Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (1999–…): Season 23, Episode 7 - They'd Already Disappeared - full transcript
In the criminal justice system,
sexually based offenses
are considered
especially heinous.
In New York City,
the dedicated detectives
who investigate
these vicious felonies
are members
of an elite squad
known as
the Special Victims Unit.
These are their stories.
I just needed
to change my clothes,
and then I was going
to buy a coffee.
So rude, yelling,
"Bathroom for customers only,"
the whole time
I'm in there.
Sorry, I didn't get you
a coffee, mami.
Coffee's not what I need
right now, T.
I know.
I'll hook you up tonight,
okay?
You look cold, bae.
I'll keep you warm.
If you pay me.
Your mama's calling,
it's past your bedtime.
The streets might eat you.
Hang on, I just gotta
go grab my coat,
then I got a couple dates,
okay?
Hey, watch your back, baby.
It is heartless
out here tonight.
Hey, Daria.
I've been looking
all over for you.
Here I am.
I got you this.
Thanks.
Got any cash?
I'll pay you back.
It's not for me.
A friend needs it.
Please, don't.
Fine.
You hear anything from Mom?
You know how that goes.
She doesn't worry about us
at all, does she?
Well, I worry about you.
Sleeping in hallways?
It's not safe.
Come back with me, please.
To your dorm?
Nah. I don't belong there.
You were always the smart one.
You get back there,
and you study hard.
I gotta fly. See you, sis.
Love you.
Hey, Country.
Quit playing with your knives
and hold this for me.
- You got it.
- Oh, and I need my coat.
You should eat
something first.
- Nah, I got a date.
- He'll wait.
He raped me, Daria,
and choked me
and tried to kill me.
I want to come stay with you.
I'll be good, I promise.
I'll get off the drugs.
I really want‐‐
no!
Scream all you want.
Nobody cares.
So how'd it go with McGrath?
He's being respectful
or pretending to be, for now.
At least I don't have to
go over
every one of my cases with him.
We'll see how long
that lasts.
I already told him
all of this before.
I understand.
- You don't understand,
- So much
- my sister is missing.
- For a quiet morning.
She said someone
tried to kill her.
She's not picking up
her phone.
I called 911
and no one's listening to me.
- Daria, I'm listening.
- So why are we standing here?
- So what happened?
- I don't know.
I was on patrol, East Harlem,
she jumped in front of the car,
screaming something
about a rape.
Rollins, Velasco.
Hi, Captain.
This is Daria Cruz.
She thinks her sister
may be in trouble.
Officer Tran here
brought her to SVU.
You did
the right thing, officer.
Thank you.
So you can tell your sergeant
that we've got it from here.
Thank you so much.
Okay, Daria, can I ask you
to follow us?
Yeah.
*LAW AND ORDER
SPECIAL VICTIMS UNIT*
*LAW AND ORDER SPECIAL VICTIMS UNIT*
Season 23 Episode 07
Episode Title:
"They'd Already Disappeared"
Aired on:
November 04, 2021.
He raped me, Daria, and choked me
and tried to kill me.
I want to come stay with you.
I'll be good, I promise.
I'll get off the drugs.
I really want..
No!
I didn't listen
until this morning.
I'm so sorry.
Last night I was studying.
Usually when Tania calls,
she's asking for drug money.
I understand,
believe me.
We'll need
your sister's number,
we can try to trace her phone.
When is the last time
you saw her?
Last night, East Harlem.
- So she lives near there?
- No, she hangs around there.
She's homeless.
She's a survival sex worker.
Our mom took off last spring
and Tania started partying
with the wrong people.
She's been on a bad spiral.
We are going
to do everything we can.
Do you know anyone
who she hangs out with?
Maybe somebody who knows her
clients or knows her dealer?
Daria told me
that Tania was missing.
Surprised to see
NYPD cares.
We do, and her sister
said that she comes here.
Any of these girls know her?
Snowflake and Missy.
Ladies, these detectives
are looking for Tania.
I ain't seen her
since, like, forever.
Maybe she went away
with a date.
We do that sometimes.
Okay, any particular client?
Maybe a guy
who gets rough.
Like half of these mothers?
Tania's sister thought
she was looking to score.
You guys know her dealer?
No, you should
talk to Beauty.
Any idea where
we might find Beauty?
Maybe over on Pleasant.
Some days the whole world
smells like cat pee.
Tania's sister's really
worried about her.
Anything that you can
think of...
Daria's always worried,
but she can't do
a thing for her.
Keeps coming down here
with snacks and Gatorade
like T's on some kind
of Outward Bound trip.
I heard you two go on dates
together sometimes.
Have you met anyone weird?
They're all weird.
T's all right, though.
Taught her how to survive.
Don't go with drunks,
they take too long.
And stay away
from nerdy white guys,
they're always the psychos.
When's the last time
you saw her?
Last night, early.
She was headed over
to Country's to get her coat.
She was gonna
meet me back here.
She never showed.
Did you text her?
Nah.
Sometimes T starts flying,
and then she's not
gonna land for a while.
"Stay in heaven
long as you can."
That's what I say.
Is Tania okay?
You see anybody out there
waiting on her,
like a guy or a vehicle?
She got a rich daddy
or something?
Look, it was busy last night.
She came in, grabbed her coat,
and she left this.
And she gave you
that because?
They stash stuff with me
all the time.
Umbrellas, cereal,
pictures of their mama.
They got no place to stay,
no place to keep their things.
Yeah, this is
the backpack I gave her.
Where was it?
She left it with a guy
named Country.
Did Tania ever talk
to you about him?
Oh, she says
he looks out for her.
Nobody knows where she is?
No, but we're not giving up.
Detective.
These women know your sister.
Excuse me.
Did you hear from Tania?
No.
But Beauty is missing.
- Rollins is taking Daria home.
- Oh, good.
Okay, so where were we?
Well, we were all hanging
in this hallway, keeping warm,
and Beauty went to score.
And how do you know that?
She put some cash
in her bra and left,
but she never came back.
- How long has it been?
- Four hours.
Normally we wouldn't freak,
but with T missing too...
Of course.
Listen,
we understand,
and we're glad you came in.
- Maybe she picked up a date?
- Not without her bag.
She left it with us
because she didn't want
her dealer searching it.
Do you know
who the dealer is?
No idea.
She doesn't tell us stuff
like that.
Do you mind if we look
through the bag?
Beauty's grandma gave her
that mirror.
Don't lose it.
- We won't.
- Okay.
Two girls in two days?
I don't have a good feeling
about this.
Start with the cell
phone records.
Sweet kids, same smile.
They share a look.
They do.
This could be a long shot.
Check with the local precinct.
Let's see if they
didn't circular‐file
any other
missing woman reports.
Sorry to keep you so late.
My sergeant says
he's still busy.
We can wait.
Actually, I shouldn't
tell you this,
but he left for the night.
Thanks for the tip.
You know what?
We still have
two missing girls.
Yeah, I know. I feel bad.
The detective said
I could give you this
as long
as it didn't come from her.
Missing women
from this neighborhood
the last few years,
street workers, addicts.
- No one's looking that hard.
- NHI.
House slang.
No Humans Involved.
Thanks.
That's a lot
of missing girls.
Yeah. What is it? Like, ten?
These two,
they look like Tania.
And Beauty.
And there's a third.
He's got a type.
He?
We may be looking
at a serial.
Okay, so we have
three more missing girls.
Same neighborhood.
They're all slight.
Same type
as Tania and Beauty.
So who filed
the original reports?
Not family, probably friends
on the street.
Probably?
Well, the phone numbers
on the initial reports
were all out of service
or disconnected.
We pulled their rap sheets
for drugs and prostitution.
So far, no luck
tracking down the people
they were arrested with.
Did the detectives
get anything?
They said the girls
were over 18.
There's not much we can do.
And nobody went back to the
precinct looking for the girls.
So no investigation.
I mean, these women,
they could have been
from out of state, gone home...
Or ended up in the morgue.
You asked me to look
for Jane Does matching
the profile you gave me?
Yeah, dark‐haired,
slight women,
most likely sex workers.
I remember two Bronx cases
from when I first started
ten years ago.
I called them
my Christmas angels.
Christmas angels?
I was showing my daughter
the tree at Rockefeller Center
when the first victim came in.
The second was maybe
a week later.
- They look so young.
- I estimate 18, 19.
From their dentition,
probably drug addicted
on the edge of society.
No access to regular
dental care.
And there's no missing
persons report
matching either woman?
One seemed likely,
but the mother
of that girl
brought in DNA, not a match.
They were murdered?
Strangled and raped.
Okay, so we're probably
looking at the same perp.
Actually, I don't know that.
The second victim was partially
eviscerated post‐mortem.
Partially?
Her liver and intestines
were removed.
- Why?
- Does it matter, Fin?
No good reason.
Whoever he was,
he'd never done this before.
It was crudely done.
He used a butcher's knife
and a meat cleaver.
Hey, hey, man,
those are my knives.
What the hell is going on?
- We have a warrant.
- Wha...
y'all out y'all's minds.
I don't know
where Tania is or Beauty.
Well, we have
some new information
we need to talk to you about.
How long have you been
in the neighborhood, Country?
Moved up here from
South Carolina ten years ago.
Went back home for a stretch
when my daddy died.
And when you were arrested?
You moved up here
after your bid?
Opened this place
three years ago.
So what?
Is that when you
started getting
friendly with these girls?
Look, It's tough
out there for them.
They're good people.
I help them out.
Okay, so you won't mind
coming downtown
and telling us about it?
I told you
I'm a good guy.
Not always.
Your arrest was for assault.
- With a baseball bat.
- I was protecting myself.
Spartanburg PD, they've always
had it out for me.
Okay, let's talk about
Sunday night.
Where were you?
I was at my restaurant
closing up.
All night?
I would think
before you speak,
because we've run street cams.
That your station wagon?
That's old school, man.
Not too many of those
on the street.
Traffic cams got it going up
3rd Ave around 11:00.
Okay. Okay.
I went for a drive.
- All by yourself?
- No.
Who were you with?
Looks like a young woman.
Now, we can't ID her,
but what we can see
is that there's two people
in the car going north,
and then you're coming down
2nd Avenue half hour later.
Only you.
We're tearing
apart your restaurant,
we're tearing apart your car.
Country, are we going to find
Tania's blood in there
or Beauty's?
You won't find anything.
Look, I look out
for these girls.
Hold their stuff. That's it.
But you have three months
left on your parole, right?
You lied to us, and that's
enough to send you back
to a South Carolina prison.
Whoa, whoa, whoa, hold on.
Please don't do that.
You need to tell us
where she is.
Help us help you.
Look, Tania had a date,
wanted to meet her uptown.
She said he was a regular,
always paid,
but she didn't feel like
waiting for the bus.
So I dropped her off.
This mystery date,
did you see him?
No.
I dropped her, and I took off.
Tania's gonna pop up
any day now.
And when she does,
y'all'll come by,
eat some ribs with me and her,
and apologize.
Until then, we're gonna need
an address.
Scary place to meet
for a date.
If there even was a date.
Country could be making
this whole thing up.
If he killed Tania,
dumped her body,
why send us up here?
Anyway,
what are we supposed to do?
There's nobody here to talk to.
Well, we check bus routes,
I don't know,
truck deliveries
for Sunday night.
Talk to homeless guys.
Maybe we get lucky.
Yeah, maybe.
But I'm with Fin on this one.
This guy sent us
on a goose chase.
Yo, a little help?
Nice trucks.
Put these on yourself.
Yeah. Thanks.
- You guys are cops, right?
- Mm.
You here about that vampire?
A vampire?
Yeah.
We're vampire slayers.
We got to keep an eye out.
He lives right in there.
How do you know a vampire
lives there?
He's sneaky,
but some nights we can see
a light moving around inside.
- Is he here today?
- No.
Vampires sleep in the day.
They hunt at night.
Yeah. How about Sunday night?
He was in there.
We had our stakes ready.
It was quiet.
Sunday night,
you see this car?
No, I don't think so.
Okay.
How about this girl?
Yeah. Maybe.
You know where she went?
I gotta go home.
You be careful
with those vampires.
Hey. Let's go.
Vampires.
I told you we might get lucky.
Hmm.
After you, Buffy.
Let's do this.
What's that smell?
I don't even want to know.
Okay.
Dear Jesus.
What the hell is this?
Velasco.
That's Beauty.
That's Tania.
How many victims?
12 who were
mummified, and then Beauty and Tania.
Their bodies are
on the way to the morgue.
I called Daria.
Thank you.
All right, let's put a rush
on the autopsy rape kits.
It's been less than 48 hours,
so there's a possibility
for DNA.
Velasco,
run the parking tickets,
building,
neighborhood street cams.
On it, Sarge.
We're looking at a mass
fatality event over time.
Ever seen anything
like this, Doc?
The mummies of Guanajuato,
in a museum.
But those bodies
were naturally mummified.
Okay, and these?
DIY.
Do it yourself? How?
Surprisingly easy.
The technique hasn't changed
that much since the Egyptians.
They removed the organs,
salted the body,
stuffed it with linen,
and let the desert heat
do the rest.
This guy used heaters
you can buy at Home Depot,
put in a cage
to keep the rats out.
Are you gonna be able
to ID these victims?
None of the bodies
have ID on them,
but mummification preserves
DNA and fingerprints.
The older bodies
have some putrefaction,
but his technique got better.
And the killer's DNA?
Not likely to find any.
He kept a meticulous
dissection room.
Chief...
What are we looking at?
We are trying
to figure that out?
And what... what is that smell?
Like an old wet book
with a touch of cinnamon?
- Yes.
- With mummifying,
there's very little scent.
- Bodies don't rot.
- That's good to know.
If you look over here,
Chief McGrath, he made a cut,
pulled the brains out the back
to keep the face intact.
Yeah. Thanks, Doctor.
Let's just save that
for the autopsy report, okay?
Would you like
to talk outside?
Yeah, that'd be great.
- Hey.
- You got a suspect in custody?
Country Jones.
He was the last one to see
the latest victim alive, right?
Yeah.
He's got a barbecue joint.
There were knives everywhere.
He... checking for his DNA,
and he's the one
that led us up here.
Yeah, well, maybe he wanted
to be caught.
These women
were butchered, Captain.
Yes, they were.
And then
he laid them out like...
like he's throwing
some goddamn dinner party?
Make the case, okay?
Make the case
because this is evil.
How's the chief doing?
I wasn't expecting him
to get that upset.
It's, uh, it's upsetting.
I couldn't even look at them,
but I had to.
What these women went through...
You know, Captain,
I know you've seen this a lot...
Velasco, I've been doing this
for over 20 years.
I've never seen
anything like this.
And honestly...
Honestly,
you never get used to it.
Any of it.
Sofia, Dee, Shanise.
They all went missing
in the past three years.
Right after you moved
back up to New York.
We found a lot of
unclaimed stuff
in your restaurant.
Coats, purses, shoes, jewelry.
Personal items that
the owners would come back for.
These girls come and go.
They hook up with some guy,
head to Florida.
They get arrested
or check into rehab.
If we find out that any
of these purses or coats
are in your restaurant,
if they belong
to these three girls...
- Or these.
- You're done.
What hell is this?
Oh, yeah.
They were butchered.
Organs removed, brains pulled
out of their skulls,
dried and preserved
like beef jerky.
No, no, no.
Put those away.
Listen, you're our
only suspect, Country.
So if there's anything
that you're not telling us,
now would be the time.
Look, I swear,
I don't know what... who did...
wait, that's Neecy.
- Shanise.
- Yes.
I drove her to a date,
same street as Tania.
I thought she would be okay,
she said he was a regular.
One of her nice guys.
Man, stop playing
with us, Country.
You know these girls,
and you know
what happened to them.
I'm sorry.
I'm sorry.
I'm so sorry.
The ME has something.
My team went
into emergency mode,
worked through the night.
All 12 of the mummified bodies
were strangled.
- All sex workers?
- Most likely.
We found track marks,
ice burns from frostbite.
One had scarring from STDs
in her uterus.
Were you able to ID
any of the bodies?
We're still waiting
on the DNA,
but... they all had
personal effects,
partially dressed.
In fact, some of
the body cavities were stuffed
with the women's own clothing.
Okay.
And that helps us how?
More information to go on.
We expanded our search
to tri‐state women
reported missing
in the last ten years.
We got two hits.
A missing New Jersey woman
from six years ago
wearing almost exactly
the same coat.
A second victim
from Connecticut.
We IDed her through
her charm bracelet
engraved with her name
and birthday.
- Oh, God.
- Meredith Hart.
We're going to need to speak
with their families.
The Northvale detective
had no contact for relatives
of the Jersey victim.
Enfield PD is still trying
to get in touch
with Meredith's family.
Okay.
I only hope
we can ID them all.
The girl in New Jersey
was reported missing
one week after Country started
his sentence
at South Carolina...
And Meredith,
a year after that.
He was in prison,
halfway through his bid.
Which means Country's
not good for this.
And whoever it is
is still out there.
And he knows that we broke
into that...
Hell hole.
Thank you.
The NYPD is working
around the clock
to hunt down the person
or persons
responsible
for these horrific murders.
Somebody knows this killer.
Somebody sells him coffee.
Somebody delivers his takeout.
Somebody works with him
or works for him.
NYPD Crime Stoppers
is offering a $3,500 reward
with any information
that leads to an arrest.
Thank you so much.
You get anything
on the building?
Finally.
The warehouse owner died
ten years ago without a will.
He owned 15 buildings
in the neighborhood.
A dozen distant cousins
are in court.
Any of them involved
in managing those buildings?
Unlikely.
They all live in Wuhan.
His LLC has been paying
the taxes
while they sort it out.
So no help.
Hey, I told you there was
a vampire living there.
Yeah, you did, Jamal.
This is Sergeant Tutuola.
What's up, Jamal?
So you saw this vampire.
What's he look like?
White, like a ghost.
Tough.
Sometimes he's in
a pickup truck.
You know what type?
Don't worry.
You've still been very helpful.
Thanks, Jamal.
They may have located
the Connecticut vic's mother.
Okay, I'll tell the captain.
Hey, Daria.
Remember, you don't have
to do this.
We've identified Tania
by her dental records and DNA.
I just really, really,
need to see her.
I understand.
Did you bring the photo
of the two of you
together like I asked?
So if you'd like, you can
put it there on the table.
You only need to look here
for as long as you need.
And then you look there because
that's really your sister.
That's who you want
to remember.
Okay.
Daria, are you okay?
Do you want to sit down?
I'm... I'm gonna go,
but thank you.
I'm just gonna walk.
It's very common to insist
on seeing the remains.
I've never seen that before
with the photo.
The brain doesn't need
to retain an image
of a cold, traumatized body.
You can encourage recall
of happy memories,
especially
in such a young woman.
Um...
Mrs. Hart,
maybe your grandson
doesn't need to be here.
He's on the spectrum.
He gets too anxious
if he's not with me.
- Okay.
- Please sit down.
- Thank you.
- He's not listening.
I'll tell him
about his mother later.
Okay.
We're sorry
about your daughter.
I knew it would end
this way.
She was always running off
with bad boys.
Started when she was 15.
I'd track her down,
bring her home,
and then she'd run off again.
Do you remember anything
about the last boy
that she ran off with?
More of a man.
He was a carny.
Do you know
where she met him?
One of those town fairs.
She took Jack the first night,
went back on her own
the second.
Meredith, she was happy
for a minute.
When the carnival closed up,
she took off with him.
When was this?
I called the police
a few weeks later.
I don't remember
the exact date I last saw her.
- July 7th, 2016.
- Hush, honey.
No, no. It's okay.
Jack, do you know
what we're talking about?
The day mommy left.
July 7th, 2016,
I saw her get into his truck.
Do you remember
what color the truck was?
Gray. New Jersey. 6 ILI 90.
Garden State. 6 ILI 90.
Jack,
you never told me that.
Mommy said not to.
That she'd be back soon.
She said, "Don't make Grandma
get worried."
Okay, he's home.
Suspect's truck's
parked out front,
and there's lights on
in the house.
Let's go.
Who are you two?
And what do you want?
NYPD, ma'am.
We're looking
for Trace Lambert.
- He's not home.
- Where is he?
Ma, who're you talking to?
Take those things
out of your ears.
Hey, Trace Lambert?
We're wondering if you can come
into the city and talk with us.
- What, am I under arrest?
- We can do that.
You'll just spend the night
in Jersey City booking
while we sort through
the paperwork.
Well, I didn't do anything.
Then if I were you,
I'd come with us.
- I'm coming too.
- Ma...
- I'll get my purse.
- Ma, I can handle this.
So can I.
I'm calling a cab.
Misdemeanor record.
Vandalism,
disorderly conduct, public urination.
With anger issues,
that's par for the course.
And he hasn't asked
for a lawyer yet?
He doesn't think we have
anything on him.
He's organized, methodical,
no trace of his DNA
or prints on the bodies
or in the warehouse.
- Does the timeline fit?
- Yep.
He worked a carnival
on the road up and down
the Eastern Seaboard
eight months out of the year.
The other four months, he lives
with his mother in New Jersey.
All the victims disappeared
late fall or winter,
except for Meredith,
and she ran off
with somebody that
she met at the carnival.
And his mother came in
with him.
Not like he asked her.
Velasco.
Get her a cup of coffee.
Play the good son.
See if you can get anything
out of her.
Ah, they don't really
look familiar,
but I'm on the road a lot.
Meet a lot of people.
Like Little T?
Were you in New York
Sunday night?
I don't think so.
Think again...
we've got your truck
on traffic cams coming over
the George Washington bridge.
Huh.
So what are you asking me for?
We also got your truck
parked two blocks away
from the warehouse where
Little T's body was found.
Yeah, I saw that on the news.
That was sick, man.
Somebody really did a number
on those poor girls.
They mummified them.
Bone saws, space heaters,
the whole bit.
We run your credit card,
we gonna find
those things on you?
Heaters? You might.
My mother's 65.
She gets cold at night.
Here you go, ma'am.
Light and sweet,
just how you asked.
Thank you, Joe.
What was I saying about Trace?
Never said boo as a boy.
Came out of me that way,
white as a sheet,
flat and quiet, a dead fish.
No way he did anything
to get himself arrested.
Do you know where he was
last Sunday?
He said he was going
to the city
to meet a girlfriend,
but that's a lie.
Why is that, Mrs. Lambert?
You take a look at him?
Mrs. Lambert,
I'm Captain Benson.
How's everything going in here?
Can Trace and I go home now?
Mrs. Lambert
was just telling me
Trace is not good with women.
What I said was,
he's a loser.
This one, he's charming,
but he wasn't listening.
How about you tell me
about your son, Mrs. Lambert?
I don't know
why you'd be interested,
but since you're asking.
No, I don't know her,
I don't know her,
I don't know her.
How many times
I gotta tell you,
they're not my type.
- And what is your type?
- Not that.
Classier, I guess.
Trace, Captain Benson.
Trace was just telling us
what kind of women he likes.
I was just talking to your
mother about the same thing.
She doesn't know
anything about me.
She shouldn't even be here.
Okay, you guys want
to take a break?
Yeah, Cap.
Okay.
Look, my mother's
a lonely old lady.
She don't got anybody
to talk to.
Oh, I got that sense.
She just gave me an earful.
She certainly has a lot
to say about you.
Like what?
First of all, she says
that you barely talk to girls.
She says that you're soft.
I've had girlfriends.
Like Meredith, right?
She says that you met her
in Connecticut at the carnival.
That's right.
And my mother met her too.
So my mother's full of crap.
She mentioned Meredith.
She said that Meredith
felt sorry for you.
That's not true.
Your mother and Meredith
talked a lot about you.
Your mother felt that Meredith
was out of your league.
Meredith loved me.
- She loved you?
- Yes.
Okay, then where is she?
She leave you?
Or did she try to
and then you killed her?
I didn't kill anybody.
That's what your mother said.
She said that you weren't
smart enough
or ambitious enough
to commit a crime like that.
She said that carnival work,
that was sort of your limit.
And as a mother myself, I have
to say...
I agree with her.
Well, you don't
know me, either.
Do you?
I know that the guy
that I'm looking for...
Is methodical.
He's intelligent,
he's organized.
He picked women that nobody...
nobody would look for.
He found a location,
and he kept it hidden
for ten years.
Nobody... nobody was onto him.
So you think this guy that
you're looking for is smart?
Oh, yeah. I know he is.
But your story...
I mean,
I think your mother's right.
This guy is special.
Trust me, when they find him,
they're gonna make
documentaries about him.
Ten years.
Ten years, and the owner
of the building
had no idea
what was going on in there.
How much you know.
The owner, that Chinese guy?
I heard he's dead.
So you follow
the case closely?
Yeah.
All right.
So maybe I underestimated you.
Okay.
Our take, this guy
is not only smart,
but he's lucky.
No, I think he's smart.
Very smart.
He's lucky enough to find
an abandoned building
where the owner
just happens to be dead.
He didn't happen
to be dead.
You knew him?
It's what I heard.
Listen, the killer pretended
to be a buyer...
Sat down with the landlord
to seal the deal over tea.
"Yum cha," he called it.
Never saw it coming.
Saw what coming?
Tea was poisoned.
Made it look like
a heart attack.
Oh, my God.
That is a good plan.
Yeah. Yeah, it was.
It was my plan.
- It was your plan?
- Yeah.
Okay. All right.
All right, Trace.
It was. I killed him.
Oh yeah, I killed all of them.
They were my girls.
They were mine.
Do you understand me?
And you had no right
to go in there
and disturb ten years...
ten years of my work.
Who was yours?
Tania screamed
for her sister.
Okay?
Beauty couldn't stop shaking.
Dee, she pissed herself.
And Meredith...
She just kept saying
"No, no, no, no."
I kept her alive
for days.
I killed them. All of them.
You tell my mother
that.
You tell my mother
what I did.
Thanks, Carisi.
Trace's lawyer cut a deal.
He will plead guilty
to a dozen homicides
to avoid federal prosecution.
That's New York.
But FBI is checking
missing persons in every town
on the Eastern Seaboard
that his carnival went through
for the last ten years.
He can still get
the death penalty.
So Doc, what do we have?
I was able to ID
two more victims.
Their DNA was in the system.
No one ever even
reported them missing.
Dawn Doyers.
If she'd lived,
she'd have just turned 26.
Katie Evers, 32.
So with Dee, Shanise,
Gina, and Meredith.
- Tania and Beauty.
- That's eight.
Are you going to be able
to identify the rest of them?
I don't know, but after all
they've been through,
I'm not gonna
abandon them now.
Oh, uh,
that's Beauty's grandmother.
She told me
she was coming in.
Subtitles
Synchronized by srjanapala
sexually based offenses
are considered
especially heinous.
In New York City,
the dedicated detectives
who investigate
these vicious felonies
are members
of an elite squad
known as
the Special Victims Unit.
These are their stories.
I just needed
to change my clothes,
and then I was going
to buy a coffee.
So rude, yelling,
"Bathroom for customers only,"
the whole time
I'm in there.
Sorry, I didn't get you
a coffee, mami.
Coffee's not what I need
right now, T.
I know.
I'll hook you up tonight,
okay?
You look cold, bae.
I'll keep you warm.
If you pay me.
Your mama's calling,
it's past your bedtime.
The streets might eat you.
Hang on, I just gotta
go grab my coat,
then I got a couple dates,
okay?
Hey, watch your back, baby.
It is heartless
out here tonight.
Hey, Daria.
I've been looking
all over for you.
Here I am.
I got you this.
Thanks.
Got any cash?
I'll pay you back.
It's not for me.
A friend needs it.
Please, don't.
Fine.
You hear anything from Mom?
You know how that goes.
She doesn't worry about us
at all, does she?
Well, I worry about you.
Sleeping in hallways?
It's not safe.
Come back with me, please.
To your dorm?
Nah. I don't belong there.
You were always the smart one.
You get back there,
and you study hard.
I gotta fly. See you, sis.
Love you.
Hey, Country.
Quit playing with your knives
and hold this for me.
- You got it.
- Oh, and I need my coat.
You should eat
something first.
- Nah, I got a date.
- He'll wait.
He raped me, Daria,
and choked me
and tried to kill me.
I want to come stay with you.
I'll be good, I promise.
I'll get off the drugs.
I really want‐‐
no!
Scream all you want.
Nobody cares.
So how'd it go with McGrath?
He's being respectful
or pretending to be, for now.
At least I don't have to
go over
every one of my cases with him.
We'll see how long
that lasts.
I already told him
all of this before.
I understand.
- You don't understand,
- So much
- my sister is missing.
- For a quiet morning.
She said someone
tried to kill her.
She's not picking up
her phone.
I called 911
and no one's listening to me.
- Daria, I'm listening.
- So why are we standing here?
- So what happened?
- I don't know.
I was on patrol, East Harlem,
she jumped in front of the car,
screaming something
about a rape.
Rollins, Velasco.
Hi, Captain.
This is Daria Cruz.
She thinks her sister
may be in trouble.
Officer Tran here
brought her to SVU.
You did
the right thing, officer.
Thank you.
So you can tell your sergeant
that we've got it from here.
Thank you so much.
Okay, Daria, can I ask you
to follow us?
Yeah.
*LAW AND ORDER
SPECIAL VICTIMS UNIT*
*LAW AND ORDER SPECIAL VICTIMS UNIT*
Season 23 Episode 07
Episode Title:
"They'd Already Disappeared"
Aired on:
November 04, 2021.
He raped me, Daria, and choked me
and tried to kill me.
I want to come stay with you.
I'll be good, I promise.
I'll get off the drugs.
I really want..
No!
I didn't listen
until this morning.
I'm so sorry.
Last night I was studying.
Usually when Tania calls,
she's asking for drug money.
I understand,
believe me.
We'll need
your sister's number,
we can try to trace her phone.
When is the last time
you saw her?
Last night, East Harlem.
- So she lives near there?
- No, she hangs around there.
She's homeless.
She's a survival sex worker.
Our mom took off last spring
and Tania started partying
with the wrong people.
She's been on a bad spiral.
We are going
to do everything we can.
Do you know anyone
who she hangs out with?
Maybe somebody who knows her
clients or knows her dealer?
Daria told me
that Tania was missing.
Surprised to see
NYPD cares.
We do, and her sister
said that she comes here.
Any of these girls know her?
Snowflake and Missy.
Ladies, these detectives
are looking for Tania.
I ain't seen her
since, like, forever.
Maybe she went away
with a date.
We do that sometimes.
Okay, any particular client?
Maybe a guy
who gets rough.
Like half of these mothers?
Tania's sister thought
she was looking to score.
You guys know her dealer?
No, you should
talk to Beauty.
Any idea where
we might find Beauty?
Maybe over on Pleasant.
Some days the whole world
smells like cat pee.
Tania's sister's really
worried about her.
Anything that you can
think of...
Daria's always worried,
but she can't do
a thing for her.
Keeps coming down here
with snacks and Gatorade
like T's on some kind
of Outward Bound trip.
I heard you two go on dates
together sometimes.
Have you met anyone weird?
They're all weird.
T's all right, though.
Taught her how to survive.
Don't go with drunks,
they take too long.
And stay away
from nerdy white guys,
they're always the psychos.
When's the last time
you saw her?
Last night, early.
She was headed over
to Country's to get her coat.
She was gonna
meet me back here.
She never showed.
Did you text her?
Nah.
Sometimes T starts flying,
and then she's not
gonna land for a while.
"Stay in heaven
long as you can."
That's what I say.
Is Tania okay?
You see anybody out there
waiting on her,
like a guy or a vehicle?
She got a rich daddy
or something?
Look, it was busy last night.
She came in, grabbed her coat,
and she left this.
And she gave you
that because?
They stash stuff with me
all the time.
Umbrellas, cereal,
pictures of their mama.
They got no place to stay,
no place to keep their things.
Yeah, this is
the backpack I gave her.
Where was it?
She left it with a guy
named Country.
Did Tania ever talk
to you about him?
Oh, she says
he looks out for her.
Nobody knows where she is?
No, but we're not giving up.
Detective.
These women know your sister.
Excuse me.
Did you hear from Tania?
No.
But Beauty is missing.
- Rollins is taking Daria home.
- Oh, good.
Okay, so where were we?
Well, we were all hanging
in this hallway, keeping warm,
and Beauty went to score.
And how do you know that?
She put some cash
in her bra and left,
but she never came back.
- How long has it been?
- Four hours.
Normally we wouldn't freak,
but with T missing too...
Of course.
Listen,
we understand,
and we're glad you came in.
- Maybe she picked up a date?
- Not without her bag.
She left it with us
because she didn't want
her dealer searching it.
Do you know
who the dealer is?
No idea.
She doesn't tell us stuff
like that.
Do you mind if we look
through the bag?
Beauty's grandma gave her
that mirror.
Don't lose it.
- We won't.
- Okay.
Two girls in two days?
I don't have a good feeling
about this.
Start with the cell
phone records.
Sweet kids, same smile.
They share a look.
They do.
This could be a long shot.
Check with the local precinct.
Let's see if they
didn't circular‐file
any other
missing woman reports.
Sorry to keep you so late.
My sergeant says
he's still busy.
We can wait.
Actually, I shouldn't
tell you this,
but he left for the night.
Thanks for the tip.
You know what?
We still have
two missing girls.
Yeah, I know. I feel bad.
The detective said
I could give you this
as long
as it didn't come from her.
Missing women
from this neighborhood
the last few years,
street workers, addicts.
- No one's looking that hard.
- NHI.
House slang.
No Humans Involved.
Thanks.
That's a lot
of missing girls.
Yeah. What is it? Like, ten?
These two,
they look like Tania.
And Beauty.
And there's a third.
He's got a type.
He?
We may be looking
at a serial.
Okay, so we have
three more missing girls.
Same neighborhood.
They're all slight.
Same type
as Tania and Beauty.
So who filed
the original reports?
Not family, probably friends
on the street.
Probably?
Well, the phone numbers
on the initial reports
were all out of service
or disconnected.
We pulled their rap sheets
for drugs and prostitution.
So far, no luck
tracking down the people
they were arrested with.
Did the detectives
get anything?
They said the girls
were over 18.
There's not much we can do.
And nobody went back to the
precinct looking for the girls.
So no investigation.
I mean, these women,
they could have been
from out of state, gone home...
Or ended up in the morgue.
You asked me to look
for Jane Does matching
the profile you gave me?
Yeah, dark‐haired,
slight women,
most likely sex workers.
I remember two Bronx cases
from when I first started
ten years ago.
I called them
my Christmas angels.
Christmas angels?
I was showing my daughter
the tree at Rockefeller Center
when the first victim came in.
The second was maybe
a week later.
- They look so young.
- I estimate 18, 19.
From their dentition,
probably drug addicted
on the edge of society.
No access to regular
dental care.
And there's no missing
persons report
matching either woman?
One seemed likely,
but the mother
of that girl
brought in DNA, not a match.
They were murdered?
Strangled and raped.
Okay, so we're probably
looking at the same perp.
Actually, I don't know that.
The second victim was partially
eviscerated post‐mortem.
Partially?
Her liver and intestines
were removed.
- Why?
- Does it matter, Fin?
No good reason.
Whoever he was,
he'd never done this before.
It was crudely done.
He used a butcher's knife
and a meat cleaver.
Hey, hey, man,
those are my knives.
What the hell is going on?
- We have a warrant.
- Wha...
y'all out y'all's minds.
I don't know
where Tania is or Beauty.
Well, we have
some new information
we need to talk to you about.
How long have you been
in the neighborhood, Country?
Moved up here from
South Carolina ten years ago.
Went back home for a stretch
when my daddy died.
And when you were arrested?
You moved up here
after your bid?
Opened this place
three years ago.
So what?
Is that when you
started getting
friendly with these girls?
Look, It's tough
out there for them.
They're good people.
I help them out.
Okay, so you won't mind
coming downtown
and telling us about it?
I told you
I'm a good guy.
Not always.
Your arrest was for assault.
- With a baseball bat.
- I was protecting myself.
Spartanburg PD, they've always
had it out for me.
Okay, let's talk about
Sunday night.
Where were you?
I was at my restaurant
closing up.
All night?
I would think
before you speak,
because we've run street cams.
That your station wagon?
That's old school, man.
Not too many of those
on the street.
Traffic cams got it going up
3rd Ave around 11:00.
Okay. Okay.
I went for a drive.
- All by yourself?
- No.
Who were you with?
Looks like a young woman.
Now, we can't ID her,
but what we can see
is that there's two people
in the car going north,
and then you're coming down
2nd Avenue half hour later.
Only you.
We're tearing
apart your restaurant,
we're tearing apart your car.
Country, are we going to find
Tania's blood in there
or Beauty's?
You won't find anything.
Look, I look out
for these girls.
Hold their stuff. That's it.
But you have three months
left on your parole, right?
You lied to us, and that's
enough to send you back
to a South Carolina prison.
Whoa, whoa, whoa, hold on.
Please don't do that.
You need to tell us
where she is.
Help us help you.
Look, Tania had a date,
wanted to meet her uptown.
She said he was a regular,
always paid,
but she didn't feel like
waiting for the bus.
So I dropped her off.
This mystery date,
did you see him?
No.
I dropped her, and I took off.
Tania's gonna pop up
any day now.
And when she does,
y'all'll come by,
eat some ribs with me and her,
and apologize.
Until then, we're gonna need
an address.
Scary place to meet
for a date.
If there even was a date.
Country could be making
this whole thing up.
If he killed Tania,
dumped her body,
why send us up here?
Anyway,
what are we supposed to do?
There's nobody here to talk to.
Well, we check bus routes,
I don't know,
truck deliveries
for Sunday night.
Talk to homeless guys.
Maybe we get lucky.
Yeah, maybe.
But I'm with Fin on this one.
This guy sent us
on a goose chase.
Yo, a little help?
Nice trucks.
Put these on yourself.
Yeah. Thanks.
- You guys are cops, right?
- Mm.
You here about that vampire?
A vampire?
Yeah.
We're vampire slayers.
We got to keep an eye out.
He lives right in there.
How do you know a vampire
lives there?
He's sneaky,
but some nights we can see
a light moving around inside.
- Is he here today?
- No.
Vampires sleep in the day.
They hunt at night.
Yeah. How about Sunday night?
He was in there.
We had our stakes ready.
It was quiet.
Sunday night,
you see this car?
No, I don't think so.
Okay.
How about this girl?
Yeah. Maybe.
You know where she went?
I gotta go home.
You be careful
with those vampires.
Hey. Let's go.
Vampires.
I told you we might get lucky.
Hmm.
After you, Buffy.
Let's do this.
What's that smell?
I don't even want to know.
Okay.
Dear Jesus.
What the hell is this?
Velasco.
That's Beauty.
That's Tania.
How many victims?
12 who were
mummified, and then Beauty and Tania.
Their bodies are
on the way to the morgue.
I called Daria.
Thank you.
All right, let's put a rush
on the autopsy rape kits.
It's been less than 48 hours,
so there's a possibility
for DNA.
Velasco,
run the parking tickets,
building,
neighborhood street cams.
On it, Sarge.
We're looking at a mass
fatality event over time.
Ever seen anything
like this, Doc?
The mummies of Guanajuato,
in a museum.
But those bodies
were naturally mummified.
Okay, and these?
DIY.
Do it yourself? How?
Surprisingly easy.
The technique hasn't changed
that much since the Egyptians.
They removed the organs,
salted the body,
stuffed it with linen,
and let the desert heat
do the rest.
This guy used heaters
you can buy at Home Depot,
put in a cage
to keep the rats out.
Are you gonna be able
to ID these victims?
None of the bodies
have ID on them,
but mummification preserves
DNA and fingerprints.
The older bodies
have some putrefaction,
but his technique got better.
And the killer's DNA?
Not likely to find any.
He kept a meticulous
dissection room.
Chief...
What are we looking at?
We are trying
to figure that out?
And what... what is that smell?
Like an old wet book
with a touch of cinnamon?
- Yes.
- With mummifying,
there's very little scent.
- Bodies don't rot.
- That's good to know.
If you look over here,
Chief McGrath, he made a cut,
pulled the brains out the back
to keep the face intact.
Yeah. Thanks, Doctor.
Let's just save that
for the autopsy report, okay?
Would you like
to talk outside?
Yeah, that'd be great.
- Hey.
- You got a suspect in custody?
Country Jones.
He was the last one to see
the latest victim alive, right?
Yeah.
He's got a barbecue joint.
There were knives everywhere.
He... checking for his DNA,
and he's the one
that led us up here.
Yeah, well, maybe he wanted
to be caught.
These women
were butchered, Captain.
Yes, they were.
And then
he laid them out like...
like he's throwing
some goddamn dinner party?
Make the case, okay?
Make the case
because this is evil.
How's the chief doing?
I wasn't expecting him
to get that upset.
It's, uh, it's upsetting.
I couldn't even look at them,
but I had to.
What these women went through...
You know, Captain,
I know you've seen this a lot...
Velasco, I've been doing this
for over 20 years.
I've never seen
anything like this.
And honestly...
Honestly,
you never get used to it.
Any of it.
Sofia, Dee, Shanise.
They all went missing
in the past three years.
Right after you moved
back up to New York.
We found a lot of
unclaimed stuff
in your restaurant.
Coats, purses, shoes, jewelry.
Personal items that
the owners would come back for.
These girls come and go.
They hook up with some guy,
head to Florida.
They get arrested
or check into rehab.
If we find out that any
of these purses or coats
are in your restaurant,
if they belong
to these three girls...
- Or these.
- You're done.
What hell is this?
Oh, yeah.
They were butchered.
Organs removed, brains pulled
out of their skulls,
dried and preserved
like beef jerky.
No, no, no.
Put those away.
Listen, you're our
only suspect, Country.
So if there's anything
that you're not telling us,
now would be the time.
Look, I swear,
I don't know what... who did...
wait, that's Neecy.
- Shanise.
- Yes.
I drove her to a date,
same street as Tania.
I thought she would be okay,
she said he was a regular.
One of her nice guys.
Man, stop playing
with us, Country.
You know these girls,
and you know
what happened to them.
I'm sorry.
I'm sorry.
I'm so sorry.
The ME has something.
My team went
into emergency mode,
worked through the night.
All 12 of the mummified bodies
were strangled.
- All sex workers?
- Most likely.
We found track marks,
ice burns from frostbite.
One had scarring from STDs
in her uterus.
Were you able to ID
any of the bodies?
We're still waiting
on the DNA,
but... they all had
personal effects,
partially dressed.
In fact, some of
the body cavities were stuffed
with the women's own clothing.
Okay.
And that helps us how?
More information to go on.
We expanded our search
to tri‐state women
reported missing
in the last ten years.
We got two hits.
A missing New Jersey woman
from six years ago
wearing almost exactly
the same coat.
A second victim
from Connecticut.
We IDed her through
her charm bracelet
engraved with her name
and birthday.
- Oh, God.
- Meredith Hart.
We're going to need to speak
with their families.
The Northvale detective
had no contact for relatives
of the Jersey victim.
Enfield PD is still trying
to get in touch
with Meredith's family.
Okay.
I only hope
we can ID them all.
The girl in New Jersey
was reported missing
one week after Country started
his sentence
at South Carolina...
And Meredith,
a year after that.
He was in prison,
halfway through his bid.
Which means Country's
not good for this.
And whoever it is
is still out there.
And he knows that we broke
into that...
Hell hole.
Thank you.
The NYPD is working
around the clock
to hunt down the person
or persons
responsible
for these horrific murders.
Somebody knows this killer.
Somebody sells him coffee.
Somebody delivers his takeout.
Somebody works with him
or works for him.
NYPD Crime Stoppers
is offering a $3,500 reward
with any information
that leads to an arrest.
Thank you so much.
You get anything
on the building?
Finally.
The warehouse owner died
ten years ago without a will.
He owned 15 buildings
in the neighborhood.
A dozen distant cousins
are in court.
Any of them involved
in managing those buildings?
Unlikely.
They all live in Wuhan.
His LLC has been paying
the taxes
while they sort it out.
So no help.
Hey, I told you there was
a vampire living there.
Yeah, you did, Jamal.
This is Sergeant Tutuola.
What's up, Jamal?
So you saw this vampire.
What's he look like?
White, like a ghost.
Tough.
Sometimes he's in
a pickup truck.
You know what type?
Don't worry.
You've still been very helpful.
Thanks, Jamal.
They may have located
the Connecticut vic's mother.
Okay, I'll tell the captain.
Hey, Daria.
Remember, you don't have
to do this.
We've identified Tania
by her dental records and DNA.
I just really, really,
need to see her.
I understand.
Did you bring the photo
of the two of you
together like I asked?
So if you'd like, you can
put it there on the table.
You only need to look here
for as long as you need.
And then you look there because
that's really your sister.
That's who you want
to remember.
Okay.
Daria, are you okay?
Do you want to sit down?
I'm... I'm gonna go,
but thank you.
I'm just gonna walk.
It's very common to insist
on seeing the remains.
I've never seen that before
with the photo.
The brain doesn't need
to retain an image
of a cold, traumatized body.
You can encourage recall
of happy memories,
especially
in such a young woman.
Um...
Mrs. Hart,
maybe your grandson
doesn't need to be here.
He's on the spectrum.
He gets too anxious
if he's not with me.
- Okay.
- Please sit down.
- Thank you.
- He's not listening.
I'll tell him
about his mother later.
Okay.
We're sorry
about your daughter.
I knew it would end
this way.
She was always running off
with bad boys.
Started when she was 15.
I'd track her down,
bring her home,
and then she'd run off again.
Do you remember anything
about the last boy
that she ran off with?
More of a man.
He was a carny.
Do you know
where she met him?
One of those town fairs.
She took Jack the first night,
went back on her own
the second.
Meredith, she was happy
for a minute.
When the carnival closed up,
she took off with him.
When was this?
I called the police
a few weeks later.
I don't remember
the exact date I last saw her.
- July 7th, 2016.
- Hush, honey.
No, no. It's okay.
Jack, do you know
what we're talking about?
The day mommy left.
July 7th, 2016,
I saw her get into his truck.
Do you remember
what color the truck was?
Gray. New Jersey. 6 ILI 90.
Garden State. 6 ILI 90.
Jack,
you never told me that.
Mommy said not to.
That she'd be back soon.
She said, "Don't make Grandma
get worried."
Okay, he's home.
Suspect's truck's
parked out front,
and there's lights on
in the house.
Let's go.
Who are you two?
And what do you want?
NYPD, ma'am.
We're looking
for Trace Lambert.
- He's not home.
- Where is he?
Ma, who're you talking to?
Take those things
out of your ears.
Hey, Trace Lambert?
We're wondering if you can come
into the city and talk with us.
- What, am I under arrest?
- We can do that.
You'll just spend the night
in Jersey City booking
while we sort through
the paperwork.
Well, I didn't do anything.
Then if I were you,
I'd come with us.
- I'm coming too.
- Ma...
- I'll get my purse.
- Ma, I can handle this.
So can I.
I'm calling a cab.
Misdemeanor record.
Vandalism,
disorderly conduct, public urination.
With anger issues,
that's par for the course.
And he hasn't asked
for a lawyer yet?
He doesn't think we have
anything on him.
He's organized, methodical,
no trace of his DNA
or prints on the bodies
or in the warehouse.
- Does the timeline fit?
- Yep.
He worked a carnival
on the road up and down
the Eastern Seaboard
eight months out of the year.
The other four months, he lives
with his mother in New Jersey.
All the victims disappeared
late fall or winter,
except for Meredith,
and she ran off
with somebody that
she met at the carnival.
And his mother came in
with him.
Not like he asked her.
Velasco.
Get her a cup of coffee.
Play the good son.
See if you can get anything
out of her.
Ah, they don't really
look familiar,
but I'm on the road a lot.
Meet a lot of people.
Like Little T?
Were you in New York
Sunday night?
I don't think so.
Think again...
we've got your truck
on traffic cams coming over
the George Washington bridge.
Huh.
So what are you asking me for?
We also got your truck
parked two blocks away
from the warehouse where
Little T's body was found.
Yeah, I saw that on the news.
That was sick, man.
Somebody really did a number
on those poor girls.
They mummified them.
Bone saws, space heaters,
the whole bit.
We run your credit card,
we gonna find
those things on you?
Heaters? You might.
My mother's 65.
She gets cold at night.
Here you go, ma'am.
Light and sweet,
just how you asked.
Thank you, Joe.
What was I saying about Trace?
Never said boo as a boy.
Came out of me that way,
white as a sheet,
flat and quiet, a dead fish.
No way he did anything
to get himself arrested.
Do you know where he was
last Sunday?
He said he was going
to the city
to meet a girlfriend,
but that's a lie.
Why is that, Mrs. Lambert?
You take a look at him?
Mrs. Lambert,
I'm Captain Benson.
How's everything going in here?
Can Trace and I go home now?
Mrs. Lambert
was just telling me
Trace is not good with women.
What I said was,
he's a loser.
This one, he's charming,
but he wasn't listening.
How about you tell me
about your son, Mrs. Lambert?
I don't know
why you'd be interested,
but since you're asking.
No, I don't know her,
I don't know her,
I don't know her.
How many times
I gotta tell you,
they're not my type.
- And what is your type?
- Not that.
Classier, I guess.
Trace, Captain Benson.
Trace was just telling us
what kind of women he likes.
I was just talking to your
mother about the same thing.
She doesn't know
anything about me.
She shouldn't even be here.
Okay, you guys want
to take a break?
Yeah, Cap.
Okay.
Look, my mother's
a lonely old lady.
She don't got anybody
to talk to.
Oh, I got that sense.
She just gave me an earful.
She certainly has a lot
to say about you.
Like what?
First of all, she says
that you barely talk to girls.
She says that you're soft.
I've had girlfriends.
Like Meredith, right?
She says that you met her
in Connecticut at the carnival.
That's right.
And my mother met her too.
So my mother's full of crap.
She mentioned Meredith.
She said that Meredith
felt sorry for you.
That's not true.
Your mother and Meredith
talked a lot about you.
Your mother felt that Meredith
was out of your league.
Meredith loved me.
- She loved you?
- Yes.
Okay, then where is she?
She leave you?
Or did she try to
and then you killed her?
I didn't kill anybody.
That's what your mother said.
She said that you weren't
smart enough
or ambitious enough
to commit a crime like that.
She said that carnival work,
that was sort of your limit.
And as a mother myself, I have
to say...
I agree with her.
Well, you don't
know me, either.
Do you?
I know that the guy
that I'm looking for...
Is methodical.
He's intelligent,
he's organized.
He picked women that nobody...
nobody would look for.
He found a location,
and he kept it hidden
for ten years.
Nobody... nobody was onto him.
So you think this guy that
you're looking for is smart?
Oh, yeah. I know he is.
But your story...
I mean,
I think your mother's right.
This guy is special.
Trust me, when they find him,
they're gonna make
documentaries about him.
Ten years.
Ten years, and the owner
of the building
had no idea
what was going on in there.
How much you know.
The owner, that Chinese guy?
I heard he's dead.
So you follow
the case closely?
Yeah.
All right.
So maybe I underestimated you.
Okay.
Our take, this guy
is not only smart,
but he's lucky.
No, I think he's smart.
Very smart.
He's lucky enough to find
an abandoned building
where the owner
just happens to be dead.
He didn't happen
to be dead.
You knew him?
It's what I heard.
Listen, the killer pretended
to be a buyer...
Sat down with the landlord
to seal the deal over tea.
"Yum cha," he called it.
Never saw it coming.
Saw what coming?
Tea was poisoned.
Made it look like
a heart attack.
Oh, my God.
That is a good plan.
Yeah. Yeah, it was.
It was my plan.
- It was your plan?
- Yeah.
Okay. All right.
All right, Trace.
It was. I killed him.
Oh yeah, I killed all of them.
They were my girls.
They were mine.
Do you understand me?
And you had no right
to go in there
and disturb ten years...
ten years of my work.
Who was yours?
Tania screamed
for her sister.
Okay?
Beauty couldn't stop shaking.
Dee, she pissed herself.
And Meredith...
She just kept saying
"No, no, no, no."
I kept her alive
for days.
I killed them. All of them.
You tell my mother
that.
You tell my mother
what I did.
Thanks, Carisi.
Trace's lawyer cut a deal.
He will plead guilty
to a dozen homicides
to avoid federal prosecution.
That's New York.
But FBI is checking
missing persons in every town
on the Eastern Seaboard
that his carnival went through
for the last ten years.
He can still get
the death penalty.
So Doc, what do we have?
I was able to ID
two more victims.
Their DNA was in the system.
No one ever even
reported them missing.
Dawn Doyers.
If she'd lived,
she'd have just turned 26.
Katie Evers, 32.
So with Dee, Shanise,
Gina, and Meredith.
- Tania and Beauty.
- That's eight.
Are you going to be able
to identify the rest of them?
I don't know, but after all
they've been through,
I'm not gonna
abandon them now.
Oh, uh,
that's Beauty's grandmother.
She told me
she was coming in.
Subtitles
Synchronized by srjanapala