The Whole Story with Anderson Cooper: Season 2, Episode 6

2 - 6: The Deputy and the Disappeared

CNN Anchor and Chief Legal Analyst Laura Coates premieres an in-depth investigation into two missing person cases with one mysterious connection that has drawn national intrigue.

In 2003, two men of color, Felipe Santos and Terrance Williams, went missing three months apart in Naples, Florida. Both vanished on the same road after getting in a patrol car driven by the same white deputy sheriff, Steven Calkins, who remains the last known person to have seen either of them alive. Twenty years later, Santos and Williams are presumed dead, the cases are cold, and Calkins has never been arrested or charged and maintains his innocence. The case garnered little media attention until 2018 when filmmaker Tyler Perry enlisted Civil Rights Attorney Ben Crump to file a wrongful death lawsuit against Calkins on behalf of Terrance Williams' mother. Following up on CNN crime reporter Thomas Lake's meticulous reporting, Coates and Lake return to the scene of the disappearances to explore new leads and speak with a witness coming forward for the first time.

"You will be spellbound by this unbelievable story of a mother's determination to find her son in the face of every obstacle," said Coates. "What do you do when you don't know who to trust—even the investigators?"

Coates and Lake uncover disturbing allegations about former deputy sheriff Calkins' background, speaking with investigators on the case and a former colleague of Calkins who comes forward alleging newly revealed details about their time working together. Coates also speaks with Williams' family members, including his son Tarik, who speaks publicly for the first time about his father's disappearance.