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(T8 OPEN)
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BRIAN:..SHE WAS A YOUNG MOTHER
OF TWO WHO DISAPPEARED TWO
MONTHS AGO FROM HER WEST
MICHIGAN HOME.AMBER GRIFFIN IS
STILL MISSING, THE PRESUMED
VICTIM OF A HOMICIDE.HER
BOYFRIEND, CHARGED WITH
MURDER. BUT POLICE SAY MURDER.
CHARGED WITH MURDER. BUT
POLICE SAY CLUES LEFT BEHIND
HELP TELL THE STORY OF HER
DEATH.
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TARGET 8 INVESTIGATOR KEN
KOLKER AND PRODUCER CARTER
GENT SPOKE TO POLICE, FAMILY
MEMBERS AND OTHERS WHO KNEW
HER.TONIGHT, KEN IS TAKING US
INSIDE THE INVESTIGATION AND
THE SEARCH FOR HER BODY.
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KEN:..THOSE CLUES LEFT BEHIND
IN THE DISAPPEARANCE OF AMBER
GRIFFIN INCLUDE BLOOD
DISCOVERED INSIDE A HOME AND
ON A CAR, A 911 CALL, AND,
PERHAPS MOST CRITICAL TO
POLICE: A RECEIPT.
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WHEN AMBER GRIFFIN
DISAPPEARED, THOSE WHO KNEW
AND LOVED HER SPOKE OF HER IN
THE PRESENT TENSE. THE ONLY
OPTION FOR THE HOPEFUL.
PERHAPS, AS HER BOYFRIEND TOLD
THEM, AMBER HAD JUST WALKED
AWAY ON HER OWN.OR, PERHAPS
NOT.NOW, THEY SPEAK IN THE
PAST
TENSE.
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CARMAN GRIFFIN, AMBER'S MOM:
"SHE DIDN'T JUST DISAPPEAR,
NO, SHE WOULDN'T HAVE."THE
EVIDENCE, POLICE SAY, SUGGESTS
SHE WAS THE VICTIM OF A BRUTAL
HOMICIDE, EVEN THOUGH THEY
STILL HAVEN'T FOUND HER BODY.
AMBER GRIFFIN'S MOTHER, CARMAN
GRIFFIN, ALSO SPEAKS IN THE
PAST TENSE, EXCEPT WHEN SHE'S
WITH AMBER'S CHILDREN. AMBER
IS, OR WAS, HER ONLY
CHILD. CARMAN GRIFFIN, AMBER'S
MOM: "SHE LOVED THE KIDS; THEY
LOVE BEING AROUND HER. KKO:
AND THEY STILL THINK SHE MIGHT
BE ALIVE. HER: YUP. HER
DAUGHTER, ESPECIALLY."AMBER IS
THE MOTHER OF A 7-YEAR-OLD BOY
AND 11-YEAR-OLD GIRL. IT WAS
ON MONDAY, JUNE 22, AT 10:02
P.M., THAT AMBER LAST TEXTED
HER MOM."TELL DC AND MELLO
(HER KIDS) I LOVE THEM AND I
PROMISE LIFE WILL BE BETTER
FOR ALL OF US SOON."
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AMBER AND HER LONG-TIME
BOYFRIEND, DEREK HORTON, LIVED
TOGETHER IN BEDFORD TOWNSHIP,
HERE IN A CLUSTER OF CAMPERS
IN A CORNER OF CREEK VALLEY
MOBILE HOME PARK.HE TOLD HER
MOTHER ON WEDNESDAY, JUNE
24TH, THAT SHE HAD WALKED AWAY
TWO DAYS
EARLIER. CARMAN GRIFFIN,
AMBER'S MOM: "HE SAID HE'D
BEEN OUT LOOKING WITH HIS
FAMILY."AMBER'S MOM AND THE
BOYFRIEND REPORTED HER MISSING
THAT DAY TO BATTLE CREEK
POLICE."WHERE ARE YOU,"
AMBER'S MOM TEXTED HER. "I
REPORTED U MISSING. WE R
LOOKING FOR YOU." "CALL ME
PLZ. I AM WORRIED ABOUT YOU
WHERE R U."
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JOEL CASE, BCPD: "HIS
ORIGINAL STORY WAS THAT SHE
WAS OUTSIDE LISTENING TO MUSIC
IN THE VEHICLE AND SHE JUST UP
AND WALKED AWAY. LEFT HER ID,
HER WALLET, HER PHONE, HER
INSULIN, SHE'S INSULIN
DEPENDENT."POLICE QUICKLY GREW
SUSPICIOUS. AMBER ALWAYS
TEXTED HER MOM BACK. AND SHE
NEVER MISSED WORK ON THE HVAC
LINE AT DENSO MANUFACTURING IN
BATTLE CREEK WITHOUT CALLING.
THEY FOUND BLOOD ON THE
OUTSIDE OF THE PASSENGER SIDE
DOOR OF AMBER'S 2003 CHEVY
IMPALA. HORTON TOLD POLICE SHE
HAD CUT HERSELF. POLICE LATER
FOUND BLOOD IN THE CAR'S TRUNK.
THEN, THERE WAS THE HISTORY OF
REPORTED VIOLENCE -- CHARGES
HE ASSAULTED AMBER TWICE IN
2019. CHARGES LATER
DISMISSED. CARMAN GRIFFIN,
AMBER'S MOM: "SHE WAS SCARED
OF HIM, AND SHE KNEW SHE COULD
NOT GO TO COURT, HE WAS NOT
GOING TO LET HER GO TO COURT.
HE WAS NOT GOING TO LET HER GO
TO COURT."POLICE SUSPICIONS
GREW EVEN MORE WHEN THEY
DISCOVERED A 911 CALL FROM
AMBER'S PHONE -- AT 2:02 IN
THE MORNING ON TUESDAY, JUNE
23RD -- JUST HOURS AFTER THAT
TEXT SHE'D SENT TO HER MOM.
AMBER'S MOM LATER LISTENED TO
SOME OF THE 911 CALL, JUST
ENOUGH TO ID THE VOICES OF HER
DAUGHTER AND DEREK
HORTON. CARMAN GRIFFIN,
AMBER'S MOM: "I HEARD HIM SAY,
WHY WOULD YOU DO THAT? AND
SHE'S LIKE WHY DOES IT MATTER,
AND A DISTANT LIKE, YOU CAN
JUST HEAR HER SCREAMING AND
THEN GETTING AWAY FROM THE
PHONE."AFTER AMBER WAS
REPORTED MISSING, POLICE
LEARNED THAT THE 911 CALL HAD
COME FROM THIS HOME ON ONEITA
STREET AND THAT GRIFFIN AND
HER BOYFRIEND HAD BEEN
THERE. KEN KOLKER "HI, HEY I'M
A REPORTER FROM WOOD TV.
HOPING TO TALK TO SOMEBODY
ABOUT THE DISAPPEARANCE OF
AMBER GRIFFIN."CHARLES WALKER
III OWNS THE HOME ON ONEITA.
HIS GRANDSON, POLICE SAY, IS A
FRIEND OF AMBER'S
BOYFRIEND. KEN KOLKER: "THEY
SAID THERE WAS A HOUSE PARTY
AND THAT DEREK HORTON WAS HERE
AND THAT SHE WAS HERE."
CHARLES WALKER, HOMEOWNER: "I
GUESS THEY MIGHT BEEN OUTSIDE
BUT NOBODY EVER CAME IN THE
HOUSE OR ANYTHING. IF ANYTHING
WENT ON, IT WAS OUTSIDE."THAT,
POLICE SAY, IS NOT WHAT THE
EVIDENCE
SUGGESTS. CASE: "THERE WAS
BLOOD ON ALL THREE LEVELS OF
THE HOUSE, THE BASEMENT, THE
MAIN LEVEL AND THE UPSTAIRS
PORTION OF THAT HOUSE."
KOLKER: "LIKE A LOT OF BLOOD
YOU'RE TALKING?" CASE: "A
PRETTY SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT."
KOLKER: "ENOUGH BLOOD TO
INDICATE SHE WAS KILLED
THERE?" CASE: "NOT
NECESSARILY."THEY ALSO FOUND
BLOOD AND HAIR ON A BASEMENT
WINDOW -- THE GLASS BROKEN
OUTWARD AS IF AMBER HAD TRIED
TO
ESCAPE. CASE: I THINK THAT SHE
WAS DOING EVERYTHING IN HER
POWER TO GET AWAY FROM HIM. I
THINK THAT THERE WAS A VIOLENT
STRUGGLE THAT WAS TAKING PLACE
IN THERE BECAUSE OF THE
NUMEROUS FLOORS, LIKE I SAID,
BASEMENT, MAIN LEVEL AND
UPSTAIRS PORTION OF THE HOUSE
WITH BLOOD.WALKER, THE
HOMEOWNER, SAYS HE WENT TO BED
AT 11 THAT NIGHT AND HEARD
NONE OF IT. POLICE SAY THEIR
INVESTIGATION HAS FOUND HE WAS
NOT INVOLVED IN THE
DISAPPEARANCE.CHARLES WALKER,
HOMEOWNER: "IF SHE CAME IN
HERE, I DON'T KNOW HOW SHE
CAME IN
HERE."THE SAME DAY THAT POLICE
SEARCHED THE HOME ON ONEITA,
THEY LEARNED THAT CHARLES
WALKER, WHO OWNED THAT HOME,
ALSO OWNED THIS VACANT HOME
ABOUT A HALF-MILE AWAY ON
WAUBASCON ROAD. IN THE WOODS
NEXT TO THE HOME, ABOUT 20
YARDS IN, POLICE FOUND A PAIR
OF BLOODY WOMEN'S PANTS.THEN
CAME THE DISCOVERY THAT POLICE
SAY CLINCHED THE CASE, ALSO
OUTSIDE THE HOME ON
WAUBASCON. CASE: "AT THE END
OF THE TURNAROUND, THERE WAS A
RECEIPT LAYING ON THE GROUND."
A RECEIPT. FROM MIX HARDWARE
IN BATTLE CREEK. $8 CASH.
DATED JUNE 23RD AT 2:31 IN THE
AFTERNOON.THAT WAS ABOUT 12
HOURS AFTER AMBER'S 911 CALL
AND THE DAY BEFORE DEREK
HORTON REPORTED HER
MISSING. CASE: "WE WENT TO THE
HARDWARE STORE, WATCHED THE
VIDEO AND SURE ENOUGH IT WAS
DEREK HORTON ON VIDEO
PURCHASING A SHOVEL."AMBER'S
BOYFRIEND, THE SAME MAN WHO
WOULD LATER REPORT HER
MISSING, BUYING A $7.99 SHOVEL
MADE IN
CHINA. CASE: "THAT RECEIPT
REALLY SEALED THE DEAL. TO
THAT POINT, THAT WAS WHEN HE
WENT FROM BEING A COOPERATING
BOYFRIEND THAT WAS ACTING AS
IF HE WAS CONCERNED, ACTING AS
IF HE WAS TRYING TO HELP
POLICE FIND HIS MISSING
GIRLFRIEND, TO NO MORE
TALKING, LAWYERING UP AND
BEING LODGED IN THE JAIL,
WHICH IS WHERE HE'S AT NOW."
POLICE SAY THAT CHARLES
WALKER'S GRANDSON, JULICE
HAGGERTY, DROVE HORTON TO THE
HARDWARE STORE. THEY'VE
CHARGED HIM WITH LYING TO
POLICE AND BEING AN ACCESSORY
AFTER THE FACT FOR ALLEGEDLY
HIDING EVIDENCE.POLICE
THEORIZE HORTON HAD MOVED
AMBER IN THE TRUNK OF THEIR
CAR TO THE WOODS OFF
WAUBASCON. CASE: "WE HAVE
REASON TO BELIEVE THAT HER
BODY PROBABLY WAS LAYING AT
LEAST AT SOME POINT. I DON'T
KNOW IF SHE WAS DEAD OR ALIVE
AT THAT POINT."THEY BELIEVE HE
LEFT HER THERE AND RETURNED
LATER THAT DAY WITH THE SHOVEL.
THEY DON'T KNOW IF HE BURIED
HER.POLICE SAY THEY SEARCHED
THE VACANT HOME AND
OUTBUILDINGS ON WABAUSCON AND
THE WOODS A DOZEN TIMES --
WITH CADAVER DOGS, A DRONE AND
A STATE POLICE
HELICOPTER. CASE: "AT THIS
POINT, BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE
HER BODY, WE DON'T KNOW IF SHE
WAS STRANGLED, MAYBE SHE WAS
BEATEN TO DEATH, SHE COULD
HAVE BEEN STABBED, SHE COULD
HAVE BEEN SHOT. WE TRULY DON'T
KNOW."
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THE CASE IS EERILY SIMILAR TO
THE 2010 MURDER OF VENUS
STEWART IN ST. JOSEPH COUNTY.
IN THE STEWART CASE, POLICE
FOUND A WALMART RECEIPT FOR A
SHOVEL, TARP AND GLOVES. THAT
LED THEM TO SURVEILLANCE VIDEO
SHOWING HER ESTRANGED HUSBAND,
DOUG STEWART, BUYING THEM.EVEN
THOUGH HER BODY WAS STILL
MISSING, A JURY QUICKLY
CONVICTED STEWART OF FIRST-
DEGREE MURDER. TWO YEARS AGO,
STEWART LED POLICE TO HER
REMAINS IN A WOODS ABOUT 12
MILES FROM WHERE SHE WAS LAST
SEEN.AND SO, AMBER'S MOM,
POLICE AND VOLUNTEERS KEEP
SEARCHING. KOLKER WALKING
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SEARCHING.VOLUNTEERS KEEP MOM,
POLICE AND VOLUNTEERS KEEP
SEARCHING.
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KOLKER WALKING INTO WOODS
WITH HER: "THERE'S A HERE. DID
YOU GUYS DIG THESE?" HER: "A
LOT OF RANDOM PEOPLE HAVE BEEN
BACK HERE
DIGGING." KOLKER: "IF YOU GOT
A CHANCE TO TALK TO DEREK
WOULD YOU SAY?" CARMAN
GRIFFIN: WHERE AMBER'S AT."
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KEN:..DEREK HORTON REFUSED OUR
REQUEST FOR A JAIL INTERVIEW.
WE ALSO REACHED OUT TO HIS
ATTORNEY BUT HAVE NOT HEARD
BACK. WE HAVE A MUCH DEEPER
DIVE ON THIS STORY ON OUR
WEBSITE, ALONG WITH A LINK TO
A GOFUNDME PAGE FOR AMBER
GRIFFIN'S FAMILY.
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(2-SHOT WRAP)
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BRIAN:..IF YOU'RE THE BRIAN:..
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BRIAN:..IF YOU'RE THE VICTIM
OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE -- THERE
IS HELP AVAILABLE.CALL THE
NATIONAL DOMESTIC VIOLENCE
HOTLINE -- AT 1-800-799-SAFE.
WE ALSO HAVE MORE RESOURCES
INSIDE KEN'S STORY ON
WOODTV.COM.
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