And, newly in love. The whole world ahead of them. He grabs my chin. And pulls me up. And he just gives me this measurable kiss. But their romance would lead to something shattering when christian vanished. Oh god. My young life went out the window. It was tense. We were nervous. We were scared. Im starting to believe that there might be more to this than just a missing person. Where was he . Did someone have something to hide . There was notes under the car. A lovers triangle, a circle of friends. Was one of them a killer . This was planned. This was on purpose. How could you do something so horrific . Hello, and welcome to dateline. Highschoolers erika freeman, pedro, and Christina Aguilera were like three peas in a pod. After graduation, they even picked colleges in the same city. Then, one of them went missing. Last seen in a dangerous area of town. As the hours passed, the mystery deepened. Then, investigators uncovered a hidden truth. One they believed might be a motive for murder. Here is Dennis Murphy with circle of friends. Remember going away to college . Maybe your first time away from home, there were new friends waiting to be made, the tingling of possibilities. Oh god, the first case was amazing. Sometimes disappointments when things did not work out. I thought he was just depressed, we just did not take that seriously and, you know, maybe we should have. For three florida teenagers, the decisions they made as they started campus life had terrifyingly, consequences. It all seemed so surreal when we talked about it, we were like this cant possibly happen. The story of our three begins at a high school near miami, not quite hogwarts but erika, pedro, and christian were inseparable as harry, ron, and hermione. A trio of friends, laughing and wrestling through adolescence together after the academy, a Charter School for high achieving smart kids. I went there in 2006 for the sixth grade. For erica freeman, the academy was a special place. I met people from all over the world actually, its really interesting, and they had a lot of opportunities academically but i dont think you would get an average high school. Erica was smart, upbeat, and pretty. She loved everything from Skydiving To Shakespeare and in her sophomore year, she caught the eye of a cute guy in class. Pedro. He was a big clown, a kind of a funny guy around people. He was making jokes. The act out and glass kind of guy . Not act out in class. But he would go as soon as class was over, and it was just to get a cold laughing and isnt that. Pedro was a Fellow Rock Solid Student with an artistic flair. His journals were full of artistic totals that friends thought had real talent. He could draw anything you wanted. Robert lopez was a friend and classmate. So anything from graphic comments up until picture art . Yeah. He was very gifted in that sense. Erica and pedro quickly became an item. Teenage lovers. But with adult dreams. We were a pretty serious relationship, we were a little bit more mature than the average, we didnt go out and drink we were just very focused on school and each other. Another sharply focused classmate in their circle was pedros good buddy, christian. I met him through pedro, he was awesome, he was funny and he was nice and we instantly were good friends. Christian was a Soccer Player who hit the books the son of colombian immigrants became the all american boy, video games, kanye west rap in his ears, and plans to become a doctor. It sounds as though to understand christian you have to realize how academically motivated he was . Oh yeah. He was very driven. And it wasnt like his family was pushing him it was just that he wanted to make them proud. These three high achieving musketeers, christian, erica and pedro all went to prom to gather. And post there for this snapshot in the waning days of high school. Do you guys do a limo in the whole thing . We did do a limo. We all showed up and we took plenty of pictures and it was fun. For a lot of american kids, it was for these three. Graduation from high school is one of those big crossing the woods. A lot of that what are you gonna do next . Lets stay friends forever kind of bodies. Mr. Christian aguilar. Christian, scholar that he was and intent on pursuing premed got admitted to the Selective University of florida, In Gainesville. Was he happy when his acceptance came through . He was so happy. He was ecstatic. And although all Three Friends wanted to be gators, having it as a top school, only christian got in. Erica headed to a Different CollegeIn Gainesville, santa fe. While pedro planned to take classes near his home in miami. And, as graduation neared. More life decisions. Erica broke it off with pedro. She didnt want a Long Distance relationship. After all, they were just 18 years old. The Big Wide World was ahead of them both. I wanted him to find someone and fall in love with them, and live a normal life. I just didnt think he was the one for me. They were barely unpacked. Classes just starting, when a sudden change of plans. Pedro didnt want to be left behind in miami after all. As the fall semester started, he showed up In Gainesville as his friend robert remembered. He just visited and ended up signing the lease and enrolling for classes at santa fe college. Maybe there was life after hogwarts, for pedro, erica, and christian. Could the friendship be renewed . Survive a five hour move up the interstate from miami . If that was indeed the hope, it was dashed with some awful news on september 21, 2012. We were tense, we were nervous, we were scared. What couldve happened . Christian never showed up at his dorm that night. He wasnt answering his phone. It is not like christian to not answer or disappear. There was something wrong. Christian aguilar had vanished. Coming up, what could be behind christians sudden disappearance. Retracing his last steps. A rough neighborhood, and a curious stranger. He tells me at some point they stop and pick up a hitchhiker. When dateline continues. Unlike air fresheners, only new lysol Air Sanitizer kills 99. 9 of viruses and bacteria in the air. Because scent cant sanitize. Lysol can. To 50 years with my best friend and my soulmate. [sfx spilling sound] [sfx family gasp] nooo. Aya. Quick, the quicker picker upper bounty absorbs spills like a sponge. And bounty is 2x more absorbent so you can use less and get the job done with one. Youve got a bit of your face on your face. Bounty, the quicker picker upper. Three teenagers, all College FreshmanIn Gainesville, florida. Long term friends. But now one of them, christian, was a noshow from meeting with his circle of friends. Didnt pick up the phone, not so much as the text. And it got, later and later, and i started calling our friends. And i was like, hey i would just wanted to make sure. Have you seen christian . When used not getting tests back. When do you go from worried to freaked out. All that night. I couldnt sleep. I had passed by his dorm room to see if possibly his phone died. And he couldnt answer. His phone got wet. I was thinking of all of these different scenarios. He wasnt in this dorm, where was he all night . Where was he staying . Where was he sleeping . Where is he . The next morning, still nothing from christian. He had not come back to his dorm. So erica and pedro, her ex boyfriend, together went to the gainesville police. So we go to the window and we start explaining our situation. And the lady pretty much laughs at me. So theyre pulling you off . Yeah. And i was just like, this lady better hope nothing is wrong here. I was so upset, because i wanted someone to pay attention. This was a serious thing. But after all, christian would not be the first College Freshman to go off the grid. Maybe taking a break from his studies. And crushing in another dorm. But his friends were worried. And the cops told him to go see if the Campus Police could help. The biggest thing that i want to find out is has anybody been in contact . When was the last time they contacted him. When was the last time anyone was in contact with him . Officer tim talked to the concerned pair found out the paper was the last one to see him the previous day. And he walks me through, once he meets christian. They go to the pharmacy because christian needs a flu shot. Then they go back to pedros car which is parked on campus. Then at that point they go to best buy. A pretty routine afternoon. Until, pedro told him, they decided to do something a little impulsive. He tells me at one point they stop to pick up a hitchhiker. Pedro told officer that they drove around for a bit. Eventually the hitchhiker was like, i want to get out of the car. And christian was like, i want to get on the car too. Just pull over. And thats where they did, near this auto body shop. A few miles off campus. That body shop raised alarms for officer peck. It had some rough spots. Some of the area is known to be a high drug area. Has some Gang Activity as well. So that kind of concerned me. Where they up there specifically for that reason . Or, in the process of christian getting dropped off. Did he run into something or wander into that area . I know there was a large Homeless CommunityIn Gainesville, there still is, so i was a little concerned about that, if he was in the woods somewhere, and he stumbled into a campground of homeless people, and, you know, they decided to do something to him, you know that with some of the options that i had thought of. A gang area . Homeless camps . And a mysterious hitchhiker . There seemed reason enough to be worried. Erica called christians parents, carlos and Claudia Aguilar down to miami. And told them christian was missing. What did you think . I knew that something was wrong. Was that worrying for you . His behavior was not at all. Not at all christian. That was not christian. Along with christians younger brother, alex, they jumped in the car to make that long drive up to gainesville. I could say that that car was the most silent car ride weve ever had. We didnt talk, we did know what to say to one another. What were they missing in . Miss saying. Maybe trying to be positive. It was just him, maybe he went out to a party. Maybe got injured, maybe got into a car accident. We couldnt tell. Because we dont know who he hangs out with. And once they arrived, police had questions for alex and his parents too. He brings us into the small little room and we have an officer who gave us a few questions, asking what type of person is christian, is he normally like this, what are usually go out. Does he drink. Does he do any drugs. What were you seeing in christians parents in this period . Confused. Pain. There was just pain in their eyes. But erica says that they were all about to channel that pain into determination. With more friends heading up from miami. I had a whole group of individuals who are now just as concerned as i was. Just as focused as i was, just as driven to find christian. And it feels so alone once they got here i felt like we could use this. Christians friends or hope or he would turn up. And soon. And for the officer, the case of the missing students got more baffled got when he got caught of christian had been trying to hide something. Was his secret the key to finding him . There is Something Else going on here im not aware of. What exactly that is . I am not sure. Coming up do you know christian . Yeah. Yeah. How do you know him . I was just concerned i was gonna push him off the edge. When dateline continues uplifting music along with significantly clearer skin. Skyrizi helps me move with less joint pain, stiffness, swelling, and fatigue. And is just 4 doses a year, after 2 starter doses. Skyrizi attaches to and reduces a source of excess inflammation that can lead to skin and joint symptoms. With skyrizi 90 clearer skin and less joint pain are possible. Serious allergic reactions and an increased risk of infections or a lower ability to fight them may occur. Tell your doctor if you have an infection or symptoms, had a vaccine, or plan to. Thanks to skyrizi, theres nothing like clearer skin and better movement. And that means everything. Nothing is everything nows the time to ask your doctor about skyrizi. Learn how abbvie could help you save. Erica freeman and pedro were at the uf Police Station trying to help the cops track down their friend christian. Surveillance cameras were rolling as they made the report to officer tim peck. Then his team quickly went to work, tracing the missing student with the usual technological tools, they paint his cell phone and it was off. Check the University Computers and he had not loved on. We checked with the hospitals, local hospitals to see if he was in there and we also checked with our notes from the previous night with his name, to see if he had any contact with us, check with the city and the county their main dispatched to see if they had any contact with him. No sign of christian anywhere. Youre still calling, still texting . Im still calling. Still testing. Sending messages like we are going to find you. I love you so much. Cant wait to see you again. Everything is gonna be okay, trying to calm myself down. It was in those hours inside the Campus Police station that erica disclosed a secret that christian had been keeping. It was her secret too. Since high school graduation, the breakup with pedro, she and christian had become more than friends. It was very exciting. We thought it was great, we thought this is us learning how to get used to gainesville, and it was like i had my best friend with me, and it was somebody who i could always turn to, someone i did always turned to. And somebody now who is gonna be there for me. Who made the move for the first embrace . He did. I, he drove to my house. And i seen him. And instantly, we hugged. And im there, and i was just nervous, i had all these butterflies. I hadnt been these nervous. And he grabbed my chin and he pulls me up and he gives me this magical kiss. You became a couple that moment . Oh yeah. It just felt like, is this really happening . Is this still really happening . I just kept pinching myself. Like god, this is crazy. I cant believe this. And in a matter of weeks, their young lives, she and christian had changed completely. They were madly, deeply in love. What do you think the two of you had . Something very rare. Something you dont find every day, something amazing. Something, i dont even know how to explain what we had. It was like not a care in the world because you are so happy to be with that person. Young girls are in love sometimes of being in love but this doesnt sound like that. Oh no, no, this is someone where you clicked on every level. But out of friendship and respect they kept the new romance a secret from pedro, ericas ex. Yet his friends knew that something was eating away at pedro ever since he graduated from high school, he had been in a kind of funk. Did he change at all . Yes as a matter of fact as time went on, he was kind of a little bit more withdrawn, he was starting to keep up with himself more. I thought he was just depressed, you know. We all go through it. Buddy, robert lopez, had noticed some odd, alarming behavior. We all went out to this restaurant, this one. Its wellknown In Gainesville, its well next to the stadium. Our tab ran over 70. He picked up the whole tab. And we asked, why would you pay for the hold . Have youre paying for your classes out of pocket. He said dont worry about, it i will need this money soon. That was when we realized, you, know hes not doing okay. Was pedro suicidal . All the more reason for erica and christian to keep their happy romance quiet. I was just concerned that i was gonna push him off the edge. I didnt want him to go home that night knowing i was dating one of our mutual friends. And you know, im just gonna end my life right now. But now with christians disappearance, the cat was out of the bag. At the university Police Station that day, erica blurted it out. With pedro right there in the room. Do you know christian . Yeah. Yeah. How do you know him . Im his girlfriend. Your his girlfriend . Yeah. Okay. And she goes on to tell me that her and christian had started dating but they did not think that pedro knew it about them dating. How would pedro react to hearing that . The officer sensed that something seems to be brewing in the circle of friends. But what that was was not clear. For now, everyone is focused on finding christian. They were all feeling that we were all in this together, we were all worried about christian. He is our friend. Were trying to find out and do whatever we can to help locate him. Officer peck could see erika was becoming increasingly agitated. So, as the campus cop was checking out the stories these two told him. He decided it was time to bring in investigators from the gainesville pd. The first thing they could do was talk to pedro bravo. Coming up, a dramatic new clue. We find christians backpack. Where with this discovery lead . I overheard the Police Officers discussing, like, a Love Triangle. When dateline continues eczema, it hasnt been easy. Now, im staying ahead of it. Dupixent helps heal your skin from within. So, you can clearer skin and noticeably less itch serious allergic reactions can occur, that can be severe. 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