All language subtitles for Disappeared.S04E05.WEBRip.x264-ION10

Narrator:
PATRICIA VIOLA DISAPPEARED

ON TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 13, 2001.

WHEN A PERSON DISAPPEARS
WITHOUT A TRACE,

OFTEN THE MOST CRITICAL
INFORMATION

IS HIDDEN
IN THEIR ACTIONS AND WORDS

FROM THE DAYS
BEFORE THEY VANISHED.

PATRICIA VIOLA'S
LAST KNOWN WHEREABOUTS

MAY HOLD THE CLUES
TO WHAT HAPPENED TO HER.

A DEVOTED NEW JERSEY HOUSEWIFE
AND MOTHER OF TWO

INEXPLICABLY VANISHES IN THE
MIDDLE OF A ROUTINE SCHOOL DAY.

EVERYTHING APPEARED THE WAY
IT WOULD ON ANY OTHER GIVEN DAY.

HER POCKETBOOK
WITH ALL HER PERSONAL BELONGINGS

WAS IN THE HOUSE,
AND SHE WAS GONE.

Narrator: AT FIRST,
THERE SEEMS TO BE NO TRACE,

BUT IT'S NOT LONG BEFORE HIDDEN
ANIMOSITIES COME TO LIGHT.

I HAVE NEVER, NEVER SEEN
PAT REACT THAT WAY.

SHE WAS NOT HERSELF.

Narrator: AND A DECADE-LONG
POLICE INVESTIGATION

REVEALS THIS SMALL TOWN
IS NOT AS IDYLLIC AS IT APPEARS.

BURGLARS DO HIT HOMES.
IT DOES HAPPEN.

HIS EXACT WORDS WERE,
"I KILLED THE OLD GIRL."

-- Captions by VITAC --
www.vitac.com

CAPTIONS PAID FOR BY
DISCOVERY COMMUNICATIONS

Narrator:
FEBRUARY 13, 2001.

IT'S A COLD AFTERNOON
IN BOGOTA, NEW JERSEY --

A QUIET TOWN JUST ACROSS
THE GEORGE WASHINGTON BRIDGE

AND SEEMINGLY A UNIVERSE AWAY

FROM THE THRONG
OF NEW YORK CITY.

BOGOTA IS A SMALL TOWN.
IT'S ABOUT 7/10 OF A MILE.

WE'RE ABOUT TWO MILES
OUTSIDE NEW YORK CITY.

Narrator:
40-YEAR-OLD JIM VIOLA

HAS LEFT HIS 9:00-TO-5:00 JOB AS
AN ENGINEER AT HONEYWELL EARLY.

AS HE NAVIGATES TRAFFIC
FROM MORRISTOWN TO BOGOTA,

HE THINKS OF HIS WIFE, PAT,

WHO'S PROBABLY AT HOME
PREPARING DINNER,

AS SHE HAS EVERY DAY

FOR THE LAST 14 YEARS
OF THEIR MARRIED LIFE TOGETHER.

BUT AS HE WALKS THROUGH
THE BACK DOOR OF HIS HOUSE,

BALANCING VALENTINE'S DAY GIFTS
AND HIS BRIEFCASE,

HE'S SURPRISED TO DISCOVER

THE BURGLAR ALARM HAS BEEN
ACTIVATED AND PAT'S NOT HOME.

THAT WAS QUITE A SHOCK, BECAUSE
WHEN YOU OPEN THE BACK DOOR,

THE FIRST THING YOU HEAR

IS YOU HEAR THE BEEPING
THAT THE ALARM IS SET.

SO I DROPPED EVERYTHING
THAT I HAD IN MY HAND

AND RAN OVER TO THE PANEL

'CAUSE THEY ONLY GIVE YOU LIKE
20, 30 SECONDS,

OR THE ALARM WILL TRIP.

AT THE SAME TIME, I'M THINKING,
"WHERE IS PAT?"

IT WAS VERY UNUSUAL.

Narrator:
IN THIS HOUSEHOLD,

WHERE ROUTINES
RUN LIKE CLOCKWORK,

SOMETHING'S SUDDENLY AMISS.

IF YOU'RE THE TYPE OF PERSON
WHO IS HOME EVERY DAY AT 5:00,

AND FOR THE LAST FIVE YEARS,
YOU'VE BEEN AT HOME AT 5:00

AND SOMEBODY COMES TO YOUR HOUSE
AT 5:05 AND YOU'RE NOT THERE,

THEY CAN REPORT YOU MISSING.

Narrator: PAT IS THE KIND
OF WOMAN WHOSE ENTIRE LIFE

REVOLVES AROUND
THE STABLE COMFORTS OF HOME.

JUST A FEW WEEKS EARLIER,

42-YEAR-OLD PAT VIOLA
WAS BEAMING

AS SHE PRESENTED ONE OF HER
FAMOUS HOMEMADE BIRTHDAY CAKES

ON THE EVENING OF HER SON,
MICHAEL'S, 10th BIRTHDAY PARTY.

I DON'T REMEMBER WHAT PRESENTS
I GOT, BUT WE HAD A BIG CAKE.

EVERYONE CAME OVER,
AND IT WAS WONDERFUL.

WHEN IT COMES
TO BIRTHDAYS AND HOLIDAYS,

SHE WANTED TO GET
THE PERFECT GIFT FOR YOU.

Narrator:
AT LEAST OUTWARDLY,

THE VIOLA FAMILY
HAS SEEMED PICTURE-PERFECT

SINCE PAT AND JIM MET IN 1982.

ON THE DAY HE INTERVIEWED
FOR HIS CURRENT JOB,

JIM NOTICED THE YOUNG WOMAN

WORKING IN THE PERSONNEL
DEPARTMENT RIGHT AWAY.

Jim: I THOUGHT SHE WAS CUTE.
I LIKED HER RIGHT OFF THE BAT.

ONCE THEY DID START DATING,
IT WAS JUST MEANT TO BE.

IT WAS A LOVE STORY.

Narrator:
THE ROMANCE BLOSSOMED,

AND PAT AND JIM GOT MARRIED
IN 1986.

Fazio-Markowitz: THE DAY OF
PAT'S WEDDING, SHE WAS RADIANT.

HER EYES WERE LIKE --
LIKE JEWELS.

Narrator: THE VIOLAS
QUICKLY HAVE TWO CHILDREN --

A GIRL AND A BOY.

YOU KNOW,
WE WERE JUST LIVING THE DREAM,

I GUESS YOU COULD SAY.

Narrator: PAT AND JIM ASSUME
LIFE WILL ALWAYS BE THIS SWEET.

ON THE MORNING
OF FEBRUARY 13, 2001,

THE DAY BEFORE VALENTINE'S DAY,

LIFE IN THE VIOLA HOUSEHOLD

IS CHUGGING ALONG
ON ITS USUAL SCHEDULE.

THERE'S NOT A SINGLE HINT

OF THE UPHEAVAL THAT WILL ENSUE
LATER THAT AFTERNOON.

FEBRUARY 13th WAS AN "EVERYDAY"
FOR THE VIOLA FAMILY.

THEY WERE UP EARLY, THEY HAD TO
GET TWO KIDS READY FOR SCHOOL,

AND JIM HAD TO GO OFF TO WORK.

Jim: AND I REMEMBER
SEEING PAT THAT MORNING.

SHE SEEMED TO BE
A LITTLE BIT DOWN, MAYBE.

SHE WISHED ME LUCK
A COUPLE TIMES,

AND SHE JUST SOUNDED
A LITTLE SAD.

Narrator:
BUT TO JIM, PAT'S MOOD

ISN'T EXTREME ENOUGH
TO MAKE HIM WORRY.

PLUS, HE'S FOCUSED
ON A BIG PRESENTATION

HE HAS TO GIVE AT WORK THAT DAY,

AND HE'S OUT THE DOOR
BY 6:30 A.M.

13-YEAR-OLD CHRISTINE
AND 10-YEAR-OLD MICHAEL

ARE PACKED AND READY TO LEAVE
FOR SCHOOL BY 8:15.

THEN PAT
PREPARES TO LEAVE HERSELF.

JUST BEFORE 8:30,
SHE BUNDLES UP,

LEAVES HER HOUSE
ON CHESTNUT AVENUE,

AND MAKES HER WAY
ALONG THE TWO SHORT BLOCKS

TO HER SON'S ELEMENTARY SCHOOL.

Sepp:
PAT HAD TO GET READY HERSELF

TO GO IN TO BE
THE VOLUNTEER SCHOOL LIBRARIAN

AT THE CHILDREN'S SCHOOL.

Narrator: PAT HAS BEEN WORKING
AT THE LIBRARY

FOR OVER TWO YEARS
AND RELISHES THE OPPORTUNITY

TO BE AROUND HER CHILDREN
DURING THE DAY.

THE LIBRARY WAS JUST LIKE
ANY OTHER DAY AT THE LIBRARY.

SHE WENT, SHE DID EXACTLY
WHAT SHE WAS SUPPOSED TO DO.

Narrator: BUT WHILE PAT

IS GOING ABOUT
HER REGULAR ACTIVITIES,

SHELVING BOOKS
AND PROCESSING CHECKOUTS,

SOMETHING UNUSUAL HAPPENS
BACK AT HOME.

WELL, AT SOME POINT
DURING THE MORNING,

THE HOUSE ALARM WENT OFF.

THEY DO HAVE A HOUSE ALARM,
AND IT WENT OFF.

Narrator: THE ALARM COMPANY
FOLLOWS PROTOCOL.

THEY TRY PAT AT THE HOUSE,
JIM AT HIS OFFICE,

AND THEN PAT'S MOTHER,
WHO LIVES NEARBY.

PAT'S MOTHER
LEAVES A WORRIED MESSAGE

FOR HER DAUGHTER AT HOME.

THE ALARM-COMPANY CALL

IS ALSO ROUTED THROUGH
TO THE BOGOTA POLICE STATION.

OUR OFFICERS RESPONDED, LIKE WE
DO ON EVERY OTHER HOUSE ALARM.

THEY CHECKED, THEY LOOKED
THROUGH THE WINDOWS,

THEY CHECKED THE DOORS.

THE OFFICERS WENT,
THEY CHECKED ALL THE AREAS.

NOTHING APPEARED TO BE
DAMAGED OR BOTHERED,

AND THEY CALLED BACK IN SERVICE.

Narrator: MEANWHILE,

PAT CONTINUES WORKING,
UNAWARE OF THE ALARM.

SHE HAS A CELLPHONE,
BUT SHE RARELY USES IT,

SO NO ONE TRIES TO CALL HER
AT THE LIBRARY.

AT ABOUT 11:40 A.M., A MAILMAN
WAVES TO PAT AS SHE WALKS HOME.

INSIDE THE HOUSE,

SHE HEARS THE MESSAGE FROM
HER MOTHER ABOUT THE ALARM

AND CALLS HER BACK TO REASSURE
HER THAT EVERYTHING SEEMS FINE.

THE PHONE CALL TO HER MOTHER
WAS THE LAST TIME

THAT WE COULD ACTUALLY DOCUMENT
SOMEONE HAD SPOKEN TO PAT.

Narrator:
ABOUT AN HOUR LATER,

PAT DOES ONE LAST
TRACEABLE TASK.

ACCORDING TO A REPORT
FROM THE SECURITY COMPANY,

SHE PERFORMS A RESET
ON THE HOUSE ALARM AT 1:11 P.M.

Sepp:
ALL ALARMS HAVE CODES,

AND ONLY CERTAIN PEOPLE
WOULD KNOW THOSE CODES,

SO IT'S NOT LIKE YOU COULD JUST
WALK INTO SOMEBODY'S HOUSE

AND GUESS A CODE
AND PUNCH IT IN CORRECTLY.

IF YOU PUNCH IT IN WRONG,
THE ALARM WILL GO OFF AGAIN.

Narrator: BECAUSE OF
THE TRIPPED ALARM THAT MORNING,

PAT WOULD HAVE NEEDED TO RESET
THE SYSTEM

IN ORDER TO USE IT AGAIN.

SO, IT DOES PROVE THAT SHE'S
IN THE HOUSE AT 1:11 P.M.,

BUT AFTER THAT, WE REALLY
DON'T KNOW WHAT HAPPENED.

Narrator:
WHEN JIM VIOLA WALKS IN THE DOOR

AND REALIZES HIS WIFE, PAT,
IS GONE, THERE'S AN EERIE QUIET.

AS JIM SURVEYS THE HOUSE,

THE SCENE BEGINS TO LOOK
EVEN MORE BIZARRE.

PAT'S COAT IS GONE, BUT HER
PURSE IS SITTING ON THE COUNTER.

WHEN JIM SEARCHES THE BAG, HE'S
BAFFLED BY WHAT SHE LEFT BEHIND.

HER POCKETBOOK WITH
ALL HER PERSONAL BELONGINGS,

HER CELLPHONE, HER I.D.,
HER KEYS WAS IN THE HOUSE.

AND SHE WAS GONE.

Narrator: ALSO ON THE COUNTER
IS A SINGLE KEY.

IT'S THE KEY THE FAMILY USES
TO BOLT THE BACK DOOR,

AND UNTIL NOW, IT'S ALWAYS BEEN
LODGED IN THE DOOR'S DEADBOLT.

PAT HAS ALSO FAILED TO TAKE
SOMETHING CRUCIAL WITH HER --

MEDICATION THAT SHE MUST TAKE
TWICE A DAY.

Jim: YOU'RE TELLING YOURSELF,
"THIS CAN'T BE HAPPENING.

SHE HAS TO BE AROUND SOMEWHERE."

Narrator: COMING UP...

THE VIOLA FAMILY IS ASTOUNDED TO
DISCOVER AN UNKNOWN SIDE OF PAT.

I REMEMBER PAT
WALKING IN THE DOOR HERE.

SHE WAS NOT HERSELF.

Narrator: JIM VIOLA HAS JUST
RETURNED HOME FROM WORK

AT 4:30 ON A BITTER-COLD
FEBRUARY DAY.

THE HOUSE LOOKS TO BE
IN ITS USUAL PRISTINE ORDER,

BUT HIS WIFE OF 14 YEARS, PAT,
IS MISSING.

THERE DOES NOT APPEAR TO BE
ANY SIGNS OF FOUL PLAY,

NOTHING KNOCKED OVER,
NOTHING BANGED AROUND,

NOTHING BROKEN,
NOTHING TURNED UPSIDE DOWN.

NOTHING BROKEN,
NOTHING TURNED UPSIDE DOWN.
EVERYTHING APPEARED THE WAY IT
WOULD ON ANY OTHER GIVEN DAY.

EVERYTHING APPEARED THE WAY IT
WOULD ON ANY OTHER GIVEN DAY.

Narrator:
EXCEPT FOR ONE THING.

PAT'S PURSE WITH
ALL HER PERSONAL BELONGINGS

IS STILL IN THE HOUSE,

INCLUDING MEDICATION SHE TAKES
TWICE A DAY, FOR EPILEPSY.

PAT VIOLA HAD BEEN DIAGNOSED
WITH EPILEPSY AT THE AGE OF 12.

BY 2001, SHE'D BEEN LIVING
WITH THE DISEASE FOR 30 YEARS

AND SHE KNEW HOW TO HANDLE IT.

BUT EVERY ONCE IN A WHILE,
MAYBE ONCE OR TWICE A YEAR,

SHE WOULD TAKE A SEIZURE.

Narrator: PAT KEEPS
HER CONDITION UNDER CONTROL

BY BEING VIGILANT ABOUT
TAKING HER MEDICATION REGULARLY.

IT'S NOW ALMOST 5:00.

HER NEXT DOSE IS DUE
IN A FEW HOURS,

AND IF SHE MISSES IT,
SHE'LL BE AT RISK FOR A SEIZURE.

JIM GOES TO PICK UP THE KIDS,

WHO HAVE BEEN PLAYING
AT FRIENDS' HOUSES,

BUT WHEN HE RETURNS,
45 MINUTES LATER,

PAT'S STILL NOT HOME.

Jim:
I DIDN'T PANIC JUST YET.

IT'S POSSIBLE THAT SHE HAD
GONE OUT TO THE LOCAL STORE,

YOU KNOW, SHOPPING
FOR VALENTINE'S DAY GIFTS,

OR MAYBE EVEN
TAKEN A BUS TO THE MALL.

Narrator: JIM PULLS OUT
THE LOCAL BUS SCHEDULE.

HE KNOWS
SHE DIDN'T DRIVE ANYWHERE

BECAUSE A FEW MONTHS EARLIER,

HER DRIVER'S LICENSE
HAD BEEN TAKEN FROM HER.

IN NOVEMBER OF 2000,

A DISTURBING EVENT OCCURRED
IN THE VIOLA HOUSE,

AND IT HAD A POWERFUL
RIPPLE EFFECT

ON THE WINTER THAT FOLLOWED.

Jim: MICHAEL AND I
WERE AT A HOCKEY GAME.

MY SISTER WAS HERE WITH PAT,

AND PAT TOOK A MAJOR
GRAND MAL SEIZURE.

AN AMBULANCE WAS CALLED,
AND SHE LANDED IN THE HOSPITAL.

SHE RECOVERED, BUT IT WAS
A PRETTY BAD SEIZURE.

Narrator:
THE SEIZURE WAS SO SEVERE

THAT HER DOCTOR RECOMMENDED

HER DRIVER'S LICENSE
BE SUSPENDED FOR THREE MONTHS.

WHEN PAT LOST
HER DRIVING PRIVILEGE,

IT WAS A MAJOR DOWNER FOR HER.

Narrator: THROUGHOUT
THE CHRISTMAS HOLIDAYS,

PAT CAN'T
DRIVE HERSELF TO THE MALL

AND ENJOY THE SIMPLE PLEASURE
OF BUYING PRESENTS FOR HER KIDS.

SHE KNEW SHE COULD
ASK A FRIEND TO DRIVE HER,

BUT SHE HATED TO RELY
ON SOMEONE ELSE TO DO SOMETHING

SHE FELT SHE SHOULD HAVE
BEEN ABLE TO DO HERSELF.

SHE DIDN'T LIKE HER INDEPENDENCE
TAKEN AWAY FROM HER.

IT FRIGHTENED HER.

Narrator: BUT IN JANUARY,

AFTER TWO MONTHS
WITH NO MORE SEIZURES,

PAT HOLDS OUT HOPE THAT
HER LICENSE WILL BE RESTORED

AT HER NEXT DOCTOR'S VISIT.

ONE WEEK BEFORE
PAT VIOLA VANISHES,

SHE GOES FOR A FOLLOW-UP
APPOINTMENT WITH THE DOCTOR,

WHERE SHE RECEIVES
DISAPPOINTING NEWS.

Jim:
THEY TOOK ANOTHER BLOOD TEST.

THE DOCTOR SAID, "THE BLOOD TEST
LOOKS PRETTY GOOD,

"BUT WE WOULD LIKE YOU
TO GO ANOTHER THREE MONTHS

WITHOUT DRIVING."

THAT'S LIKE
A SHOT TO THE STOMACH.

Sepp:
SHE WAS SO ACTIVE WITH THE KIDS,

TAKING THEM TO SPORTS,
TAKING THEM TO SCOUTS.

PART OF HER ABILITY
TO TAKE CARE OF THEM

AND DO THINGS FOR THEM
WAS STRIPPED,

WHICH COULD DEFINITELY
PLAY WITH SOMEONE'S PSYCHE.

Narrator:
BUT THE SUSPENDED LICENSE

ISN'T THE ONLY STRESS
IN PAT'S LIFE THAT WINTER.

SEVERAL FAMILY CRISES
WERE OCCURRING,

ONE RIGHT AFTER THE OTHER.

JIM'S MOM TOOK ILL,

AND IT WAS EXTREMELY DIFFICULT
RAISING TWO CHILDREN,

GOING BACK AND FORTH
TO THE HOSPITAL,

AND MAINTAINING
REGULAR HOUSEHOLD CHORES.

Narrator:
ADDING MORE TENSION TO THE MIX,

JIM'S SISTER DONNA RECENTLY
MOVED IN WITH THE FAMILY

AFTER A ROUGH BREAKUP
WITH HER BOYFRIEND.

IT WAS ACTUALLY PAT THAT
MENTIONED TO DONNA, YOU KNOW,

"IF YOU WANT TO STAY WITH US

TILL YOU'RE ON YOUR FEET,
NO PROBLEM."

Narrator:
BUT AS THE WINTER WEARS ON,

IT BECOMES TIRESOME FOR PAT TO
TAKE CARE OF YET ANOTHER PERSON.

Jim: DONNA SMOKED, AND SHE
USED TO SMOKE IN THE HOUSE.

AFTER DONNA WOULD LEAVE
TO GO OFF TO WORK,

PAT WOULD GO DOWNSTAIRS
AND VACUUM UP

AND MAKE IT
SMELL REAL NICE AGAIN.

AND I GUESS THIS WAS A NUISANCE.

Narrator:
ON FEBRUARY 12, 2001,

PAT IS CLEANING UP
DONNA'S BEDROOM

AND SPOTS SOMETHING MADDENING --

CIGARETTE-BURN MARKS
ON THE GUEST BEDSPREAD.

Jim:
PAT WAS VERY WORRIED ABOUT THIS.

LIKE, YOU DON'T WANT TO HAVE
THE HOUSE BURN DOWN.

Narrator:
PAT AGREES TO TALK TO DONNA

ABOUT THE BURNS
THE NEXT MORNING,

AS THERE IS NO TIME
TO DISCUSS THE ISSUE THAT NIGHT.

THE WHOLE FAMILY
IS EXPECTED IN BROOKLYN,

AT A PARTY THROWN BY GOOD FAMILY
FRIEND TOINETTE FAZIO-MARKOWITZ.

PAT AND TOINETTE
HAD BEEN THE BEST OF FRIENDS

FROM JUST ABOUT
THE MOMENT THEY MET,

ON A DOUBLE DATE
WITH THEIR HUSBANDS.

Jim:
THEY WERE VERY TIGHT.

I GUESS YOU COULD SAY THEY
LOVED EACH OTHER LIKE SISTERS.

WHEN YOU FIND SOMEBODY
THAT'S A FRIEND TO YOU

24 HOURS A DAY NO MATTER WHAT,

THAT, TO ME, IS A SISTER,
AND THAT'S WHAT IT'S ALL ABOUT.

Narrator: ON FEBRUARY 12th,
AT HER HOME IN BROOKLYN,

TOINETTE RECEIVES
A DISTURBING SIGN

THAT SOMETHING IS VERY WRONG
WITH HER BEST FRIEND.

Fazio-Markowitz: I REMEMBER PAT
WALKING IN THE DOOR HERE.

SHE LOOKED SO PRETTY --
MAKEUP WAS PERFECTION...

BUT SHE WAS NOT HERSELF.

Narrator:
UPON ENTERING THE PARTY,

PAT TELLS TOINETTE SHE
NEEDS TO SPEAK TO HER

URGENTLY IN ANOTHER ROOM.

AWAY FROM ALL THE PARTY GUESTS,
PAT BEGINS CRYING

AND SAYS SOMETHING IS WRONG, BUT
IT'S TOO COMPLEX TO GO INTO NOW.

SHE ASKED ME PLEASE
NOT TO GO AWAY ON VACATION

FOR PRESIDENTS WEEK,
WITH THE PLANS THAT I HAD.

SHE ASKED ME INSTEAD IF SHE
AND I COULD GO SO WE COULD TALK,

THAT SHE NEEDED TO TAKE CARE
OF SOMETHING.

Narrator:
TOINETTE'S SHOCKED,

BUT SHE PROMISES TO PLAN
A GETAWAY WITH PAT

ANYWHERE SHE WANTS TO GO.

THEN PAT SAYS SOMETHING
THAT SAYS TOINETTE REELING.

SHE ASKS HER TO PLEASE
LOOK AFTER THE KIDS,

NO MATTER WHAT HAPPENS.

AT THAT TIME, I CRIED INTO HER,
AND SHE JUST SAID TO ME,

"I CAN'T DISCUSS IT NOW,
BUT IT'S IMPORTANT ENOUGH

THAT I NEED YOU TO BE THERE
TO LISTEN TO ME."

AND I COULD TELL BY HER VOICE
THAT IT WAS IMPORTANT.

Narrator: SHAKEN,

TOINETTE CANCELS HER VACATION
THAT VERY NIGHT.

THROWN BY THE CRYPTIC
CONVERSATION,

SHE CALLS PAT EARLY
THE NEXT MORNING TO FOLLOW UP.

SHE'S SURPRISED TO HEAR PAT

BRUSH OFF THEIR TALK
FROM THE NIGHT BEFORE

AND CHANGE THE SUBJECT
TO VALENTINE'S DAY PRESENTS.

Fazio-Markowitz:
SHE SOUNDED TIRED ON THE PHONE

AND A LITTLE BIT, LIKE, HECTIC,

BUT BESIDES FOR THAT, OKAY.

Narrator:
BUT WHEN SHE GETS OFF THE PHONE,

PAT DISPLAYS A SIDE OF HERSELF

THAT NO ONE
HAS EVER SEEN BEFORE.

PAT STORMS DOWNSTAIRS

AND CONFRONTS DONNA
ABOUT SMOKING IN THE HOUSE.

Jim:
PAT CAME DOWN THE STEPS,

AND SHE SEEMED TO BE VERY ANGRY
AND YELLING AT DONNA,

AND DONNA WAS VERY SHOCKED
AND BORDERING ON TEARS

BECAUSE THIS WAS NOT PAT.

IT WAS OUT OF CHARACTER.

I DON'T THINK I'VE EVER SEEN HER
RAISE HER VOICE

AT ALL, YOU KNOW, TO ANYBODY.

DONNA DESCRIBED HER
LIKE A RAVING MANIAC.

I HAVE NEVER, NEVER
SEEN PAT REACT THAT WAY.

Narrator:
WERE CIGARETTE BURNS

REALLY ENOUGH
TO CAUSE SUCH AN OUTBURST?

AND WHAT WAS IT
THAT SHE SO DESPERATELY

NEEDED TO TELL HER BEST FRIEND?

COMING UP...

THE POLICE EMBARK ON AN URGENT
HUNT FOR ANY TRACE OF PAT.

Sepp: IF THE PERSON
IS IN SOME TYPE OF DISTRESS,

ALL THOSE MINUTES AND HOURS
REALLY COUNT.

Narrator:
IT'S FEBRUARY 13, 2001.

MOTHER OF TWO PAT VIOLA,
NORMALLY A CREATURE OF HABIT,

HAS BEEN MISSING
FOR SEVERAL HOURS.

NIGHT'S DESCENDED ON HER HOME
IN BOGOTA, NEW JERSEY,

AND HER HUSBAND, JIM,
IS GROWING ALARMED.

AS THE NIGHT GOES ALONG
AND YOU DON'T GET ANY ANSWERS

OBVIOUSLY, YOU KNOW, YOU'RE
GETTING EXTREMELY WORRIED.

Narrator:
JIM HAS CALLED

EVERY FRIEND AND RELATIVE
HE COULD THINK OF

IN SEARCH OF PAT.

AND NOW HE'S FACING
HEARTBREAKING QUESTIONS

FROM HIS TWO KIDS.

AROUND 11:00, I TURNED TO MY DAD
BEFORE I WENT TO BED,

AND I ASKED HIM, "WHERE'S MOM?

WHERE'S SHE SLEEPING TONIGHT?
IS SHE OKAY?"

AND HE REALLY DIDN'T HAVE
AN ANSWER.

AND THAT WAS VERY UPSETTING.

Jim: THAT NIGHT,
IT WAS CERTAINLY A ROUGH NIGHT.

WHEN YOU GOT TO
PUT YOUR KIDS TO BED

AND THEN THEIR MOM ISN'T HOME,
IT WAS A TOUGH ONE.

Narrator: AT 11:58 P.M.,

JIM VIOLA
CALLS THE BOGOTA POLICE

AND REPORTS HIS WIFE MISSING.

TWO OFFICERS COME OUT THAT NIGHT

AND TAKE AN OFFICIAL
MISSING-PERSONS REPORT.

THE NEXT MORNING,

THE REPORT LANDS ON THE DESK
OF CAPTAIN JAMES SEPP.

CAPTAIN SEPP STARTS
BY EXAMINING THE KNOWN FACTORS.

PAT WAS HOME AT 1:11 P.M.

Sepp: WE CAN CONFIRM
SHE WAS IN THE HOUSE

BECAUSE THE ALARM WAS RESET.

4:30 P.M. IS WHEN JIM VIOLA
COMES HOME, AND SHE WASN'T HOME.

Narrator: SO SEPP
IS FACED WITH A QUESTION.

HOW DID PAT LEAVE THE HOUSE
BETWEEN 1:11 AND 4:30 P.M.

IF SHE DIDN'T DRIVE?

Sepp: WE ACTUALLY STOPPED
ALL THE BUSES IN THE AREA.

WE TALKED TO THE BUS DRIVERS,

WE SPOKE TO THE PEOPLE
THAT GOT ON THE BUS

JUST TO SEE IF ANY OF THEM
RECOGNIZED HER.

Narrator: THE POLICE
THEN CHECK THE CALL LOGS

OF EVERY TAXI COMPANY IN TOWN.

IN THIS AREA, YOU'RE NOT ALLOWED
TO DRIVE A CAB

AND JUST PICK PEOPLE UP
OFF THE STREET.

THERE'S NO HAILING CABS
IN THIS AREA,

SO IT WOULDN'T BE
LIKE A RANDOM CAB JUST CAME BY

AND SHE HAILED IT
AND JUMPED INTO THE CAB.

Narrator: THEY GO DOOR-TO-DOOR,
ASKING NEIGHBORS

IF ANYONE SAW PAT VIOLA
LEAVE THE HOUSE ON FOOT.

WE ALSO CALLED DOWN
TO THE PORT AUTHORITY POLICE,

AND WE ASKED THEM TO CHECK LOGS

TO SEE IF ANYBODY WITH HER NAME
GOT INTO A PLANE.

ALL THE EFFORTS
RETURNED NOTHING.

Narrator: WITHIN HOURS,

THE POLICE INVESTIGATION
SHIFTS FOCUS

FROM HOW PAT LEFT THE HOUSE
TO WHERE SHE COULD BE NOW.

AS TIME GOES BY, AS WE START
PUTTING THE HOURS BEHIND US,

WE DEFINITELY
TRY TO RAMP UP OUR EFFORTS,

BECAUSE IF THE PERSON
IS IN SOME TYPE OF DISTRESS,

THE HARDER WE LOOK
AND THE FASTER WE LOOK,

THE BETTER OFF WE ARE.

Narrator: THE SHERIFF'S
DEPARTMENT OFFERS A POLICE DOG

TO SEARCH THE RAILROAD TRACKS

AND ALONG THE BANKS
OF THE LOCAL RIVER.

Sepp: 'CAUSE WE MIGHT ACTUALLY
FIND SOMEBODY

LYING ON THE SIDE OF A ROAD
IN A DITCH,

AND IF THEY'RE CLINGING TO LIFE,

ALL THOSE MINUTES AND HOURS
REALLY COUNT.

WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE
THAT WE LOOK UNDER EVERY STONE.

Narrator:
THE SEARCH FOR PAT VIOLA

HAS BEEN ONGOING LOCALLY
FOR THREE GRUELING DAYS,

AND NOW THE POLICE
NEED TO BRANCH OUT.

AFTER A CERTAIN POINT IN TIME,

WE HAVE TO START BROADENING
OUR INVESTIGATION,

AND ANY TIME THAT YOU
BROADEN YOUR INVESTIGATION,

YOU'RE GONNA HAVE TO LOOK
IN PLACES

WHERE YOU MIGHT NOT ORDINARILY
WANT TO LOOK AT.

Narrator: THE BOGOTA POLICE
ORGANIZE AN AERIAL SEARCH

TO COVER MORE GROUND.

Sepp: WE HAD A HELICOPTER
UP IN THE AIR,

AND THEY HAD A SPECIAL DEVICE
THAT CHECKS FOR HEAT.

IT SCANS THE AREA,

AND IF THERE'S A BODY
LAYING SOMEWHERE IN THE BRUSH,

IT'LL SEE THAT THERE'S HEAT
IN THE MIDDLE OF AN AREA.

Narrator: AFTER THE
AERIAL SEARCH REVEALS NOTHING,

CAPTAIN SEPP EXAMINES CLUES

REGARDING PAT'S MENTAL STATE AT
THE TIME OF HER DISAPPEARANCE.

WHEN HE HEARS ABOUT
THE ARGUMENT WITH DONNA

AND THE CONVERSATION
WITH TOINETTE,

HE CONSIDERS A GRIM POSSIBILITY.

WE DID TAKE A LOOK
AT THE SUICIDE ANGLE,

AND WE FOUND INFORMATION
THAT VERY WELL MAY FIT

INTO THE PATTERN OF SOMEONE
WHO WOULD COMMIT SUICIDE.

Narrator:
THE GEORGE WASHINGTON BRIDGE,

WHICH SPANS THE HUDSON RIVER,
IS JUST A FEW MILES AWAY.

THE BRIDGE
HAS A NOTORIOUS REPUTATION

FOR ATTRACTING PEOPLE
WHO ARE SUICIDAL,

BUT SEPP QUICKLY RULES IT OUT.

NO ONE IN THAT TIME FRAME
HAD JUMPED OFF THE BRIDGE,

AND IF SOMEONE DID
JUMP OFF THE BRIDGE,

THEY WOULD HAVE RECOVERED
THE BODY FROM THE RIVER,

AND THAT DIDN'T HAPPEN.

HOWEVER, IF YOU GO
A LITTLE BIT FURTHER NORTH,

ON THE PALISADES
INTERSTATE PARKWAY,

THERE'S AN AREA COMMONLY CALLED
"THE CLIFFS."

WHAT YOU SEE IS WHAT APPEARS TO
BE A NICE, SHEER ROCKFACE WALL.

Narrator: THE ROCK WALL
IS CHOKED WITH UNDERGROWTH,

AND IT OFTEN TAKES YEARS

TO RECOVER THE BODIES
OF THOSE WHO'VE JUMPED THERE.

THERE'S TREES,
THERE'S A FOREST DOWN THERE,

AND THE TREES ACTUALLY
KIND OF GROW BACKWARDS,

IN TOWARDS THE LAND.

Narrator: BUT THIS
POTENTIAL SUICIDE LOCATION

DOESN'T ADD UP, EITHER.

ALTHOUGH THESE CLIFFS ARE JUST
FIVE MILES FROM HER HOME,

PAT HAD NO WAY TO GET THERE.

SHE DIDN'T DRIVE,

AND THE POLICE
INVESTIGATION SHOWS

SHE NEVER CALLED FOR A CAB.

WHAT'S MORE, EVERYONE WHO KNOWS
HOW DEVOTED PAT IS TO HER FAMILY

SAYS THE NOTION THAT SHE WOULD
COMMIT SUICIDE IS PREPOSTEROUS.

THERE'S ONLY ONE ANSWER
TO THE QUESTION.

YOU KNOW THE FEELING WHEN
YOU GIVE BIRTH TO YOUR CHILD

AND YOU HOLD THE BABY
FOR THE FIRST TIME?

SHE WAS ALWAYS THERE
FOR THE CHILDREN.

SHE'S NOT THE TYPE OF PERSON
TO WALK AWAY.

IT'S JUST IMPOSSIBLE FOR HER

TO DO SUCH A HORRIBLE THING.

Narrator: MEANWHILE,
BACK ON CHESTNUT AVENUE,

PAT'S KIDS HAVE NO CHOICE BUT TO
CONTINUE WITH THEIR DAILY LIVES.

Washington:
I WENT TO SCHOOL.

I COULDN'T REALLY CONCENTRATE
IN SCHOOL

'CAUSE THAT'S
WHAT I WAS THINKING ABOUT.

LIKE, WHERE SHE WAS
AND WHERE SHE WAS SLEEPING.

Michael: THE FIRST WEEK
THAT MY MOM DISAPPEARED,

IT WAS LIKE A NIGHTMARE.

YOUR WORST DREAM
IS YOUR MOM AND SHE'S NOT HERE,

AND I'M ONLY 10 YEARS OLD, AND
IT WAS JUST HARD TO COMPREHEND

AND UNDERSTAND WHAT HAPPENED.

Narrator:
DESPERATE FOR ANY LEAD,

CAPTAIN SEPP BEGINS TO EXAMINE
THE CASE FOR SIGNS OF FOUL PLAY.

Sepp:
WITH MISSING-PERSON CASES,

WE ALWAYS WANT TO TALK
TO THE PERSON

WHO REPORTED THEM MISSING.

WHEN THERE'S SOMEBODY

THAT HAS THEIR SYSTEM
AND THEIR PATTERNS DOWN,

THEY WOULD ALSO KNOW
HOW TO HIDE OR DISGUISE THINGS

SO THAT WE WOULDN'T
FIND THEM OUT.

SO WE HAD TO SPEAK TO JIM VIOLA.

Narrator: THE POLICE CALL PAT'S
HUSBAND, JIM, INTO THE STATION.

INVESTIGATORS
ARE INTRIGUED TO DISCOVER

THAT RECORDS
AT JIM'S OFFICE SHOW

HE TOOK THE AFTERNOON
OF FEBRUARY 13th OFF FROM WORK.

WHY? WHERE WAS HE?

Sepp: IF WE THINK
THAT YOU HAVE INFORMATION

THAT YOU'RE HIDING FROM US,

THERE'S ONLY ONE WAY
TO GET IT FROM YOU,

AND THAT'S TO GO AT YOU 110%.

WE HAD TO ACTUALLY NAIL DOWN HIS
WHEREABOUTS AND ALL HIS ACTIONS

SURROUNDING
THOSE DATES AND TIMES.

I TOOK OFF THE AFTERNOON
FROM WORK

AND WENT SHOPPING
FOR VALENTINE'S DAY GIFTS

'CAUSE THAT WAS THE NEXT DAY.

THEN YOUR WIFE GOES MISSING

THE AFTERNOON THAT YOU
DECIDE TO TAKE OFF FROM WORK.

YOU KNOW,
THEY QUESTION THAT, OF COURSE.

Sepp: UNFORTUNATELY,
WE HAVE TO QUESTION EVERYTHING.

Jim:
IT WAS A TOUGH INTERVIEW.

THEY HAVE THEIR METHODS
OF TALKING TO YOU.

Sepp: AND I'M BRINGING
THEIR EMOTIONS UP,

AND I'M BRINGING
THEIR EMOTIONS DOWN,

AND I'M JUST TRYING TO FIND

A KINK IN THE ARMOR,
IF THERE IS ONE.

AND AFTER SPEAKING WITH HIM AND
HAVING OTHER DETECTIVES COME IN

AND INTERVIEW HIM
AND GIVE HIM A POLYGRAPH,

THERE WERE NO KINKS
IN THE ARMOR.

WE CHECKED EVERY ANGLE.

ANYTHING THAT HE TOLD US,
WE PROVED OR DISPROVED.

Narrator:
THE POLICE PUT ANY DOUBTS

ABOUT JIM VIOLA'S STORY TO REST.

BUT THEY'RE STILL STYMIED
AS TO WHAT HAPPENED TO PAT.

TWO WEEKS PASS, AND THE CASE
SEEMS HOPELESSLY STALLED,

SO JIM VIOLA
AND TOINETTE MARKOWITZ

DECIDE TO TAKE MATTERS
INTO THEIR OWN HANDS.

COMING UP...

JIM AND TOINETTE
TRACK DOWN A LEAD

SUGGESTING PAT COULD BE NEARBY
AND IN DISTRESS.

AND THE GIRL, AMAZINGLY,

REMEMBERED THAT PAT WAS THERE
AND SHE SAW HER.

Narrator: GET MORE
"DISAPPEARED" ONLINE AT...

Narrator:
NEW JERSEY HOUSEWIFE PAT VIOLA

HAS BEEN MISSING FOR TWO WEEKS.

SHE'S LEFT ALMOST NO TRACE,
AND POLICE HAVE NO LEADS.

HER HUSBAND, JIM, AND HER BEST
FRIEND, TOINETTE, ARE REELING.

IT SEEMS INCOMPREHENSIBLE
THAT PAT IS GONE

AND THAT TRYING TO FIND HER
IS NOW THEIR NEW DAILY REALITY.

THEY START TO FORMULATE
THEIR OWN THEORY.

WHEN PAT AND TOINETTE
LAST SPOKE,

PAT BROUGHT UP
VALENTINE'S DAY GIFTS

AND THAT SHE WAS
LOOKING FOR SOMETHING SPECIFIC.

WHEN SHE CAME INTO BROOKLYN
FOR THE PARTY,

I HAD THIS SINGING MONKEY.

[ LIVELY MUSIC PLAYS ]

I JUST WANTED, LIKE, A GAG THING
TO GIVE TO MY HUSBAND.

AND SHE LOVED IT,
SO SHE WANTED ONE FOR JIMMY.

AND I HEARD
FROM HER FRIEND TOINETTE

THAT SHE WAS IN THE MARKET
FOR THIS SINGING MONKEY,

SO I'M THINKING SHE COULD HAVE
GONE OUT SHOPPING FOR THIS ITEM.

Narrator:
JIM AND TOINETTE START TO WONDER

IF PAT COULD HAVE SUFFERED A
VIOLENT SEIZURE WHILE SHOPPING.

WHAT IF SHE FELL AND HIT
HER HEAD, INDUCING MEMORY LOSS?

STRESS CAN TRIGGER
AN EPILEPTIC FIT,

AND PAT
CERTAINLY SEEMED STRESSED

THE DAY BEFORE SHE WENT MISSING.

PERHAPS SHE'S AN AMNESIAC
AT A HOSPITAL SOMEWHERE,

UNCERTAIN OF WHO SHE IS
OR HOW TO GET HOME.

Fazio-Markowitz:
SINCE I WAS EXTREMELY UPSET

WITH THE SITUATION,

I DECIDED THAT I HAD TO DO

WHAT WOULD GIVE ME
THE RIGHT TO SLEEP AT NIGHT

WHEN I PUT MY HEAD
ON THE PILLOW.

SO I WENT ON FOOT

TO FIND THE STORE THAT WAS
SELLING THIS SINGING MONKEY.

Narrator:
IN THE GIFT AISLE,

TOINETTE FINDS THE EXACT MONKEY
PAT HAD BEEN SEARCHING FOR.

THEN SHE SHOWS A PHOTO OF PAT
TO THE FIRST CLERK SHE SEES.

AND THE GIRL, AMAZINGLY,

REMEMBERED THAT PAT WAS THERE
AND SHE SAW HER.

Narrator: THE CLERK DOESN'T KNOW
WHERE PAT WENT NEXT,

BUT IT'S THE FIRST PIECE
OF NEW INFORMATION

TOINETTE'S HEARD IN WEEKS,
SO SHE'S THRILLED.

I ALMOST HUGGED
THE PERSON IN THE STORE

WHEN SHE SAID TO ME,
"I SAW THAT LADY.

SHE WAS HERE."

Narrator: TOINETTE FEELS
SHE IS CLOSER THAN EVER

TO FINDING HER BEST FRIEND.

SHE CALLS JIM WITH THE NEWS.

JIM IS STANDING BY

TO INVESTIGATE
WHAT HE BELIEVES HAPPENED

AFTER PAT LEFT THE STORE
WHERE THE CLERKS ARE.

HE TAKES PHOTOS AND VIDEO OF PAT
TO EVERY SINGLE LOCAL HOSPITAL.

I WAS VERY HOPEFUL

THAT THE SEARCH OF THE
AREA HOSPITALS MIGHT FIND HER

BECAUSE I REALLY THOUGHT
THAT WAS A GOOD THEORY.

Narrator:
BUT TO HIS GREAT DISAPPOINTMENT,

NO ONE REMEMBERS SEEING PAT.

CAPTAIN SEPP IS LESS SURPRISED.

HE BELIEVES IF
THE AMNESIA THEORY WAS VALID,

PAT WOULD HAVE
TURNED UP QUICKLY.

Sepp: MEDICAL CENTERS
ARE ALL ABOUT THE BOTTOM LINE.

IF THEY HAVE A PATIENT THAT
HAS NO INFORMATION AND IS LOST

AND THEY HAVE NO ONE
TO TURN THEM OVER TO,

THEY'RE GONNA NOTIFY
THE LOCAL POLICE.

THE LOCAL POLICE WILL THEN

ENTER THE PERSON THAT THEY FIND
INTO THE NCIC SYSTEM.

AND IT WOULD COME UP WITH A HIT.
WE WOULD GET A MATCH.

Narrator:
BOTH THE POLICE AND THE VIOLAS

ARE RUNNING OUT
OF THEORIES TO TEST.

IT'S MID-MARCH.

ONE MONTH HAS NOW PASSED

SINCE PAT VIOLA VANISHED
FROM HER HOME IN NEW JERSEY.

THE INVESTIGATION
HAS STARTED TO FALTER,

AND THE POLICE NEED HELP.

AFTER THE SEARCH,
WE TURNED TO THE MEDIA.

WE PUT OUT PRESS RELEASES,

WE CALLED
THE NEWSPAPER PEOPLE IN,

WE CALLED TELEVISION CREWS IN,

ANYBODY THAT WOULD
COME LISTEN TO OUR STORY.

WE PUT IT OUT THERE, AND WE
THREW IT OUT THERE EVERY DAY.

WE PUT IT OUT
AS MANY TIMES AS POSSIBLE.

Narrator:
AFTER EACH NEW BROADCAST,

CAPTAIN SEPP AND JIM VIOLA
WAIT FOR A MIRACLE.

AND THEN, WHEN THEY LEAST
EXPECT IT, ONE SEEMS TO APPEAR.

A MAN IS DRIVING THROUGH
THE POCONOS MOUNTAIN TOWN

OF EAST STROUDSBURG,
PENNSYLVANIA.

Jim: WE HAD AN ARTICLE
IN THE POCONO RECORD

WITH PAT'S PHOTO IN IT.

A GENTLEMAN IN EAST STROUDSBURG

WHO HAD JUST READ
THE NEWSPAPER ARTICLE ABOUT PAT

AND SEEN HER PICTURE

WAS DRIVING HIS CAR,
STOPPED AT A LIGHT,

AND LOOKING ACROSS ON THE SIDE
STREET, HE THOUGHT HE SAW PAT.

Narrator: THE TOWN
IS 70 MILES WEST OF BOGOTA.

BUT WHEN JIM VIOLA HEARS
ABOUT THE TIP, HE'S INTRIGUED.

HE KNOWS PAT
IS VERY FAMILIAR WITH THE AREA.

Sepp:
JIM AND PAT HAD A TIMESHARE THAT
THEY USED OUT IN STROUDSBURG,

JUST OVER THE BORDER INTO
PENNSYLVANIA FROM NEW JERSEY.

AND IT WAS A PLACE
THAT THEY WENT TO GET AWAY.

CERTAINLY, THE IDEA THAT MAYBE
PAT WANTED TO GET AWAY

FOR A COUPLE DAYS
CROSSED THROUGH MY MIND.

Narrator:
PERHAPS THE ARGUMENT WITH DONNA

PUSHED HER OVER THE EDGE

AND PAT SOMEHOW FOUND HER WAY
TO THE MOUNTAIN HOUSE.

COULD SOMETHING HAVE HAPPENED
TO HER IN THE POCONOS,

WHICH LEFT HER UNABLE
TO GET BACK TO HER FAMILY?

AS SOON AS I FOUND OUT,
I MEAN, I, YOU KNOW,

IMMEDIATELY TOOK OFF FROM WORK,
WENT DOWN TO THE AREA.

I SPENT THE WHOLE DAY THERE.

JIM WENT AND POSTED
"MISSING" FLYERS AND POSTERS

ALL THROUGHOUT THE AREA.

Jim:
I WAS ALL OVER IT.

WE GOT TV COVERAGE IN THE AREA,
AND IT SOUNDED PROMISING.

Narrator:
JIM CAN'T HELP BUT BE HOPEFUL

AS HE TALKS TO EVERY
CAFE AND DINER EMPLOYEE HE SEES.

BUT THE TIP
THAT SEEMED SO PROMISING

YIELDS LITTLE
CONCRETE INFORMATION.

Sepp:
SOMEBODY DID CALL,

AND THEY THOUGHT
THAT MAYBE THEY HAD SEEN HER,

BUT THE INFORMATION
TURNED OUT TO BE USELESS TO US.

Narrator: THROUGHOUT
THE NEXT SEVERAL MONTHS,

LEADS COME POURING IN EVERY TIME
PAT'S STORY AIRS ON TELEVISION.

WHENEVER YOU GET A TIP, IT
REALLY LIFTS UP YOUR SPIRITS,

AND YOU ARE ALL OVER IT.

Narrator: OVER THE NEXT YEAR,
JIM AND HIS FAMILY

LIVE THROUGH
THE EMOTIONAL UPS AND DOWNS

OF DOZENS OF SIGHTINGS AND TIPS.

YOUR ADRENALINE
JUST COMES RIGHT IN

AND DOESN'T STOP FLOWING
UNTIL YOU HEAR, "NO, I'M SORRY.

IT WASN'T HER."

Narrator: COMING UP...
A HORRIFYING CALL

SENDS POLICE SCRAMBLING
IN PURSUIT OF A MURDERER.

HIS EXACT WORDS WERE,
"I KILLED THE OLD GIRL."

Narrator: CAPTAIN JAMES SEPP
HAS BEEN TIRELESSLY WORKING

TO FIND PAT VIOLA
FOR OVER A YEAR.

WELL OVER A YEAR INTO THE CASE,

HE RECEIVED
A STARTLING PHONE CALL.

Sepp: I WAS WORKING ONE NIGHT
IN THE DETECTIVE BUREAU,

AND MY PHONE RANG,
AND A GENTLEMAN ON THE OTHER END

JUST CAME RIGHT OUT AND SAID,
"I KILLED PAT VIOLA."

HIS EXACT WORDS WERE,
"I KILLED THE OLD GIRL."

IT REALLY PIQUED MY INTEREST,

ALTHOUGH THE PERSON DID SAY
ONE THING THAT WAS VERY ODD.

"I HAVE HER DRIVER'S LICENSE."

SHE DIDN'T HAVE
HER DRIVER'S LICENSE.

Narrator: THE COMMENT
MAKES CAPTAIN SEPP WARY.

HE KNOWS PAT'S LICENSE
HAD BEEN SUSPENDED

THREE MONTHS
BEFORE SHE WENT MISSING.

BUT HE STILL CAN'T IGNORE
THIS CALL.

Sepp:
IT'S VERY POSSIBLE

MAYBE SHE LEFT
WITH AN OLD DRIVER'S LICENSE.

I COULDN'T BE
ABSOLUTELY POSITIVE,

SO I KEPT THE PERSON
ON THE PHONE AS LONG AS I COULD,

AND THE ENTIRE CONVERSATION
WAS RECORDED.

I CALLED THE BERGEN COUNTY
PROSECUTORS' OFFICE,

AND I ASKED THEM
TO PUT A TRACE

ON THE PHONE CALL
THAT CAME INTO HEADQUARTERS,

AND THEY WERE ABLE TO TRACE BACK
THE RECORDS

TO AN ADDRESS IN FLORIDA.

Narrator:
THE CONNECTION SEEMS TENUOUS,

BUT IF THE POLICE
CAN TRACK DOWN THIS MAN,

THEY MAY JUST FIND OUT
WHAT HAPPENED TO PAT VIOLA.

THE MAN ON THE PHONE
SAYS HE IS GETTING ON A BUS

THAT'S HEADING UP THE EAST COAST
TOWARDS MASSACHUSETTS.

THEN HE OFFERS THE NAME

OF A WOMAN WHO WILL BE
TRAVELING WITH HIM.

NEW YORK AND NEW JERSEY
AREA POLICE

MOBILIZE A UNIT
IN NORTH CAROLINA

TO STOP THE BUS ON THE HIGHWAY.

BUT ONCE ONBOARD,

THEY FIND NO ONE THAT COULD
POSSIBLY BE THE CALLER.

BUT THEY DO FIND
THE WOMAN HE MENTIONED,

AND SHE KNOWS
EXACTLY WHAT'S GOING ON.

Sepp: SHE CONFIRMED FOR US
THAT IT WAS HER EX-BOYFRIEND

AND HER EX-BOYFRIEND
WAS HARASSING HER

BECAUSE SHE LEFT HIM
FOR ANOTHER MAN

AND WAS GOING UP TO HIS PLACE
IN MASSACHUSETTS.

Narrator: THE ENTIRE EPISODE
IS A BIZARRE RUSE.

Sepp:
BASICALLY, IT WAS A WAY FOR HIM

TO TRY TO GET BACK AT HIS
EX-GIRLFRIEND FOR LEAVING HIM.

HE THOUGHT IT WAS
A GREAT WAY TO HARASS HER.

TURNED OUT, IT REALLY WASN'T.

Narrator: AND AS WORK
ON THE PAT VIOLA CASE CONTINUES,

IT BECOMES HARDER TO BRING IN
NEW AND ACCURATE INFORMATION,

EVEN WHEN TIPSTERS MEAN WELL.

Sepp: AFTER A WHILE,
PEOPLE HAVE HEARD IT ALL.

THEY'VE READ IT, AND THEN
THEIR MEMORIES START BECOMING

WHAT THEY READ
AND WHAT THEY SAW ON TV,

AS OPPOSED TO WHAT
THEIR ACTUAL MEMORY IS.

Narrator: THE CASE GOES COLD
FOR SEVERAL MORE YEARS.

10 YEARS AFTER
PATRICIA VIOLA VANISHES,

A PRIVATE INVESTIGATOR
NAMED GARY MICCO

IS IN HIS HOME OFFICE
IN NEW JERSEY.

I CAME ONTO THIS CASE
BY READING AN ARTICLE ONLINE

ABOUT THE PLIGHT OF THE MISSING
AND THE UNIDENTIFIED

IN OUR COUNTRY,
AND I WAS APPALLED.

I DIDN'T KNOW WHAT I COULD DO.

I THOUGHT
MAYBE I COULD HELP SOMEONE.

I BEGAN BY SEARCHING
MISSING PERSONS IN NEW JERSEY

AND STUMBLED ACROSS
THE PATRICIA VIOLA WEBSITE.

Narrator: MICCO IS TOUCHED
BY HOW MUCH TIME AND EFFORT

HAS BEEN POURED
INTO CREATING THE WEBSITE.

HE CALLS JIM VIOLA
TO VOLUNTEER HIS SERVICES.

Micco:
THE FIRST THING I NEEDED TO DO

WAS JUST
GET AN OVERVIEW OF THE CASE.

I DROVE UP HERE
TO VIEW THE NEIGHBORHOOD,

TO SEE IT, TO FEEL IT,

TO BE HERE 11:30, 11:40 A.M.,

THE SAME TIME
THAT SHE WENT MISSING.

I WANTED TO SEE WHAT SHE SAW.

I WANTED TO WALK
WHERE SHE WALKED.

Narrator:
MICCO TRACKS DOWN THE MAILMAN

WHOSE ROUTE RAN THROUGH PAT'S
NEIGHBORHOOD YEARS BEFORE,

ON THE DAY PAT WENT MISSING.

HE REMEMBERS SEEING HER
WALKING HOME THAT DAY,

AND THEN THE MAILMAN
SAYS SOMETHING STRANGE.

Micco: THE MAILMAN SAYS,

"I CAN'T BELIEVE
THERE'S NOT A CONNECTION

"BETWEEN WHAT HAPPENED IN 1997

"ACROSS THE STREET
FROM THE VIOLA RESIDENCE

AND PATRICIA'S DISAPPEARANCE."

Narrator: INVESTIGATOR MICCO
IS SURPRISED TO LEARN

THAT ANOTHER DARK EVENT OCCURRED
ON CHESTNUT AVENUE.

OCTOBER 23, 1997,
THERE WAS A TRIPLE HOMICIDE

IN A HOUSE ACROSS THE STREET

FROM WHERE JIM VIOLA
AND HIS WIFE, PAT, LIVED.

IT WAS A ROBBERY
THAT TURNED BAD,

AND THE HOME INVASION
TURNED OUT TO BE

THE SCENE OF A TRIPLE HOMICIDE.

Narrator: THE NEIGHBOR
WAS A DIAMOND DEALER,

AND GEMS WERE AT THE HEART
OF THE ROBBERY.

THE MURDERERS
WERE QUICKLY CAUGHT,

THANKS TO A NEIGHBORHOOD TIPSTER

WHO SPOTTED A SUSPICIOUS-LOOKING
MAN WAITING IN A CAR.

THAT GUY TURNED OUT TO BE
THE GETAWAY DRIVER

FOR THE MEN WHO WERE ACTUALLY
INSIDE THE HOUSE

KILLING THE PEOPLE AT THE TIME.

Narrator:
AT FIRST, THE HIDEOUS CRIME

DOESN'T SEEM TO HAVE
ANY CONNECTION

TO PAT'S DISAPPEARANCE.

WELL, YOU HEAR THAT,
BUT THAT'S 1997 --

WAS THE TRIPLE MURDER --
AND THIS IS NOW 2001.

HOW COULD 1997 OVERLAP
INTO 2001?

Narrator:
THEN GARY MICCO STUMBLES ACROSS

A TANTALIZING FACT.

HE LEARNS THAT THE MURDER TRIALS
WERE GOING ON

IN LATE 2000 AND EARLY 2001,

AND DURING THAT TIME, THERE WAS
A NEFARIOUS TURN OF EVENTS.

ONE OF THE MURDERERS, FACED WITH
THE PROSPECT OF A LIFE SENTENCE,

DECIDES TO DO AWAY
WITH SOME WITNESSES.

Sepp:
ONE OF THE INDIVIDUALS --

I GUESS HE SPOKE TO PEOPLE
AT THE JAIL,

AND HE WAS LOOKING TO HIRE
A HIT MAN.

HE THOUGHT
THAT IF PEOPLE WEREN'T AROUND

TO TESTIFY AGAINST HIM, IT WOULD
MAKE HIS CASE A LOT EASIER.

FORTUNATELY FOR US,
SOMEONE IN THE JAIL

TURNED THIS INFORMATION OVER
TO THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT,

AND WE WERE ABLE TO GET
AN UNDERCOVER DETECTIVE

FROM THE BERGEN COUNTY
PROSECUTOR'S OFFICE IN

TO POSE AS A HIT MAN.

Narrator:
THANKS TO THE PLANTED HIT MAN,

THE COUNTY PROSECUTOR
IS ABLE TO FOIL THE PLOT.

STILL, SEVERAL PEOPLE
IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD WONDER

IF, THROUGH SOME CONNECTION
TO THIS CASE,

HARM MAY HAVE COME
TO PAT VIOLA.

COULD THE MURDERERS ON TRIAL
HAVE ASSUMED

PAT VIOLA WAS THE WATCHFUL
NEIGHBOR THAT TURNED THEM IN?

THE BOGOTA POLICE
AREN'T CONVINCED.

PAT VIOLA WAS NEVER
PART OF THAT INVESTIGATION.

SHE WASN'T A WITNESS.
SHE WASN'T SPOKEN TO.

SHE DIDN'T COME FORWARD
WITH ANYTHING.

THE ONLY COINCIDENCE BETWEEN THE
TRIPLE HOMICIDES AND PAT VIOLA

WAS THE FACT
THAT SHE LIVED ON THE BLOCK.

Narrator: STILL,
MANY FIND IT HARD TO BELIEVE

THAT TWO INCREDIBLE EVENTS

ON THE SAME QUIET BLOCK
OF A SMALL TOWN ARE UNRELATED.

PERHAPS THERE WAS MORE

TO THE TRIPPED ALARM
THE MORNING PAT DISAPPEARED

THAN ANYONE REALIZED.

Micco:
BURGLARS DO HIT HOMES TWICE.

THEY DO HIT THE SAME HOMES
TWICE. IT DOES HAPPEN.

AND WITH THE AMOUNT OF PRESS --

AND THERE WAS A LOT OF IT
AT THE TIME, IN 2001 --

ON THE TRIAL,

MAYBE SOME BAD GUYS
WERE READING THE PAPER AGAIN.

MAYBE THEY SAID,
"WELL, YOU KNOW WHAT?

"THEY'RE STILL
LIVING IN THE HOME.

"THEY'RE STILL
INVOLVED IN DIAMONDS.

I THINK
WE NEED TO HIT IT AGAIN."

MAYBE THEY HIT THE WRONG HOUSE.

IT'S A MAJOR STRETCH,
BUT IT'S 10 YEARS LATER.

SHE'S NOT HERE.
YOU NEED TO LOOK INTO IT.

Narrator: TODAY,

JIM VIOLA STILL KEEPS THE
WRAPPED VALENTINE'S DAY GIFTS

HE BOUGHT FOR HIS WIFE
OVER 10 YEARS AGO.

HE'S HOPING
TO GIVE THEM TO HER SOMEDAY.

FOR OVER A DECADE,

JIM HAS TIRELESSLY WORKED
TO FIND HIS WIFE,

AND HIS HARD WORK
HAS NOT GONE UNNOTICED.

IN 2008, NEW JERSEY'S
GOVERNOR CORZINE SIGNED A LAW

MANDATING SPECIFIC
POLICE PROTOCOLS

WHEN A PERSON GOES MISSING.

IT'S CALLED PATRICIA'S LAW,

IN HONOR OF JIM VIOLA'S EFFORTS
TO PUSH THE BILL THROUGH.

IN THE SUMMER OF 2010,
A NATIONAL MISSING-PERSONS GROUP

CALLED JIM
WITH AN OFFER TO HELP.

THEY DO A CROSS-COUNTRY TOUR,

WHERE THEY FEATURE
UP TO 100 MISSING PERSONS.

BUT THIS PARTICULAR YEAR
WAS SPECIAL.

PAT WAS SELECTED TO BE THE MAIN
HONOREE FOR THE ENTIRE TOUR.

Fazio-Markowitz: THE RELEASE
OF THE BALLOONS INTO THE AIR

BROUGHT GOOSE BUMPS
TO EVERYBODY,

BECAUSE NO MATTER WHAT,

YOU JUST DON'T FORGET
PEOPLE YOU LOVE.

Narrator:
THE TRIBUTES ARE COMFORTING,

BUT THEY DON'T MAKE UP FOR
THE SORROW PAT'S FAMILY FEELS

ON DAYS
SHE WOULD HAVE CHERISHED.

I GOT MARRIED
ON NOVEMBER 25, 2009.

I GOT EMOTIONAL AT MY WEDDING

BECAUSE IT WAS HARD FOR ME,
AND I WISH SHE WAS THERE.

Jim: HOLIDAYS THESE DAYS
ARE VERY TOUGH.

WHENEVER THE HOLIDAY TIME
ROLLS AROUND,

YOU KNOW, I TELL MYSELF,
"I CAN'T DO THIS."

BUT EVERY YEAR,
I MANAGE TO DO IT,

AND I PULL IT TOGETHER
FOR THE KIDS,

YOU KNOW, PUT UP THE TREE --

YOU KNOW, THE TREE
WE BOUGHT TOGETHER IN 2000.

THAT'S THE TREE I PUT UP.

Narrator:
FOR FAMILIES OF THE MISSING,

IT'S NOT JUST HOLIDAYS
THAT ARE DIFFICULT.

Washington:
I THINK ABOUT MY MOM EVERY DAY,

ESPECIALLY
WHEN I'M WITH MY KIDS.

Jim: EVERYTHING YOU DO,
IT'S ON YOUR MIND.

YOU DON'T WANT TO DO
ANYTHING ELSE.

YOU KNOW, YOU'RE SITTING
IN FRONT OF THE TV,

YOU'RE WATCHING THE BALL GAME,

AND YOU FEEL LIKE
YOU SHOULDN'T BE DOING THIS.

YOU FEEL GUILTY. YOU SHOULD BE
OUT THERE TRYING TO FIND HER.

Michael: I THINK ABOUT MY MOM
EVERY DAY BEFORE I GO TO BED

AND HER WHEREABOUTS,
HER WELL BEING,

AND JUST HOPING
THAT SHE COMES HOME.