The Sneak Attack On Katlyn Lyon

0:00A thoughtfully built wardrobe comes down to pieces that mix well and last. Quince offers premium essentials designed to do just that. Their collection includes lightweight cashmere sweaters, short-sleeved Mongolian cashmere polos, linen bottoms and shorts, and tees in 100 % Pima cotton and European jersey linen. Versatile pieces that work season to season. Quince says they're able to provide high-quality clothing without the traditional markup by partnering directly with trusted factories that uphold strong standards for craftsmanship and ethical production. The cashmere is 100 % Mongolian. The cotton is long staple and resistant to pilling.

0:42And the European jersey linen is breathable, lightweight, and durable. Every piece is built to hold up to regular wear and maintain its appearance over time. Stop overcomplicating your wardrobe. You don't need a closet full of options. just pieces that actually work. Right now, go to quince.com slash 48 hours for free shipping and 365 day returns. That's a full year to build your wardrobe and love it. And you will. Now available in Canada too. Don't keep settling for clothes that don't last. Go to quince.com slash 48 hours for free shipping and 365 day returns. Quince.com slash 48 hours.

1:29Erin Moriarty:Reaching your weight loss goals doesn't have to mean completely changing the way you live your life. What if you could make healthy progress with a treatment plan that included medication, access to 24-7 support, nutrition tips, and more? That's possible with Weight Loss by HERS. Through HERS, you're connected with a medical provider who determines if treatment is right for you. These licensed providers learn your story and create a personalized plan to deliver healthy progress you can maintain. HERS offers access to ongoing care, dosage, and medication adjustments, plus lifestyle and nutrition tips.

2:06Erin Moriarty:Plans start at just$69 per month with a 10-month plan when paid up front in full. Feel your best self again. Visit ForHers.com slash 48 hours to get a personalized, affordable plan that gets you. That's F-O-R-H-E-R-S dot com slash 48 hours. ForHers.com slash 48 hours. Weight loss by HERS is not available everywhere. Compounded drug products are not approved or evaluated for safety, effectiveness, or quality by the FDA. Prescription required. See website for full details. important safety information, and restrictions. Actual price depends on product and plan purchased.

3:00I wanted to say that I know everybody doesn't agree on sharing this. I feel like I'm lost and just hoping that one day Caitlin's story will help someone. I definitely needed somebody to be held accountable. I needed to tell Caitlin's story, you know? I needed people to know about her. She was beautiful, she was smart, and she loved to shop and dance. She had so many friends. I always described her as glitter. She expressed her individuality through her hair. She always had different colors, and it was always so cute on her. I loved the purple on her. She used to travel for those music festivals.

3:45I mean, she's been all around the world. Yeah, the shuffling queen. That's what we always say.

3:53Erin Moriarty:She had the best sense of humor. She loved Milani. She loved her daughter. She was single. She, you know, she was getting a new apartment and she was starting over. I mean, did you worry at all about her safety there? No. I thought, man, she's near me, you know. I mean, I never thought this would happen. Never crossed my mind. Okay, tell me exactly what happened. My roommate's daughter just came and woke me up in my bedroom. She told me that something was wrong with Mommy and that Mommy wouldn't wake up. Is she breathing? Um, yeah. No, I don't know. We need to get going here. Sheriff's office!

4:36I was woken up to a phone call. Do you know what time it was? 35 a.m. It was Jacob on the phone saying that Caitlin is unresponsive. They're doing CPR and the EMS is there.

4:51Erin Moriarty:My sister called. She's like, Sherry, get to Caitlin's right now. Something's wrong. and my only thought was, let me get to that baby. Who's up there with Melani? Where's the baby at? She's in the living room. She's in the living room. I grabbed her, and she just, like, melted into me. It was pretty bad. The way the code of Virginia is, nobody can get in trouble for overdoses. They asked me, does she do drugs? Do I do drugs? Did you give her something? Does she take something? I was like, I don't do drugs. All the signs are looking for, like, an overdose. The police were adamant that it was a drug overdose, and I'm like, she doesn't do drugs.

5:31We're taking off at this point. She's obviously being transported. I genuinely believed she's going to be okay. She had CPR. She was alive. She had a heartbeat. She was going to be okay. In the hospital, they even wanted to bring a chaplain in, and I was like, no, my child's not going to die. I don't need a chaplain in right now. A tech came to me and walked me outside. She said, it wasn't drugs. Someone hurt your baby. Who would want to hurt her? She loved everybody, and everybody loved her, you know? She didn't have enemies. That you were aware of. Yeah. I will never stop seeing my daughter's name, and I will never stop seeking justice for her.

6:24Erin Moriarty reports the sneak attack on Caitlin Lyon. I walk into the hospital, saw my daughter there, and I watched her do CPR and I'll never forget that. On October 7, 2022, as Crystal Sale arrived at the hospital bedside of her daughter, Caitlin Lyon Montgomery. She knew the two people she needed most. And would you say your sisters have really stepped up for you? Absolutely. I don't know what I'd done without my sisters. The oldest of the sisters, Sherry Cox, was taking care of Caitlin's then four-year-old daughter, Melani, while periodically checking in on Caitlin in the hospital. I knew it was bad.

7:17What did you think had happened to Caitlin? I didn't know. I called Sherry. The first thing she said is something was wrong with Caitlin, but they didn't know what. Sherry told their youngest sister, Tina Hopkins, nearly 5 ,000 miles away in Hawaii, that 28-year-old Caitlin was unconscious and in grave condition. You know, Sherry told me, like, you have to come home. It's not good. I was just shocked that this was even happening and just confused. Especially when doctors told her that Caitlin sustained injuries to her neck and head. Any medical history? While first responders had initially thought Caitlin had suffered a drug overdose, She's OD.

8:04She's OD. her physical injuries and the lack of drugs found at the scene indicated Caitlin was actually the victim of a violent assault. That she had been strangled.

8:19Erin Moriarty:We were all, we were speechless, we were baffled. Like, who would have done this? I got a phone call to take a strangulation report. Lead investigator Robbie Burnett with the Bedford County, Virginia Sheriff's Office focused on documenting Caitlin's injuries. I saw two distinctive marks parallel to each other on her neck. Since those marks weren't visible until after Caitlin had arrived at the hospital, Burnett says it helped timestamp the attack. It was very recent. Like when you say very recent. Within an hour or so, most likely, of when the call came in. So her apartment's on the second floor, right on the end of the building.

9:03Yes. Shortly after learning about Caitlin's injuries, investigator Michelle Alderson was sent to secure and process Caitlin's apartment, now a crime scene, one that had been disturbed by first responders, EMTs, and Caitlin and her roommate Jacob Piercy's dogs. So my scene was not as exact as I would like my crime scenes to be. Investigator Alderson set out to find what could have caused the injuries on Caitlin's neck. She found a huge clue wrapped up in Caitlin's comforter. It was a multiple charging cord adapter. Did they look like they matched what had been described on her neck? I would call them consistent, yes.

9:55With the cords found on the bed, Alderson suspected that Caitlin was attacked there. But she soon learned that first responders, not suspecting foul play at that time, had given the family permission to wash Caitlin's sheets and clean up. Doesn't that make it difficult to obtain DNA? Fingerprints. Yes. Investigators were unable to recover any DNA or fingerprints at the scene, including any on those charging cords. As they searched for evidence identifying Caitlin's attacker, doctors struggled to revive her. After 29 hours, Caitlin was officially declared brain dead the next morning, October 8th.

10:48I remember going to her. One of the only things I remember is telling her I'm sorry that I couldn't protect her.

10:59I can say that there are no words that have been invented to describe how this feels. It's excruciating. I just can't comprehend that she's gone forever. Like, I can't, I can't go there. Tina arrived just in time to help say goodbye. My instinct is just to take charge and fix whatever's wrong. So that affects me greatly that I couldn't fix it for my sister and our family. Tina documented the moment Caitlin was escorted to fulfill her final wishes to be an organ donor. Tina shared the video on TikTok. My family and I have been through a tragedy. She and the rest of her family started posting photos and videos.

11:50I'm going to talk about my niece. memorializing Caitlyn. She liked music, right? I love music, specifically electronic dance music. Music that Caitlyn had discovered with her older brother, Jake Lyon. There was this, like, dance party type thing. I know at the end of the night, she ran up and, like, bear hugged me. She's like, I want to do this all the time. Why? What is it? Tell me, what is it that she took to? I think just the energy and the social element. how she would draw a crowd. She loved life. She absolutely loved life. A life that had changed unexpectedly when Caitlin learned she was pregnant with Milani.

12:33I mean, we were very supportive and was like, you know, we'll help any way we can. But the always independent Caitlin didn't need much help, says Crystal, even with Milani's father out of the picture and while working full-time as a restaurant manager. Caitlin was rocking it. She was rocking it. What do you mean rocking it? She was providing for her child. Caitlin's family now had to grapple with the reality that someone had intentionally taken her from her beloved child. I still can't believe my daughter was murdered. She said, you're going to find whoever did this to my daughter. I said, there will be no stone left unturned.

13:15So who's the first person you're looking at? We definitely looked at Jacob Piercy, the roommate. With no sign of forced entry and being the only other adult in the apartment, Caitlin's new roommate, Jacob Piercy, who had called 911 reporting her injured, was an obvious suspect. Investigators told us that it was 99 % sure he did it. But Tina says she suspected this man, Caitlin's ex-boyfriend Trenton Frye, whom she had broken up with 10 days earlier. That was my first gut instinct. You first saw Trenton? I did. Trenton lived three hours away in North Carolina, so investigators gave him a call. He said that he was in North Carolina working the entire time.

14:02He agreed to come up for an interview, appeared to be cooperative. So focus intensified on Jacob Piercy, especially when investigators learned what Melani said she witnessed that night. My brother killed my mom. Brother was the nickname she used for Jacob Piercy. Did you have anything to do with hurting Caitlin? Absolutely not.

14:31Erin Moriarty:Chime is changing the way people bank. They offer fee-free, smarter banking built for you, unlike other banks that may saddle you with overdraft fees and monthly charges. Chime makes everyday spending work harder by delivering real rewards and real financial progress. You get fee-free banking with overdraft coverage you can count on, tools that help build credit history and savings that earn up to 3 % APY. That's seven times higher than a traditional bank. And because you're a 48 hours listener, you can earn up to$350 by joining and making qualifying direct deposits. Chime also just launched the Chime card, the cashback card that helps you build credit with your own money.

15:15Erin Moriarty:No annual fees, no interest. And with qualifying direct deposits, earn one and a half percent cash back on eligible purchases every single day. I think I know a few friends who could have benefited from using the Chime card when they were just starting out. Chime is not just smarter banking. It is a rewarding way to bank. Join the millions who are already banking fee-free today. Head to Chime.com slash 48 hours. That's Chime.com slash 48 hours. It only takes a few minutes to sign up and 48 hours listeners can earn up to an extra$350. Chime is a financial technology company, not a bank. Banking services and the secured Chime Visa credit card are provided by the Bancorp Bank NA or Stride Bank NA.

15:54Optional services and products may have fees or charges. See Chime.com slash fees info. Terms apply. Limited time only. Must open the new account and complete qualifying activities to earn rewards. Advertised annual percentage yield with Chime Plus status only. Otherwise, 1 % APY applies. No minimum balance required. Chime card on-time payment history may have a positive impact on your credit score. Results may vary. See Chime.com for details on applicable terms. Are you really buying a car online on AutoTrader right now? Really? At a playground? Yeah, really. Look at these listings from dealers.

16:17Wow. Your search can really get that specific. Really? And you just put in your info and boom. Cars in your budget. Mom needs a second, honey. You can really have it delivered? Really? Or I can pick it up at the dealership. One sec, sweetie. Mommy's buying a car. Mommy, look. Uh, I think your kid is walking up the slide. Kyle, again? Really? Auto Trader. Buy your car online. Really?

16:44Outfit of the day. Again, these videos are just for my sister, so I'm not going anywhere today. Tina, you're not going anywhere today because your husband has stopped giving you lunch money. For Tina, Crystal, and Sherry. Making TikTok videos started as a fun way to connect their family. That changed after Caitlin's death. My niece was murdered. We don't have hardly any information. We felt wronged, and we weren't going to stop fighting. In those agonizing early days, Krista was too deep in her grief to speak publicly. So Tina stepped up to post updates on the case. There is an ongoing investigation.

17:30When did you last see her? We're hanging out. Stop. We're out here watching TV. That investigation centered on Caitlin's roommate, Jacob Piercy. We were looking at him pretty heavy at first. What do you mean? Meaning he was our number one suspect at that point. In my mind, I'm just here to tell him what I can tell him, help him figure out what could have happened, what couldn't have happened. I was in full denial. But after being interviewed several times, having his body photographed for possible defensive wounds, and his cell phone confiscated, Jacob Percy knew he was in serious trouble. Were you scared you'd be blamed for whatever happened to her?

18:09Absolutely. You know, I'm the main suspect of something so terrible. We're still at a loss at that point because he's fully cooperating and we haven't caught him in a lie yet. What troubled investigators was four-year-old Melani's statement. She said she had seen Jacob killing her mother, but Burnett soon discovered that she had actually witnessed Jacob performing CPR. She actually did the motions with her hands of what Jacob was doing to her. Going like this. Yeah, that's the motion she made. To be sure, Burnett reviewed the 911 call. You can hear Jacob doing CPR. 1, 2, 3, 4. 1, 2, 3, 4. You could tell he was definitely putting effort in.

18:58I thought I had done enough. But I think that's what tears me up the most, is just, I wasn't able to save her, you know.

19:14At that point, investigators began to look closer at Caitlin's ex-boyfriend, Trenton Fry. They tried calling him in North Carolina a couple of days after their initial conversation, but learned he was unable to talk to them. He checked himself into a mental health facility. And what did that say to you? He had some kind of break. Something happened to him, apparently. So investigators turned to Caitlin's friends to learn more about the relationship. Do you think he was the person he presented himself to, Caitlin? Absolutely not. Hannah McDowell met Caitlin two years earlier, when she landed a job at the restaurant Caitlin managed.

19:57Sharing a love for music and dancing, they became fast friends and eventually roommates. They also shared their frustrations about the local dating scene in Bedford County, Virginia, which prompted them to look for love online. What was she looking for? Well, she wanted someone that was supportive and be a father to Melani as well and possibly get married. In January of 2022, when Caitlin connected with Trenton on a dating app, the tall, fitness-obsessed and apparently successful North Carolina native seemed to be marriage material. How had she described him to you? Well, he had his stuff together.

20:44She was excited to have a relationship with him. When Caitlin's Aunt Sherry met Trenton, she admits she was impressed.

20:51Erin Moriarty:He told me that he owned a security company and he owned his own construction company. We had talked about him doing my floors because he had me thinking he was, you know, this awesome builder. Then eventually he was at the apartment all the time. Which made Hannah wonder how Trenton, who lived three hours away, could spend weeks on end at their apartment while also running two businesses. And when I would leave in the morning, when I would come home from lunch, when I would get home from work, he would always just be on the couch. And she says over time, it seemed Caitlin wasn't leaving the apartment much either.

21:36She's quiet. She didn't hang out with friends. She was just very isolated. Did you get the feeling that it was because of him? That she wasn't going out as much, dancing as much? Yes. And he would track her location on her phone. I feel like she was chained to him, almost. I can't say that I liked him, but I can't say that I didn't like him. While Crystal had her concerns about the relationship with Trenton, Caitlin never confided that anything was wrong. She's always been so strong, so I knew my daughter could handle herself. But Caitlin did express some frustration with the relationship to her Aunt Sherry.

22:21Erin Moriarty:She said, I'm so tired of paying for everything. She said, if he's got all this money, I mean, these businesses, why does he have money? And I said, well, Caitlin, that's a red flag right there. More red flags appeared when he tried to convince her to move with him to North Carolina, where he said he would find them an apartment. In reality, he was not reliable and wasn't fulfilling what she thought he was going to do. In early September 2022, Trenton admitted the truth. he couldn't find an apartment because he lacked the credit and source of income to qualify. Caitlin called me from work and she was screaming and crying, just like bawling, crying.

23:09Erin Moriarty:And she was like, he's a liar. He lied about everything. He doesn't have a job. Days later, Caitlin announced she was breaking up with him. She was done? She was done. So she cut him off? She did. She blocked him? Oh, she actually blocked him, too. She blocked him? Yeah. And that's when Caitlin learned her friend Jacob Piercy was also looking for a place and asked if he wanted to find an apartment with her and Melani. They finally found this one apartment and we were so excited that they were going to be so close to us. While Caitlin was making a fresh start, it seemed Trent and Fry did not want to let her go.

23:49He was actually sitting in the parking lot of her apartment watching everything Caitlin was doing.

24:08Have you seen a big change in your sister? Mm-hmm.

24:15Erin Moriarty:She's just sad all the time. She has bags under her eyes now where she didn't have them before because she don't sleep. She's not sleeping. I woke up this morning in sheer panic. In the days following Caitlin's death, Crystal began sharing her grief with others on TikTok. I'll get a text message and for an instant I'll think that it's Caitlin. I end up seeing some of her TikToks by accident. She was completely innocent. She didn't do anything wrong.