:37,801 --> 00:03:41,641 Speaker 3: daughter to have a better life. But as we said, 50 00:03:41,761 --> 00:03:45,161 Speaker 3: there were other people staying on that property. One of 51 00:03:45,161 --> 00:03:47,401 Speaker 3: the people living there was a forty two year old 52 00:03:47,401 --> 00:03:50,481 Speaker 3: friend of the famili's. He lived in a camper out back, 53 00:03:51,841 --> 00:03:54,521 Speaker 3: and this was someone who, though he had a very 54 00:03:54,561 --> 00:03:58,721 Speaker 3: disturbing criminal record, he was allowed to babysit for Audrey. 55 00:03:59,721 --> 00:04:02,601 Speaker 3: But apparently this did not raise any red flags with 56 00:04:02,641 --> 00:04:10,081 Speaker 3: anyone until the day when Audrey vanished. Only then did 57 00:04:10,121 --> 00:04:12,841 Speaker 3: people start taking a hard look at what was really 58 00:04:12,881 --> 00:04:15,241 Speaker 3: going on behind the closed doors of this house. In 59 00:04:15,281 --> 00:04:20,760 Speaker 3: rural Texas, we talk a lot about stranger danger and children, 60 00:04:21,401 --> 00:04:24,081 Speaker 3: but with this case, we're going to see that sometimes 61 00:04:24,121 --> 00:04:27,681 Speaker 3: the most terrifying people in a child's life can be 62 00:04:27,760 --> 00:04:34,001 Speaker 3: living inside the home. I'm Catherine Townsend. Over the past 63 00:04:34,041 --> 00:04:36,961 Speaker 3: five years of making my true crime podcast, Helen Gone, 64 00:04:37,440 --> 00:04:39,601 Speaker 3: I've learned that there is no such thing as a 65 00:04:39,640 --> 00:04:43,441 Speaker 3: small town where murder never happens. I have received hundreds 66 00:04:43,440 --> 00:04:46,561 Speaker 3: of men messages from people all around the country asking 67 00:04:46,561 --> 00:04:50,001 Speaker 3: for help with an unsolved murder that's affected them, their families, 68 00:04:50,121 --> 00:04:53,320 Speaker 3: and their communities. If you have a case you'd like 69 00:04:53,401 --> 00:04:55,681 Speaker 3: me and my team to look into, you can reach 70 00:04:55,721 --> 00:04:57,921 Speaker 3: out to us at our Helen Gone Murder Line at 71 00:04:57,961 --> 00:05:01,481 Speaker 3: six seven eight seven four four six one four five. 72 00:05:02,161 --> 00:05:05,841 Speaker 3: That's six seven eight seven four four six one four 73 00:05:05,881 --> 00:05:46,401 Speaker 3: or five. This is Helen Gone Murder Line now. As 74 00:05:46,521 --> 00:05:50,161 Speaker 3: listeners of this podcast will know, I very rarely do 75 00:05:50,321 --> 00:05:53,601 Speaker 3: cases that are currently being investigated. I tend to focus 76 00:05:53,641 --> 00:05:56,201 Speaker 3: on cold cases that everyone else has kind of forgotten. 77 00:05:57,121 --> 00:05:59,721 Speaker 3: I also don't tend to do cases where there has 78 00:05:59,801 --> 00:06:02,200 Speaker 3: been a person of interest arrested, where the case is 79 00:06:02,241 --> 00:06:06,401 Speaker 3: closed to being closed. But I'm breaking all the rules 80 00:06:06,441 --> 00:06:08,960 Speaker 3: this week because I think that the Audrey Cunningham case 81 00:06:09,081 --> 00:06:12,281 Speaker 3: is a very important case to cover. First of all, 82 00:06:12,321 --> 00:06:14,681 Speaker 3: I wanted to cover it because it unfolded in a 83 00:06:14,721 --> 00:06:19,001 Speaker 3: really public way. Now Obviously, anytime a young girl is 84 00:06:19,121 --> 00:06:21,881 Speaker 3: murdered or goes missing, this is a tragedy. But in 85 00:06:21,921 --> 00:06:24,521 Speaker 3: my opinion, in this case, the police have shared with 86 00:06:24,561 --> 00:06:27,241 Speaker 3: the public in a way that has been very positive. 87 00:06:27,801 --> 00:06:30,760 Speaker 3: As we will see, police were able to arrest a 88 00:06:30,761 --> 00:06:34,401 Speaker 3: person of interest very quickly. They communicated clearly with the 89 00:06:34,401 --> 00:06:38,241 Speaker 3: community and with other agencies, and they did not withhold information. 90 00:06:39,041 --> 00:06:40,640 Speaker 3: I want to know what we can learn from this 91 00:06:40,761 --> 00:06:43,921 Speaker 3: going forward, so that in cases where there are children 92 00:06:44,081 --> 00:06:47,401 Speaker 3: and young women missing for such a long time. I'm 93 00:06:47,481 --> 00:06:50,121 Speaker 3: hoping that we can take something from this and hopefully 94 00:06:50,121 --> 00:06:52,681 Speaker 3: apply these lessons to some of her other cult cases. 95 00:06:53,761 --> 00:06:56,841 Speaker 2: The missing juvenile called in from the county. They want 96 00:06:56,881 --> 00:06:58,440 Speaker 2: us to take that address with phus. 97 00:06:58,481 --> 00:07:01,361 Speaker 4: There still no side of her negative. 98 00:07:03,401 --> 00:07:06,801 Speaker 3: Audrey Cunningham was officially reported missing to law enforcement at 99 00:07:06,841 --> 00:07:11,161 Speaker 3: around five thirty pm on Thursday, February fifteenth, twenty twenty four. 100 00:07:12,001 --> 00:07:15,561 Speaker 3: An Amberlert went out that night for Audrey, describing her 101 00:07:15,641 --> 00:07:19,001 Speaker 3: as four foot eleven, seventy five pounds, wearing a black 102 00:07:19,041 --> 00:07:23,721 Speaker 3: hoodie with white lettering, carrying a camouflage backpack, black pants, 103 00:07:23,881 --> 00:07:29,121 Speaker 3: and black high top tennis shoes. Police immediately started searching 104 00:07:29,161 --> 00:07:31,841 Speaker 3: in the woods behind her house. At first, they may 105 00:07:31,841 --> 00:07:33,841 Speaker 3: have been thinking maybe she went back there to look 106 00:07:33,881 --> 00:07:37,441 Speaker 3: for animals, since she did love animals, or maybe she 107 00:07:37,521 --> 00:07:41,801 Speaker 3: wandered away and got lost. Audrey's family started posting on 108 00:07:41,841 --> 00:07:46,361 Speaker 3: social media immediately after she went missing. Her father, Joshua Cunningham, 109 00:07:46,401 --> 00:07:49,801 Speaker 3: made a post that read, my daughter Audrey Cunningham is missing. 110 00:07:50,201 --> 00:07:52,081 Speaker 3: She did not make it to the bus this morning. 111 00:07:52,521 --> 00:07:55,681 Speaker 3: Contact me and the police immediately with any information. 112 00:07:57,641 --> 00:07:57,961 Speaker 4: Now. 113 00:07:58,361 --> 00:08:01,481 Speaker 3: This seemed to feed into early media reports that said 114 00:08:01,481 --> 00:08:04,361 Speaker 3: that Audrey had vanished some time on her way to 115 00:08:04,361 --> 00:08:07,361 Speaker 3: school on Thursday. But as I'm going to get into 116 00:08:07,441 --> 00:08:10,561 Speaker 3: a little bit later, I have questions about this timeline 117 00:08:10,601 --> 00:08:14,521 Speaker 3: and when Audrey really disappeared. Of course, police who were 118 00:08:14,521 --> 00:08:18,081 Speaker 3: looking for Audrey were considering all the possibilities. In addition 119 00:08:18,121 --> 00:08:20,441 Speaker 3: to figuring out if a stranger had grabbed her on 120 00:08:20,441 --> 00:08:22,561 Speaker 3: her way to the bus stop, they were also taking 121 00:08:22,601 --> 00:08:26,121 Speaker 3: a close look at her home life. Who was around Audrey, 122 00:08:26,161 --> 00:08:29,881 Speaker 3: who had access to this little girl. Immediately, both the 123 00:08:29,881 --> 00:08:34,040 Speaker 3: community and friends of hers saw pictures of this family friend, 124 00:08:34,121 --> 00:08:36,561 Speaker 3: forty two year old Don Stephen McDougall, who goes by 125 00:08:36,560 --> 00:08:39,280 Speaker 3: his middle name Stephen, and they were asking a lot 126 00:08:39,280 --> 00:08:43,441 Speaker 3: of questions about Stephen. Stephen had a long criminal history. 127 00:08:43,841 --> 00:08:47,321 Speaker 3: He had a swastika tattoo on his shoulder, and a 128 00:08:47,321 --> 00:08:49,881 Speaker 3: lot of people commented on social media and said this 129 00:08:49,961 --> 00:08:52,200 Speaker 3: did not look or sound like the type of guy 130 00:08:52,241 --> 00:08:54,040 Speaker 3: you would want to leave in charge of your children. 131 00:08:55,521 --> 00:08:58,361 Speaker 3: People wanted to know who was this friend of the 132 00:08:58,401 --> 00:09:01,441 Speaker 3: famili's and how was he allowed access to an eleven 133 00:09:01,521 --> 00:09:07,721 Speaker 3: year old child. The Polk County Sheriff's Department did a 134 00:09:07,761 --> 00:09:12,161 Speaker 3: press conference and the Polk County Sheriff Byron Lyons described 135 00:09:12,160 --> 00:09:14,761 Speaker 3: Stephen McDougall as a friend of the family, a friend 136 00:09:14,800 --> 00:09:18,321 Speaker 3: of Audrey's father's. Stephen McDougall lived in a camper on 137 00:09:18,361 --> 00:09:22,081 Speaker 3: the property, but he reportedly had access to the kitchen 138 00:09:22,201 --> 00:09:26,801 Speaker 3: and the bathroom area pretty much the entire house. Reporters 139 00:09:26,841 --> 00:09:30,441 Speaker 3: and police talked to Audrey's mom, Cassie. She said that 140 00:09:30,481 --> 00:09:34,001 Speaker 3: it was her understanding that Stephen would sometimes babysit Audrey, 141 00:09:34,761 --> 00:09:38,721 Speaker 3: and Audrey's routine apparently was that every day she walked 142 00:09:38,761 --> 00:09:41,881 Speaker 3: to the bus stop, and often Stephen was the person 143 00:09:41,881 --> 00:09:44,761 Speaker 3: who walked with her. On occasion, or if she was 144 00:09:44,841 --> 00:09:48,041 Speaker 3: running late or something like that, Stephen would drive Audrey 145 00:09:48,081 --> 00:09:49,841 Speaker 3: to the bus stop in his two thousand and three 146 00:09:50,121 --> 00:09:53,401 Speaker 3: navy blue Chevy Suburban, or he would drive her to school. 147 00:09:54,521 --> 00:09:56,601 Speaker 3: Cassie made a public plea for help. 148 00:09:57,081 --> 00:09:58,921 Speaker 5: I would just like to get the word out that 149 00:09:59,441 --> 00:10:03,401 Speaker 5: we would like to have her come home. It's not 150 00:10:03,641 --> 00:10:07,561 Speaker 5: like her to, you know, just run off forward disappear. 151 00:10:07,721 --> 00:10:09,921 Speaker 5: She has a lot of loving families. She has so 152 00:10:10,001 --> 00:10:12,321 Speaker 5: many people that love her and adore her. 153 00:10:13,761 --> 00:10:17,121 Speaker 3: And she also publicly shared texts that she said were 154 00:10:17,161 --> 00:10:20,961 Speaker 3: from Stephen in which Stephen said he had dropped Audrey 155 00:10:20,961 --> 00:10:24,361 Speaker 3: off to the bus stop that morning. Yet school officials 156 00:10:24,401 --> 00:10:27,721 Speaker 3: stated they confirmed Audrey was not on that bus. She 157 00:10:27,761 --> 00:10:30,561 Speaker 3: did not ride her bus to school that day. So 158 00:10:31,721 --> 00:10:35,401 Speaker 3: these stories conflicted, and it didn't take police long to 159 00:10:35,481 --> 00:10:39,601 Speaker 3: learn that in addition to Stephen's criminal history, he had 160 00:10:39,761 --> 00:10:45,121 Speaker 3: arrests for violent crime and sexual crimes against children. The 161 00:10:45,201 --> 00:10:49,800 Speaker 3: Polk County Police were already talking to Stephen. They confirmed 162 00:10:49,841 --> 00:10:53,160 Speaker 3: Stephen was the last person to see Audrey before she disappeared. 163 00:10:53,921 --> 00:10:57,040 Speaker 3: And I'm not exactly sure of the timeline here, because 164 00:10:57,041 --> 00:11:01,201 Speaker 3: they started talking to Stephen on Thursday, February fifteenth, but 165 00:11:01,401 --> 00:11:05,361 Speaker 3: at some point during their multiple interviews of Stephen. Stephen 166 00:11:05,401 --> 00:11:07,921 Speaker 3: apparently admitted to police that he did leave the house 167 00:11:07,921 --> 00:11:11,161 Speaker 3: with Audrey that morning, but he wouldn't talk about whether 168 00:11:11,241 --> 00:11:12,761 Speaker 3: or not she ever made it to the bus stop. 169 00:11:14,841 --> 00:11:20,001 Speaker 3: This regional story very quickly made national news. Police were 170 00:11:20,081 --> 00:11:23,241 Speaker 3: focusing on the area around Lake Livingstone Dam, a few 171 00:11:23,241 --> 00:11:29,841 Speaker 3: miles from Audrey's home. Then, on Friday, one day after 172 00:11:29,921 --> 00:11:34,081 Speaker 3: Audrey was reported missing, the local news station KHOU eleven 173 00:11:34,521 --> 00:11:37,841 Speaker 3: reported that searchers had found a wet backpack believed to 174 00:11:37,881 --> 00:11:41,881 Speaker 3: be Audrey's. More items of clothing belonging to a child 175 00:11:42,001 --> 00:11:45,921 Speaker 3: were reportedly found near the waterline. The Polk County Sheriff's 176 00:11:45,921 --> 00:11:50,121 Speaker 3: office held a press conference at Bowders Marina. Sheriff Lines 177 00:11:50,161 --> 00:11:53,401 Speaker 3: announced that the FBI and the Texas Rangers and multiple 178 00:11:53,401 --> 00:11:56,601 Speaker 3: other agencies were involved and said they had boats and 179 00:11:56,681 --> 00:12:00,881 Speaker 3: dogs searching the area. And he said in this press 180 00:12:00,921 --> 00:12:04,401 Speaker 3: conference that police hadn't made any rest, but he stated 181 00:12:04,401 --> 00:12:06,761 Speaker 3: that there were persons and he used the plural there 182 00:12:07,321 --> 00:12:12,241 Speaker 3: persons of interest. Meanwhile, police continued to talk to Stephen. 183 00:12:13,561 --> 00:12:16,761 Speaker 3: And what was crazy was this entire situation with the 184 00:12:16,801 --> 00:12:19,921 Speaker 3: police approaching Stephen and talking to him was playing out 185 00:12:20,001 --> 00:12:23,721 Speaker 3: on social media. People were posting Facebook videos of the 186 00:12:23,721 --> 00:12:27,281 Speaker 3: police talking to Stephen outside a donut shop, then Stephen 187 00:12:27,321 --> 00:12:29,800 Speaker 3: getting into a squad car and going to the police station. 188 00:12:30,961 --> 00:12:35,641 Speaker 3: And then it was reported that on February fifteenth, very 189 00:12:35,721 --> 00:12:39,721 Speaker 3: soon after that donut shop confrontation, Stephen was arrested and 190 00:12:39,761 --> 00:12:41,681 Speaker 3: he was taken to the Polk County Jail on an 191 00:12:41,721 --> 00:12:45,681 Speaker 3: unrelated assault charge. So now the public is wondering why 192 00:12:45,881 --> 00:12:48,401 Speaker 3: if Stephen had warrants out on him, and given the 193 00:12:48,481 --> 00:12:51,241 Speaker 3: violence of his past crimes, how was he allowed to 194 00:12:51,321 --> 00:12:59,961 Speaker 3: roam free. Then on February twentieth, there was another press conference. 195 00:13:00,841 --> 00:13:04,280 Speaker 3: That's when the Sheriff's office announced that Audrey Cunningham's body 196 00:13:04,321 --> 00:13:15,281 Speaker 3: had been found. At the press conference on February twentieth, 197 00:13:15,681 --> 00:13:18,881 Speaker 3: Sheriff Line said that finding Audrey's body had been a 198 00:13:18,921 --> 00:13:21,841 Speaker 3: coordinated effort, and he talked about how many groups were involved, 199 00:13:21,881 --> 00:13:26,881 Speaker 3: including the Texas Rangers, Game Wardens, FBI, Harris County Sheriff's Office, 200 00:13:27,280 --> 00:13:30,641 Speaker 3: and there were a lot more. The Trinity River Authority 201 00:13:30,681 --> 00:13:35,321 Speaker 3: actually played a key role here because that agency agreed 202 00:13:35,401 --> 00:13:37,961 Speaker 3: to lower the water level so that the divers could 203 00:13:37,961 --> 00:13:41,841 Speaker 3: do their searches around there. The Polk County District Attorney 204 00:13:41,921 --> 00:13:46,601 Speaker 3: Shelley Sitton said quota resources that were marshaled by sheriff 205 00:13:46,681 --> 00:13:49,881 Speaker 3: lines should show you that in this county they will 206 00:13:49,961 --> 00:13:54,321 Speaker 3: come out when they need to protect our children. The 207 00:13:54,401 --> 00:13:57,560 Speaker 3: sheriff said that Audrey's body had not been visible from 208 00:13:57,601 --> 00:14:00,881 Speaker 3: the surface, so it required special equipment and teams to 209 00:14:00,961 --> 00:14:03,841 Speaker 3: locate her. There was a sonar boat they used to 210 00:14:03,841 --> 00:14:07,321 Speaker 3: scow the river, and again the river authority had slowed 211 00:14:07,361 --> 00:14:10,441 Speaker 3: down the outflow from the reservoir so that water level 212 00:14:10,441 --> 00:14:14,841 Speaker 3: could be lowered. After they found Audrey's body, it was 213 00:14:14,921 --> 00:14:18,441 Speaker 3: transported to Harris County Coroner's office. They did not release 214 00:14:18,441 --> 00:14:22,241 Speaker 3: any information about the condition of her body, but later 215 00:14:22,521 --> 00:14:26,161 Speaker 3: investigators revealed that Audrey's body had been tied to a 216 00:14:26,241 --> 00:14:32,001 Speaker 3: large rock with a rope. And I just want to 217 00:14:32,041 --> 00:14:34,641 Speaker 3: mention here something that I noticed as an investigator. During 218 00:14:34,641 --> 00:14:40,081 Speaker 3: the press conference, the sheriff talked about how powerful social 219 00:14:40,121 --> 00:14:42,921 Speaker 3: media had been. They said they actually thanked people who 220 00:14:42,961 --> 00:14:45,801 Speaker 3: were communicating on social media. The sheriff said that it 221 00:14:45,801 --> 00:14:48,921 Speaker 3: had helped in their investigation, that it had helped pinpoint 222 00:14:48,921 --> 00:14:52,001 Speaker 3: his location, and that in addition to getting cell phone 223 00:14:52,081 --> 00:14:56,121 Speaker 3: data from Stephen's phone, that the social media chatter had 224 00:14:56,161 --> 00:15:00,281 Speaker 3: really helped the case. This does not often happen in 225 00:15:00,361 --> 00:15:03,321 Speaker 3: criminal investigations. If you listen to this podcast, you know 226 00:15:03,361 --> 00:15:07,081 Speaker 3: we've seen way too many where the police give no 227 00:15:07,201 --> 00:15:11,801 Speaker 3: information out and bodies are not recovered quickly. So I 228 00:15:11,841 --> 00:15:13,761 Speaker 3: have to say I think that Paul County did a 229 00:15:13,801 --> 00:15:16,121 Speaker 3: really good job in communicating with the media and the 230 00:15:16,121 --> 00:15:21,241 Speaker 3: public and maintaining the integrity and investigation while also giving 231 00:15:21,281 --> 00:15:25,081 Speaker 3: people information so that they could help. The sheriff also 232 00:15:25,201 --> 00:15:27,721 Speaker 3: said during the press conference there was no evidence that 233 00:15:27,761 --> 00:15:29,921 Speaker 3: Audrey had been held somewhere else before she was put 234 00:15:29,961 --> 00:15:32,801 Speaker 3: in the water, but he said they were still analyzing data. 235 00:15:37,801 --> 00:15:41,601 Speaker 3: It did not take long for amateur detectives and journalists 236 00:15:41,601 --> 00:15:45,601 Speaker 3: to start delving into Stephen's criminal record. The news channel 237 00:15:45,681 --> 00:15:47,921 Speaker 3: Fox twenty six in Houston reported that he had a 238 00:15:47,921 --> 00:15:52,481 Speaker 3: string of arrests and convictions for violent crimes, including dui theft, 239 00:15:52,601 --> 00:15:56,041 Speaker 3: drug possession, and aggravated assault with a deadly weapon. The 240 00:15:56,081 --> 00:16:02,521 Speaker 3: most shocking, though, was enticement of a child. One news 241 00:16:02,641 --> 00:16:05,681 Speaker 3: channel did an interview with a guy who had worked 242 00:16:05,721 --> 00:16:08,961 Speaker 3: with Stephen and said that Stephen seemed like a nice guy. 243 00:16:09,321 --> 00:16:11,481 Speaker 3: They worked together at a body shop and one night, 244 00:16:11,521 --> 00:16:14,521 Speaker 3: they got into an argument. Things turned physical and they 245 00:16:14,601 --> 00:16:17,761 Speaker 3: ended up kicking Stephen out of their house. Then Stephen 246 00:16:17,841 --> 00:16:20,961 Speaker 3: came back with a knife and tried to stab this guy. 247 00:16:21,041 --> 00:16:24,521 Speaker 3: The victim called the police and Stephen was arrested. The 248 00:16:24,601 --> 00:16:28,361 Speaker 3: victim told the news channel quote terrifying, it really was. 249 00:16:28,801 --> 00:16:31,121 Speaker 3: He seemed like this nice guy, but he's got this 250 00:16:31,201 --> 00:16:33,321 Speaker 3: whole other side to him that no one seemed to 251 00:16:33,361 --> 00:16:37,161 Speaker 3: know about until now end quote. In fact, this guy 252 00:16:37,241 --> 00:16:39,561 Speaker 3: said he was so horrified by everything that he had 253 00:16:39,601 --> 00:16:43,641 Speaker 3: heard about Stephen that his only actual regret was that 254 00:16:43,841 --> 00:16:46,281 Speaker 3: he didn't kill Stephen, that he didn't shoot him dead 255 00:16:46,401 --> 00:16:50,641 Speaker 3: the night that he was attacked. On February twenty second, 256 00:16:51,001 --> 00:16:54,921 Speaker 3: the Harris County Medical Examiner's Office released Audrey Cunningham's cause 257 00:16:54,961 --> 00:16:58,561 Speaker 3: of death. It was blunt head trauma and the manner 258 00:16:58,601 --> 00:17:03,641 Speaker 3: of death was homicide. Again, I think it was a 259 00:17:03,761 --> 00:17:07,600 Speaker 3: very good call to release this information. Making it publicly 260 00:17:07,640 --> 00:17:11,360 Speaker 3: available definitely helped cut down on the wild rumors and 261 00:17:11,481 --> 00:17:19,840 Speaker 3: online speculation. So again, this case is happening in real time. 262 00:17:20,001 --> 00:17:22,880 Speaker 3: Stephen has not been convicted of this crime, and we 263 00:17:22,961 --> 00:17:24,801 Speaker 3: actually don't know if anyone else is going to be 264 00:17:24,880 --> 00:17:30,521 Speaker 3: arrested or charged. But I have some questions about this timeline. 265 00:17:31,080 --> 00:17:34,001 Speaker 3: Let's take a look back, because at first, police said 266 00:17:34,001 --> 00:17:36,720 Speaker 3: their theory was that Stephen and Audrey drove in the 267 00:17:36,761 --> 00:17:39,321 Speaker 3: car on Thursday morning and that he told Audrey he 268 00:17:39,360 --> 00:17:41,521 Speaker 3: was going to drop her off the bus stop as normal. 269 00:17:42,161 --> 00:17:44,561 Speaker 3: Then they speculated he took a d tour and took 270 00:17:44,561 --> 00:17:48,080 Speaker 3: Audrey somewhere else. But again a lot of their information 271 00:17:48,401 --> 00:17:51,201 Speaker 3: was based on what Stephen was telling them. So I'm 272 00:17:51,201 --> 00:17:56,401 Speaker 3: wondering could something have happened to Audrey before Thursday. The 273 00:17:56,441 --> 00:17:59,161 Speaker 3: first meetia reports that came out said that Audrey had 274 00:17:59,241 --> 00:18:03,641 Speaker 3: last been seen at around seven am on Thursday, February fifteenth, 275 00:18:03,681 --> 00:18:07,801 Speaker 3: the day she reportedly disappeared, But at least according to 276 00:18:07,840 --> 00:18:11,321 Speaker 3: my research, no one but Stephen and possibly others in 277 00:18:11,361 --> 00:18:13,281 Speaker 3: the home say that she was ever seen that morning. 278 00:18:14,521 --> 00:18:17,080 Speaker 3: There was a neighbor who was interviewed by a news channel, 279 00:18:17,201 --> 00:18:20,360 Speaker 3: and this neighbor said she always saw Audrey walk by 280 00:18:20,361 --> 00:18:22,521 Speaker 3: her house every single day on her way to the 281 00:18:22,521 --> 00:18:25,080 Speaker 3: bus stop, and that Audrey would stop to pet her 282 00:18:25,121 --> 00:18:29,001 Speaker 3: dog well. The neighbor told a local news station that 283 00:18:29,121 --> 00:18:33,561 Speaker 3: she remembered seeing Audrey on Valentine's Day, Wednesday, February fourteenth. 284 00:18:33,561 --> 00:18:36,521 Speaker 3: She had actually said Happy Valentine's Day to Audrey, but 285 00:18:36,840 --> 00:18:39,681 Speaker 3: crucially she said she did not see Audrey on Thursday 286 00:18:39,721 --> 00:18:44,561 Speaker 3: the fifteenth. And then there are the disturbing messages that 287 00:18:44,601 --> 00:18:49,640 Speaker 3: Stephen was sending. People were posting Facebook messages saying that 288 00:18:49,721 --> 00:18:52,561 Speaker 3: around the time Audrey disappeared that Stephen was trying to 289 00:18:52,601 --> 00:18:57,080 Speaker 3: solicit them for sex. Stephen allegedly sent some messages about 290 00:18:57,121 --> 00:19:00,121 Speaker 3: wanting to hook up with someone on the night of Wednesday, 291 00:19:00,161 --> 00:19:04,321 Speaker 3: February fourteenth. He was offering, in exchange for sex, the 292 00:19:04,361 --> 00:19:07,681 Speaker 3: title to his truck, meaning the Suburban, or one thousand dollars. 293 00:19:08,721 --> 00:19:12,161 Speaker 3: The messages are disturbing, not necessarily because he was wanting 294 00:19:12,161 --> 00:19:14,281 Speaker 3: to hook up, but because these women are saying no. 295 00:19:15,041 --> 00:19:18,401 Speaker 3: One woman responds and says she's engaged. Then she says, look, 296 00:19:18,441 --> 00:19:20,761 Speaker 3: this is disgusting. I'm not a prostitute. I don't know 297 00:19:20,801 --> 00:19:23,321 Speaker 3: why you're offering me money for this. Basically, she blew 298 00:19:23,361 --> 00:19:27,241 Speaker 3: them off. And it's also interesting to me that Stephen 299 00:19:27,321 --> 00:19:30,961 Speaker 3: was making comments about trading in the suburban, because if 300 00:19:30,961 --> 00:19:33,080 Speaker 3: that's true, if he really wanted to get rid of 301 00:19:33,080 --> 00:19:37,361 Speaker 3: the car that in itself is interesting, there was potential 302 00:19:37,401 --> 00:19:44,840 Speaker 3: evidence inside that car. Later investigators said they found rope 303 00:19:44,881 --> 00:19:48,160 Speaker 3: inside Stephen's suburban and that that rope was consistent with 304 00:19:48,201 --> 00:19:50,600 Speaker 3: the rope that had been found tied to Audrey's body. 305 00:19:51,921 --> 00:19:55,521 Speaker 3: And then there are the messages that Stephen supposedly sent 306 00:19:55,601 --> 00:20:00,401 Speaker 3: to Audrey's mother, Cassie. Cassie posted text messages she said 307 00:20:00,401 --> 00:20:04,201 Speaker 3: she exchanged with Stephen, and in these text messages, she 308 00:20:04,321 --> 00:20:07,121 Speaker 3: claims that Stephen was trying to entice her to meet 309 00:20:07,201 --> 00:20:11,521 Speaker 3: with him and with Audrey on Thursday, February fifteenth. So, 310 00:20:11,641 --> 00:20:14,600 Speaker 3: as we mentioned, Cassie was having custody issues with her 311 00:20:14,641 --> 00:20:16,880 Speaker 3: ex husband and she wanted to have more visits with 312 00:20:16,921 --> 00:20:20,801 Speaker 3: her daughter. So the messages that were exchanged between Cassie 313 00:20:20,801 --> 00:20:24,241 Speaker 3: and Stephen were basically Stephen offering to intervene and to 314 00:20:24,361 --> 00:20:28,401 Speaker 3: help Cassie out. Cassie wrote, quote, it makes me sick 315 00:20:28,401 --> 00:20:30,880 Speaker 3: to my stomach that they think that's okay. She has 316 00:20:30,921 --> 00:20:33,840 Speaker 3: an innocent, fragile child's mind and them warping it with 317 00:20:33,921 --> 00:20:38,441 Speaker 3: chaos is not right man end quote. So basically, Cassie's 318 00:20:38,481 --> 00:20:42,081 Speaker 3: saying that she believes that her ex husband is kind 319 00:20:42,121 --> 00:20:45,120 Speaker 3: of turning her daughter. Against her. Stephen seems to be 320 00:20:45,161 --> 00:20:47,080 Speaker 3: acting like this good guy who's a friend of the 321 00:20:47,121 --> 00:20:49,600 Speaker 3: family who's going to plan a meetup with her mother. 322 00:20:50,361 --> 00:20:53,600 Speaker 3: Stephen replied, quote, I might take you out to the 323 00:20:53,641 --> 00:20:57,080 Speaker 3: doc to fish and accidentally pull up with her to fish. 324 00:20:57,321 --> 00:21:02,120 Speaker 3: End quote. So here he's offering to set up a 325 00:21:02,161 --> 00:21:06,361 Speaker 3: meeting with Audrey. Cassie replied, quote, I want to meet 326 00:21:06,361 --> 00:21:08,600 Speaker 3: her too, but if this comes back on me in 327 00:21:08,641 --> 00:21:11,041 Speaker 3: any bad way, I can lose her forever and I 328 00:21:11,080 --> 00:21:13,441 Speaker 3: would kill you then myself. Man, no threat but a 329 00:21:13,441 --> 00:21:17,481 Speaker 3: promise end quote. So then he says, quote it wouldn't 330 00:21:17,521 --> 00:21:19,561 Speaker 3: as long as no one says anything about it being 331 00:21:19,601 --> 00:21:22,281 Speaker 3: set up. No one would even know, and she won't 332 00:21:22,321 --> 00:21:25,801 Speaker 3: say anything to them. I'm your daughter's favorite person, and 333 00:21:25,840 --> 00:21:28,681 Speaker 3: she will not tell she wants to meet you. I 334 00:21:28,801 --> 00:21:34,921 Speaker 3: told you I'm on your team. End quote. Now, Cassie 335 00:21:35,001 --> 00:21:37,801 Speaker 3: apparently got cold feet and did not agree to this 336 00:21:37,840 --> 00:21:42,321 Speaker 3: proposed meeting. I've seen reports that once she suggested to 337 00:21:42,321 --> 00:21:44,921 Speaker 3: Stephen that her boyfriend with her, that he kind of 338 00:21:44,961 --> 00:21:47,681 Speaker 3: cut it off, But either way, the meeting didn't happen. 339 00:21:48,961 --> 00:21:53,361 Speaker 3: But rereading these texts is kind of horrifying because I'm 340 00:21:53,361 --> 00:21:57,121 Speaker 3: wondering what was Stephen planning to do on Thursday. Could 341 00:21:57,121 --> 00:21:59,481 Speaker 3: Audrey have already been dead and he was trying to 342 00:21:59,561 --> 00:22:02,080 Speaker 3: lure her mom out so that he could potentially say 343 00:22:02,121 --> 00:22:05,281 Speaker 3: there had been a parental abduction? Was he planning on 344 00:22:05,401 --> 00:22:11,321 Speaker 3: doing something to Audrey's mother? As it happened so often 345 00:22:11,361 --> 00:22:14,080 Speaker 3: in these cases, there was not only panic and drama 346 00:22:14,121 --> 00:22:17,321 Speaker 3: in the community, but there was also the family drama 347 00:22:17,361 --> 00:22:20,481 Speaker 3: that was playing out on social media. Early in the 348 00:22:20,521 --> 00:22:24,481 Speaker 3: search for Audrey, online groups were created that, of course 349 00:22:24,601 --> 00:22:27,200 Speaker 3: friends or people connected to the family were contributing to. 350 00:22:27,961 --> 00:22:30,281 Speaker 3: And then of course a lot of people were saying 351 00:22:30,321 --> 00:22:32,281 Speaker 3: the mother and the father should have known what was 352 00:22:32,321 --> 00:22:37,001 Speaker 3: going on. Audrey's mom, Cassie confronted these rumors, and the 353 00:22:37,121 --> 00:22:41,041 Speaker 3: rumors included a lot of commenters saying that Cassie had 354 00:22:41,080 --> 00:22:43,481 Speaker 3: lost custody of Audrey because she failed or because there 355 00:22:43,481 --> 00:22:47,241 Speaker 3: were rug's involved in some way. She has said that 356 00:22:47,281 --> 00:22:50,281 Speaker 3: that is an absolute lie. She wrote that she had 357 00:22:50,321 --> 00:22:55,001 Speaker 3: nothing to hide, and she accused people of spreading bullshit online. 358 00:22:55,041 --> 00:22:58,441 Speaker 3: Audrey's mother also spoke out and asked anyone with information 359 00:22:58,521 --> 00:23:02,721 Speaker 3: about Audrey's whereabouts to come forward. She told the news 360 00:23:02,761 --> 00:23:06,641 Speaker 3: channel KPRC. We have no leads, so we are grasping 361 00:23:06,681 --> 00:23:10,401 Speaker 3: at any string, any signs anything. In general. You were broken, 362 00:23:10,681 --> 00:23:13,441 Speaker 3: you're mad, you're empty, and right now I am empty. 363 00:23:15,080 --> 00:23:17,961 Speaker 3: Later there was an online post that Cassie made visible. 364 00:23:18,401 --> 00:23:20,721 Speaker 3: The Daily Mail reported on it, and the Daily Beasts 365 00:23:20,721 --> 00:23:24,801 Speaker 3: followed up. She wrote, quote, I'll make this clear one time, 366 00:23:24,840 --> 00:23:27,841 Speaker 3: and one time only, I failed my daughter by being 367 00:23:27,881 --> 00:23:30,761 Speaker 3: bullied into submission by her father's family and being made 368 00:23:30,801 --> 00:23:33,241 Speaker 3: to believe she was in a safe, loving and normal 369 00:23:33,281 --> 00:23:37,521 Speaker 3: home with her father. End quote. Joshua Cunningham side of 370 00:23:37,521 --> 00:23:41,001 Speaker 3: the family has been quieter, but a man named Chris 371 00:23:41,041 --> 00:23:43,281 Speaker 3: Booth addressed a crowd of reporters and people from the 372 00:23:43,321 --> 00:23:45,840 Speaker 3: community and said that he was speaking on behalf of 373 00:23:45,881 --> 00:23:46,321 Speaker 3: the family. 374 00:23:47,241 --> 00:23:51,241 Speaker 4: He said, I'm gonna ask that if you don't know anything, 375 00:23:52,041 --> 00:23:55,201 Speaker 4: don't say anything. All you're doing is hurting the family. 376 00:23:56,801 --> 00:24:00,281 Speaker 4: That makes no sense. You don't know what they're going through. 377 00:24:00,321 --> 00:24:03,400 Speaker 4: You don't know the circumstances. I do know Audrey is loved, 378 00:24:04,481 --> 00:24:07,680 Speaker 4: I know Audrey has cared for and I know Audrey 379 00:24:07,761 --> 00:24:10,841 Speaker 4: loved her grandmother, her father, her brother and family. I'm 380 00:24:10,881 --> 00:24:13,840 Speaker 4: asking everybody to stop the bs and I'm sorry for 381 00:24:13,881 --> 00:24:17,161 Speaker 4: the language, the bs on Facebook and all the garbage 382 00:24:17,241 --> 00:24:22,761 Speaker 4: talk on Facebook. You don't know the circumstances. Leave it alone. 383 00:24:23,721 --> 00:24:28,041 Speaker 3: But the truth is, with Stephen living there, clearly this 384 00:24:28,241 --> 00:24:31,360 Speaker 3: was far from a normal and healthy environment for a child. 385 00:24:39,881 --> 00:24:42,921 Speaker 3: One person he knew exactly what Stephen McDougall was capable 386 00:24:42,961 --> 00:24:46,321 Speaker 3: of was another one of his past victims. Her name 387 00:24:46,401 --> 00:24:50,001 Speaker 3: is Carissa Davis. ABC thirteen did an interview with her 388 00:24:50,721 --> 00:24:54,241 Speaker 3: about what happened back in two thousand and seven. Back then, 389 00:24:54,401 --> 00:24:57,041 Speaker 3: Carissa was ten years old. She was at a family 390 00:24:57,121 --> 00:24:59,441 Speaker 3: gathering and Stephen, who was a friend of the families, 391 00:24:59,761 --> 00:25:02,081 Speaker 3: came into the bedroom that night where she was sleeping 392 00:25:02,321 --> 00:25:05,681 Speaker 3: with one of her cousins. She said, Stephen pulled her 393 00:25:05,681 --> 00:25:07,881 Speaker 3: cousin out of the bed and then crawled in there. 394 00:25:08,601 --> 00:25:11,281 Speaker 3: She said, quote he tried to take down my pants 395 00:25:11,281 --> 00:25:14,120 Speaker 3: and I immediately jumped up at that moment. I remember 396 00:25:14,201 --> 00:25:16,001 Speaker 3: looking at him. I was like, do you know how 397 00:25:16,041 --> 00:25:20,121 Speaker 3: old I am? End quote. The grand jury indictment backed 398 00:25:20,161 --> 00:25:24,640 Speaker 3: up Caris's version of events. The indictment explained that Stephen 399 00:25:24,721 --> 00:25:27,360 Speaker 3: had removed another female from the bed where his victim 400 00:25:27,401 --> 00:25:31,241 Speaker 3: was sleeping, then pulled down her pajama bottoms and underwear. 401 00:25:32,001 --> 00:25:36,400 Speaker 3: But it didn't stop there because Carissa managed to break 402 00:25:36,441 --> 00:25:39,801 Speaker 3: free and she tried to run outside, but then Stephen 403 00:25:39,881 --> 00:25:43,120 Speaker 3: chased her and grabbed her again. She said she started 404 00:25:43,201 --> 00:25:46,640 Speaker 3: hitting him and she managed to break free. Her family 405 00:25:46,681 --> 00:25:50,281 Speaker 3: called the police and he was arrested. Stephen was originally 406 00:25:50,361 --> 00:25:54,321 Speaker 3: charged with attempted indecency with a child, but he was 407 00:25:54,361 --> 00:25:57,761 Speaker 3: allowed to plead guilty to a lesser charge of child enticement. 408 00:25:58,441 --> 00:26:01,601 Speaker 3: Now crucially, this meant he did not have to register 409 00:26:01,681 --> 00:26:03,721 Speaker 3: as a sex offender, so if you look him up 410 00:26:03,721 --> 00:26:06,201 Speaker 3: in the sex offender registry, nothing would come up under 411 00:26:06,241 --> 00:26:08,640 Speaker 3: his name. And in addition to that, even though he 412 00:26:08,681 --> 00:26:11,440 Speaker 3: was sentenced to two years in prison, he got credit 413 00:26:11,481 --> 00:26:14,120 Speaker 3: for time served for the time he'd been waiting around 414 00:26:14,161 --> 00:26:18,640 Speaker 3: for trial, so he was out in six months. And 415 00:26:19,441 --> 00:26:21,801 Speaker 3: even more shocking than this to me is the fact 416 00:26:21,840 --> 00:26:25,961 Speaker 3: that members of Stephen's family said this incident was just exaggerated. 417 00:26:26,521 --> 00:26:29,080 Speaker 3: They backed him up, and some of them actually seemed 418 00:26:29,121 --> 00:26:32,161 Speaker 3: to blame the victim. I have seen this lay out 419 00:26:32,241 --> 00:26:34,881 Speaker 3: in so many other cases, and it is always shocking 420 00:26:34,921 --> 00:26:39,561 Speaker 3: to me. Stephen's mother joined one of the social media 421 00:26:39,601 --> 00:26:45,640 Speaker 3: groups that was created after Audrey disappeared. Now, according to commenters, 422 00:26:45,681 --> 00:26:48,721 Speaker 3: this post has been removed, but there were comments in there, 423 00:26:49,080 --> 00:26:52,681 Speaker 3: allegedly made by members of Stephen's family that called this 424 00:26:52,801 --> 00:26:56,680 Speaker 3: ten year old victim a little bitch. And there are 425 00:26:56,721 --> 00:27:00,041 Speaker 3: screenshots that people in the group have taken of other 426 00:27:00,080 --> 00:27:04,761 Speaker 3: people in Stephen's family liking that post. And another commenter, 427 00:27:04,840 --> 00:27:07,321 Speaker 3: someone who said that she was a friend of one 428 00:27:07,361 --> 00:27:09,801 Speaker 3: of Stephen's sisters, said she had ended the friendship with 429 00:27:09,801 --> 00:27:12,640 Speaker 3: that sister because she claimed that when she brought up 430 00:27:12,641 --> 00:27:17,001 Speaker 3: the incident, the sister said it was exaggerated and that 431 00:27:17,080 --> 00:27:19,600 Speaker 3: this little girl had made up the story, And this 432 00:27:19,721 --> 00:27:22,601 Speaker 3: person said they had told Stephen's sister they don't believe 433 00:27:22,641 --> 00:27:26,441 Speaker 3: that children make up stories like that. The bottom line 434 00:27:26,481 --> 00:27:30,521 Speaker 3: was this friend of Stephen's family's absolutely believed there were 435 00:27:30,681 --> 00:27:33,401 Speaker 3: people in this family who knew, or at least should 436 00:27:33,401 --> 00:27:39,600 Speaker 3: have known, about his proclivities. Sheriff Lynes told CNN that 437 00:27:39,681 --> 00:27:43,441 Speaker 3: before Stephen was arrested, he had been out searching for Audrey. 438 00:27:43,921 --> 00:27:46,961 Speaker 3: Stephen had inserted himself into the case. He'd been going 439 00:27:47,041 --> 00:27:49,920 Speaker 3: door to or looking for her. We've seen this a 440 00:27:49,921 --> 00:27:53,521 Speaker 3: lot in these cases. There seem to be two responses 441 00:27:53,721 --> 00:27:57,721 Speaker 3: in general from guilty people. Some people completely avoid looking 442 00:27:57,801 --> 00:28:01,761 Speaker 3: or being present at all, or sometimes they seem a 443 00:28:01,801 --> 00:28:06,801 Speaker 3: little too overly involved in the investigation. Now, again, Steven 444 00:28:06,881 --> 00:28:09,840 Speaker 3: is innocent until proven guilty. We don't know what he 445 00:28:09,881 --> 00:28:13,400 Speaker 3: has said to police. Law enforcement has stated when the 446 00:28:13,441 --> 00:28:17,961 Speaker 3: Texas Rangers initially questioned him, he said, quote, I'm not guilty. 447 00:28:18,041 --> 00:28:20,441 Speaker 3: I was there and was questioned. I am not running 448 00:28:20,601 --> 00:28:23,481 Speaker 3: or hiding. I've done everything I can to help find her. 449 00:28:23,561 --> 00:28:29,241 Speaker 3: I've done nothing wrong end quote. And again, I just 450 00:28:29,281 --> 00:28:31,360 Speaker 3: want to say I think the police did a great job, 451 00:28:32,121 --> 00:28:35,761 Speaker 3: not only with finding Audrey's body in cooperating with other agencies, 452 00:28:36,121 --> 00:28:41,281 Speaker 3: but also they put out a photo of Steven's two 453 00:28:41,321 --> 00:28:44,641 Speaker 3: thousand and three Chevy Suburban and they asked anyone who 454 00:28:44,641 --> 00:28:48,241 Speaker 3: had seen that vehicle to come forward, and it worked. 455 00:28:48,561 --> 00:28:51,201 Speaker 3: A store clerk at the Exxon in Cold Spring told 456 00:28:51,241 --> 00:28:54,921 Speaker 3: the news channel KPRC two that after she saw the 457 00:28:54,921 --> 00:28:58,200 Speaker 3: Amber alert, she realized she had seen Stephen in her 458 00:28:58,201 --> 00:29:00,561 Speaker 3: convenience store at around nine am on the morning of 459 00:29:00,561 --> 00:29:04,041 Speaker 3: February fifteenth. Now, this would have been around two hours 460 00:29:04,081 --> 00:29:08,161 Speaker 3: after Audrey missed her bus. She said she definitely remembered Stephen, 461 00:29:08,281 --> 00:29:11,281 Speaker 3: because he's, in her words, so ugly. It's a face 462 00:29:11,321 --> 00:29:14,761 Speaker 3: you don't forget. So because of this quick work by 463 00:29:14,761 --> 00:29:17,200 Speaker 3: the police in issuing the amber alert and the vehicle 464 00:29:17,241 --> 00:29:20,440 Speaker 3: of interest, the gas station attendant called the police. Police 465 00:29:20,481 --> 00:29:22,401 Speaker 3: came in and they were able to pull the gas 466 00:29:22,441 --> 00:29:25,401 Speaker 3: station video. Again, this is a great thing because we 467 00:29:25,441 --> 00:29:28,201 Speaker 3: know in so many of these cases sometimes law enforcement 468 00:29:28,241 --> 00:29:30,521 Speaker 3: waits too long and the footage has been deleted or 469 00:29:30,561 --> 00:29:35,401 Speaker 3: taped over. Police were also able to obtain social media 470 00:29:35,601 --> 00:29:40,801 Speaker 3: information from Stephen. Later that night, the evening of February fifteenth, 471 00:29:41,081 --> 00:29:44,481 Speaker 3: Stephen or someone using his account posted as Faiseo page. 472 00:29:44,801 --> 00:29:49,201 Speaker 3: Stephen was selling a lot of stuff. According to KPRC two, 473 00:29:49,881 --> 00:29:54,081 Speaker 3: whoever posted those messages wrote all must go. This included 474 00:29:54,161 --> 00:29:56,561 Speaker 3: a set of weights with one of the weights missing, 475 00:29:56,961 --> 00:29:59,441 Speaker 3: an everlast boxing bag, and a green paddle and the 476 00:29:59,481 --> 00:30:01,961 Speaker 3: total for all these items was twelve hundred and thirty 477 00:30:02,001 --> 00:30:05,761 Speaker 3: four dollars. So I have a couple of questions about this, 478 00:30:06,001 --> 00:30:08,601 Speaker 3: like what did he do with the twenty five pound weight? 479 00:30:08,681 --> 00:30:11,521 Speaker 3: Why was that missing? Was it just a coincidence that 480 00:30:11,561 --> 00:30:15,841 Speaker 3: Audrey's body was weighed down? Is that weight somewhere random 481 00:30:16,161 --> 00:30:18,881 Speaker 3: or could it be in the river too. I'm sure 482 00:30:18,881 --> 00:30:21,281 Speaker 3: that much more information will come out about what actually 483 00:30:21,361 --> 00:30:24,681 Speaker 3: happened to Audrey as we get closer to a trial 484 00:30:24,761 --> 00:30:29,481 Speaker 3: or a plea deal. As of now, Don Stephen Cunningham 485 00:30:29,721 --> 00:30:34,561 Speaker 3: is in the Polk County jail. So we've talked about 486 00:30:34,601 --> 00:30:37,681 Speaker 3: the good news, how law enforcement has said, how vital 487 00:30:37,721 --> 00:30:41,241 Speaker 3: citizen information and footage was in helping in the search 488 00:30:41,281 --> 00:30:46,961 Speaker 3: for Audrey and the criminal investigation in this case. And 489 00:30:47,001 --> 00:30:48,681 Speaker 3: now we're going to get to the bad news because 490 00:30:48,721 --> 00:30:52,521 Speaker 3: the reality is, yes, the guy was caught quickly, but 491 00:30:52,641 --> 00:30:55,561 Speaker 3: an eleven year old girl is dead, and the fact 492 00:30:55,601 --> 00:30:58,121 Speaker 3: that this was allowed to happen, that she was allowed 493 00:30:58,161 --> 00:31:00,201 Speaker 3: to be taken care of for so long by this 494 00:31:00,241 --> 00:31:04,121 Speaker 3: sexual predator, just shows, in my opinion, how she was 495 00:31:04,161 --> 00:31:09,441 Speaker 3: failed by so many people on so many levels. We've 496 00:31:09,481 --> 00:31:13,041 Speaker 3: seen this over and over in past cases, with the 497 00:31:13,121 --> 00:31:17,001 Speaker 3: Cass County three, with Christina Pipkin's case, how there are 498 00:31:17,081 --> 00:31:21,121 Speaker 3: sexual predators who were allowed to interact with children. And 499 00:31:21,961 --> 00:31:24,801 Speaker 3: it's too late for little Audrey, but there are so 500 00:31:24,961 --> 00:31:28,961 Speaker 3: many other children out there who can be helped. Stephen's 501 00:31:29,041 --> 00:31:32,321 Speaker 3: former victim, Carrissa Gates, who was attacked by Stephen when 502 00:31:32,321 --> 00:31:35,361 Speaker 3: she was ten years old. The one who bravely shared 503 00:31:35,401 --> 00:31:38,641 Speaker 3: her story wrote something at the bottom of her Facebook post. 504 00:31:39,201 --> 00:31:43,001 Speaker 3: She wrote, I'm not the only victim, and that's the 505 00:31:43,161 --> 00:31:46,401 Speaker 3: terrifying part. There are so many other victims out there, 506 00:31:47,281 --> 00:31:49,721 Speaker 3: as many of you know. I'm all about calls to 507 00:31:49,761 --> 00:31:53,361 Speaker 3: action on this podcast. So many people always ask what 508 00:31:53,481 --> 00:31:55,681 Speaker 3: can I do? And I'm reading a lot of these 509 00:31:55,721 --> 00:31:58,761 Speaker 3: social media comments and people are leaving bouquets of flowers 510 00:31:58,881 --> 00:32:03,561 Speaker 3: or photoshopping angel wings onto Audrey, or suggesting painting a 511 00:32:03,601 --> 00:32:05,961 Speaker 3: bridge or a park bench in her honor. And don't 512 00:32:05,961 --> 00:32:10,161 Speaker 3: get me wrong, those are all lovely sentiments, but for me, honestly, 513 00:32:10,801 --> 00:32:13,841 Speaker 3: if you want to do something to help victims, my 514 00:32:14,001 --> 00:32:17,681 Speaker 3: suggestion is that you take a hard look around your family, 515 00:32:17,881 --> 00:32:21,441 Speaker 3: your friends, and your community and look for situations where 516 00:32:21,521 --> 00:32:26,681 Speaker 3: children could be at risk, because they are everywhere. Let's 517 00:32:26,721 --> 00:32:28,881 Speaker 3: not wait to drag a body out of a river 518 00:32:29,081 --> 00:32:31,761 Speaker 3: before other victims of sexual assault are helped and these 519 00:32:31,841 --> 00:32:36,041 Speaker 3: predators and potential killers are exposed and put behind bars 520 00:32:36,241 --> 00:32:41,241 Speaker 3: where they belong. I'm Catherine Townsend. This is Helen Gone 521 00:32:41,481 --> 00:32:47,521 Speaker 3: Murder Line. Helen Gone Murder Line is a production of 522 00:32:47,561 --> 00:32:50,841 Speaker 3: school of Humans and iHeart Podcasts. It's written and narrated 523 00:32:50,841 --> 00:32:54,641 Speaker 3: by me Catherine Townsend and produced by Gabby Watts. Music 524 00:32:54,681 --> 00:33:00,001 Speaker 3: contributed by Ben Sale. Executive producers are Virginia Prescott, Brandon Barr, 525 00:33:00,041 --> 00:33:02,841 Speaker 3: and Elsie Crotley. If you have a case you'd like 526 00:33:02,881 --> 00:33:05,041 Speaker 3: me and my team to look into, you can reach 527 00:33:05,081 --> 00:33:07,241 Speaker 3: out to us at our Helen Gone Murder line at 528 00:33:07,281 --> 00:33:10,801 Speaker 3: six seven eight seven four four six one four five. 529 00:33:11,441 --> 00:33:15,201 Speaker 3: That's six seven eight seven four four six one four five. 530 00:33:24,801 --> 00:33:25,681 Speaker 1: School of Humans