This episode appears to be based on the 1995 Linda Sobek case. Sobek was an actress and model whose career was finally taking off when she vanished. She had an upcoming role on the FOX sitcom Married... with Children (1987), but she failed to make her costume fitting. That morning, she informed her mother she was running late for a photo shoot and then departed to never come back again. A road crew worker near the Angeles National Forest was emptying trash cans in the park area when he discovered photographs of her, her date book, and a lien on a Lexus 450 SUV in her name, as she had recently been approved for a car loan and acquired said vehicle. Concerned foul play was afoot, the workman notified local police and furnished the recovered items to them. Police investigation eventually lead to photographer Charles Rathbun, who initially told police that Linda's murder was an accident, for he had accidentally struck and killed her, but this was contrary to what police already knew from her case. Her remains were found partially buried in the Angeles National Forest in California. Rathburn was convicted of her murder and sentenced to life in prison.
Michael Imperioli appears as limo driver Johnny Stivers. He later appears in a five-episode run as Detective Nick Falco at the end of Season 15.
Joanna Merlin (Deirdre Powell) has appeared in several Dick Wolf series. In addition to appearing in five episodes of Law & Order (1990), three of the episodes she plays defense attorney Deirdre Powell, the other two she plays defense attorney Carla Bowman. She appeared in four episodes of New York Undercover (1994) as defense attorney Carmella McNamara. She is probably best known for playing Judge Lena Petrovsky on Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (1999), Judge Petrovsky appeared in almost every season for a total of 43 episodes.
Joanna Merlin has portrayed two different characters during the course of the series:
- Episode 2.21 Silence (1992) - Carla Bowman.
- Episode 3.19 Virus (1993) - Carla Bowman.
- Episode 5.8 Virtue (1994) - Deirdre Powell.
- Episode 6.18 Atonement (1996) - Deirdre Powell.
- Episode 8.12 Expert (1998) - Deirdre Powell.
Mark Lotito has played six different roles over the course of the series:
- Episode 3.20 Securitate (1993) - Bailey.
- Episode 4.4 Profile (1993) - Policeman #1.
- Episode 5.1 Second Opinion (1994) - Paramedic.
- Episode 6.18 Atonement (1996) - Nance.
- Episode 8.21 Bad Girl (1998) - Detective Mallory.
- Episode 8.22 Damaged (1998) - Detective Mallory.
- Episode 8.24 Monster (1998) - Detective Mallory.
- Episode 13.7 Open Season (2002) - Bartender.