"CASEY ANTHONY: 31 DAYS OF LIES - PART 1"

0:03 Callaroga Shark Media, Good morning, I'm Reed Carter. Saturday, November twenty second, twenty twenty five, courts are quiet for the Thanksgiving break, so we're bringing you classic murder trials that dominated headlines and changed America today. Casey Anthony tot mom the trial of the century, the verdict that sparked outrage across the nation. June sixteenth, two thousand and eight, two year old Kaylee Marie Anthony disappeared from her Orlando home. Her mother, Casey Anthony, didn't report it. Instead, she partied at nightclubs, got a tattoo that said Bella Vita Beautiful life.

0:45 Told her parents Kaylee was with the nanny, told them they were at the beach at Universal Studios at Disney World. Thirty one days past. Not a single call to police, not a single missing person report, just thirty one days of lies. When Casey's mother finally called nine one one, she said something that still haunts investigators. It smells like there's been a dead body in the damn car. December eleventh, two thousand and eight, five months after Kaylee disappeared, utility worker find skeletal remains in woods half a mile from the Anthony home, duct tape over the mouth, a Winnie the Pooh blanket. The search for Kaylee was over. I'm reed, Carter.

1:25 This is Celebrity Trials today, Part one of the Casey Anthony case. How a two year old vanished, how her mother spent thirty one days lying, and how America watched in horror. This is Celebrity Trials. June fifteenth, two thousand and eight. Father's Day, Orlando, Florida. The Anthony family gathered at their home, George and Cindy Anthony, Casey Anthony and two year old Kaylee Marie swimming in the backyard pool taking photos. Normal family day. June sixteenth, two thousand and eight, Monday morning. George Anthony testified later that he saw Casey and Kaylee leaving the house around twelve fifty pm. Kaylee was wearing a pink shirt, jean shorts, white sunglasses, carrying her backpack. Casey said they were going to see the nanny, then maybe to the beach. That was the last time George Anthony saw his granddaughter alive. But Casey didn't report Kaylee missing, didn't call police, didn't tell her parents, just continued her life as if nothing happened. June seventeenth, Casey's boyfriend, Tony Lazarro picked her up. She moved into his apartment.

2:43 No Kaylee. Tony asked where the little girl was. Casey said she was with the nanny, Zenaida Fernandez Gonzales Zanni. The nanny said Kaylee would be back soon. June twentieth, Casey and Tony went to a hot body contest at Fusion Ultra Lounge. Photos show Casey dancing, laughing, grinding on Tony, no sign of worry, no mention of her daughter. June twenty fifth, Casey got a tattoo Bella Vita Italian for Beautiful Life. The tattoo artist later testified she seemed happy, excited, talked about starting fresh, getting a new job. No mention of Kaylee. Throughout late June and early July, Casey told everyone Kaylee was fine, told her mother Kaylee was at the beach with Zanni at Universal Studios at Disney World.

3:33 Sometimes said she couldn't talk because Kaylee was sleeping. Sometimes said they were on a work trip to Tampa. Casey's parents, George and Cindy, grew suspicious they hadn't seen Kaylee in weeks Casey kept making excuses. Finally, early July, they demanded to see their granddaughter. Casey said Kaylee was still with Zanni. The nanny had taken her to Jacksonville for a work event. They'd be back soon more weeks past. Asked more excuses, more lies. July thirteenth, two thousand and eight, George went to pick up Casey's car from a towyard. The white Pontiac Sunfire had been impounded after being found abandoned at an amscot check cashing store. When George opened the trunk, he was hit with an overwhelming smell. He knew that smell, former police officer, former homicide detective. That was the smell of human decomposition. He told the towyard manager, I think there's a dead body in this car. But the trunk was empty, just a bag of garbage, pizza box, dryer sheets stuffed around. The smell lingered, penetrated everything. George drove the car home with the windows down, told Cindy about the smell. Cindy found Casey at Tony Lazarro's apartment. Demanded to see Kaylee. Casey kept stalling, making excuses. Finally admitted Zanni took Kaylee. The nanny kidnapped her thirty one one days ago. Cindy exploded, called nine one one, not once,

5:05 three times. First call seven forty five pm. I have someone here that I need arrested, explaining Casey had stolen money, stolen a car. Then also, my granddaughter has been taken. She has been missing for a month. Second call a few minutes later, Cindy more frantic. My daughter finally admitted that the babysitter stole her. I need to find her, dispatch her. Your daughter admitted the baby is where Cindy, the babysitter took her a month ago. My daughter's been looking for her. I told you my daughter was missing for a month. I just found her today, but I can't find my granddaughter. Third call minutes later, Cindy completely losing it. There is something wrong. I found my daughter's car today and it smells like there's been a dead body in the damn car. Orange County Shaff's office responded.

6:01 Detective Yuri Malich arrived, interviewed Casey. Casey's story last time she saw Kaylee was June sixteenth, dropped her off at Sawgrass Apartments with the nanny, Zenaida Fernandez Gonzales. When Casey came back to pick Kaylee up, both Zanni and Kaylee were gone. Casey spent the next thirty one days looking for them. Called Zanni's phone hundreds of times, talked to Zanni's family, checked everywhere Zanni might be. Why didn't she call police? Casey said she was scared, worried about what might happen to Kaylee, thought she could find her daughter herself. Melich asked for Zanni's contact information, Casey gave him a phone number dead end. No such person asked for Zanni's address.

6:46 Casey gave the apartment number at Sawgrass Management said nobody by that name had ever lived there. Apartment two ten had been vacant since before June sixteenth. Casey said she worked at Universal Studios as an event coordinator. That's how she knew Zanny co worker connection. Melich asked to see her work id. Casey said it was at the house. They went to Universal Studios. Casey walked them through the park, through the employee entrance, down hallways, finally stopped broke down, crying, I don't work here. I haven't worked here in years. I was fired in two thousand and six Everything was a lie. The nanny, the job, the phone number, the address, all of it fabricated. July sixteenth, two thousand and eight, Casey Anthony arrested, charged with child neglect, making false statements to law enforcement, and obstruction of justice. Bond set at five hundred thousand dollars. Her daughter had been missing for thirty one days, and Casey had spent that time partying, lying, and living with her boyfriend as if nothing was wrong.

7:54 The case exploded. Local news picked it up, then national Nancy Grace devoted entirely shows to it. Cable news ran wall to wall coverage. America became obsessed with one question, where is Kaylee Anthony? The search for Kaylee involved thousands of volunteers. Equisearch, Texas based search and rescue organization, came to Orlando, combed through wooded areas, searched retention ponds, dragged lakes. Nothing. August two thousand and eight, Casey released on bond. Protesters gathered outside the Anthony home, angry crowds, death threats. Someone put a sign in the yard where is Kaylee? Inside the house, Casey acted like nothing was wrong. Her former friends told reporters she was watching movies, texting, acting normal, not the behavior of a mother whose child is missing.

8:47 October fourteenth, two thousand and eight, grand jury indicted Casey on charges of first degree murder, aggravated child abuse, aggravated manslaughter of a child, and four counts of providing false information to law enforcement. Prosecutors announced they would seek the death penalty. Still no body, no crime scene, no definitive evidence of what happened to Kayley, but prosecutors believed they had enough. The smell in the car, the duct tape found in the trunk, Casey's behavior, the thirty one days of lies. Casey pleaded not guilty, bail denied. She remained in Orange County jail. December eleventh, two thousand and eight.

9:30 Utility worker Roy Kronk was working in a wooded area near Suburban Drive, half a mile from the Anthony home. Saw what looked like a bag in the brush, poked it with a stick. A skull rolled out. He called nine to one one. Orange County Sheriff's deputies responded, crime scene investigators, medical examiner Press showed up within hours. The remains were small, skeletal, had been there for months, A tiny skeleton wrapped in a Winnie the Pooh blankinket, black trash bags, duct tape across the mouth, a laundry bag from the Anthony home, Kaylee's clothes, the same pink shirt George remembered from June sixteenth December nineteenth, two thousand and eight.

10:13 Medical examiner confirmed the remains were Kaylee Marie Anthony. Cause of death homicide by undetermined means. The skulls showed duct tape residue across the mouth and nasal area, but decomposition was too advanced to determine exactly how she died. The location was significant. The wooded area was along a route Casey frequently walked less than half a mile from home, a place she knew well. Not a random dump sight somewhere deliberate. Kaylee Anthony was two years old born August ninth, two thousand and five. Loved Winnie the Pooh, loved swimming, loved her Cecie doll. Her grandparents adored her. She called George Joe, Joe, called Cindy c c. Should be nineteen years old today, should be in college, should be living her life. Should have celebrated birthdays, graduations, milestones, should have grown up, fallen in love, had a family of her own. Instead, she was found in a swamp, wrapped in garbage bags with duct tape over her mouth, left there to decompose while her mother partied and lied for thirty one days.

11:23 Make it make sense. We'll be right back with the evidence that made Casey Anthony the most hated woman in America. The car, the computer searches, the Bella Vita tattoo, and the prosecution's theory Casey wanted to be free. Welcome back to celebrity trials. I'm reed, Carter. After Kayley's remains were found, prosecutors built their case Casey Anthony killed her daughter, disposed of the body, lied about it one days, then kept lying when caught. The evidence was circumstantial, no eyewitnesses, no confession, no clear cause of death. But piece by piece, prosecutors constructed a narrative. Casey wanted freedom, wanted to party, wanted to be with her boyfriend without the burden of a toddler, So she killed Kayley. Let's start with the car, Casey's white Pontiac Sunfire, the car George smelled and said contained a dead body. Forensic expert rpad Vas from the Oak Ridge National laboratory testified the only plausible explanation for the odor would be the presence of a decomposing human body, not pizza, not garbage, not any combination of food waste.

12:46 Human decomposition has a specific chemical signature, and that car trunk had it. Air samples from the trunk showed elevated levels of chloroform, significantly higher than normal. Chloroform is used to render someone unconscious, It's not naturally occurring in car trunks. A stain was found in the trunk carpet shaped like a child's body. Testing showed evidence of human decomposition. Hair samples recovered from the trunk matched Kaylee's hair and showed death banding, a pattern that appears in hair after death. Then there was Casey's computer, the Anthony Family home computer. Someone searched for chloroform on March twenty first, two thousand and eight, eighty four times visited websites explaining how to make chloroform. How much was needed to knock someone out.

13:34 Prosecutors argued Casey searched for chloroform, made it using household chemicals, used it to sedate Kaylee, then suffocated her by placing duct tape over her mouth and nose. The duct tape was key evidence found at the crime scene, same brand as duct tape in the Anthony garage, three pieces placed over Kaylee's mouth and nose area. Investigators believed it was applied while Kaylee was alive toocate her and stayed attached to the skull through decomposition. Defense would later argue the duct tape was placed after death, part of George Anthony's alleged staging of the scene, but that theory raised more questions than answers. Casey's behavior during the thirty one days was damning. She didn't search for Kaylee, didn't call hospitals, didn't contact police, didn't tell friends or family, just lied.

14:25 She told her parents Kaylee was with Zanni, told her boyfriend Kaylee was with Cindy told everyone elaborate stories, each lie building on previous lies, creating a web so thick she couldn't escape it. Photos from those thirty one days showed Casey smiling, partying, living her best life, the hot body contest, the Bella Vita tattoo, sleeping at Tony's apartment, going to Universal Studios, shopping, acting like a care free twenty two year old, not like a mother whose daughter was missing. Prosecutors presented ca Acey's cell phone records, text messages. She never texted anyone asking for help finding Kaylee, never searched online for missing children resources, never contacted authorities until her mother forced the issue. On June sixteenth, the day Kaylee disappeared, Casey texted Tony, if I could get a sign or reassurance that I'm doing the right thing, I'd be so grateful. What was the right thing? Prosecutors argued she was contemplating killing Kaylee, looking for justification, for permission, for a sign that it was okay to murder her daughter.

15:38 Later that evening, Casey texted Tony again, just sitting here feeling very accomplished, accomplished hours after Kaylee vanished. What had Casey accomplished? June twenty fifth, Casey got the bella Vita tattoo Beautiful Life. The tattoo artist testified Casey seemed excited about it, said it represented starting fresh, new beginnings. Nine days after Kaylee disappeared, Casey was celebrating her beautiful life, a life without her daughter. The prosecution's theory was clear. Casey wanted freedom, wanted to party, wanted to be young and unencumbered. Kaylee was an obstacle, so Casey removed that obstacle.

16:23 Defense attorney Jose Bias would later argue a different theory, but during the investigation and pre trial phase, public opinions solidified Casey Anthony killed her daughter. The evidence pointed to premeditation, chloroform searches, duct tape, disposal of the body. Thirty one days of lies. America was ready to convict her before trial even began. January two thousand and nine, George Anthony attempted suicide at a Daytona Beach hotel. Police found him with a five page suicide note. He was despondent and possibly under the influence of medication and alcohol. The note express grief over Kaylee, frustration with the media circus, pain over Casey's arrest. His daughter was accused of murdering his granddaughter.

17:09 The family was destroyed. George couldn't handle it. He survived, spent time in psychiatric care. Eventually returned to support Cindy through the trial, but their marriage was strained, their family shattered, their granddaughter gone. April thirteenth, two thousand and nine, state attorney announced they would seek the death penalty. Casey Anthony could face execution for killing her daughter. The trial was delayed multiple times, venue change requests, attorney changes, motions filed, and argued. Media coverage intensified. Nancy Grace called Casey tot mom.

17:56 Cable News dissected every detail. The case became an national obsession. May twenty eleven, jury selection began. The trial would take place in Orlando, Orange County, where Kaylee lived and died, where protesters still gathered outside the courthouse demanding justice. The prosecution was confident they had the car. The computer searches, the duct tape, the lies, Casey's behavior, the timeline, all pointing to one conclusion. Casey Anthony murdered Kaylee Anthony. But Jose Bias had a different story to tell, a story involving George Anthony, an accidental drowning, a cover up, sexual abuse, a narrative so shocking it would divide the jury and stun the nation. Kaylee Marie Anthony was two years old when she died. Born August ninth, two thousand and five, in Orlando, Florida, daughter of Casey Anthony, granddaughter of George and Cindy Anthony. She loved Winnie the Pooh, had a stuffed Pooh bear she carried everywhere. Loved swimming in the backyard pool, Loved her grandparents. Was learning to talk, to dance, to sing her favorite phrase, I Love you, said it constantly to Chee Chee, to Jojo, to her mom. Kaylee should be nineteen years old today, should have graduated high school.

19:18 Should be in college somewhere, maybe studying, maybe working, maybe falling in love. Should have her whole life ahead of her. Instead, she's buried at Resurrection Cemetery in Orlando. A small white headstone reads, Kayleie Marie Anthony, Our precious Kaylee born August ninth, two thousand and five, Found December eleventh, two thousand and eight. Thirty one days. That's how long Casey waited to report her missing. Thirty one days of freedom, thirty one days of beautiful life, thirty one days of lies. Someone has to say her name, Someone has to remember she was a person, not just taught mom's daughter, not just the Casey Anthony Case, A little girl two years old who loved Winnie the Pooh. Rest in peace, Kaylee Marie. That's part one of the Casey Anthony Case. June sixteenth, two thousand and eight, Kaylee disappeared. Casey didn't report it, spent thirty one days partying, lying, living her beautiful life. July fifteenth, two thousand and eight, Cindy called nine one one, it smells like there's been a dead body in the damn car.

20:29 December eleventh, two thousand and eight, Kaylee's remains found in woods near home, duct tape, Winnie the Pooh blanket. The search was over tomorrow, Part two, The Trial of the Century. Prosecutors argued Casey killed her daughter to be free. Defense argued accidental drowning and George Anthony's cover up. July fifth, twenty eleven, the verdict that shocked America not guilty, and the public outrage that followed. I'm read Carter, this is celebrity trials.