majordisaster

Well, yes, that's why I said "otherwise different from the SVU ep" - the "ripped from the headlines" aspects of the show always have some details changed. And L&O episodes often have "ripped" elements from several different unrelated real cases. The main story may have been based on something completely different, but it's still interesting (to me, anyway) that the opening is clearly based on the story in that article.

The opening (young woman attacked in a hotel, taken out in a suitcase, left for dead with no memory of the attack) was surely based on this case: http://www.vanityfair.com/culture/features/2010/12/vanishing-blonde-201012 . The real case is fascinating (but otherwise different from the SVU ep).