I I rent this place. >> Where's Monique at? >> She left town for a while. >> No, she didn't. No, she didn't. Where is she? >> No, she really did. I swear. >> Her car's here. >> I know her car's here. She has me house sitting. I have like, you know, I got my rent receipts and >> I am here to check the welfare because we have concerns for the safety of the lady who lives here. >> Yeah, get get your dogs and secure them and bring them outside. >> This place is just gross, dude. Looks like they [ __ ] tried to cover some [ __ ] up. >> Yeah, I I I really wonder what happened to this [ __ ] Monique. >> What's this? >> The freezer? Is there a body in here, dude? >> I swear to god, bro. My heart is racing. >> A 68-year-old woman, a Las Vegas apartment, and a roommate who says she left town, but her car is still parked outside. On November 6th, 2024, Las Vegas Metropolitan Police responded to a welfare check at the home of Monique Gilbertson. A friend hadn't heard from her in over 2 weeks. What they found instead was Daniel Rue, known as Jacine, claiming to be house sitting. What they didn't know yet was that they were already standing at the scene of a murder. >> What's in here? Go get him in handcuffs. >> Is that her? >> Yeah, that's her bird. >> God damn. >> Jesus. >> Thomas, I'm sorry. Um, I was like I was going to shower. Yeah, you um Yeah, what's going on there? What was I >> We've been knocking for >> I I I I rent this place and and I >> What's your name? >> My name's Jacine. I I >> Where's Monique at? >> Monique is she like I'm I'm house sitting right now. She left town for a while. >> No, she No, she didn't. Where is she? >> really did. I swear. >> Okay, where is she? >> I mean, I'm just >> here. >> I know her car's here. She has me house sitting. I have like, you know, I got my rent receipts and my brother's supposed to be here. >> Huh? Come outside. >> She doesn't have anyone here. >> No, I have I have rent receipts right here, actually. >> outside. >> Well, I'm not coming outside right now. I have like I have I have I have paperwork that I'm supposed to be here. Like, you know what I mean? And like >> Yeah, you need to come outside and show us your paperwork. >> I understand that I'm here to do a welfare check on the occupant of this residence. I am going [snorts] to do that. You need to come out of there. >> Well, she's not here right now, though. >> You need to step outside right now. I am giving you a legal and lawful command. If you do not obey that command, I'm going to take you to jail and I'm going to charge you with >> But I have I have I have >> Step out of that door right now. >> She's not I have rights. I have I have I I can I call my attorney then? Like I I have I have first off Monique's not here right now. I have the paperwork right here for it. >> As of fair. >> She had an emergency. She had to go to her brother in in the East Coast, so you know what I mean? Like she she's not here right now. What do you want to do about it? >> Okay. Do you have a phone number we could contact her on? >> I mean like I usually call her on her on her phone or something. >> What number did you get a phone call for? >> I um I have to look at like look at my um >> All right, call that number that you call her on. >> Okay, but I mean I don't I don't call her. She calls me generally every couple days, but like I've been I've been I've been here since September. >> Okay, that's great. Come outside. >> You know what I mean? Huh? >> Come outside. >> Well, I I'm Well, I don't trust you guys. I don't trust you guys. I don't really trust this situation right now, you know? >> You need to step outside right now. >> Well, what have I done wrong? >> Okay, I am here to check the welfare because we have concern for the safety of the lady who lives here. >> Okay. >> not you. You need to step out so I can check the welfare in this house. >> I'm a resident here, though. It doesn't matter. >> Step out right now. Is anybody else inside with you? >> Um yeah, like my my wife is here as well. >> Okay, you and her need to step out. >> Okay, well like what are we doing wrong? We have Have we done anything >> You're not doing anything wrong other than you are not obeying lawful commands from police officers to step outside. >> Listen, we're just trying to get in touch with Monique cuz we're came here to check her safety cuz no one's heard from her. >> You can step out. >> Okay, well I mean like let me let me let me go like let my wife know what's going [clears throat] on. You know what I mean? And then just give me a minute, but I still don't see what the problem is. Um but yeah, just give me a minute, okay? >> Yeah, the the problem is that is that you're super suspicious being here and we have no idea where Monique is. That's the problem. >> Yeah, but I have no one but I no one I've been here. >> Okay, no one knows that, though. The front office doesn't know that. Nobody knows that. >> I I mean I yeah, she told she told several like people that they she talks to this one guy regularly. She told him that like I I was here. >> All the security people here, the front office, and the HOA, none of them has any record of you being here. All they know is >> 155. >> Okay, listen. All they know is Monique [music] is always here, always in contact with the front office. Contacts them like three times a day, they said. They haven't heard from her since the 22nd. Her car's sitting out front. >> [music] >> It's got some like dude's hat a dude's hat and some rope in it. And we And And she never leaves without her dogs, according to the front office. >> She she she she has she has she's like let me I'm house-sitting and everything for her right now. You know what I mean? I've known her for a few months We've known her for a little longer than that, but I'm staying here for a few months, you know what I mean? So, and then like she told me like she wanted me to house-sit cuz she had to take care of an emergency, you know what I mean? I can't control that. I don't know the whole everything, you know what I mean? I'm just telling you what I was told. >> Okay, so if that's the case, then why won't you let us in to make sure she's not here? >> I mean, you can go Yeah, but here's the thing, like I mean, like I don't want you guys trying to do anything to me. >> No, I want to go inside so I can confirm Monique's whereabouts. Call your wife. Call your wife. Like, "Hey, come out Come out right now." You guys step outside, and then I'm going to have a couple officers come inside to clear it, okay? Call her from right there. >> What what happens if we have to stay outside? >> Call her out. >> Call her out from right there. >> Okay, hold on one second. >> Call her out. >> Hey, give me a second, [laughter] please. Hey, babe. >> [music] >> Yes. >> She was in the shower last time I checked. Can I go check on her real quick? >> Call her out. >> I just tried to call her. She didn't like I >> No, you didn't. You >> Call louder. >> You barely You barely said anything. Okay. Hey. Okay, um they want >> Jaslyn gets the apply. >> Our intention is to conduct an investigation to find Monique. So, if you and your girlfriend can step out front, maybe provide my partner with [music] the information. >> I don't know if I can for sure reach her right now cuz I wasn't able to reach her yesterday. >> Okay, but at least provide us with a phone number to reach you on so so we can at least talk to a family member down there or something that to to confirm her whereabouts. >> I mean, I told you I I I can't promise you you're going to be able to do that because I can't get a hold of her. >> But we'd like to try. Is that okay with you? >> I mean, like but what if you don't get a hold of her? That's my other thing. >> That's That's That's not what we're worried about, okay? All we're trying to do is get a hold of her. Okay? Does that work? >> I mean, like I got to be able to Here's my other thing, like I If you guys can't get a hold of her today, I like what like are you guys going to try and mess with me? I mean, I have like a legal right to be here. >> that's We're not going to try and mess with you, okay? We just want to We just want to make sure she's okay. That's That's all. >> to come outside cuz what your partner said. >> That's No, that's not Listen to me, okay? Listen to what I say. We're here to make sure she's okay. We're not trying to jam you up. The more you cooperate, the easier it's going to be for us and the quicker we can be done with this. Can you please step outside? We're not going to put you in handcuffs. We're just going to have you sit out here and try and give us some information so we can get a better understanding of where Monique is and why she's all of a sudden gone missing. >> Okay. >> Okay? >> Well, uh that's fine. It's just like I'm just nervous cuz I think >> I understand you're nervous, but can you please open the door? >> I mean, like you guys Yeah. I just want to let you know right now cuz like uh >> Open the door, please. >> Okay, so can we stay in the residence? >> No. Just stand right here. Just stand right here on the balcony, okay? >> What if I come outside and then you guys have like the legal right to like mess with >> No, we don't. >> There still is no legal right. We have as much legal right now as we do to you. >> So, you're confused. You think we're here cuz we care about you. I don't care about you. I care about Monique and trying to get a hold of Monique. It's weird that you are being very [music] defensive about this. >> No, I'm just scared cuz you guys cuz you guys threatened my partner. >> I understand. My partner didn't threaten you. It's It's weird that you're making you're you're being defensive about this. That is suspicious cuz normal people open the door and they just go So, yeah, get get your dogs and secure them and bring them outside. >> Okay. Okay. Thank you. >> Do you have leashes for them? >> I don't know where she has a kind of like collars that I don't know. They don't run. She don't >> They're in a room? >> No, they're in these cages. >> Okay, it's okay. Okay. Okay. >> Hello. >> Hello. >> Jacine's story changed in real time. First, she was house sitting. Then she had rent receipts. Then Monique had an emergency and flew to the East Coast, but her car was parked right outside, and she never leaves without her dogs. Every answer raised a new question, and Jacine's refusal to simply open the door, the thing any innocent person would do, was telling officers everything they needed to know. Under Nevada law, a welfare check does not require a warrant. Officers have legal authority to enter a residence when there is reasonable belief that an occupant is in danger. Every second Jacine stalled was a second that evidence inside was sitting there waiting. When she finally came to the door, officers noted the condition of the apartment immediately. Trash piled high, foam padding stacked against walls, the smell of something burning. This was not a home being house sit. This was a home being concealed. Officers cleared the house room by room, no Monique, no sign of her, until they reached the back of the apartment and found a large chest freezer pad locked shut. One of the officers said it out loud before they even opened it. If there's a body in here, and when the locksmith pried it open, the smell hit first. Then they saw her, Monique Gilbertson, folded inside, gone. >> Where is she? >> Okay, big upper in the right of the hallway to left. I'll clear this right if you don't hold the hallway to left. Okay. >> Mhm. >> The [ __ ] unique. >> Officers walk through the back of the house. >> Is that blood? >> No, I didn't [snorts] get [ __ ] >> What is this? >> Freezer? >> Yep. >> Where is it locked at? It's right here. I think. >> Yeah, let's go get the Allen. >> Is it an uh >> Allen wrench? >> It's an Allen key. >> Yeah? >> If there's a body in here, dude. >> I swear to god. Oh, [ __ ] bro. >> Is this thing even on? >> Huh? >> Yeah, it's on. It's running. >> Without the keys, officers try >> He's freaking out saying we can't open it. >> Hm? >> He's freaking out saying we can't open it. >> Of course he is. You got it. Yeah, you covered it back. Do I swear to god? >> I can smell it already. I know that smell. >> What's that? >> I can tell that smell. What's that smell? It smells something like >> That Oh, [clears throat] [ __ ] >> [sighs] [snorts] >> I swear to god, bro. My heart's racing right now. >> Mine, too. >> [ __ ] bro. I don't want to see it. Give me a second. Oh, stop. Oh. Oh, [ __ ] It smells like You got a whiff? There's something in there. >> You need to go cuz he's going to want to see what it is. >> Where's your person in here? Don't let him in here. >> Investigators believe she had been in that freezer for 4 days. Toxicology would later find over 200 times the lethal dose of fentanyl in her system. This was not an accident. This was deliberate. Jacine's initial explanation that she found Monique unconscious and panicked collapsed when Gina Lopez, Jacine's wife, told officers the real story. Clark County prosecutors allege that Daniel Rue administered the massive dose with a clear motive to take over Monique's home and life. The victim had offered Jacine a place to stay after meeting at a Home Depot. When Monique tried to have them removed, she was killed instead. Now for the legal breakdown. Daniel Rue faces murder, a category of felony in Nevada, along with abuse of an elderly person and administering drugs in the commission of a felony. Combined, these charges carry potential life sentences. Each count stands alone, and they stack. The murder charge under Nevada Revised Statute 200.10 requires proof of willful, deliberate, premeditated killing or death resulting from the administration of poison. A 200 times lethal fentanyl dose satisfies that standard on its face. The abuse of an elderly person charge, Nevada Revised Statute 200.5099, adds another layer. Monique was 68 years old. Targeting a vulnerable adult elevates the offense and carries its own sentencing enhancement. It was not one crime, it was a compound offense built on exploitation. Gina Lopez, Jessine's wife, was charged with residential burglary and drug possession. Her cooperation with investigators after the freezer was opened likely affected what prosecutors chose to file. Cooperation changes outcomes. It does not eliminate guilt. The lesson from this case is not complicated. Monique Gilbertson was kind. She trusted people easily. A neighbor warned her more than once. She didn't listen. Being a good person does not protect you from people who prey on exactly that. Officers get an A. They read the scene without being told what to look for. They held the line under pressure, maintained lawful commands, and followed procedure from the welfare check through to the discovery. When Jessine stalled, they didn't rush. They waited. And they were right to. Daniel Rue gets an F. The attempt to deceive a welfare check while the victim was padlocked in a freezer 10 ft away is not just a moral failure. It is the definition of consciousness of guilt. Under Nevada law, consciousness of guilt is admissible evidence at trial. Every lie told at that door will be read back in a courtroom. Gina Lopez gets a D. Knowing what was in that freezer and staying silent makes her complicit. Cooperation after the fact reduces exposure. It does not eliminate it. She was charged, and she should have been. Daniel Rue and Gina Lopez are currently awaiting trial. If you want more body cam footage, the cases where the truth was already in the room before anyone asked a single question, hit subscribe. We post every week. Drop a comment. What sentence do you think fits this case? We'll see you in the next one. >> Thank us. Monique's dead body is found