American Homicide: S1E12 – BFFs: The Disappearance of Sarah Stern, Part 1

Introduction

In the twelfth episode of the first season of American Homicide, journalist Sloane Glass delves into the mysterious disappearance of 19-year-old Sarah Stern from Neptune City, New Jersey. Hosted by iHeartPodcasts and Glass Podcasts, this episode meticulously unpacks the events leading up to Sarah's vanishing, the subsequent investigation, and the unsettling revelations that emerged.

Discovery of Sarah Stern’s Car

On the early morning of December 3, 2016, authorities were alerted to an abandoned Oldsmobile sedan parked atop the Belmar Bridge over the Shark River in Neptune City. A rideshare driver discovered the vehicle and promptly contacted emergency services.

[06:43] Sarah Stern: "I tried the house phone and her cell phone, and I wasn't getting anything through."

Upon investigation, police found no signs of a driver or passenger, with the keys left in the ignition. Surveillance cameras near the bridge were non-functional that night, and the only footage available from a nearby home security camera was inconclusive, capturing only Sarah’s car arriving and leaving their residence.

[15:29] Sloane Glass: "In the early hours of December 3, 2016, 19-year-old Sarah Stern's car turned up on a bridge near her home in Neptune City, New Jersey."

Initial Investigation and Community Response

Michael Stern, Sarah's father, was away on vacation in Orlando when his daughter disappeared. Back home, he found Sarah missing from their household, with only their dog, Buddy, left locked in his cage—a security measure Sarah typically used when strangers were around.

[07:03] Sarah Stern: "We had no answers, no answers at all."

The community rallied together, organizing extensive searches across beaches, lakes, and marshy areas, but no trace of Sarah was found. The police initially entertained theories ranging from an accidental disappearance due to a car breakdown to potential foul play.

[08:28] Tom Davis: "There were a couple of theories that law enforcement believed early on."

Sarah’s Background and Recent Behavior

Sarah Stern was a vibrant young woman passionate about the arts, studying media production in college. However, beneath her creative exterior lay profound personal struggles, notably the loss of her mother to breast cancer when Sarah was just 15. This traumatic experience significantly impacted her mental health, leading to periods of depression and self-destructive behavior.

[05:24] Sarah Stern: "And Sarah, you know, she was a champ. She loved her mom and she did everything she could to keep her comfortable when she was going through chemo."

In the weeks leading up to her disappearance, friends and family noticed changes in Sarah's demeanor. She had expressed a desire to start anew in Toronto, indicating her wish to leave Neptune City without informing her family directly.

[09:37] Tom Davis: "Sarah talked about possibly starting a new life in Toronto and moving away."

Adding to the mystery, Sarah withdrew $7,000 from her safe deposit box the day before her car was found abandoned, raising questions about her intentions and financial independence.

[11:24] Tom Davis: "On the day before Sarah's car was found abandoned on the bridge, police learned that she had gone to a bank during the day to withdraw money from a safety deposit box that she had."

Suspicious Conversations and Unraveling the Truth

The investigation took a dramatic turn when Anthony Curry, a 19-year-old aspiring horror movie maker and friend of Sarah's, approached the police with unsettling information. Curry recounted a conversation he had with another friend, Liam McAtasney, about a movie plot eerily similar to Sarah's disappearance.

[22:13] Sloane Glass: "Anthony Curry told detectives about a bizarre conversation he had with a longtime friend about movies."

In this fabricated movie scenario, a young woman is robbed, murdered, and her body is disposed of in a manner that mimics a suicide, paralleling the real-life circumstances surrounding Sarah's vanishing. This revelation prompted detectives to reconsider the nature of Sarah’s disappearance, moving away from theories of accident or suicide toward potential foul play.

[22:19] Michael Stern: "It was a detail by detail description of what had happened to Sarah Stern."

Interrogations and Confessions

To uncover the truth, law enforcement devised a strategic plan involving Anthony Curry and Liam McAtasney. They orchestrated a meeting between the two, secretly monitoring their interaction to extract confessions.

On January 31, 2017, seven weeks after Sarah’s disappearance, Curry and McAtasney met under police surveillance. During this encounter, McAtasney shockingly confessed to the murder of Sarah Stern.

[28:37] Liam McAtasney: "I did something really dumb, and I planned it out for half a year. And the worst part is we threw off the bridge and the body never showed up."

McAtasney described the brutal killing, revealing a cold and detached demeanor throughout his confession.

[30:16] Liam McAtasney: "She was just laying there having a seizure or something. I got a shirt and I just shoved it down her throat so she wouldn't throw up or anything and held my finger over her nose. And it took me like a half an hour."

He further implicated his roommate, Preston Taylor, as an accomplice in the premeditated murder and robbery of Sarah.

[31:07] Liam McAtasney: "You are the only person on this planet that knows besides Preston, and Preston doesn't know that you know."

Conclusion and Cliffhanger

The episode concludes with the chilling confession of Liam McAtasney, leaving listeners in suspense about the legal repercussions and the unraveling of this gruesome case. Sloane Glass teases the continuation of Sarah Stern's story in Part 2, promising to uncover deeper layers of this harrowing mystery.

[35:05] Sloane Glass: "With Liam McAtasney on tape detailing what he did to Sarah Stern, you would think there would have been enough evidence to charge him with murder, but this story was far from over."

Notable Quotes

• Sarah Stern on Her Mother’s Passing:

  [05:24] Sarah Stern: "And Sarah, you know, she was a champ. She loved her mom and she did everything she could to keep her comfortable when she was going through chemo."

• Liam McAtasney’s Shockingly Detached Confession:

  [30:16] Liam McAtasney: "She was just laying there having a seizure or something. I got a shirt and I just shoved it down her throat so she wouldn't throw up or anything and held my finger over her nose. And it took me like a half an hour."

• Detective’s Reaction to the Case:

  [35:05] Sloane Glass: "With Liam McAtasney on tape detailing what he did to Sarah Stern, you would think there would have been enough evidence to charge him with murder, but this story was far from over."

Final Thoughts

This episode of American Homicide masterfully weaves together personal narratives, investigative journalism, and shocking revelations to explore the tragic disappearance of Sarah Stern. Through detailed interviews and compelling storytelling, Sloane Glass provides listeners with a thorough understanding of the complexities surrounding the case, setting the stage for deeper exploration in the subsequent episode.

Stay tuned for Part 2 of "BFFs: The Disappearance of Sarah Stern" as Sloane Glass continues to uncover the truth behind this heartbreaking case.