Your Worst Nightmare (2014–…): Season 1, Episode 1 - Somebody's Watching - full transcript

PLEASE!

JUST LET ME GO!
PLEASE!

SHH!

YOU NEED TO KEEP WALKING.

I SAID, DON'T STOP!

I THINK WE ALL HAVE,
IN OUR OWN MIND,

AN IDEA, A MENTAL IMAGE
OF WHAT A KILLER LOOKS LIKE.

AND I WOULD SAY FOR THE MOST
PART THEY'RE PROBABLY SIMILAR

FOR EVERYONE.

BUT THAT'S SO FAR
FROM THE TRUTH.

THEY'RE NORMAL, AVERAGE,
EVERYDAY PEOPLE.



THEY DON'T LOOK LIKE MONSTERS.

SANDY JEFFERS WAS
A 25-YEAR-OLD COLLEGE STUDENT

ATTENDING
UNIVERSITY OF TENNESSEE.

SHE HAD ALREADY GOTTEN ONE
UNDERGRADUATE DEGREE

AND WAS JUST A DAY OR SO
AWAY FROM GRADUATING

WITH A DEGREE IN ANTHROPOLOGY.

SHE WAS ALWAYS DEDICATED
TO HER ACADEMICS.

IN HIGH SCHOOL
SHE WAS THE VALEDICTORIAN.

SHE WAS REALLY QUIET,
REALLY SHY.

SHE KEPT TO HERSELF.

WHEN SHE WASN'T IN SCHOOL
OR SHE WASN'T WORKING,

SHE WAS WITH HER BOYFRIEND,
JAMES.

BABE!
HEY, WHERE YOU COMING FROM?

ANTHROPOLOGY.



THEY DATED PROBABLY ABOUT
FIVE YEARS.

SO, YEAH, THEY WERE SERIOUS.

YOU GOT THAT PAPER BACK
TODAY, DIDN'T YOU?

WHAT'D YOU GET ON IT?

YOU GOT AN "A," RIGHT?

OF COURSE YOU DID.

DO YOU EVER GET A "B"?

YES, BUT I'D RATHER NOT
GET ONE.

I KNOW. I KNOW. I KNOW.

HEY...

YOU WANT ME TO COME OVER
TONIGHT?

NO...

I MEAN, I DO.
OF COURSE I DO.

BUT I HAVE TO STUDY
AND I HAVE TO GO TO WORK,

SO I REALLY GOT TO
STAY FOCUSED.

COME ON. AM I EVER GONNA
GET TO SEE YOU?

JUST LET ME COME OVER
TONIGHT.

I'LL ONLY STAY
FOR A MINUTE.

JAMES.

PLEASE!

DON'T MAKE THIS
ANY HARDER ON ME.

OKAY. ALL RIGHT.

WELL, I CAN SEE THAT
YOU HAVE A LOT TO DO,

SO I WILL SEE YOU
TOMORROW.

YOU SURE?
YEAH.

OKAY.
OKAY.

IT'LL ALL BE OVER SOON,
OKAY?

WHEN SANDY JEFFERS
ISN'T STUDYING,

SHE WORKS AS A TELLER
AT A LOCAL CREDIT UNION.

THE KIND OF
WORK ETHIC THAT SHE HAD,

HER INTELLIGENCE, HER FAITH,

YOU KNOW, SHE WAS THIS SORT OF
QUINTESSENTIAL

EAST TENNESSEE GIRL THAT WE ALL
WANT IN OUR FAMILY.

HERE YOU GO, MISS COLLINS.
YOU HAVE A NICE WEEKEND.

HI THERE. HOW CAN I
HELP YOU TODAY?

I NEED TO CASH THIS CHECK...

SANDY.

SURE. NO PROBLEM.

YOU DON'T WORK HERE
EVERY DAY, DO YOU?

A STALKER HAS A REALLY
SCREWED-UP SENSE OF REALITY.

THEY BELIEVE A RELATIONSHIP
EXISTS WHEN IT DOESN'T.

NO, SIR, I DON'T.

YOU LIVE AROUND HERE?

$305.

THEY OPERATE
IN A FANTASY WORLD.

WELL, I DO LIVE NEARBY.

MAYBE I WILL SEE YOU
AROUND, THEN?

IS THERE ANYTHING ELSE I CAN
HELP YOU WITH TODAY, SIR?

NO, THANKS.

BUT...

I DO HOPE I'LL SEE YOU
AROUND.

A STALKER BELIEVES THAT THIS
PERSON REALLY DOES

WANT HIM OR HER.

THEY JUST HAVEN'T
FIGURED IT OUT YET.

HI THERE. HOW CAN I
HELP YOU TODAY?

I JUST NEED TO CASH
A CHECK.

SURE. NO PROBLEM.

WITH GRADUATION
LOOMING

AND A MASTER'S DEGREE
WITHIN HER GRASP,

SANDY HAS NO TIME TO RELAX.

WORKING AT THE BANK AND STUDYING
CONSUMES HER 24/7.

IT WAS THE KIND OF
WEEK FOR SANDY JEFFERS

THAT WAS
A REAL BEGINNING POINT.

UM, SHE HAD ACHIEVED A LOT.

SHE HAD HER FUTURE SORT OF
MAPPED OUT

WITH THIS MASTER'S PROGRAM
AND A FUTURE CAREER.

THIS WOULD HAVE BEEN ONE OF
THE MILESTONES OF HER LIFE

THAT WEEK.

YOU ALL RIGHT?

YEAH. I'M FINE. YEAH.

YOU SURE?

YES, I AM, THANK YOU.
OKAY, HAVE A GOOD NIGHT.

HELLO?

HEY, SWEETIE.

YEAH, I'M FINE.

NO.
NOTHING'S WRONG.

I PROMISE. THE PHONE
JUST STARTLED ME, THAT'S IT.

SANDY'S TYPICAL DAY
HAS HER ARRIVING HOME

AT HER OFF-CAMPUS APARTMENT
AROUND 6:00 P.M.,

AND THEN SHE HITS THE BOOKS.

BUT ON THE NIGHT OF MAY 5, 2003,

HER ROUTINE HITS A SNAG.
BILL...

BILL...

JUNK MAIL.
LOOK, ANOTHER BILL.

ENCLOSED IN A LETTER
FROM HER BANK

IS ONE OF HER PERSONAL CHECKS.

A CHECK THAT SHE DIDN'T WRITE.

WHAT?

SOMEONE HAD FORGED
ONE OF HER CHECKS

AT A WALMART THERE
IN BLOUNT COUNTY.

AND WHEN SHE LOOKS
THROUGH HER CHECKBOOK,

SHE NOTICES SOME OTHER CHECKS
ARE ALSO MISSING.

WHAT?

HEY, SWEETIE, IT'S ME.

LISTEN, I JUST GOT AN OVERDRAFT
LETTER ON ONE OF MY CHECKS,

BUT I DIDN'T WRITE IT.

AND THERE ARE CHECKS MISSING
FROM MY CHECKBOOK.

YOU WOULDN'T HAVE...

NO, I KNOW.

BUT MAYBE SOMEONE TOOK IT
OUT OF MY BACKPACK.

SHE DIDN'T MENTION IT. SHE
DIDN'T MENTION IT TO ANY OF US.

I KNOW SHE JUST DIDN'T
WANT TO WORRY US.

BUT SANDY REALIZED THE CHECKS
HAD BOUNCED ON THAT MONDAY.

THAT'S ALSO WHEN SHE NOTICED
THE WINDOW LATCH.

THIS IS THE LAST THING
I NEEDED BEFORE FINALS.

I LOVE YOU, TOO.
SWEET DREAMS.

I JUST --

I DON'T BELIEVE SANDY
REALLY REALIZED

THE SERIOUSNESS OF IT,

AND I DON'T THINK SHE REALLY
HAD A GRASP

ON WHAT HAD HAPPENED,
OTHER THAN SHE KNEW

HER CHECKS HAD BEEN STOLEN
AND USED.

AND I THINK SHE THOUGHT THAT
WAS THE EXTENT OF IT.

HI, SANDY.

I DON'T BELIEVE SHE EVER KNEW
THAT SHE WAS BEING STALKED.

YEAH.

SHE NEVER SUSPECTED.

WHY HER?

THERE WILL NEVER BE
AN ANSWER TO THAT.

IT'S LIKE A LIGHTNING STRIKE.

YOU DON'T KNOW
WHEN IT'S GONNA HIT

OR WHO IT'S GONNA HIT.

AND HOW RARE IS IT FOR LIGHTNING
TO HIT ANYONE?

BUT IN THIS CASE,

SANDY JEFFERS GOT HIT
BY LIGHTNING.

I'M GONNA SEE YOU REAL SOON,
I PROMISE.

25-YEAR-OLD
SANDY JEFFERS

WAS JUST FIVE DAYS AWAY
FROM GRADUATING

FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF TENNESSEE

WHEN SHE RECEIVED A LETTER
FROM HER BANK,

AN OVERDRAFT STATEMENT
FOR A PERSONAL CHECK

THAT SHE DIDN'T WRITE.

I'M SURE
THAT SHE WAS UNNERVED

AND WORRIED ABOUT HER FINANCES,

BUT I DON'T KNOW THAT SHE
WOULD HAVE AT ALL THOUGHT,

"I'M A TARGET FOR A STALKER."

THAT MONDAY SHE NOTICED
THE WINDOW LATCH.

THAT'S WHEN SHE CALLED
THE POLICE.

SO HERE'S THE CHECK.

AND HERE'S MY CHECKBOOK.

THERE ARE A COUPLE CHECKS THAT
HAVE JUST BEEN RIPPED OUT.

I'M NOT SURE WHEN IT HAPPENED,
WHERE IT EVEN HAPPENED.

ANYBODY ELSE HAVE ACCESS
TO YOUR CHECKBOOK?

FRIENDS, BOYFRIEND,
ROOMMATES?

I LIVE ALONE.

AND, WELL, MY BOYFRIEND HAS
ACCESS TO MY APARTMENT,

BUT I TALKED TO HIM LAST NIGHT
AND HE DIDN'T DO IT.

I MEAN, JAMES WOULDN'T DO
SOMETHING LIKE THIS

IN A MILLION YEARS.

HAVE YOU NOTICED ANYTHING ELSE
MISSING IN THE APARTMENT?

UM... NO.

I DON'T THINK SO.

WELL, NOT THAT I'VE NOTICED,
ANYWAY.

MIND IF I TAKE
A LOOK AROUND?

NO, PLEASE.

SEEN ANYBODY JUST SORT OF...

HANGING AROUND HERE
LATELY?

SOMEBODY THAT LOOKS LIKE
THEY DON'T BELONG?

I DON'T KNOW,
NOT REALLY.

I MEAN, THERE'S ALL KINDS
OF PEOPLE THAT LIVE HERE,

SO PEOPLE ARE ALWAYS
COMING AND GOING.

I'VE ALREADY CALLED
THE LANDLADY ABOUT IT,

AND I'VE ORDERED ONE OF THOSE
SECURITY BARS ONLINE,

SO IT SHOULD BE HERE SOON.

WELL, I'LL FILE THIS
REPORT

AND I'LL FOLLOW UP WITH YOU
IN A COUPLE DAYS.

IN THE MEANTIME, JUST MAKE SURE
YOU KEEP EVERYTHING LOCKED

AND KEEP YOUR EYES OPEN.

THE NEXT MORNING,

SANDY GOES ABOUT
HER BUSINESS AS USUAL.

BUT WHAT SHE DOESN'T REALIZE

IS HER CHECKS AREN'T THE ONLY
ITEMS THAT HAVE BEEN TAKEN.

I LIKE THESE ONES.

HE HAD BROKEN
INTO HER APARTMENT

AT LEAST THREE TIMES...

AND HE WOULD TAKE TROPHIES.

HE TOOK SOME CDs.

HE TOOK UNDERWEAR.

HE TOOK JUST LITTLE THINGS

THAT YOU WOULD THINK, WHY?

BUT IT WAS A PIECE OF HER.
IT WAS PART OF HER.

SO WHEN HE TOOK HER THINGS,
THEY WERE CONNECTED.

AND FROM THE MOMENT
THAT THIS ASSAILANT

FIXATED ON HER,
SHE REALLY HAD NO CHANCE.

I-I'M SORRY.

THAT'S WHY THERE ARE
NO DRINKS IN THE LIBRARY.

I KNOW. I KNOW.

FINALS WEEK.

THEY'LL BE OVER SOON,
THOUGH.

HEY, AMANDA.

YEAH, I'M GETTING THERE.

I'M BEYOND STRESSED, BUT...
JUST ONE MORE TO GO.

THAT NIGHT SHE HAD
TALKED TO

HER BEST FRIEND AMANDA.

THEY HAD BEEN FRIENDS
SINCE JUNIOR HIGH.

SHE HAD TALKED TO HER
ON THE PHONE

BEFORE SHE WENT TO SLEEP.

I THINK I JUST GOT
MY CAP AND GOWN IN THE MAIL!

OOH, LET'S SEE!

IT'S BLACK.

BLACK AND PRETTY.

I THINK THE CEREMONY
STARTS AT 11:00.

STOP IT. NO.

YOU DON'T HAVE TO BRING
ANYTHING.

RIGHT.

HOLD ON.

HELLO?

NO, IT'S FINE. I...
THOUGHT I HEARD SOMETHING

AND I... I'M ON EDGE.

IT'S JUST BEEN A CRAZY DAY.

NO, NOTHING TO WORRY ABOUT.

YEAH.

UM...

LET ME CALL YOU AFTER
I'M DONE TOMORROW.

BYE.

UNIVERSITY OF
TENNESSEE SENIOR SANDY JEFFERS

IS HOPING TO GET
A GOOD NIGHT'S SLEEP

BEFORE ONE OF HER FINAL EXAMS.

PROBLEM IS, SHE'S GOT
THE DISTINCT FEELING

THAT SOMEONE IS WATCHING HER.

AND SHE'S RIGHT.

JAMES?

AT APPROXIMATELY 11:30 P.M.

ON MAY 6, 2003,

SANDY WOKE UP, OPENED HER EYES,

AND HE WAS STANDING
OVER HER BED,

LOOKING DOWN AT HER.

NO! PLEASE!

HELP!

HELP!

SANDY'S NEXT-DOOR
NEIGHBOR CAN'T BE SURE.

SHE THINKS SHE HEARS
SOMEONE SHOUTING...

GET OFF ME! HELP!

BUT THEN IT STOPS.

HE CAME PREPARED WITH WHAT
WE CALL A RAPE KIT, WHICH IS

TOOLS TO BIND A VICTIM.

HE LEFT HER THERE,
WENT AND RETRIEVED HIS VEHICLE,

DROVE HIS VEHICLE TO THE FRONT
OF THE APARTMENT,

AND THEN FORCIBLY REMOVED HER
FROM THE APARTMENT.

HELP.

SOMEONE HELP ME.

THE NEIGHBOR
INITIALLY HEARD A SCREAM,

LOOKED OUT,
AND SAW THIS CAR,

AND KNEW THIS WAS NOT A CAR
THAT BELONGED THERE.

THE NEIGHBOR CALLS
911, AND WITHIN MINUTES

MARYVILLE POLICE RESPOND
TO THE SCENE.

CALLS LIKE THIS ARE
WHAT YOU SEE IN THE MOVIES.

IT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT HAPPENS
IN THE CITY OF MARYVILLE,

A SMALL TOWN OF
A POPULATION OF 28,000.

SO YOU SAW HIM PULL AWAY?
WELL, I DIDN'T SEE HIM.

BUT I SAW THE CAR AND IT IS
A RED DODGE SHADOW.

I'M SURE. I'M SURE OF IT.

DID YOU GET THE LICENSE PLATE?
NO, I DIDN'T GET IT.

BUT I DID NOTICE THAT
THERE WAS A, UM,

A PRIMER SPOT ON THE CAR.

IT WAS LIKE AN UNPAINTED MARK
ON THE PASSENGER SIDE.

WE DID NOT HAVE TAG
INFORMATION,

BUT JUST GIVING US THAT VEHICLE
DESCRIPTION WAS INSTRUMENTAL.

OFFICER. I NEED YOU TO
GET A BOLO OUT

ON A RED DODGE SHADOW.

AND WE NEED CONTACT INFORMATION
FOR A FAMILY MEMBER.

GOT IT.

HELLO?

I GOT A CALL
FROM MY OLDER SISTER VICKY.

AND ALL SHE SAID WHEN I ANSWERED
THE PHONE WAS,

"SHE'S GONE. SANDY'S GONE."

WHAT?

JUST -- JUST TELL ME
WHAT HAPPENED.

MY MIND DIDN'T KNOW WHERE TO GO.

I MEAN, IT WAS COMPLETE SHOCK.

YOU KNOW, YOU'RE TRYING
TO FIGURE OUT

WHO COULD HAVE DONE THIS,
OR WHAT EXACTLY HAS HAPPENED?

THE ONLY THING THAT WE KNEW
WAS, UM,

A NEIGHBOR HAD HEARD HER
SCREAMING

AND SAW SOMEBODY TAKING HER

AND LEAVING
IN A LITTLE RED CAR.

IT JUST -- IT MADE NO SENSE
WHATSOEVER,

AND, SO, YOU KNOW,
I JUST TOLD HER,

I SAID, "JUST HANG UP THE PHONE.
JUST PRAY."

THE NEWS SPREAD QUICKLY.

THIS IS NOT SOMETHING THAT
HAPPENS EVERY DAY.

AND WITH HER BEING A UNIVERSITY
OF TENNESSEE STUDENT

GETTING READY TO GRADUATE,

THE MEDIA AND THE UNIVERSITY
WERE BOTH

ABSOLUTELY ON BOARD WITH
ASSISTING US

IN ANY WAY THAT THEY COULD.

INVESTIGATORS NEED
TO LEARN AS MUCH AS THEY CAN

ABOUT SANDY JEFFERS
AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE.

THEY TALK TO HER FAMILY,
HER FRIENDS,

AND HER BOYFRIEND, JAMES.

IN MOST ABDUCTIONS,
IT IS EITHER

A JILTED SPOUSE OR BOYFRIEND.

ARE YOU JAMES ANDERSON?

YES, SIR.

AND IN THIS CASE,
HER BOYFRIEND WOULD HAVE BEEN

THE FIRST PERSON THAT THEY WOULD
HAVE WANTED TO QUESTION.

WOULD YOU HAVE A SEAT?

SO, JAMES,

I HAVE TO KNOW WHERE
YOU WERE LAST NIGHT.

NO, NO, I-I UNDERSTAND.

LAST NIGHT, I WAS...
AT WORK.

I WAS THERE TILL
ABOUT 11:00.

YOU CAN ASK MY SUPERVISOR.
HE -- HE KNOWS ABOUT THIS.

AFTER I GOT THE CALL
ABOUT SANDY,

I STARTED LOOKING AT...

DID SANDY EVER SAY ANYTHING
ABOUT ANYONE

THAT SHE HAD A PROBLEM WITH?

ANYONE THAT WAS
BOTHERING HER

OR HARASSING HER AT ALL?

ANYONE AT SCHOOL MAYBE
OR... WORK?

WHAT ABOUT AN EX?

NO, NO. SHE WOULD HAVE TOLD ME
IF THERE WAS ANYTHING LIKE THAT.

WHAT ABOUT BETWEEN YOU
AND SANDY, JAMES?

ANY FIGHTING RECENTLY OR ANY
PROBLEMS BETWEEN YOU TWO?

LOOK, DETECTIVE, I KNOW
WHAT YOU'RE GETTING AT,

BUT LET ME BE CLEAR.

I LOVE SANDY.

I WOULD RATHER HAVE
SOMETHING BAD HAPPEN TO ME

THAN HAPPEN TO HER.

I COULD NEVER HURT HER.

EVER.

I'M GONNA NEED THE NUMBER
OF THAT SUPERVISOR, JAMES.

AND I DON'T WANT YOU GETTING
TOO FAR AWAY, OKAY?

THE FRANTIC SEARCH
CONTINUES STATEWIDE

FOR THE RED DODGE SHADOW --

OR ANY SIGN OF SANDY JEFFERS.

IT STRUCK ME
AS A FORM OF TORTURE

TO TAKE THIS GIRL ON A FAIRLY
SIGNIFICANT CAR RIDE.

THE PSYCHOLOGICAL TORTURE
IS JUST UNBELIEVABLE.

LET ME OUT OF HERE!

YOU HAVE THIS YOUNG GIRL
WHO NEVER SAW THIS COMING

TO BEGIN WITH.

SHE'S STILL BOUND.
SHE'S IN HIS CAR.

SHE HAS NO WAY TO CALL OUT
FOR HELP.

IT'S HAUNTING TO THINK

OF WHAT WAS GOING THROUGH
HER MIND.

SANDY, DON'T WORRY.

NO!

SANDY, I'M NOT
GONNA HURT YOU!

NEVER HURT YOU.

OKAY, AND THAT HAPPENED
YESTERDAY AT WHAT TIME?

THE MORNING AFTER
GRADUATE STUDENT SANDY JEFFERS

WAS RAPED AND ABDUCTED
FROM HER APARTMENT,

INVESTIGATORS ARE DESPERATELY
TRYING TO FIND HER.

THE CLOCK IS TICKING.

WE KNEW THAT WHEN SHE LEFT
THE APARTMENT COMPLEX,

SHE WAS STILL ALIVE.

SHE WAS FIGHTING.

SHE WAS BEING TAKEN
AGAINST HER WILL.

SO AT THAT POINT, IT WAS
GATHER ALL THE EVIDENCE WE CAN

TO TRY TO FIGURE OUT
WHO THE INDIVIDUAL WAS

WHO ABDUCTED HER
TO HOPEFULLY FIND HER ALIVE.

I'M ALSO WORKING ON
GETTING A LIST

OF ALL BANK TRANSACTIONS,
ALL RECENT A.T.M. TRANSACTIONS,

ANYTHING THAT MAY HAVE
TRANSPIRED

IN THE LAST 24 HOURS.
SERGEANT.

THAT'S REALLY GOOD.
EXCUSE ME.

UM, PERFECT. I WILL CATCH UP
WITH YOU IN TWO MINUTES.

OKAY.
SERGEANT, YOU GOT A MINUTE?

YEAH, ABSOLUTELY.
YOU'RE GONNA WANT TO SEE THIS.

I GOT SOMETHING NEW
ON THE JEFFERS CASE.

OKAY, IS IT THE DODGE SHADOW?
NOPE, I GOT SOMETHING ELSE.

THE CHECK THAT WAS STOLEN
AT SANDY'S APARTMENT?

IT WAS USED TO BUY A BIKE RACK

AND SOME CAMPING GEAR
AT THE WALMART.

WE GOT HIM ON SURVEILLANCE.

CHECK IS TIMESTAMPED
AT 1:14.

THAT'S THE SAME TIME
AS THE TRANSACTION.

WE OBSERVED A WHITE MALE

AND SOME PRETTY GOOD SHOTS

OF HIM ACTUALLY SHOPPING
IN THE STORE,

GOING ALL THE WAY
TO THE REGISTER,

WRITING A CHECK,
SIGNING HER NAME.

IT'S HARD TO MAKE OUT, THOUGH.

UM, EXCUSE ME, OFFICER?
COULD YOU PULL UP

THE DRIVER'S LICENSES
FOR ALL 33 OF THE DODGE SHADOWS?

LET'S TAKE A LOOK.

IT COULD BE SOMEONE
WHO KNEW NOTHING

OF THE KIDNAPPING, BUT IT WAS
IMPERATIVE THAT WE FIND

THIS PERSON TO FIGURE OUT
WHAT THEY DID KNOW

AND HOW THEY GOT THEIR HANDS
ON THAT CHECK.

BUT OBVIOUSLY AT THIS POINT
WE STILL DIDN'T HAVE A NAME.

AT THE SAME TIME,
SANDY'S ABDUCTOR

IS ON THE WAY TO A SECLUDED AREA

IN THE GREAT SMOKY MOUNTAINS
NATIONAL PARK,

17 MILES AWAY.

IT WOULD HAVE HAD
TO BE HER WORST NIGHTMARE.

I DON'T EVEN KNOW
THAT THAT KIND OF SCENARIO

WOULD PLAY IN YOUR NIGHTMARES.

THE LATEST FILM
IN THE X-MEN SERIES DEBUTED

STRONGLY IN THE TOP SPOT,
WITH AN ESTIMATED

$85 MILLION HAUL
AT THE WEEKEND BOX OFFICE.

IN OTHER NEWS,
POLICE CONTINUE THE SEARCH

FOR MISSING UNIVERSITY OF
TENNESSEE STUDENT SANDY JEFFERS

AND ARE ON THE LOOKOUT
FOR A RED DODGE SHADOW.

NO. NO, NO, NO, NO,
NO, NO, NO!

NO!
OFFICIALS ASK THAT ANYONE

WITH ANY INFORMATION REGARDING

THE DISAPPEARANCE
OF SANDY JEFFERS

OR ANY VEHICLE MATCHING
THE DESCRIPTION --

SANDY?

LOOK AT ME.
LISTEN TO ME. LISTEN.

I'M GONNA TAKE THE TAPE
OFF YOUR MOUTH,

BUT IF YOU SCREAM,
I'M GONNA KILL YOU.

SHH! NOD YOUR HEAD
IF YOU UNDERSTAND.

WHAT ARE YOU DOING?
JUST TRY CALMING DOWN.

NO!

COME ON.

BACK AT THE MARYVILLE
POLICE STATION,

INVESTIGATORS ARE COMPARING
DRIVER'S LICENSE PHOTOS

FROM REGISTERED OWNERS OF
RED DODGE SHADOWS IN THE AREA

TO THE IMAGE OF THE YOUNG MAN
ON THE SURVEILLANCE VIDEO.

THEY WANT TO KNOW IF THE THIEF
IS THE SAME MAN

WHO ABDUCTED SANDY.

WAIT, WAIT.
CHECK THIS ONE RIGHT HERE.

YEAH.

I THINK THAT'S A MATCH,
SERGEANT.

SKEEN, AARON LEE.

AARON SKEEN
WAS HIS NAME.

WE LEARNED VERY QUICKLY
THAT HE WAS

EMPLOYED AT LOWE'S,

WHICH WAS BASICALLY
IN THE SAME PARKING LOT

WHERE WALMART WAS.

I'D NEVER HEARD
THAT NAME BEFORE,

SO IT REALLY MEANT NOTHING.

WE STILL HAD NO CONNECTION
OF WHO HE WAS

OR HOW HE EVEN KNEW SANDY.

OKAY, I WANT YOU
TO TRACK HIM DOWN,

I WANT YOU TO FOLLOW HIM.
YOU GOT IT.

I'M ON IT, SERGEANT.
PERFECT.

OFFICER, CAN YOU GIVE ME
A PRINTOUT OF THAT

ON MY DESK RIGHT AWAY, PLEASE?

THERE WAS NOT REALLY
A WHOLE LOT

TO FIND OUT ABOUT HIM.

WE RAN HIS CRIMINAL HISTORY
AND HE HAD NOTHING.

20-YEAR-OLD KID.

1078, THIS IS IT.

HE LIVED WITH HIS PARENTS

ABOUT A MILE AND A HALF
FROM THE POLICE DEPARTMENT.

CAN I, HELP YOU?

ARE YOU AARON SKEEN?

YES, MA'AM, I AM.

DID HE LOOK LIKE A RAPIST?
DID HE LOOK LIKE A KIDNAPPER?

ABSOLUTELY NOT.

HE LOOKED LIKE A NORMAL,
AVERAGE, EVERYDAY YOUNG MAN.

DO YOU KNOW WHY WE'RE
HERE, AARON?

IT'S...

IT'S ABOUT THE CHECKS, RIGHT?

LISTEN, I AM SO SORRY
ABOUT THAT.

I PROMISE I WILL PAY IT
ALL BACK.

WE WANT TO TALK ABOUT
THOSE CHECKS, AARON,

BUT WE HAVE SOME MORE IMPORTANT
THINGS TO TALK TO YOU ABOUT.

SURE. NO PROBLEM.

WOULD YOU COME DOWN TO THE
STATION WITH US, AARON?

SURE.

NOT A PROBLEM.

LEAD THE WAY.

IT'S NOT LIKE HE WAS
IN SHOCK AND DISBELIEF.

IT'S NOT LIKE HE SAID,

"WELL, WHAT TOOK YOU ALL
SO LONG TO FIND ME?"

NO EMOTION SHOWN. NONE.

WE DID NOT WASTE ANY TIME
WHEN WE GOT HIM UPSTAIRS

TO TALK TO HIM, BECAUSE,
AGAIN, STILL,

IN THE BACK OF OUR MIND,
TICK-TOCK,

AND HOPEFULLY, HOPEFULLY
SOMEWHERE SHE IS STILL ALIVE.

AARON, WE KNOW ABOUT THE CHECKS
AND WE KNOW HOW YOU GOT THEM.

TELL US HOW YOU KNOW SANDY
AND TELL US WHERE YOU TOOK HER.

SHE WANTED ME THERE.

HE WENT ON TO EXPLAIN THAT

HE JUST HAPPENED UPON
HER APARTMENT ONE DAY,

NOTICED THE WINDOW WAS
PARTIALLY OPEN,

AND WAS INTRIGUED BY THAT

AND WANTED TO SEE
WHAT WAS INSIDE.

AND, UM, I JUST KEPT ON
GOING BACK.

SHE WANTED ME THERE.
I KNOW SHE DID.

OTHERWISE SHE WOULDN'T HAVE
LEFT THE WINDOW OPEN.

HE JUSTIFIED, IN HIS OWN MIND,
ENTERING HER APARTMENT

BY SAYING THAT WHEN HE WENT BY
HER APARTMENT,

IF THE WINDOW WAS OPEN,
HE FELT LIKE

SHE WANTED HIM TO COME IN.

THAT, TO HIM, WAS AN INVITATION
TO ENTER HER APARTMENT.

THAT'S WHEN I TOOK
THE CHECKS,

AND, YOU KNOW...
THE OTHER STUFF.

AND THE OTHER NIGHT,

SHE CAME HOME.

I JUST NEEDED TO LOOK AT HER.

HE SAID HE STOOD OVER HER

AND JUST WATCHED HER
FOR A FEW MINUTES

UNTIL SHE WOKE UP,
OPENED HER EYES,

AND HE WAS STANDING OVER HER.

THAT'S WHEN YOU ATTACKED HER.

YES, MA'AM.

THEN WHAT HAPPENED?

WHY DIDN'T YOU JUST
LEAVE HER THERE?

I COULDN'T.

I JUST...

NEEDED TO TAKE HER WITH ME.

AARON...

DO YOU KNOW WHERE
SANDY IS NOW?

YES, MA'AM.

IS SHE STILL ALIVE?

THE LAST I SAW HER...

SHE WAS ALIVE.

THREE DAYS AFTER
SANDY JEFFERS

WAS TAKEN FROM HER APARTMENT
IN THE DEAD OF NIGHT,

MARYVILLE POLICE HAVE
A SUSPECT IN CUSTODY.

20-YEAR-OLD AARON SKEEN
HAS CONFESSED

TO STALKING AND ABDUCTING SANDY.

NOW POLICE ARE DETERMINED
TO FIND HER

BEFORE IT'S TOO LATE.

AARON, DO YOU KNOW WHERE
SANDY IS NOW?

YES, MA'AM.

IS SHE STILL ALIVE?

THE LAST I SAW HER...

SHE WAS ALIVE.

HE SAID,
"THE LAST PLACE I SAW HER

"WAS ON FOOTHILLS PARKWAY.

"SHE JUMPED OUT OF MY CAR,

AND THAT'S THE LAST TIME
I SAW HER."

SO IMMEDIATELY AT THIS POINT,

"TAKE US TO WHERE YOU LAST
SAW HER.

"MAYBE SHE'S STILL ALIVE.

"BUT WE'VE GOT TO HELP HER,
AARON.

WE'VE GOT TO FIND HER."

WE WERE FILLED WITH HOPE.

WE HOPED MORE THAN ANYTHING
THAT WE WOULD FIND HER ALIVE.

SKEEN TAKES INVESTIGATORS

TO A SCENIC OUTLOOK
OFF THE FOOTHILLS PARKWAY.

FROM THERE, HE LEADS THEM
INTO THE WOODS.

SO THIS IS WHERE
YOU TOOK HER?

YES, SIR.

TOOK HER OUT OF THE CAR
AND...

AND I REALIZED THE CAR DOOR
WAS STILL OPEN.

SO I WENT BACK
TO SHUT THE DOOR.

WHEN I TURNED BACK
TOWARDS HER,

SHE WAS RUNNING AWAY.

OVER THAT WAY.

SHE ESCAPED.

SHE WAS ALIVE.

WILL YOU COME OVER
THERE WITH ME?

WE CAN LOOK TOGETHER?

SURE.

ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE HILL,

IT'S A BIG, HUGE DROPOFF.

TOTALLY WOODED.
NO ONE AROUND.

SO WE START LOOKING.

HE WAS DEFINITELY UNCOMFORTABLE,

LIKE HE WAS AFRAID HE WAS
GONNA SEE HER THERE.

HE WAS AFRAID, I THINK,
TO FIND HER

IN THE WAY THAT HE LEFT HER.

UP UNTIL THAT POINT,

WE STILL HAD HOPE THAT
SHE WAS ALIVE.

IT WAS HEARTBREAKING.

TO KNOW THAT EVERYTHING
THAT YOU HAD DONE

UP TO THIS POINT,

THAT YOU DIDN'T GET THERE
IN TIME.

PUT YOUR HANDS
BEHIND YOUR BACK!

SIR -- PLEASE, SIR.
SIR, I --

SIR, I'M SORRY.

YOU'RE UNDER ARREST FOR
THE MURDER OF SANDY JEFFERS.

SIR, PLEASE!
I'M SORRY.

I WAS JUST TRYING TO GET RID
OF THE EVIDENCE, MAN!

I DIDN'T MEAN TO HURT HER!

AFTER AARON SKEEN
IS PLACED UNDER ARREST,

HE REVEALS THE TERRIBLE STORY.

I'M GLAD HE CONFESSED.

I KNOW IT WOULD HAVE BEEN
A LOT HARDER IF HE HADN'T HAVE.

I DON'T THINK IT WAS CLOSURE,
BUT I THINK IT WAS A RELIEF.

AT LEAST IT GAVE US
SOME IDEA

INSTEAD OF JUST TRYING TO PUT
ALL THE PIECES TOGETHER OURSELF.

TO MY KNOWLEDGE, THE ONLY
EXPLANATION THAT HE HAD SAID

AS FAR AS KILLING HER
WAS TO COVER UP THE RAPE.

SO JUST NO REGARD FOR LIFE.

I SAID DON'T STOP!

AARON SKEEN
NEVER INTENDED

TO LET SANDY JEFFERS LIVE.

IN FACT, HE WAS SO DETERMINED
THAT SHE DIE...

HE PUSHED HER OVER
THE EDGE HIMSELF.

STILL,
SKEEN NEVER EXPLAINS FULLY

HOW HE KNEW SANDY JEFFERS.

SANDY DIDN'T KNOW
THAT HE EVEN EXISTED,

THAT AARON SKEEN WAS EVEN
ON THE FACE OF THE EARTH.

THAT MEANT NOTHING TO HER.

BUT EVENTUALLY

INVESTIGATORS FIND WHAT
THEY THINK IS

THE MISSING PIECE OF THE PUZZLE.
HI THERE.

HEY.

THE ONLY CONNECTION THAT
WE FINALLY MADE WAS

HE BANKED AT THE CREDIT UNION
THAT SHE WORKED.

HOW CAN I
HELP YOU TODAY?

I JUST NEED TO CASH
A CHECK.

SURE.

AND FROM WHAT WE GATHERED,
YOU KNOW,

HE HAD COME IN
AND HE HAD SEEN HER,

GOT HER NAME
FROM HER NAME TAG,

RESEARCHED HER NAME
ON THE INTERNET,

GOT HER ADDRESS, AND, UM,
STARTED STALKING HER.

HE WOULD FOLLOW HER.

HE WOULD GO INTO THE BANK
WHERE SHE WORKED

AND SEEK HER OUT
AS HIS TELLER.

AND GIVEN THE MIND-SET
OF A STALKER,

HE PROBABLY BELIEVED THAT
THESE INTERACTIONS

MEANT SO MUCH MORE THAN
HIM SIMPLY GOING UP TO A TELLER

AND HER TAKING CARE
OF HIS BUSINESS.

SO THE MORE INTERACTION
HE HAD WITH HER,

THE MORE OBSESSED HE BECAME.

ON MAY 10, 2003,

AARON SKEEN WAS CHARGED
WITH THE RAPE,

KIDNAPPING, AND MURDER
OF SANDY JEFFERS.

HE ULTIMATELY
TOOK A PLEA DEAL

TO AVOID THE DEATH PENALTY.

HE GOT A LOT OF YEARS --

LIFE WITHOUT THE POSSIBILITY
OF PAROLE,

PLUS 124 YEARS.

SO, YOU KNOW, I FEEL PRETTY
CONFIDENT HE WILL DIE IN PRISON.

THE WORLD LOST IN SANDY JEFFERS

A BRIGHT YOUNG WOMAN WHO WOULD
HAVE CONTRIBUTED TO SOCIETY

IN SO MANY WAYS.

SHE HAD SO MUCH POTENTIAL
AND SO MUCH TO GIVE

THAT IT'S LIKE THIS BIG HOLE
IN THE EARTH WHEN SHE'S GONE.

KNOWING SANDY
AND HOW SHY SHE WAS,

IT WAS KIND OF ONE OF THOSE
SITUATIONS,

IF IT COULD HAPPEN TO HER,
IT COULD HAPPEN TO ANYBODY.

YOU SEE THIS STUFF ON TV,
YOU SEE THIS HAPPEN,

AND IT'S HORRIBLE,
IT'S HORRIBLE.

IT'S SO MUCH DIFFERENT
WHEN IT HAPPENS TO YOU.

AND TO HER.
IF YOU JUST KNEW HER.

I THINK THE LIGHT WENT OFF,
YOU KNOW...

WE JUST...

A LITTLE BIT OF US JUST DIED
THAT DAY WITH HER.