Original subtitles

>> Narrator: SUSAN WALSH

DISAPPEARED ON TUESDAY, JULY 16,

1996.

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.

SUSAN WALSH'S LAST-KNOWN

WHEREABOUTS MAY HOLD THE CLUES

TO WHAT HAPPENED TO HER.

A SINGLE MOTHER, WRITER, AND

STRIPPER.

>> SUSAN WAS NOT A VICTIM.

WHEN SHE WAS ON THE BAR DANCING,

SHE WAS DEFINITELY IN CONTROL OF

WHAT WAS GOING ON.

>> Narrator: SUSAN WALSH MAKES A

PHONE CALL ACROSS THE STREET

FROM HER HOME...

AND DISAPPEARS...

>> THE FACT THAT SUSAN DIDN'T

TAKE ANYTHING WITH HER, THERE

WAS OBVIOUSLY NO PLANNING IN

ANYTHING.

>> Narrator: ...LEAVING AN

11-YEAR-OLD SON BEHIND.

>> SHE WOULD HAVE NOT LEFT HIM

WITHOUT A MOTHER AND JUST PICK

UP ON HER OWN AND JUST LEFT.

>> Narrator: AND A MYSTERY THAT

BAFFLES POLICE.

>> WELL OVER A DOZEN PEOPLE WERE

ABLE TO PICK SUSAN'S PICTURE UP

AND SAY SHE WAS HERE JUST HOURS

AGO.

>> Narrator: AS THE SEARCH FOR

SUSAN GETS UNDER WAY, A STRIKING

PIECE OF EVIDENCE COMES TO

LIGHT...

[ BEEPING ]

>> THAT'S MY BEEPER.

IT'S PROBABLY A STALKER RIGHT

NOW.

>> Narrator: ...DRAWING HER

LOVED ONES INTO A WORLD OF

DANGER.

>> I WAS TOLD THAT, "YOU MIGHT

WANT TO STOP ASKING THOSE

QUESTIONS UNLESS YOU WANT TO

DISAPPEAR, TOO."

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

>> Narrator: JULY 16, 1996.

IT'S A MUGGY SUMMER'S MORNING IN

NUTLEY, NEW JERSEY.

36-YEAR-OLD SUSAN WALSH IS AT

HOME WITH HER 11-YEAR-OLD SON,

DAVID.

>> SUSAN'S SON CAME FIRST IN HER

LIFE.

HE WAS LIKE THE NUMBER-ONE

PRIORITY.

SUSAN WAS A GREAT MOTHER.

SHE LOVED HER SON SO MUCH.

SHE DID ANYTHING FOR HIM.

EVERY CHANCE SHE HAD, SHE WOULD

SPEND TIME WITH HER SON.

>> SHE FINANCIALLY SUPPORTED

HIM, AND IT WAS ONE OF THE

THINGS SHE WAS MOST PROUD OF.

>> Narrator: DESPITE THE RISING

TEMPERATURES OUTSIDE, SUSAN

LEAVES THE APARTMENT AROUND NOON

TO MAKE A PHONE CALL.

SHE DOESN'T HAVE HER OWN

TELEPHONE AT HOME.

>> SHE DIDN'T HAVE MONEY FOR A

PHONE.

SHE WAS A VERY SIMPLE PERSON.

SHE LIKED LITTLE THINGS IN LIFE.

SHE WASN'T MATERIALISTIC, WHICH

I REALLY LOOKED UP TO HER THAT

WAY, BECAUSE A LOT OF PEOPLE

ARE, AND SHE REALLY DIDN'T LOOK

AT THOSE THINGS AS BEING

VALUABLE.

IT WAS MORE, LIKE, LOVE BETWEEN

PEOPLE AND FRIENDSHIP FOR HER.

>> Narrator: ON HER WAY OUT,

SUSAN STOPS BY HER ESTRANGED

HUSBAND, MARK'S, APARTMENT.

ALTHOUGH THEY ARE NO LONGER

TOGETHER, SUSAN AND MARK LIVE IN

THE SAME BUILDING.

>> IT'S HARD TO SAY WHEN THEY

SEPARATED BECAUSE THEY DIDN'T

NECESSARILY MOVE AWAY FROM EACH

OTHER.

THEY WERE -- FOR FINANCIAL

REASONS, THEY HAD TO STAY IN THE

SAME HOUSE.

>> MARK LIVED IN THE BOTTOM OF

THIS HOUSE, AND SHE LIVED IN THE

TOP OF IT.

THERE WAS A SORT OF A MUTUAL

ARRANGEMENT WHERE THEY COULD

HELP BRING THIS KID UP TOGETHER,

ESSENTIALLY.

>> Narrator: IT'S AN UNUSUAL

SITUATION.

BUT SUSAN IS NOT YOUR TYPICAL

SINGLE MOTHER.

TALL, PALE, AND SLENDER WITH

BLEACHED BLOND HAIR, SUSAN IS A

STRIPPER.

>> HI. I'M SUSAN WALSH AND I'M A

DANCER.

THIS IS WHAT I DO FOR YOU WHEN I

DANCE IN GENTLEMEN'S CLUBS.

>> SUSAN HAD BEEN IN AND OUT OF

THIS WORLD FOR SOME TIME, SO SHE

HAD WORKED IN STRIP CLUBS.

SHE'D SPENT A LITTLE TIME IN A

MASSAGE PARLOR, AND MAYBE SHE

HAD DONE SOME S&M.

SHE HAD BEEN IN CLUBS LIKE THE

AFTERMATH AND PLATO'S RETREAT.

I MEAN, THESE WERE SORT OF

CLEANED-UP CLUBS.

>> WELL, THE KIND OF STRIPPING

THAT SUSAN AND I WERE DOING IN

NEW JERSEY GO-GO BARS, IT WAS

MORE BIKINI DANCING.

IT WASN'T TOPLESS.

YOU WERE NOT ALLOWED TO TOUCH OR

BE TOUCHED, AND I CERTAINLY

PREFERRED IT THAT WAY.

>> Narrator: SUSAN FIRST BEGAN

DANCING WHILE ATTENDING

WILLIAM PATERSON COLLEGE IN

NEW JERSEY.

IT WAS THERE THAT SHE ALSO BEGAN

WRITING FOR THE SCHOOL

NEWSPAPER, THE BEACON.

>> I MET SUSAN WALSH AT THE

OFFICES OF THE WILLIAM PATTERSON

COLLEGE BEACON.

IT HAD WON A NUMBER OF REGIONAL

AWARDS.

SO GETTING IN THERE WAS A PRETTY

DESIRABLE THING FOR ANYBODY WHO

WAS INTERESTED IN WRITING OR

JOURNALISM OR ANYTHING LIKE

THAT.

SOMEBODY CALLED ME AND SAID,

"YOU WON'T BELIEVE WHAT SUSAN IS

DOING NOW."

I'M LIKE, "TRY ME."

AND THEY'RE LIKE, "SHE'S DANCING

AT SHOW WORLD CENTER IN

TIMES SQUARE," AND I'M LIKE,

"YOU HAVE GOT TO BE KIDDING ME."

>> DANCING IS DEFINITELY

LUCRATIVE, AND A LOT OF WOMEN,

YOU KNOW, THEY PUT THEMSELVES

THROUGH COLLEGE AND, YOU KNOW,

HAVE A BETTER LIFESTYLE BY

DANCING.

AND IT'S NOT NECESSARILY A

NEGATIVE THING.

THERE'S A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT

HAVE A NORMAL LIFE OUTSIDE OF

THAT.

THEY JUST HAPPEN TO WORK IN A

BAR AND DANCE.

>> Narrator: WHILE DANCING PAYS

THE BILLS, SUSAN DREAMS OF

WORKING FULL TIME AS A WRITER.

SHE GETS HER START WRITING FOR

INDUSTRY TRADE MAGAZINES.

>> SHE WAS ABLE TO GET ARTICLES

IN MECHANICAL ENGINEERING, WHICH

WERE HIGHLY TECHNICAL ARTICLES.

>> Narrator: SUSAN ALSO ATTENDS

A GRADUATE PROGRAM AT

NEW YORK UNIVERSITY, OFTEN

WRITING ABOUT HER EXPERIENCES

WORKING AS A STRIPPER.

>> HER WHOLE IDEA WAS TO BECOME

A WRITER.

AND, YOU KNOW, SHE HAD THIS KIND

OF ROMANTIC IDEA OF WHAT A

WRITER WAS.

I MEAN, THE FIRST THING, WRITERS

DON'T REALLY MAKE VERY MUCH

MONEY, AND SHE REALLY NEEDED TO

MAKE MONEY FOR HER KID.

>> I BASICALLY AM A WRITER,

FIRST AND FOREMOST.

I ONLY DABBLE IN THE SEX

BUSINESS TO FINANCE MY GRADUATE

SCHOOL, AND I FOUND THE

ENVIRONMENT SO COMPELLING AND

INTENSE THAT I HAD TO WRITE

ABOUT IT.

>> THE WHOLE TIME THAT SUSAN AND

MARK WERE TOGETHER, SUSAN WAS

THE BREAD WINNER.

AND SUSAN WORKED LIKE THE

DICKENS TRYING TO BRING HOME THE

BACON.

>> SHE HAD ALL THESE

EXPERIENCES.

SHE WAS NOT A HARD WOMAN.

THERE WAS NOTHING HARD ABOUT

HER.

SHE WAS VERY, VERY LOVING.

I HATE TO USE THIS WORD 'CAUSE

THIS IS WHAT THEY ALL USE IN THE

STRIPPER BUSINESS, BUT SHE WAS

THE GIRL NEXT DOOR, BUT SHE

REALLY WAS THE GIRL NEXT DOOR.

SHE WAS A VERY UNUSUAL PERSON.

>> Narrator: ON THAT HOT

SUMMER'S DAY, SUSAN TELLS HER

HUSBAND, MARK, THAT SHE NEEDS TO

CALL HER AGENT, WHO BOOKS HER

JOBS IN THE GO-GO CLUBS.

ALTHOUGH MARK HAS A TELEPHONE,

HE DOESN'T ALWAYS LET SUSAN USE

IT.

>> MARK HAD THE PHONE IN HIS

NAME, SO SHE HAD TO GO OUT AND

MAKE PHONE CALLS THAT MARK

DIDN'T APPROVE OF.

>> Narrator: LIKE MANY OF

SUSAN'S FAMILY AND FRIENDS, MARK

HAS BEGUN TO SUSPECT THAT SUSAN

IS USING DRUGS.

IN THE PAST, SUSAN HAS STRUGGLED

WITH ADDICTION, THOUGH WORKED

HARD TO OVERCOME IT.

>> ON CHRISTMAS EVE, 1984, SUSAN

CALLED ME FROM JAIL, AND SHE

SAID SHE HAD BEEN PICKED UP FOR

POSSESSION.

AND WE WERE ABLE TO PUT TOGETHER

ENOUGH TO PAY THE BAIL, AND WE

GOT HER OUT OF JAIL.

AND I TOOK HER HOME TO OUR

HOUSE, AND THAT WAS THE LAST

DRINK OR DRUG SHE HAD FOR QUITE

A NUMBER OF YEARS.

>> Narrator: AFTER A TWO-MONTH

STAY IN REHAB, SUSAN REMAINED

SOBER FOR OVER 11 YEARS.

>> I KNOW THAT SHE HAD HAD A

PREVIOUS ADDICTION, AND I DID

NOT SEE THAT SIDE OF SUSAN AT

ALL.

I NEVER SEEN HER DRINK.

I NEVER SEEN HER SMOKE A

CIGARETTE.

BUT SHE DID SLIP, AND I BECAME

SUSPICIOUS ABOUT IT.

>> Narrator: NOW, WORRIED THAT

SUSAN MIGHT BE USING DRUGS

AGAIN, MELISSA DECIDES TO STAGE

AN INTERVENTION.

>> THAT MORNING, I WAS TALKING

WITH A MUTUAL FRIEND OF HERS,

JOEY WILLIAMS.

WE HAD BOTH DECIDED THAT WE WERE

GONNA CONFRONT HER ABOUT

EVERYTHING AND TELL HER THAT WE

WOULD BE THERE FOR HER, THAT WE

WOULD HELP HER TO GET INTO A

REHAB AND GET HER LIFE TOGETHER.

>> Narrator: MELISSA TRIES

CONTACTING SUSAN BUT IS UNABLE

TO REACH HER.

>> BACK THEN, THERE WERE PAGERS,

NOT CELLPHONES.

SO SHE HAD A PAGER.

AND I PAGED HER, AND SHE WOULD

WALK DOWN THE STREET AND CALL ME

RIGHT BACK, YOU KNOW, FROM THE

PUBLIC PHONE.

AND SHE DIDN'T CALL ME BACK.

>> Narrator: MELISSA DRIVES TO

SUSAN'S HOUSE TO SEE IF SHE CAN

CATCH HER IN PERSON.

>> I WENT TO HER HOUSE.

I NOTICED THAT THE DOOR THAT WAS

USUALLY OPEN WAS LOCKED SHUT.

THE WINDOWS WERE LOCKED SHUT.

AND IT WAS 98 DEGREES OUT THAT

DAY.

AND I RANG THE DOOR BELL.

NOBODY ANSWERED.

NOBODY'S CAR WAS THERE.

IN THE PIT OF MY STOMACH, I KNEW

SOMETHING HAD HAPPENED TO HER.

>> Narrator: CONCERNED, MELISSA

COMES BACK AN HOUR LATER TO SEE

IF SUSAN'S RETURNED.

>> MARK HAD PULLED UP, AND DAVID

WAS WITH HIM, AND THEY HAD BAGS

FROM STAPLES.

THEY WENT THERE, I GUESS, TO GET

SCHOOL SUPPLIES FOR DAVID.

AND THEY BASICALLY SAID THAT

THEY WEREN'T THERE.

THEY DIDN'T SEE HER.

>> Narrator: AN HOUR LATER,

SUSAN'S FRIEND JOEY ARRIVES TO

PICK HER UP AND TAKE HER TO

WORK.

SUSAN DOESN'T OWN A CAR AND

OFTEN HIRES DRIVERS TO TAKE HER

TO THE BARS WHERE SHE DANCES.

>> HE WENT AT 5:00, WHEN HE WAS

SUPPOSED TO MEET HER, AND THEN

HE WAITED FOR LIKE AN HOUR.

HE CALLED ME FROM THE PAY PHONE,

AND HE SAYS, "I'M WAITING.

SHE'S NOT COMING."

>> Narrator: THROUGHOUT THE

NIGHT AND INTO THE NEXT DAY

MELISSA KEEPS PAGING SUSAN BUT

NEVER HEARS BACK FROM HER.

FINALLY, 24 HOURS LATER, SHE

RECEIVES A PHONE CALL FROM

SUSAN'S HUSBAND, MARK.

>> HE REALLY DIDN'T SAY MUCH.

HE JUST SAID, "I JUST WANT YOU

TO KNOW THAT I REPORTED SUSAN

MISSING TODAY."

>> Narrator: COMING UP, POLICE

DISCOVER SUSAN HAS A HISTORY OF

DESTRUCTIVE RELATIONSHIPS.

>> WE UNCOVERED PREVIOUS REPORTS

MADE WITH THE NUTLEY POLICE

DEPARTMENT WHERE SHE ALLEGED

THAT SHE HAD BEEN VICTIM OF

DOMESTIC VIOLENCE.

>> Narrator: ON JULY 16, 1996,

SUSAN WALSH LEFT HOME TO MAKE A

PHONE CALL AND DISAPPEARED.

HER FRIEND MELISSA HAD A FEELING

SOMETHING WAS WRONG WHEN SHE

WASN'T ABLE TO REACH SUSAN.

HER FEARS WERE CONFIRMED WHEN

SUSAN'S HUSBAND, MARK, REPORTED

HER MISSING TO THE NUTLEY

POLICE.

>> I KNEW FROM GOING TO THE

HOUSE THAT SOMETHING HAD

HAPPENED TO HER.

THE FEELING THAT I GOT AT HER

DOORSTEP WAS TERRIBLE.

>> ON JULY 17, 1996, SUSAN'S

EX-HUSBAND, MARK WALSH, REPORTED

HER MISSING AT APPROXIMATELY

12:15 IN THE AFTERNOON.

THE LAST TIME SUSAN WAS SEEN WAS

JULY 16th AT AROUND NOON.

DETECTIVES IMMEDIATELY STARTED

TRACING SOURCES OF WHERE SHE HAD

LAST BEEN SEEN.

>> Narrator: THE NUTLEY POLICE

TRAVEL TO SUSAN'S APARTMENT TO

INTERVIEW MARK AND THEIR SON,

DAVID, ABOUT HER LAST-KNOWN

MOVEMENTS.

THE INVESTIGATION QUICKLY HONES

IN ON SUSAN'S TELEPHONE CALL.

>> SUSAN DIDN'T HAVE HER OWN

PHONE AT THE TIME.

SHE USED MARK'S PHONE DOWNSTAIRS

IN HIS BASEMENT APARTMENT, BUT

FROM WHAT WE FOUND OUT, THERE

WERE CERTAIN CALLS THAT HE

DIDN'T WANT HER MAKING FROM HIS

APARTMENT.

SOME OF THEM WERE HER AGENTS

THAT WERE TRYING TO GET HER

BOOKINGS.

OTHERS WERE PEOPLE THAT SHE JUST

HAD NICKNAMES FOR, AND HE HAD

TOLD HER THAT UNLESS SHE COULD

MENTION THE ACTUAL NAME OF THE

PERSON SHE WAS SPEAKING TO, HE

PREFER TO USE A DIFFERENT PHONE.

>> Narrator: AT THE TIME, NO

RECORDS OF THE CALLS MADE AT THE

PUBLIC PHONE WERE AVAILABLE.

MELISSA TELLS POLICE THAT IF

SUSAN DID CALL HER AGENT, SHE

MAY HAVE BEEN TRYING TO BUY

DRUGS.

>> I HAD HEARD STORIES FROM

PEOPLE THAT HE WAS A DRUG

DEALER, AND I WAS A LITTLE

SUSPICIOUS BECAUSE THE GUY WAS A

LITTLE, YOU KNOW, SHADY.

>> Narrator: UNABLE TO DETERMINE

WHO SUSAN CALLED THAT DAY,

POLICE SEARCHED BOTH HER AND

MARK'S APARTMENT FOR CLUES.

THEY FIND SUSAN'S POCKETBOOK IN

HER KITCHEN, ALONG WITH HER

WALLET, PAGER, AND OTHER

PERSONAL ITEMS.

>> ON THE VERY FACE OF IT, THE

FACT THAT SUSAN HAD LEFT ALL HER

MOST INTIMATE BELONGINGS STREWN

OUT ON A KITCHEN TABLE AND SAID,

"I'LL BE RIGHT BACK, I'M GOING

OUT TO MAKE A PHONE CALL," AND

SHE JUST DIDN'T TAKE ANYTHING

WITH HER, THERE WAS NO --

OBVIOUSLY NO PLANNING IN

ANYTHING.

>> Narrator: SUSPECTING FOUL

PLAY, POLICE DIG DEEPER INTO

SUSAN'S PERSONAL LIFE.

THEY ENCOUNTER A TANGLE OF

RELATIONSHIPS, INCLUDING ONE

WITH 21-YEAR-OLD CHRISTIAN PEPO.

>> CHRISTIAN WAS LIVING WITH HER

UPSTAIRS BECAUSE SHE FELT THAT

SHE COULD COUNT ON HIM TO WATCH

DAVID OR TO BE THERE IF SHE

NEEDED TO GO TO WORK, BECAUSE

SHE COULDN'T COUNT ALL THE TIME

ON DAVID'S FATHER.

>> I BELIEVE CHRISTIAN WAS

ASLEEP AT THE TIME SHE LEFT.

I THINK SHE MIGHT HAVE WOKE HIM

UP AND TOLD HIM, "I'LL BE BACK

IN A LITTLE BIT.

I'M GOING TO MAKE A COUPLE PHONE

CALLS."

SHE DID IT ALMOST ON A DAILY

BASIS, USE THE SAME PHONE JUST A

COUPLE HUNDRED FEET FROM HER

APARTMENT.

>> Narrator: ACCORDING TO

CHRISTIAN, SUSAN DID NOT SAY

WHOM SHE WAS GOING TO CALL, NOR

DID SHE RETURN BY THE TIME HE

LEFT THE APARTMENT.

>> HE HAD BEEN WATCHING A MOVIE

WITH DAVID, AND THE MOVIE ENDED

AT APPROXIMATELY 12:45.

AT APPROXIMATELY 1:45, CHRISTIAN

WAS WAITING FOR A BUS IN THE

AREA TO GO TO NEW YORK.

>> Narrator: IN ADDITION TO

CHRISTIAN, SUSAN HAD SEVERAL

OTHER MEN IN HER LIFE, SOME OF

WHOM HARBORED ROMANTIC INTEREST

THAT BECAME ABUSIVE.

>> WE UNCOVERED PREVIOUS REPORTS

MADE WITH THE NUTLEY POLICE

DEPARTMENT WHERE SHE ALLEGED

THAT SHE HAD BEEN A VICTIM OF

DOMESTIC VIOLENCE ON AT LEAST

ONE OCCASION.

THERE WERE A COUPLE ASSAULTS AT

HER APARTMENT WHERE

EX-BOYFRIENDS HAD ASSAULTED

CHRISTIAN.

>> SHE WAS INVOLVED WITH SOMEONE

RECENTLY, AND SHE HAD SOME

PROBLEMS WITH HIM.

I GUESS HE GOT A LITTLE

OBSESSIVE WITH HER, AND I TOLD

HER, YOU KNOW, "LET'S GO TO THE

POLICE STATION."

SO WE WENT -- IT WAS A COUPLE

WEEKS BEFORE SHE DISAPPEARED --

TO GET A RESTRAINING ORDER.

>> THERE HAD BEEN SOME

RESTRAINING ORDERS IN EFFECT.

WE COULDN'T FIND ANY VIOLATION.

AFTER LOOKING AT ALL THOSE

REPORTS, WE COULDN'T ESTABLISH

ANY CONNECTION TO HER BEING

MISSING.

>> Narrator: AS THE NUTLEY

POLICE FOLLOW UP ON DOZENS OF

LEADS, SEVERAL WITNESSES COME

FORWARD CLAIMING TO HAVE SEEN

SUSAN ON THE DAY SHE

DISAPPEARED, INCLUDING AN

EMPLOYEE FROM THE PIZZA PARLOR

ACROSS THE STREET FROM HER

APARTMENT.

>> PIZZA MAN SAID HE SAW HER

GOING BACK INTO HER HOUSE.

SO SHE WASN'T GOING ANYWHERE.

SHE WAS GOING BACK INTO HER

HOUSE.

>> Narrator: FRIENDS AND FAMILY

WONDER IF THE POLICE SHOULD BE

LOOKING CLOSER TO HOME.

>> WHY WAS HER POCKETBOOK AND

HER PAGER HOME IF SHE SUPPOSEDLY

LEFT AND ALL OF A SUDDEN

DISAPPEARED?

I REALLY FEEL THAT WHATEVER

HAPPENED TO SUSAN, IT HAPPENED

IN THAT APARTMENT.

>> Narrator: BUT THE NUTLEY

POLICE CAN'T FIND ANY EVIDENCE

INDICATING FOUL PLAY INVOLVING

SUSAN'S ESTRANGED HUSBAND, MARK,

OR HER LIVE-IN BOYFRIEND,

CHRISTIAN.

>> AT THE BEGINNING, MARK WAS

CONSIDERED A POSSIBLE SUSPECT.

MARK WAS COOPERATIVE.

HE GAVE US ACCESS.

WE NEVER GATHERED ANY

INFORMATION TO REALLY IMPLICATE

HIM IN ANY WRONGDOING.

CHRISTIAN WAS ALSO LOOKED AT.

HE DID COME IN AND COOPERATE.

AND ONCE AGAIN, AS A RESULT OF

WHAT WE FOUND OUT, WE HAD NO

REASON TO BELIEVE AT THE TIME

THAT HE WAS INVOLVED IN ANY

WRONGDOING.

>> Narrator: A MONTH HAS PASSED

SINCE SUSAN WENT MISSING.

BUT JUST AS THE INVESTIGATION

SEEMS TO SLOW, THE MEDIA PICKS

UP SUSAN'S STORY, AND THE NUTLEY

POLICE RECEIVE STARTLING NEWS.

>> NUMBER OF PEOPLE THAT CAME

FORWARD WITH INFORMATION, A LOT

OF WHICH INCLUDED SHE HAD BEEN

SEEN SELLING HERSELF ON THE

STREETS OF NEWARK AND

JERSEY CITY.

>> Narrator: COMING UP...

AN EXTRAORDINARY PIECE OF

DOCUMENTARY EVIDENCE COMES INTO

PLAY.

>> JUST LOST 11 1/2 YEARS OF

SOBRIETY BECAUSE OF DANCING,

BECAUSE IT JUST GO TOO PAINFUL.

>> Narrator: SUSAN WALSH HAS

SEEMINGLY VANISHED OFF THE

STREETS OF NUTLEY, NEW JERSEY.

THE COMPLETE LACK OF INFORMATION

REGARDING HER WHEREABOUTS

DOESN'T STOP HER STORY FROM

MAKING THE NEWS.

THE HEADLINES SPUR A FLURRY OF

SIGHTINGS, ONE OF WHICH THE

NUTLEY POLICE TAKE VERY

SERIOUSLY.

ONE MONTH AFTER SUSAN GOES

MISSING, A PROSTITUTE IN THE

CITY OF NEWARK COMES FORWARD,

CLAIMING TO HAVE SEEN HER.

>> THIS INFORMANT, WHO DIDN'T

WISH TO BE IDENTIFIED, STATED

THAT SHE HAD MET SUSAN ON THE

STREETS OF NEWARK.

THEY HAD BEEN WORKING THE

STREETS OF NEWARK.

SHE TOOK HER INTO HER APARTMENT,

GAVE HEAR PLACE TO STAY.

>> Narrator: THE WOMAN SAYS THAT

SUSAN HAD BEEN LIVING WITH HER

FOR THE PAST TWO WEEKS.

LIEUTENANT RYAN BELIEVES SHE IS

TELLING THE TRUTH.

SHE KNEW SOME FACTS ABOUT SUSAN

THAT HADN'T BEEN PRINTED IN THE

NEWSPAPERS THAT TO THIS DAY I

DON'T KNOW HOW ANYBODY COULD

HAVE KNOWN UNLESS, INDEED, SHE

HAD BEEN WITH SUSAN.

SHE SAID SHE HAD CONFIDED IN HER

THAT SHE HAD A SON IN NUTLEY,

SHE LEFT HIM BEHIND, THAT HER

EX-HUSBAND WAS LIVING IN THE

SAME BUILDING, AND THAT SHE

DIDN'T WANT TO GO HOME, AND THAT

IF THE POLICE MADE HER GO HOME,

SHE WAS GONNA KILL HERSELF.

>> Narrator: WHILE THE NUTLEY

POLICE FEEL CONFIDENT THAT THE

ACCOUNT IS LEGITIMATE, SUSAN'S

LOVED ONES ARE DUBIOUS.

>> I THINK SHE FABRICATED THAT

TO GET ATTENTION ON HER, MAYBE

TO GET MONEY.

I DON'T KNOW.

I MET THE WOMAN.

I WENT AND TALKED TO HER.

I REALLY DON'T BELIEVE HER STORY

AT ALL.

>> Narrator: THE NUTLEY POLICE

FOLLOW THROUGH ON THE LEAD, BUT

SUSAN REMAINS JUST OUT OF REACH.

>> IT ALWAYS SEEMED LIKE WE WERE

JUST ONE STEP BEHIND THIS GIRL.

WE COULD NEVER GET CLOSE ENOUGH

TO EITHER CONFIRM OR DENY THAT

IT WAS SUSAN.

I WOULD SAY WELL OVER A DOZEN

PEOPLE WHO WERE ABLE TO PICK

SUSAN'S PICTURE OUT OF A PHOTO

LINEUP, AN ARRAY OF SIX

DIFFERENT FACES, AND WITHOUT A

DOUBT POINT TO THIS PERSON AND

SAY SHE WAS HERE JUST HOURS AGO.

>> Narrator: THE POTENTIAL

SIGHTINGS RAISE HOPE THAT ONE

MONTH AFTER SHE WALKED OUT HER

FRONT DOOR, SUSAN IS STILL

ALIVE, THOUGH POSSIBLY IN

DANGER.

>> FROM THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE WE

SPOKE TO AT THAT POINT IN THE

INVESTIGATION, IT APPEARED THAT

SUSAN WAS HOMELESS, THAT SHE WAS

SELLING HERSELF ON THE STREETS

FOR MONEY TO SURVIVE, FOR DRUGS,

AND FOR FOOD AND THAT SHE WASN'T

DOING VERY WELL.

>> Narrator: THOSE CLOSE TO

SUSAN ADMIT THAT IN THE WEEKS

BEFORE HER DISAPPEARANCE, SUSAN

SEEMED TO BE SLIPPING BACK INTO

ADDICTION.

>> I CAN REMEMBER A TELEPHONE

CALL I GOT ONCE FROM

STATEN ISLAND, AND SHE SAID SHE

WAS OUT THERE AND SHE REALLY

DIDN'T HAVE ANY MONEY.

AND I SAID, "OH, FOR GOD'S

SAKES, WHAT ARE YOU DOING?"

SHE NEVER TALKED TO ME LIKE THAT

BEFORE.

SHE WAS ALWAYS SO RESPECTFUL,

HAD SUCH MANNERS AND EVERYTHING.

AND THIS TIME I JUST FELT IN HER

VOICE THIS NOTE OF, LIKE...

KIND OF DESPERATE.

>> Narrator: STILL, JIM FINDS IT

IS IMPOSSIBLE TO IMAGINE THAT

ANYTHING, EVEN DRUGS, WOULD

DRIVE SUSAN TO ABANDON HER SON.

>> HER WHOLE FOCUS WAS HER KID.

TOTAL. THAT'S ALL.

SHE WAS ALWAYS TALKING ABOUT

DAVID, DAVID'S SCHOOL, WHAT SHE

COULD DO, HOW SHE WOULD HAVE

DIFFICULTY HAVE MONEY JUST TO

GET HIS LUNCH.

SHE ALWAYS HAD TO PREPARE HIS

LUNCH.

YOU KNOW, THAT'S ALL SHE TALKED

ABOUT.

>> Narrator: BUT POLICE FIND

PERSUASIVE EVIDENCE OF SUSAN'S

DESPERATE STATE IN AN INTERVIEW

FILMED ONLY TWO DAYS BEFORE SHE

DISAPPEARED.

>> I GO THROUGH SWINGS.

I THINK WE ALL DO.

I'VE BEEN THROUGH SWINGS OF

RAGE.

WHEN I GO OUT WITH MY GIRLFRIEND

AND DO MALE-BASHING AND MAKE FUN

OF MEN, AND THEN I'VE CRIED

ONSTAGE.

AND THEN THERE'S TIMES --

THERE'S A GOOD SONG ON, AND I

JUST ESCAPE INTO THE MUSIC.

AND SOMETIMES IT'S EASIER, AND

THEN SOMETIMES I FEEL THE PAIN.

>> Narrator: THE FOOTAGE IS PART

OF A DOCUMENTARY CALLED

"STRIPPED" MADE BY SUSAN'S

FRIEND JILL MORLEY.

>> I STARTED MAKING A FILM ABOUT

STRIPPERS BECAUSE I HAD FOUND

MYSELF IN THAT JOB, AND I FOUND

WOMEN TO BE REALLY FASCINATING.

AND I WONDERED WHY THEY WERE

DOING IT.

AND I DON'T THINK THAT PEOPLE

KNOW HOW SMART AND INTERESTING

AND FUNNY AND WHOLE THESE WOMEN

ARE.

I WANTED TO HUMANIZE THEM.

>> Narrator: SUSAN IS ONE OF

SEVERAL WOMEN FEATURED IN THE

FILM.

ON CAMERA, SHE SPEAKS CANDIDLY

ABOUT THE DIFFICULT TIME SHE IS

GOING THROUGH.

>> I JUST RECENTLY STARTED

DRINKING, AND I JUST LOST 11 1/2

YEARS OF SOBRIETY BECAUSE OF

DANCING, BECAUSE IT JUST GOT TOO

PAINFUL.

>> I WAS CONTACTED BY THE POLICE

WHEN SHE FIRST WENT MISSING.

I ACTUALLY HANDED OVER THAT

FOOTAGE AS EVIDENCE, THE FOOTAGE

OF THE WOMEN TALKING AND HER

TALKING.

SUSAN WAS USUALLY PRETTY BUBBLY

AND FRIENDLY.

AND THEN AT THAT TIME, FOR THAT

INTERVIEW, SHE JUST WAS REALLY

DRAWN AND FATIGUED.

>> WELL, I'M FACED WITH THE

PROBLEM NOW WHERE I WOULD GET A

REGULAR JOB RIGHT NOW BECAUSE

I'M SO SCARED OF WHAT IT'S DONE

TO ME.

AND YET I HAVE STAYED IN IT SO

LONG THAT MY HEALTH IS SO BAD

THAT I'D BE CALLING IN SICK

EVERY OTHER DAY.

>> I NOTICED SUSAN JUST SEEMED A

LITTLE OFF, BUT I COULDN'T TELL

IF IT WAS FROM DRUGS OR FROM HER

PERSONALITY OR BEING OVERTIRED

OR WHAT.

BUT I JUST REMEMBER SOMETHING

WASN'T RIGHT.

>> Narrator: POLICE SCRUTINIZE

THE MATERIAL, LOOKING FOR ANY

CLUES FORESHADOWING SUSAN'S

DISAPPEARANCE TWO DAYS LATER.

ONE MOMENT IN PARTICULAR GRABS

THEIR ATTENTION.

[ BEEPING ]

>> THAT'S MY BEEPER.

IT'S PROBABLY A STALKER RIGHT

NOW.

[ LAUGHTER ]

I DO HAVE A STALKER.

>> SUSAN HAD MADE SEVERAL

REPORTS THAT SHE FELT SHE WAS

BEING FOLLOWED AND STALKED BY A

MALE SHE HAD MET AT STRIP CLUBS.

SUSAN OFTEN DATED PEOPLE SHE HAD

MET IN STRIP CLUBS.

THERE WERE SEVERAL REPORTS THAT

SOME OF HER MALE FRIENDS WERE

VERY POSSESSIVE OF HER.

>> THERE WAS ONE GUY THAT I

REMEMBER SHE TOLD ME THAT HAD

SEEN HER AT A CLUB DOWN THE

STREET.

AND HE ACTUALLY CAME AND RANG

HER DOORBELL, AND THAT WAS

MAYBE TWO MONTHS BEFORE SHE

DISAPPEARED, TOO.

>> Narrator: BUT POLICE FIND NO

CONNECTION BETWEEN THESE MEN AND

SUSAN'S DISAPPEARANCE.

>> THERE WERE OFTEN FIGHTS

BETWEEN HER MALE FRIENDS AND

CHRISTIAN PEPO OR AN OLDER MALE

FRIEND VERSUS A NEW MALE FRIEND.

HOWEVER, AS FAR AS WE CAN

INVESTIGATE THOSE CLAIMS,

NOTHING SHOWED WHERE SUSAN WOULD

HAVE BEEN IN JEOPARDY.

>> Narrator: FRIENDS AND FAMILY

AGREE THAT DESPITE THE UNWANTED

ATTENTION SUSAN SOMETIMES

ATTRACTED, THE 36-YEAR-OLD

NEW JERSEY NATIVE KNEW HOW TO

HANDLE HERSELF.

>> SUSAN WAS NOT A VICTIM.

I THINK THAT SHE WAS TOTALLY IN

CONTROL WHEN SHE WAS ON THE BAR

DANCING.

SHE WAS IN CONTROL OF THOSE MEN.

SHE KNEW HOW TO HANDLE THEM.

AND THERE WAS NO QUESTION THAT

SHE WAS IN CONTROL.

>> THERE'S A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF

TURNING THE TABLES INVOLVED IN

HER BECOMING A STRIPPER, THE

PSYCHOLOGICAL DYNAMIC OF IT.

"YOU'RE NOT GONNA TAKE ME

SERIOUSLY DESPITE THE FACT THAT

I'M INTELLIGENT, ARTICULATE, AND

TALENTED, AND YOU'RE INSTEAD

JUST GONNA LOOK AT MY BREASTS

OR BUTT OR WHAT HAVE YOU.

OKAY, FINE, WELL, GUESS WHAT.

HERE IT IS, YOU KNOW.

FEAST YOUR EYES, FELLAS.

HAVE A LOOK, BUT BY THE WAY,

SCREW YOU."

>> Narrator: BUT THE DARK TONE

THAT SUSAN TAKES IN JILL'S

FILM SUGGESTS THAT SHE MAY HAVE

REACHED HER LIMIT.

>> YOU'RE DEALING WITH

SEXUALITY, WHICH REALLY IS SO

INTRINSIC TO YOUR PSYCHE, YOUR

SOUL, AND THE WAY I FEEL WHEN

I'M DANCING IS THAT I'M LYING

THROUGH MY MOTIONS.

THIS IS NOT ME.

>> WELL, THERE'S A SAYING FOR

DANCERS THAT YOU USE IT UNTIL IT

STARTS TO USE YOU.

I THINK SHE WAS ABLE TO USE IT,

BUT IT WAS REALLY PENETRATING

HER A LOT MORE.

BECAUSE FROM WHAT I SAW, SOME OF

HER WRITINGS AND HER WORK, IT

WAS -- IT WAS UPSETTING TO ME,

BECAUSE I COULD TELL SHE WAS

REALLY GETTING HURT.

AND FOR ME, WHEN THAT POINT

HAPPENED, I GET OUT.

EASIER SAID THAN DONE.

>> Narrator: SUSAN HAD BEEN

TALKING RECENTLY ABOUT MAKING

BIG CHANGES IN HER LIFE.

>> SHE HAD TOLD ME THAT SHE

WANTED TO START HER LIFE NEW IN

FLORIDA, WHERE HER COUSINS

LIVED.

SHE HAD A JOB LINED UP.

SHE FELT THAT SHE NEEDED A FRESH

START TO GET OUT OF DANCING AND,

YOU KNOW, GIVE HER AND DAVID A

BETTER LIFE.

>> Narrator: THE NUTLEY POLICE

RUN WITH THE THEORY THAT SUSAN

WILLINGLY LEFT ON HER OWN

WITHOUT HER SON.

>> SUSAN HAD OFTEN MADE COMMENTS

ABOUT HOW TOUGH IT WAS BEING A

SOLE CARE PROVIDER FOR A NUMBER

OF YEARS FOR DAVID, HOW SHE WAS

STRUGGLING FINANCIALLY, AND THAT

SHE WAS REALLY GETTING TIRED OF

IT -- NOT THAT SHE DIDN'T LOVE

DAVID, BUT JUST THAT SHE WAS

FEELING THE PRESSURES OF BEING

MORE OR LESS A SINGLE PARENT.

>> Narrator: BUT THOSE WHO KNOW

SUSAN CALL THE IDEA RIDICULOUS.

>> THEY INSISTED THAT SHE HAD

DISAPPEARED ON HER OWN, AND I

WAS TOTALLY AGAINST THAT.

SHE WOULD HAVE NOT LEFT HIM

WITHOUT A MOTHER AND JUST PICKED

UP ON HER OWN AND JUST LEFT.

>> I'M A MOM AT HOME.

THAT'S MY NUMBER-ONE JOB.

>> Narrator: SUSAN'S ROLES AS

MOTHER AND STRIPPER DIVIDE THE

INVESTIGATION.

DID SHE LEAVE ON HER OWN ACCORD,

OR WAS FOUL PLAY INVOLVED?

COMING UP...

A THIRD ROLE IS ABOUT TO TAKE

THE SEARCH FOR SUSAN IN A WHOLE

NEW DIRECTION.

>> I THINK SHE WAS PUTTING

HERSELF IN REALLY BAD SITUATIONS

WERE SHE COULD HAVE BEEN KILLED.

>> Narrator: GET MORE

"DISAPPEARED" ONLINE AT...

>> Narrator: IT'S BEEN OVER A

MONTH SINCE SUSAN WALSH WENT

MISSING.

POLICE ARE BEGINNING TO BELIEVE

THAT THE 36-YEAR-OLD SINGLE

MOTHER LEFT ON HER OWN ACCORD.

BUT HER LOVED ONES BELIEVE THAT

SUSAN'S WORK IN THE SEX INDUSTRY

HAS CLOUDED THE INVESTIGATION.

>> I THINK THEY STEREOTYPED HER

BECAUSE OF THE FACT THAT SHE WAS

A DANCER, YOU KNOW.

USUALLY DANCERS HAVE THAT

REPUTATION OF BEING A DRUG

ADDICT OR BEING A PROSTITUTE OR

WHATEVER.

THEY DEVALUED HER LIFE.

>> I COULD WHOLEHEARTEDLY SAY

THAT WASN'T THE CASE.

I SPENT COUNTLESS HOURS.

I VISITED ALMOST EVERY STRIP

CLUB IN THE STATE OF NEW JERSEY

AND SOME IN NEW YORK LOOKING FOR

SUSAN.

>> Narrator: SUSAN'S DOUBLE LIFE

PRESENTS A CHALLENGING CASE TO

LAW ENFORCEMENT.

WHERE TO BEGIN SEARCHING FOR A

SINGLE MOTHER WHO IS A STRIPPER

BY NIGHT AND REPORTER BY DAY?

>> THAT'S WHAT'S SO HARD ABOUT

HER CASE.

SHE WAS INVOLVED WITH SO MANY

DIFFERENT THINGS, AND THERE WAS

SO MUCH GOING ON WITH HER LIFE

AND HAD SO MANY DIFFERENT PEOPLE

AROUND HER.

THE DISTRACTIONS HELPED TO DETER

THE POLICE FROM THE TRUTH.

>> Narrator: AS THE

INVESTIGATION CONTINUES, POLICE

LOOK INTO SUSAN'S WRITING

CAREER, INCLUDING HER WORK WITH

VILLAGE VOICE STAFF WRITER

JIM RIDGEWAY.

>> I WAS WORKING ON A BOOK ABOUT

THE SEX INDUSTRY, AND I WAS

TRYING TO DO IT FROM THE POINT

OF VIEW OF THE PEOPLE IN THE

INDUSTRY.

AND I HAD A REALLY HARD TIME

FINDING ANYBODY TO HELP ME.

I MEAN, THE PEOPLE I APPROACHED,

YOU KNOW, WERE VERY LEERY.

THEY DIDN'T WANT TO DO IT.

>> Narrator: FOR HELP, JIM TURNS

TO AL GOLDSTEIN, EDITOR OF

SCREW A POPULAR MUCKRAKING

MAGAZINE ABOUT THE SEX INDUSTRY.

>> I EXPLAINED TO HIM THAT I WAS

COMPLETELY GOING NUTS DOING

THIS.

AND HE THEN SAID, WELL, HE KNEW

THIS YOUNG STRIPPER NAMED

SUSAN WALSH WHO WANTED TO BE A

WRITER.

AND HE THOUGHT MAYBE, YOU KNOW,

THAT WE SHOULD MEET.

I REMEMBER HER COMING TO THE

VILLAGE VOICE, AND WALKING

ACROSS THE STREET, SHE HAD THIS

FACE THAT WAS EXTREMELY KIND OF,

LIKE, INNOCENT AND OPEN.

>> Narrator: JIM HIRES SUSAN TO

HELP HIM ACCESS THE WORLD SHE

KNOWS SO INTIMATELY.

IT'S A BIG OPPORTUNITY, AND

SUSAN TRIES HARD TO GET JIM

WHATEVER HE NEEDS.

>> SHE WAS THE MOST DEPENDABLE

PERSON I'VE EVER WORKED WITH.

WHENEVER SHE SAID SHE WAS GONNA

DO SOMETHING, SHE DID IT.

IF IT WAS HARD TO FIND SOMEBODY,

SHE WOULD GO FIND HIM.

BUT SHE NEVER FAILED, EVER.

>> SUSAN STARTING TO WORK AT

THE VOICE AND WORKING WITH

JIM RIDGEWAY WAS A HUGE BREAK

FOR HER, AND IT WAS SOMETHING

SHE WAS VERY DETERMINED TO MAKE

THE MOST OUT OF.

THERE WAS NOW A JOURNALISTIC

CONTEXT IN WHICH SHE COULD TAKE

HER KNOWLEDGE AND HER

CONNECTIONS AND HER EXPERIENCE

AND WRITE ABOUT IT IN A REALLY

MEANINGFUL WAY.

>> Narrator: ON AUGUST 2, 1994,

SUSAN GETS HER FIRST ARTICLE

PUBLISHED IN THE VILLAGE VOICE,

A COLLABORATION WITH JIM

EXPOSING THE DARK SIDE OF A

RECENT INFLUX OF RUSSIANS IN THE

LOCAL GO-GO CLUBS.

>> THE RUSSIAN DANCERS WERE

THESE WOMEN WHO WOULD COME TO

ANSWER ADS IN THE UNITED STATES.

SOME OF THEM WERE CLASSICALLY

TRAINED DANCERS.

I MEAN, THEY WERE TOLD THAT THEY

COULD DANCE, YOU KNOW, IN

NEW YORK, DO SERIOUS DANCING.

BUT, OF COURSE, THAT WASN'T

TRUE.

>> Narrator: INFILTRATING THE

CLUBS WHERE THE RUSSIAN WOMEN

DANCE, SUSAN ENJOYS THE

INVESTIGATIVE ASPECT OF THE

WORK.

IT'S ANOTHER YEAR BEFORE SHE

GETS TO DO ANOTHER SIMILAR

STORY, THIS TIME ABOUT A CULT

OF SO-CALLED VAMPIRES WHO DRINK

BLOOD STOLEN FROM NEW YORK CITY

HOSPITALS.

>> WELL, I HAD GOTTEN A TIP FROM

SOMEBODY THAT THERE WAS A THEFT

OF BLOOD BY VAMPIRE PEOPLE.

SO, I SUGGESTED TO SUSAN THAT

SHE GO TO A CLUB OR SOMETHING.

SO SHE WENT TO A COUPLE PLACES,

AND IT WAS A TOTAL ZERO, YOU

KNOW, JUST A WASTE OF TIME.

>> Narrator: ALTHOUGH HER

RESEARCH DOESN'T PAN OUT FOR THE

EXPOSé SHE HAD PLANNED, SUSAN

WRITES THE ARTICLE AND SUBMITS

IT TO THE VOICE FOR PUBLICATION.

>> THEY WOULDN'T RUN IT, AND SHE

FELT REALLY BAD, AND I FELT

TERRIBLE.

THIS WAS AT THE END OF THE WORK,

AND I WASN'T SEEING SUSAN THAT

MUCH, AND SHE WAS BEGINNING TO

HAVE PROBLEMS.

SHE WAS DEFINITELY GOING DOWN.

>> Narrator: IN JUNE, 1996,

JIM RIDGEWAY'S BOOK, "RED LIGHT"

IS PUBLISHED, AND SUSAN IS

CREDITED AS THE RESEARCH

ASSOCIATE.

IT'S THE CULMINATION OF THREE

YEARS OF WORK.

SUSAN FEELS VERY PROUD OF HER

CONTRIBUTION.

>> SUSAN WAS REALLY SUPER

EXCITED, 'CAUSE SHE WAS HAVING,

YOU KNOW, A BOOK PARTY, A BOOK

THAT SHE WAS A BIG PART OF.

AND I REMEMBER GOING WITH HER,

AND SHE WAS TALKING TO ME THE

WHOLE WAY THERE, AND THEN WE GOT

THERE, AND SHE STARTED DANCING

AND SMILING AND JUST -- SHE WAS

JUST AT THE TOP OF THE WORLD.

>> THERE WAS ONE PARTY AT

SALLY'S HIDEAWAY.

IT WAS THE BOOK PEOPLE AND SOME

OF THE DRAG QUEENS, AND SHE'S ON

THE DANCE FLOOR, AND SHE'S

TRYING TO, LIKE, YOU KNOW, SHOW

UP THE DRAG QUEENS, WHICH YOU

DON'T DO, YOU KNOW.

WE WERE BOTH DRINK.

WE WERE BOTH THERE -- IT WAS A

PARTY.

>> Narrator: AS THE NIGHT GOES

ON, SUSAN MENTIONS TO SEVERAL

PEOPLE THAT SHE IS WORRIED ABOUT

HER SAFETY.

>> SHE THOUGHT SOMEBODY WAS

AFTER HER, AND SHE DROPPED A LOT

OF DIFFERENT POSSIBILITIES.

SHE TALKED ABOUT THE C.I.A.

SHE TALKED ABOUT THE RUSSIAN

MOB, WHICH SHE HAD WRITTEN

ABOUT.

SHE TALKED ABOUT UNDERCOVER FBI

CONTACTS.

IT WAS -- IT WAS KIND OF CRAZY.

>> Narrator: SUSAN'S FRIENDS

WONDER IF HER PARANOIA IS JUST A

RESULT OF BEING OVERWORKED AND

BURNT OUT.

>> I KNOW SHE WAS, LIKE, SUPER

STRESSED OUT, BUT I'D SEEN HER

SUPER STRESSED OUT BEFORE.

AND I REALLY THOUGHT SHE WAS

GONNA BE ABLE TO PULL HERSELF

OUT OF IT.

ABOUT A WEEK LATER, SHE SEEMED

TO BE PULLING THINGS TOGETHER A

BUILT, AND SHE SAID, "WELL, I'M

GOING TO GET A CELLPHONE, AND

I'M GONNA GIVE YOU THE NUMBER,

AND WE'RE GONNA STAY IN TOUCH,

AND, YOU KNOW, THAT WAS THE LAST

TIME I SAW HER."

>> I WASN'T SURE WITH SUSAN

SOMETIMES IF WHAT SHE WAS

TELLING ME THE TRUTH OR IF IT

WAS SOMETHING SHE HAD CONJURED

UP IN HER MIND.

IN RETROSPECT, I BELIEVE SUSAN

DID HAVE A STALKER.

I THINK SHE WAS ADDICTED TO

DRUGS.

AND I THINK SHE WAS PUTTING

HERSELF IN REALLY BAD SITUATIONS

WHERE SHE COULD HAVE BEEN

KILLED.

>> Narrator: COMING UP...

LOVED ONES LOOK FOR SUSAN IN

SOME OF THE DARK REALMS SHE

EXPLORED.

>> I WENT UNDERCOVER IN THE BARS

THAT SUSAN USED TO WORK AT AND

ASK QUESTIONS, AND I WAS TOLD

THAT, "YOU MIGHT WANT TO STOP

ASKING THOSE QUESTIONS UNLESS

YOU TO DISAPPEAR, TOO."

>> Narrator: MONTHS HAVE GONE BY

SINCE SINGLE MOTHER, STRIPPER,

AND WRITER SUSAN WALSH

DISAPPEARED.

HER DOUBLE LIFE SENDS

INVESTIGATORS IN A MYRIAD OF

DIRECTIONS.

THE NUMEROUS LEADS SEEM TO

STIFLE THE SEARCH FOR HER.

BUT AS TIME PASSES, POLICE

NARROW THEIR SIGHTS ON SUSAN'S

WRITING -- INVESTIGATIVE

REPORTING IN THE SEX INDUSTRY

THAT MAY HAVE LED TO HER

DISAPPEARANCE.

>> THERE HAD BEEN SEVERAL

REPORTS THAT SUSAN MAY HAVE BEEN

TARGETED BY DIFFERENT GROUPS DUE

TO ARTICLES SHE WROTE IN

THE VILLAGE VOICE AND BOOKS SHE

HAD RECENTLY WRITTEN AND

RESEARCHED FOR.

>> Narrator: COLLEAGUES ADMIT

THAT SUSAN OFTEN APPROACHED HER

WORK WITH A GUSTO THAT BORDERED

ON RECKLESSNESS.

>> SUSAN SEEMED TO ALWAYS BE

SEEKING ADVENTURE AND FINDING

THE STORY, AND IT WAS ALMOST

LIKE SHE WAS LIVING IN A MOVIE

OF HER LIFE WHERE SHE COULDN'T

REALLY GET HURT BUT SHE COULD

COME AND HAVE ALL THESE GREAT

EXPERIENCES, AND I DON'T THINK

SHE THOUGHT OF THE REALITY, THE

DANGER SHE WAS PUTTING HERSELF

IN.

>> Narrator: SUSAN ALSO SEEMED

TO BLUR THE LINE BETWEEN HER

ROLES AS AUTHOR AND SUBJECT.

IN THE BOOK "RED LIGHT," SHE WAS

NOT ONLY THE RESEARCH ASSOCIATE

BUT ALSO A FEATURED SEX WORKER.

>> THEY'RE VERY HAUNTING

PICTURES, YOU KNOW.

THEY'RE THESE BURLY GUYS IN

BASEBALL CAPS BEING ALL SORT OF

PAPISH AND SUSAN BEING RATHER

KIND OF VULNERABLE.

AND AT A CERTAIN POINT WHEN

YOU'RE DOING THAT SORT OF THING,

IF YOU'RE NOT CAREFUL, YOU KNOW,

YOU'RE NOT RESEARCHING ANYMORE.

YOU'RE THERE.

YOU GET VERY CONFUSED.

>> Narrator: IN PARTICULAR,

SUSAN'S VILLAGE VOICE ARTICLE

ABOUT RUSSIAN DANCERS BEING

TRICKED INTO SEX WORK LIKELY

EXPOSED HER TO SOME VERY

DANGEROUS PEOPLE.

>> THE RUSSIAN MAFIA WAS A PIECE

OF THE PUZZLE THAT YOU COULDN'T

REALLY DISCOUNT BECAUSE IT WAS A

VERY REAL THING.

SO I DID A STORY FOR

"THIS AMERICAN LIFE" WITH

SANDY TOLAN ON NPR, AND I

BASICALLY WENT UNDERCOVER AS A

DANCER.

ONE CLUB, I WAS ASKING THE GIRL

SOME QUESTIONS, AND SHE WAS

SPEAKING ENGLISH.

AND THE BOUNCER CAME OVER AND

ASKED ME WHAT I WAS DOING.

AND I SAID, YOU KNOW, "I'M

THINKING ABOUT WORKING HERE,

JUST ASKING HER WHAT IT 'S

LIKE."

AND HE TOTALLY DIDN'T BELIEVE

ME.

IT WAS ALL-RUSSIAN CLUB, YOU

KNOW, SO HE STARTED TO MOTION TO

THIS OTHER GUY, BUT I WAS

WEARING A WIRE SO I KIND OF RAN

OUT OF THERE.

JUST PEELED OUT OF THE PARKING

LOT.

>> Narrator: POLICE EVENTUALLY

RULE OUT THE RUSSIAN MAFIA,

VAMPIRE-CULT MEMBERS, AND ALL

THE SUBJECTS OF SUSAN'S ARTICLES

OF HAVING ANYTHING TO DO WITH

HER DISAPPEARANCE.

REACHING ANOTHER INVESTIGATIVE

DEAD END, THE CASE BEGINS TO

STALL.

>> IT WAS MY OPINION THAT FOR

WHATEVER REASON, SHE HAD CHOSEN

TO LEAVE HER LIFE BEHIND.

TO THIS DAY, I STILL HOPE THAT

SHE'S ALIVE.

HOWEVER, HONESTLY, I DON'T KNOW

WHAT HAPPENED TO SUSAN.

>> Narrator: ALMOST A DECADE

AFTER SUSAN'S DISAPPEARANCE,

LIEUTENANT STEVE ROGERS BECOMES

COMMANDER OF THE NUTLEY POLICE

DEPARTMENT'S DETECTIVE BUREAU.

HIS FIRST ORDER OF BUSINESS --

TO REOPEN THE COLD

MISSING-PERSONS CASE OF

SUSAN WALSH.

>> MY IDEA WAS, YOU KNOW,

SOMETIMES A FRESH SET OF EYES

WILL PICK UP SOMETHING THAT

MAYBE THE OLD SET OF EYES DID

NOT.

>> Narrator: AMONG THE BOXES OF

EVIDENCE ARE MANY PERSONAL ITEMS

THAT THE POLICE GATHERED FROM

SUSAN'S APARTMENT, INCLUDING A

WALL CALENDAR THAT

LIEUTENANT ROGERS PAYS SPECIAL

ATTENTION TO.

>> SO, I'M GOING THROUGH

JANUARY, FEBRUARY, MARCH.

EACH MONTH, SHE HAD SOMETHING

LOGGED IN -- PRETTY MUCH WHAT

HER APPOINTMENTS WERE, WHO SHE

WAS GONNA SEEK, PHONE CALLS SHE

MADE.

AS I'M LOOKING THROUGH THE

CALENDAR, I NOTICE THAT THE

MONTH OF JULY WAS MISSING, AND I

LOOKED THROUGH ALL OF OUR BOXES,

THROUGH ALL THE FILES.

I'M A LITTLE PUZZLED OVER WHY

WOULD JULY 1996 BE MISSING.

WELL THAT HAPPENS TO BE THE

MONTH THAT SHE WAS REPORTED

MISSING.

>> Narrator: CONSIDERING THE

LEVEL OF DETAIL THAT SUSAN

RECORDED ON THE CALENDAR, THE

MISSING MONTH IS EXTREMELY

SUSPICIOUS.

>> DID SHE TAKE THAT CALENDAR

AND RIP IT OUT BEFORE SHE LEFT

THE HOUSE AND GO MAKE THAT

PHONE CALL?

DID SOMEBODY RIP THAT PIECE OF

CALENDAR OUT?

WHY NOT GET RID OF THE ENTIRE

CALENDAR?

ONE THING IS FOR SURE IN MY

MIND -- THAT THERE MAY HAVE BEEN

SOMETHING ON THAT CALENDAR THAT

SOMEONE DID NOT WANT US TO SEE.

>> Narrator: LIEUTENANT ROGERS

DECIDES TO TAKE A SECOND LOOK AT

THE APARTMENT WHERE SUSAN ONCE

LIVED, BUT HE HITS A WALL.

HER ESTRANGED HUSBAND, MARK, IS

NOW LIVING THE UNIT WITH THEIR

SON, DAVID, AND HE IS NO LONGER

COOPERATING.

>> I GOT A CALL FROM HIS

ATTORNEY.

WE HAVE TO STOP SPEAKING TO HIM.

AND WHY HE DID THAT, TO THIS

DAY, I DON'T KNOW, BECAUSE THERE

WAS A POINT IN TIME WHEN HE WAS

VOLUNTEERING INFORMATION EVERY

SINGLE DAY.

>> Narrator: WITHOUT ENOUGH

EVIDENCE TO OBTAIN A SEARCH

WARRANT, LIEUTENANT ROGERS HAS

NO WAY TO RE-EXAMINE THE

APARTMENT.

NEVERTHELESS, HE BELIEVES THAT

MARK'S WITHDRAWAL FROM THE

INVESTIGATION IS FAR FROM AN

ADMISSION OF GUILT.

>> I SUPPOSE MAYBE IN MARK'S

CASE, BASED ON INTERVIEWS WITH

PEOPLE, THAT HE JUST DIDN'T WANT

THE ATTENTION ANYMORE, HE JUST

PUT A WALL UP AND SAID, "THAT'S

IT."

>> Narrator: LIEUTENANT ROGERS

CONTINUES TO COMB THROUGH THE

CASE FILES, EVENTUALLY MAKING AN

IMPORTANT FIND.

>> THIS PIECE OF EVIDENCE

CLEARLY COULD HAVE HAD SOMETHING

TO DO WITH A RELATIONSHIP

BETWEEN SUSAN AND SOMEBODY ELSE.

IF THERE WAS AN ARGUMENT AND

THAT ARGUMENT TURNED INTO

SOMETHING TRAGIC AND THEN THE

PERSON WHO WAS INVOLVED WITH HER

PANICKED AND DID SOMETHING WITH

HER OR THAT SHE JUST DECIDED,

"YOU KNOW WHAT?

I'M GETTING AWAY FROM ALL OF

THIS AND I'LL SEE YOU IN ABOUT

30 YEARS."

>> Narrator: BECAUSE THE CASE IS

STILL ACTIVE, LIEUTENANT ROGERS

CANNOT REVEAL WHAT THE NEW

DISCOVERY IS OR WHO IT APPEARS

TO INCRIMINATE, BUT OTHER

EVIDENCE SEEMS TO SUGGEST THAT

SUSAN KNEW THAT HER LIFE WAS IN

DANGER.

>> YOU KNOW, THERE WAS A LETTER

THAT SHE HAD WRITTEN TO HER SON,

DAVID, MORE OR LESS SAYING,

"LOOK, IF ANYTHING HAPPENS TO

ME, I WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT I

LOVE YOU."

SO, AGAIN, THE QUESTION GOES

BACK, DID SHE KNOW SOMETHING

THAT WE STILL DON'T KNOW?

WAS SHE IN FEAR OF HER LIFE?

>> Narrator: LOVED ONES ADMIT

THAT SUSAN'S RELATIONSHIPS WERE

OFTEN VERY COMPLEX.

>> SHE KNEW SHE WAS ATTRACTIVE.

AND SHE KNEW HOW TO WORK BEING

ATTRACTIVE.

SHE ALSO WOULD MAKE A POINT OF

BEING KIND OF NOT EASY TO READ

IN TERMS OF DIRECT ACCESS TO HER

EMOTIONS.

AND I THINK IN A LOT OF SENSES,

THIS WAS JUST HER WAY OF MASKING

A REALLY DEEP VULNERABILITY.

I THINK SHE REALLY NEEDED TO BE

LOVED, AND IF YOU TOLD HER THAT

YOU LOVED HER, SHE WOULD NOT

BELIEVE YOU FOR A MINUTE.

HER RELATIONSHIP WITH HER SON

WAS, OF COURSE, I THINK VERY

DIFFERENT, AND THAT WAS REAL AND

UNCONDITIONAL LOVE.

SO IT'S PRETTY SAD.

>> Narrator: DESPITE THE NEW

EVIDENCE, LIEUTENANT ROGERS AND

THE NUTLEY POLICE DO NOT HAVE

ENOUGH INFORMATION TO MAKE AN

ARREST.

BUT THEY MAINTAIN THAT EVEN 15

YEARS LATER, THE SEARCH FOR

SUSAN WALSH IS STILL ACTIVE.

>> YOU NEVER GIVE UP.

YOU NEVER EVER GIVE UP.

YOU MAY GET A PHONE CALL, YOU

MAY GET A LETTER, YOU MAY GET AN

ANONYMOUS TIP THAT THE PERSON

YOU'RE LOOKING FOR, JUST GO IN

THAT DIRECTION, YOU'LL FIND

HIM.

>> Narrator: BUT FRIENDS AND

FAMILY FIND IT HARD TO KEEP HOPE

ALIVE WHEN THEY FEEL SUSAN'S

ABSENCE SO DEEPLY.

>> IT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT I

TALK ABOUT EVERY DAY.

I THINK I KEEP THAT PART TO

MYSELF, AND I DON'T REVEAL THIS

TO JUST ANYBODY.

I THINK WHEN SHE DISAPPEARED, IT

WAS LIKE A PART OF ME THAT KIND

OF, LIKE, DISAPPEARED, TOO.

>> IT'S KIND OF A WEIRD THING

BECAUSE I THINK SHE WAS REACHING

A POINT WHERE THERE WAS A

POTENTIAL RESOLUTION OF THE TWO

DIFFERENT SIDES OF HER LIFE,

THAT IT WAS ALL GONNA COME OUT

IN THE WASH.

AND, AGAIN, THAT'S ONE OF THE

THINGS ABOUT HER DISAPPEARANCE

THAT MAKES IT SO TRAGIC, IS

THAT...

IT WAS -- I FEEL IT WAS DECIDED

FOR HER AND THAT THERE WAS NOT

GOING TO BE A RESOLUTION.

>> MY MAJOR CONCERN ALWAYS FROM

THE BEGINNING WAS WHAT I THOUGHT

SUSAN'S MAJOR CONCERN WOULD

BE, WHICH IS THAT HER CHILD WAS

ABLE TO GROW UP AND BE SAFE.

BUT AS TIME HAS GONE ON, I FEEL

REALLY HORRIBLE ALL THE TIME.

I JUST FEEL LIKE IT WAS

TOTALLY...

JUST TOTALLY AWFUL.

BECAUSE SHE WAS SUCH A GOOD

PERSON, YOU KNOW?

I THINK ABOUT IT ALL THE TIME.

I THINK ABOUT HER ALL THE TIME.