Dana Ewell was a rich kid with a perfect alibi. On Easter Sunday 1992, Ewell enjoyed dinner with his girlfriend and her FBI father in northern California.

That same day, a gunman murdered Ewell's father Dale, mother Glee, and sister Tiffany at the Ewell family home in Fresno, 200 miles away. Days later, the family's cleaning lady and a neighbour found the bodies. The victims had been shot to death execution-style in what appeared to be a botched burglary attempt.

As investigators began looking into the Ewell family background, they found Dale Ewell's son Dana stood to inherit millions in cash and property. The family estate included a successful airplane dealership, farmland, and other investments.

Fresno County Sheriff's police focused on the surviving heir, 21-year-old Dana Ewell. He was a smart, cocky college student who apparently had an obsession with money. Fresno Detective John Souza began to suspect that Dana Ewell had masterminded the murder of his family to obtain sole financial control of his family's estate.

So began an investigation, which would last three years. As investigators looked into Ewell's background, they discovered he had a college buddy, Joel Radovcich, whose alibi for the night of the murders didn't check out. He also had strange ties with Ewell. The two would communicate through pagers and pay phones.

Undercover surveillance revealed the two had numerous suspicious conversations. Financial links between the two were also revealed. Finally, the investigation led police to a friend of Radovcich's, Jack Ponce, who eventually told investigators Radovcich confessed to being the triggerman for Dana Ewell. Ponce also admitted he purchased the murder weapon, and led them to the barrel of the gun, which he buried after the killings.

With Ponce agreeing to testify as a government witness, Dana Ewell and Joel Radovcich went on trial together for first-degree murder. Prosecutors alleged that Ewell hired Radovcich to kill his family so Ewell could inherit the family fortune. The state said it would pursue the death penalty against both men. The trial began in late December of 1997 and lasted for months, with the state detailing the intricate links between the Ewell and Radovcich.

Jurors deliberated for eight days before finding Ewell and Radovcich guilty of the murders. But they were split on whether to impose the death sentence. In the end, the judge sentenced the pair to three consecutive life sentences, without the possibility of parole. Dana Ewell is appealing the case.