Elisa Lam, a 21-year-old Canadian tourist, embarked on a solo trip to the U.S. in January 2013, planning to travel from LA to Santa Cruz. Despite her strict parents' concerns, she convinced them to let her go with the promise of daily phone calls. Elisa successfully called home for the first three days, but after the fourth day, her parents received no more updates. By early February, Elisa was missing, and police discovered she hadn't checked out of her room at the Cecil Hotel in LA. Her belongings were still in her room, and there was no sign of a struggle. An investigation began, including searches of the hotel and its rooms.