ENTIRE
ENTIRE CASE FILE, INCLUDING INTERROGATION WITH MEGAN'S
MOTHER, AND THEY DID.
SURROUNDED BY ROLLING GREEN
FARM HILL, RURAL YAMHILL COUNTY
WAS THE PERFECT BACKDROP FOR A
WEDDING.
WEDDING.
WEDDING. IT'S WINE COUNTRY.
BUT WHEN ONE OF THE GUESTS
NEVER MADE IT HOME, HER MOM
CALLED FOR HELP.
>> WE WERE IN A WEDDING, AND
SHE WAS UPSET, AND GOT OUT OF
THE CAR, AND I HAVEN'T HEARD
FROM HER SINCE.
>> SOON POLICE DISCOVERED THE
MISSING WOMAN'S MOTHER DID NOT
TELL THE WHOLE STORY.
>> I DO NOT KNOW WHAT HAPPENED
TO HER.
TO HER.
TO HER. >> KEY EVIDENCE LED
INVESTIGATORS TO BELIEVE, THIS
WASN'T JUST A MISSING PERSON'S
CASE.
CASE.
CASE. >>
CASE. >> THAT WAS MY FIRST CLUE THAT
THINGS MAY NOT BE AS THEY SEEM.
>> 27-YEAR-OLD MEGAN CORDY WAS
LOVED DEARLY.
LOVED DEARLY. OFTEN SEEN IN PHOTOGRAPHS
SMILING, SURROUNDED BY FRIENDS,
BUT THE CENTER OF HER UNIVERSE
WAS MEGAN'S DAUGHTER.
THE 3-YEAR-OLD APPEARED IN
COUNTLESS PHOTOS, ON MEGAN'S
INSTAGRAM FEED.
INSTAGRAM FEED. ON AUGUST 18th, THEY HEADED TO
A FRIEND'S HOUSE NEAR DAYTON.
ON THE WAY, THE THREE STOPPED
AT GRAND ISLAND STORE TO GET
THE LITTLE GIRL A SPRITE.
THIS SURVEILLANCE VIDEO WOULD
CAPTURE SOME OF THE LAST IMAGES
OF MEGAN ALIVE.
>> IT'S A GREAT DAY.
IT'S A REALLY NICE DAY.
>> MEGAN'S MOTHER, JENNIFER
WEATHERS TOLD POLICE, SHE
CELEBRATED AT THE RECEPTION,
DRINKING WINE.
DRINKING WINE. BY THE TIME THEY LEFT AROUND
10:30 AT NIGHT, SEVERAL WEDDING
GUESTS TOLD POLICE, JENNIFER,
THE MOM SHOULD NOT HAVE BEEN
DRIVING.
DRIVING.
DRIVING. >> WHEN WE LEFT, I HONESTLY DID
NOT FEEL LIKE THAT.
BECAUSE WHEN MEGAN AND I WERE
WALKING TO THE CAR, I FELT
FINE.
FINE.
FINE. >>
FINE. >> YOU WEREN'T SWERVING OR
ANYTHING LIKE THAT?
>> NOT THAT I THOUGHT.
>> HOW ABOUT MEGAN, HOW WAS
SHE?
SHE?
SHE? >>
SHE? >> MEGAN ALSO SEEMED FINE.
>> BUT THEY WEREN'T FINE.
THE TWO BEGAN TO ARGUE AS THEY
DROVE AWAY FROM THE WEDDING.
>> MEGAN AND I HAVE A
RELATIONSHIP WHERE I CAN SAY
ONE THING, AND IT TURNS INTO A
GINORMOUS THING.
GINORMOUS THING. >> SHE SLOWED TO ABOUT 5 MILES
AN HOUR, JENNIFER SAYS MEGAN
JUMPED FROM THE BACKSEAT.
>> I WASN'T MOVING.
I WAS ALMOST STOPPED.
>> OUTSIDE, MEGAN WAS NOWHERE
TO BE FOUND.
SHE SEEMINGLY DISAPPEARED IN
THE DARKNESS OF THIS UNFAMILIAR
ROAD.
ROAD.
ROAD. >>
ROAD. >> I WAS SO FOCUSED ON TRYING
TO FIND MEGAN, AND CALL HER
NAME, AND TRYING TO HEAR HER.
SO I DROVE BACK AND FORTH
PROBABLY FOR ABOUT A HALF AN
HOUR.
HOUR.
HOUR. >>
HOUR. >> WITH NO SIGN OF HER
DAUGHTER, AND A LITTLE GIRL IN
THE BACKSEAT, JENNIFER HEADED
HOME.
HOME.
HOME. >>
HOME. >> DID YOU TRY AND CALL HER?
>> TRY TO CALL MEGAN?
NOPE.
NOPE.
NOPE. I
NOPE. I DID NOT.
>> WHY NOT?
>> I DON'T KNOW.
IT DIDN'T EVEN OCCUR TO ME TO
TRY TO CALL HER.
>> THE NEXT MORNING AFTER NO
WORD FROM HER DAUGHTER,
JENNIFER CALLED POLICE ON THE
NONEMERGENCY LINE.
NONEMERGENCY LINE. >> I CHECKED THE HOSPITALS, AND
I CHECKED THE JAILS, AND SHE'S
NOT IN EITHER ONE OF THOSE.
>> A GROUP OF VOLUNTEER
SEARCHERS QUICKLY CAME
TOGETHER.
TOGETHER.
TOGETHER. MEGAN'S FATHER IS A CLACKAMAS
FIRE CAPTAIN.
FIRE CAPTAIN. SEARCH CREWS SPENT DAYS
TRAMPLING THROUGH OPEN FIELDS,
RUGGED BRUSH, AND WATER, BUT
FOUND NOTHING.
FOUND NOTHING. >> IT'S AMAZING THAT WE HAVEN'T
FOUND SOMETHING.
FOUND SOMETHING. >> THIS YOUNG MOTHER, MEGAN
CORDY WAS MISSING, AND NOBODY
SEEMED TO KNOW WHERE SHE WAS,
AND IF THEY DID, THEY WEREN'T
SAYING.
SAYING.
SAYING. >> DO YOU THINK JENNIFER WAS
MISLEADING YOU, OR TRULY DIDN'T
REMEMBER WHAT HAPPENED?
>> WELL, THAT'S HARD TO SAY.
>> BEHIND THE SCENES, DETECTIVE
TODD STEEL ADMITS THINGS DIDN'T
ADD UP.
ADD UP.
ADD UP. MEGAN'S CELL PHONE AND SHOES
WERE FOUND IN THE FRONT SEAT,
WHEN HER MOTHER SAID MEGAN HAD
JUMPED FROM THE BACK.
THEN THIS.
THEN THIS. POLICE FOUND CLUMPS OF HAIR IN
THE CAR.
THE CAR.
THE CAR. >> A LARGE MAJORITY OF IT,
ACTUALLY HAD ROOTS STILL
ATTACHED.
ATTACHED.
ATTACHED. SO IT'S NOT THE TYPE OF HAIR
THAT'S GOING TO FALL OUT WHILE
YOU'RE BRUSHING.
YOU'RE BRUSHING. >> WHAT DOES THAT TELL YOU?
>> WELL, IT GOT PULLED OUT.
SOME TYPE OF A PHYSICAL
ALTERCATION OCCURRED INSIDE
THAT VEHICLE.
THAT VEHICLE. >> JENNIFER HADN'T TOLD THEM
ABOUT A PHYSICAL FIGHT.
SO DETECTIVES PUSHED FOR
ANSWERS.
ANSWERS.
ANSWERS. THERE HAD TO BE MORE TO THE
STORY.
STORY.
STORY. >>
STORY. >> DID YOU TELL HER TO GET OUT?
>> NO, ABSOLUTELY NOT.
>> DID YOU DRAG HER OUT?
>> NO, ABSOLUTELY NOT.
>> WHEN CONFRONTED WITH THIS IN
DISCOVERY, JENNIFER ADMITTED
THINGS HAD GOTTEN PHYSICAL IN
THE CAR.
THE CAR.
THE CAR. SHE STRUGGLED TO BREAK FREE.
>> WHEN SHE FINALLY LET GO OF
MY HAIR, SHE'S WHEN SHE STARTED
OPENING THE DOOR, SAYING I'M
GOING TO GET OUT.
>> JENNIFER STUCK TO HER
ORIGINAL STORY, TELLING POLICE,
JENNIFER LEFT THE CAR, NOT FAR
FROM THE WEDDING, NEVER TO BE
SEEN AGAIN.
SEEN AGAIN. >> WHAT DO YOU THINK HAPPENED?
>> I HONESTLY DON'T KNOW.
>> SHE FEARED HER DAUGHTER WAS
HURT, LOST, OR WORSE.
>> I JUST THINK SHE SHOULD HAVE
BEEN ABLE TO GET TO A PHONE,
AND IF SHE COULDN'T, THEN
SOMETHING WAS WRONG.
EITHER SHE'S HURT AND CAN'T GET
TO A PHONE, OR SOMEONE TOOK
HER.
HER.
HER. AND
HER. AND THAT'S THE WORST.
>> AFTER FOUR DAYS OF
SEARCHING, POLICE SUSPENDED THE
SEARCH FOR MEGAN.
HER FRIENDS AND FAMILY
STRUGGLED FOR ANSWERS.
THEN --
THEN --
THEN -- >> WE BEGIN AT 4:00, WITH A SAD
UPDATE TO A STORY WE'VE BEEN
FOLLOWING ALL WEEK.
THE BODY OF A MISSING WOMAN HAS
BEEN FOUND.
BEEN FOUND. >> MEGAN'S BODY WAS FOUND OUT
OF SIGHT, DOWN AN EMBANKMENT
OFF HIGHWAY 18 NEAR DAYTON.
SHE SUFFERED FATAL INJURIES.
>> NOW IT'S UP TO THE YAMHILL'S
CRIME TEAM TO FIGURE OUT WHAT
HAPPENED TO THIS YOUNG MOTHER?
>> IT WAS A GRIM DISCOVERY THAT
RAISED MORE QUESTIONS.
MEGAN WAS FOUND 9 MILES FROM
WHERE JENNIFER SAID SHE JUMPED
FROM THE CAR.
COULD THIS BE FOUL PLAY?
>> CONCERNED.
>> CONCERNED. WHY IS MEGAN THERE?
HOW DID SHE GET THERE, AND DID
SOMEBODY DO SOMETHING TO HER?
>> TO HELP SOLVE THIS MYSTERY,
POLICE WOULD TURN TO AN
UNLIKELY WITNESS.
UNLIKELY WITNESS. REMEMBER, THERE WERE THREE
PEOPLE IN THE CAR THAT NIGHT
WHO WOULD KNOW WHAT HAPPENED.
JENNIFER, MEGAN, AND MEGAN'S 3-
YEAR-OLD DAUGHTER.
YEAR-OLD DAUGHTER. >> THEY BROUGHT HER IN, AND SHE
HAD A STORY TO TELL.
>> THE 3-YEAR-OLD SHARED A
SIMPLE, YET IMPORTANT DETAIL.
SHE TOLD INVESTIGATORS HER MOM
GOT OUT OF THE CAR NOT ONCE,
BUT TWICE.
BUT TWICE. >> IT ACTUALLY KIND OF MADE
SENSE WHAT SHE WAS SAYING.
>> AUTOPSY RESULTS AND CRASH
ANALYSIS, COMBINED WITH THE
LITTLE GIRL'S STORY HELPED
POLICE PEACE TOGETHER THIS
MYSTERIOUS DEATH ONCE AND FOR
ALL.
ALL.
ALL. ACCORDING TO INVESTIGATORS,
THERE WAS A SECOND INCIDENT,
AFTER JENNIFER CONVINCED MEGAN
TO GET BACK INTO THE CAR.
IT OCCURRED ROUGHLY 9 MILES
AWAY.
AWAY.
AWAY. AS
AWAY. AS THEY DROVE HOME, ANOTHER
ARGUMENT BROKE OUT.
AND ON THIS CURVED PORTION OF
FOSTER ROAD, SOMETHING TERRIBLE
HAPPENED.
HAPPENED.
HAPPENED. JENNIFER EITHER FELL FROM AN
UNLATCHED DOOR FROM THE
BACKSEAT, OR JUMPED FROM THE
MOVING VEHICLE, AS IT
ACCELERATED AROUND THE CORNER.
>> THE DETECTIVES FELT SHE
JUMPED.
JUMPED.
JUMPED. EITHER WAY, IT IS LEAVING THE
SPEED AT SHE LEFT IT, AND
STRIKING THE POST ON THE
GUARDRAILS, THAT'S WHAT CAUSED
HER DEATH.
HER DEATH. >> MEGAN DIED INSTANTLY, AND
ROLLED DOWN THE EMBANKMENT.
>> IT'S ALMOST UNFATHOMABLE
THAT SOMEONE WOULD NOT STOP AT
THE INSTANT THAT SHE LEFT THE
CAR.
CAR.
CAR. >>
CAR. >> BARRY BELIEVES, JENNIFER HAD
TO KNOW SOMETHING HAPPENED TO
HER DAUGHTER, AND DROVE OFF.
>> HOW COULD YOU HAVE A CAR
DOOR OPEN FAR ENOUGH THAT
SOMEBODY COULD GET OUT OF THE
CAR, AND NOT HEAR IT?
>> POLICE AND PROSECUTORS SPENT
NEARLY A MONTH REVIEWING THE
CASE FILE TO DETERMINE IF A
CRIME HAD BEEN COMMITTED, BUT
THERE WAS NOTHING TO INDICATE
MEGAN WAS FORCED, OR PUSHED
FROM THE CAR.
IT WAS DEEMED AN ACCIDENT.
IN THE END, JENNIFER WEATHERS
WAS CONVICTED OF DUI AND
SENTENCED TO FIVE DAYS IN JAIL.
THERE WOULD BE NO CHARGES IN
THE DEATH OF HER DAUGHTER.
>> WHY IS IT THAT JENNIFER
WASN'T PROSECUTED?
WASN'T PROSECUTED? >> WE COULD PROVE ELEMENTS OF A
FEW DIFFERENT CRIMES.
WE JUST COULDN'T PROVE ALL THE
ELEMENTS OF ANY ONE CRIME
RELATED TO THE DEATH.
AND THAT'S WHY SHE WASN'T
CHARGED RELATED TO THE DEATH.
>> PROSECUTORS ADMIT THEY MAY
NEVER GET THE FULL STORY FROM
MEGAN'S MOM.
MEGAN'S MOM. >> DO YOU THINK JENNIFER WAS
INTENTIONALLY WITHHOLDING
INTENTIONALLY WITHHOLDING INFORMATION?
INFORMATION? >> I DON'T KNOW.
AND THE REASON I SAY THAT, IS I
WONDER HOW INTOXICATED SHE WAS.
WE KNOW SHE WAS INTOXICATED
WHEN SHE LEFT.
DID SHE REALLY NOT KNOW WHERE
SHE WAS AT THE TIME THAT MEGAN
LEFT THE CAR?
>> DURING THE INVESTIGATION,
POLICE GAVE JENNIFER A LIE
DETECTOR TEST, WHICH CAME BACK
INCONCLUSIVE.
INCONCLUSIVE. DETECTIVES ASKED HER TO TAKE
ANOTHER POLYGRAPH.
ANOTHER POLYGRAPH. SHE INITIALLY AGREED.
THEN CANCELED.
THEN CANCELED. AND HASN'T SPOKEN WITH
DETECTIVES SINCE.
DETECTIVES SINCE. [ MUSIC ]