SOPHIA.
SOPHIA. THE QUESTION IS WILL THAT SOMEONE COME FORWARD COMPLETING
BEING JUST SOMEBODY OUT HERE,
MY DAUGHTER EVEN STUFF, YOU
KNOW, JUST SOMETHING WAS OFF
SOMEHTING JUST WASN'T RIGHT.
>> A SCENE WHERE THERE'S BLOOD
AND THERE'S PEOPLE CRYING.
AT THE VERY SAME PLACE WHERE IT
HAPPENED 20 YEARS LATER, THE
PAIN IS VISCERAL AND HE'S BEEN
HOLDING ME.
>> IT WAS CHRISTMAS EVE THE
YEAR 2000.
TINA MENDOZA'S DAUGHTER SOPHIA
NEEDED TO RUN A LAST MINUTE
AARON FOR HER FOUR YEAR OLD
DAUGHTER JASMINE.
THAT NIGHT SHE WANTED TO GO
CHRISTMAS SHOPPING FOR YOU
KNOW, SHE FOUND A SCOOTER FOR
SOPHIA, TOLD HER BEST FRIEND
LISA SHE WOULD TAKE A RAIN
CHECK ON THEIR PLANS TO HANG
OUT.
SHE WAS GONNA CALL ME WHEN SHE
GOT HOME.
SURPISE MOM WENT TO BED BUT
SCREAMS FROM OUTSIDE WOKE HER
UP.
I CAME OUTSIDE.
SOPHIA WAS STANDING BEHIND HER
CAR HOLDING HER POINT DOWN THIS
YUGO GETTING MY BIG STEP.
SO INSTEAD OF RUNNING TO HER, I
RAN BACK IN THE HOUSE THAT HAD
A CORDLESS PHONE KNOWS GORDON
OVR INSIDE THE HOUSE ON THE
PHONE AND I COULDN'T FIND IT.
AND ONCE I GOT OLD AND 11 I
PLEASE GET SOMEBODY OUT HERE
THAT MY DAUGHTER HAS BEEN
STABBED.
TURN TURMOIL CALLING OVERDOSE.
TULLOCK STOCKS AND POLICE BEGAN
THEIR SEARCH FOR A SUSPECT.
A LIGHT COLORED FORD
THUNDERBIRD OR MERCURY COUGAR
WAS SEEN LEAVING THE AREA AT
THE TIME OF THE MURDER.
THERE ONLY WITNESS WAS SOPHIA
WHO DIED SHORTLY AFTER BEING
RUSHED TO THE HOSPITAL.
ONE THIRTY FIVE IS WHEN THEY
PRONOUNCED MY DAUGHTER THAT SHE
DID NOT MEET.
BUT I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW WHO
DID THIS AND WHY IT DIDN'T GET
ANY EASIER.
>> GETS MORE HARDER AND HARDER.
DETECTIVES FOUND SOPHIA LYING
NEXT TO HER CAR BLEEDING
PROFUSELY.
HER CAR WAS FULL OF CHRISTMAS
PRESENTS FOR HER DAUGHTER.
THEY DO NOT BELIEVE ANY
PRESENCE WAS STOLEN.
WHEN I GET THE CALL AND YOU
KNOW IT'S CHRISTMAS EVE OR IT'S
ABOUT TO BE CHRISTMAS EVE AND
ALL OF A SUDDEN I'M MOUNTAIN
FREEZING COLD.
I'VE BEEN IN A LOT OF SCENES
THAT THIS IS KIND OF SURREAL
BECAUSE IT JUST IT WAS JUST
PERSONAL.
ED RODRIGUEZ WAS ONE OF THE
LEAD DETECTIVES ON THE CASE.
HE HELPED ESTABLISH FIFTY
THOUSAND DOLLAR REWARD FOR
INFORMATION GROWING UP WITH THE
FAMILY.
AND I'VE GONE THROUGH A LOT
OF THEIR AGONY.
HE NOW LEADS THE COLD CASE UNIT
FOR THE SAN WEKEEND COUNTY
DISTRICT ATTORNEY'S OFFICE.
HE SAYS THIS CASE IS A
DIFFICULT ONE.
IT'S JUST ONE STUMBLING BLOCK
AFTER ANOTHER.
YOU KNOW, EVERY TIME I TAKE ONE
STEPS FORWARD STEP TWO STEPS
BACK.
HE SAYS MOST OF THE PEOPLE
INTERVIEWED GAVE BAD
INFORMATION WHICH LED
DETECTIVES DOWN UNNECESSARY
PASS.
IT'S BEEN 20 YEARS BECAUSE
OF THAT.
LISA ALSO TOLD ABOUT A
SUSPICIOUS PHONE CALL MADE TO
SOFIA.
DAYS BEFORE SHE WAS MURDERED.
HOW DO YOU JUST.
SOMETHING WAS OFF.
SOMETHING
SOMETHING JUST WASN'T RIGHT. I KEPT ASKING HER, YOU KNOW, LIKE WHAT'S GOING ON WITH YOU?
WHAT'S GOING ON?
TALK TO ME PLEASE.
AND SHE SAID THAT THAT THE
NIGHT BEFORE SOMEONE CALLED HER
AND SAID THAT THEY WERE GONNA
KILL HER.
RODRIGUEZ NEVER HAD INFORMATION
ABOUT THE CALLS SOPHIA TOLD
LISA ABOUT.
THERE'S NO DOUBT IN MY MIND
THAT THERE'S SOMEONE OUT THERE
ASIDE FROM THE PERSON THE
ACTUAL SUSPECT THAT KNOWS
SOMETHING ABOUT THIS EVERY
CHRISTMAS EVE IS A REMINDER.
THIS CASE IS UNSOLVED.
>> THIS IS SUPPOSED TO BE OUR
BEST CHRISTMAS THAT WE WERE
GOING TO DO FOR THE KIDS AND I
DON'T CELEBRATE CHRISTMAS NO
MORE.
MESSAE CELEBRATING HER DEATH.
>> WHEN YOU OPEN UP THE TRUNK
AND YOU SEE, YOU KNOW,
CHRISTMAS PRESENTS, IT GETS TO
YOU.
IT GOT TO ALL OF US.
SHE WAS THE BRIDE LIGHT IN THE
ROOM.
A FRIEND TO MANY A DAUGHTER AND
A MOTHER.
TINA SAYS SOMEONE DESTROYED THE
BEAUTIFUL LIFE SHE WAS MEANT TO
HAVE.
DAYS I THINK ABOUT MY DAUGHTER
THAT THE WHY HOW COULD THAT I
COULD JUST FEEL THE PAIN SHE
WENT THROUGH.
I HAVE NO ENEMIES.
TO ME SHE WAS LOVED BY
EVERYBODY.