Where is Erin? | Presenting "48 Hours: NCIS"

Summary

48 Hours: NCIS – Episode “Where is Erin?” Detailed Summary

Introduction

In the premiere episode of “48 Hours: NCIS” titled “Where is Erin?”, CBS News correspondent Natalie Morales delves into the mysterious disappearance of Erin Corwin, a 19-year-old Marine's wife. This episode explores the intricate details of Erin's vanishing, the ensuing investigation, and the involvement of the Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS).

Background: Erin Corwin and Her Family

Erin Corwin was a vibrant young woman embarking on a new chapter in her life. At 19, she moved from Tennessee to 29 Palms, California, to live with her husband, John Corwin, a Marine Corporal stationed at the local Marine base. Her parents, Laura and Bill Heavilin, had not seen Erin in months, as she had recently started her life in California with her high school sweetheart.

The Disappearance

The tranquility of Erin’s new life was shattered on June 29, 2014. On a sunny Sunday morning, Laura and Bill Heavilin were preparing to attend church when they received a distressing call from their son-in-law, John Corwin.

Laura Heavilin [02:42]: “My son-in-law called probably around 11:00, 11:30 on Sunday morning and told us that Erin was missing. And I'm like what do you mean Erin's missing?"

Erin had fled to Joshua Tree National Park to scout hiking routes for an upcoming visit from her mother. However, her husband’s account raised immediate concerns.

Initial Investigation Steps

John Corwin reported that Erin was last seen driving to Joshua Tree National Park around 7 am. According to him, Erin was not an adventurous person and unlikely to embark on such a strenuous hike alone. Despite initial assumptions that Erin might have simply lost her way, John did not contact authorities until Erin failed to return by nightfall.

Bill Heavilin [07:02]: “He started wondering, where is Erin? And tried to get in touch with her but could not by phone. He knows there is not good service in the desert, so he didn't worry too much. But then by nightfall, he was worried.”

John’s delayed reporting of Erin’s disappearance became a focal point for investigators, casting suspicion on his involvement.

Bill Heavilin [07:39]: “But he didn't do anything. He didn't call police, he didn't really tell anybody on his base.”

The Role of NCIS

Due to the complexity of the case and its connection to the military community, NCIS was brought in to assist the local sheriff’s department. NCIS Special Agent Clifton Randolph Jr. took the lead in the investigation.

Clifton Randolph Jr. [10:06]: “The initial story we received was Erin had gone to Joshua Tree National Park to look for nice hiking routes for her and her mother who was coming out later on that week. That was the last time that Corporal Corwin had seen her driving in their blue Corolla away from the installation.”

The involvement of NCIS was crucial given their expertise in handling cases within military bases and their ability to navigate the protocols of such environments.

Key Insights and Developments

As the investigation unfolded, several discrepancies emerged regarding John Corwin’s behavior and the circumstances surrounding Erin’s disappearance. His unemotional demeanor and the lack of an immediate response heightened suspicions.

Bill Heavilin [07:53]: “His version of the story is that I thought from watching television shows that you have to wait 24 hours before you can report an adult missing. But that makes you seem suspicious in the eyes of the investigators.”

The episode highlights the challenges faced by investigators in discerning the truth, especially when dealing with individuals who may not exhibit typical responses to traumatic events.

Conclusion and What to Expect Next

The first episode sets the stage for a complex narrative filled with secrets, lies, and a potentially dangerous romance that may have contributed to Erin Corwin’s tragic end. As “48 Hours: NCIS” continues, listeners can expect a deep dive into the evidence, interviews with key figures, and an exploration of the twists that make this case particularly compelling.

Natalie Morales [10:28]: “This is just the beginning of the story of Erin Corwin's disappearance. In the next few episodes of 48 Hours, NCIS investigators untangle it all. They find a story full of secrets, lies, and at the heart of it, a dangerous romance.”

Notable Quotes

• Laura Heavilin [02:42]: “My son-in-law called probably around 11:00, 11:30 on Sunday morning and told us that Erin was missing. And I'm like what do you mean Erin's missing?"

• Bill Heavilin [07:02]: “He started wondering, where is Erin? And tried to get in touch with her but could not by phone. He knows there is not good service in the desert, so he didn't worry too much. But then by nightfall, he was worried.”

• Bill Heavilin [07:39]: “But he didn't do anything. He didn't call police, he didn't really tell anybody on his base.”

• Clifton Randolph Jr. [10:06]: “The initial story we received was Erin had gone to Joshua Tree National Park to look for nice hiking routes for her and her mother who was coming out later on that week..."

• Bill Heavilin [07:53]: “His version of the story is that I thought from watching television shows that you have to wait 24 hours before you can report an adult missing. But that makes you seem suspicious in the eyes of the investigators.”

Final Thoughts

“48 Hours: NCIS” presents a gripping true crime narrative that intertwines real-life investigation with the procedural elements familiar to fans of the NCIS television series. Through meticulous reporting and engaging storytelling, the episode invites listeners to unravel the mystery of Erin Corwin alongside seasoned investigators.

For those intrigued by complex criminal cases and the behind-the-scenes efforts of federal agencies like NCIS, this episode offers a compelling introduction to the series.

Transcript

[Ryan Reynolds]

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[Margo Hunt]

True crime fans know the feeling when a story pulls you in. You can feel like part of the investigation. And with Audible, there's a lot to uncover. Listeners might like after you've gone By Margo Hunt this Audible original is a gripping thriller that follows one woman as she tries to solve her best friend's murder in the French Quarter of New Orleans. As an Audible member, you can choose one title a month to keep from the entire catalog, including the latest bestsellers and new releases. New members can try audible free for 30 days. Visit audible.com 48 hours or text 48 hours to 500500 audible.com 48 hours hey, I'm Ryan Reynolds.

[Ryan Reynolds]

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[Nadine Bailey]

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[Natalie Morales]

40 gigabyte C Details hello listeners, it's 48 Hours correspondent Natalie Morales and host of the new podcast 48 Hours NCIS. 48 Hours NCIS is bringing you the real life cases that inspired the hit drama ncis, along with the in depth award winning true crime journalism of 48 hours. This season untangles the infidelity, obsession and murder of Marine wife Erin Corwin. At only 19 years old, Erin was found strangled to death in a mine deep within California's Joshua Tree National Park. Join me to look back at Aaron's case, featuring recordings with agents, survivors and police that will detail the events that led to Erin's tragic end in the new limited series 48 Hours NCIS. Here's a preview of the first episode.

[Laura Heavilin]

Our whole life being turned totally upside down began on June 29, 2014.

[Natalie Morales]

On a beautiful summer Sunday morning. Laura Heavilin was in her home in Tennessee with her husband Bill. They were getting ready to go to church when they received an awful call.

[Laura Heavilin]

My son in law called probably around 11:00, 11:30 on Sunday morning and told us that Erin was missing. And I'm like what do you mean Erin's missing?

[Natalie Morales]

Bill and Lohr hadn't seen their daughter Erin in a few months. Erin recently moved out of the Heblen family home to start a new life in California with her high school sweetheart and now husband John Corwin. They moved to a small city called 29 Palms, a blip in the middle of the Mojave. What brought the Corwin's there was the Marine base. John was a Marine Corporal, Corwin officially and Aaron was a Marine's wife. They lived on the base in a small apartment, their first home together. Bill and Lore hadn't seen the new place yet when John called. Laura had been planning a trip out west to visit Erin later that week.

[Laura Heavilin]

Erin was 19 years old, almost 20. I was going to go out for.

[Natalie Morales]

Her 20th birthday, but then no one knew where Erin was. On the phone Erin's husband John Corwin told Lor that the last place he knew Erin had gone was Joshua Tree National Park.

[Laura Heavilin]

And he told me that she had gone out to Joshua Tree national park the day before to look for places for her and I to go to take pictures and stuff. When I came to visit in a few days, my first immediate thought was Aaron got lost. Erin is very directionally challenged.

[Natalie Morales]

Bill, Erin's father, worried that Erin wouldn't find her way out.

[Bill Heavilin]

I mean Joshua Tree is just the desert. There's nothing there, there's no water. It's not like you're going to find anything. There's no shelter of any type so you're just exposed to the elements.

[Natalie Morales]

In addition to her lack of hiking experience, Erin was not particularly prepared for the outdoors.

[Laura Heavilin]

She was a very petite 19 year old, five two, maybe 115 pounds. She was very shy, extremely naive.

[Natalie Morales]

Bill and Lore knew their daughter. This didn't sound like her. She wouldn't go on an overnight hike spontaneously. She probably wouldn't go on an overnight hike at all. Erin was a homebody. She stayed inside her comfort zone. The Heavlins thought through what might have happened and quickly discounted some possibilities.

[Bill Heavilin]

No, I never thought that Erin had run away. I didn't think that was even remotely a possibility.

[Laura Heavilin]

I mean she just was not a risk taker.

[Natalie Morales]

Worried, Lohr pressed Erin's husband John for more details. The last time John said he saw Erin was early the morning before. He said she kissed him goodbye around 7am and he watched her drive off in their car. He went back to sleep. A while later he got up and spent the day playing video games. By nightfall, Erin still hadn't come home. She was supposed to be back in time for dinner, but John went to bed the next morning. According to John, it had been 24 hours since Aaron had driven out of sight. John alerted the authorities. Then he called Lore.

[Laura Heavilin]

He sounded concerned. There wasn't a lot of emotion in his voice. But that's typical John. It's hard to read him, to know what his thoughts are.

[Natalie Morales]

I'm CBS News correspondent Natalie Morales. This is 48 hours NCIS where we take you inside a case NCIS agents say they will Never forget. Episode 1 Where is Aaron? While his 19 year old wife was missing, John spent most of the day at home.

[Bill Heavilin]

He started wondering, where is Erin? And tried to get in touch with her but could not by phone. He knows there is not good service in the desert, so he didn't worry too much. But then by nightfall, he was worried.

[Natalie Morales]

Paul LaRosa is a producer for CBS News. In 48 hours, he reported on Aaron Corwin's disappearance. La Rosa had a lot of experience telling true crime stories. He knew that generally when someone goes missing, the first person investigators turn to when they need answers is the spouse. In this case, that was John Corwin.

[Bill Heavilin]

But he didn't do anything. He didn't call police, he didn't really tell anybody on his base.

[Natalie Morales]

So to the authorities, it was initially suspicious that John waited to report Aaron missing.

[Bill Heavilin]

The sheriff's deputies and the sheriff's office had a lot of questions for him. They were like, tell us where she went, you know, what did she have with her? Why did you wait 24 hours to report her missing? His version of the story is that I thought from watching television shows that you have to wait 24 hours before you can report an adult missing. But that makes you seem suspicious in the eyes of the investigators. Also, he had no alibi per se. I mean, he was in his apartment playing video games and he's an unemotional guy. I mean, he's not the kind of guy to say my wife is missing. You know, he's like unemotional and very flat affect.

[Natalie Morales]

Once John finally did alert the authorities, the local sheriff's department in San Bernardino immediately opened up an investigation. But they needed help for this specific case.

[Bill Heavilin]

The sheriff's department can't just go there and start talking to people. They have to go through protocol, right? They have to alert the military and when they do, the NCIS gets involved.

[Natalie Morales]

Ncis? The Naval Criminal Investigative Service. Most of us may recognize this name from television.

[Bill Heavilin]

Ncis? Never heard of it. That's embarrassing.

[Natalie Morales]

The television show NCIS follows a cast of characters including NCIS special agents, field agents, forensic specialists and more through 21 seasons of scripted primetime television drama. But the NCIS is a real life federal agency. NCIS is sort of like an in house FBI for the Navy. There are only about 1,000 special agents based all over the world in Japan, Singapore, Bahrain, Italy and yes, at the Marine Base in 29 Palms, California.

[Bill Heavilin]

They are stationed at the base and they get involved holding the Sheriff's department hand to let them know how the military operates.

[Natalie Morales]

NCIS Special Agent Clifton Randolph Jr. Was alerted by the Sheriff's Department that a Marine's wife was missing.

[Clifton Randolph Jr.]

The initial story we received was Erin had gone to Joshua Tree national park to look for nice hiking routes for her and her mother who was coming out later on that week. That was the last time that Corporal Corwin had seen her driving in their blue Corolla away from the insulation.

[Natalie Morales]

The Marine base, what Special Agent Randolph called the installation, was the largest Marine Corps base in the world. In addition to housing an NCIS office, there were about 900 families who lived on base by 2013. That included the Corwins. This is just the beginning of the story of Erin Corwin's disappearance. In the next few episodes of 48 Hours, NCIS investigators untangle it all. They find a story full of secrets, lies, and at the heart of it, a dangerous romance. Thanks for listening to this preview of 48 Hours NCIS. If you want to hear the rest of this series, you can listen to 48 Hours NCIS Ad Free right now by joining 48 Hours plus on Apple Podcasts.

[Ryan Reynolds]

If you like this podcast, you can listen ad free right now by joining Wondery in the Wondery app. Before you go, tell us about yourself by filling out a quick [e-mail] survey.

[Clifton Randolph Jr.]

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[Nadine Bailey]

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[Natalie Morales]

Is that not only is it this wonderful snapshot of the 19th century, but it also has so much resonance today.

[Clifton Randolph Jr.]

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[Nadine Bailey]

You don't believe in ghosts. I get it. Lots of people don't. I didn't either, until I came face to face with them. Ever since that moment, hauntings, spirits, and the unexplained have consumed my entire life. I'm Nadine Bailey. I've been a ghost tour guide for the past 20 years. I've taken people along with me into the shadows, uncovering the macabre tales that linger in the darkness and inside some of the most haunted houses, hospitals, prisons, and more. Join me every week on my podcast, Haunted Canada, as we journey through terrifying and bone chilling stories of the unexplained. Search for Haunted Canada on Apple Podcast, Spotify, Amazon Music, or wherever you find your favorite podcasts.