for a family, of a daughter and sister who loved to run. sarah giddings: im happy when i think about her when i run. it pushes me to run farther. kaitlyn wheeler: my daughter is named lauren magnolia after lauren. keith morrison (voiceover): memories of a vibrant woman fully alive. lauren giddings. ashley muller: i would tell her how much i miss her and that i love her, and that shes the reason why i am who i am today. i would tell her thank you. craig melvin: that's all for this edition of dateline. i'm craig melvin. thank you for watching. . i'm craig melvin. and i'm natalie morales. and this is "dateline." i arrived at the office. i could see that something was really, really wrong.

i called somebody that steve worked with. he said, steves been shot. and i said, did he survive? and he said, no. craig melvin: steve pitt was unforgettable. natalie collins: i think hes one of a kind. he just completely broke the mold. (photo of steve pitt; exterior of office building) craig melvin: he was the first to die that week. hunted down by a man with a gun and a grudge. natalie collins: i felt that when this shooter crossed steve off, that he was moving down a list. craig melvin: a long list. unidentified woman: she came running towards my vehicle. there was blood dripping from her face. craig melvin: six murders. scott wightman: my guts just absolutely dropped. craig melvin: in four days. josh mankiewicz: this was a homicide investigation kind of in overdrive, wasnt it? bianca buono: it was. craig melvin: a city under siege. bianca buono: there was a lot of fear. there was a lot of unrest in the community. people were desperate for a suspect. craig melvin: who else could have been on that list? connie jones: i had my own personal terrorist. craig melvin: and why? natalie collins: people dont get gunned down in their offices. there had to be a link. craig melvin: the most haunting question of all:

could those six lives have been saved? natalie collins: steve always said that these things never happen in a vacuum. there are always warning signs. so losing him the way that we did was stunning to me. craig melvin: hello and welcome to dateline. forensic psychiatrist steve pitt was well-known for his work on high-profile criminal cases. when he was shot outside his phoenix office, it was a big story. nobody knew it yet but his death was just the beginning of a terrifying murder spree. the victims all had something in common. but what? one man knew but could he connect the dots before more lives were lost? here's josh mankiewicz with "unraveled."

josh mankiewicz: for an agonizing stretch of nearly four days, the fear was palpable, and paralyzing. unidentified woman: the twists and turns dont end there. josh mankiewicz: a killer was on the loose in and around phoenix, arizona. systematically shooting innocent victims. unidentified man: a massive manhunt underway-- josh mankiewicz: police worked around the clock, desperate for leads. benjamin hoster: were asking the public to remain vigilant. josh mankiewicz: a long weekend of terror that would lead to a hard question. did any of it have to happen? because this was a tragedy many people saw coming, including the first and most high-profile victim. natalie collins: he was like nobody else id ever met. and thats true to this day. josh mankiewicz: back in 2002, natalie collins was a young lawyer defending a medical malpractice case when she met a forensic psychiatrist named doctor steven pitt. natalie collins: he was very intellectually honest. whether you wanted his opinion or not, you got it.

um, but he was formidable and he was fair. josh mankiewicz: pitt was nationally known for his work on cases like the columbine massacre, and the murder of jonbenet ramsey. his interest in natalie was personal as well as professional. when they met again a few years later, he asked her to lunch. natalie collins: i took him up on the offer, and i had the longest lunch i have ever had. it was hours. and it was fabulous. i loved every minute of it. josh mankiewicz: hours turned into years. they got engaged. natalie collins: he was a brilliant forensic psychiatrist, but he was, in my biased opinion, an even better human being. josh mankiewicz: steve had two sons with his ex-wife and they were the center of his world. natalie collins: he would say to the boys, work hard, dont say cant, be nice and have fun. josh mankiewicz: steve was a master at delving into someones mind, understanding what made them tick. natalie collins: no matter who retained him or what they wanted him to say, he would always tell

you what he really thought. im sure you noticed that about him. josh mankiewicz: i did. dr. steven pitt: my name is doctor steven, s-t-e-v- e-n pitt, p-i-t-t. josh mankiewicz: i interviewed steve pitt in 2016 for a report on the twentieth anniversary of the jonbenet ramsey case. dr. steven pitt: dude, i gave you some good answers, come on. josh mankiewicz: three of them. yeah. josh mankiewicz: a sharp guy with a big personality and a sense of humor to match. dr. steven pitt: god, that was so good the way you did that. josh mankiewicz: thank you. josh mankiewicz: through that, we got to know one another. josh mankiewicz: when i met him, and he sort of said to me, hey, lets be friends, like ill-- ill come to los angeles and well hang out, i thought, absolutely. natalie collins: right. he could get anybodys story, but more importantly than that he was interested in everybody and their story. josh mankiewicz: he was also unabashedly interested in crime and criminals. natalie collins: he read a lot of history about serial killers. and i think he felt that his skills were really well-suited to-- to that area. and he didnt scare easy. josh mankiewicz: steve was aware some criminals he

dealt with might pose a threat. natalie collins: i can recall a couple of specific instances where he showed me a photograph and he said, "if you see this person anywhere near you, you are to call the police." josh mankiewicz: still, he always tried to calm natalies nerves. natalie collins: i remember a dinner where he said to me, "babe, relax. in these situations there are bigger fish to fry than me. they will always go after a judge or an attorney before they ever come to me, so you dont need to worry, because well always have a warning. i will always have a warning, and i will know what to do." so the circumstance, losing him the way that we did, was stunning to me. josh mankiewicz: one of the rare times he was ever wrong? natalie collins: yeah.

josh mankiewicz: thursday, may 31, 2018. id seen steve about a week before. natalie, of course, saw him that morning. they made plans to meet after work. natalie collins: at five-eighteen i texted him, and i said, "are you on your way? are you coming?" and he said, "ten-minute max, and ill see you there." josh mankiewicz: half an hour went by, then an hour, and still no steve. natalie collins: that was unlike him. and so i drove to his office. as i arrived at the office, i could see that something was really, really wrong. josh mankiewicz: she saw the police and the yellow tape. natalie collins: i could see his range rover in the parking lot, and i could see there were things strewn on the ground that i was hoping was maybe medical supplies. and i thought maybe theyre working on him or somebody. but i just knew, you know, that-- that there was something wrong with him. josh mankiewicz: cops werent telling her anything and natalie was getting desperate. natalie collins: i called somebody that steve worked with who was a police officer, and asked him like, what is happening?

and he-- i could hear from his voice. sorry. and he said, something really bads happened. steves been shot. and i said nothing for a second, and then i said, did he survive? and he-- he said, no. and i dont really remember much after that. josh mankiewicz: a man had confronted steve as he left work to meet natalie. witnesses reported hearing shouts. and then gunfire. based on witness descriptions, phoenix pd developed this sketch of the suspect. a white male, bald, wearing a dark hat with a short brim. josh mankiewicz: that look like anybody you knew? natalie collins: no. josh mankiewicz: and it didnt look like any of the people that steve had shown you photos of over the years saying, if you ever see this person? natalie collins: absolutely not. josh mankiewicz: natalie stayed at the scene until around 4 am when her fiances body was removed. as she prepared to leave, something occurred to her.

natalie collins: because the shooter was still not in custody, i did ask several officers whether it was safe to me to go home. one of them said, we dont know the answer to that, maam. josh mankiewicz: they also didnt know just how much worse it was going to get. craig melvin: or how quickly. a city is gripped by fear as the death toll climbs higher with two new shootings. craig melvin: coming up- unidentified woman: she came running towards my vehicle. there was blood dripping from her face. benjamin hoster: about ten minutes after midnight this morning, we received a call of a shooting at the business complex behind me. craig melvin: and natalie has a hunch. natalie collins: i knew there would be a link between steves murder and those murders. because people dont get gunned down in their offices in scottsdale. it doesnt happen. craig melvin: when dateline continues. stay ahead of your child's moderate-to-severe eczema

with dupixent as they welcome the feeling of touch with clearer skin and less itch. the #1 prescribed biologic by dermatologists and allergists helps heal their skin from within. severe allergic reactions can occur. get help right away for face, mouth, tongue or throat swelling, wheezing or trouble breathing. tell your doctor of new or worsening eye problems, like eye pain, vision changes, or blurred vision, joint aches and pain, or a parasitic infection. don't change or stop asthma or other medicines without talking to your doctor. ask your child's doctor about dupixent. food in the fridge? >> it's not dog food. >> it's fresh pet. real meat. real veggies for peter. >> that's peter. >> that's peter. >> should have known. billy: one second, grandma. this guy is going to buy my car. okay? grandma: you need carvana... entering plate number... grandma: no accidents, right? billy: no. grandma: generating offer... carvana can pick it up tomorrow! billy: that's an amazing offer. announcer: sell your car the easy way with carvana. join the more than 7 million adults,

like michael, who have taken ozempic®. as touring musicians, my type 2 diabetes could have slowed us down. but i didn't let it. i'm michael from the war & treaty, and this is what my ozempic® era looks like. i'm lowering my a1c. and i lost some weight, too. i also learned some people take ozempic® to lower the risk of major cardiovascular events, like stroke, heart attack, or death. and others take it to lower the risk of worsening chronic kidney disease. don't share needles or pens, or reuse needles. don't take if you or your family had mtc, men 2, or if allergic to it. stop taking and get medical help right away if you get a lump or swelling in your neck or any of these allergic reactions. tell your provider if you plan to have surgery or a procedure, are nursing, pregnant, or plan to be. serious side effects may include inflamed pancreas, gallbladder or severe stomach problems, or changes in vision. call your prescriber if you have any of these symptoms. taking with a sulfonylurea or insulin may raise low blood sugar risk. common side effects include nausea, vomiting, diarrhea,

stomach pain, constipation. some side effects lead to dehydration, which may worsen kidney problems. discover the glp-1 with the most fda-approved uses, ozempic®. right now. join aarp for $11 per year with a five year term, and your second membership is free. get access to discounts on everyday purchases, eye care and prescriptions and programs, tools and tips to help manage your money and maximize your health. plus, aarp fights to protect. >> your social security. >> medicare, and more. join and get an insulated trunk organizer free plus aarp the magazine. call or go to join aarp. now. >> did you know taking. >> xyzal at night relieves allergies while you sleep, so you wake refreshed for a more productive day. get 24 hour continuous relief that does not

fade bewise all take xyzal at night. >> this one goes better. >> with the walls. >> this is so much. >> easier than the home improvement store. >> hey! >> yeah. >> some things. >> are just better at home with empire's home floor advantage, you can compare. samples in your own space. >> plus. >> i'll be. >> here to help you with every step of the process. >> call or visit empire. >> today.com and get. >> the. >> home floor advantage. >> it really. >> it really. >> is better at home. craig melvin: when dateline continues. josh mankiewicz: friday, june 1, 2018. less than twenty-four hours after nationally known forensic psychiatrist steve pitt was murdered outside his office in phoenix, reporter bianca buono of nbc affiliate kpnx got a call. thered been another shooting in nearby scottsdale. bianca buono: we booked it to old town

and it was something like ive never seen in that area before. bianca buono: we have a very active police presence right behind us. josh mankiewicz: paralegal veleria sharp had been at work at this family law practice when someone walked in and shot her in the head. veleria somehow managed to get outside. a passing driver saw her and called 911. unidentified woman: oh, my god. she came running towards my vehicle. there was blood coming-- dripping from her face. operator: okay. unidentified woman: she just lay down on the ground. josh mankiewicz: emts rushed her to the hospital, but could not save her life. scottsdale police followed the trail of velerias blood back to the law office and discovered a second victim. paralegal laura anderson. shed been shot in the chest, and was already dead. two women murdered in broad daylight. another unlikely crime scene about ten miles from the spot where steve pitt was killed. velerias husband, saber sharp.

saber sharp: she wasnt the type of person that had any enemies. i can remember the officer asking me a question like that. im like, no. no, no, no. josh mankiewicz: natalie collins was at home, still in shock over steves murder when she heard the news. natalie collins: i knew there would be a link between steves murder and those murders. because people dont get gunned down in their offices in scottsdale. it doesnt happen. josh mankiewicz: natalies hunch was right. bianca buono: scottsdale police were able to confirm for us that the murder scene on thursday and the murder scene on friday was connected. josh mankiewicz: firearms analysis showed a .40 caliber weapon had been used in the homicide of doctor steve pitt. the same caliber gun killed paralegals veleria sharp and laura anderson. and then, about ten hours after the paralegals were killed-- benjamin hoster: about ten minutes after midnight this morning, we received a call of a shooting at the business complex behind me. josh mankiewicz: an adult male shot twice in the head at an office seven miles from the law firm.

karen kolbe: the doorbell rang. wanted to ignore it because its the middle of the night. josh mankiewicz: it was 3 am. psychotherapist karen kolbes husband answered the door. karen kolbe: he came back in to get me and said, you need to get up, police are here. marshall has been found dead in the office. josh mankiewicz: the latest victim, seventy-two- year-old marshall levine was a counselor and life coach. he was subletting his office from karen. karen kolbe: we sat down with the officers. and they wanted to know what kind of clients was he seeing, and, you know, what was his practice like. josh mankiewicz: because the assumption was this was about marshall. karen kolbe: yeah. josh mankiewicz: im wondering whether you felt more of a threat after the second and third murder scenes are-- are sort of announced. natalie collins: honestly, i was scared. but i also knew, or believed, that this was personal. and i felt in my heart of hearts that,

when this shooter crossed steve off his list, that he was moving down a list. josh mankiewicz: if the killer did have a list, police were racing to find out, why were these people on it? what did they have in common? investigators collected shell casings at karens office and discovered they were .40 caliber. same as at the other two crime scenes. four murders now in less than thirty-one hours, all possibly committed by the same person. there was one promising clue. dna on a shell casing recovered at the scene of steve pitts murder. investigators ran it through their system, but there was no match. by 10 am saturday morning, police opened an emergency center. and tips were pouring in. bianca buono: there was a lot of fear. there was a lot of unrest in the community. and people were desperate for a suspect. josh mankiewicz: no one yet knew about this man.

two hundred miles away, watching the news of the murders unfold. he was a former phoenix police detective, and he had a sudden, sickening feeling. rick anglin: i was certain who it was. craig melvin: coming up-- josh mankiewicz: you were eighteen, he was twenty-two? connie jones: correct. josh mankiewicz: your first boyfriend? connie jones: yes. craig melvin: --the start of something very evil. connie jones: i had my own terrorist, my own personal terrorist. craig melvin: when dateline continues. i'm portia. we're talking to cameras that are in our living room about kind science. i used to think the more money i. spent on my skincare, the more effective it would be. the better it would. >> be. >> the better i'd look. but it's not true. with kind science. my skin feels cleaner. it feels more hydrated. i noticed. >> a difference in my skin.

>> i noticed a difference in yours. people see you and they make a big deal about your skin and it feels really good. and that's all thanks to kind science. >> tons of customers have seen results. >> the bags under. >> her eyes. >> yeah, it looks smooth. yeah. smooth. smooth. well, who doesn't want smooth? >> who doesn't? >> so here's what i'm going to do. something i've never done before. >> i am going. >> to give a kind science. generous deal. >> clever. yeah. because my name i got it. yeah. okay. what are you offering? >> you'll get. >> four of my favorite products. the gentle. >> cleanser, the. >> micro exfoliant, which i love. >> i use it as. >> a mask. and then the firming serum. they're going to get that. i love the firming serum so much because firms it up, firms it up. keep it firm. the hydration cream is amazing because it really does feel like your face just took a drink of water. >> yes, but. >> it does. yeah it does. it actually does. a clinical study of kind. science users, 94% had less visible. >> lines and wrinkles. >> that's so great. >> well, because it's great

product. so i'm also going to give some gifts. >> you know, the brush that you love so much. the facial. yeah. so the brush the radiance oil which. >> is a really. >> great product and. >> free shipping. >> that's $200 worth. >> of products. >> for 49.95. this whole thing is under. 50 bucks. yes, 49.95. that's amazing. really. i know 60 day money back. guarantee. you guys. >> this generous. >> deal won't. >> last forever. scan the code. go to shine science.com or call 856. >> ellen, that's. >> 850 6ellen

dave's been very excited about saving big with the comcast business 5-year price lock guarantee. five years? -five years. and he's not alone. -high five. it's five years of reliable gig speed internet. five years of advanced securit. five years of a great rate that won't change. it's back. but only for a limited time. high five. five years? -nope. comcast business 5-year price lock guarantee. powering five years of savings. powering possibilities. comcast business. just 4.99 a month. call 1-888-246-2612 or visit homeserve. com. >> donald trump is defending the mass firings of federal watchdogs. >> our federal government. >> now can discriminate against. >> the citizens. >> of. >> the country. >> we are all. >> watching and waiting to see who is. >> going to hold the line. don't miss the weekends, saturday and sunday. >> mornings at. >> 8:00 on msnbc. msnbc presents a new podcast hosted by jen psaki. each week, she talks to some of the biggest names in

democratic politics, with the biggest ideas for how democrats can win again. the blueprint can win again. the blueprint with josh mankiewicz: four murders in three days. police were on a desperate hunt to find the killer. some two hundred miles away, rick anglin was watching for developments. anglin had spent a lifetime in law enforcement. he started out at the phoenix police department, even worked undercover. later he became a private investigator. and when he heard about steve pitts murder, his experience told him-- rick anglin: it had to be related to his work. josh mankiewicz: anglin knew pitt worked on criminal cases, so the universe of suspects was vast. then he heard about the murders of the two paralegals in scottsdale. and suddenly, that universe shrank. rick anglin: once they announced on the news that it waselizabeth feldmans office, i was certain who it was. josh mankiewicz: you knew. rick anglin: i knew. josh mankiewicz: knew exactly how

steve pitt and the feldman law firm were connected, and who was behind the murders. rick knew because, years earlier, hed taken on the case of a scottsdale doctor named connie jones. connie jones: yes. i had my own terrorist, my own personal terrorist. josh mankiewicz: connie was on summer break from college in 1984 when she started dating a young soldier named dwight jones. dwight was stationed at fort bragg, north carolina. josh mankiewicz: you were eighteen, he was twenty-two. connie jones: correct. young. too young. josh mankiewicz: your first boyfriend? connie jones: yes. he told me he wanted to be an attorney. so he seemed to have aspirations. josh mankiewicz: they married in 1988 after her first year of medical school. dwight left the army after three years. and soon connie realized that while she was working hard to become a doctor, dwight was doing nothing. connie jones: i dont recall him ever working more than two

or three days because every job that he would get there would be some issue. so we lived in medical school on my financial aid. josh mankiewicz: thats probably not how you grew up, is it? connie jones: that is not. my family has the best work ethic you can think of. josh mankiewicz: after medical school, connie began a residency in psychiatry, but soon found it hit too close to home. her own husband, she came to realize, was mentally ill. connie jones: he was depressed. he would stay in the bed for three or four days. and then he became very hostile towards me. josh mankiewicz: what form did that take? connie jones: verbal abuse, emotional abuse. again, if he were mad he would not talk for a week to punish me. josh mankiewicz: connie switched her focus to radiology. and she encouraged dwight to seek mental health treatment. connie jones: i wanted to help him. i mean, who doesnt want to help their spouse?

josh mankiewicz: dwight refused. she says she endured eight years of escalating hostility and verbal abuse, before telling dwight she wanted a divorce. connie jones: and he laid on the floor for three days crying and said that it was his mental illness. that he loved me. that he didnt want to lose me. and that he would do whatever he needed to do. josh mankiewicz: so connie stayed. and, in 1997, she gave birth to a son. connie jones: after the child was born, he actually seemed to be better. josh mankiewicz: being a father was good for him. connie jones: mm-hm. it was. it did seem to give him a purpose. josh mankiewicz: dwight watched their child during the day. but connie says he still left most of the caregiving to her. and soon enough, connie says dwights emotional abuse worsened. he became obsessive and controlling. connie jones: after i had my son, i thought it was my obligation to try to make this work.

i mean, i-- i really did not see myself in life as a divorced person. josh mankiewicz: but how do you make things work when you have no idea whos coming home at night? connie jones: the garage door would open. and we didnt know what we were getting. josh mankiewicz: doctor jekyll or mister hyde. connie jones: right. josh mankiewicz: dwights good times became more and more rare. then he began to abuse her physically. but at the same time carefully. connie jones: you know, if you punch someone in the eye, that kind of thing, its obvious that youre being abused. but hitting you with their forearm, physically holding me down, pushing me into walls, those things dont leave bruises. but they are very violent. josh mankiewicz: and he did all of those to you? connie jones: he did. josh mankiewicz: and sometimes it did leave a mark, like the time she says dwight broke her sternum. connie jones: he hit me with his-- ball of his hand in my chest. josh mankiewicz: and you didnt call the police? connie jones: i didnt. josh mankiewicz: because?

connie jones: at that time i did not have a plan of exit. i was sleeping with a knife under my pillow because i thought he was so out of control. josh mankiewicz: by early 2009, connie said dwight was directing his anger, and threats, at their child. connie jones: particularly murder-suicide of himself and the child so that i would suffer the rest of my life knowing that my child is dead because i didnt do what he said. josh mankiewicz: connie knew she needed to get out. but she also knew a woman whod been killed while trying to leave her abusive boyfriend. so connie made plans to escape, in secret. connie jones: i start preparing to get some of my important paperwork to another location, some clothes and things that we might need. josh mankiewicz: thats when she consulted family law attorney elizabeth feldman. the name rick anglin would recognize from the news years

later. connie also placed audio recorders around her home. connie jones: so if things seemed to be heated so that i could document what he was doing. josh mankiewicz: and thats exactly what happened on the night of may 6, 2009. dwight jones: ill show you. im gonna to show you. connie jones: hes over this eleven-year-old child. and he has his finger to his chest, in his face yelling at him. and so i say, you know, you leave him alone. hes calling me every name you can think of. dwight jones: see how smart you are, bitch. see what your college degree taught your dumb ass. josh mankiewicz: on the tape, you can hear dwight threatening to kill connie. dwight jones: ill take you out to this (expletive) pool and drown you. connie jones: and that if i called-- if i called 911 that id be dead before they got there. connie jones: leave me alone. dwight jones: call the (expletive) now. lets see what happens. you want to see?

josh mankiewicz: connie did call 911, and a swat team surrounded the house. but dwight held his son hostage, and wouldnt leave. dwight jones: my wife started this (expletive). josh mankiewicz: after an hour-long standoff, dwight finally surrendered. connie jones: so as he walked out the child was physically in front of him. josh mankiewicz: like a shield. connie jones: like a shield. he was inconsolable. i mean, as a mother to see your child in that distress, it-- its-- its pretty devastating. josh mankiewicz: dwight was arrested. and connie filed for divorce. often, that means the end of something. instead, it was just the beginning of the worst chapter in connies relationship with dwight jones. craig melvin: coming up, connie reaches out for help. rick anglin: i had people full-time on the school where the son goes. if connie went to work, there was somebody with her while she was working. craig melvin: but would even that be enough to protect her from dwight?

connie jones: he told me that he would wait until my defenses were down and then he would get me. craig melvin: when dateline continues. the thompsons' new front door looks sharp, right? did we need to wave her down to tell her that? no. no. for a young homeowner turning into their parents, the neighborhood is their life. wonder who's visiting the burkes. that's not their car. hey, guys. who's winning? [ giggles ] now most of the neighborhood uses progressive -for their cars and house. -okay. she didn't ask. ohhhh! [ sighs ] progressive can't save you from becoming your parents. but we can save you money when you bundle home and auto with us. here he comes...like clockwork. [ giggles ] the freestyle libre 3 plus sensor tracks your glucose in real time, and over time it can help lower your a1c. ♪♪ this is progress. learn more and try for free at freestylelibre.us ♪♪ ugh, when is my allergy spray going to kick in? -you need astepro. -astepro? it's faster, bro. 8x faster than flonase.

it's faster, bro! it's faster, bro! it's faster, bro! it's mom to you. astepro starts working in 30 minutes. astepro and go! eggs make all our family moments better. especially when they're eggland's best. taste so fresh and amazing. deliciously superior nutrition, too. for us, it's eggs any style. as long as they're the best. eggland's best. (vo) if you're only maxing out a 401k, you can add a robinhood ira with a 3% contribution boost. (nasa pilot vo) roger that. (vo) robinhood gold gives you an instant 3% match on your annual ira contributions. ♪ >> climbing up. >> on. >> solsbury hill, i could see the city light. >> my heart going boom, boom,

boom. >> hey. >> he said, grab your things. i've come to take you. >> take me home. yeah, it is weird that we still call these things phones. well, yeah. they're more like mini computers. precisely, next slide. xfinity mobile customers are connected to wifi 90% of the time. that's why our network has powerboost with wifi speeds up to a gig where you need it most. so, this whole meeting could have been remote? oh, that is my ex-husband who i don't speak to. hey! no, i'm good to talk!

xfinity internet customers, cut your mobile bill in half for your first year with xfinity mobile. plus, ask how to get the new samsung galaxy s25+ on us. >> text k n e. >> to 231231. >> hi, i'm richard lui with a news update. brush fires have erupted on new york's long island and near brooklyn, as strong winds and low humidity hit the state. the governor declared a state of emergency saturday. about 7 million people are under wind alerts across new england, and pope francis is showing, quote, slight improvement. after more than three weeks in the hospital, the pope received the eucharist saturday morning and prayed in his private chapel, according to the vatican. for now. the vatican. for now. >> back i'm craig melvin. four people had been gunned down just miles apart and private investigator rick anglin was convinced dwight jones was the killer. rick's insight into dwight's mental state

had developed over time, in the aftermath of that terrifying night connie jones managed to escape her husband's rage. here again is josh mankiewicz with "unraveled." josh mankiewicz: doctor connie jones spent twenty-two years married to a mentally ill and abusive husband. she was about to learn her personal ordeal might have led to a crisis for a whole city. dwight jones: i'll take you out to this (expletive) pool and drown you. josh mankiewicz: back in 2009, after that frightening standoff with police at their home in scottsdale, arizona, dwight jones was arrested on multiple charges, but ultimately pleaded guilty to a single count of misdemeanor disorderly conduct. he was prohibited from owning a firearm during his probation just twelve months. connie jones: its minimal. its like being a disturbance in your neighborhood. its not holding your child hostage for an hour. josh mankiewicz: dwight was also committed

to a mental institution for evaluation. connie remembers the report on dwight said he was not an imminent threat. connie jones: but the psychiatrist that evaluated him called me and told me that he was dangerous. and that i should get a bodyguard. josh mankiewicz: enter him? connie jones: enter richard anglin. josh mankiewicz: connie hired rick, the cop turned private investigator, to do surveillance on dwight, and to assess how much of a threat he posed. rick and his team tailed dwight, took photos and video of him. they also combed through dwights cluttered, debris-filled room in the family's home and found some books with seriously disturbing titles. rick anglin: how to get even with people, how to injure people in street fighting, it starts to put a makeup of somebody whos trying to plan something. josh mankiewicz: he made sure she and her son always had eyes on them. rick anglin: i had people full-time on the school

where the son goes. if connie went to the grocery store, if she had a public event, if she went to work, there was somebody with her. josh mankiewicz: anglin moved connie and her son among three remote safe houses. josh mankiewicz: well, this is like a chess game. rick anglin: very much like a chess game. i have to anticipate ten steps ahead of him. josh mankiewicz: it was during the battle for custody of their child that dwight and connie met with a forensic psychiatrist. his name, doctor steven pitt. steve videotaped his interviews with them as part of the custody case. dr. steven pitt: can you do me a favor and say and spell your full name? connie jones: connie jones, c-o-n-n-i-e j-o-n- e-s. dr. steven pitt: okay. connie jones: i thought he was exceptional. his report i thought was very detailed and accurate. josh mankiewicz: doctor pitts report matched what rick had come to believe about dwight jones. "without psychiatric intervention and treatment, mister jones mental state is going to continue to unravel. he will become increasingly paranoid, likely psychotic,

and pose an even greater risk for perpetrating violence." when dwights probation ended, connie obtained an order of protection that once again prohibited him from owning guns. karen kolbe: this case is the scariest case ive ever been involved in. josh mankiewicz: remember karen kolbe, the therapist awakened in the middle of the night by the cops? she worked with connie and dwights son for two years starting in 2009. karen kolbe: divorces are a dime a dozen. josh mankiewicz: this was something else. karen kolbe: yeah. violence. potential violence. violence that had already been committed. somebody who was clearly on a path to commit more violence. josh mankiewicz: connie and dwights divorce went to trial in family court where karen kolbe and steve pitt presented their findings. in 2010, the judge granted connie full custody of her son. connie jones: im thinking im reading through the decree, sounding pretty good to me so far. josh mankiewicz: and right where you think it would say

and so dwight is to have no more contact-- connie jones: contact. josh mankiewicz: --with you or your son ever. connie jones: yeah, yes. josh mankiewicz: instead it says what? connie jones: it says that it is mandated that he have supervised visits with him. that he has a parental right to see him. josh mankiewicz: whatd you think when you read that? connie jones: shocked. it didnt make sense to me. they took his right as a parent even over the safety of the child. josh mankiewicz: whats more, under arizona law, dwight was entitled to spousal support. in this case, six thousand dollars a month. josh mankiewicz: he threatens you. he hits you. connie jones: mm-hm. josh mankiewicz: he says hes going to murder you. connie jones: mm-hm. josh mankiewicz: he says hes going to murder your child. connie jones: mm-hm. josh mankiewicz: you have to pay him spousal support. connie jones: yes. josh mankiewicz: and youre on the hook for his attorneys. connie jones: yes. yes. and i have to pay for the supervised visitations because hes a threat. josh mankiewicz: whatd this all cost you, financially? connie jones: well, what he got was over six hundred

and fifty thousand dollars. rick anglin: there came a point where connie could no longer afford my services or-- or anybody elses. i-- i-- i couldnt walk away. josh mankiewicz: because if you-- you think if youre not there, shes going to get killed. rick anglin: i-- you-- you really dont need to be doctor pitt to come up with the determination of what would eventually happen. josh mankiewicz: their worries only increased in 2013 when connies final protective order against dwight expired, and he was able to legally purchase a gun. connie jones: he told me that he would wait until my defenses were down and then he would get me. josh mankiewicz: by then, connie had started carrying a gun of her own. rick trained her how to use it, if and when the day came that dwight confronted her. rick anglin: i prepared her for it mentally, physically, and emotionally. shes trained for it. josh mankiewicz: the court ordered that dwight get psychological help. theres no evidence he ever complied. instead, dwight isolated himself at this extended stay hotel.

for years. connie built a successful career as a radiologist, she even wrote a book on breast cancer screening. by 2016, dwights spousal support had ended. so had the visits with his son. connie no longer had to see her ex-husband in court but she and rick remained hyper-vigilant, especially about her son. rick anglin: you dont get to just say, lets go to the movies. youve got to scan the parking lot. josh mankiewicz: in early june 2018, when rick saw the news about the shootings of steve pitt and the two paralegals at elizabeth feldman'slaw firm, he came to an undeniable conclusion. rick anglin: i was certain who it was. its dwight jones. josh mankiewicz: his first thought was he had to find connie. rick anglin: i immediately start to text her to call me, start calling her phone, im getting no response. josh mankiewicz: then rick heard about the murder in therapist karen kolbes office. and he became more concerned. after a tense hour, connie called back.

she was okay. ricks next call was to phoenix police. rick anglin: explained to him who i thought was responsible, what his vehicle description was, where he was at, and how the three crime scenes were linked. josh mankiewicz: it was just the tip the cops needed. now they had to find dwight jones before he struck again. craig melvin: coming up-- josh mankiewicz: this was a homicide investigation kind of in overdrive, wasnt it? bianca buono: it was. craig melvin: --closing in on a killer. rich slavin: we knew that he was our suspect and murderer. craig melvin: but not before police find more victims. scott wightman: my guts just absolutely dropped. craig melvin: when dateline continues. somh more. more breathtaking, more heart racing, more soul mating.

it's here where. that all consuming, life giving. >> full body butterfly thing. >> called love just. >> is. >> be more. where love is. be more. here. unlimited luxury at secrets resorts and spa. >> with allegra. >> i hope you. >> can stop being. >> sneezy without feeling sleepy. get 0% brain interference for fast non-drowsy interference for fast non-drowsy allergy relief with ooo! our car's value went up! maybe we should track all our cars' value on carvana? we need more trackers! oh! i'm getting a value update! do you see which one is going off? how's it trackin'? some dips, some rises. now what? "hold?" sold. track your car's value on carvana today. mirajoy: the overwhelming relief after miralax® helps you “go” sweetie. miralax® works naturally with the water in your body. putting you in a supernaturally good mood. miralax®: free your gut to free your mood.

>> i hear you found someone special. >> yeah. >> he's a keeper. is that dog. >> food in the fridge? >> it's not dog food. >> it's fresh pet. real meat. real veggies for peter. >> that's peter. >> i should. >> have known. >> you do make a pretty. >> cute couple. >> did you know taking xyzal at night relieves allergies while you sleep, so you wake refreshed for a more productive day. get 24 hour continuous relief that 24 hour continuous relief that does not still have moderate to severe ulcerative colitis... ...or crohn's disease symptoms after taking... ...a medication like humira or remicade? put them in check with rinvoq, a once-daily pill. when symptoms tried to take control, i got rapid relief with rinvoq. check. when flares tried to slow me down,... ...i got lasting remission with rinvoq. check.

and many were in remission... ...even at nearly 2 years. and rinvoq... ...helped visibly reduce damage of the intestinal lining. check. rapid symptom relief. lasting remission. and visibly reduced damage. check. rinvoq can lower ability to fight infections. before treatment, test for tb and do bloodwork. serious infections, blood clots, some fatal;... ...cancers, including lymphoma and skin;... ...serious allergic reactions; gi tears; death;... ...heart attack; and stroke occurred. cv event risk increases in age 50 plus... ...with a heart disease risk factor. tell your doctor if you've had these events, infection,... ...hep b or c, smoked,... ...are pregnant or planning. don't take if allergic or have an infection. put uc and crohn's in check... ...and keep them there. with rinvoq. ask your gastroenterologist... ...about rinvoq. imploring democrats and you specifically to fight harder. what can you tell voters tonight who say you could be doing more than you're doing? can you tell us what's going on in the senate

right now? do you know what the d.o.j. group was trying to access at social security that would have caused the administrator to resign? right now, in our time today, the unpopularity of what they're doing really does create real doing really does create real po law enforcement agencies in and around phoenix were racing the clock and a fast-moving killer. now, thanks to a tip from rick anglin, they were getting closer. rick anglin: im convinced that were dealing with dwight jones at this point. josh mankiewicz: rick recognized that all the crime scenes related back to dwight and connies divorce and custody battles from nearly a decade earlier. plus, forensic analysis had already told police all four victims had probably been killed with the same weapon. and there was a critical piece of evidence that might link the weapon to dwight. that bit of dna on a shell casing recovered from the scene of steve pitts murder.

dna tests can take weeks or months. that was time police didnt have. rich slavin: we had some family members of mister jones that were in northern arizona. with the help of the phoenix police department air unit, we flew a detective up there. josh mankiewicz: at the same time, other investigators were on the hunt for dwight. rich slavin: we had a vehicle description for mister jones. it was a 2001 gold mercedes e320. josh mankiewicz: cops started pulling security video from the multiple crime scenes, looking for that gold mercedes. rich slavin: some surveillance video near the scene of doctor pitts office picked up that vehicle sort of acting strangely in and around the time of the shooting. josh mankiewicz: and pictures from the following day showed what looked like the same car near the law firm just minutes before the two paralegals were murdered. it had been fourteen hours since rick anglin tipped off investigators to dwight. as the investigation continued, police

found evidence dwight and his gold mercedes were in a suburb called fountain hills, just thirty minutes outside scottsdale. a few hours later, cops found dwight and assigned teams to watch his every move. bianca buono: while they were surveilling dwight jones on sunday, they watched him dispose of something in a trash can. officers later went back to that trash can and what they found was a gun inside. josh mankiewicz: however, that gun was a .22 caliber, not a .40. josh mankiewicz: that gun was not a match for any of the four homicides? bianca buono: it was not. josh mankiewicz: meaning that if its dwight jones, he still has that gun with him? bianca buono: right. and meaning they dont necessarily have enough yet to link dwight jones to these four murders. josh mankiewicz: but, there was still the dna. a detective who flew late sunday night to get dna samples from dwights family, now rushed those swabs back to the lab and-- rich slavin: within about four hours, we had a positive hit on mister jones. josh mankiewicz: we at dateline cover a lot of murders, some

of which take years to solve. this case was not one of those. josh mankiewicz: less than eighty-four hours after this homicidal rampage began, investigators were confident they had idd their killer. rich slavin: we knew that he was our suspect and murderer. josh mankiewicz: at the same time the dna was being analyzed, detectives were retracing dwights steps via cell phone data. sometime before hed been placed under surveillance, dwight had contacted the residents of this home in fountain hills. a maricopa county sheriffs deputy to check on them. rich slavin: they used a ladder. they got to see through an upstairs window and they immediately recognized that there was a gentleman inside that appeared to have been shot. they forced entry, and upon doing so found another victim, a woman, who had also been shot, and both were deceased. scott wightman: my guts just absolutely dropped when i heard this news. josh mankiewicz: scott wightman was the tennis coach of one of the victims, mary simmons.

scott wightman: she competed like nobody else. everybody wanted to play with mary. josh mankiewicz: and one of her occasional playing partners was dwight jones. police believe that for reasons yet unknown, dwight murdered mary and her boyfriend, bryon thomas, in their home. remember that .22 police observed dwight tossing? police later learned it belonged to the fountain hills couple. mary and bryon had been killed with their own weapon. there were now six dead. and dwight jones was still not in custody. but investigators had a good idea where to find him. craig melvin: coming up, finally a killer surrounded. bianca buono: they carefully and quietly started to evacuate the hotel. rich slavin: he began firing at them. somewhere between seven and eight rounds were fired. craig melvin: when dateline continues. this is what joint pain looks like. when you keep moving with aleve.

(♪♪) just 1 aleve. 12 hours of uninterrupted joint pain relief. aleve. strength to last 12 hours. ooo! our car's value went up! aleve. maybe we should track all our cars' value on carvana? we need more trackers! oh! i'm getting a value update! do you see which one is going off? how's it trackin'? some dips, some rises. now what? "hold?" sold. track your car's value on carvana today. with dupixent, stay ahead of moderate-to-severe eczema. as you welcome the feeling of touch with clearer skin and less itch. the #1 prescribed biologic by dermatologists and allergists, helps heal your skin from within. severe allergic reactions can occur. get help right away for face, mouth, tongue or throat swelling, wheezing or trouble breathing. tell your doctor of new or worsening eye problems, like eye pain, vision changes, or blurred vision, joint aches and pain, or a parasitic infection. don't change or stop asthma or other medicines without talking to your doctor. ask your doctor about dupixent. on medicare? living with diabetes?

progress is having your coffee like you like it. the freestyle libre 3 plus sensor is covered by medicare for more people managing diabetes with insulin. this is progress. ask your doctor today. ♪♪ so you wake refreshed for a more productive day. get 24 hour continuous relief. >> that does. >> not fade. be wise. all take xyzal at night. >> net credit is here to say. >> yes, even. >> when other lenders. won't apply online in minutes and get funds deposited the next business day or sooner. >> said yes. >> net credit. credit to the people. >> this one goes better with. >> the walls. >> this is so. >> much easier than the home improvement store. >> hey! >> yeah, some. >> things are just better at home with empire's home floor

advantage, you can compare. >> samples in your own space. >> plus, i'll be. >> here to help. >> you with. >> every step of the process. >> call or visit. empire today.com and get. >> the. >> home floor advantage. >> it really. >> it really. >> is better at home. nothing makes a gathering great like eggland's best eggs. they're just so delicious. with better nutrition, too. for us, it's eggs any style. as long as they're the best. eggland's best. watch golf from the best seat in the house as long with xfinity.e best. from the tee to the green,

catch every pivotal moment of the players championship in crystal clear enhanced 4k. find tee times, tour your favorite holes and see live leaderboards and scorecards. and with xfinity multiview, never miss a moment. watch up to 4 live events at once. brought to you by comcast business, proud partner of the players. just say “the players championship” into your xfinity voice remote. arizona police believed suspected spree killer dwight jones had claimed two new victims: his occasional tennis partner and her boyfriend had been gunned down in their suburban home. investigators were confident they'd tied dwight to a total of six murders over a four-day rampage. now, an intensive manhunt was underway and this case was hurtling toward its end with more twists

to come. here's josh mankiewicz with the conclusion of "unraveled." josh mankiewicz: early morning. june 4, 2018. police were closing in on suspected multiple murderer dwight jones. bianca buono: they eventually followed him to an extended stay hotel where he had been living for about nine years. so, they carefully and quietly started to evacuate the surrounding rooms and the rest of the hotel. josh mankiewicz: police described what happened next. rich slavin: he began firing at them. somewhere between seven and eight rounds were fired. all officers were safe and okay. and eventually in this action, they found that mister jones had killed himself. self-inflicted gunshot wound. josh mankiewicz: your ex-husbands dead now. connie jones: yes. josh mankiewicz: you feel safe? finally? connie jones: yes. josh mankiewicz: with a tremendous amount of courage, and with ricks help, connie jones and her son had lived to see her personal terrorists

last day on this earth. connie jones: but other people were killed. innocent people. good people. productive people. that is a hard thing to come to grips with. josh mankiewicz: six people gone, three of whom apparently had nothing at all to do with dwight jones. just in the wrong place, at the wrong time. like the paralegals, laura anderson and veleria sharp, both in their late forties, both wives and mothers. neither had worked on the jones case. velerias husband saber sharp. saber sharp: ive heard people say-- they mean well-- that god needed another angel. i think thats a bunch of malarkey. if god needed another angel, im sure he could get one. he didnt need to come and take veleria, and take a mother, and take a wife to get one. josh mankiewicz: and the therapist marshall levine. josh mankiewicz: if youd been in your office and not marshall levine, i kind of doubt youd be sitting here talking to me today.

karen kolbe: i-- im sure thats true. josh mankiewicz: whats that like? karen kolbe: thats hard to think about. i dont really know how to think about that, to be honest. josh mankiewicz: the grief is still raw for natalie collins. josh mankiewicz: youre going to change the way you live? natalie collins: i hope not. i dont think steve would want that. he was not about hiding in the shadows. i am not going to let him have died for nothing, and i will find a way to make him proud. josh mankiewicz: no one can say for sure exactly what set off dwight jones. after the bloodshed was over, some videos surfaced that jones had posted before the murders. dwight jones: hello, youtube, and welcome to my channel. josh mankiewicz: in them, dwight raged against his wife and the professionals who worked on the custody case. dwight jones: youve ruled i have a psychiatric problem based on some piece of (expletive) that she hired? josh mankiewicz: the videos underscored some troubling questions. dwight jones was obviously disturbed, so, why wasnt he stopped? did the legal system fail everyone?

could six murders have been prevented? connie jones: i do feel very strongly that the court system did not protect me. josh mankiewicz: connie jones says her ex-husband was violent for years, but that courts ignored one red flag after another. connie jones: my life wasnt valued. my sons life wasnt valued enough to stop him, which inadvertently harmed other people. natalie collins: if she had to live all those years terrorized, we failed her as a society. and i think as a physician with the resources she had, i wonder how many other women and families that were failing as a society. josh mankiewicz: does the court system-- both criminal and family court, do those systems understand domestic violence? do they react to it in the right way? allie bones: no, not necessarily. josh mankiewicz: allie bones is the former ceo of the arizona coalition to end sexual & domestic violence. allie bones: theyve had no problem, whatsoever,

taking a position-- a strong position, around duis or driving under the influence. but for some reason, we have had a very hard time, over the years, making the same argument with regards to domestic violence. josh mankiewicz: habitual drunk drivers are quickly and legally separated from their car keys. but dwight jones, a documented domestic abuser, did not lose his right to own a gun. after holding his son captive in that standoff with police in 2009, he was allowed to plead guilty to disorderly conduct, which did not prevent him from legally buying the handgun he used to kill. and there was the mental health treatment strongly recommended by doctor steven pitt and ordered by the court. dwight didnt go. connie jones: but the court did not follow up with that. there was no consequence for that. josh mankiewicz: just before his death, steve pitt was proposing a story to dateline, about educating people to see the warning signs of oncoming violence. natalie collins: there are always

red flags and warning signs. its not about blame. its about prevention. and if we dont teach people what those signs are and we dont modify our system so people know who to reach out to, then we are failing. rick anglin: my message to any domestic violence victim out there is youre responsible for your own safety. josh mankiewicz: if you count on the system to protect you, youre making a mistake. connie jones: you are making a mistake. i went in very naive. josh mankiewicz: the sad truth is that some stories dont have happy endings. sometimes, particularly in real life, the bad guys win. but maybe connie and rick are the best living proof that some beauty can blossom from even the darkest of situations. connie jones: a friend of mine told me that he really likes you. and i said, no, he doesnt. he is my friend. then i started paying attention into it, and i was like, oh, i think he does. rick anglin: it turned out at my age, what was important to me is not only that shes beautiful, but shes intelligent. josh mankiewicz: somehow, out of fear, danger, and the need

for protection grew love. connie and rick married in december 2013. josh mankiewicz: you did your job. you protected her. shes still here. rick anglin: i'm happy about that. josh mankiewicz: you feel like, maybe, the universe owes you a little happiness here? because i do. yeah. connie jones: well, we are. we have a very good family. im proud of it. ive been married twice. this is the only husband ive ever had. craig melvin: that's all for this edition of dateline. i'm craig melvin. thank you for watching. >> good morning, and welcome to this sunday edition of morning joe. weekend. it was another fast moving