Ep 6. Taken from Her Bed

On the Case with Paula Zahn is a true crime documentary series that explores shocking and complex murder cases through interviews with victims' families, law enforcement officials, and other experts. In season 17 episode 6, titled Taken from Her Bed, Paula Zahn examines the baffling abduction and killing of a young girl from her own bedroom.

The episode begins by introducing Altha Griffin, a loving mother from Joliet, Illinois, who raised her daughter, Brianna, with care and devotion. On August 24th, 1997, Brianna, who was only 12 years old at the time, went to bed early, like she did every other night. However, in the middle of the night, Altha woke up to the sound of Brianna's TV still being on, which was unusual. When Altha went to check on her daughter, she was shocked to find that Brianna was not in her bed.

Altha quickly realized that something was seriously wrong and called the police. Within minutes, the entire neighborhood was being searched for Brianna, but she was nowhere to be found. The police immediately suspected that Brianna had been abducted and began an intensive investigation.

The investigation quickly led detectives to a house across the street from Brianna's home, where they found a pair of bloody gloves and a shirt that had been discarded in a nearby sewer. The items were sent to the crime lab for analysis, and the results were shocking. DNA tests showed that the blood on the gloves and shirt belonged to Brianna.

Despite this evidence, the police still had no idea who could have taken Brianna from her bedroom in the middle of the night. They began to interview everyone who knew Brianna, hoping to find someone who could give them a lead. It wasn't until Brianna's own cousin, CeCe, revealed a shocking secret that the police finally had a suspect.

CeCe told police that her boyfriend, Juan Rivera, had confessed to her that he had killed Brianna. Juan was already known to the police, having been arrested on unrelated charges a week earlier. When the police questioned Juan, he initially denied having anything to do with Brianna's disappearance. However, after a lengthy interrogation, Juan eventually confessed to the murder.

Juan Rivera was charged with the murder of Brianna, and the case went to trial. However, the trial was not straightforward, and there were a number of twists and turns along the way. For one thing, Juan had a low IQ and struggled to understand the complex legal proceedings. He also had a history of mental illness, which made him an unpredictable witness.

Despite these difficulties, the prosecution was able to build a strong case against Juan. They presented the DNA evidence linking him to the crime, as well as evidence that suggested he had tried to clean up the crime scene. They also presented testimony from CeCe, who described Juan's confession in detail.

In the end, Juan Rivera was found guilty of the murder of Brianna. He was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole. While this was a small measure of justice for Brianna's family, they were left to wonder why someone would take their young daughter from her bed and kill her in such a brutal manner.

Taken from Her Bed is a gripping episode of On the Case with Paula Zahn that explores a heinous crime that shocked a community. The episode is a stark reminder of how vulnerable we all are, and how quickly a seemingly normal night can turn into a nightmare. Through interviews with the detectives, lawyers, and family members involved in the case, Paula Zahn paints a vivid picture of a family's heartbreaking loss, and the long road to justice.