Original subtitles

"THE SNYDERS."

THIS IS THE STORY OF THE SNYDER FAMILY...

HI!

AND A YOUNG COUPLE THAT SEEMED TO HAVE EVERYTHING.

TWO KIDS...

HE DIDN'T STAY RESERVED.

HE'S PLAYING THE GAMES. HE'S READING THE BOOKS.

HE'S TAKING HER TO DANCE.

I WAS IMPRESSED BY HER DEDICATION TO BEING A MOTHER.

PLENTY OF MONEY.

HE BOUGHT A BOAT, AND HE BOUGHT LAND,

AND HE BOUGHT A HOUSE.

BUT IT'S A LIFE

THAT WILL SOON BE TORN APART.

THIS REALLY INDICATED THAT WE HAVE A HOMICIDE ON OUR HANDS.

HIDDEN IN THESE NEVER-BEFORE-SEEN IMAGES

ARE CLUES TO A HORRIFYING DEATH.

Captions by VITAC-- www.vitac.com

CAPTIONS PAID FOR BY DISCOVERY COMMUNICATIONS

COME ON, BOGART.

LAY DOWN OR I'LL PUT YOU IN ANOTHER ROOM.

UH-OH, WE'RE GOING TO GET THAT ON TAPE... A SPANKING.

IT'S 1991 IN ALBUQUERQUE, NEW MEXICO.

HEY, BUDDY!

HI, DAD.

THE SNYDER FAMILY IS ALL TOGETHER FOR CHRISTMAS.

AW, GOOD BOY! HEY, CODY!

...DON'T WANT TO RUN OVER CODY.

OKAY.

UH-OH, WHAT DID WE CATCH HIM DOING?

GRANDPARENTS ALLENE...

...AND MALCOLM...

ARE HOSTING THEIR THREE KIDS.

THERE YOU GO, TERI.

THE YOUNGEST DAUGHTER IS TERI,

IN THE STRIPED SHIRT AND THE LIFE OF THE PARTY.

WELL, I CERTAINLY WAS PROBABLY THE LOUD ONE OF ALL THREE OF US.

ONE YEAR OLDER,

29-YEAR-OLD LAURA IS IN THE WHITE SWEATER.

I HAVE NOTHING BUT FOND MEMORIES OF MY FAMILY.

THREE KIDS... I'M THE MIDDLE.

MY SISTER TERI IS THE YOUNGEST,

AND MY BROTHER MIKE WAS THE OLDEST.

GO BACK TO MIKE.

PUSH HIM. PUSH HIM.

BE NICE, THOUGH.

HI!

EXCUSE ME.WHAT DID YOU DO?

I FART.

OKAY, AS LONG AS YOU SAY "EXCUSE ME."

GO BACK TO MIKE.

HEY, UNCLE MIKE.

YEAH!

WHERE ARE YOU TWO GOING?

WHERE ARE YOU TWO GOING?

THEN THERE'S BIG BROTHER,

32-YEAR-OLD MIKE,

WHO'S ALWAYS BEEN THE QUIET ONE.

AH, GOING TO UNCLE MIKE NOW.

WHERE'D YOU GO?

WHERE YOU GOING?

IF HE HAS SOMEBODY THAT COMES UP TO HIM

AND WANTS TO ENGAGE IN CONVERSATION,

HE'S VERY TALKATIVE.

BUT HE WON'T PROBABLY INITIATE A CONVERSATION.

HE'S VERY SHY AND RESERVED.

OKAY.

THE SNYDER SIBLINGS HAVE ALWAYS BEEN CLOSE.

THIS NEVER-BEFORE-SEEN FOOTAGE CAPTURES THE KIDS

GROWING UP IN THE 1960s

AMONGST GENERATIONS OF THEIR WARM

AND CLOSE-KNIT FAMILY.

SIX-YEAR-OLD MIKE IS FASCINATED BY HOW EVERYTHING WORKS.

WHEN MIKE WAS GROWING UP, HE WAS ALWAYS TEARING APART SOMETHING

AND PUTTING IT BACK TOGETHER.

UNCLE MIKE OVER THERE.

BY 1991, IT'S CLEAR MIKE HAS SERIOUS TALENT.

HE'S ONE OF ALBUQUERQUE'S TOP CAR MECHANICS,

A LEGEND IN THE BUSINESS.

HIS SKILLS NOW EARN HIM A SIX-FIGURE SALARY

AT THE CITY'S JEEP DEALERSHIP.

HE BOUGHT A BOAT, AND HE BOUGHT LAND,

AND HE BOUGHT A HOUSE.

I MEAN, TO ME THOSE WERE ALL SIGNS

THAT YOU ARE SUCCESSFUL IN DOING WHAT YOU'RE DOING,

AND I WAS IN AWE OF THAT.

- LOOK! - OH, YOU GOT THE CLUB?

YEAH!

BUT MIKE HASN'T HAD THE SAME SUCCESS WITH WOMEN.

I HAVE A SMALL CHILD, AND MY SISTER'S MARRIED

AND SHE'S HAVING CHILDREN.

I KNOW HE WANTED THAT.

BUT HIS SISTER'S DON'T KNOW IS THAT MIKE HAS A SECRET,

AND EVERYTHING IS ABOUT TO CHANGE.

LET'S PAUSE IT FOR A SECOND HERE.

SIX MONTHS LATER, THE SUMMER OF 1992,

THE FAMILY ARE ON THEIR ANNUAL VACATION

AT THEIR LAKESIDE CABIN ON ELEPHANT BUTTE RESERVOIR.

LAURA FILMS THE TRIP.

"THE SNYDERS," THERE IT IS.

THE SNYDERS PAD...

AND IT'S HOT OUT.

COME ON. YOU GOING TO GET MORE?

AND ON THIS TRIP, MIKE'S SECRET IS REVEALED.

HE'S BEEN SEEING A WOMAN, ELLEN,

AND IT'S SERIOUS ENOUGH TO INTRODUCE HER TO THE FAMILY.

THAT'S THE FIRST TIME THAT I THINK I REALLY GOT TO KNOW HER.

WE HAD A LOT OF FUN.

HELLO!

WITH HER IS HER 7-YEAR-OLD SON

FROM A PREVIOUS MARRIAGE, MICHAEL.

THERE'S MICHAEL.

FOR MIKE, HE'S THE SON HE NEVER HAD.

FOR MY BROTHER, I THINK IT WAS REAL REFRESHING

TO HAVE SOMEONE THAT HE COULD BE A FATHER FIGURE TO.

AND I REALLY BELIEVE THAT MICHAEL APPRECIATED IT AS WELL

BECAUSE HE DIDN'T SEE HIS FATHER,

AND I THINK HE REALLY NEEDED THAT MALE FIGURE IN HIS LIFE.

ELLEN AND YOUNG MICHAEL ARE WARMLY WELCOMED

INTO THE SNYDER FOLD,

AS THESE NEVER-BEFORE-SEEN HOME VIDEOS SHOW.

...YES, YOU ARE.

I'LL SHOW YOU THE TAPE, TOO.

HAVE YOU EVER BEEN ON TV?

- NO. - NO?

I'VE BEEN ON THAT KIND OF TV. NOT REAL TV.

IT WAS A CHANCE REALLY TO GET TO KNOW HER.

KIND OF THE GIRLS GOT AWAY, MY SISTER, HER AND I,

WITH THE KIDS.

WE ALL WENT TO THE LAKE,

AND IT WAS FUN TO WATCH HER INTERACT WITH MICHAEL,

SPLASHING IN THE WATER...

PULLING HIM IN,

AND JUST DOING ALL THE FUN STUFF.

ELLEN AND MICHAEL, I THINK, WERE EXTREMELY CLOSE.

FOR MANY, MANY YEARS, IT WAS JUST HER AND MICHAEL,

AND SO THEY, I THINK, BOTH REALLY RELIED ON EACH OTHER

FOR EMOTIONAL SUPPORT, COMPANIONSHIP.

MEANWHILE, THE ROMANCE BLOSSOMS.

JUST MONTHS AFTER THE TRIP TO THE LAKE,

ELLEN AND SON MICHAEL MOVE IN WITH MIKE SNYDER.

AFTER THEY MOVED IN TOGETHER, WE WOULD STILL CONTINUE

WITH OUR FAMILY FUNCTIONS.

AS I'M GETTING TO KNOW ELLEN, I REALLY DO LIKE HER.

SHE'S A REALLY SWEET PERSON.

SHE WAS FRIENDLY, PERSONABLE, AND TALKATIVE.

SHE WAS KIND OF THE YIN TO HIS YANG, YOU KNOW?

AND I THINK THAT'S A GOOD THING.

SHE REALLY CARED ABOUT HIM,

SO I WAS SO HAPPY TO SEE MY BROTHER

KIND OF COME OUT OF HIS FOG

AND MEET SOMEONE NEW WHO HE HAD A FUTURE WITH.

MICHAEL, NOW 8,

HAS A FATHER FIGURE HE CAN LOOK UP TO

AND AN EXTENDED FAMILY

THAT HE GETS TO SEE ALL THE TIME.

MICHAEL!

OOH, IT'S MICHAEL!

HEY BUDDY!

AH!

YEAH, IT'S VERY BUSY.

- WHAT ARE YOU DOING? - SAY, "HAPPY BIRTHDAY, BYRON!"

- HAPPY BIRTHDAY, BYRON. - HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

YOUNG MICHAEL SHOWS HOW COMFORTABLE HE IS

WITH THE SNYDERS IN THIS VIDEO OF TERI'S SON'S BIRTHDAY.

WE WERE AT CHUCK E. CHEESE,

AND JUST HAVING LOTS OF FUN.

I REMEMBER MICHAEL BEING A COMPLETE GOOF-UP.

OH, BOY!

AND HE WAS PUTTING BIRTHDAY HATS ON HIS EARS AND ON HIS NOSE.

OKAY, NOW THERE'S THE STAR OF THE SHOW!

THERE'S THE NEW CHUCK E. CHEESE NUMBER TWO!

GRANDPA MALCOLM SNYDER IS ESPECIALLY FOND OF MICHAEL.

YEAH!

VERY GOOD!

ELLEN HAPPILY COMFORTS TERI'S NEWBORN BABY.

CLOSE-UP!

WE WERE JUST HAVING A LOT OF FUN.

IT WAS A REALLY FUN FAMILY EVENT.

HINDSIGHT, LOOKING BACK, I HAD NO IDEA

WHAT WAS GOING TO HAPPEN IN THE FUTURE.

BYRON!

BY THE CHRISTMAS OF 1993,

MIKE CAN ENJOY THE SNYDER CLAN'S HOLIDAY GATHERING

WITH A FAMILY OF HIS OWN.

HE WAS A GOOD STEP-DAD.

I THINK HE LIKED HAVING A CHILD IN HIS LIFE

AND DOTING ON HIM.

IN THE BACK, ELLEN FITS RIGHT IN,

PICKING UP THE WRAPPING AND BOXES

AS MICHAEL HAPPILY RIPS OPEN HIS PRESENTS

ALONGSIDE HIS COUSINS.

THEY ALL SEEMED HAPPY, AND IT SEEMED LIKE

MICHAEL WAS WELL ADJUSTED.

AND IF IT ALL SEEMS TOO GOOD TO BE TRUE,

THAT'S BECAUSE IT IS.

- HERE, BUD. - RIGHT IN FRONT OF YOU.

IT'S 1993 IN ALBUQUERQUE,

AND MIKE SNYDER IS ENJOYING HIS FAMILY'S CHRISTMAS GATHERING

WITH HIS GIRLFRIEND ELLEN AND HER SON MICHAEL.

THREE MONTHS AFTER THIS HOME MOVIE FOOTAGE IS SHOT,

MIKE AND ELLEN WILL TIE THE KNOT.

I WAS HAPPY HE FOUND SOMEONE WHO SEEMED VERY NICE,

AND SHE SEEMED CARING ABOUT HIM AND VICE VERSA.

AND I WAS VERY HAPPY.

AND WITHIN TWO YEARS,

THEY HAVE BUILT THEIR OWN FAMILY HOME.

IT WAS A GORGEOUS HOME, SOUTHWESTERN STYLE,

VERY NEW-MEXICAN TRADITION.

AND THEY WERE BOTH VERY PROUD OF THAT HOME.

IN SEPTEMBER 1995, THE SNYDERS ARE CELEBRATING

MICHAEL'S 11TH BIRTHDAY.

BUT THE BIG NEWS IS THAT ELLEN IS PREGNANT.

BY CHRISTMAS, MIKE AND ELLEN'S BABY DAUGHTER, ELIZABETH,

HAS ARRIVED IN TIME TO JOIN THE FAMILY GET-TOGETHER.

IT'S A BABY! HI, ELIZABETH!

HI, ELIZABETH!

ELIZABETH...

ELIZABETH...

WATCH THAT TOY.

AW, A KISS.

OH, NO WONDER!

AS THE YEARS PASS,

MIKE AND HIS DAUGHTER DEVELOP A STRONG BOND.

HE DIDN'T STAY RESERVED.

HE'S PLAYING THE GAMES. HE'S READING THE BOOKS.

HE'S TAKING HER TO DANCE.

YOU KNOW, HERE'S THIS BIG, STRONG MECHANIC GUY

AND SUDDENLY HE'S GOING TO DANCE.

IN THIS HOME MOVIE CLIP FROM 1999,

ELIZABETH, NOW 4,

CLINGS TO HER DADDY.

SHE WAS ALWAYS A DADDY'S GIRL,

SO WHENEVER SHE WAS TIRED

SHE ONLY WANTED MIKE TO PICK HER UP.

IT WAS KIND OF SWEET AND REFRESHING TO SEE.

THEY SEEMED VERY HAPPY.

BUT IT WON'T LAST.

THE SUMMER OF 2001,

43-YEAR-OLD MIKE STARTS EXPERIENCING STRANGE SYMPTOMS.

HIS BODY WOULD GO NUMB

AND TINGLY AND JUST DIFFERENT THINGS.

LEAVE IT! JUST LET ME GET ON WITH IT.

SO THERE WERE MANY MONTHS WHERE HE WAS, YOU KNOW,

GOING TO THE DOCTOR TRYING TO FIGURE OUT

WHAT WAS GOING ON WITH HIM BEFORE THE DIAGNOSIS

WAS GIVEN TO HIM.

WHEN IT COMES, THAT DIAGNOSIS IS CRUSHING--

MIKE HAS MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS.

THE UNPREDICTABLE NATURE OF HIS ILLNESS

MEANS HE CAN'T CONTINUE TO WORK.

IT GOT TO THE POINT WHERE HE HAD TO GO ON DISABILITY FOR WORK.

HE HAD BEEN WORKING MOST OF HIS LIFE,

12-, 14-HOUR DAYS.

SO TO TAKE A MAN OUT OF THAT PLAYING FIELD AND SAY,

"OKAY, YOU'RE NOW STAYING AT HOME,"

I THINK WAS A TREMENDOUS BLOW FOR HIM.

FEELING TRAPPED AT HOME BY HIS ILLNESS,

MIKE SUCCUMBS TO CHRONIC FATIGUE AND DEPRESSION.

I'M SURE IT DID A LOT TO HIM MENTALLY.

HOW LONG IS HE GOING TO BE AROUND FOR HIS DAUGHTER?

IS HE GOING TO BE ABLE TO STILL SUPPORT HIS FAMILY?

BEHIND THE CLOSED DOORS OF HOME,

THE PRESSURE OF MIKE'S ILLNESS

IS TAKING ITS TOLL ON THEIR MARRIAGE.

I CAN REMEMBER GOING OVER TO THEIR HOUSE.

HEY, MICHAEL. IS YOUR DAD HERE?

YEAH, HE'S IN THE DEN.

MICHAEL ANSWERED THE DOOR.

MIKE, WHAT'S GOING ON? WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE?

HE'S KIND OF GETTING UP OFF THIS MATTRESS,

AND I WAS A LITTLE TAKEN ABACK. AND IT'S LIKE,

"W-WHAT ARE YOU DOING? WHAT'S GOING ON?"

IT'S NOTHING. DON'T WORRY ABOUT IT.

AND I DON'T KNOW THAT HE EVER REALLY ANSWERED ME.

IT LOOKS LIKE THE DEN HAS BECOME MIKE'S BEDROOM.

IT SADDENED ME AND MADE ME REALLY START TO BELIEVE

THAT PROBABLY THE RELATIONSHIP'S NOT GOING VERY WELL.

BUT HIS SISTERS HOPE

IT'S JUST THE STRAIN OF HIS ILLNESS.

EVERY COUPLE HAS AN ARGUMENT.

EVERY COUPLE FIGHTS.

SO, NO, THERE WAS NO REASON TO THINK

THAT THERE WOULD BE SOMETHING STRANGE

AND OUT OF THE ORDINARY.

IT'S CHRISTMAS 2001,

SIX MONTHS AFTER MIKE'S DIAGNOSIS.

WE DO CHRISTMAS EVE AT MY MOM'S HOUSE,

AND WE WERE ALL THERE AND EVERYBODY, YOU KNOW,

WAS PASSING OUT PRESENTS AND HAVING FUN.

AND MIKE AND ELLEN SAT ON THE COUCH TOGETHER,

NOT NEXT TO EACH OTHER.

THERE WAS QUITE A BIT OF DISTANCE BETWEEN THEM.

YOU COULD CUT THE TENSION WITH A KNIFE.

EVEN MICHAEL, NOW A TEENAGER,

SEEMS LESS INCLINED TO JOIN IN THE FUN.

MICHAEL'S ABOUT 16 AT THIS TIME,

AND SO HE SEEMS A LOT MORE RESERVED.

HE SEEMS JUST WITHDRAWN, AND LIKE HE'S KIND OF

JUST GONE INTO A COCOON.

HE'S NOT THE GOOFY KID HE ONCE WAS,

BUT PERHAPS THAT'S TO BE EXPECTED.

AND THE ONCE-OUTGOING ELLEN ALSO APPEARS WITHDRAWN.

I WASN'T FEELING THE SAME KIND OF COMFORT

WITH HER THAT I HAD IN THE PAST,

AND I DON'T KNOW WHAT HAD CHANGED.

NOW, LOOKING BACK, THIS FOOTAGE IS BITTERSWEET.

- IT WAS JUST ANOTHER CHRISTMAS. - IT WAS JUST ANOTHER CHRISTMAS.

IT'S PRETTY HEART-WRENCHING FOR ME TO WATCH THIS,

TO KNOW THAT JUST TWO WEEKS LATER

THEY WOULD NO LONGER BE WITH US.

IT'S 2001, AND THE CHRISTMAS AFTER

MIKE SNYDER'S MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS DIAGNOSIS.

THEIR MARRIAGE APPEARS TO BE IN TROUBLE.

THEN, ON JANUARY 11, 2002,

MIKE SNYDER VANISHES.

HI, ELLEN! HOW ARE YOU?

I REMEMBER GETTING A CALL FROM ELLEN SAYING THAT

MIKE'S GONE.

WHAT DO YOU MEAN, HE'S LEFT? WHERE HAS HE GONE?

HE'S LEFT. HE'S LEFT ME.

HE'S GONE.

AND I, JUST, I WAS TAKEN ABACK.

I-- CAME OUT OF THE BLUE,

OUT OF LEFT FIELD, WASN'T EXPECTING IT.

AND I WAS LIKE, "WELL, WHERE?"

I DON'T KNOW. HIS CAR'S HERE, BUT HE'S NOT.

AND, YOU KNOW, I'M REALLY PISSED, LAURA!

YOU KNOW, HE'S JUST LEFT ME WITH MICHAEL AND ELIZABETH.

YES, AND I'M SURE YOU'RE UPSET.

LAURA AND TERI AREN'T COMPLETELY SURPRISED.

THEY KNOW MIKE'S BEEN BATTLING DEPRESSION

ALONGSIDE HIS ILLNESS.

THEY WERE HAVING SOME FIGHTING GOING ON.

HE GOT THE DIAGNOSIS OF M.S.

MAYBE HE DID NEED TO JUST GET AWAY.

STILL, IT'S ALL VERY TROUBLING.

WE ALL WERE VERY WORRIED.

HIS M.S. WAS VERY PREVALENT,

AND I WAS QUITE FRANKLY WORRIED ABOUT HIS STATE OF MIND.

THIS IS MIKE. LEAVE A MESSAGE.

HEY, MIKE. IT'S LAURA.

I DON'T WANT TO SAY I FEARED THAT HE MIGHT TAKE HIS LIFE,

BUT IT DID CROSS MY MIND.

WE JUST NEED TO KNOW THAT YOU'RE OKAY.

I WORRIED THAT HE HAS GONE OFF TO DIE,

OR JUST TO GIVE UP ON LIFE.

WHEN DAYS TURN INTO WEEKS WITH NO WORD FROM MIKE,

TERI AND LAURA BECOME MORE AND MORE CONCERNED.

THEY CAN'T BELIEVE HE'D JUST ABANDON

HIS BELOVED DAUGHTER ELIZABETH.

SHE WAS LITERALLY HIS WORLD.

I MEAN, THEY DID EVERYTHING TOGETHER.

SO FOR HIM TO LEAVE AND CHECK OUT PERMANENTLY WITHOUT,

YOU KNOW... NO.

THEY DO THEIR BEST TO HELP ELLEN OUT,

BABYSITTING LITTLE ELIZABETH WHEN NEEDED.

OKAY, GREAT! LET'S LOOK AT THE PICTURE IN THIS ONE.

OKAY. ALL RIGHT. RIGHT.

- HEY! - MOM'S HERE!

WILL YOU MAKE ME A COFFEE?I'VE GOT TO GO.

AND ELLEN HAS FANTASTIC NEWS.

I HEARD FROM MIKE.

WHAT?YOU DID?

YEAH. WELL, I TOLD HIM TO CALL YOU.

AND IS HE GOING TO CALL US?

YEAH, HE HASN'T.I DON'T KNOW.

DID YOU TELL HIM THAT WE REALLY DO WANT TO SPEAK TO HIM?

OF COURSE I DID! BUT YOU KNOW WHAT MIKE'S LIKE.

HE'S HIS OWN MAN.

AFTER GROWING UP TOGETHER

AS A CLOSE FAMILY FOR FOUR DECADES,

LAURA AND TERI CAN'T UNDERSTAND

WHY MIKE WON'T CALL THEM.

IT'S LIKE, "WAIT A MINUTE,

HOW CAN YOU DO THAT TO US?"

REACH OUT AND SAY SOMETHING AND ALL THAT STUFF,

AND THEN YOU GO TO BEING SCARED AND FEAR

AND YOU GO THROUGH EVERY EMOTION THERE IS.

MIKE'S MOM, ALLENE,

IS THE MOST DISTRAUGHT BY HIS DISAPPEARANCE.

AFTER 3 MONTHS, THEY DECIDE TO REPORT IT TO POLICE

AS A MISSING PERSON.

WE'VE GIVEN MIKE TIME.

NOTHING'S COME OUT OF THAT.

I REALLY THINK THAT WE NEED TO BE A LITTLE MORE PROACTIVE

WITH FINDING HIM.

EXCUSE ME, OFFICER?

I NEED TO REPORT MY BROTHER MISSING.

YES, MA'AM.

DESPITE THE FAMILY CONCERN,

THERE IS LITTLE THE POLICE CAN DO.

FORTY-FOUR?

MA'AM, YOUR BROTHER'S A GROWN MAN.

HE CAN COME AND GO AS HE PLEASES.

THEY DO ADD HIM TO A NATIONAL MISSING PERSONS DATABASE,

BUT AS FAR AS THEY ARE CONCERNED

IT'S UP TO MIKE TO DECIDE

IF HE WANTS TO SURFACE OR NOT.

BY THE SPRING OF 2002, ELLEN OFFICIALLY GIVES UP

ON HER HUSBAND EVER RETURNING.

FOUR OR FIVE MONTHS AFTER MY BROTHER WAS MISSING,

SHE HAD FILED FOR DIVORCE.

WE THOUGHT, "HOW CAN YOU DO THAT SO QUICKLY?

IT'S NOT EVEN BEEN A YEAR, FOR GOODNESS SAKE."

FACING MONEY PROBLEMS,

ELLEN SELLS THE FAMILY DREAM HOME

AND MOVES WITH THE KIDS ACROSS TOWN.

SHE CONTINUES TO REASSURE THE SISTERS THAT MIKE IS FINE

BUT THAT HE DOESN'T WANT TO SPEAK WITH THEM.

IT'S LIKE, "WHY?" I THOUGHT WE WERE CLOSE.

I THOUGHT WE HAD A GOOD RELATIONSHIP, YOU KNOW?

I WAS MAD AT HIM.

WHERE ARE YOU TWO GOING?

THEY'RE GOING TO UNCLE MIKE NOW.

ALL RIGHT.

BUT TERI AND LAURA NEVER GIVE UP HOPE THAT MIKE

WILL MAKE CONTACT ONE DAY.

LOOK AT CODY. HE WANTS TO GET HIS HANDS ON THIS.

THEN, IN 2004,

THEY SUFFER ANOTHER TERRIBLE BLOW...

DAD MALCOLM PASSES AWAY, AGED 81.

IN THEIR GRIEF, THEY FIND HOPE--

SURELY MIKE WILL TURN UP FOR HIS BELOVED DAD'S FUNERAL.

THEY PUT A NOTICE IN THE LOCAL PAPERS.

YOU JUST HOPE AND HOPE AND HOPE

THAT HE WOULD BE BACK FOR THE FUNERAL.

THERE'S JUST NO WAY THAT HE WOULD'VE LET THAT GO.

WHEN THE DAY COMES, MIKE DOESN'T SHOW.

AND WHEN ELLEN AND HER SON MICHAEL ARRIVE,

THE GRIEVING TEENAGER LOSES HIS COMPOSURE.

AND NEXT THING YOU KNOW, HE'S SOBBING,

HANDS ON HIS FACE, JUST CRYING AND CRYING.

SO HE STOPS CRYING, BUT THEN SHE KIND OF MEANDERS OVER TO ME.

AND I REMEMBER ASKING, "WHAT'S UP WITH MICHAEL?"

WELL, YOU KNOW, HE WAS VERY CLOSE TO YOUR DAD.

GRANDPA SNYDER'S DEATH

SEEMS TO HAVE HIT YOUNG MICHAEL HARD.

BUT ELLEN'S MIND SEEMS TO BE ON BUSINESS.

SO, UM, DID YOUR DAD LEAVE A WILL?

YEAH, IT'S ALL GOING TO MOM.

O-OH!

DID HE NOT LEAVE ANY PROVISION FOR ELIZABETH?

WELL, IT'S ALL GOING TO MOM.

ELLEN'S INTEREST IN MIKE'S FATHER'S WILL

CONCERNS THE SISTERS.

I THINK WE ALL DECIDED THEN THAT IT WAS A BIG RED FLAG

AND THERE WAS SOMETHING UP.

IT'S BEEN 2 YEARS SINCE TERI AND LAURA

HAVE SEEN MIKE.

NOW, THE SISTERS WILL TAKE MATTERS INTO THEIR OWN HANDS.

WITHIN A MONTH OF THIS 2001 CHRISTMAS VIDEO,

43-YEAR-OLD MIKE SNYDER WOULD DISAPPEAR,

ABANDONING HIS WIFE ELLEN,

HIS DAUGHTER ELIZABETH, AND ELLEN'S SON MICHAEL.

CHRISTMAS EVE AND CHRISTMAS DAY

WOULD BE THE LAST TIME THAT I CAN REMEMBER SEEING MY BROTHER.

SISTERS TERI AND LAURA HEAR NOTHING FOR 4 YEARS,

AND THEY BEGIN TO BELIEVE

THAT SOMETHING AWFUL HAS HAPPENED TO HIM.

TERI CONTINUES TO BADGER THE ALBUQUERQUE POLICE

ABOUT HER MISSING BROTHER.

AND EVENTUALLY, HER PERSISTENCE PAYS OFF.

HI, MA'AM. IS THIS A TERI JOHNSON?

I GOT A PHONE CALL FROM A DETECTIVE MARK WILSON,

INDICATING THAT HE WAS FROM MISSING PERSONS

AND THAT HE WAS GOING TO BE TAKING ON MY BROTHER'S CASE.

IN MARCH 2006, DETECTIVE WILSON ARRANGES

FOR AN ARTICLE TO APPEAR IN THE LOCAL PAPER

HIGHLIGHTING MIKE'S NOW 4-YEAR DISAPPEARANCE.

I HOPED THAT IT WOULD ALERT SOME OF THE PEOPLE

THAT KNEW MIKE SNYDER.

AND THEN AFTER THE ARTICLE CAME OUT, I FOUND OUT

THAT IT ACTUALLY STIRRED UP ELLEN SNYDER.

MRS. SNYDER, REALLY GOOD TO HEAR FROM YOU, MA'AM.

ELLEN MAKES A SERIES OF ASTONISHING CLAIMS.

ELLEN TOLD ME ONE NIGHT MIKE WAS IN THE SHOWER,

AND SHE PICKED UP HIS CELL PHONE

AND WENT THROUGH HIS VOICE MESSAGES

AND HEARD EXPLICIT MESSAGES FROM ANOTHER MAN.

YOUR HUSBAND WAS GAY?

BY GOING THROUGH HIS CELL PHONE,

SHE'D ALSO SEEN EXPLICIT PICTURES

THAT GAVE HER AN INDICATION

THAT HE HAD A RELATIONSHIP WITH A MAN.

ELLEN BELIEVES THAT WHEN MIKE LEFT HER BACK IN 2002,

IT WAS FOR ANOTHER MAN OVER IN PHOENIX,

SOMEONE NAMED DAVID SIMMONS,

AND THE TWO ARE LONG GONE.

SHE STATED THAT SHE HAD SPOKEN WITH MIKE IN 2003,

AND THAT HE WAS WHERE HE WANTED TO BE

AND SHE SAID IT WAS POSSIBLY IN THE CARIBBEAN.

ELLEN INDICATED THAT SHE WAS MORE OF A VICTIM IN THIS CASE

BECAUSE MIKE HAD LEFT HER AND HER DAUGHTER AND HER SON.

SO WE CONDUCTED A BACKGROUND INVESTIGATION

OF THE NAME DAVID SIMMONS.

NOW THERE WERE SOME DAVID SIMMONSES IN PHOENIX

BUT HAD NO TIES TO THIS SITUATION.

THE POLICE CAN FIND NOTHING TO SUPPORT

ELLEN'S CLAIMS, AND ARE NO CLOSER TO LOCATING MIKE SNYDER.

BUT SOON ANOTHER, MORE DISTURBING LEAD BUBBLES UP.

WHEN DETECTIVE WILSON RECEIVES

A CALL FROM A FORMER CO-WORKER OF ELLEN'S.

GOOD EVENING. THANKS FOR THE PHONE CALL.

HE WAS WONDERING IF SHE WAS A SUSPECT,

AND HE STATED THAT IF SHE WAS A SUSPECT,

HE WAS IN FEAR FOR HIS FAMILY'S SAFETY.

AND THAT HE WAS THE MAN WHO LENT HER A GUN.

DETECTIVE WILSON SEIZES THE WEAPON

AS POTENTIAL EVIDENCE.

HE'D ALREADY CLEANED THE PISTOL

THOROUGHLY AFTER ELLEN HAD RETURNED IT TO HIM,

AND HE DID STATE THAT ELLEN RETURNED THE PISTOL TO HIM EMPTY

BUT THAT HE HAD GIVEN IT TO HER FULLY LOADED.

NOW THAT WE HAVE A WEAPON, IT GAVE US A VERY BIG LEAD.

THIS REALLY INDICATED THAT WE PROBABLY

HAVE A HOMICIDE ON OUR HANDS.

BUT THERE IS ONE OBVIOUS PROBLEM.

IN MOST INSTANCES, YOU NEED A BODY TO PROVE

THAT SOMEBODY'S DEAD OR HAS BEEN MURDERED.

DETECTIVE WILSON IS SURE THAT MIKE IS DEAD...

AND HE THINKS THAT ELLEN IS INVOLVED.

IT WAS MY IMPRESSION THAT SHE WAS HIDING THINGS.

BUT BY THE END OF 2006 WITH NO EVIDENCE,

THE INVESTIGATION GRINDS TO A HALT.

YEARS PASS, AND THE WHOLE SNYDER FAMILY

HAS TO ENDURE THE AGONY OF MIKE'S ABSENCE.

IT'S A HELPLESS FEELING.

IT'S ALMOST LIKE, IF YOU'RE HAVING A DREAM

AND YOU'RE JUST RUNNING, BUT IT'S SLOW MOTION.

YOU'RE HELPLESS, YOU'RE DESPERATE.

I WOULD WAKE UP SOMETIMES WITH THE MOST VIVID DREAMS

ABOUT MY BROTHER.

MOST WERE THAT HE WAS ALIVE AND WELL AND CAME HOME.

SO, THERE WASN'T A DAY GO BY THAT IT WASN'T CONSUMING ME.

THEN, IN JANUARY OF 2010,

8 YEARS AFTER MIKE WENT MISSING,

ANOTHER PHONE CALL,

ONE THAT WOULD CHANGE EVERYTHING.

DETECTIVE WILSON.

MIKE SNYDER WAS MURDERED.

HE WAS BURIED UNDER THE YARD.

HE'S STILL THERE.

THIS WAS A WITNESS THAT HAD GOTTEN FIRSTHAND INFORMATION

ABOUT WHAT HAD HAPPENED

AND KNEW ONE OF THE SUSPECTS IN THE CASE,

WHICH WAS MICHAEL SHEFFIELD.

MICHAEL SHEFFIELD,

ELLEN'S SON, IS NOW 24 AND A MECHANIC,

LIKE HIS MISSING STEPFATHER WAS.

DETECTIVE WILSON IMMEDIATELY VISITS HIM AT THE DEALERSHIP

WHERE HE WORKS.

HE RECORDS THE MEETING ON CAMERA.

HE VERY FLATLY STATED THAT MIKE SNYDER

HAD LEFT HIM AND HIS MOM AND HIS SISTER,

AND RAN OFF WITH ANOTHER MAN.

WE KNEW THIS STORY WAS NOT TRUE.

BUT MICHAEL KNOWS THE TRUTH,

AND HE'S ABOUT TO TELL.

IN JANUARY 2010,

DETECTIVE MARK WILSON HAS HAD A TIP-OFF

THAT MICHAEL SHEFFIELD IS KEEPING A SECRET

ABOUT THE 8-YEAR DISAPPEARANCE OF HIS STEPFATHER,

MIKE SNYDER.

FINALLY BROKE DOWN, BASICALLY STARTED CRYING.

I THINK HE HAD A LOT OF EMOTION STORED UP IN HIM

OVER ALL THESE YEARS.

AFTER HE FINALLY DECIDED THAT WE HAD THE INFORMATION,

HE CAME FORWARD AND SAID...

WHAT'S HAPPENING?EVERYTHING'S GOING TO BE OKAY.

HIS MOTHER TOLD HIM THAT SHE HAD KILLED

MIKE SNYDER.

THEY HAD HIRED A BACKHOE TO DIG A HOLE

IN THE BACKYARD OUTSIDE OF THE GARAGE,

WHERE THEY DUMPED THE BODY.

WITH MICHAEL SHEFFIELD'S CONFESSION IN HAND,

A SEARCH TEAM BEGINS TO EXCAVATE THE YARD

AT THE SNYDER'S FORMER HOME.

I'M GETTING READY FOR WORK, AND AS SOON AS I TURN ON THE TV...

43-YEAR-OLD MIKE SNYDER VANISHED

FROM HIS NORTHEAST ALBUQUERQUE NEIGHBORHOOD.

POLICE GOT A SEARCH WARRANT.

THEY ARE DIGGING FOR A BODY.

I WAS LIKE, "OH, MY GOD!

THEY'RE ACTUALLY TRYING TO EXHUME HIS BODY,

AND IT'S AN ACTIVE CRIME SCENE OUT AT HIS HOME!"

I WAS MORTIFIED.

THEY DIG FOR 3 DAYS,

AND NOTHING.

BUT ON THE FOURTH DAY,

EIGHT FEET BENEATH THE CONCRETE FLOOR

OF WHAT IS NOW A SIX-CAR GARAGE,

THEY FIND A WATERPROOF TARP.

YOU WANT TO KNOW, BUT AT THE SAME TIME,

YOU DON'T WANT IT TO BE

WHAT YOU THINK IS ABOUT TO HAPPEN.

INSIDE ARE THE REMAINS OF MIKE SNYDER.

IT WAS MORTIFYING TO ACTUALLY SEE

MY BROTHER'S BODY

PULLED OUT OF THE HOLE WITH JUST TRASH BAGS

AND PUT ON A GURNEY.

SO IT WAS HARD.

IT WAS HARD.

HE DIDN'T DESERVE THAT.

I CAN'T EVEN IMAGINE

WHAT HIS LAST FEW MINUTES

THE TERROR, THE PAIN, THE CONFUSION.

GUNSHOT WOUNDS TO MIKE'S BODY

CONFIRMED SOME OF MICHAEL'S STORY,

BUT DETECTIVE WILSON NEEDS TO HEAR EXACTLY

WHAT ELLEN SNYDER HAS TO SAY.

THE NEXT DAY, THE 51-YEAR-OLD AGREES

TO TALK TO THE POLICE AT HER LAWYER'S OFFICE.

SHE CLAIMS THEY HAD A FEROCIOUS ARGUMENT.

ELLEN TELLS POLICE THAT SHE SHOT MIKE IN SELF-DEFENSE.

SHE ALSO CLAIMS SHE SUFFERED PHYSICAL ABUSE IN THE MARRIAGE.

BUT POLICE DISCOVER ELLEN TRIED TO BUY A GUN

9 DAYS BEFORE SHE KILLED MIKE.

SHE THEN FORGED HIS SIGNATURE TO FILE HIS TAX RETURNS.

AND WHEN SHE DIVORCED HIM, ELLEN TOOK ALL THE MONEY.

IN MY OPINION, I FEEL THAT SHE HAD PROBABLY BEEN PLANNING

TO KILL MIKE FOR SOME TIME,

AND I BELIEVE THAT A LOT OF HER MOTIVATION

WAS PROBABLY FOR THE FINANCIAL GAIN.

WE, IN OUR HEARTS, BELIEVED IT WAS PREMEDITATED,

THAT IT WAS INTENTIONAL, THAT SHE PLANNED IT.

AND SO WE REALLY BELIEVED IN OUR HEARTS

THAT IT WAS FIRST-DEGREE MURDER.

POLICE FIND NO EVIDENCE

TO SUPPORT THE CLAIMS OF VIOLENCE.

BUT EVEN AN UNPROVEN CLAIM OF ABUSE

CAN MAKE A JURY UNLIKELY TO CONVICT FOR MURDER.

WITH THIS IN MIND, ELLEN IS OFFERED A PLEA

OF VOLUNTARY MANSLAUGHTER,

WHICH SHE ACCEPTS.

THE JUDGE HANDS HER THE MAXIMUM SENTENCE,

11 YEARS INCLUDING TIME SERVED.

SHE LOOKED OUR WAY AND GAVE US A LOOK LIKE,

IF SHE COULD KILL.

SHE LOOKED EVIL.

AND THAT'S WHAT IT WAS. IT WAS PURE EVIL IN HER EYES.

PARTLY IN CONSIDERATION OF

HIS COOPERATION, AND PARTLY BECAUSE HE WAS A MINOR

AT THE TIME OF THE HOMICIDE,

ELLEN'S SON MICHAEL SHEFFIELD IS NOT CHARGED.

WHAT'S TOUGHER FOR THE FAMILY IS THEIR BROTHER'S KILLER

COULD BE RELEASED AS EARLY AS 2017.

I DREAD HAVING TO SEE HER.

SHE SCARES ME.

IF YOU'RE CAPABLE OF SOMETHING LIKE THIS,

YOU'RE JUST CAPABLE OF ANYTHING.