A BRIGHT AND POPULAR STUDENT NURSE
STEPS OUT THROUGH THE HOSPITAL DOORS
AND IS NEVER SEEN AGAIN.
WHEN YOU'RE IN A LIVING NIGHTMARE,
YOU JUST FEEL SO BROKEN.
POLICE ARE BAFFLED.
THE CASE LEADS THEM FROM ONE DEAD END TO THE NEXT.
AT THE VERY BEGINNING, WE DIDN'T HAVE
ANY TELLTALE SIGNS OF WHICH WAY TO GO WITH IT.
BUT THERE IS ONE WITNESS WHO HAS SEEN IT ALL.
EVERYTHING WAS RIDING ON THAT VIDEO CAMERA.
IT'S MAY 27, 2011.
THE KAISER HOSPITAL IN HAYWARD, CALIFORNIA.
IT'S FRIDAY EVENING AND NURSING STUDENT MICHELLE LE
IS HALFWAY THROUGH HER TRAINING SHIFT.
MICHELLE IS A STRAIGHT-A STUDENT
STUDYING AT NEARBY SAMUEL MERRITT UNIVERSITY.
- GOOD MORNING! - HI.
- I'M GOING ON MY BREAK NOW. - YEAH, FOR SURE, GO AHEAD.
AS PART OF HER NURSING PROGRAM, MICHELLE WORKS
AT KAISER PERMANENTE'S MATERNITY WARD.
SHE WAS SCHEDULED FOR A BREAK AROUND 7:00
AND, AT THAT TIME, SHE ASKED IF IT WAS OKAY
IF SHE WENT FROM THE HOSPITAL TO ACROSS TO THE CARPARK
TO GET SOME GET SOMETHING OUT OF HER VEHICLE.
THE TRIP TO HER CAR AND THEN BACK
TO THE MATERNITY WARD SHOULD ONLY TAKE A FEW MINUTES.
PAGING DR. STAVEN. DR. STAVEN, PLEASE.
DR. TRAVIS, YOU HAVE A VISITOR IN THE MAIN LOBBY.
10:00, THE LEAD SUPERVISOR
STARTED ROUNDING UP THE STUDENTS AND GETTING EVERYBODY TOGETHER
BECAUSE THAT WAS THEIR LAST DAY AT THE KAISER HOSPITAL.
DR. TRAVIS, YOU HAVE A VISITOR IN THE MAIN LOBBY.
DR. TRAVIS, A VISITOR IN THE MAIN LOBBY.
BUT THERE'S ONE STUDENT MISSING:
MICHELLE LE.
HEY, GUYS. HAS ANYONE SEEN MICHELLE?
I DON'T THINK SO.
HER SUPERVISOR CALLS MICHELLE'S CELLPHONE.
THERE'S NO ANSWER.
THEN, SHE REMEMBERS THAT MICHELLE WENT TO THE GARAGE
TO GET SOMETHING FROM HER CAR.
SHE HEADS OVER THERE, LOOKING FOR MICHELLE.
DR. FOREST, DIAL 118, PLEASE.
DR. FOREST, PLEASE DIAL 118.
SHE KNOWS THAT MICHELLE OWNS A BRAND-NEW WHITE HONDA S.U.V.
MICHELLE?
BUT THERE'S NO SIGN OF THE CAR...
OR MICHELLE.
AS THEY WERE WALKING AROUND THERE,
THEY SAW A WHITE S.U.V. MATCHING THE DESCRIPTION
COME UP THE RAMP TO THE THIRD FLOOR, WHERE THEY WERE STANDING.
MICHELLE?
AND, WHEN THE SUPERVISOR WAVED TO THE PERSON DRIVING THE CAR,
TO GET THEIR ATTENTION,
THE CAR BACKED DOWN THE RAMP IMMEDIATELY.
ALMOST SMASHED INTO ANOTHER NURSE'S CAR
AND THEN DROVE QUICKLY OUT OF THE CARPARK.
SUPERVISOR RAN DOWN, TRYING TO GET A LOOK,
TO SEE IF IT WAS MICHELLE AND IF IT WAS MICHELLE'S CAR.
BY THE TIME SHE GOT TO THE BOTTOM FLOOR,
THE CAR HAD ALREADY LEFT THE CARPARK.
MICHELLE?
IT'S UNSETTLING AND ODD,
BUT THE SUPERVISOR DIDN'T GET A GOOD LOOK AT THE DRIVER.
SHE'S NOT EVEN 100% POSITIVE IT WAS MICHELLE'S CAR.
MICHELLE NEVER COMES BACK TO THE MATERNITY WARD.
SHE DOESN'T CALL IN AND SHE DOESN'T ANSWER HER PHONE.
THE NEXT MORNING, MICHELLE'S COUSIN KRYSTINE DINH,
STARTS GETTING PHONE CALLS ABOUT MICHELLE'S WHEREABOUTS.
I WOKE UP AND I RECEIVED A MESSAGE
ASKING IF I HAD HEARD FROM HER.
I DIDN'T THINK MUCH OF IT.
I JUST REMEMBER ROLLING BACK OVER IN BED
AND GOING BACK TO BED.
MICHELLE'S BROTHER MICHAEL'S PHONE
STARTS RINGING, TOO.
A FRIEND OF HERS LEFT VOICEMAILS SAYING LIKE
"YOU KNOW, WE CAN'T FIND HER.
HAVE YOU SEEN HER?"
AND THEN I GOT A PHONE CALL FROM HER NURSING INSTRUCTOR.
WAIT. HOLD ON. SLOW DOWN.
OKAY. ARE YOU SURE?
WHO, YOU KNOW, WAS CLOSE TO TEARS AND SHE WAS SAYING
HOW THEY'RE INVOLVING THE POLICE
AND EVERYTHING JUST FELT REALLY REAL.
MICHELLE AND MICHAEL LE
WERE BORN IN SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA,
AFTER THEIR PARENTS MOVED FROM VIETNAM IN THE EARLY 1970s.
THEY GREW UP IN THE SAME HOUSE AS THEIR COUSIN KRYSTINE.
WE HAVE A HUGE FAMILY. WE HAVE 15 COUSINS,
ALL OF OUR PARENTS, AND WE'RE ALL LOCATED IN SAN DIEGO.
MICHELLE'S MOTHER WAS A NURSE.
WHEN SHE DIED OF CANCER IN 1999,
MICHAEL AND MICHELLE BECAME EVEN CLOSER.
SHE ALWAYS LOOKED OUT FOR ME,
IN ANY WAY SHE COULD.
MICHELLE IS MORE THAN JUST A BIG SISTER
TO BOTH MICHAEL AND KRYSTINE.
SHE TAUGHT ME EVERYTHING. SHE GOT ME MY FIRST BRA.
SHE TWEEZED MY EYEBROWS. SHE TAUGHT ME HOW TO DO MAKEUP.
SHE STRAIGHTENED MY HAIR, THAT KIND OF THING.
REALLY, SHE WAS REALLY MY BIGGEST ROLE MODEL,
GROWING UP.
LIKE HER MOTHER,
MICHELLE WANTED TO DEDICATE HER LIFE TO HELPING OTHERS,
SO, WHEN SHE WAS OFFERED A PLACE AT SAMUEL MERRITT NURSING SCHOOL
IN HAYWARD, SAN FRANCISCO, IT WAS A DREAM COME TRUE.
BUT NOW, IT'S SATURDAY MORNING
AND NO ONE HAS HEARD FROM MICHELLE.
AT HAYWARD POLICE DEPARTMENT,
FRASER RITCHIE IS THE INSPECTOR ON WEEKEND CALL.
I'VE BEEN IN LAW ENFORCEMENT
FOR JUST OVER ALMOST 30 YEARS NOW.
AT THAT TIME, I WAS ONE
OF THE HOMICIDE INVESTIGATORS FOR HAYWARD POLICE DEPARTMENT.
WHEN HE GETS TO THE STATION,
MICHELLE'S FRIENDS ARE ALREADY THERE.
ANY INFORMATION YOU CAN GIVE US.
MICHELLE'S NOW BEEN MISSING FOR 15 HOURS
AND HER FRIENDS ARE WORRIED.
WELL, ONE OF THE FIRST THINGS YOU ASK IS,
HOW'S HER MENTAL STATE?
IS SHE UPSET WITH WORK?
IS SHE UPSET WITH A RELATIONSHIP?
HER FRIENDS SAY THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG:
NO WORK TROUBLE, NO BOYFRIEND PROBLEMS,
NOTHING.
THEY SAY MICHELLE WAS RESPONSIBLE
AND DEDICATED TO NURSING.
THERE'S NO WAY SHE WOULD JUST TAKE OFF
IN THE MIDDLE OF HER SHIFT.
INVESTIGATORS START THEIR SEARCH
AT THE LAST PLACE ANYONE SAW MICHELLE:
THE HOSPITAL.
AND THAT'S WHERE THEY FIND SOMETHING
THAT SETS OFF ALARM BELLS.
OKAY. SO SHE EVEN LEFT HER BAG HERE.
OKAY.
SHE HAD LEFT HER PURSE BEHIND, HER JACKET BEHIND.
ALL HER BELONGINGS ARE IN THERE, HER WALLET?
YEAH.
AT THAT POINT, THAT WAS REALLY SUSPICIOUS
BECAUSE WE ALL KNOW THAT PEOPLE DON'T LEAVE
THEIR PERSONAL BELONGINGS JUST LYING AROUND.
DID SHE MENTION ANYTHING ABOUT LEAVING?
DID SHE SAY SHE WAS COMING RIGHT BACK?
SHE TOLD ME SHE WAS COMING RIGHT BACK AFTER BREAK.
IN THE PARKING GARAGE,
OFFICERS HAVE LOCATED MICHELLE'S PARKING SPOT.
THE FEW SATELLITES IN THE PERIPHERY.
I'M GUESSING DRIVER'S SIDE.
THE PATROL OFFICERS HAD CORDONED OFF THE AREA,
HAD PUT POLICE TAPE AROUND IT.
THE CAR IS LONG GONE.
BUT THERE'S SOMETHING IN MICHELLE'S PARKING SPOT
THAT CHILLS THEM TO THE BONE.
IT'S BLOOD.
THEY COLLECT A SAMPLE
AND SEND IT TO THE LAB FOR ANALYSIS.
BUT THERE'S NO SIGN OF MICHELLE'S WHITE S.U.V. ANYWHERE.
INSPECTOR RITCHIE BELIEVES SOMETHING HAPPENED TO MICHELLE
IN THE VERY SPOT WHERE HE'S STANDING.
AND HE JUST MIGHT HAVE THE PERFECT WITNESS TO IT ALL.
THE CORDONED-OFF AREA WAS DIRECTLY BELOW
WHERE A SURVEILLANCE CAMERA WAS.
WE ABSOLUTELY WERE THINKING, "HERE IT IS. WE HAVE IT."
WE WERE READY. WE WANTED TO SEE THAT VIDEO RIGHT AWAY
AND WE KNEW THAT WAS GONNA TELL US EVERYTHING.
OKAY. THAT'S A LIVE FEED
FROM THE PARKING SPACE.
BUT THERE'S A PROBLEM.
WELL, WE NEED TO SEE THE TAPES FROM LAST NIGHT.
THEY WEREN'T ABLE TO GET
THE CCTV TO US UNTIL LATER IN THE DAY.
WHILE DETECTIVES CAN SEE THE LIVE CCTV FEEDS
FROM THE CONTROL ROOM,
THE HOSPITAL'S RECORDED CCTV FOOTAGE IS STORED OFFSITE.
IT WILL TAKE HOURS TO ROUND IT UP AND GET IT TO THE STATION.
CAN YOU HAVE THEM GET THAT READY FOR US TO PICK UP?
YES. I CAN DO THAT.
EVERY SECOND COUNTS IN A MISSING-PERSONS INVESTIGATION
AND THIS DELAY COST THEM VALUABLE TIME.
BUT IT TURNS OUT THEY MIGHT NOT NEED THE VIDEO
TO FIND OUT WHAT HAPPENED TO MICHELLE LE.
I'M HERE TO SEE DETECTIVE RITCHIE.
NICE TO MEET YOU. NICE TO MEET YOU.
I JUST RECEIVED A TEXT FROM MICHELLE.
I DON'T -- I DON'T KNOW WHAT THIS MEANS. CAN WE...?
IS MICHELLE LE ALIVE AND WELL?
YEAH, JUST RIGHT NOW.
IN HAYWARD, CALIFORNIA,
NURSING STUDENT MICHELLE LE HAS VANISHED
FROM A HOSPITAL PARKING LOT.
BUT, NOW, THERE'S A BREAK IN THE CASE:
HER BROTHER MICHAEL SHOWS POLICE A TEXT FROM MICHELLE.
- SHE'S NOT PICKING UP. - SHE'S NOT PICKING UP?
THERE WAS A FEW TEXT MESSAGES THAT CAME THROUGH,
BASICALLY STATING THAT SHE WAS FINE.
I HOPE SO. I'M NOT -- I'M NOT SURE.
IT WAS "MY BATTERY'S DYING ON MY PHONE.
I HAVE TO GET A CHARGER.
I WANT TO BE ALONE."
INSPECTOR RITCHIE DOESN'T BUY IT.
I SENT TWO TEXTS TO MICHELLE'S PHONE.
I TOLD HER IT WAS MANDATORY
THAT THEY CONTACT ME AND GET A HOLD OF ME.
MANDATORY OR NOT, MICHELLE DOESN'T REPLY.
WE DIDN'T GET ANY TEXTS AFTER THAT
AND NOBODY ELSE DID, EITHER.
THE STRANGE TEXT MESSAGES BECOME
JUST ANOTHER PIECE OF A PUZZLE THEY CAN'T SOLVE.
MICHELLE LE HAS NOW BEEN MISSING FOR 16 HOURS.
INVESTIGATORS EXPAND THE SEARCH
AND QUESTION PEOPLE WHO'D KNOW HER.
LOUISE, JUST HAVE A FEW QUESTIONS
REGARDING MICHELLE LE.
EVERYBODY IS INITIALLY A SUSPECT
'CAUSE WE DON'T KNOW WHAT HAPPENED OR WHERE SHE IS,
SO WE CAN'T ELIMINATE ANY POSSIBILITY
OR ANYBODY AS A SUSPECT.
MOST OF HER FRIENDS REALLY DIDN'T HAVE
A WHOLE LOT OF INFORMATION TO PROVIDE US,
SHE WAS JUST A NICE PERSON, A GOOD FRIEND.
NO. AND SHE WAS ALWAYS ON TIME?
BUT THERE IS AN OLD FRIEND OF MICHELLE'S
WHO TELLS THEM SOMETHING THAT COULD BE IMPORTANT.
HAVE YOU GUYS SPOKEN TO SCOTT?
THE TIP COMES FROM GISELLE ESTEBAN.
HE WAS INTERESTED IN HER
AND HE WAS PURSUING HER.
GISELLE, WHO IS 3 MONTHS PREGNANT,
TELLS INVESTIGATORS ABOUT A MAN NAMED SCOTT MARASIGAN.
SCOTT, WHO FATHERED GISELLE'S FIRST CHILD,
ALSO BRIEFLY DATED MICHELLE LE.
SCOTT WAS A FRIEND OF MICHELLE'S.
THEY HAD HAD A BRIEF, INTIMATE RELATIONSHIP.
FROM MY UNDERSTANDING, IT WAS ONLY ABOUT A MONTH LONG.
DETECTIVES KNOW THAT, ALL TOO OFTEN,
WHEN A WOMAN GOES MISSING, AN EX IS TO BLAME.
SO SCOTT WAS ALSO SOMEBODY
WE WERE LOOKING INTO AS POTENTIALLY A SUSPECT.
THE POLICE TRACK DOWN SCOTT MARASIGAN.
YOU SCOTT?
YEAH.
CAN I HELP YOU GUYS?
YES. WE'RE WONDERING IF WE CAN ASK YOU A FEW QUESTIONS.
CAN YOU TELL ME WHAT THIS IS ABOUT?
DETECTIVES GRILL SCOTT ABOUT HIS RELATIONSHIP WITH MICHELLE.
WAS THERE BAD BLOOD AFTER THEIR BREAKUP?
DID THEY FIGHT? - ARE YOU GUYS FINISHED?
'CAUSE I GOTTA GO. - WHERE WAS HE THE NIGHT BEFORE?
QUESTIONS.
WHEN WE WENT TO MEET WITH HIM,
HE WAS VERY FORTHCOMING, VERY COOPERATIVE,
GAVE US ALL THE INFORMATION THAT WE WANTED
AND WAS VERY OPEN ABOUT HIS RELATIONSHIP WITH MICHELLE.
BUT THERE'S NOTHING LINKING HIM
WITH HIS EX-GIRLFRIEND'S DISAPPEARANCE.
THEY CAN'T GO ANY FURTHER WITH SCOTT MARASIGAN.
AT LEAST, NOT YET.
24 HOURS SINCE MICHELLE WENT MISSING,
AND THEY DON'T HAVE MUCH TO GO ON.
MICHELLE TOLD HER NURSING CLASSMATES
SHE WAS GOING BACK TO HER CAR TO GET SOMETHING
DURING A CLASS BREAK, BUT NEVER CAME BACK.
MICHELLE'S FAMILY SAYS THEY WILL KEEP HOPE ALIVE
THAT SHE'S STILL OUT THERE, SOMEWHERE.
THE FAMILY HAS NOW ESTABLISHED A WEBSITE,
michellelemissing.com.
ALL RIGHT. SO I'M GONNA HAVE YOU KNOCK
ON ALL THE HOUSES IN THIS NEIGHBORHOOD.
MICHELLE'S DISAPPEARANCE SPURS HER FAMILY
AND THE LOCAL COMMUNITY INTO ACTION.
GO ON UP TO THE MAJOR INTERSECTION.
THERE WERE JUST SO MANY PEOPLE THAT WANTED TO HELP.
THERE WAS ORGANIZING FLYER DISTRIBUTIONS.
THERE WAS ORGANIZING, YOU KNOW,
GETTING A WEBSITE GOING.
I'LL JUST GIVE THIS TO YOU. ALL RIGHT?
ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU.
JUST ANY WAY WE COULD GET THE STORY OUT
AND TO, YOU KNOW, GET THE INFORMATION OUT THERE.
MAYBE, IF SHE WAS OUT THERE, SHE WOULD JUST COME HOME,
REALIZING THAT WE ALL MISSED HER.
FINALLY, THE VIDEO FROM THE HOSPITAL PARKING LOT
IS READY FOR POLICE.
THERE ARE AROUND 33 CAMERAS IN THE PARKING GARAGE,
WITH MORE THAN 100 HOURS OF FOOTAGE.
DETECTIVES START BY SCROLLING THROUGH TO JUST BEFORE 7:00 PM,
THE TIME THAT MICHELLE LEFT ON HER BREAK.
THAT'S GOTTA BE MICHELLE.
AND ON THE WALKWAY TO THE GARAGE AT 6:55...
PULL IT BACK. PULL IT BACK.
THE OPPOSITE CORNER.
...IT'S MICHELLE.
WE WERE ABLE TO SEE MICHELLE WALKING ACROSS
THE PEDESTRIAN OVERPASS, WALKING INTO THE CARPARK,
ON FRIDAY NIGHT, WHEN SHE WAS GOING FOR HER BREAK.
SHE LOOKS ALIVE AND WELL.
THE SURVEILLANCE VIDEO SHOULD SHOW MICHELLE
AS SHE WALKS THROUGH THE PARKING GARAGE, BACK TO HER CAR.
THEY CHANGE TO THE CAMERA NEAREST THE WALKWAY.
WAIT A SECOND.
MICHELLE WALKS ACROSS THE GARAGE.
NOTHING SEEMS TO BE WRONG.
AND THERE'S NO ONE FOLLOWING HER.
RIGHT. JUST A SECOND.
IS THERE ANY OTHER ANGLE, FROM THE OTHER SIDE THERE?
I'LL TAKE A LOOK. LET ME SEE HERE.
NOW, ANOTHER CAMERA PICKS HER UP FROM ANOTHER ANGLE.
STILL, NO CLUE THAT ANYTHING IS WRONG.
SHE JUST KINDA CROSSES. I MEAN --
THAT'S THE BEST WE CAN DO.
BUT THERE'S ONE CAMERA
THAT COULD SOLVE THIS MYSTERY, ONCE AND FOR ALL.
IT'S THE CAMERA AIMED RIGHT AT HER PARKING SPOT.
AT THAT PARTICULAR MOMENT, EVERYTHING WAS RIDING
ON THAT VIDEO CAMERA.
STUDENT NURSE MICHELLE LE IS MISSING
AND INVESTIGATORS HAVE JUST GOT THEIR FIRST GLIMPSE OF HER,
ON THE SECURITY CAMERAS FROM THE PARKING GARAGE AT HER WORK.
THEY ARE ABOUT TO VIEW THE FOOTAGE
FROM THE CAMERA DIRECTLY ABOVE HER PARKING SPACE.
THEY KEEP A WARY EYE OUT FOR ANYONE WHO LOOKS
LIKE HER EX-BOYFRIEND SCOTT.
IS THERE A PROBLEM HERE OR...?
ALL RIGHT. WHAT'S THE PROBLEM HERE?
I DON'T KNOW.
THAT'S IT? IT'S THE FILE.
THE FILE IS BLANK.
IT WASN'T WORKING DURING THAT TIME.
THE CAMERA THAT WITNESSED WHAT HAPPENED TO MICHELLE
AT HER PARKING SPOT WAS NOT RECORDING PROPERLY.
THAT'S IT? IT'S THE FILE.
THOSE CRUCIAL MOMENTS WILL REMAIN A MYSTERY.
AND WE WERE UNABLE TO GET THAT FOOTAGE
OF WHERE MICHELLE LE'S CAR WAS PARKED
DURING THE TIME OF HER DISAPPEARANCE.
BUT THERE ARE STILL OVER 30 OTHER CAMERAS TO CHECK.
THAT'S HER CAR.
AND ONE OF THEM IS MOUNTED JUST PAST HER PARKING SPACE.
10 MINUTES AFTER MICHELLE WAS LAST SEEN IN THIS GARAGE,
AROUND 7:15 PM.
THAT'S GOTTA BE MICHELLE'S CAR.
MICHELLE'S CAR MOVES THROUGH THE GARAGE, TOWARD THE EXIT.
THAT'S HER CAR.
THEY FOLLOW THE CAR THROUGH THE PARKING GARAGE,
FROM CAMERA TO CAMERA.
WE STARTED LOOKING AT OTHER CAMERAS,
TO KIND OF HOPEFULLY FIND OUT
EXACTLY WHO WAS DRIVING MICHELLE'S CAR,
IF IT WAS MICHELLE OR IF IT WAS SOMEBODY ELSE.
I CAN'T SEE ANYTHING IN THE WINDSHIELD,
THOUGH. CAN YOU?
NO. NO. WE'RE NOT GETTING ANY LUCK.
BUT THE FOOTAGE IS GRAINY.
AND THE PARKING GARAGE IS DARK.
THE S.U.V. HAS TINTED WINDOWS.
THEY REPLAY THE FOOTAGE OVER AND OVER AGAIN.
THEY ADJUST THE CONTRAST.
BUT IT'S NO USE.
THERE'S NO WAY TO SEE WHO'S DRIVING.
THERE'S NO LIGHT FROM THERE.
THEY SLOWLY WORK THROUGH THE REST OF THE FOOTAGE,
BUT THERE'S NOTHING.
ALL RIGHT. CHECK THE TIME ON THERE.
THAT'S OKAY. THAT'S ALMOST 10:00.
BUT THEN, THEY SEE MICHELLE'S SUPERVISOR
AND A SECURITY GUARD SEARCHING FOR MICHELLE,
WHO'S NOW BEEN MISSING FOR MORE THAN 2 HOURS.
AND THAT'S WHEN THEY SEE MICHELLE'S CAR
COME BACK TO THE PARKING GARAGE.
BUT ONCE AGAIN, THERE'S NO WAY OF TELLING WHO IS INSIDE
OR WHERE THE CAR GOES WHEN IT LEAVES THE PARKING GARAGE.
IT WAS VERY FRUSTRATING.
AS WE'RE WATCHING THE CAR LEAVE THE LOT,
WE'RE WONDERING, "IS MICHELLE IN THAT CAR?
IS MICHELLE NOT IN THAT CAR?"
BUT, JUST WHEN IT LOOKS LIKE
THE CASE WILL NEVER BE SOLVED, INSPECTOR RITCHIE GETS A BREAK.
RITCHIE.
FINDING THE CAR WAS
PROBABLY THE BIGGEST BREAK IN THE CASE, AT THAT POINT.
MICHELLE'S CAR HAS BEEN FOUND.
IT HAS BEEN LEFT ABANDONED JUST 1/2 MILE FROM THE HOSPITAL.
IT WAS LOCKED UP AND NOTHING APPEARED SUSPICIOUS
ABOUT THE CAR, ITSELF,
WHEN YOU'RE LOOKING AT IT FROM THE OUTSIDE.
IT'S PLAIN TO SEE THAT MICHELLE IS NOT INSIDE.
BUT WHEN THEY EXAMINE THE OUTSIDE...
THERE WAS DIRT ON THE UNDERCARRIAGE.
THERE WAS DIRT ON THE TIRES.
THE CAR HAS BEEN OFF-ROAD,
SOMEWHERE RURAL, SOMEWHERE MILES AWAY.
WE FOUND STRAW, ALMOST LIKE WEEDS.
WE IMMEDIATELY STARTED DOING A NEIGHBORHOOD CHECK
TO SEE IF THERE WAS CCTV,
AS THERE'S SO MANY SURVEILLANCE CAMERAS AROUND, NOWADAYS.
BUT, UNFORTUNATELY, WE DIDN'T HAVE ANY.
WITH NO FOOTAGE OF THE CAR BEING DUMPED,
CCTV CAN'T HELP THEM WITH WHO LEFT IT HERE.
DISCOVERING MICHELLE'S ABANDONED CAR
LEAVES HER FAMILY WITH LITTLE HOPE.
I MEAN, WE ALL HAD A CONSENSUS THAT WE THOUGHT THAT
SHE HAD BEEN ABDUCTED OR KIDNAPPED.
WHEN YOU ARE LIVING A NIGHTMARE,
WHEN YOU'RE IN A LIVING NIGHTMARE,
I THINK YOU JUST FEEL SO BROKEN.
I REMEMBER CLEARLY THINKING THAT,
ON A REALLY COLD NIGHT, ONE NIGHT,
THAT I HOPED THAT SHE HAD A JACKET TO KEEP WARM.
SORRY.
BACK AT HEADQUARTERS, A FORENSIC TEAM
EXAMINES THE CAR WITH A FINE-TOOTH COMB.
THEY FIND HAIR ON THE DRIVER'S SEAT.
BUT THERE ARE NO FINGERPRINTS.
THE HAIR GOES TO THE LAB.
WE GOT SOMETHING.
BUT THERE'S A MUCH MORE IMPORTANT CLUE ON THE SEAT,
STARING THEM RIGHT IN THE FACE.
WE FOUND AN IDENTIFICATION BADGE.
A PASS FROM THE NURSING COLLEGE THAT MICHELLE ATTENDS.
IT HAD A PHOTOGRAPH OF A LADY ON THERE.
IT WAS A NAME BADGE.
BUT IT WAS A NAME BADGE THAT WASN'T MICHELLE'S.
THE BADGE BELONGS TO SOMEONE NAMED KATIE MILLER.
WHO IS KATIE MILLER
AND WHAT IS HER BADGE DOING IN THE MISSING NURSE'S CAR?
WAS THIS OUR SUSPECT?
WAS THIS SOMEBODY THAT, YOU KNOW, MICHELLE KNEW?
THE FOCUS WAS TO FIND OUT
WHO THIS PERSON WAS ON THIS NAME BADGE.
THE NEXT STEP IS GO TO SAMUEL MERRITT
AND LOCATE THIS PERSON AND FIND OUT WHO THIS PERSON IS.
AT SAMUEL MERRITT UNIVERSITY,
INVESTIGATORS HAVE JUST ONE QUESTION
FOR MICHELLE'S FELLOW STUDENTS.
TAKE A CLOSE LOOK.
IS SHE A FELLOW STUDENT OF YOURS?
WHO IS KATIE MILLER?
THEY SAID THAT THEY DIDN'T KNOW WHO SHE WAS
AND IT COULD'VE BEEN ANOTHER NURSING STUDENT.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU.
NEXT, THEY TURN TO THE SCHOOL'S ADMINISTRATORS.
THAT'S WHEN THEY GET THEIR ANSWER.
- KATIE MILLER. - IT BELONGED TO A PROFESSOR
THAT HAD NOT STARTED WITH THE UNIVERSITY YET.
SO SHE'S AN EMPLOYEE HERE, THEN, CURRENTLY.
BUT THE ADMINISTRATOR TELLS INVESTIGATORS
SOMETHING ELSE.
SOMETHING PUZZLING.
KATIE MILLER HASN'T SET FOOT ON CAMPUS YET.
SHE HASN'T STARTED YET.
IN FACT, SHE'S IN HAWAII.
IN HAWAII?
AND SHE'S BEEN THERE SINCE BEFORE MICHELLE WENT MISSING.
SO HOW DID HER PASS,
WHICH SHE HASN'T EVEN USED YET, GET INTO MICHELLE LE'S CAR?
THE LAST TIME THEY SAW IT, IT WAS SITTING
ON A SECRETARY'S DESK AT THE SAMUEL MERRITT CAMPUS
AND THAT MONDAY MORNING, THE SECRETARY TOLD US,
IT HAD BEEN STOLEN OFF OF HER DESK.
STOLEN.
POLICE CAN ONLY HOPE
SURVEILLANCE CAMERAS CAUGHT THE THIEF RED-HANDED.
WE ARE INCOMPLETE WITHOUT HER.
SO WHOEVER HAS HER,
PLEASE, PLEASE, HAVE SOME COMPASSION.
MICHELLE LE HAS BEEN MISSING FOR MORE THAN 2 DAYS.
WE'VE JUST BEEN THINKING EVERY POSSIBLE WAY
WE CAN REACH MORE PEOPLE, REACH THE STORY TO MORE PEOPLE,
KEEP THE STORY ALIVE AND FIND HER.
MICHELLE KICKS BUTT.
SHE IS A WONDERFUL HUMAN BEING.
I DON'T BELIEVE
ANYTHING IN THE WORLD
WOULD HAVE THE HEART TO HARM HER.
AND I KNOW THAT WE'LL FIND HER. SHE'S OUT THERE.
VOLUNTEERS SPREAD OUT
AND SEARCH FOR THE MISSING NURSING STUDENT.
BECAUSE MICHELLE'S ABANDONED CAR
HAD MUD AND GRASS TANGLED IN THE UNDERCARRIAGE,
THEY CONCENTRATE ON THE RURAL AREAS NEAR HAYWARD, CALIFORNIA.
YOU WOULD HAVE MAPS UP AND IT WOULD BE ALL GREEN
BECAUSE IT'S A TON OF CANYONS, HIKING TRAILS OUT THERE.
BACK AT MICHELLE'S NURSING SCHOOL,
POLICE TRY TO FIGURE OUT WHO STOLE A PASS
THAT ENDED UP IN THE BACK OF MICHELLE'S CAR.
AND THE BUILDING SECURITY SYSTEM
IS GOING TO HELP THEM DO JUST THAT.
VIDEO CAMERAS ARE POSTED ON EVERY MAIN DOOR ON CAMPUS
AND, TO OPEN THOSE MAIN DOORS,
YOU NEED A PASS, JUST LIKE THE ONE FOUND IN MICHELLE'S CAR.
THE CAMPUS IS SECURED.
IT'S A SECURE BUILDING
AND YOU HAVE TO USE AN ACCESS CARD TO GAIN ENTRY.
EVERY TIME SOMEONE USES A PASS TO OPEN A DOOR,
IT LEAVES A TIME-STAMPED RECORD AND ACTIVATES A SECURITY CAMERA.
SURE ENOUGH, THE DAY BEFORE MICHELLE WENT MISSING,
SOMEONE USED KATIE MILLER'S STOLEN PASS.
IT'S 7:05 PM.
THE STAFF HAVE GONE HOME.
LET'S TAKE A LOOK CLOSER.
SHE'S YOUNG, WITH LONG, DARK HAIR.
IT'S OBVIOUSLY NOT MICHELLE'S EX-BOYFRIEND SCOTT MARASIGAN.
SHE'S WEARING A LAB COAT THERE.
AND IT'S NOT KATIE MILLER.
POLICE LOOK AT THE ENTIRE FILE AND DISCOVER THAT, AT 5:19,
ALMOST 2 HOURS EARLIER,
THE KEY PASS OPENS THE SAME DOOR.
WHO IS THIS NOW?
IT'S THE SAME GIRL, BUT THIS TIME,
SHE'S NOT WEARING A LAB COAT.
BUT SHE IS WEARING A CAP, PULLED DOWN, SHIELDING HER FACE.
CAN'T TELL FROM THIS ANGLE HERE. YOU KNOW WHAT?
I'M GONNA SWITCH CAMERAS.
DETECTIVES FOLLOW THIS MYSTERY WOMAN
THROUGH THE SURVEILLANCE SYSTEM,
TRACKING HER FROM CAMERA TO CAMERA.
WHAT IS SHE DOING?
DIDN'T APPEAR THAT SHE BELONGED THERE.
IT APPEARED THAT SHE WAS LOOKING FOR SOMETHING.
SCRUB IT BACK. SCRUB IT BACK.
LET'S TAKE ANOTHER LOOK.
WE REALLY DIDN'T HAVE ANY IDEA WHO IT WAS,
BUT WE KNEW THAT JUST SOMETHING WASN'T RIGHT.
THE I.D. PASS TRIGGERS ANOTHER CAMERA,
IN ONE OF THE CLASSROOMS.
IT'S THE GIRL IN THE CAP AGAIN.
SHE SEEMS TO BE LOOKING FOR SOMETHING.
SHE GOES IN.
THEN, SHE TURNS OUT THE LIGHTS.
AND SHE DOES SOMETHING THAT PUZZLES INVESTIGATORS.
THE PERSON IS NOW WEARING A LAB COAT.
YOU CAN SEE THE SUBJECT WALKING
THROUGH THE CLASSROOM AREA OF THE CAMPUS,
THAT HAS DESKS AND COMPUTER MONITORS UP.
WHAT IS SHE DOING?
SHE GOES OVER TO THE TEACHER'S DESK,
TO WHERE THEY KEEP THE CLASS ROSTERS.
YOU CAN SEE ONE OF THE CAMERAS SHOWS THE PERSON STANDING
WITH A CLASS ROSTER IN HER HAND.
THE ROSTER HAS INFORMATION
ABOUT THE DATES AND TIMES OF SHIFTS
OF ALL THE STUDENTS AT THE KAISER HOSPITAL.
INCLUDING MICHELLE LE.
THE CLASS ROSTER SHOWS PHOTOGRAPHS
OF EACH OF THE STUDENTS AND THEN, IT HAS INFORMATION,
THEIR INFORMATION, JUST BELOW THE PHOTOGRAPHS,
SO THAT'S HOW WE WERE ABLE TO TELL WHAT THAT WAS.
BUT THEY STILL HAVE NO IDEA WHO THIS MYSTERY WOMAN IS
OR HOW SHE MANAGED TO STEAL A PASS.
THEY SCOUR THE SECURITY VIDEO, LOOKING FOR ANY CLUES.
AND THEN, THEY SPOT HER AGAIN,
THIS TIME, EARLIER THAT SAME MORNING.
THE FOOTAGE THAT WE SAW WAS OF THE SECRETARY
OPENING THE OFFICE DOOR AND ALLOWING
A FEMALE INTO THE OFFICE AREA.
IF SHE WOULD JUST TURN AROUND,
WE COULD SEE HER FACE.
THE GIRL APPEARS TO BE WAITING FOR SOMETHING
AND, WHEN THE SECRETARY LEAVES, SHE HEADS RIGHT INTO HER OFFICE.
WAIT. WAIT. WAIT.
OKAY, THAT.
SECONDS LATER, SHE EMERGES.
HAS SHE JUST STOLEN THE KEY PASS?
AND THEN,
FINALLY,
THEY GET A CLEAR LOOK AT THIS MYSTERY WOMAN'S FACE.
WHAT ABOUT THAT?
IT'S A FACE THE COPS HAVE SEEN BEFORE.
THAT IS
GISELLE ESTEBAN.
SURE LOOKS LIKE HER.
GISELLE ESTEBAN, MICHELLE LE'S OLD FRIEND.
GISELLE'S EX-BOYFRIEND AND FATHER OF HER CHILD,
SCOTT MARASIGAN, IS MICHELLE LE'S EX.
BUT EVEN IF THERE'S BAD BLOOD
BETWEEN MICHELLE AND GISELLE OVER SCOTT,
HOW COULD GISELLE HAVE ABDUCTED MICHELLE BY HERSELF?
SHE WAS A LITTLE OVER 5'0" TALL
AND I COULD SEE THAT SHE WAS SLIGHTLY PREGNANT.
SHE SAID, AT THAT TIME, SHE WAS 3 MONTHS PREGNANT.
I LOOKED AT HER AND THOUGHT, "SHE COULDN'T BE INVOLVED.
SHE'S TOO SMALL. IT'S NOT IN CHARACTER."
THAT WAS OUR BIGGEST QUESTION,
WAS "OKAY, DID SHE DO IT ALONE?
IT DOESN'T APPEAR THAT WAY.
WHO ELSE WAS INVOLVED IN THIS?"
BUT THERE IS SOMEONE STRONG ENOUGH
TO OVERPOWER HER IN THE PARKING GARAGE
AND FORCE HER INTO THE CAR.
DETECTIVES RITCHIE AND LINTEO.
WHAT IS THE NATURE OF YOUR RELATIONSHIP
WITH GISELLE ESTEBAN?
POLICE ARE ABOUT TO LEARN MORE THAN THEY HOPED.
POLICE NOW BELIEVE
THAT MICHELLE LE'S FRIEND GISELLE ESTEBAN
IS DEEPLY INVOLVED IN HER DISAPPEARANCE.
SHE'S BEEN SPOTTED ON CAMERA,
SNEAKING AROUND MICHELLE'S WORKPLACE, TAKING THINGS.
BUT COULD THIS PETITE WOMAN,
WHO IS 3 MONTHS PREGNANT AND HAS NO CRIMINAL RECORD,
REALLY BE A KIDNAPPER?
OR WORSE? - WHAT?!
THEY BEAR DOWN ON GISELLE'S EX-BOYFRIEND
AND THE FATHER OF HER CHILD, SCOTT MARASIGAN.
YEAH, I KNOW GISELLE ESTEBAN.
LET ME SHOW YOU SOMETHING. COME HERE.
BUT THAT'S WHEN SCOTT MARASIGAN
TURNS THE TABLES ON GISELLE ESTEBAN.
HE HAD SAVED JUST ABOUT ALL OF HIS TEXT MESSAGES
WITH GISELLE
AND THE PHONE CONVERSATIONS HE'S HAD WITH HER.
MOM.
IT SHOWED THE PICTURE OF GISELLE,
THE ANGER AND THE EXTENT OF HER
PHYSICAL ABUSE THAT SHE WAS CAPABLE OF.
POLICE NOW HAVE MORE THAN ENOUGH EVIDENCE
TO GET A SEARCH WARRANT AND HEAD TO GISELLE ESTEBAN'S HOUSE.
SHE WAS COMPLACENT.
SEEMED IRRITATED WITH OUR PRESENCE
AND DIDN'T SEEM INTERESTED IN ANYTHING THAT WE WANTED TO SAY.
INSPECTOR RITCHIE TELLS HER
THAT SHE'S COMING DOWN TO THE STATION.
I JUST NEED TO CHANGE MY SHOES.
THEN, WE CAN GO.
NO. THE FOOTWEAR THAT YOU HAVE.
SHE HAD ASKED TO PUT A PAIR OF SHOES ON
THAT WERE NEAR THE FRONT DOOR AND I TOLD HER THAT COULDN'T,
THAT WASN'T GOING TO HAPPEN, BECAUSE I KNOW,
FROM MY TRAINED EXPERIENCE, THAT THOSE SHOES
COULD POSSIBLY HOLD SOME EVIDENCE.
THE SHOES ARE SENT TO THE LAB
WHILE THE POLICE TAKE GISELLE DOWNTOWN.
ALL RIGHT. IT'S GISELLE, RIGHT?
BUT SHE ISN'T TALKING.
WHILE DETECTIVES INVESTIGATE GISELLE,
ANOTHER PIECE OF THE PUZZLE FALLS INTO PLACE:
RESULTS FROM THE SEARCH OF MICHELLE'S CAR COME IN.
WE WERE ABLE TO GET DNA
OFF OF THE TURN SIGNAL IN MICHELLE'S CAR,
THAT CAME BACK TO GISELLE ESTEBAN.
THE HAIR THAT WAS IN MICHELLE'S CAR,
IN THE DRIVER'S SEAT, WAS GISELLE ESTEBAN'S.
WHEN THEY TEST GISELLE'S SHOES,
THEY FIND TRACES OF MICHELLE'S BLOOD ON THEM, TOO.
THE LOVE TRIANGLE BETWEEN MICHELLE LE,
SCOTT MARASIGAN, AND GISELLE ESTEBAN;
THE PASS STOLEN BY GISELLE, FOUND IN MICHELLE'S CAR;
THE MESSAGES WHERE GISELLE THREATENS TO KILL MICHELLE.
EVEN THOUGH THEY HAVEN'T FOUND MICHELLE LE'S BODY,
IT'S ENOUGH TO CHARGE GISELLE WITH MURDER.
10 DAYS AFTER GISELLE'S ARREST,
THE FINAL, HORRIFIC PIECE OF THE PUZZLE IS PUT IN PLACE.
THE AREA WAS WELL-HIDDEN.
IT WAS EASILY ACCESSIBLE TO A CAR.
AND ULTIMATELY, HER BODY WAS FOUND
UNDERNEATH LIKE A VERY LARGE LOG.
UM --
WELL, UNFORTUNATELY, THE REMAINS
THAT WERE FOUND OF MICHELLE WAS ALL SKELETAL REMAINS
SO THERE WAS NO EVIDENCE TO SHOW THE DEFINITE CAUSE OF DEATH.
THE ONLY PERSON THAT KNOWS IS GISELLE.
USING THE VIDEO EVIDENCE,
POLICE ARE ABLE TO PIECE TOGETHER HOW IT ALL HAPPENED.
SHE USES A STOLEN I.D. PASS
TO BREAK INTO THE COLLEGE, IN ORDER TO FIND OUT
WHEN MICHELLE WOULD BE AT THE HOSPITAL.
THEN, SHE GOES TO THE KAISER HOSPITAL PARKING GARAGE.
I THINK SHE PROBABLY RECOGNIZED MY SISTER'S CAR
AND JUST WAITED FOR HER MOMENT.
THE BLOOD ON THE GARAGE FLOOR
TELLS POLICE SHE WAS MURDERED RIGHT THERE.
WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT?!
AAH!
GISELLE DROVE OFF TO CONCEAL THE BODY.
SHE TRIES RETURNING THE CAR
TO THE HOSPITAL PARKING GARAGE.
BUT SHE'S SPOTTED BY MICHELLE'S SUPERVISOR.
SO, INSTEAD, SHE TAKES OFF
AND ABANDONS THE CAR HALF A MILE AWAY.
THEN, SHE USES MICHELLE'S CELLPHONE TO SEND TEXTS,
TO THROW THEM OFF THE TRAIL.
THE CCTV IN THIS INVESTIGATION WAS CRUCIAL.
THE JUDGE THAT FINALLY SENTENCED GISELLE
SAID THAT HE HAD NEVER SEEN
SUCH AN OVERWHELMING CIRCUMSTANTIAL-EVIDENCE CASE.
GISELLE ESTEBAN PLEADS GUILTY TO KILLING MICHELLE
AND IS SENTENCED TO 25 YEARS TO LIFE IN PRISON.
SHE CLAIMS SHE DID IT IN A MOMENT OF ANGER,
BUT THE CCTV SHOWS A METHODICAL PLAN
THAT ONLY MAKES IT ALL HARDER ON MICHELLE'S FAMILY.
IT'S BEEN 4 YEARS SINCE SHE'S PASSED AWAY
AND IT DOESN'T GET EASIER.
I'M INSPIRED BY HER EVERY DAY,
BUT ALWAYS REMINDED HOW BEAUTIFUL HER LIFE WAS.
SHE WAS SUCH AN INCREDIBLE PERSON.
I WAS AFRAID THAT I WOULD FORGET
HOW SHE LAUGHED OR HER VOICE,
SO I GOT THREE TATTOOS FOR HER.
IT WAS THE MOST PERMANENT THING I THINK I COULD'VE DONE
TO KEEP HER.