that. she loved skiing, sailing, and friends. she was extremely outgoing. a wonderful life that came to a tragic end on a warm summer night. her life had ended, but our story was just beginning. her killer had not been caught. but, the trail grew cold, the file forgotten until decades later, someone dusted it off. the whole goal of this case was trying to see the thing that was hiding in plain sight. there were clues, mysterious weapon made of wire, a wedding invitation, a midnight sale to nowhere. were they enough to catch a killer? i was 100% confident he was our guy. now, the showdown. a determined prosecutor against the famed defense lawyer who helped set o.j. simpson free. after 35 years, was it finally time for justice? he was alone in his makeshift workshop. had to be for what he intended. carefully, he cut lengths of a broom handle, two of them, just a few inches each. send them down, drilled a hole in each one, found a piece of wire to string between th
wait until he kills again. but the trail grew cold, the file forgotten until decades later someone dusted it off. the whole goal in these cases is trying to see the thing that s hiding in plain sight. reporter: there were clues a mysterious weapon made of wire. a wedding invitation. a midnight sail to nowhere. but were they enough to catch a killer? i was 100% confident that he was our guy. reporter: now, the showdown the determined prosecutor against the famed defense lawyer who helped set oj simpson free. robert shapiro, did it give you pause? i m on the right side. reporter: after 35 years, was it finally time for justice? it s been a long journey. i m lester holt and this is dateline. here s keith morrison. reporter: he was alone in his makeshift workshop. had to be for what he intended. carefully, he cut the lengths of a broom-handle, two of them, just a few inches each sanded them down, drilled a hole in each one. found a piece of wire to st
wait until he kills again. but the trail grew cold, the file forgotten until decades later someone dusted it off. the whole goal in these cases is trying to see the thing that s hiding in plain sight. reporter: there were clues a mysterious weapon made of wire. a wedding invitation. a midnight sail to nowhere. but were they enough to catch a killer? i was 100% confident that he was our guy. reporter: now, the showdown the determined prosecutor against the famed defense lawyer who helped set oj simpson free. robert shapiro, did it give you pause? i m on the right side. reporter: after 35 years, was it finally time for justice? it s been a long journey. i m lester holt and this is dateline. here s keith morrison. reporter: he was alone in his makeshift workshop. had to be for what he intended. carefully, he cut the lengths of a broom-handle, two of them, just a few inches each sanded them down, drilled a hole in each one. found a piece of wire to st
wait until he kills again. but the trail grew cold, the file forgotten until decades later someone dusted it off. the whole goal in these cases is trying to see the thing that s hiding in plain sight. reporter: there were clues a mysterious weapon made of wire. a wedding invitation. a midnight sail to nowhere. but were they enough to catch a killer? i was 100% confident that he was our guy. reporter: now, the showdown the determined prosecutor against the famed defense lawyer who helped set oj simpson free. robert shapiro, did it give you pause? i m on the right side. reporter: after 35 years, was it finally time for justice? it s been a long journey. i m lester holt and this is dateline. here s keith morrison. reporter: he was alone in his makeshift workshop. had to be for what he intended. carefully, he cut the lengths of a broom-handle, two of them, just a few inches each sanded them down, drilled a hole in each one. found a piece of wire to st
he stalked her. my sister was afraid. i was 100% confident that he was our guy. reporter: a determined prosecutor faces off against oj simpson s attorney. did it give you pause? i m on the right side. reporter: would a jury agree? it s been a long journey. reporter: he was alone in his makeshift workshop. had to be, for what he intended. carefully, he cut the lengths of a broom-handle, two of them, just a few inches each. sanded them down, drilled a hole in each one. found a piece of wire to string between them. too thin. he doubled it for strength. his perfect weapon for his perfect crime. outside in the brilliant sunshine, it was the summer of 1979. aids hadn t happened to us yet. nor the internet, nor cell phones, nor a way to read dna. all of those things were still years away. everybody worried about three mile island that summer. the iranian hostage crisis was still months away. and in southern california, in the summer of 79, in the beach towns that cl