the missing pieces. detective aaron veuleman had been working the case. and now he took the lead. >> what we first wanted to do was expand the scope of the crime scene search because we -- there was one crucial piece of evidence that we didn't have at that point, which was a murder weapon. >> reporter: veulman hoped the murder weapon might definitively link spellman to the shootings. >> what'd that turn up? >> we didn't find anything. nothing of value. >> so you're back to kinda nowhere. >> that's right. >> and then? >> we received a phone call from the investigators at the sinton police department. >> reporter: those investigators in the neighboring town of sinton had just been given a letter addressed to kristene chapa's father. >> what does the letter say? >> the letter is written from the perspective of a hitman who has been hired to kill the surviving victim in this case, kristene chapa. >> reporter: in the letter, the hitman even named the person who had hired him. if you're wondering, the letter does not mention dylan spellman.