The Closer

Yesterday, 43-year-old Indiana native Bob Michaels

set out on a hike in the Santa Monica Mountains

and never returned.

Hiking is generally a safe activity,

but not out here, alone,

at night, in the world's largest urban park.

Come on, boy.

The only clue to Mr. Michael's disappearance is this minivan,

which brought him, his wife, and daughter --

a budding talent --

from Fort Wayne to Hollywood, chasing the dream,

a dream that rescuers here

are trying to stop from turning into a nightmare.

As the sun sets on the second day of rescue efforts here

in the Santa Monica Mountains,

the mood amongst those searching for Bob Michaels turns grim.

Back home in Fort Wayne, Indiana,

City of Churches,

Bob Michaels is a sometime community-theater actor

who, like many doting fathers,

dreams his daughter has the stuff to become a star.

And "Extra" has the music video

Missy Michaels recorded just last week.

Tragically, it now plays like a country pop hymn

to Missy's missing dad.

On day four of the search for Bob Michaels,

criticism continues to mount

over what some say should have been an easy rescue operation.

After federal, state, and city budget cuts,

the park service here can only operate on weekends.

They've had washouts and rockslides

all over the trail system,

making the job of everyone on the search team

that much more difficult.

It's way too early to speculate on the identity of the body.

The last thing the L.A.P.D. wants to do

after this five-day ordeal

is to create unnecessary grief for the Michaels family.

Chief Johnson, is this a murder investigation?

Well, the arrival of Major Crimes from the L.A.P.D.

signals just how violent of an end this is

as the man from the City of Churches

ends his life in the City of Angels.

And we're clear.

I guess we can, uh, send the rattlesnake guy home.

Oh, for heaven's sakes. What a circus!

- Where's the body? - Right there.

Which patrol says is about a hundred yards up this trail.

And then another 200 yards down, and splat.

You mean he fell off a cliff?

Or he got pushed. Hard to say.

Fire department's working on getting them up and out.

Special Agent Howard, what are you doing here?

Oh, that trail I just came down

belongs to the National Forest Service.

You're standing on federal property.

Okay, so, then, why are we here?

Well, when Mr. Michaels fell,

he, uh, landed in a city canyon.

Mind if we head up the mountain, take a peek over that cliff?

Well, we're about to start casting

Mr. Michaels' footprints,

and, you know, we could use some volunteers

to help carry up the plaster.

Yeah, right.

Chief Johnson, the Michaels family,

they're here.

Thank you.

Lieutenant, you want to carry plaster up the mountain

or talk to the family with me?

Bye, everyone.

Chief Johnson, Lieutenant Provenza,

this is Bob Michaels' family --

his wife, Beth, his daughter, Missy,

his father-in-law -- I'm sorry, sir?

Wes Durant --

Fort Wayne, Indiana.

Thank you.

And this is Bob's son, Timmy.

Oh, I wasn't aware Mr. Michaels had a son.

He forgot about it, too.

Not now, Dad, please.

This man you found -- it's not Bob, is it?

We're not sure.

But this is so far from where he left our car.

15 miles.

And how could he get this close to a road

and not make it out?

Yeah, it can't be daddy.

He's too far from the car.

Miss Michaels, uh, your husband --

he spend a lot of time out in nature?

He took my scout troop camping at Pokagon State Park back home.

So he's an experienced outdoorsman?

Well, h-he's not an expert.

He was -- he was just going for a walk.

Ma'am, you told the police earlier

that the last time you saw your husband,

he was wearing a blue shirt?

Uh...blue polo with stripes. Yeah.

Well, one of the rescuers found this on the body.

- Does this look familiar? - Oh!

We only came out here because of me.

- It's my fault. - Oh, no.

No, baby, don't you think that for one second, all right?

We should never have let them leave Indiana.

Excuse me.

Missy, reporters are asking for a statement.

No, Missy, you're not going anywhere.

You tell those reporters they can go to hell.

And you can go with them.

We don't need any Hollywood mangers here.

Ma'am, we need some quiet time now, away from here.

Um, of course.

Why don't y'all relax

in one of our family rooms at the station.

We can even arrange a ride for you.

We have a rental car.

Uh, all right, then.

Commander, would you please arrange an escort?

Sure.

I-I'm sorry. I know it's a very difficult time,

but as soon as you're able,

we're going to need

your husband's medical and dental records.

Here you go.

Right this way. Right this way.

The Closer 7x09 Star Turn Original Air Date on September 5, 2011

== sync, corrected by elderman ==

I don't normally do house calls,

but my boss didn't want the press

to get the information out before we did.

And...yuck.

Uh...multiple fractures of the left leg and -- ohh --

that bone's sticking out a little bit.

Let's stay away from that.

Shattered pelvis.

Crushed ribs.

This guy didn't fall off a mountain -- he bounced.

And weird. His face is sunburnt...

But the rest of him isn't...

Except for the palms of his hands.

Was the body in the shade?

Yeah -- under a lot of scrub brush.

The body's cold, but still stiff,

very little decom,

no bug larvae or postmortem animal bites.

I say he was down there overnight --

maybe 10, 12 hours at most.

Now, how did he manage to walk around for five days

in a polo shirt and shorts

and only get sunburned on his face?

Maybe he had sunscreen on.

Why are you still here?

Trying to determine what happened to the victim.

Guy's a jumper, right?

He was out here nearly a week

before taking the leap.

Why the wait?

Maybe he, uh, stumbled off the cliff in the dark,

or he got so lost that he gave up all hope.

Look, it's hard to think of this guy as a genius.

Come on. You have an important settlement conference

in like an hour

that could end this whole multimillion-dollar lawsuit

against the city, the department, you, me.

We, uh, go right now,

we can hitch a ride on a rescue chopper.

No. Hang on.

This redness is not from a sunburn.

Oh!

Out! Out! Everybody, out!

What the hell is that?!

Out!

Don't rub! Don't rub!

You'll make it worse.

Brenda! What?!

What is it?!

Pepper spray on the victim's face.

The water I used reactivated it.

Medic, pepper spray wipes!

Pepper spray?! Who would pepper-spray him?

These are the victim's footprints,

courtesy of the FBI.

Notice anything?

He's dragging his heels?

No, it looks that way

because he was pushed to here,

where it says "edge of cliff."

So he went off the cliff backwards?

With a big shove and a little pepper spray -- yes.

What makes you so sure he was pushed?

Because the FBI told me

that all the other footprints around his were brushed away.

Come in.

Good afternoon.

Good to see everyone in one place.

We just passed Goldman sitting outside.

Looking very smug. Something wrong?

Oh, it's just pepper spray.