In 2013, 21-year-old Canadian student Elisa Lam disappeared while staying at Los Angeles' infamous Cecil Hotel. Weeks later, her body was discovered inside a rooftop water tank, shocking the world and fueling one of the internet's most enduring mysteries.

The release of Elisa's unsettling elevator video sparked countless theories involving murder, paranormal activity, conspiracies, and cover-ups. But what did investigators actually find?

In this episode of Kat Has Questions, we examine the timeline of Elisa Lam's disappearance, the viral elevator footage, the investigation, autopsy findings, her history of bipolar disorder, and why the case continues to fascinate people more than a decade later.

Was this a mystery with hidden answers—or a tragedy transformed into internet mythology?

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About the show

Kat Has Questions is a curiosity-driven podcast about real stories that sound unreal — from unsolved crimes and strange history to the quietly weird corners of human behavior.

New episodes every week.

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If you’re enjoying Kat Has Questions, follow the podcast, leave a review, or send in a weird historical mystery you want me to dig into next.

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Sources & Further Reading

Wikipedia contributors. "Death of Elisa Lam." Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Death_of_Elisa_Lam

Wikipedia contributors. "Cecil Hotel (Los Angeles)." Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cecil_Hotel_(Los_Angeles)

Los Angeles Police Department Missing Person Investigation Records

Los Angeles County Department of Medical Examiner-Coroner Report: Elisa Lam

CNN. "Body Found in Water Tank Identified as Missing Student Elisa Lam."

NBC News. "Elisa Lam Case Continues to Fascinate Years Later."

CBS News Coverage of Elisa Lam Investigation

Netflix Documentary: "Crime Scene: The Vanishing at the Cecil Hotel" (2021)

🎵 Music: “Scrunchy” by Night Drift

Licensed by Uppbeat

License code: CAHWZR9T33BFXDNY

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Contact

📩 kathasquestionspod@gmail.com

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