Original subtitles

**

I HAVE ARRIVED IN LA LA LAND.

HER FIRST TRIP ALL ALONE.

SHE DIDN'T KNOW ANYBODY.

SHE CHECKS INTO L.A.'s NOTORIOUS CECIL HOTEL.

YOU NEVER KNEW WHAT YOU WERE WALKING INTO

WHEN YOU WALKED INTO THAT HOTEL.

THEN SHE VANISHES.

DETECTIVES SAY IT WAS AN EMPLOYEE HERE

WHO LAST SAW LAM.

FOR ELISA LAM'S PARENTS, THIS HAS BEEN A NIGHTMARE.

POLICE ARE BAFFLED.

WHEN YOU'VE SWEPT THE ENTIRE HOTEL,

AND YOU HAVEN'T FOUND ANYTHING...

THEN, SUDDENLY...

THERE SHE IS.

MY GOD. WHAT THE HELL?

IN ONE OF THE STRANGEST MURDER MYSTERIES OF ALL TIME...

IT WENT VIRAL VERY QUICKLY.

IS SHE HIDING FROM SOMEONE?

MY GOD.

THERE'S SO MANY DIFFERENT THEORIES ABOUT WHAT HAPPENED.

BUT IT'S NOTHING NEW FOR THE CECIL HOTEL.

IF THE WALLS IN THE CECIL COULD TALK, THEY WOULDN'T TALK.

THEY WOULD SCREAM.

SOMEBODY, HELP!

**

**

**

LATE JANUARY

IS NOT QUITE TOURIST SEASON IN LOS ANGELES,

SO WHEN 21-YEAR-OLD ELISA LAM ARRIVES IN L.A. TO SIGHTSEE,

SHE DOESN'T FIND A CROWD TO FOLLOW.

ELISA LAM WAS A 21-YEAR-OLD FIRST-GENERATION CANADIAN

CHILD OF TWO IMMIGRANTS FROM HONG KONG.

SHE WAS ENROLLED

AT THE UNIVERSITY OF BRITISH COLUMBIA.

SHE NEEDED A BREAK FROM SCHOOL,

AND SHE JUST WANTED TO SEE CALIFORNIA.

THIS WAS THE FIRST TIME SHE'D EVER TRAVELED BY HERSELF,

CERTAINLY A TRIP LIKE THIS.

I'M GUESSING THAT ISN'T

ONE OF THOSE MAPS TO HOME OF THE STARS, IS IT?

W- WHAT?

THE MAP. ARE YOU LOST?

IS IT THAT OBVIOUS?

I'M DYLAN.

ELISA. NICE TO MEET YOU.

YEAH.

ELISA LAM WAS A VERY SWEET, INTELLIGENT, SMART WOMAN.

SHE DIDN'T KNOW ANYBODY IN L.A.

SHE WAS ON HER WEST COAST TOUR.

SO WHERE YOU HEADED?

THAT'S WHAT I'M TRYING TO FIGURE OUT.

I KIND OF WANT TO SEE IT ALL.

WELL, THERE'S TWO PLACES YOU GOT TO SEE WHILE YOU'RE HERE,

HOLLYWOOD AND VENICE BEACH.

YOU CAN TAKE THE BUS TO HOLLYWOOD.

IT LEAVES RIGHT HERE.

COOL. THANKS.

SO WHERE YOU STAYING?

ANOTHER THING I HAVE TO FIGURE OUT.

I HAVE...LET'S SAY, A LIMITED BUDGET.

WELL, THERE'S SOME YOUTH HOSTELS IN VENICE BEACH.

THERE'S SOME DOWNTOWN HOTELS, TOO,

THAT ARE CLOSE TO EVERYTHING.

THEY'RE REALLY CHEAP, PERFECT FOR A LIMITED BUDGET.

THERE'S THE CECIL...

THE CECIL?

YEAH. I THINK IT'S THE CHEAPEST.

I'LL GIVE YOU MY NUMBER

JUST IN CASE YOU GET REALLY LOST OR WANNA HANG OUT SOME TIME.

ALL RIGHT.

OKAY.

THANK YOU SO MUCH.

YEAH.

**

AS A POLICE DETECTIVE THAT SPENT 33 YEARS IN THE CITY, YOU KNOW,

JUST THE AREA ITSELF WOULD WORRY ME,

YOU KNOW, HAVING MY CHILDREN VISIT.

ELISA DECIDES TO STAY

AT THE ONCE-GLAMOROUS CECIL HOTEL,

WHERE RATES HAVE BOTTOMED OUT LIKE THE JANUARY TEMPERATURES.

THE CECIL STARTS OUT AS A BEAUTIFUL, GLAMOROUS,

ART-DECO STYLE HOTEL

BUILT IN THE '20s, INTENDED FOR TOURISTS.

IT WAS INEXPENSIVE.

IT WAS CENTRALLY LOCATED.

BUT IN 2013,

IT WAS FIRMLY AND SOLIDLY ENTRENCHED IN SKID ROW.

BECAUSE IT OFFERED INEXPENSIVE RATES,

PEOPLE THAT WERE INVOLVED IN ILLICIT ACTIVITIES AND CRIMES

STAYED THERE 'CAUSE THEY COULD STAY THERE

FOR LONG PERIODS OF TIME UNDETECTED

AT LOW COST, AND, YOU KNOW,

BLEND IN WITH THE HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE THAT WOULD STAY THERE.

HI.

I'M HERE TO BOOK A ROOM.

- JUST YOURSELF? - JUST ME.

- FOR HOW LONG? - THREE NIGHTS, PLEASE.

**

YOU NEVER KNEW WHAT YOU WERE WALKING INTO

WHEN YOU WALKED INTO THAT HOTEL.

THE CECIL SEEMS TO BE A MAGNET FOR BAD THINGS AND BAD PEOPLE,

VERY BAD PEOPLE.

**

**

**

NO.

NO. NO.

IT'S OKAY. I'M SURE IT'S GONNA START UP SOON.

NO, THIS...I... I CAN'T BE IN SMALL SPACES.

IS THERE AN ALARM OR SOMETHING?

HELLO?

**

HEY, IT'S OKAY.

HELLO?

HELLO?

**

I GAVE YOU 20 THIS MORNING.

WELL, NOW I NEED ANOTHER 20.

**

ELISA THOUGHT SHE WAS GONNA STAY

AT A HIP-TYPE L.A. HOTEL.

BUT CHECKING INTO HER ROOM,

SHE QUICKLY REALIZED THIS WAS NOT THE PLACE

THAT SHE EXPECTED TO STAY.

**

**

HEY, MOM.

HEY, YEAH.

I JUST GOT CHECKED IN.

IT'S COOL.

YES. IT'S SAFE.

ELISA KEPT IN CONTACT WITH HER FAMILY,

PARTICULARLY HER PARENTS, ALONG HER JOURNEYS ON A DAILY BASIS.

ANOTHER DAILY ROUTINE IS ELISA'S TRAVEL BLOG.

IT RELIEVES THE STRESSES

OF BEING AWAY FROM HOME FOR THE FIRST TIME.

I HAVE ARRIVED IN LA LA LAND.

SHE VENTS ABOUT HER DISAPPOINTING ACCOMMODATIONS

AT THE CECIL HOTEL.

IT WAS BUILT IN 1928.

HENCE, THE ART-DECO THEME, SO YES, IT IS CLASSY,

BUT THEN, SINCE IT'S L.A., IT WENT ON CRACK.

I'M GOING OUT TONIGHT.

I HOPE NO CREEPERS CREEP ON ME.

**

**

FOR THE NEXT 3 DAYS, ELISA KEEPS AN OPEN MIND

AND TAKES HER L.A. EXPERIENCES IN STRIDE.

BY ALL ACCOUNTS,

ELISA WAS HAVING A GOOD TIME IN LOS ANGELES.

NOTHING EXTRAORDINARY HAPPENED TO ELISA

UP UNTIL JANUARY 31, 2013.

**

ELISA WAS IN HER ROOM.

SHE WAS UPDATING HER BLOG,

TALKING ABOUT HER EXPLOITS, HER TRAVELS.

TODAY, I SLEPT IN,

TOOK A LONG, HOT SHOWER,

AND STUFFED MYSELF SILLY WITH A $3 DINNER.

I DO WHAT I WANT.

I CAN'T DO THIS ANYMORE. I WON'T.

KEEP YOUR VOICE DOWN.

DOESN'T MATTER WHAT I DO.

IT'S NOT GOOD ENOUGH FOR YOU. IT'S NEVER GOOD ENOUGH FOR YOU.

YOU NEVER SEE ME. YOU NEVER DO ANYTHING THAT I...

I NEVER DO ANYTHING FOR YOU?

- I DO EVERYTHING FOR YOU! - YOU DO NOTHING!

I DON'T DO ANYTHING? YOU DON'T DO ANYTHING!

YOU DON'T DO ANYTHING!

YOU SPEND MY MONEY THAT I WORK HARD FOR!

SCREW THIS. SCREW YOU.

**

**

**

**

HELLO?

**

HELLO?

HELLO?

IT'S HARD TO UNDERSTAND HOW, YOU KNOW,

AN OTHERWISE NORMAL 21-YEAR-OLD WOMAN

WOULD JUST ONE NIGHT VANISH WITHOUT A TRACE.

**

**

ON JANUARY 28, 2013,

CANADIAN TOURIST ELISA LAM CHECKED INTO THE CECIL HOTEL

IN DOWNTOWN LOS ANGELES.

BUT 4 DAYS LATER, THE CALLS HOME TO HER PARENTS HAVE STOPPED.

**

CECIL HOTEL.

MA'AM, I'M SURE YOUR DAUGHTER IS FINE.

SHE PROBABLY JUST...

ELISA LAM WAS IN REGULAR CONTACT WITH HER PARENTS.

SHE GOT IN TOUCH WITH THEM EVERY SINGLE DAY.

WHEN SHE FAILED TO DO SO,

THAT'S WHEN HER PARENTS BECAME CONCERNED,

AND THEY CONTACTED THE HOTEL LOOKING FOR ANY TRACE OF HER,

TRYING TO FIND HER.

OKAY. NO, I-I UNDERSTAND.

YEAH, I'LL CHECK.

**

AS PARENTS HAVING NOT HEARD FROM THEIR DAUGHTER

AFTER HEARING FROM THEM EVERY DAY...

ELISA LAM?

...I-I CAN ONLY IMAGINE MERE FRUSTRATION

AND THAT SCAREDNESS OF, YOU KNOW, "WHERE'S MY DAUGHTER?"

EVEN AFTER ONE DAY,

THE PARENTS DEFINITELY THOUGHT SOMETHING WAS WRONG.

**

THERE WAS NOTHING IN HER ROOM

THAT WOULD INDICATE ANY SIGNS OF FOUL PLAY,

ANY SIGNS OF A STRUGGLE, OR THAT ANYTHING WAS TAKEN.

**

HER PARENTS IMMEDIATELY CALL THE POLICE.

THE MERE FACT THAT

SHE CONTACTED HER PARENTS ON A DAILY BASIS,

AND SHE WAS ALSO VISITING FROM A FOREIGN COUNTRY

GAVE RISE TO CATEGORIZE THIS AS A CRITICAL MISSING,

AND IN THIS CASE, IT WAS ROBBERY-HOMICIDE DIVISION,

AN ELITE HOMICIDE DIVISION

WITHIN THE LOS ANGELES POLICE DEPARTMENT,

THAT ASSUMED THE INVESTIGATIVE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THIS CASE.

WHEN'S THE LAST TIME ANYONE SAW HER?

THREE DAYS AGO. I SAW HER GO UP TO HER ROOM.

SHE WAS ALONE?

YEAH.

ACCORDING TO STAFF AND PEOPLE AT THE HOTEL,

NO ONE SAW HER LEAVE THAT HOTEL

AFTER THE EVENING OF JANUARY 31st.

BY ALL ACCOUNTS, ELISA WAS STILL IN THE HOTEL.

WE'RE GONNA NEED TO SEARCH THE WHOLE PLACE, ROOMS INCLUDED.

I CAN GET THE MAINTENANCE MAN TO BRING YOU TO HER ROOM.

**

HECTOR?

- What's up? - GO UP TO THE FIFTH FLOOR.

SOME DETECTIVES WILL MEET YOU THERE.

- Copy that.

AND WE WANT YOUR SURVEILLANCE VIDEO. ALL OF IT.

THE VIDEO MAY TAKE AWHILE, AND IT WON'T COVER EVERYTHING.

NOT ALL THE CAMERAS WORK.

I HAVE TO SEE.

WE'LL TAKE WHATEVER YOU GOT.

**

**

WE TREAT CRITICAL MISSINGS

JUST AS WE WOULD A HOMICIDE INVESTIGATION.

LOOKING AT ELISA'S ROOM,

WE WOULD LOOK FOR ANY SIGNS OF FOUL PLAY,

ANY SIGNS OF RANSACKING,

ANY SIGNS OF FORENSIC-TYPE EVIDENCE LEFT BEHIND.

WHO LEAVES A LAPTOP BEHIND?

HER COMPUTER, HER PERSONAL PROPERTY,

HER WATCH, THEY'RE EXPENSIVE ITEMS STILL LEFT IN HER ROOM.

THERE WAS NO SIGNS OF ANY RANSACKING,

NO SIGNS OF ANY FOUL PLAY.

HER CELLPHONE WAS THE ONLY THING MISSING FROM HER ROOM.

NOW BEGINS THE DAUNTING TASK.

WHERE IS ELISA?

**

SIR, WE'RE DETECTIVES FROM THE L.A.P.D.

WE'RE LOOKING FOR A MISSING PERSON.

SHE WAS STAYING RIGHT NEXT DOOR.

SIR?

NEVER SEEN HER BEFORE.

- REALLY? - I KEEP TO MYSELF.

L.A.P.D.

HI, SIR. SORRY TO INTERRUPT.

POLICE CHECK ALL 15 FLOORS OF THE HOTEL.

IF ANYONE KNOWS WHERE ELISA IS, THEY AREN'T SAYING.

FOR ALL ANYONE KNEW,

SHE COULD'VE STILL BEEN IN THE HOTEL.

SHE MIGHT'VE BEEN IN SOMEONE'S ROOM.

THERE'S JUST NO WAY OF KNOWING,

AND IT'S SUCH A MASSIVE PROPERTY.

WE'RE LOOKING FOR A MISSING GIRL.

HAVE YOU SEEN THIS GIRL?

KNOWING THE SIZE OF THE HOTEL,

KNOWING THE TYPE OF GUESTS THAT FREQUENTED THE HOTEL,

THE POSSIBILITY OF ELISA BEING HELD AGAINST HER WILL

OR BEING VICTIMIZED BEHIND ONE OF THESE DOORS,

THE DETECTIVES HAD A GUT FEELING THAT SHE WAS STILL IN THE HOTEL.

**

THE L.A.P.D. SEARCHED THE CECIL FROM TOP TO BOTTOM.

THEY EVEN LOOK ON THE ROOF,

BUT THERE'S NO SIGN OF ELISA LAM ANYWHERE.

WHEN YOU'VE SWEPT THE ENTIRE HOTEL

AND YOU HAVEN'T FOUND ANYTHING

AND YOU HAVE NO EYEWITNESSES, NO SUSPECTS,

IT BECOMES, LIKE, IT'S LIKE A DISAPPEARING WOMAN.

SHE JUST KIND OF VANISHED INTO THE CECIL HOTEL.

OUT OF OPTIONS, POLICE TURN TO THE MEDIA

TO GET ELISA'S FACE OUT TO THE PUBLIC.

DETECTIVES SAY IT WAS AN EMPLOYEE HERE

WHO LAST SAW LAM, WHO, UNTIL SHE DISAPPEARED,

HAD CALLED HOME DAILY.

BUT FOR ELISA LAM'S PARENTS, THIS HAS BEEN A NIGHTMARE.

OKAY, DON'T ASK THE PARENTS ANY QUESTIONS.

THEY WOULDN'T COMMENT PUBLICLY,

LEAVING IT UP TO L.A.P.D. TO MAKE ONE LAST REQUEST.

YOU KNOW, IT'S DISAPPOINTING AS AN INVESTIGATOR.

THIS IS WHAT YOU DO FOR A LIVING.

YOU SOLVE CASES.

YOU PUT THE PIECES OF THE PUZZLE TOGETHER, SO IN THIS CASE,

THERE WAS NOTHING ELSE TO DO

BUT TO SEEK THE PUBLIC'S ASSISTANCE.

RIGHT NOW, ALL WE'RE REALLY ASKING

IS YOU PUT HER PICTURE OUT

AND SEE IF WE CAN GENERATE ANY LEADS FROM THE PUBLIC,

AND THAT WOULD BE A BIG HELP.

REPORTERS JUMP ON THE STORY

OF ELISA LAM'S MYSTERIOUS DISAPPEARANCE

FROM THE CECIL HOTEL.

BUT IT SEEMS THE COPS' ONLY HOPE OF A BREAK IN THE CASE

WILL COME FROM THE HOTEL ITSELF.

YOU GOT THOSE SURVEILLANCE TAPES FOR ME?

RIGHT, HERE'S THE THING...

A LOT OF THE CAMERAS DON'T WORK.

HERE'S WHAT WE HAVE. I HOPE IT CAN HELP YOU.

THANKS. LET'S HOPE FOR A LITTLE LUCK.

**

SOME OF THE CAMERA DON'T WORK, BUT THIS IS WHAT WE GOT.

LOAD IT UP.

SO THIS IS THE SOUTH ENTRANCE.

PART OF THE INVESTIGATION ENTAILED REVIEWING

IN EXCESS OF 50 HOURS OF VIDEO SURVEILLANCE FROM THE HOTEL.

WHO WE GOT HERE?

NO, THAT'S NOT HER.

THIS IS NOTHING.

THE DETECTIVES WERE ALMOST GRASPING FOR STRAWS

TRYING TO FIND HER.

AS AN INVESTIGATOR MYSELF AND VIEWING

HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF HOURS OF VIDEO SURVEILLANCE...

I MEAN, WHAT A DAUNTING TASK.

LET'S SEE HERE.

THIS IS THE HALLWAY.

**

IS THAT HER?

NO, THAT'S NOT HER.

**

IT'S NOTHING.

HERE'S THE LAST ONE.

IT'S FROM THE ELEVATOR CLOSEST TO THE ROOM

WHERE SHE WAS STAYING.

**

THERE SHE IS.

MY GOD. WHAT THE HELL?

**

**

IN DOWNTOWN LOS ANGELES,

VACATIONING COLLEGE STUDENT ELISA LAM

HAS BEEN MISSING FOR 13 DAYS.

THEN COPS GET A BIG BREAK

WHEN SHE SHOWS UP ON HOTEL SURVEILLANCE VIDEO

FROM THE SAME NIGHT SHE WAS LAST HEARD FROM...

GO BACK. GO BACK.

...JANUARY 31, 2013.

WATCH WHEN SHE GETS ON THE ELEVATOR.

BUT NOBODY IS PREPARED FOR WHAT THEY WOULD SEE NEXT.

**

IS SHE HIDING FROM SOMEONE?

IT'S JUST VERY UNSETTLING.

SHE APPEARS TO BE HIDING FROM SOMEBODY OR SOMETHING.

SHE LOOKS IN AND OUT OF THE ELEVATOR A LOT.

SHE PULLS HER BODY BACK

LIKE SHE'S TRYING TO HIDE FROM SOMEBODY.

ROLL IT BACK AGAIN.

SHE JAMS A LOT OF DIFFERENT BUTTONS ON THE ELEVATOR.

SHE GOES OUT INTO THE HALLWAY AND APPEARS

TO BE DOING THIS WEIRD HAND MOTION,

LIKE SHE'S GESTICULATING

WHILE SHE'S SPEAKING TO SOMEONE IN FRONT OF HER.

SHE'S GOT TO BE TALKING TO SOMEONE.

THERE'S NO ONE ELSE THERE.

**

THE CREEPIEST PART IS WHERE SHE COMES BACK OUT,

AND YOU KEEP EXPECTING HER TO COME BACK INTO THE ELEVATOR,

BUT SHE DOESN'T.

IT'S THE LAST LOOK AT ELISA LAM.

IT STILL WASN'T ANY COMFORT FOR THE DETECTIVES.

SHE STILL HADN'T BEEN FOUND, AND IF ANYTHING,

THIS VIDEO SURVEILLANCE OF HER IN THE ELEVATOR

LEFT MORE QUESTIONS THAN ANSWERS.

WHO WAS CHASING HER?

WHAT WAS SHE HIDING FROM?

AND WHERE DID SHE GO AFTER LEAVING THE ELEVATOR?

WHAT HAPPENS NEXT

TURNS THIS RUN-OF-THE-MILL MISSING PERSONS CASE

INTO AN INTERNATIONAL MYSTERY.

THE ENTIRE VIDEO WAS RELEASED TO THE MEDIA.

THIS IS NEWLY RELEASED VIDEO

SHOWING A MISSING CANADIAN TOURIST,

A YOUNG WOMAN IN DOWNTOWN L.A.

HER NAME IS ELISA LAM. SHE'S 21 YEARS OLD.

SHE DISAPPEARED 2 WEEKS AGO.

IT WENT VIRAL VERY QUICKLY.

IT CAPTIVATED PEOPLE.

YOU HAVE THIS VIDEO OF THIS YOUNG GIRL

WHO IS TRAVELING ALONE BY HERSELF IN A CITY

SHE'S UNFAMILIAR WITH, IN AN ELEVATOR,

AND SHE'S BEHAVING IN A STRANGE MANNER THAT NO ONE CAN EXPLAIN.

WE SPOKE A SHORT TIME AGO WITH A DETECTIVE.

HE WANTS EVERYONE TO SEE THIS SURVEILLANCE VIDEO

SHOT HERE AT THE CECIL HOTEL.

IT SHOWS ELISA LAM GETTING INTO ONE OF THE HOTEL'S ELEVATOR,

BELIEVED TO BE THE LAST IMAGES OF HER BEFORE SHE DISAPPEARED.

IN MY EXPERIENCE

IN WORKING HOMICIDES AND MISSING PERSONS,

I HAVE NEVER SEEN THIS TYPE OF ATTENTION

DRAWN TO ONE PARTICULAR CASE.

NBC 4's JOHN CáDIZ KLEMACK IS LIVE OUTSIDE THE CECIL HOTEL

WITH NEW INFORMATION.

THE VIDEO QUICKLY GOES VIRAL.

IT JUST BECAME A MEDIA STORM,

AND EVERYONE TOOK TO FACEBOOK AND TWITTER,

AND PEOPLE WERE LEFT TO WONDER,

"WHERE DID SHE GO AFTER SHE LEFT THE ELEVATOR,

AND WHAT HAPPENED TO HER?"

THE FOOTAGE GARNERS A MOUNTAIN OF MEDIA ATTENTION

BUT LITTLE ELSE.

ELISA'S PARENTS ARE FRAUGHT WITH WORRY,

AND THE LOS ANGELES POLICE DEPARTMENT STILL HAS NO ANSWERS.

HAVING ELISA'S FAMILY IN TOWN

AND THEN FOR EVERYTHING TO GO COLD,

HOW DO YOU EXPLAIN TO THEM

THAT WE'RE DOING EVERYTHING IN OUR POWER

TO LOCATE HER, AND STILL, SHE'S NOT FOUND?

I MEAN, THAT WEIGHS HEAVILY ON THE HEART OF INVESTIGATORS.

AFTER AN EXHAUSTING 21/2 WEEKS WITH NO SOLID LEADS,

INVESTIGATORS ARE STILL STUMPED.

IT WILL TAKE ANOTHER BIZARRE INCIDENT

TO BREATHE ANY LIFE INTO THEIR CASE.

TONIGHT, I'M THINKING MEXICAN FOR DINNER.

REALLY?

THAT'S, LIKE, THE THIRD TIME SINCE WE'VE BEEN HERE.

DENISE, WE'RE IN L.A.

THEY HAVE THE BEST MEXICAN FOOD IN THE WORLD.

**

MY GOD.

WHAT?

ON THE 19th OF FEBRUARY,

RESIDENTS COMPLAINED OF A FOUL TASTE

AND A FOUL ODOR TO THE TAP WATER IN THE HOTEL.

**

SUBSEQUENTLY, MAINTENANCE WORKERS, YOU KNOW,

CHECKED THE WATER SYSTEMS

AND, IN THIS CASE, THE WATER TANKS

ATOP THE ROOF OF THE CECIL HOTEL.

Hector, you find anything yet?

I JUST GOT UP HERE. GIVE ME A SECOND.

THE CECIL HOTEL HAD SEVERAL WATER TANKS

THAT FED THE WATER VIA GRAVITY TO THE 600-PLUS ROOMS.

**

THE MAINTENANCE WORKER

WENT UP ON THE ROOF OF THE CECIL,

WHERE THE WATER TANKS ARE, TO INVESTIGATE

THE CAUSE OF THE WATER PROBLEM.

BUT YOU HAVE TO CLIMB UP TO PEER INSIDE THE TANKS

'CAUSE THEY HOLD AN ENORMOUS AMOUNT OF WATER.

WHAT HE SEES NEXT

SENDS THIS INVESTIGATION INTO OVERDRIVE.

**

DAN, DO YOU COPY?

- What's up? - CALL THE POLICE RIGHT NOW!

ELISA LAM

IS MISSING NO MORE.

ONCE ELISA LAM'S BODY WAS DISCOVERED IN THE WATER TANK,

THE CECIL HOTEL, AND PARTICULARLY THE ROOFTOP,

WAS A CRIME SCENE.

NOW WE'RE SEARCHING FOR A SUSPECT

WHO IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THIS PERSON'S DEATH.

ONE MYSTERY IS SOLVED,

BUT ANOTHER, EVEN MORE BAFFLING ONE, IS JUST BEGINNING.

TO FIND THE BODY OF THIS YOUNG GIRL

THAT YOU HAD BEEN LOOKING FOR, FOR SEVERAL WEEKS

AND TO SEE HER WITHOUT HER CLOTHES

AND IN THE CONDITION SHE WAS IN,

I MEAN, JUST EVERYTHING IS RUNNING THROUGH YOUR MIND.

WAS SHE ASSAULTED? WAS SHE SEXUALLY ASSAULTED?

WE'VE CHECKED EVERY ROOM IN THIS HOTEL.

DID WE TALK TO A SUSPECT?

HER CLOTHES AND SOME OF HER OTHER THINGS

WERE FLOATING NEAR HER.

THE DOOR TO THE ROOF IS ALARMED, CORRECT?

THAT'S CORRECT.

AND IT WORKS? IT'S OPERATIONAL?

YES.

SO IF ANYONE COMES THROUGH THAT DOOR,

AN ALARM SOUNDS DOWN AT THE FRONT DESK.

RIGHT, UNLESS AN EMPLOYEE DISARMS IT WITH A KEY CARD.

YOU NEED ONE TO GET UP HERE.

ONLY A FEW PEOPLE HAVE ONE.

IF, IN FACT, THAT WAS TRUE, THAT THE ALARM WAS FUNCTIONING,

THAT BEGS THE QUESTION,

WAS SOMEBODY THAT WORKED THERE INVOLVED?

WHO SPECIFICALLY HAS A KEY CARD?

JUST ME. AND HECTOR.

**

**

AFTER DISAPPEARING FOR OVER 2 WEEKS,

CANADIAN TOURIST ELISA LAM HAS BEEN FOUND

FLOATING DEAD

IN THE CECIL HOTEL'S ROOFTOP WATER TANK.

GOT ANYTHING?

NOTHING ON THE ROOF YET.

WHAT DID WE FIND IN THE TANK WITH HER?

WAS THERE A RED HOODIE?

THERE WAS, ALONG WITH A WATCH AND A ROOM KEY.

HER OTHER VALUABLES, A LAPTOP, PURSE, WERE STILL IN THE ROOM.

THE ONLY THING THAT WE CAN'T FIND IS HER PHONE.

DETECTIVES WONDER IF ELISA'S PHONE

GOT INTO SOMEONE ELSE'S HANDS.

AND IF THAT SOMEONE KILLED HER, HOW DID THEY GET HER UP HERE

AND INTO THE WATER TANK?

I CAN'T IMAGINE SOMEONE SNATCHING HER PHONE

OVER EVERYTHING ELSE SHE HAD. MAYBE SHE LOST IT.

MAYBE, BUT WHATEVER IT IS, IT DOESN'T APPEAR TO BE A ROBBERY.

WHAT ABOUT THOSE TWO? ANYTHING?

I DON'T KNOW YET.

THEY MIGHT BE WITNESSES, MIGHT BE SUSPECTS.

WE'VE GOTTA DIG A LITTLE DEEPER.

A SWEEP OF THE ROOFTOP

PROVIDES NO CLUES OF WHAT HAPPENED HERE.

DETECTIVES KNOW THEY HAVE A TOUGH INVESTIGATION

IN FRONT OF THEM,

AND IF THE RELEASE OF THE VIDEO TAUGHT THEM ANYTHING,

IT'S THAT THE MEDIA WON'T BE OF HELP.

GOTTA GO.

DETECTIVE? CARA ADAMS WITH THE "L.A. SUN."

CAN YOU TELL ME WHAT HAPPENED TO ELISA?

I CAN'T TELL YOU MUCH RIGHT NOW.

DETECTIVE, WAS ELISA LAM MURDERED?

I CAN'T COMMENT ON AN ONGOING INVESTIGATION, MISS.

IF YOU'LL EXCUSE ME, I HAVE WORK TO DO.

POLICE ARE FINISHED TALKING WITH THE PRESS.

POLICE IN LOS ANGELES ARE INVESTIGATING

HOW A CANADIAN TOURIST

ENDED UP IN THE WATER TANK OF A DOWNTOWN HOTEL.

AFTER THE RELEASE OF THE VIDEO OF ELISA,

NO INFORMATION HAD COME FORWARD TO THE DETECTIVES,

BUT WHEN HER BODY WAS DISCOVERED,

THERE WAS IMMEDIATE FRENZY

BECAUSE OF THE NATURE OF HER DISCOVERY.

AGAIN, THIS WENT VIRAL.

AND WHILE POLICE MAINTAIN RADIO SILENCE,

THE REST OF THE WORLD CLAMORS FOR MORE INFORMATION.

IT'S UNCLEAR HOW LONG SHE MAY HAVE BEEN INSIDE THERE.

NOW SOME GUESTS WERE SO DISGUSTED

BY THE GRIM DISCOVER TODAY,

THEY IMMEDIATELY CHECKED OUT OF THE HOTEL.

THE WATER HAS BEEN TURNED OFF TO THE ENTIRE BUILDING.

THE REACTION TO ELISA'S BODY BEING FOUND

IN THE WATER TANK WAS HUGE.

PEOPLE WERE HORRIFIED BY THE IDEA

THAT GUESTS AT THE HOTEL HAD BEEN BATHING

AND DRINKING AND BRUSHING THEIR TEETH WITH WATER

COMING FROM A TANK WHERE SOMEONE WAS DECOMPOSING,

AND IT WAS ALSO EXTREMELY MYSTERIOUS

AS TO HOW SHE GOT IN THERE.

IT SEEMED LIKE THERE WERE MORE QUESTIONS

THAN THAT HAD BEEN ANSWERED.

ADDING TO THE MYSTERY, THE MEDICAL EXAMINER'S AUTOPSY

AND RULING OF THE CAUSE OF DEATH WON'T BE COMPLETED ANYTIME SOON.

THE DIFFICULTY, OF COURSE,

WITH MAKING CERTAIN ASSESSMENTS ABOUT HER CONDITION

WAS THAT SHE'D BEEN FLOATING IN THAT TANK

PROBABLY FOR QUITE SOME TIME,

AND IT HAS A PRETTY DELETERIOUS EFFECT ON THE HUMAN BODY.

BEHIND THE SCENES THOUGH,

DETECTIVES AREN'T RULING OUT FOUL PLAY

AS IT SEEMS DOUBTFUL ELISA GOT INTO THAT TANK ALL BY HERSELF.

SHE NEEDS TO KNOW THERE'S A DOOR TO THE ROOF.

SHE WOULD NEED A KEY CARD, WHICH SHE DIDN'T HAVE

BECAUSE WE KNOW ONLY DAN, THE MANAGER,

AND HECTOR, THE MAINTENANCE MAN, HAVE KEYS.

WELL, WHAT ABOUT THE FIRE ESCAPE?

SHE'D HAVE TO CLIMB UP 10 FLIGHTS

ON THE OUTSIDE OF THE BUILDING.

SOMEONE WOULD'VE SEEN THAT, AND NONE OF OUR WITNESSES

HAVE SAID ANYTHING ABOUT THAT.

AND THEN, ONCE ON THE ROOF, SHE'D HAVE TO CLIMB THE LADDER

TO THE TOP OF THE TANK, TAKE OFF ALL HER CLOTHES

AND THEN LIFTED THAT LID

AND THEN FIT HERSELF INSIDE OF THIS HOLE TO GET TO THE TANK.

ONCE INSIDE THE TANK, SHE'D HAVE TO REACH UP,

PULL THE LID ON TOP OF HERSELF WHILE NAKED AND DROWNING.

SOMEONE KILLED HER AND PUT HER IN THERE.

IT HAD TO BE.

IN INVESTIGATING HOMICIDES, SOMETIMES,

THE SIMPLEST EXPLANATION IS THE RIGHT ONE.

SOMETIMES, THE CLUES ARE RIGHT IN FRONT OF YOU.

BUT OFTENTIMES, IN CONDUCTING THE INVESTIGATION,

THE DETECTIVES, YOU KNOW, SEARCHED EVERY ROOM,

TALKED TO EVERYONE,

AND THERE'S NO EVIDENCE THAT POINTED TO ANY SUSPECT.

ONLY ELISA KNOWS WHAT HAPPENED.

WITH NO PHYSICAL EVIDENCE AND PUBLIC PRESSURE MOUNTING,

INVESTIGATORS CIRCLE BACK TO THOSE CLOSEST TO THE CASE --

THE CECIL HOTEL'S EMPLOYEES.

YOU NEVER NOTICED HER, PRETTY GIRL LIKE THAT, HECTOR,

TRAVELING ALL ALONE?

WE HAVE, LIKE, 600 GUESTS AT A TIME.

I ONLY SEE THEM WHEN THERE'S A PROBLEM WITH THE ROOM

OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.

WHAT ABOUT YOUR BOSS, DAN? HE EVER SAY ANYTHING ABOUT HER?

DO YOU THINK HE COULD DO SOMETHING LIKE THIS?

YOU'D HAVE TO ASK HIM, MAN.

**

SHE WAS A PRETTY GIRL. ELISA.

I SUPPOSE.

JUST ANOTHER GUEST TO ME.

SO YOU NEVER SAW HER

OTHER THAN CHECKING IN OR COMING OR GOING?

IS THAT RIGHT?

YES.

WERE YOU EVER IN HER ROOM WITH HER?

I DON'T LIKE THESE QUESTIONS,

AND I DON'T THINK I HAVE TO ANSWER THEM.

OKAY. OKAY. I GET IT.

SIT DOWN.

WHAT ABOUT HECTOR?

HE EVER MENTION ANYTHING ABOUT ELISA,

THOUGHT SHE WAS PRETTY, ANYTHING LIKE THAT?

ALL OF THE EMPLOYEES, INCLUDING THE GUESTS,

WERE ALL INTERVIEWED.

THEY WERE ALL INVESTIGATED AS FAR AS THEIR BACKGROUNDS.

THE DETECTIVES DIDN'T DISCOVER ANYTHING OUT OF THE ORDINARY

IN THEIR INTERVIEWS THAT CONNECTED ANYONE,

PARTICULARLY ANY EMPLOYEES, TO THE DEATH OF ELISA.

UNTIL THE AUTOPSY IS COMPLETE,

THEY WON'T EVEN KNOW THE CAUSE OF DEATH,

AND ELISA'S PHONE IS STILL MISSING.

POLICE ARE BAFFLED.

THE ONLY WITNESS THEY HAVE IS THE CAMERA

THAT CAPTURED ELISA THE DAY OF HER DEATH.

THAT IS, UNTIL THEY CHECK HER PHONE RECORDS.

STILL NOTHING?

I NEED THOSE AUTOPSY REPORTS, LIKE, YESTERDAY.

PHONE RECORDS, THAT'S SOMETHING.

YELLOW ONES TO HER MOM AND DAD.

SHE CALLED HER MOM EVERY DAY, MAINLY AT NIGHT.

PINK ONE IS THE SISTER.

WHAT ABOUT THE BLUE ONE?

THAT'S THE INTERESTING ONE, ONLY ONE CALL TO THAT NUMBER.

DETECTIVES IDENTIFY AND BRING IN FOR QUESTIONING

THE OWNER OF THAT SUSPICIOUS PHONE NUMBER.

IF YOU TELL ME THE TRUTH, I CAN HELP YOU,

BUT IF YOU LIE TO ME, WELL, THERE'S NOTHING I CAN DO.

- AM I CLEAR? - YEAH, I UNDERSTAND.

OKAY, HOW WELL DID YOU KNOW ELISA LAM?

ARE YOU LOST?

**

**

SHE CALLED YOU. YOU TALKED TO HER.

WE HAVE THE PHONE RECORDS.

YEAH, I TALKED TO HER.

POLICE ARE QUESTIONING ONE OF THE LAST PEOPLE

ELISA LAM CALLED BEFORE SHE DIED --

A LOCAL NAMED DYLAN.

GIVE YOU MY NUMBER,

YOU KNOW, JUST IN CASE YOU GET REALLY LOST

OR YOU WANNA HANG OUT SOME TIME.

ALL RIGHT. COOL.

I WAS JUST TRYING TO HELP. SHE LOOKED LOST.

IS THAT THE ONLY TIME YOU TALKED TO HER?

SHE CALLED, AND WE WERE GONNA MEET.

GONNA GRAB SOME FOOD

AT THE PLACE WE FIRST MET.

SHE NEVER CALLED, NEVER SHOWED.

I NEVER TALKED TO HER AFTER THAT.

SHE DIDN'T CALL ME. I DIDN'T CALL HER.

THAT MAKE YOU MAD, GETTING STOOD UP LIKE THAT?

NO, IT WASN'T LIKE THAT.

POLICE QUESTION DYLAN FOR HOURS,

BUT IN THE END, HIS ALIBI CHECKS OUT.

HE WASN'T EVEN IN LOS ANGELES THE NIGHT ELISA WENT MISSING.

INVESTIGATORS HAVE REACHED ANOTHER DEAD END.

**

AT THAT TIME, ALL THE LEADS WERE EXHAUSTED,

AND NOW YOU JUST HAVE TO WAIT FOR THE AUTOPSY

AND THE TOXICOLOGY REPORTS,

YOU KNOW, WHICH OFTEN TAKES MONTHS TO COMPLETE.

**

AUTOPSY IS IN.

THE FINAL CONCLUSION BY THE CORONER'S OFFICE

WAS REALLY SURPRISING.

ACCIDENTAL DROWNING?

IT JUST DOESN'T FEEL RIGHT, DOESN'T FEEL RIGHT AT ALL.

BUT IF ANYONE AT THE L.A.P.D. ISN'T BUYING IT,

THEY AREN'T OPENLY SAYING SO.

TO THIS DAY, ALL PUBLIC STATEMENTS

STICK TO THE OFFICIAL STORY.

THERE WAS NOTHING ABNORMAL DISCOVERED,

YOU KNOW, OTHER THAN DROWNING.

THERE WAS NO EVIDENCE OF ANY FOUL PLAY.

THERE WAS NO EVIDENCE OF ANY MANNER OF STRANGULATION.

THERE WAS NO EVIDENCE THAT POINTED TO ANY SUSPECT.

THE EVIDENCE ALL POINTED TO AN ACCIDENTAL DROWNING.

OUTSIDE THE L.A.P.D., MAJOR SKEPTICISM.

THE POLICE CONCLUSION THAT IT WAS AN ACCIDENT,

YOU HAVE TO COME UP WITH AN EXPLANATION

FOR WHAT SHE WAS DOING THAT LED TO THAT ACCIDENT.

YOU KNOW, IT'S PROBABLY ONE REASON THE STORY

WILL BE TALKED ABOUT FOR A LONG TIME.

ON TOP OF IT, THE L.A.P.D. CLOSES THE CASE

TOO ABRUPTLY FOR SOME.

THAT CASE WAS CLOSED IN DECEMBER,

AND THE POLICE REFUSED TO ANSWER REPORTER QUESTIONS.

THEY WERE SENSITIVE TO THE FAMILY'S REACTION

TO ALL OF THIS,

AND SO THEY WOULDN'T TALK TO ME OR ANYONE ELSE.

I MEAN, THEY DIDN'T COMMENT AT ALL.

SO WHAT THAT DID WAS OPEN UP ALL KINDS OF POSSIBILITIES,

SO PEOPLE ON THE INTERNET SAW IT AND GO, "THIS IS CREEPY."

THE INTERNET KIND OF WENT INSANE, AS DID LOS ANGELES,

BECAUSE IT MADE NO SENSE.

AMATEUR SLEUTHS BEGIN TO DIG INTO

THE FACTS OF THE CASE AND THE POLICE FINDINGS.

AND IN THIS VIDEO SEQUENCE, IT SHOWED A YOUNG ASIAN GIRL

THAT WAS GETTING INTO AN ELEVATOR...

ONE OBJECT OF INTENSE SCRUTINY

IS THE SURVEILLANCE VIDEO OF ELISA LAM'S FINAL MOMENTS.

KEEN OBSERVERS NOTICE AN EDIT AND A TIME JUMP IN THE CLIPS

THAT HAD BEEN RELEASED TO THE PUBLIC.

APPARENTLY, THERE WAS AROUND 1 MINUTE

CUT FROM THE ORIGINAL CLIP.

BUT IF THIS IS TRUE, WHY WAS IT EDITED?

I THINK IT'S NATURAL THAT PEOPLE FOCUSED ON THE VIDEO.

WHATEVER YOU WANTED TO SEE IN THAT VIDEO, PEOPLE SAW.

IT'S HARD TO SAY DEFINITIVELY THAT THIS HAS BEEN EDITED,

BUT IT'S SEEMS LIKE THERE'S A FEW MOMENTS

WHERE SOME FOOTAGE HAS BEEN TAKEN OUT.

IT WAS ODD BECAUSE THEN IT CAUSED ALL KINDS OF SPECULATION,

OF COURSE, ABOUT, WHAT WERE YOU REALLY SEEING?

WHAT WAS HAPPENING? WHERE THE FRAMES ALL THERE?

BUT THE L.A.P.D. INSISTS THE VIDEO IS UNALTERED.

THE INVESTIGATORS DID NOT MAKE ANY EDITS TO THE VIDEO

SURVEILLANCE THAT WAS RELEASED TO THE MEDIA.

THE MEDIA EDITS THEIR VIDEOS AND, IN THIS CASE,

EDITED THIS VIDEO IN PORTIONS

THAT WOULD, YOU KNOW, FIT TO THEIR NEWS BROADCASTS,

BUT THE TAPE WAS RELEASED IN ITS ENTIRETY.

ONE OF THE BIGGEST FRUSTRATIONS FOR ME

WAS THAT THE POLICE WOULDN'T TALK TO ME OR ANYONE ELSE,

AND I FELT LIKE SOME OF THE THINGS THAT I WANTED TO KNOW

THEY PROBABLY HAD AN EASY ANSWER FOR LIKE, "WAS THIS EDITED?

WHY WAS IT EDITED? WHY DID YOU CHOOSE THIS LENGTH?"

LIKE, YOU'VE OPENED THE DOOR TO CONSPIRACY THEORISTS

AND ALL KINDS OF IDEAS JUST BY NOT ANSWERING QUESTIONS.

IN A CASE THIS BIZARRE,

THE STONEWALLING ONLY EMBOLDENS

INTERNET SLEUTHS AND CONSPIRACY THEORISTS,

AND THE MONTHS THAT FOLLOW ONLY BRING MORE HEATED SPECULATION.

IT'S BEEN CONTINUALLY REVISITED.

I MEAN, THERE'S SO MANY DIFFERENT THEORIES

ABOUT WHAT HAPPENED TO HER.

**

PEOPLE THOUGHT, YOU KNOW, HOW DID THIS YOUNG,

THIN GIRL GET ONTO THIS ROOFTOP,

CLIMB UP A LADDER,

OPEN A 20-POUND HATCH,

TAKE OFF ALL HER CLOTHES BECAUSE SHE WAS FOUND NAKED,

GO IN THE WATER, CLOSE THE HATCH PARTWAY UP?

I MEAN, IT MAKES NO SENSE.

IT SEEMS IMPOSSIBLE AND IMPROBABLE.

BUT THE FINAL INCIDENT IN THIS CASE

WOULD GIVE EVEN HARDENED DETECTIVES REASON FOR PAUSE.

TO THIS DAY, ELISA'S PHONE HAS NEVER BEEN FOUND.

BUT ON FEBRUARY 27, 2013,

THERE APPEARS, ON ELISA'S TUMBLR PAGE,

A NEW POST...

28 DAYS AFTER SHE DIED.

**

THE POST --

A TAROT CARD OF THE HERMIT,

WHICH SYMBOLIZES A TIME

WHEN SOMEONE SEEKS SOLITUDE AND ISOLATION FROM OTHERS.

COULD THIS BE A KILLER MOCKING ELISA'S LONELY DEATH

TRAPPED IN THAT WATER TANK AT THE CECIL HOTEL?

THE FACT THAT IT WENT UP AFTER SHE DIED,

IT MAKES PEOPLE THINK PERHAPS THE KILLER HAD THE PHONE

AND WAS USING IT TO POST TO HER TUMBLR PAGE.

**

IT'S ALL TOO MUCH FOR THOSE WHO INSIST

ELISA LAM MUST HAVE BEEN MURDERED.

IT SEEMS REASONABLE TO BELIEVE THAT ELISA LAM WAS MURDERED.

AN ACCIDENT, TO ME, JUST SEEMS ALMOST UNBELIEVABLE.

BUT A LOT OF TIMES, UNBELIEVABLE THINGS HAPPEN,

ESPECIALLY AT THE CECIL.

BECAUSE OF THE HISTORY OF THE HOTEL,

PEOPLE HAVE SO MANY THEORIES AS TO HER DEATH.

BUT REALLY, THE DETECTIVES KNOW WHAT HAPPENED.

THE CORONER KNOWS WHAT HAPPENED.

THE FAMILY MEMBERS ARE SATISFIED WITH WHAT HAPPENED.

THE PUBLIC DOESN'T KNOW ALL THE INFORMATION ABOUT THE CASE.

I DON'T, FOR ONE MOMENT,

BUY INTO ANY OF THE CONSPIRACY THEORIES

THAT ARE OUT THERE REGARDING ELISA.

FOR OTHERS, THERE ARE TOO MANY COINCIDENCES,

TOO MANY FACTS OUT OF PLACE --

THE WATER TANK,

A MISSING PHONE,

AND THAT BIZARRE ELEVATOR FOOTAGE.

WAS IT MURDER?

OR WAS IT JUST...

THE CECIL HOTEL?

THERE'S AN OLD ADAGE,

YOU KNOW, IF THE WALLS COULD TALK.

WELL, IF THE WALLS IN THE CECIL COULD TALK,

I DON'T THINK THEY'D TALK. I THINK THEY'D SCREAM.

**