- 3 weeks ago
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00:03How did you get involved in the case?
00:09Sheriff's office received a 911 call
00:12that there was a dead female
00:15out in the middle of nowhere.
00:17I knew this was no hunting accident.
00:20She was totally nude.
00:22She had a gunshot wound to the back of her head.
00:26It looked like an execution.
00:31An officer gave me the news
00:33that they had found her.
00:35Why would somebody do this?
00:40I just started banging the wall.
00:42My life went blank.
00:43It was just horrible.
00:48There had been a guy
00:50that Inez had been in the Navy with
00:52that had harassed her.
00:55Inez had told her sister,
00:56if anything happens to me,
00:58you need to look at him.
01:00Law enforcement pulled a photograph of his truck
01:03and it showed a dark-headed female with him.
01:06It was just another piece of the puzzle.
01:09Have you ever heard a more callous murder?
01:14The cold-bloodedness does stand out.
01:17Inez, out in the middle of nowhere,
01:20shot in the back of the head.
01:21This was just awful.
01:40Hi, I'm Paula Zahn.
01:43And tonight, we're on the case
01:45in Edwards County, Texas,
01:47not far from the Mexican border.
01:49The region's sprawling countryside
01:51is a nature lover's dream,
01:53with many more miles of rugged terrain
01:56than residents.
01:58Folks who visit come prepared
02:00to face the elements.
02:02But no one here was ready
02:04for what unfolded
02:05after a woman's lifeless body
02:07was discovered near a remote campsite.
02:10What they found
02:12led investigators to sift through the clues
02:14of a bizarre mystery
02:16that hid a sinister plot
02:18filled with betrayal and deception.
02:27September 2nd, 2012.
02:30It was the Sunday of Labor Day weekend,
02:33and while much of the country
02:34was enjoying backyard barbecues by the pool,
02:38Mark Bauer and his friends
02:39had a different plan
02:41for celebrating the holiday.
02:43We were out here
02:44recreational hunting
02:45and just enjoying our company
02:48and time out in nature.
02:50It was around noon
02:51when Mark and his friend Tommy
02:53began a typical day of boar hunting.
02:59But first,
03:00Tommy made a life-changing decision
03:03to check on their friend
03:05in a neighboring campsite.
03:07Tommy went up the road
03:08to check on a fellow, Troy,
03:10because we had drank all night
03:11and Tommy wanted to make sure
03:13that he was good to drive
03:14because some of the terrain
03:15out here is pretty extreme.
03:16But what Tommy found
03:18was far more disturbing
03:20than he could have imagined.
03:23He drove up
03:24on what appeared to be a dead girl.
03:28Tommy asked what happened
03:29and Troy said,
03:31I found her like this.
03:35Tommy was stunned.
03:38He raced to his campsite
03:40and brought Mark with him
03:41to the grisly scene.
03:43Upon arriving up on the scene,
03:45it was shocking to find
03:47a female body
03:49laying on the side of the road
03:50with clothes scattered about
03:53in the brush.
03:55I knew this was no hunting accident
03:57because she was totally nude
04:00and she had a trash bag
04:01over her head.
04:03It was very, very concerning,
04:05and that's when I called
04:06the Sheriff's Department.
04:10Mark's report triggered
04:12a rush of law enforcement activity.
04:15How did you get involved
04:16in the case?
04:17Sheriff's office
04:18received a 911 call.
04:21The individual reported
04:22that there was
04:23a dead, naked female.
04:27They arrived.
04:28They started processing the scene.
04:30They then requested assistance
04:33from the Texas Rangers.
04:36Mark, Tommy, and Troy
04:39were waiting for investigators
04:41at the gruesome crime scene.
04:44Was it obvious
04:45how she had been murdered?
04:47No, she was found face down.
04:50It wasn't until they removed the bag
04:52that they were able to see
04:53the gunshot wound
04:53at the back of her head.
04:56Did it appear as if the victim
04:58had been killed there?
04:59Yes.
05:00The way they're able
05:01to determine that
05:02is through the puddle of blood
05:04that was surrounding the body.
05:07Could they get any sense
05:09as to how long
05:10the victim had been there?
05:11Not exactly, no.
05:13However,
05:14it had not been very long.
05:21Based on those early observations,
05:24police began to formulate
05:26a theory of the crime.
05:27Did the investigators believe
05:30that sexual violence
05:32was the motive?
05:33Yes, because the body was naked,
05:35there's always going to be
05:36an assumption
05:37that it was sexual violence.
05:38And this young lady
05:40had abrasions and contusions
05:42that were indicative
05:44of sexual trauma.
05:48But as investigators
05:50continued to process the area,
05:52they noticed some clues
05:54that didn't fit.
05:57Were there any signs
05:58of struggle
05:59at the crime scene?
06:01No, there was not.
06:03There was blood
06:04on the clothing,
06:05which indicated that
06:07she was murdered
06:08prior to being unclothed.
06:11The gunshot wound
06:12was to the back of her head,
06:14suggesting that she did not
06:15even know it was coming.
06:17It looked like an execution.
06:23And there was another clue
06:25that raised suspicions.
06:27Investigators noted
06:28the unmistakable smell
06:29of bleach,
06:31often used
06:32to destroy DNA.
06:34What did that indicate
06:35to you?
06:36Well, that indicated to me
06:37that the suspect
06:38was trying to throw
06:40the investigators off.
06:44The garbage bag
06:46over the victim's head,
06:47as well as the body's
06:48proximity to the Mexican border,
06:51raised new concerns.
06:53It was disgusting
06:54that possibly the cartel
06:55might have had something
06:56to do with the murder.
07:01Could the young woman
07:03have been murdered
07:04by sadistic drug lords
07:06who had tried
07:07to cover their tracks?
07:10Police hope
07:11that a wallet
07:11found along
07:12with the victim's clothing
07:13might help them
07:15answer that question.
07:17Investigators found
07:18her billfold,
07:20and inside the billfold
07:21were items
07:22that helped them
07:23to identify her
07:23as being
07:24going to Santa Cruz
07:25from Arizona.
07:28What did they learn
07:29about her?
07:29They learned
07:30that she was a nurse
07:32at a hospital
07:33in Tucson
07:34and a Navy reservist
07:36in the military.
07:38Police were puzzled.
07:41Inez was more than
07:42700 miles
07:43from her Tucson home
07:45and seemed
07:46an unlikely victim
07:48for this type of crime.
07:50Do they have
07:51any understanding
07:52of how she ended up
07:53in such a remote place?
07:55They had no idea
07:56why she was there
07:57or how she got there.
08:03Investigators
08:03now had a lot
08:04of questions
08:05for the men
08:06who had found Inez.
08:08Could investigators
08:09find any ties
08:11between the hunters
08:12and the victim?
08:14Only the proximity
08:15of the victim
08:16to the hunters.
08:19According to the hunters,
08:20they did not know
08:21who Inez was.
08:24In fact,
08:25those at the scene
08:26offered little
08:27that advanced
08:28the investigation.
08:29Did any of the hunters
08:31report hearing gunfire
08:34that morning
08:34in the area?
08:35They did,
08:36but that would not
08:36have been unusual
08:37at all.
08:41The whole scene
08:42was odd.
08:43I mean,
08:43here's a woman
08:43out literally
08:45in the middle
08:45of nowhere.
08:46There's hunters
08:48nearby.
08:49They separated them.
08:51They asked them questions.
08:52That led the investigators
08:53to realize
08:54that we're going to have
08:55to do some more work
08:57on this.
09:01Would the jumble
09:02set of puzzle pieces
09:04start to fit together
09:06after detectives
09:07spoke with Inez
09:08Santa Cruz's
09:09loving family?
09:25Police trying
09:26to solve
09:27the brutal murder
09:28of 27-year-old
09:29Inez Santa Cruz
09:30had little
09:31to go on.
09:33They hoped
09:34that the Naval
09:35Reservist
09:36autopsy report
09:37might provide
09:38a new lead.
09:39Instead,
09:40the findings
09:41only added
09:42mysterious new details,
09:45starting
09:45with the odd
09:47test results
09:48from Inez's blood.
09:49What did the
09:50toxicology report
09:52indicate?
09:52She had the presence
09:54of benzodiazepines
09:55in her system.
09:57A very strong
09:59dose of Xanax,
10:01basically.
10:01The large amount
10:03of sedative
10:04was surprising.
10:05It didn't fit
10:06with any
10:07of the other
10:08aspects
10:08of the brutal crime.
10:11It was just
10:12another piece
10:13of the puzzle
10:14they were trying
10:15to put together.
10:16The medical
10:17examiner's
10:18sexual assault
10:19exam
10:19also told
10:21an unexpected
10:22story.
10:23The autopsy
10:24revealed no
10:24DNA evidence
10:25that would be
10:26consistent with
10:27a sexual assault.
10:28What did they
10:29make of that?
10:29Once he knew
10:30she was dead,
10:32he removed
10:33her clothing.
10:35He wanted
10:36to make it
10:37look like
10:37a sexual assault.
10:41Police were
10:42convinced that
10:42whoever murdered
10:44Inez had gone
10:45out of his way
10:46to leave evidence
10:47that muddied
10:48the true motive
10:49of the crime.
10:51But why?
10:57When officers
10:59arrived to deliver
11:00the heartbreaking
11:01death notification
11:02to Inez's family,
11:04they had few
11:05specific details
11:07to offer.
11:08When did you
11:09find out
11:10that something
11:11tragic had happened?
11:13It was Sunday
11:15morning.
11:16An officer
11:16gave me the news
11:17that they had
11:19found her.
11:24They said
11:25they found Inez's body.
11:27I just started
11:28banging the wall.
11:29It was just
11:30horrible.
11:32I just
11:33couldn't believe it.
11:34It was like
11:34my life went
11:35blank.
11:36And I was like,
11:37what do you mean
11:38found?
11:39Like,
11:40what happened?
11:41I really
11:43thought it
11:44was like
11:45an accident.
11:52Erica Santa Cruz
11:53told police
11:54that her sister
11:55Inez
11:56had been
11:56kind-hearted
11:57and humble.
11:58What is it
11:59that you most
12:00respected
12:01about her?
12:03What I respected
12:03about her
12:04was each
12:04accomplishment.
12:05It was
12:06as if it was
12:07nothing.
12:08She never bragged
12:09about what
12:10she had done.
12:11She was just
12:12so down to earth.
12:15One of those
12:16achievements
12:16was a successful
12:18enlistment
12:18in the U.S. Navy.
12:20It was there
12:21as a corpsman
12:22that Inez
12:23learned the skills
12:23she needed
12:24to become
12:24a top
12:25surgical assistant.
12:28She had just
12:29been chosen
12:29to do an
12:30open-heart surgery
12:32that was one
12:32of the first ones
12:33that was going
12:34to be done
12:34in Tucson, Arizona.
12:36She loved it.
12:37She loved
12:37helping people.
12:39Inez could have
12:40worked anywhere,
12:41but she had chosen
12:42to settle down
12:42in Tucson
12:43so she could
12:44be close
12:44to her family.
12:46How would you
12:47describe where
12:48she was in her life
12:49at the time
12:50of this tragedy?
12:51Inez seemed
12:52to be very happy.
12:54She had many,
12:55many friends.
12:57I was so proud
12:59of her.
13:03Letty and Erica
13:04told police
13:05there was no reason
13:06for Inez
13:07to be in the
13:08remote area
13:09where she was found.
13:11As far as
13:12they knew,
13:13she was supposed
13:14to be spending
13:14that weekend
13:15with her friend
13:16Rosa Medina
13:17in San Antonio.
13:19Rosa had a
13:21photo shoot
13:22to do
13:22and she didn't
13:24have anybody
13:24to help her
13:26with her daughters.
13:28Inez had planned
13:29on babysitting
13:30Rosa's two daughters
13:32while Rosa
13:33did photography
13:34at a wedding.
13:36police quickly
13:38followed up
13:39on the lead.
13:40What happened
13:41when investigators
13:42reached out
13:43to Rosa?
13:44She told investigators
13:46that although
13:47her and Inez
13:49initially had plans
13:50that weekend,
13:51that Inez
13:52had canceled
13:53her trip.
13:56Rosa was
13:58devastated to hear
13:59that her friend
14:00had been murdered.
14:02She and Inez's
14:03family were quick
14:04to point police
14:05to a potential
14:06suspect.
14:08What did
14:08investigators find out?
14:10Investigators
14:11were told
14:11about a co-worker,
14:14a naval cadet,
14:16and evidently
14:16he was pretty sweet
14:17on her
14:17and made her
14:19uncomfortable
14:20so much that
14:21Inez had told
14:22her sister
14:23that, hey,
14:24if anything happens
14:25to me,
14:25you need to look
14:26at him.
14:32It was
14:33investigators'
14:34first big lead.
14:36Did you think
14:37it was possible
14:38he could have
14:39been involved?
14:40Yes.
14:43Did you think
14:44he was in love
14:44with her?
14:45He was.
14:46He was becoming
14:48a little too
14:49controlling for her.
14:52Investigators
14:53immediately
14:54set about
14:55tracking down
14:56Inez's
14:56former Navy
14:57co-worker.
14:58But when
14:59they found him,
15:00the promising
15:01lead became
15:02a dead end.
15:04He had been
15:04on duty
15:05over Labor Day
15:06weekend.
15:07They checked
15:08his whereabouts
15:09during the time
15:09of the murder
15:10and found out
15:11that he wasn't
15:11anywhere close
15:12to Texas,
15:13so they ruled
15:14him out pretty fast.
15:17Investigators
15:18were back
15:19at square one
15:20with challenging
15:21questions to answer.
15:23How did
15:24Inez Santa Cruz
15:25end up dead
15:26at an isolated
15:27campsite in Texas?
15:29And who
15:31had a motive
15:32to kill her?
15:46police trying
15:48to solve
15:48the murder
15:48of Inez Santa Cruz
15:51still couldn't
15:52understand
15:52why she was
15:53in the secluded
15:54area of Texas
15:55where she was killed.
15:59That led them
16:00to dig deeper
16:01into Inez's
16:03relationship
16:03with Rosa Medina,
16:05the only person
16:06she knew
16:07in the Lone Star
16:08State.
16:09Some aspects
16:10of the long-term
16:11friendship
16:12raised new questions.
16:20Rosa had a pretty
16:22troubled background
16:23and so Inez's
16:25mother helped
16:26raise Rosa.
16:27Rosa was living
16:28with them
16:28while they were
16:30in high school.
16:31I did always
16:32accept Rosa
16:33as like my daughter.
16:35She'd call me
16:36mom.
16:37Very respectful
16:39young lady.
16:40My parents'
16:41house was always
16:42open for everyone
16:43so she would
16:43stay with us.
16:49But what really
16:50caught investigators'
16:52attention
16:52was that their
16:53friendship
16:54had actually
16:55been something
16:56more.
16:57I noticed
16:58that Rosa
16:59did have a
17:00crush on Inez
17:01but she knew
17:03that I was
17:03against any
17:04type of relationship.
17:06If it did happen
17:07it happened
17:07behind my back.
17:10They actually
17:11started their
17:12romantic relationship
17:13when they were
17:14in high school.
17:15I don't think.
17:16I would say
17:17they fell in love.
17:18My sister was
17:19just one of those
17:20people who
17:21whether it was
17:22love or just
17:23a friendship
17:24she was always
17:25going to be there
17:25for everyone.
17:30After Inez
17:31left home
17:31for the Navy
17:32her family
17:33believed the
17:34couple had
17:34drifted apart.
17:36It looked like
17:37she had moved
17:37on from the
17:38relationship with Rosa.
17:41But Inez
17:42and Rosa
17:42remained close
17:44even as Rosa
17:45struggled
17:46through a failed
17:47relationship
17:47that left her
17:48a single mother
17:49of two young girls.
17:51Rosa would
17:52be gone for
17:53two, three years
17:54and then she'd
17:55show back up
17:55bring the kids over
17:56always kept in touch
17:57one way or another.
18:03The new information
18:04about the nature
18:05of Rosa's
18:06relationship with Inez
18:08led the Texas Rangers
18:09to bring her in
18:10for a formal interview.
18:14You and Inez
18:17Santa Cruz
18:18are girlfriends.
18:19Yes.
18:20She was supposed
18:21to come down
18:21this little
18:22little day weekend.
18:24Yeah.
18:24She told you
18:25she wasn't going
18:25to be able to come
18:26by Thursday, right?
18:28Yeah, because
18:28on Wednesday
18:29she sent me
18:30the itinerary
18:32for life.
18:34Next day
18:34it was Thursday
18:35that she texted me
18:36that she wasn't
18:38going to be able
18:38to do it.
18:43Investigators
18:44read the text message
18:45Inez sent Rosa.
18:48I'm not going
18:49to be able to go.
18:51So after that
18:52you're not expecting her.
18:54Yeah.
18:55In fact
18:56Inez's cancellation
18:58forced Rosa
19:00to change
19:00all of her
19:01holiday weekend plans.
19:03Instead of doing
19:04the photo shoot
19:05she had scheduled
19:06she went to a concert
19:08with her kids.
19:10She had recorded
19:11footage of the concert
19:13on her phone.
19:14There was no question
19:15that she was
19:15at this concert.
19:19The evidence
19:20had police
19:21ready to accept
19:22Rosa's story
19:23but there was
19:24one detail
19:25that just didn't fit.
19:29According to the airlines
19:30Inez Santa Cruz
19:31had actually boarded
19:33her flight that weekend
19:34just as she had
19:35originally planned.
19:38She flew
19:39Southwest Airlines
19:39from Tucson
19:41to San Antonio.
19:43Was Rosa
19:44confronted
19:45with the fact
19:46that Inez
19:47had gotten
19:48on the plane?
19:49She was.
19:50What was her
19:50reaction?
19:51She said
19:52she had no idea
19:54what had happened.
19:56to be best friends
19:58and I want you
19:59to solve it
19:59and anything
20:00I can do
20:00to help with.
20:02That's why I'm here
20:03so that you can't
20:04find out what happened.
20:05You don't know
20:05what you think.
20:06You're not holding
20:07nothing back.
20:09Sure.
20:11Yes.
20:16So far
20:17everything Rosa
20:18had told police
20:19had only
20:19deepened the mystery.
20:21But before detectives
20:23ended the interview
20:24her answer
20:25to a routine
20:26question
20:27would give
20:28the investigation
20:29a very clear focus.
20:46police believe
20:47that Inez's friend
20:49Rosa Medina
20:50had shared
20:51everything she knew
20:52about the case
20:53when a routine
20:54question about
20:55Troy Ryder
20:56the hunter
20:56who had discovered
20:57Inez
20:58changed everything.
21:00How did his name
21:02come up
21:02in the first place?
21:03They asked her
21:04about Troy Ryder
21:05because he was
21:07at the scene
21:07where
21:09Inez was murdered.
21:11Did Rosa
21:12reveal anything
21:13that advanced
21:14the investigation?
21:15Yes.
21:17The most shocking
21:18thing that they
21:19found out
21:20was Rosa
21:22knew Troy Ryder
21:23for approximately
21:23three months.
21:26Police
21:27were stunned.
21:30And when they
21:30told Rosa
21:31he had found
21:32Inez's body
21:33she appeared
21:34to be as surprised
21:36as they were.
21:38What?
21:38No.
21:39No.
21:41Wow.
21:41That's not right.
21:42They shouldn't
21:43know each other.
21:44They don't.
21:44I need to know
21:45what happened.
21:46Troy didn't talk
21:47to you about this?
21:47No.
21:50Rosa
21:51immediately
21:51told police
21:52everything she could
21:54about her relationship
21:55with Troy Ryder
21:56including a detail
21:58she was desperate
21:59to keep hidden
22:00from her friends
22:01and family
22:02how she
22:03and Troy
22:04had met.
22:06She revealed
22:07that
22:08she
22:09knew him
22:10through the
22:12adult club
22:13where she was
22:14a dancer.
22:16You know,
22:17I'm an entertainer.
22:18Nobody knows.
22:19Nobody.
22:21I don't want anybody
22:21to know that.
22:24Rosa insisted
22:25the relationship
22:26was platonic
22:27but admitted
22:28she had seen
22:30Troy outside
22:31of the club.
22:32She had established
22:34a friendship
22:35with him
22:35and they had
22:37gone to lunch
22:37a few times.
22:39Troy,
22:39ever been to your house?
22:40No.
22:43Investigators
22:44pressed Rosa
22:45about whether
22:46Troy
22:47had ever met
22:48Inez
22:48or if he knew
22:49that she and Inez
22:51had a romantic history.
22:53Did he know
22:54you have a girlfriend
22:54or that you...
22:55No.
22:55No, no.
22:56Nobody here.
22:57Everybody that
22:58knew about being
22:58in Inez
22:59is in Arizona.
23:00Sure.
23:00Because I have
23:01a hard time
23:03seeing
23:03a coincidence
23:04of Inez
23:05coming down
23:06from Arizona
23:07not knowing
23:07Troy and
23:08Troy finding
23:08her dead
23:09at the place
23:10where he hunts.
23:11I'm not saying
23:12kill her.
23:13It's just something
23:13that's very curious.
23:19suddenly
23:20everything
23:21police knew
23:21about Inez's murder
23:23had to be viewed
23:24through a different lens.
23:26Once investigators
23:27established
23:28that Rosa Medina
23:29knew Troy
23:30how did they go
23:32about investigating him?
23:34At that point
23:34he was a suspect
23:35in the murder.
23:38And that meant
23:39re-interviewing
23:41the hunters
23:41who had been
23:42with him
23:43the night
23:44before Inez
23:44had been killed.
23:46When Troy
23:47showed up
23:47at my camp
23:48he had stated
23:49that he was out
23:50looking for a place
23:51to go dove hunting.
23:52One thing I found
23:53peculiar
23:53was
23:54he was not
23:55dressed in
23:56hunting clothes.
23:57He was in
23:57a dressed cowboy shirt
23:59blue jeans
24:00and he didn't
24:01have any camping gear.
24:02When police
24:03dug deeper
24:04into Troy's
24:05activities
24:05that weekend
24:07what struck them?
24:08That he
24:09had been
24:12woefully
24:12unprepared
24:13for a hunting
24:15weekend
24:15out in the desert.
24:17He was there
24:18to hunt birds
24:18and he didn't
24:20bring a shotgun
24:20which he would
24:21normally use
24:22to hunt birds.
24:23He had brought
24:23a .22 rifle.
24:28That was
24:29the same
24:29caliber rifle
24:30as the one
24:31used to kill
24:32Inez.
24:35That convinced
24:36investigators
24:37that Troy Ryder
24:38had not visited
24:39the campsite
24:40to hunt.
24:41He had been
24:42there to murder
24:44Inez Santa Cruz.
24:48And they quickly
24:49got additional
24:50evidence to support
24:51their theory
24:52from the U.S.
24:53Border Patrol.
24:55Law enforcement
24:56ran his plate
24:57and they saw
24:58where it had gone
24:59through a border
25:00patrol checkpoint.
25:03they were able
25:04to pull a photograph
25:05of the vehicle
25:07and it showed
25:07Troy Ryder
25:08in his truck
25:10with a female.
25:15The woman
25:16was small
25:17and had dark hair
25:19like Inez.
25:23Can you make out
25:24Inez's face
25:25in that surveillance video?
25:27No ma'am
25:28you cannot
25:28but Mr. Ryder
25:29had said
25:30that he had
25:30gotten out
25:31to the campsite
25:32by himself.
25:34It seemed
25:35like all the pieces
25:36were rapidly
25:37coming together.
25:39Police felt
25:40they now had
25:41enough to confront
25:42Ryder face to face.
25:45Investigators
25:45visited with him
25:46helping to get
25:47a confession from him.
25:48Did he admit
25:49to knowing
25:50Inez?
25:51No ma'am.
25:52He said
25:52he didn't
25:53know Inez.
25:54He claimed
25:55that he had
25:57picked a hitchhiker
25:58up on the highway
25:59and he had
26:00given her a ride
26:00to Brackettville, Texas.
26:02Detectives
26:03were confident
26:04that Ryder
26:05was lying
26:06and cameras
26:07that captured
26:08Inez getting
26:09off her flight
26:10in San Antonio
26:11provided proof.
26:16What did
26:17the surveillance
26:17video actually
26:18show at the
26:20airport when
26:21Inez landed?
26:21There are cameras
26:22located throughout
26:23the airport.
26:24It showed
26:25her leaving
26:25the arrivals
26:27area,
26:28walking through
26:29the baggage
26:29claim area.
26:31And Troy Ryder
26:32was there
26:34waiting
26:34to meet her.
26:37Mr. Ryder
26:38had actually
26:38made a little
26:39cardboard sign
26:40that said
26:41Inez on it.
26:42There's a
26:43short conversation
26:44between the two
26:45of them.
26:45The next
26:46surveillance we
26:46have is of
26:47the two of them
26:48walking out
26:49to the parking
26:50area next
26:51to each other.
26:55with Inez
26:56being in no
26:57visible state
26:58of distress
26:59or anything
27:00like that.
27:03Police were
27:05puzzled.
27:06Why would
27:07Inez have
27:08willingly left
27:09the airport
27:09with a man
27:10she had never
27:11even met?
27:13A man
27:14they now
27:14believed
27:15shot her
27:16to death
27:16less than
27:1724 hours
27:18later.
27:38The damning
27:40video evidence
27:41that documented
27:42Inez Santa Cruz
27:43being lured
27:44out of the
27:44San Antonio
27:45airport
27:46was chilling
27:47even for
27:48veteran
27:49investigators
27:49like Pamela
27:50Elliott.
27:52The weirdest
27:53part of this
27:53that kind of
27:54gave me the
27:54creeps was
27:55to watch him
27:56stand in the
27:56corner in
27:57baggage and
27:58watch her
27:58walk.
28:00But it was
28:00like a
28:02lion stalking
28:03its prey.
28:08Prosecutors
28:09were confident
28:10that the case
28:10police had
28:11compiled proved
28:12Troy Ryder
28:13was a
28:14sadistic
28:14killer.
28:20Investigators
28:20quickly took
28:21Ryder
28:22into custody.
28:23Put your
28:24hands on
28:24wall
28:25and we've
28:25got to
28:25work here
28:25right hand
28:27behind your
28:27back
28:30and your
28:31left.
28:38He was
28:39initially charged
28:41with capital
28:41murder.
28:42Capital
28:42murder in
28:43Texas is
28:44punishable by
28:44either life in
28:45prison without
28:46parole.
28:47Or the
28:47death penalty.
28:49At first,
28:51Ryder tried
28:51to stonewall
28:52police.
28:53But the
28:54possibility of
28:55the death
28:55penalty forced
28:56him to
28:57reconsider.
28:58I guess
28:59Troy had
29:00sit in jail
29:00long enough
29:01he was ready
29:02to confess
29:02and go
29:03ahead and
29:03give information.
29:06Police still
29:07had no idea
29:08why Ryder
29:09had targeted
29:10Inez.
29:11And the story
29:12he shared
29:13was shocking.
29:15he claimed
29:16that Rosa
29:17Medina
29:17Inez's
29:18best friend
29:19and lover
29:19was the
29:20real mastermind
29:22of the
29:22crime.
29:27She came
29:28over to my
29:29house.
29:29She had said
29:30that she
29:31wanted her
29:32gone.
29:33She didn't
29:33care how.
29:34She wanted
29:34her gone
29:35and out of
29:36her life.
29:36Those are
29:37her words?
29:38Yes.
29:38I mean
29:38and you
29:39you're
29:40clear that
29:40she means
29:41dead.
29:41Yes.
29:44Out of
29:45her life.
29:45Gone.
29:46Done with.
29:51Police
29:52were skeptical.
29:53Why would
29:54Rosa want
29:55Inez
29:55dead?
29:57Ryder's
29:57answer
29:58was stunning.
30:00Rosa
30:00told Troy
30:01that Inez
30:02was blackmailing
30:04her
30:04and
30:05threatening
30:06her
30:06to
30:07tell
30:08Rosa's
30:08family
30:09that
30:09Rosa
30:09was
30:10a
30:10stripper
30:10and
30:11Rosa
30:12was
30:12afraid
30:12she
30:12was
30:12going
30:12to
30:13lose
30:13her
30:13two
30:13daughters.
30:19The
30:19story
30:20was a
30:21lie.
30:21The
30:22investigation
30:22revealed
30:23that
30:23Rosa's
30:24family
30:24already
30:24knew
30:25she
30:25was
30:25a
30:25dancer
30:26and
30:26there
30:27was
30:27no
30:27threat
30:27of
30:28losing
30:28her
30:28children.
30:30But
30:30there
30:30was
30:31a
30:31simple
30:31reason
30:32why
30:32Ryder
30:33never
30:33questioned.
30:34What
30:35Ryder
30:35explained
30:36was
30:36that
30:37he
30:37wanted
30:38a
30:39relationship
30:39with
30:40Rosa
30:41Medina
30:41and
30:42that
30:43Rosa
30:43Medina
30:43had
30:44said
30:44that
30:44while
30:45she
30:45would
30:45like
30:46that
30:46there
30:47was
30:47this
30:47roadblock
30:48and
30:49this
30:49roadblock
30:50was
30:50Inez.
31:00Rosa
31:01told Ryder
31:02the
31:02only
31:03way
31:03to
31:03be
31:04together
31:04was
31:05for
31:05him
31:06to
31:06execute
31:07her
31:07murderous
31:08plan.
31:09She
31:09provided
31:10me
31:10with
31:11the
31:11airplane
31:11information
31:12from her.
31:12She
31:13showed
31:13me
31:13on her
31:14phone,
31:14told me
31:15to get
31:15her
31:15in my
31:15truck.
31:17Rosa
31:17also
31:18gave
31:18Ryder
31:19the
31:19story
31:20that
31:20persuaded
31:21Inez
31:21to leave
31:22the
31:22airport
31:23with
31:23him.
31:23He
31:24told
31:24her
31:25that
31:25Rosa
31:25had
31:26sent
31:26him.
31:28She
31:29doesn't
31:29question
31:29you
31:29one bit?
31:30No,
31:31she didn't
31:31question me
31:32at all.
31:37But not
31:38all of
31:38the plot
31:39worked as
31:39planned.
31:41Rosa
31:41had supplied
31:42Ryder with
31:43what she
31:43believed
31:44was a
31:44deadly dose
31:45of Xanax.
31:48She handed
31:48them to me
31:49and I
31:50says,
31:51well,
31:51how am I
31:51supposed to
31:51give these
31:52to her?
31:53And she
31:53says,
31:54put it in
31:54her tea
31:55and I
31:56crushed
31:56them up
31:56inside
31:56the package
31:57dumped
31:57it in
31:57a tea
31:58and mixed
31:58it up.
32:00In the
32:01truck,
32:01Ryder
32:02gave
32:02Inez
32:03the
32:03spiked
32:04drink.
32:05She
32:05got
32:05in the
32:06truck
32:06and I
32:06says,
32:07there's
32:07a nice
32:07tea
32:07for you.
32:08I
32:08don't
32:08have
32:08AC,
32:09which
32:09was
32:09the
32:10truth.
32:11She
32:12was
32:12drinking
32:12her
32:12tea.
32:19Ryder
32:19then drove
32:20Inez
32:20to the
32:20campsite.
32:22When
32:22they
32:23arrived,
32:23he
32:24expected
32:24that it
32:25was just
32:25a matter
32:25of time
32:26until she
32:27was dead.
32:29But the
32:29overdose of
32:30pills
32:31wasn't
32:32fatal.
32:34When
32:34Ryder
32:35returned
32:35from a
32:36night of
32:36drinking
32:37with the
32:37hunters
32:38he had
32:38met,
32:38he came
32:39back to
32:39his
32:40trailer
32:40to find
32:41Inez
32:41alive,
32:43awake,
32:43and furious
32:45with Rosa.
32:46She was
32:47all pissed
32:48off.
32:49She was
32:49like,
32:50goddammit,
32:50where the
32:50is she?
32:51She's
32:52going to
32:52get it.
32:53And I
32:53said,
32:53well,
32:54have you
32:54tried to
32:54call her?
32:56At that
32:57point,
32:57he convinced
32:58her to
32:59call Rosa
33:00and her
33:01friend would
33:01explain
33:01everything.
33:03Ryder
33:04explained
33:04there was
33:05a spot
33:05a few
33:06hundred
33:06yards
33:06away
33:07where
33:07she
33:07could
33:07get
33:08reception.
33:09He
33:10said
33:10that
33:10while
33:11she
33:11was
33:11on
33:12the
33:12rock
33:12trying
33:13to
33:13call
33:13Rosa,
33:14he
33:14retrieved
33:15his
33:15.22
33:15rifle
33:16out
33:16of
33:17a
33:17suburban
33:17and
33:18shot
33:18her
33:19in
33:19the
33:19back
33:19of
33:19the
33:19head.
33:23The
33:23weapon
33:24that you
33:24shot her
33:24with is
33:25the
33:25weapon
33:25that you
33:25consensually
33:26gave us
33:27at your
33:27house?
33:27Yes,
33:28sir.
33:33As part of his
33:35confession,
33:36police took Ryder
33:37to the crime scene.
33:39Today's date is
33:4012-10-2012.
33:43The time is
33:435-35.
33:45where he
33:46walked
33:46investigators
33:47through the
33:47final moments
33:48of the
33:49attack.
33:53I
33:54then
33:54grabbed
33:54the
33:54rifle,
33:55I
33:55turned
33:56with my
33:57right arm
33:57and I
33:58held it
33:58out.
33:58I
33:59was
33:59approximately
34:00right about
34:00here.
34:01She
34:01started
34:02to turn
34:02a little
34:02bit and
34:03that's
34:03when I
34:03fired
34:03the
34:03first
34:04shot.
34:06I
34:06loaded
34:07one
34:07more
34:07round
34:09and
34:10with her
34:10down
34:10on the
34:11ground
34:11I
34:11shot
34:11her
34:11again
34:12in
34:13the
34:13back
34:13of
34:13the
34:13head.
34:20Ryder
34:20claimed
34:20it
34:21was
34:21his
34:21idea
34:22to
34:22stage
34:23the
34:23scene
34:23to
34:24look
34:24like
34:24a
34:24sexually
34:25motivated
34:25cartel
34:26hit.
34:28then
34:28you
34:28stripped
34:29her
34:29clothes
34:29off?
34:30Yeah,
34:31after I
34:31stripped
34:31her
34:31clothes
34:32off,
34:32I
34:32drove
34:32down
34:33to
34:33the
34:33campsite,
34:34I
34:34knew
34:34there
34:34was
34:34bleach,
34:35I
34:35brought
34:35it
34:35up,
34:36and I
34:36put
34:36it
34:36on her.
34:38That's
34:38when I
34:39heard
34:39the
34:39four-wheeler
34:39coming
34:40up.
34:43Ryder
34:44may have
34:45done more
34:45to stage
34:46the scene
34:46if he hadn't
34:47been interrupted
34:48by the
34:49arrival of
34:49the hunters.
34:53Detectives still
34:54couldn't understand
34:55why Ryder
34:56would murder
34:57a woman
34:57he didn't
34:58even
34:58know.
35:00So what
35:01really
35:01made this
35:01sound like
35:01a good
35:02idea?
35:04She
35:04said that
35:05we'd be
35:05together.
35:07She's
35:07that
35:07pretty?
35:09To me,
35:09yes.
35:10So what
35:11I'm hearing
35:11you're telling
35:12me is that
35:12you have
35:13the chance
35:15of creating
35:15a relationship
35:17with a
35:17woman,
35:18and to do
35:19that,
35:19you're
35:19willing to
35:19kill
35:20somebody.
35:20Yeah,
35:21I know
35:21it sounds
35:22stupid.
35:23I really
35:24do.
35:24You
35:25can't
35:25be
35:25that
35:25lonely.
35:27Actually,
35:28yeah.
35:34I drove
35:35up,
35:35came up
35:36that way,
35:37came around.
35:37The disturbing
35:38confession closed
35:39the case
35:40against Troy
35:41Ryder.
35:41He got
35:42a 75-year
35:43sentence
35:44in exchange
35:45for his
35:46guilty plea.
35:51But
35:52investigators
35:53knew their
35:54job was
35:55far from
35:55done,
35:56and bringing
35:57the mastermind
35:57of the crime
35:58to justice
35:59wouldn't be
35:59easy.
36:00What evidence
36:01did you have
36:02against Rosa
36:03Medina?
36:04The evidence
36:04against Rosa
36:05Medina was
36:06scant at
36:07best.
36:09The primary
36:09evidence was
36:11Troy Ryder's
36:12statement.
36:13That is not
36:15enough to
36:16indict somebody,
36:17much less
36:18convict somebody
36:19of murder.
36:24still,
36:25police hope that
36:26one day they
36:27could support
36:28Troy Ryder's
36:29confession with
36:30physical evidence.
36:32And it would
36:33take a decade
36:34of improvements
36:35in digital forensic
36:36science to uncover
36:38a trail of clues
36:39Rosa believed
36:40to be buried
36:42forever.
36:42In the end,
36:45what was the
36:46most indicting
36:48evidence that
36:49came out of
36:50the advances
36:51in technology?
36:52They were able
36:52to get deleted
36:54text messages,
36:55and those text
36:57messages showed
36:58communications
36:59between Inez
37:01and Rosa
37:03on September 1st,
37:052012.
37:06Those messages
37:07showed Inez saying
37:08that she was getting
37:09on the plane and
37:10that she would see
37:11her soon.
37:15It was concrete
37:16evidence that
37:17Medina knew Inez
37:19was flying that day
37:20and that she had
37:21the information
37:22to give to Troy Ryder.
37:26And there was more.
37:30The second component
37:32were the deleted
37:34web searches
37:35on Rosa's phone.
37:38Some of those web
37:39searches were for
37:40things like,
37:40how do you slip
37:41a mickey
37:42to somebody?
37:44How to make
37:45untraceable phone calls?
37:51Each of those details
37:53were part of the
37:54murder plot,
37:54and each was corroborated
37:56by the testimony
37:57of Medina's
37:58accomplice,
37:59Troy Ryder.
38:01Dorian Kotler
38:02believed it was
38:03enough to issue
38:04a warrant
38:05for her arrest.
38:27She showed no empathy,
38:29just complete denial
38:30and a lack
38:31of acceptance
38:32of responsibility.
38:32But when
38:34Assistant Attorney General
38:36Dorian Kotler
38:36finished showing
38:37her the evidence,
38:39Rosa Medina
38:40agreed to plead
38:41guilty to manslaughter.
38:43She was sentenced
38:44to 18 years
38:45behind bars.
38:49and as his family
38:50saw the plea deal
38:52as a blessing.
38:54It took a lot
38:56off my shoulders
38:57because I didn't want
38:58to have to hear
38:59anything from her
39:00or see her.
39:02It's not going to give me
39:03my daughter back.
39:10Rosa Medina
39:12has never offered
39:13a confession,
39:14but police
39:15have a theory
39:16of the crime.
39:18They believe
39:18that Medina
39:19was still in love
39:21with Inez,
39:21and when Inez
39:22decided to settle
39:23down in Arizona,
39:25it ended
39:26her last hope
39:27of them sharing
39:28a life together.
39:29Rather than accept
39:30Inez's choice,
39:32Medina became
39:33enraged
39:34and saw Troy Ryder
39:35as a tool
39:36she could use
39:37for vengeance.
39:39She dances for a living
39:40in an adult club.
39:42She knows what sells.
39:44She knows how
39:45to manipulate people.
39:46She was never going
39:47to enter into a relationship
39:49with Troy Ryder.
39:50She used him.
39:54How many levels
39:55of betrayal
39:57are there
39:58in this story?
39:59Rosa was very close
40:01with Inez's family.
40:02She had been brought
40:03into their home.
40:04It's a massive betrayal
40:07on the part
40:09of Rosa Medina.
40:14A betrayal
40:15that has left
40:16many wounds
40:17that will never heal.
40:20Do you ever think
40:21you'll make sense
40:22of what happened
40:22to Inez?
40:24No, I won't.
40:25We won't.
40:26Every day is a battle.
40:29Every single day
40:31we wake up.
40:38How do you keep
40:40Inez's memory alive?
40:42There's not a day
40:43that goes by
40:44that I don't think
40:45about her.
40:48She'll live on
40:49with us forever.
40:55Investigators hope
40:56the new technology
40:58that allowed them
40:58to bring Rosa Medina
41:00to justice
41:01will help them
41:02to close other
41:03cold cases as well.
41:04I'm Paula Zahn.
41:06Please join us again
41:07next time
41:08when we're back
41:09on the case.
41:10On the next
41:12On the Case.
41:13Did your heart
41:14sink
41:15when you watched
41:17the surveillance tape?
41:18Absolutely.
41:19You see her
41:20just walk
41:21into the darkness
41:21she's never seen again.
41:23Someone was here
41:24waiting for the
41:25perfect moment
41:25to abduct her.
41:27This individual,
41:28he's a monster.
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