"This is the story of Roberta Lee." — Ashley Flowers
"The defense argues that searchers and bloodhounds were within 90 feet of where BB was eventually found, but they didn't pick up on her send, or find her for five weeks." — Ashley Flowers
"The prosecution claims that they didn't give Brad any information about where BB's body was, what state her body was in, how she died, all of that. And so they're saying like we believe his confession because he was able to give us those details. He details these things." — Ashley Flowers
The episode chronicles the 1984 disappearance of Roberta Lee ("BB") after a run in Redwood Park with her boyfriend, Brad, and a friend. Her roommates became concerned when she failed to return home, initiating a missing person report and subsequent extensive search of the park. Early in the investigation, Brad's demeanor and conflicting accounts of his last sighting of BB raised suspicion. A key witness reported seeing a woman resembling BB being forced into a van, a lead that was pursued with a composite sketch but ultimately did not yield definitive results.
The case took a grim turn when BB's body was discovered approximately 700 feet from where she was last seen. The autopsy revealed multiple skull fractures, indicating she was struck with a blunt instrument. Investigators focused on Brad, who eventually provided a confession detailing the assault and concealment of BB's body. However, this confession was later recanted, with Brad claiming it was coerced by investigators through psychological manipulation and threats. During his trial, significant inconsistencies emerged between Brad's confession and the physical evidence found at the crime scene, particularly regarding the nature of BB's injuries.
The trial itself was lengthy and complex, with conflicting testimonies from witnesses, including Robin, BB's friend, and searchers. The defense highlighted the lack of definitive forensic evidence linking Brad to the crime and questioned the thoroughness of the police investigation, particularly regarding the search dog's initial failure to locate BB's body and the missed leads like the "man in the van" sighting. Despite the prosecution's efforts to establish premeditation, the jury deadlocked on murder charges, ultimately leading to a mistrial. Brad was later convicted of voluntary manslaughter in a second trial and served a portion of his sentence. The episode concludes by exploring the possibility of another perpetrator, Michael Patrick H., who was active in the Bay Area at the time and bore a resemblance to the suspect described by the van witness, further underscoring the unresolved nature of BB's death.