Dennis Murphy

When Dateline Continues... Nine o'clock Sunday night on New Year's weekend, 2010, residents of a neighborhood in North Miami began calling it in. A small dumpster behind a propane gas dealership was on fire. Flames were shooting out. A body, it turned out, had been set on fire.

When Dateline Continues... Nine o'clock Sunday night on New Year's weekend, 2010, residents of a neighborhood in North Miami began calling it in. A small dumpster behind a propane gas dealership was on fire. Flames were shooting out. A body, it turned out, had been set on fire.

It was Detective Michael Gaudio's responsibility to learn who the victim was and how it was that he or she, they couldn't tell at first, had been thrown away and torched. At the morgue, the M.E. confirmed everyone's suspicions. It was a woman's charred body. In cop talk, a Jane Doe.

It was Detective Michael Gaudio's responsibility to learn who the victim was and how it was that he or she, they couldn't tell at first, had been thrown away and torched. At the morgue, the M.E. confirmed everyone's suspicions. It was a woman's charred body. In cop talk, a Jane Doe.

The North Miami detective was with the medical examiner's staff when the phone rang. It was Kevin Klim asking if they'd found a young woman, his girlfriend, Paula Sleduski, missing now for three days.

The North Miami detective was with the medical examiner's staff when the phone rang. It was Kevin Klim asking if they'd found a young woman, his girlfriend, Paula Sleduski, missing now for three days.

Dental records would later confirm that it was indeed Paula Sledewski.

Dental records would later confirm that it was indeed Paula Sledewski.

DNA, bodily fluids, skin under fingernails. The woman's murderer might assume all would be rendered just so much unreadable char.

DNA, bodily fluids, skin under fingernails. The woman's murderer might assume all would be rendered just so much unreadable char.

Pretty quickly, the detective had a victim from Michigan with a name and a boyfriend who'd reported her missing. What's more, he was still in South Florida. So what was his story, this Kevin guy? On the one hand, he appeared to be appropriately distraught. He was the one who filed the missing persons report, and he was seen putting up posters around town with her photo on it.

Pretty quickly, the detective had a victim from Michigan with a name and a boyfriend who'd reported her missing. What's more, he was still in South Florida. So what was his story, this Kevin guy? On the one hand, he appeared to be appropriately distraught. He was the one who filed the missing persons report, and he was seen putting up posters around town with her photo on it.

On the other hand, he was the boyfriend, and that single fact alone made him a person of interest to the investigators.

On the other hand, he was the boyfriend, and that single fact alone made him a person of interest to the investigators.

Of course. Standard procedure. Standard procedure. Take off the clothes, take some pictures, have a seat. We're going to talk to you for a while. Yeah. A good while, in fact. And even though Kevin Klim showed no visible marks or scratches from a fight or struggle, detectives still had a lot of questions.

Of course. Standard procedure. Standard procedure. Take off the clothes, take some pictures, have a seat. We're going to talk to you for a while. Yeah. A good while, in fact. And even though Kevin Klim showed no visible marks or scratches from a fight or struggle, detectives still had a lot of questions.

Detectives quickly learned the details weren't always pretty. Kevin and Paula's relationship had been rocky at times. Court records in both California and Michigan showed a history of domestic violence arrests between the two. One included Paula's arrest in California for hitting Kevin with a bottle. The case was dropped when Kevin refused to press charges.

Detectives quickly learned the details weren't always pretty. Kevin and Paula's relationship had been rocky at times. Court records in both California and Michigan showed a history of domestic violence arrests between the two. One included Paula's arrest in California for hitting Kevin with a bottle. The case was dropped when Kevin refused to press charges.

And in the months prior to the Miami trip, Kevin was arrested twice for assaulting Paula in Michigan, the last time Paula's nose had been broken.

And in the months prior to the Miami trip, Kevin was arrested twice for assaulting Paula in Michigan, the last time Paula's nose had been broken.