anl of life. >> that's all for this edition of "dateline," i am natalie morales. thank you for watching. >> i am craig melvin. >> i am natalie morales, this is "dateline." >> something is not right. >> i just flipped out. i lost it. >> we could not understand how anybody would want to murder him. he looked like he was sleeping but except for the bullet hole. >> his head was on the pillow and his entire upper body was tucked in. the first guess was suicide. >> this was a man who had

everything to live for. >> eric loved life. he loved his family and women, too. >> many women, did one of them love him too much? no shortage of lovers. >> i am not stupid. >> no sign of a break-in either. >> someone either have a key. >> it must have been somebody he trusted or someone who didn't trust him. >> inside the safe was a 380 handgun. >> it's the same kind. >> everybody loved him. who killed him? >> we knew in our hearts this murder was going to be solve. >> we believer justice is going to be served for eric. hello and welcome to "dateline," it was a crime scene that offered little evidence. those who knew eric samoas could

not imagine who would want him dead. one detective refused to give up. here is josh with "while he was sleeping." he was the life of every party. at 34, eric samoas was charming and magnetic and successful. >> in 2012, he was living the life that young men was bragging it. he called it a good life and a fast life. a world without too many rules. you get close in a hurry to a lot of people you don't noel. it was proven for eric. living just outside the nation's

capitol. eric samoas was not only living the american dream, he was selling it, too. the son of immigrant from god. she was a top sales man delivering luxury cars and the fantasy that comes with i. >> he's motivated to be the best. >> this is the guy that can sell ice in alaska. >> i said eric, you can sell anything. >> eric's sisters. >> the neighborhood kids were actually working for him and he would pay them a big $2 to cut the grass. >> tell me, susie, i am going to be really rich one day. >> he wanted to go all the way to the top.

>> from the day he was born, eric was a charmer and his sister and big brother, michael, always adored him. he was a wonderful joy to our family and to my sisters and i. >> eric was the baby and we all enjoyed him. he came along. he was sort of like this doll. >> eric grew up. he was a lady's man. >> he loved women. >> he walked in a room and everybody looked him. he's so nice and he had a beautiful smile, he'll start a conversation with anyone. his sister hoped their playboy brother would settle down. in fact, they were counting on it. >> we were waiting for a huge

wedding that we planned for him. >> the bride had not been picked out yet? >> no, we knew how the wedding was going to be. >> his big brother knew much more. >> our relationship is very close. he was my best friend as well. we talk about everything. >> eric's charm and work ethics earned him success on the job. a high-rise apartment in the d.c. suburbs and a busy and exciting social life. he was a young man on top of the world. his big brother still feels the need to offer advice like playing the field has its risk and can't last forever.

>> we would always communicate. >> eric was the glue that bonded his family. >> eric was the person that kind of brought the family together. he remembered everyone's birthdays. >> he was charming all of his family. >> in june 2012, he brought them together again. this time it was not for a holiday or birthday, it was because they were worried sick about him. june 5th, a tuesday, eric did not show up for work at the jaguar dealership. his boss brian armstrong let it slide. hey, he's taking a day off on a scheduled day off. i didn't think too much about it. the following day was the wednesday against schedule to come in, no call and show.

then i got worried. >> words spread that eric easters and the rest of their close knit family were trying to find him. >> no one had heard from him. >> now you are really worried? >> i am really worried. cynthia took a deep breath and called 911. he seemingly fallen off the map. what happened to him? f the map. what happened to him coming up- >> an unanswered knock and a lot of questions. >> we were all shocked. >> i said there is no way. there is no way. >> when "while he was sleeping" continues. "while he was sleepin continues.

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it was just alarming when we heard that he had not shown up for work. wow, that's not like eric at all not showing up for work. >> as his sisters and other family members arriving at his building. their levels was off the chart. >> police went to the sixth floor. >> sister susie was still on the

way when cynthia got her answer after police been in eric's apartment. >> when the captain came and gently places his hand on my arm, he said i am sorry, looks like your brother had taken his life. >> i said no way, there is no way he would take his life. eric loved life. >> cynthia managed to call her sister. >> she was screaming and she was balling and when she told me he was dead, i flipped out and lost it. >> you show up how long after that? >> about 40 minutes later. >> detective rubin left the second wave of montgomery county maryland police after patrol officer made that suicide call. >> they try not to disturb the

scene so they didn't look around too much. >> he's got a gunshot wound. his entire upper body was tucked in, it looked like he was sleeping. >> detective came and the forensics came. >> no signs of a struggle. >> no struggles and no ransacking. >> there were no guns. >> this is not as suicide. >> this was a murder. >> in some way ruben was like eric samoa, young, successful and driven. >> he was the right cop to break the difficult news to the family. >> i went downstairs and say that we have reasons to believe

that eric is gone. >> his dad buried in his hands, people could not believe it. >> who would want to murder eric? >> that was what detective rubin wanted to know. >> we started or investigation with the family and those who are close to him just to see if they had any enemies and anybody in those life they would want to hurt. >> eric was loved by everyone and there is no one out there that the family want would want to hurt him. >> he was shocked at point blind blank. >> it appears he was sleeping when it happened. >> it would be someone that eric trusts so much that he went to sleep and have that person there. >> mr. popularity welcomed a lot of people into his home. >> he used to hang out at a

local bar, the owner of the establishment knew him by name. he would be here every night and he'll go home with a different girl. >> his family knew that. >> it was the kind of thing that eric's mother brother michael warned him about. >> based on a revenge situation, you know? >> somebody wanted to have him and they came in and took him out. he just didn't know. >> michael and his sister did know about one particular girlfriend named denise. >> there were several members of our family did point to her. >> they dated a little over 5 or 10 years. >> majority of my family did not like the news because they thought she was using eric, they

did not like her. he said denise told him for a week's time, months before the murder, they would go out. >> somebody needs to have a key. >> denise, any trail she may have left may not mean much. >> the same is true for other women police have not identified. >> the dna belongs in the apartment and so now you have to prove some other one. >> after day one, deceit full.

>> a witness came forward and seen a man meeting with eric before the murder. like eric, he was a sales man. he was not selling cars. >>. >> coming up, -- possible new suspect. and a possible motive as old as time. >> when "while we was sleeping" continues. n "while we was sleep continues. with crest pro-health. it protects the 8 areas dentists check for a healthier mouth. the #1 toothpaste brand in america. crest.

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i was here but i was not really here. it was very, very difficult. >> grief diminishes overtime but days after eric samoas is dead, his family -- >> i saw this young handsome guy in there. i just lost it. >> sadly, i mean a lot of people in their situation. there are families that really wonder what happened and others are like -- not bringing it back and i don't want to spend another minute. >> we wanted to know who would do this because we could not understand who would want to

kill eric. >> the family pointed detective rubin at eric's girlfriend, denise. >> he learned from the family that hero man slaughter with eric was on the rise. >> he was with her probably about a year and after a while, he was tired of being bogged down by someone. >> she and eric were talking about breaking up by mutual agreement. eric was dissatisfied with their relationship giving the detective a theory to consider. >> older woman and younger man and now jealousy or -- you know what it leads to? >> correct, jealousy leads to murder. there was a woman there he had

been dating a few weeks. >> that's why i wanted to talk to katrina. katrina came down to the police officer for an interview. >> she's visibly upset here. >> just earlier that day, detectives rubin and his partner told had told her that eric is dead. >> i don't care. >> they wanted whatever leads she could give them. >> they began with the basics. >> how did you meet him? >> i met eric outside. two weeks after i have been there. >> outside their building. >> he asked me if i was a nurse. he was starting some kind of

agency. turned out she and eric got a lot of things in common. katrina wanted to know about progress in finding her lover's killer. >> we can't really tell you. it's an ongoing investigation and the reason is because you are a witness. >> oh my god. >> she asked if they can at least say where eric died? >> he was killed in his apartment. >> the interview topic returned to the vibrant eric she knew. >> he had so many goals and dreams. >> it's crazy. he's having the best time of his life. that explains why he never

answer his texts. i don't know if he stops calling me. >> i have been mad and depressed because i am thinking - >> detectives console her and also probing about that night. >> but then she said the night got strange. out of the blue, eric said he wanted to smoke some pot. >> she told him she was not interested. she agreed to ride with eric so she can buy the apartment complex. >> i don't know what's happening. >> they drove up to this building, katrina says the pop

dealer jumped into the seats. >> the light was on. all of this happened before the lights going on the far. >> just turn the light off. >> i didn't trying to be identified in something like that. >> he's not my color, skinny guy. griffy bill. >> erica and katrina spept the rest of the night watches the babble game before they become focus on each other. >> he we had sex for a while and i went to sleep. >> a little later she told detectives by the sound of eric talking to someone outside bedroom. >> katrina thought she could make out a face and the fan looked familiar. >> she believed the guy to be the drug dealer. >> this was only hours before

eric was murdered in his bed. detective rubin now had another major suspect. >> so we are concentrated on this gun dealing. >> this would prove a critical moment in the case but not for the reasons you think. coming up, did police strike gold in the drug dealer's apartment? when riley were sleeping continues. when riley were sleeping continues. looks pretty bad ... try this robitussin honey. the real honey you love... plus the powerful cough relief you need. mind if i root through your trash? now get powerful relief with robitussin elderberry. and that's just basic wavy guy maintenance, right? next up, carvana. oh, boy. carvana just doesn't seem to understand how the test drive works. they give their customers seven days. and if they don't like it, they give 'em their money back. wait, they take the car back?

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guilty of voluntary manslaughter charges found against them following a manhunt. now, back to "dateline." now, back to "dateline." welcome back to "dateline," the murder of a bachelor at the prime of his life had investigators stopped. detectives spoke with many lovers. a break, one of those woman offered up a tip, a pot dealer but would it lead police to the smoke smoky gun they saw. back with "while he was sleeping." detective rubin has worked a lot of homicides. the death of eric samoas angried him the most. >> she was just sleeping. to kill somebody while they are sleeping is horrible.

>> eric sister would wait for it, somebody to work on her brother's case. >> it looked as if detective would give the family -- katrina handed over a new suspect. >> how uneasy she felt with the dealer in the apartment. it was just a little uncomfortable. >> so it's just around 5:00 a.m., katrina says she got out of there. >> she said the guy came up to her as she was living and pushed her out the door. >> based on katrina's account, police believe eric was killed in the early morning hours of june 5th, 2012. rubin brought in the dealer for

questioning. william wood fork. >> never met him before. >> i knew eric called him and katrina's story. he told eric marijuana, the night of the murder. >> he was like what you talking about? >> he was so adamant about not knowing where eric lives. i am not a delivery man. >> i don't deliver. people come to me. >> detective ruban was not about to take a drug dealer at his words. >> i ended up getting a search warranties for his place and we recovered a safe from his apartment. >> inside the safe was 380 handgun and it was like -- did he lie? >> it's the same kind of gun.

>>. >> the gun was sent to the firearm lab as ruban checked to see if he could prove william's dna and fingerprints. >> his fingerprints were not on the door or anywhere else. >> did you look at the security tapes? he was nowhere. the test came back on the dealer's 380. >> it was not the game that kill eric. >> it was one big coincidence. >> eric was not looking as good for the murder. not only was the gun not a match, he was convinced that the dealer was never at eric's apartment. >> as for denise. the woman who had been eric's girlfriend, investigators interviewed her three times. he was cooperative. >> her phone records was put at home. >> they eliminated the thesis.

>> again, we start from scratch. >> you don't come into somebody's apartment and murder. >> i feel like i was not doing my job. >> ka trina ban. >> the woman was surprised and distraught by her lover's death. >> we asked her back. >> actually, no, but, he was trying to cons vince me he was one. >> days before that trina had spoken with eric lovingly. no longer. >> i know he was a lady's man. i am not stupid. >> i know at some point she was

reaching out her phone. >> it was a little odd but at the same time it was somebody that, like a significant other that was murdered, i would do anything to help the police. >> you would not do it? >> no. katrina abrupt change in behavior was strange and alarming to the detectives. all they could do was say their good-byes as katrina headed off to a new job in baltimore. >> at this point, there was weird behavior foam. we had nothing solid. it was something not being right there. >> the cops had a nagging feeling. >> katrina ben was lying. >> that dealer was not at the apartment. katrina was and suddenly she looked suspicion. >> if suspicion don't make a case.

someone was getting away with murder. with katrina bound for baltimore, the investigation into her lover's murder threatened to stall. a remarkable roadside discovery. >> coming up -- >> a damaged gun helps determine a detective to shoot a bulls eye. # we found his body. >> this makes sense. >> when "while he was sleeping" continues. n "while he was sleep continues. has your moderate to severe eczema or atopic dermatitis under control? hide my skin? not me. by hitting eczema where it counts, dupixent helps heal your skin from within keeping you one step ahead of eczema. hide my skin? not me. and that means long-lasting clearer skin... and fast itch relief for adults. with dupixent, you can show more skin with less eczema. hide my skin? not me. don't use if you're allergic to dupixent. serious allergic reactions can occur,

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as his murder investigation slowly rolls forward, detective ruben developed a certain affection for eric samoa. >> you have a picture of eric on your desk? >> yes, we call him the most interesting man of this case. i have a picture to remind me to keep ongoing. >> unfortunately, what was next on eric's photo was any hard evidence against katrina. the woman we have thought knew more than what she was telling about eric's murder. >> along with another detective,

rubin paid katrina a visit. >> for the most part her story remained the same. >> katrina was defensive. >> don't go there. >> i feel like you are trying to be sarcastic. >> instead of focusing on the detective's tone. katrina should have paid more attention to their don quixote ps clothing. >> i asked her of owning any guns. >> he seized her phone and computer. the cops did not find anything in criminating. >> there were no guns or anywhere. >> no sign she ever own one. >> she kept ongoing. >> i subpoenaed her bank record just so to see if she purchased ammunitions anywhere. >> you didn't find it. >> no.

>> he kept looking everywhere. he went all the way to katrina's hometown in mississippi, he learned something interesting. >> i talked to her dad who said he had guns, multiple guns in the house. and that katrina had shotguns before. we knew she lie. >> that's no criminal offense. >> still, ruben was certain he could have find something concrete and he kept on looking. >> weeks past then months. >> i think that's the toughest thing about this job is if it goes on unsolved for a while. >> you feel like you let the family down. >> exactly. >> eric's family is eager for answers. they were not shy of letting rubin know that. >> he gets daily phone calls from each one of us. he was so patient and

explaining. >> hey, maybe one of you can call me. >> you look at your phone and you are like you don't want to answer because you have no news. >> it's the same that was last week. we think we know but we can't prove it right now. >> may, 2013, the one year anniversary of eric's murder approach. >> the investigation had come to a standstill. ru bin was frustrated. >> a lot of handguns just like it were already in police custody, all across the d.c. area. he decided to examine all of them. it was an immense task. he began in montgomery county. >> i decided to look at all 380s we covered in the past year. >> which is how many? >> about 60 guns.

>> he comb through the record for each of those guns. none matched up until rubin read to the second to last file. it was a gun turned in by a tourist from montana who spotted by the side of the belt way. the only reason the man saw it because he was parked in d.c.'s famous bumper-to-bumper traffic. >> i said let's get this gun, it makes sense. >> one in a million. >> in believerable odds. >> the one was a mess and missing most of its components and it looked it may have been run over. the barrel is intact using spare parts that the police firearms

reassemble the weapon and testified it. the results, a close match to the bullet that killed eric samoa. on the gun we learned something else. >> where was it sold. >> at a pawnshop in columbia mississippi. >> that little pawnshop, a few miles down road. he took another trip down to mississippi, this time to track down the guns' original owner which was hard. >> this gun had multiple, multiple owners. >> it would take me 30 minutes just to persuade somebody to talk to me. >> because you sound like a stranger. >> that's so weird. >> possibly sound like a stranger and also nobody wants

to talk about guns. >> they always think that i am there to get in trouble. >> he still did not have a solid link. >> slowly it pays off. >> after interviewing six former owners of the gun. he moved to the pawnshop. so the owner is like we kept our records in diaper boxes in the back of the shed and the rats eating all them. we decided to send them to atf. >> the response from atf? thanks but no thanks. >> agents just let us take care of it. >> ruben returned and wondering

if he hit another dead end. he wondered for about a week. it was late june now more than a year since eric was murdered. when an atf agent called back. >> we found these records and pictures. >> i was waiting for our maxer machine. >> you got it. >> oh yeah, it's pretty incredible. >> i have jumping up and down. >> now, he just had to lasso katrina. it would not be like this. >> it would not be this stupid. >> coming up. katrina is a girl who do not take out and does not introduce to your friends. she has her purposes. with that, a motive for murder

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eric samoa had been dead for more than a year and still no one had been arrested for his murder. his family is bound together by grief and faith felt a kind of serenity. >> i felt that there were

certain people that were david david destined to solve this case. >> the family didn't know it yet. that perseverance was about to be rewarded. >> detective had a warrant for katrina. she was living back to mississippi which is where the cuffs went onto her wrist. she did not remain silent. >> it would not be loik this. >> it would be stupid. >> rubin dropped the friendly versailles he presented to katrina. now he came at her at full force. >> you are still saying you

didn't kill eric. >> okay. >> did you have a firearm? >> what kind of firearm. >> 380. remember she told police she didn't own a gun and fired one. >> i didn't kill anyone so there is no need for me to say i have a gun. you never asked. you asked me have i ever held a gun or fired a gun. >> it was simple. you murdered eric. it was your gun that killed him. >> the question was why? >> there has to be a reason. there has to be a reason. >> you are going to go down as the most cold-blooded person we have spoken with because you are so good. >> it's going to be bad. >> i am going to have my day in court. >> katrina would not give it up

and asked for a lawyer. >> the detectives put her in lock up and stepped outside to call eric's family. >> i was like thank you, god. they're going to get this woman. >> getting a conviction was the responsibility of montgomery county state attorney, john mccarthy. >> the gun gets you arrested in the courtroom, this was far from an ideal case. >> absolutely. >> to sell this to a jury when you were basically saying she felt so betrayed at a three-week relationship that she's driven to murder, that's tough stuff. >> she gave katrina a nickname that few would envy. >> why did you refer to katrina as a monday night girl. >> a girl that you do not take out and introduce to your friends and she has her purposes like those purposes are

relegated to monday nights and not the more high-profile saturday nights and friday nights. >> this was the prosecution theory. katrina learned from eric's phone that she was far from the only woman in eric's life, jealousy and anger did the rest. katrina shot eric while he slept. >> human emotions fuelled most homicides. a very significant relationship on the other. >> he made a misjudgment when he became involved with her and the sense of betrayal she felt is what fuelled this homicide. >> and says prosecutors africa trina killed eric, she ditched the gun and playing the heart of the concerned lover. she could not keep her story straight. >> lies upon lies to bury the truth and that ultimately truth in this case was that gun.

>> the crux of katrina's defense was she had no reason to kill eric because she just was not into him. >> eric was a great guy. i was not trying to be with eric. i never believed him. >> what's wrong with the argument that this was a woman who discovered there were other women in his life and she got incredibly jealous and angry and that tipped her over and killed him. >> does not work for this betty. >> one of katrina's lawyers. we have to look at the timing where these two parties intimate with each other, a matter of weeks. so to say the relationship was at such a strong level that she became jealous is not resonating of the time they were together. >> as for that gun, katrina's attorney argued the traveling

nurse lost track of it. someone could have stolen it and used it on eric. >> she shifts from one resident from a state to state. she may have left the gun or she's unaware where the gun may have been. >> jurors were not swayed. it took them six hours to find her guilty of murder in the first degree. >> there is no doubt in my mind. had she not convicted of this crime, she's likely to encounter someone else disrespected her the same way that she felt eric did and with the same results, taking his life. >> the real job dropper came at sentencing when katrina stood up in the courtroom. >> she stood up as if she was giving a urology for my brother. >> she's talking about the murder as though she was not

there. you killed this person. you are the reason why we are here. it was unbelievable. >> the judge sentenced katrina bend to life and plus 20 years. >> justice have been served and what you have seen into the life of our dear brother and cousins and friends. with life in prison. >> now years after saying good-bye to eric, his large loving family still feels the pain of his loss. >> would you remember eric everyday? >> all the good times we had. it was unfortunate that we have to think about the day he was brought hem from the hospital to the day that we actually closed the caskets. they want to warn other families to watch out for other katrina bend in the world.

>> i pray and continue to pray, bringing awareness to others out there and be cautious and being aware. >> be careful who you get close to. >> very careful. >> very aware. >> very important. >> that's all for this i'm craig melvin. >> and i'm natalie morales. >> and this is "dateline." >> i never dreamed somebody could do this. i didn't know why anybody would want to kill him. you watch it on tv. you see it all the time. you just don't think it can happen to you. >> they were a young couple in a hurry to make their fortune. >> 50s, hundreds, 20s, piles of money. >>