1 00:00:05,880 --> 00:00:13,240 Speaker 1: Crime Stories with Nancy Grace. After the stunning and shocking 2 00:00:13,680 --> 00:00:19,239 Speaker 1: disappearance of Private First Class Vanessa again at Fort Hood, 3 00:00:19,680 --> 00:00:24,599 Speaker 1: her body is discovered, dismembered, burned, and a shallow grave. 4 00:00:25,280 --> 00:00:29,120 Speaker 1: But that is just the beginning of the deaths, the 5 00:00:29,320 --> 00:00:36,400 Speaker 1: unexplained missing at Fort Hood, our army base, seemingly no 6 00:00:36,520 --> 00:00:40,120 Speaker 1: explanations being given, and the ones we do here, I've 7 00:00:40,120 --> 00:00:53,080 Speaker 1: got to say, don't make sense. Another Fort Hood soldier missing. 8 00:00:54,000 --> 00:00:58,120 Speaker 1: Another This is what the ninth. They're tenth in the 9 00:00:58,200 --> 00:01:02,960 Speaker 1: line of missing and dead soldiers. This is a twenty 10 00:01:03,120 --> 00:01:09,320 Speaker 1: three year old nuclear specialist gone missing. After the death 11 00:01:09,400 --> 00:01:15,960 Speaker 1: of eleven people this year alone linked to Fort Hood. 12 00:01:17,080 --> 00:01:22,000 Speaker 1: What is happening at Fort Hood? Well, I'll tell you 13 00:01:22,120 --> 00:01:25,800 Speaker 1: what kicked the whole thing off. Listen to this. They 14 00:01:25,840 --> 00:01:28,800 Speaker 1: first tried to set her light her body on fire. 15 00:01:29,080 --> 00:01:32,440 Speaker 1: They try to burn her body, They can't burn her body. 16 00:01:32,520 --> 00:01:36,759 Speaker 1: They're having a hard time burning her body, and they 17 00:01:36,800 --> 00:01:40,040 Speaker 1: decide to take the machete out and start machetting, dismembering 18 00:01:40,080 --> 00:01:44,040 Speaker 1: her whole body. They try to destroy it, try to 19 00:01:44,040 --> 00:01:46,720 Speaker 1: put it in different places, bury it. They use some 20 00:01:46,840 --> 00:01:50,360 Speaker 1: kind of quick quick, quick dry, some kind of cement, 21 00:01:51,280 --> 00:01:55,520 Speaker 1: I'm a product and try to They do a shallow grave, 22 00:01:56,240 --> 00:01:58,920 Speaker 1: put the cement on it, and they get rid of 23 00:01:59,040 --> 00:02:02,680 Speaker 1: basically the evidence. They threw their machette out the window 24 00:02:03,400 --> 00:02:05,840 Speaker 1: by the way with her phone there. They destroyed her 25 00:02:05,840 --> 00:02:08,320 Speaker 1: phone and threw out the window. They threw the hammer 26 00:02:08,320 --> 00:02:11,200 Speaker 1: out the window when they're driving. This is what they're saying. 27 00:02:12,040 --> 00:02:17,720 Speaker 1: This happened to a beautiful young girl, Vanessa. Again, you 28 00:02:17,760 --> 00:02:21,120 Speaker 1: are hearing the voice of her family's lawyer, or Natalie Kawam, 29 00:02:21,200 --> 00:02:24,799 Speaker 1: who is joining us today, who is now working with 30 00:02:24,880 --> 00:02:28,680 Speaker 1: Eilena Fernandez, the mother of Elder Fernandez, twenty three year 31 00:02:28,720 --> 00:02:34,919 Speaker 1: old nuclear specialists now missing. When will it end? Take 32 00:02:34,919 --> 00:02:38,840 Speaker 1: a listen to more of what happened to Vanessa. They 33 00:02:38,880 --> 00:02:42,359 Speaker 1: couldn't get her her dental cavity, everything with bludgens and 34 00:02:42,440 --> 00:02:44,800 Speaker 1: her face in her skull that they couldn't even use 35 00:02:44,880 --> 00:02:47,640 Speaker 1: her face for her skull for any kind of bone 36 00:02:47,880 --> 00:02:52,840 Speaker 1: or recognition. They sicily they found her hair, though, but 37 00:02:53,160 --> 00:02:56,079 Speaker 1: her face was so bludgeoned that they couldn't get the 38 00:02:56,160 --> 00:03:00,360 Speaker 1: dental records or do that kind of confirmation of topsy 39 00:03:00,440 --> 00:03:04,680 Speaker 1: of her face. It's just disgusting, a heinous and that's 40 00:03:04,720 --> 00:03:07,680 Speaker 1: not all. Listen, he said. He grabbed the first thing 41 00:03:07,720 --> 00:03:10,160 Speaker 1: he could find, and that was a hammer, and started 42 00:03:10,200 --> 00:03:14,200 Speaker 1: bludgeoning her head over and over. She wasn't getting knocked 43 00:03:14,200 --> 00:03:16,600 Speaker 1: down quick enough, so he kept the bludgeoning, bludgeoning, bludgeoning 44 00:03:16,760 --> 00:03:22,360 Speaker 1: her head skull in the armory room. The whole place 45 00:03:22,400 --> 00:03:25,880 Speaker 1: was filled with blood. He took her body and put 46 00:03:25,880 --> 00:03:29,840 Speaker 1: it in I want to say, Pelican briefields. He wheeled 47 00:03:29,840 --> 00:03:33,120 Speaker 1: it out. He put it on the side of the 48 00:03:33,200 --> 00:03:38,560 Speaker 1: armory room. He went home. XPM comes around, He enters 49 00:03:38,120 --> 00:03:42,080 Speaker 1: the base, He takes her body. He takes it to 50 00:03:42,120 --> 00:03:46,520 Speaker 1: that lake or the river, puts it there and decides 51 00:03:46,560 --> 00:03:49,160 Speaker 1: he can't to describe himself, he can't, you know, bury her. 52 00:03:49,240 --> 00:03:52,680 Speaker 1: He needs help. He caused his girlfriend, the Cicily girl, 53 00:03:52,720 --> 00:03:56,080 Speaker 1: the one who is and he caused her. He said, 54 00:03:56,080 --> 00:03:58,400 Speaker 1: get in the car. She gets in the car and 55 00:03:58,480 --> 00:04:01,720 Speaker 1: he tells her, I have Vanessa body in a Pelican 56 00:04:01,800 --> 00:04:05,560 Speaker 1: briefel like I need your help to bury her. And 57 00:04:05,720 --> 00:04:11,560 Speaker 1: after all this, another soldier goes missing. With me an 58 00:04:11,560 --> 00:04:13,200 Speaker 1: all star panel to break it down and put it 59 00:04:13,240 --> 00:04:17,760 Speaker 1: back together again. Tim Miller, Texas equisearch founder and director 60 00:04:17,800 --> 00:04:21,000 Speaker 1: who helped find the body of Vannesse Again. Doctor Debbie 61 00:04:21,040 --> 00:04:26,280 Speaker 1: Joffe Ellis, Psychologist, Professor, Columbia University at Debbie Joffe Ellis 62 00:04:26,320 --> 00:04:32,080 Speaker 1: dot com, renowned criminal defense attorney, military law specialist. Our 63 00:04:32,160 --> 00:04:36,640 Speaker 1: friend and colleague Joe Episcopo joining us from the Florida jurisdiction. 64 00:04:37,080 --> 00:04:41,839 Speaker 1: Natalie Colomb the attorney not only for Vanesse Again's family, 65 00:04:41,920 --> 00:04:46,839 Speaker 1: but now for Sergeant Elder. Fernandez family special guest joined 66 00:04:46,839 --> 00:04:50,560 Speaker 1: me in addition to Levipage. Crime Online dot com investigative 67 00:04:50,560 --> 00:04:57,400 Speaker 1: reporter is Eilena Fernandez. This is Elder's mother, Miss Fernandez. 68 00:04:57,440 --> 00:05:00,479 Speaker 1: Thank you for being with us. Thank you for having me. 69 00:05:01,440 --> 00:05:11,440 Speaker 1: Mister Nandez, tell me when you realize Elder is missing. Elder. 70 00:05:11,600 --> 00:05:15,679 Speaker 1: The last time I talked to Elder on Sunday, prior 71 00:05:15,839 --> 00:05:20,159 Speaker 1: for him to get discharge from the hospital. Around five 72 00:05:20,400 --> 00:05:26,960 Speaker 1: thirty pm we talk. He told me I asked him 73 00:05:26,960 --> 00:05:29,400 Speaker 1: to do a video call with me so I can 74 00:05:29,520 --> 00:05:33,359 Speaker 1: see him. He told me, Mom, I'm at the hospital. 75 00:05:33,839 --> 00:05:38,760 Speaker 1: I'm using hospital phone. That day. We talked three times already. 76 00:05:39,080 --> 00:05:42,760 Speaker 1: He told me Monday, as soon that I did at 77 00:05:42,800 --> 00:05:47,800 Speaker 1: the hospital, I'll get myself phone old video. Jest so 78 00:05:47,960 --> 00:05:54,040 Speaker 1: you give me to me, mister Nandez, I know exactly 79 00:05:54,080 --> 00:05:58,400 Speaker 1: how you feel with my children when I'm away from them. 80 00:05:58,520 --> 00:06:00,480 Speaker 1: I don't know what I would do without faith time 81 00:06:01,000 --> 00:06:04,200 Speaker 1: because I can see them and I can know that 82 00:06:04,360 --> 00:06:08,279 Speaker 1: they're okay. Oh, Miss Fernandez is breaking my heart to 83 00:06:08,360 --> 00:06:15,200 Speaker 1: hear you cry. We were told that elder staff sergeant 84 00:06:16,080 --> 00:06:21,640 Speaker 1: dropped him at his home in Killeen, and that that 85 00:06:21,800 --> 00:06:27,000 Speaker 1: was the last time he was seen. Is that true? 86 00:06:27,120 --> 00:06:31,400 Speaker 1: That's correct? So the last time he was seen he 87 00:06:31,520 --> 00:06:38,840 Speaker 1: was with a Fordhood staff sergeant. Is that correct? That's correct? Yes, 88 00:06:39,720 --> 00:06:44,799 Speaker 1: And after they dropped him off in front of that house. 89 00:06:44,839 --> 00:06:51,800 Speaker 1: I'm assuming because ever never making to the house. No one, yeah, 90 00:06:52,200 --> 00:06:55,120 Speaker 1: no one can tell me that your contact with elder 91 00:06:55,640 --> 00:07:02,240 Speaker 1: nobody's elder. Now like womb with me the lawyer for 92 00:07:02,480 --> 00:07:07,600 Speaker 1: the Fernandez family as well as again family, Natalie, you 93 00:07:07,640 --> 00:07:11,120 Speaker 1: have had to take your fight all the way to 94 00:07:11,240 --> 00:07:16,720 Speaker 1: the Oval office to try to get answers. And in 95 00:07:16,800 --> 00:07:22,240 Speaker 1: the wake of all of this happening with Vanessa her 96 00:07:22,320 --> 00:07:26,800 Speaker 1: body cut up with a machete, burned and cement poured 97 00:07:26,880 --> 00:07:31,720 Speaker 1: onto her flesh. How could they let another young soldier 98 00:07:32,240 --> 00:07:37,440 Speaker 1: go missing? You know, when I heard this story. It 99 00:07:37,440 --> 00:07:40,880 Speaker 1: made me so upset because, like I had TTSC with, 100 00:07:41,160 --> 00:07:44,200 Speaker 1: I can't believe this is happening again. I'm there. They 101 00:07:44,240 --> 00:07:51,000 Speaker 1: just won't accept their problems, they won't fix their problems. 102 00:07:51,120 --> 00:07:53,880 Speaker 1: They don't care about their soldiers. If anything, I think 103 00:07:53,880 --> 00:07:57,880 Speaker 1: they're causing this to happen, a dereliction of duty, complete 104 00:07:57,920 --> 00:08:01,720 Speaker 1: disregard of these soldiers lives and their family's lives. Last night, 105 00:08:01,720 --> 00:08:04,360 Speaker 1: we're on the phone with a command and the way 106 00:08:04,440 --> 00:08:07,640 Speaker 1: that they speak to this family, mister Fernandez and started 107 00:08:07,680 --> 00:08:12,720 Speaker 1: up is kind and accepting as possible, but they continued 108 00:08:12,760 --> 00:08:17,160 Speaker 1: to evade and be evasive and be vague about what 109 00:08:17,280 --> 00:08:20,600 Speaker 1: happened the whereabouts. For example, when they were dropping off Elder, 110 00:08:20,720 --> 00:08:23,080 Speaker 1: and we don't really know if he did get dropped 111 00:08:23,120 --> 00:08:26,200 Speaker 1: off in front of house because it never no one 112 00:08:26,240 --> 00:08:29,680 Speaker 1: ever saw this happening. So he was supposed to be 113 00:08:29,960 --> 00:08:33,520 Speaker 1: handed off to his roommate, Chris. He was supposed to 114 00:08:33,520 --> 00:08:35,480 Speaker 1: be handed off, and Chris was supposed to sign for 115 00:08:35,600 --> 00:08:38,440 Speaker 1: receiving Elder and saying that he received them and he 116 00:08:38,440 --> 00:08:41,960 Speaker 1: would be in his care. Why did he not follow 117 00:08:41,960 --> 00:08:44,400 Speaker 1: it through with the protocol? He dropped them off in 118 00:08:44,400 --> 00:08:47,000 Speaker 1: front of the house and somebody suicidal or there's any 119 00:08:47,080 --> 00:08:49,720 Speaker 1: kind of problems of an immense from what they caused 120 00:08:49,800 --> 00:08:52,880 Speaker 1: him problems because he was elder, was completely healthy, no 121 00:08:53,120 --> 00:08:57,200 Speaker 1: mental health issues whatsoever. Before this solves, he dropped them off, 122 00:08:57,520 --> 00:08:59,560 Speaker 1: not doing exactly what he was supposed to do, which 123 00:08:59,559 --> 00:09:04,200 Speaker 1: is followed protocol sign off and give sign off elder. Okay, 124 00:09:04,200 --> 00:09:06,319 Speaker 1: wait a minute, Wait a minute, Natalie Kawam, you're telling 125 00:09:06,360 --> 00:09:09,720 Speaker 1: me that once again protocol was not followed because in 126 00:09:09,800 --> 00:09:23,960 Speaker 1: Vanessa's case, she was murdered. In the Armory Crime Stories 127 00:09:23,960 --> 00:09:29,679 Speaker 1: with Nancy Grace for those of you joining us, another 128 00:09:30,040 --> 00:09:35,320 Speaker 1: soldier is missing. A twenty three year old soldier, a chemical, biological, 129 00:09:35,679 --> 00:09:41,160 Speaker 1: radiological and nuclear specialist with the First Cavalry Division Sustainment Brigade, 130 00:09:41,440 --> 00:09:46,360 Speaker 1: Central Texas Army installation. His car found with all of 131 00:09:46,440 --> 00:09:52,400 Speaker 1: his belongings inside, last known to be with a fort 132 00:09:52,920 --> 00:09:56,520 Speaker 1: Hood authority. Yet we are now being told by the 133 00:09:56,559 --> 00:10:02,400 Speaker 1: family's lawyer, Natalie Kawam, protocol was not followed. Now and 134 00:10:02,559 --> 00:10:05,640 Speaker 1: trying to put it all together, and the reason we're 135 00:10:05,640 --> 00:10:09,319 Speaker 1: all finding out about this is because of a young 136 00:10:09,480 --> 00:10:15,079 Speaker 1: lady now dead, Vanessa Geem. She goes missing. We now 137 00:10:15,120 --> 00:10:18,560 Speaker 1: know she was murdered right there in the armory, and 138 00:10:18,640 --> 00:10:21,880 Speaker 1: nobody noticed she was gone, Nobody saw signs of a struggle. 139 00:10:22,040 --> 00:10:24,760 Speaker 1: There was obviously no forensic testing in the armory. After 140 00:10:24,840 --> 00:10:27,520 Speaker 1: she went missing. She was called in on her day 141 00:10:27,600 --> 00:10:31,040 Speaker 1: off for what to get murdered? Because she had been 142 00:10:31,080 --> 00:10:36,560 Speaker 1: being sex harassed at Forthood? What the hay is going on? 143 00:10:36,679 --> 00:10:41,600 Speaker 1: And now elder is missing too. Take a listen to 144 00:10:41,760 --> 00:10:44,079 Speaker 1: this and a lot of times I got a lot 145 00:10:44,080 --> 00:10:46,680 Speaker 1: of things that's talked about, and this time I done. 146 00:10:46,760 --> 00:10:51,000 Speaker 1: It's still trying to digest that scene and what happened 147 00:10:51,320 --> 00:10:54,920 Speaker 1: in that fire And that fire was so high, Nancy, 148 00:10:54,960 --> 00:10:59,400 Speaker 1: it was burning tree Limb's fifteen feet above the damned fire. 149 00:11:00,200 --> 00:11:03,079 Speaker 1: They made that fire hot. There was a tire at 150 00:11:03,120 --> 00:11:04,959 Speaker 1: that fire too, and we know when you put a 151 00:11:05,040 --> 00:11:08,280 Speaker 1: tire and a fire at ferns even hotter. And you 152 00:11:08,320 --> 00:11:13,120 Speaker 1: know what, Nancy, there is still plastic out there that 153 00:11:13,160 --> 00:11:15,600 Speaker 1: they did not take in for evidence. And I'm not 154 00:11:15,640 --> 00:11:17,959 Speaker 1: saying a little bit of plastic. And it was trying 155 00:11:17,960 --> 00:11:20,400 Speaker 1: to figure out why in the hell didn't they take 156 00:11:20,720 --> 00:11:24,560 Speaker 1: everything that was here. All they took was that part 157 00:11:24,559 --> 00:11:28,480 Speaker 1: of that lid. There was still stuff out there Yeah, 158 00:11:28,520 --> 00:11:33,920 Speaker 1: this investigation was botched, terribly, terribly botched or was there 159 00:11:34,040 --> 00:11:37,679 Speaker 1: a cover up? The Army insisted that they had forensically 160 00:11:37,679 --> 00:11:41,120 Speaker 1: examined the armory where we now know Vanessa was blood 161 00:11:41,160 --> 00:11:45,640 Speaker 1: and dead. They couldn't find one drop of blood. Joey Episcopo, 162 00:11:45,920 --> 00:11:50,120 Speaker 1: criminal defense lawyer, a military law specialist. What they've never 163 00:11:50,160 --> 00:11:54,600 Speaker 1: heard of Loomin all, a base is a city, and 164 00:11:54,679 --> 00:11:58,040 Speaker 1: the base commander is responsible for what goes on there, 165 00:11:58,760 --> 00:12:02,000 Speaker 1: and he can be easily moved. Unlike the mayor of 166 00:12:02,040 --> 00:12:06,120 Speaker 1: say Portland, it can't be easily removed. Things go wrong 167 00:12:06,160 --> 00:12:09,559 Speaker 1: in the city, and we've got something going wrong at 168 00:12:09,600 --> 00:12:13,600 Speaker 1: this installation. But I don't see the connection between the 169 00:12:13,720 --> 00:12:17,680 Speaker 1: woman's death and the disappearing really really well, let me 170 00:12:18,080 --> 00:12:22,439 Speaker 1: illuminate it for you. Isn't it true? Natalie Kawam, attorney 171 00:12:22,480 --> 00:12:26,040 Speaker 1: for the Game family and now the Fernandez family. Isn't 172 00:12:26,040 --> 00:12:32,359 Speaker 1: it true that Elder reported sex abuse before his disappearance 173 00:12:32,520 --> 00:12:36,280 Speaker 1: from the base and Vanessa Gim have been subjected to 174 00:12:36,360 --> 00:12:40,119 Speaker 1: sex It bes one prvy guy actually coming in watching 175 00:12:40,160 --> 00:12:43,680 Speaker 1: her as she took a shower. That's correct, they both 176 00:12:43,800 --> 00:12:45,960 Speaker 1: reported it. They both were known for its. They were 177 00:12:46,000 --> 00:12:49,040 Speaker 1: both being called in on their days off after reporting it. 178 00:12:49,080 --> 00:12:52,920 Speaker 1: You know, the typical of harassment, revictimizing the victim, and 179 00:12:52,960 --> 00:12:58,319 Speaker 1: then protocol is reached with both of them similar stories. Unfortunately, 180 00:12:59,080 --> 00:13:00,760 Speaker 1: and this is why I got bove. You know, no 181 00:13:00,800 --> 00:13:02,680 Speaker 1: one could give us an excuse of it's a city. 182 00:13:02,920 --> 00:13:05,079 Speaker 1: That doesn't mean that murder should happen just because the 183 00:13:05,200 --> 00:13:08,280 Speaker 1: city is big. I mean that people are breaching protocol 184 00:13:08,520 --> 00:13:12,600 Speaker 1: and there's no safety and security measures there. What is 185 00:13:12,720 --> 00:13:15,760 Speaker 1: his sex connections? Okay, okay, let me let me help 186 00:13:15,760 --> 00:13:18,360 Speaker 1: you again, Joe Episcopo. And you know what, you're a 187 00:13:18,400 --> 00:13:21,680 Speaker 1: veteran trial lawyer, you won a lot of cases, and 188 00:13:21,720 --> 00:13:25,959 Speaker 1: you're a military law expert. They're both at Fort Hood, 189 00:13:26,360 --> 00:13:28,840 Speaker 1: they're both in their early twenties. They both get called 190 00:13:28,880 --> 00:13:32,840 Speaker 1: in on their days off. They both are experiencing sex 191 00:13:33,080 --> 00:13:39,240 Speaker 1: harassment at Fort Hood. They both go missing. You don't 192 00:13:39,280 --> 00:13:45,200 Speaker 1: see a connection, no, who iss is two different people 193 00:13:45,520 --> 00:13:48,560 Speaker 1: harassing them? Or is it the same person? It's not 194 00:13:48,679 --> 00:13:52,400 Speaker 1: clear what you're talking about here. They both go missing 195 00:13:52,559 --> 00:13:56,080 Speaker 1: or die after they make a sex harassment allegation. Is 196 00:13:56,080 --> 00:13:58,720 Speaker 1: that you Natalie jump in, yes, that is you know, 197 00:13:58,800 --> 00:14:00,760 Speaker 1: So this is what I'm saying, I'm saying the same 198 00:14:00,760 --> 00:14:05,480 Speaker 1: person is the same culprit. I'm saying that the command 199 00:14:05,679 --> 00:14:08,959 Speaker 1: both of the discipline order nonsense that they keep overgurgitating. 200 00:14:09,080 --> 00:14:11,439 Speaker 1: They don't follow their own orders. If they had breached 201 00:14:11,520 --> 00:14:14,360 Speaker 1: protocol over and over and over and over and over again. 202 00:14:14,400 --> 00:14:17,440 Speaker 1: With these soldiers. They have this order and discipline that 203 00:14:17,440 --> 00:14:20,400 Speaker 1: they're supposed to follow, yet the command continues to breach 204 00:14:20,480 --> 00:14:23,320 Speaker 1: their own protocol. And that's why you have all these soldiers. 205 00:14:23,720 --> 00:14:26,320 Speaker 1: Let somebody can go missing for an hour. I understand, 206 00:14:26,440 --> 00:14:28,640 Speaker 1: you know, maybe we're a little paranoid, but when you 207 00:14:28,720 --> 00:14:32,600 Speaker 1: go missing for days, weeks, and you're still wondering why 208 00:14:32,640 --> 00:14:35,040 Speaker 1: they haven't followed through and why have they haven't not 209 00:14:35,160 --> 00:14:38,520 Speaker 1: provided this family any information? They continue to tell us. 210 00:14:38,600 --> 00:14:40,720 Speaker 1: Hip up. I told to them yesterday, are you a 211 00:14:40,720 --> 00:14:43,120 Speaker 1: healthcare lawyer? Because I am. Okay, guys, let's slow it 212 00:14:43,160 --> 00:14:45,800 Speaker 1: down a moment because we're getting way, way, way into 213 00:14:45,880 --> 00:14:50,520 Speaker 1: legal technicalities. I want to go back to Sergeant Elder Fernandez, 214 00:14:50,800 --> 00:14:59,120 Speaker 1: mother Eilena Fernandez, miss Fernandez. I understand that Elder originally 215 00:14:59,360 --> 00:15:05,160 Speaker 1: from Massachusetts. Is that correct? Yes, and that you yourself 216 00:15:05,280 --> 00:15:10,200 Speaker 1: have been joining in the search. Yes, miss Fernandez, what 217 00:15:10,240 --> 00:15:15,200 Speaker 1: have you been doing to help find your son? Last Saturday, 218 00:15:16,760 --> 00:15:23,400 Speaker 1: I have squat him with Tim Miller from Texas squats him. 219 00:15:23,720 --> 00:15:29,000 Speaker 1: We work around the woods here on the area. What 220 00:15:29,240 --> 00:15:33,680 Speaker 1: they told us that they dropped out off so um 221 00:15:34,760 --> 00:15:39,600 Speaker 1: so we don't have any any other place to search 222 00:15:39,640 --> 00:15:43,560 Speaker 1: to be searched. The whole area around that address that 223 00:15:43,640 --> 00:15:46,960 Speaker 1: they told us. I don't understand why Fort Hood is 224 00:15:46,960 --> 00:15:50,160 Speaker 1: not searching for him. Why does his mother have to 225 00:15:50,200 --> 00:15:54,400 Speaker 1: go out and search by foot? What did they first 226 00:15:54,440 --> 00:15:58,840 Speaker 1: tell you, Miss Fernandez, when Elder went missing. When I 227 00:15:58,920 --> 00:16:04,920 Speaker 1: first arrived on that Wednesday, there wasn't any belief from 228 00:16:04,960 --> 00:16:10,120 Speaker 1: the Army Police Department that Elder was missing. They even 229 00:16:10,240 --> 00:16:13,840 Speaker 1: told me and that day on the Army Police Department 230 00:16:14,200 --> 00:16:19,280 Speaker 1: that they can they can really put an elder as 231 00:16:19,320 --> 00:16:24,120 Speaker 1: a missing person until after thirty days. Because Elder is 232 00:16:24,160 --> 00:16:27,640 Speaker 1: twenty three years old. He has his own right to 233 00:16:27,840 --> 00:16:32,960 Speaker 1: not talking to anybody. And I told the sergeant that 234 00:16:33,200 --> 00:16:36,160 Speaker 1: I haven't heard from Elder for a few days and 235 00:16:36,440 --> 00:16:40,000 Speaker 1: I'm here to report him missing because he's nowhere to 236 00:16:40,000 --> 00:16:45,880 Speaker 1: be found. He told me Elder is adult. The Army 237 00:16:46,000 --> 00:16:50,240 Speaker 1: Department can't do anything until after thirty days. And he 238 00:16:50,360 --> 00:16:53,920 Speaker 1: also told me after thirty day, when they found elder, 239 00:16:54,560 --> 00:17:03,000 Speaker 1: any law enforcement that found elder will they will, they 240 00:17:03,040 --> 00:17:06,720 Speaker 1: will find Elder, they will arrest him and they'll put 241 00:17:06,800 --> 00:17:12,680 Speaker 1: him in the jail ahead. If I can explain, let me, 242 00:17:12,880 --> 00:17:16,760 Speaker 1: let me explain that when a person goes absent without 243 00:17:16,880 --> 00:17:22,480 Speaker 1: leave after thirty days, they're considered a deserter. That's when 244 00:17:22,600 --> 00:17:26,960 Speaker 1: the military can get civilian police to actually arrest a 245 00:17:27,040 --> 00:17:32,040 Speaker 1: military member based on that kind of warrant that they're deserter. 246 00:17:32,359 --> 00:17:36,520 Speaker 1: That's the thirty day magic U absent without leave, which 247 00:17:36,560 --> 00:17:40,760 Speaker 1: is the Statusy's in right now. Uh, they don't know 248 00:17:40,800 --> 00:17:45,560 Speaker 1: where he is. But what about the supposed um assaulter, 249 00:17:45,760 --> 00:17:49,440 Speaker 1: the person who's sexually assaulted him. I haven't heard anything 250 00:17:49,440 --> 00:17:52,960 Speaker 1: about that person. Wouldn't he be a suspect, wouldn't Yeah, 251 00:17:53,040 --> 00:17:56,680 Speaker 1: you would think so. And apparently he is there at 252 00:17:56,720 --> 00:18:00,520 Speaker 1: Fort Hood. But once again we're not hearing any of 253 00:18:00,560 --> 00:18:03,679 Speaker 1: the details. And you know what's concerning me, this is 254 00:18:03,720 --> 00:18:08,399 Speaker 1: exactly the scenario that happened with Gregory wheatle Moralis. He 255 00:18:08,600 --> 00:18:13,320 Speaker 1: goes missing, Fort Hood, will not declare him missing. Fort 256 00:18:13,359 --> 00:18:18,040 Speaker 1: Hood does nothing except then declare him a wall. Then 257 00:18:18,320 --> 00:18:23,600 Speaker 1: after his body is found in a shallow grave. They 258 00:18:23,680 --> 00:18:27,399 Speaker 1: then refuse to remove the a wall status so his 259 00:18:27,520 --> 00:18:31,080 Speaker 1: mother can get benefits. He's not a wall, he's dead. 260 00:18:42,560 --> 00:18:47,200 Speaker 1: Crime Stories with Nancy Grace. Guys, we were talking about 261 00:18:47,440 --> 00:18:53,400 Speaker 1: yet another death and missing person at Fort Hood. Now, 262 00:18:53,600 --> 00:18:58,720 Speaker 1: my dad was a veteran. He fought for his country. 263 00:18:59,080 --> 00:19:02,000 Speaker 1: My father in law same went around the world. My 264 00:19:02,080 --> 00:19:05,280 Speaker 1: dad even lied about his age to get in to 265 00:19:05,359 --> 00:19:10,439 Speaker 1: go fight for his country. I am four veterans and 266 00:19:10,560 --> 00:19:14,520 Speaker 1: have worked with veterans to try and help them. But 267 00:19:14,720 --> 00:19:19,000 Speaker 1: whatever is happening at Fort Hood is wrong. To leave 268 00:19:19,040 --> 00:19:22,000 Speaker 1: a page Crime Online dot Com investigative reporter. This is 269 00:19:22,000 --> 00:19:27,679 Speaker 1: the same scenario that happened with Gregory Wheel Morales. Remember explain, yes, Nancy, 270 00:19:27,720 --> 00:19:30,960 Speaker 1: you're talking about a case. On June nineteenth, during the 271 00:19:31,040 --> 00:19:36,800 Speaker 1: search for Vanessa Gean, the remains of that soldier were 272 00:19:36,840 --> 00:19:42,159 Speaker 1: found following an anonymous tip, Private Gregory Window Morales. He 273 00:19:42,320 --> 00:19:46,280 Speaker 1: was last seen August nineteen, twenty nineteen, a year ago. 274 00:19:46,600 --> 00:19:50,120 Speaker 1: Foul play is suspected. We also have another case, Private 275 00:19:50,280 --> 00:19:53,960 Speaker 1: Mijor Morta, twenty six years old, a Fort Hood soldier. 276 00:19:54,000 --> 00:19:58,119 Speaker 1: He was found dead July seventeenth in the US Corps 277 00:19:58,200 --> 00:20:03,600 Speaker 1: of Engineers Reservoir and Vaness again. She was murdered. Her 278 00:20:03,680 --> 00:20:07,960 Speaker 1: remains were found July first, they were discovered, she was burned, 279 00:20:08,040 --> 00:20:11,359 Speaker 1: she was dismembered, her body set on fire. And now 280 00:20:11,680 --> 00:20:15,600 Speaker 1: we have Sergeant Elder Fernandez, twenty three years old, and 281 00:20:15,680 --> 00:20:19,840 Speaker 1: all of these murky details surrounding his disappearance, allegations of 282 00:20:19,960 --> 00:20:23,880 Speaker 1: sexual harassment, and the last known person to see him 283 00:20:24,160 --> 00:20:26,879 Speaker 1: his staff sergeant who said that he dropped him off 284 00:20:27,320 --> 00:20:30,240 Speaker 1: at his roommates. But guess what, Nancy, here's the kicker. 285 00:20:30,680 --> 00:20:35,000 Speaker 1: His roommate said he doesn't live here anymore, and all 286 00:20:35,040 --> 00:20:39,679 Speaker 1: of his belongings were found in his vehicle that was 287 00:20:39,840 --> 00:20:44,400 Speaker 1: on base. This is a very mysterious case. So why 288 00:20:44,400 --> 00:20:46,639 Speaker 1: would he drop him there if he didn't live there? Guys, 289 00:20:46,880 --> 00:20:49,560 Speaker 1: take a listen to this new details tonight and the 290 00:20:49,560 --> 00:20:53,320 Speaker 1: disappearance of yet another fourthood soldier. Collean police and Army 291 00:20:53,359 --> 00:20:56,960 Speaker 1: investigators are asking for the public's health and locating twenty 292 00:20:56,960 --> 00:20:59,560 Speaker 1: three year old Elder Fernandez. Family members say they have 293 00:20:59,640 --> 00:21:03,440 Speaker 1: not heard anything from him since Monday. I don't know 294 00:21:03,840 --> 00:21:07,040 Speaker 1: where's that right now, I don't know what he's feeling. 295 00:21:07,200 --> 00:21:11,080 Speaker 1: I don't know any he's hurt. I don't know what's 296 00:21:11,119 --> 00:21:14,400 Speaker 1: going on with the hit Britain man. I just know 297 00:21:16,680 --> 00:21:20,320 Speaker 1: he's a good kid. You will never disappear to not 298 00:21:20,520 --> 00:21:24,600 Speaker 1: tell his family what is it. The young man was 299 00:21:24,680 --> 00:21:27,280 Speaker 1: last seen by his staff sergeant Monday afternoon, when he 300 00:21:27,359 --> 00:21:30,280 Speaker 1: dropped him off and his residence a clean. Officials say 301 00:21:30,359 --> 00:21:32,639 Speaker 1: his car was found with all of his belongings and 302 00:21:32,680 --> 00:21:35,320 Speaker 1: he recently even signed a new lease but never picked 303 00:21:35,400 --> 00:21:38,760 Speaker 1: up the keys to that new apartment. You're hearing our 304 00:21:38,800 --> 00:21:42,440 Speaker 1: friends at k x x V ABC twenty five to 305 00:21:42,840 --> 00:21:46,919 Speaker 1: doctor Debbie Joffe Ellis, psychologist at John Professor, Columbia University, 306 00:21:47,200 --> 00:21:51,600 Speaker 1: A doctor Debbie at Debbie Joffe Ellis dot com. Doctor Debbie, 307 00:21:51,920 --> 00:21:54,000 Speaker 1: thank you for being with us. Why is it that 308 00:21:54,160 --> 00:21:59,320 Speaker 1: so many people are afraid to report sex harassment and 309 00:21:59,400 --> 00:22:04,359 Speaker 1: the workplug? Well, there could be any number of reasons, Nancy. 310 00:22:04,600 --> 00:22:09,480 Speaker 1: One might be fear of retribution. The other might be 311 00:22:09,480 --> 00:22:14,400 Speaker 1: being part of a circle of let's say friends, and 312 00:22:14,560 --> 00:22:19,080 Speaker 1: it's just not considered acceptable to do so. Some might 313 00:22:19,240 --> 00:22:23,480 Speaker 1: consider if they look like they're aligning with someone who's 314 00:22:23,560 --> 00:22:29,160 Speaker 1: been bullied or is considered lesser than for some ridiculous reason, 315 00:22:29,720 --> 00:22:35,440 Speaker 1: that that brings them down in their little social pyramid. 316 00:22:36,000 --> 00:22:39,240 Speaker 1: So there could be any number of reasons. And one 317 00:22:39,240 --> 00:22:44,119 Speaker 1: of the tragic elements of these happenings, these murders and 318 00:22:44,280 --> 00:22:49,280 Speaker 1: so far the murderers they're not found, is that there's 319 00:22:49,280 --> 00:22:53,919 Speaker 1: the potential for soldiers there to live in anxiety, to 320 00:22:54,040 --> 00:22:56,760 Speaker 1: live in fear. Some of them might already have pre 321 00:22:56,880 --> 00:23:02,600 Speaker 1: existing anxiety and fear, and this can exacerbate things to 322 00:23:02,680 --> 00:23:08,320 Speaker 1: the points of wanting to attempt suicide. I am not 323 00:23:08,480 --> 00:23:11,600 Speaker 1: for one minute referring to Elder when I say that 324 00:23:11,640 --> 00:23:15,560 Speaker 1: I don't know enough to Joe Episcopo, criminal defense attorney, 325 00:23:15,920 --> 00:23:19,400 Speaker 1: no stranger to a courtroom. He is a military law specialist. 326 00:23:20,119 --> 00:23:22,560 Speaker 1: I'm looking at these stripes. I'm looking at a chestful 327 00:23:22,560 --> 00:23:29,000 Speaker 1: of metals. This guy didn't just disappear. Elder didn't just 328 00:23:29,080 --> 00:23:33,560 Speaker 1: go a wall. All this means something. This means he's 329 00:23:33,680 --> 00:23:36,840 Speaker 1: in it to win it. He's into the army. This 330 00:23:36,920 --> 00:23:40,080 Speaker 1: is what his goal is. He was proud about the 331 00:23:40,160 --> 00:23:43,480 Speaker 1: classes he were taking complete and he was building his 332 00:23:43,640 --> 00:23:47,720 Speaker 1: life in the army. He is not a wall. He's 333 00:23:47,760 --> 00:23:53,560 Speaker 1: not a wallens to you know what, Let's find out. 334 00:23:53,680 --> 00:23:57,439 Speaker 1: Natalie Kawam what can you tell us about his sex 335 00:23:57,720 --> 00:24:01,320 Speaker 1: harassment claim? I mean, this I is dying in the 336 00:24:01,359 --> 00:24:05,119 Speaker 1: wool army. It must have taken a lot for him 337 00:24:05,160 --> 00:24:09,080 Speaker 1: to make a complaint like that because you'll totally get blackballed. Correct. 338 00:24:09,320 --> 00:24:12,800 Speaker 1: So he was especially assaulted in the supply room by 339 00:24:12,960 --> 00:24:16,480 Speaker 1: by his sergeant. Who is that the same guy that 340 00:24:16,600 --> 00:24:20,240 Speaker 1: dropped him off? Not that we know of, I mean 341 00:24:20,280 --> 00:24:22,040 Speaker 1: we really, honestly, you don't even know if he was 342 00:24:22,119 --> 00:24:24,320 Speaker 1: dropped off. Let's just be honest. Who saw him being 343 00:24:24,400 --> 00:24:26,560 Speaker 1: dropped off? No one, so that guy could be telling 344 00:24:26,600 --> 00:24:28,840 Speaker 1: us he dropped them off for all we know. First 345 00:24:28,880 --> 00:24:31,960 Speaker 1: of all. Secondly, the guy that especially assaulted him with 346 00:24:32,040 --> 00:24:36,080 Speaker 1: his staff sergeant as a guy named Kim laughing Kim 347 00:24:36,080 --> 00:24:39,160 Speaker 1: ready for this? This is what's really horrible. They said 348 00:24:39,160 --> 00:24:44,399 Speaker 1: they couldn't give this guy Kim a polygraphed test because 349 00:24:45,160 --> 00:24:49,240 Speaker 1: he's Korean and didn't speak English. So I find out 350 00:24:49,320 --> 00:24:52,840 Speaker 1: later that this guy speaks perfect English. They even wanted 351 00:24:52,960 --> 00:24:55,119 Speaker 1: they want trying to protect him by saying that he 352 00:24:55,119 --> 00:24:57,320 Speaker 1: didn't speak English and they need someone who spook Korean 353 00:24:57,359 --> 00:24:59,479 Speaker 1: to give a polygraph test. So no waging to come 354 00:24:59,480 --> 00:25:04,360 Speaker 1: out to show his guilt so they're Herbert. Who who 355 00:25:04,480 --> 00:25:07,639 Speaker 1: is this they you're talking about that are protecting the shark? 356 00:25:08,560 --> 00:25:10,920 Speaker 1: Who's the sharp people? The same people who is running 357 00:25:10,960 --> 00:25:14,960 Speaker 1: sexual sex trafficking Onthood years ago. I mean, I gotta 358 00:25:15,000 --> 00:25:16,960 Speaker 1: tell you, I've never heard anything like this in my life. 359 00:25:16,920 --> 00:25:18,840 Speaker 1: Would you think that this would happen in the real world, 360 00:25:19,040 --> 00:25:21,880 Speaker 1: that you don't give someone a polygraph test because they 361 00:25:21,960 --> 00:25:24,840 Speaker 1: lie and they say that he doesn't speak English when 362 00:25:24,840 --> 00:25:36,840 Speaker 1: they know he's the staff starging he has to speak English. 363 00:25:39,119 --> 00:25:43,520 Speaker 1: Crime Stories with Nancy Grace. Guys, we are talking about 364 00:25:43,560 --> 00:25:47,800 Speaker 1: the disappearance of yet another young soldier at Fort Hood. 365 00:25:47,840 --> 00:25:51,320 Speaker 1: This is Sergeant Elder Fernandez. He's got a chest ful 366 00:25:51,359 --> 00:25:55,520 Speaker 1: of metals, three stripes on his arm, so proud, so 367 00:25:55,680 --> 00:26:00,240 Speaker 1: proud of being in the Calvary. So what did it 368 00:26:00,320 --> 00:26:04,800 Speaker 1: take for him to report sex harassment and allege sex 369 00:26:05,040 --> 00:26:12,760 Speaker 1: assault on him by his sergeant, a male? And what 370 00:26:12,840 --> 00:26:16,679 Speaker 1: we now learn, according to Nellie Kawam, the lawyer for 371 00:26:16,760 --> 00:26:21,040 Speaker 1: his family, is that the Army tells her the sergeant 372 00:26:21,080 --> 00:26:26,760 Speaker 1: could not be polygraphed because he's Asian. Now to you, 373 00:26:27,359 --> 00:26:32,280 Speaker 1: Joe Episcopo, isn't it true that even if someone speaks 374 00:26:32,280 --> 00:26:36,359 Speaker 1: a language other than English. You simply have someone of 375 00:26:36,400 --> 00:26:41,840 Speaker 1: their native tongue performing the polygraph. It's really not that hard, Nancy. 376 00:26:42,119 --> 00:26:46,960 Speaker 1: You can't make someone take a polygraph. You can't order it. 377 00:26:47,359 --> 00:26:51,919 Speaker 1: You have to voluntarily take it. Okay, even in the 378 00:26:52,080 --> 00:26:56,359 Speaker 1: Army language, you cannot order someone to take a polygraph. 379 00:26:56,400 --> 00:27:00,359 Speaker 1: It's invalid. The polygraph must be done voluntarily, even in 380 00:27:00,400 --> 00:27:04,119 Speaker 1: the army. Even in the Army, Yeah, you can't. Okay, 381 00:27:04,320 --> 00:27:07,760 Speaker 1: let me just go with what you're saying. They can't 382 00:27:07,800 --> 00:27:12,280 Speaker 1: force him to take a polly. But then instead of 383 00:27:12,359 --> 00:27:16,280 Speaker 1: saying he would have taken the poly they came up 384 00:27:16,320 --> 00:27:20,000 Speaker 1: with a story, we can't polygraph him because he doesn't 385 00:27:20,040 --> 00:27:22,800 Speaker 1: speak English. But yet he does. And even if he didn't, 386 00:27:22,960 --> 00:27:26,040 Speaker 1: you can still you can still polygraph a non English 387 00:27:26,040 --> 00:27:29,200 Speaker 1: speaking person. I've had it done a million times. Well, 388 00:27:29,240 --> 00:27:31,000 Speaker 1: if you want to a lawyer, the lawyer would tell 389 00:27:31,040 --> 00:27:33,320 Speaker 1: him not to take it. That may be true, but 390 00:27:33,440 --> 00:27:37,440 Speaker 1: that's not what the army told Kawam. The Army told 391 00:27:37,520 --> 00:27:42,160 Speaker 1: her they couldn't poly him because he didn't speak English. Natalie, 392 00:27:42,320 --> 00:27:44,800 Speaker 1: help me, it wasn't me when they told They told 393 00:27:44,800 --> 00:27:47,960 Speaker 1: the mom or a Lina or your sister is about correct. 394 00:27:48,359 --> 00:27:52,440 Speaker 1: They told me, and Elison's Fernandez. What did they tell you, 395 00:27:52,640 --> 00:27:57,760 Speaker 1: miss Fernandez? They told me that is the investigation is 396 00:27:57,840 --> 00:28:04,200 Speaker 1: still going on because they the personal who arrests Older 397 00:28:04,520 --> 00:28:08,040 Speaker 1: does not speak English and they don't have anybody to 398 00:28:08,119 --> 00:28:12,439 Speaker 1: translate it when they do the Okay, there you go, 399 00:28:12,600 --> 00:28:15,480 Speaker 1: Joe Piscopo. You want to say the mom's Lyne. Good 400 00:28:15,520 --> 00:28:19,240 Speaker 1: luck with that, buddy. I'm not saying that. Yeahbody's lying. 401 00:28:19,560 --> 00:28:24,000 Speaker 1: I'm telling you you cannot make someone take up I know, granted, 402 00:28:24,440 --> 00:28:27,120 Speaker 1: I'll go with you on that, but then why come 403 00:28:27,200 --> 00:28:31,119 Speaker 1: up with a cockamamy story. We couldn't polygraph him because 404 00:28:31,119 --> 00:28:34,199 Speaker 1: he doesn't speak English. That's total byes. Now that's a 405 00:28:34,200 --> 00:28:36,560 Speaker 1: technical legal term, Piscopo. I don't know if you've ever 406 00:28:36,600 --> 00:28:39,160 Speaker 1: heard of that before. Of course it is. And of 407 00:28:39,200 --> 00:28:41,600 Speaker 1: course his attorney, who would have stepped in and say, 408 00:28:41,640 --> 00:28:45,160 Speaker 1: what do you mean he doesn't speak English. That's where 409 00:28:45,200 --> 00:28:47,880 Speaker 1: the attorney comes in. That's where the attorney gets in 410 00:28:47,920 --> 00:28:53,040 Speaker 1: the face of these people and tells them, Okay, get tough, attorney, 411 00:28:53,320 --> 00:28:56,880 Speaker 1: represent your client, get in there, kick some ask well. 412 00:28:56,960 --> 00:29:02,800 Speaker 1: I appreciate all that, appreciate the reality at this point, 413 00:29:03,160 --> 00:29:06,000 Speaker 1: thank you. At this point, Joe, we are still trying 414 00:29:06,040 --> 00:29:08,600 Speaker 1: to find Elder. I mean, for at this point what 415 00:29:08,680 --> 00:29:10,800 Speaker 1: they're telling the family, and I'm not there with the family. 416 00:29:10,840 --> 00:29:14,360 Speaker 1: This is a case I literally took because my heart 417 00:29:14,440 --> 00:29:17,760 Speaker 1: and it again. But I told them I'm not able 418 00:29:17,760 --> 00:29:20,200 Speaker 1: to travel down to Texas this week. So I'm on 419 00:29:20,240 --> 00:29:23,520 Speaker 1: the phone with these idiots, numb nuts on the phone 420 00:29:23,600 --> 00:29:26,720 Speaker 1: yesterday and they keep on giving these evasive answers with him. 421 00:29:27,160 --> 00:29:29,080 Speaker 1: So that's when I said, you know what, I will 422 00:29:29,120 --> 00:29:31,520 Speaker 1: call the Secretary Defense if I have to call the 423 00:29:31,520 --> 00:29:35,640 Speaker 1: President about this. Wha wait, wait, wait, wait wait, bring 424 00:29:35,640 --> 00:29:39,040 Speaker 1: it down before we dragged the president and the Oval 425 00:29:39,080 --> 00:29:43,880 Speaker 1: office into this. Let me understand very samply, Natalie Kawan, 426 00:29:45,040 --> 00:29:52,160 Speaker 1: who did Elder say sex assaulted him? I think you 427 00:29:52,240 --> 00:29:56,040 Speaker 1: said in the supply room? Who correct? It was staff 428 00:29:56,080 --> 00:29:59,200 Speaker 1: stargeant Kim Kim? Is that a man or a woman? 429 00:29:59,640 --> 00:30:03,120 Speaker 1: It's a okay. Do you know what the nature of 430 00:30:03,160 --> 00:30:07,760 Speaker 1: the assault was. What did Elder claim the sergeant did? 431 00:30:08,640 --> 00:30:13,080 Speaker 1: From I understand from his roommate, he grabbed his buttocks 432 00:30:13,120 --> 00:30:15,880 Speaker 1: and then started harassing him. I didn't get all the details, 433 00:30:15,960 --> 00:30:19,680 Speaker 1: but he started harassing him following him places, making his 434 00:30:19,760 --> 00:30:23,800 Speaker 1: life really really troubled. And then they removed Elder, not 435 00:30:24,080 --> 00:30:27,160 Speaker 1: the sergeant, out of the unit. And that's when everything 436 00:30:27,240 --> 00:30:30,560 Speaker 1: started getting bad downhill. So they told Elder, oh, no 437 00:30:30,560 --> 00:30:32,400 Speaker 1: one was there to see that. You know, it's just 438 00:30:32,520 --> 00:30:35,280 Speaker 1: you two there. You know, they started doing that whole 439 00:30:35,400 --> 00:30:38,280 Speaker 1: let's question the victim kind of thing, and that's when 440 00:30:38,320 --> 00:30:43,080 Speaker 1: Elder's literally spirit, they broke his spirit. Afterwards, they just 441 00:30:43,120 --> 00:30:47,200 Speaker 1: continued to harass him. We understand the Too movement hasn't 442 00:30:47,320 --> 00:30:51,080 Speaker 1: hit Fort Dix, but normally the victim now is believed 443 00:30:51,880 --> 00:30:55,280 Speaker 1: regardless of what the allegation is, according to the Me 444 00:30:55,440 --> 00:31:01,280 Speaker 1: Too movement. So you know what, Episkipa, Paula ticks have 445 00:31:01,480 --> 00:31:05,560 Speaker 1: nothing to do with Elder's disappearance. And I want to 446 00:31:05,600 --> 00:31:08,560 Speaker 1: go back to Levi page Crime online dot Com investigative 447 00:31:08,600 --> 00:31:12,480 Speaker 1: reporter Levi. I understand the Army says they are searching 448 00:31:12,840 --> 00:31:17,920 Speaker 1: for missing Ford Hood's soldier, Sergeant Elder Fernandez, just twenty 449 00:31:18,000 --> 00:31:22,520 Speaker 1: three years old. Did they also say they were searching 450 00:31:22,560 --> 00:31:25,720 Speaker 1: for Vanessa again, Yes, Nancy, But here's the thing. The 451 00:31:25,960 --> 00:31:29,560 Speaker 1: Army's not searching for him. And the statements that they've released, 452 00:31:29,720 --> 00:31:32,400 Speaker 1: they have said that they think that he left on 453 00:31:32,440 --> 00:31:35,200 Speaker 1: his own. But here's the problem with that, Nancy. As 454 00:31:35,240 --> 00:31:38,600 Speaker 1: I mentioned earlier, he was last seen by his staff 455 00:31:38,640 --> 00:31:43,440 Speaker 1: sergeant Monday afternoon, August seventeen, when he was dropped off 456 00:31:43,480 --> 00:31:47,440 Speaker 1: at an apartment complex in Kaleen. His roommates said he 457 00:31:47,520 --> 00:31:51,360 Speaker 1: no longer lived here, and he never entered the apartment complex. 458 00:31:51,720 --> 00:31:55,520 Speaker 1: So someone is lying and he was reported missing two 459 00:31:55,640 --> 00:31:59,840 Speaker 1: days later. This all happened after he accused someone of 460 00:32:00,080 --> 00:32:05,680 Speaker 1: sexual harassment sexual assault, and he was hospitalized, and the 461 00:32:05,960 --> 00:32:10,120 Speaker 1: Army has not nailed down this timeline. They're not taking 462 00:32:10,160 --> 00:32:13,960 Speaker 1: this seriously. They're not searching for him, and they're claiming 463 00:32:14,000 --> 00:32:16,560 Speaker 1: that he walked away, and that is very okay. If 464 00:32:16,560 --> 00:32:19,440 Speaker 1: Ford Hood official has said we are actively searching to 465 00:32:19,520 --> 00:32:22,880 Speaker 1: locate him and staying in contact with his family, friend 466 00:32:22,880 --> 00:32:25,880 Speaker 1: and law enforce, actually EQUA searches the one searching the 467 00:32:26,000 --> 00:32:28,760 Speaker 1: army is that was an official Fort Hood statement. I 468 00:32:28,760 --> 00:32:31,240 Speaker 1: don't know if that's true or not. I also want 469 00:32:31,280 --> 00:32:34,920 Speaker 1: you to know that we are reaching out to the 470 00:32:35,000 --> 00:32:46,920 Speaker 1: sergeant who allegedly sex harassed Sergeant Elder Fernandez to miss Fernandez, 471 00:32:47,120 --> 00:32:52,560 Speaker 1: what is your message today? My message is to find 472 00:32:52,600 --> 00:32:55,760 Speaker 1: the elder I need any help that I can get 473 00:32:55,800 --> 00:32:59,400 Speaker 1: to find the elder. I have a small children back 474 00:32:59,440 --> 00:33:03,560 Speaker 1: home waiting for me. He's at the babysitter. Since I 475 00:33:03,720 --> 00:33:07,680 Speaker 1: last I needed to find Alder. I can't leave taxes 476 00:33:07,800 --> 00:33:12,800 Speaker 1: without Alder. My life will never go back together. Will 477 00:33:12,840 --> 00:33:16,360 Speaker 1: tell my fun I need to know what Elder's at, 478 00:33:17,080 --> 00:33:20,720 Speaker 1: any information, and I'm not accusing anybody. I just need 479 00:33:20,760 --> 00:33:24,880 Speaker 1: everybody to help me find Elder. I need information. I 480 00:33:25,040 --> 00:33:29,000 Speaker 1: need the military Department to tell me anything that they 481 00:33:29,120 --> 00:33:35,400 Speaker 1: know to help me find my son. Miss Fernandez, what 482 00:33:35,480 --> 00:33:39,120 Speaker 1: was the last thing Elder said to you? He told me, Mom, 483 00:33:39,200 --> 00:33:43,280 Speaker 1: I promise you that I get my cell phone on Monday. 484 00:33:43,520 --> 00:33:48,640 Speaker 1: I will call you. How to be Nancy. A sad 485 00:33:48,760 --> 00:33:51,600 Speaker 1: update to this hour story, police now telling us that 486 00:33:51,680 --> 00:33:54,760 Speaker 1: the body of a man found near some railroad tracks 487 00:33:54,840 --> 00:33:59,760 Speaker 1: in Temple, Texas, believed to be that of Sergeant Elder Fernandez. 488 00:34:00,040 --> 00:34:03,000 Speaker 1: Police responded earlier to a medical call in the area 489 00:34:03,080 --> 00:34:06,520 Speaker 1: after a caller said that a man was observed near 490 00:34:06,600 --> 00:34:10,640 Speaker 1: the railroad tracks. When the officers arrived, they determined that 491 00:34:10,640 --> 00:34:13,640 Speaker 1: the man had been deceased for some period of time. 492 00:34:13,920 --> 00:34:18,799 Speaker 1: Investigators say that identification a military ID and a driver's 493 00:34:18,840 --> 00:34:22,960 Speaker 1: license at the scene indicate that the victim maybe and 494 00:34:23,160 --> 00:34:26,960 Speaker 1: is most likely the missing Forthood soldier twenty three year 495 00:34:27,000 --> 00:34:31,000 Speaker 1: old elder Fernandez. Now, no forensic confirmation has been made 496 00:34:31,000 --> 00:34:34,480 Speaker 1: at this time in the investigation, and at this point 497 00:34:34,719 --> 00:34:38,279 Speaker 1: foul play is not suspected, of course, Please stay with 498 00:34:38,520 --> 00:34:41,600 Speaker 1: crime online dot com throughout the day and overnight for 499 00:34:41,680 --> 00:34:46,080 Speaker 1: the very latest on this story. Nancy Grace signing off, 500 00:34:46,600 --> 00:34:47,400 Speaker 1: goodbye friend.