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Episode Documentation Page
Elisa Lam: What the Camera Saw Last
This page exists for one purpose: to give you the source for every piece of information used to build this episode. The story is told in a narrative style, but every event, name, and date in it is based on a source listed below — you can verify it yourself.
Case Summary
Elisa Lam, a 21-year-old Canadian tourist, checked into the Cecil Hotel (then known as Stay on Main) in downtown Los Angeles on January 26, 2013. After roommates in her shared room complained about her strange behavior, she was moved to a private room. Her last confirmed sighting alive was on January 31, and when her family in Canada lost contact with her, they alerted the police. Two weeks later with no trace, police released a strange elevator video of her from that same day, which went viral worldwide. Five days after the video was released, hotel maintenance staff found her body inside a rooftop water tank, after guests complained about weak water pressure and a strange taste. The coroner ruled it an accidental death (drowning), with bipolar disorder as a major contributing factor — but how she ended up inside a sealed tank with no sign of forced entry remains a question without a definitive answer.
January 26, 2013
Elisa Lam checks into the Cecil Hotel in downtown Los Angeles, into a shared room.
Late January 2013
Her roommates complain about strange behavior (leaving cryptic notes, locking the door on them), so the hotel moves her to a private room.
January 31, 2013
Her last confirmed live sighting, in the hotel lobby. The strange elevator video that will later become famous is recorded the same day.
Feb 1–2, 2013
Her family in Canada loses contact with her, and reports her missing to the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD).
Feb 13–14, 2013
Police release the elevator video publicly seeking the public's help — the video goes viral worldwide within days.
February 19, 2013
Maintenance staff find her body inside one of the rooftop water tanks, after guest complaints about weak pressure and a strange water taste.
February 21, 2013
A preliminary autopsy comes back inconclusive as to the exact cause of death.
June 2013
The full coroner's report is issued: accidental death by drowning, with bipolar disorder as a major contributing factor after she stopped taking her medication.
2021
Netflix releases the documentary "Crime Scene: The Vanishing at the Cecil Hotel," renewing global interest in the case.
Official Report
Los Angeles County Medical Examiner's Office
The official ruling on cause of death (accidental drowning, with bipolar disorder as a contributing factor), documented via Snopes' investigative coverage of the office's statements.
snopes.com/fact-check/death-of-elisa-lam
Why this source: Documents the exact text of the medical examiner's office's official statement, and debunks unverified rumors about the case with high journalistic rigor.
Official Police Report
LAPD Online
The Los Angeles Police Department's official report at the time the missing-person case was announced, and details of the initial investigation.
lapdonline.org
Why this source: The only official source for details of the steps police took while searching for her before the body was found.
Encyclopedic
Death of Elisa Lam — Wikipedia
A comprehensive encyclopedic documentation of the case with a full timeline, built on dozens of verified press sources.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Death_of_Elisa_Lam
Why this source: Used to verify the accuracy of dates and the timeline, and to cross-check against primary sources.
Press Coverage
CNN
Alan Duke — "How did woman's body come to be in L.A. hotel water tank?", February 2013. Direct coverage at the time the body was discovered.
cnn.com
Why this source: One of the earliest major press outlets to cover the case as it happened, from which we took details of guest and public reaction.