(NBC News) – Tonight on “Dateline,” when Emory University sophomore Shannon Melendi goes missing in broad daylight from her off-campus job at a softball field, police are interviewing everyone in Shannon’s orbit, then they receive a mysterious phone call that changes everything.
Here’s a preview of Dennis Murphy’s report:
Shannon missing. It was beyond all imagination. From the roommate, a rough timeline emerged.
Shannon was supposed to be in her dorm on a Saturday night. But when she still wasn’t home by Sunday morning — her roommate had started to worry.
YVONNE MELENDI: She said, “Where is she?” so she went looking for her. The first thing she did was went to the softball country club.
Shannon worked part-time at a softball field — about five miles from campus.
The roommate headed out to look for Shannon with two other friends.
But they missed the entrance to the softball field parking lot — and when they turned around they spotted something.
YVONNE MELENDI: She saw her car parked at a convenience store.
LUIS MELENDI: Gas station.
Shannon’s black Nissan — unoccupied and parked at the far end of a gas station.
DENNIS MURPHY: She was as proud as she could be of that car,
MONIQUE MELENDI: Yes, she was. She lov– she loved her car.
DENNIS MURPHY: What was concerning about the way the car was found, what condition it was in?
YVONNE MELENDI: It was unlocked, keys in the ignition.
Watch Thursday’s “Dateline” on NBC4 tonight at 10 p.m., right after “Law & Order: SVU.
