Josh Mankiewicz

It's in the middle of that TV interview. Now, yes, you've got to be prepared if you're the killer or you would think you'd be prepared for, you know, when you're told that she is dead because you're the only person that knows that she is dead at that point. So when somebody says, hey, we found her and she's no longer with us, you should be. Well, I can't believe it. That's the worst news.

But instead, he's he's like, wait, they found the body. body, he says. Yeah, that was, that's not the way.

But instead, he's he's like, wait, they found the body. body, he says. Yeah, that was, that's not the way.

No, but I mean, it's astonishingly telling is what it is.

No, but I mean, it's astonishingly telling is what it is.

Because there certainly wasn't enough to arrest him for her murder at that point. Right, exactly. So he talked himself right into the jailhouse. I think one of the lessons here is you never really know who's living next door. Right. I mean, I know my neighbors to say hello to. I certainly, you know. Sure. Beyond that, I couldn't tell you much. And you've lived there for quite a while. I have.

Because there certainly wasn't enough to arrest him for her murder at that point. Right, exactly. So he talked himself right into the jailhouse. I think one of the lessons here is you never really know who's living next door. Right. I mean, I know my neighbors to say hello to. I certainly, you know. Sure. Beyond that, I couldn't tell you much. And you've lived there for quite a while. I have.

I have. And I don't think anybody's spying on me. I think most people who get spied on don't think anyone's spying on them. What's interesting, you know, something we talk about all the time here is how you need to listen to your instincts. And she had this sense that somebody was stalking her, following her, something was up. She did.

I have. And I don't think anybody's spying on me. I think most people who get spied on don't think anyone's spying on them. What's interesting, you know, something we talk about all the time here is how you need to listen to your instincts. And she had this sense that somebody was stalking her, following her, something was up. She did.

And, you know, her friends just kind of chalked that up to, well, you know. You know, men are always interested in her. You know, this is probably not a big deal.

And, you know, her friends just kind of chalked that up to, well, you know. You know, men are always interested in her. You know, this is probably not a big deal.

Now, let me ask you this. I don't know the answer to this. Yeah. That video that they come up with that closes the case, essentially, that is taken, obviously, by him looking in her window. She's not in that video, right? You don't ever actually see her.

Now, let me ask you this. I don't know the answer to this. Yeah. That video that they come up with that closes the case, essentially, that is taken, obviously, by him looking in her window. She's not in that video, right? You don't ever actually see her.

It's clearly her apartment that he's looking into through the blinds, but he doesn't actually get any video of her, at least not that they recovered.

It's clearly her apartment that he's looking into through the blinds, but he doesn't actually get any video of her, at least not that they recovered.

Steve McDaniel pleaded guilty, but years after confessing the crime, he made a bunch of attempts to appeal his conviction. When we get back, the details revealed during his appeals and the surprising person who reveals them. a couple of interesting things in this story, particularly from a storytelling point of view that I thought you did very well as you always do.

Steve McDaniel pleaded guilty, but years after confessing the crime, he made a bunch of attempts to appeal his conviction. When we get back, the details revealed during his appeals and the surprising person who reveals them. a couple of interesting things in this story, particularly from a storytelling point of view that I thought you did very well as you always do.

One was you just sort of barely mentioned the neighbor. Like he was, we wanted to help and he had some thoughtful things. You just mentioned that there's a neighbor who wants to help, but then clearly you've got it down to Joe, the ex-boyfriend and, and David and the, Yeah. And then David, the current boyfriend. Right. And so you're thinking if you're the audience, OK, it's one of them.

One was you just sort of barely mentioned the neighbor. Like he was, we wanted to help and he had some thoughtful things. You just mentioned that there's a neighbor who wants to help, but then clearly you've got it down to Joe, the ex-boyfriend and, and David and the, Yeah. And then David, the current boyfriend. Right. And so you're thinking if you're the audience, OK, it's one of them.

And then you throw in the maintenance man. And I'm like, OK, well, that's clearly who it is. Like, it's nearly probably the guy. It's neither Joe nor it's the maintenance man, obviously. And then it turns out, of course, it's somebody else entirely. And so from a Dateline storytelling point of view, I thought that was great. Well, that's very kind of you to say, Josh. Thank you.