See No Evil (2014–…): Season 1, Episode 3 - Sean Dugas/Natalie Belmonte - full transcript
A FLORIDA WOMAN
REFUSES TO GIVE UP
ON A MISSING FRIEND...
AND I WOULD CALL,
AND I WOULD CALL,
AND I WOULD CALL.
...A FRIEND WITH A BIZARRE
AND DANGEROUS ADDICTION.
IT'S BEEN CALLED
CARDBOARD CRACK.
AND HE'S VANISHED INTO THIN AIR.
HIS HOUSE HAD BEEN CLEANED OUT.
ACROSS THE STATE, A LOVING
MOTHER ALSO DISAPPEARS...
HER SMILE WOULD LIGHT
UP A ROOM.
...LEAVING HER FAMILY IN CRISIS.
IT WAS PROBABLY THE HARDEST TIME
OF THEIR LIVES.
BOTH CASES CONFOUND THE POLICE
UNTIL ONE UNWAVERING WITNESS
TELLS ALL.
EARLY EVENING
IN PEMBROKE PINES, FLORIDA...
...A WOMAN HAS VANISHED.
THE FRANTIC CALLER
IS NATALIE'S SISTER, MICHAELA.
I KNOW MICHAELA
AND HER WERE VERY, VERY CLOSE.
THEY SPOKE EVERY DAY.
NATALIE IS A HARDWORKING
REAL ESTATE AGENT
AND LOVING SINGLE MOM
TO 17-YEAR-OLD AIDEN
AND 21-YEAR-OLD GERARD
WHOM SHE ADOPTED AS A CHILD.
SHE HAD A VERY CLOSE-KNIT
FAMILY.
THIS MORNING, AIDEN AND GERARD
WOKE TO FIND THEIR MOTHER GONE.
BY EVENING,
SHE STILL HASN'T RETURNED.
SO THEY CALL MICHAELA.
MICHAELA KNEW HER SISTER
WELL ENOUGH TO KNOW
THAT HER SISTER WASN'T GONNA
LEAVE THE HOUSE WITH --
WITHOUT HER PHONE, OR HER KEYS,
OR HER PURSE, OR ANY
OF HER PERSONAL BELONGINGS.
DETECTIVE WAYNE KATZ FROM THE
PEMBROKE PINES POLICE DEPARTMENT
HEADS TO THE BELMONTE HOME
TO INVESTIGATE.
WE WANTED TO TALK
ABOUT NATALIE'S FRIENDS,
HER COMINGS AND GOINGS,
WHERE SHE WOULD GO,
WHO SHE WOULD GO SEE.
GERRY EXPLAINS
THAT THE NIGHT BEFORE,
HE AND HIS MOM WENT
TO A FRIEND'S GRADUATION PARTY.
LET'S GO.
AND AS ALWAYS, NATALIE
REALLY SEEMED TO ENJOY HERSELF.
SHE HAD A SMILE
THAT WAS WELCOMING.
HER SMILE WOULD LIGHT UP A ROOM.
ANYONE THAT MET
HER HAD SOMETHING
POSITIVE TO SAY ABOUT HER.
IT'S NEARLY 3 A.M.
WHEN SHE DRIVES THEM HOME.
HE WENT TO BED,
AND -- AND SHE WENT TO BED,
AND THAT WAS THE LAST TIME THAT,
HE HAD SEEN HIS MOTHER.
AS DETECTIVE KATZ KNOWS,
MOST MISSING ADULTS
WILL SHOW UP ON THEIR OWN.
USUALLY THE PERSON,
IS SHORTLY THEREAFTER LOCATED
AND THERE WAS MAYBE
SOME MISCOMMUNICATION
BETWEEN FAMILY MEMBERS.
BUT MICHAELA
HAS A SISTERLY SENSE
THAT SOMETHING IS VERY WRONG.
THERE WAS SOME THINGS
THAT RAISED HER SUSPICIONS
THAT SOMETHING JUST
DIDN'T SEEM RIGHT.
NOW, YOU NEED TO SEE THIS.
STARTING WITH NATALIE'S CAR.
THE WAY THE SEAT WAS POSITIONED,
IT WOULD HAVE BEEN IMPOSSIBLE
FOR HER TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE.
COULD BE SHE REPOSITIONED
TO GET OUT MORE EASILY,
OR SOMEONE
ELSE WAS DRIVING HER CAR.
DETECTIVE KATZ IS LOOKING
FOR SOME LOGICAL EXPLANATION.
WE WILL CALL
OUR LOCAL HOSPITALS.
WE'LL CONTACT, UM,
CORRECTIONAL FACILITIES, JAILS,
TO DETERMINE WHETHER OR NOT
THEY HAD BEEN ARRESTED.
THERE'S NO SIGN
OF NATALIE ANYWHERE.
NEXT, KATZ QUESTIONS
THE HOST OF THE PARTY
WHO CONFIRMS THAT NATALIE
SEEMED AS HAPPY AS CAN BE.
IT'S ANOTHER DEAD END.
KATZ ASKED GERRY
FOR ANY MORE INFORMATION
ON THE HOURS LEADING
TO HIS MOTHER'S DISAPPEARANCE.
AND HE GOES ON TO DESCRIBE
A COUPLE OF ERRANDS
THEY RAN ON THE WAY
TO THE PARTY.
HE, RECALLED THAT THEY
HAD GONE TO A WALGREENS
AND A HESS GAS STATION,
MADE SOME MINOR PURCHASES.
IS IT POSSIBLE THE TROUBLE
STARTED THAT EARLY
IN THE EVENING?
IF THESE BUSINESSES
HAVE SECURITY CAMERAS,
THEY MIGHT HAVE CAPTURED
SOMETHING OR SOMEONE SUSPICIOUS.
AND THERE'S NO ONE
WHO CAN FIND GRAINY CLUES BETTER
THAN DETECTIVE STEVE WETTERER,
AN EXPERT IN SURVEILLANCE
FOOTAGE ANALYSIS.
EVEN IF IT LOOKS ROUTINE,
NOTHING GETS PAST WETTERER.
YOU HAVE TO BE VIGILANT.
THE SLIGHTEST MOVEMENT,
THE SLIGHTEST SOMETHING,
YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE
TO STOP THE VIDEO,
REWIND
IN CASE YOU MISS SOMETHING.
IF THERE ARE ANY SECRETS
LURKING ON THE TAPES,
DETECTIVE WETTERER
WILL SPOT THEM.
THE MANAGER
OF BOTH OF THE WALGREENS
AND OF THE HESS STATION
WERE ABLE TO JUST BURN ME COPIES
OF THE VIDEO.
AT 7:09 P.M., WETTERER FINDS
JUST WHAT HE'S LOOKING FOR --
A GLIMPSE OF THE MISSING MOTHER
AND HER SON.
I WAS ABLE TO GET FOOTAGE
OF BOTH OF THEM WALKING IN,
BOTH OF THEM INSIDE THE STORES.
THERE'S NOTHING
OUT OF THE ORDINARY.
NO UNUSUAL ACTIVITY.
NOTHING STRANGE OR SUSPICIOUS.
AND NATALIE LOOKS RELAXED.
THE VIDEOS CONFIRM A SMALL PIECE
OF NATALIE'S TIMELINE
BUT NOTHING MORE.
KATZ PRESSES GERRY
FOR MORE INFORMATION.
WAS THERE ANYONE AT THE PARTY
OR AT THE HOUSE PAYING
SPECIAL ATTENTION TO HIS MOM?
GERRY DOES MENTION HIS MOM
COULD HAVE HAD POSTPARTY PLANS
HE DIDN'T KNOW ABOUT.
HE STATED THAT NATALIE'S
BOYFRIEND WAS IN TOWN,
AND THAT HE AND SHE
MAY HAVE GONE OUT TOGETHER,
AND THAT COULD HAVE BEEN
THE REASON FOR HER
NOT BEING ABLE TO BE CONTACTED.
THE BOYFRIEND LIVES OUT OF STATE
AND IS IN TOWN
FOR ONLY A FEW DAYS.
HE WAS VISITING
WITH HIS MOTHER WHO RESIDES,
I BELIEVE, IT WAS HIALEAH.
THE SAME TOWN WHERE THE PARTY
WAS, JUST 11 MILES AWAY
FROM NATALIE'S HOME.
IT'S THE BEST LEAD YET,
AND KATZ FOLLOWS UP.
IT WOULDN'T BE THE FIRST TIME
A BOYFRIEND
MADE HIS GIRLFRIEND GO MISSING.
WE SPOKE TO HIM TO SEE IF,
UM, HE HAD SPOKEN WITH NATALIE
AND IF HE HAD HEARD OF ANYTHING.
SHE HASN'T CALLED YOU?
NO.
HE SAYS HE KNOWS NOTHING AND WAS
HOME WITH HIS ELDERLY MOTHER
ALL NIGHT.
HE WASN'T WITH HER.
HE HAD NOT SEEN HER
AND DIDN'T KNOW WHERE SHE WAS.
WITH NO EVIDENCE
TO THE CONTRARY,
KATZ HAS TO TAKE THE BOYFRIEND
AT HIS WORD FOR NOW.
HOURS PASS WITHOUT ANY MOVEMENT
IN THE CASE
AS THE FAMILY'S ANGUISH
ONLY GROWS.
THEN, A CALL COMES
IN THAT CHANGES EVERYTHING.
THE CALLER
IS NATALIE BELMONTE'S NEIGHBOR.
HIS HOME IS FITTED
WITH TWO SURVEILLANCE CAMERAS
WHICH CAPTURE PART
OF NATALIE'S HOME.
THEY HAD JUST RECENTLY INSTALLED
THE CAMERAS ABOUT A MONTH
PRIOR TO THIS INCIDENT.
THE NEIGHBORS CHECK THE FOOTAGE.
AND WHEN HE SAW WHAT WAS ON IT,
HE KNEW HE HAD TO CALL POLICE.
POLICE ARE ABOUT TO GET
A PRIVATE VIEWING
OF THE NEIGHBORS FOOTAGE
AND LEARN
HOW RIGHT HE WAS TO CALL.
STILL TO COME,
A FANTASY GAMER VANISHES
IN THE MIDST OF A HURRICANE,
AND HIS BEST FRIEND
WON'T STOP UNTIL SHE FINDS HIM.
43-YEAR-OLD MOTHER
NATALIE BELMONTE
HAS BEEN MISSING FOR 18 HOURS.
WITH HER FAMILY
DESPERATE FOR ANSWERS,
POLICE
HAVE THEIR FIRST SOLID LEAD.
NATALIE'S NEIGHBOR
HAS SURVEILLANCE CAMERAS
THAT COVER THE FRONT
OF HER HOME,
AND THE CAMERAS WERE ROLLING ON
THE NIGHT OF HER DISAPPEARANCE.
DETECTIVE KATZ CANNOT WAIT
TO SEE THE FOOTAGE.
IF NATALIE DID SNEAK OUT
TO SEE HER BOYFRIEND,
OR IF THE BOYFRIEND
SNUCK INTO SEE HER,
THE CAMERA WOULD HAVE CAUGHT IT.
WE PUT IT ON A LARGE SCREEN
SO WE COULD SEE AS MUCH DETAIL
AS POSSIBLE.
AT 2:50 A.M.,
THEY SEE NATALIE'S RED CAR
COME BACK TO THE HOUSE
JUST AS GERRY DESCRIBED.
IT'S NOT UNTIL 5:12 A.M.
THAT THERE'S MORE ACTIVITY.
WE SAW A FIGURE EXIT THE HOME.
WE SEE A RED CAR PARKED
IN THE DRIVEWAY FRONTWAYS.
NATALIE'S CAR,
AND SOMEONE'S CLIMBING INTO IT.
IS THIS NATALIE SLIPPING AWAY
TO MEET WITH HER BOYFRIEND?
IT'S IMPOSSIBLE TO TELL.
SUBJECT BACKS THE CAR
OUT OF THE DRIVEWAY,
PULLS FORWARD,
BACKS THE CAR INTO THE DRIVEWAY,
CLOSES THE CAR DOOR,
SETS THE ALARM.
YOU COULD SEE THE LIGHTS
FLASHING ON THE CAR.
WALKS BACK IN THE HOUSE.
IT'S NOT NATALIE.
IT'S THE FIGURE OF A MAN.
THE CAR'S TRUNK IS NOW
CLOSEST TO THE FRONT DOOR.
MINUTES LATER, THE FRONT DOOR
OF THE HOUSE OPENS AGAIN.
GENTLEMAN THEN COMES
OUT OF THE HOUSE,
APPEARS TO BE DRAGGING
SOMETHING.
WETTERER'S EAGLE EYE
KNOWS WHAT THIS IS.
LOOKS LIKE IT'S
WRAPPED IN A SHEET.
AND HE PUTS THIS ITEM
IN THE TRUNK.
YOU COULD TELL
HOW HE'S LIFTING IT,
IT'S A HEAVY ITEM.
I SAID, "THAT -- THAT'S --
THAT'S A PERSON."
THAT IS A HUMAN BODY.
BOTH DETECTIVES
INSTINCTIVELY KNOW THIS MUST BE
NATALIE'S REMAINS.
THE HAIR ON THE BACK
OF OUR NECK IS STANDING UP.
WE ALL WERE JUST SITTIN' THERE
IN -- IN REALLY DISBELIEF
AT WHAT WE'RE -- WE'RE WATCHING.
AFTER THAT, HE CLOSES THE TRUNK,
AND HE LEAVES.
THE SHADOWY FIGURE
IN NATALIE'S RED CAR
HAS TURNED THIS MISSING PERSON'S
CASE INTO A HOMICIDE.
BUT WHO IS THIS MAN?
TO FIND OUT, POLICE MUST SCOUR
THE VIDEO FRAME BY FRAME.
AND THEY DECLARE NATALIE'S HOME
A CRIME SCENE.
THE FIRST 48 HOURS
ARE THE MOST IMPORTANT IN ANY --
ANY HOMICIDE.
THE HOUSE IS SEALED OFF.
AND WITH A KILLER ON THE LOOSE,
NATALIE'S SONS GERRY AND AIDEN
ARE PUT UP IN A MOTEL.
THIS WAS AN INCREDIBLY DIFFICULT
TIME FOR THEM.
NOT KNOWING
WHAT COULD HAVE HAPPENED
WAS PROBABLY THE HARDEST TIME
OF THEIR LIVES.
WHILE THE FORENSICS UNIT BEGINS
SWEEPING THE HOME FOR CLUES,
DETECTIVE WETTERER PULLS
AN ALL-NIGHTER WITH THE VIDEO.
WE'RE NOT TAKING BREAKS.
WE'RE GATHERING
ALL THE EVIDENCE.
YOU HAVE TO WATCH IT
IN REAL TIME TO MAKE SURE
YOU DON'T MISS ANYTHING.
THE TAPE REVEALS A FIGURE
MOVING IN THE DISTANCE,
BUT DETECTIVE WETTERER
CAN'T MAKE OUT A FACE.
COULD THIS BE
NATALIE'S BOYFRIEND?
THE TWO CAMERAS
CONTAIN ALMOST 18 HOURS
OF POTENTIAL EVIDENCE,
OVER 10,000 FRAMES
OF SURVEILLANCE.
ANY ONE OF THEM
COULD BE CRUCIAL.
WE'RE GOING FRAME BY FRAME,
MINUTE BY MINUTE IN REAL TIME.
THE CAR LEAVES AT 5:16 A.M.
THE VEHICLE RETURNS BACK
A LITTLE OVER 8 MINUTES LATER,
PARKS IN THE FRONT.
PERSON GETS
OUT OF THE DRIVER'S SEAT.
THE ALARM GOES ON.
THAT PERSON
GOES INSIDE THE HOUSE.
AT 6:16 A.M.,
DAYLIGHT BEGINS TO BREAK,
AND THE IMAGES GET EVEN CLEARER.
WE SEE A FIGURE
LEAVE THE FRONT DOOR
CARRYING A WHITE TRASH BAG.
GOES BACK INSIDE.
MINUTES LATER, COMES OUT
WITH TWO MORE WHITE TRASH BAGS.
OPENS UP THE TRUNK
AND PUTS ALL THREE OF THE BAGS
INSIDE THE TRUNK.
CLOSES THE TRUNK
AND LEAVES AGAIN.
NATALIE'S CAR RETURNS
8 MINUTES LATER.
SO IF THE VEHICLE LEFT
AND WAS BACK WITHIN 8 MINUTES,
WE HAD A MAXIMUM RADIUS OF WHERE
THE VEHICLE COULD HAVE WENT,
AND THAT SET UP OUR SEARCH AREA.
POLICE KNOW THEY ARE LOOKING
FOR THREE TRASH BAGS AND A BODY,
AND SOME 20 SQUARE MILES
TO COVER.
WE HAD TO STOP THE TRASH PICK-UP
THEN TASKED OUR OFFICERS
WITH DOING DETAIL SEARCHES.
WE HAD WATERWAYS.
WE HAD FIELDS AND WOODED AREAS,
SHOPPING CENTERS,
AND A MULTITUDE OF AREAS
THAT NEEDED TO BE SEARCHED.
SUDDENLY,
NEWS COMES IN FROM THE OFFICERS
SEARCHING THE EIGHT-MINUTE ZONE.
THEY LOCATED A DUMPSTER
IN A SHOPPING CENTER
NEAR THE HOME,
AND JUST SITTING IN THE DUMPSTER
WERE THESE THREE LARGE TRASH
BAGS.
THERE WAS SHEETS,
AND COMFORTERS,
AND CLOTHING WITH BLOOD ON 'EM.
WETTERER LOOKS AROUND.
THERE MUST BE A CAMERA
SOMEWHERE.
HE'S IN LUCK.
AT THE REAR
OF A NEARBY GROCERY STORE --
A SURVEILLANCE CAMERA.
I WENT TO THE PUBLIX
TO GO PULL THE VIDEO
OF THE BACK AREA
WHERE THE LOADING DOCK IS.
HE CUES THE VIDEO TO 6:16 A.M.,
WHEN NATALIE'S CAR
WAS CAUGHT LEAVING HER HOME.
MINUTES LATER, HE SEES IT.
NATALIE'S CAR DRIVING RIGHT
PAST THE DUMPSTER AT 6:26.
EVEN THOUGH THE VIDEO
CAN'T SEE INSIDE THE CAR
OR REVEAL THE DUMPSTER ITSELF,
INVESTIGATORS ARE SURE THE
BLOODY CLOTHES IN THE DUMPSTER
CAME FROM NATALIE'S HOME,
TRANSPORTED IN HER OWN CAR.
BUT THE TWO MOST
CRUCIAL QUESTIONS REMAIN,
WHO WAS DRIVING,
AND WHERE'S THE BODY?
WE WERE EXCITED TO THE FACT
THAT WE LOCATED THE ITEMS
THAT WE OBSERVED
ON THE VIDEO FOOTAGE.
BUT WE'RE STILL MISSING NATALIE.
AS SEARCH TEAMS WORK TIRELESSLY
ALL AROUND PEMBROKE PINES,
AN OFFICER
SPOTS SOMETHING OMINOUS.
THERE HAD BEEN SOME,
VULTURES CIRCLING THE AREA.
TYPICALLY WITH THAT KIND
OF ACTIVITY,
IT'S USUALLY SOME TYPE
OF DECOMPOSITION.
THIS TIME IT'S VULTURES,
NOT VIDEO,
THAT LEAD POLICE
TO A GRUESOME FIND.
I GOT THE PHONE CALL
THAT IT APPEARED TO BE A WOMAN.
IT'S A FOUR-MINUTE DRIVE
FROM NATALIE BELMONTE'S HOME
TO THE SPOT WHERE THE BODY LIES.
NOW, TO CONFIRM HER IDENTITY.
WETTERER GOES BACK
TO THE SURVEILLANCE TAPES
FROM THE NIGHT NATALIE
DISAPPEARED TO MATCH THE DRESS
ON THE BODY WITH WHAT NATALIE
WAS WEARING THE NIGHT
OF THE MURDER.
BUT THE TAPES HOLD MORE
THAN JUST ONE REVELATION.
COMING UP, AN ECCENTRIC FANTASY
GAMER DISAPPEARS
UNTIL SECURITY CAMERAS REVEAL
WHAT WAS REALLY IN THE CARDS.
AFTER THREE DAYS OF SEARCHING
FOR NATALIE BELMONTE,
POLICE HAVE FOUND A WOMAN'S BODY
FOUR MINUTES FROM HER HOME.
IS IT NATALIE?
DETECTIVE STEVE WETTERER STUDIES
THE SURVEILLANCE TAPES FROM
THE EVENING BEFORE THE MURDER.
THE MOST IMPORTANT THING IS,
WE COULD SEE
WHAT NATALIE BELMONTE
IS WEARING WHEN THEY WALK
INTO THE WALGREENS STORE
AND WHEN THEY WALK
INTO THE HESS GAS STATION.
SURVEILLANCE FROM THE
DRUG STORE SHOWED CLEARLY
THAT SHE WAS WEARING THE CLOTHES
SHE WAS FOUND IN.
JUST 8 HOURS LATER,
SHE WOULD BE DEAD.
IT'S THE LAST VIDEO,
THE LAST PICTURE,
THE LAST MOMENT THAT WE
SEE NATALIE BELMONTE ALIVE.
BUT THERE'S ANOTHER
MORE STARTLING DISCOVERY.
NOW, THEY'RE NOT LOOKING
AT NATALIE'S CLOTHES
BUT HER ADOPTIVE SON GERRY'S.
THOSE PARTICULAR PLAID SHORTS
AND THAT WHITE POLO SHIRT
WERE TWO OF THE ITEMS THAT WERE
INSIDE THE GARBAGE BAG.
DETECTIVES NOW HAVE ENOUGH
TO ARREST GERRY LOPES.
THE NEWS TEARS HIS FAMILY APART.
THIS IS SOMEBODY THEY -- THEY
TREATED AS A BROTHER, AS A SON.
THIS IS SOMEONE
THEY TREATED AS A NEPHEW,
SOMEONE
WHO THEY GAVE A LOVING HOME TO.
BUT IT'S EVEN WORSE
THAN THAT BECAUSE GERRY
IS HIDING A SICK MOTIVE.
DURING THE COURSE
OF THE AUTOPSY,
WE WERE ABLE TO DETERMINE
THAT NATALIE HAD BEEN SEXUALLY
ASSAULTED BY GERRY.
ONE FAMILY MEMBER SAID
THAT GERRY HAD THIS INFATUATION
WITH NATALIE.
HE ALWAYS HAD IT
FROM A VERY YOUNG AGE.
AFTER RETURNING HOME, GERRY
ACTED ON HIS WORST IMPULSES.
HE THEN MURDERED NATALIE
IN SHAME
AND CRUDELY DISPOSED OF HER BODY
AND HIS BLOODY CLOTHES.
SO THIS WAS HIS DEMENTED,
TORMENTED, DELUSIONAL
MIND WORKING.
FOR HIM TO DO SOMETHING
LIKE THIS IS DISGRACEFUL.
IT'S DISGUSTING.
IT'S THE WORST THING THAT COULD
EVER HAPPEN TO A NICE PERSON.
IT'S NOT
JUST THE SECURITY CAMERAS --
IT'S THE POLICE SKILL
IN INTERPRETING THE SURVEILLANCE
FOOTAGE THAT CAUGHT GERRY LOPES.
LOPES ESCAPES THE DEATH PENALTY
AND IS SENTENCED
TO LIFE IN PRISON.
NATALIE BELMONTE'S KILLING
TORE THE HEART
OUT OF A WARM AND LOVING FAMILY.
ON THE OTHER SIDE
OF THE SUNSHINE STATE,
POLICE INVESTIGATE A MURDER
THAT TAKES THEM
INTO A VERY DIFFERENT WORLD
OF FANTASY AND DEATH.
IT STARTS WITH A STORM.
HURRICANE ISAAC IS HEADING
STRAIGHT FOR PENSACOLA, FLORIDA,
AND PATTY BURKE
IS BATTENING DOWN THE HATCHES.
WE LIVE ON THE WATER.
THERE IS A LOT TO DO TO PREPARE.
BUT WITH LANDFALL A DAY AWAY,
THERE'S STILL TIME
FOR HER LUNCH DATE.
SHE'S MEETING SEAN DUGAS,
AN ECCENTRIC FREE SPIRIT
AND CLOSE FAMILY FRIEND
WHOM SHE'S KNOWN
SINCE HE WAS A BOY.
HE LOVED PEOPLE.
HE LOVED TO GET TO KNOW THEM.
HE WOULDN'T BE
TELLING YOU ABOUT HIMSELF.
HE WAS INTERESTED IN THE PEOPLE
HE WAS MEETING.
SEAN WAS VERY WELL-KNOWN
IN THE COMMUNITY
BECAUSE HE WORKED
FOR THE PENSACOLA NEWS JOURNAL.
HELLO, AGAIN, EVERYONE.
I'M SEAN DUGAS
IT'S WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON
HERE ON PENSACOLA BEACH,
AND AS YOU CAN SEE BEHIND ME,
THE SURF
IS JUST ROARING OUT HERE TODAY.
HE WAS VERY RECOGNIZABLE.
HE WAS TALL AND SLIM
AND HAD A VERY ECLECTIC,
THRIFT-STORE KIND OF STYLE.
WHAT -- WHAT'S YOUR FAVORITE
FLAVOR OF MOON PIE?
STRAWBERRY.
SEAN HAS BEEN LOOKING FORWARD
TO THEIR GET-TOGETHER.
JUST THAT MORNING,
HE'D CALLED PATTY TO CONFIRM.
HE ASKED ME IF I WOULD STILL
BE COMING FOR LUNCH.
AND I SAID I WOULD BE.
BUT ODDLY,
A STRANGER ANSWERS THE DOOR
AND SAYS SEAN'S NOT HOME.
THAT'S VERY STRANGE
BECAUSE I JUST SPOKE TO HIM,
AN HOUR AND A HALF PRIOR.
SO MUCH FOR THEIR LUNCH DATE.
THE STORM HITS THE NEXT DAY.
PATTY COMES THROUGH IT FINE
AND WONDERS IF SEAN DID TOO.
I TRIED TO REACH SEAN EVERY DAY.
BUT SHE CAN'T REACH HIM.
I WOULD CALL
BEFORE I WENT TO BED AT NIGHT
AND WHEN I WAKE UP
IN THE MORNING.
AND I WOULD CALL,
AND I WOULD CALL,
AND I WOULD CALL.
REPEATED ATTEMPTS DAILY.
NOW, I'M WORRIED.
I HADN'T HEARD FROM HIM
IN MANY DAYS.
11 DAYS IN ALL.
FINALLY, PATTY CHECKS
IN ON SEAN IN PERSON.
I PEERED INTO THE WINDOWS
AND VERY QUICKLY REALIZED THAT
HIS HOUSE HAD BEEN CLEANED OUT.
THE FURNITURE WAS GONE.
THE ONLY THING REMAINING IN
THE HOUSE WAS THIS OVERSIZED TV.
I WAS VERY, VERY CONCERNED.
THE FIRST THING
THAT I FELT WAS FEAR.
IT'S NOT LIKE OUTGOING
SEAN DUGAS TO GO SILENT.
MAYBE THE NEIGHBORS
KNOW SOMETHING.
THAT'S WHEN PATTY LEARNS
ABOUT SOME STRANGE ACTIVITY
FOUR DAYS EARLIER.
THE NEIGHBORS TOLD ME THAT
A U-HAUL WAS IN THE DRIVEWAY,
AND TWO YOUNG MEN
WERE MOVING ALL OF THE ITEMS
OUT OF THE HOME INTO THE U-HAUL.
THE NEIGHBOR ASKED THE MAN,
"WHAT IS YOUR NAME?
WHO ARE YOU?"
AND HE RESPONDED, "WILL."
WILL EXPLAINED THAT HE
AND THE OTHER MAN
WERE HELPING SEAN
MOVE OUT AND INTO THEIR PLACE.
THE FACT THAT SEAN WASN'T
PRESENT DIDN'T MAKE ANY SENSE.
SEAN WOULD NEVER CHOOSE TO MOVE.
THERE WAS SOMETHING VERY WRONG.
PATTY'S NOW CONVINCED SOMETHING
BAD HAS HAPPENED TO HER FRIEND.
SHE REPORTS HIS DISAPPEARANCE
TO THE PENSACOLA POLICE,
BUT THEY'VE GOT THEIR HANDS FULL
IN THE WAKE OF THE HURRICANE.
BESIDES, SEAN'S A GROWN MAN
WHO MIGHT HAVE LEFT
OF HIS OWN VOLITION.
UNTIL WE HAVE INFORMATION
OR EVIDENCE
THAT INDICATES THAT AN ACTUAL
CRIME HAS OCCURRED, UM,
IT'S NOT NECESSARILY A CRIME.
SOMETIMES PEOPLE LEAVE.
BUT PATTY WON'T LET IT GO.
SEAN IS CONSIDERATE
AND EXTROVERTED
AND WOULD NEVER UP
AND LEAVE WITHOUT TELLING HER.
WITNESSES CAN'T RECALL
ALL THE DETAILS,
SO WHILE IT WAS VERY FRESH
IN MY MIND, I MADE THE TIMELINE.
SHE BRINGS IT
TO DETECTIVE DANIEL HARNETT.
HOPEFULLY, SHE CAN PERSUADE HIM
TO LOOK
INTO HER FRIEND'S DISAPPEARANCE.
DETECTIVE HARNETT KNEW SEAN
FROM HIS DAYS ON THE CRIME BEAT
FOR THE PENSACOLA NEWS JOURNAL.
AND HE'S ALWAYS RESPECTED
SEAN'S WORK.
HE WAS VERY PERSISTENT.
I WOULDN'T LIKE TO SAY PUSHY,
BUT HE WAS ALMOST PUSHY
IN REGARDS TO WANTING TO,
YOU KNOW,
DO HIS JOB AS A REPORTER.
BUT THERE'S SOMETHING ABOUT SEAN
THE DETECTIVE DOESN'T KNOW.
PATTY EXPLAINS THAT HER FRIEND
HAS SPENT YEARS
TRAWLING THE UNDERGROUND WORLD
OF A FANTASY ROLE-PLAYING GAME
THE GATHERING.
FOR ITS FANS,
IT'S ALL-CONSUMING.
ALL I KNOW IS THAT YOU USE,
A DECK OF CARDS.
THERE ARE THOUSANDS OF THEM.
EACH OF THEM IS A CHARACTER
OF SOME SORT.
TO WIN THE GAME
IS TO REMAIN ALIVE AND KILL OFF
ALL THE OTHER PLAYERS.
IT'S A NEVER-ENDING MAKE-BELIEVE
BATTLE FOR SURVIVAL,
BUT SOME PLAYERS
TAKE IT TOO FAR.
THE GATHERING HAS BEEN
REFERRED TO
AS BEING VERY ADDICTIVE,
AND IT'S BEEN CALLED
CARDBOARD CRACK.
SEAN'S HABIT
HAS WON HIM SOME HIGH-END CARDS.
EACH OF THEM
HAS A DIFFERENT VALUE,
AND I BELIEVE THE MOST
VALUABLE ONE IS THE BLACK WIDOW,
WHICH SEAN HAD.
IN THIS WORLD, THE CARDS
ARE WORTH A REAL-WORLD FORTUNE.
I'D HEARD ESTIMATES
FROM $25,000 TO $100,000
ON THE ENTIRE COLLECTION.
A MOTIVE FOR FOUL PLAY?
OR MAYBE SEAN TOOK OFF
WITH HIS VALUABLES IN TOW.
THE DETECTIVE TRIES TO PICK UP
HIS TRAIL.
HIS PHONE WASN'T WORKING.
UM, HIS CREDIT CARDS
WEREN'T BEING USED.
ALL OF HIS BELONGINGS WERE GONE,
AND NO ONE
KNOWS WHERE HE'S GONE.
IT'S AS THOUGH SEAN
SIMPLY STOPPED EXISTING...
THAT IS WHAT GAVE US A LOT
OF RED FLAGS.
HE'S COMPLETELY UPROOTED
HIMSELF,
AND THAT'S KIND
OF DIFFICULT TO DO.
UNTIL REAL-WORLD SURVEILLANCE
VIDEO UPENDS THE FANTASY LAND.
FANTASY GAMER SEAN DUGAS' HOME
IS STRIPPED BARE.
A MAN NAMED WILL TOLD NEIGHBOR
SEAN WAS MOVING IN WITH HIM.
BUT SEAN IS NOWHERE TO BE FOUND.
THE ANSWER LAY IN FINDING
THE MEN ASSOCIATED WITH SEAN.
IF I COULD FIND THEM,
I COULD FIND SEAN.
DETECTIVES QUESTION
SEAN'S FRIENDS AND FAMILY
ABOUT ANY ACQUAINTANCE
NAMED WILL.
ONE NAME KEEPS COMING UP --
WILL CORMIER.
AND HE HAS A TWIN BROTHER,
CHRISTOPHER.
ARE THEY THE SAME TWO MEN
THE NEIGHBORS
SAW MOVING SEAN'S BELONGINGS
IN A U-HAUL TRUCK?
DETECTIVE HARNETT
CAN'T FIND ANY KNOWN ADDRESSES
FOR THE TWINS IN PENSACOLA, SO
HE ASKS THE TRUCK RENTAL COMPANY
FOR CUSTOMER RECORDS
AND SURVEILLANCE FOOTAGE.
IT TAKES WEEKS
OF CALLING AND SEARCHING.
IT'S STARTING TO FEEL
LIKE THIS MYSTERY
WILL NEVER BE SOLVED.
THEN, CUSTOMER RECORDS
FROM U-HAUL ARRIVE.
I GOT THOSE RECORDS BACK,
AND IT GAVE ME SOME PLACE TO GO.
THE RECORDS REVEAL THAT IT
WAS THE CORMIER TWINS WHO RENTED
THE TRUCK.
I HAVE A START PLACE.
THE RENTAL
WAS ON THE SAME DAY NEIGHBORS
SAW THE TWO MEN AT SEAN'S HOME,
BUT THE PACKAGE
CONTAINS SOMETHING EVEN BETTER.
WE HAVE THE CORRESPONDING VIDEO
OF THAT RENTAL.
THE VIDEO IS FROM 11:03 A.M.,
SEVEN DAYS AFTER PATTY AND SEAN
WERE SUPPOSED TO HAVE LUNCH.
WE SEE THE BROTHERS COMING IN
AND RENTING THE TRUCK.
IT'S DETECTIVES' FIRST GLIMPSE
OF THE CORMIER TWINS,
A PERFECT MATCH
OF THE DESCRIPTION
PROVIDED BY SEAN'S NEIGHBOR.
AND THE MAN ON THE RIGHT
IS THE SAME ONE
WHO OPENED THE DOOR
TO PATTY THAT DAY.
INSIDE YOUR OWN MIND,
YOU'RE HIGH-FIVING,
AND YOU'VE INITIALLY
GOT THE BREAK.
BUT AS HE WATCHES,
SOMETHING DAWNS ON HIM.
THIS IS SEAN'S HOME MOVE,
BUT THERE'S NO SEAN
IN ANY OF THE FOOTAGE
AND NO CAMERAS CAPTURING
THEM RETURNING THE TRUCK.
WHERE HAVE THEY GONE?
IT STARTED TO BECOME CLEAR
THAT THERE WAS SOMETHING AMISS.
IF DETECTIVE HARNETT
CAN FIND THAT TRUCK,
MAYBE
HE'LL FIND THE CORMIER TWINS.
HE SCOURS U-HAUL RENTAL RECORDS
FROM AROUND THE COUNTRY TO SEE
WHERE THE TRUCK WAS RETURNED.
THE HARD WORK PAYS OFF.
THAT TRUCK WAS RETURNED
AT A U-HAUL DEALERSHIP
IN WINDER, GEORGIA.
400 MILES
FROM PENSACOLA, FLORIDA.
I HAVE WINDER, GEORGIA.
AND NOW I HAVE SOMETHING
THAT I CAN DO.
THE U-HAUL OFFICE IN GEORGIA
CONFIRMS THE TRUCK
WAS INDEED RETURNED
BY SOMEONE NAMED CORMIER,
BUT NOT ONE OF THE BROTHERS.
IT WAS THEIR FATHER, BILL.
SO, NOW I HAD A PHONE NUMBER,
AND I HAD A RELATIVE.
A FRIENDLY PHONE CALL
TO BILL CORMIER
MIGHT YIELD A BREAK IN THE CASE.
I EXPLAINED TO HIM SIMPLY THEY
WEREN'T NECESSARILY IN TROUBLE.
I WAS TRYING TO LOCATE SEAN,
A FRIEND OF THEIRS.
HE INDICATED THAT SEAN
HAD NOT MOVED TO GEORGIA
WITH EITHER OF HIS SONS.
HE HADN'T SEEN THEM OR HEARD
FROM THEM IN SEVERAL MONTHS.
UPON ENDING THE CONVERSATION,
I REALIZED THAT SOMETHING
WAS VERY, VERY WRONG.
BUT HE DOESN'T KNOW WHAT.
SEAN HAS BEEN
MISSING FOR SIX WEEKS.
DETECTIVE HARNETT'S FINAL LEAD
HAS JUST DRIED UP.
AN HOUR LATER,
AN URGENT CALL COMES IN.
HARNETT.
YEAH.
IT'S AN AGITATED MALE
WITH SOMETHING TO CONFESS.
BILL CORMIER'S CALLED BACK.
HE CALLED ME IN A STATE
OF PANIC.
IT SEEMED AS THOUGH
HE WAS OUT OF BREATH.
HE EXPLAINS TO ME
THAT HE HAS LEFT THE HOUSE,
THAT HIS SONS ARE IN THE HOME,
AND HE HAD TO LEAVE
BECAUSE HE WAS SCARED.
WHY IS BILL AFRAID
OF HIS OWN SONS?
HARNETT NEEDS TO GET TO HIM
AND FAST,
BUT HE'S 400 MILES AWAY.
MY MAIN OBJECTIVE AT THAT POINT
WAS TO GET LOCAL LAW
ENFORCEMENT HANDS-ON TO BILL.
GEORGIA INVESTIGATOR
RIKKI BANKS IS DISPATCHED
TO BILL CORMIER'S HOME.
YOU'RE THINKING ABOUT WHAT --
WHAT COULD HAPPEN
WHEN YOU GET THERE, OF COURSE.
SO THAT'S KIND OF PLAYING
THROUGH MY MIND.
OUT FRONT, A PANICKED
BILL CORMIER IS WAITING.
HE SAYS HIS SONS HAVE FLED.
BUT BANKS ASKED TO TAKE A LOOK
AROUND JUST TO BE SURE.
SHE CAN'T HELP BUT NOTICE
SOME NEW CONSTRUCTION.
ON THE WALKWAY,
WE DID OBSERVE SOME CONCRETE...
AND A SHOVEL THAT WAS LAYING,
YOU KNOW, SEVERAL FEET
AWAY FROM THE PILE OF LEAVES.
IT'S NOT A PATIO
OR A BARBECUE PIT.
IT'S JUST CONCRETE
IN THE MIDDLE OF THE YARD.
BANKS ALSO FINDS A RECEIPT
FOR THE PURCHASE
OF FIVE BAGS OF CONCRETE
MADE JUST A FEW DAYS EARLIER.
HER BOSS,
INVESTIGATOR RACHEL LOVE,
FOLLOWS UP ON THE PURCHASE.
I WENT TO THE HOME DEPOT
WHICH IS LOCATED IN WINDER.
THE STORE HAS MULTIPLE CAMERAS
INSIDE AND OUT.
SHE PULLS THE VIDEO
THAT CORRESPONDS WITH
THE TIME STAMP ON THE RECEIPT.
AND REVIEWING
THE VIDEO SURVEILLANCE
OF THAT SPECIFIC DATE AND TIME
SHOWED US BOTH WILLIAM
AND CHRISTOPHER.
IT'S THE CORMIER TWINS.
LOVE TRACKS EVERY MOVE
OF THEIR VISIT.
WE WERE ABLE TO SEE
THEM RETRIEVE ITEMS,
CHECK OUT
AS THEY PURCHASED THE ITEMS --
CONCRETE, A BUCKET,
A CONCRETE STIRRER.
THEN WE WERE ABLE TO SEE
THEM LOAD THE ITEMS INTO THE CAR
THAT THEY CAME IN.
WHAT THE CAMERAS SEE
IS AN ORDINARY SHOPPING TRIP,
BUT WHAT LIES BENEATH
THE FRESHLY LAID CONCRETE
IN BILL CORMIER'S YARD
IS ANYTHING BUT.
12 DAYS
AFTER THE DISAPPEARANCE
OF PENSACOLA JOURNALIST
SEAN DUGAS,
AN IN-STORE VIDEO
SURVEILLANCE TAPE
HAS CAUGHT
WILL AND CHRISTOPHER CORMIER
ON A SUSPICIOUS SHOPPING TRIP.
WE THEN ORDERED SOME EQUIPMENT
TO BE BROUGHT IN TO HELP
US TRY TO LIFT THAT CONCRETE UP.
WE'RE STILL ANXIOUS BUT NOT SURE
OF WHAT WE'RE GONNA FIND.
AS IT WAS LIFTED UP
SEVERAL FEET,
WE COULD SEE UP
UNDER THE CONCRETE,
THERE WAS A PLASTIC CONTAINER.
WE GOT IT PULLED BACK.
EXPOSING A TELLTALE ODOR.
IT WAS REALLY BAD.
IT WAS DEFINITELY SOMETHING
DECOMPOSING.
THEN THERE WAS WHAT APPEARED
TO BE A BODY.
AFTER THE AUTOPSY,
WE'RE ABLE TO SAY DEFINITIVELY
THAT THIS WAS SEAN DUGAS.
NOW, COPS ALL OVER THE SOUTH
ARE ON THE HUNT
FOR THE CORMIER BROTHERS.
I GET A PHONE CALL
FROM ANOTHER POLICE OFFICER
WHO HAS CONDUCTED
A TRAFFIC STOP.
WHEN THE OFFICER
LOOKED IN THE CAR,
THE DRIVER
AND PASSENGER LOOKED IDENTICAL.
I ASKED THERE THAT THEY
BE BROUGHT
TO THE POLICE DEPARTMENT.
POLICE SHOW THE TWINS
THE FOOTAGE
OF THEIR CONCRETE PURCHASE.
AND CHRISTOPHER CORMIER
IS THE FIRST TO CRACK.
HE EXPLAINS
THAT HE AND WILL KNEW SEAN
FROM THEIR MARATHON GAMES
OF MAGIC: THE GATHERING,
AND COVETED HIS
VALUABLE CARD COLLECTION,
SO MUCH SO THAT THEY WERE
WILLING TO KILL FOR IT,
BLUDGEONING SEAN TO DEATH.
WHAT WE LEARNED
WAS THAT SEAN WAS MURDERED.
HIS BELONGINGS WERE STOLEN.
HE'D BEEN DEAD ONLY A FEW HOURS
WHEN PATTY SHOWED UP FOR LUNCH.
HIS BODY WAS LEFT IN HIS GARAGE
FOR A WEEK.
HE WAS REMOVED FROM --
FROM HIS GARAGE,
PLACED INTO A U-HAUL TRUCK.
HE WAS TRANSPORTED TO GEORGIA
AND BURIED.
IT WAS VERY GRUESOME.
SEAN MUST HAVE ENDURED
A GREAT DEAL OF PAIN.
IT TOOK MY STOMACH AWAY.
THE ONLY CONCILIATORY THING
ABOUT IT WAS THAT I HAVE A LOT
OF FAITH,
AND I KNEW THAT HE WAS FINE NOW.
WILLIAM CORMIER IS SENTENCED
TO LIFE IN PRISON.
HIS TWIN, CHRISTOPHER,
GETS 15 YEARS.
HAD IT NOT BEEN
FOR THE SURVEILLANCE FOOTAGE,
BOTH WOULD STILL BE
ON THE LOOSE TODAY.
TWO MURDERS IN FLORIDA,
TWO DEEPLY DISTURBED MOTIVES.
WITH SECURITY CAMERAS
IN THE RIGHT PLACE,
INVESTIGATORS
ARE ABLE TO CRACK BOTH CASES.
MEANWHILE,
THE CAMERAS KEEP WATCHING.
REFUSES TO GIVE UP
ON A MISSING FRIEND...
AND I WOULD CALL,
AND I WOULD CALL,
AND I WOULD CALL.
...A FRIEND WITH A BIZARRE
AND DANGEROUS ADDICTION.
IT'S BEEN CALLED
CARDBOARD CRACK.
AND HE'S VANISHED INTO THIN AIR.
HIS HOUSE HAD BEEN CLEANED OUT.
ACROSS THE STATE, A LOVING
MOTHER ALSO DISAPPEARS...
HER SMILE WOULD LIGHT
UP A ROOM.
...LEAVING HER FAMILY IN CRISIS.
IT WAS PROBABLY THE HARDEST TIME
OF THEIR LIVES.
BOTH CASES CONFOUND THE POLICE
UNTIL ONE UNWAVERING WITNESS
TELLS ALL.
EARLY EVENING
IN PEMBROKE PINES, FLORIDA...
...A WOMAN HAS VANISHED.
THE FRANTIC CALLER
IS NATALIE'S SISTER, MICHAELA.
I KNOW MICHAELA
AND HER WERE VERY, VERY CLOSE.
THEY SPOKE EVERY DAY.
NATALIE IS A HARDWORKING
REAL ESTATE AGENT
AND LOVING SINGLE MOM
TO 17-YEAR-OLD AIDEN
AND 21-YEAR-OLD GERARD
WHOM SHE ADOPTED AS A CHILD.
SHE HAD A VERY CLOSE-KNIT
FAMILY.
THIS MORNING, AIDEN AND GERARD
WOKE TO FIND THEIR MOTHER GONE.
BY EVENING,
SHE STILL HASN'T RETURNED.
SO THEY CALL MICHAELA.
MICHAELA KNEW HER SISTER
WELL ENOUGH TO KNOW
THAT HER SISTER WASN'T GONNA
LEAVE THE HOUSE WITH --
WITHOUT HER PHONE, OR HER KEYS,
OR HER PURSE, OR ANY
OF HER PERSONAL BELONGINGS.
DETECTIVE WAYNE KATZ FROM THE
PEMBROKE PINES POLICE DEPARTMENT
HEADS TO THE BELMONTE HOME
TO INVESTIGATE.
WE WANTED TO TALK
ABOUT NATALIE'S FRIENDS,
HER COMINGS AND GOINGS,
WHERE SHE WOULD GO,
WHO SHE WOULD GO SEE.
GERRY EXPLAINS
THAT THE NIGHT BEFORE,
HE AND HIS MOM WENT
TO A FRIEND'S GRADUATION PARTY.
LET'S GO.
AND AS ALWAYS, NATALIE
REALLY SEEMED TO ENJOY HERSELF.
SHE HAD A SMILE
THAT WAS WELCOMING.
HER SMILE WOULD LIGHT UP A ROOM.
ANYONE THAT MET
HER HAD SOMETHING
POSITIVE TO SAY ABOUT HER.
IT'S NEARLY 3 A.M.
WHEN SHE DRIVES THEM HOME.
HE WENT TO BED,
AND -- AND SHE WENT TO BED,
AND THAT WAS THE LAST TIME THAT,
HE HAD SEEN HIS MOTHER.
AS DETECTIVE KATZ KNOWS,
MOST MISSING ADULTS
WILL SHOW UP ON THEIR OWN.
USUALLY THE PERSON,
IS SHORTLY THEREAFTER LOCATED
AND THERE WAS MAYBE
SOME MISCOMMUNICATION
BETWEEN FAMILY MEMBERS.
BUT MICHAELA
HAS A SISTERLY SENSE
THAT SOMETHING IS VERY WRONG.
THERE WAS SOME THINGS
THAT RAISED HER SUSPICIONS
THAT SOMETHING JUST
DIDN'T SEEM RIGHT.
NOW, YOU NEED TO SEE THIS.
STARTING WITH NATALIE'S CAR.
THE WAY THE SEAT WAS POSITIONED,
IT WOULD HAVE BEEN IMPOSSIBLE
FOR HER TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE.
COULD BE SHE REPOSITIONED
TO GET OUT MORE EASILY,
OR SOMEONE
ELSE WAS DRIVING HER CAR.
DETECTIVE KATZ IS LOOKING
FOR SOME LOGICAL EXPLANATION.
WE WILL CALL
OUR LOCAL HOSPITALS.
WE'LL CONTACT, UM,
CORRECTIONAL FACILITIES, JAILS,
TO DETERMINE WHETHER OR NOT
THEY HAD BEEN ARRESTED.
THERE'S NO SIGN
OF NATALIE ANYWHERE.
NEXT, KATZ QUESTIONS
THE HOST OF THE PARTY
WHO CONFIRMS THAT NATALIE
SEEMED AS HAPPY AS CAN BE.
IT'S ANOTHER DEAD END.
KATZ ASKED GERRY
FOR ANY MORE INFORMATION
ON THE HOURS LEADING
TO HIS MOTHER'S DISAPPEARANCE.
AND HE GOES ON TO DESCRIBE
A COUPLE OF ERRANDS
THEY RAN ON THE WAY
TO THE PARTY.
HE, RECALLED THAT THEY
HAD GONE TO A WALGREENS
AND A HESS GAS STATION,
MADE SOME MINOR PURCHASES.
IS IT POSSIBLE THE TROUBLE
STARTED THAT EARLY
IN THE EVENING?
IF THESE BUSINESSES
HAVE SECURITY CAMERAS,
THEY MIGHT HAVE CAPTURED
SOMETHING OR SOMEONE SUSPICIOUS.
AND THERE'S NO ONE
WHO CAN FIND GRAINY CLUES BETTER
THAN DETECTIVE STEVE WETTERER,
AN EXPERT IN SURVEILLANCE
FOOTAGE ANALYSIS.
EVEN IF IT LOOKS ROUTINE,
NOTHING GETS PAST WETTERER.
YOU HAVE TO BE VIGILANT.
THE SLIGHTEST MOVEMENT,
THE SLIGHTEST SOMETHING,
YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE
TO STOP THE VIDEO,
REWIND
IN CASE YOU MISS SOMETHING.
IF THERE ARE ANY SECRETS
LURKING ON THE TAPES,
DETECTIVE WETTERER
WILL SPOT THEM.
THE MANAGER
OF BOTH OF THE WALGREENS
AND OF THE HESS STATION
WERE ABLE TO JUST BURN ME COPIES
OF THE VIDEO.
AT 7:09 P.M., WETTERER FINDS
JUST WHAT HE'S LOOKING FOR --
A GLIMPSE OF THE MISSING MOTHER
AND HER SON.
I WAS ABLE TO GET FOOTAGE
OF BOTH OF THEM WALKING IN,
BOTH OF THEM INSIDE THE STORES.
THERE'S NOTHING
OUT OF THE ORDINARY.
NO UNUSUAL ACTIVITY.
NOTHING STRANGE OR SUSPICIOUS.
AND NATALIE LOOKS RELAXED.
THE VIDEOS CONFIRM A SMALL PIECE
OF NATALIE'S TIMELINE
BUT NOTHING MORE.
KATZ PRESSES GERRY
FOR MORE INFORMATION.
WAS THERE ANYONE AT THE PARTY
OR AT THE HOUSE PAYING
SPECIAL ATTENTION TO HIS MOM?
GERRY DOES MENTION HIS MOM
COULD HAVE HAD POSTPARTY PLANS
HE DIDN'T KNOW ABOUT.
HE STATED THAT NATALIE'S
BOYFRIEND WAS IN TOWN,
AND THAT HE AND SHE
MAY HAVE GONE OUT TOGETHER,
AND THAT COULD HAVE BEEN
THE REASON FOR HER
NOT BEING ABLE TO BE CONTACTED.
THE BOYFRIEND LIVES OUT OF STATE
AND IS IN TOWN
FOR ONLY A FEW DAYS.
HE WAS VISITING
WITH HIS MOTHER WHO RESIDES,
I BELIEVE, IT WAS HIALEAH.
THE SAME TOWN WHERE THE PARTY
WAS, JUST 11 MILES AWAY
FROM NATALIE'S HOME.
IT'S THE BEST LEAD YET,
AND KATZ FOLLOWS UP.
IT WOULDN'T BE THE FIRST TIME
A BOYFRIEND
MADE HIS GIRLFRIEND GO MISSING.
WE SPOKE TO HIM TO SEE IF,
UM, HE HAD SPOKEN WITH NATALIE
AND IF HE HAD HEARD OF ANYTHING.
SHE HASN'T CALLED YOU?
NO.
HE SAYS HE KNOWS NOTHING AND WAS
HOME WITH HIS ELDERLY MOTHER
ALL NIGHT.
HE WASN'T WITH HER.
HE HAD NOT SEEN HER
AND DIDN'T KNOW WHERE SHE WAS.
WITH NO EVIDENCE
TO THE CONTRARY,
KATZ HAS TO TAKE THE BOYFRIEND
AT HIS WORD FOR NOW.
HOURS PASS WITHOUT ANY MOVEMENT
IN THE CASE
AS THE FAMILY'S ANGUISH
ONLY GROWS.
THEN, A CALL COMES
IN THAT CHANGES EVERYTHING.
THE CALLER
IS NATALIE BELMONTE'S NEIGHBOR.
HIS HOME IS FITTED
WITH TWO SURVEILLANCE CAMERAS
WHICH CAPTURE PART
OF NATALIE'S HOME.
THEY HAD JUST RECENTLY INSTALLED
THE CAMERAS ABOUT A MONTH
PRIOR TO THIS INCIDENT.
THE NEIGHBORS CHECK THE FOOTAGE.
AND WHEN HE SAW WHAT WAS ON IT,
HE KNEW HE HAD TO CALL POLICE.
POLICE ARE ABOUT TO GET
A PRIVATE VIEWING
OF THE NEIGHBORS FOOTAGE
AND LEARN
HOW RIGHT HE WAS TO CALL.
STILL TO COME,
A FANTASY GAMER VANISHES
IN THE MIDST OF A HURRICANE,
AND HIS BEST FRIEND
WON'T STOP UNTIL SHE FINDS HIM.
43-YEAR-OLD MOTHER
NATALIE BELMONTE
HAS BEEN MISSING FOR 18 HOURS.
WITH HER FAMILY
DESPERATE FOR ANSWERS,
POLICE
HAVE THEIR FIRST SOLID LEAD.
NATALIE'S NEIGHBOR
HAS SURVEILLANCE CAMERAS
THAT COVER THE FRONT
OF HER HOME,
AND THE CAMERAS WERE ROLLING ON
THE NIGHT OF HER DISAPPEARANCE.
DETECTIVE KATZ CANNOT WAIT
TO SEE THE FOOTAGE.
IF NATALIE DID SNEAK OUT
TO SEE HER BOYFRIEND,
OR IF THE BOYFRIEND
SNUCK INTO SEE HER,
THE CAMERA WOULD HAVE CAUGHT IT.
WE PUT IT ON A LARGE SCREEN
SO WE COULD SEE AS MUCH DETAIL
AS POSSIBLE.
AT 2:50 A.M.,
THEY SEE NATALIE'S RED CAR
COME BACK TO THE HOUSE
JUST AS GERRY DESCRIBED.
IT'S NOT UNTIL 5:12 A.M.
THAT THERE'S MORE ACTIVITY.
WE SAW A FIGURE EXIT THE HOME.
WE SEE A RED CAR PARKED
IN THE DRIVEWAY FRONTWAYS.
NATALIE'S CAR,
AND SOMEONE'S CLIMBING INTO IT.
IS THIS NATALIE SLIPPING AWAY
TO MEET WITH HER BOYFRIEND?
IT'S IMPOSSIBLE TO TELL.
SUBJECT BACKS THE CAR
OUT OF THE DRIVEWAY,
PULLS FORWARD,
BACKS THE CAR INTO THE DRIVEWAY,
CLOSES THE CAR DOOR,
SETS THE ALARM.
YOU COULD SEE THE LIGHTS
FLASHING ON THE CAR.
WALKS BACK IN THE HOUSE.
IT'S NOT NATALIE.
IT'S THE FIGURE OF A MAN.
THE CAR'S TRUNK IS NOW
CLOSEST TO THE FRONT DOOR.
MINUTES LATER, THE FRONT DOOR
OF THE HOUSE OPENS AGAIN.
GENTLEMAN THEN COMES
OUT OF THE HOUSE,
APPEARS TO BE DRAGGING
SOMETHING.
WETTERER'S EAGLE EYE
KNOWS WHAT THIS IS.
LOOKS LIKE IT'S
WRAPPED IN A SHEET.
AND HE PUTS THIS ITEM
IN THE TRUNK.
YOU COULD TELL
HOW HE'S LIFTING IT,
IT'S A HEAVY ITEM.
I SAID, "THAT -- THAT'S --
THAT'S A PERSON."
THAT IS A HUMAN BODY.
BOTH DETECTIVES
INSTINCTIVELY KNOW THIS MUST BE
NATALIE'S REMAINS.
THE HAIR ON THE BACK
OF OUR NECK IS STANDING UP.
WE ALL WERE JUST SITTIN' THERE
IN -- IN REALLY DISBELIEF
AT WHAT WE'RE -- WE'RE WATCHING.
AFTER THAT, HE CLOSES THE TRUNK,
AND HE LEAVES.
THE SHADOWY FIGURE
IN NATALIE'S RED CAR
HAS TURNED THIS MISSING PERSON'S
CASE INTO A HOMICIDE.
BUT WHO IS THIS MAN?
TO FIND OUT, POLICE MUST SCOUR
THE VIDEO FRAME BY FRAME.
AND THEY DECLARE NATALIE'S HOME
A CRIME SCENE.
THE FIRST 48 HOURS
ARE THE MOST IMPORTANT IN ANY --
ANY HOMICIDE.
THE HOUSE IS SEALED OFF.
AND WITH A KILLER ON THE LOOSE,
NATALIE'S SONS GERRY AND AIDEN
ARE PUT UP IN A MOTEL.
THIS WAS AN INCREDIBLY DIFFICULT
TIME FOR THEM.
NOT KNOWING
WHAT COULD HAVE HAPPENED
WAS PROBABLY THE HARDEST TIME
OF THEIR LIVES.
WHILE THE FORENSICS UNIT BEGINS
SWEEPING THE HOME FOR CLUES,
DETECTIVE WETTERER PULLS
AN ALL-NIGHTER WITH THE VIDEO.
WE'RE NOT TAKING BREAKS.
WE'RE GATHERING
ALL THE EVIDENCE.
YOU HAVE TO WATCH IT
IN REAL TIME TO MAKE SURE
YOU DON'T MISS ANYTHING.
THE TAPE REVEALS A FIGURE
MOVING IN THE DISTANCE,
BUT DETECTIVE WETTERER
CAN'T MAKE OUT A FACE.
COULD THIS BE
NATALIE'S BOYFRIEND?
THE TWO CAMERAS
CONTAIN ALMOST 18 HOURS
OF POTENTIAL EVIDENCE,
OVER 10,000 FRAMES
OF SURVEILLANCE.
ANY ONE OF THEM
COULD BE CRUCIAL.
WE'RE GOING FRAME BY FRAME,
MINUTE BY MINUTE IN REAL TIME.
THE CAR LEAVES AT 5:16 A.M.
THE VEHICLE RETURNS BACK
A LITTLE OVER 8 MINUTES LATER,
PARKS IN THE FRONT.
PERSON GETS
OUT OF THE DRIVER'S SEAT.
THE ALARM GOES ON.
THAT PERSON
GOES INSIDE THE HOUSE.
AT 6:16 A.M.,
DAYLIGHT BEGINS TO BREAK,
AND THE IMAGES GET EVEN CLEARER.
WE SEE A FIGURE
LEAVE THE FRONT DOOR
CARRYING A WHITE TRASH BAG.
GOES BACK INSIDE.
MINUTES LATER, COMES OUT
WITH TWO MORE WHITE TRASH BAGS.
OPENS UP THE TRUNK
AND PUTS ALL THREE OF THE BAGS
INSIDE THE TRUNK.
CLOSES THE TRUNK
AND LEAVES AGAIN.
NATALIE'S CAR RETURNS
8 MINUTES LATER.
SO IF THE VEHICLE LEFT
AND WAS BACK WITHIN 8 MINUTES,
WE HAD A MAXIMUM RADIUS OF WHERE
THE VEHICLE COULD HAVE WENT,
AND THAT SET UP OUR SEARCH AREA.
POLICE KNOW THEY ARE LOOKING
FOR THREE TRASH BAGS AND A BODY,
AND SOME 20 SQUARE MILES
TO COVER.
WE HAD TO STOP THE TRASH PICK-UP
THEN TASKED OUR OFFICERS
WITH DOING DETAIL SEARCHES.
WE HAD WATERWAYS.
WE HAD FIELDS AND WOODED AREAS,
SHOPPING CENTERS,
AND A MULTITUDE OF AREAS
THAT NEEDED TO BE SEARCHED.
SUDDENLY,
NEWS COMES IN FROM THE OFFICERS
SEARCHING THE EIGHT-MINUTE ZONE.
THEY LOCATED A DUMPSTER
IN A SHOPPING CENTER
NEAR THE HOME,
AND JUST SITTING IN THE DUMPSTER
WERE THESE THREE LARGE TRASH
BAGS.
THERE WAS SHEETS,
AND COMFORTERS,
AND CLOTHING WITH BLOOD ON 'EM.
WETTERER LOOKS AROUND.
THERE MUST BE A CAMERA
SOMEWHERE.
HE'S IN LUCK.
AT THE REAR
OF A NEARBY GROCERY STORE --
A SURVEILLANCE CAMERA.
I WENT TO THE PUBLIX
TO GO PULL THE VIDEO
OF THE BACK AREA
WHERE THE LOADING DOCK IS.
HE CUES THE VIDEO TO 6:16 A.M.,
WHEN NATALIE'S CAR
WAS CAUGHT LEAVING HER HOME.
MINUTES LATER, HE SEES IT.
NATALIE'S CAR DRIVING RIGHT
PAST THE DUMPSTER AT 6:26.
EVEN THOUGH THE VIDEO
CAN'T SEE INSIDE THE CAR
OR REVEAL THE DUMPSTER ITSELF,
INVESTIGATORS ARE SURE THE
BLOODY CLOTHES IN THE DUMPSTER
CAME FROM NATALIE'S HOME,
TRANSPORTED IN HER OWN CAR.
BUT THE TWO MOST
CRUCIAL QUESTIONS REMAIN,
WHO WAS DRIVING,
AND WHERE'S THE BODY?
WE WERE EXCITED TO THE FACT
THAT WE LOCATED THE ITEMS
THAT WE OBSERVED
ON THE VIDEO FOOTAGE.
BUT WE'RE STILL MISSING NATALIE.
AS SEARCH TEAMS WORK TIRELESSLY
ALL AROUND PEMBROKE PINES,
AN OFFICER
SPOTS SOMETHING OMINOUS.
THERE HAD BEEN SOME,
VULTURES CIRCLING THE AREA.
TYPICALLY WITH THAT KIND
OF ACTIVITY,
IT'S USUALLY SOME TYPE
OF DECOMPOSITION.
THIS TIME IT'S VULTURES,
NOT VIDEO,
THAT LEAD POLICE
TO A GRUESOME FIND.
I GOT THE PHONE CALL
THAT IT APPEARED TO BE A WOMAN.
IT'S A FOUR-MINUTE DRIVE
FROM NATALIE BELMONTE'S HOME
TO THE SPOT WHERE THE BODY LIES.
NOW, TO CONFIRM HER IDENTITY.
WETTERER GOES BACK
TO THE SURVEILLANCE TAPES
FROM THE NIGHT NATALIE
DISAPPEARED TO MATCH THE DRESS
ON THE BODY WITH WHAT NATALIE
WAS WEARING THE NIGHT
OF THE MURDER.
BUT THE TAPES HOLD MORE
THAN JUST ONE REVELATION.
COMING UP, AN ECCENTRIC FANTASY
GAMER DISAPPEARS
UNTIL SECURITY CAMERAS REVEAL
WHAT WAS REALLY IN THE CARDS.
AFTER THREE DAYS OF SEARCHING
FOR NATALIE BELMONTE,
POLICE HAVE FOUND A WOMAN'S BODY
FOUR MINUTES FROM HER HOME.
IS IT NATALIE?
DETECTIVE STEVE WETTERER STUDIES
THE SURVEILLANCE TAPES FROM
THE EVENING BEFORE THE MURDER.
THE MOST IMPORTANT THING IS,
WE COULD SEE
WHAT NATALIE BELMONTE
IS WEARING WHEN THEY WALK
INTO THE WALGREENS STORE
AND WHEN THEY WALK
INTO THE HESS GAS STATION.
SURVEILLANCE FROM THE
DRUG STORE SHOWED CLEARLY
THAT SHE WAS WEARING THE CLOTHES
SHE WAS FOUND IN.
JUST 8 HOURS LATER,
SHE WOULD BE DEAD.
IT'S THE LAST VIDEO,
THE LAST PICTURE,
THE LAST MOMENT THAT WE
SEE NATALIE BELMONTE ALIVE.
BUT THERE'S ANOTHER
MORE STARTLING DISCOVERY.
NOW, THEY'RE NOT LOOKING
AT NATALIE'S CLOTHES
BUT HER ADOPTIVE SON GERRY'S.
THOSE PARTICULAR PLAID SHORTS
AND THAT WHITE POLO SHIRT
WERE TWO OF THE ITEMS THAT WERE
INSIDE THE GARBAGE BAG.
DETECTIVES NOW HAVE ENOUGH
TO ARREST GERRY LOPES.
THE NEWS TEARS HIS FAMILY APART.
THIS IS SOMEBODY THEY -- THEY
TREATED AS A BROTHER, AS A SON.
THIS IS SOMEONE
THEY TREATED AS A NEPHEW,
SOMEONE
WHO THEY GAVE A LOVING HOME TO.
BUT IT'S EVEN WORSE
THAN THAT BECAUSE GERRY
IS HIDING A SICK MOTIVE.
DURING THE COURSE
OF THE AUTOPSY,
WE WERE ABLE TO DETERMINE
THAT NATALIE HAD BEEN SEXUALLY
ASSAULTED BY GERRY.
ONE FAMILY MEMBER SAID
THAT GERRY HAD THIS INFATUATION
WITH NATALIE.
HE ALWAYS HAD IT
FROM A VERY YOUNG AGE.
AFTER RETURNING HOME, GERRY
ACTED ON HIS WORST IMPULSES.
HE THEN MURDERED NATALIE
IN SHAME
AND CRUDELY DISPOSED OF HER BODY
AND HIS BLOODY CLOTHES.
SO THIS WAS HIS DEMENTED,
TORMENTED, DELUSIONAL
MIND WORKING.
FOR HIM TO DO SOMETHING
LIKE THIS IS DISGRACEFUL.
IT'S DISGUSTING.
IT'S THE WORST THING THAT COULD
EVER HAPPEN TO A NICE PERSON.
IT'S NOT
JUST THE SECURITY CAMERAS --
IT'S THE POLICE SKILL
IN INTERPRETING THE SURVEILLANCE
FOOTAGE THAT CAUGHT GERRY LOPES.
LOPES ESCAPES THE DEATH PENALTY
AND IS SENTENCED
TO LIFE IN PRISON.
NATALIE BELMONTE'S KILLING
TORE THE HEART
OUT OF A WARM AND LOVING FAMILY.
ON THE OTHER SIDE
OF THE SUNSHINE STATE,
POLICE INVESTIGATE A MURDER
THAT TAKES THEM
INTO A VERY DIFFERENT WORLD
OF FANTASY AND DEATH.
IT STARTS WITH A STORM.
HURRICANE ISAAC IS HEADING
STRAIGHT FOR PENSACOLA, FLORIDA,
AND PATTY BURKE
IS BATTENING DOWN THE HATCHES.
WE LIVE ON THE WATER.
THERE IS A LOT TO DO TO PREPARE.
BUT WITH LANDFALL A DAY AWAY,
THERE'S STILL TIME
FOR HER LUNCH DATE.
SHE'S MEETING SEAN DUGAS,
AN ECCENTRIC FREE SPIRIT
AND CLOSE FAMILY FRIEND
WHOM SHE'S KNOWN
SINCE HE WAS A BOY.
HE LOVED PEOPLE.
HE LOVED TO GET TO KNOW THEM.
HE WOULDN'T BE
TELLING YOU ABOUT HIMSELF.
HE WAS INTERESTED IN THE PEOPLE
HE WAS MEETING.
SEAN WAS VERY WELL-KNOWN
IN THE COMMUNITY
BECAUSE HE WORKED
FOR THE PENSACOLA NEWS JOURNAL.
HELLO, AGAIN, EVERYONE.
I'M SEAN DUGAS
IT'S WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON
HERE ON PENSACOLA BEACH,
AND AS YOU CAN SEE BEHIND ME,
THE SURF
IS JUST ROARING OUT HERE TODAY.
HE WAS VERY RECOGNIZABLE.
HE WAS TALL AND SLIM
AND HAD A VERY ECLECTIC,
THRIFT-STORE KIND OF STYLE.
WHAT -- WHAT'S YOUR FAVORITE
FLAVOR OF MOON PIE?
STRAWBERRY.
SEAN HAS BEEN LOOKING FORWARD
TO THEIR GET-TOGETHER.
JUST THAT MORNING,
HE'D CALLED PATTY TO CONFIRM.
HE ASKED ME IF I WOULD STILL
BE COMING FOR LUNCH.
AND I SAID I WOULD BE.
BUT ODDLY,
A STRANGER ANSWERS THE DOOR
AND SAYS SEAN'S NOT HOME.
THAT'S VERY STRANGE
BECAUSE I JUST SPOKE TO HIM,
AN HOUR AND A HALF PRIOR.
SO MUCH FOR THEIR LUNCH DATE.
THE STORM HITS THE NEXT DAY.
PATTY COMES THROUGH IT FINE
AND WONDERS IF SEAN DID TOO.
I TRIED TO REACH SEAN EVERY DAY.
BUT SHE CAN'T REACH HIM.
I WOULD CALL
BEFORE I WENT TO BED AT NIGHT
AND WHEN I WAKE UP
IN THE MORNING.
AND I WOULD CALL,
AND I WOULD CALL,
AND I WOULD CALL.
REPEATED ATTEMPTS DAILY.
NOW, I'M WORRIED.
I HADN'T HEARD FROM HIM
IN MANY DAYS.
11 DAYS IN ALL.
FINALLY, PATTY CHECKS
IN ON SEAN IN PERSON.
I PEERED INTO THE WINDOWS
AND VERY QUICKLY REALIZED THAT
HIS HOUSE HAD BEEN CLEANED OUT.
THE FURNITURE WAS GONE.
THE ONLY THING REMAINING IN
THE HOUSE WAS THIS OVERSIZED TV.
I WAS VERY, VERY CONCERNED.
THE FIRST THING
THAT I FELT WAS FEAR.
IT'S NOT LIKE OUTGOING
SEAN DUGAS TO GO SILENT.
MAYBE THE NEIGHBORS
KNOW SOMETHING.
THAT'S WHEN PATTY LEARNS
ABOUT SOME STRANGE ACTIVITY
FOUR DAYS EARLIER.
THE NEIGHBORS TOLD ME THAT
A U-HAUL WAS IN THE DRIVEWAY,
AND TWO YOUNG MEN
WERE MOVING ALL OF THE ITEMS
OUT OF THE HOME INTO THE U-HAUL.
THE NEIGHBOR ASKED THE MAN,
"WHAT IS YOUR NAME?
WHO ARE YOU?"
AND HE RESPONDED, "WILL."
WILL EXPLAINED THAT HE
AND THE OTHER MAN
WERE HELPING SEAN
MOVE OUT AND INTO THEIR PLACE.
THE FACT THAT SEAN WASN'T
PRESENT DIDN'T MAKE ANY SENSE.
SEAN WOULD NEVER CHOOSE TO MOVE.
THERE WAS SOMETHING VERY WRONG.
PATTY'S NOW CONVINCED SOMETHING
BAD HAS HAPPENED TO HER FRIEND.
SHE REPORTS HIS DISAPPEARANCE
TO THE PENSACOLA POLICE,
BUT THEY'VE GOT THEIR HANDS FULL
IN THE WAKE OF THE HURRICANE.
BESIDES, SEAN'S A GROWN MAN
WHO MIGHT HAVE LEFT
OF HIS OWN VOLITION.
UNTIL WE HAVE INFORMATION
OR EVIDENCE
THAT INDICATES THAT AN ACTUAL
CRIME HAS OCCURRED, UM,
IT'S NOT NECESSARILY A CRIME.
SOMETIMES PEOPLE LEAVE.
BUT PATTY WON'T LET IT GO.
SEAN IS CONSIDERATE
AND EXTROVERTED
AND WOULD NEVER UP
AND LEAVE WITHOUT TELLING HER.
WITNESSES CAN'T RECALL
ALL THE DETAILS,
SO WHILE IT WAS VERY FRESH
IN MY MIND, I MADE THE TIMELINE.
SHE BRINGS IT
TO DETECTIVE DANIEL HARNETT.
HOPEFULLY, SHE CAN PERSUADE HIM
TO LOOK
INTO HER FRIEND'S DISAPPEARANCE.
DETECTIVE HARNETT KNEW SEAN
FROM HIS DAYS ON THE CRIME BEAT
FOR THE PENSACOLA NEWS JOURNAL.
AND HE'S ALWAYS RESPECTED
SEAN'S WORK.
HE WAS VERY PERSISTENT.
I WOULDN'T LIKE TO SAY PUSHY,
BUT HE WAS ALMOST PUSHY
IN REGARDS TO WANTING TO,
YOU KNOW,
DO HIS JOB AS A REPORTER.
BUT THERE'S SOMETHING ABOUT SEAN
THE DETECTIVE DOESN'T KNOW.
PATTY EXPLAINS THAT HER FRIEND
HAS SPENT YEARS
TRAWLING THE UNDERGROUND WORLD
OF A FANTASY ROLE-PLAYING GAME
THE GATHERING.
FOR ITS FANS,
IT'S ALL-CONSUMING.
ALL I KNOW IS THAT YOU USE,
A DECK OF CARDS.
THERE ARE THOUSANDS OF THEM.
EACH OF THEM IS A CHARACTER
OF SOME SORT.
TO WIN THE GAME
IS TO REMAIN ALIVE AND KILL OFF
ALL THE OTHER PLAYERS.
IT'S A NEVER-ENDING MAKE-BELIEVE
BATTLE FOR SURVIVAL,
BUT SOME PLAYERS
TAKE IT TOO FAR.
THE GATHERING HAS BEEN
REFERRED TO
AS BEING VERY ADDICTIVE,
AND IT'S BEEN CALLED
CARDBOARD CRACK.
SEAN'S HABIT
HAS WON HIM SOME HIGH-END CARDS.
EACH OF THEM
HAS A DIFFERENT VALUE,
AND I BELIEVE THE MOST
VALUABLE ONE IS THE BLACK WIDOW,
WHICH SEAN HAD.
IN THIS WORLD, THE CARDS
ARE WORTH A REAL-WORLD FORTUNE.
I'D HEARD ESTIMATES
FROM $25,000 TO $100,000
ON THE ENTIRE COLLECTION.
A MOTIVE FOR FOUL PLAY?
OR MAYBE SEAN TOOK OFF
WITH HIS VALUABLES IN TOW.
THE DETECTIVE TRIES TO PICK UP
HIS TRAIL.
HIS PHONE WASN'T WORKING.
UM, HIS CREDIT CARDS
WEREN'T BEING USED.
ALL OF HIS BELONGINGS WERE GONE,
AND NO ONE
KNOWS WHERE HE'S GONE.
IT'S AS THOUGH SEAN
SIMPLY STOPPED EXISTING...
THAT IS WHAT GAVE US A LOT
OF RED FLAGS.
HE'S COMPLETELY UPROOTED
HIMSELF,
AND THAT'S KIND
OF DIFFICULT TO DO.
UNTIL REAL-WORLD SURVEILLANCE
VIDEO UPENDS THE FANTASY LAND.
FANTASY GAMER SEAN DUGAS' HOME
IS STRIPPED BARE.
A MAN NAMED WILL TOLD NEIGHBOR
SEAN WAS MOVING IN WITH HIM.
BUT SEAN IS NOWHERE TO BE FOUND.
THE ANSWER LAY IN FINDING
THE MEN ASSOCIATED WITH SEAN.
IF I COULD FIND THEM,
I COULD FIND SEAN.
DETECTIVES QUESTION
SEAN'S FRIENDS AND FAMILY
ABOUT ANY ACQUAINTANCE
NAMED WILL.
ONE NAME KEEPS COMING UP --
WILL CORMIER.
AND HE HAS A TWIN BROTHER,
CHRISTOPHER.
ARE THEY THE SAME TWO MEN
THE NEIGHBORS
SAW MOVING SEAN'S BELONGINGS
IN A U-HAUL TRUCK?
DETECTIVE HARNETT
CAN'T FIND ANY KNOWN ADDRESSES
FOR THE TWINS IN PENSACOLA, SO
HE ASKS THE TRUCK RENTAL COMPANY
FOR CUSTOMER RECORDS
AND SURVEILLANCE FOOTAGE.
IT TAKES WEEKS
OF CALLING AND SEARCHING.
IT'S STARTING TO FEEL
LIKE THIS MYSTERY
WILL NEVER BE SOLVED.
THEN, CUSTOMER RECORDS
FROM U-HAUL ARRIVE.
I GOT THOSE RECORDS BACK,
AND IT GAVE ME SOME PLACE TO GO.
THE RECORDS REVEAL THAT IT
WAS THE CORMIER TWINS WHO RENTED
THE TRUCK.
I HAVE A START PLACE.
THE RENTAL
WAS ON THE SAME DAY NEIGHBORS
SAW THE TWO MEN AT SEAN'S HOME,
BUT THE PACKAGE
CONTAINS SOMETHING EVEN BETTER.
WE HAVE THE CORRESPONDING VIDEO
OF THAT RENTAL.
THE VIDEO IS FROM 11:03 A.M.,
SEVEN DAYS AFTER PATTY AND SEAN
WERE SUPPOSED TO HAVE LUNCH.
WE SEE THE BROTHERS COMING IN
AND RENTING THE TRUCK.
IT'S DETECTIVES' FIRST GLIMPSE
OF THE CORMIER TWINS,
A PERFECT MATCH
OF THE DESCRIPTION
PROVIDED BY SEAN'S NEIGHBOR.
AND THE MAN ON THE RIGHT
IS THE SAME ONE
WHO OPENED THE DOOR
TO PATTY THAT DAY.
INSIDE YOUR OWN MIND,
YOU'RE HIGH-FIVING,
AND YOU'VE INITIALLY
GOT THE BREAK.
BUT AS HE WATCHES,
SOMETHING DAWNS ON HIM.
THIS IS SEAN'S HOME MOVE,
BUT THERE'S NO SEAN
IN ANY OF THE FOOTAGE
AND NO CAMERAS CAPTURING
THEM RETURNING THE TRUCK.
WHERE HAVE THEY GONE?
IT STARTED TO BECOME CLEAR
THAT THERE WAS SOMETHING AMISS.
IF DETECTIVE HARNETT
CAN FIND THAT TRUCK,
MAYBE
HE'LL FIND THE CORMIER TWINS.
HE SCOURS U-HAUL RENTAL RECORDS
FROM AROUND THE COUNTRY TO SEE
WHERE THE TRUCK WAS RETURNED.
THE HARD WORK PAYS OFF.
THAT TRUCK WAS RETURNED
AT A U-HAUL DEALERSHIP
IN WINDER, GEORGIA.
400 MILES
FROM PENSACOLA, FLORIDA.
I HAVE WINDER, GEORGIA.
AND NOW I HAVE SOMETHING
THAT I CAN DO.
THE U-HAUL OFFICE IN GEORGIA
CONFIRMS THE TRUCK
WAS INDEED RETURNED
BY SOMEONE NAMED CORMIER,
BUT NOT ONE OF THE BROTHERS.
IT WAS THEIR FATHER, BILL.
SO, NOW I HAD A PHONE NUMBER,
AND I HAD A RELATIVE.
A FRIENDLY PHONE CALL
TO BILL CORMIER
MIGHT YIELD A BREAK IN THE CASE.
I EXPLAINED TO HIM SIMPLY THEY
WEREN'T NECESSARILY IN TROUBLE.
I WAS TRYING TO LOCATE SEAN,
A FRIEND OF THEIRS.
HE INDICATED THAT SEAN
HAD NOT MOVED TO GEORGIA
WITH EITHER OF HIS SONS.
HE HADN'T SEEN THEM OR HEARD
FROM THEM IN SEVERAL MONTHS.
UPON ENDING THE CONVERSATION,
I REALIZED THAT SOMETHING
WAS VERY, VERY WRONG.
BUT HE DOESN'T KNOW WHAT.
SEAN HAS BEEN
MISSING FOR SIX WEEKS.
DETECTIVE HARNETT'S FINAL LEAD
HAS JUST DRIED UP.
AN HOUR LATER,
AN URGENT CALL COMES IN.
HARNETT.
YEAH.
IT'S AN AGITATED MALE
WITH SOMETHING TO CONFESS.
BILL CORMIER'S CALLED BACK.
HE CALLED ME IN A STATE
OF PANIC.
IT SEEMED AS THOUGH
HE WAS OUT OF BREATH.
HE EXPLAINS TO ME
THAT HE HAS LEFT THE HOUSE,
THAT HIS SONS ARE IN THE HOME,
AND HE HAD TO LEAVE
BECAUSE HE WAS SCARED.
WHY IS BILL AFRAID
OF HIS OWN SONS?
HARNETT NEEDS TO GET TO HIM
AND FAST,
BUT HE'S 400 MILES AWAY.
MY MAIN OBJECTIVE AT THAT POINT
WAS TO GET LOCAL LAW
ENFORCEMENT HANDS-ON TO BILL.
GEORGIA INVESTIGATOR
RIKKI BANKS IS DISPATCHED
TO BILL CORMIER'S HOME.
YOU'RE THINKING ABOUT WHAT --
WHAT COULD HAPPEN
WHEN YOU GET THERE, OF COURSE.
SO THAT'S KIND OF PLAYING
THROUGH MY MIND.
OUT FRONT, A PANICKED
BILL CORMIER IS WAITING.
HE SAYS HIS SONS HAVE FLED.
BUT BANKS ASKED TO TAKE A LOOK
AROUND JUST TO BE SURE.
SHE CAN'T HELP BUT NOTICE
SOME NEW CONSTRUCTION.
ON THE WALKWAY,
WE DID OBSERVE SOME CONCRETE...
AND A SHOVEL THAT WAS LAYING,
YOU KNOW, SEVERAL FEET
AWAY FROM THE PILE OF LEAVES.
IT'S NOT A PATIO
OR A BARBECUE PIT.
IT'S JUST CONCRETE
IN THE MIDDLE OF THE YARD.
BANKS ALSO FINDS A RECEIPT
FOR THE PURCHASE
OF FIVE BAGS OF CONCRETE
MADE JUST A FEW DAYS EARLIER.
HER BOSS,
INVESTIGATOR RACHEL LOVE,
FOLLOWS UP ON THE PURCHASE.
I WENT TO THE HOME DEPOT
WHICH IS LOCATED IN WINDER.
THE STORE HAS MULTIPLE CAMERAS
INSIDE AND OUT.
SHE PULLS THE VIDEO
THAT CORRESPONDS WITH
THE TIME STAMP ON THE RECEIPT.
AND REVIEWING
THE VIDEO SURVEILLANCE
OF THAT SPECIFIC DATE AND TIME
SHOWED US BOTH WILLIAM
AND CHRISTOPHER.
IT'S THE CORMIER TWINS.
LOVE TRACKS EVERY MOVE
OF THEIR VISIT.
WE WERE ABLE TO SEE
THEM RETRIEVE ITEMS,
CHECK OUT
AS THEY PURCHASED THE ITEMS --
CONCRETE, A BUCKET,
A CONCRETE STIRRER.
THEN WE WERE ABLE TO SEE
THEM LOAD THE ITEMS INTO THE CAR
THAT THEY CAME IN.
WHAT THE CAMERAS SEE
IS AN ORDINARY SHOPPING TRIP,
BUT WHAT LIES BENEATH
THE FRESHLY LAID CONCRETE
IN BILL CORMIER'S YARD
IS ANYTHING BUT.
12 DAYS
AFTER THE DISAPPEARANCE
OF PENSACOLA JOURNALIST
SEAN DUGAS,
AN IN-STORE VIDEO
SURVEILLANCE TAPE
HAS CAUGHT
WILL AND CHRISTOPHER CORMIER
ON A SUSPICIOUS SHOPPING TRIP.
WE THEN ORDERED SOME EQUIPMENT
TO BE BROUGHT IN TO HELP
US TRY TO LIFT THAT CONCRETE UP.
WE'RE STILL ANXIOUS BUT NOT SURE
OF WHAT WE'RE GONNA FIND.
AS IT WAS LIFTED UP
SEVERAL FEET,
WE COULD SEE UP
UNDER THE CONCRETE,
THERE WAS A PLASTIC CONTAINER.
WE GOT IT PULLED BACK.
EXPOSING A TELLTALE ODOR.
IT WAS REALLY BAD.
IT WAS DEFINITELY SOMETHING
DECOMPOSING.
THEN THERE WAS WHAT APPEARED
TO BE A BODY.
AFTER THE AUTOPSY,
WE'RE ABLE TO SAY DEFINITIVELY
THAT THIS WAS SEAN DUGAS.
NOW, COPS ALL OVER THE SOUTH
ARE ON THE HUNT
FOR THE CORMIER BROTHERS.
I GET A PHONE CALL
FROM ANOTHER POLICE OFFICER
WHO HAS CONDUCTED
A TRAFFIC STOP.
WHEN THE OFFICER
LOOKED IN THE CAR,
THE DRIVER
AND PASSENGER LOOKED IDENTICAL.
I ASKED THERE THAT THEY
BE BROUGHT
TO THE POLICE DEPARTMENT.
POLICE SHOW THE TWINS
THE FOOTAGE
OF THEIR CONCRETE PURCHASE.
AND CHRISTOPHER CORMIER
IS THE FIRST TO CRACK.
HE EXPLAINS
THAT HE AND WILL KNEW SEAN
FROM THEIR MARATHON GAMES
OF MAGIC: THE GATHERING,
AND COVETED HIS
VALUABLE CARD COLLECTION,
SO MUCH SO THAT THEY WERE
WILLING TO KILL FOR IT,
BLUDGEONING SEAN TO DEATH.
WHAT WE LEARNED
WAS THAT SEAN WAS MURDERED.
HIS BELONGINGS WERE STOLEN.
HE'D BEEN DEAD ONLY A FEW HOURS
WHEN PATTY SHOWED UP FOR LUNCH.
HIS BODY WAS LEFT IN HIS GARAGE
FOR A WEEK.
HE WAS REMOVED FROM --
FROM HIS GARAGE,
PLACED INTO A U-HAUL TRUCK.
HE WAS TRANSPORTED TO GEORGIA
AND BURIED.
IT WAS VERY GRUESOME.
SEAN MUST HAVE ENDURED
A GREAT DEAL OF PAIN.
IT TOOK MY STOMACH AWAY.
THE ONLY CONCILIATORY THING
ABOUT IT WAS THAT I HAVE A LOT
OF FAITH,
AND I KNEW THAT HE WAS FINE NOW.
WILLIAM CORMIER IS SENTENCED
TO LIFE IN PRISON.
HIS TWIN, CHRISTOPHER,
GETS 15 YEARS.
HAD IT NOT BEEN
FOR THE SURVEILLANCE FOOTAGE,
BOTH WOULD STILL BE
ON THE LOOSE TODAY.
TWO MURDERS IN FLORIDA,
TWO DEEPLY DISTURBED MOTIVES.
WITH SECURITY CAMERAS
IN THE RIGHT PLACE,
INVESTIGATORS
ARE ABLE TO CRACK BOTH CASES.
MEANWHILE,
THE CAMERAS KEEP WATCHING.