Where is it at? Hang on. Hang on. Hang on. Come here. Come here. Come here. Come here. Come here. >> I saw it with the bare foot right there. >> All right. Got a body in the bushes. >> Officers just responded to a hiker's 911 call after a body was found dumped in the bushes. But what seemed like a strange discovery would soon become the most horrific crime scene [music] this small mountain community had ever witnessed. >> What looks to be 12 to 14-year-old Asian male. >> My dogs were going crazy about 11:30. >> On May 28th, 2021, a morning hike off State Route 160 near the community of Mountain Springs took a horrifying turn. What was meant to be a quiet start to the day quickly became a nightmare when hikers pulled off the trail and spotted something shocking lying in the desert bushes. What police responders thought would be a routine body call turned out to be an innocent unidentified child launching a massive investigation into a tragedy that spanned multiple states. >> Tell me where it's at real quick, so I don't want to be walking where I might have some marks or anything. >> Yeah, I make accidental marks, so I want to show you all the way closer. Please >> Slow down. >> So I I told her that she was from there and she yelled. I I I saw it with the bare foot. Right there. >> Okay. Stop. >> step. >> All right. Go wait over there by that sign. >> Okay. >> 1283 turn. You got medical en route. And it looks like it's going to be 419. And uh Looks like it's going to be a male, not a female. >> Yeah, don't mistake my step. >> Okay. Come back here. Come back here. >> Okay. So those are two steps back. >> Okay. Do you have your ID with you? >> Yeah. >> This is your car? >> Yeah, that's my car. >> Okay. I'm going to have to have you stay here for a while, okay? >> So I told the ladies to go and hike on their own. Okay. Hey, guys. I got a body. So, uh if you could just leave the trash can. I don't know if I'm going to have any evidentiary value in there. So, >> All right. It has It had locks. We got access to it. >> Okay. Cool. >> No way they could they could have done anything inside. But, yeah, yeah, we can just leave >> Okay. I appreciate Did you already dump it or >> No, no, no. >> Okay. Cool. >> at it, but we can just leave it. >> You'll just leave it. Yeah, just leave it and uh I don't I don't know if we're going to have anything in there, but yeah, just leave it. >> Can we get a witness statement on these guys? Folks that are back here? >> On who? >> On the folks that are back here? >> I have I can't I got to deal with this road right now. >> Well, make sure it wasn't one of them that was actually over there. >> Yeah, I'll work on that when my partner gets here. >> When the initial responding officer arrived on the scene, he was guided to the location by a witness from a group of hikers. The hikers explained that one of the women in their group had stepped off the trail into the bushes to use the restroom when she discovered the naked body. Operating alone until his partner and backup arrived, the officer quickly secured the immediate area, requested homicide detectives, and actively contained the witnesses to specific areas to preserve footprints and evidence in the dirt. >> Yeah, I need your Do you have your ID? >> Yeah, but they can go hiking. Yeah, I don't want to interrupt their, you know, plans. >> Yeah, you're the one that found it? >> No, she she found it. She saw it first. >> like I was I didn't go to potty, so I went there and I saw the person alive >> Can I I need both of your IDs real quick? >> ID? Oh, yeah. I have >> And then I'm going to have you guys fill out a statement. Can you come back over here to my truck? >> Sure. >> Did you saw it? >> Yeah. >> Is the person a girl? Is it a woman? >> No, it looks like a boy. >> Is it a boy? >> Yeah. Hey, how's it going? It's Captain Holloway Crescent. Hey, uh naked body. It looks like a Asian male. Fairly uh young, I'd say. I don't know, I mean I don't know. Maybe maybe late teens. Doesn't appear any trauma, but it is just laying in a bush. I'm trying not to walk all over in you guys' dirt. Um I don't know if there's like some scrapes on the left shin. The feet are dirty on the bottom. Yeah, I don't see anything out here. Yeah, what happened was they're they're like older and uh they came up here to hike and the PR's wife went into the bushes to go take a was like, "Holy there's a body." Uh I got a body in the bushes. >> Where is >> I'll show you. All right, it's this way. >> They were just hiking >> And just for info, it's going to be uh like a early teens AMA. I'm sorry, AMJ. >> Far away in San Jose, California, the framework of the tragedy involving a 7-year-old boy named Liam Houston had actually begun days earlier. On May 24th, Liam's father returned home only to discover that his son and his 35-year-old wife, Samantha Moreno Rodriguez, had vanished along with all of the young boy's belongings. He was left with a chillingly deceptive voicemail from Samantha apologizing for leaving and claiming she was simply going to find a new house for her and Liam. Meanwhile, back at the desert crime scene, medical personnel examined the body as the lone officer worked tirelessly to manage the witnesses and preserve the fragile evidence left behind in the dirt until a second officer arrived to help. >> Um yeah, so they were hiking. His wife came out here to take a leak in the bushes and saw the body. So, it's not sunburnt, so I think it was obviously overnight. What? I have homicide ID and everybody else coming out. So, you know, are you guys able to I don't know if ID's going to want all of our shoe prints. Are you guys able to stick around for a while? >> Absolutely. We have nothing else we'd rather be doing. >> Okay. I'm pretty sure they I mean, I don't know how far they're going to take it or what their their deal is, but and here's the deal. I need you guys, if you could, to just hang out by the tree. I have detectives on the way out and I want to try to limit everybody's movements here as much as possible. Would you be able to help me out with that? All right. Hi, y'all. My name's Pete. >> Joseph. >> Joseph, nice to meet you. Um They didn't go up towards the scene, correct? >> Cool. >> Your friends? >> We were possible, but >> Okay. >> This two this lady and this show the purse. >> Okay. Okay. Mhm. Okay. Okay. >> And they need bathroom, [music] so they they went this to the bushes and just no 30 seconds after we get from the car, she hear body body on the ground or something like that. This lady understood snake and I hear snake first, too. Snakes, I know. And and then she say no body body. So, I was on the trail and I I saw looking kind of far that I see something. It was in front of me and I actually leave the two in front of from me. >> Okay. >> Because I was just walking and then >> Right. >> And I didn't see it right away. >> And and you're going to and I and I hate the fact that you're going to have to tell that story five or six more times, but >> I going to go to court? >> No, probably not. Um [laughter] I don't believe I have your guys's IDs. >> You got >> I have I have yours. Okay. Do you have your IDs with you? >> Yeah. But, we have to >> I'm not going to have you fill out a statement. I just need it documented that you're here. >> Yeah, he didn't give it to me my ID. >> Yeah, I still have it. Yeah. >> Oh, it was you? >> Yeah. No, no, no, it was the other guy, but I have it now. So. I'll make sure you get it back, trust me. Well, we'll get you guys out of here shortly, okay? We'll do our best. Not Not right now. Yeah. Thank you. That's That's okay. >> I don't know when I'm going to send it. >> As backup arrived, a second officer stepped in to help manage the group of hikers who had been waiting near the trail. Introducing himself, he began untangling the chaotic sequence of events, listening as witnesses explained how they had just parked and started on the path when the women in their group stepped into the bushes for a bathroom break. The hikers recounted that it was not that long before they made the shocking discovery. Once the initial statements were secured and the witnesses were properly identified, the investigation expanded beyond the immediate dirt path, prompting officers to turn their attention toward the nearby houses to begin questioning the neighborhood for potential leads. >> We don't need fire, right? >> I already canceled them, but they'll come anyway. If they think it's cool, just so they can like >> Well, they're not coming in my scene. Yeah, you Yeah. Well, are you able to go tell them uh Yeah, I got the whole works coming out, so I'm trying to limit uh all the footprints and everything I got. So. Sir, are you able to keep everybody over by As soon as the detectives As soon as the detectives get here, I'll have them talk to you so they can get you guys out of here as soon as possible, okay? Hey, Pete. Hey, is this BLM or us? >> Uh depends. >> Right up there where that cone is. I need a find out. >> to call your boss right now. >> Okay. >> And he's already been made aware of it, but you definitely want to get ahead of that. Who's that? >> That's witnesses. To the right of that cone is where Hey, Sarge, what's up? Hey, sorry. I've been uh a little inundated with uh tasks over here. Um so, I got a uh what looks to be 12 to 14-year-old Asian uh male dumped in Yeah, looks like straight Yeah, I got to call 911, figure out if this is Forest Service or BLM or us. Yeah, no, it's it's very accessible. It's literally like maybe 150 to 200 yd off of the 160. No, no, it's right before. So, when you're going up right before you Canyon, you know that little dirt parking lot with all the trees that's off to the it we're right there. Yeah. What's up? Okay. Okay. You guys okay? Yeah. It's fine. All right. Um I got some more stuff I got to do and then a whole bunch of people are going to be showing up. All right. >> As investigators began searching the nearby properties, they pressed local residents for any unusual sights or sounds from the prior evening. One neighbor mentioned hearing their dogs going wild alongside unusual coyote activity, noting that the secluded area of Mountain Springs was a place people sometimes chose to pull off the road for illicit activities. With no cameras pointing toward the remote site, detectives knew they were facing an incredibly uphill battle to piece together what had happened in the dark. >> We are wondering one if you know your neighbors. >> We that that alarm that's been going off for like 2 weeks, is that what you're talking about? >> No, there what happened was is there was a homicide right behind your house. >> Oh. >> And we wanted to know if you guys heard anything from the hours last night. >> Coyotes and my dogs were going crazy about 11:30 a.m. Yeah. >> Really? >> Mom, come here. >> And what's your name, ma'am? >> I'm Chris Axis, but my mom owns the house. >> But you were here last night, so >> My door is open. Um my back door like "Whew, whew, whew." >> You did good job. You did such >> Somebody was behind the house up >> It's >> Oh. >> You know where the archery range >> Yeah, yeah, yeah. >> It's right across from you. >> Well, in the round area, the parking area. >> No, it it's on this side of the street. So, it's literally if we go to your backyard, you can probably see where we're working. So, see your brick house, the brick house first. >> Okay, so I told them I heard coyotes at 11:30. It was a strange coyote, though. >> Well, if I did even if I did, I couldn't tell you, but no. I don't think that's we're just going around and talking to the neighbors, finding out did you hear anything? Did you see anything? Did you hear see coyotes? >> Our dogs got excited about the coyotes last night. That's what we thought it was. >> Yeah. Yeah. >> And then do you guys know the address for that house by And clicking on the maps and >> give you her phone number. >> That would be great. >> Okay. >> So, we can at least say, "Hey." >> I got to I got to remember her name first. >> Yeah, I figured you guys got to be a small, tight-knit community that know everybody. >> there are teenagers up in that pine house up there up on the hill. Uh young people. >> But, they wouldn't know anything. >> I know I'm sure they probably wouldn't. Okay, I got to I don't concentrate on me and my dog. >> any cameras that point back that way? >> No. He's got the best cameras. >> Next door, this gray house? >> Yeah. >> Okay. >> Um but, she has an alarm like I said that's been going off for like 3 weeks, so. >> Okay. >> Down there by the round circle parking lot, which I think is maybe where this body was. >> street from where you guys is at, where you guys are at from the hike. You know what hike there >> Yeah. >> that circle >> So, where >> street >> I think her where we're working is that >> Yeah, okay. So, his house is going to be or wait, this is the house >> Is that it right up there? >> Yeah, that's his house. >> Okay. >> I would go ask him. >> Okay. >> And then, this is the huge house that the old lady's at. >> Okay. So, we're just going to come up and talk to everybody. Did you guys hear anything, see anything? >> even here last night. >> Okay. >> And her And she's an older woman and she's a widow. So, try not to freak her out because she's already put up >> Yeah, look. It's Fort Knox in there. >> I know. >> But, you said she's not there? >> No. She's never there. >> What's her What's her phone number? >> She has all kinds of lights on around her house at night. >> Okay. So, there is another house from where they're working up that street, so. >> No, it's >> No, it's on the other street. It's >> On the back side. When we're if we kept up that trail where they were all at, so we'll let the detectives handle that. >> Okay. >> They found in that round parking >> I have no idea. We didn't go that far. >> Oh. Oh. >> We we we >> Yeah. >> We don't know we we're asking anybody hear anything from 5 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 a.m. See any cars, anything like that, any you know, but the coyotes howling and stuff like that at 11:30. Might have been a good chance that that's >> Was it 11:30? >> Yeah. >> I know it was 11:30 cuz I got I looked at the clock, but >> Well, I mean, maybe they came across the body at that >> Yeah. >> I >> Yeah. >> We don't know. >> The officers then shifted their focus, making their way onto another neighbor's property in search of crucial clues. While the neighbor didn't have the cameras the police were looking for, they shared a striking detail about their restless pets' behavior in the dark hours, leaving investigators to wonder if the animals had sensed something unseen lurking just outside. >> Can I have an idea what's going >> Well, we understand there's somebody that looks like somebody dumped a body down there. >> Yeah, that's really all I know. >> So, basically, we're just wondering if you had any cameras that point towards that area. >> I don't >> hear anything? >> Not on these cameras. >> It's gorgeous. >> We got just about everything else, but no cameras. >> No cameras? >> Yeah. Well, cuz you guys want to be left alone up here. >> Well, it's nice when we're left alone. >> Yeah, until the the police come breaking into your property, asking stupid questions. >> No, we we actually appreciate you guys. >> But yeah, we're assuming that or I'm assuming that it was a body dump, and unfortunately, you guys I mean, it happens quite often up here. >> Yeah? Up here? >> Yeah, they they We have one every few year where people >> People think they're out of the city, so they >> It's a nice convenient place to pull off the road. >> Honestly, do you think at night you don't think there's any houses up here go past any houses to where that you got to pass through and then you see the turn off to the house so you got to pass through right down there he'll have on our left side this is garage side and he'll have his garage lights on on the outside and that pump house there for me that light is on 24/7 now did you guys hear anything unusual last night I didn't but you know what I've got three dogs that are staying with us okay they wanted the house all night long so why don't I give them a call yeah that would definitely help us cuz we I mean I know coyotes howling up here is not unusual last week there was a pack of them just over that hill late afternoon early evening he was up until about 1 and he said at about 11 he heard coyotes sounded like they were messing with the neighbor's dogs so it sounds like the dogs were kind of going nuts the mystery of the unidentified boy began to unwind when a digitized composite sketch of the victim was released to the public a friend of Samantha saw the image on the news recognized the striking resemblance to young Liam and alerted police San Jose authorities immediately contacted Nevada detectives who traveled to California to retrieve Liam's pillow and clothing allowing investigators to verify the child's identity using DNA with the victim finally identified an FBI led task force tracked Samantha Moreno Rodriguez to Denver where she was arrested without incident the vehicle used in her flight was recovered and sealed for evidence while detectives prepared to extradite her back to Las Vegas to face a charge of murder though the arrest brought immediate relief to a deeply drained investigation team it left a grieving community and a devastated father seeking answers to a tragedy no one saw coming