1 00:00:15,371 --> 00:00:15,890 Speaker 1: Pushkin. 2 00:00:18,930 --> 00:00:22,011 Speaker 2: Subscribe to Pushkin Plus to hear the entire season of 3 00:00:22,091 --> 00:00:26,371 Speaker 2: Valley of Shadows ad free starting January twelfth. You'll also 4 00:00:26,371 --> 00:00:30,091 Speaker 2: get bonus episodes, full audiobooks, and early ad free listening 5 00:00:30,211 --> 00:00:34,171 Speaker 2: from your favorite Pushkin hosts and authors. Find Pushkin Plus 6 00:00:34,290 --> 00:00:36,931 Speaker 2: on the Valley of Shadows show page on Apple podcast, 7 00:00:37,491 --> 00:00:41,251 Speaker 2: or at pushkin dot fm, slash plus, and thanks for 8 00:00:41,290 --> 00:00:43,331 Speaker 2: your support. 9 00:00:43,891 --> 00:00:46,691 Speaker 1: This series includes content that may not be suitable for 10 00:00:46,731 --> 00:00:53,371 Speaker 1: all listeners. Listener discretion is advised. Previously on Valley of Shadows. 11 00:00:55,251 --> 00:00:58,091 Speaker 3: It's an all out manhunt for John Aujay, the thirty 12 00:00:58,131 --> 00:01:00,611 Speaker 3: eight year old when hiking Thursday in a rugged section 13 00:01:00,691 --> 00:01:04,011 Speaker 3: of the Angelus National Forest known as Devil Punch Bowls. 14 00:01:03,771 --> 00:01:07,731 Speaker 4: Park, he says, you know, there's a bunch of caves 15 00:01:07,731 --> 00:01:09,371 Speaker 4: and stuff out here. 16 00:01:09,411 --> 00:01:13,211 Speaker 5: I could pretty much disappear and nobody would ever find you. 17 00:01:14,131 --> 00:01:17,531 Speaker 6: I participated in that search until my feet were bloody. 18 00:01:18,051 --> 00:01:21,491 Speaker 6: But day six they said, well, shut it down. Why 19 00:01:21,531 --> 00:01:23,771 Speaker 6: are you shutting it down? Well, they say that they 20 00:01:23,811 --> 00:01:25,371 Speaker 6: decided he committed suicide. 21 00:01:26,091 --> 00:01:30,331 Speaker 7: I kept contacting homicide and saying something's wrong. 22 00:01:30,451 --> 00:01:32,891 Speaker 5: I'm telling you there's a problem. 23 00:01:33,091 --> 00:01:36,611 Speaker 6: There's something rotten in the woodpile, and it stinks and 24 00:01:36,651 --> 00:01:37,451 Speaker 6: I can smell it. 25 00:01:42,531 --> 00:01:46,090 Speaker 2: Deputy John Auja disappeared while jogging in the Devil's punch 26 00:01:46,131 --> 00:01:48,731 Speaker 2: Bowl on June eleventh, nineteen ninety eight. 27 00:01:49,571 --> 00:01:50,451 Speaker 5: A couple weeks. 28 00:01:50,291 --> 00:01:56,971 Speaker 2: Later, something tragic would also happen to his department issued canine, Bosco, 29 00:01:57,331 --> 00:01:59,651 Speaker 2: and there are more than a few parallels between what 30 00:01:59,731 --> 00:02:04,651 Speaker 2: happened with the two. Bosco was a Belgian Malinwah, which 31 00:02:04,931 --> 00:02:08,451 Speaker 2: looks like a leaner version of a German shepherd. Auj 32 00:02:08,611 --> 00:02:10,611 Speaker 2: got him as a puppy. He trained him to do 33 00:02:10,691 --> 00:02:13,611 Speaker 2: police work and brought the dog home to live with him, 34 00:02:13,851 --> 00:02:18,291 Speaker 2: his wife Deb and their daughter Chloe. I've had my 35 00:02:18,451 --> 00:02:20,851 Speaker 2: dogs Stringer Bell for over a decade. 36 00:02:21,491 --> 00:02:24,291 Speaker 8: His Dringer Bell, Dringer Bear. 37 00:02:24,731 --> 00:02:28,971 Speaker 2: You gonna run around. He's a protector and eighty five 38 00:02:29,050 --> 00:02:32,331 Speaker 2: pounds of emotional support. He's gonna run on the grass. 39 00:02:32,531 --> 00:02:33,571 Speaker 9: You're gonna eat some grass. 40 00:02:35,091 --> 00:02:38,331 Speaker 2: My home life revolves around my dog, just as the 41 00:02:38,371 --> 00:02:42,371 Speaker 2: Aujays did around Bosco. We can tell because the dog's 42 00:02:42,411 --> 00:02:46,971 Speaker 2: front and center and dozens of family photos. Those pictures 43 00:02:46,971 --> 00:02:50,251 Speaker 2: now belong to Aujay's captain, Mike Bauer, and he shares 44 00:02:50,291 --> 00:02:51,050 Speaker 2: them with us. 45 00:02:51,691 --> 00:02:54,331 Speaker 8: Oh my gosh, we get this picture of Chloe and 46 00:02:54,371 --> 00:02:54,771 Speaker 8: the dog. 47 00:02:55,131 --> 00:03:00,050 Speaker 10: Yeah, you can tell that they were raised together. 48 00:03:00,371 --> 00:03:03,211 Speaker 8: She's like squeezing the dogs net, like their heads are 49 00:03:03,251 --> 00:03:06,531 Speaker 8: pushed together, Like you lived like your best Bude. 50 00:03:07,211 --> 00:03:09,371 Speaker 2: Chloe appears to be three or four in the foot, 51 00:03:09,531 --> 00:03:13,331 Speaker 2: though her arms are barely able to reach around Bosco's neck, 52 00:03:13,491 --> 00:03:16,971 Speaker 2: so she leans in to make it happen, smiling from 53 00:03:17,011 --> 00:03:20,971 Speaker 2: ear to ear. Bosco looks annoyed like an older sibling would, 54 00:03:21,131 --> 00:03:25,571 Speaker 2: which is essentially what he was. And there was another 55 00:03:25,691 --> 00:03:30,131 Speaker 2: important Bosco memento. Bower came across it while rifling through 56 00:03:30,171 --> 00:03:33,891 Speaker 2: Aujay's patrol vehicle just days after he was reported missing. 57 00:03:34,691 --> 00:03:38,211 Speaker 7: I found his tape recorder in the visor with tape 58 00:03:38,251 --> 00:03:40,411 Speaker 7: in a little tape recorder. 59 00:03:40,051 --> 00:03:40,371 Speaker 11: Like I have. 60 00:03:41,491 --> 00:03:44,531 Speaker 2: Bower points to a micro cassette player, something he uses 61 00:03:44,571 --> 00:03:47,971 Speaker 2: for audio interviews and personal memos. 62 00:03:47,571 --> 00:03:49,411 Speaker 5: And so I brought it in the office. I played it. 63 00:03:50,731 --> 00:03:51,811 Speaker 5: It's charming as hell. 64 00:03:53,331 --> 00:03:56,771 Speaker 2: The recording was a snapshot of John and Bosco's relationship. 65 00:03:57,491 --> 00:04:00,651 Speaker 2: Bower doesn't have it anymore, but he recaps it for us, 66 00:04:00,971 --> 00:04:08,651 Speaker 2: and it's easy for me to imagine. 67 00:04:06,131 --> 00:04:09,411 Speaker 7: He was playing FECh somewhere in like a high score 68 00:04:09,531 --> 00:04:11,251 Speaker 7: field or somewhere out there in anlet valley. 69 00:04:12,291 --> 00:04:13,411 Speaker 5: He's throwing the ball. 70 00:04:13,331 --> 00:04:16,091 Speaker 7: To Bosco and he's going, hey, Bosco, and Bosco's barking, 71 00:04:16,130 --> 00:04:17,931 Speaker 7: and they're doing a training exercise. 72 00:04:18,811 --> 00:04:20,851 Speaker 9: Good job, you try. 73 00:04:23,171 --> 00:04:26,731 Speaker 2: The connection canine cops have to their dogs is something 74 00:04:26,811 --> 00:04:30,971 Speaker 2: special because they're together all the time in the trenches, 75 00:04:31,251 --> 00:04:34,450 Speaker 2: working during the day and unwinding together at night. 76 00:04:35,531 --> 00:04:38,171 Speaker 5: When you talk about John's relationship with his dog, you 77 00:04:38,251 --> 00:04:42,010 Speaker 5: have to understand he's a one man unit and that's 78 00:04:42,051 --> 00:04:46,931 Speaker 5: his partner, and it's a bond, and it's a big 79 00:04:46,971 --> 00:04:49,770 Speaker 5: deal because that dog saves that officer's life. The officers 80 00:04:49,811 --> 00:04:51,091 Speaker 5: in charge of the dog like a child. 81 00:04:52,051 --> 00:04:55,731 Speaker 2: Canine officers become so bonded to their dogs that when 82 00:04:55,731 --> 00:04:59,131 Speaker 2: one of these animals passes away, the Sheriff's department gives 83 00:04:59,131 --> 00:05:04,411 Speaker 2: it a funeral like it would a uniformed officer. An 84 00:05:04,451 --> 00:05:08,851 Speaker 2: American flag is draped over the dog's casket, a military 85 00:05:08,891 --> 00:05:14,211 Speaker 2: band play taps, mourners give eulogies, and riflemen send the 86 00:05:14,251 --> 00:05:22,891 Speaker 2: dog off with a twenty one gun salute. After Auja vanished, 87 00:05:23,251 --> 00:05:26,651 Speaker 2: Bauer hears that someone from the department retrieved Bosco from 88 00:05:26,651 --> 00:05:30,570 Speaker 2: the Auja home. Bower's confused because he was the person 89 00:05:30,611 --> 00:05:33,731 Speaker 2: overseeing the canine unit, so if someone was to give 90 00:05:33,731 --> 00:05:36,650 Speaker 2: the order to bring in Bosco, it should have been him. 91 00:05:37,131 --> 00:05:40,411 Speaker 5: And I started searching for the dog. Where's the dog? 92 00:05:41,011 --> 00:05:45,411 Speaker 7: I was told that dog died at the kennel during 93 00:05:45,411 --> 00:05:48,890 Speaker 7: a ved exam, and most likely the dog had some 94 00:05:48,931 --> 00:05:50,531 Speaker 7: sort of heart problem. 95 00:05:51,251 --> 00:05:55,051 Speaker 2: The LA Sheriff's Department tells Bauer and the press that 96 00:05:55,171 --> 00:05:58,011 Speaker 2: Bosco was taken to a police kennel where he died 97 00:05:58,171 --> 00:06:03,691 Speaker 2: of natural causes, that the dog stopped eating after Auja disappeared, and. 98 00:06:03,690 --> 00:06:06,171 Speaker 7: The dog may have died of a broken heart because 99 00:06:06,171 --> 00:06:07,651 Speaker 7: its master was gone. 100 00:06:07,811 --> 00:06:10,291 Speaker 5: That's a kind of sappy crap, I was told at 101 00:06:10,291 --> 00:06:10,690 Speaker 5: the time. 102 00:06:12,131 --> 00:06:15,491 Speaker 2: Years later, Bauer hears a different account from a friend 103 00:06:15,531 --> 00:06:16,090 Speaker 2: of all Jay's. 104 00:06:17,091 --> 00:06:19,690 Speaker 5: She said, it's a shame that dog had to be destroyed. 105 00:06:21,690 --> 00:06:24,451 Speaker 7: I said, wait a minute, Bosco died in a vet 106 00:06:24,491 --> 00:06:25,251 Speaker 7: exam from. 107 00:06:25,171 --> 00:06:27,411 Speaker 5: Some sort of heart attack from missing his master. 108 00:06:29,171 --> 00:06:32,010 Speaker 2: So Bauer makes some phone calls and eventually reaches a 109 00:06:32,011 --> 00:06:35,571 Speaker 2: deputy who were not going to name, and this deputy 110 00:06:35,651 --> 00:06:39,851 Speaker 2: claims that he and a colleague killed Bosco. Bower met 111 00:06:39,891 --> 00:06:42,211 Speaker 2: him at a diner and recorded their conversation. 112 00:06:42,411 --> 00:06:44,611 Speaker 11: Go he's gonna bite, always keep going because I got to. 113 00:06:44,611 --> 00:06:45,450 Speaker 5: Kill him before he does. 114 00:06:46,851 --> 00:06:49,331 Speaker 7: He says, I shot that dog with my twenty five 115 00:06:50,211 --> 00:06:51,371 Speaker 7: I said in its kennel. 116 00:06:51,811 --> 00:06:55,651 Speaker 5: He says, yeah, I said, you killed the dog. He says, yeah, 117 00:06:56,531 --> 00:06:59,091 Speaker 5: pull it, throwing that hubster twice cents. 118 00:07:00,690 --> 00:07:03,931 Speaker 2: The deputy says it cost them twenty cents the price 119 00:07:03,971 --> 00:07:08,971 Speaker 2: of a bullet to take out Bosco. He says they 120 00:07:08,971 --> 00:07:11,331 Speaker 2: did it becase as the dog was dangerous without John 121 00:07:11,371 --> 00:07:15,771 Speaker 2: Auja there to control it. Bosco should have been reassigned 122 00:07:15,811 --> 00:07:19,171 Speaker 2: to another deputy, or if the dog was a liability, 123 00:07:19,851 --> 00:07:21,771 Speaker 2: it should have been properly euthanized. 124 00:07:22,531 --> 00:07:26,091 Speaker 7: You would expect a police organization that had ceremonies to 125 00:07:26,131 --> 00:07:29,451 Speaker 7: honor their dogs to give a shit about that issue. 126 00:07:30,651 --> 00:07:34,331 Speaker 2: Instead of getting a police burial, Bosco was tossed in 127 00:07:34,371 --> 00:07:39,051 Speaker 2: a dumpster behind the kennel where he was shot. Bowers 128 00:07:39,171 --> 00:07:42,371 Speaker 2: pissed and he confronts the higher ups at the LASD. 129 00:07:43,171 --> 00:07:45,051 Speaker 5: I see you guys, what happened to Bosco? 130 00:07:45,331 --> 00:07:47,931 Speaker 7: Mike, I don't know, vote, but you will just stop this. 131 00:07:48,131 --> 00:07:50,131 Speaker 7: We all agreed that it was a suicide and you 132 00:07:50,171 --> 00:07:51,011 Speaker 7: should just let it go. 133 00:07:52,091 --> 00:07:53,131 Speaker 5: No, I'm not gonna let it go. 134 00:07:54,931 --> 00:07:57,851 Speaker 2: The department says, it makes no difference what happened to Moscow. 135 00:07:58,451 --> 00:08:03,171 Speaker 2: Baj died by suicide, so case closed. But if the 136 00:08:03,331 --> 00:08:07,171 Speaker 2: LASD would lie about Bosco, what else might they be 137 00:08:07,251 --> 00:08:14,251 Speaker 2: lying about. I'm Haley Fowx. 138 00:08:14,491 --> 00:08:25,571 Speaker 1: I'm Betty Shephard and this is Valley of Shadows, Episode two, 139 00:08:25,931 --> 00:08:37,011 Speaker 1: An Unreasonable Act the Devil's Punch Bowl on June eleventh, 140 00:08:37,091 --> 00:08:40,731 Speaker 1: nineteen ninety eight. It's a scene we're going to keep 141 00:08:40,771 --> 00:08:43,931 Speaker 1: returning to because the story of what happened to John 142 00:08:43,970 --> 00:08:47,450 Speaker 1: AJ is like the sedimentary rock formations in the park. 143 00:08:48,731 --> 00:08:52,130 Speaker 1: It builds up over time and change of shape as 144 00:08:52,170 --> 00:08:57,050 Speaker 1: new layers are added. One of those layers comes from 145 00:08:57,131 --> 00:09:00,770 Speaker 1: the last known person to talk to AHJ before his disappearance. 146 00:09:02,570 --> 00:09:05,691 Speaker 1: Schoolteacher Dave Evanson, took his fifth grade class on a 147 00:09:05,731 --> 00:09:12,011 Speaker 1: field trip to the Devil's Punch Bowl. We stop. 148 00:09:13,570 --> 00:09:15,571 Speaker 5: Jabs the picnic tables. 149 00:09:16,651 --> 00:09:20,050 Speaker 1: Dave Evanson has Parkinson's disease, which causes him to slur 150 00:09:20,131 --> 00:09:23,290 Speaker 1: his speech, so his wife Don is helping him communicate 151 00:09:23,330 --> 00:09:26,451 Speaker 1: with us. At this point, she knows the story pretty 152 00:09:26,450 --> 00:09:29,370 Speaker 1: well because her husband has told it many times over 153 00:09:29,410 --> 00:09:32,170 Speaker 1: the years, and he insists on telling it to us. 154 00:09:33,251 --> 00:09:36,131 Speaker 1: Evanson's class was exiting the trail to go eat lunch 155 00:09:36,290 --> 00:09:37,930 Speaker 1: when they ran into Aujenny. 156 00:09:37,611 --> 00:09:41,050 Speaker 12: Rail and he was just starting up the trail, and 157 00:09:41,131 --> 00:09:44,851 Speaker 12: then the kids saw him and started firing questions because 158 00:09:44,891 --> 00:09:46,651 Speaker 12: they recognized him from Family Night. 159 00:09:47,930 --> 00:09:51,530 Speaker 1: Every year, John Auj volunteered at Family Night, a community 160 00:09:51,570 --> 00:09:54,451 Speaker 1: event held at a local elementary school where Dave and 161 00:09:54,530 --> 00:09:56,211 Speaker 1: Don Evanson both had worked. 162 00:09:56,851 --> 00:09:57,451 Speaker 5: The roster of. 163 00:09:57,530 --> 00:10:00,330 Speaker 1: Entertainers included Auja and Bosco. 164 00:10:01,011 --> 00:10:03,971 Speaker 12: And Aja became one of the stars of the show 165 00:10:04,011 --> 00:10:07,251 Speaker 12: because he would bring Bosco and do demonstrations on what 166 00:10:07,330 --> 00:10:08,611 Speaker 12: the dog could do. 167 00:10:09,970 --> 00:10:12,891 Speaker 1: The event took place two days before the class went 168 00:10:12,891 --> 00:10:15,771 Speaker 1: to the punch bowl, so when the students see Auj 169 00:10:15,891 --> 00:10:18,771 Speaker 1: in the park, they crowd around him like he's a 170 00:10:18,810 --> 00:10:23,771 Speaker 1: celebrity or really the owner of a celebrity. Do you 171 00:10:23,851 --> 00:10:26,651 Speaker 1: remember any of the questions that they asked him? 172 00:10:27,170 --> 00:10:28,491 Speaker 5: Where's Boscow? 173 00:10:29,651 --> 00:10:33,530 Speaker 1: Where's Bosco? The kids ask? Auj says he had to 174 00:10:33,611 --> 00:10:35,971 Speaker 1: leave the dog at home because he's here to train 175 00:10:36,011 --> 00:10:39,570 Speaker 1: for an ultra marathon. Auj took his time with the 176 00:10:39,611 --> 00:10:43,811 Speaker 1: students and even turned the conversation into a teachable moment, 177 00:10:44,450 --> 00:10:48,530 Speaker 1: telling them about the importance of wilderness safety. To me, 178 00:10:48,970 --> 00:10:51,731 Speaker 1: that does not sound like someone who's going out to 179 00:10:51,771 --> 00:10:55,050 Speaker 1: the woods to take his own life. But that's what 180 00:10:55,170 --> 00:10:59,170 Speaker 1: the Sheriff's Department says auj did after he finished talking 181 00:10:59,210 --> 00:11:03,491 Speaker 1: to these fifth graders. Evanson will never be convinced of that. 182 00:11:05,050 --> 00:11:05,810 Speaker 5: He's happy. 183 00:11:07,330 --> 00:11:08,011 Speaker 13: He was for. 184 00:11:09,690 --> 00:11:15,891 Speaker 12: Life, happy, having fun talking to the kids. 185 00:11:16,851 --> 00:11:21,330 Speaker 1: So where is the Sheriff's Department drawing their suicide conclusion from. 186 00:11:21,690 --> 00:11:25,651 Speaker 1: Is there some other evidence we don't know about? Well, 187 00:11:25,690 --> 00:11:28,810 Speaker 1: if there is, the LASD sure isn't sharing it with us. 188 00:11:29,491 --> 00:11:33,410 Speaker 1: They denied our public records request, saying the requested records 189 00:11:33,450 --> 00:11:37,170 Speaker 1: are part of an ongoing and active criminal investigation and 190 00:11:37,251 --> 00:11:43,971 Speaker 1: are therefore exempt from disclosure an ongoing and active criminal investigation. 191 00:11:45,090 --> 00:11:47,251 Speaker 1: This response does not make a lot of sense to me, 192 00:11:48,611 --> 00:11:52,250 Speaker 1: because Aujay disappeared about thirty years ago. The state of 193 00:11:52,290 --> 00:11:55,170 Speaker 1: California issued a death certificate for him all the way 194 00:11:55,170 --> 00:11:58,570 Speaker 1: back in two thousand and three. Meanwhile, the department has 195 00:11:58,611 --> 00:12:02,570 Speaker 1: stuck by its suicide ruling, and they've openly and actively 196 00:12:02,891 --> 00:12:08,930 Speaker 1: discouraged retired Captain Mike Bauer's investigation. Lucky for us, Bower 197 00:12:09,210 --> 00:12:12,491 Speaker 1: has isn't let up. He spent decades looking into the 198 00:12:12,491 --> 00:12:16,210 Speaker 1: aj case. His office is filled with handwritten notes and 199 00:12:16,330 --> 00:12:20,490 Speaker 1: discs of recorded interviews, and he's collected internal documents from 200 00:12:20,530 --> 00:12:23,410 Speaker 1: the Sheriff's department which he's agreed to share with us. 201 00:12:23,930 --> 00:12:29,091 Speaker 7: Including confidential suicide report I somehow got hold. 202 00:12:28,891 --> 00:12:33,611 Speaker 1: Of Bauer Hands is a case file that's hundreds of 203 00:12:33,611 --> 00:12:37,810 Speaker 1: pages long. It includes reports that spanned years of investigation 204 00:12:38,131 --> 00:12:42,771 Speaker 1: in the Auja's disappearance, and it tells a story. 205 00:12:42,851 --> 00:12:46,691 Speaker 7: This was assigned to Homicide Bureau Missing Persons Unit. They 206 00:12:46,690 --> 00:12:49,371 Speaker 7: were the ones who had to make the decision that 207 00:12:49,450 --> 00:12:51,570 Speaker 7: this was a suicide. 208 00:12:51,651 --> 00:12:55,730 Speaker 2: The missing person's investigation began with the person who reported 209 00:12:55,810 --> 00:12:58,731 Speaker 2: John auj missing, his wife, Debbie. 210 00:12:59,450 --> 00:13:01,971 Speaker 7: Then they began to get the feeling, well, this guy's 211 00:13:02,011 --> 00:13:04,891 Speaker 7: got some sort of relationship problems, maybe we better look 212 00:13:04,970 --> 00:13:05,290 Speaker 7: at it. 213 00:13:06,690 --> 00:13:09,170 Speaker 2: Debbie tells detectives that she and her husband got into 214 00:13:09,170 --> 00:13:11,730 Speaker 2: an argument before he took off for the punch bowl, 215 00:13:12,410 --> 00:13:15,251 Speaker 2: and that she can't find his off duty gun. 216 00:13:16,050 --> 00:13:17,891 Speaker 7: They went out to her house and she said there's 217 00:13:17,930 --> 00:13:23,691 Speaker 7: an empty holster on the workbench, but the two inches missing. 218 00:13:24,570 --> 00:13:27,651 Speaker 2: The department begins to speculate that Auj may have taken 219 00:13:27,690 --> 00:13:30,691 Speaker 2: the gun with him into the Devil's punch bowl to 220 00:13:30,851 --> 00:13:32,290 Speaker 2: use it on himself. 221 00:13:33,651 --> 00:13:37,450 Speaker 7: They then get psychological services involved in and find out 222 00:13:37,491 --> 00:13:38,651 Speaker 7: about the marriage counseling. 223 00:13:38,690 --> 00:13:39,410 Speaker 5: The day before. 224 00:13:40,771 --> 00:13:44,091 Speaker 2: The day before Auj disappeared, he and Debbie had gone 225 00:13:44,090 --> 00:13:48,290 Speaker 2: to couples counseling with an LASD psychologist. By the end 226 00:13:48,330 --> 00:13:52,170 Speaker 2: of the session, the therapist concluded the Auj's were incompatible 227 00:13:52,290 --> 00:13:56,251 Speaker 2: and should separate, and the Sheriff's Department says that's what 228 00:13:56,371 --> 00:14:00,131 Speaker 2: pushed Auj over the edge, the final realization that he 229 00:14:00,251 --> 00:14:01,810 Speaker 2: and Debbie were done. 230 00:14:03,131 --> 00:14:08,851 Speaker 14: When we ended, she said, if you have decided to 231 00:14:08,851 --> 00:14:11,331 Speaker 14: go through with the divorce, to come back to her 232 00:14:11,570 --> 00:14:16,611 Speaker 14: and she would give us ideas on parenting skills for 233 00:14:16,690 --> 00:14:17,410 Speaker 14: Chloe's sake. 234 00:14:19,011 --> 00:14:22,611 Speaker 2: This is an interview Bauer recorded with Debbie in twenty fifteen. 235 00:14:23,651 --> 00:14:26,370 Speaker 2: He questions her at length about her marriage to John 236 00:14:26,611 --> 00:14:30,691 Speaker 2: because it's the crux of the department's suicide narrative. In 237 00:14:30,731 --> 00:14:33,611 Speaker 2: a nutshell, Debbie was a stay at home mom while 238 00:14:33,651 --> 00:14:37,370 Speaker 2: John worked a lot. She liked to party. His version 239 00:14:37,371 --> 00:14:41,571 Speaker 2: of fun was extreme running. She was full figured with 240 00:14:41,611 --> 00:14:45,411 Speaker 2: the bleach bond perm He was all muscle, topped off 241 00:14:45,451 --> 00:14:48,851 Speaker 2: with the military crew cut. The report says that after 242 00:14:48,891 --> 00:14:52,571 Speaker 2: twelve years of marriage, the couple drifted apart. They fought 243 00:14:52,571 --> 00:14:56,210 Speaker 2: a lot, and as their fights intensified, John withdrew. 244 00:14:57,330 --> 00:15:00,651 Speaker 13: Okay, let me get to some characterizations that they wrote 245 00:15:00,851 --> 00:15:03,811 Speaker 13: in the report. He was not verbally communicating with you, 246 00:15:04,051 --> 00:15:06,850 Speaker 13: and he was getting more distant from that makes sense? 247 00:15:07,251 --> 00:15:09,210 Speaker 11: Yes, was he depressed? 248 00:15:10,330 --> 00:15:18,970 Speaker 14: Well, he had told the psychologist that he had been unhappy. 249 00:15:18,491 --> 00:15:20,491 Speaker 5: For two years with the marriage. 250 00:15:20,531 --> 00:15:24,731 Speaker 2: With the marriage Bower's fact checking the sheriff's report because 251 00:15:24,731 --> 00:15:27,811 Speaker 2: it attributes a lot of its claims to Debbie's testimony, 252 00:15:28,371 --> 00:15:31,611 Speaker 2: supposed characterizations of her husband and their life together. 253 00:15:32,731 --> 00:15:35,490 Speaker 13: Okay, when you talked to John afterwards on the drive home, 254 00:15:36,251 --> 00:15:38,891 Speaker 13: what was the conversation between the two of you about 255 00:15:38,931 --> 00:15:44,291 Speaker 13: this experience with marriage counseling? What was John's attitude? 256 00:15:44,731 --> 00:15:47,411 Speaker 9: I Since he was angry, do you. 257 00:15:47,330 --> 00:15:49,291 Speaker 13: Think he was hopeful that this session was going to 258 00:15:49,371 --> 00:15:52,650 Speaker 13: help save the marriage? 259 00:15:52,970 --> 00:15:54,210 Speaker 9: No? 260 00:15:54,210 --> 00:16:02,171 Speaker 2: No, no, And already things aren't adding up. If Aujy 261 00:16:02,171 --> 00:16:04,411 Speaker 2: had been unhappy with the marriage for two years and 262 00:16:04,531 --> 00:16:09,691 Speaker 2: thought it was beyond repair, why would he suddenly snap? Well, 263 00:16:09,851 --> 00:16:13,491 Speaker 2: the report quotes Debbie as saying that Auj was psychotic. 264 00:16:14,411 --> 00:16:18,171 Speaker 13: That's kind of describing a person who's mentally ill. 265 00:16:20,171 --> 00:16:25,051 Speaker 14: I don't know if I said he was psychotic. 266 00:16:25,571 --> 00:16:29,611 Speaker 9: I do remember saying that his eyes did not look right. 267 00:16:30,011 --> 00:16:34,851 Speaker 9: I do remember saying that to them, what respect, just 268 00:16:34,891 --> 00:16:39,531 Speaker 9: a real strong look in his eyes. Maybe his eyes 269 00:16:39,571 --> 00:16:40,411 Speaker 9: looked intense. 270 00:16:43,371 --> 00:16:47,491 Speaker 2: There's a world of difference between intense looking eyes and psychosis. 271 00:16:48,651 --> 00:16:52,451 Speaker 2: But investigators say there were other indications that Auj was suicidal. 272 00:16:53,210 --> 00:16:57,131 Speaker 2: He was giving away his prized possessions, including a family heirloom, 273 00:16:57,611 --> 00:17:00,850 Speaker 2: a gold necklace, and then right before he left for 274 00:17:00,931 --> 00:17:04,370 Speaker 2: the punch bowl, Auj told Debbie to have a nice life. 275 00:17:05,291 --> 00:17:10,930 Speaker 2: To detectives, that was Auj saying his final goodbyes. In conclusion, 276 00:17:11,171 --> 00:17:15,571 Speaker 2: the LASD report says the likelihood of suicide is overwhelming 277 00:17:15,931 --> 00:17:20,610 Speaker 2: and by far surpasses any of the other possibilities. I 278 00:17:20,651 --> 00:17:24,331 Speaker 2: can see why the department considered the possibility of suicide, 279 00:17:24,691 --> 00:17:27,251 Speaker 2: because it's clear that Auj was going through a tough time. 280 00:17:28,091 --> 00:17:30,370 Speaker 2: But to me, it's a big stretch to say the 281 00:17:30,451 --> 00:17:35,491 Speaker 2: likelihood of suicide is overwhelming, especially as I keep reading 282 00:17:35,491 --> 00:17:38,251 Speaker 2: the report and find out that Auj had big plans 283 00:17:38,251 --> 00:17:40,851 Speaker 2: for his future and that he wanted to spend it 284 00:17:41,451 --> 00:17:42,451 Speaker 2: with his girlfriend. 285 00:17:55,331 --> 00:17:57,811 Speaker 1: Auj had been seeing a forty five year old woman 286 00:17:57,891 --> 00:18:01,331 Speaker 1: named Vicki d Vita. She was a competitive ultra marathon 287 00:18:01,411 --> 00:18:04,251 Speaker 1: runner just like him, and she was the one Auj 288 00:18:04,411 --> 00:18:08,371 Speaker 1: gave the heirloom necklace to. Their relationship was a bit 289 00:18:08,371 --> 00:18:11,171 Speaker 1: of an open secret, especially when she showed up with 290 00:18:11,211 --> 00:18:15,571 Speaker 1: the punch bowl searching for him day after day. We 291 00:18:15,651 --> 00:18:18,651 Speaker 1: can't ask Davida what she thinks happened to Auj because 292 00:18:18,691 --> 00:18:21,971 Speaker 1: she died of cancer in twenty ten, but her statement 293 00:18:22,011 --> 00:18:27,091 Speaker 1: to investigators reveals a rosier picture of the deputy. According 294 00:18:27,171 --> 00:18:29,330 Speaker 1: to Davida, she and Aj met at a race in 295 00:18:29,451 --> 00:18:33,291 Speaker 1: nineteen ninety five. She was the more experienced runner and 296 00:18:33,411 --> 00:18:36,971 Speaker 1: helped Aj train for his ultra marathons. They bonded over 297 00:18:37,011 --> 00:18:40,850 Speaker 1: their shared passion and slowly they fell in love, but 298 00:18:40,891 --> 00:18:45,131 Speaker 1: according to Davida, the relationship wasn't sexual because Aj wanted 299 00:18:45,171 --> 00:18:48,330 Speaker 1: to wait until after he and his wife had officially separated. 300 00:18:49,331 --> 00:18:52,451 Speaker 1: In letters to Davida, Aj called her his eternal love 301 00:18:53,171 --> 00:18:57,611 Speaker 1: and shared poems by Walt Whitman and Emily Dickinson, and recently, 302 00:18:57,771 --> 00:19:00,411 Speaker 1: Auja had asked her to take an STD test so 303 00:19:00,491 --> 00:19:05,090 Speaker 1: they could finally consummate their relationship. So Aja was making moves, 304 00:19:05,811 --> 00:19:08,291 Speaker 1: and Davida says he was relieved that he and Debbie 305 00:19:08,291 --> 00:19:10,731 Speaker 1: were splitting up because he was ready to start the 306 00:19:10,771 --> 00:19:14,811 Speaker 1: next chapter of his life. Debbie seems to confirm all this, 307 00:19:14,931 --> 00:19:17,610 Speaker 1: explaining that towards the end of their marriage, she and 308 00:19:17,651 --> 00:19:20,771 Speaker 1: Aj slept in different rooms and that he'd begun to 309 00:19:20,811 --> 00:19:23,851 Speaker 1: take photos and art off the walls of his bedroom. 310 00:19:24,611 --> 00:19:29,731 Speaker 13: He was telling Vicki that he was setting a certain 311 00:19:29,931 --> 00:19:32,251 Speaker 13: time frame for him to make a decision what he 312 00:19:32,371 --> 00:19:33,091 Speaker 13: was going to do. 313 00:19:35,651 --> 00:19:39,731 Speaker 9: Did you sense a move out was coming? Yes, it 314 00:19:39,771 --> 00:19:41,331 Speaker 9: appeared that he was going to move out. 315 00:19:45,691 --> 00:19:49,051 Speaker 1: Given this new information, Auj sounds less like someone saying 316 00:19:49,051 --> 00:19:52,531 Speaker 1: his final goodbyes and more like someone saying goodbye to 317 00:19:52,571 --> 00:19:56,491 Speaker 1: a relationship that had already run its course, and it 318 00:19:56,531 --> 00:19:58,771 Speaker 1: sheds new light on what Auja may have meant the 319 00:19:58,811 --> 00:20:01,411 Speaker 1: morning of June eleventh when he told his wife Debbie 320 00:20:01,771 --> 00:20:02,971 Speaker 1: to have a nice life. 321 00:20:03,771 --> 00:20:05,731 Speaker 13: What was your thought at the time when he said it? 322 00:20:05,811 --> 00:20:08,251 Speaker 13: Did you think suicide at the time? 323 00:20:08,491 --> 00:20:09,331 Speaker 9: No, I get it. 324 00:20:10,291 --> 00:20:12,931 Speaker 13: Eye, it was not a threat of suicide. Had he 325 00:20:13,091 --> 00:20:15,811 Speaker 13: ever made a threat of suicide in the past. He 326 00:20:15,931 --> 00:20:18,491 Speaker 13: was going to kill himself because of some prole you 327 00:20:18,531 --> 00:20:22,371 Speaker 13: two were having. No, no, never expressed it. No. 328 00:20:24,251 --> 00:20:26,931 Speaker 1: Debbie paints a picture of Auj's final days that looks 329 00:20:27,291 --> 00:20:30,971 Speaker 1: very different from the Sheriff's departments in their report. It 330 00:20:30,971 --> 00:20:34,571 Speaker 1: seems they've cherry picked details to support their suicide thesis 331 00:20:34,971 --> 00:20:40,171 Speaker 1: and ignore or downplay those that contradict it. So we 332 00:20:40,251 --> 00:20:43,090 Speaker 1: keep digging through the LSD reports. Bauer gives us to 333 00:20:43,091 --> 00:20:47,011 Speaker 1: figure out how the department is connecting in stocks, and 334 00:20:47,331 --> 00:20:50,171 Speaker 1: we find a kind of personality profile they did on Auj. 335 00:20:51,531 --> 00:20:55,291 Speaker 8: I feel like this has summed up so much of 336 00:20:55,371 --> 00:20:58,971 Speaker 8: what we've read and heard about him into a punch list. 337 00:20:59,171 --> 00:21:00,651 Speaker 5: Can I just read the bullet points? 338 00:21:00,731 --> 00:21:07,330 Speaker 8: Yeah, okay, organized, responsible, punctual, regimented, committed, structured discipline. 339 00:21:07,331 --> 00:21:08,771 Speaker 1: There's a definite theme. 340 00:21:09,811 --> 00:21:13,491 Speaker 8: Did not believe in divorce or extra marital affairs, lived 341 00:21:13,571 --> 00:21:19,011 Speaker 8: by and often said death before dishonor occasionally read Bible. 342 00:21:20,651 --> 00:21:21,491 Speaker 5: I like that last night. 343 00:21:21,491 --> 00:21:26,131 Speaker 1: It sounds like a real, real fun day. Auj's code 344 00:21:26,131 --> 00:21:28,531 Speaker 1: of ethics is a big part of why the Sheriff's 345 00:21:28,571 --> 00:21:31,571 Speaker 1: Department says he couldn't live with himself because he thought 346 00:21:31,651 --> 00:21:36,931 Speaker 1: divorce and extramarital affairs were dishonorable. The LSD seems to 347 00:21:36,971 --> 00:21:39,691 Speaker 1: be saying that Auj's girlfriend wasn't a reason to keep 348 00:21:39,691 --> 00:21:42,771 Speaker 1: on living. It was the reason he took his life, 349 00:21:43,531 --> 00:21:46,171 Speaker 1: because he was consumed with guilt over his part in 350 00:21:46,251 --> 00:21:49,771 Speaker 1: ruining his marriage. We try to follow this logic. 351 00:21:51,091 --> 00:21:58,611 Speaker 8: His motto was death before dishonor, which alone is extreme. 352 00:21:58,851 --> 00:22:02,650 Speaker 8: But it's interesting to me that here he is in 353 00:22:02,651 --> 00:22:06,850 Speaker 8: this position where he knows he can't stay with his wife, 354 00:22:07,571 --> 00:22:12,891 Speaker 8: but emotionally he's not ready or willing to accept divorce, 355 00:22:13,731 --> 00:22:16,171 Speaker 8: and then the next day he disappears. 356 00:22:17,051 --> 00:22:20,211 Speaker 10: Yeah, but if he's someone that sees giving up on 357 00:22:20,291 --> 00:22:24,611 Speaker 10: a marriage as failure as dishonorable, then he's sure shit 358 00:22:24,891 --> 00:22:28,811 Speaker 10: thinks that killing himself and giving up on life is dishonorable. 359 00:22:30,011 --> 00:22:34,971 Speaker 10: I'm just saying it cuts both ways. 360 00:22:35,651 --> 00:22:39,091 Speaker 1: Our main takeaway from this personality profile and the rest 361 00:22:39,131 --> 00:22:42,171 Speaker 1: of the Auja report is that the suicide theory isn't 362 00:22:42,211 --> 00:22:45,651 Speaker 1: based on hard facts. It's based on subjective accounts of 363 00:22:45,691 --> 00:22:49,211 Speaker 1: John Auj's behavior. Just like those rock faces in the 364 00:22:49,251 --> 00:22:52,251 Speaker 1: Devil's punch Bowl. It's a matter of interpretation. 365 00:22:53,851 --> 00:22:56,610 Speaker 5: You'd have to say, how was he going to be dishonored. 366 00:22:58,091 --> 00:23:01,411 Speaker 2: We check in with Dave Rathban as Auji's former partner. 367 00:23:01,611 --> 00:23:03,531 Speaker 2: He was one of the few people who had insight 368 00:23:03,691 --> 00:23:04,771 Speaker 2: into his personal life. 369 00:23:05,371 --> 00:23:07,891 Speaker 5: Divorce. That's dishonorable. 370 00:23:09,091 --> 00:23:12,411 Speaker 2: Even eighty year old cop thinks that's ridiculously puritanical. 371 00:23:13,451 --> 00:23:17,330 Speaker 6: I mean, might have been in eighteen ninety three, but 372 00:23:17,891 --> 00:23:22,051 Speaker 6: that was one hundred years before this, so that's beyond 373 00:23:22,091 --> 00:23:24,731 Speaker 6: a stretch. It's like science fiction or something. 374 00:23:24,851 --> 00:23:29,051 Speaker 2: I think Rathman got a divorce, which he says is 375 00:23:29,051 --> 00:23:31,491 Speaker 2: pretty common for law enforcement officers. 376 00:23:31,971 --> 00:23:34,131 Speaker 5: My son even makes this joy. He's a lieutenant on 377 00:23:34,171 --> 00:23:35,011 Speaker 5: the sheriff department. 378 00:23:35,091 --> 00:23:37,971 Speaker 6: And he said, yeah, my future ex wife and I 379 00:23:38,091 --> 00:23:40,130 Speaker 6: are going to go here and do this and do that. 380 00:23:40,291 --> 00:23:43,651 Speaker 6: I said, oh, for crying out loud, don't say that. 381 00:23:44,331 --> 00:23:46,371 Speaker 6: He said, yeah, the deputies will say that. They think 382 00:23:46,411 --> 00:23:48,051 Speaker 6: it's funny. And I said, I don't know if I 383 00:23:48,091 --> 00:23:50,331 Speaker 6: think it's funny. Having gone through a divorce. 384 00:23:51,931 --> 00:23:55,890 Speaker 2: Rathman doesn't buy the whole death before dishonor explanation, and 385 00:23:55,931 --> 00:23:58,891 Speaker 2: he feels pretty certain that auj would never take his 386 00:23:58,931 --> 00:24:01,811 Speaker 2: own life on account of his daughter, Chloe. 387 00:24:02,571 --> 00:24:06,291 Speaker 6: If you got on the subject to Chloe, he glowed. Yeah, 388 00:24:06,331 --> 00:24:10,850 Speaker 6: he glowed and he went softly, wam that fast. 389 00:24:11,371 --> 00:24:13,330 Speaker 5: He loved her to death. He would talk about her 390 00:24:13,371 --> 00:24:14,011 Speaker 5: all the time. 391 00:24:14,931 --> 00:24:18,811 Speaker 6: Chloe, is Chloe that he's going to disappear in the 392 00:24:18,811 --> 00:24:22,451 Speaker 6: mountains and kill himself and leave her alone? Does that 393 00:24:22,491 --> 00:24:28,251 Speaker 6: fit with death before dishonor not very well? It's pretty 394 00:24:28,291 --> 00:24:34,491 Speaker 6: dishonorable to just abandon your five year old daughter, Debbie. 395 00:24:34,531 --> 00:24:37,531 Speaker 2: Auja has her own doubts about the suicide theory. 396 00:24:38,571 --> 00:24:42,330 Speaker 9: It just causes confusion in me, that's all, because I 397 00:24:42,331 --> 00:24:43,211 Speaker 9: don't know what to believe. 398 00:24:45,251 --> 00:24:47,851 Speaker 2: There are more than a few details about Aujay's final 399 00:24:47,931 --> 00:24:51,051 Speaker 2: days that just don't add up for her, Like what 400 00:24:51,131 --> 00:24:52,891 Speaker 2: he did the morning of his disappearance. 401 00:24:53,931 --> 00:24:55,251 Speaker 11: You said he went to the gas station. 402 00:24:56,051 --> 00:25:00,731 Speaker 14: Yes, because when the bill came from the Shell credit card. 403 00:25:00,611 --> 00:25:00,691 Speaker 13: And. 404 00:25:02,731 --> 00:25:07,371 Speaker 14: I had noticed that he had gassed up on June 405 00:25:07,371 --> 00:25:09,051 Speaker 14: eleventh before going. 406 00:25:08,971 --> 00:25:09,731 Speaker 11: To the ball. 407 00:25:11,811 --> 00:25:15,531 Speaker 2: My gas tank is always hovering around empty. So the 408 00:25:15,571 --> 00:25:17,691 Speaker 2: fact that Auj took the time to stop at a 409 00:25:17,731 --> 00:25:20,931 Speaker 2: gas station on his way to the punch Bowl strongly 410 00:25:21,011 --> 00:25:23,850 Speaker 2: implies he hadn't planned on this being his last drive. 411 00:25:25,211 --> 00:25:28,330 Speaker 2: And according to the missing person's report, Auj put a 412 00:25:28,331 --> 00:25:31,411 Speaker 2: sunshield on his dashboard to prevent his truck from overheating. 413 00:25:32,411 --> 00:25:35,771 Speaker 2: It's another indication that Auja was planning to return from 414 00:25:35,771 --> 00:25:41,850 Speaker 2: his run and drive away from the punch Bowl. 415 00:25:41,491 --> 00:25:45,371 Speaker 14: I would hope the Sheriff's department would it investigate this. 416 00:25:46,931 --> 00:25:47,331 Speaker 13: I just. 417 00:25:49,251 --> 00:25:53,851 Speaker 9: Still want John to be found or his remains. 418 00:25:57,451 --> 00:26:00,131 Speaker 2: There's another detail that throws a big wrench in the 419 00:26:00,131 --> 00:26:03,491 Speaker 2: suicide theory. Remember that missing gun. 420 00:26:04,891 --> 00:26:09,051 Speaker 14: His holster was left on the workbench in the garage, 421 00:26:09,411 --> 00:26:11,971 Speaker 14: and I've never found that small smith wesson. 422 00:26:13,811 --> 00:26:17,731 Speaker 9: They told me when he was missing, they didn't find 423 00:26:17,771 --> 00:26:20,411 Speaker 9: any gun. They told me there was no gun in 424 00:26:20,451 --> 00:26:20,851 Speaker 9: the truck. 425 00:26:23,771 --> 00:26:27,131 Speaker 14: Then I started hearing some rumors that there was a 426 00:26:27,171 --> 00:26:29,371 Speaker 14: gun in the truck. 427 00:26:31,771 --> 00:26:34,251 Speaker 2: This missing gun is one of the lynchpins of the 428 00:26:34,371 --> 00:26:38,531 Speaker 2: lasd's narrative. They say Aujay didn't usually take a gun 429 00:26:38,571 --> 00:26:42,011 Speaker 2: with him while jogging, therefore he must have brought the 430 00:26:42,011 --> 00:26:46,571 Speaker 2: firearm into the punch Bowl with suicidal intent. But it 431 00:26:46,651 --> 00:27:00,171 Speaker 2: turns out the gun was not missing, not at first anyway. 432 00:27:06,171 --> 00:27:08,211 Speaker 5: Okay, so you were at punch Bowl. 433 00:27:09,971 --> 00:27:12,051 Speaker 13: Tell me what you did when you got there and 434 00:27:12,051 --> 00:27:16,411 Speaker 13: what you saw, and any other details that you think 435 00:27:16,411 --> 00:27:17,091 Speaker 13: are important. 436 00:27:18,091 --> 00:27:20,811 Speaker 1: Bower has been running down leads in the AJ case 437 00:27:20,931 --> 00:27:24,971 Speaker 1: for years. There are a lot of unanswered questions, but 438 00:27:25,011 --> 00:27:27,611 Speaker 1: at the top of the list is the one about 439 00:27:27,651 --> 00:27:29,211 Speaker 1: Auj's phantom gun. 440 00:27:31,491 --> 00:27:35,451 Speaker 11: I see the truck, I run the plate. It is 441 00:27:35,491 --> 00:27:36,090 Speaker 11: his truck. 442 00:27:37,491 --> 00:27:42,371 Speaker 1: Bauer is interviewing Randy Hebberly. Hebberly was an LASD deputy 443 00:27:42,411 --> 00:27:45,371 Speaker 1: who worked patrol in the Anilo Valley, and he was 444 00:27:45,411 --> 00:27:47,571 Speaker 1: one of the first officers to show up at the 445 00:27:47,611 --> 00:27:50,451 Speaker 1: punch bowl after Auj was reported missing. 446 00:27:51,651 --> 00:27:54,531 Speaker 4: Look in the truck real quick with my flashlight. I 447 00:27:54,691 --> 00:28:00,571 Speaker 4: checked the door. It was locked. I then looked closely 448 00:28:00,651 --> 00:28:05,091 Speaker 4: in the truck. There's a little compartment and I see 449 00:28:05,811 --> 00:28:09,171 Speaker 4: the snub nose stainless steel five shot. 450 00:28:10,771 --> 00:28:12,090 Speaker 11: That gun was in the truck. 451 00:28:13,051 --> 00:28:17,411 Speaker 1: Deputy Hebberly calls his sergeant and tells him he's located 452 00:28:17,451 --> 00:28:18,330 Speaker 1: Auj's vehicle. 453 00:28:19,291 --> 00:28:22,011 Speaker 13: Do you remember telling the station in that cell phone 454 00:28:22,011 --> 00:28:24,011 Speaker 13: call that you saw a gun. 455 00:28:23,851 --> 00:28:28,291 Speaker 11: In the truck. Yes, I told him his gun is 456 00:28:28,331 --> 00:28:29,011 Speaker 11: in the truck. 457 00:28:31,811 --> 00:28:34,691 Speaker 1: According to Hibberly, Auj left his gun in the vehicle, 458 00:28:35,291 --> 00:28:37,531 Speaker 1: which means it could not have been used by him 459 00:28:37,571 --> 00:28:41,011 Speaker 1: to end his life. We ask around and find out 460 00:28:41,131 --> 00:28:44,171 Speaker 1: Deputy Hebberly isn't the only one who remembers the gun. 461 00:28:45,171 --> 00:28:48,571 Speaker 1: Sergeant Vince Burton confirms Heberly's account. He was one of 462 00:28:48,571 --> 00:28:50,731 Speaker 1: the sergeants overseeing the auj search. 463 00:28:51,811 --> 00:28:55,251 Speaker 15: Deputy specifically said that his off duty gun was in the. 464 00:28:55,131 --> 00:28:57,651 Speaker 1: Car, and it wasn't just one deputy. 465 00:28:58,531 --> 00:29:01,251 Speaker 15: There's a couple defies that swear there was a gun there, 466 00:29:01,731 --> 00:29:04,971 Speaker 15: and yet my lieutenant and I had a later time 467 00:29:05,651 --> 00:29:08,811 Speaker 15: looked at all the records and everything. There's no indication 468 00:29:09,211 --> 00:29:11,531 Speaker 15: that that gun was ever booked into evidence. 469 00:29:11,571 --> 00:29:12,411 Speaker 5: It's not shown. 470 00:29:13,611 --> 00:29:17,411 Speaker 1: This seems like a major oversight in the investigation, and 471 00:29:17,491 --> 00:29:21,571 Speaker 1: even more troubling, Burton says, investigators didn't process the truck 472 00:29:21,731 --> 00:29:22,771 Speaker 1: for any evidence. 473 00:29:23,651 --> 00:29:25,851 Speaker 15: Since it's not a murder, they're not going to process it. 474 00:29:25,891 --> 00:29:27,051 Speaker 5: They're not going to impound it. 475 00:29:27,531 --> 00:29:30,771 Speaker 15: If missing person says we'd like the car held because 476 00:29:30,811 --> 00:29:34,131 Speaker 15: we think there's something suspicious, that's up to the detectives 477 00:29:34,171 --> 00:29:34,931 Speaker 15: to make that call. 478 00:29:35,811 --> 00:29:39,531 Speaker 1: The missing person's detectives don't flag the truck for inspection, 479 00:29:40,371 --> 00:29:43,651 Speaker 1: and so Audie's gun disappears, along with who knows what else. 480 00:29:44,691 --> 00:29:46,971 Speaker 1: Do you think that the gun may have gone missing 481 00:29:47,171 --> 00:29:53,131 Speaker 1: between when those first officers arrived and before homicide got there. 482 00:29:53,491 --> 00:29:54,531 Speaker 8: That's very possible. 483 00:29:55,091 --> 00:29:58,811 Speaker 15: Homicide interviewed me later, but we never talked about the gun, 484 00:29:58,851 --> 00:30:00,331 Speaker 15: and the gun never came up. 485 00:30:02,451 --> 00:30:06,331 Speaker 1: That's weird, right, Homicide detectives make the case for suicide 486 00:30:06,411 --> 00:30:09,611 Speaker 1: based in part on a missing gun, and yet they 487 00:30:09,611 --> 00:30:12,291 Speaker 1: don't seem to be that interested in finding the gun. 488 00:30:14,171 --> 00:30:17,091 Speaker 1: We haven't found any records that show detectives even asked 489 00:30:17,211 --> 00:30:21,731 Speaker 1: responding officers about it. There appears to be a lot 490 00:30:21,771 --> 00:30:25,251 Speaker 1: of the missteps in this investigation, starting from the beginning 491 00:30:25,611 --> 00:30:29,171 Speaker 1: when a Jay's truck wasn't combed for evidence. Then there's 492 00:30:29,211 --> 00:30:32,051 Speaker 1: the department's decision to call off the search after less 493 00:30:32,051 --> 00:30:35,651 Speaker 1: than a week, and the detective's single minded focus on 494 00:30:35,691 --> 00:30:39,011 Speaker 1: the suicide theory, not to mention the way they punched 495 00:30:39,091 --> 00:30:44,931 Speaker 1: up key witness statements from people like Debbi Aja. After 496 00:30:44,971 --> 00:30:47,771 Speaker 1: six months of reporting this story, we're feeling the weight 497 00:30:47,931 --> 00:30:51,371 Speaker 1: and confusion of the case. We know there's one guy 498 00:30:51,411 --> 00:30:58,611 Speaker 1: who gets it. We hope Mike Bauer can give us 499 00:30:58,851 --> 00:30:59,731 Speaker 1: some perspective. 500 00:31:02,731 --> 00:31:04,971 Speaker 2: Bower lives on a remote ranch in Idaho. 501 00:31:05,051 --> 00:31:06,371 Speaker 5: I've got to get my egg picker. 502 00:31:07,131 --> 00:31:10,811 Speaker 2: His lakeside property includes a home of which he uses 503 00:31:10,851 --> 00:31:13,211 Speaker 2: as a base camp for his work on the Aujay case, 504 00:31:14,091 --> 00:31:17,771 Speaker 2: and wide open land for his dogs, horses and ducks. 505 00:31:18,451 --> 00:31:23,291 Speaker 1: Oh the ducks, come on, girls, let's go. 506 00:31:26,811 --> 00:31:27,171 Speaker 13: Okay. 507 00:31:29,971 --> 00:31:33,131 Speaker 2: They have heated coops and kiddie pools to splashing. And 508 00:31:33,211 --> 00:31:36,531 Speaker 2: the duck's food is handmade by Bower. Every day. He 509 00:31:36,611 --> 00:31:40,811 Speaker 2: combines carrots, apples, corn, grapes, a bunch of stuff. 510 00:31:41,051 --> 00:31:42,531 Speaker 5: And sour dough bread. 511 00:31:42,651 --> 00:31:44,771 Speaker 7: And the staler the better because I put it through 512 00:31:44,771 --> 00:31:45,931 Speaker 7: the blender and chop it up. 513 00:31:46,971 --> 00:31:49,051 Speaker 5: I don't feed these animals anything I wouldn't eat. 514 00:31:50,691 --> 00:31:53,771 Speaker 2: The ducks seem to be the darlings of Bower's farm, 515 00:31:53,971 --> 00:31:57,651 Speaker 2: but all sorts of animals flock to him. Deer linger 516 00:31:57,691 --> 00:32:00,731 Speaker 2: in the clearings Bower can tell him apart by their 517 00:32:00,731 --> 00:32:05,331 Speaker 2: facial features. Wild turkeys congregate outside Bower's home at the 518 00:32:05,331 --> 00:32:09,051 Speaker 2: same time each morning, waiting for their breakfast, and his 519 00:32:09,051 --> 00:32:12,491 Speaker 2: stable of horses includes a one eyed fella named Quincy. 520 00:32:13,091 --> 00:32:16,131 Speaker 5: Come on, girls, watching. 521 00:32:15,771 --> 00:32:20,571 Speaker 2: Bauer interact with these animals, it's enlightening. It helps me 522 00:32:20,731 --> 00:32:25,251 Speaker 2: understand why he reacted so strongly to Oscar's death and 523 00:32:25,291 --> 00:32:28,451 Speaker 2: why he's so invested in the Aujay case. Because the 524 00:32:28,491 --> 00:32:37,131 Speaker 2: things he cares about he cares about deeply. About ten 525 00:32:37,251 --> 00:32:40,251 Speaker 2: years ago, Bower had scheduled a meeting with Larry Lincoln, 526 00:32:40,531 --> 00:32:43,891 Speaker 2: captain of the Homicide Bureau at the time of Aujay's disappearance. 527 00:32:44,971 --> 00:32:47,171 Speaker 2: Bower wanted to go over the problems with the missing 528 00:32:47,211 --> 00:32:51,211 Speaker 2: person's investigation, how the detective said there were no signs 529 00:32:51,251 --> 00:32:54,371 Speaker 2: of foul play, but didn't seem to look very hard 530 00:32:54,371 --> 00:32:55,651 Speaker 2: to find them. 531 00:32:55,971 --> 00:33:00,451 Speaker 7: Every supervisor dreads coming into work and finding a horrible 532 00:33:00,491 --> 00:33:03,531 Speaker 7: situations throwing on there in their lap, and they have 533 00:33:03,611 --> 00:33:05,051 Speaker 7: to decide, am I going to cover it up? 534 00:33:05,131 --> 00:33:08,891 Speaker 5: Or am I gonna face it head on and then 535 00:33:08,971 --> 00:33:09,331 Speaker 5: stop it. 536 00:33:11,411 --> 00:33:13,531 Speaker 2: About a week before the two were scheduled to meet, 537 00:33:14,051 --> 00:33:16,691 Speaker 2: Lincoln sent Bauer a text saying he had to cancel. 538 00:33:17,531 --> 00:33:20,171 Speaker 2: Bauer recorded a voice memo of the message right after 539 00:33:20,211 --> 00:33:22,971 Speaker 2: he got it to add to his AUJ archive. 540 00:33:24,691 --> 00:33:29,131 Speaker 13: I'm gonna tape Larry Lincoln's text this morning at just 541 00:33:29,171 --> 00:33:33,691 Speaker 13: before six am. I worked with John, was involved in 542 00:33:33,731 --> 00:33:36,291 Speaker 13: the search for him, and was in charge of the 543 00:33:36,331 --> 00:33:40,211 Speaker 13: investigation into his disappearance. With all that, I can say 544 00:33:40,251 --> 00:33:44,531 Speaker 13: with certainty that John, and only John was responsible for 545 00:33:44,611 --> 00:33:50,251 Speaker 13: his death. After eight years at homicide suicides caused me 546 00:33:50,411 --> 00:33:55,891 Speaker 13: more grief than any murder. The bottom line, one cannot 547 00:33:56,171 --> 00:34:02,371 Speaker 13: find reason in an unreasonable act. End of text. 548 00:34:04,891 --> 00:34:08,371 Speaker 1: Bower doesn't just think the suicide narrative is false. He 549 00:34:08,411 --> 00:34:13,091 Speaker 1: thinks it's reckless. It promotes bad police work, it tarnishes 550 00:34:13,171 --> 00:34:17,611 Speaker 1: Aujay's reputation, and causes immense pain to his loved ones. 551 00:34:18,811 --> 00:34:22,730 Speaker 1: Processing his disappearance is one thing. But thinking Aujae killed 552 00:34:22,811 --> 00:34:25,411 Speaker 1: himself and did it in a way that they'd never 553 00:34:25,531 --> 00:34:31,811 Speaker 1: know how or why, that's a whole new level of anguish. 554 00:34:31,851 --> 00:34:35,451 Speaker 1: And no one felt that more than his daughter, Chloe. 555 00:34:35,691 --> 00:34:39,091 Speaker 7: I said, I'm telling you, Chloe, don't believe it. 556 00:34:39,411 --> 00:34:42,531 Speaker 5: Do not believe it. Your father did not abandon you. 557 00:34:43,091 --> 00:34:44,371 Speaker 5: He was taken from you. 558 00:34:46,651 --> 00:34:50,331 Speaker 1: Over the years, Bower developed a friendship with Chloe and Debbie, 559 00:34:50,731 --> 00:34:57,091 Speaker 1: whose lives completely unraveled after Aujay's disappearance. Debbie struggled financially, 560 00:34:57,451 --> 00:35:01,651 Speaker 1: toggling between part time jobs and collecting unemployment. She sold 561 00:35:01,651 --> 00:35:05,171 Speaker 1: her house and moved in with her parents. She eventually 562 00:35:05,251 --> 00:35:07,770 Speaker 1: ended up living in a car in a parking lot 563 00:35:07,851 --> 00:35:10,251 Speaker 1: not far from the house she wanted shared it with John. 564 00:35:11,891 --> 00:35:13,891 Speaker 1: And that's why Bauer now has so many of Ajay's 565 00:35:13,971 --> 00:35:17,330 Speaker 1: things Because Debbie just didn't have a place to store them. 566 00:35:19,531 --> 00:35:23,291 Speaker 1: And then there's Chloe. She was just five when she 567 00:35:23,411 --> 00:35:26,891 Speaker 1: lost her dad. Then she lost her dog, and then 568 00:35:26,891 --> 00:35:31,011 Speaker 1: her mom. As Debbie drifted into homelessness, Chloe was shuffled 569 00:35:31,011 --> 00:35:34,411 Speaker 1: around among relatives but never found a stable home base. 570 00:35:35,131 --> 00:35:37,651 Speaker 1: She dropped out of high school and cycled through a 571 00:35:37,691 --> 00:35:42,651 Speaker 1: series of low wage jobs while living with boyfriends or friends. 572 00:35:44,171 --> 00:35:47,011 Speaker 1: Then in August of twenty twenty, Bouer got a call 573 00:35:47,051 --> 00:35:48,171 Speaker 1: from Debbie. 574 00:35:49,571 --> 00:35:58,531 Speaker 16: And she said, Mike, we've lost our girl. That's lost 575 00:35:58,531 --> 00:36:00,131 Speaker 16: your said, We've lost our girl. 576 00:36:04,611 --> 00:36:08,011 Speaker 1: At the age of twenty six, Chloe Aujay took her 577 00:36:08,011 --> 00:36:14,611 Speaker 1: home life. Some might call that an unreasonable act, but 578 00:36:14,691 --> 00:36:19,690 Speaker 1: I feel for her. Tragedy upended her childhood. She lost 579 00:36:19,691 --> 00:36:22,931 Speaker 1: her sense of belonging and security after her dad disappeared 580 00:36:23,891 --> 00:36:28,131 Speaker 1: and the shadow of his alleged suicide followed her from 581 00:36:28,211 --> 00:36:28,971 Speaker 1: place to place. 582 00:36:30,371 --> 00:36:34,411 Speaker 5: I told her that her father didn't abandon her. She 583 00:36:34,571 --> 00:36:35,451 Speaker 5: wanted to believe that. 584 00:36:38,731 --> 00:36:41,931 Speaker 1: And this is why the auj case has become all 585 00:36:42,011 --> 00:36:47,210 Speaker 1: consuming for Bauer because the La County Sheriff's Department, the 586 00:36:47,291 --> 00:36:51,651 Speaker 1: institution he swore allegiance to for thirty three years, has 587 00:36:51,691 --> 00:36:55,091 Speaker 1: told a lie so big and so many times that 588 00:36:55,131 --> 00:36:58,770 Speaker 1: the story has become its own type of bullet, has 589 00:36:58,811 --> 00:37:02,851 Speaker 1: wormed its way through time, destroying lives and racking up 590 00:37:02,891 --> 00:37:06,971 Speaker 1: a number of casualties, and Bower's been forced to simply 591 00:37:07,091 --> 00:37:09,091 Speaker 1: watch the tragedy unfold. 592 00:37:17,211 --> 00:37:21,891 Speaker 2: If John Auj didn't die by suicide, what happened to him? 593 00:37:22,371 --> 00:37:25,731 Speaker 2: Throughout Bauer's investigation, He's heard a lot of stories about Auj, 594 00:37:26,571 --> 00:37:30,211 Speaker 2: but there's one that just keeps coming up from multiple witnesses. 595 00:37:31,131 --> 00:37:35,210 Speaker 2: That John Auj didn't take his own life, someone else did. 596 00:37:37,771 --> 00:37:41,411 Speaker 6: Early on, I let the suicide theory sit at fifty 597 00:37:41,491 --> 00:37:46,451 Speaker 6: to fifty. As I've learned more and more, I'm at 598 00:37:46,491 --> 00:37:52,531 Speaker 6: about ninety ninety five murder, five to ten percent suicide. 599 00:37:53,131 --> 00:37:55,091 Speaker 17: He said, Hey, Larry, I'm hearing shit on the street 600 00:37:55,091 --> 00:37:57,611 Speaker 17: man and Auj didn't comit suicide. He was murdered. He goes, 601 00:37:57,611 --> 00:38:00,651 Speaker 17: I'm hearing for more than one person. Well, Sena maybe 602 00:38:00,771 --> 00:38:01,890 Speaker 17: looked into a little more. 603 00:38:03,211 --> 00:38:07,571 Speaker 6: They told our search teams on day one, John may 604 00:38:07,611 --> 00:38:13,091 Speaker 6: have stumbled into a meth lab by accident. 605 00:38:14,371 --> 00:38:16,011 Speaker 5: And what happened to that idea? 606 00:38:17,251 --> 00:38:19,810 Speaker 9: This whole meth lab has just been a rumor I've 607 00:38:19,811 --> 00:38:24,210 Speaker 9: heard for years, and I do wonder what's behind that. 608 00:38:25,691 --> 00:38:29,091 Speaker 2: We wonder what's behind that too, and why the Sheriff's 609 00:38:29,091 --> 00:38:33,171 Speaker 2: department didn't do more to investigate these tips. But it 610 00:38:33,211 --> 00:38:36,651 Speaker 2: turns out there was a homicide detective who took it 611 00:38:36,771 --> 00:38:39,531 Speaker 2: upon himself to find out what really. 612 00:38:39,251 --> 00:38:43,051 Speaker 17: Happened all the time of the investigator. And I tell 613 00:38:43,091 --> 00:38:47,251 Speaker 17: people this, even younger guys. This cop stuff is not 614 00:38:47,451 --> 00:38:51,491 Speaker 17: like TV. You go with what makes common sense. Everything 615 00:38:51,531 --> 00:38:54,011 Speaker 17: looks like this, well usually if it looks like that, 616 00:38:54,011 --> 00:38:54,810 Speaker 17: that's what it is. 617 00:38:59,691 --> 00:39:15,011 Speaker 2: That's next time on Valley of Shadows. 618 00:39:16,571 --> 00:39:19,091 Speaker 1: If you have any information or tips related to the 619 00:39:19,131 --> 00:39:23,730 Speaker 1: disappearance of John Aujay, please call two one three two six' 620 00:39:23,851 --> 00:39:29,251 Speaker 1: two nine eight eight nine or Email shadows at pushkin DOT. 621 00:39:29,331 --> 00:39:34,051 Speaker 1: Fm valley Of shadows is, reported written and produced BY 622 00:39:34,171 --> 00:39:38,611 Speaker 1: Us Betsy shepherd And Haley. Fox our editor Is Diane. 623 00:39:38,651 --> 00:39:43,971 Speaker 1: Hodson our executive producers Are Jacob smith And Alexandra. Garaton 624 00:39:44,691 --> 00:39:50,051 Speaker 1: original music By Jake, Gorsky Ray, Lynch Mike, jersich And Hayden. 625 00:39:50,091 --> 00:39:55,691 Speaker 1: Gardner sound design By Jake, gorsky fact checking By Anaica. 626 00:39:55,811 --> 00:40:00,651 Speaker 1: Robbins additional production support By Sonya gerwit and our show 627 00:40:00,731 --> 00:40:04,731 Speaker 1: art was designed By Sean carney And Betsy. Shepherd special 628 00:40:04,731 --> 00:40:08,531 Speaker 1: thanks To Nick white for the show art. Photo additional 629 00:40:08,571 --> 00:40:12,891 Speaker 1: thanks To Stringer. Bell value Of shadows is a production 630 00:40:13,051 --> 00:40:17,411 Speaker 1: Of Pushkin. Industries to find More pushkin, podcasts listen on 631 00:40:17,451 --> 00:40:21,491 Speaker 1: The iHeartRadio, App Apple, podcasts or wherever you listen to. 632 00:40:21,531 --> 00:40:26,210 Speaker 1: Podcasts some type two. Fun We're betsy And. 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