Ice Cold Killers (2012–…): Season 4, Episode 2 - Bitter Blade - full transcript
When a beautiful home health care worker disappears during an icy New York night, loved ones lead the search for her safe return. But a series of incoming text messages and a mysterious ...
Narrator:
ONE BRUTAL LONG ISLAND WINTER --
A FAMILY FACES
THEIR WORST NIGHTMARE.
WHERE IS MY CHILD?
WHY ISN'T SHE CALLING ME?
I HOPE MY BABY'S NOT
OUT IN THE SNOW.
I HOPE SHE COMES HOME.
Phelps: THE CLOCK IS TICKING.
24 HOURS AFTER A PERSON
GOES MISSING --
CAN FORGET ABOUT IT.
Longo: WE KNOCKED ON EVERY DOOR
WITH A PICTURE,
"HAS ANYBODY SEEN HER?"
WE GOT NOTHING -- NOTHING.
Narrator: IN A CASE WHERE
HOPE SPRINGS ETERNAL...
WE WERE LIKE,
"OH, MY GOD. SHE'S ALIVE."
Barbara:
I SENT TEXT MESSAGES BACK.
IF YOU CAN TEXT ME,
YOU CAN GET 911.
Narrator:...AND THE TRUTH
IS JUST BEYOND REACH.
THE SCUM THAT DID THIS
WAS THE LOWEST OF THE LOW.
THAT'S LIKE SPITTING
ON HER GRAVE, REALLY.
THAT'S A PSYCHOPATH.
I JUST WANT TO SEE HER
ONE MORE TIME.
Narrator:
IN THE SMALL TOWN OF MEDFORD,
ON NEW YORK'S LONG ISLAND,
THERE'S NO ESCAPING
THE MERCILESS COLD.
Khalid: MEDFORD WINTERS
CAN BE A LITTLE ROUGH.
I REMEMBER TIMES WHERE
SNOW WAS WAIST-HIGH.
Barbara: WINTERS ARE HORRIBLE.
IT'S JUST COLD AND FRIGID.
FEELS LIKE IT LASTS FOREVER.
Narrator: STILL,
24-YEAR-OLD REBECCA KOSTER
THINKS IT'S PERFECT,
BECAUSE THE TOWN IS FILLED WITH
FRIENDS AND FAMILY.
SHE WAS REALLY, LIKE, WARM
AND WELCOMING AND SUPER SWEET,
AND SHE WAS FUNNY.
SHE WAS ONE PERSON WHO
ACTUALLY REALLY LOVED LIFE --
NEVER REALLY HAD A BAD DAY.
Narrator: SHE LIVES WITH
HER DAD, LARRY,
HER BROTHER DAMIEN,
AND HER MOM, BARBARA.
Larry: BARBARA AND BECKY
WERE ACTUALLY LIKE REAL SISTERS.
THEY WENT OUT TOGETHER.
THEY WOULD GO SHOPPING TOGETHER.
THEY WOULD COOK TOGETHER.
WE WERE CLOSE FROM DAY ONE.
TOLD EACH OTHER
PRACTICALLY EVERYTHING --
ALWAYS TOGETHER,
AND THEN "DAME" CAME ALONG
AND WE BECAME THE FABULOUS TRIO.
Narrator: SHE WANTS TO BE
A NURSE, LIKE HER MOM,
AND LANDS A JOB
AS A HOME HEALTH AIDE.
Barbara: SHE WAS TAKING CARE OF
A HANDICAPPED CHILD --
GETTING HIM ON AND OFF THE BUS,
MAKING SURE HE HAD BREAKFAST
AND STUFF,
AND SHE ABSOLUTELY LOVED HIM.
Narrator:
SHE WORKS HARD, AND SOMETIMES
JUST LIKES TO UNWIND --
WHICH SHE DOES ON THE FRIGID
NIGHT OF DECEMBER 3, 2009.
WE DECIDED TO GO OUT.
IT WAS THURSDAY NIGHT.
WE WENT TO THE BAR.
Narrator:
IT'S BECKY AND SOME FRIENDS --
INCLUDING HER BEST FRIEND,
NICOLE,
AND BECKY'S NEW BOYFRIEND,
TYLER.
COME ON,
LET'S GET A DRINK.
Narrator: AS USUAL, BECKY'S
THE CENTER OF ATTENTION...
- HEY.
- HI.
...ESPECIALLY WHEN
TYLER'S NOT AROUND.
Man: YOU WANT TO DANCE?
NO, THANKS. WE GOT IT.
WELL, WHEN BECKY WALKED INTO
A ROOM,
IT WAS LIKE
THE ROOM JUST LIT UP.
BOTH GUYS AND GIRLS --
THEY ALL STARED AT HER.
- EXCUSE ME.
- OH, MY GOD. PROBABLY.
- I SAW YOU RUNNING LOW.
- HI.
LET ME BUY YOU A DRINK.
SHE'S ONE OF THOSE GIRLS
THAT OTHER GIRLS WOULD HATE,
JUST BECAUSE SHE'S SO PRETTY,
BUT BECAUSE HAD
SUCH A GREAT PERSONALITY,
YOU COULDN'T DO THAT.
WHY DOES THIS ALWAYS
HAPPEN TO ME?
BECAUSE YOU'RE GORGEOUS.
SHUT UP.
YOU'RE GORGEOUS.
SHE HAD A SMILE
AND A PERSONALITY THAT WAS GOLD.
Phelps: FOR A BEAUTIFUL GIRL,
NOT ALL ATTENTION IS THE KIND OF
ATTENTION THAT YOU WANT.
Narrator: AND SHE IS IN
A NEW RELATIONSHIP WITH TYLER.
AFTER MIDNIGHT,
NICOLE DECIDES TO HEAD HOME.
I DON'T WANT TO GO YET.
I WAS KIND OF READY TO GO,
AND I WAS LIKE,
"I'LL TAKE YOU HOME
IF YOU WANT TO GO HOME,"
BUT SHE WANTED TO STAY WITH
TYLER AND THEM
AND, YOU KNOW, THEY WERE GONNA
TAKE HER HOME.
I LEFT. BECKY WALKED ME OUT
AND SHE SAID,
"ALL RIGHT, I'LL TALK TO YOU
LATER. I LOVE YOU."
I SAID, "LOVE YOU TOO,"
AND THAT WAS THE LAST
I EVER SPOKE OR SAW OF HER.
DRIVE SAFE. CALL ME.
BE GOOD. I WILL.
BYE.
- BYE.
**
Narrator: BECKY LEAVES WITH
TYLER A LITTLE LATER.
TYLER -- AS FAR AS WE ALL KNEW,
THAT'S WHO BROUGHT HER HOME.
**
CALL ME TOMORROW?
SURE.
NIGHT.
NIGHT.
Narrator: SHE'S HOME SAFE.
TURNS OUT...
SHE'S ANYTHING BUT.
**
Larry: HER BOSS,
AT 6:00 IN THE MORNING,
CALLED ME AND SAID
BECKY DIDN'T SHOW UP TO WORK.
BECKY NEVER MISSED WORK.
Narrator:
AND SHE'S NOT IN HER ROOM.
Barbara:
I GOT THE PHONE CALL FROM LARRY,
CALLED HER CELL PHONE,
GOT THE VOICEMAIL.
I WAS ANGRY,
BECAUSE THERE'S SOMEBODY
THAT'S DEPENDING ON YOU --
WHERE ARE YOU?
I WAS DOING ROUNDS
WITH MY BEST FRIEND,
AND ALL THAT MORNING,
WE DIDN'T FEEL RIGHT.
JUST OFF.
HER STEPFATHER CALLED ME
AND ASKED, YOU KNOW,
"IS BECKY WITH YOU? SHE NEVER
WENT TO WORK THIS MORNING,"
AND I'M LIKE, "NO.
LAST WE WERE TOLD,
TYLER DROPPED HER OFF HOME.
MAYBE TRY TYLER."
YEAH?
WHERE IS BECKY?
I HAVEN'T SEEN BECKY
SINCE LAST NIGHT.
I WENT OVER TO WHERE HE WAS,
JUST IN CASE SHE WAS WORRIED
THAT I WAS SO ANGRY WITH HER,
AND I WAS LIKE, "LOOK,
IF SHE'S HERE, JUST TELL ME.
I JUST WANT TO KNOW
THAT SHE'S SAFE,"
AND HE SAID, "NO, I SWEAR."
I DROPPED HER OFF AT HER HOUSE
LAST NIGHT.
HE'S LIKE, "I BROUGHT HER --
I BROUGHT HER HOME."
IF YOU THINK OF ANYTHING,
PLEASE, PLEASE TELL ME,
OKAY?
- OKAY.
Narrator: BUT DOES HE KNOW
SOMETHING HE'S NOT TELLING?
**
Larry:
IF BECKY WAS NOT COMING HOME,
SHE WOULD TEXT BARBARA.
SHE ALWAYS TOLD YOU,
IF SHE WAS NOT COMING HOME,
WHERE SHE WAS GONNA BE.
BECKY WAS VERY RESPONSIBLE.
Longo:
SHE HAD WORK AT LIKE 6:00 A.M.,
SO FOR HER TO ALREADY COME HOME,
BE HOME,
AND THEN GET UP
AND GO OUT AROUND TOWN,
IT'S NOT RIGHT.
Narrator: THEY'RE SURPRISED
WHEN THEY FIND
BECKY'S PURSE AND I.D.
INSIDE THE HOUSE.
BECKY WAS A GIRL --
VERY MUCH GIRL --
SO, FOR HER TO LEAVE HER BAG IS
LIKE -- IT'S BIG, YOU KNOW?
YOU DON'T JUST
LEAVE YOUR BAG HOME.
Khalid:
WELL, THERE WAS SOME URGENCY.
WHERE THE HELL IS SHE
WITHOUT HER IDENTIFICATION?
DURING THE COURSE OF THAT DAY,
IT WAS JUST,
"WHERE IS MY CHILD?"
I JUST WANTED TO KNOW
IF SHE WAS SAFE.
WHY ISN'T SHE CALLING ME?
THIS ISN'T LIKE HER.
[ CELLPHONE BEEPS ]
MY PHONE WAS NONSTOP.
EVERYONE WAS CALLING
AND TEXTING.
"HAVE YOU SEEN BECCA?"
"HAVE YOU HEARD?"
LET'S --
LET'S CHECK THE FACEBOOK.
MAYBE [SCOFFS] MAYBE SHE'S
POSTED SOMETHING ON HER PAGE.
Lindsay: ANY PERSON
THAT SHE COULD HAVE CONTACTED
OR ANY PLACE THAT SHE COULD HAVE
BEEN WAS CHECKED,
AND NO ONE KNEW WHERE SHE WAS.
AS THAT CLOCK TICKS
AND BECKY DOES NOT RESPOND,
IT'S THE GUT INSTINCT.
THEY KNOW SOMETHING IS WRONG.
THEY HAVE TO DO SOMETHING.
Larry: WELL, WE MADE UP FLYERS.
WE PUT THEM IN ALL THE STORES
AROUND THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
WE PUT THEM ON TELEPHONE POLES.
BECKY GREW UP THERE.
SHE WAS THERE HER WHOLE LIFE.
EVERYBODY KNEW OF BECKY,
SO EVERYBODY KNEW
THAT BECKY WAS MISSING.
Narrator: WORRY GROWS
AS THE TEMPERATURE PLUMMETS.
AS IT GOT DARK, YOU GET MORE
SCARED BECAUSE YOU DON'T KNOW.
"I HOPE MY BABY'S NOT
OUT IN THE SNOW.
I HOPE SHE'S NOT COLD.
WHEREVER SHE IS,
I HOPE SHE COMES HOME."
THAT'S ALL I COULD THINK ABOUT.
Narrator: THAT NIGHT, LARRY
CALLS SUFFOLK COUNTY POLICE
TO FILE
A MISSING PERSONS REPORT...
WE STRESSED THAT
THIS IS NOT HER.
SHE WOULD HAVE GONE TO WORK.
SHE WOULD HAVE CALLED ME.
SHE WOULD HAVE CALLED NICOLE --
SOMEBODY.
AND IT JUST WASN'T HER.
Narrator:
...BUT THE POLICE CAN'T DO MUCH.
IT'S ONLY BEEN 12 HOURS.
SHE'S AN ADULT. SHE CAN DO
WHATEVER SHE WANTS TO DO,
SO WITH NO EVIDENCE
OF A CRIME TAKING PLACE,
INVESTIGATORS' HANDS ARE TIED,
REALLY.
WHAT CAN THEY DO?
'CAUSE THEY HAVE NOTHING.
Narrator: BUT FAMILY AND FRIENDS
DO HAVE SOMETHING,
AND IT MIGHT BE CRITICAL.
THEY REALIZE THEY MIGHT HAVE
A WAY TO FIND HER,
AND LAUNCH A LOCATOR APP,
WHICH PINPOINTS
A PHONE'S LOCATION
WITHIN A ONE MILE RADIUS
OF A TOWER.
THEY GET A HIT.
AT 2:00 IN THE MORNING,
WE GOT A SIGNAL.
Narrator: HER PHONE IS IN THE
LONG ISLAND TOWN OF HAUPPAUGE,
ABOUT 12 MILES TO THE WEST.
WE FLEW OUT OF MY HOUSE
LOOKING FOR BECKY.
I WAS JUST IN A PANIC
JUST TO GET TO HER.
[ WIND HOWLING ]
[ WIND HOWLING ]
Narrator: IN THE DEAD OF
A LONG ISLAND WINTER,
24-YEAR-OLD BECKY KOSTER
VANISHES
AFTER A NIGHT OUT WITH FRIENDS.
BECKY WOULD ALWAYS CALL ME
WHEN SHE WAS ON HER WAY HOME.
IF I WASN'T HOME
WHEN SHE GOT THERE,
SHE WOULD CALL ME OR TEXT ME
TO LET ME KNOW
THAT SHE WAS SAFE.
Narrator: HER CELL PHONE PINGS
FROM A TOWN 12 MILES AWAY.
WE GPS'd THE PHONE
AND IT BROUGHT US TO, LIKE,
THIS LITTLE NEIGHBORHOOD.
WHO DID WE KNOW IN THE AREA?
WHY WOULD SHE HAVE BEEN
IN THAT AREA?
WAS THERE A PLACE, MAYBE,
SHE HAD WENT TO HANG OUT
IN THAT AREA?
Longo: YOU REALLY HAVE NO IDEA
WHAT YOU'RE UP AGAINST.
WE WALKED AROUND. WE KNOCKED ON
EVERY DOOR WITH A PICTURE,
"HAS ANYBODY SEEN HER?"
"DO YOU KNOW ANYBODY
THAT'S SEEN HER?"
NO, I HAVEN'T.
WE GOT NOTHING -- NOTHING.
Narrator: SUFFOLK COUNTY POLICE
LAUNCH AN INVESTIGATION.
Phelps: THE CLOCK IS TICKING.
24 HOURS AFTER
A PERSON GOES MISSING --
CAN FORGET ABOUT IT.
Narrator:
THEY LOOK INTO THE POSSIBILITY
OF A JEALOUS BOYFRIEND.
IF YOU'RE A COP
AND SOMEONE GOES MISSING,
AND THE MISSING PERSON
IS THE BULL'S-EYE,
THE FIRST RING AROUND
THE BULL'S-EYE IS BOYFRIENDS,
AND TYLER,
HE BECOMES NUMBER ONE.
HEY,
CAN I ASK YOU SOMETHING?
Narrator:
THE QUESTIONS TYLER ASKED
BECKY'S MOM DO SEEM SUSPICIOUS.
YOU THINK BECKY'S BEEN SEEING
ANYONE ELSE?
Barbara:
ALL TYLER COULD ASK ME WAS,
"IS BECKY SEEING SOMEONE ELSE?"
REALLY?
THAT'S WHAT YOUR CONCERN IS
RIGHT NOW?
SO, THE POLICE
CAME DOWN ON HIM HARD.
THE FIRST SUSPECT WAS TYLER.
"SHE WAS WITH YOU LAST,"
YOU KNOW?
**
Narrator:
POLICE LEARN THE RELATIONSHIP
WAS A LITTLE LOPSIDED.
- CALL ME TOMORROW?
- SURE.
Barbara: TYLER WAS MORE SERIOUS
THAN BECKY WAS.
IT WAS STILL A NEW RELATIONSHIP
FOR HER.
IT WASN'T LIKE, YOU KNOW,
"HE'S THE ONE.
I'M IN LOVE WITH HIM."
I DON'T THINK IT WAS
ACTUALLY ALL THAT SERIOUS.
Phelps: MAYBE HE WAS JEALOUS.
MAYBE HE FELT SLIGHTED.
Narrator: HAD SHE TRIED TO BREAK
IT OFF WITH HIM AND HE SNAPPED?
NOTHING REALLY INDICATES
HE DID ANYTHING WRONG,
UNTIL HE MAKES A BIZARRE MOVE.
Barbara: HE HAD GONE ON FACEBOOK
AND CHANGED HIS FACEBOOK NAME TO
"THE KILLER,"
SO HE REALLY DIDN'T DO MUCH
TO HELP HIMSELF
TO NOT BE A SUSPECT.
Narrator: IS IT A CONFESSION
OR JUST A FRUSTRATED BOYFRIEND
LASHING OUT?
INVESTIGATORS STILL HAVE NOTHING
CONCRETE AGAINST HIM.
DETECTIVES QUESTION
THE OTHER PEOPLE
SHE WAS OUT WITH THAT NIGHT.
EVERYONE SAYS THEY HAVE NO IDEA
WHAT HAPPENED TO HER.
CHECKING THE BAR,
INVESTIGATORS FIND NO ONE
WHO SAW ANYTHING SUSPICIOUS.
SO, THEN
A SURVEILLANCE VIDEO EMERGES
FROM INSIDE THE BAR
WHERE BECKY WAS LAST SEEN.
AND THERE'S BECKY...
Narrator: CURIOUSLY,
TYLER IS NOT WITH HER.
Phelps:...AND IT LOOKS LIKE
SHE WANTS TO LEAVE THE BAR,
AND SEVERAL MEN COME UP TO HER,
AND MAYBE ONE OF THESE MEN
HAD DIFFERENT PLANS FOR BECKY.
MY ONLY CONCERN ABOUT HER
GOING OUT WAS JUST
WHO SHE MIGHT MEET --
WHO SHE MIGHT TRUST.
Longo: SHE WAS A NICE PERSON.
SHE WAS LOVING.
SHE WAS TOO NICE -- TOO NICE.
VERY TRUSTING.
Narrator:
ONE MAN EVEN USED HER PHONE.
Khalid: YOU CAN SEE
THE UNWANTED ATTENTION,
HIM MOVING HIMSELF CLOSER,
HIM TAKING THE PHONE
AND ENTERING HIS NUMBER.
Narrator: CONCRETE CLUE
OR HARMLESS FLIRTATION?
SUFFOLK COUNTY POLICE NEED TO
TRY TO I.D. THE MEN.
LOVED ONES CREATE A MAKESHIFT
HEADQUARTERS AT THE HOUSE...
SHE'S NEVER
ON THAT SIDE OF TOWN.
...TO CONTINUE
THEIR OWN INVESTIGATION.
Larry: EVERYBODY BROUGHT FOOD
AND, YOU KNOW,
WE WERE SURROUNDED.
ALL HER FRIENDS STAYED
AT THE HOUSE THE WHOLE TIME.
THEY WOULDN'T LEAVE.
Khalid:
WE WERE THERE FOR EACH OTHER.
WE STAYED.
THE LIVING ROOM COUCHES WERE
TAKEN, THE FLOORS WERE TAKEN.
EVERY SPOT OF THAT HOUSE,
SOMEBODY WAS THERE.
I WAS ACTUALLY PINGING HER PHONE
EVERY 20 MINUTES --
EVERY 15 MINUTES.
Narrator:
EACH TIME THEY GET A HIT...
...THEY QUICKLY SEARCH,
BUT DISCOVER NOTHING.
THEY FIND OUT
THE PHONE IS STILL ON,
WHICH GIVES THEM
A SLIGHT BIT OF HOPE.
Longo: YOU KNOW, WE --
WE TRIED TO PLAY DETECTIVES
AND, YOU KNOW,
THE DETECTIVES APPRECIATED
THE THINGS THAT WE DID,
BUT, YOU KNOW,
IT WAS THEIR CASE.
THEY HAD TO DO
WHAT THEY WERE GONNA DO.
Narrator:
AND WHAT DETECTIVES DO NEXT
IS A BLOW TO THE FAMILY'S HOPES.
Barbara:
CRIME SCENE CAME TO OUR HOUSE,
AND THAT WAS OUR FIRST
FEELING OF DREAD,
'CAUSE THEY HAD TO TAKE HAIR
SAMPLES FROM HER HAIR BRUSH,
TOOTHBRUSH, ANYTHING ELSE
SHE MAY HAVE TOUCHED.
Khalid: I DIDN'T SAY ANYTHING
AT THAT MOMENT,
BUT MY HEART DROPPED.
WHY DID THEY NEED THAT?
Narrator: THE SAD TRUTH --
IT MIGHT HELP WITH
IDENTIFICATION...
IF THEY FIND A BODY.
**
THEN, COMING OFF
THE HEELS OF DESPAIR,
THE FIRST MOMENT OF REAL HOPE.
[ CELLPHONE BEEPS ]
A TEXT MESSAGE --
FROM BECKY'S PHONE.
THE TEXT MESSAGE SAID THAT
SHE WAS TIED UP IN A BASEMENT.
SHE BELIEVED SHE WAS IN COMMACK.
Khalid: THE MESSAGES HAD READ
TYLER HAD HER.
SHE COULDN'T GET OUT.
HERE IT WAS,
ONE OF MY WORST NIGHTMARES,
THAT SHE'S BEEN KIDNAPPED --
THAT SHE'S BEEN TAKEN.
I CALLED BACK RIGHT AWAY.
CALLED -- NO ANSWER.
KEPT CALLING.
IT WAS A CRY FOR HELP.
[ Ringing ]
Larry: WE WERE LIKE,
"OH, MY GOD. SHE'S ALIVE."
PICK UP THE PHONE, BABY.
PICK UP THE PHONE.
Larry: "WE'RE GONNA GET HER,"
LIKE, "WE'RE GONNA WIN THIS.
WE'RE GONNA
GET OUR DAUGHTER BACK."
[ Ringing ]
[ WIND HOWLING ]
[ WIND HOWLING ]
Narrator:
IN MEDFORD, LONG ISLAND,
THREE DAYS AFTER BECKY KOSTER
VANISHES,
HER MOM GETS A CHILLING TEXT.
[ Ringing ]
PICK UP THE PHONE, BABY.
PICK UP THE PHONE.
I SENT TEXT MESSAGES BACK.
I CALLED -- MOSTLY PHONE CALLS.
I TEXTED HER TO DIAL 911.
IF YOU CAN TEXT ME,
YOU CAN GET 911.
THEY CAN TRACE THE CALL.
Narrator:
THE MESSAGE IS A STUNNER
AND SEEMS TO
CONFIRM THE FAMILY'S FEARS,
SAYING HER BOYFRIEND, TYLER,
KIDNAPPED HER.
THEY CALL THE POLICE,
AND EVERYONE RUSHES TO TYLER'S
HOUSE DESPERATE TO RESCUE HER.
I WAS DOING LIKE
130 MILES AN HOUR.
I WAS HOPING
THE COPS PULLED ME OVER.
THAT WAY, I'D HAVE AN ESCORT,
YOU KNOW,
TO WHERE I THOUGHT
MY DAUGHTER WAS.
BECKY, I KNOW YOU'RE IN THERE.
COME ON, BECKY.
BECKY,
WE'RE HERE FOR YOU, BABY.
Narrator:
THE COPS ARE ALREADY THERE.
COME ON IN.
Narrator: THEY GRILL TYLER.
HE SAID,
"LISTEN, YOU CAN COME IN,
CHECK THIS --
SHE'S NOT HERE."
**
AH, DON'T LOOK LIKE
ANYTHING'S HERE.
**
BECKY'S NOT IN THE BASEMENT.
BECKY'S NOT IN THE GARAGE.
BECKY'S NOT
BURIED IN THE BACKYARD.
Barbara: THEY CAME,
THEY SEARCHED -- NOTHING.
NOTHING WAS FOUND AT TYLER'S,
AT ALL.
I TOOK HER HOME
AFTER THE CLUB.
I TOOK HER TO HER HOUSE.
TYLER, HE SWORE THAT
HE WAS IN LOVE WITH BECKY
AND THAT HE WOULD NEVER
DO ANYTHING TO HARM HER,
BUT, YOU KNOW,
DUE TO EVERYTHING,
HOW COULD WE BELIEVE HIM?
I DON'T KNOW WHERE SHE IS.
Narrator: DETECTIVES REQUEST
BECKY'S PHONE RECORDS,
AND LOVED ONES BEGIN THEIR OWN
SURVEILLANCE OF TYLER.
MAN, HE'S BEEN IN THERE
FOR A WHILE.
I WONDER WHAT HE'S DOING.
THAT'S HIM.
OKAY.
THAT'S HIM. THAT'S HIM.
Khalid: WE WENT ON
THE NEIGHBORING STREETS
AND WATCHED THE HOUSE TO SEE IF
THERE WAS ANY TRAFFIC
ODD HOURS OF THE NIGHT.
WE SAW NOTHING.
WE HEARD NOTHING.
Phelps: MAYBE HE DOESN'T
HAVE HER IN THE BASEMENT,
BUT MAYBE HE HAS HER
SOMEWHERE ELSE.
IN A SHED SOMEWHERE
IN THE MIDDLE OF THE WOODS --
WHO KNOWS?
Narrator:
WORD SPREADS OF THE VANISHED
BEAUTY AND THE MYSTERIOUS TEXT.
THE NEWS CAME --
I ONLY LET
A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF PEOPLE IN,
'CAUSE THE HOUSE
WAS JUST SWARMING WITH,
I MEAN, EVERY STATION --
EVERY ONE OF THEM.
Narrator:
THE FAMILY HOPES THE COVERAGE
MIGHT BRING FRESH LEADS.
YOU'RE A PARENT,
YOUR KID'S MISSING --
I MEAN, YOU DON'T KNOW.
YOU DON'T KNOW WHERE SHE IS.
I JUST, UH...
GOT TO KEEP FAITH IN GOD
THAT HE'LL BRING HER HOME
AND THAT SHE'LL BE OKAY.
Narrator: THEN, ANOTHER TEXT...
[ CELLPHONE BEEPS ]
...AND IT'S JUST AS TERRIFYING.
I RECEIVED THE OTHER
TEXT MESSAGE THAT,
"DON'T TELL TYLER.
HE'LL KILL ME."
Narrator:
THE PHONE PINGS FROM AN AREA OFF
THE NORTHERN STATE PARKWAY.
THE SECOND TEXT MESSAGE CAME IN,
AND IT LED THEM TO
AN INDUSTRIAL AREA --
A FLORIST, TO BE SPECIFIC.
Larry: SO, NOW I'M FLYING ALL
THE WAY DOWN THE OPPOSITE SIDE,
ALL THE WAY DOWN TO THE OTHER
END OF THE ISLAND, ALMOST,
'CAUSE WE'RE GOING
ALL THE WAY DOWN NORTH.
I WAS HOPING WE'D FIND HER, YOU
KNOW, AND JUST GET THROUGH THIS.
Narrator:
SUFFOLK COUNTY POLICE ORGANIZE
A COMPLETE SEARCH OF THE AREA.
Longo: HERE WE ARE, AND THERE'S
NO SIGN HER ANYWHERE.
NO CELL PHONE, NO ANYTHING,
SO EVERYBODY PANICKED.
WE DIDN'T SLEEP.
WE DIDN'T EAT.
Khalid: IT WAS VERY FRUSTRATING,
TRYING TO MAKE SENSE OF IT --
TRYING TO FIGURE OUT
WHERE SHE WAS, WHO SHE WAS WITH.
Narrator: THEN DOUBT CREEPS IN
ABOUT THE TEXTS.
THE TEXT MESSAGE WAS EERIE,
AND IT WAS TOO PERFECT
FOR IT TO REALLY BE BECKY.
THERE WERE NO MISSPELLINGS.
IT DIDN'T SEEM LIKE
A RUSHED-TYPE TEXT MESSAGE,
AND IT DIDN'T REALLY
SOUND LIKE HER.
Khalid: THE BIG QUESTION WAS,
"WHY CAN YOU TEXT YOUR MOTHER,
BUT YOU CAN'T CALL 911?"
IT DIDN'T MAKE SENSE.
THIS IS PROBABLY NOT BECKY
SENDING THIS TEXT.
IT'S PROBABLY BECKY'S ABDUCTOR
SENDING THIS TEXT.
Narrator: WHEN THE PHONE RECORDS
FINALLY COME IN...
...DETECTIVES DISCOVER THAT,
ON THE MORNING BECKY VANISHED,
SHE RECEIVED SEVERAL CALLS.
Lindsay: THERE WAS A NUMBER
THAT NO ONE KNEW.
THE NUMBER HAD CALLED HER PHONE
SEVERAL TIMES
BETWEEN THE TIME
SHE GOT DROPPED OFF AT HOME
AND WHEN SHE DISAPPEARED.
IT WAS A BOSTON NUMBER.
IT DIDN'T HAVE A NAME.
Narrator: BECKY DIDN'T ANSWER
THE FIRST CALL,
BUT SHE DID ANSWER THE SECOND.
[ CELLPHONE RINGS ]
HELLO?
Narrator: MAYBE IT WAS ONE OF
THE MYSTERY MEN FROM THE BAR.
THE PHONE NUMBER WON'T I.D.
THE KIDNAPPER.
IT WAS, LIKE, A PREPAID PHONE,
AND IT WAS THE LAST PHONE NUMBER
IN HER CALL RECORDS.
WE CALLED THAT NUMBER
A MILLION TIMES.
WE CALLED
THE CELL PHONE COMPANY
TO TRY AND FIND OUT
WHO IT BELONGED TO,
WHERE THEY LIVED -- YOU KNOW.
Narrator: SINCE
IT'S A PREPAID BURNER PHONE,
THERE ARE NO RECORDS.
FIVE FULL DAYS AFTER
BECKY'S DISAPPEARANCE,
HER FAMILY TRIES FOR
SOME SEMBLANCE OF NORMALCY.
WE HAD DECIDED TO
GO OUT TO LUNCH,
JUST TO GET OUT OF THE HOUSE
FOR A LITTLE WHILE,
AND JUST AS WE WERE EATING,
LARRY GOT THE PHONE CALL
FROM THE DETECTIVES
STATING THAT
WE NEEDED TO COME HOME.
Larry: SO, INSTANTLY
THROW THE MONEY ON THE TABLE.
WE FLY DOWN THE BLOCK --
GOT HOME IN LIKE 30 SECONDS.
I WAS EXPECTING
THAT THEY FOUND HER.
I THOUGHT SHE WAS STILL ALIVE.
YOU DIDN'T KNOW IF YOU WERE
GONNA OPEN THAT FRONT DOOR
AND THERE SHE WAS, LIKE,
"OH, HERE I AM."
YOU REALLY HAD NO IDEA.
I DIDN'T THINK THAT
WE WERE GOING TO GET
THE NEWS THAT WE GOT.
[ WIND HOWLING ]
[ WIND HOWLING ]
Narrator: FIVE DAYS
AFTER BECKY KOSTER DISAPPEARS
ON A BLUSTERY DECEMBER NIGHT,
DETECTIVES ASK TO MEET WITH
HER PARENTS.
I GOT THERE WITH MY SON
BEFORE BARBARA DID
AND THEN THEY TOLD US,
AND THEN SHE WALKED IN
AND SAW THE LOOK ON OUR FACE,
AND SHE JUST KNEW.
Barbara: [ Voice breaking ]
I REMEMBER, I LOOKED AT THEM
AND I SAID, "YOU FOUND HER."
"IT'S BAD," AND THEY TOLD ME TO
COME AND SIT DOWN.
HAVE A SEAT.
AND HE SAID THAT SHE WAS
THE VICTIM OF A HOMICIDE.
Longo: THEY SAID,
"WE FOUND HER IN CONNECTICUT,"
AND IT'S A BLANK SPACE
AFTER THAT.
YOU DIDN'T KNOW WHAT TO THINK.
YOU DIDN'T KNOW WHAT TO FEEL.
IT WAS TERRIBLE.
Khalid: I DROPPED TO THE FLOOR.
THE WALLS SEEMED TO
JUST CLOSE IN ON ME.
I HAD NO OXYGEN.
WHAT A MESS.
NO -- NO.
[ Voice breaking ] IT FELT LIKE
SOMEONE HAD PUNCHED ME
IN MY CHEST.
I JUST HAD TO GET OUT OF THERE,
AND I GRABBED MY JACKET
AND I RAN OUTSIDE, YELLING,
"DON'T SAY IT. DON'T SAY IT,"
AND FROM THERE, IT'S JUST...
JUST A WHIRLWIND.
Larry: THAT WAS DEFINITELY
THE WORST DAY OF MY LIFE.
IT WAS JUST --
YOU JUST FEEL NOTHING.
LIKE, WHO DOES THIS?
YOU KILLED MY LITTLE GIRL.
WHY?
Narrator: DETECTIVES EXPLAIN
WHAT THEY KNOW.
NORTH STONINGTON, CONNECTICUT --
ACROSS THE LONG ISLAND SOUND
FROM BECKY'S HOME IN
MEDFORD, NEW YORK.
ON DECEMBER 4th,
LESS THAN 24 HOURS
AFTER BECKY DISAPPEARED,
A PASSERBY
NOTICED SOMETHING ODD.
HE THOUGHT IT WAS A BRUSH FIRE.
HE CALLED THE FIRE DEPARTMENT.
THE FIRE DEPARTMENT CAME.
Narrator: WHAT THEY FOUND
WAS NO BRUSH FIRE,
BUT A BURNING HUMAN BODY.
THE FIRE DEPARTMENT
NOTIFIED THE CONNECTICUT POLICE.
Narrator: THE BODY WAS WRAPPED
IN A BLANKET AND PLASTIC,
SEALED WITH DUCT TAPE.
THE YOUNG WOMAN SHOWED SIGNS OF
PARTIAL DISMEMBERMENT.
**
CONNECTICUT STATE POLICE CHECKED
RECENT MISSING PERSONS CASES.
THEY HAD A FEELING
THAT THIS WAS BECKY,
BUT THEY WANTED TO CONFIRM IT.
THEY IDENTIFIED HER, ACTUALLY,
BY HER DENTAL RECORDS.
Barbara: HEARING THAT THEY FOUND
BECKY WAS BITTERSWEET.
IT WAS RELIEF
THAT SHE WAS FOUND,
BUT IT WAS A HORRIFIC NIGHTMARE
OF WHAT HAPPENED TO HER.
JUST -- WORST NIGHTMARE, EVER.
Narrator: CAUSE OF DEATH --
STABS WOUNDS TO HER LIVER
AND NECK.
WITH THE POSTMORTEM MUTILATION,
THE KILLER TRIED TO REMOVE
IDENTIFIABLE FEATURES.
SHE HAD HER EARS PIERCED --
CUT OFF HER EARS.
SHE HAD HER NOSE PIERCED --
CUT OFF HER NOSE.
SHE HAD TATTOOS ON HER BACK
AND HER ANKLE --
CUT THEM OFF.
HE JUST MUTILATED HER
TO COVER UP WHAT HE DID --
LIKE SHE WAS GARBAGE --
LIKE SHE MEANT NOTHING
TO ANYBODY.
[ Crying ] I COULDN'T LOOK AT
HER FACE ONE MORE TIME.
I COULDN'T TOUCH HER HAIR.
I JUST WANTED TO SEE HER
ONE MORE TIME,
AND I COULDN'T.
Narrator: THE BODY PARTS
THAT WERE NOT RECOVERED
MUST HAVE BEEN DUMPED ELSEWHERE.
THE SCUM THAT DID THIS
WAS THE LOWEST OF THE LOW.
A HUMAN WOULDN'T DO THAT.
A DEMON WOULD DO
SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
Narrator:
IT TOOK FIVE DAYS TO I.D. BECKY,
AND DURING THAT TIME,
THE TEXT MESSAGES FROM HER PHONE
HAD BEEN COMING IN.
THE CRUEL TRUTH --
BECKY'S REMAINS WERE FOUND
A FULL TWO DAYS BEFORE
HER MOM RECEIVED THE TEXTS.
HERE'S THE KILLER --
HE'S DONE ALL THIS STUFF, RIGHT?
HE'S KILLED HER, MUTILATED HER
BODY, LIT IT ON FIRE, WENT HOME,
AND THEN HE'S SENDING TEXTS
TO THE PARENTS OF THE GIRL
HE JUST MURDERED.
THAT'S LIKE SPITTING
ON HER GRAVE, REALLY.
THAT'S A PSYCHOPATH.
TO FIND OUT LATER
THAT IT WAS A RUSE --
JUST THAT WHOLE FEELING OF FALSE
HOPE WHEN THERE WAS NONE...
IT'S BAD ENOUGH YOU TOOK
THAT PERSON AWAY FROM THEM.
YOU HAD TO KEEP GOING?
IT WASN'T FAIR.
Narrator: THE KILLER MUST HAVE
LEARNED ABOUT TYLER
THROUGH BECKY'S
OLD TEXT MESSAGES
AND TRIED TO SET HIM UP.
IT MEANS DETECTIVES CAN FINALLY
CLEAR BECKY'S BOYFRIEND.
HE WOULD NOT HAVE IMPLICATED
HIMSELF IN THOSE TEXTS.
Phelps: THERE'S NO POSSIBLE WAY
HE COULD BE INVOLVED.
IT OPENS UP, NOW,
A WHOLE NEW POSSIBILITY
THAT THERE'S SOMEBODY ELSE
INVOLVED.
Larry: THAT'S WHAT THE WHOLE
SHOCKING THING WAS,
'CAUSE IF YOU KNEW BECKY,
YOU WOULD NEVER WANT TO
HURT HER,
AND SOMEONE DID.
I AUTOMATICALLY THOUGHT
THAT IT WAS SOMEONE
THAT WE DID NOT KNOW,
AND IT WAS SOMEONE
THAT BECKY DIDN'T KNOW.
JUST KNOWING THAT IT WAS
SUCH A HORRIBLE, HORRIBLE HOAX
TO PLAY ON SOMEONE'S MOTHER.
...RIGHT MIND SENDS A TEXT
MESSAGE TO A FAMILY
WHO'S LOOKING FOR
THEIR DAUGHTER,
GOES ALL OVER THE NEWS,
AND YOU'RE TEXTING US
LIKE SHE'S ALIVE.
WE'RE GONNA FIND YOU.
WE'RE NOT STOPPING.
WE'RE GONNA FIND YOU,
AND WHEN WE DO,
YOU'RE GONNA PAY.
Narrator: INVESTIGATORS
GO BACK TO THE BEGINNING,
THE NIGHT BECKY VANISHED,
AND WHO SHE MIGHT HAVE MET
IN HER FINAL HOURS.
WELL, WE HAVE THAT
VIDEO SURVEILLANCE AT THE BAR,
AND WE SEE A LOT OF MEN
COMING AND GOING.
WE SEE HER TALKING TO
A LOT OF MEN.
ONE OF THOSE GUYS
HAS TO KNOW SOMETHING.
Narrator: THEN,
THE BIG BREAKTHROUGH --
THE POLICE FORENSICS LAB
PULLS A FINGERPRINT
FROM THE PARTIALLY BURNED
DUCT TAPE.
Longo: WHEN HE WRAPPED HER BODY,
HE USED TAPE.
WHEN EVERYTHING ELSE
AROUND THAT TAPE IS BURNED,
AND ONLY ONE FINGERPRINT
IS NOT BURNED...
IT WAS LIKE,
"HERE'S A GIFT. HERE YOU GO."
Barbara:
THE ONE FINGERPRINT, CRYSTAL
CLEAR, THAT THEY FOUND --
YEAH, I CHALK IT UP
AS A MIRACLE,
THAT IT WAS MEANT FOR HIM --
FOR THAT THING TO BE FOUND,
AND BE BROUGHT TO JUSTICE.
[ WIND HOWLING ]
[ WIND HOWLING ]
Narrator: INVESTIGATING THE
TERRIBLE DEATH OF BECKY KOSTER,
NEW YORK AND CONNECTICUT POLICE
FINALLY GET THE EVIDENCE
THEY NEED.
Phelps: THERE'S A VERY CRUCIAL
PIECE OF EVIDENCE LEFT BEHIND,
AND THAT'S DUCT TAPE.
AND ON THAT DUCT TAPE,
THEY FIND A FINGERPRINT.
Narrator:
THE PRINT BELONGS TO 30-YEAR-OLD
LONG ISLAND RESIDENT,
EVANS GANTHIER.
ON FEBRUARY 8, 2010,
INVESTIGATORS ARREST GANTHIER
IN CENTRAL ISLIP,
15 MILES FROM MEDFORD.
Larry:
THESE DETECTIVES WERE AMAZING.
THEY DID EVERYTHING TO MAKE SURE
ONCE THEY HAD THE WORD THAT --
GET HIM -- THEY GOT HIM.
Lindsay: I HAD NEVER HEARD OF
EVANS GANTHIER
UNTIL HE WAS ARRESTED.
I HAD NO IDEA WHO WHO WAS.
THE FIRST TIME I SAW HIM WAS
ON THE NEWS.
WOULD NEVER DO NOTHING
LIKE THAT.
Narrator: GANTHIER ADMITS HE WAS
WITH BECKY THAT NIGHT,
BUT SAYS HE DIDN'T KILL HER.
Detective: WHAT DO YOU KNOW
ABOUT BECKY KOSTER
AND HER DISAPPEARANCE
DECEMBER 3, 2009?
I, UH --
I MET HER AT THE BAR.
HIS STORY IS THAT
THEY TALKED FOR A WHILE.
HE'S ONE OF THE MEN
ON THE VIDEO --
THE ONE INPUTTING HIS NUMBER
INTO HER PHONE.
WHEN SHE GOT HOME,
HE CALLED SEVERAL TIMES
AND LURED HER OUT OF THE HOUSE.
WE DON'T KNOW HOW
HE GOT HER OUT OF THE HOUSE.
WE DON'T KNOW
HOW SHE ENDED UP IN THE CAR.
WE DON'T KNOW AND,
UNFORTUNATELY, WE'LL NEVER KNOW.
Phelps:
SOMEHOW -- AND THIS IS WHERE THE
PSYCHOPATH COMES INTO PLAY --
THE SUPERFICIAL CHARM
THAT HE PUT ON
TO GET HER INTO HIS WEB --
IT WORKED, IN THIS INSTANCE.
HER GUARD WAS DOWN.
Narrator: GANTHIER CLAIMS
HE WAS DRIVING HER TO HIS PLACE
WHEN THINGS
SUDDENLY WENT BAD.
WHILE WE WERE IN THE CAR,
SHE STARTED, LIKE, GAGGING --
FOAMING AT THE MOUTH.
Larry: SO, INSTEAD OF
TAKING HER TO THE HOSPITAL,
WHICH IS A MILE
FROM HIS HOUSE --
"I'M GONNA TAKE HER TO MY HOUSE
TO GET A GLASS OF WATER."
THIS IS A 300-YEAR-OLD
COLLEGE GRADUATE
WITH A PSYCHOLOGY DEGREE.
LIKE, REALLY?
THAT'S WHAT YOU'RE GONNA DO?
YOU'RE FULL OF TOTAL ****
WHEN WE GOT TO MY HOUSE,
WE WENT THROUGH THE GARAGE DOOR.
Narrator: HE SAYS
THINGS JUST GOT WORSE THERE.
**
Barbara: IT WAS
THE MOST RIDICULOUS STORY EVER.
WHEN HE WAS HELPING HER INSIDE,
SHE TRIPPED OVER A DUMBBELL
AND HIT HER HEAD AND DIED.
**
[ BECKY SCREAMS]
Narrator:
THE AUTOPSY SHOWED NO SIGNS OF
BLUNT-FORCE TRAUMA TO THE HEAD.
IF YOU DIE FROM HEAD TRAUMA,
YOUR BRAIN'S GONNA SWELL.
YOUR HEAD'S GONNA SWELL.
SOMETHING'S GONNA BE THERE.
NOTHING WAS THERE.
Narrator:
WHAT WAS THERE WERE STAB WOUNDS
TO THE LIVER AND NECK,
WHICH GANTHIER'S STORY
DOES NOT EXPLAIN.
WHAT'S NOT PLAUSIBLE IS
DID SHE ACCIDENTALLY
FALL ON A KNIFE
THAT STUCK HER THROUGH THE LIVER
AND THAT CUT HER NECK OPEN?
NO, SO THIS GUY MURDERED HER.
THERE'S NO DOUBT ABOUT IT
IN MY MIND.
Narrator: HE DISMEMBERED HER,
REMOVING IDENTIFIABLE DETAILS,
AND TOOK THE FERRY
TO CONNECTICUT.
DROVE FOR AWHILE
AND THEN FOUND A SPOT
AND HE DUMPED HER
AND SET HER ON FIRE.
**
I DIDN'T KILL HER.
SHE FELL.
Narrator: GANTHIER ADMITS TO
EVERYTHING EXCEPT KILLING BECKY.
SHE WAS ALREADY DEAD.
I DIDN'T KILL HER.
Larry: HE PAINTED HIS GARAGE.
HE REPAINTED THE WHOLE FLOOR --
TRIED TO HIDE ALL THE DNA,
YOU KNOW?
IF YOU'RE NOT GUILTY,
WHY WOULD YOU EVEN
PAINT THE GARAGE?
WHAT ARE YOU TRYING TO COVER UP?
Narrator:
NO ONE BUYS GANTHIER'S STORY,
BUT IT'S UP TO A JURY
TO DECIDE HIS FATE.
FOR THE FIRST TIME,
BECKY'S FAMILY AND FRIENDS
COME FACE-TO-FACE
WITH EVANS GANTHIER.
[ SCOFFS ]
THAT THING WOULD WALK INTO
THE COURTROOM SMILING --
BLOW KISSES AT ITS FAMILY.
JUST SO SMUG, CONFIDENT --
NOT ONE SIGN OF REMORSE,
NOT ONE SIGN OF REGRET --
NOTHING.
Longo: HE SAT THERE
WITH A SMIRK ON HIS FACE
LIKE HE WASN'T GONNA BE
PROVEN GUILTY.
HE LOOKED LIKE A KILLER.
THAT'S WHAT HE LOOKED LIKE.
Narrator: PROSECUTORS ARGUE THAT
GANTHIER TOOK THE LIFE
OF A BEAUTIFUL,
TRUSTING YOUNG WOMAN.
COMPOUNDING THE TRAGEDY
IS THAT NO ONE KNOWS WHY.
HAD HE PLANNED TO KILL HER
WHEN HE TARGETED HER AT THE BAR?
OR WAS IT A CRUEL SNAP DECISION
ONCE HE HAD HER ALONE?
EVEN WITHOUT A STATED MOTIVE,
AFTER ONLY A FEW HOURS
OF DELIBERATION,
THE JURY REACHES A DECISION.
Lindsay:
WE WERE HOLDING OUR BREATH
AS WE WERE WAITING
FOR THE VERDICT TO BE READ.
WHEN THEY SAID "GUILTY,"
ALL YOU HEARD WAS
EVERYONE START CRYING.
Narrator:
THEY SENTENCE EVANS GANTHIER
TO 25 YEARS TO LIFE.
Larry: YOU'RE HAPPY AND SAD
AT THE SAME TIME.
YOU KNOW,
I'M JUST SO GLAD IT'S OVER.
IT WAS HELL.
I WISH NOTHING BUT MISERY
AND SUFFERING
FOR THAT VILE, DISGUSTING
CREATURE.
HE'S NOT REALLY BEING PUNISHED.
HE'S NOT.
PUNISHMENT WOULD BE
FEELING THE SAME WAY
EVERYBODY ELSE HAS TO FEEL,
EVERY DAY,
KNOWING WHAT HE DID
AND HOW HE DID IT.
Narrator:
BECKY KOSTER WILL LIVE ON
IN THE HEARTS OF THOSE WHO
STILL LOVE HER.
SHE LOVED HER FRIENDS.
SHE LOVED HER FAMILY.
I LOVE MY BECCA, AND I MISS HER.
HE WILL NEVER KNOW
WHAT HE'S DONE TO US,
AND HE'LL NEVER SUFFER
THE WAY WE SUFFERED.
Barbara: I MISS HER LAUGH.
I MISS HER COMPLAINTS.
THERE ISN'T ANYTHING
I DON'T MISS ABOUT HER.
NOT A THING.
Larry: BECKY WAS AN ANGEL.
I LOVE HER SO MUCH.
I MISS HER SO MUCH.
IT'S A NIGHTMARE.
IT'S AN ABSOLUTE NIGHTMARE --
WAKING UP EVERY DAY
WITHOUT HER.
DOESN'T GET EASIER.
YOU DON'T FORGET.
ONE BRUTAL LONG ISLAND WINTER --
A FAMILY FACES
THEIR WORST NIGHTMARE.
WHERE IS MY CHILD?
WHY ISN'T SHE CALLING ME?
I HOPE MY BABY'S NOT
OUT IN THE SNOW.
I HOPE SHE COMES HOME.
Phelps: THE CLOCK IS TICKING.
24 HOURS AFTER A PERSON
GOES MISSING --
CAN FORGET ABOUT IT.
Longo: WE KNOCKED ON EVERY DOOR
WITH A PICTURE,
"HAS ANYBODY SEEN HER?"
WE GOT NOTHING -- NOTHING.
Narrator: IN A CASE WHERE
HOPE SPRINGS ETERNAL...
WE WERE LIKE,
"OH, MY GOD. SHE'S ALIVE."
Barbara:
I SENT TEXT MESSAGES BACK.
IF YOU CAN TEXT ME,
YOU CAN GET 911.
Narrator:...AND THE TRUTH
IS JUST BEYOND REACH.
THE SCUM THAT DID THIS
WAS THE LOWEST OF THE LOW.
THAT'S LIKE SPITTING
ON HER GRAVE, REALLY.
THAT'S A PSYCHOPATH.
I JUST WANT TO SEE HER
ONE MORE TIME.
Narrator:
IN THE SMALL TOWN OF MEDFORD,
ON NEW YORK'S LONG ISLAND,
THERE'S NO ESCAPING
THE MERCILESS COLD.
Khalid: MEDFORD WINTERS
CAN BE A LITTLE ROUGH.
I REMEMBER TIMES WHERE
SNOW WAS WAIST-HIGH.
Barbara: WINTERS ARE HORRIBLE.
IT'S JUST COLD AND FRIGID.
FEELS LIKE IT LASTS FOREVER.
Narrator: STILL,
24-YEAR-OLD REBECCA KOSTER
THINKS IT'S PERFECT,
BECAUSE THE TOWN IS FILLED WITH
FRIENDS AND FAMILY.
SHE WAS REALLY, LIKE, WARM
AND WELCOMING AND SUPER SWEET,
AND SHE WAS FUNNY.
SHE WAS ONE PERSON WHO
ACTUALLY REALLY LOVED LIFE --
NEVER REALLY HAD A BAD DAY.
Narrator: SHE LIVES WITH
HER DAD, LARRY,
HER BROTHER DAMIEN,
AND HER MOM, BARBARA.
Larry: BARBARA AND BECKY
WERE ACTUALLY LIKE REAL SISTERS.
THEY WENT OUT TOGETHER.
THEY WOULD GO SHOPPING TOGETHER.
THEY WOULD COOK TOGETHER.
WE WERE CLOSE FROM DAY ONE.
TOLD EACH OTHER
PRACTICALLY EVERYTHING --
ALWAYS TOGETHER,
AND THEN "DAME" CAME ALONG
AND WE BECAME THE FABULOUS TRIO.
Narrator: SHE WANTS TO BE
A NURSE, LIKE HER MOM,
AND LANDS A JOB
AS A HOME HEALTH AIDE.
Barbara: SHE WAS TAKING CARE OF
A HANDICAPPED CHILD --
GETTING HIM ON AND OFF THE BUS,
MAKING SURE HE HAD BREAKFAST
AND STUFF,
AND SHE ABSOLUTELY LOVED HIM.
Narrator:
SHE WORKS HARD, AND SOMETIMES
JUST LIKES TO UNWIND --
WHICH SHE DOES ON THE FRIGID
NIGHT OF DECEMBER 3, 2009.
WE DECIDED TO GO OUT.
IT WAS THURSDAY NIGHT.
WE WENT TO THE BAR.
Narrator:
IT'S BECKY AND SOME FRIENDS --
INCLUDING HER BEST FRIEND,
NICOLE,
AND BECKY'S NEW BOYFRIEND,
TYLER.
COME ON,
LET'S GET A DRINK.
Narrator: AS USUAL, BECKY'S
THE CENTER OF ATTENTION...
- HEY.
- HI.
...ESPECIALLY WHEN
TYLER'S NOT AROUND.
Man: YOU WANT TO DANCE?
NO, THANKS. WE GOT IT.
WELL, WHEN BECKY WALKED INTO
A ROOM,
IT WAS LIKE
THE ROOM JUST LIT UP.
BOTH GUYS AND GIRLS --
THEY ALL STARED AT HER.
- EXCUSE ME.
- OH, MY GOD. PROBABLY.
- I SAW YOU RUNNING LOW.
- HI.
LET ME BUY YOU A DRINK.
SHE'S ONE OF THOSE GIRLS
THAT OTHER GIRLS WOULD HATE,
JUST BECAUSE SHE'S SO PRETTY,
BUT BECAUSE HAD
SUCH A GREAT PERSONALITY,
YOU COULDN'T DO THAT.
WHY DOES THIS ALWAYS
HAPPEN TO ME?
BECAUSE YOU'RE GORGEOUS.
SHUT UP.
YOU'RE GORGEOUS.
SHE HAD A SMILE
AND A PERSONALITY THAT WAS GOLD.
Phelps: FOR A BEAUTIFUL GIRL,
NOT ALL ATTENTION IS THE KIND OF
ATTENTION THAT YOU WANT.
Narrator: AND SHE IS IN
A NEW RELATIONSHIP WITH TYLER.
AFTER MIDNIGHT,
NICOLE DECIDES TO HEAD HOME.
I DON'T WANT TO GO YET.
I WAS KIND OF READY TO GO,
AND I WAS LIKE,
"I'LL TAKE YOU HOME
IF YOU WANT TO GO HOME,"
BUT SHE WANTED TO STAY WITH
TYLER AND THEM
AND, YOU KNOW, THEY WERE GONNA
TAKE HER HOME.
I LEFT. BECKY WALKED ME OUT
AND SHE SAID,
"ALL RIGHT, I'LL TALK TO YOU
LATER. I LOVE YOU."
I SAID, "LOVE YOU TOO,"
AND THAT WAS THE LAST
I EVER SPOKE OR SAW OF HER.
DRIVE SAFE. CALL ME.
BE GOOD. I WILL.
BYE.
- BYE.
**
Narrator: BECKY LEAVES WITH
TYLER A LITTLE LATER.
TYLER -- AS FAR AS WE ALL KNEW,
THAT'S WHO BROUGHT HER HOME.
**
CALL ME TOMORROW?
SURE.
NIGHT.
NIGHT.
Narrator: SHE'S HOME SAFE.
TURNS OUT...
SHE'S ANYTHING BUT.
**
Larry: HER BOSS,
AT 6:00 IN THE MORNING,
CALLED ME AND SAID
BECKY DIDN'T SHOW UP TO WORK.
BECKY NEVER MISSED WORK.
Narrator:
AND SHE'S NOT IN HER ROOM.
Barbara:
I GOT THE PHONE CALL FROM LARRY,
CALLED HER CELL PHONE,
GOT THE VOICEMAIL.
I WAS ANGRY,
BECAUSE THERE'S SOMEBODY
THAT'S DEPENDING ON YOU --
WHERE ARE YOU?
I WAS DOING ROUNDS
WITH MY BEST FRIEND,
AND ALL THAT MORNING,
WE DIDN'T FEEL RIGHT.
JUST OFF.
HER STEPFATHER CALLED ME
AND ASKED, YOU KNOW,
"IS BECKY WITH YOU? SHE NEVER
WENT TO WORK THIS MORNING,"
AND I'M LIKE, "NO.
LAST WE WERE TOLD,
TYLER DROPPED HER OFF HOME.
MAYBE TRY TYLER."
YEAH?
WHERE IS BECKY?
I HAVEN'T SEEN BECKY
SINCE LAST NIGHT.
I WENT OVER TO WHERE HE WAS,
JUST IN CASE SHE WAS WORRIED
THAT I WAS SO ANGRY WITH HER,
AND I WAS LIKE, "LOOK,
IF SHE'S HERE, JUST TELL ME.
I JUST WANT TO KNOW
THAT SHE'S SAFE,"
AND HE SAID, "NO, I SWEAR."
I DROPPED HER OFF AT HER HOUSE
LAST NIGHT.
HE'S LIKE, "I BROUGHT HER --
I BROUGHT HER HOME."
IF YOU THINK OF ANYTHING,
PLEASE, PLEASE TELL ME,
OKAY?
- OKAY.
Narrator: BUT DOES HE KNOW
SOMETHING HE'S NOT TELLING?
**
Larry:
IF BECKY WAS NOT COMING HOME,
SHE WOULD TEXT BARBARA.
SHE ALWAYS TOLD YOU,
IF SHE WAS NOT COMING HOME,
WHERE SHE WAS GONNA BE.
BECKY WAS VERY RESPONSIBLE.
Longo:
SHE HAD WORK AT LIKE 6:00 A.M.,
SO FOR HER TO ALREADY COME HOME,
BE HOME,
AND THEN GET UP
AND GO OUT AROUND TOWN,
IT'S NOT RIGHT.
Narrator: THEY'RE SURPRISED
WHEN THEY FIND
BECKY'S PURSE AND I.D.
INSIDE THE HOUSE.
BECKY WAS A GIRL --
VERY MUCH GIRL --
SO, FOR HER TO LEAVE HER BAG IS
LIKE -- IT'S BIG, YOU KNOW?
YOU DON'T JUST
LEAVE YOUR BAG HOME.
Khalid:
WELL, THERE WAS SOME URGENCY.
WHERE THE HELL IS SHE
WITHOUT HER IDENTIFICATION?
DURING THE COURSE OF THAT DAY,
IT WAS JUST,
"WHERE IS MY CHILD?"
I JUST WANTED TO KNOW
IF SHE WAS SAFE.
WHY ISN'T SHE CALLING ME?
THIS ISN'T LIKE HER.
[ CELLPHONE BEEPS ]
MY PHONE WAS NONSTOP.
EVERYONE WAS CALLING
AND TEXTING.
"HAVE YOU SEEN BECCA?"
"HAVE YOU HEARD?"
LET'S --
LET'S CHECK THE FACEBOOK.
MAYBE [SCOFFS] MAYBE SHE'S
POSTED SOMETHING ON HER PAGE.
Lindsay: ANY PERSON
THAT SHE COULD HAVE CONTACTED
OR ANY PLACE THAT SHE COULD HAVE
BEEN WAS CHECKED,
AND NO ONE KNEW WHERE SHE WAS.
AS THAT CLOCK TICKS
AND BECKY DOES NOT RESPOND,
IT'S THE GUT INSTINCT.
THEY KNOW SOMETHING IS WRONG.
THEY HAVE TO DO SOMETHING.
Larry: WELL, WE MADE UP FLYERS.
WE PUT THEM IN ALL THE STORES
AROUND THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
WE PUT THEM ON TELEPHONE POLES.
BECKY GREW UP THERE.
SHE WAS THERE HER WHOLE LIFE.
EVERYBODY KNEW OF BECKY,
SO EVERYBODY KNEW
THAT BECKY WAS MISSING.
Narrator: WORRY GROWS
AS THE TEMPERATURE PLUMMETS.
AS IT GOT DARK, YOU GET MORE
SCARED BECAUSE YOU DON'T KNOW.
"I HOPE MY BABY'S NOT
OUT IN THE SNOW.
I HOPE SHE'S NOT COLD.
WHEREVER SHE IS,
I HOPE SHE COMES HOME."
THAT'S ALL I COULD THINK ABOUT.
Narrator: THAT NIGHT, LARRY
CALLS SUFFOLK COUNTY POLICE
TO FILE
A MISSING PERSONS REPORT...
WE STRESSED THAT
THIS IS NOT HER.
SHE WOULD HAVE GONE TO WORK.
SHE WOULD HAVE CALLED ME.
SHE WOULD HAVE CALLED NICOLE --
SOMEBODY.
AND IT JUST WASN'T HER.
Narrator:
...BUT THE POLICE CAN'T DO MUCH.
IT'S ONLY BEEN 12 HOURS.
SHE'S AN ADULT. SHE CAN DO
WHATEVER SHE WANTS TO DO,
SO WITH NO EVIDENCE
OF A CRIME TAKING PLACE,
INVESTIGATORS' HANDS ARE TIED,
REALLY.
WHAT CAN THEY DO?
'CAUSE THEY HAVE NOTHING.
Narrator: BUT FAMILY AND FRIENDS
DO HAVE SOMETHING,
AND IT MIGHT BE CRITICAL.
THEY REALIZE THEY MIGHT HAVE
A WAY TO FIND HER,
AND LAUNCH A LOCATOR APP,
WHICH PINPOINTS
A PHONE'S LOCATION
WITHIN A ONE MILE RADIUS
OF A TOWER.
THEY GET A HIT.
AT 2:00 IN THE MORNING,
WE GOT A SIGNAL.
Narrator: HER PHONE IS IN THE
LONG ISLAND TOWN OF HAUPPAUGE,
ABOUT 12 MILES TO THE WEST.
WE FLEW OUT OF MY HOUSE
LOOKING FOR BECKY.
I WAS JUST IN A PANIC
JUST TO GET TO HER.
[ WIND HOWLING ]
[ WIND HOWLING ]
Narrator: IN THE DEAD OF
A LONG ISLAND WINTER,
24-YEAR-OLD BECKY KOSTER
VANISHES
AFTER A NIGHT OUT WITH FRIENDS.
BECKY WOULD ALWAYS CALL ME
WHEN SHE WAS ON HER WAY HOME.
IF I WASN'T HOME
WHEN SHE GOT THERE,
SHE WOULD CALL ME OR TEXT ME
TO LET ME KNOW
THAT SHE WAS SAFE.
Narrator: HER CELL PHONE PINGS
FROM A TOWN 12 MILES AWAY.
WE GPS'd THE PHONE
AND IT BROUGHT US TO, LIKE,
THIS LITTLE NEIGHBORHOOD.
WHO DID WE KNOW IN THE AREA?
WHY WOULD SHE HAVE BEEN
IN THAT AREA?
WAS THERE A PLACE, MAYBE,
SHE HAD WENT TO HANG OUT
IN THAT AREA?
Longo: YOU REALLY HAVE NO IDEA
WHAT YOU'RE UP AGAINST.
WE WALKED AROUND. WE KNOCKED ON
EVERY DOOR WITH A PICTURE,
"HAS ANYBODY SEEN HER?"
"DO YOU KNOW ANYBODY
THAT'S SEEN HER?"
NO, I HAVEN'T.
WE GOT NOTHING -- NOTHING.
Narrator: SUFFOLK COUNTY POLICE
LAUNCH AN INVESTIGATION.
Phelps: THE CLOCK IS TICKING.
24 HOURS AFTER
A PERSON GOES MISSING --
CAN FORGET ABOUT IT.
Narrator:
THEY LOOK INTO THE POSSIBILITY
OF A JEALOUS BOYFRIEND.
IF YOU'RE A COP
AND SOMEONE GOES MISSING,
AND THE MISSING PERSON
IS THE BULL'S-EYE,
THE FIRST RING AROUND
THE BULL'S-EYE IS BOYFRIENDS,
AND TYLER,
HE BECOMES NUMBER ONE.
HEY,
CAN I ASK YOU SOMETHING?
Narrator:
THE QUESTIONS TYLER ASKED
BECKY'S MOM DO SEEM SUSPICIOUS.
YOU THINK BECKY'S BEEN SEEING
ANYONE ELSE?
Barbara:
ALL TYLER COULD ASK ME WAS,
"IS BECKY SEEING SOMEONE ELSE?"
REALLY?
THAT'S WHAT YOUR CONCERN IS
RIGHT NOW?
SO, THE POLICE
CAME DOWN ON HIM HARD.
THE FIRST SUSPECT WAS TYLER.
"SHE WAS WITH YOU LAST,"
YOU KNOW?
**
Narrator:
POLICE LEARN THE RELATIONSHIP
WAS A LITTLE LOPSIDED.
- CALL ME TOMORROW?
- SURE.
Barbara: TYLER WAS MORE SERIOUS
THAN BECKY WAS.
IT WAS STILL A NEW RELATIONSHIP
FOR HER.
IT WASN'T LIKE, YOU KNOW,
"HE'S THE ONE.
I'M IN LOVE WITH HIM."
I DON'T THINK IT WAS
ACTUALLY ALL THAT SERIOUS.
Phelps: MAYBE HE WAS JEALOUS.
MAYBE HE FELT SLIGHTED.
Narrator: HAD SHE TRIED TO BREAK
IT OFF WITH HIM AND HE SNAPPED?
NOTHING REALLY INDICATES
HE DID ANYTHING WRONG,
UNTIL HE MAKES A BIZARRE MOVE.
Barbara: HE HAD GONE ON FACEBOOK
AND CHANGED HIS FACEBOOK NAME TO
"THE KILLER,"
SO HE REALLY DIDN'T DO MUCH
TO HELP HIMSELF
TO NOT BE A SUSPECT.
Narrator: IS IT A CONFESSION
OR JUST A FRUSTRATED BOYFRIEND
LASHING OUT?
INVESTIGATORS STILL HAVE NOTHING
CONCRETE AGAINST HIM.
DETECTIVES QUESTION
THE OTHER PEOPLE
SHE WAS OUT WITH THAT NIGHT.
EVERYONE SAYS THEY HAVE NO IDEA
WHAT HAPPENED TO HER.
CHECKING THE BAR,
INVESTIGATORS FIND NO ONE
WHO SAW ANYTHING SUSPICIOUS.
SO, THEN
A SURVEILLANCE VIDEO EMERGES
FROM INSIDE THE BAR
WHERE BECKY WAS LAST SEEN.
AND THERE'S BECKY...
Narrator: CURIOUSLY,
TYLER IS NOT WITH HER.
Phelps:...AND IT LOOKS LIKE
SHE WANTS TO LEAVE THE BAR,
AND SEVERAL MEN COME UP TO HER,
AND MAYBE ONE OF THESE MEN
HAD DIFFERENT PLANS FOR BECKY.
MY ONLY CONCERN ABOUT HER
GOING OUT WAS JUST
WHO SHE MIGHT MEET --
WHO SHE MIGHT TRUST.
Longo: SHE WAS A NICE PERSON.
SHE WAS LOVING.
SHE WAS TOO NICE -- TOO NICE.
VERY TRUSTING.
Narrator:
ONE MAN EVEN USED HER PHONE.
Khalid: YOU CAN SEE
THE UNWANTED ATTENTION,
HIM MOVING HIMSELF CLOSER,
HIM TAKING THE PHONE
AND ENTERING HIS NUMBER.
Narrator: CONCRETE CLUE
OR HARMLESS FLIRTATION?
SUFFOLK COUNTY POLICE NEED TO
TRY TO I.D. THE MEN.
LOVED ONES CREATE A MAKESHIFT
HEADQUARTERS AT THE HOUSE...
SHE'S NEVER
ON THAT SIDE OF TOWN.
...TO CONTINUE
THEIR OWN INVESTIGATION.
Larry: EVERYBODY BROUGHT FOOD
AND, YOU KNOW,
WE WERE SURROUNDED.
ALL HER FRIENDS STAYED
AT THE HOUSE THE WHOLE TIME.
THEY WOULDN'T LEAVE.
Khalid:
WE WERE THERE FOR EACH OTHER.
WE STAYED.
THE LIVING ROOM COUCHES WERE
TAKEN, THE FLOORS WERE TAKEN.
EVERY SPOT OF THAT HOUSE,
SOMEBODY WAS THERE.
I WAS ACTUALLY PINGING HER PHONE
EVERY 20 MINUTES --
EVERY 15 MINUTES.
Narrator:
EACH TIME THEY GET A HIT...
...THEY QUICKLY SEARCH,
BUT DISCOVER NOTHING.
THEY FIND OUT
THE PHONE IS STILL ON,
WHICH GIVES THEM
A SLIGHT BIT OF HOPE.
Longo: YOU KNOW, WE --
WE TRIED TO PLAY DETECTIVES
AND, YOU KNOW,
THE DETECTIVES APPRECIATED
THE THINGS THAT WE DID,
BUT, YOU KNOW,
IT WAS THEIR CASE.
THEY HAD TO DO
WHAT THEY WERE GONNA DO.
Narrator:
AND WHAT DETECTIVES DO NEXT
IS A BLOW TO THE FAMILY'S HOPES.
Barbara:
CRIME SCENE CAME TO OUR HOUSE,
AND THAT WAS OUR FIRST
FEELING OF DREAD,
'CAUSE THEY HAD TO TAKE HAIR
SAMPLES FROM HER HAIR BRUSH,
TOOTHBRUSH, ANYTHING ELSE
SHE MAY HAVE TOUCHED.
Khalid: I DIDN'T SAY ANYTHING
AT THAT MOMENT,
BUT MY HEART DROPPED.
WHY DID THEY NEED THAT?
Narrator: THE SAD TRUTH --
IT MIGHT HELP WITH
IDENTIFICATION...
IF THEY FIND A BODY.
**
THEN, COMING OFF
THE HEELS OF DESPAIR,
THE FIRST MOMENT OF REAL HOPE.
[ CELLPHONE BEEPS ]
A TEXT MESSAGE --
FROM BECKY'S PHONE.
THE TEXT MESSAGE SAID THAT
SHE WAS TIED UP IN A BASEMENT.
SHE BELIEVED SHE WAS IN COMMACK.
Khalid: THE MESSAGES HAD READ
TYLER HAD HER.
SHE COULDN'T GET OUT.
HERE IT WAS,
ONE OF MY WORST NIGHTMARES,
THAT SHE'S BEEN KIDNAPPED --
THAT SHE'S BEEN TAKEN.
I CALLED BACK RIGHT AWAY.
CALLED -- NO ANSWER.
KEPT CALLING.
IT WAS A CRY FOR HELP.
[ Ringing ]
Larry: WE WERE LIKE,
"OH, MY GOD. SHE'S ALIVE."
PICK UP THE PHONE, BABY.
PICK UP THE PHONE.
Larry: "WE'RE GONNA GET HER,"
LIKE, "WE'RE GONNA WIN THIS.
WE'RE GONNA
GET OUR DAUGHTER BACK."
[ Ringing ]
[ WIND HOWLING ]
[ WIND HOWLING ]
Narrator:
IN MEDFORD, LONG ISLAND,
THREE DAYS AFTER BECKY KOSTER
VANISHES,
HER MOM GETS A CHILLING TEXT.
[ Ringing ]
PICK UP THE PHONE, BABY.
PICK UP THE PHONE.
I SENT TEXT MESSAGES BACK.
I CALLED -- MOSTLY PHONE CALLS.
I TEXTED HER TO DIAL 911.
IF YOU CAN TEXT ME,
YOU CAN GET 911.
THEY CAN TRACE THE CALL.
Narrator:
THE MESSAGE IS A STUNNER
AND SEEMS TO
CONFIRM THE FAMILY'S FEARS,
SAYING HER BOYFRIEND, TYLER,
KIDNAPPED HER.
THEY CALL THE POLICE,
AND EVERYONE RUSHES TO TYLER'S
HOUSE DESPERATE TO RESCUE HER.
I WAS DOING LIKE
130 MILES AN HOUR.
I WAS HOPING
THE COPS PULLED ME OVER.
THAT WAY, I'D HAVE AN ESCORT,
YOU KNOW,
TO WHERE I THOUGHT
MY DAUGHTER WAS.
BECKY, I KNOW YOU'RE IN THERE.
COME ON, BECKY.
BECKY,
WE'RE HERE FOR YOU, BABY.
Narrator:
THE COPS ARE ALREADY THERE.
COME ON IN.
Narrator: THEY GRILL TYLER.
HE SAID,
"LISTEN, YOU CAN COME IN,
CHECK THIS --
SHE'S NOT HERE."
**
AH, DON'T LOOK LIKE
ANYTHING'S HERE.
**
BECKY'S NOT IN THE BASEMENT.
BECKY'S NOT IN THE GARAGE.
BECKY'S NOT
BURIED IN THE BACKYARD.
Barbara: THEY CAME,
THEY SEARCHED -- NOTHING.
NOTHING WAS FOUND AT TYLER'S,
AT ALL.
I TOOK HER HOME
AFTER THE CLUB.
I TOOK HER TO HER HOUSE.
TYLER, HE SWORE THAT
HE WAS IN LOVE WITH BECKY
AND THAT HE WOULD NEVER
DO ANYTHING TO HARM HER,
BUT, YOU KNOW,
DUE TO EVERYTHING,
HOW COULD WE BELIEVE HIM?
I DON'T KNOW WHERE SHE IS.
Narrator: DETECTIVES REQUEST
BECKY'S PHONE RECORDS,
AND LOVED ONES BEGIN THEIR OWN
SURVEILLANCE OF TYLER.
MAN, HE'S BEEN IN THERE
FOR A WHILE.
I WONDER WHAT HE'S DOING.
THAT'S HIM.
OKAY.
THAT'S HIM. THAT'S HIM.
Khalid: WE WENT ON
THE NEIGHBORING STREETS
AND WATCHED THE HOUSE TO SEE IF
THERE WAS ANY TRAFFIC
ODD HOURS OF THE NIGHT.
WE SAW NOTHING.
WE HEARD NOTHING.
Phelps: MAYBE HE DOESN'T
HAVE HER IN THE BASEMENT,
BUT MAYBE HE HAS HER
SOMEWHERE ELSE.
IN A SHED SOMEWHERE
IN THE MIDDLE OF THE WOODS --
WHO KNOWS?
Narrator:
WORD SPREADS OF THE VANISHED
BEAUTY AND THE MYSTERIOUS TEXT.
THE NEWS CAME --
I ONLY LET
A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF PEOPLE IN,
'CAUSE THE HOUSE
WAS JUST SWARMING WITH,
I MEAN, EVERY STATION --
EVERY ONE OF THEM.
Narrator:
THE FAMILY HOPES THE COVERAGE
MIGHT BRING FRESH LEADS.
YOU'RE A PARENT,
YOUR KID'S MISSING --
I MEAN, YOU DON'T KNOW.
YOU DON'T KNOW WHERE SHE IS.
I JUST, UH...
GOT TO KEEP FAITH IN GOD
THAT HE'LL BRING HER HOME
AND THAT SHE'LL BE OKAY.
Narrator: THEN, ANOTHER TEXT...
[ CELLPHONE BEEPS ]
...AND IT'S JUST AS TERRIFYING.
I RECEIVED THE OTHER
TEXT MESSAGE THAT,
"DON'T TELL TYLER.
HE'LL KILL ME."
Narrator:
THE PHONE PINGS FROM AN AREA OFF
THE NORTHERN STATE PARKWAY.
THE SECOND TEXT MESSAGE CAME IN,
AND IT LED THEM TO
AN INDUSTRIAL AREA --
A FLORIST, TO BE SPECIFIC.
Larry: SO, NOW I'M FLYING ALL
THE WAY DOWN THE OPPOSITE SIDE,
ALL THE WAY DOWN TO THE OTHER
END OF THE ISLAND, ALMOST,
'CAUSE WE'RE GOING
ALL THE WAY DOWN NORTH.
I WAS HOPING WE'D FIND HER, YOU
KNOW, AND JUST GET THROUGH THIS.
Narrator:
SUFFOLK COUNTY POLICE ORGANIZE
A COMPLETE SEARCH OF THE AREA.
Longo: HERE WE ARE, AND THERE'S
NO SIGN HER ANYWHERE.
NO CELL PHONE, NO ANYTHING,
SO EVERYBODY PANICKED.
WE DIDN'T SLEEP.
WE DIDN'T EAT.
Khalid: IT WAS VERY FRUSTRATING,
TRYING TO MAKE SENSE OF IT --
TRYING TO FIGURE OUT
WHERE SHE WAS, WHO SHE WAS WITH.
Narrator: THEN DOUBT CREEPS IN
ABOUT THE TEXTS.
THE TEXT MESSAGE WAS EERIE,
AND IT WAS TOO PERFECT
FOR IT TO REALLY BE BECKY.
THERE WERE NO MISSPELLINGS.
IT DIDN'T SEEM LIKE
A RUSHED-TYPE TEXT MESSAGE,
AND IT DIDN'T REALLY
SOUND LIKE HER.
Khalid: THE BIG QUESTION WAS,
"WHY CAN YOU TEXT YOUR MOTHER,
BUT YOU CAN'T CALL 911?"
IT DIDN'T MAKE SENSE.
THIS IS PROBABLY NOT BECKY
SENDING THIS TEXT.
IT'S PROBABLY BECKY'S ABDUCTOR
SENDING THIS TEXT.
Narrator: WHEN THE PHONE RECORDS
FINALLY COME IN...
...DETECTIVES DISCOVER THAT,
ON THE MORNING BECKY VANISHED,
SHE RECEIVED SEVERAL CALLS.
Lindsay: THERE WAS A NUMBER
THAT NO ONE KNEW.
THE NUMBER HAD CALLED HER PHONE
SEVERAL TIMES
BETWEEN THE TIME
SHE GOT DROPPED OFF AT HOME
AND WHEN SHE DISAPPEARED.
IT WAS A BOSTON NUMBER.
IT DIDN'T HAVE A NAME.
Narrator: BECKY DIDN'T ANSWER
THE FIRST CALL,
BUT SHE DID ANSWER THE SECOND.
[ CELLPHONE RINGS ]
HELLO?
Narrator: MAYBE IT WAS ONE OF
THE MYSTERY MEN FROM THE BAR.
THE PHONE NUMBER WON'T I.D.
THE KIDNAPPER.
IT WAS, LIKE, A PREPAID PHONE,
AND IT WAS THE LAST PHONE NUMBER
IN HER CALL RECORDS.
WE CALLED THAT NUMBER
A MILLION TIMES.
WE CALLED
THE CELL PHONE COMPANY
TO TRY AND FIND OUT
WHO IT BELONGED TO,
WHERE THEY LIVED -- YOU KNOW.
Narrator: SINCE
IT'S A PREPAID BURNER PHONE,
THERE ARE NO RECORDS.
FIVE FULL DAYS AFTER
BECKY'S DISAPPEARANCE,
HER FAMILY TRIES FOR
SOME SEMBLANCE OF NORMALCY.
WE HAD DECIDED TO
GO OUT TO LUNCH,
JUST TO GET OUT OF THE HOUSE
FOR A LITTLE WHILE,
AND JUST AS WE WERE EATING,
LARRY GOT THE PHONE CALL
FROM THE DETECTIVES
STATING THAT
WE NEEDED TO COME HOME.
Larry: SO, INSTANTLY
THROW THE MONEY ON THE TABLE.
WE FLY DOWN THE BLOCK --
GOT HOME IN LIKE 30 SECONDS.
I WAS EXPECTING
THAT THEY FOUND HER.
I THOUGHT SHE WAS STILL ALIVE.
YOU DIDN'T KNOW IF YOU WERE
GONNA OPEN THAT FRONT DOOR
AND THERE SHE WAS, LIKE,
"OH, HERE I AM."
YOU REALLY HAD NO IDEA.
I DIDN'T THINK THAT
WE WERE GOING TO GET
THE NEWS THAT WE GOT.
[ WIND HOWLING ]
[ WIND HOWLING ]
Narrator: FIVE DAYS
AFTER BECKY KOSTER DISAPPEARS
ON A BLUSTERY DECEMBER NIGHT,
DETECTIVES ASK TO MEET WITH
HER PARENTS.
I GOT THERE WITH MY SON
BEFORE BARBARA DID
AND THEN THEY TOLD US,
AND THEN SHE WALKED IN
AND SAW THE LOOK ON OUR FACE,
AND SHE JUST KNEW.
Barbara: [ Voice breaking ]
I REMEMBER, I LOOKED AT THEM
AND I SAID, "YOU FOUND HER."
"IT'S BAD," AND THEY TOLD ME TO
COME AND SIT DOWN.
HAVE A SEAT.
AND HE SAID THAT SHE WAS
THE VICTIM OF A HOMICIDE.
Longo: THEY SAID,
"WE FOUND HER IN CONNECTICUT,"
AND IT'S A BLANK SPACE
AFTER THAT.
YOU DIDN'T KNOW WHAT TO THINK.
YOU DIDN'T KNOW WHAT TO FEEL.
IT WAS TERRIBLE.
Khalid: I DROPPED TO THE FLOOR.
THE WALLS SEEMED TO
JUST CLOSE IN ON ME.
I HAD NO OXYGEN.
WHAT A MESS.
NO -- NO.
[ Voice breaking ] IT FELT LIKE
SOMEONE HAD PUNCHED ME
IN MY CHEST.
I JUST HAD TO GET OUT OF THERE,
AND I GRABBED MY JACKET
AND I RAN OUTSIDE, YELLING,
"DON'T SAY IT. DON'T SAY IT,"
AND FROM THERE, IT'S JUST...
JUST A WHIRLWIND.
Larry: THAT WAS DEFINITELY
THE WORST DAY OF MY LIFE.
IT WAS JUST --
YOU JUST FEEL NOTHING.
LIKE, WHO DOES THIS?
YOU KILLED MY LITTLE GIRL.
WHY?
Narrator: DETECTIVES EXPLAIN
WHAT THEY KNOW.
NORTH STONINGTON, CONNECTICUT --
ACROSS THE LONG ISLAND SOUND
FROM BECKY'S HOME IN
MEDFORD, NEW YORK.
ON DECEMBER 4th,
LESS THAN 24 HOURS
AFTER BECKY DISAPPEARED,
A PASSERBY
NOTICED SOMETHING ODD.
HE THOUGHT IT WAS A BRUSH FIRE.
HE CALLED THE FIRE DEPARTMENT.
THE FIRE DEPARTMENT CAME.
Narrator: WHAT THEY FOUND
WAS NO BRUSH FIRE,
BUT A BURNING HUMAN BODY.
THE FIRE DEPARTMENT
NOTIFIED THE CONNECTICUT POLICE.
Narrator: THE BODY WAS WRAPPED
IN A BLANKET AND PLASTIC,
SEALED WITH DUCT TAPE.
THE YOUNG WOMAN SHOWED SIGNS OF
PARTIAL DISMEMBERMENT.
**
CONNECTICUT STATE POLICE CHECKED
RECENT MISSING PERSONS CASES.
THEY HAD A FEELING
THAT THIS WAS BECKY,
BUT THEY WANTED TO CONFIRM IT.
THEY IDENTIFIED HER, ACTUALLY,
BY HER DENTAL RECORDS.
Barbara: HEARING THAT THEY FOUND
BECKY WAS BITTERSWEET.
IT WAS RELIEF
THAT SHE WAS FOUND,
BUT IT WAS A HORRIFIC NIGHTMARE
OF WHAT HAPPENED TO HER.
JUST -- WORST NIGHTMARE, EVER.
Narrator: CAUSE OF DEATH --
STABS WOUNDS TO HER LIVER
AND NECK.
WITH THE POSTMORTEM MUTILATION,
THE KILLER TRIED TO REMOVE
IDENTIFIABLE FEATURES.
SHE HAD HER EARS PIERCED --
CUT OFF HER EARS.
SHE HAD HER NOSE PIERCED --
CUT OFF HER NOSE.
SHE HAD TATTOOS ON HER BACK
AND HER ANKLE --
CUT THEM OFF.
HE JUST MUTILATED HER
TO COVER UP WHAT HE DID --
LIKE SHE WAS GARBAGE --
LIKE SHE MEANT NOTHING
TO ANYBODY.
[ Crying ] I COULDN'T LOOK AT
HER FACE ONE MORE TIME.
I COULDN'T TOUCH HER HAIR.
I JUST WANTED TO SEE HER
ONE MORE TIME,
AND I COULDN'T.
Narrator: THE BODY PARTS
THAT WERE NOT RECOVERED
MUST HAVE BEEN DUMPED ELSEWHERE.
THE SCUM THAT DID THIS
WAS THE LOWEST OF THE LOW.
A HUMAN WOULDN'T DO THAT.
A DEMON WOULD DO
SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
Narrator:
IT TOOK FIVE DAYS TO I.D. BECKY,
AND DURING THAT TIME,
THE TEXT MESSAGES FROM HER PHONE
HAD BEEN COMING IN.
THE CRUEL TRUTH --
BECKY'S REMAINS WERE FOUND
A FULL TWO DAYS BEFORE
HER MOM RECEIVED THE TEXTS.
HERE'S THE KILLER --
HE'S DONE ALL THIS STUFF, RIGHT?
HE'S KILLED HER, MUTILATED HER
BODY, LIT IT ON FIRE, WENT HOME,
AND THEN HE'S SENDING TEXTS
TO THE PARENTS OF THE GIRL
HE JUST MURDERED.
THAT'S LIKE SPITTING
ON HER GRAVE, REALLY.
THAT'S A PSYCHOPATH.
TO FIND OUT LATER
THAT IT WAS A RUSE --
JUST THAT WHOLE FEELING OF FALSE
HOPE WHEN THERE WAS NONE...
IT'S BAD ENOUGH YOU TOOK
THAT PERSON AWAY FROM THEM.
YOU HAD TO KEEP GOING?
IT WASN'T FAIR.
Narrator: THE KILLER MUST HAVE
LEARNED ABOUT TYLER
THROUGH BECKY'S
OLD TEXT MESSAGES
AND TRIED TO SET HIM UP.
IT MEANS DETECTIVES CAN FINALLY
CLEAR BECKY'S BOYFRIEND.
HE WOULD NOT HAVE IMPLICATED
HIMSELF IN THOSE TEXTS.
Phelps: THERE'S NO POSSIBLE WAY
HE COULD BE INVOLVED.
IT OPENS UP, NOW,
A WHOLE NEW POSSIBILITY
THAT THERE'S SOMEBODY ELSE
INVOLVED.
Larry: THAT'S WHAT THE WHOLE
SHOCKING THING WAS,
'CAUSE IF YOU KNEW BECKY,
YOU WOULD NEVER WANT TO
HURT HER,
AND SOMEONE DID.
I AUTOMATICALLY THOUGHT
THAT IT WAS SOMEONE
THAT WE DID NOT KNOW,
AND IT WAS SOMEONE
THAT BECKY DIDN'T KNOW.
JUST KNOWING THAT IT WAS
SUCH A HORRIBLE, HORRIBLE HOAX
TO PLAY ON SOMEONE'S MOTHER.
...RIGHT MIND SENDS A TEXT
MESSAGE TO A FAMILY
WHO'S LOOKING FOR
THEIR DAUGHTER,
GOES ALL OVER THE NEWS,
AND YOU'RE TEXTING US
LIKE SHE'S ALIVE.
WE'RE GONNA FIND YOU.
WE'RE NOT STOPPING.
WE'RE GONNA FIND YOU,
AND WHEN WE DO,
YOU'RE GONNA PAY.
Narrator: INVESTIGATORS
GO BACK TO THE BEGINNING,
THE NIGHT BECKY VANISHED,
AND WHO SHE MIGHT HAVE MET
IN HER FINAL HOURS.
WELL, WE HAVE THAT
VIDEO SURVEILLANCE AT THE BAR,
AND WE SEE A LOT OF MEN
COMING AND GOING.
WE SEE HER TALKING TO
A LOT OF MEN.
ONE OF THOSE GUYS
HAS TO KNOW SOMETHING.
Narrator: THEN,
THE BIG BREAKTHROUGH --
THE POLICE FORENSICS LAB
PULLS A FINGERPRINT
FROM THE PARTIALLY BURNED
DUCT TAPE.
Longo: WHEN HE WRAPPED HER BODY,
HE USED TAPE.
WHEN EVERYTHING ELSE
AROUND THAT TAPE IS BURNED,
AND ONLY ONE FINGERPRINT
IS NOT BURNED...
IT WAS LIKE,
"HERE'S A GIFT. HERE YOU GO."
Barbara:
THE ONE FINGERPRINT, CRYSTAL
CLEAR, THAT THEY FOUND --
YEAH, I CHALK IT UP
AS A MIRACLE,
THAT IT WAS MEANT FOR HIM --
FOR THAT THING TO BE FOUND,
AND BE BROUGHT TO JUSTICE.
[ WIND HOWLING ]
[ WIND HOWLING ]
Narrator: INVESTIGATING THE
TERRIBLE DEATH OF BECKY KOSTER,
NEW YORK AND CONNECTICUT POLICE
FINALLY GET THE EVIDENCE
THEY NEED.
Phelps: THERE'S A VERY CRUCIAL
PIECE OF EVIDENCE LEFT BEHIND,
AND THAT'S DUCT TAPE.
AND ON THAT DUCT TAPE,
THEY FIND A FINGERPRINT.
Narrator:
THE PRINT BELONGS TO 30-YEAR-OLD
LONG ISLAND RESIDENT,
EVANS GANTHIER.
ON FEBRUARY 8, 2010,
INVESTIGATORS ARREST GANTHIER
IN CENTRAL ISLIP,
15 MILES FROM MEDFORD.
Larry:
THESE DETECTIVES WERE AMAZING.
THEY DID EVERYTHING TO MAKE SURE
ONCE THEY HAD THE WORD THAT --
GET HIM -- THEY GOT HIM.
Lindsay: I HAD NEVER HEARD OF
EVANS GANTHIER
UNTIL HE WAS ARRESTED.
I HAD NO IDEA WHO WHO WAS.
THE FIRST TIME I SAW HIM WAS
ON THE NEWS.
WOULD NEVER DO NOTHING
LIKE THAT.
Narrator: GANTHIER ADMITS HE WAS
WITH BECKY THAT NIGHT,
BUT SAYS HE DIDN'T KILL HER.
Detective: WHAT DO YOU KNOW
ABOUT BECKY KOSTER
AND HER DISAPPEARANCE
DECEMBER 3, 2009?
I, UH --
I MET HER AT THE BAR.
HIS STORY IS THAT
THEY TALKED FOR A WHILE.
HE'S ONE OF THE MEN
ON THE VIDEO --
THE ONE INPUTTING HIS NUMBER
INTO HER PHONE.
WHEN SHE GOT HOME,
HE CALLED SEVERAL TIMES
AND LURED HER OUT OF THE HOUSE.
WE DON'T KNOW HOW
HE GOT HER OUT OF THE HOUSE.
WE DON'T KNOW
HOW SHE ENDED UP IN THE CAR.
WE DON'T KNOW AND,
UNFORTUNATELY, WE'LL NEVER KNOW.
Phelps:
SOMEHOW -- AND THIS IS WHERE THE
PSYCHOPATH COMES INTO PLAY --
THE SUPERFICIAL CHARM
THAT HE PUT ON
TO GET HER INTO HIS WEB --
IT WORKED, IN THIS INSTANCE.
HER GUARD WAS DOWN.
Narrator: GANTHIER CLAIMS
HE WAS DRIVING HER TO HIS PLACE
WHEN THINGS
SUDDENLY WENT BAD.
WHILE WE WERE IN THE CAR,
SHE STARTED, LIKE, GAGGING --
FOAMING AT THE MOUTH.
Larry: SO, INSTEAD OF
TAKING HER TO THE HOSPITAL,
WHICH IS A MILE
FROM HIS HOUSE --
"I'M GONNA TAKE HER TO MY HOUSE
TO GET A GLASS OF WATER."
THIS IS A 300-YEAR-OLD
COLLEGE GRADUATE
WITH A PSYCHOLOGY DEGREE.
LIKE, REALLY?
THAT'S WHAT YOU'RE GONNA DO?
YOU'RE FULL OF TOTAL ****
WHEN WE GOT TO MY HOUSE,
WE WENT THROUGH THE GARAGE DOOR.
Narrator: HE SAYS
THINGS JUST GOT WORSE THERE.
**
Barbara: IT WAS
THE MOST RIDICULOUS STORY EVER.
WHEN HE WAS HELPING HER INSIDE,
SHE TRIPPED OVER A DUMBBELL
AND HIT HER HEAD AND DIED.
**
[ BECKY SCREAMS]
Narrator:
THE AUTOPSY SHOWED NO SIGNS OF
BLUNT-FORCE TRAUMA TO THE HEAD.
IF YOU DIE FROM HEAD TRAUMA,
YOUR BRAIN'S GONNA SWELL.
YOUR HEAD'S GONNA SWELL.
SOMETHING'S GONNA BE THERE.
NOTHING WAS THERE.
Narrator:
WHAT WAS THERE WERE STAB WOUNDS
TO THE LIVER AND NECK,
WHICH GANTHIER'S STORY
DOES NOT EXPLAIN.
WHAT'S NOT PLAUSIBLE IS
DID SHE ACCIDENTALLY
FALL ON A KNIFE
THAT STUCK HER THROUGH THE LIVER
AND THAT CUT HER NECK OPEN?
NO, SO THIS GUY MURDERED HER.
THERE'S NO DOUBT ABOUT IT
IN MY MIND.
Narrator: HE DISMEMBERED HER,
REMOVING IDENTIFIABLE DETAILS,
AND TOOK THE FERRY
TO CONNECTICUT.
DROVE FOR AWHILE
AND THEN FOUND A SPOT
AND HE DUMPED HER
AND SET HER ON FIRE.
**
I DIDN'T KILL HER.
SHE FELL.
Narrator: GANTHIER ADMITS TO
EVERYTHING EXCEPT KILLING BECKY.
SHE WAS ALREADY DEAD.
I DIDN'T KILL HER.
Larry: HE PAINTED HIS GARAGE.
HE REPAINTED THE WHOLE FLOOR --
TRIED TO HIDE ALL THE DNA,
YOU KNOW?
IF YOU'RE NOT GUILTY,
WHY WOULD YOU EVEN
PAINT THE GARAGE?
WHAT ARE YOU TRYING TO COVER UP?
Narrator:
NO ONE BUYS GANTHIER'S STORY,
BUT IT'S UP TO A JURY
TO DECIDE HIS FATE.
FOR THE FIRST TIME,
BECKY'S FAMILY AND FRIENDS
COME FACE-TO-FACE
WITH EVANS GANTHIER.
[ SCOFFS ]
THAT THING WOULD WALK INTO
THE COURTROOM SMILING --
BLOW KISSES AT ITS FAMILY.
JUST SO SMUG, CONFIDENT --
NOT ONE SIGN OF REMORSE,
NOT ONE SIGN OF REGRET --
NOTHING.
Longo: HE SAT THERE
WITH A SMIRK ON HIS FACE
LIKE HE WASN'T GONNA BE
PROVEN GUILTY.
HE LOOKED LIKE A KILLER.
THAT'S WHAT HE LOOKED LIKE.
Narrator: PROSECUTORS ARGUE THAT
GANTHIER TOOK THE LIFE
OF A BEAUTIFUL,
TRUSTING YOUNG WOMAN.
COMPOUNDING THE TRAGEDY
IS THAT NO ONE KNOWS WHY.
HAD HE PLANNED TO KILL HER
WHEN HE TARGETED HER AT THE BAR?
OR WAS IT A CRUEL SNAP DECISION
ONCE HE HAD HER ALONE?
EVEN WITHOUT A STATED MOTIVE,
AFTER ONLY A FEW HOURS
OF DELIBERATION,
THE JURY REACHES A DECISION.
Lindsay:
WE WERE HOLDING OUR BREATH
AS WE WERE WAITING
FOR THE VERDICT TO BE READ.
WHEN THEY SAID "GUILTY,"
ALL YOU HEARD WAS
EVERYONE START CRYING.
Narrator:
THEY SENTENCE EVANS GANTHIER
TO 25 YEARS TO LIFE.
Larry: YOU'RE HAPPY AND SAD
AT THE SAME TIME.
YOU KNOW,
I'M JUST SO GLAD IT'S OVER.
IT WAS HELL.
I WISH NOTHING BUT MISERY
AND SUFFERING
FOR THAT VILE, DISGUSTING
CREATURE.
HE'S NOT REALLY BEING PUNISHED.
HE'S NOT.
PUNISHMENT WOULD BE
FEELING THE SAME WAY
EVERYBODY ELSE HAS TO FEEL,
EVERY DAY,
KNOWING WHAT HE DID
AND HOW HE DID IT.
Narrator:
BECKY KOSTER WILL LIVE ON
IN THE HEARTS OF THOSE WHO
STILL LOVE HER.
SHE LOVED HER FRIENDS.
SHE LOVED HER FAMILY.
I LOVE MY BECCA, AND I MISS HER.
HE WILL NEVER KNOW
WHAT HE'S DONE TO US,
AND HE'LL NEVER SUFFER
THE WAY WE SUFFERED.
Barbara: I MISS HER LAUGH.
I MISS HER COMPLAINTS.
THERE ISN'T ANYTHING
I DON'T MISS ABOUT HER.
NOT A THING.
Larry: BECKY WAS AN ANGEL.
I LOVE HER SO MUCH.
I MISS HER SO MUCH.
IT'S A NIGHTMARE.
IT'S AN ABSOLUTE NIGHTMARE --
WAKING UP EVERY DAY
WITHOUT HER.
DOESN'T GET EASIER.
YOU DON'T FORGET.