1 00:00:07,448 --> 00:00:08,000 [music playing] 2 00:00:14,551 --> 00:00:15,965 [owl hoots] 3 00:00:18,620 --> 00:00:20,620 LT. KENDA: On this particular evening, 4 00:00:20,724 --> 00:00:23,517 Ronald Jacobs is ridingaround through the back woods 5 00:00:23,620 --> 00:00:24,551 of northern Vermont. 6 00:00:26,034 --> 00:00:27,137 It's bitterly cold. 7 00:00:29,586 --> 00:00:32,172 And he can't find his friend, Melissa Jenkins. 8 00:00:32,275 --> 00:00:33,103 Come on. Pick up. 9 00:00:33,206 --> 00:00:33,896 Pick up. 10 00:00:34,000 --> 00:00:34,862 Pick up. 11 00:00:34,965 --> 00:00:35,793 [phone ringing] 12 00:00:35,896 --> 00:00:38,724 He knows she's out here somewhere. 13 00:00:38,827 --> 00:00:40,517 She isn't answering her cell phone. 14 00:00:40,620 --> 00:00:42,758 This is very unlike her. 15 00:00:42,862 --> 00:00:45,137 And he's becoming very, very frightened. 16 00:00:45,241 --> 00:00:46,586 [dramatic music] 17 00:00:51,655 --> 00:00:55,000 And eventually, he runs into his friend's car 18 00:00:55,103 --> 00:00:56,034 parked on the side of the road. 19 00:00:58,000 --> 00:00:59,689 Melissa, everything OK? 20 00:00:59,793 --> 00:01:07,413 [low, suspenseful music] 21 00:01:07,517 --> 00:01:09,896 LT. KENDA: Melissa Jenkins is not in her car. 22 00:01:10,000 --> 00:01:11,068 Where could she be? 23 00:01:13,551 --> 00:01:16,344 Oh, my god, Tim. 24 00:01:16,448 --> 00:01:17,551 HANNAH MCDONALD: The engine is on. 25 00:01:17,655 --> 00:01:20,103 And Melisa's two-year-old son is in the backseat. 26 00:01:20,206 --> 00:01:22,379 This little boy is her world. 27 00:01:22,482 --> 00:01:24,413 Why would she not be with him? 28 00:01:26,448 --> 00:01:27,517 Melissa! 29 00:01:27,620 --> 00:01:28,310 Melissa! 30 00:01:32,000 --> 00:01:32,689 Melissa! 31 00:01:34,758 --> 00:01:35,620 LT. KENDA: Something's wrong. 32 00:01:35,724 --> 00:01:37,137 Something's very wrong. 33 00:01:37,241 --> 00:01:38,103 [owl calls] 34 00:01:38,206 --> 00:01:38,896 RONALD: Melissa! 35 00:01:39,793 --> 00:01:40,482 Melissa! 36 00:01:44,000 --> 00:01:47,310 [clock ticks] 37 00:01:47,413 --> 00:01:49,620 LT. KENDA: I spent my career closing murder cases. 38 00:01:49,724 --> 00:01:51,724 [theme music] 39 00:01:51,827 --> 00:01:53,931 But I'm not the only one who answered the call. 40 00:01:57,068 --> 00:02:01,482 It takes a rare breed to solve the unsolvable, 41 00:02:01,586 --> 00:02:06,137 to catch a ruthless killer, to find justice for the dead. 42 00:02:08,310 --> 00:02:13,241 That's what it takes to be an "American Detective." 43 00:02:14,758 --> 00:02:17,000 [music playing] 44 00:02:19,172 --> 00:02:20,448 CAPT. CUSHING: My name is Robert Cushing. 45 00:02:20,551 --> 00:02:23,482 I'm a captain with the Vermont State Police. 46 00:02:23,586 --> 00:02:26,103 Back in 2012, I was the supervisor for the Bureau 47 00:02:26,206 --> 00:02:27,448 of Criminal Investigations. 48 00:02:27,551 --> 00:02:29,896 I was a lieutenant-- field lieutenant-- in plainclothes. 49 00:02:30,000 --> 00:02:32,793 [phone rings] 50 00:02:32,896 --> 00:02:36,689 I was at home asleep when I received a phone call. 51 00:02:36,793 --> 00:02:39,103 What they had told me caught my attention enough so 52 00:02:39,206 --> 00:02:40,344 that I got up and went to work. 53 00:02:42,862 --> 00:02:44,965 But I never thought that a call like this 54 00:02:45,068 --> 00:02:48,655 on that particular night would turn into what it became. 55 00:02:48,758 --> 00:02:51,620 [suspenseful music] 56 00:03:00,206 --> 00:03:01,655 [INDISTINCT VOICES ON POLICE RADIO] 57 00:03:01,758 --> 00:03:03,620 [siren] 58 00:03:12,758 --> 00:03:14,758 Goss Hollow Road is a dirt road. 59 00:03:14,862 --> 00:03:17,896 In this particular location, there was nothing around. 60 00:03:18,000 --> 00:03:19,827 [INDISTINCT VOICES ON POLICE 61 00:03:19,931 --> 00:03:22,758 RADIO] 62 00:03:22,862 --> 00:03:24,310 How's the kid doing? 63 00:03:24,413 --> 00:03:27,034 He's in the care of a relative right now. 64 00:03:27,137 --> 00:03:28,586 CDR. SINCLAIR: When I got the initial call, 65 00:03:28,689 --> 00:03:31,000 the only thing we really knew was the car 66 00:03:31,103 --> 00:03:32,793 was registered to Melissa Jenkins. 67 00:03:32,896 --> 00:03:34,379 I knew who she was. 68 00:03:34,482 --> 00:03:39,034 And to hear that her child was left alone in the car just 69 00:03:39,137 --> 00:03:40,068 didn't make any sense. 70 00:03:40,172 --> 00:03:42,000 [siren] 71 00:03:43,620 --> 00:03:46,000 Melissa Jenkins was a household name in Saint Johnsbury. 72 00:03:49,034 --> 00:03:52,137 She was a very sweet woman, grew up on a farm, 73 00:03:52,241 --> 00:03:54,620 certainly knew what it was to put in a hard day's work. 74 00:03:54,724 --> 00:03:57,655 She was a single mother working as a beloved teacher 75 00:03:57,758 --> 00:03:59,103 at Saint Johnsbury Academy. 76 00:03:59,206 --> 00:04:00,655 Melissa was my physics teacher. 77 00:04:00,758 --> 00:04:04,379 She was really just a verykind, loving, warm person. 78 00:04:06,965 --> 00:04:08,724 She was also a great mother. 79 00:04:08,827 --> 00:04:10,482 I remember there were a few times where 80 00:04:10,586 --> 00:04:12,655 she didn't come to class because her son was sick 81 00:04:12,758 --> 00:04:14,344 or he needed her. 82 00:04:14,448 --> 00:04:15,965 I had got to see him a few times. 83 00:04:16,068 --> 00:04:18,137 And he was such a cute little boy. 84 00:04:18,241 --> 00:04:19,310 CAPT. CUSHING: She also waitressed 85 00:04:19,413 --> 00:04:20,896 at a local restaurant. 86 00:04:21,000 --> 00:04:22,517 And my wife and I had been to that restaurant, 87 00:04:22,620 --> 00:04:24,793 and we had seen her in there waiting tables. 88 00:04:26,862 --> 00:04:29,172 LT. KENDA: Cushing was facedwith something every homicide 89 00:04:29,275 --> 00:04:31,206 detective faces, including me. 90 00:04:31,310 --> 00:04:34,310 The likelihood is great that someone he knows 91 00:04:34,413 --> 00:04:35,896 is the victim of a violent crime. 92 00:04:37,758 --> 00:04:39,689 It is extremely disturbing. 93 00:04:39,793 --> 00:04:41,896 But you have to do what you're meant to do-- 94 00:04:42,000 --> 00:04:43,103 get to the bottom of this. 95 00:04:44,586 --> 00:04:46,000 CAPT. CUSHING: Time is of the essence. 96 00:04:46,103 --> 00:04:48,586 We didn't know exactly what had occurred. 97 00:04:48,689 --> 00:04:49,896 Is she close by? 98 00:04:50,000 --> 00:04:51,241 Is she far away? 99 00:04:51,344 --> 00:04:54,000 I mean, we didn't know at the time. 100 00:04:54,103 --> 00:04:55,862 [discordant notes] 101 00:04:55,965 --> 00:04:58,344 In the vehicle was a smashed cell phone. 102 00:04:58,448 --> 00:05:01,310 I didn't know what to make of that at that point. 103 00:05:01,413 --> 00:05:03,689 But our department will process those phones. 104 00:05:03,793 --> 00:05:06,000 They will retrieve whatever information we can. 105 00:05:07,379 --> 00:05:09,551 CDR. SINCLAIR: Lieutenant, have a look at this. 106 00:05:11,551 --> 00:05:16,689 [suspenseful music] 107 00:05:16,793 --> 00:05:18,068 There was a shoe found at the scene. 108 00:05:22,103 --> 00:05:24,310 And also, next to the front of the car, 109 00:05:24,413 --> 00:05:27,896 there was a black ball capsitting on the ground, which 110 00:05:28,000 --> 00:05:29,275 certainly was out of place. 111 00:05:29,379 --> 00:05:32,448 There has been a physical confrontation between someone 112 00:05:32,551 --> 00:05:33,827 in front of this car. 113 00:05:33,931 --> 00:05:37,000 Whoever grabbed Melissa Jenkins lost his cap in the process. 114 00:05:38,931 --> 00:05:40,103 CAPT. CUSHING: In front of the vehicle, 115 00:05:40,206 --> 00:05:41,758 there was what appeared to be some sort 116 00:05:41,862 --> 00:05:44,241 of foot tracks or foot marks. 117 00:05:45,931 --> 00:05:47,758 CDR. SINCLAIR: We also found some tire prints 118 00:05:47,862 --> 00:05:49,724 that were in the dirt that indicated 119 00:05:49,827 --> 00:05:51,931 to me that another vehicle had accelerated 120 00:05:52,034 --> 00:05:53,172 quickly away from the scene. 121 00:05:53,275 --> 00:05:55,103 [suspenseful music] 122 00:05:55,206 --> 00:05:57,034 [INDISTINCT VOICES ON POLICE 123 00:05:57,137 --> 00:05:58,965 RADIO] 124 00:05:59,068 --> 00:06:01,034 LT. KENDA: Cushing feels it in his gut. 125 00:06:01,137 --> 00:06:04,482 This is going south very, very quickly. 126 00:06:04,586 --> 00:06:07,172 Somebody found her and took her. 127 00:06:13,310 --> 00:06:16,103 CAPT. CUSHING: So we're gonna have to ramp it up. 128 00:06:16,206 --> 00:06:18,586 Now we're basically flooding this with detectives 129 00:06:18,689 --> 00:06:21,310 and outside resources in order to find her 130 00:06:21,413 --> 00:06:22,689 as quickly as we possibly can. 131 00:06:25,517 --> 00:06:29,655 DET. NALLY: Bob Cushing isvery diligent on case direction 132 00:06:29,758 --> 00:06:32,448 and what needed to be done and how things 133 00:06:32,551 --> 00:06:34,000 needed to be prioritized. 134 00:06:38,310 --> 00:06:41,310 CDR. SINCLAIR: At that point, we begin interviewing everybody 135 00:06:41,413 --> 00:06:43,310 that becomes present in the case, 136 00:06:43,413 --> 00:06:45,758 including Melissa's friend who found the car abandoned 137 00:06:45,862 --> 00:06:48,000 with the child inside. 138 00:06:48,103 --> 00:06:50,275 CAPT. CUSHING: He told me, Melissa made a phone call 139 00:06:50,379 --> 00:06:53,137 to Ronald, advising him of the fact 140 00:06:53,241 --> 00:06:54,448 that she was going to go out and assist 141 00:06:54,551 --> 00:06:56,689 a person having car trouble. 142 00:06:56,793 --> 00:06:59,068 LT. KENDA: When Ronald Jacobs got that call, 143 00:06:59,172 --> 00:07:02,586 he felt as if there was something amiss in her voice. 144 00:07:02,689 --> 00:07:05,379 Did she say anything about who she was going to help? 145 00:07:05,482 --> 00:07:06,172 No. 146 00:07:09,344 --> 00:07:10,448 CAPT. CUSHING: At this time, we need 147 00:07:10,551 --> 00:07:13,206 to figure out who had contacted Melissa 148 00:07:13,310 --> 00:07:14,103 on this particular night. 149 00:07:15,862 --> 00:07:17,724 LT. KENDA: Cushing's people have conducted 150 00:07:17,827 --> 00:07:21,931 a search within a half a mile of the car in total darkness. 151 00:07:22,034 --> 00:07:23,586 But they find no further evidence. 152 00:07:23,689 --> 00:07:27,448 So it's time to end it for now and refocus 153 00:07:27,551 --> 00:07:29,172 the investigation as to what steps 154 00:07:29,275 --> 00:07:30,310 are going to be taken next. 155 00:07:39,206 --> 00:07:41,034 [birds calling] 156 00:07:45,517 --> 00:07:47,862 [music playing] 157 00:07:49,965 --> 00:07:51,586 CAPT. CUSHING: So early in the morning, 158 00:07:51,689 --> 00:07:53,482 we knew that one of the people that we needed to interview 159 00:07:53,586 --> 00:07:55,896 was Tim, Melissa's son. 160 00:07:58,379 --> 00:08:00,655 The child had been released from the crime scene 161 00:08:00,758 --> 00:08:03,586 to a family friend who brought the child to the barracks 162 00:08:03,689 --> 00:08:05,000 to do this interview. 163 00:08:05,103 --> 00:08:06,586 But interviewing a child-- 164 00:08:06,689 --> 00:08:09,862 it's extremely difficult. So we called 165 00:08:09,965 --> 00:08:12,379 in an investigator that specialized 166 00:08:12,482 --> 00:08:14,448 in child interviews. 167 00:08:14,551 --> 00:08:18,310 Tim, do you think you can tell me about being in the car 168 00:08:18,413 --> 00:08:19,758 with your mommy last night? 169 00:08:27,068 --> 00:08:29,413 Do you know how many people she left with? 170 00:08:36,172 --> 00:08:38,551 And what happened to your mommy? 171 00:08:47,103 --> 00:08:50,551 Everyone in that room just stares at this child. 172 00:08:50,655 --> 00:08:54,517 He's describing two people attacking his mother. 173 00:08:54,620 --> 00:08:56,379 Now we just don't have one suspect. 174 00:08:56,482 --> 00:08:57,413 We have two. 175 00:09:04,758 --> 00:09:05,827 CAPT. CUSHING: It was at this point 176 00:09:05,931 --> 00:09:08,206 that we knew for sure this was a kidnapping 177 00:09:08,310 --> 00:09:09,724 and that she was taken against her will. 178 00:09:15,103 --> 00:09:18,103 LT. KENDA: Cushing's worst fears have been confirmed. 179 00:09:18,206 --> 00:09:20,413 Time is now everything. 180 00:09:20,517 --> 00:09:22,344 [sirens] 181 00:09:22,448 --> 00:09:24,758 CDR. SINCLAIR: And so we immediately amass a very large 182 00:09:24,862 --> 00:09:26,793 team of detectives and investigators 183 00:09:26,896 --> 00:09:30,310 to cover every possible facet that we can think of. 184 00:09:30,413 --> 00:09:31,862 CAPT. CUSHING: And obviously, family 185 00:09:31,965 --> 00:09:33,172 is going to be one of those targets 186 00:09:33,275 --> 00:09:37,413 that you look to for guidance on this investigation. 187 00:09:37,517 --> 00:09:41,344 They contact John Jenkins, who is Melissa's brother. 188 00:09:41,448 --> 00:09:43,137 And they ask him to come to the station 189 00:09:43,241 --> 00:09:46,206 so they can brief him about the disappearance of his sister. 190 00:09:48,241 --> 00:09:50,620 We begin asking, when was the last time you saw Melissa? 191 00:09:50,724 --> 00:09:51,793 How was she? 192 00:09:51,896 --> 00:09:53,758 Has she been threatened by someone? 193 00:09:53,862 --> 00:09:55,931 Has she ever expressed any concern over something 194 00:09:56,034 --> 00:09:57,586 that happened at work-- anything that 195 00:09:57,689 --> 00:10:01,482 might give you an idea on who might be involved in this? 196 00:10:01,586 --> 00:10:03,034 I just saw her a couple nights ago. 197 00:10:05,241 --> 00:10:07,206 DET. NALLY: He said everything appeared to be normal, 198 00:10:07,310 --> 00:10:10,241 and she was in a good place in her life. 199 00:10:10,344 --> 00:10:14,793 And there was nothing that stood out to be evil or bad. 200 00:10:14,896 --> 00:10:17,724 What about any past relationships-- 201 00:10:17,827 --> 00:10:18,620 any trouble there? 202 00:10:20,137 --> 00:10:22,068 Well, there was this guy named Ronald 203 00:10:22,172 --> 00:10:26,379 Jacobs, who she used to date. 204 00:10:26,482 --> 00:10:28,551 Ronald Jacobs is the person who found 205 00:10:28,655 --> 00:10:30,344 that car on the road with her two-year-old 206 00:10:30,448 --> 00:10:33,413 son in it and called 911. 207 00:10:33,517 --> 00:10:35,413 Was it a serious relationship? 208 00:10:35,517 --> 00:10:36,586 Ronald wanted it to be. 209 00:10:38,034 --> 00:10:39,448 But Melissa wasn't interested. 210 00:10:39,551 --> 00:10:41,413 I mean, she just liked him as a friend. 211 00:10:41,517 --> 00:10:42,793 But that was all. 212 00:10:42,896 --> 00:10:45,137 LT. KENDA: Now, as an experienced homicide detective, 213 00:10:45,241 --> 00:10:46,827 that's going to pop a red flag. 214 00:10:46,931 --> 00:10:49,034 You want something you don't have. 215 00:10:49,137 --> 00:10:50,448 What are you willing to do to get it? 216 00:10:50,551 --> 00:10:52,275 [anxious music] 217 00:10:55,137 --> 00:10:57,310 So we ran Ronald Jacobs' background. 218 00:11:04,068 --> 00:11:05,551 And one of the crimes that he had been 219 00:11:05,655 --> 00:11:08,724 charged with in the past was false information 220 00:11:08,827 --> 00:11:10,206 to a police officer. 221 00:11:10,310 --> 00:11:12,517 [discordant music] 222 00:11:15,448 --> 00:11:17,068 LT. KENDA: Now, that's distressing. 223 00:11:17,172 --> 00:11:20,000 Jacobs tells the police that he discovered this crime. 224 00:11:22,586 --> 00:11:24,103 What if he's lying about that? 225 00:11:24,206 --> 00:11:26,655 What if he is the crime, because he could be? 226 00:11:26,758 --> 00:11:28,137 He's in love. 227 00:11:28,241 --> 00:11:30,413 Maybe he didn't get loved back. 228 00:11:40,517 --> 00:11:42,413 At this point, everybody has heard 229 00:11:42,517 --> 00:11:44,482 Melissa Jenkins is missing. 230 00:11:44,586 --> 00:11:45,931 People were concerned. 231 00:11:46,034 --> 00:11:47,137 CDR. SINCLAIR: In a small community, 232 00:11:47,241 --> 00:11:48,310 that's on everybody's mind. 233 00:11:48,413 --> 00:11:49,931 People are talking about it everywhere. 234 00:11:50,034 --> 00:11:52,551 And people are very stressed out. 235 00:11:52,655 --> 00:11:53,586 And you can really feel it. 236 00:11:56,827 --> 00:11:59,068 Now, the police are focusing their attention 237 00:11:59,172 --> 00:12:01,931 on Ronald Jacobs, who is the ex-boyfriend 238 00:12:02,034 --> 00:12:02,724 of Melissa Jenkins. 239 00:12:04,793 --> 00:12:06,793 CAPT. CUSHING: We knew thatwe needed to interview Ronald 240 00:12:06,896 --> 00:12:10,000 a second time, because we haddetermined that in the past 241 00:12:10,103 --> 00:12:12,241 he had been charged with givingfalse information to a police 242 00:12:12,344 --> 00:12:13,413 officer. 243 00:12:13,517 --> 00:12:14,655 So we don't know. 244 00:12:14,758 --> 00:12:16,758 He may or may not be the person that abducted her. 245 00:12:19,344 --> 00:12:20,379 Well, yeah, we dated. 246 00:12:21,827 --> 00:12:24,758 But she didn't want to get serious. 247 00:12:24,862 --> 00:12:26,310 And I was OK with that. 248 00:12:26,413 --> 00:12:27,724 LT. KENDA: Jacobs went on to explain 249 00:12:27,827 --> 00:12:31,551 that the father of the child was not involved in her life. 250 00:12:31,655 --> 00:12:34,586 And Jacobs became a person that she could confide in, 251 00:12:34,689 --> 00:12:36,068 someone to be an anchor point. 252 00:12:36,172 --> 00:12:39,379 And she saw Mr. Jacobs as at least that. 253 00:12:39,482 --> 00:12:41,793 So when Melissa gets this strange call 254 00:12:41,896 --> 00:12:44,241 about helping someone with a flat tire, 255 00:12:44,344 --> 00:12:47,034 he was someone that she thought of. 256 00:12:47,137 --> 00:12:48,344 We just need to make sure that you're 257 00:12:48,448 --> 00:12:49,931 not part of her disappearance. 258 00:12:50,034 --> 00:12:52,551 Listen, whatever you need to do, do it. 259 00:12:52,655 --> 00:12:55,448 All right, get the boots. 260 00:12:55,551 --> 00:12:58,310 Ronald gave us bootsthat he had been wearing, 261 00:12:58,413 --> 00:13:01,655 which show that the boot tracks in the dirt 262 00:13:01,758 --> 00:13:02,931 were not the same as his. 263 00:13:07,275 --> 00:13:09,793 CDR. SINCLAIR: We were able to find evidence of the calls 264 00:13:09,896 --> 00:13:12,172 that he had told us in the beginning. 265 00:13:12,275 --> 00:13:14,724 And so we knew he was telling the truth. 266 00:13:14,827 --> 00:13:17,137 All right, thank you, Ronald. 267 00:13:17,241 --> 00:13:18,482 CAPT. CUSHING: It was very apparent 268 00:13:18,586 --> 00:13:21,172 and obvious that Ronald had nothing to do with this case 269 00:13:21,275 --> 00:13:22,586 at all. 270 00:13:22,689 --> 00:13:25,034 He was just trying to find his friend and help the police out. 271 00:13:25,137 --> 00:13:26,689 LT. KENDA: With Ronald out of the picture, 272 00:13:26,793 --> 00:13:28,413 detectives look elsewhere. 273 00:13:28,517 --> 00:13:31,413 Although he's absent from the child's life, 274 00:13:31,517 --> 00:13:34,068 they shift their focus to the father. 275 00:13:34,172 --> 00:13:36,965 CAPT. CUSHING: So the biological father, Bruce Roberts, 276 00:13:37,068 --> 00:13:38,758 came to meet with us. 277 00:13:38,862 --> 00:13:43,172 DET. NALLY: We always speak withcurrent spouses or ex-spouses 278 00:13:43,275 --> 00:13:47,275 to see if they arepotentially a suspect or not. 279 00:13:48,793 --> 00:13:50,758 LT. KENDA: He is the father of their child. 280 00:13:50,862 --> 00:13:53,206 What if there is something going on between Melissa 281 00:13:53,310 --> 00:13:56,034 and he regarding visitation for this child? 282 00:13:56,137 --> 00:13:57,517 You have to inquire. 283 00:13:57,620 --> 00:13:59,344 We're gonna have to ask you your whereabouts 284 00:13:59,448 --> 00:14:01,310 the night that this occurred. 285 00:14:01,413 --> 00:14:04,655 In any crime, particularly in homicide, you need opportunity. 286 00:14:04,758 --> 00:14:08,275 Could you physically have been able to commit this crime? 287 00:14:08,379 --> 00:14:09,586 I was at work down in Burlington. 288 00:14:09,689 --> 00:14:10,379 It's where I live. 289 00:14:12,000 --> 00:14:14,068 And you have people that can vouch for that? 290 00:14:14,172 --> 00:14:14,862 Yeah. 291 00:14:17,275 --> 00:14:20,275 Mr. Roberts has the best alibi in the world-- 292 00:14:20,379 --> 00:14:23,620 80 miles away, in front of a number of people at the time 293 00:14:23,724 --> 00:14:24,448 the incident happened. 294 00:14:24,551 --> 00:14:25,310 He's not involved. 295 00:14:26,724 --> 00:14:28,689 Mr. Roberts is out. 296 00:14:28,793 --> 00:14:31,206 But Cushing is doing exactly what you 297 00:14:31,310 --> 00:14:33,517 do in a criminal investigation. 298 00:14:33,620 --> 00:14:37,724 You march through the known associates of the victim. 299 00:14:37,827 --> 00:14:40,793 Somebody in that circle is most likely involved. 300 00:14:40,896 --> 00:14:42,862 They just don't know who it is, at least not yet. 301 00:14:46,379 --> 00:14:48,068 So Melissa lived just down the street 302 00:14:48,172 --> 00:14:49,344 from where her vehicle was located. 303 00:14:53,000 --> 00:14:55,413 Generally, crimes such as this do start 304 00:14:55,517 --> 00:14:57,931 and/or occur in a residence. 305 00:15:00,448 --> 00:15:02,655 So we're going to look for any signs of foul play-- 306 00:15:02,758 --> 00:15:04,931 forced entry, all of those sorts of things. 307 00:15:06,862 --> 00:15:08,241 LT. KENDA: Nothing seems out of place. 308 00:15:08,344 --> 00:15:09,586 There's no evidence of a struggle. 309 00:15:09,689 --> 00:15:11,000 Nothing is disturbed. 310 00:15:12,965 --> 00:15:17,448 But they continue to look for documents, love letters, phone 311 00:15:17,551 --> 00:15:19,413 numbers, anything that may connect 312 00:15:19,517 --> 00:15:21,551 Melissa Jenkins to a person. 313 00:15:21,655 --> 00:15:22,655 Hey, detective. 314 00:15:22,758 --> 00:15:23,758 LT. KENDA: When they're searching, 315 00:15:23,862 --> 00:15:25,551 they find a bunch of papers. 316 00:15:25,655 --> 00:15:26,965 But one thing unusual-- 317 00:15:27,068 --> 00:15:28,000 there's a business card. 318 00:15:29,758 --> 00:15:32,172 CAPT. CUSHING: The business card was for Allen and Patricia 319 00:15:32,275 --> 00:15:35,137 Prue, who lived in Waterford, Vermont, for a plowing business 320 00:15:35,241 --> 00:15:35,965 that he had. 321 00:15:36,068 --> 00:15:37,965 It didn't register with anyone. 322 00:15:38,068 --> 00:15:40,172 LT. KENDA: They take the card along with the other papers. 323 00:15:40,275 --> 00:15:41,862 And they may be meaningless. 324 00:15:41,965 --> 00:15:44,586 There's an old expression in homicide investigation. 325 00:15:44,689 --> 00:15:47,482 Everything's in until it's absolutely out. 326 00:15:47,586 --> 00:15:48,793 [chaos of reporters' voices] 327 00:15:48,896 --> 00:15:50,758 So now, Detective Lieutenant Cushing 328 00:15:50,862 --> 00:15:54,103 decides it's time to ask for the public's assistance. 329 00:15:54,206 --> 00:15:56,379 Detectives are interested in speaking with anyone who 330 00:15:56,482 --> 00:15:59,448 may have information regarding the disappearance 331 00:15:59,551 --> 00:16:01,172 of Melissa Jenkins. 332 00:16:01,275 --> 00:16:03,413 CAPT. CUSHING: The hope was to ensure to the public 333 00:16:03,517 --> 00:16:05,000 that we were working on this investigation 334 00:16:05,103 --> 00:16:07,137 in a diligent and quick manner. 335 00:16:07,241 --> 00:16:11,517 Because Melissa was such a popular person in the area, 336 00:16:11,620 --> 00:16:13,551 it just heightened everybody's awareness. 337 00:16:13,655 --> 00:16:16,206 And people were more concerned with the fact 338 00:16:16,310 --> 00:16:19,965 that this young schoolteacher was missing. 339 00:16:20,068 --> 00:16:21,896 EMMA LAPLAN: Prior to Melissa's disappearance, 340 00:16:22,000 --> 00:16:24,896 I truly don't remember anything rocking 341 00:16:25,000 --> 00:16:26,413 the community like this did. 342 00:16:26,517 --> 00:16:27,586 Listen up. 343 00:16:27,689 --> 00:16:28,724 CDR. SINCLAIR: During these investigations, 344 00:16:28,827 --> 00:16:31,620 we would have periodic updates and briefings 345 00:16:31,724 --> 00:16:34,448 where one detective would talk about what information 346 00:16:34,551 --> 00:16:35,482 they had learned. 347 00:16:35,586 --> 00:16:36,965 Everybody in the room gets to hear it. 348 00:16:37,068 --> 00:16:38,482 How are we doing with Melissa's cell phone? 349 00:16:38,586 --> 00:16:40,275 They said they hopefully have something 350 00:16:40,379 --> 00:16:42,620 within the next 24 hours. 351 00:16:42,724 --> 00:16:45,068 All right, I think we gotta change our thinking here. 352 00:16:45,172 --> 00:16:47,758 At this point, we gotta start considering 353 00:16:47,862 --> 00:16:48,551 the worst case scenario. 354 00:16:51,034 --> 00:16:52,275 CAPT. CUSHING: There comes a point where 355 00:16:52,379 --> 00:16:53,482 you know you're actually going to be 356 00:16:53,586 --> 00:16:54,517 looking for somebody deceased. 357 00:16:56,482 --> 00:16:57,413 LT. KENDA: Cushing is a realist. 358 00:16:59,275 --> 00:17:02,413 He tells his people, search all places where one 359 00:17:02,517 --> 00:17:04,896 would conceal or dump a body. 360 00:17:05,000 --> 00:17:06,827 [melancholy music] 361 00:17:09,344 --> 00:17:12,068 DET. NALLY: We started checking pull-offs alongside the road, 362 00:17:12,172 --> 00:17:15,241 checking rest areas, checking rural areas 363 00:17:15,344 --> 00:17:18,551 that you could get a vehicle to and quickly dump a body. 364 00:17:21,965 --> 00:17:23,206 LT. KENDA: A few of the officers were 365 00:17:23,310 --> 00:17:25,275 aware of a boat launch open to the public, 366 00:17:25,379 --> 00:17:27,137 10 miles away from the town. 367 00:17:28,758 --> 00:17:30,000 CDR. SINCLAIR: And they were able to look 368 00:17:30,103 --> 00:17:31,896 to the far side of the bay. 369 00:17:32,000 --> 00:17:33,379 And they saw something in the water 370 00:17:33,482 --> 00:17:34,896 that didn't look quite right. 371 00:17:35,000 --> 00:17:37,379 [suspenseful music] 372 00:17:45,586 --> 00:17:51,172 And they get closer and closer. 373 00:17:54,655 --> 00:17:55,896 And they look more carefully. 374 00:17:57,758 --> 00:17:59,137 And they see human feet. 375 00:18:03,724 --> 00:18:06,068 Apparently, Melissa Jenkins has just been found. 376 00:18:12,000 --> 00:18:13,413 CAPT. CUSHING: I receiveda phone call stating 377 00:18:13,517 --> 00:18:14,724 that they had located a body. 378 00:18:14,827 --> 00:18:17,965 Myself and three other detectives 379 00:18:18,068 --> 00:18:19,241 were shown where the body was. 380 00:18:26,068 --> 00:18:28,689 We had members of the scubateam that came to the scene 381 00:18:28,793 --> 00:18:30,413 to help retrieve the body itself. 382 00:18:31,931 --> 00:18:34,344 CDR. SINCLAIR: Recovery of bodies in water 383 00:18:34,448 --> 00:18:39,620 certainly present challenges,to say nothing of the fact this 384 00:18:39,724 --> 00:18:41,413 was March in northern Vermont. 385 00:18:41,517 --> 00:18:44,068 So the water was extremely cold. 386 00:18:44,172 --> 00:18:46,620 She was in a fairly shallow body of water. 387 00:18:48,000 --> 00:18:49,103 LT. KENDA: Pine boughs were placed 388 00:18:49,206 --> 00:18:52,000 over the body in an attemptat concealment-- not 389 00:18:52,103 --> 00:18:53,517 very efficient, but an attempt. 390 00:18:56,068 --> 00:18:57,551 The body is nude. 391 00:18:57,655 --> 00:18:59,448 The blonde hair is covering the face. 392 00:18:59,551 --> 00:19:02,034 They move the hair away from the face, 393 00:19:02,137 --> 00:19:04,758 and she's positively identified as Melissa Jenkins. 394 00:19:07,862 --> 00:19:11,172 Our victim has been found, not in the way we wish to. 395 00:19:11,275 --> 00:19:14,413 CDR. SINCLAIR: She obviously had not been there very long. 396 00:19:14,517 --> 00:19:16,103 Certainly, the very cold conditions 397 00:19:16,206 --> 00:19:17,896 would slow down decomposition. 398 00:19:18,000 --> 00:19:19,310 ROBERT CUSHING: One could see the bruising 399 00:19:19,413 --> 00:19:20,517 on her upper torso. 400 00:19:20,620 --> 00:19:22,896 So there were signs of some sort of altercation. 401 00:19:23,000 --> 00:19:25,793 Further, there are cinderblocks tied around the waist, 402 00:19:25,896 --> 00:19:28,275 and her wrists are loosely bound in rope. 403 00:19:28,379 --> 00:19:31,275 These failed to keep this body under water. 404 00:19:31,379 --> 00:19:33,931 It's very difficult to submerge a human body. 405 00:19:39,275 --> 00:19:44,931 ROBERT CUSHING: The body is then transported via hearse 406 00:19:45,034 --> 00:19:46,724 to UVM Medical Center. 407 00:19:46,827 --> 00:19:48,931 And that's where the autopsy is conducted. 408 00:19:52,344 --> 00:19:54,620 LT. KENDA: When that body is removed from cold water, 409 00:19:54,724 --> 00:19:57,000 contusions, abrasions, and other marks 410 00:19:57,103 --> 00:20:00,103 begin to rise to the surface as the blood is 411 00:20:00,206 --> 00:20:02,137 no longer frozen or very cold. 412 00:20:04,344 --> 00:20:08,206 CDR. SINCLAIR: We also found a number of circular injuries, 413 00:20:08,310 --> 00:20:11,172 parallel and very similar in distance from each other, 414 00:20:11,275 --> 00:20:12,724 on multiple parts of her body. 415 00:20:14,103 --> 00:20:16,034 LT. KENDA: This is indicative of a stun gun. 416 00:20:16,137 --> 00:20:18,655 Somebody used a stun gun with great force 417 00:20:18,758 --> 00:20:22,758 against her body to put her in a position of being supine. 418 00:20:22,862 --> 00:20:24,310 CDR. SINCLAIR: The medical examiner 419 00:20:24,413 --> 00:20:27,965 was able to definitively say, she had been strangled and died 420 00:20:28,068 --> 00:20:30,896 of manual strangulation. 421 00:20:31,000 --> 00:20:32,793 ROBERT CUSHING: Strangulation crimes such as this 422 00:20:32,896 --> 00:20:35,586 are very up close and personal. 423 00:20:35,689 --> 00:20:36,793 It's not like using a weapon. 424 00:20:36,896 --> 00:20:39,068 Who would do this to Melissa? 425 00:20:39,172 --> 00:20:41,448 Who would do this to a person that everybody 426 00:20:41,551 --> 00:20:43,000 seemed to think the world of? 427 00:20:44,586 --> 00:20:45,965 ROBERT CUSHING: This particular investigation 428 00:20:46,068 --> 00:20:47,517 was hard for a lot of people to understand, 429 00:20:47,620 --> 00:20:49,172 because you never thought that something like this 430 00:20:49,275 --> 00:20:52,344 would happen in little Saint Johnsbury, Vermont. 431 00:20:52,448 --> 00:20:54,517 And we're talking about a school teacher that was murdered. 432 00:20:54,620 --> 00:20:57,034 It was so terrible. 433 00:20:57,137 --> 00:20:58,827 CDR. SINCLAIR: Everything that we knew about Melissa 434 00:20:58,931 --> 00:21:01,620 from her friends and family is that she 435 00:21:01,724 --> 00:21:03,448 didn't live a risky lifestyle. 436 00:21:03,551 --> 00:21:05,275 She wasn't into drugs. 437 00:21:05,379 --> 00:21:09,206 Certainly, the violence that obviously beset her 438 00:21:09,310 --> 00:21:13,793 was very out of place for what we knew she was like in life. 439 00:21:13,896 --> 00:21:16,586 [birds chirping] 440 00:21:16,689 --> 00:21:19,034 ROBERT CUSHING: At that point, we went to where she worked 441 00:21:19,137 --> 00:21:20,862 at Saint Johnsbury Academy. 442 00:21:20,965 --> 00:21:22,413 We were looking for anybody, whether it 443 00:21:22,517 --> 00:21:24,793 be a student or a staff member, that 444 00:21:24,896 --> 00:21:26,827 would have an issue with her. 445 00:21:26,931 --> 00:21:28,448 LT. KENDA: People love to gossip. 446 00:21:28,551 --> 00:21:31,206 And one thing homicide detectives the world over 447 00:21:31,310 --> 00:21:34,620 love very much is gossip, because there's always a kernel 448 00:21:34,724 --> 00:21:36,482 of truth in there somewhere. 449 00:21:36,586 --> 00:21:38,551 She's a model employee and very 450 00:21:38,655 --> 00:21:39,620 well liked by the students. 451 00:21:40,965 --> 00:21:42,310 Melissa was a really good teacher. 452 00:21:43,862 --> 00:21:46,551 She made me really enjoy physics. 453 00:21:46,655 --> 00:21:48,551 And she seemed to understand when students 454 00:21:48,655 --> 00:21:49,586 weren't understanding it. 455 00:21:49,689 --> 00:21:51,172 And she would break it down. 456 00:21:51,275 --> 00:21:53,448 She was just so kind and welcoming. 457 00:21:53,551 --> 00:21:55,586 The feeling is, is that if this sort of thing 458 00:21:55,689 --> 00:21:57,965 could happen Miss Jenkins, it could happen to anyone. 459 00:21:58,068 --> 00:22:00,068 People in small towns are particularly 460 00:22:00,172 --> 00:22:01,827 frightened by violent crime. 461 00:22:01,931 --> 00:22:03,931 This is something that's supposed to happen in New 462 00:22:04,034 --> 00:22:05,862 York City or Los Angeles. 463 00:22:05,965 --> 00:22:08,862 It's not supposed to happen in Saint Johnsbury, Vermont. 464 00:22:08,965 --> 00:22:10,586 I think it just woke people up a little bit, 465 00:22:10,689 --> 00:22:12,413 that it's not just a sleepy little town, 466 00:22:12,517 --> 00:22:13,655 that things can happen. 467 00:22:13,758 --> 00:22:15,827 Would it be possible to look over any work 468 00:22:15,931 --> 00:22:17,586 related materials she may have? 469 00:22:17,689 --> 00:22:19,034 Yeah, sure. 470 00:22:19,137 --> 00:22:21,275 They explain, they'd like to comb through her grade books. 471 00:22:26,275 --> 00:22:29,310 They'd like to see her emails, everything regarding 472 00:22:29,413 --> 00:22:30,758 her activities at the school. 473 00:22:31,655 --> 00:22:32,379 ROBERT CUSHING: Anything? 474 00:22:34,068 --> 00:22:35,931 No, nothing. 475 00:22:36,034 --> 00:22:38,172 LT. KENDA: There is always dead ends in murder cases. 476 00:22:38,275 --> 00:22:39,517 And people think that's frustrating. 477 00:22:39,620 --> 00:22:40,965 Well, it is. 478 00:22:41,068 --> 00:22:43,758 But by the same token, you're eliminating what didn't happen. 479 00:22:43,862 --> 00:22:45,862 It allows you to focus on what did happen. 480 00:22:50,482 --> 00:22:51,758 Melissa's cell records came in. 481 00:22:53,586 --> 00:22:57,379 LT. KENDA: This is exactly what Cushing has been waiting for. 482 00:22:57,482 --> 00:22:59,896 ROBERT CUSHING: Prior to the 8:39 phone call to Ronald 483 00:23:00,000 --> 00:23:03,137 on March 25, Melissa had received a phone 484 00:23:03,241 --> 00:23:05,000 call from a TracFone number. 485 00:23:06,482 --> 00:23:07,517 CDR. SINCLAIR: These sometimes are 486 00:23:07,620 --> 00:23:09,206 referred to as burner phones. 487 00:23:09,310 --> 00:23:10,482 ROBERT CUSHING: In a lot of instances, 488 00:23:10,586 --> 00:23:13,517 people that commit crimes use TracFones, because 489 00:23:13,620 --> 00:23:15,137 their identity is not divulged. 490 00:23:15,241 --> 00:23:17,310 Criminals think they are so smart. 491 00:23:17,413 --> 00:23:19,931 The problem for them is the police are smarter. 492 00:23:20,034 --> 00:23:23,655 Using a TracFone might make things more difficult for us, 493 00:23:23,758 --> 00:23:25,206 but there are plenty of ways to trace 494 00:23:25,310 --> 00:23:26,517 that TracFone to its owner. 495 00:23:28,103 --> 00:23:30,310 CDR. SINCLAIR: They were able to trace this particular phone's 496 00:23:30,413 --> 00:23:31,655 first point of purchase. 497 00:23:31,758 --> 00:23:35,275 And they placed that phone being purchased from a store 498 00:23:35,379 --> 00:23:37,551 in Littleton, New Hampshire. 499 00:23:37,655 --> 00:23:39,758 LT. KENDA: So now they know where the phone came from 500 00:23:39,862 --> 00:23:41,724 and what store it was purchased in. 501 00:23:43,206 --> 00:23:44,310 DET. NALLY: They were able to get 502 00:23:44,413 --> 00:23:47,655 cell tower hits from some very significant areas. 503 00:23:49,000 --> 00:23:51,137 LT. KENDA: The location ping says, it's 504 00:23:51,241 --> 00:23:53,172 at the scene of the abduction. 505 00:23:53,275 --> 00:23:56,310 And more importantly, there is also a ping at the scene 506 00:23:56,413 --> 00:23:57,793 where the body's disposed of. 507 00:24:00,344 --> 00:24:02,931 The buyer of this phone is up to their neck. 508 00:24:09,310 --> 00:24:11,068 The police have now found the phone number 509 00:24:11,172 --> 00:24:13,448 that was used to call Melissa Jenkins 510 00:24:13,551 --> 00:24:14,793 the night of her disappearance. 511 00:24:14,896 --> 00:24:17,000 This phone is not only pinging at the place 512 00:24:17,103 --> 00:24:18,965 where Melissa Jenkins was abducted, 513 00:24:19,068 --> 00:24:20,724 but it's also pinging at the place 514 00:24:20,827 --> 00:24:22,793 where her body was disposed of. 515 00:24:22,896 --> 00:24:24,655 [siren] 516 00:24:24,758 --> 00:24:26,482 ROBERT CUSHING: Detectiveswere sent to the store where 517 00:24:26,586 --> 00:24:29,793 the track phone was purchasedto try to pull any receipt, 518 00:24:29,896 --> 00:24:32,724 because that person very wellcould be a primary suspect 519 00:24:32,827 --> 00:24:34,482 in this investigation. 520 00:24:34,586 --> 00:24:36,965 LT. KENDA: They know exactly what time and what 521 00:24:37,068 --> 00:24:38,655 day the phone was purchased. 522 00:24:38,758 --> 00:24:42,586 The manager plows through his records 523 00:24:42,689 --> 00:24:45,965 and finds the buyer had paid for this phone with a check. 524 00:24:47,551 --> 00:24:49,000 ROBERT CUSHING: Patricia Prue was the name 525 00:24:49,103 --> 00:24:50,517 imprinted on the check. 526 00:24:50,620 --> 00:24:53,551 Those detectives remember a business card found 527 00:24:53,655 --> 00:24:55,793 on the countertop of Melissa Jenkins' house, 528 00:24:55,896 --> 00:24:58,103 advertising a snowplow service from one 529 00:24:58,206 --> 00:25:01,310 Allen and Patricia Prue. 530 00:25:01,413 --> 00:25:03,965 You are aware of the potential of two suspects 531 00:25:04,068 --> 00:25:05,241 involved in this crime. 532 00:25:05,344 --> 00:25:07,172 Now, bells are going off. 533 00:25:07,275 --> 00:25:08,517 Alarms are sounding. 534 00:25:08,620 --> 00:25:10,310 We are close. 535 00:25:11,448 --> 00:25:12,586 DET. NALLY: Wherever you're going 536 00:25:12,689 --> 00:25:15,310 to be, you're probably undersome sort of recording, 537 00:25:15,413 --> 00:25:17,206 whether audio or visual. 538 00:25:17,310 --> 00:25:19,620 Surveillance cameras are really crucial. 539 00:25:19,724 --> 00:25:21,827 And it's a great tool for law enforcement 540 00:25:21,931 --> 00:25:25,689 to solidify timelines in criminal investigations. 541 00:25:25,793 --> 00:25:27,758 ROBERT CUSHING: An interview with Patricia and Allen Prue 542 00:25:27,862 --> 00:25:30,482 was in order at this point, because Patricia 543 00:25:30,586 --> 00:25:33,000 Prue was the last person to speak with Melissa Jenkins. 544 00:25:33,103 --> 00:25:34,689 CDR. SINCLAIR: Things are beginning to point more 545 00:25:34,793 --> 00:25:37,068 and more towards the Prues. 546 00:25:37,172 --> 00:25:40,310 But probability wise, ahusband and wife taking part 547 00:25:40,413 --> 00:25:42,000 in a savage crime like this-- it wouldn't 548 00:25:42,103 --> 00:25:44,448 have been foremost in my mind. 549 00:25:44,551 --> 00:25:47,965 To have a man and a woman join together 550 00:25:48,068 --> 00:25:50,758 to commit a violent crime is incredibly rare. 551 00:25:50,862 --> 00:25:54,103 For it to be a husband and wife-- it almost never happens. 552 00:25:54,206 --> 00:25:55,965 I've never seen it in my career. 553 00:25:58,482 --> 00:26:00,206 CDR. SINCLAIR: One of the surprising angles in the case 554 00:26:00,310 --> 00:26:05,344 was when Allen and Patricia Prue-- 555 00:26:05,448 --> 00:26:09,137 they actually showed up at the barracks unannounced. 556 00:26:09,241 --> 00:26:11,241 HANNAH MCDONALD: It's bizarrethat these people show up 557 00:26:11,344 --> 00:26:14,344 at the state police barracks,because they are already 558 00:26:14,448 --> 00:26:15,758 on the list to be questioned. 559 00:26:15,862 --> 00:26:17,517 And here they are. 560 00:26:17,620 --> 00:26:20,862 They had come down to talk to us about a fraud investigation. 561 00:26:20,965 --> 00:26:23,517 Patricia wanted to make a complaint that somebody was 562 00:26:23,620 --> 00:26:26,241 allegedly stealing her identity and were falsifying 563 00:26:26,344 --> 00:26:28,137 records using her name. 564 00:26:28,241 --> 00:26:29,724 LT. KENDA: Based on my experience, 565 00:26:29,827 --> 00:26:32,862 they were trying to explain away the purchase of that phone. 566 00:26:32,965 --> 00:26:34,551 All of our checks were stolen. 567 00:26:34,655 --> 00:26:35,827 Oh, my. 568 00:26:35,931 --> 00:26:38,379 And God knows, somebody could be using that. 569 00:26:39,862 --> 00:26:41,034 This is panic. 570 00:26:41,137 --> 00:26:43,586 This is rememberingsomething they had forgotten. 571 00:26:43,689 --> 00:26:45,827 And they're coming to the police to cover it up. 572 00:26:54,172 --> 00:26:55,344 ROBERT CUSHING: I was not in the room. 573 00:26:55,448 --> 00:26:57,965 I was sitting in another room watching the interview. 574 00:27:00,000 --> 00:27:01,206 I remember to this day. 575 00:27:01,310 --> 00:27:02,379 Allen was sweating bullets. 576 00:27:02,482 --> 00:27:03,137 And it wasn't cold. 577 00:27:05,689 --> 00:27:07,862 DET. NALLY: Allen was a local, born and raised 578 00:27:07,965 --> 00:27:09,241 in Waterford, Vermont. 579 00:27:09,344 --> 00:27:11,034 He found Patricia on the internet. 580 00:27:11,137 --> 00:27:13,241 And they seemed to be inseparable. 581 00:27:13,344 --> 00:27:17,793 He did a paper route delivery in addition to plowing snow. 582 00:27:25,310 --> 00:27:27,172 LT. KENDA: They say, by the way, what were 583 00:27:27,275 --> 00:27:29,068 you doing on the 25th of March? 584 00:27:29,172 --> 00:27:30,517 You recall that day? 585 00:27:30,620 --> 00:27:31,586 Oh, yes. 586 00:27:31,689 --> 00:27:32,896 ROBERT CUSHING: They had said that they 587 00:27:33,000 --> 00:27:35,310 had been in Littleton, New Hampshire, running errands. 588 00:27:35,413 --> 00:27:37,551 They also went through a fast food restaurant. 589 00:27:37,655 --> 00:27:38,931 And then they returned home. 590 00:27:39,034 --> 00:27:41,379 And they had been in bed since 7:30 PM. 591 00:27:41,482 --> 00:27:43,758 At that point, Patricia quickly redirects 592 00:27:43,862 --> 00:27:45,827 the conversation back to the identity 593 00:27:45,931 --> 00:27:48,896 theft and says that she is suspicious of her ex-husband. 594 00:28:12,068 --> 00:28:16,241 We did ask if they were familiar with Melissa Jenkins. 595 00:28:16,344 --> 00:28:18,655 And they basically said that they were familiar with her, 596 00:28:18,758 --> 00:28:20,448 but they had no contact with her other 597 00:28:20,551 --> 00:28:22,862 than when they plowed snow for her the previous year. 598 00:28:22,965 --> 00:28:25,896 That could explain the presence of the business card 599 00:28:26,000 --> 00:28:27,275 on her counter. 600 00:28:27,379 --> 00:28:30,758 What it does not explain is howsomebody named Patricia Prue 601 00:28:30,862 --> 00:28:33,758 bought a TracFone 20 miles away and called 602 00:28:33,862 --> 00:28:36,551 Melissa Jenkins on thenight of her disappearance. 603 00:28:44,896 --> 00:28:46,034 DET. NALLY: Lieutenant Cushing felt 604 00:28:46,137 --> 00:28:49,379 it was not time to go from an interview 605 00:28:49,482 --> 00:28:50,965 into an interrogation. 606 00:28:51,068 --> 00:28:52,413 And timing with that is crucial. 607 00:28:52,517 --> 00:28:53,241 OK. 608 00:28:53,344 --> 00:28:54,482 See yours. 609 00:28:54,586 --> 00:28:56,862 LT. KENDA: There are moments in murder investigations 610 00:28:56,965 --> 00:28:58,344 where you feel it in your bones. 611 00:29:01,275 --> 00:29:05,413 But you're not ready to turn the key, not until you have it all. 612 00:29:05,517 --> 00:29:06,827 Cushing felt the same way. 613 00:29:08,413 --> 00:29:09,482 We'll wait. 614 00:29:09,586 --> 00:29:11,758 We will let this simmer until it becomes soup. 615 00:29:14,931 --> 00:29:16,448 ROBERT CUSHING: They left scot free, 616 00:29:16,551 --> 00:29:20,413 but from that point forward, they were under surveillance. 617 00:29:20,517 --> 00:29:23,413 Cushing has his sights set on the Prues. 618 00:29:23,517 --> 00:29:25,172 And they have absolutely no idea. 619 00:29:26,482 --> 00:29:27,655 CDR. SINCLAIR: Any information that we 620 00:29:27,758 --> 00:29:29,310 gleaned from them from interviews 621 00:29:29,413 --> 00:29:30,896 would have to be corroborated. 622 00:29:31,000 --> 00:29:33,862 So we would assign different detectives different tasks 623 00:29:33,965 --> 00:29:36,413 to follow up and either corroborate or refute 624 00:29:36,517 --> 00:29:37,827 what they had said to us. 625 00:29:37,931 --> 00:29:40,275 [crickets] 626 00:29:42,344 --> 00:29:44,206 LT. KENDA: The video arrives from the store 627 00:29:44,310 --> 00:29:46,241 where the TracFone had been purchased. 628 00:29:50,034 --> 00:29:57,758 And lo and behold, there is Patricia Prue 629 00:29:57,862 --> 00:30:00,000 and her charming husband, Allen, buying 630 00:30:00,103 --> 00:30:02,758 the phone used to call Melissa Jenkins 631 00:30:02,862 --> 00:30:04,517 the night of her disappearance. 632 00:30:06,896 --> 00:30:10,034 ROBERT CUSHING: It was very detailed video footage of both 633 00:30:10,137 --> 00:30:13,827 of them looking at TracFones and then grabbing a TracFone, 634 00:30:13,931 --> 00:30:16,137 putting it in the basket, and purchasing it. 635 00:30:20,724 --> 00:30:21,965 They also said that they had gone 636 00:30:22,068 --> 00:30:25,517 through a drive-through at a local fast food restaurant. 637 00:30:25,620 --> 00:30:26,965 We were able to pull surveillance 638 00:30:27,068 --> 00:30:29,965 from that fast foodrestaurant of them driving 639 00:30:30,068 --> 00:30:32,137 through the drive-through. 640 00:30:32,241 --> 00:30:35,034 LT. KENDA: And their jaws dropped to their chests. 641 00:30:35,137 --> 00:30:35,931 Oh, my. 642 00:30:37,689 --> 00:30:41,137 Allen Prue is wearing the black hat 643 00:30:41,241 --> 00:30:43,586 that was found at the crime scene 644 00:30:43,689 --> 00:30:45,724 of Melissa Jenkins' abduction. 645 00:30:47,793 --> 00:30:52,000 That is, as they say in tennis, game, set, and match. 646 00:30:56,482 --> 00:30:58,758 NEWSCASTER: Melissa Jenkins'smemorial is ultimately 647 00:30:58,862 --> 00:31:00,275 bringing everyone together. 648 00:31:00,379 --> 00:31:01,758 MAN: I feel bad for that little boy. 649 00:31:01,862 --> 00:31:03,896 How could anybody do that, to leave him motherless? 650 00:31:04,000 --> 00:31:06,551 WOMAN: [CRYING] This is a very hard time for our community. 651 00:31:06,655 --> 00:31:09,206 LT. KENDA: A town of 7,000 people turned 652 00:31:09,310 --> 00:31:13,103 upside down by the brutal murder of a loved 653 00:31:13,206 --> 00:31:14,517 member of the community. 654 00:31:16,310 --> 00:31:17,620 The Vermont State Police are gonna 655 00:31:17,724 --> 00:31:19,758 arrest Allen and Patricia Prue. 656 00:31:19,862 --> 00:31:21,517 But they wanna to talk to them again 657 00:31:21,620 --> 00:31:23,275 and see if they can get a statement 658 00:31:23,379 --> 00:31:25,620 from one, the other, or both. 659 00:31:27,862 --> 00:31:29,034 ROBERT CUSHING: Patricia and Allen Prue 660 00:31:29,137 --> 00:31:31,068 came to meet with us after being called. 661 00:31:31,172 --> 00:31:33,620 They were split up, one inone room, one in another. 662 00:31:33,724 --> 00:31:34,965 The only time we ever talked to Melissa 663 00:31:35,068 --> 00:31:37,034 was when we were plowing her driveway. 664 00:31:37,137 --> 00:31:39,620 The interview with Patricia was very difficult. 665 00:31:39,724 --> 00:31:42,310 She simply denied everything. 666 00:31:42,413 --> 00:31:45,758 Detectives presented her with surveillance footage, pictures. 667 00:31:45,862 --> 00:31:48,724 And she still would not cooperate and denied 668 00:31:48,827 --> 00:31:50,620 her part in this case. 669 00:31:50,724 --> 00:31:52,103 LT. KENDA: You have a person who is 670 00:31:52,206 --> 00:31:54,586 in complete denial of reality. 671 00:31:54,689 --> 00:31:55,965 It's not me. It's not me. 672 00:31:56,068 --> 00:31:56,793 You can't see me. 673 00:31:56,896 --> 00:31:57,586 You can't hear me. 674 00:31:57,689 --> 00:31:58,724 La, la, la, la, la. 675 00:31:58,827 --> 00:32:00,965 Yeah, we can, Patricia. 676 00:32:01,068 --> 00:32:02,793 PATRICIA: I'm done talking to you. 677 00:32:02,896 --> 00:32:03,586 I want a lawyer. 678 00:32:05,103 --> 00:32:07,689 LT. KENDA: Mrs. Prue would not get an audition for 679 00:32:07,793 --> 00:32:10,068 the Real Housewives of Vermont. 680 00:32:10,172 --> 00:32:13,448 Now it's time to pursue Allen Prue and see how he reacts. 681 00:32:15,241 --> 00:32:16,896 He is the last person in the world 682 00:32:17,000 --> 00:32:18,310 that handles pressure well. 683 00:32:18,413 --> 00:32:20,758 He's the kind of person that if coffee gets spilled, 684 00:32:20,862 --> 00:32:22,275 it tends to get spilled on him. 685 00:32:22,379 --> 00:32:24,034 And it's about to be spilled on him 686 00:32:24,137 --> 00:32:25,517 by the Vermont State Police. 687 00:32:49,724 --> 00:32:52,620 DET. NALLY: When somebodycommits an act like this, 688 00:32:52,724 --> 00:32:55,724 it is extremely mentally exhausting 689 00:32:55,827 --> 00:33:01,620 to try to script answers and remember the lies 690 00:33:01,724 --> 00:33:02,413 that you told. 691 00:33:13,517 --> 00:33:15,689 I said to Allen, there's no way out of this. 692 00:33:15,793 --> 00:33:16,931 We know what happened. 693 00:33:17,034 --> 00:33:19,310 We want to get the how and the why from you. 694 00:33:35,655 --> 00:33:37,482 CDR. SINCLAIR: Ultimately, Ithink it became overwhelming 695 00:33:37,586 --> 00:33:40,689 and pretty clear to Allenthat we were onto it, 696 00:33:40,793 --> 00:33:42,620 and we had what we needed. 697 00:33:42,724 --> 00:33:44,655 DET. NALLY: He started reminiscing 698 00:33:44,758 --> 00:33:46,103 about when he was a child. 699 00:33:46,206 --> 00:33:47,206 He would spit-shake for the truth. 700 00:34:04,896 --> 00:34:07,793 And then he started unrolling the chain 701 00:34:07,896 --> 00:34:09,206 of events that took place. 702 00:34:15,000 --> 00:34:18,551 Allen told me that Patricia was bisexual 703 00:34:18,655 --> 00:34:22,000 and that they had engagedin consensual threesomes 704 00:34:22,103 --> 00:34:23,379 in the past. 705 00:34:23,482 --> 00:34:25,241 LT. KENDA: Which they found to be somewhat disappointing. 706 00:34:25,344 --> 00:34:28,827 They began to discuss the fact that they need a better girl. 707 00:34:28,931 --> 00:34:30,413 They need one that turns them on. 708 00:34:30,517 --> 00:34:33,448 And they begin to develop an obsession with Melissa Jenkins. 709 00:34:59,724 --> 00:35:02,758 DET. NALLY: One thing he said to me that struck me as very 710 00:35:02,862 --> 00:35:06,517 peculiar is when Melissa got out of her vehicle, 711 00:35:06,620 --> 00:35:08,241 he didn't even ask her if she wanted 712 00:35:08,344 --> 00:35:09,655 to have an affair with them. 713 00:35:11,310 --> 00:35:13,275 He just started to strangle and choke her. 714 00:35:18,413 --> 00:35:22,448 Allen advised that he was able to overpower her 715 00:35:22,551 --> 00:35:25,896 and dragged her to the vehicle and put her in the back 716 00:35:26,000 --> 00:35:29,655 where Patricia continued to choke her to make 717 00:35:29,758 --> 00:35:30,965 sure that she wasn't moving. 718 00:36:18,655 --> 00:36:20,620 LT. KENDA: There was no intent to kill this woman. 719 00:36:20,724 --> 00:36:23,068 There was an intent to make her a sexual slave. 720 00:36:23,172 --> 00:36:26,034 Let us know if you need us again for next season. 721 00:36:26,137 --> 00:36:27,344 Yeah, for sure. 722 00:36:27,448 --> 00:36:29,482 It was really nice meeting you. 723 00:36:29,586 --> 00:36:30,413 Nice meeting you too. 724 00:36:36,275 --> 00:36:37,413 All right, bye. 725 00:36:46,413 --> 00:36:47,724 She's pretty, huh? 726 00:36:47,827 --> 00:36:49,620 Yeah, she is. 727 00:36:49,724 --> 00:36:50,586 I think she likes me. 728 00:36:50,689 --> 00:36:52,758 Yeah, I think she likes me, too. 729 00:36:52,862 --> 00:36:56,586 Melissa became the focal point with both Patricia and Allen 730 00:36:56,689 --> 00:36:58,344 as the person that they wanted to get to be 731 00:36:58,448 --> 00:37:01,103 part of their sexual fantasy. 732 00:37:01,206 --> 00:37:02,793 So how are we going to do this? 733 00:37:02,896 --> 00:37:04,275 I think I've got an idea. 734 00:37:04,379 --> 00:37:08,586 This desire for Melissa just spiraled out of control. 735 00:37:08,689 --> 00:37:14,241 [phone rings] 736 00:37:14,344 --> 00:37:15,482 Hello? 737 00:37:15,586 --> 00:37:18,103 PATRICIA [ON PHONE]: Melissa, it's Patricia Prue. 738 00:37:18,206 --> 00:37:19,931 Oh, yeah, hi. 739 00:37:20,034 --> 00:37:22,413 PATRICIA [ON PHONE]: Um, our car needs a jump. 740 00:37:22,517 --> 00:37:24,000 We're just down the road from you. 741 00:37:24,103 --> 00:37:26,172 DET. NALLY: Melissa was the type of person 742 00:37:26,275 --> 00:37:28,724 that if somebody did need help, she would do whatever 743 00:37:28,827 --> 00:37:30,413 she could to help them. 744 00:37:30,517 --> 00:37:33,137 Hey, Timothy, you need to come with Mommy to run an errand, 745 00:37:33,241 --> 00:37:34,137 OK? 746 00:37:34,241 --> 00:37:35,482 CDR. SINCLAIR: I certainly don't think 747 00:37:35,586 --> 00:37:38,034 she suspected that something like this could befall her. 748 00:37:38,137 --> 00:37:41,758 Ron, hey, I just got a really weird call. 749 00:37:41,862 --> 00:37:45,379 CDR. SINCLAIR: But she was very heads-up in calling her friend. 750 00:37:45,482 --> 00:37:48,724 That played a huge part in ultimately solving this case. 751 00:37:48,827 --> 00:37:51,724 [crickets, owls] 752 00:38:09,344 --> 00:38:13,724 Allen, Patricia, you guys OK? 753 00:38:13,827 --> 00:38:16,206 [eerie music] 754 00:38:23,793 --> 00:38:25,172 Everything OK? 755 00:38:28,310 --> 00:38:30,137 [screams] Help me! 756 00:38:33,758 --> 00:38:34,655 Help! 757 00:38:34,758 --> 00:38:36,655 Help me! 758 00:38:36,758 --> 00:38:37,655 Help me! 759 00:38:41,344 --> 00:38:43,310 She's in the fight of her life to protect 760 00:38:43,413 --> 00:38:45,931 her child, which is why it takes two people to overcome her. 761 00:38:48,793 --> 00:38:51,000 [breathing heavily] 762 00:38:51,103 --> 00:38:53,000 They never did know that that child was there. 763 00:38:56,482 --> 00:38:59,586 So now their whole fantasy is blowing up in their face. 764 00:38:59,689 --> 00:39:01,448 They're in total panic mode. 765 00:39:01,551 --> 00:39:02,241 What do we do now? 766 00:39:06,000 --> 00:39:07,689 They go home to their house. 767 00:39:14,068 --> 00:39:17,310 They drag Melissa Jenkins' body from their car. 768 00:39:17,413 --> 00:39:18,275 They undress her. 769 00:39:20,241 --> 00:39:21,793 ROBERT CUSHING: Put the body on the blue tarp. 770 00:39:21,896 --> 00:39:24,551 They used bleach, poured that over the body. 771 00:39:28,724 --> 00:39:29,793 LT. KENDA: They found some cinder 772 00:39:29,896 --> 00:39:30,931 blocks next to their house. 773 00:39:32,931 --> 00:39:35,172 They tie the cinder blocks to her body. 774 00:39:49,241 --> 00:39:50,137 They dump her in the water. 775 00:39:52,965 --> 00:39:54,793 And the initial reaction with the cinder blocks 776 00:39:54,896 --> 00:39:55,689 is the body sinks. 777 00:39:57,344 --> 00:39:58,862 They stand there for a moment. 778 00:39:58,965 --> 00:40:00,413 And the body rises. 779 00:40:00,517 --> 00:40:01,862 Well, isn't that a surprise? 780 00:40:01,965 --> 00:40:06,275 The Prues had no idea how to plan a trip to the bathroom, 781 00:40:06,379 --> 00:40:10,344 let alone how to try to dispose of a human body in water. 782 00:40:10,448 --> 00:40:12,000 Now they're in pure panic. 783 00:40:12,103 --> 00:40:15,931 They cut boughs from a tree to cover up this floating body. 784 00:40:17,586 --> 00:40:18,310 And they run. 785 00:40:25,689 --> 00:40:31,931 Patricia and Allen Prue are barbarians. 786 00:40:34,172 --> 00:40:38,275 DET. NALLY: So I ask Allen what would he say to Melissa 787 00:40:38,379 --> 00:40:39,551 if she was here right now? 788 00:41:06,896 --> 00:41:09,344 LT. KENDA: So after all of this, we now have why. 789 00:41:09,448 --> 00:41:10,689 We know what. 790 00:41:10,793 --> 00:41:13,103 And we certainly know who. 791 00:41:13,206 --> 00:41:16,172 Your Honor, we think theevidence of guilt is great 792 00:41:16,275 --> 00:41:19,103 and that he should thereforebe held without bail pending. 793 00:41:21,551 --> 00:41:22,931 ROBERT CUSHING: Both Allen and Patricia Prue 794 00:41:23,034 --> 00:41:25,620 were charged with firstdegree murder, conspiracy 795 00:41:25,724 --> 00:41:27,241 to commit murder, and kidnapping. 796 00:41:27,344 --> 00:41:30,241 After a lengthy trial, Allen received life in prison. 797 00:41:31,586 --> 00:41:34,172 CDR. SINCLAIR: Patricia took a plea agreement 798 00:41:34,275 --> 00:41:36,551 and was sentenced to life without parole. 799 00:41:40,931 --> 00:41:42,103 HANNAH MCDONALD: I don't think anyone's 800 00:41:42,206 --> 00:41:44,206 ever gonna be able to forget that this happened. 801 00:41:44,310 --> 00:41:46,655 It was almost that this was an attack on-- 802 00:41:46,758 --> 00:41:48,275 on goodwill and kindness. 803 00:41:48,379 --> 00:41:49,310 CDR. SINCLAIR: Certainly the-- 804 00:41:49,413 --> 00:41:50,758 the tragedy of this case is never 805 00:41:50,862 --> 00:41:53,206 lost on the investigators. 806 00:41:53,310 --> 00:41:56,482 We know that her son is very beloved by both sides 807 00:41:56,586 --> 00:41:58,206 of his parents' family. 808 00:41:58,310 --> 00:42:00,172 From everything I've heard, he's doing very well. 809 00:42:00,275 --> 00:42:03,586 There's a scholarship thatwas started in Melissa's name. 810 00:42:03,689 --> 00:42:06,586 And the community stillholds her memory very dear. 811 00:42:08,517 --> 00:42:09,586 ROBERT CUSHING: Why this case sticks 812 00:42:09,689 --> 00:42:11,862 with me is simply because it was such 813 00:42:11,965 --> 00:42:13,827 a horrific crime for the area. 814 00:42:13,931 --> 00:42:15,482 But I'm very proud of our agency. 815 00:42:15,586 --> 00:42:16,517 It was just a-- 816 00:42:16,620 --> 00:42:18,827 a full team effort. 817 00:42:18,931 --> 00:42:21,275 LT. KENDA: The loss of Melissa Jenkins 818 00:42:21,379 --> 00:42:23,448 is a hole in everyone's heart. 819 00:42:23,551 --> 00:42:25,551 That hole will never heal. 820 00:42:25,655 --> 00:42:27,793 But the people of Saint Johnsbury, Vermont, 821 00:42:27,896 --> 00:42:29,758 should realize, the policemen that 822 00:42:29,862 --> 00:42:32,448 serve them, like Robert Cushing, did 823 00:42:32,551 --> 00:42:35,034 an outstandinginvestigation in this case. 824 00:42:35,137 --> 00:42:37,379 But it's a wonderful thing that they were up to the challenge. 825 00:42:37,482 --> 00:42:39,586 People in Vermont can sleep tonight, because the state 826 00:42:39,689 --> 00:42:41,862 police are awake.