Hit Diren News Today

>> im craig melvin. >> and im natalie morales >> and this is dateline. ♪ ♪ ♪ >> he was definitely charismatic. >> he was the new kid in town, super popular, all about adventure. >> this kid was like, awesome. >> he jumped right in th culture. >> he liked to show off to the girls. >> they were the neighbors just down the block, of family in fear. >> they had their vehicles broken into, she was scared. >> someone had been sneaking into their home and now someon was in their garage....

hes coming after me. >> in a flash, it was over. >> that charismatic kid dead on the floor. >> fits -- it was terrible, i think i screamed for an hour. >> what happened in that garage that night? >> it was the last person that would come to my mind. >> a neighbor protecting his home or preparing a trap? >> makes the statement its showtime. >> it showtime? >> exactly. >> a teenager, a father, a murder, no one would be the same. >> we were all taken aback. >> welcome to dateline. he came...

He has his 12-gauge in his hand, and he waits. >> reporter: to counter the defenses suggestion that diren was part of some ring of thieves targeting markus kaarma, investigators tracked down the teens who had hit kaarmas garage, the ones who took the cash, credit cards and -- >> he had a bong and a jar of weed and some alcohol. >> did you know a man named diren dede? >> not personally, no. >> to the best of your knowledge, was he involved in a burglary ring? >> no. >> reporter: so did kaarma rea...

And he waits. >> reporter: to counter the defenses suggestion that diren was part of some ring of thieves targeting markus kaarma, investigators tracked down the teens who had hit kaarmas garage, the ones who took the cash, credit cards and -- >> he had a bong and a jar of weed and some alcohol. >> did you know a man named diren dede? >> not personally, no. >> to the best of your knowledge, was he involved in a burglary ring? >> no. >> reporter: so did kaarma really fear for his life that night?...

And he waits. >> reporter: to counter the defenses suggestion that diren was part of some ring of thieves targeting markus kaarma, investigators tracked down the teens who had hit kaarmas garage. the ones who took the cash, credit cards and -- >> he had a bong and a jar of weed. and some alcohol. >> did you know a man named diren dede? >> not personally, no. >> to the best of your knowledge, was he involved in a burglary ring? >> no. >> reporter: so, did kaarma really fear for his life that nigh...

In his garage. he has his 12-gauge in his hand, and he waits. >> reporter: to counter the defenses suggestion that diren was part of some ring of thieves targeting markus kaarma, investigators tracked down the teens who had hit kaarmas garage, the ones who took the cash, credit cards and -- >> he had a bong and a jar of weed and some alcohol. >> did you know a man named diren dede? >> not personally, no. >> to the best of your knowledge, was he involved in a burglary ring? >> no. >> reporter: so...

And he waits. >> reporter: to counter the defenses suggestion that diren was part of some ring of thieves targeting markus kaarma, investigators tracked down the teens who had hit kaarmas garage, the ones who took the cash, credit cards and -- >> he had a bong and a jar of weed and some alcohol. >> did you know a man named diren dede? >> not personally, no. >> to the best of your knowledge, was he involved in a burglary ring? >> no. >> reporter: so did kaarma really fear for his life that night?...

>> reporter: to counter the defenses suggestion that diren was part of some ring of thieves targeting markus kaarma, investigators tracked down the teens who had hit kaarmas garage, the ones who took the cash, credit cards and -- >> he had a bong and a jar of weed and some alcohol. >> did you know a man named diren dede? >> not personally, no. >> to the best of your knowledge, was he involved in a burglary ring? >> no. >> reporter: so did kaarma really fear for his life that night? prosecutors s...

>> reporter: to counter the defenses suggestion that diren was part of some ring of thieves targeting markus kaarma, investigators tracked down the teens who had hit kaarmas garage, the ones who took the cash, credit cards and -- >> he had a bong and a jar of weed and some alcohol. >> did you know a man named diren dede? >> not personally, no. >> to the best of your knowledge, was he involved in a burglary ring? >> no. >> reporter: so did kaarma really fear for his life that night? prosecutors s...

Burglary ring? >> no. >> reporter: so did kaarma really fear for his life that night? prosecutors said ballistics told the story. the first shot to hit diren was to the back of his left arm, meaning he couldnt have been charging toward markus kaarma. >> and then hes gotta do it one more time. hes got to make that final blow. >> reporter: and the final shot was straight to the head. but prosecutors werent done. they had what they thought was explosive evidence. just before the trial began, a reco...