1 00:00:01,043 --> 00:00:04,089 -[♪ ominous music playing] -[distant quiet chatter] 2 00:00:04,172 --> 00:00:07,092 [narrator] Do you have a picture with your favorite teacher? 3 00:00:07,175 --> 00:00:09,344 The one that changed your life? 4 00:00:10,262 --> 00:00:12,264 Many students at Wilde Lake High 5 00:00:12,347 --> 00:00:14,224 are lucky enough to have one with their fave, 6 00:00:14,307 --> 00:00:16,685 31-year-old Laura Wallen. 7 00:00:16,768 --> 00:00:18,436 She just lit up the room. 8 00:00:18,520 --> 00:00:21,022 [narrator] And she loves to capture every moment. 9 00:00:21,106 --> 00:00:25,277 Every interaction, every smile, memory, 10 00:00:25,360 --> 00:00:27,737 she captures in a photo or a text, 11 00:00:27,821 --> 00:00:30,282 especially on the first day of school. 12 00:00:30,365 --> 00:00:32,324 First day of class, Ms. Wallen was at the door, 13 00:00:32,409 --> 00:00:34,619 and I'm like, "Yeah, this gon' be different, bro." 14 00:00:34,703 --> 00:00:35,996 [school bell ringing] 15 00:00:36,079 --> 00:00:37,539 [narrator] So, when the school bell rings 16 00:00:37,622 --> 00:00:40,375 on September 5, 2017, 17 00:00:40,458 --> 00:00:42,878 and she doesn't make it to class, 18 00:00:42,961 --> 00:00:45,213 dark secrets bubble to the surface. 19 00:00:45,297 --> 00:00:47,632 -[♪ tense music playing] -[texts beeping] 20 00:00:47,716 --> 00:00:49,593 I was like, "Why are we bringing up Antwan?" 21 00:00:50,760 --> 00:00:52,012 Like, he knows something. 22 00:00:52,095 --> 00:00:54,639 [narrator] Her students and community won't rest 23 00:00:54,723 --> 00:00:56,433 until the truth is revealed. 24 00:00:56,516 --> 00:00:59,227 I ain't never gonna give up. I ain't never gonna give up. 25 00:00:59,311 --> 00:01:03,231 [narrator] And when mounting suspicion points to photo evidence, 26 00:01:03,315 --> 00:01:07,652 Laura's final message unveils a killer too close to home. 27 00:01:07,736 --> 00:01:11,698 That was a defining moment. We knew this is exactly how he killed her. 28 00:01:11,781 --> 00:01:13,742 I know what that devil looked like when he walked in, man. 29 00:01:13,825 --> 00:01:14,993 [♪ tense crescendo] 30 00:01:16,703 --> 00:01:18,747 [speaker 1] She solved her own murder from beyond the grave. 31 00:01:18,830 --> 00:01:20,832 [speaker 2] The fitness app on the phone. 32 00:01:20,916 --> 00:01:22,459 It was overwhelming evidence. 33 00:01:22,542 --> 00:01:25,503 ♪ I've been haunted by the visions ♪ 34 00:01:25,587 --> 00:01:28,840 ♪ That I've seen with my own eyes ♪ 35 00:01:28,924 --> 00:01:32,010 ♪ And the only way to find you ♪ 36 00:01:32,093 --> 00:01:36,097 ♪ Is to go beneath the lies ♪ 37 00:01:38,266 --> 00:01:40,936 [speaker 3] She did help catch this killer. 38 00:01:42,854 --> 00:01:45,482 [♪ energetic music playing] 39 00:01:47,901 --> 00:01:50,987 [narrator] Just west of Baltimore lies Columbia, Maryland, 40 00:01:51,071 --> 00:01:55,116 a family-friendly suburb known for its great sense of community. 41 00:01:55,200 --> 00:01:58,828 It's the end of summer, and teachers at Wilde Lake High 42 00:01:58,912 --> 00:02:00,580 prep for the first day of school. 43 00:02:00,664 --> 00:02:02,540 No one is more excited 44 00:02:02,624 --> 00:02:06,378 than 31-year-old social studies teacher Laura Wallen, 45 00:02:06,461 --> 00:02:10,257 a passionate educator who goes above and beyond for everyone. 46 00:02:11,341 --> 00:02:14,427 So, when Laura doesn't show up on the first day of school, 47 00:02:14,511 --> 00:02:17,806 it sets off alarm bells with her students. 48 00:02:19,224 --> 00:02:22,143 [Saquan Maxwell] My name's Saquan Maxwell, and I'm a former student of Laura Wallen. 49 00:02:22,227 --> 00:02:23,478 [echoing clap] 50 00:02:24,646 --> 00:02:28,358 I graduated from Wilde Lake High School in May of 2017, 51 00:02:28,441 --> 00:02:30,318 so I'm a year removed at this point. 52 00:02:30,402 --> 00:02:31,903 And I'm getting these messages like, 53 00:02:31,987 --> 00:02:34,447 "Yo, there's word that Ms. Wallen's missing, bro." 54 00:02:34,531 --> 00:02:37,284 Like, it's all over Snapchat. Like, all the kids, they're posting it. 55 00:02:37,367 --> 00:02:38,535 I'm like... 56 00:02:38,618 --> 00:02:41,121 "Huh? I just talked to Ms. Wallen, like, two days ago, bro. 57 00:02:41,204 --> 00:02:42,247 She's missing?" 58 00:02:42,330 --> 00:02:45,500 [narrator] This isn't like Laura at all. 59 00:02:45,584 --> 00:02:48,795 Her ghosting raises eyebrows outside the school 60 00:02:48,879 --> 00:02:52,048 and for her fellow teachers inside, too. 61 00:02:52,132 --> 00:02:54,301 [Jessica Nichols] My name is Jessica Nichols, 62 00:02:54,384 --> 00:02:57,220 and I was a coworker of Laura Wallen 63 00:02:57,304 --> 00:02:59,973 for the entire time she was at Wilde Lake High School. 64 00:03:00,974 --> 00:03:03,727 I remember just walking past her classroom, 65 00:03:03,810 --> 00:03:06,730 and I noticed the kids were outside. 66 00:03:06,813 --> 00:03:09,983 Wallen was never late on the first day of school, 67 00:03:10,066 --> 00:03:14,362 and so I sent her a text. I was like, "Hey, girl, are you okay?" 68 00:03:14,446 --> 00:03:15,822 Didn't hear anything. 69 00:03:17,157 --> 00:03:19,284 [narrator] Minutes pass, and then hours. 70 00:03:20,368 --> 00:03:23,830 And even though her class is covered by a sub, 71 00:03:23,914 --> 00:03:25,957 the sense of dread swells. 72 00:03:26,041 --> 00:03:29,127 [Saquan] And I'm like, "This is weird." 73 00:03:29,211 --> 00:03:32,380 Ms. Wallen stayed in contact with me after graduation. 74 00:03:32,464 --> 00:03:34,758 I call her, and I text her, like, "Ms. Wallen, I need you. 75 00:03:34,841 --> 00:03:37,219 I need to talk to you about something." I made it like it was a important message. 76 00:03:37,302 --> 00:03:38,803 ♪♪ 77 00:03:40,222 --> 00:03:41,973 She never responded. 78 00:03:42,724 --> 00:03:46,102 [Jessica] If Laura Wallen wasn't physically there, 79 00:03:46,186 --> 00:03:49,397 something had to have happened to her. 80 00:03:49,481 --> 00:03:51,942 Something was desperately wrong. 81 00:03:54,569 --> 00:03:56,279 [♪ somber music playing] 82 00:03:56,363 --> 00:03:59,032 [narrator] It's not just the teachers and students at Wilde Lake High 83 00:03:59,115 --> 00:04:00,992 who feel something is wrong. 84 00:04:02,244 --> 00:04:06,623 Laura's sister, Jen, hasn't heard from her in over 24 hours, 85 00:04:06,706 --> 00:04:08,458 and she calls the police. 86 00:04:08,541 --> 00:04:10,418 ♪♪ 87 00:04:10,502 --> 00:04:12,462 [Paul Reese] My name is Detective Sergeant Paul Reese 88 00:04:12,546 --> 00:04:14,089 with Montgomery County Police. 89 00:04:15,966 --> 00:04:18,260 [narrator] Investigators learn from Laura's family 90 00:04:18,343 --> 00:04:20,929 that she lives in a condo in Olney, Maryland, 91 00:04:21,012 --> 00:04:23,014 about 20 minutes from the school. 92 00:04:24,224 --> 00:04:27,727 We were given access to the house by the Wallen family. 93 00:04:27,811 --> 00:04:31,064 One of my detectives went to the house, did a quick look around. 94 00:04:32,274 --> 00:04:33,692 There was nothing that was out of play. 95 00:04:33,775 --> 00:04:35,986 There was no signs of a struggle whatsoever. 96 00:04:36,987 --> 00:04:39,114 [narrator] The responding police officers take note 97 00:04:39,197 --> 00:04:41,741 that Laura's black SUV is not in the driveway, 98 00:04:41,825 --> 00:04:45,537 and her apartment looks untouched. 99 00:04:45,620 --> 00:04:49,332 What they do find are many photos of Laura 100 00:04:49,416 --> 00:04:52,294 surrounded by friends and loved ones, 101 00:04:52,377 --> 00:04:54,963 evidence of a woman who captures special moments 102 00:04:55,046 --> 00:04:56,965 with those she cares for. 103 00:04:57,048 --> 00:04:59,551 Laura Wallen had a beautiful family. 104 00:04:59,634 --> 00:05:02,470 That included her dad, and her mom, 105 00:05:02,554 --> 00:05:04,556 and her wonderful sister. 106 00:05:05,473 --> 00:05:09,352 On her social media, she posted inspirational things, 107 00:05:09,436 --> 00:05:12,772 and you could clearly see how much Laura loved her family. 108 00:05:13,732 --> 00:05:17,527 [narrator] Aside from capturing moments with her family and friends, 109 00:05:17,611 --> 00:05:20,655 the other thing that brings Laura pure joy is teaching. 110 00:05:20,739 --> 00:05:23,241 It was at Wilde Lake, she got to, she used to say, 111 00:05:23,325 --> 00:05:26,369 "Live the dream of being a high school teacher." 112 00:05:27,913 --> 00:05:29,915 [Gregory Drinan-Bowes] My name is Gregory Drinan-Bowes, 113 00:05:29,998 --> 00:05:33,293 and I am a student and a friend of Laura Wallen. 114 00:05:33,376 --> 00:05:38,340 Laura Wallen was a young, hip teacher 115 00:05:38,423 --> 00:05:41,134 who knew all the slang terms that we were using. 116 00:05:41,218 --> 00:05:44,804 She was emotionally invested in her work, 117 00:05:44,888 --> 00:05:47,307 and she just lit up the room. 118 00:05:49,267 --> 00:05:52,687 Laura could spot kids, uh, in school 119 00:05:52,771 --> 00:05:54,648 that were obviously having trouble. 120 00:05:55,815 --> 00:05:57,484 And I was one of those kids. 121 00:05:58,526 --> 00:06:00,028 [narrator] Laura goes out of her way 122 00:06:00,111 --> 00:06:03,114 to give extra care to students who need it most. 123 00:06:04,324 --> 00:06:06,368 ♪ You should be scared ♪ 124 00:06:06,451 --> 00:06:09,287 [Saquan] I grew up in West Baltimore, like the roughest part, 125 00:06:09,371 --> 00:06:11,748 and I was expelled from every school in Baltimore City. 126 00:06:11,831 --> 00:06:13,917 I didn't think I was gonna graduate from Wilde Lake. 127 00:06:14,000 --> 00:06:16,962 Ms. Wallen would just talk to me, like, this high-pitched, like, 128 00:06:17,045 --> 00:06:20,257 soothing voice and just, like, just remind us that it's school, bro, 129 00:06:20,340 --> 00:06:22,133 and there's a lot more to come after this. 130 00:06:22,217 --> 00:06:25,470 Ms. Wallen helped me find out who I am. 131 00:06:27,180 --> 00:06:29,266 [narrator] Laura stays in touch with many students 132 00:06:29,349 --> 00:06:31,268 after they've left Wilde Lake, 133 00:06:31,351 --> 00:06:34,354 and they know she's always just a text away. 134 00:06:36,398 --> 00:06:40,569 But on this day, Laura isn't responding to anyone. 135 00:06:40,652 --> 00:06:42,821 -And when the dismissal bell rings... -[bell rings] 136 00:06:42,904 --> 00:06:45,365 ...there's still no sign of her. 137 00:06:45,448 --> 00:06:48,285 The day was over, and everybody left. 138 00:06:49,494 --> 00:06:53,081 And I got a phone call from my student aide, 139 00:06:53,164 --> 00:06:55,625 and she was like, 140 00:06:55,709 --> 00:06:58,295 "Her parents reported her missing." 141 00:06:59,880 --> 00:07:03,258 And it was like the air got sucked out of my lungs. 142 00:07:03,341 --> 00:07:04,634 [police radio chatter] 143 00:07:04,718 --> 00:07:06,303 [narrator] When word gets out that police 144 00:07:06,386 --> 00:07:08,680 are now investigating Laura's disappearance, 145 00:07:08,763 --> 00:07:11,433 her students begin their own search effort. 146 00:07:11,516 --> 00:07:12,893 [Saquan] I walked over to the UPS store. 147 00:07:12,976 --> 00:07:15,103 I literally asked, like, if you can front us a couple flyers, 148 00:07:15,186 --> 00:07:16,771 and then we'd come back and pay you, like... 149 00:07:16,855 --> 00:07:21,151 So, they gave us 100 for free, and we went out that day. 150 00:07:21,234 --> 00:07:23,069 We start calling everybody we know. "Yo, meet us at Wilde Lake." 151 00:07:24,195 --> 00:07:26,698 [narrator] While Saquan and his friends hit the pavement, 152 00:07:26,781 --> 00:07:28,867 -detectives retrace Laura's steps. -[phone ringing] 153 00:07:28,950 --> 00:07:33,204 The last time anyone heard from her was this past weekend. 154 00:07:33,288 --> 00:07:35,916 Laura was out with her boyfriend, Tyler. 155 00:07:37,167 --> 00:07:40,629 Laura and Tyler had this on-again, off-again relationship. 156 00:07:40,712 --> 00:07:43,089 ♪♪ 157 00:07:43,173 --> 00:07:46,426 They would do the country rodeo thing together, 158 00:07:46,509 --> 00:07:49,221 and Laura loved it. 159 00:07:49,304 --> 00:07:51,598 She called him her cowboy. 160 00:07:51,681 --> 00:07:53,808 [narrator] Tyler had a job transporting cows 161 00:07:53,892 --> 00:07:57,062 for local cattle farmers, so the title fits. 162 00:07:57,145 --> 00:08:01,483 But now, they're even more excited about an upcoming arrival. 163 00:08:01,566 --> 00:08:02,901 ♪♪ 164 00:08:02,984 --> 00:08:06,613 She had announced to the department that she was having a baby, 165 00:08:06,696 --> 00:08:10,659 and we were all like, "Oh, my God, that's great!" 166 00:08:10,742 --> 00:08:13,703 [laughs] You know, because we all just thought 167 00:08:13,787 --> 00:08:17,040 this kid is getting the best mom on the planet. 168 00:08:18,208 --> 00:08:20,043 [narrator] Laura is four months pregnant, 169 00:08:20,126 --> 00:08:23,505 and she's already named her baby, a boy. 170 00:08:23,588 --> 00:08:25,465 We were all so excited for her. 171 00:08:27,551 --> 00:08:30,512 [narrator] But that excitement has turned to worry. 172 00:08:30,595 --> 00:08:34,849 Laura's sister, Jen, shows investigators a text exchange 173 00:08:34,933 --> 00:08:37,352 between her and Laura from Saturday, 174 00:08:37,435 --> 00:08:39,396 when Laura was on a date with Tyler. 175 00:08:40,939 --> 00:08:43,316 [texts whooshing] 176 00:08:43,400 --> 00:08:45,944 [Paul] Jen and Laura were extremely close. 177 00:08:47,153 --> 00:08:49,072 And there was never a day they did not speak. 178 00:08:49,990 --> 00:08:51,992 On the night of Saturday, September 2nd, 179 00:08:52,075 --> 00:08:56,246 the text messages from Laura were extremely happy. 180 00:08:56,329 --> 00:08:58,498 But then, on Monday, 181 00:08:58,582 --> 00:09:01,751 these text messages became completely dark. 182 00:09:01,835 --> 00:09:03,295 ♪♪ 183 00:09:03,378 --> 00:09:06,965 Laura was making references to a person by the name of Antwan. 184 00:09:07,048 --> 00:09:08,091 [text dings] 185 00:09:08,174 --> 00:09:11,386 The text message alluded to the fact that she was pregnant 186 00:09:11,469 --> 00:09:15,724 and that her boyfriend at the time, Tyler, was not the father of the baby. 187 00:09:15,807 --> 00:09:18,768 [♪ dramatic music playing] 188 00:09:18,852 --> 00:09:21,187 [narrator] Has Laura left an unearthed clue? 189 00:09:21,271 --> 00:09:23,648 A hidden meaning or a final message 190 00:09:23,732 --> 00:09:26,860 that will lead investigators to her whereabouts? 191 00:09:26,943 --> 00:09:29,905 What does Laura mean by "living a lie"? 192 00:09:29,988 --> 00:09:31,531 And who is Antwan? 193 00:09:31,615 --> 00:09:35,744 As the Wilde Lake community forges ahead on their search, 194 00:09:35,827 --> 00:09:38,872 they'll uncover more secrets and more lies, 195 00:09:38,955 --> 00:09:42,334 until they unlock the biggest secret of all. 196 00:09:43,752 --> 00:09:47,672 I was extremely shocked, looking at the picture 197 00:09:47,756 --> 00:09:49,966 and trying to match the picture up. 198 00:09:50,050 --> 00:09:51,927 Like, my heart just, like, sunk. 199 00:09:52,010 --> 00:09:54,554 [♪ dramatic crescendo] 200 00:09:57,807 --> 00:10:00,810 [♪ mysterious music playing] 201 00:10:01,811 --> 00:10:05,732 [narrator] Popular high school teacher and mother-to-be Laura Wallen 202 00:10:05,815 --> 00:10:08,526 has the entire community on pins and needles 203 00:10:08,610 --> 00:10:12,072 when she doesn't show up for the first day of school. 204 00:10:12,155 --> 00:10:15,116 I think everybody's state at that point was just pure confusion. 205 00:10:15,200 --> 00:10:16,785 Like, everybody was confused. 206 00:10:16,868 --> 00:10:17,953 [text dings] 207 00:10:18,036 --> 00:10:21,790 [narrator] There's no time to waste, so investigators start unpacking 208 00:10:21,873 --> 00:10:24,459 a series of concerning text messages 209 00:10:24,542 --> 00:10:27,712 sent from Laura to her sister, Jen, over the Labor Day weekend. 210 00:10:27,796 --> 00:10:29,130 ♪♪ 211 00:10:29,214 --> 00:10:30,799 [Katie Leggett] My name is Katie Leggett, 212 00:10:30,882 --> 00:10:33,927 and I'm a detective in Montgomery County, Maryland, 213 00:10:34,010 --> 00:10:37,430 and I'm assigned to the Cold Case/Missing Person Unit. 214 00:10:37,514 --> 00:10:39,766 On Labor Day weekend, there was a text message 215 00:10:39,849 --> 00:10:42,060 that Laura sent to her sister, Jen, 216 00:10:42,143 --> 00:10:45,105 and raised Jen's suspicions 217 00:10:45,188 --> 00:10:46,773 that something was wrong. 218 00:10:47,691 --> 00:10:49,651 [narrator] The text suggests Laura's boyfriend, 219 00:10:49,734 --> 00:10:53,655 Tyler Tessier, is not the father of her baby. 220 00:10:56,241 --> 00:10:58,868 [Paul] I called Tyler Tessier to come to the office 221 00:10:58,952 --> 00:11:03,498 to tell us exactly what was going on with his girlfriend. 222 00:11:03,582 --> 00:11:05,917 He came in very quickly, um, 223 00:11:06,001 --> 00:11:09,504 and wanted to give up as much information as he possibly could. 224 00:11:09,588 --> 00:11:12,799 [narrator] Tyler makes it clear that his relationship with Laura 225 00:11:12,883 --> 00:11:14,843 isn't so picture-perfect. 226 00:11:14,926 --> 00:11:16,595 [♪ ominous music playing] 227 00:11:16,678 --> 00:11:19,890 [Katie] They were having problems prior to her finding out she was pregnant. 228 00:11:19,973 --> 00:11:21,391 In fact, they had broken up. 229 00:11:21,474 --> 00:11:23,727 And when she found out she was pregnant, 230 00:11:23,810 --> 00:11:26,688 Tyler assured her he was in for the long haul. 231 00:11:26,771 --> 00:11:28,064 ♪♪ 232 00:11:28,148 --> 00:11:29,983 [narrator] Tyler says with a baby on the way, 233 00:11:30,066 --> 00:11:32,777 he and Laura are committed to working things out. 234 00:11:34,446 --> 00:11:36,281 And over the Labor Day weekend, 235 00:11:36,364 --> 00:11:39,242 they went out to explore the vast countryside, 236 00:11:39,326 --> 00:11:42,454 envisioning a perfect spot for their future dream home. 237 00:11:51,087 --> 00:11:54,549 [narrator] That Saturday night, Tyler had big plans, 238 00:11:54,633 --> 00:11:57,052 -but the baby had other ideas. -[texts dinging] 239 00:11:58,470 --> 00:12:00,513 Laura had morning sickness. 240 00:12:01,640 --> 00:12:04,226 He had mentioned that he was going to propose that night, 241 00:12:04,309 --> 00:12:06,269 but when she became ill, 242 00:12:06,353 --> 00:12:07,979 he decided to put that off. 243 00:12:08,063 --> 00:12:10,941 They stopped at the Safeway in Olney 244 00:12:11,024 --> 00:12:13,652 to buy some seltzer water for her that she liked, 245 00:12:13,735 --> 00:12:15,445 I guess to calm her stomach. 246 00:12:17,239 --> 00:12:18,782 Then, they went back to the condo. 247 00:12:19,741 --> 00:12:22,285 [narrator] The following day, when Laura was feeling better, 248 00:12:22,369 --> 00:12:25,872 Tyler says he presented her with a diamond engagement ring. 249 00:12:25,956 --> 00:12:28,833 Tyler thought that Laura would be happy, 250 00:12:28,917 --> 00:12:30,627 but she wasn't. 251 00:12:46,977 --> 00:12:48,478 [Paul] He was very confused 252 00:12:48,562 --> 00:12:51,356 about why she didn't wanna be married to him. 253 00:12:51,439 --> 00:12:53,233 ♪♪ 254 00:12:53,316 --> 00:12:56,486 [narrator] Tyler says he got in touch with Laura later that evening, 255 00:12:56,570 --> 00:12:59,364 and they made a plan to talk things over on Monday. 256 00:12:59,447 --> 00:13:02,993 He was gonna meet with her on Monday, Labor Day, 257 00:13:03,076 --> 00:13:06,329 at the cafe inside of Columbia Mall. 258 00:13:07,914 --> 00:13:09,165 But she never showed up. 259 00:13:10,500 --> 00:13:12,085 [narrator] That same morning, 260 00:13:12,168 --> 00:13:15,213 Laura sent the troubling texts to her sister, 261 00:13:15,297 --> 00:13:18,717 and that was the last time anyone heard from her. 262 00:13:20,093 --> 00:13:22,095 Did Laura spurn Tyler's proposal 263 00:13:22,178 --> 00:13:25,223 because someone else is the father of the baby? 264 00:13:25,307 --> 00:13:27,392 Someone by the name of Antwan? 265 00:13:27,475 --> 00:13:28,685 [text dings] 266 00:13:28,768 --> 00:13:31,229 I asked him, "Is there a possibility you're not the father?" 267 00:13:31,313 --> 00:13:32,772 [♪ tense music playing] 268 00:13:38,486 --> 00:13:41,072 Tyler said she does not have any boyfriends 269 00:13:41,156 --> 00:13:45,744 that he knows about, and he never said the name Antwan. 270 00:13:45,827 --> 00:13:48,455 [narrator] Tyler may not know who Antwan is, 271 00:13:48,538 --> 00:13:50,373 but now that investigators know more 272 00:13:50,457 --> 00:13:53,376 about his last interaction with Laura this past weekend, 273 00:13:53,460 --> 00:13:56,004 they can further dial in on their search. 274 00:13:57,422 --> 00:14:00,675 Tyler had mentioned that they had been at the Safeway in Olney that night. 275 00:14:00,759 --> 00:14:04,221 One of the detectives from our unit 276 00:14:04,304 --> 00:14:06,056 watched footage 277 00:14:06,139 --> 00:14:08,600 and, in fact, did find them on the footage, 278 00:14:08,683 --> 00:14:11,186 and they had bought exactly what Tyler said they had bought. 279 00:14:11,269 --> 00:14:13,271 ♪♪ 280 00:14:14,940 --> 00:14:18,026 [narrator] It's been 48 hours since anyone heard from Laura, 281 00:14:18,109 --> 00:14:20,320 and investigators turn their attention 282 00:14:20,403 --> 00:14:22,447 to the mysterious Antwan. 283 00:14:22,530 --> 00:14:25,450 -Laura's texts suggest the unthinkable. -[text dings] 284 00:14:25,533 --> 00:14:28,411 Did she get too close to one of her students 285 00:14:28,495 --> 00:14:29,996 and cross the line? 286 00:14:31,998 --> 00:14:34,751 We met with the principal and met with a school resource officer, 287 00:14:34,834 --> 00:14:37,796 and we started going through records. 288 00:14:37,879 --> 00:14:39,214 [♪ tense crescendo] 289 00:14:39,297 --> 00:14:41,258 And there was a student named Antwan. 290 00:14:42,842 --> 00:14:45,720 We ended up finding a student who was very young, 291 00:14:45,804 --> 00:14:48,098 with braces, and sweet, and quiet 292 00:14:48,181 --> 00:14:50,642 and absolutely was not having an affair with a teacher. 293 00:14:50,725 --> 00:14:53,270 [echoing footsteps] 294 00:14:53,353 --> 00:14:58,358 ♪ I can't live without you, so where do I begin ♪ 295 00:14:58,441 --> 00:15:00,986 ♪♪ 296 00:15:01,069 --> 00:15:03,572 ♪ I can't go back ♪ 297 00:15:03,655 --> 00:15:06,491 Maybe one of them knows about another Antwan, 298 00:15:06,575 --> 00:15:09,077 someone Laura was dating outside of school. 299 00:15:10,495 --> 00:15:13,123 My principal goes, "Hey, we need you in the conference room." 300 00:15:14,457 --> 00:15:16,501 And there's a bunch of police officers. 301 00:15:16,585 --> 00:15:20,463 They asked me, "Well, what do you know about Antwan?" 302 00:15:20,547 --> 00:15:24,551 And I was like... "Antwan? 303 00:15:24,634 --> 00:15:28,763 You mean the, the guy that she was dating, like, years ago?" 304 00:15:28,847 --> 00:15:32,350 ♪ Why am I never satisfied? ♪ 305 00:15:32,434 --> 00:15:35,145 I didn't really know Antwan at all. 306 00:15:35,228 --> 00:15:37,314 I just remember Laura telling me 307 00:15:37,397 --> 00:15:38,690 that this wasn't gonna work out, 308 00:15:38,773 --> 00:15:41,026 and then, like, Antwan just... 309 00:15:41,109 --> 00:15:43,653 faded into the ether 'cause he moved away. 310 00:15:43,737 --> 00:15:45,030 [text dings] 311 00:15:45,113 --> 00:15:47,782 [narrator] Could it be that this is the same Antwan 312 00:15:47,866 --> 00:15:51,161 who is somehow back in Laura's life? 313 00:15:51,244 --> 00:15:52,829 The problem for investigators 314 00:15:52,913 --> 00:15:55,749 is that no one knows where Antwan lives 315 00:15:55,832 --> 00:15:57,792 or his full name. 316 00:15:57,876 --> 00:16:01,713 We had detectives looking into where he was located, 317 00:16:01,796 --> 00:16:05,217 but we needed time to figure out Antwan's last name. 318 00:16:06,468 --> 00:16:08,720 [narrator] By now, word of Laura's disappearance 319 00:16:08,803 --> 00:16:11,014 is all over the local news, 320 00:16:11,097 --> 00:16:12,807 and everyone from Wilde Lake High 321 00:16:12,891 --> 00:16:15,977 to the Columbia lakefront are on the lookout. 322 00:16:16,978 --> 00:16:19,773 [Jessica] The kids were making appeals on social media. 323 00:16:19,856 --> 00:16:21,566 [texts whooshing, phone keys clacking] 324 00:16:21,650 --> 00:16:25,153 They knocked on doors. They passed out flyers. 325 00:16:26,404 --> 00:16:29,032 They had to fight for Ms. Wallen. 326 00:16:29,115 --> 00:16:31,076 ♪♪ 327 00:16:31,159 --> 00:16:34,120 If you care about something and you believe in what that is-- 328 00:16:34,204 --> 00:16:36,873 Like, people plant flowers and grow gardens all the time. 329 00:16:36,957 --> 00:16:38,625 Like, I'm waking up every day, 330 00:16:38,708 --> 00:16:41,586 pouring water on this seed, on this soil. 331 00:16:41,670 --> 00:16:44,798 Ms. Wallen had that. She had that. We was her garden. 332 00:16:44,881 --> 00:16:47,717 We was all doing this in hopes of still finding Ms. Wallen. 333 00:16:50,762 --> 00:16:53,890 [narrator] Then, three days after Laura went missing, 334 00:16:53,974 --> 00:16:57,811 investigators receive a phone call that changes everything. 335 00:16:59,521 --> 00:17:02,065 On September 7th, a call comes in 336 00:17:02,148 --> 00:17:04,484 from the Gramercy Apartments in Columbia. 337 00:17:05,652 --> 00:17:08,572 And it's the grounds manager 338 00:17:08,655 --> 00:17:12,117 saying that he had found Laura's driver's license by a dumpster. 339 00:17:12,200 --> 00:17:15,120 [♪ curious music playing] 340 00:17:15,203 --> 00:17:17,330 We scrambled many detectives and officers 341 00:17:17,414 --> 00:17:20,250 from Montgomery County to the apartment complex. 342 00:17:20,333 --> 00:17:22,377 [narrator] The location is just across the street 343 00:17:22,460 --> 00:17:24,296 from Wilde Lake High School. 344 00:17:24,379 --> 00:17:28,633 And when officers arrive, they make a shocking discovery. 345 00:17:28,717 --> 00:17:32,137 We located Laura's car in the parking lot, near the dumpster. 346 00:17:32,220 --> 00:17:34,222 ♪♪ 347 00:17:35,140 --> 00:17:39,895 That was probably the first "Oh, my God" moment that we had. 348 00:17:39,978 --> 00:17:41,563 ♪♪ 349 00:17:41,646 --> 00:17:43,690 Your gut can tell you something's wrong, 350 00:17:43,773 --> 00:17:46,693 and we, at that point, know something bad is coming. 351 00:17:46,776 --> 00:17:49,362 [narrator] Will this new bombshell discovery 352 00:17:49,446 --> 00:17:52,324 lead the investigators closer to Laura? 353 00:17:52,407 --> 00:17:55,452 Will the teacher who has captivated the minds and hearts 354 00:17:55,535 --> 00:17:58,204 of those young and old be found? 355 00:17:58,288 --> 00:18:03,752 As investigators read between the lines and inch closer to the truth, 356 00:18:03,835 --> 00:18:06,755 what they find will rock the dreams and fears 357 00:18:06,838 --> 00:18:08,548 of everyone involved. 358 00:18:12,219 --> 00:18:15,305 [♪ tense music playing] 359 00:18:16,389 --> 00:18:19,434 [narrator] Three days after Laura Wallen's disappearance, 360 00:18:19,517 --> 00:18:22,395 investigators are called to an apartment complex 361 00:18:22,479 --> 00:18:24,397 close to the high school where she teaches. 362 00:18:25,941 --> 00:18:29,611 In the parking lot, they find Laura's black SUV. 363 00:18:30,570 --> 00:18:31,947 [shutter snaps, flash whirring] 364 00:18:32,030 --> 00:18:34,658 There was no blood. There was no evidence of a struggle. 365 00:18:34,741 --> 00:18:36,034 There was no damage on the car. 366 00:18:37,577 --> 00:18:40,205 But the front license plate was removed. 367 00:18:41,456 --> 00:18:43,416 [narrator] A cleverly concealed car? 368 00:18:43,500 --> 00:18:46,211 A conveniently removed license plate? 369 00:18:47,254 --> 00:18:49,673 Did someone take Laura's car 370 00:18:49,756 --> 00:18:51,675 and move it here, hoping it's never found? 371 00:18:52,884 --> 00:18:55,095 We believed at that point foul play was involved 372 00:18:55,178 --> 00:18:58,306 and that this was gonna start leaning towards a homicide. 373 00:18:58,390 --> 00:19:00,392 [♪ tense sting] 374 00:19:01,935 --> 00:19:05,105 [narrator] By nightfall, word quickly spreads. 375 00:19:05,188 --> 00:19:08,400 Laura's car has been found, but not Laura. 376 00:19:11,361 --> 00:19:15,574 ♪ Let me take you back ♪ 377 00:19:15,657 --> 00:19:17,242 [students chattering] 378 00:19:17,325 --> 00:19:20,245 [Kareem Press] When we were hearing, like, on the news when they had found her car, 379 00:19:20,328 --> 00:19:22,247 not even that far away from the school, 380 00:19:22,330 --> 00:19:24,082 we knew that Ms. Wallen was in danger. 381 00:19:25,500 --> 00:19:28,962 When I found out, ugh, like, my heart just, like, sunk. 382 00:19:31,047 --> 00:19:32,966 It was just, it was complete shift of energy. 383 00:19:33,049 --> 00:19:35,552 I know I saw teachers who were bawling their eyes out. 384 00:19:35,635 --> 00:19:40,181 Like, it was just crazy because I've never seen teachers react so much. 385 00:19:40,265 --> 00:19:42,183 Hearing that news, it was completely devastating. 386 00:19:43,310 --> 00:19:45,312 ♪♪ 387 00:19:48,648 --> 00:19:52,027 [narrator] Laura's car doesn't give up any clues about her whereabouts. 388 00:19:55,113 --> 00:19:57,741 And investigators still don't know the identity 389 00:19:57,824 --> 00:20:00,201 of her mysterious ex, Antwan. 390 00:20:00,285 --> 00:20:03,246 -[texts dinging] -Could Laura have run away with him? 391 00:20:03,330 --> 00:20:07,417 Or did Antwan do something to her when he found out about the baby? 392 00:20:07,500 --> 00:20:11,630 We kinda went down the rabbit hole of looking for this man named Antwan. 393 00:20:12,839 --> 00:20:15,800 [narrator] As detectives hunt for the elusive Antwan, 394 00:20:15,884 --> 00:20:18,386 a tip from Laura's brother-in-law, John, 395 00:20:18,470 --> 00:20:21,223 sends the investigation in a new direction. 396 00:20:21,306 --> 00:20:24,476 -[phone ringing] -I got a call, and John Kadi said to me, 397 00:20:24,559 --> 00:20:27,729 "Are you aware of Tyler's other girlfriend?" 398 00:20:29,105 --> 00:20:31,233 [narrator] Investigators are stunned. 399 00:20:31,316 --> 00:20:34,402 Apparently, there's another woman in Tyler's life, 400 00:20:34,486 --> 00:20:36,279 and her name is Chrissy. 401 00:20:39,449 --> 00:20:43,703 All John Kadi knew about Chrissy was that she may be a teacher 402 00:20:43,787 --> 00:20:45,664 and that maybe they were still in a relationship. 403 00:20:45,747 --> 00:20:46,748 ♪♪ 404 00:20:46,831 --> 00:20:49,292 [narrator] Could a love triangle be at the core 405 00:20:49,376 --> 00:20:51,419 of Laura's disappearance? 406 00:20:51,503 --> 00:20:55,006 Investigators quickly track down Tyler's other woman. 407 00:20:55,090 --> 00:20:58,718 One of my detectives, I sent to a, a middle school 408 00:20:58,802 --> 00:21:01,805 in Gaithersburg, Maryland, where Chrissy was working at. 409 00:21:03,515 --> 00:21:06,309 Asked the principal to bring Chrissy in for an interview 410 00:21:06,393 --> 00:21:08,186 in one of their conference rooms. 411 00:21:09,938 --> 00:21:12,482 So, then I called Tyler and I said, 412 00:21:12,566 --> 00:21:14,025 "Tyler, I need to speak to you right away." 413 00:21:17,070 --> 00:21:19,072 And Tyler went white as a ghost. 414 00:21:20,740 --> 00:21:23,118 He knew at that point we knew who Chrissy was, 415 00:21:23,201 --> 00:21:27,414 and that's when he admitted that, yes, he was with Chrissy. 416 00:21:28,957 --> 00:21:31,126 But he told us that we just didn't understand, though, 417 00:21:31,209 --> 00:21:32,502 because he was in love with Laura. 418 00:21:33,378 --> 00:21:34,588 He knew she was pregnant. 419 00:21:34,671 --> 00:21:37,883 He wanted to be the father of the baby. He wanted a life with her. 420 00:21:37,966 --> 00:21:40,969 But he just couldn't be with Chrissy anymore. 421 00:21:41,052 --> 00:21:42,804 [narrator] Little does Tyler know, 422 00:21:42,888 --> 00:21:45,557 investigators are getting Chrissy's side of the story 423 00:21:45,640 --> 00:21:48,393 at the exact same time. 424 00:21:48,476 --> 00:21:52,022 I received a text message from my detective that stated, 425 00:21:52,105 --> 00:21:55,483 "I'm sitting with Chrissy. She's got a ring on. 426 00:21:55,567 --> 00:21:58,069 They're engaged, and they live together." 427 00:21:58,153 --> 00:22:00,864 ♪♪ 428 00:22:00,947 --> 00:22:03,241 Chrissy told my detective that basically 429 00:22:03,325 --> 00:22:06,620 Laura was someone who was after her boyfriend 430 00:22:06,703 --> 00:22:08,496 and that Laura was crazy. 431 00:22:09,706 --> 00:22:12,042 [narrator] During Chrissy's interview across town, 432 00:22:12,125 --> 00:22:15,962 she says she received an unexpected DM on Facebook 433 00:22:16,046 --> 00:22:18,965 just a few days before Laura went missing. 434 00:22:19,049 --> 00:22:21,760 Laura found Chrissy's profile, 435 00:22:21,843 --> 00:22:25,222 and she wanted to talk woman-to-woman. 436 00:22:25,305 --> 00:22:27,474 -[message dings] -[♪ tense music playing] 437 00:22:27,557 --> 00:22:30,018 [Katie] Laura reached out to Chrissy, 438 00:22:30,101 --> 00:22:32,479 asking, "Hey, we need to get together." 439 00:22:33,480 --> 00:22:35,982 [narrator] Chrissy tells police she never responded 440 00:22:36,066 --> 00:22:37,984 because she was afraid of Laura. 441 00:22:38,068 --> 00:22:40,445 According to Chrissy, 442 00:22:40,528 --> 00:22:44,199 Tyler had some pretty nasty things to say about Laura. 443 00:22:44,282 --> 00:22:47,786 Due to the fact that there was this love triangle that we had uncovered, 444 00:22:47,869 --> 00:22:49,955 Chrissy having some involvement 445 00:22:50,038 --> 00:22:54,251 was a theory that had to be run out like everything else. 446 00:22:55,335 --> 00:22:58,046 [narrator] When asked about her whereabouts Labor Day weekend, 447 00:22:58,129 --> 00:23:01,466 Chrissy says she was gearing up for a big day. 448 00:23:01,550 --> 00:23:04,594 [Katie] Chrissy said she was dress shopping 449 00:23:04,678 --> 00:23:08,181 with her bridal party in Pennsylvania 450 00:23:08,265 --> 00:23:12,227 on the weekend that Laura disappeared, for her and Tyler's upcoming wedding. 451 00:23:25,740 --> 00:23:27,325 [narrator] Tyler insists that Laura 452 00:23:27,409 --> 00:23:29,911 is the only one he's actually in love with, 453 00:23:29,995 --> 00:23:32,706 and he has no idea where she is. 454 00:23:32,789 --> 00:23:34,958 But the detectives aren't buying it. 455 00:23:35,041 --> 00:23:37,210 We don't have any evidence that Tyler 456 00:23:37,294 --> 00:23:39,880 had done anything to Laura at that particular point, 457 00:23:39,963 --> 00:23:43,466 um, except for, again, the lies about his girlfriend. 458 00:23:44,718 --> 00:23:47,554 That's when the case took a complete 180, 459 00:23:47,637 --> 00:23:49,890 and we took a different approach 460 00:23:49,973 --> 00:23:52,267 to how we were gonna handle Mr. Tessier. 461 00:23:52,350 --> 00:23:53,727 [school bell ringing] 462 00:23:53,810 --> 00:23:57,522 [narrator] Detectives come up with a plan to put Tyler under the spotlight. 463 00:23:59,524 --> 00:24:02,193 Katie Leggett put together a press conference with our media section. 464 00:24:02,277 --> 00:24:04,112 [♪ dramatic music playing] 465 00:24:04,195 --> 00:24:07,365 If I ask Tyler to do a press conference and he says no, 466 00:24:07,449 --> 00:24:10,285 he's gonna assume that we think he's guilty. 467 00:24:10,368 --> 00:24:13,580 If I ask him to do a press conference and he says yes, 468 00:24:13,663 --> 00:24:16,124 we're gonna get something good. It's worth a shot. 469 00:24:16,207 --> 00:24:17,876 ♪♪ 470 00:24:17,959 --> 00:24:20,670 [narrator] It's now seven days after Laura's disappearance. 471 00:24:21,880 --> 00:24:25,133 Once transfixed by her encrypted text messages, 472 00:24:25,217 --> 00:24:29,262 investigators now find themselves on the edge of their seats. 473 00:24:29,346 --> 00:24:32,599 Face-to-face in front of the cameras 474 00:24:32,682 --> 00:24:34,976 and with the eyes of the community upon him, 475 00:24:35,060 --> 00:24:38,438 will Tyler reveal anything about Laura's fate? 476 00:24:38,521 --> 00:24:41,691 Or will this entire ruse be all for nothing? 477 00:24:41,775 --> 00:24:43,652 [♪ dramatic crescendo] 478 00:24:48,823 --> 00:24:51,618 [♪ solemn music playing] 479 00:24:51,701 --> 00:24:55,205 [narrator] Laura Wallen has been missing for seven days, 480 00:24:55,288 --> 00:24:58,792 and her boyfriend, Tyler, stands face-to-face with the media 481 00:24:58,875 --> 00:25:02,212 during a cleverly orchestrated press conference. 482 00:25:09,386 --> 00:25:10,929 [♪ tense music playing] 483 00:25:11,012 --> 00:25:13,265 [narrator] Detectives believe that Tyler knows something 484 00:25:13,348 --> 00:25:17,310 about Laura's disappearance, so they staged the press conference 485 00:25:17,394 --> 00:25:20,438 to see how he responds to questions about Laura. 486 00:25:27,070 --> 00:25:30,073 [♪ tense crescendo] 487 00:25:34,703 --> 00:25:36,496 [Katie] He took a deep breath, 488 00:25:36,580 --> 00:25:39,541 and he completely did not answer the question. 489 00:25:39,624 --> 00:25:41,501 He knew something. 490 00:25:42,794 --> 00:25:46,047 So, for me, it was just one extra layer of evidence 491 00:25:46,131 --> 00:25:49,968 to try to get, in case he decided he was gonna stop talking to us. 492 00:25:50,051 --> 00:25:51,928 ♪♪ 493 00:25:52,012 --> 00:25:54,848 [narrator] Tyler may not have incriminated himself, 494 00:25:54,931 --> 00:25:58,143 but the press conference produces an unexpected ally: 495 00:25:59,060 --> 00:26:01,021 Tyler's fiancée, Chrissy. 496 00:26:02,105 --> 00:26:06,318 Chrissy was with all of her coworkers when this news broke, 497 00:26:06,401 --> 00:26:08,653 and she's watching the press conference 498 00:26:08,737 --> 00:26:11,114 and learns at the same time as the rest of the country 499 00:26:11,197 --> 00:26:13,408 that Tyler's girlfriend is pregnant. 500 00:26:15,160 --> 00:26:18,538 After the press conference, Chrissy did fully cooperate 501 00:26:18,622 --> 00:26:20,540 with detectives in this case. 502 00:26:22,083 --> 00:26:26,296 [narrator] Little by little, Tyler's world crashes down around him, 503 00:26:26,379 --> 00:26:30,300 and after the press conference, detectives apply more pressure, 504 00:26:30,383 --> 00:26:33,178 and they bring him in for another interview. 505 00:26:35,722 --> 00:26:39,559 By this time, state prosecutors are following the case closely. 506 00:26:39,643 --> 00:26:42,729 [Donna Fenton] My name is Donna Fenton, and I am one of the prosecutors 507 00:26:42,812 --> 00:26:45,565 who handled the case against Tyler Tessier. 508 00:26:45,649 --> 00:26:46,900 [echoing clap] 509 00:26:46,983 --> 00:26:48,735 From a prosecutorial standpoint, 510 00:26:48,818 --> 00:26:52,781 we want Tyler Tessier to keep talking as much as possible, 511 00:26:52,864 --> 00:26:55,367 because following the press conference, 512 00:26:55,450 --> 00:26:58,954 the story changed minute to minute. 513 00:26:59,037 --> 00:27:01,623 -[indistinct chatter] -[narrator] Investigators ask Tyler 514 00:27:01,706 --> 00:27:05,585 to clear up some discrepancies in his earlier statements. 515 00:27:05,669 --> 00:27:09,381 Tyler advised us at that time that he was gonna meet with Laura 516 00:27:09,464 --> 00:27:12,634 on Monday, Labor Day, at the Columbia Mall. 517 00:27:12,717 --> 00:27:14,719 [♪ tense music playing] 518 00:27:15,929 --> 00:27:17,180 But she never showed up. 519 00:27:18,890 --> 00:27:23,144 [narrator] But surveillance video shows that Tyler was not there waiting for her 520 00:27:23,228 --> 00:27:24,896 like he claims. 521 00:27:35,240 --> 00:27:37,701 [narrator] Then, hours into the interview, 522 00:27:37,784 --> 00:27:40,996 Tyler offers up a completely new version of events. 523 00:27:42,080 --> 00:27:46,042 He's saying that Laura was asking for a fresh start, 524 00:27:46,126 --> 00:27:49,421 and he was helping her so she could go start a new life 525 00:27:49,504 --> 00:27:52,424 with the baby's real dad. 526 00:27:53,508 --> 00:27:57,262 It was garbage from the start, and everybody knew it, 527 00:27:57,345 --> 00:28:00,348 because Laura would never leave her family. 528 00:28:00,432 --> 00:28:02,893 Laura would never leave her school. 529 00:28:02,976 --> 00:28:05,395 Tyler got more specific 530 00:28:05,478 --> 00:28:08,273 with his allegations of not being the father. 531 00:28:17,365 --> 00:28:19,451 ♪♪ 532 00:28:19,534 --> 00:28:21,036 [narrator] This is the first time 533 00:28:21,119 --> 00:28:24,080 that Tyler has admitted to knowing the name Antwan. 534 00:28:25,165 --> 00:28:28,668 However, Tyler is unaware that the police have finally caught up 535 00:28:28,752 --> 00:28:31,838 with the only person connected to Laura by that name. 536 00:28:33,590 --> 00:28:38,261 One of my detectives tracked down her ex-boyfriend, named Antwan. 537 00:28:38,345 --> 00:28:40,180 ♪♪ 538 00:28:40,263 --> 00:28:42,057 We found out he was in the Army, 539 00:28:42,140 --> 00:28:45,393 and we learned that Antwan was in Massachusetts 540 00:28:45,477 --> 00:28:48,313 during the time of Laura's disappearance. 541 00:28:48,396 --> 00:28:51,608 [narrator] The holes in Tyler's story keep growing, 542 00:28:51,691 --> 00:28:53,610 but he keeps doubling down. 543 00:28:54,819 --> 00:28:57,072 He now claims that Laura told him 544 00:28:57,155 --> 00:28:59,699 to send the text about Antwan from her phone. 545 00:29:07,666 --> 00:29:09,251 He just kept talking. 546 00:29:09,334 --> 00:29:11,878 He just kept digging himself in deeper and deeper. 547 00:29:13,046 --> 00:29:15,715 [narrator] Tyler's statements are incriminating, 548 00:29:15,799 --> 00:29:19,052 but he still won't admit if he knows where Laura is. 549 00:29:20,178 --> 00:29:23,723 So, the detectives dig deeper into the last known interaction 550 00:29:23,807 --> 00:29:25,892 Tyler had with her. 551 00:29:25,976 --> 00:29:29,354 They look back at one of their first pieces of evidence: 552 00:29:29,437 --> 00:29:33,817 Laura's texts to her sister, Jen, over Labor Day weekend. 553 00:29:33,900 --> 00:29:36,486 Laura had been texting with her sister 554 00:29:36,570 --> 00:29:38,405 through Saturday evening. 555 00:29:38,488 --> 00:29:42,450 At that time, Jen thought that they were so unusual, 556 00:29:42,534 --> 00:29:45,787 because Laura was telling Jen 557 00:29:45,870 --> 00:29:47,914 that, "Tyler has me in a field." 558 00:29:47,998 --> 00:29:50,458 [♪ dramatic music playing] 559 00:29:51,459 --> 00:29:55,755 [narrator] So unusual, that Jen asked Laura to prove it. 560 00:29:55,839 --> 00:29:57,382 In typical Laura style, 561 00:29:57,465 --> 00:30:00,218 she captures the moment and snaps a picture. 562 00:30:00,302 --> 00:30:02,846 -[text dings] -[Donna] Laura Wallen snapped a photo 563 00:30:02,929 --> 00:30:07,100 with her phone of the area that she was with Tyler. 564 00:30:07,183 --> 00:30:10,645 Tyler told Laura that, "This is the property I'm gonna buy for you, 565 00:30:10,729 --> 00:30:13,023 so we can build a house and start our life together." 566 00:30:13,106 --> 00:30:14,941 [♪ dramatic sting] 567 00:30:16,818 --> 00:30:20,280 [narrator] Tyler said that they were near a town called Frederick at the time, 568 00:30:20,363 --> 00:30:24,075 but police can't trust anything Tyler says. 569 00:30:24,159 --> 00:30:26,244 They also don't have Laura's phone 570 00:30:26,328 --> 00:30:29,164 to reveal location coordinates from the photo. 571 00:30:29,247 --> 00:30:31,791 That field could have been anywhere in the state of Maryland. 572 00:30:31,875 --> 00:30:35,754 We learned that Tyler worked at a farm in Damascus, Maryland. 573 00:30:37,255 --> 00:30:39,883 So, we started to come up with a theory to look 574 00:30:39,966 --> 00:30:42,093 in Damascus where he worked. 575 00:30:42,177 --> 00:30:43,678 ♪♪ 576 00:30:43,762 --> 00:30:46,723 [narrator] Tyler works part-time at a meat processing facility 577 00:30:46,806 --> 00:30:51,144 located on a huge sprawling farm with wide open spaces. 578 00:30:52,437 --> 00:30:54,564 So, on September 13th, 579 00:30:55,398 --> 00:30:57,359 wrote a search warrant to search the farm. 580 00:31:00,362 --> 00:31:02,530 [narrator] In a far corner of the property, 581 00:31:02,614 --> 00:31:04,532 an officer finds a tree line 582 00:31:04,616 --> 00:31:07,035 that matches Laura's photo perfectly. 583 00:31:08,495 --> 00:31:11,873 When they got to this back field, 584 00:31:11,957 --> 00:31:15,585 they observed what they believed to be... 585 00:31:16,711 --> 00:31:20,090 tracks from machinery, and that was very unusual. 586 00:31:20,173 --> 00:31:22,217 -[twigs snapping] -[quiet chatter] 587 00:31:22,300 --> 00:31:26,137 [narrator] As officers move closer, something catches their eye. 588 00:31:27,514 --> 00:31:31,977 [Paul] An officer noticed a patch of dirt that looked a little fresh 589 00:31:32,060 --> 00:31:36,064 and saw a small, dollar-bill-sized piece of purple clothing 590 00:31:36,147 --> 00:31:37,649 protruding from the dirt. 591 00:31:39,943 --> 00:31:43,113 We found Laura Wallen's body in a shallow grave. 592 00:31:43,196 --> 00:31:45,198 [♪ somber music playing] 593 00:31:47,325 --> 00:31:48,910 [narrator] Laura is the victim 594 00:31:48,994 --> 00:31:52,455 of an apparent gunshot wound to the back of the head. 595 00:31:54,332 --> 00:31:57,460 If she hadn't sent her sister the photo of the field, 596 00:31:57,544 --> 00:31:59,921 her body would have never been found. 597 00:32:02,591 --> 00:32:05,093 ♪ Hit the ground ♪ 598 00:32:06,219 --> 00:32:08,013 Across town in Columbia, 599 00:32:08,096 --> 00:32:11,308 students and faculty gather for a moment of solidarity... 600 00:32:11,391 --> 00:32:13,435 ♪ The dark is comin' after you ♪ 601 00:32:13,518 --> 00:32:16,521 [narrator] ...only to have their hearts crushed with breaking news. 602 00:32:17,772 --> 00:32:20,025 ♪ You hear that voice ♪ 603 00:32:20,108 --> 00:32:22,611 [Saquan] September 13th, we was hosting a candlelight vigil 604 00:32:22,694 --> 00:32:26,406 at the Wilde Lake Interfaith Center right across from the high school. 605 00:32:26,489 --> 00:32:28,575 And someone in the crowd went, 606 00:32:28,658 --> 00:32:31,953 "Yo, they just tweeted that they found Ms. Wallen's body!" 607 00:32:32,037 --> 00:32:34,581 ♪ No hope left ♪ 608 00:32:34,664 --> 00:32:37,792 ♪ This is where it ends ♪ 609 00:32:37,876 --> 00:32:39,419 It sucked the air out of it, 610 00:32:39,502 --> 00:32:42,839 and it just turned from, like, confusion and upset, to, like, anger. 611 00:32:42,923 --> 00:32:44,674 Like, I never felt momentum shift like that. 612 00:32:44,758 --> 00:32:47,385 Like, "Not Ms. Wallen." That's what you were hearing in the crowd, 613 00:32:47,469 --> 00:32:49,971 like, "Not Ms. Wallen. Ms. Wallen not dead. Y'all tripping." 614 00:32:51,181 --> 00:32:53,475 Like, you hearing kids getting mad, you hearing parents crying, 615 00:32:53,558 --> 00:32:56,311 and it was like so many emotions going on, and I'm just standing there, stuck. 616 00:32:56,394 --> 00:32:57,395 [♪ somber sting] 617 00:32:57,479 --> 00:32:59,981 [hushed chatter] 618 00:33:00,065 --> 00:33:02,359 It was devastating. It was traumatic. 619 00:33:03,818 --> 00:33:08,698 And we got a notification on our phones, the press release from the police. 620 00:33:08,782 --> 00:33:13,119 "Tyler Tessier has been charged with the murder of Laura Wallen." 621 00:33:13,203 --> 00:33:15,789 [♪ dramatic music playing] 622 00:33:15,872 --> 00:33:19,292 [narrator] With Tyler now under arrest, 623 00:33:19,376 --> 00:33:23,922 it's time for the investigators to confront him one final time. 624 00:33:25,340 --> 00:33:28,009 [Katie] I had been good cop up until that point, 625 00:33:28,093 --> 00:33:31,930 but I've really had enough of this crap. 626 00:33:32,013 --> 00:33:33,557 I need answers. 627 00:33:33,640 --> 00:33:34,724 ♪♪ 628 00:33:34,808 --> 00:33:37,435 [Paul] So, Detective Katie Leggett 629 00:33:37,519 --> 00:33:39,771 interviewed him at headquarters. 630 00:33:39,854 --> 00:33:44,693 He was shown multiple pictures of Laura while she was alive, 631 00:33:44,776 --> 00:33:48,655 and then they showed pictures of her in the grave. 632 00:33:50,031 --> 00:33:53,243 [narrator] Buckling under the pressure, Tyler finally reveals 633 00:33:53,326 --> 00:33:55,787 his last captured memory of Laura's fate. 634 00:33:55,870 --> 00:33:59,624 Tyler says he was kidnapped with Laura. 635 00:33:59,708 --> 00:34:02,419 [narrator] And it's unbelievable. 636 00:34:02,502 --> 00:34:05,213 He said, "I cried like a bitch and was able to beg for my life." 637 00:34:05,297 --> 00:34:09,301 There's truth in every lie, and that was another "oh, my God" moment. 638 00:34:09,384 --> 00:34:10,760 [♪ tense music playing] 639 00:34:14,556 --> 00:34:16,224 [♪ grim music playing] 640 00:34:16,308 --> 00:34:18,393 [narrator] After eight days of searching, 641 00:34:18,476 --> 00:34:20,729 the race to find Laura Wallen, 642 00:34:20,812 --> 00:34:24,482 beloved teacher, friend, and expectant mother, 643 00:34:24,566 --> 00:34:26,067 ends in tragedy. 644 00:34:27,193 --> 00:34:30,739 Laura's photo that she sent to her sister over Labor Day weekend 645 00:34:30,822 --> 00:34:33,783 leads the investigators to her body, 646 00:34:33,867 --> 00:34:36,828 buried in a shallow grave on a rural property 647 00:34:36,912 --> 00:34:39,915 where her boyfriend Tyler works. 648 00:34:39,998 --> 00:34:43,418 Based on what the people on the scene were seeing once they got her out, 649 00:34:43,501 --> 00:34:45,921 we knew that she was shot in the back of the head. 650 00:34:46,004 --> 00:34:48,465 [narrator] With Tyler in custody, 651 00:34:48,548 --> 00:34:50,634 detectives confront him with the evidence, 652 00:34:50,717 --> 00:34:53,678 hoping for a full confession. 653 00:34:53,762 --> 00:34:57,599 Instead, Tyler has a brand-new tale to tell. 654 00:34:58,558 --> 00:35:02,229 Tyler had said that he was kidnapped with Laura 655 00:35:02,312 --> 00:35:06,233 by three masked men and brought to the farm in Damascus. 656 00:35:07,442 --> 00:35:09,569 [Katie] Tyler said they shot her in the back of the head... 657 00:35:09,653 --> 00:35:12,030 -[gunshot] -[♪ dramatic music playing] 658 00:35:13,365 --> 00:35:15,617 ...and makes him watch, but they spare him. 659 00:35:17,077 --> 00:35:19,496 He said, "I cried like a bitch and was able to beg for my life." 660 00:35:19,579 --> 00:35:21,164 ♪♪ 661 00:35:21,248 --> 00:35:24,584 [Katie] There's truth in every lie, because when he said 662 00:35:24,668 --> 00:35:28,672 they shot her in the back of the head, that's exactly what he did. 663 00:35:28,755 --> 00:35:32,634 That was a defining moment where we knew this is exactly how he killed her. 664 00:35:32,717 --> 00:35:34,469 [♪ tense music playing] 665 00:35:34,553 --> 00:35:39,224 [Paul] His stories were so crazy that they didn't make sense. 666 00:35:39,307 --> 00:35:43,270 None of the stories were even close to what had really taken place that day. 667 00:35:44,396 --> 00:35:48,733 [narrator] But investigators have enough evidence to reconstruct the murder. 668 00:35:48,817 --> 00:35:52,946 Tyler Tessier was essentially lying to both of these women. 669 00:35:53,863 --> 00:35:57,075 Tyler would tell Chrissy that Laura was stalking him. 670 00:35:58,827 --> 00:36:03,415 He then also told Laura that Chrissy was the exact same thing. 671 00:36:04,541 --> 00:36:06,209 [narrator] The catalyst for the murder 672 00:36:06,293 --> 00:36:09,170 was Laura contacting Chrissy through Facebook 673 00:36:09,254 --> 00:36:12,132 a week before Laura went missing. 674 00:36:12,215 --> 00:36:14,801 [Katie] Laura was asking, "Hey, woman-to-woman, 675 00:36:14,885 --> 00:36:16,261 we need to get together." 676 00:36:16,344 --> 00:36:18,305 [phone dings] 677 00:36:18,388 --> 00:36:21,766 Now, the thought was that she was gonna tell Chrissy about the baby. 678 00:36:21,850 --> 00:36:23,560 [♪ tense crescendo] 679 00:36:23,643 --> 00:36:26,146 [narrator] Believing this was more stalker behavior, 680 00:36:26,229 --> 00:36:28,565 Chrissy shows the message to Tyler. 681 00:36:28,648 --> 00:36:31,484 If there was any chance that Laura was gonna tell Chrissy 682 00:36:31,568 --> 00:36:33,904 that she was pregnant with Tyler's baby, 683 00:36:33,987 --> 00:36:36,907 his entire cover was gonna be blown. 684 00:36:36,990 --> 00:36:39,910 The walls were starting to close in. 685 00:36:39,993 --> 00:36:42,537 I think at that point, he thinks-- he decided that, you know, 686 00:36:42,621 --> 00:36:46,499 that he was gonna end Laura's life because he didn't wanna lose Chrissy. 687 00:36:48,168 --> 00:36:50,754 [narrator] Tyler knew Chrissy was going to be on a shopping trip 688 00:36:50,837 --> 00:36:53,381 with her bridesmaids over the Labor Day weekend. 689 00:36:53,465 --> 00:36:56,092 He knew his employer, who owned the farm 690 00:36:56,176 --> 00:36:59,638 where Laura's body was found, was also going to be away. 691 00:37:00,472 --> 00:37:03,308 And he knew where the guns were kept. 692 00:37:04,267 --> 00:37:07,020 The gun that was used in her murder 693 00:37:07,103 --> 00:37:09,147 was found in a barn 694 00:37:09,231 --> 00:37:12,817 that was used by the farm to put down animals. 695 00:37:12,901 --> 00:37:16,863 Tyler used that rifle to basically kill Laura. 696 00:37:16,947 --> 00:37:18,740 [muffled gunshot] 697 00:37:18,823 --> 00:37:21,326 [narrator] The evidence suggests that Tyler 698 00:37:21,409 --> 00:37:24,079 planned to kill Laura on Saturday evening, 699 00:37:24,162 --> 00:37:28,250 around the time Laura was texting with her sister, Jen. 700 00:37:28,333 --> 00:37:30,919 Her sister said, "Send me a picture." 701 00:37:31,002 --> 00:37:34,214 And that's when she sent the picture of the tree line. 702 00:37:34,297 --> 00:37:38,218 Now, that is, I believe, when she told Tyler, 703 00:37:38,301 --> 00:37:40,095 "I'm texting with my sister." 704 00:37:41,596 --> 00:37:43,431 That spoiled his plan. 705 00:37:43,515 --> 00:37:46,518 But I think he brought her back there on Sunday morning. 706 00:37:47,686 --> 00:37:51,356 [narrator] Tyler lured Laura in with the promises of the perfect family 707 00:37:51,439 --> 00:37:53,733 and the wedding of her dreams. 708 00:37:53,817 --> 00:37:55,318 I truly believe she thought 709 00:37:55,402 --> 00:37:59,322 he would have a surprise for her and that she was going to get engaged. 710 00:38:00,907 --> 00:38:03,660 I don't believe she saw it coming. 711 00:38:03,743 --> 00:38:05,120 [muffled gunshot] 712 00:38:07,455 --> 00:38:09,332 He's a coward. 713 00:38:09,416 --> 00:38:11,167 [narrator] After killing Laura, 714 00:38:11,251 --> 00:38:14,087 Tyler used her phone to text her sister Jen. 715 00:38:14,170 --> 00:38:16,214 [texts dinging] 716 00:38:18,508 --> 00:38:22,387 Tyler's attempts to confuse investigators worked briefly, 717 00:38:22,470 --> 00:38:24,264 but ultimately failed. 718 00:38:25,557 --> 00:38:29,311 In the end, the picture Laura sent to her sister 719 00:38:29,394 --> 00:38:32,397 was the key piece of evidence that solved the case. 720 00:38:33,732 --> 00:38:36,735 [♪ somber music playing] 721 00:38:38,570 --> 00:38:40,906 One year after Laura's murder, 722 00:38:40,989 --> 00:38:44,242 Tyler Tessier's trial is set to begin. 723 00:38:44,326 --> 00:38:48,872 My phone rang at a little after 5:15 that morning, 724 00:38:48,955 --> 00:38:51,249 and it was Detective Frank Colbert, 725 00:38:51,333 --> 00:38:53,460 who told me Tyler Tessier just hung himself 726 00:38:53,543 --> 00:38:56,004 at the Montgomery County Correctional Facility. 727 00:38:57,047 --> 00:39:00,258 I was absolutely flabbergasted. 728 00:39:01,343 --> 00:39:04,137 [Jessica] I was so angry, 729 00:39:04,221 --> 00:39:07,557 because Tyler stole Laura from us the first time. 730 00:39:07,641 --> 00:39:10,644 [♪ indistinct soft singing] 731 00:39:10,727 --> 00:39:14,439 And he stole from us when he decided to end his life 732 00:39:14,522 --> 00:39:17,025 instead of facing up to what he did. 733 00:39:18,860 --> 00:39:20,862 He's just a thief. 734 00:39:24,324 --> 00:39:27,369 [Gregory] I was glad that he was dead and gone, 735 00:39:27,452 --> 00:39:31,331 but completely diminished any justice 736 00:39:31,414 --> 00:39:34,334 that we were ever gonna get from the situation. 737 00:39:35,210 --> 00:39:39,047 Before I became a police officer, I was a teacher. I taught third grade. 738 00:39:39,130 --> 00:39:42,759 I know how attached I got to my kids, 739 00:39:42,842 --> 00:39:45,971 as well as the kids being attached to me. 740 00:39:46,054 --> 00:39:49,808 I know how those kids must have felt when their teacher was gone. 741 00:39:49,891 --> 00:39:52,561 ♪ I'm already off the ground ♪ 742 00:39:52,644 --> 00:39:54,604 It was truly devastating. 743 00:39:54,688 --> 00:39:57,607 [narrator] In the wake of the tragedy, 744 00:39:57,691 --> 00:40:00,485 Laura's family fights to preserve her legacy 745 00:40:00,569 --> 00:40:03,071 and that of Laura's unborn son, Reid. 746 00:40:03,154 --> 00:40:04,614 ♪ I am strong enough ♪ 747 00:40:04,698 --> 00:40:08,243 Laura Wallen's family worked tirelessly 748 00:40:08,326 --> 00:40:12,289 in the Maryland legislature to enact Laura and Reid's Law. 749 00:40:12,372 --> 00:40:14,249 ♪ I can get through it all ♪ 750 00:40:14,332 --> 00:40:17,002 If the state can prove that the perpetrator 751 00:40:17,085 --> 00:40:19,170 knew that the woman was pregnant, 752 00:40:19,254 --> 00:40:22,257 an additional 10 years can be added to that sentence. 753 00:40:26,386 --> 00:40:28,471 [narrator] Laura Wallen's greatest legacy 754 00:40:28,555 --> 00:40:31,308 is the one carried on by her former students, 755 00:40:31,391 --> 00:40:35,228 like Saquan, who's now a youth advocate in Baltimore City. 756 00:40:36,229 --> 00:40:39,232 I find myself talking to Ms. Wallen, like, "I know you with me." 757 00:40:39,316 --> 00:40:41,902 Like, "Tell me what this boy needs, Ms. Wallen, 758 00:40:41,985 --> 00:40:43,570 "and I'ma keep your dream alive. 759 00:40:43,653 --> 00:40:47,282 Like, I'ma keep your dream of keeping all these children going." 760 00:40:47,365 --> 00:40:49,826 Like, whatever it is that I felt like Ms. Wallen would do, 761 00:40:49,910 --> 00:40:51,453 [clicks tongue] that's what we doing. 762 00:40:51,536 --> 00:40:55,999 [narrator] Laura also inspired her former student Gregory to pay it forward. 763 00:40:56,082 --> 00:41:00,045 I'm now a young adult peer mentor for 16 through 22-year-olds, 764 00:41:00,128 --> 00:41:03,465 and I try to be a Laura Wallen 765 00:41:03,548 --> 00:41:06,676 to every client that I have. 766 00:41:06,760 --> 00:41:11,848 The world lost a lot of light when she was taken from us. 767 00:41:12,807 --> 00:41:16,937 [narrator] Laura Wallen went above and beyond in every sense of the word. 768 00:41:17,020 --> 00:41:19,022 When she disappeared, 769 00:41:19,105 --> 00:41:23,068 an entire community sprung into action to find her. 770 00:41:23,151 --> 00:41:25,070 Her endless devotion, 771 00:41:25,153 --> 00:41:27,489 her willingness to stay in touch, 772 00:41:27,572 --> 00:41:31,076 and one simple photo became the driving force 773 00:41:31,159 --> 00:41:33,578 that caught her killer. 774 00:41:33,662 --> 00:41:35,997 ♪♪ 775 00:41:37,666 --> 00:41:40,877 ♪ I don't know where my head is lately ♪ 776 00:41:40,961 --> 00:41:43,255 ♪ Have I lost my mind? ♪ 777 00:41:43,338 --> 00:41:45,632 ♪♪ 778 00:41:45,715 --> 00:41:46,716 [exhale] 779 00:41:51,054 --> 00:41:54,558 ♪ But I know that I have a secret ♪ 780 00:41:54,641 --> 00:41:56,935 ♪ And it's only mine ♪ 781 00:41:58,853 --> 00:42:01,856 [♪ vocalizing] 782 00:42:04,693 --> 00:42:08,238 ♪ And the only way to find me ♪ 783 00:42:08,321 --> 00:42:12,284 ♪ Is to go beneath the lies ♪