MISSING: Rico Harris

[00:00] Hi, Crime Junkies. It's Britt, and I have big news. One of my favorite seasonal shows, CounterClock, is back with a brand new season, and it is wild. Host Delia D'Ambra is digging into the 2008 Lane Bryant murders. I mean, this isn't just a recap. It is a reinvestigation. She's talking to law enforcement, people from the community, even sources who have never spoken publicly until now. And you know I love a show that asks all the questions. Listen to CounterClock Season 8 now wherever you get your podcasts. [00:33] Hi, Crime Junkies. I'm Ashley Flowers. And I'm Britt. But today, I am actually not your host. It's been a little while, but we have gotten a lot of requests. People want to hear you, Britt. Yeah. And today, I want to tell you about a man who went from the very edge of basketball superstardom to the depths of rock bottom and back again. A man who, from the outside, [01:03] in the blink of an eye. [01:05] Everything fell apart. [01:07] This is a story of Rego Harris. [01:10] Music.

[01:41] In October of 2014, Jennifer Song is right in the middle of making some big changes in her life. [01:48] After a couple years of doing the long-distance relationship thing, her fiancé, Rico Harris, is finally moving from his hometown of Alhambra in Los Angeles County up to Seattle to live with her. [01:59] Jennifer and Rico fell in love a couple of years ago, back in 2012, during a vacation in Southern California. But they've never lived in the same place. So she's excited that they're finally going to start building their future together in the same city. Plus, on top of it all, Rico has an interview coming up for a job with a real estate company. And it's just the opportunity that he's been waiting for. So Rico is a big guy. [02:29] And he is built. And honestly, he should be. He was a super talented basketball player growing up and even through college. [02:37] And because of that, a lot of the jobs he's been able to get recently have kind of been dependent on his body instead of his intellect. Yeah. [02:46] When Jennifer met him, he was working as a security guard. [02:49] And she knows just how much he wants to be respected for his mind and not just as, like, hired muscle. Right. Yeah. Yeah. [02:56] That makes sense. So the future is looking bright for the couple. They'll finally be together in location. Rico has this great job opportunity. But even with all these big plans and big changes, their relationship isn't perfect, which, I mean, whose is? Everyone, yeah. Right? There are still growing pains from this big move, finally living together, and just adjusting to all of that. So on October 8th, Jennifer and Rico have a...

[03:23] bit of a disagreement. Not like a knockdown dragout fight, just one of those spats that kind of boils over into... [03:31] everything else. Yeah. I've had one or two of those. Right. And there's been tension between them all day because Rico wants Jennifer to go explore Seattle with him. But Jennifer just needs some time to herself and she wants to go to the gym to unwind. Which is legit because, again, like you guys just moved in together. You're figuring out your own space, your own schedules. This is new. Like you need some alarm time. And you're used to not being with this person all the time, right? Right. Yeah. You kind of have to just like renegotiate your living space almost. Right. [04:01] She, you know, not only is it just like a brand new relationship, but they went from being long distance to being like in the same house together. Exactly. [04:09] It's that kind of challenges that I'm talking about. Totally normal, totally expected in the situation. So Jennifer goes to the gym, and when she gets home that night around 8, Rico isn't there. [04:20] At first, she thinks he must still be out exploring Seattle. Right, because that's what he said he was going to do anyways. Exactly. But when she finally gets a hold of him, he says he's on his way back to Alhambra to pick up some stuff from his mom's house. And don't worry, he'll be back in time for his interview. Wait, you said Alhambra is... [04:38] It's in L.A. County, right? Yeah. And there in Seattle, that's not like a day trip. That's a long drive. Right. It's actually over 1,100 miles. So that's at least [redacted address] without stopping. Like, that's not any bathroom breaks. That's not any meals. Gas. That's not even stopping to sleep or get gas. It's a super long trip and not really the kind of thing you would do, you know,

[05:05] on a whim, spur of the moment, even if you were, you know, disagreeing with your partner. [05:11] So Jennifer is kind of confused and unsettled by this last minute trip. But Rico says, you know, don't worry about it. I'll be back Friday night. She's not thrilled, but she understands he's still been making trips back and forth to get all of his stuff. So she figures, you know, this is what that is. And he's going to grab some stuff and be right back. Plus, he's been calling and texting her just like normal, staying in touch and constantly assuring her that he would be back by 7 p.m. on Friday. [05:41] of the interview he had the following day. [05:43] So in keeping with his plan, Rico gets to Alhambra after a day, [05:47] meets up with his family, packs up the last of his things, then turns right back around to drive back to Seattle. He doesn't tell his mom, Margaret, when he leaves. He just calls her around [redacted address]. And she's obviously kind of worried about this super quick turnaround. I mean, honestly, I am, too, because what you're saying is so he drives this 1,100 miles, 18 hours. [06:17] Yeah, pretty much. No sleeping, no, like, that's it? To me, that's strange. That's not normal. Right. And according to a Fox Sports article titled The Vanishing Man by Flinder Boyd, Rico had dinner with his brother. [06:31] only stayed at his parents' place long enough to have a beer with his stepdad, and he didn't get any sleep.

[06:37] He was talking to his family about how he was adjusting, and he even admitted that he had some doubts about whether this move to Seattle was... [06:44] really the right choice for him. But ultimately, he decided that it was that he needed a fresh start. And that one needed to be far away from his past in California. So I guess I was under the impression that he made this move to Seattle specifically for his relationship. But you're making it sound like, I mean, I guess what does his past in California mean? Was there something to get away from? Yeah, it actually turns out that Rico had been struggling with alcohol and substance abuse [07:14] to begin what should have been a promising basketball career, one that had every potential to earn him a position in the NBA, he really struggled with that transition, socially, academically, especially without his family nearby. [07:29] He bounced around from Arizona State to L.A. City College to Cal State Northridge for a few years. And it was during this time that his alcohol use started and just progressively took over all aspects of his life. [07:43] And Rico wasn't like a rowdy or violent drunk. He would kind of just... [07:49] sit alone with his bottle. And he even got to a point where he started drinking beer in the morning just to get rid of his hangovers. And within a few years, his NBA dreams were completely dashed. Even after he spent a month touring with the Harlem Globetrotters, he still ended up walking away from basketball for good.

[08:08] And it didn't get better from there. He ended up back at his mom's house at 24 years old. And, you know, it had to have been hard for him to go from being this basketball phenomenon and potential NBA draft pick to go all the way back to square one. And that year he was out one night in L.A. when he got into a spat with a group of guys and was hit in the back of the head with a baseball bat. He walked away from that fight, but the impact of the concussion was immediate. [08:37] And some even said that the damage was permanent and that he was never the same after that. He basically moved from alcohol to drugs to harder drugs and was eventually using crack and heroin and meth. One of Rico's friends was quoted in that Fox Sports article I mentioned saying that Rico was, quote, a local tragedy. [08:57] He was the best ball player the city ever saw. [09:00] And then you'd see him in the street, drunk and asking for quarters. It was despair. It was down there. It was the darkest of dark. End quote. So I guess, you know, one question I have is, was he... [09:15] Like this when he met Jennifer or had something like changed along the way for him? Like, did she really know what she was getting into? [09:24] I think she had an idea, but by the time Rico met Jennifer, he had been sober for several years and, again, was working in security, doing really well. But he had had a slip up in the fall of 2014 and had started drinking again, which actually led to him getting fired from his job. And his confidence took a huge hit.

[09:46] You can see why the beer he shared with his stepfather that night in Alhambra could have been more than just a casual drink. Yeah. And why his parents were... [09:56] worried about Rico and his move to Seattle. [09:59] So Rico leaves his parents' place shortly after midnight on what is now Friday, October 10th, to begin the long trek back to Seattle. He calls Jennifer on the way, and just like Rico's mom, she's worried about him too, especially since he hasn't slept at all. [10:15] She ends up talking to him while he drives to help keep him awake. [10:18] And finally, around 3.30 a.m., she gets him to agree to stop at a rest area with people around and catch a few hours of rest. At that point, she breathes a huge sigh of relief because she can go to sleep now. And my mom says it all the time. If you're not home, I don't sleep. Yeah, like she's not worried. He's finally good. Exactly. And when she calls Rico again around 8 in the morning, he says he's near Sacramento, which is still about 12 hours south of Seattle. [10:48] like he had planned to. [10:50] He still hasn't slept. What? And at this point, he's been awake for like [10:55] 36 hours. I mean, how is he... [10:58] I don't even understand how he's coherent at this point, not having... [11:02] slept that long. And there's something even, too, about like not sleeping, but just like being on the road that like, at least for me, makes me exhausted. Like there's no way I could do this. No, I completely agree. And according to an episode of Disappeared called California Leaving, Jennifer got one final text message from Rico at 1044 a.m. on the morning of October 10th.

[11:24] And Ash, will you read it to me? Sure. So the text says... [11:28] Sorry I missed your call. [11:30] Doing well. [11:31] thinking about you. [11:33] So to me, that sounds pretty normal. I mean, again, he sounds better than I would in his situation. Right. And honestly, I agree. But to Jennifer, something feels off. [11:43] Not like 911 emergency, what's going on off, but just a check in her gut. [11:49] And that gut feeling... [11:51] turns out to be right. [11:55] For decades, some cold cases have been reduced to files in a cabinet, but not anymore. I'm Ashley Flowers, and me and my team on the deck have been traveling across the country to report on these forgotten cases. And in some instances, it's resulted in these cases being solved after decades. [12:14] Join me every Wednesday as we revive these stories one card at a time. Listen to the deck now. [12:21] wherever you get your podcasts. [12:25] Jennifer tries to call Rico about an hour after that message, but he doesn't pick up. And he also doesn't pick up later that afternoon. And when she gets really worried is when he doesn't come home at 7 o'clock like he had said. [12:41] So Jennifer calls Rico's mom, Margaret, back in Alhambra to see if she's heard from him at all. [12:46] But Margaret says no, she hasn't talked to Rico either. [12:49] not since about 9.30 in the morning on October 10th. [12:52] Margaret tries to talk Jennifer down a little. She tells her, you know, it's probably nothing.

[12:56] Rico is one of those people who actually really enjoys driving for long periods of time. And sometimes he'll just take off for a few days so he can just drive and clear his head. But Jennifer, knowing how long Rico has been awake, can't shake the instinct that something isn't right. Well, and I kind of agree with her because, again, even though to me like the message sounded fine, I'm not. [13:20] I mean, we are literally talking about missing two nights of sleep at this point. And that's super dangerous. And I mean, I remember reading on the CDC's website that just going 24 hours without sleep is basically equal to having the blood alcohol content of like 0.1 percent, which is well above the legal limit. Yeah. And I think that's part of why Jennifer is still so worried, even though Margaret is trying to assure her that, you know, Rico just does this sometimes. Yeah. [13:47] Plus, even if they'd had a disagreement, there's no way he'd miss this huge interview. He had promised that he'd be back for it. [13:55] So with the panic digging in, Jennifer keeps checking her phone to see if he's texted or tried to call or leave a voicemail, but there's nothing. And when she tries to call him, her calls go straight to voicemail. And... [14:10] By 7.30... [14:12] 8, still nothing from Rico, Jennifer starts thinking about calling the police to file a missing persons report. But Margaret tells her she has to wait 48 hours and he'll probably turn up by then anyway. [14:24] So she waits and worries. And then three days after Rico's last text to Jennifer, a law enforcement officer in Northern California makes a discovery that will change everything.

[14:40] On Monday, October 13th, a Yolo County Sheriff's deputy spots a car at a rest stop at this place called Cache Creek Regional Park. It's about an hour northwest of Sacramento. Cache Creek is right near Rumsey Canyon, so this rest stop is on what they call the canyon's lower site. The car is in the parking lot, but it's not actually in a parking space. It's sort of pulled off to the side, basically right up against the bushes. [15:10] owner is just hiking around the area. [15:12] and they'll be back to get their car here in a little while. Except when the officer comes back the next day, the car is still there. [15:20] It hasn't moved an inch. And the deputy walks over to find that the car is locked, but the inside is a disaster. CDs, papers, credit cards strewn all over the inside. And the deputy runs the plates and learns that the car belongs to... [15:39] Rico Harris. [15:41] There are no outstanding tickets or warrants. It hasn't been reported stolen. There's nothing on file to indicate [15:49] any sort of problem. Well, I mean, you said this is like three days later. Has Rico's family at least reported him missing by this time? So like, is that something that would pop up? So here's the thing. They hadn't. Disappearing for several days at a time was sadly not [16:03] super out of the ordinary for Rico. And even though both Margaret and Jennifer were worried sick about Rico, they also...

[16:11] didn't want to overreact. [16:14] But when two Alhambra police officers walk up the steps to Margaret's house, she realizes that something is terribly wrong. [16:22] Right away, nothing about what police are saying makes sense to Rico's family. The Cache Creek Park is located off of California State Road 16, and that's a good 50 miles or so off the main highway, Interstate 5, that Rico should have been on to drive back to Seattle. [16:39] And I got on Google Maps to check it out, and Alhambra de Seattle is literally a straight shot on this one road. As Nancy Dillon reported for the New York Daily News, there's no reason why Rico would have taken a detour anywhere near Cache Creek. Especially not when he was on such a tight schedule to get back home. Like, even if he just wanted to pull over somewhere and take a nap, there are little towns all along Interstate 5 and he could have easily found someplace to rest. It just doesn't make any sense. [17:09] For Rico's family, it's like their worst fears started coming true. I have a question. So what about the car? I mean, I know you said it was a mess, but like, are they thinking it was like ransacked through? Did they find anything in the car that would maybe tell them where Rico is? No, not at all. There's... [17:25] Nothing to indicate a struggle and really no sign of Rico either. His phone is missing and the car is out of gas with a dead battery. So officers initially wondered maybe Rico's car died and he set off to look for help. He would have had to leave the area to even call a tow truck because there's...

[17:43] no cell service in the area when this happened. [17:46] So the lead investigator on the case, Detective Dean Nyland, pulls Rico's phone records to try to see if he can figure out where Rico might have gone and where he might be while his phone still had service. And in these records, he stumbles across another mystery. Because Rico's phone was pinging even further off the road to Seattle, over 70 miles west of Cache Creek, out in Redwood Valley, before the signal went dead. Wait, so I mean... [18:15] Just so I'm understanding, like his car is already like well off the beaten path of where he should have been. And then we're talking another 70 miles away from that. Exactly. And police are wondering why in the world would he go so far when there are gas stations way closer to Cache Creek? His family said he had no business out in Redwood Valley either. And it's definitely not on the way to Seattle. And since his car is parked in Cache Creek, the other question is, how did he even get there? [18:45] We have these mysterious pings with no logical explanation, and law enforcement realizes that their search area is actually much wider than just the Cache Creek lower site. They have to broaden their investigation to include a 27-mile stretch of State Road 16. [19:02] The Yolo County Sheriff's Department puts out an emergency text alert to about 4,000 residents in and around the area just hoping for a tip. Well, and I have to figure that they're going to get some tips. Like, this plan makes sense to me because, I mean, when you're talking about someone like Rico, like, again, I know you said he doesn't want to be known for, you know, his physical stature. He wants to be known for his mental stuff. But, I mean, you can't miss a guy that size. I was going to say, you can't help who you are. You're like 6'9". I mean, how many hundreds of pounds? No one's going to forget seeing this guy.

[19:32] Exactly. And Fox Sports reported that one person says they saw someone matching Rico's, again, kind of unique description at about 530 in the morning on October 11th, sitting on this guardrail that overlooked the creek. So is the guardrail... [19:48] By where the car was found? Yeah, and police actually get another call from a person who says they saw him a couple hours later, around 8 in the morning, walking along the side of State Road 16. And I wasn't able to find out how far away from the car this sighting was. [20:04] was, but a quick look at Google Maps shows that [redacted address] along the park. And given the information they have at this point, the Yolo County sheriffs figure the first place they should search is in a five-mile area in and around the lower site where Rico's car was found. Now, this is a pretty rugged area, and there's a lot of wildlife, like [20:28] mountain lions out there. It wouldn't be impossible for someone to slip and fall or otherwise get injured and potentially run into a lot of trouble, especially someone who had been awake for, you know, more than 30 hours. Right. [20:42] Law enforcement is searching with ATVs and cars on foot with tracking dogs, and they even use Highway Patrol airplanes that have heat-seeking cameras to do some flyovers, but they can't find RICO. [20:57] What they do find, though, are some footprints. [21:01] big footprints down by the creek.

[21:03] Along with an insole that could have only come from a big shoe, like the size 18 shoes Rico wore. 18? I know. Wow. So... [21:14] Even though it seems likely that Rico had been there, they don't know why or where he is now. [21:21] But, at least they feel like they're in the right area when they get a call from this family, two grandparents and their little grandson, who were driving home from Sacramento when the boy looked out the window and saw a backpack and a cell phone sitting on the side of the road. Right near the place where the first caller said they might have seen Rico sitting on the guardrail overlooking Cache Creek. [21:44] So the family pulled over, [21:46] grabbed the backpack and cell phone, thinking maybe once they got back home, they could find out who it belonged to and get it back to its owner. So they drove home. [21:56] And their home was in Redwood Valley. Oh, so is that why Rico's phone pinged so far away? Like, it's not necessarily that he was there, but this family took his phone to where they live so far away. Mm-hmm. And they do call Detective Dean as soon as they hear that the police are looking for a phone in Redwood Valley. And say, hey, you know, we have this phone in this backpack and we have no idea who they belong to. [22:26] where they found it. Just [22:27] two miles away from Rico's car and 500 yards away from where police think he was sitting on the guardrail. And the theory that's emerging for police now is that he left his car when it ran out of gas, or the battery died, or even both, I guess, grabbed his phone, gathered up what he needed in his backpack,

[22:45] and headed out along State Road 16 to get help. [22:49] Okay, but... [22:51] I mean, but then what? Like, because... [22:53] Obviously, like he hasn't shown up anywhere. What do they think he happened? Well, and that's the thing. That's the huge question. And law enforcement is really hoping that whatever is in that backpack or on Rico's phone might help them paint a clearer picture of what's going on. [23:08] where he went that night, [23:10] when he went there and why. [23:13] But when they look inside Rico's backpack, they don't find answers. [23:18] what they find [23:19] poses even more questions. [23:23] For decades, some cold cases have been reduced to files in a cabinet, but not anymore. I'm Ashley Flowers, and me and my team on the deck have been traveling across the country to report on these forgotten cases. And in some instances, it's resulted in these cases being solved after decades. [23:43] Join me every Wednesday as we revive these stories one card at a time. Listen to the deck now. [23:50] wherever you get your podcasts. [23:54] In Rico's backpack, police find a phone charger, jumper cables, some clothes, and two bottles filled with what police think is a mix of an energy drink and alcohol. Oh no. Yeah. So there's no question, Rico has been in a lot of stress at this point. The move to the new state, homesickness, relationship challenges. [24:15] And, you know, the self-esteem hit from getting fired back in Alhambra.

[24:19] nerves about this huge interview for a job that would really catapult him forward. Well, yeah, I mean, I totally get it. Like, I mean, literally any one of those things on its own would be stressful enough. So, I mean, I understand... [24:30] all at once. That's a lot for a person to deal with. So if what we're assuming is that maybe he relapsed, I kind of understand why. Right. And stress is one of the biggest relapse triggers of all of them. But as I read in the LA Times, Rico wasn't just struggling with alcohol and substance use disorders at some point in his adult life. And it didn't actually say when, but Rico had been diagnosed with bipolar disorder. But he didn't take the medication that he needed to control his mood [24:59] Because he didn't like how it made him feel. And I know someone with bipolar disorder, and this is apparently not an uncommon situation. No, not at all. One of the key treatments for bipolar is a type of medication called a mood stabilizer. The one we hear about most often is lithium, but there are a lot of others. And the side effects like fatigue and weight gain can be difficult for some people to grapple with or deal with. [25:29] which could at least partly explain Rico's drug and alcohol use. Yeah, like why he's doing that now. I mean, I know I've heard it a ton of times, like, you know, meth is a stimulant. Alcohol is a depressant. So depending on like how they're feeling, people who, again, who aren't properly medicated or their medication isn't working, like they try and regulate them themselves. So, I mean, it makes sense to me. Yeah, except a stimulant as heavy as like crystal meth can cause mania.

[25:59] website, instead of that euphoric on top of the world, let's do all the things high, [26:04] A bipolar person using meth could get paranoid and super anxious instead. [26:10] The substance makes something [26:12] counterproductive to what they're trying to feel, leading to more use. And things can really spiral. Yeah. [26:19] No one can say for sure, of course, whether Rico was using drugs at the time of his disappearance. But the context, I think, is really important for sure. When the police look at Rico's phone, there's nothing on there that gives them any more insight into why he decided to drive so off of Interstate 5. Like, there's no text about meeting anyone anywhere near Cache Creek. And a lot of it is just pretty normal. [26:49] interview with this real estate company, some photos of the landscape. [26:53] a couple happy selfies, nothing to be alarmed about. And there's also no sign of any damage to Rico's phone or his backpack, and really no sign at all of any foul play. [27:06] What they do find on Rico's phone is a video. And it kind of looked like the type of video you would take by accident. Like, it didn't seem intentional to Detective Dean Nyland, at least. [27:18] The camera is pointing up to the dome light of a car. Rico is sitting in his car and singing along with his music. [27:25] and kind of tearing through his glove box, throwing his CDs and papers around, and his wallet actually lands in the back seat.

[27:33] Is like him throwing this stuff around? Is that what made his car look like such a mess when police found it? Like initially when you said that, I was thinking like, oh, someone like rifled through and was like taking something or looking for something. But if Rico was the one that made this mess himself. Right. But it's still weird, right? Like I've gone through the contents of my glove box in a hurry sometimes. But even if. [27:55] someone is asking for like your license and registration, it's usually not like a panicked like, [28:00] throw everything everywhere situation. - Yeah, but I mean, if you think about what we just talked about though, like if we are to [28:06] presume just for a moment that Rico has relapsed and maybe there's some kind of drug use involved. Like that could explain this kind of like manic searching for something that might not even have been there. Well, and that's where Detective Dean's thought process goes next. He's thinking, first of all, that would explain how Rico was able to stay awake for so long between the trips between Seattle and Alhambra and potentially back. [28:29] But thinking back to the statements Rico made to both his mom and Jennifer about, you know, trying to find a quiet place to rest— [28:37] What if what he really wanted was a secluded place to use drugs? And the more Detective Dean learns about Rico as he searches for him, the more he sees how likely that possibility is. [28:49] Rico is a troubled man with a complicated past. He went from a star forward with NBA dreams to begging for quarters on the side of the road all before he turned 30. You know, when his basketball career sputtered out, Rico felt like a failure, like this big failure.

[29:06] chunk of his identity was just gone. [29:09] All he'd ever wanted to do was provide for his mom, and instead he wound up back under her roof with her providing for him. And not only that, but the LA Times reported that [29:22] Between 2001 and 2007, [29:24] Rico was in and out of jail and facing [redacted address] for things like burglary, trespassing, and public intoxication. [29:34] It took a life-threatening overdose to finally set Rico on the path to sobriety. [29:39] a path he'd been walking for years at this point. [29:43] Rico was still carrying so much shame around from his most recent relapse. [29:49] Not only did it set his sobriety back zero, it also cost him his job. [29:54] In all of this, it was really eating at him. [29:58] This is one of the many, many reasons why the stigma around addiction is so harmful. [30:04] Substance use doesn't make a person weak. Just like relapsing doesn't mean they've somehow failed. It means they're showing symptoms of this chronic condition. I couldn't agree more. I mean, I think it's why it's so important that we, I mean, talk about these stories, but almost like reframe the narrative because mental health and substance abuse issues like addiction is a public health issue. [30:34] and the more people treat it like that, like these people who need our help the most are often being pushed to the margins of society. I mean, I personally know people like very close to me in my family who suffer from mental health issues. And it's amazing the amount of like shame that comes with it. And you see the memes all the time, right? Where it's like, oh, it's not,

[30:53] People will openly talk about going to a doctor for their physical health, but going to a psychiatrist is somehow shameful. And I think it's important that we talk about mental health and specifically addiction issues. Because I read on Psychology Today that something like, I think it was like 70 to 90 percent of patients with substance use disorders relapse. So even for Rico to relapse, I mean, honestly, this is like the norm for someone with his condition, not the exception. [31:23] are kind of piling up on him, the likelihood of a relapse into methamphetamines as well as [31:28] Alcohol just keep getting higher and higher. [31:31] So Detective Dean decides to go back to the last place they know for sure that Rico was before he disappeared. [31:39] his car. [31:40] And during that first week after Rico vanishes, [31:43] Detective Dean goes back to the impound lot and does a full inventory of everything in the vehicle. And he finds something new. He finds something new. [31:52] Something that may give a new insight into Rico's state of mind that fateful night. [31:57] A little plastic bindle. I feel like I'm supposed to be surprised, but I'm sorry. I don't know what is a bindle. Great question, because I didn't know what that was either. Okay. But as Detective Dean explained on Disappeared, it's this little twisted up piece of plastic that's often used to store drugs, like a DIY baggie. You could put a twisty tie on or make a knot in, basically. But get this. There's no other drug paraphernalia in Rico's car.

[32:25] No pipes, no needles, nothing. And also, there are no drugs either. [32:31] And once the bindle's tested, [32:33] There's no drug residue on it. Wait, I don't... What? Like... [32:39] So we know for sure he had alcohol. I mean, they found that. And we had talked about him, you know, maybe wanting to find a place to go drug. So I mean, I can understand that like in my mind, I guess I thought they were going to find this bindle. And it's not surprising to me that there's no needles or pipes or anything like that, because, again, if he left his car and was going somewhere else. But if it was tested and there was no residue on that, is drugs not even a factor anymore? Yeah. [33:01] Could it have been something else? We're calling it a bindle, but again, I haven't seen it. Is there any chance it was not that? Well, and that's what I wonder, too. It honestly would almost be easier if they had found drugs on this bindle because... Yeah, it would explain it, right? Yeah, that would at least give police more of a starting point than they have right now. And... [33:20] As they're all too aware, you know, every minute a person is missing is important, even when that person is as big and as strong as Rico. [33:30] And at this point, there's nothing to prove Rico is using drugs or not using drugs. There's also nothing to suggest he's not alive out there somewhere, but also nothing to prove otherwise either. It's this strange sort of purgatory that so many families and loved ones of missing people find themselves in, you know, sometimes for days or months and unfortunately a lot for years. [33:53] And then a week after searching all through Northern California for Rico,

[33:58] a new sign of hope emerges. [34:03] For decades, some cold cases have been reduced to files in a cabinet, but not anymore. I'm Ashley Flowers, and me and my team on the deck have been traveling across the country to report on these forgotten cases. And in some instances, it's resulted in these cases being solved after decades. Thank you. [34:22] Join me every Wednesday as we revive these stories one card at a time. Listen to the deck now. [34:30] wherever you get your podcasts. [34:33] On October 19th, another call comes into law enforcement with a tip. A large man, matching Rico's description, has been spotted walking along the side of State Road 16 on the cattle guard near the lower site. Once officers head back out to the area to search again on that same day, they find even more compelling evidence to support this call. [34:57] New [34:57] footprints. [34:59] Big footprints that were not there a week ago. And they were near where the caller said they had seen this large man walking. Wait, so this is like after they've already searched the area, right? Mm-hmm. So is the assumption that he, like, he went missing, they did their search, and then he came back to the same area? Like, maybe he was looking for the stuff that he left there, but that the police had taken?

[35:29] that this really focused search in this area could have missed RICO. Like, it's not a vast world [35:36] wide open space or anything. But again, he's a pretty big guy. He's not folding himself into like a rabbit burrow or, you know, holing up in the side of a tree. It seems like your first idea is the best one that he left and came back. Yeah, I mean, I have to go with that idea. But even to me, like that, that doesn't answer everything. I'm still left with so many questions. Like, where has he been for the last week? And how did he like leave this area and then get back without [36:06] Well, and that's the thing about this case. Instead of every new clue pointing investigators towards a conclusion, they all point them in two or three different directions. [36:17] At this point, police are pretty sure that Rico had to have gotten a ride out of the Cache Creek area because the nearest gas station is about 30 miles away from the lower site. It's not an impossible distance to walk, but it would take the better part of a day. And it's not like Rico was training for this sort of hike. Well, and not even more than not training. I mean, it's kind of even the complete opposite. I mean, this guy had been awake for days. He hasn't slept. He's barely eaten. He's barely rest. [36:47] worst possible condition to then go out into the wild like this. Right. So driving seemed like a more likely scenario. Maybe he hitchhiked or something. [36:58] But on October 23rd, 2014, almost two weeks after Rico went missing, the Yolo County Sheriff's Department announces that they're scaling back their search efforts.

[37:08] And according to Kathy Locke's article in the Sacramento Bee, detectives are confident there is no foul play involved. But they aren't giving up their quest for information or for answers. Detective Dean, in particular, is determined to bring Rico home safely. [37:25] But he can't deny that it becomes less and less likely with each passing day. Hoping for the best, but planning for the worst, police organize a team of cadaver dogs to go back out to the Lower Sight area in November of that year. [37:40] The dogs don't find a body or Rico's clothes or any blood or anything, but they keep coming back to this very specific spot along Cache Creek. [37:51] a spot that has sinkholes. So that same weekend, a dive team comes out to scour all up and down Cache Creek. [38:00] The result is as heartbreaking as it is familiar. There's no sign of Rico in the creek. [38:06] Detective Dean keeps retracing his steps, trying to put himself in Rico's shoes, driving up and down the road, hoping for... [38:14] Any answer, but it never comes. I mean, if they're searching sinkholes, I have to assume that they also already checked like hospitals and homeless shelters and stuff like that, because, I mean, if by some chance Rico is still alive and in the area, like that would be the first place to look. And I mean, if we're assuming he might be. [38:33] be on foot, might have hitchhiked, you're still not going to go very far. And if he did

[38:39] you know, relapse in some way. Again, we at least probably know he's using alcohol. [38:43] I mean... [38:45] Is it possible that he could have just been hungered down somewhere on like a bit of a bender for a couple of weeks? I mean, maybe. [38:53] Except there's no one in... [38:56] Any of the places that you described, a hospital, homeless shelter, any of those, matching Rico's description. No John Doe's that could even possibly be him. [39:06] But the Fox Sports article I read mentioned something that I think is very telling. [39:11] and maybe a clue about what happened to Rico. [39:15] So the author, Flindor Boyd, wrote about how he goes to the Sacramento area in the middle of November 2014, after the divers search Cache Creek, to do some interviews and follow up on Rico's story. And that's when Detective Dean tells him his theory that Rico left his car and his backpack and set out to try to buy meth. [39:37] Being a journalist and curious, Flinder decides to drive through some of these little towns in that part of California that are kind of known for being drug dealing hotspots. [39:48] And he drives to a town called Clear Lake and talks to an anonymous person who says, yes, they saw Rico Harris the day he disappeared. This person goes on to tell Flinder that not only did he see Rico that day, but that one of his friends actually sold Rico some meth in the parking lot at the lower site of Cache Creek Park.

[40:10] None of this has been confirmed by police, so it might be true. [40:15] It might not be. But with Rico's history of using drugs, it's certainly not impossible. [40:23] Well, yeah, but you're saying this happened in 2014. Did anyone follow up? I mean, I know this author went out there, but if he got this lead, did police go check it out? [40:32] Obviously, we're not any closer to finding Rico. [40:34] So... [40:35] I couldn't find that there was any police follow-up on that lead. And let's just say for argument's sake, this story is true, that someone sold drugs to Rico that day in the parking lot of the lower site. [40:47] then what wherever rico went next what he did who he talked to nobody knows he [40:53] completely dropped off the grid, [40:55] And what could have happened next? [40:58] did happen next remains totally unanswered. I just I don't mean to say the obvious, but like what I can't get over is how someone like Rico goes missing with almost nobody spotting that. Like this case reminds me so much of the Bryce Lespisa case, because I remember one of the things we kept talking about over and over is like his distinct appearance. Exactly. He had that bright red hair. I'm like, how if how does anyone miss him? Even if he was homeless, even if he grew out [41:28] the guy like there are certain things you can't change when your hair is that bright red you're not going to change it with someone like rico when he like this dude is big no one is going to miss this dude how does he just disappear into thin air and that's the most baffling part of rico's case to me too it's hard to disappear on purpose but if that's what rico did he did it really well there's been no activity on his bank accounts no contact with his family or friends this entire time

[41:58] he has really, truly vanished. And, you know, the disease of addiction and its symptoms can turn anyone's life upside down. But adding chronic mental illness into the mix, like bipolar disorder, things can go topsy-turvy pretty quick. You know, Rico's story is full of highs and lows. [42:17] From the cusp of basketball stardom to the depths of despair and back again. At the time he went missing, he had a girlfriend who loved him, a family who supported him, a new career opportunity on the horizon, and seven years of sobriety to come back to. [42:33] His girlfriend Jennifer, his mother Margaret, and everyone in Rico's life, they've never given up hope that one day they'll see Rico again. [42:42] If you have any information on the disappearance of Rico Harris, please contact the Yolo County Sheriff's Department tip hotline at 530-668-668-668. [42:52] 5248. [42:54] or YoloCountySheriff.com. [42:57] If you want to see pictures from this case or our source materials, you can find those at our website, CrimeJunkiePodcast.com. [43:16] And don't forget to follow us on social at Crime Junkie Podcast and at Audio Check. [43:21] And we will be back next week with a brand new episode.

[43:52] you [43:53] you [43:53] you [43:56] you [43:59] Crime Junkie is an audio truck production. [44:02] What do you think, Chuck? Do you approve? [44:25] It is truly one of my favorite podcasts right now and I've been listening for years. [44:28] I think you'll love it too. [44:30] Listen to Chameleon wherever you get your podcasts.