Web of Lies (2014–…): Season 3, Episode 4 - Cabin in the Woods - full transcript
Narrator: A GOOD KID
FROM A TOUGH NEIGHBORHOOD...
Man: WHY DON'T YOU
GO BACK INSIDE
BEFORE YOU REGRET
WHAT YOU SAY TO ME.
Narrator: IS CHASING HIS DREAM.
Gilbert: FROM A YOUNG AGE,
EDDIE, HE'S ALWAYS
WANTED TO GO PRO.
Narrator: BUT WHEN
INTERNET ROMANCE BECKONS,
IT'S JUST TOO TEMPTING...
AND THE DREAM IS SNUFFED OUT
IN AN INSTANT.
Gilbert: SEEING
ALL MY FAMILY IN THE STATE
THAT THEY WERE,
IT WAS OVERWHELMING.
Ralph: THEY KILLED MY BABY.
Wortman: THEY WERE
IN THESE DATABASES
AS GANG MEMBERS.
Epps: NOBODY REALLY KNEW
WHAT THE PATH
WAS FROM GOING
TO MEET THIS GIRL
TO DEAD IN A CAR.
Narrator: TWENTY-THREE-YEAR-OLD
EDDIE LEAL
LIVES IN THE MOSTLY HISPANIC,
BLUE-COLLAR NEIGHBORHOOD
OF SAN JACINTO, CALIFORNIA,
WITH HIS MOTHER, CELIA,
HIS FATHER, RALPH,
AND HIS 19-YEAR-OLD
BROTHER, GILBERT.
Gilbert: EDDIE'S
REALLY KINDHEARTED, SWEET, UM,
ALMOST NAIVE IN A SENSE.
[ SPEAKING SPANISH ]
Interpreter: I ALWAYS HAD DREAMS
FOR MY SONS.
HAVING A FAMILY
HAS BEEN THE BEST THING
THAT HAS HAPPENED TO ME,
TO HAVE MY CHILDREN.
SINCE THE MOMENT
THEY WERE BORN,
MY LIFE CHANGED FOR THE BETTER.
WE WERE ALWAYS SHORT OF MONEY,
BUT WE HAD A LOT OF LOVE.
Narrator: RALPH'S
LANDSCAPING BUSINESS
AND CELIA'S JOB
AT THE LOCAL MARKET
JUST ABOUT KEEP
THEIR HEADS ABOVE WATER.
EVERY SPARE DOLLAR IS PUT
TOWARDS EDDIE'S DREAM
OF BECOMING A PRO BOXER.
EDDIE AND HIS DAD AND BROTHER
HAVE CONVERTED THEIR GARAGE
INTO A BOXING GYM.
Gilbert: FROM A YOUNG AGE,
EDDIE ALWAYS WANTED TO GO PRO.
WHETHER IT WAS TO BE
A CHAMPION OR NOT,
IT DIDN'T REALLY MATTER
'CAUSE HE LOVED IT.
MY DAD GATHERED UP SOME MONEY,
CLEANED OUT THE GARAGE
AND MADE IT A GYM.
SOME OF THE 'HOOD KIDS
WOULD WALK BY, SEE IT
AND BE INTERESTED,
AND IT JUST KIND OF EVOLVED
FROM THERE.
Narrator: THE LEALS'
NEIGHBORHOOD IS FULL OF CHOLOS,
SLANG FOR HISPANIC GANGSTERS.
EDDIE HOPES THAT, BY OPENING UP
THE GYM TO LOCAL KIDS,
HE CAN GIVE THEM AN ALTERNATIVE
TO JOINING THE LOCAL GANGS.
BUT IT'S AN UPHILL STRUGGLE.
Epps: RALPH AND EDDIE PUT
IN A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT
OF WORK AND DEDICATION
AROUND, UH,
KIDS WHO WERE LOOKING
FOR SOME SORT OF LEADERSHIP.
THERE WAS A LOT OF KIDS, UH,
AT THAT GYM
THAT THAT WAS THEIR FAMILY,
AND THAT WAS ME INCLUDED.
Interpreter for Celia:
RALPH AND MY CHILDREN
ALWAYS WORKED
WITH THE COMMUNITY,
HELPING CHILDREN TO KEEP THEM
AWAY FROM THE STREETS.
Narrator: SEVENTEEN-YEAR-OLD
MANUEL GUZMAN
IS A HIGH SCHOOL DROPOUT.
HE'S HOPING BOXING
CAN GIVE HIM A FOCUS
AND KEEP HIM SAFE.
Eddie: GUYS, WHO'S NEXT?
Narrator: RALPH LEAL
LEADS HIS KIDS BY EXAMPLE.
HE MADE MISTAKES IN THE PAST
AND WANTS HIS KIDS
TO AVOID THE SAME PAIN.
Epps: RALPH HAD GREW UP
IN L.A., HISPANIC KID
IN THE '80s.
EH, LIFE'S TOUGH.
HE TOLD KIDS,
"KEEP YOUR NOSE CLEAN.
KEEP OUT OF TROUBLE", AND HE STEERED
KIDS AWAY FROM THE TROUBLE CROWD.
RALPH AND EDDIE DIDN'T HAVE
ANYTHING TO PROVE.
THEY WEREN'T PROUD.
THEY DEFINITELY
WEREN'T MATERIALISTIC.
Narrator: EDDIE'S DEDICATION
TO BOXING
MEANS HE DOESN'T HAVE
A LOT OF TIME TO MEET GIRLS.
SO, LIKE A LOT OF YOUNG MEN,
HE TURNS TO THE INTERNET.
Gilbert: EDDIE
WAS ON FACEBOOK A LOT.
HE LOVED TO BE
CONNECTED WITH EVERYONE.
Eddie: HEY, MOM.
Celia: I JUST WANT TO SEE
IF YOU'VE GOT A GIRLFRIEND
YOU'RE HIDING FROM ME.
Eddie: NO.
DON'T WORRY,
MOM, YOU'LL KNOW.
Celia: AND WHAT KIND OF A GIRL
ARE YOU LOOKING FOR?
Eddie: A PRETTY ONE.
Celia: A PRETTY ONE?
WELL, WHAT HAVE YOU GOT
TO OFFER TO A PRETTY GIRL.
[ LAUGHS ]
Gilbert: EVERY YOUNG GUY
USES FACEBOOK
IN ONE WAY OR ANOTHER
TO TALK TO A GIRL.
Narrator: WHEN EDDIE
GETS A FRIEND REQUEST
FROM A GIRL HE HAS NEVER MET,
HE'S INTRIGUED.
REBECCA SANTIAGO IS GORGEOUS,
LIVES IN SAN JACINTO
AND EVEN BETTER, SHE'S SINGLE.
EDDIE DOESN'T THINK
REBECCA SEEMS LIKE THE KIND
OF PARTY GIRL
WHO WOULD HANG OUT WITH CHOLOS.
SHE'S STRAIGHT-LACED,
JUST LIKE EDDIE.
TO HIM, THEY LOOK
LIKE A PERFECT MATCH.
Interpreter for Celia: I ALWAYS
HAD DREAMS FOR MY SONS.
I WANTED EDDIE TO GET MARRIED.
ARE YOU NERVOUS
ABOUT THE FIGHT?
- Eddie: NO.
- Narrator: EDDIE'S MOM WORRIES
ABOUT HIM GETTING
BEATEN UP IN THE RING.
Eddie: BUT YOU SEEM NERVOUS,
MOM.
Interpreter: I NEVER LIKED
WATCHING MY SON BOX.
HE ASKED ME WHY AND I ANSWERED
THAT IF HE EVER TOOK ME,
I WAS GOING TO TAKE MY SHOE OFF
AND CLIMB INTO THE RING
TO HIT HIS OPPONENT
AND HE WAS GOING
TO BE DISQUALIFIED.
Eddie: DON'T WORRY SO MUCH, MOM.
Narrator: BUT THE REAL DANGER
FOR EDDIE
MAY BE MUCH CLOSER TO HOME.
Celia: GOOD NIGHT, SWEETIE.
Narrator: WITH LOCAL FAMILIES
EAGER FOR THEIR SONS
TO HAVE A HEALTHY OUTLET,
THE GYM GETS A LOT
OF COMMUNITY SUPPORT.
BUT THE CHOLOS SEEM DETERMINED
TO GET IN THE WAY.
Gilbert: IN SAN JACINTO,
WHERE I GREW UP,
THERE ARE A HANDFUL OF GANGS.
THE CHOLO ARE HISPANIC,
USUALLY CHICANO,
ESPECIALLY IN CALIFORNIA,
BUT GANGSTER ESSENTIALLY.
IT'S DRUGS, FIGHTING, SHOOTING.
IF YOU GROW UP
WITH NOTHING AND YOU
SEE THESE GUYS, YOU KNOW,
OUT IN THE STREETS,
SEMI SUCCESSFUL,
THE LIFESTYLE CAN BE APPEALING.
A LOT OF US ARE TRYING
TO BETTER OURSELVES
AND NOT FALL INTO IT.
WE DID HAVE
SOME TOUGH CHARACTERS
COME IN AND WANT
TO PROVE THEMSELVES.
Eddie: WHAT'S UP, BOYS?
THERE'S NO DRINKING HERE, MAN.
Man: WHY DON'T YOU
GO BACK INSIDE
BEFORE YOU REGRET
WHAT YOU SAY TO ME?
Eddie: WHAT ARE YOU GOING
TO DO, HUH?
Gilbert: EDDIE, HEY, HEY, EDDIE.
EDDIE, EDDIE.
WHY DON'T YOU GO BACK
TO TRAINING, MAN.
COME ON, WE DON'T NEED
THIS RIGHT NOW.
Man: WHY DON'T YOU
GO BACK INSIDE?
Gilbert: HEY, HEY, COME ON.
YOU GOT -- YOU GOT
BETTER PLACES TO GO, RIGHT?
WHERE'S THE CHICAS AT, HUH?
CHECK OUT THE PIMPIN' RIDE,
MAN, IT'S ALL GOOD.
Man: IT'S ALL RIGHT, MAN.
LET'S GO BACK INSIDE.
Narrator: IT'S A WIN
FOR THE GOOD GUYS -- THIS TIME.
AFTER EDDIE AND HIS BROTHER
GET THE CHOLOS TO BACK DOWN,
EDDIE'S ON A HIGH.
AND IT'S STARTING TO LOOK
LIKE REBECCA SANTIAGO
APPRECIATES A REAL TOUGH GUY
LIKE EDDIE,
NOT CHOLOS
WHO ARE ALL MACHO SWAGGER.
Interpreter: EDDIE WANTED TO
HAVE A WOMAN IN HIS LIFE.
HE TOLD ME THAT HE WAS GOING
TO GIVE HIMSELF
HIS LAST CHANCE IN BOXING
AND IF THAT DIDN'T WORK
HE WANTED TO GET MARRIED.
HE WANTED TO HAVE CHILDREN.
Narrator: BUT WHEN EDDIE
ASKS REBECCA FOR A DATE
SHE SEEMS TO TURN SHY.
STILL, EDDIE
IS NOT ABOUT TO GIVE UP.
WITH SO MUCH GANG ACTIVITY
IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD,
THE LEAL FAMILY
IS ALWAYS HAPPY TO HAVE
THE COPS CLOSE AT HAND.
SARGEANT BOB EPPS
REGULARLY COMES DOWN TO TRAIN
AND KEEP AN EYE ON THINGS.
Epps: I WAS TRAINING
FOR AN EVENT
CALLED THE BATTLE OF THE BADGES
AND IT'S A CHARITY EVENT.
RALPH AND EDDIE GAVE 100%
TO THE COMMUNITY AND THE KIDS.
IF SOMEBODY NEEDED THEIR TIME,
THEY'D GIVE IT.
A LOT OF THE KIDS WEREN'T SURE
WHY EDDIE AND RALPH WERE FRIENDS
WITH THE COPS AND A LOT
OF THESE KIDS
HAD HAD NEGATIVE EXPERIENCES
IN THEIR HOMES WITH COPS.
MANY OF THESE KIDS
HAD FAMILY MEMBERS
THAT WERE SERVING, UH,
EXTENSIVE JAIL SENTENCES.
Eddie: ALL RIGHT,
GENTS, IT'S A WRAP.
SEE YOU TOMORROW, BUDDY.
Celia: HEY, HOW'D IT GO?
Eddie: HEY MAMA, GOOD.
Celia: GOOD.
Eddie: SEE THE NEW GUY?
Celia: YEAH, YEAH.
THE -- THE TALL GUY OVER THERE.
Eddie: THE BIG GUY, YEAH.
Narrator: BUT NO SOONER DO
THE COPS LEAVE THAN THE CHOLOS
ARE BACK TO HASSLE EDDIE.
Eddie: MAMA, STAY HERE
FOR A MINUTE.
WHAT'S UP, GUYS?
WHAT DO YOU WANT, MAN?
[ CELIA SCREAMS ]
Gilbert: MY MOM, IN PARTICULAR,
SEES ANYONE THAT
SHE WOULD DESCRIBE AS A CHOLO
AND AUTOMATICALLY
ASSUMES THE WORST.
UM, WHICH IS KIND OF
UNDERSTANDABLE
WHEN YOU GREW UP AROUND HERE
BECAUSE YOU KNOW
WHAT THEY'RE CAPABLE OF.
Celia: THEY'RE GOING TO COME
AFTER US ONE DAY, DON'T DO THAT.
Narrator: EDDIE HAS NO IDEA
HE'S ABOUT TO LEARN
JUST HOW FAR THE CHOLOS
WILL GO TO PROVE
WHO'S IN CHARGE IN SAN JACINTO.
Eddie: GOOD MORNING, BUDDY.
WHAT'S FOR BREAKFAST?
Narrator: IT'S A CONSTANT
STRUGGLE FOR EDDIE LEAL
AND HIS FAMILY
TO KEEP GANGS
AWAY FROM THEIR BOXING CLUB
IN SAN JACINTO, CALIFORNIA.
BUT THEY'RE ABOUT TO FIND
OUT THE CHOLOS
DON'T TAKE REJECTION WELL.
Gilbert: MY BROTHER DECIDED
TO GO AND GET SOME FOOD,
HE COMES BACK IN
IN PRETTY SHOOK UP.
HE'S LIKE, "HEY, DID YOU SEE
THE CAR?"
Eddie: YO, BERT,
WHERE'S THE CAR?
Gilbert: IT'S OUTSIDE.
I WAS LIKE, "YEAH,
IT SHOULD BE OUTSIDE."
Eddie: IT'S NOT.
Gilbert: SO MY BROTHER
STARTS PANICKING.
IF IT'S NOT THERE,
IT'S STOLEN.
HI, I'D LIKE
TO REPORT A STOLEN VEHICLE.
Narrator: THE CHOLOS HAD STOLEN
EDDIE'S CAR THE NIGHT BEFORE.
Wortman: SUSPECTS WERE CAUGHT
IN HIS VEHICLE
AND ARRESTED IN THE CITY
OF LONG BEACH.
[ MOBILE RINGING ]
Narrator: EDDIE DECIDES
HE HAS TO STAND UP TO
THE CAR THIEVES.
Eddie: HELLO?
Wortman: THE LONG BEACH
POLICE DEPARTMENT
HAD TO CONTACT MR. LEAL
AND ASK HIM
IF HE WANTED TO PRESS CHARGES.
Eddie: YES.
YES, I DO WANT TO PRESS CHARGES.
Gilbert: THE PEOPLE
WHO TOOK THE CAR ENDED UP
TOTALING IT IN A CHASE.
Narrator: STILL, THOUGH
THREE CHOLOS ARE ARRESTED...
Man: YO, HOMIE!
Narrator:...ONLY ONE
IS TAKEN TO JAIL.
AND A FEW DAYS LATER
HIS BUDDIES
ARE BACK ON THE STREETS.
THE LEAL FAMILY BAND TOGETHER
AND BUY A NEW CAR FOR EDDIE.
THEY CAN'T LET THE THUGS
GET THE UPPER HAND.
Epps: HEY, HEY, NICE NEW SET
OF WHEELS THERE, EDDIE.
Eddie: THANK YOU.
Ralph: HEY, HEY, BOBBY.
Narrator: IT'S SEVERAL NIGHTS
AFTER THE CAR WAS STOLEN,
EDDIE'S NEW FACEBOOK FRIEND,
REBECCA SANTIAGO, COMES ONLINE.
SHE SAYS SHE'S UP
FOR HANGING OUT.
THOUGH THE POST ISN'T
SPECIFICALLY ADDRESSED TO EDDIE,
HE'S THE FIRST
TO TAKE THE BAIT.
BUT ONCE AGAIN, REBECCA
LEAVES HIM HANGING.
Interpreter for Celia:
I WENT IN AND STOOD BY
EDDIE'S BEDROOM DOOR.
I COULD SEE IN HIS FACE
THAT HE DIDN'T WANT
ME TO COME IN
BECAUSE HE WAS ON THE COMPUTER.
GOOD NIGHT, BABY.
Eddie: GOOD NIGHT.
Narrator: SEVERAL AGONIZING
MINUTES PASS,
AND THEN FINALLY...
Gilbert: I THINK
I WALKED BY AT SOME POINT
AND SAW HIM JUST SITTING
AT THE COMPUTER.
Eddie: HEY, GIL?
I MIGHT TAKE THE CAR TONIGHT.
Gilbert: AND I WAS JUST
LIKE, "OKAY."
SOUNDS GOOD, MAN.
Narrator: EDDIE AND REBECCA
AGREE TO MEET AT A NEARBY PARK.
IT'S LUCKY THAT EDDIE
HAS A NEW CAR.
REBECCA WANTS TO KNOW
IF EDDIE'S COMING ALONE.
HE CONFIRMS IT'S JUST HIM.
Gilbert: IT'S LATER
IN THE NIGHT,
UM, I THINK
I HAD ALREADY FALLEN ASLEEP.
HE SENT ME A TEXT MESSAGE
SAYING, YOU KNOW, "I'LL BE BACK.
I'LL SEE YOU LATER."
UM, I DIDN'T SEE THAT
UNTIL THE MORNING.
Narrator: WHEN EDDIE
ARRIVES AT CUTTING PARK,
HE SEES NO SIGN
OF THE SEXY BRUNETTE.
HE GOES HOME, DEFEATED.
WHEN HE CHECKS HIS FACEBOOK,
THERE'S A MESSAGE FROM REBECCA.
LOOKS LIKE IT'S GAME ON AGAIN.
IT'S NEARLY 2:00 A.M.,
BUT IF EDDIE DOESN'T
MEET REBECCA TONIGHT,
HE WORRIES IT MAY NEVER HAPPEN.
Narrator:
THE NEXT DAY IS MEMORIAL DAY,
AND EVERYONE IN THE LEAL FAMILY
HAS THE DAY OFF WORK.
Gilbert: AND I COULD SMELL THE
FOOD COMING FROM THE KITCHEN.
- HOLA.
- Celia: HOLA, BABY.
IS EDDIE SLEEPING?
Gilbert: I DON'T KNOW.
Interpreter: THE NEXT MORNING
WAS A PUBLIC HOLIDAY,
A DAY WHEN ALL OF US
WERE AT HOME.
BREAKFAST WAS NEARLY READY.
I'M GOING TO GO
WAKE EDDIE UP.
Ralph: READY FOR SOME EGGS?
Gilbert: OH, YEAH, POPS.
OH, LOOKS GOOD.
[ KNOCKING ON DOOR ]
Celia: RAFA, EDDIE'S NOT HERE!
Interpreter: AT THIS TIME,
HIS DAD STARTED TO WORRY.
Ralph: STRAIGHT TO VOICE MAIL.
GILBERT!
GILBERT!
- Gilbert: YEAH?
- Ralph: GO DOWN TO POWERHOUSE
AND SEE IF
YOUR BROTHER IS THERE.
Gilbert: OKAY.
HE TELLS ME, YOU KNOW,
"JUST HEAD TO HIS WORK."
THE POWERHOUSE GYM
WAS A LOCAL FITNESS GYM
WHERE MY BROTHER WORKED
AS A PERSONAL TRAINER,
MAYBE HE WENT TO PICK UP
A CHECK, SOMETHING, ANYTHING.
SO I JUMPED IN MY MOM'S CAR
AND I START HEADING OVER.
[ MOBILE RINGING ]
I GET A PHONE CALL FROM MY DAD
AND, YOU KNOW,
MY FIRST INSTINCT IS,
"OH, HE'S HOME."
[ RINGING CONTINUES ]
I ANSWER AND IT'S A --
A DETECTIVE.
YEAH.
HE TELLS ME, "WE'RE OVER HERE
AT YOUR HOUSE,
UM, WITH YOUR DAD, AND WE THINK
YOU SHOULD COME HOME."
Celia: WHERE'S EDDIE?
[ RALPH SOBBING ]
Wortman: EDDIE WAS A GOOD KID.
Gilbert: SO I GET OUT THE CAR,
AND I'M PRETTY SHAKEN UP.
I HEAR SOMEBODY SAY,
"OH, THAT'S HIM."
ONE OF THE DETECTIVES TURNS.
AND HE INTERCEPTS ME.
AND HE'S LIKE,
"COME TALK WITH ME."
AND SO I FOLLOW HIM TO HIS CAR.
HE SITS ME DOWN
IN THE PASSENGER SIDE.
HE SITS IN THE DRIVER SIDE.
ALL RIGHT.
HE'S ASKING ME
THESE QUESTIONS ABOUT MY BROTHER
AND JEWELRY THAT HE WORE.
Wortman: THIS RING
LOOK FAMILIAR?
Gilbert: YEAH.
THAT WAS HIS.
"DOES THIS BELONG TO HIM?
DOES THIS SOUND FAMILIAR?"
Interpreter for Celia:
I HEARD RAFA SCREAMING.
HE KNEW WHAT HAD HAPPENED,
AND -- AND I DIDN'T.
I COULDN'T UNDERSTAND
WHAT WAS GOING ON.
Gilbert: BLACK HAIR, MY BUILD,
I -- I DON'T KNOW.
I DON'T KNOW.
Wortman: OKAY.
Gilbert: AFTER ALL THAT,
HE SAID, "OKAY.
BASED ON WHAT YOU JUST TOLD ME,
WE -- I CAN TELL YOU THAT
YOUR BROTHER
HAS BEEN MURDERED,
AND...
[ BREAKING UP ]
WE'RE INVES--
CURRENTLY INVESTIGATING
THAT RIGHT NOW."
I COULDN'T EVEN BREAK DOWN.
I WAS IN SUCH SHOCK.
[ CELIA WAILING ]
Wortman: OKAY.
Gilbert: HE'S CRYING.
AND HE'S TELLING ME,
"THEY KILLED --
THEY KILLED EDDIE."
I HEAR SCREAMING FROM INSIDE,
AND IT'S MY MOM.
AT THIS POINT, TEARS
ARE STREAMING DOWN HER FACE.
SEEING ALL MY FAMILY
IN THE STATE
THAT THEY WERE, JUST -- JUST...
IT WAS OVERWHELMING.
I STILL SEE IT.
Epps: I GOT A PHONE CALL...
Man: IT'S OKAY, RALPH.
[ BREAKING UP ]
AND I REMEMBER HIM SAYING,
"I HATE TO BE THE ONE
TO MAKE THE CALL,
BUT NOBODY ELSE
WANTS TO CALL YOU
'CAUSE THEY KNOW HOW TIGHT
YOU ARE WITH EDDIE AND RALPH."
Interpreter for Celia:
I COULDN'T UNDERSTAND
WHO COULD'VE HURT HIM
LIKE THAT BECAUSE...
I KNEW
THAT HE WAS A GOOD BOY,
AND I COULDN'T UNDERSTAND
WHO COULD'VE
DONE THAT TO HIM, NO.
Epps: I SAW RALPH
OUT IN THE YARD ON HIS KNEES
SCREAMING AND CRYING.
Ralph: BOB, BOBBY,
THEY KILLED MY BABY.
Epps: AND YOU JUST -- I JUST --
I HELD HIM AND HUGGED HIM.
HE CRIED AND SAID,
"THEY KILLED MY BABY."
Narrator: THE LEAL FAMILY
ARE DEVASTATED BY THE NEWS
THAT THEIR SON EDDIE HAD BEEN
MURDERED THE NIGHT BEFORE.
THE POLICE HAVE TOLD THEM HE WAS
FOUND SHOT DEAD IN HIS CAR.
LEAD INVESTIGATOR
RANDALL WORTMAN
AND DEPUTY D.A. DANIEL DELIMON
HAD BEEN THE FIRST ON THE SCENE.
Wortman: I APPROACHED
THE VEHICLE,
LOOKED AT THE DRIVER.
IT WAS A MALE HISPANIC,
ABOUT 23 YEARS OLD
AND LATER IDENTIFIED
AS EDDIE LEAL
FROM HIS DRIVER'S LICENSE.
Delimon: WE NOTICED THERE WAS
FINGERPRINTS IN THE CAR.
THE OTHER THING, UH,
THAT WE LOOKED
AT WAS THESE CASINGS.
Narrator: GETTING ENOUGH DNA
FROM THE PRINTS
OR THE BULLET CASINGS
WILL BE A LONG SHOT,
BUT THERE'S A SLIM CHANCE
IT MAY LEAD THEM TO THE KILLER.
LATER THAT MORNING, POLICE
HEAD TO THE LEALS' HOME
TO TRY AND FIND OUT
WHY EDDIE WAS KILLED.
Wortman: I'M REALLY SORRY
ABOUT THIS, GILBERT.
Narrator: ALL GILBERT
KNOWS IS THAT,
WHEN HE TALKED TO HIS BROTHER
LAST NIGHT, HE SEEMED HAPPY
AND HE WAS ON HIS COMPUTER.
Wortman: SO WHAT WAS
YOUR BROTHER DOING LAST NIGHT?
Gilbert: HE WAS ON HIS COMPUTER.
Wortman: OKAY.
ALL RIGHT.
Delimon: AND IMMEDIATELY,
ON THAT SCREEN
CAME A FACEBOOK IMAGINE
OF REBECCA SANTIAGO,
A VERY ATTRACTIVE FEMALE,
WHO IT LOOKED
LIKE HAD BEEN ENGAGED
IN CONVERSATION WITH EDDIE LEAL.
EDDIE LEAL HAD NOT CLOSED
OUT THAT WINDOW.
AND THE LAST LINE
IN THAT CONVERSATION
TALKED ABOUT
HOW THEY WERE GONNA MEET.
Epps: I COULDN'T THINK
OF ANY REASON WHY EDDIE
WOULD WANT TO GO OVER THERE, UH,
OR WHAT HE WAS DOING
UP THAT LATE AT NIGHT 'CAUSE
IT WAS STARTING TO LOOK
LIKE EDDIE HAD COMMUNICATED
WITH SOMEBODY ON FACEBOOK.
AND HE WAS GOING OVER
TO MEET UP WITH SOME GIRL.
AND NOBODY REALLY KNEW
WHAT THE PATH
WAS FROM GOING
TO MEET THIS GIRL
TO DEAD IN A CAR.
Narrator: BACK AT RIVERSIDE
COUNTY SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT,
DETECTIVE WORTMAN
LOOKS INTO THE THUGS
WHO HAD STOLEN EDDIE'S CAR
THE PREVIOUS WEEK.
Wortman: AT THE TIME
OF THE MURDER THEY WERE
OUT OF CUSTODY,
THEY WERE RELEASED.
WE WERE LOOKING
AT THE POSSIBILITY
THAT THIS WAS SOME KIND
OF RETALIATION FOR THE FACT
THAT HE PRESSED
CHARGES AGAINST THEM.
Narrator: AND AS DETECTIVE
WORTMAN IS ABOUT TO DISCOVER,
THESE GUYS
ARE NO SMALL-TIME CAR JACKERS.
Wortman: WHEN WE LOOKED
AT THE POLICE REPORTS
FOR THE GUYS THAT WERE ARRESTED,
THEY WERE IN THESE DATABASES
AS GANG MEMBERS.
Narrator: AS WORTMAN PURSUES
THE CAR THEFT ANGLE,
DEPUTY D.A. DELIMON
SUBPOENAS FACEBOOK
FOR THE IP ADDRESS ASSOCIATED
WITH REBECCA SANTIAGO'S PROFILE.
AS SOON AS HE GETS IT,
HE CAN FIND OUT
WHERE REBECCA WAS
WHEN SHE LAST MESSAGED EDDIE.
Delimon: WE KNEW
FROM PAST INVESTIGATIONS
THAT FACEBOOK WOULD KEEP RECORDS
OF THE IP ADDRESS
WHERE THE PERSON USING
THIS PROFILE WOULD LOG ON.
Narrator: TWO DAYS LATER,
DETECTIVE WORTMAN
HITS A HEAD END
WITH THE CAR THIEVES.
ALL THEIR ALIBIS CHECK OUT
FOR THE NIGHT OF THE MURDER.
Delimon: THERE IS A KILLER
ON THE LOOSE.
AND APART FROM THE COMPUTER,
WE STILL DON'T HAVE
ANYTHING ELSE.
Narrator: THREE DAYS
AFTER THE MURDER,
DEPUTY D.A. DELIMON
GETS A STREET ADDRESS
FOR REBECCA SANTIAGO.
Delimon: THEY IMMEDIATELY
GAVE US AN ADDRESS.
THE ADDRESS
WAS HOLSTEINER CIRCLE
AND IT WAS WITHIN 100 YARDS
OF WHERE EDDIE LEAL'S BODY
HAD BEEN FOUND.
Narrator: WHEN
HE ARRIVES AT THE HOUSE
WHERE REBECCA'S PROFILE
IS REGISTERED,
THERE'S NO REBECCA,
ONLY A FAMILY NAMED THE GUZMANS.
Delimon: I BEGAN TO WONDER,
DO WE HAVE THE RIGHT ADDRESS,
DO WE HAVE THE RIGHT PEOPLE?
Wortman: WE TRANSPORTED
THE FAMILY MEMBERS,
WITH THE EXCEPTION
OF THE MOTHER,
TO THE SHERIFF'S STATION
TO INTERVIEW THEM.
Delimon: MAKE SURE YOU WAIT FOR
ME TO QUESTION THEM, OKAY?
WE SEARCHED EVERY ROOM.
THERE WAS A DESKTOP
COMPUTER INSIDE, UH,
THE 17-YEAR-OLD
YOUNG MAN'S BEDROOM
WHO TURNED OUT
TO BE MANUEL GUZMAN.
Narrator: COMPUTER FORENSICS
EXPERT TONY PELATO
GETS TO WORK ANALYZING
THE COMPUTER.
Pelato: THIS CASE WAS
THE MOST IMPORTANT CASE
THAT I EVER WORKED ON.
Delimon: ONE OF THE THINGS
THAT TONY PELATO
DID WAS TO MAKE SURE
THAT HE DID
A RAM DUMP
ON THE COMPUTER
IN MANUEL GUZMAN'S ROOM
BECAUSE IT WAS STILL ON
AND HE KNEW
THAT THAT INFORMATION
WOULD BE DESTROYED
IF HE UNPLUGGED THE COMPUTER.
Narrator: BACK AT THE STATION,
DETECTIVE WORTMAN INTERVIEWS
17-YEAR-OLD MANUEL GUZMAN.
- Wortman: HI, MANUEL.
- Guzman: HELLO.
Wortman: I'M GOING
TO ASK YOU A FEW QUESTIONS.
Guzman: SURE.
Wortman: HE WAS VERY CALM,
VERY COLD,
NOT WORRIED ABOUT ANYTHING.
WHERE WERE YOU IN THE EARLY
HOURS OF MONDAY, MAY 30.
Guzman: I WAS ASLEEP IN MY ROOM.
Wortman: DO YOU KNOW
AN EDDIE LEAL?
Guzman: YEAH,
THE NAME SOUNDS FAMILIAR.
I THINK HIS FAMILY
HAS A BOXING RING
OUT OF THEIR HOME?
Wortman: DURING THE INTERVIEW
WITH MANUEL GUZMAN,
HE DENIED HAVING
ANY KNOWLEDGE OF THE HOMICIDE.
HE TOLD ME THAT HE WAS ASLEEP
THE NIGHT OF THE HOMICIDE.
Ralph: PUNCH, GOOD, GOOD.
Narrator: MANUEL KNOWS EDDIE
FROM THE GYM,
HE HAD TAKEN
ONE BOXING LESSON WITH HIM.
Gilbert: I, UH, DIDN'T TAKE
MUCH INTEREST, I NOTICED HIM.
BUT HE DIDN'T STAND OUT
TO ME, EITHER.
Narrator: BECAUSE MANUEL
IS A MINOR, THE POLICE
CAN ONLY HOLD HIM
FOR A MAXIMUM OF SIX HOURS.
WITH NOTHING CONCRETE
LINKING HIM TO EDDIE'S MURDER,
THEY HAVE TO LET HIM GO.
Interpreter for Celia:
IT WAS IN THE FIRST WEEK
WHEN I HEARD THAT SOMEBODY
HAD BEEN QUESTIONED BASED
ON THE POLICE INVESTIGATION
ON THE COMPUTER.
BUT LATER I FOUND OUT
THAT HE HAD BEEN RELEASED.
AND THEN I HEARD NOTHING.
THE FIRST TIME
THAT I SPOKE TO THE ATTORNEY
HE TOLD ME THAT I NEEDED
TO BE VERY PATIENT
BECAUSE IT WAS GOING
TO TAKE THEM A LONG TIME
TO FIND EVERYTHING
THAT THEY NEEDED.
Delimon: YEAH,
IF YOU COULD LET VICTIM SERVICES
KNOW THAT I'D LIKE
TO SPEAK WITH THEM.
Narrator: THE FIRST EVIDENCE
TO COME BACK FROM THE LAB
FROM THE SCENE OF THE CRIME
IS FINGERPRINT ANALYSIS.
Wortman: WE FOUND
SOME FINGERPRINT MATCHES
TO THE VICTIM
AND THEN SOME PRINTS
THAT WE DIDN'T KNOW
WHO THEY BELONGED TO.
WE WERE REALLY INTERESTED
IN TRYING TO FIND OUT
THE IDENTITY OF THE PERSON
WHO LEFT THE FINGERPRINTS.
Narrator: IN ORDER
TO RULE OUT THE LEAL FAMILY
WHO LEFT PRINTS IN THE CAR,
THE POLICE RUN A RECORDS CHECK
ON ALL OF THEM.
STRANGELY, THEY CAN FIND
NO RECORD OF RALPH LEAL.
Wortman: RALPH LEAL?
BECAUSE PEOPLE FREQUENTLY
WILL USE NICKNAMES,
I CALLED RALPH
ON THE PHONE
AND HE TOLD ME HIS ACTUAL
REAL NAME WAS GILBERT LEAL.
OKAY, THAT NAME
IS IN OUR DATABASE.
HE CONFIRMED HIS DATE OF BIRTH.
WE RAN ANOTHER RECORDS CHECK
AND FOUND GILBERT LEAL,
THE NAME HE GAVE ME
WITH HIS DATE OF BIRTH
HAD A MURDER WARRANT
OUT OF L.A. COUNTY
FOR A HOMICIDE
THAT OCCURRED IN THE 1980s.
Narrator: SINCE RALPH,
aka GILBERT LEAL,
HAS SUCH A CLOSE RELATIONSHIP
WITH THE POLICE,
IT'S A SHOCK TO FIND
OUT HE'S WANTED FOR MURDER.
FOR AN ALREADY GRIEVING FAMILY,
IT'S DEVASTATING.
Gilbert: RANDY
AND A FEW OTHER DETECTIVES
AND A SQUAD CAR OR TWO, UM,
SHOWED UP.
Wortman: ALL RIGHT, SO
TELL ME YOUR STORY, RALPH.
Gilbert: MY DAD AND RANDY
HAD A LONG CONVERSATION ABOUT,
I'M ASSUMING,
WHAT HAD TRANSPIRED
30 YEARS AGO.
I COULDN'T STAND TO WATCH MY DAD
HAVE CUFFS SLAPPED ON HIM.
Wortman: I'M SORRY TO DO THIS.
WE JUST HAD TO HANDCUFF HIM
AND PUT HIM IN THE CAR
AND BOOK INTO JAIL
FOR THE HOMICIDE.
Gilbert: MY MOM
WAS STILL FOCUSING
ON TRYING TO COPE
WITH MY BROTHER'S MURDER.
SHE WAS HURT THAT
THE FAMILY WAS SO BROKEN.
HALF OF US ARE GONE
AND IT TOOK IT'S TOLL,
IT WAS TOO MUCH.
Narrator: WITH EDDIE'S FATHER
INVOLVED IN A MURDER
30 YEARS PRIOR,
IS IT POSSIBLE
HE'S ALSO INVOLVED
IN THE SLAYING OF HIS SON?
Narrator: EDDIE LEAL'S
FATHER'S PAST
HAS FINALLY CAUGHT UP WITH HIM.
HE'S CHARGED
WITH VOLUNTARY MANSLAUGHTER
AND ASSAULT FOR A MURDER
IN THE 1980s.
BUT NOTHING LINKS HIM
TO HIS SON'S MURDER.
Gilbert: MY DAD FELT THAT
WHAT HAPPENED TO MY BROTHER,
MAYBE IT WAS KARMA
COMING BACK TO HIM
FOR LIVING THE LIFESTYLE
THAT HE DID.
Narrator: ONE WEEK AFTER EDDIE
WAS SLAIN,
WITH INCONCLUSIVE FINGERPRINTS,
NO WITNESS AND NO MURDER WEAPON,
POLICE TURNED BACK
TO THE FORENSIC ANALYSIS
OF MANUEL GUZMAN'S COMPUTER.
Pelato: WHEN THEY ASKED ME
HOW LONG THESE EXAMS TAKE,
MY ANSWER IS ANYWHERE
BETWEEN TWO AND 52 WEEKS,
DEPENDING ON THE COMPLEXITY
OF THE EXAMINATION.
IN A COMPLEX HOMICIDE
INVESTIGATION,
YOU HAVE NO IDEA, NECESSARILY,
WHAT YOU'RE LOOKING FOR,
WHAT WILL BE RELEVANT,
WHAT WILL PROVE OR DISPROVE, UM,
THAT SOMETHING HAPPENED.
Narrator: THEN, SUDDENLY,
THE INVESTIGATOR
HITS THE JACKPOT.
Delimon: TONY PELATO
HAD FOUND EVIDENCE
IN MANUEL GUZMAN'S COMPUTER
THAT PROVED THAT THAT WAS
THE COMPUTER
THAT SENT THE MESSAGES
TO EDDIE LEAL ON MAY 30,
THE NIGHT HE WAS KILLED.
THE SMOKING GUN IN THIS CASE
WASN'T ACTUALLY A SMOKING GUN.
WHAT WE WERE LOOKING FOR
WAS THE SMOKING COMPUTER.
THE REBECCA SANTIAGO PICTURE
SEEMED, TO ME,
TO BE A PHOTOSHOPPED IMAGE.
THERE WERE NO PICTURES
WITH FAMILY OR FRIENDS.
IT WAS PROBABLY A FAKE PROFILE.
Narrator: THE POLICE
THINK BACK TO SOMETHING
17-YEAR-OLD MANUEL
SAID IN HIS FIRST INTERVIEW.
Wortman: WHO ELSE HAS ACCESS
TO YOUR COMPUTER?
Guzman: UM, NO, IT'S MY
COMPUTER, NO ONE ELSE USES IT.
Delimon: HE TOLD US THAT HE WAS
THE ONLY PERSON IN THE ROOM
AND THAT HE WAS
THE ONLY PERSON
WHO USED HIS COMPUTER
THAT NIGHT.
AND THAT'S WHEN
INVESTIGATOR RANDY WORTMAN THEN
PUSHED THE REBECCA
SANTIAGO PICTURE
IN FRONT OF MANUEL GUZMAN
AND TOLD HIM,
"WHAT DO YOU KNOW ABOUT THIS?"
Wortman: WHAT DO YOU
KNOW ABOUT THIS?
Guzman: I'VE NEVER
SEEN THAT BEFORE.
Narrator: MANUEL ADMITTED
HE WAS THE ONLY PERSON
WHO USED THAT COMPUTER
THE NIGHT OF EDDIE'S MURDER.
COULD HE HAVE POSED AS REBECCA
TO LURE EDDIE TO HIS DEATH?
IT'S A THEORY,
BUT THE COPS DON'T HAVE
ANY PROOF OR A MOTIVE
THAT JUSTIFIES ARRESTING MANUEL.
AND SO MANUEL
REMAINS ON THE STREETS.
Wortman: WE ALL BELIEVED
THAT MANUEL GUZMAN WAS INVOLVED,
IT WAS JUST A MATTER
OF NOT HAVING ENOUGH EVIDENCE
TO FILE A CASE AGAINST HIM.
I WAS ALWAYS CONCERNED
THAT MANUEL GUZMAN
WAS FREE TO DO IT AGAIN.
Gilbert: IT TOOK A LOT
OF STRENGTH FOR ME
NOT TO JUST RUSH OUT AND --
[ SIGHS ]
HURT -- HURT HIM.
Delimon: HIS MOM, UH,
WOULD CALL ME
AND IT TYPICALLY HAPPENED
WHEN MANUEL GUZMAN
RODE HIS BIKE
PAST HER HOUSE
AND SAY, "PLEASE DON'T GIVE UP
ON THIS CASE."
ARE WE GOING TO HAVE TO WALK
AWAY FROM THIS CASE
AND POTENTIALLY LET
A MURDERER FREE?
Narrator: FOR
FORENSIC INVESTIGATOR PELATO,
IT'S A RACE
AGAINST TIME
TO FIND EVIDENCE
ON MANUEL'S COMPUTER
THAT PUTS HIM
AT THE SCENE OF THE CRIME.
Pelato: I BEGAN TO LOOK AROUND
ON THE COMPUTER TO DETERMINE
WHAT ELSE WAS HAPPENING
AROUND THE SAME TIME PERIOD
THAT THE REBECCA SANTIAGO
PROFILE WAS ACCESSED.
THIS COMPUTER
FORENSIC EXAMINATION
ENDED UP BEING
THE BIGGEST CASE OF MY CAREER.
Narrator: FINALLY, PELATO
FINDS WHAT HE'S LOOKING FOR.
MANUEL LOGGED ON AND OFF
AT THE EXACT TIMES
THAT WOULD ALLOW HIM TO GO
AND MEET EDDIE IN CUTTING PARK
IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT.
Pelato: THE LAST MESSAGE
WAS JUST PRIOR TO 2:00 AM.
Delimon: AND WHEN I LOOKED
MORE CLOSELY,
I SAW THE MANUEL GUZMAN
HAD COME UP
WITH A VERY CLEVER WAY
OF INSERTING HIMSELF
AS A FIGURE AT THAT PARK.
Narrator: REBECCA HAD TOLD EDDIE
TO EXPECT HER BROTHER.
Delimon: AND TO CONVINCE
EDDIE LEAL
THAT RATHER THAN MEETING
REBECCA SANTIAGO, A FEMALE,
THAT EDDIE LEAL
SHOULD EXPECT A YOUNG MAN
THAT WAS MANUEL GUZMAN'S AGE.
Eddie: YO, ARE YOU
REBECCA'S BROTHER?
Guzman: YEAH, MAN.
UH, YOU WANT TO
FOLLOW ME UP THERE.
Narrator: IT'S PELATO'S
NEXT DISCOVERY
THAT NAILS MANUEL.
[ TELEPHONE RINGING ]
Delimon: HELLO?
YEAH.
WE FOUND THAT SILVER BULLET
THAT WE'D BEEN LOOKING
FOR ALL ALONG.
MANUEL GUZMAN MADE A MISTAKE.
MANUEL GUZMAN HAD ACTUALLY
E- MAILED SOMEONE
IN THE COMMUNITY
AND ADMITTED
"THIS IS TITO,"
THE NICKNAME
THAT MANUEL GUZMAN WENT BY,
"AND THIS IS
MY FAKE FACEBOOK PAGE
THAT I USE TO MESS WITH PEOPLE."
WE KNEW THAT WE HAD A WITNESS
THAT WE COULD CALL TO COURT
AND SAY REBECCA SANTIAGO
AND MANUEL GUZMAN
ARE THE SAME PERSON.
[ TELEPHONE RINGING ]
HELLO?
Narrator: THE POLICE
CAN NOW PROVE
THAT MANUEL WAS NOT JUST
ACCESSING THE SITE
TO AID IN A KILLING --
HE HAD CREATED REBECCA
WITH THE SOLE PURPOSE
OF DOING EVIL.
Delimon: AND AT THAT POINT,
I KNEW WE GOT HIM.
WE MADE THE DECISION, UH,
AT THAT POINT,
THAT WE WERE GOING
TO ARREST MANUEL GUZMAN
AND PROSECUTE HIM, UH,
FOR THIS MURDER.
Narrator: ON APRIL 10, 2012,
NEARLY 11 MONTHS
AFTER THE MURDER OF EDDIE LEAL,
MANUEL GUZMAN IS ARRESTED.
Delimon: INVESTIGATOR WORTMAN,
UH, ASKED ME...
Wortman: DO YOU THINK
WE HAVE ENOUGH?
Delimon: AND MY RESPONSE WAS,
"THIS MAY BE ALL WE EVER HAVE."
Narrator: GUZMAN
MAY BE IN CUSTODY,
BUT THE DETECTIVES STILL
HAVE AN UPHILL STRUGGLE
TO CONVINCE A JURY HE'S GUILTY.
WHY WOULD THIS LOCAL KID
WITH NO BEEF AGAINST EDDIE
WANT HIM DEAD?
WHEN THEY TAKE A CLOSER LOOK
AT THE DAYS LEADING UP
TO EDDIE'S MURDER,
THEY MAKE A SHOCKING DISCOVERY.
Delimon: AS WE REVIEWED
THOSE RECORDS,
WE REALIZED THERE WERE
OTHER VICTIMS
PRIOR TO EDDIE LEAL'S MURDER.
Narrator: POLICE BELIEVE THEY'VE
GOT EDDIE LEAL'S MURDERER
BEHIND BARS.
BUT THEY NEED MORE EVIDENCE
TO MAKE SURE HE STAYS THERE.
AS THEY SIFT THROUGH
MANUEL'S COMPUTER RECORDS,
THEY START PAINTING
A PICTURE OF A KILLER
WHO HAS TRIED BEFORE.
Delimon: MANUEL GUZMAN HAD TRIED
TO LURE OUT
THREE OTHER YOUNG MEN
IN THE DAYS LEADING UP
TO EDDIE LEAL'S MURDER
IN AN EFFORT TO MURDER THEM.
Cervantes: I WAS
A YOUNG 18-YEAR-OLD,
AND I'M LIKE, "PHEW.
THIS GIRL'S FROM MY HOMETOWN,
QUITE ATTRACTIVE.
I MEAN, WHY NOT?"
YOU KNOW, "WHO -- WHO IS SHE?
LIKE, HOW DO I NOT KNOW HER?"
Narrator: LUCKILY FOR RYAN,
HE WAS STATIONED IN HAWAII
FOR MILITARY TRAINING.
Cervantes: HOT GIRL
WANTS TO HANG OUT WITH YOU
THIS LATE AT NIGHT,
AND I COULD HONESTLY SAY
I WOULD'VE DONE THAT.
Narrator: HE WAS 2,500 MILES
AWAY FROM A POTENTIAL MURDERER.
IT SEEMS CLEAR
THAT, IF PROSECUTION
CAN'T GET A CONVICTION,
EDDIE LEAL MAY NOT BE
MANUEL'S LAST VICTIM.
Cervantes: OH, MY GOD.
THAT COULD'VE BEEN ME.
Narrator: THE PROSECUTION IS ON
THE VERGE OF MAKING HISTORY.
Pelato: IT WAS UNPRECEDENTED
THAT THE PROSECUTION
WOULD MOVE FORWARD
WITH THE TRIAL KNOWING
THAT THE ENTIRE CASE
HINGED ON THE COMPUTER
FORENSIC EVIDENCE.
Interpreter for Celia:
I ASKED GOD,
IF HE WAS GUILTY, THEN HE HAD TO
BE FOUND GUILTY
AND PAY FOR WHAT HE HAD DONE.
Delimon: THE JURY
DELIVERED A VERY SWIFT VERDICT.
THEY CONVICTED
MANUEL GUZMAN OF MURDER.
Wortman: THE JUDGE
GAVE HIM LIFE WITHOUT PAROLE,
WHICH IS THE HIGHEST SENTENCE
YOU CAN GET
COMMITTING
A MURDER AS A JUVENILE.
Narrator: TRAGICALLY,
23-YEAR-OLD EDDIE LEAL
DIED BECAUSE HE WAS THE ONLY ONE
WHO TOOK MANUEL'S BAIT.
MANUEL WAS READY TO KILL
ANYONE, EVEN SOMEONE
WHO WAS TRYING TO HELP
HIM CHANGE HIS LIFE.
Interpreter for Celia:
WHAT HURT ME THE MOST
WAS TO IMAGINE MY SON
DURING THOSE MOMENTS,
TO IMAGINE WHAT HE HAD FELT.
FOR ME AS HIS MOTHER,
IT'S SO VERY DIFFICULT.
Gilbert: HE WAS SLUMPED OVER
IN THE DRIVER'S SEAT,
AND HIS PHONE WAS ON THE FLOOR
NEXT TO WHERE HIS HAND
WOULD'VE FALLEN.
AND IT HAD THE NUMBERS
9-1 DIALED INTO IT.
IT'S SO CONFUSING 'CAUSE
IT WOULD'VE MADE
MORE SENSE FOR A STRANGER
TO KILL MY BROTHER THAN SOMEBODY
TO HAVE MET HIM AND THEN
DO IT AFTER MEETING EDDIE.
YOU CAN IMMEDIATELY SEE
HOW SWEET OF A PERSON HE IS.
Wortman: MANUEL KILLED
AS A THRILL KILLING.
HE JUST WANTED TO HURT SOMEBODY.
AND I BELIEVE THAT
HE WOULD'VE DONE IT AGAIN.
Pelato: HIS MOTIVE WAS RAGE
AND HIS DESIRE TO KILL.
WE STRONGLY BELIEVE THAT HE WAS
A SERIAL KILLER IN THE MAKING.
Narrator: MANUEL GUZMAN WILL
NEVER BE RELEASED FROM PRISON.
Epps: I CAN'T GET IN THE RING
WITHOUT THINKING ABOUT EDDIE.
[ SOBS ]
UH, HE'S A BIG PART OF MY LIFE,
AND HE ALWAYS WILL BE.
Interpreter for Celia:
IT WAS VERY PAINFUL FOR ME,
BUT I FEEL
THAT THEY SAID GOOD-BYE
TO HIM AS HE DESERVED.
Epps: AND THEN,
WE ALL TOOK OUR NAME PLATES OFF
AND TOSSED IT IN.
IT JUST SEEMED UNREAL.
I COULDN'T BELIEVE IT.
I HAD JUST BEEN SEEING HIM
NOT LONG BEFORE THAT.
AND EDDIE WAS,
YOU KNOW, I MEAN...
Gilbert: I NEED
TO MAKE HIM PROUD.
SO ONE OF THE MOST
IMPORTANT THINGS TO ME RIGHT NOW
IS HELPING PEOPLE
WHO NEED IT, JUST LIKE HE DID.
AND --
AND THROUGH BOXING,
I FEEL LIKE
THAT'S A REALLY GOOD WAY.
Interpreter for Celia:
EDDIE DIDN'T DESERVE TO HAVE
A DEATH LIKE THAT.
EDDIE NEVER HURT ANYBODY.
HE RESPECTED EVERYBODY,
AND EVERYBODY LIKED HIM.
Gilbert:
WITH MY BROTHER MURDERED
AND MY DAD
LOCKED AWAY SOMEWHERE,
WE WEREN'T EVEN A FAMILY.
Interpreter for Celia:
EVEN TODAY, I --
I DON'T UNDERSTAND
WHY MANUEL GUZMAN KILLED MY SON.
FROM A TOUGH NEIGHBORHOOD...
Man: WHY DON'T YOU
GO BACK INSIDE
BEFORE YOU REGRET
WHAT YOU SAY TO ME.
Narrator: IS CHASING HIS DREAM.
Gilbert: FROM A YOUNG AGE,
EDDIE, HE'S ALWAYS
WANTED TO GO PRO.
Narrator: BUT WHEN
INTERNET ROMANCE BECKONS,
IT'S JUST TOO TEMPTING...
AND THE DREAM IS SNUFFED OUT
IN AN INSTANT.
Gilbert: SEEING
ALL MY FAMILY IN THE STATE
THAT THEY WERE,
IT WAS OVERWHELMING.
Ralph: THEY KILLED MY BABY.
Wortman: THEY WERE
IN THESE DATABASES
AS GANG MEMBERS.
Epps: NOBODY REALLY KNEW
WHAT THE PATH
WAS FROM GOING
TO MEET THIS GIRL
TO DEAD IN A CAR.
Narrator: TWENTY-THREE-YEAR-OLD
EDDIE LEAL
LIVES IN THE MOSTLY HISPANIC,
BLUE-COLLAR NEIGHBORHOOD
OF SAN JACINTO, CALIFORNIA,
WITH HIS MOTHER, CELIA,
HIS FATHER, RALPH,
AND HIS 19-YEAR-OLD
BROTHER, GILBERT.
Gilbert: EDDIE'S
REALLY KINDHEARTED, SWEET, UM,
ALMOST NAIVE IN A SENSE.
[ SPEAKING SPANISH ]
Interpreter: I ALWAYS HAD DREAMS
FOR MY SONS.
HAVING A FAMILY
HAS BEEN THE BEST THING
THAT HAS HAPPENED TO ME,
TO HAVE MY CHILDREN.
SINCE THE MOMENT
THEY WERE BORN,
MY LIFE CHANGED FOR THE BETTER.
WE WERE ALWAYS SHORT OF MONEY,
BUT WE HAD A LOT OF LOVE.
Narrator: RALPH'S
LANDSCAPING BUSINESS
AND CELIA'S JOB
AT THE LOCAL MARKET
JUST ABOUT KEEP
THEIR HEADS ABOVE WATER.
EVERY SPARE DOLLAR IS PUT
TOWARDS EDDIE'S DREAM
OF BECOMING A PRO BOXER.
EDDIE AND HIS DAD AND BROTHER
HAVE CONVERTED THEIR GARAGE
INTO A BOXING GYM.
Gilbert: FROM A YOUNG AGE,
EDDIE ALWAYS WANTED TO GO PRO.
WHETHER IT WAS TO BE
A CHAMPION OR NOT,
IT DIDN'T REALLY MATTER
'CAUSE HE LOVED IT.
MY DAD GATHERED UP SOME MONEY,
CLEANED OUT THE GARAGE
AND MADE IT A GYM.
SOME OF THE 'HOOD KIDS
WOULD WALK BY, SEE IT
AND BE INTERESTED,
AND IT JUST KIND OF EVOLVED
FROM THERE.
Narrator: THE LEALS'
NEIGHBORHOOD IS FULL OF CHOLOS,
SLANG FOR HISPANIC GANGSTERS.
EDDIE HOPES THAT, BY OPENING UP
THE GYM TO LOCAL KIDS,
HE CAN GIVE THEM AN ALTERNATIVE
TO JOINING THE LOCAL GANGS.
BUT IT'S AN UPHILL STRUGGLE.
Epps: RALPH AND EDDIE PUT
IN A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT
OF WORK AND DEDICATION
AROUND, UH,
KIDS WHO WERE LOOKING
FOR SOME SORT OF LEADERSHIP.
THERE WAS A LOT OF KIDS, UH,
AT THAT GYM
THAT THAT WAS THEIR FAMILY,
AND THAT WAS ME INCLUDED.
Interpreter for Celia:
RALPH AND MY CHILDREN
ALWAYS WORKED
WITH THE COMMUNITY,
HELPING CHILDREN TO KEEP THEM
AWAY FROM THE STREETS.
Narrator: SEVENTEEN-YEAR-OLD
MANUEL GUZMAN
IS A HIGH SCHOOL DROPOUT.
HE'S HOPING BOXING
CAN GIVE HIM A FOCUS
AND KEEP HIM SAFE.
Eddie: GUYS, WHO'S NEXT?
Narrator: RALPH LEAL
LEADS HIS KIDS BY EXAMPLE.
HE MADE MISTAKES IN THE PAST
AND WANTS HIS KIDS
TO AVOID THE SAME PAIN.
Epps: RALPH HAD GREW UP
IN L.A., HISPANIC KID
IN THE '80s.
EH, LIFE'S TOUGH.
HE TOLD KIDS,
"KEEP YOUR NOSE CLEAN.
KEEP OUT OF TROUBLE", AND HE STEERED
KIDS AWAY FROM THE TROUBLE CROWD.
RALPH AND EDDIE DIDN'T HAVE
ANYTHING TO PROVE.
THEY WEREN'T PROUD.
THEY DEFINITELY
WEREN'T MATERIALISTIC.
Narrator: EDDIE'S DEDICATION
TO BOXING
MEANS HE DOESN'T HAVE
A LOT OF TIME TO MEET GIRLS.
SO, LIKE A LOT OF YOUNG MEN,
HE TURNS TO THE INTERNET.
Gilbert: EDDIE
WAS ON FACEBOOK A LOT.
HE LOVED TO BE
CONNECTED WITH EVERYONE.
Eddie: HEY, MOM.
Celia: I JUST WANT TO SEE
IF YOU'VE GOT A GIRLFRIEND
YOU'RE HIDING FROM ME.
Eddie: NO.
DON'T WORRY,
MOM, YOU'LL KNOW.
Celia: AND WHAT KIND OF A GIRL
ARE YOU LOOKING FOR?
Eddie: A PRETTY ONE.
Celia: A PRETTY ONE?
WELL, WHAT HAVE YOU GOT
TO OFFER TO A PRETTY GIRL.
[ LAUGHS ]
Gilbert: EVERY YOUNG GUY
USES FACEBOOK
IN ONE WAY OR ANOTHER
TO TALK TO A GIRL.
Narrator: WHEN EDDIE
GETS A FRIEND REQUEST
FROM A GIRL HE HAS NEVER MET,
HE'S INTRIGUED.
REBECCA SANTIAGO IS GORGEOUS,
LIVES IN SAN JACINTO
AND EVEN BETTER, SHE'S SINGLE.
EDDIE DOESN'T THINK
REBECCA SEEMS LIKE THE KIND
OF PARTY GIRL
WHO WOULD HANG OUT WITH CHOLOS.
SHE'S STRAIGHT-LACED,
JUST LIKE EDDIE.
TO HIM, THEY LOOK
LIKE A PERFECT MATCH.
Interpreter for Celia: I ALWAYS
HAD DREAMS FOR MY SONS.
I WANTED EDDIE TO GET MARRIED.
ARE YOU NERVOUS
ABOUT THE FIGHT?
- Eddie: NO.
- Narrator: EDDIE'S MOM WORRIES
ABOUT HIM GETTING
BEATEN UP IN THE RING.
Eddie: BUT YOU SEEM NERVOUS,
MOM.
Interpreter: I NEVER LIKED
WATCHING MY SON BOX.
HE ASKED ME WHY AND I ANSWERED
THAT IF HE EVER TOOK ME,
I WAS GOING TO TAKE MY SHOE OFF
AND CLIMB INTO THE RING
TO HIT HIS OPPONENT
AND HE WAS GOING
TO BE DISQUALIFIED.
Eddie: DON'T WORRY SO MUCH, MOM.
Narrator: BUT THE REAL DANGER
FOR EDDIE
MAY BE MUCH CLOSER TO HOME.
Celia: GOOD NIGHT, SWEETIE.
Narrator: WITH LOCAL FAMILIES
EAGER FOR THEIR SONS
TO HAVE A HEALTHY OUTLET,
THE GYM GETS A LOT
OF COMMUNITY SUPPORT.
BUT THE CHOLOS SEEM DETERMINED
TO GET IN THE WAY.
Gilbert: IN SAN JACINTO,
WHERE I GREW UP,
THERE ARE A HANDFUL OF GANGS.
THE CHOLO ARE HISPANIC,
USUALLY CHICANO,
ESPECIALLY IN CALIFORNIA,
BUT GANGSTER ESSENTIALLY.
IT'S DRUGS, FIGHTING, SHOOTING.
IF YOU GROW UP
WITH NOTHING AND YOU
SEE THESE GUYS, YOU KNOW,
OUT IN THE STREETS,
SEMI SUCCESSFUL,
THE LIFESTYLE CAN BE APPEALING.
A LOT OF US ARE TRYING
TO BETTER OURSELVES
AND NOT FALL INTO IT.
WE DID HAVE
SOME TOUGH CHARACTERS
COME IN AND WANT
TO PROVE THEMSELVES.
Eddie: WHAT'S UP, BOYS?
THERE'S NO DRINKING HERE, MAN.
Man: WHY DON'T YOU
GO BACK INSIDE
BEFORE YOU REGRET
WHAT YOU SAY TO ME?
Eddie: WHAT ARE YOU GOING
TO DO, HUH?
Gilbert: EDDIE, HEY, HEY, EDDIE.
EDDIE, EDDIE.
WHY DON'T YOU GO BACK
TO TRAINING, MAN.
COME ON, WE DON'T NEED
THIS RIGHT NOW.
Man: WHY DON'T YOU
GO BACK INSIDE?
Gilbert: HEY, HEY, COME ON.
YOU GOT -- YOU GOT
BETTER PLACES TO GO, RIGHT?
WHERE'S THE CHICAS AT, HUH?
CHECK OUT THE PIMPIN' RIDE,
MAN, IT'S ALL GOOD.
Man: IT'S ALL RIGHT, MAN.
LET'S GO BACK INSIDE.
Narrator: IT'S A WIN
FOR THE GOOD GUYS -- THIS TIME.
AFTER EDDIE AND HIS BROTHER
GET THE CHOLOS TO BACK DOWN,
EDDIE'S ON A HIGH.
AND IT'S STARTING TO LOOK
LIKE REBECCA SANTIAGO
APPRECIATES A REAL TOUGH GUY
LIKE EDDIE,
NOT CHOLOS
WHO ARE ALL MACHO SWAGGER.
Interpreter: EDDIE WANTED TO
HAVE A WOMAN IN HIS LIFE.
HE TOLD ME THAT HE WAS GOING
TO GIVE HIMSELF
HIS LAST CHANCE IN BOXING
AND IF THAT DIDN'T WORK
HE WANTED TO GET MARRIED.
HE WANTED TO HAVE CHILDREN.
Narrator: BUT WHEN EDDIE
ASKS REBECCA FOR A DATE
SHE SEEMS TO TURN SHY.
STILL, EDDIE
IS NOT ABOUT TO GIVE UP.
WITH SO MUCH GANG ACTIVITY
IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD,
THE LEAL FAMILY
IS ALWAYS HAPPY TO HAVE
THE COPS CLOSE AT HAND.
SARGEANT BOB EPPS
REGULARLY COMES DOWN TO TRAIN
AND KEEP AN EYE ON THINGS.
Epps: I WAS TRAINING
FOR AN EVENT
CALLED THE BATTLE OF THE BADGES
AND IT'S A CHARITY EVENT.
RALPH AND EDDIE GAVE 100%
TO THE COMMUNITY AND THE KIDS.
IF SOMEBODY NEEDED THEIR TIME,
THEY'D GIVE IT.
A LOT OF THE KIDS WEREN'T SURE
WHY EDDIE AND RALPH WERE FRIENDS
WITH THE COPS AND A LOT
OF THESE KIDS
HAD HAD NEGATIVE EXPERIENCES
IN THEIR HOMES WITH COPS.
MANY OF THESE KIDS
HAD FAMILY MEMBERS
THAT WERE SERVING, UH,
EXTENSIVE JAIL SENTENCES.
Eddie: ALL RIGHT,
GENTS, IT'S A WRAP.
SEE YOU TOMORROW, BUDDY.
Celia: HEY, HOW'D IT GO?
Eddie: HEY MAMA, GOOD.
Celia: GOOD.
Eddie: SEE THE NEW GUY?
Celia: YEAH, YEAH.
THE -- THE TALL GUY OVER THERE.
Eddie: THE BIG GUY, YEAH.
Narrator: BUT NO SOONER DO
THE COPS LEAVE THAN THE CHOLOS
ARE BACK TO HASSLE EDDIE.
Eddie: MAMA, STAY HERE
FOR A MINUTE.
WHAT'S UP, GUYS?
WHAT DO YOU WANT, MAN?
[ CELIA SCREAMS ]
Gilbert: MY MOM, IN PARTICULAR,
SEES ANYONE THAT
SHE WOULD DESCRIBE AS A CHOLO
AND AUTOMATICALLY
ASSUMES THE WORST.
UM, WHICH IS KIND OF
UNDERSTANDABLE
WHEN YOU GREW UP AROUND HERE
BECAUSE YOU KNOW
WHAT THEY'RE CAPABLE OF.
Celia: THEY'RE GOING TO COME
AFTER US ONE DAY, DON'T DO THAT.
Narrator: EDDIE HAS NO IDEA
HE'S ABOUT TO LEARN
JUST HOW FAR THE CHOLOS
WILL GO TO PROVE
WHO'S IN CHARGE IN SAN JACINTO.
Eddie: GOOD MORNING, BUDDY.
WHAT'S FOR BREAKFAST?
Narrator: IT'S A CONSTANT
STRUGGLE FOR EDDIE LEAL
AND HIS FAMILY
TO KEEP GANGS
AWAY FROM THEIR BOXING CLUB
IN SAN JACINTO, CALIFORNIA.
BUT THEY'RE ABOUT TO FIND
OUT THE CHOLOS
DON'T TAKE REJECTION WELL.
Gilbert: MY BROTHER DECIDED
TO GO AND GET SOME FOOD,
HE COMES BACK IN
IN PRETTY SHOOK UP.
HE'S LIKE, "HEY, DID YOU SEE
THE CAR?"
Eddie: YO, BERT,
WHERE'S THE CAR?
Gilbert: IT'S OUTSIDE.
I WAS LIKE, "YEAH,
IT SHOULD BE OUTSIDE."
Eddie: IT'S NOT.
Gilbert: SO MY BROTHER
STARTS PANICKING.
IF IT'S NOT THERE,
IT'S STOLEN.
HI, I'D LIKE
TO REPORT A STOLEN VEHICLE.
Narrator: THE CHOLOS HAD STOLEN
EDDIE'S CAR THE NIGHT BEFORE.
Wortman: SUSPECTS WERE CAUGHT
IN HIS VEHICLE
AND ARRESTED IN THE CITY
OF LONG BEACH.
[ MOBILE RINGING ]
Narrator: EDDIE DECIDES
HE HAS TO STAND UP TO
THE CAR THIEVES.
Eddie: HELLO?
Wortman: THE LONG BEACH
POLICE DEPARTMENT
HAD TO CONTACT MR. LEAL
AND ASK HIM
IF HE WANTED TO PRESS CHARGES.
Eddie: YES.
YES, I DO WANT TO PRESS CHARGES.
Gilbert: THE PEOPLE
WHO TOOK THE CAR ENDED UP
TOTALING IT IN A CHASE.
Narrator: STILL, THOUGH
THREE CHOLOS ARE ARRESTED...
Man: YO, HOMIE!
Narrator:...ONLY ONE
IS TAKEN TO JAIL.
AND A FEW DAYS LATER
HIS BUDDIES
ARE BACK ON THE STREETS.
THE LEAL FAMILY BAND TOGETHER
AND BUY A NEW CAR FOR EDDIE.
THEY CAN'T LET THE THUGS
GET THE UPPER HAND.
Epps: HEY, HEY, NICE NEW SET
OF WHEELS THERE, EDDIE.
Eddie: THANK YOU.
Ralph: HEY, HEY, BOBBY.
Narrator: IT'S SEVERAL NIGHTS
AFTER THE CAR WAS STOLEN,
EDDIE'S NEW FACEBOOK FRIEND,
REBECCA SANTIAGO, COMES ONLINE.
SHE SAYS SHE'S UP
FOR HANGING OUT.
THOUGH THE POST ISN'T
SPECIFICALLY ADDRESSED TO EDDIE,
HE'S THE FIRST
TO TAKE THE BAIT.
BUT ONCE AGAIN, REBECCA
LEAVES HIM HANGING.
Interpreter for Celia:
I WENT IN AND STOOD BY
EDDIE'S BEDROOM DOOR.
I COULD SEE IN HIS FACE
THAT HE DIDN'T WANT
ME TO COME IN
BECAUSE HE WAS ON THE COMPUTER.
GOOD NIGHT, BABY.
Eddie: GOOD NIGHT.
Narrator: SEVERAL AGONIZING
MINUTES PASS,
AND THEN FINALLY...
Gilbert: I THINK
I WALKED BY AT SOME POINT
AND SAW HIM JUST SITTING
AT THE COMPUTER.
Eddie: HEY, GIL?
I MIGHT TAKE THE CAR TONIGHT.
Gilbert: AND I WAS JUST
LIKE, "OKAY."
SOUNDS GOOD, MAN.
Narrator: EDDIE AND REBECCA
AGREE TO MEET AT A NEARBY PARK.
IT'S LUCKY THAT EDDIE
HAS A NEW CAR.
REBECCA WANTS TO KNOW
IF EDDIE'S COMING ALONE.
HE CONFIRMS IT'S JUST HIM.
Gilbert: IT'S LATER
IN THE NIGHT,
UM, I THINK
I HAD ALREADY FALLEN ASLEEP.
HE SENT ME A TEXT MESSAGE
SAYING, YOU KNOW, "I'LL BE BACK.
I'LL SEE YOU LATER."
UM, I DIDN'T SEE THAT
UNTIL THE MORNING.
Narrator: WHEN EDDIE
ARRIVES AT CUTTING PARK,
HE SEES NO SIGN
OF THE SEXY BRUNETTE.
HE GOES HOME, DEFEATED.
WHEN HE CHECKS HIS FACEBOOK,
THERE'S A MESSAGE FROM REBECCA.
LOOKS LIKE IT'S GAME ON AGAIN.
IT'S NEARLY 2:00 A.M.,
BUT IF EDDIE DOESN'T
MEET REBECCA TONIGHT,
HE WORRIES IT MAY NEVER HAPPEN.
Narrator:
THE NEXT DAY IS MEMORIAL DAY,
AND EVERYONE IN THE LEAL FAMILY
HAS THE DAY OFF WORK.
Gilbert: AND I COULD SMELL THE
FOOD COMING FROM THE KITCHEN.
- HOLA.
- Celia: HOLA, BABY.
IS EDDIE SLEEPING?
Gilbert: I DON'T KNOW.
Interpreter: THE NEXT MORNING
WAS A PUBLIC HOLIDAY,
A DAY WHEN ALL OF US
WERE AT HOME.
BREAKFAST WAS NEARLY READY.
I'M GOING TO GO
WAKE EDDIE UP.
Ralph: READY FOR SOME EGGS?
Gilbert: OH, YEAH, POPS.
OH, LOOKS GOOD.
[ KNOCKING ON DOOR ]
Celia: RAFA, EDDIE'S NOT HERE!
Interpreter: AT THIS TIME,
HIS DAD STARTED TO WORRY.
Ralph: STRAIGHT TO VOICE MAIL.
GILBERT!
GILBERT!
- Gilbert: YEAH?
- Ralph: GO DOWN TO POWERHOUSE
AND SEE IF
YOUR BROTHER IS THERE.
Gilbert: OKAY.
HE TELLS ME, YOU KNOW,
"JUST HEAD TO HIS WORK."
THE POWERHOUSE GYM
WAS A LOCAL FITNESS GYM
WHERE MY BROTHER WORKED
AS A PERSONAL TRAINER,
MAYBE HE WENT TO PICK UP
A CHECK, SOMETHING, ANYTHING.
SO I JUMPED IN MY MOM'S CAR
AND I START HEADING OVER.
[ MOBILE RINGING ]
I GET A PHONE CALL FROM MY DAD
AND, YOU KNOW,
MY FIRST INSTINCT IS,
"OH, HE'S HOME."
[ RINGING CONTINUES ]
I ANSWER AND IT'S A --
A DETECTIVE.
YEAH.
HE TELLS ME, "WE'RE OVER HERE
AT YOUR HOUSE,
UM, WITH YOUR DAD, AND WE THINK
YOU SHOULD COME HOME."
Celia: WHERE'S EDDIE?
[ RALPH SOBBING ]
Wortman: EDDIE WAS A GOOD KID.
Gilbert: SO I GET OUT THE CAR,
AND I'M PRETTY SHAKEN UP.
I HEAR SOMEBODY SAY,
"OH, THAT'S HIM."
ONE OF THE DETECTIVES TURNS.
AND HE INTERCEPTS ME.
AND HE'S LIKE,
"COME TALK WITH ME."
AND SO I FOLLOW HIM TO HIS CAR.
HE SITS ME DOWN
IN THE PASSENGER SIDE.
HE SITS IN THE DRIVER SIDE.
ALL RIGHT.
HE'S ASKING ME
THESE QUESTIONS ABOUT MY BROTHER
AND JEWELRY THAT HE WORE.
Wortman: THIS RING
LOOK FAMILIAR?
Gilbert: YEAH.
THAT WAS HIS.
"DOES THIS BELONG TO HIM?
DOES THIS SOUND FAMILIAR?"
Interpreter for Celia:
I HEARD RAFA SCREAMING.
HE KNEW WHAT HAD HAPPENED,
AND -- AND I DIDN'T.
I COULDN'T UNDERSTAND
WHAT WAS GOING ON.
Gilbert: BLACK HAIR, MY BUILD,
I -- I DON'T KNOW.
I DON'T KNOW.
Wortman: OKAY.
Gilbert: AFTER ALL THAT,
HE SAID, "OKAY.
BASED ON WHAT YOU JUST TOLD ME,
WE -- I CAN TELL YOU THAT
YOUR BROTHER
HAS BEEN MURDERED,
AND...
[ BREAKING UP ]
WE'RE INVES--
CURRENTLY INVESTIGATING
THAT RIGHT NOW."
I COULDN'T EVEN BREAK DOWN.
I WAS IN SUCH SHOCK.
[ CELIA WAILING ]
Wortman: OKAY.
Gilbert: HE'S CRYING.
AND HE'S TELLING ME,
"THEY KILLED --
THEY KILLED EDDIE."
I HEAR SCREAMING FROM INSIDE,
AND IT'S MY MOM.
AT THIS POINT, TEARS
ARE STREAMING DOWN HER FACE.
SEEING ALL MY FAMILY
IN THE STATE
THAT THEY WERE, JUST -- JUST...
IT WAS OVERWHELMING.
I STILL SEE IT.
Epps: I GOT A PHONE CALL...
Man: IT'S OKAY, RALPH.
[ BREAKING UP ]
AND I REMEMBER HIM SAYING,
"I HATE TO BE THE ONE
TO MAKE THE CALL,
BUT NOBODY ELSE
WANTS TO CALL YOU
'CAUSE THEY KNOW HOW TIGHT
YOU ARE WITH EDDIE AND RALPH."
Interpreter for Celia:
I COULDN'T UNDERSTAND
WHO COULD'VE HURT HIM
LIKE THAT BECAUSE...
I KNEW
THAT HE WAS A GOOD BOY,
AND I COULDN'T UNDERSTAND
WHO COULD'VE
DONE THAT TO HIM, NO.
Epps: I SAW RALPH
OUT IN THE YARD ON HIS KNEES
SCREAMING AND CRYING.
Ralph: BOB, BOBBY,
THEY KILLED MY BABY.
Epps: AND YOU JUST -- I JUST --
I HELD HIM AND HUGGED HIM.
HE CRIED AND SAID,
"THEY KILLED MY BABY."
Narrator: THE LEAL FAMILY
ARE DEVASTATED BY THE NEWS
THAT THEIR SON EDDIE HAD BEEN
MURDERED THE NIGHT BEFORE.
THE POLICE HAVE TOLD THEM HE WAS
FOUND SHOT DEAD IN HIS CAR.
LEAD INVESTIGATOR
RANDALL WORTMAN
AND DEPUTY D.A. DANIEL DELIMON
HAD BEEN THE FIRST ON THE SCENE.
Wortman: I APPROACHED
THE VEHICLE,
LOOKED AT THE DRIVER.
IT WAS A MALE HISPANIC,
ABOUT 23 YEARS OLD
AND LATER IDENTIFIED
AS EDDIE LEAL
FROM HIS DRIVER'S LICENSE.
Delimon: WE NOTICED THERE WAS
FINGERPRINTS IN THE CAR.
THE OTHER THING, UH,
THAT WE LOOKED
AT WAS THESE CASINGS.
Narrator: GETTING ENOUGH DNA
FROM THE PRINTS
OR THE BULLET CASINGS
WILL BE A LONG SHOT,
BUT THERE'S A SLIM CHANCE
IT MAY LEAD THEM TO THE KILLER.
LATER THAT MORNING, POLICE
HEAD TO THE LEALS' HOME
TO TRY AND FIND OUT
WHY EDDIE WAS KILLED.
Wortman: I'M REALLY SORRY
ABOUT THIS, GILBERT.
Narrator: ALL GILBERT
KNOWS IS THAT,
WHEN HE TALKED TO HIS BROTHER
LAST NIGHT, HE SEEMED HAPPY
AND HE WAS ON HIS COMPUTER.
Wortman: SO WHAT WAS
YOUR BROTHER DOING LAST NIGHT?
Gilbert: HE WAS ON HIS COMPUTER.
Wortman: OKAY.
ALL RIGHT.
Delimon: AND IMMEDIATELY,
ON THAT SCREEN
CAME A FACEBOOK IMAGINE
OF REBECCA SANTIAGO,
A VERY ATTRACTIVE FEMALE,
WHO IT LOOKED
LIKE HAD BEEN ENGAGED
IN CONVERSATION WITH EDDIE LEAL.
EDDIE LEAL HAD NOT CLOSED
OUT THAT WINDOW.
AND THE LAST LINE
IN THAT CONVERSATION
TALKED ABOUT
HOW THEY WERE GONNA MEET.
Epps: I COULDN'T THINK
OF ANY REASON WHY EDDIE
WOULD WANT TO GO OVER THERE, UH,
OR WHAT HE WAS DOING
UP THAT LATE AT NIGHT 'CAUSE
IT WAS STARTING TO LOOK
LIKE EDDIE HAD COMMUNICATED
WITH SOMEBODY ON FACEBOOK.
AND HE WAS GOING OVER
TO MEET UP WITH SOME GIRL.
AND NOBODY REALLY KNEW
WHAT THE PATH
WAS FROM GOING
TO MEET THIS GIRL
TO DEAD IN A CAR.
Narrator: BACK AT RIVERSIDE
COUNTY SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT,
DETECTIVE WORTMAN
LOOKS INTO THE THUGS
WHO HAD STOLEN EDDIE'S CAR
THE PREVIOUS WEEK.
Wortman: AT THE TIME
OF THE MURDER THEY WERE
OUT OF CUSTODY,
THEY WERE RELEASED.
WE WERE LOOKING
AT THE POSSIBILITY
THAT THIS WAS SOME KIND
OF RETALIATION FOR THE FACT
THAT HE PRESSED
CHARGES AGAINST THEM.
Narrator: AND AS DETECTIVE
WORTMAN IS ABOUT TO DISCOVER,
THESE GUYS
ARE NO SMALL-TIME CAR JACKERS.
Wortman: WHEN WE LOOKED
AT THE POLICE REPORTS
FOR THE GUYS THAT WERE ARRESTED,
THEY WERE IN THESE DATABASES
AS GANG MEMBERS.
Narrator: AS WORTMAN PURSUES
THE CAR THEFT ANGLE,
DEPUTY D.A. DELIMON
SUBPOENAS FACEBOOK
FOR THE IP ADDRESS ASSOCIATED
WITH REBECCA SANTIAGO'S PROFILE.
AS SOON AS HE GETS IT,
HE CAN FIND OUT
WHERE REBECCA WAS
WHEN SHE LAST MESSAGED EDDIE.
Delimon: WE KNEW
FROM PAST INVESTIGATIONS
THAT FACEBOOK WOULD KEEP RECORDS
OF THE IP ADDRESS
WHERE THE PERSON USING
THIS PROFILE WOULD LOG ON.
Narrator: TWO DAYS LATER,
DETECTIVE WORTMAN
HITS A HEAD END
WITH THE CAR THIEVES.
ALL THEIR ALIBIS CHECK OUT
FOR THE NIGHT OF THE MURDER.
Delimon: THERE IS A KILLER
ON THE LOOSE.
AND APART FROM THE COMPUTER,
WE STILL DON'T HAVE
ANYTHING ELSE.
Narrator: THREE DAYS
AFTER THE MURDER,
DEPUTY D.A. DELIMON
GETS A STREET ADDRESS
FOR REBECCA SANTIAGO.
Delimon: THEY IMMEDIATELY
GAVE US AN ADDRESS.
THE ADDRESS
WAS HOLSTEINER CIRCLE
AND IT WAS WITHIN 100 YARDS
OF WHERE EDDIE LEAL'S BODY
HAD BEEN FOUND.
Narrator: WHEN
HE ARRIVES AT THE HOUSE
WHERE REBECCA'S PROFILE
IS REGISTERED,
THERE'S NO REBECCA,
ONLY A FAMILY NAMED THE GUZMANS.
Delimon: I BEGAN TO WONDER,
DO WE HAVE THE RIGHT ADDRESS,
DO WE HAVE THE RIGHT PEOPLE?
Wortman: WE TRANSPORTED
THE FAMILY MEMBERS,
WITH THE EXCEPTION
OF THE MOTHER,
TO THE SHERIFF'S STATION
TO INTERVIEW THEM.
Delimon: MAKE SURE YOU WAIT FOR
ME TO QUESTION THEM, OKAY?
WE SEARCHED EVERY ROOM.
THERE WAS A DESKTOP
COMPUTER INSIDE, UH,
THE 17-YEAR-OLD
YOUNG MAN'S BEDROOM
WHO TURNED OUT
TO BE MANUEL GUZMAN.
Narrator: COMPUTER FORENSICS
EXPERT TONY PELATO
GETS TO WORK ANALYZING
THE COMPUTER.
Pelato: THIS CASE WAS
THE MOST IMPORTANT CASE
THAT I EVER WORKED ON.
Delimon: ONE OF THE THINGS
THAT TONY PELATO
DID WAS TO MAKE SURE
THAT HE DID
A RAM DUMP
ON THE COMPUTER
IN MANUEL GUZMAN'S ROOM
BECAUSE IT WAS STILL ON
AND HE KNEW
THAT THAT INFORMATION
WOULD BE DESTROYED
IF HE UNPLUGGED THE COMPUTER.
Narrator: BACK AT THE STATION,
DETECTIVE WORTMAN INTERVIEWS
17-YEAR-OLD MANUEL GUZMAN.
- Wortman: HI, MANUEL.
- Guzman: HELLO.
Wortman: I'M GOING
TO ASK YOU A FEW QUESTIONS.
Guzman: SURE.
Wortman: HE WAS VERY CALM,
VERY COLD,
NOT WORRIED ABOUT ANYTHING.
WHERE WERE YOU IN THE EARLY
HOURS OF MONDAY, MAY 30.
Guzman: I WAS ASLEEP IN MY ROOM.
Wortman: DO YOU KNOW
AN EDDIE LEAL?
Guzman: YEAH,
THE NAME SOUNDS FAMILIAR.
I THINK HIS FAMILY
HAS A BOXING RING
OUT OF THEIR HOME?
Wortman: DURING THE INTERVIEW
WITH MANUEL GUZMAN,
HE DENIED HAVING
ANY KNOWLEDGE OF THE HOMICIDE.
HE TOLD ME THAT HE WAS ASLEEP
THE NIGHT OF THE HOMICIDE.
Ralph: PUNCH, GOOD, GOOD.
Narrator: MANUEL KNOWS EDDIE
FROM THE GYM,
HE HAD TAKEN
ONE BOXING LESSON WITH HIM.
Gilbert: I, UH, DIDN'T TAKE
MUCH INTEREST, I NOTICED HIM.
BUT HE DIDN'T STAND OUT
TO ME, EITHER.
Narrator: BECAUSE MANUEL
IS A MINOR, THE POLICE
CAN ONLY HOLD HIM
FOR A MAXIMUM OF SIX HOURS.
WITH NOTHING CONCRETE
LINKING HIM TO EDDIE'S MURDER,
THEY HAVE TO LET HIM GO.
Interpreter for Celia:
IT WAS IN THE FIRST WEEK
WHEN I HEARD THAT SOMEBODY
HAD BEEN QUESTIONED BASED
ON THE POLICE INVESTIGATION
ON THE COMPUTER.
BUT LATER I FOUND OUT
THAT HE HAD BEEN RELEASED.
AND THEN I HEARD NOTHING.
THE FIRST TIME
THAT I SPOKE TO THE ATTORNEY
HE TOLD ME THAT I NEEDED
TO BE VERY PATIENT
BECAUSE IT WAS GOING
TO TAKE THEM A LONG TIME
TO FIND EVERYTHING
THAT THEY NEEDED.
Delimon: YEAH,
IF YOU COULD LET VICTIM SERVICES
KNOW THAT I'D LIKE
TO SPEAK WITH THEM.
Narrator: THE FIRST EVIDENCE
TO COME BACK FROM THE LAB
FROM THE SCENE OF THE CRIME
IS FINGERPRINT ANALYSIS.
Wortman: WE FOUND
SOME FINGERPRINT MATCHES
TO THE VICTIM
AND THEN SOME PRINTS
THAT WE DIDN'T KNOW
WHO THEY BELONGED TO.
WE WERE REALLY INTERESTED
IN TRYING TO FIND OUT
THE IDENTITY OF THE PERSON
WHO LEFT THE FINGERPRINTS.
Narrator: IN ORDER
TO RULE OUT THE LEAL FAMILY
WHO LEFT PRINTS IN THE CAR,
THE POLICE RUN A RECORDS CHECK
ON ALL OF THEM.
STRANGELY, THEY CAN FIND
NO RECORD OF RALPH LEAL.
Wortman: RALPH LEAL?
BECAUSE PEOPLE FREQUENTLY
WILL USE NICKNAMES,
I CALLED RALPH
ON THE PHONE
AND HE TOLD ME HIS ACTUAL
REAL NAME WAS GILBERT LEAL.
OKAY, THAT NAME
IS IN OUR DATABASE.
HE CONFIRMED HIS DATE OF BIRTH.
WE RAN ANOTHER RECORDS CHECK
AND FOUND GILBERT LEAL,
THE NAME HE GAVE ME
WITH HIS DATE OF BIRTH
HAD A MURDER WARRANT
OUT OF L.A. COUNTY
FOR A HOMICIDE
THAT OCCURRED IN THE 1980s.
Narrator: SINCE RALPH,
aka GILBERT LEAL,
HAS SUCH A CLOSE RELATIONSHIP
WITH THE POLICE,
IT'S A SHOCK TO FIND
OUT HE'S WANTED FOR MURDER.
FOR AN ALREADY GRIEVING FAMILY,
IT'S DEVASTATING.
Gilbert: RANDY
AND A FEW OTHER DETECTIVES
AND A SQUAD CAR OR TWO, UM,
SHOWED UP.
Wortman: ALL RIGHT, SO
TELL ME YOUR STORY, RALPH.
Gilbert: MY DAD AND RANDY
HAD A LONG CONVERSATION ABOUT,
I'M ASSUMING,
WHAT HAD TRANSPIRED
30 YEARS AGO.
I COULDN'T STAND TO WATCH MY DAD
HAVE CUFFS SLAPPED ON HIM.
Wortman: I'M SORRY TO DO THIS.
WE JUST HAD TO HANDCUFF HIM
AND PUT HIM IN THE CAR
AND BOOK INTO JAIL
FOR THE HOMICIDE.
Gilbert: MY MOM
WAS STILL FOCUSING
ON TRYING TO COPE
WITH MY BROTHER'S MURDER.
SHE WAS HURT THAT
THE FAMILY WAS SO BROKEN.
HALF OF US ARE GONE
AND IT TOOK IT'S TOLL,
IT WAS TOO MUCH.
Narrator: WITH EDDIE'S FATHER
INVOLVED IN A MURDER
30 YEARS PRIOR,
IS IT POSSIBLE
HE'S ALSO INVOLVED
IN THE SLAYING OF HIS SON?
Narrator: EDDIE LEAL'S
FATHER'S PAST
HAS FINALLY CAUGHT UP WITH HIM.
HE'S CHARGED
WITH VOLUNTARY MANSLAUGHTER
AND ASSAULT FOR A MURDER
IN THE 1980s.
BUT NOTHING LINKS HIM
TO HIS SON'S MURDER.
Gilbert: MY DAD FELT THAT
WHAT HAPPENED TO MY BROTHER,
MAYBE IT WAS KARMA
COMING BACK TO HIM
FOR LIVING THE LIFESTYLE
THAT HE DID.
Narrator: ONE WEEK AFTER EDDIE
WAS SLAIN,
WITH INCONCLUSIVE FINGERPRINTS,
NO WITNESS AND NO MURDER WEAPON,
POLICE TURNED BACK
TO THE FORENSIC ANALYSIS
OF MANUEL GUZMAN'S COMPUTER.
Pelato: WHEN THEY ASKED ME
HOW LONG THESE EXAMS TAKE,
MY ANSWER IS ANYWHERE
BETWEEN TWO AND 52 WEEKS,
DEPENDING ON THE COMPLEXITY
OF THE EXAMINATION.
IN A COMPLEX HOMICIDE
INVESTIGATION,
YOU HAVE NO IDEA, NECESSARILY,
WHAT YOU'RE LOOKING FOR,
WHAT WILL BE RELEVANT,
WHAT WILL PROVE OR DISPROVE, UM,
THAT SOMETHING HAPPENED.
Narrator: THEN, SUDDENLY,
THE INVESTIGATOR
HITS THE JACKPOT.
Delimon: TONY PELATO
HAD FOUND EVIDENCE
IN MANUEL GUZMAN'S COMPUTER
THAT PROVED THAT THAT WAS
THE COMPUTER
THAT SENT THE MESSAGES
TO EDDIE LEAL ON MAY 30,
THE NIGHT HE WAS KILLED.
THE SMOKING GUN IN THIS CASE
WASN'T ACTUALLY A SMOKING GUN.
WHAT WE WERE LOOKING FOR
WAS THE SMOKING COMPUTER.
THE REBECCA SANTIAGO PICTURE
SEEMED, TO ME,
TO BE A PHOTOSHOPPED IMAGE.
THERE WERE NO PICTURES
WITH FAMILY OR FRIENDS.
IT WAS PROBABLY A FAKE PROFILE.
Narrator: THE POLICE
THINK BACK TO SOMETHING
17-YEAR-OLD MANUEL
SAID IN HIS FIRST INTERVIEW.
Wortman: WHO ELSE HAS ACCESS
TO YOUR COMPUTER?
Guzman: UM, NO, IT'S MY
COMPUTER, NO ONE ELSE USES IT.
Delimon: HE TOLD US THAT HE WAS
THE ONLY PERSON IN THE ROOM
AND THAT HE WAS
THE ONLY PERSON
WHO USED HIS COMPUTER
THAT NIGHT.
AND THAT'S WHEN
INVESTIGATOR RANDY WORTMAN THEN
PUSHED THE REBECCA
SANTIAGO PICTURE
IN FRONT OF MANUEL GUZMAN
AND TOLD HIM,
"WHAT DO YOU KNOW ABOUT THIS?"
Wortman: WHAT DO YOU
KNOW ABOUT THIS?
Guzman: I'VE NEVER
SEEN THAT BEFORE.
Narrator: MANUEL ADMITTED
HE WAS THE ONLY PERSON
WHO USED THAT COMPUTER
THE NIGHT OF EDDIE'S MURDER.
COULD HE HAVE POSED AS REBECCA
TO LURE EDDIE TO HIS DEATH?
IT'S A THEORY,
BUT THE COPS DON'T HAVE
ANY PROOF OR A MOTIVE
THAT JUSTIFIES ARRESTING MANUEL.
AND SO MANUEL
REMAINS ON THE STREETS.
Wortman: WE ALL BELIEVED
THAT MANUEL GUZMAN WAS INVOLVED,
IT WAS JUST A MATTER
OF NOT HAVING ENOUGH EVIDENCE
TO FILE A CASE AGAINST HIM.
I WAS ALWAYS CONCERNED
THAT MANUEL GUZMAN
WAS FREE TO DO IT AGAIN.
Gilbert: IT TOOK A LOT
OF STRENGTH FOR ME
NOT TO JUST RUSH OUT AND --
[ SIGHS ]
HURT -- HURT HIM.
Delimon: HIS MOM, UH,
WOULD CALL ME
AND IT TYPICALLY HAPPENED
WHEN MANUEL GUZMAN
RODE HIS BIKE
PAST HER HOUSE
AND SAY, "PLEASE DON'T GIVE UP
ON THIS CASE."
ARE WE GOING TO HAVE TO WALK
AWAY FROM THIS CASE
AND POTENTIALLY LET
A MURDERER FREE?
Narrator: FOR
FORENSIC INVESTIGATOR PELATO,
IT'S A RACE
AGAINST TIME
TO FIND EVIDENCE
ON MANUEL'S COMPUTER
THAT PUTS HIM
AT THE SCENE OF THE CRIME.
Pelato: I BEGAN TO LOOK AROUND
ON THE COMPUTER TO DETERMINE
WHAT ELSE WAS HAPPENING
AROUND THE SAME TIME PERIOD
THAT THE REBECCA SANTIAGO
PROFILE WAS ACCESSED.
THIS COMPUTER
FORENSIC EXAMINATION
ENDED UP BEING
THE BIGGEST CASE OF MY CAREER.
Narrator: FINALLY, PELATO
FINDS WHAT HE'S LOOKING FOR.
MANUEL LOGGED ON AND OFF
AT THE EXACT TIMES
THAT WOULD ALLOW HIM TO GO
AND MEET EDDIE IN CUTTING PARK
IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT.
Pelato: THE LAST MESSAGE
WAS JUST PRIOR TO 2:00 AM.
Delimon: AND WHEN I LOOKED
MORE CLOSELY,
I SAW THE MANUEL GUZMAN
HAD COME UP
WITH A VERY CLEVER WAY
OF INSERTING HIMSELF
AS A FIGURE AT THAT PARK.
Narrator: REBECCA HAD TOLD EDDIE
TO EXPECT HER BROTHER.
Delimon: AND TO CONVINCE
EDDIE LEAL
THAT RATHER THAN MEETING
REBECCA SANTIAGO, A FEMALE,
THAT EDDIE LEAL
SHOULD EXPECT A YOUNG MAN
THAT WAS MANUEL GUZMAN'S AGE.
Eddie: YO, ARE YOU
REBECCA'S BROTHER?
Guzman: YEAH, MAN.
UH, YOU WANT TO
FOLLOW ME UP THERE.
Narrator: IT'S PELATO'S
NEXT DISCOVERY
THAT NAILS MANUEL.
[ TELEPHONE RINGING ]
Delimon: HELLO?
YEAH.
WE FOUND THAT SILVER BULLET
THAT WE'D BEEN LOOKING
FOR ALL ALONG.
MANUEL GUZMAN MADE A MISTAKE.
MANUEL GUZMAN HAD ACTUALLY
E- MAILED SOMEONE
IN THE COMMUNITY
AND ADMITTED
"THIS IS TITO,"
THE NICKNAME
THAT MANUEL GUZMAN WENT BY,
"AND THIS IS
MY FAKE FACEBOOK PAGE
THAT I USE TO MESS WITH PEOPLE."
WE KNEW THAT WE HAD A WITNESS
THAT WE COULD CALL TO COURT
AND SAY REBECCA SANTIAGO
AND MANUEL GUZMAN
ARE THE SAME PERSON.
[ TELEPHONE RINGING ]
HELLO?
Narrator: THE POLICE
CAN NOW PROVE
THAT MANUEL WAS NOT JUST
ACCESSING THE SITE
TO AID IN A KILLING --
HE HAD CREATED REBECCA
WITH THE SOLE PURPOSE
OF DOING EVIL.
Delimon: AND AT THAT POINT,
I KNEW WE GOT HIM.
WE MADE THE DECISION, UH,
AT THAT POINT,
THAT WE WERE GOING
TO ARREST MANUEL GUZMAN
AND PROSECUTE HIM, UH,
FOR THIS MURDER.
Narrator: ON APRIL 10, 2012,
NEARLY 11 MONTHS
AFTER THE MURDER OF EDDIE LEAL,
MANUEL GUZMAN IS ARRESTED.
Delimon: INVESTIGATOR WORTMAN,
UH, ASKED ME...
Wortman: DO YOU THINK
WE HAVE ENOUGH?
Delimon: AND MY RESPONSE WAS,
"THIS MAY BE ALL WE EVER HAVE."
Narrator: GUZMAN
MAY BE IN CUSTODY,
BUT THE DETECTIVES STILL
HAVE AN UPHILL STRUGGLE
TO CONVINCE A JURY HE'S GUILTY.
WHY WOULD THIS LOCAL KID
WITH NO BEEF AGAINST EDDIE
WANT HIM DEAD?
WHEN THEY TAKE A CLOSER LOOK
AT THE DAYS LEADING UP
TO EDDIE'S MURDER,
THEY MAKE A SHOCKING DISCOVERY.
Delimon: AS WE REVIEWED
THOSE RECORDS,
WE REALIZED THERE WERE
OTHER VICTIMS
PRIOR TO EDDIE LEAL'S MURDER.
Narrator: POLICE BELIEVE THEY'VE
GOT EDDIE LEAL'S MURDERER
BEHIND BARS.
BUT THEY NEED MORE EVIDENCE
TO MAKE SURE HE STAYS THERE.
AS THEY SIFT THROUGH
MANUEL'S COMPUTER RECORDS,
THEY START PAINTING
A PICTURE OF A KILLER
WHO HAS TRIED BEFORE.
Delimon: MANUEL GUZMAN HAD TRIED
TO LURE OUT
THREE OTHER YOUNG MEN
IN THE DAYS LEADING UP
TO EDDIE LEAL'S MURDER
IN AN EFFORT TO MURDER THEM.
Cervantes: I WAS
A YOUNG 18-YEAR-OLD,
AND I'M LIKE, "PHEW.
THIS GIRL'S FROM MY HOMETOWN,
QUITE ATTRACTIVE.
I MEAN, WHY NOT?"
YOU KNOW, "WHO -- WHO IS SHE?
LIKE, HOW DO I NOT KNOW HER?"
Narrator: LUCKILY FOR RYAN,
HE WAS STATIONED IN HAWAII
FOR MILITARY TRAINING.
Cervantes: HOT GIRL
WANTS TO HANG OUT WITH YOU
THIS LATE AT NIGHT,
AND I COULD HONESTLY SAY
I WOULD'VE DONE THAT.
Narrator: HE WAS 2,500 MILES
AWAY FROM A POTENTIAL MURDERER.
IT SEEMS CLEAR
THAT, IF PROSECUTION
CAN'T GET A CONVICTION,
EDDIE LEAL MAY NOT BE
MANUEL'S LAST VICTIM.
Cervantes: OH, MY GOD.
THAT COULD'VE BEEN ME.
Narrator: THE PROSECUTION IS ON
THE VERGE OF MAKING HISTORY.
Pelato: IT WAS UNPRECEDENTED
THAT THE PROSECUTION
WOULD MOVE FORWARD
WITH THE TRIAL KNOWING
THAT THE ENTIRE CASE
HINGED ON THE COMPUTER
FORENSIC EVIDENCE.
Interpreter for Celia:
I ASKED GOD,
IF HE WAS GUILTY, THEN HE HAD TO
BE FOUND GUILTY
AND PAY FOR WHAT HE HAD DONE.
Delimon: THE JURY
DELIVERED A VERY SWIFT VERDICT.
THEY CONVICTED
MANUEL GUZMAN OF MURDER.
Wortman: THE JUDGE
GAVE HIM LIFE WITHOUT PAROLE,
WHICH IS THE HIGHEST SENTENCE
YOU CAN GET
COMMITTING
A MURDER AS A JUVENILE.
Narrator: TRAGICALLY,
23-YEAR-OLD EDDIE LEAL
DIED BECAUSE HE WAS THE ONLY ONE
WHO TOOK MANUEL'S BAIT.
MANUEL WAS READY TO KILL
ANYONE, EVEN SOMEONE
WHO WAS TRYING TO HELP
HIM CHANGE HIS LIFE.
Interpreter for Celia:
WHAT HURT ME THE MOST
WAS TO IMAGINE MY SON
DURING THOSE MOMENTS,
TO IMAGINE WHAT HE HAD FELT.
FOR ME AS HIS MOTHER,
IT'S SO VERY DIFFICULT.
Gilbert: HE WAS SLUMPED OVER
IN THE DRIVER'S SEAT,
AND HIS PHONE WAS ON THE FLOOR
NEXT TO WHERE HIS HAND
WOULD'VE FALLEN.
AND IT HAD THE NUMBERS
9-1 DIALED INTO IT.
IT'S SO CONFUSING 'CAUSE
IT WOULD'VE MADE
MORE SENSE FOR A STRANGER
TO KILL MY BROTHER THAN SOMEBODY
TO HAVE MET HIM AND THEN
DO IT AFTER MEETING EDDIE.
YOU CAN IMMEDIATELY SEE
HOW SWEET OF A PERSON HE IS.
Wortman: MANUEL KILLED
AS A THRILL KILLING.
HE JUST WANTED TO HURT SOMEBODY.
AND I BELIEVE THAT
HE WOULD'VE DONE IT AGAIN.
Pelato: HIS MOTIVE WAS RAGE
AND HIS DESIRE TO KILL.
WE STRONGLY BELIEVE THAT HE WAS
A SERIAL KILLER IN THE MAKING.
Narrator: MANUEL GUZMAN WILL
NEVER BE RELEASED FROM PRISON.
Epps: I CAN'T GET IN THE RING
WITHOUT THINKING ABOUT EDDIE.
[ SOBS ]
UH, HE'S A BIG PART OF MY LIFE,
AND HE ALWAYS WILL BE.
Interpreter for Celia:
IT WAS VERY PAINFUL FOR ME,
BUT I FEEL
THAT THEY SAID GOOD-BYE
TO HIM AS HE DESERVED.
Epps: AND THEN,
WE ALL TOOK OUR NAME PLATES OFF
AND TOSSED IT IN.
IT JUST SEEMED UNREAL.
I COULDN'T BELIEVE IT.
I HAD JUST BEEN SEEING HIM
NOT LONG BEFORE THAT.
AND EDDIE WAS,
YOU KNOW, I MEAN...
Gilbert: I NEED
TO MAKE HIM PROUD.
SO ONE OF THE MOST
IMPORTANT THINGS TO ME RIGHT NOW
IS HELPING PEOPLE
WHO NEED IT, JUST LIKE HE DID.
AND --
AND THROUGH BOXING,
I FEEL LIKE
THAT'S A REALLY GOOD WAY.
Interpreter for Celia:
EDDIE DIDN'T DESERVE TO HAVE
A DEATH LIKE THAT.
EDDIE NEVER HURT ANYBODY.
HE RESPECTED EVERYBODY,
AND EVERYBODY LIKED HIM.
Gilbert:
WITH MY BROTHER MURDERED
AND MY DAD
LOCKED AWAY SOMEWHERE,
WE WEREN'T EVEN A FAMILY.
Interpreter for Celia:
EVEN TODAY, I --
I DON'T UNDERSTAND
WHY MANUEL GUZMAN KILLED MY SON.