Inside The Cecil Hotel: Dark Truths Behind Elisa Lam’s Elevator Video

2025-09-17

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On a February morning in 2013, guests at the infamous Cecil Hotel in Los Angeles complained of brown, foul-tasting water. What the maintenance team discovered on the rooftop would spark a global internet frenzy - the body of 21-year-old Elisa Lam inside the hotel's water tank. In the days leading up to her disappearance, Elisa was captured on the hotel’s elevator CCTV behaving erratically. The now-viral footage has since fuelled endless theories, speculation, and conspiracy. But for those who worked inside the walls of the Cecil, Elisa’s case wasn’t unusual. The hotel had a long, dark histo...

In the days leading up to her disappearance, Elisa was captured on the hotel’s elevator CCTV behaving erratically. The now-viral footage has since fuelled endless theories, speculation, and conspiracy. But for those who worked inside the walls of the Cecil, Elisa’s case wasn’t unusual. The hotel had a long, dark history of death, violence, murder and tragedy.

This week on True Crime Conversations, host Claire Murphy speaks with the Cecil Hotel's former manager, Amy Price who lived through the sheer horror and chaos. From eerie theories to the realities of running a place with such a dark history, Amy shares what it was like inside the hotel when one of the internet's most enduring mysteries unfolded.

If any of the contents in this episode has caused distress, there is help available via Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636.

CREDIT LISTGuest: Amy PriceHost: Claire MurphySenior Producer: Tahli BlackmanAudio Producer: Jacob Round

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