Murder at the Motel

Late on the night of March 19, 2017, police respond to a call from a witness who hears a gunshot at the Surf Motel on Auburn Boulevard in Sacramento, California; at the motel, they find the body of 53-year-old Leonora Montoya.

In 2015, Abigail "Abby" Cozad was found dead in a Colorado motel room. Years earlier, Abby had suffered a traumatic brain injury in a drunk-driving crash, leaving her vulnerable and overly trusting—a trait her father later believed contributed to her tragic passing. Her death became a stark reminder of how easily individuals can be exploited and the devastating consequences of addiction and misplaced trust.

On May 15, 2016, Bensalem police and firefighters were called to the Lincoln Inn Motel, where a room was engulfed in flames. As crews battled the blaze, they made a horrifying discovery—a body burned beyond recognition lying in the wreckage. At first, the scene appeared to be a tragic accident, but as investigators sifted through the evidence, they quickly realized it was far more sinister.

In 2012, 24-year-old Military reservist Alvin Bulaoro was reported missing by his family. Two long weeks later, his body is discovered having sustained gruesome injuries, inside a sleeping bag in the backseat of his car in a parking lot in Fallbrook, CA. Through in-depth police work, law enforcement identified the Fallbrook Country Inn, as the location where Alvin was murdered and zeroed in on Marine base Camp Pendleton and a Marine as their prime suspect.

On April 23, 2018, the battered body of Aileen Seiden was discovered off a highway on Florida's Forgotten Coast. Investigators traced the crime to Room 15 of the Sportsman's Lodge Motel, where blood evidence and a palm print revealed a violent struggle and ultimately led them to uncover a tale of how jealousy and control turned a toxic relationship deadly.