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[upbeat music playing]
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[narrator]When a man is handedthe chance to reinvent himself
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in a tropical paradiseby the sea...
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[upbeat music ends]
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[ominous music playing]
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He inherited
a huge amount of money.
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...an elaborate conturns deadly.
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[David]
I'm sitting there thinking,
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"There's something wrong
with this guy."
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00:00:22,367 --> 00:00:26,567
And paradise found,quickly becomes paradise lost.
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This wasn't a clinical kill.
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00:00:29,333 --> 00:00:32,166
This was somebody
who was very, very upset.
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00:00:32,333 --> 00:00:34,567
[David] He thought
he was gonna get away with it.
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[Michelle]
He had these two separate lives,
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and they were on a crash course.
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[suspenseful music playing]
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[Shep] To have this violent,
violent death...
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...shocking.
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Very shocking.
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[ominous music playing]
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[tense music playing]
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Rosarito, Mexico,
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just 35 milessouth of San Diego.
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A sun-soaked seasideresort town
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where Americans goto escape their lives,
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if only for a while.
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Today, Jake Merendinois crossing the border
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from Houston, Texas,buzzing with excitement.
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He's on his wayto pick up the keys
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to his new waterfront condo.
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Jake was so excited
when he left Houston.
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He couldn't leave Houston
fast enough.
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He wanted to be
near the sea.
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[tense music ends]
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[gleeful guitar music]
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[Lori]
Rosarito is a beach town.
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My husband, Dave, had
a place here.
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The first time I came,
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I just fell in love
with the place.
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We're down there, usually
three weekends a month.
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A lot of people would
come down and go surfing.
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Our favorite tacos here are
fish tacos,
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which is what they're known for.
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[merchant speaking Spanish]
We've cilantro, salsa
and guacamole.
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-[in Spanish] All of it.
-[merchant in English]
Everything?
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[in Spanish]
All of it, but chili.
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[merchant in Spanish]
No chili.
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[gleeful music ends]
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[David] And then, we'd go out
to the wine country...
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The drive down to Ensenada is
one of the most
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beautiful coastlines
you've ever seen.
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[Shep] Jake was starting
a new chapter in his life.
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He was very excited
about fixing everything up
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with the new condo.
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[ominous music stops]
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And to be in Mexico is exciting.
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[waves crashing]
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As a kid,Jake loved the water.
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You couldn't drag him offthe Texas beaches
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where he spent his summers.
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[Barbara]
Jake grew up in Beaumont,
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but he spent a lot of time
in Crystal Beach,
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down near Galveston.
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[Shep] And it was just such
a great time of his childhood.
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He came from
a very tight family,
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and his parents loved him
very much.
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He had a very close...
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...closer than most,
relationship with his parents.
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[Barbara] Irene and Buster,
his parents, adopted him.
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They both worked
for Exxon Mobil.
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They definitely bought
a lot of stock
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and reinvested in Exxon Mobil.
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Jake was adopted, at birth,
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and he grew up
as an only child.
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He inherited
a huge amount of money.
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At the time Jake's mother died,
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she had accumulated,
at least, around $3 million.
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[Shep] At the time,
he was working for a bank.
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And he was a bill collector.
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[Barbara] Jake had no intentions
of doing anything
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after his mother died.
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I think he felt that,
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as the stock continued
to go up, right?
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If he was careful with it,
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you know, it could last him
for as long as he lived.
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And so, he finally had
an opportunity to,
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you know, spend the money
the way he wanted to spend it.
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He wanted to enjoy that money
before he died.
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[Barbara] After he and John,
his ex-partner, separated,
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I think that Jake was anxious
to have a relationship
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of some sort.
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[Shep] His relationship
with John was a long time.
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A full-blown partner
relationship for years.
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In his later years,
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I don't think
that Jake was ever lonely,
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and I think he just wanted
an established relationship.
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Whether it was
just going out to dinner
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or traveling
or...going to a party,
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things like that.
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[suspenseful music playing]
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As Jake settlesinto his new life,
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he decides to take the plunge
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and buy a vacation home.
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The allureof the West Coast beckons.
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[Barbara] He really wanted
a place down...
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at the beach.
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And so, at which time,
I suggested to him,
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"Well, just go down to Rosarito
and take a look."
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[Lori] And so,
when Barbara told me
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that Jake was actually
getting serious
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about looking for a place
down here,
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I was really excited.
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[swift violin music playing]
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After touring a handfulof upscale condos,
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Jake falls in lovewith a sleek two-bedroom unit
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on the ninth floorof Palacio del Mar,
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a luxury high-rise.
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Next thing I knew,
he was buying it.
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And he would -- wanted me
to fly down there and see it.
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[Barbara]
Jake bought his condo,
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I believe,
for around $270,000.
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I work as an interior designer,
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and it was a pleasure,
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an absolute pleasure
to work with Jake.
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He wanted a sense of style,
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a certain amount
of sophistication, always,
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not only how he dressed,
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but how he lived.
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[dramatic music playing]
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Jake crosses the borderon May 1st, 2015,
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eager to check inon the progress
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of his condo renovations.
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By evening, he pullsinto Bobby's by the Sea,
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a charmingly unremarkablelocal hotel.
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[dramatic music ends]
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[Barbara]
Jake and I were talking
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and texting back and forth.
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And then,
his last message to me,
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on this, was,
"Well, I have to tell you,
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I haven't been
this excited in years."
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[Shep]
It was a new beginning.
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But as we all well know,
that did not last long.
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[tense music playing]
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It's just about 3:00 AM.
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Roughly, 15 miles awayfrom Bobby's by the Sea,
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Sergeant Jose Correais making his usual rounds,
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when somethingcatches his eye --
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a Range Rover,
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seemingly abandonedon the side of the road.
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[Alexandra] Early in the morning
on May 2nd,
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there were two municipal
police officers
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who were just driving past.
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They saw a car that was
on the side of the road,
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with its lights on.
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[door slams]
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[tense music continues]
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[Alexandra]
It was a Range Rover,
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and so...
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that was noticeable to them
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because...that is not a place
where people park.
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There's no reason for a car
to be parked there.
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[indistinct chatter over radio]
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[Sgt. Correa speaking Spanish]
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[speaking Spanish]
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This wasn't
a clinical kill, right?
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This wasn't a paid assassin.
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This was somebody
who was very, very upset.
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[tense music playing]
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Within 24 hours,
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we became aware that
a passport was found in the car,
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that the victim was, likely,
a man named Jake Merendino.
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[Shep]
It's a clichรฉ,
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but how could it happen
to a nicer guy?
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And to have this violent,
violent death...
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Shocking.
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Very shocking.
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[tense music ends]
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It's just afterthree in the morning,
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on May 2nd, 2015,
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and local police areworking their way
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through a gruesome scenein a ravine,
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roughly 15 milesfrom Rosarito, Mexico.
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Jake Merendino's bodyhas been discovered
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at the bottom, lifeless.
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[birds cawing]
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When daylight creeps in,
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it paints a pictureeven grimmer
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than they imagined.
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[speaking Spanish]
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[Alexandra] When two municipal
police officers walked over
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to the Range Rover
to investigate,
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they saw blood on the side
of the car,
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00:10:15,367 --> 00:10:16,867
or what they suspected
was blood.
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[tense music playing]
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There was a large
puddle of blood
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at the back of the vehicle.
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And then, a blood trail
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up to the edge of the cliff.
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[Sgt. Correa speaking Spanish]
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[Michelle]
He was stabbed,
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approximately, 24 times.
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He had a large cut
at his throat.
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00:11:03,500 --> 00:11:06,467
Some of his intestines were
discovered alongside the road.
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[Alexandra] I just remember
the medical examiner
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explaining that...
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00:11:12,066 --> 00:11:14,166
this didn't need to be
this bad, right?
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00:11:15,900 --> 00:11:18,166
That he didn't need to be
killed three times over,
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00:11:18,166 --> 00:11:19,867
that the death could've
occurred in a...
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00:11:20,033 --> 00:11:22,600
in...just a couple
of knife wounds.
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[tense music playing]
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There was no phone,
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00:11:32,567 --> 00:11:34,467
and yes, there was no wallet,
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00:11:34,634 --> 00:11:36,166
in the car or on the body.
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[speaking Spanish]
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[tense music ends]
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[solemn music playing]
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Well...
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It was probably
around 6:00 AM, and, um,
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I got a call
from my sister,
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00:12:15,567 --> 00:12:19,166
who was living in Rosarito
at that time.
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00:12:19,333 --> 00:12:21,500
And she said,
"I have some bad news."
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She said,
"Jake is dead."
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[solemn music playing]
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I said,
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00:12:26,667 --> 00:12:28,367
"No, that can't be."
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00:12:28,533 --> 00:12:31,567
And she said,
"No, they found his car
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00:12:31,734 --> 00:12:34,000
"and it was his Range Rover,
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00:12:34,000 --> 00:12:35,100
and he's dead."
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00:12:37,066 --> 00:12:39,000
And I just couldn't believe it.
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00:12:41,500 --> 00:12:42,567
You know, when you just
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00:12:42,567 --> 00:12:44,667
don't wanna believe
something, at all?
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00:12:47,066 --> 00:12:49,367
[tense music playing]
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00:12:53,800 --> 00:12:56,200
The first words
out of my mouth were,
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00:12:56,367 --> 00:12:57,600
"Oh my god, who did it?"
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00:13:02,567 --> 00:13:05,100
[tense music playing]
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00:13:05,266 --> 00:13:08,867
Those closest to Jake areat a complete loss.
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00:13:09,033 --> 00:13:10,300
Who could have done this?
238
00:13:10,467 --> 00:13:11,867
And more importantly, why?
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00:13:12,800 --> 00:13:14,266
He had no enemies,
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00:13:14,433 --> 00:13:16,700
nothing that points toa motive.
241
00:13:16,867 --> 00:13:18,266
All they can do is wonder
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00:13:18,433 --> 00:13:21,767
if this is just anothersenseless act of violence.
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00:13:22,600 --> 00:13:24,467
Sadly, in a placelike Rosarito,
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00:13:24,634 --> 00:13:27,567
with Tijuanaonly 12 miles away,
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00:13:27,567 --> 00:13:31,000
tragedies like thisaren't unheard of.
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00:13:31,000 --> 00:13:33,300
[Lori] There is an underside
to Rosarito.
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00:13:34,600 --> 00:13:37,967
There are murders,
robberies, break-ins,
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00:13:38,133 --> 00:13:39,367
auto theft.
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00:13:39,367 --> 00:13:41,567
It was scary to think that
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00:13:41,734 --> 00:13:44,767
here is somebody that we knew,
that we cared for,
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00:13:44,934 --> 00:13:46,900
you know, was murdered
so viciously.
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[siren wailing]
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00:13:49,033 --> 00:13:51,266
[Alexandra] Unfortunately,
there are a lot of murders
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00:13:51,433 --> 00:13:52,500
in Tijuana.
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00:13:53,467 --> 00:13:57,300
And I suspect
law enforcement is strapped,
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00:13:57,467 --> 00:14:00,967
because of just
the sheer number of...
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00:14:01,133 --> 00:14:04,600
murders that occur
in and around Tijuana.
258
00:14:04,767 --> 00:14:06,767
[David]
95% or a higher percentage
259
00:14:06,767 --> 00:14:09,166
of murders in Mexico
go unsolved.
260
00:14:09,166 --> 00:14:11,200
[tense music ends]
261
00:14:12,500 --> 00:14:14,100
Ten years ago,
262
00:14:14,266 --> 00:14:16,867
it was just downright dangerous
263
00:14:16,867 --> 00:14:19,266
to go to anywhere in Mexico.
264
00:14:19,266 --> 00:14:22,967
And if you wanna go,
you better have a hotel...
265
00:14:23,133 --> 00:14:24,467
and be with somebody.
266
00:14:24,467 --> 00:14:27,467
[ominous music playing]
267
00:14:28,367 --> 00:14:32,266
[Shep] Jack would've made
the poster child target.
268
00:14:32,433 --> 00:14:34,200
He was always
very nicely dressed.
269
00:14:35,600 --> 00:14:37,967
[Barbara]
I thought about the fact
that he wore a gold watch
270
00:14:38,133 --> 00:14:39,767
and he had an expensive car.
271
00:14:41,100 --> 00:14:42,800
And those scammers down there...
272
00:14:44,000 --> 00:14:47,967
they can eye out someone
who's nicely dressed
273
00:14:48,133 --> 00:14:50,467
with Italian shoes.
274
00:14:50,634 --> 00:14:52,467
You know, they could
take him down
275
00:14:52,467 --> 00:14:53,667
in five minutes.
276
00:14:55,266 --> 00:14:57,800
And so, the thought was
that it was a robbery.
277
00:14:58,700 --> 00:15:00,467
[Shep]
That's one of the reasons
278
00:15:00,634 --> 00:15:04,567
it was never surprising
to any of us
279
00:15:04,567 --> 00:15:06,867
that he got murdered in Mexico.
280
00:15:07,867 --> 00:15:10,367
While local law enforcementisn't dismissing the idea
281
00:15:10,533 --> 00:15:12,166
of a robbery gone wrong,
282
00:15:12,333 --> 00:15:13,767
their focus shifts
283
00:15:13,767 --> 00:15:16,500
to the unsettling detailsat the crime scene
284
00:15:16,667 --> 00:15:18,900
and the tangled timelineof events leading up to it.
285
00:15:20,000 --> 00:15:21,367
Still doesn't make sense to me
286
00:15:21,533 --> 00:15:23,300
that he would be out
at that time of night.
287
00:15:24,467 --> 00:15:26,467
[David] Jake did not like
to drive at night.
288
00:15:27,567 --> 00:15:29,867
And it was very unusual
for him to do that --
289
00:15:31,166 --> 00:15:32,367
to go out late at night.
290
00:15:35,867 --> 00:15:37,100
Why was Jake out
291
00:15:37,266 --> 00:15:38,567
on a desolate partof the highway,
292
00:15:38,567 --> 00:15:40,400
after midnight?
293
00:15:40,567 --> 00:15:42,066
And more importantly,
294
00:15:42,233 --> 00:15:44,467
who was the last personto see him alive?
295
00:15:45,367 --> 00:15:47,800
I assisted with
Mexican law enforcement.
296
00:15:48,667 --> 00:15:52,266
We conducted interviews
of employees at the hotel,
297
00:15:52,433 --> 00:15:53,767
and they indicated to us
298
00:15:53,934 --> 00:15:56,467
that Jake checked in to
Bobby's by the Sea
299
00:15:56,467 --> 00:15:57,900
with another male.
300
00:15:59,767 --> 00:16:02,166
[Alexandra] Somebody saw
Merendino having dinner
301
00:16:02,166 --> 00:16:03,967
with another man,
302
00:16:04,133 --> 00:16:08,767
and went back upstairs
at about 10 o'clock that night.
303
00:16:10,400 --> 00:16:12,100
[Michelle] We interviewed
the security guard,
304
00:16:12,100 --> 00:16:14,367
and he talked about
the fact that...
305
00:16:14,533 --> 00:16:16,600
that person left the hotel
on a motorcycle,
306
00:16:16,767 --> 00:16:18,266
around 11:00 PM.
307
00:16:18,266 --> 00:16:19,600
Which is particularly
noticeable
308
00:16:19,767 --> 00:16:21,367
for the folks
at Bobby's by the Sea,
309
00:16:21,367 --> 00:16:22,867
because that's not the norm.
310
00:16:24,100 --> 00:16:25,400
Typically, when you come
311
00:16:25,567 --> 00:16:27,667
and you park,
you stay the night.
312
00:16:27,667 --> 00:16:29,367
[tense music fades]
313
00:16:30,700 --> 00:16:33,266
[swift violin music playing]
314
00:16:33,266 --> 00:16:34,967
[Michelle]
The security guard said that,
315
00:16:35,133 --> 00:16:36,767
eventually, Jake left the hotel.
316
00:16:37,867 --> 00:16:39,567
And he said he was going
to pick up his friend,
317
00:16:39,567 --> 00:16:41,200
who had broken down.
318
00:16:43,667 --> 00:16:44,634
Interviewing the man
319
00:16:44,800 --> 00:16:47,266
who had left
on the motorcycle mattered,
320
00:16:47,266 --> 00:16:50,667
because this was, potentially,
the last person
321
00:16:50,667 --> 00:16:54,200
who had seen Jake Merendino
alive that night.
322
00:17:03,500 --> 00:17:06,066
[suspenseful music playing]
323
00:17:06,233 --> 00:17:08,166
Investigators have a hunch.
324
00:17:08,333 --> 00:17:11,000
The last person to seeJake Merendino alive?
325
00:17:11,166 --> 00:17:14,900
A mysterious manon a motorcycle.
326
00:17:15,066 --> 00:17:16,767
Hotel staffat Bobby's by the Sea
327
00:17:16,934 --> 00:17:18,667
noticed himpull out of the parking lot,
328
00:17:18,834 --> 00:17:21,767
just three hoursbefore Jake's mutilated body
329
00:17:21,934 --> 00:17:23,767
was discovered in that ravine.
330
00:17:24,767 --> 00:17:26,567
The question now...
331
00:17:26,734 --> 00:17:28,266
where is he?
332
00:17:28,266 --> 00:17:31,500
And what exactly was he doingwith Jake that night?
333
00:17:33,967 --> 00:17:36,700
[Alexandra]
The motorcycle man, then,
334
00:17:36,867 --> 00:17:40,100
the next day went
to Bobby's by the Sea
335
00:17:40,100 --> 00:17:43,266
to collect some items,
which he said, belonged to him.
336
00:17:43,266 --> 00:17:46,000
[pensive music playing]
337
00:17:46,166 --> 00:17:48,166
He attempted to retrieve
some of his items
338
00:17:48,166 --> 00:17:50,567
from the hotel room
that he'd been in with Jake.
339
00:17:51,667 --> 00:17:55,066
[Alexandra]
And the manager informed
the motorcyclist
340
00:17:55,233 --> 00:17:57,667
that his friend
Jake Merendino was dead.
341
00:17:57,834 --> 00:17:59,166
[suspenseful chord strike]
342
00:18:02,800 --> 00:18:05,100
The folks at
Bobby's by the Sea said,
343
00:18:05,100 --> 00:18:07,900
"We can't just give you things
that are potentially
344
00:18:08,066 --> 00:18:10,100
part of a criminal
investigation."
345
00:18:12,066 --> 00:18:13,567
[Michelle]
The hotel staff told him
346
00:18:13,567 --> 00:18:15,467
that he would need to talk
to law enforcement
347
00:18:15,634 --> 00:18:17,367
before he could
retrieve his items.
348
00:18:18,300 --> 00:18:19,800
What does this guy really know?
349
00:18:19,967 --> 00:18:22,467
And why does he seemso distressed?
350
00:18:22,634 --> 00:18:24,800
Local cops haven'tforgotten him.
351
00:18:24,967 --> 00:18:26,800
He walked straightout of the hotel
352
00:18:26,967 --> 00:18:28,467
and into the police station,
353
00:18:28,634 --> 00:18:30,367
wide-eyed with concern,
354
00:18:30,367 --> 00:18:31,967
just to check in,
355
00:18:32,133 --> 00:18:33,467
and see what morehe could learn about
356
00:18:33,634 --> 00:18:35,300
his friend's tragic death.
357
00:18:35,467 --> 00:18:37,867
[Sgt. Correa speaking Spanish]
358
00:18:48,667 --> 00:18:51,600
[Alexandra]
Mexican law enforcement
asked for an ID,
359
00:18:51,767 --> 00:18:55,100
and they were able to link
the individual on the motorcycle
360
00:18:55,100 --> 00:18:57,467
with the man on the ID,
361
00:18:58,467 --> 00:18:59,867
who was David Meza.
362
00:19:05,600 --> 00:19:08,533
[suspenseful music playing]
363
00:19:11,000 --> 00:19:13,867
So, Jake and I were having
dinner one night,
364
00:19:13,867 --> 00:19:15,166
and he just said,
365
00:19:15,333 --> 00:19:17,867
"Oh, I've got...I've got
someone new in my life."
366
00:19:18,033 --> 00:19:22,767
He said, "His name is
David Enrique Meza.
367
00:19:22,767 --> 00:19:25,467
He's from Mexico.
He's from Southern California."
368
00:19:26,567 --> 00:19:28,667
Jake and I had
a love for Mexico.
369
00:19:30,000 --> 00:19:32,367
And also, uh,
if I might say so,
370
00:19:32,367 --> 00:19:33,900
um, Mexican men.
371
00:19:36,367 --> 00:19:38,100
I just like a Latin lover.
372
00:19:38,266 --> 00:19:40,300
You know, beautiful dark hair.
373
00:19:40,467 --> 00:19:43,266
Just that Mexican aura.
374
00:19:44,767 --> 00:19:47,667
[Barbara] 'Cause he said
he had met some nice guy.
375
00:19:47,834 --> 00:19:50,900
The sex was great,
the guy was young...
376
00:19:51,066 --> 00:19:52,066
hot.
377
00:19:52,233 --> 00:19:54,166
Jake didn't really
go into detail
378
00:19:54,333 --> 00:19:55,767
as to how they met,
379
00:19:55,934 --> 00:19:57,767
but I assumed it was online.
380
00:19:57,934 --> 00:19:59,967
A "hookup," shall we say.
381
00:20:02,367 --> 00:20:04,800
[ominous music playing]
382
00:20:04,967 --> 00:20:06,266
[Lori]
David was...
383
00:20:07,266 --> 00:20:08,800
very buff at that time.
384
00:20:08,967 --> 00:20:10,100
Clearly, he worked out.
385
00:20:11,600 --> 00:20:14,200
[Shep]
And we were all shocked
386
00:20:14,367 --> 00:20:20,700
that...this hunky guy was still
hanging around with Jake.
387
00:20:23,166 --> 00:20:24,400
[Barbara]
There was a Christmas party.
388
00:20:25,367 --> 00:20:28,900
And Jake took out
some pictures of David.
389
00:20:30,166 --> 00:20:32,367
And he showed them to...
390
00:20:32,367 --> 00:20:34,600
some friends of mine.
391
00:20:35,600 --> 00:20:38,166
And one of them
recognized David.
392
00:20:39,700 --> 00:20:41,900
He said to me,
393
00:20:42,066 --> 00:20:43,166
"He's a porn star."
394
00:20:43,333 --> 00:20:45,000
[tense music playing]
395
00:20:48,500 --> 00:20:51,367
[Shep] Some of us
called him "Enrique,"
396
00:20:51,367 --> 00:20:54,100
because he was such
a rock star.
397
00:20:54,100 --> 00:20:55,767
It was all about the...
398
00:20:57,467 --> 00:20:59,867
eroticism and the beauty
399
00:20:59,867 --> 00:21:01,767
of Enrique David Meza.
400
00:21:01,934 --> 00:21:03,300
[chuckles]
401
00:21:04,667 --> 00:21:09,667
[Shep] So Jake, he very...
casually mentioned
402
00:21:09,667 --> 00:21:11,467
that Enrique has done porn.
403
00:21:12,400 --> 00:21:15,900
But Jake never
elaborated on that
404
00:21:16,066 --> 00:21:18,900
because he did not want
to be known as,
405
00:21:19,066 --> 00:21:21,166
"Jake Merendino dating
a porn star."
406
00:21:22,166 --> 00:21:24,100
But we all knew it,
we all knew it.
407
00:21:25,667 --> 00:21:27,367
[Barbara] The age difference
was considerable.
408
00:21:27,533 --> 00:21:29,700
Jake was, you know, 50,
409
00:21:29,867 --> 00:21:33,867
and David was like 24, 25.
410
00:21:36,066 --> 00:21:37,767
[Shep]
I told Jake,
411
00:21:37,934 --> 00:21:39,166
"I'm a little worried about you.
412
00:21:39,166 --> 00:21:43,300
I'm afraid that he's just gonna
drop you like a hot potato."
413
00:21:43,467 --> 00:21:45,767
And he shook his head
and smiled.
414
00:21:45,767 --> 00:21:47,066
He said,
415
00:21:47,233 --> 00:21:48,567
"Don't you worry.
416
00:21:48,567 --> 00:21:50,400
Daddy's got the upper hand."
417
00:21:51,767 --> 00:21:53,500
[Michelle]
Jake and David's relationship
418
00:21:53,667 --> 00:21:55,500
seems like it was
kind of a sugar daddy,
419
00:21:55,667 --> 00:21:57,700
sugar baby relationship.
420
00:21:57,867 --> 00:22:00,066
Jake was paying
for expensive gifts,
421
00:22:00,066 --> 00:22:02,467
expensive dinners
and trips for David.
422
00:22:03,467 --> 00:22:06,367
[Shep]
He would say something like...
423
00:22:06,533 --> 00:22:08,000
"Oh, yeah!
424
00:22:08,166 --> 00:22:10,367
My baby and I went
shopping today.
425
00:22:10,367 --> 00:22:11,567
And believe me, he --
426
00:22:11,734 --> 00:22:14,000
he left there with
a smile on his face."
427
00:22:14,867 --> 00:22:16,100
[Alexandra]
It felt to me
428
00:22:16,266 --> 00:22:19,467
like Jake Merendino was
spending money on David,
429
00:22:19,634 --> 00:22:21,767
because he cared for David.
430
00:22:22,967 --> 00:22:25,567
[David] Jake had put David
as the beneficiary
431
00:22:25,734 --> 00:22:26,867
on the condominium.
432
00:22:26,867 --> 00:22:29,467
When you buy property in Mexico,
433
00:22:29,467 --> 00:22:32,867
you designate, you know,
in the title itself,
434
00:22:32,867 --> 00:22:34,700
who you name as a beneficiary.
435
00:22:35,800 --> 00:22:37,667
[Michelle]
Jake had been paid tuition
436
00:22:37,667 --> 00:22:39,066
for David to go to school
437
00:22:39,233 --> 00:22:40,400
to get a nursing degree.
438
00:22:45,166 --> 00:22:46,967
That was more thantwo years ago.
439
00:22:48,800 --> 00:22:51,667
And now, David is distraughtand confused
440
00:22:51,834 --> 00:22:53,567
by the shockingturn of events.
441
00:22:54,767 --> 00:22:57,467
Mexican law enforcement
also found a birthday card
442
00:22:57,467 --> 00:22:59,200
in Jake Merendino's car.
443
00:22:59,367 --> 00:23:01,100
And it read,
"Happy late birthday.
444
00:23:02,000 --> 00:23:04,867
"I wish I would have been able
to spend it with you,
445
00:23:05,033 --> 00:23:09,467
and I hope that we are together
for a long, long time."
446
00:23:09,467 --> 00:23:13,100
Clearly, this note mattered
to Jake Merendino.
447
00:23:13,100 --> 00:23:14,367
He had kept it.
448
00:23:14,533 --> 00:23:15,500
It mattered to him.
449
00:23:17,100 --> 00:23:19,367
David is happy to chatwith the police.
450
00:23:19,367 --> 00:23:22,166
He answers their questionsand gives a formal statement
451
00:23:22,166 --> 00:23:24,600
before heading backto San Diego, his hometown.
452
00:23:32,166 --> 00:23:35,567
[suspenseful music playing]
453
00:23:35,734 --> 00:23:38,367
With the FBI and Mexicanauthorities knee-deep
454
00:23:38,533 --> 00:23:40,100
in their investigation,
455
00:23:40,100 --> 00:23:42,767
Jake's will is finallyheading into probate.
456
00:23:43,967 --> 00:23:46,467
No one could have predictedhow the proceedings would end.
457
00:23:48,767 --> 00:23:51,066
[Alexandra]
We received contact
458
00:23:51,233 --> 00:23:53,166
from the probate attorney
459
00:23:53,166 --> 00:23:56,767
to let us know
that he had received a...
460
00:23:58,000 --> 00:23:59,266
note in the mail.
461
00:24:00,700 --> 00:24:02,266
It was a handwritten note,
462
00:24:02,433 --> 00:24:04,800
one page, small,
463
00:24:04,967 --> 00:24:07,467
from the Hercor Hotel.
464
00:24:07,467 --> 00:24:11,467
When Jake Merendino
would come to San Diego,
465
00:24:12,667 --> 00:24:15,100
he would always stay there.
466
00:24:15,100 --> 00:24:18,400
[tense music playing]
467
00:24:20,100 --> 00:24:24,767
I was retained by one
of Jake Merendino's friends,
468
00:24:24,767 --> 00:24:27,567
who was named as the executor
in a will that was prepared,
469
00:24:27,734 --> 00:24:29,467
sometime before his death.
470
00:24:31,000 --> 00:24:34,000
A week or two after we filed
Merendino's will for probate,
471
00:24:34,000 --> 00:24:36,567
we got an opposition
to the probate of our will.
472
00:24:36,734 --> 00:24:39,166
Attached to the application
to probate the will was a...
473
00:24:39,333 --> 00:24:41,100
what they call
a holographic will.
474
00:24:41,266 --> 00:24:43,166
It was on hotel stationery.
475
00:24:43,166 --> 00:24:45,867
So we sent a copy to the FBI.
476
00:24:45,867 --> 00:24:50,300
It was just simple white paper
with dark ink over it,
477
00:24:50,467 --> 00:24:52,967
giving everything to a fellow
named David Meza.
478
00:24:53,133 --> 00:24:56,000
[tense music playing]
479
00:24:56,166 --> 00:24:59,266
A holographic will just means
that the will was handwritten.
480
00:25:01,767 --> 00:25:04,100
[Michael] That will would've
been recognized as a valid...
481
00:25:04,100 --> 00:25:07,667
will, passing property to Meza,
482
00:25:07,667 --> 00:25:09,100
in the state of Texas.
483
00:25:12,266 --> 00:25:14,066
I laughed.
I mean,
484
00:25:14,233 --> 00:25:16,000
I said, "What a joke!
485
00:25:16,900 --> 00:25:18,100
Jake wrote that?"
486
00:25:18,266 --> 00:25:20,767
I mean, I saw pictures
of the will.
487
00:25:22,166 --> 00:25:26,166
First of all, I could hardly
recognize Jake's handwriting.
488
00:25:26,333 --> 00:25:30,000
I mean, I had numerous
checks from Jake,
489
00:25:30,000 --> 00:25:32,800
and the signature
didn't even look right.
490
00:25:32,967 --> 00:25:36,367
[tense music playing]
491
00:25:36,367 --> 00:25:38,600
[Michelle]
The FBI conducted
handwriting analysis
492
00:25:38,767 --> 00:25:40,166
on the holographic will,
493
00:25:40,333 --> 00:25:42,166
and the results
were inconclusive.
494
00:25:43,667 --> 00:25:46,467
[Shep] Well, everybody had
the same conclusion --
495
00:25:46,467 --> 00:25:49,066
that Jake had been drinking,
496
00:25:49,233 --> 00:25:50,367
and then Enrique said,
497
00:25:50,533 --> 00:25:51,800
"I don't think
you really love me."
498
00:25:53,066 --> 00:25:53,967
And Jake said,
499
00:25:54,133 --> 00:25:56,567
"Well, of course, baby.
I love you."
500
00:25:56,734 --> 00:25:58,000
And then Enrique said,
501
00:25:58,166 --> 00:26:00,367
"Well, if you really love me,
prove it."
502
00:26:07,567 --> 00:26:11,166
I had had a very interesting
conversation with Jake
503
00:26:11,333 --> 00:26:13,000
in February.
504
00:26:13,000 --> 00:26:15,100
And Jake made it very clear
505
00:26:15,100 --> 00:26:18,667
that he was going to leave
the majority of his estate
506
00:26:18,667 --> 00:26:21,567
to animals and horses, etc.
507
00:26:22,467 --> 00:26:24,000
There wasn't one word mentioned
508
00:26:24,000 --> 00:26:26,867
of David getting anything,
whatsoever.
509
00:26:27,033 --> 00:26:29,900
And then, when I saw
the written piece of paper
510
00:26:30,066 --> 00:26:32,000
that this was on...
511
00:26:32,166 --> 00:26:33,767
Jake wasn't stupid.
512
00:26:33,934 --> 00:26:34,834
You know?
513
00:26:34,834 --> 00:26:37,500
I mean, he could be
when he was...drunk.
514
00:26:38,700 --> 00:26:41,166
[Alexandra]
If David Meza believed
515
00:26:41,166 --> 00:26:43,000
that he was going
to inherit everything,
516
00:26:44,367 --> 00:26:46,867
it created a motive...
517
00:26:46,867 --> 00:26:48,667
to kill Jake Merendino.
518
00:26:48,834 --> 00:26:51,767
[dramatic music playing]
519
00:26:59,900 --> 00:27:01,867
[dramatic music playing]
520
00:27:01,867 --> 00:27:03,767
Jake Merendino's friendsalways knew
521
00:27:03,767 --> 00:27:06,166
he had a soft spotfor David Meza.
522
00:27:06,166 --> 00:27:08,000
But no one thoughthe'd actually leave
523
00:27:08,000 --> 00:27:10,066
his entire fortune to David,
524
00:27:10,233 --> 00:27:13,567
the guy who used to flaunthimself as a porn star.
525
00:27:14,867 --> 00:27:18,667
Even now, Jake's inner circleswears there was a moment,
526
00:27:18,667 --> 00:27:20,967
just before everythingwent down,
527
00:27:21,133 --> 00:27:22,900
where they all feltDavid wasn't
528
00:27:23,066 --> 00:27:24,867
who they thought he was.
529
00:27:25,033 --> 00:27:28,867
Jake, David, and myself
went to a restaurant,
530
00:27:29,033 --> 00:27:30,667
down in Rosarito
531
00:27:30,834 --> 00:27:33,300
and met Lori and David Britton.
532
00:27:35,367 --> 00:27:38,367
[Lori] I learned that David was
going to nursing school.
533
00:27:38,533 --> 00:27:39,567
I understood from Barbara
534
00:27:39,734 --> 00:27:42,900
that Jake was paying for him
to go to school.
535
00:27:43,066 --> 00:27:44,667
I've a background in nursing.
536
00:27:44,834 --> 00:27:47,500
He couldn't tell me
what school he was going to,
537
00:27:47,667 --> 00:27:51,200
if it was a one-year LVN program
538
00:27:51,367 --> 00:27:53,000
or a registered nurse program.
539
00:27:53,000 --> 00:27:54,867
He had no understanding
540
00:27:55,033 --> 00:27:56,800
of what I was even
talking about.
541
00:27:58,166 --> 00:27:59,567
[Barbara]
He acted like a pool boy.
542
00:28:00,867 --> 00:28:03,066
He could not make eye contact.
543
00:28:03,233 --> 00:28:07,066
Asking him a question was
enough for him to barely answer
544
00:28:07,233 --> 00:28:08,567
or look the other way.
545
00:28:09,467 --> 00:28:11,900
[Lori] He couldn't even answer
simple questions like
546
00:28:12,066 --> 00:28:13,367
what was the name of the school?
547
00:28:13,367 --> 00:28:16,266
Have you learned how to take
a blood pressure?
548
00:28:16,433 --> 00:28:17,867
I'm sitting there thinking,
549
00:28:17,867 --> 00:28:19,400
"There's something wrong
with this guy.
550
00:28:19,567 --> 00:28:21,066
This guy's a phony."
551
00:28:21,233 --> 00:28:23,467
[Barbara] Jake was having a good
time with the four of us,
552
00:28:23,467 --> 00:28:25,567
and he was not paying
any attention to David.
553
00:28:32,066 --> 00:28:34,166
[suspenseful music playing]
554
00:28:34,166 --> 00:28:36,467
David Meza may thinkhe's about to cash in
555
00:28:36,634 --> 00:28:38,867
on Jake Merendino's estate,
556
00:28:38,867 --> 00:28:41,500
but the FBI has other ideas.
557
00:28:41,667 --> 00:28:43,867
We conducted extensive analysis
558
00:28:44,033 --> 00:28:46,367
of Jake and David's
social media.
559
00:28:47,767 --> 00:28:49,967
[Alexandra] We determined,
based on a review,
560
00:28:50,133 --> 00:28:51,767
David was in communication
561
00:28:51,767 --> 00:28:54,066
with a woman named
Taylor Langston.
562
00:28:55,467 --> 00:28:58,100
Taylor and David lived together,
563
00:28:58,100 --> 00:29:01,400
whenever David was not
with Jake Merendino.
564
00:29:02,300 --> 00:29:04,467
We learned from a review
565
00:29:04,634 --> 00:29:07,166
of Taylor Langston's
Facebook page
566
00:29:07,333 --> 00:29:10,200
that she was engaged to David.
567
00:29:11,667 --> 00:29:15,000
And that she was very visibly
pregnant with his child.
568
00:29:15,166 --> 00:29:18,300
In fact, she was
about to give birth.
569
00:29:21,567 --> 00:29:23,667
[ominous music playing]
570
00:29:25,367 --> 00:29:27,266
[Barbara] Well, I was shocked
and, you know,
571
00:29:27,266 --> 00:29:28,967
I knew that there was something,
572
00:29:29,133 --> 00:29:30,867
you know,
really radically wrong.
573
00:29:32,300 --> 00:29:33,800
[Michelle]
As far as we could tell,
574
00:29:33,967 --> 00:29:36,500
Jake didn't know
anything about Taylor
575
00:29:36,667 --> 00:29:39,367
or the fact that she was
pregnant with David's baby.
576
00:29:47,066 --> 00:29:48,166
Early in the morning,
577
00:29:48,333 --> 00:29:50,867
the FBI arriveswith calculated efficiency
578
00:29:50,867 --> 00:29:52,600
to a modest apartmentin San Diego.
579
00:29:53,767 --> 00:29:57,166
They're here for David Mezaand Taylor Langston,
580
00:29:57,166 --> 00:30:00,166
two people who know morethan they'd like to admit
581
00:30:00,333 --> 00:30:02,567
about how Jake Merendinoended up dead
582
00:30:02,734 --> 00:30:04,200
on the sideof a Mexican highway.
583
00:30:05,567 --> 00:30:09,166
Agents got David Meza
and Taylor Langston comfortable
584
00:30:09,333 --> 00:30:10,767
in separate cars.
585
00:30:10,934 --> 00:30:14,767
They asked the two
individuals questions.
586
00:30:16,467 --> 00:30:20,000
At the top of the list,what exactly does Taylor know
587
00:30:20,166 --> 00:30:21,700
about Jake Merendino?
588
00:30:21,867 --> 00:30:23,166
It's difficult to know
589
00:30:23,166 --> 00:30:26,500
the extent of what
Taylor knew about Jake.
590
00:30:26,667 --> 00:30:30,266
We know that David told Taylor
that he worked for Jake.
591
00:30:30,433 --> 00:30:32,667
Um, he referenced him
as "George."
592
00:30:33,567 --> 00:30:36,867
[Alexandra] Taylor never met
or spoke to George,
593
00:30:37,033 --> 00:30:38,667
according to her.
594
00:30:40,166 --> 00:30:41,800
From my point of view,
595
00:30:41,967 --> 00:30:44,266
David Meza decides,
596
00:30:44,266 --> 00:30:45,900
months ahead of time,
597
00:30:46,066 --> 00:30:48,100
that he needs to
lay the groundwork
598
00:30:48,100 --> 00:30:50,166
for George's death.
599
00:30:52,100 --> 00:30:55,400
[Michelle]
David had told family,
friends, and Taylor Langston
600
00:30:55,567 --> 00:30:58,867
that his boss George was not
in very good health
601
00:30:58,867 --> 00:31:01,667
and would likely die
at some point in the future.
602
00:31:03,400 --> 00:31:04,400
[Alexandra]
David knew that
603
00:31:04,567 --> 00:31:06,400
he would be
the next person in line
604
00:31:06,567 --> 00:31:08,767
for this condominium
in Rosarito.
605
00:31:08,934 --> 00:31:12,667
So that is why David Meza
waited until
606
00:31:12,834 --> 00:31:14,367
after the documents were signed,
607
00:31:14,367 --> 00:31:15,900
to kill Jake Merendino.
608
00:31:18,000 --> 00:31:21,567
And the reason that matters
for us as prosecutors is that
609
00:31:21,567 --> 00:31:25,166
we have to show this was
premeditated for months.
610
00:31:31,000 --> 00:31:33,467
If David had been planning thisfor months,
611
00:31:34,467 --> 00:31:37,000
was Taylor in on the long con,
612
00:31:37,000 --> 00:31:38,567
or simply naive?
613
00:31:39,767 --> 00:31:42,367
I don't think
that Taylor Langston was aware
614
00:31:42,533 --> 00:31:44,467
of that part of his life,
615
00:31:44,634 --> 00:31:46,667
or it didn't seem that way.
616
00:31:46,667 --> 00:31:49,266
I'm not sure
how one would define
617
00:31:49,266 --> 00:31:51,467
what David Meza did.
618
00:31:51,634 --> 00:31:55,967
He had made it clear that
he would do anything for money.
619
00:31:56,133 --> 00:31:57,800
And the reason that mattered is
620
00:31:57,967 --> 00:32:01,467
because our running theory
at that point was
621
00:32:01,634 --> 00:32:04,900
that David Meza was faking
a loving relationship
622
00:32:05,066 --> 00:32:07,166
with Jake Merendino, for money.
623
00:32:08,367 --> 00:32:10,867
[suspenseful chord strike]
624
00:32:11,033 --> 00:32:15,166
[Michelle]
You'd have instances
where David would text Jake
625
00:32:15,166 --> 00:32:18,200
something about the workout
that he had done that day,
626
00:32:18,367 --> 00:32:20,367
and then he would turn around
and text Taylor
627
00:32:20,533 --> 00:32:21,900
something very similar.
628
00:32:23,767 --> 00:32:27,700
So David had these two lives,
these two separate lives
629
00:32:28,867 --> 00:32:31,000
with two separate individuals...
630
00:32:31,166 --> 00:32:32,567
and they were on a crash course.
631
00:32:32,734 --> 00:32:34,500
[suspenseful chord strike]
632
00:32:37,000 --> 00:32:39,467
[ominous music playing]
633
00:32:39,467 --> 00:32:42,367
When footage emergesfrom the night Jake died,
634
00:32:42,367 --> 00:32:43,767
it reveals a lot more than
635
00:32:43,767 --> 00:32:45,467
David would ever want to admit.
636
00:32:46,567 --> 00:32:48,667
David Meza told the agents
637
00:32:48,834 --> 00:32:52,667
that he was in Rosarito
638
00:32:52,667 --> 00:32:55,400
with Jake Merendino on May 1st.
639
00:32:56,400 --> 00:32:59,266
That they had dinner,
and then they'd had a fight.
640
00:32:59,266 --> 00:33:02,066
So he got on
his motorcycle and left.
641
00:33:03,567 --> 00:33:06,000
When David was interviewed
by Detective Brown,
642
00:33:06,000 --> 00:33:07,500
who was a task force officer
643
00:33:07,667 --> 00:33:09,500
with the San Diego
Police Department,
644
00:33:09,667 --> 00:33:13,967
David said that he was
up in San Diego with Taylor
645
00:33:14,133 --> 00:33:15,800
around the time of the murder.
646
00:33:15,967 --> 00:33:17,066
[on recording]
OK, so you cross...
647
00:33:30,066 --> 00:33:33,000
[Michelle]
That was inconsistent
with his phone data,
648
00:33:33,166 --> 00:33:35,467
which showed that he was
in the area of the crime scene
649
00:33:35,634 --> 00:33:37,000
around the time
of the murder.
650
00:33:37,867 --> 00:33:40,200
CCTV places himcrossing the border
651
00:33:40,367 --> 00:33:42,400
at 3:57 in the morning.
652
00:33:43,567 --> 00:33:44,600
Just 24 minutes
653
00:33:44,600 --> 00:33:47,867
after Jake's body wasdiscovered by police.
654
00:33:47,867 --> 00:33:49,066
It was very fishy, right?
655
00:33:49,233 --> 00:33:50,166
I mean, it just didn't...
656
00:33:50,166 --> 00:33:51,567
the story didn't make sense.
657
00:33:51,734 --> 00:33:54,967
So for us as prosecutors,
that is good news
658
00:33:55,133 --> 00:33:58,367
because that's indicative
that they are lying to you.
659
00:34:08,100 --> 00:34:12,266
[Alexandra]
We felt that we had
all of the pieces to the puzzle
660
00:34:12,433 --> 00:34:17,000
to show that David Meza
stabbed Jake Merendino to death
661
00:34:17,166 --> 00:34:18,600
and rolled him down that ravine.
662
00:34:19,767 --> 00:34:22,100
Was it a slam dunk?
No.
663
00:34:23,266 --> 00:34:25,667
[David]
I'm fairly convinced
664
00:34:25,667 --> 00:34:28,266
that he thought
he was gonna get away with it.
665
00:34:28,266 --> 00:34:30,266
[suspenseful music playing]
666
00:34:36,367 --> 00:34:37,567
It's been just over a month
667
00:34:37,734 --> 00:34:40,667
since Jake Merendino'smutilated body was found,
668
00:34:40,834 --> 00:34:43,300
dumped on the side ofa desolate highway in Mexico.
669
00:34:45,467 --> 00:34:48,266
American agents are closeto cracking the case,
670
00:34:48,433 --> 00:34:50,800
but they need that onecrucial piece of evidence
671
00:34:50,967 --> 00:34:52,367
to pull it all together.
672
00:34:52,533 --> 00:34:55,266
So they're combing throughlaptops and cellphone records,
673
00:34:55,433 --> 00:34:56,767
hoping to find a motive.
674
00:34:57,867 --> 00:34:59,400
The FBI conducted
a search warrant
675
00:34:59,567 --> 00:35:01,567
on Taylor Langston's cellphone,
676
00:35:01,567 --> 00:35:05,667
and we found a voicemail
that was deleted from the phone,
677
00:35:05,667 --> 00:35:06,867
after the murder,
678
00:35:06,867 --> 00:35:09,300
and he sounded very distraught.
679
00:35:34,667 --> 00:35:37,867
What was striking to me was
680
00:35:37,867 --> 00:35:40,667
that he felt like
he had to do it.
681
00:35:42,500 --> 00:35:43,967
He didn't have to do it.
682
00:35:44,133 --> 00:35:45,700
He chose to do it.
683
00:35:47,767 --> 00:35:50,300
To think that
Jake would be stabbed
684
00:35:50,467 --> 00:35:53,000
by the very person
that he was giving money to
685
00:35:53,000 --> 00:35:57,200
and was bringing him
into his life,
686
00:35:57,367 --> 00:35:59,767
and to stab him so viciously.
687
00:35:59,934 --> 00:36:01,467
Any time you have a homicide
688
00:36:01,634 --> 00:36:05,100
where somebody is stabbed
that horrifically,
689
00:36:05,100 --> 00:36:10,000
that has to be a lot of anger
and resentment and fear.
690
00:36:10,166 --> 00:36:11,667
[tense music playing]
691
00:36:11,667 --> 00:36:13,867
[Michelle] There was no one
single piece of evidence
692
00:36:13,867 --> 00:36:17,266
that proved to us that
David committed this murder.
693
00:36:17,266 --> 00:36:19,300
There was a lot of
smaller pieces of evidence
694
00:36:19,467 --> 00:36:21,667
that, when taken together,
painted the picture
695
00:36:21,667 --> 00:36:24,000
that David was involved
in Jake's murder.
696
00:36:31,667 --> 00:36:35,100
Seven months afterJake Merendino's bodywas discovered,
697
00:36:35,100 --> 00:36:38,567
David Meza and Taylor Langstonare arrested.
698
00:36:41,767 --> 00:36:43,033
And yet,
699
00:36:43,033 --> 00:36:46,066
the people closest to them arestill trying to piece together
700
00:36:46,233 --> 00:36:48,567
how it all spiraledout of control.
701
00:36:54,600 --> 00:36:58,667
[Barbara] I think Jake was
desperately seeking
702
00:36:58,667 --> 00:37:00,300
somebody to be with.
703
00:37:01,367 --> 00:37:04,700
And David Meza absolutely said
the right things
704
00:37:04,867 --> 00:37:06,100
at the right time.
705
00:37:07,200 --> 00:37:08,967
[Alexandra]
David Meza was really good
706
00:37:09,133 --> 00:37:12,266
at compartmentalizing his life.
707
00:37:12,433 --> 00:37:14,867
The fact that he had
this whole other life...
708
00:37:15,767 --> 00:37:17,100
is quite amazing.
709
00:37:18,700 --> 00:37:20,667
It does not seem to me
710
00:37:20,834 --> 00:37:24,400
that David Meza ever loved
Jake Merendino.
711
00:37:24,567 --> 00:37:27,200
This was always about money.
712
00:37:27,367 --> 00:37:30,100
[Michelle] He even paid tuition
for David to go to school
713
00:37:30,100 --> 00:37:31,700
to get a nursing degree,
714
00:37:31,867 --> 00:37:34,400
and David didn't attend courses,
715
00:37:34,567 --> 00:37:37,166
pulled out of the school
and asked for the money back,
716
00:37:37,166 --> 00:37:39,367
so that he could use it himself.
717
00:37:39,367 --> 00:37:41,967
Ultimately,
David Meza was convicted
718
00:37:42,133 --> 00:37:45,200
of committing domestic violence
in a foreign country,
719
00:37:45,367 --> 00:37:46,867
resulting in death,
720
00:37:47,033 --> 00:37:49,000
and was sentenced
to life in prison.
721
00:37:55,500 --> 00:37:58,800
[Alexandra]
The death of Jake Merendino was
very sad for his friends
722
00:37:58,967 --> 00:38:01,700
and his family,
and was devastating to them.
723
00:38:02,700 --> 00:38:05,100
What oftentimes doesn't really
get considered is
724
00:38:05,266 --> 00:38:08,100
what happens
to David Meza's family?
725
00:38:08,100 --> 00:38:10,300
And it...
726
00:38:10,467 --> 00:38:14,266
undoubtedly made
Taylor Langston's life
very difficult.
727
00:38:19,867 --> 00:38:21,800
In September 2016,
728
00:38:21,967 --> 00:38:24,467
a year aftergiving birth to their baby
729
00:38:24,634 --> 00:38:26,066
and marrying David Meza,
730
00:38:26,233 --> 00:38:27,867
a judge indicts Taylor Langston
731
00:38:28,033 --> 00:38:30,400
for conspiracyto obstruct justice.
732
00:38:32,100 --> 00:38:35,567
Taylor Langston pled guilty
to the obstruction count.
733
00:38:36,467 --> 00:38:40,166
She was incarcerated
with a small baby out,
734
00:38:40,333 --> 00:38:42,166
being cared for by others.
735
00:38:44,567 --> 00:38:46,467
[dramatic music playing]
736
00:38:46,634 --> 00:38:49,166
And then, there's the matterof Jake's estate.
737
00:38:49,166 --> 00:38:51,367
When a verdict is handed down,
738
00:38:51,533 --> 00:38:54,967
his legacy's fate isfinally sealed.
739
00:38:55,133 --> 00:38:57,266
[Michael] Once you're convicted
of the decedent's death,
740
00:38:57,266 --> 00:38:59,667
you can no longer
inherit under a will.
741
00:38:59,667 --> 00:39:01,400
At the end,
we reached a settlement
742
00:39:01,567 --> 00:39:04,367
where Jake Merendino's estate
was divided.
743
00:39:04,533 --> 00:39:07,266
A portion of it going
to his family members,
744
00:39:07,433 --> 00:39:11,166
and then a portion of it going
to Merendino's ex-boyfriend,
745
00:39:11,333 --> 00:39:12,667
John.
746
00:39:17,200 --> 00:39:18,900
[solemn music playing]
747
00:39:19,066 --> 00:39:22,100
[Shep]
The thing I miss most about him
is our conversations.
748
00:39:23,767 --> 00:39:25,767
I don't have anybody
in my life now
749
00:39:25,767 --> 00:39:27,667
that I can talk to like that.
750
00:39:27,667 --> 00:39:31,200
We would tell each other
everything, and laugh.
751
00:39:33,667 --> 00:39:35,700
Mainly, I just
downright miss him.
752
00:39:41,667 --> 00:39:45,266
[Barbara]
Jake really enjoyed
the slower pace,
753
00:39:45,433 --> 00:39:47,567
the beautiful ocean,
754
00:39:47,567 --> 00:39:49,266
the beaches.
755
00:39:50,867 --> 00:39:53,367
But also, I think he got
to a point where
756
00:39:53,367 --> 00:39:56,767
he wanted to spend
more time with David.
757
00:40:00,100 --> 00:40:01,800
That's kind of why I thought
758
00:40:01,967 --> 00:40:04,100
maybe Rosarito wouldn't be
a bad idea.
759
00:40:06,100 --> 00:40:08,400
I have not been back
since Jake's death.
760
00:40:09,967 --> 00:40:12,000
It was horribly sad.
761
00:40:13,100 --> 00:40:15,600
He was nothing but a good guy
and he was generous.
762
00:40:17,967 --> 00:40:20,000
And David didn't have
to kill him
763
00:40:20,000 --> 00:40:21,567
to get what he wanted.
764
00:40:21,567 --> 00:40:24,000
[sentimental music playing]
765
00:40:29,700 --> 00:40:31,667
This season on Fatal
Destination...
766
00:40:31,834 --> 00:40:33,467
They didn't dock in Bimini,
767
00:40:33,634 --> 00:40:37,166
and they're also not responding
to any messages.
768
00:40:37,166 --> 00:40:38,900
They started calling it
"The Ghost Ship."
769
00:40:40,266 --> 00:40:42,100
It was the spring break
destination.
770
00:40:42,266 --> 00:40:44,166
He was a evil predator that
771
00:40:44,333 --> 00:40:46,266
stalked the streets
of Myrtle Beach.
772
00:40:50,600 --> 00:40:52,266
He was the embodiment of evil.
773
00:40:53,600 --> 00:40:55,967
She was pretty excited
to live the van life.
774
00:40:57,000 --> 00:41:00,500
They left and bad things
happened.
775
00:41:00,667 --> 00:41:03,100
I was trying to crawl away from
him screaming for help.
776
00:41:04,900 --> 00:41:06,266
It's just basically a big
camping trip.
777
00:41:06,433 --> 00:41:09,467
Why are there so many people
missing from this event?
778
00:41:10,400 --> 00:41:13,100
New Orleans, it's got a good
side, it's got a dark side.
779
00:41:13,867 --> 00:41:15,100
It looked satanic.
780
00:41:15,266 --> 00:41:18,700
He held him under the water
shouting "I am your God!"
781
00:41:18,867 --> 00:41:21,266
These people were plotting.
They were predators.
782
00:41:22,600 --> 00:41:25,300
Anything can happen on vacation.
60068
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