See No Evil (2014–…): Season 2, Episode 5 - Watching Dru - full transcript
Young student Dru Sjodin suddenly vanishes after her shift at Victoria's Secret. Investigators turn to the best eyewitness they have: surveillance camera footage. Dru's last movements are ...
A BEAUTIFUL, YOUNG WOMAN
DISAPPEARS
IN THE BLINK OF AN EYE.
I CAN'T BELIEVE
THIS IS ACTUALLY HAPPENING.
THIS ONLY HAPPENS IN MOVIES.
POLICE SEARCH EVERYWHERE...
BUT IT SEEMS
SHE'S BEEN SWALLOWED UP
BY THE CRUEL WINTER NIGHT.
I JUST REMEMBER CRYING
INTO THE NIGHT
AND PRAYING AND HOPING
I WOULD HEAR FROM HER.
AS THE CLOCK TICKS,
POLICE MUST TURN TO THE
MOST RELIABLE WITNESS THERE IS.
CCTV IS A SILENT WITNESS.
IT RECORDS DISPASSIONATELY
WHAT COMES BEFORE IT.
DID IT RECORD
WHAT HAPPENED TO DRU SJODIN?
MEG FLATEGRAFF'S PHONE
STARTS RINGING
FRIDAY NIGHT AROUND 9:15.
EVERYONE WANTS TO KNOW
WHERE MEG'S ROOMMATE,
DRU SJODIN, IS.
FIRST, IT'S HER BOYFRIEND,
CHRIS LANG.
HELLO?
HE HASN'T HEARD FROM DRU
FOR HOURS.
I DIDN'T REALLY
THINK ANYTHING OF IT.
I THOUGHT MAYBE SHE WAS
JUST BUSY DOING SOMETHING
OR DRIVING OR, YOU KNOW,
AND SHE'D JUST
CALL HIM BACK LATER.
BUT WHEN DRU'S BOSS
AT THE EL ROCO NIGHTCLUB
CALLS TO SAY DRU
HASN'T SHOWN UP FOR WORK,
MEG STARTS TO WORRY.
OKAY.
DRU HAD TWO JOBS.
SHE WENT TO HER JOB
AT VICTORIA'S SECRET,
AND THEN I THINK HER SHIFT
AT THE EL ROCO THAT NIGHT
STARTED ABOUT 9:00 P.M.
SHE WAS A WAITRESS.
THE KIND OF WAITRESS
THAT SHOWS UP ON TIME
FOR EVERY SHIFT.
IT WAS KIND OF LIKE, "OKAY.
WELL, MAYBE SOMETHING
IS, YOU KNOW, REALLY WRONG."
SO I ACTUALLY CALLED
THE HOSPITAL IN GRAND FORKS
JUST TO SEE IF SOMEBODY
HAD BEEN BROUGHT IN BY AMBULANCE
OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT
'CAUSE I DIDN'T KNOW AT THE TIME
KIND OF WHAT ELSE TO DO.
HI.
HAS THERE BEEN
A DRU SJODIN ADMITTED?
THANK YOU.
AT 9:30 P.M.,
MEG CALLS UNIVERSITY
OF NORTH DAKOTA POLICE
AND ASKS THEM TO FIND DRU.
STUDENTS...FAIL TO CALL IN
OR FAIL TO CHECK IN
FOR A NUMBER OF REASONS.
BOYFRIENDS, PARTIES.
THERE ARE PLENTY OF REASONS
A TYPICAL COLLEGE STUDENT
LIKE DRU SJODIN
MIGHT NOT BE ANSWERING HER PHONE
OR SHOWING UP FOR WORK.
SOMETIMES THEY JUST
NEED SOME DOWNTIME
AND GO OFF FOR A BIT,
AND THEN THEY COME BACK, SO...
SOON, RIGHT?
BUT ACCORDING TO HER ROOMMATE,
DRU WOULD NEVER JUST VANISH,
NOT LIKE THIS.
APPARENTLY,
SHE WAS PRETTY RELIABLE.
IT WAS UNUSUAL,
ACCORDING TO HER ROOMMATE,
THAT SHE NOT SHOW UP FOR WORK.
OKAY,
SO THEY'LL BE...
MEG CONVINCES THE INVESTIGATOR
TO HELP HER FIND DRU.
THE LAST ANYONE KNOWS,
DRU WAS AT HER DAY JOB
AT A VICTORIA'S SECRET
AT THE COLUMBIA MALL.
BUT IT'S 11:00 AT NIGHT,
AND THE MALL IS CLOSED.
THE LOT HAD CLEARED OUT.
EVERYTHING WAS CLOSED UP.
ABOUT THE ONLY PEOPLE MOVING
AROUND THERE
WERE THE SECURITY GUARDS
FOR THE MALL.
RASMUSON LOOKS FOR
ANY SIGN OF DRU OR HER CAR,
A RED OLDSMOBILE.
AND WHEN I COME AROUND
THE NORTH SIDE OF THE LOT
ON THE J. C. PENNEY WING,
IT WAS THERE.
WENT UP TO THE CAR.
CHECKED THE DOORS.
THEY WERE NOT LOCKED.
AND DIDN'T SEE ANYTHING
THAT WOULD INDICATE
THAT THERE'D BEEN ANY VIOLENCE
OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT.
LOOKED LIKE THE BACKSEAT
OF MY DAUGHTER'S CAR --
CLOTHES, FOOD WRAPPERS.
IT WAS CLUTTERED.
BUT JUST AS HE
BACKS AWAY FROM THE CAR,
SOMETHING CATCHES HIS EYE.
SAW A BLACK OBJECT
LAYING ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE
OF THE VEHICLE.
I THOUGHT THAT IT WAS, LIKE,
A SHEATH FOR A MULTITOOL
WITH PLIERS, SCREWDRIVERS,
AND STUFF IN IT.
A MISSING COLLEGE STUDENT,
HER CAR ABANDONED
WITH THE DOORS UNLOCKED,
PHONE CALLS TO HER CELL
UNANSWERED --
RASMUSON SENSES THIS IS MORE
THAN JUST AN IRRESPONSIBLE
COLLEGE KID WHO SKIPPED WORK.
HE CALLS IN FOR HELP
FROM THE GRAND FORKS PD.
DETECTIVE JIM REMER
HEADS TO THE MALL
TO HELP HIM SOLVE THIS PUZZLE.
ANY TIME YOU HAVE
A CASE LIKE THAT,
YOU'RE GONNA SEE AND WANT
TO CHECK OUT TO SEE
IF THERE WAS A STRUGGLE
OR SOMETHING
THAT WAS HAPPENING IN THE CAR
THAT WAS MAYBE
OUT OF THE ORDINARY.
SEE SOMETHING?
AND THERE WAS JUST NO HINT
OF THAT IN THE CAR.
THEIR NEXT STEP --
QUESTION THE LAST PEOPLE
WHO MIGHT HAVE SEEN DRU.
IN ANY INVESTIGATION LIKE THIS,
YOU NEED TO SPEAK WITH PEOPLE
WHO ARE CLOSE TO THE VICTIM.
22-YEAR-OLD DRU SJODIN
IS A GRAPHIC ARTS MAJOR
AT THE UNIVERSITY
OF NORTH DAKOTA.
SHE'S IN A SORORITY,
WORKS TWO JOBS,
AND HAS A NEW BOYFRIEND
NAMED CHRIS LANG.
SHE WAS,
FUNNY AND INTERESTING,
BUT SHE SEEMED VERY
GLASS IS HALF FULL,
SOMEBODY REALLY WARM
AND FRIENDLY TO BE AROUND.
AND I KNOW ALL OF HER FRIENDS
AND FAMILY WOULD SAY THE SAME,
THAT WHEN SHE CAME IN THE ROOM,
IT JUST KIND OF LIT UP
WITH HER SMILE.
SHE'S A VERY BEAUTIFUL GIRL.
SHE HAD A GREAT PERSONALITY
AND, YOU KNOW,
JUST A VERY MAGNETIC PERSON
TO EVERYBODY
THAT SHE CAME INTO CONTACT WITH.
POLICE ASK FRIEND MEG
TO PIECE TOGETHER DRU'S DAY.
THE QUESTIONS
THAT THE POLICE ASKED ME ARE,
"WHEN DID YOU LAST SEE HER?"
SHE WAS LEAVING THE HOUSE TO GO
WORK AT THE LINGERIE STORE.
"HOW DID TODAY GO EXACTLY?"
SHE WAS AT WORK
DURING THE DAY,
AND THEN SHE WAS GOING
TO HER SECOND JOB AT THE BAR.
"WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME
YOU TALKED TO HER?"
I DIDN'T SPEAK TO HER
IN BETWEEN HER TWO JOBS.
"YOU KNOW, WERE YOU SUPPOSED TO
SEE HER TONIGHT?
WHERE WAS SHE GOING?
IS THERE ANYBODY ELSE THAT,
YOU KNOW, SHE COULD BE WITH
AT THIS TIME?"
NEXT, INVESTIGATORS TURN
TO DRU'S NEW BOYFRIEND,
CHRIS LANG.
HE WAS QUESTIONING ME ABOUT
THE LAST TIME I SPOKE WITH HER
AND EVENTS OF THAT EVENING.
SHE WAS AT WORK.
THE FACT
THAT HER FRIENDS HADN'T SEEN
OR HEARD FROM HER
WAS IMPORTANT FOR US
BECAUSE THAT WAS
OUT OF THE ORDINARY.
SO WHEN THERE WAS NO CONTACT,
WHEN THERE WAS NO INFORMATION
COMING FROM HER, AGAIN,
THAT'S WHY,
I THINK, HER FRIENDS,
THEY GOT VERY CONCERNED
VERY EARLY ON.
CHRIS TELLS POLICE
HE WAS MOVING TO A NEW APARTMENT
300 MILES AWAY IN MINNESOTA...
AND THAT HE LAST SPOKE WITH DRU
AT 5:00 P.M.
MY LAST CONVERSATION WITH DRU
LASTED A COUPLE OF MINUTES
AND ENDED ABRUPTLY.
DRU?
SHE SAID SOMETHING
INTO THE PHONE.
IT SOUNDED LIKE, "GOD. OKAY."
DRU.
IT'S A STRANGE WAY
TO END A PHONE CALL.
CHRIS DIDN'T THINK
MUCH OF IT AT THE TIME.
BUT NOW, SINCE DRU IS MISSING,
EVERYTHING TAKES ON NEW MEANING.
I THINK IT WAS JUST
OVERWHELMING, JUST VERY SURREAL.
I CAN'T BELIEVE
THIS IS ACTUALLY HAPPENING.
THIS ONLY HAPPENS IN MOVIES.
CHRIS CALLS DRU'S PARENTS
TO LET THEM KNOW
THAT DRU IS MISSING.
HELLO?
I PICKED IT UP,
AND IT WAS CHRIS.
AND HE SAYS SOMETHING
TO THE EFFECT,
"I DON'T WANT TO ALARM YOU,
BUT I HAVEN'T HEARD FROM DRU.
I TRIED TO CALL HER,
AND SHE HASN'T SHOWN UP
TO HER SECOND JOB."
AND SHE DIDN'T SHOW UP?
WELL,
IT WAS A PRETTY SURREAL MOMENT
WHEN YOU KNOW SOMEBODY SO WELL.
I DON'T UNDERSTAND.
OF COURSE, YOU DON'T
WANT TO THINK THE WORST,
BUT YET, I KNEW
THAT SOMETHING HAD TO BE WRONG.
WHAT HAPPENED
WHEN YOU TRIED CALLING HER?
SO YOU SAW
SOMETHING THERE?
BACK AT DRU'S CAR, INVESTIGATORS
FIND SOMETHING IMPORTANT.
IN THE CAR, WE FOUND HER WALLET.
WHATEVER HAPPENED TO DRU...
SJODIN.
...IT WASN'T PART OF A ROBBERY.
WE'RE GOOD.
WE GOT A MATCH.
THE MALL'S BEEN CLOSED
FOR HOURS.
ANY WITNESS
TO WHAT HAPPENED IS LONG GONE,
AND POLICE ARE DISAPPOINTED
TO DISCOVER
THERE ARE NO CCTV CAMERAS
OVERLOOKING THE PARKING LOT.
I THINK IT'S ONE OF THOSE THINGS
THAT WHENEVER YOU HAVE
SURVEILLANCE VIDEO AVAILABLE,
IT'S GONNA BE PERTINENT
TO THE CASE.
INSIDE THE MALL,
IT'S A DIFFERENT STORY.
THE CAMERA --
IT'S THE ONLY WITNESS
THAT NEVER BLINKS
AND ALWAYS TELLS THE TRUTH.
POLICE ROUND UP VIDEO
FROM SECURITY CAMERAS
INSIDE THE MALL.
CCTV TELLS A STORY.
WHAT HAPPENED?
AND IT'S ABOUT TO TELL
AN INCREDIBLE STORY
ABOUT WHAT'S HAPPENED
TO DRU SJODIN.
COLLEGE STUDENT DRU SJODIN
HAS VANISHED
AFTER WORKING HER SHIFT
IN VICTORIA'S SECRET
AT THE COLUMBIA MALL
IN GRAND FORKS, NORTH DAKOTA.
AND POLICE ARE WORKING THE CASE
FROM TWO ANGLES.
FIRST, THEY'RE ROUNDING UP
ALL THE FOOTAGE FROM THE MALL
THE DAY DRU WENT MISSING.
AND THEY'RE QUESTIONING
DRU'S BOYFRIEND, CHRIS.
THE INFORMATION DOES SHOW
THAT PEOPLE THAT ARE CLOSE
TO A VICTIM ARE THE ONES
THAT ARE MOST LIKELY
TO COMMIT A CRIME LIKE THIS.
SO YOU NEED --
YOU DO NEED TO CHECK THOSE OUT.
CHRIS IS THE LAST PERSON
TO HAVE CONTACT WITH DRU.
AND HE CLAIMS IT WAS A
PHONE CALL THAT ENDED ABRUPTLY,
AS IF SHE'D BEEN INTERRUPTED.
WHERE EXACTLY WAS HE
AFTER DRU FINISHED WORK?
COULD IT BE
THAT CHRIS IS INVOLVED
IN DRU'S DISAPPEARANCE?
AN OFFICER
SORT OF INTERVIEWED ME,
AND HE WANTED TO KNOW
WHERE I WAS.
IT WAS MOSTLY, YOU KNOW,
YOUR PHYSICAL WHEREABOUTS,
WHAT TIMES
WERE THESE CONVERSATIONS?
HOW ARE YOU?
THEY DID A DNA SWAB OF ME
AND KIND OF PUT ME
THROUGH THE PROCESS
OF SOMEONE OF INTEREST.
CHRIS EXPLAINS TO OFFICERS
THAT HE WAS 300 MILES AWAY
FROM GRAND FORKS
WHEN DRU CALLED AT 5:00 P.M.
THE CALL ENDED ABRUPTLY,
AND THEN A FEW HOURS LATER,
SHE CALLED AGAIN.
HER NAME CAME UP
ON MY CALLER I.D.,
SO I KNEW IT WAS HER.
HON?
I SAID "DRU" INTO THE PHONE.
DRU.
I HEARD NOTHING
BUT STATIC AND WIND.
IT SOUNDED LIKE WIND.
IT ENDED WITH LIKE
FOUR OR FIVE DIAL TONES...
DRU! HELLO?
...THAT I SPECIFICALLY HEARD
INTO THE PHONE.
INVESTIGATORS PULL IN BOTH DRU
AND CHRIS' PHONE RECORDS.
IF HE'S TELLING THE TRUTH,
THE RECORDS WILL BACK HIM UP.
MEANWHILE,
MORE SURVEILLANCE FOOTAGE
FROM THE MALL STARTS TO COME IN.
BUT NONE OF IT IS FROM OUTSIDE
THE VICTORIA'S SECRET,
WHERE SHE WORKS.
WHICH MEANS THEY'LL HAVE TO
SCAN FOOTAGE FROM EVERY CAMERA
IN THE MALL.
HUNDREDS OF HOURS OF IT.
WE REVIEWED THE VIDEOTAPES.
IT WAS A VERY BIG TASK
BECAUSE YOU'RE LOOKING AT HOURS
AND HOURS OF VIDEO TAPE.
YOU KNOW, MAYBE THE TAPE HAD
BEEN TAPED OVER SEVERAL TIMES,
SO THE QUALITY IS VERY BAD.
INVESTIGATORS CALL IN
CRAIG THRANE,
AN EXPERT VIDEO ANALYST,
TO HELP.
THRANE KNOWS THAT DRU
GOT OFF WORK
AT VICTORIA'S SECRET
AT 4:00 P.M.
SHE HAD FIVE HOURS UNTIL
THE START OF HER SHIFT
AT THE BAR
FOUR MILES FROM THE MALL.
IT'S A PERFECT CHANCE
TO DO SOME CHRISTMAS SHOPPING.
BUT NO ONE KNOWS WHICH
OF THE MALL'S 63 STORES
SHE MIGHT BE IN.
I HAD BEEN TOLD TO LOOK
FOR A BLONDE-HAIRED FEMALE
WEARING A TOP THAT WAS MORE PINK
IN TONE WITH A DARK BOTTOM.
THRANE SCOURS
ALL OF THE CAMERAS IN THE MALL
FOR A GLIMPSE OF THE BLONDE GIRL
IN THE PINK TOP.
WHICH CAMERAS OF THOSE
COULD HAVE RECORDED ANY EVIDENCE
THAT IS USEFUL,
ANY THINGS THAT COULD HAVE
INVOLVED INVESTIGATIVE LEADS
FOR HOW MANY MINUTES,
FOR HOW MANY HOURS,
FOR HOW MANY DAYS?
THRANE FOLLOWS CAMERAS
FROM STORE...
TO STORE.
NO SIGN OF THE SHORT-HAIRED
BLONDE GIRL IN THE PINK TOP.
CCTV IS A SILENT WITNESS.
IT RECORDS AND ALLOWS YOU
TO REVIEW AND SEE WHAT HAPPENED.
HE SWITCHES TO THE CAMERA
AT THE MARSHALL FIELDS
DEPARTMENT STORE,
EXPECTING MORE OF THE SAME.
THAT'S WHEN HE SEES IT.
A WOMAN IN PINK.
BUT IT'S NOT DRU.
IT'S AN OLDER WOMAN
WITH LONGER BLONDE HAIR.
AND SHE'S WEARING JEANS.
BUT WHO
SHOULD ENTER THE FRAME NEXT?
SHORT BLONDE HAIR.
PINK TOP.
THAT IS DRU SJODIN.
HE'S SURE OF IT.
THRANE NOW NEEDS TO TRACE
ALL HER MOVEMENTS IN THE STORE,
STARTING WITH
THE TIME SHE ARRIVED.
HE SWITCHES TO THE CAMERA
AT THE ENTRANCE.
AT 4:21 P.M.,
HE SPOTS HER ENTERING THE STORE.
DRU SJODIN APPEARED
TO HAVE A DARK COAT
DRAPED OVER HER LEFT ARM.
HE WATCHES AS DRU
MOVES AROUND THE STORE.
SHE APPEARS TO BE ALONE.
AND SHE DOESN'T SEEM
TO BE IN ANY HURRY --
JUST ANOTHER CHRISTMAS SHOPPER.
THEN, AT 4:55 P.M...
THRANE SPOTS SOMETHING ELSE.
THAT TIME COINCIDED
WITH THE TIME
WE SAW A FEMALE RAISE HER HANDS
INTO THE VESTIBULE AREA
WITH A PINK SWEATER ON.
CAPTURED BY A CAMERA
OVER THE CASH REGISTER,
IT SHOWS...
A PINK SWEATER,
LIKE THE ONE DRU WAS WEARING.
A FEMALE IN THE MARSHALL FIELDS
STORE MATCHED HER CLOTHING.
IT APPEARED TO BE
THAT DRU SJODIN HERSELF
WAS MAKING A HANDBAG PURCHASE.
MALL CAMERAS SHOW DRU SJODIN
SHOPPING WITHOUT A CARE
IN THE WORLD,
NOT A DISTRESS,
NOT BEING FOLLOWED...
AS FAR AS THEY CAN SEE.
BUT THE NEXT PART OF HER DAY
IS NOT GOING TO BE SO CAREFREE,
AND THE CAMERAS WILL CATCH IT.
COLLEGE STUDENT DRU SJODIN
HAS BEEN MISSING FOR THREE DAYS.
POLICE HAVE FOUND HER CAR
AT THE MALL WHERE SHE WORKED.
AND THEY'VE SEEN HER ON TAPE
JUST MINUTES
BEFORE SHE VANISHED.
DRU'S STORY HAS MADE THE NEWS
IN GRAND FORKS, NORTH DAKOTA.
AND NOW IT SEEMS
EVERYONE IN TOWN
WANTS TO HELP BRING HER HOME.
IT WAS SOME PRETTY NASTY
WEATHER OUT THERE.
IT'S WINTERTIME IN THE MIDWEST.
BUT, YOU KNOW,
EVEN WITH THE COLD AND THE SNOW,
WE HAD BUSLOADS OF PEOPLE
WALKING UP AND DOWN
DITCHES AND ROADSIDES,
LOOKING FOR EVIDENCE.
DRU'S FAMILY, FRIENDS,
AND SORORITY SISTERS
START THEIR OWN SEARCH
FOR THEIR MISSING LOVED ONE.
OUR SORORITY WERE VERY INVOLVED.
THEY WERE ALL PART
OF THE SEARCH PARTIES
THAT WERE PUT TOGETHER.
WE ENDED UP HAVING
WHAT WE CALLED
KIND OF OUR COMMAND CENTER HERE
IN OUR HOMETOWN.
AND I WAS REALLY
RUNNING THE PHONES
AND TRYING TO GARNER
AS MUCH HELP
THAT WE COULD FOR SEARCHERS.
ALL THOSE SEARCHES
IN THE FRIGID WINTER WINDS
TURN UP NOTHING.
THEN BOYFRIEND CHRIS LANG'S
PHONE RECORDS COME IN.
WILL THEY BACK UP HIS CLAIM
THAT HE WAS OUT OF TOWN
WHEN DRU VANISHED?
WE FOUND THAT CHRIS WAS DOWN
IN THE TWIN CITIES AREA,
IN MINNEAPOLIS AND ST. PAUL,
AND WE WERE ABLE TO VERIFY THAT
THROUGH PHONE RECORDS
AT THE TIME THAT TOOK PLACE.
CHRIS WAS TELLING THE TRUTH
WHEN HE SAID HE WAS
OVER 300 MILES AWAY
WHEN DRU WENT MISSING.
IT'S ANOTHER DEAD END.
WITH THE SEARCH
FOR DRU STALLING,
POLICE TURN BACK
TO THE SURVEILLANCE VIDEO.
THEY'VE PIECED TOGETHER
THE START OF DRU'S TIMELINE.
I'LL SEE YOU TOMORROW,
OKAY?
THEY KNOW SHE LEFT WORK AT
VICTORIA'S SECRET AT 4:00 P.M.
THEY'VE TRACED HER
TO THE MARSHALL FIELDS STORE
AT 4:21 P.M.
SHE'S WEARING PINK.
WE WERE ABLE TO SEE EXACTLY
WHEN SHE WAS IN THE STORE,
WHAT SHE DID
WHILE SHE WAS THERE,
AND WE COULD SEE
WHAT SHE WAS WEARING.
OKAY.
SO, YEAH.
AND THEY KNOW
SHE'S BEEN SHOPPING THERE
FOR OVER 30 MINUTES
WHEN SHE GOES
TO THE CASH REGISTER.
SHE MAKES THE PURCHASE.
SHE BUYS A PURSE.
THANK YOU.
THAT PURSE GETS PUT INTO
A MARSHALL FIELDS BAG.
WE CAN CORRELATE THE TIME
ON THE SURVEILLANCE CAMERA.
THEN WE CAN START TO PUT THINGS
TOGETHER TO SEE
WHEN THINGS WERE HAPPENING
IN THE CASE.
BUT BEFORE THEY CAN TRACE
HER LEAVING THE STORE,
SHE DISAPPEARS
IN FRONT OF THE CAMERAS.
THRANE KEEPS WATCHING...
...UNTIL HE SPOTS
A SHORT-HAIRED BLONDE WOMAN
WITH A MARSHALL FIELDS BAG
EXITING THE STORE THREE MINUTES
AFTER BUYING THE HANDBAG.
HE'S FOUND DRU.
DRU SJODIN
LEFT THE MARSHALL FIELDS STORE
AT 5:00 AND 30 SECONDS
WEARING A DARK COAT.
SHE'S PUT HER COAT ON,
WHICH MEANS
SHE'S THROUGH SHOPPING
AND HER NEXT STOP IS OUTDOORS,
PROBABLY TO HER CAR.
AS DRU WALKS OUT OF THE STORE,
THRANE NOTICES SOMETHING ELSE.
HE CAN BARELY MAKE IT OUT,
BUT THE CAMERA
CATCHES A SMALL ARM MOVEMENT.
HE SLOWS THE VIDEO DOWN.
SHE WAS RAISING HER RIGHT ARM
UP TOWARDS HER FACE,
TOWARDS HER EAR.
IT'S THE MOMENT DRU DIALS CHRIS.
SURVEILLANCE FOOTAGE
HAS CAPTURED
THE PRECISE SECOND
THE CALL STARTED.
SO WE KNOW FROM THE VIDEO
THAT THE CELLPHONE CALL
STARTED AT 5:00...
...AND THAT AT 5:04,
THAT CELLPHONE CALL...
DRU.
...WAS CUT OFF.
SO THEY NOW KNOW WHERE
DRU'S CALL TO CHRIS STARTED.
BUT CAN THEY FIGURE OUT
WHERE THAT FOUR-MINUTE CALL
ABRUPTLY ENDED AND WHY?
POLICE HEAD TO THE MALL
TO RETRACE DRU'S STEPS.
THEY START AT THE STORE
AND WALK FOR FOUR MINUTES.
WE WALKED A ROUTE
FROM MARSHALL FIELDS TO THE CAR
TO MAKE SURE THAT
THAT MADE SENSE.
IF IT ACTUALLY TOOK FOUR MINUTES
TO GET TO HER CAR
AND THE PHONE CALL CUTS OFF,
THERE'S A QUESTION THERE
OF WHAT'S HAPPENING.
FOUR MINUTES OF WALKING
AND POLICE ARE RIGHT THERE,
AT DRU'S ABANDONED CAR.
WE DID FIND
THAT IT FIT THE TIMEFRAME
FOR HER TO BE ABLE
TO GO FROM MARSHALL FIELDS
AT A NORMAL WALKING PACE BACK
AND MAKE IT TO HER CAR.
POLICE HAVE CREATED
A TIGHT TIMELINE --
5:00 P.M., OUT OF THE DOOR
AT MARSHALL FIELDS
AND THE START OF A PHONE CALL.
FOUR MINUTES LATER,
THE CALL ENDS ABRUPTLY,
AT HER CAR...
DRU?
...WHERE POLICE
DISCOVERED A SHEATH.
THEY NEED TO KNOW
WHAT TOOL THE SHEATH IS FOR.
BASICALLY, SHE...
POLICE SUSPECT THAT
WHAT HAPPENED TO DRU AT THE CAR
MAY HAVE STARTED IN THE MALL.
DETECTIVE REMER NEEDS TO CHECK
WITH DRU'S COWORKERS
IF THEY REMEMBER
ANYTHING UNUSUAL.
WAS THERE ANYBODY
THAT WAS SUSPICIOUS
THAT WAS HANGING AROUND?
WAS THERE ANYTHING
THAT WAS OUT OF THE ORDINARY?
DRU'S COWORKERS REPORT SOMETHING
THAT SEIZES
INVESTIGATORS' ATTENTION.
SOMETIMES MEN WOULD LURK
OUTSIDE THE LINGERIE STORE,
WATCHING THE WOMEN
WHO WORK THERE.
AND PRETTY GIRL DRU SEEMED TO BE
OF SPECIAL INTEREST.
NO ONE CAN REMEMBER
ANYONE SPECIFIC THAT DAY.
APPARENTLY,
IT HAPPENED ALL THE TIME.
THE WORKERS JUST IGNORED IT.
AND WE KNOW
THAT SHE GETS TO HER CAR,
AND THEN SOMETHING HAPPENS.
THERE'S SOME INTERACTION
TO WHERE SHE SAYS,
"OKAY. OKAY."
AND THE PHONE CALL CUTS OFF.
GOT HER, UM, LIKE, A BLACK...
MAYBE THERE WAS MORE TO THIS,
AND IT MIGHT BE A KIDNAPPING.
WITH A POSSIBLE KIDNAPPING,
GRAND FORKS POLICE
CALL IN FEDERAL AGENTS.
THEY WANT TO DO EVERYTHING
THEY CAN
TO BRING DRU BACK ALIVE.
NOT SO FAR. BUT...
WELL, IT WAS THE BIGGEST THING
THAT WE'VE EVER DEALT WITH.
WE HAD AT SOME POINT
80 TO 100 INVESTIGATORS
WITHIN OUR COMMAND POST
WORKING THE CASE.
THE FEDERAL AGENTS
LOOK INTO THE THEORY
THAT DRU HAS BEEN ABDUCTED.
SHE'S 22 YEARS OLD.
IS IT POSSIBLE
THAT A SEXUAL DEVIANT
COULD SIT OUT IN THE KIOSK
OR OUT IN A CHAIR IN FRONT
OF VICTORIA'S SECRET
AND SEE WHAT HE CAN SEE?
YOU BET.
IT COMPLETELY
CHANGES THE PROFILE
OF WHO THEY'RE LOOKING FOR.
THE FBI PROFILERS ADVISE POLICE
IT'S LIKELY
TO BE A SEX OFFENDER.
THIS ONE,
WHICH IS NICE.
IT IS TREMENDOUSLY HARD
TO SOLVE A STRANGER ABDUCTION
BECAUSE YOU DON'T KNOW.
IT COULD BE TWO SHIPS
PASSING IN THE NIGHT.
AND, WE WANT TO KNOW
WHERE THEY WERE.
FOR DRU'S FAMILY,
IT'S A MOST UPSETTING TURN
TO THE INVESTIGATION.
WELL, OF COURSE IT'S A PARENT'S
WORST NIGHTMARE
TO THINK THAT YOUR DAUGHTER'S
BEEN TAKEN BY A SEX OFFENDER,
A TOTAL STRANGER.
IF THERE WAS SOMEONE
STALKING DRU AT THE MALL,
IT WILL BE BURIED
IN THE HUNDREDS OF HOURS
OF MALL SURVEILLANCE FOOTAGE
SOMEWHERE.
THE REALITY IS THAT
THERE ARE EVENTS HAPPENING
THAT ARE CRIMINAL OR NONCRIMINAL
HAPPENING AROUND US
EVERY SINGLE DAY.
AND WE DON'T SEE THEM.
BUT INVESTIGATORS WILL SEE
THE PERSON THEY ARE LOOKING FOR
ON CAMERA.
IT'S JUST A MATTER OF WHERE.
YES.
OKAY. BYE.
POLICE NOW BELIEVE
THAT 22-YEAR-OLD COLLEGE STUDENT
DRU SJODIN
MIGHT HAVE BEEN ABDUCTED
FROM A MALL PARKING LOT.
THEY ARE HOPING
SURVEILLANCE VIDEO
CAN HELP THEM SOLVE THE CASE
AND BRING DRU HOME.
AND WITH EVERY MINUTE
THAT GOES BY
WITH NO NEWS ABOUT DRU,
HER FAMILY FALLS DEEPER
AND DEEPER INTO DESPAIR.
I REMEMBER THINKING...
...THAT I JUST WANTED
THE WORLD TO STOP.
I DON'T KNOW HOW TO EXPLAIN IT
BECAUSE YOU'RE SO CAUGHT
IN THE EMOTIONS
OF WHAT YOU'RE GOING THROUGH
THAT IT JUST SEEMED --
THE WORLD SEEMED SO CHAOTIC
TO ME, IN MY MIND.
I...I COULDN'T SLEEP.
PHONE CALLS
WERE GOING OFF THE HOOK.
THERE WAS THIS AWFUL ADRENALINE
GOING THROUGH YOUR HEART.
I JUST REMEMBER CRYING
INTO THE NIGHT
AND PRAYING AND HOPING
THAT I WOULD HEAR FROM HER,
THAT SHE WOULD SHOW UP
OR I WOULD HEAR
SOME WONDERFUL NEWS.
25 MILES AWAY,
SEARCHERS CHECKING RIVERBANKS
NEAR CROOKSTON, MINNESOTA,
MAKE A SINISTER DISCOVERY.
THIS COULD REALLY HELP US
IN OUR INVESTIGATION.
WE FOUND A SHOE
BY THE 75 BYPASS BRIDGE
CLOSE TO CROOKSTON.
AND IT MATCHES
THE DESCRIPTION OF THE SHOES
DRU WAS WEARING
THE DAY SHE WENT MISSING.
YEAH. I...
IT'S HERS.
IT IS HERS?
WHEN I IDENTIFIED THE SHOE...
YEAH.
...IT WAS LATE NOVEMBER
IN NORTH DAKOTA.
THERE WAS ALREADY SNOW
ON THE GROUND.
TO FIND THE SHOE, IT WAS PRETTY
INDESCRIBABLE EMOTION.
IT'S HARD TO EVEN IMAGINE
BECAUSE IT WAS SO COLD.
AND TO THINK, YOU KNOW,
"MY DAUGHTER'S OUT THERE NOW
WITHOUT SHOES ON..."
UM, IT...
JUST A GAMUT OF EMOTIONS.
IT WAS JUST ONE MORE THING
THAT MADE IT SEEM LIKE,
YOU KNOW,
WE MAY NEVER SEE HER AGAIN.
INVESTIGATORS MUST REVISIT
THE FOOTAGE FROM THE MALL
FOR ANY SIGN
THAT DRU WAS BEING FOLLOWED.
NO ONE AT MARSHALL FIELDS
SEEMS TO BE STALKING HER.
THIS TIME, THEY GO BACK IN TIME
AND LOOK FOR FOOTAGE
FROM ALL STORES
TO SEE IF ANYONE STANDS OUT.
WHEN REVIEWING VIDEO
FROM AN INVESTIGATIVE
STANDPOINT,
PEOPLE ARE LOOKING FOR THINGS
THAT STAND OUT OF THE NORM.
A NORMAL BEHAVIOR WHEN
SOMEBODY'S SHOPPING AT A STORE
IS LOOKING AT THE MERCHANDISE,
LOOKING TO FIND
THAT MERCHANDISE.
HE WATCHES FOOTAGE
FROM A TARGET STORE
AT 3:40 P.M.,
84 MINUTES
BEFORE DRU DISAPPEARED.
THE THINGS THAT
STAND OUT OF THE NORM,
SUCH AS PEOPLE
THAT LOOK AT OTHER PEOPLE
MORE THAN THE MERCHANDISE.
THRANE LOCKS ON TO ONE MAN.
THE INDIVIDUAL
IN THE TARGET STORE
WENT THROUGHOUT
THE TARGET STORE,
WALKED UP AND DOWN THE CD AISLE.
THRANE SEES THE MAN
DOESN'T SEEM TO BE SHOPPING...
...AT LEAST NOT FOR CDS.
INSTEAD, HE'S LOOKING
AT OTHER SHOPPERS.
THRANE WATCHES THE MAN
WALK AROUND THE STORE.
DURING THE ENTIRE TIME
THE SUBJECT WAS
IN THE TARGET STORE...
HE APPEARED TO BE BY HIMSELF.
AND THEN, AT 3:41 P.M...
...HE TAKES A SEAT
AND CONTINUES WATCHING PEOPLE.
HE WOUND UP SITTING AT A BENCH
CLOSE TO THE EXIT...
...FOR APPROXIMATELY 11 MINUTES.
HE WAS SEATED IN A CHAIR
RIGHT AT THE EXIT DOOR.
AND IT WAS OBVIOUS
THAT HE WAS WATCHING PEOPLE
AS THEY WALKED OUT OF THE STORE.
AND THEN HE STOOD UP,
PUT GLOVES ON HIS HANDS...
...AND THEN WALKED OUT
TOWARDS THE VESTIBULE.
AND AS HE EXITED THE STORE,
YOU COULD SEE HIM.
IT APPEARED HE LOOKED TOWARDS
THE CEILING,
TOWARDS THE SURVEILLANCE CAMERA.
IT'S JUST 72 MINUTES
UNTIL DRU DISAPPEARS.
WHEN THEY LOOK IN MORE DETAIL,
THEY FIND SOMETHING
MORE SINISTER.
WELL, ON THE VIDEO,
WE SEE A BLONDE-HAIRED FEMALE...
WHO WALKS OUT OF THE STORE
SHORTLY BEFORE
HE GETS UP AND LEAVES.
REMER DOESN'T THINK
THAT'S A COINCIDENCE.
DRU'S COWORKERS
AT VICTORIA'S SECRET SAY
THEY WERE REGULARLY WATCHED.
AND IN THE SAME MALL,
A MAN IS WATCHING SHOPPERS
AND FOLLOWS A BLONDE-HAIRED
WOMAN OUT THE DOOR.
THINGS ARE STARTING TO ADD UP.
THE FBI SAID TO CHECK
FOR SEX OFFENDERS.
THEY FIND 60 OF THEM REGISTERED
IN THE AREA.
POLICE HAVE PHOTOS
OF ALL OF THEM.
SPECIAL AGENT DAN AHLQUIST
PULLS UP THE PHOTOS
OF ALL 60 SEX OFFENDERS
AND NARROWS THEM DOWN
TO THE ONES NEAR CROOKSTON,
WHERE DRU'S SHOE WAS FOUND.
THEY FIND FOUR NAMES...
AND FOUR PHOTOS.
AND ONE OF THEM IS THE MAN
FOLLOWING A BLONDE-HAIRED WOMAN
OUT OF THE TARGET STORE
IN THE MALL.
FOUR DAYS
INTO THEIR INVESTIGATION, POLICE
MIGHT HAVE THEIR BEST LEAD YET
IN THEIR SEARCH FOR DRU SJODIN.
VIDEO FROM A TARGET STORE
SHOWS A MAN FOLLOWING
A DIFFERENT BLONDE-HAIRED WOMAN
JUST 72 MINUTES
BEFORE DRU DISAPPEARED.
AND THEY'VE COMPARED HIS IMAGE
TO PHOTOS
OF NEARBY SEX OFFENDERS.
AND THEY FIND A PERFECT MATCH...
...ALFONSO RODRIGUEZ.
RODRIGUEZ WAS ARRESTED
FOR RAPE AND KIDNAPPING
AND SERVED 23 YEARS.
HE'S BEEN OUT SIX MONTHS.
BUT RODRIGUEZ IS JUST
LEAVING A STORE.
HE'S NOT COMMITTING ANY CRIME.
THAT'S WHEN POLICE
LEARN OF ANOTHER BREAKTHROUGH.
TWO INVESTIGATORS
WHO HAD BEEN ASSIGNED
TO IDENTIFY
THIS TOOL-SHOP-TYPE SHEATH...
THE SHEATH
THEY FOUND AT DRU'S CAR
WASN'T FOR A TOOL
BUT FOR SOMETHING
FAR MORE DEADLY.
THEY SAID IT WAS A SHEATH
FROM A KNIFE...
WITH A LOCK-BLADE KNIFE.
WE MADE CONTACT
WITH ALFONSO RODRIGUEZ
AT A CONSTRUCTION SITE.
YEAH.
TALK TO US?
AGENT AHLQUIST
CHECKS RODRIGUEZ'S CAR.
OKAY.
WE LOOKED INTO THE TRUNK,
AND THERE WAS
SOME FISHING EQUIPMENT
AND A SMELL OF CLEANER.
HE SEES A CONTAINER WITH LIQUID.
JUST, LIKE,
A CLEANING SUBSTANCE,
AND IN THAT CLEANING SUBSTANCE
WAS SUBMERGED
A LOCK-BLADE KNIFE,
AN EXACT DUPLICATE.
AN EXACT DUPLICATE
OF THE LOCK-BLADE KNIFE
AGENT AHLQUIST HAD JUST SEEN
IN THE POLICE DEPARTMENT.
RODRIGUEZ IS DETAINED,
AND FORENSICS ARE CALLED IN
TO CHECK OUT HIS CAR.
I RECALL QUITE VIVIDLY STANDING
OUTSIDE THE BACKDOOR OF THE CAR.
A SCIENTIST WAS IN THE CAR
AND JUST SAID,
"THAT'S INTERESTING."
"LOOK AT ALL THE BLOOD."
FORENSIC SAMPLES TAKEN
FROM RODRIGUEZ'S CAR REVEAL
TRACES OF DRU'S DNA.
WHEN DRU'S BLOOD IS FOUND
IN RODRIGUEZ'S CAR,
YOU KNOW, THAT REALLY THEN
BRINGS IT HOME.
GOOD AFTERNOON,
MRS. SJODIN.
WHEN I HEARD
THAT HER BLOOD HAD BEEN FOUND
THE CAR OF A SEX OFFENDER,
IT HIT ME IN THE GUT LIKE...
LIKE I COULDN'T BREATHE.
THEY STILL HAVE NOT FOUND DRU.
BUT POLICE HAVE MORE THAN ENOUGH
TO ARREST ALFONSO RODRIGUEZ
AND CHARGE HIM
WITH KIDNAPPING DRU SJODIN.
POLICE BREAK THE NEWS
TO DRU'S FRIENDS AND FAMILY.
IT WAS DECEMBER 1st.
AND LINDA CALLS.
SHE'S LIKE, "PULL OVER.
PULL THE CAR OVER."
SHE TOLD ME
THAT THERE WAS AN ARREST,
AND THERE IS
SOME BLOOD INVOLVED.
AND SHE DOESN'T SAY
ANYTHING ABOUT DRU.
AND I ASK, "WELL, WHERE'S DRU?"
AND SHE JUST SAID,
"WE DON'T -- WE DON'T KNOW."
IT WOULD TAKE FIVE MORE MONTHS
BEFORE HER FAMILY WOULD HAVE
THAT FINAL, CRUEL ANSWER.
APRIL 17, 2004.
THE NORTH DAKOTA WINTER IS OVER.
THE SNOW AND ICE MELT
AND REVEAL THE DEADLY SECRET
THAT HAD BEEN BURIED FOR MONTHS.
A SEARCH TEAM FINDS DRU'S BODY
IN A REMOTE RAVINE.
SHE HAS BEEN STRANGLED, STABBED,
AND SEXUALLY ASSAULTED.
INVESTIGATORS USING
SURVEILLANCE FOOTAGE
ARE ABLE TO PIECE TOGETHER
WHAT HAPPENED TO DRU SJODIN.
I BELIEVE THAT MR. RODRIGUEZ
ENCOUNTERED HER IN THE MALL
AS SHE WALKED
FROM VICTORIA'S SECRET.
I THINK HE FOLLOWED HER
THROUGH THE MALL...
...FOLLOWED HER OUT
THE MARSHALL FIELDS DOOR...
YEAH.
I JUST FINISHED WORK.
OKAY.
...TO HER CAR,
WHERE HE DECIDED IT WAS TIME
TO MAKE HIS MOVE...
...PULLED OUT HIS KNIFE,
DROPPED THE SHEATH.
IN THE CAR.
HE FORCES HER INTO HIS CAR
AND DRIVES OUT OF THE AREA.
DRU.
I THINK THE 7:42 PHONE CALL...
IS HER KILLER
DISREGARDING THE PHONE NEAR HER,
WHICH IS WHY I HEARD THE TONES,
WHICH GIVES ME
A TIMELINE OF 5:05 TO 7:42.
I ALWAYS THINK ABOUT IT,
THAT HE PUT HER THROUGH HELL.
UM, THAT 21/2 HOURS,
I CAN'T IMAGINE.
ON AUGUST 30, 2006,
ALFONSO RODRIGUEZ
IS CONVICTED FOR THE KIDNAP
AND MURDER OF DRU SJODIN.
HE'S SENTENCED TO DEATH.
HE WAITS ON DEATH ROW
TO THIS DAY.
THE HISTORY OF VIOLENCE
WITH THIS INDIVIDUAL
AND SERVING 23 YEARS
AND, UPON RELEASE,
6 MONTHS LATER,
BEING ABLE TO DO THIS,
ANGERS ME
EVERY TIME I THINK ABOUT IT.
...INTRODUCING A PIECE
OF LEGISLATION
THAT I HOPE VERY MUCH
WILL SAVE LIVES IN THIS COUNTRY.
AND DRU'S LEGACY LIVES ON.
IN 2006, THE WHITE HOUSE
SIGNED DRU'S LAW...
MAKING
THE SEX-OFFENDERS REGISTRY
AVAILABLE TO THE PUBLIC
NATIONWIDE.
IT MAKES ME FEEL ANGRY
THAT HE TOOK THIS PERSON
OUT OF NOT ONLY MY LIFE,
BUT A LOT
OF OTHER PEOPLE'S LIVES.
AND IT WILL FOREVER
AFFECT MY LIFE,
AS WELL AS
EVERYONE ELSE INVOLVED.
DRU'S FAMILY
AND FRIENDS WILL ALWAYS WONDER.
IF THE PARKING LOT OF THE MALL
HAD SECURITY CAMERAS,
THIS CRIME
MAY HAVE BEEN DETERRED.
IT WAS VITAL SECURITY FOOTAGE
THAT WAS CRITICAL
TO SOLVING THIS CASE.
THE VIDEO EVIDENCE IN THIS CASE
REALLY PLACED MR. RODRIGUEZ
AT THE SCENE OF THE ABDUCTION.
WITHOUT THAT VIDEO EVIDENCE,
THERE WOULD HAVE ALWAYS BEEN
A QUESTION IN SOMEBODY'S MIND.
DISAPPEARS
IN THE BLINK OF AN EYE.
I CAN'T BELIEVE
THIS IS ACTUALLY HAPPENING.
THIS ONLY HAPPENS IN MOVIES.
POLICE SEARCH EVERYWHERE...
BUT IT SEEMS
SHE'S BEEN SWALLOWED UP
BY THE CRUEL WINTER NIGHT.
I JUST REMEMBER CRYING
INTO THE NIGHT
AND PRAYING AND HOPING
I WOULD HEAR FROM HER.
AS THE CLOCK TICKS,
POLICE MUST TURN TO THE
MOST RELIABLE WITNESS THERE IS.
CCTV IS A SILENT WITNESS.
IT RECORDS DISPASSIONATELY
WHAT COMES BEFORE IT.
DID IT RECORD
WHAT HAPPENED TO DRU SJODIN?
MEG FLATEGRAFF'S PHONE
STARTS RINGING
FRIDAY NIGHT AROUND 9:15.
EVERYONE WANTS TO KNOW
WHERE MEG'S ROOMMATE,
DRU SJODIN, IS.
FIRST, IT'S HER BOYFRIEND,
CHRIS LANG.
HELLO?
HE HASN'T HEARD FROM DRU
FOR HOURS.
I DIDN'T REALLY
THINK ANYTHING OF IT.
I THOUGHT MAYBE SHE WAS
JUST BUSY DOING SOMETHING
OR DRIVING OR, YOU KNOW,
AND SHE'D JUST
CALL HIM BACK LATER.
BUT WHEN DRU'S BOSS
AT THE EL ROCO NIGHTCLUB
CALLS TO SAY DRU
HASN'T SHOWN UP FOR WORK,
MEG STARTS TO WORRY.
OKAY.
DRU HAD TWO JOBS.
SHE WENT TO HER JOB
AT VICTORIA'S SECRET,
AND THEN I THINK HER SHIFT
AT THE EL ROCO THAT NIGHT
STARTED ABOUT 9:00 P.M.
SHE WAS A WAITRESS.
THE KIND OF WAITRESS
THAT SHOWS UP ON TIME
FOR EVERY SHIFT.
IT WAS KIND OF LIKE, "OKAY.
WELL, MAYBE SOMETHING
IS, YOU KNOW, REALLY WRONG."
SO I ACTUALLY CALLED
THE HOSPITAL IN GRAND FORKS
JUST TO SEE IF SOMEBODY
HAD BEEN BROUGHT IN BY AMBULANCE
OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT
'CAUSE I DIDN'T KNOW AT THE TIME
KIND OF WHAT ELSE TO DO.
HI.
HAS THERE BEEN
A DRU SJODIN ADMITTED?
THANK YOU.
AT 9:30 P.M.,
MEG CALLS UNIVERSITY
OF NORTH DAKOTA POLICE
AND ASKS THEM TO FIND DRU.
STUDENTS...FAIL TO CALL IN
OR FAIL TO CHECK IN
FOR A NUMBER OF REASONS.
BOYFRIENDS, PARTIES.
THERE ARE PLENTY OF REASONS
A TYPICAL COLLEGE STUDENT
LIKE DRU SJODIN
MIGHT NOT BE ANSWERING HER PHONE
OR SHOWING UP FOR WORK.
SOMETIMES THEY JUST
NEED SOME DOWNTIME
AND GO OFF FOR A BIT,
AND THEN THEY COME BACK, SO...
SOON, RIGHT?
BUT ACCORDING TO HER ROOMMATE,
DRU WOULD NEVER JUST VANISH,
NOT LIKE THIS.
APPARENTLY,
SHE WAS PRETTY RELIABLE.
IT WAS UNUSUAL,
ACCORDING TO HER ROOMMATE,
THAT SHE NOT SHOW UP FOR WORK.
OKAY,
SO THEY'LL BE...
MEG CONVINCES THE INVESTIGATOR
TO HELP HER FIND DRU.
THE LAST ANYONE KNOWS,
DRU WAS AT HER DAY JOB
AT A VICTORIA'S SECRET
AT THE COLUMBIA MALL.
BUT IT'S 11:00 AT NIGHT,
AND THE MALL IS CLOSED.
THE LOT HAD CLEARED OUT.
EVERYTHING WAS CLOSED UP.
ABOUT THE ONLY PEOPLE MOVING
AROUND THERE
WERE THE SECURITY GUARDS
FOR THE MALL.
RASMUSON LOOKS FOR
ANY SIGN OF DRU OR HER CAR,
A RED OLDSMOBILE.
AND WHEN I COME AROUND
THE NORTH SIDE OF THE LOT
ON THE J. C. PENNEY WING,
IT WAS THERE.
WENT UP TO THE CAR.
CHECKED THE DOORS.
THEY WERE NOT LOCKED.
AND DIDN'T SEE ANYTHING
THAT WOULD INDICATE
THAT THERE'D BEEN ANY VIOLENCE
OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT.
LOOKED LIKE THE BACKSEAT
OF MY DAUGHTER'S CAR --
CLOTHES, FOOD WRAPPERS.
IT WAS CLUTTERED.
BUT JUST AS HE
BACKS AWAY FROM THE CAR,
SOMETHING CATCHES HIS EYE.
SAW A BLACK OBJECT
LAYING ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE
OF THE VEHICLE.
I THOUGHT THAT IT WAS, LIKE,
A SHEATH FOR A MULTITOOL
WITH PLIERS, SCREWDRIVERS,
AND STUFF IN IT.
A MISSING COLLEGE STUDENT,
HER CAR ABANDONED
WITH THE DOORS UNLOCKED,
PHONE CALLS TO HER CELL
UNANSWERED --
RASMUSON SENSES THIS IS MORE
THAN JUST AN IRRESPONSIBLE
COLLEGE KID WHO SKIPPED WORK.
HE CALLS IN FOR HELP
FROM THE GRAND FORKS PD.
DETECTIVE JIM REMER
HEADS TO THE MALL
TO HELP HIM SOLVE THIS PUZZLE.
ANY TIME YOU HAVE
A CASE LIKE THAT,
YOU'RE GONNA SEE AND WANT
TO CHECK OUT TO SEE
IF THERE WAS A STRUGGLE
OR SOMETHING
THAT WAS HAPPENING IN THE CAR
THAT WAS MAYBE
OUT OF THE ORDINARY.
SEE SOMETHING?
AND THERE WAS JUST NO HINT
OF THAT IN THE CAR.
THEIR NEXT STEP --
QUESTION THE LAST PEOPLE
WHO MIGHT HAVE SEEN DRU.
IN ANY INVESTIGATION LIKE THIS,
YOU NEED TO SPEAK WITH PEOPLE
WHO ARE CLOSE TO THE VICTIM.
22-YEAR-OLD DRU SJODIN
IS A GRAPHIC ARTS MAJOR
AT THE UNIVERSITY
OF NORTH DAKOTA.
SHE'S IN A SORORITY,
WORKS TWO JOBS,
AND HAS A NEW BOYFRIEND
NAMED CHRIS LANG.
SHE WAS,
FUNNY AND INTERESTING,
BUT SHE SEEMED VERY
GLASS IS HALF FULL,
SOMEBODY REALLY WARM
AND FRIENDLY TO BE AROUND.
AND I KNOW ALL OF HER FRIENDS
AND FAMILY WOULD SAY THE SAME,
THAT WHEN SHE CAME IN THE ROOM,
IT JUST KIND OF LIT UP
WITH HER SMILE.
SHE'S A VERY BEAUTIFUL GIRL.
SHE HAD A GREAT PERSONALITY
AND, YOU KNOW,
JUST A VERY MAGNETIC PERSON
TO EVERYBODY
THAT SHE CAME INTO CONTACT WITH.
POLICE ASK FRIEND MEG
TO PIECE TOGETHER DRU'S DAY.
THE QUESTIONS
THAT THE POLICE ASKED ME ARE,
"WHEN DID YOU LAST SEE HER?"
SHE WAS LEAVING THE HOUSE TO GO
WORK AT THE LINGERIE STORE.
"HOW DID TODAY GO EXACTLY?"
SHE WAS AT WORK
DURING THE DAY,
AND THEN SHE WAS GOING
TO HER SECOND JOB AT THE BAR.
"WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME
YOU TALKED TO HER?"
I DIDN'T SPEAK TO HER
IN BETWEEN HER TWO JOBS.
"YOU KNOW, WERE YOU SUPPOSED TO
SEE HER TONIGHT?
WHERE WAS SHE GOING?
IS THERE ANYBODY ELSE THAT,
YOU KNOW, SHE COULD BE WITH
AT THIS TIME?"
NEXT, INVESTIGATORS TURN
TO DRU'S NEW BOYFRIEND,
CHRIS LANG.
HE WAS QUESTIONING ME ABOUT
THE LAST TIME I SPOKE WITH HER
AND EVENTS OF THAT EVENING.
SHE WAS AT WORK.
THE FACT
THAT HER FRIENDS HADN'T SEEN
OR HEARD FROM HER
WAS IMPORTANT FOR US
BECAUSE THAT WAS
OUT OF THE ORDINARY.
SO WHEN THERE WAS NO CONTACT,
WHEN THERE WAS NO INFORMATION
COMING FROM HER, AGAIN,
THAT'S WHY,
I THINK, HER FRIENDS,
THEY GOT VERY CONCERNED
VERY EARLY ON.
CHRIS TELLS POLICE
HE WAS MOVING TO A NEW APARTMENT
300 MILES AWAY IN MINNESOTA...
AND THAT HE LAST SPOKE WITH DRU
AT 5:00 P.M.
MY LAST CONVERSATION WITH DRU
LASTED A COUPLE OF MINUTES
AND ENDED ABRUPTLY.
DRU?
SHE SAID SOMETHING
INTO THE PHONE.
IT SOUNDED LIKE, "GOD. OKAY."
DRU.
IT'S A STRANGE WAY
TO END A PHONE CALL.
CHRIS DIDN'T THINK
MUCH OF IT AT THE TIME.
BUT NOW, SINCE DRU IS MISSING,
EVERYTHING TAKES ON NEW MEANING.
I THINK IT WAS JUST
OVERWHELMING, JUST VERY SURREAL.
I CAN'T BELIEVE
THIS IS ACTUALLY HAPPENING.
THIS ONLY HAPPENS IN MOVIES.
CHRIS CALLS DRU'S PARENTS
TO LET THEM KNOW
THAT DRU IS MISSING.
HELLO?
I PICKED IT UP,
AND IT WAS CHRIS.
AND HE SAYS SOMETHING
TO THE EFFECT,
"I DON'T WANT TO ALARM YOU,
BUT I HAVEN'T HEARD FROM DRU.
I TRIED TO CALL HER,
AND SHE HASN'T SHOWN UP
TO HER SECOND JOB."
AND SHE DIDN'T SHOW UP?
WELL,
IT WAS A PRETTY SURREAL MOMENT
WHEN YOU KNOW SOMEBODY SO WELL.
I DON'T UNDERSTAND.
OF COURSE, YOU DON'T
WANT TO THINK THE WORST,
BUT YET, I KNEW
THAT SOMETHING HAD TO BE WRONG.
WHAT HAPPENED
WHEN YOU TRIED CALLING HER?
SO YOU SAW
SOMETHING THERE?
BACK AT DRU'S CAR, INVESTIGATORS
FIND SOMETHING IMPORTANT.
IN THE CAR, WE FOUND HER WALLET.
WHATEVER HAPPENED TO DRU...
SJODIN.
...IT WASN'T PART OF A ROBBERY.
WE'RE GOOD.
WE GOT A MATCH.
THE MALL'S BEEN CLOSED
FOR HOURS.
ANY WITNESS
TO WHAT HAPPENED IS LONG GONE,
AND POLICE ARE DISAPPOINTED
TO DISCOVER
THERE ARE NO CCTV CAMERAS
OVERLOOKING THE PARKING LOT.
I THINK IT'S ONE OF THOSE THINGS
THAT WHENEVER YOU HAVE
SURVEILLANCE VIDEO AVAILABLE,
IT'S GONNA BE PERTINENT
TO THE CASE.
INSIDE THE MALL,
IT'S A DIFFERENT STORY.
THE CAMERA --
IT'S THE ONLY WITNESS
THAT NEVER BLINKS
AND ALWAYS TELLS THE TRUTH.
POLICE ROUND UP VIDEO
FROM SECURITY CAMERAS
INSIDE THE MALL.
CCTV TELLS A STORY.
WHAT HAPPENED?
AND IT'S ABOUT TO TELL
AN INCREDIBLE STORY
ABOUT WHAT'S HAPPENED
TO DRU SJODIN.
COLLEGE STUDENT DRU SJODIN
HAS VANISHED
AFTER WORKING HER SHIFT
IN VICTORIA'S SECRET
AT THE COLUMBIA MALL
IN GRAND FORKS, NORTH DAKOTA.
AND POLICE ARE WORKING THE CASE
FROM TWO ANGLES.
FIRST, THEY'RE ROUNDING UP
ALL THE FOOTAGE FROM THE MALL
THE DAY DRU WENT MISSING.
AND THEY'RE QUESTIONING
DRU'S BOYFRIEND, CHRIS.
THE INFORMATION DOES SHOW
THAT PEOPLE THAT ARE CLOSE
TO A VICTIM ARE THE ONES
THAT ARE MOST LIKELY
TO COMMIT A CRIME LIKE THIS.
SO YOU NEED --
YOU DO NEED TO CHECK THOSE OUT.
CHRIS IS THE LAST PERSON
TO HAVE CONTACT WITH DRU.
AND HE CLAIMS IT WAS A
PHONE CALL THAT ENDED ABRUPTLY,
AS IF SHE'D BEEN INTERRUPTED.
WHERE EXACTLY WAS HE
AFTER DRU FINISHED WORK?
COULD IT BE
THAT CHRIS IS INVOLVED
IN DRU'S DISAPPEARANCE?
AN OFFICER
SORT OF INTERVIEWED ME,
AND HE WANTED TO KNOW
WHERE I WAS.
IT WAS MOSTLY, YOU KNOW,
YOUR PHYSICAL WHEREABOUTS,
WHAT TIMES
WERE THESE CONVERSATIONS?
HOW ARE YOU?
THEY DID A DNA SWAB OF ME
AND KIND OF PUT ME
THROUGH THE PROCESS
OF SOMEONE OF INTEREST.
CHRIS EXPLAINS TO OFFICERS
THAT HE WAS 300 MILES AWAY
FROM GRAND FORKS
WHEN DRU CALLED AT 5:00 P.M.
THE CALL ENDED ABRUPTLY,
AND THEN A FEW HOURS LATER,
SHE CALLED AGAIN.
HER NAME CAME UP
ON MY CALLER I.D.,
SO I KNEW IT WAS HER.
HON?
I SAID "DRU" INTO THE PHONE.
DRU.
I HEARD NOTHING
BUT STATIC AND WIND.
IT SOUNDED LIKE WIND.
IT ENDED WITH LIKE
FOUR OR FIVE DIAL TONES...
DRU! HELLO?
...THAT I SPECIFICALLY HEARD
INTO THE PHONE.
INVESTIGATORS PULL IN BOTH DRU
AND CHRIS' PHONE RECORDS.
IF HE'S TELLING THE TRUTH,
THE RECORDS WILL BACK HIM UP.
MEANWHILE,
MORE SURVEILLANCE FOOTAGE
FROM THE MALL STARTS TO COME IN.
BUT NONE OF IT IS FROM OUTSIDE
THE VICTORIA'S SECRET,
WHERE SHE WORKS.
WHICH MEANS THEY'LL HAVE TO
SCAN FOOTAGE FROM EVERY CAMERA
IN THE MALL.
HUNDREDS OF HOURS OF IT.
WE REVIEWED THE VIDEOTAPES.
IT WAS A VERY BIG TASK
BECAUSE YOU'RE LOOKING AT HOURS
AND HOURS OF VIDEO TAPE.
YOU KNOW, MAYBE THE TAPE HAD
BEEN TAPED OVER SEVERAL TIMES,
SO THE QUALITY IS VERY BAD.
INVESTIGATORS CALL IN
CRAIG THRANE,
AN EXPERT VIDEO ANALYST,
TO HELP.
THRANE KNOWS THAT DRU
GOT OFF WORK
AT VICTORIA'S SECRET
AT 4:00 P.M.
SHE HAD FIVE HOURS UNTIL
THE START OF HER SHIFT
AT THE BAR
FOUR MILES FROM THE MALL.
IT'S A PERFECT CHANCE
TO DO SOME CHRISTMAS SHOPPING.
BUT NO ONE KNOWS WHICH
OF THE MALL'S 63 STORES
SHE MIGHT BE IN.
I HAD BEEN TOLD TO LOOK
FOR A BLONDE-HAIRED FEMALE
WEARING A TOP THAT WAS MORE PINK
IN TONE WITH A DARK BOTTOM.
THRANE SCOURS
ALL OF THE CAMERAS IN THE MALL
FOR A GLIMPSE OF THE BLONDE GIRL
IN THE PINK TOP.
WHICH CAMERAS OF THOSE
COULD HAVE RECORDED ANY EVIDENCE
THAT IS USEFUL,
ANY THINGS THAT COULD HAVE
INVOLVED INVESTIGATIVE LEADS
FOR HOW MANY MINUTES,
FOR HOW MANY HOURS,
FOR HOW MANY DAYS?
THRANE FOLLOWS CAMERAS
FROM STORE...
TO STORE.
NO SIGN OF THE SHORT-HAIRED
BLONDE GIRL IN THE PINK TOP.
CCTV IS A SILENT WITNESS.
IT RECORDS AND ALLOWS YOU
TO REVIEW AND SEE WHAT HAPPENED.
HE SWITCHES TO THE CAMERA
AT THE MARSHALL FIELDS
DEPARTMENT STORE,
EXPECTING MORE OF THE SAME.
THAT'S WHEN HE SEES IT.
A WOMAN IN PINK.
BUT IT'S NOT DRU.
IT'S AN OLDER WOMAN
WITH LONGER BLONDE HAIR.
AND SHE'S WEARING JEANS.
BUT WHO
SHOULD ENTER THE FRAME NEXT?
SHORT BLONDE HAIR.
PINK TOP.
THAT IS DRU SJODIN.
HE'S SURE OF IT.
THRANE NOW NEEDS TO TRACE
ALL HER MOVEMENTS IN THE STORE,
STARTING WITH
THE TIME SHE ARRIVED.
HE SWITCHES TO THE CAMERA
AT THE ENTRANCE.
AT 4:21 P.M.,
HE SPOTS HER ENTERING THE STORE.
DRU SJODIN APPEARED
TO HAVE A DARK COAT
DRAPED OVER HER LEFT ARM.
HE WATCHES AS DRU
MOVES AROUND THE STORE.
SHE APPEARS TO BE ALONE.
AND SHE DOESN'T SEEM
TO BE IN ANY HURRY --
JUST ANOTHER CHRISTMAS SHOPPER.
THEN, AT 4:55 P.M...
THRANE SPOTS SOMETHING ELSE.
THAT TIME COINCIDED
WITH THE TIME
WE SAW A FEMALE RAISE HER HANDS
INTO THE VESTIBULE AREA
WITH A PINK SWEATER ON.
CAPTURED BY A CAMERA
OVER THE CASH REGISTER,
IT SHOWS...
A PINK SWEATER,
LIKE THE ONE DRU WAS WEARING.
A FEMALE IN THE MARSHALL FIELDS
STORE MATCHED HER CLOTHING.
IT APPEARED TO BE
THAT DRU SJODIN HERSELF
WAS MAKING A HANDBAG PURCHASE.
MALL CAMERAS SHOW DRU SJODIN
SHOPPING WITHOUT A CARE
IN THE WORLD,
NOT A DISTRESS,
NOT BEING FOLLOWED...
AS FAR AS THEY CAN SEE.
BUT THE NEXT PART OF HER DAY
IS NOT GOING TO BE SO CAREFREE,
AND THE CAMERAS WILL CATCH IT.
COLLEGE STUDENT DRU SJODIN
HAS BEEN MISSING FOR THREE DAYS.
POLICE HAVE FOUND HER CAR
AT THE MALL WHERE SHE WORKED.
AND THEY'VE SEEN HER ON TAPE
JUST MINUTES
BEFORE SHE VANISHED.
DRU'S STORY HAS MADE THE NEWS
IN GRAND FORKS, NORTH DAKOTA.
AND NOW IT SEEMS
EVERYONE IN TOWN
WANTS TO HELP BRING HER HOME.
IT WAS SOME PRETTY NASTY
WEATHER OUT THERE.
IT'S WINTERTIME IN THE MIDWEST.
BUT, YOU KNOW,
EVEN WITH THE COLD AND THE SNOW,
WE HAD BUSLOADS OF PEOPLE
WALKING UP AND DOWN
DITCHES AND ROADSIDES,
LOOKING FOR EVIDENCE.
DRU'S FAMILY, FRIENDS,
AND SORORITY SISTERS
START THEIR OWN SEARCH
FOR THEIR MISSING LOVED ONE.
OUR SORORITY WERE VERY INVOLVED.
THEY WERE ALL PART
OF THE SEARCH PARTIES
THAT WERE PUT TOGETHER.
WE ENDED UP HAVING
WHAT WE CALLED
KIND OF OUR COMMAND CENTER HERE
IN OUR HOMETOWN.
AND I WAS REALLY
RUNNING THE PHONES
AND TRYING TO GARNER
AS MUCH HELP
THAT WE COULD FOR SEARCHERS.
ALL THOSE SEARCHES
IN THE FRIGID WINTER WINDS
TURN UP NOTHING.
THEN BOYFRIEND CHRIS LANG'S
PHONE RECORDS COME IN.
WILL THEY BACK UP HIS CLAIM
THAT HE WAS OUT OF TOWN
WHEN DRU VANISHED?
WE FOUND THAT CHRIS WAS DOWN
IN THE TWIN CITIES AREA,
IN MINNEAPOLIS AND ST. PAUL,
AND WE WERE ABLE TO VERIFY THAT
THROUGH PHONE RECORDS
AT THE TIME THAT TOOK PLACE.
CHRIS WAS TELLING THE TRUTH
WHEN HE SAID HE WAS
OVER 300 MILES AWAY
WHEN DRU WENT MISSING.
IT'S ANOTHER DEAD END.
WITH THE SEARCH
FOR DRU STALLING,
POLICE TURN BACK
TO THE SURVEILLANCE VIDEO.
THEY'VE PIECED TOGETHER
THE START OF DRU'S TIMELINE.
I'LL SEE YOU TOMORROW,
OKAY?
THEY KNOW SHE LEFT WORK AT
VICTORIA'S SECRET AT 4:00 P.M.
THEY'VE TRACED HER
TO THE MARSHALL FIELDS STORE
AT 4:21 P.M.
SHE'S WEARING PINK.
WE WERE ABLE TO SEE EXACTLY
WHEN SHE WAS IN THE STORE,
WHAT SHE DID
WHILE SHE WAS THERE,
AND WE COULD SEE
WHAT SHE WAS WEARING.
OKAY.
SO, YEAH.
AND THEY KNOW
SHE'S BEEN SHOPPING THERE
FOR OVER 30 MINUTES
WHEN SHE GOES
TO THE CASH REGISTER.
SHE MAKES THE PURCHASE.
SHE BUYS A PURSE.
THANK YOU.
THAT PURSE GETS PUT INTO
A MARSHALL FIELDS BAG.
WE CAN CORRELATE THE TIME
ON THE SURVEILLANCE CAMERA.
THEN WE CAN START TO PUT THINGS
TOGETHER TO SEE
WHEN THINGS WERE HAPPENING
IN THE CASE.
BUT BEFORE THEY CAN TRACE
HER LEAVING THE STORE,
SHE DISAPPEARS
IN FRONT OF THE CAMERAS.
THRANE KEEPS WATCHING...
...UNTIL HE SPOTS
A SHORT-HAIRED BLONDE WOMAN
WITH A MARSHALL FIELDS BAG
EXITING THE STORE THREE MINUTES
AFTER BUYING THE HANDBAG.
HE'S FOUND DRU.
DRU SJODIN
LEFT THE MARSHALL FIELDS STORE
AT 5:00 AND 30 SECONDS
WEARING A DARK COAT.
SHE'S PUT HER COAT ON,
WHICH MEANS
SHE'S THROUGH SHOPPING
AND HER NEXT STOP IS OUTDOORS,
PROBABLY TO HER CAR.
AS DRU WALKS OUT OF THE STORE,
THRANE NOTICES SOMETHING ELSE.
HE CAN BARELY MAKE IT OUT,
BUT THE CAMERA
CATCHES A SMALL ARM MOVEMENT.
HE SLOWS THE VIDEO DOWN.
SHE WAS RAISING HER RIGHT ARM
UP TOWARDS HER FACE,
TOWARDS HER EAR.
IT'S THE MOMENT DRU DIALS CHRIS.
SURVEILLANCE FOOTAGE
HAS CAPTURED
THE PRECISE SECOND
THE CALL STARTED.
SO WE KNOW FROM THE VIDEO
THAT THE CELLPHONE CALL
STARTED AT 5:00...
...AND THAT AT 5:04,
THAT CELLPHONE CALL...
DRU.
...WAS CUT OFF.
SO THEY NOW KNOW WHERE
DRU'S CALL TO CHRIS STARTED.
BUT CAN THEY FIGURE OUT
WHERE THAT FOUR-MINUTE CALL
ABRUPTLY ENDED AND WHY?
POLICE HEAD TO THE MALL
TO RETRACE DRU'S STEPS.
THEY START AT THE STORE
AND WALK FOR FOUR MINUTES.
WE WALKED A ROUTE
FROM MARSHALL FIELDS TO THE CAR
TO MAKE SURE THAT
THAT MADE SENSE.
IF IT ACTUALLY TOOK FOUR MINUTES
TO GET TO HER CAR
AND THE PHONE CALL CUTS OFF,
THERE'S A QUESTION THERE
OF WHAT'S HAPPENING.
FOUR MINUTES OF WALKING
AND POLICE ARE RIGHT THERE,
AT DRU'S ABANDONED CAR.
WE DID FIND
THAT IT FIT THE TIMEFRAME
FOR HER TO BE ABLE
TO GO FROM MARSHALL FIELDS
AT A NORMAL WALKING PACE BACK
AND MAKE IT TO HER CAR.
POLICE HAVE CREATED
A TIGHT TIMELINE --
5:00 P.M., OUT OF THE DOOR
AT MARSHALL FIELDS
AND THE START OF A PHONE CALL.
FOUR MINUTES LATER,
THE CALL ENDS ABRUPTLY,
AT HER CAR...
DRU?
...WHERE POLICE
DISCOVERED A SHEATH.
THEY NEED TO KNOW
WHAT TOOL THE SHEATH IS FOR.
BASICALLY, SHE...
POLICE SUSPECT THAT
WHAT HAPPENED TO DRU AT THE CAR
MAY HAVE STARTED IN THE MALL.
DETECTIVE REMER NEEDS TO CHECK
WITH DRU'S COWORKERS
IF THEY REMEMBER
ANYTHING UNUSUAL.
WAS THERE ANYBODY
THAT WAS SUSPICIOUS
THAT WAS HANGING AROUND?
WAS THERE ANYTHING
THAT WAS OUT OF THE ORDINARY?
DRU'S COWORKERS REPORT SOMETHING
THAT SEIZES
INVESTIGATORS' ATTENTION.
SOMETIMES MEN WOULD LURK
OUTSIDE THE LINGERIE STORE,
WATCHING THE WOMEN
WHO WORK THERE.
AND PRETTY GIRL DRU SEEMED TO BE
OF SPECIAL INTEREST.
NO ONE CAN REMEMBER
ANYONE SPECIFIC THAT DAY.
APPARENTLY,
IT HAPPENED ALL THE TIME.
THE WORKERS JUST IGNORED IT.
AND WE KNOW
THAT SHE GETS TO HER CAR,
AND THEN SOMETHING HAPPENS.
THERE'S SOME INTERACTION
TO WHERE SHE SAYS,
"OKAY. OKAY."
AND THE PHONE CALL CUTS OFF.
GOT HER, UM, LIKE, A BLACK...
MAYBE THERE WAS MORE TO THIS,
AND IT MIGHT BE A KIDNAPPING.
WITH A POSSIBLE KIDNAPPING,
GRAND FORKS POLICE
CALL IN FEDERAL AGENTS.
THEY WANT TO DO EVERYTHING
THEY CAN
TO BRING DRU BACK ALIVE.
NOT SO FAR. BUT...
WELL, IT WAS THE BIGGEST THING
THAT WE'VE EVER DEALT WITH.
WE HAD AT SOME POINT
80 TO 100 INVESTIGATORS
WITHIN OUR COMMAND POST
WORKING THE CASE.
THE FEDERAL AGENTS
LOOK INTO THE THEORY
THAT DRU HAS BEEN ABDUCTED.
SHE'S 22 YEARS OLD.
IS IT POSSIBLE
THAT A SEXUAL DEVIANT
COULD SIT OUT IN THE KIOSK
OR OUT IN A CHAIR IN FRONT
OF VICTORIA'S SECRET
AND SEE WHAT HE CAN SEE?
YOU BET.
IT COMPLETELY
CHANGES THE PROFILE
OF WHO THEY'RE LOOKING FOR.
THE FBI PROFILERS ADVISE POLICE
IT'S LIKELY
TO BE A SEX OFFENDER.
THIS ONE,
WHICH IS NICE.
IT IS TREMENDOUSLY HARD
TO SOLVE A STRANGER ABDUCTION
BECAUSE YOU DON'T KNOW.
IT COULD BE TWO SHIPS
PASSING IN THE NIGHT.
AND, WE WANT TO KNOW
WHERE THEY WERE.
FOR DRU'S FAMILY,
IT'S A MOST UPSETTING TURN
TO THE INVESTIGATION.
WELL, OF COURSE IT'S A PARENT'S
WORST NIGHTMARE
TO THINK THAT YOUR DAUGHTER'S
BEEN TAKEN BY A SEX OFFENDER,
A TOTAL STRANGER.
IF THERE WAS SOMEONE
STALKING DRU AT THE MALL,
IT WILL BE BURIED
IN THE HUNDREDS OF HOURS
OF MALL SURVEILLANCE FOOTAGE
SOMEWHERE.
THE REALITY IS THAT
THERE ARE EVENTS HAPPENING
THAT ARE CRIMINAL OR NONCRIMINAL
HAPPENING AROUND US
EVERY SINGLE DAY.
AND WE DON'T SEE THEM.
BUT INVESTIGATORS WILL SEE
THE PERSON THEY ARE LOOKING FOR
ON CAMERA.
IT'S JUST A MATTER OF WHERE.
YES.
OKAY. BYE.
POLICE NOW BELIEVE
THAT 22-YEAR-OLD COLLEGE STUDENT
DRU SJODIN
MIGHT HAVE BEEN ABDUCTED
FROM A MALL PARKING LOT.
THEY ARE HOPING
SURVEILLANCE VIDEO
CAN HELP THEM SOLVE THE CASE
AND BRING DRU HOME.
AND WITH EVERY MINUTE
THAT GOES BY
WITH NO NEWS ABOUT DRU,
HER FAMILY FALLS DEEPER
AND DEEPER INTO DESPAIR.
I REMEMBER THINKING...
...THAT I JUST WANTED
THE WORLD TO STOP.
I DON'T KNOW HOW TO EXPLAIN IT
BECAUSE YOU'RE SO CAUGHT
IN THE EMOTIONS
OF WHAT YOU'RE GOING THROUGH
THAT IT JUST SEEMED --
THE WORLD SEEMED SO CHAOTIC
TO ME, IN MY MIND.
I...I COULDN'T SLEEP.
PHONE CALLS
WERE GOING OFF THE HOOK.
THERE WAS THIS AWFUL ADRENALINE
GOING THROUGH YOUR HEART.
I JUST REMEMBER CRYING
INTO THE NIGHT
AND PRAYING AND HOPING
THAT I WOULD HEAR FROM HER,
THAT SHE WOULD SHOW UP
OR I WOULD HEAR
SOME WONDERFUL NEWS.
25 MILES AWAY,
SEARCHERS CHECKING RIVERBANKS
NEAR CROOKSTON, MINNESOTA,
MAKE A SINISTER DISCOVERY.
THIS COULD REALLY HELP US
IN OUR INVESTIGATION.
WE FOUND A SHOE
BY THE 75 BYPASS BRIDGE
CLOSE TO CROOKSTON.
AND IT MATCHES
THE DESCRIPTION OF THE SHOES
DRU WAS WEARING
THE DAY SHE WENT MISSING.
YEAH. I...
IT'S HERS.
IT IS HERS?
WHEN I IDENTIFIED THE SHOE...
YEAH.
...IT WAS LATE NOVEMBER
IN NORTH DAKOTA.
THERE WAS ALREADY SNOW
ON THE GROUND.
TO FIND THE SHOE, IT WAS PRETTY
INDESCRIBABLE EMOTION.
IT'S HARD TO EVEN IMAGINE
BECAUSE IT WAS SO COLD.
AND TO THINK, YOU KNOW,
"MY DAUGHTER'S OUT THERE NOW
WITHOUT SHOES ON..."
UM, IT...
JUST A GAMUT OF EMOTIONS.
IT WAS JUST ONE MORE THING
THAT MADE IT SEEM LIKE,
YOU KNOW,
WE MAY NEVER SEE HER AGAIN.
INVESTIGATORS MUST REVISIT
THE FOOTAGE FROM THE MALL
FOR ANY SIGN
THAT DRU WAS BEING FOLLOWED.
NO ONE AT MARSHALL FIELDS
SEEMS TO BE STALKING HER.
THIS TIME, THEY GO BACK IN TIME
AND LOOK FOR FOOTAGE
FROM ALL STORES
TO SEE IF ANYONE STANDS OUT.
WHEN REVIEWING VIDEO
FROM AN INVESTIGATIVE
STANDPOINT,
PEOPLE ARE LOOKING FOR THINGS
THAT STAND OUT OF THE NORM.
A NORMAL BEHAVIOR WHEN
SOMEBODY'S SHOPPING AT A STORE
IS LOOKING AT THE MERCHANDISE,
LOOKING TO FIND
THAT MERCHANDISE.
HE WATCHES FOOTAGE
FROM A TARGET STORE
AT 3:40 P.M.,
84 MINUTES
BEFORE DRU DISAPPEARED.
THE THINGS THAT
STAND OUT OF THE NORM,
SUCH AS PEOPLE
THAT LOOK AT OTHER PEOPLE
MORE THAN THE MERCHANDISE.
THRANE LOCKS ON TO ONE MAN.
THE INDIVIDUAL
IN THE TARGET STORE
WENT THROUGHOUT
THE TARGET STORE,
WALKED UP AND DOWN THE CD AISLE.
THRANE SEES THE MAN
DOESN'T SEEM TO BE SHOPPING...
...AT LEAST NOT FOR CDS.
INSTEAD, HE'S LOOKING
AT OTHER SHOPPERS.
THRANE WATCHES THE MAN
WALK AROUND THE STORE.
DURING THE ENTIRE TIME
THE SUBJECT WAS
IN THE TARGET STORE...
HE APPEARED TO BE BY HIMSELF.
AND THEN, AT 3:41 P.M...
...HE TAKES A SEAT
AND CONTINUES WATCHING PEOPLE.
HE WOUND UP SITTING AT A BENCH
CLOSE TO THE EXIT...
...FOR APPROXIMATELY 11 MINUTES.
HE WAS SEATED IN A CHAIR
RIGHT AT THE EXIT DOOR.
AND IT WAS OBVIOUS
THAT HE WAS WATCHING PEOPLE
AS THEY WALKED OUT OF THE STORE.
AND THEN HE STOOD UP,
PUT GLOVES ON HIS HANDS...
...AND THEN WALKED OUT
TOWARDS THE VESTIBULE.
AND AS HE EXITED THE STORE,
YOU COULD SEE HIM.
IT APPEARED HE LOOKED TOWARDS
THE CEILING,
TOWARDS THE SURVEILLANCE CAMERA.
IT'S JUST 72 MINUTES
UNTIL DRU DISAPPEARS.
WHEN THEY LOOK IN MORE DETAIL,
THEY FIND SOMETHING
MORE SINISTER.
WELL, ON THE VIDEO,
WE SEE A BLONDE-HAIRED FEMALE...
WHO WALKS OUT OF THE STORE
SHORTLY BEFORE
HE GETS UP AND LEAVES.
REMER DOESN'T THINK
THAT'S A COINCIDENCE.
DRU'S COWORKERS
AT VICTORIA'S SECRET SAY
THEY WERE REGULARLY WATCHED.
AND IN THE SAME MALL,
A MAN IS WATCHING SHOPPERS
AND FOLLOWS A BLONDE-HAIRED
WOMAN OUT THE DOOR.
THINGS ARE STARTING TO ADD UP.
THE FBI SAID TO CHECK
FOR SEX OFFENDERS.
THEY FIND 60 OF THEM REGISTERED
IN THE AREA.
POLICE HAVE PHOTOS
OF ALL OF THEM.
SPECIAL AGENT DAN AHLQUIST
PULLS UP THE PHOTOS
OF ALL 60 SEX OFFENDERS
AND NARROWS THEM DOWN
TO THE ONES NEAR CROOKSTON,
WHERE DRU'S SHOE WAS FOUND.
THEY FIND FOUR NAMES...
AND FOUR PHOTOS.
AND ONE OF THEM IS THE MAN
FOLLOWING A BLONDE-HAIRED WOMAN
OUT OF THE TARGET STORE
IN THE MALL.
FOUR DAYS
INTO THEIR INVESTIGATION, POLICE
MIGHT HAVE THEIR BEST LEAD YET
IN THEIR SEARCH FOR DRU SJODIN.
VIDEO FROM A TARGET STORE
SHOWS A MAN FOLLOWING
A DIFFERENT BLONDE-HAIRED WOMAN
JUST 72 MINUTES
BEFORE DRU DISAPPEARED.
AND THEY'VE COMPARED HIS IMAGE
TO PHOTOS
OF NEARBY SEX OFFENDERS.
AND THEY FIND A PERFECT MATCH...
...ALFONSO RODRIGUEZ.
RODRIGUEZ WAS ARRESTED
FOR RAPE AND KIDNAPPING
AND SERVED 23 YEARS.
HE'S BEEN OUT SIX MONTHS.
BUT RODRIGUEZ IS JUST
LEAVING A STORE.
HE'S NOT COMMITTING ANY CRIME.
THAT'S WHEN POLICE
LEARN OF ANOTHER BREAKTHROUGH.
TWO INVESTIGATORS
WHO HAD BEEN ASSIGNED
TO IDENTIFY
THIS TOOL-SHOP-TYPE SHEATH...
THE SHEATH
THEY FOUND AT DRU'S CAR
WASN'T FOR A TOOL
BUT FOR SOMETHING
FAR MORE DEADLY.
THEY SAID IT WAS A SHEATH
FROM A KNIFE...
WITH A LOCK-BLADE KNIFE.
WE MADE CONTACT
WITH ALFONSO RODRIGUEZ
AT A CONSTRUCTION SITE.
YEAH.
TALK TO US?
AGENT AHLQUIST
CHECKS RODRIGUEZ'S CAR.
OKAY.
WE LOOKED INTO THE TRUNK,
AND THERE WAS
SOME FISHING EQUIPMENT
AND A SMELL OF CLEANER.
HE SEES A CONTAINER WITH LIQUID.
JUST, LIKE,
A CLEANING SUBSTANCE,
AND IN THAT CLEANING SUBSTANCE
WAS SUBMERGED
A LOCK-BLADE KNIFE,
AN EXACT DUPLICATE.
AN EXACT DUPLICATE
OF THE LOCK-BLADE KNIFE
AGENT AHLQUIST HAD JUST SEEN
IN THE POLICE DEPARTMENT.
RODRIGUEZ IS DETAINED,
AND FORENSICS ARE CALLED IN
TO CHECK OUT HIS CAR.
I RECALL QUITE VIVIDLY STANDING
OUTSIDE THE BACKDOOR OF THE CAR.
A SCIENTIST WAS IN THE CAR
AND JUST SAID,
"THAT'S INTERESTING."
"LOOK AT ALL THE BLOOD."
FORENSIC SAMPLES TAKEN
FROM RODRIGUEZ'S CAR REVEAL
TRACES OF DRU'S DNA.
WHEN DRU'S BLOOD IS FOUND
IN RODRIGUEZ'S CAR,
YOU KNOW, THAT REALLY THEN
BRINGS IT HOME.
GOOD AFTERNOON,
MRS. SJODIN.
WHEN I HEARD
THAT HER BLOOD HAD BEEN FOUND
THE CAR OF A SEX OFFENDER,
IT HIT ME IN THE GUT LIKE...
LIKE I COULDN'T BREATHE.
THEY STILL HAVE NOT FOUND DRU.
BUT POLICE HAVE MORE THAN ENOUGH
TO ARREST ALFONSO RODRIGUEZ
AND CHARGE HIM
WITH KIDNAPPING DRU SJODIN.
POLICE BREAK THE NEWS
TO DRU'S FRIENDS AND FAMILY.
IT WAS DECEMBER 1st.
AND LINDA CALLS.
SHE'S LIKE, "PULL OVER.
PULL THE CAR OVER."
SHE TOLD ME
THAT THERE WAS AN ARREST,
AND THERE IS
SOME BLOOD INVOLVED.
AND SHE DOESN'T SAY
ANYTHING ABOUT DRU.
AND I ASK, "WELL, WHERE'S DRU?"
AND SHE JUST SAID,
"WE DON'T -- WE DON'T KNOW."
IT WOULD TAKE FIVE MORE MONTHS
BEFORE HER FAMILY WOULD HAVE
THAT FINAL, CRUEL ANSWER.
APRIL 17, 2004.
THE NORTH DAKOTA WINTER IS OVER.
THE SNOW AND ICE MELT
AND REVEAL THE DEADLY SECRET
THAT HAD BEEN BURIED FOR MONTHS.
A SEARCH TEAM FINDS DRU'S BODY
IN A REMOTE RAVINE.
SHE HAS BEEN STRANGLED, STABBED,
AND SEXUALLY ASSAULTED.
INVESTIGATORS USING
SURVEILLANCE FOOTAGE
ARE ABLE TO PIECE TOGETHER
WHAT HAPPENED TO DRU SJODIN.
I BELIEVE THAT MR. RODRIGUEZ
ENCOUNTERED HER IN THE MALL
AS SHE WALKED
FROM VICTORIA'S SECRET.
I THINK HE FOLLOWED HER
THROUGH THE MALL...
...FOLLOWED HER OUT
THE MARSHALL FIELDS DOOR...
YEAH.
I JUST FINISHED WORK.
OKAY.
...TO HER CAR,
WHERE HE DECIDED IT WAS TIME
TO MAKE HIS MOVE...
...PULLED OUT HIS KNIFE,
DROPPED THE SHEATH.
IN THE CAR.
HE FORCES HER INTO HIS CAR
AND DRIVES OUT OF THE AREA.
DRU.
I THINK THE 7:42 PHONE CALL...
IS HER KILLER
DISREGARDING THE PHONE NEAR HER,
WHICH IS WHY I HEARD THE TONES,
WHICH GIVES ME
A TIMELINE OF 5:05 TO 7:42.
I ALWAYS THINK ABOUT IT,
THAT HE PUT HER THROUGH HELL.
UM, THAT 21/2 HOURS,
I CAN'T IMAGINE.
ON AUGUST 30, 2006,
ALFONSO RODRIGUEZ
IS CONVICTED FOR THE KIDNAP
AND MURDER OF DRU SJODIN.
HE'S SENTENCED TO DEATH.
HE WAITS ON DEATH ROW
TO THIS DAY.
THE HISTORY OF VIOLENCE
WITH THIS INDIVIDUAL
AND SERVING 23 YEARS
AND, UPON RELEASE,
6 MONTHS LATER,
BEING ABLE TO DO THIS,
ANGERS ME
EVERY TIME I THINK ABOUT IT.
...INTRODUCING A PIECE
OF LEGISLATION
THAT I HOPE VERY MUCH
WILL SAVE LIVES IN THIS COUNTRY.
AND DRU'S LEGACY LIVES ON.
IN 2006, THE WHITE HOUSE
SIGNED DRU'S LAW...
MAKING
THE SEX-OFFENDERS REGISTRY
AVAILABLE TO THE PUBLIC
NATIONWIDE.
IT MAKES ME FEEL ANGRY
THAT HE TOOK THIS PERSON
OUT OF NOT ONLY MY LIFE,
BUT A LOT
OF OTHER PEOPLE'S LIVES.
AND IT WILL FOREVER
AFFECT MY LIFE,
AS WELL AS
EVERYONE ELSE INVOLVED.
DRU'S FAMILY
AND FRIENDS WILL ALWAYS WONDER.
IF THE PARKING LOT OF THE MALL
HAD SECURITY CAMERAS,
THIS CRIME
MAY HAVE BEEN DETERRED.
IT WAS VITAL SECURITY FOOTAGE
THAT WAS CRITICAL
TO SOLVING THIS CASE.
THE VIDEO EVIDENCE IN THIS CASE
REALLY PLACED MR. RODRIGUEZ
AT THE SCENE OF THE ABDUCTION.
WITHOUT THAT VIDEO EVIDENCE,
THERE WOULD HAVE ALWAYS BEEN
A QUESTION IN SOMEBODY'S MIND.