A Wednesday morning.
The sun was about to set in Palmdale, California, about 60 miles north of Los Angeles.
The perfect day for two friends to hang out. Except this seemingly ordinary afternoon was hiding something…
A woman rushed into the Palmdale Sheriff’s Station. She was frantic, her clothes covered in blood.
The woman said the horror began when she’d walked barefoot into her friend’s garage.
It was dark, and she slipped and fell on something wet.
As she fumbled around, a horrific scene began to come into focus.
She had slipped on blood. And it was everywhere.
Then, she said, she discovered her friend LaNell lying face-up on the garage floor next to her car. She had been shot in the head.
Horrified, she ran to the sheriff’s station, and told them the story…
To find out what happened, watch the full episode now.
You can also watch on Peacock or listen to it on our podcast.
After you’ve finished the episode, watch LaNell’s friend Marcel reflect on her life and kindness.
You can also listen to this week’s episode of Talking Dateline with Josh Mankiewicz and Keith Morrison in which they take you behind the scenes of the episode.