Inside a family's fight to keep teen daughter's killers in prison

This story originally aired on Feb. 15, 2025. It was updated on July 25, 2026.

It was Sept. 18, 2003 when Justine Vanderschoot's remains were discovered in a remote location more than two weeks after she disappeared. But it's in the garden outside her bedroom window where her parents Don and Lynnette still come to find her.

Lynnette Vanderschoot : It's … 21 years since we've lost Justine … but it's still very fresh in our mind. Mementos of their youngest child and condolence flowers that poured in after her death are now permanently rooted here. Lynnette Vanderschoot : We call this Justine's Garden.

At the center is a towering dogwood tree — a reminder of her favorite trips to the Sierra mountains and a sobering measure of how long she's been gone . Lynnette Vanderschoot (in Justine's Garden) When we celebrated the 17th anniversary, Christine said she's been gone as long as she was here on earth. Justine's older sister Christine sums up what those years have been like for her in one word.

Christine Vanderschoot : Lonely. She was my best friend …We were only 18 months apart … We did pretty much everything together since day one. Natalie Morales : How would you describe Justine?

What was her personality? Christine Vanderschoot : Vibrant, charismatic, just life of the party … She … made you laugh every time she'd say something. Don Vanderschoot : She was a spark in our household that's for sure.

Lynnette Vanderschoot : Little firecracker (laughs) … Cheerleader, baseball, soccer. She was always on the go. At 17, Justine was on the verge of graduating high school and wanted to pursue a career in fashion and beauty.

Natalie Morales : Did she know what she wanted to do in life after high school? Christine Vanderschoot : She would sew and design her own shirts and shoes. … She had to stand out and … that was what she wanted to do for other people was make them stand out and feel beautiful.

Instead, her family is now forced to grapple with her murder and its aftermath. Don Vanderschoot : I don't ever want to forget about her, but I don't want to be reminded of what happened. Natalie Morales : But it's not so easy to just pack it up and put it away, right?

In fact, the Vanderschoots say it remains an open wound thanks to ongoing efforts by Justine's convicted murderers — Danny Bezemer and Brandon Fernandez— to get out of prison. Retired Placer County Sheriff Ed Bonner. Ed Bonner : Including parole hearings … I think the Vanderschoots have been back to court seven times … the last seven years, always facing the possibility.

It's hard to imagine that both men were once welcome in the family's home. First came Brandon. Christine Vanderschoot : I believe it was probably seventh or eighth grade that I started to become friends with him.

A few years later, he introduced the Vanderschoots to his friend Danny. Christine Vanderschoot : It was actually at a birthday party for me … We had a pool party. … And Danny was actually coming to the house to meet me.

But it was Danny and Justine who clicked. And while she was only 15 and he was about 17, they quickly became serious. Christine Vanderschoot : From that party on, they were always — always together.

Natalie Morales : They … even talked about perhaps getting married, is that right? Christine Vanderschoot : Yeah … they were very serious. … he became kind of like a fixture in our family.

Christine Vanderschoot : His dad wasn't really in the picture … and he didn't really have a mom. So to come into our household and see how a real family was, I think that was something that he was attracted to as well . The Vanderschoots offered Danny the support and stability of a happy family life.

Christine Vanderschoot : I considered him like a brother almost. Don even got Danny his first real job working with him at an auto dealership, and his own key to the house. But looking back, the Vanderschoots now see red flags they didn't recognize then.

Christine Vanderschoot : Telling her who she could see and who she couldn't … monitoring her texts and her cellphone calls. … her frustrations were really starting. Lindsey Morris was Brandon's girlfriend and says Justine confided in her about problems with Danny.

Lindsey Morris : He was so jealous and very possessive over her. She couldn't go out and hang out with friends without him freaking out and getting upset, and pouting. … She even said, "I don't know if I break up with him … if he'll ever really let me go." Christine Vanderschoot : Towards the end … she was trying to pursue certain things … he was trying to hold her back from … he didn't want anything to change.

Natalie Morales : And she was sort of growing up and maybe growing apart from him at that point? Christine Vanderschoot : Yes. I think so.

Retired Placer County Detective Angela Ford says Danny's fears of Justine leaving him reached a fever pitch in April of 2003, when Justine met someone during a spring break trip to Florida. Angela Ford : Justine had developed a friendship with a Navy sailor there at Pensacola. Natalie Morales : Did she tell you about the man she met in Florida?

Lynnette Vanderschoot : She did. … she liked him. … I think it kind of opened her eyes.

Angela Ford : When Justine came back, she was definitely talking about this guy. … And telling all of her friends about how amazing he was, and how attractive he was, and how she wished she could spend more time with him. … Danny had gotten wind of this.

Christine Vanderschoot : He thought he was losing her. And they say Danny became consumed with the idea that Justine was cheating on him. Lindsey Morris : Danny had asked me would I be willing to wear a wire so I can get her to confess this.

… He wanted the proof. I told him, absolutely not. And there was another troubling dynamic among Justine, Danny and Brandon.

Angela Ford : Once Justine came into the relationship, their friendship wasn't the same as it was before. Justine believed Brandon was a serial cheater and a bad influence, so she gave Danny an ultimatum – him or her. Danny and Brandon lost touch for about a year, but by late 2002, they reconnected and decided to become roommates.

Natalie Morales : It was a triangle that was sort of toxic at that point. Christine Vanderschoot : Exactly. Um, and it kind of really fueled when Danny and Brandon moved in together.

Justine continued to be a thorn in Brandon's side. Lindsey Morris : Brandon hated Justine with a passion … would constantly say … that she was a whore, and that she would — manipulated Danny. In 2003, a few days before Labor Day, Justine attended a party at Danny and Brandon's apartment.

Lindsey Morris : We sat … on the front porch, just talking … And we both agreed … that we were gonna get rid of these guys … and that we wanted a fresh start … and that we could do better. Ed Bonner : Justine was getting ready to go to the next stage. Danny was not going to allow it.

In the early morning hours of Tuesday, Sept. 2, 2003, Lynnette Vanderschoot found her daughter's bedroom empty and her truck gone from their driveway. Ed Bonner : This was so uncharacteristic of their daughter, so different from any behaviors in the past.

[KOVR News report] LYNNETTE VANDERSCHOOT (showing Justine's purse): She has no money, no ATM, no credit card, no — no identification on her at all. Justine's family frantically turned to the community for help. Ed Bonner : The Vanderschoots … passionate … and they got organized.

[KOVR News report] CHRISTINE VANDERSCHOOT (holding missing poster): This is my sister. She's been missing since Tuesday. Don Vanderschoot : We went through all of Auburn hanging the missing poster flyers, tying the pink ribbons around 'cause pink was her favorite color.

[KOVR News report] LYNNETTE VANDERSCHOOT: Justine, we love you. We're all out looking for you … Please call us and let us know you're OK. Pretty soon, everyone was looking for Justine.

Some searchers wore T-shirts with Justine's photo and reward information printed on them. Natalie...