. >> lauren mccluskey on the phone with her mother when he went on the attack. >> you were trying to save your daughter's life in that moment. >> absolutely. >> for the first time, her parents opening up to amy robach about the final moments of lauren's life. after 20 calls to police, the system they say failed their daughter. >> was her death breathable? >> yes. >> we'll be right back. ack. >>> this is a special edition of "nightline." the calls for help. now reporting amy robach. >> hi, so i'm dealing with a a situation where i'm being blackmailed for money. >> reporter: in the last days of her life, lauren mccluskey was begging to be heard. >> i think they're trying to lure me somewhere. >> do you know when an arrest would be made? >> reporter: talking with police over 20 times, crying for help with her ex-boyfriend, a seasoned manipulator who had his sights set on lauren. at first she thought he was 28. the handsome bouncer she met at a bar. >> she looked really mature for a 28-year-old. >> reporter: his true identity, a 37-year-old sex offender out on parole. >> everyone i met o

mccluskey, pulled her into a car and shot her. rowland later took his own life. so this is laurp's room? at their home in washington state lauren'sn the wall. the mccluskeys now say the university of utah failed their daughter. >> they should have investigated. they would have very quickly found his parole status and one call and we wouldn't be sitting here today. >> reporter: shortly after her death, the university of utah's president releasing an independent review of the case and announcing actions to improve campus safety. >> the report does not offer any reason to believe that this tragedy could have been prevented. >> the university president said that there was nothing that could have been done to prevent lauren's death. i just had a sick stomach for days after that. >> reporter: in a statement to abc news, the university says they grieve lauren's loss and that their report, quote, identified areas of deficiency in the university's systems and processes and made 30 recommendations for ways to improve them. the university is acting immediately to correct the deficiencies. >> if that's true, if there was no way, then why are

. >> the parents of lauren mccluskey speak out. >> was lauren's death preventible? "nightline." >> amy robach with that tomorrow. and remember full episodes of "nightline" right now on hulu. thanks for watching. goodnight, america. ca.

. >> reporter: tonight, the grieving parents of lauren mccluskey are opening up for the first time sincehe was killed on the university of utah campus by a man she dated for just a month. was lauren's death preventable? >> yes. >> absolutely. >> reporter: last october, the 21-year-old track star broke up with this man, melvin rowland, after discovering he was a registered sex offender on parole who lied about his age and identity. but when he began harassing her through e-mail and text, she contacted university police. >> university police and security, how can i help you? >> hi, this is lauren. i called a few days ago about a situation. >> reporter: mccluskey calling campus and salt lake city police over ten days. >> i'm worried because i've been working with the campus police at the "u." and last saturday i reported. and i haven't gotten an update. >> i remember telling her, "it's their job to listen to you." >> reporter: but they weren't listening. >> no, they weren't. they weren't. >> reporter: then, on october 22nd -- >> i was on the phone with her. and then all of a sudden, she yel

. >> lauren mccluskey on the phone with her mother when he went on the attack. >> you were trying to