>> reporter: miles was stationed in afghanistan with sam. they fought together. miles knew how sam was toward anyone he considered a friend. he wouldn't hurt her? >> no. not in a million years. i thought it was something in his past that they were trying to do something to him and -- and try to get him. and the reason why his body wasn't there is because he was off running away from these people. >> reporter: miles feared sam was in danger. maybe sam's mom and dad, too. >> i wanted to make sure nothing happened to steve and raquel. so i went to their house and, you know, during the night i spent there, you know, with my gun by my side just to make sure. i slept on their couch by their door. >> reporter: detectives needed to find sam and fast, says orange county homicide prosecutor matt murphy. >> you got a dead woman in his apartment. he's missing. and then you factor in afghanistan. and you start thinking, okay, he's a trained killer after he'd