Horror at the Cecil Hotel (2017): Season 1, Episode 2 - The Girl in the Water Tank - full transcript
**
I HAVE ARRIVED
IN LA LA LAND.
HER FIRST TRIP ALL ALONE.
SHE DIDN'T KNOW ANYBODY.
SHE CHECKS INTO
L.A.'s NOTORIOUS CECIL HOTEL.
YOU NEVER KNEW
WHAT YOU WERE WALKING INTO
WHEN YOU WALKED INTO THAT HOTEL.
THEN SHE VANISHES.
DETECTIVES SAY
IT WAS AN EMPLOYEE HERE
WHO LAST SAW LAM.
FOR ELISA LAM'S PARENTS,
THIS HAS BEEN A NIGHTMARE.
POLICE ARE BAFFLED.
WHEN YOU'VE SWEPT
THE ENTIRE HOTEL,
AND YOU HAVEN'T FOUND
ANYTHING...
THEN, SUDDENLY...
THERE SHE IS.
MY GOD.
WHAT THE HELL?
IN ONE OF THE STRANGEST
MURDER MYSTERIES OF ALL TIME...
IT WENT VIRAL VERY QUICKLY.
IS SHE HIDING FROM SOMEONE?
MY GOD.
THERE'S SO MANY DIFFERENT
THEORIES ABOUT WHAT HAPPENED.
BUT IT'S NOTHING NEW
FOR THE CECIL HOTEL.
IF THE WALLS IN THE CECIL
COULD TALK, THEY WOULDN'T TALK.
THEY WOULD SCREAM.
SOMEBODY, HELP!
**
**
**
LATE JANUARY
IS NOT QUITE TOURIST SEASON
IN LOS ANGELES,
SO WHEN 21-YEAR-OLD ELISA LAM
ARRIVES IN L.A. TO SIGHTSEE,
SHE DOESN'T FIND A CROWD
TO FOLLOW.
ELISA LAM WAS A 21-YEAR-OLD
FIRST-GENERATION CANADIAN
CHILD OF TWO IMMIGRANTS
FROM HONG KONG.
SHE WAS ENROLLED
AT THE UNIVERSITY OF
BRITISH COLUMBIA.
SHE NEEDED A BREAK FROM SCHOOL,
AND SHE JUST WANTED TO SEE
CALIFORNIA.
THIS WAS THE FIRST TIME
SHE'D EVER TRAVELED BY HERSELF,
CERTAINLY A TRIP LIKE THIS.
I'M GUESSING THAT ISN'T
ONE OF THOSE MAPS TO HOME
OF THE STARS, IS IT?
W- WHAT?
THE MAP. ARE YOU LOST?
IS IT THAT OBVIOUS?
I'M DYLAN.
ELISA.
NICE TO MEET YOU.
YEAH.
ELISA LAM WAS A VERY SWEET,
INTELLIGENT, SMART WOMAN.
SHE DIDN'T KNOW ANYBODY IN L.A.
SHE WAS ON HER WEST COAST TOUR.
SO WHERE YOU HEADED?
THAT'S WHAT I'M TRYING
TO FIGURE OUT.
I KIND OF WANT TO SEE
IT ALL.
WELL, THERE'S TWO PLACES YOU GOT
TO SEE WHILE YOU'RE HERE,
HOLLYWOOD AND VENICE BEACH.
YOU CAN TAKE THE BUS
TO HOLLYWOOD.
IT LEAVES RIGHT HERE.
COOL. THANKS.
SO WHERE YOU STAYING?
ANOTHER THING
I HAVE TO FIGURE OUT.
I HAVE...LET'S SAY,
A LIMITED BUDGET.
WELL, THERE'S SOME YOUTH HOSTELS
IN VENICE BEACH.
THERE'S SOME
DOWNTOWN HOTELS, TOO,
THAT ARE CLOSE TO EVERYTHING.
THEY'RE REALLY CHEAP,
PERFECT FOR A LIMITED BUDGET.
THERE'S THE CECIL...
THE CECIL?
YEAH.
I THINK IT'S THE CHEAPEST.
I'LL GIVE YOU MY NUMBER
JUST IN CASE YOU GET REALLY LOST
OR WANNA HANG OUT SOME TIME.
ALL RIGHT.
OKAY.
THANK YOU SO MUCH.
YEAH.
**
AS A POLICE DETECTIVE THAT SPENT
33 YEARS IN THE CITY, YOU KNOW,
JUST THE AREA ITSELF
WOULD WORRY ME,
YOU KNOW,
HAVING MY CHILDREN VISIT.
ELISA DECIDES TO STAY
AT THE ONCE-GLAMOROUS
CECIL HOTEL,
WHERE RATES HAVE BOTTOMED OUT
LIKE THE JANUARY TEMPERATURES.
THE CECIL STARTS OUT
AS A BEAUTIFUL, GLAMOROUS,
ART-DECO STYLE HOTEL
BUILT IN THE '20s,
INTENDED FOR TOURISTS.
IT WAS INEXPENSIVE.
IT WAS CENTRALLY LOCATED.
BUT IN 2013,
IT WAS FIRMLY AND SOLIDLY
ENTRENCHED IN SKID ROW.
BECAUSE IT OFFERED
INEXPENSIVE RATES,
PEOPLE THAT WERE INVOLVED
IN ILLICIT ACTIVITIES AND CRIMES
STAYED THERE
'CAUSE THEY COULD STAY THERE
FOR LONG PERIODS OF TIME
UNDETECTED
AT LOW COST, AND, YOU KNOW,
BLEND IN WITH THE HUNDREDS
OF PEOPLE THAT WOULD STAY THERE.
HI.
I'M HERE TO BOOK A ROOM.
- JUST YOURSELF?
- JUST ME.
- FOR HOW LONG?
- THREE NIGHTS, PLEASE.
**
YOU NEVER KNEW
WHAT YOU WERE WALKING INTO
WHEN YOU WALKED INTO THAT HOTEL.
THE CECIL SEEMS TO BE A MAGNET
FOR BAD THINGS AND BAD PEOPLE,
VERY BAD PEOPLE.
**
**
**
NO.
NO. NO.
IT'S OKAY. I'M SURE IT'S
GONNA START UP SOON.
NO, THIS...I...
I CAN'T BE IN SMALL SPACES.
IS THERE AN ALARM
OR SOMETHING?
HELLO?
**
HEY, IT'S OKAY.
HELLO?
HELLO?
**
I GAVE YOU 20 THIS MORNING.
WELL, NOW I NEED ANOTHER 20.
**
ELISA THOUGHT
SHE WAS GONNA STAY
AT A HIP-TYPE L.A. HOTEL.
BUT CHECKING INTO HER ROOM,
SHE QUICKLY REALIZED
THIS WAS NOT THE PLACE
THAT SHE EXPECTED TO STAY.
**
**
HEY, MOM.
HEY, YEAH.
I JUST GOT CHECKED IN.
IT'S COOL.
YES. IT'S SAFE.
ELISA KEPT IN CONTACT
WITH HER FAMILY,
PARTICULARLY HER PARENTS, ALONG
HER JOURNEYS ON A DAILY BASIS.
ANOTHER DAILY ROUTINE
IS ELISA'S TRAVEL BLOG.
IT RELIEVES THE STRESSES
OF BEING AWAY FROM HOME
FOR THE FIRST TIME.
I HAVE ARRIVED
IN LA LA LAND.
SHE VENTS ABOUT HER
DISAPPOINTING ACCOMMODATIONS
AT THE CECIL HOTEL.
IT WAS BUILT IN 1928.
HENCE, THE ART-DECO THEME,
SO YES, IT IS CLASSY,
BUT THEN, SINCE IT'S L.A.,
IT WENT ON CRACK.
I'M GOING OUT TONIGHT.
I HOPE NO CREEPERS CREEP ON ME.
**
**
FOR THE NEXT 3 DAYS,
ELISA KEEPS AN OPEN MIND
AND TAKES HER
L.A. EXPERIENCES IN STRIDE.
BY ALL ACCOUNTS,
ELISA WAS HAVING A GOOD TIME
IN LOS ANGELES.
NOTHING EXTRAORDINARY
HAPPENED TO ELISA
UP UNTIL JANUARY 31, 2013.
**
ELISA WAS IN HER ROOM.
SHE WAS UPDATING HER BLOG,
TALKING ABOUT HER EXPLOITS,
HER TRAVELS.
TODAY, I SLEPT IN,
TOOK A LONG, HOT SHOWER,
AND STUFFED MYSELF SILLY
WITH A $3 DINNER.
I DO WHAT I WANT.
I CAN'T DO THIS
ANYMORE. I WON'T.
KEEP YOUR VOICE DOWN.
DOESN'T MATTER WHAT I DO.
IT'S NOT GOOD ENOUGH FOR YOU.
IT'S NEVER GOOD ENOUGH FOR YOU.
YOU NEVER SEE ME.
YOU NEVER DO ANYTHING THAT I...
I NEVER DO ANYTHING FOR YOU?
- I DO EVERYTHING FOR YOU!
- YOU DO NOTHING!
I DON'T DO ANYTHING?
YOU DON'T DO ANYTHING!
YOU DON'T DO ANYTHING!
YOU SPEND MY MONEY
THAT I WORK HARD FOR!
SCREW THIS. SCREW YOU.
**
**
**
**
HELLO?
**
HELLO?
HELLO?
IT'S HARD TO UNDERSTAND
HOW, YOU KNOW,
AN OTHERWISE NORMAL
21-YEAR-OLD WOMAN
WOULD JUST ONE NIGHT
VANISH WITHOUT A TRACE.
**
**
ON JANUARY 28, 2013,
CANADIAN TOURIST ELISA LAM
CHECKED INTO THE CECIL HOTEL
IN DOWNTOWN LOS ANGELES.
BUT 4 DAYS LATER, THE CALLS HOME
TO HER PARENTS HAVE STOPPED.
**
CECIL HOTEL.
MA'AM, I'M SURE
YOUR DAUGHTER IS FINE.
SHE PROBABLY JUST...
ELISA LAM WAS IN REGULAR CONTACT
WITH HER PARENTS.
SHE GOT IN TOUCH WITH THEM
EVERY SINGLE DAY.
WHEN SHE FAILED TO DO SO,
THAT'S WHEN HER PARENTS
BECAME CONCERNED,
AND THEY CONTACTED THE HOTEL
LOOKING FOR ANY TRACE OF HER,
TRYING TO FIND HER.
OKAY. NO, I-I UNDERSTAND.
YEAH, I'LL CHECK.
**
AS PARENTS HAVING NOT
HEARD FROM THEIR DAUGHTER
AFTER HEARING FROM THEM
EVERY DAY...
ELISA LAM?
...I-I CAN ONLY IMAGINE
MERE FRUSTRATION
AND THAT SCAREDNESS OF,
YOU KNOW, "WHERE'S MY DAUGHTER?"
EVEN AFTER ONE DAY,
THE PARENTS DEFINITELY THOUGHT
SOMETHING WAS WRONG.
**
THERE WAS NOTHING IN HER ROOM
THAT WOULD INDICATE
ANY SIGNS OF FOUL PLAY,
ANY SIGNS OF A STRUGGLE,
OR THAT ANYTHING WAS TAKEN.
**
HER PARENTS
IMMEDIATELY CALL THE POLICE.
THE MERE FACT THAT
SHE CONTACTED HER PARENTS
ON A DAILY BASIS,
AND SHE WAS ALSO VISITING
FROM A FOREIGN COUNTRY
GAVE RISE TO CATEGORIZE THIS
AS A CRITICAL MISSING,
AND IN THIS CASE, IT WAS
ROBBERY-HOMICIDE DIVISION,
AN ELITE HOMICIDE DIVISION
WITHIN THE LOS ANGELES
POLICE DEPARTMENT,
THAT ASSUMED THE INVESTIGATIVE
RESPONSIBILITY FOR THIS CASE.
WHEN'S THE LAST TIME
ANYONE SAW HER?
THREE DAYS AGO. I SAW HER
GO UP TO HER ROOM.
SHE WAS ALONE?
YEAH.
ACCORDING TO STAFF
AND PEOPLE AT THE HOTEL,
NO ONE SAW HER LEAVE THAT HOTEL
AFTER THE EVENING OF
JANUARY 31st.
BY ALL ACCOUNTS,
ELISA WAS STILL IN THE HOTEL.
WE'RE GONNA NEED TO SEARCH
THE WHOLE PLACE, ROOMS INCLUDED.
I CAN GET THE MAINTENANCE MAN
TO BRING YOU TO HER ROOM.
**
HECTOR?
- What's up?
- GO UP TO THE FIFTH FLOOR.
SOME DETECTIVES
WILL MEET YOU THERE.
- Copy that.
AND WE WANT YOUR
SURVEILLANCE VIDEO. ALL OF IT.
THE VIDEO MAY TAKE AWHILE,
AND IT WON'T COVER EVERYTHING.
NOT ALL THE CAMERAS WORK.
I HAVE TO SEE.
WE'LL TAKE WHATEVER YOU GOT.
**
**
WE TREAT CRITICAL MISSINGS
JUST AS WE WOULD
A HOMICIDE INVESTIGATION.
LOOKING AT ELISA'S ROOM,
WE WOULD LOOK FOR ANY SIGNS
OF FOUL PLAY,
ANY SIGNS OF RANSACKING,
ANY SIGNS OF FORENSIC-TYPE
EVIDENCE LEFT BEHIND.
WHO LEAVES A LAPTOP BEHIND?
HER COMPUTER,
HER PERSONAL PROPERTY,
HER WATCH, THEY'RE EXPENSIVE
ITEMS STILL LEFT IN HER ROOM.
THERE WAS NO SIGNS OF
ANY RANSACKING,
NO SIGNS OF ANY FOUL PLAY.
HER CELLPHONE WAS THE ONLY THING
MISSING FROM HER ROOM.
NOW BEGINS THE DAUNTING TASK.
WHERE IS ELISA?
**
SIR, WE'RE DETECTIVES
FROM THE L.A.P.D.
WE'RE LOOKING FOR
A MISSING PERSON.
SHE WAS STAYING RIGHT NEXT DOOR.
SIR?
NEVER SEEN HER BEFORE.
- REALLY?
- I KEEP TO MYSELF.
L.A.P.D.
HI, SIR.
SORRY TO INTERRUPT.
POLICE CHECK
ALL 15 FLOORS OF THE HOTEL.
IF ANYONE KNOWS WHERE ELISA IS,
THEY AREN'T SAYING.
FOR ALL ANYONE KNEW,
SHE COULD'VE STILL BEEN
IN THE HOTEL.
SHE MIGHT'VE BEEN
IN SOMEONE'S ROOM.
THERE'S JUST NO WAY OF KNOWING,
AND IT'S SUCH
A MASSIVE PROPERTY.
WE'RE LOOKING FOR
A MISSING GIRL.
HAVE YOU SEEN THIS GIRL?
KNOWING THE SIZE
OF THE HOTEL,
KNOWING THE TYPE OF GUESTS
THAT FREQUENTED THE HOTEL,
THE POSSIBILITY OF ELISA
BEING HELD AGAINST HER WILL
OR BEING VICTIMIZED
BEHIND ONE OF THESE DOORS,
THE DETECTIVES HAD A GUT FEELING
THAT SHE WAS STILL IN THE HOTEL.
**
THE L.A.P.D. SEARCHED
THE CECIL FROM TOP TO BOTTOM.
THEY EVEN LOOK ON THE ROOF,
BUT THERE'S NO SIGN OF
ELISA LAM ANYWHERE.
WHEN YOU'VE SWEPT
THE ENTIRE HOTEL
AND YOU HAVEN'T FOUND ANYTHING
AND YOU HAVE NO EYEWITNESSES,
NO SUSPECTS,
IT BECOMES, LIKE,
IT'S LIKE A DISAPPEARING WOMAN.
SHE JUST KIND OF VANISHED
INTO THE CECIL HOTEL.
OUT OF OPTIONS,
POLICE TURN TO THE MEDIA
TO GET ELISA'S FACE OUT
TO THE PUBLIC.
DETECTIVES SAY
IT WAS AN EMPLOYEE HERE
WHO LAST SAW LAM,
WHO, UNTIL SHE DISAPPEARED,
HAD CALLED HOME DAILY.
BUT FOR ELISA LAM'S PARENTS,
THIS HAS BEEN A NIGHTMARE.
OKAY, DON'T ASK THE PARENTS
ANY QUESTIONS.
THEY WOULDN'T
COMMENT PUBLICLY,
LEAVING IT UP TO L.A.P.D.
TO MAKE ONE LAST REQUEST.
YOU KNOW, IT'S DISAPPOINTING
AS AN INVESTIGATOR.
THIS IS WHAT YOU DO
FOR A LIVING.
YOU SOLVE CASES.
YOU PUT THE PIECES OF THE PUZZLE
TOGETHER, SO IN THIS CASE,
THERE WAS NOTHING ELSE TO DO
BUT TO SEEK
THE PUBLIC'S ASSISTANCE.
RIGHT NOW, ALL WE'RE
REALLY ASKING
IS YOU PUT HER PICTURE OUT
AND SEE IF WE CAN GENERATE
ANY LEADS FROM THE PUBLIC,
AND THAT WOULD BE A BIG HELP.
REPORTERS JUMP
ON THE STORY
OF ELISA LAM'S
MYSTERIOUS DISAPPEARANCE
FROM THE CECIL HOTEL.
BUT IT SEEMS THE COPS' ONLY HOPE
OF A BREAK IN THE CASE
WILL COME FROM THE HOTEL ITSELF.
YOU GOT THOSE
SURVEILLANCE TAPES FOR ME?
RIGHT, HERE'S THE THING...
A LOT OF THE CAMERAS
DON'T WORK.
HERE'S WHAT WE HAVE.
I HOPE IT CAN HELP YOU.
THANKS. LET'S HOPE FOR
A LITTLE LUCK.
**
SOME OF THE CAMERA DON'T WORK,
BUT THIS IS WHAT WE GOT.
LOAD IT UP.
SO THIS IS THE SOUTH ENTRANCE.
PART OF THE INVESTIGATION
ENTAILED REVIEWING
IN EXCESS OF 50 HOURS OF VIDEO
SURVEILLANCE FROM THE HOTEL.
WHO WE GOT HERE?
NO, THAT'S NOT HER.
THIS IS NOTHING.
THE DETECTIVES WERE
ALMOST GRASPING FOR STRAWS
TRYING TO FIND HER.
AS AN INVESTIGATOR MYSELF
AND VIEWING
HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF HOURS
OF VIDEO SURVEILLANCE...
I MEAN, WHAT A DAUNTING TASK.
LET'S SEE HERE.
THIS IS THE HALLWAY.
**
IS THAT HER?
NO, THAT'S NOT HER.
**
IT'S NOTHING.
HERE'S THE LAST ONE.
IT'S FROM THE ELEVATOR
CLOSEST TO THE ROOM
WHERE SHE WAS STAYING.
**
THERE SHE IS.
MY GOD. WHAT THE HELL?
**
**
IN DOWNTOWN LOS ANGELES,
VACATIONING COLLEGE STUDENT
ELISA LAM
HAS BEEN MISSING FOR 13 DAYS.
THEN COPS GET A BIG BREAK
WHEN SHE SHOWS UP
ON HOTEL SURVEILLANCE VIDEO
FROM THE SAME NIGHT
SHE WAS LAST HEARD FROM...
GO BACK. GO BACK.
...JANUARY 31, 2013.
WATCH WHEN SHE GETS ON
THE ELEVATOR.
BUT NOBODY IS PREPARED
FOR WHAT THEY WOULD SEE NEXT.
**
IS SHE HIDING FROM SOMEONE?
IT'S JUST VERY UNSETTLING.
SHE APPEARS TO BE HIDING
FROM SOMEBODY OR SOMETHING.
SHE LOOKS IN AND OUT
OF THE ELEVATOR A LOT.
SHE PULLS HER BODY BACK
LIKE SHE'S TRYING TO HIDE
FROM SOMEBODY.
ROLL IT BACK AGAIN.
SHE JAMS A LOT OF DIFFERENT
BUTTONS ON THE ELEVATOR.
SHE GOES OUT INTO THE HALLWAY
AND APPEARS
TO BE DOING
THIS WEIRD HAND MOTION,
LIKE SHE'S GESTICULATING
WHILE SHE'S SPEAKING
TO SOMEONE IN FRONT OF HER.
SHE'S GOT TO BE
TALKING TO SOMEONE.
THERE'S NO ONE ELSE THERE.
**
THE CREEPIEST PART
IS WHERE SHE COMES BACK OUT,
AND YOU KEEP EXPECTING HER
TO COME BACK INTO THE ELEVATOR,
BUT SHE DOESN'T.
IT'S THE LAST LOOK
AT ELISA LAM.
IT STILL WASN'T ANY COMFORT
FOR THE DETECTIVES.
SHE STILL HADN'T BEEN FOUND,
AND IF ANYTHING,
THIS VIDEO SURVEILLANCE OF HER
IN THE ELEVATOR
LEFT MORE QUESTIONS
THAN ANSWERS.
WHO WAS CHASING HER?
WHAT WAS SHE HIDING FROM?
AND WHERE DID SHE GO
AFTER LEAVING THE ELEVATOR?
WHAT HAPPENS NEXT
TURNS THIS RUN-OF-THE-MILL
MISSING PERSONS CASE
INTO AN INTERNATIONAL MYSTERY.
THE ENTIRE VIDEO WAS
RELEASED TO THE MEDIA.
THIS IS
NEWLY RELEASED VIDEO
SHOWING
A MISSING CANADIAN TOURIST,
A YOUNG WOMAN IN DOWNTOWN L.A.
HER NAME IS ELISA LAM.
SHE'S 21 YEARS OLD.
SHE DISAPPEARED 2 WEEKS AGO.
IT WENT VIRAL
VERY QUICKLY.
IT CAPTIVATED PEOPLE.
YOU HAVE THIS VIDEO
OF THIS YOUNG GIRL
WHO IS TRAVELING ALONE
BY HERSELF IN A CITY
SHE'S UNFAMILIAR WITH,
IN AN ELEVATOR,
AND SHE'S BEHAVING IN A STRANGE
MANNER THAT NO ONE CAN EXPLAIN.
WE SPOKE A SHORT TIME
AGO WITH A DETECTIVE.
HE WANTS EVERYONE TO SEE
THIS SURVEILLANCE VIDEO
SHOT HERE AT THE CECIL HOTEL.
IT SHOWS ELISA LAM GETTING INTO
ONE OF THE HOTEL'S ELEVATOR,
BELIEVED TO BE THE LAST IMAGES
OF HER BEFORE SHE DISAPPEARED.
IN MY EXPERIENCE
IN WORKING HOMICIDES
AND MISSING PERSONS,
I HAVE NEVER SEEN
THIS TYPE OF ATTENTION
DRAWN TO ONE PARTICULAR CASE.
NBC 4's JOHN CáDIZ KLEMACK
IS LIVE OUTSIDE THE CECIL HOTEL
WITH NEW INFORMATION.
THE VIDEO QUICKLY GOES VIRAL.
IT JUST BECAME
A MEDIA STORM,
AND EVERYONE
TOOK TO FACEBOOK AND TWITTER,
AND PEOPLE WERE LEFT TO WONDER,
"WHERE DID SHE GO
AFTER SHE LEFT THE ELEVATOR,
AND WHAT HAPPENED TO HER?"
THE FOOTAGE GARNERS
A MOUNTAIN OF MEDIA ATTENTION
BUT LITTLE ELSE.
ELISA'S PARENTS
ARE FRAUGHT WITH WORRY,
AND THE LOS ANGELES POLICE
DEPARTMENT STILL HAS NO ANSWERS.
HAVING ELISA'S FAMILY IN TOWN
AND THEN FOR
EVERYTHING TO GO COLD,
HOW DO YOU EXPLAIN TO THEM
THAT WE'RE DOING
EVERYTHING IN OUR POWER
TO LOCATE HER,
AND STILL, SHE'S NOT FOUND?
I MEAN, THAT WEIGHS HEAVILY
ON THE HEART OF INVESTIGATORS.
AFTER AN EXHAUSTING
21/2 WEEKS WITH NO SOLID LEADS,
INVESTIGATORS ARE STILL STUMPED.
IT WILL TAKE ANOTHER
BIZARRE INCIDENT
TO BREATHE ANY LIFE
INTO THEIR CASE.
TONIGHT, I'M THINKING
MEXICAN FOR DINNER.
REALLY?
THAT'S, LIKE, THE THIRD TIME
SINCE WE'VE BEEN HERE.
DENISE, WE'RE IN L.A.
THEY HAVE THE BEST
MEXICAN FOOD IN THE WORLD.
**
MY GOD.
WHAT?
ON THE 19th OF FEBRUARY,
RESIDENTS COMPLAINED
OF A FOUL TASTE
AND A FOUL ODOR
TO THE TAP WATER IN THE HOTEL.
**
SUBSEQUENTLY,
MAINTENANCE WORKERS, YOU KNOW,
CHECKED THE WATER SYSTEMS
AND, IN THIS CASE,
THE WATER TANKS
ATOP THE ROOF
OF THE CECIL HOTEL.
Hector, you find
anything yet?
I JUST GOT UP HERE.
GIVE ME A SECOND.
THE CECIL HOTEL
HAD SEVERAL WATER TANKS
THAT FED THE WATER VIA GRAVITY
TO THE 600-PLUS ROOMS.
**
THE MAINTENANCE WORKER
WENT UP ON THE ROOF
OF THE CECIL,
WHERE THE WATER TANKS ARE,
TO INVESTIGATE
THE CAUSE OF THE WATER PROBLEM.
BUT YOU HAVE TO CLIMB UP
TO PEER INSIDE THE TANKS
'CAUSE THEY HOLD
AN ENORMOUS AMOUNT OF WATER.
WHAT HE SEES NEXT
SENDS THIS INVESTIGATION
INTO OVERDRIVE.
**
DAN, DO YOU COPY?
- What's up?
- CALL THE POLICE RIGHT NOW!
ELISA LAM
IS MISSING NO MORE.
ONCE ELISA LAM'S BODY WAS
DISCOVERED IN THE WATER TANK,
THE CECIL HOTEL,
AND PARTICULARLY THE ROOFTOP,
WAS A CRIME SCENE.
NOW WE'RE SEARCHING
FOR A SUSPECT
WHO IS RESPONSIBLE
FOR THIS PERSON'S DEATH.
ONE MYSTERY IS SOLVED,
BUT ANOTHER, EVEN MORE BAFFLING
ONE, IS JUST BEGINNING.
TO FIND THE BODY
OF THIS YOUNG GIRL
THAT YOU HAD BEEN LOOKING FOR,
FOR SEVERAL WEEKS
AND TO SEE HER
WITHOUT HER CLOTHES
AND IN THE CONDITION SHE WAS IN,
I MEAN, JUST EVERYTHING
IS RUNNING THROUGH YOUR MIND.
WAS SHE ASSAULTED?
WAS SHE SEXUALLY ASSAULTED?
WE'VE CHECKED EVERY ROOM
IN THIS HOTEL.
DID WE TALK TO A SUSPECT?
HER CLOTHES AND SOME OF HER
OTHER THINGS
WERE FLOATING NEAR HER.
THE DOOR TO THE ROOF IS
ALARMED, CORRECT?
THAT'S CORRECT.
AND IT WORKS?
IT'S OPERATIONAL?
YES.
SO IF ANYONE COMES
THROUGH THAT DOOR,
AN ALARM SOUNDS DOWN
AT THE FRONT DESK.
RIGHT, UNLESS AN EMPLOYEE
DISARMS IT WITH A KEY CARD.
YOU NEED ONE TO GET UP HERE.
ONLY A FEW PEOPLE HAVE ONE.
IF, IN FACT, THAT WAS TRUE,
THAT THE ALARM WAS FUNCTIONING,
THAT BEGS THE QUESTION,
WAS SOMEBODY THAT
WORKED THERE INVOLVED?
WHO SPECIFICALLY HAS
A KEY CARD?
JUST ME. AND HECTOR.
**
**
AFTER DISAPPEARING
FOR OVER 2 WEEKS,
CANADIAN TOURIST ELISA LAM
HAS BEEN FOUND
FLOATING DEAD
IN THE CECIL HOTEL'S
ROOFTOP WATER TANK.
GOT ANYTHING?
NOTHING ON THE ROOF YET.
WHAT DID WE FIND
IN THE TANK WITH HER?
WAS THERE A RED HOODIE?
THERE WAS, ALONG WITH
A WATCH AND A ROOM KEY.
HER OTHER VALUABLES, A LAPTOP,
PURSE, WERE STILL IN THE ROOM.
THE ONLY THING THAT
WE CAN'T FIND IS HER PHONE.
DETECTIVES WONDER
IF ELISA'S PHONE
GOT INTO SOMEONE ELSE'S HANDS.
AND IF THAT SOMEONE KILLED HER,
HOW DID THEY GET HER UP HERE
AND INTO THE WATER TANK?
I CAN'T IMAGINE SOMEONE
SNATCHING HER PHONE
OVER EVERYTHING ELSE SHE HAD.
MAYBE SHE LOST IT.
MAYBE, BUT WHATEVER IT IS, IT
DOESN'T APPEAR TO BE A ROBBERY.
WHAT ABOUT THOSE TWO?
ANYTHING?
I DON'T KNOW YET.
THEY MIGHT BE WITNESSES,
MIGHT BE SUSPECTS.
WE'VE GOTTA DIG
A LITTLE DEEPER.
A SWEEP OF THE ROOFTOP
PROVIDES NO CLUES
OF WHAT HAPPENED HERE.
DETECTIVES KNOW THEY HAVE
A TOUGH INVESTIGATION
IN FRONT OF THEM,
AND IF THE RELEASE OF THE VIDEO
TAUGHT THEM ANYTHING,
IT'S THAT THE MEDIA
WON'T BE OF HELP.
GOTTA GO.
DETECTIVE?
CARA ADAMS WITH THE "L.A. SUN."
CAN YOU TELL ME
WHAT HAPPENED TO ELISA?
I CAN'T TELL YOU MUCH RIGHT NOW.
DETECTIVE,
WAS ELISA LAM MURDERED?
I CAN'T COMMENT ON
AN ONGOING INVESTIGATION, MISS.
IF YOU'LL EXCUSE ME,
I HAVE WORK TO DO.
POLICE ARE FINISHED
TALKING WITH THE PRESS.
POLICE IN LOS ANGELES
ARE INVESTIGATING
HOW A CANADIAN TOURIST
ENDED UP IN THE WATER TANK
OF A DOWNTOWN HOTEL.
AFTER THE RELEASE
OF THE VIDEO OF ELISA,
NO INFORMATION HAD COME FORWARD
TO THE DETECTIVES,
BUT WHEN HER BODY
WAS DISCOVERED,
THERE WAS IMMEDIATE FRENZY
BECAUSE OF THE NATURE
OF HER DISCOVERY.
AGAIN, THIS WENT VIRAL.
AND WHILE POLICE
MAINTAIN RADIO SILENCE,
THE REST OF THE WORLD CLAMORS
FOR MORE INFORMATION.
IT'S UNCLEAR HOW LONG
SHE MAY HAVE BEEN INSIDE THERE.
NOW SOME GUESTS
WERE SO DISGUSTED
BY THE GRIM DISCOVER TODAY,
THEY IMMEDIATELY CHECKED OUT
OF THE HOTEL.
THE WATER HAS BEEN TURNED OFF
TO THE ENTIRE BUILDING.
THE REACTION TO
ELISA'S BODY BEING FOUND
IN THE WATER TANK WAS HUGE.
PEOPLE WERE HORRIFIED
BY THE IDEA
THAT GUESTS AT THE HOTEL
HAD BEEN BATHING
AND DRINKING AND BRUSHING
THEIR TEETH WITH WATER
COMING FROM A TANK
WHERE SOMEONE WAS DECOMPOSING,
AND IT WAS ALSO
EXTREMELY MYSTERIOUS
AS TO HOW SHE GOT IN THERE.
IT SEEMED LIKE THERE WERE
MORE QUESTIONS
THAN THAT HAD BEEN ANSWERED.
ADDING TO THE MYSTERY,
THE MEDICAL EXAMINER'S AUTOPSY
AND RULING OF THE CAUSE OF DEATH
WON'T BE COMPLETED ANYTIME SOON.
THE DIFFICULTY, OF COURSE,
WITH MAKING CERTAIN ASSESSMENTS
ABOUT HER CONDITION
WAS THAT SHE'D BEEN FLOATING
IN THAT TANK
PROBABLY FOR QUITE SOME TIME,
AND IT HAS A PRETTY DELETERIOUS
EFFECT ON THE HUMAN BODY.
BEHIND THE SCENES THOUGH,
DETECTIVES AREN'T
RULING OUT FOUL PLAY
AS IT SEEMS DOUBTFUL ELISA GOT
INTO THAT TANK ALL BY HERSELF.
SHE NEEDS TO KNOW
THERE'S A DOOR TO THE ROOF.
SHE WOULD NEED A KEY CARD,
WHICH SHE DIDN'T HAVE
BECAUSE WE KNOW
ONLY DAN, THE MANAGER,
AND HECTOR,
THE MAINTENANCE MAN,
HAVE KEYS.
WELL, WHAT ABOUT
THE FIRE ESCAPE?
SHE'D HAVE TO CLIMB UP
10 FLIGHTS
ON THE OUTSIDE
OF THE BUILDING.
SOMEONE WOULD'VE SEEN THAT,
AND NONE OF OUR WITNESSES
HAVE SAID ANYTHING
ABOUT THAT.
AND THEN, ONCE ON THE ROOF,
SHE'D HAVE TO CLIMB THE LADDER
TO THE TOP OF THE TANK,
TAKE OFF ALL HER CLOTHES
AND THEN LIFTED THAT LID
AND THEN FIT HERSELF INSIDE OF
THIS HOLE TO GET TO THE TANK.
ONCE INSIDE THE TANK,
SHE'D HAVE TO REACH UP,
PULL THE LID ON TOP OF HERSELF
WHILE NAKED AND DROWNING.
SOMEONE KILLED HER
AND PUT HER IN THERE.
IT HAD TO BE.
IN INVESTIGATING
HOMICIDES, SOMETIMES,
THE SIMPLEST EXPLANATION
IS THE RIGHT ONE.
SOMETIMES, THE CLUES
ARE RIGHT IN FRONT OF YOU.
BUT OFTENTIMES, IN CONDUCTING
THE INVESTIGATION,
THE DETECTIVES, YOU KNOW,
SEARCHED EVERY ROOM,
TALKED TO EVERYONE,
AND THERE'S NO EVIDENCE
THAT POINTED TO ANY SUSPECT.
ONLY ELISA KNOWS WHAT HAPPENED.
WITH NO PHYSICAL EVIDENCE
AND PUBLIC PRESSURE MOUNTING,
INVESTIGATORS CIRCLE BACK
TO THOSE CLOSEST TO THE CASE --
THE CECIL HOTEL'S EMPLOYEES.
YOU NEVER NOTICED HER,
PRETTY GIRL LIKE THAT, HECTOR,
TRAVELING ALL ALONE?
WE HAVE, LIKE,
600 GUESTS AT A TIME.
I ONLY SEE THEM WHEN THERE'S
A PROBLEM WITH THE ROOM
OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
WHAT ABOUT YOUR BOSS, DAN?
HE EVER SAY ANYTHING ABOUT HER?
DO YOU THINK HE COULD DO
SOMETHING LIKE THIS?
YOU'D HAVE
TO ASK HIM, MAN.
**
SHE WAS A PRETTY GIRL.
ELISA.
I SUPPOSE.
JUST ANOTHER GUEST TO ME.
SO YOU NEVER SAW HER
OTHER THAN CHECKING IN
OR COMING OR GOING?
IS THAT RIGHT?
YES.
WERE YOU EVER
IN HER ROOM WITH HER?
I DON'T LIKE
THESE QUESTIONS,
AND I DON'T THINK
I HAVE TO ANSWER THEM.
OKAY. OKAY. I GET IT.
SIT DOWN.
WHAT ABOUT HECTOR?
HE EVER MENTION ANYTHING
ABOUT ELISA,
THOUGHT SHE WAS PRETTY,
ANYTHING LIKE THAT?
ALL OF THE EMPLOYEES,
INCLUDING THE GUESTS,
WERE ALL INTERVIEWED.
THEY WERE ALL INVESTIGATED
AS FAR AS THEIR BACKGROUNDS.
THE DETECTIVES DIDN'T DISCOVER
ANYTHING OUT OF THE ORDINARY
IN THEIR INTERVIEWS
THAT CONNECTED ANYONE,
PARTICULARLY ANY EMPLOYEES,
TO THE DEATH OF ELISA.
UNTIL THE AUTOPSY IS COMPLETE,
THEY WON'T EVEN KNOW
THE CAUSE OF DEATH,
AND ELISA'S PHONE IS
STILL MISSING.
POLICE ARE BAFFLED.
THE ONLY WITNESS THEY HAVE
IS THE CAMERA
THAT CAPTURED ELISA
THE DAY OF HER DEATH.
THAT IS, UNTIL THEY CHECK
HER PHONE RECORDS.
STILL NOTHING?
I NEED THOSE AUTOPSY REPORTS,
LIKE, YESTERDAY.
PHONE RECORDS,
THAT'S SOMETHING.
YELLOW ONES
TO HER MOM AND DAD.
SHE CALLED HER MOM EVERY DAY,
MAINLY AT NIGHT.
PINK ONE IS THE SISTER.
WHAT ABOUT THE BLUE ONE?
THAT'S THE INTERESTING ONE,
ONLY ONE CALL TO THAT NUMBER.
DETECTIVES IDENTIFY
AND BRING IN FOR QUESTIONING
THE OWNER OF THAT SUSPICIOUS
PHONE NUMBER.
IF YOU TELL ME THE TRUTH,
I CAN HELP YOU,
BUT IF YOU LIE TO ME,
WELL, THERE'S NOTHING I CAN DO.
- AM I CLEAR?
- YEAH, I UNDERSTAND.
OKAY, HOW WELL
DID YOU KNOW ELISA LAM?
ARE YOU LOST?
**
**
SHE CALLED YOU.
YOU TALKED TO HER.
WE HAVE THE PHONE RECORDS.
YEAH, I TALKED TO HER.
POLICE ARE QUESTIONING
ONE OF THE LAST PEOPLE
ELISA LAM CALLED BEFORE
SHE DIED --
A LOCAL NAMED DYLAN.
GIVE YOU MY NUMBER,
YOU KNOW, JUST IN CASE
YOU GET REALLY LOST
OR YOU WANNA HANG OUT
SOME TIME.
ALL RIGHT. COOL.
I WAS JUST TRYING TO HELP.
SHE LOOKED LOST.
IS THAT THE ONLY TIME
YOU TALKED TO HER?
SHE CALLED,
AND WE WERE GONNA MEET.
GONNA GRAB SOME FOOD
AT THE PLACE WE FIRST MET.
SHE NEVER CALLED,
NEVER SHOWED.
I NEVER TALKED TO HER
AFTER THAT.
SHE DIDN'T CALL ME.
I DIDN'T CALL HER.
THAT MAKE YOU MAD,
GETTING STOOD UP LIKE THAT?
NO, IT WASN'T LIKE THAT.
POLICE QUESTION DYLAN FOR HOURS,
BUT IN THE END,
HIS ALIBI CHECKS OUT.
HE WASN'T EVEN IN LOS ANGELES
THE NIGHT ELISA WENT MISSING.
INVESTIGATORS HAVE REACHED
ANOTHER DEAD END.
**
AT THAT TIME,
ALL THE LEADS WERE EXHAUSTED,
AND NOW YOU JUST HAVE
TO WAIT FOR THE AUTOPSY
AND THE TOXICOLOGY REPORTS,
YOU KNOW, WHICH OFTEN
TAKES MONTHS TO COMPLETE.
**
AUTOPSY IS IN.
THE FINAL CONCLUSION
BY THE CORONER'S OFFICE
WAS REALLY SURPRISING.
ACCIDENTAL DROWNING?
IT JUST DOESN'T FEEL RIGHT,
DOESN'T FEEL RIGHT AT ALL.
BUT IF ANYONE AT
THE L.A.P.D. ISN'T BUYING IT,
THEY AREN'T OPENLY SAYING SO.
TO THIS DAY,
ALL PUBLIC STATEMENTS
STICK TO THE OFFICIAL STORY.
THERE WAS NOTHING
ABNORMAL DISCOVERED,
YOU KNOW, OTHER THAN DROWNING.
THERE WAS NO EVIDENCE
OF ANY FOUL PLAY.
THERE WAS NO EVIDENCE
OF ANY MANNER OF STRANGULATION.
THERE WAS NO EVIDENCE
THAT POINTED TO ANY SUSPECT.
THE EVIDENCE ALL POINTED
TO AN ACCIDENTAL DROWNING.
OUTSIDE THE L.A.P.D.,
MAJOR SKEPTICISM.
THE POLICE CONCLUSION
THAT IT WAS AN ACCIDENT,
YOU HAVE TO COME UP
WITH AN EXPLANATION
FOR WHAT SHE WAS DOING
THAT LED TO THAT ACCIDENT.
YOU KNOW, IT'S PROBABLY
ONE REASON THE STORY
WILL BE TALKED ABOUT
FOR A LONG TIME.
ON TOP OF IT,
THE L.A.P.D. CLOSES THE CASE
TOO ABRUPTLY FOR SOME.
THAT CASE WAS CLOSED
IN DECEMBER,
AND THE POLICE REFUSED
TO ANSWER REPORTER QUESTIONS.
THEY WERE SENSITIVE TO
THE FAMILY'S REACTION
TO ALL OF THIS,
AND SO THEY WOULDN'T
TALK TO ME OR ANYONE ELSE.
I MEAN, THEY DIDN'T
COMMENT AT ALL.
SO WHAT THAT DID WAS OPEN UP
ALL KINDS OF POSSIBILITIES,
SO PEOPLE ON THE INTERNET SAW IT
AND GO, "THIS IS CREEPY."
THE INTERNET KIND OF WENT
INSANE, AS DID LOS ANGELES,
BECAUSE IT MADE NO SENSE.
AMATEUR SLEUTHS BEGIN
TO DIG INTO
THE FACTS OF THE CASE
AND THE POLICE FINDINGS.
AND IN THIS VIDEO SEQUENCE,
IT SHOWED A YOUNG ASIAN GIRL
THAT WAS GETTING INTO
AN ELEVATOR...
ONE OBJECT OF INTENSE SCRUTINY
IS THE SURVEILLANCE VIDEO
OF ELISA LAM'S FINAL MOMENTS.
KEEN OBSERVERS NOTICE AN EDIT
AND A TIME JUMP IN THE CLIPS
THAT HAD BEEN RELEASED
TO THE PUBLIC.
APPARENTLY, THERE WAS
AROUND 1 MINUTE
CUT FROM THE ORIGINAL CLIP.
BUT IF THIS IS TRUE,
WHY WAS IT EDITED?
I THINK IT'S NATURAL THAT
PEOPLE FOCUSED ON THE VIDEO.
WHATEVER YOU WANTED TO SEE IN
THAT VIDEO, PEOPLE SAW.
IT'S HARD TO SAY DEFINITIVELY
THAT THIS HAS BEEN EDITED,
BUT IT'S SEEMS LIKE
THERE'S A FEW MOMENTS
WHERE SOME FOOTAGE HAS
BEEN TAKEN OUT.
IT WAS ODD BECAUSE THEN IT
CAUSED ALL KINDS OF SPECULATION,
OF COURSE, ABOUT,
WHAT WERE YOU REALLY SEEING?
WHAT WAS HAPPENING?
WHERE THE FRAMES ALL THERE?
BUT THE L.A.P.D.
INSISTS THE VIDEO IS UNALTERED.
THE INVESTIGATORS DID NOT MAKE
ANY EDITS TO THE VIDEO
SURVEILLANCE
THAT WAS RELEASED TO THE MEDIA.
THE MEDIA EDITS THEIR VIDEOS
AND, IN THIS CASE,
EDITED THIS VIDEO IN PORTIONS
THAT WOULD, YOU KNOW,
FIT TO THEIR NEWS BROADCASTS,
BUT THE TAPE WAS RELEASED
IN ITS ENTIRETY.
ONE OF THE BIGGEST
FRUSTRATIONS FOR ME
WAS THAT THE POLICE WOULDN'T
TALK TO ME OR ANYONE ELSE,
AND I FELT LIKE SOME OF
THE THINGS THAT I WANTED TO KNOW
THEY PROBABLY HAD AN EASY ANSWER
FOR LIKE, "WAS THIS EDITED?
WHY WAS IT EDITED?
WHY DID YOU CHOOSE THIS LENGTH?"
LIKE, YOU'VE OPENED THE DOOR
TO CONSPIRACY THEORISTS
AND ALL KINDS OF IDEAS
JUST BY NOT ANSWERING QUESTIONS.
IN A CASE THIS BIZARRE,
THE STONEWALLING ONLY EMBOLDENS
INTERNET SLEUTHS
AND CONSPIRACY THEORISTS,
AND THE MONTHS THAT FOLLOW ONLY
BRING MORE HEATED SPECULATION.
IT'S BEEN
CONTINUALLY REVISITED.
I MEAN, THERE'S SO MANY
DIFFERENT THEORIES
ABOUT WHAT HAPPENED TO HER.
**
PEOPLE THOUGHT, YOU KNOW,
HOW DID THIS YOUNG,
THIN GIRL GET ONTO THIS ROOFTOP,
CLIMB UP A LADDER,
OPEN A 20-POUND HATCH,
TAKE OFF ALL HER CLOTHES
BECAUSE SHE WAS FOUND NAKED,
GO IN THE WATER,
CLOSE THE HATCH PARTWAY UP?
I MEAN, IT MAKES NO SENSE.
IT SEEMS IMPOSSIBLE
AND IMPROBABLE.
BUT THE FINAL INCIDENT
IN THIS CASE
WOULD GIVE EVEN HARDENED
DETECTIVES REASON FOR PAUSE.
TO THIS DAY, ELISA'S PHONE
HAS NEVER BEEN FOUND.
BUT ON FEBRUARY 27, 2013,
THERE APPEARS,
ON ELISA'S TUMBLR PAGE,
A NEW POST...
28 DAYS AFTER SHE DIED.
**
THE POST --
A TAROT CARD OF THE HERMIT,
WHICH SYMBOLIZES A TIME
WHEN SOMEONE SEEKS SOLITUDE
AND ISOLATION FROM OTHERS.
COULD THIS BE A KILLER MOCKING
ELISA'S LONELY DEATH
TRAPPED IN THAT WATER TANK
AT THE CECIL HOTEL?
THE FACT THAT IT WENT UP
AFTER SHE DIED,
IT MAKES PEOPLE THINK PERHAPS
THE KILLER HAD THE PHONE
AND WAS USING IT TO POST
TO HER TUMBLR PAGE.
**
IT'S ALL TOO MUCH
FOR THOSE WHO INSIST
ELISA LAM
MUST HAVE BEEN MURDERED.
IT SEEMS REASONABLE TO BELIEVE
THAT ELISA LAM WAS MURDERED.
AN ACCIDENT, TO ME,
JUST SEEMS ALMOST UNBELIEVABLE.
BUT A LOT OF TIMES,
UNBELIEVABLE THINGS HAPPEN,
ESPECIALLY AT THE CECIL.
BECAUSE OF
THE HISTORY OF THE HOTEL,
PEOPLE HAVE SO MANY THEORIES
AS TO HER DEATH.
BUT REALLY, THE DETECTIVES
KNOW WHAT HAPPENED.
THE CORONER KNOWS WHAT HAPPENED.
THE FAMILY MEMBERS ARE SATISFIED
WITH WHAT HAPPENED.
THE PUBLIC DOESN'T KNOW ALL
THE INFORMATION ABOUT THE CASE.
I DON'T, FOR ONE MOMENT,
BUY INTO ANY OF
THE CONSPIRACY THEORIES
THAT ARE OUT THERE
REGARDING ELISA.
FOR OTHERS, THERE ARE
TOO MANY COINCIDENCES,
TOO MANY FACTS OUT OF PLACE --
THE WATER TANK,
A MISSING PHONE,
AND THAT
BIZARRE ELEVATOR FOOTAGE.
WAS IT MURDER?
OR WAS IT JUST...
THE CECIL HOTEL?
THERE'S AN OLD ADAGE,
YOU KNOW,
IF THE WALLS COULD TALK.
WELL, IF THE WALLS
IN THE CECIL COULD TALK,
I DON'T THINK THEY'D TALK.
I THINK THEY'D SCREAM.
**
I HAVE ARRIVED
IN LA LA LAND.
HER FIRST TRIP ALL ALONE.
SHE DIDN'T KNOW ANYBODY.
SHE CHECKS INTO
L.A.'s NOTORIOUS CECIL HOTEL.
YOU NEVER KNEW
WHAT YOU WERE WALKING INTO
WHEN YOU WALKED INTO THAT HOTEL.
THEN SHE VANISHES.
DETECTIVES SAY
IT WAS AN EMPLOYEE HERE
WHO LAST SAW LAM.
FOR ELISA LAM'S PARENTS,
THIS HAS BEEN A NIGHTMARE.
POLICE ARE BAFFLED.
WHEN YOU'VE SWEPT
THE ENTIRE HOTEL,
AND YOU HAVEN'T FOUND
ANYTHING...
THEN, SUDDENLY...
THERE SHE IS.
MY GOD.
WHAT THE HELL?
IN ONE OF THE STRANGEST
MURDER MYSTERIES OF ALL TIME...
IT WENT VIRAL VERY QUICKLY.
IS SHE HIDING FROM SOMEONE?
MY GOD.
THERE'S SO MANY DIFFERENT
THEORIES ABOUT WHAT HAPPENED.
BUT IT'S NOTHING NEW
FOR THE CECIL HOTEL.
IF THE WALLS IN THE CECIL
COULD TALK, THEY WOULDN'T TALK.
THEY WOULD SCREAM.
SOMEBODY, HELP!
**
**
**
LATE JANUARY
IS NOT QUITE TOURIST SEASON
IN LOS ANGELES,
SO WHEN 21-YEAR-OLD ELISA LAM
ARRIVES IN L.A. TO SIGHTSEE,
SHE DOESN'T FIND A CROWD
TO FOLLOW.
ELISA LAM WAS A 21-YEAR-OLD
FIRST-GENERATION CANADIAN
CHILD OF TWO IMMIGRANTS
FROM HONG KONG.
SHE WAS ENROLLED
AT THE UNIVERSITY OF
BRITISH COLUMBIA.
SHE NEEDED A BREAK FROM SCHOOL,
AND SHE JUST WANTED TO SEE
CALIFORNIA.
THIS WAS THE FIRST TIME
SHE'D EVER TRAVELED BY HERSELF,
CERTAINLY A TRIP LIKE THIS.
I'M GUESSING THAT ISN'T
ONE OF THOSE MAPS TO HOME
OF THE STARS, IS IT?
W- WHAT?
THE MAP. ARE YOU LOST?
IS IT THAT OBVIOUS?
I'M DYLAN.
ELISA.
NICE TO MEET YOU.
YEAH.
ELISA LAM WAS A VERY SWEET,
INTELLIGENT, SMART WOMAN.
SHE DIDN'T KNOW ANYBODY IN L.A.
SHE WAS ON HER WEST COAST TOUR.
SO WHERE YOU HEADED?
THAT'S WHAT I'M TRYING
TO FIGURE OUT.
I KIND OF WANT TO SEE
IT ALL.
WELL, THERE'S TWO PLACES YOU GOT
TO SEE WHILE YOU'RE HERE,
HOLLYWOOD AND VENICE BEACH.
YOU CAN TAKE THE BUS
TO HOLLYWOOD.
IT LEAVES RIGHT HERE.
COOL. THANKS.
SO WHERE YOU STAYING?
ANOTHER THING
I HAVE TO FIGURE OUT.
I HAVE...LET'S SAY,
A LIMITED BUDGET.
WELL, THERE'S SOME YOUTH HOSTELS
IN VENICE BEACH.
THERE'S SOME
DOWNTOWN HOTELS, TOO,
THAT ARE CLOSE TO EVERYTHING.
THEY'RE REALLY CHEAP,
PERFECT FOR A LIMITED BUDGET.
THERE'S THE CECIL...
THE CECIL?
YEAH.
I THINK IT'S THE CHEAPEST.
I'LL GIVE YOU MY NUMBER
JUST IN CASE YOU GET REALLY LOST
OR WANNA HANG OUT SOME TIME.
ALL RIGHT.
OKAY.
THANK YOU SO MUCH.
YEAH.
**
AS A POLICE DETECTIVE THAT SPENT
33 YEARS IN THE CITY, YOU KNOW,
JUST THE AREA ITSELF
WOULD WORRY ME,
YOU KNOW,
HAVING MY CHILDREN VISIT.
ELISA DECIDES TO STAY
AT THE ONCE-GLAMOROUS
CECIL HOTEL,
WHERE RATES HAVE BOTTOMED OUT
LIKE THE JANUARY TEMPERATURES.
THE CECIL STARTS OUT
AS A BEAUTIFUL, GLAMOROUS,
ART-DECO STYLE HOTEL
BUILT IN THE '20s,
INTENDED FOR TOURISTS.
IT WAS INEXPENSIVE.
IT WAS CENTRALLY LOCATED.
BUT IN 2013,
IT WAS FIRMLY AND SOLIDLY
ENTRENCHED IN SKID ROW.
BECAUSE IT OFFERED
INEXPENSIVE RATES,
PEOPLE THAT WERE INVOLVED
IN ILLICIT ACTIVITIES AND CRIMES
STAYED THERE
'CAUSE THEY COULD STAY THERE
FOR LONG PERIODS OF TIME
UNDETECTED
AT LOW COST, AND, YOU KNOW,
BLEND IN WITH THE HUNDREDS
OF PEOPLE THAT WOULD STAY THERE.
HI.
I'M HERE TO BOOK A ROOM.
- JUST YOURSELF?
- JUST ME.
- FOR HOW LONG?
- THREE NIGHTS, PLEASE.
**
YOU NEVER KNEW
WHAT YOU WERE WALKING INTO
WHEN YOU WALKED INTO THAT HOTEL.
THE CECIL SEEMS TO BE A MAGNET
FOR BAD THINGS AND BAD PEOPLE,
VERY BAD PEOPLE.
**
**
**
NO.
NO. NO.
IT'S OKAY. I'M SURE IT'S
GONNA START UP SOON.
NO, THIS...I...
I CAN'T BE IN SMALL SPACES.
IS THERE AN ALARM
OR SOMETHING?
HELLO?
**
HEY, IT'S OKAY.
HELLO?
HELLO?
**
I GAVE YOU 20 THIS MORNING.
WELL, NOW I NEED ANOTHER 20.
**
ELISA THOUGHT
SHE WAS GONNA STAY
AT A HIP-TYPE L.A. HOTEL.
BUT CHECKING INTO HER ROOM,
SHE QUICKLY REALIZED
THIS WAS NOT THE PLACE
THAT SHE EXPECTED TO STAY.
**
**
HEY, MOM.
HEY, YEAH.
I JUST GOT CHECKED IN.
IT'S COOL.
YES. IT'S SAFE.
ELISA KEPT IN CONTACT
WITH HER FAMILY,
PARTICULARLY HER PARENTS, ALONG
HER JOURNEYS ON A DAILY BASIS.
ANOTHER DAILY ROUTINE
IS ELISA'S TRAVEL BLOG.
IT RELIEVES THE STRESSES
OF BEING AWAY FROM HOME
FOR THE FIRST TIME.
I HAVE ARRIVED
IN LA LA LAND.
SHE VENTS ABOUT HER
DISAPPOINTING ACCOMMODATIONS
AT THE CECIL HOTEL.
IT WAS BUILT IN 1928.
HENCE, THE ART-DECO THEME,
SO YES, IT IS CLASSY,
BUT THEN, SINCE IT'S L.A.,
IT WENT ON CRACK.
I'M GOING OUT TONIGHT.
I HOPE NO CREEPERS CREEP ON ME.
**
**
FOR THE NEXT 3 DAYS,
ELISA KEEPS AN OPEN MIND
AND TAKES HER
L.A. EXPERIENCES IN STRIDE.
BY ALL ACCOUNTS,
ELISA WAS HAVING A GOOD TIME
IN LOS ANGELES.
NOTHING EXTRAORDINARY
HAPPENED TO ELISA
UP UNTIL JANUARY 31, 2013.
**
ELISA WAS IN HER ROOM.
SHE WAS UPDATING HER BLOG,
TALKING ABOUT HER EXPLOITS,
HER TRAVELS.
TODAY, I SLEPT IN,
TOOK A LONG, HOT SHOWER,
AND STUFFED MYSELF SILLY
WITH A $3 DINNER.
I DO WHAT I WANT.
I CAN'T DO THIS
ANYMORE. I WON'T.
KEEP YOUR VOICE DOWN.
DOESN'T MATTER WHAT I DO.
IT'S NOT GOOD ENOUGH FOR YOU.
IT'S NEVER GOOD ENOUGH FOR YOU.
YOU NEVER SEE ME.
YOU NEVER DO ANYTHING THAT I...
I NEVER DO ANYTHING FOR YOU?
- I DO EVERYTHING FOR YOU!
- YOU DO NOTHING!
I DON'T DO ANYTHING?
YOU DON'T DO ANYTHING!
YOU DON'T DO ANYTHING!
YOU SPEND MY MONEY
THAT I WORK HARD FOR!
SCREW THIS. SCREW YOU.
**
**
**
**
HELLO?
**
HELLO?
HELLO?
IT'S HARD TO UNDERSTAND
HOW, YOU KNOW,
AN OTHERWISE NORMAL
21-YEAR-OLD WOMAN
WOULD JUST ONE NIGHT
VANISH WITHOUT A TRACE.
**
**
ON JANUARY 28, 2013,
CANADIAN TOURIST ELISA LAM
CHECKED INTO THE CECIL HOTEL
IN DOWNTOWN LOS ANGELES.
BUT 4 DAYS LATER, THE CALLS HOME
TO HER PARENTS HAVE STOPPED.
**
CECIL HOTEL.
MA'AM, I'M SURE
YOUR DAUGHTER IS FINE.
SHE PROBABLY JUST...
ELISA LAM WAS IN REGULAR CONTACT
WITH HER PARENTS.
SHE GOT IN TOUCH WITH THEM
EVERY SINGLE DAY.
WHEN SHE FAILED TO DO SO,
THAT'S WHEN HER PARENTS
BECAME CONCERNED,
AND THEY CONTACTED THE HOTEL
LOOKING FOR ANY TRACE OF HER,
TRYING TO FIND HER.
OKAY. NO, I-I UNDERSTAND.
YEAH, I'LL CHECK.
**
AS PARENTS HAVING NOT
HEARD FROM THEIR DAUGHTER
AFTER HEARING FROM THEM
EVERY DAY...
ELISA LAM?
...I-I CAN ONLY IMAGINE
MERE FRUSTRATION
AND THAT SCAREDNESS OF,
YOU KNOW, "WHERE'S MY DAUGHTER?"
EVEN AFTER ONE DAY,
THE PARENTS DEFINITELY THOUGHT
SOMETHING WAS WRONG.
**
THERE WAS NOTHING IN HER ROOM
THAT WOULD INDICATE
ANY SIGNS OF FOUL PLAY,
ANY SIGNS OF A STRUGGLE,
OR THAT ANYTHING WAS TAKEN.
**
HER PARENTS
IMMEDIATELY CALL THE POLICE.
THE MERE FACT THAT
SHE CONTACTED HER PARENTS
ON A DAILY BASIS,
AND SHE WAS ALSO VISITING
FROM A FOREIGN COUNTRY
GAVE RISE TO CATEGORIZE THIS
AS A CRITICAL MISSING,
AND IN THIS CASE, IT WAS
ROBBERY-HOMICIDE DIVISION,
AN ELITE HOMICIDE DIVISION
WITHIN THE LOS ANGELES
POLICE DEPARTMENT,
THAT ASSUMED THE INVESTIGATIVE
RESPONSIBILITY FOR THIS CASE.
WHEN'S THE LAST TIME
ANYONE SAW HER?
THREE DAYS AGO. I SAW HER
GO UP TO HER ROOM.
SHE WAS ALONE?
YEAH.
ACCORDING TO STAFF
AND PEOPLE AT THE HOTEL,
NO ONE SAW HER LEAVE THAT HOTEL
AFTER THE EVENING OF
JANUARY 31st.
BY ALL ACCOUNTS,
ELISA WAS STILL IN THE HOTEL.
WE'RE GONNA NEED TO SEARCH
THE WHOLE PLACE, ROOMS INCLUDED.
I CAN GET THE MAINTENANCE MAN
TO BRING YOU TO HER ROOM.
**
HECTOR?
- What's up?
- GO UP TO THE FIFTH FLOOR.
SOME DETECTIVES
WILL MEET YOU THERE.
- Copy that.
AND WE WANT YOUR
SURVEILLANCE VIDEO. ALL OF IT.
THE VIDEO MAY TAKE AWHILE,
AND IT WON'T COVER EVERYTHING.
NOT ALL THE CAMERAS WORK.
I HAVE TO SEE.
WE'LL TAKE WHATEVER YOU GOT.
**
**
WE TREAT CRITICAL MISSINGS
JUST AS WE WOULD
A HOMICIDE INVESTIGATION.
LOOKING AT ELISA'S ROOM,
WE WOULD LOOK FOR ANY SIGNS
OF FOUL PLAY,
ANY SIGNS OF RANSACKING,
ANY SIGNS OF FORENSIC-TYPE
EVIDENCE LEFT BEHIND.
WHO LEAVES A LAPTOP BEHIND?
HER COMPUTER,
HER PERSONAL PROPERTY,
HER WATCH, THEY'RE EXPENSIVE
ITEMS STILL LEFT IN HER ROOM.
THERE WAS NO SIGNS OF
ANY RANSACKING,
NO SIGNS OF ANY FOUL PLAY.
HER CELLPHONE WAS THE ONLY THING
MISSING FROM HER ROOM.
NOW BEGINS THE DAUNTING TASK.
WHERE IS ELISA?
**
SIR, WE'RE DETECTIVES
FROM THE L.A.P.D.
WE'RE LOOKING FOR
A MISSING PERSON.
SHE WAS STAYING RIGHT NEXT DOOR.
SIR?
NEVER SEEN HER BEFORE.
- REALLY?
- I KEEP TO MYSELF.
L.A.P.D.
HI, SIR.
SORRY TO INTERRUPT.
POLICE CHECK
ALL 15 FLOORS OF THE HOTEL.
IF ANYONE KNOWS WHERE ELISA IS,
THEY AREN'T SAYING.
FOR ALL ANYONE KNEW,
SHE COULD'VE STILL BEEN
IN THE HOTEL.
SHE MIGHT'VE BEEN
IN SOMEONE'S ROOM.
THERE'S JUST NO WAY OF KNOWING,
AND IT'S SUCH
A MASSIVE PROPERTY.
WE'RE LOOKING FOR
A MISSING GIRL.
HAVE YOU SEEN THIS GIRL?
KNOWING THE SIZE
OF THE HOTEL,
KNOWING THE TYPE OF GUESTS
THAT FREQUENTED THE HOTEL,
THE POSSIBILITY OF ELISA
BEING HELD AGAINST HER WILL
OR BEING VICTIMIZED
BEHIND ONE OF THESE DOORS,
THE DETECTIVES HAD A GUT FEELING
THAT SHE WAS STILL IN THE HOTEL.
**
THE L.A.P.D. SEARCHED
THE CECIL FROM TOP TO BOTTOM.
THEY EVEN LOOK ON THE ROOF,
BUT THERE'S NO SIGN OF
ELISA LAM ANYWHERE.
WHEN YOU'VE SWEPT
THE ENTIRE HOTEL
AND YOU HAVEN'T FOUND ANYTHING
AND YOU HAVE NO EYEWITNESSES,
NO SUSPECTS,
IT BECOMES, LIKE,
IT'S LIKE A DISAPPEARING WOMAN.
SHE JUST KIND OF VANISHED
INTO THE CECIL HOTEL.
OUT OF OPTIONS,
POLICE TURN TO THE MEDIA
TO GET ELISA'S FACE OUT
TO THE PUBLIC.
DETECTIVES SAY
IT WAS AN EMPLOYEE HERE
WHO LAST SAW LAM,
WHO, UNTIL SHE DISAPPEARED,
HAD CALLED HOME DAILY.
BUT FOR ELISA LAM'S PARENTS,
THIS HAS BEEN A NIGHTMARE.
OKAY, DON'T ASK THE PARENTS
ANY QUESTIONS.
THEY WOULDN'T
COMMENT PUBLICLY,
LEAVING IT UP TO L.A.P.D.
TO MAKE ONE LAST REQUEST.
YOU KNOW, IT'S DISAPPOINTING
AS AN INVESTIGATOR.
THIS IS WHAT YOU DO
FOR A LIVING.
YOU SOLVE CASES.
YOU PUT THE PIECES OF THE PUZZLE
TOGETHER, SO IN THIS CASE,
THERE WAS NOTHING ELSE TO DO
BUT TO SEEK
THE PUBLIC'S ASSISTANCE.
RIGHT NOW, ALL WE'RE
REALLY ASKING
IS YOU PUT HER PICTURE OUT
AND SEE IF WE CAN GENERATE
ANY LEADS FROM THE PUBLIC,
AND THAT WOULD BE A BIG HELP.
REPORTERS JUMP
ON THE STORY
OF ELISA LAM'S
MYSTERIOUS DISAPPEARANCE
FROM THE CECIL HOTEL.
BUT IT SEEMS THE COPS' ONLY HOPE
OF A BREAK IN THE CASE
WILL COME FROM THE HOTEL ITSELF.
YOU GOT THOSE
SURVEILLANCE TAPES FOR ME?
RIGHT, HERE'S THE THING...
A LOT OF THE CAMERAS
DON'T WORK.
HERE'S WHAT WE HAVE.
I HOPE IT CAN HELP YOU.
THANKS. LET'S HOPE FOR
A LITTLE LUCK.
**
SOME OF THE CAMERA DON'T WORK,
BUT THIS IS WHAT WE GOT.
LOAD IT UP.
SO THIS IS THE SOUTH ENTRANCE.
PART OF THE INVESTIGATION
ENTAILED REVIEWING
IN EXCESS OF 50 HOURS OF VIDEO
SURVEILLANCE FROM THE HOTEL.
WHO WE GOT HERE?
NO, THAT'S NOT HER.
THIS IS NOTHING.
THE DETECTIVES WERE
ALMOST GRASPING FOR STRAWS
TRYING TO FIND HER.
AS AN INVESTIGATOR MYSELF
AND VIEWING
HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF HOURS
OF VIDEO SURVEILLANCE...
I MEAN, WHAT A DAUNTING TASK.
LET'S SEE HERE.
THIS IS THE HALLWAY.
**
IS THAT HER?
NO, THAT'S NOT HER.
**
IT'S NOTHING.
HERE'S THE LAST ONE.
IT'S FROM THE ELEVATOR
CLOSEST TO THE ROOM
WHERE SHE WAS STAYING.
**
THERE SHE IS.
MY GOD. WHAT THE HELL?
**
**
IN DOWNTOWN LOS ANGELES,
VACATIONING COLLEGE STUDENT
ELISA LAM
HAS BEEN MISSING FOR 13 DAYS.
THEN COPS GET A BIG BREAK
WHEN SHE SHOWS UP
ON HOTEL SURVEILLANCE VIDEO
FROM THE SAME NIGHT
SHE WAS LAST HEARD FROM...
GO BACK. GO BACK.
...JANUARY 31, 2013.
WATCH WHEN SHE GETS ON
THE ELEVATOR.
BUT NOBODY IS PREPARED
FOR WHAT THEY WOULD SEE NEXT.
**
IS SHE HIDING FROM SOMEONE?
IT'S JUST VERY UNSETTLING.
SHE APPEARS TO BE HIDING
FROM SOMEBODY OR SOMETHING.
SHE LOOKS IN AND OUT
OF THE ELEVATOR A LOT.
SHE PULLS HER BODY BACK
LIKE SHE'S TRYING TO HIDE
FROM SOMEBODY.
ROLL IT BACK AGAIN.
SHE JAMS A LOT OF DIFFERENT
BUTTONS ON THE ELEVATOR.
SHE GOES OUT INTO THE HALLWAY
AND APPEARS
TO BE DOING
THIS WEIRD HAND MOTION,
LIKE SHE'S GESTICULATING
WHILE SHE'S SPEAKING
TO SOMEONE IN FRONT OF HER.
SHE'S GOT TO BE
TALKING TO SOMEONE.
THERE'S NO ONE ELSE THERE.
**
THE CREEPIEST PART
IS WHERE SHE COMES BACK OUT,
AND YOU KEEP EXPECTING HER
TO COME BACK INTO THE ELEVATOR,
BUT SHE DOESN'T.
IT'S THE LAST LOOK
AT ELISA LAM.
IT STILL WASN'T ANY COMFORT
FOR THE DETECTIVES.
SHE STILL HADN'T BEEN FOUND,
AND IF ANYTHING,
THIS VIDEO SURVEILLANCE OF HER
IN THE ELEVATOR
LEFT MORE QUESTIONS
THAN ANSWERS.
WHO WAS CHASING HER?
WHAT WAS SHE HIDING FROM?
AND WHERE DID SHE GO
AFTER LEAVING THE ELEVATOR?
WHAT HAPPENS NEXT
TURNS THIS RUN-OF-THE-MILL
MISSING PERSONS CASE
INTO AN INTERNATIONAL MYSTERY.
THE ENTIRE VIDEO WAS
RELEASED TO THE MEDIA.
THIS IS
NEWLY RELEASED VIDEO
SHOWING
A MISSING CANADIAN TOURIST,
A YOUNG WOMAN IN DOWNTOWN L.A.
HER NAME IS ELISA LAM.
SHE'S 21 YEARS OLD.
SHE DISAPPEARED 2 WEEKS AGO.
IT WENT VIRAL
VERY QUICKLY.
IT CAPTIVATED PEOPLE.
YOU HAVE THIS VIDEO
OF THIS YOUNG GIRL
WHO IS TRAVELING ALONE
BY HERSELF IN A CITY
SHE'S UNFAMILIAR WITH,
IN AN ELEVATOR,
AND SHE'S BEHAVING IN A STRANGE
MANNER THAT NO ONE CAN EXPLAIN.
WE SPOKE A SHORT TIME
AGO WITH A DETECTIVE.
HE WANTS EVERYONE TO SEE
THIS SURVEILLANCE VIDEO
SHOT HERE AT THE CECIL HOTEL.
IT SHOWS ELISA LAM GETTING INTO
ONE OF THE HOTEL'S ELEVATOR,
BELIEVED TO BE THE LAST IMAGES
OF HER BEFORE SHE DISAPPEARED.
IN MY EXPERIENCE
IN WORKING HOMICIDES
AND MISSING PERSONS,
I HAVE NEVER SEEN
THIS TYPE OF ATTENTION
DRAWN TO ONE PARTICULAR CASE.
NBC 4's JOHN CáDIZ KLEMACK
IS LIVE OUTSIDE THE CECIL HOTEL
WITH NEW INFORMATION.
THE VIDEO QUICKLY GOES VIRAL.
IT JUST BECAME
A MEDIA STORM,
AND EVERYONE
TOOK TO FACEBOOK AND TWITTER,
AND PEOPLE WERE LEFT TO WONDER,
"WHERE DID SHE GO
AFTER SHE LEFT THE ELEVATOR,
AND WHAT HAPPENED TO HER?"
THE FOOTAGE GARNERS
A MOUNTAIN OF MEDIA ATTENTION
BUT LITTLE ELSE.
ELISA'S PARENTS
ARE FRAUGHT WITH WORRY,
AND THE LOS ANGELES POLICE
DEPARTMENT STILL HAS NO ANSWERS.
HAVING ELISA'S FAMILY IN TOWN
AND THEN FOR
EVERYTHING TO GO COLD,
HOW DO YOU EXPLAIN TO THEM
THAT WE'RE DOING
EVERYTHING IN OUR POWER
TO LOCATE HER,
AND STILL, SHE'S NOT FOUND?
I MEAN, THAT WEIGHS HEAVILY
ON THE HEART OF INVESTIGATORS.
AFTER AN EXHAUSTING
21/2 WEEKS WITH NO SOLID LEADS,
INVESTIGATORS ARE STILL STUMPED.
IT WILL TAKE ANOTHER
BIZARRE INCIDENT
TO BREATHE ANY LIFE
INTO THEIR CASE.
TONIGHT, I'M THINKING
MEXICAN FOR DINNER.
REALLY?
THAT'S, LIKE, THE THIRD TIME
SINCE WE'VE BEEN HERE.
DENISE, WE'RE IN L.A.
THEY HAVE THE BEST
MEXICAN FOOD IN THE WORLD.
**
MY GOD.
WHAT?
ON THE 19th OF FEBRUARY,
RESIDENTS COMPLAINED
OF A FOUL TASTE
AND A FOUL ODOR
TO THE TAP WATER IN THE HOTEL.
**
SUBSEQUENTLY,
MAINTENANCE WORKERS, YOU KNOW,
CHECKED THE WATER SYSTEMS
AND, IN THIS CASE,
THE WATER TANKS
ATOP THE ROOF
OF THE CECIL HOTEL.
Hector, you find
anything yet?
I JUST GOT UP HERE.
GIVE ME A SECOND.
THE CECIL HOTEL
HAD SEVERAL WATER TANKS
THAT FED THE WATER VIA GRAVITY
TO THE 600-PLUS ROOMS.
**
THE MAINTENANCE WORKER
WENT UP ON THE ROOF
OF THE CECIL,
WHERE THE WATER TANKS ARE,
TO INVESTIGATE
THE CAUSE OF THE WATER PROBLEM.
BUT YOU HAVE TO CLIMB UP
TO PEER INSIDE THE TANKS
'CAUSE THEY HOLD
AN ENORMOUS AMOUNT OF WATER.
WHAT HE SEES NEXT
SENDS THIS INVESTIGATION
INTO OVERDRIVE.
**
DAN, DO YOU COPY?
- What's up?
- CALL THE POLICE RIGHT NOW!
ELISA LAM
IS MISSING NO MORE.
ONCE ELISA LAM'S BODY WAS
DISCOVERED IN THE WATER TANK,
THE CECIL HOTEL,
AND PARTICULARLY THE ROOFTOP,
WAS A CRIME SCENE.
NOW WE'RE SEARCHING
FOR A SUSPECT
WHO IS RESPONSIBLE
FOR THIS PERSON'S DEATH.
ONE MYSTERY IS SOLVED,
BUT ANOTHER, EVEN MORE BAFFLING
ONE, IS JUST BEGINNING.
TO FIND THE BODY
OF THIS YOUNG GIRL
THAT YOU HAD BEEN LOOKING FOR,
FOR SEVERAL WEEKS
AND TO SEE HER
WITHOUT HER CLOTHES
AND IN THE CONDITION SHE WAS IN,
I MEAN, JUST EVERYTHING
IS RUNNING THROUGH YOUR MIND.
WAS SHE ASSAULTED?
WAS SHE SEXUALLY ASSAULTED?
WE'VE CHECKED EVERY ROOM
IN THIS HOTEL.
DID WE TALK TO A SUSPECT?
HER CLOTHES AND SOME OF HER
OTHER THINGS
WERE FLOATING NEAR HER.
THE DOOR TO THE ROOF IS
ALARMED, CORRECT?
THAT'S CORRECT.
AND IT WORKS?
IT'S OPERATIONAL?
YES.
SO IF ANYONE COMES
THROUGH THAT DOOR,
AN ALARM SOUNDS DOWN
AT THE FRONT DESK.
RIGHT, UNLESS AN EMPLOYEE
DISARMS IT WITH A KEY CARD.
YOU NEED ONE TO GET UP HERE.
ONLY A FEW PEOPLE HAVE ONE.
IF, IN FACT, THAT WAS TRUE,
THAT THE ALARM WAS FUNCTIONING,
THAT BEGS THE QUESTION,
WAS SOMEBODY THAT
WORKED THERE INVOLVED?
WHO SPECIFICALLY HAS
A KEY CARD?
JUST ME. AND HECTOR.
**
**
AFTER DISAPPEARING
FOR OVER 2 WEEKS,
CANADIAN TOURIST ELISA LAM
HAS BEEN FOUND
FLOATING DEAD
IN THE CECIL HOTEL'S
ROOFTOP WATER TANK.
GOT ANYTHING?
NOTHING ON THE ROOF YET.
WHAT DID WE FIND
IN THE TANK WITH HER?
WAS THERE A RED HOODIE?
THERE WAS, ALONG WITH
A WATCH AND A ROOM KEY.
HER OTHER VALUABLES, A LAPTOP,
PURSE, WERE STILL IN THE ROOM.
THE ONLY THING THAT
WE CAN'T FIND IS HER PHONE.
DETECTIVES WONDER
IF ELISA'S PHONE
GOT INTO SOMEONE ELSE'S HANDS.
AND IF THAT SOMEONE KILLED HER,
HOW DID THEY GET HER UP HERE
AND INTO THE WATER TANK?
I CAN'T IMAGINE SOMEONE
SNATCHING HER PHONE
OVER EVERYTHING ELSE SHE HAD.
MAYBE SHE LOST IT.
MAYBE, BUT WHATEVER IT IS, IT
DOESN'T APPEAR TO BE A ROBBERY.
WHAT ABOUT THOSE TWO?
ANYTHING?
I DON'T KNOW YET.
THEY MIGHT BE WITNESSES,
MIGHT BE SUSPECTS.
WE'VE GOTTA DIG
A LITTLE DEEPER.
A SWEEP OF THE ROOFTOP
PROVIDES NO CLUES
OF WHAT HAPPENED HERE.
DETECTIVES KNOW THEY HAVE
A TOUGH INVESTIGATION
IN FRONT OF THEM,
AND IF THE RELEASE OF THE VIDEO
TAUGHT THEM ANYTHING,
IT'S THAT THE MEDIA
WON'T BE OF HELP.
GOTTA GO.
DETECTIVE?
CARA ADAMS WITH THE "L.A. SUN."
CAN YOU TELL ME
WHAT HAPPENED TO ELISA?
I CAN'T TELL YOU MUCH RIGHT NOW.
DETECTIVE,
WAS ELISA LAM MURDERED?
I CAN'T COMMENT ON
AN ONGOING INVESTIGATION, MISS.
IF YOU'LL EXCUSE ME,
I HAVE WORK TO DO.
POLICE ARE FINISHED
TALKING WITH THE PRESS.
POLICE IN LOS ANGELES
ARE INVESTIGATING
HOW A CANADIAN TOURIST
ENDED UP IN THE WATER TANK
OF A DOWNTOWN HOTEL.
AFTER THE RELEASE
OF THE VIDEO OF ELISA,
NO INFORMATION HAD COME FORWARD
TO THE DETECTIVES,
BUT WHEN HER BODY
WAS DISCOVERED,
THERE WAS IMMEDIATE FRENZY
BECAUSE OF THE NATURE
OF HER DISCOVERY.
AGAIN, THIS WENT VIRAL.
AND WHILE POLICE
MAINTAIN RADIO SILENCE,
THE REST OF THE WORLD CLAMORS
FOR MORE INFORMATION.
IT'S UNCLEAR HOW LONG
SHE MAY HAVE BEEN INSIDE THERE.
NOW SOME GUESTS
WERE SO DISGUSTED
BY THE GRIM DISCOVER TODAY,
THEY IMMEDIATELY CHECKED OUT
OF THE HOTEL.
THE WATER HAS BEEN TURNED OFF
TO THE ENTIRE BUILDING.
THE REACTION TO
ELISA'S BODY BEING FOUND
IN THE WATER TANK WAS HUGE.
PEOPLE WERE HORRIFIED
BY THE IDEA
THAT GUESTS AT THE HOTEL
HAD BEEN BATHING
AND DRINKING AND BRUSHING
THEIR TEETH WITH WATER
COMING FROM A TANK
WHERE SOMEONE WAS DECOMPOSING,
AND IT WAS ALSO
EXTREMELY MYSTERIOUS
AS TO HOW SHE GOT IN THERE.
IT SEEMED LIKE THERE WERE
MORE QUESTIONS
THAN THAT HAD BEEN ANSWERED.
ADDING TO THE MYSTERY,
THE MEDICAL EXAMINER'S AUTOPSY
AND RULING OF THE CAUSE OF DEATH
WON'T BE COMPLETED ANYTIME SOON.
THE DIFFICULTY, OF COURSE,
WITH MAKING CERTAIN ASSESSMENTS
ABOUT HER CONDITION
WAS THAT SHE'D BEEN FLOATING
IN THAT TANK
PROBABLY FOR QUITE SOME TIME,
AND IT HAS A PRETTY DELETERIOUS
EFFECT ON THE HUMAN BODY.
BEHIND THE SCENES THOUGH,
DETECTIVES AREN'T
RULING OUT FOUL PLAY
AS IT SEEMS DOUBTFUL ELISA GOT
INTO THAT TANK ALL BY HERSELF.
SHE NEEDS TO KNOW
THERE'S A DOOR TO THE ROOF.
SHE WOULD NEED A KEY CARD,
WHICH SHE DIDN'T HAVE
BECAUSE WE KNOW
ONLY DAN, THE MANAGER,
AND HECTOR,
THE MAINTENANCE MAN,
HAVE KEYS.
WELL, WHAT ABOUT
THE FIRE ESCAPE?
SHE'D HAVE TO CLIMB UP
10 FLIGHTS
ON THE OUTSIDE
OF THE BUILDING.
SOMEONE WOULD'VE SEEN THAT,
AND NONE OF OUR WITNESSES
HAVE SAID ANYTHING
ABOUT THAT.
AND THEN, ONCE ON THE ROOF,
SHE'D HAVE TO CLIMB THE LADDER
TO THE TOP OF THE TANK,
TAKE OFF ALL HER CLOTHES
AND THEN LIFTED THAT LID
AND THEN FIT HERSELF INSIDE OF
THIS HOLE TO GET TO THE TANK.
ONCE INSIDE THE TANK,
SHE'D HAVE TO REACH UP,
PULL THE LID ON TOP OF HERSELF
WHILE NAKED AND DROWNING.
SOMEONE KILLED HER
AND PUT HER IN THERE.
IT HAD TO BE.
IN INVESTIGATING
HOMICIDES, SOMETIMES,
THE SIMPLEST EXPLANATION
IS THE RIGHT ONE.
SOMETIMES, THE CLUES
ARE RIGHT IN FRONT OF YOU.
BUT OFTENTIMES, IN CONDUCTING
THE INVESTIGATION,
THE DETECTIVES, YOU KNOW,
SEARCHED EVERY ROOM,
TALKED TO EVERYONE,
AND THERE'S NO EVIDENCE
THAT POINTED TO ANY SUSPECT.
ONLY ELISA KNOWS WHAT HAPPENED.
WITH NO PHYSICAL EVIDENCE
AND PUBLIC PRESSURE MOUNTING,
INVESTIGATORS CIRCLE BACK
TO THOSE CLOSEST TO THE CASE --
THE CECIL HOTEL'S EMPLOYEES.
YOU NEVER NOTICED HER,
PRETTY GIRL LIKE THAT, HECTOR,
TRAVELING ALL ALONE?
WE HAVE, LIKE,
600 GUESTS AT A TIME.
I ONLY SEE THEM WHEN THERE'S
A PROBLEM WITH THE ROOM
OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
WHAT ABOUT YOUR BOSS, DAN?
HE EVER SAY ANYTHING ABOUT HER?
DO YOU THINK HE COULD DO
SOMETHING LIKE THIS?
YOU'D HAVE
TO ASK HIM, MAN.
**
SHE WAS A PRETTY GIRL.
ELISA.
I SUPPOSE.
JUST ANOTHER GUEST TO ME.
SO YOU NEVER SAW HER
OTHER THAN CHECKING IN
OR COMING OR GOING?
IS THAT RIGHT?
YES.
WERE YOU EVER
IN HER ROOM WITH HER?
I DON'T LIKE
THESE QUESTIONS,
AND I DON'T THINK
I HAVE TO ANSWER THEM.
OKAY. OKAY. I GET IT.
SIT DOWN.
WHAT ABOUT HECTOR?
HE EVER MENTION ANYTHING
ABOUT ELISA,
THOUGHT SHE WAS PRETTY,
ANYTHING LIKE THAT?
ALL OF THE EMPLOYEES,
INCLUDING THE GUESTS,
WERE ALL INTERVIEWED.
THEY WERE ALL INVESTIGATED
AS FAR AS THEIR BACKGROUNDS.
THE DETECTIVES DIDN'T DISCOVER
ANYTHING OUT OF THE ORDINARY
IN THEIR INTERVIEWS
THAT CONNECTED ANYONE,
PARTICULARLY ANY EMPLOYEES,
TO THE DEATH OF ELISA.
UNTIL THE AUTOPSY IS COMPLETE,
THEY WON'T EVEN KNOW
THE CAUSE OF DEATH,
AND ELISA'S PHONE IS
STILL MISSING.
POLICE ARE BAFFLED.
THE ONLY WITNESS THEY HAVE
IS THE CAMERA
THAT CAPTURED ELISA
THE DAY OF HER DEATH.
THAT IS, UNTIL THEY CHECK
HER PHONE RECORDS.
STILL NOTHING?
I NEED THOSE AUTOPSY REPORTS,
LIKE, YESTERDAY.
PHONE RECORDS,
THAT'S SOMETHING.
YELLOW ONES
TO HER MOM AND DAD.
SHE CALLED HER MOM EVERY DAY,
MAINLY AT NIGHT.
PINK ONE IS THE SISTER.
WHAT ABOUT THE BLUE ONE?
THAT'S THE INTERESTING ONE,
ONLY ONE CALL TO THAT NUMBER.
DETECTIVES IDENTIFY
AND BRING IN FOR QUESTIONING
THE OWNER OF THAT SUSPICIOUS
PHONE NUMBER.
IF YOU TELL ME THE TRUTH,
I CAN HELP YOU,
BUT IF YOU LIE TO ME,
WELL, THERE'S NOTHING I CAN DO.
- AM I CLEAR?
- YEAH, I UNDERSTAND.
OKAY, HOW WELL
DID YOU KNOW ELISA LAM?
ARE YOU LOST?
**
**
SHE CALLED YOU.
YOU TALKED TO HER.
WE HAVE THE PHONE RECORDS.
YEAH, I TALKED TO HER.
POLICE ARE QUESTIONING
ONE OF THE LAST PEOPLE
ELISA LAM CALLED BEFORE
SHE DIED --
A LOCAL NAMED DYLAN.
GIVE YOU MY NUMBER,
YOU KNOW, JUST IN CASE
YOU GET REALLY LOST
OR YOU WANNA HANG OUT
SOME TIME.
ALL RIGHT. COOL.
I WAS JUST TRYING TO HELP.
SHE LOOKED LOST.
IS THAT THE ONLY TIME
YOU TALKED TO HER?
SHE CALLED,
AND WE WERE GONNA MEET.
GONNA GRAB SOME FOOD
AT THE PLACE WE FIRST MET.
SHE NEVER CALLED,
NEVER SHOWED.
I NEVER TALKED TO HER
AFTER THAT.
SHE DIDN'T CALL ME.
I DIDN'T CALL HER.
THAT MAKE YOU MAD,
GETTING STOOD UP LIKE THAT?
NO, IT WASN'T LIKE THAT.
POLICE QUESTION DYLAN FOR HOURS,
BUT IN THE END,
HIS ALIBI CHECKS OUT.
HE WASN'T EVEN IN LOS ANGELES
THE NIGHT ELISA WENT MISSING.
INVESTIGATORS HAVE REACHED
ANOTHER DEAD END.
**
AT THAT TIME,
ALL THE LEADS WERE EXHAUSTED,
AND NOW YOU JUST HAVE
TO WAIT FOR THE AUTOPSY
AND THE TOXICOLOGY REPORTS,
YOU KNOW, WHICH OFTEN
TAKES MONTHS TO COMPLETE.
**
AUTOPSY IS IN.
THE FINAL CONCLUSION
BY THE CORONER'S OFFICE
WAS REALLY SURPRISING.
ACCIDENTAL DROWNING?
IT JUST DOESN'T FEEL RIGHT,
DOESN'T FEEL RIGHT AT ALL.
BUT IF ANYONE AT
THE L.A.P.D. ISN'T BUYING IT,
THEY AREN'T OPENLY SAYING SO.
TO THIS DAY,
ALL PUBLIC STATEMENTS
STICK TO THE OFFICIAL STORY.
THERE WAS NOTHING
ABNORMAL DISCOVERED,
YOU KNOW, OTHER THAN DROWNING.
THERE WAS NO EVIDENCE
OF ANY FOUL PLAY.
THERE WAS NO EVIDENCE
OF ANY MANNER OF STRANGULATION.
THERE WAS NO EVIDENCE
THAT POINTED TO ANY SUSPECT.
THE EVIDENCE ALL POINTED
TO AN ACCIDENTAL DROWNING.
OUTSIDE THE L.A.P.D.,
MAJOR SKEPTICISM.
THE POLICE CONCLUSION
THAT IT WAS AN ACCIDENT,
YOU HAVE TO COME UP
WITH AN EXPLANATION
FOR WHAT SHE WAS DOING
THAT LED TO THAT ACCIDENT.
YOU KNOW, IT'S PROBABLY
ONE REASON THE STORY
WILL BE TALKED ABOUT
FOR A LONG TIME.
ON TOP OF IT,
THE L.A.P.D. CLOSES THE CASE
TOO ABRUPTLY FOR SOME.
THAT CASE WAS CLOSED
IN DECEMBER,
AND THE POLICE REFUSED
TO ANSWER REPORTER QUESTIONS.
THEY WERE SENSITIVE TO
THE FAMILY'S REACTION
TO ALL OF THIS,
AND SO THEY WOULDN'T
TALK TO ME OR ANYONE ELSE.
I MEAN, THEY DIDN'T
COMMENT AT ALL.
SO WHAT THAT DID WAS OPEN UP
ALL KINDS OF POSSIBILITIES,
SO PEOPLE ON THE INTERNET SAW IT
AND GO, "THIS IS CREEPY."
THE INTERNET KIND OF WENT
INSANE, AS DID LOS ANGELES,
BECAUSE IT MADE NO SENSE.
AMATEUR SLEUTHS BEGIN
TO DIG INTO
THE FACTS OF THE CASE
AND THE POLICE FINDINGS.
AND IN THIS VIDEO SEQUENCE,
IT SHOWED A YOUNG ASIAN GIRL
THAT WAS GETTING INTO
AN ELEVATOR...
ONE OBJECT OF INTENSE SCRUTINY
IS THE SURVEILLANCE VIDEO
OF ELISA LAM'S FINAL MOMENTS.
KEEN OBSERVERS NOTICE AN EDIT
AND A TIME JUMP IN THE CLIPS
THAT HAD BEEN RELEASED
TO THE PUBLIC.
APPARENTLY, THERE WAS
AROUND 1 MINUTE
CUT FROM THE ORIGINAL CLIP.
BUT IF THIS IS TRUE,
WHY WAS IT EDITED?
I THINK IT'S NATURAL THAT
PEOPLE FOCUSED ON THE VIDEO.
WHATEVER YOU WANTED TO SEE IN
THAT VIDEO, PEOPLE SAW.
IT'S HARD TO SAY DEFINITIVELY
THAT THIS HAS BEEN EDITED,
BUT IT'S SEEMS LIKE
THERE'S A FEW MOMENTS
WHERE SOME FOOTAGE HAS
BEEN TAKEN OUT.
IT WAS ODD BECAUSE THEN IT
CAUSED ALL KINDS OF SPECULATION,
OF COURSE, ABOUT,
WHAT WERE YOU REALLY SEEING?
WHAT WAS HAPPENING?
WHERE THE FRAMES ALL THERE?
BUT THE L.A.P.D.
INSISTS THE VIDEO IS UNALTERED.
THE INVESTIGATORS DID NOT MAKE
ANY EDITS TO THE VIDEO
SURVEILLANCE
THAT WAS RELEASED TO THE MEDIA.
THE MEDIA EDITS THEIR VIDEOS
AND, IN THIS CASE,
EDITED THIS VIDEO IN PORTIONS
THAT WOULD, YOU KNOW,
FIT TO THEIR NEWS BROADCASTS,
BUT THE TAPE WAS RELEASED
IN ITS ENTIRETY.
ONE OF THE BIGGEST
FRUSTRATIONS FOR ME
WAS THAT THE POLICE WOULDN'T
TALK TO ME OR ANYONE ELSE,
AND I FELT LIKE SOME OF
THE THINGS THAT I WANTED TO KNOW
THEY PROBABLY HAD AN EASY ANSWER
FOR LIKE, "WAS THIS EDITED?
WHY WAS IT EDITED?
WHY DID YOU CHOOSE THIS LENGTH?"
LIKE, YOU'VE OPENED THE DOOR
TO CONSPIRACY THEORISTS
AND ALL KINDS OF IDEAS
JUST BY NOT ANSWERING QUESTIONS.
IN A CASE THIS BIZARRE,
THE STONEWALLING ONLY EMBOLDENS
INTERNET SLEUTHS
AND CONSPIRACY THEORISTS,
AND THE MONTHS THAT FOLLOW ONLY
BRING MORE HEATED SPECULATION.
IT'S BEEN
CONTINUALLY REVISITED.
I MEAN, THERE'S SO MANY
DIFFERENT THEORIES
ABOUT WHAT HAPPENED TO HER.
**
PEOPLE THOUGHT, YOU KNOW,
HOW DID THIS YOUNG,
THIN GIRL GET ONTO THIS ROOFTOP,
CLIMB UP A LADDER,
OPEN A 20-POUND HATCH,
TAKE OFF ALL HER CLOTHES
BECAUSE SHE WAS FOUND NAKED,
GO IN THE WATER,
CLOSE THE HATCH PARTWAY UP?
I MEAN, IT MAKES NO SENSE.
IT SEEMS IMPOSSIBLE
AND IMPROBABLE.
BUT THE FINAL INCIDENT
IN THIS CASE
WOULD GIVE EVEN HARDENED
DETECTIVES REASON FOR PAUSE.
TO THIS DAY, ELISA'S PHONE
HAS NEVER BEEN FOUND.
BUT ON FEBRUARY 27, 2013,
THERE APPEARS,
ON ELISA'S TUMBLR PAGE,
A NEW POST...
28 DAYS AFTER SHE DIED.
**
THE POST --
A TAROT CARD OF THE HERMIT,
WHICH SYMBOLIZES A TIME
WHEN SOMEONE SEEKS SOLITUDE
AND ISOLATION FROM OTHERS.
COULD THIS BE A KILLER MOCKING
ELISA'S LONELY DEATH
TRAPPED IN THAT WATER TANK
AT THE CECIL HOTEL?
THE FACT THAT IT WENT UP
AFTER SHE DIED,
IT MAKES PEOPLE THINK PERHAPS
THE KILLER HAD THE PHONE
AND WAS USING IT TO POST
TO HER TUMBLR PAGE.
**
IT'S ALL TOO MUCH
FOR THOSE WHO INSIST
ELISA LAM
MUST HAVE BEEN MURDERED.
IT SEEMS REASONABLE TO BELIEVE
THAT ELISA LAM WAS MURDERED.
AN ACCIDENT, TO ME,
JUST SEEMS ALMOST UNBELIEVABLE.
BUT A LOT OF TIMES,
UNBELIEVABLE THINGS HAPPEN,
ESPECIALLY AT THE CECIL.
BECAUSE OF
THE HISTORY OF THE HOTEL,
PEOPLE HAVE SO MANY THEORIES
AS TO HER DEATH.
BUT REALLY, THE DETECTIVES
KNOW WHAT HAPPENED.
THE CORONER KNOWS WHAT HAPPENED.
THE FAMILY MEMBERS ARE SATISFIED
WITH WHAT HAPPENED.
THE PUBLIC DOESN'T KNOW ALL
THE INFORMATION ABOUT THE CASE.
I DON'T, FOR ONE MOMENT,
BUY INTO ANY OF
THE CONSPIRACY THEORIES
THAT ARE OUT THERE
REGARDING ELISA.
FOR OTHERS, THERE ARE
TOO MANY COINCIDENCES,
TOO MANY FACTS OUT OF PLACE --
THE WATER TANK,
A MISSING PHONE,
AND THAT
BIZARRE ELEVATOR FOOTAGE.
WAS IT MURDER?
OR WAS IT JUST...
THE CECIL HOTEL?
THERE'S AN OLD ADAGE,
YOU KNOW,
IF THE WALLS COULD TALK.
WELL, IF THE WALLS
IN THE CECIL COULD TALK,
I DON'T THINK THEY'D TALK.
I THINK THEY'D SCREAM.
**