1 00:00:07,565 --> 00:00:09,645 Speaker 1: Oh School of Humans. 2 00:00:11,845 --> 00:00:16,085 Speaker 2: It was Halloween night, October thirty first, twenty twenty, and 3 00:00:16,205 --> 00:00:19,085 Speaker 2: twenty two year old Ayisha Jackson was getting ready to 4 00:00:19,125 --> 00:00:22,525 Speaker 2: go to a party. Ayisha was braiding her hair and 5 00:00:22,565 --> 00:00:26,045 Speaker 2: getting into costume while talking to her mother, Laquita Parker. 6 00:00:27,005 --> 00:00:29,925 Speaker 2: Aisha and her girlfriends were doing a purge theme that night, 7 00:00:30,365 --> 00:00:33,085 Speaker 2: so they had hockey masks and slash shirts with fake 8 00:00:33,125 --> 00:00:36,925 Speaker 2: blood on them. Aisha is small in stature, only five 9 00:00:36,965 --> 00:00:39,845 Speaker 2: foot two and one hundred and fifteen pounds, but her 10 00:00:39,885 --> 00:00:42,405 Speaker 2: family said she could fill and light up a room, 11 00:00:42,605 --> 00:00:46,725 Speaker 2: especially when she danced, which she loved to do. Aisha 12 00:00:46,725 --> 00:00:50,245 Speaker 2: had a happy life. She lived in Eldaredo, Arkansas, just 13 00:00:50,285 --> 00:00:53,085 Speaker 2: a short distance away from her mother, her fifteen year 14 00:00:53,125 --> 00:00:57,005 Speaker 2: old brother, Jaiques, and the rest of her family. Aisha 15 00:00:57,045 --> 00:01:00,645 Speaker 2: lived on South Roslawn Avenue in Eldaredo, but because she 16 00:01:00,645 --> 00:01:03,005 Speaker 2: had a couple of break ins at her home recently, 17 00:01:03,365 --> 00:01:07,085 Speaker 2: she was staying in her uncle's house. Her uncle, William 18 00:01:07,125 --> 00:01:12,165 Speaker 2: Parker Junior, is Laquita's brother. William and his wife, Shequila, 19 00:01:12,525 --> 00:01:15,325 Speaker 2: lived on the five hundred block of Stuart Avenue in Eldaredo, 20 00:01:15,365 --> 00:01:18,005 Speaker 2: which was just a few minutes away from Ayisha's house. 21 00:01:18,845 --> 00:01:21,605 Speaker 2: Ayisha had multiple cats and dogs at home, and she 22 00:01:21,725 --> 00:01:25,405 Speaker 2: took great care of all of her animals. Ayisha and 23 00:01:25,405 --> 00:01:29,085 Speaker 2: her mother were very close. They normally spoke several times 24 00:01:29,125 --> 00:01:33,925 Speaker 2: per day. So when Laquita did not hear from her 25 00:01:34,005 --> 00:01:37,805 Speaker 2: daughter at all on November first, by November second, she 26 00:01:37,965 --> 00:01:43,765 Speaker 2: was scared. So early that morning on November second, Liquita, 27 00:01:43,925 --> 00:01:48,205 Speaker 2: her boyfriend Freddie, and Ayisha's brother Jacques, jumped in their 28 00:01:48,245 --> 00:01:51,805 Speaker 2: car and headed to Ayisha's house on South Roselawn. When 29 00:01:51,845 --> 00:01:55,285 Speaker 2: the family got there, they could see immediately that something 30 00:01:55,365 --> 00:01:58,925 Speaker 2: was very wrong. Liquita went in and found her daughter's 31 00:01:58,925 --> 00:02:02,725 Speaker 2: stuff there, including her wallet and cell phone. One of 32 00:02:02,765 --> 00:02:06,605 Speaker 2: Ayisha's dogs was out running around, which was very unusual. 33 00:02:07,445 --> 00:02:09,765 Speaker 2: The place kind of looked like she had just stepped 34 00:02:09,805 --> 00:02:13,325 Speaker 2: out for a few minutes, but Aisha never came back home. 35 00:02:14,405 --> 00:02:17,725 Speaker 2: I'm Catherine Townsend. Over the past five years of making 36 00:02:17,765 --> 00:02:21,245 Speaker 2: my true crime podcast, Helen Gone, I've learned there's no 37 00:02:21,405 --> 00:02:24,485 Speaker 2: such thing as a small town where murder never happens. 38 00:02:25,325 --> 00:02:28,205 Speaker 2: I've received hundreds of messages from people all around the 39 00:02:28,245 --> 00:02:31,645 Speaker 2: country asking for help with an unsolved murder that's affected them, 40 00:02:31,885 --> 00:02:35,605 Speaker 2: their families and their communities. If you have a case 41 00:02:35,645 --> 00:02:38,005 Speaker 2: you'd like me and my team to look into, you 42 00:02:38,005 --> 00:02:40,285 Speaker 2: can reach out to us at our Helen Gone Murder 43 00:02:40,325 --> 00:02:44,085 Speaker 2: line at six seven eight seven four four six one 44 00:02:44,245 --> 00:02:47,645 Speaker 2: four or five. That's six seven eight seven four four 45 00:02:47,925 --> 00:03:23,965 Speaker 2: six one four five. This is Helen Gone Murder Line. 46 00:03:24,325 --> 00:03:27,645 Speaker 2: On that car ride over to Ayisha's apartment, jack Wu 47 00:03:27,845 --> 00:03:29,925 Speaker 2: said he was hoping that he would walk in and 48 00:03:30,005 --> 00:03:31,845 Speaker 2: just see his sister there, and that the reason they 49 00:03:31,885 --> 00:03:34,725 Speaker 2: hadn't heard from her was maybe just a prank by 50 00:03:34,725 --> 00:03:38,845 Speaker 2: his sister, or maybe a misunderstanding, maybe her phone had died. 51 00:03:40,005 --> 00:03:43,645 Speaker 2: As soon as Ayisha's brother walked in, he knew that 52 00:03:43,765 --> 00:03:47,885 Speaker 2: something was very wrong. He noticed that Ayisha's door was 53 00:03:47,965 --> 00:03:49,805 Speaker 2: unlocked and a little bit cracked open. 54 00:03:50,685 --> 00:03:53,405 Speaker 3: My mother had already said that she had a bad feeling. 55 00:03:53,645 --> 00:03:56,965 Speaker 3: I never, you know, knew you know, too much of it. 56 00:03:57,325 --> 00:03:59,525 Speaker 3: And under my impression my sister is at home, I'm 57 00:03:59,525 --> 00:04:02,445 Speaker 3: going to go over with my sister. You know, when 58 00:04:02,485 --> 00:04:04,285 Speaker 3: I walked up the stairs, I was happy. I'm going 59 00:04:04,285 --> 00:04:05,765 Speaker 3: to see my sister. You know, we're going to talk 60 00:04:05,925 --> 00:04:07,685 Speaker 3: left job around, you know. 61 00:04:08,285 --> 00:04:10,765 Speaker 1: So when we when I walked up the stairs and 62 00:04:10,805 --> 00:04:11,685 Speaker 1: I noticed. 63 00:04:11,325 --> 00:04:13,685 Speaker 3: That I could see something was wrong, but I didn't 64 00:04:13,725 --> 00:04:15,605 Speaker 3: want to think that, you know what I'm saying. But then 65 00:04:15,645 --> 00:04:18,325 Speaker 3: I looked down down the stairs. Their mama how to 66 00:04:18,445 --> 00:04:20,485 Speaker 3: open and she not in there. How house was ramshaped. 67 00:04:20,605 --> 00:04:22,005 Speaker 3: My sister did not like that. She had to twenty 68 00:04:22,045 --> 00:04:22,765 Speaker 3: eaware house like that. 69 00:04:25,285 --> 00:04:29,245 Speaker 2: Inside, Jacques said, the house looked like it had been ransacked, 70 00:04:29,845 --> 00:04:33,805 Speaker 2: but on closer inspection, some of Ayisha's family members believed 71 00:04:33,805 --> 00:04:37,085 Speaker 2: that the scene looked kind of staged, like someone had 72 00:04:37,085 --> 00:04:39,565 Speaker 2: come in and pretended they were trying to rob the place, 73 00:04:39,605 --> 00:04:43,245 Speaker 2: but they didn't really take anything. Things were thrown around, 74 00:04:43,325 --> 00:04:47,205 Speaker 2: but only superficially, and everything of value was still in 75 00:04:47,245 --> 00:04:50,685 Speaker 2: the apartment. Ayisha's purse was lying out in the open 76 00:04:50,725 --> 00:04:53,885 Speaker 2: on her bed, her phone was plugged into the charger 77 00:04:53,925 --> 00:04:56,965 Speaker 2: in the living room, and her animals were all fine. 78 00:04:57,605 --> 00:05:00,885 Speaker 2: Usually Ayisha would make sure to feed her dogs, take 79 00:05:00,925 --> 00:05:03,045 Speaker 2: them out, and put them all in their kennels when 80 00:05:03,045 --> 00:05:07,045 Speaker 2: she left, but one was out, which Jacques said was 81 00:05:07,165 --> 00:05:08,085 Speaker 2: highly unusual. 82 00:05:08,525 --> 00:05:11,045 Speaker 3: Picture of clean house. Right, you got a reclowner, You 83 00:05:11,125 --> 00:05:14,885 Speaker 3: got a black couch, and you have like a little 84 00:05:14,965 --> 00:05:16,885 Speaker 3: end table. It's in like in the middle of the room. 85 00:05:16,965 --> 00:05:19,925 Speaker 3: And then we have like a regular queen sized bed 86 00:05:20,125 --> 00:05:22,925 Speaker 3: with a tall dresser, tall black dresser, and on top 87 00:05:22,965 --> 00:05:25,645 Speaker 3: of that you have clothes and all those dressers. You 88 00:05:25,725 --> 00:05:27,645 Speaker 3: have a TV on top of that dresser as well. 89 00:05:27,845 --> 00:05:30,525 Speaker 3: And everything is clean. Nothing is on the floor. You 90 00:05:30,565 --> 00:05:32,805 Speaker 3: have blankets and stuff like that. Everything is put up. 91 00:05:32,845 --> 00:05:34,565 Speaker 3: You have a dog cage and. 92 00:05:34,485 --> 00:05:34,805 Speaker 4: All of that. 93 00:05:34,965 --> 00:05:35,965 Speaker 3: The bathroom and everything. 94 00:05:36,005 --> 00:05:37,605 Speaker 1: Everything is cleaned up and stuff like that. 95 00:05:37,885 --> 00:05:40,125 Speaker 3: And you know how your sister is, especially when it 96 00:05:40,125 --> 00:05:40,685 Speaker 3: comes down. 97 00:05:40,485 --> 00:05:41,125 Speaker 1: To your animals. 98 00:05:41,165 --> 00:05:43,245 Speaker 3: She's not going to beat her animals with two long 99 00:05:43,725 --> 00:05:45,565 Speaker 3: She either had somebody to be over there and check 100 00:05:45,605 --> 00:05:48,325 Speaker 3: up on the animals or something. Dog is out the 101 00:05:48,365 --> 00:05:51,605 Speaker 3: page and running around. Her animals is loose. None of 102 00:05:51,605 --> 00:05:55,125 Speaker 3: her personal items has took it. But you know that 103 00:05:55,245 --> 00:05:57,405 Speaker 3: this is not the way your sister would have left 104 00:05:57,405 --> 00:06:00,765 Speaker 3: her house. Her phone was neatly placed on the couch 105 00:06:00,965 --> 00:06:01,205 Speaker 3: on the. 106 00:06:01,245 --> 00:06:03,445 Speaker 4: Tasure, Her herds were on the table. 107 00:06:03,605 --> 00:06:07,525 Speaker 3: Her brother was on the table alone with her medicine. 108 00:06:07,805 --> 00:06:10,685 Speaker 1: Oh so her medicine was there too, right. 109 00:06:10,845 --> 00:06:13,125 Speaker 3: So Dan, this is where it gives you a clear 110 00:06:13,205 --> 00:06:14,805 Speaker 3: idea that that's the first ideal. 111 00:06:14,885 --> 00:06:16,685 Speaker 1: Okay, Well, something got. 112 00:06:16,765 --> 00:06:18,445 Speaker 3: To be wrong, because she's not just gonna leave her 113 00:06:18,525 --> 00:06:22,805 Speaker 3: personal stuff. You're not gonna leave a while that phone 114 00:06:23,125 --> 00:06:24,965 Speaker 3: in their prayer going go here? Where'd she go? 115 00:06:28,965 --> 00:06:32,245 Speaker 2: Because Aisha was a young woman who had recently gotten 116 00:06:32,245 --> 00:06:35,685 Speaker 2: out of a long term relationship, of course police started 117 00:06:35,685 --> 00:06:39,245 Speaker 2: to investigate the men in her life. Jacques told me 118 00:06:39,285 --> 00:06:41,685 Speaker 2: that he went over and talked with Ayisha's long term 119 00:06:41,725 --> 00:06:44,325 Speaker 2: ex boyfriend, the one she had been with for years 120 00:06:44,405 --> 00:06:47,645 Speaker 2: and recently broken up with. Jacques said, by the way, 121 00:06:47,805 --> 00:06:52,045 Speaker 2: the long term ex was extremely upset, cooperated completely with 122 00:06:52,165 --> 00:06:56,445 Speaker 2: law enforcement, helped search for Aisha, and to my knowledge, 123 00:06:56,845 --> 00:06:59,525 Speaker 2: has never been mentioned as a potential person of interest 124 00:06:59,525 --> 00:07:02,845 Speaker 2: in this case. Aisha had been on dates with a 125 00:07:02,885 --> 00:07:05,285 Speaker 2: few different people in the weeks before she went missing. 126 00:07:06,245 --> 00:07:08,765 Speaker 2: She was being a normal twenty two year old young woman, 127 00:07:08,965 --> 00:07:11,765 Speaker 2: not rushing to jump into a serious relationship after getting 128 00:07:11,805 --> 00:07:14,445 Speaker 2: out of one, living in her own place and enjoying 129 00:07:14,445 --> 00:07:18,365 Speaker 2: her life. And one guy who she did casually date 130 00:07:18,765 --> 00:07:21,845 Speaker 2: was a twenty three year old man named Samaji. I've 131 00:07:21,885 --> 00:07:25,725 Speaker 2: seen the police report, and according to this document, Samaji 132 00:07:25,765 --> 00:07:29,245 Speaker 2: and Aisha had been dating, but that changed in the 133 00:07:29,325 --> 00:07:32,365 Speaker 2: days leading up to her being reported missing. And of course, 134 00:07:32,405 --> 00:07:36,085 Speaker 2: anytime you have anyone who has recently ended a relationship 135 00:07:36,205 --> 00:07:38,445 Speaker 2: and they go missing. Of course, you have to take 136 00:07:38,485 --> 00:07:39,525 Speaker 2: a hard look at. 137 00:07:39,445 --> 00:07:40,285 Speaker 1: All of their exes. 138 00:07:41,205 --> 00:07:43,565 Speaker 2: But contrary to what's been reported in some of the 139 00:07:43,605 --> 00:07:47,285 Speaker 2: media I've seen, when I talked to Ayisha's family and friends, 140 00:07:47,645 --> 00:07:51,245 Speaker 2: they say that her relationship with Samaji was not full 141 00:07:51,285 --> 00:07:54,405 Speaker 2: of drama or serious or anything like that, that it 142 00:07:54,445 --> 00:07:57,765 Speaker 2: was a casual relationship. Basically to their knowledge, they just 143 00:07:57,845 --> 00:08:04,165 Speaker 2: hung out a few times. On October twenty third, just 144 00:08:04,205 --> 00:08:07,765 Speaker 2: a week before Aha and went missing, someone broke into 145 00:08:07,805 --> 00:08:13,405 Speaker 2: Ayisha's house. Now, Ayisha's grandmother, Ernestine, told a local news 146 00:08:13,405 --> 00:08:16,805 Speaker 2: station that Ayisha and Samaji had recently ended things, and 147 00:08:17,365 --> 00:08:19,805 Speaker 2: she also told the reporter something else that was kind 148 00:08:19,805 --> 00:08:24,325 Speaker 2: of alarming. Ernestine said, Aisha told her that she had 149 00:08:24,325 --> 00:08:27,925 Speaker 2: come home and seen men breaking into her house. And 150 00:08:28,165 --> 00:08:31,645 Speaker 2: not only that, Ernestine said, Aisha knew who these men were. 151 00:08:32,645 --> 00:08:35,845 Speaker 2: There were actually two incidents. So the first incident, according 152 00:08:35,845 --> 00:08:39,045 Speaker 2: to Ernestine, Ayisha came home and saw that someone had 153 00:08:39,085 --> 00:08:39,965 Speaker 2: broken in her house. 154 00:08:40,645 --> 00:08:42,925 Speaker 1: Then the second time she came home. 155 00:08:43,045 --> 00:08:46,325 Speaker 2: Ernestine said that Aisha walked in the house, saw two 156 00:08:46,365 --> 00:08:50,885 Speaker 2: guys actually in there, and recognized one of them as Samaji. 157 00:08:51,685 --> 00:08:54,885 Speaker 2: Apparently Aisha call the police. The two men fled the scene. 158 00:08:55,965 --> 00:08:59,685 Speaker 2: Ernestine said that Samaji was quote one of the guys 159 00:08:59,685 --> 00:09:02,765 Speaker 2: that Ayisha identified is breaking into her home. She was 160 00:09:02,845 --> 00:09:05,005 Speaker 2: already in the house when he came in there on her. 161 00:09:05,485 --> 00:09:10,165 Speaker 2: He explained this to us. She told us this ute. Now, 162 00:09:10,285 --> 00:09:14,765 Speaker 2: I should say that other members of Ayisha's family who 163 00:09:14,805 --> 00:09:18,885 Speaker 2: have spoken to have questions about whether that conversation happened 164 00:09:18,885 --> 00:09:21,685 Speaker 2: that way and whether Samaji actually was one of the 165 00:09:21,725 --> 00:09:23,965 Speaker 2: men who was allegedly in Aisha's home that day, But 166 00:09:24,045 --> 00:09:29,565 Speaker 2: we will get to that in next week's episode. After 167 00:09:29,605 --> 00:09:32,765 Speaker 2: the break in, Ayisha's name was added to the police 168 00:09:32,805 --> 00:09:35,365 Speaker 2: patrol list, which means she was supposed to have a 169 00:09:35,405 --> 00:09:39,805 Speaker 2: patrol car drive by her home at regular intervals. And again, 170 00:09:39,925 --> 00:09:43,005 Speaker 2: because of that break in, Aisha was staying with her uncle, 171 00:09:43,285 --> 00:09:48,725 Speaker 2: Liquita's brother William and his wife Shequila. When Aisha went missing, 172 00:09:49,005 --> 00:09:52,085 Speaker 2: the case made local news. And remember this was during COVID, 173 00:09:52,165 --> 00:09:54,125 Speaker 2: so a lot of people were stuck at home watching 174 00:09:54,165 --> 00:09:57,725 Speaker 2: a lot of TV. In November of twenty twenty, an 175 00:09:57,765 --> 00:10:01,085 Speaker 2: old high school friend of Liquita's named Rina Borden saw 176 00:10:01,085 --> 00:10:04,405 Speaker 2: that Aisha was missing. Rena will get a lot more 177 00:10:04,445 --> 00:10:09,805 Speaker 2: involved with this case. Later on November second, after Ayisha's 178 00:10:09,845 --> 00:10:12,245 Speaker 2: mother and brother left her apartment. 179 00:10:12,165 --> 00:10:13,645 Speaker 1: They called the police immediately. 180 00:10:14,565 --> 00:10:17,965 Speaker 2: The police told Luquida that she had to wait forty 181 00:10:18,005 --> 00:10:22,325 Speaker 2: eight hours before her daughter could be reported missing. Now, 182 00:10:22,325 --> 00:10:24,845 Speaker 2: I'm bringing this up because the elder rated police department 183 00:10:25,285 --> 00:10:28,005 Speaker 2: have made statements to other people saying this was not 184 00:10:28,125 --> 00:10:31,405 Speaker 2: the case and that's not their policy. I'm really mentioning 185 00:10:31,445 --> 00:10:34,405 Speaker 2: this because I think it is so crucial for everyone 186 00:10:34,445 --> 00:10:37,085 Speaker 2: to understand that is not the law, that is not 187 00:10:37,205 --> 00:10:39,325 Speaker 2: the rule. You do not have to wait twenty four 188 00:10:39,445 --> 00:10:42,605 Speaker 2: forty eight seventy two hours to report someone missing. So 189 00:10:42,805 --> 00:10:46,165 Speaker 2: if the police tell you that, stand your ground and 190 00:10:46,285 --> 00:10:51,365 Speaker 2: demand that they do it immediately. It's very important. Police 191 00:10:51,405 --> 00:10:55,165 Speaker 2: did not immediately seem to be treating Ayisha's house as 192 00:10:55,205 --> 00:10:59,805 Speaker 2: a crime scene, and her family said they couldn't understand this. Granted, 193 00:10:59,845 --> 00:11:02,645 Speaker 2: Ayisha is above legal age, but why would a young 194 00:11:02,685 --> 00:11:06,685 Speaker 2: woman leave all of her stuff, herself, her purse, and 195 00:11:06,765 --> 00:11:08,925 Speaker 2: everything else at home and just walk out the door, 196 00:11:09,005 --> 00:11:13,405 Speaker 2: leaving it unlocked. Ayisha's mother also pointed out that Ayisha 197 00:11:13,405 --> 00:11:16,805 Speaker 2: had medical conditions, medical conditions that meant that she needed 198 00:11:16,885 --> 00:11:20,045 Speaker 2: daily medication. And she had also left all of her 199 00:11:20,125 --> 00:11:26,685 Speaker 2: medication behind. But after a few days police did start 200 00:11:26,685 --> 00:11:30,285 Speaker 2: the search for Aisha. Captain Harwell the elder Ated Police 201 00:11:30,325 --> 00:11:34,925 Speaker 2: Department said police conducted multiple searches on foot, with drones 202 00:11:35,525 --> 00:11:39,485 Speaker 2: and with all terrain vehicles. Police also told reporters they 203 00:11:39,525 --> 00:11:42,045 Speaker 2: had cadaver dogs looking for Aisha on at least two 204 00:11:42,045 --> 00:11:42,885 Speaker 2: different occasions. 205 00:11:44,445 --> 00:11:46,325 Speaker 1: Weeks went by and there were no arrests. 206 00:11:46,685 --> 00:11:50,525 Speaker 2: Captain Harwell said the department had multiple items of evidence 207 00:11:50,565 --> 00:11:53,365 Speaker 2: that would require submission to the Arkansas State Crime Lab 208 00:11:53,405 --> 00:11:56,845 Speaker 2: for processing, which really does not tell us much and 209 00:11:56,925 --> 00:11:59,485 Speaker 2: we don't know what those items were or. 210 00:11:59,445 --> 00:12:01,245 Speaker 1: If they were given any kind of priority. 211 00:12:02,285 --> 00:12:04,845 Speaker 2: And we know that in the Arkansas State Crime Lab 212 00:12:04,885 --> 00:12:08,005 Speaker 2: if something is not a homicide, there have been serious 213 00:12:08,045 --> 00:12:11,925 Speaker 2: backlogs with evidence testing in the past. Of course, once 214 00:12:12,005 --> 00:12:14,085 Speaker 2: the case made the news, the police and the family 215 00:12:14,165 --> 00:12:17,725 Speaker 2: did get some false leads. The family got several tips, 216 00:12:18,005 --> 00:12:21,565 Speaker 2: including someone that told them Ayisha may be buried in 217 00:12:21,605 --> 00:12:25,925 Speaker 2: a shallow grave in a cemetery near Strong, Arkansas. Police 218 00:12:25,965 --> 00:12:28,845 Speaker 2: from the Union County Sheriff's Office responded to that scene 219 00:12:29,005 --> 00:12:32,365 Speaker 2: with Ayisha's family. They went out there and searched in 220 00:12:32,405 --> 00:12:35,205 Speaker 2: those Woods, but in the end they didn't find anything. 221 00:12:38,165 --> 00:12:41,605 Speaker 2: And then in December of twenty twenty, all of a sudden, 222 00:12:42,205 --> 00:12:45,245 Speaker 2: there were two arrests. And this is a strange set 223 00:12:45,245 --> 00:12:47,125 Speaker 2: of circumstances how this all played out. 224 00:12:47,765 --> 00:12:49,685 Speaker 1: I don't feel like it's been reported. 225 00:12:49,325 --> 00:12:50,725 Speaker 2: On a lot, and we're going to go a lot 226 00:12:50,805 --> 00:12:54,085 Speaker 2: more in depth into exactly what went down with these arrests. 227 00:12:54,205 --> 00:12:58,165 Speaker 2: Next week, one of the men arrested was Samaji, the 228 00:12:58,165 --> 00:13:01,685 Speaker 2: twenty three year old man whom Ayisha had dated. At first, 229 00:13:01,725 --> 00:13:03,725 Speaker 2: this seemed like it could be a huge break in 230 00:13:03,765 --> 00:13:08,885 Speaker 2: the case. Samaji was brought up on charges of capital murder, kidnapping, 231 00:13:09,245 --> 00:13:13,765 Speaker 2: and an enhanced penalty for engaging in criminal group activity. 232 00:13:13,805 --> 00:13:17,805 Speaker 2: This was weird though, because after the arrest, police said 233 00:13:17,965 --> 00:13:20,205 Speaker 2: they still hope to find Ayisha alive. 234 00:13:20,965 --> 00:13:22,645 Speaker 1: So this seems contradictory. 235 00:13:23,045 --> 00:13:26,325 Speaker 2: They're charging someone potentially with capital murder, yet they still 236 00:13:26,365 --> 00:13:30,085 Speaker 2: hoped to find her alive. Then there was another twist 237 00:13:30,085 --> 00:13:34,685 Speaker 2: in the case. News broke that another man had been arrested, 238 00:13:35,365 --> 00:13:40,685 Speaker 2: forty six year old Kenneth Lee. Liquita said Kenneth Lee 239 00:13:40,805 --> 00:13:45,485 Speaker 2: had contacted Aisha's uncle, William, and allegedly told him if 240 00:13:45,485 --> 00:13:48,965 Speaker 2: the family gave him eight thousand dollars he would give 241 00:13:49,005 --> 00:13:51,045 Speaker 2: them information about where Ayisha was. 242 00:13:52,205 --> 00:13:54,765 Speaker 1: It turned out this was all just a big scam. 243 00:13:55,205 --> 00:13:58,885 Speaker 2: Kenneth was allegedly basically blackmailing the family and had no 244 00:13:59,045 --> 00:14:02,245 Speaker 2: information about Aisha, which of course was heartbreaking to her family. 245 00:14:02,925 --> 00:14:05,765 Speaker 2: But eventually the charges against Kenneth were dropped as well. 246 00:14:07,205 --> 00:14:10,365 Speaker 2: Now it was very interesting here because from the statements 247 00:14:10,365 --> 00:14:14,165 Speaker 2: that Captain Harwell was making, he said, the possibility of 248 00:14:14,205 --> 00:14:17,685 Speaker 2: making further arrests is quite possible. We may have another 249 00:14:17,725 --> 00:14:22,765 Speaker 2: person involved. It really seemed like police were leaning into 250 00:14:22,885 --> 00:14:26,245 Speaker 2: a potential theory that there might be multiple arrests or 251 00:14:26,285 --> 00:14:30,405 Speaker 2: that Samaji could face more charges. Another interesting point is 252 00:14:30,445 --> 00:14:34,365 Speaker 2: even though Samaji and Kenneth were arrested pretty much at 253 00:14:34,405 --> 00:14:37,205 Speaker 2: the same time, initially it seemed like there was zero 254 00:14:37,365 --> 00:14:38,485 Speaker 2: connection between them. 255 00:14:38,925 --> 00:14:41,285 Speaker 1: It did not appear that they knew each other at all. 256 00:14:41,565 --> 00:14:44,005 Speaker 2: And I'm flagging this up because, as you'll see in 257 00:14:44,085 --> 00:14:47,605 Speaker 2: next week's episode, William Samagi and Kenneth and how this 258 00:14:47,685 --> 00:14:51,245 Speaker 2: whole scenario played out has not really been reported on 259 00:14:51,365 --> 00:14:52,965 Speaker 2: and is actually fascinating. 260 00:14:54,525 --> 00:14:55,325 Speaker 1: Be patient with me. 261 00:14:55,365 --> 00:14:58,245 Speaker 2: This is a real time investigation, and so I am 262 00:14:58,285 --> 00:15:00,445 Speaker 2: looking into that right now, and I will be giving 263 00:15:00,485 --> 00:15:07,165 Speaker 2: you more details going back to to these arrests. After 264 00:15:07,205 --> 00:15:10,165 Speaker 2: the arrest of Samaji, especially, most people in the community 265 00:15:10,285 --> 00:15:12,765 Speaker 2: believe police were moving forward. And I can see why 266 00:15:12,765 --> 00:15:15,565 Speaker 2: they would think that the victim's ex was arrested. 267 00:15:15,605 --> 00:15:16,965 Speaker 1: It was someone she was involved with. 268 00:15:17,005 --> 00:15:21,765 Speaker 2: Intimately, police have filed potential capital murder charges, so people 269 00:15:21,845 --> 00:15:25,125 Speaker 2: were thinking, well, the police must have evidence. But then 270 00:15:25,725 --> 00:15:28,605 Speaker 2: one month went by, and then two months police had 271 00:15:28,685 --> 00:15:30,645 Speaker 2: still not charged Samaji. 272 00:15:31,925 --> 00:15:33,485 Speaker 1: And again Kenneth. 273 00:15:33,125 --> 00:15:36,085 Speaker 2: The second guy, seemed to be a scammer, someone who 274 00:15:36,125 --> 00:15:40,485 Speaker 2: had nothing to do with Ayesha's disappearance. Samaji's defense attorney 275 00:15:40,485 --> 00:15:43,285 Speaker 2: filed in order to have him released from custody. He 276 00:15:43,485 --> 00:15:46,565 Speaker 2: said that in Arkansas, formal charges had to be filed 277 00:15:46,605 --> 00:15:50,485 Speaker 2: within sixty days of an arrest. So in February of 278 00:15:50,525 --> 00:15:55,725 Speaker 2: twenty twenty one, police released Samaji and he walked out 279 00:15:55,725 --> 00:15:59,925 Speaker 2: a freeman. At the time, Captain Harwell told the media 280 00:16:00,005 --> 00:16:02,805 Speaker 2: that police just didn't feel they had enough evidence to prosecute. 281 00:16:03,205 --> 00:16:05,325 Speaker 2: He said they would prefer to wait until they had 282 00:16:05,365 --> 00:16:09,125 Speaker 2: more rather than moving forward and risking a loss in court. 283 00:16:10,365 --> 00:16:13,245 Speaker 2: Reporters did ask Captain Harwell if he felt like they 284 00:16:13,325 --> 00:16:16,925 Speaker 2: had made the arrest too quickly, but he said he 285 00:16:17,005 --> 00:16:21,165 Speaker 2: believed the police made the right choice. What he mentioned 286 00:16:21,165 --> 00:16:24,285 Speaker 2: that he had as his ammunition to get the arrest 287 00:16:24,605 --> 00:16:25,605 Speaker 2: was witness statements. 288 00:16:25,645 --> 00:16:27,525 Speaker 1: We're going to get more into that later too. 289 00:16:27,685 --> 00:16:30,485 Speaker 2: Exactly who these witness statements were made by and why 290 00:16:30,525 --> 00:16:31,565 Speaker 2: this went down this way. 291 00:16:32,605 --> 00:16:34,685 Speaker 1: Of course, it's just speculation. 292 00:16:34,485 --> 00:16:38,405 Speaker 2: But my guess is that after they arrested Samaji, police 293 00:16:38,445 --> 00:16:40,965 Speaker 2: thought that they really might have their guy, and if 294 00:16:41,005 --> 00:16:43,245 Speaker 2: he had done something to di Aisha, potentially they could 295 00:16:43,245 --> 00:16:46,565 Speaker 2: apply pressure to him and figure out where Ayisha's body was. 296 00:16:47,605 --> 00:16:51,845 Speaker 2: Captain Harwell basically said that he told the media that 297 00:16:52,405 --> 00:16:56,085 Speaker 2: the main reason that they were unable to prosecute is 298 00:16:56,085 --> 00:16:58,165 Speaker 2: because they did not have a body. They had no 299 00:16:58,285 --> 00:17:01,685 Speaker 2: idea where Ayisha might be, and they were looking for 300 00:17:01,725 --> 00:17:05,045 Speaker 2: help from the public. So the police were openly admitting 301 00:17:05,165 --> 00:17:09,325 Speaker 2: they had no idea where Ayisha was. So months went 302 00:17:09,405 --> 00:17:17,325 Speaker 2: by and months became years. In twenty twenty two, Laquita's 303 00:17:17,365 --> 00:17:19,685 Speaker 2: high school friend, Rena Borden, the same one who had 304 00:17:19,685 --> 00:17:21,925 Speaker 2: seen the news report back in twenty twenty, came into 305 00:17:21,965 --> 00:17:26,205 Speaker 2: the story. Like many people, she remembered seeing the item 306 00:17:26,245 --> 00:17:27,965 Speaker 2: on the news about Ayisha being missing. 307 00:17:28,685 --> 00:17:31,125 Speaker 1: Then she remembered seeing. 308 00:17:30,805 --> 00:17:33,685 Speaker 2: Something on the news about the arrest, so she assumed 309 00:17:33,685 --> 00:17:38,165 Speaker 2: the police were making progress. When Rena saw on social 310 00:17:38,205 --> 00:17:41,685 Speaker 2: media there were still no suspects, she reached out to Laquita. 311 00:17:42,365 --> 00:17:44,605 Speaker 2: At the time, she said she had no idea how 312 00:17:44,685 --> 00:17:47,005 Speaker 2: much this case would consume her life. 313 00:17:47,645 --> 00:17:51,685 Speaker 5: I didn't get involved until like September of twenty twenty two. 314 00:17:52,685 --> 00:17:55,365 Speaker 5: And the reason I got involved was because I had 315 00:17:55,405 --> 00:17:58,565 Speaker 5: gone to eat at a restaurant here in town and 316 00:17:58,605 --> 00:18:01,805 Speaker 5: they had a flower of Ayisha, just like a Facebook 317 00:18:01,885 --> 00:18:04,925 Speaker 5: print out. They didn't really have very information on there, 318 00:18:05,005 --> 00:18:07,605 Speaker 5: and I was just like, oh my gosh, they might 319 00:18:07,645 --> 00:18:10,965 Speaker 5: need some help. I could get flyers and print them 320 00:18:11,005 --> 00:18:13,645 Speaker 5: and distribute them. That's something I could do, you know, 321 00:18:13,725 --> 00:18:16,365 Speaker 5: And that's really all I had the intentions of doing. 322 00:18:16,405 --> 00:18:18,965 Speaker 5: I didn't even reach out to Laquito. I went straight 323 00:18:19,005 --> 00:18:21,245 Speaker 5: to the police department and I was just like, hey, 324 00:18:21,885 --> 00:18:24,205 Speaker 5: just wanted to ask if it was all right if 325 00:18:24,285 --> 00:18:27,685 Speaker 5: I could pass out flyers to local businesses because I 326 00:18:28,005 --> 00:18:32,205 Speaker 5: noticed there wasn't any up And the receptionist went back 327 00:18:32,245 --> 00:18:34,285 Speaker 5: to the Captain's office and then came back. He said, 328 00:18:34,285 --> 00:18:36,445 Speaker 5: be his guest go ahead, and I was like, can 329 00:18:36,485 --> 00:18:39,085 Speaker 5: you give me the flyer to make a coffee or 330 00:18:39,085 --> 00:18:42,045 Speaker 5: do something? And she said, just the one online, I'll do, 331 00:18:43,485 --> 00:18:45,285 Speaker 5: And so that's what I did. I printed up a 332 00:18:45,285 --> 00:18:48,005 Speaker 5: bunch of them and started passing them out, and I 333 00:18:48,045 --> 00:18:50,285 Speaker 5: was looking for Laquita as well, you know, trying to 334 00:18:50,325 --> 00:18:52,165 Speaker 5: get a hold of the mother, just because I didn't 335 00:18:52,205 --> 00:18:54,725 Speaker 5: want her to think. I was wanted to touch base 336 00:18:54,805 --> 00:18:57,205 Speaker 5: with her and say, is it's okay, you know what 337 00:18:57,245 --> 00:18:58,925 Speaker 5: else would you like me to do? Do you want 338 00:18:58,965 --> 00:19:01,405 Speaker 5: me to bring you dinner? You know, something like that. 339 00:19:02,045 --> 00:19:05,205 Speaker 5: So I decided to play a vigil and then that's 340 00:19:05,205 --> 00:19:06,965 Speaker 5: when I brought Joanna. 341 00:19:06,645 --> 00:19:11,445 Speaker 2: And Joanna is a friend of Rena's. Together they started 342 00:19:11,445 --> 00:19:14,445 Speaker 2: printing flyers and trying to help Luquet up get some 343 00:19:14,485 --> 00:19:16,645 Speaker 2: clarity on what was going on with her daughter's case. 344 00:19:17,325 --> 00:19:20,365 Speaker 2: When Rena started to research the case and saw the 345 00:19:20,405 --> 00:19:23,925 Speaker 2: missing person's flyers that were already out there, she noticed 346 00:19:23,965 --> 00:19:26,285 Speaker 2: that most of them said a Usha had been seen 347 00:19:26,405 --> 00:19:29,325 Speaker 2: on the night of November fourth, but she said she 348 00:19:29,405 --> 00:19:31,125 Speaker 2: knew that this was just not true. 349 00:19:31,925 --> 00:19:36,165 Speaker 5: We had a meeting and Lookquita came. She remembered me 350 00:19:36,205 --> 00:19:38,685 Speaker 5: from school, so that took a lot of the you know, 351 00:19:39,325 --> 00:19:41,925 Speaker 5: I wasn't a total stranger to her or anything. And 352 00:19:42,805 --> 00:19:46,925 Speaker 5: during the meeting, she was trying to address the fact 353 00:19:47,045 --> 00:19:50,325 Speaker 5: of the date her daughter went missing, and of course 354 00:19:50,365 --> 00:19:53,405 Speaker 5: me and Joanna's ears are all parked up, and nobody 355 00:19:53,445 --> 00:19:55,365 Speaker 5: else seemed to like kicked on. 356 00:19:55,805 --> 00:19:58,165 Speaker 4: So we knew something was wrong because I was just 357 00:19:58,325 --> 00:20:01,085 Speaker 4: casually reading the flower out loud and I was like, okay, 358 00:20:01,125 --> 00:20:04,565 Speaker 4: so she was last seen November fourth, and someone had 359 00:20:04,645 --> 00:20:07,685 Speaker 4: chimed in and they we were like, well, actually it 360 00:20:07,725 --> 00:20:11,965 Speaker 4: was October thirty first, like with wow, like and it 361 00:20:12,005 --> 00:20:15,965 Speaker 4: was just awkward for a second. So we're like, oh, okay, 362 00:20:16,605 --> 00:20:16,965 Speaker 4: all right. 363 00:20:18,645 --> 00:20:23,005 Speaker 2: Rina and Liquita started to wonder if the day Aisha 364 00:20:23,085 --> 00:20:26,765 Speaker 2: went missing was wrong after two years, what else could 365 00:20:26,805 --> 00:20:29,725 Speaker 2: have potentially slipped through the cracks, and why was the 366 00:20:29,765 --> 00:20:33,725 Speaker 2: wrong date continuing to be reported. I went back and 367 00:20:33,765 --> 00:20:37,005 Speaker 2: tried to figure this out. I've seen the police report, 368 00:20:37,165 --> 00:20:39,885 Speaker 2: which has a record of Aisha calling to report that 369 00:20:39,965 --> 00:20:42,885 Speaker 2: break in on the twenty third of October, and on 370 00:20:42,965 --> 00:20:46,565 Speaker 2: that report, the officer wrote down that the last time 371 00:20:46,685 --> 00:20:49,965 Speaker 2: anyone in her family had seen her was November fourth, 372 00:20:50,005 --> 00:20:53,485 Speaker 2: but he doesn't note who told him that we're going 373 00:20:53,565 --> 00:20:56,525 Speaker 2: to go way more in depth about this next week, 374 00:20:56,925 --> 00:21:00,405 Speaker 2: because figuring out this timeline is a crucial part of 375 00:21:00,445 --> 00:21:03,885 Speaker 2: this story. But it turns out that that's not true. 376 00:21:04,485 --> 00:21:07,325 Speaker 2: Ayisha's family met meers tell me no one has seen 377 00:21:07,405 --> 00:21:11,725 Speaker 2: Nisha in person since October thirty first, Rena said when 378 00:21:11,725 --> 00:21:14,805 Speaker 2: she started printing the flyers, she found out because of 379 00:21:14,845 --> 00:21:17,925 Speaker 2: this misinformation, she believed that there was not a sense 380 00:21:17,965 --> 00:21:22,005 Speaker 2: of public urgency. Rena has spent almost two years now 381 00:21:22,205 --> 00:21:23,365 Speaker 2: trying to help her friend. 382 00:21:23,725 --> 00:21:26,365 Speaker 5: I'm not an investigator, I'm not an attorney, I'm not anything. 383 00:21:26,765 --> 00:21:29,685 Speaker 5: But I can be a friend, and you know, at 384 00:21:29,725 --> 00:21:31,405 Speaker 5: least get her out of the house, because I'm thinking, 385 00:21:31,485 --> 00:21:34,365 Speaker 5: how does she sit in that house all this that's 386 00:21:34,405 --> 00:21:37,725 Speaker 5: got to be miserable, and then not getting any answers. 387 00:21:37,885 --> 00:21:40,005 Speaker 5: Nobody will call her back to let her know what's 388 00:21:40,005 --> 00:21:40,885 Speaker 5: going on with her daughter. 389 00:21:41,125 --> 00:21:43,205 Speaker 4: You have a son that's around the same. 390 00:21:43,005 --> 00:21:45,845 Speaker 5: Age, yeah, yeah, and I do have a Yeah, my 391 00:21:45,925 --> 00:21:48,765 Speaker 5: son's big part of it too. My son went to 392 00:21:48,805 --> 00:21:53,965 Speaker 5: school with Ayisha, So yeah, that hit me hard. So 393 00:21:54,885 --> 00:21:56,965 Speaker 5: I would take her to lunch, and she was so 394 00:21:57,125 --> 00:22:00,125 Speaker 5: upset about that. The date on those flyers and so 395 00:22:00,325 --> 00:22:03,685 Speaker 5: I just realized nobody's listening to this mom, and so 396 00:22:03,805 --> 00:22:06,245 Speaker 5: I just said, why don't you just sit down one 397 00:22:06,325 --> 00:22:08,925 Speaker 5: day and just tell me the story. You know, I'll 398 00:22:08,965 --> 00:22:11,245 Speaker 5: listen to you tell me the story. And so she 399 00:22:11,325 --> 00:22:14,885 Speaker 5: told me the story, and I email the prior captain 400 00:22:15,085 --> 00:22:18,405 Speaker 5: at the time that was on the case and he said, 401 00:22:18,685 --> 00:22:22,525 Speaker 5: Liquita is correct. You know October thirty first is the 402 00:22:22,645 --> 00:22:25,845 Speaker 5: right day. And I sent an email of where I'm like, Okay, 403 00:22:25,925 --> 00:22:29,685 Speaker 5: well can you change it then? And that he says 404 00:22:29,805 --> 00:22:33,325 Speaker 5: he can't change it because something about he can't make 405 00:22:33,605 --> 00:22:35,845 Speaker 5: changes to our report once they're made. 406 00:22:36,245 --> 00:22:39,645 Speaker 2: So I want to make sure that Ayusha's family, her 407 00:22:39,685 --> 00:22:42,925 Speaker 2: mother and her brother are heard and that we have 408 00:22:43,085 --> 00:22:47,765 Speaker 2: the correct information about this timeline. So what happened between 409 00:22:47,765 --> 00:22:53,205 Speaker 2: October thirty first, twenty twenty and November fourth, we have 410 00:22:53,245 --> 00:22:54,725 Speaker 2: to go back to how will weeen? 411 00:22:54,845 --> 00:22:57,245 Speaker 1: Night? 412 00:23:01,485 --> 00:23:05,165 Speaker 2: On October thirty first, twenty twenty, between one and two pm, 413 00:23:05,805 --> 00:23:09,245 Speaker 2: Liquita went over to her brother's house where Ayisha had 414 00:23:09,245 --> 00:23:12,125 Speaker 2: been staying. She was there to drop off some stuff 415 00:23:12,125 --> 00:23:12,885 Speaker 2: for Aisha. 416 00:23:13,845 --> 00:23:14,205 Speaker 1: Again. 417 00:23:14,445 --> 00:23:17,605 Speaker 2: Ayisha was staying with William and Shequila at their home. 418 00:23:18,365 --> 00:23:21,205 Speaker 2: My source tells me that there were some other family 419 00:23:21,245 --> 00:23:24,805 Speaker 2: members there at the time. It was Halloween and Aisha 420 00:23:24,845 --> 00:23:28,405 Speaker 2: was heading out with some girlfriends. Her aunt, Shaquila and 421 00:23:28,445 --> 00:23:34,365 Speaker 2: William were also going with them. Ayisha's mother was babysitting 422 00:23:34,445 --> 00:23:38,205 Speaker 2: William and Shaquilla's two young sons, who were elementary school age, 423 00:23:38,805 --> 00:23:43,525 Speaker 2: so Liaquita and William and Shaquilla's kids went back to Liquita's. 424 00:23:44,805 --> 00:23:48,565 Speaker 2: Aisha got ready and got into her costume, the Purge 425 00:23:48,605 --> 00:23:51,765 Speaker 2: costume that she and her girlfriend Shenis and Serenity had 426 00:23:51,845 --> 00:23:54,445 Speaker 2: kind of di wide. They had the slashed white T 427 00:23:54,605 --> 00:23:57,845 Speaker 2: shirts and they'd kind of splashed them with either red 428 00:23:57,885 --> 00:23:59,005 Speaker 2: paint or fake blood. 429 00:23:59,445 --> 00:24:01,605 Speaker 1: A couple of them had hockey masks on. 430 00:24:02,725 --> 00:24:05,245 Speaker 2: So I have a lot of questions about exactly what 431 00:24:05,205 --> 00:24:07,325 Speaker 2: happen that night, but we can fill in some of 432 00:24:07,325 --> 00:24:13,085 Speaker 2: the gaps. We know that at some point the women Aisha, Shenie, Serenity, 433 00:24:13,365 --> 00:24:18,205 Speaker 2: and Shaquila, Aisha's aunt, stopped by the Go Rainbow Food Mark, 434 00:24:18,405 --> 00:24:21,845 Speaker 2: a convenience store located on Junction City Road in Elddo 435 00:24:22,965 --> 00:24:26,085 Speaker 2: we know this because someone took a picture of them there. 436 00:24:27,165 --> 00:24:29,805 Speaker 2: People have told me this could have been taken by William, 437 00:24:29,845 --> 00:24:31,965 Speaker 2: Ayisha's uncle, but we don't know for sure. 438 00:24:32,045 --> 00:24:33,405 Speaker 1: That's not confirmed. 439 00:24:33,765 --> 00:24:36,605 Speaker 2: Either way, though these women looked like they were having 440 00:24:36,645 --> 00:24:39,405 Speaker 2: a good time and ready for a fun night out. 441 00:24:39,725 --> 00:24:42,805 Speaker 2: The photo, by the way, was later posted on Ayisha's 442 00:24:42,805 --> 00:24:47,085 Speaker 2: aunt Shaquila's Facebook page. At around ten pm that night, 443 00:24:47,165 --> 00:24:49,525 Speaker 2: Ayisha's brother Jaiques facetimed her. 444 00:24:50,005 --> 00:24:50,285 Speaker 1: Now. 445 00:24:50,325 --> 00:24:54,525 Speaker 2: According to Rena, Aisha told Jaques during that phone conversation 446 00:24:54,645 --> 00:24:57,045 Speaker 2: that she was on her way to a Halloween party 447 00:24:57,045 --> 00:25:00,885 Speaker 2: at a bar called The Wheel in Camden, but that 448 00:25:01,005 --> 00:25:04,925 Speaker 2: again has not been confirmed. The bar has apparently claimed 449 00:25:04,965 --> 00:25:08,605 Speaker 2: they were on Halloween night. I have some questions about this. 450 00:25:08,725 --> 00:25:11,605 Speaker 2: Remember this is during COVID and a lot of unofficial 451 00:25:11,645 --> 00:25:15,765 Speaker 2: parties were taking place around town. One of Ayisha's friends 452 00:25:15,765 --> 00:25:17,525 Speaker 2: said that they did go there that night and that 453 00:25:17,565 --> 00:25:22,445 Speaker 2: they were dancing. Ayisha apparently wasn't really dancing with anyone specific. 454 00:25:23,485 --> 00:25:26,885 Speaker 2: They had a good time and the night wound down. 455 00:25:27,325 --> 00:25:31,405 Speaker 2: After going separate ways from her girlfriends, Ayisha headed back 456 00:25:31,445 --> 00:25:34,525 Speaker 2: to the five hundred block of Stuart Avenue, where William 457 00:25:34,525 --> 00:25:38,885 Speaker 2: and Shaquilla lived and where Ayisha had been staying. They 458 00:25:38,925 --> 00:25:40,845 Speaker 2: got there at around two to three am. 459 00:25:42,205 --> 00:25:42,525 Speaker 1: Now. 460 00:25:42,725 --> 00:25:46,805 Speaker 2: One of Ayisha's girlfriends said that William and Shaquilla were 461 00:25:46,845 --> 00:25:49,005 Speaker 2: talking about a trip to Houston they were going to take. 462 00:25:49,445 --> 00:25:53,005 Speaker 2: Apparently they were going to Houston the next day, and 463 00:25:53,285 --> 00:25:56,245 Speaker 2: they asked this friend of Ayisha's to go with them. 464 00:25:56,645 --> 00:25:59,965 Speaker 2: She claims she said she didn't want to go, but 465 00:26:00,365 --> 00:26:04,245 Speaker 2: apparently Aisha may have wanted to go with them. Aisha 466 00:26:04,325 --> 00:26:07,645 Speaker 2: had previously asked her mom about going to Houston with 467 00:26:07,725 --> 00:26:11,605 Speaker 2: William and Shaquilla. Laqueta told Aisha she didn't need to 468 00:26:11,645 --> 00:26:14,725 Speaker 2: do that, that would basically be too much for her. Now, 469 00:26:14,725 --> 00:26:18,445 Speaker 2: supposedly they were taking this trip to move furniture. Apparently, 470 00:26:18,445 --> 00:26:21,125 Speaker 2: William and Shaquilla were moving out of an apartment in Houston. 471 00:26:21,565 --> 00:26:23,445 Speaker 2: They needed to get the furniture that was in the 472 00:26:23,485 --> 00:26:26,165 Speaker 2: apartment out of there and into a nearby storage unit. 473 00:26:27,125 --> 00:26:29,605 Speaker 2: This story in itself is a little strange to me 474 00:26:29,765 --> 00:26:32,285 Speaker 2: because a why would they go to move furniture in 475 00:26:32,285 --> 00:26:34,725 Speaker 2: the middle of the night, and b why would they 476 00:26:34,805 --> 00:26:37,525 Speaker 2: take a tiny girl to help them do it. So 477 00:26:37,685 --> 00:26:40,405 Speaker 2: now it's the next morning, November first, between six and 478 00:26:40,445 --> 00:26:45,565 Speaker 2: seven am, Liqueta calls Ayisha. Ayisha doesn't answer her cell phone, 479 00:26:45,645 --> 00:26:48,925 Speaker 2: so Liquita calls her brother, William. She asks William where 480 00:26:48,965 --> 00:26:53,925 Speaker 2: Aisha is. William tells Liquita that Ayisha is asleep. Laquita 481 00:26:54,045 --> 00:26:57,125 Speaker 2: tries to call Ayisha several more times throughout that day. 482 00:26:57,685 --> 00:26:59,005 Speaker 1: Ayisha never picked up. 483 00:27:00,365 --> 00:27:04,165 Speaker 2: This was highly unusual because Ayisha always picked up call 484 00:27:04,205 --> 00:27:07,525 Speaker 2: from her mom. At some point, Shaquilla came to pick 485 00:27:07,605 --> 00:27:10,205 Speaker 2: up her two sons, the ones who Liquita was babysitting 486 00:27:11,205 --> 00:27:14,685 Speaker 2: at that time. Liquita said she asked Shaquilla when she 487 00:27:14,885 --> 00:27:18,925 Speaker 2: last saw Ayisha. Shaquilla told her that she had dropped 488 00:27:18,925 --> 00:27:21,165 Speaker 2: her off at home the day before and had not 489 00:27:21,285 --> 00:27:25,125 Speaker 2: seen or heard from her since. Now this was a 490 00:27:25,205 --> 00:27:28,485 Speaker 2: red flag because, she says, when she talked to William, 491 00:27:28,925 --> 00:27:32,565 Speaker 2: he told her he dropped Ayisha off at home. Now 492 00:27:32,965 --> 00:27:36,085 Speaker 2: she seemed to understand Shaquilla was saying she had dropped 493 00:27:36,085 --> 00:27:41,645 Speaker 2: Ayisha off. That day, Laqueta kept calling her daughter's phone. 494 00:27:41,685 --> 00:27:45,325 Speaker 2: She was blowing up Ayisha's phone, but the phone just 495 00:27:45,405 --> 00:27:50,205 Speaker 2: kept ringing out, and each time she called her brother William, 496 00:27:50,725 --> 00:27:54,405 Speaker 2: he tells Liquita, Ayisha's sleeping, or she's in the bathroom, 497 00:27:54,525 --> 00:27:57,645 Speaker 2: or her phone is dead. Liquita was never able to 498 00:27:57,685 --> 00:28:02,005 Speaker 2: connect with Ayisha that day. Finally, at around nine pm, 499 00:28:02,485 --> 00:28:06,285 Speaker 2: William answers the phone again, this time Hell's Aquita that 500 00:28:06,365 --> 00:28:08,645 Speaker 2: they have been back from Houston, Texas for a while, 501 00:28:09,125 --> 00:28:12,045 Speaker 2: and that he had dropped Ayisha off at home. He 502 00:28:12,205 --> 00:28:16,725 Speaker 2: meant the one she had recently rented on Roselin Avenue. 503 00:28:17,525 --> 00:28:21,365 Speaker 2: So I have questions about that again. First of all, 504 00:28:21,525 --> 00:28:24,725 Speaker 2: is it reasonable to believe that between three am and 505 00:28:24,845 --> 00:28:28,805 Speaker 2: nine pm the next night that William and Shaquilla and 506 00:28:28,925 --> 00:28:31,365 Speaker 2: Aisha had driven to Houston, which is about a five 507 00:28:31,405 --> 00:28:34,205 Speaker 2: to six hour drive and back and had time to 508 00:28:34,245 --> 00:28:38,525 Speaker 2: move furniture. I mean, I guess theoretically it's possible, but 509 00:28:38,645 --> 00:28:41,325 Speaker 2: even with no sleep, that is a stretch. 510 00:28:41,965 --> 00:28:44,485 Speaker 1: Also, again, why would they. 511 00:28:44,325 --> 00:28:46,765 Speaker 2: Be taking a five foot two young woman to help 512 00:28:46,805 --> 00:28:48,285 Speaker 2: move this furniture in the first place. 513 00:28:48,605 --> 00:28:53,245 Speaker 5: So to the public, everybody thought that she had done 514 00:28:53,365 --> 00:28:57,405 Speaker 5: to help her uncle moved furniture. A ninety pound twenty 515 00:28:57,445 --> 00:29:00,965 Speaker 5: two year old female went to go help move furniture. 516 00:29:03,485 --> 00:29:07,445 Speaker 2: Later on, it seems like William and shaquilleb said that 517 00:29:07,485 --> 00:29:10,765 Speaker 2: they had both dropped Ayisha off together. And I guess 518 00:29:10,805 --> 00:29:14,485 Speaker 2: it's possible that Liquita mis heard, but as a mother, 519 00:29:14,805 --> 00:29:17,605 Speaker 2: she had instinct with these things, and these discrepancies in 520 00:29:17,645 --> 00:29:19,805 Speaker 2: the beginning can be extremely crucial. 521 00:29:20,365 --> 00:29:24,445 Speaker 1: They need to be clarified now. 522 00:29:24,485 --> 00:29:28,205 Speaker 2: The police have stated publicly that Ayisha did go with 523 00:29:28,285 --> 00:29:30,765 Speaker 2: her family to Texas and that they have confirmed that. 524 00:29:31,485 --> 00:29:35,845 Speaker 2: Captain prim said quote started doing some background, found out 525 00:29:35,925 --> 00:29:37,685 Speaker 2: that she had gone to Texas, supposed to have been 526 00:29:37,725 --> 00:29:40,965 Speaker 2: with a family member. We confirmed she did go to 527 00:29:41,045 --> 00:29:45,485 Speaker 2: Texas end quote. But some of Ayisha's family members wonder 528 00:29:45,525 --> 00:29:48,285 Speaker 2: if that's true. They wonder if Ayisha ever made it 529 00:29:48,325 --> 00:29:53,685 Speaker 2: to Houston at all. Liquita has said that Captain Harwell 530 00:29:53,805 --> 00:29:56,965 Speaker 2: told her that he could not verify that Ayosha went 531 00:29:57,005 --> 00:30:00,485 Speaker 2: to Texas. Rina had a conversation with him in November 532 00:30:00,485 --> 00:30:03,405 Speaker 2: of twenty twenty two. He told her the same thing, 533 00:30:03,525 --> 00:30:06,845 Speaker 2: that police could not confirm that Ayisha had been to Texas. 534 00:30:07,445 --> 00:30:09,205 Speaker 2: I'm going to reach out to the police to see 535 00:30:09,205 --> 00:30:11,365 Speaker 2: if they have any comment on this timeline, and we're 536 00:30:11,365 --> 00:30:12,925 Speaker 2: going to go a lot more into. 537 00:30:12,765 --> 00:30:16,165 Speaker 1: Depth on this next week. Bottom line. 538 00:30:16,565 --> 00:30:20,765 Speaker 2: Many of Ayisha's family members wonder if she ever left Arkansas. 539 00:30:26,405 --> 00:30:29,725 Speaker 2: Ayisha's brother, Jacques has spoken out very publicly on his 540 00:30:29,765 --> 00:30:32,565 Speaker 2: sister's behalf. He has brought up a lot of things 541 00:30:32,605 --> 00:30:35,085 Speaker 2: he says he just does not understand about this investigation. 542 00:30:35,805 --> 00:30:39,965 Speaker 2: He has openly voiced his suspicion of Ayisha's aunt, Shaquilla 543 00:30:40,605 --> 00:30:44,845 Speaker 2: and her uncle William. Jacques said alarm bells started going 544 00:30:44,885 --> 00:30:47,365 Speaker 2: off for him the moment he pulled into his sister's 545 00:30:47,445 --> 00:30:52,325 Speaker 2: driveway on November two. Shaquilla was right behind them with 546 00:30:52,365 --> 00:30:56,445 Speaker 2: her stepdaughter in the car, and Jacques wondered, how did 547 00:30:56,485 --> 00:30:59,685 Speaker 2: she get there so fast? Did she already know that 548 00:30:59,765 --> 00:31:04,285 Speaker 2: something was wrong. Jacques later said that he believed that 549 00:31:04,405 --> 00:31:08,765 Speaker 2: his aunt had been very dramatic, maybe almost overly emotional, 550 00:31:10,365 --> 00:31:12,485 Speaker 2: and after the family went to the police and the 551 00:31:12,525 --> 00:31:16,085 Speaker 2: searches started, Jacques said he started to get more and 552 00:31:16,165 --> 00:31:22,325 Speaker 2: more suspicious, especially after Somaji was arrested and released. Eventually, 553 00:31:22,645 --> 00:31:27,045 Speaker 2: the relationship between Jacques, Shaquilla, and William got more and 554 00:31:27,125 --> 00:31:31,685 Speaker 2: more strained. So your suspicions about Shaquila and her husband happened, 555 00:31:31,765 --> 00:31:33,645 Speaker 2: was that because because the way they were acting, they 556 00:31:33,685 --> 00:31:35,445 Speaker 2: just weren't acting, you know. 557 00:31:36,725 --> 00:31:37,285 Speaker 3: In the middle. 558 00:31:37,565 --> 00:31:40,165 Speaker 5: You know, Chak the rockers time to contribute it. I 559 00:31:40,245 --> 00:31:41,965 Speaker 5: think that his job moved. 560 00:31:41,725 --> 00:31:45,885 Speaker 3: In the middle of an investigation, right, So why I mean, 561 00:31:45,925 --> 00:31:47,125 Speaker 3: why do I mean, why do that? 562 00:31:47,565 --> 00:31:52,885 Speaker 2: Why move? So they moved in the middle of it literally, 563 00:31:53,525 --> 00:31:54,605 Speaker 2: they was in Houston. 564 00:31:54,645 --> 00:31:57,725 Speaker 3: They moved to Houston, and they was up there in Houston, 565 00:31:58,245 --> 00:32:01,325 Speaker 3: and that's to verify and death factual. From what I 566 00:32:01,365 --> 00:32:04,005 Speaker 3: know is from when they was going up there to 567 00:32:04,125 --> 00:32:07,365 Speaker 3: view furniture. On the way up there, they already had 568 00:32:07,485 --> 00:32:11,045 Speaker 3: knew that no furniture was in that apartment. The furniture 569 00:32:11,125 --> 00:32:15,085 Speaker 3: was already stolen, so there was no furniture. 570 00:32:14,645 --> 00:32:15,485 Speaker 1: In that apartment. 571 00:32:16,005 --> 00:32:18,325 Speaker 3: So the trip to Houston was to go up there 572 00:32:18,445 --> 00:32:22,165 Speaker 3: to get the furniture out of the apartment and take 573 00:32:22,165 --> 00:32:25,245 Speaker 3: it to a storage unit. Okay, they never had took note, 574 00:32:25,285 --> 00:32:27,765 Speaker 3: they never got your no furniture up there because there 575 00:32:27,845 --> 00:32:30,805 Speaker 3: was no furniture in the apartment and when the police asked, 576 00:32:30,805 --> 00:32:32,245 Speaker 3: they gave a fast location. 577 00:32:32,445 --> 00:32:35,485 Speaker 1: So for where they were supposedly living. 578 00:32:36,205 --> 00:32:36,485 Speaker 4: Great. 579 00:32:37,565 --> 00:32:40,045 Speaker 2: What Jacques was saying there was that his uncle and 580 00:32:40,085 --> 00:32:44,805 Speaker 2: Shaquilla allegedly gave police a fake address in Houston. If 581 00:32:44,845 --> 00:32:49,685 Speaker 2: that's true, how could that not raise red flags? Now, again, 582 00:32:49,965 --> 00:32:53,445 Speaker 2: this is something that Jacques claims. I don't know if 583 00:32:53,485 --> 00:32:57,885 Speaker 2: it's true. The police have never mentioned Shaquilla or William 584 00:32:58,245 --> 00:33:00,925 Speaker 2: as people of interest out all in this investigation. They 585 00:33:00,965 --> 00:33:04,165 Speaker 2: completely deny they had anything to do with Ayesha's disappearance. 586 00:33:04,805 --> 00:33:08,045 Speaker 2: Just want to make that clear. But again, I just 587 00:33:08,125 --> 00:33:12,365 Speaker 2: want to go back to the timeline. Did Ayisha actually 588 00:33:12,485 --> 00:33:15,645 Speaker 2: leave Arkansas and go to Houston? This is a crucial point, 589 00:33:15,725 --> 00:33:21,205 Speaker 2: something we need to figure out. So let's go back 590 00:33:21,245 --> 00:33:24,325 Speaker 2: for a minute and talk about Ayisha's phone. As we 591 00:33:24,405 --> 00:33:29,165 Speaker 2: said before, the phone was left at Ayisha's apartment, but shockingly, 592 00:33:29,605 --> 00:33:31,845 Speaker 2: the police did not immediately take it. 593 00:33:32,365 --> 00:33:33,365 Speaker 1: I really don't get this. 594 00:33:33,565 --> 00:33:36,405 Speaker 2: I mean, Ayisha had called the police multiple times to 595 00:33:36,445 --> 00:33:39,205 Speaker 2: report break ins. She had been put on the patrol list, 596 00:33:39,445 --> 00:33:41,925 Speaker 2: so I really don't get why there was not immediate 597 00:33:42,005 --> 00:33:43,725 Speaker 2: alarm when her apartment. 598 00:33:43,325 --> 00:33:44,005 Speaker 1: Was found like that. 599 00:33:45,445 --> 00:33:50,365 Speaker 2: In the end, Jacques said, Shaquila took Ayisha's phone. Now, 600 00:33:50,365 --> 00:33:56,125 Speaker 2: according to Jaques, this was because Shaquilla apparently thought that 601 00:33:56,325 --> 00:33:58,725 Speaker 2: her son he might be able to figure out the password. 602 00:33:58,805 --> 00:34:02,405 Speaker 2: But Laquita said in the end her family members told 603 00:34:02,445 --> 00:34:04,725 Speaker 2: her they could not get into the phone, they couldn't 604 00:34:04,725 --> 00:34:08,085 Speaker 2: guess the password. Eventually the phone was given to police, 605 00:34:08,605 --> 00:34:13,245 Speaker 2: but that was several days after Ayisha went missing. I 606 00:34:13,245 --> 00:34:17,245 Speaker 2: have also heard rumors that Aisha sent text messages on 607 00:34:17,285 --> 00:34:20,165 Speaker 2: November tewod I wanted to get to the bottom of this. 608 00:34:21,045 --> 00:34:24,285 Speaker 2: Rena said that she had discussed this with Captain Harwell, 609 00:34:25,125 --> 00:34:29,805 Speaker 2: and apparently he told her that this came from one 610 00:34:29,845 --> 00:34:34,845 Speaker 2: of Ayisha's relatives supposedly receiving a text from Ayisha after 611 00:34:34,885 --> 00:34:38,565 Speaker 2: November second, and her grandmother potentially getting a FaceTime call, 612 00:34:39,605 --> 00:34:42,805 Speaker 2: and there were supposedly posts on Facebook related to this. 613 00:34:43,565 --> 00:34:47,605 Speaker 2: I'm trying to track down those Facebook posts because figuring 614 00:34:47,645 --> 00:34:50,845 Speaker 2: out when those calls took place and if anyone actually 615 00:34:50,925 --> 00:34:54,645 Speaker 2: saw or heard Aisha would seem to be a crucial 616 00:34:54,685 --> 00:34:56,405 Speaker 2: piece of data we need to figure out. 617 00:35:00,125 --> 00:35:00,965 Speaker 1: Captain Harwell. 618 00:35:01,045 --> 00:35:04,805 Speaker 2: The Elderrated Police Department released a statement asking the public 619 00:35:04,845 --> 00:35:08,405 Speaker 2: to come forward with information. He said, quote, what we 620 00:35:08,485 --> 00:35:11,245 Speaker 2: need at this time is for people to come forward 621 00:35:11,285 --> 00:35:13,765 Speaker 2: and tell us what they know. People don't want to 622 00:35:13,805 --> 00:35:16,485 Speaker 2: get involved, people are scared of retaliation. 623 00:35:17,045 --> 00:35:18,165 Speaker 1: End quote. 624 00:35:18,245 --> 00:35:21,485 Speaker 2: I can understand part of this because, as we'll go 625 00:35:21,525 --> 00:35:24,045 Speaker 2: into in more detail next week, a lot of people 626 00:35:24,045 --> 00:35:26,125 Speaker 2: who are potentially connected to this case do. 627 00:35:26,245 --> 00:35:28,125 Speaker 1: Have criminal backgrounds. 628 00:35:28,685 --> 00:35:31,725 Speaker 2: But I just want everyone out there to think about 629 00:35:31,765 --> 00:35:35,165 Speaker 2: this mother, this brother, this family. Imagine if it were 630 00:35:35,205 --> 00:35:37,605 Speaker 2: your daughter who had vanished without a trace, and you 631 00:35:37,645 --> 00:35:40,805 Speaker 2: had no idea what happened. I know that you would 632 00:35:40,805 --> 00:35:43,005 Speaker 2: want someone to come forward. We need for someone to 633 00:35:43,005 --> 00:35:48,005 Speaker 2: come forward with information. Anyone with any information can call 634 00:35:48,085 --> 00:35:51,165 Speaker 2: the Elderrated Police Department at eight seven oh eight eight 635 00:35:51,245 --> 00:35:54,125 Speaker 2: one four eight one to oh. We are going to 636 00:35:54,245 --> 00:35:57,445 Speaker 2: keep going on this case next week. First of all, 637 00:35:57,845 --> 00:36:00,645 Speaker 2: I want to find out if Ayisha ever actually left 638 00:36:00,765 --> 00:36:03,045 Speaker 2: Arkansas and made it to Houston, and if she did, 639 00:36:03,245 --> 00:36:06,565 Speaker 2: where's the proof of that. We also want to track 640 00:36:06,645 --> 00:36:09,805 Speaker 2: down and try our best to answer the question of 641 00:36:09,885 --> 00:36:14,645 Speaker 2: whether there were texts and or calls from Ayisha's phone 642 00:36:15,205 --> 00:36:18,845 Speaker 2: made after October thirty. First, this could give us more 643 00:36:18,845 --> 00:36:23,405 Speaker 2: information about where Ayisha was headed. Or if the conclusion 644 00:36:23,485 --> 00:36:26,885 Speaker 2: leads us to believe Ayisha might have met with foul play, 645 00:36:26,965 --> 00:36:29,805 Speaker 2: then we need to be asking a different question. If 646 00:36:29,925 --> 00:36:34,285 Speaker 2: Aisha was not alive after October thirty, first, who sent 647 00:36:34,365 --> 00:36:37,685 Speaker 2: those text messages from her phone? 648 00:36:37,965 --> 00:36:39,365 Speaker 1: I'm Catherine Townsend. 649 00:36:39,605 --> 00:36:44,845 Speaker 2: This is Helen Gone Murder Line. Helen Gone Murder Line 650 00:36:44,885 --> 00:36:47,565 Speaker 2: is a production of School of Humans and iHeart Podcasts. 651 00:36:47,805 --> 00:36:50,885 Speaker 2: It's written and narrated by me Catherine Townsend and produced 652 00:36:50,885 --> 00:36:51,845 Speaker 2: by Gabby Watts. 653 00:36:52,365 --> 00:36:53,925 Speaker 1: Music contributed by Ben. 654 00:36:53,725 --> 00:36:59,085 Speaker 2: Sale, executive producers of Virginia Prescott, Brandon Barr, and Elsie Crowley. 655 00:36:59,165 --> 00:37:00,925 Speaker 2: If you have a case you'd like me and my 656 00:37:00,965 --> 00:37:03,245 Speaker 2: team to look into, you can reach out to us 657 00:37:03,245 --> 00:37:05,325 Speaker 2: at our Helen Gone Murder Line. It's six seven eight 658 00:37:05,565 --> 00:37:08,725 Speaker 2: seven four four six one four five. That's six seven 659 00:37:08,805 --> 00:37:11,965 Speaker 2: eight seven four four six one four five. 660 00:37:27,165 --> 00:37:28,085 Speaker 1: School of Humans