48 hours we take you there. Crystal Searls looks like a little girl without a care in the world. What do you like to do? Swim, dance, do flips. Which makes it hard to believe what she's been through. I heard a scream and I looked up. When she was only ten, she saw her best friend murdered. I saw his hand on her mouth and a knife on her neck. Then he turned on Crystal. He meant to kill me when he slit my throat. She was left for dead, but she defied the odds. I said, you're going to be alright. I don't think I pleaded. In critical condition, unable to speak, Crystal's total recall helped police catch the killer. We had a madman on our hands. His name, Tommy Lynn Searls. He walked over here and did something like this. And once Tommy started talking, he didn't stop. He made a statement that, well, I guess you want to know about the others. 48 hours cameras are there as Tommy Lynn Searls stuns Texas Rangers, confessing to a 20-year reign of terror. He told you he committed murders in 30 states. Harold Dow takes you inside a growing murder investigation. If you cross what I considered my line, then that threat has disappeared. How many people has he killed? We don't have an exact number. A 48 hours mystery. Do you know the reason why you got caught? Because I left someone alive. Dead Men Tell No Tales. There may not be a prison in this country big enough to hold all the dark secrets known by one man whose life will unfold before you tonight. Good evening. It's a story which at times seems to defy belief. How could any one man go on a cross-country killing spree for 20 years and get away with it? But so far, investigators say it seems all too real. It would make him the most prolific serial killer in this nation's history, bar none. 48 hours has had unprecedented access as authorities try to piece together this coast-to-coast trail of death and destruction, the crimes and the extraordinary confessions. Our interviews with the killer, who speaks out tonight for the first time, are chilling. There's another amazing part of the story, a young girl, a child, with uncommon courage and maturity, who may hold the power to finally bring this killer to justice. After 20 years of this man eluding the law, she just might stop him, dead in his tracks. That's next. Sedan doesn't have to mean sedate. The 2001 Mercury Sable LS Premium. 200 horsepower V6, an interior designed to protect and pamper, and now get leather seating surfaces and ABS at no extra charge. All this for around $22,300. See your Mercury dealer today and live life in your own lane. Most people don't know that in the last 10 years, that Gateway's helped a million small businesses. True economic growth comes from those small businesses. They're the ones making it happen. Gateway's always been about the direct relationship with our customers. We have people right there who can help you with your business solutions. 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He ran a quiet funeral home until he got a new neighbor. And you think your husband might discontinue his feud? Academy Award winner William Hurt, Elizabeth McGovern, and Brian Ben-Ben. Hallmark Hall of Fame's The Flamingo Rising, CBS Sunday. I need a spiritual. I need a... This is a story about a girl named Lucky. Early morning, she wakes up... Oh, my hair. Crystal Searls is 11 years old. She lives in Yates Center, Kansas, with her mother and two sisters. What do you like to do? Swim, dance, do flips. I'll try. Have friends over. Ready? Get on! Up! Are you ready? Would you say you're a typical 11-year-old? Yeah. Typical until it comes to bedtime. I have lots of stuff go through my mind before I go to bed. Like if this person comes in this door, then I'm going out this way, or if he comes in the other way, then I'm going out this way. A child planning her nighttime escape routes may seem disturbing. I always think about that just in case it happens. That's because it already has happened. Are you self-conscious and all about the scar? Crystal Searls was a victim of an attack so brutal... He meant to kill me when he slit my throat. She was literally left for dead. He thought I was dead. I pretended I was dead. On December 31, 1999, Crystal was in Del Rio, Texas, staying with family friends Terry and Crystal Harris. That night before we all went to bed, we were fighting over where we were going to sleep. Crystal and her 13-year-old friend Kayleen Harris ended up sharing a room. I was sleeping on the top bunk and Katie slept on the bottom. Until something woke them up. I heard a scream and I looked up and I saw... There was a stranger in the room with them. He was scary. He had a mustache and a beard. He was attacking Kayleen. I saw his hand on her mouth and a knife on her neck. He had his hand over her mouth and he had a knife on her throat. On the throat like that. And you actually saw him cut her throat. And she put her hand on the wall and it slid down. What did he do at that point? He checked around the room and then he saw that my eyes were open. So he came towards me with a knife and he leaned over the bed. He said, move your hands because my hands were over like this. And then he just cut my throat. The cut was so deep it sliced her vocal cords. But Crystal never lost consciousness. I didn't know if he was gone or not. And so I tried listening to hear sounds like he shut the door behind him. When she heard a car start, Crystal got off the top bunk and found Kayleen on the floor. She was making a really awful sound like she was gasping for air. But then she quit. So I was there when she was alive and was dead also. Afraid that everyone else in the house was also murdered, Crystal got out. Where are you going to go? It's dark outside. It's early in the morning. I don't know. I was just going to go try to find a house or help or something. In her stocking feet, badly injured, Crystal walked a quarter of a mile down a gravel road. You got a ring at the door. I asked who's there and there was no answer. Herb and Marlene Betts had been asleep. I couldn't talk so I just banged on the door really hard. I looked through the peephole and I just saw a little girl standing there. The Bettses had no idea who this little girl was. When you saw Crystal, what thoughts went through your mind? The fight was just unreal. She was just completely covered in blood. All I could do was just say, my God, my God, what happened? What did you do? What did you think? Well, you don't have time to think. I went to the phone to call 911. I have a little girl covered in blood. I need an ambulance. I need police. Please hurry. She had a cut through her throat. Her windpipe was completely severed. Unable to speak, Crystal motioned for something to write with. She wasn't worried about herself. The first thing she wrote was, the Harris's are hurt. And then she wrote, will I live? And what did you say to her? I leaned down, I kissed her on the forehead and I said, maybe a dozen times, I don't know, you're going to be all right. I don't think I believed it. Was she crying? No. The whole time the rescue squad was working on her, she never cried. She's a hero. I don't know any adults that could have done what she did. Because her injuries were so severe, Crystal was airlifted to a hospital in San Antonio. I received the phone call at 6 a.m. Crystal's mother Pam was back home in Kansas when a person on the other end was asking her permission to operate on her daughter. I was concerned about hurrying up and getting to San Antonio and that's what I focused on. The best we can tell is that the young lady was attacked. Val Verde County Sheriff, Dewayne Jernigan, sent his deputies to the crime scene, the Harris home. That's when they went into the bedroom and found Kayleen Harris deceased on the floor. You got a murderer on the loose? Yes, sir. At that point, that's all you really know. That's all we know. And the only potential witness was in critical condition. The original information they'd given us was that she will never talk, she'll never be able to speak. In fact, she may not even live. We may not even be able to save her life. Then later in the morning, we got a call that said, hey, things are turning around. She will live. No one could believe that this 10-year-old girl was doing what she was doing and staying so calm. Crystal came out of her surgery with one thing on her mind. She wanted to describe the person who had attacked her and Kayleen. She's remarkable. Texas Ranger John Allen was sent to her bedside with a sketch artist. Crystal was able to provide us with enough information that we developed a suspect. Based on Crystal's description, she was that certain that that was the man who cut her throat. She started shaking her head up and down. The sketch artist drew this composite picture of the killer. When we come back, we knew we had to stop it. The search for a killer. From CBS News, this is HealthWatch Update. And good evening. For the first time, scientists report a brain chemical linked to drug addiction may also play a role in overeating. A British study finds inhaled insulin may be a good alternative to daily injections. And if you spend an apple a day, researchers say eating persimmons might just be better for your heart. I'm Russ Mitchell, CBS News. I'm feeling good. I'm taking Wellbutrin SR, an antidepressant with a low risk of sexual side effects. That's important to me. Wellbutrin SR is clinically proven to effectively treat depression with a low risk of sexual side effects. Glad I talked to my doctor. Wellbutrin SR works for my depression. Be open with your doctor. Ask about Wellbutrin SR. It treats depression with a low risk of sexual side effects. Wellbutrin SR is not for everyone. There is a risk of seizure. To reduce that risk, don't use if you have or have had a seizure or eating disorder. Don't use if you take Zyban or an MAOI. When used with a nicotine patch or alone, there is a risk of increased blood pressure, sometimes severe. To reduce risk of serious side effects, tell your doctor if you have liver or kidney problems. Other side effects may include dry mouth, nausea, and difficulty sleeping. I'm feeling like myself again. Ask your doctor about Wellbutrin SR, clinically proven to treat depression with a low risk of sexual side effects. For news 24 hours a day, go to CBS.com. It hit me when my wife got pregnant. Just knowing that my son was on the way inspired me to lose weight and get healthy. I tried all these different SlimFast commercials and I thought, okay, I'll give it a try. I lost over 50 pounds on the SlimFast plan. I found a whole new reason for living. I'm real high energy now. I drink SlimFast every day. The shakes really satisfy me. There's about a gazillion vitamins and minerals and healthy stuff. It's just great. It's a wonderful thing. SlimFast every day. Get healthy. You really can do it. Enterprise? Hi. My car's out of commission, so I'm out of commission. Enterprise will arrange to pick you up. This is great. Drive you to our place and get you on your way. Pick Enterprise. We'll pick you up. Cream savers from Life Savers. Cream la la cream. Orange and cream. Cream yes, cream yes, Life Savers yes. Cream savers. Yum. Friday, a new chapter begins for the most wanted man in America. Kimball. A new time, a whole new level of excitement. Who are you? An all new fugitive. Then one of Nash's top detectives is accused of murder. Now to clear her name. You realize that you don't have a solid alibi. She'll have to reveal a shocking secret. An all new Nash, CBS Friday. One day after the brutal attack on her life, Crystal Searles was in a San Antonio hospital. Despite her life-threatening injuries, she was certain she could identify the man who cut her throat. It hurt. I felt pain, but I didn't cry. And murdered her friend, Kayleen Harris. I've always prayed to God, just please let me live long enough to see what my kids become. He stole that from us. Kayleen's father, Terry, was out of town when he got an alarming phone call. When I answered the phone, it was Detective Larry Pope from the Sheriff's Office. Authorities told him to come back to Del Rio immediately. I knew it was bad because I asked him, is anybody hurt? Well, I can't tell you that. I said, is anybody dead? From her hospital bed, Crystal gave a police sketch artist a detailed description of her attacker. She was actually able to describe exactly how he looked. She remembered all of this. Sheriff Dwayne Jernigan. Ten-year-old Crystal was your best witness. Better than any adult could ever be. I was in excess of 120 miles an hour. Returning to Del Rio, Terry Harris learned about his daughter's death and was shown Crystal's sketch. I knew immediately who it was. Not only did Harris recognize the face, he knew the man's name. With that... There's six photographs I want you to look at. Texas Ranger John Allen put together this photo lineup for Crystal just to be sure they had the right man. I said, if you see the man that was in your bedroom, put your finger on his face. Who would you pick out? Tommy Lynn Sells. Tommy Lynn Sells. The first time we ever seen Tommy was at the church that we attended here in Del Rio. It turns out Sells had actually been in the Harris home before. He had been out of the house the one and only time that I ever let him in the house. He repeatedly made implications about how lucky I was. But something else jogged Terry Harris' memory when he saw that sketch. Prior to you leaving town, he saw you in the parking lot of a store. Yes, he did. Just hours before the murder on December 31, 1999, he actually encountered Sells at this convenience store. He was really interested in where I was going because the back of my truck was full of luggage. Harris told Sells he was on his way to Kansas. I believe that he broke in there that night knowing I wasn't going to be home to protect my family, and he would have probably killed everybody in the house. But his main target was Kayleen. Kayleen's mother, Crystal, only learned of the attack in her home when authorities woke her. You were home with the children? Mm-hmm. You didn't hear anything? I heard nothing. I was in probably the strongest rage I've ever been. I could not concentrate. I couldn't think. If I would have caught Tommy, I would have killed Tommy. To make sure that didn't happen, Sheriff Jernigan put his deputies on a wide-scale manhunt for Tommy Lynn Sells. Later that night, we did get a call from a person here in town who told us where he might be. From that tip, deputies tracked him down, just as he was about to strike again. He was trying to get into another mobile home. We saw him try the door and go to the windows. Incredibly, Sells was lurking outside a young girl's slumber party. You actually showed up on the scene to see him try to get into this trailer home where these young girls were? That's correct. Yes, sir. What did you make of that? We had a madman on our hands. Sheriff's deputies arrested Tommy Lynn Sells. Was he startled? He almost seemed like he was expecting us. He did make a statement that it was a good thing that we got there when we did because within just a few minutes, he was en route to go and kill another person. He told you that? Yes, sir. Tom, would you tell me how you came out here that night? Two days later, authorities took Sells back to the Harris home where he amazingly agreed to reenact his horrible crime. I looked at mom and another girl that was sleeping here. Okay, when you say mom, do you know her first name? Crystal. Do you know her last name? Harris. I looked in here and there's two girls sleeping in here. I woke this girl up. I cut her bra and I cut the side of her whatever she was wearing. Shorts. Shorts? Yes. And she jumped up and told this girl to go get her mom. And she tried to come over here and I stabbed her right here somewhere. You had a knife with you? Yes. Authorities were stunned by Sells' detached attitude as he described what he did that night. I stabbed her here and then she jumped back and then I cut her like this right here. And she fell down right here. And then I think I reached down there and done it one more time. And this little girl up here, I walked over here and it went like this. And then in the process of getting things off his chest, a now clean shaven Sells drops this bombshell. He made a statement that, well I guess you want to know about the others. Kayleen Harris wasn't the first person Tommy Lynn Sells had killed. He would leave some well known serial killers in the dark. Up next, 48 hours is there. I don't know if I was as truthful as I should have been. As a murderer confesses to a life of cold blooded killing. I guarantee that there is a body. Is Tommy Lynn Sells this country's worst serial killer? Let me take over. The 2001 Mitsubishi Galan, now available with 1.9% APR for five whole years. You know it's really very simple. Look around out there. The world is full of invention. At Exelon, we think it's time for utility companies to catch up. It's time to do not just energy and infrastructure, but ideas. Okay, we'll go first. Exelon, welcome change. Want to know more about the mind of a serial killer? Log on to CBS.com. The latest survivor voted out of the tribe makes a first appearance tomorrow morning on the early show. Plus, you'll see the stars from Valentine when you wake up to what's happening with Bryant Gumbel and Jane Placent. The super jumbo, they're calling it the cruise ship of the skies. Join us for TV's first look inside the biggest passenger jet ever. Tomorrow on the CBS Evening News with Dan Rabbit. That's life. Saturdays on CBS. It's all here. I can soar when my energy is lifted. I can stand tall when my bones are strong. I can feel when my body is healthy. I can win. From Quaker comes win. Women's individual nutrition. Juices, smoothies, cereals, snack bars. Indulgent tastes you'll love. The nutrients a woman wants. I can laugh as I face the future. You have everything to win. 11 News Health Watch, showing you the latest in medical advancements. A surgery to dramatically reduce snoring. Foods thought of as unhealthy, but proven to have benefits. Cures for terminal illnesses coming closer to our reach. A skin treatment that has been compared to the fountain of youth. Eric Singer introduces you to these and many more modern miracles only in 11 News Health Watch. Coverage you can count on. Good evening, I'm Eric Singer. Coming up on 11 News tonight, a brand new Landlord's Hall of Shame. One of the original inductees has a lot to say now about an apartment that made one family sick. And a new twist to this story that you'll only see here on 11 News. And another survivor is booted off the island. If you missed it, we'll get you caught up. Now this. 11 News job site, check us out on the web at kktv.com and click on job site for exciting jobs with this great local company. And Nicole Hernandez finds out what may be fueling the high price of apartments in Colorado Springs and what you can expect to spend. Plus Michael Hirst for forecast and John with sports on 11 News tonight. See you then. The authorities in Del Rio, Texas simply cannot believe what they seem to have stumbled upon. First, they managed to capture Tommy Lynn Sells for the murder of 13-year-old Kayleen Harris in her home. That happened because of the astonishing presence of mind of 10-year-old Crystal Sargals. Surviving critical injuries of her own from the attack, she had total recall, helping produce a sketch that led to Sells' arrest. He confessed to Kayleen's murder in excruciating detail with seeming indifference. But once he started talking, he didn't stop. 48 hours was there, granted an exclusive place inside the interrogation room in an unfolding murder investigation of untold proportions. Tommy Lynn Sells was about to tell all. Here again is Harold Dye. The rage I'm talking about, if I get upset, if I get ticked off, there's going to be some people hurt. Role Kayleen Harris in Del Rio, Texas. Tommy Lynn Sells had something he needed to get off his chest. Basically the bottom line is Tommy's tired of running. Sells shocked Texas Rangers John Allen and Koi Smith by admitting to a lifetime of horrifying crimes. Sells claimed he had been traveling across the country murdering men, women, and children for nearly 20 years. I remember dropping one in San Antonio, on the street. How many people has he killed? We don't have an exact number, and we're not so naive as to believe we'll ever know the exact number. Despite their 25 years in law enforcement, nothing prepared Allen and Smith for this. You want to talk about Missouri? Well let me see the picture. I'll tell you if I know anything. Somebody was just in the right place at the wrong time. There seems to be no set weapon Tommy likes to use. He's talked about strangling people, shooting people, cutting people's throats, stabbing people, beating people with blunt instruments. This is not a deal about seeing how many times you can be charged with something. This is a deal about putting things to rest. I think the magnitude sometimes of what's happened is overwhelming, to think that one individual could have done the things that he's done. The Texas Rangers granted 48 hours extraordinary access to their investigation. The Rangers and cells even allowed me to sit in during questioning between them last March. I pull into a truck stop to get gas. She's standing near the building. It's like I want to remember it, I want to recall it. Let me borrow this to say that. Many times there's something that triggers Tommy's memory. He was smoking a cigarette one day and a record drives by a tow truck. He says, you know I used to work for a tow truck. Take your time, let's do it. When I did, I remember there was a black female that I killed. There come a point where I parked, reached down, picked up my gun, shot her. Once you talk about something, once you've discussed something and gotten it off your chest, you feel better about it. Yeah, but when we get one off, there's another one. Twelve hours into the interrogation. Is he still talking? He's still talking. Sergeant Allen comes out to report that the number of cells victims was growing. For some unknown reason, Tommy basically unties himself today. He's able to reveal an astronomical amount of more victims. Are there any more children? Yes. There are more children? More children. Quite a few. A growing number of victims, but no names yet. Just detail after horrifying detail from this brutal killer. How long do you think you'll go tonight? Until Tommy's through talking? Listen to me. Listen to me. I'm listening, buddy. I think since all this comes to my mind, if you give me a day or two, I might be able to tell you more. Man, we've got to keep rocking and rolling or it won't work. I guarantee that there is a body in a water hole. I guarantee you that. We've taken one page for each state that he claimed he's committed a murder in. How many states you have so far? How many pages? I think we're about 30 to 30 some odd pages right now. You're telling me that he told you he committed murders in 30 states? Only 50 states in the country. Correct. And he's still talking? Still talking. Crisscrossing the country. From West Virginia to California. Crisscross claims he had been committing murders for 20 years. My daddy told me a long time ago, that man tells no tales. What's Virginia in my mind? Okay, let me put this up and talk about West Virginia. When he commits a murder, he leaves the area immediately. He's careful not to leave prints, careful not to leave evidence. There are so many victims, yet no one seems to be looking for Tommy Lynn Sells. It's blown our mind how you can go for this number of years, commit the number of murders he's committed, and walk scot-free undetected. This is two females, and it happened in 1991. Coy and I both, we've worked a lot of homicides, and this is so unusual that you'll have a suspect that's as free-flowing as Tommy is. But there's a downside to Sells' willingness to talk. The only thing you have to worry about is credibility. The Rangers can't be sure he's telling the truth. Okay, does this make me a liar because I get this wrong? His credibility comes into question on every offense, every homicide he talked about. Tommy, this is going to be a slow, tedious process. The ones that are clear, like something comes to your mind, that's the ones we need to focus on. Take me back to jail. After this marathon meeting... I'm going to do for a day, sir. ...everyone was ready to stop. We just laid everything out on the table. The death toll was climbing past 50. I'd say we're 70% there now. But Sells wasn't finished. You told them about 70% of the murders? Yes. There's still more, though? There's probably always going to be a few more that I have to have a question mark about. There were more murders to talk about... We'll leave it at that today. ...on another day. Question, Tommy. Do you feel proud of what you've done? No. I'm not proud of nothing I've done. But there comes a point in time where you just have to be for real with it. Coming up... How did this innocent little boy grow up to become a serial killer? That's next. There's some big news from Ford, Lincoln, and Mercury dealerships. Saturday service hours. Now it's even easier to get the service you need and the convenience you want. Come in for great deals on batteries, shocks, tires, and more. And factory-trained technicians who know your vehicle best. So for the right people, the right parts, and always the right prices, how does Saturday work? Quality care on Saturday at participating Ford, Lincoln, and Mercury dealerships. Hi, I'm Doug Flutte, pro football player and father of an autistic child. I started the Doug Flutte Jr. Foundation to help less fortunate families of autistic children get the support they need. Here's a way you can help. Just dial 1010-220. 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