900 Days Without Anabel (2024) s01e02 Episode Script
Prueba de vida
1
[ominous music playing]
THE PHONE CALLS
YOU'RE GOING TO HEAR ARE REAL.
FOR THE FIRST TIME,
THE ENTIRETY OF THE POLICE RECORDINGS
OF THE KIDNAPPING WILL BE SHOWN.
[crickets chirping]
[metal creaks]
[man] You know the restaurant El Molino?
Ever eaten there?
[Rafael] The restaurant El Molino?
Where is that?
[man] Just find it.
[Rafael] Okay, I'll find it.
[man] Be there at 3:00 p.m.
- [Rafael] Tomorrow?
- [man] Tomorrow.
[Rafael] Very well.
[call end tone sounds]
[Juan C.C.] El Molino is a restaurant
on the highway to Burgos,
near La Moraleja.
So, obviously, we went there
and set up a stakeout unit.
[car engine revs]
- [tense music playing]
- [heartbeat thuds]
I would say
we were about 1,200 meters away
and when we got there,
we had eyes watching from every angle
without being seen or detected.
I went with my friend.
We sat down and had lunch.
We were both tense and nervous.
[ominous music playing]
We just sat and waited.
[clock ticking]
After I don't know how long,
they told us to wrap things up.
Because, in the end, nobody showed up.
We suspected that they could be
copycat kidnappers taking advantage.
Maybe they were out
to collect Anabel's ransom.
[Paco] It was another endurance test
for the investigative team,
but especially for the family
and for Rafael Escuredo. It was terrible.
[radio beeps]
[Juan C.C.] After that we tried to monitor
the person who was really suspicious,
the forest ranger from Saúca.
[tense music playing]
- [church bells ring]
- [birds singing]
Wherever he went, we went.
FOREST RANGER
[Juan C.C.] Anabel had to be somewhere,
they had to give her food,
she needed water.
And, one way or another,
there had to be a trail to her location.
[Jaime] We followed him night and day,
but despite all our efforts,
it didn't move the needle
with the investigation.
Our only choice was to start over.
We had to wait,
and wait for them to call again.
[tense music playing]
[clock ticking]
Something had gone wrong in Saúca.
We had already made the worst mistake
we could have imagined.
[helicopter thrums]
[dog barking]
[phone ringing]
[eerie music playing]
[call end tone sounds]
900 DAYS WITHOUT ANABEL
EPISODE 2
PROOF OF LIFE
[phones ringing]
APRIL 20TH, 1993
DAYS WITHOUT ANABEL: 8
[José C.M.] The police used
every resource they had on hand
to solve the kidnapping of Anabel Segura.
Their intention was,
the sooner, the better.
[phone dial tone sounds]
Were there too many resources?
I think there were.
[Jaime] When the ransom drop
went wrong over in Saúca,
we all thought the same thing.
We had made a mistake
with our police investigation.
[eerie music continues]
[Juan C.C.] We camouflaged our cars,
every one of our cars in the area.
But we had a problem, a big problem,
which was that our radios weren't working.
[radios crackle]
[ominous music playing]
[José C.M.] It was the year 1993.
There were no cell phones.
We worked by using radios.
When you use radios outside the city,
you need signal boosters.
[radios crackle]
[indistinct radio chatter]
[Juan C.C.] We wanted
to have a strong signal
so we could all communicate.
And act, if necessary.
[radio beeps]
The signal had to be boosted.
In our case, we used a helicopter.
[helicopter thrumming]
Using a helicopter
was the worst mistake we could've made.
[Juan C.C.] That night,
you couldn't even hear the birds.
Absolutely nothing.
Except for the helicopter, of course.
[helicopter continues thrumming]
It was like telling the kidnappers,
"Here we are."
No one wanted to acknowledge
that the kidnappers didn't show up
because of a mistake by the police.
It's always in the back of your mind,
"How are they going to retaliate?"
[birds singing]
[ominous music playing]
[dog barks]
[Jaime] No one had any idea
how Anabel was doing.
Our operation went to pieces.
Waiting over the next few days,
that was really difficult.
[clock ticking]
[Juan C.C.] The kidnappers
stopped all contact with the family.
And that's when everyone started to worry.
[Jaime] The desperation increased.
And you imagine the worst things possible.
[tense music playing]
APRIL 28TH, 1993
DAYS WITHOUT ANABEL: 16
[Jaime] On the 28th day
of that same month,
after a meeting arranged with the family,
it was agreed
to make a statement through the press,
written and delivered by Rafael Escuredo.
[Jesús] He stated that the interests
of the Segura family
and those of the police
were not necessarily aligned.
"THE POLICE HAVE A JOB TO DO,
BUT THE FAMILY'S INTERESTS ARE DIFFERENT."
[sprinkler hisses]
[Juan C.C.] Since they were
no longer in contact,
we decided to use the press
to get in touch.
[clock ticking]
That provoked the kidnappers
to reach out again.
[clock ticking]
[Jaime] On the next day,
ten days after Saúca,
finally, the kidnappers called again.
Thank God.
[clock ticking]
[phone ringing]
APRIL 29TH, 1993
4:10 P.M.
DAYS WITHOUT ANABEL: 17
[Rafael] Yes? Segura family residence.
Talk to me please.
[kidnapper] The family's spokesperson,
please.
[Rafael] Yes, it's me.
[kidnapper] Listen very closely.
[Rafael] Hold on, please. How is Anabel?
- [kidnapper] Anabel is perfectly fine.
- [Rafael] How do I know that?
[kidnapper] She's She's perfectly fine
at the moment.
- She's a little nervous
- [Rafael] Yes.
[kidnapper] Because it's been a long time.
- [Rafael] Yes.
- [kidnapper] She's okay.
[Rafael] Okay, go on.
[kidnapper] Later this afternoon,
we'll call you back, okay?
Will you be ready?
[Rafael] Yes. Yes, but listen
[call end tone sounds]
[ominous music playing]
[Jaime] Now, there was a spark of hope.
We moved ahead with a brand-new strategy
to follow them to Anabel.
[clock ticking]
APRIL 29TH, 1993
10:02 P.M.
[phone rings]
6 HOURS LATER
[Rafael] Segura family residence.
Talk to me.
[kidnapper] Is the money ready?
[Rafael] Tomorrow It's in the bank now.
It was it was ready
for the past 15 days, like we told you.
We put it in the bank yesterday,
but we can have it by 8:30 a.m.
[kidnapper] You should've had the money.
We'll call you later at 3:00 or 4:00.
[Rafael] For God's sake,
you didn't say to get it!
[kidnapper] So you don't have
the money on you?
[Rafael] We've had it here at home
for the past 15 days
but we both know
I can't keep it here for that long.
- Tomorrow
- [kidnapper] Can you get it by tomorrow?
[Rafael] Yes. By tomorrow morning,
we'll have the money ready for you.
Can you hear me?
[kidnapper] Yes,
I can hear you perfectly fine.
[Rafael] Look, I appreciate your help,
because I believe that you have Anabel.
- [kidnapper] Listen up.
- [Rafael] Yes. I'm listening. Talk to me.
[kidnapper] Listen up.
This time, don't make the same mistakes
you made two weeks ago.
- Do you understand?
- [Rafael] Of course.
- [kidnapper] The police, helicopter
- [Rafael] If you're thinking
[kidnapper] You won't have another chance,
okay? I repeat
[Rafael] Yeah, but we didn't know
about that. We didn't know.
[somber music playing]
The whole team heard everything.
I talked to Rafael Escuredo.
"You don't have any other option,
other than to lie."
"Just lie through your teeth,
deny everything."
[Juan C.C.] It was important
to convince them,
so that we could re-establish
that line of trust with the criminals.
[Rafael] The police
weren't even there that day.
[kidnapper] Listen closely.
Listen, because we are well informed.
[Rafael] Look Look
[kidnapper] We have scanners everywhere
that can hear the police.
The police were there
at the site with a helicopter.
I'm sure that you
[Rafael] I know you don't believe it,
but I'm telling you the truth.
- Honestly
- [kidnapper] Well, now you know.
- If you make another mistake
- [Rafael] Yes
[kidnapper] You'll receive no news
for three or four months.
[ominous music playing]
It wasn't just
about being skilled as a negotiator,
it was also about being sensitive enough
to avoid problems.
The sword of Damocles was a symbol,
meaning, um
to come down without mercy, right?
In this case, on Anabel Segura.
[Rafael] Could you please tell
the people who have her
to give us proof
that Anabel is okay and still alive.
This is an important family request.
[kidnapper] We can't give any clues.
Anabel is perfectly fine.
[Rafael] Yeah, so you say.
- [kidnapper] Anabel is perfectly fine.
- [Rafael] But that's what you say.
[kidnapper] Give us the money
and we'll let her go.
- [Rafael] Tomorrow?
- [kidnapper] Tomorrow.
[Rafael] 9:00 a.m. at the same Hello?
[call end tone sounds]
[somber music playing]
[Juan C.C.] Proof of life
was requested again but more emphatically.
And he just answered every question
except the most important one.
Without proof of life,
we expected the worst.
The bodies of three girls
were found a few hours ago
near the Tous Dam in Valencia.
Miriam García, Antonia Gómez,
and Desiré Hernández.
The kidnapping of Anabel Segura
took place only half a year
after the disappearance
of the girls from Alcásser.
They had been tortured
in very brutal ways.
They were subjected to all kinds of abuse,
and that included sexual violence,
until finally, they were each killed
with a shot to the head.
The three young women, aged 14 to 15,
were last seen when they were hitchhiking
on their way to a nightclub.
There was already an atmosphere
of concern everywhere
at the time of the kidnapping
of Anabel Segura.
My parents warn me a lot now,
and I'm more careful too.
You can't trust anyone anymore.
You feel like someone's following you,
it's horrible.
Everyone is saying, "Be careful
who you go out with and what you do."
It's scary getting back home.
[ominous music playing]
I remember I think I was about 19,
around the same age
as she was when she disappeared.
[car honking]
Our mothers would say,
"Be careful. Don't go out alone."
"Don't go running.
Go out when there's people in the street."
"Don't go out late."
[car honks]
This story was also
kind of a contradiction back then.
At the time,
there was a lot of momentum for women.
Mothers, grandmothers would tell us
we had to be prepared,
that we had to go to college
to be economically independent,
self-sufficient
This was a moment.
It was a reflection of my generation.
In fact, Anabel had forged her own path
for the future.
And even secured an internship at Expo 92.
The inauguration
of the Universal Expo in Seville.
[applause]
She went to Germany, to Paris
She was a great student,
very kind, very open,
and she spoke many languages.
Five languages, no less, at 22 years old.
It was something we all had to confront.
And when we did,
our lives crumbled to pieces.
The symbol was her jogging.
We thought our dreams wouldn't be possible
because a man could make them disappear.
With all these events,
we need to be more more strict.
We drive them everywhere
and we pick them up after,
now more than ever.
Our mothers drove us.
We used to be able to come by ourselves.
[Jesús] The level of concern
for teenage girls and young women
increases exponentially every time
a girl steps outside of her house.
If it was a boy who had been taken,
the situation would've been
completely different.
We restrict women's freedom
by portraying them
as vulnerable people, and weak.
We focus on the wrong thing.
The problem isn't
with the behavior of women.
Because none of the blame was on Anabel.
- [birds singing]
- [somber music playing]
[phone ringing]
MAY 5TH, 1993
9:45 P.M.
DAYS WITHOUT ANABEL: 23
[Rafael] Yes, talk to me.
[kidnapper 2] We just wanted to reach out
and tell you to have the money ready
by 12:00 p.m. tomorrow.
We'll be in touch that afternoon.
- [Rafael] You'll call in the afternoon?
- [kidnapper 2] Yes.
[call end tone sounds]
The kidnappers still had the intention
to collect the money,
giving us another opportunity
to arrest them and to find Anabel.
[clock ticking]
MAY 6TH, 1993
09:45 P.M.
[phone rings]
DAYS WITHOUT ANABEL: 24
[Rafael] Segura family residence.
Talk to me.
- [kidnapper] Do you speak for the family?
- [Rafael] Yes, I do.
- [kidnapper] Is the money ready?
- [Rafael] Yes, yes. We have it.
[kidnapper] Meet us at National Highway 3.
[Rafael] At National Highway 3.
[kidnapper] Three. Next to Tarancón.
[Rafael] Next to
[kidnapper] Near Tarancón. Take Route 400.
Toward Cuenca. At kilometer 160
[Rafael] Kilometer 160
[kidnapper] At the kilometer post,
drop off the money.
Then, go back to your house.
- If things go well
- [Rafael] Okay
[kidnapper] And you go back home.
In two hours,
we'll tell you where you can find Anabel.
[tense music playing]
"Drop the money and leave."
He doesn't want to be seen.
"Hm" we thought,
"Could be it. Could be it."
[kidnapper] Listen to me closely.
You're talking
to the real kidnappers, okay?
Don't expect any calls after this.
Don't make the same mistake as in Saúca.
- Got it?
- [Rafael] Understood.
[kidnapper] Listen up.
If we see the police,
there's no deal. Am I clear?
[Rafael] I understand perfectly.
- [kidnapper] Got it?
- [Rafael] Crystal clear.
- [kidnapper] Until then.
- [Rafael] Goodbye.
[tense music continues]
We were all convinced
that this spot would be better than Saúca.
We were really hoping
that this would work.
Our expectations were higher.
[Jaime] For the criminals,
this location along the highway was worse.
They would be trapped.
We needed this to go well.
We already had some people in the area
with the best camouflage
and very close to the money.
[indistinct radio chatter]
The whole police operation was a go,
this time without the helicopter.
We thought this could be the final act.
[ominous music playing]
[car engine starts]
That still leaves us with one problem.
They said they'd return Anabel
within three hours.
If you decide
to arrest the person picking up the money,
you run the risk that that person
was sent by the kidnapper
and doesn't actually know
where to find Anabel.
Someone was paid by the kidnappers.
They said, "There's a bag."
"I want you to pick it up,
don't even look at what's inside."
But if it's the kidnapper,
he might also decide to stay quiet
and not say where she is.
[somber music playing]
[Juan C.C.] Hours passed
at the second drop location.
"Where are they? Did we mess up?"
You question everything.
What ended up happening that night?
Why didn't they come
and pick up the money?
[birds singing]
Our world completely fell apart.
It was like a knife in the heart.
In in our experience, this wasn't normal.
[ominous music playing]
[Rafael] The drive back home
was the the hardest part.
They didn't
They didn't pick up the money, you know?
I remember I remember everything.
The second The second time.
We basically stayed
until 7:00 in the morning
because no one wanted to leave.
We couldn't understand
why they didn't show up.
So, now, just imagine
getting back into that taxi
as the bearer of such terrible news.
It just kills you.
[somber music playing]
Rafael had this look.
He was upset, disappointed, defeated.
[sighs]
[Juan C.C.] It's hard to imagine
how the parents must've felt.
You could just tell
looking at poor Anabel's mother.
It was obvious.
She was not well, mentally.
And the father did whatever he could
to cope with the pain.
I mean, it was the second time.
They hadn't given us
any kind of proof of life.
When it goes on and on like that,
it kills any sense of hope in a person.
[clock ticking]
[heartbeat thuds]
MAY 28TH
DAYS WITHOUT ANABEL: 46
As of today, there haven't been any calls.
There has been no contact at all.
[tense music playing]
[Jesús] On May 27th, 1993,
Rafael Escuredo tries a different approach
by appealing to the humanity
of the kidnappers.
We hope that they're treating her well.
It's essential for the family
to know this.
And he even makes mention that the family
is willing to do whatever it takes
to prevent the kidnappers
from being caught and arrested.
You could imagine, at that point,
a certain level of desperation, you know?
[clock ticking]
[Juan C.C.] The kidnappers
had already said
that if the second opportunity
for the drop didn't go as planned,
it would be several months
without any news.
[clock ticking]
The mystery
of the Olot abduction continues.
Things have gotten worse.
No one knows the location
of the daughter
of a wealthy family in the area.
[journalist] Maria Àngels Feliu,
daughter of a businessman from Olot,
was kidnapped in the driveway
of her own home,
probably the work of common criminals.
[birds singing]
[Paco] At the time
of the kidnapping of Anabel Segura,
there was another kidnapping of a woman,
Maria Àngels Feliu, who had been missing
for more than five months.
And in that situation,
a positive outcome seemed very unlikely.
We just want them to make contact
and let us know she's okay.
FREEDOM FOR MARIA ÀNGELS
[Jesús] For the Seguras,
it's like looking in the mirror
and they're desperate
to know what the future holds
because what happens to Anabel
could be what happened
to Mari Angels Feliu, missing for months.
JUNE 1993
[politician] Let me express
all of my gratitude
to the more than nine million Spaniards
who have given
all of their trust to our project.
I want all our citizens
to know I understand the message.
That this victory
[Jaime] The kidnappers
didn't call again for weeks.
They had never taken this long.
We all feared the worst,
that they'd never call again.
And the family, they were devastated.
- [somber music playing]
- [clock ticking]
With what the Segura family
was experiencing,
there was a solidarity
which was reflected
in the letters they received
that kept piling up on Anabel's desk.
Germany, Paris, and Seville.
All from the places she had visited.
So many letters hoping that one day,
she would be able to open them
and answer them all one by one.
[somber music continues]
You're constantly thinking
about her, obviously.
It becomes your motivation to go to work.
- [phones ringing]
- [ominous music playing]
[Juan C.C.] We relied on keeping ourselves
as busy as we could with work.
So we didn't get stuck
thinking about it all the time.
In this case, we analyzed the data
that we'd collected in the investigation.
LICENSE PLATE LIST: VANS
We had two individuals
with a van that was colored white.
And two delivery points
that could be related to each other.
SECOND DROP-OFF
TARANCÓN
Since we had so little data to work with,
it was difficult
to nail down our suspects.
[policeman] Call number four.
[kidnapper] Listen up, okay?
The thing is
In the lab,
we started receiving the recordings
of the calls from the kidnappers
that were made to the family.
[kidnapper] Tonight, bring the money.
Grab a pen and write it down.
Audio forensics labs of today
were in their infancy at the time.
[ominous music playing]
In those days, there was no CSI.
None of those shows were playing on TV.
Back then,
it was called a "voice analysis lab."
[kidnapper] National Highway 2, 126.
[Carlos] There were unknowns,
but we needed to get started
to try and resolve the questions,
the fundamental questions.
[policeman] Call number 11.
[kidnapper] Okay, listen to me closely.
I'm not going to repeat myself.
[Carlos] We received the recordings
which we analyzed
to determine the potential age
of the speaker
or to try and trace him
to a geographical location,
or his degree of academic achievement,
or a specific professional field
or occupation.
[kidnapper] We don't want you
to make the same mistake again
The problem was basically
that since it was new technology,
we were still learning while we worked.
[clock ticking]
[kidnapper] We don't want you
to make the same mistake
that you made two weeks ago.
You understand?
[Jaime] In addition to the calls
from the real kidnappers,
several gangs of undesirable individuals
without any morals at all,
called on several occasions.
[policeman] Date 04/20/93 at 8:05 p.m.
[Rafael] Segura family residence.
Talk to me.
- [man] Hello.
- [Rafael] Yes?
[man] Your daughter?
[Rafael] Yes?
[man] Does she have stomach issues?
[Rafael] No issues
that we're aware of. No.
[tense music playing]
This was an opportunity
for criminals to use blackmail.
[phones ringing]
They wanted to collect the ransom.
[Juan C.C.] We arrested several people.
[police siren sounds]
That hurts the parents
because it gets their hopes up.
You go from hope
to despair back to hope, then despair.
And that makes things fall apart.
[police siren sounds]
JUNE 21ST, 1993
DAYS WITHOUT ANABEL: 70
[upbeat pop music playing]
[TV presenter] The family mediator,
Rafael Escuredo, talks to Código Uno.
It's essential that they give us
verifiable proof or evidence
so we can be sure
that Anabel is safe and well.
From this moment on,
I urge them to call us if they can hear me
to find a solution.
Because the interests of the family
and the police may not be the same.
The family's main interest
is getting their daughter back.
Rafael Escuredo was trying his best
to convince the criminals
not to be afraid because,
if the time came,
the family would be willing
to circumvent the police
in order to deliver the money
and close the deal, you know?
Manolo Jiménez,
we heard from the family's lawyer.
You want to arrest the bad guys
and the family just wants Anabel back,
that's all they want.
Whether there's an arrest
or not, it's the top priority.
The interests of the police
don't match the family's,
which actually seems logical.
Código Uno was a show
people watched all the time.
It was number one.
And it turns out that yes,
the criminals were watching.
The kidnappers are taking their time,
but that doesn't mean they're winning.
Criminals are always trying to find out
what's happening on the other side
to see how far along the investigation is.
We realized that whatever we said,
he could be listening,
or someone else.
[ominous music playing]
[Juan C.C.] Manuel Giménez
was our press officer at the time.
He was also a man
who wasn't afraid of the cameras
and who wouldn't hold anything back
at all when he spoke.
[Manolo] Obviously, there's a strategy.
You need to be smart,
you need to be clever.
It's one of the main characteristics
of a police officer, of an investigator.
Since there were no calls,
we had to do something.
Because if we don't do anything,
the problem is that they don't wanna talk.
If they don't talk,
you have to make them talk.
We don't like paying money to kidnappers.
We're trying to set an example
not to kidnap because there's no benefit.
So we don't want any part of it.
It was pretty clear
in the statement from Mr. Escuredo,
his message for the kidnappers was,
"Regardless of what the police do,
we want to reach an agreement."
[Manolo] There you have it.
The day after that show,
what happens?
We finally received a call
from the kidnappers.
- [clock ticking]
- [ominous music playing]
JUNE 22, 1993
2:15 P.M.
[phone ringing]
DAYS WITHOUT ANABEL: 71
[kidnapper] The family spokesperson,
please.
[woman] He isn't here right now.
But I am authorized to talk to you.
I'm a lawyer at Mr. Escuredo's firm.
How is Anabel?
- [kidnapper] She's fine.
- [lawyer] Are you sure?
[kidnapper] Listen,
we're disappointed with what happened.
[lawyer] But you haven't been calling.
You've given no sign
[kidnapper] We called you twice
and this will be the last time.
We'll update the spokesperson
on our demands,
[lawyer] Understood.
[kidnapper] Otherwise,
you'll find her dead.
We'll call one of the news programs,
the Código Uno,
and give the location of the body.
[lawyer] Tell us how she is, please.
[call end tone sounds]
- [ominous music playing]
- [clock ticking]
[phone ringing]
JUNE 22ND, 1993
5:20 P.M.
3 HOURS LATER
[Rafael] Segura family residence.
Talk to me.
[kidnapper] Good afternoon.
- Is this the family spokesperson?
- [Rafael] Yes, speaking.
Let's talk on a different line.
I'll give you another number.
Uh call me in ten minutes
so we can talk privately.
[Jaime] Since there was this suspicion
that the police had been monitoring
the money drops and locations,
the strategy of the police was
to change which phone was being used.
[Rafael] Write down this number
and call me back in a few minutes, okay?
[kidnapper] Sure.
[Rafael] Okay, write this down. 6-5-0
Rafael Escuredo gave them a second number.
[ominous music playing]
[Jaime] This telephone line was secure.
[dial tone sounds]
And, of course,
we were already monitoring that line.
[phone ringing]
JUNE 22ND, 1993
5:30 P.M.
10 MINUTES LATER
- [kidnapper] Mr. Escuredo?
- [Rafael] Yes, it's me.
Listen, we're talking on the private line
of a man named Spielberg.
This phone line is secure,
so we can talk privately.
- Can you hear me?
- [kidnapper] I hear you perfectly.
[Rafael] Okay then,
what I propose is as simple as this.
I propose that we forget the past
because we won't agree
on each other's interpretations.
Let's not argue about this and that.
I want to start
as if the kidnapping happened yesterday
and today is our first time speaking.
It was the start of a new way
of trying to conduct negotiations.
We were gonna be the ones
taking the lead now.
[Rafael] For me,
this is a business transaction,
a transaction as simple as we get Anabel
and you get 150 million pesetas.
- Make sense?
- [kidnapper] Yes, yes.
[Rafael] I want to know,
obviously, if Anabel is okay.
I'm sure you can understand
why I would insist on this.
We all told Rafael Escuredo,
"As soon as they reach out
and contact you,
please ask for something
that proves that Anabel is still with us."
[ominous music playing]
[Rafael] If you give me sufficient proof,
as a symbol of good will between us
and that we're doing an honest deal,
I'll deliver,
wherever you say, 20 million pesetas.
For the proof. Just for the proof.
Then, tomorrow,
you can pick up the remaining money,
the 130 million, wherever you tell me.
Then, in exactly one hour,
you're going to tell me
where we can find Anabel.
The criminal clearly knew
that if he didn't send proof of life
demonstrating that Anabel was still alive,
the deal would be off.
[Rafael] You can't just ask me
to leave the money somewhere, you know?
And just go on my way.
Because someone else could come,
someone who is just passing by,
and take the money.
[kidnapper] What? Hang on.
It's cutting out. One moment.
Suddenly, we heard a beep
indicating more coins were needed.
All of the calls made by the individuals
were from public phone booths.
[ominous music playing]
There was a system that we could use
to trace some of the calls.
[Rafael] Okay, well,
I'm not going to warn the police.
They weren't there the last time.
Did you see anyone?
[kidnapper] We're not idiots.
I'm sure you can understand
that we're not fools.
We passed by
and saw where all the cars were parked.
[Jaime] We had an arrangement
with Telefonica
which allowed us to see,
almost in real time,
which booth the criminals were using
to make their calls.
But there were requirements.
It needed time.
So, we asked Rafael Escuredo
to try and keep him on the phone.
[kidnapper] There's something
you need to tell the Seguras.
Tell them that until we have it, okay?
- The money
- [Rafael] Right.
- [kidnapper] Tell them nicely
- [Rafael] Okay.
[kidnapper] They won't get
their daughter back.
[Rafael] They're clear on that.
The thing that they're afraid of,
what they're worried about,
is the possibility
that you really don't have Anabel.
Or, if I may be blunt,
that you may have killed her.
Does that make sense to you?
It's a really delicate step forward.
It's like evoking the possibility
that Anabel could have been murdered.
[phones ringing]
[Paco] It's as if
he's backing the kidnappers into a corner
by asking them to provide a proof of life.
[kidnapper] This all
could've been resolved many days ago.
[Rafael] Yes, but let's not focus on that
because if we keep bringing up the past,
- it won't get resolved.
- [kidnapper] Okay.
My associates and I reached an agreement,
which was decided by a vote.
[Rafael] Okay.
[kidnapper] We'll send you a tape
with a recording of Anabel's voice.
[Rafael] Okay, perfect. But say the date.
Have her say the date when you record her.
Of course it wouldn't work if she said,
"It's it's the 12th of of last year."
For proof of life,
they need to appear with a newspaper
or say the date in a recording.
- [Rafael] You understand, right?
- [kidnapper] Yes. Understood.
You will get it in a few days.
When we heard
we were going to receive a proof of life
It was so important to us.
It boosted everyone's morale.
Because if they recorded a tape
with her voice, it means Anabel's alive.
- [birds singing]
- [ominous music playing]
[Rafael] Good, if I understand correctly,
in 48 hours,
you're going to send me a cassette
with Anabel's voice
where she's saying the day,
the date, and the hour
at the time of the recording,
and if today is Tuesday,
we'll have it by Thursday.
[kidnapper] Exactly.
[Rafael] We're asking you,
please take care of Anabel.
As a favor to me, it's important.
[music intensifies]
[Rafael] How is she doing emotionally?
[kidnapper] Very good. She's doing fine.
[Rafael] Is she eating well?
[kidnapper] Yes. But it's been many days.
She's nervous, as you can understand.
[Rafael] What about clothes?
Do you provide her with clean clothes?
Can she wash up?
- [kidnapper] Of course.
- [Rafael] Good, that's essential.
[kidnapper] She's not going to be a mess.
[Rafael] Is there anything you want me
to tell the family. About Anabel?
- [kidnapper] She's perfectly fine.
- [Rafael] Good.
- [kidnapper] Make sure they listen.
- [Rafael] There won't be any problems.
- [kidnapper] Okay. Good.
- [Rafael] Goodbye. Talk soon.
[call end tone sounds]
We only got one piece of information,
a phone booth in Vallecas.
[ominous music playing]
[tires screech]
[Jaime] Either they lived in Vallecas,
used to live there,
or were somehow connected to Vallecas.
[Juan C.C.] You might
find out the location
but once you got there, they'd be gone.
[Jaime] How long would a car take
to get from Vallecas police station
to that booth?
It could take ten minutes, maybe 15.
How could we get there in time?
We couldn't.
It wasn't possible, but we tried.
- [somber music playing]
- [police siren sounds]
JUNE 24TH, 1993
DAYS WITHOUT ANABEL: 73
Two days later, a tape arrived
in an envelope at Mr. Segura's address.
We all sat down with Mr. José Segura
and listened to that tape.
[woman] Hi, Mama, Papa.
It's the 22nd of June, 1993.
I want to tell you that I'm fine,
under the circumstances.
No one has treated me badly
but [sighs] I want to return home
and be with you.
Because I've been here for a long time
and I'm looking forward to seeing
to seeing you.
So let's hope
we can put all of this behind us.
See you soon, Papa.
Bye, Mama.
Sister, I love you so much.
Goodbye.
Right away, José Segura,
without even letting his wife speak,
she was already completely in tears,
he said, "This is not Anabel."
If it was an impostor,
the reason was very clear,
that Anabel couldn't do it herself.
What does it mean? Is she dead?
[radio beeps]
[Juan C.C.] It could be
that they tried simulating her voice
because they didn't want her to record it
just in case she says something
like a message to the family,
and gives them a clue
without anyone noticing.
[music intensifies]
The next day, Mr. José Segura asked,
"Please, can I listen to it again
the tape."
So, I took a car over there
with my partner.
And we played it again the voice.
Then, we saw José Segura react
in a way that we didn't expect,
but we understood later.
[woman] Hi, Mama, Papa.
It's the 22nd of June, 1993.
[Jaime] The idea was,
they could've had her in a a damp cave
and Anabel could have developed
a sore throat.
[tense music playing]
It was possible that this was Anabel.
[woman] See you soon, Papa. Bye, Mama.
[kidnapper] Now,
you've heard Anabel's voice.
If you don't meet our expectations
and deliver the money
within 30 days
from the day you received our recording,
we will execute her.
I repeat.
If our demands are not met,
she will be killed.
[somber music playing]
[ominous music playing]
THE PHONE CALLS
YOU'RE GOING TO HEAR ARE REAL.
FOR THE FIRST TIME,
THE ENTIRETY OF THE POLICE RECORDINGS
OF THE KIDNAPPING WILL BE SHOWN.
[crickets chirping]
[metal creaks]
[man] You know the restaurant El Molino?
Ever eaten there?
[Rafael] The restaurant El Molino?
Where is that?
[man] Just find it.
[Rafael] Okay, I'll find it.
[man] Be there at 3:00 p.m.
- [Rafael] Tomorrow?
- [man] Tomorrow.
[Rafael] Very well.
[call end tone sounds]
[Juan C.C.] El Molino is a restaurant
on the highway to Burgos,
near La Moraleja.
So, obviously, we went there
and set up a stakeout unit.
[car engine revs]
- [tense music playing]
- [heartbeat thuds]
I would say
we were about 1,200 meters away
and when we got there,
we had eyes watching from every angle
without being seen or detected.
I went with my friend.
We sat down and had lunch.
We were both tense and nervous.
[ominous music playing]
We just sat and waited.
[clock ticking]
After I don't know how long,
they told us to wrap things up.
Because, in the end, nobody showed up.
We suspected that they could be
copycat kidnappers taking advantage.
Maybe they were out
to collect Anabel's ransom.
[Paco] It was another endurance test
for the investigative team,
but especially for the family
and for Rafael Escuredo. It was terrible.
[radio beeps]
[Juan C.C.] After that we tried to monitor
the person who was really suspicious,
the forest ranger from Saúca.
[tense music playing]
- [church bells ring]
- [birds singing]
Wherever he went, we went.
FOREST RANGER
[Juan C.C.] Anabel had to be somewhere,
they had to give her food,
she needed water.
And, one way or another,
there had to be a trail to her location.
[Jaime] We followed him night and day,
but despite all our efforts,
it didn't move the needle
with the investigation.
Our only choice was to start over.
We had to wait,
and wait for them to call again.
[tense music playing]
[clock ticking]
Something had gone wrong in Saúca.
We had already made the worst mistake
we could have imagined.
[helicopter thrums]
[dog barking]
[phone ringing]
[eerie music playing]
[call end tone sounds]
900 DAYS WITHOUT ANABEL
EPISODE 2
PROOF OF LIFE
[phones ringing]
APRIL 20TH, 1993
DAYS WITHOUT ANABEL: 8
[José C.M.] The police used
every resource they had on hand
to solve the kidnapping of Anabel Segura.
Their intention was,
the sooner, the better.
[phone dial tone sounds]
Were there too many resources?
I think there were.
[Jaime] When the ransom drop
went wrong over in Saúca,
we all thought the same thing.
We had made a mistake
with our police investigation.
[eerie music continues]
[Juan C.C.] We camouflaged our cars,
every one of our cars in the area.
But we had a problem, a big problem,
which was that our radios weren't working.
[radios crackle]
[ominous music playing]
[José C.M.] It was the year 1993.
There were no cell phones.
We worked by using radios.
When you use radios outside the city,
you need signal boosters.
[radios crackle]
[indistinct radio chatter]
[Juan C.C.] We wanted
to have a strong signal
so we could all communicate.
And act, if necessary.
[radio beeps]
The signal had to be boosted.
In our case, we used a helicopter.
[helicopter thrumming]
Using a helicopter
was the worst mistake we could've made.
[Juan C.C.] That night,
you couldn't even hear the birds.
Absolutely nothing.
Except for the helicopter, of course.
[helicopter continues thrumming]
It was like telling the kidnappers,
"Here we are."
No one wanted to acknowledge
that the kidnappers didn't show up
because of a mistake by the police.
It's always in the back of your mind,
"How are they going to retaliate?"
[birds singing]
[ominous music playing]
[dog barks]
[Jaime] No one had any idea
how Anabel was doing.
Our operation went to pieces.
Waiting over the next few days,
that was really difficult.
[clock ticking]
[Juan C.C.] The kidnappers
stopped all contact with the family.
And that's when everyone started to worry.
[Jaime] The desperation increased.
And you imagine the worst things possible.
[tense music playing]
APRIL 28TH, 1993
DAYS WITHOUT ANABEL: 16
[Jaime] On the 28th day
of that same month,
after a meeting arranged with the family,
it was agreed
to make a statement through the press,
written and delivered by Rafael Escuredo.
[Jesús] He stated that the interests
of the Segura family
and those of the police
were not necessarily aligned.
"THE POLICE HAVE A JOB TO DO,
BUT THE FAMILY'S INTERESTS ARE DIFFERENT."
[sprinkler hisses]
[Juan C.C.] Since they were
no longer in contact,
we decided to use the press
to get in touch.
[clock ticking]
That provoked the kidnappers
to reach out again.
[clock ticking]
[Jaime] On the next day,
ten days after Saúca,
finally, the kidnappers called again.
Thank God.
[clock ticking]
[phone ringing]
APRIL 29TH, 1993
4:10 P.M.
DAYS WITHOUT ANABEL: 17
[Rafael] Yes? Segura family residence.
Talk to me please.
[kidnapper] The family's spokesperson,
please.
[Rafael] Yes, it's me.
[kidnapper] Listen very closely.
[Rafael] Hold on, please. How is Anabel?
- [kidnapper] Anabel is perfectly fine.
- [Rafael] How do I know that?
[kidnapper] She's She's perfectly fine
at the moment.
- She's a little nervous
- [Rafael] Yes.
[kidnapper] Because it's been a long time.
- [Rafael] Yes.
- [kidnapper] She's okay.
[Rafael] Okay, go on.
[kidnapper] Later this afternoon,
we'll call you back, okay?
Will you be ready?
[Rafael] Yes. Yes, but listen
[call end tone sounds]
[ominous music playing]
[Jaime] Now, there was a spark of hope.
We moved ahead with a brand-new strategy
to follow them to Anabel.
[clock ticking]
APRIL 29TH, 1993
10:02 P.M.
[phone rings]
6 HOURS LATER
[Rafael] Segura family residence.
Talk to me.
[kidnapper] Is the money ready?
[Rafael] Tomorrow It's in the bank now.
It was it was ready
for the past 15 days, like we told you.
We put it in the bank yesterday,
but we can have it by 8:30 a.m.
[kidnapper] You should've had the money.
We'll call you later at 3:00 or 4:00.
[Rafael] For God's sake,
you didn't say to get it!
[kidnapper] So you don't have
the money on you?
[Rafael] We've had it here at home
for the past 15 days
but we both know
I can't keep it here for that long.
- Tomorrow
- [kidnapper] Can you get it by tomorrow?
[Rafael] Yes. By tomorrow morning,
we'll have the money ready for you.
Can you hear me?
[kidnapper] Yes,
I can hear you perfectly fine.
[Rafael] Look, I appreciate your help,
because I believe that you have Anabel.
- [kidnapper] Listen up.
- [Rafael] Yes. I'm listening. Talk to me.
[kidnapper] Listen up.
This time, don't make the same mistakes
you made two weeks ago.
- Do you understand?
- [Rafael] Of course.
- [kidnapper] The police, helicopter
- [Rafael] If you're thinking
[kidnapper] You won't have another chance,
okay? I repeat
[Rafael] Yeah, but we didn't know
about that. We didn't know.
[somber music playing]
The whole team heard everything.
I talked to Rafael Escuredo.
"You don't have any other option,
other than to lie."
"Just lie through your teeth,
deny everything."
[Juan C.C.] It was important
to convince them,
so that we could re-establish
that line of trust with the criminals.
[Rafael] The police
weren't even there that day.
[kidnapper] Listen closely.
Listen, because we are well informed.
[Rafael] Look Look
[kidnapper] We have scanners everywhere
that can hear the police.
The police were there
at the site with a helicopter.
I'm sure that you
[Rafael] I know you don't believe it,
but I'm telling you the truth.
- Honestly
- [kidnapper] Well, now you know.
- If you make another mistake
- [Rafael] Yes
[kidnapper] You'll receive no news
for three or four months.
[ominous music playing]
It wasn't just
about being skilled as a negotiator,
it was also about being sensitive enough
to avoid problems.
The sword of Damocles was a symbol,
meaning, um
to come down without mercy, right?
In this case, on Anabel Segura.
[Rafael] Could you please tell
the people who have her
to give us proof
that Anabel is okay and still alive.
This is an important family request.
[kidnapper] We can't give any clues.
Anabel is perfectly fine.
[Rafael] Yeah, so you say.
- [kidnapper] Anabel is perfectly fine.
- [Rafael] But that's what you say.
[kidnapper] Give us the money
and we'll let her go.
- [Rafael] Tomorrow?
- [kidnapper] Tomorrow.
[Rafael] 9:00 a.m. at the same Hello?
[call end tone sounds]
[somber music playing]
[Juan C.C.] Proof of life
was requested again but more emphatically.
And he just answered every question
except the most important one.
Without proof of life,
we expected the worst.
The bodies of three girls
were found a few hours ago
near the Tous Dam in Valencia.
Miriam García, Antonia Gómez,
and Desiré Hernández.
The kidnapping of Anabel Segura
took place only half a year
after the disappearance
of the girls from Alcásser.
They had been tortured
in very brutal ways.
They were subjected to all kinds of abuse,
and that included sexual violence,
until finally, they were each killed
with a shot to the head.
The three young women, aged 14 to 15,
were last seen when they were hitchhiking
on their way to a nightclub.
There was already an atmosphere
of concern everywhere
at the time of the kidnapping
of Anabel Segura.
My parents warn me a lot now,
and I'm more careful too.
You can't trust anyone anymore.
You feel like someone's following you,
it's horrible.
Everyone is saying, "Be careful
who you go out with and what you do."
It's scary getting back home.
[ominous music playing]
I remember I think I was about 19,
around the same age
as she was when she disappeared.
[car honking]
Our mothers would say,
"Be careful. Don't go out alone."
"Don't go running.
Go out when there's people in the street."
"Don't go out late."
[car honks]
This story was also
kind of a contradiction back then.
At the time,
there was a lot of momentum for women.
Mothers, grandmothers would tell us
we had to be prepared,
that we had to go to college
to be economically independent,
self-sufficient
This was a moment.
It was a reflection of my generation.
In fact, Anabel had forged her own path
for the future.
And even secured an internship at Expo 92.
The inauguration
of the Universal Expo in Seville.
[applause]
She went to Germany, to Paris
She was a great student,
very kind, very open,
and she spoke many languages.
Five languages, no less, at 22 years old.
It was something we all had to confront.
And when we did,
our lives crumbled to pieces.
The symbol was her jogging.
We thought our dreams wouldn't be possible
because a man could make them disappear.
With all these events,
we need to be more more strict.
We drive them everywhere
and we pick them up after,
now more than ever.
Our mothers drove us.
We used to be able to come by ourselves.
[Jesús] The level of concern
for teenage girls and young women
increases exponentially every time
a girl steps outside of her house.
If it was a boy who had been taken,
the situation would've been
completely different.
We restrict women's freedom
by portraying them
as vulnerable people, and weak.
We focus on the wrong thing.
The problem isn't
with the behavior of women.
Because none of the blame was on Anabel.
- [birds singing]
- [somber music playing]
[phone ringing]
MAY 5TH, 1993
9:45 P.M.
DAYS WITHOUT ANABEL: 23
[Rafael] Yes, talk to me.
[kidnapper 2] We just wanted to reach out
and tell you to have the money ready
by 12:00 p.m. tomorrow.
We'll be in touch that afternoon.
- [Rafael] You'll call in the afternoon?
- [kidnapper 2] Yes.
[call end tone sounds]
The kidnappers still had the intention
to collect the money,
giving us another opportunity
to arrest them and to find Anabel.
[clock ticking]
MAY 6TH, 1993
09:45 P.M.
[phone rings]
DAYS WITHOUT ANABEL: 24
[Rafael] Segura family residence.
Talk to me.
- [kidnapper] Do you speak for the family?
- [Rafael] Yes, I do.
- [kidnapper] Is the money ready?
- [Rafael] Yes, yes. We have it.
[kidnapper] Meet us at National Highway 3.
[Rafael] At National Highway 3.
[kidnapper] Three. Next to Tarancón.
[Rafael] Next to
[kidnapper] Near Tarancón. Take Route 400.
Toward Cuenca. At kilometer 160
[Rafael] Kilometer 160
[kidnapper] At the kilometer post,
drop off the money.
Then, go back to your house.
- If things go well
- [Rafael] Okay
[kidnapper] And you go back home.
In two hours,
we'll tell you where you can find Anabel.
[tense music playing]
"Drop the money and leave."
He doesn't want to be seen.
"Hm" we thought,
"Could be it. Could be it."
[kidnapper] Listen to me closely.
You're talking
to the real kidnappers, okay?
Don't expect any calls after this.
Don't make the same mistake as in Saúca.
- Got it?
- [Rafael] Understood.
[kidnapper] Listen up.
If we see the police,
there's no deal. Am I clear?
[Rafael] I understand perfectly.
- [kidnapper] Got it?
- [Rafael] Crystal clear.
- [kidnapper] Until then.
- [Rafael] Goodbye.
[tense music continues]
We were all convinced
that this spot would be better than Saúca.
We were really hoping
that this would work.
Our expectations were higher.
[Jaime] For the criminals,
this location along the highway was worse.
They would be trapped.
We needed this to go well.
We already had some people in the area
with the best camouflage
and very close to the money.
[indistinct radio chatter]
The whole police operation was a go,
this time without the helicopter.
We thought this could be the final act.
[ominous music playing]
[car engine starts]
That still leaves us with one problem.
They said they'd return Anabel
within three hours.
If you decide
to arrest the person picking up the money,
you run the risk that that person
was sent by the kidnapper
and doesn't actually know
where to find Anabel.
Someone was paid by the kidnappers.
They said, "There's a bag."
"I want you to pick it up,
don't even look at what's inside."
But if it's the kidnapper,
he might also decide to stay quiet
and not say where she is.
[somber music playing]
[Juan C.C.] Hours passed
at the second drop location.
"Where are they? Did we mess up?"
You question everything.
What ended up happening that night?
Why didn't they come
and pick up the money?
[birds singing]
Our world completely fell apart.
It was like a knife in the heart.
In in our experience, this wasn't normal.
[ominous music playing]
[Rafael] The drive back home
was the the hardest part.
They didn't
They didn't pick up the money, you know?
I remember I remember everything.
The second The second time.
We basically stayed
until 7:00 in the morning
because no one wanted to leave.
We couldn't understand
why they didn't show up.
So, now, just imagine
getting back into that taxi
as the bearer of such terrible news.
It just kills you.
[somber music playing]
Rafael had this look.
He was upset, disappointed, defeated.
[sighs]
[Juan C.C.] It's hard to imagine
how the parents must've felt.
You could just tell
looking at poor Anabel's mother.
It was obvious.
She was not well, mentally.
And the father did whatever he could
to cope with the pain.
I mean, it was the second time.
They hadn't given us
any kind of proof of life.
When it goes on and on like that,
it kills any sense of hope in a person.
[clock ticking]
[heartbeat thuds]
MAY 28TH
DAYS WITHOUT ANABEL: 46
As of today, there haven't been any calls.
There has been no contact at all.
[tense music playing]
[Jesús] On May 27th, 1993,
Rafael Escuredo tries a different approach
by appealing to the humanity
of the kidnappers.
We hope that they're treating her well.
It's essential for the family
to know this.
And he even makes mention that the family
is willing to do whatever it takes
to prevent the kidnappers
from being caught and arrested.
You could imagine, at that point,
a certain level of desperation, you know?
[clock ticking]
[Juan C.C.] The kidnappers
had already said
that if the second opportunity
for the drop didn't go as planned,
it would be several months
without any news.
[clock ticking]
The mystery
of the Olot abduction continues.
Things have gotten worse.
No one knows the location
of the daughter
of a wealthy family in the area.
[journalist] Maria Àngels Feliu,
daughter of a businessman from Olot,
was kidnapped in the driveway
of her own home,
probably the work of common criminals.
[birds singing]
[Paco] At the time
of the kidnapping of Anabel Segura,
there was another kidnapping of a woman,
Maria Àngels Feliu, who had been missing
for more than five months.
And in that situation,
a positive outcome seemed very unlikely.
We just want them to make contact
and let us know she's okay.
FREEDOM FOR MARIA ÀNGELS
[Jesús] For the Seguras,
it's like looking in the mirror
and they're desperate
to know what the future holds
because what happens to Anabel
could be what happened
to Mari Angels Feliu, missing for months.
JUNE 1993
[politician] Let me express
all of my gratitude
to the more than nine million Spaniards
who have given
all of their trust to our project.
I want all our citizens
to know I understand the message.
That this victory
[Jaime] The kidnappers
didn't call again for weeks.
They had never taken this long.
We all feared the worst,
that they'd never call again.
And the family, they were devastated.
- [somber music playing]
- [clock ticking]
With what the Segura family
was experiencing,
there was a solidarity
which was reflected
in the letters they received
that kept piling up on Anabel's desk.
Germany, Paris, and Seville.
All from the places she had visited.
So many letters hoping that one day,
she would be able to open them
and answer them all one by one.
[somber music continues]
You're constantly thinking
about her, obviously.
It becomes your motivation to go to work.
- [phones ringing]
- [ominous music playing]
[Juan C.C.] We relied on keeping ourselves
as busy as we could with work.
So we didn't get stuck
thinking about it all the time.
In this case, we analyzed the data
that we'd collected in the investigation.
LICENSE PLATE LIST: VANS
We had two individuals
with a van that was colored white.
And two delivery points
that could be related to each other.
SECOND DROP-OFF
TARANCÓN
Since we had so little data to work with,
it was difficult
to nail down our suspects.
[policeman] Call number four.
[kidnapper] Listen up, okay?
The thing is
In the lab,
we started receiving the recordings
of the calls from the kidnappers
that were made to the family.
[kidnapper] Tonight, bring the money.
Grab a pen and write it down.
Audio forensics labs of today
were in their infancy at the time.
[ominous music playing]
In those days, there was no CSI.
None of those shows were playing on TV.
Back then,
it was called a "voice analysis lab."
[kidnapper] National Highway 2, 126.
[Carlos] There were unknowns,
but we needed to get started
to try and resolve the questions,
the fundamental questions.
[policeman] Call number 11.
[kidnapper] Okay, listen to me closely.
I'm not going to repeat myself.
[Carlos] We received the recordings
which we analyzed
to determine the potential age
of the speaker
or to try and trace him
to a geographical location,
or his degree of academic achievement,
or a specific professional field
or occupation.
[kidnapper] We don't want you
to make the same mistake again
The problem was basically
that since it was new technology,
we were still learning while we worked.
[clock ticking]
[kidnapper] We don't want you
to make the same mistake
that you made two weeks ago.
You understand?
[Jaime] In addition to the calls
from the real kidnappers,
several gangs of undesirable individuals
without any morals at all,
called on several occasions.
[policeman] Date 04/20/93 at 8:05 p.m.
[Rafael] Segura family residence.
Talk to me.
- [man] Hello.
- [Rafael] Yes?
[man] Your daughter?
[Rafael] Yes?
[man] Does she have stomach issues?
[Rafael] No issues
that we're aware of. No.
[tense music playing]
This was an opportunity
for criminals to use blackmail.
[phones ringing]
They wanted to collect the ransom.
[Juan C.C.] We arrested several people.
[police siren sounds]
That hurts the parents
because it gets their hopes up.
You go from hope
to despair back to hope, then despair.
And that makes things fall apart.
[police siren sounds]
JUNE 21ST, 1993
DAYS WITHOUT ANABEL: 70
[upbeat pop music playing]
[TV presenter] The family mediator,
Rafael Escuredo, talks to Código Uno.
It's essential that they give us
verifiable proof or evidence
so we can be sure
that Anabel is safe and well.
From this moment on,
I urge them to call us if they can hear me
to find a solution.
Because the interests of the family
and the police may not be the same.
The family's main interest
is getting their daughter back.
Rafael Escuredo was trying his best
to convince the criminals
not to be afraid because,
if the time came,
the family would be willing
to circumvent the police
in order to deliver the money
and close the deal, you know?
Manolo Jiménez,
we heard from the family's lawyer.
You want to arrest the bad guys
and the family just wants Anabel back,
that's all they want.
Whether there's an arrest
or not, it's the top priority.
The interests of the police
don't match the family's,
which actually seems logical.
Código Uno was a show
people watched all the time.
It was number one.
And it turns out that yes,
the criminals were watching.
The kidnappers are taking their time,
but that doesn't mean they're winning.
Criminals are always trying to find out
what's happening on the other side
to see how far along the investigation is.
We realized that whatever we said,
he could be listening,
or someone else.
[ominous music playing]
[Juan C.C.] Manuel Giménez
was our press officer at the time.
He was also a man
who wasn't afraid of the cameras
and who wouldn't hold anything back
at all when he spoke.
[Manolo] Obviously, there's a strategy.
You need to be smart,
you need to be clever.
It's one of the main characteristics
of a police officer, of an investigator.
Since there were no calls,
we had to do something.
Because if we don't do anything,
the problem is that they don't wanna talk.
If they don't talk,
you have to make them talk.
We don't like paying money to kidnappers.
We're trying to set an example
not to kidnap because there's no benefit.
So we don't want any part of it.
It was pretty clear
in the statement from Mr. Escuredo,
his message for the kidnappers was,
"Regardless of what the police do,
we want to reach an agreement."
[Manolo] There you have it.
The day after that show,
what happens?
We finally received a call
from the kidnappers.
- [clock ticking]
- [ominous music playing]
JUNE 22, 1993
2:15 P.M.
[phone ringing]
DAYS WITHOUT ANABEL: 71
[kidnapper] The family spokesperson,
please.
[woman] He isn't here right now.
But I am authorized to talk to you.
I'm a lawyer at Mr. Escuredo's firm.
How is Anabel?
- [kidnapper] She's fine.
- [lawyer] Are you sure?
[kidnapper] Listen,
we're disappointed with what happened.
[lawyer] But you haven't been calling.
You've given no sign
[kidnapper] We called you twice
and this will be the last time.
We'll update the spokesperson
on our demands,
[lawyer] Understood.
[kidnapper] Otherwise,
you'll find her dead.
We'll call one of the news programs,
the Código Uno,
and give the location of the body.
[lawyer] Tell us how she is, please.
[call end tone sounds]
- [ominous music playing]
- [clock ticking]
[phone ringing]
JUNE 22ND, 1993
5:20 P.M.
3 HOURS LATER
[Rafael] Segura family residence.
Talk to me.
[kidnapper] Good afternoon.
- Is this the family spokesperson?
- [Rafael] Yes, speaking.
Let's talk on a different line.
I'll give you another number.
Uh call me in ten minutes
so we can talk privately.
[Jaime] Since there was this suspicion
that the police had been monitoring
the money drops and locations,
the strategy of the police was
to change which phone was being used.
[Rafael] Write down this number
and call me back in a few minutes, okay?
[kidnapper] Sure.
[Rafael] Okay, write this down. 6-5-0
Rafael Escuredo gave them a second number.
[ominous music playing]
[Jaime] This telephone line was secure.
[dial tone sounds]
And, of course,
we were already monitoring that line.
[phone ringing]
JUNE 22ND, 1993
5:30 P.M.
10 MINUTES LATER
- [kidnapper] Mr. Escuredo?
- [Rafael] Yes, it's me.
Listen, we're talking on the private line
of a man named Spielberg.
This phone line is secure,
so we can talk privately.
- Can you hear me?
- [kidnapper] I hear you perfectly.
[Rafael] Okay then,
what I propose is as simple as this.
I propose that we forget the past
because we won't agree
on each other's interpretations.
Let's not argue about this and that.
I want to start
as if the kidnapping happened yesterday
and today is our first time speaking.
It was the start of a new way
of trying to conduct negotiations.
We were gonna be the ones
taking the lead now.
[Rafael] For me,
this is a business transaction,
a transaction as simple as we get Anabel
and you get 150 million pesetas.
- Make sense?
- [kidnapper] Yes, yes.
[Rafael] I want to know,
obviously, if Anabel is okay.
I'm sure you can understand
why I would insist on this.
We all told Rafael Escuredo,
"As soon as they reach out
and contact you,
please ask for something
that proves that Anabel is still with us."
[ominous music playing]
[Rafael] If you give me sufficient proof,
as a symbol of good will between us
and that we're doing an honest deal,
I'll deliver,
wherever you say, 20 million pesetas.
For the proof. Just for the proof.
Then, tomorrow,
you can pick up the remaining money,
the 130 million, wherever you tell me.
Then, in exactly one hour,
you're going to tell me
where we can find Anabel.
The criminal clearly knew
that if he didn't send proof of life
demonstrating that Anabel was still alive,
the deal would be off.
[Rafael] You can't just ask me
to leave the money somewhere, you know?
And just go on my way.
Because someone else could come,
someone who is just passing by,
and take the money.
[kidnapper] What? Hang on.
It's cutting out. One moment.
Suddenly, we heard a beep
indicating more coins were needed.
All of the calls made by the individuals
were from public phone booths.
[ominous music playing]
There was a system that we could use
to trace some of the calls.
[Rafael] Okay, well,
I'm not going to warn the police.
They weren't there the last time.
Did you see anyone?
[kidnapper] We're not idiots.
I'm sure you can understand
that we're not fools.
We passed by
and saw where all the cars were parked.
[Jaime] We had an arrangement
with Telefonica
which allowed us to see,
almost in real time,
which booth the criminals were using
to make their calls.
But there were requirements.
It needed time.
So, we asked Rafael Escuredo
to try and keep him on the phone.
[kidnapper] There's something
you need to tell the Seguras.
Tell them that until we have it, okay?
- The money
- [Rafael] Right.
- [kidnapper] Tell them nicely
- [Rafael] Okay.
[kidnapper] They won't get
their daughter back.
[Rafael] They're clear on that.
The thing that they're afraid of,
what they're worried about,
is the possibility
that you really don't have Anabel.
Or, if I may be blunt,
that you may have killed her.
Does that make sense to you?
It's a really delicate step forward.
It's like evoking the possibility
that Anabel could have been murdered.
[phones ringing]
[Paco] It's as if
he's backing the kidnappers into a corner
by asking them to provide a proof of life.
[kidnapper] This all
could've been resolved many days ago.
[Rafael] Yes, but let's not focus on that
because if we keep bringing up the past,
- it won't get resolved.
- [kidnapper] Okay.
My associates and I reached an agreement,
which was decided by a vote.
[Rafael] Okay.
[kidnapper] We'll send you a tape
with a recording of Anabel's voice.
[Rafael] Okay, perfect. But say the date.
Have her say the date when you record her.
Of course it wouldn't work if she said,
"It's it's the 12th of of last year."
For proof of life,
they need to appear with a newspaper
or say the date in a recording.
- [Rafael] You understand, right?
- [kidnapper] Yes. Understood.
You will get it in a few days.
When we heard
we were going to receive a proof of life
It was so important to us.
It boosted everyone's morale.
Because if they recorded a tape
with her voice, it means Anabel's alive.
- [birds singing]
- [ominous music playing]
[Rafael] Good, if I understand correctly,
in 48 hours,
you're going to send me a cassette
with Anabel's voice
where she's saying the day,
the date, and the hour
at the time of the recording,
and if today is Tuesday,
we'll have it by Thursday.
[kidnapper] Exactly.
[Rafael] We're asking you,
please take care of Anabel.
As a favor to me, it's important.
[music intensifies]
[Rafael] How is she doing emotionally?
[kidnapper] Very good. She's doing fine.
[Rafael] Is she eating well?
[kidnapper] Yes. But it's been many days.
She's nervous, as you can understand.
[Rafael] What about clothes?
Do you provide her with clean clothes?
Can she wash up?
- [kidnapper] Of course.
- [Rafael] Good, that's essential.
[kidnapper] She's not going to be a mess.
[Rafael] Is there anything you want me
to tell the family. About Anabel?
- [kidnapper] She's perfectly fine.
- [Rafael] Good.
- [kidnapper] Make sure they listen.
- [Rafael] There won't be any problems.
- [kidnapper] Okay. Good.
- [Rafael] Goodbye. Talk soon.
[call end tone sounds]
We only got one piece of information,
a phone booth in Vallecas.
[ominous music playing]
[tires screech]
[Jaime] Either they lived in Vallecas,
used to live there,
or were somehow connected to Vallecas.
[Juan C.C.] You might
find out the location
but once you got there, they'd be gone.
[Jaime] How long would a car take
to get from Vallecas police station
to that booth?
It could take ten minutes, maybe 15.
How could we get there in time?
We couldn't.
It wasn't possible, but we tried.
- [somber music playing]
- [police siren sounds]
JUNE 24TH, 1993
DAYS WITHOUT ANABEL: 73
Two days later, a tape arrived
in an envelope at Mr. Segura's address.
We all sat down with Mr. José Segura
and listened to that tape.
[woman] Hi, Mama, Papa.
It's the 22nd of June, 1993.
I want to tell you that I'm fine,
under the circumstances.
No one has treated me badly
but [sighs] I want to return home
and be with you.
Because I've been here for a long time
and I'm looking forward to seeing
to seeing you.
So let's hope
we can put all of this behind us.
See you soon, Papa.
Bye, Mama.
Sister, I love you so much.
Goodbye.
Right away, José Segura,
without even letting his wife speak,
she was already completely in tears,
he said, "This is not Anabel."
If it was an impostor,
the reason was very clear,
that Anabel couldn't do it herself.
What does it mean? Is she dead?
[radio beeps]
[Juan C.C.] It could be
that they tried simulating her voice
because they didn't want her to record it
just in case she says something
like a message to the family,
and gives them a clue
without anyone noticing.
[music intensifies]
The next day, Mr. José Segura asked,
"Please, can I listen to it again
the tape."
So, I took a car over there
with my partner.
And we played it again the voice.
Then, we saw José Segura react
in a way that we didn't expect,
but we understood later.
[woman] Hi, Mama, Papa.
It's the 22nd of June, 1993.
[Jaime] The idea was,
they could've had her in a a damp cave
and Anabel could have developed
a sore throat.
[tense music playing]
It was possible that this was Anabel.
[woman] See you soon, Papa. Bye, Mama.
[kidnapper] Now,
you've heard Anabel's voice.
If you don't meet our expectations
and deliver the money
within 30 days
from the day you received our recording,
we will execute her.
I repeat.
If our demands are not met,
she will be killed.
[somber music playing]