Original subtitles

Narrator: PATRICIA VIOLA DISAPPEARED

ON TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 13, 2001.

WHEN A PERSON DISAPPEARS WITHOUT A TRACE,

OFTEN THE MOST CRITICAL INFORMATION

IS HIDDEN IN THEIR ACTIONS AND WORDS

FROM THE DAYS BEFORE THEY VANISHED.

PATRICIA VIOLA'S LAST KNOWN WHEREABOUTS

MAY HOLD THE CLUES TO WHAT HAPPENED TO HER.

A DEVOTED NEW JERSEY HOUSEWIFE AND MOTHER OF TWO

INEXPLICABLY VANISHES IN THE MIDDLE OF A ROUTINE SCHOOL DAY.

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

HER POCKETBOOK WITH ALL HER PERSONAL BELONGINGS

WAS IN THE HOUSE, AND SHE WAS GONE.

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

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

I HAVE NEVER, NEVER SEEN PAT REACT THAT WAY.

SHE WAS NOT HERSELF.

Narrator: AND A DECADE-LONG POLICE INVESTIGATION

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

BURGLARS DO HIT HOMES. IT DOES HAPPEN.

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

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

CAPTIONS PAID FOR BY DISCOVERY COMMUNICATIONS

Narrator: FEBRUARY 13, 2001.

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

A QUIET TOWN JUST ACROSS THE GEORGE WASHINGTON BRIDGE

AND SEEMINGLY A UNIVERSE AWAY

FROM THE THRONG OF NEW YORK CITY.

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

WE'RE ABOUT TWO MILES OUTSIDE NEW YORK CITY.

Narrator: 40-YEAR-OLD JIM VIOLA

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

AS HE NAVIGATES TRAFFIC FROM MORRISTOWN TO BOGOTA,

HE THINKS OF HIS WIFE, PAT,

WHO'S PROBABLY AT HOME PREPARING DINNER,

AS SHE HAS EVERY DAY

FOR THE LAST 14 YEARS OF THEIR MARRIED LIFE TOGETHER.

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

BALANCING VALENTINE'S DAY GIFTS AND HIS BRIEFCASE,

HE'S SURPRISED TO DISCOVER

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

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

THE FIRST THING YOU HEAR

IS YOU HEAR THE BEEPING THAT THE ALARM IS SET.

SO I DROPPED EVERYTHING THAT I HAD IN MY HAND

AND RAN OVER TO THE PANEL

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

OR THE ALARM WILL TRIP.

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

IT WAS VERY UNUSUAL.

Narrator: IN THIS HOUSEHOLD,

WHERE ROUTINES RUN LIKE CLOCKWORK,

SOMETHING'S SUDDENLY AMISS.

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

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

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

THEY CAN REPORT YOU MISSING.

Narrator: PAT IS THE KIND OF WOMAN WHOSE ENTIRE LIFE

REVOLVES AROUND THE STABLE COMFORTS OF HOME.

JUST A FEW WEEKS EARLIER,

42-YEAR-OLD PAT VIOLA WAS BEAMING

AS SHE PRESENTED ONE OF HER FAMOUS HOMEMADE BIRTHDAY CAKES

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

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

EVERYONE CAME OVER, AND IT WAS WONDERFUL.

WHEN IT COMES TO BIRTHDAYS AND HOLIDAYS,

SHE WANTED TO GET THE PERFECT GIFT FOR YOU.

Narrator: AT LEAST OUTWARDLY,

THE VIOLA FAMILY HAS SEEMED PICTURE-PERFECT

SINCE PAT AND JIM MET IN 1982.

ON THE DAY HE INTERVIEWED FOR HIS CURRENT JOB,

JIM NOTICED THE YOUNG WOMAN

WORKING IN THE PERSONNEL DEPARTMENT RIGHT AWAY.

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

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

IT WAS A LOVE STORY.

Narrator: THE ROMANCE BLOSSOMED,

AND PAT AND JIM GOT MARRIED IN 1986.

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

HER EYES WERE LIKE -- LIKE JEWELS.

Narrator: THE VIOLAS QUICKLY HAVE TWO CHILDREN --

A GIRL AND A BOY.

YOU KNOW, WE WERE JUST LIVING THE DREAM,

I GUESS YOU COULD SAY.

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

ON THE MORNING OF FEBRUARY 13, 2001,

THE DAY BEFORE VALENTINE'S DAY,

LIFE IN THE VIOLA HOUSEHOLD

IS CHUGGING ALONG ON ITS USUAL SCHEDULE.

THERE'S NOT A SINGLE HINT

OF THE UPHEAVAL THAT WILL ENSUE LATER THAT AFTERNOON.

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

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

AND JIM HAD TO GO OFF TO WORK.

Jim: AND I REMEMBER SEEING PAT THAT MORNING.

SHE SEEMED TO BE A LITTLE BIT DOWN, MAYBE.

SHE WISHED ME LUCK A COUPLE TIMES,

AND SHE JUST SOUNDED A LITTLE SAD.

Narrator: BUT TO JIM, PAT'S MOOD

ISN'T EXTREME ENOUGH TO MAKE HIM WORRY.

PLUS, HE'S FOCUSED ON A BIG PRESENTATION

HE HAS TO GIVE AT WORK THAT DAY,

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

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

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

THEN PAT PREPARES TO LEAVE HERSELF.

JUST BEFORE 8:30, SHE BUNDLES UP,

LEAVES HER HOUSE ON CHESTNUT AVENUE,

AND MAKES HER WAY ALONG THE TWO SHORT BLOCKS

TO HER SON'S ELEMENTARY SCHOOL.

Sepp: PAT HAD TO GET READY HERSELF

TO GO IN TO BE THE VOLUNTEER SCHOOL LIBRARIAN

AT THE CHILDREN'S SCHOOL.

Narrator: PAT HAS BEEN WORKING AT THE LIBRARY

FOR OVER TWO YEARS AND RELISHES THE OPPORTUNITY

TO BE AROUND HER CHILDREN DURING THE DAY.

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

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

Narrator: BUT WHILE PAT

IS GOING ABOUT HER REGULAR ACTIVITIES,

SHELVING BOOKS AND PROCESSING CHECKOUTS,

SOMETHING UNUSUAL HAPPENS BACK AT HOME.

WELL, AT SOME POINT DURING THE MORNING,

THE HOUSE ALARM WENT OFF.

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

Narrator: THE ALARM COMPANY FOLLOWS PROTOCOL.

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

AND THEN PAT'S MOTHER, WHO LIVES NEARBY.

PAT'S MOTHER LEAVES A WORRIED MESSAGE

FOR HER DAUGHTER AT HOME.

THE ALARM-COMPANY CALL

IS ALSO ROUTED THROUGH TO THE BOGOTA POLICE STATION.

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

THEY CHECKED, THEY LOOKED THROUGH THE WINDOWS,

THEY CHECKED THE DOORS.

THE OFFICERS WENT, THEY CHECKED ALL THE AREAS.

NOTHING APPEARED TO BE DAMAGED OR BOTHERED,

AND THEY CALLED BACK IN SERVICE.

Narrator: MEANWHILE,

PAT CONTINUES WORKING, UNAWARE OF THE ALARM.

SHE HAS A CELLPHONE, BUT SHE RARELY USES IT,

SO NO ONE TRIES TO CALL HER AT THE LIBRARY.

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

INSIDE THE HOUSE,

SHE HEARS THE MESSAGE FROM HER MOTHER ABOUT THE ALARM

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

THE PHONE CALL TO HER MOTHER WAS THE LAST TIME

THAT WE COULD ACTUALLY DOCUMENT SOMEONE HAD SPOKEN TO PAT.

Narrator: ABOUT AN HOUR LATER,

PAT DOES ONE LAST TRACEABLE TASK.

ACCORDING TO A REPORT FROM THE SECURITY COMPANY,

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

Sepp: ALL ALARMS HAVE CODES,

AND ONLY CERTAIN PEOPLE WOULD KNOW THOSE CODES,

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

AND GUESS A CODE AND PUNCH IT IN CORRECTLY.

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

Narrator: BECAUSE OF THE TRIPPED ALARM THAT MORNING,

PAT WOULD HAVE NEEDED TO RESET THE SYSTEM

IN ORDER TO USE IT AGAIN.

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

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

Narrator: WHEN JIM VIOLA WALKS IN THE DOOR

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

AS JIM SURVEYS THE HOUSE,

THE SCENE BEGINS TO LOOK EVEN MORE BIZARRE.

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

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

HER POCKETBOOK WITH ALL HER PERSONAL BELONGINGS,

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

AND SHE WAS GONE.

Narrator: ALSO ON THE COUNTER IS A SINGLE KEY.

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

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

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

MEDICATION THAT SHE MUST TAKE TWICE A DAY.

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

SHE HAS TO BE AROUND SOMEWHERE."

Narrator: COMING UP...

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

I REMEMBER PAT WALKING IN THE DOOR HERE.

SHE WAS NOT HERSELF.

Narrator: JIM VIOLA HAS JUST RETURNED HOME FROM WORK

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

THE HOUSE LOOKS TO BE IN ITS USUAL PRISTINE ORDER,

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

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

NOTHING KNOCKED OVER, NOTHING BANGED AROUND,

NOTHING BROKEN, NOTHING TURNED UPSIDE DOWN.

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

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

Narrator: EXCEPT FOR ONE THING.

PAT'S PURSE WITH ALL HER PERSONAL BELONGINGS

IS STILL IN THE HOUSE,

INCLUDING MEDICATION SHE TAKES TWICE A DAY, FOR EPILEPSY.

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

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

AND SHE KNEW HOW TO HANDLE IT.

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

SHE WOULD TAKE A SEIZURE.

Narrator: PAT KEEPS HER CONDITION UNDER CONTROL

BY BEING VIGILANT ABOUT TAKING HER MEDICATION REGULARLY.

IT'S NOW ALMOST 5:00.

HER NEXT DOSE IS DUE IN A FEW HOURS,

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

JIM GOES TO PICK UP THE KIDS,

WHO HAVE BEEN PLAYING AT FRIENDS' HOUSES,

BUT WHEN HE RETURNS, 45 MINUTES LATER,

PAT'S STILL NOT HOME.

Jim: I DIDN'T PANIC JUST YET.

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

YOU KNOW, SHOPPING FOR VALENTINE'S DAY GIFTS,

OR MAYBE EVEN TAKEN A BUS TO THE MALL.

Narrator: JIM PULLS OUT THE LOCAL BUS SCHEDULE.

HE KNOWS SHE DIDN'T DRIVE ANYWHERE

BECAUSE A FEW MONTHS EARLIER,

HER DRIVER'S LICENSE HAD BEEN TAKEN FROM HER.

IN NOVEMBER OF 2000,

A DISTURBING EVENT OCCURRED IN THE VIOLA HOUSE,

AND IT HAD A POWERFUL RIPPLE EFFECT

ON THE WINTER THAT FOLLOWED.

Jim: MICHAEL AND I WERE AT A HOCKEY GAME.

MY SISTER WAS HERE WITH PAT,

AND PAT TOOK A MAJOR GRAND MAL SEIZURE.

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

SHE RECOVERED, BUT IT WAS A PRETTY BAD SEIZURE.

Narrator: THE SEIZURE WAS SO SEVERE

THAT HER DOCTOR RECOMMENDED

HER DRIVER'S LICENSE BE SUSPENDED FOR THREE MONTHS.

WHEN PAT LOST HER DRIVING PRIVILEGE,

IT WAS A MAJOR DOWNER FOR HER.

Narrator: THROUGHOUT THE CHRISTMAS HOLIDAYS,

PAT CAN'T DRIVE HERSELF TO THE MALL

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

SHE KNEW SHE COULD ASK A FRIEND TO DRIVE HER,

BUT SHE HATED TO RELY ON SOMEONE ELSE TO DO SOMETHING

SHE FELT SHE SHOULD HAVE BEEN ABLE TO DO HERSELF.

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

IT FRIGHTENED HER.

Narrator: BUT IN JANUARY,

AFTER TWO MONTHS WITH NO MORE SEIZURES,

PAT HOLDS OUT HOPE THAT HER LICENSE WILL BE RESTORED

AT HER NEXT DOCTOR'S VISIT.

ONE WEEK BEFORE PAT VIOLA VANISHES,

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

WHERE SHE RECEIVES DISAPPOINTING NEWS.

Jim: THEY TOOK ANOTHER BLOOD TEST.

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

"BUT WE WOULD LIKE YOU TO GO ANOTHER THREE MONTHS

WITHOUT DRIVING."

THAT'S LIKE A SHOT TO THE STOMACH.

Sepp: SHE WAS SO ACTIVE WITH THE KIDS,

TAKING THEM TO SPORTS, TAKING THEM TO SCOUTS.

PART OF HER ABILITY TO TAKE CARE OF THEM

AND DO THINGS FOR THEM WAS STRIPPED,

WHICH COULD DEFINITELY PLAY WITH SOMEONE'S PSYCHE.

Narrator: BUT THE SUSPENDED LICENSE

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

SEVERAL FAMILY CRISES WERE OCCURRING,

ONE RIGHT AFTER THE OTHER.

JIM'S MOM TOOK ILL,

AND IT WAS EXTREMELY DIFFICULT RAISING TWO CHILDREN,

GOING BACK AND FORTH TO THE HOSPITAL,

AND MAINTAINING REGULAR HOUSEHOLD CHORES.

Narrator: ADDING MORE TENSION TO THE MIX,

JIM'S SISTER DONNA RECENTLY MOVED IN WITH THE FAMILY

AFTER A ROUGH BREAKUP WITH HER BOYFRIEND.

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

"IF YOU WANT TO STAY WITH US

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

Narrator: BUT AS THE WINTER WEARS ON,

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

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

AFTER DONNA WOULD LEAVE TO GO OFF TO WORK,

PAT WOULD GO DOWNSTAIRS AND VACUUM UP

AND MAKE IT SMELL REAL NICE AGAIN.

AND I GUESS THIS WAS A NUISANCE.

Narrator: ON FEBRUARY 12, 2001,

PAT IS CLEANING UP DONNA'S BEDROOM

AND SPOTS SOMETHING MADDENING --

CIGARETTE-BURN MARKS ON THE GUEST BEDSPREAD.

Jim: PAT WAS VERY WORRIED ABOUT THIS.

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

Narrator: PAT AGREES TO TALK TO DONNA

ABOUT THE BURNS THE NEXT MORNING,

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

THE WHOLE FAMILY IS EXPECTED IN BROOKLYN,

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

PAT AND TOINETTE HAD BEEN THE BEST OF FRIENDS

FROM JUST ABOUT THE MOMENT THEY MET,

ON A DOUBLE DATE WITH THEIR HUSBANDS.

Jim: THEY WERE VERY TIGHT.

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

WHEN YOU FIND SOMEBODY THAT'S A FRIEND TO YOU

24 HOURS A DAY NO MATTER WHAT,

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

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

TOINETTE RECEIVES A DISTURBING SIGN

THAT SOMETHING IS VERY WRONG WITH HER BEST FRIEND.

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

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

BUT SHE WAS NOT HERSELF.

Narrator: UPON ENTERING THE PARTY,

PAT TELLS TOINETTE SHE NEEDS TO SPEAK TO HER

URGENTLY IN ANOTHER ROOM.

AWAY FROM ALL THE PARTY GUESTS, PAT BEGINS CRYING

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

SHE ASKED ME PLEASE NOT TO GO AWAY ON VACATION

FOR PRESIDENTS WEEK, WITH THE PLANS THAT I HAD.

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

THAT SHE NEEDED TO TAKE CARE OF SOMETHING.

Narrator: TOINETTE'S SHOCKED,

BUT SHE PROMISES TO PLAN A GETAWAY WITH PAT

ANYWHERE SHE WANTS TO GO.

THEN PAT SAYS SOMETHING THAT SAYS TOINETTE REELING.

SHE ASKS HER TO PLEASE LOOK AFTER THE KIDS,

NO MATTER WHAT HAPPENS.

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

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

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

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

Narrator: SHAKEN,

TOINETTE CANCELS HER VACATION THAT VERY NIGHT.

THROWN BY THE CRYPTIC CONVERSATION,

SHE CALLS PAT EARLY THE NEXT MORNING TO FOLLOW UP.

SHE'S SURPRISED TO HEAR PAT

BRUSH OFF THEIR TALK FROM THE NIGHT BEFORE

AND CHANGE THE SUBJECT TO VALENTINE'S DAY PRESENTS.

Fazio-Markowitz: SHE SOUNDED TIRED ON THE PHONE

AND A LITTLE BIT, LIKE, HECTIC,

BUT BESIDES FOR THAT, OKAY.

Narrator: BUT WHEN SHE GETS OFF THE PHONE,

PAT DISPLAYS A SIDE OF HERSELF

THAT NO ONE HAS EVER SEEN BEFORE.

PAT STORMS DOWNSTAIRS

AND CONFRONTS DONNA ABOUT SMOKING IN THE HOUSE.

Jim: PAT CAME DOWN THE STEPS,

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

AND DONNA WAS VERY SHOCKED AND BORDERING ON TEARS

BECAUSE THIS WAS NOT PAT.

IT WAS OUT OF CHARACTER.

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

AT ALL, YOU KNOW, TO ANYBODY.

DONNA DESCRIBED HER LIKE A RAVING MANIAC.

I HAVE NEVER, NEVER SEEN PAT REACT THAT WAY.

Narrator: WERE CIGARETTE BURNS

REALLY ENOUGH TO CAUSE SUCH AN OUTBURST?

AND WHAT WAS IT THAT SHE SO DESPERATELY

NEEDED TO TELL HER BEST FRIEND?

COMING UP...

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

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

ALL THOSE MINUTES AND HOURS REALLY COUNT.

Narrator: IT'S FEBRUARY 13, 2001.

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

HAS BEEN MISSING FOR SEVERAL HOURS.

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

AND HER HUSBAND, JIM, IS GROWING ALARMED.

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

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

Narrator: JIM HAS CALLED

EVERY FRIEND AND RELATIVE HE COULD THINK OF

IN SEARCH OF PAT.

AND NOW HE'S FACING HEARTBREAKING QUESTIONS

FROM HIS TWO KIDS.

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

AND I ASKED HIM, "WHERE'S MOM?

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

AND HE REALLY DIDN'T HAVE AN ANSWER.

AND THAT WAS VERY UPSETTING.

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

WHEN YOU GOT TO PUT YOUR KIDS TO BED

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

Narrator: AT 11:58 P.M.,

JIM VIOLA CALLS THE BOGOTA POLICE

AND REPORTS HIS WIFE MISSING.

TWO OFFICERS COME OUT THAT NIGHT

AND TAKE AN OFFICIAL MISSING-PERSONS REPORT.

THE NEXT MORNING,

THE REPORT LANDS ON THE DESK OF CAPTAIN JAMES SEPP.

CAPTAIN SEPP STARTS BY EXAMINING THE KNOWN FACTORS.

PAT WAS HOME AT 1:11 P.M.

Sepp: WE CAN CONFIRM SHE WAS IN THE HOUSE

BECAUSE THE ALARM WAS RESET.

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

Narrator: SO SEPP IS FACED WITH A QUESTION.

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

IF SHE DIDN'T DRIVE?

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

WE TALKED TO THE BUS DRIVERS,

WE SPOKE TO THE PEOPLE THAT GOT ON THE BUS

JUST TO SEE IF ANY OF THEM RECOGNIZED HER.

Narrator: THE POLICE THEN CHECK THE CALL LOGS

OF EVERY TAXI COMPANY IN TOWN.

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

AND JUST PICK PEOPLE UP OFF THE STREET.

THERE'S NO HAILING CABS IN THIS AREA,

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

AND SHE HAILED IT AND JUMPED INTO THE CAB.

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

IF ANYONE SAW PAT VIOLA LEAVE THE HOUSE ON FOOT.

WE ALSO CALLED DOWN TO THE PORT AUTHORITY POLICE,

AND WE ASKED THEM TO CHECK LOGS

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

ALL THE EFFORTS RETURNED NOTHING.

Narrator: WITHIN HOURS,

THE POLICE INVESTIGATION SHIFTS FOCUS

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

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

WE DEFINITELY TRY TO RAMP UP OUR EFFORTS,

BECAUSE IF THE PERSON IS IN SOME TYPE OF DISTRESS,

THE HARDER WE LOOK AND THE FASTER WE LOOK,

THE BETTER OFF WE ARE.

Narrator: THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT OFFERS A POLICE DOG

TO SEARCH THE RAILROAD TRACKS

AND ALONG THE BANKS OF THE LOCAL RIVER.

Sepp: 'CAUSE WE MIGHT ACTUALLY FIND SOMEBODY

LYING ON THE SIDE OF A ROAD IN A DITCH,

AND IF THEY'RE CLINGING TO LIFE,

ALL THOSE MINUTES AND HOURS REALLY COUNT.

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

Narrator: THE SEARCH FOR PAT VIOLA

HAS BEEN ONGOING LOCALLY FOR THREE GRUELING DAYS,

AND NOW THE POLICE NEED TO BRANCH OUT.

AFTER A CERTAIN POINT IN TIME,

WE HAVE TO START BROADENING OUR INVESTIGATION,

AND ANY TIME THAT YOU BROADEN YOUR INVESTIGATION,

YOU'RE GONNA HAVE TO LOOK IN PLACES

WHERE YOU MIGHT NOT ORDINARILY WANT TO LOOK AT.

Narrator: THE BOGOTA POLICE ORGANIZE AN AERIAL SEARCH

TO COVER MORE GROUND.

Sepp: WE HAD A HELICOPTER UP IN THE AIR,

AND THEY HAD A SPECIAL DEVICE THAT CHECKS FOR HEAT.

IT SCANS THE AREA,

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

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

Narrator: AFTER THE AERIAL SEARCH REVEALS NOTHING,

CAPTAIN SEPP EXAMINES CLUES

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

WHEN HE HEARS ABOUT THE ARGUMENT WITH DONNA

AND THE CONVERSATION WITH TOINETTE,

HE CONSIDERS A GRIM POSSIBILITY.

WE DID TAKE A LOOK AT THE SUICIDE ANGLE,

AND WE FOUND INFORMATION THAT VERY WELL MAY FIT

INTO THE PATTERN OF SOMEONE WHO WOULD COMMIT SUICIDE.

Narrator: THE GEORGE WASHINGTON BRIDGE,

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

THE BRIDGE HAS A NOTORIOUS REPUTATION

FOR ATTRACTING PEOPLE WHO ARE SUICIDAL,

BUT SEPP QUICKLY RULES IT OUT.

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

AND IF SOMEONE DID JUMP OFF THE BRIDGE,

THEY WOULD HAVE RECOVERED THE BODY FROM THE RIVER,

AND THAT DIDN'T HAPPEN.

HOWEVER, IF YOU GO A LITTLE BIT FURTHER NORTH,

ON THE PALISADES INTERSTATE PARKWAY,

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

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

Narrator: THE ROCK WALL IS CHOKED WITH UNDERGROWTH,

AND IT OFTEN TAKES YEARS

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

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

AND THE TREES ACTUALLY KIND OF GROW BACKWARDS,

IN TOWARDS THE LAND.

Narrator: BUT THIS POTENTIAL SUICIDE LOCATION

DOESN'T ADD UP, EITHER.

ALTHOUGH THESE CLIFFS ARE JUST FIVE MILES FROM HER HOME,

PAT HAD NO WAY TO GET THERE.

SHE DIDN'T DRIVE,

AND THE POLICE INVESTIGATION SHOWS

SHE NEVER CALLED FOR A CAB.

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

SAYS THE NOTION THAT SHE WOULD COMMIT SUICIDE IS PREPOSTEROUS.

THERE'S ONLY ONE ANSWER TO THE QUESTION.

YOU KNOW THE FEELING WHEN YOU GIVE BIRTH TO YOUR CHILD

AND YOU HOLD THE BABY FOR THE FIRST TIME?

SHE WAS ALWAYS THERE FOR THE CHILDREN.

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

IT'S JUST IMPOSSIBLE FOR HER

TO DO SUCH A HORRIBLE THING.

Narrator: MEANWHILE, BACK ON CHESTNUT AVENUE,

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

Washington: I WENT TO SCHOOL.

I COULDN'T REALLY CONCENTRATE IN SCHOOL

'CAUSE THAT'S WHAT I WAS THINKING ABOUT.

LIKE, WHERE SHE WAS AND WHERE SHE WAS SLEEPING.

Michael: THE FIRST WEEK THAT MY MOM DISAPPEARED,

IT WAS LIKE A NIGHTMARE.

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

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

AND UNDERSTAND WHAT HAPPENED.

Narrator: DESPERATE FOR ANY LEAD,

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

Sepp: WITH MISSING-PERSON CASES,

WE ALWAYS WANT TO TALK TO THE PERSON

WHO REPORTED THEM MISSING.

WHEN THERE'S SOMEBODY

THAT HAS THEIR SYSTEM AND THEIR PATTERNS DOWN,

THEY WOULD ALSO KNOW HOW TO HIDE OR DISGUISE THINGS

SO THAT WE WOULDN'T FIND THEM OUT.

SO WE HAD TO SPEAK TO JIM VIOLA.

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

INVESTIGATORS ARE INTRIGUED TO DISCOVER

THAT RECORDS AT JIM'S OFFICE SHOW

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

WHY? WHERE WAS HE?

Sepp: IF WE THINK THAT YOU HAVE INFORMATION

THAT YOU'RE HIDING FROM US,

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

AND THAT'S TO GO AT YOU 110%.

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

SURROUNDING THOSE DATES AND TIMES.

I TOOK OFF THE AFTERNOON FROM WORK

AND WENT SHOPPING FOR VALENTINE'S DAY GIFTS

'CAUSE THAT WAS THE NEXT DAY.

THEN YOUR WIFE GOES MISSING

THE AFTERNOON THAT YOU DECIDE TO TAKE OFF FROM WORK.

YOU KNOW, THEY QUESTION THAT, OF COURSE.

Sepp: UNFORTUNATELY, WE HAVE TO QUESTION EVERYTHING.

Jim: IT WAS A TOUGH INTERVIEW.

THEY HAVE THEIR METHODS OF TALKING TO YOU.

Sepp: AND I'M BRINGING THEIR EMOTIONS UP,

AND I'M BRINGING THEIR EMOTIONS DOWN,

AND I'M JUST TRYING TO FIND

A KINK IN THE ARMOR, IF THERE IS ONE.

AND AFTER SPEAKING WITH HIM AND HAVING OTHER DETECTIVES COME IN

AND INTERVIEW HIM AND GIVE HIM A POLYGRAPH,

THERE WERE NO KINKS IN THE ARMOR.

WE CHECKED EVERY ANGLE.

ANYTHING THAT HE TOLD US, WE PROVED OR DISPROVED.

Narrator: THE POLICE PUT ANY DOUBTS

ABOUT JIM VIOLA'S STORY TO REST.

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

TWO WEEKS PASS, AND THE CASE SEEMS HOPELESSLY STALLED,

SO JIM VIOLA AND TOINETTE MARKOWITZ

DECIDE TO TAKE MATTERS INTO THEIR OWN HANDS.

COMING UP...

JIM AND TOINETTE TRACK DOWN A LEAD

SUGGESTING PAT COULD BE NEARBY AND IN DISTRESS.

AND THE GIRL, AMAZINGLY,

REMEMBERED THAT PAT WAS THERE AND SHE SAW HER.

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

Narrator: NEW JERSEY HOUSEWIFE PAT VIOLA

HAS BEEN MISSING FOR TWO WEEKS.

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

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

IT SEEMS INCOMPREHENSIBLE THAT PAT IS GONE

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

THEY START TO FORMULATE THEIR OWN THEORY.

WHEN PAT AND TOINETTE LAST SPOKE,

PAT BROUGHT UP VALENTINE'S DAY GIFTS

AND THAT SHE WAS LOOKING FOR SOMETHING SPECIFIC.

WHEN SHE CAME INTO BROOKLYN FOR THE PARTY,

I HAD THIS SINGING MONKEY.

[ LIVELY MUSIC PLAYS ]

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

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

AND I HEARD FROM HER FRIEND TOINETTE

THAT SHE WAS IN THE MARKET FOR THIS SINGING MONKEY,

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

Narrator: JIM AND TOINETTE START TO WONDER

IF PAT COULD HAVE SUFFERED A VIOLENT SEIZURE WHILE SHOPPING.

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

STRESS CAN TRIGGER AN EPILEPTIC FIT,

AND PAT CERTAINLY SEEMED STRESSED

THE DAY BEFORE SHE WENT MISSING.

PERHAPS SHE'S AN AMNESIAC AT A HOSPITAL SOMEWHERE,

UNCERTAIN OF WHO SHE IS OR HOW TO GET HOME.

Fazio-Markowitz: SINCE I WAS EXTREMELY UPSET

WITH THE SITUATION,

I DECIDED THAT I HAD TO DO

WHAT WOULD GIVE ME THE RIGHT TO SLEEP AT NIGHT

WHEN I PUT MY HEAD ON THE PILLOW.

SO I WENT ON FOOT

TO FIND THE STORE THAT WAS SELLING THIS SINGING MONKEY.

Narrator: IN THE GIFT AISLE,

TOINETTE FINDS THE EXACT MONKEY PAT HAD BEEN SEARCHING FOR.

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

AND THE GIRL, AMAZINGLY,

REMEMBERED THAT PAT WAS THERE AND SHE SAW HER.

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

BUT IT'S THE FIRST PIECE OF NEW INFORMATION

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

I ALMOST HUGGED THE PERSON IN THE STORE

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

SHE WAS HERE."

Narrator: TOINETTE FEELS SHE IS CLOSER THAN EVER

TO FINDING HER BEST FRIEND.

SHE CALLS JIM WITH THE NEWS.

JIM IS STANDING BY

TO INVESTIGATE WHAT HE BELIEVES HAPPENED

AFTER PAT LEFT THE STORE WHERE THE CLERKS ARE.

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

I WAS VERY HOPEFUL

THAT THE SEARCH OF THE AREA HOSPITALS MIGHT FIND HER

BECAUSE I REALLY THOUGHT THAT WAS A GOOD THEORY.

Narrator: BUT TO HIS GREAT DISAPPOINTMENT,

NO ONE REMEMBERS SEEING PAT.

CAPTAIN SEPP IS LESS SURPRISED.

HE BELIEVES IF THE AMNESIA THEORY WAS VALID,

PAT WOULD HAVE TURNED UP QUICKLY.

Sepp: MEDICAL CENTERS ARE ALL ABOUT THE BOTTOM LINE.

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

AND THEY HAVE NO ONE TO TURN THEM OVER TO,

THEY'RE GONNA NOTIFY THE LOCAL POLICE.

THE LOCAL POLICE WILL THEN

ENTER THE PERSON THAT THEY FIND INTO THE NCIC SYSTEM.

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

Narrator: BOTH THE POLICE AND THE VIOLAS

ARE RUNNING OUT OF THEORIES TO TEST.

IT'S MID-MARCH.

ONE MONTH HAS NOW PASSED

SINCE PAT VIOLA VANISHED FROM HER HOME IN NEW JERSEY.

THE INVESTIGATION HAS STARTED TO FALTER,

AND THE POLICE NEED HELP.

AFTER THE SEARCH, WE TURNED TO THE MEDIA.

WE PUT OUT PRESS RELEASES,

WE CALLED THE NEWSPAPER PEOPLE IN,

WE CALLED TELEVISION CREWS IN,

ANYBODY THAT WOULD COME LISTEN TO OUR STORY.

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

WE PUT IT OUT AS MANY TIMES AS POSSIBLE.

Narrator: AFTER EACH NEW BROADCAST,

CAPTAIN SEPP AND JIM VIOLA WAIT FOR A MIRACLE.

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

A MAN IS DRIVING THROUGH THE POCONOS MOUNTAIN TOWN

OF EAST STROUDSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA.

Jim: WE HAD AN ARTICLE IN THE POCONO RECORD

WITH PAT'S PHOTO IN IT.

A GENTLEMAN IN EAST STROUDSBURG

WHO HAD JUST READ THE NEWSPAPER ARTICLE ABOUT PAT

AND SEEN HER PICTURE

WAS DRIVING HIS CAR, STOPPED AT A LIGHT,

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

Narrator: THE TOWN IS 70 MILES WEST OF BOGOTA.

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

HE KNOWS PAT IS VERY FAMILIAR WITH THE AREA.

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

JUST OVER THE BORDER INTO PENNSYLVANIA FROM NEW JERSEY.

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

CERTAINLY, THE IDEA THAT MAYBE PAT WANTED TO GET AWAY

FOR A COUPLE DAYS CROSSED THROUGH MY MIND.

Narrator: PERHAPS THE ARGUMENT WITH DONNA

PUSHED HER OVER THE EDGE

AND PAT SOMEHOW FOUND HER WAY TO THE MOUNTAIN HOUSE.

COULD SOMETHING HAVE HAPPENED TO HER IN THE POCONOS,

WHICH LEFT HER UNABLE TO GET BACK TO HER FAMILY?

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

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

I SPENT THE WHOLE DAY THERE.

JIM WENT AND POSTED "MISSING" FLYERS AND POSTERS

ALL THROUGHOUT THE AREA.

Jim: I WAS ALL OVER IT.

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

Narrator: JIM CAN'T HELP BUT BE HOPEFUL

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

BUT THE TIP THAT SEEMED SO PROMISING

YIELDS LITTLE CONCRETE INFORMATION.

Sepp: SOMEBODY DID CALL,

AND THEY THOUGHT THAT MAYBE THEY HAD SEEN HER,

BUT THE INFORMATION TURNED OUT TO BE USELESS TO US.

Narrator: THROUGHOUT THE NEXT SEVERAL MONTHS,

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

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

AND YOU ARE ALL OVER IT.

Narrator: OVER THE NEXT YEAR, JIM AND HIS FAMILY

LIVE THROUGH THE EMOTIONAL UPS AND DOWNS

OF DOZENS OF SIGHTINGS AND TIPS.

YOUR ADRENALINE JUST COMES RIGHT IN

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

IT WASN'T HER."

Narrator: COMING UP... A HORRIFYING CALL

SENDS POLICE SCRAMBLING IN PURSUIT OF A MURDERER.

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

Narrator: CAPTAIN JAMES SEPP HAS BEEN TIRELESSLY WORKING

TO FIND PAT VIOLA FOR OVER A YEAR.

WELL OVER A YEAR INTO THE CASE,

HE RECEIVED A STARTLING PHONE CALL.

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

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

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

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

IT REALLY PIQUED MY INTEREST,

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

"I HAVE HER DRIVER'S LICENSE."

SHE DIDN'T HAVE HER DRIVER'S LICENSE.

Narrator: THE COMMENT MAKES CAPTAIN SEPP WARY.

HE KNOWS PAT'S LICENSE HAD BEEN SUSPENDED

THREE MONTHS BEFORE SHE WENT MISSING.

BUT HE STILL CAN'T IGNORE THIS CALL.

Sepp: IT'S VERY POSSIBLE

MAYBE SHE LEFT WITH AN OLD DRIVER'S LICENSE.

I COULDN'T BE ABSOLUTELY POSITIVE,

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

AND THE ENTIRE CONVERSATION WAS RECORDED.

I CALLED THE BERGEN COUNTY PROSECUTORS' OFFICE,

AND I ASKED THEM TO PUT A TRACE

ON THE PHONE CALL THAT CAME INTO HEADQUARTERS,

AND THEY WERE ABLE TO TRACE BACK THE RECORDS

TO AN ADDRESS IN FLORIDA.

Narrator: THE CONNECTION SEEMS TENUOUS,

BUT IF THE POLICE CAN TRACK DOWN THIS MAN,

THEY MAY JUST FIND OUT WHAT HAPPENED TO PAT VIOLA.

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

THAT'S HEADING UP THE EAST COAST TOWARDS MASSACHUSETTS.

THEN HE OFFERS THE NAME

OF A WOMAN WHO WILL BE TRAVELING WITH HIM.

NEW YORK AND NEW JERSEY AREA POLICE

MOBILIZE A UNIT IN NORTH CAROLINA

TO STOP THE BUS ON THE HIGHWAY.

BUT ONCE ONBOARD,

THEY FIND NO ONE THAT COULD POSSIBLY BE THE CALLER.

BUT THEY DO FIND THE WOMAN HE MENTIONED,

AND SHE KNOWS EXACTLY WHAT'S GOING ON.

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

AND HER EX-BOYFRIEND WAS HARASSING HER

BECAUSE SHE LEFT HIM FOR ANOTHER MAN

AND WAS GOING UP TO HIS PLACE IN MASSACHUSETTS.

Narrator: THE ENTIRE EPISODE IS A BIZARRE RUSE.

Sepp: BASICALLY, IT WAS A WAY FOR HIM

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

HE THOUGHT IT WAS A GREAT WAY TO HARASS HER.

TURNED OUT, IT REALLY WASN'T.

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

IT BECOMES HARDER TO BRING IN NEW AND ACCURATE INFORMATION,

EVEN WHEN TIPSTERS MEAN WELL.

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

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

WHAT THEY READ AND WHAT THEY SAW ON TV,

AS OPPOSED TO WHAT THEIR ACTUAL MEMORY IS.

Narrator: THE CASE GOES COLD FOR SEVERAL MORE YEARS.

10 YEARS AFTER PATRICIA VIOLA VANISHES,

A PRIVATE INVESTIGATOR NAMED GARY MICCO

IS IN HIS HOME OFFICE IN NEW JERSEY.

I CAME ONTO THIS CASE BY READING AN ARTICLE ONLINE

ABOUT THE PLIGHT OF THE MISSING AND THE UNIDENTIFIED

IN OUR COUNTRY, AND I WAS APPALLED.

I DIDN'T KNOW WHAT I COULD DO.

I THOUGHT MAYBE I COULD HELP SOMEONE.

I BEGAN BY SEARCHING MISSING PERSONS IN NEW JERSEY

AND STUMBLED ACROSS THE PATRICIA VIOLA WEBSITE.

Narrator: MICCO IS TOUCHED BY HOW MUCH TIME AND EFFORT

HAS BEEN POURED INTO CREATING THE WEBSITE.

HE CALLS JIM VIOLA TO VOLUNTEER HIS SERVICES.

Micco: THE FIRST THING I NEEDED TO DO

WAS JUST GET AN OVERVIEW OF THE CASE.

I DROVE UP HERE TO VIEW THE NEIGHBORHOOD,

TO SEE IT, TO FEEL IT,

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

THE SAME TIME THAT SHE WENT MISSING.

I WANTED TO SEE WHAT SHE SAW.

I WANTED TO WALK WHERE SHE WALKED.

Narrator: MICCO TRACKS DOWN THE MAILMAN

WHOSE ROUTE RAN THROUGH PAT'S NEIGHBORHOOD YEARS BEFORE,

ON THE DAY PAT WENT MISSING.

HE REMEMBERS SEEING HER WALKING HOME THAT DAY,

AND THEN THE MAILMAN SAYS SOMETHING STRANGE.

Micco: THE MAILMAN SAYS,

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

"BETWEEN WHAT HAPPENED IN 1997

"ACROSS THE STREET FROM THE VIOLA RESIDENCE

AND PATRICIA'S DISAPPEARANCE."

Narrator: INVESTIGATOR MICCO IS SURPRISED TO LEARN

THAT ANOTHER DARK EVENT OCCURRED ON CHESTNUT AVENUE.

OCTOBER 23, 1997, THERE WAS A TRIPLE HOMICIDE

IN A HOUSE ACROSS THE STREET

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

IT WAS A ROBBERY THAT TURNED BAD,

AND THE HOME INVASION TURNED OUT TO BE

THE SCENE OF A TRIPLE HOMICIDE.

Narrator: THE NEIGHBOR WAS A DIAMOND DEALER,

AND GEMS WERE AT THE HEART OF THE ROBBERY.

THE MURDERERS WERE QUICKLY CAUGHT,

THANKS TO A NEIGHBORHOOD TIPSTER

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

THAT GUY TURNED OUT TO BE THE GETAWAY DRIVER

FOR THE MEN WHO WERE ACTUALLY INSIDE THE HOUSE

KILLING THE PEOPLE AT THE TIME.

Narrator: AT FIRST, THE HIDEOUS CRIME

DOESN'T SEEM TO HAVE ANY CONNECTION

TO PAT'S DISAPPEARANCE.

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

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

HOW COULD 1997 OVERLAP INTO 2001?

Narrator: THEN GARY MICCO STUMBLES ACROSS

A TANTALIZING FACT.

HE LEARNS THAT THE MURDER TRIALS WERE GOING ON

IN LATE 2000 AND EARLY 2001,

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

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

DECIDES TO DO AWAY WITH SOME WITNESSES.

Sepp: ONE OF THE INDIVIDUALS --

I GUESS HE SPOKE TO PEOPLE AT THE JAIL,

AND HE WAS LOOKING TO HIRE A HIT MAN.

HE THOUGHT THAT IF PEOPLE WEREN'T AROUND

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

FORTUNATELY FOR US, SOMEONE IN THE JAIL

TURNED THIS INFORMATION OVER TO THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT,

AND WE WERE ABLE TO GET AN UNDERCOVER DETECTIVE

FROM THE BERGEN COUNTY PROSECUTOR'S OFFICE IN

TO POSE AS A HIT MAN.

Narrator: THANKS TO THE PLANTED HIT MAN,

THE COUNTY PROSECUTOR IS ABLE TO FOIL THE PLOT.

STILL, SEVERAL PEOPLE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD WONDER

IF, THROUGH SOME CONNECTION TO THIS CASE,

HARM MAY HAVE COME TO PAT VIOLA.

COULD THE MURDERERS ON TRIAL HAVE ASSUMED

PAT VIOLA WAS THE WATCHFUL NEIGHBOR THAT TURNED THEM IN?

THE BOGOTA POLICE AREN'T CONVINCED.

PAT VIOLA WAS NEVER PART OF THAT INVESTIGATION.

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

SHE DIDN'T COME FORWARD WITH ANYTHING.

THE ONLY COINCIDENCE BETWEEN THE TRIPLE HOMICIDES AND PAT VIOLA

WAS THE FACT THAT SHE LIVED ON THE BLOCK.

Narrator: STILL, MANY FIND IT HARD TO BELIEVE

THAT TWO INCREDIBLE EVENTS

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

PERHAPS THERE WAS MORE

TO THE TRIPPED ALARM THE MORNING PAT DISAPPEARED

THAN ANYONE REALIZED.

Micco: BURGLARS DO HIT HOMES TWICE.

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

AND WITH THE AMOUNT OF PRESS --

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

ON THE TRIAL,

MAYBE SOME BAD GUYS WERE READING THE PAPER AGAIN.

MAYBE THEY SAID, "WELL, YOU KNOW WHAT?

"THEY'RE STILL LIVING IN THE HOME.

"THEY'RE STILL INVOLVED IN DIAMONDS.

I THINK WE NEED TO HIT IT AGAIN."

MAYBE THEY HIT THE WRONG HOUSE.

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

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

Narrator: TODAY,

JIM VIOLA STILL KEEPS THE WRAPPED VALENTINE'S DAY GIFTS

HE BOUGHT FOR HIS WIFE OVER 10 YEARS AGO.

HE'S HOPING TO GIVE THEM TO HER SOMEDAY.

FOR OVER A DECADE,

JIM HAS TIRELESSLY WORKED TO FIND HIS WIFE,

AND HIS HARD WORK HAS NOT GONE UNNOTICED.

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

MANDATING SPECIFIC POLICE PROTOCOLS

WHEN A PERSON GOES MISSING.

IT'S CALLED PATRICIA'S LAW,

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

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

CALLED JIM WITH AN OFFER TO HELP.

THEY DO A CROSS-COUNTRY TOUR,

WHERE THEY FEATURE UP TO 100 MISSING PERSONS.

BUT THIS PARTICULAR YEAR WAS SPECIAL.

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

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

BROUGHT GOOSE BUMPS TO EVERYBODY,

BECAUSE NO MATTER WHAT,

YOU JUST DON'T FORGET PEOPLE YOU LOVE.

Narrator: THE TRIBUTES ARE COMFORTING,

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

ON DAYS SHE WOULD HAVE CHERISHED.

I GOT MARRIED ON NOVEMBER 25, 2009.

I GOT EMOTIONAL AT MY WEDDING

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

Jim: HOLIDAYS THESE DAYS ARE VERY TOUGH.

WHENEVER THE HOLIDAY TIME ROLLS AROUND,

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

BUT EVERY YEAR, I MANAGE TO DO IT,

AND I PULL IT TOGETHER FOR THE KIDS,

YOU KNOW, PUT UP THE TREE --

YOU KNOW, THE TREE WE BOUGHT TOGETHER IN 2000.

THAT'S THE TREE I PUT UP.

Narrator: FOR FAMILIES OF THE MISSING,

IT'S NOT JUST HOLIDAYS THAT ARE DIFFICULT.

Washington: I THINK ABOUT MY MOM EVERY DAY,

ESPECIALLY WHEN I'M WITH MY KIDS.

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

YOU DON'T WANT TO DO ANYTHING ELSE.

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

YOU'RE WATCHING THE BALL GAME,

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

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

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

AND HER WHEREABOUTS, HER WELL BEING,

AND JUST HOPING THAT SHE COMES HOME.