1
00:00:09,341 --> 00:00:12,277
<i> - In 2004, the city</i>
<i> of atlanta was</i>

2
00:00:12,346 --> 00:00:14,379
Very much a booming
metropolitan area.

3
00:00:14,381 --> 00:00:16,348
<i> There were people</i>
<i> that were migrating here</i>

4
00:00:16,417 --> 00:00:18,783
<i> From all over the country.</i>

5
00:00:18,853 --> 00:00:21,086
<i> - John ray moved to atlanta</i>

6
00:00:21,154 --> 00:00:23,155
<i> To have a place</i>
<i> where he could</i>

7
00:00:23,223 --> 00:00:25,624
Socialize and have parties.

8
00:00:25,692 --> 00:00:28,127
- He was just ambitious
and great to be around,

9
00:00:28,129 --> 00:00:30,495
<i> Great demeanor all the time.</i>

10
00:00:30,497 --> 00:00:35,134
- But on may 16th,
he did not show up for work.

11
00:00:35,202 --> 00:00:39,138
- They are able
to go into the home

12
00:00:39,206 --> 00:00:43,108
<i> And find john's body tied up</i>
<i> in the middle of the floor,</i>

13
00:00:43,177 --> 00:00:44,242
Lying in his own blood.

14
00:00:44,311 --> 00:00:46,078
<i> [tense music]</i>

15
00:00:46,146 --> 00:00:49,181
- He had been stabbed
several times.

16
00:00:49,183 --> 00:00:51,850
- There was literally
just blood all over.

17
00:00:51,919 --> 00:00:55,820
<i> ♪ ♪</i>

18
00:00:55,822 --> 00:00:57,790
<i> - This investigation</i>
<i> went through a number</i>

19
00:00:57,858 --> 00:01:00,792
Of different avenues,
pulling on different threads

20
00:01:00,861 --> 00:01:04,462
<i> That they discovered</i>
<i> from the scene.</i>

21
00:01:04,532 --> 00:01:07,199
<i> - We learned</i>
<i> that john's vehicle</i>

22
00:01:07,267 --> 00:01:08,600
Was not in the driveway

23
00:01:08,668 --> 00:01:11,302
<i> Because the killer</i>
<i> was driving the car.</i>

24
00:01:11,372 --> 00:01:13,372
- Dna was all over the airbag.

25
00:01:14,741 --> 00:01:17,208
- We know the dna
belongs to him,

26
00:01:17,278 --> 00:01:19,644
But does that make him
a murderer?

27
00:01:19,713 --> 00:01:20,845
[glass shatters]

28
00:01:20,915 --> 00:01:22,213
- We need to get john ray

29
00:01:22,283 --> 00:01:24,082
The justice
he truly deserved.

30
00:01:24,151 --> 00:01:29,154
<i> ♪ ♪</i>

31
00:01:29,222 --> 00:01:32,091
<i> [dramatic music]</i>

32
00:01:32,159 --> 00:01:36,962
<i> ♪ ♪</i>

33
00:01:37,030 --> 00:01:39,364
<i> [sirens wailing]</i>

34
00:01:43,970 --> 00:01:46,471
<i> [upbeat music]</i>

35
00:01:46,473 --> 00:01:49,007
<i> - In 2004,</i>
<i> the city of atlanta</i>

36
00:01:49,076 --> 00:01:51,710
<i> Is hitting its stride</i>
<i> as the cultural epicenter</i>

37
00:01:51,778 --> 00:01:52,711
<i> Of the south.</i>

38
00:01:52,779 --> 00:01:56,515
- Relative to other places
in the united states,

39
00:01:56,583 --> 00:01:59,918
It's more culturally diverse.

40
00:01:59,986 --> 00:02:02,387
<i> It was a more</i>
<i> welcoming community</i>

41
00:02:02,456 --> 00:02:04,523
Than where I had grown up.

42
00:02:04,591 --> 00:02:07,292
<i> - The city of atlanta</i>
<i> was the marquee city</i>

43
00:02:07,294 --> 00:02:09,394
<i> In the southeast.</i>

44
00:02:09,396 --> 00:02:12,264
You were getting people
from all walks of life,

45
00:02:12,332 --> 00:02:14,799
<i> Diverse communities</i>
<i> that were coming in.</i>

46
00:02:14,868 --> 00:02:17,568
One of the communities
that was starting to grow

47
00:02:17,570 --> 00:02:22,541
And become more public
was the lgbt community.

48
00:02:22,609 --> 00:02:25,610
<i> - Atlanta continued</i>
<i> to grow in that respect</i>

49
00:02:25,679 --> 00:02:28,880
And continued to be a place
where people

50
00:02:28,949 --> 00:02:31,816
<i> Could be themselves</i>
<i> and comfortably be themselves</i>

51
00:02:31,885 --> 00:02:35,554
Without fear of repercussion
for being themselves.

52
00:02:35,622 --> 00:02:38,723
<i> - In atlanta, there was</i>
<i> a growing gay community</i>

53
00:02:38,792 --> 00:02:42,494
That gave more freedom
to people

54
00:02:42,562 --> 00:02:44,396
To sort of be who they were

55
00:02:44,464 --> 00:02:46,598
<i> And express</i>
<i> their sexual preference.</i>

56
00:02:46,667 --> 00:02:50,034
<i> - Such is the case</i>
<i> for 32-year-old john ray,</i>

57
00:02:50,036 --> 00:02:52,671
<i> An air force veteran</i>
<i> and paralegal</i>

58
00:02:52,739 --> 00:02:57,008
<i> Who was enjoying the freedom</i>
<i> of atlanta's open culture.</i>

59
00:02:57,010 --> 00:03:00,012
<i> But one spring morning,</i>
<i> john's close friends</i>

60
00:03:00,080 --> 00:03:02,947
<i> Become concerned</i>
<i> after not hearing from him</i>

61
00:03:03,017 --> 00:03:05,383
<i> For a few days.</i>

62
00:03:05,452 --> 00:03:10,255
- On may 16, 2004,
he did not show up for work.

63
00:03:10,324 --> 00:03:13,058
<i> His friends were</i>
<i> trying to reach him.</i>

64
00:03:13,126 --> 00:03:15,560
He wasn't answering.

65
00:03:15,629 --> 00:03:17,328
<i> Friends of his</i>
<i> go out to his home,</i>

66
00:03:17,330 --> 00:03:20,999
<i> And they aren't able</i>
<i> to get in.</i>

67
00:03:21,068 --> 00:03:23,068
<i> - Friends called</i>
<i> the police department</i>

68
00:03:23,136 --> 00:03:25,136
And stated that he hadn't
shown up for work

69
00:03:25,138 --> 00:03:26,838
For about three days,

70
00:03:26,907 --> 00:03:29,040
<i> So they just wanted</i>
<i> the police to respond</i>

71
00:03:29,109 --> 00:03:30,709
<i> And do a welfare check.</i>

72
00:03:30,777 --> 00:03:35,179
- From that point,
police are able to contact

73
00:03:35,181 --> 00:03:39,951
One of john's friends who has
a set of keys to his home.

74
00:03:40,020 --> 00:03:42,854
<i> An officer meets up</i>
<i> with the young lady.</i>

75
00:03:42,923 --> 00:03:44,856
They are able
to go into the home.

76
00:03:44,925 --> 00:03:47,492
<i> [tense music]</i>

77
00:03:47,560 --> 00:03:48,961
<i> ♪ ♪</i>

78
00:03:49,029 --> 00:03:51,730
<i> The officer finds john's body</i>

79
00:03:51,798 --> 00:03:54,899
<i> Tied up in the middle</i>
<i> of the floor,</i>

80
00:03:54,968 --> 00:03:56,435
Lying in his own blood.

81
00:03:56,437 --> 00:03:59,738
<i> ♪ ♪</i>

82
00:03:59,806 --> 00:04:03,008
<i> The officer quickly asks</i>
<i> the woman</i>

83
00:04:03,076 --> 00:04:05,877
<i> To step out of the home.</i>

84
00:04:05,946 --> 00:04:07,345
[sirens wailing]

85
00:04:07,414 --> 00:04:08,980
<i> - The atlanta pd</i>
<i> homicide unit</i>

86
00:04:09,049 --> 00:04:11,683
<i> Is immediately dispatched</i>
<i> to the scene.</i>

87
00:04:11,752 --> 00:04:13,117
<i> ♪ ♪</i>

88
00:04:13,119 --> 00:04:15,820
<i> - Once we made entry</i>
<i> into the residence,</i>

89
00:04:15,889 --> 00:04:19,891
It was just abundantly clear
that there was

90
00:04:19,893 --> 00:04:24,863
Some sort of struggle
or attack or ambush.

91
00:04:24,931 --> 00:04:27,031
<i> There was literally</i>
<i> just blood</i>

92
00:04:27,033 --> 00:04:28,933
<i> All over the living room</i>

93
00:04:29,002 --> 00:04:30,602
<i> And the dining room,</i>

94
00:04:30,671 --> 00:04:34,572
And john ray
was in the dining room

95
00:04:34,641 --> 00:04:38,877
<i> On his stomach</i>
<i> in a hogtied fashion.</i>

96
00:04:38,945 --> 00:04:40,779
<i> It appeared that john</i>
<i> was tied up</i>

97
00:04:40,847 --> 00:04:43,248
<i> With whatever random cords--</i>

98
00:04:43,317 --> 00:04:45,817
Phone cords, electrical cords.

99
00:04:45,886 --> 00:04:48,820
<i> And he appeared</i>
<i> to have been stabbed.</i>

100
00:04:48,889 --> 00:04:51,155
<i> - This was one</i>
<i> of the most graphic scenes</i>

101
00:04:51,157 --> 00:04:52,824
<i> That I had seen.</i>

102
00:04:52,826 --> 00:04:57,195
There was just no rationale
for this type of brutality.

103
00:04:57,264 --> 00:05:00,132
<i> - Medical examiner was able</i>
<i> to determine that he had been</i>

104
00:05:00,200 --> 00:05:01,833
<i> Stabbed several times.</i>

105
00:05:01,902 --> 00:05:04,569
The stabbing was so brutal
that the knife actually

106
00:05:04,638 --> 00:05:06,771
Broke off into the body.

107
00:05:06,840 --> 00:05:08,640
<i> Medical examiner</i>
<i> investigators</i>

108
00:05:08,709 --> 00:05:10,275
<i> Surmised at the scene</i>

109
00:05:10,343 --> 00:05:14,379
<i> That john ray</i>
<i> just wasn't killed that day.</i>

110
00:05:14,448 --> 00:05:17,449
He had been laying there
for at least three days.

111
00:05:17,517 --> 00:05:19,851
<i> - The me collects the body</i>

112
00:05:19,853 --> 00:05:23,021
<i> As investigators analyze</i>
<i> the rest of the house.</i>

113
00:05:23,089 --> 00:05:25,089
<i> - When we talk</i>
<i> about this scene,</i>

114
00:05:25,091 --> 00:05:29,828
I think there's good words
to use--sensory overload.

115
00:05:29,896 --> 00:05:32,030
<i> 'cause it's not just what</i>
<i> you're seeing with your eyes.</i>

116
00:05:32,098 --> 00:05:36,468
You're smelling things,
like a decomposing body.

117
00:05:36,536 --> 00:05:39,070
<i> - Csi dusts the scene</i>
<i> for prints,</i>

118
00:05:39,139 --> 00:05:42,607
<i> But the house appears</i>
<i> to have been wiped down.</i>

119
00:05:42,676 --> 00:05:44,142
- When we walked
in the kitchen,

120
00:05:44,211 --> 00:05:46,678
<i> We were able to see</i>
<i> cleaning products everywhere.</i>

121
00:05:46,746 --> 00:05:50,782
<i> We could smell</i>
<i> the smell of bleach.</i>

122
00:05:50,851 --> 00:05:52,184
<i> When we walked</i>
<i> into the bathroom,</i>

123
00:05:52,252 --> 00:05:56,421
There was another
huge amount of blood

124
00:05:56,490 --> 00:05:57,989
<i> That indicated</i>
<i> that the suspect</i>

125
00:05:58,058 --> 00:06:01,493
Had tried to clean himself off
before he left.

126
00:06:01,495 --> 00:06:03,227
<i> - Despite the killer's</i>
<i> thoroughness,</i>

127
00:06:03,297 --> 00:06:06,764
<i> Detectives are stunned</i>
<i> when they discover something</i>

128
00:06:06,833 --> 00:06:09,601
<i> He may have left behind.</i>

129
00:06:09,669 --> 00:06:11,135
- There's clothing
in the washing machine.

130
00:06:11,204 --> 00:06:13,805
<i> This red rocawear t-shirt</i>
<i> actually had</i>

131
00:06:13,874 --> 00:06:15,874
<i> A lot of blood on it.</i>

132
00:06:15,942 --> 00:06:17,809
<i> - Are we gonna find</i>
<i> the suspect's blood?</i>

133
00:06:17,878 --> 00:06:19,544
Are we gonna find
john ray's blood?

134
00:06:19,612 --> 00:06:22,214
<i> That would be</i>
<i> a huge clue for us.</i>

135
00:06:22,282 --> 00:06:25,249
<i> - We collect those clothes,</i>
<i> and we hold them.</i>

136
00:06:25,251 --> 00:06:26,585
We preserve them.

137
00:06:26,587 --> 00:06:28,186
<i> - With little</i>
<i> forensic evidence</i>

138
00:06:28,254 --> 00:06:29,921
<i> At the scene to work with,</i>

139
00:06:29,990 --> 00:06:31,789
<i> Detectives</i>
<i> try to piece together</i>

140
00:06:31,858 --> 00:06:33,925
<i> What happened between john</i>
<i> and his killer</i>

141
00:06:33,994 --> 00:06:36,861
<i> In order to develop a theory.</i>

142
00:06:36,930 --> 00:06:38,796
<i> - As police</i>
<i> investigate the scene,</i>

143
00:06:38,865 --> 00:06:41,032
<i> Officers encounter</i>
<i> a pair of glasses</i>

144
00:06:41,101 --> 00:06:43,902
<i> On a coffee table,</i>
<i> which indicates</i>

145
00:06:43,970 --> 00:06:46,638
That he may have been
sharing a drink with someone.

146
00:06:46,706 --> 00:06:48,673
<i> They find a broken</i>
<i> vodka bottle.</i>

147
00:06:48,742 --> 00:06:51,175
They find a lot
of his stuff missing--

148
00:06:51,244 --> 00:06:55,347
A tv, a dvd player,
a briefcase, a watch,

149
00:06:55,415 --> 00:06:56,714
Other items of jewelry.

150
00:06:56,783 --> 00:06:57,815
These were things
that told a number

151
00:06:57,885 --> 00:06:59,784
Of different
potential stories.

152
00:06:59,853 --> 00:07:02,487
<i> - What was conflicting</i>
<i> was the fact that if you're</i>

153
00:07:02,555 --> 00:07:04,356
<i> Just trying to rob somebody,</i>

154
00:07:04,424 --> 00:07:06,758
<i> You can grab their things</i>
<i> and run.</i>

155
00:07:06,826 --> 00:07:10,061
But in this
particular instance,

156
00:07:10,130 --> 00:07:13,365
<i> It appeared that john</i>
<i> and this person</i>

157
00:07:13,433 --> 00:07:15,367
<i> Were maybe having cocktails,</i>

158
00:07:15,435 --> 00:07:18,403
And then suddenly,
there's a--

159
00:07:18,405 --> 00:07:20,972
A burst of violence.

160
00:07:21,041 --> 00:07:22,574
<i> ♪ ♪</i>

161
00:07:22,642 --> 00:07:24,308
<i> We did search around.</i>

162
00:07:24,310 --> 00:07:25,577
<i> We did not see any cameras</i>

163
00:07:25,645 --> 00:07:27,712
Or any type
of advanced system,

164
00:07:27,781 --> 00:07:30,014
<i> But john did have an alarm.</i>

165
00:07:30,016 --> 00:07:32,216
<i> - The officers</i>
<i> and the people at the scene,</i>

166
00:07:32,218 --> 00:07:34,152
They said that the door
was locked.

167
00:07:34,221 --> 00:07:35,687
The alarm was on.

168
00:07:35,755 --> 00:07:37,321
<i> They had to turn</i>
<i> the alarm off.</i>

169
00:07:37,323 --> 00:07:39,124
<i> - For the door</i>
<i> to have been locked,</i>

170
00:07:39,126 --> 00:07:40,791
<i> For the alarm</i>
<i> to have been set,</i>

171
00:07:40,861 --> 00:07:43,195
<i> It had to have been someone</i>
<i> that mr. Ray</i>

172
00:07:43,263 --> 00:07:46,064
Was familiar with.

173
00:07:46,132 --> 00:07:48,833
<i> - Armed with the revelation</i>
<i> that john may have known</i>

174
00:07:48,835 --> 00:07:51,603
<i> His assailant,</i>
<i> investigators immediately turn</i>

175
00:07:51,671 --> 00:07:54,038
<i> To his friends</i>
<i> and family for answers.</i>

176
00:07:54,107 --> 00:07:56,341
<i> Who is john ray?</i>

177
00:07:56,409 --> 00:07:58,009
<i> - You want to know</i>
<i> everything about your victim.</i>

178
00:07:58,078 --> 00:08:00,479
And in this
particular instance,

179
00:08:00,547 --> 00:08:03,147
We were able to speak
with some of his friends.

180
00:08:03,216 --> 00:08:06,017
- I got a phone call
that john had been murdered.

181
00:08:07,921 --> 00:08:12,257
<i> It shocked me</i>
<i> and affected me greatly.</i>

182
00:08:12,325 --> 00:08:15,093
- The fact that he would
meet a demise like that

183
00:08:15,095 --> 00:08:17,128
Really bothered me.

184
00:08:17,197 --> 00:08:22,634
- It was heartbreaking,
'cause something like that

185
00:08:22,702 --> 00:08:25,103
Couldn't have happened to a--

186
00:08:25,171 --> 00:08:26,104
<i> A better person.</i>

187
00:08:26,106 --> 00:08:30,008
I mean, john was just
a really great guy.

188
00:08:31,678 --> 00:08:33,445
<i> - His friends</i>
<i> were able to tell us</i>

189
00:08:33,513 --> 00:08:35,213
<i> That john was very educated,</i>

190
00:08:35,281 --> 00:08:37,381
That he graduated
from benedict college.

191
00:08:37,383 --> 00:08:41,185
<i> He moved to atlanta</i>
<i> to buy a house</i>

192
00:08:41,187 --> 00:08:45,357
<i> And fix it up and have</i>
<i> a place where he could</i>

193
00:08:45,425 --> 00:08:47,725
<i> Socialize and have parties.</i>

194
00:08:47,794 --> 00:08:49,261
He was interested
in becoming a lawyer

195
00:08:49,329 --> 00:08:53,698
And was starting that path
by working as a paralegal.

196
00:08:53,700 --> 00:08:56,067
<i> [dramatic music]</i>

197
00:08:56,136 --> 00:08:58,336
<i> - I started working</i>
<i> with fulton county</i>

198
00:08:58,404 --> 00:09:01,606
Conflict defender
about 2001,

199
00:09:01,675 --> 00:09:04,376
<i> And john was there</i>
<i> when I got there.</i>

200
00:09:04,444 --> 00:09:07,011
<i> He had gone to trial with me.</i>

201
00:09:07,013 --> 00:09:08,813
<i> He was able to help me</i>

202
00:09:08,882 --> 00:09:10,648
Do what I needed to do
in the courtroom.

203
00:09:10,650 --> 00:09:11,950
<i> He was bright.</i>

204
00:09:12,018 --> 00:09:13,952
<i> I thought john had</i>
<i> all the skills</i>

205
00:09:14,020 --> 00:09:16,955
<i> That he needed</i>
<i> to be a good lawyer.</i>

206
00:09:17,023 --> 00:09:19,190
<i> - That guy</i>
<i> was just ambitious.</i>

207
00:09:19,259 --> 00:09:22,660
Just great to be around,
great demeanor all the time.

208
00:09:22,729 --> 00:09:24,495
<i> Like, he was always joking.</i>

209
00:09:24,497 --> 00:09:28,500
<i> He always had, like,</i>
<i> a smile on his face.</i>

210
00:09:28,568 --> 00:09:30,568
<i> But he was determined.</i>

211
00:09:30,637 --> 00:09:33,871
He had this candid
insistence on excellence.

212
00:09:33,940 --> 00:09:35,573
<i> - In speaking with friends,</i>

213
00:09:35,642 --> 00:09:38,309
We did learn
that john was gay.

214
00:09:38,311 --> 00:09:42,246
That wasn't something that he
wanted everybody to know.

215
00:09:42,315 --> 00:09:43,982
<i> - John and I were</i>
<i> fraternity brothers.</i>

216
00:09:44,050 --> 00:09:46,818
<i> We had no idea</i>
<i> that john was gay.</i>

217
00:09:46,886 --> 00:09:48,486
<i> It wasn't something</i>
<i> that we talked about.</i>

218
00:09:48,554 --> 00:09:51,355
If john would have
opened himself up about that,

219
00:09:51,357 --> 00:09:52,991
He would have found
that there were

220
00:09:53,059 --> 00:09:55,760
Quite a few other brothers
in the fraternity

221
00:09:55,828 --> 00:09:59,464
Who were living the same
kind of down-low lives.

222
00:09:59,532 --> 00:10:03,735
<i> - John's loved ones cannot</i>
<i> think of any enemies he had,</i>

223
00:10:03,803 --> 00:10:06,003
<i> But they do reveal</i>
<i> to investigators</i>

224
00:10:06,072 --> 00:10:08,106
<i> That john drove a pontiac.</i>

225
00:10:08,174 --> 00:10:09,741
<i> And when police</i>
<i> check the area,</i>

226
00:10:09,809 --> 00:10:12,544
<i> They find no sign of it.</i>

227
00:10:12,612 --> 00:10:18,482
<i> - We learned that john had</i>
<i> a white pontiac grand am,</i>

228
00:10:18,484 --> 00:10:21,152
And clearly, that vehicle
was not in the driveway.

229
00:10:21,221 --> 00:10:24,589
<i> That was an exciting tip to</i>
<i> get right there on the scene,</i>

230
00:10:24,657 --> 00:10:27,425
<i> Because it's either</i>
<i> the killer driving the car</i>

231
00:10:27,493 --> 00:10:30,895
Or a person who knows
about the killing.

232
00:10:30,897 --> 00:10:34,298
So that car is an imperative
that we find it.

233
00:10:34,367 --> 00:10:35,467
[sirens wailing]

234
00:10:35,535 --> 00:10:36,967
<i> Officers immediately</i>
<i> put out</i>

235
00:10:36,969 --> 00:10:38,169
<i> An all-points bulletin.</i>

236
00:10:38,171 --> 00:10:40,238
It goes over
the police radio.

237
00:10:40,240 --> 00:10:42,306
It goes nationwide.

238
00:10:42,375 --> 00:10:45,043
<i> - And it's almost as soon</i>
<i> as the operator</i>

239
00:10:45,111 --> 00:10:48,780
<i> Is putting in that last</i>
<i> digits of that vin</i>

240
00:10:48,848 --> 00:10:50,748
And they're hitting
the send button,

241
00:10:50,817 --> 00:10:54,452
It's almost immediately,
we're getting a hit, boom.

242
00:10:54,520 --> 00:10:55,787
<i> That vehicle's been located.</i>

243
00:10:55,855 --> 00:10:57,589
<i> I mean, you're ecstatic,</i>

244
00:10:57,657 --> 00:10:59,423
But all right,
we have the vehicle.

245
00:10:59,493 --> 00:11:01,426
What happened?

246
00:11:01,494 --> 00:11:03,361
<i> [sirens wailing]</i>

247
00:11:03,429 --> 00:11:06,765
- The suspect has actually
crashed john ray's car

248
00:11:06,767 --> 00:11:09,033
<i> And hit a power pole.</i>

249
00:11:09,035 --> 00:11:11,535
<i> - And then flees</i>
<i> the scene on foot.</i>

250
00:11:11,537 --> 00:11:12,737
This guy's long gone.

251
00:11:12,805 --> 00:11:15,206
<i> This individual</i>
<i> just slipped away</i>

252
00:11:15,275 --> 00:11:17,175
From police custody
that easy.

253
00:11:17,243 --> 00:11:19,443
It's very frustrating.

254
00:11:19,512 --> 00:11:21,279
- The airbag had blood on it.

255
00:11:21,347 --> 00:11:25,650
- So now we have blood
that we can test for dna.

256
00:11:25,718 --> 00:11:30,255
<i> ♪ ♪</i>

257
00:11:33,392 --> 00:11:35,527
<i> [tense music]</i>

258
00:11:35,595 --> 00:11:38,329
<i> - Atlanta detectives are</i>
<i> only hours into investigating</i>

259
00:11:38,398 --> 00:11:41,165
<i> The murder</i>
<i> of 32-year-old john ray,</i>

260
00:11:41,234 --> 00:11:43,501
<i> Who was brutally stabbed</i>
<i> to death in his dining room</i>

261
00:11:43,570 --> 00:11:46,571
<i> Three days earlier.</i>

262
00:11:46,573 --> 00:11:48,973
<i> After scouring john's home,</i>

263
00:11:49,042 --> 00:11:51,575
<i> Police discover</i>
<i> his car has been stolen</i>

264
00:11:51,577 --> 00:11:53,911
<i> And put out an apb.</i>

265
00:11:53,980 --> 00:11:57,415
<i> To their surprise,</i>
<i> they get a hit in no time.</i>

266
00:11:57,483 --> 00:12:00,685
- It was almost immediate
that we learned

267
00:12:00,753 --> 00:12:04,021
That the car was in impound.

268
00:12:04,090 --> 00:12:06,724
<i> It had actually been involved</i>
<i> in a traffic offense</i>

269
00:12:06,793 --> 00:12:08,793
<i> Three days prior.</i>

270
00:12:08,862 --> 00:12:10,427
- John had been dead
for three days.

271
00:12:10,497 --> 00:12:12,597
And tracing back to the day

272
00:12:12,665 --> 00:12:15,800
<i> That he was believed</i>
<i> to have been killed,</i>

273
00:12:15,869 --> 00:12:18,269
<i> His car had been in a wreck.</i>

274
00:12:18,338 --> 00:12:19,970
- The traffic infraction

275
00:12:19,972 --> 00:12:21,840
<i> Was in very close proximity</i>
<i> to john's house.</i>

276
00:12:24,410 --> 00:12:25,776
<i> - One of the thoughts that's</i>
<i> going through your head--</i>

277
00:12:25,846 --> 00:12:28,246
Well, was someone
arrested with it?

278
00:12:28,314 --> 00:12:30,982
<i> - Investigators immediately</i>
<i> head to the impound</i>

279
00:12:31,050 --> 00:12:32,884
<i> And meet with</i>
<i> their fellow officers,</i>

280
00:12:32,952 --> 00:12:36,220
<i> Who fill them in</i>
<i> on how the car got there.</i>

281
00:12:36,222 --> 00:12:38,222
- What homicide
investigators learned

282
00:12:38,224 --> 00:12:40,358
Was that on
the early-morning hours

283
00:12:40,426 --> 00:12:43,961
Of may 16, 2004,

284
00:12:44,030 --> 00:12:46,064
<i> Uniformed officers</i>
<i> attempt to pull over</i>

285
00:12:46,132 --> 00:12:48,399
<i> A black male</i>
<i> for a traffic stop,</i>

286
00:12:48,468 --> 00:12:50,501
Running a red light.

287
00:12:50,503 --> 00:12:53,505
<i> But that person decides that</i>
<i> they're not going to stop.</i>

288
00:12:53,573 --> 00:12:55,406
[siren wailing]

289
00:12:55,475 --> 00:12:57,108
<i> - He speeds off.</i>

290
00:12:57,177 --> 00:12:59,543
He tops the hill and goes
down the hill, and by the time

291
00:12:59,545 --> 00:13:03,047
The officer is able
to crest that hill,

292
00:13:03,116 --> 00:13:06,083
<i> He sees that the suspect</i>
<i> has actually crashed the car</i>

293
00:13:06,152 --> 00:13:08,519
<i> And hit a power pole.</i>

294
00:13:08,521 --> 00:13:11,055
<i> ♪ ♪</i>

295
00:13:11,057 --> 00:13:13,357
<i> - That person just</i>
<i> knocked the pole down,</i>

296
00:13:13,359 --> 00:13:15,993
Knocked the power out
for that entire area,

297
00:13:16,062 --> 00:13:19,930
<i> And flees the scene on foot.</i>

298
00:13:19,932 --> 00:13:21,532
<i> The officer gets there</i>
<i> that fast,</i>

299
00:13:21,601 --> 00:13:24,302
<i> But this guy's long gone.</i>

300
00:13:24,370 --> 00:13:27,372
What they identified was a
black male fleeing the scene.

301
00:13:29,342 --> 00:13:31,142
<i> - While officers at the scene</i>

302
00:13:31,211 --> 00:13:33,044
<i> Did not apprehend</i>
<i> the suspect,</i>

303
00:13:33,112 --> 00:13:36,347
<i> They did recover</i>
<i> and impound the car.</i>

304
00:13:36,349 --> 00:13:39,383
<i> The investigative team</i>
<i> is led to john's vehicle</i>

305
00:13:39,385 --> 00:13:41,553
<i> So they can examine it</i>
<i> to see if the suspect</i>

306
00:13:41,621 --> 00:13:43,554
<i> Left any evidence behind.</i>

307
00:13:43,623 --> 00:13:45,623
- That vehicle
is the most important thing

308
00:13:45,692 --> 00:13:47,291
In the case right now.

309
00:13:47,293 --> 00:13:49,360
That is where we're gonna find
all of our evidence.

310
00:13:49,429 --> 00:13:52,530
<i> - Police were able to find</i>
<i> a number of clues in the car,</i>

311
00:13:52,598 --> 00:13:54,499
Items that had been stolen
from john's house--

312
00:13:54,567 --> 00:13:59,403
<i> Dvd player, tv, briefcase,</i>
<i> jewelry, watches.</i>

313
00:13:59,405 --> 00:14:02,707
- Whoever killed john
and took his items

314
00:14:02,775 --> 00:14:04,442
Left all those items
in the car.

315
00:14:04,510 --> 00:14:07,612
So probably the person
who fled from the car

316
00:14:07,680 --> 00:14:09,480
Is our killer.

317
00:14:09,549 --> 00:14:12,316
<i> - Upon closer examination,</i>
<i> police uncover</i>

318
00:14:12,318 --> 00:14:14,385
<i> The most important</i>
<i> piece of evidence</i>

319
00:14:14,454 --> 00:14:17,822
<i> Found so far</i>
<i> in the investigation.</i>

320
00:14:17,890 --> 00:14:20,024
- The airbag was deployed,

321
00:14:20,093 --> 00:14:24,128
And the driver's blood
was all over the airbag.

322
00:14:24,196 --> 00:14:29,033
- And now we have blood
that we can test for dna.

323
00:14:29,102 --> 00:14:31,002
<i> - They are able</i>
<i> to actually cut out</i>

324
00:14:31,070 --> 00:14:33,237
<i> The portions of the airbag</i>
<i> with blood on it</i>

325
00:14:33,239 --> 00:14:34,772
<i> And send it to the crime lab</i>

326
00:14:34,840 --> 00:14:37,741
And have that profile
established

327
00:14:37,743 --> 00:14:39,110
From that blood sample

328
00:14:39,178 --> 00:14:40,944
And have it uploaded
into codis.

329
00:14:40,946 --> 00:14:45,116
<i> ♪ ♪</i>

330
00:14:45,184 --> 00:14:47,485
<i> - Any offender</i>
<i> after the year 2000</i>

331
00:14:47,553 --> 00:14:49,687
Had to give dna samples
as they were

332
00:14:49,756 --> 00:14:51,221
Being released from prison.

333
00:14:51,223 --> 00:14:52,657
<i> So it was still a crapshoot</i>

334
00:14:52,725 --> 00:14:55,092
<i> If the killer</i>
<i> hadn't served prison time,</i>

335
00:14:55,161 --> 00:14:57,728
<i> But finding that blood</i>
<i> evidence in the car</i>

336
00:14:57,730 --> 00:14:59,663
<i> Was like hitting the lottery.</i>

337
00:14:59,732 --> 00:15:02,233
<i> We were super sure</i>
<i> at that point,</i>

338
00:15:02,301 --> 00:15:05,102
Once we swabbed the blood
and uploaded it in codis,

339
00:15:05,171 --> 00:15:06,837
That we would get our suspect.

340
00:15:06,906 --> 00:15:09,173
<i> - The dna profile is run</i>

341
00:15:09,242 --> 00:15:10,642
<i> Against the database</i>
<i> of offenders,</i>

342
00:15:10,710 --> 00:15:14,344
<i> And investigators</i>
<i> quickly get their results.</i>

343
00:15:14,346 --> 00:15:17,481
- Unfortunately,
we were extremely deflated,

344
00:15:17,550 --> 00:15:21,152
Because the hit came back
as not a match.

345
00:15:21,220 --> 00:15:24,388
<i> We couldn't find out</i>
<i> whose blood it belonged to.</i>

346
00:15:24,390 --> 00:15:26,891
<i> - This individual</i>
<i> just slipped away</i>

347
00:15:26,959 --> 00:15:28,927
From police custody
that easy.

348
00:15:28,995 --> 00:15:30,528
It's very frustrating.

349
00:15:30,596 --> 00:15:34,365
<i> We have dna,</i>
<i> so all hope is not lost.</i>

350
00:15:34,367 --> 00:15:37,035
But as an investigator,
you don't even focus on that.

351
00:15:37,037 --> 00:15:39,737
You just keep--keep at it.

352
00:15:39,805 --> 00:15:42,273
<i> - Searching for answers,</i>
<i> detectives head back</i>

353
00:15:42,341 --> 00:15:43,708
<i> To john's neighborhood</i>

354
00:15:43,776 --> 00:15:48,045
<i> To canvass the area</i>
<i> for any vital information.</i>

355
00:15:48,047 --> 00:15:50,114
<i> - We learned</i>
<i> through the canvass</i>

356
00:15:50,182 --> 00:15:52,116
That john had been burglarized
numerous times.

357
00:15:52,185 --> 00:15:54,084
<i> We had found out</i>
<i> specifically,</i>

358
00:15:54,154 --> 00:15:56,687
<i> Just days prior</i>
<i> to his actual murder,</i>

359
00:15:56,756 --> 00:15:58,656
<i> He was burglarized.</i>

360
00:15:58,724 --> 00:16:01,825
<i> We started to lean more</i>
<i> towards thinking</i>

361
00:16:01,827 --> 00:16:04,094
That this
was a burglary gone bad.

362
00:16:04,164 --> 00:16:08,065
<i> So the prior burglaries</i>
<i> were also looked at.</i>

363
00:16:08,134 --> 00:16:10,167
<i> And basically,</i>
<i> what we learned was,</i>

364
00:16:10,236 --> 00:16:12,803
He had high-end jewelry
that was taken,

365
00:16:12,805 --> 00:16:15,673
As well as other electronics.

366
00:16:15,675 --> 00:16:19,710
<i> - The last break-in</i>
<i> that had been reported</i>

367
00:16:19,779 --> 00:16:22,379
<i> Ended with his phone line</i>
<i> being cut</i>

368
00:16:22,448 --> 00:16:24,982
<i> In an effort to deactivate</i>

369
00:16:25,050 --> 00:16:28,352
The security system
at his home.

370
00:16:28,421 --> 00:16:30,988
<i> - Those scenes</i>
<i> were also processed,</i>

371
00:16:31,057 --> 00:16:32,623
And in one
particular instance,

372
00:16:32,692 --> 00:16:36,594
There was a fingerprint
that was lifted.

373
00:16:36,662 --> 00:16:39,363
<i> Unfortunately, it was</i>
<i> just a partial print,</i>

374
00:16:39,365 --> 00:16:43,001
So we couldn't run it on our
afis machine to get a match.

375
00:16:43,069 --> 00:16:47,438
<i> ♪ ♪</i>

376
00:16:47,507 --> 00:16:50,274
<i> - We couldn't get</i>
<i> any clear indication</i>

377
00:16:50,343 --> 00:16:54,045
<i> That maybe the person that</i>
<i> committed these burglaries</i>

378
00:16:54,113 --> 00:16:55,747
<i> Were connected</i>
<i> to this murder.</i>

379
00:16:55,815 --> 00:16:59,550
<i> But I think the bigger</i>
<i> picture is that we believe</i>

380
00:16:59,619 --> 00:17:03,086
There were people
that chose to prey on john.

381
00:17:03,088 --> 00:17:06,457
<i> - Hoping to uncover who may</i>
<i> have been targeting john</i>

382
00:17:06,526 --> 00:17:09,226
<i> In these burglaries,</i>
<i> investigators reach out</i>

383
00:17:09,295 --> 00:17:11,662
<i> To john's friends</i>
<i> to gain insight.</i>

384
00:17:11,731 --> 00:17:14,264
<i> - In speaking with a friend</i>
<i> of john ray's,</i>

385
00:17:14,334 --> 00:17:16,467
We come across
this individual

386
00:17:16,536 --> 00:17:18,769
That he had been having
a dispute with

387
00:17:18,838 --> 00:17:22,573
<i> Who we knew to be</i>
<i> john ray's landlord.</i>

388
00:17:24,177 --> 00:17:26,510
<i> - John had moved</i>
<i> into this house</i>

389
00:17:26,579 --> 00:17:29,580
<i> With a sort</i>
<i> of lease-to-own option,</i>

390
00:17:29,649 --> 00:17:32,250
<i> Where he would pay</i>
<i> the landlord some money,</i>

391
00:17:32,318 --> 00:17:34,251
<i> And then that money</i>
<i> would go towards</i>

392
00:17:34,320 --> 00:17:36,387
<i> The actual down payment</i>
<i> to purchase,</i>

393
00:17:36,456 --> 00:17:38,790
Only to find out that the
house he had been paying on

394
00:17:38,858 --> 00:17:41,659
Was actually in foreclosure.

395
00:17:41,727 --> 00:17:45,329
<i> - Could john and his landlord</i>
<i> have gotten into an argument</i>

396
00:17:45,398 --> 00:17:47,498
<i> That turned deadly?</i>

397
00:17:47,567 --> 00:17:49,533
<i> - The landlord would be</i>
<i> a person that john would</i>

398
00:17:49,535 --> 00:17:51,135
<i> Readily let in the house.</i>

399
00:17:51,204 --> 00:17:53,904
He was clearly
defrauding john.

400
00:17:53,906 --> 00:17:57,374
He was stealing his money.

401
00:17:57,443 --> 00:18:00,945
And money makes people
do absolutely crazy things.

402
00:18:00,947 --> 00:18:08,019
<i> ♪ ♪</i>

403
00:18:13,458 --> 00:18:15,459
<i> [dramatic music]</i>

404
00:18:15,461 --> 00:18:17,428
<i> - Two days</i>
<i> into their investigation</i>

405
00:18:17,497 --> 00:18:20,598
<i> Into the murder of john ray,</i>
<i> atlanta homicide detectives</i>

406
00:18:20,666 --> 00:18:23,801
<i> Have just learned that john</i>
<i> was in a heated dispute</i>

407
00:18:23,870 --> 00:18:26,069
<i> With his landlord.</i>

408
00:18:26,139 --> 00:18:28,805
<i> ♪ ♪</i>

409
00:18:28,875 --> 00:18:30,841
<i> - This house</i>
<i> was everything to john.</i>

410
00:18:30,910 --> 00:18:32,643
He was excited about it.

411
00:18:32,712 --> 00:18:34,245
He was paying on it.

412
00:18:34,313 --> 00:18:36,314
He was ready to decorate
and throw parties.

413
00:18:36,382 --> 00:18:40,517
<i> And in the meantime, he</i>
<i> found out that the landlord</i>

414
00:18:40,586 --> 00:18:42,986
<i> Was actually deceiving him,</i>

415
00:18:42,988 --> 00:18:44,288
<i> That he was selling him</i>
<i> a house</i>

416
00:18:44,357 --> 00:18:46,323
<i> That he was actually losing.</i>

417
00:18:46,392 --> 00:18:48,892
We decided that that was
definitely worth a look.

418
00:18:48,894 --> 00:18:52,563
You know, was john having this
ongoing battle with this guy?

419
00:18:52,632 --> 00:18:55,432
- The landlord
was in the midst

420
00:18:55,501 --> 00:18:57,768
Of foreclosing on the house,

421
00:18:57,770 --> 00:19:02,005
<i> And john realized</i>
<i> that if the home</i>

422
00:19:02,007 --> 00:19:03,741
<i> Was foreclosed,</i>
<i> he had to move.</i>

423
00:19:03,809 --> 00:19:07,178
So he confronted the landlord
at one point,

424
00:19:07,246 --> 00:19:08,980
<i> And, of course,</i>

425
00:19:09,048 --> 00:19:13,151
<i> His friends described</i>
<i> there was a heated debate.</i>

426
00:19:13,219 --> 00:19:15,552
<i> Police followed up</i>
<i> on this and went</i>

427
00:19:15,621 --> 00:19:18,055
To interview the landlord.

428
00:19:18,124 --> 00:19:19,657
<i> - We make contact with him.</i>

429
00:19:19,725 --> 00:19:22,159
We confront him about this
information that we have,

430
00:19:22,228 --> 00:19:24,828
About this money that he
was stealing from john,

431
00:19:24,897 --> 00:19:26,830
<i> And he fesses up to it.</i>

432
00:19:26,899 --> 00:19:29,900
<i> And he admits, you know,</i>
<i> that he had fallen</i>

433
00:19:29,969 --> 00:19:32,836
On some hard times
and money problems.

434
00:19:32,905 --> 00:19:35,539
<i> - Although he admits</i>
<i> he was defrauding john,</i>

435
00:19:35,608 --> 00:19:37,575
<i> The landlord</i>
<i> provides an alibi</i>

436
00:19:37,643 --> 00:19:39,410
<i> For the night john was killed</i>

437
00:19:39,478 --> 00:19:42,379
<i> And insists he had nothing</i>
<i> to do with the burglaries</i>

438
00:19:42,448 --> 00:19:44,181
<i> Or his murder.</i>

439
00:19:44,249 --> 00:19:48,285
- He is emphatic
that he did not hurt john,

440
00:19:48,354 --> 00:19:51,088
<i> That he had not seen john</i>
<i> that day, that he,</i>

441
00:19:51,157 --> 00:19:54,224
You know, wasn't in the house
on this particular day.

442
00:19:54,226 --> 00:19:55,959
<i> In order to prove</i>
<i> his innocence,</i>

443
00:19:56,029 --> 00:19:58,329
<i> He offers up his own dna.</i>

444
00:19:58,397 --> 00:20:03,534
<i> We get his dna and we take it</i>
<i> to the gbi for comparison.</i>

445
00:20:03,603 --> 00:20:07,205
<i> - Detectives wait anxiously</i>
<i> to see if the dna</i>

446
00:20:07,273 --> 00:20:10,174
<i> Can bring them</i>
<i> any closer to a killer.</i>

447
00:20:10,242 --> 00:20:12,443
<i> - We're able to determine</i>
<i> that the landlord</i>

448
00:20:12,511 --> 00:20:14,512
Is not involved in this case.

449
00:20:14,580 --> 00:20:16,780
<i> His alibi checked out,</i>

450
00:20:16,849 --> 00:20:20,417
<i> And it is not his dna</i>
<i> that's in the car.</i>

451
00:20:20,486 --> 00:20:23,421
We've ruled out
the one person that john

452
00:20:23,423 --> 00:20:25,689
<i> Was having an argument with.</i>

453
00:20:25,691 --> 00:20:28,392
It was very disappointing,
because we had to start

454
00:20:28,461 --> 00:20:30,628
Right back
to the drawing board.

455
00:20:30,696 --> 00:20:32,029
<i> We just hit</i>
<i> another brick wall.</i>

456
00:20:32,097 --> 00:20:35,366
<i> It's like one brick wall</i>
<i> after another.</i>

457
00:20:35,434 --> 00:20:39,237
Coming up with viable
suspects, and, you know,

458
00:20:39,305 --> 00:20:42,873
Dna doesn't lie,
and so you just

459
00:20:42,942 --> 00:20:44,474
Eliminate people one by one.

460
00:20:44,476 --> 00:20:47,044
<i> - The frustration</i>
<i> is building</i>

461
00:20:47,112 --> 00:20:50,181
<i> Not only for detectives</i>
<i> but for john's family,</i>

462
00:20:50,249 --> 00:20:52,049
<i> Who want answers.</i>

463
00:20:52,117 --> 00:20:54,117
<i> - The resounding question</i>
<i> with family,</i>

464
00:20:54,119 --> 00:20:55,719
<i> Friends, coworkers, was,</i>

465
00:20:55,788 --> 00:20:58,021
Why would someone
do this to john,

466
00:20:58,091 --> 00:21:00,991
<i> Leave him hogtied</i>
<i> in the middle of his floor</i>

467
00:21:01,060 --> 00:21:05,629
<i> With the end of a knife blade</i>
<i> lodged in his chest?</i>

468
00:21:05,698 --> 00:21:07,531
<i> He was an upstanding citizen.</i>

469
00:21:07,600 --> 00:21:13,337
He was someone who was looked
upon as a hero to folks.

470
00:21:13,405 --> 00:21:15,472
<i> - The community is fearful</i>

471
00:21:15,541 --> 00:21:17,708
<i> Of who's out there,</i>
<i> who killed john.</i>

472
00:21:17,777 --> 00:21:20,577
His family is upset,
and we feel bad

473
00:21:20,646 --> 00:21:21,979
That we're not bringing
john ray

474
00:21:22,047 --> 00:21:23,781
The justice he deserves.

475
00:21:23,849 --> 00:21:27,351
<i> - Investigators described</i>
<i> the level of frustration</i>

476
00:21:27,420 --> 00:21:30,454
<i> That officers have</i>
<i> when they come</i>

477
00:21:30,523 --> 00:21:32,690
<i> To an impasse</i>
<i> on an investigation,</i>

478
00:21:32,758 --> 00:21:35,258
<i> When they're not able</i>
<i> to move forward.</i>

479
00:21:35,260 --> 00:21:38,362
They have to go back to
a family and say, I'm sorry.

480
00:21:38,430 --> 00:21:40,497
I can't tell you who did this.

481
00:21:40,566 --> 00:21:44,167
<i> And at the same time,</i>
<i> investigators described</i>

482
00:21:44,169 --> 00:21:47,170
<i> Just how much determination</i>
<i> they have</i>

483
00:21:47,172 --> 00:21:48,939
<i> For making sure that they did</i>

484
00:21:49,008 --> 00:21:52,175
<i> Everything that they could</i>
<i> for the family</i>

485
00:21:52,177 --> 00:21:54,612
To solve this case.

486
00:21:54,680 --> 00:21:56,880
Now this was the thing
that they said

487
00:21:56,949 --> 00:22:00,318
Kept them up at night,
that kept them moving forward.

488
00:22:00,386 --> 00:22:03,220
<i> - Now a week</i>
<i> into their investigation,</i>

489
00:22:03,289 --> 00:22:05,856
<i> Detectives are back</i>
<i> at square one.</i>

490
00:22:05,925 --> 00:22:08,826
<i> So they turn to the media,</i>
<i> hoping a news blast</i>

491
00:22:08,894 --> 00:22:11,128
<i> Might prompt a tipster</i>
<i> to call in.</i>

492
00:22:11,196 --> 00:22:13,731
<i> The tactic soon pays off,</i>

493
00:22:13,799 --> 00:22:18,836
<i> As police get a call with</i>
<i> a potentially explosive lead.</i>

494
00:22:18,904 --> 00:22:22,606
- John's friend said that john
had a relationship

495
00:22:22,674 --> 00:22:25,443
<i> With a gentleman named grant.</i>

496
00:22:25,445 --> 00:22:27,544
<i> ♪ ♪</i>

497
00:22:27,613 --> 00:22:29,913
- The friend stated
that grant

498
00:22:29,915 --> 00:22:33,817
<i> Was somebody</i>
<i> john had been dating.</i>

499
00:22:33,886 --> 00:22:35,919
<i> - As they continue</i>
<i> to dig in,</i>

500
00:22:35,921 --> 00:22:37,488
<i> Detectives learn</i>
<i> that the relationship</i>

501
00:22:37,556 --> 00:22:39,623
<i> Between john and grant</i>

502
00:22:39,692 --> 00:22:41,758
<i> Has recently soured.</i>

503
00:22:41,827 --> 00:22:44,195
- He had tried to borrow
$500 from john,

504
00:22:44,263 --> 00:22:45,363
And john told him no.

505
00:22:45,431 --> 00:22:48,131
<i> ♪ ♪</i>

506
00:22:48,201 --> 00:22:50,801
<i> - The friend told police</i>
<i> that grant had been</i>

507
00:22:50,870 --> 00:22:53,570
<i> Bullying him</i>
<i> about loaning him money.</i>

508
00:22:53,639 --> 00:22:56,439
<i> John was going</i>
<i> to confront him and say that,</i>

509
00:22:56,441 --> 00:22:58,409
You know, hey, I'm not gonna
be able to give you the money.

510
00:22:58,477 --> 00:23:00,577
And, you know,
he had some concern

511
00:23:00,646 --> 00:23:02,345
That there might be
some blowback from that.

512
00:23:02,415 --> 00:23:05,716
<i> ♪ ♪</i>

513
00:23:05,785 --> 00:23:07,784
<i> - He was the last person</i>
<i> to have had</i>

514
00:23:07,853 --> 00:23:09,853
<i> An argument with john.</i>

515
00:23:09,855 --> 00:23:11,989
That was disclosed
to one of john's friends.

516
00:23:12,057 --> 00:23:16,494
<i> So that sort of opens up</i>
<i> the theory that, you know,</i>

517
00:23:16,562 --> 00:23:19,029
<i> Is this a lovers' quarrel?</i>

518
00:23:19,098 --> 00:23:21,264
<i> Is this really</i>
<i> a domestic situation?</i>

519
00:23:21,266 --> 00:23:22,933
<i> Is this a crime of passion?</i>

520
00:23:23,002 --> 00:23:25,736
<i> What we know about the killer</i>
<i> is that, obviously,</i>

521
00:23:25,804 --> 00:23:27,070
<i> It's a person john knows,</i>

522
00:23:27,072 --> 00:23:28,706
Because of the lack
of forced entry.

523
00:23:28,774 --> 00:23:31,041
John obviously invited
this person in.

524
00:23:31,110 --> 00:23:33,243
<i> ♪ ♪</i>

525
00:23:33,245 --> 00:23:34,612
<i> At this point</i>
<i> in the investigation,</i>

526
00:23:34,680 --> 00:23:37,781
<i> He was looking like</i>
<i> a great suspect.</i>

527
00:23:37,783 --> 00:23:41,385
So we desperately
need to find grant.

528
00:23:41,453 --> 00:23:46,289
<i> ♪ ♪</i>

529
00:23:46,359 --> 00:23:48,558
The most important thing
is to look

530
00:23:48,560 --> 00:23:51,128
At whatever physical evidence
that you had.

531
00:23:51,196 --> 00:23:54,632
- Investigators were alerted
to the potential dna match.

532
00:24:02,641 --> 00:24:06,543
<i> - Even though he was</i>
<i> in john ray's car</i>

533
00:24:06,612 --> 00:24:08,979
The night of the crime,
was he the killer?

534
00:24:09,048 --> 00:24:14,351
<i> ♪ ♪</i>

535
00:24:18,323 --> 00:24:20,590
<i> - Over a week</i>
<i> into their investigation,</i>

536
00:24:20,660 --> 00:24:22,259
<i> Atlanta homicide detectives</i>

537
00:24:22,327 --> 00:24:25,362
<i> Are searching for</i>
<i> a mystery man named grant,</i>

538
00:24:25,431 --> 00:24:27,931
<i> Who is a person of interest</i>
<i> in the stabbing death</i>

539
00:24:28,000 --> 00:24:29,266
<i> Of john ray.</i>

540
00:24:29,335 --> 00:24:32,570
<i> - He had asked john</i>
<i> to borrow some money,</i>

541
00:24:32,638 --> 00:24:34,305
<i> Which often causes problems.</i>

542
00:24:34,373 --> 00:24:37,007
<i> We were pretty sure</i>

543
00:24:37,076 --> 00:24:39,677
That he was
a really good suspect,

544
00:24:39,745 --> 00:24:42,446
Just based
on all the things we knew.

545
00:24:42,514 --> 00:24:43,914
<i> - Police find him.</i>

546
00:24:43,983 --> 00:24:47,918
They learned that he was
actually out of the state.

547
00:24:47,987 --> 00:24:50,554
<i> - Grant tells authorities</i>
<i> he and john broke up</i>

548
00:24:50,623 --> 00:24:53,023
<i> Two weeks before the murder</i>

549
00:24:53,092 --> 00:24:55,993
<i> And he's been living</i>
<i> out of state ever since.</i>

550
00:24:56,061 --> 00:24:58,895
<i> - He was able to give</i>
<i> an alibi showing that</i>

551
00:24:58,964 --> 00:25:00,764
<i> He was not in atlanta,</i>

552
00:25:00,832 --> 00:25:02,633
Not in georgia at all,

553
00:25:02,701 --> 00:25:04,935
<i> At the time of the murder.</i>

554
00:25:05,004 --> 00:25:07,971
- He had a clear-cut alibi
that was verified.

555
00:25:08,040 --> 00:25:10,107
<i> - Despite his</i>
<i> confirmed whereabouts,</i>

556
00:25:10,175 --> 00:25:12,643
<i> Investigators take</i>
<i> one more step</i>

557
00:25:12,711 --> 00:25:15,846
<i> Before they can</i>
<i> officially clear grant.</i>

558
00:25:15,914 --> 00:25:18,916
<i> - Even though he gave</i>
<i> a clear-cut, solid alibi,</i>

559
00:25:18,984 --> 00:25:21,151
<i> Just to be sure</i>
<i> he wasn't lying,</i>

560
00:25:21,220 --> 00:25:23,486
<i> We asked him</i>
<i> for a dna sample.</i>

561
00:25:23,556 --> 00:25:25,188
<i> And he obliged.</i>

562
00:25:25,190 --> 00:25:29,092
We took that and had that
compared with the dna sample

563
00:25:29,161 --> 00:25:31,094
<i> That we had collected</i>
<i> from the car,</i>

564
00:25:31,163 --> 00:25:32,696
<i> And it was not a match.</i>

565
00:25:32,698 --> 00:25:34,898
Grant was not our killer.

566
00:25:34,966 --> 00:25:38,001
<i> - Despite their--</i>
<i> their best efforts,</i>

567
00:25:38,003 --> 00:25:40,237
He was yet another dead end.

568
00:25:40,305 --> 00:25:41,972
<i> - To come up with</i>
<i> a really good suspect,</i>

569
00:25:42,041 --> 00:25:44,274
<i> And then it wasn't</i>
<i> that suspect,</i>

570
00:25:44,343 --> 00:25:46,143
<i> It's very frustrating.</i>

571
00:25:46,211 --> 00:25:48,378
Most detectives that I know
pour their heart

572
00:25:48,380 --> 00:25:50,580
And soul tirelessly,
just trying

573
00:25:50,582 --> 00:25:52,650
To find out who the killer is.

574
00:25:52,718 --> 00:25:56,286
And this case is
extremely disappointing.

575
00:25:56,288 --> 00:25:58,656
<i> - As the weeks</i>
<i> turn into months,</i>

576
00:25:58,724 --> 00:26:03,093
<i> Investigators dig deeper</i>
<i> into john's personal life.</i>

577
00:26:03,161 --> 00:26:05,595
- We had learned
that john was trying

578
00:26:05,665 --> 00:26:08,165
To meet partners online

579
00:26:08,233 --> 00:26:10,734
<i> On some of these</i>
<i> gay dating sites.</i>

580
00:26:12,104 --> 00:26:14,505
<i> The problem there is,</i>
<i> people</i>

581
00:26:14,573 --> 00:26:15,772
Don't want
to identify themselves.

582
00:26:15,841 --> 00:26:17,540
They use nicknames.

583
00:26:17,542 --> 00:26:20,277
They kind of use
fake profiles sometimes.

584
00:26:20,345 --> 00:26:22,312
You don't know what's legit
and what isn't.

585
00:26:22,381 --> 00:26:27,450
<i> And so trying to sift</i>
<i> through that information</i>

586
00:26:27,520 --> 00:26:31,154
<i> Is like trying to find</i>
<i> a needle in a haystack.</i>

587
00:26:31,223 --> 00:26:37,160
<i> - They went over a countless</i>
<i> number of individuals</i>

588
00:26:37,229 --> 00:26:40,797
<i> And ip addresses,</i>
<i> each one requiring warrants</i>

589
00:26:40,866 --> 00:26:43,133
<i> To be signed from a judge</i>

590
00:26:43,202 --> 00:26:47,538
And each one requiring
numerous steps

591
00:26:47,606 --> 00:26:50,441
<i> That took lots of time,</i>

592
00:26:50,509 --> 00:26:52,109
<i> Took lots of manpower.</i>

593
00:26:52,177 --> 00:26:53,811
<i> - That process took months,</i>

594
00:26:53,813 --> 00:26:55,812
But digging
into these websites

595
00:26:55,881 --> 00:26:58,115
Was absolutely imperative.

596
00:26:58,183 --> 00:27:01,184
<i> - That took lots of time</i>
<i> before officers</i>

597
00:27:01,253 --> 00:27:03,954
Felt that there wasn't
a resolution in sight.

598
00:27:04,022 --> 00:27:06,923
<i> Gay dating sites also</i>

599
00:27:06,992 --> 00:27:08,759
<i> Eventually came</i>
<i> to a dead end.</i>

600
00:27:08,827 --> 00:27:11,862
<i> [dramatic music]</i>

601
00:27:11,930 --> 00:27:13,596
<i> ♪ ♪</i>

602
00:27:13,666 --> 00:27:17,100
<i> - In an investigation,</i>
<i> the process of elimination,</i>

603
00:27:17,102 --> 00:27:20,437
<i> As you eliminate people,</i>
<i> it's--it's disappointing.</i>

604
00:27:20,505 --> 00:27:23,974
But at the same time, it's
getting them out of the way

605
00:27:24,043 --> 00:27:26,076
And getting you closer
to the killer.

606
00:27:26,145 --> 00:27:28,946
So it's sort of
a bittersweet feeling.

607
00:27:29,014 --> 00:27:32,115
<i> - This investigation went</i>
<i> through a number of twists</i>

608
00:27:32,184 --> 00:27:36,053
<i> And turns,</i>
<i> from potential lovers,</i>

609
00:27:36,121 --> 00:27:39,456
<i> From dna on a stolen vehicle,</i>

610
00:27:39,524 --> 00:27:41,825
<i> From possible dating sites,</i>

611
00:27:41,894 --> 00:27:45,094
<i> Possible fraud</i>
<i> with a landlord.</i>

612
00:27:45,096 --> 00:27:48,799
Nothing that police did
was able to help them

613
00:27:48,867 --> 00:27:51,801
Find closure in this case.

614
00:27:51,803 --> 00:27:56,606
<i> Weeks turned into months,</i>
<i> which turned into a year.</i>

615
00:27:56,675 --> 00:27:59,476
<i> - Despite the investigative</i>
<i> team's best efforts,</i>

616
00:27:59,544 --> 00:28:03,247
<i> The john ray investigation</i>
<i> is growing cold.</i>

617
00:28:05,016 --> 00:28:07,016
<i> - There was no resolution.</i>

618
00:28:07,018 --> 00:28:09,686
My biggest concern
was the family.

619
00:28:09,755 --> 00:28:11,855
You know, how were
everybody taking it?

620
00:28:11,924 --> 00:28:14,291
<i> Because it's still</i>
<i> heavy on our hearts.</i>

621
00:28:14,359 --> 00:28:16,393
<i> - We'd speak</i>
<i> with family members</i>

622
00:28:16,461 --> 00:28:17,695
And help them to understand,

623
00:28:17,763 --> 00:28:19,296
This is what we've done
to this point,

624
00:28:19,364 --> 00:28:21,364
<i> And we've not been able</i>
<i> to get anything.</i>

625
00:28:21,366 --> 00:28:23,867
<i> It's not stopped.</i>
<i> It's not been closed.</i>

626
00:28:23,936 --> 00:28:27,103
<i> It's just that we've</i>
<i> ran out of leads.</i>

627
00:28:27,172 --> 00:28:30,540
- As atlanta
police investigators

628
00:28:30,542 --> 00:28:34,177
Have numerous homicides that
they have to follow up on

629
00:28:34,246 --> 00:28:37,114
<i> And they've also got</i>
<i> limited resources,</i>

630
00:28:37,182 --> 00:28:39,316
<i> They have to move on.</i>

631
00:28:39,384 --> 00:28:43,286
<i> - Anytime you break shoe</i>
<i> leather and knock on doors</i>

632
00:28:43,355 --> 00:28:45,722
And put work
into something, you--

633
00:28:45,790 --> 00:28:47,224
You want to see
the end result.

634
00:28:47,292 --> 00:28:49,125
It's heartbreaking.

635
00:28:49,195 --> 00:28:51,228
<i> There's no other way</i>
<i> to describe</i>

636
00:28:51,296 --> 00:28:57,501
<i> When you can't find a killer</i>
<i> that took somebody's life.</i>

637
00:28:57,569 --> 00:29:00,104
<i> It stays with you,</i>
<i> as a homicide detective.</i>

638
00:29:01,840 --> 00:29:04,174
- So the case
of the murder of john ray

639
00:29:04,243 --> 00:29:08,278
Sat on the shelf in the
atlanta homicide division

640
00:29:08,347 --> 00:29:09,812
<i> For six years.</i>

641
00:29:09,814 --> 00:29:12,149
<i> ♪ ♪</i>

642
00:29:12,217 --> 00:29:16,386
<i> - But in 2010,</i>
<i> the john ray investigation</i>

643
00:29:16,455 --> 00:29:19,122
<i> Gets a glimmer of hope.</i>

644
00:29:19,191 --> 00:29:20,457
<i> - The atlanta</i>
<i> police department</i>

645
00:29:20,525 --> 00:29:23,260
And the fulton county
district attorney's office

646
00:29:23,328 --> 00:29:26,096
<i> Created the cold case unit</i>
<i> as a way</i>

647
00:29:26,165 --> 00:29:29,899
<i> To provide some justice</i>
<i> that had, over years,</i>

648
00:29:29,969 --> 00:29:32,469
<i> Progressively</i>
<i> had been lost.</i>

649
00:29:32,537 --> 00:29:35,238
They built it around a number

650
00:29:35,240 --> 00:29:36,940
Of senior
homicide investigators

651
00:29:37,008 --> 00:29:39,442
<i> Who were able to use</i>
<i> a lot of the knowledge</i>

652
00:29:39,511 --> 00:29:43,247
<i> And expertise that they</i>
<i> had built over time</i>

653
00:29:43,315 --> 00:29:47,584
<i> And match it and mix it with</i>
<i> a lot of the new technology</i>

654
00:29:47,653 --> 00:29:49,853
<i> Of the day.</i>

655
00:29:49,921 --> 00:29:53,490
- The murder happened
in 2004, and in 2010,

656
00:29:53,558 --> 00:29:56,960
<i> I was a member of the</i>
<i> cold case/complex case unit.</i>

657
00:29:57,028 --> 00:29:58,962
<i> We looked at those</i>
<i> difficult cases</i>

658
00:29:59,031 --> 00:30:01,131
<i> That had run out</i>
<i> of all leads.</i>

659
00:30:01,199 --> 00:30:03,366
And here it is,
the john ray case.

660
00:30:03,368 --> 00:30:05,335
<i> ♪ ♪</i>

661
00:30:05,404 --> 00:30:07,570
<i> - When the cold case unit</i>
<i> picked it back up,</i>

662
00:30:07,639 --> 00:30:11,040
<i> They knew exactly what</i>
<i> this case was gonna take.</i>

663
00:30:11,110 --> 00:30:14,411
And just having
their sets of fresh eyes,

664
00:30:14,479 --> 00:30:16,813
<i> I felt very confident</i>
<i> john ray's murder</i>

665
00:30:16,882 --> 00:30:18,815
<i> Would be solved.</i>

666
00:30:18,884 --> 00:30:20,650
<i> ♪ ♪</i>

667
00:30:20,652 --> 00:30:23,353
<i> - The cold case unit</i>
<i> begins with reexamining</i>

668
00:30:23,422 --> 00:30:25,455
<i> The most significant</i>
<i> piece of evidence</i>

669
00:30:25,524 --> 00:30:26,990
<i> Collected in the case,</i>

670
00:30:27,059 --> 00:30:30,894
<i> The dna found</i>
<i> in john ray's stolen car.</i>

671
00:30:33,365 --> 00:30:36,066
- They retest the dna
that had been collected

672
00:30:36,134 --> 00:30:38,669
From john ray's vehicle,

673
00:30:38,737 --> 00:30:42,205
<i> In addition to the scene</i>
<i> of the crime in john's house.</i>

674
00:30:42,274 --> 00:30:48,511
- The dna was put
into codis again in 2010,

675
00:30:48,513 --> 00:30:51,915
<i> And that profile</i>
<i> actually caused a hit.</i>

676
00:30:51,983 --> 00:30:54,284
<i> ♪ ♪</i>

677
00:30:54,353 --> 00:30:55,818
- It's just a rush
of everything.

678
00:30:55,888 --> 00:30:57,320
I'm excited.

679
00:30:57,389 --> 00:30:58,855
And then, of course,
I want to know.

680
00:30:58,924 --> 00:31:00,657
I want to know everything.

681
00:31:00,725 --> 00:31:02,225
<i> Who is this guy?</i>

682
00:31:02,294 --> 00:31:04,061
<i> - Now we have a codis hit.</i>

683
00:31:04,063 --> 00:31:06,663
<i> And we've identified</i>
<i> a person</i>

684
00:31:06,731 --> 00:31:08,365
By the name of torico jackson.

685
00:31:08,433 --> 00:31:15,372
<i> ♪ ♪</i>

686
00:31:21,078 --> 00:31:24,247
<i> - Six years after atlanta</i>
<i> paralegal john ray</i>

687
00:31:24,316 --> 00:31:26,483
<i> Was robbed and stabbed</i>
<i> to death in his home,</i>

688
00:31:26,551 --> 00:31:28,751
<i> Atlanta pd's</i>
<i> new cold case team</i>

689
00:31:28,821 --> 00:31:31,722
<i> Has reentered the blood</i>
<i> from john's stolen car</i>

690
00:31:31,790 --> 00:31:33,823
<i> Into the codis system.</i>

691
00:31:33,825 --> 00:31:37,627
<i> And this time,</i>
<i> they've matched it to a name:</i>

692
00:31:37,696 --> 00:31:39,362
<i> Torico jackson.</i>

693
00:31:39,431 --> 00:31:42,032
- Jackson, he had stayed
active enough

694
00:31:42,100 --> 00:31:45,969
That eventually,
he got tested for dna.

695
00:31:46,037 --> 00:31:50,673
<i> So it took him continuing to</i>
<i> be the criminal that he was</i>

696
00:31:50,742 --> 00:31:53,076
<i> For that to hit the system.</i>

697
00:31:53,145 --> 00:31:55,712
- As detectives start
researching torico jackson--

698
00:31:55,780 --> 00:31:58,015
And they find out that he's
a career criminal.

699
00:31:58,017 --> 00:32:00,583
<i> He had done a lot</i>
<i> of armed robberies.</i>

700
00:32:00,585 --> 00:32:04,521
<i> - Torico jackson has</i>
<i> a pretty extensive rap sheet,</i>

701
00:32:04,589 --> 00:32:07,424
Committing aggravated
assaults, robberies,

702
00:32:07,492 --> 00:32:09,492
Things of that nature.

703
00:32:09,561 --> 00:32:12,462
<i> - The team immediately</i>
<i> takes action to apprehend</i>

704
00:32:12,531 --> 00:32:14,464
<i> Their new prime suspect.</i>

705
00:32:14,533 --> 00:32:16,999
- And it turns out
that he's in jail now

706
00:32:17,001 --> 00:32:19,469
<i> For a similar violent crime.</i>

707
00:32:19,538 --> 00:32:23,039
- He had been in prison
since 2006.

708
00:32:23,108 --> 00:32:25,141
<i> - And when we find out</i>
<i> that he's in prison,</i>

709
00:32:25,210 --> 00:32:26,576
It brings a little bit
of comfort,

710
00:32:26,645 --> 00:32:28,010
'cause it's like,
oh, we can breathe.

711
00:32:28,012 --> 00:32:30,881
He's not going anywhere.

712
00:32:30,949 --> 00:32:34,517
<i> - When the cold case unit</i>
<i> was alerted to the potential</i>

713
00:32:34,586 --> 00:32:37,954
Dna match, they go down
to the institution

714
00:32:38,023 --> 00:32:42,091
Where torico jackson
is in prison.

715
00:32:42,161 --> 00:32:43,693
<i> - Now their main suspect,</i>

716
00:32:43,762 --> 00:32:46,897
<i> Investigators sit down</i>
<i> with torico jackson</i>

717
00:32:46,965 --> 00:32:48,698
<i> To see if he has</i>
<i> an explanation</i>

718
00:32:48,767 --> 00:32:53,036
<i> For why his blood was found</i>
<i> in john's stolen vehicle.</i>

719
00:33:07,919 --> 00:33:10,620
- We ask him about, you know,
do you know john ray?

720
00:33:10,689 --> 00:33:13,357
And of course, at that moment,
it's all denials.

721
00:34:06,311 --> 00:34:08,711
<i> - Realizing they are not</i>
<i> going to get a confession</i>

722
00:34:08,780 --> 00:34:11,781
<i> Out of jackson,</i>
<i> investigators decide</i>

723
00:34:11,850 --> 00:34:16,319
<i> To corroborate the dna match</i>
<i> that was found in the car.</i>

724
00:34:16,388 --> 00:34:19,656
- Investigators want to--
to get the confirmation swab

725
00:34:19,724 --> 00:34:20,890
From jackson.

726
00:34:20,959 --> 00:34:23,293
<i> - When you get a codis hit,</i>
<i> you have to do what they call</i>

727
00:34:23,361 --> 00:34:24,561
A confirmation swab.

728
00:34:24,629 --> 00:34:27,297
It's to verify or confirm

729
00:34:27,365 --> 00:34:29,566
That your test was accurate

730
00:34:29,634 --> 00:34:31,868
And that the person
in question is your suspect

731
00:34:31,936 --> 00:34:33,403
And all the dna is matching.

732
00:34:44,182 --> 00:34:46,749
<i> - But when detectives attempt</i>
<i> to take the dna sample</i>

733
00:34:46,751 --> 00:34:48,284
<i> From jackson,</i>
<i> they notice</i>

734
00:34:48,353 --> 00:34:51,588
<i> Something unusual</i>
<i> on his face.</i>

735
00:35:03,435 --> 00:35:05,635
- He had an actual gash
on his nose,

736
00:35:05,704 --> 00:35:09,439
<i> Which was very indicative</i>
<i> of a person</i>

737
00:35:09,507 --> 00:35:12,309
Who had had an accident
or an injury,

738
00:35:12,311 --> 00:35:15,578
Which is exactly what happened
with john ray's vehicle.

739
00:35:15,647 --> 00:35:18,781
<i> He crashed it into a pole</i>
<i> at a high rate of speed,</i>

740
00:35:18,783 --> 00:35:22,119
<i> The airbag deployed,</i>
<i> and the car flipped.</i>

741
00:35:40,739 --> 00:35:43,272
- That scar across his face
was consistent

742
00:35:43,274 --> 00:35:46,242
With him having been
in a crash and, you know,

743
00:35:46,244 --> 00:35:50,112
<i> An airbag exploding</i>
<i> in his face.</i>

744
00:35:50,182 --> 00:35:52,348
<i> - As torico jackson</i>
<i> is led away,</i>

745
00:35:52,417 --> 00:35:54,350
<i> Detectives hope</i>
<i> to make a connection</i>

746
00:35:54,419 --> 00:35:56,186
<i> Between the scar on his nose</i>

747
00:35:56,254 --> 00:35:58,488
<i> And the accident</i>
<i> in john's vehicle</i>

748
00:35:58,556 --> 00:36:02,358
<i> By examining old pictures</i>
<i> of jackson.</i>

749
00:36:02,427 --> 00:36:06,796
- Investigators looked at
photographs of torico jackson

750
00:36:06,865 --> 00:36:10,833
That had been taken
prior to john ray's murder.

751
00:36:10,835 --> 00:36:12,835
<i> And they also looked</i>
<i> at photographs</i>

752
00:36:12,904 --> 00:36:15,839
<i> Of torico jackson</i>
<i> that were taken</i>

753
00:36:15,907 --> 00:36:17,440
<i> After john ray's murder.</i>

754
00:36:17,509 --> 00:36:21,444
<i> And what they found was,</i>
<i> prior to mr. Ray's murder,</i>

755
00:36:21,446 --> 00:36:23,079
Torico jackson's photograph

756
00:36:23,148 --> 00:36:26,349
Did not have a scar
on his face.

757
00:36:26,418 --> 00:36:29,319
<i> - The photo confirms</i>
<i> that jackson is the one</i>

758
00:36:29,387 --> 00:36:31,754
<i> Who crashed john's car</i>
<i> after the murder.</i>

759
00:36:31,823 --> 00:36:33,990
<i> As the mountain</i>
<i> of evidence builds,</i>

760
00:36:34,059 --> 00:36:36,926
<i> The team compares</i>
<i> jackson's new dna swab</i>

761
00:36:36,995 --> 00:36:39,562
<i> With the blood</i>
<i> found in john's vehicle.</i>

762
00:36:39,631 --> 00:36:43,299
<i> And once again, it's a match.</i>

763
00:36:43,368 --> 00:36:44,801
- At this point
in the investigation,

764
00:36:44,869 --> 00:36:46,269
The detectives are
definitely feeling confident

765
00:36:46,337 --> 00:36:48,738
That torico's the killer.

766
00:36:48,807 --> 00:36:52,642
I mean, his dna
is inside john ray's car.

767
00:36:52,711 --> 00:36:55,812
<i> - But detectives know that</i>
<i> tying jackson to john's car</i>

768
00:36:55,880 --> 00:36:59,849
<i> May not be enough</i>
<i> to charge him in the murder.</i>

769
00:36:59,918 --> 00:37:02,918
- Even though torico jackson
was in the car

770
00:37:02,988 --> 00:37:06,222
<i> That got flipped over</i>
<i> the night of the crime,</i>

771
00:37:06,290 --> 00:37:08,891
Was he actually in the house?

772
00:37:08,893 --> 00:37:10,560
<i> Was he the killer?</i>

773
00:37:10,629 --> 00:37:12,762
<i> - It's not enough</i>
<i> that we have dna.</i>

774
00:37:12,831 --> 00:37:14,630
We have to build a case.

775
00:37:14,699 --> 00:37:16,699
<i> - However, you know,</i>
<i> when working these cases,</i>

776
00:37:16,768 --> 00:37:18,601
<i> You always have to think</i>
<i> like a defense attorney.</i>

777
00:37:18,603 --> 00:37:20,136
<i> And the defense</i>
<i> will just be,</i>

778
00:37:20,204 --> 00:37:22,004
Hey, some junkie
gave me the car.

779
00:37:22,006 --> 00:37:23,473
I didn't kill him.

780
00:37:23,541 --> 00:37:26,809
You know, so you have to find
ways to get around that.

781
00:37:26,878 --> 00:37:29,512
<i> - While they begin putting</i>
<i> their case together,</i>

782
00:37:29,514 --> 00:37:32,315
<i> The team gets</i>
<i> some frightening news.</i>

783
00:37:32,384 --> 00:37:36,286
- Torico was scheduled
to be released very soon,

784
00:37:36,354 --> 00:37:38,788
Like, within weeks.

785
00:37:38,857 --> 00:37:41,191
<i> - Even though there have</i>
<i> been six years</i>

786
00:37:41,259 --> 00:37:43,393
Between the time
that this victim,

787
00:37:43,461 --> 00:37:45,762
<i> John ray, was murdered</i>
<i> and now,</i>

788
00:37:45,830 --> 00:37:49,866
<i> Ironically,</i>
<i> they have a time constraint.</i>

789
00:37:49,934 --> 00:37:52,735
- So the detectives
in the cold case squad,

790
00:37:52,737 --> 00:37:53,969
They had to move very fast.

791
00:37:54,039 --> 00:37:57,273
<i> - Investigators know</i>
<i> they must move quickly</i>

792
00:37:57,342 --> 00:37:58,974
<i> To assure jackson</i>
<i> is not back out</i>

793
00:37:59,044 --> 00:38:01,911
<i> On the streets,</i>
<i> where he could go on the run</i>

794
00:38:01,980 --> 00:38:04,080
<i> Or commit another crime.</i>

795
00:38:04,148 --> 00:38:05,714
- That's where
the investigation

796
00:38:05,716 --> 00:38:08,818
Immediately turned,
because he's about to get out,

797
00:38:08,887 --> 00:38:09,919
<i> So the clock's ticking.</i>

798
00:38:09,988 --> 00:38:12,054
<i> What are we gonna do?</i>

799
00:38:12,123 --> 00:38:18,895
<i> ♪ ♪</i>

800
00:38:22,833 --> 00:38:24,901
<i> - The atlanta cold case team</i>
<i> believes</i>

801
00:38:24,903 --> 00:38:26,336
<i> They've finally</i>
<i> found their killer</i>

802
00:38:26,404 --> 00:38:28,705
<i> In the brutal murder</i>
<i> of john ray</i>

803
00:38:28,773 --> 00:38:31,440
<i> After they linked</i>
<i> torico jackson's dna</i>

804
00:38:31,510 --> 00:38:34,109
<i> To john's stolen vehicle.</i>

805
00:38:34,111 --> 00:38:36,779
<i> Jackson is in prison</i>
<i> on a separate charge,</i>

806
00:38:36,781 --> 00:38:38,748
<i> But he is days</i>
<i> from being released,</i>

807
00:38:38,817 --> 00:38:41,117
<i> So the clock is ticking</i>
<i> for the team</i>

808
00:38:41,185 --> 00:38:43,153
<i> To tie him directly</i>
<i> to the murder</i>

809
00:38:43,221 --> 00:38:45,922
<i> Before he is set free.</i>

810
00:38:45,990 --> 00:38:48,190
- The key is to put
torico jackson

811
00:38:48,260 --> 00:38:49,726
In john ray's house.

812
00:38:49,794 --> 00:38:53,395
<i> Detectives looked</i>
<i> at john ray's phone records,</i>

813
00:38:53,397 --> 00:38:55,431
And in those phone records,
they observed

814
00:38:55,500 --> 00:38:57,567
Numerous phone calls made

815
00:38:57,635 --> 00:38:59,768
<i> From the residence</i>
<i> of john ray</i>

816
00:38:59,770 --> 00:39:02,405
Right around the time
of john ray's death.

817
00:39:02,473 --> 00:39:04,373
<i> [dramatic music]</i>

818
00:39:04,443 --> 00:39:06,809
<i> So the detectives did</i>

819
00:39:06,878 --> 00:39:08,644
Kind of, like,
what we call a phone canvass,

820
00:39:08,713 --> 00:39:11,680
Where they reached out to
these people in the phone log

821
00:39:11,750 --> 00:39:14,817
<i> To see if they knew</i>
<i> who torico jackson was.</i>

822
00:39:14,819 --> 00:39:16,652
- In talking
with some of these people,

823
00:39:16,721 --> 00:39:20,089
We learned that these people,
while they didn't know

824
00:39:20,158 --> 00:39:23,860
<i> John ray,</i>
<i> they knew torico jackson.</i>

825
00:39:23,928 --> 00:39:26,763
<i> So now we can definitely</i>
<i> prove that torico jackson</i>

826
00:39:26,831 --> 00:39:29,899
Made phone calls
from the house.

827
00:39:29,968 --> 00:39:32,568
<i> - This phone record</i>
<i> information was huge.</i>

828
00:39:32,637 --> 00:39:34,971
It was almost bigger
than the dna evidence,

829
00:39:34,973 --> 00:39:38,875
Because the people that
torico jackson was calling

830
00:39:38,943 --> 00:39:41,711
<i> Were people</i>
<i> that he commonly used</i>

831
00:39:41,780 --> 00:39:43,313
<i> To sell things</i>
<i> quick on the street</i>

832
00:39:43,381 --> 00:39:46,115
After he stole
or robbed somebody.

833
00:39:46,184 --> 00:39:48,718
<i> And he had to have been</i>
<i> in john ray's house</i>

834
00:39:48,787 --> 00:39:51,387
<i> At the time</i>
<i> that john ray was murdered</i>

835
00:39:51,455 --> 00:39:53,323
<i> To have made the phone calls.</i>

836
00:39:53,391 --> 00:39:55,725
<i> ♪ ♪</i>

837
00:39:55,794 --> 00:39:57,994
<i> - While the phone records</i>
<i> are damning,</i>

838
00:39:57,996 --> 00:39:59,929
<i> The team then uncovers</i>
<i> a picture</i>

839
00:39:59,998 --> 00:40:04,534
<i> That answers a question</i>
<i> that has lingered for years.</i>

840
00:40:04,602 --> 00:40:06,502
- They go look back
at information

841
00:40:06,571 --> 00:40:08,671
Around torico jackson.

842
00:40:08,740 --> 00:40:11,374
They find a photo
of torico jackson

843
00:40:11,442 --> 00:40:13,843
Just four days
before the murder.

844
00:40:13,912 --> 00:40:16,278
<i> In that photo,</i>
<i> torico jackson is wearing</i>

845
00:40:16,348 --> 00:40:19,015
<i> A red rocawear sweatshirt.</i>

846
00:40:19,083 --> 00:40:21,951
<i> That red rocawear sweatshirt</i>
<i> was found</i>

847
00:40:22,020 --> 00:40:25,888
<i> In john ray's</i>
<i> washing machine.</i>

848
00:40:25,957 --> 00:40:28,190
<i> So now they have</i>
<i> two layers of proof</i>

849
00:40:28,259 --> 00:40:31,293
That he was inside the house.

850
00:40:31,295 --> 00:40:35,464
<i> - In September of 2011,</i>
<i> torico jackson is indicted</i>

851
00:40:35,534 --> 00:40:38,668
<i> For the murder of john ray.</i>

852
00:40:38,736 --> 00:40:40,569
<i> As they prepare for trial,</i>

853
00:40:40,571 --> 00:40:42,305
<i> Prosecutors lay out</i>
<i> their theory</i>

854
00:40:42,373 --> 00:40:47,409
<i> As to what happened to john</i>
<i> the night he was killed.</i>

855
00:40:47,411 --> 00:40:51,681
<i> - I believe torico jackson</i>
<i> was a predator that actually</i>

856
00:40:51,749 --> 00:40:55,417
<i> Sought out people</i>
<i> and would use them</i>

857
00:40:55,419 --> 00:40:58,588
And eventually victimize them.

858
00:40:58,656 --> 00:41:02,658
<i> - There's the potential</i>
<i> that maybe torico jackson</i>

859
00:41:02,727 --> 00:41:04,794
<i> Sold john ray</i>
<i> a bill of goods</i>

860
00:41:04,862 --> 00:41:09,199
<i> That he did have intentions</i>
<i> of being a possible suitor</i>

861
00:41:09,267 --> 00:41:13,069
When, in fact, he was only
identifying him as a mark

862
00:41:13,137 --> 00:41:14,971
That he would rob.

863
00:41:15,039 --> 00:41:18,107
<i> And that confrontation</i>
<i> turned into violence.</i>

864
00:41:18,109 --> 00:41:20,476
<i> ♪ ♪</i>

865
00:41:20,545 --> 00:41:22,445
<i> - Jackson insists</i>
<i> he's not guilty,</i>

866
00:41:22,513 --> 00:41:26,115
<i> And in court, his lawyer</i>
<i> tells a very different story</i>

867
00:41:26,117 --> 00:41:29,151
<i> Of what happened</i>
<i> at john ray's house.</i>

868
00:41:29,220 --> 00:41:32,088
- His attorney stated
in his opening

869
00:41:32,156 --> 00:41:34,524
That it was self-defense.

870
00:41:34,592 --> 00:41:38,194
It was a shock to me
that their strategy

871
00:41:38,262 --> 00:41:41,731
Was essentially gay panic.

872
00:41:41,799 --> 00:41:43,900
<i> - He said that they</i>
<i> were on a date</i>

873
00:41:43,968 --> 00:41:49,806
<i> And john ray became violent</i>
<i> and attacked him.</i>

874
00:41:49,874 --> 00:41:52,342
<i> And he tried</i>
<i> to protect himself</i>

875
00:41:52,410 --> 00:41:53,776
<i> And grabbed a knife</i>

876
00:41:53,778 --> 00:41:56,045
After john ray came after him

877
00:41:56,114 --> 00:41:57,680
<i> With a bottle of vodka.</i>

878
00:41:57,749 --> 00:42:00,282
<i> And he says that this</i>
<i> was his only way</i>

879
00:42:00,284 --> 00:42:02,551
Of defending himself
and keeping himself

880
00:42:02,621 --> 00:42:05,287
From being killed by john ray.

881
00:42:05,289 --> 00:42:07,857
<i> - If you're acting</i>
<i> in self-defense,</i>

882
00:42:07,926 --> 00:42:10,059
<i> Then why do you steal items?</i>

883
00:42:10,128 --> 00:42:13,996
<i> Why would you take the time</i>
<i> to wash your clothes,</i>

884
00:42:14,065 --> 00:42:18,801
<i> Bleach down the scene,</i>
<i> set the alarm, lock the door,</i>

885
00:42:18,803 --> 00:42:21,503
<i> And drive away</i>
<i> with his car</i>

886
00:42:21,573 --> 00:42:23,906
Loaded down
with his own equipment?

887
00:42:23,975 --> 00:42:28,244
<i> So all of that</i>
<i> sort of negated this idea</i>

888
00:42:28,312 --> 00:42:30,780
<i> That he in some way</i>
<i> acted in self-defense.</i>

889
00:42:30,848 --> 00:42:32,749
<i> The evidence was there.</i>

890
00:42:32,751 --> 00:42:35,585
It was just a matter
of letting the jury see it.

891
00:42:37,221 --> 00:42:40,222
<i> The jury found him guilty</i>
<i> on all charges.</i>

892
00:42:40,291 --> 00:42:43,559
The court sentenced him
to life without parole.

893
00:42:43,627 --> 00:42:47,030
He will never
get out of prison.

894
00:42:47,098 --> 00:42:50,166
<i> ♪ ♪</i>

895
00:42:50,234 --> 00:42:54,170
<i> - After nine long years,</i>
<i> john ray's family and friends</i>

896
00:42:54,172 --> 00:42:56,906
<i> Are finally able</i>
<i> to gain some closure</i>

897
00:42:56,974 --> 00:43:00,076
<i> And mourn the loss</i>
<i> of their loved one.</i>

898
00:43:00,144 --> 00:43:03,112
- John was a bright man,
had a lot of potential.

899
00:43:03,181 --> 00:43:05,848
He probably could have been
anything he wanted.

900
00:43:05,916 --> 00:43:08,784
And it's unfortunate
that he met

901
00:43:08,853 --> 00:43:12,521
The end that he met
the way he met it.

902
00:43:12,590 --> 00:43:15,124
<i> - It's like, great, you got</i>
<i> this guy off the street.</i>

903
00:43:15,193 --> 00:43:18,127
Awesome.
But we can't bring john back.

904
00:43:18,196 --> 00:43:22,131
I would have been interested
to see what type of lawyer

905
00:43:22,200 --> 00:43:27,002
John ray would have become,
just knowing his dedication.

906
00:43:27,071 --> 00:43:28,971
<i> That's what we lost</i>
<i> when we lost john ray--</i>

907
00:43:29,040 --> 00:43:32,908
Somebody who would have
just excelled.

908
00:43:32,977 --> 00:43:38,580
And the world really is going
to--to miss that excellence.

909
00:43:38,582 --> 00:43:41,818
<i> ♪ ♪</i>