on this sunday night, twit of fate. a decorated former navy s.e.a.l. the yuz military's most lethal sniper, is shot and killed in texas. tonight, the remarkable life of chris kyle and what we know about the suspect. fight over guns as the president makes his case for proper gun laws. the head of the nra again rejects universal background checks but the fallout over this white house photo of the president. painful lesson as college loan debt soars, a record number of grat ritts are having trouble making payments foent, the crushing burden after earning that degree.

and diet myths. in the never-ending battle to lose weight is there anything that really works? yet another study trying to separate fact from fiction. good evening. we begin tonight with a tragic irony that is befallen an american hero. a former navy s.e.a.l. who surviveed four combat tours in iraq and along the way became the most lethal sniper in american military history has been murdered in texas. authorities in lancaster, texas, have charged another former iraq war veteran with killing chris kyle and a friend yesterday afternoon. last year kyle went public with his story showing a riveting account on the battle goudfield

in a memoir, "american sniper." he sat down with me, about dangers he could never have matched here the home he was celebrated for the number of kills he made from behind the scope of his sniper rifle. at least 160. a number chris kyle told me a year ago was not the one he focused on. >> if i could figure out the number of people i saved, that's something i would brag about. >> reporter: after leaving the navy nf 2009, he start add security company in his native texas. it was on a shooting range 50 mimes out of fort worth that chad and his friend were chots o shot to death. a former marine arrived with them and killed them with a semiautomatic handgun dloev his sister's house and confessed to the murder before returning home. >> around 9:00 p.m. they spiked

his tires. the vehicle was stopped, and he was apprehended without any scuffle or fight. >> reporter: the sheriff says hez understanding is that ralph may suffer from mental problems related to his military service but offered no specifics or possible motive. much of kyle's time in iraq was spent providing sniper cover for u.s. troops in some of the war's most intense urban battles. >> every person i killed i have a clear conscience of, because they were trying to harm americans allies or civilians. >> reporter: his skills earned him a reputation with insurgents. >> they put a bounty on your head. >> reporter: they did. you make it through four, five tours in combat and he comes back and dies like that. it's just a shame.

chris kriel had recently spoken owl against calls for broader gun controls accusing the president of being against the second amendment. kyle said he was raised to be pate tree patriotic. he struggedy how they family should are ordered. that faith in god especially saw kyle through his last combat tour when he was shot twice. one bullet stopped by his body arm the other deflected off his goggles. >> i have a guardian angel. i'm sure he hates me. come home, break my toe when i went up the stair, but every time i went overseas kept he safe. >> reporter: chris kriel leaves behind a wife and two children. and playing out on several fronts, peter alexander that more from the white house. good evening. >> reporter: left. good evening to you. this weekend when the white house wree leased that photo

showing the president firing a shotgun at camp david, is re-ignited a debate over guns. all sides weighed in. a person push for new gun restrictions the president sits down buy law leaders in minneapolis are where a gunman killed five last september. a state where nearly one in ten people hall a firearms hunting license. among those pressuring lawmakers for change, a gun control group founded by michael bloomberg. >> the nra once supported background checks. >> reporter: with his ad airing today during the super bowl, featuring lapierre cts we think it's reasonable toll provide mandatory criminal background checks for every sale at any gun show. no loopholes anywhere or for anyone. >> reporter: while polling show most nra members support

universal background checks this morning lapierre argued against them claiming the checks on all gun sales to be universal of gun owners. >> it's going to be law-air biding people caught up in a bureaucratic nightmare, and there's going to be abuse in terms of prosecutions, and it's all going to affect only the law-abiding people. the criminals could care less. >> too many children -- >> reporter: gabby giffords husband mark kelly argued for tougher rules and stricter enfornesment of the current system that has prevented purchases since 1999. >> prosecuted and stiff penalties. >> reporter: meanwhile, the white house's release of this photo sat showing the president shooting clay pigeons at camp david last summer hasn't quieted critics. >> that picture makes him look like he's pandering. >> reporter: ronon a separate

coppoco topic, of the president weighed in, boy scouts, they should insist no one should be barred from what he described as great institution. >> peter, thank you. turning overseas to the crisis in syria. its neighbor harrell a lot at stake not only in the civil war that drags on but in syria's support of militant groups that threaten israel. this past week israel apparently sent its warplanes across the border to conduct an air strike against damascus. that was confirmed today and nbc's foreign correspondent richard engel has more from istanbul. >> reporter: as syrians fight over which kind of islam will ultimately govern that country, long fears that the fighting could spill into neighboring country. now it seems the violence left unchecked could escalate well beyond that.

today syria was the focus of an international security conference in mun ich. there israel's dwez minister said it was israel that launched a describing last week. >> when we say something, we mean it. we say that -- we don't think should be allows the to bring systems into lebanon. >> reporter: israel attacked a convoy carrying sophisticated anti-aircraft missiles that were bound for hezbollah in lebano hezbollah -- israel does not want hezbollah to have she's missiles which could shoot down fighter jets. but the syrian government which backs and facilitates weapons

released pictures of what it says was the target. a research facility and president bashar al says they are both committed to standing up to zionist aggression and foreign plots. he's deep find, but syria is slowly imploding, and weapons are flowing in and out. the middle east hasn't been this unstable, analysts say, in years. the egyptian government is losing control. jordan is at risk. israel is carrying out strikes inside syria. iran is making threats. this could all unravel quickly. the war in syria isn't just about the syrians anymore. lester? >> richard engel, thanks. now to the situation in mali. bane after the french president was cheered for liberating the ancient city of timbuktu from militants, french forces in action again in the northern part of country. nbc's reporter is on the ground

>> reporter: and jihadists training camps, another major operation in this three-week long assault against al qaeda militants in the north of mali. 30 aircraft were involved in this operation to the north of the key couldn't. last time four somalians and french force. meanwhile, here in the legendary city of timbuktu, west african troops have been pouring in during the day to help to secure the outskirts of the city. meanwhile, the french troops have been moving out further ert into the desert, some were cheered as they went. at the end of this, the first week of freedom for the people of timbuktu for many, many months. lester? new details emerging tonight in the story of sir reye sarai mother of two found murdered in

istanbul, turkey this weekend. >> reporter: one day after the body of sarai sierra was found in istanbul's old city, the police chief confirmed the american tourist was murdered. the evidence clear, he says. sierra was killed by a blowo her head. police say they detained at least nine people for questioning including a man sierra may have commune care of theed with online while in turkey. the 33-year-old mother of two and amateur photographer traveled alone to turk any january after a girlfriend cancelled at the last minute. sierra's family said this was her first trip abroad. neighbors back home are stuned by her death. >> just praying and praying that this would have a happy outcome. >> reporter: authorities are working to retrace her sterps and release this video showing sierra walking alone. video from the istanbul airport shows her going through security before taking a side trip to

amsterdam. he family says she posted photos on instagram and her husband said she was in regular contact with him. he alerted security. >> they stated she never boarded the flight and never arrived at the airport in turkey. >> reporter: her husband and his brother flew to turkey to help in the search. the state department is working closely with turkish government officials to help solve the mystery surrounding sierra's myste mystery. in alabama, the standoff involving a gunman holding a 5-year-old boy in an underground bunker is now in its sixth day. gabe gutierrez has more. >> reporter: the boy a a mild form of autism, trapped underground more nan 121 hours. they're communicate wig the

suspect bunt won't reveal a motive. he's held the boy captive since tuesday when he allegedly boarded a stopped school bus and demanded two children. when the bus driver refused, police say dykes shot and killed him before grabbing ethan. police are choosing words carefully, since it's possible dykes has access to television. also today, lester, mourners pay their respects at the funeral for that murdered bus driver. >> gabe gutierrez, thank you. in boston, dozens injured when a commuter bus filled with students and adults struck an overpass. some of the 39 passengers were trapped in the bus more than an hour and below freezing temperatures. the students were heading back to pennsylvania after a trip to harvard university. police say the driver was on the side of a highway reserved for cars, and failed to follow signs warning of a ten-foot height limit. when "nbc nightly news" continues on this sunday, high anxiety for a growing number of

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it's not a a pretty picture. finding work in the struggling economy, many found themselves deep in the hole because of student loans. the sprob getting worse with a record number of delinquencies reported. nor from miguel almaguer. >> reporter: a graduate students, 22-year-old astrid will be $160,000 in debt before she lands her first job. >> i feel like that number

doesn't really process in my head yet. it's just an imaginary number i know i have to pay off. >> reporter: she is one of the 26 million americans saddled with a ballooning student loan. like her classmates, she worryrd without a job after graduation, she'll become part of the record number of former students who are now defaulting or delink fwhint paying back loans. >> honestly, i don't know how i'm goc to do it. >> reporter: college loans on a rise, student debt an an all-time high topping $870 billion surpassing credit card debt and even auto loans. >> now a new study shows one-third of former students are considered risky borrowers. graduates who don't pay back their bills. >> reporter: as. as half recent graduates are unemployed or more than likely under employed. the problem feeds on itself. that's why this is such an issue for the whole economy. >> reporter: with 9 average student more than $27,000 in debt, more than a million

r50e67b9 graduates wracked up an astonishing $100,000 in loans. >> a bunch of people who go to the school have that kind of money, but a lot of us don't. it's pretty difficult. >> reporter: next year astrid will get her diploma and her first student loan bill. >> i do have a sense of fear of, like, what am i going to do which i graduate? >> reporter: she's one of many college seniors worried about real-life lessons in economics that come after graduation. migel all all mall gere, los angeles. and gas prices shot up again. aaa says they're out in $3.90 on average in california. up noorn 30 cents in's last month. nationally the average price is $3.51. an increase of more than 20 cents in the last month. when we come back here tonight, the battle of the bulge when it comes to losing weight. what works and what doesn't, really. witched jobs, and i want to roll over my old 401(k) into a fidelity ira.

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it's been also over a month since the new year's resolutions to shed pounds in 2013. as you think how you're doing, consider this. a surprising new report in a prestigious memd journal claims notions on weight loss are plain wrong. dr. nancy snyderman has more tonight. >> reporter: think long-term dieting will keep you thin? >> eat less. eat more. >> reporter: or that sex can hil you lose weight. >> i've learned sex can burn calories. >> reporter: and childhood ob e obesi obesity. >> reporter: working to separate fact from fiction when it comes to weight-loss. analyzing studies to highlight what they call myths, presumptions and facts about obesity which affects more than one-third of americans. >> look at a number of beliefs we found either in some cases, they were not true, according to the evidence available, and in other cases were neither known to the true nor known to the

untrue, but there just wasn't enough evidence available. >> reporter: one of the seven myths that sex can burn hundreds of calories a at time. researchers found it's closer to 21 calories. >> don't tell her that. >> reporter: another, that big weight-loss goals set you up for failure. turns out if you set your mind to losing weight, you can. some myths are controversial. the study says phys-ed won't stop childhood obesity and loonsing steadily isn't getter than losing quickly. doctors question this. >> you see long-term, better health. >> reporter: and jenny craig, coca-cola and glaxosmithkline. >> where he found the best evidence for weight loss was in things like meal replacement drugs and bariatric surgery bringing up the whole question of the conflicts of interest.

>> reporter: many experts agree on some of the facts the study sites including changes for long-term reresults and increased exercise improves health. >> there he's in to be a lot more research. >> reporter: it's how to shed the pounds for good is what they really want to know. dr. nancy snyderman, nbc news, new york. if you're not losing weight, try quetting quality shut eye. especially this month. according to a recent sleep study, february is the hardest month of the year to get a good sleep. darker days and longer nights contribute to an average sleep loss of eight minutes when compared to march. when we return, going shopping for silver. super bowl silver at tiffany's. . mom? who's mom? i'm the giants mascot. the giants don't have a mascot! ohhh! eat up! new jammin jerk chicken soup has tasty pieces of chicken with rice and beans. hmmm. for giant hunger!

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along with the nhl stanley cup, the most widely known trophy, crown jewel, football. commercials aired and the game clock runs out, one reeves the honor of hoisting it. brine shactman has more on the story behind the vince lombardi trophy. >> reporter: the vince lombardi trophy usually hoisted by the winners of the nfl super bowl and dating back to 1967 it's been made by jewelry icon tiffany's. >> original sketched on a cocktail napkin. >> reporter: overseeing the operation for the better part of eight years.

>> i feel like the luckiest guy at tiffany's. >> reporter: and knows all there is to know about tiffany and trophies. >> this is a regulation trophy. it stands 22 inches high, weighs about seven pounds. >> reporter: made entirely of sterling silver, sheets so big only a manufacturing in italy can satisfy the order, constructed in parsippany, new jersey, of all places. >> while it's a state-of-the-art distribution center tucked away, like ton of the century when some of the machines and equipment used. >> reporter: the first step in the four-month process of making the vince lombardi trophy starts rice here. spinning. literally taking a sheet of silver and forming a football. then there are old school terms like silversmithing and chafing before the finished product is engraved, polished and ready go. >> it's made by local craftspeople who are employing

crafts and skills that have really been around for, since the 1800s. >> reporter: the seven pounds of silver have a street value of about $3,500, but add in the skilled labor, tiffany brand and symbol of victory in the most watched game on the planet and the true value is a little difficult to assess i. would tell you that the trophy itself is priceless. >> reporter: after the game is over, as you might imagine, the trophy is passed around the winners for a while. then comes back to tiffany for a touchup and final engraving. sometimes a little worse for wear. >> the biggest issue, the champagne. >> reporter: it was enjoyed most after the saints won the 2010 game. that's "nbc nightly news" for this sunday. brian williams will be here tomorrow. i'm lester holt reporting from new york. it from all of us here at nbc news, good night.