at Police Headquarters 65-year-old retired Jay Roth arrives seeking assistance his pressing concern is The Disappearance of his 53-year-old friend Linda Riley the mystery began the day before Linda was reported missing alerted by The Continuous ringing of Linda's phone her neighbor decided to check on her the neighbor found Linda's house unlocked but Linda was not there upon arrival the police noted unusual signs at the scene Linda's phone and purse were left in the house items she typically carried when leaving home this detail suggested an Abrupt departure or possible Foul Play the Springfield Police Department considering these factors issued a missing Endangered Person alert and launched an investigation immediately Jay Roth was with her two nights before she went missing detectives are aware of their recent contact and believe Roth could provide important information to help locate Linda Jay Roth steps into the interrogation room of his own accord having requested a voluntary interview he is informed that he is not under arrest and retains the freedom to leave at any time during the interview last night about uh 31 I left she said maybe she going to get some cigarette but she was tired bed take the Gage in the man when I got uh back to the house I text her they a home okay said you worry about me so call this morning she didn't answer she does that all the time not answer so but I don't know worri about it Jay's demeanor during interviews with detectives stands out he appears honest genuinely concerned and eager to assist Roth's Earnest expressions and Cooperative attitude paint a picture of someone deeply invested in finding Linda quickly this urgency is because the chances of locating a missing person safely decrease as time progresses statistically the first 24 hours are crucial the likelihood of finding a missing person alive diminishes with each passing hour raising concerns about their well-being Roth's apparent eagerness to find Linda quickly could be interpreted as aligning with these facts she's stressed out a littleit about these guys who been come over this one guy particular who who's that that she was stressed about I think the Floyd guy that come in the house the other night junk so you just know him as he's a black man named Floyd I saw him one time I he came in the house you don't know Floyd's last name no not at all so what did she say about that that she was stressed out about oh man the guy come in the house and and he was halfway in the living room she said kind of pushed them out the door some went out and they and full ass he come back over again drunk It's is what they said I don't know who he was or not so what do you think what what do you think happened I don't know anything could happen with that neighborhood there still it's bad it's all kind there okay in an unanticipated move the detective suggests to Jay that the concerns surrounding Linda's disappearance could be overstated he employs this strategy to assess Jay's true level of anxiety is Jay genuinely as troubled as he appears or is his display of concern mely a facade to conceal his own involvement do you think that she maybe just left no she wouldn't leave without her dogs okay are her dogs still there as far as I know they were could they still be there you think imagine so okay Jay made a revealing mistake his claim that she wouldn't abandon her dogs caught the detective's attention at that moment there was no possible way for him to know that the dogs were still in the apartment that statement alone has now made Jay turned from a concerned friend to a person of interest in this investigation so you guys are good friends if she ever wanted an intimate relationship with you you had a little bit of inate relationship maybe having sex on occasion is that what you're talking okay you guys ever had any physical violence no hitting pushing shoving nothing at all like that so just some verbal arguments as all did you have anything to do with her being gone no I would I no I can have you hang tight for me for just a second step out and I'll be right back okay thank you sir a day later Linda Riley remains missing and the likelihood of finding her alive is diminishing rapidly then unexpectedly Jay shows up again at Police Headquarters bringing new information to the table couple three things actually her ex he big her pulled her hair she come down to the house one one morning after he s on her and tried to shoot her up and missed and she the spot all and she always had bruises on grabbed her that one time she had this guy named Roger was there and he stayed about a week or so but uh police came to the door and he hit in the bathroom because he didn't wanted I know his last name anything else I told her you got too many weirdos coming over and stuff like that I'm just putting things out there as possibility at this stage the detective is becoming increasingly skeptical of Jay's narrative he's constructing a story with several possible suspects which appears to be a strategic attempt to steer any suspicion away from himself you ask if I ever hit her or she hit me I haven't but there was one occasion when I was uh take i d her over to see this guy she wanted to see we Dr her off but he was going what are you doing I'm going to take you home back I don't want to go home well I'm not going to let you out here I want out like don't don't jump out of here let me take it home and she reached over grabb the horn in my hand I went up like this and it went in her mouth she thought it got it was accident completely Linda lodged a formal complaint against Jay alleging assault predicated on her refusal to consent to sexual intercourse upon becoming aware of the ongoing police investigation into these allegations Jay proactively returns to the police station with the intention of clarifying his side of the story there's been a few people that mentioned she was afraid of you do you know why they would tell us that because of that action she thought I was doing something but I wasn't but then we talked after was okay but you wouldn't afraid him for that what do you say to some of these people that kind of had have said that she's scared of you that you'd been violent with her hav't been vient with her not where that come you don't know why those people would say that cu the biggest hang up today because we've talked to so many people and nobody there's no side no trace of her or anything after you leave the house a little after 3 how do how do we I mean where do we go from there hang on one second right back you here following his second interview Jay was again released to return home as the authorities found no compelling evidence to justify his continued detainment although Jay May perceive his repeated release as a sign of the detective's belief of his innocence the truth is that their suspicion towards him is actually increasing 3 days later Jay Roth was called in again to the police station to undergo a polygraph test for someone eager to help like in the case of a missing friend agreeing to a polygraph can demonstrate their concern and willingness to cooperate realizing this Jay Roth has agreed to take the polygraph test Jay I'm the polygraph examiner here with the police department they called me so that you were interested in taking a polygraph exam in reference to this their investigation with Linda I'll walk you out hold on you look straight ahead for me J I'll get your dial back in and we'll bring in are you physically responsible for Linda ry's disappearance from her residence on February 27th 2012 did you physically remove Linda Ry from a residence of February 27 2012 did you physically cause the death BL rally on February 27th 2012 in the first two interviews Jay came across as surprisingly relaxed he sat back in his chair showing a lively and friendly demeanor however as the investigation evolved and Jay was looked at as a prime suspect the gravity of his situation appears to have dawned on him Jay sits alone waiting for the results of his polygraph test to arrive he looks completely dejected and worn out moments later the detective enters the interrogation room the detective updates Jay on the investigation explaining that search warrants have been issued for his van and home well we got the results bag Jane it's kind of what we both knew he failed it pretty bad so yeah so let's just let's just cut to the chase tell us tell us what happened let's get this over with it's been a long day for us all our uh crime scene technicians they're out at your house they've been serving a search warrant at your house pretty much all day and there's some more stuff that's been located at your house that's again it's not looking good for you obviously there's going to be some explaining to do and I'm just I'm going to be curious about what what kind of deal you're going to come up with now we need to get this over with quit these games we know something happened how it happened happened I don't know and that's what I'd like is is your reason did she come after you you know maybe something happened that wasn't good whatever it is is we need to know Jay you need to tell us and a mistake occurred we all make him yeah okay and that's all that it was Jay that's all that it was it was a simple mistake one that you know let just deal with okay I know you did not go over there with the intent it was a mistake it was a freak occurrence okay that's what it was it's just a freak currence I know that's what it was it just was a freak thing wasn't it yeah you know mhm even after the confession there's a concern that Jay would change his mind in the future and claimed that this was a false confession made under Jess therefore the detectives need Jay to lead them to the body providing physical evidence that the murder did in fact take place we were talking on the couch and something get long just fine know and we're talking about her getting out of there like I said and I don't know just just things happen didn't mean to do anything why are you having people stay over that are hurting you like that got mad like said she don't talk I guess SCU a little bit St bang her head sh good over the house I guess you would matter than what I thought of her and she wouldn't just smack me I said you don't need to be doing that stuff like that she try to holler at me and I smacked her and she fell on me her head I she didn't she didn't come [Music] around this hurts me so much man no it no you're really I know we did have a pretty good relationship throughout the interviews Roth consistently discusses his affection and admiration for Linda asserting his role as her protector however an underlying theme of control and coercive Behavior becomes evident in the aftermath of Linda's death Roth's actions further complicate The Narrative where'd you take her J that b the place we went alridge her bur bur watch I know is she still out there what's left what's left yeah are her bone still out there I don't know [Music] I did you take any of her bones with you no no no what would you think about taking us out there and showing us exactly where it is that way maybe we can I figured you would I think you're ready how about I get you some water I'll get you a cup of water real quick take a quick room I'll get you some water on March 4th 2012 a week following Linda Riley's disappearance Jay Roth led the police to the site where he incinerated her remains Roth faced charges of felony restraint kidnapping and second deegree murder the second deegree murder charge was due to the lack of premeditation not meeting the criteria for first-degree murder during sentencing Roth's attorney argued that a maximum penalty of only 10 years should apply because of his client's age and ill health but the circuit court judge firmly disagreed saying Roth was a danger to women and children in July 2013 Roth was sentenced to life imprisonment in Missouri which means 30 years he must serve 40% of that sentence making him 78 before he is eligible for parole