that just done it for me, i can't even think about how scared she was. it a mother's worst mother's worst nightmare nightmare. you'll there are no signs to get there just follow the rough sandy trail down from the subdivisions above, turned a corner, and there it is, the creek. i twisties slow-moving body of water in north carolina it's nothing less than a undiscovered garden of eden for teenagers plane hockey from high school. >> it's like going to the beach for us, it's just a vacation when caroline nose was a high school freshman, and terrified of math class when the weather was good, go right to the creek and bypass cool altogether. >> tell me about a day of the creek >> after rio about swimming was hit by the, fire and then hurry up and get back to the school take the bus home. >> so the creek was the place for the local kids could high out from the grown-ups, and play all day like frisky otters, in till one day in a secret teenage world collide with tragedy. >> i just knew in my heart that something was wrong. >> people were actually hiding their kids. >> do you think i'm gonna risk not knowing what happened? no i was gonna find out. >> so, this story is about a teenage sweetie named daniel. danielle law clear. it seems everyone in her orbit, young and old, got a boost from her take on life. including your mom rhoda. >> she was just a funny, with the girl, she stood out, she shined. >> she was always happy, never seen or without a smile on her face. >> then yells and, sheena papa, was somewhere between an older sister in a surrogate mom for danielle. daniel was living with, while her mother worked her way through it painful divorce in another state >> my sister was like, do you mind daniel coming, i was like not at all. >> so she dropped and very naturally? >> danielle was the outsider, a new school, for all about ten minutes. caroline and danielle became about best buds immediately >> we are sitting in an auditorium and i guess everybody was kind of scared to talk to her because of how pretty she was. i just have to run a children started complementing our hair, and started making jokes she started making jokes and hanging out with us all the time. >> a few weeks into her freshman year, kenya was already known around the school by her nickname danny. >> the danya fit into any of the groups? >> every group, every person. >> she can sit down at any lunch table and should be welcome. >> she could talk to the highest person in the class and helpful on conversation. >> sharp as attack, straight asean rotc class i nice, there should be goofing on youtube with makeup tricks. baking professional looking and tasting cakes. >> she was really really good she was a fast learner. she would jump on youtube and find out all these different recipes, and just different techniques, and the first time she would try something i mean it was a home run for her. and you'd think she'd have bruised times with her nonstop messaging and social media posts. boys. life. are you wondering if a striking teen like daniel had a boyfriend? well, she did. she struck about her head over heels relationship with a boy in the summer of 2013. his name is john michael mulloy. >> danielle's -- has known his family forever. they belong to the same church. kelly remembered the sparks flying winter michael and danny met as teenagers. >> you can see something in their eyes, i'm looking at her and looking at him. it's like they were attracted to each other right away. >> sheena, who played the role of nosy and, i was kept a hoax eye on her knees, that she had reason to be extra vigilant. >> now it's time for nosy and to be extra vigilant, because he had something to work with >> i was always like what's going on? here >> what was going on is that the pair had a everyone called a cute couple. >> now she had a pep in her step, you know, now they're doing things together, we start to see this notebooks and from michael and danielle malloy. >> they went down this road pretty fast and boyfriend girlfriend. >> he was her first real boyfriend, and an older one too. joe michael is a senior at another school, and daniel was a freshman, she invited him to her first high school dance. >> she's like, i'm gonna need some high heels, and i said mom, high heels. >> you i got across that line but on high heels and welcome to young adults. >> so she puts on those sparkly heels, i'm watching your walk, and i'm like oh my god. >> by spring 2014, danielle had been living with gina and her grandparents were close to ten months, they saw little damage turning to a young woman, but she was still too young to spend the night alone. so on march 11th, when gina and armand had go over to atlanta for doctors appointment, danielle's grandfather was given the appointment of union eye on the team. >> so grandfathers in charge? here >> yeah, grandfathers in charge. so this is something we really never do, and on the way down there we get a text, danielle is like you guys just let me? it's just me in papa. i >> like you do that to me. >> like you guys just love me. >> it was a tuesday, a school night, daniel asked her grandfather she could drop of a school notebook and classmates house a few doors way. he said yes. >> he said make a quick, and we never had any issues with her so he lets or go. and off daniel went into the night. we in atlanta, gina said something was off. >> i had a bad feeling come over me, she could be in a ditch somewhere. i cannot even sleep. i had the overwhelming feeling that something bad happening. >> next morning, jeanne got a call from daniels grandfather, and it was bad. >> he says, daniel didn't come home last night. i and then i'm like wet? what is he saying? daniel didn't come home? what do you mean? >> danielle hadn't gone, about to be officially a missing person. as simple to state as it was terrifying and all of its ramifications. i >> coming up. >> they were like asking all these questions like do you think she would've ran away, do you think she could be eta friends house? >> where was danielle? this family is about to get its first clue, the word help was scratching the ground, in my hey hair stand up, and started getting really nervous. not far from the creek, one ominous sight leads to another. i >> looked down and i see her sock, right at the exit the trail. when dateline continues. dateline continues. daniel locke here walked out the door of her home on the night of march 2014, it hadn't been seen in the hours since. they're bright break girl gone. danielle's mother ronna wasn't a south carolina restaurant when she got a call from her sister china. >> your mind goes like this. i get in the car, and i get to my house, and i grabbed as many close as many as i could, and drive through the night. >> tina and daniels grandmother, kelly, also raced back home. they arrived to first. >> so what do you see when you pull up to the? house >> they simply saw -- i call the. police >> detective josh hamilton became the lead investigator for the police department. >> the families telling all your officers that she's a girl. >> absolutely. >> this is not like her to go to a runner. go to a beach with a. boyfriend >> totally out of character. >> but police thought it was possible that daniel left voluntarily and would turn on her own. >> give it 24 hours, you're gonna have a different resolution here. >> we were hopeful that she had stayed at a friends house. >> but that scenario didn't sound right to ron. when she arrived, she said this much to police. , they were like asking all these questions, what do you think she would've random way? do you think she could be at a friends house? you know, anything, you know. and i was like, well there's no reason why for daniel to run away. >> the family called around to everyone that they could think. up hoping somebody had heard from daniel. of course, her boyfriend was at the top of the list. >> i said, hey, john michael, have you heard from daniel. she has been missing since last night. >> he said, no, he hadn't seen danielle and dazed. and what's more, he said that they had broken up. the split was news to daniels and, but she wasn't entirely surprised. these two had broken up before. the last time, just a few months earlier. >> she mentioned something about him talking to another girl. and he wasn't giving her as much attention anymore. she didn't like that. -- >> she said yes, we're about to go, fun. >> she also called the neil school, they reported that daniel husky school the day she went missing. >> totally out of character, what was up that. then a light bulb moment for her. >> the day before everything kind of happened. i'm pulling into the driveway, and the sun is almost down, and she is running across the driveway, and she's kind of out of breath, and laughing. and i'm like, i'm like -- where you coming from -- where you coming from? >> oh, just, there's this creek back in the neighborhood that some kids are trying to get me to hang. but, don't worry, i won't be going back there. it's a mess back. there >> and i was like, yes you won't be going back there, right? >> the creek. she told her god, with her niece missing, that she had to go find her. but how? >> we go to the back of the neighborhood, and i see the silicon on a dirt bike. i said, is there creek around here? >> yeah. >> so you followed this neighborhood kid down to the creek? >> the creek. >> the neighborhood kids, led her to a wooded area. we >> are walking here, and he's bringing history bike down, and he's leading me to wear the streamers. >> then the kid pointed to the ground. he saw something. there, carved in the dirt, was some care, a single word. >> the word helped was scratched into the. graham >> as if somebody picked up a stick and -- >> like somebody had scraped help in the ground with the stick. >> the creek, help, frightening. >> it just made my hair stand up and i started getting really nervous. >> she didn't know what was going on, but it couldn't be good, that sos in the sand. >> doesn't mean anything to you? it's alarming. >> it was extremely alarming. i didn't know if it was a call for help, i didn't know if it was something danielle had left for me. >> she kept walking down the path, and then she came upon it, the creek, down a steep road. >> subdivision is just back up here. >> right. >> and this is just from 100 years ago or something. >> right. >> it's like since 100 years. >> i had no idea that it existed, and there was just fire pits, and close from the kid to one swimming. there were old homework, notes, and all of that stuff. >> including a towel that she recognized from her house. >> one of your family towels? >> yes, one of our towels. of course i'm concerned, it looks like she had hung out but maybe this is from -- i don't know from today or the day before. >> danya had definitely been there at some point. >> she returned home, and told police which he had found. they were interested, and went back to the creek with her. >> they were kind of walking ahead, and i looked down, and i see her night sock. just right at the exit of the trail. and i know it's her sock, because i bought them. it's these fuzzy socks, and it was like rolled into a ball, and it kind of had strong. it >> would she go on with their socks on like that? >> absolutely not. >> she could not make sense why a sock daniel were only a bedtime would be there. >> i can't imagine being barefoot in here, walking here, in the stocking feet. you'd be all ripped. up >> absolutely. >> she knew that the saw could be an important clue. she picked it up, and turned it over to police. biden, something else was coming to life. police realize that daniels almost constant social media chitchat, had gone dark. the high school girl missing and life was suddenly gone on facebook and instagram to. and cops learned something else from their own kids. >> they're like, well she's been hanging out with some bad kids lately. i'm like, oh great. >> bad kids? a saw covered in straw. the word help carved in the senate. daniels hours before her disappearance, were becoming more and more enigmatic. and infinitely more terrifying. >> maybe we don't really know her the way we thought. >> coming up. picture surface of danielle by the creek the day she disappeared. >> one of the pictures, she had on a pair of glasses that didn't belong to her. so, i zoomed in to the lenses, and i could see they were like for kids in the background. >> stories surface to, about danielle, and a boy from school. >> we were getting information from other kids that were down there that they were making out, and that they were cuddling. >> when dateline continues. when dateline continues my auntie called me. she said uncle's had a heart attack. i needed him to be here. your heart isn't just yours. protect it with bayer aspirin. be sure to talk to your doctor before you begin an aspirin regimen. it's our veteran's day sale on the sleep number 360 smart bed. it senses your movements and automatically adjusts to relieve pressure points. and its temperature balancing so you both sleep just right. save $1,000 on the sleep number 360 special edition smart bed. plus, 0% interest for 48 months. ends monday. when a truck hit my car, smart bed. plus, 0% interest for 48 months. ends monday. the insurance company wasn't fair. i didn't know what my case was worth. so i called the barnes firm. i was hit by a car and needed help. i called the barnes firm, that was the best call i could've made. i'm rich barnes. it's hard for people to know how much their accident case is worth. let our injury attorneys help you get the best result possible. gina papa was known as the nosy ♪ the barnes firm injury attorneys ♪ ♪ call one eight hundred, eight million ♪ and in her big family so when today -- 's wasn't waiting on the answers. >> my concern was to find her. >> she knows search had turned up troubling things about daniel, there was boyfriend turbulence, playing hooky from school, and hanging out by a creek. >> she's a teenager, as well, and she's got boyfriend problems, and maybe she's a little emotional. i don't know. >> before police can get there, tina found that neighborhood friend danielle was supposed to see him. >> this is the one she went to deliver the book too? >> i was like, oh, hey girl, oh my gosh so did you see daniel last night? and she's like, no. >> geno was disappointed, but the friend said something else. she was texting last night and she actually had some pictures of her from earlier on the day of march 11th. >> and those images showed danielle hanging out kit creek. >> i can see what shirt she had on, i could see her jeans were at the bottom of the picture, and she kind of just had on some shorts, she did want to get our pants wet. >> for the pictures of the kid she was hanging? with >> no, there were no pictures of any other kids around, but it was strange and one of the pictures she had on a pair of glasses that didn't belong to her. so i zoomed into the lenses and i could see that there were like four kids. like a reflection of four kids in the background. i asked her friend i said, wait a minute, so the rather people there? >> and she was like a, a little hesitant. >> do you pride the names of these other kids out of this friend, more names and faces for the police to track. down so now i'm like i got to find out who these kids are. >> sheena didn't know it then, but one of those kids was caroline. caroline first introduced daniel to the creek days before her disappearance. it didn't seem like daniels kind of place. >> we never wanted to skip class, and one day she said i don't go present my projects, so can i go with? you >> then the next day, the day genuine missing, she was at the creek before their school day was over. >> she was already at the creek before me >> how did she seem to? >> she was context me, like her up and get down here, everyone's having, fun when i got there she was just down there having to blast laughing >> kids were celebrating which seem like the first day of spring. >> we are doing chicken fights, making jokes and stuff, there was a good day. >> after a day of laughs, daniel headed home. i >> she has dinner with a grandfather, she's accounted for. >> her grandfather said she'd been seen with that evening. so why is there are a sock over here at the entrance to this? creek >> police theorize that after dinner, daniel had gone from her home back to the creek. why else would they have recovered that song that you only wear at night? they wondered if she had met up somewhere there and other we. >> we identified a boy named angel from the school. so how do you hook danielle who's messing with his boy angel. >> we got information from other boys that they were making. out >> and remember, danielle and her serious boyfriend under split up. >> she's available, she's very. cute >> that's. right >> billy watts is the cumberland county district court attorney. he was brought on early in the case when angel murders as a person of interest. >> he had a girlfriend, but we knew daniel was a single, her relationship had recently ended with je'michael malloy, and some of the kids were telling us in interviews, that angel was trying to put the moves on daniel so to speak. >> at this point, we've got to figure out is i chena papa in a relationship with his, boy and those who want to harm or. most >> people described him as a popular student, but if you called him as a fight starter, it is someone they wanted to talk, to solve a stop by his heels. >> he would say, i don't know what you're talking about, angel denied being at the creek, something police knew wasn't true. >> investigators don't like to be life, who even if it's a kid. you wanted to shoot straight. >> we did not get the truth, initially, from him. >> so angel was lying, but did he have something to? . coming up, investigators are also about to look at those closer to home again. >> the family doesn't get a passed as a detective? >> it was painful, because never in 1 million years would we have done something, she is very precious to us. >> which family member prompted this reaction? >> it's the first and only time in my career that i contact my supervisor and said that there is something wrong here. >> when dateline continues. this is the kind of card that has america talking. with it, people with medicare are getting all in one coverage for their doctor visits, hospital care, prescription drugs, and more. this kind of insurance, called medicare part c, may also cover dental care, eyeglasses, hearing aids, fitness programs, vitamins, even healthy meals and rides to the doctor. with this kind of coverage, you do not need a medicare supplement insurance plan. you will access your benefits through your medicare part c plan for one low and oftentimes $0 monthly plan premium. you deserve to get the most from your medicare benefits. call now for free information that may help you get more coverage for less money. there is no obligation to enroll, whether for yourself or someone you love. call the number on the screen now. call now. are you one of the millions of americans who experience occasional bloating, gas or abdominal discomfort? taking align every day can help. align contains a quality probiotic developed by gastroenterologists. it adds more good bacteria to your gut to naturally help soothe your occasional bloating, gas and abdominal discomfort. support your digestive health with align, the #1 doctor recommended probiotic. try align today. and try new align fast acting biotic gummies. helps soothe occasional digestive upsets in as little as 7 days. i'm dara brown, here's what's happening, breaking news out of texas a people have died and dozens injured at the ask for worlds -- how the crowd started pushing towards a stage, 17 people were taken to the hospital with several in cardiac arrest, no idea yet on what happens, in addition to possible trampling, the officials are looking into rumors about lays drugs. the show eventually stopped in the interest of public safety. we'll stay on top of the story, and more, now back to dateline. >>, now back danielle locklear was missing for a day, and then to, as the week went by missing girl posters were attacked up, by then local news including and we affiliate w are apple tv, was missing out on the missing teen story. >> this is not my consensus. >> during that first week, danielle's mom rodent, spend her days i believe station, entered nights at the sisters out, i would just stare at that front door waiting, just hoped and hot and praying that she will run through that door so i can yell at her. >> investigators hope for the same, but danielle had gone silent, no posts, no tweets, no texts. >> we noticed really quickly that there is no social media. >> absolutely. not >> even if she's run away with the boyfriend to myrtle beach. to just drop cold out of that thing she does all the time. >> for a teenager like that to be so active, and then flatline, it's very concerning. >> a command post was set up headed by data that surfer, a hope mills deputy chief, >> how many agents were seen around the table? >> the fbi had the biggest presence, the rose recommendations from the sheriff's office, if there is any badge and sheriffs county they were and i command post. >> the investigated their most promising lead, angel, he was a classmate rumor veil stories had supposedly canoodling with daniel on march 11th. >> but angel initially told police he didn't even know daniel, and hadn't been at the creek. after police briefed angel about the consequences of lying to the authorities, he started to spill. >> he finally came forward and said, yes i was there, i was with daniel, i talked with her some. >> caroline was there to. >> because angel hitting on her? >> no, he was actually dating one of my other friends at the time, and then another one of my friends who is a bit creek, he was talking to tammy the whole time. >> according to caroline, the stories of angel hitting on daniel were just and rumors. angel told police she last saw danielle in the afternoon. >> his story was that he had left around 3:30 that day, was heading towards home, headed where she lived with her -- >> would've out the alibay, around 9 pm,. >> his alibi was actually pretty solid, he said that he went to practice after, school that his and his family went to a movie after, and he came back and was spending time with the family. so we were able to confirm that during the hours that we are pretty certain daniel went missing, he was at home with his. family >> he doesn't seem to pan, out does he detective? he drops off your person of interest list. >> he drops off the suspect pool pretty quick. >> but police hadn't run out of people to investigate. >> family doesn't get a pass, detective? >> absolutely. not >> when you say -- they come to ask some sharp questions of the family members don't they. >> they did. >> investigators seized computers and cellphones. >> anything that anybody had in the house, i remember trying to write down phone numbers, we're out real quick because they're taking a real quick. >> police interviewed everyone, but they're interested in one specific relative. >> they're asking questions of your father? >> they're asking questions about my dad, why was she staying there, and the family dynamic was strange. with daniels grandmother expected that whose grandmother would come under scrutiny. >> iran looked at him, because his last one to see. her >> -- after her grandfather reported her missing. when the grandfather just described what happened a night before, things didn't seem right to regan, one thing that struck him 10 pm seemed awfully late to be letting your granddaughter out of the house. >> he told me he'd been playing video games, and when she came in to tell him he's going down to a friends house, because he was involved in the video games you didn't realize how late it was. he said if i known it was not late i probably would've told her no, but because i didn't realize the time i told her to come back as soon as she could. >> and there is the fact that he didn't report or missing until well into the next day. >> so why is waited so long to tell the police? >> he told us that he wanted to waited 24 hours, and when he called and talk to his wife, she said you need to touch required enough of police now. >> the responding officers said he got a bad vibe from grandpa. >> it was on first and only time in my history of taking calls, i counted my supervisor, and said there's something wrong here. >> the grandfather was asked to come to the police station for an interview. , and he was later asked to take a polygraph. >> when you're trying to rule in or out? >> we're trying to initially rule out whether anything could've happened between in her, that might have led to her disappearance. >> the police suspicion about their own kin was excruciating for daniels family. >> it was heartbreaking. >> was that pain upon? pain >> it was painful. we cause never in 1 million years would we have done anything. she was very precious to us. >> danielle's grandfather didn't think her husband had anything to do with her grandma daughter's disappearance. but she was also searching your heart for forgiveness. >> well how do you let her leave? or how do you let her get out the house? why didn't you call for her? we say what kind of grandfather would let the child out of the house this time of night? >> it wasn't long before police cleared daniels grandfather, he passes polygraph, and police can find anything in his phone or family history to make him a suspect. grandpa was off the hook. police were continuing to go down their list of names. >> someone else on their list, was daniels on again off again boyfriend je'michael malloy i. >> so where does he stand on your persons of interest theory? >> he's right in the middle. we >> so many people did not talk to, but none of them was danielle, no one hadn't the slightest idea where she was, not even her ex. >> coming up, could daniel have run away? je'michael malloy shares what could be a critical rare revelation. . i one role of a lifetime...one sore throat. but she had enough. she took new mucinex instasoothe sore throat lozenges. show your sore throat who's boss. new mucinex instasoothe. works in seconds, lasts for hours. did she say anything about she turns out deb's constipation with belly pain was actually ibs-c giving her grief. so she talked to her doctor because she wanted more relief. that's when she said yess to adding linzess. linzess is not a laxative. it helps you have more frequent and complete bowel movements. and is proven to help relieve overall abdominal symptoms-belly pain, discomfort, and bloating. do not give linzess to children less than six and it should not be given to children six to less than 18, it may harm them. do not take linzess if you have a bowel blockage. get immediate help if you develop unusual or severe stomach pain, especially with bloody or black stools. the most common side effect is diarrhea, sometimes severe. if it's severe, stop taking linzess and call your doctor right away. other side effects include gas, stomach area pain, and swelling. could your story also be about ibs-c? talk to your doctor and say yess to linzess. was kind of going anywhere? >> people were talking to je'michael malloy, he'd been danielle's most recent boyfriend. the couple met at a church youth grab a year earlier. >> this is a little elementary school boyfriend, but this was a real real boyfriend, that she was in love with. >> her first love came with a family seal of approval, je'michael malloy like daniel was a good kid, never a problem, varsity soccer, a dedicated runner, with a laser focused goal of becoming a marine after graduation. >> he had as i kind of settle when he wanted to do with himself. >> seem like a very ambitious child. and i thought, hey, this might be getting something good for daniel. i know they're young, but it seems like he has a plan for his life. >> danielle was daydreaming herself into that master plan. alexis mcdowell was one of danielle's best friends. she talked about after the freshman year, her sophomore year, that she was gonna do online classes, and she was gonna go with him into the military, wherever he will ship to and be there with him. she was talking a marriage, she was talking to having little then yells and demarco's running around, she is very serious about je'michael malloy. je'michael malloy laidback by was the into her yang, it seem like there were just a perfect match, they're in the same league. even though joe michael and daniel had broken up, he was still one of the people closest to her, he came down to the station willingly. >> no are gonna talk to my lawyer stuff going on? >> now he volunteered, came in on his own. je'michael malloy said that he and danielle had broken out, but he was still dear to her, i still love her she's a good girl. >> he pitched in just how much danielle's family cared for him to the former boyfriend wanted to find her just as much as anyone -- so law enforcement pumped him for information. so she skipped school, she did not have a lot? >> she didn't like fourth period, because we're close and so she got believed. >> she just normally to me, but she didn't have the best of clothes. you can forward you're gonna for. >> je'michael. offered his own theories about why she disappeared, and. -- >> only think i can think of it would be a. friend >> je'michael, said she had also been depressed in the playoffs and even told her aunt chena papa that she'd been depressed. >> police weren't giving him a pass even though he's cooperative. >> the boyfriend told believes the same thing he told the family, he hadn't seen danielle in days. on the night she went missing he was a homesteading. >> was anyone else home with you that night? >> my mom was there, my grandma was there. >> je'michael's family confirmed as whereabouts. police talk to his friends dominic locke as well. >> dominic said, i was there starting for my sats. >> police out some for his cell. >> his phone was there, got three for sources saying the same thing the same thing that je'michael was sane, he was at home that night. >> there were also cellphone messages that je'michael sent to other friends around the time she was missing gps data says that they were sent from je'michael's house, and the police found no evidence that they had arranged to meet up the night of the disappearance. and there is one more thing je'michael lives almost half hour from daniel. >> we je'michael had a good alibi, idaho by himself studying with the friends, fine off the occasional, texas is no way to connect them to danielle's disappearance. however his family and friends were members worry for. danielle >> weir is like has anyone said anything? has anyone found? her >> je'michael seem like he was very concerned. he was asking me is there any place that you could think of that she may have ran off to, or any people that she could've ran off with. >> alexis couldn't think of anyone, but daniels classmates had an idea of what had happened to the teen. the high school rumor mill was running wide, and new leads were emerging out of all that chatter. >> you still gotta hold high school full of kids of their,. >> a high school full of friends that were pretty come forward their own version of what transpired. >> and stories police were getting, some of them bloody and lloyd were leading right back to the creek. >> coming up, the rumor mill turns out a new name, derek, but he says he was at home online when daniel disappeared. >> i'm there telling you i was doodling out with the computer, there's a deleted history. >> you're not doing something, wrong why you do leading your? 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>> there were theories that she had had a problem with a young man that was down there and that the young man had beat her, potentially hug her death. there were all kinds of stories, one that somehow there is some problem with her in some lady because there is talking to the same young man. so we are getting all kinds of different stories. >> as the police questioned the school crowd, one name came up over and over again. derek. >> we in fact, the kids are that they were really tight. we >> derek is a kid that's was not really in school, was looking at getting back in school, but he'd run into some trouble and wasn't in school. >> when derek was in school he had a pension for skipping, here's irregular at the creek, and familiar with daniels crowd. caroline was friends with. tim >> derrick is kind of like, at the time he was kind of like big and bulky everyone was kind of afraid of him. >> did you hear stories about him later? >> yes i did. >> and the story going around about derek, was more than a little scary. >> we had information concerning him stating that he was also trying to get into a romantic relationship with danielle locklear, and she refused him and as a result he cut her neck and left her in the woods. with >> detective, this is all like a great re-or movie. >> yeah. >> as horrible as the story was, it's not like it could lead. >> kids are telling you there's almost verbatim at the hospital. >> this is not from one kid, this is going from two or three kids, so we need to follow up on this for sure. >> police broad derek in for an interview. >> what do you see and demeanor, when you hear him talking? about >> very very relaxed, he doesn't seem concerned about being in trouble. we >> detectives wanted to find out, what did he know about daniel. >> suddenly, the like a sister store was like a window. he claims he hardly knew her. >> the only thing i knew about her that i care went missing, march 11th. >> when you didn't hear in, school where you are at? >> walking around in the hallways, i basically said hey to her one-time, and that's when i was talking to my friend caroline. >> he denied knowing danielle, but immediately noticed her. >> from what i've seen on facebook, very beautiful face. she was very beautiful girl. >> we are infatuated with her? >> no, she seems a little too preppy we >> too standoffish, but she standoffish to you? >> she seemed like a goody goody. and honestly, i don't hang out with a good advice. good to go to have a bad habit of snatching i. i'm not gonna lie, i do illegal things, and i know i do them. >> so derrick thought danielle was a goody goody, and a snitch, and he did less than legal things. interesting. he also seemed to know a lot about the creek. >> that was my chill spot i, i was one of the fenders of that area. >> the founders? >> yeah, i would give so much i found that area. nobody else would go back there. >> but he said he hadn't gone there the night daniel this appeared. derrick said he spent that night at home. >> around 8:30 my dad left to go to a pool chairman minutes now. again, i stayed on the computer, job searching. between facebook, job searching and, tv that's what i was doing all night. i'm not really sure if there is any history on my computer. there might be. i have to take a look. >> are you in the habit of a race in your history? >> you have a real habit of doing it. >> and he's tiny wise noodling round for jobs on the computer, but you're not gonna find records of it, because i deleted. history >> if you're not doing nothing wrong, then why are you leaving your history? >> derek explains he did to protect his account from hackers, he's been burned in the past. >> i had a bad habit of it ever since my last facebook got hacked. >> your dad loved today 30 before the pool, but time to get back? >> between 12 and one. we >> he can't account for himself convincingly that night. >> there's no at the house they can put in there. >> no solid alibi, and now new evidence was in, and it didn't look good for derek. i was asking you where she live with you left the house, tuesday night? >> coming up, a chilling discovery at derrick's house. we >> found two shovels with which had what appeared to be blood on them but this case is far from closed, the route to learn that the last thing from daniel cell phone came from near here, an rv park. >> you have no idea who's going to go in there? >> no idea. >> makes you wonder right? >> makes me wonder a lot. >> when dateline continues. >> when dateline continues >> when dateline continues that's a trail i want to take. eliquis. eliquis reduces stroke risk better than warfarin. and has less major bleeding than warfarin. eliquis has both. don't stop taking eliquis without talking to your doctor as this may increase your risk of stroke. eliquis can cause serious and in rare cases fatal bleeding. don't take eliquis if you have an artificial heart valve or abnormal bleeding. while taking, you may bruise more easily or take longer for bleeding to stop. get help right away for unexpected bleeding, or unusual bruising. it may increase your bleeding risk if you take certain medicines. tell your doctor about all planned medical or dental procedures. the number one cardiologist-prescribed blood thinner. ask your doctor about eliquis. clerk: hello, how can i? 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talk to your doctor and say yess to linzess. a chatty girl had gone mute on social media. her phone dark. a search warrant happened to access the records. >> it's the best way. >> the best. >> the phone had been roughly in her neighborhood after he left home about 10:00 that night. but at 10:40 p.m., it sudden low started pinging off a tower miles away. that night, but at 10:40 pm it suddenly started pinging off a tower miles away. the phone, and presumably danielle, were on the move. >> we get a pin drop that pretty much puts it on i-95, but in that pin out is a certain amount of area that the phone could be in. >> so helpful as phones are, it doesn't give you x marks the spot. >> reporter: not in this case. the last ping came from that spot near the highway. a worry in itself because i-95 is a big ribbon of opportunities from miami to the state of maine. was danielle a runaway? had she been abducted? no one knew, but the records did give investigators a direction to go in because within that area was derek's house. police interviewers brought this information to derek's attention. >> we know where danielle's phone was, okay? what area her phone was. it's out there around your house -- was she alive when she left that area out there around your house on tuesday night? >> i have no idea, i didn't see her. >> you're saying she was not there at all? she didn't come out there with some of your friends? >> no, she didn't. she didn't know where i lived, i didn't know she was out there. >> your buddies know where you live. did she come out there with some of your friends? >> no. >> nobody showed up? >> not a single soul. >> reporter: police weren't satisfied. they got a search warrant for derek's house, and what they saw only deepened their suspicions. >> tell me what you found, detective, because there's some interesting things that got your attention. >> when we went out there we initially found a burn pit. we're in march, april -- timeframe. it's not really super cold here. >> reporter: a burn pit. curious, and there was more. >> we see a long knife in a tree and we also found shovels that had, in fact, what appeared to be blood on them. >> reporter: a burn pit, a serious knife, shovels with maybe blood stains. police thought their case might have cracked wide open. >> oh antenna spiked right up. i was -- i was -- >> you thought, this is my -- >> i solved it -- >> might of solved the case, huh? >> might of solved it. we might be on to something. >> reporter: looking good until investigators did some testing on the blood. >> we did a presumptive out there, and it showed negative, back to square one. we're not dealing with blood. >> reporter: well, what about derek denying he knew danielle, even though friends claimed he called her his sister? didn't that make him a liar? one of derek's friends cautioned don't read too much into that. >> he tries to seem cool and tell everybody is his sister, everybody's his sister, everybody's his brother. that's just the kind of guy he is. >> reporter: detectives also spoke to one of derek's biggest defenders. his girlfriend. >> her information suggested derek could not possibly have been involved in danielle's disappearance. he had no way of getting to her house that night. >> does he have a car or anything? >> he doesn't even have his license. >> reporter: caroline knew derek too and thought he was a decent kid, misunderstood. >> i guess everyone thought that he was that type of person because he's -- he was the kid that skipped school and that didn't -- got in trouble with teachers, or spoke back, or something like that. >> school bad boy, huh? >> yeah. >> really he was just a really soft-hearted guy. he would always be there for anybody who needed him. >> reporter: in the end police couldn't find any electronic trail linking derek to danielle. detectives' latest lead had fizzled out, and with no explanation for that word, help that chena found scrawled at the creek, they were down to their two main clues. >> so you got the sock on the trail, and you got a phone out at 95, more questions than answers. >> danielle's last cell phone ping was miles away from her neighborhood. >> we can see that she's moving in a fairly quick fashion, faster than a person could walk. >> the story told by the phone is, i'm in a car. >> yeah. >> reporter: had she been abducted, grabbed by a person or persons unknown? the stranger-danger abduction theory was gaining traction with both the police and danielle's peers. >> a lot of girls at the high school were scared of like walking around you know in their neighborhoods and stuff at night now. >> reporter: and parents were scared too. >> people were actually hiding their kids because you know we're thinking just some crazy person come through and kidnap her. >> reporter: and there was something more about the rough location of that last cellphone ping. not only was the cone near derek's place, it also included an rv park. >> you have no idea who's coming and going there. >> no idea. >> makes you wonder, right? >> makes me wonder a lot. did this person stay at this rv park, come into hope mills, grab this girl, go back to the rv park, and that's why her phone's there? there's a lot of questions. >> reporter: did you have to go through the rv park? >> a lot. we drained the ponds. dove them. brought dogs in. we begin to search that entire property from the wooded areas to the water. >> reporter: by now, danielle had been missing for almost two weeks. >> i went over in that area, and i would drive by, and it was just, like, open field, and i'm like oh my god. there's so many places she could have been, you know. >> so it's not a mobile home community. this is rvs coming and going, and transient-- >> right. yeah. but it even made me feel more nervous that it was by 95 because i'm like she -- we're looking around here and she possibly could be somewhere else. >> reporter: after several days of searching the rv park, there was no sign of danielle, and no sign of her cell phone that last pinged by the highway. both could be anywhere. >> 95 is different than a county road. she could've been five states away at that point. >> absolutely. absolutely. i mean, on i-95 an hour either way and you're in a different state and a few hours and you're in a different region of the country. >> reporter: a bad, bad feeling in the pit of her stomach gnawed away at chena. >> and we're kind of like well something bad has -- i felt something bad has happened. >> reporter: the news may not be good, but danielle's mother still held out hope she would one day see her alive again. >> i said, i'm not leaving until i find my child. >> reporter: and that day might come sooner than anyone thought. and just when all seemed lost, who would believe it! danielle was seen on camera walking around! >> oh wow. she might be visiting someone at the hospital. >> reporter: coming up danielle, seen alive on surveillance tape, and then, a report of her at a restaurant. >> it was like, okay, this is it. we're done. we found her! oh, man that is wrinkly. like, not even just a little wrinkly, that's a whole lot of wrinkly. there are wrinkles on top of wrinkles! how do you even let your clothes get that wrinkled? how?! at least my shoes look good! looking good starts with bounce wrinkleguard. the megasheet designed to help prevent wrinkles in the dryer. it's our veteran's day sale on the sleep number 360 smart bed. it senses your movements and automatically adjusts to relieve pressure points. and its temperature balancing so you both sleep just right. save $1,000 on the sleep number 360 special edition smart bed. plus, 0% interest for 48 months. ends monday. >> reporter: nearly two weeks had passed since 15-year-old danielle locklear vanished into the night. detectives were getting frustrated. almost all theories of her disappearance were still in play. >> have you eliminated -- say, the abduction theory at that point? >> huh-uh. >> reporter: have you eliminated je'michael or another boyfriend unknown? >> nope. >> or that she could have taken off on her own? >> can't eliminate any of them yet. >> reporter: detective hamilton kept danielle's picture by his desk, thought about the case around the clock. >> many a nights i -- i cried myself, honestly. i have a little girl myself. if something happened to her would -- would be devastating. >> reporter: all the not knowing was torture for danielle's mom. >> your mind is just -- you're going crazy. i mean, you're -- you're thinking of -- i mean, even some of the worst and the craziest stuff. >> reporter: by now, danielle's disappearance wasn't just a hope mills story. she was featured in dateline's "missing in america" series. her story was national news. >> the name of the missing 15-year-old is danielle locklear. >> her face is blown up all over the billboards. every time i'd hit a stop light, i'd see it. >> reporter: the media set up shop in the police station parking lot. deputy chief servie and his team started giving regular briefings. >> and we are leaving no stone unturned in order to find danielle and bring her home. people want information about what's going on. they're concerned about the case. >> we're a hungry beast. what do you got for us today? >> feed the beast. >> did that put extra pressure on the investigators because it had jumped the fence and really become a national story? >> yeah. there's pressure for answers, pressures for resolution. and in this case, you know, you had a beautiful, young 15-year-old girl just basically vanish into thin air. >> reporter: north carolina's state bureau of investigation and the atf were consulted. federal agents traveled in from across the southeast. cadaver dogs were even brought in from england. they assisted as danielle's entire subdivision was searched. >> every house in her neighborhood and was probably 200-plus houses. and there was -- was searched with the consent of the homeowner. >> reporter: volunteers were drafted, too. over three hundred joined danielle's family for a top-to-bottom search of the creek area. >> that's my baby, she sweet and loving, and we're just trying to find her. >> reporter: friends from the neighborhood and the church pitched in. including danielle's ex-boyfriend je'michael and his family. >> we were hopeful in them doing them grid searches we might find more articles of clothes or her. we needed to find something to give us a more solid direction to go. >> reporter: the coverage also brought a deluge of tips, some totally farfetched. >> there's a lady that was calling saying that she had her and was taking care of her, and -- and that she was sick. and it was just crazy. >> how many leads do you think you chased down? >> over 1,000 leads. i'm positive of it. >> reporter: one of those leads had the authorities convinced danielle was alive. some tipsters said she was at a restaurant near the north carolina-virginia border, 150 miles away. and she's there right now. >> these people were adamant. "look, we've seen her. this is -- she's with a guy." >> reporter: fbi agents were dispatched to check it out. >> they were sending pictures back. like, they were sitting in the parking lot watching and taking pictures and stuff. and we were like, man, that looks like her. that's -- >> spitting image, huh? >> oh god, yeah. it was like, okay, this is it. we're done. we -- we found her. >> reporter: but when the agents made contact with the girl. >> it wasn't her. >> reporter: all those leads had chena second-guessing her own instincts. maybe danielle had run away. >> i actually started seeing things in the house that were missing. and i was, like, well, you know, i haven't seen those jeans in a while. i haven't seen that shirt. maybe she did pack a bag and leave. >> maybe she's out there somewhere? >> maybe she is. >> reporter: then the family received a call that made them think their prayers had been answered. an investigator said danielle had been seen at a nearby hospital. what's more, she'd been captured on surveillance video. >> oh, wow. we -- she might be -- she might be at the hospital. and what in the world is she doing? is she -- is she on drugs or somebody gave her something? we didn't-- we have no idea. >> reporter: danielle's grandmother grabbed the hands of those around her and started to pray. but when police called back -- >> what they was looking at was danielle on the -- >> reporter: it was so devastating to her grandma that she can barely describe it. there was video of danielle. but danielle seen on an old tape. six months before. her dear granddaughter had been at the hospital, visiting her. >> we thought they had found her and that just done it for me. >> reporter: on march 29th, almost three weeks after danielle disappeared, her family and friends gathered for a balloon release. her friend alexis was there. so was je'michael. she remembers he was holding out hope that danielle was alive. >> he's like, "hey," and gave me a hug. and he said, "i just, you know, hope we find her and she's okay." >> reporter: up until then, danielle's aunt chena had managed to stay strong for the family. but with the release of those balloons she felt her resolve and confidence sailing away with them. >> for the first time then i felt like i was giving up hope. i was starting to feel like that she may not ever come home, and how would we be able to live like this. i couldn't -- i couldn't sleep. i couldn't -- i couldn't eat. i was -- it was -- it was horrible. >> reporter: something, anything would be better than not knowing. mercifully for the family, answers were just a phone call away. >> is there a deputy that's close by with a pair of binoculars? >> reporter: coming up -- >> when i was looking, i could see what looked like dark hair. >> reporter: the most painful of discoveries, and one peculiar detail. dog barks you're right bunker, the medicare enrollment deadline is almost here. if you're on medicare and you want to explore your options, the deadline to enroll is december 7th. so, you should act now. where do i find the right medicare plan? at healthmarkets, they search many of the nation's most recognized carriers so they can help you find the right plan, at the right price that's the right fit for you. how long does it take? you could find a medicare plan in just minutes. my current plan only covers 80% of my costs. well, healthmarkets may find plans that cover the rest ... let you keep your doctor with benefits like zero dollar copays, zero dollar deductibles and zero dollar monthly premiums. they'll even search plans with prescription drug coverage, vision, dental and hearing aids. you may even qualify for free gym memberships! so call or visit healthmarkets today to see if your current plan is the right fit for you or, you may find a plan that can help save you money. healthmarkets sounds great! how much does it cost? healthmarkets service is free and has helped americans get enrolled in over 5-million policies. and with a better business bureau a+ rating, you can trust healthmarkets. heathmarkets doesn't work with just one insurance company, they work for you and at no cost to you! with healthmarkets, you don't have to stress about picking your health insurance plan. barks ok bunker! ... he really doesn't want you to miss the december 7th deadline. call the number on your screen, or visit healthmarkets.com. don't wait. save time. find the plan that fits you. call healthmarkets today. call this number now, or visit healthmarkets.com to find a health plan that fits you. your insurance marketplace healthmarkets. i'll dara brown with breaking news out of texas. eight people have died and dozens injured at the music festival in houston. police say just after 9 p.m. local time the crowd started pushing toward the stage sparking panic. 17 people were taken to the hospital with several in cardiac arrest. no word on what caused the eight deaths. in addition to possible trampling, officials are looking into rumors about laced drugs. the show was eventually stopped in the interest the public safety. we'll stay on top of that story. now back to "dateline." >> reporter: on the morning of april 2nd, 2014, chena papa did what she'd done almost every day since her niece disappeared. she went to her family church to pray for danielle's safe return. but this time, her prayer was different. >> it was, "please just allow us to bring her home and lay her to rest." >> reporter: somehow you cr -- >> if that is what -- >> reporter: you had crossed that line. >> yeah. i felt like i was being selfish wanting her to come back alive. and -- but i also had in me -- i -- i can't live with not knowing. i'd rather just know the truth. >> reporter: the truth at long last would start to be revealed that afternoon. this is not your regular route to home? >> no, sir, it's not. >> reporter: veteran homicide detective adam brinkley had been helping out on the locklear case. he'd interviewed some of the high school kids in danielle's circle. now, he was off duty, driving the back roads towards a river he knew very well. you're a fisherman? >> i'm a fisherman, yes. >> reporter: is that one of your fishin' holes? >> that's one of my fishin' holes. >> reporter: it was shad season. and as chance would have it, he was wearing a special pair of polarized fishing glasses. these ones that are on your lanyard, huh? >> yeah, these ones right here. and they help me to, you know, kinda look and see into the water a little bit better. >> reporter: he was travelling about 35 miles an hour when he reached this bridge. something in the water below caught his eye. >> i see something down there towards that debris that just didn't quite look right. >> reporter: boy, you got good eyes. with all that junk out there, you saw something? >> yeah, i just normally -- i just know it's not normally there. >> reporter: he stopped to take a closer look. >> i really couldn't tell what it was. and that's when i got on my cell phone, and contacted dispatch. is there a deputy that's close by with a pair of binoculars, so i can make sure this is not a body in the water. could be a prank. there's no telling. >> reporter: within minutes, a deputy pulled up. >> so i took and got the binoculars out, when i was looking, i could see what looked like dark hair. >> reporter: dark hair? with a jolt, he realized that the hair was human. you must say something, like, "oh, my goodness." >> well, definitely knew that -- >> reporter: what have i walked into here, huh? >> yeah, definitely knew that. and it's -- i got on the cell phone, and i called my, you know, homicide supervisor and told him just, "look, i got a body in the river down here." >> reporter: police from two counties descended on the scene. one of the first investigators to arrive was detective hamilton. one look at the clothes told him danielle locklear had been found. you had a clothing match, huh? >> clothing match. >> reporter: you had a photo of what she was wearing that day at the creek? >> correct. >> reporter: and there was the same shirt on your -- >> it was the same shirt. >> reporter: body recovered. >> there was the same shirt. >> reporter: police would need positive id from the medical examiner before they could officially notify the family. but danielle's relatives were already hearing about the discovery of a body from the local news. >> a potential break in the case of a missing cumberland county teenager. >> the moment that they put it on the news, everyone was already sending their condolences. and i'm like, "no, it doesn't mean -- it doesn't mean that that's her. >> reporter: great aunt chena had to see it for herself. she rushed to the river. >> i went running towards the emergency vehicles to go in, but they had a road block. and i says, "no. let me see. let me see." and they're -- "ma'am, i'm sorry. we can't let you through." >> reporter: danielle's mom rowna had taken refuge in a hotel for the night. after midnight, a team of police showed up at her door. a female sergeant broke the news. >> she's like, "we found a body." i said, "oh." i looked at her. and i said, "i understand you have to do your job." i said, "just look at me in my eyes." i said, "is it her?" and she looked me square in my eyes. she didn't say nothing. i knew. >> reporter: sleep would be unthinkable. >> i think i could probably count every crack in the ceiling that night because you just sitting there, you're in a blank space. you're just like, "did she just tell me what she just told me? do i have to actually plan a funeral? i'm getting ready to bury my child. nah, nah, nah. she -- you know -- just a nightmare. snap out of it, rona." it was real. a mother's worst nightmare. >> reporter: as the family began to mourn, detectives got to work. they scoured the river for clues. it was clear from the condition of danielle's body it had been underwater for almost a month. detectives could see why. >> there were some cinderblocks tied to the body with -- >> reporter: so the body's weighted down? >> yeah, you could see through the water with lights. >> reporter: the cinderblocks were tied to the body with bright yellow rope. and they were unique. >> old-style is how i would categorize it. it was very old. >> reporter: not like you get at a modern-day building supply place. >> no, this one had a lot of pebbles and actual rocks in -- in it. so that stood out to me. >> reporter: on the banks of the river, they found shotgun shells. perhaps a clue as to how she died. but a shotgun had nothing to do with it. the next day, the medical examiner concluded danielle's cause of death was asphyxiation. it seemed danielle had been strangled. and a particularly gruesome detail. stuffed in danielle's mouth, the medical examiner found a nightsock. hamilton had seen one just like it before. it was a match to a sock that aunt chena had discovered on the trail? >> yeah, i was gonna say aunt chena actually found that sock. >> reporter: so this was the pair. >> it was definitely the match. >> reporter: remember, the sock at the creek had been covered in debris. detectives theorized that whatever happened to danielle started there creekside. a possibly violent altercation. if that was the case, how had danielle's body ended up here? the river was about thirty minutes away from the creek in a remote part of the county. and the river and the creek aren't even connected. the body was disposed of there. >> body was disposed of. >> reporter: the spot had been chosen to conceal danielle's body but by whom? all detectives had to do was look around. maybe the answer was very near by. >> it was so close that -- i mean, if you dropped a pin on where his house was, the river's right there. >> reporter: coming up -- police are about to circle back to one of the young men they've looked at. and they're prepared for anything. did you have your vests on, firearms out? 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[gaming sounds] [gaming sounds] [gaming sounds] just think, he'll be driving for real soon. every new chevy equinox comes standard with chevy safety assist, including automatic emergency braking. find new peace of mind. find new roads. chevrolet. turns out deb's constipation with belly pain was actually ibs-c giving her grief. so she talked to her doctor because she wanted more relief. that's when she said yess to adding linzess. linzess is not a laxative. it helps you have more frequent and complete bowel movements. and is proven to help relieve overall abdominal symptoms-belly pain, discomfort, and bloating. do not give linzess to children less than six and it should not be given to children six to less than 18, it may harm them. do not take linzess if you have a bowel blockage. get immediate help if you develop unusual or severe stomach pain, especially with bloody or black stools. the most common side effect is diarrhea, sometimes severe. if it's severe, stop taking linzess and call your doctor right away. other side effects include gas, stomach area pain, and swelling. could your story also be about ibs-c? talk to your doctor and say yess to linzess. >> reporter: word that danielle's body had been found was tearing through south view high school. >> somebody messaged me. i can't remember who it was. and they told me, "turn on the news." and i turned on the news, and they were -- it was, like, the video of them pulling the body out. and i called my mom's work and i was crying on the phone. i was just begging her to come home. >> reporter: danielle's family, too, was trying to come to grips with her death. her grandfather, who'd let danielle leave that night, was plagued by guilt. so was her grandma kelly. >> i feel like i failed. i failed my granddaughter by not being there for her when this happened. >> reporter: the discovery of danielle's body had started the mourning process for her family. but it was also a turning point for detectives. because danielle knew someone who lived just down the road from the river where her body had been found. her ex-boyfriend, je'michael. >> so he was on his home turf. >> he's in his backyard. that's rural county out there. there's not even a light in -- traffic light in that town. >> reporter: investigators thought that couldn't be a coincidence. but je'michael wasn't someone the family had seriously considered as a suspect. at least not at first. he'd been supportively by their side ever since danielle disappeared. >> he would gave me a hug. yep. he was at a balloon release. he was at the search parties, all that stuff. >> reporter: but there had been moments with je'michael that gave them pause. one happened for chena during that big search. >> it was the strangest thing because he was, like, in the middle of an open circle, and there he stood not talking to anyone, standing there just staring down at his arm. >> reporter: she even snapped a picture of it. >> reporter: and remember how je'michael had seemed so helpful with information about his ex? >> i told chena that she's told me she tried to kill herself twice. >> reporter: now, one story he told could be read in a very different way. >> and he goes, "well, you know, did you know danielle was depressed?" i'm, like, "depressed? what -- i mean, why -- why would you say that?" "well, you know, when we broke up the last time, you know, she told me that -- that she was going to drown herself in cold water." >> so he's suggesting a narration here, huh? >> and i'm, like, well, what -- wait a minute. >> reporter: detectives were also reviewing everything they knew about je'michael. turns out his break-up with danielle was anything but casual. in je'michael's cell phone, detectives found over the top outraged texts from the girl. >> he goes as far as to block her on -- on his phone. >> that's it. you're really history here. >> yeah, he -- >> i'm not gonna take your calls, your texts. goodbye. >> that's it. blocked her. >> reporter: what's more, danielle had used a friend's cell phone to do an end run around je'michael's block so she could keep texting him. ? his roundabout responses to her, je'michael seemed to threaten danielle's life. he wrote: "come to my house. the way i'm feeling right now i'll shoot you with no hesitation." >> je'michael's gonna kill danielle. >> that he would -- >> if what? >> if she didn't leave him alone. >> so, "get off my case." >> yup. >> reporter: detectives had confronted je'michael about that message early on. >> "oh, i was -- heat of the moment. i was just angry. i said some things i didn't mean to say. i love her. if i could take it back, i would." >> reporter: and remember, je'michael had what appeared to be a solid alibi. three people put him at home studying the night danielle disappeared. his phone was there too. and he had to have been with it, because he'd sent text messages to female friends that night. >> he had been having flirtatious conversations with several girls. >> reporter: on top of that, je'michael had always been cooperative with police. >> what can you do to help us find her? >> whatever you want me to do -- >> reporter: in fact, he'd been interviewed aggressively by veteran investigators. and he never buckled. >> if you killed this girl, or you had anything to do with it, you're gonna have every law enforcement agency around gunning for you. >> yes sir. yes sir. >> reporter: but that didn't stop investigators from giving je'michael a polygraph. and in his cool exterior, they thought they saw a crack. >> absolutely bombed it. >> he flunked it? >> absolutely. >> reporter: they suspected he was lying. but je'michael never changed his story. to rattle him, they'd even played some extreme games. >> reporter: now that danielle's body had been found, it was time to dial up the pressure. investigators would pay je'michael a visit at his house. they set the stage in a church parking lot. >> we briefed everybody on what was gonna transpire, who was on -- perimeter, who was goin' in -- >> did you have your vests on, firearms out? >> we did. we had everything with us. >> reporter: while several officers kept an eye on the perimeter, detective hamilton approached je'michael's front door. >> was he shook? >> he didn't seem shook to me. i was kinda surprised. i'm, like -- you know, they just found a body in the south river right down the road from my house. he's cool as a pickle. >> reporter: they asked him to come down to the station. >> "sure, definitely. i'll go down to the office with you guys." >> reporter: je'michael's mother joined him in the interview room. she seemed to get just how bad the situation looked for her son. >> that body, if it is hers, really, how did it get down there? somebody could be -- could -- have done it, but trying to frame you. because me and mama know in our heart you ain't did nothing. >> reporter: but je'michael didn't seem concerned. >> i love you. >> love you too, ma. it'll be okay. >> reporter: this time, adam brinkley, the detective who found the body, would do the questioning. je'michael had a lawyer there, too. >> you're saying you didn't have anything to do with it. >> yes, sir. >> how do you think that's going to make you look? >> i mean -- unless y'all can prove i had something to do with it, which y'all are not gonna be able to, because i didn't have anything to do with it, i'm gonna look perfectly fine. >> well then, help me with this. why did you fail the polygraph? >> i was nervous. i'm nervous sitting here now. so i mean -- >> reporter: je'michael said he didn't kill danielle. but if he had, he said he wouldn't have been so stupid as to hide the body next to his own house. >> i mean if you're saying you think i'm a smart kid. >> yeah i -- you know i do think you're a smart kid. >> why in the world would i put her down the street and around the corner thern? >> reporter: you're a fisherman. you're looking for that moment when you've set the hook in the mouth, huh? >> yeah, and that's -- >> did you see it with this kid? >> no. >> reporter: but je'michael was in for a surprise. while he was sitting there, detectives armed with a warrant were searching his house. and next to his driveway, oh what a discovery they'd made. coming up -- je'michael learns about that search-in progress. >> when "dateline" continues. tis hospital care, prescription drugs, and more. this kind of insurance, called medicare part c, may also cover dental care, eyeglasses, hearing aids, fitness programs, vitamins, even healthy meals and rides to the doctor. with this kind of coverage, you do not need a medicare supplement insurance plan. you will access your benefits through your medicare part c plan for one low and oftentimes $0 monthly plan premium. you deserve to get the most from your medicare benefits. call now for free information that may help you get more coverage for less money. there is no obligation to enroll, whether for yourself or someone you love. call the number on the screen now. call now. charmin ultra soft has so much cushiony softness, it's hard for your family to remember they can use less. sweet pillows of softness! this is soft! holy charmin! oh! excuse me! roll it back, everybody! sorry! charmin ultra soft is so cushiony soft, you'll want more! but it's so absorbent, you can use less. so it's always worth it. now, what did we learn about using less? you've got to, roll it back everybody! we all go, why not enjoy the go with charmin. >> reporter: danielle's decomposed body had been found in a river but it didn't seem to phase 17-year-old je'michael malloy. in the interview room, he was unflappable. >> y'all seen the ping my phone. you seen i was at home so -- >> reporter: but there was something he didn't know when he agreed to sit down with detective brinkley. it was his mom who told him that investigators at that very moment were turning his house upside down. >> nay searching the house? >> yes, sir, right now. >> really? i don't go in there. >> you can see him thinking, you just sit there watching that mind, you know, go to work. >> reporter: if je'michael was rattled, he had good reason. because investigators had made a big discovery. cinderblocks. the distinctive concrete blocks, did you find -- >> yes. >> reporter: items like that at the house? >> we did. >> reporter: even an indent in the grass, where one might've lain? >> where two were removed. and there was two on danielle. >> reporter: they also found yellow rope. detective brinkley hit je'michael with that news. >> what if i tell you that we found the rope that she was tied up with? >> then y'all found the rope. >> at your house? >> shouldn't be at my house. >> why shouldn't it be? >> 'cause i had nothing to do with it. >> why the cinderblocks? why the rope? >> yeah. >> why the polygraph? the evidence is not gonna lie. that's gonna be the one thing that will get you in the end. >> reporter: the detective gave je'michael one last chance to confess. >> you're gonna look like a monster. you're not gonna win this battle. >> all right, detective. >> reporter: no go. and still, detectives didn't have enough. so you didn't arrest him that night? >> no. >> reporter: did you think you were releasing back into the community a potentially -- >> yeah, it felt like it was -- >> reporter: violent character? >> yeah. i felt like i was letting a murderer go. >> reporter: detectives were now certain that je'michael was danielle's killer. and they knew where the investigation was going next. they had to deconstruct je'michael's alibi, the one that put him home studying that night. it turns out the family members who said they were with him, weren't actually in the same room with him. they couldn't say they'd seen him with their own eyes. >> we actually could not get confirmation from mother or grandmother that he was there. >> reporter: which meant the only person truly vouching for him was his study partner and best friend, dominic. >> we brought him to the sheriff's office, gave him the same opportunity and he lawyered up. >> reporter: did you go through this scenario, that you're two guys in trouble. and one of you might be able to do yourself some good. >> we let him know, very bluntly, that the house of cards is falling. the first one on the train gets the ride. >> reporter: four days later, police got a phone call. it was je'michael. >> i got a call from my supervisor saying that "je'michael's on his way to the sheriff's office, to confess." >> reporter: to confess? >> that was what i was told. but i had got a lotta rumors up to this point. so i was skeptical. >> reporter: not a rumor this time. je'michael was there to confess. >> why the [ bleep ] did i do that? >> reporter: now, he wasn't that self-assured kid police encountered days before. >> i'm going to pray to you right now, father jesus. >> reporter: the person taking the confession would again be detective brinkley. >> came into the interview room, sat down, and i said, "je'michael, tell me in your own words what happened." >> reporter: the night of the murder, je'michael said, he and dominic sneaked out of the house and headed for danielle's. he wanted to talk to his ex-girlfriend. >> i had took my wallet, and i threw it against her window, you know. she came out and everything, and she got in the car. and we went to the creek. and we sat down and we talked for awhile. >> reporter: but this wasn't an evening of reconciliation. there was another combustible in their break-up. something that raised the stakes way higher. according to je'michael, danielle had been telling him on-and-off for months that she was pregnant. >> and she was supposed to take a pregnancy test in front of me. >> reporter: if the test came back positive, je'michael was adamant. he said he would provide for his child. but he would not be with danielle. >> and that's when she snapped on me. and she punched me in my face, and she slapped me and jumped on top of me and got all over me and stuff. >> reporter: in the middle of their alleged fight, je'michael said he took her by the throat. >> all i remember was i grabbed her, i was choking her. blacked out. >> reporter: je'michael said when he came to, danielle wasn't breathing. he said he called out to dominic in a panic. and together, they loaded danielle's body into the back seat of the car. as for that word "help" chena found scrawled in the sand, police had suspected for a while that it had nothing to do with the case. >> somebody did not write that in a hurry. that was our consensus. >> reporter: but that sock, of course, did. it likely fell off as they were dragging danielle's body out of the creek area. according to je'michael, dominic is the one who shoved the other sock into danielle's mouth. >> why would he do that? >> i guess she was makin' a noise. and he put a sock in there so nobody would hear it. >> reporter: as they drove back to his house, je'michael said he threw danielle's phone out of the window, right on i-95 the last place it pinged. then je'michael found the rope and cinderblocks. >> tied her up, put her in the car, threw her over the side into the river. >> reporter: he said that night he and dominic made a pact. >> take it to the grave. don't tell nobody. >> reporter: once his confession was complete, je'michael was arrested and charged with second-degree murder. >> put your hands behind your back. >> reporter: days later, dominic was too. and now, danielle's circle was aware that je'michael had confessed. >> i had a panic attack. i was like, you know, "how could he?" he was texting me and telling me, you know, "hope she's okay. i love her. i miss her." i was just like, "are you kidding me? >> i wanted to kill him. i still wanna kill him. >> reporter: danielle's family was likewise enraged. what are you all saying to one another? >> we feel betrayed. we feel like he's been around us. i mean, he was walking alongside of us during the search. he watched us cry our eyes out. you know it was -- >> reporter: knowing full well she was at the bottom of that creek. >> yeah. yeah. >> reporter: more troubling still, chena didn't feel that je'michael had told the whole truth. >> it just doesn't make any sense to me. i don't believe his story. >> reporter: neither did investigators. did that story satisfy you? >> no. >> reporter: coming up -- a bold move to get the whole truth out of je'michael reveals something, remarkable. >> and that's when his attorney stopped it. >> reporter: a month after danielle's body was found in the river, her family and friends gathered to say their goodbyes. the details of danielle's final minutes were especially haunting to her mom, rowna. >> they put her in [ crying ] the trunk of a car. and they took her to that dirty river and tossed her in there. >> reporter: your baby? >> yeah. threw her away like she was garbage. >> reporter: for her aunt chena, who'd always kept an eye on her niece, the pain was still so raw. >> i know i was overprotective. i don't know that i was always in her business and stuff, but i just wish that i was a little more in her business, you know? and i can't even think about how scared she was. >> reporter: to make matters even worse, they felt the charge of second-degree murder didn't cut it. that crime of passion story, a fight turned deadly. they believed that was a lie. they pointed to je'michael's cell phone left at home. what teenager does that? >> he knew exactly what he was doing. he left the phone at home on purpose. >> reporter: detective hamilton felt the same way. >> reporter: do you believe this was a premeditated crime? >> absolutely. >> reporter: he planned it? >> i do. i believe he planned it. >> reporter: for the detective, it wasn't just je'michael's choice to leave his phone home that night. hamilton thought the location je'michael chose for their rendezvous was also a giveaway. the creek. >> why wouldn't they iron it out right there in front of the house? why did they have to go to a creek and walk down a dark trail? >> reporter: as for je'michael's story of what happened there, his account of "blacking out" when he killed danielle, detectives didn't buy that for one second. they brought je'michael back down to the creek to walk through the crime scene. once there, detective brinkley asked je'michael to close his eyes. >> i said, "je'michael i want you to go back to the event. i wanna get an idea about how long you feel like you had -- had choked danielle. >> reporter: je'michael played along. >> and his eyes are twitching and closed. and i'm, like, "je'michael, what's going on, what's happening?" and he says that he had grabbed her and was starting to choke her. >> reporter: it was dead calm in the creek. ten seconds went by. then twenty. then a minute. >> i said, "are you still choking her?" he said "yes." and that's when his attorney stopped it. he never blacked out, as he had said. he had just sat right there and walked me through the entire process. >> reporter: as for the motive, detective hamilton feels it all goes back to that test je'michael mentioned during his confession. >> she was supposed to take a pregnancy test in front of me. >> reporter: je'michael, he says, was dead set on becoming a u.s. marine. and a baby wasn't part of his plans. >> he thought she was pregnant and -- >> reporter: was gonna mess up his life plan? >> it was gonna mess up his -- his dream career of going in the marines. the mind of a 17-year-old. and she wasn't pregnant at all. >> reporter: and there was one more detail that convinced the detective that this was a uniquely calculated crime. something chilling. remember those texts je'michael's phone sent out from his house around the time of the killing? the ones that bolstered his alibi? >> reporter: so what was that about? >> he couldn't have been there to do it, i could tell you that. >> reporter: the texts were sent to girls he'd been flirting with. he wrote to one, "i just woke up. sooooo whatcha doin?? :)" for awhile, detectives were stumped. how could he be texting from home and also be out committing a murder? >> it was a problem for us. i couldn't figure it out. >> reporter: it was a tech-savvy investigator who solved the mystery. je'michael had downloaded an app that allows you to schedule your texts. >> reporter: so, let me see if i understand this. you can pre-write your text and then tell the phone, "i want you to send this two hours from now"? >> yup. >> reporter: it was alibi-building of the digital kind. treacherous. >> my opinion is, you know, he -- he's a sociopath. he truly believed that he was gettin' away with murder. >> i want everybody to know she will get justice. >> reporter: with a trial looming, prosecutor billy west was planning to up the ante on je'michael's second degree murder charge. >> we would have tried, if the judge allowed us to, to give first degree -- >> reporter: you would've upgraded it, huh? >> -- an option. we would have. we would've tried to give that as an option. >> we wanted him to pay the price. >> reporter: but trial came with a risk. the prosecutor still thought a competent defense attorney could make a compelling argument for voluntary manslaughter, a crime of passion in the moment. if so -- this young man might be out in five years. >> right. that's right. if -- if the jury finds him guilty of -- of manslaughter, he could be given five to seven years, and you could be seeing him on the streets in that short a period of time. >> reporter: trial was a gamble. the prosecutors consulted with family members who wrestled with their feelings. >> it was just a lot. we had been through a lot. we just wanted to be done with everything. >> reporter: je'michael agreed to a deal. he pleaded guilty to second-degree murder and received 25 to 31 years in prison. his friend dominic pleaded guilty to accessory. he received six to eight years. in may 2016, danielle's family showed up at the cumberland county courthouse for je'michael's sentencing. it was their first face-to-face since he accepted the plea. >> same little kid with the -- that smirk on his face. >> reporter: when it was his turn to speak, je'michael turned to the family and apologized. >> i know sorry doesn't cut it, but i do want to say i am truly sorry. >> reporter: but they didn't buy it. >> he's sorry he didn't add more cinderblocks. that's what he was sorry for. because he had every intention to -- for her to stay down there. >> reporter: je'michael's mother, who'd known danielle's family forever spoke at the sentencing too. >> i want you to know, i'm not blocking out no pain. i pray for y'all. i pray for healing. i pray for forgiveness. and most of all i pray for mercy. >> reporter: but mercy wasn't something danielle's mom was considering. >> you want to talk about mercy? she didn't have no mercy that night. you ripped out my soul. >> my sister is not the same. she's not the same. i mean, she was -- she was my niece, but that was my sister's daughter, and her only daughter. >> reporter: in 2017 danielle's class graduated from high school. at the ceremony, rowna looked on as they honored the girl who will forever be fifteen. >> she had an empty seat and it was all decorated, ribbons and everything. and they gave me a shadow box with her tassel and cap and everything. and they -- they graduated my child. and i'm so thankful. >> reporter: there are so many things danielle's family misses about her. her heart. her happy-go-lucky nature. her infectious joy. that's what chena thinks of when the memories come rushing back. >> she was always laughing so i -- i just picture her laughing, and i know that's the way she wants to be remembered. >> reporter: caroline, who was with danielle at the creek that day, misses her friend, too. and that one-time teenage haven is now just a memory. was that the end of the creek for you? >> yes, it was. nobody really went after that, ever. >> reporter: the creek still lazing through its sandy banks but those voices of innocence are stilled now. ever since one lazy, happy day turned into a very bad night, one never to be forgotten or completely understood. i'm craig melvin and this is "dateline." >> my parents were supposed to help these kids. >> you would expect this to be a good, christian place. no parent would have sent their child there knowing what happened. >> what was it like in there? >> it was hell. i was sexually abused. >> there? >> yes, sir. i felt like i was nothing. >> there were numerous concerns about abuse going on at this facility. >> my dad would pick a girl up by her neck, throw her to the ground. >> he would trip you and shove you. >> knock her out. >> yes, sir. >> i mean it. >> i just posted it to tiktok. >> knock her out!