Scott Weinberger

I'm Scott Weinberger, investigative journalist and former deputy sheriff.

I'm Scott Weinberger, investigative journalist and former deputy sheriff.

And this is Anatomy of Murph.

And this is Anatomy of Murph.

And you may be asking, what did investigators do before these techniques became so commonplace? I mean, fingerprinting has been around for most of the 20th century. But even when I started my law enforcement career in the 1980s, things like DNA profiling, GPS tracking, even doorbell cameras, they all sounded like stuff of science fiction.

And you may be asking, what did investigators do before these techniques became so commonplace? I mean, fingerprinting has been around for most of the 20th century. But even when I started my law enforcement career in the 1980s, things like DNA profiling, GPS tracking, even doorbell cameras, they all sounded like stuff of science fiction.

Because while the hard proof can often be revealed in a piece of science, at the heart of every crime is a story, an intricate web of human desires, fears, and frailties. And with just the right combination of patience, logic and gut instinct, a good investigator can unravel that web and reconstruct a story that may have begun with a single dark thought, but ended in murder.

Because while the hard proof can often be revealed in a piece of science, at the heart of every crime is a story, an intricate web of human desires, fears, and frailties. And with just the right combination of patience, logic and gut instinct, a good investigator can unravel that web and reconstruct a story that may have begun with a single dark thought, but ended in murder.

In 1998, Michelle was a detective with a sheriff's office in Riverside County, an area that spans from greater Los Angeles to the Arizona border. And she was first on the call sheet on January 12th when a frantic 911 call came in just past 11 p.m. from a home in the Moreno Valley.

In 1998, Michelle was a detective with a sheriff's office in Riverside County, an area that spans from greater Los Angeles to the Arizona border. And she was first on the call sheet on January 12th when a frantic 911 call came in just past 11 p.m. from a home in the Moreno Valley.

The boy's mother, Lisa James, believed the gunshots came from the bedroom where her husband had been sleeping. And as you can imagine, she feared the absolute worst.

The boy's mother, Lisa James, believed the gunshots came from the bedroom where her husband had been sleeping. And as you can imagine, she feared the absolute worst.

And while every detective is trained to keep an open mind, you can't help but start thinking about the most likely scenarios.

And while every detective is trained to keep an open mind, you can't help but start thinking about the most likely scenarios.

Their shock and confusion was soon followed by the unmistakable dread of seeing crime scene tape and the arrival of a county coroner.

Their shock and confusion was soon followed by the unmistakable dread of seeing crime scene tape and the arrival of a county coroner.

There were three .40 caliber bullet casings recovered from beside the bed, but no gun left at the scene, which, however unlikely considering the multiple shots, immediately ruled out death by suicide.

There were three .40 caliber bullet casings recovered from beside the bed, but no gun left at the scene, which, however unlikely considering the multiple shots, immediately ruled out death by suicide.

And the last clue that Kevin was caught totally unaware is his eyes. Not open in horror or recognition, but still closed.

And the last clue that Kevin was caught totally unaware is his eyes. Not open in horror or recognition, but still closed.