this is "nightline." tonight, prison snitch. the death row inmate's ultimate fight. >> what i'm afraid of is is spending the rest of my life in prison for a crime i didn't commit. >> claiming he made no confession to a jailhouse informant. >> never said a word to him in my life. >> now the desperate legal fight to save his life, and what the informant is is saying now. >> do you regret anything that you've done in your life? >> plus, fire wire. >> wow, that is is amazing. tine one of the hottest volcanos, "nightline" will be right back.

a former army medic, made of the we maflexibility to handle members like kate. whatever monday has in store and tackle four things at once.ca. she simply filed a claim on her usaa app and said... i got this. usaa insurance is made the way kate needs it - easy. she can even pick her payment plan

so it's easy on her budget and her life. usaa. what you're made of, we're made for. usaa good evening. thank you for joining us. not c. how candidadid the words of a cn convict him ? >> it has been more than three

decades since a battle creek teenager was brutally murdered in florida. >> new evidence that will exonerate you spent in prison. >> 34 years. but on death years. he is convicted of the stabbing and drowning of this woman. >> i'm afraid of pending my lif in psofor a im i dideduled die by lethal november. he is hoping for a new chance of

freedom and hoeishowing the pit falls of they've spent months investigating the case. >> i feel like when there's an ember of truth, if you blow on it, it sort of ignites into a flame if you're dogged enough and you stay on it. >> reporter: this story begins on a morning in may ne elas florida. >> she had 30 or more wounds, most to her arms, through her hands, indicating that it was a fight. he p she put up a fight. >> reporter: that girl is shelly, her brutal murder stunning central florida. what does her immersion in the central coastal do to the evidence? >> no dna.

most likely, it was a sexual assault involved. she was found floating in the water in a remote patch of land. >> reporter: with no physical evidence, it may beno impoib en discovery but here's what we do know. shelly spent her last night with a group that included l dayly who was 38, but also jack peersy. >> we were driving somewhere, and jack saw shelly and her sister. they all got in the car. >> reporter: witnesses say daly and piercy brought shelly back to her house. but here is where the stories die verge. a frnd staying ff a a pay enforcement quicklyd

on piercy because he was the last known to be with her, but piercy implicated daly. >> mr. piercy was arrested first and gave statements, made admissions and for the most part putting the onus on james daly as the main actor. >> reporter: but daly always man maintained he was sleeping. he says he was woken up to go smoke and drink beer at a lagoon. piercy is tried first and gets convicted but doesn't get the death penalty like the prosecutors had hoped. with only circumstantial evidence and daly's trial looming, a detective on the case goes to the pinellas county jail looking for information on daly. three would later come forward. you had three jailhouse informants. wonder if you could tell radar? >> like most of them do. we'll get a call from an

attorney who will say my client knows is something. he's willing to come talk to you. they're not going to do it because of their civic duty. they're doing it because hopefully down the road there may be something to their benefit. we made it very clear to anyone who ever came forward, we're not promising you anything. y. have to see what you and we'll discuss that after you testify. and just so you understand, we get these calls all the time. >> reporter: one of the inmates who claimed to have information on james daly was paul skelnick, a con artist with a long rap sheet, in and out of jail on numerous charges. he had been an informant on dozens of previous cases. this time he was in on grand theft charges, facing up to 20 years in prison if convicted. daly had been moved into the same wing of the jail as skelnick. >> in order to get a confession -- >> he was there. he was originally in another portion of the jail.

andheard all of this. they had the ability to evaluate whether he had the motivation to lie, whether he had the act to, meaning skelnick, to get these statements from him. >> never said a word to him in my life. >> reporter: skelnick would become the state's tar star witness. daly confessed to his role in the attack on shelly, offering lurid details of the grizzly stabbing. >> and i had to sit there in the courtroom and listen to him say i and i never said anything to him. >> reporter: skelnick is the only witness who have claimed to have heard aonfession from daly. since there was no physical evidence tying daly to the murder, skelnick's testimony was considered pivotal for a conviction. but according to the latest motion, skelnick also falsely

testified about his own past, denying on the stand that he had ever been charged with physical violence, when, in fact, five years earlier he'd been charged with a sexual assault of a minor.osut rthaanwa are but it did not deter the state from calling skalnick to the stand. did you feel he was credible? >> we vetted him. i know he's under attack as a professional snitch. that word is a characterization more than anything. we checked him out. he was in proximity for a short period of time to speak with daly. >> reporter: just five days after daly is convicted ands sentenced to death, skalnick is released without bail, ahead of his traial for grand theft.

he skips town. over time he is charged with another sexual assault on a minor, the victim a 14 year old girl. skalnick would plead no contest toe years in prison. i was able to reach skalnick by phone just as i leftvi with day lay. paul is goin a nursing home. how are you? there are lots of inmates up and down florida saying they're in prison because of you. you put them there by, by testifying against them in court. >> well, that's >> reporter: did you ever falsify -- re heading down the wrong path. i could feel t. >> reporter: according to press reports, skalnick has maintained his testimony in daly's trial

was truthful. but once the conversation turns to his role as a yale houjailho informant, skalnick says he'd prefer to talk in person. but just days later he is is removed from that nursing home. the manager there telling abc it was because skelnick did not disclose his past. he is now living on borrowed time. his legal team is still building its case. his new execution date could be set at any time. did you murder shelly? >> no, i did not. i had nothing to do with her death whatsoever. have i felt guilt from it? absolutely. i wish i could have done something to stop it. i didn't know, i thought he was national religion industry national registry of overtued,

27 who were sentenced to death. there's an evidentiary hearing scheduled tomorrow in the case and jack piercy is expected to be called as a witness. >> if we put daly to death that sends a clear message to the public that our criminal justice system will not hesitate to use a habitual con man and a known fraud in paul skalnick to make cases. if that doesn't make your blood kurdle, i don't know what will. >> next, burning questions for one dare devil walking his most daring act yet. ♪ i thought i had my moderate to severe ulcerative colitis under control. turns out, it was controlling me. seemed like my symptoms were taking over our time together.

und c when other medications haven't knew i needed to tal ink he'll make it? ed well ou an heoe achieve l at lasts. lower your ability to fight infections. serious and sometimes fatal infections, including tuberculosis, and cancers, including lymphoma, have happened, as have blood, liver, and nervous system problems, serious allergic reactions, and new or worsening heart failure. tell your doctor if you've been to areas where certain fungal infections are common, and if you've had tb, hepatitis b, are prone to infections, or have flu-like symptoms or sores. don't start humira if you have an infection. be there for you, and them. ask your gastroenterologist about humira. with humira, control is possible. so dad bought puffs plus lotion, blows. puffs have more lotion and soothing softness to relieve. a nose in need deserves puffs indeed.

tthe bad news? so will this recital. depend® fit-flex underwear offers your best comfort and protection guaranteed. because, perfect or not, life's better when you're in it. be there with depend®. when the murray's go to work... ...michelangelo goes to work, too. good thing they use new gain ultra flings with two times the oxi boost, and febreze. fresh again... gain. seriously good scent. so, you bought those "good enough" paper towels? [daughter laughs] not such a bargain. there's only one quicker picker upper. bounty, the quicker picker upper.

where the prices make all the dresses yeses. yeah! save 20 to 60 percent off department store prices on our best selection of spring dresses. the ross spring dress event, on now! shouldn't you pay less when now you can. data? because xfinity mobile gives you more flexible data. you can choose to share data between l mix with unlimited, or switch it up at any time. all on the most reliable wireless network. which means you can save money without compromising on coverage. get more flexible data, the most reliable network, and more savings. plus, get $300 off when you buy a new samsung galaxy s20 ultra. that's simple. easy. awesome. call, click or visit a store today. ...doesn't mean you got to spend a lot! because denny's brought back the super slam™. with eggs, h all for just $6.99. the $6.99 super slam™ is back! see you at denny's!

what? oooh... ahhh. no. yeah? yes! oh yeah! sí. yes. that's the sound of saving 20 to 60 percent off department store prices. at ross. yes for less. in?

? we've seen high wire walkerr nik wallenda cross over the grand canyon, niagara fa tonight, ruskiisking it all, wi ref reeve was there. >> wow, that is amazing. >> reporter: tonight, in his most daring feat yet, dare devil nik wallenda traversing a 1800-foot wire across the messiah volcano in nicaragua. the lava reaching 2200 degrees fahrenheit below. >> there's a very strong draft

right there. >> thank you, lord. >> reporter: wearing a gas mask and objection john tank, wallenda battled toxic gas and wind which affected aerodynamics and disbility. >> woo, gas moving under me, that will mess with you. >> reporter: before his attempt, i asked wallenda about laid ahea >> in risng my nature. >> reporter: relative to your previous accomplishments, where's your head at. >> i've trained for this, years and years have gone into this, but there's a little more angst going into this one because of all the unique elements. we don't know what it's going to be like out in the middle there. >> reporter: mike trover, his uncle is the lead engineer and preparing six months for this

event, making sure the main wire and the 116 stabilizing wires stayed secure. what sort of surprises have been in store? >> the environment has thrown us a pretty big one. the gas coming up out of the crater has a significant acid content. and this is one of the stabilizers hooked to the rope. >> reporter: that doesn't look good. >> this is not good. that is caused by stress in the rope. i didn't see it comon, bcomon,co got it fixed now. >> i'd wake up in cold sweats. every step is dangerous, but i'll get more and more relaxed. >> reporter: what will you do in the elements? >> i will adjust as best i can. that is where my training and niagara falls and chicago and new york city all of that is combined. that is why i'm able to take the

firsthether above niagara, he's been pushing the boundaries of what's possible for decades. >> his 26th minute of the walk! >> sprinting to the finish! >> i'm going to do this. what do you think, new york city? what do you think, world? >> reporter: last year, wallenda and his sister made history again, 260 feet above times square, 1300 feet on a cable no thicker than a garden hose. >> to do something that's literally going to leave my fingerprint on the city is exciting. >> reporter: the wallenda family known famously as "the pflying ac 1700s." trace their history they are seventh generation wire walkers. their family has been performing

amazing feats for decades, as showcased in this she was six mt with me. for me, being on the wire isxtm peaceful and ser reasene about . i find my peace by getting on a wire. >> reporter: but in that peace there's a constant danger. the family has not been immune to the tragedy. several wallendas have died or been injured in high wire falls. in 1978, nic's great-grandfather, a high wire performer himself fell to his death during a stunt in puerto rico at 73 years old. this video captured by a local news crew showing his harrowing final moments, and in 2017, a near catastrophe for the family, when a pyramid made up of eight performers collapsed at a

training session. >> it was february 8th, about 10:30 in the morning. we were preparing to break a record for an eight-person collapsed. by the grace of god i caught the wire, my cousin caught the wire, another gentleman stayed on tnc ear canal, my leftsaid, when we first got the call, he said the fear in the voices of the paramedics, he said i was certain we would have fatalities by the time they got to the hospital. but ten days later, leanna's going home. >> it's just hard to relive it over and over again. it's weird when something that dramatic happens to you, every single step of the way. i mean, that's why i'm emotional. i'm there again. >> reporter: tonight, that

emotion and history, no doubt in the air, asalnda achieved his latest >> you just caught a piece of history right there. >> i think i'm keeping this one. there he goes, running across. nik wallenda off the wire and into the history books in nicaragua. >> thank you lord. >> reporter: for "nightline," will reeve. >> you can watch the entire special tomorrow evening on the national geographic channel. and next, a heartwarming wedding surprise. abc news "nightline," upon soared by lincoln aviator. pon soared by lincoln aviator. spon soared by lincoln aviator. ponso.

(whistling) it only takes a second for an everyday item to become dangerous. tide pods child-guard pack helps keep your laundry pacs in a safe place and your child safer. align, press and unzip. tide pods. keep them up. keep thecled keep them safe. tthe bad news? our so will this recital.day. depend® fit-flex underwear offers your best comfort and protection guaranteed. because, perfect or not, life's better when you're in it. be there with depend®. you try to stay ahead of the mess. but scrubbing still takes time. now there's new powerwash dish spray. it's the faster way to clean as you go. just spray, wipe and rinse. it cleans grease five times faster.

we,. (mom) nooooo... (son) nooooo... (avo) quick, the quicker picker upper! bounty picks up messes quicker and is 2x more absorbent. bounty, the quicker picker upper.

like getting the best everwifi experiencen. with wall-to-wall coverage-there's a win. plus, added protection for your connected devices. that's a win-win. work talk about a winning combo. get xfinity internet and xfinity mobile for just $30 each a month. you'll save up to $400 a year on your wireless bill. plus get $300 off when you buy a new galaxy s20 ultra. now that's... simple. easy. awesome. click, call or visit a store today.

and finally tonight, love conquers all. the aisle was a hospital hallway for this bride. sara cousins marrying her fiance in cambridge, england. he's waiting for a heart

transplant but did not have to wait to wed the love of his life in sickness and in health. [ applause ] good for them. like the words in first corinthians 13, love always protects, always hopes, always perseveres. love never we made usaa insurance for members like martin. an air force veteran made of doing what's rigas so when a hailstorm hit, usaa reached out before he could even inspect the damage. that's how you do it right. usaa insurance is made just the way martin's family needs it - with hassle-free claims, he got paid before his neighbor even got started. because doing right by our members, that's what's right. usaa. what you're made of, we're made for. usaa