As a little kid, it definitely scared the heck out of me. Reporter she was a girl, then, too. Solving these mysteries became her mission. So how many names did you have . About 2,300 names. Reporter could cuttingedge technology crack an icecold case . I was like, no way. I believe in the devil, and people that dont believe in the devil, i think, theyre in for a big surprise. Hello, and welcome to dateline. Michella and jenni were just like most kids their age. They loved riding bikes, and playing outdoors. The funloving girls didnt know each other. But they would be forever connected, through tragedy. Decades later, a detective would leave no stone unturned, on a quest for justice. And in the process, uncovered a twist that left investigators speechless. Here is Keith Morrison with evil was watching. Reporter again and again, she came here. Stood under the ancient canopy. Walked the damp, narrow paths, to the places the killer used to hide what he had done. As if looking, once more, after all these years would tell her something. As if the dense undergrowth would part, and finally reveal a name. Its so peaceful here. Its not the kind of place you would associate with Violent Crime. Thats for sure. No. No. And nothing like this has ever happened, at this park before. Reporter lindsey wade was just 11 years old that terrible summer, in tacoma, washington. I just remember that it was really scary, to me, as a young girl. It was really scary, not just for me but, for everybody. Reporter and the questions about that place and that summer followed her. Up through the ranks of the tacomapolice department. Until, as Detective Lindsey Wade, she came here to wrestle with Something Like an obsession. A mystery, that lay dormant for more than three decades. A story, that can finally be told. It was march, 1986. Things were finally looking up for Barbara Leonard. Hadnt been easy, she said, after her husband left her. To raise three girls alone. But here, in tacoma, barbara had, at last, found a good job, a home, and prospects. I was working in a real estate office, and had just bought a house in the north end of tacoma. Scraped and saved money. Reporter even a little extra, to sign up her daughters for piano lessons. Her youngest was nicole. There was angela, in the middle. And the eldest was michella. She was almost 13. She wasnt a rebellious child but kids that age want to be a little more independent. Reporter and it was bring break so she begged her mom. She wanted to go to the park with her sisters, and be there for the piano lesson. Reporter puget park, a patch of green on the north end of tacoma. Just across the street from their lessons. A couple of miles from home. Michellas sisters will never forget that day. We were for like half an hour or so. But we went, like, two and a half hours. Reporter freedom. They rode their bikes to the park, where they realized theyd forgotten their lunches at home. So, michella was just like oh, i will go grab them and then come back. And then, in the meantime, we had to go to the bathroom so there is no bathroom at the playground, back then. So where did you go . So we went down the street. It took a while. And when they finally got back, michella should have been there, too. But she wasnt. Her bike was there, and it was locked. And we started looking. We have this family call. Uhhuh. And it and it echoes, just far and wide. And so, we were whats the family call . Whoo yeah. And so, we yoohooed for her and didnt hear anything. Reporter thats when it happened, when the cold fear flooded their bodies. Like, at that moment, i knew. Knew what . I just knew something had happened. Yeah. That it was there was it was wrong. It was very wrong. Something was really wrong. I left work, i remember that day, and i was i was praying i wouldnt get a Speeding Ticket but i was probably doing 70 miles an hour on the little road. Do you remember what that was like that. It was terrifying. You are hoping you are going to see the kid come Walking Around the corner. Gene miller was a patrol officer, then. Tacoma police. A special kind of horror or dread that goes with a little girl going missing like that. Anytime a child goes missing, its its a scary thing. Reporter where was michella . The police looked, of course. But as the hours ticked by, my god. Theres nothing. Theres an emptiness there, you just time kind of stands still. Yeah. And then then, its, all of a sudden, its gone. I mean, so it was dark. They said were going to call in Search And Rescue because we havent found her. Reporter it was late when they took search dogs into a nearby, overgrown gulch. And then i was in the one of the police cars, and they told me that that they had found her body. And, you know, when you say found her body, its not the person. Its just its terrible. Sorry. Reporter they found her near a makeshift fire pit. She had been beaten and sexually assaulted. Her throat, cut. Its this sickening feeling, that just overtakes you. And life is never going to be the same as you know it. And i think that it does one of two things to you. Its either going to eat you up or its going to motivate you to find the bad guy. Reporter day after day, they searched for the killer. All that dismal spring. One of michellas classmates told police she saw a man in the park looking at the girls. They made a sketch, and tips flooded in. One of them seemed especially worrisome. A man out jogging reported seeing someone who looked like the sketch in a different park. A place called Point Defiance park. A few miles away. Scouting his next victim . Fear gripped the city. Though, for barbara, it felt more like rage. She got a gun permit. Kept a gun in her car. Id go pull up at a stoplight, and i remember looking over and there is a man in the car and i was thinking could you have done this . Did you do this . Because they had no clues, for months, months, and months. And it was fog. You just living in a fog. Reporter then, it was summer. Five months had passed. August, that year, was fabulous in the pacific northwest. And woke up a little late. Jenni woke up a little late. Reporter just the two of them. Patty bastian and her 13yearold, jenni. And we were sitting in the dining room, on the floor. In front of the patio doors, bathing ourselves in the sun. We were talking. All about upcoming camp. All about what she was going to do the rest of the day. We just visited. Its not something we regularly did. We just did it, that day. I think we needed to. Reporter a moment, in time, so treasured and so terribly fleeting. Coming up. There is a knock on the front door. Its somebody with the police department. Reporter another missing girl. Another anguished family. Another awful search. There were, literally, hundreds of people looking through the park for her. Everybody wanted to find jenni. Reporter when dateline continues. Jenni. Reporter when dateline continues. You get fast, 24hour relief in one drop. Make it a pataday with the drop thats right for you. Now without a prescription. Everywhere. Nexgard is the flea and tick protection thats 1 with vets. It even prevents the infection that causes lyme disease. Your vet trusts nexgard for her patients and her own dog. Plus, its delicious beef flavor is 1 with dogs. Ask your vet about nexgard. These are real people, not actors, whove got their eczema under control. With less eczema, you can show more skin. So roll up those sleeves. And help heal your skin from within with dupixent. Dupixent is the first treatment of its kind that continuously treats moderatetosevere eczema, or atopic dermatitis, even between flare ups. Dupixent is a biologic, and not a cream or steroid. Many people taking dupixent saw clear or almost clear skin, and, had significantly less itch. Dont use if youre allergic to dupixent. Serious allergic reactions can occur, including anaphylaxis, which is severe. Tell your doctor about new or worsening eye problems, such as eye pain or vision changes, or a parasitic infection. If you take asthma medicines, dont change or stop them without talking to your doctor. So help heal your skin from within, and talk to your Eczema Specialist about dupixent. If your financial situation has changed, we may be able to help. Alright, guys, no insurance talk on beach day. Im down. Yes, please. [ chuckles ] dont get me wrong, i love my rv, but insuring it is such a hassle. Same with my boat. The insurance bills are through the roof. [ sighs ] be cool. I wish i could group my insurance stuff. [ coughs ] bundle. The house, the car, the rv. Like a cluster. An insurance cluster. Woosah. [ chuckles ] i doubt that exists. Its a bundle its a bundle, and it saves you money hi. Im flo from progressive, and i couldnt help but overhear. Super fun beach day, everybody. It was summer, 1986. A sunkissed morning. A few miles from the park, where they had found michellas body, Patty Bastian was enjoying a morning at home with the younger of her two daughters, jenni. A blonde, blueeyed dynamo. If there was a ball, she had it in her hand. If there was a bat, she had it in her hand. Reporter she had a brand new schwinn bicycle. She wanted to have the stamina to keep up. She had planned a training ride, with a friend. The friend backed out. And so, that sunny day, august 4th. Jenni called her dad, and asked for permission to do the 5mile drive around Point Defiance park by herself. Reporter and he said yes, but be home by 6 30. So she wrote a little note, and left it on the kitchen table. Reporter pd, on jennis note to her mom stands for Point Defiance. Tacomas huge and loved urbanforest park. Jennis older sister, theresa, 15 at the time, worked at a day camp there. Its majestic. I mean, all these overdone, you know, words of the poets, dont begin to describe the just the primeval forest and its beautiful. Reporter the fivemile drive around the park was paved, well marked, a popular hike. Patty left for her Evening Shift at a store, about 40 minutes away. And then, the day just becomes like any other day. Until a phone call comes, in the evening. Its my husband, saying that i need to come home. Reporter jenni was hours late. Patty heard the fear in her husbands voice. She drove home, terrified. Police were looking in the park. Told her, stay home, and wait. And then, about 11orso at night, there is a knock on the front door. Its somebody, with the police department, with the bloodhounds. Oh, boy. They want a piece of jennifers clothing. Something they can get a scent off of. Reporter they didnt find jenni, that night. Or the next day. Tacoma Police Closed Point Defiance park for three days. Hundreds of people joined the search. Nbc affiliate, king 5, covered it. Jennis sister, theresa, pleaded for help. Just take time. Just think back. Just sit down, and remember. Any, little bit would help. Reporter meanwhile, Police Worked the angles. Was it a kidnapping . Maybe, they were going to ask for ransom. We just didnt know. Or maybe, jenni got lost or was badly hurt. There were, literally, hundreds of people looking through the park for her. Everybody wanted to find jenni. Reporter gene miller helped run down hundreds of suspected sightings. There was a lot of goodfaith effort, on the part of citizens, to call in. And say i think i saw her here or i think i saw her there. Reporter patty waited. Still, hoping her jenni would walk right in the door. She was at home, when she got a visit from another mother. Barbara. Michellas mom. There to offer support. Just seemed like the thing to do. She was very, very sweet. Very nice. I said, thank you. She left. And i said, to a friend who was sitting there, im not sure why she came. Jennifers not dead. You represented the outcome she kpraetly did not want to have happen. Exactly. Exactly. And she didnt want that to be her reality. But was it . It seemed like all of tacoma feared the worst. After about, i dont know, 20 days, i decided i needed to do something, beside hang out in the backyard drinking coffee. Yeah. And i decided to paint the dining room. I dont know. Reporter and thats where she was when the detective arrived. Took the brusher roller out of my hand. Sat helped me down the ladder, sat me on the chair in the dining room and said we found her. Todays date is august 29th. Reporter this is police video from the next day. They had found jenni, in a thicklywooded spot near a narrow footpath. She had been sexually assaulted, and strangled. And her killer had hidden her body and her new schwinn bicycle. And a second mother learned all about permanent heartbreak. Have you let your mind go to what probably happened to her, that day . I have my fairy tale, i think. And i will just live with it. She was riding her bike. The monster came Out Of The Woods and grabbed her. And killed her. More than that, i cant wrap my brain around. No. Twice, in five months. And the victims, very similar. Blonde, blue eyed, riding a bike, in a city park. Reporter and after . Kids in tacoma lost the Freedom To Roam alone, just like that. Turns on a dime, after jenni. Yes, it did. It was immediate. We couldnt go down the street and play with friends anymore. Chaperoned everywhere. Yeah. Because there was evil out there. A man, a monster, who needed to be found. Everybody, it seemed, wanted to help the police. At one point, i think we were up to nine or ten binders full of just tips. And it was everything from i saw a strange person in the park, that day. To my neighbor has got issues. Reporter Police Released another sketch of a possible suspect. A man, in his 20s, wearing mirrored sunglasses. That tip led to the man who drove this van. He was familiar with Point Defiance. He was familiar with the fivemile drive. They took a good, hard look at him. But dead end. Dead end. There were many dead ends, that year. And in the years that followed. The police collected all the evidence they could. But really, there was only so much they could do. The science of dna was in its infancy. And eventually, the murders of jenni and michella went cold. It changed the way people thought of other people. When the bad guys still out there, and when you dont know who the bad guy is. The whole town kind of carries it around. Absolutely. Absolutely. Reporter miller carried it around, too. For two decades. And then, he met a young detective, who was just a kid, that summer of 1986. But, did she remember . Yes, she did. Coming up. It definitely scared the heck out of me. Another detective joins the case, and after all these years, old evidence is about to yield a new clue. It was a shocker. When dateline continues. S lindsey wade wasnt friends with michella or jenni. But she certainly could have been. I definitely i guess, identified with a little girl out riding her bicycle. Oh, sure. She was 11 years old back then, in the summer of 1986. And because she had lived in tacoma, of course, she had heard about those girls, just like her. How they had been snatched, In Broad Daylight and murdered. It definitely scared the heck out of me. Yeah. There would be certain times, where if i was out riding my bike. Or if i was walking, it would be something that i would think about. Reporter a layer of that glossy childhood varnish, forever, stripped away. Probably, for the first time, made us recognize that theres really bad people out there. Takes away a little innocence, doesnt it . Yeah. Yeah. Definitely. Reporter she got to thinking about bad people. In high school, she read a book about the notorious serial killer, ted bundy. Who was from here. He was from tacoma, yes. And i was fascinated by the book. And terrified, at the same time. And i just decided that thats what i wanted to do for a living. I wanted to catch people, like him. Reporter but, even after she joined the Tacoma Police department, and earned her way through patrol and narcotics and sex crimes. She never forgot about jenni and michella. And the summer of 86. I would have a suspect, that i was working, and i would wonder, okay. Could this guy be responsible . Reporter the mystery kept its grip on gene miller, too. Inspired him to start a coldcase unit, here. I mean, things have changed, dramatically, in in how cases are investigated. Theres so much more that can be done. Reporter eventually, in 2013, detective wade joined him. Eager to dig into the case of michella and jenni. Binders and binders of police reports, and interviews and leads. 27 years of dead ends. And Point Defiance. Like a giant, everpresent question. So, her bicycle was back here, in this area. And it was lying on its side. The suspect had taken some of these fern frauns and ripped em out. And then, laid them across the top of the bike, to camouflage it. Reporter and further down the path, deeper Into The Woods, where they found jenni. Hidden from view . Very hidden. Reporter they discovered her body in a shelter, of sorts. One of the original detectives actually described it as Something Like an igloo, almost. So, like a cave. Hmm. That was made out of the vegetation. What do you get out of being at the place where she was found . For me, as an investigator, it was important for me to come out here, and actually see it. To try to understand a little bit better, what happened. And try to get myself into the mindset of the killer. I mean, there were days when i would get frustrated sitting in my Office Working on the case. And i would just drive down here, and park my car and sit down here. Hoping that something would come to mind. Reporter one thing that did come to mind . Assembling a list of all the names in those binders. Persons of interest. Witnesses. Any male, who had intersected with the original investigation. So, how many names did you have . About 2,300 names. Its a lot of names. Yes. My working theory, at that time, was this guys got to be somebody whos been convicted of a sex crime or another murder. And somehow, he slipped through the cracks. Reporter back, in 1986, investigators had recovered semen from michellas body. But when that semen was tested years later, it didnt match anyone in the fbis nationaldna database, known as codis. They didnt have any dna from jennis body, though they did still have the swimsuit she had been wearing that day. When the crime lab looked at the swimsuit, they found semen in the crotch of her swimsuit. Reporter for decades, everyone believed the same man murder both girls. And now, finally, they had a way to prove it. But when they compared the two dna samples . It was a shocker. Coming up. I was absolutely dumbfounded. Reporter a revelation is about to change the case. All this time, you are looking for one thing and its actually Something Else . Uhhuh. Now, we had a new lead. Theyd also get a cuttingedge, new clue. I thought, well, im going to give it a shot. When dateline continues. Ds when you have a twoinch lift. When you have Goodyear Duratrac tires. When you have rancho shocks and an integrated dual exhaust. When you have all that, the last thing youll need. Is a road. The Chevy Silverado trail boss. Ready to offroad, right from the factory. Feel the cool rush of claritin cool mint chewables. Powerful 24hour, nondrowsy, allergy relief plus an immediate Cooling Sensation for your throat. Feel the clarity, and live claritin clear. 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And even if the power goes down, your connection doesnt. So how do i do this . You dont do this. We do this, together. Bounce forward, with comcast business. Hello. Im dara brown. Heres whats happening. Dozens were reportedly killed in myanmar, on the deadliest day there since last months military takeover of the country. Multiple dimp Diplomatic Missions released statements mentioning killing of civilians including children. And baltimore will no longer prosecute prostitution and other lowlevel crimes. It started as an experiment last year and since then, nearly all categories of crime have declined in baltimore. Now, back to dateline. Ne. Welcome back to dateline. Im natalie morales. Lindsey wade was just 11 years old when two young girls in her hometown were murdered within a matter of months. As the years passed, wades obsession with the cases grew. Now, she was a detective, and hoped advances in Dna Technology would help her unmask the killer. But what she was about to learn would completely transform the investigation. Here, again, is Keith Morrison with evil was watching. Michella was so fierce. There really wasnt anything that intimidated her at all. She just took life, head on. Reporter it never left them. The spirit that was their sister followed them all around their growingup years, and when they had families of their own. And they knew, always did, that their mom had lost a piece of herself. Be all together, in this family environment. And then, just this closing would come down over her. Yeah, and shed just bawl. Yep. You want mom back. Reporter the mystery of who killed michella and jenni haunted two families for nearly30 years. All they knew, or thought they knew, was that some, unknown man, assaulted and killed those little girls. This man, who had killed once, had killed again. Absolutely. There couldnt be two monsters in tacoma. Reporter but they were wrong. Dna doesnt lie. And the male dna found on jennis swimsuit. Did it match the other case . No. Reporter there wasnt just one killer. There were two. I was absolutely dumbfounded. Yeah. I dont think i could speak. I was like, no way. I think we were all just we had to kind of take a moment. Sure. To regroup. Yeah. Because all this time, youre looking for one thing. And its actually Something Else. Uhhuh. But it was exciting, at the same time, because now we had a new lead. Reporter the dna from jennis swimsuit. A brand new piece of evidence. It might lead them to her killer. But when they entered that into the national database, no match. Once again, they seemed to be right back where they started. Youre just in the hurryupandwait mode. Youre waiting for your offender to get their dna in the database, because of a conviction or whatever. And that could be a long wait. Reporter in 2014, gene miller retired. Leaving detective wade in charge of the coldcase unit. And she had a new helper. Jennis mom, patty. 29 years after her daughters murder. My career was winding down. I thought i should probably do something. And so, i volunteered to help. Reporter patty wasnt allowed to touch the two girls murder files but she could help in other ways. And we just hit it off. She was so supportive, and so positive. And just volunteered for anything she could do to help us, make our jobs easier. Reporter round then, detective wade decided to try something new. With the crimescene dna. She consulted this woman. Dr. Colleen fitzpatrick. An expert in something called forensic genealogy. An informal sense, its been referred as csi meets roots. Maybe you have taken a homedna test. A lot of people have. You can sometimes track down distant relatives by uploading your dna profile to publicgenealogy websites. Dr. Fitzpatrick searches all that dna data, to find, not necessarily matches but, telling similarities. Its really the first, Big Development in human identification, i think, in years, in 20 years. Reporter her method can link an unknowndna profile to possible relatives and, therefore, possible, last names. Detective wade was skeptical, at first. It kind of sounded like smoke and mirrors, to me. But i thought, well, im going to give it a shot. I mean, i want to solve this case. Yeah. Reporter she sent dr. Fitzpatrick the two dna profiles from michella and jennis crime scenes. And she did her magic. She entered into her genealogy databases. Reporter there were noexact matches. But there were some possible family names. I certainly, you know, dug into the names and there wasnt anybody who jumped off the page. Reporter the only name that seemed remotely interesting was washburn because there was a guy, by that name, in the case file. But he wasnt a suspect. He was a witness. He was the jogger, who told police he saw someone in Point Defiance park who resembled the sketch of michellas killer. But, even more confusing, dr. Fitzpatricks Genealogy Research had linked the name washburn to the dna in jennis murder. Which detective wade new happened months after washburn phoned in that tip about michella. So, it was all just a fluke, probably. And so, it was something that i kept in the back of my mind, as we continued on with the investigation. Reporter she also went to a company that turned dna profiles into computergenerated images. Showing what the suspects probably looked like. In 2016, armed with those snapshots. These two are solvable. Reporter the Tacoma Police department told the public they were searching for two killers, and needed help to find them. Jennis Sister Theresa was hopeful. I didnt know, exactly, where it was going to end up. But i knew it was a big step in the case. We had a tip line open. And we got multiple tips on the same person. Because he actually looked so much like the sketch. Reporter but when they checked him out, they eliminated him as a suspect. So much for new approaches. Detective wade, once again, looked at the huge lists shed made. 2,300 men, connected to the two cases. She couldnt test all of them against the crimescene dna. But there were several hundred that really did stand out because they did have documented history for violence and sexual assault. Reporter so, she set out to collect the dna of those men. She called them highpriority suspects. She, also, included one guy who wasnt a suspect at all. The witness, washburn. And though they were scattered all over the country, with the fbis help, one by one, she tracked them down. We asked people. Knocked on their door. Literally, told them we were investigating a cold case and, you know, were wed like to eliminate you as a potential suspect. Would you give us your dna . We had, in total, about160 people that we got dna samples from. Reporter 160 samples. They all needed to be compared with the dna samples from the two crime scenes. Easier said than done. Isnt like the movies. This would take months. No idea if any of it would pay off. Coming up. So, first batch goes out there. None of these guys were a match. Then, i send the next batch out and its the same thing. Weeks. Months. A year of dead ends. Then, came the phone call. I was like, no way. When dateline continues. Els s youve got the looks lets make lots of money youve got the brawn ive got the brains lets make lots of uh uh uh oohhh theres a lot of opportunities with allstate, drivers who switched saved over 700. Saving is easy when youre in good hands. Allstate click or call to switch today. These are real people, not actors, whove got their eczema under control. With less eczema, you can show more skin. So roll up those sleeves. And help heal your skin from within with dupixent. Dupixent is the first treatment of its kind that continuously treats moderatetosevere eczema, or atopic dermatitis, even between flare ups. Dupixent is a biologic, and not a cream or steroid. Many people taking dupixent saw clear or almost clear skin, and, had significantly less itch. Dont use if youre allergic to dupixent. Serious allergic reactions can occur, including anaphylaxis, which is severe. Tell your doctor about new or worsening eye problems, such as eye pain or vision changes, or a parasitic infection. If you take asthma medicines, dont change or stop them without talking to your doctor. So help heal your skin from within, and talk to your Eczema Specialist about dupixent. If your financial situation has changed, we may be able to help. Mom look at you. No braces, if your financial situation has changed, all the internet you can handle. I wasnt so lucky. Vo invis is not your parents braces vo invis is predictable. Less painful, more comfortable. Invisalign. 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It was really frustrating because there were some people that looked like fantastic suspects, up until the point that they were eliminated. Reporter a year of dna tests and not a single match. It was enough to wear any detective down, even one as passionate as lindsey wade. She had given her best. But now, shed made a tough decision. It was time for me to move on. Reporter in the spring of 2018, lindsey wade retired from the tacoma pd. Working on cold cases is, typically, more frustrating than rewarding. Because you can work and work and work and work, and do a ton of investigation. And come up with zero. Reporter and then, walk away . Yeah. Reporter she had investigated both jenni and michellas cases for years. And saying goodbye wasnt easy. Especially, to jennis mom. By that time, had you grown pretty close to patty . Uhhuh. Yeah. She is a very special gal. I told her mother, im going to adopt her. Reporter before she left, wade sent one last, small batch of samples to the dna lab. No point, really, in waiting for the results. We are down to the last 18. Im doubtful that were going to get a match. Reporter so, she said goodbye and went on with her life. And 25 days later. My phone buzzed, and i looked down. Reporter it was her replacement on the coldcase unit. I answer the phone, and he said, theres a match on jennifer bastian. I asked, who who is it . Whats the name . And he said, Robert Washburn . And i was like, no way. I knew exactly who it was. But i just couldnt believe it. Reporter Robert Washburn. He was the guy who phoned in a tip about michellas murder. He was never a suspect. On her short list, only because of that genealogy analysis. Why did washburns name end up on the list to be tested for dna . Because of his last name. Reporter just the last name . Yes. Reporter because he was in that list that was sent to you . Correct. Reporter at the time, it seemed like a coincidence. A fluke. But now, here it was. No doubt. Robert washburns dna on jenni bastians swimsuit. It was head spinning. Zblfr and the funny thing is he was not a highpriority suspect. He certainly hadnt abouted like one. They learned in the years after the murder rape of jenni bastian, Robert Washburn blended into middle america. Literally. Stayed out of trouble. In fact, when investigators came knocking at his door . He voluntarily gave them a dna sample. Reporter now, more than three decade after that terrible day in the park. Washburn was arrested, at home. And then, the new coldcase detective spoke with him. How did he react . He was scared. He was very nervous. He was sweating. He asked me, is this about that swab i gave the fbi a year ago . And then, he told me, i didnt kill that little girl. Reporter with washburn in handcuffs, it was time to let jennis mom know. And that job went to retired detective wade. So, of course, i had rehearsed what i was going to say. And and it all went out the window by the time i got there. Couldnt remember what i was going to say. And she walked in. I could tell she had been crying. And she said we got him. And thats really all i could say. The next thing we were doing is crying and hugging each other. Yeah. Reporter after 32 years, jennis alleged killer was finally in custody. But what about michellas murderer . His identity was, still, a mystery. Of the 160 men, whose dna was tested, none matched. Did you get to the point where you thought this is just were just live with this . Never going to be solved . Yeah. Oh, yeah. Whether it was solved or not, was never going to bring her back. But i did not ever want that to happen to other children. So in my mind, it would be a great idea to find this guy. Reporter remember, back in 2016, parabon made a sketch based on the suspects d in a but it didnt lead to a suspect. So, in 2018, the company decided to try a newer, more advanced version of forensic genealogy. And what do ya know . Coming up. How could you find somebody, how could somebody still be out there . One mother, still, seeking answers. And one more phone call, from out of the blue. I believe in the devil. And people that dont believe in the devil, i think, theyre in for a big surprise. When dateline continues. announcer carvanas had a lot of firsts. 100 online car buying. Car vending machines. And now, putting you in control of your financing. At carvana, get personalized terms, browse for cars that fit your budget, then customize your down payment and monthly payment. And these arent madeup numbers. Its what youll really pay, right down to the penny. Whether youre shopping or just looking. It only takes a few seconds, and it wont affect your credit score. Finally a totally different way to finance your ride. Only from carvana. The new way to buy a car. Welcome back. For more than 30 years the tacoma Police Worked every angle to solve the murders of two little girls, horrific crimes that shook the city to its core and yet jenny and michelles case files passed through three generations of detectives before forensics gave them their first big break. Now jennys suspected killer was behind bars and investigators were determined that michelles would be next. Heres Keith Morrison with the conclusion of evil was watching. Its a hole, big hole that nothing else can fill, no amount of comfort. The loss of her daughter michella hit Barbara Leonard and the grief theres never an end to it and there wont be, i dont think, until i see her and i have that hope and promise. The bible is true. The bible says the dead are sleeping. They will be resurrected. Thats where you find your comfort . Of course it is. Thats how ive been able to maintain a relationship and understand other peoples pain. Of course, barbara was glad when she heard there was an arrest in jennys case in may of 2018 but she knew it wouldnt shed any light on michellas case. Two different distinct persons. Maybe they solved the other case but theyd never solve yours. Yeah. So it seemed, 40 days, 40 nights until june 20th, 2018, when barbaras phone rang. Police chief calls and says, weve got the man we feel is responsible for your daughters murder. After 32 years the breakthrough was once again gene neological dna. Through this process two brothers were identified as possible suspects. The chiefs press conference, Detective Steve Riofelt told where he got lucky. I observed him using a napkin multiple times and i was able to collect it and get that submitted to the lab. And it was a match. Surreal because after all of this time, how could you find somebody . How could somebody still be out there . Michellas alleged killer was a nurse of all things in a psychiatric hospital. A Working Class guy with no history of Violent Crime just like Robert Washburn. I believe in the devil, i believe fully in the devil. People that dont believe in the devil, i think theyre in for a big surprise. Barbara leonard and her daughters were in court the day he was charged with her murder. I was looking at him and i thought, who is this person . How could someone that looks so normal do Something Like this . He pleaded not guilty to first degree murder and his trial is still pending. His attorney sent us a letter which reads in part, the defense is pursuing various investigative means. I ask the public accord mr. Hartman the presumption of innocence to which he is Entight Zblld Robert Washburn was back in court. This was the final step of a plea deal. How do you plead . Guilty. Washburn pleaded guilty to first degree murder. He was sentenced to 27 years in prison. I had prayed that he would not go to trial. I just want it to be over. As part of the Plea Agreement Washburn had to tell the court about the murder. In a Statement Read by the judge he said he grabbed jenny by the arm, brought her Into The Woods and strangled her and that was it. Which that was not enough at all. I will always have the question in my head, so you woke up on august 4th. It was a beautiful sunday. You went to the park. Did you intend to kill a little girl . Why . Why did you do this . Did you know what you did . Do you know how many birthdays she missed . How many christmass . How many smiles . How many laughs . Do you have any expectation that hes going to answer that why question or any hope that he will . Yes. Yes. And the reason for that is not for me, the reason is for future, to help psychologists, parents, detectives understand what can be in a human being. What what what make him this person . And also why did washburn call in a tip about michellas murder months before he killed jenny. Thats another question wed like an answer to. Had he been planning it all that time . I dont know. Watching for somebody . Certainly possible. After 32 years jennys case had finally ended but the Bastian Wade Partnership had not. The two joined forces 20 get a bill that expands Dna Collection and make sure it gets into a National Registry right away. Its called jennifer and michellas law. What would it mean to you to have such a law named after your daughter . It would be great. It would be terrific. To memorialize these two girls that did not deserve this. In may 2019 Washington Governor Jay Inslee signed that law into effect. Two little girls, two innocence riding their bikes through a park on a sunny day. Thats all for this edition of dateline. Im natalie moralis. Thank you for watching. First up on msnbc, the nations attention turning to minneapolis. Opening arguments begin tomorrow in the murder trial of derek chauvin. The city on high alert beefing up security and expanding 911 Services Ahead of the trial. George floyds family and Reverend Al Sharpton are set to hold a rally and vigil. Border patrol wants me to go probably over the next couple of weeks. I dont think theres a rush for me to go. A surprise revelation fro