Original subtitles

>> Narrator: COLLEEN ORSBORN

DISAPPEARED ON THURSDAY,

MARCH 15, 1984.

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.

COLLEEN ORSBORN'S LAST KNOWN

WHEREABOUTS MAY HOLD THE CLUES

TO WHAT HAPPENED TO HER.

A STRUGGLING SINGLE MOTHER

DISCOVERS HER REBELLIOUS

DAUGHTER HAS SKIPPED SCHOOL YET

AGAIN.

>> SHE WAS UPSET.

COLLEEN WOULD ACT OUT A LOT.

>> MY MOM AND HER WOULD GET

INTO LITTLE TUSSLES.

>> Narrator: BUT WHEN THE

15-YEAR-OLD VANISHES INTO THE

CROWDS OF DAYTONA BEACH SPRING

BREAK, ANGER TURNS TO PANIC.

>> SHE'S 5 FOOT TALL, BLOND

HAIR, IN A BATHING SUIT.

THERE WAS A COUPLE OF THEM.

>> WE JUST HAD NO WITNESSES.

SHE JUST DISAPPEARED.

>> Narrator: A LINK TO A

NOTORIOUS SERIAL KILLER HAS

INVESTIGATORS ON EDGE.

>> FROM WHAT I UNDERSTAND, HE

LIKED YOUNGER GIRLS THAT HAD A

NICE FIGURE.

>> Narrator: BUT THEN A CRYPTIC

LETTER CAUSES POLICE TO QUESTION

THEIR LINE OF THINKING.

>> ANYTHING'S POSSIBLE.

>> IT'S...

THE WORST POSSIBLE THING A

PERSON COULD DO.

>> Narrator: WILL THIS BE THE

END TO 17-YEAR-OLD MYSTERY?

>> SOMEBODY DROPPED THE BALL BIG

TIME.

I'M NOT GONNA FORGIVE PEOPLE FOR

THAT.

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

>> Narrator: IT'S MID-MARCH

1984 IN SUNNY DAYTONA BEACH,

FLORIDA.

[ ENGINE REVS ]

THE HUM OF 100 HARLEYS FILLS THE

OCEAN AIR AS ANNUAL BIKE WEEK

DRAWS TO A CLOSE.

>> YOU HAD THE RACERS COMING IN,

FOLLOWED IMMEDIATELY BY THE

BIKERS, AND THEN RIGHT INTO

SPRING BREAK, SO IT WAS JUST ONE

PARTY TO THE NEXT TO THE NEXT,

WHICH KEPT IT VERY LIVELY.

>> Narrator: 15-YEAR-OLD

COLLEEN ORSBORN AND HER TEENAGE

FRIENDS ARE HAVING THE TIME OF

THEIR LIVES.

>> ONCE THE WEATHER STARTED

GETTING WARM, IT WAS GOING DOWN

TO THE BEACH AND WATCHING THE

CARS GO BY AND SEE WHAT PEOPLE

WE COULD MEET AND WHAT PEOPLE

THAT WE KNEW THAT WOULD BE DOWN

THERE.

COLLEEN WAS ALWAYS VERY SOCIAL.

>> 1984, THE HEIGHT OF SPRING

BREAK, A LOT OF PEOPLE IN TOWN.

HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE

COME INTO DAYTONA BEACH.

>> THIS YEAR WAS DEFINITELY THE

COMING OF AGE FOR US.

IT WAS TRYING TO STRETCH OUR

WINGS AND FEEL MORE INDEPENDENT

AND ACT OLDER THAN WE REALLY

WERE.

>> Narrator: WITH COLLEEN AND

HER MOTHER'S RECENT MOVE TO A

BEACH-SIDE APARTMENT ON

BUTLER BOULEVARD, THE

ADVENTUROUS TEENAGE GIRL IS NOW

LIVING JUST BLOCKS FROM THE

HEART OF THE ACTION.

>> SHE WAS LOOKING FORWARD TO

MOVING TO THE NEW APARTMENT

BECAUSE IT WAS CLOSER TO THE

BEACH.

NOW SHE DIDN'T HAVE TO TAKE A

BUS TO GET OVER TO THE BEACH

SIDE OR RELY ON RIDES FROM HER

FRIENDS AND FAMILY.

>> IT WAS DAYTONA BEACH, THE

PLACE TO BE.

THE BEACH WAS RIGHT THERE.

GO TO SCHOOL, COME HOME, THERE'S

THE BEACH.

IT WAS A KID'S -- A YOUNG GIRL'S

DREAM.

>> Narrator: IN MARCH, THERE IS

PLENTY GOING ON FOR A YOUNG GIRL

LIKE COLLEEN TO BE EXCITED

ABOUT.

>> THE BANDSHELL, WHICH IS A

LITTLE LOCAL VENUE, WAS HAVING

ALL KIND OF FREE CONCERTS.

NATIONAL-KNOWN GROUPS WERE GOING

TO BE HERE.

>> THERE WERE A LOT OF STUDENTS

THAT WERE SKIPPING SCHOOL TO GO

TO THE FREE CONCERTS.

>> Narrator: MUSIC IS A HUGE

PART OF COLLEEN'S LIFE.

SHE'S DETERMINED TO SEE AS MANY

SHOWS THIS SPRING BREAK AS SHE

CAN.

>> SHE LIKED MUSIC A LOT.

SHE WAS VERY MUCH INTO ALL THE

DIFFERENT GROUPS AT THAT TIME.

>> Narrator: COLLEEN CAREFULLY

MARKS THE CONCERT DATES IN HER

CALENDAR, SO SHE IS SURE NOT TO

MISS A BEAT.

IT IS SHAPING UP TO BE A PERFECT

SPRING DAY IN DAYTONA BEACH.

AS FRANCES ORSBORN SCRAMBLES TO

GET READY FOR HER NEW PART-TIME

JOB, HER DAUGHTER COLLEEN LIES

IN BED, MOTIONLESS.

HER MOTHER TELLS HER STERNLY

THAT IT'S HER RESPONSIBILITY TO

GET OUT OF BED.

>> MY MOM HAD TRIED TO WAKE HER

AND SAID, "YOU'VE MISSED THE

SCHOOL BUS, BUT, YOU KNOW, TAKE

PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION," AND LEFT

HER SOME MONEY FOR THE REGULAR

BUS.

>> Narrator: SINCE COLLEEN'S

MOTHER, FRANCES, HAD BEEN OUT OF

WORK FOR SOME TIME DUE TO AN

ILLNESS, KEEPING THIS JOB IS

IMPORTANT TO HER, AND THERE'S NO

WAY SHE CAN CHANCE ARRIVING

LATE.

>> SHE'D JUST GOTTEN OUT OF THE

HOSPITAL, SO SHE WAS HOPING THAT

THIS WOULD BE, YOU KNOW, A NEW

START FOR THEM, THAT SHE WOULD

HAVE THIS JOB THAT WOULD MAKE IT

EASIER FOR THEM.

>> Narrator: FRANCES LEAVES THE

APARTMENT FOR WORK, HOPING THAT

HER DAUGHTER WILL DO THE RIGHT

THING.

LATER THAT DAY, COLLEEN'S MOTHER

RETURNS HOME FROM WORK.

TO HER DISMAY, SHE FINDS THE BUS

MONEY STILL SITTING ON THE

KITCHEN COUNTER.

FRANCES JOTS DOWN THE EVENTS

FROM THAT MORNING IN HER

JOURNAL, A RECORD OF COLLEEN'S

LATEST ATTEMPT TO ASSERT HER

INDEPENDENCE.

SHE IS LIVID, KNOWING THAT IT

HASN'T EVEN BEEN 24 HOURS SINCE

SHE AND COLLEEN WERE AT ODDS

OVER HER DAUGHTER'S TRUANCIES.

>> COLLEEN SAID THAT SHE WAS

GONNA GO TO A CONCERT AT THE

BANDSHELL ON THE 14th, AND HER

MOTHER TOLD HER SHE COULDN'T GO,

AND SHE WENT ANYHOW.

>> Narrator: APPARENTLY, THEIR

RESULTING ARGUMENT ABOUT THE

IMPORTANCE OF SCHOOL FROM THE

NIGHT BEFORE HAS HAD LITTLE

IMPACT ON HER YOUNGEST DAUGHTER.

>> HER THING WAS THAT YOU NEEDED

TO GET YOUR EDUCATION.

YOU DON'T NOT GO TO SCHOOL.

THERE'S NO EXCUSE FOR IT.

>> Narrator: BUT THE MOVE TO

BEACH SIDE, ALONG WITH HER

MOTHER'S DIFFICULT FINANCIAL

SITUATION, HAD JUST FORCED

COLLEEN TO CHANGE SCHOOLS FOR

THE THIRD TIME IN TWO YEARS.

ALTHOUGH SHE IS EXTREMELY BRIGHT

AND WELL LIKED BY BOTH TEACHERS

AND PEERS, COLLEEN IS NOT HAPPY

WITH HER LATEST JUNIOR HIGH.

>> IT'S MORE OF A CITY SCHOOL.

IT'S LOWER INCOME.

IT'S A TOUGHER SCHOOL.

>> Narrator: BEFORE

TRANSFERRING, COLLEEN HAD BEEN

ENROLLED IN A SMALL PAROCHIAL

SCHOOL WHERE SHE HAD MADE MANY

GOOD FRIENDS OVER THE COURSE OF

A FEW MONTHS.

>> I THINK WE WERE FRIENDS FROM

THE FIRST DAY.

SHE WAS VERY STRONG WILLED, VERY

DETERMINED.

AND TO ME, SOCIALLY, SHE SEEMED

TO BE MORE OF A NATURAL LEADER.

>> Narrator: JUST AS COLLEEN

STARTED TO CARVE OUT A ROLE FOR

HERSELF AT THAT SCHOOL, HER

MOTHER BECAME ILL AND WAS UNABLE

TO COVER THE COSTS OF TUITION,

CAUSING HER DAUGHTER TO LEAVE

HER NEWFOUND FRIENDS BEHIND.

>> I REMEMBER SHE WAS UPSET THAT

SHE HAD TO LEAVE.

AND ALL I HEARD FROM CHRISTMAS

ON WAS HOW MUCH SHE DID NOT LIKE

HER NEW SCHOOL AND WANTED TO

COME BACK.

>> Narrator: AS COLLEEN'S MOTHER

SITS IN AN EMPTY APARTMENT WITH

NO SIGN OF HER DAUGHTER, SHE

WONDERS IF PERHAPS COLLEEN IS

ACTING OUT ON PURPOSE, AND IF

SHE IS, THE MESSAGE READS LOUD

AND CLEAR.

FRANCES CALLS OTHER FAMILY

MEMBERS TO SEE IF THEY'VE HEARD

FROM HER BABY.

SINCE THEY LIVE NEARBY, IT IS

COMMON FOR COLLEEN TO RUN TO

THEIR HOUSES WHEN SHE AND HER

MOTHER ARE NOT SEEING EYE TO

EYE.

>> LATER ON THAT DAY, MY MOM HAD

CALLED ME AND SAID HAD I HEARD

FROM COLL.

IT WAS COMMON FOR HER TO

SOMETIMES TAKE THE BUS UP TO MY

WORK OR CALL ME.

>> Narrator: COLLEEN'S SISTER,

MARGARET, TELLS THEIR MOTHER

THAT SHE HAS NOT HEARD FROM

COLLEEN ALL DAY.

IN FACT, NOBODY IN THE FAMILY

HAS HEARD FROM HER.

ALTHOUGH COLLEEN COULD BE

DEFIANT, IN THE PAST SHE ALWAYS

LEFT A NOTE OR LET SOMEONE KNOW

WHERE SHE WAS GOING.

>> IT'S NOT LIKE COLLEEN NOT TO

CALL AND NOT TO CHECK IN.

SO MY MOM WAS VERY WORRIED VERY

EARLY.

>> Narrator: COMING UP...

A FAMILY'S CONCERN INTENSIFIES

WHEN THEY NOTICE SOME THINGS NO

TEENAGER WOULD LEAVE BEHIND.

>> WHEREVER SHE WAS GOING, SHE

WASN'T PLANNING ON GOING FAR.

>> Narrator: AT THE HEIGHT OF

SPRING BREAK 1984, 15-YEAR-OLD

COLLEEN ORSBORN IS TESTING

BOUNDARIES WITH HER MOTHER.

SINCE THE TWO LIVE ONLY BLOCKS

FROM ALL THE MAIN EVENTS,

COLLEEN HAS SKIPPED SCHOOL ON

OCCASION TO GO TO BEACH-SIDE

CONCERTS.

THEN, ON THURSDAY, MARCH 15th,

COLLEEN'S MOTHER COMES HOME FROM

WORK TO AN UNUSUALLY QUIET

APARTMENT.

WITH NO NOTE SAYING WHERE

COLLEEN HAS GONE, HER MOTHER

BEGINS TO WORRY.

SHE DECIDES TO POKE AROUND HER

DAUGHTER'S BEDROOM.

>> THERE WAS AN INDICATION AT MY

MOM'S APARTMENT THAT SHE HAD

TAKEN JUST BEACH ITEMS.

THERE WERE BEACH SHOES,

FLIP-FLOPS, AND A SWIMSUIT THAT

HAD PREVIOUSLY BEEN THERE -- WE

THOUGHT MIGHT BE WHAT SHE WAS

WEARING.

>> Narrator: AS FRANCES DIGS

DEEPER, SHE NOTICES THAT HER

DAUGHTER NOT ONLY LEFT HER SET

OF KEYS TO THE APARTMENT ON TOP

OF THE DRESSER, BUT HER CHANGE

PURSE, AS WELL.

>> SHE HAD LEFT OTHER MONEY THAT

SHE HAD GOTTEN FOR HER BIRTHDAY,

SO WHEREVER SHE WAS GOING, SHE

WASN'T PLANNING ON GOING FAR.

>> Narrator: COLLEEN'S MOTHER

FINDS THE CALENDAR THAT HER

DAUGHTER'S BEEN USING TO RECORD

ALL UPCOMING EVENTS.

WHAT SHE FINDS MAKES PERFECT

SENSE.

>> THERE WAS A CONCERT AT THE

BANDSHELL THAT DAY, SO THERE WAS

AN ASSUMPTION THAT SHE JUST WENT

TO THE CONCERT AND JUST DIDN'T

COME HOME.

>> Narrator: ALTHOUGH WORRIED,

FRANCES HOPES COLLEEN IS JUST

BEING A REBELLIOUS TEEN, AND

WILL COME HOME ONCE THE

SPRING-BREAK FESTIVITIES END FOR

THE DAY.

BUT AS THE HOURS PASS AND THE

SUN SETS WITHOUT ANY SIGN OF HER

DEFIANT TEENAGE DAUGHTER, THE

SILENCE BECOMES DEAFENING.

WHEN MORNING COMES AND STILL NO

WORD FROM COLLEEN, HER OLDER

SISTER MARGARET COMES TO THE

APARTMENT TO HELP HER MOTHER

TRACK HER DOWN.

A QUICK GLANCE AT HER SISTER'S

THINGS AND SHE KNOWS COLLEEN WAS

NOT PLANNING ON BEING GONE LONG.

>> IN THE '80s, GIRLS WILL NOT

BE SEEN WITHOUT THEIR MAKEUP.

YOU KNOW, MAKEUP AND HAIR DONE

IS VERY IMPORTANT, AND THAT WAS

THERE.

THE MAKEUP WAS STILL THERE.

>> Narrator: BUT ANOTHER DAY

PASSES AND COLLEEN NEVER COMES

HOME TO COLLECT HER THINGS.

COLLEEN'S MOTHER AND SISTER

BEGIN MAKING DESPERATE CALLS TO

COLLEEN'S FRIENDS OFF A PHONE

LIST THEY FIND TAPED TO HER

BEDROOM WALL.

>> THAT EVENING, CALLED AS MANY

OF THE FRIENDS AS WE COULD GET

IN TOUCH WITH, DROVE TO THE

BEACH, DROVE OVER TO THE

BANDSHELL, UP AND DOWN THE

BEACH, AROUND THE AREA.

NOBODY HAD SEEN HER.

NOBODY HAD HEARD FROM HER.

>> Narrator: THEY CAN'T GET ANY

CONFIRMATION THAT COLLEEN EVER

MADE IT TO SCHOOL OR EVEN THAT

SHE SKIPPED SCHOOL TO HANG OUT

WITH FRIENDS.

AS FAR AS THEY CAN TELL,

COLLEEN'S MOTHER IS THE LAST

PERSON TO HAVE SEEN COLLEEN.

>> BOTH OF US WERE MAD.

WHY IS SHE BEING INCONSIDERATE,

YOU KNOW, BEING A TEENAGER?

SOMEBODY'S LOOKING FOR YOU.

HOW DO YOU NOT KNOW SOMEBODY'S

LOOKING FOR YOU?

WE CONTACTED THE POLICE THAT

NIGHT, AND THEY TOLD US WE HAD

TO WAIT 48 HOURS.

>> Narrator: THE ORSBORN FAMILY

IS ASKED TO SIT TIGHT.

POLICE THINK COLLEEN WILL LIKELY

COME HOME BEFORE THE 48 HOURS

ARE UP.

BUT TO THE FAMILY, THAT IS NOT

AN OPTION.

THEY NEED TO BEGIN LOOKING FOR

COLLEEN IMMEDIATELY.

>> WE MADE UP A FLYER RIGHT WAY,

JUST KIND OF PUT IT TOGETHER,

TAPED HER SCHOOL PICTURE, AND

HANDWROTE "MISSING" AND HER

INFORMATION AND PUT THEM AROUND

THE CITY, AROUND BEACH SIDE.

>> AT THIS POINT, YOUNG PEOPLE

ARE FLOODING INTO DAYTONA BEACH

FOR SPRING BREAK.

THERE ARE MANY YOUNG WOMEN WHO

COULD EASILY FIT COLLEEN'S

DESCRIPTION, MAKING THE SEARCH

FOR HER VERY DIFFICULT.

>> SHE'S A 5-FOOT-TALL GIRL IN A

BATHING SUIT, YOU KNOW, BLOND

HAIR.

THERE WAS A COUPLE OF THEM.

>> Narrator: FOUR DAYS AFTER

COLLEEN ORSBORN IS LAST SEEN IN

HER BUTLER BOULEVARD APARTMENT,

HER MOTHER, FRANCES, FILES A

MISSING-PERSONS REPORT WITH THE

DAYTONA BEACH POLICE.

SINCE SHE TELLS THE OFFICER

TAKING THE REPORT THAT COLLEEN

HAS RUN AWAY IN THE PAST AND

THAT THEY DID HAVE AN ARGUMENT

PRIOR TO HER DAUGHTER'S

DISAPPEARANCE, POLICE INITIALLY

TREAT COLLEEN'S CASE AS A

JUVENILE RUNAWAY.

FRANCES ORSBORN IMMEDIATELY

BLAMES HERSELF FOR HER

DAUGHTER'S ABSENCE.

>> SHE KNEW COLLEEN WAS HAVING A

HARD TIME.

I THINK THAT EVENING, MY MOM

JUST FELT LIKE MAYBE SHE COULD

HAVE DONE SOMETHING, SAID

SOMETHING DIFFERENT TO HER.

>> Narrator: FOR THE PREVIOUS

THREE YEARS, COLLEEN HAS BEEN

SUBJECTED TO DIFFICULT TIMES ON

THE HOME FRONT.

WHEN COLLEEN WAS JUST 12 YEARS

OLD, LIVING IN DARBY,

PENNSYLVANIA, HER MOTHER AND

FATHER'S ALREADY FAILING

RELATIONSHIP TOOK A TURN FOR THE

WORSE.

AS THE BABY OF THE FAMILY AND

THE ONLY SIBLING OUT OF SIX

STILL LIVING AT HOME, COLLEEN

WAS OFTEN WITNESS TO HER

PARENTS' INCREASINGLY VOLATILE

MARRIAGE.

>> COLLEEN KIND OF GOT CAUGHT

IN THE CROSSFIRE, WHICH I KNOW

CAUSED A LOT OF ANGER.

>> Narrator: AFTER 25 YEARS OF

MARRIAGE, FRANCES ORSBORN

DECIDED IT WAS NECESSARY FOR HER

AND HER YOUNGEST DAUGHTER,

COLLEEN, TO LEAVE THE FAMILY

HOME BEHIND.

>> COLLEEN NEEDED SOMETHING THAT

WAS NORMAL AND SAFE, AND THAT'S

WHAT SHE GOT HERE IN FLORIDA.

MY GRANDPARENTS AND MY MOM MADE

IT SAFE FOR HER.

>> Narrator: BUT WITH LITTLE

FINANCIAL HELP FROM HER FATHER,

AND HER MOTHER'S FRAGILE HEALTH,

DAILY LIFE WAS OFTEN STRESSFUL

FOR THE MATURING TEEN.

>> COLLEEN WOULD ACT OUT A LOT,

BUT THEN AGAIN, BEING 14 AND 15

YEARS OLD, IT'S SOMETHING THAT'S

ALSO A PART OF -- OF THAT AGE,

WHERE YOU ARE ACTING OUT,

WHETHER YOU HAVE A REASON TO OR

NOT.

>> Narrator: AS FRANCES WAITS

FOR HER DAUGHTER TO COME HOME,

SHE WONDERS IF THE PRESSURE HAS

BECOME TOO MUCH FOR COLLEEN TO

HANDLE.

COULD COLLEEN HAVE LEFT HOME

INTENTIONALLY IN SEARCH OF AN

EASIER LIFE?

IF SO, DAYTONA BEACH IS THE

PERFECT PLACE TO DO SO.

>> WE HAD A LOT OF RUNAWAY YOUNG

PEOPLE.

YOU'D HAVE PEOPLE FROM

MASSACHUSETTS AND MAINE AND

NEW YORK THAT WERE 12 TO 14

YEARS OLD, YOU KNOW, WHERE

ARGUMENTS WITH MOM AND DAD --

THEY COME DOWN ON OUR BEACH

SIDE, AND THEY'D TRY TO WORK OUT

A LIVING.

>> Narrator: THE DAY AFTER THE

MISSING-PERSONS REPORT IS FILED

WITH THE POLICE, AN INVESTIGATOR

IS ASSIGNED TO WHAT SEEMS TO BE

A SIMPLE CASE OF A TEENAGE

RUNAWAY.

>> I CALLED THE MOTHER TO SEE

IF SHE HAD RETURNED HOME, AND

SHE SAID NO, AND I SAID PLEASE

CALL ME IF SHE DID.

SHE SAID, WELL, SHE'S RUN AWAY

BEFORE, AND SHE USUALLY COMES

BACK IN TWO OR THREE DAYS, BUT

HADN'T COME BACK.

>> MY MOM AND HER WOULD GET INTO

LITTLE TUSSLES.

YOU KNOW, THAT HAPPENS.

BUT IT'S NOT LIKE SHE RAN AWAY,

'CAUSE MY MOM KNEW WHERE SHE

WOULD GO.

IT WAS EITHER MY HOUSE OR MY

COUSIN'S HOUSE.

>> SHE NEVER GAVE ANY INDICATION

THAT SHE EVER WANTED TO GET OUT

OF HER SITUATION OR WOULD NEVER

LEAVE HER MOTHER, WHO SHE FELT

ACTUALLY A VERY STRONG

RESPONSIBILITY FOR.

>> SHE JUST DIDN'T SEEM LIKE

THAT KIND OF GIRL THAT DIDN'T

CARE ABOUT HER FAMILY.

>> Narrator: ALTHOUGH THERE ARE

NO INDICATIONS OF FOUL PLAY,

POLICE START TO TAKE COLLEEN'S

CASE SERIOUSLY.

>> AS TIME WENT ON, IT WAS

EVIDENT THAT SHE WASN'T COMING

BACK.

SO WE STARTED CHECKING AT THE

SCHOOL, WITH HER FRIENDS, AND

NOBODY HAD SEEN HER.

WE JUST HAD NO WITNESSES.

SHE JUST DISAPPEARED.

>> Narrator: COMING UP...

A NATIONWIDE MANHUNT FOR AN

INFAMOUS SEXUAL PREDATOR HITS

HOME IN DAYTONA BEACH.

>> THE HOWARD JOHNSON'S REALLY

WASN'T THAT FAR FROM WHERE

COLLEEN LIVED.

>> Narrator: WHEN 15-YEAR-OLD

COLLEEN ORSBORN GOES MISSING

AFTER SKIPPING SCHOOL DURING

SPRING BREAK IN DAYTONA BEACH,

POLICE INITIALLY BELIEVE SHE HAS

RUN AWAY.

THEY ADVISE THE FAMILY THAT IN

THEIR EXPERIENCE, TEENS RETURN

HOME WHEN THEY ARE READY.

>> NOBODY CARED.

KIDS RAN AWAY ALL THE TIME.

BACK THEN, IT WAS, YOU KNOW, A

COMMON OCCURRENCE.

>> Narrator: BY NOW, OVER TWO

WEEKS HAVE PASSED SINCE COLLEEN

WAS LAST SEEN BY HER MOTHER,

FAST ASLEEP IN BED, AND FAMILY

AND POLICE ARE STILL IN THE DARK

AS TO HER WHEREABOUTS.

BUT BEFORE LONG, THE SEARCH FOR

COLLEEN WILL TAKE A DRAMATIC

TURN.

UNBEKNOWNST TO THE ORSBORNS, A

MUCH LARGER INVESTIGATION IS

BREWING ON A NATIONAL LEVEL THAT

COULD SHED LIGHT ON WHY THE

YOUNG GIRL FROM DAYTONA BEACH

VANISHED ON MARCH 15th.

>> THE FBI TODAY ADDED THE NAME

OF CHRISTOPHER WILDER TO ITS

TEN-MOST-WANTED LIST.

WILDER, A 39-YEAR-OLD RACECAR

DRIVER, IS CHARGED WITH

KIDNAPPING ONE WOMAN, AND HE'S

SUSPECTED IN THE DEATH OR THE

DISAPPEARANCE OF SIX OTHERS FROM

FLORIDA TO NEVADA.

>> I WAS CONTACTED BY THE LOCAL

FBI AGENT IN DAYTONA BEACH.

HE SAID THERE WAS A FELLA THAT

THEY WERE LOOKING AT THAT WAS

INVOLVED IN THE DISAPPEARANCE OF

SOME OTHER FEMALES THROUGHOUT

THE UNITED STATES.

>> Narrator: WHEN MAPPING OUT

THE TRAIL OF VICTIMS ALLEGEDLY

TARGETED BY THIS SERIAL KILLER,

IT LOOKS LIKE THE FUGITIVE COULD

HAVE PASSED RIGHT THROUGH

DAYTONA BEACH AS HE BEGAN HIS

REIGN OF TERROR AGAINST YOUNG,

BEAUTIFUL WOMEN.

>> FROM WHAT I UNDERSTAND, HE

LIKED YOUNGER GIRLS THAT HAD A

NICE FIGURE.

HE WOULD TELL THEM HE WAS IN THE

MODELING BUSINESS.

>> Narrator: AS THEY TRY TO

TRACK DOWN ONE OF THE MOST

FEARED MEN IN AMERICA, THE FBI

FINDS OUT WILDER CHECKED INTO A

HOWARD JOHNSON'S MOTEL IN

DAYTONA BEACH ON THE DAY

COLLEEN ORSBORN DISAPPEARED.

>> THE HOWARD JOHNSON'S REALLY

WASN'T THAT FAR FROM WHERE

COLLEEN LIVED.

IT WAS 92 AND 95, AND SHE LIVED

ON THE BEACH SIDE IN DAYTONA

BEACH.

>> Narrator: WILDER CHECKED OUT

OF THE ROADSIDE MOTEL THE NEXT

MORNING AT 5:05 A.M.

COLLEEN ORSBORN HAS NOT BEEN

SEEN SINCE THEN.

THE COINCIDENCE IS ENOUGH FOR

INVESTIGATORS TO ACTIVELY PURSUE

THIS TERRIFYING LEAD.

>> PRETTY MUCH AROUND THE SAME

TIME THAT THE CHRISTOPHER WILDER

CONNECTION WAS MADE, THERE WAS

MUCH MORE INTEREST IN COLLEEN,

BOTH WITH THE POLICE AND THE

MEDIA.

>> Narrator: INVESTIGATOR

LARRY LEWIS FEARS

COLLEEN ORSBORN MIGHT HAVE BEEN

A PRIME TARGET FOR WILDER, GIVEN

HIS MODUS OPERANDI.

>> YOU HAVE ALL KINDS OF PEOPLE

COMING IN AND OUT OF DAYTONA

BEACH, ESPECIALLY ON THE BEACH

SIDE, 'CAUSE THAT'S WHERE ALL

THE MOTELS ARE.

THAT'S WHERE THE BANDSHELL IS.

AND YOU HAD ALL KINDS OF KIDS

HERE, FROM HIGH-SCHOOL KIDS TO

COLLEGE KIDS.

THEY'RE ALL HERE HAVING A GOOD

TIME.

IT'S GOOD PICKINGS FOR A GUY

LIKE CHRISTOPHER BERNARD WILDER.

>> THE MEDIA, OF COURSE, WAS

BLOWING UP WITH REPORTS OF THE

NUMBER OF YOUNG WOMEN THAT HE

HAD KIDNAPPED AND MURDERED

THROUGHOUT FLORIDA AND THEN

WORKED HIS WAY UP ACROSS THE

NATION.

>> OFFICIALS OF THE MISS AMERICA

PAGEANT HAVE WARNED DIRECTORS OF

STATE BEAUTY CONTESTS TO BE ON

THE LOOKOUT FOR

CHRISTOPHER WILDER.

>> THE IMPLICATION THAT SHE MAY

HAVE BEEN HIS VICTIM WAS VERY

HARD ON MY MOM.

>> Narrator: AS WILDER'S KILLING

SPREE CONTINUES, BOTH POLICE AND

COLLEEN'S FAMILY WANT NOTHING

MORE THAN TO RULE OUT A POSSIBLE

CONNECTION BETWEEN THE TWO.

ALMOST ONE MONTH AFTER COLLEEN

WAS LAST SEEN, POLICE USE THE

MEDIA TO ASK FOR HELP WITH THE

MISSING TEEN'S CASE.

>> WE PUT COLLEEN'S PICTURE IN

THE NEWSPAPER, TRYING TO SEE IF

ANYBODY HAD FOUND HER OR KNEW

WHERE SHE HAD GONE.

>> WHEN DAYTONA BEACH LOCALS

SEE THE PICTURE OF THE MISSING

TEENAGE GIRL, CALLS START

POURING INTO THE POLICE

DEPARTMENT WITH COLLEEN

SIGHTINGS.

>> CALLS WOULD LEAD US TO

LOCATIONS ON THE BEACH SIDE,

YOU KNOW, MAYBE A BOARDING

HOUSE.

WE WOULD CHECK THOSE LOCATIONS,

AND ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS, WE

DID FIND YOUNG LADIES AND

OBVIOUSLY SOMEBODY BELIEVED THAT

IT COULD HAVE BEEN COLLEEN, BUT

IT WASN'T.

SO WE HAD A LOT OF LEADS, AND

NONE OF THEM WERE FRUITFUL AT

THE TIME.

>> Narrator: MEANWHILE, THE MAN

ON THE FBI'S TOP-TEN-MOST-WANTED

LIST, CHRISTOPHER WILDER, IS

STILL AT LARGE.

THE DAY AFTER COLLEEN'S PICTURE

APPEARS IN THE LOCAL PAPER, ONE

OF HER CLASSMATES, A GIRL NAMED

ANGELA, STEPS FORWARD WITH

BONE-CHILLING INFORMATION.

>> THIS GIRL CAME FORWARD SAYING

THAT SHE KNEW COLLEEN AND THAT

SHE HAD THIS ALTERCATION WITH

THIS FELLOW OVER ON THE BEACH

SIDE AND THOUGHT IT MIGHT HAVE

SOMETHING TO DO WITH THE CASE.

>> SO SHE TOLD US HOW SHE HAD

BEEN APPROACHED.

>> Narrator: ANGELA WAS HANGING

OUT WITH HER BOYFRIEND IN A

VACANT SCHOOL LOT ON THE MORNING

OF MARCH 15th WHEN A MALE IN HIS

LATE 30s, WEARING MIRRORED

SUNGLASSES DROVE UP IN A

BLUE-GRAY LUXURY SEDAN.

THE WELL-GROOMED MAN BEHIND THE

WHEEL MOTIONED TO HER TO COME

CLOSER TO THE CAR.

HE TOLD ANGELA SHE HAD MODEL

GOOD LOOKS AND HE COULD MAKE HER

FAMOUS.

>> HE SAID HE WAS WITH A SPORTS

MAGAZINE OR SOME TYPE OF

MAGAZINE AND THAT HE NEEDED TO

TAKE SOME PICTURES AND, A MATTER

OF FACT, DID TAKE SOME PICTURES

OF HER.

>> THE STRANGER OFFERED THE

GIRL $100 TO POSE FOR THE

CAMERA, BUT SHE DECLINED.

ANGELA WAS GETTING A BAD FEELING

FROM THE WAY HE WAS LOOK AT HER.

>> HE TRIED TO ENTICE HER INTO

GETTING INTO A CAR WITH HIM SO

THAT SHE COULD GO ON THIS

MODELING CAREER WITH HIM, BUT

SHE NEVER DID.

SHE DIDN'T GET IN THE CAR, SO

SHE WAS LUCKY.

>> WHAT ANGELA REMEMBERS SEEING

AFTER THE STRANGER DROVE AWAY IS

VERY UNSETTLING.

>> AFTER SOLICITING HER, THE

GENTLEMAN IN THE CAR TURNED

ONTO BUTLER, WHICH IS THE STREET

THAT COLLEEN LIVED ON.

>> COLLEEN'S HOUSE ON

BUTLER BOULEVARD WAS ONLY TWO OR

THREE BLOCKS FROM THE AREA WHERE

ANGELA HAD CONTACT WITH THE

PERSON WHO WE THINK WAS WILDER.

ONLY A COUPLE OF BLOCKS.

>> Narrator: INVESTIGATORS SHOW

ANGELA AND HER BOYFRIEND SEVERAL

PICTURES TO SEE IF THEY CAN

IDENTIFY THE MYSTERY MAN AS

CHRISTOPHER WILDER.

>> THEY DID PICK TWO PICTURES

OUT, AND ONE OF THEM WAS WILDER.

BUT I HAD NO ONE THAT COULD

REALLY PLACE HIM ON THE BEACH

SIDE POSITIVELY OTHER THAN I

KNEW HE WAS IN TOWN THAT DAY.

>> Narrator: INVESTIGATORS

WONDER, IF WILDER HAD APPROACHED

COLLEEN IN THE SAME WAY HE

ALLEGEDLY TRIED TO ENTICE HER

CLASSMATE, WOULD SHE HAVE TAKEN

THE BAIT?

>> SHE HAD GREAT SENSE OF

HERSELF.

SHE WAS VERY CONFIDENT.

VERY, VERY CONFIDENT.

SHE THOUGHT, YOU KNOW, SHE'S

INVINCIBLE.

SHE WAS 15.

>> KNOWING COLLEEN'S

PERSONALITY, I ABSOLUTELY CAN

SEE HER EMBRACING THAT

OPPORTUNITY.

AND AS AN ADULT NOW, I REALIZE

HE TAPPED INTO EVERY ASPECT OF

APPEAL FOR A TEENAGER.

>> Narrator: COMING UP...

THE PURSUIT OF A NOTORIOUS

KILLER COMES TO AN ABRUPT END.

WILL INVESTIGATORS FIND THE

MISSING LINK TO COLLEEN?

>> I COLLECTED HER HAIR BRUSH, A

CURLING IRON, THINKING IT MAY

HAVE SOME TYPE OF EVIDENCE ON

IT.

>> Narrator: GET MORE

"DISAPPEARED" ONLINE AT...

>> Narrator: AFTER A DISTURBING

DISCOVERY, DAYTONA BEACH POLICE

ARE CONCERNED THAT 15-YEAR-OLD

COLLEEN ORSBORN MIGHT NOT HAVE

RUN AWAY FROM HOME AFTER ALL.

THE FBI PLACES A MURDEROUS

FUGITIVE, CHRISTOPHER WILDER, IN

DAYTONA BEACH THE DAY COLLEEN

WENT MISSING.

THEN AN EYEWITNESS COMES FORWARD

TO SAY SHE SAW A MAN SHE

BELIEVES TO HAVE BEEN WILDER

DRIVE DOWN COLLEEN'S STREET

AFTER SHE, HERSELF, REFUSED HIS

SOLICITATION.

INVESTIGATORS FEAR COLLEEN MIGHT

HAVE BEEN ONE OF HIS VICTIMS.

>> WE HAD DEVELOPED INFORMATION

THAT WILDER WAS IN TOWN AND HE

HAD POSSIBLY KILLED COLLEEN AND

BURIED HER SOMEPLACE, AS THE

OTHER BODIES THAT THEY HAD

ALREADY FOUND.

>> Narrator: BUT WITHOUT

COLLEEN'S BODY, INVESTIGATORS

CAN ONLY WAIT AND HOPE THE

MANHUNT FOR WILDER WILL SOON

COME TO AN END.

JUST ONE DAY AFTER POLICE TAKE

COLLEEN'S CLASSMATE'S HARROWING

TESTIMONY ABOUT HER RUN-IN WITH

THE MAN THEY THINK WAS WILDER,

THERE IS BREAKING NEWS.

>> AUTHORITIES IN COLEBROOK,

NEW HAMPSHIRE, TODAY SAY ACCUSED

KILLER CHRISTOPHER WILDER DIED

ACCIDENTALLY IN A STRUGGLE WITH

POLICE.

>> Narrator: PARENTS OF YOUNG

WOMEN ACROSS THE NATION BREATHE

A SIGH OF RELIEF, BUT FOR

INVESTIGATORS WORKING

MISSING-PERSONS CASES AND

FAMILIES OF THE MISSING, NEWS OF

WILDER'S DEATH AFTER A

MONTH-LONG KILLING SPREE ELICITS

A NEW FEAR.

>> AUTHORITIES ARE NOW CONCERNED

THAT WILDER'S DEATH WILL MAKE IT

MORE DIFFICULT TO FIND

SHERYL BONAVENTURA AND OTHER

WOMEN WHO ARE STILL MISSING,

WOMEN THOUGHT TO BE HIS VICTIMS.

>> Narrator: FEDERAL

INVESTIGATORS FIND AN ARRAY OF

ARTICLES LEFT BEHIND IN WILDER'S

CAR, AND HOPE THEY CAN BE

IDENTIFIED BY FAMILIES OR

FRIENDS OF THE MISSING.

BUT NOTHING CAN BE TRACED BACK

TO THE 15-YEAR-OLD GIRL FROM

DAYTONA BEACH.

>> OF THE WOMEN WILDER IS

SUSPECTED OF KIDNAPPING AND

KILLING, AGENTS SAY THAT FOUR OF

THEM STILL ARE MISSING TONIGHT.

>> Narrator: WITH NO HARD

EVIDENCE, COLLEEN'S NAME DOES

NOT MAKE THE FBI's LIST OF FOUR

POSSIBLE VICTIMS WHO MAY BE

CONNECTED TO WILDER'S REIGN OF

TERROR.

BUT DAYTONA BEACH POLICE ARE

STILL UNWILLING TO LET GO OF THE

IDEA.

>> I FELT THAT COLLEEN PROBABLY

WAS ONE OF HIS VICTIMS AND THAT

SHE EVENTUALLY WOULD TURN UP.

>> Narrator: DETECTIVE LEWIS

CONTACTS COLLEEN'S MOTHER AND

ASKS TO COME BY THE HOUSE TO

COLLECT SOME OF HER DAUGHTER'S

THINGS, HOPING THAT SOMEDAY THEY

CAN BE USED AS EVIDENCE.

>> I COLLECTED HER HAIR BRUSH, A

CURLING IRON.

I COLLECTED SOME OF HER PERSONAL

ITEMS LIKE A TEDDY BEAR THAT SHE

HAD, THINKING IT MAY HAVE SOME

TYPE OF EVIDENCE ON IT.

>> Narrator: 1984 WAS BEFORE THE

DAYS OF DNA TESTING.

BUT HAIR COULD STILL BE A USEFUL

TOOL WHEN COMPARING A STRAND

FROM A MISSING PERSON TO ONE

FROM AN UNIDENTIFIED BODY UNDER

A MICROSCOPE.

>> I ALSO TOOK A SAMPLE OF ALL

THE NAIL POLISH THAT I COULD

FIND THAT SHE MIGHT HAVE USED

AND WROTE DOWN WHAT THE MAKE WAS

AND THE COLOR WAS, JUST IN CASE

I NEEDED IT IN CASE WE FOUND A

BODY.

>> Narrator: IN A FURTHER

ATTEMPT TO CONNECT WILDER TO

COLLEEN, DETECTIVE LEWIS SENDS A

HAIR SAMPLE FROM THE CURLING

IRON TO THE FBI.

>> THEY HAD HIS CAR, AND WE

SENT MATERIALS TO SEE IF WE

COULD FIND THOSE HAIRS OR

ANYTHING IN HIS CAR, AND THEY

NEVER DID COME UP WITH A LINK.

>> Narrator: SIX DAYS AFTER

WILDER DIES, DETECTIVE LEWIS

RECEIVES A MESSAGE ABOUT A

GRUESOME DISCOVERY 50 MILES FROM

DAYTONA BEACH IN OCALA NATIONAL

FOREST.

>> THEY PUT OUT THAT THEY HAD

FOUND A BODY, ANYBODY MISSING A

PERSON PLEASE CONTACT THEM.

>> Narrator: HAVE THEY AT LAST

FOUND THE REMAINS OF

COLLEEN ORSBORN?

IN ORDER TO IDENTIFY THE YOUNG

JANE DOE, POLICE TRY TO OBTAIN

COLLEEN'S DENTAL RECORDS BUT ARE

UNSUCCESSFUL.

>> WE WEREN'T ABLE TO GET DENTAL

RECORDS FOR COLLEEN, DUE TO THE

MOVE AND THE SEPARATION OF MY

PARENTS.

>> Narrator: ALTHOUGH THERE ARE

NO DENTAL RECORDS, COLLEEN'S

MOTHER, FRANCES, TELLS THE

DETECTIVE COLLEEN BROKE HER ARM

TWO YEARS EARLIER IN

DAYTONA BEACH.

>> I OBTAINED A COPY OF THAT

X-RAY FROM THE DOCTOR WHO SAID

THAT IF THE BONE WERE DISSECTED,

THEY MAY BE ABLE TO IDENTIFY THE

AREA THAT WAS BROKEN.

>> WITH COLLEEN'S X-RAY IN HAND,

DETECTIVE LEWIS HEADS OUT TO THE

COUNTY WHERE THE BODY WAS FOUND.

>> I ACTUALLY WENT TO THE

AUTOPSY IN LAKE COUNTY AND GOT

WITH THE MEDICAL EXAMINER OVER

THERE.

HE HAD THE BONE READY AND

DISSECTED, AND WE SAW NO

EVIDENCE OF THAT DAMAGE TO THE

BONE.

ALSO FROM THAT BODY, WE TOOK

HAIR SAMPLES AND SUBMITTED THEM

TO THE SANFORD CRIME LAB, AND

THEY COMPARED THEM AGAINST SOME

ITEMS I TOOK FROM COLLEEN'S

HOUSE -- A CURLING IRON AND A

HAIRBRUSH -- AND THEY SAID THAT

THE HAIRS WERE NOT SIMILAR.

SO I WAS PRETTY SURE THAT THE

BODY IN LAKE COUNTY WAS NOT

COLLEEN.

>> Narrator: BUT TO BE CERTAIN,

COLLEEN'S SISTER MUST DO WHAT NO

FAMILY SHOULD HAVE TO DO -- SHE

IS ASKED TO LOOK AT SOME

CRIME-SCENE PHOTOS TO SEE IF ANY

OF THE ITEMS LEFT WITH THE BODY

COULD HAVE BELONGED TO HER

SISTER.

>> WE HAD TO LOOK AT PICTURES OF

SOME ARTICLES OF CLOTHING THAT

WERE FOUND -- A NIGHT SHIRT AND

A PAJAMA SHIRT.

>> Narrator: SHE'S CONFIDENT

THESE THINGS ARE NOT COLLEEN'S.

>> THEY TOLD US WITHIN A FEW

DAYS THAT, BECAUSE OF THE X-RAY,

THAT IT WASN'T COLLEEN.

SO THAT WAS A RELIEF.

>> Narrator: THAT YOUNG WOMAN

FOUND IN LAKE COUNTY REMAINS

UNIDENTIFIED TO THIS DAY.

10 DAYS LATER, WHILE THE IMAGES

OF THE CLOTHING LEFT BEHIND ON

THE MURDERED GIRL IN

OCALA NATIONAL FOREST ARE STILL

FRESH IN COLLEEN'S SISTER'S

MIND, SHE IS NOTIFIED BY THE

POLICE ABOUT ANOTHER HORRIFYING

DISCOVERY.

THIS TIME, THE NEWS IS KEPT FROM

COLLEEN'S MOTHER UNTIL THEY HAVE

PROOF.

>> THERE'S A LOT OF THINGS MY

MOM WAS JUST UNABLE TO DEAL

WITH.

SHE DID NOT HAVE THE STRENGTH.

>> ACCORDING TO THE

ORANGE COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE,

A FISHERMAN WAS SCOUTING FOR A

FISHING HOLE IN AN AREA BEHIND

DISNEY WORLD WHEN HE STUMBLED

UPON WHAT APPEARED TO BE A HUMAN

KNEE STICKING OUT OF A PILE OF

DEBRIS.

>> SHE WAS FOUND IN A SHALLOW

GRAVE NEXT TO A LAKE.

SHE WAS DECOMPOSED BUT STILL HAD

HER TEETH INTACT.

>> THERE WEREN'T ANY IDENTIFYING

ARTICLES WITH HER.

SHE HAD APPARENTLY BEEN DEAD

ABOUT 10 DAYS TO TWO WEEKS AT

THAT POINT.

>> Narrator: THE YOUNG WOMAN IS

SAID TO BE 15 TO 16 YEARS OLD,

ABOUT 5'3", WEIGHING

APPROXIMATELY 110 POUNDS -- ALL

CHARACTERISTICS THAT MATCH

COLLEEN.

>> THERE'S STILL POLISH ON HER

NAILS, SOME PINK POLISH.

AND THEY DID FIND SOME TRAUMA ON

HER.

>> Narrator: SINCE THE

DAYTONA BEACH POLICE HAVE JUST

GONE THROUGH THE SAME PROCESS

WITH THE LAKE COUNTY MEDICAL

EXAMINER, THEY'RE MORE PREPARED

THIS TIME AROUND.

>> I ACTUALLY SENT TO THEM A

COPY OF THE X-RAY.

>> Narrator: THE PRESIDING

MEDICAL EXAMINER FINDS NO

INDICATION THAT THE UNIDENTIFIED

GIRL HAD EVER BROKEN HER ARM.

>> I ALSO EXPLAINED TO THEM THAT

I HAD SENT SAMPLES OF HER HAIR

TO THE SANFORD CRIME LAB.

>> AND THEY COMPARED THAT TO A

HAIR FROM THE DECEASED

INDIVIDUAL THAT WE HAD, AND THEY

DID A MICROSCOPIC COMPARISON,

AND THEY SAID THAT THEY WEREN'T

THE SAME PERSON.

>> Narrator: AFTER A VARIETY OF

OTHER OBSERVATIONS, THE MEDICAL

EXAMINER CONCLUDES THAT THIS IS

YET ANOTHER BODY THAT CANNOT BE

LINKED TO THE YOUNG MISSING TEEN

FROM DAYTONA BEACH.

>> THEY MADE THE DETERMINATION

THERE WAS NOTHING MORE THEY

COULD GET FROM HAVING THE BODY

HERE.

THE COUNTY BURIED IT IN AN

INDIGENT PLOT IN THEIR COUNTY

CEMETERY.

THEY AT LEAST SAVED THE MANDIBLE

AND THE SKULL.

>> Narrator: NOW CENTRAL FLORIDA

HAS A SECOND TEENAGE JANE DOE,

ALSO VICTIM OF HOMICIDE, LYING

IN A GRAVE UNIDENTIFIED, WHILE

THE FAMILY SOMEWHERE IS

DESPERATE TO FIND THEIR LOVED

ONE.

COMING UP, COULD AN ANONYMOUS

LETTER AND AN IDENTIFICATION

SOLVE THE 27-YEAR-OLD MYSTERY?

>> SHOW ME ALL THE EVIDENCE.

THEN I'LL BELIEVE IT.

>> Narrator: ON MARCH 15, 1984,

BEAUTIFUL, SPONTANEOUS

COLLEEN ORSBORN DISAPPEARS

WITHOUT A TRACE AFTER LEAVING

HER BEACHSIDE APARTMENT DURING

THE HEIGHT OF SPRING BREAK.

SADLY, IN 1989, FIVE YEARS AFTER

HER YOUNGEST DAUGHTER VANISHED,

FRANCES ORSBORN DIES, NEVER

KNOWING WHAT REALLY HAPPENED TO

HER BABY.

AS WEEKS, MONTHS, AND YEARS

PASS, COLLEEN'S SIBLINGS ARE

HAUNTED BY ONGOING SPECULATION

AS TO WHAT HAPPENED TO THEIR

LITTLE SISTER.

IN 2001, ALMOST TWO DECADES

AFTER COLLEEN DISAPPEARED, A

MYSTERIOUS LETTER IS DELIVERED

TO HER BROTHER'S HOME IN

DAYTONA BEACH.

THE HANDWRITTEN LETTER CARRIES

UNBEARABLE NEWS.

>> HER BROTHER RECEIVED A LETTER

FROM AN UNKNOWN PERSON IN

NEW HAMPSHIRE WHO STATED THAT

HE HAD KILLED HIS SISTER AND HAD

PLACED HER BODY SOMEWHERE NEAR

THE TOMOKA RIVER ON I-4.

>> Narrator: FROM THE WAY THE

AUTHOR DESCRIBES THE AREA, IT IS

APPARENT THAT HE IS NOT FAMILIAR

WITH THE PLACES HE NAMES.

>> I KNOW IT WASN'T SOMEBODY

FROM THE AREA BECAUSE WE DON'T

CALL IT INTERSTATE 4.

WE CALL IT I-4.

AND NOBODY IN THE AREA CALLS IT

ROUTE 415.

WE CALLS IT TOMOKA FARMS ROAD.

SO IT WAS SOMEBODY THAT WAS

VISITING, WHICH BIKE WEEK WAS

ENDING AT THE SAME TIME.

AND PEOPLE HANG AROUND, SO IT

COULD HAVE BEEN ANYBODY.

>> Narrator: THE PERSON WHO

WROTE THE LETTER CLAIMS HE IS

DYING AND BEGS FOR THE FAMILY'S

FORGIVENESS.

>> HE WANTED TO MAKE AMENDS OR

GET FORGIVENESS FROM HER FAMILY

THAT HE HAD KILLED HER AND LEFT

MY SISTER'S BODY ON THE SIDE OF

THE ROAD.

>> Narrator: POLICE FROM THE

VOLUSIA COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE

INVESTIGATE THE LETTER.

COLLEEN ORSBORN'S CASE RETURNS

TO LARRY LEWIS, WHO IS NOW THE

HEAD OF THE FINGERPRINTING

DIVISION.

THE LETTER COMES AS A SHOCK TO

HIM.

>> ANYTHING'S POSSIBLE.

I MEAN, I REALLY DIDN'T KNOW

FOR SURE THAT

CHRISTOPHER BERNARD WILDER WAS

THE PERSON THAT GOT COLLEEN.

I FELT SURE THAT HE MIGHT HAVE

BEEN, BUT I COULDN'T BE

POSITIVE.

>> Narrator: FORENSICS ARE DONE

ON THE CRYPTIC LETTER TO TRY AND

GARNER CLUES.

>> WE DID SOME TESTS ON THE

LETTER.

WE SENT THE ENVELOPE TO THE

FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF LAW

ENFORCEMENT LOOKING FOR DNA.

WE DID FINGERPRINT ANALYSIS ON

THE PAPER THAT WAS SENT TO US,

AND WE DIDN'T COME UP WITH PROOF

POSITIVE OF WHO SENT THAT

LETTER.

>> Narrator: BY EXAMINING THE

POSTMARK, INVESTIGATORS PINPOINT

THE POST OFFICE IN NEW HAMPSHIRE

WHERE THE LETTER ORIGINATED.

THEY SEND A MESSAGE TO THE

ALLEGED KILLER THROUGH A LOCAL

NEWSPAPER, PLEADING FOR

COMPASSION, HOPING TO GET MORE

INFORMATION ON WHERE THE BODY

WAS DISCARDED.

THEY GET NO RESPONSE.

BACK IN FLORIDA, COLLEEN'S

FAMILY JUST WANTS TO FIND THEIR

LITTLE SISTER AND PUT AN END TO

THE 17-YEAR-OLD MYSTERY.

>> AT FIRST, I WAS VERY

FRUSTRATED WITH THE LACK OF

SEARCH.

ALL OF US WANTED TO JUST GO OUT

AND START LOOKING.

YOU KNOW, WHY AREN'T WE LOOKING?

>> YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT

5,000 SQUARE MILES.

THAT'S A LOT OF AREA TO TRY TO

COVER, BUT WHY NOT GIVE IT A

SHOT?

>> WE DID GO OUT THERE AND LOOK.

OF COURSE, WE'RE LIKE 15 OR 16

YEARS AFTER THE DISAPPEARANCE,

AND WE DIDN'T FIND ANYTHING.

>> Narrator: AFTER A THOROUGH

INVESTIGATION, DETECTIVES ARE

CONVINCED THAT THE LETTER IS NOT

A CONFESSION BUT A VERY CRUEL

HOAX.

>> IF THEY WERE REALLY DYING AND

WANTED TO FESS UP, WHY NOT JUST

COME FORWARD AND TELL PEOPLE

ABOUT IT?

>> IF IT WAS A HOAX, THAT'S THE

WORST POSSIBLE THING A PERSON

COULD DO TO ANOTHER HUMAN BEING.

I DON'T UNDERSTAND THAT.

>> Narrator: ONCE AGAIN, THE

ORSBORNS ARE LEFT WITH

UNANSWERED QUESTIONS AND YET

ANOTHER HORRIFYING SCENARIO OF

WHAT COULD HAVE HAPPENED TO

COLLEEN BACK IN THE SPRING OF

1984.

AS HARD AS IT HAS BEEN FOR THE

ORSBORNS, HOPE RARELY DIES FOR

THE FAMILY MEMBERS OF THE

MISSING.

>> I THINK THAT'S A WAY OF

COPING IS THAT YOU CAN IMAGINE

HER, YOU KNOW, ALIVE, IMAGINE

HER LIVING A LIFE.

>> I NEVER WOULD SAY THAT SHE

WAS GONE.

SHOW ME ALL THE EVIDENCE.

THEN I'LL BELIEVE IT.

>> Narrator: THEN, AFTER

27 YEARS OF NOT KNOWING WHETHER

COLLEEN IS ALIVE OR DEAD,

COLLEEN'S SISTER RECEIVES A

STRANGE CALL.

IT'S IN REFERENCE TO THE SECOND

JANE DOE THAT WAS FOUND NEAR

DISNEY WORLD SHORTLY AFTER

COLLEEN WENT MISSING.

>> A NEWS REPORTER CONTACTED ME

AND ASKED IF I WAS AWARE OF THE

BODY IN ORANGE COUNTY THAT HAD

BEEN RULED OUT AND THAT THEY

WERE LOOKING INTO IT AGAIN.

I SAID I REALLY WASN'T AWARE OF

THAT.

>> COLLEEN'S SISTER, MARGARET,

HAS KEPT ON TOP OF THE CASE,

EVEN ALMOST THREE DECADES LATER.

SHE REGULARLY VISITS A WEBSITE

WHERE PEOPLE COMMENT ON

MISSING-PERSONS CASES.

COLLEEN'S CASE HAS BEEN A HOT

TOPIC LATELY, AS BLOGGERS

QUESTION WHY THE JANE DOE WAS

RULED OUT WHEN THERE WERE SO

MANY SIMILARITIES TO COLLEEN.

IT'S A SKETCH DONE BY A FORENSIC

ARTIST THAT CATCHES MARGARET'S

ATTENTION.

>> IT'S AN ARTIST'S DRAWING OF A

YOUNG GIRL'S FACE, SMALL

FEATURES AND CURLY HAIR AND

VERY, VERY MUCH LIKE COLLEEN,

VERY SIMILAR.

COULD EASILY HAVE BEEN AN

ARTIST'S DRAWING OF HER.

>> Narrator: A FEW WEEKS AFTER

RECEIVING THE REPORTER'S PHONE

CALL, THE ORSBORNS ARE CONTACTED

BY THE ORANGE COUNTY MEDICAL

EXAMINER'S OFFICE, HEADED BY

DR. JAN GARAVAGLIA, WHO ALSO

HOSTS THE TV SHOW "DR. G:

MEDICAL EXAMINER."

THE NEWS IS EXPLOSIVE.

>> THEY JUST SAID THEY HAD

FOUND COLLEEN.

THEY SAY, "WELL, IT'S 90% SURE."

>> WHEN THE DR. GARAVAGLIA TOOK

OVER THE MEDICAL EXAMINER'S

OFFICE IN 2004, SHE MADE IT HER

MISSION TO TRY TO FIND NAMES FOR

ALL THE UNIDENTIFIED BODIES THAT

HAD PASSED THROUGH THE MORGUE.

>> WE WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT

WE WERE DOING EVERYTHING WE

COULD TO HELP IDENTIFY THESE

INDIVIDUALS.

>> Narrator: MANY OF THE BODIES

CAME TO THE MORGUE BEFORE DNA

TESTING WAS AVAILABLE, WHICH, IN

THE PAST, HAD SOMETIMES MADE

IDENTIFICATION DIFFICULT.

>> ULTIMATELY, THE SCIENCE

WASN'T THERE, AND ONCE WE HAD

THE OPPORTUNITY TO GO WITH A

BETTER METHOD, WE TOOK IT.

>> A LAB IS ASKED TO EXTRACT DNA

FROM ALL THE BONE EVIDENCE KEPT

AT THE MORGUE OVER THE YEARS.

>> ALL OF THEM SLOWLY GOT THEIR

DNA SENT TO THE FBI.

>> Narrator: THEY HAVE BEEN

COMPARED TO FAMILY MEMBERS OF

THE MISSING WHO HAVE VOLUNTARILY

SUBMITTED THEIR DNA SAMPLES IN

HOPES OF ONE DAY FINDING THEIR

LOVED ONES.

THEN, IN 2010 DR. GARAVAGLIA

RECEIVES A CALL FROM THE FBI

SAYING THERE HAS BEEN A CREDIBLE

HIT LINKING THE UNIDENTIFIED

GIRL TO A WOMAN WHO LIVES NEAR

DAYTONA BEACH.

>> OUR DECEASED'S MITOCHONDRIAL

DNA MATCHED THE MITOCHONDRIAL

DNA THAT WAS SUBMITTED BY

COLLEEN ORSBORN'S SISTER.

>> Narrator: HOWEVER, BECAUSE

IDENTIFICATION THROUGH

MITOCHONDRIAL DNA HAS A SMALL

PERCENTAGE OF ERROR,

DR. GARAVAGLIA PLANS TO MAKE A

FINAL DETERMINATION THAT HER

JANE DOE IS COLLEEN BY USING A

UNIQUE METHOD.

>> I HAPPENED TO NOTICE THAT THE

MISSING PHOTOGRAPH OF COLLEEN

HAD HER TEETH SHOWING IN A

BEAUTIFUL SMILE.

>> Narrator: THE MEDICAL

EXAMINER INTENDS TO COMPARE THE

CONTOUR OF COLLEEN'S TEETH IN

THE PHOTO TO THE JANE DOE'S

TEETH, WHICH HAVE BEEN KEPT AT

THE MORGUE AS EVIDENCE FOR THE

PAST 27 YEARS.

>> SO I'M VERY CONFIDENT THAT IT

WILL PROBABLY BE

COLLEEN ORSBORN.

>> Narrator: THE LIKELIHOOD THAT

COLLEEN HAS BEEN IDENTIFIED IS

BITTERSWEET FOR HER FRIENDS AND

FAMILY WHO HAVE SPENT THEIR

ENTIRE ADULT LIVES SEARCHING IN

VAIN.

>> IT WAS A SHOCK AND VERY

FRUSTRATING -- SO FRUSTRATING TO

KNOW THAT THEY'VE HAD HER BODY

ALL THIS TIME AND RULED IT OUT

WITH A SIMPLE X-RAY.

>> THEY DIDN'T DO THE STANDARD

THAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN DONE.

>> Narrator: RECORDS SHOW NO

INDICATION THE MEDICAL EXAMINER

EVER X-RAYED THE BODY'S ACTUAL

BONE.

IT APPEARS AS IF HE RELIED ON A

GENERAL RADIOLOGY REPORT SAYING

ALL BONES WERE NORMAL.

ACCORDING TO DR. GARAVAGLIA,

THIS WAS ONLY ONE OF SEVERAL

ERRONEOUS JUDGMENTS MADE IN

1984.

PERHAPS THE MOST CONFOUNDING IS

WHEN COLLEEN WAS RULED OUT

BECAUSE OF THE HAIR FROM THE

CURLING IRON.

>> THE FAMILY CLEARLY STATES

THERE ARE TWO OTHER SISTERS IN

THE HOUSEHOLD AND SHE HAD FIVE

DEAR FRIENDS THAT WERE

CONSTANTLY OVER THE HOUSE.

SHE SAID THERE IS NO WAY THAT

SHE COULD CONFIRM THAT THE ONLY

PERSON THAT USED THAT CURLING

IRON WAS COLLEEN.

>> Narrator: ALTHOUGH ANGRY THAT

MISTAKES WERE MADE IN THE PAST,

COLLEEN'S FAMILY CANNOT THANK

DR. GARAVAGLIA ENOUGH FOR

REVISITING THEIR SISTER'S CASE.

>> THE OTHER PEOPLE DROPPED THE

BALL AHEAD OF HER, AND SHE'S

JUST TENACIOUS ENOUGH THAT SHE

FINALLY LOOKED AT THE STUFF --

LIKE, 2 AND 2 MAKE 6.

>> THEY SAID, "NO, IT'S NOT

HER."

MAYBE I SHOULD HAVE PUSHED A

LITTLE HARDER, BUT I WENT WITH

WHAT THEY SAID.

AND IF IT'S HER, I'M GLAD WE

FINALLY LOCATED HER, AND I KNOW

WHAT HAPPENED.

>> Narrator: ON JULY 20, 2011,

DR. GARAVAGLIA MAKES THE FINAL

DETERMINATION AND DECLARES

COLLEEN ORSBORN DECEASED.

THE SEARCH FOR THE YOUNG TEENAGE

GIRL WHO MYSTERIOUSLY WENT

MISSING AT THE HEIGHT OF SPRING

BREAK IN DAYTONA BEACH IN 1984

IS OVER.

NOW THE QUESTION THAT REMAINS

IS, WHO KILLED COLLEEN ORSBORN

ON THAT FATEFUL SPRING DAY?

>> I DON'T WANT TO KNOW HOW SHE

DIED.

I DON'T WANT TO KNOW...

HOW BAD IT COULD HAVE BEEN, YOU

KNOW?

>> I BELIEVE THAT

CHRISTOPHER BERNARD WILDER WAS

IN DAYTONA BEACH ON

MARCH THE 15th AND GOT HER IN

THE CAR AND PROBABLY KILLED HER

BEFORE HE LEFT DAYTONA BEACH.

I THINK THAT POSSIBLY COLLEEN

WAS ONE OF HIS FIRST VICTIMS.

>> YOU TRY DEAL WITH IT, BUT YOU

NEVER DEAL WITH IT.

I'LL PROBABLY REMEMBER THAT THE

REST OF MY LIFE.

>> Narrator: ALL OF COLLEEN'S

SIBLINGS ARE LEFT FEELING THEIR

LITTLE SISTER'S ABSENCE IN THEIR

OWN LIVES.

>> SHE WAS A GREAT FRIEND.

SHE WAS A GOOD SISTER.

SHE WAS SUCH A SMART GIRL.

>> Narrator: IT IS PAINFUL

KNOWING THAT COLLEEN WAS

SENSELESSLY ROBBED OF SO MUCH.

>> SHE NEVER HAD A CHANCE TO

GROW UP.

SHE NEVER HAD KIDS OF HER OWN.

NEVER GOT A CHANCE TO FULFILL

LIFE.

IT WAS TAKEN AWAY FROM HER FOR

NO REASON.