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Narrator: A BEAUTIFUL WOMAN,
AN EXCLUSIVE NEIGHBORHOOD, AND A HAUNTING CRIME.
Davis: YOU CAN CHOOSE THE WAY
THAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO SEE A WOMAN KILLED.
HIS CHOICE WAS ASPHYXIATION.
Narrator: SOMEONE'S TURNING SUBURBIA INTO A HUNTING GROUND.
Man: YOU HAVE A BEAUTIFUL HOUSE.
SHE FELT LIKE HE WAS TRYING TO LURE HER UP TO HER BEDROOM.
SHE SAID, "HE TURNED FROM A MAN INTO A MONSTER."
Narrator: CAN POLICE STOP THIS PREDATOR BEFORE HE KILLS AGAIN?
WE FINALLY ZEROED IN ON WHAT THE MOTIVE WAS.
IT WAS HORRIFYING.
[ CAWS ]
[ SIREN WAILS ]
-- Captions by VITAC -- www.vitac.com
CAPTIONS PAID FOR BY DISCOVERY COMMUNICATIONS
Narrator: IN AUSTIN, TEXAS,
THE SUN SHINES NEARLY 300 DAYS OF THE YEAR.
BUT NOVEMBER 15, 2001, WASN'T ONE OF THOSE DAYS.
Man: WE BEGIN WITH SOME LATE BREAKING NEWS.
Woman: WE'VE SEEN OVER 15 INCHES OF RAIN IN JUST A FEW HOURS.
Man: CAUSING TORNADO WARNINGS
FOR AUSTIN AND SURROUNDING AREAS.
Narrator: RELENTLESS RAINS AND HIGH WINDS
ARE POUNDING THE STREETS OF AUSTIN.
IN THE NORTHWEST SUBURB OF GREAT HILLS,
43-YEAR-OLD DIANE HOLIK
IS WORKING FROM THE QUIET COMFORT OF HER HOME OFFICE.
A SUCCESSFUL IBM PROJECT MANAGER,
SHE LIVES THE LIFE MANY SINGLE WOMEN DREAM OF.
Lepore: SHE WORKED HARD.
SHE HAD A BEAUTIFUL HOME WITH A GORGEOUS POOL.
SHE WOULD THROW PARTIES.
DIANE WOULD BE GOING TO SOME OF THE FANCIEST RESTAURANTS
AND FANCIEST DANCES AND BALLS.
BUT THEN SHE'D PUT ON HER COWBOY BOOTS
AND OFF TO ONE OF THE LOCAL COUNTRY BARS.
SHE'D GO FROM ONE EXTREME TO THE OTHER
AND FIT RIGHT IN EVERYWHERE.
Narrator: THE KIND OF WOMAN WHO CAN ENDURE ANY STORM.
IN TRUE DIANE FASHION,
SHE KEEPS ON WORKING AS THE WORST WEATHER HITS.
Lepore: WE HADN'T HAD RAINS
IN MAYBE FIVE TO SEVEN YEARS LIKE THAT.
WE HAD A MINIMUM OF 15 TORNADOS COME THROUGH AUSTIN,
WHICH IS EXTREMELY RARE.
Narrator: THE NEXT MORNING,
STORMY SKIES GIVE WAY TO AN EERIE CALM
AS DIANE'S PHONE GOES UNANSWERED.
[ Ringing ]
I CALLED HER HOME NUMBER, AND I DIDN'T GET HER TO PICK UP,
SO I CALLED HER CELLPHONE.
AND THEN I CALLED HER OFFICE NUMBER,
AND I LEFT HER MESSAGES ON ALL THREE NUMBERS.
I KNEW THAT SHE HAD A LOT GOING ON,
SO I DIDN'T THINK ANYTHING OF IT.
Narrator: BUT BY EARLY AFTERNOON,
FRIENDS ARE GETTING CONCERNED.
THE LAST THING THAT SHE TOLD ME THE NIGHT BEFORE
WAS, "I GOT TO GO.
MY GIRLFRIEND SAYS THE STORM'S HEADED RIGHT THIS WAY."
AND THEN I THOUGHT, "OKAY, WELL, MAYBE --
MAYBE THERE WAS DAMAGE AT HER HOUSE."
Narrator: SO, SHE CONTACTS THE POLICE.
WHEN FRIEND AND NEIGHBOR LAKKI BROWN
SEES OFFICERS ARRIVE THAT EVENING,
SHE OFFERS TO LET THEM IN WITH HER KEY.
SHE'S JUST ONE STEP INSIDE
WHEN A CHILL RUNS DOWN HER SPINE.
THE DOGS HAD MESSED IN THE DINING ROOM,
AND I SAID, "WELL, SOMETHING'S WRONG."
YOU KNOW, SHE WOULD NEVER LET THAT HAPPEN.
Narrator: UPSTAIRS, A GRISLY DISCOVERY.
DIANE'S LIFELESS BODY.
AUSTIN HOMICIDE DETECTIVES ERIC DE LOS SANTOS
AND TRACY GERRISH ARE DISPATCHED TO THE SCENE.
YOU HAD TO REALLY PHYSICALLY WALK INTO THE ROOM
AND AROUND THE BED TO EVEN NOTICE THAT SHE WAS THERE.
SHE WAS KIND OF AT AN ODD ANGLE,
AS IF SOMEBODY HAD TRIED TO PUSH HER UNDERNEATH THE BED,
BUT SHE OBVIOUSLY WOULDN'T FIT.
SO THEY JUST LEFT.
Narrator: DIANE'S FINAL MOMENTS MUST HAVE BEEN TERRIFYING.
HER ARMS REVEAL TELLTALE BRUISES.
THEY APPEARED TO BE LEFT BY A ZIP TIE.
IT'S ALSO OBVIOUS THAT SHE HAD A VERY DEEP LIGATURE MARK
AROUND HER NECK.
Narrator: THE SEARCH FOR TRACE EVIDENCE
TURNS UP AN ODD DISCOVERY.
UPON ENTERING INTO THE BEDROOM,
THERE WAS MAKEUP AND MASCARA OR BLOOD AND MASCARA,
LITTLE DROPLETS,
RIGHT AT THE ENTRANCE OF THE DOORWAY.
IT LOOKED LIKE ALMOST THAT SOMEBODY'S FACE
HAD BEEN IN THAT CARPET.
Narrator: MOST LIKELY DIANE'S.
SHE HAD AN ABRASION ON HER CHEEK
THAT HAD THAT ORANGE-YELLOWISH TINGE THAT RESEMBLED A RUG BURN.
WE FIGURED THAT WAS PROBABLY A POSTMORTEM INJURY,
POSSIBLY FROM HER BEING DRAGGED.
Narrator: AMIDST THE TIDY BEDROOM,
SOMETHING ELSE CATCHES TRACY GERRISH'S EYE.
WE SAW A TOWEL THAT WAS DRAPED OVER A LOVE SEAT
THAT WAS NEAR THE FRONT DOOR, AND I THOUGHT THAT WAS VERY ODD.
De Los Santos: I MEAN, THERE WAS NOTHING THAT WAS OUT OF PLACE
EXCEPT FOR THIS TOWEL.
IT LOOKS LIKE IT WAS A TOWEL
THAT SOMEBODY HAD DRIED THEMSELVES OFF OF
AND JUST CASUALLY THROWN OVER THE BACK OF THE COUCH.
Narrator: INVESTIGATORS SEND THE TOWEL FOR ANALYSIS,
BUT FEAR WHATEVER EVIDENCE IT CONTAINS
WON'T BE ENOUGH TO LEAD THEM TO DIANE'S MURDERER.
WHOEVER DID THIS, THEY SPENT TIME IN THE HOUSE.
THEY SPENT TIME WITH THE BODY.
THEY CLEANED UP THE CRIME SCENE, AND THEN THEY LEFT.
Narrator: ON SATURDAY MORNING,
ASSISTANT DISTRICT ATTORNEY DARLA DAVIS
JOINS THE INVESTIGATIVE TEAM.
Davis: WHEN I FIRST SAW THE CRIME SCENE,
IT WAS IMMACULATE.
IT WAS PRISTINE.
NOTHING WAS OUT OF PLACE.
NOTHING WAS DISTURBED.
Narrator: SO DID DIANE HOLIK
WILLINGLY OPEN THE DOOR TO HER ATTACKER?
Davis: WHEN YOU START A HOMICIDE INVESTIGATION,
ESPECIALLY WHEN A WOMAN HAS BEEN KILLED,
YOU WANT TO START WITH THE MEN THAT ARE CLOSEST TO HER.
Narrator: DIANE HAD NO TROUBLE ATTRACTING MEN.
WE HAD A GREAT TIME WHEN WE WOULD GO OUT.
IT NEVER FAILED.
SHE WOULD MEET SOMEONE.
AND WE USED TO LAUGH
ABOUT, "WELL, WE'LL ALL TAKE HER CASTOFFS."
Narrator: BUT THE BEAUTIFUL BLONDE WAS INCREDIBLY CHOOSY.
SHE REALLY WANTED TO GET MARRIED.
THAT WAS THE ONE THING SHE WANTED.
SHE WAS LOOKING FOR HER RIGHT MAN.
SHE'D MEET LOTS OF MEN,
BUT IT WOULDN'T BE THE RIGHT MAN,
AND IT WOULDN'T BE THE RIGHT TIME.
UNTIL DENNIS.
Hebner: DENNIS TREATED DIANE LIKE A QUEEN.
DENNIS WOULD SHOW UP SOMETIMES WITH FLOWERS FOR DIANE.
HE WOULD TAKE HER TO VERY NICE RESTAURANTS,
AND JUST WOO HER.
Narrator: AND SOON DENNIS POPPED THE QUESTION --
WITH A $20,000 PLATINUM ENGAGEMENT RING.
ONE DAY SHE CAME HOME AND WE HAD A GIRLS' DINNER,
AND SHE WAS SO, SO EXCITED ABOUT THE RING ON HER FINGER,
SHE JUST SCREAMED IN THE AIR, "I'M ENGAGED!"
Narrator: THE PLAN IS TO SELL HER HOUSE
AND MOVE TO HOUSTON TO BE WITH DENNIS.
SO MUCH TO LOOK FORWARD TO.
NOW IN ONE TRAGIC EVENING,
ALL HER DREAMS HAVE BEEN WIPED OUT.
DETECTIVE GERRISH HAD ASKED ME IF I THOUGHT
ANYONE THAT DIANE KNEW WOULD DO THIS TO HER.
AND I SAID, "NO,"
THEN SHE STARTED TALKING ABOUT DIANE'S FIANCé, DENNIS.
Narrator: AS INVESTIGATORS SOON DISCOVER,
NOT ALL OF DIANE'S FRIENDS THOUGHT MARRYING DENNIS
WAS A GOOD IDEA.
I DIDN'T CARE TOO MUCH FOR HIM.
DIANE'S RELATIONSHIP WITH DENNIS WAS ON-AGAIN/OFF-AGAIN.
Lepore: EVERY RELATIONSHIP HAS PROBLEMS,
BUT SHE DIDN'T LET YOU SEE IT UNLESS YOU KNEW HER REALLY WELL.
Narrator: BUT SHE COULD ONLY HIDE HER TROUBLES FOR SO LONG.
THERE WAS SOME INFORMATION WE RECEIVED
THAT PERHAPS THE RELATIONSHIP HAD GONE BAD,
SO THAT WAS ONE OF THE AREAS
THAT WE WERE GONNA CONCENTRATE ON.
DENNIS HAD HIS UPS, HE HAD HIS DOWNS.
DIANE HAD TOLD ME OF SEVERAL ARGUMENTS
THAT THEY HAD HAD ON THE PHONE.
DIANE WAS VERY INDEPENDENT.
SHE WANTED TO MAKE SURE SHE KEPT HER INDEPENDENCE AS A WOMAN.
AND THAT CAN CAUSE ISSUES
BETWEEN A FIANCéE AND A HUSBAND-TO-BE.
Narrator: DETECTIVES ARE EAGER TO QUESTION DENNIS,
BUT NO ONE CAN SEEM TO FIND HIM, AND SUSPICION MOUNTS.
DID SOMETHING HAPPEN BETWEEN DIANE AND DENNIS
THAT PUSHED HIM OVER THE EDGE?
YOU KNOW, HE LIKED TO BE WITH DIANE BY HIMSELF,
BUT SHE WAS A FREE SPIRIT.
SHE STILL DID A LOT OF THINGS WITH A LOT OF OTHER PEOPLE.
Narrator: INCLUDING ONE OF HER CO-WORKERS.
HE SPENT MORE TIME WITH DIANE THAN DENNIS DID.
HE WOULD WALK HER DOGS.
HE WOULD FEED HER DOGS IF SHE WAS OUT OF TOWN.
HE WOULD JUST DO CERTAIN THINGS AROUND THE HOUSE.
HE WAS JUST DOING WHAT HE COULD TO BE AROUND DIANE.
Narrator: DID JEALOUSY DRIVE DENNIS TO TAKE DRASTIC MEASURES?
OR PERHAPS THE CO-WORKER HAD BEEN REJECTED ONE TOO MANY TIMES
BY THE WOMAN HE WORSHIPED.
WHEN THIS MAN SUDDENLY SHOWS UP AT THE CRIME SCENE,
DETECTIVES ARE ON ALERT.
HE SEEMED OVERLY EAGER TO HELP US,
WHICH I THOUGHT WAS ODD.
THAT BEHAVIOR RAISES RED FLAGS IN OUR MIND,
AND IT DOES RAISE SUSPICIONS
THAT THIS PERSON COULD POSSIBLY BE INVOLVED.
Narrator: HE TELLS POLICE THAT WHEN HE DIDN'T HEAR FROM DIANE,
HE CAME TO CHECK ON HER,
AND THAT HE'D BEEN AT WORK ON THURSDAY,
THE DAY DIANE WAS KILLED.
IT WAS ONE THING TO HAVE HIM TELLING US WHERE HE WAS
AND TELLING US THAT HE HAD NOT BEEN INVOLVED IN HER ***,
BUT WE WANTED TO GET THE COLD, HARD RECORDS
THAT WOULD CONVINCE US FOR SURE.
Narrator: WHILE DAVIS ISSUES A SUBPOENA
FOR THE MAN'S WORK RECORDS,
TRACY GERRISH FINALLY MAKES CONTACT WITH DENNIS CONLEY.
Gerrish: WHEN HE GOT TO AUSTIN,
HE WANTED TO GO BY DIANE'S HOUSE FIRST,
BUT WE NEEDED HIM TO COME DOWN TO THE STATION.
WE TOLD HIM WE WERE GONNA NEED TO GET SOME DNA FROM HIM,
GET SOME LATENT FINGERPRINTS FROM HIM,
AND ALSO SOME WORK DOCUMENTATION
THAT WOULD PROVE THAT HE WAS NOT IN AUSTIN
AT THE TIME WE SUSPECTED THAT SHE HAD BEEN MURDERED.
Narrator: TWO MEN DEVOTED TO THE SAME WOMAN.
HAD ONE OF THEM STRANGLED DIANE HOLIK IN A FIT OF PASSION?
HE WALKED UP THE STAIRS AND HE KEPT CALLING TO HER.
"OH, CAN YOU COME AND SHOW ME THIS?"
"OH, CAN YOU COME AND SHOW ME THAT?"
Man: YOU HAVE A BEAUTIFUL HOUSE.
SHE FELT LIKE HE WAS TRYING TO LURE HER UP TO HER BEDROOM.
Narrator: IT'S BEEN 36 HOURS SINCE THE STRANGLING DEATH
OF IBM PROJECT MANAGER DIANE HOLIK,
AND DETECTIVES ARE FOCUSING IN ON TWO POSSIBLE SUSPECTS.
Davis: ONE WAS HER FIANCé, DENNIS CONLEY,
AND THE OTHER ONE,
HE WAS A MAN WHO WAS SPENDING QUITE A BIT OF TIME WITH DIANE,
EVEN THOUGH SHE WAS ENGAGED TO ANOTHER MAN.
Narrator: WHOEVER KILLED DIANE LEFT FEW CLUES BEHIND
AND HAD TAKEN SOMETHING IMPORTANT WITH HIM.
SHE WAS MISSING A $20,000 ENGAGEMENT RING.
Davis: WHEN THE BODY WAS DISCOVERED,
THAT RING WAS NOT ON HER HAND.
Gerrish: LAKKI BROWN SAID SHE NEVER TOOK IT OFF,
AND WE COULDN'T FIND IT ANYWHERE.
Narrator: STILL, POLICE DON'T THINK
ROBBERY WAS THE MOTIVE FOR DIANE'S ***.
Davis: THIS COULD HAVE BEEN THAT THE PERPETRATOR
TOOK SOME JEWELRY FROM HER
TO MAKE IT APPEAR TO BE A ROBBERY
AND THROW US OFF THE SCENT OF THE REAL MOTIVE.
Narrator: DETECTIVES BRING IN DIANE'S LOVESICK CO-WORKER
FOR QUESTIONING.
Gerrish: WE THOUGHT HE COULD BE A SUSPECT AT THIS POINT.
THIS MAN BOUGHT HER ROSES AND EXPENSIVE GIFTS.
HE TALKED QUITE A BIT ABOUT HOW MUCH HE CARED FOR DIANE.
BUT DIANE DID NOT RECIPROCATE THE FEELINGS THAT THIS MAN HAD.
Narrator: DID HER REJECTION SEND HIM OVER THE EDGE?
SHE DID TELL ME AT ONE POINT THAT HE PROBABLY WAS TOO CLOSE
AND NEEDED TO BE PUSHED FURTHER AWAY.
HER THOUGHT WAS THAT HE WAS INFATUATED,
AND SOMETIMES WHEN YOU GET TO THE POINT OF INFATUATION,
YOU DO NEED TO SAY, "OH, LET'S STOP RIGHT HERE."
Narrator: WHAT'S MORE,
THE CO-WORKER HAS A KEY TO THE VICTIM'S HOME,
BUT SUSPICION QUICKLY FADES.
I DIDN'T GET THE SENSE FROM HIM,
EVEN THOUGH HE WAS OVERLY ENTHUSIASTIC,
THAT HE HARBORED ANY ANGER FOR HER.
AND TOWARDS THE END OF THE INTERVIEW, FOR ME,
I JUST DIDN'T GET THAT COP FEELING
THAT HE WAS GONNA BE THE SUSPECT.
Narrator: HER COP FEELING TURNS OUT TO BE *** ON.
WE WERE ABLE TO OBTAIN HIS WORK RECORDS
FOR THAT THURSDAY THAT SHE WAS KILLED,
AND THAT CONFIRMED
THAT HE WAS ACTUALLY AT WORK DURING THE PERTINENT TIMES.
Narrator: WITH ONE SUSPECT CROSSED OFF THE LIST,
DETECTIVES NOW TURN TO DIANE'S FIANCé.
DID THEIR ROLLER COASTER OF A ROMANCE END IN ***?
I SPECIFICALLY TALKED TO DENNIS
ABOUT HE AND DIANE'S RELATIONSHIP,
HOW THEY MET, HOW THINGS WERE GOING.
HE OFFERED UP THAT THEY WERE BOTH EXCITED
ABOUT GETTING MARRIED.
HE WAS QUESTIONED ABOUT HIS WHEREABOUTS
ON THE THURSDAY THAT SHE WAS KILLED.
HE RECOUNTED TO US THAT HE HAD TALKED TO HER ON THE PHONE
THAT MORNING, BUT HE DID STAY IN HOUSTON.
HE WAS OBVIOUSLY VERY UPSET,
COULDN'T BELIEVE THAT THAT HAD HAPPENED.
Narrator: BUT IS HE TELLING THE TRUTH?
WE ELIMINATED HIM THROUGH CREDIT CARD RECORDS,
THROUGH WORK RECORDS.
HE WAS ACTUALLY NOT IN AUSTIN.
HE WAS AT WORK DURING THE TIME THE *** HAPPENED.
MR. CONLEY HAD AN AIRTIGHT ALIBI FOR THE TIME OF DIANE'S DEATH.
Gerrish: HE OFFERED UP THAT HE COULDN'T REALLY THINK OF ANYBODY
THAT SHE WAS ENEMIES WITH
THAT WOULD WANT TO DO THIS TO HER.
Narrator: IT'S BEEN 48 HOURS SINCE DIANE'S DEATH,
AND INVESTIGATORS ARE NO CLOSER TO IDENTIFYING HER KILLER.
WE WERE ALL FEELING A LITTLE APPREHENSIVE, A LITTLE WORRIED.
Narrator: A PREDATOR IS OUT THERE,
AND WHO KNOWS WHERE HE'LL STRIKE NEXT.
IT ACTUALLY SCARED US ENOUGH
THAT WE WOULDN'T OPEN OUR DOOR TO ANYONE
UNLESS WE COULD SEE THEIR FACE AND KNEW WHO THEY WERE.
Narrator: THAT'S WHEN AN INTERVIEW
WITH ONE OF DIANE'S CLOSEST COLLEAGUES
OFFERS UP AN IMPORTANT NEW LEAD.
DIANE HAD TOLD HER THAT A MAN HAD COME OVER,
WANTING TO POSSIBLY BUY HER HOUSE.
SHE TOLD ME THAT THE GUY WAS VERY CLEAN-CUT LOOKING,
AND THAT'S WHY SHE LET HIM IN.
HE SEEMED WELL DRESSED, MID 30s.
HE HAD SHORT HAIR, AND SHE WAS NOT THREATENED BY HIS LOOK.
HE HAD SOLD A RANCH,
AND HE WAS LOOKING FOR A PLACE THAT HE WOULD PAY CASH FOR.
SHE SEEMED EXCITED THAT HE WAS REALLY INTERESTED IN IT.
Narrator: DIANE HAD ENLISTED THE HELP
OF FRIEND AND REAL ESTATE AGENT LAKKI BROWN TO SELL HER HOME.
BUT IN A FALTERING ECONOMY, BUYERS WERE FEW AND FAR BETWEEN.
WE HAD IT ON THE MARKET FOR I GUESS ABOUT 30 DAYS.
Narrator: SELLING HER HOME WAS WHAT DIANE WANTED
MORE THAN ANYTHING,
BUT SHE'D TAKEN A BIG RISK OPENING THE DOOR LIKE THAT.
DIANE! DON'T LET STRANGERS IN YOUR HOUSE!
David: THE MAN HAD INDICATED TO DIANE
THAT HE WAS GONNA BE COMING BACK LATER WITH WIFE,
AND HE THOUGHT THAT HIS WIFE WAS REALLY GONNA LOVE THE HOUSE.
Narrator: WHO IS THIS MYSTERY MAN?
HAD HE RETURNED TO BUY DIANE'S HOME?
OR DID HE TAKE HER LIFE?
Davis: AT THIS POINT,
ALMOST EVERYBODY IS CONSIDERED A SUSPECT,
SO WE WANTED TO TALK TO HIM
BECAUSE THERE WAS THE REAL POSSIBILITY
THAT HE HAD BEEN THE ONE THAT HAD KILLED DIANE.
IF HE'S DONE ONE, HE MAY DO IT AGAIN,
AND WE DID NOT WANT A SECOND VICTIM.
Narrator: BUT BY NOW,
HE MAY ALREADY BE ON THE PROWL FOR FRESH PREY.
AND, SO, WE DECIDED THAT WE WERE GOING TO CANVASS EVERY HOUSE
IN THE GREAT HILLS NEIGHBORHOOD THAT WAS FOR SALE.
Narrator: INVESTIGATORS ARE ALARMED AT WHAT THEY FIND.
I BELIEVE THERE WERE ABOUT SEVEN WOMEN THAT HAD THIS SAME STORY,
THAT A MAN HAD COME TO THEIR HOME
THE DAY THAT DIANE WAS KILLED
AND WANTED TO LOOK AT IT WITHOUT A REAL ESTATE AGENT.
ONCE WE DETERMINED THAT WE HAVE A COMMON DENOMINATOR HERE,
WE STARTED GETTING THESE WOMEN IN
TO COME IN AND GIVE US STATEMENTS.
I SAT THERE AT THE POLICE STATION
AND WATCHED THEM COME IN ONE BY ONE,
THIS PARADE OF REALLY BEAUTIFUL LADIES.
AND THEY WERE ALL ABOUT THE SAME AGE --
MID-30s TO MID-40s.
IT WAS STARTING TO GET KIND OF CREEPY AND KIND OF EERIE
THAT THIS MAN THAT HAD BEEN APPROACHING THESE WOMEN
HAD OBVIOUSLY BEEN TARGETING THEM.
De Los Santos: HE WAS DOING THIS DURING THE DAY,
SO THERE'S A LOT OF WOMEN THAT ARE STAY-AT-HOME MOMS,
AND, SO, THERE WASN'T ANY HUSBANDS AROUND.
THERE WASN'T ANY BOYFRIENDS AROUND.
Narrator: WHILE MOST OF THE WOMEN REPORT
HAVING TURNED THE STRANGER AWAY AT THE DOOR,
ONE OF THE WITNESSES FELT COMFORTABLE ENOUGH
TO LET HIM IN.
SHE SAID HE WAS A VERY ORDINARY, PLAIN SORT OF LOOKING MAN.
HE WAS BETWEEN 5'11" AND 6' TALL.
HIS HAIR WAS BROWN, KIND OF SLICKED BACK.
SOMEBODY THAT LOOKED LIKE HE CAME FROM MONEY.
Narrator: OBLIVIOUS TO THE WARNING SIGNS,
THE WOMAN ENCOURAGES THE STRANGER TO TOUR THE HOUSE
ON HIS OWN...
THEN IMMEDIATELY REGRETS HER OFFER.
SHE'D SAID THAT HE WAS VERY, VERY NERVOUS.
IT WAS ALMOST AS IF HIS NERVOUSNESS
TOOK OVER HIS ENTIRE PERSONALITY.
THERE WAS A CREEPY FEELING OR A NOT-SO-SAFE FEELING
THAT SHE HAD WITH THIS GUY.
HE DIDN'T TURN ON ANY LIGHTS, DIDN'T OPEN ANY DOORS,
AND SHE REALLY FELT
LIKE HE WASN'T SERIOUSLY LOOKING AT THE HOUSE.
Narrator: WHEN HE ASKED TO SEE THE BEDROOMS UPSTAIRS,
HER UNEASINESS GREW.
HE WALKED UP THE STAIRS AND HE KEPT CALLING TO HER.
"OH, CAN YOU COME AND SHOW ME THIS?"
"OH, CAN YOU COME AND SHOW ME THAT?"
SHE FELT LIKE HE WAS TRYING TO LURE HER UP TO HER BEDROOM.
Davis: SHE WOULD JUST SHOUT THE ANSWERS TO HIS QUESTIONS
UP THE STAIRS, AND NO MATTER WHAT HE DID,
HE WAS NOT ABLE TO GET HER TO GO UPSTAIRS WITH HIM.
Narrator: THE STRANGER EVENTUALLY LEAVES,
BUT NOT BEFORE GIVING THE WOMAN
AN IMPORTANT PIECE OF INFORMATION -- HIS NAME.
Gerrish: THE NAME HE LEFT HER WAS WALTER MILLER.
SO, ONCE WE HAVE THE NAME, THE RESEARCH ON THE NAME BEGINS.
Narrator: WHILE INVESTIGATORS PORE THROUGH THEIR DATABANKS
IN SEARCH OF WALTER MILLER,
THE HOMEOWNER WORKS WITH A FORENSIC SKETCH ARTIST.
De Los Santos: IT WAS KIND OF DECIDED,
"WELL, LET'S PUT THIS OUT TO THE NEWS MEDIA
"AND SEE IF WE CAN FIND SOMEBODY THAT MAYBE KNOWS THIS GUY
"OR GOT A LITTLE BIT MORE INFORMATION
THAN WHAT WE'VE GOT RIGHT NOW."
Narrator: THE SKETCH IS SLATED TO AIR
ON THE 6:00 NEWS THAT NIGHT, BUT AS THE DAY WEARS ON,
INVESTIGATORS CAN'T SHAKE THE THOUGHT
THAT THERE'S MORE TO THIS CRIME THAN MEETS THE EYE.
WE DECIDED TO FOCUS ON SOMETHING DIFFERENT,
WHICH WAS POSSIBLY THE *** GRATIFICATION ASPECT
OF THIS CRIME.
MISS HOLIK HAD BEEN FULLY CLOTHED.
THERE WAS NO EVIDENCE AT AUTOPSY
THAT SHE HAD BEEN SEXUALLY ASSAULTED.
BUT JUST FROM OUR EXPERIENCE, WE ALL BELIEVED
THAT THERE WAS SOME *** COMPONENT TO THIS CASE.
WE KNOW THAT STRANGULATION IS A VERY PERSONAL THING
THAT CAN CAUSE A LOT OF *** GRATIFICATION
FOR THE ATTACKER.
Narrator: BUT HOW TO TRACK THIS *** PREDATOR?
WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO USE EVERY TRICK THAT WE KNOW
TO TRY TO FIND OUT WHO DID THIS.
Narrator: INVESTIGATORS RETURN TO THE HOUSE
TO SEE IF THEIR HUNCH ABOUT THE MURDERER'S MOTIVE PAYS OFF.
Davis: IF THERE IS SEMINAL FLUID IN THE HOME,
WE WOULD BE ABLE TO COLLECT THAT
AND USE IT TO GET A POSSIBLE DNA MATCH.
Narrator: SINCE THE TEST MUST BE DONE IN TOTAL DARKNESS,
DARLA AND HER TEAM WAIT FOR NIGHTFALL,
THEN BEGIN SWEEPING DIANE'S HOME.
Davis: WE LOOKED IN EVERY ROOM OF THE HOUSE
WITH THE ALTERNATE LIGHT SOURCE,
TRYING TO FIND SOME TRACE OF SEMINAL FLUID.
De Los Santos: BUT WE SEARCHED AND WE SEARCHED.
UNFORTUNATELY, WE WEREN'T ABLE TO LOCATE ANYTHING.
Davis: IT WAS NOT A GOOD FEELING.
IT WAS FAIRLY DISTRESSING
THAT WE HAD COMBED THE CRIME SCENE
AND NOT BEEN ABLE TO YIELD ANYTHING.
Narrator: DAVIS HOPES THAT WHAT LITTLE EVIDENCE THEY DO HAVE
WILL YIELD BETTER RESULTS.
WE HAD CALLED IN AN EXPERT IN CRIME-SCENE ANALYSIS
TO PERSONALLY ANALYZE AND LOOK AT OUR EVIDENCE.
Narrator: INCLUDING THE ABANDONED BATH TOWEL.
Davis: HE WENT OVER THAT TOWEL WITH A MAGNIFYING GLASS
OVER EVERY INCH OF IT
AND FOUND THESE TWO VERY TINY HAIR FRAGMENTS.
THESE WERE NOT COMPLETE HAIRS.
THESE DID NOT CONTAIN A ROOT.
AND THAT'S VERY IMPORTANT,
BECAUSE IF YOU HAVE A ROOT ON THE END OF A HAIR SHAFT,
THEN YOU'RE ABLE TO TAKE THAT ROOT AND RUN DNA ON IT.
Narrator: WITHOUT THE ROOT,
THE HAIR CAN OFFER ONLY A PARTIAL DNA PROFILE.
Davis: WE KNEW THAT THE MITOCHONDRIAL DNA BY ITSELF
WAS NOT GOING TO BE ENOUGH EVIDENCE
TO TELL US WHO DID THE ***,
SO WE KNEW IT WAS NOT GOING TO BE ALL THAT HELPFUL TO US.
Narrator: THE SEARCH FOR WALTER MILLER
ISN'T GOING ANYWHERE, EITHER.
Gerrish: THERE WAS TWO PEOPLE.
ONE OF THEM WAS, LIKE, 101 YEARS OLD,
AND THE OTHER WALTER MILLER WAS I THINK 51,
WHICH WOULD HAVE BEEN TOO OLD FOR OUR SUSPECT.
Narrator: IT'S BEEN A LONG AND FRUSTRATING 72 HOURS
SINCE DIANE HOLIK'S ***,
AND THE INVESTIGATIVE TEAM
HAS WORKED DAY AND NIGHT ON THE CASE.
I JUST KEPT TELLING MYSELF,
"YOU HAVE KEEP PUTTING ONE FOOT IN FRONT OF THE OTHER,"
'CAUSE IF THE INVESTIGATION STOPS MOVING, THEN IT'S DEAD.
Narrator: THE SKETCH OF THE SUSPECT
AIRS AS PLANNED ON THE 6:00 NEWS.
IT WAS PROBABLY WITHIN 10 MINUTES
THAT SOMEBODY CALLED OUR TIP LINE,
SAYING THAT THEY THOUGHT THAT HE HAD COME TO THEIR HOME.
THIS MAN WAS NOT LOOKING FOR A HOME.
HE WAS LOOKING FOR A VICTIM.
Narrator: THE POLICE SKETCH HAS UNCOVERED A POTENTIAL LEAD
ON THE MAN WHO STRANGLED 43-YEAR-OLD DIANE HOLIK
IN HER UPSCALE AUSTIN, TEXAS, HOME.
Davis: GOT A PHONE CALL FROM ONE OF THE DETECTIVES DOWNTOWN
WHO SAID, "WE HAD A WITNESS CALL IN.
"SHE HAS SOME INCREDIBLE INFORMATION.
YOU NEED TO GET HERE RIGHT AWAY."
THIS MAN APPARENTLY HAD COME TO HER HOME SIX MONTHS EARLIER
AND WAS VERY, VERY FORCEFUL
IN WANTING TO GET INTO THE HOUSE.
Narrator: SHE'D SAID NO, AND THE MAN FINALLY RELENTED,
BUT SEVERAL MONTHS LATER, HE RETURNED.
Davis: HER HUSBAND HAS JUST LEFT.
SHE'S HOME ALONE WITH HER DAUGHTER.
AND HE AGAIN TRIES TO CONVINCE HER TO LET HIM INSIDE THE HOUSE.
AND AGAIN SHE'S TELLING HIM,
"NO, YOU CAN'T COME IN MY HOUSE.
"IF YOU WANT TO LOOK AT MY HOUSE TO BUY IT,
YOU CAN CALL THE REALTOR."
Narrator: BUT THE MAN PERSISTS.
Davis: HE STARTS GETTING VERY AGITATED.
HE'S YELLING AT HER,
AND SHE FINALLY CONVINCES HIM THAT HE HAS TO LEAVE,
BUT SHE IS SO DISTURBED
BY THIS ENTIRE ENCOUNTER WITH THIS MAN
THAT SHE GETS A PIECE OF PAPER AND A PEN
AND SCRIBBLES DOWN HIS LICENSE PLATE NUMBER
OFF OF HIS MINIVAN.
AND SHE KEPT THAT LICENSE PLATE NUMBER IN A DRAWER IN HER HOUSE.
Narrator: WHEN SHE SEES THE COMPOSITE SKETCH
ON THE NEWS BROADCAST, SHE IMMEDIATELY CALLS POLICE.
De Los Santos: THIS LADY TELLS US THAT, YES,
THIS GUY THAT GAVE A SIMILAR STORY WAS AT HER HOUSE,
AND SHE HAD HIS LICENSE PLATE NUMBER.
IT WAS LIKE, "WOW, LET'S GET ROWING ON THIS.
FINALLY A BREAK."
THE FACT THAT THIS MAN RETURNED TO HER HOME
AND WAS SO AGGRESSIVE ABOUT WANTING TO GET IN
TOLD US THAT HE WAS AMPING UP HIS HUNT.
WE FELT LIKE BECAUSE HE'D GONE TO NUMEROUS NEIGHBORHOODS
ALL OVER AUSTIN
THAT HE HAD AN URGE RIGHT NOW THAT HE WAS WANTING TO SATISFY.
EVERYTHING THAT WE LEARNED ABOUT THIS MAN
MADE US MORE AND MORE SUSPICIOUS.
Narrator: INVESTIGATORS RUN THE MAN'S PLATES.
THE NAME FOR THE LICENSE PLATE COMES BACK TO ANTHONY RUSSO.
WE REALIZE THAT THE PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION OF TONY RUSSO
VERY MUCH MATCHES THE PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION
THAT WE WERE GETTING FROM ALL THESE WOMEN FROM THESE HOMES.
Narrator: RUSSO SEEMS AN UNLIKELY SUSPECT.
THE MARRIED FATHER OF TWO PLAYS IN A CHRISTIAN BAND
AND WORKS AS THE MUSIC DIRECTOR FOR A CHURCH
42 MINUTES OUTSIDE AUSTIN.
BUT THE CHRISTIAN ROCKER HAS A DARK SIDE.
WE RAN HIS NAME THROUGH A COMPUTER HISTORY CHECK,
AND IT SHOWED THAT HE HAD BEEN CONVICTED AND SENT TO PRISON
OUT OF LAKE JACKSON, TEXAS.
LAKE JACKSON POLICE DEPARTMENT SAID THAT TONY RUSSO
WAS ACTUALLY A SUSPECT IN NUMEROUS INCIDENTS
OF WOMEN BEING ATTACKED AND CHOKED,
AND THEY WERE VERY SURPRISED THAT HE WAS NOT STILL IN JAIL.
HE HAD GOT A 20-YEAR SENTENCE,
AND THAT HE WAS OUT IN EIGHT YEARS.
SO, THEY FELT LIKE HE WAS A VERY HIGH-RISK OFFENDER
AND THAT HE WAS DEFINITELY A DANGER TO WOMEN.
WE HAD BEEN WORKING SEVERAL DAYS, VERY LITTLE REST.
BUT WHEN WE GOT THIS INFORMATION AND WE GOT A NAME
AND ALL OF A SUDDEN WE'VE REALIZED
THAT THIS IS A MAN WHO HAS A HISTORY OF CHOKING WOMEN,
IT WAS LIKE WE GOT A SECOND WIND,
AND WE DECIDED THAT WE HAD TO GO AND FIND HIM RIGHT AWAY.
Gerrish: WE GOT TO THE RUSSOS' HOUSE WITH THE SEARCH WARRANT.
THE HOUSE WAS A TRAILER.
IT WAS ON A SMALL PLOT OF LAND.
IT WASN'T THE FANCY RANCH
HE HAD TOLD THE LADIES THAT HE HAD OWNED.
Narrator: INVESTIGATORS FIND RUSSO HOME ALONE.
Davis: WHEN MR. RUSSO OPENS THE DOOR,
HE DOESN'T SEEM ALL THAT SURPRISED
THAT THE POLICE ARE THERE.
HE INVITES US IN
AND WE TELL HIM THAT HIS NAME HAS COME UP
IN AN INVESTIGATION IN AUSTIN
AND ASK HIM IF HE'D BE WILLING TO COME BACK TO OUR OFFICE
AND SPEAK WITH US ABOUT THAT.
HE SEEMS RATHER CALM,
AND HE AGREES TO GO WITH THE POLICE.
Narrator: WITH RUSSO OUT OF THE WAY,
INVESTIGATORS GO DIGGING FOR EVIDENCE.
De Los Santos: THE SEARCH OF THE TRAILER
CONSISTED OF LOOKING FOR THE JEWELRY
THAT BELONGED TO THE VICTIM,
THE ZIP TIES THAT COULD HAVE BEEN USED
IN ANY POSSIBLE LIGATURE,
ANYTHING THAT WOULD GIVE US SOME INDICATION
THAT HE HAD BEEN AT THE VICTIM'S RESIDENCE.
Narrator: SO WHERE WAS TONY ON THE DAY OF DIANE'S DEATH?
Gerrish: ON THAT PARTICULAR DAY,
HE ACTUALLY DOES PUT HIMSELF IN AUSTIN,
GOING TO A RELIGIOUS RADIO STATION
THAT WE HAVE HERE IN TOWN.
AND THAT'S NEAR WHERE DIANE WAS KILLED.
NEAR DIANE'S HOME.
HE CLAIMS THAT HE WENT DOWN THERE
TO KIND OF GET HIS BAND PROMOTED,
BUT THAT WHEN HE GETS TO THE RADIO STATION,
HE KNOCKS ON THE DOOR...
SOMETIMES THEY ANSWER THEIR DOOR,
SOMETIMES THEY DON'T.
WHEN NO ONE HAD CAME TO THE DOOR,
I WENT AHEAD AND LEFT.
ABOUT WHAT TIME WAS THAT?
MM...4:00, I BELIEVE.
AT THAT POINT,
THAT WAS PRETTY MUCH WHEN THE STORM WAS BLOWING IN.
Narrator: HE'D BEEN ASKED POINT BLANK
IF HE'D BEEN SEARCHING FOR REAL ESTATE.
BUT HE DENIED GOING TO ANYBODY'S HOME,
LOOKING FOR A HOME, OR EVEN IN THE MARKET TO BUY A HOME.
Narrator: AND WHEN SHOWN A PICTURE OF DIANE HOLIK,
RUSSO BARELY REACTS.
I DON'T RECALL EVER SEEING HER.
IF SHE'S SAYING THAT I STOLE SOMETHING FROM HER,
THEN I'M SORRY.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO SAY.
I HAVEN'T STOLEN ANYTHING FROM ANYBODY.
I WORK MY TAIL OFF FOR WHAT I HAVE.
ONCE THE SEARCH WAS COMPLETED, WE FOUND NOTHING.
WE JUST ASSUMED THAT HE'D PROBABLY THREW EVERYTHING AWAY
OR HID IT SOMEWHERE THAT WE WOULD NEVER FIND IT.
Narrator: WITH NO CONFESSION AND NO EVIDENCE AGAINST RUSSO,
POLICE HAVE NO CHOICE BUT TO LET HIM GO.
I'M DISAPPOINTED, BUT IT DOESN'T REALLY SURPRISE ME.
I THINK THAT SOMEBODY WHO'S BEEN IN JAIL FOR EIGHT YEARS,
WHO'S HAD EIGHT YEARS TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO COMMIT A CRIME
AND NOT GET CAUGHT BY THE POLICE,
AND I THINK HE WAS HUNTING AND EVOLVING
AND FIGURING OUT THE BEST WAY HE COULD --
HE COULD DO SOMETHING AND GET AWAY WITH IT.
Narrator: IF SHE'S RIGHT,
A KILLER COULD ALREADY BE INSIDE HIS NEXT VICTIM'S BEDROOM.
HIS EYES CHANGED. HIS FACE CHANGED.
HE LOOKED NOT LIKE A HUMAN BEING,
BUT MORE LIKE AN ATTACK ANIMAL.
Narrator: INVESTIGATORS HAVE NO HARD EVIDENCE
TO LINK THEIR SUSPECT, 37-YEAR-OLD TONY RUSSO,
TO THE *** OF IBM PROJECT MANAGER DIANE HOLIK.
Gerrish: WE REALLY HAD NOTHING
OTHER THAN THE GENERAL DESCRIPTION.
WE KNEW WE WERE GONNA NEED MORE THAN THAT.
Narrator: RUSSO ADMITS TO BEING IN DIANE HOLIK'S NEIGHBORHOOD
THE DAY OF HER ***,
BUT SAYS HE WAS THERE TO DROP OFF A CD
AT A CHRISTIAN RADIO STATION.
HE HAD GONE THERE AND KNOCKED ON THE DOOR
AND THAT THE DOORS WERE LOCKED AND THAT NOBODY CAME,
THEN HE DROVE HOME.
Narrator: BUT RUSSO'S ALIBI DOESN'T ADD UP.
Davis: WE GOT A COMPLETELY DIFFERENT STORY
FROM THE RADIO STATION MANAGER.
Gerrish: THE MANAGER BASICALLY TOLD US THAT HE KNEW TONY RUSSO,
BUT HE SAID THAT HE NEVER SAW HIM THAT DAY.
Narrator: AND WITH A LOOMING TORNADO,
A VISITOR WOULD HAVE BEEN HARD TO MISS.
EVERYBODY IN THE STATION
HAD TO MOVE TO THE FRONT OF THE BUILDING,
AND THEY OPENED THE DOOR TO EQUALIZE THE PRESSURE
IN CASE THE STORM CAME IN.
FROM THAT ROOM, THEY HAD A DIRECT VIEW
OF THE OPEN FRONT DOORS,
SO IF ANYONE HAD APPROACHED THE FRONT DOORS
THE DAY OF THAT STORM,
THEY WOULD HAVE SEEN THEM IMMEDIATELY.
ABOUT WHAT TIME WAS THAT?
MM...4:00, I BELIEVE.
AND THEY SAID IF HE HAD BEEN THERE AT 4:00,
EVERYBODY WOULD HAVE BEEN IN THE LOBBY.
SO WE KNEW AT THAT POINT
THAT MR. RUSSO WAS TELLING US AN ABJECT LIE.
Narrator: BUT THERE STILL ISN'T CONCRETE PROOF
THAT HE STRANGLED DIANE TO DEATH.
THEN INVESTIGATORS HEAR FROM YET ANOTHER FEMALE HOME OWNER.
THIS YOUNG MOTHER WAS HOME ALONE,
HER HUSBAND IS AT WORK,
AND A MAN COMES AND KNOCKS ON HER DOOR.
HE IS HOLDING A FLIER IN HIS HAND
THAT HE HAD GOTTEN FROM A BOX THAT WAS OUT IN HER YARD,
AND HE ASKS IF HE CAN COME IN HER HOME.
HE WAS VERY CORDIAL LIKE HE WAS WITH EVERYBODY ELSE,
ASKED ABOUT THE DOGS, ASKED ABOUT THE SECURITY SYSTEM.
SHE HAD TWO KIDS WITH HER AT THE HOUSE,
AND ONE OF THEM WAS SLEEPING IN A BEDROOM.
THEY WALK AROUND THE HOUSE,
AND WHEN THEY GET INTO ONE OF THE BEDROOMS,
HE KIND OF SPINS AROUND ON HER.
SHE SAID, "HE TURNED FROM A MAN INTO A MONSTER."
HIS EYES CHANGED. HIS FACE CHANGED.
HE LOOKED NOT LIKE A HUMAN BEING,
BUT MORE LIKE AN ATTACK ANIMAL.
AND SHE STARTED TO PANIC AT THAT TIME.
[ BABY CRYING ]
AND THEN ALL OF A SUDDEN, SHE HEARS HER BABY CRY.
Narrator: WHEN THE WOMAN RUNS FROM THE ROOM
TO TEND TO HER CHILD,
THE MAN GETS FLUSTERED AND FLEES,
LEAVING A CRITICAL CLUE BEHIND.
SHE NOTICED THAT HE HAD BROUGHT
ONE OF THE BLACK-AND-WHITE FLIERS INTO HER HOUSE.
Narrator: THE WOMAN SLIDES IT
UNDERNEATH A PILE OF COLORED FLIERS
AND PUTS THE DISTURBING INCIDENT OUT OF HER MIND,
UNTIL SHE HEARS ABOUT THE SEARCH
FOR A *** SUSPECT POSING AS AN HOME BUYER.
SHE CALLED AND SHE BASICALLY SAID,
"I THINK I MIGHT HAVE A FLIER WITH HIS FINGERPRINTS ON IT."
WE IMMEDIATELY SENT A CRIME-SCENE PERSON
OVER TO THE HOUSE TO PICK UP THE FLIER
AND BRING IT BACK TO THE STATION.
Davis: MR. RUSSO HAD TOLD US IN THE INTERVIEW
THAT HE WAS NOT LOOKING TO PURCHASE A HOME,
HAD NOT BEEN LOOKING AT HOUSES.
WELL, IT HAS TO BE COINCIDENTAL,
'CAUSE I HAVEN'T BEEN IN ANY NEIGHBORHOOD.
HE DENIED THAT HE HAD EVER TAKEN A FLIER FROM ANYBODY'S HOMES.
I'M JUST TELLING YOU, I HAVEN'T DONE THAT,
I HAVEN'T TOUCHED ANY FLIERS THAT I HAVE EVER BEEN
IN AUSTIN LOOKING AT HOUSES.
HE SAID WE WOULD NEVER FIND HIS FINGERPRINT ON ANY FLIER EVER.
Narrator: THE LAB RESULTS TELL ANOTHER STORY.
WE GOT A HIT.
WE HAD FOUR GOOD LATENT FINGERPRINTS
THAT BELONGED TO TONY RUSSO ON THAT FLIER.
Narrator: THIS HOMEOWNER
COULD HAVE VERY WELL BEEN MURDERED HERSELF.
Gerrish: SHE PROBABLY CAME THE CLOSEST,
WAS PROBABLY THE ONE
THAT WOULD HAVE HAD SOMETHING BAD HAPPEN TO HER,
AND I THINK SHE SENSED THAT, SHE FELT THAT.
SHE SAID THAT IT WAS JUST, I GUESS, BY THE GRACE OF GOD
THAT THE BABY CRIED AND GAVE HER AN OUT.
REALLY EFFECTED HER.
IT REALLY FREAKED HER OUT
THAT, "I LET THIS GUY INTO MY HOUSE,
AND I COULD HAVE BEEN THAT WOMAN."
Narrator: RUSSO IS ARRESTED
FOR MAKING A FALSE REPORT TO AN OFFICER,
A MISDEMEANOR CHARGE THAT WILL KEEP HIM IN JAIL
UNTIL POLICE HAVE ENOUGH TO CHARGE HIM WITH ***.
THEY ASK 15 OF THE FEMALE HOMEOWNERS
WHO'D COME IN CONTACT WITH THE SUSPECTED KILLER
TO ATTEND A LIVE LINEUP.
De Los Santos: THERE WAS APPROXIMATELY FIVE OTHER MEN
OF SAME HEIGHT AND BODY TYPE, HAIR, EYE COLOR
AS THE SUSPECT IN THIS PARTICULAR CASE.
Man: REPEAT THE FOLLOWING PHRASE.
"YOU HAVE A BEAUTIFUL HOUSE."
YOU HAVE A BEAUTIFUL HOUSE.
WE PUT THESE PEOPLE SIDE-BY-SIDE,
AND WE GIVE THEM THINGS TO SAY
THAT WERE SAID TO ALL THESE OTHER PEOPLE.
I REMEMBERED YOUR HOUSE FROM BEFORE.
KIND OF HIS RUSE, WHATEVER HE USED TO GET INTO THE HOMES.
I'M GOING TO PAY CASH FOR A HOUSE.
Narrator: 10 OUT OF 15 WITNESSES IDENTIFY RUSSO
AS THE MAN WHO CAME TO THEIR HOME.
NOW TO PROVE MOTIVE.
WE CAN ASSUME IT'S BECAUSE HE LIKES TO ATTACK WOMEN.
WHEN I START TO ASK HIM QUESTIONS
ABOUT WHETHER HE CHOKED WOMEN
AND WHETHER HE LIKED CHOKING WOMEN...
WE HAD SOME VERY INTERESTING CONVERSATIONS
ABOUT SOME CASES THAT YOU WERE INVOLVED IN.
THOSE CASES INVOLVED YOU CHOKING WOMEN.
AND AT THAT POINT, HE TERMINATED THE INTERVIEW.
I WOULD REALLY, REALLY LIKE TO SEE MY WIFE.
SO, OUR BIG DILEMMA HERE IS HOW DO WE MAKE THE JUMP
FROM LYING TO GET INTO A HOME TO ACTUALLY MURDERING SOMEBODY?
Narrator: INVESTIGATORS HAVE A THEORY
THAT'S RAPIDLY GAINING GROUND.
WE BELIEVE THAT TONY RUSSO CAME TO DIANE HOLIK'S HOME
THE MORNING OF HER DEATH.
Narrator: WHEN HE FOUND HER TO BE THE PERFECT VICTIM --
YOUNG, BEAUTIFUL, AND HOME ALONE --
HE TOLD HER HE'D COME BACK LATER THAT DAY WITH HIS WIFE.
IT WAS OUR THEORY THAT HE RETURNED DURING THE STORM.
Gerrish: I THINK HE TOOK ALL THE TOOLS HE WOULD NEED
TO SUBDUE HIS VICTIM.
Davis: SHE PROBABLY GAVE HIM A BATH TOWEL FROM HER BATHROOM
TO DRY OFF WITH.
AT THAT POINT, WE SURMISE
THAT SHE HAD BEEN TAKEN FROM BEHIND
AND LAID ON THE CARPET AND STRANGLED.
Narrator: THE DNA ANALYSIS SUPPORTS THAT THEORY.
Davis: THE MITOCHONDRIAL SEQUENCE FROM THE HAIR FRAGMENTS
WAS CONSISTENT WITH TONY RUSSO'S DNA.
Narrator: BUT THAT PARTIAL DNA PROFILE
COULD ALSO HAVE COME FROM SOMEONE ELSE ENTIRELY.
TO MAKE THEIR CASE, INVESTIGATORS WILL NEED TO PROVE
RUSSO WAS NEAR THE SCENE OF THE ***
THE DAY DIANE WAS KILLED.
FIRST THEY ISSUE A SUBPOENA FOR HIS CELLPHONE RECORDS.
THEN WE WERE ABLE TO ISSUE A SECOND SUBPOENA
TO GET THE ACTUAL CELLPHONE TOWERS
THAT HIS CALLS WERE HITTING OFF OF.
AND BY GETTING THE LOCATIONS OF THOSE CELLPHONE TOWERS,
WE COULD PLACE TONY RUSSO IN THE VICINITY
OF DIANE HOLIK'S HOME
AT ABOUT THE TIME SHE WAS KILLED.
Narrator: IT'S ENOUGH TO CHARGE RUSSO WITH ***,
BUT WITH A LARGELY CIRCUMSTANTIAL CASE,
WILL IT BE ENOUGH FOR A CONVICTION?
Davis: WE DECIDED
THAT IT WOULD BE AN IMPORTANT PIECE OF INFORMATION
IF WE COULD GET MR. RUSSO'S COMPUTER
AND WE COULD SEARCH IT
TO SEE IF HE HAD EVER PULLED UP THE LISTING FOR DIANE'S HOUSE.
Narrator: WHAT DAVIS NEXT DISCOVERS ABOUT TONY RUSSO
LEAVES EVEN SEASONED INVESTIGATORS REELING.
WE FINALLY ZEROED IN ON WHAT THE MOTIVE WAS.
IT WAS HORRIFYING.
Narrator: INVESTIGATORS FINALLY HAVE ENOUGH EVIDENCE
TO CHARGE 37-YEAR-OLD TONY RUSSO
WITH STRANGLING DIANE HOLIK TO DEATH.
WHEN WE FOUND TONY RUSSO'S FINGERPRINTS ON THAT FLIER,
IT WAS A HUGE RELIEF
BECAUSE WE FINALLY HAD A PIECE OF PHYSICAL EVIDENCE
THAT CONNECTED TONY RUSSO TO DIANE'S ***.
Narrator: WITH A TRIAL DATE SET,
DARLA DAVIS IS STILL LOOKING TO STRENGTHEN HER CASE.
Davis: WELL, WE WERE ABLE TO GET A PRINTOUT
OF THE INTERNET HISTORY OF MR. RUSSO'S COMPUTER,
AND THAT'S JUST BASICALLY A LIST
OF EVERY INTERNET SITE THAT THAT COMPUTER HAS GONE TO.
Narrator: THEY'RE LOOKING FOR PROOF
RUSSO HAD BEEN SEARCHING HOMES FOR SALE.
WHAT THEY DISCOVER IS FAR MORE HORRIFYING --
A REPEATEDLY VISITED WEBSITE WITH SOME SHOCKING CONTENT.
Davis: THE WEBSITE DESCRIBES ITSELF
AS "TASTEFULLY *** DEATH SCENES."
YOU CAN CHOOSE THE WAY
THAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO SEE A WOMAN KILLED,
AND HIS CHOICE WAS ASPHYXIATION.
Narrator: THE MARRIED FATHER OF TWO
HAS VIEWED NEARLY 1,000 PICTURES OF WOMEN BEING STRANGLED.
I'VE BEEN A PROSECUTOR FOR ALMOST 20 YEARS,
AND I'VE NEVER SEEN ANYTHING
CLOSE TO WHAT I WAS SEEING ON THIS WEBSITE.
Narrator: BUT IT'S RUSSO'S LAST DOWNLOAD
IN THE DAYS BEFORE DIANE'S ***
THAT REALLY GETS THEIR ATTENTION.
Gerrish: THE LAST STORY WAS A MAN
WHO ACTED LIKE HE WAS GOING TO BUY A HOME,
GOT INTO A WOMAN'S HOME, AND BASICALLY STRANGLED HER
TO SATISFY THE URGE OF THE ASPHYXIATION,
AND THE BOTTOM LINE WAS THAT THE MURDERER IN THE STORY
SAID TO MAKE IT LOOK LIKE IT WAS A ROBBERY,
AND THAT WAY NOBODY WOULD EVER SUSPECT
THE STRANGULATION WAS ACTUALLY THE WHOLE POINT OF THE ***,
NOT THE ROBBERY.
Davis: IT WAS SICKENING.
OBVIOUSLY THE PERSON WHO'D BEEN LOOKING AT THESE PICTURES
AND THEN WHO HAD RE-CREATED IT IN REAL LIFE
WAS A DANGEROUSLY DISTURBED PERSON.
Narrator: TO PURSUE THE DEATH PENALTY,
DAVIS MUST PROVE THE *** WAS COMMITTED DURING A BURGLARY.
SO THEY RETURNED TO RUSSO'S TRAILER,
HOPING TO FIND DIANE'S $20,000 ENGAGEMENT RING.
IT TOOK A VERY LONG TIME TO, PIECE-BY-PIECE,
GO THROUGH EVERYTHING IN THAT HOUSE,
EVERY PIECE OF CLOTHING, LOOK IN EVERY CABINET,
LOOK IN EVERY LITTLE, TINY PLACE
THAT SOMEONE COULD HIDE A PIECE OF JEWELRY.
Narrator: BUT THE TRAILER PROVES TO BE A DISAPPOINTMENT.
WE FOUND NOTHING THAT WOULD HELP WITH THE INVESTIGATION.
Narrator: AT LEAST NOT INSIDE.
DRIVING AWAY, SOMETHING CATCHES THE DETECTIVE'S EYE.
De Los Santos: I NOTICED THAT THERE WAS SOME FENCING
THAT WAS STILL ROLLED UP THAT HAD NOT BEEN PUT OUT,
AND KEEPING THE FENCING TOGETHER WERE THESE ZIP TIES.
WE KNEW THAT ZIP TIES HAD BEEN USED TO BIND DIANE'S HANDS,
SO THAT WAS A "EUREKA" MOMENT.
THAT WAS SOMETHING THAT WAS VERY SIGNIFICANT.
Narrator: THEY REMOVE THE TIE AND SEND IT IN FOR ANALYSIS.
THE CRIME-SCENE EXPERT AT THE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SAFETY
WAS ABLE TO COMPARE THE SIZE OF THE ZIP TIES
THAT WE FOUND ON MR. RUSSO'S PROPERTY
TO THE SIZE OF THE MARKINGS ON DIANE'S WRISTS,
AND FOUND THAT THEY WERE A MATCH.
Narrator: ON FEBRUARY 5, 2004,
ANTHONY RUSSO GOES TO TRIAL IN AN AUSTIN, TEXAS COURTROOM.
14 WOMEN TAKE THE STAND TO TESTIFY
THAT RUSSO APPROACHED THEM ABOUT BUYING THEIR HOMES.
MR. RUSSO WAS IN NO POSITION FINANCIALLY
TO BEGIN TO AFFORD THE HOUSES HE WAS LOOKING AT.
De Los Santos: HE WASN'T THE PERSON
THAT HE PORTRAYED HIMSELF.
HIS FINANCES WERE PRACTICALLY IN RUINS.
Narrator: DAVIS PRESENTS THE DNA EVIDENCE
FROM THE HAIR FRAGMENTS,
ALONG WITH THE DISTURBING DETAILS
OF RUSSO'S INTERNET HISTORY.
WE SUBPOENAED THE WEBMASTER FOR THIS WEBSITE,
AND HE PROVIDED US UNFETTERED ACCESS
SO THAT WE COULD RE-CREATE FOR THE JURY
THE SPECIFIC VIGNETTES
THAT TONY RUSSO HAD BEEN LOOKING AT.
WITH A *** ***,
IT'S NOT JUST PLAYING AT CONSENSUAL BONDAGE.
WHAT HE IS AFTER IS HUNTING,
TAKING A WOMAN UNAWARES,
AND KILLING HER.
FOR HIM, THE CLIMAX IS NOT A *** ACT
THAT WE WOULD UNDERSTAND.
IT IS THE ACTUAL ACT OF HOMICIDE.
Narrator: AFTER DELIBERATING FOR 11 HOURS,
THE VERDICT IS IN.
Woman: WE THE JURY
FIND THE DEFENDANT, PATRICK ANTHONY RUSSO,
GUILTY OF THE OFFENSE OF CAPITAL ***.
Davis: AND HE RECEIVED A LIFE SENTENCE.
Gerrish: THEY CHOSE NOT TO GIVE HIM THE DEATH PENALTY,
WHICH I'M FINE WITH.
AS LONG AS TONY RUSSO IS BEHIND BARS
AND CAN'T HURT ANY OTHER WOMEN,
HOW CAN I NOT FEEL GOOD ABOUT THAT?
Lepore: I TURNED AROUND TO DIANE'S PARENTS
AND WE JUST HUGGED, BUT WE HUGGED SO HARD
IT WAS LIKE WE ALMOST HUGGED RIGHT INTO OUR BONES.
Narrator: TONY RUSSO WON'T BE ELIGIBLE FOR PAROLE
UNTIL HE IS 93 YEARS OLD.
Gerrish: HAD HE GOTTEN AWAY WITH THIS ***,
I BELIEVE WITH ALL MY HEART
THAT TONY RUSSO WOULD STILL BE OUT THERE TODAY,
TRYING TO STRANGLE WOMEN.
SO, I FEEL I HAVE TO COMPLIMENT ALL THE WOMEN
WHO HAD THAT CREEPY FEELING AND WROTE DOWN A LICENSE PLATE
OR HAD THE FORESIGHT TO KEEP A FLIER,
BECAUSE ULTIMATELY THAT'S WHAT REALLY BROKE THE CASE FOR US
AND HELPED US SOLVE THIS.
WE WOULD NOT STOP UNTIL WE FOUND WHO HAD DONE IT,
AND WE WERE ABLE TO DO IT IN A MATTER OF DAYS,
BUT IT TOOK EVERYBODY WORKING TOGETHER
TO BE ABLE TO FIND THIS MAN
AND FIND HIM BEFORE HE KILLED AGAIN.