CSI: Miami s01e17 Episode Script

Look out! Move it.
Councilwoman? Let's go Get in there, in.
Councilwoman Escalante! Was she more than a housekeeper? Councilwoman? Councilwoman? Councilwoman? What was your husband's relationship with Abby Sandoval? Relationship with Abby was she more than a housekeeper? - Councilwoman.
- No comment about that No comment about that how will your husband's murder trial affect your reelection campaign? Hey, uh Take your seats Court will be in session in five minutes.
Straighten your tie.
Hey, Horatio, we got a problem.
Speed, I'm under subpoena I'm about to testify.
You might want to reconsider that Remember that call I rolled out on this morning? The Jane Doe? - Mmm She was familiar.
How familiar? Young, pretty Latina Single gunshot, close range, left temple.
Okay.
Alexx, Jane Doe? I just got her, Horatio I'll have results within the hour.
Okay, Alexx, I need something right now.
Mint leaves in her stomach Swallowed whole I'm guessing tox will say they're from a mojito, just like Abby Sandoval.
Okay, thank you.
There's a flag on the play, Don I can't testify today.
Why the hell not? I've got a family emergency My grandmother's ill.
You were the last nail in the coffin - That's why I've been saving you for last.
- I understand that, but I need more time.
I've got none to give you.
Don, I need you to make more time Your grandma better be bleeding from her eyeballs Twenty-four hours.
Okay.
Fastest scalp on the east.
I think I just set some kind of postmortem speed record.
Is she that similar to Abby Sandoval? Like looking in the mirror.
Both victims in their early 20s Pretty, Latina, shot once in the head, left temple mint leaves in the stomach both worked with their hands Now, I'm thinking Jane Doe here may have been a domestic just like Abby was.
She couldn't have been killed by Lorenzo Escalante because he was in custody at the time of her death How are they different? Abby Sandoval has glass frag in her wound track Not surprising since she was shot through the window of her car Didn't find any glass on Jane Doe.
Where did you find her? Dumped roadside, no car.
Or maybe we haven't found her car yet.
You thinking we got a serial? I don't know But we better find out before we send an innocent man to jail for murder Nice shot.
Hey.
You busy? Oh, I'm up to my ass in alligators There was a big shooting on the causeway yesterday Fifty-four expended rounds Not to mention, Detective Hagen is riding me like a gulfstream park pony John Hagen? Yeah.
Hmm Listen, I need a favor.
Sure Nine mil, hollow point It's brass-jacketed So my guess is it's a golden talon.
Here's what I need I'd like to lift the bullet from the Abby Sandoval case and compare it to that Isn't that case on trial right now? Mm-hmm.
Okay.
Quickly and quietly.
Thank you.
What'd you get? Denise, the court reporter, told me that Escalante's lawyers have been filing motions all morning.
It means they're moving to get the case thrown out of court, so we have to work fast.
Here you go.
Jane Doe's clothes? Tape it and scrape it You know what we're looking for, right? Two fibers we found on Abby Sandoval Worsted wool and tropical weight.
Exactly right Just like Escalante's $2,000 suits Speed, keep me posted.
E ric.
H Listen, sorry to bug you on your day off.
It's not a problem I was, uh, thinking of doing some diving anyway Might as well do it on the county time, right? One question What's that? Speedle's Jane Doe, she wasn't a floater Why do you want me to bring my dive gear to the crime scene? Abby Sandoval.
Sandoval? I thought that investigation was closed.
Officially it is.
Horatio? I'll meet you out there Yeah? How's grandma? It's too soon to tell.
Still running tests.
Anything you'd like to share? Not just yet.
Grandma likes her privacy.
You want to know what I really like? What's that? I like smoking a Monte Cristo number two after winning a slam-dunk case - Your grandma wouldn't be trying to screw me out of a good cigar? - Want to make sure that we find the right guy.
We've got the right guy Lorenzo Escalante He had an affair with the maid He admits to getting rough with her Got his semen inside of her, his DNA under her fingernails.
Yes, Don, but we don't have the gun.
Look, Horatio, we're on the same side.
I'd like to think so.
Yeah, well, we are in the middle of the trial We've already picked the jury We've called our experts We spent over a million dollars in taxpayers' money.
We have new evidence.
Yeah, well, that's what appeals are all about.
Listen, this is not about the case anymore Now, it's about winning Well, you know what then? We're not on the same side.
H.
What do we got? Park Ranger found our Jane Doe on the side of the road.
Okay.
Here we go All right Well, she wasn't killed here There's not enough blood for a head shot, right? Yeah.
She could have been dumped I've got a couple of guys on the road preserving some tread marks.
Okay.
Eric? Check this out.
All right, blood trail Adell, pull your men off the road.
We're going to expand the crime scene.
She crawled to here probably rested for a moment losing a lot of blood continued to travel and somehow got up Fell again right here.
Wait a minute.
Is that a shadow right there? That's definitely a car Looks like a compact Never turtled The water's too shallow.
So, she crawled from here all the way to the road.
A quarter of a mile on her belly, with a nine-millimeter round in her head.
All for nothing.
Not if we can help it All right! Move it! The window's spider-webbed.
Could have shattered when Jane Doe got shot just like Abby Sandoval The difference is, Jane Doe had no glass in her wound I'll SPR the steering wheel, see if we can lift a print give her a name You know what? Don't bother.
I got her purse here.
Any I.
D.
? Hang on.
There's no driver's license, but here's a check-cashing card "Bonita Cruz, Southwest Tenth Street.
" It's a couple of blocks from my folks Abby Sandoval lived in the same neighborhood.
She did Southwest 14th street, right? Yeah, I know a lot of girls like that They come from Cuba, Honduras, Nicaragua looking for a better life They wind up cleaning toilets in Bal Harbour.
It's the "invisible ones.
" Perfect victims No one gives them a second look.
Somebody gave this one a second look.
Whoop Someone also left us a present Let's bag that Eric, you used to play right field for the 'canes, right? See how far you can throw that.
Nice throw Okay, here's what we need to do Let's set a grid from the car to where the rock landed.
In case the guy tossed the gun Yup Keep in touch Duquesne Detective Hagen You got my results? Not since you called me an hour ago You told me you'd have it done this morning John, I have got fifty-four rounds, and your being down here isn't going to help me solve it any faster.
Am I bothering you here in your nice, air-conditioned crime lab 'cause I'm sweating my butt off trying to get my causeway shooter into arraignment.
All right.
Your personal hygiene aside, I'm really sorry.
Something came up, and I got backed up.
What kind of something? I can't tell you, but I promise you as soon as I get this other thing off my scope I will finish yours.
Whatever it is better be big.
It's the biggest Big like Abby Sandoval? I heard about what happened in court this morning Word is Horatio really stepped in it.
We'll get your shooter I just need you to give me some time I can't hold him past noon Cut him loose Rearrest him again tomorrow What if he skips? Put a radio car on him I don't know, John I have to do it I hope Horatio knows what he's doing.
He's been doing it a long time Hope he gets to keep doing it.
- Hey - Hey I found a whole bunch of fibers on Bonita Cruz's dress.
You get a match? Yeah.
Tropical weight worsted wool Same like the two we pulled off of Abby Sandoval I hate to say it, but I think we've got the wrong guy in custody.
Okay, but you just said you got multiple fibers off Bonita's dress Over fifty You got two off Abby's That doesn't track Neither does a serial killer who wears $2,000 suits and kills maids Unless he's not a serial I think I figured out how he picks his victims Take a look at this Did you get something off the purse? Yeah.
Take a look.
Looks like newsprint The ink's way too degraded to read Okay, let's look deeper Freeze-drying It's a way to remove the water without damaging the paper.
Ready? Now try green with an IR filter "Empleos domesticos.
" These are ads for housekeepers.
Mm-hmm.
From a cuban newspaper.
Diarios Las Americas.
- So, Bonita Cruz was looking for a job - Yeah You want me to take this? Uh, no, I'll take it.
You find Eric Yelina Horatio.
I heard about the surfside triple Nice going Well, thank you Just came to pick up the final labs.
Okay, let me walk you.
Okay.
Sorry about dinner We've been really backlogged.
Yeah, I heard Seems like a lot of cases are being moved to the back burner lately.
Call the city council and send me more criminalists.
Let's talk about Abby Sandoval instead What about her? Don't, okay? Word around the department is you've reopened the case.
Mmm, word travels fast.
This is Miami There are no secrets, Horatio I have some concerns about the case Yeah.
We've had this conversation before Well, then you know how it ends How long are we going to keep dancing around in circles? I don't know Someday we have to talk about that, don't we? Yeah.
Someday Just be careful, Horatio.
If I did that, it would take all the fun out of it.
I'll call you.
Any trouble? Hey Editor gave the usual first amendment defense.
How'd you flip him? I know the publisher Hm-hm-hmm.
Any matches? Not yet, unless you're interested in meeting a 300-pound transvestite.
I'll pass Hang on a second Horatio.
Hey, it's Speed We came up empty on the canal.
So, no gun? Actually, Delko found three guns and a washing machine, but, uh, no nine mils.
Any chance that he missed it? Let me ask him.
Any chance you could have missed it? It's pretty murky down there We did a hand-over-hand rigid-grid search You get that? Uh-huh All right, I'll tell him What did he say? "Throw another rock.
" What does that mean? It means we got a long night ahead of us Okay, looks like Bonita Cruz circled three ads for domestic work.
Any stand out? Yeah, this one Rates have gone up Okay, seems like a good place to start.
The number listed in the ad doesn't answer but the prefix strikes me as one of those prepaid cell phones - Use it, toss it, you can't trace it.
- Okay Looks like that ad you're looking for was a mail-in Printed on your basic laser jet, huh? Do you have the envelopes these come in? Yeah We've got mail.
There's no return address But that's a postal code right there You guys, we need to talk Did you see this? Did you see this? Councilwoman Mercedes Escalante You don't think she had anything to do with it? I don't know.
Let's find out.
Good morning.
Good morning.
I'm Carl Galaz I'm Special Assistant to the Councilwoman How can we assist Miami's finest today, hmm? Here's what we need, Carl I need to know who has access to your office machines.
Well, that's everyone in this office We have six staffers and about a dozen interns What's this about? Two things I'm going to need a list of those names and I'm going to need to take the machines to my lab.
Hmm.
Oh, afraid we can't do that Not without our lawyers present.
You want to make that call, please? Actually, it's my call.
Lieutenant Caine Mercedes Escalante I have followed your career for many years.
Likewise, Councilwoman.
You will have our full cooperation The sooner we can get to the truth, the sooner my husband can come home to his family Please take anything you need and we'll be happy to supply you with a list of everyone that has worked in the office for the past twelve months Carl? This is very generous of you.
Oh, well, we're really looking forward to putting all of this behind us, Lieutenant.
Um would you give us a second? Oh, absolutely.
Thank you, Carl Adelle.
Be right there.
The Councilwoman knew we were coming.
It's not what you think What do I think? I know Mercedes since we were kids at San Juan Bosco but she runs the community and when I need information, she gives it to me One hand washes the other Together they wash the face.
Come on, H.
, You know that's the way things get done here in Miami.
I understand that, Adell.
H.
, It was a courtesy heads-up nothing more Nothing more than I would have done in any other knock-and-talk Okay Let's not give her any more help, all right? Okay Hey, where's that pistol? Uh, I checked it into evidence a couple hours ago.
What are you talking about? You mean it's just been sitting there? Yeah, I paged you and you never answered I turned my pager off when I was on the range.
I tried to get in touch with you §ÚI've been chained at the lab with a 54-round shooting that was supposed to be processed twelve hours ago.
Yeah, well I spent the same twelve hours inhaling sewage at the bottom of the Tamiami Canal so everyone's got a sad story.
I'm sorry Me, too Okay We're due in court in two hours, is there any way to link these two? Not with the bullets alone The rifling on Abby's bullet is good but Bonita's is damaged But there's no way to match this to Abby or the gun, but there might be another way.
Cartridge casing we found in Bonita's car.
Exactly So if I can get a test-fire on the pistol, then I get match the rifling on Abby's bullet to the firing-pin impression of Bonita's casing.
The gun is the key Without it we've got nothing We've got to get it The clock is ticking Misfire Okay, we've got a problem Can't get a test-fire Not with this weapon and not in the amount of time we have left What's your Plan B? Gun vault Be still my heart.
Hey How'd we do? I did a mix and match from the vault and finally got a test-fire Bottom line? Bonita Cruz and Abby Sandoval were killed by the same weapon.
We got a match We got a match Excellent.
Nice going.
Thank you.
Based on what I was just given this is pretty much a bombshell, so I'm going to rule on it now.
Please step back It has come to my attention that the crime lab has uncovered new evidence in this case Evidence of an exculpatory nature to the defendant As such, defense counsel has moved for a mistrial So granted.
This court is adjourned.
Horatio, I'm not going to take the fall with you on this one, I warned you.
It's not an acquittal It's a mistrial.
You can re-file You got the extra million bucks for the new trial? I'm about to bring you two defendants Yeah, you do that.
In a stunning setback for the Miami-Dade Crime Lab, and the State Attorney's office, Real Estate Developer Lorenzo Escalante was released today after a mistrial was declared in the Abby Sandoval I can't believe we're letting this jackass walk.
I hope H knows what he's doing.
You know what they say, no guts, no glory What else could we do if you want to catch the killer? Yeah, killers.
Okay, well, say there's two killers How do you explain the same fibers, the same murder weapon same taste for mojitos? Apples and oranges We got two fibers you find on Abby, but over fifty on Bonita Abby's killer keeps the gun, Bonita's tosses it in the canal.
Okay, how did the second killer get their hands on the gun from the first murder? You talking about the apple or the orange? Oh, dear god, I'm hungry.
I'm just saying there's two killers out there.
Okay, and the second killer couldn't possibly have all the details from the first murder.
Maybe he did Maybe he did have the details and that would make him a copycat, wouldn't it? Ready? So I'm a copycat and I want to make Bonita Cruz look like my second victim I've selected Bonita because she is almost identical to Abby Sandoval.
So you place a want ad for a young Latina housekeeper You offer top salary You buy a disposable cell phone so you can't be traced.
And like Abby, she has to be pretty, so you meet her in person, someplace public so she doesn't get spooked.
And when you meet Bonita Cruz, you know you have your victim.
Right, so you hire Bonita You follow her.
You pull her over, and then you shoot her.
With the gun you've procured from your first murder.
Then you plant the fibers.
Push the car into the canal.
And throw the gun in for us to find.
Let's prove that Alexx how tall was Bonita Cruz? About five six.
And her wound track? Left to right, angle is downward an inch below the hairline.
Show me They don't line up.
Here's why The shot that killed Bonita Cruz did not go through this window Bang to the temple Bang through the window There were two shots There were two shots Another nine mil There you have it That means the killer copied everything down to the smallest detail including shooting out the driver-side window You can't plan detail because events are random.
They can never be perfectly recreated.
One thing he didn't count on was her rolling down the window.
We know of two people that directly benefit from the existence of Bonita Cruz, right? Lorenzo Escalante Guy has motive he's got connections, so he hires a guy Well, it doesn't have to be a guy Women commit 17% of all homicides and being connected to a murder conviction could ruin your political career.
You're still thinking it's the wife? It seems out of character What I hear, she used to run with a pretty rough crowd.
She campaigned on it, but we still have to put her outside this car.
Horatio.
I have someone you should meet She claims she's more comfortable in Spanish.
This is Carmen Abregon She's one of those 43 women we tracked down via cell phone records She responded to that ad in the Diario Okay Bad feeling? Por que? Mojitos Mojitos Carmen, do you remember what the man looked like? Hey, what's up? You still got that list Galaz gave us? Yeah, it's right here I think I've got an idea I think I've got an idea Speed, see what else you can do with this.
Will do It's just a list.
Actually, it may be much more.
Writing on a notepad leaves indentations on the pages beneath We should be able to see what was written up to seven layers above.
How'd we do? See anybody you know? Carl Galaz Escalante's handler.
Let's see how Carl handles this.
Carl Galaz you're under arrest for the murder of Bonita Cruz.
You know what you just did? Your career is over When I'm through with you, you're going to be doing time cards at county lockup.
Still got the phone, Carl You still have the phone.
You've got seven dollars of call time left, Carl Seven dollars in exchange for the rest of your life Take him Carl, I think I understand what's going on here You killed Bonita Cruz to get Lorenzo off the hook for murder I understand that part What I'm curious about is whose gun was it? It was my gun I have advised my client not to speak further I want that on the record.
Counselor, I'll get you a copy How would that be? Carl, you are about to take the fall Now, is that what this is? I killed them I killed them both.
Why, Carl, are you protecting the Escalantes? The Escalantes gave me their trust and their friendship They gave me respect Now I owe them everything This is your last chance You can either ride their coattails or you can ride mine You decide Carl I killed them.
All right.
Lieutenant Lieutenant Caine I just wanted to thank you for all your hard work on behalf of the city You can't imagine how shocked we all are to learn about Carl.
Councilwoman, I'm certain this has been a very difficult period for you.
I also wanted to thank you as a as a wife for clearing my husband If there's anything I can ever do for you for your aspirations Right now, councilwoman my only aspiration is to find out who killed these women So don't thank me yet I'm not done How we doing on the employee list? It matches the handwriting sample from Carl Galaz.
It was pretty messy and overlapping but I measured the stroke depth and I managed to isolate the layers There were seven pages in all, dating back week by week We get to the fifth week, he writes a to-do list.
"Buy gloves, clean gun, disposable cell phone.
" To-do list.
He's not the first to do that, but it doesn't confirm who killed Abby Sandoval, does it? No, but that's why I went back to the second week, and "barbecue.
" I'm thinking that's not a lunch order.
And it's not Galaz's handwriting.
No, it's not But guess whose it is.
I got this from public records A city lease drafted by Lorenzo Escalante.
Lorenzo you're about to lose your lease John! I got the results for your causeway shooter It matches across the aboard.
He's going away.
You got that right Patrol picked him up already I thought you needed ballistics to file on him.
We got ballistics He shot someone else after we cut him loose.
I thought you were going to watch him We did.
He got into a beef with a street-level dealer grabbed his gun and put two rounds into him before our guys could get out of the car.
God, I am so sorry.
Hey, one lowlife pops another.
The streets are safer for it Just be glad it wasn't a taxpayer for you and Horatio's sake.
Oh, no, that release was my call.
He didn't have anything to do with it.
Listen, I know you look up to the guy - Sure, I do - I'm just saying it's a hell of a lonely road he's walking.
Well, that's why I'm walking it with him.
I don't know what we think we're going to find We went over the Escalante place about eight months ago Canine units, metal detectors - the works Now, there's nothing inside No hidden safes inside and there's nothing buried in this backyard.
Did you check the barbecue? Seven across three down Hmm.
Golden talon just like the one we took out of Abby Sandoval.
Yes! Yes! Yes! Lock that elbow, Lorenzo.
Well, we'll have to talk to the membership committee They're letting anyone in these days.
Speaking of which tell him what he's won, Adelle It's a new kind of membership: Gated estate, private room, high security.
And here's the best part: It's for life.
Mercedes Call the lawyer This is harassment Take him You can't do this You can't do this Mercedes Mercedes Mercedes Mercedes Mercedes I'll have your jobs for this You want to take a walk? So what does Carl get? A pardon in four years, after you take residency in the governor's mansion in Tallahassee? Be very careful, Lieutenant Caine False accusations can ruin a career.
Mm-hmm I'd hate for that career to be yours Councilwoman that is a blade that cuts both ways Councilwoman care to comment, Mrs.
Escalante? Mrs.
Escalante, how do you respond to this? Your public awaits you.
Will you continue with your reelection campaign? Would you make a statement, please? Councilwoman Escalante, do you think he did it? How will this affect your reelection campaign? Councilwoman, do you have any comment? This is a tragedy It has affected my family deeply I will persevere as I always have Knowing that, my first responsibility is to the good people of this community Hi Hi Are you hungry for some ropa vieja? I already ate How about dessert? Finished that too.
Mm You should've called.
You're right I have, uh I've been thinking about Raymond I think about him every day I don't want to go there Too complicated.
What if I were to say that you wouldn't have to go there alone? Do you understand what you're saying? I do I haven't had coffee yet.