All language subtitles for Disappeared.S04E06.WEBRip.x264-ION10

Narrator:
MANDY STOKES DISAPPEARED

ON SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 25, 2007.

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.

MANDY STOKES'
LAST KNOWN WHEREABOUTS

MAY HOLD THE CLUES
TO WHAT HAPPENED TO HER.

MANDY STOKES -- A PINT-SIZED,
LIVELY GRAD STUDENT,

LEAVES THE APARTMENT
SHE SHARES WITH HER BROTHER

TO RUN SOME ERRANDS.

SHE WAS IN SCHOOL.
SHE HAD MONEY IN THE BANK.

SHE HAD A GREAT BOYFRIEND.

TO ME, SHE HAD A GOOD LIFE,
AND SHE SEEMED HAPPY.

Narrator:
BUT MANDY NEVER RETURNS.

YOU KNOW,
YOU HAVE THIS HORRIBLE FEELING.

"OH, MY GOD.
WHERE'S MY DAUGHTER?"

Narrator: MANDY'S FAMILY
AND FRIENDS RUSH TO CALIFORNIA

TO SEARCH FOR HER AND
ARE SHOCKED AT WHAT THEY FIND.

THE CROWD THAT HE INTRODUCED
MANDY TO WEREN'T NICE PEOPLE.

Cody: MY FIRST THOUGHT IS,
"LET'S FOLLOW THIS GUY

AND BUST IN HIS APARTMENT
AND SEE IF SHE'S THERE."

Narrator: HER LOVED ONES
ARE LEFT TO PONDER

TROUBLING POSSIBILITIES.

Murray: YOU START THINKING
ALL THIS STUFF

THAT COULD HAVE HAPPENED --
AMNESIA, FALLING, KIDNAPPED.

IT'S THE MOST AWFUL THING
NOT TO KNOW WHERE SOMEONE IS.

Narrator: INVESTIGATORS
TAKE ON A HARROWING CASE

THAT THEY KNOW WILL SHAKE
A FAMILY TO ITS CORE.

Joyner: AND WHAT YOU TRY TO DO
WITH THE FAMILY

IS TELL THEM
TO HOPE FOR THE BEST

BUT BE PREPARED FOR THE WORST.

[ CREAKING ]

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

CAPTIONS PAID FOR BY
DISCOVERY COMMUNICATIONS

Narrator:
OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA,

IS A VIBRANT AND SPRAWLING
BAY-AREA CITY

MADE UP OF AFFLUENT SUBURBS
AND GRITTY, TOUGH NEIGHBORHOODS.

IT IS HERE THAT
33-YEAR-OLD MANDY STOKES,

A PETITE AND FEISTY
GRADUATE STUDENT IN PSYCHOLOGY,

WAKES EARLY ON THE SUNDAY
MORNING AFTER THANKSGIVING

AND HEADS OUT
TO DO SOME ERRANDS.

Murray: WHEN SHE MOVED
OUT TO CALIFORNIA,

SHE ATTENDED JFK UNIVERSITY,
WHERE SHE STUDIED PSYCHOLOGY

BECAUSE SHE WANTED TO DELVE
INTO THE MIND

AND WHAT MADE SOMEBODY TICK,
WHAT MADE THEM DO THIS OR THAT.

Narrator:
A SOUTHERN TRANSPLANT,

MANDY MOVED FROM NORTH CAROLINA
TO OAKLAND IN 2005

TO PURSUE HER DREAM
OF BECOMING A THERAPIST.

HER VIBRANT PERSONALITY
MADE THE TRANSITION EASY.

Wiggins:
EVERYONE WANTED TO BE AROUND HER

'CAUSE SHE KNEW
A LITTLE BIT ABOUT EVERYTHING.

AND STUDYING PSYCH,
PEOPLE ALWAYS

WANTED TO GET IN CONVERSATIONS
WITH HER.

PLUS, SHE WAS REALLY OUTGOING.

Narrator: AN EXCELLENT
AND DEDICATED STUDENT,

MANDY FOCUSED
ON THE MOST SEVERE CASES.

SHE WORKED
AT HOSPITALS AND PSYCH WARDS

AND DID EVERYTHING
SHE POSSIBLY COULD

TO REALLY GET INTO THE FIELD.

SHE WOULD GO TO PSYCH WARDS

AND SIT DOWN WITH WHACK JOBS,
YOU KNOW,

AND JUST HANG OUT WITH THEM
AND TALK TO THEM.

FOR HER, IT WAS A CHALLENGE.

Narrator:
MANDY'S PRIMARY CASE STUDY

WAS SOMEONE WHO PLAYED ANOTHER
ROLE IN HER LIFE -- HER FATHER.

WILLIAM STOKES WAS A VIETNAM VET

WHO SUFFERED FROM POST-TRAUMATIC
STRESS DISORDER

BEFORE HE PASSED AWAY.

SHE WAS ALWAYS RESEARCHING
AND DOING HER BEST

TO FIND OUT MORE
ABOUT POST-TRAUMA.

SO, MANDY HAD THIS DRIVING FORCE
TO TRY TO FIND, I GUESS,

SOME SEMBLANCE OF UNDERSTANDING
ABOUT HER FATHER

AND WHAT HE WENT THROUGH,
WHAT HE WAS ABOUT.

Cody: HE HAD A LOT OF SECRETS
AND A LOT OF DEMONS OF HIS OWN,

SO SHE GOT INTO HIS HEAD

A LITTLE MORE
THAN I THINK ANY OF US DID,

AND SHE WAS A LOT LIKE HIM
IN A LOT OF WAYS.

MY DAD WAS VERY INTELLIGENT,
AND SO WAS MANDY.

I MEAN, THEY BOTH CLICKED,
YOU KNOW?

THEY HAD A GOOD RELATIONSHIP.

Narrator:
THE OLDEST DAUGHTER

IN A FAMILY
OF FIVE BOYS AND THREE GIRLS,

MANDY WAS ALSO
VERY CLOSE TO HER MOTHER.

I WAS JUST ABSOLUTELY THRILLED
TO HAVE A LITTLE GIRL.

AND SHE WAS
THE MOST BEAUTIFUL BABY GIRL.

HAD A LOT OF HAIR, AND I COULD
PUT LITTLE BOWS IN HER HAIR,

AND WE'D CALL HER PEBBLES.

JUST ABSOLUTELY ADORABLE.

VERY STUBBORN,
EVER SINCE I CAN REMEMBER.

Narrator: WHEN MANDY ARRIVES
IN OAKLAND IN 2005,

SHE MOVES IN WITH HER CHILDHOOD
FRIEND MELINDA WIGGINS.

Wiggins: WE'RE FAMILY.

WE GREW UP TOGETHER
SINCE WE WERE BABIES.

OUR MOMS WERE BEST FRIENDS,
AND WE WENT TO THE SAME CHURCH.

OUR DADS WORKED
AT THE SAME TRUCKING COMPANY.

WE WERE AT EACH OTHER'S HOUSE
ALL THE TIME GROWING UP,

SO WE WERE FAMILY.

SO, TO ME, IT WAS LIKE,

"OH, MY SISTER'S COMING OUT HERE
TO BE WITH ME."

'CAUSE I HAD JUST MOVED OUT HERE
BY MYSELF.

Narrator: IN OAKLAND,

MANDY QUICKLY SETTLES INTO LIFE
AS A GRAD STUDENT.

Wiggins: I WAS GETTING
MY MASTERS IN ACUPUNCTURE,

AND SHE WAS GETTING
HER PsyD IN PSYCHOLOGY,

AND THEY'RE JUST BOTH
INTENSIVE PROGRAMS,

SO WE'D BE ALL DAY SATURDAY,
ONCE WE STARTED SCHOOL,

EIGHT HOURS IN THE COFFEE SHOP,
STUDYING.

Narrator:
THEN, IN THE SPRING OF 2007,

MANDY'S YOUNGER BROTHER, AARON,
FOLLOWS HER TO CALIFORNIA.

AND, AS THE BIG SISTER,

SHE HELPS HIM ADJUST
TO LIFE IN OAKLAND.

Wiggins:
HE DIDN'T HAVE ANYWHERE TO LIVE,

AND SHE SAID,
"CAN HE SLEEP ON OUR COUCH?"

SHE WANTED TO HELP HIM.

Narrator: MANDY HOPES SHE CAN
BE THERE FOR HER BROTHER,

WHO HAD STRUGGLED IN THE PAST
WITH DRUG ADDICTION.

Wiggins: AND I SAID,

"ARE YOU SURE
HE'S NOT DOING DRUGS ANYMORE?"

AND SHE WAS LIKE,
"YEAH, HE'S NOT DOING DRUGS."

Narrator: AARON CRASHES
ON MANDY AND MELINDA'S COUCH

FOR CLOSE TO THREE MONTHS.

THEN, HE AND MANDY
MOVE INTO THEIR OWN PLACE

IN THE SUMMER OF 2007.

Wiggins: I DIDN'T SEE HER A
WHOLE LOT FOR THOSE FEW MONTHS.

THEN ONE TIME I SAW HER
DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD

AND SAID, "MANDY!"

AND THEN, I THINK,
FINALLY WE TALKED,

AND WE WERE
GONNA TRY TO RECONNECT.

Narrator: AS THE 2007
FALL TERM APPROACHES,

MANDY DECIDES TO TAKE
SOME TIME OFF FROM SCHOOL.

SHE WANTS TO SPEND TIME
WITH A NEW BOYFRIEND, JOHN,

WHO SHE MET
DURING A TRIP TO LAS VEGAS

BUT WHO LIVES IN NEW YORK.

Murray: SHE WAS TAKING TIME OFF
FROM SCHOOL AND WORK.

SHE TOOK A FEW TRIPS
TO VISIT JOHN.

Narrator: IN THE WEEKS
LEADING UP TO THANKSGIVING,

MANDY BECOMES ENCHANTED
WITH NEW YORK CITY.

Murray: SHE CALLED ME ONE TIME,
AND SHE'S LIKE,

"MOM, I SEE
THESE BEAUTIFUL LEATHER BOOTS,

"AND I REALLY SHOULDN'T
SPEND THE MONEY,

SO TELL ME
I SHOULDN'T GET THEM."

AND I'M LIKE, "YOU SHOULDN'T
GET THE BOOTS, MANDY.

GO HOME AND THINK ABOUT IT."

WELL, SHE CALLED ME BACK
A LITTLE WHILE LATER,

AND SHE SAYS,
"I BOUGHT THE BOOTS."

Narrator: MANDY FINDS HERSELF
GROWING CLOSER TO HER BOYFRIEND

AND SOON DECIDES TO MOVE
TO THE EAST COAST.

SHE EVEN NOTIFIES HER LANDLORD
IN OAKLAND THAT SHE'S LEAVING.

LIFE IS GOOD.

Murray:
SO, THERE WAS A PICTURE OF HER

WITH THESE BEAUTIFUL
LEATHER BOOTS,

WALKING ACROSS THE STREET
AND KIND OF TURNED LIKE THIS

AND, YOU KNOW,
JUST ENJOYING HERSELF.

Narrator:
ON WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 20,

MANDY RETURNS TO OAKLAND
FOR THANKSGIVING

AND BEGINS TO PACK UP HER THINGS

IN PREPARATION
FOR HER MOVE BACK EAST.

BUT HER BROTHER AARON

SEEMS TO BE STRUGGLING
WITH HER DECISION TO LEAVE.

THREE DAYS LATER,
ON SATURDAY NIGHT,

MANDY CALLS HER MOTHER
AT HER HOME IN ATLANTA.

Murray: AND SHE SAID, "MOM, I
JUST WANT YOU TO TALK TO AARON.

"JUST TELL HIM YOU LOVE HIM.

"I THINK HE'S HAVING
A LITTLE, YOU KNOW,

BIT OF NEEDING
A MOTHER'S LOVE RIGHT NOW."

SO AARON GOT ON THE PHONE,
AND I SAID A FEW THINGS TO HIM,

AND HE DIDN'T STAY ON VERY LONG.

Narrator: THE NEXT MORNING,
MANDY WAKES EARLY,

AND SHE AND AARON GO TO
AN ATM MACHINE TO GET SOME CASH.

WHEN THEY RETURN, HE AND MANDY
TALK OUTSIDE THE APARTMENT.

THE DISCUSSION TURNS INTO SOME
KIND OF DISPUTE ABOUT MONEY.

Murray: AARON TOLD ME
THAT THEY'D HAD AN ARGUMENT,

SEVERAL ARGUMENTS --

ONE ABOUT MONEY,
ONE ABOUT FAMILY --

AND THAT SHE WAS UPSET WITH HIM.

Narrator: AARON THEN
TAKES HIS MORNING SHOWER.

MANDY KNOCKS ON THE DOOR

AND TELLS HIM SHE'S GOING OUT
TO RUN SOME ERRANDS.

SHE GRABS
HER CELLPHONE, WALLET, AND KEYS,

AND LEAVES THE APARTMENT.

WHERE SHE WAS HEADED
OR WHOM SHE WAS GOING TO MEET

REMAINS A MYSTERY,

BECAUSE THIS WOULD BE

THE LAST TIME MANDY STOKES
IS SEEN BEFORE SHE DISAPPEARS.

COMING UP...

WHEN MANDY'S QUICK TRIP
TO RUN ERRANDS

EXTENDS INTO THE NEXT DAY...

YOU KNOW, YOU HAVE THIS
HORRIBLE, HORRIBLE FEELING.

Narrator:
...A MOTHER'S INTUITION KNOWS

SOMETHING IS TERRIBLY WRONG.

IT'S LIKE, "OH, MY GOD.

OH, MY GOD.
WHERE'S MY DAUGHTER?"

Narrator:
33-YEAR-OLD MANDY STOKES

WAS PREPARING TO LEAVE
HER HOME IN OAKLAND

AND START A NEW LIFE
ON THE EAST COAST.

BUT ON THE SUNDAY MORNING
AFTER THANKSGIVING 2007,

SHE DISAPPEARS

FROM THE APARTMENT SHE SHARES
WITH HER BROTHER AARON.

MANDY'S MOTHER SPOKE TO
HER DAUGHTER ON SATURDAY NIGHT,

BUT ON MONDAY AFTERNOON,
SHE GETS ANOTHER CALL,

FROM HER KIDS' APARTMENT
ON THE WEST COAST.

THIS TIME, IT'S AARON.

Murray: AND HE SAID, "MOM, MANDY
DIDN'T COME HOME LAST NIGHT."

AND I'M LIKE, "OKAY.

WELL, MAYBE SHE STAYED
AT ONE OF HER FRIENDS' HOUSES."

Narrator:
AARON TELLS HER

THAT MANDY TOOK HER CAR
TO RUN ERRANDS.

AT THIS POINT, SOME OF HER
FRIENDS AND FAMILY MEMBERS

BELIEVE THERE'S
A FAIRLY SIMPLE EXPLANATION.

MANDY WOULD SOMETIMES
TAKE SHORT TRIPS.

Cody: I REMEMBER THINKING THAT
IT WAS NOT THAT BIG OF A DEAL.

SHE'D JUST BEEN GONE
FOR A COUPLE DAYS,

SO I THOUGHT MAYBE SHE'D GONE
OFF WITH ONE OF HER FRIENDS

AND, YOU KNOW,
DECIDED TO TAKE A TRIP.

I COULD HAVE SEEN HER DOING THAT
TO CLEAR HER HEAD.

Wiggins: I'M NOT OVERREACTIVE
WHEN IT WOULD COME TO HER.

SO, WHEN THEY SAID
SHE DIDN'T COME HOME,

I SAID, "WELL, SHE'LL COME BACK.

SHE'LL BE BACK TODAY.
NOT A BIG DEAL."

Narrator: BUT MOTHER'S INTUITION
TELLS DEB OTHERWISE.

I WAS A LITTLE CONCERNED,

SO I TRIED CALLING HER
ALL THE NEXT DAY.

COULDN'T GET HER.
LEFT A LOT OF MESSAGES.

Narrator:
AND AFTER A DAY

OF NOT BEING IN TOUCH
WITH HER DAUGHTER,

DEB REACHES OUT TO HER SON.

Murray:
SO, I'M LIKE, "OKAY, AARON.

"IT SOUNDS LIKE TO ME

THAT WE NEED TO FIGURE OUT
WHAT'S GOING ON."

AND I SAID, "I WANT YOU TO CALL

AND, YOU KNOW,
REPORT HER MISSING."

Narrator:
BY THE NEXT MORNING,

MANDY STILL
HAS NOT RETURNED ANY CALLS

OR COME BACK TO THE APARTMENT,

NOR HAS ANY MISSING-PERSONS
REPORT BEEN FILED.

Murray: I TALKED TO AARON,
AND AARON'S LIKE,

"WELL, I THINK
I CALLED THE WRONG PERSON,

AND THEN THEY TOLD ME
I HAD TO WAIT 24 HOURS."

I'M LIKE, "AARON, OKAY."

SO FROM THERE ON,
I KEPT CALLING THE POLICE.

I KNEW BY TUESDAY
SOMETHING WAS TERRIBLY WRONG.

THE MOTHER CALLED IN
FROM OUT OF STATE

AND REPORTED HER
AS A MISSING PERSON.

Narrator:
WITH THE REPORT FILED,

THE OAKLAND MISSING-PERSONS UNIT
DISPATCHES AN OFFICER

TO THE APARTMENT
AARON SHARES WITH MANDY.

Murray: SO, THEY WENT OVER
TO THE APARTMENT,

AND AARON WOULDN'T LET THEM IN.

Narrator: DEB IS UPSET,

BUT SHE KNOWS
THAT HER SON HAS A DRUG HISTORY

AND THAT HE IS LIKELY AFRAID

TO LET POLICE
GO THROUGH HIS THINGS.

Murray:
I THINK PART OF THAT WAS BECAUSE

HE PROBABLY, MAYBE,
HAD DRUGS IN THERE.

I DON'T KNOW WHAT HIS DEAL WAS.

ALL I KNOW IS THAT I WAS

DESPERATELY
TRYING TO FIND MANDY.

Narrator:
DEB IS ACROSS THE COUNTRY,

BUT WITH PANIC SETTING IN,

SHE BEGINS HER OWN QUEST
TO FIND HER OLDEST DAUGHTER.

Murray: IT WAS NOT LIKE HER, YOU
KNOW, NOT TO ANSWER MY CALLS.

I MEAN,
THERE WERE SO MANY CALLS.

Narrator:
KNOWING MANDY TOOK HER CAR
ON THE MORNING SHE WENT MISSING,

DEB TRIES TO FIND
MANDY'S LICENSE-PLATE NUMBER.

Murray: I WAS, LIKE, TRYING TO
MAINTAIN MY COMPOSURE, BUT YET,

I JUST FELT LIKE IT WAS
SO IMPORTANT TO FIND HER CAR.

BECAUSE I FIGURED
IF WE COULD FIND HER CAR,

THAT WE COULD FIND HER.

Narrator:
AFTER PLEADING HER CASE

TO MANDY'S INSURANCE COMPANY,
IN NORTH CAROLINA,

DEB OBTAINS THE INFORMATION

AND CALLS THE OAKLAND
MISSING-PERSONS UNIT.

Murray: ALL THIS STUFF
KEPT GOING THROUGH MY HEAD.

WELL, DID HER CAR GET STALLED?
DID SHE DRIVE SOMEWHERE?

YOU KNOW, I JUST DIDN'T KNOW.

Narrator:
DEB'S EFFORTS PAY OFF.

A SEARCH OF THE OAKLAND
POLICE DEPARTMENT DATABASE

FINDS A MATCH

BETWEEN MANDY'S CAR AND
A VEHICLE THAT HAD BEEN TOWED.

Williams:
IT WAS TOWED ABOUT THREE HOURS

BEFORE THE MOTHER
REPORTED HER MISSING.

AND SO THEY KNEW
WHERE THE CAR WAS

WHEN THEY STARTED DOING
THE INVESTIGATION.

Narrator: POLICE LOCATE
MANDY'S CAR IN THE IMPOUND LOT.

WHEN THEY ARRIVE,

THEY APPROACH THE CAR
AS A POSSIBLE CRIME SCENE.

Williams:
WELL, GIVEN THE CIRCUMSTANCES

OF A PERSON BEING MISSING,
YOU KNOW,

YOUR WORST NIGHTMARE
IN THAT KIND OF SITUATION

IS FINDING A DEAD BODY
IN THE TRUNK.

Narrator: INVESTIGATORS OPEN
THE TRUNK AND DO NOT FIND MANDY.

BUT THEY DO FIND
HER CELLPHONE, WALLET, AND KEYS

INSIDE THE GLOVE BOX.

Williams: MOST TIMES, IF YOU'RE
GOING MISSING VOLUNTARILY,

YOU'LL TAKE THOSE THINGS
WITH YOU.

Narrator:
THE POLICE CALL MANDY'S MOTHER

TO DELIVER THE UNSETTLING NEWS
THAT THEY HAVE FOUND

SOME OF MANDY'S PERSONAL EFFECTS
IN THE CAR,

BUT THAT THERE IS
NO SIGN OF MANDY.

Murray:
YOU KNOW, YOU HAVE

THIS HORRIBLE, HORRIBLE FEELING
INSIDE THAT --

IT'S LIKE, "OH, MY GOD.

OH, MY GOD.
WHERE'S MY DAUGHTER?"

Narrator: STILL, MANDY'S
FAMILY MEMBERS ARE KEENLY AWARE

THAT LIKE HER FATHER,

MANDY GRAPPLES
WITH HER OWN SECRETS AND DEMONS.

Cody: I DON'T KNOW OF ANY
SUICIDE ATTEMPTS IN THE PAST,

BUT I KNOW SHE DEFINITELY
SUFFERED FROM SOME DEPRESSION

FROM TIME TO TIME.

Narrator:
ALTHOUGH THINGS HAD BEEN GOING
BETTER FOR MANDY RECENTLY,

SHE HAD BEEN THROUGH
A ROUGH PATCH NOT LONG AGO.

TO SUPPORT HERSELF
WHILE IN GRAD SCHOOL,

MANDY HAD TAKEN A JOB

AS A COCKTAIL WAITRESS
AT A LOCAL LOUNGE.

THE LATE NIGHTS AS A SERVER
OFTEN ENDED WITH PARTIES.

ACCORDING TO FRIENDS
AND CO-WORKERS,

MANDY BEGAN DRINKING
MORE AND MORE AFTER WORK,

OFTEN TO EXCESS.

Wiggins: WE'D JUST
GET IN FIGHTS ABOUT IT,

AND SHE WAS JUST GOING DOWNHILL.

ONE NIGHT, SHE RETURNS HOME

AND REVEALS A TERRIBLE SECRET
TO HER ROOMMATE.

MANDY TELLS HER SHE HAD BEEN
SEXUALLY ASSAULTED AFTER WORK.

BUT SHE NEVER REPORTS IT
TO THE POLICE.

Wiggins: SHE WOULD CRY
ALL THAT TIME, YOU KNOW,

AND I'D TRY TO HELP HER, AND
SHE WOULD ALWAYS JUST TELL ME

SHE WANTED ME
TO TAKE CARE OF HER.

AND I DID IT FOR A WHILE.

Narrator: AT THE TIME
OF HER DISAPPEARANCE,

MANDY WAS ALSO STILL MOURNING
THE DEATH OF HER FATHER,

TWO YEARS EARLIER.

SHE HAD TROUBLE
DEALING WITH HER DAD'S DEATH.

IT WAS BEFORE CHRISTMAS,

SO THAT TIME OF YEAR
BECAME VERY DIFFICULT FOR MANDY.

Wiggins: SOMETIMES WHEN PEOPLE
ARE DEALING WITH THOSE THINGS,

THEY DON'T SEE THE GOOD THINGS,
YOU KNOW?

SHE WAS GORGEOUS, INTELLIGENT,
NICE, COOL BOYFRIEND,

BUT THAT DOESN'T DO ANYTHING FOR
SOMEONE WHO'S HURTING INSIDE.

Narrator: NOW HER FAMILY
IS LEFT TO WONDER --

COULD MANDY HAVE TAKEN
HER OWN LIFE?

I DEFINITELY DIDN'T
RULE THAT OUT AS A POSSIBILITY.

Narrator: THE LOCATION
WHERE MANDY'S CAR WAS TOWED FROM

ADDS TO THEIR CONCERN --

A MERGE LANE
ON A WELL-TRAVELED THOROUGHFARE.

Williams:
IT WAS IN A HAZARDOUS SITUATION.

THERE WAS SUFFICIENT AREA THERE

TO PARK THE CAR OFF THE SIDE OF
THE ROAD, BUT THAT WASN'T DONE.

WHAT IS MOST STRIKING

WAS THAT THE CAR WAS PARKED
NEXT TO A STEEP EMBANKMENT

AND NEAR A SMALL BRIDGE
THAT SPANS A DEEP RAVINE.

Williams: AND SO YOU WONDER
WHAT THE MENTAL STATE

OF THE PERSON THAT DOES THAT IS.

Joyner: THE PARTICULAR AREA
WHERE MISS STOKES' CAR WAS FOUND

WAS REALLY CLOSE TO
A VERY DANGEROUS, DEEP RAVINE.

CLEARLY,
NO ONE GETS OUT THEIR CAR

AND SCALES DOWN
THE SIDE OF THE RAVINE THERE,

WHICH CAUSED CAUTION AND ALARM

FOR US TO START LOOKING
AT THAT PARTICULAR AREA.

Narrator:
AN INITIAL SEARCH OF THE RAVINE

REVEALS NO INDICATION
THAT MANDY JUMPED.

WE WERE ABLE TO PRETTY MUCH
RULE OUT SUICIDE.

IT'S KIND OF HARD
FOR YOU TO KILL YOURSELF

AND THEN
DISPOSE OF YOUR OWN BODY.

BUT ONCE AGAIN, WE KEEP AN OPEN
MIND IN REGARDS TO ANY AVENUE

THAT COULD HAVE HAPPENED
TO MISS STOKES.

Narrator: HOWEVER,
POLICE ALSO TELL MANDY'S FAMILY

THAT SHE MAY BE
THE VICTIM OF FOUL PLAY.

Joyner:
THE STOKES FAMILY --

THEY WANT TO RESERVE
JUST THE HOPE

AND HOLD ONTO SOMETHING
THAT SHE'S STILL ALIVE.

AND WHAT YOU TRY TO DO
WITH THE FAMILY

IS GIVE THEM
THE BEST-CASE SCENARIO

BUT ALSO TELL THEM
THE WORST-CASE SCENARIO.

Murray:
IT'S LIKE YOU CAN'T EVEN THINK.

ALL YOU WANT TO DO
IS GET OUT THERE,

AND YOU WANT TO START LOOKING.

Narrator: COMING UP...

MANDY'S FAMILY
MEETS A SUSPICIOUS CHARACTER

NEAR WHERE
MANDY'S CAR WAS FOUND.

Cody:
MY FIRST THOUGHT IS, YOU KNOW,

"LET'S FOLLOW THIS GUY
AND BUST IN HIS APARTMENT

AND, YOU KNOW,
SEE IF SHE'S THERE."

Narrator: 33-YEAR-OLD
GRADUATE STUDENT MANDY STOKES

HAS NOT BEEN SEEN OR HEARD FROM
IN ALMOST A WEEK.

AFTER FINDING HER CAR
IN AN IMPOUND LOT

AND HER PERSONAL ITEMS
IN THE GLOVE BOX,

OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA,
POLICE BELIEVE

SHE MAY HAVE BEEN
A VICTIM OF FOUL PLAY.

MANDY'S MOTHER, DEB,
AND BROTHER CODY HASTILY PACK

AND TRY TO ARRANGE A FLIGHT
FROM ATLANTA OUT WEST.

Cody: THE MORE DETAILS THAT
I GOT, THE MORE WORRIED I GOT,

AND AFTER ABOUT A WEEK,
I SAID, "I NEED TO GO."

Murray:
YOU KNOW, AT THAT POINT,

THERE'S NO WAY I COULD AFFORD
TO GET A PLANE TICKET,

SO SOME
OF MY HIGH-SCHOOL FRIENDS

TOOK CARE OF THAT
AND GOT ME OUT THERE.

HER BROTHER CODY CALLED ME.
HE'S LIKE, "I'M COMING OUT."

I SAID,
"YOU DON'T NEED TO COME OUT."

THANK GOD HE DID.

Narrator:
WHEN THEY ARRIVE IN OAKLAND,

MANDY'S LOVED ONES
HIT THE GROUND RUNNING.

IT HAS NOW BEEN MORE THAN A WEEK
SINCE MANDY DISAPPEARED,

AND HER FAMILY BELIEVES
IT IS URGENT

TO GET TO THE LOCATION
WHERE MANDY'S CAR WAS FOUND.

THE FAMILY WAS VERY CONCERNED
ABOUT HER WELL-BEING.

THEY WERE TRYING TO DO
EVERYTHING POSSIBLE.

THEY ALL FLEW
FROM THE EAST COAST TO OAKLAND

TO ASSIST IN THE SEARCH
FOR THEIR SISTER AND DAUGHTER.

Murray: ONCE WE FOUND OUT
WHERE THE CAR WAS,

WE THOUGHT, "OKAY, WE'VE
GOT TO HAVE WATER FOR MANDY.

WE'VE GOT TO HAVE A BLANKET."

AND WE JUST KNEW
WE WERE GONNA FIND HER.

WE WERE JUST LIKE, "OH, MY GOD.
WE'RE GONNA FIND HER."

AND WE WERE JUST SO EXHILARATED.

Wiggins: IT'S JUST A WHIRLWIND.
IT'S PRETTY CRAZY.

WE END UP
TROMPLING AROUND THESE HILLS

WHERE HER CAR WAS ABANDONED.

AND I DON'T KNOW
WHAT WE THOUGHT WE'D FIND.

IT'S THE MOST AWFUL THING
NOT TO KNOW WHERE SOMEONE IS.

Murray:
WE CANVASSED THE WHOLE RAVINE.

I MEAN, IT WAS SO STEEP.

AND WE KEPT CALLING FOR MANDY.

"MANDY! MANDY! ARE YOU HERE?"
YOU KNOW, "ARE YOU HURT?"

I MEAN,
IT WAS A TREMENDOUS DROP.

I MEAN,
IT WAS JUST AMAZING HOW STEEP.

AND SO WE CROSSED THE WHOLE AREA
UP TO THE OTHER SIDE,

GOING EVERYWHERE

AND JUST TALKING TO PEOPLE
AND LEAVING FLYERS.

Narrator:
DESPITE HOURS OF LOOKING,

THE FAMILY COMES UP EMPTY,

UNTIL AN INTERESTING DEVELOPMENT
FINALLY NARROWS THE SEARCH.

THAT'S WHEN WE MET THE GUY
THAT HAD THE JOURNAL.

Narrator:
A LOCAL RESIDENT

WHO OFTEN WALKS THE PATHS
ALONG THE RAVINE

NOTICES A FLYER ABOUT MANDY
AND APPROACHES THE FAMILY.

Murray: WE WERE THINKING ABOUT
WHAT TO DO NEXT, WHERE TO GO,

AND THIS GUY HAD WALKED BY,
AND THEN HE KIND OF CAME BACK.

AND WE STARTED TALKING,
AND HE ASKED ABOUT THE FLYER.

Narrator:
MANDY'S FAMILY TELLS HIM

THAT HER CAR WAS FOUND
PARKED NEXT TO THE RAVINE,

BUT THAT SHE IS STILL MISSING.

Murray:
THEN HE PROCEEDED TO TELL US

THAT HE LIKES
TO WRITE THINGS DOWN

THAT ARE GOING ON
IN THE COMMUNITY

OR WHENEVER HE'S WALKING.

Narrator:
THE MAN APPARENTLY

HAS AN UNUSUAL REASON
FOR WRITING THINGS DOWN.

HE EXPLAINS THAT HE HAS
SHORT-TERM MEMORY LOSS

AND SO RELIES ON HIS
RECORDED NOTES TO RECALL THINGS.

HE SAYS HE NOTICED MANDY'S CAR
PARKED IN A BIZARRE MANNER

AND JOTTED IT DOWN.

Murray: HE WROTE EVERYTHING DOWN
IN HIS JOURNAL,

AND HE BROUGHT HIS JOURNAL OUT

AND DESCRIBED THE CAR
IN DETAIL --

WHERE IT WAS PARKED.

Narrator:
AT FIRST, MANDY'S FAMILY

IS SOMEWHAT SUSPICIOUS
OF THE MAN.

Murray: I'LL ADMIT, A LOT
OF THINGS GO THROUGH YOUR MIND.

I MEAN, I'M THINKING,

"OKAY, WHY DID THIS GUY
HAVE ALL THIS DETAIL?

WHY DID HE DO THIS?"
YOU KNOW?

AND I'M THINKING,
"COULD HE BE INVOLVED?"

Cody: OF COURSE,
MY FIRST THOUGHT IS, YOU KNOW,

"LET'S FOLLOW THIS GUY
AND BUST IN HIS APARTMENT

"AND, YOU KNOW,
SEE IF SHE'S THERE --

YOU KNOW,
IF HE'S JUST MESSING WITH US."

Narrator:
BUT THEY SOON RECOGNIZE

THAT HE IS ACTUALLY
A HELPFUL WITNESS

WHOSE OBSERVATIONS SHED AN
IMPORTANT LIGHT ON THE TIMELINE.

Murray: SO, HE'S TOLD ME
THAT HE SAW THE CAR

AT 3:00 P.M.
ON SUNDAY, THE 25th.

Narrator:
NOW INVESTIGATORS CAN SURMISE

THAT WHATEVER HAPPENED TO MANDY
PROBABLY OCCURRED

BETWEEN 10:30 A.M. AND 3:00 P.M.
ON SUNDAY THE 25th,

WHEN HER CAR
WAS OBSERVED TO BE ABANDONED.

Cody: LITTLE THINGS LIKE THAT
GAVE US HOPE.

OKAY, SO MAYBE
SHE ACTUALLY WAS HERE.

EVERY TIME
WE THOUGHT WE HAD SOMETHING,

IT DEFINITELY GAVE US HOPE.

Narrator: MANDY'S FAMILY THEN
ASKS AARON TO TAKE THEM BACK

TO THE APARTMENT
THE TWO SIBLINGS SHARE

TO SEE IF SOMETHING THERE
MIGHT TRIGGER NEW INFORMATION.

Murray:
THE APARTMENT WAS IN DISARRAY.

MANDY USUALLY KEPT A REALLY
NICE, CLEAN, STRAIGHT APARTMENT,

AND IT WAS NOT THAT WAY.

Cody:
WE'RE SEARCHING FOR CLUES,

AND, YOU KNOW,
WE WENT DOWN IN THE BASEMENT.

WE WENT DOWN
IN HER STORAGE UNIT.

WE LOOKED DOWN
IN THE INCINERATOR.

I MEAN, EVERY POSSIBLE PLACE.

YOU KNOW,
IT WAS AN OLDER BUILDING,

SO THERE WERE
ALL KINDS OF NOOKS AND CRANNIES.

DOWNSTAIRS IN THE BASEMENT
JUST, YOU KNOW, KIND OF,

YOU KNOW,
MAYBE SHE COULD BE IN THERE.

I DON'T KNOW.
AND YOU OPEN IT, AND NOTHING.

I REMEMBER THAT BEING SCARY.

Narrator: BUT THE SEARCH
OF MANDY'S APARTMENT

YIELDS NOTHING
AND LEAVES THE FAMILY MYSTIFIED.

Murray: AND THE THINGS
THAT GO THROUGH YOUR HEAD --

YOU START THINKING
ALL THIS STUFF

THAT COULD HAVE HAPPENED --

AMNESIA, FALLING, KIDNAPPED.

Narrator: COMING UP...

WITH NO OTHER LEADS,

THE INVESTIGATORS
FOCUS THEIR ATTENTION

ON THE LAST KNOWN PERSON
TO SEE MANDY

ON SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 25th,
AT 10:30 IN THE MORNING --

HER BROTHER, AARON.

Joyner:
THERE WAS A VERBAL ALTERCATION

THAT TOOK PLACE
PRIOR TO HER DISAPPEARANCE.

THE IRONIC THING IS THAT
RIGHT AFTER THE ARGUMENT,

NO ONE HAS SEEN
MISS STOKES ALIVE.

Narrator: GET MORE
"DISAPPEARED" ONLINE AT..

Narrator: MANDY STOKES
HAS BEEN MISSING FOR TWO WEEKS,

AND POLICE HAVE
NO SOLID EVIDENCE IN THE CASE.

BUT THEY HAVE THE LINGERING
FEELING THAT HER BROTHER AARON

KNOWS MORE
THAN HE HAS BEEN WILLING TO SAY.

Joyner:
IN TERMS OF COOPERATION,

ON A SCALE OF ONE TO 10,
HE WAS AT ZERO.

Narrator:
TWO DAYS AFTER MANDY DISAPPEARED

AND A REPORT WAS FILED,

AN OFFICER FROM
THE OAKLAND MISSING-PERSON UNIT

SHOWED UP TO TAKE
A LOOK INSIDE THE APARTMENT.

BUT AARON DIDN'T LET HIM IN.

Williams: YOU WOULD THINK,
GIVEN THE SITUATION,

HE'D BE TRYING TO DO
EVERYTHING POSSIBLE, YOU KNOW?

"IF I GOT DRUGS
OR WHATEVER ELSE, YOU KNOW,

I'LL TAKE THE HIT
IF THEY CAN FIND MY SISTER."

BUT HE DIDN'T DO THAT.

Narrator:
MANDY'S MOTHER WAS DISMAYED

THAT AARON WAS LETTING HIS FEAR
OF BEING CAUGHT WITH DRUGS

GET IN THE WAY
OF THE INVESTIGATION.

SHE WAS ALSO
DESPERATE TO FIGURE OUT

WHAT COULD HAVE HAPPENED
TO HER DAUGHTER

AND TOLD INVESTIGATORS
EVERYTHING SHE KNEW AT THE TIME,

INCLUDING WHAT SHE'D HEARD

ABOUT THE HEATED DISCUSSION
BETWEEN HER TWO CHILDREN.

AND I TOLD THEM THERE WAS
AN ARGUMENT WITH HER BROTHER

AND THAT HE SAID
SHE LEFT TO RUN ERRANDS.

Narrator:
UNABLE TO SEARCH THE APARTMENT,

POLICE HAD CANVASSED
MANDY'S BUILDING,

LOOKING FOR WITNESSES
TO THE SIBLINGS' DISPUTE.

IT DIDN'T TAKE LONG

FOR A MORE COMPLETE PICTURE
OF THEIR CONFRONTATION

TO COME INTO VIEW.

Williams: SUNDAY MORNING,
NEIGHBORS HEARD AND WITNESSED

THE ARGUMENT
STARTING ABOUT 8:00 A.M.

AND CONTINUED ON
TILL ABOUT 10:00 A.M.

ACCORDING TO NEIGHBORS,
ARGUMENT'S ABOUT MONEY ISSUES --

BASICALLY, THAT SHE FELT

THAT SHE WAS
HELPING TAKE CARE OF HIM.

SHE ALSO INDICATED
THAT HE WAS TAKING HER MONEY.

Narrator:
AS THE YELLING ESCALATED,

ONE NEIGHBOR REPORTED
THAT MANDY, AT ONLY 5'4,

LOOKED LIKE SHE WAS
BEING CORNERED BY HER BROTHER

AND THEN MADE A MAD DASH
FOR HER APARTMENT DOOR.

Williams:
ONE NEIGHBOR DESCRIBED IT AS,

SHE KIND OF
DID A FOOTBALL MANEUVER.

SHE KIND OF FAKED
AND GOT AROUND HIM,

AND HE WAS PRETTY CLOSE
ON HER TAIL, APPARENTLY,

WHEN THEY GOT INTO
THE APARTMENT.

THEN ALL OF A SUDDEN,
THE DOOR SLAMMED,

AND NOTHING WAS HEARD
FROM ANYBODY THEREAFTER.

Narrator:
INVESTIGATORS ARE TROUBLED

BY WITNESSES' DESCRIPTIONS

OF THE CONFRONTATION
BETWEEN AARON AND MANDY.

IT DOESN'T SQUARE
WITH AARON'S VERSION

OF WHAT HE CALLED AN ARGUMENT.

I ASKED HIM SPECIFICALLY, YOU
KNOW, "DO YOU KNOW ANYTHING?

"DO YOU KNOW WHAT HAPPENED?

"YOU KNOW, WHAT WAS GOING ON
BEFORE WE GOT HERE?

WHAT WAS GOING ON
BEFORE SHE DISAPPEARED?"

AND HIS STORY, YOU KNOW,
STAYED PRETTY CONSISTENT.

THEY HAD
GOTTEN INTO AN ARGUMENT.

HE GOT IN THE SHOWER.

SHE SAID THAT SHE WAS LEAVING,
THAT SHE'D BE RIGHT BACK.

AND SHE LEFT
AND NEVER CAME BACK.

Joyner: THE IRONIC THING IS THAT
RIGHT AFTER THE ARGUMENT,

NO ONE HAS SEEN
MISS STOKES ALIVE.

SHE'S THE INDIVIDUAL

THAT ENGAGED
WITH PEOPLE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD,

OFTENTIMES SPEAKING WITH THEM

WHEN SHE LEFT
OR WHEN SHE CAME HOME.

THESE SAME INDIVIDUALS,
WHO ARE VERY DILIGENT AND AWARE

OF WHAT'S GOING ON
IN THEIR APARTMENT COMPLEX,

NEVER SAW HER AGAIN.

Narrator:
BUT THERE IS EVIDENCE

OF HER SPEAKING TO SOMEONE
AFTER HER DISPUTE WITH AARON.

Williams:
WELL, THE BOYFRIEND THOUGHT

HIS LAST CONVERSATION WITH HER
GOT CUT OFF.

SHE WAS IN A VEHICLE
AT THAT TIME.

Narrator: WHEN POLICE INTERVIEW
MANDY'S BOYFRIEND, JOHN,

HE TELLS THEM
THAT MANDY ACTUALLY CALLED HIM

FROM HER CELLPHONE
AT 10:45 A.M. SUNDAY MORNING

AND TOLD HIM
SHE WAS UPSET WITH AARON.

Murray: JOHN TOLD ME
THAT SHE DID TELL HIM

ABOUT THE ARGUMENT ON THE PHONE.

SO I DO KNOW THAT SHE TALKED
TO JOHN AFTER THE ARGUMENT.

AND HE TOLD ME
SHE WAS IN THE CAR.

Narrator: BUT IN THE MIDDLE
OF THE CONVERSATION,

THE CALL IS DROPPED.

HE MADE NUMEROUS ATTEMPTS
TO RE-CONTACT HER,

BUT THAT DIDN'T PAN OUT.

Narrator: MANDY'S CONVERSATION
WITH HER BOYFRIEND INDICATES

THAT IT COULD HAVE BEEN JOHN
AND NOT AARON

WHO LAST HAD CONTACT WITH MANDY.

THEN, ACCORDING TO
CELLPHONE RECORDS,

MANDY'S PHONE IS EITHER TURNED
OFF OR GOES DEAD AT 11:20 A.M.

Murray: IT SOUNDS LIKE, TO ME,
THAT IN THE SEQUENCE OF EVENTS

THAT SHE WAS AWAY FROM THE
APARTMENT, AT LEAST IN HER CAR,

AFTER THE ARGUMENT WITH AARON.

SO THAT MAKES ME THINK THAT
SOMETHING ELSE HAPPENED TO HER.

Narrator:
NOW WORKING TO ESTABLISH
A MORE THOROUGH TIMELINE,

POLICE DIG DEEPER
INTO MANDY'S AFFAIRS

AND PULL UP HER BANK RECORDS.

Joyner:
NORMALLY, THERE'S NO ACTIVITY.

THE MOMENT A PERSON
GOES IN DISAPPEARANCE MODE,

ACTIVITY STOPS --

NO DEPOSITS, NO WITHDRAWALS,
NO ACTIVITY WHATSOEVER.

Narrator: RIGHT AWAY,
POLICE DISCOVER A HOPEFUL SIGN.

Joyner: THIS CASE
WAS A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT.

THERE WAS STILL ACTIVITY
ON HER BANK ACCOUNT.

Narrator: POLICE LEARN
THAT PURCHASES AND WITHDRAWALS

ARE RECORDED
ON THE DAY MANDY WENT MISSING.

IN FACT, ONE PURCHASE IS MADE
AT 11:28 A.M.,

THREE BLOCKS FROM HER APARTMENT,

AND ANOTHER AT 11:51 A.M.,

JUST FIVE BLOCKS FROM
WHERE THE CAR WAS ABANDONED.

EVEN MORE ENCOURAGING --

THERE WAS BANK ACTIVITY
THE DAY AFTER MANDY DISAPPEARED.

Murray:
I WAS FEELING HOPEFUL

THERE'S GOT TO BE
SOME POSSIBILITY SHE'S ALIVE.

Narrator: BUT WHEN DETECTIVES
VIEW SURVEILLANCE IMAGES

FROM ONE OF THE ATM MACHINES,

THEY'RE SURPRISED TO FIND

THEY'RE SURPRISED TO FIND
THAT IT'S NOT MANDY
WITHDRAWING THE CASH.

THAT IT'S NOT MANDY
WITHDRAWING THE CASH.

WHEN WE LOOKED INTO IT
AND DRILLED DOWN ON IT FURTHER,

THE ACTIVITY
WAS ALL BY MR. STOKES.

Narrator: MANDY'S BROTHER AARON
IS SHOWN IN SURVEILLANCE PHOTOS,

WITHDRAWING CASH
WITH MANDY'S ATM CARD.

Murray:
WE TALKED TO THE POLICE.

THEY BROUGHT US IN

TO SHOW PICTURES OF AARON
AT THE ATM THAT MORNING.

Narrator:
THIS TELLS POLICE NOTHING

ABOUT MANDY'S WHEREABOUTS,

ONLY THAT AARON
WAS TAKING HER MONEY.

Murray: HE WAS USING
HER DEBIT CARD TO GET CASH OUT,

AND I KNOW THAT SHE
HAD MENTIONED SOMETIMES

THAT SHE WOULD LET HIM DO THAT,

BUT HE TOOK MOST
OF WHAT WAS OUT OF HER ACCOUNT.

Narrator:
MANDY'S ACCOUNT ALSO REVEALS

THAT AARON
HAS BEEN USING HER CHECKBOOK

TO FORGE CHECKS TO HIMSELF.

Williams: THERE WERE NUMEROUS
CHECKS WRITTEN TO AARON STOKES,

AND THEN WHEN YOU COMPARED
THE SIGNATURES

ON THE ONES TO HER
UTILITY BILLS, THINGS LIKE THAT,

THEY WERE TOTALLY DIFFERENT.

AND THESE
WERE FOR THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS.

THE NEWS FURTHER STRAINS
AARON'S CREDIBILITY

WITH THE POLICE AND HIS FAMILY.

Cody: HE HAD WRITTEN A SERIES
OF CHECKS FOR A LOT OF MONEY --

AROUND $6,000, $7,000, I THINK.

I THINK THAT DEFINITELY ADDED
TO, YOU KNOW, THE SUSPICION.

BUT KNOWING
THE SITUATION AARON'S IN

AND WITH THE DRUGS
THAT HE'S DOING,

HE PROBABLY WOULD STEAL
FROM ANYBODY, YOU KNOW?

Williams: USING HEROIN,

YOU'LL DO ALMOST ANYTHING
TO GET MORE OF THAT DRUG --

DO THINGS THAT THEY NORMALLY
PROBABLY WOULD NOT DO

BECAUSE OF THE DRUG HABITS.

Narrator: AARON MAINTAINS
HIS INNOCENCE TO THE POLICE

BUT ALSO
CONTINUES TO DENY THEM ACCESS

TO THE APARTMENT HE SHARES
WITH HIS SISTER.

MANDY'S FAMILY IS EXASPERATED.

IN ADDITION,

SINCE MANDY RECENTLY GAVE NOTICE
THAT SHE WAS LEAVING,

AND BECAUSE HER LEASE WAS UP,

THE LANDLORD HAS PROMISED
THE APARTMENT TO NEW TENANTS.

Murray:
IN THE MIDST OF ALL THIS,

WE PACKED UP MANDY'S APARTMENT
AS BEST I COULD.

Cody:
WE PACKED UP IN A FEW DAYS --

PACKED EVERYTHING UP
AND GOT EVERYTHING OUT.

Wiggins:
AND THAT'S JUST AWFUL,

AND TRYING TO FISH THROUGH
WHAT'S IMPORTANT TO PEOPLE,

BUT WHAT IF SHE COMES BACK?

IT WAS JUST AWFUL.

Narrator: DISCOURAGED,

MANDY'S FRIENDS AND FAMILY
RETURN TO THEIR OWN LIVES.

Murray:
WHEN I LEFT, I WAS IN A DAZE.

AND THEN A FEW DAYS LATER,
THE POLICE CALLED

AND THEN SAID
THAT THIS IS A HOMICIDE CASE.

Narrator: COMING UP...

DETECTIVES FEEL
THE CIRCUMSTANTIAL EVIDENCE

IS MOUNTING UP AGAINST AARON.

Joyner:
NOT ONLY HAS SHE DISAPPEARED,

BUT WE BELIEVE
FOUL PLAY WAS INVOLVED

AND THAT SHE WAS DECEASED
AT THE HANDS OF MR. STOKES.

Narrator: AFTER THREE WEEKS OF
INVESTIGATING THE DISAPPEARANCE

OF PSYCHOLOGY GRADUATE STUDENT
MANDY STOKES,

DETECTIVES TRANSFER THE CASE TO
THE OAKLAND HOMICIDE DIVISION.

Joyner: NORMALLY
IN MISSING-PERSON CASES,

IN MY EXPERIENCE, WHEN
FAMILY MEMBERS ARE NOT INVOLVED,

THEY USUALLY
DO EVERYTHING POSSIBLE

TO BEAT DOWN THE DOOR
TO THE POLICE DEPARTMENT

AND MAKE SURE
THAT NO STONE GOES UNTURNED.

MR. STOKES
WAS JUST THE OPPOSITE.

Narrator: DETECTIVES' PRIMARY
PERSON OF INTEREST

IS MANDY'S BROTHER AARON.

Williams: SO, YOU ALWAYS
KEEP AN OPEN MIND,

AND THEN IN THIS CASE, AARON,
OF COURSE, WITH HIS PROPENSITIES

TO TAKE THE MONEY AND THE DRUGS
AND THOSE THINGS,

OF COURSE, MAKES HIM
THE TOP OF THE BOARD.

Narrator:
HOMICIDE DETECTIVES

ARE USED TO LOOKING AT PEOPLE
CLOSE TO THE VICTIM,

BUT VIOLENCE BETWEEN SIBLINGS IS
OFTEN DIFFICULT TO COMPREHEND.

Joyner: ANY TIME YOU HAVE
A FAMILY MEMBER INVOLVED

IN POSSIBLY KILLING
ANOTHER FAMILY MEMBER,

THERE'S ALWAYS
THAT ONE BIT OF DOUBT

THAT, NO WAY COULD A BROTHER
KILL HIS SISTER.

Narrator:
ON WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 12th,

POLICE BRING AARON DOWNTOWN
FOR QUESTIONING.

Joyner: MR. STOKES
WAS BASICALLY CAVALIER.

HE DIDN'T SEEM
REALLY TAKEN ABACK BY THE FACT

THAT HE WAS
AT THE HOMICIDE SECTION

AND BEING INTERVIEWED
BY HOMICIDE INVESTIGATORS

DURING A HOMICIDE INVESTIGATION.

Williams:
HE DIDN'T WANT TO BE THERE

AND WAS IN A STATE OF NOT
WANTING TO COOPERATE TOO MUCH.

BUT HE DIDN'T SEEM
VERY EMOTIONALLY UPSET, EITHER.

THAT'S THE OTHER THING.

YOU'D THINK THAT IF IT WAS
HIS SISTER MISSING,

THAT HE WOULD TRY TO BE
DOING EVERYTHING POSSIBLE

TO FIND OUT
WHAT HAPPENED TO HER.

Narrator:
AARON IS GRILLED BY DETECTIVES

ABOUT HIS RELATIONSHIP
WITH HIS SISTER.

IT SOON COMES TO LIGHT

HOW DEEPLY MANDY HAD FALLEN
INTO AARON'S WORLD OF DRUGS.

THE CROWD THAT HE INTRODUCED
MANDY TO WEREN'T NICE PEOPLE.

Joyner: YOU KNOW, MISS STOKES,
AS WELL AS HER BROTHER,

WERE INVOLVED IN DRUG USAGE,
INVOLVED IN AT-RISK BEHAVIOR

WITH SOME SHADY PEOPLE
HERE IN THIS CITY.

Cody: AARON HAD BEEN
A DRUG ADDICT FOR A LONG TIME,

AND I THINK MANDY
HAD TRIED TO HELP HIM

WITH THAT AT SOME POINT.

BUT I THINK, YOU KNOW,

SHE HAD STARTED DOING
SOME DRUGS, AS WELL.

Wiggins:
SHE DROPPED OUT OF SCHOOL,

AND I DON'T THINK SHE KNEW MUCH
OF WHAT WAS GOING ON AT ALL.

SHE GOT TOO CAUGHT UP IN IT.

Narrator:
DURING THE INTERVIEW,

AARON DOES NOT IMPLICATE HIMSELF
IN MANDY'S DISAPPEARANCE

BUT CONTINUES TO ROUSE SUSPICION
AMONG THE DETECTIVES.

Joyner: EVERYTHING THAT HE SAID
WAS VERY CALCULATED

IN TRYING TO JUSTIFY
HIS ACTIONS --

WHAT TOOK PLACE IN THE ARGUMENT,
WHY THE ARGUMENT TOOK PLACE,

AND HIS USAGE
OF HER BANK ACCOUNT

AND TAKING MONEY FROM HER
ACCOUNT SINCE HER DISAPPEARANCE.

Narrator: AFTER NINE HOURS
IN THE INTERVIEW ROOM,

AARON REFUSES TO COOPERATE
ANY FURTHER.

Williams:
THEY FELT HE WAS HOSTILE,

THAT HE WAS NOT TRUTHFUL.

HE JUST WASN'T VERY FORTHCOMING
WITH INFORMATION.

VERY AGITATED.

Narrator:
ON FRIDAY, DECEMBER 14th,

HOMICIDE DETECTIVES
HEAD TO THE COURTHOUSE,

DETERMINED TO GET A WARRANT

TO ALLOW THEM INSIDE MANDY
AND AARON'S FORMER APARTMENT.

Joyner: WE OUTLINED OUR BELIEFS
IN FRONT OF A JUDGE,

ASKING FOR THE SEARCH
OF THE RESIDENCE.

ONCE THAT SEARCH WARRANT
WAS SIGNED,

WE EXECUTED THE WARRANT
AND SEARCHED THE RESIDENCE.

Narrator: BUT DETECTIVES DON'T
HAVE MUCH EVIDENCE TO COLLECT.

Joyner:
A LOT OF HER PERSONAL ITEMS

HAD ALREADY BEEN REMOVED
FROM THE RESIDENCE.

BY THIS TIME,
AARON WAS STAYING WITH FRIENDS,

AND NEW TENANTS
HAD ALREADY MOVED IN.

Joyner: AT THIS POINT,

OUR CRIME-SCENE INVESTIGATORS
RESPONDED TO THE SCENE,

USED CHEMICALS TO ACTUALLY
SHOW US TWO LOCATIONS

WHERE WE BELIEVED AN ALTERCATION
TOOK PLACE INSIDE THE RESIDENCE.

Narrator:
POLICE TECHNICIANS FIND

WHAT THEY CALL
BIOLOGICAL EVIDENCE.

Joyner:
IT APPEARED THAT WHOMEVER

HAD ATTEMPTED TO CLEAN UP
THE BIOLOGICAL EVIDENCE

DIDN'T DO A VERY GOOD JOB
WITH IT.

Narrator: THEN HOMICIDE
DETECTIVES AND THEIR LAB TEAM

TURN THEIR ATTENTION
TO MANDY'S CAR,

WHICH WAS STILL SITTING
IN THE OAKLAND IMPOUND LOT.

Joyner: ONCE WE GOT INSIDE THE
CAR AND DID A THOROUGH SEARCH,

THE SAME BIOLOGICAL EVIDENCE
WAS FOUND THROUGHOUT THE CAR,

LEADING US TO BELIEVE

THAT SOMETHING TOOK PLACE
INSIDE THE CAR --

EITHER A BODY BEING TRANSPORTED

OR A PHYSICAL ALTERCATION ENSUED
INSIDE THE VEHICLE.

Narrator:
FOR INVESTIGATORS,

THE CIRCUMSTANTIAL EVIDENCE
IS STACKING UP AGAINST AARON.

HE WAS THE LAST KNOWN PERSON
TO SEE HIS SISTER.

HE REFUSED POLICE ENTRY
TO THE APARTMENT

AND CONTRADICTED
WITNESSES' STATEMENTS

ABOUT HIS ARGUMENT WITH MANDY.

HE DRAINED HER BANK ACCOUNT
AND FORGED CHECKS.

AND THERE'S BIOLOGICAL EVIDENCE

IN BOTH THE APARTMENT
AND THE CAR,

SUGGESTING
THAT MANDY COULD BE DEAD.

Joyner:
HERE IN THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA,

YOU DON'T NECESSARILY
HAVE TO HAVE A BODY

TO BRING CHARGES
AGAINST SOMEONE FOR MURDER.

BUT, OF COURSE, CLEARLY,
THE BAR RISES

TO BE ABLE TO PROVE
BEYOND A REASONABLE DOUBT

THAT THIS PERSON IS DECEASED.

Narrator: EVEN THOUGH DETECTIVES
CANNOT LOCATE MANDY OR HER BODY,

THEY COME TO SUSPECT
THAT SHE WAS KILLED.

Joyner: WE BELIEVE THAT NOT ONLY
HAS SHE DISAPPEARED,

BUT WE BELIEVE
FOUL PLAY WAS INVOLVED

AND THAT MISS STOKES
WAS ACTUALLY MURDERED

AT THE HANDS OF HER BROTHER.

Narrator:
OAKLAND HOMICIDE DETECTIVES

PRESENT THEIR CASE
TO THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY,

HOPING TO BRING CHARGES
AGAINST AARON STOKES

IN THE MURDER
OF HIS SISTER MANDY.

SO, THAT PRETTY MUCH
SENT ME INTO A TAILSPIN,

BECAUSE HOMICIDE, DAUGHTER --

THAT DOESN'T COMPUTE VERY WELL.

AND THEN THERE'S AARON, WHO
HAS MADE HIMSELF LOOK GUILTY.

I DON'T KNOW
IF AARON KNOWS SOMETHING

OR IF AARON IS JUST --

BECAUSE OF THE DRUG USE,
HE JUST...

I DON'T KNOW.

Narrator: BUT THE DISTRICT
ATTORNEY DOES NOT BELIEVE

THAT THE PHYSICAL EVIDENCE

DETECTIVES RETRIEVED
FROM MANDY'S APARTMENT AND CAR

IS STRONG ENOUGH
TO BRING CHARGES AGAINST AARON.

Williams: THE ALAMEDA COUNTY
D.A.'s OFFICE CONCLUSION,

WHICH I AGREED WITH, BASICALLY,

WAS THAT WE STILL
CAN'T REALLY PROVE

BEYOND A REASONABLE DOUBT
THAT SHE'S DECEASED.

Joyner: THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY
REVIEWED IT

AND DID NOT FILE CHARGES.

YOU KNOW, IT DEFINITELY
NEEDS TO RISE TO A HIGHER LEVEL

SINCE DON'T HAVE A BODY.

Narrator: POLICE ALSO KNOW
THAT BECAUSE AARON AND MANDY

ASSOCIATED
WITH OTHER ILLEGAL DRUG USERS,

IT IS POSSIBLE
THAT SHE MET HER FATE

AT THE HANDS OF SOMEONE ELSE
IN THIS DANGEROUS CROWD.

Joyner: OFTENTIMES, SOMEONE'S
LIFESTYLE DOES PLAY A HUGE PART,

BECAUSE IT OPENS UP
A WHOLE NOTHER ELEMENT

OF REASONABLE DOUBT
AND WHAT COULD HAVE TAKEN PLACE.

BUT REGARDLESS
OF WHAT MISS STOKES WAS DOING,

SHE DIDN'T DESERVE TO BE

KIDNAPPED, MURDERED, OR ABDUCTED
BY ANYONE.

AARON STOKES
HAS MAINTAINED HIS INNOCENCE

IN HIS SISTER'S DISAPPEARANCE

AND NOW LIVES IN OKLAHOMA CITY.

WITH NO NEW INFORMATION ON
THE WHEREABOUTS OF MANDY STOKES,

HER CASE IS NOW
IN THE COLD-CASE UNIT

AT THE OAKLAND
POLICE DEPARTMENT.

ONE OF THE HARDEST THINGS
IN DEALING WITH THE FAMILY

IS THE FACT THAT, ONE,
YOU ALWAYS WANT TO RESERVE HOPE

THAT YOUR FAMILY MEMBER OR
YOUR LOVED ONE IS STILL ALIVE.

BUT ON THE SAME TOKEN,
AS A HOMICIDE INVESTIGATOR,

WHEN THE EVIDENCE IS TELLING YOU

THIS PERSON IS NO LONGER
WITH US, YOU KNOW,

YOU TRY TO TELL THEM
TO HOPE FOR THE BEST

BUT BE PREPARED FOR THE WORST.

Narrator:
MANDY'S LOVED ONES

FIND IT DIFFICULT
TO CONFRONT THE POSSIBILITY

THAT AARON COULD BE INVOLVED
IN MANDY'S DISAPPEARANCE.

Cody:
I FEEL LIKE I USED TO KNOW HIM.

YOU KNOW, IT'S BEEN EIGHT YEARS
SINCE WE'VE BEEN CLOSE.

BUT NO, I DON'T FEEL LIKE
HE COULD DO ANYTHING LIKE THAT.

Wiggins:
I DON'T THINK HE HURT HER,

BUT I THINK HE KNOWS WHO DID.

HE COULD HAVE PROBABLY
GIVEN MORE INFORMATION

ON WHATEVER HAPPENED.

Narrator: THEY'RE
TRYING TO HOLD ONTO MEMORIES

OF THE EFFERVESCENT YOUNG WOMAN.

Wiggins: I MEAN, LUCKILY I HAVE
THOSE GOOD TIMES WITH MANDY,

BUT HERE IT IS,
FOUR YEARS LATER,

AND TRYING TO FIND CLOSURE
WITH THIS, YOU KNOW?

AS FAR AS WHAT HAPPENS
WHEN SOMEONE GOES MISSING,

IT'S JUST WORSE
THAN SOMEONE DYING.

YOU KNOW, MY WORST NIGHTMARE
WAS WAKING UP,

AND SHE'S LYING
ON THE EDGE OF MY BED,

AND SHE'S CRYING AND ASKING

WHY I DIDN'T LOOK FOR HER MORE.

Cody:
IT'S BROUGHT US CLOSER, I THINK.

DEFINITELY.

YOU KNOW, IT'S TOUGH, BECAUSE
WE, YOU KNOW, MISS OUR SISTER,

AND YOU DON'T KNOW
WHAT TO DO WITH IT.

I DON'T KNOW, YOU KNOW,
IF I SHOULD GIVE UP HOPE

OR, YOU KNOW,
KEEP LOOKING, KEEP SEARCHING.

JUST DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO.

Murray: BECAUSE OF
WHAT'S HAPPENED TO MANDY,

MY HEART IS VERY...BROKEN.

WHEN I THINK ABOUT IT,
WHEN I LOOK AT HER PICTURES,

SHE'S SO VIBRANT

THAT I CANNOT IMAGINE
NOT SEEING HER AGAIN.

JUST HER SMILE.

SHE HAS
THE MOST BEAUTIFUL SMILE.

AND I JUST
WANT TO SEE THAT AGAIN.

Narrator:
DEB MURRAY FINDS HERSELF

IN AN UNIMAGINABLE POSITION --
GRIEVING FOR TWO CHILDREN --

THE DAUGHTER WHO IS GONE,
AND THE SON WHO MAY BE TO BLAME.

Joyner: IT'S KIND OF
A VERY DIFFICULT THING,

AS AN INVESTIGATOR, TO DEAL WITH

BECAUSE YOU'RE DEALING WITH
THE GRIEF OF A PARENT.

MISS STOKES' MOTHER
IS A WONDERFUL INDIVIDUAL

WHO IS VERY CONCERNED
ABOUT HER MISSING DAUGHTER.

SHE ALSO IS CONCERNED
AND TORN BETWEEN,

COULD HER SON
HAVE KILLED HER DAUGHTER?

Murray:
THERE IS THE CONCERN I HAVE

THAT THEY WOULDN'T LOOK IN
ANY OTHER AVENUE EXCEPT AARON,

AND THAT IS HEARTBREAKING TO ME,

BECAUSE TO THINK
THAT HE COULD BE ARRESTED

FOR DOING SOMETHING
TO HIS SISTER

AND HE DIDN'T, I CAN'T IMAGINE.

NOT KNOWING
IS PRETTY HORRIBLE, SO...

I HOPE THAT I'M READY
FOR WHATEVER HAPPENS

OR WHATEVER IS FOUND THROUGH
ANYBODY THAT COULD HELP US,

'CAUSE IT'S A NIGHTMARE.

IT'S REALLY A NIGHTMARE.