I'm Lester Holt and this is Dateline. Tonight a woman survives a brutal assault only to have to clear her own name.

I wasn't a deep sleep. I

remember the barrel of a gun to my mouth. I

felt like my head was on fire. I was at his mercy.

We didn't know if we had some sort of night stalker running around.

The lieutenant began reading me my Miranda rice. You have the right to remain silent exactly. It was

devastating. I was living. I wanted to tear one of them from lend them in

The investigation was completely bungled. Did you worry that someone else could be a victim?

Absolutely. All of a sudden I had a very forceful arm wrapped around my chest and then over my mouth. The police stopped them.

What was in that van? There were two slip knots ready to go. There was a tarp. I know we have the right guy.

Shocked to my core. He was hiding in plain sight. The wolf in sheep's clothing. Yes.

I could never have imagined that he was the monster he truly is.

Here is Andrea Canning with evil paid a visit.

It was warm that September night. So Donna Palumba cracked open her second floor bedroom window to let the breeze in.

She was beaten. She'd worked all day.

Then taken her two young kids to a concert getting home at bedtime. I just remember shutting the door and locking it and

then getting the kids in their PJs and saying their prayers, talking to him in.

Just another Friday evening except for the fact that Donna's husband John was away for a few days.

This is pretty incredible but you and John had gone years without ever spending a night apart.

We were married 12 years and that was the first time that he was away.

He was a little concerned but I assured him we would be fine.

By midnight her lovely leafy neighborhood in Waterbury, Connecticut was in darkness and the 36 year old mom was asleep.

...