he was engaged to a woman named janet miriam. she lived in texas and learned of lynne's disappearance long distance. >> cliff had called me and said he had -- i believe had received a phone call stating that lynne had disappeared. they found lynne's car, and they didn't know where she was. >> reporter: this is a very traumatic thing that's gone. he's lost his mother. did you shield him from it -- >> okay, the news, we shielded christian as much as possible. >> this area -- >> reporter: meanwhile, the massive investigation into lynne friend's disappearance had one goal -- to find her or at least her body if she was, in fact, dead. >> are you prepared to deal with the worst? >> no. no. i cannot think that. i will not think that. lynne is -- lynne is the woman that i'm going to marry. she is my life. >> i think he really wanted to hold it together and to be dignified. >> reporter: jennifer snell was a reporter for miami's nbc station wtvj. >> i thought that as the word would come out of his mouth, he will realize what he was saying