Original subtitles

>> BRIANNA MAITLAND DISAPPEARED

ON MARCH 19, 2004.

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.

BRIANNA MAITLAND'S LAST KNOWN

WHEREABOUTS MAY HOLD THE CLUES

TO WHAT HAPPENED TO HER.

BEAUTIFUL 17-YEAR-OLD

BRIANNA MAITLAND IS RESTLESS IN

HER REMOTE NORTHERN VERMONT

HOMETOWN.

>> BRI HAD A FREE SPIRIT.

BUT SHE ALWAYS WANTED SOMETHING

BIGGER AND BETTER.

>> ONE NIGHT SHE VANISHES AFTER

WORK, BUT FAMILY AND FRIENDS

DON'T FIND OUT FOR DAYS.

>> MY MIND WAS LIKE, "FIND HER

RIGHT NOW."

>> SOON, IT BECOMES ALARMINGLY

CLEAR -- BRIANNA IS NOT A

RUNAWAY.

>> I SAW A PICTURE OF THE CAR,

AND I THOUGHT I WAS GONNA LOSE

IT.

>> ALL THIS AMIDST A RURAL DRUG

EPIDEMIC.

>> WE'RE IN UPSTATE VERMONT AND

NOT A LOT FOR THE YOUNG KIDS TO

DO.

>> DISTURBING RUMORS QUICKLY

SPREAD.

>> YOUR DAUGHTER'S BEEN DUMPED

IN THE LAKE, OR, YOU KNOW,

DRUG-RELATED PEOPLE TOOK HER

OUT.

>> SHE MAY HAVE BEEN ABDUCTED

BECAUSE SHE'S A BEAUTIFUL WOMAN,

WHICH HAPPENS ALL THE TIME.

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

>> IT'S FRIDAY MORNING,

MARCH 19th, 2004, AND

17-YEAR-OLD BRIANNA MAITLAND

HEADS OUT FOR BREAKFAST WITH HER

MOTHER, JUST BEFORE TAKING A

HIGH SCHOOL EQUIVALENCY EXAM.

GETTING A DIPLOMA IS A MILESTONE

BRIANNA'S BEEN LOOKING FORWARD

TO EVER SINCE SHE DROPPED OUT OF

HIGH SCHOOL AND MOVED AWAY FROM

HER PARENTS' REMOTE FARM IN

NORTHERN VERMONT.

BRIANNA'S MOTHER, KELLIE,

REMEMBERS THAT PERIOD WHICH

BEGAN SICK MONTHS EARLIER.

>> WE WENT THROUGH THE USUAL

TEENAGE CONFLICT, YOU KNOW, AND

BRIANNA IS STRONG-WILLED, AND

SHE WAS GETTING MORE AND MORE

INDEPENDENT.

AND SHE'S HIGHLY SOCIAL AND

WANTED TO BE WITH FRIENDS.

>> AT THE TIME, BRIANNA'S CIRCLE

OF FRIENDS LIVED OVER 15 MILES

AWAY AND ATTENDED A DIFFERENT

HIGH SCHOOL.

HER FRIEND, SHAUNA LaBELL,

UNDERSTOOD WHY BRIANNA WAS EAGER

TO LEAVE HER CURRENT SCHOOL AND

JOIN FRIENDS AT THEIRS.

>> BRIANNA DIDN'T HAVE A LOT OF

FRIENDS.

NOT A LOT OF PEOPLE REALLY

UNDERSTOOD HER OR GAVE HER A

CHANCE.

HIGH SCHOOL KIDS ARE CRUEL.

YOU GET JUDGED SO EASILY BASED

UPON HOW YOU ACT OR DRESS OR

WHAT YOU DRIVE.

AND BRI DIDN'T ALWAYS HAVE THE

BEST OF EVERYTHING.

SHE WAS ALWAYS WORRIED ABOUT HER

LOOKS OR HER REPUTATION OR HOW

GOOD SHE WAS DOING IN SCHOOL.

BUT IT DIDN'T EVER SEEM TO TURN

OUT THE WAY SHE WANTED IT TO.

>> EVEN THOUGH SHE HAD

DIFFICULTIES FITTING IN, BRIANNA

WAS AN ATTRACTIVE AND SMART

YOUNG WOMAN WITH AN INSTINCT TO

THINK OF OTHERS BEFORE HERSELF.

>> SHE WOULD STOP FOR A

HITCHHIKER, EVEN AGAINST MY

ADVICE.

AND YET, ONE DAY I CAME HOME

FROM WORK AND SHE HAD PICKED UP

A HITCHHIKER, A YOUNG TEENAGE

BOY.

AND THERE HE WAS IN MY LIVING

ROOM, WAITING TO GET A RIDE TO

GO SOMEWHERE ELSE.

BUT SHE WAS A PERSON OF

COMPASSION.

>> BUT BRIANNA ALSO STRUGGLED TO

FIND HER OWN DIRECTION.

>> ON OCTOBER 8, 2003, SHE

TURNED 17, AND WITH THAT WAS A

GROWING NEED FOR FREEDOM...

WANTING TO COME AND GO ON HER

TERMS.

AND SHE DECIDED THAT SHE WOULD

MOVE IN WITH A FRIEND.

I TRIED TO DISSUADE HER.

AND SHE SAID WELL, "I'M STILL

GONNA GO."

>> BRIANNA MOVED IN WITH A

FRIEND NEAR THE NEW HIGH SCHOOL

WHERE SHE ENROLLED.

BUT JUST OVER A MONTH LATER, IN

EARLY DECEMBER, SHE ENDED UP

BOUNCING FROM HOUSE TO HOUSE,

LIVING WITH TWO DIFFERENT

BOYFRIENDS AND THEIR FAMILIES.

EVENTUALLY, IN LATE FEBRUARY OF

2004, BRIANNA DROPPED OUT OF

HIGH SCHOOL ONCE AND FOR ALL AND

MOVED IN WITH HER CHILDHOOD

FRIEND, JILLIAN STOUT.

BRIANNA FELT MORE SETTLED THERE

AND JOINED A HIGH SCHOOL

EQUIVALENCY PROGRAM.

SHE HOPED TO PUT THE UPHEAVAL

BEHIND HER.

ON THAT MID-MARCH MORNING IN

2004, BRIANNA MAITLAND COMPLETES

THE G.E.D. EXAM AND HER MOTHER

TAKES HER SHOPPING -- ONE OF HER

FAVORITE PASTIMES.

>> BRIANNA COULD GO TO A CLOTHES

STORE AND PICK OUT THE LATEST

AVANT-GARDE FASHION, PUT IT ON,

COME OUT, MODEL, AND IT WOULD BE

SHOWSTOPPING.

>> AT ONE STORE, BRIANNA AND HER

MOTHER ARE WAITING IN A CHECKOUT

LINE WHEN SOMETHING OUTSIDE THE

STORE CATCHES BRIANNA'S

ATTENTION.

>> SHE LOOKED OUT THE WINDOW,

AND ALL OF A SUDDEN, SHE SAID TO

ME, "I'LL BE RIGHT BACK."

AND SHE LEFT.

I DIDN'T SEE WHAT STORE SHE WENT

TO OR WHAT HAD HAPPENED.

I GOT MY THINGS, I CAME OUT OF

THE STORE, AND SHE MET ME IN THE

PARKING LOT AND WENT TO THE CAR.

I HADN'T KNOWN WHERE SHE HAD

BEEN.

AND IT WAS ODD.

SHE DIDN'T HAVE A SHOPPING BAG.

>> KELLIE NOTICES THAT BRIANNA

SEEMS VISIBLY SHAKEN.

>> SHE WAS, LIKE, AGITATED LIKE,

"I'VE GOT TO GET READY FOR

WORK," AND, YOU KNOW, "I'VE GOT

TO GET BACK.

I'VE GOT TO GET BACK."

AND THE WHOLE MOOD KIND OF

CHANGED THEN.

>> KELLIE CONSIDERS ASKING

BRIANNA WHAT WAS TROUBLING HER,

BUT SHE DOESN'T WANT TO BE PUSHY

OR VIOLATE HER PRIVACY.

SO SHE TAKES BRIANNA BACK TO HER

ROOMMATE JILLIAN'S HOUSE.

>> I DROPPED HER OFF, AND WE

SAID "BYE" AND "I'LL SEE YOU."

"YEAH, I'LL CALL YOU."

AND I NEVER THOUGHT THAT WOULD

BE THE LAST TIME WE WOULD SAY

BYE TO EACH OTHER.

>> LATER THAT AFTERNOON, BEFORE

LEAVING FOR WORK, BRIANNA WRITES

A NOTE TO JILLIAN SAYING SHE

WOULD BE BACK HOME LATER THAT

NIGHT.

THAT EVENING, BRIANNA'S GETTING

BACKED UP IN HER SHIFT AS A

DISHWASHER AT THE

BLACK LANTERN INN IN MONTGOMERY.

THE RESTAURANT IS HAVING A BUSY

NIGHT.

BRIANNA'S PARENTS, KELLIE AND

BRUCE, HAPPEN TO BE OUT AT A

LOCAL ESTABLISHMENT JUST A FEW

MILES AWAY.

ON THE WAY HOME, THEY PASS BY

THE BLACK LANTERN.

>> AND I HAD SAID, "SHALL WE

STOP IN AND CHECK IN ON HER?"

AND BRUCE SAID, "WELL, WE DON'T

WANT TO EMBARRASS HER IN FRONT

OF THE PEOPLE THAT HAVE HIRED

HER, THAT THEY THINK NOW WE HAVE

TO HAVE THE PARENTS SNOOPING AND

CHECKING IT OUT.

SO HE SAID, YOU KNOW, "WE'LL

JUST TRUST HER.

WE'LL JUST GO ON."

WE DROVE BY, AND IT...

[ SIGHS ]

...WAS THIS HUGE MISTAKE.

>> AFTER A BUSY SHIFT, THE

KITCHEN IS CLEANED.

THE STAFF CLOCKS OUT AND

SOCIALIZES.

BUT BRIANNA CAN'T STICK AROUND.

SHE SAYS SHE HAS TO GO HOME TO

GET SOME SLEEP BEFORE GOING TO

HER SECOND JOB AT ANOTHER

RESTAURANT THE NEXT MORNING.

>> SHE WAS SEEN LEAVING THE

BLACK LANTERN INN IN HER VEHICLE

AND WAS SEEN DRIVING AWAY.

>> THIS IS THE LAST TIME

BRIANNA MAITLAND IS SEEN BEFORE

SHE DISAPPEARS.

BUT IT WILL TAKE SEVERAL DAYS

BEFORE ANYONE EVEN REALIZES SHE

IS GONE.

COMING UP, THE MOMENT EVERY

PARENT FEARS.

>> I GOT CHILLS.

THERE WAS SOMETHING INSTINCTIVE

THAT I WAS REVULSED.

>> FRIDAY NIGHT, MARCH 19th,

2004, 17-YEAR-OLD

BRIANNA MAITLAND FINISHES HER

SHIFT AS A DISHWASHER AT A

NORTHWESTERN VERMONT RESTAURANT

AND TELLS EVERYONE SHE'S HEADING

HOME.

EARLIER THAT NIGHT, BRIANNA'S

ROOMMATE, JILLIAN STOUT, CAME

ACROSS A MESSAGE BRIANNA HAD

WRITTEN.

>> BRIANNA HAD LEFT HER A NOTE

THAT SHE WOULD BE HOME AFTER

WORK LATER THAT NIGHT.

>> BUT SHORTLY AFTER READING THE

NOTE, JILLIAN LEFT THE HOUSE TO

SPEND THE WEEKEND AWAY.

TWO DAYS LATER, ON

SUNDAY THE 21st, SHE RETURNS

HOME TO FIND THE NOTE UNTOUCHED.

AND THERE'S NO SIGN OF BRIANNA.

>> JILLIAN ASSUMED THAT BRIANNA

MAY HAVE GONE TO HER FAMILY'S OR

ANOTHER FRIEND'S HOUSE.

SO THERE WAS NOTHING TO

INDICATE THERE WAS ANYTHING

WRONG AT THAT POINT.

AS THE DAYS WENT BY AND STILL NO

ONE HAD HEARD FROM HER,

OBVIOUSLY, THE CONCERN BECAME

MORE APPARENT.

>> TWO MORE DAYS PASS BEFORE

ANYONE EVEN THINKS OF LOOKING

FOR BRIANNA.

ON TUESDAY, FOUR DAYS AFTER

ANYONE REPORTED SEEING BRIANNA,

HER ROOMMATE, JILLIAN, CALLS THE

MAITLANDS.

>> JILLIAN SAID, "HEY, IS

BRIANNA THERE?"

AND I SAID, "WELL, NO.

I THOUGHT SHE WAS WITH YOU."

AND JILLIAN, SAID, "OH, NO.

I THOUGHT SHE WAS EITHER WITH A

BOYFRIEND OR WITH YOU."

AND WE WERE LIKE, "WELL, WHERE'S

BRIANNA, THEN?"

>> KELLIE CONTACTS BRIANNA'S

FRIENDS, BOYFRIENDS, AND

EMPLOYERS.

BUT NONE OF THEM HAS HEARD FROM

OR SEEN HER DAUGHTER IN DAYS.

THEN SHE CALLS HER HUSBAND

BRUCE, WHO'S AWAY MAKING SALES

CALLS IN NEW YORK.

>> AND I SAID, "YOU KNOW, WE

HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO GET AHOLD

OF BRIANNA, AND IT'S JUST NOT

LIKE HER."

>> BRIANNA'S FATHER JUMPS INTO

HIS CAR TO DRIVE ALL NIGHT BACK

TO HIS FAMILY'S HOME.

MEANWHILE, KELLIE CALLS 911 TO

REPORT BRIANNA MISSING.

>> THEY ENTERED BRIANNA INTO THE

NATIONAL CRIME INFORMATION

CENTER AS A MISSING JUVENILE AT

THAT POINT, WHICH WOULD HAVE

GONE OUT TO ALL THE LAW

ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES.

>> THE NEXT DAY, WEDNESDAY, THE

MAITLANDS MAKE MORE FRANTIC

PHONE CALLS AND DRIVE AROUND

AREAS BRIANNA FREQUENTED.

KELLIE ALSO WONDERS IF BRIANNA

RAN AWAY.

SHE'S CLOSE TO HER AUNT TAMMY IN

PITTSBURGH.

PERHAPS SHE'S GONE THERE.

>> KELLIE HAD CALLED MY HOME A

COUPLE TIMES, BUT I WAS NOT

HOME.

AND I GOT THE MESSAGE THAT IF

BRIANNA SHOWS UP AT THE DOOR,

I'M SUPPOSED TO CALL KELLIE.

I THOUGHT THERE MUST BE SOME

MISUNDERSTANDING BECAUSE I'M NOT

EXPECTING BRIANNA TO COME HERE.

AND I HAD NO IDEA THAT ALL THIS

WAS GOING ON.

>> GRASPING FOR A LOGICAL

EXPLANATION, BRIANNA'S CLOSEST

FRIEND WONDERS IF SHE'S GONE TO

ONE OF THE LARGE CITIES WHERE

SHE OFTEN DREAMED OF MOVING.

>> SHE HAD TOLD ME THAT SHE

WANTED TO THINK ABOUT MOVING TO

NEW YORK CITY OR TO MONTREAL

BECAUSE SHE WANTED MORE THAN

THERE WAS AROUND.

MAYBE BRIANNA'S JUST UP AND

RUN AWAY AND DOESN'T WANT TO BE

FOUND.

BUT THAT WAS NOT BRI.

SHE WOULD HAVE NEVER GOTTEN UP

AND, YOU KNOW, SAID, "WELL, I'M

SICK OF THIS PLACE, I THINK I'M

GONNA GO AWAY NOW AND NOT TALK

TO ANYBODY EVER AGAIN."

SHE HAD A BIG HEART.

SHE WOULD NEVER DO THAT TO

ANYBODY.

>> AND THE RUNAWAY THEORY SOUNDS

EVEN LESS LIKELY WHEN FRIENDS

AND FAMILY REALIZE BRIANNA WAS

WITHOUT HER PRIMARY FORM OF

TRANSPORTATION.

ALMOST ONE WEEK AFTER THEIR

DAUGHTER WAS LAST SEEN, KELLIE

AND BRUCE MAITLAND VISIT THE

NEAREST STATE POLICE STATION, 20

MILES AWAY IN ST. ALBANS.

>> WE HAD PICTURES AND SAID, YOU

KNOW, "HELP US FIND HER."

AND THEN THEY ASKED BRUCE WHAT

SHE WAS DRIVING.

AND BRUCE TOLD THEM SHE WAS

DRIVING THIS GREEN OLDSMOBILE.

>> A TROOPER PULLS OUT A

PHOTOGRAPH OF A VEHICLE FOUND AT

THE SIDE OF THE ROAD THAT

PREVIOUS SATURDAY.

>> AND I SAW A PICTURE OF THE

CAR, AND IT WAS LIKE "OH, MY

GOSH."

IMMEDIATELY, I GOT CHILLS.

MY KNEES TURNED TO JELL-O, AND I

THOUGHT I WAS GONNA VOMIT AND

LOSE IT.

>> ALTHOUGH POLICE DON'T

DESCRIBE IT THIS WAY, KELLIE

REALIZES SHE'S LOOKING AT A

CRIME SCENE.

>> THE BACK END OF HER CAR WAS

DRIVEN INTO THIS ABANDONED

BUILDING.

THERE WAS SOMETHING INSTINCTIVE

THAT I WAS JUST REVULSED, JUST

INSTANTLY REVULSED.

AND I KNEW, WITH A GUT FEELING,

THAT BRIANNA DIDN'T PUT THE CAR

THERE, AND THAT CREEPED ME OUT

EVEN FURTHER.

I MEAN, IT'S JUST -- THIS WAS

WEIRD.

>> EVEN MORE UNSETTLING TO THE

MAITLANDS IS HOW POLICE

DISCOVERED THE VEHICLE IN THE

FIRST PLACE.

ON THE DAY AFTER BRIANNA WAS

LAST SEEN LEAVING WORK, A STATE

TROOPER WAS DISPATCHED TO A CAR

ON ROUTE 118 WITH ITS REAR END

RAMMED UP AGAINST A LONELY

FARMHOUSE SURROUNDED BY OPEN

FIELDS.

HE GOT OUT OF HIS CRUISER AND

INVESTIGATED THE SCENE.

>> THE VEHICLE WAS BACKED INTO

THIS ABANDONED HOUSE.

THERE WAS NOT A SIGNIFICANT

AMOUNT OF DAMAGE TO THE VEHICLE

OR THE HOUSE.

>> ACCORDING TO THE TROOPER'S

REPORT, NOTHING INSIDE THE CAR

LOOKED ALARMING.

ALL HE SAW WERE PERSONAL

EFFECTS, INCLUDING TWO UNOPENED

PAYCHECKS FROM THE

BLACK LANTERN INN ADDRESSED TO

BRIANNA MAITLAND.

THE TROOPER ASSUMED THE CAR WAS

ABANDONED BY A DRUNK DRIVER.

>> WE HAVE OUR SHARE OF

INDIVIDUALS THAT ARE OPERATING

UNDER THE INFLUENCE, AND IT'S

NOT UNCOMMON FOR TROOPERS TO

EITHER GET CALLED OR COME UPON

VEHICLES THAT ARE OFF THE ROAD.

>> THE TROOPER RECORDED THE

CAR'S LICENSE PLATE AND HEADED

OVER TO THE BLACK LANTERN -- A

LITTLE OVER A MILE AWAY.

BUT THE RESTAURANT WAS CLOSED

AND THERE WAS NO ONE TO TALK TO,

SO HE RESUMED HIS PATROL,

APPARENTLY, CALLED AWAY BY MORE

URGENT BUSINESS.

MEANWHILE, A TOWING COMPANY

ARRIVED TO REMOVE THE VEHICLE

AND TOOK IT TO A LOCAL AUTO SHOP

IN THE HOPE THE OWNER WOULD

EVENTUALLY CLAIM IT.

THESE PICTURES OF THE WRECK, THE

ONLY RECORD OF THE SCENE AT THIS

POINT, WERE LATER GIVEN TO STATE

POLICE BY THE OWNER OF THE

DAMAGED FARMHOUSE.

UPON HEARING THIS STORY,

BRUCE MAITLAND'S SHOCK TURNS TO

DISMAY OVER WHY POLICE FAILED TO

NOTIFY THEM SOONER THAT THE CAR

HAD BEEN LOCATED.

BUT FOR BRIANNA'S MOTHER,

KELLIE, DESPERATION HAS SET IN.

>> MY MIND WAS, "I WANT HER

RIGHT NOW.

I WANT HER WITHIN MINUTES."

YOU KNOW, LIKE, "FIND HER RIGHT

NOW."

AND THEN WE GOT A CALL, AND IT

WAS OUR SON WHO SAID, "HEY, I

KNOW WHERE THE CAR IS.

IT'S TOWED TO AN AUTO BODY."

AND AT THAT POINT, MY HUSBAND

HAD STARTED OUT TOWARD THE CAR.

>> WHEN HE ARRIVES, BRUCE LEARNS

THAT THE CAR'S TRUNK HASN'T BEEN

OPENED BECAUSE THE KEYS WEREN'T

RECOVERED.

FEARING THE WORST, HE PULLS OUT

A CROWBAR TO PRY OPEN THE TRUNK.

COMING UP, WITNESS ACCOUNTS AND

MORE PHOTOS OF THE CRIME SCENE.

>> WE CERTAINLY SUSPECT THAT

SOMETHING BAD HAPPENED THAT

NIGHT.

>> SHORTLY AFTER LEARNING THE

LOCATION OF HIS MISSING DAUGHTER

BRIANNA'S CAR, BRUCE MAITLAND

ARRIVES AT THE SERVICE STATION

WHERE IT HAS BEEN SITTING FOR

FIVE DAYS.

HE FINDS BRIANNA'S PERSONAL

EFFECTS INSIDE, INCLUDING HER

PAYCHECKS, CONTACT LENSES, AND

MIGRAINE MEDICATION.

>> SHE HAD STUFF IN THE CAR THAT

SHE TOOK WITH HER EVERYWHERE,

AND IT WAS ALL STILL THERE.

EVEN IF SHE WAS GONNA COME RIGHT

BACK, I DON'T THINK SHE WOULD

HAVE LEFT IT THERE.

>> THE CAR'S KEYS ARE MISSING.

BUT WHEN BRUCE LEARNS THAT

POLICE HAVEN'T INSPECTED THE

TRUNK, HE IMMEDIATELY WORRIES

ABOUT WHAT OR WHO MIGHT BE

INSIDE.

WITH A SILENT PRAYER, HE PRIES

THE TRUNK OPEN.

>> THEY JUST DIDN'T KNOW WHAT

THEY WERE GONNA FIND, BUT THANK

GOODNESS IT WASN'T HER.

SHE WASN'T IN THERE.

BUT WHAT WAS IN THERE WERE THE

BELONGINGS OF HER GIRLFRIEND,

HER TREASURES THAT BRIANNA WAS

KEEPING, AND BRIANNA'S ITEMS

FROM HER CHILDHOOD.

>> THE MAITLANDS ARE TEMPORARILY

RELIEVED BUT THEY'RE NOW LEFT TO

WONDER IF BRIANNA WAS TAKEN

AGAINST HER WILL.

THEY KNOW IF SOMEONE DID ABDUCT

BRIANNA, WHO WAS TRAINED IN

MARTIAL ARTS, SHE WOULD NOT HAVE

GONE WITHOUT A FIGHT.

>> BRIANNA WAS NOT ONE TO BE

RESTRAINED BY ANYTHING, AND I

DON'T THINK THAT SHE WOULD HAVE

BEEN EASY TO CONTAIN.

I REALLY DON'T.

BUT WHEN YOU HAVE THE SITUATION

AND YOU DON'T REALLY KNOW WHAT

HAPPENED, YOU ARE WILLING TO

LOOK AT EVERYTHING.

YOU WANT NO STONE UNTURNED.

>> AT THIS POINT, BRIANNA'S

AUNT TAMMY IS STILL UNAWARE OF

THE FAMILY CRISIS.

>> THE LINES WERE ALL BUSY, AND

I COULDN'T GET THROUGH TO

ANYBODY.

>> ...WHERE 17-YEAR-OLD

BRIANNA MAITLAND'S ABANDONED

CAR WAS FOUND AFTER SHE WAS SHE

VANISHED.

>> BUT I TURNED ON MY TV, AND

THERE WAS A PICTURE OF BRIANNA.

MY STOMACH TURNED, AND MY HEART

SANK, AND I JUST STARTED

THROWING STUFF IN A SUITCASE.

AND IT WAS 11:00 AT NIGHT, AND I

STILL GOT IN MY CAR AND DROVE

ALL THE WAY.

>> BY THE NEXT MORNING,

FRIDAY, MARCH 26th, TAMMY IS IN

VERMONT TO HELP BRUCE AND

KELLIE.

>> IT WAS MASS CHAOS.

EVERYBODY'S PACKING UP TO GO

SEARCH.

I MEAN, EVERYBODY WAS IN AND OUT

OF THE HOUSE.

IT WAS LIKE CENTRAL STATION.

THE POLICE WERE THERE, AND NEWS

MEDIA WAS THERE.

IT WAS A MESS.

>> AUTHORITIES STILL AREN'T SURE

IF BRIANNA'S GONE MISSING OR

SIMPLY RUN AWAY.

>> NOT EVERY RUNAWAY IS A

MISSING PERSON.

FOR THEM TO SORT THROUGH AND

FIGURE OUT WHAT THEY'RE DEALING

WITH TAKES TIME.

AND YOU, AS A PARENT, HAVE A GUT

THAT'S SCREAMING, "WHAT DO I

HAVE TO DO?"

KELLIE SPEARHEADS EFFORTS TO

DESIGN, PRINT, AND DISTRIBUTE

MISSING-PERSON FLYERS.

>> EVERY BUSINESS THAT WAS A

BUSINESS HAD ONE.

EVERY OTHER TELEPHONE POLE HAD

ONE.

>> BRUCE MAITLAND IS SO

CONCERNED, HE LAUNCHES HIS OWN

INVESTIGATION IN A SEARCH FOR

ANSWERS.

>> BRUCE WENT RIGHT AWAY TO THE

BLACK LANTERN, WHERE SHE WAS

LAST SEEN, AND HE QUESTIONED

EVERYBODY.

I THINK HE WAS THERE BEFORE THE

POLICE.

>> MEANWHILE, JUST OVER A MILE

AWAY, THE POLICE DEPLOY CANINE

SEARCH UNITS IN THE AREA

SURROUNDING THE ABANDONED HOUSE

WHERE BRIANNA'S CAR WAS

ORIGINALLY FOUND.

>> THE WINDOWS ARE BOARDED UP.

THERE'S NO ONE LIVING THERE.

IT'S SET JUST OFF THE ROADWAY,

AND IT'S A VERY OPEN AREA.

THERE'S A FIELD BEHIND IT.

>> IN POLICE SEARCHES OF THE

PROPERTY AND SURROUNDING FIELDS,

NOTHING TURNS UP.

THEN, ON MARCH 30th, THE STATE

POLICE BEGIN TO EXAMINE

BRIANNA'S CAR FOR EVIDENCE.

>> THE CAR WAS BROUGHT TO THE

STATE POLICE BARRACKS AT

ST. ALBANS, AND IT WAS

SUBSEQUENTLY PROCESSED.

THE OBVIOUS THINGS AT A CRIME

SCENE SEARCH TEAM IS LOOKING FOR

ARE EVIDENCE OF DNA AND

FINGERPRINTS.

>> ALL THAT INVESTIGATORS

WILL SAY ABOUT THE SEARCH IS

THAT NOTHING WAS FOUND TO

INDICATE FOUL PLAY.

BUT BACK AT THE MAITLANDS' FARM,

NEAR THE CANADIAN BORDER, VERY

UNSETTLING PHONE CALLS ARE

COMING IN.

>> STRANGE RUMORS.

YOU KNOW, "YOUR DAUGHTER'S TIED

TO A TREE IN THE WOODS OR YOUR

DAUGHTER'S BEEN DUMPED IN THE

LAKE."

>> BUT NOT EVERY CALL IS A

DISTURBING TIP.

BRIANNA'S AUNT TAMMY ANSWERS ONE

FROM ANOTHER FAMILY WITH A

MISSING DAUGHTER.

>> ONE OF THE FIRST PHONE CALLS

THAT I ANSWERED WAS ONE OF THE

MURRAY FAMILY.

I DIDN'T EVEN KNOW WHO THEY WERE

AT THAT POINT.

AND THEY WERE ASKING IF WE HAD

FOUND ANYTHING.

>> THE MURRAY FAMILY, IN NEARBY

NEW HAMPSHIRE, ARE DESPERATELY

LOOKING FOR THEIR 21-YEAR-OLD

DAUGHTER MAURA WHO DISAPPEARED

FIVE WEEKS BEFORE BRIANNA.

HER CAR WAS FOUND 90 MILES AWAY

FROM WHERE BRIANNA'S WAS

FOUND -- ALSO ABANDONED AT THE

SIDE OF A ROAD.

>> MAURA MURRAY'S CAR WAS LIKE

BRIANNA'S CAR IN A WAY, EXCEPT

SOMEONE HAD SEEN HER ONE TIME

AFTER SHE GOT OUT OF THE CAR,

AND THEN SHE JUST DISAPPEARED.

WE WEREN'T SURE IF THERE WAS

SOMEONE FINDING A WAY TO GET

THESE GIRLS IN THEIR CARS.

>> THE MAITLANDS AND MURRAYS

WONDER IF A SERIAL KILLER MIGHT

BE ROAMING THE REGION.

IT'S A THEORY POLICE IN VERMONT

AND NEW HAMPSHIRE BEGIN TO

INVESTIGATE.

TWO WEEKS AFTER BRIANNA WAS LAST

SEEN, THE MAITLANDS GET A

HELPING HAND FROM A NATIONAL

SEARCH GROUP DEDICATED TO

FINDING MISSING JUVENILES --

THE CLASS KIDS FOUNDATION.

ON APRIL 3rd, 4th AND 5th, MORE

THAN 500 VOLUNTEERS CANVASS

AREAS WITHIN A 5-MILE RADIUS.

ALL OF THIS EFFORT FAILS TO

PRODUCE A BREAKTHROUGH.

BUT THE WIDESPREAD PUBLICITY

PAYS OFF WHEN WITNESSES COME

FORWARD SAYING THEY SAW

BRIANNA'S CAR THE NIGHT IT ENDED

UP BACKED INTO THAT OLD DESERTED

FARMHOUSE.

THE FIRST KNOWN SIGHTING OF

BRIANNA'S ABANDONED CAR OCCURRED

WHEN A MAN DROVE BY SOMETIME

BETWEEN 11:30 AND 12:30 -- 10 TO

70 MINUTES AFTER SHE LEFT WORK.

>> HE BELIEVED THE VEHICLE'S

HEADLIGHTS WERE ON.

HE DID NOT SEE ANYONE INSIDE THE

VEHICLE OR ANYONE ELSE AROUND

THE VEHICLE.

>> ANOTHER WITNESSED TRAVELED

PAST BETWEEN MIDNIGHT AND 12:30

A.M. AND SPOTTED A TURN SIGNAL

BLINKING ON THE CAR.

THE LAST POSSIBLE SIGHTING CAME

IN THE EARLY MORNING HOURS, AT

AROUND 4:00 A.M., WHEN BRIANNA'S

EX-BOYFRIEND WAS DRIVING HOME

FROM A NIGHT OF PARTYING.

>> THIS PERSON THOUGHT IT MIGHT

BE HER VEHICLE.

DIDN'T KNOW FOR SURE -- DIDN'T

SEE ANYONE IN IT, DIDN'T SEE

ANYONE AROUND IT -- AND THEN

LEFT.

>> THE ACCOUNTS DON'T REVEAL

ANYTHING SUBSTANTIAL.

BUT INVESTIGATORS GET A HUGE

BOOST WHEN THEY HEAR FROM

WITNESSES WHO ACTUALLY

PHOTOGRAPHED THE SCENE.

THE MORNING AFTER BRIANNA

MAITLAND WAS LAST SEEN, TWO

MOTORISTS ON TWO SEPARATE

OCCASIONS FOUND THE SITE AT THE

DUTCHBURN HOUSE SO BIZARRE THAT

THEY STOPPED AND SNAPPED

NUMEROUS PICTURES.

SOME OF THE PHOTOS APPEAR HERE

FOR THE FIRST TIME PUBLICLY.

>> THESE TURNED OUT TO BE

EXTREMELY VALUABLE TO

INVESTIGATORS IN THAT THERE WERE

NO POLICE PHOTOGRAPHS.

SO THESE ARE ESSENTIALLY THE

ONLY PHOTOGRAPHS OF THAT VEHICLE

AS IT WAS FOUND BY WITNESSES.

>> ONE OF THE PHOTOGRAPHERS

TELLS POLICE ABOUT OBJECTS THE

PICTURES DON'T READILY SHOW.

>> THEY ACTUALLY OBSERVED SOME

ITEMS ON THE GROUND OUTSIDE THE

VEHICLE TO INCLUDE SOME LOOSE

CHANGE, A WATER BOTTLE AND A

NECKLACE OR BRACELET.

>> AUTHORITIES DIDN'T QUITE KNOW

WHAT TO MAKE OF THE NEW

INFORMATION.

BUT POLICE WOULD LATER

ACKNOWLEDGE THAT THE RESPONDING

TROOPER'S INITIAL ASSESSMENT,

THAT THIS WAS A D.U.I. ACCIDENT,

WASN'T CORRECT.

>> WE CERTAINLY SUSPECT THAT

SOMETHING BAD HAPPENED THAT

NIGHT, BUT WE DON'T KNOW WHY SHE

MAY HAVE GONE TO THIS LOCATION.

WE DON'T KNOW WHETHER BRIANNA

MET SOMEBODY, RAN INTO SOMEBODY,

OR IF SHE CAME IN CONTACT WITH A

COMPLETE STRANGER.

>> COMING UP, INVESTIGATORS GET

A DISTRESSING TIP.

>> THAT THESE DRUG DEALERS IN

THIS SHACK HAD BRIANNA.

>> GET MORE "DISAPPEARED" ONLINE

AT...

>> THREE WEEKS AFTER 17-YEAR-OLD

BRIANNA MAITLAND WENT MISSING,

HER FAMILY LAUNCHES ANOTHER

MASSIVE SEARCH FOR CLUES IN

RURAL NORTHWESTERN VERMONT.

NOBODY'S GIVEN UP HOPE OF

FINDING BRIANNA ALIVE, BUT

PICTURES OF HER ABANDONED CAR

MAKE MANY WONDER IF SOMEONE

WISHED BRIANNA HARM.

IT'S NOT THE FIRST TIME IN HER

LIFE POLICE HAVE INVESTIGATED

THIS POSSIBILITY.

ALMOST THREE WEEKS BEFORE

BRIANNA'S DISAPPEARANCE, SHE

ATTENDED A FRIDAY NIGHT PARTY

WITH FRIENDS FROM HER NEW

HIGH SCHOOL.

>> BRIANNA WAS PARTYING A LOT.

AND SHE WAS LOUD AND GOOFY -- AN

ATTENTION SEEKER.

YOU KNOW, SHE DID WANT ATTENTION

FROM BOYS.

SHE WANTED TO KNOW THAT SHE WAS

PRETTY.

AND EVEN IF IT WAS A NEGATIVE OR

POSITIVE ATTENTION THAT SHE GOT

FROM A MALE, IT WAS STILL

ATTENTION.

>> ON THIS NIGHT, BRIANNA GOT

THE WRONG KIND OF ATTENTION,

MAKING ONE OF HER GIRLFRIENDS

JEALOUS AND ANGRY.

SO BRIANNA LEFT.

>> BRIANNA HAD WENT OUT TO HER

BOYFRIEND'S TRUCK AND GOT IN THE

TRUCK AND WAS NO LONGER A PART

OF WHAT WAS GOING ON.

>> SHE WENT OUT TO WAIT FOR HIM

TO COME SO THEY COULD LEAVE.

>> BEFORE LONG, BRIANNA'S ANGRY

FRIEND, KEALLY LaCROSS, CAME OUT

TO THE TRUCK.

>> SHE KNOCKED ON THE WINDOW.

BRIANNA ROLLED DOWN THE WINDOW.

AND KEALLY APPARENTLY PUNCHED

HER IN THE FACE.

BRI ENDED UP WITH A BROKEN NOSE

AND A CONCUSSION.

HER FACIAL APPEARANCE WAS

TERRIBLE.

SHE LOOKED LIKE SHE HAD BEEN

BEATEN AND BEATEN.

>> AFTER BRIANNA WAS

HOSPITALIZED, SHAUNA TOOK HER TO

THE VERMONT STATE POLICE TO FILE

A FORMAL COMPLAINT.

>> I TOLD HER IT WOULD PROBABLY

BE A GOOD IDEA BECAUSE OF WHAT

HAD HAPPENED.

SHE DIDN'T WANT TO MAKE THE

SITUATION WORSE, BUT SHE WENT

WITH MY INSTINCTS AND FILED A

REPORT AGAINST KEALLY.

>> SINCE BRIANNA WAS TRAINED IN

SELF-DEFENSE, HER PARENTS ASKED

HER WHY SHE DIDN'T FIGHT BACK.

>> SHE SAID, "WELL, I DIDN'T

WANT ANYONE TO NOT LIKE ME,"

WHICH DID NOT MAKE SENSE TO ME.

[ SIGHS ]

>> IN THE WEEKS AFTER BRIANNA

VANISHED, KEALLY LaCROSS IS ONE

OF SEVEN PEOPLE SUBPOENAED TO

TESTIFY ABOUT THE DISAPPEARANCE.

SHAUNA, ALSO CALLED TO TESTIFY,

ASKS KEALLY ABOUT THE ASSAULT.

>> JUST HAD A SHORT

CONVERSATION, AND I HAD ASKED

KEALLY WHAT WAS GONNA BE GOING

ON WITH THE CHARGES.

AND SHE KIND OF SMUGLY REPLIED,

"WELL, NOTHING'S GONNA BE

HAPPENING BECAUSE BRI'S NOT

AROUND RIGHT NOW."

>> ON APRIL 9th, THREE WEEKS

AFTER BRIANNA VANISHED, THE

ASSAULT COMPLAINT AGAINST

KEALLY LaCROSS IS DROPPED.

THE MAITLANDS OBJECT, THOUGH

THEY KNOW THEIR DAUGHTER MAY

HAVE AGREED WITH THE OUTCOME.

>> SHE BELIEVED EVERYONE WAS

GOOD.

EVERYONE.

IT WAS JUST SOME PEOPLE JUST HAD

MORE PROBLEMS THAN OTHERS, BUT

YOU JUST TRIED TO UNDERSTAND AND

WORK IT OUT.

AND MAYBE THAT'S NAIVE, BUT SHE

WAS JUST GOOD-HEARTED LIKE THAT.

AND I THINK SOMEONE TOOK

ADVANTAGE OF IT.

>> KEALLY LaCROSS IS ALSO

CLEARED OF ANY INVOLVEMENT IN

BRIANNA'S DISAPPEARANCE.

AS THE SEARCH AND INVESTIGATION

CONTINUES INTO THE MIDDLE OF

APRIL, RUMORS BEGIN TO CIRCULATE

THAT BRIANNA'S DISAPPEARANCE WAS

RELATED TO ILLEGAL DRUG

ACTIVITY.

AT THE TIME, VERMONT HAD BECOME

A STATE FRAUGHT WITH NARCOTICS

TRAFFICKING AND ABUSE.

>> THERE WAS A CRACK EPIDEMIC

GOING ON IN THE AREA.

YOU KNOW, YOU'RE IN UPSTATE

VERMONT AND NOT A LOT FOR THE

YOUNG KIDS TO DO, AND

UNFORTUNATELY, DRUGS ARE A

PASTIME.

>> CERTAINLY, VERMONT'S NOT

IMMUNE TO THE DRUG PROBLEM.

THE MARKUP FOR DRUGS THAT ARE

TRANSPORTED INTO VERMONT -- THE

PRICES ON THE STREET LEVEL ARE

QUITE HIGH, SO THERE'S MONEY TO

BE MADE BY DEALERS.

>> IN THE WEEKS BEFORE BRIANNA

DISAPPEARED, A DRUG RING WAS

REPORTEDLY ACTIVE IN THE AREA.

RUMORS CIRCULATE THAT BRIANNA

MAY HAVE CROSSED PATHS WITH

KNOWN DEALERS AT A PARTY WHERE

HARD DRUGS WERE SAID TO BE ON

HAND.

BUT MANY DISCOUNT THE NOTION

THAT BRIANNA WAS ANYTHING MORE

THAN A CASUAL USER.

>> SHE WAS EXPERIMENTING WITH

SMOKING MARIJUANA.

SHE TOLD ME THAT SHE HAD TRIED

COCAINE A COUPLE TIMES AND ALSO

THAT SHE HAD SMOKED CRACK A

COUPLE TIMES.

IT WAS JUST HER SAYING, "I WAS

AT A PARTY LAST NIGHT, AND THIS

WAS AROUND, AND I TRIED IT."

AND I'D ASK HER, "WELL, IS THIS

SOMETHING YOU LIKE, ARE YOU

GONNA CONTINUE WITH ANYTHING

LIKE THIS?"

AND SHE SAID, "NO.

IT WAS JUST A RANDOM THING HERE

AND THERE."

>> I DON'T THINK THAT BRIANNA

HAD A DRUG PROBLEM.

I BELIEVE SHE WAS A RECREATIONAL

USER, BUT NOT A HEAVY USER.

SHE WAS 17 YEARS OLD, SHE WORKED

TWO JOBS, YOU KNOW, HAD GOTTEN

HER G.E.D.

IT JUST WASN'T SOMETHING THAT

SHE WAS INVOLVED IN.

ALTHOUGH SHE HAD CONTACT WITH

GUYS WHO WERE VERY MUCH INTO THE

DRUG CULTURE.

>> JUST HOW MUCH CONTACT BRIANNA

HAD WITH THIS CROWD IS A MATTER

OF CONJECTURE.

FAST FORWARD TO FOUR WEEKS AFTER

SHE DISAPPEARED AND BRIANNA'S

FAMILY GETS ANOTHER HAUNTING

PHONE CALL -- AN ANONYMOUS TIP

THAT BRIANNA IS BEING HELD

AGAINST HER WILL, WHICH LEADS

POLICE STRAIGHT TO THE DRUG RING

THAT THEY'VE BEEN HEARING SO

MUCH ABOUT.

ALMOST A MONTH INTO THEIR

INVESTIGATION, THE STATE POLICE

RAID THIS FARMHOUSE -- 11 MILES

FROM WHERE BRIANNA WAS LAST

SEEN.

>> THE TROOPERS SPOKE WITH TWO

OF THE OCCUPANTS THERE ABOUT

THE TIP THEY HAD RECEIVED THAT

BRIANNA WAS IN THE HOUSE.

THEY WERE TOLD THAT BRIANNA WAS

NOT IN THE HOUSE AND THE

TROOPERS WERE GIVEN PERMISSION

TO SEARCH, WHICH THEY DID.

>> BRIANNA ISN'T THERE.

BUT TROOPERS LATER FOUND SIX

GRAMS OF CRACK COCAINE,

MARIJUANA, AND DRUG-TRAFFICKING

ITEMS -- INCLUDING TWO HANDGUNS.

FOUR PEOPLE IN THE HOUSE WERE

QUESTIONED BY POLICE.

>> I WAS TOLD THAT INSIDE THE

HOME WAS RAMON RYANS,

NATHANIEL JACKSON,

STEPHANIE MACHIA, AND

TIMOTHY POWELL.

>> RAMON RYANS AND

STEPHANIE MACHIA WERE BOTH CITED

INTO COURT FOR POSSESSION OF

MARIJUANA AND CRACK COCAINE.

>> MACHIA MADE A DEAL WITH THE

STATE, PLED GUILTY, AND ENTERED

A DIVERSION PROGRAM.

RYANS PLED NOT GUILTY AND WAS

RELEASED PENDING TRIAL.

ACCORDING TO VERMONT STATE

POLICE, NATHANIEL LOWE JACKSON,

OF NEW YORK CITY, ADMITS TO

KNOWING BRIANNA.

BUT HE AND RAMON RYANS SAY THEY

HAVE NO IDEA WHERE SHE IS OR

WHAT HAPPENED TO HER.

>> MY UNDERSTANDING WAS THAT

RYANS AND JACKSON MAY HAVE BEEN

COUSINS.

THEY TRAVELED TO UPSTATE VERMONT

SPECIFICALLY TO SELL DRUGS, AND

IT SEEMED LIKE THE YOUNG GIRLS

IN THE AREA JUST LOVED THESE

GUYS.

THEY CAME INTO TOWN, AND THEY

WERE THOUGHT OF AS EXOTIC.

THEY DIDN'T HAVE JOBS.

THEY HAD MONEY.

THEY HAD THINGS.

YOU KNOW, IT WAS KIND OF THEY

WERE LIVING THE LIFE.

>> BRIANNA'S ROOMMATE, JILLIAN

STOUT TOLD POLICE THAT SHE WAS

INTRODUCED TO NATHANIEL JACKSON

WHEN BRIANNA BROUGHT HIM BY THE

HOUSE FIVE WEEKS BEFORE THE

DISAPPEARANCE.

JACKSON AND RYANS WERE

APPARENTLY SEEN WITH BRIANNA ON

OTHER OCCASIONS AS WELL.

>> SHE WAS SEEN AT THESE PARTIES

WITH RYANS, JACKSON.

I'VE SPOKE TO MANY PEOPLE WHO

HAVE TOLD ME THAT THEY CAN PUT

THEM TOGETHER, NOT JUST IN A

SETTING WHERE THERE'S OTHER

PEOPLE INVOLVED OR A PUBLIC

SETTING -- ONE-ON-ONE.

I KNOW THAT SHE KNEW THEM, AND

I KNOW THAT THEY KNEW HER AND

THEY'RE NOT ADMITTING IT.

>> THE SPECULATION ABOUT

BRIANNA'S CONNECTIONS TO PEOPLE

LINKED TO DRUG ACTIVITY

CONTINUES.

IN THE MIDDLE OF JUNE 2004,

ALMOST THREE MONTH AFTER BRIANNA

VANISHED, THE VERMONT STATE

POLICE ANNOUNCES IT HAS RULED

OUT ANY CONNECTION BETWEEN

BRIANNA AND THE DISAPPEARANCE OF

MAURA MURRAY, THE YOUNG WOMAN

WHO WENT MISSING IN

NEW HAMPSHIRE.

THEN THE LEAD DETECTIVE DROPS A

BOMBSHELL, SAYING BRIANNA OWED

SOMEONE MONEY FOR DRUGS WHEN SHE

WENT MISSING.

>> AND A LOCAL PAPER HAD STARTED

"TEENAGE GIRL HAD DRUG DEBT OR

SOMETHING," AND I DIDN'T BELIEVE

THAT.

I MEAN, IF YOU CAN PROVE IT,

YES.

IF YOU CAN'T PROVE IT, DON'T GO

THERE.

>> BRUCE AND KELLIE MAITLAND ARE

FURIOUS.

POLICE CAN OFFER NO PROOF OF THE

ASSERTION.

EVENTUALLY, THE NEWSPAPER

PUBLISHES A RETRACTION.

AND THE VERMONT STATE POLICE

APOLOGIZE TO THE MAITLANDS AND

PLEDGE TO WORK MORE CLOSELY WITH

THE FAMILY.

>> I DON'T PORTRAY MY DAUGHTER

AS AN ANGEL.

I THINK SHE'S AN AVERAGE

TEENAGER.

I THINK SHE WAS TRYING TO GET

HER LIFE ON TRACK.

I THINK SHE WENT TO A COUPLE

PARTIES.

BUT TO COME OUT WITH THIS IS

KIND OF LIKE A "BLAME THE

VICTIM," LIKE, WELL, "OH, SHE

HAD IT COMING, SHE DESERVED IT,"

OR WHATEVER.

AND THERE'S NOTHING FURTHER FROM

THE TRUTH.

>> COMING UP, TWO YEARS PASS

WITHOUT A HINT OF RESOLUTION.

THEN A DRAMATIC TURN AND

ASTONISHING VIDEO.

>> YOU WANT TO SEE WHAT YOU WANT

TO SEE, AND THERE WAS A CRACK OF

HOPE.

>> NEARLY TWO YEARS AFTER SHE

DISAPPEARED, BRIANNA MAITLAND IS

ABOUT TO MATERIALIZE 500 MILES

AWAY FROM HER FAMILY AND FRIENDS

IN VERMONT.

OR SO IT WOULD SEEM.

IT'S A TYPICAL NIGHT AT

CAESARS PALACE IN ATLANTIC CITY.

GAMBLERS ARE PLAYING THE SLOTS

AND ROLLING THE DICE.

BUT AT THIS POKER TABLE AN

OUT-OF-TOWNER FROM VERMONT SPOTS

THIS WOMAN.

SHE LOOKS REMARKABLY LIKE

BRIANNA MAITLAND.

HER MOTHER, KELLIE, IS STUNNED

TO SEE THE FOOTAGE.

>> IT WAS VERY GRAINY, IT WAS

FROM AN ODD ANGLE, AND I HADN'T

SEEN MY DAUGHTER FOR YEARS.

AND I DIDN'T KNOW.

SOME OF THE MOTIONS WERE SIMILAR

TO MOTIONS THAT BRIANNA USED.

AND SHE HAD LONGER DARK HAIR

LIKE BRIANNA, AND SHE LOOKED

SLIM LIKE BRIANNA.

>> VERMONT AND NEW JERSEY STATE

POLICE ATTEMPT TO FIND THE WOMAN

AND HER MALE COMPANION.

>> PROBABLY THE MOST PROMISING

SIGHTING WE HAD WAS DOWN HERE IN

ATLANTIC CITY.

AND THAT WAS ON...

>> BUT THEY HAVE NO LUCK.

INVESTIGATORS AND THE MAITLANDS

ARE LEFT TO DECIDE IF THIS IS

BRIANNA BASED SOLELY ON THE

VIDEO.

>> I WAS INDECISIVE.

EVERY TIME IT WAS A "IT COULD

BE, BUT IT MIGHT NOT BE, AND I

WANT IT TO BE, BUT YET, I WANT

TO BE SURE."

AND A MEDIA AGENCY DID CLEAN UP

THAT TAPE AND GET BETTER

RESOLUTION.

AND THEY CAUGHT IT, AND I

LOOKED, AND I SAW IT WASN'T HER.

AND [SIGHS] THEN I WAS BACK

WHERE I STARTED.

>> IT'S A HUGE LETDOWN, BUT THE

HOPE THAT BRIANNA IS OUT THERE,

STILL ALIVE, KEEPS KELLIE ON THE

LOOKOUT.

>> WELL, YOU'RE ALWAYS LOOKING.

IF SOMEONE MATCHES CLOSE ENOUGH

HOW SHE LOOKS, I TRACK THEM

DOWN TO MAKE SURE.

>> BUT EVEN IF BRIANNA IS STILL

ALIVE, HER FRIENDS WORRY THAT

SHE WON'T BE IN THE SAFEST OF

CIRCUMSTANCES.

>> IF SHE WAS STILL ALIVE, MY

AUTOMATIC THOUGHTS GO BACK TO

THE POSSIBILITY OF A DRUG RING.

MAYBE SHE HAD TO WORK IN SOME

KIND OF SEX-SLAVE RING TO PAY

OFF DEBT.

>> DRUGS AND ADDICTION ARE OFTEN

USED TO COERCE WOMAN INTO SEXUAL

SLAVERY.

ACCORDING TO A

UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA

STUDY, SEX TRAFFICKING HAS

BECOME A SCOURGE THROUGHOUT THE

U.S., WITH AN ESTIMATED 100,000

TO 300,000 CHILDREN UNDER THE

AGE OF 18 AT RISK OF BEING

EXPLOITED.

BUT WAS THIS BRIANNA'S FATE?

>> I DON'T KNOW.

BRIANNA IS BEAUTIFUL.

BRIANNA IS VERY ATTRACTIVE.

AND I THINK THAT THAT MIGHT BE

THE TYPE OF PERSON THAT THEY

WOULD HAVE LOOKED FOR.

BUT SHE'D FIGHT BACK AND RUN.

SHE WOULD DO WHAT SHE HAD BEEN

TRAINED TO DO.

THE ONLY THING, IF THERE WAS

MORE THAN ONE ASSAILANT OR IF

THEY HAD WEAPONS, THEY WOULD

HAVE THE EDGE.

>> WHETHER OR NOT SEX

TRAFFICKING WAS INVOLVED, THE

VERMONT STATE POLICE STILL

STRUGGLE TO PIECE TOGETHER WHAT

HAPPENED THAT NIGHT AT THE OLD

ABANDONED FARMHOUSE.

>> WE CERTAINLY, AT THIS POINT,

SUSPECT FOUL PLAY IN THIS CASE.

WE OBVIOUSLY ARE LOOKING AT

EVERYTHING.

WE FOLLOW EVERY LEAD.

>> IF INVESTIGATORS HAVE ANY

EVIDENCE TO WORK WITH, THEY

AREN'T SAYING, PARTICULARLY WHEN

IT COMES TO WHAT MIGHT HAVE BEEN

FOUND IN BRIANNA'S VEHICLE.

>> WE DO HAVE PHYSICAL EVIDENCE

THAT WAS TAKEN OUT OF THE

VEHICLE.

BUT BECAUSE THIS IS AN ACTIVE

INVESTIGATION, WE ARE NOT

PREPARED TO COMMENT ON EXACTLY

WHAT PHYSICAL EVIDENCE THAT WE

HAVE.

>> POLICE CONTINUE TO WORK THE

ANGLE THAT BRIANNA HAD A

CONNECTION TO THOSE ARRESTED IN

THAT DRUG-HOUSE RAID.

OVER A YEAR AFTER BEING CHARGED

WITH POSSESSION, POLICE QUESTION

RAMON RYANS ABOUT BRIANNA'S

DISAPPEARANCE.

HIS INFORMATION DOESN'T HELP.

BUT IN EXCHANGE FOR HIS

COOPERATION, HIS DRUG CHARGE

GETS KNOCKED DOWN TO A

MISDEMEANOR.

HE'S RELEASED FOR TIME SERVED

AND REPORTEDLY LEAVES VERMONT.

THEN, IN 2007, RYANS' NAME COMES

UP AGAIN, LEAVING THE MAITLANDS'

PRIVATE INVESTIGATOR WONDERING

IF RYANS KNOWS MORE THAN HE'S

SAYING.

ALMOST THREE YEARS AFTER BRIANNA

DISAPPEARED, A VERMONT NEWSPAPER

PUBLISHES A SHOCKING REPORT.

A POLICE OFFICER GAVE A SWORN

STATEMENT THAT A LOCAL WOMAN

TOLD HIM BRIANNA MAITLAND WAS

MURDERED AND DISMEMBERED BY,

AMONG OTHERS, RAMON RYANS.

>> AND THE STORY PERTAINED TO

BRIANNA.

AND IT WAS EXTREMELY GRUESOME.

IT TALKED ABOUT THE DISPOSAL OF

HER BODY AND THINGS LIKE THAT.

IT'S ODD, IF YOU READ THE

STATEMENT, YOU WOULD WONDER HOW

SOMEONE CAN CONCOCT SUCH A STORY

THAT SOUNDS LIKE SOMETHING THAT

STEPHEN KING WOULD BE PROUD OF.

>> WE WERE NEVER ABLE TO

SUBSTANTIATE ANY OF THAT

INFORMATION OR CORROBORATE THAT

THESE INDIVIDUALS WERE INVOLVED

IN BRIANNA'S DISAPPEARANCE.

>> THE PERSON WHO GAVE THE

STATEMENT WAS NOT EXACTLY

TRUSTWORTHY.

>> OVERACKER HAS INDEPENDENTLY

INVESTIGATED MANY OF THE RUMORS

THAT IMPLICATE INDIVIDUALS

ALLEGEDLY INVOLVED WITH DRUGS IN

BRIANNA'S DISAPPEARANCE.

>> I'VE DONE SOME INTERVIEWS

WITH FRIENDS OF THESE GUYS --

JACKSON, RYANS.

IT'S ODD THAT THE MORE PEOPLE

YOU INTERVIEW, THE MORE THOSE

NAMES ALWAYS COME UP.

AND, YOU KNOW, THE STORIES ARE

PERSISTENT, BUT WE HAVEN'T

GOTTEN TO THE POINT WHERE WE CAN

DIFFERENTIATE WHETHER IT'S RUMOR

OR IF IT'S THE TRUTH.

THE FACT OF THE MATTER IS, WE

DON'T KNOW WHAT HAPPENED.

>> NATHANIEL JACKSON AND RYANS

HAVE NEVER BEEN CHARGED IN

CONNECTION TO BRIANNA MAITLAND'S

DISAPPEARANCE.

BUT RECENT CHATTER LEADS

OVERACKER TO BELIEVE THAT THE

TRUTH ABOUT BRIANNA MIGHT BE

CLOSE AT HAND.

>> PEOPLE TOLD US THAT SHE WAS

CONTACTED AND ASKED TO SHOW UP

AT THE HOME VOLUNTARILY TO MEET

SOMEONE THERE.

>> PRIVATE INVESTIGATOR

OVERACKER DOESN'T KNOW EXACTLY

WHAT HAPPENED AT THE MEETING

PLACE, BUT HE HAS A THEORY.

>> WE KNOW THAT THE CAR WAS

SPOTTED WITH THE LIGHTS ON,

WHICH SEEMS TO MAKE YOU THINK

THAT SHE WAS TAKEN FROM THE

VEHICLE QUICKLY.

SHE SHOWED UP, THERE WAS A

CONFRONTATION, AND DURING THAT

CONFRONTATION, SHE ATTEMPTED TO

EXIT.

AND WHEN SHE ATTEMPTED TO, SHE

DROVE INTO THE BUILDING, AND

THEY EXTRACTED HER FROM THE

VEHICLE.

AND THEY HUSTLED HER AWAY FROM

THERE.

>> BUT WHAT WAS THE LIKELY

MOTIVE?

OVERACKER LEAVES IT WAS

SIMPLE -- MEN WANTING CONTROL

OVER BRIANNA.

>> BRIANNA WAS KNOWN AS BEING

EXTREMELY CHARISMATIC, EXTREMELY

BEAUTIFUL.

SHE MAY HAVE BEEN ABDUCTED

BECAUSE SHE'S A BEAUTIFUL YOUNG

WOMAN, WHICH HAPPENS ALL THE

TIME.

IT HAPPENS EVERY DAY.

SOMETIMES THAT'S CAUSE ENOUGH.

THERE DOESN'T HAVE TO BE SOME

OTHER HIGHER REASON THAT

EVERYBODY TRIES TO THINK OF --

THAT, YOU KNOW, SHE WAS IN DEBT

OR SHE WAS DOING DRUGS.

>> STILL, BRIANNA'S MOTHER,

KELLIE, KEEPS ANY AND ALL

POSSIBILITIES ON THE TABLE.

>> WE HAVEN'T HAD OUR PROOF.

WE HAVEN'T HAD A FIND.

I MEAN, YES, THERE ARE PEOPLE

THAT DO BREAK THE LAW.

BUT DOES THAT NECESSARILY MEAN

THAT THEY ARE THE SUSPECT HERE?

IT COULD VERY WELL BE SOMEONE

THAT WE DON'T EVEN KNOW, SOMEONE

FROM THE COMMUNITY THAT HAD HAD

AN EYE ON HER.

THERE ARE SO MANY OPTIONS OUT

THERE.

>> THIS CASE IS EXTREMELY

FRUSTRATING.

BUT I CAN'T FATHOM, AS A PARENT,

WHAT BRUCE AND KELLIE MAITLAND

GO THROUGH ON A DAILY BASIS AND

HAVE GONE THROUGH FOR SEVEN

YEARS NOW.

I'M PERSONALLY IN CONTACT WITH

THEM.

WE ARE DEFINITELY COMMITTED TO

CONTINUING THIS INVESTIGATION.

WE WANT TO PROVIDE THEM WITH

CLOSURE.

>> IN ORDER FOR THIS TO COME TO

A RESOLUTION, SOMEONE'S GOT TO

COME FORWARD.

>> THE MAITLANDS CONTINUE TO

OFFER A $20,000 REWARD FOR

ANYONE WITH INFORMATION ON

BRIANNA'S LOCATION WHICH LEADS

TO AN ARREST.

STILL, KELLIE AND BRUCE REALIZE

THAT THEY MAY NEVER KNOW THE

TRUTH.

BUT FOR AS LONG AS THEY LIVE,

THEY WON'T GIVE UP LOOKING FOR

THEIR DAUGHTER.

>> I STILL HAVE MAINTAINED

FAITH THROUGH THE WHOLE THING.

AND LIKE BRIANNA, I BELIEVE

JUSTICE.

I BELIEVE IF I DON'T SEE IT

HERE, I'M GONNA SEE IT IN THE

HEREAFTER.

IF I CAN'T HAVE HER HERE, I HOPE

TO SEE HER IN THE HEREAFTER.

AND THAT'S WHERE I'M AT AND WHAT

I LOOK TO, AND WHAT I CAN DO FOR

NOW IS JUST HANG ON TO FAITH.