John: THIS CASE TORE THE CITY APART.
DESTROYED THE POLICE DEPARTMENT, DESTROYED THE COMMUNITY,
AND PRETTY MUCH DESTROYED MY FAITH IN HUMANITY.
EVERYBODY WAS WONDERING,
"WHO'S OUT THERE TAKING OUR CHILDREN?"
YOU BEGAN TO NOT TRUST ANYBODY.
RACHEL, DID YOU KILL YOUR SON?
I DID NOT KILL ZACH.
I HAD NEVER HAD NIGHTMARES LIKE I HAD ON THIS CASE.
John: THIS IS CODE.
WE CRACK THIS, WE HAVE
ALL HIS DEEPEST, DARKEST SECRETS RIGHT HERE.
THE THOUGHT OF THE INVESTIGATION WAS 24/7.
AND, UH...
[ SOBS ]
OH, COME HERE, YOU. I MISSED YOU GUYS.
AND MY WHOLE LIFE WENT [EXHALES SHARPLY]
[ SNIFFLES ]
-- Captions by VITAC -- www.vitac.com
CAPTIONS PAID FOR BY DISCOVERY COMMUNICATIONS
I MOVED TO GREAT FALLS
BECAUSE I HAD JUST COMPLETED THE POLICE ACADEMY IN MINNESOTA
AND FELL IN LOVE WITH THE PLACE.
AND I FELL RIGHT INTO
ONE OF THE CASES THAT CHANGED MY WHOLE LIFE.
[ CAR HORN HONKS DISTANTLY ]
CAN I HELP YOU? IS JOHN CAMERON HERE?
DETECTIVE CAMERON? YEAH, HE'S HERE.
CAN I TALK TO HIM? WHAT'S IT ABOUT?
I'D RATHER JUST TALK TO JOHN, PLEASE.
YEAH. HAVE A SEAT.
SO WHAT'S THE PROBLEM?
IT'S ZACH.
IS HE OKAY? I DON'T KNOW.
UM, HE WAS FINE WHEN HE LEFT FOR SCHOOL THIS MORNING.
AND THEN I GOT A CALL.
THEY SAID HE DIDN'T SHOW UP.
HE DIDN'T SHOW UP TO SCHOOL THIS MORNING?
THAT'S WHAT THEY SAID.
I WENT DOWN TO THE SCHOOL. I TALKED TO THE PRINCIPAL.
AND I THOUGHT HE'D COME HOME AFTER.
I WAS MAD AT HIM. I THOUGHT HE'D SKIPPED SCHOOL.
I WAS GOING TO GROUND HIM.
AND THEN...
...HE NEVER CAME HOME.
PALMER WAS A TENACIOUS DETECTIVE.
AND HE WAS THE HEAD
OF THE CHILD ABUSE AND SEXUAL ABUSE UNIT.
SO HE DEALT WITH KIDS ALL THE TIME.
HOW OLD IS ZACH? HE'S 10.
WE'RE NEIGHBORS. SAME AGE AS MY OLDEST.
SEEMS LIKE A GOOD KID.
HE'S A GOOD BOY.
ARE THEY FRIENDS?
THEY KNOW EACH OTHER,
BUT THEY GO TO DIFFERENT SCHOOLS.
DID YOU CALL ZACH'S FRIENDS?
YEAH, I CALLED EVERYONE. AND NO ONE'S SEEN HIM.
BUT HE'S GOT TO BE SOMEWHERE, RIGHT?
EVERYTHING WAS OKAY WHEN HE LEFT FOR SCHOOL THIS MORNING?
YES. [ SIGHS ]
OKAY. YOU HAVE -- DO YOU HAVE A PHOTOGRAPH OF HIM?
YEAH.
I ALWAYS CARRY PICTURES OF ZACH.
CAN YOU TELL US WHAT HE WAS WEARING
WHEN HE LEFT FOR SCHOOL THIS MORNING?
UH, WHAT HE ALWAYS WEARS, UM, JEANS, SNEAKERS,
BLUE JACKET. ALL BLUE?
NO TEAM NAME ON IT, ANYTHING LIKE THAT?
JUST BLUE WITH GREEN PLAID.
OKAY. UH, WE'LL GET ON IT.
DON'T WORRY, RACHEL.
WE'RE GOING TO DO EVERYTHING WE CAN.
WE'LL FIND HIM, I PROMISE.
THANK YOU.
HE WAS A GREAT KID. HE REALLY WAS.
WITH A SMILE THAT MOST PEOPLE JUST DON'T HAVE,
YOU KNOW?
AND NEVER SAW HIM ANGRY.
HE WAS JUST A WELL-LIKED NEIGHBORHOOD KID
AND EVERYBODY KNEW HIM.
John: WE'RE LOOKING FOR A 10-YEAR OLD BOY, ZACHARY RAMSAY.
PROBABLY SKIPPED SCHOOL, WENT OFF EXPLORING.
NOW IT'S COLD, AND IT'S DARK.
CHECK THE ALLEYS. CHECK THE PARKS.
MIGHT HAVE WONDERED OFF INTO THE WOODS.
THE KID'S PROBABLY SCARED. LET'S FIND HIM.
[ POLICE RADIO CHATTER ]
John: WELL, ON THE NIGHT ZACH DISAPPEARED,
THE FIRST THING WE DID IS SEND OUR WHOLE PATROL TEAM
OUT DOWN THE ALLIES,
THROUGH THE VACANT HOUSES IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD,
CHECKING THE BANKS OF THE RIVER,
THE ICE ON THE PONDS IN GIBSON PARK.
ASKING ALL OF HIS CLASSMATES, "HAVE YOU SEEN HIM?
WHERE WOULD HE HANG OUT?"
AND NOBODY HAD SEEN HIM THAT DAY.
HEY, GUYS. EIGHT FEET APART.
START HERE AND THEN WALK OUT.
NINE TIMES OUT OF 10, THE KIDS ARE BACK HOME BY NOW.
YEAH, I'M -- I'M GOING TO GET SOME SLEEP.
ALL RIGHT.
I'M GOING TO STAY OUT
AND KEEP LOOKING WITH THESE GUYS.
I KNOW THEM, SAM. THEY'RE MY NEIGHBORS.
ALL RIGHT.
[ SIGHS ]
AND WE PUT IT OUT ON THE NEWS AND THE NEWSPAPERS.
WE PASSED OUT FLYERS. WE WENT TO THE RADIO.
IT WAS ALL OVER.
[ POLICE RADIO CHATTER ]
WELL, IN GREAT FALLS, WHEN WE WOULD HAVE MISSING KIDS,
WE WOULD USUALLY FIND THEM WITHIN A DAY, MAYBE TWO.
AFTER ZACH WAS MISSING 24 HOURS,
I SUSPECTED IT WAS SOMETHING MUCH MORE SINISTER.
YOU JUST DON'T DISAPPEAR OFF THE STREET WITHOUT A SIGN
UNLESS YOU'VE BEEN TAKEN.
JUST GOT A CALL.
SOMEONE CONFESSED TO KIDNAPPING ZACH RAMSAY, A TRUCKER.
THEY'RE HOLDING HIM AT THE SCENE.
WE GET A CALL FROM THE HIGHWAY PATROL.
AND THEY HAVE A TRUCKER PULLED OVER.
THEY FIND OUT THAT THE GUY'S COMPLETELY OBSESSED
WITH ZACH RAMSAY.
HE'S SAYING SEXUAL THINGS THAT TIE IN WITH ZACH.
HE SEEMS TO KNOW A LOT ABOUT HIM.
AND HE'S A TRUCKER WHO DRIVES THROUGH GREAT FALLS,
WHICH GIVES HIM TO ACCESS TO COME THROUGH THE TOWN
AND KIDNAP A CHILD.
TALK.
ZACH WAS A BEAUTIFUL BOY.
I'LL NEVER FORGET HIM.
WHERE DID YOU MEET HIM?
IT'S MY BUSINESS.
SO YOU'RE CLAIMING YOU ABDUCTED ZACH,
AND NOW YOU DON'T WANT TO TALK?
I'M NOT GOING TO MAKE IT EASY FOR YOU, DETECTIVE.
JUST LIKE I DIDN'T MAKE IT EASY FOR ZACH.
[ SIGHS ]
BUT WHEN HIS TRUCK WAS SEARCHED,
WE FOUND NO EVIDENCE TO CONNECT HIM TO THE ABDUCTION.
THE TRUTH IS, THE TRUCKER WAS IN SPOKANE, WASHINGTON,
500 MILES AWAY FROM GREAT FALLS
ON THE DAY ZACH DISAPPEARED.
SOMETIMES IN INVESTIGATIONS,
EVERY NUT IN THE WORLD COMES OUT.
AND THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT HAPPENED HERE,
IS THIS GUY WAS NOT EVEN CAPABLE OF BEING IN GREAT FALLS
AT THE TIME THAT IT HAPPENED.
Man: IT'S JUST AWFUL ABOUT THAT MISSING BOY.
John: YEAH. TELL ME ABOUT IT.
LET'S HOPE HE WASN'T TAKEN BY ONE OF THOSE MONSTERS.
ANY NEWS?
STILL LOOKING.
HEY, IF YOU HEAR ANYTHING, ANY RUMBLINGS,
YOU LET US KNOW.
YEAH. I'LL PUT IT UP.
NEVER KNOW WHAT WILL HAPPEN.
AT THE TIME ZACH DISAPPEARED, I HAD THREE KIDS.
ONE WAS ZACH'S AGE, AND TWO WERE A LITTLE BIT YOUNGER.
AND TO THINK THAT IN THE SAME NEIGHBORHOOD THAT I LIVED IN
THAT A LITTLE BOY 10 YEARS OLD
CAN JUST DISAPPEAR WAS SCARY.
IT MADE YOU WONDER IF YOU WANTED TO LET YOUR KIDS GO OUT.
HEY, GUYS!
OH, COME HERE YOU. I MISSED YOU GUYS.
HI, SWEETHEART. HEY, BUDDY.
HEY, LET'S GO WAIT IN THE CAR FOR MOMMY, OKAY?
COME ON, COME ON, COME ON, COME ON.
MILADY.
ALL RIGHT, EVERYBODY IN?
SEE YOU GUYS LATER, OKAY?
HI. HEY, THERE.
AW, YOU KNOW I'M WORKING NIGHTS.
AND DAYS -- I HAVEN'T SEEN YOU IN THREE DAYS.
YEAH, I KNOW, I'M SORRY. HEY, GUYS, I'M SORRY.
WILL YOU BE HOME FOR DINNER?
I DON'T...
I'M WORRIED ABOUT YOU.
I'LL BE FINE.
GO ON.
DRIVE SAFE.
[ CAR DOOR CLOSES, ENGINE STARTS ]
[ SIGHS ]
John: I COULDN'T LET IT GO.
I REALLY AM AN OBSESSIVE DETECTIVE.
AND IT'S JUST HOW I AM.
WHEN THE TRUCKER DIDN'T PAN OUT,
THE INVESTIGATION ACTUALLY STYMIED FOR A LONG TIME.
BUT THEN, ONE OF THE NEIGHBORS CAME TO THE POLICE STATION.
AND YOU'RE SURE THIS WAS THE NIGHT BEFORE ZACH DISAPPEARED?
YEAH. THERE WAS A LOT OF YELLING AND SCREAMING
COMING FROM RACHEL'S HOUSE.
IT SOUNDED LIKE A BIG FIGHT.
BETWEEN ZACH AND RACHEL?
MAYBE.
I DIDN'T THINK MUCH OF IT AT THE TIME.
BUT THEN I HEARD HE WAS MISSING.
SO I FIGURED I SHOULD COME IN AND LET YOU GUYS KNOW.
MAYBE WE SHOULD TAKE A CLOSER LOOK AT THE MOTHER?
YEAH.
THANK YOU.
LOOK, WE KNOW YOU HAD A BIG FIGHT WITH ZACH.
WHY DON'T YOU TELL US ABOUT IT?
IT WASN'T A BIG FIGHT.
YELLING AND SCREAMING, BANGING ON THE WALLS?
IT SEEMS PRETTY BIG TO ME.
TELL ME AGAIN, WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME YOU SAW ZACH?
I TOLD YOU, WHEN HE LEFT FOR SCHOOL.
RACHEL, NO ONE ELSE SAW ZACH THAT MORNING.
NO ONE'S SEEN HIM SINCE HE LEFT THIS HOUSE.
HE WAS HERE ALL NIGHT.
HE WENT TO SCHOOL.
I KEEP TELLING YOU. AND...
RACHEL, DO YOU MIND IF WE LOOK AROUND?
[ SIGHS ]
GO AHEAD.
John: WE DECIDED TO BRING THE DOGS THROUGH THE HOUSE
TO SEE IF THEY WOULD HIT ON ANYTHING.
OUR DOGS WERE CADAVER DOGS.
AND WHAT THEY HIT ON
IS THE SCENT OF A DEAD PERSON.
AND AS THE DOG WENT DOWN THE STAIRS,
IT ACTUALLY HIT AT THE BOTTOM OF THE STAIRS,
WHICH MEANS THAT A POSSIBLE DEAD BODY HAD BEEN LYING THERE.
WHAT HAPPENED TO THE RUG?
I SPILLED SOMETHING. WE'RE REPLACING IT.
[ DOG WHINES, BARKS ]
HIT SOMETHING?
CAMERON...
...THAT LOOK LIKE BLOOD TO YOU?
LET'S GET THIS TESTED RIGHT AWAY, OKAY?
IS THIS FROM THE RAMSAY HOUSE?
YEAH.
John: PALMER'S THEORY
WAS THAT THERE HAD BEEN A FIGHT INSIDE THE HOUSE.
MAYBE RACHEL HIT ZACH.
MAYBE HE FELL DOWN THE STAIRS.
MAYBE HE WAS ACCIDENTALLY KILLED.
SO AT THAT POINT,
PALMER WAS CONCENTRATED ON RACHEL AS A SUSPECT.
WERE YOU WITH ZACH THE NIGHT BEFORE HE DISAPPEARED?
YES.
DID YOU HAVE AN ARGUMENT WITH HIM?
YES.
DID YOU HURT HIM? NO.
DID ZACH GO TO SCHOOL
THE MORNING OF HIS DISAPPEARANCE?
YES.
DID YOU SEE SOMEONE TAKE HIM?
NO.
DID YOU SEE ZACH TALK WITH ANYONE WHEN HE LEFT THE HOUSE?
N-NO.
[ SIGHS ]
RACHEL...
...DID YOU KILL YOUR SON?
OF COURSE NOT.
WAS IT AN ACCIDENT? WAS WHAT AN ACCIDENT?
YOU DIDN'T MEAN TO.
YOU WERE JUST TRYING TO DISCIPLINE HIM.
I DID NOT KILL ZACH.
MY ZACH IS STILL ALIVE.
I'M SURE OF IT.
WHERE IS HE, RACHEL? I DON'T KNOW.
WHY AREN'T YOU LOOKING FOR HIM?
WHERE SHOULD WE LOOK? TELL US, RACHEL.
DID YOU KILL YOUR SON? NO.
RACHEL, DID YOU KILL YOUR SON?
NO! RACHEL...
OVER AND OVER AGAIN, SHE WAS TREATED THAT WAY.
"YOU KILLED YOUR KID.
YOU HURT YOUR KID.
TELL US WHAT HAPPENED. WHERE IS HE AT?
LET'S END THIS RIGHT NOW."
RACHEL, DID YOU KILL ZACH? NO.
I'VE HAD ENOUGH OF THIS. YOU WANT TO CHARGE ME?
CHARGE ME.
OTHERWISE, I'M WALKING OUT OF HERE.
RACHEL.
RACHEL!
HEY, RACHEL.
BRING HIM BACK.
YOU STILL THINK SHE HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH THIS?
YOU HAD HER IN THERE FOR SIX HOURS.
ALL OF THE EVIDENCE POINTS DIRECTLY TO HER.
YOU JUST CAN'T SEE IT.
YOU'RE NOT SEEING THE BIGGER PICTURE.
COME ON, SAM. WHAT DID THE POLY SAY?
IT SAID SHE WAS BEING DECEPTIVE.
EVERY TIME I ASKED HER IF SHE KILLED HER SON, WE GOT A HIT.
THAT WAS UNDER DURESS. LET'S HOOK YOU UP TO THE THING.
JOHN, OPEN YOUR EYES
AND LOOK AT THIS FOR WHAT IT IS.
WE BOTH WANT THE SAME THING HERE.
DO WE?
WHEN RACHEL LEFT THAT OFFICE THAT DAY,
IN THE RAGE THAT SHE LEFT IN, I ACTUALLY FELT RELIEVED.
BECAUSE THE WAY SHE REACTED PROVED TO ME
THAT SHE DIDN'T KILL HER KID.
RACHEL, WAIT.
I'VE SAID EVERYTHING I'M GOING TO SAY.
LOOK, I BELIEVE YOU, OKAY?
[ SIGHS ]
I DON'T CARE IF YOU BELIEVE ME OR NOT.
JUST FIND MY SON.
[ CAR DOOR OPENS ]
[ CAR DOOR CLOSES ]
[ ENGINE STARTS ]
I WILL.
ALL RIGHT, WHO LIVES IN THE AREA
THAT HAS A CONVICTION FOR A SEX OFFENSE
OR IS SUSPECTED.
AND WHAT WERE THEY DOING ON THAT DAY?
WE FOUND OUT VERY EARLY ON THAT ZACH USED TO LIVE
NEXT DOOR TO A SEX OFFENDER, DOC.
HAD NO IDEA THEY HAD SO MANY SEX OFFENDERS
IN GREAT FALLS.
YOU GOT EVERYTHING FROM GUYS EXPOSING THEMSELVES IN PARKS
TO SERIAL RAPISTS.
WE GOT TO CHECK THEM ALL.
THIS GUY IS LIKE ALMOST 70 YEARS OLD.
YEAH, DOC. I KNOW HIM.
HE'S, UH, HE'S UNIQUE.
ZACH WOULD HAVE TO WALK BY HERE
EVERYDAY ON THE WAY TO SCHOOL.
DOC BAUMAN HAD A PAST OF BEING A PEDOPHILE.
HEY, DOC. INVITE US IN.
I WAS JUST GOING TO BED.
OH, YEAH? WITH WHO?
ANYBODY HERE, DOC?
JUST ME.
WHO ARE YOU LOOKING FOR?
MAYBE I'VE SEEN HIM.
HOW'D YOU KNOW IT WAS A HIM?
John: THEY CALLED HIM "DOC" BAUMAN
BECAUSE HE CLAIMED THAT HE WAS A DOCTOR.
AND THAT'S A RUSE TO BRING IN KIDS, YOU KNOW?
YOU'RE A PROFESSIONAL. YOU'RE A DOCTOR.
YOU SEE?
I'M ALL ALONE.
KEEP IT THAT WAY, DOC.
John: WE WERE ABLE TO WRITE OFF DOC BAUMAN,
FAIRLY EARLY IN THE INVESTIGATION.
HE WAS ALIBIED.
THAT IS ONE CREEPY OLD MAN.
MOLESTED BOYS SINCE THE 1940s.
THE DEPARTMENT CHECKED ALL SEX OFFENDERS
AND VIOLENT OFFENDERS AND THEY ALL HAD ALIBIS.
WHAT'S THIS?
IT'S THE LAB REPORT ON THE RUG AT ZACH'S HOUSE.
OH.
IT'S NOT BLOOD.
NO, IT ISN'T.
THERE'S NOTHING AT THE HOUSE. NO EVIDENCE OF A FIGHT.
NOTHING.
I KNOW THERE'S SOMETHING RACHEL'S NOT TELLING US.
SO DO YOU.
TUNNEL VISION SET IN.
AND THAT HAPPENS A LOT OF TIMES IN THESE TYPES OF CASES.
SOMETIMES THE SAME FACTS THAT ONE OFFICER
HAS DOESN'T MATCH WHAT ANOTHER OFFICER THINKS.
AND SO WHAT I'VE ALWAYS FOUND
IS YOU JUST STEP BACK TO THE BEGINNING
AND GO THROUGH THE BASICS.
FIND OUT WHAT ZACH DID THAT MORNING.
[ SMOOCHES ]
HAVE A GOOD DAY.
RACHEL SAID HE LEFT THE HOUSE...
...AND THAT HE WALKED DOWN THE ALLEY.
SO I WALKED THE ALLEY
TO SEE EXACTLY WHAT HE WOULD HAVE SEEN.
HEY.
HOW YOU DOING?
YOU GUYS USUALLY WALK THROUGH HERE?
Girl: YEAH, IT'S FASTER TO GET TO SCHOOL
OH.
YOU DON'T HAPPEN TO REMEMBER
A BOY NAMED ZACHARY RAMSAY, DO YOU?
THE BOY WHO WENT MISSING?
YEAH.
DID YOU HAPPEN TO SEE HIM THAT DAY?
YEAH, FOR SURE I SAW HIM.
YOU DID?
AND YOU'RE SURE IT WAS THE SAME DAY?
I -- I REMEMBER. IT WAS THE SAME DAY.
WE SAW HIM ON OUR WAY TO SCHOOL.
DID YOU HAPPEN TO SEE HIM WITH ANY BODY ELSE?
WAS HE TALKING TO SOMEBODY?
THERE WAS A POLICE MAN.
A POLICE MAN? YEAH.
HE WAS TALKING TO ZACH.
WHERE WAS THAT? WAS THAT RIGHT HERE?
NO. NEAR THE SHORTCUT.
SHORTCUT?
OKAY.
GREAT.
HEY, THANK YOU VERY MUCH. YOU GUYS BE SAFE, OKAY?
OKAY. HAVE A GOOD DAY.
SHORTCUT.
John: I HAD NO IDEA THERE WAS A SHORTCUT TO THE SCHOOL
THAT HE MAY HAVE TAKEN.
John: AFTER THE FINDING OF THE JACKET AT THE DUMPSTER,
WE WERE CONVINCED THAT WE MIGHT FINALLY HAVE A PIECE OF EVIDENCE
THAT COULD LEAD US TO WHAT HAPPENED TO ZACH.
[ CAMERA SHUTTER CLICKING ]
WE NEED TO START KNOCKING ON SOME DOORS.
YEAH.
GUYS, ROUND ME UP SOME WITNESSES.
John: I BELIEVE RACHEL HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH ZACH'S DISAPPEARANCE.
BUT SHE BELIEVED ZACH WOULD WALK THROUGH THAT FRONT DOOR SOME DAY
AND HE WOULD BE ALIVE.
JOHN?
IS THIS ZACH'S?
DOES THIS MEAN HE'S ALIVE?
GETTING CLOSER TO FINDING HIM?
ZACH WILL BE ALIVE.
WE'RE STILL LOOKING, RACHEL.
THANK YOU.
OKAY.
THANK YOU.
SO THE TWO GIRLS MENTIONED
SEEING A POLICE OFFICER IN THE ALLEY FOLLOWING ZACH.
IT LEADS YOU TO WONDER
DO WE HAVE SOMEBODY SICK ON OUR DEPARTMENT, YOU KNOW?
IS THERE A POSSIBILITY THAT SOMEBODY WITHIN
IS INVOLVED IN THIS?
HEY PALMER, HANG ON. WE NEED TO TALK.
YOU HAVE TO TAKE THE ZACH RAMSAY CASE
FURTHER THAN RACHEL.
NO, I DON'T.
I FOUND HIS JACKET.
ON TOP OF A DUMPSTER, VERY CLOSE TO WHERE HE WENT MISSING.
WHAT DO YOU MEAN, YOU FOUND IT?
I RETRACED HIS MORNING WALK TO SCHOOL.
TURNS OUT, THERE'S A SHORTCUT THAT WE NEVER NOTICED BEFORE.
I FOUND IT IN A DUMPSTER RIGHT THERE
ON THE VERY SAME ROUTE HE TAKES EVERY DAY.
HOW DID YOU MISS IT?
WELL, MAYBE WE DIDN'T MISS IT.
MAYBE SHE LEFT IT THERE AFTER WE LOOKED?
YOU'RE NOT HELPING, YOU KNOW.
ALL RIGHT, PALMER. HOW ABOUT TWO WITNESSES THEN.
I TALKED TO TWO GIRLS THAT SAW ZACH RAMSAY
ON THE WAY TO SCHOOL THE DAY HE WENT MISSING.
WELL, MAYBE THEY'RE CONFUSED.
THEY WEREN'T CONFUSED.
THEY ALSO SAID THEY SAW HIM TALKING TO A COP.
DOESN'T CHANGE THE FACT THAT RACHEL IS OUR PRIME SUSPECT.
ENOUGH WITH RACHEL, SAM.
I ESTABLISHED A TIMELINE.
THE KID WAS ON HIS WAY TO SCHOOL.
I GAVE YOU TWO WITNESSES, THE JACKET.
THERE'S NO BLOOD FOUND AT THE HOME.
WHAT ELSE DO YOU WANT?
I WAS FURIOUS.
DO WE HAVE SOMEBODY WITHIN THE DEPARTMENT DOING THIS?
THERE ARE SOME GUYS YOU MIGHT WANT TO SUSPECT.
[ FOOTSTEPS ]
John: HI.
I THOUGHT YOU WERE SLEEPING.
I WAS, BUT I GUESS I COULDN'T.
CAN'T GET RACHEL'S LITTLE ZACH OFF MY MIND.
THAT'S KIND OF WHEN
THE OBSESSIVE COMPULSIVE NATURE OF ME CAME IN.
I BECAME COMPLETELY OBSESSED.
GOING THROUGH ALL THE POSSIBILITIES
OF WHAT COULD HAVE HAPPENED TO THIS KID.
MIKE, WHO WAS WORKING THE SOUTHEAST FEBRUARY 6th?
WEEKDAY? YEAH, TUESDAY.
SULLIVAN.
I DIDN'T EVEN HAVE TO LOOK IT UP.
WOULD YOU MIND LOOKING IT UP ANYWAY?
OH, SORRY.
SULLIVAN WASN'T WORKING THAT MORNING.
THE TRUCK WAS JACKKNIFED ON THE HIGHWAY.
WE HAD EVERY PATROL ON THAT TILL ALMOST NOON.
NO ONE WAS WORKING THE BEAT ON THAT DAY.
NONE OF US WERE IN THAT AREA AT THAT TIME.
SO WE HAD NO IDEA WHO THIS PERSON WAS DRESSED IN BLUE
APPEARING TO BE A POLICE OFFICER
IN THE ALLEY WHERE ZACH DISAPPEARED.
WHAT A PERFECT RUSE.
EVERY CHILD TRUSTS A POLICEMAN.
IT'S NOT UNUSUAL
FOR A PEDOPHILE TO USE THE RUSE OF A UNIFORM.
IF IT WASN'T SULLIVAN, WHO WAS IT?
I'M GOING TO FIND OUT, I GUESS.
STAKEOUT?
YEAH, UNLESS YOU HAVE A BETTER IDEA.
AND I KNEW THAT SOMETHING WAS UP
AND THAT WE HAD A PREDATOR IN THE MIDST.
PREDATORS ARE HABITUATED.
AND THEY STICK WITH THE SAME PATTERNS.
THEREFORE, OUR JOB WAS TO STAKE OUT ZACH'S SCHOOL AND SEE
IS THERE ANYBODY WALKING AROUND THE AREA
THAT LOOKS ANYTHING LIKE A POLICEMAN?
STAKEOUTS ARE PROBABLY
THE MOST LONG, DRAWN-OUT, BORING THINGS IN THE WORLD
BECAUSE YOU'RE LOOKING FOR ONE SMALL MOMENT
IN TIME TO HAPPEN WHILE YOU HAPPEN TO BE THERE
FOR THAT EIGHT HOURS OF YOUR DAY.
I KNEW, "THAT'S OUR MAN."
I MEAN, IT WAS LIKE THAT.
[ SCHOOL BELL RINGS ]
HEY. HOW'S YOUR DAY GOING?
HEY.
JUST AWFUL ABOUT THAT MISSING BOY.
WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING HERE?
NOTHING.
WHY ARE YOU DRESSED LIKE A COP?
I DON'T KNOW.
JUST WANTED TO.
PUT YOUR HANDS UP.
PUT YOUR HANDS UP NOW!
PLACE YOUR HANDS ON YOUR HEAD.
THE MOMENT HE WAS CAUGHT AROUND THAT SCHOOL,
I KNEW THAT HE MAY HAVE KILLED ZACH RAMSAY.
I'M GOING TO SEARCH YOU NOW.
DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING IN YOUR POCKETS
THAT COULD INJURE ME.
YES, SIR.
I HAVE A STUN GUN IN MY RIGHT POCKET.
AND I HAVE PEPPER SPRAY IN THE LEFT.
WHAT'S YOUR NAME?
NATHANAEL BAR-JONAH.
NATHANAEL, WHAT ARE YOU DOING
HANGING OUT IN FRONT OF A SCHOOL?
I LIKE IT HERE.
I BET YOU DO.
WHAT THE HELL IS THIS?
IT'S A TOY,
I SWEAR.
WHY DO YOU HAVE A TOY GUN IN YOUR POCKET?
I LIKE TO DRESS UP LIKE A REAL COP.
IMPERSONATING AN OFFICER IS A VERY SERIOUS OFFENSE.
YOU AND I ARE GOING TO TAKE A TRIP TO THE STATION.
GET THIS GUY PROCESSED.
YEP.
I WOULD LIKE TO CALL MY LAWYER.
OH, YOU'VE GOT TO BE KIDDING ME.
NO, SIR.
I BELIEVE IT'S MY RIGHT.
ALL RIGHT. GET THIS GUY A PHONE.
WE HAD BAR-JONAH IN CUSTODY FOR IMPERSONATING AN OFFICER.
BUT HE LAWYERED UP AND WE COULDN'T TALK TO HIM.
John: THIS IS RIDICULOUS.
GUY'S DRESSED LIKE THAT RIGHT BY ZACH'S SCHOOL.
HE'S GOT TO BE A SUSPECT. I CAN'T EVEN TALK TO HIM?
DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING?
CRIMINAL RECORD? LICENSE? ANYTHING?
YOU'RE NOT GOING TO BELIEVE THIS.
WHAT?
HE WAS ARRESTED HERE A COUPLE YEARS AGO
FOR MOLESTING AN EIGHT-YEAR-OLD.
OH, COME ON. YOU GOT TO BE KIDDING ME?
HOW DID WE MISS HIM?
THE GUYS A MONSTER.
HEY. WHERE ARE YOU GOING?
LOOK WHO WORKED THE CASE.
YOU'RE SO ZEROED IN ON RACHEL
YOU LET THIS MONSTER SLIP RIGHT THROUGH YOUR FINGERS.
WHOA, CALM DOWN, CAMERON. HE WAS ON MY LIST.
WE LOOKED INTO HIM, HE WAS CLEAN.
LOOKED INTO HIM?
IT SAYS RIGHT HERE YOU LEFT A NOTE
FOR HIM TO CALL BACK AND THEN NOTHING.
HOW DOES THAT MAKE HIM CLEAN?
HEY, YOU'RE OUT OF LINE CAMERON.
YOU'RE OUT TO LUNCH, PALMER!
READ THE FILE.
HE NEVER CALLED BACK. NO ONE FOLLOWED UP.
I'M PULLING A WARRANT ON BAR-JONAH'S PLACE.
THE PLACE WAS A HOUSE OF HORRORS.
THE MESS. THE STENCH.
I'LL NEVER FORGET IT.
IT WAS LIKE A DUNGEON.
'CAUSE NOT ONLY WAS IT A BASEMENT
AND IT WAS DARK AND DINGY AND SMELLY.
WE WERE WALKING INTO A PLACE
THAT SOMETHING HORRIBLE HAS HAPPENED.
AND THIS MAN IS SICK.
STOP.
GET FROST DOWN HERE.
THAT'S MY SON. THAT'S MY SON.
CHIP, GET HIM OUT OF HERE. COME ON.
I'LL KILL THE SON OF A BITCH.
GET HIM OUT OF HERE. GET HIM OUT OF HERE.
WHEN FROST REALIZED THAT BAR-JONAH
HAD BEEN COLLECTING PICTURES OF HIS OWN KID,
HE JUST BECAME COMPLETELY EMOTIONALLY ENGAGED IN THE CASE.
AT THAT POINT, IT BECAME VERY PERSONAL FOR HIM.
THIS WAS A GROWN MAN KEEPING PICTURES OF CHILDREN WE KNEW.
IT WAS ALMOST AS IF IT WAS A BASEBALL CARD COLLECTION.
I SEARCHED EVERY PHOTO LOOKING FOR MY CHILDREN
AND HE DIDN'T HAVE NONE OF THEM.
THANK GOD.
PICK THIS PLACE APART.
ANY SIGN OF ZACH,
ANY SIGN OF ANY KID, I WANT IT.
[ POLICE RADIO CHATTER ]
THE MOST IMPORTANT THING TO NATHAN BAR-JONAH WAS HIS BED.
BEHIND THE BED, AS A HEADBOARD,
WAS A PIECE OF PLYWOOD.
YOU COULD SEE THAT SOMEBODY HAD DRIVEN A KNIFE
THROUGH THE SHAPE OF A 10-YEAR OLD BOY
LAID OUT ON A BOARD.
IT HAD EVERY TENDON, HAD EVERY SPOT THAT...
YOU WOULD CUT HIM UP ON.
GET THIS TO THE LAB.
WE FIND EVERY KNIFE IN THIS PLACE.
TAKE ALL OF THIS.
ALL OF IT.
[ SOBBING QUIETLY ]
I THINK EVERYBODY THAT WENT TO THAT SCENE
AND SAW ALL THOSE PICTURES THOUGHT OF THEIR OWN KIDS.
I NEVER THOUGHT THAT SOMEBODY WOULD DO WHAT HE DID.
IT WAS OVERWHELMING.
SO OVERWHELMING THAT WE REALIZED THAT WE'D NEED A U-HAUL TRUCK
AND THAT WE WOULD JUST TAKE EVERYTHING IN THERE,
BRING IT TO THE STATION
AND FIGURE OUT WHAT DO WE HAVE HERE.
WE ENDED UP FILLING AN ENTIRE ROOM IN THE POLICE DEPARTMENT.
TOOK US WEEKS TO GO THROUGH
NATHAN BAR-JONAH'S JOURNALS AND PHOTOGRAPHS.
COMING ACROSS LISTS AND STRANGELY WRITTEN WRITINGS.
AND I'LL NEVER FORGET STARING AT THEM GOING,
"WHAT IN THE HECK IS THIS?
WHAT IS ALL THIS SAYING?"
IT'S GOING TO TAKE FOREVER TO GO THROUGH ALL THIS.
THIS GUY'S A NUT JOB. HALF THE STUFF IS NONSENSE.
NAH.
BAR-JONAH IS TOO CLEVER FOR THIS TO BE NONSENSE.
AND WHAT WE FOUND WAS NATHAN WAS WRITING IN CODE.
THIS IS NOT GIBBERISH. THIS IS CODE.
WE CRACK THIS,
AND WE HAVE ALL HIS DEEPEST, DARKEST SECRETS RIGHT HERE.
PICTURE A DETECTIVE SITTING IN A ROOM
GOING THROUGH BOXES AND BOXES OF PAPER
AND FINDING THESE CODES,
AND LOOKING AT THEM GOING, "WHAT DOES THIS MEAN?
WHAT DOES THIS MEAN?"
I GET OFF WORK AT 5:00.
AND I'D WORK ON ZACH RAMSAY TILL 10:00 AT NIGHT.
I'D WAKE UP AT 1:00 IN THE MORNING,
AND I'D WORK ON ZACH RAMSAY TILL 4:00 IN THE MORNING.
NOW HE WAS JUST 24/7.
BUT NO MATTER HOW MUCH WE SEARCHED,
WE HADN'T FOUND ANYTHING ON ZACH.
I THINK I GOT IT.
SKIP A LETTER.
LOOK.
N - A - T - H -
A - N - A - E - L.
I BET HIS WHOLE NAME IS IN THERE.
BENJAMIN LEVI BAR-JONAH
LOOK AT THIS.
D - A - V - I - D.
P - A - U - L...
THEY'RE ALL NAMES.
BOYS' NAMES.
WHO KNOWS HOW MANY HE MOLESTED IN GREAT FALLS.
BUT IT WOULD BE WELL OVER 100, I'M SURE.
WE GOT TO GO THROUGH ALL OF THESE.
EVERY LAST ONE.
ZACH'S IN HERE, SOMEWHERE.
John: ONCE WE CRACKED THAT CODE,
WE REALIZED THAT IT HAD A VERY DELIBERATE MEANING.
NATHAN'S IDENTIFICATION, HIS NAME,
HOW HE GROOMED CHILDREN.
AND THEN WHAT HE DID TO THEM.
HE WAS ABLE TO WRITE THAT DOWN,
RELIVE IT ON A DAILY BASIS
KNOWING THAT THE COPS WOULD NEVER FIGURE IT OUT.
BUT WE DID.
I FOUND HIM.
ZACHARY RAMSAY.
KEEP READING.
AND AT THE VERY END OF THAT LIST WAS THE NAME ZACH RAMSAY.
AND RIGHT AFTER IT, IT SAID "DIED."
AND THAT REALLY WAS HOW WE KNEW NATHAN KILLED ZACH.
I'LL NEVER FORGET THE DAY
WE LOOKED AT EACH OTHER AND SAID, "OH, MY GOD."
[ SOBS ]
WE CRACKED YOUR CODE.
WE HAVE YOUR KNIVES. THE BOARD BEHIND YOUR BED.
IT'S OVER. WE GOT YOU.
WHERE'S ZACH'S BODY?
WHAT DID YOU DO WITH ZACH'S BODY?
YOU KNOW...
EVERYONE THINKS YOU'RE CRAZY.
BUT I DON'T.
I KNOW EXACTLY WHAT I'M DOING.
I SAT DOWN WITH HIM AND JUST ASKED HIM,
"WILL YOU PLEASE TELL WHAT HAPPENED TO ZACH?"
AND HE ACTUALLY SAID HE WOULD.
BUT OF COURSE, HE DIDN'T BECAUSE THAT WAS JUST HIS MIND-SET OF
"HA HA HA,
YOU'RE NEVER GOING TO KNOW"...
...KNOWING THAT WE WERE NEVER GOING TO FIND ZACH.
WE WERE GOING TO TRIAL
WITH A NO-BODY PROSECUTION,
WHICH IS ONE OF THE HARDEST THINGS TO DO
BECAUSE IF YOU DON'T HAVE A BODY, YOU DON'T HAVE A MURDER.
I IMMEDIATELY GOT A HOLD OF RACHEL.
RACHEL, WE KNOW WHO KIDNAPPED YOUR SON.
HIS NAME IS NATHANAEL BAR-JONAH.
HE ACTUALLY GOES TO YOUR CHURCH.
WE NEEDED HER SUPPORT TO PROVE THAT NATHAN DID THIS.
IS ZACH OKAY?
I WANT TO SEE HIM.
WE, UM...
WE HAVEN'T FOUND ZACH.
SO HOW DO YOU KNOW THIS BAR-JONAH DID IT?
DID HE CONFESS?
NO. NO.
BUT WE HAVE A TON OF EVIDENCE SHOWING THAT HE DID IT.
SO -- SO WHERE IS ZACH THEN?
WE, UM...
WE DON'T THINK WE'RE EVER GOING TO FIND ZACH'S BODY, RACHEL.
[ CRIES ]
I NEED YOU TO LOOK.
NO...
[ SOBS ]
NOW WE JUST NEED YOU TO TAKE THE STAND
SO WE CAN CONVICT THIS GUY.
[ Sobbing ] ZACH'S NOT DEAD.
MY BABY'S NOT DEAD.
RACHEL, LISTEN TO ME.
IF YOU DON'T TESTIFY THAT ZACH IS DEAD,
WE DON'T HAVE A CASE.
GET OUT.
FIND MY SON.
GET OUT!
WE DESTROYED THE CASE.
THERE WAS NO WHERE TO GO. NOTHING MORE TO DO.
AND SO WE HAD TO DISMISS THE CASE THE DAY BEFORE TRIAL.
AND IT WAS A BLOW.
AND I JUST COULDN'T REALLY GRASP THAT ALL THAT WORK
BASICALLY WENT DOWN THE TUBES.
IT WOULD HAVE BEEN REALLY NICE TO GET HIM ON ZACH
AND TO FIND ZACH'S BODY.
BUT IN THE END, THE REAL CONCENTRATION WAS
"LET'S MAKE SURE THIS MONSTER NEVER GETS OUT AGAIN."
SO WE SPENT MONTHS WORKING ON BAR-JONAH'S CODES.
AND IN THE END, THEY BASICALLY REVEALED
WHAT HE HAD DONE TO ZACH RAMSAY.
HE BUTCHERED HIM.
AND HE THREW THE REMAINS AWAY.
AND THE EVIDENCE WAS THERE, INSIDE THE CODES.
THAT LEAD US TO MORE VICTIMS.
TWO LITTLE BOYS THAT LIVED ABOVE HIM.
ALL THOUGH WE WEREN'T ABLE TO PUT HIM AWAY FOR ZACH,
WE WERE ABLE TO PUT HIM AWAY FOR THE OTHER MOLESTATIONS
AND GAVE HIM 130-YEAR SENTENCE.
SO HE WENT AWAY FOR LIFE, BASICALLY.
John: HELLO?
GUYS?
HELLO.
IT REALLY BROUGHT ME DOWN
AND DESTROYED MY MARRIAGE IN THE END.
IT CAUSED HORRIBLE PAIN.
I WENT DOWN ALCOHOL,
DRUGS...
EVERYTHING...
TRYING TO NUMB IT.
[ SNIFFLES ]
THE ONLY GOOD THING THAT DID COME FROM THIS
WAS THAT NATHAN DIED IN PRISON A MISERABLE MAN.
AND SO HE LOST IN THE END.
AND HE DIDN'T HURT ANYBODY ELSE.
I KNOW EXACTLY WHAT I'M DOING.
LOOKING BACK, IF MY KID DISAPPEARED,
AND THE POLICE WERE NEVER ABLE TO PRODUCE ANY PHYSICAL EVIDENCE
THAT HE WAS DEAD,
I WOULD WANT TO KEEP THE FAITH
THAT SOME DAY HE'S GOING TO WALK THROUGH THAT DOOR
BECAUSE ACTUALLY RESIGNING TO WHAT REALLY HAPPENED
IS HORRIBLE.