Variety and the Flying V logos are trademarks of Variety Media, LLC. var all_links = document.links[t]; Crime Scene: The Vanishing at the Cecil Hotel, the latest hit documentary on Netflix, is a terrifying watch. 'The Vanishing at the Cecil Hotel:' 8 Most Shocking Crime Scene: The Vanishing at the Cecil Hotel - Den of Geek Crime Scene: The Vanishing At The Cecil Hotel is streaming now onNetflix. Instead of focusing on Lam, Crime Scene ends up spending a vast amount of time with a nearly countless number of interviewees, many of whom are true crime YouTubers and self-styled web sleuths. Netflix documentary Crime Scene: The Vanishing at the Cecil Hotel explores the strange case of Elisa Lam, a 21-year-old Canadian woman who disappeared in January 2013 while she was staying at the Cecil Hotel in downtown LA. In addition to the Tumblr blog Nouvelle-Nouveau, which receives a lot of attention in the true crime docuseries, Lam also had a blog on Blogspot called Ether Fields, which she started in 2010. Crime Scene: The Vanishing at the Cecil Hotel delves deep into the details surrounding the Elisa Lam case and the cryptic security footage of her that was released, Cecil Hotels nefarious past is back in the spotlight thanks to Netflixs latest true-crime documentary, Crime Scene: The Vanishing at the Cecil Hotel. It spanned 19 floors, with 600 rooms, and earned an early reputation as a classy place to stay in downtown L.A. var force = ''; She had been bisected at the waist, but no blood was found at the scene, indicating that she had been killed elsewhere. The Black Dahlia, 22-year-old actress Elizabeth Short, was found dead in a vacant lot at Leimert Park in January 1947. Review: Crime Scene: Vanishing at Cecil Hotel Explores Elisa Crime Scene Cecil Hotel: Netflixs Elisa Lam documentary brings Committing the bulk of his attacks in 1985, Ramirez entered homes through unlocked doors and windows. media-tech companies with hubs around the world. } Since then, at least a dozen more have occurred, per L.A.'s PBS affiliateKCET (opens in new tab), prompting several of the hotel's long-term residents to begin referring to it as "The Suicide" in the early '60s. The maintenance man used the door, but it seems to be the case that Elisa Lam did not, since the alarm was not activated (it can only be shut off with a key, which Lam did not have access to). eventAction: 'view' Although this theory seems far-fetched from a practical standpoint, it manages to evoke feelings of unease when contextualized against Elisas elevator footage. Pauline Otton, 27, was fighting with her husband on the ninth floor and jumped out of the window. While the docuseries initially paints Pablo Vergara, who goes by the stage name Morbid,as a terrifyingly dark musician who Internet sleuths believed was responsible for Lam's death because of his penchant for death metal and graphically violent art, it didn't delve into his many other accomplishments. The documentary leans into the verdict that it was an accident that Lam was having an episode brought on by not taking her medication for bipolar, that she climbed out of the fire escape, climbed up the outside of the building, got into the water tank, removed her own clothing, was unable to get out (assuming she tried) and drowned. True crime fandom is rife with ethical quandaries, but most fans are attracted to the subject because of their fascination in the why, rather than the how. It goes into intricate detail about their methods, taking us with them on the journey of how they track down the killer to an astonishingly exact location. Webtexas killing fields crime scene photos 28 Feb texas killing fields crime scene photos Posted at 05:36h in marlene willis bruce willis mother by judge andrea mchugh docket Reports also suggest that it would have been difficult for Lam to climb to the water tank by herself. } Her name was Pigeon Goldie because she would come out and feed the pigeons at Pershing Square. Crime Scene: The Vanishing at the Cecil Hotel is available to stream on Netflix now. Its a shame that it takes so long for the show to understand what makes this particular crime scene compelling or, even worse, that it relishes validating the most salacious details and theories before deigning to do its case, and the woman at its center, true justice. But its worrying that Netflix feels the need to enable such questionable methods. h = d.getElementsByTagName('head')[0], Even before Elisa Lam's death, the hotel had ties to the Black Dahlia and Night Stalker. Cecil Hotel has a long history with criminal activity. Apart from considering these factorsCrime Scene: The Vanishing at the Cecil Hotel attempts to bring aspects of criminal involvement and foul play under scrutiny, but pertinent questions still linger. RELATED: Everything Netflix's Elisa Lam Documentary Leaves Out About The Cecil Hotel. The aspiring actor was apparently spotted at the Cecil bar in the days before her murder. // ignored Crime Scene: The Vanishing At The Cecil Hotel unveils a lot of mysteries behind the Cecil Hotel, but what was left out of the Netflix documentary? Netflix's latest true crime documentary explores a very strange case that has fascinated the internet for years. f.parentNode.insertBefore( j, f ); (Its worth noting that The Staircase also includes loopier aspects of conspiracy such as the notorious owl theory, but at least these elements were explored by the subjects and included in the trial as genuine possibilities, not just foisted on from the outside like the conjectures in Crime Scene.) Future US, Inc. Full 7th Floor, 130 West 42nd Street, She arrived in Los Angeles on January 26. } Ever since Netflix released the trailer for its upcoming true crime series,Crime Scene: The Vanishing At The Cecil Hotel, I cant stop thinking about it. Elisa Lam Documentary Leaves Out About The Cecil Hotel Please select the topics you're interested in: Would you like to turn on POPSUGAR desktop notifications to get breaking news ASAP? Why Netflix's Cecil Hotel series 'Crime Scene' is a misstep - Los While she was initially assigned a hostel-style shared room on the hotel's fifth floor, when her roommates complained about "certain odd behavior" according to the hotel's lawyer, she was moved to a room of her own for two days. The Cecil is located right next to downtown Los Angeles's Skid Row, an area systemically impacted by homelessness, mental illness, and drug abuse. }. 'Crime Scene: The Vanishing at the Cecil Hotel': Release date, plot and all you need to know about Netflix show on LA's 'deadliest hotel', Rebecca Zahau was found hanging naked with arms and legs bound but her family are certain it was not suicide. hitType: 'event', She told CBS LA that she remembered the college student buying books and music for her family, saying, "It seemed like [Lam] had plans to return home, plans to give things to her family members and reconnect with them.". By signing up, I agree to the Terms and Privacy Policy and to receive emails from POPSUGAR. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Parts of The Cecil were rebranded in 2011 as the Stay On Main, which had its own entrance and a separate website and was marketed as budget accommodation for travellers. American Murder: The Family Next Door: How Far is Too Far for True Crime? window.dm = window.dm ||{ AjaxData:[]}; Making true crime fans the subject of a true crime documentary isnt necessarily a fatal flaw. gads_event = event; document.links = document.getElementsByTagName('a'); 17 hours ago, by Samantha Brodsky by Sarah Wasilak Crime Scene: The Vanishing at the Cecil Hotel | Official Trailer 21 hours ago, by Njera Perkins Crime Scene: The Vanishing at the Cecil Hotel delves into the death of Elisa Lam, a 21-year-old who disappeared while staying at the titular downtown Los Angeles ga('create', 'UA-67136960-15', 'auto', 'ads'); //]]> Her body was discovered a few weeks later, on February 19. 1. This speculation was exacerbated by the fact the 700-room Cecil Hotel was a hub for notorious crimes, even serving as a temporary home for criminals like serial killers Richard Ramirez and Jack Unterweger. Crime Scene Photos via Netflix. } 22 hours ago, by Victoria Edel } ()); hitType: 'event', Crime Scene doesnt have a solution to work toward, so it fills the space with the testimony of people whove become obsessed with the case. }); It's irresponsible and dishonest, indulging conspiracy theories that put already vulnerable NEXT: Crime Scene: The Vanishing At The Cecil Hotel 10 Burning Questions We Still Have. However, having these strange sleuths (one asked a friend to record himself touching Lam's gravestone) dissecting them uncritically on camera is a step too far. All rights reserved. Photo: Netflix. He was sentenced to death, and remained on death row until he died of liver failure in 2013. It's not uncommon for movies and TV shows to take inspiration from real-life events (though Dark Water came out long before Elisa Lam's death). } )( window, document, 'script', 'dataLayer', 'GTM-W5PMGDG' ); In the middle of the day, somebody raped, stabbed, and strangled Osgood, leaving her on her bed. } if(ignore != '' && all_links.href.search(ignore) != -1) { He presented himself as a journalist from Austria on an assignment to do a story about red-light districts in Los Angeles. According to a newspaper clipping, Purcell didnt want to wake up Levine, so she went to the hotel bathroom on the same floor and delivered the baby alone. These sleuths spend hours dissecting footage, digging through Elisa Lam's social media accounts, making outrageous claims on YouTube channels. if(document.querySelector("#ads")){ She was naked, and her clothes were in the tank with her as well as her watch and room key. It was a surveillance video from an elevator, which showed her entering and re-entering the lift for no apparent reason. An autopsy, along with security footage from the hotel that appeared to show Lam behaving erratically in the hours before her disappearance, led investigators toconclude (opens in new tab)that her death was an accident. Tried-and-True Tips for Women Business Owners, From a Trusted Small Business Banker, The 75 Best K-Dramas You'll Be Completely Hooked On, Selena Gomez Revealed Meryl Streep Is Joining 'Only Murders in the Building' Season 3, The 56 Best Musical Movies of All Time: Iconic Movie Musicals, Sophia Brown on Joining the World of The Witcher: Blood Origin, 'Ginny & Georgia' Season 2: Everything We Know, The Cast of 'The Crown' Season 5: Your Guide. window.googletag.pubads().addEventListener('impressionViewable', function(event) { Morbid was treated especially poorly in the documentary. Amidst the economic uncertainty of 2023, planning for the future is more importantand challengingthan ever. One particular piece of information, deliberately withheld near the beginning, is used to create mystery and debate around the nature of Lam's death for the entirety of the show, only to be resolved almost casually near the end of the final episode. The 24 best documentaries to stream on Netflix, Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. 22 hours ago, by Victoria Messina Crime Scene: Vanishing at the Cecil Hotel. window.adsContainer = {"positionAfterTitle":{"code":"Article_Desktop_300x250_Middle5_Rel_Newrev","isOrganicUserAd":true,"max_width":336,"max_height":280},"position2":{"code":"Article_Desktop_300x250_After_Title_Rel_Newrev","max_width":336,"max_height":280},"position3":{"code":"Article_Desktop_300x250_Below_Next_Rel_Newrev","max_width":300,"max_height":250},"position4":{"code":"Article_Desktop_300x250_Middle_Rel_Newrev","max_width":300,"max_height":250},"position5":{"code":"Article_Desktop_300x250_Middle1_Rel_Newrev","max_width":300,"max_height":250},"position6":{"code":"Article_Desktop_300x250_Middle2_Rel_Newrev","max_width":336,"max_height":280},"position7":{"code":"Article_Desktop_300x250_Middle3_Rel_Newrev","max_width":300,"max_height":250},"position8":{"code":"Article_Desktop_300x250_Middle4_Rel_Newrev","max_width":300,"max_height":250},"position9":{"code":"Article_Desktop_300x250_Middle5_Rel_Newrev","max_width":336,"max_height":280},"position10":{"code":"Article_Desktop_300x250_Middle6_Rel_Newrev","max_width":336,"max_height":280},"position11":{"code":"Article_Desktop_300x250_Middle7_Rel_Newrev","max_width":336,"max_height":280},"position12":{"code":"Article_Desktop_300x250_Middle8_Rel_Newrev","max_width":336,"max_height":280},"position13":{"code":"Article_Desktop_300x250_Middle9_Rel_Newrev","max_width":336,"max_height":280},"position14":{"code":"Article_Desktop_300x250_Middle10_Rel_Newrev","max_width":336,"max_height":280},"position15":{"code":"Article_Desktop_300x250_Middle11_Rel_Newrev","max_width":336,"max_height":280},"position16":{"code":"Article_Desktop_300x250_Middle12_Rel_Newrev","max_width":336,"max_height":280},"positionTop":{"code":"Article_Desktop_970x250_Header_Rel","isOrganicUserAd":false,"max_width":970,"max_height":250},"positionBottom":{"code":"Article_Desktop_Sidebar_Bottom_Rel_Newrev","isOrganicUserAd":true,"max_width":300,"max_height":600},"positionBottomRight":{"code":"Article_Desktop_300x250_After_Title_Rel_Newrev","isOrganicUserAd":true,"max_width":336,"max_height":280}} The Jane Doe Murders Review: Compassionate True Crime Doc Provides Closure, Dirty John Season 2 - The Betty Broderick Story Review: Trashy True Crime With Tragedy Underneath, Shazam! j.async = true; Send me updates about Slate special offers. Ahead, we've put together a timeline of Elisa Lam's disappearance and death to straighten out the facts. In January 2013, 21-year-old Elisa Lam was staying at the Cecil when she suddenly vanished, igniting a total media frenzy. While Elisas death was officially listed as a case of accidental drowning, strange details about her case - especially her autopsy reports - attracted several theories of foul play. Thanks for signing up! // console.log('Changed ' + all_links.href); Focusing on the notorious Cecil, a grim hotel in downtown LA, it tells the story of Elisa Lam, a Canadian student who went missing in the hotel under mysterious circumstances, before later being discovered drowned. The Cecil Hotel can add ghost sighting to its list of curious happenings. While Purcell was initially charged with murder, she was found not guilty by reason of insanity. Slate is published by The Slate Group, a Graham Holdings Company. } Her murder has not been solved. She loved fashion, The Great Gatsby, and Harry Potter and had been studying at the University of British Columbia. document.links[t].setAttribute('onClick', 'javascript:window.open(\''+all_links.href+'\'); return false;'); if (typeof window.onload != 'function'){ is particularly uncomfortable. True-crime docuseries are designed to make you keep watching. Ramirez was convicted in 1989 of 13 murders and 30 felonies, including rape, sodomy, oral copulation, and burglary. Via these sleuths, Cecil Hotel indulges all types of conspiracy theories, lending them credence and respect throughout. With the help of Serial and its podcast descendants, a love of true crime became a respectable pastime, an accomplishment that Netflixs recent productions risk undoing with their emphasis on dramatization and flare. The elevator footage was released by LAPD on 15 February, at which point Lams body still hadnt been found, in the hope that it might help move the investigation forward. } s = d.createElement('script'); WATCH: Do Uni Students Have Skin Care Routines? Crime Scene: The Vanishing at the Cecil Hotel - The Elevator Game Explained, the details surrounding the Elisa Lam case, American Horror Story Explains Why So Much Crime Happens At The Cecil Hotel, The Vanishing at the Cecil Hotel Reveals The Danger Of Online Sleuths, How Long Grogu Trained With Luke Skywalker Before Mandalorian Season 3, Abby's Mother Reveal In Night Court Resolves The Harry/Christine Romance, Young Sheldon Has No Excuse For Failing Missy After Paige's Return. Its an intriguing mystery, but, at least based on Crime Scene, not enough to be the centerpiece of a four-hour series. She can usually be found binging a new show at night, coupled with a glass of red wine. (function() { Back in 1974, Unterweger was actually sent to prison for abducting and murdering a young woman. Crime Scene: A Brief Guide to the Dark Crimes Associated With Whilst staying at the Cecil Hotel in downtown L.A. Elisa went missing, only to be found dead days later in one of the water tanks located on the hotels roof. Watching any serialized documentary series demands a tolerance for deliberately placed red herrings that are quickly resolved in the following episode, but Cecil Hotel does some fairly unforgivable stuff. But it's par for the course with Cecil Hotel, a documentary that takes an insane, slam dunk story and somehow makes it not just boring, but borderline offensive by providing a platform to a group of people who actively derailed the case and hurt people. The autopsy report on Lam's body just raised more questions. Here's the Deal, The Hidden Meaning Behind the Hair Colors in "Daisy Jones & The Six", Here's When You'll Be Able to Watch Adonis's Latest Bout in "Creed III" at Home, Idris Elba and Wife Sabrina Were all Smiles at the "Luther: The Fallen Sun" Premiere, Crime Scene: The Vanishing at the Cecil Hotel, highly disputed whether or not Short was actually at the Cecil, landed on a 65-year-old pedestrian named George Gianinni, she would come out and feed the pigeons at Pershing Square, he disposed of his bloodied clothing in the hotel's dumpster, presented himself as a journalist from Austria, Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. // Load Crime Scene: The Vanishing At The Cecil Hotelis the first season in Netflixs new documentary series that deconstructs the mythology and mystery surrounding infamous locations in contemporary crimes. Less disputed, however, are the records of Richard Ramirez's stay at the Cecil. ga('ads.send', { The police searched the hotel but could not find her. It sets itself up as the first of a series that would investigate crimes that all unfolded at a specific location. Less than a year after Lam died at the hotel, an 11-year-old captured a photo that looks like a person hanging outside the window on the fourth floor. The Hotel itself was colloquially known to have insanity within its walls, with guests ranging from drug dealers to prostitutes and rapists. Vancouver pop duo The Zolas created a music video for their song "Ancient Mars" in 2014 that is set up to look like the last day of Lam's life,humanizing her as a regular young woman versus just someone suffering from mental illness. She arrived in Los Angeles on January 26. } If the stories are to be believed, the Cecil housed notorious serial killer Richard Ramirez, who terrorised Los Angeles from 1984 to 1985. if(all_links.href.search(/^http/) != -1 && all_links.href.search('www.pedestrian.tv') == -1 && all_links.href.search(/^#/) == -1) { display: none !important; Lam, also known by her Cantonese name, Lam Ho Yi, was the daughter of Hong Kong immigrants and had been staying at the hotel for less than a week by then. },false) That is to say, even if she was behaving strangely in the lift, and even if she was just being a bit weird by herself, that doesnt mean she was or was not in contact with someone else before her death. Naturally, season 1 focuses on one of the most well-known happenings at the Cecil Hotel: the disappearance and death of Elisa Lam. The series follows the story of Elisa Lam, a young Canadian woman who mysteriously disappeared from a Los Angeles hotel, only to turn up dead in the hotels water tank two weeks later. The CCTV footage was taken in an elevator in the Cecil on the 1 February and sees Lam behaving very strangely, pushing several different buttons, appearing to hide, then jumping in and out of the elevator and making some unusual hand gestures. Shes been an entertainment journalist for more than 15 years previously working at DVD & Blu-ray. Episode three of Crime Scene breaks down the dark case of Jack Unterweger. The baby then landed on the roof of another building. Serial killers, such as Richard Ramirez, even lived at the Cecil Hotel. the Cecil Hotel. Lam's corpse was seen floating naked, along with her clothes and belongings. Why not? Sadly, we dont know. The Vanishing at the Cecil Hotel delves into conspiracy theories circling the Elisa Lam case including The Elevator Game. While on parole, Unterweger strangled nine sex workers to death in both Austria and Los Angeles. pg.acq.push(function() { Based on Elisas bizarre behavior and hand gestures as seen in the elevator footage in Crime Scene: The Vanishing at the Cecil Hotel, and the fact she was seen hitting multiple buttons at once, conspiracy enthusiasts were convinced she was playing The Elevator Game and that the ritual went wrong. The case that is the focus of Netflixs latest true-crime docuseries, Crime Scene: the Vanishing at the Cecil Hotel, has the potential to do all of the above. Review: Crime Scene: The Vanishing At The Cecil Hotel - The A.V. The Mountbatten-Windsors have been recastagain. } The story of how death-metal musician Morbid got involved in the Elisa Lam case is a cautionary tale on what happens when people on the Internet fail to check their facts. Grainy security footage shows Lam, spooked and strange, in an elevator communicating hysterically to another person? Former Cecil Hotel Manager document.querySelector("#google_image_div").addEventListener('click',function(){ Over the course of 10 hoursincluding follow-ups released in 2013 and 2018 (the latter, of course, for Netflix)The Staircase delves into extreme detail and allows us to explore our own theories. The pixelated footage shows Lam stepping into the elevator and pushing all the floor buttons. let gads_event; function external_links_in_new_windows_load(func) Crime Scene: The Vanishing at the Cecil Hotel explores one of the more bizarre theories to have emerged surrounding Elisa's death, which is that she was engaged in The Elevator Game, a creepy ritual that plays out as a game in order to access an alternate or parallel world. RELATED:American Horror Story Explains Why So Much Crime Happens At The Cecil Hotel. New York, display: none !important; Robyn eventAction: 'click_image_ads' Credit Netflix. All contents 2023 The Slate Group LLC. She steps in and out of the elevator, poking her head out sideways toward the hotel's hallways in between. Indeed, many TV series have used the tragic event at Cecil Hotel as inspiration for their episodes. Crime Scene then introduces the central mystery of Elisa Lam, a 21 year-old traveler who disappeared at the Cecil in 2013. Crime Scenes diversions, on the other hand, feel like an effort to ramp up the spookiness of the story and stretch out the mystery to fill out Netflixs multipart templatethe creators of Making a Murderer, which laid the groundwork for the services true crime boom, initially pitched an eight-hour series, and Netflix suggested 10. Ramirez stayed at the Cecil in the middle of his murder spree from 1984 to 1985. Unfortunately, Lams death isnt the only shocking occurrence connected to the Cecil Hotel, here are six more. If my job werent to watch and review the entire thing, I wouldve tapped out in frustration two episodes earlier. 20 hours ago, by Victoria Edel 6 Disturbing Moments In The History Of LAs Cecil Hotel, The Cursed Star Of Netflixs New Doco, Heads Up Weirdos, Netflixs Doco About LAs Notoriously Fucked-Up Cecil Hotel Drops Tonight, American Murder: The Family Next Door, Netflix's Latest Crime Doco, Is Utterly Devastating. These are undoubtedly nothing to do with anything but have added to the mythos of the case. Designed to make shopping easier. var change_link = false; A professional writer and editor with 18+ years of experience, Christine, now a freelance writer/editor, is a self-professed TV fanatic with tastes that vary considerably from comedies to dramas, sci-fi, and more. }); In 1992, Unterweger was caught and extradited to Austria. Was it an accident? NEXT: The Vanishing at the Cecil Hotel Reveals The Danger Of Online Sleuths. 'Crime Scene: The Vanishing at the Cecil Hotel' will premiere on Netflix on February 10, at 12 AM PST. In 2020, there was an average of one new notable release each month, and with Night Stalker and Crime Scene released in January and February this year, that streak hasnt broken yet. All Rights Reserved. Also based in New York, Simon Baron Development currently has more than $12 billion worth of projects in active development,the venue formerly known as Cecil Hotel being one of them. It's definitely possible that it's true since the night clerk, who reported that Ramirez smoked marijuana in his room and played rock 'n' roll music, would have no reason to lie. }); In what has quickly become a Netflix documentary trend, Cecil Hotel is in painful need of an edit -- repeating details endlessly, playing for time with meaningless segues and pointless interviews. In an attempt to stretch the show's runtime, Cecil Hotel fills out minutes of screen time with a rotating cast of "internet sleuths" -- YouTubers essentially -- who range from mildly strange to downright creepy. What makes this even stranger is that her Tumblr posts continued to be updated. The true crime genre has exploded over the past decade, and is becoming an unavoidable part of mainstream media. At this crucial point in the narrative, Crime Scene almost entirely turns itself over to the legions of web sleuths who were drawn to the video, case, and Lam herself, especially through her personal Tumblr (which, as with so much internet ephemera, somehow still exists). if(force != '' && all_links.href.search(force) != -1) { Theyve even been known to incidentally help solve a case or two. Its also possible that the lift behavior had absolutely nothing to do with her disappearance, odd though it was. Netflix's Crime Scene: The Vanishing at the Cecil Hotel explores the strange and tragic case of Elisa Lam, a 21-year-old Canadian traveler who was found dead in the Cecil Hotel's water tank in early 2013. Unfortunately for the hotel's owners, within just a few years of the Cecil's opening, the Great Depression sunk in, which not only limited the number of travelers looking for a fancy place to stay, but also turned the area surrounding the hotel into what is now known as Skid Row. Before we get into it, heres what you need to know about the show. eventCategory: event.slot.getSlotElementId(), Crime Scene Crime Scene: The Vanishing at the Cecil Hotel premieres Wednesday, Feb. 10 on Netflix.