Mysterious Case Analysis: Elisa Lam

A young Canadian woman mysteriously disappears in a hotel. Weeks later, the police discover her body in a water tank. However, her tragic end isn't the most disturbing element of this story, but rather her last living image: a bizarre video in which she appears nervously hiding from something or someone...

Part I: The Case

Elisa Lam, born on April 30, 1991, in Canada, was a university student with a life that, at first glance, seemed ordinary. Little was known about her, other than her enrollment at the University of British Columbia and a presence on social media, where she shared interests in film, fashion, reflections, and thoughts about mental health.

It's known that the young woman was taking medication for depression and bipolar disorder. Her posts discussed this, revealing a deep, artistic and extremely sensitive personality. Elisa, like other young people her age, yearned for belonging and purpose, searching for her own path and still uncertain about the future.

Her Tumblr account remains active to this day. Visiting the personal diary of someone who has passed away provokes a feeling of discomfort, as it's a reminder of our transience. However, it was necessary for me to try to understand who Elisa Lam was.

Her posts provide clues about her mental state, especially the most recent ones. Curiously, she posted an image of the Hermit card from Tarot. There was no caption. This archetype, as we know, speaks of solitude, introspection and the search for truth.

Driven by a desire to prove her independence, as her posts suggested, Elisa decided to travel alone to the United States. This took her to California, San Diego, and Los Angeles, where she made her final stop at the Cecil Hotel.

At that time, the Cecil's reputation was far from positive. Opened in 1924, the establishment had a long and dark history of suicides and murder. It was also known as an affordable home for drug users. Definitely not the wisest choice for a young woman alone with no solo travel experience. However, the low prices served as a powerful lure.

Initially, Elisa was accommodated in a shared room. However, guests complained about her behavior. Elisa left notes with messages like "go away," locked the door and demanded a password to the other girls. After this incident, Elisa was moved to a private room.

There are reports that Elisa visited the recording of a TV show, but was forced to leave due to "strange" behavior.

Shortly before her disappearance, Elisa was seen at The Last Bookstore (a curious name, considering the situation). An employee recalled serving her and gave some interviews about it. The woman described Elisa as a friendly, talkative and excited about the trip. She also said that Elisa approached people and employees at the establishment, asking for recommendations on places to visit and the best routes. In other words, Elisa didn't seem like someone willing on taking her own life.

Her stay at the Cecil didn't last long. Elisa checked in on January 26, 2013, and disappeared on the 31st. Her parents, noticing the interruption in their daughter's messages, promptly reported her missing.

The investigation mobilized many people, including internet users. The police conducted meticulous searches of every corner of the hotel, including sniffer dogs. Nothing was found and no suspects.

To mobilize more people, the police released a video online of Elisa's last appearance: a camera recording from one of the hotel elevators. In the video, the young woman appears entering and exiting the elevator, hiding, looking around, pressing several buttons, gesturing as if speaking to someone and finally leaving. No one else is seen in the recording.

The strange behavior has been the subject of numerous theories: from mental problems to demonic obsessions, from drug use to a possible escape from a stalker. Many have accused the hotel of manipulating the recordings, as some of the time stamps appear to be erased or corrupted.

Sadly, Elisa was found dead nineteen days after her disappearance. Hotel guests began complaining about water with a strange color and taste. That's when an employee, checking the rooftop water tanks, found the young woman's body floating in one of them. Naked, face up, with her clothes at the bottom of the tank. With the body only a clock and room key.

After weeks of investigation, the forensic team declared that they found no evidence of trauma, cuts, struggle, violence, or abuse. Toxicology tests revealed no drug use, only a small percentage of alcohol (0.02g%). The tests also detected medications to treat bipolar disorder, but in lower doses than she should have been taking. They also found flu medication and anti-inflammatory medication.

In short, the investigation failed to pinpoint a clear explanation for the tragic outcome. Due to a lack of evidence of crime and abundant evidence of mental instability, the case was ruled an accidental drowning. However, one important factor must be considered: after weeks of immersion in water, the human body tends to erase evidence that could solve the mystery.

The family remained discreet. They only confirmed that the young woman had mental health issues, that she had exhibited strange behavior before, and that she had disappeared once, but they didn't say anything about any suicide attempts.

The internet didn't buy this story. Thousands of people began investigating the case on their own, seeking to validate the hypothesis of foul play. Perhaps because of this, Netflix released the documentary "Crime Scene: Murder at the Cecil Hotel" (2021). Comprising four episodes, the series features never-before-seen interviews with people involved in the investigation. However, the production reached the same conclusion: accidental drowning due to bipolar disorder.

Twelve years later, many people think the mystery persists because it's truly strange. At first glance, you'd think it was murder. But is it really?

So I decided to open the cards. To try to find some of these answers. To understand the case of the video that still gives me chills.

Part II: Loose Ends

Would someone with bipolar disorder and depression actually look for a water tank to hide in? Would a person in a psychotic state have the coordination and reasoning ability to plan such a strange route? Climb onto the roof, find a water tank, and simply jump in? That looks insane.

Some body language experts debate the video's content. Many suggest Elisa was interested in someone, based on specific gestures. Others pinpoint possible lies and inconsistencies on the hotel manager's interview with Netflix.

Was Elisa on her way to meet someone? Was she captured by a psychopath in the hallways? Or did the unpleasant memory of someone, combined with social anxiety and inappropriate medication, lead to her breakdown?

The elevator video has at least 3 strange points:

• Between 00:32 and 00:37, Elisa's mouth becomes pixelated. Glitch or editing?

• The entire video appears slowed down, but at 2:05 her right arm moves too fast. A cut?

• At 2:57, there is an obvious jump in the elevator's movement, suggesting another edit.

In the documentary, investigators say they searched the roof, including with a helicopter. However, they found no evidence that Elisa was there (this was early in the search). This leads to three possibilities:

1. Elisa fell into the water tank and left the lid open. If the investigation took place at night, there's a chance investigators missed the open lid, or didn't pay attention. Human error. The tank is at least two meters of height, and the ladder is outside. Inside, there's no support whatsoever. If someone falls, there's no way to reach the top again. Therefore, there's no way to close the lid from the inside. This is the most likely hypothesis.

2. Someone threw Elisa into the tank and closed the lid. So, no one thought to look for her inside there.

3. At the time of the initial searches on the roof, Elisa wasn't yet inside the tank. She ended up there later. But that doesn't make sense. She would have to be hiding somewhere else in the hotel. Since the searches were meticulous, room by room, closet by closet, the chances of this theory are slim.

The fact is, there's no evidence to support hypothesis two. The criminal would have had to act at night, unseen, carry a body to the roof, climb the ladder of the maintenance shed (which is next to the tanks), open one of them, and throw the body. Or subdue Elisa while still on the roof. But why do this? There were no signs of violence, no cuts or bruises on her body. She could have been restrained right there with a cloth soaked in some substance. It's not impossible, but how would the person have known she was on the roof? Would they have followed her steps? Or was it a coincidence that she came up for air and happened to encounter a psychopath? Many variables.

Below are the main unanswered questions about the case:

• What was that elevator behavior really? An outburst? Or some sort of game?

• Why did it take them so long to find the body?

• When the body was found, was the water tank lid open or closed? There are inconsistencies in the testimonies.

• Why was she found without clothes?

• Is there a connection between Elisa Lam and the laboratory test called LAM-ELISA? Or is it just a macabre coincidence? This test is used to identify the presence of an active tuberculosis infection. Interestingly, around the same time Elisa stayed at the Cecil, there was a tuberculosis outbreak among homeless people in Skid Row, an area of Los Angeles near the hotel.

  
  

Observations of the report

• They found no evidence of external or internal trauma

• The victim's clothing had sand-like particles stuck to the fabric

• They did find traces of medication, but at levels inconsistent with regular or effective use.

• The advanced state of decomposition of the body limited the collection of samples

  
  

Part III: The Oracles' Answers

Just like the ninth card of the Tarot, the Hermit, seeker of truth, I formulated nine questions to try to understand the case from an oracular point of view.

I chose Waite-Smith Tarot and Lenormand. I used two different methods, depending on the complexity of the question.

➪ Method 1: simple, consisting of one card from each oracle, both of which will assume the role of ANSWER.

➪ Method 2: More complex, consisting of three cards, with the positions Negative/Answer/Positive. The negative aspect shows what is hidden, distorted or exaggerated in the situation. The worst side of the card. The positive aspect shows what is clear, what is evident, what really happened. The best side of the card.

⚠️ IMPORTANT NOTICES

1. This is not a scientific or technical analysis, but rather an oracular and personal one.

2. The conclusions reflect my symbolic interpretation of the cards, combined with the information available on the internet to the present date.

3. The goal isn't to promise a solution, since experts have already concluded the case. The goal is to shed light on other issues and bring other perspectives. It's to demonstrate that oracle cards can also be used for investigative purposes.

4. Feel free to express your opinion, as long as it is respectful and well-justified.

5. This report includes original analysis. Reproduction is prohibited.

   
   

The 9 key questions

• Was it suicide?

• Was it an accident?

• Was it a crime?

• Was it a spiritual attack? (if the energy of the Cecil influenced her behavior)

• What was that strange behavior in the elevator video? (sub-question: was she talking to someone or alone?)

• Did anyone interact with Elisa shortly before her death, or after she left the elevator?

• How did she end up in the tank? (on its own?)

• Why she was naked?

• Was the elevator video edited to hide something?

  
  

✷✷✷ Answers, analysis and theories ✷✷✷

➔ Was it suicide?

Answer: Key (Lenormand) + Hermit (Tarot)

Method: 1 card from each oracle as an answer

Analysis: no.

Although the Hermit speaks of her feeling alone, misunderstood, and isolated, it's an archetype of rationality, not thoughtless behavior. Key is a card associated with intellect. I don't believe she intended that.

➔ Was it an accident?

Answer: Bouquet + The Hanged Man

Method: 1 card

Analysis: Yes, it's possible.

I've seen the Bouquet associated with play and also things we do when we're "bored." Hanging is a card of reflection, a moment of isolation, but literally speaking, it can speak precisely of that dive or fall into the pool.

➔ Was it a crime?

Answer: Birds + 5 of Cups

Method: 1 card

Analysis: inconclusive.

Based on this answer, I'd say no. Birds speaks of restlessness, anxiety, turbulent thoughts, and the need for liberation. In some contexts, it also speaks of mediumship. The 5 of Cups speaks of many issues: depression, isolation, disappointment, frustration. But none of the cards are about violence.

➔ Was it a spiritual attack?

Answer 1: Lily + The Judgment

Method: 1 card

Analysis: it is possible.

The Lilies card, in certain contexts, speaks of spiritual connection and experiences on subtle planes. Judgment, on the other hand, needs no explanation: its symbolism is quite revealing. While I don't believe in the theory of "demonic possession" or any such exaggerated ideas, I do believe that mental and energetic vulnerability favors spiritual attacks. These attacks can manifest in different ways: malaise, nightmares, insomnia, a feeling of being watched, chills, negative thoughts, sudden sadness, suicidal thoughts in people who have already considered it etc. In a question about spirituality, the presence of two cards from this "realm" is indeed a strong indicator. The low vibrations of the place may have influenced Elisa to reduce her medication, for example.

➔ What was that behavior in the elevator video? / Was she talking to someone or to herself?

Answer: Scythe + 7 of Swords / Tree + 8 of Cups

Method: 1 card

Analysis:

The Scythe and the 7 of Swords are cards that refer to communication and, especially, thought. The Scythe also speaks of many other things: a sudden change of mind, a desire to free oneself from an emotion or situation, a poor mental state, thoughts of death. The 7 of Swords is a curious card here in this spread, as it strongly resembles Elisa's own posture at a certain point in the video (hiding and then spying to see if anyone was outside the elevator). Together, they speak of the need to free oneself from something, but also of spying on someone, observing. But that someone could be imaginary.

When I asked if she was alone or not, I got Tree + 8 of Cups. In my opinion, there was no one.

➔ Did anyone interact with Elisa shortly before her death?

Answer: Fox + 7 of Cups

Method: 1 card

Analysis: I don't think so.

In other contexts, the Fox would refer to a stalker, a chaser, someone who observes, who watches. But given the answers above, I interpret it differently. The Fox is a card that also speaks of solitary activities. The 7 of Cups speaks of illusions, daydreams, and visions.

➔ How did she end up in the tank?

Lenormand Answer: Woman (negative), Clover (answer), Book (positive)

Tarot Answer: Strength (negative), Queen of Wands (answer), 3 of Swords (positive)

Method: 3 cards (negative, answer, positive)

Analysis:

The Queen of Wands, as an answer, indicates impulsiveness. The Clover speaks of risk and carelessness.

The Woman in a negative position points to something that originated with Elisa herself. Strength in negative aspect means an excessive and exaggerated intention to suppress negative emotions and thoughts. I don't see any intention of death, but it ended up culminating in this outcome.

Book and 3 of Swords in a positive position indicate many internal questions.

All the cards together suggest a need to get some air, isolate herself, perhaps climb into risky places to reflect on life, which ultimately led to the accident. Perhaps she wasn't feeling well physically, possibly dizzy or suffering from low blood pressure.

➔ Why she was naked?

Answer: Stork (Lenormand) + Judgment (Tarot)

Method: 1 card

Analysis: inconclusive.

I believe she removed her clothes in an attempt to climb or escape (Stork) from the tank. Perhaps she tried to throw them out in an attempt to signal anyone on the roof, but failed. Or to stay afloat as long as possible while screaming (Judgment).

➔ Was the elevator video dited to hide something relevant about the case?

Answer: Mountain + Page of Pentacles (clarified by Hierophant)

Method: 1 card

Analysis: surprisingly, no

I believe the video was not significantly manipulated to hide anything related to the crime. It may have been edited to preserve the hotel's image (Hierophant), but nothing really that big.

Part IV: The Conclusion

This is one of those cases where you come away with the feeling that no hypothesis explains everything, but all explain one aspect.

Before drawing the cards, I was fully convinced it was a crime, that the police found no evidence and decided to close the case as an "accident" to cover up their "incompetence." A perfect crime.

However, after revisiting the case and using the cards, I'm no longer so sure.

While there are still loose ends, I believe the simplest answer is the most likely: it was an accident caused by Elisa's mental health issues, combined with a lack of proper medication (or a combination of substances) and the stressful situation of being in a hotel, far from home, with strangers complaining about her behavior. And perhaps some personal issue served as a trigger, which we'll never know.

But there's one insight that the police obviously dismiss because it's unscientific. A piece of the puzzle that could help explain the mystery: i see a spiritual influence.

Judgment came out twice, a card about reevaluating the past, and also about bad decisions in the present and spiritual influences. In fact, if there's one card that speaks of spiritual attacks, it's this one.

Anyway, we need to consider the lack of evidence of a crime and the difficulty it would have been to carry it out. Furthermore, Elisa's strange behavior didn't seem surprising to her family. They even sued the hotel, but on the grounds that the hotel didn't offer guests safety. They didn't contest the outcome, didn't request a reevaluation of the case, and barely commented on the matter.

While reading discussions on YouTube and Reddit, I came across several comments of people with bipolar disorder. Many stories sounded exactly like Elisa's. I read the story of a woman whose sister had gone swimming in a lake in the night, naked, and was only removed with the help of the police.

Whatever the reason behind the incident, I believe Elisa didn't want to die. Perhaps she was out of her mind. But, of course, the only force who knows this with absolute certainty is God, the divine plan, spirituality, whatever you want to call it.

I believe there was indeed a spiritual factor that aggravated her mental state. A mentally and energetically balanced person can pass through a strange hotel like the Cecil unscathed. But someone with so much chaos within, and still under the influence of multiple medications? Would be easy prey for the subtle forces of evil. Not like in demonic possession movies, where everything goes flying. But like the toxic breath of low-vibration beings upon a vulnerable person.

Before closing the table, I asked the cards if this case would ever resurface. If any news or secrets would be revealed to the public. The answer? Clouds. I don't think so. But symbols surprise us. Life does too. The only thing that truly matters is the truth.

What did you think of this story? Do you agree or disagree with this analysis?

Leave your opinion in the comments!

References:

The Vanishing at the Cecil Hotel. Netflix (2021)

Body Language Analyst REACTS to the Cecil Hotel Manager's MORBID Nonverbal Communication (2021). Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lc00BLnQQ6Y

Body Language Analyst REACTS to Elisa Lam Case Detective's ASHAMED Nonverbal Communication (2021). Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v_cwJ7TN_nY

BrainScratch: Elisa Lam Elevator Video Body Language Analysis with Expert Sandy Hu (2020). Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XAFOyyiiVhs