From: jcs
Savannah Gold, 21, disappeared on August 2, 2017, after leaving her parents’ home for her 5:30 p.m. shift at the Bonefish Grill in Jacksonville, Florida, where she worked as a waitress [00:00:06]. She never arrived for her shift [00:00:20]. Suspicions arose when her father received a text message from her phone approximately an hour and 15 minutes after she left home [00:00:32]. Her older brother also received a text 43 seconds later [00:00:49]. The family immediately knew something was amiss because the texts claimed she was running away with an unidentified man without packing, and the messages were riddled with errors, not matching her usual writing style [00:01:00]. Her phone was switched off when they tried calling [00:01:21], prompting them to call her workplace, where they learned she hadn’t shown up [00:01:24]. A missing persons report was filed [00:01:29].
Investigation and Identification of Lee Daugherty
Less than two hours after Savannah left home, her car was discovered unlocked and abandoned in the Bonefish Grill parking lot [00:01:34]. Only her phone was missing; her wallet, ID, and other valuables were untouched [00:01:40]. Investigators reviewed the parking lot surveillance tapes, uncovering a crucial piece of evidence [00:01:47].
Surveillance Footage Details
The footage, largely undisclosed to the public, revealed a detailed sequence of events [00:01:52]:
- Savannah parked her car and exited at 5:31 p.m. [00:02:00].
- She then walked to another vehicle and conversed with the occupant for 14 minutes through the driver’s side window [00:02:05].
- At 5:45 p.m., she entered the back seat of the vehicle [00:02:10].
- Fourteen seconds later, the car began to shake, as if a struggle was occurring inside [00:02:14].
- The rear door swung open and was forcefully shut three times, suggesting someone was trying to exit but couldn’t [00:02:19]. This lasted 49 seconds [00:02:28].
- The vehicle stopped moving, and a male figure (roughly 5’11”, short brown hair) exited [00:02:30].
- He walked to Savannah’s car, 20 feet away, and took out what police believed was her phone [00:02:36].
- He then slashed the front tire with a knife [00:02:51].
- He returned to his vehicle and drove away at 6:04 p.m. [00:02:55].
- Savannah was never seen exiting the car [00:03:01].
Investigation Strategy
Investigators kept the existence of the surveillance footage confidential to prevent a suspect from altering their alibi to match the evidence [00:03:13].
Over the next two days, investigators interviewed Bonefish Grill staff, asking three main questions: when they last saw Savannah, if they knew her whereabouts, and if they had any helpful information [00:03:30]. Within 48 hours, they had three potential suspects [00:03:44]. One suspect’s vehicle, a 2012 silver Chevy Malibu, matched the car seen on surveillance [00:04:00]. This individual was Leroy Daugherty, 28, a manager and head chef at the Bonefish Grill [00:04:05].
Daugherty was the first person interviewed about Savannah’s disappearance, claiming he hadn’t seen her in about three weeks and knew nothing of her location [00:04:11]. However, his co-workers revealed he had been in an on-and-off relationship with Savannah for eight months, which was against company policy [00:04:22]. Daugherty, described as popular, charming, and charismatic, became the prime suspect in the kidnapping investigation [00:04:31].
The Interrogation of Lee Daugherty
On August 5, police arrested Daugherty at work under the pretense of an outstanding traffic warrant [00:04:52]. He was taken to the JSO Police Department [00:05:00].
Initial Strategy and Psychological Pressure
Lee was left alone for 90 minutes in the interrogation room [00:05:20]. This prolonged wait was designed to foster anxiety [00:05:44]. His “relative optimism” would have been “dashed” when Detective Rae Reeves, the same investigator who interviewed him about Savannah the day before, walked through the door [00:06:07], signifying the severity of his situation [00:06:20].
The interrogation began with open-ended questions about his relationship with Savannah [00:08:46]. Lee gave a lengthy, detailed response, admitting to taking an Adderall given by a friend [00:08:15]. He described an on-and-off relationship with Savannah, mentioning her drug use (including heroin) and a period where he stepped back [00:10:01]. He stated their last contact was a few weeks prior in July [00:13:06].
Shifting Alibi and Confrontation
When asked about the last time he saw Savannah, Lee admitted he hadn’t told the truth initially [00:13:37]. This was a strategic admission, as he knew investigators had something but not the full extent of the evidence [00:13:41]. He then claimed he saw her last on Wednesday afternoon [00:13:58]. He explained she was spreading rumors about their sexual relationship at work, which could jeopardize his job as a manager [00:14:07].
Lee’s revised story:
- He met Savannah in the parking lot to discuss the rumors [00:14:38].
- She asked to sit in his car, claiming she had just done heroin and was paranoid [00:15:04].
- He reiterated that their relationship needed to stop due to his job [00:15:37].
- She then became verbally abusive, threatened to continue spreading lies, got out of his car with her phone, and walked towards the main entrance [00:16:06].
- He claimed a green, older model Ford pickup drove past him, and she got into it [00:17:06].
Strategic Lies
This fabricated story by Lee Daugherty was based on his assumption that a witness might have seen him with Savannah, hoping to minimize the perceived interaction. However, the investigators possessed surveillance footage proving Savannah never exited his car [00:16:36]. This established a critical lie, making any later amendments incredible [00:17:37].
The detective continued to feign belief in Lee’s narrative, asking further questions, which is a tactic to lower the suspect’s guard and diminish anxiety [00:18:10]. A sharp and sudden shift in questioning then occurred, disorienting Lee [00:19:29]. When asked about visible neck injuries, Lee took a nervous breath before claiming they were self-inflicted from July [00:19:56]. The female detective interjected, pointing out that the neck is an unusual place for such an injury [00:20:24].
The detectives then initiated a more aggressive confrontation, directly accusing him of involvement in Savannah’s disappearance [00:23:00]. Lee responded with a “composed demeanor,” showing he anticipated the confrontation [00:23:25]. They appealed to his morality, emphasizing the family’s right to closure [00:24:00], before the female detective revealed the definitive evidence: “She never got out of your car… We can prove that you left with her in the car” [00:26:23], further emphasizing, “video cameras don’t lie” [00:27:12]. They used the “how and why solution” and “alternative question” tactics, suggesting an overdose as a more morally acceptable possibility [00:27:41]. Lee, still denying, eventually amended his story again, stating, “We went to my house” [00:31:42].
Lee Daugherty’s Confession
The released interrogation footage cuts off at a critical moment [00:33:13]. However, it is known that Leroy Daugherty admitted to killing Savannah Gold [00:33:23].
Details of the Crime
- Lee Daugherty claimed to have killed Savannah by breaking her neck [00:33:29].
- He then took her body back to his house [00:33:30].
- He burned her body in a self-made fire pit [00:33:32].
- Her remains were then dumped in a lake at the dead end of a secluded road [00:33:34].
Medical Examiner’s Findings
Savannah’s body had injuries to over 75% of it [00:33:40]. The medical examiner could not pinpoint the exact cause of death, but the only conclusion was that it was a violent homicide [00:33:42].
Emotional Aftermath
The JSO released footage from moments after the admission, showing Lee Daugherty experiencing an “emotional reckoning” [00:34:02]. He is seen with “instant anguish” over his decision to confess, coupled with the “looming prospect of what lays ahead” [00:35:25].
Legal Proceedings
Lee Daugherty was remanded into custody at the Duval County Jail and denied bond [00:39:00]. Despite overwhelming evidence and the prospect of life in prison without parole, he pled not guilty [00:39:04].
Self-Defense Claim
Daugherty claimed Savannah’s killing was an act of self-defense [00:39:11]. He asserted he was in fear for his life after she slapped him multiple times in the face [00:39:22]. At that point, he claimed he grabbed her neck, felt a “pop,” and accidentally broke it, resulting in her death [00:39:26]. This claim was made despite his physical stature (5’11”, 163 pounds) compared to Savannah’s (5’0”, 91 pounds) [00:39:14].
The State’s Attorney’s office had no comment on this motion, only stating that the trial was expected to commence during the summer of 2020 [00:39:33].