He swindled a lot of people. Reporter the story of his dirty deeds riveted the nation in a hit pod cast this is dirty john. But dirty was about to turn dark hes got duct tape, hes got all the tools ready to to kidnap her. Reporter would this mom and her daughters learn the truth in time . She was in a panic. She said, i saw john. Outside in a car. Reporter a story, ending in savagery that would stun even police theres no way he gets away with this unless he kills her. Reporter im lester holt and this is dateline. Heres Keith Morrison with the women dirty john. Reporter in the beginning was desire, natural human desire for connection, for love. And so she aimed her arrow at that online ocean of intimate strangers. And found him. Newport beach 911. Do you need police fire or paramedics . Hi. I need an ambulance right away and the police. Reporter it was summertime when the awful climax came. A late afternoon, a marmalade sun beating down on the parking lot of a rental apartment complex in new port beach, california. Thats when they heard it. And she says this womans just screaming. All right. Whole complex must have heard it, terrified, howling, desperate. Is she ok . Reporter there was a man down there, they could see him. He had a knife, he was stabbing the screaming woman and nobody was helping her. Its really bad. All right. I understand. We have officers on the way. Too late. Too late. Oh, the ambulance is here. Theyre doing cpr on somebody. The bloody ending. But the story, the whole terrible tale, is much deeper than that one thing, dreadful though it was. A story Christopher Goffard of the Los Angeles Times spent months unraveling, strand by disturbing strand. Its a story about trust and betrayal and its a story about family. About a woman two protective daughters and what those daughters did when the man came into their mothers life. Before the homicide in the parking lot. Dels got your boyfriend the story became a podcast produced with the Podcast Network wondery. The number one podcast in the country for a time. Voted by entertainment weekly, usa today and the guardian as one of the best of 2017. Downloaded by more than 15 Million People in 200 countries. The story and the man at the heart of it was called, dirty john. He was a very creative super manipulative, charismatic, handsome, charming. Intelligent. He was a nightmare to everybody. But not to her. To debra newell, of Orange County, california, the man who presented himself on the dating website dr. John meehan, anesthesiologist, looked very promising. He was the total package, a doctor, very intelligent, family man, loved his kids. Not that attracting men had ever been difficult for debra, or any of the women in the family, according to her daughter terra. Men kind of flock to them. Really . What is it about the women of your family . Well, they have really great hearts and theyre pretty decent looking. Good women, happy, successful, attractive. I love those barstools. Debra owned a thriving interior design firm, and a moving company, and a silk flowers business. Had dozens of employees. Certainly no money worries. But she was in her fifties, marriages behind her. And she was looking. Each potential mate carefully vetted by her watchful daughters. We were very judgmental of all the men that she dated. A little too judgmental . Maybe. Me and my sister could go over the top sometimes just very protective over my mom. But now debra wanted a romance, just for her, on her terms. I had always done everything for my children. So i felt like it was me time. And this guy on the website . Was me time to a t. Hes just back from a year in iraq where hes volunteered with doctors without borders. He was charming, kind of old fashioned. When he asked her out. He didnt just meet her somewhere, or wait in his car. He insisted on coming upstairs to get me, so thats what a gentleman does. He took her to a fancy place for dinner. And, all courtly manners, paid the not inconsiderable bill. On their second date he arrived in medical scrubs hed come straight from an operation and he was handsome and tall and very fit. And very into her. He swept me off my feet, said everything right. Took me everywhere that i wanted to go. Did you have that walkingonair feeling that you get when you fall in love little bit. I fell in love. She called me one day and told me that she met someone amazing and that she really liked this guy. She wanted me to meet him. But, true to form perhaps, debras daughters reacted just as they often did to a new man in her life, especially terras sister. She didnt like him immediately and i thought, oh, shell eventually like him. Hes a lotta fun. Hell win her over. Debra rented a house part of her new start in a picturesque part of newport called balboa island. And she ran her business with a new lightness. And at night was loved by this accomplished doctor, this sensitive man. What did he do for you . Everything from run errands to me to back rub every night. Just would listen to my day. We would take walks every night. He held my hand. I mean, he was everything that you would want. Pinch yourself. Youve got it finally. Yeah. Then, just before thanksgiving, as terra helped her mother move into the balboa house. He started moving his stuff in, too. Terra didnt like it. Not a bit. She confronted her mother. I told her it looks fishy. I dont get it. She told me i needed to mind my own business. And he came up behind her. Whatd he say . He was saying that youre just trying to get your mom all to yourself. And i started screaming back at him. No, john. Thats what you are trying to do. The next day was thanksgiving and deborah quite fed up told her suspicious daughters not to bother showing up for dinner. Neither one of you . Neither one of us. What was that like . Really hard. Hard for debra too. But she needed her own life. She and john asked a counselor for advice. And the counselor suggested that i have rules for the girls. Boundaries. The therapist said, look, you have a right to be happy. This is your relationship. And johns position was this therapist is absolutely right. So debra weighed the options listen to her family . Or embrace what felt like the best thing to come along in years. She chose love, or certainly what felt like it. Whats the old expression . Until death do us part . The bond between mother and daughters already fraying might just break thanks to a startling decision by deborah. I knew my family would be not very happy with me. When we return, the daughters fight back by doing some digging into john. She bought these trackers for cars and she put one on my moms tesla. So she found out where john was going. Caramel macchiatos for just 10. Exactly. sup, fellas. Hey, man. sup. Oh, wait. 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Oikos triple zero greek nonfat yogurt gives me fifteen grams of protein and zero added sugar. Whether im on the field or off, every decision matters. Including how i fuel. Oikos. Fuel your hustle. im 65 and healthy. Im not at risk. Even healthy adults 65 and older are at increased risk of pneumococcal pneumonia. Isnt it like a bad cold or flu . Pneumococcal pneumonia is a potentially serious bacterial lung disease. In some cases, part of your lung may fill with mucus, making it hard to breathe. Can i catch it from a pneumococcal vaccination . No. The vaccines do not contain live bacteria. Talk to your doctor or pharmacist about how to help protect yourself. Homestate of alabama. No word yet from the 49ers or the league office. We ve tweeting the details. And on our app. Jeff ranieri has posted his updated weekend forecast. Tomorrow a blast of winter warmth. Many of us will be in the 70 s. We ll see you at 11. Reporter las vegas, nevada. The great glittering temples to gambling will happily take your money, of course and perhaps youll leave the city a little poorer. And if you want to bet your heart in las vegas, well, you can put that on the line, too, if youre in a betting mood. And debra newell was. I felt very adored and very loved, and i thought, well, if hes the love of my life. Im ready. Reporter theyd been dating two months when she went to vegas on business in december, 2014. John meehan went along. And we went to a courthouse, and just got married before a judge. Like that . Just like that. Reporter married. Nobody there but them and their secret. They decided, said debra, they wouldnt tell anyone. I knew my family would be not very happy with me. Reporter whatd it feel like . Very mixed emotions. A little empty, knowing that theyre not on board with this. Reporter but thats all on that one side. On the other side, theres this rush of happiness and good feeling, right . Yes. Reporter so debras daughters, protective as usual, had no idea that their mother was a newlywed. The therapist debra had seen recommended that she keep her relationship separate from her family, but of course christmas was coming. And there were very important family traditions like the one where terra would have her own special time with the nieces and nephews of her extended family. So they made a deal. John would stay in a different room, while terra had the kids to herself. She was going to be able to enjoy the kids, and he had to sort of stay away. Reporter didnt work out so well. What actually happened . Well, he walked in with all the presents, and of course the kids congregate all around him. He went straight up to them. He gave them gifts. Reporter like, being santa claus or something. Something like that. Yeah. Reporter yeah. I mean, that kind of sort of role. Yeah. Reporter did he do it on purpose . Of course, thought terra. That made me so upset. Terra was very emotional. I thought, just suck it up. You know, its christmas. Have fun. Reporter instead she felt that that man had come and usurped. Yes. Reporter something. Yes. Reporter he had not only stolen their christmas, thought the daughters, but both of them worried he was stealing their too trusting mother. Taking advantage of her. She just let him drive her car. Why would he need to . Wasnt he a prosperous doctor an anesthesiologist . Couldnt he afford a car . Well there was a reason, debra told them that while john was in iraq, working with doctors without borders, he was robbed. His house, his clothes, his cars, he was working with Insurance Company of getting the claim. So i let him borrow my car. Reporter john would get all his money back soon enough, said debra. Didnt wash with terra. Sounded like a shaggy dog tale. At that time i had lots of suspicions. Reporter and thats when she and her sister decided to do some snooping. She bought these trackers for cars. And she went and put one on my moms tesla. So she found out where john was going. Reporter where was he going . He was going to multiple doctors offices. Reporter not so unusual, perhaps, for an anesthesiologist. But the sisters noticed something. He was there for not that long of time. Reporter not long enough to conduct any medical procedure so what were those quick visits all about . Seemed more like a man trying to get access to something. Like maybe drugs. It was just a hunch, but they went to debra with that. Said maybe hes an addict. And debra refused to entertain their wild suspicions. Reporter this was more like, stop interfering in my life . Somewhat. Yes. But id fallen in love. Reporter debras daughters were not about to be put off. One of her daughters is particularly suspicious. She doesnt know why he wears surgical scrubs everywhere. It seems to be a costume hes wearing. She thinks his fingernails are dirty, and this does not look to her like the hands of an actual doctor. Reporter and so they started digging. An investigation that would lead halfway across the country. To the depths of evil. To an appointment with death. Coming up troubling revelations about john. They learned that he was not a doctor. Discovers that were about to go from disturbing to terrifying. I said, hes very, very dangerous. When dateline continues. You know who im gonna follow . My instincts. As long as gps can still get you lost, you can count on geico saving folks money. Im breeding, man. Fifteen minutes could save you fifteen percent or more on car insurance. This guys. Is guy . Been through a lot. Dogs bring out the good in us. Pedigree brings out the good in them. Feed the good. Are cream conditioners bringing your hair down . Switch to new pantene light as air foam conditioner, full of rich prov nutrients. For 100 conditioning, 0 weight. New pantene. Foam conditioner. 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They dont have any evil in them unless they were taught to have evil in them. Reporter sure. And terra was something of a student of evil. She was a fan of the tv show the walking dead. Zombies. She had a feeling that evil was lurking in the life of john meehan. So did her sister. They knew he was hiding something, said reporter Christopher Goffard, and they were determined to find out what it was. They hired a private investigator to look into his past. Reporter debra, meanwhile, was in love. The newlyweds had settled into a simple life on newports balboa island. Debra, convinced shed found the perfect man. Even when, sometimes things didnt quite make sense. Like the time she picked up the mail, and saw a strange return address on a letter to her husband. Reporter you opened a letter to him . Yes, i did. I was so curious. And he was irate. Thats fraud. You know, i cant believe you did that. Reporter but, what had caught her attention was that letter was from an inmate at the Orange County jail. Reporter did you read the letter . I did. Reporter what was in it . It was talking about how lucky he was that he had found love, and that his life had turned around. And im thinking, life had turned around . Hm, so i questioned him. And he said that he writes and sends care packages to people in prison. Reporter sounded plausible enough to debra. But not to the sisters. Especially not once their private investigator began reporting his findings on john meehan. They learned that he was not a doctor. He was not an anesthesiologist. Reporter john had worked as a nurse anesthetist, but not recently. And he certainly had not been in iraq with doctors without borders. Instead just before he met debra they learned that one of his recent addresses was the Orange County jail. John was not a sender of care packages, he had been an inmate. Then in march 2015, four months after john moved in with debra the sisters snooped around the balboa house and jackpot they found a stash of paperwork john had left there. Legal documents, Police Reports. Reports that hes stalked other women and that other women had restraining orders on him. Reporter johns papers outlined a long criminal history. Multiple arrests and incarcerations, drug convictions alarming stuff. And debra was hesitant to believe this stuff. She believed john. Reporter even after her daughters told her what theyd found. Debra went straight to john. And he said they had the wrong guy. He said, theres gonna be allegations that other john meehans did. And i thought, well, okay, youve got a point. Reporter john said he was a victim of mistaken identity in some cases, and in others, he was framed. And he said, i was set up. And i said, but you lied to me. He goes, because i knew you would never date me if you knew the truth. And i said, youre right. I wouldnt have. [ laughter ] reporter thing was, john was so sad. Seemed so sincerely contrite. He started crying and crying and crying. And he said, please forgive me. I love you so much. I can never live without you. Reporter and it was true that he made her feel like she was the only woman in the world. And when they were alone together she felt truly loved. And im thinking, okay, 90 of me doesnt believe him, but theres that 10 that maybe hes right. And im gonna throw away the person that i fell in love with without trying to work it through. Reporter and so she accepted his explanations, and she forgave him. Reporter there was always a reason. Yes. Reporter in march 2015, soon after they found that stash of papers, terra and her sister discovered their mother was married to the guy. That was it. They were fed up. Refused after that to speak to her. Reporter this was a very big, bad problem in your life. Yeah. Reporter just how big and how bad they didnt know yet. But buried in that stash of johns papers was the name of someone who did. A detective, way off in ohio. One of the sisters picked up the phone. Called him. Reporter whatd you think when you got her call . I said, hes very, very dangerous. You need to talk to your mother. You need to have her call me. I will tell her everything. Reporter that is, the strange and disturbing tale that begins with her. Coming up thousands of miles away, this woman also had questions about john. I started snooping. And i found everything. Reporter and when she spoke up . Thats when things got really scary. You enjoy your time left on this earth, okay . Because thats what its going to come down to. 9 symptoms. 1 dose. Max strength. Start the relief. Ditch the misery. Lets end this. And for kids multisymptom relief, try 1 recommended childrens mucinex. Hey, leggo my eggo. I dont see your name on it. Really . Ba bam know the rules. Keep your eggo. Leggo my eggo. Okay. Breakfast with a view like whwhoa. Is . Get a free build your own grand slam after your next online order in january. Whatever you want, whenever you want, now wherever you want. Order at dennys. Com. Reporter who was this man whod stolen debras heart . This john meehan . Tonia bales had no idea either, when he stole her heart decades ago. He was playful. He was interested, engaging, smiley. Reporter it was the late 1980s. Tonia was a young nurse anesthetist in dayton, ohio. John was in law school there. Until he met her, that is, and said he had a kind of epiphany. He said, you know, im not even sure ill be happy bein an attorney. I think i wanna be a nurse anesthetist. And i think my jaw fell to the ground, because i thought he was, you know, a secondyear law student. Reporter in fact, he wasnt. He had been kicked out. Though he didnt tell her. All the days of my life. All the days of my life. Reporter so, in her blissful ignorance, she married him in her familys church. In 1990. Mr. And mrs. John meehan. Reporter and she helped put him through nursing school. They had two daughters, before things stopped adding up. And i found out that he was having an affair. Reporter tonia wondered, what else did she not know about her soon tobe exhusband . Like, why did he refuse to invite his family to their wedding . Why not let her even meet them . She decided to call his mother. I said, dolores, this is tonia. Im married to your son, john. And the phone was quiet for a minute. And she said, oh, tonia. I knew youd call me some day. Reporter wow. And so then, of course, my heart was racin and my knees were shaking just to make the phone call. And then she just unloaded on me, you know, all the details of trouble in the past. Reporter according to his own mother, john had been cheating and stealing and lying for years. Even lied to tonia about his age. Lopped off five years. Oh, and hed been convicted of cocaine trafficking. She said, you know, is he still using drugs . And i said, what . Reporter so in Something Like shock, tania became a sleuth. Who was this man . I started snooping. And i found everything. It was under my nose all the time. Reporter evidence of a criminal double life. And something else. A cedar box full of fentanyl and versed and some other things that arent controlled substances. Reporter she started watching that cedar box. And things did come and go. So now i thought reporter its a stash. Its a stash. Yeah. Reporter was he using his position as a nurse to steal drugs . Reporter like getting a ticket to be in the candy store all day long. Right. I mean, its like puttin an alcoholic as a bartender. Reporter she told the authorities. She had to. It was the law. He had to be stopped. He was gonna hurt patients. Reporter and on a dime. He turned on me. He flipped like a switch. Reporter now the man she once thought she knew turned scary. Threatening. She began recording their phone conversations. Listen to me, tonia. Im listening. I got a big smile on my face and you know why . Because its gonna get done. Whats gonna get done . Youre not making any sense. Well, it dont have to. You will understand when the time comes. And thats all i gotta say. When it happens tonia and you see it in your eye you remember it was me, okay . Remember what, john . Keep that in mind. It was me. Tonia, you enjoy your time left on this earth, okay . Because thats what its gonna come down to. Reporter he was arrested for making threats against tonia in june 2001 was convicted of menacing and put on probation. Reporter he wasnt the man she thought he was . Thats exactly right. There was another version of john. Reporter dennis luken was a Police Detective back then. He investigated the source of those drugs tonia found in the cedar box. He started at johns house. And found a gun. Illegal because john was on probation. So he was arrested again and sent to jail. When he went to Montgomery County jail, i called a supervisor. I said, youve got an individual there, john meehan, and hes gonna try to con you outta drugs. He says, he already has. He claimed he fell outta the top bunk and he got pain medication. Reporter youre dealing with an incorrigible person here. Yes, sir. Youre dealing with an addict. A very smart, articulate addict. Reporter eventually, thanks to luken, john did jail time for stealing drugs in ohio and michigan. And tonia felt guilty. Wondering if shed missed warning signs. Wondered what else john might have hidden from her. Never thought about the clue. Way back at the beginning. On her wedding video. And the groomsmen whod had some drinks and have their arms around each other, and theyre talking about how they met him. Were here to celebrate john. One of the groomsmen said john meehans nickname is filthy john meehan. Reporter filthy john, over the years, became dirty john and the nickname stuck. Reporter you found out later on, there was a story to that. Yes. He was basically conning little old women out of money for jobs that he didnt do. And also that he had a way with the ladies. Reporter luken discovered darker secrets as well. John supplied the opioids that killed his own addicted brother. He was alone with his sick father when the old man died rather suddenly. John wasnt charged in those cases. But there were others, said luken. And as the years went on, he developed a certain criminal specialty. He would go on dating websites and he would find women that usually had good financial backing. He always told people he was a doctor. Reporter he seemed like an ideal catch, i suppose. Yes. Reporter for a lot of these women . He was a true conman. Hed take their money and when they would find out about him, john would threaten em, he would terrorize em. Reporter how bad was he . John was the most dangerous, treacherous, manipulative, deceitful, criminal that id investigated in 40 years of law enforcement. Reporter once terra learned about johns past, she was consumed with worry. I was very distraught at the time. Reporter because this dangerous man was now married to a very successful business woman who happened to be terras mother. He couldnt get enough of me. Reporter thats a good feeling. It is. Reporter the trickery of love. Yes. Reporter trickery. But something far worse than that was coming soon. Coming up one of debras daughters is about to make an ominous discovery. She was in a panic. She said, i saw john. And i said, where . She goes, outside in a car. Are these terrified familys worst fears about to come true . When dateline continues. Dont wait another moment. Get together with your loved ones today for generosity the italian way. Only at olive garden. Every day, i push myself to be better. Every day, i make choices. Every day, i bring the hustle. And oikos triple zero greek nonfat yogurt helps me fuel it. Its got more of what i want, like fifteen grams of protein. 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In which they found zip ties, cyanide, and two loaded guns. What did all that say to you . He might be a killer. And she has to get out of this. Has to . Has to. Reporter john had an explanation of course, even for that cyanide. He says he has multiple sclerosis. And that he kept the capsules around in case he needed to kill himself if it got too painful for him. Reporter this time, however johns story didnt ring true, not even to debra. He still continued to treat me incredibly well. But he tried to isolate me from everyone. Especially your family. Especially my family. Reporter and now, chastened and afraid, she reconciled with her daughters and Read Everything they had uncovered about john meehans past. I assume by this time you didnt feel in love with him anymore . No. What did you feel . Confusion. I thought, how could this man fake it to this degree . Did he love me or was this all a game . And i realized i was his newest victim. Reporter in april 2016, 16 months after marrying john meehan, she fled from the home they shared in vegas back to Orange County. And from a safe distance, she filed for an annulment. And soon discovered just as tonia bales had discovered years before that john could turn on a dime. He started by trying to ruin her reputation sent weird, inappropriate emails to her colleagues, her clients. Did he send photographs of you to anybody . He sent nude photos, yeah. Thats a nightmare for any woman to be in. Oh yeah. There were so many things that he did, but one of em, he burnt my car. He took it, stole it, and then set it on fire. Did he threaten you physically . Yes, but not in a direct way. He would say, boo, i know where you are. Its not gonna be for long. Reporter the same way hed threatened tonia. Tonia you enjoy your time left on this earth, okay . Because thats what its gonna come down to. I went into hiding. I bought a dark wig changed my clothes, got a rental car, stayed in different hotels. I went everywhere that he wouldnt suspect. How long did that go on . Six months. Wow. Yeah. Reporter now, stories john had told her before she left played over and over in debras worried mind. Disturbing stories. Hed told similar ones to tonia years before stories about the mafia. If they wanna get back at you say you took money from them or something they dont kill you. They kill someone you love. Because then you live in pain the rest of your life knowing that your actions caused the death of a loved one and now you dont have them. I learned that from him. Reporter and the man debra once loved she now feared. That had to be a very, very strange feeling. Very much, yes. Scared for my life. Reporter and not just her own life. I was afraid hed kill my mom. I was also afraid he would kill me or my sister or someone. After all, theyd ruined all his plans. In the summer of 2016, debra began staying, in secret, with her other daughter. Hoping she was safe there. And then it was the night of august 19th. She came home and she was in a panic. She said, i saw john. I saw john. And i said, where . She goes, outside in a car. Reporter watching them . He was supposed to be in las vegas. Why was he back in Orange County . She didnt have to wait long to find out. Someones been stabbed. Someones been stabbed . Coming up the evil that had been gathering for almost two years explodes in broad daylight. Hes planned this out. This was a revenge killing. And the shattering end that would stun even the cops. Do not use if you are allergic to eucrisa or its ingredients. Allergic reactions may occur at or near the application site. The most common side effect is application site pain. Ask your doctor about eucrisa. Oikos triple zero greek nonfat yogurt gives me fifteen grams of protein and zero added sugar. 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Hey, man. sup. Oh, wait. Build whatever meal you want with favorites on mcdonalds new 1 2 3 dollar menu. it was like something out of a movie. It started when reality tv met reality. I couldnt believe it. This has been a complete nightmare. There has not been a story like this. Only on nbc. August 20th, 2016, 5 00 p. M. , a 14yearold named Skylar Sepulveda was returning home from her junior Lifeguard Training when she heard a woman screaming. Out in the parking lot of her Newport Beach apartment building. Ive never heard anybody else scream like that before. And lot of people would just dive under the covers and say, i hope that stops. Yeah. Once i found out what was going on, i knew what i had to do. Reporter she raced to the parking lot. Her mother called 911. Shes like, mommy, somebodys screaming. Somebodys screaming. And then she saw this guy just raising his hand up and down up and down. Okay. We have officers on the way with lights and sirens. So she said that she saw blood . I dont know. Somebody yelled, shes bleeding. Shes bleeding. Reporter skylar reached the parking lot. Saw a man and a woman she didnt know. As i was running, i could see everything that was going on. So, i saw him actually stab her. Reporter that woman being stabbed was terra, who, with her dog cash, had just stepped out of her car to find someone waiting. Dirty john. He said, do you remember me . He looked me right in the eyes. Reporter there was no pause, no time to think. Terra, sitting here talking about it, was still struggling with what happened. Still visibly keeping an emotional distance, as if it happened to somebody else. He was trying to push me into the car. He actually had the trunk wide open. Trunk. So he wanted you in the trunk of his car . Yes. Reporter john was 62. A foot taller than terra. As he pushed her, he began hitting her with a bag. Something hard in it. It just felt like i was getting punched over and over again. Reporter but it wasnt that. There was a knife in the bag. Cutting her. Slicing into her. And i put my arm up with my purse above my heart. And i tried to get away from him. I was screaming. He put his hand over my mouth. And i bit as hard as i could. Reporter cash the dog barked furiously. Bit into johns ankle. I got thrown down onto the ground somehow. And i was just pedal kicking him trying to block the knife when hes stabbing me. And i kicked the knife out of his hand. And it landed on my righthand side. Reporter and then, full of adrenaline, she did something astonishing. I picked up the knife and i started just wailing on him and stabbing him. And i pushed him down. I stabbed him at the top of his head and then, the last time was in the eyeball. Did you aim for that . I did. Thats the zombie kill. Reporter that show, the walking dead. Her education for fighting evil. What did you understand from watching that show about how you deal with zombies . You have to kill them in the head. Like, you have to kill their brain. Reporter the police arrived. Their dashcam video picked up skylar, the junior lifeguard, leading a very shaken terra to the curb. Right down here to the bottom okay . Reporter where, still terrified, she called her mother. I think i might have killed him, im sorry. [ crying ] i knew this was gonna happen. Did i not tell you he was going to try to hurt us . She said, mom, i just killed your husband. Im so sorry. And im thinking, what . Reporter debra raced over there. You could see police cars blocking it off, fire engines. It was crazy. They wouldnt let you in . They said it was a crime scene. Reporter john meehan never regained consciousness. And four days later, dirty john was dead. Right after the attack, Newport Beach detective rick henry found johns killer, terra, at the hospital. Her dog still guarding her. And she told me the whole story. The whole storys a the wh pretty complicated mess. Yes. Reporter as doctors treated terras wounds, detective henry began investigating. The whole family waited and worried. So what were you afraid of . Well, i didnt know if they would for sure s know that it was him attacking her, and she it was self defense. So you were afraid that they might charge her with something. Yes. Reporter there is a process the law must follow. Careful consideration. August became september, october, november. Debra didnt know it, but the detective had discovered something in the trunk of johns car. We found a backpack with numerous other knives inside. We found zip ties. We found duct tape. We found his passport. It took some organization. It took thinking. Hes planned this out. This was a revenge killing. Reporter Orange CountyDeputy District Attorney matt murphy believed the evidence spoke for itself. There is an image of this young woman in the hospital with her dog sitting on her bed. Talk about a picture saying 1,000 words. It screams out that this is an innocent woman who came very close to being murdered by a really bad guy and fought bravely and survived. Reporter the prosecutor said it was an easy decision. This was selfdefense. Case closed. Did a feeling come with that . A sense of relief that its, like, finally over. Reporter john meehans exwife tonia bales was working when she got the news. Do you remember that moment . Oh, yeah. It made me tremble. I was in the middle of a case, and i just it popped up on the screen, as a notification, john was killed. By the time i took the patient outta the room, i was in tears. Yeah. I wasnt in tears cause he died. I was in tears cause i had to tell his children. And that made me very sad to have to tell them. It was awful. Reporter her daughters, 16 and 21 at the time, said they regretted not being able to show him how well they turned out in spite of him. And now . Debra still struggles with guilt. I would have never, ever in my entire life put my kids at fear or put them in danger. That was the last thing on my mind, is that he would be going after one of my kids. You feel lucky in a way . Oh, i feel very lucky. I believe terra saved many lives. Saved my life, saved many other victims. Reporter terra was diagnosed with ptsd. She still has some healing to do, but she returned with us to that parking lot. I dont wanna poke and prod too much, but what happens inside your stomach when youre here . I just get a lot of anxiety. I just have flashbacks of me running down the ramp and just, like, going to the cement. Reporter she gamely showed us the spot where she looked death in the eye. And struck back. This wasnt an easy thing to do. Im just taking it all in right now. I think youre a tough cookie, right . Yeah, thats what a lot of people say. [ laughter ] i guess so. [ laughter ] reporter and dirty john meehan . Is an ever more distant memory now. His trail of victims safe from his terror. Thanks to a young woman and a little dog who fought for her life. And won. Thats all for this edition of dateline. Well see you again sunday at 7, 6 00 p. M. Central and of course ill see you each weeknight for nbc nightly news. Im lester holt. For all of us at nbc news, goodnight. Right now at 11 right now a the president , the call tonight from the bay area congresswoman after president trumps reported racist comments on immigration. The news at 11 00 starts right now. Good evening thanks for being would you say im raj mathai. Im jessica aguirre. Next week a plan of action. Two top House Democrats say theyll unveil a resolution to censure the