http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/1803/26/ptab.01.html
Actresses and high speed chases, it is the stuff of Hollywood. But not when the actress is missing in real life and when the high speed chase ends in the suicide of a suspect in real life.
In this true crime drama, Adea Shabani has been missing for over a month. A stunning 25-year-old actress who was last seen at a Hollywood coffee shop.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JAYDEN BRANT, PRIVATE INVESTIGATOR: We have no evidence that she is a runaway. She is not a voluntary missing. We don`t have evidence that she wanted to harm herself. So we are treating this as an involuntary missing. That`s why we are out here searching for her and we believe that she is an involuntary missing.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BANFIELD: And if the reports are true, involuntary missing is right. Because according to local reporters, Adea had a boyfriend who also went missing.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: She is in a relationship, yes.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Is he helping you?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: He has been cooperating with the investigation, yes.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Is he helping you guys? Do you know him? Do you think there could be something there?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We don`t know. No info.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: So they both disappeared?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Nothing on the relationship.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: No, nothing.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BANFIELD: Some knew him, some didn`t. But the him is 33-year-old Christopher Spots. He was reportedly out of state after Adea disappeared.
Out of state with another woman. Another woman said to be his fiance. And now we are hearing he took Adea for a ride while she was apparently drugged, reportedly putting her in his truck and not in the passenger seat, in the bed of that truck.
Police have not confirmed any of these local reports. Still saying that Adea is just a missing person.
But tonight they are investigating a homicide. Because the stolen truck that Christopher was driving may have been used in a homicide according to the clues inside. At least that`s what the police are saying. But they can`t ask Christopher about any of this. He is the one who killed himself with a handgun after leading police on that high speed chase in that stolen truck.
Pat Lalama is with me now. She is the managing editor for Crime Watch Daily with Chris Henson.
Pat, this is very complicated. But in the end, did they think, did the police think that Christopher killed Adea? Otherwise, why were they chasing him?
PAT LALAMA, MANAGING EDITOR, CRIME WATCH DAILY: Well, look. Just like you said. My conversations with LAPD just a few hours ago, simple to the point. This is a missing person`s case. That`s all they will say, but there is a get reason why that is all they are saying.
But let me -- let`s just do a little bit of a timeline so people understand what`s happening here. It was February 23rd where she was sitting in that coffee shop, seen on close circuit TV. Now she lived alone. And what I find interesting is that she left her door to her apartment unlocked when she went to that coffee shop just a little bit strange.
Now, she is missing. Everybody is looking for her. The next thing we know, he, Mr. Spots allegedly returns from Colorado where his family also lives, by the way. Police according to the people I`m talking to called him to ask him does he know anything about it. He hangs up the phone then subsequent to that is the police chase.
There are all kinds of rumors swirling and the one about the person having seen her in the bed of the truck drugged, no one can substantiate that. So let`s just be very careful about that. And in fact I think one of your guests is the very nice private investigator that I spoke with earlier today who said that apparently came from some social media person. But no (INAUDIBLE) person has ubstantiated that she was in fact drugged in the back of that truck.
There are so many -- it`s really frustrating because I have been sitting there trying to put all these pieces together and you can`t make them fit yet.
[19:06:16] BANFIELD: No. And we will have (INAUDIBLE) coming up in just a moment who you just mentioned, Pat. The private investigator in this case.
But I`m not finish with you yet because all of the reporting that is going on has yield in bits and pieces of who Adea is and was perhaps and also about Christopher. This is Krysi Newman who is a neighbor of Adea Shabani (ph). And talks a little bit about what kind of person she is. Have a listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
KRYSI NEWMAN, MISSING GIRL`S NEIGHBOR: She was just a delightful spunky gal. And to not know where she is or what happened to her, it`s just very haunting and sad. We always hope there is good news. I just wish her and her family the best.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BANFIELD: You know, what`s interesting, Pat, is the number of celebrities that Adea Shabani (ph) would be hanging out with at various stages of her career. I mean, it is a very short career. She was also a student as well as an actor. Justin Bieber and Kanye West. I think Paris Hilton, Chris Brown. Just a huge list of A-listers. Cara del Vinnia. I`m not sure if I`m pronouncing that right, a big model. Lamar Odom. Adriana Lima, a Victoria Secret supermodel. Robert Pattenson. Alexandra Ambrosio (ph), another supermodel. I mean, she seemed to really travel in some pretty elite Hollywood circles. There is a reward out for her as well, right. I think the family and friends have put together a reward?
LALAMA: The last I heard it was $25,000.
But you know, what? I mean, think about this, Ashleigh. It seems like maybe she really was forging a career. She was going to Stela Adler, a very respected acting school. But you know what? Doesn`t mean you don`t make wrong choices when it comes to boyfriends. I`m not saying the guy was
guilty. But, you know, everyone has been there.
BANFIELD: Wasn`t he also a student at that acting school with her?
LALAMA: Yes. And you know, it is interesting
. We did a little bit of research and that it appears that he was also a certified nursing assistant which you can imagine was struggling actress finding way to make some income on the side. But we did find out that that certificate had expired and he was pursuing acting. She had gotten one small role and was looking for her big break. I don`t really know what he was able to accomplish.
BANFIELD: So there is also word from some of the local reporting, I don`t know if it has been substantiated yet, Pat. But that Christopher was telling some of the other students in the class that they took together at that, you know, Adea and Christopher took together at that elite acting school. He was telling some of the other students that he had a fiance in Colorado.
LALAMA: Well, allegedly, he does have a fiance in Colorado. And it sounds even more mysterious when you add a double life to this whole equation. But what would be his point in murdering her? You know, that`s the missing link. I have a feeling cosno (ph) more than they can tell us at this point. And I have a feeling they are probably very close to solving it all which is why we can`t put all those pieces together. They know what it is. And I think we are going to know really soon.
BANFIELD: Can we just show that picture again, we just had up this light pole or a post of some kind in Los Angeles with missing picture. I just kind of get the impression that Hollywood is not used to these things playing out in real life. It`s really a drama for the big screen. And I fort of wonder what the feeling is out there among all the cognizant and the actors. And do you see these flyers all over the place?
LALAMA: Ashleigh, I can tell - I live probably ten minutes away from where she lived in Hollywood. I`m just west of that. And you know, the thing is, a lot of young people come here with dreams. And there are more tragedy that occur than you think. We may only hear about the beautiful young actress, but a lot of people come here and take a wrong turn. And that is very sad.
[19:10:02] BANFIELD: I mean, don`t go anywhere. I have a couple more questions for you.
I also want to bring in Jayden Brant. He is a private investigator that Pat just referenced. He has been working on Adea Shabani`s (ph) case.
So Jayden, what else do we know about Christopher Spots, 33 years old, reportedly with this fiance in Colorado. What connection do we have to Adea?
JAYDEN BRANT, PRIVATE INVESTIGATOR ON CASE: Yes. So unfortunately this time, you know, due to the nature of the investigation, we are just unable to confirm any details regarding that individual or regarding the incident that you are speaking about. But it remains an active investigation. Adea is a missing person. And we are actively looking for a conclusion in this case.
BANFIELD: And when are you say we, Jayden, when you say we, is it correct to say you are hired by the family, by Adea`s to try to get to try to get to the bottom of this?
BRANT: That`s correct. Yes, my agency works closely with the family. And you know, we are all hoping for a conclusion in this case soon whether it`s positive or negative.
BANFIELD: And that`s another question, positive or negative. At this point, does Adea`s family hold out hope that she is alive and she is being held somewhere even with the advent of this new development that Christopher Spots is dead by suicide?
BRANT: Yes. I mean, of course, the family always, you know, is holding out hope. It`s difficult. We are into the fifth week of her disappearance, so it is very difficult on the family. But we always remain hopeful until we absolutely know otherwise.
BANFIELD: So can you help me to sort of sort through why they ended up on the high speed chase, you know, trying to catch Christopher Spots? There is something about the truck he was in was stolen. It may have actually triggered one of those automated plate reader. Was there something else to it that they were after or was it just luck of the draw that they happened to be looking for a stolen truck and lo and behold, it`s a missing woman`s boyfriend?
BRANT: Yes. Again, I`m sorry. But again due to the nature of the investigation I just can`t confirm any details of that incident.
BANFIELD: So there is also the release that there was something in the truck. The police saying something in the truck led them to believe this truck may have been involved in a homicide in Los Angeles. Do you have any idea what they found inside that truck?
BRANT: Yes. Unfortunately, I can`t discuss that at this time.
BANFIELD: But do you know it?
BRANT: Again, I can`t discuss that incident at this time.
BANFIELD: Totally understand that you can`t tell me what the information is. I`m just curious to know if you know the information.
BRANT: Yes. Of course, like I said. I can`t discuss it at this time. Again, it remains a very active investigation.
BANFIELD: Totally understand. You can`t blame me for trying because it`s mysterious to so many. And it is a very high profile missing person case.
I mean, she is an actress with all these a-list friends. There is posters everywhere. The family has appealed for help. If anybody knows anything. They had even put it on a tip line. I will up if you wanted. It is
213- 996-1800. If anybody has seen anything.
But that leads me to that other mystery.
Jayden, what was the report that came in that somebody somewhere saw Adea "drugged and in danger," those are quotes, and being placed in the back of a pickup truck and there was a phone call apparently that came in with this information. What was the nature of that? Who got it? And is there any validity to it?
BRANT: Yes. Unfortunately, that tip we have not been able to corroborate at this time simply because that was a tip very early on prior to my involvement in the case. And I believe actually prior to my knowledge, prior to LAPD`s involvement in the case, it was social media posts that was put out by some friends and someone contacted someone through social media anonymously. We have asked for that person to come forward and provide us more information. Obviously, you know, we are very interested in that but simply have not been able to be corroborated at this time.
BANFIELD: I mean, you would think that would be an ATV seeing a drugged woman being loaded into any, you know, pickup truck dead. That would - you would think that would start a chase immediately. And that we don`t think that that was started this chase, do we?
BRANT: No. I mean, not to my knowledge. I mean, that tip came in, the one you are refereeing very, very early on.
BANFIELD: OK.
BRANT: You know, many weeks ago. Again, even before we were involved and she was an official missing person.
BANFIELD: Let me bring Pat Lalama back.
Pat, do we know anything about this fiance in Colorado and if the police have been able to reach her and try to get any information from her about this?
LALAMA: I have no doubt that they have spoken to, if this person exists, have spoken to this person. But you know what? I think the real mystery is, Ashleigh, what about this quote-unquote "passenger" during the chase whom he allegedly stopped to let that person out and then continued on with the chase. I can`t get any - I tried as hard as you did with the private investigator and he is, you know, he is true to his word. He can`t say much and we appreciate that. But I can understand why no one will tell us, who is that person? And you know that person knows everything. Who was that person?
[19:15:30] BANFIELD: And while -- if there is DNA in the back of that pickup truck, that is going to speak volumes as well.
Jayden, do you know, if you know, if there is any -- have they, you know, extracted any forensics out of that stolen truck that might link to Adea?
Do you know?
BRANT: I`m not aware of that would be --.
BANFIELD: Not aware? What about the fiance? Do you know anything about the fiance?
BRANT: Unfortunately, I can`t discuss that right now.
BANFIELD: OK. What about that passenger that Pat was mentioning? Do you know anything about the passenger?
BRANT: Yes. Again, I just can`t provide any details on that incident.
BANFIELD: OK, real quickly, let me bring in Kenya Johnson, defense attorney.
Kenya, if they find any DNA of the - in the back of that truck, game over?
KENYA JOHNSON, DEFENSE ATTORNEY: Absolutely. We are talking circumstantial evidence and the circumstantial shows that he had to run for something. He had something to hide. And so, someone is out of this, there are so many unanswered questions. But the police will be looking at his behavior during the chase and how he was apprehend and why did he killed himself? Because he has a secret to hide.
BANFIELD: Pretty mysterious.
We are not done with the story. But my thanks to Pat Lalama for all of her great reporting. I love your show, too, by the way. I just love it.
Thank you, Pat.
LALAMA: Thank you. Thank you. Appreciate it.
BANFIELD: My thanks to Jayden Brant. And my thanks to Kenya Johnson.
