On a December night in a small town on the Jersey shore, the discovery of an abandoned car on a bridge touches off a search for the missing driver. 19-year-old Sarah Stern, an aspiring artist, has seemingly vanished. Friends tell authorities she might have jumped, or fled to Canada. But troubling statements, omissions and the discovery of a partially-burned cache of money doesn’t sit right with investigators. As they begin to suspect foul-play, an up-and-coming filmmaker’s daring undercover sting operation cracks the case wide open.

A six-part series from 20/20 and ABC Audio. New episodes Tuesdays.