Original subtitles

Narrator: MANDY STOKES DISAPPEARED

ON SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 25, 2007.

WHEN A PERSON DISAPPEARS WITHOUT A TRACE,

OFTEN, THE MOST CRITICAL INFORMATION

IS HIDDEN IN THEIR ACTIONS AND WORDS

FROM THE DAYS BEFORE THEY VANISHED.

MANDY STOKES' LAST KNOWN WHEREABOUTS

MAY HOLD THE CLUES TO WHAT HAPPENED TO HER.

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

LEAVES THE APARTMENT SHE SHARES WITH HER BROTHER

TO RUN SOME ERRANDS.

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

SHE HAD A GREAT BOYFRIEND.

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

Narrator: BUT MANDY NEVER RETURNS.

YOU KNOW, YOU HAVE THIS HORRIBLE FEELING.

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

Narrator: MANDY'S FAMILY AND FRIENDS RUSH TO CALIFORNIA

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

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

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

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

Narrator: HER LOVED ONES ARE LEFT TO PONDER

TROUBLING POSSIBILITIES.

Murray: YOU START THINKING ALL THIS STUFF

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

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

Narrator: INVESTIGATORS TAKE ON A HARROWING CASE

THAT THEY KNOW WILL SHAKE A FAMILY TO ITS CORE.

Joyner: AND WHAT YOU TRY TO DO WITH THE FAMILY

IS TELL THEM TO HOPE FOR THE BEST

BUT BE PREPARED FOR THE WORST.

[ CREAKING ]

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

CAPTIONS PAID FOR BY DISCOVERY COMMUNICATIONS

Narrator: OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA,

IS A VIBRANT AND SPRAWLING BAY-AREA CITY

MADE UP OF AFFLUENT SUBURBS AND GRITTY, TOUGH NEIGHBORHOODS.

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

A PETITE AND FEISTY GRADUATE STUDENT IN PSYCHOLOGY,

WAKES EARLY ON THE SUNDAY MORNING AFTER THANKSGIVING

AND HEADS OUT TO DO SOME ERRANDS.

Murray: WHEN SHE MOVED OUT TO CALIFORNIA,

SHE ATTENDED JFK UNIVERSITY, WHERE SHE STUDIED PSYCHOLOGY

BECAUSE SHE WANTED TO DELVE INTO THE MIND

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

Narrator: A SOUTHERN TRANSPLANT,

MANDY MOVED FROM NORTH CAROLINA TO OAKLAND IN 2005

TO PURSUE HER DREAM OF BECOMING A THERAPIST.

HER VIBRANT PERSONALITY MADE THE TRANSITION EASY.

Wiggins: EVERYONE WANTED TO BE AROUND HER

'CAUSE SHE KNEW A LITTLE BIT ABOUT EVERYTHING.

AND STUDYING PSYCH, PEOPLE ALWAYS

WANTED TO GET IN CONVERSATIONS WITH HER.

PLUS, SHE WAS REALLY OUTGOING.

Narrator: AN EXCELLENT AND DEDICATED STUDENT,

MANDY FOCUSED ON THE MOST SEVERE CASES.

SHE WORKED AT HOSPITALS AND PSYCH WARDS

AND DID EVERYTHING SHE POSSIBLY COULD

TO REALLY GET INTO THE FIELD.

SHE WOULD GO TO PSYCH WARDS

AND SIT DOWN WITH WHACK JOBS, YOU KNOW,

AND JUST HANG OUT WITH THEM AND TALK TO THEM.

FOR HER, IT WAS A CHALLENGE.

Narrator: MANDY'S PRIMARY CASE STUDY

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

WILLIAM STOKES WAS A VIETNAM VET

WHO SUFFERED FROM POST-TRAUMATIC STRESS DISORDER

BEFORE HE PASSED AWAY.

SHE WAS ALWAYS RESEARCHING AND DOING HER BEST

TO FIND OUT MORE ABOUT POST-TRAUMA.

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

SOME SEMBLANCE OF UNDERSTANDING ABOUT HER FATHER

AND WHAT HE WENT THROUGH, WHAT HE WAS ABOUT.

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

SO SHE GOT INTO HIS HEAD

A LITTLE MORE THAN I THINK ANY OF US DID,

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

MY DAD WAS VERY INTELLIGENT, AND SO WAS MANDY.

I MEAN, THEY BOTH CLICKED, YOU KNOW?

THEY HAD A GOOD RELATIONSHIP.

Narrator: THE OLDEST DAUGHTER

IN A FAMILY OF FIVE BOYS AND THREE GIRLS,

MANDY WAS ALSO VERY CLOSE TO HER MOTHER.

I WAS JUST ABSOLUTELY THRILLED TO HAVE A LITTLE GIRL.

AND SHE WAS THE MOST BEAUTIFUL BABY GIRL.

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

AND WE'D CALL HER PEBBLES.

JUST ABSOLUTELY ADORABLE.

VERY STUBBORN, EVER SINCE I CAN REMEMBER.

Narrator: WHEN MANDY ARRIVES IN OAKLAND IN 2005,

SHE MOVES IN WITH HER CHILDHOOD FRIEND MELINDA WIGGINS.

Wiggins: WE'RE FAMILY.

WE GREW UP TOGETHER SINCE WE WERE BABIES.

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

OUR DADS WORKED AT THE SAME TRUCKING COMPANY.

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

SO WE WERE FAMILY.

SO, TO ME, IT WAS LIKE,

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

'CAUSE I HAD JUST MOVED OUT HERE BY MYSELF.

Narrator: IN OAKLAND,

MANDY QUICKLY SETTLES INTO LIFE AS A GRAD STUDENT.

Wiggins: I WAS GETTING MY MASTERS IN ACUPUNCTURE,

AND SHE WAS GETTING HER PsyD IN PSYCHOLOGY,

AND THEY'RE JUST BOTH INTENSIVE PROGRAMS,

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

EIGHT HOURS IN THE COFFEE SHOP, STUDYING.

Narrator: THEN, IN THE SPRING OF 2007,

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

AND, AS THE BIG SISTER,

SHE HELPS HIM ADJUST TO LIFE IN OAKLAND.

Wiggins: HE DIDN'T HAVE ANYWHERE TO LIVE,

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

SHE WANTED TO HELP HIM.

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

WHO HAD STRUGGLED IN THE PAST WITH DRUG ADDICTION.

Wiggins: AND I SAID,

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

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

Narrator: AARON CRASHES ON MANDY AND MELINDA'S COUCH

FOR CLOSE TO THREE MONTHS.

THEN, HE AND MANDY MOVE INTO THEIR OWN PLACE

IN THE SUMMER OF 2007.

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

THEN ONE TIME I SAW HER DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD

AND SAID, "MANDY!"

AND THEN, I THINK, FINALLY WE TALKED,

AND WE WERE GONNA TRY TO RECONNECT.

Narrator: AS THE 2007 FALL TERM APPROACHES,

MANDY DECIDES TO TAKE SOME TIME OFF FROM SCHOOL.

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

WHO SHE MET DURING A TRIP TO LAS VEGAS

BUT WHO LIVES IN NEW YORK.

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

SHE TOOK A FEW TRIPS TO VISIT JOHN.

Narrator: IN THE WEEKS LEADING UP TO THANKSGIVING,

MANDY BECOMES ENCHANTED WITH NEW YORK CITY.

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

"MOM, I SEE THESE BEAUTIFUL LEATHER BOOTS,

"AND I REALLY SHOULDN'T SPEND THE MONEY,

SO TELL ME I SHOULDN'T GET THEM."

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

GO HOME AND THINK ABOUT IT."

WELL, SHE CALLED ME BACK A LITTLE WHILE LATER,

AND SHE SAYS, "I BOUGHT THE BOOTS."

Narrator: MANDY FINDS HERSELF GROWING CLOSER TO HER BOYFRIEND

AND SOON DECIDES TO MOVE TO THE EAST COAST.

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

LIFE IS GOOD.

Murray: SO, THERE WAS A PICTURE OF HER

WITH THESE BEAUTIFUL LEATHER BOOTS,

WALKING ACROSS THE STREET AND KIND OF TURNED LIKE THIS

AND, YOU KNOW, JUST ENJOYING HERSELF.

Narrator: ON WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 20,

MANDY RETURNS TO OAKLAND FOR THANKSGIVING

AND BEGINS TO PACK UP HER THINGS

IN PREPARATION FOR HER MOVE BACK EAST.

BUT HER BROTHER AARON

SEEMS TO BE STRUGGLING WITH HER DECISION TO LEAVE.

THREE DAYS LATER, ON SATURDAY NIGHT,

MANDY CALLS HER MOTHER AT HER HOME IN ATLANTA.

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

"JUST TELL HIM YOU LOVE HIM.

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

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

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

AND HE DIDN'T STAY ON VERY LONG.

Narrator: THE NEXT MORNING, MANDY WAKES EARLY,

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

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

THE DISCUSSION TURNS INTO SOME KIND OF DISPUTE ABOUT MONEY.

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

SEVERAL ARGUMENTS --

ONE ABOUT MONEY, ONE ABOUT FAMILY --

AND THAT SHE WAS UPSET WITH HIM.

Narrator: AARON THEN TAKES HIS MORNING SHOWER.

MANDY KNOCKS ON THE DOOR

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

SHE GRABS HER CELLPHONE, WALLET, AND KEYS,

AND LEAVES THE APARTMENT.

WHERE SHE WAS HEADED OR WHOM SHE WAS GOING TO MEET

REMAINS A MYSTERY,

BECAUSE THIS WOULD BE

THE LAST TIME MANDY STOKES IS SEEN BEFORE SHE DISAPPEARS.

COMING UP...

WHEN MANDY'S QUICK TRIP TO RUN ERRANDS

EXTENDS INTO THE NEXT DAY...

YOU KNOW, YOU HAVE THIS HORRIBLE, HORRIBLE FEELING.

Narrator: ...A MOTHER'S INTUITION KNOWS

SOMETHING IS TERRIBLY WRONG.

IT'S LIKE, "OH, MY GOD.

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

Narrator: 33-YEAR-OLD MANDY STOKES

WAS PREPARING TO LEAVE HER HOME IN OAKLAND

AND START A NEW LIFE ON THE EAST COAST.

BUT ON THE SUNDAY MORNING AFTER THANKSGIVING 2007,

SHE DISAPPEARS

FROM THE APARTMENT SHE SHARES WITH HER BROTHER AARON.

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

BUT ON MONDAY AFTERNOON, SHE GETS ANOTHER CALL,

FROM HER KIDS' APARTMENT ON THE WEST COAST.

THIS TIME, IT'S AARON.

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

AND I'M LIKE, "OKAY.

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

Narrator: AARON TELLS HER

THAT MANDY TOOK HER CAR TO RUN ERRANDS.

AT THIS POINT, SOME OF HER FRIENDS AND FAMILY MEMBERS

BELIEVE THERE'S A FAIRLY SIMPLE EXPLANATION.

MANDY WOULD SOMETIMES TAKE SHORT TRIPS.

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

SHE'D JUST BEEN GONE FOR A COUPLE DAYS,

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

AND, YOU KNOW, DECIDED TO TAKE A TRIP.

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

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

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

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

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

Narrator: BUT MOTHER'S INTUITION TELLS DEB OTHERWISE.

I WAS A LITTLE CONCERNED,

SO I TRIED CALLING HER ALL THE NEXT DAY.

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

Narrator: AND AFTER A DAY

OF NOT BEING IN TOUCH WITH HER DAUGHTER,

DEB REACHES OUT TO HER SON.

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

"IT SOUNDS LIKE TO ME

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

AND I SAID, "I WANT YOU TO CALL

AND, YOU KNOW, REPORT HER MISSING."

Narrator: BY THE NEXT MORNING,

MANDY STILL HAS NOT RETURNED ANY CALLS

OR COME BACK TO THE APARTMENT,

NOR HAS ANY MISSING-PERSONS REPORT BEEN FILED.

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

"WELL, I THINK I CALLED THE WRONG PERSON,

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

I'M LIKE, "AARON, OKAY."

SO FROM THERE ON, I KEPT CALLING THE POLICE.

I KNEW BY TUESDAY SOMETHING WAS TERRIBLY WRONG.

THE MOTHER CALLED IN FROM OUT OF STATE

AND REPORTED HER AS A MISSING PERSON.

Narrator: WITH THE REPORT FILED,

THE OAKLAND MISSING-PERSONS UNIT DISPATCHES AN OFFICER

TO THE APARTMENT AARON SHARES WITH MANDY.

Murray: SO, THEY WENT OVER TO THE APARTMENT,

AND AARON WOULDN'T LET THEM IN.

Narrator: DEB IS UPSET,

BUT SHE KNOWS THAT HER SON HAS A DRUG HISTORY

AND THAT HE IS LIKELY AFRAID

TO LET POLICE GO THROUGH HIS THINGS.

Murray: I THINK PART OF THAT WAS BECAUSE

HE PROBABLY, MAYBE, HAD DRUGS IN THERE.

I DON'T KNOW WHAT HIS DEAL WAS.

ALL I KNOW IS THAT I WAS

DESPERATELY TRYING TO FIND MANDY.

Narrator: DEB IS ACROSS THE COUNTRY,

BUT WITH PANIC SETTING IN,

SHE BEGINS HER OWN QUEST TO FIND HER OLDEST DAUGHTER.

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

I MEAN, THERE WERE SO MANY CALLS.

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

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

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

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

BECAUSE I FIGURED IF WE COULD FIND HER CAR,

THAT WE COULD FIND HER.

Narrator: AFTER PLEADING HER CASE

TO MANDY'S INSURANCE COMPANY, IN NORTH CAROLINA,

DEB OBTAINS THE INFORMATION

AND CALLS THE OAKLAND MISSING-PERSONS UNIT.

Murray: ALL THIS STUFF KEPT GOING THROUGH MY HEAD.

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

YOU KNOW, I JUST DIDN'T KNOW.

Narrator: DEB'S EFFORTS PAY OFF.

A SEARCH OF THE OAKLAND POLICE DEPARTMENT DATABASE

FINDS A MATCH

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

Williams: IT WAS TOWED ABOUT THREE HOURS

BEFORE THE MOTHER REPORTED HER MISSING.

AND SO THEY KNEW WHERE THE CAR WAS

WHEN THEY STARTED DOING THE INVESTIGATION.

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

WHEN THEY ARRIVE,

THEY APPROACH THE CAR AS A POSSIBLE CRIME SCENE.

Williams: WELL, GIVEN THE CIRCUMSTANCES

OF A PERSON BEING MISSING, YOU KNOW,

YOUR WORST NIGHTMARE IN THAT KIND OF SITUATION

IS FINDING A DEAD BODY IN THE TRUNK.

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

BUT THEY DO FIND HER CELLPHONE, WALLET, AND KEYS

INSIDE THE GLOVE BOX.

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

YOU'LL TAKE THOSE THINGS WITH YOU.

Narrator: THE POLICE CALL MANDY'S MOTHER

TO DELIVER THE UNSETTLING NEWS THAT THEY HAVE FOUND

SOME OF MANDY'S PERSONAL EFFECTS IN THE CAR,

BUT THAT THERE IS NO SIGN OF MANDY.

Murray: YOU KNOW, YOU HAVE

THIS HORRIBLE, HORRIBLE FEELING INSIDE THAT --

IT'S LIKE, "OH, MY GOD.

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

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

THAT LIKE HER FATHER,

MANDY GRAPPLES WITH HER OWN SECRETS AND DEMONS.

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

BUT I KNOW SHE DEFINITELY SUFFERED FROM SOME DEPRESSION

FROM TIME TO TIME.

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

SHE HAD BEEN THROUGH A ROUGH PATCH NOT LONG AGO.

TO SUPPORT HERSELF WHILE IN GRAD SCHOOL,

MANDY HAD TAKEN A JOB

AS A COCKTAIL WAITRESS AT A LOCAL LOUNGE.

THE LATE NIGHTS AS A SERVER OFTEN ENDED WITH PARTIES.

ACCORDING TO FRIENDS AND CO-WORKERS,

MANDY BEGAN DRINKING MORE AND MORE AFTER WORK,

OFTEN TO EXCESS.

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

AND SHE WAS JUST GOING DOWNHILL.

ONE NIGHT, SHE RETURNS HOME

AND REVEALS A TERRIBLE SECRET TO HER ROOMMATE.

MANDY TELLS HER SHE HAD BEEN SEXUALLY ASSAULTED AFTER WORK.

BUT SHE NEVER REPORTS IT TO THE POLICE.

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

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

SHE WANTED ME TO TAKE CARE OF HER.

AND I DID IT FOR A WHILE.

Narrator: AT THE TIME OF HER DISAPPEARANCE,

MANDY WAS ALSO STILL MOURNING THE DEATH OF HER FATHER,

TWO YEARS EARLIER.

SHE HAD TROUBLE DEALING WITH HER DAD'S DEATH.

IT WAS BEFORE CHRISTMAS,

SO THAT TIME OF YEAR BECAME VERY DIFFICULT FOR MANDY.

Wiggins: SOMETIMES WHEN PEOPLE ARE DEALING WITH THOSE THINGS,

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

SHE WAS GORGEOUS, INTELLIGENT, NICE, COOL BOYFRIEND,

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

Narrator: NOW HER FAMILY IS LEFT TO WONDER --

COULD MANDY HAVE TAKEN HER OWN LIFE?

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

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

ADDS TO THEIR CONCERN --

A MERGE LANE ON A WELL-TRAVELED THOROUGHFARE.

Williams: IT WAS IN A HAZARDOUS SITUATION.

THERE WAS SUFFICIENT AREA THERE

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

WHAT IS MOST STRIKING

WAS THAT THE CAR WAS PARKED NEXT TO A STEEP EMBANKMENT

AND NEAR A SMALL BRIDGE THAT SPANS A DEEP RAVINE.

Williams: AND SO YOU WONDER WHAT THE MENTAL STATE

OF THE PERSON THAT DOES THAT IS.

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

WAS REALLY CLOSE TO A VERY DANGEROUS, DEEP RAVINE.

CLEARLY, NO ONE GETS OUT THEIR CAR

AND SCALES DOWN THE SIDE OF THE RAVINE THERE,

WHICH CAUSED CAUTION AND ALARM

FOR US TO START LOOKING AT THAT PARTICULAR AREA.

Narrator: AN INITIAL SEARCH OF THE RAVINE

REVEALS NO INDICATION THAT MANDY JUMPED.

WE WERE ABLE TO PRETTY MUCH RULE OUT SUICIDE.

IT'S KIND OF HARD FOR YOU TO KILL YOURSELF

AND THEN DISPOSE OF YOUR OWN BODY.

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

THAT COULD HAVE HAPPENED TO MISS STOKES.

Narrator: HOWEVER, POLICE ALSO TELL MANDY'S FAMILY

THAT SHE MAY BE THE VICTIM OF FOUL PLAY.

Joyner: THE STOKES FAMILY --

THEY WANT TO RESERVE JUST THE HOPE

AND HOLD ONTO SOMETHING THAT SHE'S STILL ALIVE.

AND WHAT YOU TRY TO DO WITH THE FAMILY

IS GIVE THEM THE BEST-CASE SCENARIO

BUT ALSO TELL THEM THE WORST-CASE SCENARIO.

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

ALL YOU WANT TO DO IS GET OUT THERE,

AND YOU WANT TO START LOOKING.

Narrator: COMING UP...

MANDY'S FAMILY MEETS A SUSPICIOUS CHARACTER

NEAR WHERE MANDY'S CAR WAS FOUND.

Cody: MY FIRST THOUGHT IS, YOU KNOW,

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

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

Narrator: 33-YEAR-OLD GRADUATE STUDENT MANDY STOKES

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

AFTER FINDING HER CAR IN AN IMPOUND LOT

AND HER PERSONAL ITEMS IN THE GLOVE BOX,

OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA, POLICE BELIEVE

SHE MAY HAVE BEEN A VICTIM OF FOUL PLAY.

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

AND TRY TO ARRANGE A FLIGHT FROM ATLANTA OUT WEST.

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

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

Murray: YOU KNOW, AT THAT POINT,

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

SO SOME OF MY HIGH-SCHOOL FRIENDS

TOOK CARE OF THAT AND GOT ME OUT THERE.

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

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

THANK GOD HE DID.

Narrator: WHEN THEY ARRIVE IN OAKLAND,

MANDY'S LOVED ONES HIT THE GROUND RUNNING.

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

AND HER FAMILY BELIEVES IT IS URGENT

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

THE FAMILY WAS VERY CONCERNED ABOUT HER WELL-BEING.

THEY WERE TRYING TO DO EVERYTHING POSSIBLE.

THEY ALL FLEW FROM THE EAST COAST TO OAKLAND

TO ASSIST IN THE SEARCH FOR THEIR SISTER AND DAUGHTER.

Murray: ONCE WE FOUND OUT WHERE THE CAR WAS,

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

WE'VE GOT TO HAVE A BLANKET."

AND WE JUST KNEW WE WERE GONNA FIND HER.

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

AND WE WERE JUST SO EXHILARATED.

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

WE END UP TROMPLING AROUND THESE HILLS

WHERE HER CAR WAS ABANDONED.

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

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

Murray: WE CANVASSED THE WHOLE RAVINE.

I MEAN, IT WAS SO STEEP.

AND WE KEPT CALLING FOR MANDY.

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

I MEAN, IT WAS A TREMENDOUS DROP.

I MEAN, IT WAS JUST AMAZING HOW STEEP.

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

GOING EVERYWHERE

AND JUST TALKING TO PEOPLE AND LEAVING FLYERS.

Narrator: DESPITE HOURS OF LOOKING,

THE FAMILY COMES UP EMPTY,

UNTIL AN INTERESTING DEVELOPMENT FINALLY NARROWS THE SEARCH.

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

Narrator: A LOCAL RESIDENT

WHO OFTEN WALKS THE PATHS ALONG THE RAVINE

NOTICES A FLYER ABOUT MANDY AND APPROACHES THE FAMILY.

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

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

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

Narrator: MANDY'S FAMILY TELLS HIM

THAT HER CAR WAS FOUND PARKED NEXT TO THE RAVINE,

BUT THAT SHE IS STILL MISSING.

Murray: THEN HE PROCEEDED TO TELL US

THAT HE LIKES TO WRITE THINGS DOWN

THAT ARE GOING ON IN THE COMMUNITY

OR WHENEVER HE'S WALKING.

Narrator: THE MAN APPARENTLY

HAS AN UNUSUAL REASON FOR WRITING THINGS DOWN.

HE EXPLAINS THAT HE HAS SHORT-TERM MEMORY LOSS

AND SO RELIES ON HIS RECORDED NOTES TO RECALL THINGS.

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

AND JOTTED IT DOWN.

Murray: HE WROTE EVERYTHING DOWN IN HIS JOURNAL,

AND HE BROUGHT HIS JOURNAL OUT

AND DESCRIBED THE CAR IN DETAIL --

WHERE IT WAS PARKED.

Narrator: AT FIRST, MANDY'S FAMILY

IS SOMEWHAT SUSPICIOUS OF THE MAN.

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

I MEAN, I'M THINKING,

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

WHY DID HE DO THIS?" YOU KNOW?

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

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

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

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

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

Narrator: BUT THEY SOON RECOGNIZE

THAT HE IS ACTUALLY A HELPFUL WITNESS

WHOSE OBSERVATIONS SHED AN IMPORTANT LIGHT ON THE TIMELINE.

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

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

Narrator: NOW INVESTIGATORS CAN SURMISE

THAT WHATEVER HAPPENED TO MANDY PROBABLY OCCURRED

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

WHEN HER CAR WAS OBSERVED TO BE ABANDONED.

Cody: LITTLE THINGS LIKE THAT GAVE US HOPE.

OKAY, SO MAYBE SHE ACTUALLY WAS HERE.

EVERY TIME WE THOUGHT WE HAD SOMETHING,

IT DEFINITELY GAVE US HOPE.

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

TO THE APARTMENT THE TWO SIBLINGS SHARE

TO SEE IF SOMETHING THERE MIGHT TRIGGER NEW INFORMATION.

Murray: THE APARTMENT WAS IN DISARRAY.

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

AND IT WAS NOT THAT WAY.

Cody: WE'RE SEARCHING FOR CLUES,

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

WE WENT DOWN IN HER STORAGE UNIT.

WE LOOKED DOWN IN THE INCINERATOR.

I MEAN, EVERY POSSIBLE PLACE.

YOU KNOW, IT WAS AN OLDER BUILDING,

SO THERE WERE ALL KINDS OF NOOKS AND CRANNIES.

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

YOU KNOW, MAYBE SHE COULD BE IN THERE.

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

I REMEMBER THAT BEING SCARY.

Narrator: BUT THE SEARCH OF MANDY'S APARTMENT

YIELDS NOTHING AND LEAVES THE FAMILY MYSTIFIED.

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

YOU START THINKING ALL THIS STUFF

THAT COULD HAVE HAPPENED --

AMNESIA, FALLING, KIDNAPPED.

Narrator: COMING UP...

WITH NO OTHER LEADS,

THE INVESTIGATORS FOCUS THEIR ATTENTION

ON THE LAST KNOWN PERSON TO SEE MANDY

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

HER BROTHER, AARON.

Joyner: THERE WAS A VERBAL ALTERCATION

THAT TOOK PLACE PRIOR TO HER DISAPPEARANCE.

THE IRONIC THING IS THAT RIGHT AFTER THE ARGUMENT,

NO ONE HAS SEEN MISS STOKES ALIVE.

Narrator: GET MORE "DISAPPEARED" ONLINE AT..

Narrator: MANDY STOKES HAS BEEN MISSING FOR TWO WEEKS,

AND POLICE HAVE NO SOLID EVIDENCE IN THE CASE.

BUT THEY HAVE THE LINGERING FEELING THAT HER BROTHER AARON

KNOWS MORE THAN HE HAS BEEN WILLING TO SAY.

Joyner: IN TERMS OF COOPERATION,

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

Narrator: TWO DAYS AFTER MANDY DISAPPEARED

AND A REPORT WAS FILED,

AN OFFICER FROM THE OAKLAND MISSING-PERSON UNIT

SHOWED UP TO TAKE A LOOK INSIDE THE APARTMENT.

BUT AARON DIDN'T LET HIM IN.

Williams: YOU WOULD THINK, GIVEN THE SITUATION,

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

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

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

BUT HE DIDN'T DO THAT.

Narrator: MANDY'S MOTHER WAS DISMAYED

THAT AARON WAS LETTING HIS FEAR OF BEING CAUGHT WITH DRUGS

GET IN THE WAY OF THE INVESTIGATION.

SHE WAS ALSO DESPERATE TO FIGURE OUT

WHAT COULD HAVE HAPPENED TO HER DAUGHTER

AND TOLD INVESTIGATORS EVERYTHING SHE KNEW AT THE TIME,

INCLUDING WHAT SHE'D HEARD

ABOUT THE HEATED DISCUSSION BETWEEN HER TWO CHILDREN.

AND I TOLD THEM THERE WAS AN ARGUMENT WITH HER BROTHER

AND THAT HE SAID SHE LEFT TO RUN ERRANDS.

Narrator: UNABLE TO SEARCH THE APARTMENT,

POLICE HAD CANVASSED MANDY'S BUILDING,

LOOKING FOR WITNESSES TO THE SIBLINGS' DISPUTE.

IT DIDN'T TAKE LONG

FOR A MORE COMPLETE PICTURE OF THEIR CONFRONTATION

TO COME INTO VIEW.

Williams: SUNDAY MORNING, NEIGHBORS HEARD AND WITNESSED

THE ARGUMENT STARTING ABOUT 8:00 A.M.

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

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

BASICALLY, THAT SHE FELT

THAT SHE WAS HELPING TAKE CARE OF HIM.

SHE ALSO INDICATED THAT HE WAS TAKING HER MONEY.

Narrator: AS THE YELLING ESCALATED,

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

LOOKED LIKE SHE WAS BEING CORNERED BY HER BROTHER

AND THEN MADE A MAD DASH FOR HER APARTMENT DOOR.

Williams: ONE NEIGHBOR DESCRIBED IT AS,

SHE KIND OF DID A FOOTBALL MANEUVER.

SHE KIND OF FAKED AND GOT AROUND HIM,

AND HE WAS PRETTY CLOSE ON HER TAIL, APPARENTLY,

WHEN THEY GOT INTO THE APARTMENT.

THEN ALL OF A SUDDEN, THE DOOR SLAMMED,

AND NOTHING WAS HEARD FROM ANYBODY THEREAFTER.

Narrator: INVESTIGATORS ARE TROUBLED

BY WITNESSES' DESCRIPTIONS

OF THE CONFRONTATION BETWEEN AARON AND MANDY.

IT DOESN'T SQUARE WITH AARON'S VERSION

OF WHAT HE CALLED AN ARGUMENT.

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

"DO YOU KNOW WHAT HAPPENED?

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

WHAT WAS GOING ON BEFORE SHE DISAPPEARED?"

AND HIS STORY, YOU KNOW, STAYED PRETTY CONSISTENT.

THEY HAD GOTTEN INTO AN ARGUMENT.

HE GOT IN THE SHOWER.

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

AND SHE LEFT AND NEVER CAME BACK.

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

NO ONE HAS SEEN MISS STOKES ALIVE.

SHE'S THE INDIVIDUAL

THAT ENGAGED WITH PEOPLE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD,

OFTENTIMES SPEAKING WITH THEM

WHEN SHE LEFT OR WHEN SHE CAME HOME.

THESE SAME INDIVIDUALS, WHO ARE VERY DILIGENT AND AWARE

OF WHAT'S GOING ON IN THEIR APARTMENT COMPLEX,

NEVER SAW HER AGAIN.

Narrator: BUT THERE IS EVIDENCE

OF HER SPEAKING TO SOMEONE AFTER HER DISPUTE WITH AARON.

Williams: WELL, THE BOYFRIEND THOUGHT

HIS LAST CONVERSATION WITH HER GOT CUT OFF.

SHE WAS IN A VEHICLE AT THAT TIME.

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

HE TELLS THEM THAT MANDY ACTUALLY CALLED HIM

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

AND TOLD HIM SHE WAS UPSET WITH AARON.

Murray: JOHN TOLD ME THAT SHE DID TELL HIM

ABOUT THE ARGUMENT ON THE PHONE.

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

AND HE TOLD ME SHE WAS IN THE CAR.

Narrator: BUT IN THE MIDDLE OF THE CONVERSATION,

THE CALL IS DROPPED.

HE MADE NUMEROUS ATTEMPTS TO RE-CONTACT HER,

BUT THAT DIDN'T PAN OUT.

Narrator: MANDY'S CONVERSATION WITH HER BOYFRIEND INDICATES

THAT IT COULD HAVE BEEN JOHN AND NOT AARON

WHO LAST HAD CONTACT WITH MANDY.

THEN, ACCORDING TO CELLPHONE RECORDS,

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

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

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

AFTER THE ARGUMENT WITH AARON.

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

Narrator: NOW WORKING TO ESTABLISH A MORE THOROUGH TIMELINE,

POLICE DIG DEEPER INTO MANDY'S AFFAIRS

AND PULL UP HER BANK RECORDS.

Joyner: NORMALLY, THERE'S NO ACTIVITY.

THE MOMENT A PERSON GOES IN DISAPPEARANCE MODE,

ACTIVITY STOPS --

NO DEPOSITS, NO WITHDRAWALS, NO ACTIVITY WHATSOEVER.

Narrator: RIGHT AWAY, POLICE DISCOVER A HOPEFUL SIGN.

Joyner: THIS CASE WAS A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT.

THERE WAS STILL ACTIVITY ON HER BANK ACCOUNT.

Narrator: POLICE LEARN THAT PURCHASES AND WITHDRAWALS

ARE RECORDED ON THE DAY MANDY WENT MISSING.

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

THREE BLOCKS FROM HER APARTMENT,

AND ANOTHER AT 11:51 A.M.,

JUST FIVE BLOCKS FROM WHERE THE CAR WAS ABANDONED.

EVEN MORE ENCOURAGING --

THERE WAS BANK ACTIVITY THE DAY AFTER MANDY DISAPPEARED.

Murray: I WAS FEELING HOPEFUL

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

Narrator: BUT WHEN DETECTIVES VIEW SURVEILLANCE IMAGES

FROM ONE OF THE ATM MACHINES,

THEY'RE SURPRISED TO FIND

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

THAT IT'S NOT MANDY WITHDRAWING THE CASH.

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

THE ACTIVITY WAS ALL BY MR. STOKES.

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

WITHDRAWING CASH WITH MANDY'S ATM CARD.

Murray: WE TALKED TO THE POLICE.

THEY BROUGHT US IN

TO SHOW PICTURES OF AARON AT THE ATM THAT MORNING.

Narrator: THIS TELLS POLICE NOTHING

ABOUT MANDY'S WHEREABOUTS,

ONLY THAT AARON WAS TAKING HER MONEY.

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

AND I KNOW THAT SHE HAD MENTIONED SOMETIMES

THAT SHE WOULD LET HIM DO THAT,

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

Narrator: MANDY'S ACCOUNT ALSO REVEALS

THAT AARON HAS BEEN USING HER CHECKBOOK

TO FORGE CHECKS TO HIMSELF.

Williams: THERE WERE NUMEROUS CHECKS WRITTEN TO AARON STOKES,

AND THEN WHEN YOU COMPARED THE SIGNATURES

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

THEY WERE TOTALLY DIFFERENT.

AND THESE WERE FOR THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS.

THE NEWS FURTHER STRAINS AARON'S CREDIBILITY

WITH THE POLICE AND HIS FAMILY.

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

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

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

BUT KNOWING THE SITUATION AARON'S IN

AND WITH THE DRUGS THAT HE'S DOING,

HE PROBABLY WOULD STEAL FROM ANYBODY, YOU KNOW?

Williams: USING HEROIN,

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

DO THINGS THAT THEY NORMALLY PROBABLY WOULD NOT DO

BECAUSE OF THE DRUG HABITS.

Narrator: AARON MAINTAINS HIS INNOCENCE TO THE POLICE

BUT ALSO CONTINUES TO DENY THEM ACCESS

TO THE APARTMENT HE SHARES WITH HIS SISTER.

MANDY'S FAMILY IS EXASPERATED.

IN ADDITION,

SINCE MANDY RECENTLY GAVE NOTICE THAT SHE WAS LEAVING,

AND BECAUSE HER LEASE WAS UP,

THE LANDLORD HAS PROMISED THE APARTMENT TO NEW TENANTS.

Murray: IN THE MIDST OF ALL THIS,

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

Cody: WE PACKED UP IN A FEW DAYS --

PACKED EVERYTHING UP AND GOT EVERYTHING OUT.

Wiggins: AND THAT'S JUST AWFUL,

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

BUT WHAT IF SHE COMES BACK?

IT WAS JUST AWFUL.

Narrator: DISCOURAGED,

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

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

AND THEN A FEW DAYS LATER, THE POLICE CALLED

AND THEN SAID THAT THIS IS A HOMICIDE CASE.

Narrator: COMING UP...

DETECTIVES FEEL THE CIRCUMSTANTIAL EVIDENCE

IS MOUNTING UP AGAINST AARON.

Joyner: NOT ONLY HAS SHE DISAPPEARED,

BUT WE BELIEVE FOUL PLAY WAS INVOLVED

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

Narrator: AFTER THREE WEEKS OF INVESTIGATING THE DISAPPEARANCE

OF PSYCHOLOGY GRADUATE STUDENT MANDY STOKES,

DETECTIVES TRANSFER THE CASE TO THE OAKLAND HOMICIDE DIVISION.

Joyner: NORMALLY IN MISSING-PERSON CASES,

IN MY EXPERIENCE, WHEN FAMILY MEMBERS ARE NOT INVOLVED,

THEY USUALLY DO EVERYTHING POSSIBLE

TO BEAT DOWN THE DOOR TO THE POLICE DEPARTMENT

AND MAKE SURE THAT NO STONE GOES UNTURNED.

MR. STOKES WAS JUST THE OPPOSITE.

Narrator: DETECTIVES' PRIMARY PERSON OF INTEREST

IS MANDY'S BROTHER AARON.

Williams: SO, YOU ALWAYS KEEP AN OPEN MIND,

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

TO TAKE THE MONEY AND THE DRUGS AND THOSE THINGS,

OF COURSE, MAKES HIM THE TOP OF THE BOARD.

Narrator: HOMICIDE DETECTIVES

ARE USED TO LOOKING AT PEOPLE CLOSE TO THE VICTIM,

BUT VIOLENCE BETWEEN SIBLINGS IS OFTEN DIFFICULT TO COMPREHEND.

Joyner: ANY TIME YOU HAVE A FAMILY MEMBER INVOLVED

IN POSSIBLY KILLING ANOTHER FAMILY MEMBER,

THERE'S ALWAYS THAT ONE BIT OF DOUBT

THAT, NO WAY COULD A BROTHER KILL HIS SISTER.

Narrator: ON WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 12th,

POLICE BRING AARON DOWNTOWN FOR QUESTIONING.

Joyner: MR. STOKES WAS BASICALLY CAVALIER.

HE DIDN'T SEEM REALLY TAKEN ABACK BY THE FACT

THAT HE WAS AT THE HOMICIDE SECTION

AND BEING INTERVIEWED BY HOMICIDE INVESTIGATORS

DURING A HOMICIDE INVESTIGATION.

Williams: HE DIDN'T WANT TO BE THERE

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

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

THAT'S THE OTHER THING.

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

THAT HE WOULD TRY TO BE DOING EVERYTHING POSSIBLE

TO FIND OUT WHAT HAPPENED TO HER.

Narrator: AARON IS GRILLED BY DETECTIVES

ABOUT HIS RELATIONSHIP WITH HIS SISTER.

IT SOON COMES TO LIGHT

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

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

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

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

WITH SOME SHADY PEOPLE HERE IN THIS CITY.

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

AND I THINK MANDY HAD TRIED TO HELP HIM

WITH THAT AT SOME POINT.

BUT I THINK, YOU KNOW,

SHE HAD STARTED DOING SOME DRUGS, AS WELL.

Wiggins: SHE DROPPED OUT OF SCHOOL,

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

SHE GOT TOO CAUGHT UP IN IT.

Narrator: DURING THE INTERVIEW,

AARON DOES NOT IMPLICATE HIMSELF IN MANDY'S DISAPPEARANCE

BUT CONTINUES TO ROUSE SUSPICION AMONG THE DETECTIVES.

Joyner: EVERYTHING THAT HE SAID WAS VERY CALCULATED

IN TRYING TO JUSTIFY HIS ACTIONS --

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

AND HIS USAGE OF HER BANK ACCOUNT

AND TAKING MONEY FROM HER ACCOUNT SINCE HER DISAPPEARANCE.

Narrator: AFTER NINE HOURS IN THE INTERVIEW ROOM,

AARON REFUSES TO COOPERATE ANY FURTHER.

Williams: THEY FELT HE WAS HOSTILE,

THAT HE WAS NOT TRUTHFUL.

HE JUST WASN'T VERY FORTHCOMING WITH INFORMATION.

VERY AGITATED.

Narrator: ON FRIDAY, DECEMBER 14th,

HOMICIDE DETECTIVES HEAD TO THE COURTHOUSE,

DETERMINED TO GET A WARRANT

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

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

ASKING FOR THE SEARCH OF THE RESIDENCE.

ONCE THAT SEARCH WARRANT WAS SIGNED,

WE EXECUTED THE WARRANT AND SEARCHED THE RESIDENCE.

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

Joyner: A LOT OF HER PERSONAL ITEMS

HAD ALREADY BEEN REMOVED FROM THE RESIDENCE.

BY THIS TIME, AARON WAS STAYING WITH FRIENDS,

AND NEW TENANTS HAD ALREADY MOVED IN.

Joyner: AT THIS POINT,

OUR CRIME-SCENE INVESTIGATORS RESPONDED TO THE SCENE,

USED CHEMICALS TO ACTUALLY SHOW US TWO LOCATIONS

WHERE WE BELIEVED AN ALTERCATION TOOK PLACE INSIDE THE RESIDENCE.

Narrator: POLICE TECHNICIANS FIND

WHAT THEY CALL BIOLOGICAL EVIDENCE.

Joyner: IT APPEARED THAT WHOMEVER

HAD ATTEMPTED TO CLEAN UP THE BIOLOGICAL EVIDENCE

DIDN'T DO A VERY GOOD JOB WITH IT.

Narrator: THEN HOMICIDE DETECTIVES AND THEIR LAB TEAM

TURN THEIR ATTENTION TO MANDY'S CAR,

WHICH WAS STILL SITTING IN THE OAKLAND IMPOUND LOT.

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

THE SAME BIOLOGICAL EVIDENCE WAS FOUND THROUGHOUT THE CAR,

LEADING US TO BELIEVE

THAT SOMETHING TOOK PLACE INSIDE THE CAR --

EITHER A BODY BEING TRANSPORTED

OR A PHYSICAL ALTERCATION ENSUED INSIDE THE VEHICLE.

Narrator: FOR INVESTIGATORS,

THE CIRCUMSTANTIAL EVIDENCE IS STACKING UP AGAINST AARON.

HE WAS THE LAST KNOWN PERSON TO SEE HIS SISTER.

HE REFUSED POLICE ENTRY TO THE APARTMENT

AND CONTRADICTED WITNESSES' STATEMENTS

ABOUT HIS ARGUMENT WITH MANDY.

HE DRAINED HER BANK ACCOUNT AND FORGED CHECKS.

AND THERE'S BIOLOGICAL EVIDENCE

IN BOTH THE APARTMENT AND THE CAR,

SUGGESTING THAT MANDY COULD BE DEAD.

Joyner: HERE IN THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA,

YOU DON'T NECESSARILY HAVE TO HAVE A BODY

TO BRING CHARGES AGAINST SOMEONE FOR MURDER.

BUT, OF COURSE, CLEARLY, THE BAR RISES

TO BE ABLE TO PROVE BEYOND A REASONABLE DOUBT

THAT THIS PERSON IS DECEASED.

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

THEY COME TO SUSPECT THAT SHE WAS KILLED.

Joyner: WE BELIEVE THAT NOT ONLY HAS SHE DISAPPEARED,

BUT WE BELIEVE FOUL PLAY WAS INVOLVED

AND THAT MISS STOKES WAS ACTUALLY MURDERED

AT THE HANDS OF HER BROTHER.

Narrator: OAKLAND HOMICIDE DETECTIVES

PRESENT THEIR CASE TO THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY,

HOPING TO BRING CHARGES AGAINST AARON STOKES

IN THE MURDER OF HIS SISTER MANDY.

SO, THAT PRETTY MUCH SENT ME INTO A TAILSPIN,

BECAUSE HOMICIDE, DAUGHTER --

THAT DOESN'T COMPUTE VERY WELL.

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

I DON'T KNOW IF AARON KNOWS SOMETHING

OR IF AARON IS JUST --

BECAUSE OF THE DRUG USE, HE JUST...

I DON'T KNOW.

Narrator: BUT THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY DOES NOT BELIEVE

THAT THE PHYSICAL EVIDENCE

DETECTIVES RETRIEVED FROM MANDY'S APARTMENT AND CAR

IS STRONG ENOUGH TO BRING CHARGES AGAINST AARON.

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

WHICH I AGREED WITH, BASICALLY,

WAS THAT WE STILL CAN'T REALLY PROVE

BEYOND A REASONABLE DOUBT THAT SHE'S DECEASED.

Joyner: THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY REVIEWED IT

AND DID NOT FILE CHARGES.

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

SINCE DON'T HAVE A BODY.

Narrator: POLICE ALSO KNOW THAT BECAUSE AARON AND MANDY

ASSOCIATED WITH OTHER ILLEGAL DRUG USERS,

IT IS POSSIBLE THAT SHE MET HER FATE

AT THE HANDS OF SOMEONE ELSE IN THIS DANGEROUS CROWD.

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

BECAUSE IT OPENS UP A WHOLE NOTHER ELEMENT

OF REASONABLE DOUBT AND WHAT COULD HAVE TAKEN PLACE.

BUT REGARDLESS OF WHAT MISS STOKES WAS DOING,

SHE DIDN'T DESERVE TO BE

KIDNAPPED, MURDERED, OR ABDUCTED BY ANYONE.

AARON STOKES HAS MAINTAINED HIS INNOCENCE

IN HIS SISTER'S DISAPPEARANCE

AND NOW LIVES IN OKLAHOMA CITY.

WITH NO NEW INFORMATION ON THE WHEREABOUTS OF MANDY STOKES,

HER CASE IS NOW IN THE COLD-CASE UNIT

AT THE OAKLAND POLICE DEPARTMENT.

ONE OF THE HARDEST THINGS IN DEALING WITH THE FAMILY

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

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

BUT ON THE SAME TOKEN, AS A HOMICIDE INVESTIGATOR,

WHEN THE EVIDENCE IS TELLING YOU

THIS PERSON IS NO LONGER WITH US, YOU KNOW,

YOU TRY TO TELL THEM TO HOPE FOR THE BEST

BUT BE PREPARED FOR THE WORST.

Narrator: MANDY'S LOVED ONES

FIND IT DIFFICULT TO CONFRONT THE POSSIBILITY

THAT AARON COULD BE INVOLVED IN MANDY'S DISAPPEARANCE.

Cody: I FEEL LIKE I USED TO KNOW HIM.

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

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

Wiggins: I DON'T THINK HE HURT HER,

BUT I THINK HE KNOWS WHO DID.

HE COULD HAVE PROBABLY GIVEN MORE INFORMATION

ON WHATEVER HAPPENED.

Narrator: THEY'RE TRYING TO HOLD ONTO MEMORIES

OF THE EFFERVESCENT YOUNG WOMAN.

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

BUT HERE IT IS, FOUR YEARS LATER,

AND TRYING TO FIND CLOSURE WITH THIS, YOU KNOW?

AS FAR AS WHAT HAPPENS WHEN SOMEONE GOES MISSING,

IT'S JUST WORSE THAN SOMEONE DYING.

YOU KNOW, MY WORST NIGHTMARE WAS WAKING UP,

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

AND SHE'S CRYING AND ASKING

WHY I DIDN'T LOOK FOR HER MORE.

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

DEFINITELY.

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

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

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

OR, YOU KNOW, KEEP LOOKING, KEEP SEARCHING.

JUST DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO.

Murray: BECAUSE OF WHAT'S HAPPENED TO MANDY,

MY HEART IS VERY...BROKEN.

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

SHE'S SO VIBRANT

THAT I CANNOT IMAGINE NOT SEEING HER AGAIN.

JUST HER SMILE.

SHE HAS THE MOST BEAUTIFUL SMILE.

AND I JUST WANT TO SEE THAT AGAIN.

Narrator: DEB MURRAY FINDS HERSELF

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

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

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

AS AN INVESTIGATOR, TO DEAL WITH

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

MISS STOKES' MOTHER IS A WONDERFUL INDIVIDUAL

WHO IS VERY CONCERNED ABOUT HER MISSING DAUGHTER.

SHE ALSO IS CONCERNED AND TORN BETWEEN,

COULD HER SON HAVE KILLED HER DAUGHTER?

Murray: THERE IS THE CONCERN I HAVE

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

AND THAT IS HEARTBREAKING TO ME,

BECAUSE TO THINK THAT HE COULD BE ARRESTED

FOR DOING SOMETHING TO HIS SISTER

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

NOT KNOWING IS PRETTY HORRIBLE, SO...

I HOPE THAT I'M READY FOR WHATEVER HAPPENS

OR WHATEVER IS FOUND THROUGH ANYBODY THAT COULD HELP US,

'CAUSE IT'S A NIGHTMARE.

IT'S REALLY A NIGHTMARE.