Sneak peek: Private Needham's War | Forensic Files

48 hours presents that day and what happened that day is gonna be with me - the day I die it's something I carry on
my conscience every day and I just can't believe that this this is where my life is right now
like when I look back when I was a younger you know I'd never see myself at 25 26 years old you know being called a
murderer I started getting in the water and I was probably about eight and then kind of surfing took over it was it was
awesome I had no worries I had a relaxed job I was doing freelance art for a few companies
anything that I could do that had to deal with painting or being artistic or expressive if I was I was on it
well there's a point in my life where I was kind of just tired of surfing everyday working at surf shops and I
wanted something more so that's what kind of pushed me to join the military and it strictly wasn't for you know
private country or anything like that it was just to help the guy to help you know brothers in arm the Brotherhood I
was looking for you know a brotherhood it's you go over there with the complete intention of giving your life for
somebody else and I think there's nothing that has more valor or integrity than that
[Music] there's times I do sit out there and I wonder where I could have been if I
stayed home I would be a total different person Jackie was a very loving beautiful girl
who loved me and I loved her unconditionally Jackie was beaten to death it was a bloody scene the pictures
show a scene that you know most people would think it's a Quentin Tarantino movie on Jon's hand you could actually
see the swelling that was caused by his repeated pummeling of Jackie's face he beat her to death beat her to death she
was a 19 year old girl really attractive you know a high school graduate ton of friends everybody said what a sweet gal
she was I was trained to kill I come home I can't adjust to the regular civilian
lifestyle I spun out of control I needed help you can't let sympathy affect the administration of justice simply because
someone is serving your country you can't use that as an excuse or a pass on unlawful criminal conduct unfortunately
with the way I was trained you know to react to threats is to neutralize threats he didn't someone I love
[Music] you

"48 Hours" Presents: A young soldier is accused of killing the woman he loves. Was she a casualty of war? Watch Saturday, May 25 at 10/9c on CBS.

Get the latest news and best in original reporting from CBS News delivered to your inbox. Subscribe to newsletters HERE: http://cbsn.ws/1RqHw7T

Get your news on the go! Download CBS News mobile apps HERE: http://cbsn.ws/1Xb1WC8

Get new episodes of shows you love across devices the next day, stream local news live, and watch full seasons of CBS fan favorites anytime, anywhere with CBS All Access. Try it free! http://bit.ly/1OQA29B

--- "48 Hours" investigates the most intriguing crime and justice cases that touch on all areas of the human experience including greed and passion. For 27 seasons, "48 Hours" has developed a rich history of original reporting and impact journalism that has helped exonerate wrongly convicted people, caused cold cases to be reopened and solved, and along the way changed lives. Check local listings for "48 Hours" broadcast times.

Brief Summary

A veteran reflects on his past, including a tragic incident involving the death of a young woman named Jackie.

Key points

The Day That Changed Everything. Reflecting on a life-altering event, the speaker grapples with their past and identity.
A Loving Relationship. The speaker shares a poignant memory of love and loss.
Struggles of Adjustment. After military service, the speaker faces challenges in returning to civilian life.

Episode highlights

Episode quotes

I just can't believe that this is where my life is right now.

0:26WatchMay 22, 2019

More from 48 Hours

Solve the Crime

Read a real case one clue at a time, then see how your call held up against the investigators.