20/20 Introducing 'Bridge of Lies' -- A New 20/20 True Crime Series
Mar 4, 2026
An abandoned car on a Jersey Shore bridge sparks a tense missing-person search and river dive operation. Friends offer conflicting theories about a young artist’s disappearance. Investigators probe troubling clues like burned cash and odd omissions. A filmmaker’s undercover sting uncovers startling admissions and layers of betrayal.
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Large Search Launched After Abandoned Car Discovery
- An abandoned car on a Jersey Shore bridge triggered a large-scale missing-person search for 19-year-old Sarah Stern.
- Authorities deployed swimmers, boats, and helicopters as Sarah was unusually off the grid and unreachable by phone.
Profile Of The Missing Artist
- Sarah Stern was a promising 19-year-old artist and the only child described by her mother as deeply missed.
- Friends recalled her history of self-destructive behavior and one friend suspected she might have staged her disappearance and fled to Canada.
Undercover Sting Unmasks Betrayal
- The case shifted from possible suicide or runaway to a crime after investigators found troubling omissions and a partially burned cache of money.
- An undercover sting by a filmmaker produced decisive evidence that exposed betrayal and criminal plotting.