When a 15-year-old girl snuck out of her bedroom window one night in May of 1996, it was like she vanished right into thin air with no leads. Years later unsealed court documents revealed

that police had a theory and a suspect from the earliest days of the case, but it

would take over a decade to build a case strong enough for an arrest.

I'm Kylie Lowe and this is the case of April Don Pennington on Dark Down East.

It was the evening of May 29th, 1996, and 15-year-old April Don Pennington sat down for a dinner of sandwiches with her mother Hazel, her father Walter, and April's grandmother at the Pennington family home on Orchard Drive in Montville, Connecticut.

It was almost the end of the school year for April, who was finishing up her freshman year

at Montville High School, and one of her younger brothers was graduating

from elementary school that very night.

After dinner the whole family was going to attend the ceremony, whether April liked it or not.

According to reporting by Ethan Rowan for the day, April had complained about not wanting

to go, but Walter quashed the conversation quickly.

She didn't have a choice in the matter.

Despite her apparent displeasure with her father's final ruling on the subject,

Hazel remembers that April was actually in a pretty good mood that night.

When they finished supper, the Phedington family loaded up for an evening of celebration

in honor of one of its youngest members.

When they finally got back home around 9.30 p.m.

Hazel and Walter kissed their kids good night before turning their attention to the

lingering household tasks.

Hazel sat up in the kitchen paying bills for a while before checking on her children one more time.

When she peaked in April's bedroom, she could see the covers pulled up and April seemingly sound asleep in her bed.

Around 5.30 a.m.

...