Valley of Shadows: The Aujay Case and Deputy Engles' Suspicious Deaths

The Unresolved Aujay Case

• 🕵️‍♀️ Investigative reporters Hayley Fox and Betsy Shepherd delve into the 1998 disappearance of LA County Sheriff's Deputy Jon Aujay.
• ⚠️ The case is fraught with allegations of a cover-up by the Sheriff's Department, with theories ranging from suicide to foul play.
• 🎯 The investigation uncovers a complex web of meth manufacturing, drug informants, outlaw biker gangs, and potential police corruption.

Deputy Engles and Suspicious Fatalities

• 🏠 In 2006, two deaths—Jennifer Voris Dasley and her father, Lee Vores—occurred at Deputy Rick Engles' home and were ruled suicides.
• ❓ Discrepancies between the investigator's narrative and the autopsy report for Jennifer's death raise significant doubts about the suicide ruling.
• 🔫 The autopsy suggests a bullet entry wound at the back of Jennifer's head, contradicting Engles' account of a self-inflicted gunshot.
• 📞 Engles and his wife, Lynn, proactively requested gunshot residue tests, which investigators found suspicious.

Questionable Investigations and Patterns

• 🚫 Retired detectives Larry Brandenburg and Darren Hager express frustration that the Sheriff's Department hindered their investigation into Aujay's disappearance.
• 📞 An internal email reveals Deputy Engles and Tom Hinkle made numerous calls to the same pager around the time of Aujay's disappearance, a lead that was seemingly ignored.
• 🚗 The case also connects to other suspicious deaths, including the disappearance of freelance investigator Rodney Katziff and the justified shooting of Lyall Tyler, both linked to Deputy Engles.

Obstacles to Accountability

• 🗣️ Attempts to get direct answers from Tom Hinkle and Rick Engles are met with evasion and refusal to speak.
• 🔒 The LA County Sheriff's Department denies public records requests, citing safety concerns, despite some individuals involved being deceased.
• 🏛️ Oversight agencies like the Civilian Oversight Commission and the Office of the Inspector General lack the authority to compel the Sheriff's Department to cooperate, making accountability difficult.

The Search for Resolution

• ⚖️ Retired Captain Mike Bower considers a civil lawsuit against the Sheriff's Department on behalf of the Aujay estate.
• 🗺️ Detectives Brandenburg and Hager contemplate obtaining private investigator licenses to continue their investigation into the Aujay case.
• ⛰️ The reporters revisit the Devil's Punch Bowl, seeking a tangible connection to the elusive story.
• 📄 A resubmitted FBI request yields confirmation of an investigation into John Aujay's disappearance, though processing the files is expected to take years.