before we wrap it up, tom, what's your take on it? face your fears or run away in this business as a reporter, you have to face your fears. because i've been to places and done things i would never do. just having the option to do it. but if it was for the work, i did it and i put myself in very odd situations i would never do on my own. all right. i tend to face my fears as well. yeah. all right. well, that does it for us this round. thank you so much for joining us here on like it or not, you can now watch even more of like it or not, the show is streaming every weekday on the fox local app from 10 to 11 and from 3 to 4. enjoy your day. we'll see you next time. rock your body. move it out. go and take that step. go! break it down. rock your body. move it out. go! take i'm anna garcia right now on true crime news. one of

america's most famous crime fighters, the legendary marcia clark, who prosecuted o.j. in the trial of the century. decades after fighting for justice in l.a, her focus on another sensational case. a woman found tied up and beaten to death, sending her convicted killer to death row. but was barbara graham railroaded? does she think the menendez brothers should go free? the effect of social media on high profile cases. then a 14 year old girl takes her dog for a walk and finds herself on a trail of terror. >> we just found a body along the mountain bike trail. >> her final chilling text a mystery man on a motorcycle, and the clues on her phone that will help catch her killer. i went to our may to michigan to investigate the murder of april millsap. thanks for joining us. first today on true crime news.

she became one of the most famous prosecutors in american history during o.j. simpson's trial of the century. but after simpson was acquitted, marcia clark resigned from the l.a. da's office and became a new york times bestselling author. now, marcia is tackling another headline grabbing true crime case that asks, was a woman wrongfully sent to death row? marcia clark three decades after oj's trial and just months after simpson's death, we, the jury, find the defendant, orenthal james simpson, not guilty of the crime of murder. three decades later, opening up with true crime news about the high profile case, saying lingering anger in the black community came into play in oj simpson's acquittal in the simpson case. >> there is no question that the atmosphere in los angeles in particular was fraught. i mean, literally, the city was burning.

a year and a half prior to that, because of the acquittal of the police officers who beat rodney king, it was a turbulent time. >> white people, excuse me, but that's the way i feel about this situation. trying to set the bayreuther up. >> the sensational simpson trial was just three years after four white lapd cops were acquitted in the videotaped beating of rodney king. the tension was noticeable. >> one of the jurors wound up saying that it was payback time for that verdict. >> now, with social media and true crime docs and series like netflix's the menendez brothers, marcia says cases involving social issues get even more attention and ignite feedback. >> it was like an incredible soap opera. >> after the series debuted in october, a wave of interest online spurred new calls for brothers lyle and erik menendez, who were sentenced to life in prison in 1994, the same year as

the o.j. murders, to be resentenced and set free. do you find it interesting, though, how times have changed, especially if you look at the o.j. simpson case, where now it's like a tidal wave of social media that can really change the course of things. and the conversation about these cases. how do you think that would have affected o.j. simpson? >> i don't know. social media is not a predictable thing, but i do think this i think every high profile case that brings up issues that are compelling will be impacted by the feelings of society at that time. >> that includes the sex trafficking and racketeering case of sean diddy combs, a case she says will be nerve racking for prosecutors. >> high profile case definitely does put a great deal of pressure on the prosecutor, because the whole world is watching, you know. prosecutors are expected to win, and you have the expectation of not only

the public, but more importantly, the victims and the family, all the survivors. there's a great deal of pressure. >> but marcia clark has handled it all so well, and now she's zeroing in on another historic, grisly case. >> as i looked at it, i realized, oh my god, this is a kind of their trial of the century. back in 1953. and the woman in the middle of these two thugs, there were three defendant cases that didn't fit. >> marcia is dissecting a sensational 1950s crime in her new book, trial by ambush murder, injustice, and the truth about the case of barbara graham. marcia, can you tell us what the case against barbara graham was? >> it's a home invasion burglary, but the genesis of it is unusual. so the woman who was living in this home was mabel monahan. >> mabel monahan ended up a murder victim, strangled and bludgeoned to death after

robbers entered her burbank, california, home looking for known treasures. barbara graham, a part of the brazen theft, ended up facing more than she bargained for. >> it came together when emmett perkins and jack santo drafted barbara to be the lure, because mabel monahan was very security conscious, so barbara was used to go knock on the door and say, you know, my car broke down. if you could just let me use your phone. mabel unfortunately let her in. and the men came in right behind her. >> it was unclear who killed mabel, but barbara was found guilty by association. >> it's called the felony murder rule. and when you participate in a felony in which someone dies, even if it's accidental, you're on the hook for it. >> reporters hungry for a story flocked to interview barbara and her lawyer. barbara was convicted and then sent to san quentin's gas chamber, becoming one of only a handful of women to be put to death in

california. and hollywood turned the story into an oscar winning movie, i want to live, starring susan hayward. but not surprisingly, marcia's new book dives deep into the legal questions, something she's found herself doing for quite a long time. >> the question i pose is, had the case been handled differently, had the jury known all that i discovered, would they have put her to death? my conclusion is no, they would not. >> and like the menendez case, marcia says, knowing what we know now about the alleged abuse the brothers suffered, would they have been sent to prison for life? >> if you believe that he genuinely feared for his life, their lives, then they deserve a manslaughter and not a murder conviction, in which case they're eligible for parole immediately. >> when we come back, 14 year old april millsap sends a terrifying text, then a devastating discovery.

>> they describe the clothes that april was wearing. that's the clothes their victim had on, and a trail of digital c lues on her phone lead cops to her killer. >> that's next. >> this right here is confidence in a bottle. >> it makes me feel so much more confident than i have ever felt. >> they are some of the hottest videos on social media. those videos claiming to instantly get rid of bags under your eyes. annette figueroa is here to tell us why. she says this one is for real. >> this one is for real and i'm so excited we even have a video and all he uses is a small amount on a clean, dry face. and what it does is it tightens and lifts the appearance of bags underneath your eyes. and i did this to my father. we were at home, so we applied it to his under eye bags. and let me tell you, we were so excited. in under ten minutes they visibly disappeared from view and now it is literally part of both of our daily routines. and not only does it work on the bags, it works on the appearance of

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>> it was a typical summer

evening in the small town of armada, michigan, when 14 year old april millsap took her dog for a walk on a popular trail. but what happened that night was anything but typical. i went to armada to investigate april's brutal killing and how she helped solve her own murder. these are the last words anyone would ever receive from 14 year old april millsap. a chilling text of her boyfriend that reads, i think i almost got kidnaped. it's followed a short time later by a heartbreaking 911 call jenik 1-1 yelesin. >> i'm fairly certain we just found a body along the mountain bike trail. >> i think the last murder in the village of armada was in 1973. >> armada, michigan is a small farming community an hour north of detroit, but a million miles away from detroit's big city. problems and its crime. >> i'm police chief of the

village of armada police department. >> the village of armada is tiny, just one square mile with a little more than 1700 people. its police department is as small as the community it protects. >> there are only two full time police officers. there are ten part time police officers here. >> one of the two full time police officers in armada, michigan. >> that is true. >> it's a safe place to grow up. >> everyone knows each other. no matter where you go. every corner you turn, there's a friendly face that you recognize. >> david lichtenfeld thought it was a safe place to raise a family. in talking with people and being in town, everyone has always had a sense of, this is such a safe place, the kind of place where you don't lock your doors. i wonder, did you ever lock your doors before this? >> never. >> but life in armada changed the day. 14 year old april millsap went missing while walking her dog along a popular

jogging trail on a july day. >> april was like my own child as far as i was concerned. >> david lichtenfeld is april's stepfather. what's the last time you saw april? >> just before i was going to work, i gave her a little back rub. she's eating a salad. and i told her goodbye, and she said goodbye. and i go to work. and probably nine, 930, i get a phone call saying april's missing. and police. and jennifer is just crying. >> jennifer is april's mother. >> i didn't want to believe it. >> jennifer millsap was born with a neurological disorder that affects her speech and balance, but her fear that something is wrong is easy to understand. you start worrying. >> i'm concerned as to where she is. >> i told everybody at work, i'm packing my tools. i'm leaving.

i'm going home. april's missing. >> april isn't responding to her mother's texts. >> she isn't answering. so after the third or fourth text, i actually called her and it went straight to voicemail. >> the person you are trying to reach is not accepting calls at this time. please try your call again later. >> jennifer calls april's boyfriend. he's hanging out with his friends, but reveals he got a text from the missing girl. >> so around 630, she sends a text to her boyfriend that she's in trouble. afraid she almost got kidnaped, but he doesn't get the text until an hour later. >> an hour? yeah, about an hour later. >> yes, that terrifying text is the last time anyone heard from april. then a man riding a bicycle on the macomb orchard trail spots penny april's dog, loose and frantic. penny leads

the man to april, and he calls 911. >> we just found a body along the mountain bike trail. >> is it a male or female? female. about how old do you think she is? >> i didn't get that close. >> okay. is she on the trail? >> no, she's off of the trail, comes back into the woods, her clothes and all taken off. >> by nightfall, most everyone in this tiny, close knit community hears the news. april's friend serena sends a text to everyone in her contact list asking if they are okay. >> april's the only one i didn't get a message back from. >> serena is not the only one terrified about what this could mean. when april's mother reaches the crime scene, the news is not good. >> they describe the clothes that april was wearing. that's the clothes our victim had on. >> when i found out. i just. i'm kind of numb. >> is there an anger within you, or is it just pain?

>> mostly pain. but. yeah, it's anger. so why this happened to me? and i try not to blame god for it, but. and why? >> who would savagely attack and kill a 14 year old girl just walking her dog on a warm summer evening? when we come back, april leaves behind a trail of digital breadcrumbs that lead cops right to her killer. >> you can see the phone going back and forth and back and forth and back and forth, and then the phone leaves the crime scene at a speed of 13 miles an hour. >> this right here is confidence in a bottle. >> it makes me feel so much more confident than i have ever felt. >> they are some of the hottest videos on social media. those videos claiming to instantly get rid of bags under your eyes. annette figueroa is here to tell us why she says this one is for real. >> this one is for real and i'm

so excited we even have a video and all he uses is a small amount on a clean, dry face. and what it does is it tightens and lifts the appearance of bags underneath your eyes. and i did this to my father. we were at home, so we applied it to his under eye bags. and let me tell you, we were so excited. in under ten minutes they visibly disappeared from view and now it is literally part of both of our daily routines. and not only does it work on the bags, it works on the appearance of crow's feet, fine lines and wrinkles. >> this holiday season is the best time to try plexaderm. at our start up price of only $14.95, our solution is at plexaderm trial.com. or call the number on your screen. >> if there's a true crime you think we should know about, call the true crime news ip

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what you hope for when life tosses lemons your way. circle is your frosted treat with a sweet kick of confidence. circle is the effortless energy that gets you in the zone. circle available at walmart and drink circle.com. >> they are some of the hottest videos on social media. those videos claiming to instantly get rid of bags under your eyes. annette figueroa is here to tell us why she says this one is for real. >> this one is for real. and what it does is it tightens and lifts the appearance of bags underneath your eyes. and not only does it work on the bags, it works on the appearance of crow's feet, fine lines and wrinkles. >> try it this holiday s son for only $14.95 plus free shipping. visit plexaderm trial.com or call the number on your screen. >> we're back with the murder of april millsap. the teen's body was found not long after she texted her boyfriend about nearly being kidnaped. that was just the first of many clues in her phone that would help find her killer. the fbi and michigan

state police are called in to help, as are maida's tiny police department tries to figure out who killed 14 year old april millsap. >> everyone put up ribbons on all the trees and signs, and are made up pink ribbons to show support for april's mother, jennifer millsap. >> she was all i had. >> jennifer cherishes the last school picture taken of april. >> i just want people to remember april the way she was. >> police say april was approached by a man on a trail when he attempted to flirt. she rejected him. but then april sends a text to her boyfriend that reads, i think i almost got kidnaped. police chief howard smith says he knew right away they were looking for a man in his 30s on a motorcycle. >> we have witnesses that identify april. put her there with the man on the motorcycle. >> the gps on april's phone

provides more clues. police had one more tool. >> there was a fitness app running on april's phone. >> april's fitness tracker would provide investigators with a digital trail of terror. >> i didn't even know she had that fitness tracker on her phone. >> investigators recreated april's route. she changed direction and started walking home. after sending that text. the last few minutes of a life were violent. >> the killer hit her in the head with a motorcycle helmet, and then he dragged her body off the path, ripped off her clothes and tried to rape her. >> and then he stomped on her so hard that his sneakers left tread marks on her neck and chest. april's phone gives cops a step by step map of the attack. >> for about 15 minutes, there is a scuffle. you can see the phone going back and forth and back and forth and back and forth. and then the phone leaves the crime scene at a speed of 13

miles an hour. so we know that it's on a motorized vehicle. >> when the killer took off with april's backpack and cell phone, he unknowingly left police digital breadcrumbs. >> we found the phone the next day. >> police say data extracted from the app indicated her phone was traveling at a high speed after her death, before it was eventually dumped. then the motorcycle was spotted. >> one of the officers saw a motorcycle out on armada ridge that matched james van callix, so we started looking at him the second day. >> the trail leads the fbi to the home of a father and son in nearby wales township. james van callix, senior, and james van callix junior. the two are arrested on unrelated drug charges. >> we did two searches out at van callix house. >> james van callix senior is a registered sex offender convicted of having sex with a person under 13. but he's not

the one police want. it's his son, james van carlos jr, who's arrested for april's murder. >> james made a comment at the first search warrant that everything he learned, he learned from his father, james van carlos jr also has a criminal record. >> in 2005 and 2006, he was charged with breaking and entering and failing to pay child support. police say van carlos jr had been riding his motorcycle in armada the day april was killed. james jr is charged with a long list of crimes, including first degree murder for killing april. >> all rise for the jury. >> at trial, van carlos insisted he was innocent, and his defense attorney points out there was no dna evidence at the crime scene or on april's body linking him to the murder dna. >> prince. >> prince noé hair. no fiber?

>> no, sir. when you showed up on the scene anywhere around the body and in that area, did you see any motorcycle tracks? no, sir. >> investigators never found the sneakers that made the stomp marks on april's body. but police say van carlos's girlfriend observed something strange. >> she sees him cleaning the helmet and the shoes with hand sanitizer. the night of the occurrence. >> after a two and a half week trial, the jury reaches a verdict. >> we find the defendant guilty. >> as soon as they said gork in all counts. it was a little bit of a relief to know that, you know, they got him. >> we kind of. >> james van carlos jr appealed his conviction. but the michigan supreme court denied his appeal. we'll be right back. >> this right here is confidence

in a bottle. >> it makes me feel so much more confident than i have ever felt. >> they are some of the hottest videos on social media. those videos claiming to instantly get rid of bags under your eyes. annette figueroa is here to tell us why she says this one is for real. >> this one is for real and i'm so excited we even have a video and all he uses is a small amount on a clean, dry face. and what it does is it tightens and lifts the appearance of bags underneath your eyes. and i did this to my father. we were at home, so we applied it to his under eye bags. and let me tell you, we were so excited. in under ten minutes they visibly disappeared from view and now it is literally part of both of our daily routines. and not only does it work on the bags, it works on the appearance of crow's feet, fine lines and wrinkles. >> this holiday season is the best time to try plexaderm. at our start up price of only $14.95 you know you want a burger. so make it my smashed jack, rated the best burger in fast food. it's even got more beef than a big mac.

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>> on the next. true crime news. a 22 year old son disappears without a trace. >> he hadn't used his bank card. he hadn't used his phone. he hadn't contacted him. >> his last images caught on surveillance. >> he was with somebody else walking at that time. >> the chilling message his girlfriend received on social media. >> my heart literally sank. >> and his family searches for answers. their worst fear. >> i was shaking. >> colomé thought somebody was following him. >> on the next true crime news. for the latest breaking crime news, go to true crime news.com. watch more exclusive content on our youtube channel, listen to our podcast and follow us at my true crime news. that's it for today's true crime news. i'm anna garcia. see you next time, everyone. - was there any question this was a murder? - travis seiber is obviously deceased. his whole upper face was covered with blood. (tense music) - i roll up, i see detective gladson.