See No Evil (2014–…): Season 2, Episode 8 - The Vanishing Babysitter - full transcript
When 15 year old Elizabeth Ennen doesn't return home from a babysitting job one evening the family and police are leaving left to figure out what has happened to the teenage girl.
A 15-YEAR-OLD GIRL DISAPPEARS.
A MOTHER'S WORST NIGHTMARE.
WHERE'S MY CHILD?
POLICE SUSPECT
SHE'S RUN AWAY
TO BE WITH THE BOY SHE LOVES.
ALL WE WERE WANTING
TO DO WAS LOCATE HER.
UNTIL THEY UNEARTH
VIDEO SURVEILLANCE...
ALL OF US IN THERE
ARE JUST IN DISBELIEF
AT WHAT WE'RE SEEING.
...THAT CHANGES EVERYTHING.
IT BROUGHT TEARS TO MY EYES.
AND FINALLY REVEALS
WHAT REALLY HAPPENED
TO ELIZABETH ENNEN.
A PICTURE HAS A THOUSAND WORDS.
JANUARY 4, 2011,
LUBBOCK, TEXAS.
MOM?
IT'S JUST
A NORMAL TUESDAY NIGHT
FOR 15-YEAR-OLD ELIZABETH ENNEN
AND HER MOM, VIRGINIA.
ELIZABETH IS HEADING OUT
TO BABYSIT
FOR THE ENNENS' FRIENDS,
THE SALINAS FAMILY.
THEY'RE STAYING TEMPORARILY
IN A NEARBY MOTEL
WHILE THEY LOOK FOR A NEW HOME.
I'D STARTED LETTING HER
GO OVER THERE
AND HAVE A LITTLE
MORE RESPONSIBILITIES.
SAY HI TO BERT
AND THE GIRLS FOR ME.
I WILL.
THE HIGH SCHOOL STUDENT
IS PLANNING TO USE
HER BABYSITTING MONEY
TO BUY A BIRTHDAY PRESENT
FOR HER OLDER BROTHER.
SHE WAS WANTING
TO GET HIM SOMETHING SPECIAL.
ELIZABETH WAS DUE HOME
FROM BABYSITTING
AROUND MIDNIGHT.
GOT TO BE AROUND 1:30.
I STARTED GETTING CONCERNED.
THERE WAS A KNOCK ON THE DOOR.
WE THOUGHT IT WAS GONNA
BE ELIZABETH COMING HOME.
ELIZABETH'S BROTHER
KEVIN GOES TO OPEN THE DOOR.
HEY, THERE.
INSTEAD OF
HER DAUGHTER AT THE DOOR,
IT'S BERT SALINAS,
THE MAN WHOSE CHILDREN
ELIZABETH WAS BABYSITTING.
I'M JUST DROPPING OFF
ELIZABETH'S PURSE.
SHE JUST FORGOT IT.
HE TELLS VIRGINIA
THAT HE'S THERE
TO RETURN ELIZABETH'S PURSE.
YEAH, DROPPED HER OFF
AT THE SIDE DOOR.
SHE'S NOT HERE.
I WAS LIKE,
"WAIT, SHE'S NOT HERE.
SHE WAS WITH YOU."
BERT TELLS VIRGINIA
HE DROPPED ELIZABETH OFF AT HOME
JUST 15 MINUTES EARLIER.
GOOD NIGHT.
THEN WATCHED HER OPEN
THE SCREEN DOOR.
YOU SURE SHE DIDN'T STEP
OUT WITH A FRIEND
OR IS ASLEEP OR ANYTHING?
LITERALLY, LIKE, 20 MINUTES AGO.
SHE'S GOT TO BE UPSTAIRS
SLEEPING.
- I'LL GO CHECK.
- CHECK HER ROOM.
ELIZABETH?!
PERHAPS SHE'D SNUCK IN
AND GONE STRAIGHT TO BED.
ELIZABETH?
BERT, SHE'S NOT HERE!
SHE, I MEAN,
DIDN'T EVER COME IN THE DOOR.
IT MAKES NO SENSE
TO HER MOTHER
THAT ELIZABETH WOULD HAVE
STAYED OUTSIDE IN THE DARK
ON HER OWN.
SHE WOULDN'T GO
OUTSIDE THE HOUSE OR ANYTHING
UNLESS SOMEBODY WAS WITH HER.
SHE WAS AFRAID OF THE DARK.
IT WAS VERY OUT OF CHARACTER
FOR ELIZABETH.
I NEED POLICE, PLEASE.
MY DAUGHTER'S GONE MISSING.
A MOTHER'S WORST NIGHTMARE.
WHERE'S MY CHILD?
SHE'S NOT HERE.
ELIZABETH WAS VERY MUCH
A TYPICAL TEENAGER.
SHE COULD BE VERY MOUTHY
AT TIMES,
BUT SHE ALSO HAD THIS...
SWEETNESS ABOUT HER.
AND SHE WAS REALLY
BECOMING A YOUNG LADY.
SHE WAS ONE OF A KIND.
LOVED EVERYTHING
TEENAGERS LOVED.
CELLPHONES, THE MAKEUP, THE --
BEING AROUND FAMILY.
SHE WAS VERY BUBBLY
AND OUTGOING,
AND SHE LOVED SINGING
AND DANCING.
AND SHE LOVED HER BROTHERS.
HER MAIN AMBITION
WAS TO BE A NURSE,
'CAUSE
THAT'S WHAT SHE LOVED TO DO.
SHE LOVED TO HELP PEOPLE.
SHE WAS JUST ONE
OF THOSE PERSONS
THAT LIGHTENED UP A ROOM
WHEN SHE WALKED INTO IT.
LATER THAT NIGHT,
LUBBOCK COUNTY POLICE ARRIVE
AT VIRGINIA'S HOME.
SHE'S NEVER
USUALLY OUT THIS LATE --
SHE'S AFRAID OF THE DARK.
VIRGINIA TELLS
THE RESPONDING OFFICERS
THAT HER DAUGHTER WAS
BABYSITTING FOR BERT SALINAS,
WHO SHE'S KNOWN FOR YEARS.
SOMETHING'S HAPPENED.
HUMBERTO SALINAS IS A FAMILY
FRIEND OF THE ENNENS,
AND THEY HAD BEEN FRIENDS
FOR A LONG TIME.
A WORRIED
BERT TELLS POLICE
THE LAST HE SAW OF ELIZABETH
WAS WHEN HE WATCHED HER
WALK UP TO THE DOOR.
IT'S SO OUT OF CHARACTER
FOR HER.
OFFICERS URGE
ELIZABETH'S FAMILY
TO STAY CALM.
WE'RE FAMILY FRIENDS.
TEENAGERS,
SOMETIMES THE JUDGMENT...
SHE COULD BE OUT WITH FRIENDS,
EVEN A BOYFRIEND.
OR SHE COULD HAVE
RUN AWAY FROM HOME.
AFTER ALL,
SHE WOULDN'T BE THE FIRST TEEN
TO DO SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
SEE IF SHE SHOWS UP
IN THE MORNING
AND WE'LL TAKE IT
FROM THERE.
VIRGINIA IS TOLD
TO WAIT A DAY.
IF ELIZABETH IS STILL MISSING,
THEN THEY'LL LOOK INTO IT.
IT SEEMS PLAUSIBLE ENOUGH
TO THE POLICE.
OBVIOUSLY,
IF YOU HEAR FROM HER,
JUST GIVE ME A CALL
RIGHT AWAY.
BUT NOT TO ELIZABETH'S FAMILY.
SHE WOULDN'T HAVE LEFT
WITHOUT HER CELLPHONE.
YOU KNOW, IF A YOUNG PERSON
PLANS TO RUN AWAY,
THEY DON'T JUST
LEAVE HOME WITH NOTHING.
JUST THAT HEART-SINKING FEELING
OF THIS WAS NOT NORMAL.
THE FOLLOWING DAY,
LUBBOCK P.D.
GET A CALL FROM VIRGINIA ENNEN.
SHE SEEMED IN A PANIC --
AS A MOTHER, NEEDING ANSWERS.
VIRGINIA
TELLS INVESTIGATORS
SHE WAITED, AS ORDERED,
AND SHE HAS NOW
HEARD NOTHING FROM ELIZABETH
FOR OVER 12 HOURS.
VIRGINIA WAS A SCARED MOM.
CRUCIAL TIME
HAS BEEN LOST.
OFFICERS NEED TO SPEAK AGAIN
TO THE LAST PERSON
TO SEE ELIZABETH ENNEN...
BERT SALINAS,
THE CLOSE FAMILY FRIEND
ELIZABETH WAS BABYSITTING FOR.
HE VIEWED ELIZABETH
AS A DAUGHTER
AND VIRGINIA
AS A VERY CLOSE FRIEND.
DADDY'S GONNA STEP OUT,
OKAY?
BERT TELLS POLICE
THAT ELIZABETH CAME OVER
AROUND 6:30 P.M.
HE WENT OUT WITH HIS WIFE
AND HIS OLDER DAUGHTER
AND SPENT THE EVENING
PLAYING BINGO.
READ IT, READ IT!
I WILL!
TAKE CARE, MR. SALINAS.
- GOOD NIGHT.
- OKAY.
BERT RETURNED TO THE MOTEL
AND GAVE ELIZABETH
A RIDE HOME AT 1:00 A.M...
THANKS AGAIN
FOR THE RIDE.
...DROPPING HER OFF AT 1:30.
- SAY GOODBYE TO MOMMY.
- I WILL.
ON HIS WAY HOME,
HE REALIZED ELIZABETH HAD
LEFT HER PURSE IN HIS CAR,
AND IMMEDIATELY DROVE BACK
TO THE ENNENS'.
WHEN POLICE SPEAK TO BERT'S WIFE
AND CHILDREN,
THEY CONFIRM HIS STORY.
THE LAST TIME
BERT SALINAS SAW ELIZABETH
WAS WHEN HE DROPPED HER OFF.
BERT'S ACCOUNT CHECKS OUT.
BUT IT HAS NOW BEEN 24 HOURS
SINCE THAT SIGHTING,
AND ONE DETAIL STICKS OUT MOST.
YOU HAD A 15-YEAR-OLD,
ELIZABETH ENNEN,
NOT TAKE
HER CELLPHONE WITH HER.
FOR A 15-YEAR-OLD,
THAT IS EXTREMELY
UNUSUAL BEHAVIOR.
OFFICERS
BEGIN MAKING CALLS
TO ELIZABETH'S FRIENDS,
FAMILY, AND NEIGHBORS.
IT'S USEFUL TO TALK TO EVERYONE
THAT MAY HAVE HAD CONTACT
WITH ELIZABETH
BECAUSE THEY MAY PROVIDE
ANOTHER AVENUE FOR US TO SEARCH.
WOULD THERE HAVE BEEN A REASON
WHY SHE WANTED TO LEAVE?
WAS THERE RECENTLY AN ARGUMENT
OR A FIGHT
BETWEEN HER AND HER MOTHER
OR OTHER FAMILY MEMBERS?
WHAT ARE HER OTHER FRIENDS,
CLOSE FRIENDS,
THAT SHE WOULD TRUST ENOUGH
TO GO AND STAY WITH?
SUDDENLY, THE POLICE
GET A CALL FROM VIRGINIA
THAT COULD CHANGE EVERYTHING.
THERE WAS ONE OF HER FRIENDS
AT SCHOOL
THAT SHE BELIEVED THAT SHE HAD
SEEN HER WITH SOMEBODY
IN A WHITE CAR.
A YOUNG WOMAN
MATCHING ELIZABETH'S DESCRIPTION
HAS BEEN SPOTTED
IN A STATIONARY WHITE CAR
AT THE INTERSECTION
OF 98th STREET
AND INDIANA AVENUE.
IT'S THEIR FIRST GOOD LEAD,
AND INVESTIGATORS RUSH
TO THE SPOT 8 MILES AWAY.
THAT WAS A GREAT MOMENT
OF HOPE.
IF SOMEBODY HAD SEEN HER,
THEN SHE WAS OKAY.
WE COULD GET HER HOME.
THAT WAS WHAT WE CLUNG TO,
WAS JUST THE HOPE
OF HER COMING HOME.
WHEN THEY GET THERE,
THERE IS NO SIGN
OF ELIZABETH OR THE CAR.
BUT THEN INVESTIGATORS SPOT
ANOTHER WAY
TO PROVE SHE WAS THERE.
A GAS STATION
AT THE INTERSECTION
HAS A SURVEILLANCE CAMERA
POINTED AT THE PUMPS
AND AT THE ROAD BEYOND.
HAS THAT CAMERA CAPTURED VIDEO
OF ELIZABETH IN THE WHITE CAR?
WILL THIS SILENT WITNESS
HELP POLICE FIND ELIZABETH ENNEN
BEFORE IT'S TOO LATE?
TEXAS HIGH SCHOOL STUDENT
ELIZABETH ENNEN IS MISSING.
POLICE HAVE OBTAINED VIDEO
FROM A SECURITY CAMERA
AT A GAS STATION
WHERE ELIZABETH
MIGHT HAVE BEEN SPOTTED.
IN A BACK ROOM,
THEY CUE UP THE TAPE.
INVESTIGATORS ARE HOPING
TO CATCH A GLIMPSE
OF ELIZABETH OR THE WHITE CAR
SHE WAS SPOTTED IN.
THEY REWIND TO THE TIME
ON THE TAPE THAT MATCHES
THE APPROXIMATE TIME
THE SIGHTING WAS CALLED IN.
THE QUALITY IS LOW.
THEY SEE A WHITE CAR PULL UP.
IT PARKS ALMOST OUT OF RANGE
OF THE CAMERAS.
WHEN THE DRIVER'S
DOOR OPENS, THEY ZOOM IN.
- BRING IT BACK.
- BACK.
BUT IT'S IMPOSSIBLE
TO SEE WHO GETS OUT.
SIX MINUTES LATER...
...THE DOOR OPENS AGAIN
AND THE CAR DRIVES AWAY.
THEY PUNCH IN.
WILL THEY BE ABLE
TO AT LEAST GET THE PLATES?
BUT THE VIDEO IS SO GRAINY
THAT THEY CAN'T GET A GOOD LOOK
AT THE LICENSE PLATE NUMBER.
THE TIP
THAT SOUNDED SO PROMISING
AT FIRST HAS LED NOWHERE.
EVEN IF ELIZABETH
IS IN THE WHITE CAR,
POLICE DON'T KNOW
WHERE SHE'S GONE.
IT'S NOT WHAT ELIZABETH'S
FAMILY WANTED TO HEAR.
JUST DEVASTATED AGAIN...
...BECAUSE THAT JUST MEANT
WE STILL DIDN'T KNOW
WHERE SHE WAS.
WE WERE LOST,
AND WE FELT LOST.
THE POLICE ARE BACK
TO SQUARE ONE,
BUT THESE SEASONED INVESTIGATORS
HAVE A THEORY.
IN MY CAREER,
THE MAJORITY OF THE RUNAWAYS
ALWAYS WENT WHEN THEY WANTED
TO BE WITH THEIR BOYFRIEND
OR GIRLFRIEND.
INVESTIGATORS
NEED TO FIND OUT
IF ELIZABETH HAD A BOYFRIEND
WHO MIGHT HAVE WHISKED HER AWAY
WHILST EVERYONE THOUGHT SHE WAS
EITHER ASLEEP OR BABYSITTING.
AT THE MENTION OF A BOYFRIEND,
ELIZABETH'S MOTHER, VIRGINIA,
AND FAMILY FRIEND, BERT,
GO QUIET.
THEY REVEAL ELIZABETH
DID HAVE A BOYFRIEND.
SHE WAS FRIENDS
WITH HUMBERTO'S SON.
BERT'S 19-YEAR-OLD, HUMBERTO.
I KNOW THAT...
THEY KIND OF HAD A CRUSH
ON EACH OTHER.
AGAIN, SHE WAS 15 YEARS OLD.
HE WAS 19 AT THE TIME.
AND THAT AGE DIFFERENCE
WAS TOO MUCH
FOR ELIZABETH'S MOM.
THEY WERE TOLD AT THAT TIME
THAT THEY COULD NOT
SEE EACH OTHER.
IT WAS MY UNDERSTANDING
THAT ELIZABETH
WAS UPSET OVER THIS.
THE POLICE
NOW THINK THEY HAVE THIS CASE
NEARLY WRAPPED UP.
HUMBERTO AND ELIZABETH ARE MOST
LIKELY OUT THERE TOGETHER.
SO AT THIS POINT,
WE JUST ASSUMED
SHE WAS A RUNAWAY,
SIMPLY BECAUSE SHE WANTED TO
STAY WITH HER OLDER BOYFRIEND.
THE THEORY
RINGS TRUE WITH BERT.
HE BELIEVED
THAT THEY HAD LEFT TOGETHER.
POLICE IMMEDIATELY
START LOOKING INTO THE MAN
THEY THINK ELIZABETH
HAS BEEN SECRETLY DATING
AGAINST HER FAMILY'S WISHES --
HUMBERTO SALINAS.
HUMBERTO SALINAS
WAS OUR SUSPECT,
OUR PERSON OF INTEREST
TO TRY TO LOCATE
AND GATHER INFORMATION FROM HIM
ON THE WHEREABOUTS
OF ELIZABETH ENNEN.
A BACKGROUND CHECK
REVEALS HUMBERTO IS ALREADY
IN TROUBLE WITH THE LAW.
HE HAS THEFT CHARGES
AGAINST HIM.
AND DESPITE MULTIPLE CALLS,
HE'S NOT ANSWERING HIS PHONE.
HUMBERTO'S FATHER, BERT,
ALSO HAS A TROUBLING
SUSPICION ABOUT HIS SON.
HE'S LIKE,
"IF SHE MAKES HIS SON MAD,
IF SHE'S WITH HIM,
HE MIGHT DO SOMETHING
TO HURT HER."
TIME
TO PAY HUMBERTO A VISIT.
HUMBERTO ISN'T
AT HIS REGISTERED ADDRESS
AND IT LOOKS LIKE HE HASN'T
BEEN THERE FOR A WHILE.
HUMBERTO SALINAS
DIDN'T WANT TO BE LOCATED.
HE WOULD NOT RETURN PHONE CALLS
TO EITHER THE POLICE DEPARTMENT
OR TO HIS OWN FAMILY MEMBERS.
IT'S NOW CLEAR TO POLICE
THAT ELIZABETH IS IN HIDING
WITH HER BOYFRIEND, HUMBERTO,
WHICH MAKES THE CASE
A RUNAWAY, NOT AN ABDUCTION.
HER FAMILY DOESN'T AGREE.
THE POLICE WERE TELLING US
SHE WAS A RUNAWAY,
AND THE WHOLE TIME,
WE KNEW IT WASN'T TRUE.
13 LONG DAYS PASS,
AND THERE'S STILL NO WORD
FROM ELIZABETH.
POLICE HAVE MOVED ON
TO OTHER BUSINESS,
BUT ELIZABETH'S FAMILY
IS FRANTIC.
SHE DIDN'T RUN AWAY.
I KNOW SHE DIDN'T.
AND THEY CAN'T JUST SIT BY.
VIRGINIA WOULD GO PUT UP
THESE FLYERS
UNTIL 2:00 OR 3:00
IN THE MORNING,
ALL OVER TOWN.
I MEAN,
WE DID WHATEVER WE COULD.
AS A MOTHER,
I WAS LOOKING FOR MY CHILD.
I WANTED MY BABY BACK.
WE BEGAN THIS INVESTIGATION...
BY NOW,
THE LOCAL MEDIA
HAS PICKED UP THE STORY
OF THE MISSING GIRL.
REALLY JUST BRIGHTENED UP
EVERY...
15-YEAR-OLD
ELIZABETH ENNEN
DISAPPEARED JANUARY 5th
AT 1:30 IN THE MORNING
AFTER AN EVENING OF BABYSITTING
FOR CLOSE FAMILY FRIENDS
AT THE CARRIAGE HOUSE MOTEL.
ELIZABETH'S FACE
IS ON TV SCREENS AND NEWSPAPERS
ALL OVER WEST TEXAS.
BABY GIRL,
IF YOU SEE THIS AND EVERYTHING,
PLEASE JUST COME HOME.
CALL MAMA.
OUR HOPES ARE RIGHT NOW
THAT THE PUBIC CAN HELP US OUT,
AND IF ANYBODY KNOWS --
KNOWS WHERE SHE'S AT,
IF ANYBODY SAW ANYTHING,
THEY CAN CALL
THOSE TIPS IN TO US.
THE INCREASED MEDIA INTEREST
MEANS THE POLICE NOW START
RECEIVING DOZENS OF TIPS.
MOST OF THESE GO NOWHERE.
BUT THEN ON DAY 15,
A TIP COMES IN
THAT GETS THEIR ATTENTION.
A WOMAN SAYS SHE'S SEEN
ELIZABETH ENNEN
AND HUMBERTO SALINAS
AT A DOLLAR STORE
IN CENTRAL LUBBOCK.
INVESTIGATORS RUSH TO THE STORE.
WILL THIS SIGHTING
CONFIRM THEIR BELIEF
THAT ELIZABETH AND HUMBERTO
HAVE RUN AWAY TOGETHER?
THE MANAGER
CONFIRMS A YOUNG WOMAN
AND HER BOYFRIEND
WERE SEEN AT THE STORE,
AND NOTHING SEEMED
OUT OF THE ORDINARY.
IT MADE US FEEL BETTER
IN THE FACT THAT, OKAY,
IF SHE IS JUST GOING AROUND
AND SHOPPING
OR DRIVING SOMEWHERE,
THEN MORE THAN LIKELY SHE IS
A RUNAWAY AND NOT SOMEONE
WHO'S BEING KIDNAPPED
OR HARMED IN ANY WAY.
BUT THERE IS ONLY ONE WAY
FOR DETECTIVE WINTERS
TO BE SURE IT WAS ELIZABETH.
WE WENT AND RETRIEVED THE VIDEO
FOOTAGE FROM THE STORE.
IN THE OFFICE,
THE MANAGER CUES UP THE TAPE
FROM THE INTERNAL
SECURITY CAMERA.
HE PRESSES PLAY,
AND 10 MINUTES IN,
THEY SPOT SOMETHING.
HAS ELIZABETH ENNEN
FINALLY BEEN CAUGHT ON TAPE?
ELIZABETH ENNEN HAS
NOW BEEN MISSING FOR 16 DAYS.
BUT POLICE THINK SHE MIGHT HAVE
FINALLY BEEN SPOTTED
AT A LOCAL STORE.
FOR ANSWERS,
INVESTIGATORS HAVE TURNED
TO THE EVER-RELIABLE WITNESS --
CCTV.
THERE'S THE MOMENTS
WHEN YOU FIRST PUT THE DVD IN
THAT YOU ARE EXCITED,
BECAUSE BEING ABLE
TO SPOT HER ON A VIDEO
WOULD REALLY BRING A LOT
OF ANSWERS TO OUR INVESTIGATION.
THE STORE MANAGER PRESSES PLAY.
HE AND DETECTIVE WINTERS
SCOUR EVERY FRAME
AROUND THE TIME
ELIZABETH WAS SPOTTED,
HOPING TO SEE
THE MISSING TEENAGER.
WINTERS LOOKS CLOSELY.
HE SPOTS A YOUNG GIRL
ABOUT ELIZABETH'S AGE.
SHE'S WITH A MAN
WHO COULD EASILY
BE HER BOYFRIEND, HUMBERTO.
THEY JUMP
TO THE NEXT CAMERA...
FOLLOWING THE PAIR
THROUGH THE STORE...
HOPING FOR A GOOD LOOK
AT THEIR FACES.
THE GIRL ON THE TAPE
MATCHES ELIZABETH'S SIZE
AND BODY SHAPE.
EVEN HER HAIR
IS THE RIGHT COLOR.
BUT THEN THE GIRL
SUDDENLY TURNS
AND LOOKS
STRAIGHT AT THE CAMERA,
AND THAT'S
WHEN IT BECOMES CLEAR.
TURNED OUT NOT TO BE
ELIZABETH ENNEN.
IT WAS A YOUNGER WOMAN
WITH ANOTHER GENTLEMAN.
IT'S ANOTHER DEAD END.
IT'S VERY DISAPPOINTING,
HAVING TO CONTACT VIRGINIA
AND LETTING HER KNOW
THAT THERE WAS NO MERIT
TO THAT CRIME-LINE TIP.
IT'S VERY DISAPPOINTING,
DISHEARTENING.
SO FAR,
NONE OF THE SIGHTINGS
OF THE COUPLE
HAVE COME TO ANYTHING.
THERE'S BEEN NO ACTIVITY
ON ELIZABETH'S SOCIAL MEDIA,
AND SHE DOESN'T HAVE
HER MOBILE PHONE WITH HER.
IT'S STARTING TO LOOK LESS
LIKE ELIZABETH AND HUMBERTO
JUST RAN OFF TOGETHER.
YOU CAN DEAL WITH THE ROMEO
AND JULIET TYPE SCENARIO
A LOT EASIER
THAN DEALING WITH THE FACT
THAT YOUR CHILD HAS BEEN TAKEN.
AND ELIZABETH'S
BOYFRIEND, HUMBERTO,
IS STILL NOWHERE TO BE FOUND.
POLICE SUSPECT
THEY WILL NOT FIND ELIZABETH
UNTIL THEY FIND HUMBERTO.
SO THEY ESCALATE
THE INVESTIGATION
AND BRING IN
A KIDNAPPING EXPERT --
DETECTIVE REY MARTINEZ.
THE KIND OF CASES THAT
I WORK ARE THE MAJOR CRIMES --
KIDNAPPINGS, MISSING PERSONS,
THINGS LIKE THAT.
HE WAS
OUR NUMBER-ONE INVESTIGATOR.
HE WAS KNOWN AS SOMEONE
THAT COULD GET PEOPLE
TO TALK TO HIM.
HEY,
MR. SALINAS.
DETECTIVE MARTINEZ
SPEAKS TO BERT SALINAS AGAIN.
PERHAPS HE WILL PROVIDE
A NEW LEAD
IN THE SEARCH
FOR HIS SON, HUMBERTO.
ANY TIME
THERE'S A BIG AGE DIFFERENCE,
IT'S CERTAINLY A RED FLAG.
HOW OFTEN
DO YOU SEE YOUR SON?
DETECTIVE, I HONESTLY
DON'T SEE HIM OFTEN.
MARTINEZ
DISCOVERS THAT HUMBERTO
HAS RECENTLY FALLEN IN
WITH A BAD CROWD,
AND HE OFTEN DOESN'T
COME HOME FOR DAYS
AT A TIME.
IT WAS A CONCERN,
AND THOSE THINGS ARE USUALLY
LOOKED AT VERY CLOSELY.
BERT GIVES POLICE
A LIST OF FRIENDS
HIS SON, HUMBERTO,
COULD BE STAYING WITH,
AND OFFICERS HIT EVERY HOUSE
ON THE LIST.
I'M LOOKING FOR HUMBERTO.
FINALLY, A YOUNG WOMAN
TELLS POLICE
SHE SAW HUMBERTO
SEVERAL DAYS BEFORE.
AND SHE KNOWS EXACTLY
WHERE HE IS RIGHT NOW.
HE'S OFF, DONATING BLOOD,
OR THAT'S WHAT HE TOLD
HIS LADY FRIEND.
WHEN WE FOUND OUT
THAT SALINAS THE III
WAS AT THE PLASMA CENTER,
WE DID GET EXCITED.
WE THOUGHT MAYBE
WE WERE GETTING TO THE END
OF THIS INVESTIGATION.
POLICE RACE
TO THE CLINIC
WHERE HUMBERTO SUPPOSEDLY
IS GIVING BLOOD.
ALL WE WERE WANTING
TO DO IS LOCATE HER
AND REUNITE HER WITH HER MOTHER.
THEY ARRIVE JUST IN TIME
AND SPOT HUMBERTO AT THE CLINIC.
DISPATCH!
EYES ON SALINAS.
WE'RE GONNA BRING HIM IN.
IT'S TIME TO FIND OUT
EXACTLY WHAT HE KNOWS
ABOUT ELIZABETH'S DISAPPEARANCE.
WE'VE GOT SOME QUESTIONS
FOR YOU.
YOU COME WITH US.
TIME
FOR DETECTIVE MARTINEZ
TO GO TO WORK ON HIS SUSPECT.
HE KNOWS
EXACTLY WHAT TO LOOK FOR.
WHEN I INTERVIEWED HIM,
I WAS TRYING TO GAUGE TO SEE
IF AT ANY POINT
HE WOULD BECOME EMOTIONAL
OR DEFENSIVE
ABOUT HIS RELATIONSHIP
WITH ELIZABETH ENNEN.
THEY GRILL HIM FOR HOURS.
DURING THE INTERVIEW,
WE ASKED HIM
ABOUT TRYING TO CONFIRM
HIS RELATIONSHIP WITH ELIZABETH.
WHEN THE LAST TIME
SHE AND HE WERE TOGETHER.
LAST TIME
THEY SPOKE ON THE PHONE.
HUMBERTO SWEARS UP AND DOWN
HE HAS NO IDEA
WHERE ELIZABETH IS.
HE SAYS HE BROKE THINGS OFF
BECAUSE HIS FATHER
DIDN'T WANT HIM TO HAVE ANYTHING
TO DO WITH AN UNDERAGE GIRL.
AND HE ADVISED US THE LAST TIME
HE SPOKE WITH HER
WAS OVER THE PHONE
JUST THE NIGHT
BEFORE SHE WENT MISSING.
HUMBERTO
TELLS INVESTIGATORS
THAT AFTER THAT PHONE CALL,
HE NEVER SAW
OR SPOKE TO HER AGAIN.
FELT LIKE HE WAS
VERY CALM AND COOPERATIVE.
MY PARTNER
AND I BOTH GAUGED ABOUT HIM
THAT HE WAS TELLING THE TRUTH.
UP TO THIS POINT,
POLICE BELIEVED
THAT ONCE THEY FOUND HUMBERTO,
THEY WOULD FIND ELIZABETH.
BUT HUMBERTO'S STORY ADDS UP.
THEIR MOST EXPERIENCED
INTERROGATOR BELIEVES HIM,
AND THERE'S NOT
A SHRED OF EVIDENCE.
THEIR BEST LEAD TURNS OUT
TO BE A DEAD END.
BUT NOW THEY ARE BACK
TO SQUARE ONE.
IF ELIZABETH DIDN'T RUN OFF
WITH HUMBERTO, WHERE DID SHE GO?
DETECTIVE MARTINEZ
REVISITS THE TIMELINE OF
THE NIGHT ELIZABETH DISAPPEARED.
IS IT POSSIBLE
ELIZABETH REALIZED
SHE HAD LEFT HER PURSE
BACK AT THE MOTEL
WHERE SHE WAS BABYSITTING
AND WALKED BACK FOR IT HERSELF?
POLICE START TRACING THE ROUTE
SHE COULD HAVE TAKEN,
LOOKING FOR CLUES ALONG THE WAY.
POLICE ARE CONCERNED.
DID ELIZABETH COME BACK
TO THE MOTEL, ALONE,
LATE AT NIGHT?
THEY START QUESTIONING GUESTS
ABOUT WHETHER THEY SAW HER
THAT NIGHT.
ARE THEY NOW LOOKING
AT SOMETHING MORE OMINOUS
THAN JUST A TEENAGE RUNAWAY?
THEN INVESTIGATORS
SPOT SOMETHING
THAT GIVES THEM THE LEAD
THEY'RE LOOKING FOR.
THERE ARE SURVEILLANCE CAMERAS
AT THE MOTEL...
FOUR OF THEM.
THE FOOTAGE
FROM ALL FOUR CAMERAS
IS SENT BACK TO THE STATION.
OKAY, LET'S START
WITH THE FIRST ONE.
POLICE ARE ABOUT
TO GET THEIR FIRST GLIMPSE
OF ELIZABETH
SINCE SHE WENT MISSING.
OKAY, PAUSE THAT.
POLICE HAVE RETRIEVED
CCTV FOOTAGE FROM THE MOTEL
WHERE 15-YEAR-OLD
ELIZABETH ENNEN
WAS BABYSITTING
THE NIGHT SHE DISAPPEARED.
THE CCTV VIDEO
FROM THE CARRIAGE MOTEL
IS CUED UP AND READY TO GO.
WE ALL WATCHED IT.
WE ALL SAW IT TOGETHER.
WE HAD IT ON A MONITOR.
OKAY, JUST PLAY THAT,
PLAY THE TAPE.
THERE ARE SEVERAL
CAMERAS TO CHOOSE FROM,
AND THEY START WITH
THE ONE POSITIONED
JUST OUTSIDE THE SALINAS' ROOM,
ROOM 113.
THEY CUE UP TO AROUND THE TIME
BERT SAID ELIZABETH ARRIVED.
THE FOOTAGE IS LOW QUALITY
AND ONLY SHOWS A FRAME
EVERY FOUR SECONDS.
FOR 10 MINUTES,
THEY WATCH AN EMPTY CORRIDOR.
THEN AT 6:18 P.M.,
THEY SPOT A FIGURE WALK
TOWARDS THE CAMERA.
THEY ZOOM IN.
I DON'T KNOW.
I CAN'T MAKE THAT OUT.
THEY CAN'T IDENTIFY HIM,
BUT IT LOOKS LIKE THERE MIGHT BE
SOMEONE BEHIND HIM.
OKAY, KEEP PLAYING.
THEY STEP FORWARD
A SINGLE FRAME.
- THAT'S ELIZABETH.
- YEAH, 100%.
THE VIDEO IS OF POOR QUALITY.
BUT IT WAS GOOD ENOUGH
WHERE YOU COULD RECOGNIZE
IT WAS ELIZABETH ENNEN
ON THAT VIDEO.
POLICE
FINALLY HAVE A GLIMPSE
OF THE MISSING TEENAGER,
THE FIRST POSITIVE I.D.
SINCE THE SEARCH BEGAN.
THE MAN WITH HER IS FAMILY
FRIEND, BERT SALINAS.
THE TAPE SHOWS
THAT JUST AS BERT SAID,
ELIZABETH ARRIVED
AROUND 6:30 TO BABYSIT.
25 MINUTES LATER,
BERT, HIS WIFE,
AND DAUGHTER, HEAD
OUT FOR A NIGHT OUT --
JUST AS BERT HAD TOLD POLICE.
I FELT MORE AT EASE
AT THAT POINT,
THINKING THE VIDEO
WOULD BE ANOTHER STEP
WE COULD CROSS OFF
TO MOVE ON TO THE NEXT STEP
AND EVENTUALLY FIND HER.
KEEP PLAYING.
POLICE HOPE FOOTAGE
FROM THE NEXT CAMERA,
POSITIONED IN THE HOTEL LOBBY,
CAN TELL THEM MORE.
AGAIN, THEY SCROLL TO AROUND
THE TIME ELIZABETH ARRIVED.
A COUPLE OF MINUTES IN,
THE POLICE SEE
A FIGURE ON THE TAPE,
A WOMAN THEY THINK
THEY RECOGNIZE.
DRESSED IN BLUE JEANS
AND A WHITE TOP,
SHE LOOKS LIKE THE SAME GIRL
WHO TOLD THEM
ELIZABETH'S BOYFRIEND, HUMBERTO,
WAS AT THE BLOOD CENTER
WHEN THEY CAME LOOKING FOR HIM.
SHE'S COMING DOWN THE STAIRS
WITH A MAN WITH HIS HOOD UP.
OKAY, PAUSE THAT.
THE MAN IS ABOUT THE SAME SIZE
AS ELIZABETH'S BOYFRIEND,
HUMBERTO.
COULD IT BE HIM?
I CAN'T MAKE OUT HIS FACE.
WHY DON'T WE ZOOM IT IN?
BUT THE MAN
IS DELIBERATELY HIDING HIS FACE
AND THE VIDEO IS SO GRAINY
THAT THEY CAN'T SEE WHO IT IS.
IF THIS IS ELIZABETH'S
BOYFRIEND,
HE'S DOING A GOOD JOB
HIDING HIS IDENTITY.
BUT THERE ARE THREE OTHER
CAMERAS IN THE MOTEL.
AND THIS HOODED MYSTERY MAN
MIGHT SHOW UP ON ONE OF THEM.
DETECTIVES HAVE NOW
BEEN TRAWLING THROUGH FOOTAGE
FOR HOURS.
SO LET'S CARRY ON.
OKAY, FOCUS IN ON THAT AREA.
THERE ARE SEVERAL
FALSE ALARMS,
BUT NO SIGN OF THE MAN
WHO LOOKS LIKE
ELIZABETH'S MYSTERY BOYFRIEND.
THEN AT AROUND 10:45 P.M.,
ON THE CORRIDOR CAMERA,
THEY SPOT SOMETHING UNUSUAL.
THEY BACK THE TAPE UP
AND PLAY IT AGAIN.
IT'S BERT SALINAS,
HEADING BACK TO HIS ROOM
IN THE CARRIAGE MOTEL, THE ROOM
WHERE ELIZABETH ENNEN IS
BABYSITTING HIS TWO DAUGHTERS.
WHAT'S HE DOING BACK SO EARLY?
THAT'S STRANGE.
IT'S 10:45,
BUT HE TOLD POLICE
HE DIDN'T GET BACK
TO THE ROOM UNTIL 11:30.
SURVEILLANCE VIDEO HAS JUST
CAUGHT BERT SALINAS IN A LIE.
INVESTIGATORS WATCH THE CAMERA
COVERING THE CORRIDOR
OUTSIDE ROOM 113
FOR ANOTHER HOUR.
NOBODY COMES IN OR OUT.
FINALLY, AT 11:47 P.M.,
THEY SPOT SOMETHING.
IN THE VIDEO,
AS I'M WATCHING IT
FOR THE FIRST TIME,
YOU SEE...ELIZABETH
WALK OUT RATHER FAST
FROM THE ROOM THEY'RE AT.
BUT ELIZABETH
IS NOT ALONE.
SHE'S FOLLOWED BY SOMEONE.
IT'S BERT SALINAS.
IT LOOKS
LIKE HE'S RUNNING AFTER HER.
WHAT'S HE UP TO?
WHAT'S GOING ON HERE?
DETECTIVE WATCH
AS ELIZABETH HURRIES OFF CAMERA,
FOLLOWED BY BERT.
SHE ONLY APPEARS
IN A SINGLE FRAME,
BUT THAT MEANS
FOUR SECONDS HAVE PASSED,
AND IN THAT TIME, SHE REACHES
THE END OF THE CORRIDOR.
SHE'S RUNNING,
AND IT LOOKS VERY MUCH
LIKE SHE'S RUNNING
FROM BERT SALINAS.
FROM THIS CAMERA ANGLE,
IT'S IMPOSSIBLE TO SEE
WHERE THEY'RE HEADING.
TO FIND OUT, INVESTIGATORS
MUST KEEP SCOURING EVERY FRAME
OF THE MOTEL'S SECURITY FOOTAGE.
LOOK, LOOK!
AND THE NEXT THING THEY SEE
WILL BE HORRIFYING.
ALL OF US IN THERE
ARE JUST IN DISBELIEF
OF WHAT WE'RE SEEING.
DETECTIVES
ARE WATCHING SECURITY FOOTAGE
FROM THE MOTEL WHERE 15-YEAR-OLD
ELIZABETH ENNEN
WAS BABYSITTING
THE NIGHT SHE DISAPPEARED.
INVESTIGATORS HAVE JUST WATCHED
ELIZABETH RUN FROM THE ROOM,
FOLLOWED BY FAMILY FRIEND,
BERT SALINAS.
KEEP PLAYING.
MOMENTS LATER,
THEY WALK BACK.
HE IS HOLDING HER ARM.
SHE DOES NOT SEEM PLEASED
TO BE GOING BACK TO THE ROOM
THAT THEY CAME FROM.
JUST EIGHT MINUTES LATER,
ELIZABETH ENNEN
AND BERT EXIT ROOM 113 AGAIN
AND WALK DOWN THE CORRIDOR.
DETECTIVES SWITCH
BETWEEN THE MOTEL'S CAMERAS,
TRYING TO TRACK THE PAIR.
LOOK, LOOK, THAT'S HER.
SHE'S RUNNING AWAY.
THIS TIME, THEY NOTICE
THAT ELIZABETH IS HOLDING
SOMETHING IN HER HANDS.
THEY PUNCH IN
AND TRY TO MAKE OUT WHAT IT IS.
THEY ENLARGE THE SHOT.
FINALLY, THEY SEE WHAT IT IS.
ELIZABETH IS HOLDING HER SHOES.
IT LOOKS LIKE SHE HAD
TO LEAVE ROOM 113 IN A HURRY.
I DON'T KNOW
IF EXCITING IS THE RIGHT WORD,
BUT WE WERE EXCITED
FOR THE FIRST TIME
TO HAVE SOME CONCRETE EVIDENCE.
AND JUST A FEW MINUTES
LATER ON THE SAME LOBBY CAMERA,
THEY SEE SOMETHING THAT CHILLS
THESE HARDENED DETECTIVES
TO THE BONE.
SALINAS IS TRYING
TO WALK ELIZABETH OUT.
AND SHE TURNS
IN A DIFFERENT DIRECTION
AND RUNS TOWARDS
A DIFFERENT DOOR
THAN WHERE HE WAS GOING.
AS HE TURNS AROUND AND KIND
OF CORNERS HER INTO THE CORNER,
THAT WAS VERY TELLING FOR US
THAT SHE'S TERRIFIED.
ELIZABETH SEEMS
TO BE COWERING IN THE CORNER
AS BERT APPROACHES HER.
HE TAKES HER BY THE ARM
AND WALKS OUT OF CAMERA RANGE
TO THE PARKING LOT.
WE KEPT REWINDING IT,
AND YOU COULD SEE
THE INTERACTION
WHERE SHE PULLS AWAY FROM HIM.
SHE WAS BEING...DEFENSIVE,
TRYING TO GET
AWAY FROM HIM.
IT BROUGHT TEARS TO MY EYES.
IT WAS PRETTY OBVIOUS
THAT SHE DIDN'T WANT
TO BE NEAR HIM
AND THAT HE WAS ACTUALLY
TRYING TO CONTROL HER.
IT'S CLEAR
THAT SOMETHING VERY TROUBLING
HAPPENED IN ROOM 113,
SOMETHING BERT
NEVER TOLD POLICE.
HE TOOK ELIZABETH
FROM HIS ROOM THAT NIGHT
AND WALKED HER
OUT TOWARDS THE PARKING LOT.
DETECTIVES SEND A PATROL CAR
OUT TO THE CARRIAGE MOTEL
AND PICK UP BERT SALINAS.
RIGHT HERE, HAVE A SEAT.
RIGHT OVER THERE.
FROM THE VERY ONSET
OF THE TIME THAT I MET HIM,
HE ALWAYS REFERRED TO ELIZABETH
AS BEING LIKE HIS DAUGHTER.
AND I TOLD HIM, I SAID,
"IS THAT REALLY THE TRUTH?"
BERT DENIES ANYTHING
UNTOWARD HAPPENED THAT NIGHT...
UNTIL DETECTIVE
MARTINEZ TELLS HIM
THEY HAVE IT ALL ON TAPE.
HE SAT THERE, JUST LOOKING DOWN.
AND I ASKED HIM,
AFTER A SHORT TIME, I SAID,
"YOU WANT TO TELL ME
WHAT'S ON YOUR MIND?"
AND HE KEPT LOOKING DOWN
AND STARTED CRYING.
THEN HE TOLD ME THAT...
I WAS RIGHT,
THAT HE HAD KILLED ELIZABETH.
AND HE SAID,
"I WANT TO...
I'LL TELL YOU WHERE SHE'S AT."
BERT GUIDES THE POLICE
TO A BROKEN-DOWN PART
OF THE CITY THAT'S DOTTED
WITH ABANDONED BUILDINGS.
THERE WASN'T MUCH CONVERSATION.
WE ACTUALLY DROVE DOWN
THAT DIRT ROAD
FOR, IT SEEMED LIKE,
A VERY LONG TIME.
AND I WAS BEGINNING TO QUESTION
IF WE WERE ON THE RIGHT ROAD.
BERT HAS GUIDED THEM
BEHIND A SHED.
ELIZABETH ENNEN
HAS BEEN STRANGLED TO DEATH.
HUMBERTO SALINAS
IS TAKEN TO JAIL.
A PARENT'S WORST NIGHTMARE
IS TO BE TOLD
THEIR CHILD IS GONE.
WE DROVE TO VIRGINIA'S HOME,
AND IT WAS A QUIET RIDE.
WHEN THE DETECTIVES
SHOWED UP...
THERE WERE THREE OF THEM.
AND ELIZABETH WASN'T IN THE CAR.
THEY GOT OUT AND COME UP THERE
TO THE PORCH
WHERE WE WERE AT.
AND I JUST --
I STARTED BACKING AWAY
FROM THEM.
BECAUSE, I MEAN,
IN MY HEART,
I KNEW WHAT THEY WERE GONNA SAY.
I COLLAPSED ON THE PORCH,
AND I JUST KEPT ON,
"NO, I'M SUPPOSED TO GO FIRST,
NOT MY DAUGHTER."
NO HOLLYWOOD MOVIE CAN EVER...
SHOW THE TRUE EMOTION
OF THAT MOTHER'S SCREAM.
DETECTIVE MARTINEZ SUSPECTS
THAT BERT SALINAS
CAME HOME DRUNK
AND MADE A PASS AT ELIZABETH.
STOP, STOP!
HIS MOTIVATION...
I BELIEVE THAT
WHATEVER ELIZABETH ENNEN
WOULD HAVE REVEALED
TO HER MOTHER,
HE WAS GONNA SUFFER
THE CONSEQUENCES.
I THINK, IN HINDSIGHT,
WHEN HE GRABBED HER
FROM THE VIDEO,
I THINK HE HAD IT IN HIS MIND
AT THAT POINT HE WAS GOING
TO HAVE TO KILL HER.
AND I THINK HE MADE
THAT DECISION AT THAT TIME
AND DID THAT SHORTLY THEREAFTER.
IT'S JUST HER SMILE...
JUST LIT UP A ROOM.
SHE WAS JUST SO PRECIOUS.
ON APRIL 5, 2012,
BERT SALINAS II
PLEADS GUILTY TO CAPITAL MURDER
AND IS SENTENCED
TO LIFE IN PRISON
WITHOUT PAROLE.
YOU TEACH YOUR KIDS
TO BE AWARE OF STRANGERS.
BUT WHEN IT'S SOMEBODY YOU KNOW
AND YOU TRUST,
YOUR KIDS TRUST THEM.
IT'S LIKE THEY'RE THE LAST ONES
YOU WOULD EVER DREAM
IT WOULD BE ABLE
TO DO SOMETHING SO HORRIBLE.
WITHOUT CCTV,
NO ONE WOULD HAVE BELIEVED IT.
AT ONE POINT IT SEEMED
LIKE SHE WAS LOOKING
AT THE VIDEO CAMERA,
AND JUST THE LOOK
IN HER FACE BEING,
"MAMA, I KNEW IT."
IT WAS LIKE SHE WAS ASKING
FOR SOMEBODY TO HELP HER.
JUST THE LOOK ON HER FACE.
A MOTHER'S WORST NIGHTMARE.
WHERE'S MY CHILD?
POLICE SUSPECT
SHE'S RUN AWAY
TO BE WITH THE BOY SHE LOVES.
ALL WE WERE WANTING
TO DO WAS LOCATE HER.
UNTIL THEY UNEARTH
VIDEO SURVEILLANCE...
ALL OF US IN THERE
ARE JUST IN DISBELIEF
AT WHAT WE'RE SEEING.
...THAT CHANGES EVERYTHING.
IT BROUGHT TEARS TO MY EYES.
AND FINALLY REVEALS
WHAT REALLY HAPPENED
TO ELIZABETH ENNEN.
A PICTURE HAS A THOUSAND WORDS.
JANUARY 4, 2011,
LUBBOCK, TEXAS.
MOM?
IT'S JUST
A NORMAL TUESDAY NIGHT
FOR 15-YEAR-OLD ELIZABETH ENNEN
AND HER MOM, VIRGINIA.
ELIZABETH IS HEADING OUT
TO BABYSIT
FOR THE ENNENS' FRIENDS,
THE SALINAS FAMILY.
THEY'RE STAYING TEMPORARILY
IN A NEARBY MOTEL
WHILE THEY LOOK FOR A NEW HOME.
I'D STARTED LETTING HER
GO OVER THERE
AND HAVE A LITTLE
MORE RESPONSIBILITIES.
SAY HI TO BERT
AND THE GIRLS FOR ME.
I WILL.
THE HIGH SCHOOL STUDENT
IS PLANNING TO USE
HER BABYSITTING MONEY
TO BUY A BIRTHDAY PRESENT
FOR HER OLDER BROTHER.
SHE WAS WANTING
TO GET HIM SOMETHING SPECIAL.
ELIZABETH WAS DUE HOME
FROM BABYSITTING
AROUND MIDNIGHT.
GOT TO BE AROUND 1:30.
I STARTED GETTING CONCERNED.
THERE WAS A KNOCK ON THE DOOR.
WE THOUGHT IT WAS GONNA
BE ELIZABETH COMING HOME.
ELIZABETH'S BROTHER
KEVIN GOES TO OPEN THE DOOR.
HEY, THERE.
INSTEAD OF
HER DAUGHTER AT THE DOOR,
IT'S BERT SALINAS,
THE MAN WHOSE CHILDREN
ELIZABETH WAS BABYSITTING.
I'M JUST DROPPING OFF
ELIZABETH'S PURSE.
SHE JUST FORGOT IT.
HE TELLS VIRGINIA
THAT HE'S THERE
TO RETURN ELIZABETH'S PURSE.
YEAH, DROPPED HER OFF
AT THE SIDE DOOR.
SHE'S NOT HERE.
I WAS LIKE,
"WAIT, SHE'S NOT HERE.
SHE WAS WITH YOU."
BERT TELLS VIRGINIA
HE DROPPED ELIZABETH OFF AT HOME
JUST 15 MINUTES EARLIER.
GOOD NIGHT.
THEN WATCHED HER OPEN
THE SCREEN DOOR.
YOU SURE SHE DIDN'T STEP
OUT WITH A FRIEND
OR IS ASLEEP OR ANYTHING?
LITERALLY, LIKE, 20 MINUTES AGO.
SHE'S GOT TO BE UPSTAIRS
SLEEPING.
- I'LL GO CHECK.
- CHECK HER ROOM.
ELIZABETH?!
PERHAPS SHE'D SNUCK IN
AND GONE STRAIGHT TO BED.
ELIZABETH?
BERT, SHE'S NOT HERE!
SHE, I MEAN,
DIDN'T EVER COME IN THE DOOR.
IT MAKES NO SENSE
TO HER MOTHER
THAT ELIZABETH WOULD HAVE
STAYED OUTSIDE IN THE DARK
ON HER OWN.
SHE WOULDN'T GO
OUTSIDE THE HOUSE OR ANYTHING
UNLESS SOMEBODY WAS WITH HER.
SHE WAS AFRAID OF THE DARK.
IT WAS VERY OUT OF CHARACTER
FOR ELIZABETH.
I NEED POLICE, PLEASE.
MY DAUGHTER'S GONE MISSING.
A MOTHER'S WORST NIGHTMARE.
WHERE'S MY CHILD?
SHE'S NOT HERE.
ELIZABETH WAS VERY MUCH
A TYPICAL TEENAGER.
SHE COULD BE VERY MOUTHY
AT TIMES,
BUT SHE ALSO HAD THIS...
SWEETNESS ABOUT HER.
AND SHE WAS REALLY
BECOMING A YOUNG LADY.
SHE WAS ONE OF A KIND.
LOVED EVERYTHING
TEENAGERS LOVED.
CELLPHONES, THE MAKEUP, THE --
BEING AROUND FAMILY.
SHE WAS VERY BUBBLY
AND OUTGOING,
AND SHE LOVED SINGING
AND DANCING.
AND SHE LOVED HER BROTHERS.
HER MAIN AMBITION
WAS TO BE A NURSE,
'CAUSE
THAT'S WHAT SHE LOVED TO DO.
SHE LOVED TO HELP PEOPLE.
SHE WAS JUST ONE
OF THOSE PERSONS
THAT LIGHTENED UP A ROOM
WHEN SHE WALKED INTO IT.
LATER THAT NIGHT,
LUBBOCK COUNTY POLICE ARRIVE
AT VIRGINIA'S HOME.
SHE'S NEVER
USUALLY OUT THIS LATE --
SHE'S AFRAID OF THE DARK.
VIRGINIA TELLS
THE RESPONDING OFFICERS
THAT HER DAUGHTER WAS
BABYSITTING FOR BERT SALINAS,
WHO SHE'S KNOWN FOR YEARS.
SOMETHING'S HAPPENED.
HUMBERTO SALINAS IS A FAMILY
FRIEND OF THE ENNENS,
AND THEY HAD BEEN FRIENDS
FOR A LONG TIME.
A WORRIED
BERT TELLS POLICE
THE LAST HE SAW OF ELIZABETH
WAS WHEN HE WATCHED HER
WALK UP TO THE DOOR.
IT'S SO OUT OF CHARACTER
FOR HER.
OFFICERS URGE
ELIZABETH'S FAMILY
TO STAY CALM.
WE'RE FAMILY FRIENDS.
TEENAGERS,
SOMETIMES THE JUDGMENT...
SHE COULD BE OUT WITH FRIENDS,
EVEN A BOYFRIEND.
OR SHE COULD HAVE
RUN AWAY FROM HOME.
AFTER ALL,
SHE WOULDN'T BE THE FIRST TEEN
TO DO SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
SEE IF SHE SHOWS UP
IN THE MORNING
AND WE'LL TAKE IT
FROM THERE.
VIRGINIA IS TOLD
TO WAIT A DAY.
IF ELIZABETH IS STILL MISSING,
THEN THEY'LL LOOK INTO IT.
IT SEEMS PLAUSIBLE ENOUGH
TO THE POLICE.
OBVIOUSLY,
IF YOU HEAR FROM HER,
JUST GIVE ME A CALL
RIGHT AWAY.
BUT NOT TO ELIZABETH'S FAMILY.
SHE WOULDN'T HAVE LEFT
WITHOUT HER CELLPHONE.
YOU KNOW, IF A YOUNG PERSON
PLANS TO RUN AWAY,
THEY DON'T JUST
LEAVE HOME WITH NOTHING.
JUST THAT HEART-SINKING FEELING
OF THIS WAS NOT NORMAL.
THE FOLLOWING DAY,
LUBBOCK P.D.
GET A CALL FROM VIRGINIA ENNEN.
SHE SEEMED IN A PANIC --
AS A MOTHER, NEEDING ANSWERS.
VIRGINIA
TELLS INVESTIGATORS
SHE WAITED, AS ORDERED,
AND SHE HAS NOW
HEARD NOTHING FROM ELIZABETH
FOR OVER 12 HOURS.
VIRGINIA WAS A SCARED MOM.
CRUCIAL TIME
HAS BEEN LOST.
OFFICERS NEED TO SPEAK AGAIN
TO THE LAST PERSON
TO SEE ELIZABETH ENNEN...
BERT SALINAS,
THE CLOSE FAMILY FRIEND
ELIZABETH WAS BABYSITTING FOR.
HE VIEWED ELIZABETH
AS A DAUGHTER
AND VIRGINIA
AS A VERY CLOSE FRIEND.
DADDY'S GONNA STEP OUT,
OKAY?
BERT TELLS POLICE
THAT ELIZABETH CAME OVER
AROUND 6:30 P.M.
HE WENT OUT WITH HIS WIFE
AND HIS OLDER DAUGHTER
AND SPENT THE EVENING
PLAYING BINGO.
READ IT, READ IT!
I WILL!
TAKE CARE, MR. SALINAS.
- GOOD NIGHT.
- OKAY.
BERT RETURNED TO THE MOTEL
AND GAVE ELIZABETH
A RIDE HOME AT 1:00 A.M...
THANKS AGAIN
FOR THE RIDE.
...DROPPING HER OFF AT 1:30.
- SAY GOODBYE TO MOMMY.
- I WILL.
ON HIS WAY HOME,
HE REALIZED ELIZABETH HAD
LEFT HER PURSE IN HIS CAR,
AND IMMEDIATELY DROVE BACK
TO THE ENNENS'.
WHEN POLICE SPEAK TO BERT'S WIFE
AND CHILDREN,
THEY CONFIRM HIS STORY.
THE LAST TIME
BERT SALINAS SAW ELIZABETH
WAS WHEN HE DROPPED HER OFF.
BERT'S ACCOUNT CHECKS OUT.
BUT IT HAS NOW BEEN 24 HOURS
SINCE THAT SIGHTING,
AND ONE DETAIL STICKS OUT MOST.
YOU HAD A 15-YEAR-OLD,
ELIZABETH ENNEN,
NOT TAKE
HER CELLPHONE WITH HER.
FOR A 15-YEAR-OLD,
THAT IS EXTREMELY
UNUSUAL BEHAVIOR.
OFFICERS
BEGIN MAKING CALLS
TO ELIZABETH'S FRIENDS,
FAMILY, AND NEIGHBORS.
IT'S USEFUL TO TALK TO EVERYONE
THAT MAY HAVE HAD CONTACT
WITH ELIZABETH
BECAUSE THEY MAY PROVIDE
ANOTHER AVENUE FOR US TO SEARCH.
WOULD THERE HAVE BEEN A REASON
WHY SHE WANTED TO LEAVE?
WAS THERE RECENTLY AN ARGUMENT
OR A FIGHT
BETWEEN HER AND HER MOTHER
OR OTHER FAMILY MEMBERS?
WHAT ARE HER OTHER FRIENDS,
CLOSE FRIENDS,
THAT SHE WOULD TRUST ENOUGH
TO GO AND STAY WITH?
SUDDENLY, THE POLICE
GET A CALL FROM VIRGINIA
THAT COULD CHANGE EVERYTHING.
THERE WAS ONE OF HER FRIENDS
AT SCHOOL
THAT SHE BELIEVED THAT SHE HAD
SEEN HER WITH SOMEBODY
IN A WHITE CAR.
A YOUNG WOMAN
MATCHING ELIZABETH'S DESCRIPTION
HAS BEEN SPOTTED
IN A STATIONARY WHITE CAR
AT THE INTERSECTION
OF 98th STREET
AND INDIANA AVENUE.
IT'S THEIR FIRST GOOD LEAD,
AND INVESTIGATORS RUSH
TO THE SPOT 8 MILES AWAY.
THAT WAS A GREAT MOMENT
OF HOPE.
IF SOMEBODY HAD SEEN HER,
THEN SHE WAS OKAY.
WE COULD GET HER HOME.
THAT WAS WHAT WE CLUNG TO,
WAS JUST THE HOPE
OF HER COMING HOME.
WHEN THEY GET THERE,
THERE IS NO SIGN
OF ELIZABETH OR THE CAR.
BUT THEN INVESTIGATORS SPOT
ANOTHER WAY
TO PROVE SHE WAS THERE.
A GAS STATION
AT THE INTERSECTION
HAS A SURVEILLANCE CAMERA
POINTED AT THE PUMPS
AND AT THE ROAD BEYOND.
HAS THAT CAMERA CAPTURED VIDEO
OF ELIZABETH IN THE WHITE CAR?
WILL THIS SILENT WITNESS
HELP POLICE FIND ELIZABETH ENNEN
BEFORE IT'S TOO LATE?
TEXAS HIGH SCHOOL STUDENT
ELIZABETH ENNEN IS MISSING.
POLICE HAVE OBTAINED VIDEO
FROM A SECURITY CAMERA
AT A GAS STATION
WHERE ELIZABETH
MIGHT HAVE BEEN SPOTTED.
IN A BACK ROOM,
THEY CUE UP THE TAPE.
INVESTIGATORS ARE HOPING
TO CATCH A GLIMPSE
OF ELIZABETH OR THE WHITE CAR
SHE WAS SPOTTED IN.
THEY REWIND TO THE TIME
ON THE TAPE THAT MATCHES
THE APPROXIMATE TIME
THE SIGHTING WAS CALLED IN.
THE QUALITY IS LOW.
THEY SEE A WHITE CAR PULL UP.
IT PARKS ALMOST OUT OF RANGE
OF THE CAMERAS.
WHEN THE DRIVER'S
DOOR OPENS, THEY ZOOM IN.
- BRING IT BACK.
- BACK.
BUT IT'S IMPOSSIBLE
TO SEE WHO GETS OUT.
SIX MINUTES LATER...
...THE DOOR OPENS AGAIN
AND THE CAR DRIVES AWAY.
THEY PUNCH IN.
WILL THEY BE ABLE
TO AT LEAST GET THE PLATES?
BUT THE VIDEO IS SO GRAINY
THAT THEY CAN'T GET A GOOD LOOK
AT THE LICENSE PLATE NUMBER.
THE TIP
THAT SOUNDED SO PROMISING
AT FIRST HAS LED NOWHERE.
EVEN IF ELIZABETH
IS IN THE WHITE CAR,
POLICE DON'T KNOW
WHERE SHE'S GONE.
IT'S NOT WHAT ELIZABETH'S
FAMILY WANTED TO HEAR.
JUST DEVASTATED AGAIN...
...BECAUSE THAT JUST MEANT
WE STILL DIDN'T KNOW
WHERE SHE WAS.
WE WERE LOST,
AND WE FELT LOST.
THE POLICE ARE BACK
TO SQUARE ONE,
BUT THESE SEASONED INVESTIGATORS
HAVE A THEORY.
IN MY CAREER,
THE MAJORITY OF THE RUNAWAYS
ALWAYS WENT WHEN THEY WANTED
TO BE WITH THEIR BOYFRIEND
OR GIRLFRIEND.
INVESTIGATORS
NEED TO FIND OUT
IF ELIZABETH HAD A BOYFRIEND
WHO MIGHT HAVE WHISKED HER AWAY
WHILST EVERYONE THOUGHT SHE WAS
EITHER ASLEEP OR BABYSITTING.
AT THE MENTION OF A BOYFRIEND,
ELIZABETH'S MOTHER, VIRGINIA,
AND FAMILY FRIEND, BERT,
GO QUIET.
THEY REVEAL ELIZABETH
DID HAVE A BOYFRIEND.
SHE WAS FRIENDS
WITH HUMBERTO'S SON.
BERT'S 19-YEAR-OLD, HUMBERTO.
I KNOW THAT...
THEY KIND OF HAD A CRUSH
ON EACH OTHER.
AGAIN, SHE WAS 15 YEARS OLD.
HE WAS 19 AT THE TIME.
AND THAT AGE DIFFERENCE
WAS TOO MUCH
FOR ELIZABETH'S MOM.
THEY WERE TOLD AT THAT TIME
THAT THEY COULD NOT
SEE EACH OTHER.
IT WAS MY UNDERSTANDING
THAT ELIZABETH
WAS UPSET OVER THIS.
THE POLICE
NOW THINK THEY HAVE THIS CASE
NEARLY WRAPPED UP.
HUMBERTO AND ELIZABETH ARE MOST
LIKELY OUT THERE TOGETHER.
SO AT THIS POINT,
WE JUST ASSUMED
SHE WAS A RUNAWAY,
SIMPLY BECAUSE SHE WANTED TO
STAY WITH HER OLDER BOYFRIEND.
THE THEORY
RINGS TRUE WITH BERT.
HE BELIEVED
THAT THEY HAD LEFT TOGETHER.
POLICE IMMEDIATELY
START LOOKING INTO THE MAN
THEY THINK ELIZABETH
HAS BEEN SECRETLY DATING
AGAINST HER FAMILY'S WISHES --
HUMBERTO SALINAS.
HUMBERTO SALINAS
WAS OUR SUSPECT,
OUR PERSON OF INTEREST
TO TRY TO LOCATE
AND GATHER INFORMATION FROM HIM
ON THE WHEREABOUTS
OF ELIZABETH ENNEN.
A BACKGROUND CHECK
REVEALS HUMBERTO IS ALREADY
IN TROUBLE WITH THE LAW.
HE HAS THEFT CHARGES
AGAINST HIM.
AND DESPITE MULTIPLE CALLS,
HE'S NOT ANSWERING HIS PHONE.
HUMBERTO'S FATHER, BERT,
ALSO HAS A TROUBLING
SUSPICION ABOUT HIS SON.
HE'S LIKE,
"IF SHE MAKES HIS SON MAD,
IF SHE'S WITH HIM,
HE MIGHT DO SOMETHING
TO HURT HER."
TIME
TO PAY HUMBERTO A VISIT.
HUMBERTO ISN'T
AT HIS REGISTERED ADDRESS
AND IT LOOKS LIKE HE HASN'T
BEEN THERE FOR A WHILE.
HUMBERTO SALINAS
DIDN'T WANT TO BE LOCATED.
HE WOULD NOT RETURN PHONE CALLS
TO EITHER THE POLICE DEPARTMENT
OR TO HIS OWN FAMILY MEMBERS.
IT'S NOW CLEAR TO POLICE
THAT ELIZABETH IS IN HIDING
WITH HER BOYFRIEND, HUMBERTO,
WHICH MAKES THE CASE
A RUNAWAY, NOT AN ABDUCTION.
HER FAMILY DOESN'T AGREE.
THE POLICE WERE TELLING US
SHE WAS A RUNAWAY,
AND THE WHOLE TIME,
WE KNEW IT WASN'T TRUE.
13 LONG DAYS PASS,
AND THERE'S STILL NO WORD
FROM ELIZABETH.
POLICE HAVE MOVED ON
TO OTHER BUSINESS,
BUT ELIZABETH'S FAMILY
IS FRANTIC.
SHE DIDN'T RUN AWAY.
I KNOW SHE DIDN'T.
AND THEY CAN'T JUST SIT BY.
VIRGINIA WOULD GO PUT UP
THESE FLYERS
UNTIL 2:00 OR 3:00
IN THE MORNING,
ALL OVER TOWN.
I MEAN,
WE DID WHATEVER WE COULD.
AS A MOTHER,
I WAS LOOKING FOR MY CHILD.
I WANTED MY BABY BACK.
WE BEGAN THIS INVESTIGATION...
BY NOW,
THE LOCAL MEDIA
HAS PICKED UP THE STORY
OF THE MISSING GIRL.
REALLY JUST BRIGHTENED UP
EVERY...
15-YEAR-OLD
ELIZABETH ENNEN
DISAPPEARED JANUARY 5th
AT 1:30 IN THE MORNING
AFTER AN EVENING OF BABYSITTING
FOR CLOSE FAMILY FRIENDS
AT THE CARRIAGE HOUSE MOTEL.
ELIZABETH'S FACE
IS ON TV SCREENS AND NEWSPAPERS
ALL OVER WEST TEXAS.
BABY GIRL,
IF YOU SEE THIS AND EVERYTHING,
PLEASE JUST COME HOME.
CALL MAMA.
OUR HOPES ARE RIGHT NOW
THAT THE PUBIC CAN HELP US OUT,
AND IF ANYBODY KNOWS --
KNOWS WHERE SHE'S AT,
IF ANYBODY SAW ANYTHING,
THEY CAN CALL
THOSE TIPS IN TO US.
THE INCREASED MEDIA INTEREST
MEANS THE POLICE NOW START
RECEIVING DOZENS OF TIPS.
MOST OF THESE GO NOWHERE.
BUT THEN ON DAY 15,
A TIP COMES IN
THAT GETS THEIR ATTENTION.
A WOMAN SAYS SHE'S SEEN
ELIZABETH ENNEN
AND HUMBERTO SALINAS
AT A DOLLAR STORE
IN CENTRAL LUBBOCK.
INVESTIGATORS RUSH TO THE STORE.
WILL THIS SIGHTING
CONFIRM THEIR BELIEF
THAT ELIZABETH AND HUMBERTO
HAVE RUN AWAY TOGETHER?
THE MANAGER
CONFIRMS A YOUNG WOMAN
AND HER BOYFRIEND
WERE SEEN AT THE STORE,
AND NOTHING SEEMED
OUT OF THE ORDINARY.
IT MADE US FEEL BETTER
IN THE FACT THAT, OKAY,
IF SHE IS JUST GOING AROUND
AND SHOPPING
OR DRIVING SOMEWHERE,
THEN MORE THAN LIKELY SHE IS
A RUNAWAY AND NOT SOMEONE
WHO'S BEING KIDNAPPED
OR HARMED IN ANY WAY.
BUT THERE IS ONLY ONE WAY
FOR DETECTIVE WINTERS
TO BE SURE IT WAS ELIZABETH.
WE WENT AND RETRIEVED THE VIDEO
FOOTAGE FROM THE STORE.
IN THE OFFICE,
THE MANAGER CUES UP THE TAPE
FROM THE INTERNAL
SECURITY CAMERA.
HE PRESSES PLAY,
AND 10 MINUTES IN,
THEY SPOT SOMETHING.
HAS ELIZABETH ENNEN
FINALLY BEEN CAUGHT ON TAPE?
ELIZABETH ENNEN HAS
NOW BEEN MISSING FOR 16 DAYS.
BUT POLICE THINK SHE MIGHT HAVE
FINALLY BEEN SPOTTED
AT A LOCAL STORE.
FOR ANSWERS,
INVESTIGATORS HAVE TURNED
TO THE EVER-RELIABLE WITNESS --
CCTV.
THERE'S THE MOMENTS
WHEN YOU FIRST PUT THE DVD IN
THAT YOU ARE EXCITED,
BECAUSE BEING ABLE
TO SPOT HER ON A VIDEO
WOULD REALLY BRING A LOT
OF ANSWERS TO OUR INVESTIGATION.
THE STORE MANAGER PRESSES PLAY.
HE AND DETECTIVE WINTERS
SCOUR EVERY FRAME
AROUND THE TIME
ELIZABETH WAS SPOTTED,
HOPING TO SEE
THE MISSING TEENAGER.
WINTERS LOOKS CLOSELY.
HE SPOTS A YOUNG GIRL
ABOUT ELIZABETH'S AGE.
SHE'S WITH A MAN
WHO COULD EASILY
BE HER BOYFRIEND, HUMBERTO.
THEY JUMP
TO THE NEXT CAMERA...
FOLLOWING THE PAIR
THROUGH THE STORE...
HOPING FOR A GOOD LOOK
AT THEIR FACES.
THE GIRL ON THE TAPE
MATCHES ELIZABETH'S SIZE
AND BODY SHAPE.
EVEN HER HAIR
IS THE RIGHT COLOR.
BUT THEN THE GIRL
SUDDENLY TURNS
AND LOOKS
STRAIGHT AT THE CAMERA,
AND THAT'S
WHEN IT BECOMES CLEAR.
TURNED OUT NOT TO BE
ELIZABETH ENNEN.
IT WAS A YOUNGER WOMAN
WITH ANOTHER GENTLEMAN.
IT'S ANOTHER DEAD END.
IT'S VERY DISAPPOINTING,
HAVING TO CONTACT VIRGINIA
AND LETTING HER KNOW
THAT THERE WAS NO MERIT
TO THAT CRIME-LINE TIP.
IT'S VERY DISAPPOINTING,
DISHEARTENING.
SO FAR,
NONE OF THE SIGHTINGS
OF THE COUPLE
HAVE COME TO ANYTHING.
THERE'S BEEN NO ACTIVITY
ON ELIZABETH'S SOCIAL MEDIA,
AND SHE DOESN'T HAVE
HER MOBILE PHONE WITH HER.
IT'S STARTING TO LOOK LESS
LIKE ELIZABETH AND HUMBERTO
JUST RAN OFF TOGETHER.
YOU CAN DEAL WITH THE ROMEO
AND JULIET TYPE SCENARIO
A LOT EASIER
THAN DEALING WITH THE FACT
THAT YOUR CHILD HAS BEEN TAKEN.
AND ELIZABETH'S
BOYFRIEND, HUMBERTO,
IS STILL NOWHERE TO BE FOUND.
POLICE SUSPECT
THEY WILL NOT FIND ELIZABETH
UNTIL THEY FIND HUMBERTO.
SO THEY ESCALATE
THE INVESTIGATION
AND BRING IN
A KIDNAPPING EXPERT --
DETECTIVE REY MARTINEZ.
THE KIND OF CASES THAT
I WORK ARE THE MAJOR CRIMES --
KIDNAPPINGS, MISSING PERSONS,
THINGS LIKE THAT.
HE WAS
OUR NUMBER-ONE INVESTIGATOR.
HE WAS KNOWN AS SOMEONE
THAT COULD GET PEOPLE
TO TALK TO HIM.
HEY,
MR. SALINAS.
DETECTIVE MARTINEZ
SPEAKS TO BERT SALINAS AGAIN.
PERHAPS HE WILL PROVIDE
A NEW LEAD
IN THE SEARCH
FOR HIS SON, HUMBERTO.
ANY TIME
THERE'S A BIG AGE DIFFERENCE,
IT'S CERTAINLY A RED FLAG.
HOW OFTEN
DO YOU SEE YOUR SON?
DETECTIVE, I HONESTLY
DON'T SEE HIM OFTEN.
MARTINEZ
DISCOVERS THAT HUMBERTO
HAS RECENTLY FALLEN IN
WITH A BAD CROWD,
AND HE OFTEN DOESN'T
COME HOME FOR DAYS
AT A TIME.
IT WAS A CONCERN,
AND THOSE THINGS ARE USUALLY
LOOKED AT VERY CLOSELY.
BERT GIVES POLICE
A LIST OF FRIENDS
HIS SON, HUMBERTO,
COULD BE STAYING WITH,
AND OFFICERS HIT EVERY HOUSE
ON THE LIST.
I'M LOOKING FOR HUMBERTO.
FINALLY, A YOUNG WOMAN
TELLS POLICE
SHE SAW HUMBERTO
SEVERAL DAYS BEFORE.
AND SHE KNOWS EXACTLY
WHERE HE IS RIGHT NOW.
HE'S OFF, DONATING BLOOD,
OR THAT'S WHAT HE TOLD
HIS LADY FRIEND.
WHEN WE FOUND OUT
THAT SALINAS THE III
WAS AT THE PLASMA CENTER,
WE DID GET EXCITED.
WE THOUGHT MAYBE
WE WERE GETTING TO THE END
OF THIS INVESTIGATION.
POLICE RACE
TO THE CLINIC
WHERE HUMBERTO SUPPOSEDLY
IS GIVING BLOOD.
ALL WE WERE WANTING
TO DO IS LOCATE HER
AND REUNITE HER WITH HER MOTHER.
THEY ARRIVE JUST IN TIME
AND SPOT HUMBERTO AT THE CLINIC.
DISPATCH!
EYES ON SALINAS.
WE'RE GONNA BRING HIM IN.
IT'S TIME TO FIND OUT
EXACTLY WHAT HE KNOWS
ABOUT ELIZABETH'S DISAPPEARANCE.
WE'VE GOT SOME QUESTIONS
FOR YOU.
YOU COME WITH US.
TIME
FOR DETECTIVE MARTINEZ
TO GO TO WORK ON HIS SUSPECT.
HE KNOWS
EXACTLY WHAT TO LOOK FOR.
WHEN I INTERVIEWED HIM,
I WAS TRYING TO GAUGE TO SEE
IF AT ANY POINT
HE WOULD BECOME EMOTIONAL
OR DEFENSIVE
ABOUT HIS RELATIONSHIP
WITH ELIZABETH ENNEN.
THEY GRILL HIM FOR HOURS.
DURING THE INTERVIEW,
WE ASKED HIM
ABOUT TRYING TO CONFIRM
HIS RELATIONSHIP WITH ELIZABETH.
WHEN THE LAST TIME
SHE AND HE WERE TOGETHER.
LAST TIME
THEY SPOKE ON THE PHONE.
HUMBERTO SWEARS UP AND DOWN
HE HAS NO IDEA
WHERE ELIZABETH IS.
HE SAYS HE BROKE THINGS OFF
BECAUSE HIS FATHER
DIDN'T WANT HIM TO HAVE ANYTHING
TO DO WITH AN UNDERAGE GIRL.
AND HE ADVISED US THE LAST TIME
HE SPOKE WITH HER
WAS OVER THE PHONE
JUST THE NIGHT
BEFORE SHE WENT MISSING.
HUMBERTO
TELLS INVESTIGATORS
THAT AFTER THAT PHONE CALL,
HE NEVER SAW
OR SPOKE TO HER AGAIN.
FELT LIKE HE WAS
VERY CALM AND COOPERATIVE.
MY PARTNER
AND I BOTH GAUGED ABOUT HIM
THAT HE WAS TELLING THE TRUTH.
UP TO THIS POINT,
POLICE BELIEVED
THAT ONCE THEY FOUND HUMBERTO,
THEY WOULD FIND ELIZABETH.
BUT HUMBERTO'S STORY ADDS UP.
THEIR MOST EXPERIENCED
INTERROGATOR BELIEVES HIM,
AND THERE'S NOT
A SHRED OF EVIDENCE.
THEIR BEST LEAD TURNS OUT
TO BE A DEAD END.
BUT NOW THEY ARE BACK
TO SQUARE ONE.
IF ELIZABETH DIDN'T RUN OFF
WITH HUMBERTO, WHERE DID SHE GO?
DETECTIVE MARTINEZ
REVISITS THE TIMELINE OF
THE NIGHT ELIZABETH DISAPPEARED.
IS IT POSSIBLE
ELIZABETH REALIZED
SHE HAD LEFT HER PURSE
BACK AT THE MOTEL
WHERE SHE WAS BABYSITTING
AND WALKED BACK FOR IT HERSELF?
POLICE START TRACING THE ROUTE
SHE COULD HAVE TAKEN,
LOOKING FOR CLUES ALONG THE WAY.
POLICE ARE CONCERNED.
DID ELIZABETH COME BACK
TO THE MOTEL, ALONE,
LATE AT NIGHT?
THEY START QUESTIONING GUESTS
ABOUT WHETHER THEY SAW HER
THAT NIGHT.
ARE THEY NOW LOOKING
AT SOMETHING MORE OMINOUS
THAN JUST A TEENAGE RUNAWAY?
THEN INVESTIGATORS
SPOT SOMETHING
THAT GIVES THEM THE LEAD
THEY'RE LOOKING FOR.
THERE ARE SURVEILLANCE CAMERAS
AT THE MOTEL...
FOUR OF THEM.
THE FOOTAGE
FROM ALL FOUR CAMERAS
IS SENT BACK TO THE STATION.
OKAY, LET'S START
WITH THE FIRST ONE.
POLICE ARE ABOUT
TO GET THEIR FIRST GLIMPSE
OF ELIZABETH
SINCE SHE WENT MISSING.
OKAY, PAUSE THAT.
POLICE HAVE RETRIEVED
CCTV FOOTAGE FROM THE MOTEL
WHERE 15-YEAR-OLD
ELIZABETH ENNEN
WAS BABYSITTING
THE NIGHT SHE DISAPPEARED.
THE CCTV VIDEO
FROM THE CARRIAGE MOTEL
IS CUED UP AND READY TO GO.
WE ALL WATCHED IT.
WE ALL SAW IT TOGETHER.
WE HAD IT ON A MONITOR.
OKAY, JUST PLAY THAT,
PLAY THE TAPE.
THERE ARE SEVERAL
CAMERAS TO CHOOSE FROM,
AND THEY START WITH
THE ONE POSITIONED
JUST OUTSIDE THE SALINAS' ROOM,
ROOM 113.
THEY CUE UP TO AROUND THE TIME
BERT SAID ELIZABETH ARRIVED.
THE FOOTAGE IS LOW QUALITY
AND ONLY SHOWS A FRAME
EVERY FOUR SECONDS.
FOR 10 MINUTES,
THEY WATCH AN EMPTY CORRIDOR.
THEN AT 6:18 P.M.,
THEY SPOT A FIGURE WALK
TOWARDS THE CAMERA.
THEY ZOOM IN.
I DON'T KNOW.
I CAN'T MAKE THAT OUT.
THEY CAN'T IDENTIFY HIM,
BUT IT LOOKS LIKE THERE MIGHT BE
SOMEONE BEHIND HIM.
OKAY, KEEP PLAYING.
THEY STEP FORWARD
A SINGLE FRAME.
- THAT'S ELIZABETH.
- YEAH, 100%.
THE VIDEO IS OF POOR QUALITY.
BUT IT WAS GOOD ENOUGH
WHERE YOU COULD RECOGNIZE
IT WAS ELIZABETH ENNEN
ON THAT VIDEO.
POLICE
FINALLY HAVE A GLIMPSE
OF THE MISSING TEENAGER,
THE FIRST POSITIVE I.D.
SINCE THE SEARCH BEGAN.
THE MAN WITH HER IS FAMILY
FRIEND, BERT SALINAS.
THE TAPE SHOWS
THAT JUST AS BERT SAID,
ELIZABETH ARRIVED
AROUND 6:30 TO BABYSIT.
25 MINUTES LATER,
BERT, HIS WIFE,
AND DAUGHTER, HEAD
OUT FOR A NIGHT OUT --
JUST AS BERT HAD TOLD POLICE.
I FELT MORE AT EASE
AT THAT POINT,
THINKING THE VIDEO
WOULD BE ANOTHER STEP
WE COULD CROSS OFF
TO MOVE ON TO THE NEXT STEP
AND EVENTUALLY FIND HER.
KEEP PLAYING.
POLICE HOPE FOOTAGE
FROM THE NEXT CAMERA,
POSITIONED IN THE HOTEL LOBBY,
CAN TELL THEM MORE.
AGAIN, THEY SCROLL TO AROUND
THE TIME ELIZABETH ARRIVED.
A COUPLE OF MINUTES IN,
THE POLICE SEE
A FIGURE ON THE TAPE,
A WOMAN THEY THINK
THEY RECOGNIZE.
DRESSED IN BLUE JEANS
AND A WHITE TOP,
SHE LOOKS LIKE THE SAME GIRL
WHO TOLD THEM
ELIZABETH'S BOYFRIEND, HUMBERTO,
WAS AT THE BLOOD CENTER
WHEN THEY CAME LOOKING FOR HIM.
SHE'S COMING DOWN THE STAIRS
WITH A MAN WITH HIS HOOD UP.
OKAY, PAUSE THAT.
THE MAN IS ABOUT THE SAME SIZE
AS ELIZABETH'S BOYFRIEND,
HUMBERTO.
COULD IT BE HIM?
I CAN'T MAKE OUT HIS FACE.
WHY DON'T WE ZOOM IT IN?
BUT THE MAN
IS DELIBERATELY HIDING HIS FACE
AND THE VIDEO IS SO GRAINY
THAT THEY CAN'T SEE WHO IT IS.
IF THIS IS ELIZABETH'S
BOYFRIEND,
HE'S DOING A GOOD JOB
HIDING HIS IDENTITY.
BUT THERE ARE THREE OTHER
CAMERAS IN THE MOTEL.
AND THIS HOODED MYSTERY MAN
MIGHT SHOW UP ON ONE OF THEM.
DETECTIVES HAVE NOW
BEEN TRAWLING THROUGH FOOTAGE
FOR HOURS.
SO LET'S CARRY ON.
OKAY, FOCUS IN ON THAT AREA.
THERE ARE SEVERAL
FALSE ALARMS,
BUT NO SIGN OF THE MAN
WHO LOOKS LIKE
ELIZABETH'S MYSTERY BOYFRIEND.
THEN AT AROUND 10:45 P.M.,
ON THE CORRIDOR CAMERA,
THEY SPOT SOMETHING UNUSUAL.
THEY BACK THE TAPE UP
AND PLAY IT AGAIN.
IT'S BERT SALINAS,
HEADING BACK TO HIS ROOM
IN THE CARRIAGE MOTEL, THE ROOM
WHERE ELIZABETH ENNEN IS
BABYSITTING HIS TWO DAUGHTERS.
WHAT'S HE DOING BACK SO EARLY?
THAT'S STRANGE.
IT'S 10:45,
BUT HE TOLD POLICE
HE DIDN'T GET BACK
TO THE ROOM UNTIL 11:30.
SURVEILLANCE VIDEO HAS JUST
CAUGHT BERT SALINAS IN A LIE.
INVESTIGATORS WATCH THE CAMERA
COVERING THE CORRIDOR
OUTSIDE ROOM 113
FOR ANOTHER HOUR.
NOBODY COMES IN OR OUT.
FINALLY, AT 11:47 P.M.,
THEY SPOT SOMETHING.
IN THE VIDEO,
AS I'M WATCHING IT
FOR THE FIRST TIME,
YOU SEE...ELIZABETH
WALK OUT RATHER FAST
FROM THE ROOM THEY'RE AT.
BUT ELIZABETH
IS NOT ALONE.
SHE'S FOLLOWED BY SOMEONE.
IT'S BERT SALINAS.
IT LOOKS
LIKE HE'S RUNNING AFTER HER.
WHAT'S HE UP TO?
WHAT'S GOING ON HERE?
DETECTIVE WATCH
AS ELIZABETH HURRIES OFF CAMERA,
FOLLOWED BY BERT.
SHE ONLY APPEARS
IN A SINGLE FRAME,
BUT THAT MEANS
FOUR SECONDS HAVE PASSED,
AND IN THAT TIME, SHE REACHES
THE END OF THE CORRIDOR.
SHE'S RUNNING,
AND IT LOOKS VERY MUCH
LIKE SHE'S RUNNING
FROM BERT SALINAS.
FROM THIS CAMERA ANGLE,
IT'S IMPOSSIBLE TO SEE
WHERE THEY'RE HEADING.
TO FIND OUT, INVESTIGATORS
MUST KEEP SCOURING EVERY FRAME
OF THE MOTEL'S SECURITY FOOTAGE.
LOOK, LOOK!
AND THE NEXT THING THEY SEE
WILL BE HORRIFYING.
ALL OF US IN THERE
ARE JUST IN DISBELIEF
OF WHAT WE'RE SEEING.
DETECTIVES
ARE WATCHING SECURITY FOOTAGE
FROM THE MOTEL WHERE 15-YEAR-OLD
ELIZABETH ENNEN
WAS BABYSITTING
THE NIGHT SHE DISAPPEARED.
INVESTIGATORS HAVE JUST WATCHED
ELIZABETH RUN FROM THE ROOM,
FOLLOWED BY FAMILY FRIEND,
BERT SALINAS.
KEEP PLAYING.
MOMENTS LATER,
THEY WALK BACK.
HE IS HOLDING HER ARM.
SHE DOES NOT SEEM PLEASED
TO BE GOING BACK TO THE ROOM
THAT THEY CAME FROM.
JUST EIGHT MINUTES LATER,
ELIZABETH ENNEN
AND BERT EXIT ROOM 113 AGAIN
AND WALK DOWN THE CORRIDOR.
DETECTIVES SWITCH
BETWEEN THE MOTEL'S CAMERAS,
TRYING TO TRACK THE PAIR.
LOOK, LOOK, THAT'S HER.
SHE'S RUNNING AWAY.
THIS TIME, THEY NOTICE
THAT ELIZABETH IS HOLDING
SOMETHING IN HER HANDS.
THEY PUNCH IN
AND TRY TO MAKE OUT WHAT IT IS.
THEY ENLARGE THE SHOT.
FINALLY, THEY SEE WHAT IT IS.
ELIZABETH IS HOLDING HER SHOES.
IT LOOKS LIKE SHE HAD
TO LEAVE ROOM 113 IN A HURRY.
I DON'T KNOW
IF EXCITING IS THE RIGHT WORD,
BUT WE WERE EXCITED
FOR THE FIRST TIME
TO HAVE SOME CONCRETE EVIDENCE.
AND JUST A FEW MINUTES
LATER ON THE SAME LOBBY CAMERA,
THEY SEE SOMETHING THAT CHILLS
THESE HARDENED DETECTIVES
TO THE BONE.
SALINAS IS TRYING
TO WALK ELIZABETH OUT.
AND SHE TURNS
IN A DIFFERENT DIRECTION
AND RUNS TOWARDS
A DIFFERENT DOOR
THAN WHERE HE WAS GOING.
AS HE TURNS AROUND AND KIND
OF CORNERS HER INTO THE CORNER,
THAT WAS VERY TELLING FOR US
THAT SHE'S TERRIFIED.
ELIZABETH SEEMS
TO BE COWERING IN THE CORNER
AS BERT APPROACHES HER.
HE TAKES HER BY THE ARM
AND WALKS OUT OF CAMERA RANGE
TO THE PARKING LOT.
WE KEPT REWINDING IT,
AND YOU COULD SEE
THE INTERACTION
WHERE SHE PULLS AWAY FROM HIM.
SHE WAS BEING...DEFENSIVE,
TRYING TO GET
AWAY FROM HIM.
IT BROUGHT TEARS TO MY EYES.
IT WAS PRETTY OBVIOUS
THAT SHE DIDN'T WANT
TO BE NEAR HIM
AND THAT HE WAS ACTUALLY
TRYING TO CONTROL HER.
IT'S CLEAR
THAT SOMETHING VERY TROUBLING
HAPPENED IN ROOM 113,
SOMETHING BERT
NEVER TOLD POLICE.
HE TOOK ELIZABETH
FROM HIS ROOM THAT NIGHT
AND WALKED HER
OUT TOWARDS THE PARKING LOT.
DETECTIVES SEND A PATROL CAR
OUT TO THE CARRIAGE MOTEL
AND PICK UP BERT SALINAS.
RIGHT HERE, HAVE A SEAT.
RIGHT OVER THERE.
FROM THE VERY ONSET
OF THE TIME THAT I MET HIM,
HE ALWAYS REFERRED TO ELIZABETH
AS BEING LIKE HIS DAUGHTER.
AND I TOLD HIM, I SAID,
"IS THAT REALLY THE TRUTH?"
BERT DENIES ANYTHING
UNTOWARD HAPPENED THAT NIGHT...
UNTIL DETECTIVE
MARTINEZ TELLS HIM
THEY HAVE IT ALL ON TAPE.
HE SAT THERE, JUST LOOKING DOWN.
AND I ASKED HIM,
AFTER A SHORT TIME, I SAID,
"YOU WANT TO TELL ME
WHAT'S ON YOUR MIND?"
AND HE KEPT LOOKING DOWN
AND STARTED CRYING.
THEN HE TOLD ME THAT...
I WAS RIGHT,
THAT HE HAD KILLED ELIZABETH.
AND HE SAID,
"I WANT TO...
I'LL TELL YOU WHERE SHE'S AT."
BERT GUIDES THE POLICE
TO A BROKEN-DOWN PART
OF THE CITY THAT'S DOTTED
WITH ABANDONED BUILDINGS.
THERE WASN'T MUCH CONVERSATION.
WE ACTUALLY DROVE DOWN
THAT DIRT ROAD
FOR, IT SEEMED LIKE,
A VERY LONG TIME.
AND I WAS BEGINNING TO QUESTION
IF WE WERE ON THE RIGHT ROAD.
BERT HAS GUIDED THEM
BEHIND A SHED.
ELIZABETH ENNEN
HAS BEEN STRANGLED TO DEATH.
HUMBERTO SALINAS
IS TAKEN TO JAIL.
A PARENT'S WORST NIGHTMARE
IS TO BE TOLD
THEIR CHILD IS GONE.
WE DROVE TO VIRGINIA'S HOME,
AND IT WAS A QUIET RIDE.
WHEN THE DETECTIVES
SHOWED UP...
THERE WERE THREE OF THEM.
AND ELIZABETH WASN'T IN THE CAR.
THEY GOT OUT AND COME UP THERE
TO THE PORCH
WHERE WE WERE AT.
AND I JUST --
I STARTED BACKING AWAY
FROM THEM.
BECAUSE, I MEAN,
IN MY HEART,
I KNEW WHAT THEY WERE GONNA SAY.
I COLLAPSED ON THE PORCH,
AND I JUST KEPT ON,
"NO, I'M SUPPOSED TO GO FIRST,
NOT MY DAUGHTER."
NO HOLLYWOOD MOVIE CAN EVER...
SHOW THE TRUE EMOTION
OF THAT MOTHER'S SCREAM.
DETECTIVE MARTINEZ SUSPECTS
THAT BERT SALINAS
CAME HOME DRUNK
AND MADE A PASS AT ELIZABETH.
STOP, STOP!
HIS MOTIVATION...
I BELIEVE THAT
WHATEVER ELIZABETH ENNEN
WOULD HAVE REVEALED
TO HER MOTHER,
HE WAS GONNA SUFFER
THE CONSEQUENCES.
I THINK, IN HINDSIGHT,
WHEN HE GRABBED HER
FROM THE VIDEO,
I THINK HE HAD IT IN HIS MIND
AT THAT POINT HE WAS GOING
TO HAVE TO KILL HER.
AND I THINK HE MADE
THAT DECISION AT THAT TIME
AND DID THAT SHORTLY THEREAFTER.
IT'S JUST HER SMILE...
JUST LIT UP A ROOM.
SHE WAS JUST SO PRECIOUS.
ON APRIL 5, 2012,
BERT SALINAS II
PLEADS GUILTY TO CAPITAL MURDER
AND IS SENTENCED
TO LIFE IN PRISON
WITHOUT PAROLE.
YOU TEACH YOUR KIDS
TO BE AWARE OF STRANGERS.
BUT WHEN IT'S SOMEBODY YOU KNOW
AND YOU TRUST,
YOUR KIDS TRUST THEM.
IT'S LIKE THEY'RE THE LAST ONES
YOU WOULD EVER DREAM
IT WOULD BE ABLE
TO DO SOMETHING SO HORRIBLE.
WITHOUT CCTV,
NO ONE WOULD HAVE BELIEVED IT.
AT ONE POINT IT SEEMED
LIKE SHE WAS LOOKING
AT THE VIDEO CAMERA,
AND JUST THE LOOK
IN HER FACE BEING,
"MAMA, I KNEW IT."
IT WAS LIKE SHE WAS ASKING
FOR SOMEBODY TO HELP HER.
JUST THE LOOK ON HER FACE.