Erin Moriarty

Even though he had just turned 16, California law states that minors can be questioned without parents present if law enforcement has reasonable belief that they were involved in a crime.

At no point did Daniel request his parents' presence.

When the officer read him his Miranda rights, Daniel waived his right to an attorney.

And then Detective Ariel Panetta began the interview.

Daniel was a little scruffy with long blonde hair, thin and wiry.

He looked like a regular teenager, a little jittery and awkward.

Officer Panetta told Daniel why they had asked him to come to the station.

But instead of questioning Daniel about the murders, Detective Panetta started with the basics.

School, friends, family.

Daniel told the detective that his life was stressful.

He was telling Detective Panetta about his parents' divorce.

Daniel told the detective that within a week after the murders, his father had moved out of the neighborhood.

That was the perfect opening for Panetta.

But as law enforcement officers questioned Daniel over the next five hours, they learned he knew quite a bit more than that.

I'm 48 Hours correspondent Erin Moriarty, and this is 15 Inside the Daniel Marsh Murders.

Episode 4, The Unlikely Suspect.

What was your reaction when you heard that

The main suspect was a 15-year-old boy.

It shocked me.

Special Agent Chris Campion worked in the FBI's behavioral unit.