All language subtitles for American.Monster.S02E04.Anything.for.You.1080p.AMZN.WEB-DL.DDP2.0.H.264-NTb_track3_[eng]

"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.