I remember them telling me, did she come into a lot of money that she couldnt explain . Maybe she was selling secrets . Maybe. Thats like out of a spy novel. What about other secrets . The personal kind . We knew they were having issues, right before they got married she found out that he was cheating. But somewhere out there was a stranger keeping secrets, to. My data guy starts going through her facebook. She made reference to fire arms in her social media. We saw that they were communicating her gas mileage. What a weird thing to do. A mystery that would drag on for months and then [sound of gunfire] one final secret uncovered by science. You start Feeling Layers back until the number is visible. Hello and welcome to dateline. Texas native carlos ramiros grew up surrounded by Friends And Family the move east after joining the army. She had a job she loved, a Baby Daughter she adored, and her whole life ahead of her. That, and she was shot dead in her home. Her killer thought he had covered his trucks, but investigators were determined to follow the clues exposing a plot so devious it to fight imagination. Here is the alibi. Across the spectrum of love, is there any more precious of that for a mother than her daughter . You are my sunshine, my only sunshine. Our story is about that maternal time that endures from generation to generation. It begins in a Military Town near the mexican border, dubbed rio texas. A small city anchored by the Loughlin Air Force base. Karlyn or mares grew up there. She wasnt easy going child, says their mom susan garcia romero. When she was young she was real calm. She loved to saying, she would sing all the time. Whenever she was out with her friends she would sing for them. Reporter Rosanna Flores was one of those friends. What was it about karlyn you that wanted to be her friend . Her smile. Her voice. Her big heart. I can honestly say she never saw any bad in anyone. Her friends, anais avara and valerie mckechny, say it wasnt all about singing. Scl wed go to the local bar here and wed dance. . . They say the dancing could literally happen anywhere. That is caroline in block. Fun times at the walmart parking lot. Only a small city, right . She went to college in del rio, started to nursing, and then transferred to criminal justice. Nothing that prepared her mom for what she did at 22, enlist in the army. She didnt ask me, she didnt get my opinion, she told me after she had done it. Your family is a military family . We are. My dad was air force. My sister is retired air force. And then i was in the army reserves. After a specialty training in information technology, the army sent karlyn to south korea. Offduty she found time to give back. She found herself volunteering at an orphanage. She started sending me pictures of a little boy that she is in love with and she says i want to adopt him. I said no. In korea, karlyn found another kind of love. She began dating a handsome sergeant named malik kearney. She was attracted to his confidence, the way he carried himself. He was a decorated soldier . Yes. Did she like that about him . Yes, they worked out together, they ran, they were very competitive. Karlyn gushed about Maliek Kearney to her friends. She said that he was a great man, she treated him right, and then told me that they were engaged. Engaged and expecting. Pregnant, the army transferred her to fort mead maryland, home of the National Security agency and home of one of the nations most secret and secure facilities. Was she happy, was she excited . She was excited and started working, she absolutely loved it. Top secret, some of . It she would say mom, i cant share anything about what i do. Meantime, the army moved Maliek Kearney to fort jackson carolina where he trained recruits in chemical warfare. There are 500 miles apart. While living in maryland, karlyn became friends with another soldier. Melissa. She loved working with karlyn. She is the light of the office, she was loving, everyone loved. Her morris was a single mom with a young daughter and so when karlyn was nearing the end of her pregnancy they decide to share a house together. It had a back yard. It out a decent sized kitchen. It was right by base. Did you have have Security Concerns about the town house or the area . Karlyn had mentioned that she came home one day and salt lake stuff was moved around in the house. Really . If somebody says that to me i am getting worried. The two women kept the doors and windows walked and worked together to make their town house a home. Marissa helped karlyn set up a nursery and then, on april 23rd, 2015, kyla ramirez was born. Grandma susan was on the first flight from texas. What was it like for you seeing karlyn and her new daughter together . Your baby has now had a baby. It was amazing. I got her and i wouldnt share her with anybody. The baby was healthy and beautiful. Karlyn radiant. Their town house was filled with the joyful sound of karlyn singing. She particularly loved you are my sunshine. She was happy. It looked like she found her purpose in life. Three months after she was born, karlyn and Maliek Kearney married in a small ceremony in South Carolina. After the party, karlyn went back home to fort mead in maryland with the baby. She said it was hard, the distance, and not seeing him all the time. Susan stayed in touch with her daughter. I spoke with karlyn sometimes twice a day. But tuesday, august 25th would be different. Susan called karlyn that morning. She doesnt answer. Is that it is unusual. Such a close relationship. So i waited and called her again. And she didnt answer . I sent an email to her work and never got a response to that. Called her all my lunch break, and she didnt answer. I said if you do not call me back or message me, im going to call the police. And now frantic susan reached karlyn Commanding Officer at his home and promised to have someone on the base finder. I hang up with him and i put the phone down and i hear ruffle in our front yard. We have river rock. I looked down and i saw three uniformed soldiers. Oh gosh. That made me sick. Me too. It is what any relative of somebody in the military dreads. I am a marine corps wife myself. It is the last thing you dont ever want to have to see them. I yelled my husbands name and i just dropped to my knees and i started to cry. And then they knocked. She was right. Something had happened karlyn. And now this mother was about to hear the words that every military family dreads. Coming up what data . We regret to inform you, what they always say. What the soldiers said next would leave this mom horrified and confused. What scenarios are running through your mind . I couldnt even imagine what could have possibly happened. When dateline continues. When dateline continues nooo. 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Good to know, because this next scene might take a while. For a great low rate, go with the general. They slept on me for 15 years. The things i saw, the things i collected. I gained 30 pounds in dust, pollen, dander. They had two kids, two cats, and a ferret. All that time, they could have protected me, and themselves, with the number one selling allerease mattress protector. It wouldve been soft, comfortable, and blocked 99. 9 of dust, dirt, and allergens. Allerease, protect your mattress for a clean, healthy nights sleep. Zipping Zipper ooh, queen likes. In del rio, texas, susan ramirezs husband in del rio, texas, susan opened their door to an Army Casualty ramirez husband opened their door to an Army Casualty notification team. And the worst news imaginable. There karlyn was dead. What did they say . We regret to inform you, just like they always say, the same words. They couldnt give me any specifics, i asked for the baby, they said that she was in the hospital. So what scenarios are running through your mind . I couldnt even imagine what could have possibly happened. The answers would come 1700 miles away at Karlyn Town House in maryland. Homicide detectives kelly hardening and dan myers of the county Sheriffs Office were on the case. A Maintenance Person saw a dog Walking Around into an open back door of the town homes and he called 911. The officers got there and Karlyn Ramirez had been murdered. Patrol officers allowed the detectives to second floor bedroom and an appalling scene. It was karlyn and her fourmonthold daughter together. She was laying in the Master Bedroom and a little girl was, they thought, initially had been murdered but it turns out she was just sleeping alongside her mother. The baby was unharmed. The investigators began their search for clues, with karlyn body. She was laying on the floor, near the crib. Her pants and underwear had been removed. Did that suggest to you that there may have been a Sexual Assault . It is something that you have to consider. The Crime Scene Investigation ramped up. Cs eyes dusted for fingerprints and collective care and dna samples. Karlyn had been shot three times. Of those tech experts traced the Bullets Trajectory and recovered the bullet from the floor. They were able to narrow down the weapon to a few different models. The caliber of the projectile was 3 57, 38 special. Of course, a hard look at the spouses Homicide Investigation oneonone. So the day after they found karlyn body, detectives flew to South Carolina to talk with maliek. He had been placed in an Interview Room and had been waiting for. Us they started by asking about karlyn. What can you tell us about her . She she was the love of my life. Maliek Superior Officer had giving him holds the vagus of details about what happened to karlyn. They said you guys would come and answer all our questions. I dont know what happened. [crying] maliek, she was murdered. Why . Thats what were hoping you can help us with. I dont know. I didnt know that anybody didnt like her, or had anything against her. Oh god. They want to know maliek where about the day of the murder. He told them that he worked his usual shift, monday, leaving around two pm. He said that he stayed in his apartment until he reported four do stay morning. No, i mean, all stay at home, text on my phone, stuff like that. The questions got personal. Detectives had been told that karlyn was planning to divorce maliek. Im telling you as an outsider, it looks like you all or done. She was done with you. Right . Shed moved on. I didnt know. They learned about a brief relationship that karlyn had was another soldier at fort mead, shortly before she married maliek and asked him how he felt about that. It was before we were married, and i forgive her. Did you ever cheat on her when you are in an exclusive relationship with her . She . No. The detectives cut to the chase. You didnt kill her . No. Was he being really cooperative with you . He appeared to have nothing to hide. Maliek let him download his phone. That wasnt, all he volunteered his bank records, give his fingerprints, and provided a dna sample. He gave Police Permission to search his apartment and car. The detectives got to work. Right away we talked to neighbors in his apartment building, they said that his car never left. Maliek kearney apartment and car, a distinctive jaguar x klm came up clean and all his electronics, his cell phone and netflix account to put him at home that night, 500 miles from the climb seem. Please checked toll booths and License Plate Readers between there were no sign of Maliek Jaguar anywhere ive wouldve been a 15hour trip. Would you say he had a good alibi . Yes. Maliek kearney was free to go. The maryland detectives or back to square one, at the beginning of what would become an incredibly complex homicide case. An investigation that would span a half dozen states, involve hundreds of witnesses, multiple government agencies, and a mountain of forensic evidence. Coming up, could karlyn top secret work have cost her her life . I wonder if she was targeted, or knew something she wasnt supposed to know. I remember them specifically telling me, did she come into a lot of money that she couldnt explain . When dateline continues. Ontinues my tip is, if youre having people over for thanksgiving, Start Cooking in october. announcer you can quit. For free help, call 1800quit now. You cant leave without cuddles. But, you also cant leave covered in hair. With bounce pet, you can cuddle and brush that hair off. Bounce. Its the sheet. A little more than a week after she was killed, private first class Karlyn Ramirez was buried with full military honors. Flags were presented to her parents, husband, and daughter. Susan out little time to mourn. She was busy caring for karlyns daughter in texas, while her father maliek was an active duty in South Carolina. Susan was also doing everything she could to help solve the case. Investigators asked again and again who would want karlyn dead . I would say that i am racking my brain and i wish i could tell you, but i just cannot think of anyone. Detectives cast a wide net. They spoke with karlyns roommate marisa multiple times. They were curious about the soldier karlyn had the brief relationship with before she married maliek. Qatar death have been the result of a Love Triangle gone bad . Their line of questioning it made me think they were looking at the soldier that she was involved with. The guy she was having the fling with at work . What kind of questions did they ask about him . What the relationship was like. Did he love her, did she love him, did maliek you know . Did you have to check into the soldier that she had the little side thing . With certainly and he was devastated that this happened. He provided his phone, his whereabouts, we concluded that he was telling the truth where he was during the time. With the boyfriend cleared, some of karlyns Friends And Family thought the murder might be connected to her top secret work at fort mead. I wonder if she was targeted or knew something she wasnt supposed to know because of her job. The detectives were looking for any sign that karlyn might have been recruited as a spy by foreign agents. I remember specifically them telling me, did she come into a lot of money that she couldnt explain . No, she didnt. Maybe she was selling secrets . That is like out of his by novel. What did you learn about karlyns role in the military . She was an intelligence specialist. Did you have to explore the fact that this maybe had something to do with her job . There is no evidence of a handler or any sort of this behaving with her information. Espionage was ruled out. Weeks went by without a break in the case. Homicide detectives are still conducting several interviews, still processing evidence from the scene. The Crime Scene Investigation intensified. They had my house taped off for almost a month going through evidence, going through the house, trying to find things, trying to find leads. And marissa lived in fear. Remembering karlyns concerns about someone creeping around their town house. Karlyn had said that she thought maybe somebody had moved things around. Did you mind go at all to the possibility that it could have been someone random . It almost seemed like a hitmen had did it because it was so meticulous, like planned out. Karlyns roommate told us that they had Security Concerns. That somebody had maybe been in the town house at some point. It was always something that we kept in the back of our minds. Did you have to consider the possibility that maybe karlyn had a stop, or somebody who is watching them . Watching her . It looked extensively into her background and into her communication. Investigators pursued the few needs that they had, all the while susan was pushing them for answers. Two or three times a week, you know, they would hear from me. They must have been getting frustrating that she was murdered, her killer is out there, and her daughter is with you. You must have just felt that fear. Constant fear. She was not out of her sight. But she heard nothing. In april, on what would have been karlyns 25th birthday, the family took veiled visitor grave. By that time, maliek was living nearby. The army had allowed him to transfer from South Carolina to fort sam houston. He had gotten orders to getting closer to the baby and the closest he could get was san antonio, so he could spend time with the baby on the weekends. The ramirez family struggled to find normalcy. Back in maryland, the investigation seemed to have a stalled. The county offered a 20,000 Dollar Reward for information about the case. The re