>> they are here. >> there he. >> that's going to be a "20/20" one day because there's so many unanswered questions. >> stay on the phone with me. who shot you? >> heidi is not responsive to nick has been injured or do. >> you were like what, what you hear from neighbors, where they play hear anything, see anything ? >> they were like a picture-perfect couple. >> who would do this to this young couple. >> his story of an intruder coming into the house was the

only story that made sense. >> no one knows about this. >> what did they tell you about this intruder? >> 6'1", 6'2". >> that's when we were given th sketch of the individual. she said i know who is in that sketch. we thought we had found archive. >> were you ever concerned that you were sleeping with a killer? this is a young story about a young couple starting out. they bought their first home an had a lot of promise ahead of them. they were in their 20s and very active in their church. very family oriented at the kin of couple that you would hope all couples would be in their early 20s.

>> it wasa very quiet, family-friendly part of our city . >> this is a fantastic tightkni community. heidi and nick were part of that . >> in minnesota it takes a number of summers to get to kno your neighbors because we are holed up for most of the winter. >> neighbors put occasionally speak to nick when they were in and out of their homes.sionally running in and out oes.sionally morning that should've been lik any another, heidi and nick getting ready to join their % friends and family at church bu this sunday would change the couple's lives forever. >> april 2010 starts off as a quiet sunday morning. the sun is shining >> i was with the st. paul police department.

we were all just getting ready to go home. >> somebody's trying to break into my home. >> the 911 call is from heidi firkus. >> are you would say paul? >> st. paul. >> what address are you at? >> minnehaha avenue. >> minnehaha. >> the call ends very abruptly with a loud noise of what tt noise it's exactly, we didn't n one the front and. >> several of the officers took the call and respon i activated my emergency lights. shortly after the first 911 cal is abruptly ended, another 911 call comes in. >> state patrol 911. >> this time it is from nick

firkus and nick is screaming into the phone. >> somebody broke broken in my house and shot me. >> are you in a house or an apartment? what's the problem? >> my wife is shot. i've been shot. >> she's been shot? stay on the phone with me, okay? >> you could hear the panic in his voice but he's hysterical and he's crying and he is screaming. >> no, no, no! >> stay on the phone with me. who shot you? [indiscernible] >> you think your wife is shot also? >> [indiscernible]

>> i've got a lot of help coming . >> myself and three other officers are on scene with abou 510 seconds of each other. we know that we have potential gunshot victims. >> they find the outside screen door open and the front door propped open just a little bit. >> be don't know if the suspect or suspects are still at the address, so we do have our firearms visible. there's an officer to the left that kicks the door appears. >> they enter the house tactically because they don't know if there is still an intruder the house. >> nick is on the 911 call and you could hear the police arriving to render aid. >> there was that very distinct smell of fired gunshots. we observe a female

kitchen area and then we see a male. >> we search the house to make sure there is another potential suspect inside. we see nick and heidi in the kitchen and heidi is not responsive. nick has been injured. >> nick tells the police that the intruder broke in and the two of them wrestled over nick' shotgun. was absolutely terrifying and then the shot gun went off. and heidi got shot in the back. >> during the stroke with the intruder, nick had been shot on time from a double barrel shotgun. he was screaming and he was upset that he needed an ambulance immediately. >> heidi had been shot in her upper back pay her she lost a significant amount of blood.

she had no signs of life. >> they pronounced heidi firkus deceased at the scene. >> nick was transported by st. paul paramedics clicked quickly to the region hospital wich is one of the local trauma centers in st. paul. >> what did you discover in the house? >> there was a. of jeans. >> and then there shotgun was laying beside the doorway. >> the shotgun belongs to nick it is his hunting gun, double barrel, eddie kept it in the closet up his bedroom for safety . >> we also saw the pallets in the doorframe and the doorframe install from when nick was shot by the intruder. >> officers also photographed what looked like tool marks on the front door along the frame as if someone were trying to jimmy it open. >> when a call comes in a sunda

that has been shot at 6:00 a.m. on an april spring morning, we have a massive police response. >> a k-9 officer responded to see if they could track the suspects from the front door. >> officers and investigators began canvassing the whole area to talk to anybody we can. we begin looking for cameras on houses are people out walking their dogs. we are looking for any sign, anything of someone running away . >> who would do this to this young couple. >> [indiscernible] >> the one person that people need to talk to is the lone survivor repair the one witness nick firkus. >> there was an intruder trying to burglarize them. >> i kind of shot the door shut and he gets it forced open. told us that he began having to fight for his life.

we were all looking for that intruder. s life. >> the gun went off. >> we were looking for that intruder. with my psoriatic arthritis symptoms. but just ok isn't ok. and i was done settling. if you still have symptoms after a tnf blocker like humira or enbrel, rinvoq is different and may help. rinvoq is a once-daily pill that can dramatically relieve ra and psa symptoms, including fatigue for some. it can stop joint damage. and in psa, can leave skin clear or almost clear. rinvoq can lower your ability to fight infections, including tb. serious infections and blood clots, some fatal; cancers, including lymphoma and skin cancer; death, heart attack, stroke, and tears in the stomach or intestines occurred. people 50 and older with at least one heart disease risk factor have higher risks. don't take if allergic to rinvoq as serious reactions can occur. tell your doctor if you are or may become pregnant. done settling? ask your rheumatologist for rinvoq. and take back what's yours. learn how abbvie could help you save.

no matter what type of dog you have... or, cat you have... frontline® plus lets you take them everywhere... no matter how you define it. frontline®. the #1 name in flea and tick protection. are you tired of clean clothes that just don't smell clean? downy unstopables in-wash scent boosters frontline®. keep your laundry smelling fresh waaaay longer than detergent alone. if you want laundry to smell fresh for weeks, make sure you have downy unstopables in-wash scent boosters. skin feeling dry? swipe it away. new all-in-one garnier micellar water with hyaluronic acid. micelles work like a magnet to cleanse remove makeup and replump with hydration. new micellar cleansing water with hyaluronic acid by garnier, naturally. [crunch] get all your breakfast favs like hash browns for just a few bucks, only on the mcdonald's $1 $2 $3 dollar menu.

if you shop with the walmart app, you know everything you need is right at your fingertips. ♪ so you can spend a little less, to get a little more, to make life a little better.

nick and heidi firkus rei young and devout couple, members of the calgary church. everybody knew them knew that their faith was at the center o their lives. >> everybody looked up to nick and heidi they both loved cheeses and had their prioritie in the right place. >> i remember the first time that even walked into calgary, with the feeling of family, ton of family. you don't just go to church. you are involved in something. >> nick and heidi were both ver active in their church and they

both lead youth groups and they would take the kids on these great camping trips through minnesota. >> minnesota is a land of 10,00 lakes, so it is known for a lot of fishing and hunting, just general outdoor life. >> st. paul is a fantastic place . we are the shadow city to minneapolis. b are the city. >> the firkus' lived in hamlet, a safe community with small family homes and businesses and some local colleges. >> i remember when nick and heidi bought the house, they were very excited. that wouldn't necessarily call that a fixer-upper but it also was not a beautiful, pristine, no work needed house. >> nick and heidi had everythin going for them. >> they worked like a picture-perfect couple.

they had a very sweet relationship and were very loving here at the way that he loved heidi was how i hope to b loved. very outwardly and nothing else really mattered because he had heidi. >> she was always smiling, always joyful and kind of had this mischievous mr. herbert that is what was fineprint she was always joking around with people and yet she had this depth to her. >> nick worked at the family business, subcontracting business and was quite fixed successful. >> nick was very much a mentor to me. i wanted to be like him to try to learn what it meant to be a christian man. >> on sunday mornings nick and heidi were found here with reds and family read it to worship. every sunday morning until apri.

>> i went to church and it was normal sunday morning. i can't remember who came up in a panic instead heidi got shot there was an intruder and that was bought all the information we had and it was overwhelming. europe like what. >> in the news would only get worse. heidi doesn't make it and they find out that nick has been rushed at the hospital but the gunshot wound. >> the injury he suffered was from a shotgunblast in the upper thigh. >> nick's injuries did not. to be life-threatening. >> once nick was treated at the hospital, they officers escorte him over to the police station. i was waiting there at the homicide office. we talked to some of the victim and witnesses. >> tell me about nick when he got here. what was his mind like.

>> he was in some pain. he was on his crutches so he wa moving slowly. >> i told him i wanted to back up at least 24 hours. >> i'm just going to try to eas into this. were just going to backtrack a little bit. >> maybe had an interaction wit somebody and may be the intrude met them the day before. >> we were going to the mall of america for some spring shopping . >> nick had sent her a message saying that he wanted to spend time with her alone on saturday night and they ended up watchin the movie avatar. the each had a glass of wine while watching the movie. >> before you did that, did you lock up the house or anything? >> i don't know if i remembered. >> he tells the police that he

woke up around 6:00 a.m. and wa thirsty and went to the bathroo and got a drink of water and climbed back into bed and was starting to fall asleep again and then he heard something at the front door, which woke him up. >> i heard the screen door open. so i kind of let it go. >> he then goes to the closet t retrieve his gun. >> i said heidi, some bubbly spitting -- fiddling with the doorknob. >> they proceeded to go downstairs. >> he's got a shotgun in the left hand and he is pushing heidi along down the stairs. >> as they made the turn to go by the front door towards the kitchen, somebody burst through the front door that is when he began having to fight for his life with the intruder. >> the gun went off. >> i just had no idea.

>> dickie you use the crutches to figure out how it played out. >> i tried to reenact part of the scene at the house and i picked up the crutch to use the shotgun is a point of reference for him to say how he and the intruder struggled over the gun. >> you pointed it at him? >> no, straight up. of the barrel is down. >> what did he tell you about this intruder. did he have a good description? >> he thought it was a black male but was not entirely sure. >> i think he was a black guy with the dark hooded sweatshirt but i did not get a good look. >> he was giving me a little bi more detailed information that he gave the officers that arrived at the scene. >> he was really big. of my twin brothers are 61, 6'2" . >> yes more of a description which is good for us to go on.

in the hamlin midway area specifically, there's not a lot of violent crime that goes on i the single family home area spirits. >> there's minor crimes certainly. >> i spoke to him a couple of times and once i left the door open and a guy came in and stol stuff. heidi half all the girls over and at a sleepover afterward spirits. >> overnight one of the girls, her car got broken into. >> what you hear from neighbors. with april 2 see anything or hear anything. >> they were able to see anything running from the house or anything like that. the only thing that was discussed by neighbors with sounds that they heard. the neighbor directly to the west, the property, he thought he heard two gunshots peter. >> and then he remembered looking outside at and not seeing anybody running from the scene. >> k-9 officers attempted to track the area when somebody is

tracking, they will find a scented older and they were not able to. up anything that day. >> neighbors are coming up short . meanwhile downtown at the polic station, the interview with nic firkus' about to take a surprising turn. >> we have to be out by monday, tomorrow. >> was this couple keeping a secret? >> i was quite shocked hearing that information. information. puts information. two?! that's a victorian antique! all right, how much for the recliner, then? wait wait... how did that get out here? that is definitely not for sale! is this a yard sale? if it's in the yard then it's... both: for sale. oh, here we go. geico. it's easy to switch and save on homeowners and renters insurance. ♪ ♪ [ cat purrs ] it's easy to switch an[ phone vibrates ]rs introducing astepro allergy. steroid-free allergy relief

that starts working in 30 minutes, while other allergy sprays take hours. now with astepro fast allergy relief, [ spray, spray ] you can astepro and go. mmm. these cheez-it puff'd are so cheesy, airy, and puffy. how'd you do it? with the puffderizer 5000, anything can be craveably puffy. (cat meows) (laughs) cheez-it puff'd. defy your cheezpectations. meet gold bond healing. a powerhouse lotion that moisturizes, heals, and smooths dry skin. with 7 moisturizers and 3 vitamins, you can pay more but you can't get more. gold bond. champion your skin.

>> deborah: ordinarily on a sunday morning, before would be in charge. in steady is that police headquarters explain what happened at his house just hour earlier. >> every question that i asked he answered. there wasn't a time in our conversation where he said,

sergeant, i don't want to answer that question. >> did you guys have any problems or anything like that? >> just stuff but i would say are still best friends. >> while this break invisible strange for the neighborhood, police don't find any red flags in nick or heidi's past. >> nick had no criminal history at all. oftentimes there will be a domestic disturbance. there was nothing like that. guy to guy here, you know, ever guys got needs. are you stepping out of all by chance? >> i'm not here to judge you. we had a lot of trust in our relationship for sure.

>> but as detective gray goes o with the interview, nick does eventually reveal a secret. >> you guys are behind on bills or anything? >> we are behind the bills, which is stressful. >> in questioning, nick divulge that they were in some financia trouble. >> i think they were getting foreclosed on and going to be moving out the very next day. >> the next day, april 26th at noon, the shares were to show u and forcibly remove them. >> this is a hard, that this is hard place for us because we are getting foreclosed on her our house we have to be out by monday, tomorrow. >> when you step back and look at the time that we are talking about >>ut the hou. >> the nation's foreclosure prices --

>> a lot of families were upsid down on their mortgage and on the verge of losing their home. president obama is expected to unveil his plan for the surge i foreclosures. >> even though their troubles were not unusual at the time, h said they were ashamed. >> to suspend kind of a private struggle for us. we are both kind of dealing wit the shame of the whole thing. we haven't been able to be honest with our friends about the struggles. >> nick explained that they als have a lot of credit card debt does well. >> just out of curiosity for th credit cards -- >> just a little over 15. >> the firkus' red dire financial stress that they had substantial credit card debt an overdrafts overdrafts and they were living paycheck to paycheck . >> to give you any indication o what people knew about it? >> no, it was heidi and nick's

secret that they were getting effect the very next day and they didn't disclose any information to either family or friends. >> so you let her never this to either sets of parents? pecked out of our parents or ou friends. >> no one knows except her nipa. >> there were no signs that tha couple was packing up and preparing for a move. the refrigerator was still stocked with food or there were few, if any, boxes packed. it did not look like anybody plus planning to go on a long vacation, let alone moving out of the house spirits. >> it just seems like you're kind of putting yourself agains the clock. >> you knew this train was coming. the significant part of it is the shame of the whole thing.

we were pretty crippled by it. >> nick told us that heidi was very aware of the whole thing and that she and him captive kept it a secret but when you talk to the family, they could not believe that their house wa being foreclosed on. hat -- heidi hadn't told a soul. the issue becomes white didn't heidi tell her family. >> beyond the embarrassment, is it possible that there was another reason that it can heid kept his secret? >> nick and heidi had a very traditional marriage from the standpoint of the church. nick being the male took care o the finances and heidi took car of some of the plans and vacations of those types of things. >> she deferred to nick for all the financial issues. >> at some point you asked nick a pretty critical question. what did you ask him? >> i asked him if he killed her. that came out and asked him straight out.

>> part of me wants to ask you this question. did you have anything to do wit this? >> absolutely not. >> okay. >> all right. >> i'm a police officer. i have to ask the tough questions, all right. >> apt at this three plus hour interview with police, nick finally gets to see his family. >> what happened but he was finally reunited with his family . >> he gave his mother a hug nic finally broke down and started crying and weeping openly. >> police camped out in front and back up the b5 home during the day doing fingerprint and ballistic workspace. >> we are investigating this as

a burglary and intrusion. >> police say there is no evidence that anyone is trying to target this family. >> after nick's interview, i think that there was red flags. >> based on some of the questions that police asked nick , nick realizes that police are looking at him and he is going to need to protect himself . >> i said, nick, you can't go back and talk to them again. they wanted to sketch with the police sketch artist. they have produced a varied detailed sketch. she received a call that said, sergeant pederson, i know who i in that sketchpad i couldn't believe it. >> the resemblance betwee that individual and of the sketch, i is undeiable. >> we had maybe found our guy. undetectable ty with fewer medicines.

that's why i switched to dovato. dovato is for some adults who are starting hiv-1 treatment or replacing their current hiv-1 regimen. detect this: no other complete hiv pill uses fewer medicines to help keep you undetectable than dovato. detect this: most hiv pills contain 3 or 4 medicines. dovato is as effective with just 2. research shows people who take hiv treatment as prescribed and get to and stay undetectable can no longer transmit hiv through sex. don't take dovato if you're allergic to its ingredients, or if you take dofetilide. taking dovato with dofetilide can cause serious or life-threatening side effects. hepatitis b can become harder to treat while on dovato. don't stop dovato without talking to your doctor, as your hepatitis b may worsen or become life-threatening. serious or life-threatening side effects can occur, including allergic reactions, lactic acid buildup, and liver problems... if you have a rash or other allergic reaction symptoms, stop dovato and get medical help right away. tell your doctor if you have kidney or liver problems,

or if you are, may be, or plan to be pregnant. dovato may harm your unborn baby. use effective birth control while on dovato. do not breastfeed while taking dovato. most common side effects are headache, nausea, diarrhea, trouble sleeping, tiredness, and anxiety. detect this: i stay undetectable with fewer medicines. ask your doctor about switching to dovato. "look at this skin, baby. she is glowing. she is 1 of 1." with new olay hyaluronic body wash 95% of women had visibly-better skin. "my skin is so much more moisturized." see the difference with olay. man: i'm not slowing down anytime soon. that's why i take osteo bi-flex every day. it's clinically shown to improve joint comfort in 7 days,

and continues to improve over time. kinda like us. osteo bi-flex. because i'm made to move. she is fearless heart's on the line depend silhouette... ...keeping leaks off her mind. comfortable in shapeware fabric... ...she moves with ease. confident on nights like these. depend silhouette. the only thing stronger than us, is you.

>> heidi's funeral took place a our church about a week after her depth.

all the seats were filled with people that were there because they loved heidi pitt. >> i remember having neck and saying i'm so sorry pitt i can' imagine what it is like to be like you right now pitt. >> there's a lot of good memories about it. when nick spoke, he talked abou her being an artist and thankin her parents are entrusting her to him. >> nick was seen as a victim an the hero. he had done everything he could to protect heidi. >> in the aftermath of heidi's depth, nick does finally share with his family and with hers the financial secret he says they'd been hiding. >> the day after heidi's depth, nick firkus and his parents met with heidi firkus' parents and laid out financial struggles in the credit card debt than the foreclosure. >> john erickson, heidi's dad, was trying to project strength and say they'll find this perso

and to say, they will find this person nick, don't worry and and nick's response was just dealt never find him. >> and that really caught heidi's parents off guard, as did the details about the home foreclosure, which were now making headline news and had people questioning how much did heidi really know about their financial problems. >> the newspaper ran the story about financial disaster that nick and heidi were in and that was the first that i was hearin about it. i was like this doesn't make an sense. >> nick was very quick to say don't listen to the news, they are lying. >> i didn't view him as somebod that would like to me. >> his friends were worried about nick. perhaps he was being unfairly targeted pitt. >> but they are just concerned about the media. at the police were also zeroing in on him. >> there's a lot of things we are going to try to go over.

>> my name is joe friedberg. i got a call from nick's dad, who set that we have a problem, can become see him. i was retained very early on as his defense lawyer. >> nick firkus. to be the victim of a horrible crime. by what woody needed the pencil lawyer? >> well, the interview that day with the police, which he gave voluntarily about the questions took a turn. >> absolutely not. >> he was bright enough to know that he had gone from victim to a suspect. >> nick and his attorney decide that they weren't going to give anymore statements to the st. paul police. >> i told him if he was going t have me represent him, he wasn' going to talk to the police spirits. >> a kind of seemed like nick was being a little bit of an obstacle. they claimed they wanted to bring a man and have him do a

sketch with the police sketch artist that's a good idea, but knew that they would use that a a lever to try to interrogate him more, so i said, no, we won't do that but we will hire an artist and do it. >> have received a phone call from nick firkus' defense team. i agreed to have nick come to m house. he had jotted down some notes. the skull of the ears were covered by a black hoot hoodie. the eyes were bulging. he should have more age to them. so i made them deeper looking and asked him does that represent what you saw and he said it was. >> they were going to come down to our headquarters because we still needed to give a sample o nick's dna and then when nick showed up, that is when we were given a sketch of this alleged intruder. >> it was a picture of an african-american male, perhaps

late 30s or 40s wearing a hooded sweatshirt with a very round face of a larger nose. >> they never had that experience where a defendant hired his own sketch artist and they were stuck without any context of how this sketch was made. >> an intruder was our best possible theory. we all wanted to find that hooded sweatshirt or an individual did this to heidi. >> police released that sketch through the media to see if any tips would come in here. >> the composite sketch got a couple of leads, but nothing concrete and then as the years passed on the anniversary of heidi's murder, the police and the news media would weave police that sketch. >> do you know anything about the said seven. >> they did a lot of media pushes with our local reporters and others are at least one person knows exactly what happened and we are hoping that person or someone else will com forward. >> it revived the case it revived a sketch.

to revive the situation i brought some more hope to heidi's family. >> just the loss of our daughte alone is something that is goin to be with us forever. >> we received a call. a woman i left a voicemail and she said i know who was in that sketch. his name is michael pye pete i stopped everything and run into our database computer and i typed in michael pye and i couldn't believe it. >> the resemblance undeniable. >> we started researching him immediately and we started to learn that he was engaged in th pattern of breaking at the home since st. paul around 6:00 a.m. we had maybe found our guy. >> my name is michael pye. i've lived here for about 35 years. it 2010 i with a different person. my mind was gone and i basically

was homeless. so i basically was doing what i knew to survive. it was a home invasion and that's what i was doing was hom invasions. >> i went to talk to michael py at the bureau of corrections where he was being housed and w met with him and i showed him the sketch. he said that's me. >> and they said that it was a guy that said i shot his wife i the back. at i said i didn't do anything like that. >> i hit a giant snakepit the problem is that individual was incarcerated when heidi was killed. >> michael pye was in jail on the day that heidi was killed. >> i got locked up on january 1. the murder happened in april. so it was like three months apart. expect there was no way that he

could've possibly been involved in this case whatsoever. >> investigators thought they were finally making progress bu now they are back to square one. for his part, nick firkus is movie got with life, even meeting somebody new, somebody who is going to become his second wife. and what she has to say will breathe new life into this investigation. >> i want people to hear the whole story had to hear the truth of what really happened. h. best foods real mayonnaise.

every dollop is soooo rich and creamy... ...it makes any food, delicious. mmm, irresistible! best foods mayonnaise. with nurtec odt, i can treat and prevent my migraine attacks, all in one. don't take if allergic to nurtec. allergic reactions can occur, even days after using. most common side effects were nausea, indigestion, and stomach pain. talk to your doctor about nurtec today. [street noise] [text message] whole team is here! ♪ ♪ coffee? ah! yes! thank you!

i got this mountain bike for only $11. dealdash.com the fair and honest bidding site. this i-pad sold for less than $43. this kitchenaid mixer sold for less than $26. a 4k television for under $2. a macbook pro for under $16. this playstation 5 sold for less than a dollar. and brand new cars for less than $900. dealdash.com offers hundreds of auctions every day. all auctions start at $0 and everything must go. and don't forget we offer a full 90 day money back guarantee on your first bidpack purchase. i won these bluetooth headphones for $20. i got these three suitcases for less than $40. and shipping is always free. go to dealdash.com today and see how much you can save. there are auctions going on right now. so, what are you waiting for?

before the xfinity 10g network we didn't have internet that let us play all at once. every device? in every room? why are you up here? with speeds like this, i can't even dream of what he'll be able to do. get xfinity internet for just $25 a month with no annual contract during our limited time launch celebration. you have no idea how good you've got it. huh? what a time to be alive.

introducing the next- generation 10g network. only from xfinity. ♪ alex! mateo, hey how's business? great. you know that loan has really worked wonders. that's what u.s. bank is for. and you're growing in california? -yup, socal, norcal... -monterey? -all day. -a branch in ventura? that's for sure-ah. atms in fresno? fres-yes. encinitas? yes, indeed-us. anaheim? big time. more guacamole? i'm on a roll-ay. how about you? i'm just visiting. u.s. bank. ranked #1 in customer satisfaction with retail banking in california by j.d. power.

>> in 2101 heidi was murdered, was a patrol officer and are parked in the district that she was killed in. so i was aware of the crime fro day one. i heard about it from other officers who talked about how this scene did not make sense t the case always bothered me because the circumstances didn' seem to fit what happened. >> a burglar broke in and there was a struggle in which the wif dies. all, wait, they are being evicted the next day. >> heidi was killed in the plac she should have been safest and which -- and with the person who should've kept her safe. as the details piled on, i

wanted to know but i didn't know . but what am i missing? >> i think there was always a frustration with the department that this case wasn't solved at i came in the homicide unit in 2019 in the case was assigned t me. >> are investigators held this case so close to their hearts peter was never considered a closed case. >> it was clear to investigator that his family at all the friends rallied in support of him. >> there were two sides to this through the year. so you have a group of the community and heidi's family that were extremely suspicious of him and you had a group of his friends and famly that were very much looking at him as a hero in this. >> nick goes all but this life and he's able to move on. >> a few months after heidi's murder, nick the sister of a really good friend of his ad heidi's. rachel watson.

it. >> for the very first time nick firkus' second wife, rachel, is sitting dead to tell her story. >> what you think of nick firkus . >> i felt bad. i knew about his story. he had lost his wife. i have a ton of empathy bid. >> what did you know about his story expect there was a burgla that entered their home for it he fought with them i was tryin to fend him off then heidi pushed shot. he also got shot. >> rachel shares that she left very difficult marriage and she moves back to minnesota to be with her sister that is where she connects with nick. >> i definitely felt sorry for him, that he had gone through such a trauma. i related to trauma. my first husband and i met when we were young. with a rough marriage. i was very quiet. i was scared, abused, and vulnerable.

>> was the idea that you two could kind of help heal each other? >> that's what it felt like. he listened and he empathized with me. >> within a year rachel and nic are not talking about getting married. >> you invest in somebody emotionally when you process something so hard. people question how fast you to moved. >> yes, how passed we moved. friends were still grieving heidi and nick is moving on. >> all of a sudden he has this girlfriend. >> it seems like he hasn't really grieved his wife at the same loop -- at the same time we wanted to b happy so we make ourselves okay with the situation improves. >> as they are getting closer, nick's family, who have always been very protective of him, especially after heidi's murder is now concerned will people be critical that it is just too soon. >> they were so private and would mention that we have to b careful of how we talk about it and what we say in what we don'

say. >> deborah: when you say talk about it, the family was carefu to talk about -- >> any of it. >> deborah: about the shooting . >> about what happened that they . i knew if i was going to be in their family, that i wasn't allowed to share anything that knew. >> rachel's that that she and focus on making new memories ha a couple, starting with their wedding. as time went on, you to are planning this wedding picture sister wrote on a family blog, i got to watch him be married, once to one of my best friends who passed away pity was incredible with heidi and i don't have to wonder what is going to be like with rachel i trust him with all my heart. that was pretty strong endorsement of this man you are about to marry is not how you felt? >> everyone i was around at the time felt that way. >> deborah: before the wedding , you have a special

request. you wanted to visit heidi's grave why? >> out of respect. i didn't want it to seem like i was replacing her because i wasn't i knew i would never replace her. i've wanted to be able to go there and say that. >> deborah: tell me about that visit. but wasn't like. >> it was strange. nick didn't have much to say or have emotions about it. i envisioned it be that he was protecting himself. i imagine it was tough having t relive a trauma that you had in your life and i didn't want to cause more hurt. >> deborah: in august of 2012, rachel and nick get married the start planning a family and rachel begins to grow closer fo some of nick and heidi's friends . >> my friendship took off with rachael ray to wipe your she wa somebody i enjoy talking with. they had kids pretty quick so w would watch their kids for them when they were doing things. >> a kind of a dad was nick?

>> he was a good dad. it didn't necessarily come national but he tried. >> nick continues to be the mai provider for his family, still working for his family's business and rachel says he tells her that he is no longer in that. >> he went through a program that helped him with finances that he was able to pay off all of the debt that he had bid so respect that that. >> they move into a house that nick's parents. for. >> neither of us were able quit wise to buy a house. we had an agreement we gave her mortgage to them about us time to pay the property taxes, he was supposed to pay it with the money that we had and it seemed to be fine. i was happy. >> but then one day rachel find something in nick's soccer that literally took her breath away. >> but if you think? >> terrified but i didn't know that this is happening i'm living with this person and it was a very shocking realization.

>> could history be repeating itself? how you really feel inside. it's not your fault. many people still experience depression symptoms, even on an antidepressant. but together with your doctor, there are things you can do, like adding rexulti. when added to an antidepressant, rexulti was proven to reduce depression symptoms 62% more than the antidepressant alone. so you can build on your progress. rexulti can cause serious side effects. elderly dementia patients have increased risk of death or stroke. antidepressants may increase suicidal thoughts and actions and worsen depression in children and young adults. report fever, stiff muscles, and confusion which can be life threatening, or uncontrolled muscle movements, which may be permanent. increased cholesterol; weight gain; high blood sugar; low white blood cells; unusual urges; dizziness on standing; falls; seizures; trouble swallowing, or sleepiness may occur. when depression sets you back, keep moving forward. ask your doctor about adding rexulti

to your antidepressant. staaaaacccceeeyyy! i'm the sizzle in this promposal. and tonight, sparks are gonna fly. kyle? and while romeo over here is trying to look cool, things are about to heat up. uh-oh. darn it, kyle! and if you don't have the right home insurance coverage, you could end up paying for this yourself. sorry mr. sanchez! get allstate, and be better protected from mayhem, like me. that's a hard no. ♪ ♪ epic deals are here but they won't last long. save on the latest must-haves. and earn kohl's cash too! kohl's.

♪ let's be honest, ♪ the spicy crispy chicken sandwich should've been named the spicy mccrispy all along. ♪ ♪ ba da ba ba ba ♪ ♪ zyrteeeec...♪ works hard at hour one and twice as hard when you take it again the next day. so betty can be the... barcode beat conductor. ♪ go betty! ♪ let's be more than our allergies! zeize the day. with zyrtec. when it comes to your hair, ingredients matter. that's why herbal essences is packed with naturally derived plant ingredients you love, and none of the stuff you don't. our sulfate-free collections smell incredible... ♪ and leave your hair touchably soft and smooth. ♪ herbal essences

>> deborah: what could possibly be more terrifying and erratic than having someone breaking your house early in th morning and shoot your wife dea and shoot you. but am i missing here. he's talking about the gun -- and they are fighting over the gun over here. >> nick firkus is under suspicion for his wife's murder. >> it's just really tragic to watch that all play out in to see people say things about you friend that aren't true. >> the last time he had problem with finances, a lot of things went wrong. >> his wife was killed. >> this has been kind of a private struggle for us because we were embarrassed.

>> how do you go from having financial troubles to killing your wife? >> i didn't know what was going to happen in that conversation. >> the fact that you're lying over and over and over. >> may be somebody really did break in. baby it happened as he said? >> little did i know that it wa not near over it. >> police, search warrant. >> rachel needed to get out of the house. the house. >> time is not your friend in homicide cases. as time went on, people start t move on and people don't want t talk about it anymore and peopl don't want to come forward anymore. >> this is one of those cases

that would wake you up at night thinking about how are we going to bring justice to heidi's family. >> they would call in april around the anniversary of her murder they would call around heidi's birthday and i know it was absolutely traumatic for them. >> financially it was only nicholas firkus' narrative that was out there. friends rallied around him and supported him and that family o the church community. >> every single piece of the story that he told us that has been consistent and remains consistent with the apothegms. >> at a hard thing that he has gone through, we walked alongside each other. >> there was absolutely no way that he had been involved. >> not at all. habit that he for cross people' minds. we're like nobody thinks that. we know nick. >> till there were details that

stuck with investigators. one was the sketch based on the description of the intruder. >> it is clear that michael pye did not kill heidi because he was imprisoned at the time of his order. but has police thinking is wher did nick come up with that thought for the composite. >> and in the winter months of 2009 and 2010, that man space was all over the newspaper as unknown burglar. >> i would turn on the news in the morning time and i would be the first picture on the news o all stations. >> it appears like that sketch could have been made deliberately to throw people off . a kind of seemed like nick was trying to set someone else up. >> to try to frame another huma being, that was disgusting. and that isn't the sign of an

innocent man's actions. >> i was the lead investigator on 85 some homicide cases and i still have moms and family members that called me and that they still say what's going on with this case and nick never called one time. he never reached out one time. >> deborah: why wasn't he working harder over the years t find his wife's killer, may be pressing the police are coming back to the police to find out what they know. >> blame that on me. i didn't want any more contact with the police for nick becaus all they are going to try to do is get inconsistent statements on details from him. no criminal lawyer worth his salt would allow him to cooperate with the police because the police were treatin him as a suspect, not a victim. >> deborah: but your wife has been illed by some unknown assailant and over the years i would think that with just at the very least trouble him.

>> he was always concerned abou it always afraid that walking down the street someday he woul run into him. >> nick has moved up with this life but he is married and has three kids. he's working. you know, it's as if he's been able to get past that really traumatic part of his life. >> that you've been married now a few years but is there any talk about the fact that there was never a resolution to this tragedy that had happened and nobody arrested for killing his wife? >> no. i asked them about of my set i got ever talk about it and he really didn't have anything to say. >> rachel shares that she add nick start to grow apart. >> we were living in the same house under the same roof, using , you know, the same money, but there was no relationship anymore there was, you know,

times when i thought it was lying but i could never prove it . >> deborah: what did you suspect he was lying about? >> at first it was the little things. i would see rappers in his car and say, hey, can you bring stuff from home so we are not spending money every day on, yo know, going out to eat, but there is always an excuse like somebody was at my card today and they left it in there. you are lying to me and it is. it's about things that are not even big deal. >> deborah: were you worried at all about how the finances were being handled? >> yes, when you get collection that call, you know something i wrong. >> deborah: one day she finds something in nick's sock drawer that takes her breath away. it's a notice that they were delinquent on the property sack -- property taxes. if these property taxes are. , the county will look at foreclosure on the house. >> but did you think, terrified?

>> i didn't know that this was happening and i'm living with this person i have children wit this person, and the last time he had problems with finances, lot of things went wrong. >> his wife was killed. >> naturally that's where i went . is that what this is? >> so you're beginning to think that you could be married to a killer. >> at this point that was very possible. this piece of paper being hit i from her prove to us enough tha heidi did not know about the financial struggle because rachel did not know that is whe we were up like did he kill his wife. >> you get so scared that she grabs the kids in the middle of the night and she leaves the house. >> deborah: around the same time there's a new detective determined to crack this case. >> i think she hit the ground running.

>> that she finds or suspicious evidence that seems to point back to nick firkus, including something found in his car on something found in his car on the day of the murder. y's gonna. ♪ mission control, do you copy? is that 100% white meat?! ♪ mom. mom. mom! can i have another one? try new kentucky fried chicken nuggets. you've never had nuggets like these. having triplets is... -amazing -expensive. so, we switched to the bargain detergent, but we ended up using three times as much and the clothes still weren't as clean as with tide. so we're back with tide, and the clothes are clean again. do 3x the laundry and get a tide clean. it's got to be tide. ♪

icy hot pro starts working instantly. do 3x the laundry and get a tide clean. with two max-strength pain relievers. ♪ so you can rise from pain like a pro. icy hot pro. we know this story... the endless quest for your perfect foundation. you think you nailed it, yet still find yourself... here. but there's the happy ending. let's get you matched. with sephora's exclusive coloriq technology, we can find your shade and guide you to a match that feels right. let's try this one. if we can do that, just imagine where we can go from here. (wow) ok - what's next? come in and discover your match at sephora. - you like that bone? i got a great price on it. - did you see my tail when that chewy box showed up? - oh, i saw it. - my tail goes bonkers for treats at great prices. sorry about the vase. - [announcer] save more on what they love with everyday great prices at chewy. address should be there, - [announcer] save mor1800 ann street.ove

hello? yeah, it's your driver, i'm on the corner ... um. go! go! go! [vo] wanna get away? [splat] now you can with southwest ® fares as low as $59 one way. [clap, clap, ding] numbers move you. but some can stop you in your tracks. like the tens of thousands of people who were diagnosed with certain hpv-related cancers. for most people, hpv clears on its own. but for those who don't clear the virus, it can cause certain cancers. gardasil 9 is a vaccine given to adults through age 45 that can help protect against certain diseases caused by hpv. including cervical, vaginal, vulvar, anal, and certain head and neck cancers such as throat and back of mouth cancers, and genital warts. gardasil 9 doesn't protect everyone and does not treat cancer or hpv infection. your doctor may recommend screening for certain hpv-related cancers. women still need routine cervical cancer screenings. you shouldn't get gardasil 9 if you've had an allergic reaction to the vaccine, its ingredients, or are allergic to yeast. tell your doctor if you have a weakened immune system, are pregnant, or plan to be. the most common side effects include

injection site reactions, headache, fever, nausea, dizziness, tiredness, diarrhea, abdominal pain, and sore throat. fainting can also happen. help protect what counts. talk to your doctor or pharmacist about gardasil 9.

>> those kids have been quiet for almost a decade and then in 2019, there is a sergeant at th st. paul police department who wants to take another look at this case. >> i was transferred to the homicide unit and i had an opportunity to take this case over from the previous investigator. >> there have been no arrests, no progress in almost ten years have passed and most people hav forgotten about it where do you begin? >> at the beginning. i reviewed all the reports and the evidence. one of the first things that sergeant sipes does is to sit down and rewatch the interview of nick firkus with police. >> that was the most important piece of evidence. >> sipes brings fresh perspective to a number of red lights that original investigators had notice. >> heidi is only got a few hour for the most part of this

interview, nick isn't crying, isn't emotional. >> it was high in the back, probably. >> how worried was he about his wife during that interview? >> he wasn't. it took them about an hour and 20 some minutes to say can i ge an update on heidi. >> and then sergeant gray was able to deflect the question fo quite a while and then sergeant gray asked him to you happening questions. >> this is all part of my job that i have a hate. she did not make it. >> i figured that. that was his response to the news that his wife was dead

periods at that point nick does. upset. still there's something important that nichole sipes never sees. but you would give your wife or just been killed in front of you , by a real person who was on the loose, he would have some questions up that investigator. what are you doing to find this person. where did you look. nothing. >> sergeant sipes turns to the fbi to help with heidi's unsolved murder. >> we were initially contacted by detective sipes from the st. paul police department to help with some audio from the 911 call that they had. >> we really want that they hea a few could hear this fictitiou intruder. >> the fbi took the audio recording to our lab in quantico . >> there was no noise that we could detect in the background. >> what city are you in?

>> st. paul. >> but after sergeant matt. >> you can hear the shotgun and then the line goes dead. >> minnehaha. >> west? >> and in that last terrible moment of heidi's life coming a dictators analyzing the call sa they hear nobody else there but heidi and nick. next the fbi new technology to reconstruct heidi's final moments, but even before they begin, there are plenty of red flags in nick's version of the story. >> he has a loaded shotgun and he is ushering heidi down the stairs in front of him. >> she's in front and then behind her. >> did that stripe you as odd? >> yes, he is the one that i have the gun. >> she is may be a foot ahead

here at the art together and he is trying to hurry her along they wanted to get out of there. >> it's just not making sense t investigators investigator so forensic firepower to help. >> one of the things we came up with was two re-create this scene so we decided we were going to get access to the house . >> the fbi cannot identify the digital scan so that they could make it accurate >> nick tells them interview about how the gun is pressed -- pressed up against his chest when heidi gets hit for bed. >> he says they are fighting over the gun over here. >> oh how likely was that. the fbi combines their ballisti testing with the virtual model of the space. >> we put her in a natural position, which is her standing straight up and weary up the take somebody that is the heigh

of nick firkus and put that shotgun in space or would be when it went off to expect they believe that shows that the gun was not it nick's chest as he describes. instead of is hire at his shoulder level as the shotgun would normally be if you are going to aim and fire. >> which makes them this was a deliberate shot and not a shot that was taken in the middle of a struggle. >> nick's attorneys insist that does not necessarily disprove his version of events. >> another thing that catches the attention of sergeant sipes is that nick in this interview talks about this vacuum for cleaning carpet that specialize in removing blood. she found it really interesting that nick just happened to have that in his personal car on the day of heidi's murder. >> in my car.

>> in your car? why would it be there? >> because that piece of equipment is not just for cleaning up blood. i needed to take care of customer. >> of what did that say to you potentially? >> it was always an idea to us that heidi plan -- how he planned to kill her and clean up the scene. >> even if sergeant sipes is closing in, what she does know is that his current wife is having her own suspicions that recording him.to begin secretly- >> and the fact that you are lying was so easy for you to do makes me think -- >> that i could murder my wife? >> yes. yes. once-daily pill for moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis for the chance at clear or almost clear skin. it's like the feeling of finding that outfit psoriasis tried to hide from you.

or finding your swimsuit is ready for primetime. [dad] once-daily sotyktu is proven to get more people clearer skin than the leading pill. don't take if you're allergic to sotyktu; serious reactions can occur. sotyktu can lower your ability to fight infections including tb. serious infections, cancers including lymphoma, muscle problems, and changes in certain labs have occurred. tell your doctor if you have an infection, liver or kidney problems, high triglycerides, or had a vaccine or plan to. sotyktu is a tyk2 inhibitor. tyk2 is part of the jak family. it's not known if sotyktu has the same risks as jak inhibitors. find what plaque psoriasis has been hiding. ask your dermatologist about sotyktu for clearer skin. so clearly you. sotyktu. she is fearless heart's on the line depend silhouette... ...keeping leaks off her mind. comfortable in shapeware fabric... ...she moves with ease. confident on nights like these. depend silhouette. the only thing stronger than us, is you.

we've seen what you would do for a klondike®, so we're raising bar. now we want to see what your hometown would do for a klondike®, so get together, and go for the bar, sandwich, or cone. go for the glory! ♪ how did kellogg's combine crunchy oat clusters with a touch of honey... plump, juicy raisins and tasty fiber into one delicious cereal? it took a lot of bran-storming. get it? kellogg's raisin bran crunch. two scoops of delicious. skin feeling dry? swipe it away. new all-in-one garnier micellar water with hyaluronic acid. micelles work like a magnet to cleanse remove makeup and replump with hydration. new micellar cleansing water with hyaluronic acid by garnier, naturally.

>> one rachel found the papers that set that there house was i danger of foreclosure, it was shocking. that was the first moment that we provide like, oh, my gosh, did he kill heidi. that paper change the course of

the rest of the story. >> but if you think? >> terrified. i didn't know this that i didn' know that this was happening an in here i am sitting in a position that happened before t him. >> the last time his wife ended up dead by his shotgun and i said, rachel, you need to get out of the house and keep yourself safe. >> if you fear for your life? >> there were times for sure just knowing that he could do i once, what makes you think that he can't do it again. >> what rachel notices that her children are safe and away from nick ph she decides she's going to confront him. >> rachel is feeling nervous about her safety so she brings her friend emily along. >> you decided you want to record the conversation. because they did know was going to happen in that conversation and possibly maybe there would be a confession of some sort. >> how did you secretly record

the conversation. >> i just had my phone next to be on my lap and the conversation started. >> i could get through this if it was just lying. the problem is the heidi stuff. that's my problem. the problem is i don't 100% believe you. i thought i found out about the possible foreclosure and you have them employed paying bills and you've been lying about paying the bills and i said how my supposed to know this information and not think that you may have had something to d with heidi's depth. >> i know what is shockin for you to hear that from me and, trust me, it is shocking for me to have to say it. >> i don't know what to say. >> nick sits there silently without saying a word. this goes on for minutes. >> i intellectually understand what you are saying. the fact that you are saying it

is so indescribably jarring to my soul that i, i come alike don't have words. is too traumatic. >> i'm like why are you not getting help could clearly ther is a problem, a history of a problem. and the fact that you are lying was so easy for you to do in front of me over and over and over makes me think -- >> that i murdered my wife to something. >> that i could murder my wife. >> espn. >> and then when you ask him to talk about heidi's depth, he just puts his head down and he will not touch it. >> there are a hundred things >> there are 100 things going through my mind right now. >> are you wanting to say more? >> i don't know. i think all be open to this conversation.

>> now rachel insists that nick tell his parents what's going on , so they get together again and he brings them along. >> you are putting him sort of at the hot seed at the time.alo. you were putting him sort of on the hot seat of the time with the parents. you wanted him to come clean. >> did he? >> no. he sat there and let his dad talk for him. >> i don't believe impaired that's what scares me. >> what do you believe. >> i feel like i don't know the full truth. >> you're talking about the ful truth of when heidi -- >> and heidi didn't know all of this happening. i was there nothing packed in their house that is illogical. >> there was the beginning of packing. there one step of the basement that were packed up. [indiscernible] >> if you look at the videotape

taping by police commit does no like a house that was prepared for a big move out. >> you hear rachel challenged challenge him how'd is a possible you had no idea that nick was losing the house. >> that just seems so bizarre t me. >> we were not super entwined i their life. there were grandchildren in the home. >> but that was different for their family. they said -- they did know because heidi kne everything. >> heidi and i decided together that we put figure this out together. >> nick's dad tells rachel that their lawyer had advised the family not to speak publicly about heidi's depth. >> that's the role we needed to play. and let people that know how to play the game play the game.

>> when rachel challenges nick about his memory, he says a lot of stuff is fuzzy. >> when you talk about it, it was like details of what happened. i know it you're saying that bu that's not true. >> she didn't trust him anymore so she decided to divorce and they get divorced in 2018. >> i knew immediately as soon a i saw that the force i wanted t talk to her. >> one day i get a knock on my door and i think it is somebody that is telling selling me something is she is like i'm nichole sipes from st. paul police department i want to tal about heidi firkus and i never in a million years thought that would happen. >> he is the father of her children but she cooperated wit you. that's pretty amazing. >> she's a brave woman. >> how much danger push potentially in.

>> that's a good question but i would've been very afraid when found this out. >> you are potentially helping them arrest their children's father for murder. for you at all reluctant? >> no matter how hard this is going to be, this is someone's daughter, and if i can fight fo her, even if it causes pain for me, i will. >> if nick really did kill heidi , then what is the motive. >> police finally believe they have enough evidence to make their move. >> police, we've got a search warrant. warrant.

i've got moderate to severe plaque psoriasis. now, there's skyrizi. ♪things are getting clearer.♪ ♪i feel free to bare my skin yeah, that's all me♪ ♪nothing and me go hand in hand♪ ♪nothing on my skin♪ ♪that's my new plan♪ ♪nothing is everything♪ achieve clearer skin with skyrizi. 3 out of 4 people achieved 90% clearer skin at 4 months. in another study, most people had 90% clearer skin, even at 4 years. and skyrizi is just 4 doses a year, after 2 starter doses. ♪i see nothing in a different way♪ ♪it's my moment so i just gotta say♪ ♪nothing is everything♪ serious allergic reactions and an increased risk of infections or a lower ability to fight them may occur. tell your doctor if you have an infection or symptoms, had a vaccine or plan to. ♪nothing is everything♪

talk to your dermatologist about skyrizi. learn how abbvie could help you save.

>> sergeant nichole sipes is still investigating the murder of heidi firkus. more than ever before she is focused like a laser beam on he former husband, nick. >> she's beginning to believe the motive for heidi's murder all stems from the couples financial troubles. >> at the time of heidi's depth they haven't made a mortgage payment in 22 months.

there $18,000 in debt, credit card bills. >> what struck me the most was the amount of money that they had in overdraft fees through their bank. and one year it was so for $8,000 in overdraft. and overdrafts alone. >> their water was going to be disconnected at times. >> it appears they were living way above their means. >> not lavish places, but they were spending more than they were making. >> it was there $200,000 home that was really causing nick an heidi to fall behind. >> they bought a home they coul not afford. so things kind of spiraled a little bit because of that. in the day after heidi's murder is the day they were supposed t be evicted by a sheriff. >> sergeant sipes of the fbi poured through the financial documents and come up with a theory.

>> what is your gut tell you after sifting through all of this? >> that heidi had no idea the house was being foreclosed on page she had no idea they were being evicted 24 hours later. >> nick says it was their secre but the police think maybe it was only a secret that nick was keeping. >> how was it possible that the could be living together and sh has no idea that they are in financial trouble. >> he handled the finances. they were young and that seem t be the role that he took on. >> but nick's defense lawyer se it differently. >> they were being hounded by the bank, by mail at ups and federal express. they were postings on the door and all of those mailings were found in the house. heidi could not have been oblivious to what was going on. >> you mean mortgage and fictio paperwork or there was nothing on the -- there was never anything signed.

>> he didn't see signatures tha any of these documents? >> know where. >> nobody ever served heidi wit the piece of. she never. at the eviction hearing. she didn't talk to her friends about the situation. >> whenever we talk to friends and family, they all said that she would've absolutely told them. >> not only was she talking about the move with friends and family, according to the police when they dug through her text messages and e-mails, within th -- it didn't look like she had discussed with nick either. >> there was never any message whatsoever of foreclosure or eviction. >> that's a life-changing event when you have to move out of your house and for them not to have one correspondence about the coordination of this move i very suspicious. >> the closer it got to the day of her depth, you could tell sh

knew something was going on wit a few of the bills. >> she started getting calls an and emails from etting calls an about bills that needed to be. >> needed to be paid. sheep would get the call and text and e-mail nick and ask hi to take care of it she was asking more and more about bill but i got a call about this tha is there any update and he woul give her these kind of elongate responses like i called so-and-so so it became very clear that she believed what he husband told her. >> police thinking is that because not telling heidi the truth so why is he lying to heidi. >> i think he knew as soon as heidi knew what happened, she might leave hm. >> over rather than reveal his financial troubles, he killed his wife. >> he has destroyed their lives

essentially without her knowing. >> prosecutors say nick was two different men. he was one man at church for hi wife and his family and community and then there was this super nick, the nick that couldn't pay his bills and that was losing his house. >> it wasn't just going to be the loss of the house. was going to be the realization that he had liked to his wife and he had like to his friends. he lied to the community for many years or through the murde of heidi, he came away as a victim and a martyr. >> it just makes no sense that he would kill his wife order to spare him some momentary embarrassment. >> but when he becomes the victim of crime, nobody is thinking about his financial troubles at this time. that the. retried keep the secret, the last thing he would do is bring and the police because your wif has just been murdered.

>> after 11 years, police finally believe that they have enough evidence to make their move against nick firkus. >> we went to his house very early in the morning. >> our swat team went and knocked on the door. >> police department, search warrant. >> nothing. >> police. you've got a search warrant. nick, come on out. put your hands behind your back for me. >> can you tell me what this is all about? >> we have a warrant for your arrest, sir. homicide. >> nicholas firkus is under arrest for murder of his wife, heidi. >> do you think that he thought that he would never be arrested? >> no, i think he thought he would get away with that. >> nick is charged with

first-degree and second-degree murder. >> i thought that was it i thought, okay, he's going to go to jail. little did i know that it was not even close to being over. k even close to being over. k ♪ i take once-daily jardiance, ♪ ♪ at each day's staaart. ♪ ♪ as time went on it was easy to seee ♪ ♪ i'm lowering my a1c. ♪ jardiance works 24/7 in your body to flush out some sugar! and for adults with type 2 diabetes and known heart disease, jardiance can lower the risk of cardiovascular death, too. jardiance may cause serious side effects including ketoacidosis that may be fatal, dehydration, that can lead to sudden worsening of kidney function, and genital yeast or urinary tract infections. a rare, life-threatening bacterial infection in the skin of the perineum could occur. stop taking jardiance and call your doctor right away if you have symptoms of this infection, ketoacidosis, or an allergic reaction, and don't take it if you're on dialysis.

taking jardiance with a sulfonylurea or insulin may cause low blood sugar. ♪ jardiance is really swell, ♪ ♪ the little pill with a big story to tell. ♪ skin feeling d? swipe it away. new all-in-one garnier micellar water with hyaluronic acid. micelles work like a magnet to cleanse remove makeup and replump with hydration. new micellar cleansing water with hyaluronic acid by garnier, naturally.

ere 100 yearisney dreams come to life at the disneyland resort.

>> somebody just broken i house. >> a st. paul man used of killing his wife in 2010 is now underway.

>> ramseyth sign of anyone else home other than the couple. >> it'. since heidi firkus' murder in the trial is finally underway i this courthouse and both sides are arguing two completely different versions of what happened that morning. >> the courtroom was packed every single day. there were people who were sitting on the floor even. >> the tension between the two parties was incredible. >> one family against another family essentially. >> and families that used to be somewhat united. >> it was really tragic to see people say things about your friend that aren't true. >> at the heart of his case is was there an intruder or not.

>> it wasn't a fictitious stranger was breaking into her home. it was a stranger she married. >> to prove their argument, prosecutors put nick's intruder story to the test. they showed the jury video of police trying to reenact that break-in and the jiggling up th door nick said he heard from th upstairs bedroom. >> let me know when you are ready. >> sergeant gray was that the front door and jiggled the doorknob. they took a video upstairs in the bedroom, and hear tht doorknob being jiggled , which must nick's story on how he was the first alerted to the burglar. >> nick's attorneys introduced evidence to contradict that by showing the tool marks on the doorframe that suggest someone was trying to break-in. >> there were mrks on the door

that were consistent with someone using a screwdriver to pry open the door. >> may maybe somebody really di break-in. >> may be at happened as he said , and the police recognize that, which is why they seized three screwdrivers from the house and from heidi and nick's cars and impaired them to the tool marks and none of the thre screwdrivers could be matched t those tool marks. >> you brought in the locksmith what did you discover? >> he sped through thousands of burglary seemed then he set his experiences that with the burglar, they are going to attack the deadbolt because onc you've got the deadbolt, you've got the door. >> there's no evidence that anybody tried to pry open the deadbolt of they also the don't care about damage. all they about is getting in an

getting in fast. >> the locksmith that never see a burglary with so little damag to a door. >> at 6:30:00 a.m. on a sunday, when you expect people to be sleeping in the house, you do not break-in by kicking in the door. you break in covertly. >> another inconsistency in nic story, prosecutors say that undisturbed table in the foyer. >> it's just inches from the door. so when nick describes this dynamic encounter with this man lunging at him coming with thin that the scene would be destroyed and yet nothing was out of plays. >> white isn't the table knocke over it. fire the content still neatly o that table? >> because that is not worth th struggle was. the struggle was if you come into the door to the right of

there as is shown by the spread of bullets into the door. look come up four cops came in bursting through the door into the house because of the emergency and the stuff was still there. >> they were not writing with him over a gun. >> the scene was not trashed the front door was open and injured when the police arrived. the front mat was pushed up against the wall height these shoes were sort of left askew >> another reason prosecutors believe there was never an intruder is because the never found anyone else's dna. >> no foreign dna in the house. what did that tell you quick. >> that there was one person that touched the gun. >> the guy came in fully dresse with a hood over his head and wearing gloves pretty was in th house for seconds

there probably would not be any dna. >> the defense argues that nick would not have enough time afte heidi's 911 call to stage the crime scene and shoot himself before making his own 911 call only 65 seconds later. >> prosecutors know if they've got to convince the jury that there was plenty of time and in their closing argument they put on dramatic demonstra >> i demonstrated with my hands to represent nick firkus holdin the shotgun. >> that would be nick shooting his wife. >> that's correct. i put down the imaginary gun an i walked over to where heidi's body would've been. nick firkus put up turn her ove it. >> with a timer running in fron of the jury, prosecutors rachel kraker walks through every step that nick would've had to take.

>> put the gun by the door and braced himself against the door and then pulled the trigger get that wound that he had. >> shooting himself. dropped the gun and then use phone and called 911. >> and you still have time on the clock. >> there is no evidence that he was able to walk walk pretty just been shot in the thigh. you take a look at the pictures of that wound, he would've had to have crawled. >> to have heard the case for just over two weeks and now nic firkus' future is in their hands . >> there's a likelihood that th jury would believe nick story. >> was a possible that nick would walk away a free man?

do you know that every load of laundry could be worth as much as $300? really? and your clothes just keep getting more damaged the more times you wash them. downy protects fibers, doing more than detergent alone. see? this one looks brand new. saves me money? i'm starting to like downy. downy saves loads. introducing astepro allergy. now available without sav a prescription. i'm starting to like downy. astepro is the first and only 24-hour steroid-free spray. while flonase takes hours,

astepro starts working in 30 minutes. so you can [ spray, spray ] astepro and go. dry skin is sensitive skin, too. and it's natural. treat it that way. aveeno® daily moisture with prebiotic oat is proven to moisturize dry skin all day. you'll love our formula for face, too. aveeno® nurtec is the only medication that can treat and prevent my migraine attacks, all in one. don't take if allergic to nurtec. allergic reactions can occur, even days after using. most common side effects were nausea, indigestion, and stomach pain. talk to your doctor about nurtec today.

a simple man accused of killing his wife in 2010 could go to th jury as soon as today. >> is under suspicion for his wife's murder and his trial is just now ended. but the jury comes back in four hours with their verdict. >> a st. paul man has been foun guilty of killing his wife. >> a jury infected nick firkus of first and second degree murder. >> when you heard guilty, what did you think? >> devastated. i had to hold it he started to sob. >> nick firkus' family declined our request for an interview an sent synthesis are requesting they support their son and believe in his innocence. >> nick firkus was finally held accountable. we wanted to do justice for heidi and we thought we had don that.

>> on april 13, the emotion in the courthouse is palpable. >> there's justice but that doesn't make things better. >> there >> nick firkus is back in the courtroom for sentencing. >> you may be seated. the way i would like to proceed is allow victim statements. >> i really miss my sister. fight for her story has been won . >> it isn't fair that she's gone . nick firkus has had 13 years to live the life that heidi desired . >> this is an opportunity for you, nick firkus, to make a statement pierced. >> i will maintained by dying depth by my innocence of this crime. heidi was a bright light in thi world. these past 13 years have not diminished my love for her nor the left that i felt from her. >> this was a tragic event and there are no winners here but the jury has spoken.

it is a sense of foreign judgment of this court that you be committed to the commission of christians for the remainder of your life without the possibility of release. >> drama >> just knowing what the world was robbed of, that someone as bright and special is lost, is tragic to think about. >> and remember the man who looked just like the guy in the composite sketch, michael pye? well, he has turned his life around after serving time and h wonders how differently things could've gone for him. >> if i wouldn't have been locked up, i've would've got found guilty for it because nobody would believe it if i told him it wasn't me. i most definitely forgive him for what he tried to do that i also know and forgiveness, there's a price you have to pay

and he will have to go to priso and pay that price now pay her. >> i often get shocked by my ow story. not many people say i married a murderer and had kids with him there there are moments when it was like why did i choose to be with somebody like this when there were red flags to everyon but me had i also know that i wouldn't have those three kids without it and i know that i wouldn't be the person that i a today without the story that i have. >> heidi and rachel are linked in a way that goes beyond their marriages to nick firkus. >> deborah: on the anniversary of heidi's depth, it also happened to be your birthday. it's a crazy coincidence. >> deborah: but you always think about heidi on your birthday? >> always.

>> she's important to remember. >> nick firkus is just beginnin his prison term, but his defens lawyers say they plan to appeal his conviction. that's our program for tonight. thanks for watching. i'm deborah roberts. from all of us here at "20/20" and abc news, good night. night.

moving forward, finding solutions, this is abc7news. >> indicate there was some type of issue and mr. momeni was upset at mr. lee. >> good evening. and thanks for joining >> we learn more about the case and the timeline released by the das office today. here is how the charging documents lays out the final 12 hours of bob lee's life. lee, a man described as a witness, nima momeni's sister, and another woman were drinking at an apartment on mission street. lee and the witness left and went to his hotel along the embarcadero. that is where the witness hurriedly speaking with momeni about the suspect's sister. tuesday, april 4, lee was seen on surveillance camerasas enterg the millennium tower. came