See No Evil (2014–…): Season 2, Episode 6 - Vanished from Campus - full transcript
A young man goes missing. His girlfriend and best friend help the authorities find clues to his location. Suspense and shock erupts as they go on this journey.
A COLLEGE FRESHMAN GOES MISSING.
"OKAY, HE DIDN'T STAY
WITH ME LAST NIGHT.
HE DIDN'T STAY IN HIS DORM
LAST NIGHT.
WHERE WAS HE ALL NIGHT?"
HIS GIRLFRIEND PANICS...
YOU KNOW, PLEASE,
LIKE, LET US HEAR SOMETHING.
...HIS FAMILY FEARS THE WORST...
MY SON
IS MORE IMPORTANT THAN ANYTHING,
SO I NEED TO FIND HIM.
...AND A SEARCH
LEADS POLICE NOWHERE.
IT'S HAVING THIS BIG PUZZLE
AND THEN MISSING THAT ONE PIECE.
BUT THERE IS ONE WITNESS
THAT CAN SOLVE THE MYSTERY
ONCE AND FOR ALL.
THE TV DOESN'T LIE.
SANTA FE COLLEGE,
GAINESVILLE, FLORIDA.
SEPTEMBER 20, 2012.
CLASS IS OVER FOR ERIKA FRIMAN.
THEN SHE HAS PLANS
TO MEET UP
WITH HER BOYFRIEND,
CHRISTIAN AGUILAR.
IT WAS LIKE 4:00 OR 4:30,
AND THE FIRST THING I DO IS
I'M TEXTING CHRISTIAN LIKE,
"HEY. WHERE ARE YOU?
I JUST GOT OUT OF CLASS."
LIKE, "LET'S MEET UP."
CHRISTIAN AGUILAR
IS A FRESHMAN
ENROLLED AT THE NEARBY
UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA.
EVERY DAY AS SOON AS THINGS
FINISHED UP FOR THE DAY,
I PRETTY MUCH WOULD CONTACT HIM
AND WE'D MEET UP.
SO I'M MESSAGING HIM.
HE DOESN'T ANSWER.
ERIKA HEADS BACK
TO HER APARTMENT ALONE.
HE'S STILL NOT ANSWERING.
I'M LIKE, "YOU KNOW, THIS IS
GETTING A LITTLE STRANGE."
AND I'M LIKE, "I DON'T KNOW.
MAYBE HE'S JUST REALLY BUSY.
MAYBE HE'S AT A MOVIE
OR SOMETHING."
BUT FOUR HOURS LATER,
THERE'S STILL
NO SIGN OF CHRISTIAN.
GROWING MORE WORRIED
BY THE MINUTE,
ERIKA HEADS TO HIS DORM
TO CHECK IN WITH HIS ROOMMATE.
HEY, UM, HAVE YOU
SEEN CHRISTIAN AT ALL?
NO.
AND I TELL HIM,
"I'M REALLY WORRIED ABOUT HIM."
LIKE,
"CAN YOU JUST TEXT ME
OR CALL ME, YOU KNOW,
WHENEVER HE SHOWS UP?
HERE'S MY NUMBER."
I WAS LIKE, "I DON'T CARE
IF IT'S 3:00 IN THE MORNING
OR MIDNIGHT OR WHATEVER.
JUST MAKE SURE TO CALL ME, OKAY?
I REALLY WANT TO MAKE SURE
HE GOT HOME OKAY."
IT WAS REALLY UNLIKE HIM.
I MEAN, WE HADN'T EVEN
BEEN DATING THAT LONG,
BUT I COULD ALREADY SENSE
THAT THERE WAS SOMETHING WRONG.
ERIKA AND CHRISTIAN
HAD AN INSTANT CONNECTION,
AND SINCE THEY GOT TOGETHER,
THEY HAVE BEEN INSEPARABLE.
IT KIND OF JUST HAPPENED
AND IT WAS STRANGE,
BUT YOU DON'T GET TO CHOOSE
WHO YOU, LIKE,
START HAVING
FEELINGS FOR, RIGHT?
SO...
WE WERE UNTOUCHABLE.
LIKE, AS LONG
AS I WAS IN HIS ARMS
OR WITH HIM OR HE WAS AROUND,
LIKE, I FELT
I COULD DO ANYTHING.
CHRISTIAN AND ERIKA
WERE AT THE BEGINNING
OF THEIR JOURNEY.
THEY WERE YOUNG, IN LOVE,
AND EXCITED ABOUT THE FUTURE.
I NEVER SAW MY SON SO HAPPY
IN HIS ENTIRE LIFE.
NIGHT FALLS AND STILL
THERE'S NO WORD FROM CHRISTIAN.
THE NEXT MORNING, ERIKA
CALLS CHRISTIAN'S ROOMMATE.
HI.
AND HE'S LIKE, "NO,
HE NEVER SHOWED UP LAST NIGHT."
SO NOW I'M LIKE, "OKAY, HE
DIDN'T STAY WITH ME LAST NIGHT.
HE DIDN'T STAY IN HIS DORM
LAST NIGHT.
WHERE WAS HE ALL NIGHT?"
ERIKA GROWS MORE WORRIED
WITH EVERY TICK OF THE CLOCK.
SHE CALLS CHRISTIAN'S PARENTS
IN MIAMI.
I WOKE UP THAT DAY
LIKE A NORMAL DAY.
I WAS INSIDE OF MY OFFICE
WHEN I RECEIVED A PHONE CALL.
ERIKA ASKED ME,
"DID YOU TALK TO CHRISTIAN
LAST NIGHT?"
AND I SAID, "WHAT ARE YOU
ASKING ME THAT FOR?"
AND SHE SAYS,
"BECAUSE CHRISTIAN IS NOT
ANSWERING THE PHONE
OR NOTHING LIKE THAT."
WHAT?
AND I'M LIKE,
"THIS DOESN'T SOUND
LIKE CHRISTIAN."
OKAY, LISTEN.
I'M COMING TO GET YOU.
HE NEVER DID ANYTHING LIKE THAT.
I KNEW SOMETHING WAS WRONG.
I NEED TO GO GAINESVILLE.
I WENT FOR MY WIFE
AND I TOLD HER, "LET'S GO."
WE JUST START DRIVING.
BACK IN GAINESVILLE,
ERIKA MEETS WITH CHRISTIAN'S
BEST FRIEND, PEDRO BRAVO.
HE TELLS ERIKA
HE'D MET CHRISTIAN LUNCHTIME
THE DAY HE VANISHED
AND HE HASN'T HEARD
FROM HIM SINCE.
ERIKA'S HEARD ENOUGH.
LIKE, LET'S GET THINGS DONE.
LIKE, LET'S GO TO THE POLICE
AND LET'S GET SOME, YOU KNOW,
PROFESSIONAL HELP
'CAUSE I CLEARLY DON'T KNOW
WHAT TO DO HERE.
ERIKA AND PEDRO RUSH
TO THE CAMPUS POLICE STATION
TO REPORT CHRISTIAN MISSING.
- WHAT'S GOING ON?
- HI, I'M ERIKA.
- OFFICER PECK.
- I'M PEDRO.
THE MAJORITY OF OUR MISSING
STUDENTS ARE LOCATED
AND THEY'RE LOCATED
FAIRLY QUICKLY.
USUALLY A MATTER OF
SEVERAL PHONE CALLS
OR GOING
TO THEIR RESIDENCE HALL.
WE'RE USUALLY ABLE
TO TRACK THEM DOWN.
ANY TIME
WE HAVE A MISSING PERSONS CASE,
WE KIND OF START
WITH THE OBVIOUS --
CHECK TO SEE IF THEY'VE BEEN
TO ANY OF THEIR CLASSES,
START CHECKING ANY
SOCIAL MEDIA SITES THAT WE CAN
TO SEE IF
THEY'VE BEEN ACTIVE RECENTLY.
BUT THERE'S SOMETHING
THAT MAKES THE SEARCH
FOR CHRISTIAN AGUILAR
MUCH MORE URGENT AND ALARMING.
THERE WAS A POINT
WHERE HE WAS SUFFERING
FROM SOME SORT OF DEPRESSION.
I JUST TRIED TO TELL HIM
THAT I UNDERSTOOD
AND THAT I WANTED TO HELP HIM
EVEN THOUGH
I DIDN'T KNOW HOW TO.
WHY DON'T YOU JUST HAVE A SEAT,
OKAY?
I'LL BE RIGHT BACK.
WHERE WE FIND OUT
THAT INFORMATION,
MAYBE WHERE THERE ARE
MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES,
WE MAY JUMP
A LITTLE BIT QUICKER.
POLICE KNOW WELL
THAT SUICIDE IS A LEADING CAUSE
OF DEATH AMONG COLLEGE STUDENTS.
THEY MUST ALWAYS TAKE THIS KIND
OF INFORMATION SERIOUSLY.
UNIVERSITY POLICE RACE
TO CHRISTIAN'S DORM
TO MAKE SURE
HE HASN'T HARMED HIMSELF.
AS THEY DRIVE THE 300 MILES
TO GAINESVILLE,
CHRISTIAN'S PARENTS GROW
MORE CONCERNED WITH EVERY MILE.
MY FIRST REACTION IS --
I NEED TO FIND OUT.
IF I FIND HIM AND HE'S GOOD,
WELL, I'M GONNA HUG HIM
AND COME BACK
AND TELL HIM NOT TO DO IT AGAIN.
IN GAINESVILLE, POLICE
ARRIVE AT CHRISTIAN'S DORM.
POLICE HAVE NO IDEA
WHAT AWAITS THEM.
I DON'T WANT IT TO SOUND
CRASS OR WEIRD,
BUT IS THERE A DEAD BODY
IN THERE,
SOMETHING OBVIOUS OF A STRUGGLE,
OR CHRISTIAN HIMSELF?
ERIKA AND PEDRO WAIT
ANXIOUSLY AT THE POLICE STATION.
I'M KIND OF WAITING
FOR THEM TO GET BACK
TO HEAR WHAT THEY HAVE TO SAY,
AND IT WAS JUST VERY EMOTIONAL
AND A VERY DIFFICULT TIME
AT THAT POINT.
ON THE ROAD,
DAD CARLOS IS TRYING
TO HOLD IT TOGETHER.
I START PANICKING.
I WAS NERVOUS.
YOU HAVE THOUSANDS
OF THOUGHTS IN YOUR MIND
THAT YOU CANNOT CONTROL.
WHEN THEY WENT INTO THE ROOM,
THEY DIDN'T SEE ANYTHING
OUT OF THE ORDINARY.
THE SEARCH LEADS NOWHERE.
SO INVESTIGATORS CHANGE TACTICS.
THEY TRY PICKING UP THE MISSING
STUDENT'S CYBER TRAIL.
ONE OF THE THINGS
THAT WE WERE CHECKING
WAS TO FIND OUT
IF HE HAD CONNECTED
INTO THE UNIVERSITY
COMPUTER NETWORK SYSTEM,
AND ALL OF A SUDDEN,
IT HAD POPPED UP
THAT HE WAS ON IT
THAT PREVIOUS NIGHT.
CHRISTIAN HAD LOGGED
IN TO THE UNIVERSITY NETWORK
THE NIGHT BEFORE HE VANISHED.
IF THAT'S THE CASE,
IS HE STILL SOMEWHERE ON CAMPUS?
I WAS LITERALLY PRAYING TO GOD
THAT THIS WAS JUST GONNA END
WITH, LIKE, A SILLY STORY
THAT WE CAN TALK
TO OTHER PEOPLE ABOUT,
YOU KNOW, IN THE YEARS TO COME.
IF CHRISTIAN IS SOMEWHERE ON
THE UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA'S
2,000-ACRE CAMPUS,
THEN HE MIGHT HAVE BEEN SPOTTED
BY THE MOST RELIABLE WITNESS
THERE IS.
THERE ARE SCORES
OF SECURITY CAMERAS
IN AND AROUND THE MORE THAN 900
CAMPUS BUILDINGS.
CAMPUS POLICE
START ROUNDING UP THE VIDEO
FROM EVERY CAMERA THEY CAN.
WILL ONE OF THESE CAMERAS
REVEAL WHAT HAPPENED
TO CHRISTIAN AGUILAR?
UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA
STUDENT CHRISTIAN AGUILAR
HAS NOW BEEN MISSING
FOR 24 HOURS.
HIS GIRLFRIEND ERIKA
AND HIS FRIEND PEDRO
REPORTED IT TO THE COPS
THIS MORNING.
AT THIS POINT, I'M JUST,
LIKE, REALLY FRUSTRATED
BECAUSE I CAN'T DO ANYTHING.
I FEEL HELPLESS.
I FEEL LIKE MY HANDS ARE TIED.
POLICE KNOW CHRISTIAN WAS
LOGGED ON TO CAMPUS COMPUTERS,
SO THEY START THEIR VIDEO SEARCH
FOR THE MISSING STUDENT
WITH ON-CAMPUS SECURITY CAMERAS.
ONE IS POSTED UP
OUTSIDE THE UNIVERSITY CAFé.
LET ME JUST
BACK THIS UP HERE.
STOP IT RIGHT HERE.
IT'S NOT CHRISTIAN.
ANOTHER CAMERA IS MOUNTED
RIGHT OUTSIDE THE ROOM
WHERE CHRISTIAN'S LAST CLASS
OF THE DAY WAS HELD.
AND A CAMERA MONITORS
THE MAIN ENTRANCE TO CAMPUS.
LET'S START FROM THE BEGINNING
AGAIN.
ACROSS EVERY FRAME OF TAPE
RECORDED
ACROSS THE UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA
SYSTEM THAT NIGHT...
...THERE IS NO SIGN
OF CHRISTIAN,
AT LEAST NOT YET.
IT DOESN'T NECESSARILY MEAN
THAT SOMETHING BAD HAPPENED,
BUT ON THE OTHER HAND,
IT KIND OF GAVE ME
A LITTLE CONCERN.
IN THE MEANTIME, CHRISTIAN'S
PARENTS HAVE ARRIVED FROM MIAMI,
AND RIGHT AWAY,
HIS FATHER, CARLOS,
LAUNCHES HIS OWN SEARCH
FOR HIS SON.
CREATES SOMETHING
IN YOUR STOMACH
AND YOUR HEART
THAT YOU CANNOT IMAGINE.
IT HAS NOW BEEN 24 HOURS
SINCE CHRISTIAN DISAPPEARED
AND THE CLOCK IS TICKING.
THEY WERE STARTING
TO PUT OUT FLIERS FOR CHRISTIAN
TO GET INFORMATION.
DO YOU MIND TAKING THIS?
MY SON IS MISSING.
MY SON IS MORE IMPORTANT
THAN ANYTHING,
SO I NEED TO FIND HIM.
WHILE HIS OFFICERS
SEARCH THROUGH
HOURS OF CAMPUS
SURVEILLANCE VIDEO,
OFFICER PECK QUESTIONS ERIKA
AND CHRISTIAN'S FRIEND PEDRO.
MNH-MNH.
THEY DID ASK ME WHERE I WAS
AND WHAT I WAS DOING
AND WHERE I WAS ON CAMPUS.
THEY, I GUESS, GAVE ME,
LIKE, AN ACTUAL INTERROGATION.
I DIDN'T REALLY REALIZE
THAT THEY WERE QUESTIONING ME
THINKING THAT I WAS A SUSPECT.
RIGHT NEXT DOOR,
DETECTIVES QUESTION PEDRO BRAVO.
THEY HAD MET THE PREVIOUS DAY.
IT SOUNDED LIKE THEY WERE VERY,
VERY CLOSE FRIENDS, CONFIDANTS.
YOU KNOW, BEST FRIENDS WOULD BE
THE BEST WAY TO DESCRIBE IT.
THE COPS GRILL CHRISTIAN'S
FRIEND AND GIRLFRIEND
ABOUT EVERY DETAIL
OF THEIR RELATIONSHIP
WITH THE MISSING TEEN.
HE WAS LOOKING AT ME
UNDER A MICROSCOPE,
RIGHT, 'CAUSE AT THAT POINT,
I WAS A SUSPECT, I SUPPOSE.
"I'VE BEEN HERE FOR FIVE HOURS.
WHY CAN'T I GO OUT
LOOKING FOR HIM?
WHAT CAN I DO?"
NEXT DOOR,
PEDRO IS ALSO FRUSTRATED.
HE WALKS INVESTIGATORS
THROUGH THE DAY
HE AND CHRISTIAN SPENT TOGETHER.
YEAH, NO,
IT'S THAT SONG SPECIFICALLY.
THEY DECIDED TO LEAVE
CAMPUS AND GET INTO PEDRO'S CAR.
I KNEW YOU WERE A FAN.
AND THEY WENT TO BEST BUY
SO THAT CHRISTIAN COULD PICK UP
THE NEW KANYE WEST CD.
THEY DROVE AROUND TOWN
LISTENING TO THIS CD.
AND I CAN'T...
AND THEN EVENTUALLY,
AT SOME POINT
DURING THIS DRIVE...
ALL RIGHT, DUDE.
I'LL SEE YOU LATER.
...HE DROPPED CHRISTIAN OFF
SOMEWHERE IN GAINESVILLE.
BUT THAT'S WHERE THE TRAIL ENDS.
NEW TO GAINESVILLE,
PEDRO DOESN'T KNOW STREET NAMES
AND NUMBERS WELL ENOUGH
TO TELL POLICE EXACTLY WHERE
HE LAST SAW CHRISTIAN.
YES.
MEANWHILE, THE INTERROGATION
IS ALSO FRUSTRATING
GIRLFRIEND ERIKA.
IF THEY WANTED
TO ASK ME THE SAME QUESTION
A MILLION TIMES AND THAT WAS
GONNA HELP THEM FIND CHRISTIAN,
I WAS LIKE,
"WHATEVER YOU GUYS NEED TO KNOW,
I WILL TELL YOU EVERYTHING."
WITH THE CLOCK TICKING,
POLICE EXPAND THEIR CCTV SEARCH
YET AGAIN.
THEY PULL FOOTAGE
FROM KEY CAMERAS
ON THE MASSIVE
UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA CAMPUS.
IT'S LIKE LOOKING FOR
A NEEDLE IN A HAYSTACK.
THEY THINK THEY SPOT
HIM SEVERAL TIMES.
ALL RIGHT. STOP IT.
OKAY.
BUT IN THE CRUCIAL TIMEFRAME,
THERE'S NO SIGN
OF THE MISSING COLLEGE FRESHMAN.
IT SEEMED VERY ODD.
WITH THE TAPES LEADING NOWHERE,
POLICE GO BACK TO
THE LAST PERSON
THEY KNOW SAW CHRISTIAN --
PEDRO BRAVO.
WE REALLY WANTED TO NARROW DOWN
WHEN THE LAST TIME ANYBODY
HAD CONTACT WITH CHRISTIAN.
WITHOUT
A SOLID ADDRESS TO CHECK OUT,
THEY FOCUS ON THE PART
OF PEDRO'S STORY
THEY MIGHT BE ABLE TO CONFIRM --
THE TRIP TO BEST BUY.
IS HE BEING HONEST ABOUT
ONE OF THE LAST TIMES
HE SAW CHRISTIAN?
THEY HEAD TO THE STORE
LOOKING FOR A WITNESS
THAT ALWAYS TELLS THE TRUTH.
NOW WE COULD GO TO THIS STORE,
SEE IF THEY HAVE
SURVEILLANCE FOOTAGE.
SO WE START NOW TRYING
TO WORK ON A TIMELINE, YOU KNOW,
IF THERE WAS
ANYBODY ELSE WITH THEM.
THEY'RE IN LUCK.
THE STORE HAS CAMERAS.
THE MANAGER HANDS OVER THE TAPES
AND OFFICERS BRING THE FOOTAGE
TO THE STATION.
THEY REWIND
TO THE APPROXIMATE TIME
PEDRO SAYS THEY WENT SHOPPING.
AND THEN
THEY LET THE VIDEO ROLL.
FOR 10 MINUTES,
THERE'S NOTHING FOR THEM TO SEE.
BUT THEN, THEY SPOT PEDRO.
AND HE'S WITH CHRISTIAN AGUILAR.
THAT LOOKS LIKE HIM.
THE POLICE
FINALLY CATCH A GLIMPSE
OF THE MISSING STUDENT.
THEY SPOOL THROUGH
EVERY CAMERA ANGLE,
SCOURING THE VIDEO
FOR ANY KIND OF CLUE.
PEDRO AND CHRISTIAN ARE ALONE.
THEY LOOK RELAXED.
THEY BROWSE THE AISLES
AND PICK UP A CD.
EVERYTHING LOOKS NORMAL.
SO IT KIND OF CONFIRMED
THAT PART OF THE STORY
THAT PEDRO WAS TELLING US.
NOW POLICE PRESS PEDRO
AGAIN FOR MORE DETAILS
ABOUT WHERE
HE DROPPED CHRISTIAN OFF
AFTER THEY WENT TO BEST BUY.
PEDRO DIDN'T KNOW
SPECIFIC STREET NAMES
'CAUSE HE REALLY WAS
NEW TO THE AREA.
USING PEDRO'S DESCRIPTIONS...
...DETECTIVES MANAGE TO PIECE
TOGETHER A POSSIBLE LOCATION
FOR CHRISTIAN'S DROP-OFF.
AND IT'S A LOCATION
THEY'RE ALL TOO FAMILIAR WITH.
THERE WERE SOME
HIGH-CRIME AREAS UP THERE
THAT WERE KNOWN FOR
NARCOTICS SALES AND USE AREAS,
WHICH KIND OF HAD ME
A LITTLE BIT CONCERNED.
HOW COULD
OUT-OF-TOWNER PEDRO HAVE KNOWN
THAT HE'S DROPPED CHRISTIAN OFF
IN ONE OF THE HIGHEST-CRIME
NEIGHBORHOODS IN GAINESVILLE?
WERE THEY GOING UP THERE
TO BUY ILLEGAL DRUGS
AND THEN DID SOMETHING
BAD HAPPEN DURING THE DEAL?
PEDRO SUDDENLY REALIZES HE MAY
HAVE DROPPED HIS BEST FRIEND
INTO THE MIDDLE OF DANGER.
HE KIND OF BROKE DOWN
AND STARTED CRYING AND SAYING
IT WAS GONNA BE ALL HIS FAULT,
"BECAUSE I DROPPED HIM OFF THERE
AND LEFT HIM THERE."
THE POLICE FINALLY
HAVE THEIR FIRST SOLID LEAD.
WAS CHRISTIAN THE VICTIM
OF A DRUG DEAL GONE WRONG?
THERE'S ALWAYS AN ISSUE
THAT WE WORRY ABOUT
WITH ASSAULTS AND BATTERY,
STALKING, THAT ARE OUT THERE.
CHRISTIAN'S FRIENDS
DENY HE HAS EVER DONE DRUGS.
BUT UNIVERSITY POLICE
HAVE TO FOLLOW UP.
SINCE THIS DRUG DEN
IS OFF-CAMPUS
AND OUT OF THEIR JURISDICTION,
THEY HAVE TO CALL IN
GAINESVILLE POLICE FOR HELP.
DETECTIVE ROBERTS.
UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA
POLICE DEPARTMENT HAD CALLED
ASKING FOR A DETECTIVE
TO COME OVER
AND ASSIST THEM
ON A MISSING PERSONS CASE.
OKAY.
I'M ON MY WAY.
AND DETECTIVE ROBERTS
DOESN'T WASTE ANOTHER SECOND.
HE SENDS PATROL OFFICERS OUT
TO SEE IF THERE'S
SURVEILLANCE VIDEO ANYWHERE NEAR
WHERE PEDRO
DROPPED CHRISTIAN OFF.
THERE'S NO
MEMORY PROBLEMS WITH A CCTV.
THE TV DOESN'T LIE.
CHRISTIAN AGUILAR HAS
NOW BEEN MISSING FOR THREE DAYS.
HIS FAMILY AND FRIENDS
GROW MORE PANICKED
WITH EACH PASSING HOUR.
ALL THAT MATTERED
TO ME WAS FINDING HIM
AND HAVING HIM BACK.
THAT'S ALL I WANTED.
CHRISTIAN'S FRIEND PEDRO
DROPPED CHRISTIAN OFF IN AN AREA
WHERE DRUG DEALERS ARE KNOWN
TO PLY THEIR TRADE.
AND NOW, INVESTIGATORS
MUST GO BLOCK TO BLOCK,
BUSINESS BY BUSINESS,
LOOKING FOR SURVEILLANCE CAMERAS
IN THAT NEIGHBORHOOD
THAT MIGHT HELP
SOLVE THIS MYSTERY
AND BRING CHRISTIAN BACK ALIVE.
WE FOCUSED MOST OF OUR RESOURCES
AS FAR AS OBTAINING
SURVEILLANCE VIDEO
FROM THE LOCATION
WHERE PEDRO BRAVO
LAST SAW CHRISTIAN.
TWO BUSINESSES ARE QUICK
TO HAND OVER THEIR FOOTAGE.
A KANGAROO CONVENIENCE STORE
HAS THREE SECURITY CAMERAS --
TWO OVER THE ENTRANCE...
...AND ONE LOOKING
ONTO THE GAS STATION.
COULD ONE OF THEM
HAVE SEEN CHRISTIAN?
YOU START WATCHING IT
AND YOU REALIZE
THAT IT'S NOT EITHER SHOWING
THE AREA THAT YOU'RE LOOKING FOR
OR THAT THE QUALITY'S NOT THERE.
ESPECIALLY, THEN,
WE HAVE TO SIT THERE
AND WATCH IT IN REAL TIME,
AND WE HAVE A VERY BIG TIMEFRAME
TO LOOK AT.
A SUNTRUST BANK BRANCH IS THE
NEXT TO OFFER UP ITS FOOTAGE.
CAN YOU I.D. THE OCCUPANT
OF THAT VEHICLE THERE?
POLICE COMPARE EVERY MALE FIGURE
TO CHRISTIAN'S PHOTOGRAPH.
BUT IT'S NO USE.
YET AGAIN, HE'S NOT THERE.
YOU'RE GONNA BE DISAPPOINTED,
BUT YOU'VE GOT TO GO
TO THE NEXT LOCATION.
IT'S A BIG TASK.
IT BECOMES VERY,
VERY LABOR-INTENSIVE.
THERE ARE HUNDREDS
MORE CAMERAS IN THE AREA.
SO MANY PLACES AND BUSINESSES,
IT TOOK A BIG TEAM EFFORT
TO GET EVERYTHING WE GOT.
BUT THEY AREN'T GIVING UP.
THEY KNOW IT COULD TAKE
JUST A SINGLE SECOND OF FOOTAGE
TO TURN THIS CASE AROUND.
IT CAN DO A LOT
TO CHANGE THE INVESTIGATION.
WHILE POLICE SCOUR THE VIDEO,
ANOTHER KIND OF SEARCH
IS UNDERWAY.
18-YEAR-OLD AGUILAR
WAS REPORTED MISSING
ALMOST A WEEK AGO,
AND STILL AUTHORITIES
DON'T HAVE A FIRM GRASP
ON WHERE THEY CAN FIND HIM.
THE SEARCH ORIGINATED
RIGHT WHERE PEDRO BRAVO
LAST SAW CHRISTIAN,
WHICH WAS TOWARDS
THE OUTER NORTH PORTION
OF THE CITY LIMITS.
WE HAD PATROL OFFICERS,
HELICOPTERS, DOGS,
COME TO THAT LOCATION.
WE'VE BEEN SEARCHING FOR DAYS
AND WE'RE NOT
UNCOVERING ANYTHING.
ALSO DESPERATE FOR ANSWERS,
CHRISTIAN'S FAMILY
AND VOLUNTEERS JOIN THE SEARCH.
WE IMMEDIATELY WENT OVER THERE
AND WE START GETTING
INTO THE WOODS.
THERE WERE VOLUNTEERS
COMING OUT OF MIAMI,
UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA.
POLICE DEPARTMENTS
FROM ALL OVER SOUTH FLORIDA
WERE COMING UP HERE
AND VOLUNTEERING AND HELPING.
THERE WERE A HOST OF PEOPLE
THAT CAME OUT OF THE WOODWORK
TO HELP FIND CHRISTIAN.
I'M THE HEAD OF THE HOUSE.
I'M THE ONE
THAT'S SUPPOSED TO LEAD.
AND I DIDN'T KNOW HOW,
TO BE HONEST WITH YOU.
I DIDN'T HAVE A CLUE.
THE ONLY THING THAT I KNEW IS
THAT I NEEDED TO FIND HIM.
I'M NOT A RICH PERSON.
I WORK FOR A LIVING.
I WAS LOSING MY HOUSE
AT ONE POINT.
I KNEW THAT MY HOUSE
WAS GOING DOWN THE DRAIN,
BUT I DIDN'T CARE.
THE SEARCHES COME UP EMPTY.
CHRISTIAN AGUILAR
WAS LAST SEEN...
BUT THE MEDIA
SPOTLIGHT GENERATES TIPS.
UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA STUDENT
CHRISTIAN AGUILAR.
MOST OF THEM LEAD NOWHERE.
CAMPUS POLICE.
THEN, INFORMATION COMES IN
THAT COULD CHANGE EVERYTHING.
A LIQUOR STORE EMPLOYEE
TELLS COPS
THAT SHE'S SEEN THE YOUNG MAN
THEY'RE LOOKING FOR.
A LADY SAID THAT SHE SAW HIM
OUTSIDE THE LIQUOR STORE
FRIDAY EVENING.
THE WOMAN IS CERTAIN
SHE SAW HIM ALONE
AT THE STORE AROUND THE TIME
PEDRO DROPPED HIM OFF.
POLICE HEAD TO ABC LIQUORS.
IT'S GOOD NEWS.
THE STORE'S COVERED
WITH SURVEILLANCE CAMERAS.
WE PULLED THEIR
SURVEILLANCE VIDEO.
INVESTIGATORS BRING
THE LIQUOR-STORE VIDEOS
BACK TO HEADQUARTERS.
THEY LOAD IT UP.
THEY REWIND TO THE TIME
THE WOMAN CLAIMED
SHE SAW CHRISTIAN.
IF HE WAS THERE,
HE WOULD HAVE BEEN
CAUGHT ON CAMERA.
WHAT'S THAT?
REPLAY THAT.
HE WASN'T THERE.
CCTV PROVES
ANOTHER LEAD FALSE --
CHRISTIAN WASN'T AT THE STORE.
FOR POLICE, IT'S A HUGE SETBACK
AND ANOTHER DEAD END.
IT'S HAVING THIS BIG PUZZLE
AND THEN MISSING THAT ONE PIECE.
WITH EACH DEAD END,
THE AGONY DEEPENS
FOR CHRISTIAN'S FAMILY.
I WAS LIKE
A WALKING DEAD PERSON.
WASN'T ABLE TO CONCENTRATE
OR REMEMBER A LOT OF STUFF.
YOU KNOW, AS A FATHER,
YOU NEVER WANT TO LOSE FAITH.
I'M LOOKING FOR PEOPLE
THAT CAN COME AND HELP ME.
I'M LOOKING FOR SOMEBODY
THAT CAN WALK WITH ME.
THAT'S THE ONLY THING
THAT I CAN ASK.
NOT KNOWING IS LIKE THE --
I CAN'T EVEN DESCRIBE THAT KIND
OF PAIN AND THAT WONDER,
AND LIKE THE CONSTANT
OF WHERE HE COULD BE
AND IF HE'S IN PAIN
AND LIKE, IT'S JUST SO
TRAUMATIZING.
I DON'T --
NO HUMAN BEING
SHOULD HAVE TO HAVE THAT.
POLICE CAST THE NET WIDE,
PULLING FOOTAGE FROM BANKS,
FAST-FOOD RESTAURANTS,
HOTELS,
ALL IN THE DANGEROUS AREA
TOWARDS THE NORTHERN EDGES
OF GAINESVILLE,
JUST OFF THE 441 HIGHWAY
WHERE CHRISTIAN WAS LAST SEEN.
IT CAN TAKE OVER YOUR LIFE
IF YOU LET IT.
TO BE A GOOD DETECTIVE,
YOU HAVE TO BE SOMEWHAT
CONSUMED WITH YOUR CASES.
EITHER IT DOESN'T SHOW,
YOU KNOW, THE STREET
OR IT ONLY SHOWS
CERTAIN PORTIONS.
BUT AFTER WATCHING
HUNDREDS OF HOURS OF VIDEO
AND BURNING
VALUABLE INVESTIGATION TIME,
THEY REALIZE THEY ARE NOT GOING
TO CAPTURE CHRISTIAN ON TAPE,
AT LEAST NOT
IN THIS NEIGHBORHOOD.
TO SIT THERE FOR 12 HOURS
AND WATCH IT
AND NOT GET ANYTHING
IS A LITTLE FRUSTRATING.
DETECTIVES START TO WONDER
IF CHRISTIAN WAS EVER REALLY
IN THAT PART OF TOWN AT ALL.
IT WAS LIKE ALL
THESE THINGS WERE MISSING
AND I JUST WANTED ANSWERS.
BUT THEN, ALMOST ONE MONTH
INTO THE SEARCH
FOR CHRISTIAN AGUILAR...
...THEY GET A CALL
THAT SENDS THIS CASE
IN A NEW AND OMINOUS DIRECTION.
HELLO?
I KIND OF SEE THEM ALL
KIND OF DROP
TO THE FLOOR AT THIS POINT,
AND I CAN SEE THEM HUGGING,
AND IN MY HEAD,
THINGS ARE JUST ESCALATING.
GAINESVILLE, FLORIDA.
IN THEIR QUEST TO FIND MISSING
UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA FRESHMAN
CHRISTIAN AGUILAR,
POLICE HAVE SEARCHED
HIGH AND LOW,
QUESTIONED HIS BEST FRIEND
AND HIS GIRLFRIEND,
AND WATCHED HUNDREDS OF HOURS
OF SURVEILLANCE VIDEO.
YOU DIDN'T GET A LOT OF SLEEP,
AND THERE WAS SO MUCH TO DO.
I HAD EVERY DETECTIVE
IN OUR DIVISION
HELPING US IN THIS CASE.
CHRISTIAN'S FATHER, CARLOS,
HAS LEFT HIS LIFE IN MIAMI
BEHIND
TO SEARCH FOR HIS SON.
IT BECOMES YOUR OBSESSION.
BUT ON THE 22nd DAY OF THIS
BAFFLING MISSING PERSONS CASE...
HELLO?
...CARLOS GETS A CALL
THAT CHANGES EVERYTHING.
I RECEIVE A PHONE CALL FROM
A NEWS REPORTER INDICATING --
"MR. AGUILAR, HOW DO YOU FEEL
THAT YOUR SON HAS BEEN FOUND?"
WHAT?
I SAID, "EXCUSE ME?"
I DECIDED TO CALL RANDY ROBERTS.
I'M REALLY, REALLY SORRY
TO HAVE TO TELL YOU THIS.
RANDY TOLD ME THEY FOUND A BODY
IN LEVY COUNTY
AND IT LOOKS LIKE, YOU KNOW --
"THE CLOTHING MATCHES YOUR SON."
THEY FOUND CHRISTIAN.
I THINK THAT TRYING
TO LET A FAMILY KNOW
THAT THEIR FAMILY MEMBER
HAS PASSED AWAY
IS A VERY DIFFICULT PART
OF THE JOB.
I MEAN,
IT TEARS AT YOUR HEARTSTRINGS
FOR SOMEONE TO LOSE A CHILD.
CARLOS AND CLAUDIA
ARE GREAT PEOPLE.
THAT WAS REALLY HARD.
IT WAS HARD TO HEAR IT.
PROBABLY ONE OF THE HARDEST ONES
I'VE EVER HAD TO DO.
I WAS TRYING TO UNDERSTAND WHY.
WHY DID THIS HAPPEN?
WHY NOW? WHY US?
WHY MY FAMILY?
I'M THERE, LIKE, "GOD."
LIKE, "THEY FOUND HIM. GOD."
LIKE, "WHAT'S HAPPENING?
WHY AREN'T WE ALL
BEING TALKED TO?
WHAT'S GOING ON?"
AND I DIDN'T KNOW
WHAT WAS BEING SAID TO THEM,
BUT I KNEW IT WASN'T GOOD.
I REMEMBER FEELING MY CHEST
JUST LIKE AS IF SOMEONE
HAD JUST PUNCHED ME.
IT'S SOMEBODY
YOU CARE ABOUT SO MUCH,
AND THERE'S NOT REALLY
A WAY TO --
I MEAN...YEAH.
THERE WERE TWO YOUNG MEN
IN THE HUNTING WOODS
IN LEVY COUNTY.
THEY FOUND WHAT THEY BELIEVED
TO BE A BODY IN A SHALLOW GRAVE.
AS FAR AS IDENTIFYING HIM,
HE WAS STILL WEARING
THE SAME SHIRT FROM BEST BUY.
AND THEN DENTAL RECORDS
WERE USED
TO MAKE
A POSITIVE IDENTIFICATION.
HIS FEET AND HANDS
HAD BEEN DUCT-TAPED
ALONG WITH THE AREA
OVER HIS MOUTH,
AND WE KNEW
THAT IT WAS A HOMICIDE.
CHRISTIAN AGUILAR WAS
MOST LIKELY STRANGLED TO DEATH,
AND THE AUTOPSY
REVEALS SOMETHING ELSE,
SOMETHING UNUSUAL.
CHRISTIAN MAY HAVE HAD
SLEEPING PILLS IN HIS SYSTEM
WHEN HE WAS MURDERED.
POLICE NOW BELIEVE
CHRISTIAN'S MURDERER
DRUGGED HIM THEN KILLED HIM.
BUT WHO WOULD WANT
TO KILL A YOUNG MAN
WITH NO CRIMINAL RECORD,
NO DEBTS, AND NO KNOWN ENEMIES?
WITH THAT QUESTION IN MIND,
POLICE TAKE A NEW LOOK
AT EVERY BIT OF EVIDENCE.
INVESTIGATORS
LOOK FOR WITNESSES.
THEY ASK HIS GIRLFRIEND ERIKA
IF THERE WAS ANYONE
WHO WANTED CHRISTIAN DEAD.
DETECTIVES COMPARE THE CASE
TO OTHER LOCAL HOMICIDES.
AND MAYBE MOST IMPORTANT,
THEY KEEP SEARCHING
THE SURVEILLANCE VIDEO
THEY'VE COLLECTED FROM ALL THOSE
GAINESVILLE BUSINESSES.
ONE OF THE SERGEANTS
PULLED VIDEO FROM A CAR WASH,
AND NOT EVEN THINKING
WHAT MIGHT BE ON THERE
BUT, YOU KNOW, TAKING A SHOT.
IT'S A SHOT WORTH TAKING.
BECAUSE AROUND 2:00 A.M.,
THEY SEE SOMEONE AT THE CAR WASH
WHO DOESN'T BELONG THERE.
THERE IT IS.
YEAH.
IT'S NOT CHRISTIAN, THE VICTIM.
IT'S PEDRO, HIS BEST FRIEND.
THERE'S 12 MINUTES
OF VIDEO OUT OF THE BLUE
OF A CAR WASH WHERE HE GOES
AND WASHES HIS CAR.
PEDRO HAD TOLD POLICE
THAT HE WENT RIGHT HOME
AFTER DROPPING CHRISTIAN OFF
AND THEN STAYED IN
FOR THE NIGHT.
HE NEVER SAID ANYTHING
ABOUT WASHING HIS CAR
AT 2:00 IN THE MORNING.
HE WAS NOT AT HOME AT THE TIME
THAT HE SAYS HE WAS.
IT GIVES YOU A SUSPICION.
DETECTIVES NOW HAVE ENOUGH
TO GET A SEARCH WARRANT
FOR PEDRO'S APARTMENT.
POLICE GO OVER EVERY INCH
OF THE PLACE
LOOKING FOR ANYTHING
THAT COULD LINK PEDRO
TO HIS BEST FRIEND'S MURDER.
THEY LOOK EVERYWHERE.
EVEN IN THE TRASH.
WE FOUND RECEIPTS
THAT LED US TO STORES
WHERE HE MADE PURCHASES.
ONE OF THOSE RECEIPTS
COMES FROM A WALMART,
A PLACE
WITH SURVEILLANCE CAMERAS
POINTED AT EVERY REGISTER.
THEY BRING THE WALMART
SURVEILLANCE TAPE
INTO HEADQUARTERS.
DETECTIVE ROBERTS PULLS UP
THE FOOTAGE FROM THE TIME
ON THE RECEIPT.
THEN WHAT HE'S ABOUT TO SEE
WILL CHILL
THIS VETERAN DETECTIVE
TO THE BONE.
CHRISTIAN AGUILAR
HAS BEEN MURDERED --
STRANGLED
AND BURIED IN A SHALLOW GRAVE
IN A LONELY CORNER
OF RURAL FLORIDA.
A SEARCH OF HIS BEST FRIEND
PEDRO'S APARTMENT HAS LED COPS
TO SHOCKING SURVEILLANCE VIDEO
THAT MAY BE ABOUT
TO TURN THE CASE AROUND.
DETECTIVE RANDY ROBERTS
HAS QUEUED UP
THE WALMART SECURITY TAPES
TO SEE WHAT PEDRO
BOUGHT AT THE STORE.
HE PRESSES PLAY.
AT 8:06,
THERE'S PEDRO.
WHAT'S THAT IN HIS HAND?
YEAH, HOLD ON.
LET ME BACK THAT UP.
YOU CAN SEE CLEARLY
ON THE CCTV A SHOVEL.
CONSIDERING HE LIVES
IN AN APARTMENT,
THAT'S DEFINITELY AN ODD THING
TO BE PURCHASING.
YEAH.
IT'S A DISTINCT
SHORT-HANDLED SHOVEL,
PARTICULAR GRIP.
HE'S LIVING IN
AN APARTMENT COMPLEX.
HE DOESN'T HAVE ANYTHING TO BURY
IN AN APARTMENT COMPLEX.
AND POLICE KNOW
CHRISTIAN
WAS BURIED IN TOUGH DIRT.
BUT THIS IS NOT THE ONLY SECRET
THE FOOTAGE HOLDS.
LET ME SEE
IF WE HAVE ANYTHING ELSE.
HE THEN BUYS SLEEPING PILLS...
...AND DUCT TAPE.
IN AND OF THEMSELVES,
THE ITEMS THAT HE BOUGHT
ARE NOT ODD OR STRANGE,
BUT TAKEN IN THE CONTEXT
OF THE CIRCUMSTANCES,
THEY BECOME
THE TOOLS OF A MURDER.
FINALLY, AFTER SEARCHING
HUNDREDS OF HOURS OF VIDEO,
THEIR PATIENCE PAYS OFF.
IT WAS GREAT TO GET THAT VIDEO.
I MEAN, IT WAS EXCITING.
PEDRO BRAVO JUST WENT
FROM BEING BEST FRIEND
TO MURDERER.
BUT THERE'S ONE MORE
CRUCIAL QUESTION TO ANSWER --
WHY?
WHY WOULD THIS
18-YEAR-OLD COLLEGE STUDENT
WHO'S NEVER BEEN IN TROUBLE
BEFORE KILL HIS BEST FRIEND?
PEDRO BRAVO SPELLS OUT
EXACTLY WHAT HIS MOTIVE WAS.
IN FACT,
HE WROTE IT DOWN IN HIS JOURNAL.
PEDRO'S MOTIVE
IN THIS CASE WAS LOVE.
HE WAS DEEPLY IN LOVE
AND OBSESSED WITH ERIKA FRIMAN.
ERIKA WAS PEDRO'S ONLY MOTIVE.
AND THE ONLY WAY TO GET ERIKA
WAS TO MAKE CHRIS DISAPPEAR.
I -- I DON'T KNOW.
I FEEL LIKE I GET ASKED
A LOT LIKE,
"IF YOU COULD
SAY SOMETHING TO HIM,"
AND I DON'T EVEN KNOW
WHAT I WOULD SAY.
I DON'T EVEN KNOW IF I WOULD,
LIKE, WASTE MY BREATH.
THE JOURNAL SHOWED A PLAN
THAT PEDRO HAD WRITTEN OUT
ABOUT HOW TO
LURE CHRISTIAN AGUILAR
AWAY FROM THE CAMPUS.
AND ONE MORE TIME,
AN ALL-SEEING
SURVEILLANCE CAMERA
HELPS POLICE
PUT THE PUZZLE TOGETHER.
A VIDEO ANALYST
SPOTS A PIECE OF TAPE
THAT SHOWS EXACTLY
WHERE PEDRO TOOK CHRISTIAN
THE DAY HE MURDERED
HIS SO-CALLED BEST FRIEND.
THEY ENDED UP
AT A WALMART PARKING LOT.
PEDRO PARKS IN THE END ROW.
HIS CAR DOESN'T MOVE
FOR MORE THAN TWO HOURS,
AND NO ONE GETS IN OR OUT.
HE DRUGGED HIM WITH A DRINK.
I THINK IT WAS A GATORADE.
AND I THINK IT WAS
ALL SLEEPING PILLS.
I THINK DURING THAT HOUR
THAT CHRIS PROBABLY FELL ASLEEP.
AND WHILE THEY WERE
IN THE WALMART PARKING LOT,
I THINK PEDRO
STRANGLED CHRIS TO DEATH.
AND ALL THE WHILE, PEDRO'S CAR
WAS RIGHT UNDER THE NOSE
OF THE SECURITY CAMERAS.
FOR THE MURDER CHARGE,
PEDRO WAS SENTENCED TO
LIFE IN PRISON
WITHOUT THE POSSIBILITY
OF PAROLE.
IT'S OFTEN A HOLLOW VICTORY
BECAUSE I CAN'T GIVE THEM
WHAT THEY MOST WANT, WHICH IS --
THEY WANT THEIR CHILD BACK.
WE WERE SHATTERED
BY THIS TRAGEDY.
THEY BROKE US AS A FAMILY.
AND WE HAVE TO DEAL WITH IT.
MR. CHRISTIAN AGUILAR.
I WANT THEM TO REMEMBER HIM
AS THIS BEAUTIFUL HUMAN BEING
MAKING THEM LAUGH AND HIS SMILE.
I JUST WANT THEM TO REMEMBER HIM
NOT FOR
ALL OF THIS HORRIBLE STUFF
THAT HAPPENED TO HIM.
I WANT THEM TO REMEMBER HIM
FOR WHO HE WAS.
"OKAY, HE DIDN'T STAY
WITH ME LAST NIGHT.
HE DIDN'T STAY IN HIS DORM
LAST NIGHT.
WHERE WAS HE ALL NIGHT?"
HIS GIRLFRIEND PANICS...
YOU KNOW, PLEASE,
LIKE, LET US HEAR SOMETHING.
...HIS FAMILY FEARS THE WORST...
MY SON
IS MORE IMPORTANT THAN ANYTHING,
SO I NEED TO FIND HIM.
...AND A SEARCH
LEADS POLICE NOWHERE.
IT'S HAVING THIS BIG PUZZLE
AND THEN MISSING THAT ONE PIECE.
BUT THERE IS ONE WITNESS
THAT CAN SOLVE THE MYSTERY
ONCE AND FOR ALL.
THE TV DOESN'T LIE.
SANTA FE COLLEGE,
GAINESVILLE, FLORIDA.
SEPTEMBER 20, 2012.
CLASS IS OVER FOR ERIKA FRIMAN.
THEN SHE HAS PLANS
TO MEET UP
WITH HER BOYFRIEND,
CHRISTIAN AGUILAR.
IT WAS LIKE 4:00 OR 4:30,
AND THE FIRST THING I DO IS
I'M TEXTING CHRISTIAN LIKE,
"HEY. WHERE ARE YOU?
I JUST GOT OUT OF CLASS."
LIKE, "LET'S MEET UP."
CHRISTIAN AGUILAR
IS A FRESHMAN
ENROLLED AT THE NEARBY
UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA.
EVERY DAY AS SOON AS THINGS
FINISHED UP FOR THE DAY,
I PRETTY MUCH WOULD CONTACT HIM
AND WE'D MEET UP.
SO I'M MESSAGING HIM.
HE DOESN'T ANSWER.
ERIKA HEADS BACK
TO HER APARTMENT ALONE.
HE'S STILL NOT ANSWERING.
I'M LIKE, "YOU KNOW, THIS IS
GETTING A LITTLE STRANGE."
AND I'M LIKE, "I DON'T KNOW.
MAYBE HE'S JUST REALLY BUSY.
MAYBE HE'S AT A MOVIE
OR SOMETHING."
BUT FOUR HOURS LATER,
THERE'S STILL
NO SIGN OF CHRISTIAN.
GROWING MORE WORRIED
BY THE MINUTE,
ERIKA HEADS TO HIS DORM
TO CHECK IN WITH HIS ROOMMATE.
HEY, UM, HAVE YOU
SEEN CHRISTIAN AT ALL?
NO.
AND I TELL HIM,
"I'M REALLY WORRIED ABOUT HIM."
LIKE,
"CAN YOU JUST TEXT ME
OR CALL ME, YOU KNOW,
WHENEVER HE SHOWS UP?
HERE'S MY NUMBER."
I WAS LIKE, "I DON'T CARE
IF IT'S 3:00 IN THE MORNING
OR MIDNIGHT OR WHATEVER.
JUST MAKE SURE TO CALL ME, OKAY?
I REALLY WANT TO MAKE SURE
HE GOT HOME OKAY."
IT WAS REALLY UNLIKE HIM.
I MEAN, WE HADN'T EVEN
BEEN DATING THAT LONG,
BUT I COULD ALREADY SENSE
THAT THERE WAS SOMETHING WRONG.
ERIKA AND CHRISTIAN
HAD AN INSTANT CONNECTION,
AND SINCE THEY GOT TOGETHER,
THEY HAVE BEEN INSEPARABLE.
IT KIND OF JUST HAPPENED
AND IT WAS STRANGE,
BUT YOU DON'T GET TO CHOOSE
WHO YOU, LIKE,
START HAVING
FEELINGS FOR, RIGHT?
SO...
WE WERE UNTOUCHABLE.
LIKE, AS LONG
AS I WAS IN HIS ARMS
OR WITH HIM OR HE WAS AROUND,
LIKE, I FELT
I COULD DO ANYTHING.
CHRISTIAN AND ERIKA
WERE AT THE BEGINNING
OF THEIR JOURNEY.
THEY WERE YOUNG, IN LOVE,
AND EXCITED ABOUT THE FUTURE.
I NEVER SAW MY SON SO HAPPY
IN HIS ENTIRE LIFE.
NIGHT FALLS AND STILL
THERE'S NO WORD FROM CHRISTIAN.
THE NEXT MORNING, ERIKA
CALLS CHRISTIAN'S ROOMMATE.
HI.
AND HE'S LIKE, "NO,
HE NEVER SHOWED UP LAST NIGHT."
SO NOW I'M LIKE, "OKAY, HE
DIDN'T STAY WITH ME LAST NIGHT.
HE DIDN'T STAY IN HIS DORM
LAST NIGHT.
WHERE WAS HE ALL NIGHT?"
ERIKA GROWS MORE WORRIED
WITH EVERY TICK OF THE CLOCK.
SHE CALLS CHRISTIAN'S PARENTS
IN MIAMI.
I WOKE UP THAT DAY
LIKE A NORMAL DAY.
I WAS INSIDE OF MY OFFICE
WHEN I RECEIVED A PHONE CALL.
ERIKA ASKED ME,
"DID YOU TALK TO CHRISTIAN
LAST NIGHT?"
AND I SAID, "WHAT ARE YOU
ASKING ME THAT FOR?"
AND SHE SAYS,
"BECAUSE CHRISTIAN IS NOT
ANSWERING THE PHONE
OR NOTHING LIKE THAT."
WHAT?
AND I'M LIKE,
"THIS DOESN'T SOUND
LIKE CHRISTIAN."
OKAY, LISTEN.
I'M COMING TO GET YOU.
HE NEVER DID ANYTHING LIKE THAT.
I KNEW SOMETHING WAS WRONG.
I NEED TO GO GAINESVILLE.
I WENT FOR MY WIFE
AND I TOLD HER, "LET'S GO."
WE JUST START DRIVING.
BACK IN GAINESVILLE,
ERIKA MEETS WITH CHRISTIAN'S
BEST FRIEND, PEDRO BRAVO.
HE TELLS ERIKA
HE'D MET CHRISTIAN LUNCHTIME
THE DAY HE VANISHED
AND HE HASN'T HEARD
FROM HIM SINCE.
ERIKA'S HEARD ENOUGH.
LIKE, LET'S GET THINGS DONE.
LIKE, LET'S GO TO THE POLICE
AND LET'S GET SOME, YOU KNOW,
PROFESSIONAL HELP
'CAUSE I CLEARLY DON'T KNOW
WHAT TO DO HERE.
ERIKA AND PEDRO RUSH
TO THE CAMPUS POLICE STATION
TO REPORT CHRISTIAN MISSING.
- WHAT'S GOING ON?
- HI, I'M ERIKA.
- OFFICER PECK.
- I'M PEDRO.
THE MAJORITY OF OUR MISSING
STUDENTS ARE LOCATED
AND THEY'RE LOCATED
FAIRLY QUICKLY.
USUALLY A MATTER OF
SEVERAL PHONE CALLS
OR GOING
TO THEIR RESIDENCE HALL.
WE'RE USUALLY ABLE
TO TRACK THEM DOWN.
ANY TIME
WE HAVE A MISSING PERSONS CASE,
WE KIND OF START
WITH THE OBVIOUS --
CHECK TO SEE IF THEY'VE BEEN
TO ANY OF THEIR CLASSES,
START CHECKING ANY
SOCIAL MEDIA SITES THAT WE CAN
TO SEE IF
THEY'VE BEEN ACTIVE RECENTLY.
BUT THERE'S SOMETHING
THAT MAKES THE SEARCH
FOR CHRISTIAN AGUILAR
MUCH MORE URGENT AND ALARMING.
THERE WAS A POINT
WHERE HE WAS SUFFERING
FROM SOME SORT OF DEPRESSION.
I JUST TRIED TO TELL HIM
THAT I UNDERSTOOD
AND THAT I WANTED TO HELP HIM
EVEN THOUGH
I DIDN'T KNOW HOW TO.
WHY DON'T YOU JUST HAVE A SEAT,
OKAY?
I'LL BE RIGHT BACK.
WHERE WE FIND OUT
THAT INFORMATION,
MAYBE WHERE THERE ARE
MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES,
WE MAY JUMP
A LITTLE BIT QUICKER.
POLICE KNOW WELL
THAT SUICIDE IS A LEADING CAUSE
OF DEATH AMONG COLLEGE STUDENTS.
THEY MUST ALWAYS TAKE THIS KIND
OF INFORMATION SERIOUSLY.
UNIVERSITY POLICE RACE
TO CHRISTIAN'S DORM
TO MAKE SURE
HE HASN'T HARMED HIMSELF.
AS THEY DRIVE THE 300 MILES
TO GAINESVILLE,
CHRISTIAN'S PARENTS GROW
MORE CONCERNED WITH EVERY MILE.
MY FIRST REACTION IS --
I NEED TO FIND OUT.
IF I FIND HIM AND HE'S GOOD,
WELL, I'M GONNA HUG HIM
AND COME BACK
AND TELL HIM NOT TO DO IT AGAIN.
IN GAINESVILLE, POLICE
ARRIVE AT CHRISTIAN'S DORM.
POLICE HAVE NO IDEA
WHAT AWAITS THEM.
I DON'T WANT IT TO SOUND
CRASS OR WEIRD,
BUT IS THERE A DEAD BODY
IN THERE,
SOMETHING OBVIOUS OF A STRUGGLE,
OR CHRISTIAN HIMSELF?
ERIKA AND PEDRO WAIT
ANXIOUSLY AT THE POLICE STATION.
I'M KIND OF WAITING
FOR THEM TO GET BACK
TO HEAR WHAT THEY HAVE TO SAY,
AND IT WAS JUST VERY EMOTIONAL
AND A VERY DIFFICULT TIME
AT THAT POINT.
ON THE ROAD,
DAD CARLOS IS TRYING
TO HOLD IT TOGETHER.
I START PANICKING.
I WAS NERVOUS.
YOU HAVE THOUSANDS
OF THOUGHTS IN YOUR MIND
THAT YOU CANNOT CONTROL.
WHEN THEY WENT INTO THE ROOM,
THEY DIDN'T SEE ANYTHING
OUT OF THE ORDINARY.
THE SEARCH LEADS NOWHERE.
SO INVESTIGATORS CHANGE TACTICS.
THEY TRY PICKING UP THE MISSING
STUDENT'S CYBER TRAIL.
ONE OF THE THINGS
THAT WE WERE CHECKING
WAS TO FIND OUT
IF HE HAD CONNECTED
INTO THE UNIVERSITY
COMPUTER NETWORK SYSTEM,
AND ALL OF A SUDDEN,
IT HAD POPPED UP
THAT HE WAS ON IT
THAT PREVIOUS NIGHT.
CHRISTIAN HAD LOGGED
IN TO THE UNIVERSITY NETWORK
THE NIGHT BEFORE HE VANISHED.
IF THAT'S THE CASE,
IS HE STILL SOMEWHERE ON CAMPUS?
I WAS LITERALLY PRAYING TO GOD
THAT THIS WAS JUST GONNA END
WITH, LIKE, A SILLY STORY
THAT WE CAN TALK
TO OTHER PEOPLE ABOUT,
YOU KNOW, IN THE YEARS TO COME.
IF CHRISTIAN IS SOMEWHERE ON
THE UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA'S
2,000-ACRE CAMPUS,
THEN HE MIGHT HAVE BEEN SPOTTED
BY THE MOST RELIABLE WITNESS
THERE IS.
THERE ARE SCORES
OF SECURITY CAMERAS
IN AND AROUND THE MORE THAN 900
CAMPUS BUILDINGS.
CAMPUS POLICE
START ROUNDING UP THE VIDEO
FROM EVERY CAMERA THEY CAN.
WILL ONE OF THESE CAMERAS
REVEAL WHAT HAPPENED
TO CHRISTIAN AGUILAR?
UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA
STUDENT CHRISTIAN AGUILAR
HAS NOW BEEN MISSING
FOR 24 HOURS.
HIS GIRLFRIEND ERIKA
AND HIS FRIEND PEDRO
REPORTED IT TO THE COPS
THIS MORNING.
AT THIS POINT, I'M JUST,
LIKE, REALLY FRUSTRATED
BECAUSE I CAN'T DO ANYTHING.
I FEEL HELPLESS.
I FEEL LIKE MY HANDS ARE TIED.
POLICE KNOW CHRISTIAN WAS
LOGGED ON TO CAMPUS COMPUTERS,
SO THEY START THEIR VIDEO SEARCH
FOR THE MISSING STUDENT
WITH ON-CAMPUS SECURITY CAMERAS.
ONE IS POSTED UP
OUTSIDE THE UNIVERSITY CAFé.
LET ME JUST
BACK THIS UP HERE.
STOP IT RIGHT HERE.
IT'S NOT CHRISTIAN.
ANOTHER CAMERA IS MOUNTED
RIGHT OUTSIDE THE ROOM
WHERE CHRISTIAN'S LAST CLASS
OF THE DAY WAS HELD.
AND A CAMERA MONITORS
THE MAIN ENTRANCE TO CAMPUS.
LET'S START FROM THE BEGINNING
AGAIN.
ACROSS EVERY FRAME OF TAPE
RECORDED
ACROSS THE UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA
SYSTEM THAT NIGHT...
...THERE IS NO SIGN
OF CHRISTIAN,
AT LEAST NOT YET.
IT DOESN'T NECESSARILY MEAN
THAT SOMETHING BAD HAPPENED,
BUT ON THE OTHER HAND,
IT KIND OF GAVE ME
A LITTLE CONCERN.
IN THE MEANTIME, CHRISTIAN'S
PARENTS HAVE ARRIVED FROM MIAMI,
AND RIGHT AWAY,
HIS FATHER, CARLOS,
LAUNCHES HIS OWN SEARCH
FOR HIS SON.
CREATES SOMETHING
IN YOUR STOMACH
AND YOUR HEART
THAT YOU CANNOT IMAGINE.
IT HAS NOW BEEN 24 HOURS
SINCE CHRISTIAN DISAPPEARED
AND THE CLOCK IS TICKING.
THEY WERE STARTING
TO PUT OUT FLIERS FOR CHRISTIAN
TO GET INFORMATION.
DO YOU MIND TAKING THIS?
MY SON IS MISSING.
MY SON IS MORE IMPORTANT
THAN ANYTHING,
SO I NEED TO FIND HIM.
WHILE HIS OFFICERS
SEARCH THROUGH
HOURS OF CAMPUS
SURVEILLANCE VIDEO,
OFFICER PECK QUESTIONS ERIKA
AND CHRISTIAN'S FRIEND PEDRO.
MNH-MNH.
THEY DID ASK ME WHERE I WAS
AND WHAT I WAS DOING
AND WHERE I WAS ON CAMPUS.
THEY, I GUESS, GAVE ME,
LIKE, AN ACTUAL INTERROGATION.
I DIDN'T REALLY REALIZE
THAT THEY WERE QUESTIONING ME
THINKING THAT I WAS A SUSPECT.
RIGHT NEXT DOOR,
DETECTIVES QUESTION PEDRO BRAVO.
THEY HAD MET THE PREVIOUS DAY.
IT SOUNDED LIKE THEY WERE VERY,
VERY CLOSE FRIENDS, CONFIDANTS.
YOU KNOW, BEST FRIENDS WOULD BE
THE BEST WAY TO DESCRIBE IT.
THE COPS GRILL CHRISTIAN'S
FRIEND AND GIRLFRIEND
ABOUT EVERY DETAIL
OF THEIR RELATIONSHIP
WITH THE MISSING TEEN.
HE WAS LOOKING AT ME
UNDER A MICROSCOPE,
RIGHT, 'CAUSE AT THAT POINT,
I WAS A SUSPECT, I SUPPOSE.
"I'VE BEEN HERE FOR FIVE HOURS.
WHY CAN'T I GO OUT
LOOKING FOR HIM?
WHAT CAN I DO?"
NEXT DOOR,
PEDRO IS ALSO FRUSTRATED.
HE WALKS INVESTIGATORS
THROUGH THE DAY
HE AND CHRISTIAN SPENT TOGETHER.
YEAH, NO,
IT'S THAT SONG SPECIFICALLY.
THEY DECIDED TO LEAVE
CAMPUS AND GET INTO PEDRO'S CAR.
I KNEW YOU WERE A FAN.
AND THEY WENT TO BEST BUY
SO THAT CHRISTIAN COULD PICK UP
THE NEW KANYE WEST CD.
THEY DROVE AROUND TOWN
LISTENING TO THIS CD.
AND I CAN'T...
AND THEN EVENTUALLY,
AT SOME POINT
DURING THIS DRIVE...
ALL RIGHT, DUDE.
I'LL SEE YOU LATER.
...HE DROPPED CHRISTIAN OFF
SOMEWHERE IN GAINESVILLE.
BUT THAT'S WHERE THE TRAIL ENDS.
NEW TO GAINESVILLE,
PEDRO DOESN'T KNOW STREET NAMES
AND NUMBERS WELL ENOUGH
TO TELL POLICE EXACTLY WHERE
HE LAST SAW CHRISTIAN.
YES.
MEANWHILE, THE INTERROGATION
IS ALSO FRUSTRATING
GIRLFRIEND ERIKA.
IF THEY WANTED
TO ASK ME THE SAME QUESTION
A MILLION TIMES AND THAT WAS
GONNA HELP THEM FIND CHRISTIAN,
I WAS LIKE,
"WHATEVER YOU GUYS NEED TO KNOW,
I WILL TELL YOU EVERYTHING."
WITH THE CLOCK TICKING,
POLICE EXPAND THEIR CCTV SEARCH
YET AGAIN.
THEY PULL FOOTAGE
FROM KEY CAMERAS
ON THE MASSIVE
UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA CAMPUS.
IT'S LIKE LOOKING FOR
A NEEDLE IN A HAYSTACK.
THEY THINK THEY SPOT
HIM SEVERAL TIMES.
ALL RIGHT. STOP IT.
OKAY.
BUT IN THE CRUCIAL TIMEFRAME,
THERE'S NO SIGN
OF THE MISSING COLLEGE FRESHMAN.
IT SEEMED VERY ODD.
WITH THE TAPES LEADING NOWHERE,
POLICE GO BACK TO
THE LAST PERSON
THEY KNOW SAW CHRISTIAN --
PEDRO BRAVO.
WE REALLY WANTED TO NARROW DOWN
WHEN THE LAST TIME ANYBODY
HAD CONTACT WITH CHRISTIAN.
WITHOUT
A SOLID ADDRESS TO CHECK OUT,
THEY FOCUS ON THE PART
OF PEDRO'S STORY
THEY MIGHT BE ABLE TO CONFIRM --
THE TRIP TO BEST BUY.
IS HE BEING HONEST ABOUT
ONE OF THE LAST TIMES
HE SAW CHRISTIAN?
THEY HEAD TO THE STORE
LOOKING FOR A WITNESS
THAT ALWAYS TELLS THE TRUTH.
NOW WE COULD GO TO THIS STORE,
SEE IF THEY HAVE
SURVEILLANCE FOOTAGE.
SO WE START NOW TRYING
TO WORK ON A TIMELINE, YOU KNOW,
IF THERE WAS
ANYBODY ELSE WITH THEM.
THEY'RE IN LUCK.
THE STORE HAS CAMERAS.
THE MANAGER HANDS OVER THE TAPES
AND OFFICERS BRING THE FOOTAGE
TO THE STATION.
THEY REWIND
TO THE APPROXIMATE TIME
PEDRO SAYS THEY WENT SHOPPING.
AND THEN
THEY LET THE VIDEO ROLL.
FOR 10 MINUTES,
THERE'S NOTHING FOR THEM TO SEE.
BUT THEN, THEY SPOT PEDRO.
AND HE'S WITH CHRISTIAN AGUILAR.
THAT LOOKS LIKE HIM.
THE POLICE
FINALLY CATCH A GLIMPSE
OF THE MISSING STUDENT.
THEY SPOOL THROUGH
EVERY CAMERA ANGLE,
SCOURING THE VIDEO
FOR ANY KIND OF CLUE.
PEDRO AND CHRISTIAN ARE ALONE.
THEY LOOK RELAXED.
THEY BROWSE THE AISLES
AND PICK UP A CD.
EVERYTHING LOOKS NORMAL.
SO IT KIND OF CONFIRMED
THAT PART OF THE STORY
THAT PEDRO WAS TELLING US.
NOW POLICE PRESS PEDRO
AGAIN FOR MORE DETAILS
ABOUT WHERE
HE DROPPED CHRISTIAN OFF
AFTER THEY WENT TO BEST BUY.
PEDRO DIDN'T KNOW
SPECIFIC STREET NAMES
'CAUSE HE REALLY WAS
NEW TO THE AREA.
USING PEDRO'S DESCRIPTIONS...
...DETECTIVES MANAGE TO PIECE
TOGETHER A POSSIBLE LOCATION
FOR CHRISTIAN'S DROP-OFF.
AND IT'S A LOCATION
THEY'RE ALL TOO FAMILIAR WITH.
THERE WERE SOME
HIGH-CRIME AREAS UP THERE
THAT WERE KNOWN FOR
NARCOTICS SALES AND USE AREAS,
WHICH KIND OF HAD ME
A LITTLE BIT CONCERNED.
HOW COULD
OUT-OF-TOWNER PEDRO HAVE KNOWN
THAT HE'S DROPPED CHRISTIAN OFF
IN ONE OF THE HIGHEST-CRIME
NEIGHBORHOODS IN GAINESVILLE?
WERE THEY GOING UP THERE
TO BUY ILLEGAL DRUGS
AND THEN DID SOMETHING
BAD HAPPEN DURING THE DEAL?
PEDRO SUDDENLY REALIZES HE MAY
HAVE DROPPED HIS BEST FRIEND
INTO THE MIDDLE OF DANGER.
HE KIND OF BROKE DOWN
AND STARTED CRYING AND SAYING
IT WAS GONNA BE ALL HIS FAULT,
"BECAUSE I DROPPED HIM OFF THERE
AND LEFT HIM THERE."
THE POLICE FINALLY
HAVE THEIR FIRST SOLID LEAD.
WAS CHRISTIAN THE VICTIM
OF A DRUG DEAL GONE WRONG?
THERE'S ALWAYS AN ISSUE
THAT WE WORRY ABOUT
WITH ASSAULTS AND BATTERY,
STALKING, THAT ARE OUT THERE.
CHRISTIAN'S FRIENDS
DENY HE HAS EVER DONE DRUGS.
BUT UNIVERSITY POLICE
HAVE TO FOLLOW UP.
SINCE THIS DRUG DEN
IS OFF-CAMPUS
AND OUT OF THEIR JURISDICTION,
THEY HAVE TO CALL IN
GAINESVILLE POLICE FOR HELP.
DETECTIVE ROBERTS.
UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA
POLICE DEPARTMENT HAD CALLED
ASKING FOR A DETECTIVE
TO COME OVER
AND ASSIST THEM
ON A MISSING PERSONS CASE.
OKAY.
I'M ON MY WAY.
AND DETECTIVE ROBERTS
DOESN'T WASTE ANOTHER SECOND.
HE SENDS PATROL OFFICERS OUT
TO SEE IF THERE'S
SURVEILLANCE VIDEO ANYWHERE NEAR
WHERE PEDRO
DROPPED CHRISTIAN OFF.
THERE'S NO
MEMORY PROBLEMS WITH A CCTV.
THE TV DOESN'T LIE.
CHRISTIAN AGUILAR HAS
NOW BEEN MISSING FOR THREE DAYS.
HIS FAMILY AND FRIENDS
GROW MORE PANICKED
WITH EACH PASSING HOUR.
ALL THAT MATTERED
TO ME WAS FINDING HIM
AND HAVING HIM BACK.
THAT'S ALL I WANTED.
CHRISTIAN'S FRIEND PEDRO
DROPPED CHRISTIAN OFF IN AN AREA
WHERE DRUG DEALERS ARE KNOWN
TO PLY THEIR TRADE.
AND NOW, INVESTIGATORS
MUST GO BLOCK TO BLOCK,
BUSINESS BY BUSINESS,
LOOKING FOR SURVEILLANCE CAMERAS
IN THAT NEIGHBORHOOD
THAT MIGHT HELP
SOLVE THIS MYSTERY
AND BRING CHRISTIAN BACK ALIVE.
WE FOCUSED MOST OF OUR RESOURCES
AS FAR AS OBTAINING
SURVEILLANCE VIDEO
FROM THE LOCATION
WHERE PEDRO BRAVO
LAST SAW CHRISTIAN.
TWO BUSINESSES ARE QUICK
TO HAND OVER THEIR FOOTAGE.
A KANGAROO CONVENIENCE STORE
HAS THREE SECURITY CAMERAS --
TWO OVER THE ENTRANCE...
...AND ONE LOOKING
ONTO THE GAS STATION.
COULD ONE OF THEM
HAVE SEEN CHRISTIAN?
YOU START WATCHING IT
AND YOU REALIZE
THAT IT'S NOT EITHER SHOWING
THE AREA THAT YOU'RE LOOKING FOR
OR THAT THE QUALITY'S NOT THERE.
ESPECIALLY, THEN,
WE HAVE TO SIT THERE
AND WATCH IT IN REAL TIME,
AND WE HAVE A VERY BIG TIMEFRAME
TO LOOK AT.
A SUNTRUST BANK BRANCH IS THE
NEXT TO OFFER UP ITS FOOTAGE.
CAN YOU I.D. THE OCCUPANT
OF THAT VEHICLE THERE?
POLICE COMPARE EVERY MALE FIGURE
TO CHRISTIAN'S PHOTOGRAPH.
BUT IT'S NO USE.
YET AGAIN, HE'S NOT THERE.
YOU'RE GONNA BE DISAPPOINTED,
BUT YOU'VE GOT TO GO
TO THE NEXT LOCATION.
IT'S A BIG TASK.
IT BECOMES VERY,
VERY LABOR-INTENSIVE.
THERE ARE HUNDREDS
MORE CAMERAS IN THE AREA.
SO MANY PLACES AND BUSINESSES,
IT TOOK A BIG TEAM EFFORT
TO GET EVERYTHING WE GOT.
BUT THEY AREN'T GIVING UP.
THEY KNOW IT COULD TAKE
JUST A SINGLE SECOND OF FOOTAGE
TO TURN THIS CASE AROUND.
IT CAN DO A LOT
TO CHANGE THE INVESTIGATION.
WHILE POLICE SCOUR THE VIDEO,
ANOTHER KIND OF SEARCH
IS UNDERWAY.
18-YEAR-OLD AGUILAR
WAS REPORTED MISSING
ALMOST A WEEK AGO,
AND STILL AUTHORITIES
DON'T HAVE A FIRM GRASP
ON WHERE THEY CAN FIND HIM.
THE SEARCH ORIGINATED
RIGHT WHERE PEDRO BRAVO
LAST SAW CHRISTIAN,
WHICH WAS TOWARDS
THE OUTER NORTH PORTION
OF THE CITY LIMITS.
WE HAD PATROL OFFICERS,
HELICOPTERS, DOGS,
COME TO THAT LOCATION.
WE'VE BEEN SEARCHING FOR DAYS
AND WE'RE NOT
UNCOVERING ANYTHING.
ALSO DESPERATE FOR ANSWERS,
CHRISTIAN'S FAMILY
AND VOLUNTEERS JOIN THE SEARCH.
WE IMMEDIATELY WENT OVER THERE
AND WE START GETTING
INTO THE WOODS.
THERE WERE VOLUNTEERS
COMING OUT OF MIAMI,
UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA.
POLICE DEPARTMENTS
FROM ALL OVER SOUTH FLORIDA
WERE COMING UP HERE
AND VOLUNTEERING AND HELPING.
THERE WERE A HOST OF PEOPLE
THAT CAME OUT OF THE WOODWORK
TO HELP FIND CHRISTIAN.
I'M THE HEAD OF THE HOUSE.
I'M THE ONE
THAT'S SUPPOSED TO LEAD.
AND I DIDN'T KNOW HOW,
TO BE HONEST WITH YOU.
I DIDN'T HAVE A CLUE.
THE ONLY THING THAT I KNEW IS
THAT I NEEDED TO FIND HIM.
I'M NOT A RICH PERSON.
I WORK FOR A LIVING.
I WAS LOSING MY HOUSE
AT ONE POINT.
I KNEW THAT MY HOUSE
WAS GOING DOWN THE DRAIN,
BUT I DIDN'T CARE.
THE SEARCHES COME UP EMPTY.
CHRISTIAN AGUILAR
WAS LAST SEEN...
BUT THE MEDIA
SPOTLIGHT GENERATES TIPS.
UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA STUDENT
CHRISTIAN AGUILAR.
MOST OF THEM LEAD NOWHERE.
CAMPUS POLICE.
THEN, INFORMATION COMES IN
THAT COULD CHANGE EVERYTHING.
A LIQUOR STORE EMPLOYEE
TELLS COPS
THAT SHE'S SEEN THE YOUNG MAN
THEY'RE LOOKING FOR.
A LADY SAID THAT SHE SAW HIM
OUTSIDE THE LIQUOR STORE
FRIDAY EVENING.
THE WOMAN IS CERTAIN
SHE SAW HIM ALONE
AT THE STORE AROUND THE TIME
PEDRO DROPPED HIM OFF.
POLICE HEAD TO ABC LIQUORS.
IT'S GOOD NEWS.
THE STORE'S COVERED
WITH SURVEILLANCE CAMERAS.
WE PULLED THEIR
SURVEILLANCE VIDEO.
INVESTIGATORS BRING
THE LIQUOR-STORE VIDEOS
BACK TO HEADQUARTERS.
THEY LOAD IT UP.
THEY REWIND TO THE TIME
THE WOMAN CLAIMED
SHE SAW CHRISTIAN.
IF HE WAS THERE,
HE WOULD HAVE BEEN
CAUGHT ON CAMERA.
WHAT'S THAT?
REPLAY THAT.
HE WASN'T THERE.
CCTV PROVES
ANOTHER LEAD FALSE --
CHRISTIAN WASN'T AT THE STORE.
FOR POLICE, IT'S A HUGE SETBACK
AND ANOTHER DEAD END.
IT'S HAVING THIS BIG PUZZLE
AND THEN MISSING THAT ONE PIECE.
WITH EACH DEAD END,
THE AGONY DEEPENS
FOR CHRISTIAN'S FAMILY.
I WAS LIKE
A WALKING DEAD PERSON.
WASN'T ABLE TO CONCENTRATE
OR REMEMBER A LOT OF STUFF.
YOU KNOW, AS A FATHER,
YOU NEVER WANT TO LOSE FAITH.
I'M LOOKING FOR PEOPLE
THAT CAN COME AND HELP ME.
I'M LOOKING FOR SOMEBODY
THAT CAN WALK WITH ME.
THAT'S THE ONLY THING
THAT I CAN ASK.
NOT KNOWING IS LIKE THE --
I CAN'T EVEN DESCRIBE THAT KIND
OF PAIN AND THAT WONDER,
AND LIKE THE CONSTANT
OF WHERE HE COULD BE
AND IF HE'S IN PAIN
AND LIKE, IT'S JUST SO
TRAUMATIZING.
I DON'T --
NO HUMAN BEING
SHOULD HAVE TO HAVE THAT.
POLICE CAST THE NET WIDE,
PULLING FOOTAGE FROM BANKS,
FAST-FOOD RESTAURANTS,
HOTELS,
ALL IN THE DANGEROUS AREA
TOWARDS THE NORTHERN EDGES
OF GAINESVILLE,
JUST OFF THE 441 HIGHWAY
WHERE CHRISTIAN WAS LAST SEEN.
IT CAN TAKE OVER YOUR LIFE
IF YOU LET IT.
TO BE A GOOD DETECTIVE,
YOU HAVE TO BE SOMEWHAT
CONSUMED WITH YOUR CASES.
EITHER IT DOESN'T SHOW,
YOU KNOW, THE STREET
OR IT ONLY SHOWS
CERTAIN PORTIONS.
BUT AFTER WATCHING
HUNDREDS OF HOURS OF VIDEO
AND BURNING
VALUABLE INVESTIGATION TIME,
THEY REALIZE THEY ARE NOT GOING
TO CAPTURE CHRISTIAN ON TAPE,
AT LEAST NOT
IN THIS NEIGHBORHOOD.
TO SIT THERE FOR 12 HOURS
AND WATCH IT
AND NOT GET ANYTHING
IS A LITTLE FRUSTRATING.
DETECTIVES START TO WONDER
IF CHRISTIAN WAS EVER REALLY
IN THAT PART OF TOWN AT ALL.
IT WAS LIKE ALL
THESE THINGS WERE MISSING
AND I JUST WANTED ANSWERS.
BUT THEN, ALMOST ONE MONTH
INTO THE SEARCH
FOR CHRISTIAN AGUILAR...
...THEY GET A CALL
THAT SENDS THIS CASE
IN A NEW AND OMINOUS DIRECTION.
HELLO?
I KIND OF SEE THEM ALL
KIND OF DROP
TO THE FLOOR AT THIS POINT,
AND I CAN SEE THEM HUGGING,
AND IN MY HEAD,
THINGS ARE JUST ESCALATING.
GAINESVILLE, FLORIDA.
IN THEIR QUEST TO FIND MISSING
UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA FRESHMAN
CHRISTIAN AGUILAR,
POLICE HAVE SEARCHED
HIGH AND LOW,
QUESTIONED HIS BEST FRIEND
AND HIS GIRLFRIEND,
AND WATCHED HUNDREDS OF HOURS
OF SURVEILLANCE VIDEO.
YOU DIDN'T GET A LOT OF SLEEP,
AND THERE WAS SO MUCH TO DO.
I HAD EVERY DETECTIVE
IN OUR DIVISION
HELPING US IN THIS CASE.
CHRISTIAN'S FATHER, CARLOS,
HAS LEFT HIS LIFE IN MIAMI
BEHIND
TO SEARCH FOR HIS SON.
IT BECOMES YOUR OBSESSION.
BUT ON THE 22nd DAY OF THIS
BAFFLING MISSING PERSONS CASE...
HELLO?
...CARLOS GETS A CALL
THAT CHANGES EVERYTHING.
I RECEIVE A PHONE CALL FROM
A NEWS REPORTER INDICATING --
"MR. AGUILAR, HOW DO YOU FEEL
THAT YOUR SON HAS BEEN FOUND?"
WHAT?
I SAID, "EXCUSE ME?"
I DECIDED TO CALL RANDY ROBERTS.
I'M REALLY, REALLY SORRY
TO HAVE TO TELL YOU THIS.
RANDY TOLD ME THEY FOUND A BODY
IN LEVY COUNTY
AND IT LOOKS LIKE, YOU KNOW --
"THE CLOTHING MATCHES YOUR SON."
THEY FOUND CHRISTIAN.
I THINK THAT TRYING
TO LET A FAMILY KNOW
THAT THEIR FAMILY MEMBER
HAS PASSED AWAY
IS A VERY DIFFICULT PART
OF THE JOB.
I MEAN,
IT TEARS AT YOUR HEARTSTRINGS
FOR SOMEONE TO LOSE A CHILD.
CARLOS AND CLAUDIA
ARE GREAT PEOPLE.
THAT WAS REALLY HARD.
IT WAS HARD TO HEAR IT.
PROBABLY ONE OF THE HARDEST ONES
I'VE EVER HAD TO DO.
I WAS TRYING TO UNDERSTAND WHY.
WHY DID THIS HAPPEN?
WHY NOW? WHY US?
WHY MY FAMILY?
I'M THERE, LIKE, "GOD."
LIKE, "THEY FOUND HIM. GOD."
LIKE, "WHAT'S HAPPENING?
WHY AREN'T WE ALL
BEING TALKED TO?
WHAT'S GOING ON?"
AND I DIDN'T KNOW
WHAT WAS BEING SAID TO THEM,
BUT I KNEW IT WASN'T GOOD.
I REMEMBER FEELING MY CHEST
JUST LIKE AS IF SOMEONE
HAD JUST PUNCHED ME.
IT'S SOMEBODY
YOU CARE ABOUT SO MUCH,
AND THERE'S NOT REALLY
A WAY TO --
I MEAN...YEAH.
THERE WERE TWO YOUNG MEN
IN THE HUNTING WOODS
IN LEVY COUNTY.
THEY FOUND WHAT THEY BELIEVED
TO BE A BODY IN A SHALLOW GRAVE.
AS FAR AS IDENTIFYING HIM,
HE WAS STILL WEARING
THE SAME SHIRT FROM BEST BUY.
AND THEN DENTAL RECORDS
WERE USED
TO MAKE
A POSITIVE IDENTIFICATION.
HIS FEET AND HANDS
HAD BEEN DUCT-TAPED
ALONG WITH THE AREA
OVER HIS MOUTH,
AND WE KNEW
THAT IT WAS A HOMICIDE.
CHRISTIAN AGUILAR WAS
MOST LIKELY STRANGLED TO DEATH,
AND THE AUTOPSY
REVEALS SOMETHING ELSE,
SOMETHING UNUSUAL.
CHRISTIAN MAY HAVE HAD
SLEEPING PILLS IN HIS SYSTEM
WHEN HE WAS MURDERED.
POLICE NOW BELIEVE
CHRISTIAN'S MURDERER
DRUGGED HIM THEN KILLED HIM.
BUT WHO WOULD WANT
TO KILL A YOUNG MAN
WITH NO CRIMINAL RECORD,
NO DEBTS, AND NO KNOWN ENEMIES?
WITH THAT QUESTION IN MIND,
POLICE TAKE A NEW LOOK
AT EVERY BIT OF EVIDENCE.
INVESTIGATORS
LOOK FOR WITNESSES.
THEY ASK HIS GIRLFRIEND ERIKA
IF THERE WAS ANYONE
WHO WANTED CHRISTIAN DEAD.
DETECTIVES COMPARE THE CASE
TO OTHER LOCAL HOMICIDES.
AND MAYBE MOST IMPORTANT,
THEY KEEP SEARCHING
THE SURVEILLANCE VIDEO
THEY'VE COLLECTED FROM ALL THOSE
GAINESVILLE BUSINESSES.
ONE OF THE SERGEANTS
PULLED VIDEO FROM A CAR WASH,
AND NOT EVEN THINKING
WHAT MIGHT BE ON THERE
BUT, YOU KNOW, TAKING A SHOT.
IT'S A SHOT WORTH TAKING.
BECAUSE AROUND 2:00 A.M.,
THEY SEE SOMEONE AT THE CAR WASH
WHO DOESN'T BELONG THERE.
THERE IT IS.
YEAH.
IT'S NOT CHRISTIAN, THE VICTIM.
IT'S PEDRO, HIS BEST FRIEND.
THERE'S 12 MINUTES
OF VIDEO OUT OF THE BLUE
OF A CAR WASH WHERE HE GOES
AND WASHES HIS CAR.
PEDRO HAD TOLD POLICE
THAT HE WENT RIGHT HOME
AFTER DROPPING CHRISTIAN OFF
AND THEN STAYED IN
FOR THE NIGHT.
HE NEVER SAID ANYTHING
ABOUT WASHING HIS CAR
AT 2:00 IN THE MORNING.
HE WAS NOT AT HOME AT THE TIME
THAT HE SAYS HE WAS.
IT GIVES YOU A SUSPICION.
DETECTIVES NOW HAVE ENOUGH
TO GET A SEARCH WARRANT
FOR PEDRO'S APARTMENT.
POLICE GO OVER EVERY INCH
OF THE PLACE
LOOKING FOR ANYTHING
THAT COULD LINK PEDRO
TO HIS BEST FRIEND'S MURDER.
THEY LOOK EVERYWHERE.
EVEN IN THE TRASH.
WE FOUND RECEIPTS
THAT LED US TO STORES
WHERE HE MADE PURCHASES.
ONE OF THOSE RECEIPTS
COMES FROM A WALMART,
A PLACE
WITH SURVEILLANCE CAMERAS
POINTED AT EVERY REGISTER.
THEY BRING THE WALMART
SURVEILLANCE TAPE
INTO HEADQUARTERS.
DETECTIVE ROBERTS PULLS UP
THE FOOTAGE FROM THE TIME
ON THE RECEIPT.
THEN WHAT HE'S ABOUT TO SEE
WILL CHILL
THIS VETERAN DETECTIVE
TO THE BONE.
CHRISTIAN AGUILAR
HAS BEEN MURDERED --
STRANGLED
AND BURIED IN A SHALLOW GRAVE
IN A LONELY CORNER
OF RURAL FLORIDA.
A SEARCH OF HIS BEST FRIEND
PEDRO'S APARTMENT HAS LED COPS
TO SHOCKING SURVEILLANCE VIDEO
THAT MAY BE ABOUT
TO TURN THE CASE AROUND.
DETECTIVE RANDY ROBERTS
HAS QUEUED UP
THE WALMART SECURITY TAPES
TO SEE WHAT PEDRO
BOUGHT AT THE STORE.
HE PRESSES PLAY.
AT 8:06,
THERE'S PEDRO.
WHAT'S THAT IN HIS HAND?
YEAH, HOLD ON.
LET ME BACK THAT UP.
YOU CAN SEE CLEARLY
ON THE CCTV A SHOVEL.
CONSIDERING HE LIVES
IN AN APARTMENT,
THAT'S DEFINITELY AN ODD THING
TO BE PURCHASING.
YEAH.
IT'S A DISTINCT
SHORT-HANDLED SHOVEL,
PARTICULAR GRIP.
HE'S LIVING IN
AN APARTMENT COMPLEX.
HE DOESN'T HAVE ANYTHING TO BURY
IN AN APARTMENT COMPLEX.
AND POLICE KNOW
CHRISTIAN
WAS BURIED IN TOUGH DIRT.
BUT THIS IS NOT THE ONLY SECRET
THE FOOTAGE HOLDS.
LET ME SEE
IF WE HAVE ANYTHING ELSE.
HE THEN BUYS SLEEPING PILLS...
...AND DUCT TAPE.
IN AND OF THEMSELVES,
THE ITEMS THAT HE BOUGHT
ARE NOT ODD OR STRANGE,
BUT TAKEN IN THE CONTEXT
OF THE CIRCUMSTANCES,
THEY BECOME
THE TOOLS OF A MURDER.
FINALLY, AFTER SEARCHING
HUNDREDS OF HOURS OF VIDEO,
THEIR PATIENCE PAYS OFF.
IT WAS GREAT TO GET THAT VIDEO.
I MEAN, IT WAS EXCITING.
PEDRO BRAVO JUST WENT
FROM BEING BEST FRIEND
TO MURDERER.
BUT THERE'S ONE MORE
CRUCIAL QUESTION TO ANSWER --
WHY?
WHY WOULD THIS
18-YEAR-OLD COLLEGE STUDENT
WHO'S NEVER BEEN IN TROUBLE
BEFORE KILL HIS BEST FRIEND?
PEDRO BRAVO SPELLS OUT
EXACTLY WHAT HIS MOTIVE WAS.
IN FACT,
HE WROTE IT DOWN IN HIS JOURNAL.
PEDRO'S MOTIVE
IN THIS CASE WAS LOVE.
HE WAS DEEPLY IN LOVE
AND OBSESSED WITH ERIKA FRIMAN.
ERIKA WAS PEDRO'S ONLY MOTIVE.
AND THE ONLY WAY TO GET ERIKA
WAS TO MAKE CHRIS DISAPPEAR.
I -- I DON'T KNOW.
I FEEL LIKE I GET ASKED
A LOT LIKE,
"IF YOU COULD
SAY SOMETHING TO HIM,"
AND I DON'T EVEN KNOW
WHAT I WOULD SAY.
I DON'T EVEN KNOW IF I WOULD,
LIKE, WASTE MY BREATH.
THE JOURNAL SHOWED A PLAN
THAT PEDRO HAD WRITTEN OUT
ABOUT HOW TO
LURE CHRISTIAN AGUILAR
AWAY FROM THE CAMPUS.
AND ONE MORE TIME,
AN ALL-SEEING
SURVEILLANCE CAMERA
HELPS POLICE
PUT THE PUZZLE TOGETHER.
A VIDEO ANALYST
SPOTS A PIECE OF TAPE
THAT SHOWS EXACTLY
WHERE PEDRO TOOK CHRISTIAN
THE DAY HE MURDERED
HIS SO-CALLED BEST FRIEND.
THEY ENDED UP
AT A WALMART PARKING LOT.
PEDRO PARKS IN THE END ROW.
HIS CAR DOESN'T MOVE
FOR MORE THAN TWO HOURS,
AND NO ONE GETS IN OR OUT.
HE DRUGGED HIM WITH A DRINK.
I THINK IT WAS A GATORADE.
AND I THINK IT WAS
ALL SLEEPING PILLS.
I THINK DURING THAT HOUR
THAT CHRIS PROBABLY FELL ASLEEP.
AND WHILE THEY WERE
IN THE WALMART PARKING LOT,
I THINK PEDRO
STRANGLED CHRIS TO DEATH.
AND ALL THE WHILE, PEDRO'S CAR
WAS RIGHT UNDER THE NOSE
OF THE SECURITY CAMERAS.
FOR THE MURDER CHARGE,
PEDRO WAS SENTENCED TO
LIFE IN PRISON
WITHOUT THE POSSIBILITY
OF PAROLE.
IT'S OFTEN A HOLLOW VICTORY
BECAUSE I CAN'T GIVE THEM
WHAT THEY MOST WANT, WHICH IS --
THEY WANT THEIR CHILD BACK.
WE WERE SHATTERED
BY THIS TRAGEDY.
THEY BROKE US AS A FAMILY.
AND WE HAVE TO DEAL WITH IT.
MR. CHRISTIAN AGUILAR.
I WANT THEM TO REMEMBER HIM
AS THIS BEAUTIFUL HUMAN BEING
MAKING THEM LAUGH AND HIS SMILE.
I JUST WANT THEM TO REMEMBER HIM
NOT FOR
ALL OF THIS HORRIBLE STUFF
THAT HAPPENED TO HIM.
I WANT THEM TO REMEMBER HIM
FOR WHO HE WAS.