elisa abolafia desperately searched for answers. >> i was a nervous wreck, john was facing an execution date may 20th. i began with the carjacking case. first, i read the police report. >> in 1985, john thompson was convicted of carjacking three teenagers at gun point. without that conviction, thompson would have been much less likely to get the death sentence for the murder. elisa found reports from the first officer to respond to the carjacking scene. warren pope. >> when we got there, two cars from involved in a traffic accident. and i noticed some spots of wet fresh blood. one of the victims' shoes had blood on his shoes and pants legs. he was uninjured so was his brother and sister. we assumed it was the perpetrator's blood. >> police files confirm that the carjacker's blood had been recovered from the victim's pants.