A Hidden Threat

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0:10Vicki was always just a joy to be around. Vicki Robinson, a loving friend. She always seemed to have just that special joy about her. And a loving mother to 15-year-old Valesha. Just a happy-go-lucky kid on a skateboard. My mom was the best person in the world. Then one day, they both disappear. Robinson and her daughter, Valesa, disappeared last week. What is your emergency? Authorities get a tip. They said they killed her. Vicky has been murdered. But what happened to Valesa? All points bulletins are out across the United States. Two teenage boys are being tracked in the Robinsons' van across five states.

0:51They're in Mossyhead, Florida. Then they went into Alabama. Over a thousand miles. They're in Ozona, Texas. They were just there 20 minutes ago. All leading to a dangerous high-speed chase. Finally, there's an arrest and a shocking discovery. Vicki's daughter, Valesa, is with them. Is she an innocent victim or an accomplice to her mother's murder? Peter Van Sant investigates. I wish with all my heart that she was alive. The enemy within.

1:43There are some crimes so heartless, so despicable, they cry out for justice. But sometimes, even when justice is within reach, the whole truth remains elusive. What could possibly happen within a family to turn a loving mother and daughter, the best of friends really, into seemingly mortal enemies? One unsettling case, a mystery, not only as to what happened in a cold-blooded crime, but why? How could two people, a mother and daughter, so close grow so far apart to the point of no return? The elusive truth lies somewhere between a mother's struggle to raise a daughter alone and a daughter's need to be loved.

2:34Peter Van Sant reports on a once loving relationship that spun out of control down a road to destruction. This is Interstate 10. It goes from coast to coast, from Florida to California. I think it's one of the most dangerous highways in the United States. There's far criminals going up and down. Sheriff Bruce Wilson says most of the trouble he sees in Pecos County, Texas, drives off this stretch of highway. If I can stop them out here on the highway, I will not let them get into my town and endanger the lives of other innocent people. So back in July of 1998, when he heard car thieves were headed his way,

3:21he made sure he was first on the welcoming committee. He was on the lookout for two 19-year-olds who stole a van a few days earlier in Tampa, Florida. They apparently were traveling west on Interstate 10. The van's owner, 49-year-old Vicki Robinson, hadn't been seen since. Foul play was feared to be on the lookout for. So I'm coming over that hill right there. Once the teens spotted the sheriff, they took off, as you can see on this police video. The chase was off.

4:04The missing woman, Vicki Robinson, was a real estate agent and active in her church. By all accounts, Vicki didn't have an enemy in the world. She was really one of the nicest women that I had ever met in my life. Vicki was such a dynamic individual, and she always seemed to have just that special joy about her, and it was contagious. Divorced, Vicki lived in this quiet Tampa neighborhood with her two teenage daughters. The youngest, Valesa, was 15. My mom was the best person in the world. Nobody can replace her. Nobody. You can't replace a person like that. Vicki's other daughter, 17-year-old Michelle.

4:57We all had a special friendship that a lot of mothers and daughters don't have. I wish that I could see her right now and give her a big hug and say, you know, I love you, Mom. I love you. I wish I could do that, but I can't. Vicki was always positive and cheerful and vivacious, just a joy to be around. Vicki's boyfriend, Jim Englert, was the first to notice her missing and persuaded police to break into Vicki's home. Went into Vicki's bedroom. The bed was unmade. I said Vicki would not leave and leave the bed unmade. She was very tidy and kept the house always in immaculate condition. Then there was a far more disturbing discovery.

5:49Major Gary Terry from the sheriff's office. Her van was determined to be missing, as was her daughter, Valessa Robinson, who was age 15 at that time. Police then realized they were dealing with a missing mother and daughter. So all points bulletins are out across the United States. A mother and daughter have been missing for several days now. Tonight, police are working... Vicki's credit union discovered that her bank card was being used. And security cameras had recorded the transactions. We printed photographs. The photographs did reflect that it was her van, and there was a young male using the card.

6:32Police were able to identify the young man who was using Vicki Robinson's ATM card. Surprisingly, it was Adam Davis, the 18-year-old boyfriend of Vicky's daughter, Valessa. A friend of Davis's, John Whispel, was seen with him. A manhunt began for the two suspects. But where were Vicky and Valessa Robinson? We thought we'd be getting a ransom note, you know. Vicky's parents figured they were being held hostage somewhere. All I could think of was, well, they've got Vicky someplace tied up. Who's they? Adam and Jen. I never dawned on me that they'd heard her. But then... You have Hillsborough County 911.

7:15What is your emergency? Police heard from an anonymous caller. I got a phone call from Adam, Adam Davis. It was a call that voiced everyone's worst fears. And they hit her mom. She got knocked unconscious. And then they said that they killed her. The caller said Vicki Robinson was dead. But Valessa was apparently alive. He said that Valessa was with him? Yes. And that she's okay now? Yes. Police didn't know what to believe. Was Valessa a hostage or an accomplice? All along, Vicki's credit union had been tracking the teen's whereabouts through her ATM car.

8:01But the police kept missing them. And now, the teens were on the run. They're no longer in Tampa. They're in Mossy Head, Florida. Then they went into Alabama. Five days after Vicki Robinson had vanished, activity on the card showed Valessa, her boyfriend Adam, and John were in Texas traveling west. They're in Ozona, Texas. They were just there 20 minutes ago.

8:38Sheriff Wilson knew they were headed his way. Probably thought they were home free. So when the van came over the hill, he was ready. Turned on the sirens. It was apparent that they were going to run. They tried to run us off the road. I told my deputy to start shooting out their tires. And when he done that, they lost control of the van.

9:14Adam and John were in the van, as expected. Well, we had to jerk them out of the car. They wasn't getting out. And so was Vicki Robinson's 15-year-old daughter, Valessa. Within minutes, Sheriff Wilson realized Valessa was not a hostage victim. I saw a girl that was very much there because she wanted to be, and probably a girl that took just as big a part or a bigger part than the two boys. What did Valesa do to her mother? Next... A statement will be made by Adam Davis. Adam, John, and Valesa tell police what happened to Vicki Robinson.

10:09After a five-day spending spree and a nine-mile police chase, Adam Davis and John Whispel, both 19 years old, are behind bars in Fort Stockton, Texas. Adam's girlfriend, 15-year-old Valessa Robinson is sitting in a nearby juvenile detention center. Adam, come on. Why don't you talk, bud? He messed up. Let me chat him. And now, just hours after their arrest... Hey, John, why'd you guys run? Now's the time to talk. Now's the time to talk. John Whispel has agreed to talk. John, talk to us, bud. And answer the one question everyone wants answered. I want you to tell us about your involvement. What happened to Vicki Robinson?

10:55A mother growing more and more distant from her daughter. A daughter drawn closer to her boyfriend, Adam Davis, and friend, John Whispel. Three teens spending hours together, doing drugs, videotaping themselves. I'll take a tape statement from John Whispel. John Whispel's confession starts at the beginning. He describes how they came up with their gruesome plan. completely out of the blue.

11:40Next, Wispel tells detectives it was Adam who came up with the bizarre plan of how to kill Vicki Robinson.

12:07but wispel says he didn't really believe adam was serious no that looked like it was a joke or something. Even after Adam tried to buy heroin and couldn't find any. So even when you went back to the house in your mind you still thought they were sort of play acting kidding around? Uh-huh.

12:28Shortly after midnight they returned to Valesa's house. Her mother was fast asleep. When we got to the house we uh went straight to Valesa's bedroom. When we got in there Valesa close and lock the door, turn her light off and turn the black light on. We're just sitting around tripping. I'm thinking, well, damn, you know, ain't nothing going to happen. We're actually going to stay here and trip out on the black light. The three teens had taken LSD earlier in the evening. We're starting to feel the effects of the acid, yes.

13:01It's hitting us real good now. At that point, John says Adam Davis came up with another idea of how to overdose Vicki Robinson. After a few minutes, he jumps up, turns to Adam and says, I need some bleach. That's right, bleach. Valessa's like, what do you mean? And I look at him and say, what for? He says, so I can do this. So Adam takes a syringe, uncaps it, fills it up. Around that time, Valessa's mother woke up and came into her bedroom. Miss Robinson's like, what are you guys still doing here? So she's like, Valessa, get your sleeping bag and you can go and see my room. Miss Robinson turned around from the doorway and walked into the kitchen.

13:43Adam followed her out there. You knew a murder was about to be committed and you kept your mouth shut. I didn't know if he was going to turn on me if I would have said something. John Whispel then describes the last few moments of Vicki Robinson's life. All of a sudden it was quiet. I mean, you could hear a pin drop. And in chilling detail, he blames most of the murder on Valesa's boyfriend, Adam Davis. And the next thing we hear is choking, struggling noises. Me and Valesa, we look at each other and then we go down to the kitchen. We see Ms. Robinson sitting on the ground and Adam had it like this, a chokehold.

14:18she was coughing and you know struggling trying to get away from Adam's trying to take the syringe stick it in her neck John why didn't you do something I don't know if you had tackled Adam if you had done anything you might have saved Vicky's life yes but you didn't no in fact John says he handed Adam a knife then returned to Valesa's bedroom Valesa came in sat down next to me and all of a sudden I hear this escaping of air, breath, something like that type of noise from the kitchen.

14:5549-year-old Vicki Robinson was dead. Once Whispel confessed, Adam Davis agrees to give his own numbing description of what he did to Vicki Robinson. And I started raging because I was tripping so hard. And John brought out the knife. He said, here, use this. And I don't know how I did it. I don't even know what was going through my mind when I did it, but I just sliced.

15:36I said, look, we need to clean this up. And we put our body in the trash can. and then started cleaning up the blood.

15:50Adam says they then loaded Vicki's body into her van and drove to a wooded area behind John's house.

16:01We put her down a trail, covered her up with some dried up palm trees. What's Valesa doing? She's just sitting in the van. She watched what we was doing. What they did next disturbs investigators almost as much as the crime itself. After stealing Vicki Robinson's van and her money, they went on a five-day spending spree buying clothes, drugs, and tattoos. Adam got a tattoo, and I had gotten this tattoo right here. It's the skull. So Vicki Robinson, her body is inside a garbage can and you guys are partying? Basically, yes. They say you confessed, Adam. After their confessions, Adam and John are charged with first-degree murder.

16:53Fifteen-year-old Valessa Robinson is being held at this juvenile detention center in Odessa, Texas. When Valessa tells her version of what happened, detectives are stunned. Valessa claims Adam and John didn't kill her mother. She did. And she tells them she did it alone. I had pinned her down before I, like, stabbed her. I had to pin her down. I had stabbed her in her throat, and she wasn't dead yet. And so I stabbed her again twice in her back. It is a horrifying confession. And now, police don't know what to believe. We felt like she was absolutely involved in it, but she seemed to be protecting the other two individuals, especially Adam Davis.

17:42Valessa, did you actually take part in killing your mom? I'm not answering any questions. Well, at that day, Valessa is also charged with first-degree murder. What about Adam? I love Adam. What happened in Valessa's life? to turn a once loving daughter into a teenager apparently involved in her own mother's murder. Do you wonder how did I get here? How did this happen? Valesa's story when we come back.

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19:28If I took the blame for everything and he got out and continue on with his life, that was fine with me. Did you do it? Did you do it, Adam? How do you feel about Valetka? Because I was more concerned about his happiness than my own. What about Adam? I love Adam.

19:52Although Valessa Robinson originally took the blame for her mother's murder. I stabbed her in her throat and stabbed her again twice in her back. It was only a matter of a few months alone in prison, away from her 19-year-old boyfriend Adam Davis. That's my mom. Before she had an abrupt change of heart. Describe Adam today. I think he's the devil. And a change in her story. Valessa, did you murder your mother? No, I did not. I did not do this. Valessa now claims her boyfriend Adam Davis killed her mother, while she was high on LSD in her bedroom. I could have been a hero if I wanted to have been, but I didn't.

20:44In fact, the only thing Valessa says she's guilty of is not rescuing her mother. I didn't save her. And the one chance that I had to bail her out, I didn't. And it really sucks because I wish I had. And for that, she has no explanation. What makes it even worse in a lot of people's minds is just the fact that you were there. And you didn't do anything. How do you explain yourself? I can't explain myself. I really... I hate myself for that. I hate myself that I didn't save my mom.

21:28As a child, she was full of laughter, full of love. Everyone who knows Valessa... She always loved animals. Not a malicious or vicious bone in her body. Wonders how a child so innocent Just a happy-go-lucky kid on a skateboard Could turn into an out-of-control teenager Somehow involved in her own mother's murder For Michelle, her sister's troubles started at age 11 When her parents divorced My sister took the divorce very hard She changed a lot when that happened After the divorce, Valessa didn't see much of her father, Chuck Robinson He moved out of state in search of a new sales job. I think when Vicki and I separated, she lost her father, you know, as far as she was concerned.

22:20Her mother also wasn't around much, according to Valesa's friend, Christy Collins. I'd get over there in the afternoon. Her mom wouldn't get home until late at night, and she'd leave early in the morning. Vicki had a new job as a real estate broker and a busy social life. You know, I could call Valessa and her mom wasn't home and she didn't have to ask her mom if she wanted to go anywhere. She just went places because her mom wasn't there to ask. When Valessa was just 12 years old, she was even allowed to join a rock band with men in their 20s. That's when Valessa says she first started experimenting with drugs.

22:58In eighth grade, things only got worse. Valessa started skipping school and doing more drugs. Acid was the main thing that we did. We also did ecstasy. Valessa even started staying out all night. She was out of control pretty much. And I don't know what Vicki could have done differently. Vicki's new boyfriend, Jim Englert, says Valessa was beyond discipline. And Vicki was tired of it. I mean, over and over and over again. No matter what you said to her, she was going to do what she wanted to do. Then something happened during the summer after Valessa's eighth grade that Valessa's father says may have been a turning point.

23:44Vicki and Jim took a two-week family vacation to Michigan, and when Valessa refused to go, Vicki just left her young daughter behind, alone. I thought it was unconscionable. I thought it was nuts. Of course, not having Valesa was a concern, and she was safe. But we did try to minimize that to some extent and enjoy our trip. For two whole weeks, Vicki Robinson never once called to check on her daughter. Valesa was just 14 years old. What do you think it said to Valesa when she was left behind? I think it said, hey, no one cares. No one gives a damn. Shortly after that vacation, when Valessa started ninth grade, she met 18-year-old Adam Davis.

24:37She started acting really weird. She always wanted to be around him, and she kind of, like, separated from us. Adam was living on the streets. His father was dead, and his mother had abandoned him when he was two. He was a high school dropout and a drug dealer. Valesa, why on earth would you be attracted to a guy like that? He acted like he cared about me. That's why I started dating him in the first place, is he acted like he really cared. By the time Vicki realized things were out of control, Adam and Valesa had a devotion that bordered on obsession. Looking back, I realized that he had this overwhelming control over me.

25:23He definitely had an obvious influence over her. Some kind of a power. Sick power. Sick person. Why didn't your mother look you in the eye and just say, Melissa, it's over between you and Adam. I don't ever want you to see him again. I think she was afraid that if she stepped in, put her foot down and said, you're not seeing this guy anymore. I think she was afraid that I'd leave. And I probably would have. I probably would've. Thank you, girls. Finally, Vicki Robinson took action. Without telling Valesa, she made plans to send her daughter to a year-long program for troubled teens called Stepping Stone.