The Closer s03e04 Episode Script
Ruby
You check out these two addresses.
You get this one.
And let me know what you find out.
Go! Go! - Chat these people up.
- Thank you.
Folks.
Look, I'm going to ask for some patience here, all right? We'll have people come out and speak to you.
Her name is Ruby Williams.
She's eight years old.
Her teacher said she went home for lunch around noon.
When she didn't show up, her mom called the school, called all of Ruby's friends.
Nobody had seen her.
So at 12:29, she called 911.
That was nearly 90 minutes ago.
Responding officers checked the house, started retracing Ruby's route from school.
No sign of her, so at 1:00, they called for additional units.
Have we started a grid search of the neighborhood? Yes, ma'am.
Stopping every car, knocking on every door.
We got uniforms and detectives that have rolled out from Hollywood, Wilshire and Northeast Division to lend a hand, and the FBI is here, too.
Afternoon.
All these different divisions, there's no time for a turf war, Sergeant.
No, ma'am, everybody knows a child goes missing, - Priority Homicide runs the show.
- All right then, thank you.
Gentlemen? All right, it's just after 2:00 p.
m.
, which means that Ruby Williams has been missing for two hours.
We'll start with the family and we'll work our way out.
The FBI is here to give us whatever support we need.
We've got guys from the Behavioral Unit working up profiles on possible suspects.
Look, if Ruby was snatched, what are the chances she's still alive come sundown? We could get a call any minute saying someone found this little girl with a friend playing hooky or just plain lost.
Under no circumstances do we use the word "homicide" in front of this family.
Okay? Let's just keep our heads.
Do the Williams have a computer? Did we get permission to take it? Yeah.
I did a background check on mom, dad, uncles.
No criminal record.
That's Ruby's older brother, Carlton.
He was supposed to walk her home, but he forgot.
- Says he was playing video games.
- We may be talking to him again later.
Thank you.
Mr.
And Mrs.
Williams, I'm Deputy Chief Johnson.
I think you've already met Sergeant Gabriel.
We need to ask you a few questions about Ruby.
We've already talked to four different people.
And I hope we're the last.
I really do.
Mrs.
Williams, I know you're going through an ordeal, but I need you to help me.
Will you please help me? Mr.
Williams, is Ruby allowed on the Internet? I don't let either of my kids go online unless it's a school project, and then I supervise.
Her teachers love her.
She makes As and Bs.
Only reason she's doing summer school is so that she can play the violin.
She's got a solo in the fall concert.
There she is in the backyard, getting ready for the Easter pageant.
- Thank you, Grandma.
We love the dress.
- Look at her.
She's a - She's a beautiful little girl.
- Ode to Joy.
Has she had any problems with the other children in the neighborhood? Does she have a relationship with any of her grandparents? My parents passed away before Ruby was born.
Randall's mother lives in In Texas with my sister.
Ruby sees her at Christmas time.
Has Ruby been having any trouble with her older brother? No.
How about you and your wife? You two getting on? Ruby's got a good home here.
She's a happy little girl.
And we always tell her, "If a stranger talks to you funny, you run.
" Run, run, run! Run, run, run! We're gonna bring your little girl home.
I promise you that.
- So, look like a family thing? - My gut tells me no.
All right.
Whatever resources you need, you got it.
Look, Will, I just don't think the mother's in any shape to come in front - of the cameras right now.
- Listen, Brenda.
Assuming the worst, this can only help.
You know most child abductors don't see their victims as real people.
Let's let this guy see what kind of pain he's causing.
All right.
This is my baby girl.
Her name is Ruby Williams.
If anyone out there knows anything, if anyone saw her My baby.
Oh my I want my baby.
Please.
I want my baby.
Ruby.
The LAPD is seeking information regarding the disappearance of eight-year-old Ruby Williams.
She was last seen walking home from school nearly three hours ago.
Have we gotten anything useful from the neighborhood canvass? I'm entering data from every field interview into the system as fast as I can get it.
Let's see, we have three different people who saw a green truck by the school around noon.
I also have a blue van, a suspicious brown delivery vehicle, and an ice-cream truck.
Green truck.
I've got one of those.
Yeah, we found the green truck and the Mexican gardeners that went with it.
And they didn't see anything.
And we interviewed the ice-cream man, and he was gone by 11:00 a.
m.
Hey, Mike, you can cross off the brown delivery truck, too.
Driver was uploading downtown between 12:00 and 1:30.
Supervisor backs him up.
- What about the blue van? - Blue van.
A neighbor saw it parked on the street three days ago.
When she tried to get a better look, the driver took off.
- She see his face? - White guy, kind of average-looking.
Okay, so white guy, kind of average-looking.
Blue van.
- That doesn't give us much to go on.
- Hang on.
Hang on, Chief.
I have a blue van.
Guy here saw it twice this morning on this street.
Hey, Chief.
Does silver count? I got a white male in a silver blue van around 11:30 this morning.
What's the fastest way out of this neighborhood? If this is the route from Ruby's school to her house, then I got two exits.
I can either go this way, I'm on the 101 in 10 minutes, or He heads north right into Griffith Park.
Then I can be at the 134 or 135 freeways in 10 minutes.
Okay, these streets are businesses.
Maybe some of them have security cameras.
I can have my guys pull the footage.
Let's take a look at every vehicle entering and exiting the neighborhood from 9:00 a.
m.
To 2:00 p.
m.
Today.
Lieutenant Provenza, please contact the city about whoever runs the traffic cameras.
Maybe our blue van ran a red light.
Lieutenant Flynn Chief! Detective Sanchez is with the K-9 Unit.
The dogs found something.
Buzz, would you document this, please? - This is bad.
This is very bad.
- Hang on.
Hang on.
Detective Sanchez, didn't the search team cover this area already? No, ma'am.
They checked the road from the girl's school, but this alley's a dead end.
The dogs led us here.
Okay.
Run, run, run.
Ruby was doing exactly what her parents told her to do.
The driver must've come up on her as she was walking home from school.
Maybe tried to talk her into the car.
Maybe it was a blitz attack.
Either way, she ran, and this is where she was grabbed.
See how her sleeves are inside out? She was pulled right out of her jacket.
I got your blue van! At 10:32 a.
m.
, the van heads north on Hillhurst passing this liquor store.
Now, this film is from the same camera, but 32 minutes later, he's going the other way.
Here he comes again at 11:39, going back the other way.
- He was trolling.
- Right.
Now, we don't pick him up on this camera again.
Instead, he shows up on the other side of the neighborhood here, six blocks from where you guys found the jacket.
This mini-mall camera picks him up at 12:21:23 seconds, Next clean shot we get of him is here, - He is leaving the neighborhood.
- I can't see the driver.
And here he is approaching this intersection at 12:22:02.
Chief? I think I got a plate number.
the gas station at the red light.
- He was in a hurry.
- I'll make this bigger.
Okay, "4DLX401.
" - Give me three seconds.
- Print it out.
I got a VIN number and a name.
Roger A.
Stimple.
- Studio City address.
- Does Mr.
Stimple have a rap sheet? It's almost 4:00.
Guys, Roger Stimple is on parole for sexual battery.
Okay.
Have a parole officer meet us at his address.
Got one on speed dial.
Commander Taylor, please take over the command post.
Detective Daniels, every single bit of information comes through you.
Thank you.
Everyone else - Van looks empty, Chief.
- Doesn't mean she wasn't in there.
Go ahead.
Detective Sanchez, maybe he didn't hear us.
Would you mind giving it a try? Get out! - Are you Roger Stimple? - Yeah.
- Are you home alone, sir? - Ruby! - Hey! You guys can't go in there! - I'm afraid we can, sir.
As a condition of your parole, you signed a consent form allowing searches of your person, property and residence without a warrant.
- Kitchen's clear! - Find her.
- Is that your blue van over there? - Yeah.
- Lieutenant! - Why can't you just leave me alone? Get away! - Okay.
Have you been home all day? - I was taking a nap.
- Can anyone verify that? - No.
Did anyone borrow your blue van - while you were sleeping? - No.
This ain't fair.
- Answer the question! - No! You guys keep picking on me! Mr.
Stimple! Why can't you leave me alone? I was minding my own business.
- Get in there.
Find her.
- Hey, you don't have the right! Find her.
Did we get anything from the suspect's van? Nothing yet.
Mr.
Stimple, your rights were read to you in the car What about the other car? The one under the tarp.
Is that his, too? in less than mint condition.
There's no way he's keeping a clunker like that under canvas, unless he's hiding something.
Chief Johnson is having them tear it apart right now.
This is terrible.
Well, I'm gonna do my best to get you through this as quickly as possible.
But first is there anyone you'd like us to call? Your wife or your girlfriend? I don't have a girlfriend.
What about your boss? - I was laid off three weeks ago.
- That's too bad.
What were you doing? I was landscaping.
Mostly mow and blow.
And what do you do now? For work, I mean.
It's not that easy to get a job as a registered sex offender, is it? You're referring to your conviction for sexual battery? Some girl says I groped her, and I get two and a half years.
Now I've got to move again.
After you guys dragged me out of my house in handcuffs, - all because a dog barked at my van.
- That must be very frustrating.
Especially after you've already served your time in prison.
And no matter what I do, nobody trusts me.
My mother's gonna think this is my fault.
Why is that? When I got fired, she said she didn't want me to come home, and not to bother her anymore.
She didn't even wanna hear my side of the story! Blame Roger first.
Yeah, that's her mantro.
- Or motto, or whatever.
- It's terrible.
That is so unfair.
When the rest of the world lets you down, you should always be able to count on your mother.
She's supposed to love you, no matter what.
But right now there's another little girl that I'm sure would like to talk to her mother and can't.
You might have heard about her on the news.
A little girl who went missing today.
I'm sure her mother is just desperate to hear her voice.
And I feel strongly that you can help us with this because you were driving around in the neighborhood when she went missing.
So if you know anything, or you saw anything, I'd really like to know.
Roger.
You know where I might find this little girl? What little girl? Her name is Ruby Williams.
She's eight years old.
She likes to play the violin.
And this afternoon on her way home from school, she was abducted.
She was in your van! If something happened, I want to help you figure this out.
This is your chance to explain yourself.
I want a lawyer.
Interview over.
I'll be right back.
Fritz, are we any closer to finding the girl? Hang on, Will.
Did you get anything from the van or the apartment? No.
No.
He's lawyered up.
And I need something that ties him to Ruby Williams other than the testimony of a German shepherd.
Don't look at me like that.
And how would you like me to look at you? Don't judge me.
I know that look.
Well, you know, I know a little something about looks, too.
Looking at you, you know something about this little girl.
She's not that little.
Oh, really? You see, everyone pretends kids don't want sex, but they do.
You remember when you were a kid? It's all you thought about.
There's nothing wrong with it.
It's biology.
And besides, black girls are different.
Is that right? I mean, look at her.
Black girls are way more sexually mature than white girls.
That's why they have kids so young.
You probably grew up swimming in black ass.
It's the way they walk.
Shake.
Shake.
Shaking their thing.
Kill the feed, Buzz.
- But the Chief said never - I said kill it! Do not leave this room! Why not? Because Sergeant Gabriel is about to make a break in the case.
No, Detective Daniels, don't say anything to the family yet.
It could be a hoax.
No.
No, he wouldn't tell me.
He told Sergeant Gabriel.
Yes, it is amazing.
It doesn't matter who he told.
We know.
Send four black and whites to the Vermont Canyon entrance by the pay phones at the rest area.
And send the K-9s.
Thank you.
Sergeant Gabriel, just to be clear, Roger said that he left Ruby at the park.
He didn't say that she was dead.
Is that right? Where are the phones? Where are the phones? Ruby! Ruby! Damn it! No! She's eight years old! No! No! No! No! In my office.
What did you do? We found her, didn't we? It doesn't matter what I did.
Nothing matters more.
Roger Stimple didn't look like that when I left the interview room.
So I need to know, Sergeant, - did you beat the suspect? - He deserved it! That is not something that you get to decide on your own in an interview room with your fists! Are you seriously taking his side? He killed her! I got a confession! You got an admission! Roger told you where to find her.
Not that he took her.
Not that he killed her.
And since you beat that admission out of him, the jury won't be able to hear it anyway! I promised that mother I was going to bring her daughter home.
And that's exactly what I was trying to do.
You committed a criminal act! When Roger gets a lawyer and tells him what you did, and IA hears his complaint, what about your future? What do you What do you want me to do now? Just go home.
Wait till you hear from me.
You probably grew up swimming in black ass.
It's the way they walk.
Shake.
Shake.
Shaking their thing.
Buzz, why'd you stop the taping? I thought when you left the room, the interview was over.
I have made myself perfectly clear.
Unless I stop that tape myself, it stays on as long as the suspect is in the room.
Chief, - I killed the feed.
- Why? Because I thought it was a good idea.
Lieutenant, I want you to take charge of the prisoner.
Make sure he's fed and gets medical attention if he needs it.
We don't have to book him or let him see his lawyer until he's arraigned.
Which means we have less than 43 hours to tie him to Ruby's murder some other way.
I want the squad working, but no one sees this tape, or knows about what Sergeant Gabriel has done.
- Have I made myself very clear? - Yes, ma'am.
Thanks.
Hey, listen, your instincts about Roger's second car were right on.
We found a report on a '77 Mercury Cougar just like Roger's, same blue paint on the bumper, tied to two separate abductions five years ago, before our guy went to jail on that sexual battery charge.
Two girls, African American, ages nine and 11.
- They were never found.
- So Ruby wasn't his first victim? Well, last few years on parole must've been a cooling off period, but he just lost his job, and you said his family cut him off? Yeah, he's got some kind of a mother thing.
Yeah.
Just the kind of stressor events to set him off.
I should've never left Gabriel alone in that room.
I saw how mad he was.
I knew he was upset.
You told Pope about it yet? No.
I'm still looking for a way out.
Well, you tie Roger Stimple to these other missing girls.
It's okay.
It's okay.
Detective.
You're working late.
Yes.
We found out that the landscaping firm where Roger Stimple used to work had a contract at the park where Ruby was found.
Couldn't you have called with this information, Detective? May I come in? I'm not sure what David told you, - but he knows what he did was wrong.
- Well, that's a start.
Please do not let this be the last thing he does as a police officer.
That may not be up to me.
As soon as the suspect shows up in court with his lawyer, David's actions are gonna be front and center, and the only way out of this is gonna be for me to lie.
Is that what you want me to do? You know, I wonder.
Would you be here pleading David's case if y'all weren't dating? - But we are dating.
- No, I Look, I don't wanna I don't wanna talk about that.
Okay, look, I don't wanna discuss it.
Chief, I know that you and Commander Taylor have a complicated relationship, but he cares a lot about David, and sometimes, he has solutions to these kinds of things.
Chief? We checked Stimple's home computer, no sign of pornography, child or other.
Thirty-year-old single man lives alone, no pornography.
Now, that's suspicious.
Chief, one of the keys on Roger's keychain matches the padlock on the fence at the park.
Boots from Roger's apartment match the prints we found in the park's bathroom.
That's probably where he raped her.
Roger's DNA's on file from previous busts.
It'll take a few days to get a match.
Okay, what about the two other missing girls? I'm checking their case files against Roger's Mercury and his whereabouts five years ago.
If our scumbag killed those girls, he probably buried them in the park.
- He knows the place inside and out.
- Then why didn't he bury Ruby? He probably panicked when he heard our helicopters, left her in the ditch.
I'm telling you, Chief.
Those girls are out there.
Griffith Park is over 4,000 acres.
We'd never find them without Roger's help.
- So we get him to tell us.
- It's not that simple.
It worked with Ruby.
Why not with these previous two girls? - Get Gabriel, have him talk to him - It's not that simple.
Well, then what am I missing? Excuse me, everyone.
I wanted to thank all of you personally for your hard work and dedication.
I know it's It's just awful when an investigation ends the way this one did.
PHD handled it quickly, professionally, and you got a predator off the street.
Thank you, Chief Pope.
Do we have a booking photo of the suspect? - I'd like to release it to the press.
- There's been a slight complication.
What's that? Well, there's some question as to whether Roger's confession came after he invoked his right to counsel.
I don't understand that.
If he invoked, he invoked.
- Lf he confessed, he revoked.
Right? - It fell somewhere in between.
And unfortunately, we didn't get it on tape.
It doesn't hurt us too bad, but the thing is, Chief, we think this guy, Roger, is responsible for at least two other child abductions.
We don't wanna taint other witnesses by releasing Roger's photo.
So we're going to keep his identity under wraps until we're done with the investigation.
Okay.
All right, but I want this sorted out by the time he's arraigned, so I can smear his face all over the news.
Commander Taylor and I are pooling our resources.
Okay, good.
Thank you, Commander.
Chief Johnson, you wanted to talk? Gabriel let his emotions get the better of him.
It's happened to all of us.
- What Gabriel did was It was immature.
- It wasn't just immature.
He acted in such a way that I now can't see how to close my case without permanently damaging his career.
And make no mistake, Commander, I will close my case.
Let's not forget, Gabriel's not the bad guy here.
- There's a child killer in the mix.
- Whose admission I can't use.
Too bad you can't get Roger to confess again.
Believe me.
I've been trying to figure out how to do that all night.
- You haven't booked the suspect yet? - No.
He's still in isolation.
You know what, Chief? You have a lot to do still, what with having to look after these other two missing girls.
Why don't I take Roger off your hands? Have Robbery /Homicide book him.
I don't see how that's gonna help me.
Oh, it will.
It will.
- You wanted to see me, Chief? - Yes.
Lieutenant, what have we got on Roger's second car? Well, so far, nada.
SID took some fibers, and they're looking for blood, hair, anything that'll match one of the girls from five years ago.
It'll take weeks if it works at all.
Thank you.
Chief, I did a bad thing once.
I'm talking about the first time.
It was many years ago.
I was very young, like Gabriel.
And my heart, back when I had a heart, was in the right place.
But I was stubborn, I was stupid, and I did something that I'm not proud of.
But people grow, people change, and, well, look at me now.
Excuse me, Chief.
We just got a call from lockup.
- Roger wants to talk to you.
- To me? Yes, Commander Taylor is bringing him up right now.
I'm here to protect and serve.
- You're not protecting me! - I didn't leave you in there.
I brought you out of there so you'd be safe.
What's the problem? - What happened? - He did this to me! He put me in the cell with other prisoners! You know, sometimes you forget how other prisoners treat people like Roger.
How did they find out who he was? I don't know.
Maybe some guard must've said something.
You know how it is.
Isn't there a rule against putting child molesters in general population? Whoa.
Whoa.
Whoa.
Wait a minute.
Is that what you are, Roger? Are you a child molester? - I didn't - 'Cause before you said you wasn't.
- He can't say that! - You denied everything! - You're the one who put me in there! - What's it gonna be? - He told them about me! - Are you a child molester or not? What are you, Roger? Do you like little girls, huh? What are you, Roger? Are you a child molester? You're the one who put me in there! - Well, are you? - He told them about me! - What are you? - All right, all right! - Talk to me! - Mr.
Stimple - Talk to me! do not answer that question! - Talk to me! - Commander, that is enough.
Sorry.
Sorry, Chief.
- Please help me.
- I can't do anything for you! I can't even talk to you because you've asked for a lawyer! I wanna talk.
Okay.
Fine.
Let's get a doctor to take a look at you.
And then we'll talk.
No, not him.
Can't we just keep this white? Let's go.
Thank you, Doctor.
Roger, just to be perfectly clear, you are now saying that you wanna talk to me.
In fact, you asked to talk.
I heard he had a little scuffle in the general population.
Honestly, Chief, there was no safe place to put this guy.
And you don't have to talk to me without your attorney present.
You understand that, too? Okay.
Again, just for the record, you were just treated by a doctor for wounds you say you received from your fellow prisoners in your holding cell.
They attacked and beat you.
- Listen, they're gonna kill me! - Roger They're gonna kill me! I can't go back down there! It's okay.
It's okay.
Roger, I won't send you back.
I swear! You're safe with me.
And I promise you, I will look into whoever did this to you.
Okay? Okay? Roger, let's you and I talk about Ruby.
Because we looked for her by the pay phones, but she wasn't there.
I wanna help y'all find her.
Look, I made a mistake.
I was wrong not to talk to y'all before.
All right, all I know is I was driving through the park, and there she was.
- Just walking along, by herself.
- In the park? Yeah.
And I used to work in that park, all right? It's not safe for a kid to walk around alone like that.
So I offered her a lift.
That's why your dogs smelled her in my van.
She wanted to call her folks, so I took a service road that I know.
And I dropped her off by the phones and I gave her some change to call home.
And then I took off.
I'm telling you that's what happened.
Do you remember, was she wearing her pink jacket? Yeah! Yeah, that sounds right.
She had her hands in her pockets.
And about what time was this? I think I think it was maybe around 12:00.
- And you never got out of your van? - No.
This explains a lot.
How she got in your van, why she was in that remote part of the park.
Yeah! Yeah, I was just trying to help.
And you're helping now! You're helping a lot! Because, Roger, you're probably the last person to see Ruby alive.
You see, we didn't find her by the pay phones, but we did find her.
She was dead, Roger.
Oh, man.
I can't believe it.
Did you see anything suspicious in the park? A car that didn't belong? Or someone walking around? Yeah! Yeah, well, you know, this could be nothing, but there was this one dude I saw as we were heading to the phones.
He was a young guy.
Maybe 20, 25.
He was black or Hispanic.
You know, kind of Cuban black.
You know what I mean? He was a big guy.
Oh, man.
There are bad people out there.
Roger, you say you saw Ruby in the park around noon? That's when her teacher saw her leaving school.
- Well, it could've been a little later.
- The same time we got pictures - of your van driving in her neighborhood.
- I drive all around.
- You say you didn't get out of your van.
- I drive all around.
But we've got your footprints all over the park.
That doesn't mean anything! And you say you saw Ruby in her pink jacket which we found in the alleyway where she was abducted! Now, it is high time that you tell me the truth.
The whole truth, Roger.
Please.
Let's you and I help each other.
Otherwise, there's nothing left to talk about.
All right.
I'm gonna go find Commander Taylor.
- No! Don't send me back there! - What choice do I have? It's so hard.
Look, Roger, you agreed to talk to me.
That's an important first step.
Now, let me help you make the next one.
Because I know I know what you're going through.
Because girls that age, they are so beautiful.
Other guys, they pretend that they don't feel the same way, but they do.
And the girls want it, too.
They just can't admit it.
'Cause their mothers would pass judgment.
But I'm not passing judgment, Roger.
I just wanna know what happened.
I was driving around.
And I seen this girl I've seen before.
You couldn't help but notice her.
And I don't go for girls who don't want me.
Now, I've been on the other end of that thing when I was a kid.
No, she was into it.
- All you were doing was giving her a ride.
- Exactly.
We were just driving around.
It was all just fun, you know? I wasn't gonna do anything.
But she wanted it, so She was flirting with you.
You two fool around? Then right in the middle of it, she changed.
She got all mad at me.
Said she was gonna tell the cops what we'd done, which is so perfect.
Just lead me on and just flip like that? Then I got mad.
Roger, if something happened, if there was an accident, you need to tell me.
'Cause the DNA, that's gonna link you to Ruby.
And the DA is gonna make you out to be a monster in a very public trial.
Is that how you want your mother to see you? Is that how you want the world to see you? I know that there's an explanation that only you have.
And I want to hear your side of the story.
But if I'm gonna help you, I need to hear it from you.
She just started screaming.
She was making so much noise.
I was just trying to keep her quiet.
I didn't wanna hurt her.
But her neck, it just snapped.
So easy.
And then she got quiet.
I know how that sounds, but It was an accident.
- You didn't mean it.
- No.
Well, at least now we know.
Thank you, Roger.
I know that that was hard.
There's two more things I wanna talk to you about.
Yeah.
Chief Johnson's just about done with Roger Stimple.
She played him perfectly, Chief.
Got confessions on both Ruby and the two other girls.
That's excellent.
Thank you.
And let's not release his booking photo to the press.
Use the DMV shot instead.
I don't want people to see a fat lip and feel sorry for this guy.
Yes, sir.
I'm hungry.
They'll be serving first meal in a couple of hours.
- You can eat in your cell.
- Wait.
What's gonna happen to me? You'll be kept in isolation here until morning.
Then you'll be handed over to County, which is under the supervision of the Sheriff's Department.
And after that, I have no idea.
You don't understand.
If they put me back in general population, they'll beat me.
- They'll beat me.
- No, Roger, I do understand.
What I'm trying to tell you is I don't care.
- Yes, Detective, what is it? - I just wanted to say thank you.
- There's nothing to thank me for.
- You got the confession.
I did? Because this will most certainly be a capital case, Roger's lawyer will insist on a trial and David will have to testify about what he did.
I have to advise Chief Pope of all this in the morning before Roger's lawyer breaks it to reporters.
And what will this mean for David? Well, we'll see, won't we? I'm sorry.
Sorry, sorry, sorry.
- Hello? - Sorry to wake you, Chief.
- I've got good news and better news.
- Okay, what's the good news? It only took a couple of hours for the search team to find the remains of the two other girls right where Roger said they'd be.
- Yeah, and what's the better news? - No trial.
You can take away their shoelaces and their belt, but they still find a way to hang themselves.
The idea of life in prison must have been just too horrible.
- Wrote a suicide note on his hand.
- Well, it's more of an apology, actually, to his mother.
- Hey, you wanted to see me, Chief? - Yes.
Come in.
As you know, Roger Stimple hanged himself in his cell this morning.
There will be no trial, so you're off the hook on that.
I just wanna say I'm really sorry for causing so much trouble.
"I'm sorry" won't cut it, Sergeant.
I want you to know that I'm really mad about this situation.
I'm really mad at you for having caused it.
And I'm really mad that I have to be the one to enter it in your permanent record.
But I can't sweep this under the rug just because you're my favorite.
In accordance with departmental regulations, I have asked that Commander Taylor investigate your conduct with Roger Stimple.
And he has written you up for excessive force.
You're writing me up.
Okay.
We have both spoken to Chief Pope, and he has decided that a 10-day suspension without pay is the necessary and appropriate response.
Now, you can sign that report, acknowledging that you agree with Commander Taylor's findings, and hand over your gun and your badge, or you can hire a lawyer and roll the dice with Internal Affairs.
It's your choice.
I need to know, Sergeant.
If I put you in a room with another Roger Stimple, is this gonna happen again? I don't know.
Don't come back until you do.
English
You get this one.
And let me know what you find out.
Go! Go! - Chat these people up.
- Thank you.
Folks.
Look, I'm going to ask for some patience here, all right? We'll have people come out and speak to you.
Her name is Ruby Williams.
She's eight years old.
Her teacher said she went home for lunch around noon.
When she didn't show up, her mom called the school, called all of Ruby's friends.
Nobody had seen her.
So at 12:29, she called 911.
That was nearly 90 minutes ago.
Responding officers checked the house, started retracing Ruby's route from school.
No sign of her, so at 1:00, they called for additional units.
Have we started a grid search of the neighborhood? Yes, ma'am.
Stopping every car, knocking on every door.
We got uniforms and detectives that have rolled out from Hollywood, Wilshire and Northeast Division to lend a hand, and the FBI is here, too.
Afternoon.
All these different divisions, there's no time for a turf war, Sergeant.
No, ma'am, everybody knows a child goes missing, - Priority Homicide runs the show.
- All right then, thank you.
Gentlemen? All right, it's just after 2:00 p.
m.
, which means that Ruby Williams has been missing for two hours.
We'll start with the family and we'll work our way out.
The FBI is here to give us whatever support we need.
We've got guys from the Behavioral Unit working up profiles on possible suspects.
Look, if Ruby was snatched, what are the chances she's still alive come sundown? We could get a call any minute saying someone found this little girl with a friend playing hooky or just plain lost.
Under no circumstances do we use the word "homicide" in front of this family.
Okay? Let's just keep our heads.
Do the Williams have a computer? Did we get permission to take it? Yeah.
I did a background check on mom, dad, uncles.
No criminal record.
That's Ruby's older brother, Carlton.
He was supposed to walk her home, but he forgot.
- Says he was playing video games.
- We may be talking to him again later.
Thank you.
Mr.
And Mrs.
Williams, I'm Deputy Chief Johnson.
I think you've already met Sergeant Gabriel.
We need to ask you a few questions about Ruby.
We've already talked to four different people.
And I hope we're the last.
I really do.
Mrs.
Williams, I know you're going through an ordeal, but I need you to help me.
Will you please help me? Mr.
Williams, is Ruby allowed on the Internet? I don't let either of my kids go online unless it's a school project, and then I supervise.
Her teachers love her.
She makes As and Bs.
Only reason she's doing summer school is so that she can play the violin.
She's got a solo in the fall concert.
There she is in the backyard, getting ready for the Easter pageant.
- Thank you, Grandma.
We love the dress.
- Look at her.
She's a - She's a beautiful little girl.
- Ode to Joy.
Has she had any problems with the other children in the neighborhood? Does she have a relationship with any of her grandparents? My parents passed away before Ruby was born.
Randall's mother lives in In Texas with my sister.
Ruby sees her at Christmas time.
Has Ruby been having any trouble with her older brother? No.
How about you and your wife? You two getting on? Ruby's got a good home here.
She's a happy little girl.
And we always tell her, "If a stranger talks to you funny, you run.
" Run, run, run! Run, run, run! We're gonna bring your little girl home.
I promise you that.
- So, look like a family thing? - My gut tells me no.
All right.
Whatever resources you need, you got it.
Look, Will, I just don't think the mother's in any shape to come in front - of the cameras right now.
- Listen, Brenda.
Assuming the worst, this can only help.
You know most child abductors don't see their victims as real people.
Let's let this guy see what kind of pain he's causing.
All right.
This is my baby girl.
Her name is Ruby Williams.
If anyone out there knows anything, if anyone saw her My baby.
Oh my I want my baby.
Please.
I want my baby.
Ruby.
The LAPD is seeking information regarding the disappearance of eight-year-old Ruby Williams.
She was last seen walking home from school nearly three hours ago.
Have we gotten anything useful from the neighborhood canvass? I'm entering data from every field interview into the system as fast as I can get it.
Let's see, we have three different people who saw a green truck by the school around noon.
I also have a blue van, a suspicious brown delivery vehicle, and an ice-cream truck.
Green truck.
I've got one of those.
Yeah, we found the green truck and the Mexican gardeners that went with it.
And they didn't see anything.
And we interviewed the ice-cream man, and he was gone by 11:00 a.
m.
Hey, Mike, you can cross off the brown delivery truck, too.
Driver was uploading downtown between 12:00 and 1:30.
Supervisor backs him up.
- What about the blue van? - Blue van.
A neighbor saw it parked on the street three days ago.
When she tried to get a better look, the driver took off.
- She see his face? - White guy, kind of average-looking.
Okay, so white guy, kind of average-looking.
Blue van.
- That doesn't give us much to go on.
- Hang on.
Hang on, Chief.
I have a blue van.
Guy here saw it twice this morning on this street.
Hey, Chief.
Does silver count? I got a white male in a silver blue van around 11:30 this morning.
What's the fastest way out of this neighborhood? If this is the route from Ruby's school to her house, then I got two exits.
I can either go this way, I'm on the 101 in 10 minutes, or He heads north right into Griffith Park.
Then I can be at the 134 or 135 freeways in 10 minutes.
Okay, these streets are businesses.
Maybe some of them have security cameras.
I can have my guys pull the footage.
Let's take a look at every vehicle entering and exiting the neighborhood from 9:00 a.
m.
To 2:00 p.
m.
Today.
Lieutenant Provenza, please contact the city about whoever runs the traffic cameras.
Maybe our blue van ran a red light.
Lieutenant Flynn Chief! Detective Sanchez is with the K-9 Unit.
The dogs found something.
Buzz, would you document this, please? - This is bad.
This is very bad.
- Hang on.
Hang on.
Detective Sanchez, didn't the search team cover this area already? No, ma'am.
They checked the road from the girl's school, but this alley's a dead end.
The dogs led us here.
Okay.
Run, run, run.
Ruby was doing exactly what her parents told her to do.
The driver must've come up on her as she was walking home from school.
Maybe tried to talk her into the car.
Maybe it was a blitz attack.
Either way, she ran, and this is where she was grabbed.
See how her sleeves are inside out? She was pulled right out of her jacket.
I got your blue van! At 10:32 a.
m.
, the van heads north on Hillhurst passing this liquor store.
Now, this film is from the same camera, but 32 minutes later, he's going the other way.
Here he comes again at 11:39, going back the other way.
- He was trolling.
- Right.
Now, we don't pick him up on this camera again.
Instead, he shows up on the other side of the neighborhood here, six blocks from where you guys found the jacket.
This mini-mall camera picks him up at 12:21:23 seconds, Next clean shot we get of him is here, - He is leaving the neighborhood.
- I can't see the driver.
And here he is approaching this intersection at 12:22:02.
Chief? I think I got a plate number.
the gas station at the red light.
- He was in a hurry.
- I'll make this bigger.
Okay, "4DLX401.
" - Give me three seconds.
- Print it out.
I got a VIN number and a name.
Roger A.
Stimple.
- Studio City address.
- Does Mr.
Stimple have a rap sheet? It's almost 4:00.
Guys, Roger Stimple is on parole for sexual battery.
Okay.
Have a parole officer meet us at his address.
Got one on speed dial.
Commander Taylor, please take over the command post.
Detective Daniels, every single bit of information comes through you.
Thank you.
Everyone else - Van looks empty, Chief.
- Doesn't mean she wasn't in there.
Go ahead.
Detective Sanchez, maybe he didn't hear us.
Would you mind giving it a try? Get out! - Are you Roger Stimple? - Yeah.
- Are you home alone, sir? - Ruby! - Hey! You guys can't go in there! - I'm afraid we can, sir.
As a condition of your parole, you signed a consent form allowing searches of your person, property and residence without a warrant.
- Kitchen's clear! - Find her.
- Is that your blue van over there? - Yeah.
- Lieutenant! - Why can't you just leave me alone? Get away! - Okay.
Have you been home all day? - I was taking a nap.
- Can anyone verify that? - No.
Did anyone borrow your blue van - while you were sleeping? - No.
This ain't fair.
- Answer the question! - No! You guys keep picking on me! Mr.
Stimple! Why can't you leave me alone? I was minding my own business.
- Get in there.
Find her.
- Hey, you don't have the right! Find her.
Did we get anything from the suspect's van? Nothing yet.
Mr.
Stimple, your rights were read to you in the car What about the other car? The one under the tarp.
Is that his, too? in less than mint condition.
There's no way he's keeping a clunker like that under canvas, unless he's hiding something.
Chief Johnson is having them tear it apart right now.
This is terrible.
Well, I'm gonna do my best to get you through this as quickly as possible.
But first is there anyone you'd like us to call? Your wife or your girlfriend? I don't have a girlfriend.
What about your boss? - I was laid off three weeks ago.
- That's too bad.
What were you doing? I was landscaping.
Mostly mow and blow.
And what do you do now? For work, I mean.
It's not that easy to get a job as a registered sex offender, is it? You're referring to your conviction for sexual battery? Some girl says I groped her, and I get two and a half years.
Now I've got to move again.
After you guys dragged me out of my house in handcuffs, - all because a dog barked at my van.
- That must be very frustrating.
Especially after you've already served your time in prison.
And no matter what I do, nobody trusts me.
My mother's gonna think this is my fault.
Why is that? When I got fired, she said she didn't want me to come home, and not to bother her anymore.
She didn't even wanna hear my side of the story! Blame Roger first.
Yeah, that's her mantro.
- Or motto, or whatever.
- It's terrible.
That is so unfair.
When the rest of the world lets you down, you should always be able to count on your mother.
She's supposed to love you, no matter what.
But right now there's another little girl that I'm sure would like to talk to her mother and can't.
You might have heard about her on the news.
A little girl who went missing today.
I'm sure her mother is just desperate to hear her voice.
And I feel strongly that you can help us with this because you were driving around in the neighborhood when she went missing.
So if you know anything, or you saw anything, I'd really like to know.
Roger.
You know where I might find this little girl? What little girl? Her name is Ruby Williams.
She's eight years old.
She likes to play the violin.
And this afternoon on her way home from school, she was abducted.
She was in your van! If something happened, I want to help you figure this out.
This is your chance to explain yourself.
I want a lawyer.
Interview over.
I'll be right back.
Fritz, are we any closer to finding the girl? Hang on, Will.
Did you get anything from the van or the apartment? No.
No.
He's lawyered up.
And I need something that ties him to Ruby Williams other than the testimony of a German shepherd.
Don't look at me like that.
And how would you like me to look at you? Don't judge me.
I know that look.
Well, you know, I know a little something about looks, too.
Looking at you, you know something about this little girl.
She's not that little.
Oh, really? You see, everyone pretends kids don't want sex, but they do.
You remember when you were a kid? It's all you thought about.
There's nothing wrong with it.
It's biology.
And besides, black girls are different.
Is that right? I mean, look at her.
Black girls are way more sexually mature than white girls.
That's why they have kids so young.
You probably grew up swimming in black ass.
It's the way they walk.
Shake.
Shake.
Shaking their thing.
Kill the feed, Buzz.
- But the Chief said never - I said kill it! Do not leave this room! Why not? Because Sergeant Gabriel is about to make a break in the case.
No, Detective Daniels, don't say anything to the family yet.
It could be a hoax.
No.
No, he wouldn't tell me.
He told Sergeant Gabriel.
Yes, it is amazing.
It doesn't matter who he told.
We know.
Send four black and whites to the Vermont Canyon entrance by the pay phones at the rest area.
And send the K-9s.
Thank you.
Sergeant Gabriel, just to be clear, Roger said that he left Ruby at the park.
He didn't say that she was dead.
Is that right? Where are the phones? Where are the phones? Ruby! Ruby! Damn it! No! She's eight years old! No! No! No! No! In my office.
What did you do? We found her, didn't we? It doesn't matter what I did.
Nothing matters more.
Roger Stimple didn't look like that when I left the interview room.
So I need to know, Sergeant, - did you beat the suspect? - He deserved it! That is not something that you get to decide on your own in an interview room with your fists! Are you seriously taking his side? He killed her! I got a confession! You got an admission! Roger told you where to find her.
Not that he took her.
Not that he killed her.
And since you beat that admission out of him, the jury won't be able to hear it anyway! I promised that mother I was going to bring her daughter home.
And that's exactly what I was trying to do.
You committed a criminal act! When Roger gets a lawyer and tells him what you did, and IA hears his complaint, what about your future? What do you What do you want me to do now? Just go home.
Wait till you hear from me.
You probably grew up swimming in black ass.
It's the way they walk.
Shake.
Shake.
Shaking their thing.
Buzz, why'd you stop the taping? I thought when you left the room, the interview was over.
I have made myself perfectly clear.
Unless I stop that tape myself, it stays on as long as the suspect is in the room.
Chief, - I killed the feed.
- Why? Because I thought it was a good idea.
Lieutenant, I want you to take charge of the prisoner.
Make sure he's fed and gets medical attention if he needs it.
We don't have to book him or let him see his lawyer until he's arraigned.
Which means we have less than 43 hours to tie him to Ruby's murder some other way.
I want the squad working, but no one sees this tape, or knows about what Sergeant Gabriel has done.
- Have I made myself very clear? - Yes, ma'am.
Thanks.
Hey, listen, your instincts about Roger's second car were right on.
We found a report on a '77 Mercury Cougar just like Roger's, same blue paint on the bumper, tied to two separate abductions five years ago, before our guy went to jail on that sexual battery charge.
Two girls, African American, ages nine and 11.
- They were never found.
- So Ruby wasn't his first victim? Well, last few years on parole must've been a cooling off period, but he just lost his job, and you said his family cut him off? Yeah, he's got some kind of a mother thing.
Yeah.
Just the kind of stressor events to set him off.
I should've never left Gabriel alone in that room.
I saw how mad he was.
I knew he was upset.
You told Pope about it yet? No.
I'm still looking for a way out.
Well, you tie Roger Stimple to these other missing girls.
It's okay.
It's okay.
Detective.
You're working late.
Yes.
We found out that the landscaping firm where Roger Stimple used to work had a contract at the park where Ruby was found.
Couldn't you have called with this information, Detective? May I come in? I'm not sure what David told you, - but he knows what he did was wrong.
- Well, that's a start.
Please do not let this be the last thing he does as a police officer.
That may not be up to me.
As soon as the suspect shows up in court with his lawyer, David's actions are gonna be front and center, and the only way out of this is gonna be for me to lie.
Is that what you want me to do? You know, I wonder.
Would you be here pleading David's case if y'all weren't dating? - But we are dating.
- No, I Look, I don't wanna I don't wanna talk about that.
Okay, look, I don't wanna discuss it.
Chief, I know that you and Commander Taylor have a complicated relationship, but he cares a lot about David, and sometimes, he has solutions to these kinds of things.
Chief? We checked Stimple's home computer, no sign of pornography, child or other.
Thirty-year-old single man lives alone, no pornography.
Now, that's suspicious.
Chief, one of the keys on Roger's keychain matches the padlock on the fence at the park.
Boots from Roger's apartment match the prints we found in the park's bathroom.
That's probably where he raped her.
Roger's DNA's on file from previous busts.
It'll take a few days to get a match.
Okay, what about the two other missing girls? I'm checking their case files against Roger's Mercury and his whereabouts five years ago.
If our scumbag killed those girls, he probably buried them in the park.
- He knows the place inside and out.
- Then why didn't he bury Ruby? He probably panicked when he heard our helicopters, left her in the ditch.
I'm telling you, Chief.
Those girls are out there.
Griffith Park is over 4,000 acres.
We'd never find them without Roger's help.
- So we get him to tell us.
- It's not that simple.
It worked with Ruby.
Why not with these previous two girls? - Get Gabriel, have him talk to him - It's not that simple.
Well, then what am I missing? Excuse me, everyone.
I wanted to thank all of you personally for your hard work and dedication.
I know it's It's just awful when an investigation ends the way this one did.
PHD handled it quickly, professionally, and you got a predator off the street.
Thank you, Chief Pope.
Do we have a booking photo of the suspect? - I'd like to release it to the press.
- There's been a slight complication.
What's that? Well, there's some question as to whether Roger's confession came after he invoked his right to counsel.
I don't understand that.
If he invoked, he invoked.
- Lf he confessed, he revoked.
Right? - It fell somewhere in between.
And unfortunately, we didn't get it on tape.
It doesn't hurt us too bad, but the thing is, Chief, we think this guy, Roger, is responsible for at least two other child abductions.
We don't wanna taint other witnesses by releasing Roger's photo.
So we're going to keep his identity under wraps until we're done with the investigation.
Okay.
All right, but I want this sorted out by the time he's arraigned, so I can smear his face all over the news.
Commander Taylor and I are pooling our resources.
Okay, good.
Thank you, Commander.
Chief Johnson, you wanted to talk? Gabriel let his emotions get the better of him.
It's happened to all of us.
- What Gabriel did was It was immature.
- It wasn't just immature.
He acted in such a way that I now can't see how to close my case without permanently damaging his career.
And make no mistake, Commander, I will close my case.
Let's not forget, Gabriel's not the bad guy here.
- There's a child killer in the mix.
- Whose admission I can't use.
Too bad you can't get Roger to confess again.
Believe me.
I've been trying to figure out how to do that all night.
- You haven't booked the suspect yet? - No.
He's still in isolation.
You know what, Chief? You have a lot to do still, what with having to look after these other two missing girls.
Why don't I take Roger off your hands? Have Robbery /Homicide book him.
I don't see how that's gonna help me.
Oh, it will.
It will.
- You wanted to see me, Chief? - Yes.
Lieutenant, what have we got on Roger's second car? Well, so far, nada.
SID took some fibers, and they're looking for blood, hair, anything that'll match one of the girls from five years ago.
It'll take weeks if it works at all.
Thank you.
Chief, I did a bad thing once.
I'm talking about the first time.
It was many years ago.
I was very young, like Gabriel.
And my heart, back when I had a heart, was in the right place.
But I was stubborn, I was stupid, and I did something that I'm not proud of.
But people grow, people change, and, well, look at me now.
Excuse me, Chief.
We just got a call from lockup.
- Roger wants to talk to you.
- To me? Yes, Commander Taylor is bringing him up right now.
I'm here to protect and serve.
- You're not protecting me! - I didn't leave you in there.
I brought you out of there so you'd be safe.
What's the problem? - What happened? - He did this to me! He put me in the cell with other prisoners! You know, sometimes you forget how other prisoners treat people like Roger.
How did they find out who he was? I don't know.
Maybe some guard must've said something.
You know how it is.
Isn't there a rule against putting child molesters in general population? Whoa.
Whoa.
Whoa.
Wait a minute.
Is that what you are, Roger? Are you a child molester? - I didn't - 'Cause before you said you wasn't.
- He can't say that! - You denied everything! - You're the one who put me in there! - What's it gonna be? - He told them about me! - Are you a child molester or not? What are you, Roger? Do you like little girls, huh? What are you, Roger? Are you a child molester? You're the one who put me in there! - Well, are you? - He told them about me! - What are you? - All right, all right! - Talk to me! - Mr.
Stimple - Talk to me! do not answer that question! - Talk to me! - Commander, that is enough.
Sorry.
Sorry, Chief.
- Please help me.
- I can't do anything for you! I can't even talk to you because you've asked for a lawyer! I wanna talk.
Okay.
Fine.
Let's get a doctor to take a look at you.
And then we'll talk.
No, not him.
Can't we just keep this white? Let's go.
Thank you, Doctor.
Roger, just to be perfectly clear, you are now saying that you wanna talk to me.
In fact, you asked to talk.
I heard he had a little scuffle in the general population.
Honestly, Chief, there was no safe place to put this guy.
And you don't have to talk to me without your attorney present.
You understand that, too? Okay.
Again, just for the record, you were just treated by a doctor for wounds you say you received from your fellow prisoners in your holding cell.
They attacked and beat you.
- Listen, they're gonna kill me! - Roger They're gonna kill me! I can't go back down there! It's okay.
It's okay.
Roger, I won't send you back.
I swear! You're safe with me.
And I promise you, I will look into whoever did this to you.
Okay? Okay? Roger, let's you and I talk about Ruby.
Because we looked for her by the pay phones, but she wasn't there.
I wanna help y'all find her.
Look, I made a mistake.
I was wrong not to talk to y'all before.
All right, all I know is I was driving through the park, and there she was.
- Just walking along, by herself.
- In the park? Yeah.
And I used to work in that park, all right? It's not safe for a kid to walk around alone like that.
So I offered her a lift.
That's why your dogs smelled her in my van.
She wanted to call her folks, so I took a service road that I know.
And I dropped her off by the phones and I gave her some change to call home.
And then I took off.
I'm telling you that's what happened.
Do you remember, was she wearing her pink jacket? Yeah! Yeah, that sounds right.
She had her hands in her pockets.
And about what time was this? I think I think it was maybe around 12:00.
- And you never got out of your van? - No.
This explains a lot.
How she got in your van, why she was in that remote part of the park.
Yeah! Yeah, I was just trying to help.
And you're helping now! You're helping a lot! Because, Roger, you're probably the last person to see Ruby alive.
You see, we didn't find her by the pay phones, but we did find her.
She was dead, Roger.
Oh, man.
I can't believe it.
Did you see anything suspicious in the park? A car that didn't belong? Or someone walking around? Yeah! Yeah, well, you know, this could be nothing, but there was this one dude I saw as we were heading to the phones.
He was a young guy.
Maybe 20, 25.
He was black or Hispanic.
You know, kind of Cuban black.
You know what I mean? He was a big guy.
Oh, man.
There are bad people out there.
Roger, you say you saw Ruby in the park around noon? That's when her teacher saw her leaving school.
- Well, it could've been a little later.
- The same time we got pictures - of your van driving in her neighborhood.
- I drive all around.
- You say you didn't get out of your van.
- I drive all around.
But we've got your footprints all over the park.
That doesn't mean anything! And you say you saw Ruby in her pink jacket which we found in the alleyway where she was abducted! Now, it is high time that you tell me the truth.
The whole truth, Roger.
Please.
Let's you and I help each other.
Otherwise, there's nothing left to talk about.
All right.
I'm gonna go find Commander Taylor.
- No! Don't send me back there! - What choice do I have? It's so hard.
Look, Roger, you agreed to talk to me.
That's an important first step.
Now, let me help you make the next one.
Because I know I know what you're going through.
Because girls that age, they are so beautiful.
Other guys, they pretend that they don't feel the same way, but they do.
And the girls want it, too.
They just can't admit it.
'Cause their mothers would pass judgment.
But I'm not passing judgment, Roger.
I just wanna know what happened.
I was driving around.
And I seen this girl I've seen before.
You couldn't help but notice her.
And I don't go for girls who don't want me.
Now, I've been on the other end of that thing when I was a kid.
No, she was into it.
- All you were doing was giving her a ride.
- Exactly.
We were just driving around.
It was all just fun, you know? I wasn't gonna do anything.
But she wanted it, so She was flirting with you.
You two fool around? Then right in the middle of it, she changed.
She got all mad at me.
Said she was gonna tell the cops what we'd done, which is so perfect.
Just lead me on and just flip like that? Then I got mad.
Roger, if something happened, if there was an accident, you need to tell me.
'Cause the DNA, that's gonna link you to Ruby.
And the DA is gonna make you out to be a monster in a very public trial.
Is that how you want your mother to see you? Is that how you want the world to see you? I know that there's an explanation that only you have.
And I want to hear your side of the story.
But if I'm gonna help you, I need to hear it from you.
She just started screaming.
She was making so much noise.
I was just trying to keep her quiet.
I didn't wanna hurt her.
But her neck, it just snapped.
So easy.
And then she got quiet.
I know how that sounds, but It was an accident.
- You didn't mean it.
- No.
Well, at least now we know.
Thank you, Roger.
I know that that was hard.
There's two more things I wanna talk to you about.
Yeah.
Chief Johnson's just about done with Roger Stimple.
She played him perfectly, Chief.
Got confessions on both Ruby and the two other girls.
That's excellent.
Thank you.
And let's not release his booking photo to the press.
Use the DMV shot instead.
I don't want people to see a fat lip and feel sorry for this guy.
Yes, sir.
I'm hungry.
They'll be serving first meal in a couple of hours.
- You can eat in your cell.
- Wait.
What's gonna happen to me? You'll be kept in isolation here until morning.
Then you'll be handed over to County, which is under the supervision of the Sheriff's Department.
And after that, I have no idea.
You don't understand.
If they put me back in general population, they'll beat me.
- They'll beat me.
- No, Roger, I do understand.
What I'm trying to tell you is I don't care.
- Yes, Detective, what is it? - I just wanted to say thank you.
- There's nothing to thank me for.
- You got the confession.
I did? Because this will most certainly be a capital case, Roger's lawyer will insist on a trial and David will have to testify about what he did.
I have to advise Chief Pope of all this in the morning before Roger's lawyer breaks it to reporters.
And what will this mean for David? Well, we'll see, won't we? I'm sorry.
Sorry, sorry, sorry.
- Hello? - Sorry to wake you, Chief.
- I've got good news and better news.
- Okay, what's the good news? It only took a couple of hours for the search team to find the remains of the two other girls right where Roger said they'd be.
- Yeah, and what's the better news? - No trial.
You can take away their shoelaces and their belt, but they still find a way to hang themselves.
The idea of life in prison must have been just too horrible.
- Wrote a suicide note on his hand.
- Well, it's more of an apology, actually, to his mother.
- Hey, you wanted to see me, Chief? - Yes.
Come in.
As you know, Roger Stimple hanged himself in his cell this morning.
There will be no trial, so you're off the hook on that.
I just wanna say I'm really sorry for causing so much trouble.
"I'm sorry" won't cut it, Sergeant.
I want you to know that I'm really mad about this situation.
I'm really mad at you for having caused it.
And I'm really mad that I have to be the one to enter it in your permanent record.
But I can't sweep this under the rug just because you're my favorite.
In accordance with departmental regulations, I have asked that Commander Taylor investigate your conduct with Roger Stimple.
And he has written you up for excessive force.
You're writing me up.
Okay.
We have both spoken to Chief Pope, and he has decided that a 10-day suspension without pay is the necessary and appropriate response.
Now, you can sign that report, acknowledging that you agree with Commander Taylor's findings, and hand over your gun and your badge, or you can hire a lawyer and roll the dice with Internal Affairs.
It's your choice.
I need to know, Sergeant.
If I put you in a room with another Roger Stimple, is this gonna happen again? I don't know.
Don't come back until you do.
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