Forty-five years ago, a Palm Springs woman was killed for $7. Her murder became the oldest solved Cold Case in the history of Riverside County, Calif. The following series is based on a review of more than 1,000 pages of county court transcripts, court exhibits, police records, archived news articles and interviews.

He was a ruthless killer. She was his battered girlfriend. If she talked, she'd die.

In the dusty desert, a dead woman, a bloody rock, new shoes and a devil tattoo.

After four years of fear, she was free. Her ex was the killer. But could she prove it?

All he wanted was a memento of a mother he barely knew. Instead, he helped catch her killer.

For 40 years, he got away with murder. Then his ex-wives started talking.

Investigative reporter Brett Kelman can be reached at 760 778 4642 or by email at brett.kelman@desertsun.com. You can follow him on Twitter @tdsBrettKelman.