48 Hours – “Mystery in Room 813”

Episode Date: November 13, 2025
Podcast Host: CBS News
Case: The death of Sandra Orellana, Sheraton Hotel, Los Angeles, 1996

Overview

This episode of “48 Hours” delves into the mysterious death of Sandra Orellana, a 27-year-old woman from Houston who fell to her death from a hotel balcony in 1996 during a business trip with her boss, Robert Salazar. The case haunts investigators, devastates Sandra’s family, and exposes the complexities of seeking justice when evidence is circumstantial, and motives are tangled. Through gripping interviews, emotional testimony, and meticulous police work, the podcast reconstructs the night of Sandra’s death and the six-year journey to trial.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Discovery and Initial Investigation

[00:59–06:03]

• Initial Scene:
  Sandra Orellana was found deceased, naked except for a camisole, 104 feet below her hotel balcony ([02:17]).
• Detective Ray Rodriguez:
  Recalled the trauma at the scene, noting it was unusual for a suicide to be naked.
  “It’s only been like once or twice that I’ve ever encountered a naked suicide.” ([02:17])
• Robert Salazar's First Story:
  Told police he left Sandra drunk in her room and had no further contact, but this conflicted with evidence found in the room (men’s underwear and a shoe).
  “Now I’m thinking the story that he gave Deputy Gonzalez was a bunch of bull.” (Rodriguez, [04:39])
• Salazar's Reaction:
  Upon learning Sandra was dead, he collapsed and cried ([03:44]).

2. Shifting Stories and Police Suspicion

[06:11–08:24]

• Evolving Statements:
  Salazar initially denied intimacy but admitted to sex after police confronted him with evidence.
  “Did you have sex with her? Yes, I did. And I’m married. And that’s why I didn’t want to say it.” (Salazar, [05:51])
• He then claimed they were intimate on the balcony, and Sandra accidentally fell over ([07:01]).
• Detective Rodriguez's Theory:
  Salazar assaulted Sandra while she was intoxicated; she resisted and was fatally injured.
  “I think she clawed at him and got him.” ([07:55])
• Salazar’s Post-Incident Actions:
  Rather than call authorities, he left two voicemails for Sandra after she had already died.
  “How does anybody call a dead woman and tells her to wake up? And not once, twice.” (Rodriguez, [09:09])

3. Family’s Perspective and Sandra’s Background

[10:36–15:52]

• Loved One’s Grief:
  Sandra’s family struggles with her loss and is convinced of Salazar’s guilt.
  “It’s comforting to be out here, but it’s hard for me...I don’t like to see the tombstone. I don’t like to see her name. It’s just...it’s too much.” (Katherine Orellana, [10:41])
• Past Complaints:
  Sandra had reported unwanted advances and sexual harassment by Salazar before her death.
  “She told me on several occasions he’d made passes at her.” (Katherine Orellana, [13:47])
• Character Contradiction:
  Sandra’s fear of heights and her discomfort around Salazar make his version of the events implausible to family.
  “She was afraid of heights. She didn’t even like balconies.” (Katherine Orellana, [14:50])

4. Obstacles to Prosecution

[15:59–21:45]

• Initial Release:
  Salazar was arrested but released after 48 hours when the DA declined to prosecute, citing insufficient evidence ([16:11]).
• Impact of the O.J. Simpson Case:
  DA’s office was hesitant after high-profile loss, delaying the case ([18:00]).
• Detective Rodriguez’s Tenacity:
  Traveled to Houston for Salazar’s DNA and organized forensic experiments to dispute Salazar’s story ([19:11–19:31]).
• Civil Suit:
  Family pursued a wrongful death claim when criminal action stalled.
  “If he could be found guilty in a civil court, then maybe the criminal courts would take notice.” (Katherine Orellana, [20:56])

5. Breakthrough and Trial

[21:45–37:56]

• Case Revival:
  New DA allows the case to be re-examined; almost five years after the incident, Salazar is charged ([21:45]).
• Salazar’s On-Record Account:
  Salazar gives a detailed version, admitting to intimacy but adamantly denying murder.
  “Yeah, I did some things wrong… but I didn’t cause her to fall off that balcony.” (Salazar, [24:39]) He describes the night as drinking, intimacy initiated by Sandra, an accidental fall ([25:41–28:59]).
• Failure to Call 911:
  Salazar admits running to his room and not calling for help out of fear and shame.
  “I made a horrible, horrible decision. And I did nothing.” ([29:40])
• Physical Evidence Debated:
  Prosecution argues evidence of a violent struggle; defense and their experts counter physics disproved a push ([34:50–36:13]).
• SALAZAR ON THE STAND:
  Maintains innocence, acknowledges bad decisions but denies any violent act ([36:23–37:26]).

6. Verdict and Aftermath

[37:56–39:47]

• Jury Decision:
  After two days, the jury finds Salazar not guilty of murder ([38:32]).
• Mixed Emotions:
  Relief for Salazar’s family, devastation for Sandra’s.
  “It’s been a long six years…It’s devastating. Our family will always maintain that he was responsible for her death.” (Katherine Orellana, [39:28])
• Detective Rodriguez’s Final Word:
  Continues to believe Salazar “got away with murder,” underscoring the pain and ambiguity of the outcome ([39:47]).

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Detective Ray Rodriguez on the Crime Scene:
  “The only thing that I've ever seen close to that is when someone has been hit by a train.” ([02:17])

• On Salazar’s Reaction to News of Death:
  “That's when he collapses and starts crying and collapses in the hallway.” (Rodriguez, [03:44])

• Salazar Admitting to Affair:
  “Yes, I did. And I’m married. And that’s why I didn’t want to say it.” (Salazar, [05:51])

• Salazar’s Changing Story:
  “She grabbed the balcony and pushed herself up…And when she did that, she just went over.” (Salazar, [07:01])

• Sandra’s Sister on Her Character:
  “She was afraid of heights. She didn’t even like balconies…That’s out of character. She would never have done that.” (Katherine Orellana, [14:50])

• Salazar On Not Calling for Help:
  “I made a horrible, horrible decision. And I did nothing.” ([29:40])

• Detective Rodriguez’s Confidence in Salazar’s Guilt:
  “There’s no doubt in my mind that Sandra Arellana did not go over that balcony on her own.” ([30:40])

• Salazar’s Denial:
  “God is my witness. I didn’t kill her.” (Salazar, [30:49])

• Juror After the Verdict:
  “While we didn’t believe some of Robert’s testimony, we do believe that it was a tragic accident.” ([39:08])

• Detective Rodriguez, Resigned:
  “I still think that he did it…You think he got away with murder? Yes. And that’s our system.” ([39:43]–[39:47])

Timestamps for Important Segments

• Case Discovery and Initial Shock: [00:59–04:39]
• Salazar's Interrogation and Shifting Stories: [04:52–08:24]
• Sandra’s Family Testimonies and Workplace Harassment: [10:36–15:52]
• Salazar’s Release & DA Reluctance: [15:59–18:00]
• Forensic Testing & Persistence by Rodriguez: [19:11–21:45]
• Salazar’s Detailed Account & Reflections: [24:13–29:40]
• Physical Evidence and Trial Testimonies: [34:14–37:56]
• Verdict and Family/Cop Reactions: [38:32–39:47]

Tone and Language

The episode leans heavily into the emotional toll of violent crime on families and investigators, balancing clinical analysis with intimate testimonies. The narrative is clear, often somber, but punctuated by moments of frustration, especially from Detective Rodriguez and Sandra’s grieving family. Both the prosecution and defense are represented, and Salazar stands by his assertion that Sandra’s death was a tragic accident rather than murder.

Summary

“Mystery in Room 813” presents a haunting portrait of unresolved grief, tenacious investigation, and a justice system wrestling with ambiguity. The case of Sandra Orellana remains a lesson in how truth, evidence, and emotion battle in America’s courtrooms—and how closure can remain elusive, no matter the verdict.