according to lead defense attorney, bruce barket. >> they pursued this man for 14 years with scant evidence. evidence that really no prosecutor should bring a case on. so the defense scoured the police files for clues and a -- they said the mother was hanging with an unsavory crowd. >> there were people with dealing drugs, with criminal records. people making sexual advances. >> and on the night she vanished, after she left her boyfriend's place, they knew that she did not go home. because one of the witnesses reported seeing her later that night with another man, a local steelworker attorney donna aldea. >> on that night at a bar, in a dance club, he actually said. he was there but left the two of them alone and went home. >> reporter: the steelworker was a regular at her restaurant, saided defense. stacy stuart. he told his friends he had a sexual relationship with michele. he appeared to be the very man kevin tubbs saw with michele in the early hours of september 12th. >> it was a blonde woman out there and a young gentleman, you know, in his early 20s. >> reporter: tubbs identified that