1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:03,680 This program is about unsolved mysteries. 2 00:00:03,680 --> 00:00:06,280 Whenever possible, the actual family members and police 3 00:00:06,280 --> 00:00:09,280 officials have participated in recreating the events. 4 00:00:09,280 --> 00:00:12,080 What you are about to see is not a news broadcast. 5 00:00:16,080 --> 00:00:18,660 At the close of the Second World War, 6 00:00:18,660 --> 00:00:20,360 a young woman entrusted her daughter 7 00:00:20,360 --> 00:00:24,160 to a sailor returning home from service overseas. 8 00:00:24,160 --> 00:00:27,000 Now, 49 years later, the family members 9 00:00:27,000 --> 00:00:28,560 and police. 10 00:00:28,560 --> 00:00:32,800 Now, 49 years later, the smoker car baby has grown up 11 00:00:32,800 --> 00:00:35,040 and needs your help to find the mother who 12 00:00:35,040 --> 00:00:38,840 reluctantly gave her away. 13 00:00:38,840 --> 00:00:42,080 East Chicago, Indiana, 1981. 14 00:00:42,080 --> 00:00:44,520 It was politics as usual that a fundraiser 15 00:00:44,520 --> 00:00:47,080 for a leading candidate for mayor. 16 00:00:47,080 --> 00:00:49,680 Then a local mover and shaker named Jay Given 17 00:00:49,680 --> 00:00:52,520 was gunned down in the lobby of the Alts Club. 18 00:00:52,520 --> 00:00:56,320 And the prime suspect turned out to be a deputy police chief. 19 00:00:58,000 --> 00:01:02,800 In 1992, Larry Costa was gunned down at his ranch in Florida. 20 00:01:02,800 --> 00:01:05,600 That same night, his girlfriend, Melissa Joe Sermon, 21 00:01:05,600 --> 00:01:07,600 mysteriously vanished. 22 00:01:07,600 --> 00:01:11,320 Joe's family fears that she too may have met with foul play. 23 00:01:11,320 --> 00:01:16,080 But police believe she may have been involved in Larry's death. 24 00:01:16,080 --> 00:01:18,080 Join me. 25 00:01:18,080 --> 00:01:21,680 For every mystery, there is some who knows the truth. 26 00:01:21,680 --> 00:01:23,120 Perhaps it's you. 27 00:01:57,000 --> 00:01:57,240 The 28 00:02:21,240 --> 00:02:24,480 East Chicago, Indiana is a classic industrial blue collar 29 00:02:24,600 --> 00:02:25,880 community. 30 00:02:25,880 --> 00:02:28,280 Like his famous name, Saikon, Illinois, 31 00:02:28,280 --> 00:02:30,760 everyday life in East Chicago was for years 32 00:02:30,760 --> 00:02:34,320 controlled by the local political machine. 33 00:02:34,320 --> 00:02:37,120 For two decades, one of the city's power brokers 34 00:02:37,120 --> 00:02:39,640 was an attorney named Jay Given. 35 00:02:39,640 --> 00:02:43,160 Given was a master fundraiser, clever behind the scenes 36 00:02:43,160 --> 00:02:45,480 operator who traded on favors to create 37 00:02:45,480 --> 00:02:48,800 strong political alliances. 38 00:02:48,800 --> 00:02:51,480 My father was very powerful. 39 00:02:51,480 --> 00:02:54,720 He understood how to win elections. 40 00:02:54,720 --> 00:03:00,200 He was intimately familiar with the politicians. 41 00:03:00,200 --> 00:03:05,240 People in power knew all the skeletons in their closet. 42 00:03:05,240 --> 00:03:13,720 And that makes you very powerful in a town like this. 43 00:03:13,720 --> 00:03:17,200 But by the 1970s, the political machines in the Midwest 44 00:03:17,200 --> 00:03:19,360 were beginning to come apart. 45 00:03:19,360 --> 00:03:23,040 In 1970, Given had helped elect Bob Pastrick, the city 46 00:03:23,040 --> 00:03:25,800 controller as mayor of East Chicago. 47 00:03:25,800 --> 00:03:28,680 But within two years, they were on the outs 48 00:03:28,680 --> 00:03:31,520 and no longer allies. 49 00:03:31,520 --> 00:03:37,360 On a number of issues, my father and Mr. Pastrick split. 50 00:03:37,360 --> 00:03:39,400 Obviously, my father's attentions 51 00:03:39,400 --> 00:03:43,080 were starting to turn towards electing somebody else other 52 00:03:43,080 --> 00:03:44,560 than Bob Pastrick as mayor. 53 00:03:45,240 --> 00:03:50,680 On May 15, 1981, the local Elks Club 54 00:03:50,680 --> 00:03:53,000 was a scene of a Las Vegas-style fundraiser 55 00:03:53,000 --> 00:03:56,120 for county commissioner Ann Adderson Spand. 56 00:03:56,120 --> 00:03:58,880 Spand, the city's foremost black politician, 57 00:03:58,880 --> 00:04:00,640 is considering a run for mayor. 58 00:04:00,640 --> 00:04:01,640 I'm going to go right there. 59 00:04:01,640 --> 00:04:02,540 OK. 60 00:04:02,540 --> 00:04:06,000 Well, Jay Given is here. 61 00:04:06,000 --> 00:04:07,240 How are you this evening? 62 00:04:07,240 --> 00:04:08,560 Well, I'm delighted to be here. 63 00:04:08,560 --> 00:04:10,720 Jay Given's appearance at the fundraiser 64 00:04:10,720 --> 00:04:12,440 was regarded by many as an attempt 65 00:04:12,440 --> 00:04:16,120 to solidify East Chicago's white and black power blocks 66 00:04:16,120 --> 00:04:19,360 against the growing political strength of Hispanic Americans 67 00:04:19,360 --> 00:04:22,200 who were backing Bob Pastrick for reelection. 68 00:04:22,200 --> 00:04:24,280 John, it's a pleasure to meet you. 69 00:04:24,280 --> 00:04:26,600 Given worked the room for two hours. 70 00:04:26,600 --> 00:04:29,440 Shortly after 11 PM, he said his goodbyes 71 00:04:29,440 --> 00:04:32,000 and headed out of the club. 72 00:04:32,000 --> 00:04:33,800 He never made it through the front door. 73 00:04:42,640 --> 00:04:44,960 Jay Given was shot once in the back of the head 74 00:04:44,960 --> 00:04:47,040 at point blank range. 75 00:04:47,040 --> 00:04:49,160 He died in the entryway of the Elks Club 76 00:04:49,160 --> 00:04:51,800 with an ear shot of 400 people. 77 00:04:51,800 --> 00:04:55,520 Incredibly, no one ever admitted to witnessing the shooting. 78 00:04:55,520 --> 00:04:59,760 12 years later, police have yet to charge a suspect. 79 00:04:59,760 --> 00:05:01,720 But on the night of the murder, detectives 80 00:05:01,720 --> 00:05:04,240 thought the case might be wrapped up quickly, 81 00:05:04,240 --> 00:05:07,040 especially after they found a shell casing in the foyer 82 00:05:07,040 --> 00:05:10,880 of the club and a spent 45 caliber bullet in the street. 83 00:05:12,720 --> 00:05:15,360 I was astonished at the remarkable condition 84 00:05:15,360 --> 00:05:17,400 that this evidence was in. 85 00:05:17,400 --> 00:05:21,320 Projectile come through the front part of his forehead, 86 00:05:21,320 --> 00:05:24,200 went through the glass doors, hit the building 87 00:05:24,200 --> 00:05:26,960 across the street, brick building, 88 00:05:26,960 --> 00:05:29,240 and bounced back into the street. 89 00:05:29,240 --> 00:05:31,400 It was in perfect condition, with the exception 90 00:05:31,400 --> 00:05:34,160 of the nose of the projectile. 91 00:05:34,160 --> 00:05:36,440 Inspector DeCera marked the evidence 92 00:05:36,440 --> 00:05:39,160 and locked it in his desk drawer rather than check it 93 00:05:39,160 --> 00:05:40,640 into the vault. 94 00:05:40,640 --> 00:05:41,720 And which is not uncommon. 95 00:05:41,720 --> 00:05:42,880 I've done it with other evidence. 96 00:05:42,880 --> 00:05:45,080 My partner has done it with other evidence. 97 00:05:45,080 --> 00:05:47,840 I just wanted the other teams to look at what we had 98 00:05:47,840 --> 00:05:48,760 as far as evidence. 99 00:05:48,760 --> 00:05:51,840 And I said, this is unbelievable. 100 00:05:51,840 --> 00:05:54,000 Four days later, Inspector DeCera 101 00:05:54,000 --> 00:05:55,880 was shocked when he opened his drawer 102 00:05:55,880 --> 00:05:58,800 and discovered that someone had tampered with the evidence 103 00:05:58,800 --> 00:06:01,800 in an apparent attempt to prevent investigators from matching 104 00:06:01,800 --> 00:06:05,280 the bullet to a gun. 105 00:06:05,280 --> 00:06:09,960 On the shell casing, a hole was punched through the primer. 106 00:06:09,960 --> 00:06:14,000 The projectile, someone had taken a sharp instrument 107 00:06:14,000 --> 00:06:16,120 and tried to cut the lens and grooves where 108 00:06:16,120 --> 00:06:18,400 you could identify it. 109 00:06:18,400 --> 00:06:21,080 The only people with access to the evidence drawer 110 00:06:21,080 --> 00:06:23,080 worked in the police department. 111 00:06:23,080 --> 00:06:28,320 The tampering had all the earmarks of an inside job. 112 00:06:28,320 --> 00:06:30,780 DeCera sent the altered bullet and shell casing 113 00:06:30,780 --> 00:06:33,200 to the FBI for analysis. 114 00:06:33,200 --> 00:06:36,200 Despite the damage, they identified the murder weapon 115 00:06:36,200 --> 00:06:39,320 as a rare handgun called a detonix. 116 00:06:39,320 --> 00:06:42,760 The casing was eventually linked to one of only 58 detonix 117 00:06:42,760 --> 00:06:46,920 with a specially modified ejecting mechanism. 118 00:06:46,920 --> 00:06:49,480 Incredibly, one of those guns was traced back 119 00:06:49,480 --> 00:06:52,160 to the East Chicago Police Department. 120 00:06:52,160 --> 00:06:55,920 The weapon was once owned by Deputy Chief John Cardona, who 121 00:06:55,920 --> 00:06:58,920 was a prime suspect in the case. 122 00:06:58,920 --> 00:07:01,960 Cardona had been a member of a Latino political club that 123 00:07:01,960 --> 00:07:03,960 was at odds with Jay Given. 124 00:07:03,960 --> 00:07:06,920 And several eyewitnesses placed him at the Elks Club 125 00:07:06,920 --> 00:07:08,000 on the night of the shooting. 126 00:07:10,960 --> 00:07:15,040 Mr. Cardona was very active in the Spanish organization. 127 00:07:15,040 --> 00:07:18,320 They were not welcome at this event. 128 00:07:18,320 --> 00:07:20,200 I think he gave it two or three different reasons 129 00:07:20,200 --> 00:07:23,400 why he was there based on different conversations. 130 00:07:23,400 --> 00:07:24,800 He at some point in time acknowledged 131 00:07:24,800 --> 00:07:26,960 that he was there to watch Jay Given. 132 00:07:31,680 --> 00:07:33,920 According to investigators, a witness 133 00:07:33,920 --> 00:07:36,240 claims that Cardona seemed to be following 134 00:07:36,240 --> 00:07:40,320 Given at one point during the evening. 135 00:07:40,320 --> 00:07:43,480 Given had made it clear that if his people came in power 136 00:07:43,480 --> 00:07:45,800 in the city, there were going to be some changes. 137 00:07:45,800 --> 00:07:47,960 And Cardona was one of those changes. 138 00:07:47,960 --> 00:07:50,120 As a matter of fact, the comment that was used that if he got 139 00:07:50,120 --> 00:07:53,840 in, Cardona would be walking the beat. 140 00:07:53,840 --> 00:07:56,400 None of the witnesses saw Cardona when Given made 141 00:07:56,400 --> 00:07:58,320 his way towards the exit. 142 00:07:58,320 --> 00:08:01,680 However, one party goers says that shortly before the shooting, 143 00:08:01,680 --> 00:08:03,640 he saw Given engage in a discussion 144 00:08:03,640 --> 00:08:05,440 with a man in the lobby. 145 00:08:05,440 --> 00:08:10,600 Investigators believe the man could have been John Cardona. 146 00:08:10,600 --> 00:08:13,240 He described the man that was talking with Mr. Given 147 00:08:13,240 --> 00:08:18,720 as approximately 6'1 black wavy hair in a bluish gray suit. 148 00:08:18,720 --> 00:08:21,880 That could have been consistent with what Mr. Cardona was 149 00:08:21,880 --> 00:08:24,200 wearing at the time and his size. 150 00:08:24,200 --> 00:08:26,480 He went into the washroom. 151 00:08:26,480 --> 00:08:29,320 And as he was in the washroom, he heard a gunshot. 152 00:08:29,320 --> 00:08:31,320 When he came out of the washroom immediately, 153 00:08:31,320 --> 00:08:35,520 he saw Mr. Given lying face down on the floor 154 00:08:35,520 --> 00:08:36,680 and the other person was gone. 155 00:08:39,360 --> 00:08:43,040 Cardona said that he was in the bar when Given was gunned down. 156 00:08:43,040 --> 00:08:45,040 However, according to investigators, 157 00:08:45,040 --> 00:08:47,680 several people said they did not remember seeing him 158 00:08:47,680 --> 00:08:49,800 there at the time. 159 00:08:49,800 --> 00:08:53,800 Witnesses who were seated at the bar who know him 160 00:08:53,800 --> 00:08:55,520 could not place him there. 161 00:08:55,520 --> 00:08:58,440 The only person that puts John in the bar at the time 162 00:08:58,440 --> 00:09:00,800 of the shooting is John himself. 163 00:09:00,800 --> 00:09:04,560 Did you tell the investigator the truth about this case? 164 00:09:04,560 --> 00:09:05,400 Yes. 165 00:09:05,400 --> 00:09:08,280 Over the next few weeks, everyone in the police department 166 00:09:08,280 --> 00:09:10,480 was asked to take a polygraph exam, 167 00:09:10,480 --> 00:09:13,000 including Deputy Chief Cardona. 168 00:09:13,000 --> 00:09:15,520 Cardona failed the test and later, 169 00:09:15,520 --> 00:09:19,320 he refused to take a second exam. 170 00:09:19,320 --> 00:09:22,240 Investigators believe the three key pieces of evidence 171 00:09:22,240 --> 00:09:24,480 pointed to John Cardona. 172 00:09:24,480 --> 00:09:26,480 He apparently fit the description of the man 173 00:09:26,480 --> 00:09:28,560 seen talking with Given. 174 00:09:28,600 --> 00:09:31,400 He owned a Daytonics handgun, even though he said 175 00:09:31,400 --> 00:09:34,000 it had been stolen six months earlier. 176 00:09:34,000 --> 00:09:36,880 And Cardona did have access to the drawer 177 00:09:36,880 --> 00:09:40,320 where the evidence had been kept. 178 00:09:40,320 --> 00:09:42,080 But when viewed in a different light, 179 00:09:42,080 --> 00:09:45,040 what appears to be overwhelming circumstantial evidence 180 00:09:45,040 --> 00:09:48,920 actually makes John Cardona an unlikely suspect. 181 00:09:48,920 --> 00:09:51,720 Why would a man as prominent as a deputy police chief 182 00:09:51,720 --> 00:09:54,200 make a very visible appearance at a fundraiser 183 00:09:54,200 --> 00:09:57,280 attended by 400 people? 184 00:09:57,280 --> 00:09:58,880 Why would he then shadow the movements 185 00:09:58,880 --> 00:10:02,120 of a known political rival for at least part of the evening 186 00:10:02,120 --> 00:10:04,560 as alleged by one witness? 187 00:10:04,560 --> 00:10:07,560 And why would he murder that rival with an earshot 188 00:10:07,560 --> 00:10:10,920 of every guest at the party? 189 00:10:10,920 --> 00:10:12,760 Perhaps it was these very questions 190 00:10:12,760 --> 00:10:15,560 that kept prosecutors from pressing charges. 191 00:10:15,560 --> 00:10:20,520 In fact, the case was never even brought before the grand jury. 192 00:10:20,520 --> 00:10:23,600 I think the concern that the local prosecutor had 193 00:10:23,600 --> 00:10:26,880 was that he could not afford to lose this case. 194 00:10:26,880 --> 00:10:32,360 He wanted basically a case that was a tight case. 195 00:10:32,360 --> 00:10:34,400 And he didn't think his case was tight enough. 196 00:10:34,400 --> 00:10:36,000 I would like to see an indictment. 197 00:10:36,000 --> 00:10:37,160 I'd like to see a trial. 198 00:10:37,160 --> 00:10:40,000 And if John Cardona didn't do it, then fine. 199 00:10:40,000 --> 00:10:42,240 Let's put it to a jury. 200 00:10:42,240 --> 00:10:45,400 And if he didn't do it, in the eyes of the jury, 201 00:10:45,400 --> 00:10:47,560 beyond a reasonable doubt, there you have it. 202 00:10:47,560 --> 00:10:50,200 Let's go after the next, you know, who else, 203 00:10:50,200 --> 00:10:53,280 whoever did do it. 204 00:10:53,280 --> 00:11:00,400 It's very frustrating to not have some closure on this. 205 00:11:00,400 --> 00:11:02,360 Who murdered J. Gibbon? 206 00:11:02,360 --> 00:11:04,040 At this point, police believe there 207 00:11:04,040 --> 00:11:09,080 are witnesses who may be able to help answer that question. 208 00:11:09,080 --> 00:11:11,320 Just prior to the shooting, five people 209 00:11:11,320 --> 00:11:14,040 were descending the stairway of the Elks Club. 210 00:11:14,040 --> 00:11:16,200 Three of them, all men, were approaching 211 00:11:16,200 --> 00:11:18,240 the foot of the steps at the precise moment 212 00:11:18,240 --> 00:11:20,560 that J. Gibbon was gunned down. 213 00:11:20,560 --> 00:11:23,240 The three men have never been identified. 214 00:11:23,240 --> 00:11:25,800 The police hope that one of them saw the killer 215 00:11:25,800 --> 00:11:27,880 and will now come forward with information. 216 00:11:33,480 --> 00:11:36,680 When we return, a Florida rancher is murdered 217 00:11:36,680 --> 00:11:39,120 and his girlfriend mysteriously vanishes. 218 00:11:48,800 --> 00:11:51,480 Larry Costine was a Southern cowboy 219 00:11:51,480 --> 00:11:53,320 Just before the turn of the century, 220 00:11:53,320 --> 00:11:55,680 his great-great grandfather had homesteaded 221 00:11:55,680 --> 00:11:57,960 a stretch of harsh land in central Florida 222 00:11:57,960 --> 00:12:00,040 near the city of Lakeland. 223 00:12:00,040 --> 00:12:03,040 Larry took his ranching heritage seriously. 224 00:12:03,040 --> 00:12:05,560 He had spent his entire 31 years working 225 00:12:05,560 --> 00:12:08,360 with horses and cattle. 226 00:12:08,360 --> 00:12:13,120 Larry was riding a horse from the time he was two years old. 227 00:12:13,120 --> 00:12:15,560 He loved to work. 228 00:12:15,560 --> 00:12:19,840 He loved to rodeo. 229 00:12:19,840 --> 00:12:24,960 He was stout, husky, strong as a mule. 230 00:12:24,960 --> 00:12:27,800 He was the type of person to get into trouble. 231 00:12:27,800 --> 00:12:29,160 He stayed away from trouble. 232 00:12:29,160 --> 00:12:31,560 Of course, if it came along, he no doubt take care of himself. 233 00:12:34,680 --> 00:12:37,800 Larry's uncle, Erlo, was the barn manager for the Cattleman's 234 00:12:37,800 --> 00:12:39,280 livestock auction market. 235 00:12:39,280 --> 00:12:40,160 Hey, Erlo. 236 00:12:40,160 --> 00:12:40,960 How are you? 237 00:12:40,960 --> 00:12:41,960 How are you? 238 00:12:41,960 --> 00:12:43,880 All right. 239 00:12:43,880 --> 00:12:47,080 One of Erlo's employees was Melissa Joe Sermons, whom 240 00:12:47,080 --> 00:12:49,360 everyone called Joe. 241 00:12:49,360 --> 00:12:50,080 Joe, I'm all done. 242 00:12:50,080 --> 00:12:50,980 He's up to office. 243 00:12:50,980 --> 00:12:51,880 Be back later. 244 00:12:51,880 --> 00:12:53,320 OK, I'll see you later. 245 00:12:53,320 --> 00:12:55,240 Hey, you ain't said nothing to him about us, have you? 246 00:12:55,240 --> 00:12:56,140 Erlo? 247 00:12:56,140 --> 00:12:58,040 No, I didn't say anything. 248 00:12:58,040 --> 00:12:58,840 I didn't say anything. 249 00:12:58,840 --> 00:13:00,960 Unbeknownst even to Erlo, Joe and Larry 250 00:13:00,960 --> 00:13:02,800 were romantically involved. 251 00:13:02,800 --> 00:13:04,600 They kept their relationship a secret, 252 00:13:04,600 --> 00:13:06,760 because Larry had just split up with his wife, 253 00:13:06,760 --> 00:13:07,960 and Joe were their boyfriend. 254 00:13:07,960 --> 00:13:08,860 You do? 255 00:13:08,860 --> 00:13:10,080 OK, well, that's good. 256 00:13:10,080 --> 00:13:13,000 The boyfriend often worked at the auction market, too. 257 00:13:13,000 --> 00:13:17,040 By all accounts, he wasn't taking the break up well. 258 00:13:17,040 --> 00:13:19,520 There were different occasions I've called him. 259 00:13:19,520 --> 00:13:23,440 He would be following her, watching her. 260 00:13:23,440 --> 00:13:26,280 He was just very upset that the fact 261 00:13:26,280 --> 00:13:29,320 that she had left his house, and he was 262 00:13:29,320 --> 00:13:31,560 having to live by himself again. 263 00:13:31,560 --> 00:13:33,760 He followed her continuously. 264 00:13:33,760 --> 00:13:35,480 Joe and my other daughter went to the store. 265 00:13:35,480 --> 00:13:36,560 He would follow them. 266 00:13:36,560 --> 00:13:37,800 Midnight, you'd see. 267 00:13:37,800 --> 00:13:40,360 We even caught him sneaking down under the kitchen window, 268 00:13:40,360 --> 00:13:42,560 listening to their conversation one night. 269 00:13:42,560 --> 00:13:43,600 We asked him what he was doing. 270 00:13:43,600 --> 00:13:45,960 He said, oh, I just thought I heard something out here, 271 00:13:45,960 --> 00:13:47,160 and I was just looking. 272 00:13:47,160 --> 00:13:49,240 But he was eavesdropping. 273 00:13:49,240 --> 00:13:52,120 Welcome, ladies and gentlemen, to Sassus Arena 274 00:13:52,120 --> 00:13:53,520 in Lagouti, Florida. 275 00:13:53,520 --> 00:13:56,840 On Saturday, May 2, 1992, Larry and Joe 276 00:13:56,840 --> 00:13:59,400 were in Dade City, Florida for the weekly rodeo. 277 00:13:59,400 --> 00:14:03,920 The event starts and steers out of shoot number one right now. 278 00:14:03,920 --> 00:14:06,560 The events got underway around 10 PM. 279 00:14:06,560 --> 00:14:09,120 Larry and Joe never missed the rodeo. 280 00:14:09,120 --> 00:14:10,880 Larry was one of the local stars, 281 00:14:10,880 --> 00:14:15,360 and his favorite event was team-on-game. 282 00:14:15,640 --> 00:14:17,800 That night, Joe stuck by Larry's sign. 283 00:14:17,800 --> 00:14:19,740 Right up to the minute, he and his partner 284 00:14:19,740 --> 00:14:21,000 were called into the box. 285 00:14:21,000 --> 00:14:21,960 Yeah! 286 00:14:21,960 --> 00:14:22,940 Come on! 287 00:14:22,940 --> 00:14:25,280 The horse! 288 00:14:25,280 --> 00:14:26,280 The horse! 289 00:14:26,280 --> 00:14:27,280 Come on! 290 00:14:27,280 --> 00:14:28,280 The horse! 291 00:14:28,280 --> 00:14:29,280 The horse! 292 00:14:29,280 --> 00:14:30,280 The horse! 293 00:14:30,280 --> 00:14:31,280 The horse! 294 00:14:31,280 --> 00:14:32,040 The horse! 295 00:14:32,040 --> 00:14:33,040 The horse! 296 00:14:33,040 --> 00:14:34,120 The horse! 297 00:14:34,120 --> 00:14:35,120 The horse! 298 00:14:35,120 --> 00:14:37,120 The horse! 299 00:14:37,120 --> 00:14:38,120 The horse! 300 00:14:38,120 --> 00:14:39,120 The horse! 301 00:14:39,120 --> 00:14:40,120 The horse! 302 00:14:40,120 --> 00:14:41,120 The horse! 303 00:14:41,120 --> 00:14:42,120 The horse! 304 00:14:42,120 --> 00:14:44,800 Ladies and gentlemen, we are looking 305 00:14:44,800 --> 00:14:47,120 a brand new wedding time. 306 00:14:47,120 --> 00:14:48,600 Five-year-old Larry. 307 00:14:48,600 --> 00:14:50,560 Taking home the potluck. 308 00:14:50,560 --> 00:14:51,560 I'm looking for him. 309 00:14:51,560 --> 00:14:52,560 I'm looking for him. 310 00:14:52,560 --> 00:14:53,560 I'm looking for him. 311 00:14:53,560 --> 00:14:54,560 I'm looking for him. 312 00:14:54,560 --> 00:14:55,560 I'm looking for him. 313 00:14:55,560 --> 00:14:56,560 I'm looking for him. 314 00:14:56,560 --> 00:14:57,560 I'm looking for him. 315 00:14:57,560 --> 00:15:02,560 Larry and his partners put a $350 purse. 316 00:15:02,560 --> 00:15:04,800 The rodeo finished late that night. 317 00:15:04,800 --> 00:15:07,640 Around 2 AM, Larry and Joe went out to breakfast 318 00:15:07,640 --> 00:15:09,000 with a friend. 319 00:15:09,000 --> 00:15:12,080 They dropped him off at 4 AM. 320 00:15:12,080 --> 00:15:14,640 It is believed Joe and Larry arrived back at his trailer 321 00:15:14,640 --> 00:15:16,400 around 4.15 Sunday morning. 322 00:15:19,400 --> 00:15:21,880 No one knows exactly what happened after that. 323 00:15:25,000 --> 00:15:26,640 When Joe didn't come home that night, 324 00:15:26,640 --> 00:15:29,120 her mother called Erlo costime. 325 00:15:29,120 --> 00:15:32,680 For the first time, you learned of Joe and Larry's relationship. 326 00:15:32,680 --> 00:15:35,880 Erlo called Larry's trailer, but Larry didn't answer. 327 00:15:35,880 --> 00:15:38,560 The next morning, when Joe didn't show up for work, 328 00:15:38,560 --> 00:15:40,880 Erlo drove to Larry's trailer. 329 00:15:40,880 --> 00:15:42,680 He found Larry's truck in the driveway 330 00:15:42,680 --> 00:15:45,440 and heard a radio on inside the trailer. 331 00:15:45,440 --> 00:15:48,040 Erlo's frantic knocks at the door went unanswered. 332 00:15:51,560 --> 00:15:55,680 As soon as I got to the trailer and seen the situation, 333 00:15:55,680 --> 00:15:57,840 I immediately called back to my wife 334 00:15:57,840 --> 00:15:59,880 and told her to call the sheriff's department 335 00:15:59,880 --> 00:16:02,080 to get him out there. 336 00:16:02,080 --> 00:16:06,840 And I just, a feeling came to me that I knew in my mind 337 00:16:06,840 --> 00:16:08,240 that something bad was wrong. 338 00:16:08,240 --> 00:16:09,040 I'm coming out. 339 00:16:09,040 --> 00:16:09,760 I really appreciate this. 340 00:16:09,760 --> 00:16:10,800 I'm Erlo Costime. 341 00:16:10,800 --> 00:16:11,920 Bob Clayton, how you doing? 342 00:16:12,280 --> 00:16:14,160 Pleasure. 343 00:16:14,160 --> 00:16:17,280 I'm worried to death about my nephew Larry. 344 00:16:17,280 --> 00:16:19,400 Have you tried to go inside the house yet? 345 00:16:19,400 --> 00:16:21,640 No, I haven't. 346 00:16:21,640 --> 00:16:25,280 I'm afraid to be honest about it. 347 00:16:25,280 --> 00:16:26,440 Does anybody have a key to it? 348 00:16:26,440 --> 00:16:27,360 I got the key. 349 00:16:36,600 --> 00:16:38,200 Sheriff's office, is anybody home? 350 00:16:42,840 --> 00:16:44,840 Mr. Costime, is anybody home? 351 00:16:46,840 --> 00:16:47,840 Exactly what I got. 352 00:16:54,840 --> 00:16:58,440 When the deputy put the key in and opened the door, 353 00:16:58,440 --> 00:17:00,840 the smell was unreal. 354 00:17:00,840 --> 00:17:03,640 And I knew then that Larry was dead. 355 00:17:03,640 --> 00:17:06,240 But I felt like that both of them would be there 356 00:17:06,240 --> 00:17:08,320 when we opened the door, being both of them 357 00:17:08,320 --> 00:17:09,920 was missing at the time. 358 00:17:10,920 --> 00:17:13,320 As soon as they told Erlo, there was only one body. 359 00:17:13,320 --> 00:17:15,240 He called us and told us at that time 360 00:17:15,240 --> 00:17:16,520 that my daughter was missing. 361 00:17:16,520 --> 00:17:17,920 They did not know where she was at. 362 00:17:21,760 --> 00:17:24,960 Larry Costime had been found nude on his bedroom floor, 363 00:17:24,960 --> 00:17:28,080 shot through the head four times with a handgun. 364 00:17:28,080 --> 00:17:30,200 His bed had not been slept in. 365 00:17:30,200 --> 00:17:32,920 There was no sign of a struggle or robbery. 366 00:17:32,920 --> 00:17:34,920 And one of Larry's guns was missing. 367 00:17:35,920 --> 00:17:38,800 It was the last time he was seen in Larry. 368 00:17:38,800 --> 00:17:40,560 The Polk County Sheriff's Department 369 00:17:40,560 --> 00:17:42,960 launched an all-out investigation, 370 00:17:42,960 --> 00:17:45,960 at first suspicion focused on Joe's ex-boyfriend. 371 00:17:45,960 --> 00:17:47,160 Take some photographs for me. 372 00:17:47,160 --> 00:17:48,680 We interviewed him. 373 00:17:48,680 --> 00:17:51,880 He was able to give us an alibi for his particular time 374 00:17:51,880 --> 00:17:56,080 and location when the actual murder occurred. 375 00:17:56,080 --> 00:18:00,280 I don't feel that the ex-boyfriend at this time 376 00:18:00,280 --> 00:18:01,320 has any involvement. 377 00:18:01,320 --> 00:18:04,120 I have no evidence to indicate that. 378 00:18:04,120 --> 00:18:05,840 Let's move down to that end. 379 00:18:05,840 --> 00:18:08,520 Soon, Joe herself became a suspect. 380 00:18:08,520 --> 00:18:11,880 But Erlo Costime is convinced that Joe Sermons did not 381 00:18:11,880 --> 00:18:12,840 murder his nephew. 382 00:18:15,120 --> 00:18:19,040 I feel like that somebody watched Larry. 383 00:18:19,040 --> 00:18:20,760 New Larry was at her open. 384 00:18:20,760 --> 00:18:23,560 New Joe was with Larry. 385 00:18:23,560 --> 00:18:28,680 Followed Larry home or knew when he was coming home 386 00:18:28,680 --> 00:18:29,680 and was waiting for him. 387 00:18:30,240 --> 00:18:33,240 No, you don't watch that. 388 00:18:33,240 --> 00:18:34,240 Let's get out of here. 389 00:18:34,240 --> 00:18:35,240 You don't need to. 390 00:18:35,240 --> 00:18:39,600 I just personally, I feel like it was somebody real jealous 391 00:18:39,600 --> 00:18:41,600 of his actions that particular night. 392 00:18:41,600 --> 00:18:43,720 Ben was Joe, spending the night with Joe. 393 00:18:54,720 --> 00:18:58,040 I said, didn't I tell you to stay away from him? 394 00:18:58,040 --> 00:19:01,240 I think Joe was probably taking a gun point. 395 00:19:01,240 --> 00:19:03,440 And at a later time, murdered. 396 00:19:03,440 --> 00:19:05,800 I think Joe's did. 397 00:19:05,800 --> 00:19:09,360 If we want to look at Joe's ex-boyfriend 398 00:19:09,360 --> 00:19:12,600 as a suspect in this case, I think 399 00:19:12,600 --> 00:19:16,000 that he would have probably committed the offense 400 00:19:16,000 --> 00:19:18,240 in a different situation. 401 00:19:18,240 --> 00:19:20,400 I don't think that it would have happened in the residence. 402 00:19:20,400 --> 00:19:23,400 I don't think he would have allowed Joe and Larry 403 00:19:23,400 --> 00:19:27,120 to spend time in the residence alone. 404 00:19:27,120 --> 00:19:30,640 And also the fact that, of course, there's no struggle. 405 00:19:30,640 --> 00:19:32,360 The authorities believe Joe Sermons 406 00:19:32,360 --> 00:19:34,280 may be the only person who could have gotten 407 00:19:34,280 --> 00:19:38,240 close enough to Larry Costine to kill him without a struggle. 408 00:19:38,240 --> 00:19:40,400 Is it possible that something happened in the trailer 409 00:19:40,400 --> 00:19:45,640 that night, something that provoked Joe to violence? 410 00:19:45,640 --> 00:19:49,120 I think Larry could have made her mad. 411 00:19:49,120 --> 00:19:53,760 He can make anybody mad in a split second. 412 00:19:53,800 --> 00:19:58,000 He'll push and push and push until he does make you mad. 413 00:19:58,000 --> 00:20:00,480 They might have gotten an argument, 414 00:20:00,480 --> 00:20:02,440 and it led into one thing or another. 415 00:20:05,120 --> 00:20:08,000 I mean, she could have been joking, 416 00:20:08,000 --> 00:20:11,480 but it just led into something violent. 417 00:20:11,480 --> 00:20:12,400 Shut down, Joe. 418 00:20:12,400 --> 00:20:13,400 Shut it down. 419 00:20:13,400 --> 00:20:14,480 OK, go ahead and shoot me. 420 00:20:14,480 --> 00:20:15,480 Go ahead. 421 00:20:15,480 --> 00:20:16,480 Go ahead. 422 00:20:28,480 --> 00:20:33,360 In my heart, I strongly believe that she is life 423 00:20:33,360 --> 00:20:34,480 and that she is hiding. 424 00:20:35,480 --> 00:20:42,480 Based on everything that I've learned at this time, 425 00:20:42,480 --> 00:20:47,920 I feel that Joe is in some way involved in the murder, 426 00:20:47,920 --> 00:20:50,240 either actually committing the murder 427 00:20:50,240 --> 00:20:53,720 or possibly a witness to it. 428 00:20:53,720 --> 00:20:57,120 But she has some type of involvement and or knowledge 429 00:20:57,120 --> 00:20:59,000 about it. 430 00:20:59,000 --> 00:21:01,480 I think her ex-boyfriend's kidnapped her. 431 00:21:02,120 --> 00:21:06,040 I think her ex-boyfriend's kidnapped her. 432 00:21:06,040 --> 00:21:09,040 I hope she, I would like to think she's still alive, 433 00:21:09,040 --> 00:21:12,280 but I really don't believe that they could hold her this long. 434 00:21:12,280 --> 00:21:14,080 I believe she's dead. 435 00:21:14,080 --> 00:21:15,720 I've come to terms with God. 436 00:21:15,720 --> 00:21:17,560 I just want him to help me settle this case, 437 00:21:17,560 --> 00:21:21,080 to find out who did it and let them pay the penalty 438 00:21:21,080 --> 00:21:22,040 that they should pay. 439 00:21:24,920 --> 00:21:27,440 Ever since the night Larry Costine was murdered, 440 00:21:27,440 --> 00:21:29,520 there have been sightings of Melissa Joe sermons 441 00:21:29,560 --> 00:21:33,480 at truck stops in Florida, Texas, and Kansas. 442 00:21:33,480 --> 00:21:36,560 The authorities believe the sightings are reliable. 443 00:21:36,560 --> 00:21:40,080 Erlo Costine does not. 444 00:21:40,080 --> 00:21:48,480 I feel like by now that she made a move to come back 445 00:21:48,480 --> 00:21:51,400 or see her mother and her sisters. 446 00:21:51,400 --> 00:21:57,200 I just, I can't believe that anybody's ever really seen her. 447 00:21:57,200 --> 00:21:59,720 They've seen people that they thought maybe was her. 448 00:22:03,440 --> 00:22:05,680 The authorities continue to investigate this case 449 00:22:05,680 --> 00:22:08,920 on the assumption that Joe sermons is still alive. 450 00:22:08,920 --> 00:22:11,720 Joe holds a license to operate a tractor trailer. 451 00:22:11,720 --> 00:22:14,160 Two witnesses have claimed they saw her behind the wheel 452 00:22:14,160 --> 00:22:16,160 of a big rig hauling livestock. 453 00:22:17,160 --> 00:22:23,160 The Young Mother. 454 00:22:23,160 --> 00:22:25,800 Nearly 50 years ago, the young mother, 455 00:22:25,800 --> 00:22:29,760 barely able to support herself, reluctantly gave up her baby. 456 00:22:29,760 --> 00:22:32,720 Perhaps you can help reunite them next. 457 00:22:32,720 --> 00:22:50,040 August 14, 1945, the end of the Second World War. 458 00:22:50,040 --> 00:22:52,400 All across the country, people spontaneously 459 00:22:52,400 --> 00:22:55,440 took to the streets, enjoy a celebration. 460 00:22:55,440 --> 00:22:57,320 There would be no more fighting. 461 00:22:57,320 --> 00:22:59,440 The troops were coming home. 462 00:22:59,440 --> 00:23:00,680 Life would return to normal. 463 00:23:03,160 --> 00:23:05,920 In November of that year, seaman first class Donald 464 00:23:05,920 --> 00:23:08,600 Caffrey boarded a train in Seattle heading home 465 00:23:08,600 --> 00:23:11,800 to his wife in Omaha, Nebraska, after almost two years at sea. 466 00:23:14,800 --> 00:23:17,600 In the smoker car, Donald ran into a young woman 467 00:23:17,600 --> 00:23:18,600 named Dorothy Johnson. 468 00:23:18,600 --> 00:23:20,120 Very beautiful. 469 00:23:20,120 --> 00:23:22,960 Separated from her husband in just 17, 470 00:23:22,960 --> 00:23:25,160 Dorothy was traveling to Utica, New York 471 00:23:25,160 --> 00:23:28,240 with her 11-month-old daughter, Yvonne. 472 00:23:29,240 --> 00:23:30,240 Do you mind holding her awhile? 473 00:23:30,240 --> 00:23:31,240 No. 474 00:23:31,240 --> 00:23:33,240 No, not at all. 475 00:23:33,240 --> 00:23:35,240 Donald was delighted to hold Yvonne. 476 00:23:35,240 --> 00:23:38,240 And before long, he became her unofficial babysitter. 477 00:23:42,240 --> 00:23:45,240 That evening, as the train proceeded east, 478 00:23:45,240 --> 00:23:47,240 Dorothy sat with Donald and slowly revealed 479 00:23:47,240 --> 00:23:49,240 the details of her life. 480 00:23:49,240 --> 00:23:51,240 When we get to Utica, I'm going to have 481 00:23:51,240 --> 00:23:54,240 to put her in a foster home. 482 00:23:54,240 --> 00:23:57,240 Dorothy was in dire financial crisis. 483 00:23:57,240 --> 00:24:00,240 She was in dire financial straits and had no way of supporting 484 00:24:00,240 --> 00:24:01,240 her baby. 485 00:24:01,240 --> 00:24:04,240 I simply can't take care of her. 486 00:24:04,240 --> 00:24:06,240 I'm sorry. 487 00:24:06,240 --> 00:24:08,240 I talk quite a bit to her. 488 00:24:08,240 --> 00:24:09,240 It's OK. 489 00:24:09,240 --> 00:24:10,240 I'm going to get a job. 490 00:24:10,240 --> 00:24:13,240 And as we started getting closer to Omaha, 491 00:24:13,240 --> 00:24:17,240 I asked her if she'd like to have me take the baby home 492 00:24:17,240 --> 00:24:21,240 with me until she got settled and could send for the baby. 493 00:24:21,240 --> 00:24:24,240 Or maybe I could bring it to her. 494 00:24:24,240 --> 00:24:25,240 And she agreed on that. 495 00:24:28,240 --> 00:24:32,240 I thought I'd better get something on paper 496 00:24:32,240 --> 00:24:37,240 to prove that I wasn't kidnapping the child. 497 00:24:37,240 --> 00:24:40,240 So I thought of this idea of writing up this agreement. 498 00:24:43,240 --> 00:24:45,240 The agreement stated that Dorothy had willingly 499 00:24:45,240 --> 00:24:48,240 entrusted Yvonne to Donald's care. 500 00:24:48,240 --> 00:24:51,240 And that if she did not call for the child within 60 days, 501 00:24:51,240 --> 00:24:54,240 Donald and his wife could begin adoption proceedings. 502 00:24:58,240 --> 00:25:01,240 I feel at that time she was at her last rope. 503 00:25:01,240 --> 00:25:05,240 She didn't know what to do with this child. 504 00:25:05,240 --> 00:25:10,240 I think that she picked him because she could see that he 505 00:25:10,240 --> 00:25:12,240 cared. 506 00:25:12,240 --> 00:25:16,240 And he has compassion for people. 507 00:25:16,240 --> 00:25:18,240 And he has a very good heart. 508 00:25:18,240 --> 00:25:21,240 And I feel like she knew that. 509 00:25:21,240 --> 00:25:26,240 She knew that when she said, will you take this child? 510 00:25:26,240 --> 00:25:31,240 That she could trust him. 511 00:25:34,240 --> 00:25:38,240 At 2 PM on November 16, the train pulled into Omaha. 512 00:25:38,240 --> 00:25:40,240 Donald's wife Barbara and his parents 513 00:25:40,240 --> 00:25:42,240 were there to give him a hero's welcome. 514 00:25:42,240 --> 00:25:43,240 Donald! 515 00:25:43,240 --> 00:25:44,240 Barbara! 516 00:25:44,240 --> 00:25:47,240 I got off the train and hugged and kissed. 517 00:25:47,240 --> 00:25:50,240 And then I told her they were good news. 518 00:25:50,240 --> 00:25:51,240 Who's this? 519 00:25:51,240 --> 00:25:54,240 Well, she needed a home. 520 00:25:55,240 --> 00:25:57,240 A woman on the train asked me to keep her. 521 00:25:57,240 --> 00:26:02,240 That kind of shocked her, set her back on her heels. 522 00:26:02,240 --> 00:26:04,240 I tried to explain this, you know, the whole thing 523 00:26:04,240 --> 00:26:05,240 to my wife. 524 00:26:05,240 --> 00:26:09,240 And she didn't really believe it at first. 525 00:26:09,240 --> 00:26:15,240 She thought it was probably some of my scouting around. 526 00:26:19,240 --> 00:26:21,240 Barbara soon got over her initial shock. 527 00:26:21,240 --> 00:26:24,240 Within days, both of the cafes were completely 528 00:26:24,240 --> 00:26:27,240 in love with Yvonne. 529 00:26:27,240 --> 00:26:29,240 However, when county officials caught wind 530 00:26:29,240 --> 00:26:32,240 of the unusual arrangement, Donald and Barbara became fearful 531 00:26:32,240 --> 00:26:36,240 that Yvonne would be taken from them. 532 00:26:36,240 --> 00:26:39,240 They decided to file for legal custody before they agreed 533 00:26:39,240 --> 00:26:43,240 upon 60 days. 534 00:26:43,240 --> 00:26:47,240 A few days later, Donald received a wire from Dorothy Johnson. 535 00:26:47,240 --> 00:26:49,240 Thank you very much. 536 00:26:50,240 --> 00:26:53,240 Arrived home Tuesday, and I want Yvonne very much. 537 00:26:53,240 --> 00:26:55,240 How is she anyway? 538 00:26:55,240 --> 00:26:58,240 Dorothy Johnson. 539 00:26:58,240 --> 00:27:00,240 Donald was in a quandary. 540 00:27:00,240 --> 00:27:02,240 The very next day, he and Barbara were due in court 541 00:27:02,240 --> 00:27:04,240 for the custody hearing. 542 00:27:04,240 --> 00:27:07,240 Donald decided to proceed, believing it was in Yvonne's 543 00:27:07,240 --> 00:27:09,240 best interests. 544 00:27:09,240 --> 00:27:13,240 What is the word from the child's natural mother, Dorothy 545 00:27:13,240 --> 00:27:14,240 Johnson? 546 00:27:14,240 --> 00:27:15,240 She has not appeared. 547 00:27:15,240 --> 00:27:17,240 The judge said that before making a decision, 548 00:27:17,240 --> 00:27:20,240 he would need to speak personally with Dorothy Johnson. 549 00:27:20,240 --> 00:27:22,240 The child is held. 550 00:27:22,240 --> 00:27:24,240 A new court date was scheduled. 551 00:27:24,240 --> 00:27:26,240 Yvonne was placed in temporary foster care 552 00:27:26,240 --> 00:27:30,240 and became an overnight celebrity. 553 00:27:30,240 --> 00:27:35,240 Newspapers throughout the country seized upon the story. 554 00:27:35,240 --> 00:27:40,240 They dubbed Yvonne the smoker car baby. 555 00:27:40,240 --> 00:27:44,240 Dorothy Johnson was summoned to Omaha to explain her actions. 556 00:27:44,240 --> 00:27:48,240 Otherwise, she might be charged with parental neglect. 557 00:27:48,240 --> 00:27:52,240 Dorothy never appeared in court, but a witness did show up 558 00:27:52,240 --> 00:27:54,240 to challenge the calfreys custody suit. 559 00:27:54,240 --> 00:27:58,240 Your Honor, Dorothy is afraid to come to Omaha herself 560 00:27:58,240 --> 00:28:00,240 as she faces charges of neglect. 561 00:28:00,240 --> 00:28:02,240 She fears going to jail. 562 00:28:02,240 --> 00:28:04,240 I'm Dorothy Johnson's sister. 563 00:28:04,240 --> 00:28:08,240 I've come from New York in hopes of adopting the baby myself. 564 00:28:08,240 --> 00:28:11,240 I feel I can provide a good and decent home for the child, 565 00:28:11,240 --> 00:28:16,240 and I'm sure in time the baby would respond to me as her own mother. 566 00:28:16,240 --> 00:28:20,240 Request denied. 567 00:28:20,240 --> 00:28:22,240 I've never seen anybody. 568 00:28:22,240 --> 00:28:25,240 Nobody ever showed up on my doorstep or called me 569 00:28:25,240 --> 00:28:29,240 or asked me for the baby back or a thing. 570 00:28:29,240 --> 00:28:32,240 So we just went ahead and decided to adopt her. 571 00:28:32,240 --> 00:28:35,240 In light of your ongoing commitment to the child... 572 00:28:35,240 --> 00:28:39,240 In June of 1947, after a two-year struggle, 573 00:28:39,240 --> 00:28:43,240 a juvenile court judge awarded the calfreys sole custody. 574 00:28:43,240 --> 00:28:47,240 The custody of the child to Donald and Barbara Caffrey. 575 00:28:47,240 --> 00:28:51,240 By now, Yvonne had been renamed Sandra Lee. 576 00:28:51,240 --> 00:28:57,240 The smoker car baby ceased to be headline material. 577 00:28:57,240 --> 00:29:01,240 When Sandra was nine, her parents separated. 578 00:29:01,240 --> 00:29:05,240 She spent most of her time with her grandmother. 579 00:29:05,240 --> 00:29:12,240 When Sandra was 18, her adopted mother finally told her the truth about her past. 580 00:29:12,240 --> 00:29:20,240 When I found out that I was adopted, I was really surprised. 581 00:29:20,240 --> 00:29:24,240 I came back home and I said, grandmother, was I adopted? 582 00:29:24,240 --> 00:29:30,240 And my grandmother said yes, with tears in her eyes, 583 00:29:30,240 --> 00:29:36,240 because I really don't think she ever really wanted me to know. 584 00:29:36,240 --> 00:29:41,240 A few months later, Sandra received an unusual letter in the mail. 585 00:29:41,240 --> 00:29:47,240 For the first time, she saw the face of her natural mother. 586 00:29:47,240 --> 00:29:54,240 When the picture came in this envelope, there was no address, no note. 587 00:29:54,240 --> 00:29:59,240 It could have been my mother that sent the article. 588 00:29:59,240 --> 00:30:02,240 Maybe she was afraid to come out. 589 00:30:02,240 --> 00:30:08,240 Maybe she just wanted to be in the background, but let me be able to see. 590 00:30:08,240 --> 00:30:14,240 It's a mystery. It's a mystery. 591 00:30:14,240 --> 00:30:17,240 The letter was postmarked Omaha, Nebraska. 592 00:30:17,240 --> 00:30:22,240 Only later did Sandra discover that an anonymous woman had phoned her grandmother 593 00:30:22,240 --> 00:30:28,240 and asked if she could send Sandra clippings about the smoker car baby. 594 00:30:28,240 --> 00:30:33,240 Today, armed with little more than faded clippings and a single photograph of Dorothy Johnson, 595 00:30:33,240 --> 00:30:37,240 Sandra is more determined than ever to reunite with a mother 596 00:30:37,240 --> 00:30:42,240 who reluctantly gave her away nearly 50 years ago. 597 00:30:42,240 --> 00:30:52,240 I think she got scared. I think she wanted me, but I don't think she had any help, 598 00:30:52,240 --> 00:31:02,240 maybe from her family, to help her try to get back to me. 599 00:31:02,240 --> 00:31:13,240 There's a void in my life. I know in her life there's that void too, and there's lots of hurt. 600 00:31:13,240 --> 00:31:18,240 On the night of our broadcast, Sandra Lee Nelson's long search came to a bittersweet end. 601 00:31:18,240 --> 00:31:24,240 A viewer called our phone center with the sad news that Dorothy Johnson had passed away in 1968. 602 00:31:24,240 --> 00:31:30,240 However, Sandra was overjoyed to learn that she had an Uncle Mickey and two aunts, Jan and Alice, 603 00:31:30,240 --> 00:31:36,240 who had always wondered about Sandra and were anxious to meet her. 604 00:31:36,240 --> 00:31:42,240 A month later, on December 28, 1993, Sandra and her husband, Chet, arrived in Syracuse, New York 605 00:31:42,240 --> 00:31:46,240 to receive a most remarkable Christmas gift. 606 00:31:46,240 --> 00:31:59,240 A house full of relatives waiting to meet Sandra for the very first time. 607 00:31:59,240 --> 00:32:11,240 I didn't think I'd ever find anyone. It just gave me chills. It just made me feel real warm, like, oh gee, what a nice family. 608 00:32:11,240 --> 00:32:13,240 This is Dorothy and Harold. That's her. 609 00:32:13,240 --> 00:32:15,240 Oh, it's him, Wayne. 610 00:32:15,240 --> 00:32:20,240 Sandra and her new family began to compare notes on Dorothy Johnson's life. 611 00:32:20,240 --> 00:32:26,240 Although Sandra was unable to learn the identity of her birth father, she did discover that in the early 1950s, 612 00:32:26,240 --> 00:32:31,240 Dorothy had married a man named Wayne Rogers. Sandra now would like to find Wayne Rogers 613 00:32:31,240 --> 00:32:36,240 in the hope that she can fill in the remaining gaps in her past. 614 00:32:36,240 --> 00:32:40,240 So this is the only picture I have of her. 615 00:32:40,240 --> 00:32:48,240 I'm getting little bits and pieces from friends and relatives telling me a little bit about her, 616 00:32:48,240 --> 00:32:52,240 and which, you know, these little things mean a great deal to me. 617 00:32:52,240 --> 00:33:00,240 I have found a family, a wonderful family, that I never thought I'd ever have. 618 00:33:00,240 --> 00:33:02,240 This is the best holiday. 619 00:33:02,240 --> 00:33:03,240 One more hug. 620 00:33:03,240 --> 00:33:05,240 Okay. 621 00:33:05,240 --> 00:33:12,240 This is the best time in my life. 622 00:33:12,240 --> 00:33:21,240 When we return, authorities need your help in the case of a vicious, unknown assailant who targets young girls. 623 00:33:22,240 --> 00:33:27,240 The Neighborhood Park. 624 00:33:27,240 --> 00:33:35,240 In a perfect world, a refuge from the realities of urban life, filled with the sounds of children at play. 625 00:33:35,240 --> 00:33:46,240 But on May 26, 1992, a park in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, became the backdrop for a parents' worst nightmare. 626 00:33:46,240 --> 00:33:50,240 Mom, I forgot my shoes. 627 00:33:50,240 --> 00:33:55,240 Across the street from the park, a three-year-old girl named Mandy lived with her aunt. 628 00:33:55,240 --> 00:34:00,240 Mandy had spent most of the afternoon in the playground, which was almost like her own backyard. 629 00:34:00,240 --> 00:34:04,240 At 6 p.m., she returned to retrieve her shoes. 630 00:34:04,240 --> 00:34:17,240 I don't care about that time. 631 00:34:17,240 --> 00:34:19,240 Go, go, go, go, go, go! 632 00:34:19,240 --> 00:34:21,240 Come on, you can do it! 633 00:34:21,240 --> 00:34:25,240 Come on, baby, make some space, man! 634 00:34:27,240 --> 00:34:29,240 Okay, guys, make some space. 635 00:34:29,240 --> 00:34:31,240 Go ahead, get in there for a sec. 636 00:34:31,240 --> 00:34:33,240 Go to the next house. 637 00:34:46,240 --> 00:34:50,240 I got worried and I went out to go and find her. 638 00:34:50,240 --> 00:34:56,240 And when I did get out to the park, there was a guy out there playing ball hockey with his kids. 639 00:34:56,240 --> 00:34:59,240 Did you see Mandy or I've been looking all over for her? 640 00:34:59,240 --> 00:35:09,240 He said he had just seen Mandy about five minutes earlier getting her shoes, but he didn't see which way Mandy went. 641 00:35:13,240 --> 00:35:15,240 Mandy! 642 00:35:15,240 --> 00:35:18,240 Audrey combed the neighborhood for two solid hours. 643 00:35:18,240 --> 00:35:20,240 Finally, she called the police. 644 00:35:20,240 --> 00:35:23,240 They launched their own search, but also came up empty-handed. 645 00:35:24,240 --> 00:35:34,240 19 hours later, a group of horseback riders came across Mandy in a remote field, nine miles from her home. 646 00:35:34,240 --> 00:35:38,240 Oh, my God, Daryl, just a minute. Just a minute, Laurie. 647 00:35:38,240 --> 00:35:43,240 She had a one-inch welt on her neck from being choked and had been sexually assaulted. 648 00:35:43,240 --> 00:35:46,240 She was partially clothed and both of her shoes were missing. 649 00:35:46,240 --> 00:35:50,240 But amazingly, Mandy was still alive. 650 00:35:51,240 --> 00:35:55,240 It was quite obvious to everyone involved that she had been left for dead. 651 00:35:55,240 --> 00:36:01,240 She was injured to such an extent that the perpetrator definitely wanted her to be dead. 652 00:36:01,240 --> 00:36:07,240 I wouldn't have believed that she could have made it out there where they found her. 653 00:36:07,240 --> 00:36:13,240 But then when I thought about it after, she was a miracle. 654 00:36:13,240 --> 00:36:16,240 It was a miracle that she lived through that. 655 00:36:17,240 --> 00:36:23,240 Apparently, the assailant had driven into the field and thrown Mandy from the car without stopping. 656 00:36:23,240 --> 00:36:26,240 But he had left nothing in the way of evidence. 657 00:36:26,240 --> 00:36:30,240 Mandy initially wasn't able to tell us an awful lot. 658 00:36:30,240 --> 00:36:33,240 She was only three and a half years old. 659 00:36:33,240 --> 00:36:37,240 However, as time progresses, she is giving us more and more information. 660 00:36:37,240 --> 00:36:40,240 She is actually a very bright young girl. 661 00:36:40,240 --> 00:36:46,240 In my opinion, if she sees the person or person responsible, she will be able to identify them. 662 00:36:49,240 --> 00:36:51,240 I think we have something over here. 663 00:36:52,240 --> 00:36:55,240 Within five miles of the spot where Mandy was found, 664 00:36:55,240 --> 00:36:59,240 the police chanced upon tattered pieces of her skirt and one of her sneakers. 665 00:36:59,240 --> 00:37:03,240 The police believed the items were discarded by the assailant, 666 00:37:03,240 --> 00:37:06,240 shortly after he dumped Mandy by the side of the road. 667 00:37:07,240 --> 00:37:09,240 The shoe was minus the laces. 668 00:37:09,240 --> 00:37:12,240 We're still missing at this time her left shoe. 669 00:37:12,240 --> 00:37:19,240 The person responsible may be saving these items as a bit of a trophy, a keepsake. 670 00:37:19,240 --> 00:37:24,240 And we're hopeful as well that perhaps somebody may have seen the shoe 671 00:37:24,240 --> 00:37:28,240 or perhaps a part of that jeans skirt in a person's vehicle. 672 00:37:30,240 --> 00:37:32,240 The investigation soon stalled. 673 00:37:32,240 --> 00:37:36,240 Four months later, on September 4th, a local newspaper reported 674 00:37:36,240 --> 00:37:39,240 that the police had uncovered no further clues. 675 00:37:39,240 --> 00:37:42,240 Essentially, the case was at a dead end. 676 00:37:46,240 --> 00:37:50,240 Two days later, a six-year-old girl and her five-year-old friend 677 00:37:50,240 --> 00:37:55,240 were playing outside their apartment building, just four miles from where Mandy lived. 678 00:38:02,240 --> 00:38:04,240 The police found the shoe. 679 00:38:21,240 --> 00:38:24,240 Minutes later, an 11-year-old boy looked out his window 680 00:38:24,240 --> 00:38:28,240 and saw a man getting into a blue van with a little girl. 681 00:38:32,240 --> 00:38:36,240 The abducted girl was six-year-old Corinne Gustafson, who was nicknamed Punky. 682 00:38:36,240 --> 00:38:39,240 The police immediately set up a command post 683 00:38:39,240 --> 00:38:43,240 and aided by dozens of volunteers launched a widespread search. 684 00:38:43,240 --> 00:38:48,240 Punky's parents, Karen and Raymond, could do little more than sit at home and wait. 685 00:38:50,240 --> 00:38:56,240 We were just feeling sick and worried, what could have happened to her 686 00:38:57,240 --> 00:39:02,240 and what could you be doing to her and 687 00:39:05,240 --> 00:39:07,240 if we ever find her. 688 00:39:11,240 --> 00:39:13,240 Three days passed. 689 00:39:13,240 --> 00:39:17,240 Then on September 8th, at a truck yard in the southeast section of Edmonton, 690 00:39:17,240 --> 00:39:20,240 a driver noticed what he thought was a ragged dog. 691 00:39:22,240 --> 00:39:25,240 Punky Gustafson had been murdered. 692 00:39:27,240 --> 00:39:30,240 Punky had been raped and smothered. 693 00:39:30,240 --> 00:39:34,240 Her death brought Mandy's assault back into the public eye. 694 00:39:34,240 --> 00:39:38,240 However, unlike Mandy's case, clues had been left at the scene. 695 00:39:40,240 --> 00:39:44,240 We were able to obtain footprints and tire prints. 696 00:39:44,240 --> 00:39:50,240 The tire prints indicated that the suspect drove a mid-sized North American front-wheel drive vehicle 697 00:39:50,240 --> 00:39:55,240 with Goodyear-invicted GLs on the back with approximately 20% wear 698 00:39:55,240 --> 00:39:57,240 and ball tires on the front. 699 00:39:58,240 --> 00:40:05,240 The footprints indicated that he wore a miter type baseball cleat size 5.5 to 7. 700 00:40:05,240 --> 00:40:09,240 This is a patented tread design manufactured in Canada. 701 00:40:10,240 --> 00:40:14,240 We were able to determine that Karen was in fact killed at another location 702 00:40:14,240 --> 00:40:20,240 and dumped in the truck yard, much the same as what happened to Mandy being dumped in the field. 703 00:40:21,240 --> 00:40:24,240 The distance the victims were transported after abduction 704 00:40:24,240 --> 00:40:28,240 was done to the victims by the offender. 705 00:40:29,240 --> 00:40:36,240 All facts of the case lead me to believe that both crimes were committed by the same individual. 706 00:40:38,240 --> 00:40:42,240 Ron McKay is Canada's foremost criminal profiler. 707 00:40:42,240 --> 00:40:46,240 He has developed a detailed personality portrait of the assailant. 708 00:40:47,240 --> 00:40:52,240 In my opinion, this offender is in his late teens to early 20s. 709 00:40:52,240 --> 00:40:56,240 He probably doesn't have a girlfriend, somewhat of a loner. 710 00:40:57,240 --> 00:41:04,240 He's a fantasy-motivated individual, and his fantasy is only satisfied temporarily. 711 00:41:05,240 --> 00:41:12,240 So therefore, after he regains some confidence and if the fantasy continues untreated, 712 00:41:13,240 --> 00:41:20,240 then the probability of him real fending in a similar fashion is a very real probability. 713 00:41:22,240 --> 00:41:27,240 Since Punky's death, the Edmonton police have launched their largest media campaign ever. 714 00:41:28,240 --> 00:41:37,240 Someone out there knows this guy, be it their next door neighbor, their schoolmate, their fellow employee, 715 00:41:38,240 --> 00:41:40,240 or the little paper boy that lived down the block. 716 00:41:41,240 --> 00:41:49,240 Our bad guy doesn't have to look like any kind of a monster. He could just look like your boy next door. 717 00:41:49,240 --> 00:41:53,240 I'm going to bring you on stage here for just a minute. Okay, how old are you? 718 00:41:54,240 --> 00:41:55,240 Six. 719 00:41:55,240 --> 00:42:00,240 Oh, bummer. You've got to be seven to do this trick. Yeah, seven. Seven. How old are you? 720 00:42:01,240 --> 00:42:02,240 Seven. 721 00:42:03,240 --> 00:42:06,240 This home video was taken two months before Corinne died. 722 00:42:07,240 --> 00:42:13,240 The police have not ruled out the possibility that the same man who murdered Corinne may have also attacked Mandy. 723 00:42:14,240 --> 00:42:22,240 I know it would give our family a sense of relief knowing that he's behind bars and somebody else isn't going to have to go through it, 724 00:42:23,240 --> 00:42:28,240 what we're going through and some poor little kid isn't going to have to suffer like Corinne must have. 725 00:42:29,240 --> 00:42:33,240 As long as he's out on the streets, every little kid is in jeopardy. 726 00:42:43,240 --> 00:42:47,240 I'm going to bring you on stage here for just a minute. 727 00:43:00,240 --> 00:43:05,240 Join me next time for another intriguing edition of Unsolved Mysteries.