Forensic Files (HD) - Season 13, Episode 49 - Pet Rock - Full Episode

Summary

The video narrates the chilling story of Denise O'Neal, a 28-year-old woman who goes missing, leading to a harrowing investigation. Denise, known for her adventurous spirit, vanishes under suspicious circumstances, and forensic evidence eventually uncovers the truth. Her body is found in a canal, and the investigation reveals she was kidnapped, assaulted, and murdered by her neighbor, Luis Caballero, with accomplices Isaac Brown and Robert Messer. The story highlights the role of forensic science in solving the case, bringing justice to Denise and her family.

Takeaways

• 🕵️‍♀️ Denise O'Neal, a 28-year-old woman, was reported missing after failing to show up for work in Palm Beach, Florida.
• 🚗 Denise's car was found near her apartment with unusual items like soda bottles, a cigarette butt, and sand not typical of Florida beaches.
• 🛑 The investigation discovered fraudulent activity on Denise's credit card and unusual spending, indicating identity theft after her disappearance.
• 😔 Denise's body was found bound and wrapped in a pink sheet in a canal. Evidence pointed to strangulation and sexual assault as the cause of death.
• 🐍 Clues like heat rocks and dog hairs found on the sheet suggested the suspect owned a reptile and a black dog.
• 👤 Denise's neighbor, Lis Cabalero, became a prime suspect after acting suspiciously during news interviews and being linked to the crime through DNA evidence.
• 🩸 Investigators discovered blood stains and fibers in Cabalero's apartment, further linking him to the crime.
• 💳 Cabalero and his accomplices, Isaac Brown and Robert Messer, were involved in the abduction, assault, and murder of Denise for financial gain.
• 🔎 Forensic evidence, including DNA, fingerprints, and blood stains, played a crucial role in solving the case and identifying the perpetrators.
• ⚖️ Cabalero was sentenced to death, while Brown and Messer received prison sentences for their roles in the crime.

Q & A

What was Denise O'Neal's lifestyle like before her disappearance?

Denise O'Neal loved life, enjoyed traveling, and participated in various activities like swimming, tennis, and scuba diving. She also had a strong interest in the arts and worked as a waitress while looking for a teaching job.

What were the first signs of Denise O'Neal's disappearance?

Denise missed two consecutive days of work without calling, which was unusual for her. This prompted her manager to notify the police, who began investigating her as a missing person.

What evidence was found in Denise's car after she went missing?

Denise's car was found across the street from her apartment. Inside, police found a pink jacket, two soda bottles, and a cigarette butt (even though Denise didn't smoke). White sand, later identified as limestone sand, was also found inside the car.

What led the police to suspect Denise's neighbor, Lis Cabalero?

Police became suspicious of Cabalero after he appeared in multiple news stories about Denise's disappearance and referred to her in the past tense before her body was found. He also lived across from her, owned a black dog and a boa constrictor, and had a suspicious financial situation.

What forensic evidence tied Lis Cabalero to Denise O'Neal's murder?

Investigators found several key pieces of evidence, including Denise's gym membership card in Cabalero's apartment, electrical cords that matched the ones used to tie Denise's body, black dog hairs consistent with Cabalero's dog, and Cabalero's fingerprints inside Denise's car.

How did the police conclude that a third person might be involved in the crime?

A receipt from the IHOP breakfast that Cabalero and Brown had after disposing of the body indicated there were three customers, suggesting a third accomplice. Additionally, a size 36 belt used to wrap Denise’s body did not fit either Cabalero or Brown.

Who was the third person involved in Denise O'Neal's murder?

The third person was identified as Robert Messer, who had previously been arrested with Cabalero for car theft. Messer's fingerprints were found on items in Denise's car, and he later admitted to being present during the crime but claimed he did not participate.

What was the cause of Denise O'Neal's death?

The medical examiner determined that Denise O'Neal died from asphyxiation. She had been strangled to death with electrical cords and was sexually assaulted prior to her death.

What was the significance of Denise’s gym membership card found in Cabalero's apartment?

The gym card was believed to have been deliberately left by Denise as proof that she had been in Cabalero's apartment, providing crucial evidence linking him to the crime.

What were the final sentences for the individuals involved in Denise O'Neal's murder?

Lis Cabalero was convicted of kidnapping and murder and is currently on death row. Isaac Brown was convicted of second-degree murder and other charges. Robert Messer was convicted of manslaughter and sentenced to 15 years in prison.

Outlines

00:00

🕵️‍♀️ Denise O'Neal's Disappearance and Initial Investigation

The script begins with the mysterious disappearance of 28-year-old Denise O'Neal, who is reported missing after failing to show up for work for two consecutive days. Denise, an adventurous and lively individual, had no history of missing work. The police investigation reveals no signs of forced entry at her apartment, but her car is missing. A credit card alert提示s unusual spending, and the car is later found with Denise's jacket, soda bottles, a cigarette butt, and unique white sand, none of which are consistent with Denise's habits. Over 20 fingerprints are found on the car, and a purchase made with Denise's credit card provides a time frame for her disappearance. A chilling 911 call reports a body wrapped in a pink sheet, later confirmed to be Denise's by dental records. The body shows signs of binding and multiple implements used for restraint, indicating a brutal murder.

05:02

🔍 Autopsy Findings and Evidence Collection

The medical examiner determines that Denise O'Neal died of asphyxiation due to strangulation and there is evidence of sexual assault. DNA analysis identifies a male profile, and the use of two electrical cords to tie the sheet around Denise's body is noted as unusual. These cords are identified as heat rocks, devices used to warm cold-blooded animals like snakes. Black dog hairs found on the bed sheet suggest the killer owns a black dog and a reptile. The sand in Denise's car matches the sand near where her body was found, indicating her car was used to transport her body. Surveillance footage from an ATM where Denise's card was used is inconclusive due to technical issues. A neighbor, LS Cabalero, behaves suspiciously, appearing often in news stories about Denise's disappearance and making odd references to her in the past tense. He is identified as Denise's next-door neighbor, unemployed, and known to own a black dog and a boa constrictor.

10:03

🚔 The Prime Suspect and Further Evidence

The investigation leads to Lewis Cabalero, Denise's neighbor, as the prime suspect. A search warrant is obtained for his apartment, revealing a large amount of violent pornography and other clues. Heat rocks similar to those used on Denise's body are found, as are black men's sneakers that match the laces used to bind her. A reddish-brown stain疑似 blood is found on the bedroom carpet, which luminol testing confirms as blood. Scissors with blue fibers trapped in the hinge suggest Denise's blue garment was cut off. A gym membership card with Denise's name on it is found, suggesting she was in Cabalero's apartment against her will. Cabalero's fingerprints are found in Denise's car, and he changes his story to claim he was an unwitting accomplice, naming Isaac Brown as the real killer. Brown, who has no criminal record, also confesses but says Cabalero was the killer, leading to a complex web of conflicting stories and accusations.

15:04

🔎 Unraveling the Truth and the Third Suspect

Despite the conflicting confessions of Lewis Cabalero and Isaac Brown, the investigation uncovers a third suspect, Robert Messer, who was with them on the morning they disposed of Denise's body. Messer's fingerprints are found in Denise's car, and he admits to being present during the crime but denies direct involvement. The three men are charged with first-degree murder, but DNA results only tie Cabalero to the sexual assault. The forensic evidence and witness interrogations suggest a planned attack by Cabalero and Brown, with Messer as an accomplice. Denise managed to leave a gym membership card as evidence of her presence in Cabalero's apartment. The men used Denise's car to dump her body in a canal, leaving behind sand and fingerprints. They later went to breakfast, providing a timeline for the crime.

20:06

🏢 Justice for Denise O'Neal and Reflections on the Case

The script concludes with the conviction of all three men involved in Denise O'Neal's murder. Robert Messer is convicted of manslaughter and sentenced to 15 years, Isaac Brown is convicted on multiple counts including second-degree murder, and Lewis Cabalero is convicted of kidnapping and murder, now on death row. The narrative emphasizes the importance of forensic science in solving the case and bringing the perpetrators to justice. The investigator expresses deep gratitude for the role of forensic science and reflects on the impact of Denise's case, stating that it is one that has stayed with them and the need for better choices in life to avoid such悲剧.

Keywords

💡Missing person

A 'missing person' refers to someone whose whereabouts are unknown and is often the subject of a police investigation. In the video, Denise O'Neal is reported missing after failing to show up for work, sparking the investigation that leads to the discovery of her murder. Her disappearance sets the stage for the forensic investigation.

💡Forensic evidence

'Forensic evidence' refers to scientific methods and techniques used in criminal investigations to gather information about a crime. In the video, forensic evidence, such as fingerprints, DNA analysis, and the unique sand found in Denise's car, plays a critical role in identifying her killers and solving the case.

💡Identity theft

Identity theft is the act of stealing someone's personal information, often to commit fraud. In this case, Denise's identity is stolen when her credit card is used for fraudulent purchases after her abduction. This clue helps investigators track the movements of her killers.

💡Abduction

Abduction is the act of forcibly taking someone away against their will. Denise O'Neal was abducted from her apartment by her neighbor, Lis Cabalero, with the help of Isaac Brown. Her abduction ultimately leads to her death, highlighting the video’s theme of predatory behavior in everyday surroundings.

💡Sexual assault

'Sexual assault' is a crime involving unwanted sexual contact or violence. In Denise O'Neal's case, the medical examiner found evidence of sexual assault after her body was recovered. This horrific violation adds a layer of brutality to the crime and increases the urgency for justice.

💡Heat rocks

'Heat rocks' are devices used to warm reptiles in terrariums. In this investigation, the electrical cords from heat rocks found in Lis Cabalero’s apartment were used to bind Denise’s body, providing a critical piece of forensic evidence that tied him to the murder.

💡DNA analysis

DNA analysis refers to the scientific process of examining genetic material to identify individuals. In the video, DNA from Denise's body leads investigators to Cabalero, as his profile matches the evidence collected from the crime scene, playing a pivotal role in his conviction.

💡ATM withdrawal

An 'ATM withdrawal' involves taking money from a bank account using an ATM card. Denise's ATM card is used to withdraw $700 after her abduction, providing a key timeline in the investigation. Though the surveillance camera wasn't functioning, the transaction linked her murderers to her disappearance.

💡Accomplice

An 'accomplice' is someone who helps another person commit a crime. In this case, Isaac Brown and Robert Messer were identified as accomplices to Lis Cabalero in the abduction and murder of Denise O'Neal. The complex web of involvement between the three men is a key focus of the investigation.

💡Confession

A 'confession' is when a suspect admits to committing a crime, often during police questioning. Both Lis Cabalero and Isaac Brown eventually confessed to parts of the crime, but they tried to shift blame onto each other, complicating the investigation. Their confessions were crucial in piecing together what happened to Denise.

Highlights

Denise O'Neal, a 28-year-old adventurous woman, went missing, and her identity was stolen after receiving harassing phone calls.

Denise was last seen after purchasing women's sneakers and missed her scheduled work shift without notifying anyone.

Police found Denise's car in a parking lot across from her apartment with unusual items inside, including a cigarette (Denise did not smoke) and white limestone sand.

A 911 call reported a human body in a nearby canal, which was later confirmed to be Denise O'Neal through dental records.

The medical examiner concluded that Denise's death was caused by asphyxiation, and she had also been sexually assaulted.

Unusual forensic evidence included dog hairs, reptile-related heat rocks, and a size 36 belt, leading investigators to profile the suspect.

Denise's neighbor, Luis Caballero, became a suspect due to his behavior in news interviews and his ownership of a black dog and a pet reptile.

Police found Caballero’s apartment full of violent pornography and other incriminating evidence, including heat rocks, black shoelaces, and Denise’s gym membership card.

Caballero's fingerprints were found inside Denise’s car, contradicting his claim that he had never been inside her vehicle.

Caballero accused his friend Isaac Brown of being the real killer, but Brown also confessed, implicating Caballero as the mastermind.

A third suspect, Robert Messer, was identified through fingerprint evidence, and he later confessed to being present during the crime but not actively participating.

The investigators pieced together that Caballero, Brown, and Messer planned to rob Denise, and Caballero sexually assaulted and murdered her.

Forensic evidence such as luminol tests, fingerprints, and Denise's hidden gym card in Caballero’s apartment proved crucial in solving the case.

The three suspects disposed of Denise's body in a canal and went to breakfast afterward, unaware they had left behind numerous forensic clues.

Luis Caballero was sentenced to death for kidnapping and murder, while Brown and Messer received prison sentences for their roles in the crime.

Transcripts

[Music]

up next a young woman's missing and

someone has stolen her identity no one

saw her leave no one saw her arrive back

at her apartment but who wanted to harm

her she had received some harassing

phone calls prior to her being reported

missing eventually the forensic evidence

provided those answers everybody in

their brother was trying to make a deal

with the devil let he who has no sin

cast the first stone let me tell you I'd

have no problem casting all the

[Music]

stones life was an adventure for

28-year-old Denise O'Neal it was no trip

she wouldn't take virtually no activity

she wouldn't try she always loved to

travel always either swimming or having

a game of tennis or scuba diving going

to museums and the Arts of course

anything in the art she loved she just

loved life she really loved

[Music]

life after graduating from college

Denise took a job as a waitress in Palm

Beach Florida while she looked for a job

teaching English she knew the restaurant

business from A to Z and certainly made

very good money so why

not Denise was a punctual

employee but after missing two

consecutive days of work without calling

in her manager grew alarmed Denise had

been employed at this restaurant for 2

and A2 years and had never missed a day

of work at all her employer notified the

police department and they began a

missing person's

investigation police went to Denise's

apartment her car was missing but there

were no signs of a Breakin her apartment

was extremely neat in order nothing

seemed to be in

disarray they also checked the phone

answering machine Mach which provided a

clue there was an early alert from a

credit card company saying there was

some unusual spending on one of her

cards later that afternoon police found

Ana's car in a parking lot across the

street from her apartment they

immediately felt that someone else must

have been in the car because uh Miss

O'Neal was a very very uh vidious person

and the car was just the opposite a pink

jacket belonging to Denise was on the

back seat

two soda bottles were on the floor there

was a cigarette butt on the floor of the

driver's side of the car and mral didn't

smoke I noticed that there was white

sand on the right rear floor mat we had

sand on the driver's side and a small

amount in the passenger

side in Florida sand is quite common but

not this kind of sand it wasn't beach

sand it wasn't black mud it wasn't

coarse brown sand it was unique it was

consistent with

Limestone police dusted the entire car

inside and out for

fingerprints we found over 20 prins in

total they were all over the car they

were on the inside they were on the

trunk they were on the outside of the

vehicle on the day Denise went missing

her credit card revealed she bought a

pair of women's sneakers at 2:30 in the

afternoon but failed to show up for work

at

5:30 so somewhere in between that window

something must have happened to her this

was one of the best pieces of evidence

for the police cuz it gave them a time

frame no one at Denise's apartment had

seen or heard anything

suspicious but then a chilling call came

in to

911 do you have emergency uh apparently

there's a body in the canal right by our

house by the house where I'm at what

kind of body a human body

the body was very visible to the

neighbor it looked like had been wrapped

up in some large pink sheet dental

records

confirmed the victim was Denise

O'Neal the body was bound her hands and

feet were tied up with several

implements shoestrings a dog leash a

multicolor dog

leash we were numb for like days we knew

we had the

barrier and we walking up

um Palm Beach

Boulevard it was so hot and we were

freezing we were so

cold and yet it was

hot and you think you're dreaming you

think you're going to wake up but you're

not waking up

all the horror the fear that that poor

girl went through prior to her death the

total disregard for human life it puts a

lot of pressure on police to come up

with a murderer cuz you know people feel

like you know this could happen again to

any one of

us the medical examiner determined that

the cause of Denise O'Neal's death was

asphixiation she'd been strangled to

[Music]

death they also found evidence of sexual

assault when the swab from the victim

was analyzed in the DNA section a male

profile was de velop investigators were

puzzled by the two electrical cords used

to tie the sheet around Denise's body

these objects I've never seen before I

was very suspicious as to what they even

were I had no idea research identified

them as heat rocks a heat rock is a

pretty simple device it's a fake rock

that gets heated up by electricity and

people use it to warm cold-blooded

animals like a pet snake

investigators also found some unusual

black hairs on the bed sheet microscopic

analysis showed these were dog hairs my

killer is going to own a black dog my

killer is also going to own a reptile

whether it be a snake or a lizard my

killer is also going to have some type

of association with a size 36 belt

because it's a size belt that we found

wrapped around Denise's body

the sand found in Denise's car was

similar to the sand in the area near her

body proof Denise's car had been used to

transport her body investigators knew

that Denise had been abducted sometime

between 230 and 5:30 on the day she

disappeared her neighbors said they

didn't see or hear anything suspicious

not

know what

happened strange

no clue later that same day someone used

Denise's ATM card to withdraw

$700 from her checking account the

working assumption at this point for the

cops was that whoever used that ATM card

probably killed Denise

O'Neal unfortunately the surveillance

camera at the ATM wasn't functioning

properly so it was impossible to tell

who made the

withdrawal then in investigators noticed

something on the local

newscasts this man one of Denise's

neighbors kept turning up in various

news stories about her

disappearance this Behavior really

struck police as odd because he wanted

to be in front of the camera and he

wanted to be interviewed in an interview

given before Denise's body was found he

made a surprising reference she's very

quiet yeah I I try saying hi there

sometimes she just don't say nothing so

we always kept to herself what was most

interesting was that he referred to

Denise in the past

tense she's very quiet yeah his name was

LS cabalero and he was Denise's nextdoor

neighbor and was

unemployed but when police went to

interview

cabalero he wasn't home I happened to

knock on door 737 which was right across

the hall call from her apartment of

738 while knocking on the door I heard a

dog

bark through a window investigators saw

the Dog and Its

coloring seeing a black chat with my own

eyes the hair on the back of our necks

stood up detectives asked another

neighbor about

calero the guy said the the only guy I

know is the guy and he pointed up the

guy that lives up there there you know

the guy with the uh the chow and the boa

constrictor said

wow

wow in the search for Denise O'Neal's

killer investigators Prime Suspect lived

just a few feet away from Denise's

apartment it was her neighbor Lis

cabalero when we first walked up on

cabalero he told us he didn't say it

directly but told us he really didn't

like Denise he described her as being

snoody calero denied any involvement in

Denise's murder and said he had no

relationship with her other than to say

hello we discovered that Mr cabalero was

in serious financial trouble he had a

phone bill of $6,000 from phone sex

lines that he had been calling that he

was behind in his rent and that he could

be evicted at any time Detective IV

obtained a search warrant for cabalo's

apartment what struck me immediately was

the large amount of pornography inside

the closet the type of pornography that

was there dealt with a lot of violence

it was real real sick stuff we did not

find Denise O'Neal's fingerprints inside

calero's apartment but they did discover

other Clues I walked into the actual

bedroom area and as I started to turn to

the left I observed what appeared to be

and thought was a fish aquarium they

found Impressions at the bottom of the

tank and it looked like they might be

where the heat rocks had been a pair of

heat rocks and the electrical cords were

wrapped around Denise's body police also

found a pair of black men's sneakers in

cabalo's closet they didn't have any

shoel in them Miss O'Neal had been bound

with black colored

shoelaces there was also a reddish brown

stain on the bedroom carpet that might

be blood to be sure investigators turned

out the lights and sprayed the stain

with

luminol three very distinct blood stains

emerged it appeared to be consistent

with the outline of the buttox area of a

human being also in cabalero bedroom

investigators found several other

important items we found a pair of

scissors and trapped within the hinge of

the scissors appeared to be blue colored

fibers we knew that Miss O'Neal had been

wearing a blue colored garment that had

been cut cabalero maintained Denise had

never been inside his apartment but

under a cardboard box investigators

found

a gym membership card and when I picked

it up and turned it over and it had

Denise O'Neal's name on it I was

ecstatic I didn't know her he says in

front of the cameras well I've got you

now because she's dead and her card is

inside your

house detectives believe this clue was

left at the scene by a desperate Denise

O'Neal

I can't prove it but I'll always say

that she put that card there that's the

way it hit

me my first question was have you ever

detailed Denise's vehicle Louis cabalo's

response was he's never been in her car

or never detailed her car but analysts

found cabalo's Prince inside Denise's

car when faced with this evidence

cabalero changed his story he now

claimed he was an unwitting accomplice

he said the real killer was his friend

19-year-old Isaac

Brown so Isaac approaches her and

friends her in the hallway uh yes he

approached her he DED her from

behind as she was going into her door so

now she's into your apartment yes Isaac

has her on the belly and U I'm a little

bit hysterical I never thought it was

going to happen Brown who had no

criminal record also confessed but said

the killer was cabalero who was broke

and desperate for money Brown said

cabalero had been planning to Rob Denise

for months there was just loose talk

from cabalero saying that man I need I

need to come up I need to I need to hit

somebody I need some money right now and

only person I can think of that's got

some money right now is right there and

he'd always point across the hallway

everybody and their brother was trying

to make a deal with the devil in other

words every bad guy in this case was

wanting to confess and plead out but get

the best deal they could Brown's prints

were found on a soda bottle in Denise's

car proof he was involved despite Brown

and calero's conflicting versions of

what happened their stories were

identical on one count they had

breakfast together just hours after

dumping Denise's body in the

canal they went to an IHOP restaurant

off a Commercial Boulevard in 441 in the

city of tamarak investigators Tracked

Down the receipt for that meal when it

asked for the waitress to enter how many

customers were present it didn't say two

customers it said three customers this

explained why the 36in belt used to wrap

Denise's body didn't fit cabalero or

brown and why the shoes without the

shoelaces in Capo's apartment also

didn't fit either one as well that led

me to believe very strongly that I had a

third killer that I had a third

individual involved with the murder of

Denise O'Neal but if there were a third

perpetrator leis calero and Isaac Brown

weren't talking

[Music]

investigators now had two men in custody

for the abduction and murder of Denise

O'Neal leis cavalero and Isaac Brown not

surprisingly each man identified the

other as the

killer complicating things further

investigators discovered that a third

man was with cabalero and brown on the

morning they disposed of the body

it is absolutely shocking the defense

now can say the real culprit uh is out

there the real culprit is the person who

you have in charge but who was this

third man when police did a background

check on Lewis cabalero they learned

he'd been arrested a month earlier for

car theft and he had an

accomplice he was with acquaintance of

his Robert Messer 20-year-old Robert

messer's fingerprints were on

file voila lo and behold there was Mr

mes uh print on some of the items in the

trunk of Denise O'Neal's car when police

arrested Messer he too denied any

involvement in the murder Robert mess

told me I didn't kill her how dare you

tell me that I'm the

killer I'll tell tell you what happened

I was

there Messer said he did nothing but

that cabalero and brown were both

involved Messer said he was in calero's

living room when cabalero and brown

raped and murdered Denise O'Neal in the

bedroom I sat there with my fingers in

my ears and the TV was up loud I can

barely hear the TV now but I heard her

screams I heard her screaming

all three men were charged with first

deegree murder but when DNA results came

back only one of the three leis capero

was tied to the sexual

assault based on the forensic evidence

and witness

interrogations investigators believe

cabalero plan the attack on an afternoon

when Denise was doing her laundry

[Music]

when no one was around he grabbed

[Music]

her and forced her into his

apartment and with Isaac Brown's help

gagged and tied her

up he took her ATM card and forced her

to divulge her pin number

calero then left to get some money and

on the way back picked up Robert

Messer Isaac Brown stayed behind at some

point Denise was able to remove her gy

membership card and hide it underneath a

cardboard box leaving proof that she had

been in cabalo's

apartment when cabalero returned turned

with Messer he sexually assaulted

her then used electrical cords from the

heat rocks to strangle her to

death the trio wrapped Denise's body in

the sheet using the belt shoelaces and

the electrical

cords they used Denise's car to drive to

the canal where they dumped her her

body they tracked sand into the car and

left their fingerprints

behind later the three went to

breakfast they were absolute bar burned

they should have been burned alive all

three of them and I make no bones about

it and they say don't who let he who has

no sin cast the first stone let me tell

you I'd have no problem casting all the

stones Robert Messer was tried and

convicted of manslaughter and sentenced

to 15 years Isaac Brown was convicted of

five counts including second degree

murder chances are this is where I'll

die in

prison I don't want for someone else to

have to go through what I'm doing when

all they could do is just make better

choices than who they call friends make

better choices and and you know how they

follow their

morals Lis cabalero was convicted of

kidnapping and murder and he now sits on

death row I thanked God for forensic

signs and thank God for the men and

women who donate their time to study it

to bring to Justice these monsters I am

very grateful for forensic science

Denise O'Neal is one of a few victims

that I've encountered through my tenure

with this agency that have affected me I

still think about Denise I still think

about her family

[Music]