WEBVTT 1 00:00:06.919 --> 00:00:09.759 In March of nineteen eighty nine, a twenty one year 2 00:00:09.800 --> 00:00:13.000 old college student traveled to South Padre Island for spring 3 00:00:13.000 --> 00:00:16.600 break with some friends and crossed into Madame Rose, Mexico. 4 00:00:17.199 --> 00:00:20.679 Like thousands of others, the days were spent on the 5 00:00:20.679 --> 00:00:23.920 beach and the nights were spent moving between crowded bars 6 00:00:23.920 --> 00:00:28.320 holding parties just across the border. After a few days, 7 00:00:28.359 --> 00:00:31.440 that was their routine. It was everything they imagined for 8 00:00:31.480 --> 00:00:35.719 their spring break. Then, in the early hours of March fourteenth, 9 00:00:36.079 --> 00:00:38.759 after leaving the bars and heading back to their hotel, 10 00:00:39.640 --> 00:00:42.240 he was separated from his friends briefly in the crowds 11 00:00:43.039 --> 00:00:47.200 and then disappeared. At first, it didn't seem urgent, but 12 00:00:47.320 --> 00:00:50.560 as those minutes turned into hours and hours into days, 13 00:00:50.640 --> 00:00:53.079 it became clear that this wasn't a simple case of 14 00:00:53.359 --> 00:00:57.359 someone just getting lost, and soon what began as a 15 00:00:57.399 --> 00:01:01.799 fun filled spring break vacation quickly turned into a disappearance 16 00:01:02.320 --> 00:01:07.000 tied to drug trafficking and ultimately a satanic ritual killing. 17 00:01:08.359 --> 00:01:11.319 This is the story of Mark Kilroy. 18 00:01:12.400 --> 00:01:15.959 My name's Ben, I'm Nicole, and you're listening to Wicked 19 00:01:16.000 --> 00:01:16.760 and Grim. 20 00:01:16.599 --> 00:01:25.400 A true crime podcast. The following podcast material more mature 21 00:01:25.519 --> 00:01:49.120 audience listeners. It's official. We're hooked on pick a ball. 22 00:01:50.680 --> 00:01:52.760 Yeah, I pretty much want to go and play every 23 00:01:52.760 --> 00:01:53.319 single day. 24 00:01:53.560 --> 00:01:56.719 Right. It's addicting. And I don't know if it's just 25 00:01:56.760 --> 00:01:59.359 because like we're aging and so pick a ball is 26 00:01:59.359 --> 00:02:02.079 more appealing to us, or if it's actually just legitimately 27 00:02:02.079 --> 00:02:04.000 a fun game, but either way, I'm enjoying the hell 28 00:02:04.000 --> 00:02:04.359 out of it. 29 00:02:05.200 --> 00:02:08.360 It's damn fun. But every time we've been playing, it's 30 00:02:08.400 --> 00:02:11.120 been like quite a diverse range of ages that are 31 00:02:11.479 --> 00:02:13.400 also on the court, oh for sure. So it's so 32 00:02:13.520 --> 00:02:15.879 interesting because I think it used to be kind of 33 00:02:15.879 --> 00:02:20.400 classified as you know, like a retirement hobby or sure 34 00:02:20.520 --> 00:02:21.719 sporked or whatever. 35 00:02:21.599 --> 00:02:22.960 A retiree sort of situation. 36 00:02:23.159 --> 00:02:26.360 Yeah, but now it's it just seems like all ages. 37 00:02:26.400 --> 00:02:28.599 I guess it does because we were out at the courts, 38 00:02:28.639 --> 00:02:31.520 Like last time, we were out pretty early, so all 39 00:02:31.560 --> 00:02:33.840 like the retiree ages were out there. But then we've 40 00:02:33.840 --> 00:02:36.879 been out there before and us and us the retiree ages, 41 00:02:36.919 --> 00:02:39.800 like I said, no, I'm just kidding, we're not retiring. 42 00:02:39.840 --> 00:02:42.360 We're not even forty almost. But the time before that, 43 00:02:42.439 --> 00:02:45.199 there was like a lot younger people there, like mid 44 00:02:45.199 --> 00:02:47.000 twenties and stuff, and they were having like a big 45 00:02:47.000 --> 00:02:49.960 group out. It's it's just a fun game, and I 46 00:02:49.960 --> 00:02:52.759 think it's blown up and being really popular strictly on 47 00:02:52.800 --> 00:02:55.439 the fact that it's just that a fun game. 48 00:02:56.080 --> 00:02:58.560 It's easy, it's easy just to show up and you 49 00:02:58.599 --> 00:03:01.080 have this little court too. I feel like tennis is 50 00:03:01.080 --> 00:03:03.759 a little bit daunting where you, I don't know, just 51 00:03:03.800 --> 00:03:08.000 have like this way bigger surface area, and I feel 52 00:03:09.120 --> 00:03:12.319 it takes longer to develop tennis skills, yeah, than it 53 00:03:12.360 --> 00:03:13.840 does pickle ball skills. 54 00:03:14.080 --> 00:03:17.599 Well, I think what it is is beginner pickleball is 55 00:03:17.639 --> 00:03:19.240 easier than beginner tennis. 56 00:03:19.280 --> 00:03:21.080 Maybe that's it. Yeah, well, yeah, that's it. 57 00:03:21.360 --> 00:03:24.240 Yes, because of the smaller court, the lighter ball, that 58 00:03:24.280 --> 00:03:26.319 sort of thing. It's almost just like playing a large 59 00:03:26.400 --> 00:03:27.280 version of ping pong. 60 00:03:27.639 --> 00:03:30.520 Yeah, yeah, it's pretty awesome. We might go and play later. 61 00:03:30.639 --> 00:03:32.439 We might, although we got to do our dishes from 62 00:03:32.479 --> 00:03:34.840 last night or sink is fall right now, uh huh, 63 00:03:34.879 --> 00:03:35.639 don't judge us. 64 00:03:35.919 --> 00:03:38.960 Yeah, we got a lot going on. Chickens are being menaces, so. 65 00:03:39.159 --> 00:03:40.199 It's a grit old time. 66 00:03:40.240 --> 00:03:43.439 We'll see if we have time. I know, right, Oh, rooster, 67 00:03:43.560 --> 00:03:46.039 just grow, You're gonna hear a lot of rooster crows 68 00:03:46.120 --> 00:03:47.879 this episode. I'm just gonna warn you. I'm just gonna 69 00:03:47.879 --> 00:03:50.719 put out there because I just separated a little hen 70 00:03:50.840 --> 00:03:52.319 and they're not gonna be happy about that. 71 00:03:52.520 --> 00:03:54.319 So she needs some heal in time. She's got a 72 00:03:54.360 --> 00:03:55.879 little bit of a peck injury. 73 00:03:55.960 --> 00:03:57.680 But just chickens or assholes. 74 00:03:57.800 --> 00:04:00.240 But sometimes we get comments that you guys don't hear 75 00:04:00.240 --> 00:04:03.120 the roosters. So yeah, thankfully you don't hear the roosters 76 00:04:03.159 --> 00:04:06.479 because they can be obnoxious. But yeah, now I do 77 00:04:06.560 --> 00:04:08.840 got to do a little thank you to some Patreon people. 78 00:04:08.879 --> 00:04:11.680 Okay, I was like, you're there's no segue there for you. 79 00:04:12.000 --> 00:04:14.120 Oh, I could have I could have tried, or I 80 00:04:14.120 --> 00:04:15.719 could have figured something out. I just, you know what, 81 00:04:15.719 --> 00:04:18.879 I've been trying really hard last little while, so I'm 82 00:04:18.920 --> 00:04:22.000 probably just gonna just go into it for a little 83 00:04:22.040 --> 00:04:24.199 take a break, a little bit of a break, and relax. 84 00:04:24.439 --> 00:04:25.279 That's fair that. 85 00:04:25.199 --> 00:04:26.959 Way, you know, when you're least expecting it, I can 86 00:04:27.000 --> 00:04:29.360 go right back into, you know, set the proper segues. 87 00:04:29.800 --> 00:04:31.199 But for now, I just got to think are awesome 88 00:04:31.199 --> 00:04:35.959 patrons like Amelia Avery t Swift eighty nine and Christian Oh, 89 00:04:36.040 --> 00:04:37.519 I'm not going to get your name. I'm just gonna 90 00:04:37.519 --> 00:04:40.199 call you Christian. I cannot do your last name, Miko 91 00:04:40.360 --> 00:04:44.120 led Ja Zack. I'm sorry, Christian, but thank you Christian. 92 00:04:45.040 --> 00:04:49.600 No Miko lad Ja Zack. It's Mikola and then j 93 00:04:49.720 --> 00:04:55.240 c z a k okay Ja Zack. Maybe Mikola Jazak. 94 00:04:55.519 --> 00:04:57.600 Well, maybe they can let us know if you're close. 95 00:04:57.839 --> 00:05:00.319 Maybe I don't know. I have a feeling I was 96 00:05:00.360 --> 00:05:02.600 way off. But thank you guys very much for signing 97 00:05:02.639 --> 00:05:05.120 up over in a Patreon. Just because I can't pronounce 98 00:05:05.120 --> 00:05:06.759 your name doesn't mean you don't mean a lot to us. 99 00:05:06.800 --> 00:05:09.040 You really do. Your support goes a long way, So 100 00:05:09.120 --> 00:05:10.000 thank you so much. 101 00:05:10.319 --> 00:05:12.199 It's not like this is a new thing around here. 102 00:05:12.319 --> 00:05:15.279 No, I think we've built a reputation on mispronouncing names 103 00:05:15.279 --> 00:05:18.319 at this point. I think it's just expected if I'm honest. 104 00:05:18.120 --> 00:05:19.160 Probably yep. 105 00:05:19.480 --> 00:05:21.920 Yeah. But I also do want to say one other thing. 106 00:05:22.519 --> 00:05:24.759 Today's episode should be a two parter. 107 00:05:25.160 --> 00:05:26.560 Okay, but you're not. 108 00:05:27.040 --> 00:05:31.240 I'm not doing it through. We're going through in one fell. 109 00:05:31.319 --> 00:05:35.199 Swoop, so it's going to be a doozy. Yes, there 110 00:05:35.279 --> 00:05:36.000 is an episode. 111 00:05:36.040 --> 00:05:38.040 There is a lot in this episode, so you might 112 00:05:38.079 --> 00:05:40.560 need to buckle up your seat belts. I'm guessing this 113 00:05:40.639 --> 00:05:43.360 episode is going to be somewhere in the vicinity of 114 00:05:43.399 --> 00:05:46.879 an hour and ten to an hour and twenty minutes long. 115 00:05:46.959 --> 00:05:47.639 That's my guess. 116 00:05:48.800 --> 00:05:51.079 Okay, Okay, I bet it's going to be longer. 117 00:05:51.160 --> 00:05:52.319 It might be even longer. 118 00:05:52.480 --> 00:05:53.319 Yeah, we'll see. 119 00:05:53.439 --> 00:05:56.439 Well, I think if it's if we do a lot 120 00:05:56.480 --> 00:05:58.759 of chatting and discussing on things, it could definitely be 121 00:05:58.839 --> 00:06:00.839 up to an hour and a half. But if we 122 00:06:00.920 --> 00:06:03.720 are pretty quick on some of the stuff we don't 123 00:06:03.759 --> 00:06:05.600 have a whole lot to discuss, then it might be 124 00:06:05.639 --> 00:06:07.399 on the shorter side of closer to an hour and ten. 125 00:06:07.800 --> 00:06:11.439 Okay, Well, let's hear all about it and see see 126 00:06:11.439 --> 00:06:12.079 what's going on. 127 00:06:12.319 --> 00:06:16.000 Okay. Well. Mark Kilroy was twenty one years old in 128 00:06:16.040 --> 00:06:18.639 March of nineteen eighty nine. He was a junior at 129 00:06:18.639 --> 00:06:21.519 the University of Texas, and he was already working hard 130 00:06:21.560 --> 00:06:24.920 towards his future in medicine. He was studying pre med, 131 00:06:25.040 --> 00:06:29.279 keeping his grades steady while preparing for the MCAT, which 132 00:06:29.319 --> 00:06:32.480 is the medical college admission test, and he was balancing 133 00:06:32.519 --> 00:06:35.199 that with a life that was just as active outside 134 00:06:35.240 --> 00:06:38.040 the classroom too. See. He liked to play sports, and 135 00:06:38.079 --> 00:06:42.040 he kept himself in shape. Friends described him as being reliable, 136 00:06:42.079 --> 00:06:44.000 the kind of person who showed up when he said 137 00:06:44.040 --> 00:06:46.480 he would be there, and he didn't drift into any 138 00:06:46.560 --> 00:06:50.279 sort of trouble or anything. He grew up in Santa Fe, Texas, 139 00:06:50.600 --> 00:06:53.079 in a close knit family that stayed involved in his 140 00:06:53.120 --> 00:06:56.399 life even after he left for college, and he wasn't 141 00:06:56.439 --> 00:06:59.920 someone who moved aimlessly through life. He was pretty structured. 142 00:07:00.319 --> 00:07:02.680 In fact, by the time he reached his early twenties, 143 00:07:02.720 --> 00:07:05.319 he already had his path laid out. He was going 144 00:07:05.360 --> 00:07:08.759 to finish school, get into medical training, and build a career. 145 00:07:09.600 --> 00:07:13.360 The people around him didn't just see potential, they actually 146 00:07:13.360 --> 00:07:16.040 saw someone actively moving towards it. So it wasn't just 147 00:07:16.120 --> 00:07:20.000 that potential in him, it was already in the process 148 00:07:20.040 --> 00:07:23.839 of being achieved. With Mark, though, there wasn't anything reckless 149 00:07:23.839 --> 00:07:27.639 about him. He wasn't known for taking unnecessary risks or 150 00:07:27.680 --> 00:07:30.480 pushing any sort of boundaries just to see what would happen. 151 00:07:31.279 --> 00:07:33.160 When he went out with his friends. He stayed within 152 00:07:33.199 --> 00:07:36.639 the same limits that he always did, and perhaps that's 153 00:07:37.120 --> 00:07:39.480 part of what made what happens next so difficult to 154 00:07:39.560 --> 00:07:42.800 understand for the people closest to him, but I don't 155 00:07:42.800 --> 00:07:44.680 want to get too far ahead of myself, so first 156 00:07:44.720 --> 00:07:47.839 we need to talk about March tenth, nineteen eighty nine. 157 00:07:48.759 --> 00:07:51.680 On this day, Mark had left Texas with a group 158 00:07:51.720 --> 00:07:54.600 of his friends from college and they were headed towards 159 00:07:54.800 --> 00:07:59.000 South Padre Island for spring break. This island is located 160 00:07:59.040 --> 00:08:02.279 at the southernmost tip of Texas on the east coast 161 00:08:02.319 --> 00:08:05.920 and is right near the border of Mexico. It was 162 00:08:05.959 --> 00:08:08.519 a long drive down there, and it was slowed by 163 00:08:08.560 --> 00:08:11.040 heavy fog in times of the evening and stuff, but 164 00:08:11.040 --> 00:08:13.399 it was nothing out of the ordinary or anything, and 165 00:08:13.399 --> 00:08:15.639 by the time they arrived the next day of March eleventh, 166 00:08:15.800 --> 00:08:18.959 they checked into their hotel, They unpacked and settled into 167 00:08:19.000 --> 00:08:21.439 what would become a routine for the next few days. 168 00:08:22.639 --> 00:08:25.800 During the day, it was exactly as you'd expect. The 169 00:08:25.839 --> 00:08:30.439 beach was packed with students from across the country, all partying, drinking, 170 00:08:30.560 --> 00:08:34.080 relaxing and taking advantage of the break from school. The 171 00:08:34.159 --> 00:08:37.679 music was turned up loud, alcohol was all over in 172 00:08:37.879 --> 00:08:42.120 thin plastic cups, and there were crowds everywhere. It was loud, busy, 173 00:08:42.159 --> 00:08:44.879 and probably exactly what you picture in your head. It 174 00:08:44.960 --> 00:08:46.960 was something straight out of like a two thousand's coming 175 00:08:47.000 --> 00:08:49.840 of age comedy movie sort of thing. Now at their 176 00:08:49.879 --> 00:08:52.519 location near the border, it made for fun for the 177 00:08:52.519 --> 00:08:56.879 group to start crossing the border into Madameros, Mexico. It 178 00:08:56.919 --> 00:09:00.519 was pretty common to do so. Actually, thousands of students 179 00:09:00.519 --> 00:09:03.639 were doing the very same thing. There's a bridge between 180 00:09:03.679 --> 00:09:06.440 Texas and Madame Rose and it became a steady stream 181 00:09:06.480 --> 00:09:10.039 of people moving back and forth, drawn in by cheaper 182 00:09:10.159 --> 00:09:12.639 drinks and packed bars and a night life scene that 183 00:09:12.679 --> 00:09:15.679 felt bigger and less controlled than anything on the United 184 00:09:15.679 --> 00:09:20.200 States side. So once across the bridge, the streets there 185 00:09:20.480 --> 00:09:24.519 were crowded. They were tight packed, noisy, and full of movement. 186 00:09:24.960 --> 00:09:27.679 It was essentially the beach life, but now packed into 187 00:09:27.720 --> 00:09:32.639 the streets. Bars lined the roads. People were spilling in 188 00:09:32.720 --> 00:09:35.519 and out with music overlamping from one place to the next, 189 00:09:35.559 --> 00:09:37.639 and drinks were cheap, and it didn't take much for 190 00:09:37.679 --> 00:09:40.840 the night life to get out of hand. For Mark 191 00:09:40.879 --> 00:09:45.720 and his friends, this quickly became their pattern. They spent 192 00:09:45.799 --> 00:09:49.360 the days on South Padre, crossed into Madame Morose at night, 193 00:09:49.480 --> 00:09:51.879 hit a few bars, and then made their way back 194 00:09:51.879 --> 00:09:55.440 across the bridge into the early morning hours. By the 195 00:09:55.440 --> 00:09:57.679 time they crossed into Madame Morose. For the second and 196 00:09:57.799 --> 00:10:01.519 third night, the routine was locked in. They knew where 197 00:10:01.559 --> 00:10:03.519 to go, how to move through the crowds, and how 198 00:10:03.519 --> 00:10:05.639 to get back across the bridge without thinking too much 199 00:10:05.679 --> 00:10:07.639 about it. In fact, I'm sure they were a little 200 00:10:07.639 --> 00:10:10.480 intoxicated even and could do so even in that state. 201 00:10:12.039 --> 00:10:14.440 The streets were still packed with thousands of students moving 202 00:10:14.480 --> 00:10:17.919 between bars. The crowds were shoulder to shoulder, pushing through 203 00:10:18.000 --> 00:10:20.960 narrow stretches of roads lined with musics and flashing lights. 204 00:10:21.720 --> 00:10:24.600 It was loud, messy, and as people drank heavily, they 205 00:10:24.639 --> 00:10:26.639 were drifting in and out of groups and losing track 206 00:10:26.720 --> 00:10:30.399 of time. Inside the bars, though it was even tighter 207 00:10:30.440 --> 00:10:34.600 than the streets. They'd go inside, and places like Lost 208 00:10:34.639 --> 00:10:38.120 Sombreros in the London pub were filled wall to wall. 209 00:10:38.720 --> 00:10:41.720 There wasn't much space to move as people were pressed 210 00:10:41.799 --> 00:10:44.399 up against each other, shouting over music, ordering drinks, and 211 00:10:44.440 --> 00:10:46.519 trying to stay with their friends while the crowd shifted 212 00:10:46.559 --> 00:10:50.320 around them. In honesty, it didn't take much to get separated, 213 00:10:50.360 --> 00:10:53.480 even just for a few minutes. On the evening of 214 00:10:53.480 --> 00:10:56.159 March thirteenth, Mark moved through all this the same way 215 00:10:56.200 --> 00:10:58.559 he did the previous nights in that routine they were 216 00:10:58.559 --> 00:11:02.320 settling into. He stuck with his group, went from one 217 00:11:02.360 --> 00:11:04.600 place to the next, and kept the same rhythm that 218 00:11:04.639 --> 00:11:08.159 he had already established. He wasn't wandering off, he wasn't 219 00:11:08.200 --> 00:11:11.919 acting differently from anyone else there. He was just enjoying 220 00:11:11.960 --> 00:11:15.919 the time. By the early morning hours of March fourteenth, 221 00:11:16.360 --> 00:11:19.440 the night was starting to wind down. It was around 222 00:11:19.519 --> 00:11:21.840 two am when Mark and his friends left the bars 223 00:11:21.879 --> 00:11:24.480 and began to head back towards the bridge that would 224 00:11:24.480 --> 00:11:28.279 be taking them once again to Texas. The streets were 225 00:11:28.320 --> 00:11:31.600 still crowded, but the energy had shifted. People were drunk, 226 00:11:31.720 --> 00:11:34.399 they were tired, and they were filtering out, moving in 227 00:11:34.519 --> 00:11:37.879 loose groups trying to find their way back. Mark was 228 00:11:37.919 --> 00:11:40.799 walking with his friends. He was staying close as they 229 00:11:40.840 --> 00:11:43.679 moved through the noise in the traffic of people, and 230 00:11:43.720 --> 00:11:46.600 at some point along the way, he ended up just 231 00:11:46.960 --> 00:11:50.799 slightly behind his group of friends. Now this wasn't a 232 00:11:50.840 --> 00:11:54.200 major separation. I'm talking just a couple steps at best. 233 00:11:55.159 --> 00:11:57.759 They reached an area near the bridge and his friends 234 00:11:57.840 --> 00:12:00.639 stepped off to the side, just briefly, just away from 235 00:12:00.639 --> 00:12:03.639 the crowd. Now the reason isn't clear. Perhaps someone needed 236 00:12:03.639 --> 00:12:05.639 to tie their shoelace or just use the bathroom on 237 00:12:06.039 --> 00:12:09.039 not exactly certain, but what we do know is it 238 00:12:09.039 --> 00:12:11.960 was supposed to be quick because Mark stayed where he was, 239 00:12:12.720 --> 00:12:14.600 just waiting there for them to come back so they 240 00:12:14.600 --> 00:12:17.559 can go over to the bridge. And while he stood 241 00:12:17.559 --> 00:12:22.039 there in the crowd, a man approached him. The interaction 242 00:12:22.279 --> 00:12:25.080 was normal. It was just two people talking in the 243 00:12:25.120 --> 00:12:27.200 middle of the crowded street. There was nothing about it 244 00:12:27.240 --> 00:12:30.759 that even drew any sort of attention. Now, within a 245 00:12:30.799 --> 00:12:35.000 couple of minutes, his friends came back, but Mark he 246 00:12:35.120 --> 00:12:40.519 was gone. He'd completely disappeared. At first, it didn't immediately 247 00:12:40.559 --> 00:12:45.039 register as something serious. In that environment, with people all 248 00:12:45.080 --> 00:12:48.039 over the place, and people are intoxicated in lights and 249 00:12:48.159 --> 00:12:50.240 music and bars and drinks, all this sort of thing, 250 00:12:50.279 --> 00:12:53.879 people get separated. It's very easy. And it's also easy 251 00:12:53.919 --> 00:12:56.519 to assume that he had maybe walked ahead or gone 252 00:12:56.600 --> 00:12:58.679 back with someone else that he knew, or ran into, 253 00:12:59.000 --> 00:13:01.120 or maybe taken a different r back towards the bridge. 254 00:13:01.159 --> 00:13:04.519 Who knows. It was a plethora of reasons. So Mark's 255 00:13:04.519 --> 00:13:08.080 friends continued back towards the bridge and eventually crossed into 256 00:13:08.080 --> 00:13:11.360 Texas without him, expecting that they would you find him 257 00:13:11.360 --> 00:13:13.200 already back at the hotel, or he would show up 258 00:13:13.240 --> 00:13:16.519 shortly after they did. When they arrived at the hotel, 259 00:13:16.559 --> 00:13:20.600 they waited for him, but he wasn't walking through the door, 260 00:13:21.480 --> 00:13:23.960 And as more time passed without any sign of him, 261 00:13:24.559 --> 00:13:28.799 the concern began to set in. Mark wasn't someone who 262 00:13:28.879 --> 00:13:32.000 had a habit of disappearing on his own or acting 263 00:13:32.240 --> 00:13:35.360 unpredictably in any way. He was already known for being 264 00:13:35.480 --> 00:13:38.679 very reliable. There was nothing about him that would suggest 265 00:13:38.759 --> 00:13:41.399 that he had acted in some sort of weird way 266 00:13:41.519 --> 00:13:44.879 or leave without telling anyone. So after a bit of 267 00:13:44.919 --> 00:13:48.080 a discussion, his friends decided to go back out and 268 00:13:48.159 --> 00:13:51.039 start looking for him. Now by this point, it was 269 00:13:51.120 --> 00:13:53.679 early morning and the crowds had begun to really thin out, 270 00:13:53.879 --> 00:13:56.080 but there were still enough people moving through the area 271 00:13:56.320 --> 00:13:59.600 that it wasn't completely empty. They retraced the roots that 272 00:13:59.600 --> 00:14:01.840 they had take and they returned to the bars that 273 00:14:01.879 --> 00:14:05.080 they'd been in. They'd asked anyone that they could if 274 00:14:05.120 --> 00:14:08.240 they had seen Mark, but no one had any sort 275 00:14:08.240 --> 00:14:12.000 of clear answer. No one had noticed anything. We're talking 276 00:14:12.000 --> 00:14:15.039 about places where thousands of people had been moving through 277 00:14:15.080 --> 00:14:19.000 the same space just hours earlier. Mark had blended in 278 00:14:19.080 --> 00:14:22.080 so seamlessly. If you go up and ask a bartender 279 00:14:22.120 --> 00:14:25.919 had you seen this one certain individual, he couldn't tell 280 00:14:25.960 --> 00:14:28.240 you a single face out of that entire crowd. 281 00:14:28.519 --> 00:14:31.240 Yeah, one person is most likely not going to stand. 282 00:14:31.000 --> 00:14:33.919 Out, exactly. It's a needle in a haystack. So he 283 00:14:34.360 --> 00:14:37.320 Mark had disappeared without leaving any sort of you know, 284 00:14:37.559 --> 00:14:40.440 trail or anything that would point where he'd gone to. 285 00:14:40.720 --> 00:14:43.240 I do like gone that they went out right away 286 00:14:43.559 --> 00:14:45.720 to look for him, though, Hey that they didn't just 287 00:14:46.080 --> 00:14:47.960 oh like he'll show up, we'll go to bed and 288 00:14:48.000 --> 00:14:49.519 he'll be here in the morning or whatever. 289 00:14:49.559 --> 00:14:53.600 They went right away exactly, which is great. Now, I 290 00:14:53.679 --> 00:14:56.240 also want to point out it's likely they were intoxicated too, 291 00:14:56.279 --> 00:14:59.360 So the fact that they were tired, intoxicated and still 292 00:14:59.360 --> 00:15:02.720 going out after yeah, to look for him, major props 293 00:15:02.759 --> 00:15:05.240 to that group of friends was hitting now. By the 294 00:15:05.279 --> 00:15:07.960 time the morning had fully set in, it was clear 295 00:15:08.000 --> 00:15:10.200 that this was no longer a situation that could be 296 00:15:10.320 --> 00:15:14.159 explained by a simple separation. There had been no contact, 297 00:15:14.360 --> 00:15:17.120 no sighting, and no indication that he made his way 298 00:15:17.200 --> 00:15:19.519 back across the border, even or even to the hotel, 299 00:15:20.200 --> 00:15:22.840 and at that point his friends reported him missing, and 300 00:15:22.879 --> 00:15:26.559 the situation shifted from all this confusion into a formal 301 00:15:26.600 --> 00:15:31.600 search with local authorities. But the response in those early hours, unfortunately, 302 00:15:31.679 --> 00:15:34.600 was far from urgent, and part of the reason for 303 00:15:34.639 --> 00:15:37.399 that was well, at the time, Madame Morose saw a 304 00:15:37.440 --> 00:15:40.600 steady flow of spring break tourists crossing the border every 305 00:15:40.720 --> 00:15:43.600 single night, and it wasn't uncommon for people to get 306 00:15:43.600 --> 00:15:46.919 separated from their groups, you know, staying out longer than expected, 307 00:15:47.039 --> 00:15:50.399 or leave with someone they had just met. Perhaps, so 308 00:15:50.480 --> 00:15:53.200 because of that, the initial assumption from law enforcement was 309 00:15:53.759 --> 00:15:55.720 that this was likely just another case of a student 310 00:15:55.759 --> 00:15:59.279 who simply lost track of time, you know, someone who 311 00:15:59.399 --> 00:16:02.159 maybe he was off having a fleing with someone he 312 00:16:02.159 --> 00:16:02.799 had just met. 313 00:16:03.559 --> 00:16:05.720 But to the group of friends, they know that wasn't 314 00:16:05.799 --> 00:16:07.000 him exactly. 315 00:16:07.159 --> 00:16:09.440 But still the police are like, well, maybe he'll just 316 00:16:09.480 --> 00:16:12.000 wander back soon, smelling of booze and sex and have 317 00:16:12.039 --> 00:16:13.639 a story to tell with his friends sort of thing. 318 00:16:13.759 --> 00:16:14.919 But my gosh, his. 319 00:16:14.879 --> 00:16:16.960 Friends in the meantime are just shaking their head like, no, 320 00:16:17.120 --> 00:16:20.919 that's that doesn't sound like him. Yeah, So that assumption 321 00:16:21.120 --> 00:16:24.600 shaped the early response. There was no immediate large scale 322 00:16:24.639 --> 00:16:28.840 search and no urgent mobilization. Instead, the case was treated 323 00:16:28.879 --> 00:16:31.720 as something that would likely just resolve itself once Mark 324 00:16:31.840 --> 00:16:35.559 reappeared again. However, from the perspective of his friends, it 325 00:16:35.799 --> 00:16:39.000 didn't match the situation. They knew his habits, they understood 326 00:16:39.000 --> 00:16:42.840 that disappearing without contact it just wasn't Mark, and as 327 00:16:42.840 --> 00:16:45.200 the hours turned into a full day with no sign 328 00:16:45.279 --> 00:16:51.039 of him, the pressure began to build. With Mark's whereabouts unknown, 329 00:16:51.240 --> 00:16:54.000 Soon his parents were contacted and quickly they made their 330 00:16:54.000 --> 00:16:57.480 way to the area, and their arrival brought a much 331 00:16:57.519 --> 00:17:00.320 different sense of urgency than what had initially been shown. 332 00:17:01.159 --> 00:17:04.960 From that point forward, the search became much more organized. 333 00:17:05.559 --> 00:17:08.759 A task force was soon put together, involving both US 334 00:17:08.799 --> 00:17:12.559 and Mexican authorities, and efforts began to expand beyond simply 335 00:17:12.839 --> 00:17:16.839 waiting for him to turn up again. Flyers were printed 336 00:17:16.880 --> 00:17:20.240 and distributed by the hundreds and I believe even the thousands, 337 00:17:20.279 --> 00:17:23.599 if I'm not mistaken, covering the streets in both sides 338 00:17:23.599 --> 00:17:26.720 of the border. His photo was shared widely and a 339 00:17:26.759 --> 00:17:29.880 reward was offered in the hope that someone might come 340 00:17:29.920 --> 00:17:33.920 forward with any sort of information. Volunteers joined the search, 341 00:17:34.440 --> 00:17:37.359 and the case began to gain attention beyond the immediate area. 342 00:17:38.359 --> 00:17:42.160 Despite the increased attention, though the investigation itself struggled to 343 00:17:42.160 --> 00:17:46.759 produce anything concrete. Tips started pouring in from both sides 344 00:17:46.759 --> 00:17:50.440 of the border. Some were based on vague sightings, others 345 00:17:50.519 --> 00:17:53.799 on secondhand information, and many couldn't be verified at all. 346 00:17:54.599 --> 00:17:58.240 Investigators followed what they could, but each lead required time, 347 00:17:58.519 --> 00:18:01.920 and most of them ended the same way, a dead end. 348 00:18:02.720 --> 00:18:04.400 And to top it all off, there was still no 349 00:18:04.440 --> 00:18:08.160 physical evidence, no confirmed witness who could describe what had happened, 350 00:18:08.400 --> 00:18:12.640 and no clear direction to focus on. So media coverage 351 00:18:12.799 --> 00:18:17.920 increased more and Mark's disappearance began reaching authorities outside the 352 00:18:17.920 --> 00:18:22.160 immediate region too. His photo was circulating more broadly, and 353 00:18:22.359 --> 00:18:25.279 cash reward of about a fifteen thousand dollars reward was 354 00:18:25.279 --> 00:18:28.240 offered for information leading to his whereabouts, which brought additional 355 00:18:28.240 --> 00:18:31.559 response from the public, and with that attention came pressure 356 00:18:31.880 --> 00:18:35.119 on law enforcement to produce answers and on the family, 357 00:18:35.160 --> 00:18:38.200 who were now dealing with the public visibility. In fact, 358 00:18:38.240 --> 00:18:40.960 one of the most difficult moments during this period came 359 00:18:40.960 --> 00:18:43.519 when the family received a call from someone claiming to 360 00:18:43.599 --> 00:18:47.920 have Mark. The caller said he was alive and demanded 361 00:18:47.960 --> 00:18:52.359 money in exchange for his return. Now, this call introduced 362 00:18:52.359 --> 00:18:55.279 a very new possibility that he had been taken and 363 00:18:55.359 --> 00:18:58.319 could still be recovered, but it also came with a 364 00:18:58.359 --> 00:19:02.799 massive risk. Acting on it meant responding quickly without knowing 365 00:19:02.880 --> 00:19:06.759 if the claim was legitimate, but still they had to 366 00:19:06.799 --> 00:19:10.400 act so soon. Arrangements were made to meet and money 367 00:19:10.480 --> 00:19:13.440 was brought as well as it was instructed. But when 368 00:19:13.440 --> 00:19:15.880 the meeting took place, it became clear that the call 369 00:19:15.920 --> 00:19:18.599 had been a scam and the person responsible had no 370 00:19:18.640 --> 00:19:21.119 connection to Mark in any way and had just taken 371 00:19:21.119 --> 00:19:23.359 advantage of the situation to try and cash in. 372 00:19:23.920 --> 00:19:26.599 H that's a piss off. It also taken advantage of 373 00:19:26.640 --> 00:19:30.920 the parents' emotions exactly thinking oh, man, like, okay, we're 374 00:19:30.920 --> 00:19:32.839 gonna get our son back, because I can't imagine this 375 00:19:32.839 --> 00:19:34.480 would be a very easy time for them. 376 00:19:34.599 --> 00:19:35.519 No, it would be tough. 377 00:19:35.559 --> 00:19:37.599 And then they're just like, oh, just kidding, We're just 378 00:19:37.599 --> 00:19:38.559 an asshole. 379 00:19:38.240 --> 00:19:41.160 Basically, And the next sentence I literally have written is 380 00:19:41.200 --> 00:19:44.079 so Ultimately it led to a dead end at the 381 00:19:44.119 --> 00:19:47.359 cost of their emotional turmoil. So yeah, exactly what you're saying. 382 00:19:47.440 --> 00:19:49.759 It's brutal, and you got to be a real douche 383 00:19:49.759 --> 00:19:53.359 canoe to try and cash in on that. Now, that 384 00:19:53.480 --> 00:19:57.799 moment reinforced reality where the investigation stood. Despite the number 385 00:19:57.799 --> 00:20:01.079 of people involved, despite the level of attention it was getting, 386 00:20:01.599 --> 00:20:03.880 and the amount of effort being put into the search, 387 00:20:04.000 --> 00:20:07.359 there was still nothing that pointed clearly to what had happened. 388 00:20:07.839 --> 00:20:10.640 The case had grown in scale, but it hadn't moved 389 00:20:10.880 --> 00:20:13.920 forward in any sort of meaningful way. They were just 390 00:20:14.200 --> 00:20:19.160 still at square one, and that was it. Nearly every 391 00:20:19.400 --> 00:20:23.079 reliable option had been explored without producing a single result. 392 00:20:23.880 --> 00:20:26.319 The lack of progress wasn't due to a lack of effort. 393 00:20:26.359 --> 00:20:29.680 It was due to a lack of usable information. There 394 00:20:29.680 --> 00:20:32.920 were no confirmed suspects, or reliable witnesses, or physical evidence 395 00:20:32.960 --> 00:20:35.880 tying Mark to any specific location after he was last seen. 396 00:20:36.640 --> 00:20:40.200 Investigators were working with a timeline that ended so abruptly, 397 00:20:40.599 --> 00:20:44.880 and everything beyond that was just uncertain. Now. While the 398 00:20:44.920 --> 00:20:48.440 search tried to move forward from this, there was an 399 00:20:48.640 --> 00:20:52.799 entirely separate reality unfolding just outside of Madame Morose that 400 00:20:52.880 --> 00:20:57.440 no one involved in the investigation had connected. Yet. It 401 00:20:57.519 --> 00:21:00.440