See No Evil (2014–…): Season 2, Episode 3 - Must Find Mickey - full transcript
21-year-old Mickey Shunick is missing after a night out. Her family is terrified and mobilizes the local community to help search for her. Police are unable to find any trace of the ...
A YOUNG
COLLEGE STUDENT VANISHES.
I WAS INCOHERENT.
I WAS NUTS.
HER FAMILY IS TERRIFIED.
CALL THE TIP LINE
AND DROP HER OFF ANYWHERE,
WE'LL FIND HER.
PLEASE,
DON'T HURT HER.
IMAGES OF THAT FATEFUL NIGHT
CAUGHT ON CAMERA...
HEY, WHAT'S THAT?
...ARE THE ONLY CLUES
POLICE HAVE.
VIDEO SURVEILLANCE
AT THIS POINT IS THE ONLY THING
THAT'S PROVIDING LEADS FOR US
IN THIS INVESTIGATION.
IT'S THE ONLY THING.
FRIDAY, MAY 18, 2012,
LAFAYETTE, LOUISIANA.
CHARLIE SHUNICK
AND HER MOM, NANCY,
ARE ENJOYING
THE WARM SPRING EVENING.
HEY, GUYS.
WHAT YA DOING?
MICKEY SHUNICK,
NANCY'S OTHER DAUGHTER,
PLANS TO MEET UP WITH FRIENDS.
GOING TO A CONCERT. LOVE YOU.
OKAY. ALL RIGHT.
LOVE YOU, TOO.
BYE, MICK.
SHE SAID, "I'LL BE BACK EARLY."
AND I SAID, "OKAY,
MICK, BE CAREFUL."
"MAMA, I ALWAYS AM."
AND THAT WAS IT.
THERE'S LOTS OF GREAT MUSIC
IN LAFAYETTE,
AND SHE WAS A BIG PART
OF THAT WHOLE COMMUNITY.
SHE WAS HUGE INTO CYCLING.
SHE PRETTY MUCH BIKED ANYWHERE
SHE COULD.
MICKEY PLANS
ON AN EARLY NIGHT
BECAUSE TOMORROW IS A BIG DAY
IN THE SHUNICK HOUSEHOLD.
MICKEY'S YOUNGER BROTHER, ZACH,
IS GRADUATING FROM HIGH SCHOOL.
COME ON, EVERYBODY!
LET'S GET MOVING!
WELL, WE'RE ALL GETTING READY
FOR THE GRADUATION.
CHARLIE!
IT WAS AT LIKE
10:30 IN THE MORNING,
SOME RIDICULOUS HOUR THAT NO ONE
WANTS TO GET READY FOR.
BUT THERE'S ONE MEMBER
OF THE FAMILY
THAT ISN'T PART
OF THE RUSH TO GET READY.
MICKEY, COME ON,
LET'S GO.
I KNEW SHE WENT OUT
THE NIGHT BEFORE,
SO I FIGURED SHE WAS JUST KIND
OF SLEEPING IT OFF, SLEEPING IN.
MICKEY?
COMING IN.
MICKEY?
MICKEY ISN'T HOME.
MICKEY?
MOM IS TERRIFIED.
IF SHE SAID SHE WAS COMING HOME,
SHE CAME HOME.
AND IF SHE SAID
SHE WOULD BE HOME EARLY,
SHE WAS HOME EARLY.
I MEAN,
WE KNEW SOMETHING WAS WRONG.
HER SISTER'S
FIRST REACTION IS ANNOYANCE.
WE COULDN'T
GET IN TOUCH WITH HER.
IT WAS GOING
STRAIGHT TO HER VOICEMAIL,
AND I REMEMBER I TEXTED HER.
I WAS LIKE,
"YOU'RE BEING AN IDIOT.
LIKE, YOU NEED TO WAKE UP
AND GET HOME
SO THAT WE CAN GO
TO ZACH'S GRADUATION."
BUT MISSING
HER BROTHER'S BIG DAY
IS A RED FLAG.
SOMETHING ISN'T RIGHT.
MICKEY IS A RESPONSIBLE
YOUNG WOMAN
ON THE VERGE OF GRADUATING FROM
THE UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA,
WHERE SHE'S STUDYING
ANTHROPOLOGY.
MICKEY WAS BRIGHT
AND BUBBLY AND SASSY,
AND PEOPLE WOULD THINK
WE WERE TWINS.
TYPICAL 21-YEAR-OLD.
SHE LIVED A PRETTY FULL LIFE.
SHE WENT TO SCHOOL, SHE WORKED,
WENT OUT WITH HER FRIENDS.
SHE WAS A LOT OF FUN.
AFTER THE GRADUATION,
THE FAMILY HEADS STRAIGHT HOME,
HOPING MICKEY
WILL BE THERE WAITING.
MICKEY?
MICKEY?
WHERE IS SHE?
MICKEY'S LITTLE BROTHER'S
GRADUATION
HAS COME AND GONE.
SHE ISN'T ANSWERING HER PHONE,
AND NO ONE
IN THIS TIGHT-KNIT FAMILY
HAS SEEN HER IN 18 HOURS.
- MY GOD.
- SHE'S NOT HOME.
NUMBER'S GOING TO VOICEMAIL.
THIS IS BAD.
SO THAT'S
WHEN WE STARTED CALLING PEOPLE.
MICKEY'S GONE MISSING.
HEY, CLAIRE.
I'M SURE IT'S NOTHING...
WERE YOU WITH MICKEY?
FRANTICALLY DIALING ANYBODY
WE COULD THINK OF.
HAVE YOU SEEN MICKEY?
DID SHE STOP BY?
HAS SHE TEXTED YOU?
NO ONE HAD HEARD ANYTHING
FROM HER AT ALL.
UM, DID SHE GO TO SOMEONE'S
PLACE, OR DID SHE STAY WITH YOU?
THEN, A LEAD.
A GIRLFRIEND SAID SHE SPOKE
WITH MICKEY THE NIGHT BEFORE.
THEY WERE LIKE, "WELL,
SHE WAS WITH BRETTLY LAST NIGHT.
WHY DON'T YOU ASK HIM
IF SHE SLEPT OVER?"
FELLOW UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA
STUDENT BRETTLY WILSON
IS MICKEY'S BEST FRIEND.
HELLO?
BRETTLY, HI, IT'S CHARLIE.
HEY, HOW'S IT GOING?
BRETTLY SAYS
HE AND MICKEY WENT TO A BAR,
THEN PICKED UP SOME FOOD
BEFORE GOING BACK TO HIS PLACE.
HE SAID, "SHE LEFT MY HOUSE
ON HER BIKE,
AND SHE SAID
SHE WAS GOING HOME,"
AND HE JUST KIND OF TRAILED OFF
AND LEFT IT THERE.
SOMETHING WASN'T REALLY RIGHT.
BRETTLY CLAIMS
MICKEY LEFT AROUND 1:40 A.M.
IT'S A 41/2 MILE RIDE
AND SHOULD HAVE TAKEN MICKEY
AROUND 25 MINUTES.
FIRST WE CALLED THE POLICE.
THE POLICE ARE LIKE, "OKAY,
MAKE SURE YOU CALL
THE HOSPITALS."
SO WE CALLED THEM,
WE GAVE THE DESCRIPTION,
LOOKING FOR AN INJURED BIKER
OR SOMEONE BROUGHT IN
WHO CAN'T REMEMBER ANYTHING.
THERE WAS NO ONE
MATCHING THAT DESCRIPTION.
DESPERATE
TO DO SOMETHING,
DAD, TOM, AND THE REST
OF THE FAMILY
START SEARCHING
MICKEY'S LIKELY ROUTE HOME.
YOU KNOW, WE'RE,
LIKE, CHECKING DITCHES,
CHECKING BUSHES.
JUST,
IF THERE'S A BIKER IN THERE,
SHE MIGHT BE KNOCKED OUT,
SHE CAN'T GET UP.
CLIMBED EVERY FENCE.
THERE WAS NO TRACE OF --
NO BIKE, NO NOTHING.
NANCY CALLS POLICE
AGAIN.
BUT THIS TIME, SHE ASKS THEM
TO FIND HER DAUGHTER.
IT'S NOT LIKE HER.
SHE ALWAYS COMES HOME.
THEY SENT AN OFFICER OVER
TO TAKE A DESCRIPTION.
110, 112 POUNDS.
YOU GUYS MIGHT WANT
TO CHECK OVER HERE.
THOSE TWO.
DETECTIVE STEPHEN BAJAT
WILL LEAD THE SEARCH
FOR MICKEY SHUNICK.
I WAS QUICKLY ABLE TO SEE
THAT THIS WAS NOT A COMMON THING
THAT OCCURRED
AND THAT THEY WERE
EXTREMELY WORRIED ABOUT HER.
THE BIG THING
WAS THAT SHE MISSED
HER BROTHER'S
HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATION.
THAT WAS SOMETHING
THAT SHE WAS SUPPOSED TO GO TO,
AND SHE JUST DIDN'T SHOW UP.
INVESTIGATORS
START WITH THE LAST PERSON
KNOWN TO HAVE SEEN MICKEY --
HER FRIEND BRETTLY WILSON.
VERY QUICKLY,
THE POLICE HONED IN ON BRETTLY.
OF COURSE,
ANY MALE FRIEND
IS GONNA BE THE PRIME SUSPECT.
BEING THAT IT WAS A MALE
AND FEMALE RELATIONSHIP,
WE WANTED TO MAKE SURE
THAT THERE WASN'T ANY
ROMANCE BETWEEN THEM
AND THAT IT WASN'T
A DOMESTIC ISSUE
OR THAT POSSIBLY BRETTLY
HAD MADE AN ADVANCE TOWARD HER
AND SHE TURNED HIM DOWN.
NOW, WHEN SHE WAS
LEAVING YOUR PLACE,
DID SHE MENTION
THAT SHE WAS MEETING SOMEONE?
MY FIRST IMPRESSIONS
OF BRETTLY --
HE SEEMED KIND OF NERVOUS,
WHICH, AGAIN, RAISES SUSPICION
FOR US AS INVESTIGATORS.
ANYBODY'S CAPABLE OF MURDER.
AND YOU GUYS DON'T HAVE
A HISTORY OF ANYTHING,
THERE'S NO --
NO. NO, NO, NO.
BRETTLY DENIES
ANY ROMANTIC INVOLVEMENT
WITH MICKEY.
BUT DETECTIVES
ONLY HAVE HIS WORD FOR IT.
HIS STATEMENT GAVE US A TIMELINE
UP UNTIL 1:45 OR SO.
HIS TIMELINE OF EVENTS
SEEMS INNOCENT.
THEY WERE AT A LITTLE BAR
AND THAT THEY LEFT THAT BAR
AND RODE THEIR BIKES
BACK TO HIS HOUSE.
THEY GOT INTO HIS VEHICLE
AND WENT TO A RESTAURANT,
WHERE THEY PURCHASED FOOD.
AND THEN THEY DROVE BACK
TO THE RESIDENCE,
AND SHE GOT ON HER BIKE,
AND THAT WAS THE LAST TIME
HE HAD SEEN HER.
POLICE ASK BRETTLY
IF THERE'S A FRIEND, A ROOMMATE,
ANYONE WHO CAN
BACK UP HIS STORY.
BUT THERE ISN'T.
WITH THE CLOCK TICKING,
THEY SEND CRIME SCENE TECHS
TO BRETTLY'S HOUSE.
WE'RE JUST LOOKING FOR THINGS
THAT ARE OUT OF PLACE,
THINGS THAT ARE BROKEN, POSSIBLY
IF THERE'S ANY BLOOD EVIDENCE.
THEY SEARCH
FOR ANYTHING CONNECTING HIM
TO MICKEY'S DISAPPEARANCE.
THERE WAS NOTHING OUT OF PLACE.
EVERYTHING WAS IN ORDER
AND SPOT-ON
WITH WHAT HE WAS TELLING US.
POLICE ARE NO CLOSER
TO FINDING MICKEY SHUNICK.
AND IF BRETTLY WILSON KNOWS
WHERE SHE IS, HE'S NOT TELLING.
POLICE MUST CHECK OUT
EACH PART OF HIS STORY,
STARTING WITH THE BAR HE CLAIMS
THEY WENT TO
AT A QUARTER AFTER 10:00.
AND WHEN THEY GET THERE,
THEY FIND A WITNESS
WHO THEY KNOW NEVER LIES.
YOU GUYS HAVE
SOME SECURITY CAMERAS.
I CAN SEE
THAT THERE'S ONE RIGHT THERE.
PERFECT.
THE BAR IS RIGGED WITH AN ARRAY
OF SURVEILLANCE CAMERAS.
IT'S IMPORTANT
FOR US TO GRAB THAT VIDEO
BEFORE IT GETS ERASED.
FOR DETECTIVES,
IT'S A GIFT
THAT MAY CATCH BRETTLY IN A LIE.
NO ONE HAS SEEN
OR HEARD FROM MICKEY SHUNICK
IN 36 HOURS.
HER FAMILY IS DISTRAUGHT.
I WAS INCOHERENT.
I DIDN'T KNOW WHAT DAY IT WAS.
I MET PEOPLE, DIDN'T REMEMBER.
I WAS NUTS.
I MEAN, I WAS JUST --
I WAS IN ANOTHER WORLD.
I'M LOOKING --
DID YOU SEE HER?
THE WORST PART
ABOUT HAVING A MISSING PERSON
IS NOT KNOWING WHAT HAPPENED.
AND YOU WON'T BELIEVE
WHAT YOUR IMAGINATION
WILL DO TO YOU.
THE MISSING PART
WAS JUST THE WORST.
RIGHT NOW,
MICKEY'S BEST FRIEND,
BRETTLY WILSON,
IS INVESTIGATORS' ONLY SUSPECT.
HE'S THE LAST PERSON
TO SEE HER.
THERE WERE ON OTHER SUSPECTS.
AND THEN
WE WENT TO MY PLACE.
WILSON SAYS HE
AND MICKEY SPENT THE EVENING
AT A BAR,
A FAST-FOOD RESTAURANT,
AND THEN ON TO HIS PLACE.
HE SAYS MICKEY LEFT HIS HOUSE,
HEADED HOME ON A BIKE
AT AROUND 1:45 A.M.
POLICE START AT THE BAR.
WE WERE TOLD
THAT THEY WENT TO ARTMOSPHERE,
WHICH IS A LOCAL BAR
AND RESTAURANT IN THE AREA.
IMMEDIATELY,
OFFICERS SEE THEM --
SECURITY CAMERAS...
OKAY, YEAH,
I SEE YOU GOT ANOTHER ONE THERE.
...A CAMERA
OVER THE FRONT ENTRANCE,
SOME ON THE BAR,
AND MORE COVERING
THE SEATING AREAS.
WE OBTAINED VIDEO SURVEILLANCE
FROM THEIR BUSINESS.
IF BRETTLY WAS HERE
WITH MICKEY, AS HE CLAIMED,
THEY SHOULD ARRIVE
AT A QUARTER AFTER 10:00.
AND RIGHT ON TIME,
THERE THEY ARE.
ALL LOOKS ROUTINE.
THAT'S HER.
NEXT,
THEY APPEAR AT THE BAR,
SMILING AND TALKING.
IT LOOKS LIKE NOTHING MORE
THAN A FUN EVENING OUT.
POLICE WATCH 21/2 HOURS
OF FOOTAGE FROM THE CAMERAS.
THEY SEE NO SIGN OF PROBLEMS.
NO FIGHTS, NO INCIDENTS,
JUST A FEW BEERS.
AT 12:44 A.M.,
MICKEY AND BRETTLY SIMPLY LEAVE.
THEY DON'T SEEM DRUNK,
AND THEY AREN'T HOLDING HANDS.
EVERYTHING SEEMS NORMAL.
WE WERE ABLE
TO SEE MICKEY
COME INTO THE BAR
AS WELL AS LEAVE.
AND WHAT WAS IMPORTANT
ABOUT THAT WAS
THAT NO ONE FOLLOWED HER
FROM THE BAR.
THE FIRST PART
OF BRETTLY'S STORY
HAS CHECKED OUT.
STILL NO SIGN
OF 21-YEAR-OLD MICKEY SHUNICK.
OUTSIDE THE POLICE STATION,
MICKEY'S DISAPPEARANCE
IS FAST BECOMING
A BIG NEWS STORY.
DESPERATE TO HELP,
FAMILY, FRIENDS,
AND WELL-WISHERS
SWING INTO ACTION.
WE HAD MISSING PERSON FLYERS.
JUST TAPING THEM ON POSTS,
MAKING SURE PEOPLE KNEW
WHAT SHE LOOKED LIKE.
THE WHOLE COMMUNITY
WAS INVOLVED,
AND THERE WAS
JUST TEAM AFTER TEAM
TO SEARCH THE WHOLE CITY.
MICKEY HAS NOW BEEN
MISSING FOR 40 HOURS.
WHILE THE LOCAL COMMUNITY
MOBILIZES,
POLICE RACE TO CHECK OUT THE
NEXT PART OF BRETTLY'S STORY.
AFTER THAT,
WE WENT TO TACO BELL.
OKAY.
GOT SOME FOOD, SOBERED UP.
BRETTLY GAVE US
AN APPROXIMATE TIMEFRAME
ON WHEN THEY WENT
TO TACO BELL.
WE WERE ABLE
TO DETERMINE THAT
BY MATCHING IT
TO MICKEY'S BANK STATEMENT.
BUT WHAT THEY DON'T
KNOW IS WHO USED HER CARD
AND WAS MICKEY SAFE
WHEN IT WAS USED.
TO FIND OUT,
INVESTIGATORS
TURN BACK TO THEIR MOST
RELIABLE WITNESS --
SURVEILLANCE VIDEO.
WE OBVIOUSLY
WANTED TO CATCH HER ON VIDEO.
WE WENT TO TACO BELL.
THE RESTAURANT
SAYS THE PURCHASE
WAS FOR A COUPLE OF SNACKS
AND WAS MADE
AT THE DRIVE-THRU WINDOW.
IT HANDS OVER ALL ITS FOOTAGE
FROM THE NIGHT.
POLICE STARE AT THE FOOTAGE
FROM THE TAKE-OUT WINDOW
AS CAR AFTER CAR COMES THROUGH.
THEN THEY SPOT IT.
RIGHT HERE.
IT'S BRETTLY'S
CHEVROLET CAVALIER.
IT'S HARD
TO SEE WHO'S BEHIND THE WHEEL.
BUT AFTER REVIEWING THE FOOTAGE,
IT BECOMES CLEAR...
...IT'S BRETTLY DRIVING.
WHEN WE WERE REVIEWING IT,
ALL WE COULD SEE
WAS BRETTLY AT THE WINDOW
INSIDE OF HIS CAR,
PURCHASING THE FOOD.
USING MICKEY'S
ATM CARD.
BUT WHERE IS MICKEY?
WE COULDN'T SEE ANYONE ELSE
INSIDE THE CAR.
IT'S A HUGE
DISAPPOINTMENT.
BUT THEY REPLAY THE FOOTAGE
AND THIS TIME
SPOT SOMETHING NEW.
HE TURNED
AND HANDED IT TO SOMEONE
THAT WAS SITTING
IN THE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT.
NO MATTER HOW MANY
TIMES THEY PLAY IT, THE VIDEO
JUST ISN'T CLEAR ENOUGH
TO REVEAL THE MYSTERY PASSENGER.
MAYBE MICKEY'S THERE,
AND MAYBE SHE'S NOT.
POLICE CAN'T SHAKE THE FEAR
THAT BRETTLY AND AN ACCOMPLICE
ARE USING MICKEY'S BANK CARD.
IT COULD HAVE BEEN SOMEONE ELSE
THAT WAS THERE
THAT HE'S NOT TELLING US
THAT HARMED HER.
THERE'S ONE LAST PART
OF BRETTLY'S STORY
TO TRACK DOWN.
HE SAID THAT SHE LEFT THE HOUSE
A LITTLE BIT BEFORE 2:00
IN THE MORNING,
RIDING HER BICYCLE.
AND HE SAID THAT WAS THE LAST
TIME THAT HE HAD SEEN HER.
IS THERE A CAMERA
THAT MIGHT HAVE CAUGHT A GLIMPSE
OF MICKEY'S RIDE HOME
FROM BRETTLY'S HOUSE?
ENTAILS US, YOU KNOW,
DRIVING THE BEAT,
KNOCKING ON DOORS,
AND BASICALLY JUST LOOKING
AT THE CORNERS OF BUILDINGS
AND INSIDE OF BUILDINGS, LOOKING
TO SEE IF THERE'S ANY CAMERAS.
ACCORDING TO BRETTLY,
THE FIRST PART
OF MICKEY'S ROUTE HOME
IS DOWN RESIDENTIAL STREETS.
BRETTLY HAD GIVEN US A PATH.
IT DIDN'T SEEM LIKE A NORMAL
PATH THAT SHE WOULD TAKE,
BUT WE HAD TO GO WITH IT
BECAUSE THAT'S THE WAY
THAT BRETTLY SAID
THAT SHE ALWAYS WOULD TAKE HOME.
AND WE FOLLOWED THAT PATH,
AND WE WEREN'T ABLE
TO FIND ANY VIDEO SURVEILLANCE.
IT'S THE FIRST TIME
BRETTLY'S STORY
DOESN'T CHECK OUT.
THAT'S -- THAT'S IT.
HE COULD BE LYING TO US,
EITHER IN THE PATH,
OR COULD BE LYING TO US
IN THE SENSE
THAT SHE NEVER LEFT THE HOUSE.
IT'S NOW TWO DAYS
SINCE MICKEY DISAPPEARED,
AND THE INVESTIGATION
IS STALLING.
BAJAT IS FORCED TO THINK AGAIN.
MAYBE MICKEY
LEFT BRETTLY'S HOUSE
HEADED SOMEWHERE OTHER
THAN HOME.
SHE COULD HAVE BEEN
GOING ELSEWHERE
AND JUST TOLD BRETTLY
THAT SHE WAS GOING HOME.
SO AT THAT POINT,
WE HAD TO BROADEN
THE SEARCH AREA
FOR SURVEILLANCE.
VIDEO IS
THE DETECTIVE'S BEST HOPE
FOR FINDING MICKEY.
THEY STARTED ASKING US
TO PUT ON OUR SOCIAL MEDIA PAGES
FOR ANYONE IN THE AREA
TO TURN IN ANY PRIVATE CAMERAS
THEY HAVE.
WE GATHERED
OVER 300 DIFFERENT VIDEOS
FROM DIFFERENT BUSINESSES, AND
WE GOT A SNAPSHOT OF THE CITY.
CAMERA
AFTER CAMERA DRAWS A BLANK.
UNTIL, AT LAST,
A TINY GLIMMER OF HOPE.
HERE WE GO.
IT REALLY WASN'T
THAT CLEAR OF A VIDEO,
BUT YOU COULD SEE THAT IT WAS
A FEMALE RIDING A BICYCLE.
YES, SIR, THAT'S OUR GIRL.
21-YEAR-OLD MICKEY SHUNICK
IS MISSING AFTER A NIGHT OUT
WITH A FRIEND.
WE WERE A MESS.
YOU KNOW, WE DIDN'T EAT.
WE DIDN'T SLEEP. WE JUST...
WORRIED AND FRETTED
AND WONDERED.
THAT'S ALL.
MA'AM, OUR DAUGHTER
MICKEY, SHE'S GONE MISSING.
NANCY WAS NOT COPING VERY WELL.
CHARLIE WAS CONTINUALLY UPSET,
TOO.
MY MAIN THING
WAS TO DO SOMETHING.
I HAD TO DO SOMETHING,
TRY AND FIND HER.
HELP THE POLICE ALL YOU CAN.
POLICE SUSPECT
MICKEY'S FRIEND BRETTLY WILSON,
BUT THEY DON'T HAVE ANY PROOF.
THEY HAVE VISITED DOZENS
OF LOCAL BUSINESSES
THAT COULD HAVE BEEN
ON MICKEY'S BIKE ROUTE.
THEIR SEARCH FOR CCTV
HAS BEEN FRUITLESS,
BUT AT MIDSOUTH BANK,
THAT'S ABOUT TO CHANGE.
FIVE DAYS
INTO THE INVESTIGATION,
WE WERE ABLE
TO FIND SURVEILLANCE
FROM A LOCAL BANK.
THE BANK
HAS FOUR CAMERAS
FACING THE BUILDING
AND THE STREET,
ALL RUNNING 24/7.
THEY CUE EACH CAMERA UP
TO 1:40 A.M.
THE NIGHT
OF MICKEY'S DISAPPEARANCE,
EXPECTING ANOTHER STRIKE-OUT.
THERE.
THAT'S WHEN THEY SEE IT.
IT WAS AT NIGHT.
IT WAS AN INFRARED CAMERA.
IT'S BLURRY.
IT'S OFF-CENTER.
WE HAD IT ENHANCED.
BUT THERE'S NO DOUBT.
YOU COULD CLEARLY SEE
THAT IT WAS A FEMALE
RIDING A BICYCLE.
THEY SWITCH
TO A CAMERA FACING WEST.
THERE SHE IS AGAIN.
AND WHEN THEY CHECK
THE NEXT CAMERA,
THIS ONE FACING EAST,
THEY PICK UP ANOTHER DETAIL --
BLOND HAIR.
THAT'S HER.
THAT'S OUR GIRL.
BUT IS IT REALLY
MICKEY SHUNICK?
JUST HEAD DOWN THERE,
PLEASE.
DETECTIVES ASK
THE PEOPLE WHO KNOW HER BEST.
THEY BROUGHT CHARLIE AND I IN
AND SHOWED US A VIDEO FROM
MORE OR LESS A BLOCK OR TWO
FROM WHERE SHE LEFT
BRETTLY'S HOUSE.
YES. IT IS!
MY GOD!
THAT'S HER BLOND HAIR AND THE
FLASHING LIGHT ON THE BIKE.
THAT'S DEFINITELY HER.
IT IS HER!
YOU'RE SURE?
YEAH.
I REMEMBER LOOKING AT IT
AND BEING LIKE,
"THAT'S ABSOLUTELY MY SISTER."
IF IT'S YOUR FAMILY MEMBER
OR SOMEONE YOU LOVE,
YOU KNOW, LIKE, YOU CAN TELL
IT'S THEM FROM THEIR MANNERISMS.
SO WE KNOW SHE WAS SAFE,
WE KNOW THAT SHE GOT
OUT OF BRETTLY'S NEIGHBORHOOD.
YOU KNOW, THAT WAS KIND
OF AN UPLIFTING MOMENT.
THAT CATCHES HER
RIDING HER BIKE PAST
AT ABOUT 1:46 IN THE MORNING.
SEE THAT?
THAT'S GOT TO BE --
IT'S DEFINITELY HER.
THAT RULED BRETTLY OUT
AS A SUSPECT RIGHT THERE.
IT SHOWED THAT SHE HAD, IN FACT,
LEFT THE RESIDENCE
AT THE APPROXIMATE TIME
THAT HE HAD SAID SHE DID.
THERE WAS NO MORE INVESTIGATION
INTO HIM AFTER THAT.
BUT THAT LEAVES
DETECTIVES WITH NO SUSPECTS
AND NO LEADS.
THE INVESTIGATION
IS NOW ENTIRELY
ABOUT FINDING MORE CAMERAS
THAT SAW MICKEY.
SO WE KNOW
THAT SHE WAS GOING THIS WAY.
NOW,
FROM WHAT HER FAMILY TOLD US
IS THAT NORMALLY
WHEN SHE WOULD TAKE HER ROUTE,
SHE WOULD GO UP THIS WAY
TO GET TO HER HOUSE.
SINCE WE HAD HER ON THE VIDEO
AT THE BANK,
IT GAVE US A STARTING POINT
AND THE PATH
THAT SHE WOULD HAVE HAD TO
TRAVEL
IN ORDER TO GET TO HER HOUSE.
POLICE
LOCATE A SURVEILLANCE CAMERA
AT A CIRCLE K CONVENIENCE STORE.
THE CAMERA IS SET TO TIME LAPSE,
RECORDING ONE FRAME
EVERY SECOND.
IT'S FRUSTRATING
BECAUSE WE WEREN'T ABLE
TO DISTINGUISH TOO MUCH
OR WHO WAS PASSING BY.
AT FIRST, INVESTIGATORS
SEE ONLY CAR HEADLIGHTS.
BUT WATCHING FRAME BY FRAME,
THEY SPOT A BLURRY IMAGE.
A LIGHT ON A BICYCLE FLASHES.
MICKEY'S BIKE
HAS A FLASHING LIGHT.
IT MATCHES WITH MICKEY'S PATH.
AND IT POINTS DETECTIVES
TO THE NEXT CAMERA
LIKELY TO PICK UP HER IMAGE.
WE QUICKLY DETERMINED
THAT OUR CITY HALL
WAS IN THAT PATH,
AND WE GOT THE VIDEO FROM THEM.
THIS CAMERA
ON CITY HALL FACES THE CIRCLE K.
POLICE SCROLL THROUGH
THE FOOTAGE OF THAT CAMERA
TO THE SAME TIME.
YOU COULD CLEARLY SEE HER
CROSSING A MAJOR THOROUGHFARE
AND ALTERNATELY GOING
OUT OF VIEW.
THE SHOT SHOWS NOTHING
OUT OF THE ORDINARY.
BUT OFFICERS NOW HAVE VIDEO
OF MICKEY FROM THREE LOCATIONS,
AND IT CONFIRMS
IMPORTANT INFORMATION.
THE MORE VIDEO SURVEILLANCE
WE OBTAINED,
WE WERE ABLE
TO CONTINUALLY CAPTURE HER
AT DIFFERENT LOCATIONS
AND SHOW THAT SHE WAS, IN FACT,
HEADING TOWARD HER HOME.
POLICE CONTINUE THE ROUTE,
LOOKING FOR STILL MORE CAMERAS.
400 YARDS PAST CITY HALL,
THEY FIND A CAMERA
POINTING AT THE ROAD.
IT WAS AT
A LOCAL ATTORNEY'S OFFICE,
AND WE OBTAINED THAT VIDEO.
RIGHT HERE.
THERE SHE IS AGAIN.
FROM ONE CAMERA TO THE NEXT,
DETECTIVES CAN NOW PLOT
ALMOST A MILE
OF MICKEY'S JOURNEY HOME.
VIDEO SURVEILLANCE
TO THIS POINT IS THE ONLY THING
THAT'S PROVIDING LEADS FOR US
IN THIS INVESTIGATION.
IT'S THE ONLY THING.
THE NEXT CAMERA
ON THE ROUTE TO MICKEY'S HOUSE
IS ABOUT A QUARTER OF A MILE
AWAY.
WE HAVE AN EVENT CENTER
THAT'S A LITTLE BIT FURTHER
DOWN HER PATH
THAT HAD VIDEO SURVEILLANCE
OUTSIDE.
SHE WOULD HAVE HAD
TO PASS THAT WAY.
OFFICERS CUE THE VIDEO
UP TO THE MOMENT
MICKEY SHOULD BE RIDING
THROUGH THE FRAME.
SHE SHOULD RIDE RIGHT
THROUGH THE PICTURE,
FROM LEFT TO RIGHT, AT 1:48 A.M.
THEY WAIT.
BUT MICKEY NEVER APPEARS.
SHE WASN'T CAPTURED ON ANY
OF THAT VIDEO SURVEILLANCE.
IT GAVE US THAT
QUARTER-OF-A-MILE AREA
WHERE SOMETHING COULD HAVE
HAPPENED TO HER.
ONE MOMENT, MICKEY
IS RIGHT THERE, RIDING HOME.
AND 400 YARDS LATER,
SHE'S VANISHED.
POLICE NOW KNOW THAT
WHATEVER HAPPENED TO MICKEY
HAPPENED HERE ON THIS SHORT
STRETCH OF SAINT LANDRY STREET.
WE PUT OFFICERS
AND SEARCH VOLUNTEERS ON FOOT
TO SEARCH THE AREA
AND LOOK
FOR PHYSICAL EVIDENCE --
BIKE PARTS OR CAR PARTS
OR SKID MARKS.
IT'S QUITE POSSIBLE
THAT IT WOULD HAVE
BEEN A HIT-AND-RUN
OR THAT IT COULD HAVE BEEN
SOMEBODY THAT WAS INTOXICATED.
WE COULDN'T FIND ANY REFLECTORS
OR ANY -- YOU KNOW, ANY DEBRIS
OR ANYTHING FROM THE BIKE.
SO YOU FIGURE AT THIS POINT,
"WELL, SOMEBODY TOOK IT."
AT A LOSS,
INVESTIGATORS
TAKE A FRESH LOOK
AT ALL THE VIDEO,
THIS TIME
LOOKING FOR ANY OTHER CLUES
THE FOOTAGE CAN GIVE THEM.
HAVE THEY MISSED ANYTHING?
ON THE VIDEO,
THERE WERE ONLY THREE VEHICLES
THAT WERE SEEN IN THAT AREA.
BEING THAT IT WAS 2:00
IN THE MORNING
AND THAT IT WAS A SIDE STREET,
WE WERE LUCKY THAT THAT WAS
THE ONLY TRAFFIC
THAT WAS CAUGHT THERE.
USING THE VIDEO,
DETECTIVES
IDENTIFY TWO OF THE VEHICLES,
GET THEIR LICENSE PLATES,
AND TRACK DOWN THE DRIVERS.
WE WERE QUICKLY ABLE TO IDENTIFY
TWO OF THE INDIVIDUALS
THAT WERE ON THERE AS PEOPLE
THAT WERE EITHER DRIVING THROUGH
OR ONE THAT WAS ACTUALLY
EMPLOYED
AND DOING WORK
ON THAT SIDE STREET.
BUT A THIRD VEHICLES
IS UNACCOUNTED FOR.
THE THIRD, WE COULD TELL,
WAS A WHITE CHEVY PICKUP TRUCK.
THE TRUCK PASSED
CITY HALL JUST FOUR SECONDS
AFTER MICKEY RODE BY.
THE WHITE TRUCK, THAT BECAME,
LIKE, THIS INFAMOUS SYMBOL
OF THE WHOLE CASE.
THE VIDEO ISN'T CLEAR
ENOUGH TO GET A LICENSE PLATE,
BUT INVESTIGATORS AREN'T
ABOUT TO GIVE UP.
HI, THIS IS DETECTIVE BAJAT
CALLING.
WE CONTACTED A LOCAL
CHEVROLET DEALERSHIP,
AND WE WERE ABLE TO DETERMINE
THE MAKE, MODEL,
AND YEAR OF THE TRUCK.
IT WAS A CHEVY Z71.
THERE MIGHT BE 3,000
WHITE CHEVROLET PICKUP TRUCKS
IN THIS AREA THAT ARE REGISTERED
WITH THE STATE OF LOUISIANA.
HOW DO WE ELIMINATE
2,999 OTHER VEHICLES
AND FOCUS ONTO ONE?
DESPITE THE LONG ODDS,
IT'S DETECTIVES' BEST LEAD --
A POTENTIAL WITNESS
WHO COULD BE THE LAST PERSON
TO SEE MICKEY.
POLICE HAVE A NEW LEAD
IN THEIR QUEST
TO FIND MISSING COLLEGE
SENIOR MICKEY SHUNICK.
SURVEILLANCE CAMERAS CAPTURED
A WHITE CHEVY PICKUP TRUCK
THAT WAS ON THE ROAD
AT THE SAME TIME
MICKEY WAS RIDING HOME.
POLICE GET THE DESCRIPTION
OF THE TRUCK OUT TO THE MEDIA.
WHAT THE WHOLE COMMUNITY
AND ALL THE LAW ENFORCEMENT
STARTED LOOKING FOR
WAS THIS TRUCK.
IT'S NOW SEVEN DAYS
SINCE MICKEY DISAPPEARED.
HER FAMILY ARE DOING EVERYTHING
THEY CAN TO KEEP MICKEY'S STORY
ON THE FRONT PAGE.
IT'S A STORY TODAY,
BUT IT MAY NOT BE
THE STORY TOMORROW.
BUT WHAT THE FAMILY
AND FRIENDS DID IN MICKEY'S CASE
WAS IS THEY KEPT IT FRESH.
I MEAN,
EVERYBODY'S ON YOUR SIDE.
THE MAIN THING THAT KEEPS YOU
GOING IS THE COMMUNITY SUPPORT.
EVERYBODY'S BEHIND YOU.
EVERYBODY WANTS TO FIND HER.
EVERYBODY WANTS TO FIND
WHO DID THIS.
WE TRY TO STAY TOGETHER
OUT IN PUBLIC
AND THEN GO HOME AND...
FALL APART.
I THINK YOU HAVE TO
MAKE A CONSCIOUS EFFORT
TO, YOU KNOW...
TO NOT JUST CURL UP
IN A LITTLE BALL
AND...YOU KNOW...QUIT.
REALLY, I WAS THINKING
THAT A DRUNK DRIVER HIT HER
AND WAS HOLDING HER.
IF YOU MADE A MISTAKE
AND YOU ACCIDENTALLY
PICKED HER UP OR SOMETHING
AND YOU'RE JUST SCARED,
I MEAN, IT'S OKAY.
WE WON'T SAY ANYTHING.
JUST CALL THE TIP LINE
AND DROP HER OFF ANYWHERE,
AND WE'LL FIND HER.
AND, PLEASE, DON'T HURT HER.
WITH THE FAMILY
DOING ALL THEY CAN,
POLICE HAVE NOT GIVEN UP
SEARCHING FOR MORE CCTV
OF THE MYSTERY TRUCK.
THEIR PERSEVERANCE PAYS OFF.
THEY FIND NEW VIDEO
OF THE WHITE PICKUP
APPROACHING THE INTERSECTION
WHERE MICKEY WAS CAPTURED
ON THE CIRCLE K
AND CITY HALL CAMERAS.
IT SHOWS SOMETHING SMALL
BUT STRANGE.
WHEN THE WHITE PICKUP
WENT THROUGH THERE,
HE WAS ON A FOUR-LANE ROAD,
HE WAS IN THE MIDDLE LANE.
WHICH MEANS THE DRIVER
IS PLANNING TO GO STRAIGHT
AT THE INTERSECTION.
BUT WHEN POLICE CHECK
THE CONVENIENCE STORE CAMERA,
IT SHOWS HE HAS CHANGED HIS
MIND...
AND MADE A SUDDEN RIGHT TURN.
THE QUESTION IS WHY.
MAYBE IT'S A COINCIDENCE.
BUT THAT'S THE EXACT MOMENT
WHEN MICKEY RIDES BY.
WHAT WE SAW WAS HER CROSSING
THAT MAJOR THOROUGHFARE,
AND THEN RIGHT BEHIND HER,
YOU COULD SEE
THAT WHITE PICKUP TRUCK TURN
QUICKLY BEHIND HER.
IT ALMOST SEEMED LIKE
THAT THE TRUCK HAD SEEN HER
AND WAS ATTEMPTING
TO FOLLOW HER.
DETECTIVE BAJAT
NOW BELIEVES THE WHITE TRUCK
IS STALKING MICKEY.
IT'S HERE THAT WE HAVE THE TRUCK
FOLLOWING RIGHT THERE.
INVESTIGATORS
TAKE ANOTHER LOOK
AT THE LAST VIDEO OF MICKEY
BEFORE SHE DISAPPEARS...
AND SPOT SOMETHING
THAT CHILLS THEM TO THE BONE.
THAT'S DEFINITELY HER.
YEAH.
THE LAST VIDEO
SHOWS HIM AHEAD OF HER,
AND THEN IT SHOWS HER PASS BY.
AND THAT'S THE LAST POINT
THAT SHE'S ON VIDEO.
WE BELIEVE AT THAT POINT
THAT HE CONTINUED ON,
FOUND AN AREA
WHERE THERE WERE NO LIGHTS,
THERE WERE NO HOUSES
OR BUSINESSES OR NO WITNESSES.
THE TRUCK AND MICKEY
BOTH DISAPPEAR
ON THE RIGHT PART OF THE FRAME.
MICKEY IS NEVER SEEN AGAIN,
MAKING THE TRUCK DRIVER
THE PRIME SUSPECT.
BUT BEFORE THEY CAN LOCATE
THE DRIVER,
30 MILES AWAY...
AN OMINOUS DISCOVERY.
WHISKEY BAY IS IN THE MIDDLE
OF THE ATCHAFALAYA BASIN,
WHICH IS ONE OF
THE LARGEST SWAMPS IN THE AREA.
IT IS AN EXTREMELY DEEP
PILOT CHANNEL.
DEFINITELY A GOOD PLACE
TO HIDE SOMETHING.
SOME FISHERMEN FOUND
THE BIKE OVER THERE.
LUCKILY, THE WATER HAD DROPPED,
AND A HANDLEBAR
WAS STICKING OUT.
AND CALLED THE POLICE.
IT WAS FORTUNATE FOR US
THAT IT DIDN'T MAKE IT
OUT INTO THE CURRENT
AND THE BIKE ACTUALLY FELL
RIGHT THERE ON THE SHORELINE
AND GOT STUCK.
DETECTIVE BAJAT CALLED ME AND
MY DAD TO THE POLICE STATION.
HE LOOKS AT ME, HE GOES,
"I DON'T WANT YOU TO FREAK OUT,
BUT WE THINK WE FOUND HER BIKE.
THERE'S SOME DAMAGE TO IT.
I NEED YOU TO IDENTIFY IT."
AND THEY SHOWED US THE BICYCLE,
AND I, LIKE, ALMOST PASSED OUT.
IT WAS DEFINITELY HER BIKE.
SHE CERTAINLY
DIDN'T RIDE HER BIKE
30 MILES ON I-10
AND THEN THROW IT
OVER THE BRIDGE.
SO I FIGURED, "WELL,
SOMEBODY TOOK HER
AND NOW THEY REALIZE
THAT SHE'S A TREASURE,
YOU KNOW, SHE'S A GEM,
SHE'S A JEWEL.
THEY'RE HOLDING HER
AND WE'RE GONNA GET HER BACK."
SO...
DETECTIVE BAJAT
ISN'T SO HOPEFUL.
AT THAT POINT,
THAT LED INVESTIGATORS
TO BELIEVE THAT THIS MIGHT NOT
BE A VERY POSITIVE OUTCOME.
IT LOOKED LIKE SHE POSSIBLY
COULD BE DEAD AT THIS POINT.
OUR CRIME SCENE PERSONNEL
EXAMINED THE BIKE.
THEY LOCATED DAMAGE
ON THE REAR TIRE,
WHICH WAS CONSISTENT WITH IT
BEING STRUCK BY A VEHICLE.
THEY WERE ABLE TO SHOW
THAT THE DAMAGE
ON THE TIRE OF THE BICYCLE
WAS AT THE APPROXIMATE HEIGHT
OF A FACTORY BUMPER
ON A CHEVY Z71 PICKUP TRUCK.
THAT WAS SOME EVIDENCE
THAT WAS TYING
THAT UNKNOWN TRUCK
TO THE BICYCLE AT THAT POINT.
ALL LEADS
POINT TO THE WHITE PICKUP,
BUT POLICE STILL HAVE NO IDEA
WHO IS DRIVING IT.
SO WE KNEW SOMEBODY
HAD HIT THE BIKE
AND TOOK THE EVIDENCE AND PUT --
YOU KNOW, THREW IT IN THE RIVER.
SO NOW THE QUESTION IS,
YOU KNOW...
YOU KNOW, WHERE'S MICKEY?
BECAUSE THE BIKE
WAS LOCATED THERE,
WE DEFINITELY THOUGHT THAT
HER BODY COULD BE LOCATED THERE,
SO WE SENT DIVERS DOWN.
AND THOSE DIVERS
SEARCHED THE AREA
BUT ULTIMATELY
DIDN'T FIND THE BODY.
WE WERE ABLE TO SAY
THAT SHE WASN'T IN THAT AREA
WHERE THE BICYCLE WAS FOUND.
YOU KNOW,
STILL THERE'S NO EVIDENCE
THAT SHE WAS HURT OR THAT
ANYTHING BAD HAPPENED LIKE THAT.
NEVERTHELESS,
NINE DAYS
SINCE MICKEY DISAPPEARED,
THE CHANCES OF FINDING HER ALIVE
ARE DIMINISHING BY THE HOUR.
YEP. ALL RIGHT, I GOT IT. YEP.
UNTIL A BREAKTHROUGH
FROM OVER THE STATE LINE
IN TEXAS.
POLICE THERE HAVE FOUND A TRUCK.
IT'S BEEN ABANDONED AND BURNED.
BUT IT STILL HAS
ITS LICENSE PLATES.
ONCE WE WERE ABLE
TO IDENTIFY THE LICENSE PLATE
THAT WAS DISPLAYED
ON THE BURNED TRUCK,
WE PLUGGED THAT LICENSE PLATE
INTO TRAFFIC CAMERAS
THAT WE HAVE IN THE AREA.
AND WE WERE ABLE
TO CAPTURE SEVERAL STILL IMAGES.
THIS IMAGE
PLACES THE BURNT-OUT TRUCK
IN LAFAYETTE CLOSE TO THE TIME
MICKEY DISAPPEARED.
BAJAT CAN'T SEE THE DRIVER,
BUT THE IMAGE DOES REVEAL
SOMETHING JUST AS USEFUL.
WE HAD AN IMAGE OF THAT TRUCK
FROM A TRAFFIC CAMERA
JUST EIGHT HOURS
BEFORE MICKEY WAS ON CAMERA.
AND THE TRAFFIC CAMERA
SHOWED A 4x4 POST
PROTRUDING
OUT OF THE DRIVER'S-SIDE CORNER
OF THE BED,
AS WELL AS A FOAM
WHITE ICE CHEST
THAT WAS RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE
OF THE BED OF THE PICKUP TRUCK.
DETECTIVE BAJAT
HAS SEEN BOTH THESE ITEMS
BEFORE.
WHEN WE TOOK THOSE STILL IMAGES
FROM THE TRAFFIC CAMERAS
AND COMPARED THEM
TO THE LAST VIDEO
WHERE SHE WAS SEEN,
YOU COULD CLEARLY SEE A 4x4 POST
AND A WHITE SQUARE OBJECT
IN THE BED OF THAT PICKUP TRUCK.
THE TRUCK IS A MATCH.
BUT WHO WAS DRIVING IT THE NIGHT
MICKEY SHUNICK VANISHED
INTO THIN AIR?
POLICE ARE ABOUT TO
DISCOVER MICKEY SHUNICK'S FATE.
THAT'S BECAUSE
NEW SURVEILLANCE FOOTAGE
SHOWS A WHITE CHEVY PICKUP.
THE CONTENTS OF ITS FLATBED
MATCH THOSE IN THE BACK
OF THE TRUCK
SEEN STALKING MICKEY.
YOU COULD CLEARLY SEE A 4x4 POST
AND A WHITE SQUARE OBJECT
IN THE BED OF THAT PICKUP TRUCK.
THAT WAS THE TURNING POINT,
AND WE KNEW THAT WE WERE
ON THE RIGHT PATH
TO CATCHING OUR GUY.
DETECTIVES RUN
THE PLATE
AND TRACE THE TRUCK
TO A LAFAYETTE ADDRESS.
THE DRIVER IS ALREADY KNOWN
TO THE POLICE.
HE'S A REGISTERED SEX OFFENDER
NAMED BRANDON LAVERGNE.
AND NOW ALL OF OUR EFFORTS
ARE FOCUSED ON LAVERGNE
BECAUSE WE WERE CONFIDENT
AND CERTAIN
THAT THAT WAS HIS TRUCK
ON THAT VIDEO.
INVESTIGATORS
DISCOVER THAT THE DAY
AFTER MICKEY'S DISAPPEARANCE,
LAVERGNE CHECKED HIMSELF
INTO A HOSPITAL IN NEW ORLEANS
WITH STAB WOUNDS,
CLAIMING HE'D BEEN ROBBED
AT A GAS STATION.
ONCE WE OBTAINED
BRANDON LAVERGNE'S NAME
AND WE STARTED LOOKING
INTO HIS PAST
AND LOOKING INTO HIS ACTIONS,
EVERYTHING FELL INTO PLACE.
IN 2000,
LAVERGNE WAS CONVICTED
OF A SERIOUS SEXUAL ASSAULT
AND SENTENCED TO 10 YEARS.
THE MORE WE LEARNED ABOUT HIM,
THE BLEAKER IT LOOKED
BECAUSE HE WAS JUST
A REALLY BAD GUY.
THERE WAS NOTHING
OR NO BIT OF INFORMATION
THAT CAME UP THAT RULED HIM OUT
IN THIS INCIDENT.
HIS TRUCK
WAS SEEN STALKING MICKEY.
THEN IT TURNED UP BURNED
IN TEXAS.
AND LAVERGNE SHOWED UP
AT THE HOSPITAL WITH DEEP CUTS.
BASED ON ALL THE EVIDENCE
THAT WE HAD IN THE CASE
AND HAD AGAINST HIM,
AN ARREST WARRANT WAS OBTAINED,
CHARGING HIM
WITH FIRST-DEGREE MURDER.
WELL, WHEN THEY ARRESTED
LAVERGNE, WE KNEW IT WAS BAD.
VERY LITTLE HOPE.
THEY TOOK HIM DOWN
TO A POLICE STATION.
THEY STARTED ASKING HIM,
YOU KNOW, A FEW THINGS,
AND THEN THEY HIT HIM WITH,
YOU KNOW,
THE MICKEY SHUNICK MURDER.
DETECTIVES
PUSH LAVERGNE FOR ANSWERS.
BRANDON, DID YOU
KILL MICKEY SHUNICK?
DETECTIVES KNOW
LAVERGNE KILLED MICKEY SHUNICK,
BUT THEY STILL
DON'T HAVE HER BODY.
THE D.A.'s OFFICE
HAS A STRATEGY,
BUT THEY WANT NANCY AND TOM
TO SIGN OFF ON IT.
IT WAS EXPLAINED TO THEM
IF THE DEATH PENALTY
WAS TAKEN OFF THE TABLE,
THAT HE WOULD TELL US
WHERE MICKEY WAS.
AND AT THAT POINT,
I MEAN, YOU COULD SEE
THAT THEY KNEW
THAT SHE WAS DEFINITELY DEAD.
AS FAR AS WE KNOW,
SOMEBODY...
AND HE ASKED US
IF WE'D BE WILLING
TO PLEA BARGAIN WITH THIS GUY,
AND IMMEDIATELY,
NANCY JUST SAID,
"I WANT THE BODY FOUND.
I JUST WANT THE BODY FOUND."
I MEAN, WE HAD TO --
WE HAD TO KNOW WHAT HAPPENED.
OTHERWISE, YOU'RE FOREVER
JUST WONDERING.
LAVERGNE WILL AVOID
FACING THE DEATH PENALTY
IF HE REVEALS WHAT HE DID
WITH MICKEY'S BODY.
HE HAD BURIED HER
IN A OLD CEMETERY,
SO...
GENIUS.
ONCE THEY POSITIVELY
IDENTIFIED THE BODY,
THAT WAS SOME CLOSURE ON IT.
THAT PART
OF HER BEING MISSING WAS OVER.
AS PART OF THE DEAL,
LAVERGNE MUST ALSO GIVE
A DETAILED ACCOUNT
OF THE NIGHT HE KILLED MICKEY.
LAVERGNE'S ACCOUNT
OF THE INCIDENT
IS THAT HE WAS DRIVING DOWN
SAINT LANDRY STREET,
HE SAW HER RIDING IN THE MIDDLE
OF THE ROAD, AND HE STRUCK HER.
WE THINK AT THAT POINT,
THAT SHE WAS UNCONSCIOUS
AND WAS PLACED INTO THE VEHICLE
AND CAME TO.
LAVERGNE SAID THAT MICKEY
THEN SPRAYED HIM WITH SOME MACE.
HE WAS KNOWN TO HAVE A KNIFE
INSIDE OF HIS TRUCK.
SHE TOOK THAT KNIFE
AND BEGAN TO STAB HIM.
AND AT THAT POINT,
HE SAID THAT
HE WRESTLED THE KNIFE
AWAY FROM HER
AND STABBED HER SEVERAL TIMES
IN THE CHEST.
HE SAID THAT HE BELIEVED THAT
SHE WAS DEAD AT THAT POINT.
HE THEN DROVE OUT INTO A FIELD.
AND WHEN HE STOPPED THE TRUCK,
HE SAID THAT MICKEY CAME TO,
JUMPED UP,
HAD THE KNIFE IN HER HAND,
AND STABBED HIM IN THE CHEST.
AT THAT POINT,
MICKEY TURNED TO TRY TO ESCAPE,
HE GRABBED A GUN,
AND SHOT HER IN THE HEAD.
IT WAS A VERY INTENSE MOMENT
TO HEAR HIM SAY
THAT HE DID STAB HER,
THAT HE DID KILL HER.
ACTUALLY FINDING OUT
HOW SHE DIED WAS REALLY BAD,
BUT AT THE SAME TIME,
SHE KICKED HIS ASS
OR, YOU KNOW, LIKE,
SHE BEAT HIM UP,
SHE FOUGHT BACK,
SHE ALMOST KILLED HIM.
AND, YOU KNOW,
SHE DID EVERYTHING
SHE SHOULD HAVE DONE.
I MISS --
I MISS TALKING TO HER.
SHE ALWAYS HAD SOMETHING FUNNY
TO SAY.
AT THE TIME SHE DISAPPEARED,
SHE AND ALL HER FRIENDS
WERE IN SCHOOL.
AND NOW THEY'RE --
THEY'RE TEACHING
AND COUNSELING AND,
YOU KNOW, DOING OTHER THINGS.
AND...
AND SHE'S FOREVER 21.
WE KNEW THAT SHE PRETTY MUCH
HAD SOLVED HER OWN CASE.
WITHOUT THOSE INJURIES, HE WOULD
HAVE NEVER GONE TO NEW ORLEANS.
THERE WOULDN'T
HAVE BEEN EVIDENCE
IN THE TRUCK FOR HIM TO BURN IT.
SO SHE SET THE EVENTS IN MOTION
THAT ULTIMATELY LED
TO HIS SUSPICIOUS ACTIVITY.
AND WITHOUT
VIDEO SURVEILLANCE FOOTAGE
OF THE WHITE TRUCK
FOLLOWING MICKEY,
HER TRAIL OF CLUES
WOULD HAVE GONE UNDETECTED.
HONESTLY, I BELIEVE
WITHOUT THE VIDEO INFORMATION
IN THIS CASE,
THERE WOULD HAVE BEEN NO CASE.
BRANDON LAVERGNE WAS SENTENCED
TO LIFE WITHOUT PAROLE
FOR THE KILLING
OF MICKEY SHUNICK.
COLLEGE STUDENT VANISHES.
I WAS INCOHERENT.
I WAS NUTS.
HER FAMILY IS TERRIFIED.
CALL THE TIP LINE
AND DROP HER OFF ANYWHERE,
WE'LL FIND HER.
PLEASE,
DON'T HURT HER.
IMAGES OF THAT FATEFUL NIGHT
CAUGHT ON CAMERA...
HEY, WHAT'S THAT?
...ARE THE ONLY CLUES
POLICE HAVE.
VIDEO SURVEILLANCE
AT THIS POINT IS THE ONLY THING
THAT'S PROVIDING LEADS FOR US
IN THIS INVESTIGATION.
IT'S THE ONLY THING.
FRIDAY, MAY 18, 2012,
LAFAYETTE, LOUISIANA.
CHARLIE SHUNICK
AND HER MOM, NANCY,
ARE ENJOYING
THE WARM SPRING EVENING.
HEY, GUYS.
WHAT YA DOING?
MICKEY SHUNICK,
NANCY'S OTHER DAUGHTER,
PLANS TO MEET UP WITH FRIENDS.
GOING TO A CONCERT. LOVE YOU.
OKAY. ALL RIGHT.
LOVE YOU, TOO.
BYE, MICK.
SHE SAID, "I'LL BE BACK EARLY."
AND I SAID, "OKAY,
MICK, BE CAREFUL."
"MAMA, I ALWAYS AM."
AND THAT WAS IT.
THERE'S LOTS OF GREAT MUSIC
IN LAFAYETTE,
AND SHE WAS A BIG PART
OF THAT WHOLE COMMUNITY.
SHE WAS HUGE INTO CYCLING.
SHE PRETTY MUCH BIKED ANYWHERE
SHE COULD.
MICKEY PLANS
ON AN EARLY NIGHT
BECAUSE TOMORROW IS A BIG DAY
IN THE SHUNICK HOUSEHOLD.
MICKEY'S YOUNGER BROTHER, ZACH,
IS GRADUATING FROM HIGH SCHOOL.
COME ON, EVERYBODY!
LET'S GET MOVING!
WELL, WE'RE ALL GETTING READY
FOR THE GRADUATION.
CHARLIE!
IT WAS AT LIKE
10:30 IN THE MORNING,
SOME RIDICULOUS HOUR THAT NO ONE
WANTS TO GET READY FOR.
BUT THERE'S ONE MEMBER
OF THE FAMILY
THAT ISN'T PART
OF THE RUSH TO GET READY.
MICKEY, COME ON,
LET'S GO.
I KNEW SHE WENT OUT
THE NIGHT BEFORE,
SO I FIGURED SHE WAS JUST KIND
OF SLEEPING IT OFF, SLEEPING IN.
MICKEY?
COMING IN.
MICKEY?
MICKEY ISN'T HOME.
MICKEY?
MOM IS TERRIFIED.
IF SHE SAID SHE WAS COMING HOME,
SHE CAME HOME.
AND IF SHE SAID
SHE WOULD BE HOME EARLY,
SHE WAS HOME EARLY.
I MEAN,
WE KNEW SOMETHING WAS WRONG.
HER SISTER'S
FIRST REACTION IS ANNOYANCE.
WE COULDN'T
GET IN TOUCH WITH HER.
IT WAS GOING
STRAIGHT TO HER VOICEMAIL,
AND I REMEMBER I TEXTED HER.
I WAS LIKE,
"YOU'RE BEING AN IDIOT.
LIKE, YOU NEED TO WAKE UP
AND GET HOME
SO THAT WE CAN GO
TO ZACH'S GRADUATION."
BUT MISSING
HER BROTHER'S BIG DAY
IS A RED FLAG.
SOMETHING ISN'T RIGHT.
MICKEY IS A RESPONSIBLE
YOUNG WOMAN
ON THE VERGE OF GRADUATING FROM
THE UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA,
WHERE SHE'S STUDYING
ANTHROPOLOGY.
MICKEY WAS BRIGHT
AND BUBBLY AND SASSY,
AND PEOPLE WOULD THINK
WE WERE TWINS.
TYPICAL 21-YEAR-OLD.
SHE LIVED A PRETTY FULL LIFE.
SHE WENT TO SCHOOL, SHE WORKED,
WENT OUT WITH HER FRIENDS.
SHE WAS A LOT OF FUN.
AFTER THE GRADUATION,
THE FAMILY HEADS STRAIGHT HOME,
HOPING MICKEY
WILL BE THERE WAITING.
MICKEY?
MICKEY?
WHERE IS SHE?
MICKEY'S LITTLE BROTHER'S
GRADUATION
HAS COME AND GONE.
SHE ISN'T ANSWERING HER PHONE,
AND NO ONE
IN THIS TIGHT-KNIT FAMILY
HAS SEEN HER IN 18 HOURS.
- MY GOD.
- SHE'S NOT HOME.
NUMBER'S GOING TO VOICEMAIL.
THIS IS BAD.
SO THAT'S
WHEN WE STARTED CALLING PEOPLE.
MICKEY'S GONE MISSING.
HEY, CLAIRE.
I'M SURE IT'S NOTHING...
WERE YOU WITH MICKEY?
FRANTICALLY DIALING ANYBODY
WE COULD THINK OF.
HAVE YOU SEEN MICKEY?
DID SHE STOP BY?
HAS SHE TEXTED YOU?
NO ONE HAD HEARD ANYTHING
FROM HER AT ALL.
UM, DID SHE GO TO SOMEONE'S
PLACE, OR DID SHE STAY WITH YOU?
THEN, A LEAD.
A GIRLFRIEND SAID SHE SPOKE
WITH MICKEY THE NIGHT BEFORE.
THEY WERE LIKE, "WELL,
SHE WAS WITH BRETTLY LAST NIGHT.
WHY DON'T YOU ASK HIM
IF SHE SLEPT OVER?"
FELLOW UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA
STUDENT BRETTLY WILSON
IS MICKEY'S BEST FRIEND.
HELLO?
BRETTLY, HI, IT'S CHARLIE.
HEY, HOW'S IT GOING?
BRETTLY SAYS
HE AND MICKEY WENT TO A BAR,
THEN PICKED UP SOME FOOD
BEFORE GOING BACK TO HIS PLACE.
HE SAID, "SHE LEFT MY HOUSE
ON HER BIKE,
AND SHE SAID
SHE WAS GOING HOME,"
AND HE JUST KIND OF TRAILED OFF
AND LEFT IT THERE.
SOMETHING WASN'T REALLY RIGHT.
BRETTLY CLAIMS
MICKEY LEFT AROUND 1:40 A.M.
IT'S A 41/2 MILE RIDE
AND SHOULD HAVE TAKEN MICKEY
AROUND 25 MINUTES.
FIRST WE CALLED THE POLICE.
THE POLICE ARE LIKE, "OKAY,
MAKE SURE YOU CALL
THE HOSPITALS."
SO WE CALLED THEM,
WE GAVE THE DESCRIPTION,
LOOKING FOR AN INJURED BIKER
OR SOMEONE BROUGHT IN
WHO CAN'T REMEMBER ANYTHING.
THERE WAS NO ONE
MATCHING THAT DESCRIPTION.
DESPERATE
TO DO SOMETHING,
DAD, TOM, AND THE REST
OF THE FAMILY
START SEARCHING
MICKEY'S LIKELY ROUTE HOME.
YOU KNOW, WE'RE,
LIKE, CHECKING DITCHES,
CHECKING BUSHES.
JUST,
IF THERE'S A BIKER IN THERE,
SHE MIGHT BE KNOCKED OUT,
SHE CAN'T GET UP.
CLIMBED EVERY FENCE.
THERE WAS NO TRACE OF --
NO BIKE, NO NOTHING.
NANCY CALLS POLICE
AGAIN.
BUT THIS TIME, SHE ASKS THEM
TO FIND HER DAUGHTER.
IT'S NOT LIKE HER.
SHE ALWAYS COMES HOME.
THEY SENT AN OFFICER OVER
TO TAKE A DESCRIPTION.
110, 112 POUNDS.
YOU GUYS MIGHT WANT
TO CHECK OVER HERE.
THOSE TWO.
DETECTIVE STEPHEN BAJAT
WILL LEAD THE SEARCH
FOR MICKEY SHUNICK.
I WAS QUICKLY ABLE TO SEE
THAT THIS WAS NOT A COMMON THING
THAT OCCURRED
AND THAT THEY WERE
EXTREMELY WORRIED ABOUT HER.
THE BIG THING
WAS THAT SHE MISSED
HER BROTHER'S
HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATION.
THAT WAS SOMETHING
THAT SHE WAS SUPPOSED TO GO TO,
AND SHE JUST DIDN'T SHOW UP.
INVESTIGATORS
START WITH THE LAST PERSON
KNOWN TO HAVE SEEN MICKEY --
HER FRIEND BRETTLY WILSON.
VERY QUICKLY,
THE POLICE HONED IN ON BRETTLY.
OF COURSE,
ANY MALE FRIEND
IS GONNA BE THE PRIME SUSPECT.
BEING THAT IT WAS A MALE
AND FEMALE RELATIONSHIP,
WE WANTED TO MAKE SURE
THAT THERE WASN'T ANY
ROMANCE BETWEEN THEM
AND THAT IT WASN'T
A DOMESTIC ISSUE
OR THAT POSSIBLY BRETTLY
HAD MADE AN ADVANCE TOWARD HER
AND SHE TURNED HIM DOWN.
NOW, WHEN SHE WAS
LEAVING YOUR PLACE,
DID SHE MENTION
THAT SHE WAS MEETING SOMEONE?
MY FIRST IMPRESSIONS
OF BRETTLY --
HE SEEMED KIND OF NERVOUS,
WHICH, AGAIN, RAISES SUSPICION
FOR US AS INVESTIGATORS.
ANYBODY'S CAPABLE OF MURDER.
AND YOU GUYS DON'T HAVE
A HISTORY OF ANYTHING,
THERE'S NO --
NO. NO, NO, NO.
BRETTLY DENIES
ANY ROMANTIC INVOLVEMENT
WITH MICKEY.
BUT DETECTIVES
ONLY HAVE HIS WORD FOR IT.
HIS STATEMENT GAVE US A TIMELINE
UP UNTIL 1:45 OR SO.
HIS TIMELINE OF EVENTS
SEEMS INNOCENT.
THEY WERE AT A LITTLE BAR
AND THAT THEY LEFT THAT BAR
AND RODE THEIR BIKES
BACK TO HIS HOUSE.
THEY GOT INTO HIS VEHICLE
AND WENT TO A RESTAURANT,
WHERE THEY PURCHASED FOOD.
AND THEN THEY DROVE BACK
TO THE RESIDENCE,
AND SHE GOT ON HER BIKE,
AND THAT WAS THE LAST TIME
HE HAD SEEN HER.
POLICE ASK BRETTLY
IF THERE'S A FRIEND, A ROOMMATE,
ANYONE WHO CAN
BACK UP HIS STORY.
BUT THERE ISN'T.
WITH THE CLOCK TICKING,
THEY SEND CRIME SCENE TECHS
TO BRETTLY'S HOUSE.
WE'RE JUST LOOKING FOR THINGS
THAT ARE OUT OF PLACE,
THINGS THAT ARE BROKEN, POSSIBLY
IF THERE'S ANY BLOOD EVIDENCE.
THEY SEARCH
FOR ANYTHING CONNECTING HIM
TO MICKEY'S DISAPPEARANCE.
THERE WAS NOTHING OUT OF PLACE.
EVERYTHING WAS IN ORDER
AND SPOT-ON
WITH WHAT HE WAS TELLING US.
POLICE ARE NO CLOSER
TO FINDING MICKEY SHUNICK.
AND IF BRETTLY WILSON KNOWS
WHERE SHE IS, HE'S NOT TELLING.
POLICE MUST CHECK OUT
EACH PART OF HIS STORY,
STARTING WITH THE BAR HE CLAIMS
THEY WENT TO
AT A QUARTER AFTER 10:00.
AND WHEN THEY GET THERE,
THEY FIND A WITNESS
WHO THEY KNOW NEVER LIES.
YOU GUYS HAVE
SOME SECURITY CAMERAS.
I CAN SEE
THAT THERE'S ONE RIGHT THERE.
PERFECT.
THE BAR IS RIGGED WITH AN ARRAY
OF SURVEILLANCE CAMERAS.
IT'S IMPORTANT
FOR US TO GRAB THAT VIDEO
BEFORE IT GETS ERASED.
FOR DETECTIVES,
IT'S A GIFT
THAT MAY CATCH BRETTLY IN A LIE.
NO ONE HAS SEEN
OR HEARD FROM MICKEY SHUNICK
IN 36 HOURS.
HER FAMILY IS DISTRAUGHT.
I WAS INCOHERENT.
I DIDN'T KNOW WHAT DAY IT WAS.
I MET PEOPLE, DIDN'T REMEMBER.
I WAS NUTS.
I MEAN, I WAS JUST --
I WAS IN ANOTHER WORLD.
I'M LOOKING --
DID YOU SEE HER?
THE WORST PART
ABOUT HAVING A MISSING PERSON
IS NOT KNOWING WHAT HAPPENED.
AND YOU WON'T BELIEVE
WHAT YOUR IMAGINATION
WILL DO TO YOU.
THE MISSING PART
WAS JUST THE WORST.
RIGHT NOW,
MICKEY'S BEST FRIEND,
BRETTLY WILSON,
IS INVESTIGATORS' ONLY SUSPECT.
HE'S THE LAST PERSON
TO SEE HER.
THERE WERE ON OTHER SUSPECTS.
AND THEN
WE WENT TO MY PLACE.
WILSON SAYS HE
AND MICKEY SPENT THE EVENING
AT A BAR,
A FAST-FOOD RESTAURANT,
AND THEN ON TO HIS PLACE.
HE SAYS MICKEY LEFT HIS HOUSE,
HEADED HOME ON A BIKE
AT AROUND 1:45 A.M.
POLICE START AT THE BAR.
WE WERE TOLD
THAT THEY WENT TO ARTMOSPHERE,
WHICH IS A LOCAL BAR
AND RESTAURANT IN THE AREA.
IMMEDIATELY,
OFFICERS SEE THEM --
SECURITY CAMERAS...
OKAY, YEAH,
I SEE YOU GOT ANOTHER ONE THERE.
...A CAMERA
OVER THE FRONT ENTRANCE,
SOME ON THE BAR,
AND MORE COVERING
THE SEATING AREAS.
WE OBTAINED VIDEO SURVEILLANCE
FROM THEIR BUSINESS.
IF BRETTLY WAS HERE
WITH MICKEY, AS HE CLAIMED,
THEY SHOULD ARRIVE
AT A QUARTER AFTER 10:00.
AND RIGHT ON TIME,
THERE THEY ARE.
ALL LOOKS ROUTINE.
THAT'S HER.
NEXT,
THEY APPEAR AT THE BAR,
SMILING AND TALKING.
IT LOOKS LIKE NOTHING MORE
THAN A FUN EVENING OUT.
POLICE WATCH 21/2 HOURS
OF FOOTAGE FROM THE CAMERAS.
THEY SEE NO SIGN OF PROBLEMS.
NO FIGHTS, NO INCIDENTS,
JUST A FEW BEERS.
AT 12:44 A.M.,
MICKEY AND BRETTLY SIMPLY LEAVE.
THEY DON'T SEEM DRUNK,
AND THEY AREN'T HOLDING HANDS.
EVERYTHING SEEMS NORMAL.
WE WERE ABLE
TO SEE MICKEY
COME INTO THE BAR
AS WELL AS LEAVE.
AND WHAT WAS IMPORTANT
ABOUT THAT WAS
THAT NO ONE FOLLOWED HER
FROM THE BAR.
THE FIRST PART
OF BRETTLY'S STORY
HAS CHECKED OUT.
STILL NO SIGN
OF 21-YEAR-OLD MICKEY SHUNICK.
OUTSIDE THE POLICE STATION,
MICKEY'S DISAPPEARANCE
IS FAST BECOMING
A BIG NEWS STORY.
DESPERATE TO HELP,
FAMILY, FRIENDS,
AND WELL-WISHERS
SWING INTO ACTION.
WE HAD MISSING PERSON FLYERS.
JUST TAPING THEM ON POSTS,
MAKING SURE PEOPLE KNEW
WHAT SHE LOOKED LIKE.
THE WHOLE COMMUNITY
WAS INVOLVED,
AND THERE WAS
JUST TEAM AFTER TEAM
TO SEARCH THE WHOLE CITY.
MICKEY HAS NOW BEEN
MISSING FOR 40 HOURS.
WHILE THE LOCAL COMMUNITY
MOBILIZES,
POLICE RACE TO CHECK OUT THE
NEXT PART OF BRETTLY'S STORY.
AFTER THAT,
WE WENT TO TACO BELL.
OKAY.
GOT SOME FOOD, SOBERED UP.
BRETTLY GAVE US
AN APPROXIMATE TIMEFRAME
ON WHEN THEY WENT
TO TACO BELL.
WE WERE ABLE
TO DETERMINE THAT
BY MATCHING IT
TO MICKEY'S BANK STATEMENT.
BUT WHAT THEY DON'T
KNOW IS WHO USED HER CARD
AND WAS MICKEY SAFE
WHEN IT WAS USED.
TO FIND OUT,
INVESTIGATORS
TURN BACK TO THEIR MOST
RELIABLE WITNESS --
SURVEILLANCE VIDEO.
WE OBVIOUSLY
WANTED TO CATCH HER ON VIDEO.
WE WENT TO TACO BELL.
THE RESTAURANT
SAYS THE PURCHASE
WAS FOR A COUPLE OF SNACKS
AND WAS MADE
AT THE DRIVE-THRU WINDOW.
IT HANDS OVER ALL ITS FOOTAGE
FROM THE NIGHT.
POLICE STARE AT THE FOOTAGE
FROM THE TAKE-OUT WINDOW
AS CAR AFTER CAR COMES THROUGH.
THEN THEY SPOT IT.
RIGHT HERE.
IT'S BRETTLY'S
CHEVROLET CAVALIER.
IT'S HARD
TO SEE WHO'S BEHIND THE WHEEL.
BUT AFTER REVIEWING THE FOOTAGE,
IT BECOMES CLEAR...
...IT'S BRETTLY DRIVING.
WHEN WE WERE REVIEWING IT,
ALL WE COULD SEE
WAS BRETTLY AT THE WINDOW
INSIDE OF HIS CAR,
PURCHASING THE FOOD.
USING MICKEY'S
ATM CARD.
BUT WHERE IS MICKEY?
WE COULDN'T SEE ANYONE ELSE
INSIDE THE CAR.
IT'S A HUGE
DISAPPOINTMENT.
BUT THEY REPLAY THE FOOTAGE
AND THIS TIME
SPOT SOMETHING NEW.
HE TURNED
AND HANDED IT TO SOMEONE
THAT WAS SITTING
IN THE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT.
NO MATTER HOW MANY
TIMES THEY PLAY IT, THE VIDEO
JUST ISN'T CLEAR ENOUGH
TO REVEAL THE MYSTERY PASSENGER.
MAYBE MICKEY'S THERE,
AND MAYBE SHE'S NOT.
POLICE CAN'T SHAKE THE FEAR
THAT BRETTLY AND AN ACCOMPLICE
ARE USING MICKEY'S BANK CARD.
IT COULD HAVE BEEN SOMEONE ELSE
THAT WAS THERE
THAT HE'S NOT TELLING US
THAT HARMED HER.
THERE'S ONE LAST PART
OF BRETTLY'S STORY
TO TRACK DOWN.
HE SAID THAT SHE LEFT THE HOUSE
A LITTLE BIT BEFORE 2:00
IN THE MORNING,
RIDING HER BICYCLE.
AND HE SAID THAT WAS THE LAST
TIME THAT HE HAD SEEN HER.
IS THERE A CAMERA
THAT MIGHT HAVE CAUGHT A GLIMPSE
OF MICKEY'S RIDE HOME
FROM BRETTLY'S HOUSE?
ENTAILS US, YOU KNOW,
DRIVING THE BEAT,
KNOCKING ON DOORS,
AND BASICALLY JUST LOOKING
AT THE CORNERS OF BUILDINGS
AND INSIDE OF BUILDINGS, LOOKING
TO SEE IF THERE'S ANY CAMERAS.
ACCORDING TO BRETTLY,
THE FIRST PART
OF MICKEY'S ROUTE HOME
IS DOWN RESIDENTIAL STREETS.
BRETTLY HAD GIVEN US A PATH.
IT DIDN'T SEEM LIKE A NORMAL
PATH THAT SHE WOULD TAKE,
BUT WE HAD TO GO WITH IT
BECAUSE THAT'S THE WAY
THAT BRETTLY SAID
THAT SHE ALWAYS WOULD TAKE HOME.
AND WE FOLLOWED THAT PATH,
AND WE WEREN'T ABLE
TO FIND ANY VIDEO SURVEILLANCE.
IT'S THE FIRST TIME
BRETTLY'S STORY
DOESN'T CHECK OUT.
THAT'S -- THAT'S IT.
HE COULD BE LYING TO US,
EITHER IN THE PATH,
OR COULD BE LYING TO US
IN THE SENSE
THAT SHE NEVER LEFT THE HOUSE.
IT'S NOW TWO DAYS
SINCE MICKEY DISAPPEARED,
AND THE INVESTIGATION
IS STALLING.
BAJAT IS FORCED TO THINK AGAIN.
MAYBE MICKEY
LEFT BRETTLY'S HOUSE
HEADED SOMEWHERE OTHER
THAN HOME.
SHE COULD HAVE BEEN
GOING ELSEWHERE
AND JUST TOLD BRETTLY
THAT SHE WAS GOING HOME.
SO AT THAT POINT,
WE HAD TO BROADEN
THE SEARCH AREA
FOR SURVEILLANCE.
VIDEO IS
THE DETECTIVE'S BEST HOPE
FOR FINDING MICKEY.
THEY STARTED ASKING US
TO PUT ON OUR SOCIAL MEDIA PAGES
FOR ANYONE IN THE AREA
TO TURN IN ANY PRIVATE CAMERAS
THEY HAVE.
WE GATHERED
OVER 300 DIFFERENT VIDEOS
FROM DIFFERENT BUSINESSES, AND
WE GOT A SNAPSHOT OF THE CITY.
CAMERA
AFTER CAMERA DRAWS A BLANK.
UNTIL, AT LAST,
A TINY GLIMMER OF HOPE.
HERE WE GO.
IT REALLY WASN'T
THAT CLEAR OF A VIDEO,
BUT YOU COULD SEE THAT IT WAS
A FEMALE RIDING A BICYCLE.
YES, SIR, THAT'S OUR GIRL.
21-YEAR-OLD MICKEY SHUNICK
IS MISSING AFTER A NIGHT OUT
WITH A FRIEND.
WE WERE A MESS.
YOU KNOW, WE DIDN'T EAT.
WE DIDN'T SLEEP. WE JUST...
WORRIED AND FRETTED
AND WONDERED.
THAT'S ALL.
MA'AM, OUR DAUGHTER
MICKEY, SHE'S GONE MISSING.
NANCY WAS NOT COPING VERY WELL.
CHARLIE WAS CONTINUALLY UPSET,
TOO.
MY MAIN THING
WAS TO DO SOMETHING.
I HAD TO DO SOMETHING,
TRY AND FIND HER.
HELP THE POLICE ALL YOU CAN.
POLICE SUSPECT
MICKEY'S FRIEND BRETTLY WILSON,
BUT THEY DON'T HAVE ANY PROOF.
THEY HAVE VISITED DOZENS
OF LOCAL BUSINESSES
THAT COULD HAVE BEEN
ON MICKEY'S BIKE ROUTE.
THEIR SEARCH FOR CCTV
HAS BEEN FRUITLESS,
BUT AT MIDSOUTH BANK,
THAT'S ABOUT TO CHANGE.
FIVE DAYS
INTO THE INVESTIGATION,
WE WERE ABLE
TO FIND SURVEILLANCE
FROM A LOCAL BANK.
THE BANK
HAS FOUR CAMERAS
FACING THE BUILDING
AND THE STREET,
ALL RUNNING 24/7.
THEY CUE EACH CAMERA UP
TO 1:40 A.M.
THE NIGHT
OF MICKEY'S DISAPPEARANCE,
EXPECTING ANOTHER STRIKE-OUT.
THERE.
THAT'S WHEN THEY SEE IT.
IT WAS AT NIGHT.
IT WAS AN INFRARED CAMERA.
IT'S BLURRY.
IT'S OFF-CENTER.
WE HAD IT ENHANCED.
BUT THERE'S NO DOUBT.
YOU COULD CLEARLY SEE
THAT IT WAS A FEMALE
RIDING A BICYCLE.
THEY SWITCH
TO A CAMERA FACING WEST.
THERE SHE IS AGAIN.
AND WHEN THEY CHECK
THE NEXT CAMERA,
THIS ONE FACING EAST,
THEY PICK UP ANOTHER DETAIL --
BLOND HAIR.
THAT'S HER.
THAT'S OUR GIRL.
BUT IS IT REALLY
MICKEY SHUNICK?
JUST HEAD DOWN THERE,
PLEASE.
DETECTIVES ASK
THE PEOPLE WHO KNOW HER BEST.
THEY BROUGHT CHARLIE AND I IN
AND SHOWED US A VIDEO FROM
MORE OR LESS A BLOCK OR TWO
FROM WHERE SHE LEFT
BRETTLY'S HOUSE.
YES. IT IS!
MY GOD!
THAT'S HER BLOND HAIR AND THE
FLASHING LIGHT ON THE BIKE.
THAT'S DEFINITELY HER.
IT IS HER!
YOU'RE SURE?
YEAH.
I REMEMBER LOOKING AT IT
AND BEING LIKE,
"THAT'S ABSOLUTELY MY SISTER."
IF IT'S YOUR FAMILY MEMBER
OR SOMEONE YOU LOVE,
YOU KNOW, LIKE, YOU CAN TELL
IT'S THEM FROM THEIR MANNERISMS.
SO WE KNOW SHE WAS SAFE,
WE KNOW THAT SHE GOT
OUT OF BRETTLY'S NEIGHBORHOOD.
YOU KNOW, THAT WAS KIND
OF AN UPLIFTING MOMENT.
THAT CATCHES HER
RIDING HER BIKE PAST
AT ABOUT 1:46 IN THE MORNING.
SEE THAT?
THAT'S GOT TO BE --
IT'S DEFINITELY HER.
THAT RULED BRETTLY OUT
AS A SUSPECT RIGHT THERE.
IT SHOWED THAT SHE HAD, IN FACT,
LEFT THE RESIDENCE
AT THE APPROXIMATE TIME
THAT HE HAD SAID SHE DID.
THERE WAS NO MORE INVESTIGATION
INTO HIM AFTER THAT.
BUT THAT LEAVES
DETECTIVES WITH NO SUSPECTS
AND NO LEADS.
THE INVESTIGATION
IS NOW ENTIRELY
ABOUT FINDING MORE CAMERAS
THAT SAW MICKEY.
SO WE KNOW
THAT SHE WAS GOING THIS WAY.
NOW,
FROM WHAT HER FAMILY TOLD US
IS THAT NORMALLY
WHEN SHE WOULD TAKE HER ROUTE,
SHE WOULD GO UP THIS WAY
TO GET TO HER HOUSE.
SINCE WE HAD HER ON THE VIDEO
AT THE BANK,
IT GAVE US A STARTING POINT
AND THE PATH
THAT SHE WOULD HAVE HAD TO
TRAVEL
IN ORDER TO GET TO HER HOUSE.
POLICE
LOCATE A SURVEILLANCE CAMERA
AT A CIRCLE K CONVENIENCE STORE.
THE CAMERA IS SET TO TIME LAPSE,
RECORDING ONE FRAME
EVERY SECOND.
IT'S FRUSTRATING
BECAUSE WE WEREN'T ABLE
TO DISTINGUISH TOO MUCH
OR WHO WAS PASSING BY.
AT FIRST, INVESTIGATORS
SEE ONLY CAR HEADLIGHTS.
BUT WATCHING FRAME BY FRAME,
THEY SPOT A BLURRY IMAGE.
A LIGHT ON A BICYCLE FLASHES.
MICKEY'S BIKE
HAS A FLASHING LIGHT.
IT MATCHES WITH MICKEY'S PATH.
AND IT POINTS DETECTIVES
TO THE NEXT CAMERA
LIKELY TO PICK UP HER IMAGE.
WE QUICKLY DETERMINED
THAT OUR CITY HALL
WAS IN THAT PATH,
AND WE GOT THE VIDEO FROM THEM.
THIS CAMERA
ON CITY HALL FACES THE CIRCLE K.
POLICE SCROLL THROUGH
THE FOOTAGE OF THAT CAMERA
TO THE SAME TIME.
YOU COULD CLEARLY SEE HER
CROSSING A MAJOR THOROUGHFARE
AND ALTERNATELY GOING
OUT OF VIEW.
THE SHOT SHOWS NOTHING
OUT OF THE ORDINARY.
BUT OFFICERS NOW HAVE VIDEO
OF MICKEY FROM THREE LOCATIONS,
AND IT CONFIRMS
IMPORTANT INFORMATION.
THE MORE VIDEO SURVEILLANCE
WE OBTAINED,
WE WERE ABLE
TO CONTINUALLY CAPTURE HER
AT DIFFERENT LOCATIONS
AND SHOW THAT SHE WAS, IN FACT,
HEADING TOWARD HER HOME.
POLICE CONTINUE THE ROUTE,
LOOKING FOR STILL MORE CAMERAS.
400 YARDS PAST CITY HALL,
THEY FIND A CAMERA
POINTING AT THE ROAD.
IT WAS AT
A LOCAL ATTORNEY'S OFFICE,
AND WE OBTAINED THAT VIDEO.
RIGHT HERE.
THERE SHE IS AGAIN.
FROM ONE CAMERA TO THE NEXT,
DETECTIVES CAN NOW PLOT
ALMOST A MILE
OF MICKEY'S JOURNEY HOME.
VIDEO SURVEILLANCE
TO THIS POINT IS THE ONLY THING
THAT'S PROVIDING LEADS FOR US
IN THIS INVESTIGATION.
IT'S THE ONLY THING.
THE NEXT CAMERA
ON THE ROUTE TO MICKEY'S HOUSE
IS ABOUT A QUARTER OF A MILE
AWAY.
WE HAVE AN EVENT CENTER
THAT'S A LITTLE BIT FURTHER
DOWN HER PATH
THAT HAD VIDEO SURVEILLANCE
OUTSIDE.
SHE WOULD HAVE HAD
TO PASS THAT WAY.
OFFICERS CUE THE VIDEO
UP TO THE MOMENT
MICKEY SHOULD BE RIDING
THROUGH THE FRAME.
SHE SHOULD RIDE RIGHT
THROUGH THE PICTURE,
FROM LEFT TO RIGHT, AT 1:48 A.M.
THEY WAIT.
BUT MICKEY NEVER APPEARS.
SHE WASN'T CAPTURED ON ANY
OF THAT VIDEO SURVEILLANCE.
IT GAVE US THAT
QUARTER-OF-A-MILE AREA
WHERE SOMETHING COULD HAVE
HAPPENED TO HER.
ONE MOMENT, MICKEY
IS RIGHT THERE, RIDING HOME.
AND 400 YARDS LATER,
SHE'S VANISHED.
POLICE NOW KNOW THAT
WHATEVER HAPPENED TO MICKEY
HAPPENED HERE ON THIS SHORT
STRETCH OF SAINT LANDRY STREET.
WE PUT OFFICERS
AND SEARCH VOLUNTEERS ON FOOT
TO SEARCH THE AREA
AND LOOK
FOR PHYSICAL EVIDENCE --
BIKE PARTS OR CAR PARTS
OR SKID MARKS.
IT'S QUITE POSSIBLE
THAT IT WOULD HAVE
BEEN A HIT-AND-RUN
OR THAT IT COULD HAVE BEEN
SOMEBODY THAT WAS INTOXICATED.
WE COULDN'T FIND ANY REFLECTORS
OR ANY -- YOU KNOW, ANY DEBRIS
OR ANYTHING FROM THE BIKE.
SO YOU FIGURE AT THIS POINT,
"WELL, SOMEBODY TOOK IT."
AT A LOSS,
INVESTIGATORS
TAKE A FRESH LOOK
AT ALL THE VIDEO,
THIS TIME
LOOKING FOR ANY OTHER CLUES
THE FOOTAGE CAN GIVE THEM.
HAVE THEY MISSED ANYTHING?
ON THE VIDEO,
THERE WERE ONLY THREE VEHICLES
THAT WERE SEEN IN THAT AREA.
BEING THAT IT WAS 2:00
IN THE MORNING
AND THAT IT WAS A SIDE STREET,
WE WERE LUCKY THAT THAT WAS
THE ONLY TRAFFIC
THAT WAS CAUGHT THERE.
USING THE VIDEO,
DETECTIVES
IDENTIFY TWO OF THE VEHICLES,
GET THEIR LICENSE PLATES,
AND TRACK DOWN THE DRIVERS.
WE WERE QUICKLY ABLE TO IDENTIFY
TWO OF THE INDIVIDUALS
THAT WERE ON THERE AS PEOPLE
THAT WERE EITHER DRIVING THROUGH
OR ONE THAT WAS ACTUALLY
EMPLOYED
AND DOING WORK
ON THAT SIDE STREET.
BUT A THIRD VEHICLES
IS UNACCOUNTED FOR.
THE THIRD, WE COULD TELL,
WAS A WHITE CHEVY PICKUP TRUCK.
THE TRUCK PASSED
CITY HALL JUST FOUR SECONDS
AFTER MICKEY RODE BY.
THE WHITE TRUCK, THAT BECAME,
LIKE, THIS INFAMOUS SYMBOL
OF THE WHOLE CASE.
THE VIDEO ISN'T CLEAR
ENOUGH TO GET A LICENSE PLATE,
BUT INVESTIGATORS AREN'T
ABOUT TO GIVE UP.
HI, THIS IS DETECTIVE BAJAT
CALLING.
WE CONTACTED A LOCAL
CHEVROLET DEALERSHIP,
AND WE WERE ABLE TO DETERMINE
THE MAKE, MODEL,
AND YEAR OF THE TRUCK.
IT WAS A CHEVY Z71.
THERE MIGHT BE 3,000
WHITE CHEVROLET PICKUP TRUCKS
IN THIS AREA THAT ARE REGISTERED
WITH THE STATE OF LOUISIANA.
HOW DO WE ELIMINATE
2,999 OTHER VEHICLES
AND FOCUS ONTO ONE?
DESPITE THE LONG ODDS,
IT'S DETECTIVES' BEST LEAD --
A POTENTIAL WITNESS
WHO COULD BE THE LAST PERSON
TO SEE MICKEY.
POLICE HAVE A NEW LEAD
IN THEIR QUEST
TO FIND MISSING COLLEGE
SENIOR MICKEY SHUNICK.
SURVEILLANCE CAMERAS CAPTURED
A WHITE CHEVY PICKUP TRUCK
THAT WAS ON THE ROAD
AT THE SAME TIME
MICKEY WAS RIDING HOME.
POLICE GET THE DESCRIPTION
OF THE TRUCK OUT TO THE MEDIA.
WHAT THE WHOLE COMMUNITY
AND ALL THE LAW ENFORCEMENT
STARTED LOOKING FOR
WAS THIS TRUCK.
IT'S NOW SEVEN DAYS
SINCE MICKEY DISAPPEARED.
HER FAMILY ARE DOING EVERYTHING
THEY CAN TO KEEP MICKEY'S STORY
ON THE FRONT PAGE.
IT'S A STORY TODAY,
BUT IT MAY NOT BE
THE STORY TOMORROW.
BUT WHAT THE FAMILY
AND FRIENDS DID IN MICKEY'S CASE
WAS IS THEY KEPT IT FRESH.
I MEAN,
EVERYBODY'S ON YOUR SIDE.
THE MAIN THING THAT KEEPS YOU
GOING IS THE COMMUNITY SUPPORT.
EVERYBODY'S BEHIND YOU.
EVERYBODY WANTS TO FIND HER.
EVERYBODY WANTS TO FIND
WHO DID THIS.
WE TRY TO STAY TOGETHER
OUT IN PUBLIC
AND THEN GO HOME AND...
FALL APART.
I THINK YOU HAVE TO
MAKE A CONSCIOUS EFFORT
TO, YOU KNOW...
TO NOT JUST CURL UP
IN A LITTLE BALL
AND...YOU KNOW...QUIT.
REALLY, I WAS THINKING
THAT A DRUNK DRIVER HIT HER
AND WAS HOLDING HER.
IF YOU MADE A MISTAKE
AND YOU ACCIDENTALLY
PICKED HER UP OR SOMETHING
AND YOU'RE JUST SCARED,
I MEAN, IT'S OKAY.
WE WON'T SAY ANYTHING.
JUST CALL THE TIP LINE
AND DROP HER OFF ANYWHERE,
AND WE'LL FIND HER.
AND, PLEASE, DON'T HURT HER.
WITH THE FAMILY
DOING ALL THEY CAN,
POLICE HAVE NOT GIVEN UP
SEARCHING FOR MORE CCTV
OF THE MYSTERY TRUCK.
THEIR PERSEVERANCE PAYS OFF.
THEY FIND NEW VIDEO
OF THE WHITE PICKUP
APPROACHING THE INTERSECTION
WHERE MICKEY WAS CAPTURED
ON THE CIRCLE K
AND CITY HALL CAMERAS.
IT SHOWS SOMETHING SMALL
BUT STRANGE.
WHEN THE WHITE PICKUP
WENT THROUGH THERE,
HE WAS ON A FOUR-LANE ROAD,
HE WAS IN THE MIDDLE LANE.
WHICH MEANS THE DRIVER
IS PLANNING TO GO STRAIGHT
AT THE INTERSECTION.
BUT WHEN POLICE CHECK
THE CONVENIENCE STORE CAMERA,
IT SHOWS HE HAS CHANGED HIS
MIND...
AND MADE A SUDDEN RIGHT TURN.
THE QUESTION IS WHY.
MAYBE IT'S A COINCIDENCE.
BUT THAT'S THE EXACT MOMENT
WHEN MICKEY RIDES BY.
WHAT WE SAW WAS HER CROSSING
THAT MAJOR THOROUGHFARE,
AND THEN RIGHT BEHIND HER,
YOU COULD SEE
THAT WHITE PICKUP TRUCK TURN
QUICKLY BEHIND HER.
IT ALMOST SEEMED LIKE
THAT THE TRUCK HAD SEEN HER
AND WAS ATTEMPTING
TO FOLLOW HER.
DETECTIVE BAJAT
NOW BELIEVES THE WHITE TRUCK
IS STALKING MICKEY.
IT'S HERE THAT WE HAVE THE TRUCK
FOLLOWING RIGHT THERE.
INVESTIGATORS
TAKE ANOTHER LOOK
AT THE LAST VIDEO OF MICKEY
BEFORE SHE DISAPPEARS...
AND SPOT SOMETHING
THAT CHILLS THEM TO THE BONE.
THAT'S DEFINITELY HER.
YEAH.
THE LAST VIDEO
SHOWS HIM AHEAD OF HER,
AND THEN IT SHOWS HER PASS BY.
AND THAT'S THE LAST POINT
THAT SHE'S ON VIDEO.
WE BELIEVE AT THAT POINT
THAT HE CONTINUED ON,
FOUND AN AREA
WHERE THERE WERE NO LIGHTS,
THERE WERE NO HOUSES
OR BUSINESSES OR NO WITNESSES.
THE TRUCK AND MICKEY
BOTH DISAPPEAR
ON THE RIGHT PART OF THE FRAME.
MICKEY IS NEVER SEEN AGAIN,
MAKING THE TRUCK DRIVER
THE PRIME SUSPECT.
BUT BEFORE THEY CAN LOCATE
THE DRIVER,
30 MILES AWAY...
AN OMINOUS DISCOVERY.
WHISKEY BAY IS IN THE MIDDLE
OF THE ATCHAFALAYA BASIN,
WHICH IS ONE OF
THE LARGEST SWAMPS IN THE AREA.
IT IS AN EXTREMELY DEEP
PILOT CHANNEL.
DEFINITELY A GOOD PLACE
TO HIDE SOMETHING.
SOME FISHERMEN FOUND
THE BIKE OVER THERE.
LUCKILY, THE WATER HAD DROPPED,
AND A HANDLEBAR
WAS STICKING OUT.
AND CALLED THE POLICE.
IT WAS FORTUNATE FOR US
THAT IT DIDN'T MAKE IT
OUT INTO THE CURRENT
AND THE BIKE ACTUALLY FELL
RIGHT THERE ON THE SHORELINE
AND GOT STUCK.
DETECTIVE BAJAT CALLED ME AND
MY DAD TO THE POLICE STATION.
HE LOOKS AT ME, HE GOES,
"I DON'T WANT YOU TO FREAK OUT,
BUT WE THINK WE FOUND HER BIKE.
THERE'S SOME DAMAGE TO IT.
I NEED YOU TO IDENTIFY IT."
AND THEY SHOWED US THE BICYCLE,
AND I, LIKE, ALMOST PASSED OUT.
IT WAS DEFINITELY HER BIKE.
SHE CERTAINLY
DIDN'T RIDE HER BIKE
30 MILES ON I-10
AND THEN THROW IT
OVER THE BRIDGE.
SO I FIGURED, "WELL,
SOMEBODY TOOK HER
AND NOW THEY REALIZE
THAT SHE'S A TREASURE,
YOU KNOW, SHE'S A GEM,
SHE'S A JEWEL.
THEY'RE HOLDING HER
AND WE'RE GONNA GET HER BACK."
SO...
DETECTIVE BAJAT
ISN'T SO HOPEFUL.
AT THAT POINT,
THAT LED INVESTIGATORS
TO BELIEVE THAT THIS MIGHT NOT
BE A VERY POSITIVE OUTCOME.
IT LOOKED LIKE SHE POSSIBLY
COULD BE DEAD AT THIS POINT.
OUR CRIME SCENE PERSONNEL
EXAMINED THE BIKE.
THEY LOCATED DAMAGE
ON THE REAR TIRE,
WHICH WAS CONSISTENT WITH IT
BEING STRUCK BY A VEHICLE.
THEY WERE ABLE TO SHOW
THAT THE DAMAGE
ON THE TIRE OF THE BICYCLE
WAS AT THE APPROXIMATE HEIGHT
OF A FACTORY BUMPER
ON A CHEVY Z71 PICKUP TRUCK.
THAT WAS SOME EVIDENCE
THAT WAS TYING
THAT UNKNOWN TRUCK
TO THE BICYCLE AT THAT POINT.
ALL LEADS
POINT TO THE WHITE PICKUP,
BUT POLICE STILL HAVE NO IDEA
WHO IS DRIVING IT.
SO WE KNEW SOMEBODY
HAD HIT THE BIKE
AND TOOK THE EVIDENCE AND PUT --
YOU KNOW, THREW IT IN THE RIVER.
SO NOW THE QUESTION IS,
YOU KNOW...
YOU KNOW, WHERE'S MICKEY?
BECAUSE THE BIKE
WAS LOCATED THERE,
WE DEFINITELY THOUGHT THAT
HER BODY COULD BE LOCATED THERE,
SO WE SENT DIVERS DOWN.
AND THOSE DIVERS
SEARCHED THE AREA
BUT ULTIMATELY
DIDN'T FIND THE BODY.
WE WERE ABLE TO SAY
THAT SHE WASN'T IN THAT AREA
WHERE THE BICYCLE WAS FOUND.
YOU KNOW,
STILL THERE'S NO EVIDENCE
THAT SHE WAS HURT OR THAT
ANYTHING BAD HAPPENED LIKE THAT.
NEVERTHELESS,
NINE DAYS
SINCE MICKEY DISAPPEARED,
THE CHANCES OF FINDING HER ALIVE
ARE DIMINISHING BY THE HOUR.
YEP. ALL RIGHT, I GOT IT. YEP.
UNTIL A BREAKTHROUGH
FROM OVER THE STATE LINE
IN TEXAS.
POLICE THERE HAVE FOUND A TRUCK.
IT'S BEEN ABANDONED AND BURNED.
BUT IT STILL HAS
ITS LICENSE PLATES.
ONCE WE WERE ABLE
TO IDENTIFY THE LICENSE PLATE
THAT WAS DISPLAYED
ON THE BURNED TRUCK,
WE PLUGGED THAT LICENSE PLATE
INTO TRAFFIC CAMERAS
THAT WE HAVE IN THE AREA.
AND WE WERE ABLE
TO CAPTURE SEVERAL STILL IMAGES.
THIS IMAGE
PLACES THE BURNT-OUT TRUCK
IN LAFAYETTE CLOSE TO THE TIME
MICKEY DISAPPEARED.
BAJAT CAN'T SEE THE DRIVER,
BUT THE IMAGE DOES REVEAL
SOMETHING JUST AS USEFUL.
WE HAD AN IMAGE OF THAT TRUCK
FROM A TRAFFIC CAMERA
JUST EIGHT HOURS
BEFORE MICKEY WAS ON CAMERA.
AND THE TRAFFIC CAMERA
SHOWED A 4x4 POST
PROTRUDING
OUT OF THE DRIVER'S-SIDE CORNER
OF THE BED,
AS WELL AS A FOAM
WHITE ICE CHEST
THAT WAS RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE
OF THE BED OF THE PICKUP TRUCK.
DETECTIVE BAJAT
HAS SEEN BOTH THESE ITEMS
BEFORE.
WHEN WE TOOK THOSE STILL IMAGES
FROM THE TRAFFIC CAMERAS
AND COMPARED THEM
TO THE LAST VIDEO
WHERE SHE WAS SEEN,
YOU COULD CLEARLY SEE A 4x4 POST
AND A WHITE SQUARE OBJECT
IN THE BED OF THAT PICKUP TRUCK.
THE TRUCK IS A MATCH.
BUT WHO WAS DRIVING IT THE NIGHT
MICKEY SHUNICK VANISHED
INTO THIN AIR?
POLICE ARE ABOUT TO
DISCOVER MICKEY SHUNICK'S FATE.
THAT'S BECAUSE
NEW SURVEILLANCE FOOTAGE
SHOWS A WHITE CHEVY PICKUP.
THE CONTENTS OF ITS FLATBED
MATCH THOSE IN THE BACK
OF THE TRUCK
SEEN STALKING MICKEY.
YOU COULD CLEARLY SEE A 4x4 POST
AND A WHITE SQUARE OBJECT
IN THE BED OF THAT PICKUP TRUCK.
THAT WAS THE TURNING POINT,
AND WE KNEW THAT WE WERE
ON THE RIGHT PATH
TO CATCHING OUR GUY.
DETECTIVES RUN
THE PLATE
AND TRACE THE TRUCK
TO A LAFAYETTE ADDRESS.
THE DRIVER IS ALREADY KNOWN
TO THE POLICE.
HE'S A REGISTERED SEX OFFENDER
NAMED BRANDON LAVERGNE.
AND NOW ALL OF OUR EFFORTS
ARE FOCUSED ON LAVERGNE
BECAUSE WE WERE CONFIDENT
AND CERTAIN
THAT THAT WAS HIS TRUCK
ON THAT VIDEO.
INVESTIGATORS
DISCOVER THAT THE DAY
AFTER MICKEY'S DISAPPEARANCE,
LAVERGNE CHECKED HIMSELF
INTO A HOSPITAL IN NEW ORLEANS
WITH STAB WOUNDS,
CLAIMING HE'D BEEN ROBBED
AT A GAS STATION.
ONCE WE OBTAINED
BRANDON LAVERGNE'S NAME
AND WE STARTED LOOKING
INTO HIS PAST
AND LOOKING INTO HIS ACTIONS,
EVERYTHING FELL INTO PLACE.
IN 2000,
LAVERGNE WAS CONVICTED
OF A SERIOUS SEXUAL ASSAULT
AND SENTENCED TO 10 YEARS.
THE MORE WE LEARNED ABOUT HIM,
THE BLEAKER IT LOOKED
BECAUSE HE WAS JUST
A REALLY BAD GUY.
THERE WAS NOTHING
OR NO BIT OF INFORMATION
THAT CAME UP THAT RULED HIM OUT
IN THIS INCIDENT.
HIS TRUCK
WAS SEEN STALKING MICKEY.
THEN IT TURNED UP BURNED
IN TEXAS.
AND LAVERGNE SHOWED UP
AT THE HOSPITAL WITH DEEP CUTS.
BASED ON ALL THE EVIDENCE
THAT WE HAD IN THE CASE
AND HAD AGAINST HIM,
AN ARREST WARRANT WAS OBTAINED,
CHARGING HIM
WITH FIRST-DEGREE MURDER.
WELL, WHEN THEY ARRESTED
LAVERGNE, WE KNEW IT WAS BAD.
VERY LITTLE HOPE.
THEY TOOK HIM DOWN
TO A POLICE STATION.
THEY STARTED ASKING HIM,
YOU KNOW, A FEW THINGS,
AND THEN THEY HIT HIM WITH,
YOU KNOW,
THE MICKEY SHUNICK MURDER.
DETECTIVES
PUSH LAVERGNE FOR ANSWERS.
BRANDON, DID YOU
KILL MICKEY SHUNICK?
DETECTIVES KNOW
LAVERGNE KILLED MICKEY SHUNICK,
BUT THEY STILL
DON'T HAVE HER BODY.
THE D.A.'s OFFICE
HAS A STRATEGY,
BUT THEY WANT NANCY AND TOM
TO SIGN OFF ON IT.
IT WAS EXPLAINED TO THEM
IF THE DEATH PENALTY
WAS TAKEN OFF THE TABLE,
THAT HE WOULD TELL US
WHERE MICKEY WAS.
AND AT THAT POINT,
I MEAN, YOU COULD SEE
THAT THEY KNEW
THAT SHE WAS DEFINITELY DEAD.
AS FAR AS WE KNOW,
SOMEBODY...
AND HE ASKED US
IF WE'D BE WILLING
TO PLEA BARGAIN WITH THIS GUY,
AND IMMEDIATELY,
NANCY JUST SAID,
"I WANT THE BODY FOUND.
I JUST WANT THE BODY FOUND."
I MEAN, WE HAD TO --
WE HAD TO KNOW WHAT HAPPENED.
OTHERWISE, YOU'RE FOREVER
JUST WONDERING.
LAVERGNE WILL AVOID
FACING THE DEATH PENALTY
IF HE REVEALS WHAT HE DID
WITH MICKEY'S BODY.
HE HAD BURIED HER
IN A OLD CEMETERY,
SO...
GENIUS.
ONCE THEY POSITIVELY
IDENTIFIED THE BODY,
THAT WAS SOME CLOSURE ON IT.
THAT PART
OF HER BEING MISSING WAS OVER.
AS PART OF THE DEAL,
LAVERGNE MUST ALSO GIVE
A DETAILED ACCOUNT
OF THE NIGHT HE KILLED MICKEY.
LAVERGNE'S ACCOUNT
OF THE INCIDENT
IS THAT HE WAS DRIVING DOWN
SAINT LANDRY STREET,
HE SAW HER RIDING IN THE MIDDLE
OF THE ROAD, AND HE STRUCK HER.
WE THINK AT THAT POINT,
THAT SHE WAS UNCONSCIOUS
AND WAS PLACED INTO THE VEHICLE
AND CAME TO.
LAVERGNE SAID THAT MICKEY
THEN SPRAYED HIM WITH SOME MACE.
HE WAS KNOWN TO HAVE A KNIFE
INSIDE OF HIS TRUCK.
SHE TOOK THAT KNIFE
AND BEGAN TO STAB HIM.
AND AT THAT POINT,
HE SAID THAT
HE WRESTLED THE KNIFE
AWAY FROM HER
AND STABBED HER SEVERAL TIMES
IN THE CHEST.
HE SAID THAT HE BELIEVED THAT
SHE WAS DEAD AT THAT POINT.
HE THEN DROVE OUT INTO A FIELD.
AND WHEN HE STOPPED THE TRUCK,
HE SAID THAT MICKEY CAME TO,
JUMPED UP,
HAD THE KNIFE IN HER HAND,
AND STABBED HIM IN THE CHEST.
AT THAT POINT,
MICKEY TURNED TO TRY TO ESCAPE,
HE GRABBED A GUN,
AND SHOT HER IN THE HEAD.
IT WAS A VERY INTENSE MOMENT
TO HEAR HIM SAY
THAT HE DID STAB HER,
THAT HE DID KILL HER.
ACTUALLY FINDING OUT
HOW SHE DIED WAS REALLY BAD,
BUT AT THE SAME TIME,
SHE KICKED HIS ASS
OR, YOU KNOW, LIKE,
SHE BEAT HIM UP,
SHE FOUGHT BACK,
SHE ALMOST KILLED HIM.
AND, YOU KNOW,
SHE DID EVERYTHING
SHE SHOULD HAVE DONE.
I MISS --
I MISS TALKING TO HER.
SHE ALWAYS HAD SOMETHING FUNNY
TO SAY.
AT THE TIME SHE DISAPPEARED,
SHE AND ALL HER FRIENDS
WERE IN SCHOOL.
AND NOW THEY'RE --
THEY'RE TEACHING
AND COUNSELING AND,
YOU KNOW, DOING OTHER THINGS.
AND...
AND SHE'S FOREVER 21.
WE KNEW THAT SHE PRETTY MUCH
HAD SOLVED HER OWN CASE.
WITHOUT THOSE INJURIES, HE WOULD
HAVE NEVER GONE TO NEW ORLEANS.
THERE WOULDN'T
HAVE BEEN EVIDENCE
IN THE TRUCK FOR HIM TO BURN IT.
SO SHE SET THE EVENTS IN MOTION
THAT ULTIMATELY LED
TO HIS SUSPICIOUS ACTIVITY.
AND WITHOUT
VIDEO SURVEILLANCE FOOTAGE
OF THE WHITE TRUCK
FOLLOWING MICKEY,
HER TRAIL OF CLUES
WOULD HAVE GONE UNDETECTED.
HONESTLY, I BELIEVE
WITHOUT THE VIDEO INFORMATION
IN THIS CASE,
THERE WOULD HAVE BEEN NO CASE.
BRANDON LAVERGNE WAS SENTENCED
TO LIFE WITHOUT PAROLE
FOR THE KILLING
OF MICKEY SHUNICK.