What Happened to Brittany Wallace Shank After That 911 Call?

Santo County 911. Where's the emergency? >> Um, off of Fawn River. >> Okay. You're on Fawn River Road near uh. what cross street. >> What What cross street or what address. are you at on Fawn River? >> Where are we at? >> He wants to know what street. road. >> I guess on Fawn River. >> Okay. Do you have an address on Fall. River?

>> Um, here's a guy. >> Okay. >> That 911 call came into St. Joseph. County dispatch just before 9 at night. on November 30th, 2018 from a house off. a rural road right outside Sturgis, Michigan. >> Can you tell me what's going on there. tonight? >> I don't know. The girl just came to the. back door and. she had no shoes on, no coat. She's. bleeding, got her feet, no arms. She said her boyfriend took off. somewhere. He wrecked the car and took.

off running. I guess. >> if you didn't catch all of that, the. man, his name is John, said that the. young woman that came to his back door. was stranded after her boyfriend wrecked. their car and then took off on foot. without her. It was bitter cold with. snow on the ground. So, the fact that. she showed up barefoot with no coat and. a bit scratched up and bleeding [music]. was cause for concern. >> She said that her boyfriend like took. off from the area. Did he know was he. abusing her or what? What happened?

>> I I don't know. I couldn't tell you. that. >> Okay. All right. Would you say that. she's I mean, does she need medical. attention or you said it's not serious. or what's going on? >> Under the static and radio chatter, you. can hear the young woman Jon is speaking. to in the background of the call. She. doesn't sound panicked. Her tone is. measured. And she tells them she does. want medical attention. >> Yeah. Okay. >> She just told me she just told me.

>> Okay. Yeah, absolutely. We'll get. somebody down that way for her. Do you. happen to know what her name is? >> Is that your name? >> She don't seem to want to talk to me. >> Okay. >> Welcome back in here. >> That's the moment when the woman takes. off from John's. still barefoot but. wearing the green John Deere sweatshirt. John had given her for warmth. >> If you can tell her that help the help.

is coming down that way. I just need her. to stay there if she wants assistance. >> Yeah, she went outside. She ain't got no. shoes on. I give her a jacket. >> Law enforcement would later learn that. the woman who ran away was 23-year-old. Britney Wallace Shank. She was moments. away from help, but something pulled her. away from the safety of Jon's back. porch. What or who or why has never been. fully determined because since Britney.

slipped into the darkness that November. night back in 2018, she's never been. seen again. and trying to understand. what happened to her, what even brought. her out to that rural road to begin with. and who she was with opens a Pandora's. box of conflicting [music]. stories, troubling allegations, and a. mystery that has taken on a life of its. own. I'm your host, Ashley Flowers. [music]. And. >> I'm Brett. And welcome back, Crime. Junkies.

The entire scenario that kicked off this. case. A woman comes to a stranger's. door, a little worse for the wear, shoeless, coatless, in the cold, saying. she was in a car wreck and her boyfriend. took off and left her. Then she takes. off just before deputies are about to. come. That would be more than enough for. a red flag to be thrown up for crime. junkies, right? Like we would be like. like spiraling and like jumping into. action. >> Actually, we've literally seen this play.

out before. This feels like a slightly. different version of the start to our. episode on Lisk when Shannon Gilbert was. like running to a house looking for. help. >> Maybe that's why to me this should have. been so alarming from the jump. >> But sadly that's apparently not what's. on the minds of first responders. [music]. We were able to get what seems to be. most of the case file. And when they. look over the car that's been abandoned, they realize this was far from a serious. crash. One of the few things almost.

everyone in this case can actually agree. on is just how thick the fog was that. night. And it looked like the car had. basically just kind of like veered off. the road into they call it a ditch, but. like we're talking a very shallow ditch. and then maybe got stuck. The car was. still drivable though. And even the. injuries that John saw, he described. them as small cuts on her feet and her. arms, but I don't know where those would. have come from. Some suggest that maybe. from the brush in the field going from. the car to John's if she like cut.

through that way and didn't use the. road. But like this is like right where. we grew up. These like Michigan, Indiana, northern Indiana like fields. >> And this is in November. >> Late November. Everything is like cut. down by this point. >> Yeah. There'd be like some sticks and. stuff in like the farm fields, but not a. lot. >> I know. And some people have even said, "Oh, well, if they cut down the corn and. the stocks were still up." Like, but I. was like, "Yeah, but deep tracks. I know. my fields." You have to switch between. corn and soybeans. What was it that. year? I don't know. >> And you sometimes like till it under at.

the end of the season. So like, yes, there'd be stocks, but they're like half. buried. Also, like there is the paved. road that goes right to his house, like. from where the car was. So like I don't. even know that she would have had to. have cut through a field. Listen, I. don't know where the cuts come from, but. I don't think it was from the crash cuz. there is really no crash. I have talked. to enough cops to know that they do see. a lot of this, right? Like if a driver. doesn't want to encounter police for. whatever reason, they will just leave a. vehicle. Maybe there was a reason that.

Britney seemed ky with John. Maybe she. didn't really want [music] the police to. come out there. >> Okay, but then why go asking for medical. help? >> That is not a mystery that they attempt. to solve right then. whoever that was, she's probably just going to show back. up. And the truth is, the people in. Britney's life were probably making some. of the same assumptions. The 23-year-old. mom was struggling with substance use. She had recently given up custody of her.

four kids while trying to get back on. her feet, hoping to start a new job, maybe enroll in school. And she had a. warrant out for her arrest at the time. for lararseny. So when she goes MIA, at. least at first, they kind of wonder if. that's because she wanted to. But don't. get it twisted. I mean, some of her. family and friends had been looking for. her, like asking around. Even her. boyfriend had been out trying to find. her. >> The boyfriend who took off on her. >> That's the catch. It was her boyfriend,

Sheldon Ashbrook. It was his car that. she had been driving. But when police. dropped by unannounced after the. incident, likely sometime around 10:30. p.m. or later, to tell him that his car. had been impounded, Shelton was home and. informed them that he hadn't even been. with Britney. She borrowed his car that. night, and he said he had no clue who. she would have been with. So, it sounds. like even he just [music] assumed that. Britney was either embarrassed, maybe by. what she had done to his car, or maybe. she was laying low due to the fact that.

there was a warrant out on her. But. weirdly, it doesn't seem like he told. her family about the car incident right. away. I mean, he told some friends, but. the family didn't find out until later. that she had taken off after the car. went off the road. Though, even then, they hear that the car was operable, so. she must have just walked off, right? Even her being barefoot in the snow. didn't stand out to them too much. Her. mom told us that Britney was known to. run around in flip-flops or even.

barefoot even when it was freezing in. Michigan. And listen, those instincts. might have been right because it turns. out when Britney went to John's that. night looking for help, she did. She. went to his house looking to use the. phone, but she didn't necessarily call. 911 right away. She had actually tried. calling her grandma Vicki first, but. either that call didn't go through or. grandma just didn't answer. And I don't. know for sure if it was her or John who. actually ended up dialing 911. Like she.

ends up passing the phone off to him. pretty quickly and then doesn't seem to. want to give him any information. So I. keep thinking maybe he like dialed. before she realized what was going on. Like since she didn't seem scared, my. gut is that Brit wasn't looking for help. for like first responders. >> She called grandma like for a ride or. something. >> Exactly. And when she realized that. deputies were going to be showing up, she took off. But that doesn't explain. why she hadn't turned back up now. And.

with every day that passed with no word. from her, everyone who knew Britney was. growing more worried, especially the. longer she went without being active on. social media, cuz apparently she's like. a Facebook junkie. But the real final. straw that set off alarm bells was. learning that Britney hadn't been in. touch with her grandma Vicki at all. after she tried to call her that night. Because the two of them were close and. they talked constantly. So 8 days after.

the night that she walked off into the. cold, Britney's dad, Greg Wallace, reports her missing to the St. Joseph. County Sheriff's Office. And once they. open an investigation, they decide to go. to grandma since she likely had the most. contact with Britney. They think she's. going to be super helpful in trying to. map out Brit's movements leading up to. the night of November 30th. And it is a. worthwhile stop. Grandma is a wealth of. information because luckily the last. time Grandma had seen Britt just so.

happened to be the same night of this. car crash or the car going off the road. And Britt wasn't alone. Deputies learn. that earlier on November 30th, sometime. around 6:30 and 700 p.m., Britney had. stopped by her grandma's house to do. laundry with a guy. Now, it doesn't. sound like they were really interacting. too much with anyone else at the house, but that could have been because they. had been using drugs that night. Now, later, when her family finally heard.

that 911 call, they told us that they. suspect that she was high because of the. way that she sounded. Now, at grandma, she and this guy also appeared to be. arguing a bit, and he was rushing her, like he had somewhere better to be. And. they stayed long enough to wash the. clothes, but not long enough to like. fully dry them. Instead, Britney stuffed. damp laundry into a basket, and then. they left together. Let's call it like. 8:30, 8:45 p.m. >> So, Sheldon lied. >> Sheldon did not lie. [music] Grandma. knows Sheldon. He and Britney had been.

friends for years before dating on and. off. Grandma says this wasn't him. >> Okay, then who was he? Brit, nobody. knows. But like I said, like Britney and. this guy barely interacted with anyone. else. And in hindsight, Grandma says. there was something off about this guy. Like he just they couldn't put their. finger on it. Nobody ever got his name. though is the catch. They do have a. pretty good description of him though.

He is this thin white guy in his like. early to mid20s between 5'6 5'8ish with. short blonde hair and thick mutton chop. sideburns like Elvis as grandma. described and he was wearing like a. yellow sweatuit type outfit with like. some black on it. >> So when Britney said her boyfriend took. off after the crash is she talking about. this guy like whoever he is? If there. was a man in the car with her when it. went off the road, I think it has to be. this guy just based on the timeline,

right? Like, so based on what grandma. remembers, they left her house around. 8:30 p.m. The spot where the car went. off the road is about a 5minute drive. away and then getting to John's should. take less than 10 minutes on foot. We. know that the 911 call is placed around. 8:50. So, it seems like there wouldn't. have been a lot of time for her to have. like [music] picked up anyone else. Like. I don't think anyone else could have. been in that car with her. >> If someone was in the car with her, it. has to be this guy that she left. grandma's with. Now, is there a chance.

that she dropped him somewhere and she. was alone in the car? Maybe. But there. isn't a whole lot in this area. >> I was going to say this is like a pretty. rural area, right? So, personally, I. think it's unlikely. Also, the direction that they were. driving is kind of interesting to me. I. don't know where Britney was headed to, but like the direction she was going in. was toward Bronson. Now, she used to. live in Bronson, but Bronson is away. from Sturgis where she has been staying. with Sheldon. Now, the thing I'll say is.

that we're told a lot of drug. connections lived out that way in. Bronson. So, maybe she was going to. somewhere she used to live or to a. connection she knew. But like, I have no. idea. Okay, so I'm buying that the. mystery man is in the car with her, but. like why does she call him her. boyfriend, though? >> Nobody really knows. Now, I mean, I have. to say according to some family members. that we spoke to, Sheldon actually did. kind of fit at least some parts of the.

description. Like, he is blonde. I think. he has like similarish facial hair, which I can show you, but the build, I. think, was really different. And years. later, some close to the case would. question just how reliable everyone's. memory really was that night, right? Like grandma's saying, "I know Sheldon's. for sure, not him." But they also say. grandma had a few beers. And nobody at. the house seemed to be paying. particularly close attention to this. guy. [music]. And I'm not like blaming them for that. They couldn't have known the importance. that like like he would become in this.

case. But. >> grandma says it is not Sheldon. So, to. your point, why is Britney calling. someone else her boyfriend? Maybe she. used the term loosely. Maybe it was. someone that she was seeing on the side. [music]. Or maybe she just didn't feel like. explaining her love life to a complete. stranger, right? Cuz let me tell you, her love life was pretty freaking. complicated, as we will soon get into. But just a quick observation, I've seen. what's believed to be the last selfie.

that Britney took from Sheldon's car. before leaving that night, and she. [music] looks pretty done up. Maybe that means absolutely nothing, but. to me, it doesn't exactly scream like. I'm just going to grandma's to do. laundry. >> More likely, she may have been like. going out, going to meet up with. somebody. >> Yes. And if she was seeing another guy, then the question becomes, did Sheldon. know about it? When investigators circle.

back to Sheldon, the short answer, according to him, is [music] no. He. admits the two weren't exactly in the. best place the day that she vanished, mostly [music] due to Brit's meth. He. insists this wasn't some like blowup. fight they had or anything, more just. like bickering. But he does say that. before leaving the house that night, Britney told him something along the. lines of, "You're not going to like me. much later, which he took to mean at the. time that she was going to go out and. get high." He says he actually didn't.

want to lend his car to her that night. People we spoke to told us that that car. was his baby. But that night, Britney. asked to borrow it so she could go to. her grandma's. And according to Sheldon, he actually even offered to drive her. himself. Like it was only like a. 15-minute cruise away. But he says that. Britney got irritated about this and was. adamant about taking the car alone, >> which makes sense if she's meeting up. with another guy, >> which is what I think happens cuz. Sheldon helps fill in more of the. timeline for November 30th. He says that.

she left his place likely sometime. between 5 and 6:00 p.m. And not long. after, Britney called him up like half. joking, half complaining. I think that. there wasn't enough gas in the car and. she was going to have to stop and fill. up. And after that's when we have a gap. where we think she picks someone up. before going to grandma's. Now once. hours pass by, Sheldon tries contacting. Britney to see where she's at. Like. she's supposed to be back with his car, but she won't answer, which probably. frustrates him. Not cuz he is thinking. she's with some other guy. He is.

thinking that she's out using and like I. said, not back with his car after he. already seemed like on the fence about. her taking it. And look, after talking. to people close to this case, Sheldon. doesn't really seem like the jealous. type. He is more so the guy that Brit. felt she could always fall back on if. she needed something. So, at 9:42 p.m., he actually called a friend and his. cousin and asked them to pick him up so. they could go out and look for Britney. And deputies end up confirming this with. those two people. The first place they.

said they checked are the Village Manor. Apartments in Sturgis. Why not grandma's. if that's where she said she was going? >> Well, because according to Sheldon, Britney would go to these apartments to. visit friends and to do drugs like or. get drugs. And remember, like that is. what he thought was going on here, why. she isn't back. But he goes there, doesn't spot her car. So then they did. go by grandma's. No car there either. They said they drove back to the Village. Manor Apartments one more time, but when. they still couldn't find her, they just.

went back to Sheldon's [music] house. And it is very soon after he gets back. home that there is a knock on his door, not Britney, but police. And so now. we're back to the point in the timeline. that I've already told you about when. officers showed up to tell him that his. car was found abandoned after this quote. unquote crash. And Sheldon said that he. had no clue who Britt had been with. And. so this is one of the great mysteries of. this case because [music]. there is some evidence to suggest that. Britney might not have been running from.

a car accident that night. She may have. been running from this man. And there. are signs that mystery man may have. found her. >> 911 emergency. For 40 [music] minutes, a man held six. women captive inside Elaine Bryant store. in Tinley Park, Illinois. Five were. executed and the killer escaped. >> The search continues for the gunman. >> Authorities have his face, voice, and.

possible [music] DNA. But 18 years. later, this case is still unsolved. >> There was no doubt in [music] my mind. that we were going to get this guy, and. I was wrong. >> I'm Dillia Deira, and this is. Counterclock season 8. Listen now, wherever you get your podcasts. This case started with Sheldon's car. going off the road. Supposedly, that is. why Britney went to John's and asked to. use the phone, but there is something.

about that that doesn't really ring all. the way true. I mean, yes, the car went. off the road, but like I said, I think. it was still totally drivable. Now, police did have it towed, probably just. because it had been abandoned. Someone. had fled the scene. But most people our. reporter Madison talked to said that. this ditch was super shallow. Like. arguably they wouldn't even call it a. real ditch. I wouldn't either. I was. like on Google Maps. I've seen videos. that they sent us of out like you grew. up in. >> I can like close my eyes and imagine. it's like a slight divot on the shoulder.

and then back. >> barely. And if a car went off and I know. there was a little snow on the ground. like say it was like really low to the. ground. I think even just with a little. bit of effort you would have been able. to get it out of there. Yeah. >> Now, to be fair, if you're on your own. or like if you were high, maybe you are. really stuck. But for argument's sake, say the car could have been driven out. of there. Why wouldn't she? Maybe she. was trying to get away from someone in.

the car. Remember, she had those small. cuts and injuries that can't fully be. explained by her just going off the. road, maybe tapping a little small tree. that was there. Grandma said that. Britney and the mystery man seemed to be. arguing a bit. And Britney's mom, Jessica Rolf, told us something. interesting about her. Believe it or. not, she said that Britney actually had. this habit of impulsively jumping out of. cars when she was pissed off. Like, it's. something her mom had witnessed her.

doing before in an argument. And to. further hint at this idea that something. happened in the car when Sheldon got the. car back from impound, he says the. inside was trashed. Like the glove box. was open. Britney's purse had supposedly. been like dumped out. Her belongings. were scattered everywhere. And. apparently that was exactly how it was. when first responders found it on the. side of the road in the first place. So. say something happened in that car.

before or after it went off the road. Was Britney trying to get away from the. person she was in the car with? If so, there is a good chance that he. [music] caught up to her. Now, John. isn't around anymore for us to get this. story directly from him. But Britney's. dad, Greg, relayed to us that John had. told someone that when he went out to. his detached garage the next morning. after Britney had been at his house, it. looked like someone had gone through his.

stuff. The insinuation being that this. had supposedly happened when Britney. herself was inside with John talking to. dispatch. >> Meaning Mystery Man is in the garage, >> right? But that doesn't mean she didn't. know. >> What do you mean? >> I mean, like, I'd venture to guess. people are more willing to open their. door to a young woman in trouble than a. woman and a man. Like maybe she went up. to use the phone, told him to wait. outside. Actually, that would make a lot.

of sense, especially. when combined with the tidbit of info. that we get like when deputies canvas. the neighborhood. So, >> okay, there isn't like much of a. neighborhood canvas. Again, you know, this area like it's. >> super spread out. >> Yeah, it's pretty rural, but there was. another house not too far from John's on. the same road. And someone in that house. saw Brit that night, too. According to. the case file, there was this young teen. who was home alone and they reported.

seeing Britney outside this house. wearing a big green coat just like the. one that Jon had given her. And we can. be sure that this happened after she. left John's. >> Right. >> But it's what happened next that's. really unsettling. So according to the. report, while he watched this woman like. circle from the backyard to the front, like peering through the windows, he. heard someone else knocking on his front. door at the same time. Now, this. teenager was obviously like super. freaked out. He's not going to answer. the door for whoever is knocking. So, he. didn't see what that person looked like.

or anything. The question is, was this. person like stalking her and looking for. her, thinking maybe, you know, she was. at John's, maybe she's here, >> or now thinking what you're saying, were. they together? >> Did they travel to that second house. together? >> Did they ever do searches in like the. fields? Cuz again, like looking at a map. of this, this is an area like where I. grew up. These houses are square miles. apart. Sometimes. >> they're huge fields in between. Yeah. >> If she's barefoot and it's freezing,

there's some snow on the ground and this. next house didn't open their door. Like. maybe she didn't make it any further. >> Yeah. I mean, people have wondered that. thinking that like she like either. became disoriented in like the freezing. dark, especially if she was using drugs, she succumbed to the elements somewhere. near the road that they're on. It's. called Fawn River Road. Or they're even. thinking like, did she possibly. overdose? But to answer your question, yes, they have searched and. >> they haven't found anything. So, like. that makes me think that that's super. unlikely. Especially when you think.

about this is like late November, early. December when they're searching. This is. flat flat farmland for like as far as. the eye can see. >> The joke is like you can watch your dog. run away for a week [laughter] like it's. just there's nothing there. >> If she had just like like [music] you. know fallen and died there or like. whatever see her body. >> she would have been discovered by now. And even since those early days there. have been even more searches beyond the. open fields like in surrounding woods. water but still Britney has never been.

[music] found. And outside of people. having their own varying opinions on who. he might be, Mystery Man has never been. identified. I'm still having a hard time. wrapping my head around because this is. this is like 2018, right? >> Yeah, this is like fairly recently. And. like, >> right, did we not pull phone records? How do we not know who she was meeting. up with that night? And like what about. the car? Like cuz Prince should have. been all over it if he was in it, right?

>> It's so frustrating. So, we know she has. her phone with her when she leaves. Sheldon. Remember, she took that selfie, >> right? But I don't know what happened to. her phone because actually, one of the. things I keep wondering is why she. wouldn't use that to call for help. Like, why did she even need to go to. John's farmhouse at all? And according. to Sheldon, [music] it hadn't been left. behind in his car when he went to pick. it up. So, the only thing that I can. come up with as far as her phone goes is. like. >> A, maybe mystery man took it and like. that's why she needed to go to John's. >> Or B, like I'm trying to think back to.

2018, was this a world where like there. was bad service? Like, I mean, it could. definitely be spotty for sure. And. listen, I know according to the case. file, authorities attempted to ping it, but whatever ping they tried to do just. didn't work. like the phone was either. off or it was roaming or there was like. no service. >> Okay. But can't they see where it was. like before it went offline? >> I would think, but there is no detail in. the records about this and law. enforcement wouldn't talk to us. So, I.

don't know exactly what they did or. didn't pull. And I believe it may have. been like a a prepaid or like pay as you. go kind of thing. So, like I don't know. if that factors in. But even still, I. don't know what they tried to track. locationwise or like communicationwise. like related to that phone. But if. anything, [music] I assume it didn't. lead them to mystery man or we wouldn't. be here talking about it. >> Oh, right. And what about the car? >> So, oh, that is the thing that's going. to frustrate you. It was just never. processed. I guess because they just.

assumed initially that this was like a. girl who didn't want to be found. Like. they're not thinking foul play, especially not at first. So, like they. just give it back to Sheldon. He just. goes to pick it up from impound, no. problem. And then I don't know if like. by the time they like realize what's. going on, they're like, "Oh well, too. late." To me, it's never too late, but. like never gets processed. >> But at least in giving evidence back to. Sheldon, they did get a statement from. him. [music]. >> And he starts telling police about the.

people that Britney was known to go see, starting with a woman named Ashley. Hulie. And Ashley's interesting because. she lives at the same Village Manor. apartments in Sturgis where Sheldon. first went looking for Britney the night. that she vanished. It wasn't grandma's. house he went to. It was there, right? >> And Sheldon told investigators that he. did that because Britney regularly went. there to buy and use meth. But Ashley. wasn't just some random drug dealer. When she comes in to speak with. investigators, she tells them just how.

deeply she was tied to Britney. They're. sisters. and she's desperate to find her. and she is already trying to do whatever. she can to help. Except that's a lie. She did seem to be inserting herself. into the investigation, but she is not. Britney's blood sister. Britney's dad is. like, I don't even know who this woman. is. >> What? >> Now, Ashley does eventually clarify that. she and Britney are not biologically. related. They're just like really close.

And in a later interview, she'd. eventually say that Britney was her best. friend, but she didn't know if she was. Britney's. And some of Britney's family. says Ashley may not have been nearly as. close to Britney as she was presenting. herself to be. [music] And over time, they start wondering whether Ashley is. genuinely trying to help solve Britney's. disappearance because like I said, she. just keeps like putting herself in the. middle or whether she may be trying to.

steer attention away from something else. entirely. But what? According to Ashley, she and. Britt had recently been in touch. But. pinning down exactly when they last. spoke or saw each other gets a bit. tricky because in one part of her. interview, Ashley tells investigators. that the last time she physically saw. Britney was November 23rd. >> Okay. >> Then later she changes that to November. 28th. But she says the last contact of.

any kind she had with Britney was. through Facebook Messenger on November. 30th, the very day she vanished. [music]. And listen, from what we know, that. communication was friendly enough. Like. Brit was just checking in on her. >> And what did their other interactions. say? Like further back. >> Well, I'd love to tell you, but [music]. and this is jumping ahead just a little. bit, something weird ends up happening. with Britney's social media. People we. spoke to told us that Facebook Messenger. was like one of the main ways that. Britney communicated, but everything on.

her social media had gone completely. dark since she disappeared. Except. months after she had been missing, a. friend notices that one of her Facebook. accounts suddenly appears active again. So, she tells Brit's mom, Jessica Rolf, who then notifies law enforcement. And. it's not like she is talking to anyone. or like posting anything normally. the. account just starts doing these strange. things like they think stuff was. possibly being like hidden, deleted, altered in some way. Then apparently. some of Brit's conversations with Ashley.

start disappearing. Now, I know. investigators took the activity. seriously enough that in July of 2019, they requested emergency Facebook. records tied to Britney's account and. they obtained IP address information. connected to the login. But a freaking. course, their findings aren't documented. in the files that we got access to. >> Why would they be? >> But I do believe at least some of that. activity that happened on her account. can be tied to Ashley because our.

reporter Madison got in touch with. Ashley and she did agree to answer some. questions via Facebook Messenger, of. course, but they did end up hopping on a. quick call later for some like. follow-ups at the last minute, too. Now, Ashley acknowledges that she did in fact. access some of Brit's online accounts. after she disappeared, but she says that it's not in the way. that's like being portrayed, like it. wasn't malicious. She says that Sheldon.

sent her a picture of like notebooks. that Britney kept with passwords and. account recovery information, and that. they were like hoping those accounts. might reveal who Britney had been. talking to before she went missing. According to Ashley, most of the. passwords no longer worked. And she says. she was only able to get into that one. Facebook account and later she told. detectives that she had access to it. They asked her to stop going in. She. says she did. But then months later she. says that a private investigator. approached her for help accessing the. additional accounts. And so Ashley says. that she believed that this PI was like.

working with law enforcement and like. again she was trying to help. She says. she wasn't trying to like alter evidence. or hide information. She says that she. was simply looking for clues that might. help locate Britney. And here's the. thing she says isn't correct about any. of these allegations. She says that lots. of stuff was already gone before she got. access to it. And according to her, it. wasn't even just messages between her. and Britt that got deleted either. She. says there were lots more. But both of.

Brit's parents dispute [music] that. Who. else has got deleted? Her parents say. that there is at least one other person. whose messages seem to have been messed. with. It was actually the one other. person whose name kept coming up over. and over again with Ashley's as they. like police and her family were talking. to people. And that is Eric Shank, Britney's husband. >> One her what? But two of these names are. also giving me a hard time. Actually.

>> gosh, Eric, I know I know. Listen, I. told you that her love life is. complicated and buckle up because this. is where the case really takes a turn. Eric Shank is Britney's ex, but still. [music] he was technically her husband. in November of 2018. They're separated, but still legally married and sharing.

two children. Britney had reportedly. started filling out divorce papers. shortly before she disappeared to try. and make things official. Now, whatever. arrangement they had going on meant that. Britney was free to date Sheldon or. whoever else she wanted. But. emotionally, [music] things were messier. than that. Because according to. Britney's mom, Jessica, even though the. relationship had become incredibly toxic. due to drugs, Britney and Eric still had. this intense pull toward one another.

like they could split up and somehow. still always end up right back in each. other's orbit. And by the time Britney. goes missing, she may be back with. Sheldon, but Eric is still deeply woven. into her everyday life and into their. little friend group because Eric knows. Ashley well, too. [music] He goes to her. apartment to buy and use drugs, too. And. when he's later asked where he was when. Britney went missing, Eric remembered.

staying over at Ashley's apartment that. entire night. Oh, that is part of why. some of Britney's family starts paying. such close attention to Ashley moving. forward. She is basically Eric's alibi. and Eric hers. And when we asked her. about that night, Ashley, I mean, she. said Eric came over at like 8:40 p.m. and then was there like most of the. time. >> So, perfect alibi for the kind of exact.

time that Britney goes missing. >> Yes. But around 1:00 a.m., she says that. he left, took her car to put air in the. tires and then it sounds like he like. comes back and then he eventually like. leaves her place again to go back home. to his parents at around like 2:00 a.m. >> Quick question. Were they like together. together? Like my husband's not running. out to fill up my tires at 1:00 in the. morning. >> I They say no. Like Ashley was actually. dating someone else at the time. This. guy named Curtis Polly who everyone. called Pocket. [music] Get it? I got it.

But um Ashley being tied up with someone. else or not. I think the thing that's. important here is that Britney's mom, Jessica, told us she believes there is. no way that Britney would have been cool. with how close they seemingly were. And. Ashley herself tells detectives that she. thought Britney wanted to work things. out with Eric, even though she was. seeing Sheldon. But what Ashley is. saying doesn't exactly pass the sniff. test. And I'll give you an example. I'm. sorry. him staying over at her house.

late night isn't the example. >> Well, that could have been anything, Brit, you know, >> but honestly, truly, it maybe it was. about like the drugs. Maybe he crashed. there. Also, it sounds like he's up and. out and about at like 1:00 in the. morning. Like maybe no one's crashing. and they're just like hanging out. It's. hard to prove anything with that. But. this next thing, especially the timing, is a little bit harder to argue with. It's body cam footage from a traffic. stop in Three Rivers, Michigan, involving Eric from December 23rd, 2018.

So, we're talking like three weeks after. Britney went missing. >> Is it your your car, Eric? >> No, it's not. >> No, we just borrowed it for a friend of. his. >> You what? >> I borrowed it from uh. >> my girlfriend. We've been out in the damn woods all. day. What are you guys doing out in the. woods? >> Looking for my wife. >> She missing? >> Yeah, she's been Wallace. She's been. missing since November 30th.

>> Brit, do you want to guess who he says. his girlfriend is? >> All right. So, I'm following this black. Ford SUV with a plate out of stir just. registered to Ashley Hulie showing no. insurance and it's cutting through the. First W neighborhood using side streets. So, I make a traffic stop on it because. it's not insured. It's Eric Shank. driving. Uh he's on a restricted license. and John Fox Jr.'s in the passenger. seat. >> Now, Ashley's relationship with Eric is.

one of the things that we asked her. about. And she did admit to us that. after Britney vanished, she and Eric. spent a lot of time together because. they were both caught up in the search. They were using drugs. They were dealing. with intense emotions. And Ashley. acknowledges that their relationship did. eventually become intimate, but she. maintains that happened only after. Britney's disappearance. She says it was. not during the time of this traffic stop. when he is calling her his girlfriend or. even before. So anyways, back to this.

stop cuz there is more here. The. officers like are searching the car as. part of this and it sounds like they're. like concerned about drugs. But when. they ask John Fox Jr. or JJ as he's. known, if he's got anything on him. He. explains that he's got a notepad in his. pocket full of names because he's trying. to figure out what he described as some. sex trafficking thing that's been going. on. And I can't be 100% sure, but I. think he's insinuating that this sex.

trafficking thing has something to do. with their search for Britney. Maybe. even like why they've been out in the. woods all day. But weirdly, these. officers like don't press. I mean, you. can definitely sense that they're like. skeptical about why they're really out. there. >> But remember, Brit's missing person case. isn't theirs. Like, this is Three. Rivers. She went missing in St. Joseph. County. >> So, they have no reason to connect these. dots. >> Exactly. Now, when Ashley shows up to. the scene, cuz she had been called, it's. her vehicle that they're in.

>> And when she's asked by an officer, she. does in that moment deny that she is. Eric's girlfriend, saying that he's like. just a friend. But she's clearly upset. that her car is going to get impounded. She says like she can't afford it, that. she has already been through a lot. And. then the situation just kind of like. escalates from there fast. They say. she's not cooperating and she ends up in. handcuffs. And then she claims officers. hit her head on the car while arresting. her. JJ and Eric, on the other hand, appear to be staying like cool as. cucumbers. [music]. And even though officers find needles,

needle caps, and a billy club type. impact weapon, >> a what? >> Like, you know, one of those like um. it's like a heavy like duty nightstick. kind of thing. Like a police like a. police baton. Still, they decide to give. these guys a break because it's [music]. the day before Christmas Eve. >> Happy holidays, folks. So, all things. considered, Eric and JJ seemingly like. make it out of this traffic stop pretty. much unscathed. But here's like another. reason why I think this stop is so.

important. And it has to do with JJ, the. passenger in the car. So, remember in. our timeline of November 30th, [music]. after Britt leaves the house in. Sheldon's car, Sheldon said that she had. called him up complaining that there. wasn't enough gas. She was going to have. to like stop, fill it up, whatever. Mhm. >> So, if Britt did end up stopping for gas. that night, that would make sense. Well, what if I told you there is reason to. believe Ashley had the receipt from the.

transaction in her possession at some. point? >> Ashley, who's saying she didn't see. Britney at all that particular day? >> That's the [music] one. >> Cool. So, this receipt is for 20 bucks. worth of gas at the Marathon Station on. Fawn River Road. It is timestamped for. 6:11 p.m. on November 30th, and it. appears to have Brit's account. information on it, but investigators. don't end up with the physical copy of.

the receipt. They end up with photos of. the receipt that Ashley had. That's. somehow almost weirder. >> I know, weirder to me is that she's not. even the one who originally brought it. to their attention either. Okay, but why. does she [sighs] have them? >> Okay, so this is all according to a. later interview that she does with. detectives. >> Okay, >> basically she tells them that her Ford. Explorer had been stolen sometime near. the end of January, beginning of.

February 2019. So this is like to put it. in context, like 2 months after Brit. went missing. >> Okay. >> 2 months after her car is taken, it's. finally recovered. >> Okay. She says that when she got her car. back, there was this garbage bag full of. just like random items and trash inside. the vehicle. And Ashley said she started. like digging through the bag trying to. get proof of who took her car to see. what they've been up to or whatever. And. she claims that is where the gas receipt.

turned up. So, she said she snapped a. picture of it. And to be fair, she said. she took photos of a lot of things that. she found in that bag. And she said she. didn't realize the significance of the. receipt until it had already been thrown. away. >> But if you didn't think it was. important, then why take a photo of it. then? >> I mean, that's literally what Mads asked. her to. And Ashley said something that I. think kind of contradicts what I just. told you from her official statement to. investigators. She tells Mads now that. she actually did notice the November. 30th date, the time, like the specific.

gas station. And she said she had this. gut feeling that it might be connected. to Brit. Even though at that point in. time she said that no one was thinking. foul play yet. Like it's important if. there was foul play that no one's. thinking about yet. >> there. Yeah. Like what. >> cuz she's like at that point they're. just like trying to when she finds it. like track down her friend. I don't. know. But I do know that back when she. was telling police this, she did believe. she knew who took her vehicle like and. and who had it for like 2 months. And.

here we're coming back. John Box Jr. JJ. JJ. She told Madison she's confident it. was JJ because she claims he literally. took off with her keys, left her a note. saying he was borrowing it, and then. just like never bothered bringing it. back. Oh, the thing is she's not. necessarily saying that like he's the. one who had the receipt initially. She's. kind of just like, you know, it could. have easily been like any one of the. many people in the circle that he.

associated with that he could have like. picked up or been in the vehicle or. borrowed the vehicle in like the time. period that she is saying she did not. have it. But here's the thing, the gas. receipt isn't the only thing connected. to Britney that somehow resurfaces after. she disappears. Because [music]. remember, Britney's phone never. recovered from Sheldon's car or anywhere. else. That's still not totally found. after the crash. And this did always. strike her family as odd because.

according to Jessica, Britney would have. like fought somebody over that phone. So, for it to be completely like gone. that night with her, like seemingly. untraceable, that's always been like a. big mystery. Like, they're thinking that. it has to be with her, right? Who who is. missing? That's the only thing that. makes sense. But then this happens. So, Eric Shank showed up to one of the early. searches for Britney, dropped off by. Ashley, by the way, even though Brit's. family told us that like at this point. in time, like they did not even know who.

she was. But it is like in this one of. like early day searches that he claims. to have found part of Brit's phone. >> Part of it. >> Part. So according to people close to. the case, [music] what Eric allegedly. said he found was the back plate from a. Samsung phone that resembled the one. that Britney had been using before she. disappeared. This Samsung J337P. And we know that that's reportedly the. same model tied to the selfie that.

Britney took before leaving Sheldon's. that night. It all seems to match up, but some of Brit's family tell us that. they're suspicious of this whole like. finding because according to them, Eric. was like off searching by himself in a. field near the crash site when he made. this alleged discovery. No one else from. the search party was there to witness. it. And what's even weirder, Brit's mom, Jessica, said that he didn't even like. run over to the rest of the group and. tell them like, "I found this clue.". Jessica said that he just like left and.

she learned about it later. In the case. file, there is mention of a ZTE, cell. phone missing back plate, listed under. the evidence, but there's like no other. details. I don't know if this is the one. that we're talking about. And they don't. give any like notes in the file about. like who ended up turning it in, when. that happened, >> or if investigators were ever even able. to confirm that it was in fact. Britney's. Still, the family can't help.

but wonder, did Eric genuinely stumble. across part of Britney's phone while. searching for her, or did he somehow. already have it? [music]. >> Did anyone ever just ask him? >> Not really. Uh, even though Eric is her. husband, >> even though he is allegedly finding. evidence, even though he is tied up in. some weird way to Ashley, who seems to. keep finding herself at the center of. this thing, St. Joseph County. investigators don't seem to question.

Eric at all until more than 6 months. after Britney went missing. And even. that appears to have been this like. super short interaction from what I can. tell. During that little chat, Eric even. admitted he hadn't spoken directly with. any law enforcement about Brit's case. before, and he had only passed. information through guess who, Ashley. And it wouldn't be until nearly five. freaking years later that they would.

actually sit him down for a 45minute. formal recorded interview. >> How is this even remotely acceptable. [music] for an investigation? You tell. me. As someone from the Michigan area, it is embarrassing. >> Yes. >> Now, while the St. Joseph County. Sheriff's Office did provide us with the. records, they never got back to us. regarding our request for an interview. But you know what is so bizarre about. all of this Eric and Ashley stuff? >> I mean, I could go on, but you're going.

to tell me [laughter] something new. Whether it was only with like the pure. intentions like that Ashley describes, there is no doubting that Ashley puts. herself at the heart of this case. She. is definitely cooperating with. investigators, providing them with. theories and leads to chase down people. she thinks should be looked at as a. suspect. [snorts] But for some reason, at least in the files we have, in all of. the talking and fingerpointing she's. doing, she never seems to suggest that.

they look at Eric. Instead, she really focuses her. attention on someone else close to. Britney. Not Eric, [music]. not JJ, the one who supposedly had this. like freaking receipt or like some kind. of connection to someone who had the. receipt or whatever. No, she turns the. tables on Britney's own mom, Jessica. Ralph. Now, to be fair, we know that. Jessica is suspicious of Ashley, too.

So, they're both pointing the finger at. each other. And the accusations against. Jessica kind of stick for at least a. brief moment in time. And that's because. of some disturbing voice memos between. mother and daughter that end up getting. leaked. Ashley Hulie believes Britney's mom, Jessica Rolf, at the very least knows. more than she's saying about what.

happened to Britney. Because according. to the case file, there was speculation. that Brit's disappearance was somehow. linked to retaliation of some sort. like. maybe Jessica owed some dangerous people. money or there were like stolen drugs or. something of like of the sort there. Now, to be very clear, investigators. never publicly substantiated any of. those claims against Jessica. [music]. But this is where the case really starts. spiraling because even by Jessica's own.

account, she and Britney did [music]. have a complicated relationship. They. fought about drug use. They fought about. the custody of Britney's children. And. Jessica admits that she and Britney had. even [music] fought over men. They had. been involved with two of the same guys. over the years, although apparently like. at different times. You can imagine this. left a lot of room for rumors to run. rampant, especially considering Jessica. herself was wrapped up in the local drug.

scene and struggling with substance use. back then. So, none of it looked good. But after several years of what seems. like back and forth fingerpointing, this video gets blasted online that. plays horribly for Jessica. It's a. recording of one of their motherdaughter. arguments from not too long before Britt. went missing. [music] And I'm going be. honest, it is hard to hear, but because. it is already out there and it has.

become part of the narrative surrounding. this case, I felt like it was important. to acknowledge and to play for you, to. play for everyone listening, but it has. been edited down slightly for time sake. This is from about a month before Brit. went missing. And [music] these voice. memos seem to center around a man named. Daniel, who Britney had dated and then. Jessica had had a thing with. [music]. Now, Daniel seemed to be stoking the. fire around like Britney's custody of. her children. She had recently given up. custody, and her mom was furious.

First off, you destroyed yourself. You. are a toxic waste to everything and. everybody you touch. Secondly, no, I'm not going to threaten. you about jail. I'm not going to. threaten you about Daniel. I am kind of. throwing you about Daniel, but. [clears throat] um. you. need to shut your big ass mouth. Don't. be making phone calls. Don't be sending. people to to sending messages like you.

are full of [ __ ] and everybody knows it. You're sick in the head. There's. something wrong with you. Seek help. That's what you need to do. immediately. You with people's lives. You tormented. mine. You torment your dads. You torment. everybody's. You torment Daniel. You. torment your children. You You suck, dude. You You suck. You.

suck the life right out of people. Nobody likes you. We do not want to talk. to you. We do not want to hear from you. >> Yep. And you're blocked again. And no, actually, I'm doing great. Thank you. But you have a good one. and don't contact me anymore. You're not my mom. Like you mean nothing. to me. And as far as Daniel, that was my. closure. I don't really give a. um.

other than that, I don't have anything. to say. So have a nice life. Stop. contacting me. And no, I get to see my. kids on a regular basis. All of them. Thank you. So, stop texting him, stop calling him, stop emailing him, stop everything, stop. having people contact him or I am going. to let everybody know where little Miss. Britney is at. And I'm going to ruin your life. Stay.

the away from everybody. I was just granted visitation with my. boys, so it doesn't really matter. where. you do you and I'll do me and you can. live your dope style life with Daniel. and. let him keep ruining your life, too. He's a piece of [ __ ] I don't give a. about him. And I moved back out of state, so it. doesn't really matter.

And yep, that's why my dad talks to me. on a regular basis now, too. Huh. And as far as Daniel goes, I'm with. somebody, so I don't really give a [ __ ]. Like I said, that was just my closure. I. could care less about him. Those are tough. I'm telling you, >> tough to listen to. And what I'll say is. this. Jessica told us that she is not. proud of what she said. She seemed to. own it, though. These voice memos haunt. her. They are played over and over.

again. sometimes when she least is. expecting it. One of her lowest moments. on repeat. But she says it's taught her. to be more careful about what she says. out of anger because you never know what. your last words to someone might be. And. those being hers to Brit is something. that she has to live with now. But she. is adamant that no matter how ugly those. recordings sound, Britney did not. deserve what happened to her. She never. wanted any harm to come to her daughter.

and she firmly believes that Ashley put. those out just to make her look bad and. to divert suspicion away from her and. Eric. And Ashley admitted to us, yes, [music]. she was the one who originally got. access to that video, but she says the. story is a bit more complicated than. that because she claims at one point she. was helping Jessica get into an old. Facebook account while they were still. on good terms. But like long story. short, that changes. They're no longer.

cool. And then she finds these voice. memos between Britt and Jessica on. Jessica's account. [music] So while she. says she's the one who discovered them, she also is saying she's not the one. responsible for actually circulating. them online. She said that she only. shared it with some of Brit's other. family members, like people she thought. needed to know. And like that's how it. got blasted out. Now, when all of this. is said and [music] done, there is. nothing that I've come across that seems. to put Jessica with her daughter the.

night that she went missing or anywhere. near Fawn River Road. You mean like a. gas receipt like that? I get that where. there's smoke there's usually fire, but. what I am really struggling to find here. is the why. Like, let's say Ashley and. Eric, at least at a minimum, know a. little bit more than what they're. saying. What do they know? Why did she go missing? Because I've. been out there. I've been in stress. Yeah. >> I I really struggled to believe that.

this is a random person who could have. picked her up. Like, where does this. mystery man come in in all of this? >> Well, it is possible that mystery man. isn't that much of a mystery at all. because. >> wait, did anyone look at at Daniel? >> Oh, they definitely looked at Daniel. like obviously due to all the drama like. and stuff. >> Um, not Daniel. He like apparently was. living at the Florida at the time though. I there was like some back and forth. questions like was he wasn't he? I don't. know. I don't think it matters because. he is like ultra tatted like even on his.

face so like. >> identifiable. [clears throat]. >> Yeah. But anyways, not Daniel but still. might be someone she already knows. Like. don't get me wrong, mystery man has. still never conclusively been. identified. But here is the thing about. the sketches that were done of Mystery. Guy. So the first one, the one that I. showed you already, that one was done by. like Grandma's description in 2019, a. couple of months after like the.

incident. That's the guy with like the. long skinny face, the sideburns. >> That one didn't really get circulated. publicly. Like for some reason, investigators only seem to show it to. some people they talked to asking who it. like looked like to them. Britney's dad, Greg, who is Grandma Vickiy's son, told. us that he was told detectives never. really completely trusted that sketch, which he's like, "Look, I kind of get. it." Like, right? Remember, their. interaction was super brief. Like, people were in and out of that house all.

the time. Perhaps that one was wrong. But for some unknown reason, detectives. thought that they could get something. better, even if it was like way down the. line. So, in 2023, they get like a whole. news sketch from Britney's cousin, who. was apparently around when Brit and this. mystery guy were there. >> How was something done 5 years later, more accurate than grandma a couple. months out? >> The only thing that like I can make make. sense for myself is like the person, this cousin who gives this, they were a. teenager. So, like total shot in the.

dark. Maybe they hadn't been like. drinking like other people in the house. or like were intoxicated in some way. like more like clear-minded. >> Either way, somehow police feel. confident in this second one. Now, I'm. going to still post both just in case. like they're not wildly different in my. opinion. And all of that to say between. the two, first, second, whatever. Some. people thought that the general. description of this mystery man [music].

maybe kind of sort of fit Sheldon. We. know that, right? Despite the family. knowing him. But some people have also. wondered whether Eric could have been. the mystery man at grandma's house. How. would they know Sheldon but not Eric, though? On paper, I know that sounds. like ridiculous, but according to people. close to the family, most of the family. hadn't seen Eric in a long time. Like, him and Britt are separated. They're not. living together. And in that time, I.

guess his appearance had apparently. changed drastically, [music]. likely due to his drug use. So Brit, that body cam footage of the traffic. stop that we got earlier, that actually. may be one of the most accurate views we. have of Eric circa the time Britney like. vanished cuz that's from December 2018, remember? [music]. >> And like there's something like I. noticed. >> there's sideburns. >> Uhhuh. But the other problem I have. though is like he's got a big beard and.

glasses and we heard that he strictly. was like a glasses guy. >> Yeah. I honestly don't see how it could. be him. Yeah, you would think that that. would have like stood out. Plus, remember based on the timeline Ashley. gave us, it [music] probably wouldn't. have worked for Eric to be Mystery Man. But if we believe that, we have to. believe that the timeline Ashley is. giving [music] us is accurate. Okay, let's just say mystery man isn't Eric. It still feels like he knows something. So again, I ask why? like who actually.

has motive to want Britney gone? Of all. of the things that have come up over the. years, all of the rumors, all of the. fingerpointing, I'm telling you, this. case is like a you can get lost in it. >> Mhm. >> I don't have like a firm this is it. reason to point to, but there is. something that I can point to and say I. think the answer might be hereish. So, we got word that Britney had been.

talking to this guy named Zachary Bowman. seemingly romantically. And the very. evening that she went missing, they. talked on the phone several times. Like, it even sounds like one of these calls. took place on her way to grandma's. >> Is he Mystery Man? >> Well, that this I know is not possible. because he is in prison at the time. That is the only reason that we even. solidly know about these calls. >> Okay. I was going to ask that again. >> They're recorded on a prison line. and. Brit, it sounds like we are the first.

ones to obtain these recordings. So, >> I was praying that there was going to be. some new tidbit of information from. them. Like maybe Brit would drop a name. or a location, a hint, and we would hear. some like something strange in the. background. Anything because I. definitely believe that she picked up. mystery man on the way to Grandma's. And. although she doesn't end up revealing. who it was who was going to be with her. that night, I do think there is. something in one of these calls that we.

got that could be telling. But I need to. give you some quick background context. first. So at the time that Britney goes. missing, we know that Ashley says that. she's dating a guy that I mentioned. earlier, Pocket, real name Curtis. [music] Polly. So, part of her alibi. outside of Eric being over at her place. for most of the night is that she stayed. home upset because Pocket had apparently. just been picked up by police. Apparently, he'd previously been on. probation for something drugrelated and.

decided to ditch his monitoring device. So, in one of the calls with Zach, [music]. it sounds like Britney is maybe just. about to leave Sheldon's house for the. evening. And I'm going to play you a. short clip. Take a listen and then we'll. talk about it. Oh my god. I have to tell you something. What's wrong? >> Paulie went to jail. >> Polly? >> Yeah. He got picked up yesterday. >> at seven at night.

>> Huh? >> I ain't going to lose no sleep o over. it. >> You. That means he just absorbing or catching. more charges. I have no idea. Ashley hasn't said. anything to me. Well, I asked her about. it, but she hasn't responded. >> It means if he's in jail, I can get word. to him now. >> Yep.

>> I mean, I could have been a first. >> Well, you No, no, you better. No, don't. do that right now. You need to wait a little bit. Only cuz when I was up, I don't I don't. need anything to come back on me. I. don't need him to get a hair in his ass. because of what he said to me got. repeated back to you. You feel me? >> What's up? >> I said I don't I don't need him wanting. to do some revengeful [ __ ] because. something that he said to me got back to. you while he's in there sitting on.

whatever he's sitting. >> It don't matter what was said. Period. It all comes out anyway. It don't. matter. I always find out anything. It. doesn't matter what it is. This is how. it's been. It was like that with all my. baby mamas. I'm not talking my cat to. you know what you're talking about. Bye. >> What's up? >> I was telling him, >> but no, I can't I can't say what I want. to say over the phone, but there's a. reason why I don't want you to say. anything right now.

>> I was hanging I was hanging around Eric. um his uh pockets lady and pocket. Okay. So, I don't I don't need anything said. right now. >> It feels like they're like talking in a. code. I mean, probably they know they're. being recorded, right? >> And I don't know about you, like I feel. like there's like some tension there. Like code or no code. Like the vibe I. get is that Britney has been hanging out. with Eric, Ashley, and Ashley's.

boyfriend, Pocket, who is now in jail, where Zach is already at. And it sounds. like Britt has something like maybe some. dirt on at least one of them and she. doesn't want what she has like getting. back to that person or to someone and. like I don't know maybe this means. nothing. >> I mean I definitely sensed something. >> same. So what's Zach in prison for then? also something drugreated, but like. seemingly separate, not whatever like.

Pocket was like going away for. >> Okay. [snorts]. >> I don't know. Maybe Britney or Zach like. knew how Pocket like ended up getting. picked up by police. Like could Brit. have been the one who ratted him out? I. don't know. Our reporter Madison tried. tracking down Zach and Pocket, hoping. that they might remember what the heck. she was talking about, but she has not. had any luck reaching them. And of. course, we tried reaching out to. everyone named in this episode, too, including Eric Shank. But as of this.

recording, Eric never got back to us. And listen, when we asked Ashley. straight up if she is involved or if she. knows more, she said most definitely. not. And I want to point something out. that I find like pretty odd. And I'm not. sure like where the disconnect is, but. it's like concerning no matter what is. going on here. So, in the case file, there is this mention of detectives. talking to Ashley about potentially. taking a polygraph, but then [music]. there's like no info on whether or not.

they followed through. So, obviously, we. ask people like we were speaking to. about this. Did they hear about the. results? Did it happen? And Britney's. dad, Greg, told Madison that St. Joseph. County Sheriff's Office told him that. both Ashley and Eric ended up taking. polygraphs and they passed. But plot. twist, Ashley told Mads that she never. ended up taking one. [music]. >> But wouldn't a a pass polygraph be good. for her? Like that would like help her.

>> I would think so. She told us she was. supposed to take one. Like she even went. in for it and she spent more than 3. hours being like pre-screened only to. ultimately not be tested because the. examiner felt like she hadn't gotten. enough sleep. Well, apparently like she. had been on the road a lot for work. around that time. And she said that she. spent several months trying to. coordinate a second exam with a. detective, but then like it eventually. just like died off. >> I I can't even like come up with a. reason for any of that to make sense, >> right? Like is someone in law.

enforcement so confused that they're. like imagining polygraphs that never. happened? >> Or or is maybe like Ashley confused. about the prequests, like the. pre-screening? Maybe they just told her. it was like the beginning part, but it. wasn't. >> I mean, I doubt it. I like for at least. from what I know and and and admittedly. like I don't I've never seen like all a. bunch of polygraphs like but I think. that like they do the pre-screen before. you're like hooked up to the machine. I. think you would know if you were taking. a polygraph, >> right? I mean this is this is just like.

the perfect example in my mind of like. this encapsulates the case. Like we're. missing something. >> I think we are missing a piece. I really. think someone out there has to have the. piece. So like this is my plug to. everyone to reach out to us tipsuck.com. because Brett I find that with the. stories that have this like kind of. local following people tend to come out. of the woodwork with important. information and no matter which theory. you follow like something just doesn't.

work here. And maybe that's because what. happened wasn't planned. I mean I think. there's a real possibility something. spiraled. Maybe tensions that had. already been brewing finally boiled. over. Maybe drugs were involved. It. could have been an accident. And people. panicked afterward. Some people believe. that Mystery Man eventually caught back. up with Britney after she left John's. house, called for help, like went by. that second house, and then like. whatever happened next just went. horribly wrong. Others have even.

speculated that Britney may have been. hit by a car sometime after leaving that. teen's house. Maybe Mystery Man had. called for a ride for them. that person. hit her and then it was covered up. And. honestly, when you remember how dark and. foggy those roads were that night, there. was like a little bit of snow plus the. possibility of drugs being involved, like it's not hard to imagine how. quickly things could have taken a. dangerous turn. Almost every scenario in. my mind, though, [music] involves.

someone else. Mystery Man hasn't come. forward, so there has got to be a reason. for that, right? Like if he knows what. happened, he had to have gotten a ride. out of there from someone with or. without Britney. I want to know who else. was in that area. I mean, we know. detectives didn't even talk to Eric for. forever. Like, did they get his phone. records? Ashley's, JJ's, anybody's. I. would love to know who was in. communication with who that night. Maybe. one of them were even out that way. I.

mean, Google doesn't offer geoloccation. info to police anymore, but they did for. a long time after this case. I want to. know what detectives have and who was in. that area. [music] And as unlikely as it. seems, it is possible that there was. someone out there who isn't part of. Britney's circle. I mean, there was some. like super strange events that happened. [music]. like out that way after she vanished. Like for example, a couple of weeks.

after Britney goes missing, a woman in a. neighboring county reported that someone. driving a white Cadillac stole gas off. her farm. Seemingly unrelated, right? Well, the ring cam footage of the event. ends up being circulated, and that's. when some people in town start saying. that they can hear Britney screaming in. the background like maybe she was being. held captive by the guys who were in. this car. Hey, hey, hey.

>> Even Grandma Vicki reportedly thought. that the man who turned out to be the. driver of that car resembled Mystery. Man. But the man later claimed that it. was only a friend asleep in the car who. he had like startled awake or something. And deputies did process the vehicle, even recovered blood evidence. But when. testing came back, the samples belonged. to two unidentified men. Dead end. Then there was an abandoned property off. of guess where? Fawn River Road that.

investigators paid really close. attention to. This was like a place tied. to rumors like basically that after the. crash Britney had been taken there. against her will where she was. subsequently assaulted, tortured, [music] and eventually killed. There had. also been sex trafficking rumors tied to. this house, which I think is important. to mention, knowing what JJ brought up. earlier in that body cam footage. >> And what really like fueled this theory. around this house was the fact that it. burned down via arson, possibly to try.

and cover things up. Investigators photographed the scene, searched the property multiple times, even collected evidence, all after the. fire, and they even found women's. underwear that looked like it was the. kind that Britt wore, like found near a. burn pit. There was a knife with what. looked like possible blood stains in the. basement along with more suspicious. stains on the basement floor. Again, you. you're thinking like, "This has to be. it." I guess all of it turned out to be.

nothing. Apparently, it wasn't actually. blood. and likely nothing connected to. this [music] case. And Brett, there is. so much more where that came from. Stuff. like this, if anyone were to want to go. down like a deep rabbit hole, there is. this podcast called Hideandsek hosted by. James Basinger. He is like deep deep. deep in this case. Has been for literal. years. The guy's done like 50 plus. episodes just on Britney's case. That's. how much there is to this. So, anyone.

who wants can go take a listen. Britney's case was his third season. He's done a couple now. I I really like. the one that he did, his first season on. Nancy Moyer. So, that's hideand-seek. Go. listen. You can go way deeper. You'll. hear I mean, so many stories like this. And like, this is the thing about these. stories. Like, some of them are so. detailed and specific and disturbing. that part of me wonders like, >> how could all of this just be made up? But then there's another part of me that. wonders like [music] what if what we're. really seeing here is just like an.

entire community trying to make sense of. something horrific after one of their. own vanished. Because sadly in worlds. shaped by instability and rocky. relationships and paranoia, trust. disappears fast. People hide things. People protect each other. Stories. shift. Rumors spread faster than actual. facts do. And once fear enters the. picture, every coincidence starts. [music] feeling sinister.

>> So, I keep coming back to the simple. things, the Facebook messages that. disappeared. How did Britney's gas. receipt actually turn up? I think. somebody out there really does know. exactly what happened to Britney Wallace. Shank that day, November 30th, 2018. And. maybe all the accusations and the chaos. and the outlandish stories just served. another purpose. entirely. Maybe it was. creating so much noise that detectives. would never find the truth buried.

underneath it. But I believe the answers. are there. And I believe that the right. person can still get to them. So if any. of our listeners know anything about the. disappearance of Britney Wallace Shank, especially if you recognize the man in. the sketches, which we've also posted to. our blog post, you can contact the St. Joseph County Sheriff's Office at. 269-467945.