20/20 Podcast Summary

Episode: Bad Romance: No Trace (Revisited)

Host: Debra Roberts, ABC News
Original Air Date: December 31, 2025

Episode Overview

This gripping episode from the "Bad Romance" true crime series revisits the mysterious disappearance of 20-year-old Heather Elvis in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, in December 2013. The episode unpacks the tangled web of a clandestine love affair, jealousy, suspicion, and a community left desperate for answers, tracking the emotional journey from Heather’s vanishing through the investigation and eventual convictions of suspects.

Major Discussion Points & Insights

1. Setting the Scene: Myrtle Beach and Peachtree Landing

• The geographical and social divide in Myrtle Beach—tourist beaches vs. close-knit local community.
• The ominous nature of Peachtree Boat Landing, depicted as a "black hole" where things (and people) can easily disappear.
  • Memorable Line: “In these swamps, anything can happen. Anything can disappear, even a body.” (A, 00:42)

2. Heather Elvis: Life & Disappearance

• Heather, 20, is remembered by friends and family as charismatic and full of life.
• She worked at the Tilted Kilt, an Irish-Scottish-themed sports bar.
  • Quote: “She lit up a room when she walked in. She was precious.” (A, 02:51)
• Discovery of her abandoned car at Peachtree Landing triggers immediate concern.

3. The Timeline Leading to Her Disappearance

• On Dec 17, 2013, Heather went on a date with Steven Schiraldi, returning home later that night.
• Her car is found abandoned; all her belongings are inside except her phone and wallet—considered highly suspicious by family and police.

4. The Love Triangle: Heather, Sidney, and Tammy Moore

• The podcast details Heather's affair with Sidney Moore, a married, 37-year-old maintenance man at her workplace, 17 years her senior.
• Tammy Moore, Sidney's wife, emerges as a controlling figure who reacts with relentless harassment and threats.
  • Quote: “Tammy Moore was definitely the more domineering part of that couple. She told Sidney where to work, when to work, what to do.” (A, 12:24)
• The affair escalates to suspicion when Heather is contacted and threatened by Tammy directly.
  • Quote: “Your B is about to take his last breath.” (B, 12:16)

5. Investigation and Early Breaks

• The case begins as a routine missing person but escalates quickly due to discovered relationships and suspicious behaviors.
• Focus shifts quickly to Sidney and Tammy after police hear from Heather’s coworkers.
• Prank calls and real confrontations between Tammy and Heather escalate the situation’s intensity.

6. Key Evidence: Cell Phone & Video Surveillance

• Cell phone records and video footage show a series of calls between Heather and a payphone, later proved to have been used by Sidney.
• Sidney lies to the police about the payphone, but surveillance pins him there the night Heather disappears.
  • Quote: “I did. I called her from the payphone. I asked her to please leave me alone.” (A, 15:53)
• Heather’s phone location pings and surveillance show her driving to Peachtree Landing in the early hours, in parallel with a black pickup—the Moore’s truck—traced on the same route.
• Major discovery: The truck’s GPS was manually disabled the night Heather vanished—never done before or after.
  • Quote: “It had only been taken out once, and that was the night she went missing.” (B, 22:03)

7. Community and Social Media Frenzy

• Social media amplifies the case, with rumors and accusations spreading rapidly.
• A gag order is put into effect to control the information.

8. Prosecution Strategy and Trials

• Both Sidney and Tammy are arrested and charged with murder and kidnapping; the murder charge is later dropped due to lack of physical evidence.
• The prosecution proposes jealousy as a primary motive, fueled by rumors of Heather’s possible pregnancy.
• Timeline and circumstantial evidence (surveillance, cell phone data, purchase of a pregnancy test) become central at trial.
  • Quote: “She went from an A cup bra to B cup bra then a B to a C… that's the kind of thing that typically happens when someone is pregnant.” (A, 24:07)

9. Outcomes of Legal Proceedings

• Sidney’s First Trial (2016): Ends in a hung jury; later convicted of obstruction of justice for lying about the payphone.
• Tammy’s Trial: Convicted of kidnapping based on cell phone tracking, testimony, and circumstantial evidence despite no direct link to her being at the scene. Tammy testifies in her own defense, asserting her innocence.
  • Tammy Quote: “Absolutely not.” (on kidnapping, B, 35:44)
• Final Evidence:
  • Home security footage (days after disappearance) shows Sidney and Tammy extensively cleaning their F150 and burning rags—a key moment interpreted as possible evidence tampering.
  • The jury finds both Sidney and Tammy guilty of kidnapping; each receives 30 years in prison.

10. Aftermath

• Both maintain their innocence and appeal; their petitions are denied.
• The Elvis family continues to hold vigils for Heather at Peachtree Landing, clinging to hope and demanding the truth.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “I hold out hope that I’ll turn around one day at the front door and she’ll walk in. Do I really think that’ll happen deep down? No, I don’t. But I’ll never give up.” (A, 43:06)
• “This is why this is important, because while Heather was making those phone calls, video surveillance cameras along the route to Peachtree Landing also show a black pickup headed in the same direction.” (A, 19:40)
• “She has this way of being very, very intimidating. I… I mean, I get goosebumps still thinking about it to this day.” (B, 30:44)
• “I think the surveillance footage was absolutely key because it created a timeline that showed everything.” (B, 27:11)
• On the cleaning video: “To me, that just screams guilty.” (B, 40:41)

Timeline & Timestamps of Key Segments

• 00:42–02:12: Myrtle Beach setting, community background, Heather Elvis introduction.
• 04:10: Discovery of Heather’s car at Peachtree Boat Landing.
• 06:47–07:13: Focus shifts to the affair between Heather and Sidney Moore.
• 11:00–12:13: Tammy Moore’s discovery and harassment of Heather.
• 14:00–16:46: Cell phone and payphone evidence tightens focus on Sidney Moore.
• 19:27–20:36: Final phone calls and parallel movements of Heather and the Moore’s truck.
• 22:08–23:13: Arrest of Sidney and Tammy; spread of rumors and social media impact.
• 24:07–24:14: Possible pregnancy as motive.
• 25:48–27:58: Trial, hung jury, and obstruction of justice verdict.
• 32:58–33:14: Prosecution pivots to Tammy’s controlling behavior.
• 36:09–39:18: Tammy’s defense, cross-examination, and the verdict.
• 40:27–41:58: Home surveillance of post-incident truck cleaning and burning rags.
• 42:46–43:06: Aftermath, family reflections, closure.

Conclusion

This episode delivers a thorough, emotionally resonant account of a notorious Myrtle Beach disappearance—blending investigative journalism with testimonies that draw listeners deep into tragedy, suspicion, and pursuit of justice. Through precise police work, painstaking circumstantial evidence, and the tenacity of family and prosecutors, the mystery edges toward resolution—but with lingering pain, unanswered questions, and a family still searching for closure.