WEBVTT 1 00:00:00.320 --> 00:00:03.799 Sword and Scale contains adult themes and violence, and is 2 00:00:03.919 --> 00:00:05.639 not intended for all audiences. 3 00:00:06.320 --> 00:00:08.519 Listener discretion is advised. 4 00:00:15.080 --> 00:00:19.760 You have seen established with same anybody, because I've had 5 00:00:19.760 --> 00:00:22.839 the entire town of Spring Creek asking me if I've 6 00:00:22.960 --> 00:00:24.359 killed Britain, and he might. 7 00:00:24.280 --> 00:00:24.719 As well have. 8 00:00:24.839 --> 00:00:29.679 If you didn't see, I think, well, it's another one. 9 00:00:30.760 --> 00:00:33.880 You knew it was coming right. This is Sword and 10 00:00:33.920 --> 00:00:37.000 Scale episode three hundred and eleven, the show that reveals 11 00:00:37.000 --> 00:00:39.079 that the worst busters are real? Why did I say 12 00:00:39.119 --> 00:00:42.880 that so fast? I still have a little time? You 13 00:00:42.880 --> 00:01:06.799 want to you want to hang out or something? This 14 00:01:06.959 --> 00:01:10.079 episode was written and produced by Elena Thomas, one of 15 00:01:10.079 --> 00:01:13.400 our senior producers. Here towards Scale, I keep meaning to 16 00:01:13.400 --> 00:01:15.840 give them credit, but I keep getting bogged down and 17 00:01:16.079 --> 00:01:19.640 forget because I have to mention how awesome our plus 18 00:01:19.680 --> 00:01:22.519 service is. If you haven't checked out the app lately, 19 00:01:22.519 --> 00:02:13.599 we've made all sorts of improvements, check it out. Teenagers 20 00:02:13.639 --> 00:02:18.159 live in a world of contradictions. They crave independence, but 21 00:02:18.199 --> 00:02:22.680 they lack experience. That's why they say so many really 22 00:02:22.800 --> 00:02:28.840 stupid things on Instagram and Snapchat. Oh and that Chinese 23 00:02:28.879 --> 00:02:34.719 spying app TikTok. They trust too easily. Their instincts are 24 00:02:35.039 --> 00:02:39.759 still underdeveloped. It's a stage of life defined by growth, curiosity, 25 00:02:39.840 --> 00:02:45.479 and vulnerability. A time when friendships feel unshakable, but they 26 00:02:45.479 --> 00:02:48.919 are shakable, they'll probably end, and most people you talk 27 00:02:48.960 --> 00:02:51.840 to right now as a kid won't be around in 28 00:02:51.919 --> 00:02:55.000 a couple of years. It's a time when the world 29 00:02:55.080 --> 00:03:00.680 feels safe, but somehow, danger lurks around every corner. These days, 30 00:03:01.159 --> 00:03:04.319 technology is the sun we all seem to orbit around, 31 00:03:05.039 --> 00:03:09.520 myself included, and teenagers are uniquely susceptible to both the 32 00:03:09.560 --> 00:03:15.960 wonders and the perils technology brings. Apps like Snapchat promise 33 00:03:16.000 --> 00:03:20.000 the allure of privacy, letting users share photos and messages 34 00:03:20.039 --> 00:03:25.159 that disappear. It's no secret this technology seems maliciously marketed 35 00:03:25.199 --> 00:03:29.360 towards underage users. Why would a kid need access to 36 00:03:29.400 --> 00:03:34.759 an app with vanishing messages and photos? Think about it. 37 00:03:34.759 --> 00:03:38.319 It's a disaster waiting to happen. Your kid buys drugs 38 00:03:38.319 --> 00:03:42.719 from someone over Snapchat and overdoses, well, too bad, those 39 00:03:42.719 --> 00:03:45.879 messages are gone. Your kid agrees to meet up with 40 00:03:45.919 --> 00:03:48.240 someone in the middle of the night, well you may 41 00:03:48.280 --> 00:03:51.360 never find out where they went. Kids tend to view 42 00:03:51.360 --> 00:03:55.159 Snapchat as infallible unless someone takes a screenshot of what 43 00:03:55.240 --> 00:03:59.159 you've sent them, and Snapchat does notify both users when 44 00:03:59.199 --> 00:04:03.639 that happens. Teens can sleep easily knowing the photos they've 45 00:04:03.680 --> 00:04:08.439 sent or gone forever. But this is how Snapchat used 46 00:04:08.479 --> 00:04:13.120 to work. Its new features have opened doors for law enforcement. 47 00:04:14.039 --> 00:04:17.399 This hasn't changed how kids interact with the app, though. 48 00:04:18.319 --> 00:04:20.439 I mean, we've said it here a million times. Kids 49 00:04:20.439 --> 00:04:24.800 are dumb. I don't know any better. It's interesting when 50 00:04:24.839 --> 00:04:28.600 something designed to make things disappear ends up the only 51 00:04:28.680 --> 00:05:03.720 witness to a heinous crime. Spring Creek, Nevada, is a 52 00:05:03.759 --> 00:05:07.040 small town in Elko County, near the base of the 53 00:05:07.120 --> 00:05:11.519 Ruby Mountains. It's located in the northeastern quadrant of the 54 00:05:11.600 --> 00:05:15.720 state for the population of just over fifteen thousand. It's 55 00:05:15.759 --> 00:05:17.959 a place like so many others we've talked about in 56 00:05:18.040 --> 00:05:22.160 past episodes. Everyone knows each other, everyone looks out for 57 00:05:22.199 --> 00:05:25.079 each other, blah blah blah, all that. To the people 58 00:05:25.120 --> 00:05:30.120 of Spring Creek. Danger is something that exists in other towns, 59 00:05:30.160 --> 00:05:34.439 not theirs. For sixteen year old high schooler Brittany Ulicky 60 00:05:34.600 --> 00:05:39.560 and her family, Spring Creek was home. Brittany was a bright, 61 00:05:39.920 --> 00:05:43.519 social teenager who loved working on the ranch almost as 62 00:05:43.600 --> 00:05:47.240 much as she loved hanging out with her friends. Her mom, Alicia, 63 00:05:47.839 --> 00:05:51.439 worked as a nurse, often pulling long shifts, while her dad, Jim, 64 00:05:51.639 --> 00:05:56.160 a local musician, played shows with his band. Though Alicia 65 00:05:56.199 --> 00:05:59.759 and Jim were divorced, they stayed connected through their kids, 66 00:06:00.000 --> 00:06:04.279 sharing a sense of pride in Brittany's growing independence. But 67 00:06:04.399 --> 00:06:08.800 on Sunday, March eighth, twenty twenty, the routine predictability of 68 00:06:08.839 --> 00:06:14.160 Spring Creek life shattered. The day started, like many others, 69 00:06:14.600 --> 00:06:17.519 Brittany spent the morning in nearby Elco at her dad's 70 00:06:17.560 --> 00:06:21.480 band practice, a regular event. She was supposed to be 71 00:06:21.680 --> 00:06:25.480 spending the night at his place. Brittany was good about 72 00:06:25.600 --> 00:06:29.920 checking in with her parents regularly. Jim said, no matter what, 73 00:06:30.000 --> 00:06:33.279 Brittany called me every hour. It was a little after 74 00:06:33.360 --> 00:06:36.920 three thirty PM when Brittany left band practice. She told 75 00:06:36.920 --> 00:06:39.759 her dad that she had caught a ride, and they 76 00:06:39.800 --> 00:06:42.199 laughed about how Brittany would end up beating him home. 77 00:06:43.120 --> 00:06:46.279 Later on, when Jim got in his truck to head 78 00:06:46.279 --> 00:06:48.360 back and called his daughter to let her know he 79 00:06:48.519 --> 00:06:52.160 was on his way, Brittany's phone went straight to voicemail. 80 00:06:53.120 --> 00:06:57.040 At first, Jim tried to stay calm. Maybe Brittany's phone 81 00:06:57.240 --> 00:07:01.319 battery died, or maybe she was home banger watching TV. 82 00:07:02.279 --> 00:07:04.720 But when he arrived and found the house empty, he 83 00:07:04.759 --> 00:07:10.759 called her again and again and again. By the third time, 84 00:07:11.439 --> 00:07:16.759 the unease was hard to ignore. Meanwhile, Alicia was experiencing 85 00:07:16.800 --> 00:07:20.639 her own growing panic. By the next morning, Alicia assumed 86 00:07:20.720 --> 00:07:23.639 Jim had called the police and made a report himself, 87 00:07:24.480 --> 00:07:26.959 but she discovered that he hadn't. 88 00:07:27.560 --> 00:07:28.879 He's just very friendly. 89 00:07:31.560 --> 00:07:33.040 When coming to Sure. 90 00:07:34.759 --> 00:07:38.360 Okay, so is it son or daughter? 91 00:07:38.759 --> 00:07:39.040 Daughter? 92 00:07:39.319 --> 00:07:39.879 Yeah? 93 00:07:39.920 --> 00:07:41.759 Okay, what is daughter's name? 94 00:07:42.120 --> 00:07:42.959 Brittany? 95 00:07:43.040 --> 00:07:45.279 We get a finished her name Britany. 96 00:07:47.160 --> 00:07:51.319 She was supposed to be going home yesterday. She was 97 00:07:51.319 --> 00:07:54.079 in town with her dad, okay, and she got her 98 00:07:54.199 --> 00:07:56.399 She told her him, I'm going to get a ride 99 00:07:56.439 --> 00:07:59.519 home with a friend. I'll beat you home, and he 100 00:07:59.560 --> 00:08:01.439 says you better beat me because I'll be there in 101 00:08:01.480 --> 00:08:01.920 an hour. 102 00:08:01.759 --> 00:08:04.279 And she goes, We're going right home, talking about coming here. 103 00:08:04.560 --> 00:08:07.879 Do you know her dad lives in Southwark? We're split up? Okay, 104 00:08:08.120 --> 00:08:12.600 I don't know. Her friend that had her I talked 105 00:08:12.600 --> 00:08:12.959 to him. 106 00:08:13.079 --> 00:08:15.439 He dropped her off at the high school down here 107 00:08:16.160 --> 00:08:18.240 at four o'clock with some. 108 00:08:18.240 --> 00:08:20.120 Guy, and I go, what guy? 109 00:08:20.680 --> 00:08:21.720 And he goes, I don't know. 110 00:08:21.920 --> 00:08:26.680 She just said my new friend, tall white, cowboy looking 111 00:08:26.759 --> 00:08:30.759 guy with a great drug and now no, we can 112 00:08:30.800 --> 00:08:31.240 find her. 113 00:08:31.439 --> 00:08:34.000 No, no, her friends, her phone's not. 114 00:08:34.080 --> 00:08:39.200 On Okay, I don't know where to did do? 115 00:08:40.159 --> 00:08:43.840 So I have to ask the glurying question, when did 116 00:08:43.879 --> 00:08:48.679 you guys become extremely worried that she was missing? I mean, 117 00:08:48.720 --> 00:08:51.960 because we're talking about now quite a long period of 118 00:08:52.000 --> 00:08:54.519 time between when she got dropped off with this male 119 00:08:55.919 --> 00:08:57.480 and I was. 120 00:08:57.480 --> 00:08:58.480 On it last night. 121 00:08:58.840 --> 00:09:02.120 Her dad was supposed to calling in any I asked 122 00:09:02.159 --> 00:09:03.279 heim this morning, did the cops? 123 00:09:03.279 --> 00:09:04.159 Did you make the report? 124 00:09:04.159 --> 00:09:05.240 And who's no? 125 00:09:06.120 --> 00:09:07.240 So I made up all night. 126 00:09:07.279 --> 00:09:09.840 Okay, so you assumed that dad was doing what you're doing. 127 00:09:10.320 --> 00:09:10.679 Okay. 128 00:09:11.600 --> 00:09:15.120 There are a million different possibilities in a situation like this. 129 00:09:16.039 --> 00:09:18.600 Law enforcement has to get a good picture of what 130 00:09:18.679 --> 00:09:21.320 kind of team they're dealing with so they can decide 131 00:09:21.360 --> 00:09:25.159 whether this is a runaway or whether they're in Amber 132 00:09:25.240 --> 00:09:29.879 alert territory. By the way, they were desperate to find Brittany. 133 00:09:30.360 --> 00:09:32.279 Does she go here to Spring Creek High School? She's 134 00:09:32.320 --> 00:09:33.679 actually doing homeschool. 135 00:09:34.440 --> 00:09:37.559 Okay, she's got a lot of enemies, and I'm scared. 136 00:09:37.600 --> 00:09:39.559 She has a lot of enemies. Why would you say. 137 00:09:39.399 --> 00:09:42.320 That she just does not in school? 138 00:09:42.679 --> 00:09:44.799 Everybody wants the last time she went to a Rodier 139 00:09:44.879 --> 00:09:50.879 skeed jump by four girls, and I just I'm just. 140 00:09:54.879 --> 00:09:56.720 You guys weren't in a fight or anything like that. 141 00:09:57.960 --> 00:10:04.240 There'll be no reason for her to rebel or stay out. 142 00:10:06.159 --> 00:10:10.200 No, I mean, I got lots of problems with her anyway, 143 00:10:10.240 --> 00:10:13.919 because she's seventeen, are almost seventeen, and Jesus, but. 144 00:10:16.120 --> 00:10:18.120 Yesterday, in the last few days, we've been in a 145 00:10:18.159 --> 00:10:18.840 really good mole. 146 00:10:19.159 --> 00:10:21.720 I talked to her FaceTime for an hour at like 147 00:10:21.799 --> 00:10:22.759 one point thirty. 148 00:10:22.480 --> 00:10:27.840 Are youth English? Just fine, stretches, happy, go lucky. 149 00:10:27.960 --> 00:10:29.000 Everything was good. 150 00:10:30.240 --> 00:10:34.000 Alicia's mother and grandmother wondered out loud whether there were 151 00:10:34.039 --> 00:10:37.039 any security cameras in the parking lot when Brittany was 152 00:10:37.120 --> 00:10:40.600 dropped off and got into that green pickup truck. The 153 00:10:40.600 --> 00:10:44.320 eighteen year old boy, a close family friend, said that 154 00:10:44.360 --> 00:10:47.240 he had left Brittany in the Spring Creek High School 155 00:10:47.320 --> 00:10:50.200 lot at her request. 156 00:10:49.679 --> 00:10:52.039 And all we know is that it was a marine truck. 157 00:10:52.120 --> 00:10:54.000 We know nothing else about the individual. 158 00:10:54.440 --> 00:10:56.200 No, the boy. 159 00:10:56.039 --> 00:11:01.919 Said it was an ugwig green from the Earth two thousand. 160 00:11:03.559 --> 00:11:07.679 Bryce Dicky is the kid that dropped her off. 161 00:11:09.080 --> 00:11:14.960 Person that we know of that her. I'm going to 162 00:11:15.039 --> 00:11:15.360 take this. 163 00:11:15.399 --> 00:11:17.480 I'm going to get her entered, and then I'm going 164 00:11:17.480 --> 00:11:21.559 to go speep with my supervisor and see what the 165 00:11:21.600 --> 00:11:23.240 next course of action is going to be. 166 00:11:23.639 --> 00:11:24.519 Okay, okay. 167 00:11:25.679 --> 00:11:27.759 The next day, police worked a track down all of 168 00:11:27.799 --> 00:11:30.759 Britney's friends, including the one who had dropped her off 169 00:11:30.759 --> 00:11:35.440 at the high school parking lot, eighteen year old Bryce Dicky. 170 00:11:35.840 --> 00:11:38.960 Bryce was out of town with his mom for some 171 00:11:39.080 --> 00:11:43.440 doctor's appointments, so detectives first spoke with him over the 172 00:11:43.440 --> 00:11:45.559 phone and later met up with him at the same 173 00:11:45.639 --> 00:11:48.799 parking lot that he left Brittany at the day before. 174 00:11:49.399 --> 00:11:54.440 Hey, Bryce, I appreciate me there, so can tell me 175 00:11:54.519 --> 00:11:56.279 run me through so I can understand what's going on. 176 00:11:56.559 --> 00:11:57.919 So I'm gonna stand in the shade over here for 177 00:11:57.919 --> 00:12:00.759 your wants, all right. 178 00:12:00.799 --> 00:12:06.879 So Sunday round eleven, I started texting, got a few 179 00:12:06.879 --> 00:12:09.200 texts from Brittany and just asked her if I wanted 180 00:12:09.200 --> 00:12:13.000 to hang out. I said sure, got ready and stuff. 181 00:12:13.600 --> 00:12:15.320 Told me she could meet me at Angel Park because 182 00:12:15.320 --> 00:12:19.480 she said her dad was doing and practice, and then 183 00:12:19.919 --> 00:12:24.279 I went to town, called her when I got into 184 00:12:24.320 --> 00:12:29.600 town on fifth, and then picked her up at Angel Park. 185 00:12:30.919 --> 00:12:33.840 Kept driving around and then we were over in the 186 00:12:33.840 --> 00:12:36.960 horsebow session and my dad called me, asking if I 187 00:12:37.000 --> 00:12:39.240 did come back home, so I told her I needed 188 00:12:39.279 --> 00:12:41.879 to go. Pasked her if she wanted me to just 189 00:12:41.960 --> 00:12:44.519 drop her back off at Angel Park, and she said 190 00:12:44.559 --> 00:12:48.240 that she wanted to meet to drop her off at 191 00:12:48.240 --> 00:12:52.120 the high school to meet her new friend, and said 192 00:12:52.120 --> 00:12:53.480 her dad he was going to pick her up later. 193 00:12:53.559 --> 00:12:58.200 So then came over here, pulled in right over there, 194 00:12:59.120 --> 00:13:02.080 give her a hug and stay, and then she got out. 195 00:13:02.679 --> 00:13:06.440 I pulled out and then started hitting that way, and 196 00:13:06.480 --> 00:13:09.080 the F one fifty was over there, but I didn't 197 00:13:09.159 --> 00:13:12.080 know that was where she was going at that time. 198 00:13:12.919 --> 00:13:16.360 They were both standing outside the truck. And then I 199 00:13:16.399 --> 00:13:19.679 got to the turnout right over there by the middle school, 200 00:13:19.879 --> 00:13:22.600 and then that that F one fifty was in motion. 201 00:13:23.399 --> 00:13:25.080 So you said, what was the F one fifty? 202 00:13:25.480 --> 00:13:31.639 Yeah, it was the tritons, the ones that are really 203 00:13:31.720 --> 00:13:33.799 ugly looking up the sidestepping. 204 00:13:34.159 --> 00:13:38.320 Uh, like that winter green, dark forest green, like a 205 00:13:38.759 --> 00:13:39.559 dark forest green. 206 00:13:40.679 --> 00:13:44.519 Price's account matched what Britney's family had recounted from their 207 00:13:44.519 --> 00:13:47.879 conversation with them. He talked about a green truck, an 208 00:13:47.919 --> 00:13:51.519 ugly one from the early two thousands, a toolbox and 209 00:13:51.879 --> 00:13:53.240 stickers on the rear window. 210 00:13:53.759 --> 00:13:56.840 It looked decently dirty, but just like about as much as. 211 00:13:56.919 --> 00:14:00.000 That the truck is right there, a typical truck. 212 00:13:59.799 --> 00:14:04.679 That a typical spring treat to the truck, yeah, and 213 00:14:04.720 --> 00:14:11.840 then had a silver toll box in the bed, had 214 00:14:12.519 --> 00:14:14.600 stickers on the back window, but I didn't see it. 215 00:14:14.639 --> 00:14:18.879 Any of them wore with such a clear and descriptive lead. 216 00:14:19.679 --> 00:14:22.919 This case was about to move very quickly, but no 217 00:14:23.000 --> 00:14:25.759 one was less prepared for how everything would pan out 218 00:14:26.480 --> 00:14:28.159 than Brittany's mother, Alicia. 219 00:14:29.399 --> 00:14:36.480 Brittany was always a very fiery, full of energy, funky 220 00:14:36.639 --> 00:14:37.480 little girl. 221 00:14:37.600 --> 00:14:42.120 And she was always so full of passion right from 222 00:14:42.159 --> 00:14:43.840 the get go, you know what I mean. She was 223 00:14:44.039 --> 00:14:45.000 just this. 224 00:14:45.279 --> 00:14:50.279 Little ball of fire, light and just fun, you know, 225 00:14:51.360 --> 00:14:54.799 a very good girl. She was born in Colorado Springs 226 00:14:55.519 --> 00:14:58.559 and we lived there for a while, and then we 227 00:14:58.600 --> 00:15:02.000 made the move over here to Elko because her dad 228 00:15:02.039 --> 00:15:03.879 got hired at the gold mines over here. 229 00:15:04.799 --> 00:15:07.600 She would have been eight, so we made the. 230 00:15:07.559 --> 00:15:11.919 Move over here which was exciting for me at first because. 231 00:15:11.679 --> 00:15:13.559 I grew up over here, I went to high school 232 00:15:13.559 --> 00:15:13.879 over here. 233 00:15:13.879 --> 00:15:16.360 We went to the same I went to Spring Creek 234 00:15:16.399 --> 00:15:20.279 High School, so it was kind of exciting, and I thought, oh, 235 00:15:20.320 --> 00:15:21.080 this will be fun. 236 00:15:21.159 --> 00:15:23.159 This is such a safe. 237 00:15:22.879 --> 00:15:26.320 Place, and the opportunities are going to be great over 238 00:15:26.360 --> 00:15:27.039 here for us. 239 00:15:27.159 --> 00:15:30.080 And we came over here with a lot of high hopes. 240 00:15:30.960 --> 00:15:34.480 The activities Elko County had to offer. Spoke to Brittany. 241 00:15:35.200 --> 00:15:37.960 She loved being surrounded by the mountains and the desert. 242 00:15:38.639 --> 00:15:45.519 She instantaneously grabbed onto the bukaroo cowboy lifestyle of this place, 243 00:15:45.840 --> 00:15:49.600 you know, and that was her lifestyle. That was her 244 00:15:49.639 --> 00:15:51.840 friend group, you know, just all a bunch of the 245 00:15:51.919 --> 00:15:55.559 kids that liked to ride horses and participate in rodeo. 246 00:15:55.679 --> 00:16:00.240 And you know, Brittany was a real deal cowgirl on 247 00:16:00.279 --> 00:16:04.519 the ranch. And there was no trophies, there was no judges, 248 00:16:04.879 --> 00:16:06.960 but there was you know what I mean. She was 249 00:16:08.360 --> 00:16:12.360 a little bit more. She wasn't an arena cowgirl. Was 250 00:16:12.440 --> 00:16:13.399 just put it that way. 251 00:16:14.279 --> 00:16:18.879 Brittany had a big personality, but deep down she was 252 00:16:18.919 --> 00:16:22.440 steady and determined. She had plans for her future and 253 00:16:22.480 --> 00:16:26.159 worked hard to make them happen, surprising people with how 254 00:16:26.279 --> 00:16:29.840 driven she could be. But public school wasn't easy for 255 00:16:29.879 --> 00:16:34.200 her because she had severe dyslexia and some issues with bullying. 256 00:16:35.000 --> 00:16:37.840 Brittany's parents decided to pull her out just before her 257 00:16:37.919 --> 00:16:38.879 junior year and. 258 00:16:39.080 --> 00:16:43.600 Homeschooler, and she was thriving. She was on track to 259 00:16:43.720 --> 00:16:48.279 graduate early. The Navy recruiters had definitely got to her, 260 00:16:48.639 --> 00:16:52.720 which I was not winning that argument with her because 261 00:16:52.879 --> 00:16:57.360 she was full steam ready to go. But I'm telling you, 262 00:16:57.440 --> 00:17:00.960 she was so strong, you know what I mean, and 263 00:17:01.559 --> 00:17:03.840 like she would come and do more pull ups than 264 00:17:03.879 --> 00:17:07.039 the recruiter and he was just like oly cow kid, 265 00:17:07.119 --> 00:17:07.319 you know. 266 00:17:09.440 --> 00:17:12.519 So she was on track. She was going to graduate 267 00:17:12.680 --> 00:17:15.400 a year early. She was going to join the Navy, 268 00:17:15.559 --> 00:17:17.640 and you know she. 269 00:17:18.799 --> 00:17:22.720 Was doing it despite the hurdles. Brittany wasn't one to 270 00:17:22.759 --> 00:17:26.839 give up. Staying on track to graduate early while dealing 271 00:17:26.880 --> 00:17:29.519 with severe dyslexia is no small feat. 272 00:17:30.400 --> 00:17:32.079 I feel like we were handling it really well. 273 00:17:32.359 --> 00:17:35.920 We were adapting to the situation. Things were going good, 274 00:17:36.440 --> 00:17:38.880 and then that day happened. 275 00:17:39.400 --> 00:17:42.359 You know, I just blew everything up. We were a 276 00:17:42.440 --> 00:17:45.839 very normal whatever you want called normal. 277 00:17:45.839 --> 00:17:48.119 We're a very average family, you know what I mean, 278 00:17:48.279 --> 00:17:52.240 And then to have something like this come and happen 279 00:17:52.400 --> 00:17:53.440 is just unbelievable. 280 00:17:54.400 --> 00:17:58.319 Everyone depended on Bryce to recall every detail of that day. 281 00:17:59.200 --> 00:18:03.119 From Alicia's perspective, if Brittany had been abducted and was 282 00:18:03.200 --> 00:18:05.960 taken out of state, his description of the man and 283 00:18:06.079 --> 00:18:09.039 vehicle could be their only shot at finding her. 284 00:18:09.759 --> 00:18:10.200 So I got a. 285 00:18:10.160 --> 00:18:12.599 Little bit of the story as to what your involvement was, 286 00:18:12.680 --> 00:18:14.680 but I'm not clear on a lot of things, and 287 00:18:14.720 --> 00:18:16.200 I'm just trying to do the best job that i 288 00:18:16.240 --> 00:18:16.559 can do. 289 00:18:16.799 --> 00:18:18.839 So so hopefully you ask you a question that you 290 00:18:18.839 --> 00:18:20.160 would like perfect. 291 00:18:19.759 --> 00:18:22.079 Man, Thank you very much. Now, what was kind of 292 00:18:22.119 --> 00:18:24.519 the nature of that conversation? What's your relationship with her? 293 00:18:25.960 --> 00:18:29.079 Brittany has been one of my closest friends since probably 294 00:18:29.200 --> 00:18:31.519 my seventh or eighth grade year. 295 00:18:31.599 --> 00:18:35.279 Oh, because you known each other for a well yeah, okay, okay, 296 00:18:36.279 --> 00:18:36.599 And that. 297 00:18:36.599 --> 00:18:40.279 Was one of the issues we had with the previously, 298 00:18:40.480 --> 00:18:43.400 is I think we're going over because there a phone 299 00:18:43.400 --> 00:18:45.880 in her name and my phone is little siss because 300 00:18:45.880 --> 00:18:46.400 she's called. 301 00:18:46.240 --> 00:18:48.279 Me a big brother since freshman year. 302 00:18:48.960 --> 00:18:51.160 And then he kept asking me, well, if she's your 303 00:18:51.200 --> 00:18:52.839 little assist, why didn't you know her better? 304 00:18:52.960 --> 00:18:54.440 Because there was questions of that I. 305 00:18:54.359 --> 00:18:55.319 Didn't know the answer to. 306 00:18:56.519 --> 00:18:58.599 We won't make you sit through the whole story again. 307 00:18:59.160 --> 00:19:03.200 But Bryce rec picking up Brittany at Angel Park. They 308 00:19:03.279 --> 00:19:06.400 drove around for a while, and he details her routes 309 00:19:06.440 --> 00:19:10.119 and stops for detectives. He says his dad called telling 310 00:19:10.160 --> 00:19:12.880 him to come home. Brittany was on the phone in 311 00:19:12.920 --> 00:19:15.920 the passenger seat before asking Bryce to drop her off 312 00:19:15.960 --> 00:19:18.559 at the high school to meet a friend. She gave 313 00:19:18.640 --> 00:19:22.480 him a hug, walked towards the green truck, and Bryce 314 00:19:23.279 --> 00:19:23.880 drove away. 315 00:19:24.680 --> 00:19:26.720 And right before I got out. 316 00:19:26.640 --> 00:19:29.160 And looked back over and I just saw her over 317 00:19:29.200 --> 00:19:31.960 at the f one fifty with someone that was it. 318 00:19:34.119 --> 00:19:36.599 Could you see the type of clothing or anything on? 319 00:19:37.240 --> 00:19:41.400 And nothing specific that I could just and was it 320 00:19:41.480 --> 00:19:42.880 a white head? Black head? 321 00:19:44.079 --> 00:19:47.839 It didn't look light, so I didn't don't think it 322 00:19:47.839 --> 00:19:48.680 was a straw happen. 323 00:19:48.720 --> 00:19:51.400 I mean, they do make black straw hats like that. 324 00:19:51.599 --> 00:19:55.559 So by this point, Bryce and some of Brittany's other 325 00:19:55.599 --> 00:19:59.039 friends had been out searching for one of the officers 326 00:19:59.039 --> 00:20:01.680 actually crossed path with a vehicle of kids as they 327 00:20:01.799 --> 00:20:06.799 drove around scouring the town and surrounding desert. Bryce was 328 00:20:06.839 --> 00:20:09.160 the only one who knew what this guy looked like, 329 00:20:09.200 --> 00:20:11.559 though the line of sight he had from the gas 330 00:20:11.599 --> 00:20:15.119 station across the street gave him a vague picture of 331 00:20:15.200 --> 00:20:19.400 who was now known as the mysterious cowboy in the 332 00:20:19.400 --> 00:20:20.200 green truck. 333 00:20:20.799 --> 00:20:23.960 Was there any conversation when you picked I'm sure there 334 00:20:24.039 --> 00:20:25.960 was conversation, But was there any conversation that kind of 335 00:20:25.960 --> 00:20:27.599 sticks out in your mind? When you picked her up? 336 00:20:30.440 --> 00:20:34.400 I had a ton of conversations. There was a few 337 00:20:35.400 --> 00:20:37.519 because the coups had previously asked me if she was 338 00:20:38.079 --> 00:20:41.759 said anything about going anywhere. Besides she said that she 339 00:20:41.839 --> 00:20:43.920 was planning and going to Texas after the summer with 340 00:20:43.960 --> 00:20:44.400 her friend. 341 00:20:45.640 --> 00:20:48.119 You keep in contact with her pretty regularly even though 342 00:20:48.160 --> 00:20:49.880 she wasn't at school, or is it just kind of. 343 00:20:50.000 --> 00:20:50.319 Kind of. 344 00:20:51.799 --> 00:20:53.720 Talk to her a couple couple of times a week? 345 00:20:53.880 --> 00:20:54.200 Okay? 346 00:20:54.920 --> 00:20:57.240 Now, then the reason I'm asking, man, is, did she 347 00:20:57.680 --> 00:21:00.720 say anything about anyone that she was having problems with, 348 00:21:01.079 --> 00:21:04.240 or any people that she was interested in or anything 349 00:21:04.279 --> 00:21:04.680 like that. 350 00:21:05.920 --> 00:21:07.720 We all knew she was talking with some guy that 351 00:21:07.759 --> 00:21:10.960 we think was in New York, but I mean she'd 352 00:21:10.960 --> 00:21:15.160 be talking to him for a while. Okay, says that 353 00:21:16.400 --> 00:21:19.720 my Kaid told everyone knows a lot of people had 354 00:21:19.880 --> 00:21:22.720 problems with Brittany, but nothing that we would see this outcome. 355 00:21:23.039 --> 00:21:25.599 Sure sure will openly be okay. 356 00:21:26.640 --> 00:21:28.920 It sounded like Brittany might have been talking to a 357 00:21:28.960 --> 00:21:33.799 stranger online, one that she may have actually met up with. Luckily, 358 00:21:34.279 --> 00:21:37.039 Spring Creek High School was right in town, and though 359 00:21:37.039 --> 00:21:40.440 there were no security cameras on the building itself, there 360 00:21:40.440 --> 00:21:43.640 were numerous businesses with a view of the parking lot. 361 00:21:43.960 --> 00:21:47.720 Surely one of them had some helpful footage. Brittany's friends 362 00:21:47.720 --> 00:21:50.440 and family tried not to lose hope, but the signs 363 00:21:50.440 --> 00:21:54.440 weren't looking good. To make matters worse, her phone had 364 00:21:54.480 --> 00:21:56.880 been inactive this entire time. 365 00:21:57.119 --> 00:21:59.880 And it's interesting that that's when me and Jimple are alarmed. 366 00:22:00.000 --> 00:22:02.839 I started going off and we were starting to you know, 367 00:22:03.680 --> 00:22:08.799 and for Brittany, her phone was never off. She was 368 00:22:08.839 --> 00:22:12.279 a little social media junkie if. 369 00:22:12.200 --> 00:22:13.240 You well, you know what I mean. 370 00:22:13.279 --> 00:22:18.400 It was all about snapchat selfy. So it just got really, 371 00:22:18.680 --> 00:22:24.079 really really scary that her phone, you know, kept going off. 372 00:22:24.119 --> 00:22:28.160 And then added into the fact that Dicky had told 373 00:22:28.200 --> 00:22:30.759 my son, well, I dropped her off with somebody you 374 00:22:30.839 --> 00:22:35.079 know what I mean. So my brain is going, holy shit, 375 00:22:35.119 --> 00:22:37.359 somebody grabbed my daughter, you know what I mean, and 376 00:22:37.400 --> 00:22:40.160 they are they trafficked her? There what something? 377 00:22:40.400 --> 00:22:42.720 You know what I mean. That's the thought that went 378 00:22:42.759 --> 00:22:43.440 through my head. 379 00:22:43.720 --> 00:22:47.920 And because I was like, I don't I don't care 380 00:22:48.200 --> 00:22:51.680 if she didn't run away, If putting her as a 381 00:22:51.720 --> 00:22:53.359 runaway puts her in the system. 382 00:22:53.119 --> 00:22:54.000 Fine she ran away. 383 00:22:54.160 --> 00:22:59.559 Just get her in the system. Something is wrong, you know, 384 00:23:00.200 --> 00:23:01.000 something is wrong. 385 00:23:02.039 --> 00:23:05.839 A parent's intuition is very real. It was just after 386 00:23:06.000 --> 00:23:09.279 five pm on March eighth, the day Brittany disappeared, when 387 00:23:09.640 --> 00:23:12.599 her phone pinged off a cell phone tower for the 388 00:23:12.680 --> 00:23:18.160 last time. Investigators chose to keep this crucial information to themselves, 389 00:23:18.240 --> 00:23:21.640 with holding it not just from the public, but even 390 00:23:21.680 --> 00:23:26.799 from Brittany's parents. This final ping gave detectives a defined 391 00:23:26.880 --> 00:23:31.920 area to search. Then, on March eleventh, two days after 392 00:23:31.960 --> 00:24:06.759 Brittany was officially reported missing, they found something. When sixteen 393 00:24:06.839 --> 00:24:11.160 year old Brittany Yuliki went missing, Spring Creek, Nevada, was 394 00:24:11.200 --> 00:24:15.720 suddenly a town full of questions. Her parents, Alicia and Jim, 395 00:24:16.160 --> 00:24:19.599 were desperate for answers, and as words spread, the search 396 00:24:19.640 --> 00:24:23.039 for Brittany pulled in nearly everyone in the town. She 397 00:24:23.200 --> 00:24:27.480 was tough, outspoken, and more at home on horseback than 398 00:24:27.599 --> 00:24:32.119 anywhere else. But on March eighth, twenty twenty, she wasn't 399 00:24:32.160 --> 00:24:35.880 on the ranch. She was in town, spending the afternoon 400 00:24:36.359 --> 00:24:40.000 with a friend, Bryce Dickie. According to Bryce, he dropped 401 00:24:40.000 --> 00:24:42.920