1 00:00:22,489 --> 00:00:23,089 >> I HEARD MY MOM CRYING 2 00:00:23,089 --> 00:00:24,591 SHE SAID THAT THEY FOUND SARAH'S CAR ON THE BRIDGE. 3 00:00:24,591 --> 00:00:25,725 >> NOBODY COULD FIND HER, AND HER PHONE WAS OFF. 4 00:00:25,725 --> 00:00:29,429 >> YOU HAVE TO START WORKING WORST CASE SCENARIOS 5 00:00:29,429 --> 00:00:33,800 >> DID SHE JUMP OFF A BRIDGE >> I WAS JUST SHORT OF 6 00:00:33,800 --> 00:00:35,001 HYSTERICAL >> THIS WAS A HUGE SEARCH. 7 00:00:35,001 --> 00:00:36,202 HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE CAME? >> A LOT OF PEOPLE 8 00:00:36,202 --> 00:00:37,370 >> WE HAD THE STATE POLICE WE HAD THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT 9 00:00:37,370 --> 00:00:39,205 THERE. WE HAD DIVERS. 10 00:00:39,205 --> 00:00:42,909 >> THIS IS THINGS YOU SEE ON TV. IT'S NOT THINGS THAT HAPPEN TO 11 00:00:42,909 --> 00:00:47,747 YOU. >> I LOOKED AT HER, RIGHT IN THE 12 00:00:47,747 --> 00:00:48,682 FACE, JUST LIKE I'M LOOKING AT YOU RIGHT NOW. 13 00:00:48,682 --> 00:00:51,084 >> THAT GIRL'S ALIVE >> SARAH'S WHOLE DEAL WAS MY 14 00:00:51,084 --> 00:00:52,952 THING. >> HE EXPLAINED THAT HE HAD 15 00:00:52,952 --> 00:00:57,691 STUDIED HER MOVEMENTS. >> THE PLAN WAS TO TAKE HER 16 00:00:57,691 --> 00:00:58,792 MONEY. >> A CASE THAT WOULD TEAR A 17 00:00:58,792 --> 00:01:00,326 TIGHT-KNIT TOWN, APART >> EVIL. 18 00:01:00,326 --> 00:01:03,496 PURE EVIL. >> THE HURT'S NEVER GONNA BE 19 00:01:03,496 --> 00:01:12,305 OVER >> I'M LESTER HOLT AND THIS IS 20 00:01:12,305 --> 00:01:18,144 "DATELINE. * 21 00:01:18,144 --> 00:01:21,848 * >> HERE'S KEITH MORRISON WITH 22 00:01:21,848 --> 00:01:29,189 "THE BETRAYAL OF SARAH STERN." >> Reporter: THERE WAS SOMETHING 23 00:01:29,189 --> 00:01:34,594 WRONG ON THE BRIDGE. IT WAS 2:45 A.M., DECEMBER 3, 24 00:01:34,594 --> 00:01:36,996 2016 AN OLD TOWN ON THE JERSEY SHORE 25 00:01:36,996 --> 00:01:38,198 CALLED NEPTUNE CITY. IT WAS BITTER COLD 26 00:01:38,198 --> 00:01:40,333 DARK IT WAS AN UBER DRIVER WHO SAW 27 00:01:40,333 --> 00:01:45,105 THE CAR, JUST SITTING THERE, HALFWAY ACROSS THE BRIDGE. 28 00:01:45,105 --> 00:01:47,207 >> 911 WHERE IS THE EMERGENCY? >> I'M ACTUALLY ON THE BELMAR 29 00:01:47,207 --> 00:01:48,775 BRIDGE RIGHT AFTER HEADING SOUTH, IN 30 00:01:48,775 --> 00:01:50,443 THE MIDDLE OF THE BRIDGE, THERE'S A CAR THAT'S ABANDONED 31 00:01:50,443 --> 00:01:57,784 IT'S OFF TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD 32 00:01:57,784 --> 00:01:59,252 >> AND WHAT KIND OF CAR IS IT? >> IT KIND OF LOOKS LIKE AN OLD, 33 00:01:59,252 --> 00:02:02,555 BEAT UP, LIGHT TAN-COLORED, LIKE, SEDAN. 34 00:02:02,555 --> 00:02:06,760 >> Reporter: THEY SENT A SQUAD CAR OUT FOR A LOOK 35 00:02:06,760 --> 00:02:10,463 THE COP GOT CLOSE. IT WAS UNLOCKED. 36 00:02:10,463 --> 00:02:15,702 KEYS IN THE IGNITION NO SIGN OF THE DRIVER. 37 00:02:15,702 --> 00:02:18,405 TWO, THREE FEET AWAY WAS A RAILING, AND BEYOND IT A 38 00:02:18,405 --> 00:02:26,846 STRAIGHT DROP TO THE NIGHT-BLACK CURRENT SURGING OUT TO SEA 39 00:02:26,846 --> 00:02:27,881 WHAT HAPPENED HERE THEY RAN THE PLATES. 40 00:02:27,881 --> 00:02:29,983 DISCOVERED THE CAR WAS REGISTERED TO A 96 YEAR OLD 41 00:02:29,983 --> 00:02:32,652 LIFE-LONG LOCAL NAMED LILLIAN STERN. 42 00:02:32,652 --> 00:02:36,189 BUT SHE HADN'T USED HER CAR THAT DAY. 43 00:02:36,189 --> 00:02:44,264 SHE'D LOANED IT TO HER 19-YEAR OLD GRANDAUGHTER 44 00:02:44,264 --> 00:02:47,967 HER NAME, SARAH, SARAH STERN A THOUSAND MILES SOUTH AT DISNEY 45 00:02:47,967 --> 00:02:51,137 WORLD, HER DAD, MIKE WAS ON VACATION WITH HIS GIRLFRIEND 46 00:02:51,137 --> 00:02:56,743 KRISTINE HE WAS AWAKENED BY HIS PHONE 47 00:02:56,743 --> 00:03:04,651 >> 3:00 IN THE MORNING, AND THEY JUST ASKED, DOES SARAH DRIVE THE 48 00:03:04,651 --> 00:03:08,521 OLDSMOBILE I SAID, YEAH 49 00:03:08,521 --> 00:03:09,556 WELL, CALL ENDED >> JUST LIKE THAT. 50 00:03:09,556 --> 00:03:11,691 >> UH-HUH. YEAH 51 00:03:11,691 --> 00:03:13,793 >> Reporter: AFTER THE CALL DROPPED, MIKE CALLED BACK AND 52 00:03:13,793 --> 00:03:15,395 GOT A RECORDING AT THE MONMOUTH COUNTY PROSECUTORS OFFICE. 53 00:03:15,395 --> 00:03:17,097 SO, PANIC BEGINNING TO STIR, HE PHONED A NEPHEW, WHO HAPPENED TO 54 00:03:17,097 --> 00:03:21,735 BE A NEPTUNE FIRST-RESPONDER >> HE CALLED BACK ABOUT TEN 55 00:03:21,735 --> 00:03:25,805 MINUTES LATER AND SAID, YEAH, THEY FOUND SARAH'S CAR UP ON THE 56 00:03:25,805 --> 00:03:26,373 BRIDGE SHE WASN'T IN IT 57 00:03:26,373 --> 00:03:27,540 >> Reporter: AND THEN THE TERROR SET IN 58 00:03:27,540 --> 00:03:33,346 MIKE AND KRISTINE JUMPED IN THEIR CAR AND BEGAN THE 16-HOUR 59 00:03:33,346 --> 00:03:34,447 DRIVE HOME >> I CAN'T IMAGINE WHAT THAT 60 00:03:34,447 --> 00:03:36,483 DRIVE BACK WAS LIKE. >> IT WAS A LOT OF CRYING AND 61 00:03:36,483 --> 00:03:38,351 JUST - >> YEAH. 62 00:03:38,351 --> 00:03:39,152 >> -- THINKING AND TALKING AND -- 63 00:03:39,152 --> 00:03:44,891 >> BUT YOU DON'T KNOW. >> NO. 64 00:03:44,891 --> 00:03:46,726 >> WE WERE GETTING CALLS IN FROM THE POLICE DEPARTMENT ASKING 65 00:03:46,726 --> 00:03:54,200 QUESTIONS. I SAID, I DON'T KNOW 66 00:03:54,200 --> 00:04:00,273 >> Reporter: WHILE KRISTINE DOVE MIKE FRANTICALLY TEXTED. 67 00:04:00,273 --> 00:04:05,745 SARAH, WHAT'S GOING ON WHY IS YOUR PHONE OFF? 68 00:04:05,745 --> 00:04:06,780 CALL ME WHEN YOU GET THIS MES 69 00:04:06,780 --> 00:04:08,715 MESSAGE. THINGS HAPPEN FASTER IN A SMALL 70 00:04:08,715 --> 00:04:09,616 TOWN THAN THE BIG CITY >> POLICE DEPARTMENT 71 00:04:09,616 --> 00:04:13,787 HELLO. ANYBODY HOME 72 00:04:13,787 --> 00:04:15,855 ANNOUNCE YOURSELF, PLEASE. >> Reporter: OFFICERS CHECKED 73 00:04:15,855 --> 00:04:16,790 THE STERN HOME - >> WE'RE CHECKING THE HOUSE. 74 00:04:16,790 --> 00:04:20,326 >> Reporter: IT WAS EMPTY EXCEPT FOR SARAH'S BELOVED DOG BUDDY IN 75 00:04:20,326 --> 00:04:26,466 HIS CRATE. >> GOOD DOGGY. 76 00:04:26,466 --> 00:04:27,600 >> Reporter: NOBODY HOME >> MICHAEL CALLED ME THAT NIGHT 77 00:04:27,600 --> 00:04:28,835 2:30, 3:00 IN THE MORNING, TO TELL ME THAT THE CAR WAS ON THE 78 00:04:28,835 --> 00:04:30,203 BRIDGE, I -- MY THOUGHTS WERE NOT GOOD 79 00:04:30,203 --> 00:04:34,841 >> Reporter: ROBIN DRAPER, AN OLD FRIEND OF THE STERNS, LIVED 80 00:04:34,841 --> 00:04:35,975 ACROSS THE STREET. AT MIKE'S SUGGESTION OFFICERS 81 00:04:35,975 --> 00:04:45,418 WALKED OVER AND ASKED HER ABOUT SARAH. 82 00:04:45,418 --> 00:04:46,653 >> WHAT MINDSET WAS SHE IN TODAY WHEN SHE -- YOU DIDN'T SEE -- 83 00:04:46,653 --> 00:04:50,657 DID ANYBODY IN YOUR FAMILY TALK TO HER THIS MORNING, TODAY 84 00:04:50,657 --> 00:04:54,861 >> SHE TEXT ME SHE SAID, CAN I BRING SOME STUFF 85 00:04:54,861 --> 00:04:56,096 OVER IT'S MY MOTHER'S 86 00:04:56,096 --> 00:05:03,036 I SAID, SURE >> IS SHE DEPRESSED? 87 00:05:03,036 --> 00:05:04,371 >> DOES SHE -- YOU - >> I THINK SHE'S DEPRESSED 88 00:05:04,371 --> 00:05:06,172 >> IS SHE -- NOT SUICIDAL IN ANY WAY, DO YOU THINK? 89 00:05:06,172 --> 00:05:08,341 >> I DON'T KNOW. >> Reporter: ROBIN TOLD THE 90 00:05:08,341 --> 00:05:13,046 OFFICERS SARAH HAD COME BY THE HOUSE EARLIER IN THE DAY WITH 91 00:05:13,046 --> 00:05:14,881 HER FRIEND LIAM McATANSEY. SO, THE OFFICERS DROVE OVER TO 92 00:05:14,881 --> 00:05:15,682 LIAM'S PLACE TO SEE IF HE COULD HELP 93 00:05:15,682 --> 00:05:17,550 >> YOU'RE LIAM YOU HAVE A SECOND? 94 00:05:17,550 --> 00:05:18,418 CAN I COME IN AND TALK TO YOU REAL QUICK 95 00:05:18,418 --> 00:05:19,619 >> YEAH, NO PROBLEM OFFICER. >> IS SARAH HERE BY CHANCE 96 00:05:19,619 --> 00:05:20,420 >> NO. >> WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME YOU 97 00:05:20,420 --> 00:05:21,488 TALKED TO HER? >> WAS WITH HER TODAY. 98 00:05:21,488 --> 00:05:24,891 >> WHAT TIME >> BEFORE I WENT TO WORK 99 00:05:24,891 --> 00:05:26,226 >> TURN SOME LIGHT ON IF YOU DON'T MIND 100 00:05:26,226 --> 00:05:28,328 >> I MEAN WE WENT TO GET FOOD TODAY. 101 00:05:28,328 --> 00:05:31,498 >> Reporter: LIAM SAID HE HADN'T SEEN SARAH SINCE LATE AFTERNOON. 102 00:05:31,498 --> 00:05:32,665 >> OKAY, AS SOON AS YOU HEAR ANYTHING CALL THE NEPTUNE CITY 103 00:05:32,665 --> 00:05:35,268 OR NEPTUNE TOWN POLICE DEPARTMENT AND LET US KNOW 104 00:05:35,268 --> 00:05:39,472 THANK YOU. >> Reporter: MIKE STERN HAD 105 00:05:39,472 --> 00:05:44,177 NOTIFIED HIS EXTENDED FAMILY, INCLUDING SARAH'S COUSINS 106 00:05:44,177 --> 00:05:45,378 LINDSEY AND LAUREN BAHR. >> WHAT WAS IT LIKE TO HEAR THAT 107 00:05:45,378 --> 00:05:46,846 FOR THE TWO OF YOU >> INSTANT PANIC 108 00:05:46,846 --> 00:05:48,948 >> YEAH. I TRIED CALLING HER PHONE, 109 00:05:48,948 --> 00:05:53,153 SENDING HER TEXTS. DIDN'T ANSWER, WHICH WAS 110 00:05:53,153 --> 00:05:55,321 AUTOMATICALLY WEIRD 'CAUSE SHE WAS GLUED TO HER PHONE 111 00:05:55,321 --> 00:06:00,660 >> I LEFT THE HOUSE IN MY PAJAMAS, GOT IN MY CAR, AND 112 00:06:00,660 --> 00:06:01,895 RACED DOWN TO THE -- WHERE THEY SAID THEY FOUND HER CAR TO SEE 113 00:06:01,895 --> 00:06:02,729 IF WE COULD FIND ANYTHING, SEE ANYTHING 114 00:06:02,729 --> 00:06:04,030 >> Reporter: JUST HOURS LATER, THEY WERE GATHERED WITH MOST OF 115 00:06:04,030 --> 00:06:07,400 THE FAMILY AT MIKE AND SARAH'S HOUSE. 116 00:06:07,400 --> 00:06:10,537 >> FAMILY WAS THERE. HIS SISTERS, SARAH'S COUSINS 117 00:06:10,537 --> 00:06:14,708 THERE WAS ABOUT 30 TO 40 PEOPLE. >> Reporter: ALL KIND OF 118 00:06:14,708 --> 00:06:18,411 FRANTIC. >> ALL KIND OF LIKE WHAT'S GOING 119 00:06:18,411 --> 00:06:19,346 ON >> Reporter: SARAH'S FRIENDS AND 120 00:06:19,346 --> 00:06:24,217 FAMILY BEGAN TO IMAGINE ALL TOO MANY THINGS. 121 00:06:24,217 --> 00:06:28,355 INCLUDING ROBIN DRAPER'S DAUGHTER CARLY, A LIFE-LONG 122 00:06:28,355 --> 00:06:29,489 FRIEND OF SARAH'S. >> I HEARD MY MOM ON THE PHONE 123 00:06:29,489 --> 00:06:32,759 CRYING DOWNSTAIRS, AND SHE SAID THAT THEY FOUND SARAH'S CAR ON 124 00:06:32,759 --> 00:06:35,929 THE BRIDGE >> YOU KNOW THE BRIDGE 125 00:06:35,929 --> 00:06:38,098 >> I WENT DOWN THERE AFTER IT. >> THAT MORNING? 126 00:06:38,098 --> 00:06:39,899 DID YOUR MIND GO AT ALL TO THE IDEA THAT SHE MAY HAVE JUMPED 127 00:06:39,899 --> 00:06:43,269 OFF THE BRIDGE >> IT WAS ONE OF THE THOUGHTS IN 128 00:06:43,269 --> 00:06:48,475 MY HEAD. I WAS, LIKE, DID SHE JUMP OFF A 129 00:06:48,475 --> 00:06:49,075 BRIDGE I DIDN'T KNOW. 130 00:06:49,075 --> 00:06:52,579 >> Reporter: MEANWHILE, SARAH'S FATHER, ON HIS AGONIZING DRIVE 131 00:06:52,579 --> 00:06:54,681 NORTH, WORRIED THAT SARAH MIGHT HAVE DONE SOMETHING TERRIBLY, 132 00:06:54,681 --> 00:07:01,021 FATALLY, RASH. >> BECAUSE YOU JUST DON'T KNOW 133 00:07:01,021 --> 00:07:02,188 BECAUSE THE KEYS ARE IN THE CAR. THE CAR WAS OPERATIONAL -- 134 00:07:02,188 --> 00:07:09,529 >> YEP >> -- AND SARAH WAS MISSING. 135 00:07:09,529 --> 00:07:15,502 >> AND IT WAS LIKE TWO, THREE FEET FROM THAT PARAPET OVER THE 136 00:07:15,502 --> 00:07:22,776 WATER. >> YEAH. 137 00:07:22,776 --> 00:07:23,943 >> Reporter: SO MIKE IMAGINED AWFUL THINGS ON HIS 16-HOUR 138 00:07:23,943 --> 00:07:25,512 DRIVE HOME BUT SURELY NEITHER HIS 139 00:07:25,512 --> 00:07:26,713 IMAGINATION NOR ANY OTHER COULD STOOP SO DEEP AS WHAT YOU'RE 140 00:07:26,713 --> 00:07:28,548 ABOUT TO SEE A CASE THAT STARTED ON A BRIDGE 141 00:07:28,548 --> 00:07:29,382 WITH A CAR AND ENDED INSIDE ANOTHER -- 142 00:07:29,382 --> 00:07:31,251 >> HEY, HOW YOU DOING? HOW YOU DOING? 143 00:07:31,251 --> 00:07:34,921 >> Reporter: WHAT DARK POSSIBILITIES LIE IN THE HUMAN 144 00:07:34,921 --> 00:07:43,329 HEART, PRIMED BOTH FOR LOYALTY, AND BETRAYAL 145 00:07:43,329 --> 00:07:45,765 >> WHEN WE COME BACK, WHERE WAS SARAH? 146 00:07:45,765 --> 00:07:47,967 MAYBE THERE WAS A SIMPLE EXPLANATION. 147 00:07:47,967 --> 00:07:49,502 EVERYONE KNEW SHE WANTED TO MOVE UP NORTH 148 00:07:49,502 --> 00:07:53,640 >> SHE SAID SHE WANTS TO GO TO CANADA 149 00:07:53,640 --> 00:08:17,063 >> BUT IF SHE HAD DONE THAT, >> Reporter: WHILE POLICE 150 00:08:17,063 --> 00:08:21,134 OFFICERS ON THE ROUTE 35 BRIDGE WERE TRYING TO MAKE SENSE OF 151 00:08:21,134 --> 00:08:23,169 WHAT HAPPENED IN THE EARLY DARK OF DECEMBER 3rd, SARAH'S DAD 152 00:08:23,169 --> 00:08:25,472 MIKE AND HIS GIRLFRIEND KRISTINE WERE FRANTICALLY DRIVING UP 153 00:08:25,472 --> 00:08:27,340 HIGHWAY 95 FROM FLORIDA. THEIR MINDS WHIRLING AMONG 154 00:08:27,340 --> 00:08:32,645 DREADFUL POSSIBILITIES >> WE DIDN'T KNOW WHAT WAS GOING 155 00:08:32,645 --> 00:08:34,247 ON AT THAT POINT SO IT WAS KIND OF A PANIC. 156 00:08:34,247 --> 00:08:36,049 >> Reporter: BUT TO THE EXPERTS IN NEPTUNE THE POSSIBILITIES 157 00:08:36,049 --> 00:08:37,917 WERE LIMITED >> THE FACTS THAT WE HAD AT THE 158 00:08:37,917 --> 00:08:40,553 TIME -- THAT WE COULD GO ON WAS THAT THERE WAS A -- EITHER A 159 00:08:40,553 --> 00:08:43,723 POSSIBLE SUICIDE, THAT SHE HAD JUMPED OFF THE BRIDGE, OR THAT 160 00:08:43,723 --> 00:08:49,062 SHE JUST LEFT HER CAR ABANDONED. THAT'S THE FACTS THAT WE HAD 161 00:08:49,062 --> 00:08:55,835 >> Reporter: IT WAS HARDLY SURPRISING THAT IN THE LITTLE 162 00:08:55,835 --> 00:09:00,073 TOWN OF NEPTUNE CITY THE PUBLIC SAFETY DIRECTOR ED 163 00:09:00,073 --> 00:09:01,808 KIRSCHENBAUM, KNEW SARAH >> I KNEW SARAH. 164 00:09:01,808 --> 00:09:12,318 SHE WORKED AT -- A POPULAR RESTAURANT IN NEPTUNE CITY, WITH 165 00:09:12,318 --> 00:09:14,654 MY DAUGHTER. >> YOU KNOW HER WELL ENOUGH TO 166 00:09:14,654 --> 00:09:16,556 KNOW WHETHER OR NOT SHE WOULD BE A SUICIDE RISK OR -- 167 00:09:16,556 --> 00:09:19,793 >> YOU KNOW, ALL I KNOW OF SARAH, WHEN I SAW HER AT WORK, 168 00:09:19,793 --> 00:09:21,594 VERY NICE PERSON >> Reporter: BUT, JUMP FROM A 169 00:09:21,594 --> 00:09:23,663 BRIDGE INTO THE SHARK RIVER? WHY WOULD SHE? 170 00:09:23,663 --> 00:09:25,365 SHE'D BEEN HAPPY ON THE BRINK OF NEW 171 00:09:25,365 --> 00:09:26,366 POSSIBILITIES. AND NEPTUNE CITY ON THE JERSEY 172 00:09:26,366 --> 00:09:31,037 SHORE HAD ALWAYS BEEN HER SAFE PLACE. 173 00:09:31,037 --> 00:09:33,707 >> GOOD PLACE TO GROW UP >> YEAH. 174 00:09:33,707 --> 00:09:34,808 >> YEAH. I'M HAPPY THAT I GREW UP HERE. 175 00:09:34,808 --> 00:09:36,876 >> Reporter: HERE, THEY SAY, THE SAND GETS IN YOUR SHOES. 176 00:09:36,876 --> 00:09:37,944 PEOPLE TEND TO STAY. FAMILIES COUNT BACK GENERATIONS. 177 00:09:37,944 --> 00:09:39,045 FRIENDSHIPS LAST WHOLE LIFETIMES. 178 00:09:39,045 --> 00:09:44,718 >> EVERYBODY KNOWS EACH OTHER IN NEPTUNE. 179 00:09:44,718 --> 00:09:45,552 >> IT'S A VERY TIGHTLY-KNIT COMMUNITY. 180 00:09:45,552 --> 00:09:46,653 AND IF YOU DON'T KNOW THAT PERSON, SOMEONE YOU KNOW IS 181 00:09:46,653 --> 00:09:47,754 GONNA KNOW THAT PERSON >> Reporter: AND THE BLOCK WHERE 182 00:09:47,754 --> 00:09:50,557 CARLY, HER BROTHER SAM, AND SARAH GREW UP WAS EVEN TIGHTER 183 00:09:50,557 --> 00:09:52,659 A KIND OF KID HEAVEN THAT'S SARAH WITH THE DARK 184 00:09:52,659 --> 00:09:54,794 BANGS. >> OUR AGE GAP BETWEEN, LIKE, 185 00:09:54,794 --> 00:09:56,896 ALL THE KIDS WAS PROBABLY LIKE SIX YEARS AT THE MOST. 186 00:09:56,896 --> 00:09:59,599 AND WE'D ALL JUST PLAY TOGETHER AFTER SCHOOL, THE NEIGHBORHOOD 187 00:09:59,599 --> 00:10:00,900 GANG >> WE'VE KNOWN SARAH OUR WHOLE 188 00:10:00,900 --> 00:10:02,168 LIFE >> SINCE SHE WAS BORN. 189 00:10:02,168 --> 00:10:04,804 >> AND SHE WAS LIKE MY OLDER SISTER 190 00:10:04,804 --> 00:10:07,474 LIKE, WE WERE LIKE SISTERS >> SHE WAS BASICALLY FAMILY. 191 00:10:07,474 --> 00:10:10,110 LIKE, IF I WANTED TO PLAY CATCH OR SOMETHING, I COULD ALWAYS 192 00:10:10,110 --> 00:10:13,847 JUST ASK SARAH >> Reporter: THAT SARAH WAS 193 00:10:13,847 --> 00:10:16,950 ALWAYS THERE, THAT SHE WAS THERE AT ALL, WAS KIND OF AMAZING. 194 00:10:16,950 --> 00:10:21,688 A GIFT >> SARAH 195 00:10:21,688 --> 00:10:23,289 SHE WAS A MIRACLE CHILD. >> Reporter: THE ONLY CHILD OF 196 00:10:23,289 --> 00:10:29,162 MIKE STERN AND HIS WIFE CARLA. >> SHE DIDN'T THINK SHE COULD 197 00:10:29,162 --> 00:10:31,231 HAVE CHILDREN AND FINALLY SARAH CAME ALONG 198 00:10:31,231 --> 00:10:35,435 >> I MEAN I FELL IN LOVE WITH THIS KID 199 00:10:35,435 --> 00:10:38,104 >> Reporter: ROBIN, CARLY AND SAM'S MOM, WAS THERE FROM THE 200 00:10:38,104 --> 00:10:39,706 BEGINNING. >> CARLA AND I RAISED OUR KIDS 201 00:10:39,706 --> 00:10:44,477 TOGETHER IT WAS AMAZING 202 00:10:44,477 --> 00:10:46,046 >> DID THEY HANG OUT AT YOUR PLACE A LOT? 203 00:10:46,046 --> 00:10:50,984 >> THEY DID. WE HAD A POOL. 204 00:10:50,984 --> 00:10:53,086 SOMETIMES 10, 12 KIDS JUST SPLASHING AROUND FOR HOURS AND 205 00:10:53,086 --> 00:10:56,790 HOURS. AND, IT WAS A GOOD TIME. 206 00:10:56,790 --> 00:11:04,798 >> Reporter: UNTIL, IT WASN'T. IN 2013, WHEN SARAH WAS JUST 15, 207 00:11:04,798 --> 00:11:08,435 HER MOM CARLA DIED AFTER A LONG STRUGGLE WITH CANCER 208 00:11:08,435 --> 00:11:10,070 >> WHAT WAS LIKE WHEN HER MOTHER DIED 209 00:11:10,070 --> 00:11:15,275 >> SARAH WAS AT OUR HOUSE THAT NIGHT. 210 00:11:15,275 --> 00:11:18,812 ALL I REMEMBER IS JUST HEARING SARAH SOBBING DOWNSTAIRS 211 00:11:18,812 --> 00:11:19,913 I DIDN'T KNOW WHAT TO DO >> DID YOU KNOW WHAT HAPPENED? 212 00:11:19,913 --> 00:11:22,782 >> YEAH. >> YEAH. 213 00:11:22,782 --> 00:11:28,555 JUST HARD, AND IT WAS SAD. >> Reporter: BUT, SARAH MANAGED. 214 00:11:28,555 --> 00:11:31,224 INSTEAD OF TURNING INTO HER GRIEF, SHE REACHED OUT, GOT EVEN 215 00:11:31,224 --> 00:11:34,694 CLOSER TO HER GRANDMOTHER. AND HER DOG BUDDY BECAME HER 216 00:11:34,694 --> 00:11:37,564 CONSTANT COMPANION >> SHE LOVED BUDDY SO MUCH 217 00:11:37,564 --> 00:11:40,200 SHE REALLY DID >> Reporter: SHE GREW CLOSER, 218 00:11:40,200 --> 00:11:45,605 TOO, TO CLASSMATES AT NEPTUNE HIGH SCHOOL. 219 00:11:45,605 --> 00:11:47,507 HER FRIEND LIAM, HIS TWIN SHEAMUS, PRESTON TAYLOR. 220 00:11:47,507 --> 00:11:50,410 PRESTON TOOK HER TO THE JUNIOR PROM 221 00:11:50,410 --> 00:11:53,113 JUST FRIENDS SHE ALSO MADE A DIFFERENT KIND 222 00:11:53,113 --> 00:11:56,216 OF FRIEND. ONE YOU WOULDN'T NECESSARILY 223 00:11:56,216 --> 00:11:59,919 EXPECT AFTER CARLA'S DEATH, MIKE FOUND 224 00:11:59,919 --> 00:12:03,623 KRISTINE AND FELL IN LOVE. SARAH COULD SEE KRISTINE WAS 225 00:12:03,623 --> 00:12:08,928 GOOD FOR HER DAD, AND, MAYBE, HER TOO. 226 00:12:08,928 --> 00:12:10,563 >> I KNOW HOW SARAH FELT. I HAD GONE THROUGH THE SAME 227 00:12:10,563 --> 00:12:16,302 THING SHE DID. >> YEAH. 228 00:12:16,302 --> 00:12:22,075 >> MY MOM PASSED AWAY WHEN I WAS YOUNG AND IT WASN'T EASY AT 229 00:12:22,075 --> 00:12:22,809 FIRST. >> Reporter: AND MAYBE THAT'S 230 00:12:22,809 --> 00:12:24,744 WHY SARAH SO EMBRACED WHAT BECAME A GENUINE PASSION 231 00:12:24,744 --> 00:12:29,082 >> I THINK MAKING ART MADE HER MENTALLY ESCAPE FROM THAT AND BE 232 00:12:29,082 --> 00:12:32,185 CREATIVE AND CAN CREATE ANY KIND OF HAPPINESS SHE WANTED TO. 233 00:12:32,185 --> 00:12:33,086 >> IT WAS A WHOLE OTHER WORLD FOR HER. 234 00:12:33,086 --> 00:12:36,656 >> YEAH. >> WHERE SARAH PICKED UP HER 235 00:12:36,656 --> 00:12:38,291 TALENT WE STILL DONT KNOW. >> IT WAS A NATURAL THING FOR 236 00:12:38,291 --> 00:12:40,193 HER. >> IT SEEMED NATURAL 237 00:12:40,193 --> 00:12:43,763 WHAT SHE TURNED OUT WAS -- >> IT'S PRETTY GOOD STUFF. 238 00:12:43,763 --> 00:12:47,967 >> YEAH, SOME REALLY NEAT STUFF. SHE JUST STARTED DRAWING AND ANY 239 00:12:47,967 --> 00:12:51,771 MEDIUM >> Reporter: BEAUTIFUL IMAGES, 240 00:12:51,771 --> 00:12:54,341 MAGICAL EVEN SHE STARTED GOING TO CONVENTIONS 241 00:12:54,341 --> 00:12:58,712 TO MEET ONLINE STARS AND ARTISTS. 242 00:12:58,712 --> 00:13:02,282 GOT TO MEET YOUTUBE STARS LIKE JENNA MARBLES. 243 00:13:02,282 --> 00:13:05,051 >> I'M SO HAPPY TO MEET YOU. >> THERE WAS A VIDCON CONVENTION 244 00:13:05,051 --> 00:13:07,053 UP IN TORONTO. AND SHE FELL IN LOVE WITH THE 245 00:13:07,053 --> 00:13:13,526 CITY SHE SAID WELL, SHE WANTS TO GO 246 00:13:13,526 --> 00:13:14,494 TO CANADA. >> Reporter: WHEN SHE WAS READY, 247 00:13:14,494 --> 00:13:19,399 MIKE TOLD HER. YES, BUT, SOON, SHE SAID 248 00:13:19,399 --> 00:13:21,368 AND THEN IT WAS THAT FRIDAY, DECEMBER 2nd, WHEN SARAH DROPPED 249 00:13:21,368 --> 00:13:22,435 BY THE DRAPER'S HOUSE. >> I HEARD HER WALK INSIDE AND 250 00:13:22,435 --> 00:13:28,141 SHE WAS, LIKE, CALLING MY MOM'S NAME 251 00:13:28,141 --> 00:13:31,945 I -- I WAS THE ONLY ONE HOME SHE SAID THAT -- SHE HAD TEXTED 252 00:13:31,945 --> 00:13:37,650 MY MOM THAT SHE WAS LEAVING A BOX HERE, AND MY MOM SAID IT WAS 253 00:13:37,650 --> 00:13:39,753 OKAY SARAH WAS TALKING ABOUT HER DAD, 254 00:13:39,753 --> 00:13:44,257 HOW SHE HAD, LIKE, LOST RESPECT FOR HIM. 255 00:13:44,257 --> 00:13:47,293 >> DID THAT SEEM STRANGE TO YOU? >> NOT REALLY 'CAUSE I KNEW -- I 256 00:13:47,293 --> 00:13:48,962 KNEW THAT, LIKE, THEY, LIKE, YOU KNOW, ARGUED 257 00:13:48,962 --> 00:13:53,099 BUT I -- I ARGUE WITH MY PARENTS ALL THE TIME 258 00:13:53,099 --> 00:13:53,767 >> SO IT WASN'T ANYTHING UNUSUAL? 259 00:13:53,767 --> 00:13:55,669 >> NO. >> Reporter: AS CARLY TOLD IT, 260 00:13:55,669 --> 00:13:58,304 SARAH LEFT THAT BIN, AND THEN SHE WAS GONE RUNNING ERRANDS, 261 00:13:58,304 --> 00:14:02,042 SHE SAID, IN HER GRANDMOTHER'S OLD CAR. 262 00:14:02,042 --> 00:14:04,644 THE VERY CAR THAT UBER DRIVER SPOTTED AFTER MIDNIGHT, 263 00:14:04,644 --> 00:14:07,280 ABANDONED HALFWAY ACROSS THE ROUTE 35 BRIDGE. 264 00:14:07,280 --> 00:14:12,052 >> AND WAS THERE ANYBODY INSIDE THE VEHICLE? 265 00:14:12,052 --> 00:14:13,586 >> I LOOKED. NO 266 00:14:13,586 --> 00:14:14,688 >> Reporter: THE NEWS SPREAD THROUGH THE EARLY MORNING. 267 00:14:14,688 --> 00:14:17,290 FIRST RESPONDERS DESCENDED ON THE BRIDGE AND THE SHARK RIVER 268 00:14:17,290 --> 00:14:19,826 BENEATH IT THERE WAS A DEPRESSING LOGIC TO 269 00:14:19,826 --> 00:14:23,630 THE SCENE THAT GREETED THEM. IT WOULDN'T BE THE FIRST TIME 270 00:14:23,630 --> 00:14:27,267 SOME DESPERATE SOUL HAD TAKEN A FINAL LEAP 271 00:14:27,267 --> 00:14:30,503 BUT, THIS WAS BRIGHT, HAPPY, SARAH STERN. 272 00:14:30,503 --> 00:14:37,344 SO IT COULDN'T BE THAT, COULD IT 273 00:14:37,344 --> 00:15:01,835 >> COMING UP - THE EERIE, LAST IMAGES OF SARAH 274 00:15:01,835 --> 00:15:03,670 SARAH STERN'S CAR WAS FOUND ABANDONED ON THE ROUTE 275 00:15:03,670 --> 00:15:07,874 35 BRIDGE, THE RISING SUN REVEALED DOZENS OF FIRST 276 00:15:07,874 --> 00:15:10,810 RESPONDERS SEARCHING FOR HER, MANY BRAVING THE FRIGID WATERS 277 00:15:10,810 --> 00:15:11,745 OF THE SHARK RIVER >> WE HAD CALLED THE STATE 278 00:15:11,745 --> 00:15:12,645 POLICE WE HAD THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT 279 00:15:12,645 --> 00:15:23,256 THERE. WE HAD DIVERS ENTER THE WATER. 280 00:15:23,256 --> 00:15:25,325 A VESSEL WITH SIGHT SONAR, PLUS AN AVIATION UNIT FROM THE STATE 281 00:15:25,325 --> 00:15:27,794 POLICE >> WE GOT CALLED OUT AT AROUND 282 00:15:27,794 --> 00:15:28,962 5:00 A.M. THAT MORNING TO DO A SEARCH FOR SOMEONE WHO THEY 283 00:15:28,962 --> 00:15:31,131 BELIEVED WENT OFF THE BRIDGE WE HAD NO IDEA WHO IT WAS. 284 00:15:31,131 --> 00:15:33,767 THE GENERAL CONCEPTION WAS THAT SOMEONE HAD JUMPED 285 00:15:33,767 --> 00:15:36,436 >> FRAN HINES IS AN EMS AND RESCUE DIRECTOR. 286 00:15:36,436 --> 00:15:42,242 >> WE WERE IN IT A COUPLE OF HOURS SOMEBODY WALKED UP TO ME 287 00:15:42,242 --> 00:15:50,116 THEY SAID, YOU KNOW WHO WE'RE LOOKIN' FOR, RIGHT 288 00:15:50,116 --> 00:15:54,788 AND I GO, NO, WHO WE LOOKIN' FOR? 289 00:15:54,788 --> 00:16:02,095 AND HE -- AND THEY SAID, SARAH STERN, WHICH JUST PUT A 290 00:16:02,095 --> 00:16:03,830 LUMP IN MY THROAT. >> Reporter: UNDERSTANDABLE 291 00:16:03,830 --> 00:16:04,698 BECAUSE -- >> SARAH LIVED TWO HOUSES AWAY 292 00:16:04,698 --> 00:16:05,432 FROM US. THEIR WHOLE FAMILY 293 00:16:05,432 --> 00:16:09,102 HER FATHER, MICHAEL, WAS A GOOD FRIEND OF MINE AND THEN ALL I 294 00:16:09,102 --> 00:16:16,676 COULD THINK ABOUT WAS, YOU KNOW, HOW -- HOW'S HE GONNA FEEL NOW 295 00:16:16,676 --> 00:16:17,811 >> Reporter: WHILE THE WATER SEARCH WAS UNDERWAY, COPS IN 296 00:16:17,811 --> 00:16:18,878 TOWN WERE TALKING TO ANYONE WHO MIGHT KNOW ANYTHING. 297 00:16:18,878 --> 00:16:20,880 THEY ENCOUNTERED A FEW OF SARAH'S FRIENDS, PRESTON, SEAN, 298 00:16:20,880 --> 00:16:25,051 AND LIAM CLUSTERED ON A PORCH. >> WE JUST WANT SEE IF SHE'S 299 00:16:25,051 --> 00:16:28,621 OKAY >> Reporter: BODY CAMS PICKE 300 00:16:28,621 --> 00:16:29,622 UP THEIR QUESTIONS DID SARAH JUST TAKE OFF? 301 00:16:29,622 --> 00:16:31,057 WERE HER PALS COVERING FOR HER >> NOBODY'S GONNA GET IN ANY 302 00:16:31,057 --> 00:16:32,325 TROUBLE HERE WE -- TRUST ME, WE JUST GOTTA 303 00:16:32,325 --> 00:16:33,426 MAKE SURE SARAH'S ALL RIGHT. AND IF YOU'VE GOT ANY MORE 304 00:16:33,426 --> 00:16:37,897 INFORMATION, YOU GOTTA THROW THAT AT US SO WE CAN GO A LITTLE 305 00:16:37,897 --> 00:16:41,468 FURTHER, YOU KNOW? >> Reporter: SARAH'S FRIEND LIAM 306 00:16:41,468 --> 00:16:42,736 CONFIRMED FOR POLICE WHAT ROBIN AND CARLY DRAPER HAD SAID, THAT 307 00:16:42,736 --> 00:16:43,837 SARAH HAD LEFT A BIN OF HER THINGS AT THE DRAPER HOUSE 308 00:16:43,837 --> 00:16:44,938 AND THEN, HE SAID, HE AND SARAH WENT TO LUNCH TOGETHER 309 00:16:44,938 --> 00:16:46,139 MEANWHILE, BACK AT THE INLET, THE SEARCH OF THE FRIGID SHARK 310 00:16:46,139 --> 00:16:47,340 RIVER WAS TURNING UP NOTHING AS THE WINTER SUN SET, IT BECAME 311 00:16:47,340 --> 00:16:49,876 TOO COLD AND DANGEROUS TO CONTINUE OPERATIONS, AND THE 312 00:16:49,876 --> 00:16:50,643 SEARCH WAS CALLED OFF FOR THE DAY. 313 00:16:50,643 --> 00:16:54,547 >> I DIDN'T WANNA GO HOME, YOU KNOW 314 00:16:54,547 --> 00:16:58,518 I DIDN'T WANNA DRIVE PAST MIKE'S HOUSE AND NOT HAVE SOME KINDA 315 00:16:58,518 --> 00:17:12,699 CLOSURE FOR HIM. >> Reporter: BUT MIKE AND K 316 00:17:12,699 --> 00:17:14,167 KRISTIN WERE STILL MAKING THEIR WAY HOME FROM FLORIDA. 317 00:17:14,167 --> 00:17:15,902 >> WE LEFT AROUND 3:30 IN THE MORNING. 318 00:17:15,902 --> 00:17:23,843 WE GOT HOME AT 7:00 SATURDAY NIGHT. 319 00:17:23,843 --> 00:17:25,679 >> Reporter: KRISTINE AND MIKE ARRIVED TO A PACKED HOUSE. 320 00:17:25,679 --> 00:17:30,050 >> WE JUST ALL STARTED PUTTING IDEAS AND THINGS THAT COULD'VE 321 00:17:30,050 --> 00:17:33,053 HAPPENED >> HOW WAS HE IS DOING AT THAT 322 00:17:33,053 --> 00:17:37,190 POINT? >> I THINK HE WAS IN SHOCK 323 00:17:37,190 --> 00:17:41,094 >> YEAH. >> Reporter: MIKE HEADED FOR THE 324 00:17:41,094 --> 00:17:43,329 BRIDGE >> WHAT DID YOU FIRST FIND HERE 325 00:17:43,329 --> 00:17:44,497 WHEN YOU CAME HERE >> WE DIDN'T KNOW. 326 00:17:44,497 --> 00:17:46,433 ALL UNKNOWN. BY THE TIME WE WERE BACK, THE -- 327 00:17:46,433 --> 00:17:47,500 THE DIVE CREWS AND THE -- EVERYBODY HAD ALREADY LEFT 328 00:17:47,500 --> 00:17:53,807 SO, IT WAS NIGHT COULDN'T DO MUCH AT NIGHT. 329 00:17:53,807 --> 00:17:55,175 >> Reporter: BY THE NEXT MORNING THE MONMOUTH COUNTY PROSECUTORS 330 00:17:55,175 --> 00:17:56,242 OFFICE WAS RUNNING THE MISSING PERSONS INVESTIGATION. 331 00:17:56,242 --> 00:17:57,077 BRIAN WEISBROT WAS THE LEAD DETECTIVE. 332 00:17:57,077 --> 00:17:58,244 >> WE HAD SPOKEN WITH NEIGHBORS, FRIENDS OF SARAH'S, FAMILY 333 00:17:58,244 --> 00:18:00,280 MEMBERS, FAMILY FRIENDS. THERE'S A HOUSE ACROSS THE 334 00:18:00,280 --> 00:18:03,216 STREET FROM SARAH'S HOUSE THAT HAD A VIDEO SURVEILLANCE CAMERA 335 00:18:03,216 --> 00:18:05,085 FACING SARAH'S HOME. >> DID YOU SEE ANYTHING ON THOSE 336 00:18:05,085 --> 00:18:06,720 VIDEOS >> WE DID. 337 00:18:06,720 --> 00:18:12,892 WE WERE ABLE TO SEE HER -- HER VEHICLE LEAVE MULTIPLE TIMES 338 00:18:12,892 --> 00:18:14,861 THROUGHOUT THE DAY >> Reporter: FROM THOSE 339 00:18:14,861 --> 00:18:16,029 SURVEILLANCE VIDEOS AND THEIR INTERVIEWS, INVESTIGATORS 340 00:18:16,029 --> 00:18:16,796 STARTED PIECING TOGETHER SARAH'S DAY. 341 00:18:16,796 --> 00:18:24,504 >> SHE HAD CARRIED A BIN AND A BOX ACROSS THE STREET TO HER 342 00:18:24,504 --> 00:18:26,339 NEIGHBOR'S HOUSE >> Reporter: THAT WAS CARLY AND 343 00:18:26,339 --> 00:18:27,407 ROBIN DRAPER'S HOUSE AFTER THAT, SARAH AND HER FRIEND 344 00:18:27,407 --> 00:18:28,575 LIAM WENT TO LUNCH AT TACO BELL. THE RESTAURANT'S SECURITY 345 00:18:28,575 --> 00:18:30,310 CAMERAS HAD HER THERE AT 2:18 P.M 346 00:18:30,310 --> 00:18:33,480 LATER, SHE STOPPED BY A BANK IN BRADLEY BEACH. 347 00:18:33,480 --> 00:18:36,649 SECURITY CAMERAS INDICATED THAT WAS A LITTLE BEFORE 3:00 P.M. 348 00:18:36,649 --> 00:18:42,455 AND THE BRANCH MANAGER, AN OLD FRIEND OF THE STERN FAMILY, 349 00:18:42,455 --> 00:18:44,824 REMEMBERED HER WAVING HELLO. >> COULD YOU TELL LOOKING AT THE 350 00:18:44,824 --> 00:18:47,827 VIDEO WHAT HER DEMEANOR WAS? I MEAN, DID SHE SEEM FRIGHTENED 351 00:18:47,827 --> 00:18:49,863 OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT? >> NO, SHE DIDN'T. 352 00:18:49,863 --> 00:18:55,135 SHE APPEARED HAPPY SHE SMILED 353 00:18:55,135 --> 00:18:58,371 SHE COMMUNICATED WITH THE STAFF THERE WHO SHE HAD KNOWN FOR MANY 354 00:18:58,371 --> 00:19:02,542 YEARS. >> Reporter: BUT AFTER THAT 355 00:19:02,542 --> 00:19:04,177 FRIENDLY WAVE, SARAH SEEMED TO HAVE DROPPED OFF THE PLANET. 356 00:19:04,177 --> 00:19:05,712 THE CONTENTS OF THAT MYSTERIOUS BIN SARAH LEFT AT THE DRAPERS 357 00:19:05,712 --> 00:19:07,280 DIDN'T HELP INVESTIGATORS AT ALL. 358 00:19:07,280 --> 00:19:09,716 >> IT WAS ALL JUST MISCELLANEOUS THINGS 359 00:19:09,716 --> 00:19:14,020 IT WAS HALLOWEEN DECORATIONS THERE WERE SOME COINS FROM HER 360 00:19:14,020 --> 00:19:20,427 GRANDPARENTS >> LIKE WHAT YOU WOULD PUT IN 361 00:19:20,427 --> 00:19:22,295 THE BOTTOM DRAW OF A BUREAU OF PERSONAL STUFF THAT YOU DON'T 362 00:19:22,295 --> 00:19:28,101 KNOW WHAT TO DO WITH >> RIGHT 363 00:19:28,101 --> 00:19:30,303 >> Reporter: DAY AFTER DAY OF SEARCHING THE SHARK RIVER AND 364 00:19:30,303 --> 00:19:31,571 IT'S SHORELINE PROVED FRUITLESS. THE LOCAL CRIME STOPPERS POSTED 365 00:19:31,571 --> 00:19:32,872 A $5,000 REWARD. >> WE HAD PREPARED SOME FLIERS 366 00:19:32,872 --> 00:19:37,077 SEEKING INFORMATION IN AN EFFORT TO LOCATE SARAH'S WHEREABOUTS. 367 00:19:37,077 --> 00:19:44,484 >> VOLUNTEERS ARE HELPING POLICE TODAY SEARCH FOR A BELOVED 368 00:19:44,484 --> 00:19:46,052 MISSING NEPTUNE CITY TEENAGER. >> Reporter: IT ALL YIELDED 369 00:19:46,052 --> 00:19:49,856 NOTHING. SO, A WEEK AFTER SARAH WAS LAST 370 00:19:49,856 --> 00:19:51,057 SEEN HER FAMILY ORGANIZED A SEARCH AND HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE 371 00:19:51,057 --> 00:19:58,298 SHOWED UP. THEY WALKED THE BEACHES AND 372 00:19:58,298 --> 00:19:59,399 STREETS AND PARKS OF NEPTUNE AND BELMAR AND OCEAN GROVE 373 00:19:59,399 --> 00:20:00,834 MIKE STERN WAS STEADY, ALMOST STOIC, WHEN HE TALKED TO 374 00:20:00,834 --> 00:20:05,105 FIOS1 NEWS >> WE'RE JUST HOPING TO SEARCH 375 00:20:05,105 --> 00:20:09,509 ANY POSSIBLE AREA WITH MORE PEOPLE THAN JUST THE LOCAL 376 00:20:09,509 --> 00:20:14,547 AUTHORITIES BECAUSE WE JUST -- IT'S A BIG AREA. 377 00:20:14,547 --> 00:20:20,220 >> THIS WAS A HUGE SEARCH. HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE CAME. 378 00:20:20,220 --> 00:20:25,892 >> UH-HUH. >> A LOT OF PEOPLE, YEAH 379 00:20:25,892 --> 00:20:27,360 >> PEOPLE WITH DIDN'T EVEN KNOW, OUT OF TOWN, UP NORTH. 380 00:20:27,360 --> 00:20:32,465 >> YEAH. THERE WAS PEOPLE FROM, I THINK, 381 00:20:32,465 --> 00:20:34,834 AS FAR OUT AS PENNSYLVANIA >> Reporter: MANY OF SARAH'S 382 00:20:34,834 --> 00:20:35,835 FRIENDS JOINED THE SEARCH. AN OLD CLASSMATE SEAN. 383 00:20:35,835 --> 00:20:38,071 >> I MET HER BACK IN HIGH SCHOOL 384 00:20:38,071 --> 00:20:41,307 IT'S SHOCKING. I JUST HOPE WE CAN FIND HER. 385 00:20:41,307 --> 00:20:42,809 >> Reporter: HER FRIEND LIAM >> SHE WAS PRETTY STRONG 386 00:20:42,809 --> 00:20:49,082 SO, HOPEFULLY WE'RE GONNA FIND SOMETHING TODAY. 387 00:20:49,082 --> 00:20:50,650 >> Reporter: THE SEARCH FOR 19 YEAR-OLD SARAH BECAME ONE OF 388 00:20:50,650 --> 00:20:52,218 THE BIGGEST IN THE HISTORY OF THE JERSEY SHORE 389 00:20:52,218 --> 00:20:54,354 BUT IF SARAH ENDED UP IN THE SHARK RIVER, THESE LOCALS KNEW 390 00:20:54,354 --> 00:20:57,724 THE LIKELY, GRIM OUTCOME >> ONCE THAT TIDE STARTS RIPPING 391 00:20:57,724 --> 00:21:04,097 OUT, IT MOVES QUICKLY. >> OUT IT GOES 392 00:21:04,097 --> 00:21:09,369 >> RIGHT OUT THE INLET, CORRECT. >> Reporter: THE MASSIVE SEARCH 393 00:21:09,369 --> 00:21:10,470 TURNED UP NO SIGN OF SARAH WEEKS WENT BY. 394 00:21:10,470 --> 00:21:12,972 SO, WAS SHE SWEPT OUT TO SEA OR AS MANY AROUND TOWN BEGAN TO 395 00:21:12,972 --> 00:21:15,709 THINK, SHE MUST BE ALIVE AND WELL AND UNAWARE THAT PEOPLE 396 00:21:15,709 --> 00:21:22,782 WERE LOOKING FOR HER MAYBE SHE WAS JUST LIVING HER 397 00:21:22,782 --> 00:21:25,085 LIFE SOMEWHERE ELSE. >>> COMING UP -- 398 00:21:25,085 --> 00:21:32,225 THE SECRET IN SARAH'S SAFETY DEPOSIT BOX. 399 00:21:32,225 --> 00:21:47,407 >> $25,250 CASH. * 400 00:21:47,407 --> 00:21:50,877 * >> Reporter: DETECTIVES WORKING 401 00:21:50,877 --> 00:21:53,680 THE SARAH STERN MISSING PERSON CASE IN NEPTUNE CITY HAD NOTHING 402 00:21:53,680 --> 00:21:58,118 BUT THEORIES IN DECEMBER OF 2016 403 00:21:58,118 --> 00:22:03,356 SOME SUSPECTED SHE SIMPLY WALKED AWAY FROM THAT OLD CAR TO START 404 00:22:03,356 --> 00:22:05,492 A NEW LIFE BUT THERE WAS OTHER, MORE 405 00:22:05,492 --> 00:22:07,527 SINISTER, SPECULATION, TOO >> WE STILL HAD NO CLEAR 406 00:22:07,527 --> 00:22:12,065 INDICATION AS TO WHAT HAPPENED TO SARAH 407 00:22:12,065 --> 00:22:15,168 >> Reporter: SO, THEORIES. MAYBE SHE RAN AWAY 408 00:22:15,168 --> 00:22:18,605 MAYBE SHE WAS THE VICTIM OF SOME SORT OF CRIME. 409 00:22:18,605 --> 00:22:19,639 MAYBE SHE THREW HERSELF OFF THE BRIDGE 410 00:22:19,639 --> 00:22:22,275 BUT THOSE WHO KNEW SARAH BEST, LIKE CARLY AND SAM DRAPER, 411 00:22:22,275 --> 00:22:25,445 WEREN'T BUYING THE SUICIDE THEORY 412 00:22:25,445 --> 00:22:27,080 >> SHE COULDN'T HAVE JUMPED OFF THE BRIDGE 413 00:22:27,080 --> 00:22:29,649 SHE ASKED ME TO HANG OUT THAT NIGHT. 414 00:22:29,649 --> 00:22:33,687 >> Reporter: THEIR MINDS KEPT GOING BACK TO THE LAST TIME 415 00:22:33,687 --> 00:22:35,822 CARLY SAW SARAH. THE AFTERNOON OF DECEMBER 2nd, 416 00:22:35,822 --> 00:22:39,526 JUST BEFORE SHE VANISHED, WHEN SHE'D STOPPED BY THEIR HOUSE AND 417 00:22:39,526 --> 00:22:43,430 DROPPED OFF THOSE THINGS >> I LOOKED IN THE BOX AND IT 418 00:22:43,430 --> 00:22:47,967 WAS JUST, LIKE, COINS AND DIFFERENT LITTLE TRINKETS. 419 00:22:47,967 --> 00:22:55,575 >> Reporter: SARAH EXPLAINED SHE WAS JUST CLEANING HOUSE. 420 00:22:55,575 --> 00:22:56,976 BUT CARLY COULD TELL SARAH HAD SOMETHING ELSE THE SAY 421 00:22:56,976 --> 00:22:59,646 >> SHE SEEMED REALLY HAPPY WHEN SHE CAME OVER. 422 00:22:59,646 --> 00:23:01,247 LIKE, REALLY HAPPY >> LIKE SHE MADE A DECISION 423 00:23:01,247 --> 00:23:01,748 HAPPY? >> YEAH. 424 00:23:01,748 --> 00:23:03,850 >> Reporter: A BIG ONE SARAH SAID SHE'D DECIDED TO 425 00:23:03,850 --> 00:23:07,654 LEAVE TOWN LEAVE NEPTUNE BEHIND, STRIKE OUT 426 00:23:07,654 --> 00:23:14,694 FOR CANADA TO START HER LIFE AS AN ARTIST. 427 00:23:14,694 --> 00:23:19,165 >> IT WASN'T 'TIL THAT DAY, SHE TOLD ME SHE WAS GOING TO MOVE 428 00:23:19,165 --> 00:23:20,533 THERE. >> LIKE THIS WAS SOME SORT OF 429 00:23:20,533 --> 00:23:21,334 SUDDEN CHANGE IN HER DECISION MAKING 430 00:23:21,334 --> 00:23:22,869 >> I WOULDN'T CALL IT SUDDEN BECAUSE SHE HAD TALKED ABOUT HOW 431 00:23:22,869 --> 00:23:23,970 MUCH SHE LIKED CANADA BEFORE BUT SHE DIDN'T SAY SHE WAS 432 00:23:23,970 --> 00:23:26,306 MOVING THAT DAY. SHE JUST SAID SHE WAS MOVING TO 433 00:23:26,306 --> 00:23:27,073 CANADA AND THAT SHE FOUND MONEY 434 00:23:27,073 --> 00:23:29,709 >> Reporter: WAIT. MONEY? 435 00:23:29,709 --> 00:23:32,979 WHAT MONEY FROM WHAT SARAH TOLD CARLY IT 436 00:23:32,979 --> 00:23:39,519 APPEARED SARAH HAD NOT ONLY A REASON TO LEAVE, BUT THE MEANS 437 00:23:39,519 --> 00:23:41,721 IT UNTIL DECEMBER 2, 2016. >> THAT VERY DAY 438 00:23:41,721 --> 00:23:44,224 >> THAT VERY DAY >> THAT LAST DAY 439 00:23:44,224 --> 00:23:48,094 >> SHE SAID SHE FOUND A SAFE IN THE HOUSE THEY HAD IN AVON 440 00:23:48,094 --> 00:23:50,163 SHE TOLD ME NOT TO TELL ANYONE >> Reporter: SARAH TOLD CARLY 441 00:23:50,163 --> 00:23:52,499 SHE'D FOUND THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS THAT HAD BEEN HIDDEN IN AN OLD 442 00:23:52,499 --> 00:23:56,002 HOUSE HER DAD OWNED IN A NEIGHBORING TOWN 443 00:23:56,002 --> 00:23:58,705 A SECRET BUT OF COURSE, CARLY HAD TO TELL 444 00:23:58,705 --> 00:24:05,578 THE DETECTIVES AND THEY WERE VERY INTERESTED. 445 00:24:05,578 --> 00:24:06,880 >> SO THEN WHAT DID YOU DO, GO TALK TO THE BANKER 446 00:24:06,880 --> 00:24:08,481 >> WE DID. SHE HAD MULTIPLE ACCOUNTS AT THE 447 00:24:08,481 --> 00:24:13,653 BANK, INCLUDING A SAFETY DEPOSIT BOX. 448 00:24:13,653 --> 00:24:17,924 ON THE DAY OF HER DISAPPEARANCE, SHE HAD ACTUALLY ACCESSED THAT 449 00:24:17,924 --> 00:24:22,328 SAFETY DEPOSIT BOX >> MAYBE SHE WAS PLANNING TO 450 00:24:22,328 --> 00:24:23,363 TAKE OFF AND RUN AWAY AND TAKE SOME MONEY WITH HER? 451 00:24:23,363 --> 00:24:25,532 >> ABSOLUTELY. >> Reporter: THEY GOT A SEARCH 452 00:24:25,532 --> 00:24:26,366 WARRANT FOR SARAH'S SAFETY DEPOSIT BOX. 453 00:24:26,366 --> 00:24:33,073 >> AT WHICH POINT WE HAD LEARNED WHAT WAS ACTUALLY INSIDE 454 00:24:33,073 --> 00:24:37,610 >> WHICH WAS WHAT? >> 25,000 U.S. CASH CURRENCY 455 00:24:37,610 --> 00:24:38,578 >> THAT WAS STILL IN THERE WHEN YOU GOT THERE? 456 00:24:38,578 --> 00:24:39,813 >> CORRECT THE MONEY WAS IN VERY POOR 457 00:24:39,813 --> 00:24:41,314 CONDITION. THE MONEY WAS VERY BRITTLE 458 00:24:41,314 --> 00:24:43,083 AND WHEN YOU WOULD HANDLE THE BILLS -- A LOT OF TIMES, THEY 459 00:24:43,083 --> 00:24:48,621 WOULD JUST DETERIORATE IN YOUR HAND 460 00:24:48,621 --> 00:24:49,422 >> $25,000 A KID WHO HAD THAT KIND OF 461 00:24:49,422 --> 00:24:53,727 MONEY. >> IT'S A LOT OF MONEY 462 00:24:53,727 --> 00:24:54,461 >> WHERE DID THIS MONEY COME FROM 463 00:24:54,461 --> 00:25:00,567 >> SARAH'S MOTHER HAD SAVED THIS MONEY FOR SARAH. 464 00:25:00,567 --> 00:25:01,301 >> BIT BY BIT SQUIRRELLED IT AWAY 465 00:25:01,301 --> 00:25:02,402 >> PERHAPS AND THAT SARAH WAS AT THE HOUSE, 466 00:25:02,402 --> 00:25:03,603 LOOKING THROUGH SOME OF THEIR BELONGINGS AND HAD COME ACROSS 467 00:25:03,603 --> 00:25:05,472 THIS MONEY >> Reporter: BUT ALL OF THIS, A 468 00:25:05,472 --> 00:25:12,312 POSSIBLE DECISION ABOUT GOING TO CANADA, THE FOUND MONEY, ALL OF 469 00:25:12,312 --> 00:25:13,713 THIS WAS NEWS TO MIKE STERN. >> DID YOU KNOW ABOUT THAT AT 470 00:25:13,713 --> 00:25:14,147 ALL? >> NO. 471 00:25:14,147 --> 00:25:15,749 >> Reporter: BUT AS HE THOUGHT ABOUT IT, SAID MIKE, IT STARTED 472 00:25:15,749 --> 00:25:20,754 TO MAKE SENSE THAT HIS LATE WIFE WOULD HAVE GRADUALLY HIDDEN CASH 473 00:25:20,754 --> 00:25:21,955 AWAY IN HIS OTHER HOUSE, WHICH, ONE DAY, HER DAUGHTER COULD 474 00:25:21,955 --> 00:25:27,961 INHERIT. A GIFT, OF SORTS 475 00:25:27,961 --> 00:25:30,630 >> MY WIFE, SHE WAS -- SHE WAS A SAVER. 476 00:25:30,630 --> 00:25:34,534 >> SHE WOULD HAVE STUFFED IT IN SOME SECRET SPOT 477 00:25:34,534 --> 00:25:36,236 >> YEAH. I WISH I HAD KNOWN 478 00:25:36,236 --> 00:25:38,405 >> Reporter: ANYWAY, HE SAID, SARAH MUST HAVE DISCOVERED THE 479 00:25:38,405 --> 00:25:40,440 MONEY A FEW MONTHS BEFORE SHE VANISHED 480 00:25:40,440 --> 00:25:42,575 >> IT SURPRISES ME THAT THAT ALL HAPPENED IN SECRET 481 00:25:42,575 --> 00:25:45,679 >> YEAH. >> AND SHE STARTED LOOKING, I 482 00:25:45,679 --> 00:25:49,416 GUESS. >> THEN IT BECAME SARAH'S 483 00:25:49,416 --> 00:25:50,617 SECRET >> YEAH. 484 00:25:50,617 --> 00:25:55,889 >> Reporter: BUT, THE MONEY WAS STILL IN THE BANK. 485 00:25:55,889 --> 00:25:57,457 WOULD SHE LEAVE WITHOUT IT >> AFTER WE FOUND THAT MONEY IN 486 00:25:57,457 --> 00:26:01,027 HER SAFETY DEPOSIT BOX, THAT TOLD US THAT SHE LIKELY DID NOT 487 00:26:01,027 --> 00:26:03,730 LEAVE. >> BECAUSE SHE WOULDN'T LEAVE 488 00:26:03,730 --> 00:26:05,265 THAT THERE >> CORRECT 489 00:26:05,265 --> 00:26:09,536 WE HAD ALSO LOCATED HER U.S. PASSPORT, HER SOCIAL SECURITY 490 00:26:09,536 --> 00:26:11,104 CARD AND U.S. AND CANADIAN CURRENCY INSIDE HER BEDROOM. 491 00:26:11,104 --> 00:26:16,843 ALL THOSE FACTORS PUT TOGETHER, SARAH STERN DID NOT LEAVE. 492 00:26:16,843 --> 00:26:19,479 >> Reporter: COLD COMFORT TO SARAH'S FATHER BECAUSE THAT LEFT 493 00:26:19,479 --> 00:26:26,453 SOMETHING MUCH WORSE >> MR. STERN WAS DOWN AT THOSE 494 00:26:26,453 --> 00:26:30,557 DOCKS EVERY DAY WALKING THE DOCKS, WALKING THE SHORELINE 495 00:26:30,557 --> 00:26:34,527 JUST WOULDN'T GIVE UP HOPE >> YOU WOULD SEE HIM OUT THERE 496 00:26:34,527 --> 00:26:35,362 >> I DID, I DID. >> WHAT DID YOU THINK? 497 00:26:35,362 --> 00:26:36,463 >> MY HEART BROKE FOR HIM. FOR A FATHER TO NOT KNOW THE 498 00:26:36,463 --> 00:26:39,299 WHEREABOUTS OF HIS DAUGHTER, IT WAS DEVASTATING. 499 00:26:39,299 --> 00:26:41,935 >> Reporter: AND MIKE STERN HAD NO INKLING OF THE SEA CHANGE 500 00:26:41,935 --> 00:26:51,444 ABOUT TO OCCUR IN THE SEARCH FOR HIS MISSING DAUGHTER 501 00:26:51,444 --> 00:26:52,812 A PHONE CALL FROM ANOTHER STATE TRANSFORMS THE CASE. 502 00:26:52,812 --> 00:27:11,297 >> IT SHIFTED FROM A MISSING IT WAS A FRIGID TWO MONTHS ON 503 00:27:11,297 --> 00:27:14,267 THE JERSEY SHORE. ORGANIZED SEARCHES FOR SARAH 504 00:27:14,267 --> 00:27:18,071 STERN DWINDLED AS THE TEMPERATURE DROPPED AND 505 00:27:18,071 --> 00:27:21,608 GRADUALLY THE STORY FADED FROM THE NEWS CYCLE. 506 00:27:21,608 --> 00:27:25,779 A 19 YEAR OLD ASPIRING ARTIST WHO VANISHED INTO THIN AIR. 507 00:27:25,779 --> 00:27:28,515 AND HE AUTHORITIES WERE BAFFLED. 508 00:27:28,515 --> 00:27:31,151 DID YOU GET TO THE POINT WHERE YOU THINK THIS WAS GOING 509 00:27:31,151 --> 00:27:34,320 WE WERE AT A STANDSTILL. WE WERE AT A DEAD END. 510 00:27:34,320 --> 00:27:37,490 WITH NO ACTIVITY ON HER SOCIAL MEDIA, OR HER PHONE, OR HER 511 00:27:37,490 --> 00:27:41,461 BANK ACCOUNTS, AND NO CREDIBLE SIGHTING OF ANY SORT, THE 512 00:27:41,461 --> 00:27:45,799 CHANCE THAT SARAH SIMPLY RAN AWAY SEEMED VANISHINGLY SLIM. 513 00:27:45,799 --> 00:27:48,468 THE ONE THING THAT WE KNEW, AND THAT WAS THAT SHE LIKELY 514 00:27:48,468 --> 00:27:50,837 DIDN'T LEAVE-- SO SOMETHING BAD HAPPENED TO 515 00:27:50,837 --> 00:27:53,073 THAT GIRL? AS WE PROGRESSED, WE BEGAN 516 00:27:53,073 --> 00:27:56,876 THINKING THAT THAT WAS A POSSIBILITY, ABSOLUTLY. 517 00:27:56,876 --> 00:28:00,380 MIKE AND KRISTINE KEPT LOOKING FOR ANY SCRAP OF A CLUE, 518 00:28:00,380 --> 00:28:03,016 HANDING OUT SARAH'S PHOTO TO BOAT CAPTAINS HEADING OUT TO 519 00:28:03,016 --> 00:28:05,251 SEA WAS THERE A MOMENT WHEN YOU 520 00:28:05,251 --> 00:28:08,688 WHEN YOU KNEW YOU'D LOST HER. THAT SHE WAS GONE. 521 00:28:08,688 --> 00:28:13,827 NO, I NEVER WANTED TO THINK WHO WOULD? RIGHT. 522 00:28:13,827 --> 00:28:16,496 CARLY WAS STILL SEARCHING TOO.. . WANTING TO BELIEVE 523 00:28:16,496 --> 00:28:20,567 SARAH HAD STARTED OVER IN ANOTHER PLACE..SHE MESSAGED 524 00:28:20,567 --> 00:28:24,704 SARAH EVERY NIGHT ON INSTAGRAM I WOULD JUST SAY RANDOM THINGS 525 00:28:24,704 --> 00:28:28,508 LIKE, "IF YOU'RE-- IF YOU'RE ALIVE, LIKE, CREATE A FAKE 526 00:28:28,508 --> 00:28:30,677 DISNEY ACCOUNT," BECAUSE SHE LOVED DISNEYWORLD AND 527 00:28:30,677 --> 00:28:33,613 EVERYTHING DISNEY. I WAS LIKE, "CREATE A FAKE DISNEY COUNT-- 528 00:28:33,613 --> 00:28:35,915 ACCOUNT AND FOLLOW ME ON IT, AND I'LL KNOW YOU'RE OKAY." 529 00:28:35,915 --> 00:28:39,886 YOU WERE JUST DESPERATE TO KNOW. 530 00:28:39,886 --> 00:28:44,190 WHAT DID YOU GET BACK? NOTHING. 531 00:28:44,190 --> 00:28:47,861 IT HAD BEEN TWO MONTHS. AND THEN...? 532 00:28:47,861 --> 00:28:51,698 THEN A YOUNG MAN IN BROOKLYN, NY, CALLED HIS DAD BACK IN 533 00:28:51,698 --> 00:28:55,268 NEPTUNE CITY.. SAID HE WAS DESPERATE FOR SOME PARENTAL 534 00:28:55,268 --> 00:28:59,372 ADVICE. HIS NAME WAS ANTHONY CURRY. HE 535 00:28:59,372 --> 00:29:03,076 WAS 19-YEARS-OLD. A HIGH SCHOOL CLASSMATE OF SARAH'S 536 00:29:03,076 --> 00:29:06,246 WHO'D MOVED TO NEW YORK TO FULFIL A LIFELONG AMBITION TO 537 00:29:06,246 --> 00:29:09,416 MAKE MOVIES. BUT THAT NIGHT HE WAS VERY 538 00:29:09,416 --> 00:29:11,751 TROUBLED. AND WHEN HIS DAD EDDIE HEARD 539 00:29:11,751 --> 00:29:15,121 WHY.. HE CALLED DETECTIVE MIKE BONANNO. 540 00:29:15,121 --> 00:29:18,491 I KNOW THE FAMILY VERY WELL. KNOWN ANTHONY SINCE HE WAS 541 00:29:18,491 --> 00:29:21,061 YOUNG. EDDIE WAS CONCERNED THAT HE HAD SOME INFORMATION 542 00:29:21,061 --> 00:29:22,896 ON THIS, WHAT MAY HAVE HAPPENED TO SARAH/ 543 00:29:22,896 --> 00:29:26,166 10:02:33;18I WAS SHOCKED. DETECTIVES MET WITH ANTHONY 544 00:29:26,166 --> 00:29:29,102 AND HIS DAD. THE YOUNG MAN TOLD THEM ABOUT A SPOOKY 545 00:29:29,102 --> 00:29:32,772 CONVERSATION WITH A MUTUAL FRIEND OF HIS AND SARAH'S. 546 00:29:32,772 --> 00:29:36,276 IT TOOK PLACE ON THANKSGIVING EVENING, HE SAID -- EIGHT DAYS 547 00:29:36,276 --> 00:29:40,647 BEFORE SARAH VANISHED. THE FRIEND TOLD ANTHONY A 548 00:29:40,647 --> 00:29:46,286 HORRIFYING TALE: ABOUT A PLAN THAT HE HAD-- TO 549 00:29:46,286 --> 00:29:50,824 ROB SARAH OF HER MONEY AND TO KILL HER, STRANGLE HER, AND 550 00:29:50,824 --> 00:29:53,526 THROW HER OVER THE BRIDGE. AND HOW DID ANTHONY TAKE THIS, 551 00:29:53,526 --> 00:29:58,064 AS-- AS A REAL THING OR WHAT? NO. HE DISMISSED IT. HE 552 00:29:58,064 --> 00:29:59,799 THOUGHT IT WAS-- LIKE, THIS KID WAS JUST 553 00:29:59,799 --> 00:30:04,504 PITCHING HIM A MOVIE IDEA? YEAH. HE COMPLETELY DISMISSED 554 00:30:04,504 --> 00:30:07,741 ANTHONY HAD BEEN MAKING MOVIES SINCE MIDDLE SCHOOL -- QUITE A 555 00:30:07,741 --> 00:30:11,544 FEW OF THEM HORROR FILMS SO THIS WASN'T AS FAR-FETCHED 556 00:30:11,544 --> 00:30:14,581 AS IT SOUNDS. ANTHONY DROVE HOME TO BROOKLYN 557 00:30:14,581 --> 00:30:17,550 THAT THANKSGIVING NIGHT. DIDN'T GIVE HIS PAL'S GORY 558 00:30:17,550 --> 00:30:20,820 MOVIE PITCH ANOTHER THOUGHT ... UNTIL: 559 00:30:20,820 --> 00:30:23,790 HE LEARNED FROM SOCIAL MEDIA ABOUT WHAT HAPPENED TO SARAH. 560 00:30:23,790 --> 00:30:26,960 AND, WHEN ANTHONY CURRY SAW ON SOCIAL MEDIA THAT, EXACTLY 561 00:30:26,960 --> 00:30:29,863 LIKE IN HIS PAL'S MOVIE PITCH, SARAH'S CAR WAS ON THE ROUTE 562 00:30:29,863 --> 00:30:33,333 35 BRIDGE, HE GOT A BAD FEELING. 563 00:30:33,333 --> 00:30:36,102 WHICH TURNED TO ALARM WHEN HIS FRIEND REACHED OUT TO HIM A 564 00:30:36,102 --> 00:30:39,406 FEW DAYS LATER. THAT MESSAGE THAT WAS SENT VIA 565 00:30:39,406 --> 00:30:43,777 SNAPCHAT SAID, "HAVE THE POLICE SPOKEN TO YOU?" AND 566 00:30:43,777 --> 00:30:46,813 ANTHONY RESPONDED THAT THEY HAD NOT. IT WAS FROM THAT 567 00:30:46,813 --> 00:30:51,284 MOMENT THAT ANTHONY CURRY BELIEVED THAT HE MAY HAVE HAD 568 00:30:51,284 --> 00:30:53,720 SOMETHING TO DO WITH SARAH'S DISAPPEARANCE. 569 00:30:53,720 --> 00:30:56,990 ALL THOSE LITTLE CLUES THAT DIDN'T FIT TOGETHER --SARAH'S 570 00:30:56,990 --> 00:31:01,561 LAST CONVERSATION WITH CARLY, THE MYSTERIOUS OLD CASH, SARAH 571 00:31:01,561 --> 00:31:04,497 LEAVING HER STUFF AT THE DRAPERS' -- WERE RECONSIDERED 572 00:31:04,497 --> 00:31:06,933 IN THE LIGHT OF ANTHONY CURRY'S STORY. 573 00:31:06,933 --> 00:31:09,703 THOUGH MONMOUTH COUNTY PROSECUTOR CHRIS GRAMICCIONI, 574 00:31:09,703 --> 00:31:12,138 STILL HAD QUESTIONS..ABOUT ANTHONY. 575 00:31:12,138 --> 00:31:15,842 BASED ON THE STORY HE TOLD US, THE QUESTION AROSE, "HOW COME 576 00:31:15,842 --> 00:31:17,744 YA DIDN'T DO ANYTHING ABOUT THIS BEFORE SARAH WENT 577 00:31:17,744 --> 00:31:21,147 MISSING, WHEN YA HEARD ABOUT IT?" WE HAVE EXPERIENCED 578 00:31:21,147 --> 00:31:23,249 INVESTIGATORS THAT WERE ON THIS CASE THAT INTERVIEWED 579 00:31:23,249 --> 00:31:26,486 HIM. AND IN DOING SO, HIS CREDIBILITY AND VERACITY IS 580 00:31:26,486 --> 00:31:29,723 BEING TESTED THOROUGHLY. AND HE PASSED THE TEST. THE 581 00:31:29,723 --> 00:31:33,360 PROSECUTOR AND DETECTIVES DECIDED ANTHONY WAS CREDIBLE 582 00:31:33,360 --> 00:31:36,096 AND HIS STORY WAS REAL. WITHOUT ANTHONY, WE'RE NOT 583 00:31:36,096 --> 00:31:38,198 SITTIN' HERE TALKIN' TO YOU TODAY. 584 00:31:38,198 --> 00:31:41,868 AND FROM THAT MOMENT, EVERYTHING WAS DIFFERENT. 585 00:31:41,868 --> 00:31:46,006 IT SHIFTED FROM A MISSING PERSON INVESTIGATION INTO A 586 00:31:46,006 --> 00:31:49,342 HOMICIDE. EXCEPT.. THE MAJOR CASE SQUAD 587 00:31:49,342 --> 00:31:52,379 REALLY HAD NOTHING BUT SUSPICIONS. 588 00:31:52,379 --> 00:31:55,115 AND WHAT WE HAD DECIDED WAS THAT WE WERE GONNA ASK ANTHONY 589 00:31:55,115 --> 00:31:58,451 IF HE'D BE WILLING TO ESSENTIALLY WORK WITH US. 590 00:31:58,451 --> 00:32:00,687 WHAT'D HE SAY? HE AGREED 591 00:32:00,687 --> 00:32:04,524 SO THE DETECTIVES ENLISTED ANTHONY IN THEIR PLAN. 592 00:32:04,524 --> 00:32:07,660 HOW YOU DOIN? HE WOULD BE THEIR BAIT IN AN 593 00:32:07,660 --> 00:32:12,065 ELABORATE AND DANGEROUS TRAP BUT WHAT MIGHT THEY CAPTURE 594 00:32:12,065 --> 00:32:16,369 ...? OH MY .. THEY HAD NO IDEA. 595 00:32:16,369 --> 00:32:19,806 THAT'S NOT EVEN THE WORSE PART. 596 00:32:19,806 --> 00:32:22,108 COMING UP... WHAT THEY WERE ABOUT TO 597 00:32:22,108 --> 00:32:25,712 WITNESS WOULD STUN THESE SEASONED DETECTIVES: 598 00:32:25,712 --> 00:32:28,148 IT WAS CHILLING. WE COULDN'T BELIEVE WHAT WE WERE HEARING. 599 00:32:28,148 --> 00:32:31,818 THE REVELATION THAT WOULD DEVASTATE SARAH'S DAD: 600 00:32:31,818 --> 00:32:36,289 IT LITERALLY SUCKED LIFE OUT OF ME. ITS UNFATHOMABLE. 601 00:32:50,103 --> 00:32:52,405 * * 602 00:32:52,405 --> 00:32:55,108 >> Reporter: HE HAD BEEN DIRECTING AND ACTING IN HORROR 603 00:32:55,108 --> 00:32:59,112 MOVIES FOR YEARS NOW, ANTHONY CURRY MUST HAVE 604 00:32:59,112 --> 00:33:03,283 FELT LIKE HE WAS LIVING ONE. >> THE APPROXIMATE TIME IS 6:20 605 00:33:03,283 --> 00:33:04,217 P.M. I'VE PLACED AN ELECTRONIC 606 00:33:04,217 --> 00:33:06,519 RECORDING DEVICE ON ANTHONY CURRY. 607 00:33:06,519 --> 00:33:09,522 >> Reporter: ANTHONY HAD BEEN CAST AS THE LEAD ACTOR IN AN 608 00:33:09,522 --> 00:33:12,692 ELABORATE STING. A DANGEROUS RUSE CRAFTED TO GET 609 00:33:12,692 --> 00:33:14,794 A MUTUAL FRIEND OF HIS AND SARAH STERN'S TO IMPLICATE 610 00:33:14,794 --> 00:33:17,564 HIMSELF IN HER DISAPPEARANCE >> HEY, HOW YOU DOING? 611 00:33:17,564 --> 00:33:19,532 HOW YOU DOING? >> Reporter: THE DETECTIVES 612 00:33:19,532 --> 00:33:23,303 SCRIPTED A PHONE CALL DESIGNED TO GET ANTHONY'S FRIEND TALKING. 613 00:33:23,303 --> 00:33:26,706 THE TEENAGE FILMMAKER WOULD PRETEND HE NEEDED MONEY TO 614 00:33:26,706 --> 00:33:28,775 REPLACE A BROKEN CAMERA. IF HIS BUDDY HAD GONE THROUGH 615 00:33:28,775 --> 00:33:32,479 WITH HIS PLAN TO ROB SARAH, HE SHOULD BE FLUSH. 616 00:33:32,479 --> 00:33:36,116 POLICE RECORDED THE CALL >> MY [ BLEEP ] CAMERA BROKE, 617 00:33:36,116 --> 00:33:38,718 DOG. >> HOW'D THAT HAPPEN 618 00:33:38,718 --> 00:33:40,387 >> I [ BLEEP ] DROPPED IT ON A SHOOT. 619 00:33:40,387 --> 00:33:44,124 IT [ BLEEP ] FELL INTO A BUCKET OF BLOOD 620 00:33:44,124 --> 00:33:45,859 >> DAMN. >> YEAH, DUDE. 621 00:33:45,859 --> 00:33:48,194 I HAVE NO [ BLEEP ] CASH TO PAY FOR ANYTHING 622 00:33:48,194 --> 00:33:53,566 YOU CAN SPOT ME SOME CASH FROM THAT -- FROM THAT GIRL'S MONEY, 623 00:33:53,566 --> 00:33:56,870 RIGHT? >> UH, MAYBE 624 00:33:56,870 --> 00:33:58,872 >> Reporter: THE FRIEND WOULDN'T SAY MUCH MORE. 625 00:33:58,872 --> 00:34:00,674 HE SEEMED CAUTIOUS >> I DON'T REALLY WANT TO TALK 626 00:34:00,674 --> 00:34:03,943 ABOUT IT RIGHT NOW >> I KNOW WHAT YOU MEAN. 627 00:34:03,943 --> 00:34:07,747 >> Reporter: BUT ANTHONY DID GET THE GUY TO AGREE TO MEET IN 628 00:34:07,747 --> 00:34:13,386 PERSON MAYBE HE'D OPEN UP THEN? 629 00:34:13,386 --> 00:34:15,922 >> I'LL SEE YOU FRIDAY THEN. >> ALL RIGHT 630 00:34:15,922 --> 00:34:17,490 >> Reporter: THE LOCATION, THIS PARKING AREA ASIDE THE BOARDWALK 631 00:34:17,490 --> 00:34:20,160 IN BRADLEY BEACH DESOLATE IN THE DEAD OF WINTER 632 00:34:20,160 --> 00:34:24,831 INVESTIGATORS WIRED UP ANTHONY'S CAR. 633 00:34:24,831 --> 00:34:30,070 >> WE DO SET UP THE CAR FOR AUDIO AND VIDEO. 634 00:34:30,070 --> 00:34:31,237 >> IS THERE A LITTLE CAMERA IN THERE? 635 00:34:31,237 --> 00:34:32,639 >> THERE WAS A CAMERA IN THERE >> Reporter: IF THEIR SUSPECT 636 00:34:32,639 --> 00:34:35,475 WAS A KILLER, WHAT MIGHT HE DO TO ANTHONY IF HE SUSPECTED A 637 00:34:35,475 --> 00:34:37,944 TRAP SO THEY KNEW THIS WAS DANGEROUS. 638 00:34:37,944 --> 00:34:39,279 THEY TAILED ANTHONY'S CAR. >> WE HAD SURVEILLANCE UNITS ON 639 00:34:39,279 --> 00:34:41,848 EITHER SIDE. WE WERE MONITORING EVERYTHING 640 00:34:41,848 --> 00:34:43,516 LIVE >> Reporter: IT WAS JUST BEFORE 641 00:34:43,516 --> 00:34:46,586 MIDNIGHT WHEN ANTHONY DROVE TOWARDS THE MEET POINT 642 00:34:46,586 --> 00:34:49,789 YOU CAN SEE HIS HANDS ON THE STEERING WHEEL 643 00:34:49,789 --> 00:34:52,892 >> SO, ANTHONY WAS LISTENING TO HIS MUSIC TO RELAX HIM 644 00:34:52,892 --> 00:34:59,265 AND -- HE -- HE WAS GAME READY HE WASN'T PLAYING. 645 00:34:59,265 --> 00:35:04,537 >> Reporter: ANTHONY PARKED AND MINUTES LATER, THEIR SUSPECT 646 00:35:04,537 --> 00:35:07,674 CLIMBED INTO THE CAR >> WHAT'S GOOD, MONEY? 647 00:35:07,674 --> 00:35:08,775 >> WHAT'S HAPPENING, BUDDY >> HOW YOU DOING 648 00:35:08,775 --> 00:35:10,877 HOW YOU DOING? >> GOOD. 649 00:35:10,877 --> 00:35:15,048 HOW YOU DOING? >> YOU WANT A CIGARETTE? 650 00:35:15,048 --> 00:35:21,721 >> NO, I'M GOOD. I QUIT THAT [ BLEEP ]. 651 00:35:21,721 --> 00:35:23,456 >> Reporter: IT WAS LIAM McATASNEY, SARAH'S FRIEND. 652 00:35:23,456 --> 00:35:24,591 THE GUY WHO SPENT THE DAY WITH HER A FEW HOURS BEFORE SHE 653 00:35:24,591 --> 00:35:25,558 VANISHED >> WHAT WERE YOU DOING 654 00:35:25,558 --> 00:35:27,160 >> SITTING AROUND. >> Reporter: AND WHAT LIAM DID 655 00:35:27,160 --> 00:35:29,095 NEXT TERRORIZED THE LISTENING DETECTIVES 656 00:35:29,095 --> 00:35:32,932 HE REACHED OVER AND SEARCHED ANTHONY FOR A WIRE 657 00:35:32,932 --> 00:35:43,910 >> DUDE, YOU CAN'T BLAME ME FOR DOING THIS, RIGHT? 658 00:35:43,910 --> 00:35:45,111 I GOTTA FEEL YOU UP REAL QUICK ALL 659 00:35:45,111 --> 00:35:46,780 ALL RIGHT? NO DISRESPECT. 660 00:35:46,780 --> 00:35:47,814 NO DISRESPECT, OKAY? >> HE STARTS PATTING HIM DOWN. 661 00:35:47,814 --> 00:35:49,082 AND WE'RE LISTENING TO THAT IN THE CAR AND THINGS BECAME VERY, 662 00:35:49,082 --> 00:35:50,750 VERY REAL AT THAT MOMENT >> Reporter: AND THEN, JUST AS 663 00:35:50,750 --> 00:35:53,386 SUDDENLY, THE TENSION BROKE. LIAM STOPPED SEARCHING 664 00:35:53,386 --> 00:35:58,625 EXPLAINED THE COPS HAD BEEN ON HIS TAIL 665 00:35:58,625 --> 00:36:01,327 >> ABOUT WHAT? >> ABOUT KILLING SARAH 666 00:36:01,327 --> 00:36:08,702 >> Reporter: ANTHONY SAT BACK AND LISTENED TO LIAM 667 00:36:08,702 --> 00:36:09,936 THE OFFICERS HUNG ON EVERY WORD. >> AND NOT EVEN -- THAT'S NOT 668 00:36:09,936 --> 00:36:10,770 EVEN THE WORST PART. >> IT WAS CHILLING 669 00:36:10,770 --> 00:36:13,039 I MEAN, WE LOOKED AT EACH OTHER. WE COULDN'T BELIEVE WHAT WE WERE 670 00:36:13,039 --> 00:36:16,676 HEARING. >> IT NAUSEATED ME 671 00:36:16,676 --> 00:36:20,714 >> Reporter: AND THEN THE COPS HEARD SOMETHING ELSE 672 00:36:20,714 --> 00:36:22,482 LIAM WASN'T IN THIS ALONE. HE HAD AN ACCOMPLICE 673 00:36:22,482 --> 00:36:25,285 >> THE TWO OF US >> Reporter: THEY TALKED FOR 674 00:36:25,285 --> 00:36:26,720 20 MINUTES BEFORE LIAM SLIPPED OUT INTO THE NIGHT 675 00:36:26,720 --> 00:36:28,855 >> IT WAS GOOD TALKING TO YOU, MAN. 676 00:36:28,855 --> 00:36:29,856 >> GOOD TALKING TO YOU >> TAKE IT EASY, BRO 677 00:36:29,856 --> 00:36:33,059 >> Reporter: THE DETECTIVES MONITORING THE APPALLING 678 00:36:33,059 --> 00:36:34,627 CONVERSATION IN THE CAR HAD HEARD WHAT THEY NEEDED 679 00:36:34,627 --> 00:36:38,298 THEY KEPT LIAM UNDER SURVEILLANCE WHILE WARRANTS WERE 680 00:36:38,298 --> 00:36:42,068 DRAWN UP AND BASED ON WHAT HE'D SAID TO 681 00:36:42,068 --> 00:36:44,170 ANTHONY CURRY IN THAT CAR -- >> YOU DIDN'T HEAR ABOUT IT? 682 00:36:44,170 --> 00:36:48,341 >> Reporter: THEY ARRESTED LIAM McATASNEY 683 00:36:48,341 --> 00:36:50,977 LIAM, WHO'D SEEMED SO HELPFUL WHEN HE TOLD POLICE HE'D BEEN 684 00:36:50,977 --> 00:36:53,079 WITH SARAH THAT LAST DAY >> I MEAN, WE WENT TO GET FOOD 685 00:36:53,079 --> 00:36:55,749 TODAY. >> Reporter: LIAM WHO'D 686 00:36:55,749 --> 00:36:57,917 VOLUNTARILY GONE DOWNTOWN TO TELL DETECTIVES ABOUT HIS GREAT 687 00:36:57,917 --> 00:37:00,020 FRIEND SARAH >> WHAT DOES SHE DO DURING THE 688 00:37:00,020 --> 00:37:03,123 DAY? >> SHE DRAWS 689 00:37:03,123 --> 00:37:07,894 SHE WATCHES YOUTUBE VIDEOS SHE WALKS HER DOG. 690 00:37:07,894 --> 00:37:14,300 >> Reporter: LIAM WHO'D JOINED THE SEARCH FOR HER, WHO'D GONE 691 00:37:14,300 --> 00:37:17,037 ON TV TO PRAISE HER. >> SHE'S PRETTY STRONG 692 00:37:17,037 --> 00:37:20,240 SO HOPEFULLY WE'RE GONNA FIND SOMETHING TODAY. 693 00:37:20,240 --> 00:37:21,608 >> TURN AROUND AND FACE THE WALL 694 00:37:21,608 --> 00:37:22,709 >> Reporter: THERE WERE DIFFERENT CAMERAS ON HIM THIS 695 00:37:22,709 --> 00:37:25,478 DAY. >> YOU'RE BEING CHARGED WITH 696 00:37:25,478 --> 00:37:30,917 MURDER, FELONY MURDER, FIRST DEGREE ROBBERY, DESECRATION OF 697 00:37:30,917 --> 00:37:34,554 HUMAN REMAINS. >> Reporter: THE OTHER ARREST, 698 00:37:34,554 --> 00:37:39,359 WAS EVERY BIT AS STUNNING. >> WE'LL BE RIGHT WITH YOU 699 00:37:39,359 --> 00:37:41,628 OKAY, MAN. >> Reporter: IT WAS LIAM'S 700 00:37:41,628 --> 00:37:42,562 ALLEGED ACCOMPLICE 19-YEAR-OLD PRESTON TAYLOR 701 00:37:42,562 --> 00:37:45,198 AND, IF HE LOOKS FAMILIAR, WELL THAT'S BECAUSE YOU PROBABLY 702 00:37:45,198 --> 00:37:53,606 RECOGNIZE HIM FROM SARAH'S JUNIOR PROM PHOTO. 703 00:37:53,606 --> 00:37:55,208 PRESTON WAS HER DATE WHO WERE THESE YOUNG MEN, 704 00:37:55,208 --> 00:38:01,281 ACCUSED OF THESE HORRIFIC CRIMES 705 00:38:01,281 --> 00:38:04,084 >> PRESTON AND LIAM, HOW CLOSE WERE THEY? 706 00:38:04,084 --> 00:38:04,884 >> THEY WERE CLOSE THEY WERE FRIENDS. 707 00:38:04,884 --> 00:38:05,819 THEY HAD KNOWN EACH OTHER FOR SEVERAL YEARS. 708 00:38:05,819 --> 00:38:06,853 THEY HAD JUST RECENTLY MOVED INTO A HOUSE TOGETHER. 709 00:38:06,853 --> 00:38:09,356 >> Reporter: INVESTIGATORS HAD TWO MOST UNLIKELY MURDER 710 00:38:09,356 --> 00:38:13,626 SUSPECTS LIAM McATASNEY WAS A COLLEGE 711 00:38:13,626 --> 00:38:18,365 SOPHOMORE STUDYING PSYCHOLOGY. HE'D WORKED WITH SARAH SUMMERS 712 00:38:18,365 --> 00:38:20,400 ON THE BEACH, BUT HE'D KNOWN HER, HAD BEEN HER FRIEND, SINCE 713 00:38:20,400 --> 00:38:25,205 FIRST GRADE. HE HAD NO CRIMINAL RECORD. 714 00:38:25,205 --> 00:38:29,309 AND PRESTON TAYLOR, ALSO A COLLEGE STUDENT, ECONOMICS AND 715 00:38:29,309 --> 00:38:30,443 POLITICAL SCIENCE, A FRIEND OF SARAH'S SINCE HIGH SCHOOL. 716 00:38:30,443 --> 00:38:36,282 HE WORKED PART TIME AROUND HIS CLASS SCHEDULE 717 00:38:36,282 --> 00:38:38,752 WITH THEIR SUSPECTS IN CUSTODY WHAT ED KIRSCHENBAUM AND THE 718 00:38:38,752 --> 00:38:41,588 DETECTIVES NOW HAD TO DO WAS VERY, VERY, DIFFICULT. 719 00:38:41,588 --> 00:38:46,893 >> IT WAS AT THAT TIME THAT MYSELF, DETECTIVE WEISBOT, 720 00:38:46,893 --> 00:38:51,598 DETECTIVE VOLLBRECHT, DETECTIVE MAHONEY MET WITH MIKE STERN AT 721 00:38:51,598 --> 00:38:53,967 HIS HOUSE. WE HAD TO INFORM HIM THAT WE NOW 722 00:38:53,967 --> 00:38:59,072 HAD INFORMATION OF WHAT HAD HAPPENED TO SARAH. 723 00:38:59,072 --> 00:39:02,742 THERE'S NO EASY WAY TO DO THAT >> Reporter: NO. 724 00:39:02,742 --> 00:39:05,111 BUT HE LISTENED, THIS MAN NOW SENTENCED TO PERMANENT SORROW, 725 00:39:05,111 --> 00:39:08,648 AS THEY TOLD HIM THAT SARAH, HIS ONLY CHILD, HAD DIED AT THE 726 00:39:08,648 --> 00:39:13,553 HANDS OF TWO OF HER FRIENDS. >> I DIDN'T KNOW WHAT TO SAY 727 00:39:13,553 --> 00:39:14,754 I JUST REMEMBER STARING AT THE TABLE AND NOT KNOWING WHAT TO 728 00:39:14,754 --> 00:39:19,092 THINK. >> Reporter: MIKE STERN WAS 729 00:39:19,092 --> 00:39:28,034 HEARTSICK. >> THESE WERE KIDS YOU'D DRIVEN 730 00:39:28,034 --> 00:39:29,102 AROUND, CARPOOLED. >> CARPOOL, CHURCH, FIRE 731 00:39:29,102 --> 00:39:35,942 DEPARTMENT EVENTS, THINGS AT THE SCHOOL 732 00:39:35,942 --> 00:39:38,845 >> SUDDENLY THEY WEREN'T INNOCENT ANYMORE 733 00:39:38,845 --> 00:39:41,681 >> IT LITERALLY SUCKED THE LIFE OUT OF ME. 734 00:39:41,681 --> 00:39:45,652 DISB DISBELIEF. 735 00:39:45,652 --> 00:39:46,686 IT'S UNFATHOMABLE. >> AND THERE WAS JUST NO 736 00:39:46,686 --> 00:39:47,887 INDICATION, ANYWHERE, ANYTIME, THAT THIS WAS LURING IN THERE? 737 00:39:47,887 --> 00:39:50,390 >> NO. THAT'S WHAT KINDA HURTS THE MOST 738 00:39:50,390 --> 00:39:52,559 THAT THAT EVIL CAN BE IN THERE >> Reporter: EVIL? 739 00:39:52,559 --> 00:39:55,729 OH, YES. AND MIKE STERN WAS ONLY 740 00:39:55,729 --> 00:39:58,898 BEGINNING TO COMPREHEND THE ENORMITY OF THE CHAIN OF EVENTS 741 00:39:58,898 --> 00:40:06,973 THAT CULMINATED ON THAT BRIDGE OVER THE SHARK RIVER 742 00:40:06,973 --> 00:40:11,077 AFTER TWO ARRESTS, AN ENTIRE TOWN REELING 743 00:40:11,077 --> 00:40:13,380 >> WE WERE STRUGGLING WITH WHY >> BUT THE SHOCKS WILL KEEP 744 00:40:13,380 --> 00:40:14,914 COMING INCLUDING MORE FROM THAT 745 00:40:14,914 --> 00:40:21,388 STOMACH-TURNING TAPE >> IT WAS DISGUSTING 746 00:40:21,388 --> 00:40:26,092 DISGUSTING >> AND AN EYE WITNESS WHO SAYS 747 00:40:26,092 --> 00:40:26,860 HE SAW SARAH AFTER SHE DISAPPEARED. 748 00:40:26,860 --> 00:40:38,238 >> I CAUGHT HER EYE, AND SHE CA 749 00:40:38,238 --> 00:40:44,277 * * 750 00:40:44,277 --> 00:40:47,113 >> Reporter: FEBRUARY 2017, THE TWO ARRESTS IN THE MYSTERIOUS 751 00:40:47,113 --> 00:40:50,784 DISAPPEARANCE OF SARAH STERN WERE BIG NEWS FROM THE JERSEY 752 00:40:50,784 --> 00:40:52,952 SHORE TO NEW YORK CITY >> STUNNING DEVELOPMENTS IN THE 753 00:40:52,952 --> 00:40:56,256 SEARCH FOR A MISSING 19-YEAR-OLD GIRL 754 00:40:56,256 --> 00:40:58,925 THE CHARGES TWO TEENS NOW FACE >> Reporter: MIKE STERN WAS IN 755 00:40:58,925 --> 00:41:02,929 THE COUNTY COURTHOUSE WHEN THEY BROUGHT IN THE TEENS ACCUSED OF 756 00:41:02,929 --> 00:41:06,466 KILLING HIS SARAH. BOTH PLEADED NOT GUILTY TO 757 00:41:06,466 --> 00:41:10,070 MURDER AND SIX OTHER CHARGES >> STERN'S FAMILY BEING ESCORTED 758 00:41:10,070 --> 00:41:14,207 OUT OF THE COURTHOUSE, ASKING FOR PRIVACY LESS THAN 24 HOURS 759 00:41:14,207 --> 00:41:17,477 AFTER FINDING OUT SHE WAS DEAD >> Reporter: SARAH'S FAMILY AND 760 00:41:17,477 --> 00:41:21,748 HER FRIENDS APPEARED COMPOSED IN PUBLIC, BUT WERE IN A PRIVATE 761 00:41:21,748 --> 00:41:24,384 HELL THEY COULDN'T BELIEVE THOSE TWO 762 00:41:24,384 --> 00:41:26,186 COULD HAVE DONE THIS NEITHER OF THEM HAD A CRIMINAL 763 00:41:26,186 --> 00:41:28,855 RECORD PRESTON TAYLOR, SARAH'S JUNIOR 764 00:41:28,855 --> 00:41:32,759 PROM DATE, WAS A QUIET 19-YEAR-OLD. 765 00:41:32,759 --> 00:41:41,501 HIS ROOMMATE AND CO-DEFENDANT LIAM McATASNEY, WAS ALSO 19, A 766 00:41:41,501 --> 00:41:42,602 TALL TOWHEAD WITH AN IDENTICAL TWIN BROTHER WAS EASILY 767 00:41:42,602 --> 00:41:44,137 RECOGNIZABLE AROUND TOWN LOTS OF NEPTUNE CITY RESIDENTS 768 00:41:44,137 --> 00:41:46,873 KNEW HIM FROM HIS JOB AS A WAITER AT A LOCAL STEAKHOUSE 769 00:41:46,873 --> 00:41:51,578 MIKE STERN HAD WATCHED BOTH DEFENDANTS GROW UP 770 00:41:51,578 --> 00:41:52,746 >> YOU MUST HAVE THOUGHT AN AWFUL LOT ABOUT THOSE BOYS AND 771 00:41:52,746 --> 00:41:56,282 WHAT THEY WERE LIKE WHEN THEY WERE IN YOUR HOUSE, WHEN THEY 772 00:41:56,282 --> 00:42:03,490 HUNG AROUND WITH SARAH >> YEAH, BIRTHDAY PARTIES AND 773 00:42:03,490 --> 00:42:05,058 POOL PARTIES AND JUST SEEMED LIKE THEY WERE NORMAL KIDS 774 00:42:05,058 --> 00:42:07,060 >> Reporter: MIKE, OF COURSE, BUT ALSO THE OTHERS WHO HAD 775 00:42:07,060 --> 00:42:12,399 KNOWN LIAM MOST OF HIS YOUNG LIFE, WERE HAVING A VERY HARD 776 00:42:12,399 --> 00:42:14,567 TIME HOW TO UNDERSTAND >> WE WERE STRUGGLING WITH WHY, 777 00:42:14,567 --> 00:42:19,739 AND HE WAS SUCH A FRIEND ALL THESE YEARS. 778 00:42:19,739 --> 00:42:24,544 THERE HAS TO BE SOMETHING EVIL ABOUT HIM THAT WE'RE MISSING 779 00:42:24,544 --> 00:42:25,679 HERE. LIKE YOU DON'T JUST HAVE NO 780 00:42:25,679 --> 00:42:27,147 CRIMINAL RECORD AND GO TO MURDER 781 00:42:27,147 --> 00:42:31,351 >> Reporter: CARLY AND SAM THOUGHT THEY KNEW LIAM AND 782 00:42:31,351 --> 00:42:35,188 PRESTON. BUT DID THEY REALLY? 783 00:42:35,188 --> 00:42:37,157 >> WHAT DID YOU THINK WHEN THOSE TWO GUYS WERE ARRESTED 784 00:42:37,157 --> 00:42:40,794 >> I WAS - >> I COULDN'T BELIEVE IT 785 00:42:40,794 --> 00:42:42,962 >> I WAS MAD I WAS ANGRY, HONESTLY. 786 00:42:42,962 --> 00:42:46,833 >> I PULLED UP TO MY HOUSE, AND I WENT INSIDE AND MY DAD WAS 787 00:42:46,833 --> 00:42:50,570 JUST HOME. I SAID, IS IT TRUE 788 00:42:50,570 --> 00:42:52,806 HE SAID, YES AND I -- I COULDN'T EVEN -- FOR 789 00:42:52,806 --> 00:42:53,807 DAYS, I COULDN'T EVEN LOOK OVER AT SARAH'S HOUSE 790 00:42:53,807 --> 00:42:55,308 >> DID YOU GO TO SCHOOL WITH SARAH? 791 00:42:55,308 --> 00:42:58,478 >> YEAH, THEY WERE ALL THE SAME FRIEND GROUP 792 00:42:58,478 --> 00:42:59,646 THAT WAS ESSENTIALLY WHO I STARTED HANGING OUT WITH WHEN I 793 00:42:59,646 --> 00:43:01,147 WENT TO HIGH SCHOOL. >> Reporter: REMEMBER, 794 00:43:01,147 --> 00:43:04,317 DETECTIVES HAD BEEN TALKING TO PRESTON AND LIAM SINCE THE FIRST 795 00:43:04,317 --> 00:43:06,453 DAYS OF THEIR MISSING PERSONS INVESTIGATION, EVEN INVITED THEM 796 00:43:06,453 --> 00:43:10,857 DOWN TO THE STATION. BUT NOT AS SUSPECTS. 797 00:43:10,857 --> 00:43:12,058 >> IT'S NICE TO MEET YOU >> Reporter: LIAM HAD BEEN WITH 798 00:43:12,058 --> 00:43:15,395 SARAH THE DAY SHE WAS LAST SEEN AND, IN FACT, ONE OF SARAH'S 799 00:43:15,395 --> 00:43:20,467 COUSINS HAD FOUND LIAM'S PHONE IN SARAH'S DRIVEWAY THE MORNING 800 00:43:20,467 --> 00:43:24,371 AFTER SHE WENT MISSING, BUT, IT DIDN'T SIGNIFY MUCH. 801 00:43:24,371 --> 00:43:25,538 THEY WERE OFTEN TOGETHER AND LIAM DIDN'T TRY TO HIDE IT AND 802 00:43:25,538 --> 00:43:29,075 HE'D BEEN HAPPY TO LET THEM SEARCH HIS PHONE 803 00:43:29,075 --> 00:43:30,310 SO, COOPERATIVE. BUT NOW DETECTIVES DECIDED 804 00:43:30,310 --> 00:43:36,249 LIAM'S STATEMENTS DESERVED ANOTHER LOOK 805 00:43:36,249 --> 00:43:42,088 >> WHEN DID YOU LAST SEE SARAH >> WHEN I WAS LEAVING HER HOUSE. 806 00:43:42,088 --> 00:43:43,089 >> IT WAS BENIGN >> SO YOU WENT BACK AND LOOKED 807 00:43:43,089 --> 00:43:47,093 AT THIS THING AGAIN? >> ABSOLUTELY. 808 00:43:47,093 --> 00:43:48,128 >> BEGAN TO SEE IT IN A DIFFERENT LIGHT? 809 00:43:48,128 --> 00:43:49,696 >> ABSOLUTELY. HINDSIGHT'S VERY POWERFUL. 810 00:43:49,696 --> 00:43:55,001 >> Reporter: AND IN HINDSIGHT, DETECTIVES THOUGHT LIAM'S WORDS 811 00:43:55,001 --> 00:43:57,103 SEEMED CAREFULLY, DEVIOUSLY CRAFTED TO SUPPORT THE IDEA THAT 812 00:43:57,103 --> 00:43:58,672 SARAH HAD RUN AWAY >> WHAT'S HER RELATIONSHIP WITH 813 00:43:58,672 --> 00:44:02,909 HER DAD? >> NOT GOOD. 814 00:44:02,909 --> 00:44:05,545 >> WHEN YOU SAY NOT GOOD, WHAT DO YOU MEAN? 815 00:44:05,545 --> 00:44:07,714 >> I KNOW THAT THERE'S A LOT OF FIGHTING ALL THE TIME, AND SHE 816 00:44:07,714 --> 00:44:10,450 JUST NEEDED TO GET TO CANADA >> Reporter: AND THEN THERE WAS 817 00:44:10,450 --> 00:44:20,860 SOMETHING LIAM ASKED THAT THEY JUST COULDN'T GET OUT OF THEIR 818 00:44:20,860 --> 00:44:22,962 HEADS NOW. >> IF SHE DID JUMP OFF THE 819 00:44:22,962 --> 00:44:26,132 BRIDGE, WHAT ARE THE ODDS THAT SHE'S NOT SOMEWHERE ALL THE WAY 820 00:44:26,132 --> 00:44:28,802 OUT IN THE OCEAN BY NOW? >> Reporter: BUT EVEN THOUGH 821 00:44:28,802 --> 00:44:32,472 THEY SAW LIAM AND PRESTON IN A NEW LIGHT NOW, BUILDING A MURDER 822 00:44:32,472 --> 00:44:35,141 CASE WAS COMPLICATED BY THE FACT THAT SARAH'S BODY HAD SIMPLY 823 00:44:35,141 --> 00:44:39,579 VANISHED IF YOUNG SARAH DID INDEED END UP 824 00:44:39,579 --> 00:44:43,583 IN THE SHARK RIVER, IT LOOKED LESS LIKELY BY THE DAY SHE WOULD 825 00:44:43,583 --> 00:44:48,355 EVER BE FOUND. AND WITHOUT A BODY, OR A 826 00:44:48,355 --> 00:44:52,092 FUNERAL, IT ALL FELT SOMEHOW UNFINISHED TO THOSE WHO LOVED 827 00:44:52,092 --> 00:44:54,127 SARAH, TO SO MANY PEOPLE IN NEPTUNE CITY SO PROFOUNDLY 828 00:44:54,127 --> 00:45:00,700 DISTURBED, AND BETRAYED, AND SADDENED BY HER LOSS 829 00:45:00,700 --> 00:45:06,239 >> WE DECIDED TO DO A CELEBRATION OF LIFE. 830 00:45:06,239 --> 00:45:08,908 >> Reporter: AND DID THEY EVER IN THE SUMMER OF 2017, SEVEN 831 00:45:08,908 --> 00:45:17,384 MONTHS OR SO AFTER SARAH VANISHED, THEY DRESSED UP THE 832 00:45:17,384 --> 00:45:18,618 NEPTUNE CITY COMMUNITY CENTER. >> TWO, THREE MAIN ROOMS FILLED 833 00:45:18,618 --> 00:45:24,691 FROM FLOOR TO CEILING, WALL TO WALL, OF ALL SARAH'S ART 834 00:45:24,691 --> 00:45:29,429 >> WOW >> I THINK THEY SAID THERE WAS 835 00:45:29,429 --> 00:45:31,598 OVER 1,000 VISITORS. >> Reporter: IT WAS AS IF THE 836 00:45:31,598 --> 00:45:35,268 WHOLE TOWN SKIPPED THE BEACH THAT BRILLIANT SATURDAY, SET 837 00:45:35,268 --> 00:45:38,071 ASIDE THE FRUSTRATING WAIT FOR THE TRIAL TO BEGIN, AT LEAST FOR 838 00:45:38,071 --> 00:45:50,116 ONE AFTERNOON. >> I RECALL FIRST MEETING SARAH 839 00:45:50,116 --> 00:45:53,119 IN KINDERGARTEN. >> reporter: TO HEAR SARAH 840 00:45:53,119 --> 00:45:54,354 EULOGIZED -- >> SHE JUST LOVED THEM SO, SO 841 00:45:54,354 --> 00:46:00,827 MUCH, BY HER FRIENDS AND FAMILY. >> SARAH, I WILL MISS YOU EVERY 842 00:46:00,827 --> 00:46:02,028 DAY AND CARRY YOU IN MY HEART. >> Reporter: AND TEACHERS -- 843 00:46:02,028 --> 00:46:03,029 >> SHE JUST WAS KIND AND CARING LIKE HER MOTHER. 844 00:46:03,029 --> 00:46:04,898 SHE HAD A SMILE AND AN AWESOME HUMOR AND A QUICK WIT LIKE HER 845 00:46:04,898 --> 00:46:06,466 FATHER SHE WAS JUST A BEAUTIFUL 846 00:46:06,466 --> 00:46:08,735 COMBINATION OF BOTH HER PARENTS. >> I'VE NEVER MET SOMEONE WHO 847 00:46:08,735 --> 00:46:11,471 MARCHES TO THE BEAT OF HER OWN DRUM SO BEAUTIFULLY AND IS 848 00:46:11,471 --> 00:46:16,643 WILLING TO PICK UP PEOPLE ALONG THE WAY TO JOIN HER. 849 00:46:16,643 --> 00:46:18,745 >> I WAS OVERWHELMED IT WAS KIND OF A TEARFUL MOMENT, 850 00:46:18,745 --> 00:46:21,381 VERY TOUCHING. SHE TOUCHED A LOT OF PEOPLE. 851 00:46:21,381 --> 00:46:24,884 >> GOD BLESS EVERYBODY GOB BLESS SARAH. 852 00:46:24,884 --> 00:46:28,788 >> WE LOVE YOU WE LOVE YOU SARAH. 853 00:46:28,788 --> 00:46:31,958 >> Reporter: BITTERSWEET EXHAUSTING 854 00:46:31,958 --> 00:46:39,299 BUT HARDLY PREPARATION FOR WHAT WAS COMING WHEN LIAM AND PRESTON 855 00:46:39,299 --> 00:46:40,367 HAD THEIR DAY IN COURT >>> COMING UP -- 856 00:46:40,367 --> 00:46:46,706 AT TRIAL, PRESTON, TAKES THE STAND. 857 00:46:46,706 --> 00:46:47,874 >> I OPEN THE DOOR ON THE RIGHT, FIND SARAH LAYING IN THAT 858 00:46:47,874 --> 00:46:52,679 BATHROOM >> REVEALING DARK DETAILS FROM A 859 00:46:52,679 --> 00:46:53,680 NIGHT OF HORROR: >> THAT CANNOT BE EASY TO LISTEN 860 00:46:53,680 --> 00:47:08,061 TO * 861 00:47:08,061 --> 00:47:16,536 * >> Reporter: THE IRONY WAS LOST 862 00:47:16,536 --> 00:47:17,904 ON NO ONE IN NEPTUNE CITY. IT'S A PLACE WHERE PEOPLE LIKE 863 00:47:17,904 --> 00:47:19,205 TO SAY EVERYBODY KNOWS EVERYBODY. 864 00:47:19,205 --> 00:47:20,774 NOW TWO THEY THOUGHT THEY KNEW, LIAM McATASNEY AND 865 00:47:20,774 --> 00:47:27,514 PRESTON TAYLOR, WERE BEING HELD IN COUNTY JAIL, ACCUSED OF 866 00:47:27,514 --> 00:47:28,415 KILLING THEIR FRIEND SARAH STERN. 867 00:47:28,415 --> 00:47:30,650 BUT, WHAT REALLY HAPPENED? >> ALL RISE. 868 00:47:30,650 --> 00:47:38,758 >> Reporter: IN JANUARY 2019, TWO YEARS AFTER SARAH VANISHED, 869 00:47:38,758 --> 00:47:40,427 McATASNEY,N NOW 21 YEARS OLD, WENT ON TRIAL FOR MURDER 870 00:47:40,427 --> 00:47:41,528 MONMOUTH COUNTY ASSISTANT PROSECUTORS MEGAN DOYLE AND 871 00:47:41,528 --> 00:47:45,632 CHRIS DECKER FELT THEY HAD A STRONG CASE, BUT NOT A PERFECT 872 00:47:45,632 --> 00:47:47,167 ONE. >> WE DIDN'T HAVE A BODY 873 00:47:47,167 --> 00:47:52,339 SO FOR ALL OF THE EVIDENCE YOU HAVE, YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT A JURY 874 00:47:52,339 --> 00:47:53,406 IS GOING TO DO WITH THAT >> Reporter: THE PROSECUTORS 875 00:47:53,406 --> 00:47:57,944 EXPECTED THE DEFENSE WOULD TRY TO HIT THAT POINT HARD 876 00:47:57,944 --> 00:48:02,716 >> WHAT IF HE SAYS DURING HIS SUMMATION, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, 877 00:48:02,716 --> 00:48:04,818 THERE'S SARAH STERN, AND WE JUST COULD ENVISION 14 PEOPLE IN THE 878 00:48:04,818 --> 00:48:07,454 BOX LOOKING AT THE DOOR. WELL, THERE'S REASONABLE DOUBT 879 00:48:07,454 --> 00:48:13,793 >> WE DIDN'T HAVE A BODY WE WEREN'T GOING TO HAVE A BODY. 880 00:48:13,793 --> 00:48:15,028 SO IT WAS JUST SOMETHING THAT WE HAD TO TRY TO -- TRY TO TAKE 881 00:48:15,028 --> 00:48:18,031 ADVANTAGE OF >> LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, SARAH 882 00:48:18,031 --> 00:48:22,602 STERN WILL NOT BE WALKING THROUGH THOSE DOORS INTO THIS 883 00:48:22,602 --> 00:48:24,904 COURTROOM AT ANY POINT BECAUSE THIS DEFENDANT MURDERED HER. 884 00:48:24,904 --> 00:48:28,675 >> Reporter: THE PROSECUTION ALLEGED LIAM AND PRESTON THREW 885 00:48:28,675 --> 00:48:31,778 SARAH'S BODY INTO THE RIVER. EARLY ON, REMEMBER, PEOPLE 886 00:48:31,778 --> 00:48:34,414 THOUGHT MAYBE SARAH TOOK HER OWN LIFE 887 00:48:34,414 --> 00:48:38,251 BUT NO THE PROSECUTION PAINTED A 888 00:48:38,251 --> 00:48:47,627 PICTURE OF A HAPPY YOUNG WOMAN, EXCITED ABOUT HER FUTURE 889 00:48:47,627 --> 00:48:48,928 AS DID SARAH'S DAD, MIKE >> WERE YOU WORRIED ABOUT YOUR 890 00:48:48,928 --> 00:48:49,763 DAUGHTER >> NO. 891 00:48:49,763 --> 00:48:50,797 >> WAS SHE DEPRESSED >> NO. 892 00:48:50,797 --> 00:48:51,865 >> DID YOU THINK YOUR DAUGHTER JUMPED 893 00:48:51,865 --> 00:48:52,932 >> NO. >> Reporter: MIKE'S SISTER 894 00:48:52,932 --> 00:48:54,534 LINDA, SARAH'S AUNT, DESCRIBED A LOVING RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN 895 00:48:54,534 --> 00:48:56,336 FATHER AND DAUGHTER. >> SHE ABSOLUTELY LOVED HER 896 00:48:56,336 --> 00:48:58,738 FATHER >> WERE YOU AWARE OF WHETHER OR 897 00:48:58,738 --> 00:49:05,078 NOT HER FATHER LOVED HER >> HE ABSOLUTELY LOVED SARAH 898 00:49:05,078 --> 00:49:06,646 >> Reporter: SO WHAT EXACTLY DID HAPPEN? 899 00:49:06,646 --> 00:49:11,918 THE SHOCKING ANSWER CAME FROM THE UNLIKELIEST IMAGINABLE 900 00:49:11,918 --> 00:49:18,358 SOURCE -- SARAH'S PROM DATE, PRESTON TAYLOR 901 00:49:18,358 --> 00:49:19,392 CHARGED IN CONNECTION WITH SARAH'S MURDER TWO YEARS 902 00:49:19,392 --> 00:49:25,165 EARLIER, PRESTON NOW TOOK THE STAND FOR THE PROSECUTION. 903 00:49:25,165 --> 00:49:29,903 THE STATE HAD GIVEN HIM A DEAL. THEY DROPPED THE FELONY MURDER 904 00:49:29,903 --> 00:49:32,539 CHARGE AND IN EXCHANGE, PRESTON PLEADED GUILTY TO SIX OTHER 905 00:49:32,539 --> 00:49:36,876 CHARGES AND AGREED TO TESTIFY AGAINST HIS GOOD FRIEND LIAM 906 00:49:36,876 --> 00:49:38,278 >> SOMETIMES YOU GOTTA GET DIRTY. 907 00:49:38,278 --> 00:49:44,517 SOMETIMES YOU GOTTA GET IN THE MUD, AND YOU'VE GOTTA DEAL WITH 908 00:49:44,517 --> 00:49:45,919 BAD PEOPLE WHO PLAYED A MAJOR ROLE IN COMMITTING A CRIME, IN 909 00:49:45,919 --> 00:49:48,221 ORDER TO BE ABLE TO PROVE THAT CRIME AGAINST OTHERS 910 00:49:48,221 --> 00:49:50,357 >> DO YOU KNOW WHAT THAT COOPERATION AGREEMENT REALLY 911 00:49:50,357 --> 00:49:52,459 REQUIRES YOU TO DO >> COMPLETE HONESTY. 912 00:49:52,459 --> 00:49:54,094 >> COMPLETE HONESTY? IS THAT WHAT YOU SAID? 913 00:49:54,094 --> 00:49:58,298 >> YES >> DOES THAT INCLUDE TODAY 914 00:49:58,298 --> 00:50:01,434 >> ABSOLUTELY. >> Reporter: AND NOW, IN 915 00:50:01,434 --> 00:50:04,704 EXCHANGE FOR A REDUCED SENTENCE, HE WAS ABOUT TO TELL THE WORLD 916 00:50:04,704 --> 00:50:06,740 WHAT HE AND LIAM DID TO SARAH STERN. 917 00:50:06,740 --> 00:50:10,443 PRESTON DELIVERED HIS HORRIFYING STORY IN A COOL, STEADY VOICE. 918 00:50:10,443 --> 00:50:13,213 >> DID YOU KNOW HER? >> I DID 919 00:50:13,213 --> 00:50:19,386 >> WERE YOU FRIENDS WITH HER >> YEAH, WE WERE FRIENDS 920 00:50:19,386 --> 00:50:21,588 THROUGHOUT HIGH SCHOOL >> Reporter: IT STARTED MONTHS 921 00:50:21,588 --> 00:50:22,889 BEFORE SHE WENT MISSING, HE SAID, AFTER SARAH TOLD LIAM 922 00:50:22,889 --> 00:50:25,392 ABOUT WHAT SHE FOUND IN THE FAMILY'S SECOND HOME 923 00:50:25,392 --> 00:50:27,360 >> IT WAS A SHOEBOX FULL OF MONEY. 924 00:50:27,360 --> 00:50:30,530 >> DID YOU ASK ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT THAT MONEY WHEN YOU FIRST 925 00:50:30,530 --> 00:50:34,200 LEARNED ABOUT IT >> I ASKED HOW MUCH IT WAS 926 00:50:34,200 --> 00:50:37,904 I WAS TOLD THAT IT WAS IN THE RANGE OF ABOUT $100,000. 927 00:50:37,904 --> 00:50:40,106 >> Reporter: PRESTON TESTIFIED THAT LIAM SAID $100,000 WAS THE 928 00:50:40,106 --> 00:50:44,778 KIND OF MONEY SOMEBODY WOULD KILL FOR 929 00:50:44,778 --> 00:50:52,686 >> IT STARTED OFF AS PLANS TO EITHER BURGLARIZE HER HOUSE OR 930 00:50:52,686 --> 00:50:56,890 TO ROB HER PERSONALLY. AND OVER TIME THE CONVERSATIONS 931 00:50:56,890 --> 00:50:58,458 PROGRESSED TO -- TO KILLING HER TO -- IN ORDER TO OBTAIN THAT 932 00:50:58,458 --> 00:51:02,162 MONEY. >> Reporter: THE CRIME, HE SAID, 933 00:51:02,162 --> 00:51:08,068 WAS PLANNED IN INTRICATE DETAIL. TO AVOID USING CELL PHONES, 934 00:51:08,068 --> 00:51:13,673 PRESTON AND LIAM BOUGHT WALKIE-TALKIES 935 00:51:13,673 --> 00:51:14,841 PRESTON TESTIFIED THE TWO ORIGINALLY PLANNED TO KILL SARAH 936 00:51:14,841 --> 00:51:17,477 IN NOVEMBER. BUT WHILE LIAM WAS AT HER HOUSE, 937 00:51:17,477 --> 00:51:24,084 ABOUT TO MURDER HER, HE LEARNED HER MONEY WASN'T THERE, IT WAS 938 00:51:24,084 --> 00:51:28,388 IN THAT SAFETY DEPOSIT BOX AT THE BANK, THE ONE THAT 939 00:51:28,388 --> 00:51:29,356 DETECTIVES LATER DISCOVERED HAD $25,000 IN IT. 940 00:51:29,356 --> 00:51:30,256 >> DID YOU DISCUSS WAYS AROUND THAT PROBLEM 941 00:51:30,256 --> 00:51:32,826 >> YEAH. LIAM HAD HAD CONVERSATIONS WITH 942 00:51:32,826 --> 00:51:35,462 SARAH. SHE HAD BEEN TO CANADA SEVERAL 943 00:51:35,462 --> 00:51:37,697 TIMES. SHE'D BEEN TALKING ABOUT TAKING 944 00:51:37,697 --> 00:51:40,767 TRIPS OUT THERE AGAIN. LIAM SAW THAT AS AN OPPORTUNITY 945 00:51:40,767 --> 00:51:46,139 TO CONVINCE HER TO TAKE THE MONEY OUT OF THE BANK. 946 00:51:46,139 --> 00:51:50,643 >> Reporter: AND SO ON DECEMBER 2nd WITH MIKE AND KRISTINE O 947 00:51:50,643 --> 00:51:52,112 VACATION IN FLORIDA, SARAH DID GO TO THE BANK TO GET SOME OF 948 00:51:52,112 --> 00:51:54,114 THAT MONEY WHILE SHE WAS THERE, PRESTON 949 00:51:54,114 --> 00:51:56,416 TESTIFIED, HE GOT A MESSAGE FROM LIAM 950 00:51:56,416 --> 00:52:00,086 >> HE WAS WITH SARAH, THAT THEY WERE AT THE BANK, AND THIS IS 951 00:52:00,086 --> 00:52:01,855 THE CHANCE >> Reporter: HE KNEW EXACTLY 952 00:52:01,855 --> 00:52:05,759 WHAT THAT MEANT. >> HE HAD SOMEHOW CONVINCED HER 953 00:52:05,759 --> 00:52:06,960 TO TAKE THE MONEY OUT OF THE SAFETY DEPOSIT BOX AND THAT THE 954 00:52:06,960 --> 00:52:09,462 PLAN WOULD MOVE FORWARD THAT NIGHT. 955 00:52:09,462 --> 00:52:13,667 >> OKAY. DID YOU SAY ANYTHING BACK? 956 00:52:13,667 --> 00:52:16,803 >> SAID TO WAIT UNTIL IT GOT DARK OUT 957 00:52:16,803 --> 00:52:18,972 >> Reporter: PRESTON WAS STRANGELY EMOTIONLESS ON THE 958 00:52:18,972 --> 00:52:21,574 STAND AS HE DESCRIBED THE MURDER OF HIS FRIEND. 959 00:52:21,574 --> 00:52:25,812 IT HAPPENED LATE THAT AFTERNOON, HE SAID. 960 00:52:25,812 --> 00:52:29,082 LIAM STRANGLED SARAH PROSECUTORS SHOWED THIS 961 00:52:29,082 --> 00:52:35,321 SURVEILLANCE VIDEO OF LIAM LEAVING THE HOUSE WITH A 962 00:52:35,321 --> 00:52:36,923 BACKPACK, WHICH THEY SAID CONTAINED SOME OF SARAH'S MONEY. 963 00:52:36,923 --> 00:52:43,797 AND ANOTHER VIDEO OF HIM ARRIVING AT WORK AT THAT 964 00:52:43,797 --> 00:52:44,998 STEAKHOUSE NOT LONG AFTERWARD. BUT LIAM DIDN'T STAY LONG. 965 00:52:44,998 --> 00:52:46,966 A FEW MINUTES LATER HE LEFT. PRESTON TOLD THE JURORS HE WAS 966 00:52:46,966 --> 00:52:49,602 WAITING FOR LIAM AT THE HOUSE THEY SHARED. 967 00:52:49,602 --> 00:52:54,374 >> LIAM COMES TO THE DOOR AND HE'S FRANTIC 968 00:52:54,374 --> 00:53:00,180 HE SAID THAT HE HAD KILLED SARAH, THAT HE LOST HIS PHONE, 969 00:53:00,180 --> 00:53:03,917 AND ULTIMATELY TOLD ME HE NEEDED ME TO GO OVER TO SARAH'S HOUSE 970 00:53:03,917 --> 00:53:08,088 TO LOOK FOR HIS PHONE AND TO MOVE SARAH'S BODY. 971 00:53:08,088 --> 00:53:11,257 >> Reporter: MEANWHILE, HE SAID, LIAM WENT RIGHT BACK TO WORK, AS 972 00:53:11,257 --> 00:53:14,961 IF IT WAS ANY OTHER DAY, WHILE HE, PRESTON, HEADED OVER TO 973 00:53:14,961 --> 00:53:20,800 SARAH'S HOUSE, CLIMBED THE FENCE IN THE BACK YARD, WENT IN THE 974 00:53:20,800 --> 00:53:21,935 BACK DOOR. HE LOOKED FOR LIAM'S PHONE, BUT 975 00:53:21,935 --> 00:53:25,071 COULDN'T FIND IT PROSECUTORS PLAYED A TAPE OF 976 00:53:25,071 --> 00:53:27,640 PRESTON WALKING DETECTIVES THROUGH THE MURDER SCENE, 977 00:53:27,640 --> 00:53:32,379 RECOUNTING HOW HE MOVED SARAH'S BODY 978 00:53:32,379 --> 00:53:35,548 >> I OPEN THE DOOR ON THE RIGHT, FIND SARAH, DEAD, LAYING IN THAT 979 00:53:35,548 --> 00:53:37,117 BATHROOM >> WHAT'D YOU DO 980 00:53:37,117 --> 00:53:41,855 >> I PICKED HER UP BY HER SHOULDERS AND DRAGGED HER OUT 981 00:53:41,855 --> 00:53:43,790 BACK I TOOK HER TO THE BUSHES ALONG 982 00:53:43,790 --> 00:53:50,830 THE SIDE FENCE, PULLED HER IN THERE AND COVERED IT UP WITH 983 00:53:50,830 --> 00:53:51,998 SOME LEAVES AND SOME STICKS. >> Reporter: LATE THAT NIGHT, 984 00:53:51,998 --> 00:53:54,534 PRESTON TOLD THE JURY, HE AND LIAM PROPPED UP SARAH'S BODY IN 985 00:53:54,534 --> 00:54:01,374 THE PASSENGER SEAT OF HER OWN CAR AND LIAM DROVE THAT CAR TO 986 00:54:01,374 --> 00:54:06,112 THE ROUTE 35 BRIDGE AND PRESTON FOLLOWED IN ANOTHER CAR AND THEY 987 00:54:06,112 --> 00:54:10,717 HEAVED HER BODY OVER THE HEAVED HER BODY OVER THE RAILING 988 00:54:10,717 --> 00:54:12,052 AND THEY LEFT HER CAR THERE WITH THE KEY IN THE IGNITION AND THEN 989 00:54:12,052 --> 00:54:12,886 DROVE HOME >> WHAT'D YOU DO WHEN YOU GOT TO 990 00:54:12,886 --> 00:54:15,121 HOLLY STREET >> WE GET THERE, WE BOTH LIGHT 991 00:54:15,121 --> 00:54:17,257 UP A CIGARETTE, AND WE STARTED COUNTING THE MONEY 992 00:54:17,257 --> 00:54:20,960 >> Reporter: SARAH'S MONEY THE TOTAL WASN'T $100,000. 993 00:54:20,960 --> 00:54:26,066 NOT $50,000. NO, THE HAUL FOR ENDING SARAH'S 994 00:54:26,066 --> 00:54:28,535 YOUNG LIFE WAS LESS THAN $10,000. 995 00:54:28,535 --> 00:54:30,170 OF COURSE, AFTER THEY ARRESTED PRESTON, THE DETECTIVES ASKED 996 00:54:30,170 --> 00:54:33,239 WHAT HAPPENED TO IT. >> DID YOU TELL THEM WHERE THE 997 00:54:33,239 --> 00:54:37,644 MONEY WAS? >> YEAH. I TOLD THEM THAT IT WAS 998 00:54:37,644 --> 00:54:40,280 BURIED. >> Reporter: PRESTON TESTIFIED 999 00:54:40,280 --> 00:54:44,417 THAT HE AND LIAM BURIED THE MONEY THEY STOLE FROM SARAH IN 1000 00:54:44,417 --> 00:54:47,287 TWO SMALL SAFES. ONE IN THE WOODS IN A NEARBY 1001 00:54:47,287 --> 00:54:51,224 PARK, THE OTHER TWENTY MILES AWAY ON A LONG ABANDONED ARMY 1002 00:54:51,224 --> 00:54:54,928 BASE IT WAS A CHILLING TALE. 1003 00:54:54,928 --> 00:54:56,996 MIKE AND KRISTINE SAT IN COURT AND HEARD EVERY WORD 1004 00:54:56,996 --> 00:55:00,300 >> THAT CANNOT BE EASY TO LISTEN TO 1005 00:55:00,300 --> 00:55:01,101 >> NO. >> HUH-UH. 1006 00:55:01,101 --> 00:55:10,110 >> IT'S KINDA LIKE DRIVING A STAKE THROUGH YOUR HEART 1007 00:55:10,110 --> 00:55:17,050 IT HURT VERY DEEPLY. MY DAUGHTER, MY ONLY CHILD 1008 00:55:17,050 --> 00:55:23,289 SHE WAS MY WORLD >> Reporter: AND THINGS WERE NOT 1009 00:55:23,289 --> 00:55:25,191 GOING TO GET ANY EASIER FOR MIKE BECAUSE THE DEFENSE WAS 1010 00:55:25,191 --> 00:55:27,527 ABOUT TO PRESENT AN EYEWITNESS WITH A REMARKABLE CLAIM. 1011 00:55:27,527 --> 00:55:35,835 >> THERE WAS A GIRL WALKING DOWN THE STREET 1012 00:55:35,835 --> 00:55:37,103 >> Reporter: THAT NOT A WORD OF PRESTON'S STORY COULD HAVE BEEN 1013 00:55:37,103 --> 00:55:42,542 TRUE >>> COMING UP -- 1014 00:55:42,542 --> 00:55:46,780 DID SOMEONE SEE SARAH THE DAY AFTER SHE DISAPPEARED? 1015 00:55:46,780 --> 00:55:48,081 >> I LOOKED AT HER, RIGHT IN THE FACE, JUST LIKE I'M LOOKING AT 1016 00:55:48,081 --> 00:56:04,764 YOU RIGHT NOW. * 1017 00:56:04,764 --> 00:56:07,133 * >> Reporter: PRESTON TAYLOR AND 1018 00:56:07,133 --> 00:56:09,903 LIAM McATASNEY WERE CERTAINLY AN UNLIKELY PAIR OF MURDER 1019 00:56:09,903 --> 00:56:15,241 SUSPECTS CLEAN CUT, SOFT SPOKEN, NEVER 1020 00:56:15,241 --> 00:56:16,676 ONCE IN TROUBLE. BUT NOW PRESTON HAD TAKEN A DEAL 1021 00:56:16,676 --> 00:56:22,916 AND LIAM WAS ON TRIAL FOR KILLING ONE OF HIS VERY BEST 1022 00:56:22,916 --> 00:56:24,517 FRIENDS FOR MONEY. >> I DEVELOPED A RELATIONSHIP 1023 00:56:24,517 --> 00:56:30,557 WITH HIM OVER THE LAST SIX OR SEVEN MONTHS OR SO 1024 00:56:30,557 --> 00:56:37,230 >> Reporter: THIS IS LIAM'S DEFENSE ATTORNEY CARLOS 1025 00:56:37,230 --> 00:56:38,098 DIAZ DIAZ-COBO. 1026 00:56:38,098 --> 00:56:38,965 >> WAS HE TERRIFIED GOING INTO THIS TRIAL 1027 00:56:38,965 --> 00:56:39,966 >> YES WHAT 20-YEAR-OLD WOULDN'T BE 1028 00:56:39,966 --> 00:56:42,068 >> Reporter: ESPECIALLY SCARED, SAID THE ATTORNEY, BECAUSE LIAM 1029 00:56:42,068 --> 00:56:47,340 WAS INNOCENT HE DIDN'T DO THE AWFUL THING 1030 00:56:47,340 --> 00:56:52,612 HE'D BEEN ACCUSED OF >> ONCE ALL THE EVIDENCE IS IN, 1031 00:56:52,612 --> 00:56:53,747 THERE WILL BE NO OTHER VERDICT THAN A NOT GUILTY VERDICT. 1032 00:56:53,747 --> 00:56:55,315 >> Reporter: NOT GUILTY, THE DEFENSE ARGUED, BECAUSE THE 1033 00:56:55,315 --> 00:56:57,417 EVIDENCE WOULD SHOW SARAH MIGHT HAVE RUN AWAY FROM AN UNHAPPY 1034 00:56:57,417 --> 00:57:03,189 HOME, OR EVEN TAKEN HER OWN LIFE 1035 00:57:03,189 --> 00:57:06,893 TO SUPPORT THAT, THE DEFENSE PRESENTED A DIFFERENT AND 1036 00:57:06,893 --> 00:57:09,529 DISTURBING TAKE ON SARAH'S RELATIONSHIP WITH HER DAD. 1037 00:57:09,529 --> 00:57:13,233 FAR FROM HAPPY, THE DEFENSE CALLED IT VOLATILE 1038 00:57:13,233 --> 00:57:17,437 FATHER AND DAUGHTER FIGHTING CONSTANTLY 1039 00:57:17,437 --> 00:57:19,572 THE DEFENSE SUGGESTED IT HAD A PROFOUND IMPACT ON SARAH 1040 00:57:19,572 --> 00:57:23,043 LIAM SAID AS MUCH THE FIRST TIME HE SPOKE TO POLICE THE NIGHT 1041 00:57:23,043 --> 00:57:27,447 SARAH DISAPPEARED. >> WHAT WAS HER MINDSET LAST 1042 00:57:27,447 --> 00:57:32,318 TIME YOU TALKED TO HER >> I JUST KNOW SHE'S BEEN TRYING 1043 00:57:32,318 --> 00:57:33,887 TO GET AWAY AND TELLING ME SHE'S GOING TO CANADA. 1044 00:57:33,887 --> 00:57:34,854 >> TRYING TO GET AWAY. OKAY 1045 00:57:34,854 --> 00:57:38,525 CANADA SHE BEEN REAL DEPRESSED LATELY 1046 00:57:38,525 --> 00:57:40,660 >> HER DAD IS CRAZY. >> Reporter: ON CROSS 1047 00:57:40,660 --> 00:57:45,432 EXAMINATION, SARAH'S AUNT LINDA, WHO BECAME SARAH'S CONFIDANTE 1048 00:57:45,432 --> 00:57:47,801 AFTER HER MOM DIED, ACKNOWLEDGED THERE WAS SOME FATHER/DAUGHTER 1049 00:57:47,801 --> 00:57:50,303 FRICTION >> HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE 1050 00:57:50,303 --> 00:57:53,340 SARAH'S RELATIONSHIP WITH HER FATHER IN 2016 1051 00:57:53,340 --> 00:57:57,077 >> I WOULD SAY IT WAS A LITTLE ROCKY. 1052 00:57:57,077 --> 00:57:59,679 >> SHE WAS PACKING UP HER THINGS WHILE HER FATHER WAS AWAY TO GET 1053 00:57:59,679 --> 00:58:01,781 THEM READY TO GO >> THAT'S CORRECT. 1054 00:58:01,781 --> 00:58:06,019 >> BECAUSE SHE DIDN'T WANT HER FATHER TO KNOW SHE WAS PACKING 1055 00:58:06,019 --> 00:58:08,655 >> THAT'S CORRECT. >> Reporter: IF THE DEFENSE 1056 00:58:08,655 --> 00:58:11,224 ATTORNEY COULD CONVINCE JURORS THAT SARAH HAD A SECRET, URGENT 1057 00:58:11,224 --> 00:58:13,693 PLAN TO GET AWAY FROM HER FATHER AND MOVE TO CANADA, THEN HE WAS 1058 00:58:13,693 --> 00:58:18,131 ON HIS WAY TO CREATING REASONABLE DOUBT 1059 00:58:18,131 --> 00:58:23,403 BUT HOW WOULD HE DEAL WITH THE POWERFUL TESTIMONY OF 1060 00:58:23,403 --> 00:58:26,740 PRESTON TAYLOR THE ANSWER WAS SIMPLE AND 1061 00:58:26,740 --> 00:58:33,179 EMPHATIC PRESTON IS A LIAR. 1062 00:58:33,179 --> 00:58:36,516 >> HIS TESTIMONY IS UNTRUTHFUL. IT'S FALSE 1063 00:58:36,516 --> 00:58:38,952 IT'S IMAGINED. IT'S ERRONEOUS AND NOT CREDIBLE. 1064 00:58:38,952 --> 00:58:40,754 >> Reporter: AND JUST HOW WOULD THE DEFENSE ATTORNEY BACK UP 1065 00:58:40,754 --> 00:58:42,055 THAT CLAIM PRESTON MADE IT EASY FOR HIM 1066 00:58:42,055 --> 00:58:47,260 >> YOU DON'T ALWAYS TELL THE TRUTH, ISN'T THAT CORRECT? 1067 00:58:47,260 --> 00:58:48,962 >> I HAVEN'T IN THE PAST >> Reporter: HOPING FOR LENIENCY 1068 00:58:48,962 --> 00:58:52,532 AFTER HE WAS ARRESTED, PRESTON TOLD POLICE AN ELABORATE AND 1069 00:58:52,532 --> 00:58:55,201 DISTURBING STORY ABOUT ONE OF HIS OWN RELATIVES. 1070 00:58:55,201 --> 00:58:58,538 >> YOU MADE AN ACCUSATION AGAINST SOMEBODY 1071 00:58:58,538 --> 00:59:01,007 YOU SAID YOU WERE SEXUALLY ASSAULTED BY THAT PERSON 1072 00:59:01,007 --> 00:59:06,846 >> RIGHT >> AND ALL THOSE DETAILS THAT 1073 00:59:06,846 --> 00:59:08,014 YOU GAVE, THEY WERE ALL FALSE, THEY WERE ALL LIES, CORRECT? 1074 00:59:08,014 --> 00:59:09,582 >> THEY WERE >> Reporter: PRESTON HAD LIED TO 1075 00:59:09,582 --> 00:59:15,288 THE POLICE ABOUT SOMEONE CLOSE TO HIM COMMITTING A SERIOUS 1076 00:59:15,288 --> 00:59:17,390 CRIME. FOR DIAZ-COBO IT WAS A GIFT TO 1077 00:59:17,390 --> 00:59:22,128 ATTACK PRESTON'S CREDIBILITY >> WE'RE TALKING ABOUT SOMEBODY 1078 00:59:22,128 --> 00:59:23,730 WHO HAS ADMITTED TO MAKING UP STORIES, MAKING FALSE 1079 00:59:23,730 --> 00:59:26,900 ACCUSATIONS AGAINST INNOCENT PEOPLE 1080 00:59:26,900 --> 00:59:31,638 >> Reporter: DEFENSE ATTORNEY DIAZ-COBO TOLD JURORS PRESTON'S 1081 00:59:31,638 --> 00:59:33,740 STORY ABOUT LIAM WAS A LIE TOO A LIE THAT COULD SAVE HIM FROM 1082 00:59:33,740 --> 00:59:36,876 SPENDING THE REST OF HIS LIFE IN PRISON 1083 00:59:36,876 --> 00:59:41,715 >> HE FIGURES POINT THE FINGER AT SOMEONE ELSE. 1084 00:59:41,715 --> 00:59:48,154 LET'S SEE IF I CAN TURN THE ATTENTION AWAY FROM WHAT I DID, 1085 00:59:48,154 --> 00:59:50,256 WHAT I'M RESPONSIBLE FOR >> IS HE RESPONSIBLE FOR SARAH'S 1086 00:59:50,256 --> 00:59:51,725 DEATH? >> HE MAY BE 1087 00:59:51,725 --> 00:59:55,261 THAT'S ONE OF THE MANY QUESTIONS THAT ARISE FROM THIS CASE. 1088 00:59:55,261 --> 00:59:57,564 MORE QUESTIONS THAN ANSWERS. >> Reporter: THE DEFENSE DIDN'T 1089 00:59:57,564 --> 01:00:01,968 JUST CHALLENGE THE STATE'S WITNESSES. 1090 01:00:01,968 --> 01:00:07,607 DIAZ-COBO ALSO PRESENTED AN EYEWITNESS WITH AN ASTONISHING 1091 01:00:07,607 --> 01:00:09,709 STORY. >> CRAIG KEVIN HETZEL SR 1092 01:00:09,709 --> 01:00:12,912 >> Reporter: AND HE WANTED TO TELL THE JURY ALL ABOUT IT 1093 01:00:12,912 --> 01:00:15,015 >> BE SEATED, SIR. >> Reporter: ON THAT COLD 1094 01:00:15,015 --> 01:00:18,685 DECEMBER MORNING BACK IN 2016, CRAIG HETZEL WAS DOING WHAT HE 1095 01:00:18,685 --> 01:00:21,254 ALWAYS DID AT 5:00 A.M. HE DROVE HIS SON TO 1096 01:00:21,254 --> 01:00:23,490 WORK SAME ROUTE, SAME TIME, EVERY 1097 01:00:23,490 --> 01:00:25,125 DAY. >> THERE WAS A GIRL WALKING DOWN 1098 01:00:25,125 --> 01:00:29,262 THE STREET AND I SAID TO MY SON, I SAID, 1099 01:00:29,262 --> 01:00:36,469 THAT IS AN AWFULLY GOOD LOOKING GIRL TO BE WALKING ON THE STREET 1100 01:00:36,469 --> 01:00:37,570 AT 5:00 IN THE MORNING >> I REMEMBERED THE THINGS THAT 1101 01:00:37,570 --> 01:00:45,645 SHE HAD ON SHE HAD THIS LEATHER BOMBER 1102 01:00:45,645 --> 01:00:47,547 JACKET AND LIKE A FLUFFY COLLAR, AND SHE HAD HIGH HEELED SHOES 1103 01:00:47,547 --> 01:00:51,051 ON AND I LOOKED AT HER, RIGHT IN 1104 01:00:51,051 --> 01:00:54,120 THE FACE, JUST LIKE I'M LOOKING AT YOU RIGHT NOW 1105 01:00:54,120 --> 01:00:57,223 I CAUGHT HER EYE, AND SHE CAUGHT MY EYE, AND ALL OF A SUDDEN, SHE 1106 01:00:57,223 --> 01:00:59,926 TURNED AWAY, TURNED HER HEAD DOWN 1107 01:00:59,926 --> 01:01:02,062 >> Reporter: HETZEL, A CONSTRUCTION CONTRACTOR WHO HAS 1108 01:01:02,062 --> 01:01:05,231 LIVED IN NEPTUNE FOR 35 YEARS, KEPT DRIVING 1109 01:01:05,231 --> 01:01:08,568 AND THEN - >> WE'RE GOING OVER TOP OF THE 1110 01:01:08,568 --> 01:01:11,938 SHARK RIVER BRIDGE ON ROUTE 35, AND THERE'S A CAR ON THE SIDE OF 1111 01:01:11,938 --> 01:01:16,109 THE ROAD AND I SAID, THAT'S A BAD PLACE 1112 01:01:16,109 --> 01:01:29,155 TO GET STUCK >> Reporter: A FEW DAYS LATER, 1113 01:01:29,155 --> 01:01:30,724 HETZE SAID HE WAS AT A 7-ELEVE AND MADE A STARTLING CONNECTION. 1114 01:01:30,724 --> 01:01:32,392 HE SAW A POSTER FOR A MISSING WOMAN. 1115 01:01:32,392 --> 01:01:33,193 IT WAS HER THE SAME WOMAN HE HAD SEEN 1116 01:01:33,193 --> 01:01:34,427 WALKING DOWN THE STREET, SARAH STERN. 1117 01:01:34,427 --> 01:01:35,962 >> THIS IS THE PICTURE THAT YOU SAW? 1118 01:01:35,962 --> 01:01:40,500 >> THAT'S IT >> IS THIS THE INDIVIDUAL THAT 1119 01:01:40,500 --> 01:01:41,735 YOU SAW ON DECEMBER 3rd IN THE MORNING AT APPROXIMATELY 5:00 IN 1120 01:01:41,735 --> 01:01:43,403 THE MORNING? >> I WOULD'VE IDENTIFIED THAT 1121 01:01:43,403 --> 01:01:45,505 PERSON AS THAT PERSON, YES >> Reporter: HETZEL TOLD US THAT 1122 01:01:45,505 --> 01:01:48,608 SEEING SARAH'S PICTURE IN COURT DURING HIS TESTIMONY GAVE HIM A 1123 01:01:48,608 --> 01:01:54,814 CHILL. >> IT WAS EERIE. 1124 01:01:54,814 --> 01:01:56,116 WHEN THEY PUT THAT PICTURE UP, I SAID, THAT'S IT, AND I COULDN'T 1125 01:01:56,116 --> 01:01:58,718 LOOK AT IT ANYMORE IT WAS HER 1126 01:01:58,718 --> 01:02:01,888 >> HE WAS ABSOLUTELY CERTAIN THAT WHO HE SAW SOMETIME A 1127 01:02:01,888 --> 01:02:06,526 LITTLE AFTER 5:00 IN THE MORNING, HOURS AND HOURS AND 1128 01:02:06,526 --> 01:02:09,796 HOURS AFTER THE STATE ALLEGE SARAH STERN WAS MURDERED, THAT 1129 01:02:09,796 --> 01:02:13,500 HE SAW AN INDIVIDUAL AND THAT INDIVIDUAL WAS SARAH STERN 1130 01:02:13,500 --> 01:02:17,737 >> Reporter: AND HE WAS JUST AS CERTAIN THAT THE CAR ON THE 1131 01:02:17,737 --> 01:02:21,207 BRIDGE WAS SARAH'S IT STOOD OUT BECAUSE IT WAS SO 1132 01:02:21,207 --> 01:02:25,145 OLD AND BEAT UP. BUT POLICE TESTIFIED THE CAR WAS 1133 01:02:25,145 --> 01:02:28,748 TOWED OFF THAT BRIDGE TWO HOURS BEFORE HETZEL WAS THERE. 1134 01:02:28,748 --> 01:02:32,385 >> I SAW THAT CAR AT 5:15 IN THE MORNING. 1135 01:02:32,385 --> 01:02:38,892 THERE IS NO DOUBT ABOUT IT I SPOKE TO MY SON ABOUT IT THE 1136 01:02:38,892 --> 01:02:40,427 OTHER -- HE WAS IN THE CAR WITH ME 1137 01:02:40,427 --> 01:02:45,098 >> UH-HUH. >> HE SAID, ABSOLUTELY THAT CAR 1138 01:02:45,098 --> 01:02:49,336 WAS THERE. >> THEY SAID THAT THEY TOWED 1139 01:02:49,336 --> 01:02:55,108 THAT CAR AWAY. >> THEY DID NOT TOW THAT CAR 1140 01:02:55,108 --> 01:02:55,942 >> BUT THEY HAVE A RECORD OF TOWING THE CAR 1141 01:02:55,942 --> 01:02:57,110 >> THEY'D BETTER GO BACK AND CHECK THAT RECORD AND TALK TO 1142 01:02:57,110 --> 01:02:58,445 SOMEBODY ELSE, BECAUSE THAT CAR WAS THERE. 1143 01:02:58,445 --> 01:03:02,248 I THINK THAT GIRL'S ALIVE. THAT'S WHAT I THINK. 1144 01:03:02,248 --> 01:03:07,654 >> ALIVE SOMEWHERE >> SOMEWHERE 1145 01:03:07,654 --> 01:03:08,722 >> BUT SHE HASN'T USED A CREDIT CARD, YOU KNOW 1146 01:03:08,722 --> 01:03:09,923 WHEN A PERSON STOPS USING A CELL PHONE, STOPS USING A CREDIT 1147 01:03:09,923 --> 01:03:11,124 CARD, STOPS DOING ANYTHING THAT WOULD CONNECT THEM WITH THIS 1148 01:03:11,124 --> 01:03:11,891 EARTH, CAN THEY BE AROUND ANYWHERE 1149 01:03:11,891 --> 01:03:15,762 >> WHAT WILL WE SAY IN A FEW YEARS DOWN THE ROAD WHEN SHE 1150 01:03:15,762 --> 01:03:21,301 TURNS UP >> AND YOU THINK SHE WILL? 1151 01:03:21,301 --> 01:03:24,270 >> I THINK SHE WILL. >> THAT WOULD MEAN THE WHOLE 1152 01:03:24,270 --> 01:03:25,572 CASE FALLS APART >> THE WHOLE MURDER CASE, YEAH 1153 01:03:25,572 --> 01:03:26,740 >> Reporter: DIAZ-COBO HAD POKED HOLES IN THE PROSECUTION'S 1154 01:03:26,740 --> 01:03:27,540 STORY. BUT FOR THE WHOLE CASE TO FALL 1155 01:03:27,540 --> 01:03:28,708 APART, HE'D HAVE TO EXPLAIN AWAY EVIDENCE SO DISTURBING, IT 1156 01:03:28,708 --> 01:03:30,210 SHOCKED EVEN THE MOST VETERAN COURTROOM OBSERVERS. 1157 01:03:30,210 --> 01:03:31,678 >> I KNOW YOU'RE NOT A RAT >> [ BLEEP ] RIGHT 1158 01:03:31,678 --> 01:03:36,082 >> BUT WE GOTTA, WE GOTTA PLAY IT SAFE. 1159 01:03:36,082 --> 01:03:38,184 >>> COMING UP -- JURORS SEE THE HARROWING, HIDDEN 1160 01:03:38,184 --> 01:03:41,855 CAMERA VIDEO OF LIAM BLOOD-CHILLING REVELATIONS, IN 1161 01:03:41,855 --> 01:03:59,406 HIS OWN, ICE-COLD WORDS. * 1162 01:03:59,406 --> 01:04:04,878 * >> Reporter: LIAM McATASNEY SAT 1163 01:04:04,878 --> 01:04:10,483 RAMROD STRAIGHT IN THE COURTROOM, STILL, SILENT, AS THE 1164 01:04:10,483 --> 01:04:11,718 DETECTIVES, AND THE PROSECUTORS AND HIS OWN ROOMMATE, ACCUSED 1165 01:04:11,718 --> 01:04:14,587 HIM OF MURDERING HIS FRIEND, SARAH STERN. 1166 01:04:14,587 --> 01:04:17,924 SAT THERE WHILE HIS ATTORNEY HEAPED SCORN ON THE STORY TOLD 1167 01:04:17,924 --> 01:04:19,492 BY HIS FRIEND TURNED PROSECUTION WITNESS, PRESTON TAYLOR. 1168 01:04:19,492 --> 01:04:26,900 >> PRESTON TAYLOR IS MAKING THIS UP 1169 01:04:26,900 --> 01:04:31,671 HE IS LYING. >> Reporter: BUT, HOW WOULD THE 1170 01:04:31,671 --> 01:04:38,545 DEFENSE EXPLAIN HIM? >> THE PROSECUTION'S STAR 1171 01:04:38,545 --> 01:04:40,113 WITNESS WASN'T PRESTON TAYLOR, THE FLIPPED ACCOMPLICE, BUT 1172 01:04:40,113 --> 01:04:44,617 ANTHONY CURRY WHO WAS ABOUT TO PREMIER THE BIGGEST FILM OF HIS 1173 01:04:44,617 --> 01:04:45,518 SHORT CAREER ANTHONY TOOK THE STAND, NERVES 1174 01:04:45,518 --> 01:04:48,088 ALL BUT BURSTING THROUGH HIS SKIN 1175 01:04:48,088 --> 01:04:49,622 >> DO YOU WANT TO BE HERE TODAY? >> NO. 1176 01:04:49,622 --> 01:04:52,292 >> Reporter: SHIFTING AROUND IN HIS SEAT, HE TOLD THE COURT 1177 01:04:52,292 --> 01:04:55,995 ABOUT THE OUTRAGEOUS STORY LIAM McATASNEY TOLD HIM ON 1178 01:04:55,995 --> 01:05:00,734 THANKSGIVING NIGHT >> HE TOLD ME HE WAS GOING TO 1179 01:05:00,734 --> 01:05:04,871 MEET UP WITH SARAH SHE FOUND THIS MONEY, AND THEY 1180 01:05:04,871 --> 01:05:10,377 WERE GOING TO COUNT IT TOGETHER. HE WAS GOING TO CHOKE HER, CHOKE 1181 01:05:10,377 --> 01:05:11,511 HER OUT, BRING HER TO THE BRIDGE, THROW HER OFF AND MAKE 1182 01:05:11,511 --> 01:05:13,813 IT LOOK LIKE SHE KILLED HERSELF. HE SAID IT WOULD BE A GREAT IDEA 1183 01:05:13,813 --> 01:05:15,582 FOR A MOVIE. >> DID YOU THINK HE WAS SERIOUS 1184 01:05:15,582 --> 01:05:19,219 AT THAT TIME >> NO. 1185 01:05:19,219 --> 01:05:22,956 >> Reporter: BUT, THE YOUNG FILMMAKER EXPLAINED TO THE JURY, 1186 01:05:22,956 --> 01:05:27,160 WHEN HE LEARNED SARAH WAS MISSING, HE AND HIS DAD WENT TO 1187 01:05:27,160 --> 01:05:29,262 THE POLICE IN HIS CROSS-EXAM DEFENSE 1188 01:05:29,262 --> 01:05:31,364 ATTORNEY DIAZ-COBO ATTACKED ANTHONY CURRY'S TESTIMONY. 1189 01:05:31,364 --> 01:05:34,067 ALL CURRY'S SQUIRMING WASN'T NERVES 1190 01:05:34,067 --> 01:05:39,272 NO HE WAS LYING 1191 01:05:39,272 --> 01:05:45,612 >> YOUR TESTIMONY TODAY, SIR, IS THAT LIAM TOLD YOU PRIOR TO 1192 01:05:45,612 --> 01:05:46,913 DECEMBER 2nd THAT HE WAS PLANNING ON TAKING MONEY FROM 1193 01:05:46,913 --> 01:05:49,816 SARAH? >> YES 1194 01:05:49,816 --> 01:05:51,951 >> WAS ANYBODY WITH YOU AND MY CLIENT WHEN HE ALLEGEDLY TOLD 1195 01:05:51,951 --> 01:05:55,155 YOU THIS >> NO. 1196 01:05:55,155 --> 01:06:01,027 >> SO THAT THE ONLY PERSON THAT WOULD HAVE HEARD IT WOULD HAVE 1197 01:06:01,027 --> 01:06:06,199 BEEN YOU, CORRECT? >> YES. 1198 01:06:06,199 --> 01:06:08,335 >> YOU NEVER RECORDED THAT CONVERSATION, CORRECT, MR. 1199 01:06:08,335 --> 01:06:09,402 CURRY? >> NO. 1200 01:06:09,402 --> 01:06:12,038 >> HE HAS A MOTIVE TO LIE. HE JUST MADE NATIONAL HEADLINES 1201 01:06:12,038 --> 01:06:15,208 AS THE HORROR FILMMAKER THAT'S PART OF THIS MURDER CASE 1202 01:06:15,208 --> 01:06:22,449 >> BUT TURNING ON HIS BEST FRIEND FOR THE SAKE OF SOME GOOD 1203 01:06:22,449 --> 01:06:23,616 PUBLICITY FROM THE NATIONAL MEDIA, WHAT KIND OF SENSE DOES 1204 01:06:23,616 --> 01:06:24,851 THAT MAKE? >> CRAZIER THINGS HAVE HAPPENED. 1205 01:06:24,851 --> 01:06:29,089 >> Reporter: BUT, AS DAMNING AS ANTHONY CURRY'S TESTIMONY ON THE 1206 01:06:29,089 --> 01:06:30,557 STAND MIGHT SOUND, IT WAS ALL ONLY PRELUDE TO THE 1207 01:06:30,557 --> 01:06:36,896 PROSECUTION'S MOST DEVASTATING WITNESS OF ALL 1208 01:06:36,896 --> 01:06:38,565 LIAM McATASNEY HIMSELF >> I PLANNED THIS THING OUT FOR 1209 01:06:38,565 --> 01:06:43,737 LIKE SIX MONTHS. >> Reporter: A HUSHED COURTROOM 1210 01:06:43,737 --> 01:06:46,406 HEARD THE RECORDING OF LIAM TALKING TO ANTHONY IN THE CAR 1211 01:06:46,406 --> 01:06:51,144 PARKED BY THE BEACH. >> I CHOKE HER OUT, DRAG HER 1212 01:06:51,144 --> 01:06:53,246 >> Reporter: THE WORD DISTURBING DOESN'T BEGIN TO DESCRIBE IT 1213 01:06:53,246 --> 01:07:00,053 >> SO, YOU JUST COUNTED IT OUT AND THEN [ BLEEP ] WENT BEHIND 1214 01:07:00,053 --> 01:07:03,023 HER, JUST WITHOUT HER LOOKING? >> UH-HUH. 1215 01:07:03,023 --> 01:07:04,524 >> WAS SHE LIKE SCREAMING AND [ BLEEP ]? 1216 01:07:04,524 --> 01:07:09,763 >> Reporter: HERE IN ANTHONY'S CAR, LIAM TOLD THE WHOLE 1217 01:07:09,763 --> 01:07:11,297 SICKENING STORY OF WHAT HE DID TO SARAH ON DECEMBER 2nd 1218 01:07:11,297 --> 01:07:12,465 THEY WERE ALONE IN HER HOUSE THAT AFTERNOON WHEN LIAM CREPT 1219 01:07:12,465 --> 01:07:20,340 UP FROM BEHIND, THEN GRABBED HER. 1220 01:07:20,340 --> 01:07:23,043 >> I PRETTY MUCH HUNG HER LIKE -- I JUST -- I PICKED HER 1221 01:07:23,043 --> 01:07:27,881 UP AND HAD HER JUST LIKE DANGLING OFF THE GROUND AND SHE 1222 01:07:27,881 --> 01:07:33,286 JUST SAID MY NAME, AND THEN THAT WAS IT 1223 01:07:33,286 --> 01:07:34,587 IT TOOK ME A HALF AN HOUR TO KILL HER 1224 01:07:34,587 --> 01:07:35,955 I THOUGHT I WAS GOING TO BE ABLE TO CHOKE HER OUT AND HAVE HER 1225 01:07:35,955 --> 01:07:41,728 OUT IN LIKE A COUPLE MINUTES THAT'S THE ONLY TIME I HAD MY 1226 01:07:41,728 --> 01:07:42,862 PHONE. IT TOOK ME LIKE A HALF AN HOUR 1227 01:07:42,862 --> 01:07:47,067 AFTER I HIT START ON THE TIMER >> Reporter: YOU HEARD THAT 1228 01:07:47,067 --> 01:07:51,338 RIGHT. LIAM USED HIS PHONE TO TIME HOW 1229 01:07:51,338 --> 01:07:54,407 LONG IT TOOK FOR SARAH TO DIE. SHE WAS HELPLESS 1230 01:07:54,407 --> 01:07:58,611 NOT EVEN HER FAITHFUL BUDDY INTERVENED 1231 01:07:58,611 --> 01:08:00,747 >> HER DOG LAID THERE AND WATCHED AS I KILLED HER. 1232 01:08:00,747 --> 01:08:03,416 DIDN'T DO ANYTHING HER [ BLEEP ] DOG. 1233 01:08:03,416 --> 01:08:05,518 >> WHAT KIND OF DOG? >> YEAH, WHAT KIND OF DOG IS 1234 01:08:05,518 --> 01:08:10,357 THAT >> Reporter: AND THEN, THE GRIM 1235 01:08:10,357 --> 01:08:14,694 AFTERMATH. LIAM TOLD HOW PRESTON HID 1236 01:08:14,694 --> 01:08:20,266 SARAH'S BODY IN THE YARD AND HOW THEY LATER WENT BACK FOR IT. 1237 01:08:20,266 --> 01:08:26,072 >> THEN WE TAKE HER BODY OUT OF THE BUSHES AND DRAG IT OVER TO 1238 01:08:26,072 --> 01:08:31,044 HER BACK FENCE AND I CRAWL, GET INTO HER CAR AND I BACK UP 1239 01:08:31,044 --> 01:08:32,612 SHE HAS -- THERE'S A SECURITY CAMERA ACROSS THE STREET 1240 01:08:32,612 --> 01:08:33,613 >> RIGHT >> SO I HAD TO BACK -- I HAD TO 1241 01:08:33,613 --> 01:08:34,581 ACT LIKE HER I WATCHED HER EVERY TIME SHE 1242 01:08:34,581 --> 01:08:36,716 BACKED OUT SHE DOES THE SAME THING. 1243 01:08:36,716 --> 01:08:40,520 SO, I BACKED OUT EXACTLY LIKE SHE DID AND DROVE OFF. 1244 01:08:40,520 --> 01:08:43,957 >> DID YOU PUT HER IN THE TRUNK? >> NAH, I PUT HER IN THE 1245 01:08:43,957 --> 01:08:45,191 PASSENGER SEAT OF HER OWN CAR. >> Reporter: LIAM SAID HE DROVE 1246 01:08:45,191 --> 01:08:48,294 SARAH'S CAR TO THE MIDDLE OF THE BRIDGE 1247 01:08:48,294 --> 01:08:53,066 PRESTON WOULD FOLLOW TO PICK LIAM UP ONCE HE PUSHED SARAH'S 1248 01:08:53,066 --> 01:08:55,168 BODY OFF, COMMUNICATING WITH THOSE WALKIE-TALKIES 1249 01:08:55,168 --> 01:08:59,906 BUT AS CAREFULLY AS HE'D PLANNED, HE HADN'T FACTORED IN 1250 01:08:59,906 --> 01:09:02,542 ONE THING. >>> COMING UP -- 1251 01:09:02,542 --> 01:09:05,078 LIAM'S SINISTER STRATEGY FOR THROWING OFF THE POLICE. 1252 01:09:05,078 --> 01:09:11,618 >> THAT WAS A WHOLE PART OF MY PLAN TO MAKE ME LOOK NOT GUILTY. 1253 01:09:11,618 --> 01:09:13,219 >>> AND THEN, MAYBE THE DARKEST MOMENT OF ALL. 1254 01:09:13,219 --> 01:09:16,423 LIAM, HINTING AT AN UNTHINKABLE MOTIVE 1255 01:09:16,423 --> 01:09:31,705 >> WHAT ARE YOU GONNA LIVE SOME * 1256 01:09:31,705 --> 01:09:40,647 * >> Reporter: A HUSHED COURTROOM 1257 01:09:40,647 --> 01:09:41,915 IN MONMOUTH COUNTY, NEW JERSEY, SAT SLACK-JAWED, STUNNED BY THE 1258 01:09:41,915 --> 01:09:43,817 VIDEO PROSECUTORS WERE PLAYING FOR THE JURY 1259 01:09:43,817 --> 01:09:48,054 LIAM McATASNEY, UNAWARE HE WAS BEING RECORDED, DESCRIBED IN 1260 01:09:48,054 --> 01:09:50,690 HORRIFIC DETAIL EXACTLY HOW HE KILLED SARAH STERN 1261 01:09:50,690 --> 01:09:53,326 NOW HE TURNED TO HOW HE DISPOSED OF HER BODY. 1262 01:09:53,326 --> 01:09:56,496 WITH SARAH'S BODY BELTED IN THE PASSENGER SEAT OF HER 1263 01:09:56,496 --> 01:10:03,903 GRANDMOTHER'S OLDSMOBILE, HE DROVE TO THE CREST OF THE ROUTE 1264 01:10:03,903 --> 01:10:05,472 35 BRIDGE OVER THE SHARK RIVER AND ENCOUNTERED A PROBLEM. 1265 01:10:05,472 --> 01:10:10,243 >> I UNDERESTIMATED MY OWN STRENGTH AND HOW MUCH A DEAD 1266 01:10:10,243 --> 01:10:11,311 BODY WOULD WEIGH BECAUSE - >> IT'S LEAD -- IT'S LEAD 1267 01:10:11,311 --> 01:10:16,549 WEIGHT >> YEAH. 1268 01:10:16,549 --> 01:10:21,287 I GOT UP ON TOP OF THE BRIDGE TO THROW HER OFF. 1269 01:10:21,287 --> 01:10:23,056 AND, I GO UP, OPEN THE DOOR, UNHOOK HER, PULL HER OUT, START 1270 01:10:23,056 --> 01:10:26,593 DRAGGING HER TO THROW HER OVER AND THEN CARS START COMING UP -- 1271 01:10:26,593 --> 01:10:29,763 I SEEN LIKE HEADLIGHTS COMING. I TRY TO GET HER OVER AND I 1272 01:10:29,763 --> 01:10:34,501 CAN'T. >> Reporter: IT WAS JUST AFTER 1273 01:10:34,501 --> 01:10:36,169 MIDNIGHT, BUT THERE WAS STILL TRAFFIC ON THE BRIDGE AND LIAM 1274 01:10:36,169 --> 01:10:40,306 WAS OUTSIDE SARAH'S CAR STRUGGLING WITH HER BODY 1275 01:10:40,306 --> 01:10:50,850 HE BEGAN TO PANIC. >> AND THREE CARS GO BY. 1276 01:10:50,850 --> 01:10:53,486 AND I'M [ BLEEP ] LOSING MY [ BLEEP ] CAUSE THAT EASILY 1277 01:10:53,486 --> 01:11:02,962 COULD'VE BEEN A COP. >> MM-HM 1278 01:11:02,962 --> 01:11:04,864 >> AND THEN -- >> AND THE POLICE STATION IS 1279 01:11:04,864 --> 01:11:06,132 LIKE RIGHT THERE >> YEAH. 1280 01:11:06,132 --> 01:11:07,300 YEAH AND THEN, PRESTON COMES OVER THE 1281 01:11:07,300 --> 01:11:08,401 BRIDGE, GOES AROUND, MAKES A U-TURN COMES UP BEHIND ME. 1282 01:11:08,401 --> 01:11:10,370 THE TWO OF US THROW THE BODY OVER AND THEN WE WERE OUT. 1283 01:11:10,370 --> 01:11:11,438 >> OH SO, YOU NEEDED HELP? >> I NEEDED HELP, YEAH 1284 01:11:11,438 --> 01:11:13,773 >> Reporter: AS HE TOLD ANTHONY THE STORY, LIAM REVELED IN HIS 1285 01:11:13,773 --> 01:11:14,974 BELIEF THAT SARAH'S BODY, DUMPED OFF THE BRIDGE, WAS FOREVER 1286 01:11:14,974 --> 01:11:16,443 LOST >> THE BODY NEVER SHOWED UP. 1287 01:11:16,443 --> 01:11:17,877 >> IT'S PROBABLY FROZEN. >> IT'S PROBABLY ALL THE WAY OUT 1288 01:11:17,877 --> 01:11:20,380 IN THE OCEAN >> BRO, THIS IS LIKE A [ BLEEP ] 1289 01:11:20,380 --> 01:11:24,617 MOVIE BRO. >> YEAH. 1290 01:11:24,617 --> 01:11:25,685 >> STILL DON'T KNOW WHERE YOUR PHONE IS 1291 01:11:25,685 --> 01:11:28,755 >> Reporter: BUT, JUST AS IN MANY CRIME MOVIES, HE MADE 1292 01:11:28,755 --> 01:11:30,090 CRITICAL MISTAKES. >> I [ BLEEP ] DROPPED MY PHONE 1293 01:11:30,090 --> 01:11:31,558 AT SARAH'S HOUSE >> YOU SHOULD HAVE LEFT IT IN 1294 01:11:31,558 --> 01:11:35,161 YOUR [ BLEEP ] POCKET. >> DUDE. 1295 01:11:35,161 --> 01:11:37,831 >> WHAT WERE YOU DOING >> STRANGLING SOMEONE. 1296 01:11:37,831 --> 01:11:41,534 I COULDN'T FIND IT, DUDE >> Reporter: STILL, HE BRAGGED 1297 01:11:41,534 --> 01:11:45,739 TO HIS FRIEND ABOUT HOW CUNNING HE WAS 1298 01:11:45,739 --> 01:11:47,007 HE NOT ONLY PLANNED AND CARRIED OUT SARAH'S MURDER, HE ALSO CAST 1299 01:11:47,007 --> 01:11:53,113 HIMSELF AS A HELPFUL WITNESS IN THE INVESTIGATION. 1300 01:11:53,113 --> 01:11:57,350 >> I HAD PLANNED SARAH'S SITUATION FOR ME TO BE 1301 01:11:57,350 --> 01:12:00,954 INTERROGATED BY COPS LIKE THAT WAS A WHOLE PART OF MY 1302 01:12:00,954 --> 01:12:03,156 PLAN TO MAKE ME LOOK NOT GUILTY. >> Reporter: THE POINT OF THAT 1303 01:12:03,156 --> 01:12:06,860 WHOLE DEADLY SCHEME, HE SAID, WAS ABOUT THAT MONEY HE'D TAKEN 1304 01:12:06,860 --> 01:12:10,330 FROM SARAH'S HOUSE BUT, THERE WAS NO JACKPOT 1305 01:12:10,330 --> 01:12:12,132 PAYOUT >> THE WORST PART OF IT IS, I 1306 01:12:12,132 --> 01:12:19,072 THOUGHT I WAS WALKING OUT 50 GRAND, 100 GRAND IN MY 1307 01:12:19,072 --> 01:12:23,076 POCKET AND, I DIDN'T -- I DIDN'T EVEN 1308 01:12:23,076 --> 01:12:26,646 GET A QUARTER OF IT. >> SO YOU ONLY GOT LIKE, WHAT, 1309 01:12:26,646 --> 01:12:27,480 SEVEN GRAND? >> SOMEWHERE AROUND THERE. 1310 01:12:27,480 --> 01:12:29,649 >> Reporter: FOR ALL HIS SCHEMING OVER SIX MONTHS, HE 1311 01:12:29,649 --> 01:12:36,556 ONLY GOT ENOUGH MONEY TO BUY A LITTLE FUN, AND SOME WEED. 1312 01:12:36,556 --> 01:12:40,193 >> I DIDN'T GET A LOT OF MONEY BUT I HAD ENOUGH MONEY TO JUST 1313 01:12:40,193 --> 01:12:41,895 BE LIKE LIVING COMFORTABLY IN MY HOUSE, THROWING PARTIES ALL THE 1314 01:12:41,895 --> 01:12:45,465 TIME >> Reporter: LIAM HAD REVEALED 1315 01:12:45,465 --> 01:12:48,668 SO MUCH. MAYBE TOO MUCH 1316 01:12:48,668 --> 01:12:50,804 AND SUDDENLY, HE SEEMED WORRIED. COULD HE TRUST ANTHONY TO KEEP 1317 01:12:50,804 --> 01:12:52,906 QUIET? >> I KNOW YOU'RE NOT A RAT 1318 01:12:52,906 --> 01:12:57,143 >> [ BLEEP ] RIGHT >> BUT WE GOTTA -- WE GOTTA PLAY 1319 01:12:57,143 --> 01:12:59,412 IT SAFE. >> Reporter: "OR ELSE," HE 1320 01:12:59,412 --> 01:13:02,382 SEEMED TO THREATEN HIS FRIEND. >> I DON'T WANT PRESTON TO THINK 1321 01:13:02,382 --> 01:13:07,420 HE HAS TO KILL YOU AND TAKE YOU OUT BECAUSE YOU ARE THE ONLY 1322 01:13:07,420 --> 01:13:09,255 PERSON THAT KNOWS. BECAUSE I'VE TRIED -- TRIED TO 1323 01:13:09,255 --> 01:13:14,060 IMPLY THAT YOU MIGHT KNOW, AND HE GETS REALLY UPSET 1324 01:13:14,060 --> 01:13:17,464 >> MAYBE DON'T TELL HIM. >> DON'T TELL HIM. 1325 01:13:17,464 --> 01:13:21,501 >> DON'T TELL HIM. >> YEAH, BUT YOU'RE THE ONLY 1326 01:13:21,501 --> 01:13:25,105 PERSON BESIDES PRESTON THAT KNOWS. 1327 01:13:25,105 --> 01:13:29,409 >> Reporter: AND THEN LIAM GOT REFLECTIVE 1328 01:13:29,409 --> 01:13:34,080 HE SEEMED TO SUGGEST TO ANTHONY IT WASN'T ALL ABOUT THE MONEY, 1329 01:13:34,080 --> 01:13:39,352 THAT HE WANTED TO GET SOMETHING MORE OUT OF MURDERING SARA 1330 01:13:39,352 --> 01:13:45,191 AND AFTER, SEEMED DISAPPOINTED >> I DON'T FEEL ANY DIFFEREN 1331 01:13:45,191 --> 01:13:47,794 AND I DON'T THINK ABOUT IT YOU ALWAYS THINK YOU'RE GONNA 1332 01:13:47,794 --> 01:13:52,832 TRY THESE NEW THINGS AND YOU'RE GONNA CHANGE 1333 01:13:52,832 --> 01:13:56,903 >> BUT IT DIDN'T CHANGE YOU? >> IT JUST DOESN'T DO ANYTHING 1334 01:13:56,903 --> 01:13:57,804 IT'S WEIRD >> IT'S A [ BLEEP ] MOVIE, KNOW 1335 01:13:57,804 --> 01:14:03,877 WHAT I MEAN? >> IT'S YOUR LIFE YOU MIGHT AS 1336 01:14:03,877 --> 01:14:05,045 WELL MAKE IT ONE WHAT, ARE YOU GONNA LIVE SOME 1337 01:14:05,045 --> 01:14:08,081 BORING-ASS LIFE? >> Reporter: THE STORY WAS 1338 01:14:08,081 --> 01:14:11,284 BEYOND CHILLING. THE DETAILS APPALLING. 1339 01:14:11,284 --> 01:14:14,087 AND LIAM HAD DELIVERED IT WITHOUT A HINT OF REMORSE. 1340 01:14:14,087 --> 01:14:20,827 WHEN IT WAS OVER, PEOPLE COURTROOM WERE SILENT, STUNNED 1341 01:14:20,827 --> 01:14:21,861 SARAH'S COUSINS LAUREN AND LYNDSAY -- 1342 01:14:21,861 --> 01:14:25,532 >> THAT WAS THE WORST THING I EVER SAW IN MY WHOLE ENTIRE 1343 01:14:25,532 --> 01:14:27,133 LIFE JUST LISTENING TO HIM, 1344 01:14:27,133 --> 01:14:30,303 NONCHALANTLY, LIKE IT'S NO BIG DEAL 1345 01:14:30,303 --> 01:14:36,609 IT'S SOMEBODY'S LIFE >> IT WAS SICK 1346 01:14:36,609 --> 01:14:38,712 IT WAS JUST SICK >> Reporter: IT TOOK A WHILE FOR 1347 01:14:38,712 --> 01:14:42,949 CARLY AND SAM TO PROCESS WHAT THEY'D HEARD FROM THE BOY THEY 1348 01:14:42,949 --> 01:14:48,254 KNEW AS SARAH'S GOOD FRIEND. >> IT WAS DISGUSTING 1349 01:14:48,254 --> 01:14:50,323 HOW CAN YOU TAKE SOMEONE'S LIFE FOR THEIR MONEY AND THEN NOT BE 1350 01:14:50,323 --> 01:14:56,663 HAPPY WITH THE MONEY THAT YOU KILLED THEM FOR? 1351 01:14:56,663 --> 01:15:00,767 >> HE ALSO WASN'T HAPPY THAT HE DIDN'T FEEL MORE, THAT HE FELT 1352 01:15:00,767 --> 01:15:03,636 THE SAME AFTER AS HE DID BEFORE. >> IT REALLY TICKED ME WHEN HE 1353 01:15:03,636 --> 01:15:08,708 SAID, SOMETIMES YOU TRY NEW THINGS AND, LIKE, EXPECT TO -- 1354 01:15:08,708 --> 01:15:14,047 TO FEEL SOMETHING, AND HE SAID HE DIDN'T FEEL ANYTHING. 1355 01:15:14,047 --> 01:15:17,550 WHEN HE SAID -- WHEN HE -- TO, TRY NEW THINGS 1356 01:15:17,550 --> 01:15:18,885 LIKE KILLING SOMEONE IS TRYING NEW THINGS 1357 01:15:18,885 --> 01:15:20,053 >> Reporter: SARAH'S FATHER HAD KEPT HIS STEADY COMPOSURE 1358 01:15:20,053 --> 01:15:25,658 THROUGH THE TRIAL, BUT HEARING THAT TAPE HE BROKE INTO QUIET 1359 01:15:25,658 --> 01:15:26,860 SOBS >> I WAS THERE THE DAY WHEN THEY 1360 01:15:26,860 --> 01:15:31,698 PLAYED THAT TAPE >> UH-HUH. 1361 01:15:31,698 --> 01:15:37,504 >> I KEPT THINKING WHAT IS THIS LIKE FOR THAT POOR MAN 1362 01:15:37,504 --> 01:15:42,375 YOU HADN'T HEARD THAT BEFORE >> NO. 1363 01:15:42,375 --> 01:15:44,144 I KNEW SOME OF THE CONTENT, BUT NEVER HEARD IT FROM HIS MOUTH. 1364 01:15:44,144 --> 01:15:47,814 I COULDN'T BELIEVE IT. EVIL 1365 01:15:47,814 --> 01:15:50,450 PURE EVIL. >> Reporter: A DETAILED, 1366 01:15:50,450 --> 01:15:54,721 COLD-BLOODED CONFESSION, ALL ON VIDEO. 1367 01:15:54,721 --> 01:15:56,289 WHAT MIGHT SEEM LIKE AN OPEN AND SHUT CASE. 1368 01:15:56,289 --> 01:15:57,924 BUT SURPRISES WERE IN STORE BEFORE THE JURY RENDERED ITS 1369 01:15:57,924 --> 01:16:03,229 VERDICT. >>> COMING UP -- 1370 01:16:03,229 --> 01:16:06,066 THE DEFENSE CALLS THE TAPE PURE FICTION. 1371 01:16:06,066 --> 01:16:08,702 >> THIS IS NOT THE FIRST TIME THAT LIAM MAKES UP CRAZY 1372 01:16:08,702 --> 01:16:13,540 STORIES. HE WANTS TO BE IN MOVIES 1373 01:16:13,540 --> 01:16:19,713 HE'S LEONARDO DiCAPRIO TO ANTHONY CURRY'S MARTIN SCORSESE. 1374 01:16:19,713 --> 01:16:34,861 >> AND THEN, THE VERDICT, AND IT'S EMOTIONAL 1375 01:16:34,861 --> 01:16:36,596 * * 1376 01:16:36,596 --> 01:16:40,367 >> Reporter: WHAT WAS THERE TO SAY AFTER HEARING LIAM McATASNEY 1377 01:16:40,367 --> 01:16:42,635 CONFESS TO MURDERING HIS FRIEND SARAH? 1378 01:16:42,635 --> 01:16:45,238 >> AND IT TOOK ME A HALF AN HOUR TO KILL HER. 1379 01:16:45,238 --> 01:16:49,809 >> Reporter: A LOT, AS IT TURNED OUT. 1380 01:16:49,809 --> 01:16:57,083 LIAM'S ATTORNEY TOOK IT HEAD ON, SAID WHAT THE JURY HEARD WAS ALL 1381 01:16:57,083 --> 01:16:57,984 MADE UP FANTASY, A KIND OF AUDITION 1382 01:16:57,984 --> 01:16:59,853 LIAM PITCHING A HORROR MOVIE PLOT TO HIS FILMMAKING FRIEND 1383 01:16:59,853 --> 01:17:04,591 ANTHONY. >> THERE WAS NO EVIDENCE TO 1384 01:17:04,591 --> 01:17:06,226 SUPPORT WHAT HE SAID ON THAT TAPE AS CHILLING AND AS 1385 01:17:06,226 --> 01:17:07,260 HORRIFYING AS IT IS. >> SO WHAT WAS HE TRYING TO DO 1386 01:17:07,260 --> 01:17:09,295 WAS HE -- I MEAN, IMPRESS HIS FRIEND 1387 01:17:09,295 --> 01:17:13,033 COME ON. FOR WHAT REASON? 1388 01:17:13,033 --> 01:17:15,101 WHAT DID HE WANT OUT OF IT >> IF YOU RECALL ANTHONY CURRY'S 1389 01:17:15,101 --> 01:17:20,507 TESTIMONY, HE TOLD YOU THAT THIS IS NOT THE FIRST TIME THAT LIAM 1390 01:17:20,507 --> 01:17:23,276 MAKES UP CRAZY STORIES, THAT HE DOES IT ALL THE TIME 1391 01:17:23,276 --> 01:17:24,644 >> HE DID MAKE UP THINGS TO YOU WHEN HE SPOKE TO YOU, CORRECT? 1392 01:17:24,644 --> 01:17:27,814 >> SURE. >> HE DOES IT TO IMPRESS HIM 1393 01:17:27,814 --> 01:17:33,053 HE WANTS TO BE IN ANTHONY CURRY'S WORLD. 1394 01:17:33,053 --> 01:17:37,223 HE WANTS TO BE IN HIS MOVIES HIS LEONARDO DICAPRIO TO ANTHONY 1395 01:17:37,223 --> 01:17:43,063 CURRY'S MARTIN SCORSESE. >> Reporter: IN HIS CLOSING 1396 01:17:43,063 --> 01:17:44,197 ARGUMENT LIAM'S ATTORNEY SAID PRESTON WAS MAKING UP STORIES 1397 01:17:44,197 --> 01:17:46,700 TOO, ALL IN HIS EFFORT TO CUT HIS PLEA DEAL. 1398 01:17:46,700 --> 01:17:50,437 PLUS, HE SAID, THE BIGGEST PROBLEM WITH THE PROSECUTION'S 1399 01:17:50,437 --> 01:17:51,971 CASE WAS SIMPLE. THE DEFENSE'S EYEWITNESS PROVED 1400 01:17:51,971 --> 01:17:56,409 IT >> LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, THERE'S 1401 01:17:56,409 --> 01:17:59,879 NO BODY. WHY? 1402 01:17:59,879 --> 01:18:03,616 CRAIG HETZEL TELLS YOU THAT SHE WAS STILL ALIVE. 1403 01:18:03,616 --> 01:18:08,922 >> Reporter: PROSECUTOR CHRIS DECKER WASN'T HAVING ANY OF IT 1404 01:18:08,922 --> 01:18:11,458 >> WE TALK ABOUT MR. HETZEL, WHO SEES SARAH WEARING HEELS AND A 1405 01:18:11,458 --> 01:18:13,593 FUR COLLAR THAT'S NOT SARAH STERN 1406 01:18:13,593 --> 01:18:18,865 >> Reporter: NO, SAID THE PROSECUTOR 1407 01:18:18,865 --> 01:18:19,933 UGG BOOTS AND TIMBERLANDS, THAT WAS SARAH STERN. 1408 01:18:19,933 --> 01:18:23,103 AND THE EYEWITNESS WAS WRONG ABOUT THE CAR TOO. 1409 01:18:23,103 --> 01:18:25,705 >> THAT CAR WAS NOT THERE. IT JUST WASN'T THERE 1410 01:18:25,705 --> 01:18:27,841 HE'S WRONG I DON'T KNOW IF HE'S LYING OR 1411 01:18:27,841 --> 01:18:30,777 HE'S JUST WRONG. I DON'T KNOW 1412 01:18:30,777 --> 01:18:35,749 IT DOESN'T MATTER. HE DID NOT SEE HER 1413 01:18:35,749 --> 01:18:37,050 >> Reporter: AFTER A FIVE-WEEK TRIAL, PROSECUTOR DECKER HAD THE 1414 01:18:37,050 --> 01:18:41,554 LAST WORD. >> SARAH STERN IS DEAD 1415 01:18:41,554 --> 01:18:48,395 THIS IS NOT A MOVIE. IT'S NOT A STORY 1416 01:18:48,395 --> 01:18:54,868 THIS DEFENDANT DIDN'T FRAME HIMSELF FOR MURDER 1417 01:18:54,868 --> 01:18:59,873 HE COMMITTED MURDER. THERE IS NO DOUBT THAT THIS MAN 1418 01:18:59,873 --> 01:19:02,642 KILLED SARAH STERN HE TOLD YOU. 1419 01:19:02,642 --> 01:19:08,481 >> Reporter: THE JURY TOOK ITS TIME 1420 01:19:08,481 --> 01:19:13,219 ASKED TO SEE A LOT OF THOSE TAPES AGAIN. 1421 01:19:13,219 --> 01:19:14,921 ASKED TO HEAR BACK SOME OF THE TESTIMONY. 1422 01:19:14,921 --> 01:19:20,093 AND THEN FINALLY, WORD REACHED THE JUDGE. 1423 01:19:20,093 --> 01:19:24,698 A VERDICT. COURT RECONVENED, AS LIAM SAT 1424 01:19:24,698 --> 01:19:25,532 THERE, MOTIONLESS, STONE-FACED AS EVER. 1425 01:19:25,532 --> 01:19:31,271 >> HOW DO YOU FIND AS COUNT ONE OF THE INDICTMENT AS TO WHETHER 1426 01:19:31,271 --> 01:19:33,239 THE DEFENDANT, LIAM McATASNEY, COMMITTED THE CRIME OF MURDER BY 1427 01:19:33,239 --> 01:19:40,146 PURPOSELY OR KNOWINGLY CAUSING THE DEATH OF SARAH STERN 1428 01:19:40,146 --> 01:19:43,817 >> GUILTY. >> Reporter: GUILTY OF MURDER 1429 01:19:43,817 --> 01:19:53,893 AND ALL SIX OTHER COUNTS FOR MICHAEL STERN, WHO HAD LOST 1430 01:19:53,893 --> 01:20:01,801 SO MUCH, ENDURED SO MUCH, EVEN HAD TO WATCH LIAM TRY TO TARNISH 1431 01:20:01,801 --> 01:20:04,437 HIS RELATIONSHIP WITH SARAH, THE DAUGHTER HE CHERISHED, AT 1432 01:20:04,437 --> 01:20:08,942 LEAST THIS PART WAS OVER >> I WAITED FOR THAT, 27 MONTHS. 1433 01:20:08,942 --> 01:20:11,845 >> YEAH. >> IT MUST BE A COMPLICATED 1434 01:20:11,845 --> 01:20:12,712 FEELING. >> YEAH, IT'S JUST -- NONE OF IT 1435 01:20:12,712 --> 01:20:17,617 MAKES ANY SENSE. BUT WHEN IT COMES TO SARAH, YOU 1436 01:20:17,617 --> 01:20:29,362 KNOW, IT'S IMPORTANT THAT, YOU KNOW, JUSTICE BE SERVED. 1437 01:20:29,362 --> 01:20:32,766 >> Reporter: McATASNEY WAS SENTENCED TO LIFE WITHOUT 1438 01:20:32,766 --> 01:20:36,036 PAROLE PRESTON TAYLOR WAS HANDED 18 1439 01:20:36,036 --> 01:20:42,676 YEARS FOR HIS ROLE THE PROSECUTOR NEGOTIATED THE 1440 01:20:42,676 --> 01:20:51,418 PLEA AGREEMENT. >> HOW CAN HE LIVE WITH THIS, 1441 01:20:51,418 --> 01:20:53,486 THE GIRL HE TOOK TO THE PROM, HE CAN PARTICIPATE? 1442 01:20:53,486 --> 01:20:56,356 >> NOBODY CAN. HE'LL RELIVE HIS PART FOR THE 1443 01:20:56,356 --> 01:21:02,328 REST OF HIS LIFE. >> WHAT WAS THIS CASE ALL ABOUT? 1444 01:21:02,328 --> 01:21:07,367 WHEN YOU SEE THE TOTALITY OF IT? >> I THINK THE MONEY WAS AN 1445 01:21:07,367 --> 01:21:10,070 EXCUSE AND HE WANTED TO KILL SOMEBODY. 1446 01:21:10,070 --> 01:21:13,239 >> TO ME WHAT THE CASE WAS ABOUT FIRST AND FOREMOST WAS THE WAY 1447 01:21:13,239 --> 01:21:18,078 HE USED SARAH. >> Reporter: THE CONSEQUENCES OF 1448 01:21:18,078 --> 01:21:20,747 SARAH'S DEATH WILL BE WITH A LOT OF PEOPLE FOR A VERY LONG TIME 1449 01:21:20,747 --> 01:21:24,551 GRIEF STILL VERY RAW. >> NO MATTER HOW MANY TIMES 1450 01:21:24,551 --> 01:21:35,729 SOMETHING IS FUNNY OR YOU HAVE A GOOD DAY AND THEN -- SORRY 1451 01:21:35,729 --> 01:21:38,732 YOU COME HOME AND SEE HER HOUSE AND THINK ABOUT. 1452 01:21:38,732 --> 01:21:42,002 >> LOSING A CLOSE FRIEND WHEN YOU'RE YOUNG, YOU DON'T EVER GET 1453 01:21:42,002 --> 01:21:49,209 OVER THAT. >> THE TRIAL MAY BE OVER, BUT 1454 01:21:49,209 --> 01:21:52,178 THE HURT IS NEVER GOING TO BE OVER 1455 01:21:52,178 --> 01:21:56,383 >> Reporter: SARAH STERN'S LIFE WAS TAKEN FROM HER AT JUST 19, 1456 01:21:56,383 --> 01:22:01,054 BUT SHE LIVED LONG ENOUGH TO KNOW THE ARTISTIC LIFE SHE 1457 01:22:01,054 --> 01:22:04,290 WANTED TO PURSUE >> HOW WOULD YOU LIKE SARAH TO 1458 01:22:04,290 --> 01:22:09,763 BE REMEMBERED? HOW WILL YOU REMEMBER HER? 1459 01:22:09,763 --> 01:22:12,932 >> AS A BRILLIANT ARTIST SHE JUST LOVED ART 1460 01:22:12,932 --> 01:22:18,171 HER ART TEACHERS LOVED HER >> YEAH. 1461 01:22:18,171 --> 01:22:20,707 >> FOR THE TIMES -- ARE THERE PARTICULAR TIMES SHE COMES INTO 1462 01:22:20,707 --> 01:22:22,976 YOUR MIND? >> EVERY DAY. 1463 01:22:22,976 --> 01:22:26,913 >> COMES TO VISIT YOU. >> EVERY DAY 1464 01:22:26,913 --> 01:22:32,085 WE TALK. I SAY HELLO, MAKE SURE SHE'S 1465 01:22:32,085 --> 01:22:35,221 DOING OKAY SHE IS 1466 01:22:35,221 --> 01:22:39,159 HER SPIRIT WILL LIVE FOREVER >> IT WILL 1467 01:22:39,159 --> 01:22:44,898 >> BEAUTIFUL, BEAUTIFUL KID. >> YEP. 1468 01:22:44,898 --> 01:22:48,268 >> MY SARAH. >>> THAT'S ALL FOR THIS EDITION 1469 01:22:48,268 --> 01:22:53,673 OF "DATELINE." WE'LL SEE YOU AGAIN FRIDAY AT 1470 01:22:53,673 --> 01:22:56,576 9: 9:00