in, they said they heard screams coming from the park. she was found naked and bound with red duck taped. when you see the photos, you can feel the terror. he left her for dead. we were shocked. as a dna laboratory that there were no other offenders. how is this guy not in the system? then, one day, you ve got a call. they said there s been an update on the case. it was like finally. i ve been thinking about who this guy was for so long, i don t think anything could have prepared me for that answer. how do you wrap around mind around the fight that someone you trusted this. i can picture him smirking. a second customization? yes. might screw up. what kind of person does that kind of thing? exceptionally sick, evil. reporter: the evening arrows warm and thick with anticipation. college students, returning a new, mix and drank with young locals. darkness fell on colorado. one more night to take a lusty bite of the flooding summer. that last friday
i woke up, like, naked. did you set yourself up? i don t know. i don t know. i don t know. i don t know. it s okay, amber, it s okay. i m worried she has some brain bleed or trauma that she might not recover from. we are frantic trying to get any and all information that we can from her. because is she going to be able to survive this? reporter: the doctors assessed her head injuries, patched up the rest of her as best as they could. and a new cop arrived. what was truly astonishing to me was seeing this woman who had been so badly beaten, her face was so swollen and when i saw her drivers license picture, it was nothing like the person that was laying in that bed. chauvin seymour was a detective assigned to the case. she found amber in the emergency room. what was her condition when you ve got there?
detective seymour got a warrant, tracked his name and address. aric was 20 something, lived with his parents, but he wasn t home. his mother was there and she said that he usually volunteers at the church. so, a partner of mine and i went to the church to contact him there. the case that i am working right now is involving amber smith. yes, like i picked her up and then we re hanging out. i think he was surprised that we were there, but he also knew, i believe at that point in time that something had happened to amber because he was in connection with other people that she knew. and you didn t know at that point whether was guilty knowledge because he did it, or if he just knew? correct. reporter: aric echoed embers story, drinking in the park, having won too many. amber falling asleep. so i try to wake her up.
circle were questioned, close to ten of them. friends, acquaintances. each one provided a dna sample for melissa grass. as we received more samples from individuals in this case, we anticipate that one of them would eventually, or could potentially match the unknown dna profile in this case. reporter: but, none of them did. and a terrified victim waited, and winter came to fort collins. and anxious detective seymour watch for news, anywhere, of sexual assaults. tiktok. he had to be out there. was he watching? coming up for investigators, the depths of despair. i felt helpless, how do we not know who this guy is? reporter: and then for amber, a brand-new trauma. i would look at men and question is it him? reporter: what would happen to you inside when that happened? i would have an anxiety
were certain they had their man. but, as the trial approached, the victim herself, amber smith, was not so certain. she routinely asked us are you guys sure? are you sure this is who did it. how do you wrap your head around the fact that the person you trusted something like this? reporter: amber, after all was slighted to be their star witness. and they needed her to help seal the case. here, for the first time, since that night in the park. she would finally confront sam moon, face to face. coming up even on the eve of the trial, amber wasn t convinced sam was her attacker. i still questioned. i still couldn t believe it. reporter: would she have it in her to testify? i was overwhelmed. reporter: when dateline continues. continues. it s the only migraine medication