Nightly News Full Episode – Nov. 11

>>> TONIGHT, THE. VERDICT HANDED DOWN IN. A DOUBLE MURDER CASE. THAT STUNNED THE. NATION. NEARLY EIGHT YEARS. AFTER TWO TEENAGE. GIRLS WERE MURDERED IN. DELPHI, INDIANA THE. FORMER CVS CLERK FOUND. GUILTY ON ALL COUNTS. THE CASE GOING COLD. FOR FIVE YEARS BEFORE. HE WAS FINALLY. ARRESTED. THE KEY PIECE OF. EVIDENCE, VIDEO FROM. ONE OF THE VICTIMS'. PHONES, AND THE. DEFENDANT'S ALLEGED. CONFESSIONS. >>> ALSO TONIGHT, THE. SPIRIT AIRLINES FLIGHT.

FROM FLORIDA TO HAITI. HIT BY BULLETS AFTER. GANGS OPENED FIRE AT. THE PLANE. A FLIGHT ATTENDANT. INJURED. THE IMAGES OF BULLET. HOLES IN THE CABIN. WHAT THE AIRLINE IS. SAYING. >>> PRESIDENT-ELECT. DONALD TRUMP. ANNOUNCING HIS FIRST. CABINET PICKS FOR U.N. AMBASSADOR AND EPA. CHIEF. PLUS WHO HE HAS NAMED. AS HIS NEW BORDER. CZAR, AND THE. HIGH-POWERED ROLE. EXPECTED FOR THE. ARCHITECT OF FAMILY. SEPARATIONS AT THE. BORDER. STEPHEN MILLER. >>> THE DANGEROUS.

WILDFIRES BURNING ON. BOTH COASTS. THE DEADLY INFERNO. RAGING NEAR NEW YORK. CITY. AND IN CALIFORNIA THE. FIRE THAT DESTROYED. NEARLY 200 HOMES AND. STRUCTURES. THE RECORD DROUGHT. ACROSS THE COUNTRY. >>> CAUGHT ON CAMERA, HOW A DISNEY CRUISE. SHIP RESCUED FOUR. PEOPLE FROM A SINKING. BOAT. THE COAST GUARD. SPEAKING OUT TO US. >>> AND ON THIS. VETERANS DAY THE. DAUGHTER WHO NEVER. GAVE UP. HER 50-YEAR-LONG. BATTLE TO BRING HOME. HER FALLEN MARINE. FATHER. >> Announcer: THIS IS. NBC "NIGHTLY NEWS". WITH LESTER HOLT.

>>> GOOD EVENING AND. WELCOME. A VERDICT ANNOUNCED. TODAY IN A DOUBLE. MURDER CASE THAT. GRIPPED AN INDIANA. COMMUNITY AND REMAINED. UNSOLVED FOR YEARS. THE SUSPECT, A. HUSBAND, FATHER AND. PHARMACY EMPLOYEE, NOW. CONVICTED OF MURDERING. TWO YOUNG TEENAGE. GIRLS, LIBBY GERMAN. AND ABIGAIL WILLIAMS, BACK IN 2017 AFTER. FORCING THEM OFF A. TRAIL IN DELPHI, INDIANA. THE TEENS' BODIES. FOUND A DAY LATER WITH.

THEIR THROATS CUT. SOME OF THE. PROSECUTION'S MOST KEY. PIECES OF EVIDENCE. COMING FROM THE. VICTIMS THEMSELVES, PERHAPS NONE MORE. IMPORTANT THAN VIDEO. CLIPS OF A MAN. DISCOVERED ON LIBBY'S. CELL PHONE THAT THE. PROSECUTION BELIEVES. WAS IN FACT ALLEN. SEPARATELY RECORDED. AUDIO, BELIEVED TO. HAVE CAPTURED THEIR. ABDUCTOR'S VOICE AS HE. LED THEM OFF THE. TRAIL. HIS LAWYERS MAINTAIN. ALLEN WAS NOT GUILTY. BUT ALLEN'S OWN. CONFESSION UNDERMINING. HIS DEFENSE. MAGGIE VESPA WITH MORE. ON THE CASE AND THE. VERDICT.

>> Reporter: AFTER. MORE THAN SEVEN YEARS. A STUNNING VERDICT IN. THE DELPHI DOUBLE. MURDER TRIAL, WITH A. JURY FINDING RICHARD. ALLEN GUILTY IN THE. 2017 SLAYINGS OF. 13-YEAR-OLD ABBY. WILLIAMS AND HER. 14-YEAR-OLD BEST. FRIEND, LIBBY GERMAN. INDIANA PROSECUTORS IN. CLOSING ARGUMENTS. SAYING ALLEN SLIT. THEIR THROATS, "HE. STOLE THE YOUTH AND. LIFE AWAY FROM ABBY. AND LIBBY.". TELLING JURORS THE. LOCAL HUSBAND, FATHER. AND PHARMACY TECH IS. THE SO-CALLED BRIDGE. GUY SEEN IN VIDEO.

TAKEN ON LIBBY'S CELL. PHONE THE DAY THE. GIRLS WENT MISSING AND. HEARD IN THIS AUDIO. RECORDING AS. PROSECUTORS SAID HE. FORCED THEM OFF A. WALKING TRAIL AT. GUNPOINT. >> GUYS, DOWNHILL. >> Reporter: THE. PROSECUTION ARGUING. ALLEN LEFT THEIR. BODIES BY A CREEK, LIBBY NAKED, SAYING HE. LEFT A CARTRIDGE FROM. HIS GUN AT THE SCENE, OWNED A BLACK FORD. FOCUS CAPTURED ON. SURVEILLANCE VIDEO. NEARBY, AND MADE. MULTIPLE CONFESSIONS. BEHIND BARS, PLAYING A. RECORDED CALL OF ALLEN. TELLING HIS WIFE, "I. DID IT.". ADDING "I KILLED ABBY. AND LIBBY.". HIS WIFE PUSHING BACK.

SAYING, "NO, YOU. DIDN'T.". AMID A BACK AND FORTH. ALLEN SOFTENING SAYING. "MAYBE I DID. I THINK I DID.". HIS WIFE LATER CRYING, SAYING "NO, YOU. DIDN'T. THEY'RE SCREWING WITH. YOU TO GET YOU TO SAY. THINGS.". THE DEFENSE CALLING. THOSE FALSE. CONFESSIONS SAYING. ALLEN WAS SUFFERING. FROM PSYCHOSIS AFTER. BEING HELD IN SOLITARY. CONFINEMENT FOR 13. MONTHS. THEY ARGUED THERE'S NO. DNA EVIDENCE TYING. ALLEN TO THE SCENE,

SAID TESTS COMPARING. THAT BULLET TO HIS GUN. WERE INCONCLUSIVE, AND. BLASTED THE STATE'S. DESPERATION AFTER THE. MURDERS WENT UNSOLVED. FOR FIVE YEARS. THE JURY NOT BUYING IT. AND TONIGHT CONVICTING. A KILLER IN A CASE. THAT'S CONSUMED THIS. TIGHT-KNIT TOWN. >> DO YOU THINK THIS. CASE WILL STICK WITH. THIS TOWN, IS STICKING. WITH THIS TOWN? >> OH, ABSOLUTELY. >> ABSOLUTELY. >> ABSOLUTELY. >> IF NOT JUST BECAUSE. OF THE COURT CASE, IT'S JUST BECAUSE OF. THE TWO LITTLE GIRLS. THAT DIED HERE, AND. THAT'S JUST AWFUL. THAT WILL ALWAYS BE IN. OUR HEARTS. >> YEAH. >> IT'S A PERMANENT. SCAR. >> YEAH. >> NOW, MAGGIE,

FAMILIES AND ATTORNEYS. IN THE CASE HAVE BEEN. BARRED FROM SPEAKING. OUT ABOUT THIS. VERDICT. >> Reporter: YEAH, LESTER, THAT'S RIGHT. THEY'VE BEEN UNDER A. GAG ORDER, WHICH THE. JUDGE IS LEAVING IN. PLACE UNTIL RICHARD. ALLEN'S SENTENCING. THAT'S SET FOR. DECEMBER 20th, AND HE. FACES UP TO 130 YEARS. IN PRISON. THAT BEING SAID, OUR. AFFILIATE WTHR TODAY. PUBLISHING THIS VIDEO. OF THEY SAY ALLEN'S. WIFE EXITING THE. COURTHOUSE. AND WHAT YOU CAN HEAR. HER SAYING, QUOTE, THIS ISN'T OVER AT. ALL. AND IN COURT TODAY AS. THE VERDICT WAS BEING. RAELD WE'RE TOLD. FAMILY MEMBERS OF ABBY. AND LIBBY HELD HANDS.

AND CRIED WHILE ALLEN. SAT EMOTIONLESS. LESTER. >> ALL RIGHT. MAGGIE VESPA, THANK. YOU. >>> U.S. AIRLINES HAVE. CANCELED FLIGHTS INTO. AND OUT OF. PORT-au-PRINCE, HAITI. AFTER A SPIRIT. AIRLINES FLIGHT WAS. HIT BY GUNFIRE TODAY. INJURING A FLIGHT. ATTENDANT ON BOARD. HERE'S TOM COSTELLO. >> GOES FROM HERE TO. HERE. >> Reporter: VIDEO AND. PHOTOS FROM INSIDE THE.

SPIRIT AIRLINES PLANE. SHOW THE BULLET HOLES. FROM THE GUNFIRE THAT. TORE INTO THE. PASSENGER CABIN. WHILE NO PASSENGERS. WERE HIT, ONE FLIGHT. ATTENDANT DID SUFFER A. MINOR INJURY. SPIRIT FLIGHT 951 WAS. ARRIVING FROM FORT. LAUDERDALE WHEN IT WAS. HIT BY GUNFIRE FROM. THE GROUND AS IT. APPROACHED. PORT-au-PRINCE. THE PILOTS QUICKLY. ABANDONED PLANS TO. LAND IN HAITI AND. DIVERTED TO SANTIAGO. IN THE DOMINICAN. REPUBLIC. WHERE SPIRIT SAYS AN. INSPECTION REVEALED. EVIDENCE OF DAMAGE TO. THE AIRCRAFT. CONSISTENT WITH. GUNFIRE.

THE PORT-au-PRINCE. AIRPORT QUICKLY SHUT. DOWN WITH SPIRIT, JETBLUE AND AMERICAN. ALL SUSPENDING FLIGHTS. INTO HAITI. >> THE GUNFIRE COULD. HAVE BROUGHT THE. AIRPLANE DOWN. I MEAN, IF IT HIT THE. HYDRAULIC SYSTEMS THE. PILOTS ARE GOING TO. BEGIN TO LOSE CONTROL. OF THE AIRPLANE. [ GUNFIRE ]. >> Reporter: WITH A. BARELY FUNCTIONING. GOVERNMENT HAITI HAS. BEEN RACKED BY BRUTAL. GANG VIOLENCE FOR. YEARS. LAST MONTH A U.N. HELICOPTER WAS SHOT. AT. IN SEPTEMBER THE STATE. DEPARTMENT ISSUED A DO.

NOT TRAVEL ADVISORY. FOR HAITI, WARNING OF. ROBBERY, CARJACKINGS, SEXUAL ASSAULT AND. KIDNAPPINGS FOR. RANSOM. AND NOTING THE AIRPORT. CAN BE A FOCAL POINT. FOR ARMED ACTIVITY. DESPITE THE WARNING, U.S. AIRLINES HAVE. AVERAGED FOUR FLIGHTS. A DAY INTO HAITI. TODAY THE EMBASSY. WARNED ARMED GANGS ARE. TRYING TO BLOCK ACCESS. TO THE CITY. BEFORE AIRLINES RESUME. SERVICE THEY'LL NEED. ASSURANCES THAT FLYING. INTO HAITI IS SAFE. LESTER? >> YEAH, VERY. DISTURBING. TOM, THANKS VERY MUCH. FOR THAT. >>> SIX DAYS AFTER HIS. ELECTION WIN. PRESIDENT-ELECT TRUMP. TONIGHT TAPPING SOME.

FAMILIAR NAMES FOR KEY. ROLES IN HIS. ADMINISTRATION. INCLUDING OVERSEEING. HIS TOUGHER. IMMIGRATION POLICIES, ONE OF HIS. CONTROVERSIAL PLEDGES. DURING THE CAMPAIGN. GARRETT HAAKE HAS LATE. DETAILS FOR US. >> Reporter: TONIGHT, PRESIDENT-ELECT TRUMP. MAKING HIS FIRST. CABINET PICK, TAPPING. TOP ALLY NEW YORK. CONGRESSWOMAN ELISE. STEFANIK, AS HIS. AMBASSADOR TO THE. UNITED NATIONS. AND ALSO ANNOUNCING. HE'LL NAME FORMER. REPUBLICAN CONGRESSMAN. LEE ZELDIN AS EPA. ADMINISTRATOR. >> WE HAVE THE. OPPORTUNITY TO ROLL. BACK REGULATIONS THAT. ARE FORCING BUSINESSES.

TO BE ABLE TO. STRUGGLE. >> Reporter: ENVIRONMENTAL GROUPS. CRITICIZING THE PICK. IT COMES AS THE SCOPE. OF TRUMP'S VICTORY. LAST WEEK GROWS. NBC NEWS NOW. PROJECTING HE'LL WIN. ARIZONA, MEANING TRUMP. SWEPT ALL SEVEN. BATTLEGROUND STATES, AND LEADS VICE. PRESIDENT HARRIS IN. THE POPULAR VOTE AS. COUNTING CONTINUES. TODAY THE VICE. PRESIDENT APPEARING. WITH PRESIDENT BIDEN. AT A VETERANS DAY. EVENT, THEIR FIRST. JOINT APPEARANCE SINCE. HER DEFEAT. WHILE TRUMP HAS BEGUN. FILLING OUT HIS WHITE. HOUSE STAFF AFTER.

CAMPAIGNING ON BEEFING. UP BORDER SECURITY. INCLUDING MASS. DEPORTATIONS OF. UNDOCUMENTED. IMMIGRANTS. >> ON DAY ONE I WILL. LAUNCH THE LARGEST. DEPORTATION PROGRAM OF. CRIMINALS IN AMERICAN. HISTORY. >> Reporter: HE'S. EXPECTED TO NAME. LONG-TIME ADVISER. STEPHEN MILLER AS. DEPUTY CHIEF OF STAFF. FOR POLICY. AND ANNOUNCED TOM. HOMAN, A FORMER ACTING. DIRECTOR OF I.C.E., WILL REPORT TO HIM AS. BORDER CZAR. BOTH MEN PLAYED KEY. ROLES IN THE HARD-LINE. IMMIGRATION POLICIES. OF TRUMP'S FIRST TERM.

INCLUDING THE. CONTROVERSIAL. SEPARATIONS OF. THOUSANDS OF MIGRANT. CHILDREN FROM THEIR. FAMILIES IN 2018. HOMAN WAS RECENTLY. ASKED IF THERE'S A WAY. TO CARRY OUT. DEPORTATIONS WITHOUT. SEPARATING FAMILIES. >> OF COURSE THERE IS. FAMILIES CAN BE. DEPORTED TOGETHER. >> Reporter: THE FIRST. MIGRANTS LIKELY TO BE. TARGETED FOR. DEPORTATION INCLUDE. CONVICTED CRIMINALS, THOSE WITH FINAL. DEPORTATION ORDERS. ALREADY, AND PEOPLE. CONSIDERED POTENTIAL. NATIONAL SECURITY. THREATS INCLUDING. CHINESE MEN OF. MILITARY AGE LIVING. ILLEGALLY IN THE U.S., MULTIPLE SOURCES. INVOLVED IN THE. PLANNING TELL NBC. NEWS.

THE TRUMP CAMPAIGN NOT. COMMENTING. MEANWHILE, NBC NEWS. HAS LEARNED NEW. DETAILS ABOUT THE. GROWING INFLUENCE OF. BILLIONAIRE TRUMP. SUPPORTER ELON MUSK. TWO SOURCES SAY HE'S. BEEN A REGULAR. PRESENCE AT MAR-A-LAGO. SINCE ELECTION DAY. MUSK DESCRIBED AS AN. INFORMAL ADVISER AND. FRIEND, WITH NO. SPECIFIC PORTFOLIO IN. THE TRANSITION OR. ADMINISTRATION YET. >> AND GARRETT, WE. ALSO HAVE NEW. REPORTING TONIGHT. ABOUT THE POTENTIAL. FOR THE FBI DIRECTOR. TO BE REPLACED. >> Reporter: THAT'S. RIGHT, LESTER. PRESIDENT-ELECT TRUMP. HAS REGULARLY ATTACKED.

CHRISTOPHER WRAY, WHO. HE APPOINTED TO LEAD. THE FBI BACK IN 2017. NOW BOTH WRAY AND THE. TRUMP TEAM ARE. PLANNING FOR THE. POSSIBILITY THAT TRUMP. COULD MOVE TO REPLACE. WRAY, THREE PEOPLE. FAMILIAR WITH THE. MATTER TELL NBC NEWS. TWO OTHER SOURCES SAY. CONTROVERSIAL TRUMP. ADVISER KASH PATEL IS. UNDER CONSIDERATION. FOR THAT JOB. LESTER? >> ALL RIGHT. GARRETT HAAKE, THANKS. >>> TONIGHT THE. GROWING TOLL FROM. WILDFIRES, DESTROYING. ALMOST 200 HOMES IN. SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA. AND BURNING THROUGH. PARTS OF NEW YORK AND. NEW JERSEY.

ALL OF IT MADE WORSE. BY A NATIONWIDE. DROUGHT. HERE'S EMILIE IKEDA. >> Reporter: TONIGHT, WILDFIRES WREAKING. HAVOC COAST TO COAST. FIREFIGHTERS UP. AGAINST DANGEROUS. CONDITIONS IN NEW YORK. AND NEW JERSEY, WORKING TO DOUSE THE. JENNINGS CREEK FIRE. >> WE'RE GETTING. TIRED. WE'RE GETTING TIRED. SO DON'T CREATE ANY. NEW FIRES. >> Reporter: THIS. PHOTO SHOWING THE LAST. MOMENTS BEFORE. 18-YEAR-OLD VOLUNTEER. FIREFIGHTER DARIEL. VASQUEZ WAS KILLED BY.

A FALLING TREE WHILE. FIGHTING THE FIRE. FUELED BY WHIPPING. WINDS AND BONE-DRY. CONDITIONS. STEPHEN LEE CAN SMELL. SMOKE FROM HIS. CRANBERRY FARM IN. CHATSWORTH, NEW JERSEY. WHERE THERE ARE MORE. SIGNS OF THE REGION'S. UNRELENTING DROUGHT. SO WE SHOULDN'T EVEN. BE ABLE TO BE STANDING. HERE RIGHT NOW. >> NO. WE'RE STANDING WELL. BELOW A NORMAL WATER. LEVEL. >> Reporter: A FIRST. FOR THE. FIVE-GENERATION FARM. THAT TYPICALLY USES. THIS RESERVOIR TO. FLOOD ITS COLORFUL. CRANBERRY BOGS EVERY. FALL FOR HARVESTING. >> WE HAD TO RUN THE. PUMP 24/7 TO DO OUR. HARVEST.

THAT REQUIRED ROUGHLY. $800 A DAY OF DIESEL. FUEL OVER A THREE-WEEK. PERIOD. SO ANOTHER $20,000. JUST FOR HARVEST. WATTER. >> Reporter: PARTS OF. SOUTHERN NEW JERSEY. HAVE SEEN LESS THAN A. QUARTER INCH OF RAIN. SINCE SEPTEMBER. THAT'S JUST 5% OF ITS. AVERAGE PRECIPITATION. AND THE GARDEN STATE. IS NOT ALONE. MORE THAN HALF OF THE. CONTINENTAL U.S. IS. EXPERIENCING MODERATE.

DROUGHT. THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE. EVACUATING NEAR RENO, NEVADA TODAY WHERE. BILLOWING SMOKE CAN BE. SEEN FOR MILES. WHILE IN SOUTHERN. CALIFORNIA NEARLY 200. HOMES HAVE ALREADY. BEEN DESTROYED AND. OFFICIALS ARE BRACING. FOR ANOTHER ROUND OF. SANTA ANA WINDS. NBC'S DANA GRIFFIN IS. ON THE GROUND. >> IT'S LIKE TRYING TO. PUT A BLOWTORCH OUT. WITH A SQUIRT GUN. >> Reporter: THE. GLOBAL TEMPERATURE NOW. ON TRACK TO SET A. RECORD HIGH FOR A. SECOND YEAR IN A ROW, LEAVING FARMERS LIKE. LEE FEARING FOR THE. FUTURE OF THEIR. BUSINESSES. >> IT'S CONCERNED. WE'RE ALL CONCERNED. WE NEED RAIN FOR A LOT.

OF REASONS, NOT JUST. TO FLOOD CRANBERRY. BOGS. >> Reporter: BURN. SCARS LIKE THIS ARE. TYPICALLY SEEN OUT OF. THE WEST COAST, BUT. HERE IN NEW JERSEY. FIREFIGHTERS HAVE. RESPONDED TO MORE THAN. 530 WILDFIRES SINCE. OCTOBER. THAT'S ABOUT 500 MORE. THAN WHAT'S TYPICAL. FOR THIS TIME OF YEAR. AND TO MAKE MATTERS. WORSE RED FLAG. WARNINGS WERE JUST. ISSUED FOR PARTS OF. THE NORTHEAST. TOMORROW. LESTER? >> ALL RIGHT, EMILIE. IKEDA, THANK YOU. >>> THERE IS MORE. FALLOUT TONIGHT FROM. WHAT DUTCH AND ISRAELI. LEADERS ARE DESCRIBING. AS CLASHES AND ATTACKS.

ON ISRAEL'S SOCCER. FANS IN AMSTERDAM LATE. LAST WEEK. RAF SANCHEZ IS IN TEL. AVIV. RAF, WHAT'S THE. LATEST? >> Reporter: LESTER, POLICE SAY THERE IS. MORE UNREST IN. AMSTERDAM TONIGHT, THOUGH THERE'S NO SIGN. THAT ISRAELIS ARE. BEING TARGETED. MEANWHILE, PROSECUTORS. ARE STILL PIECING. TOGETHER WHAT HAPPENED. LAST WEEK AND SAY MORE. ARRESTS ARE EXPECTED. WE KNOW THAT TENSIONS. IN THE CITY WERE HIGH. BEFORE THE ATTACK. AMSTERDAM'S MAYOR SAYS. THERE WAS TALK ON.

SOCIAL MEDIA OF A "JEW. HUNT" AND THAT. ASSAILANTS USED. SCOOTERS FOR. HIT-AND-RUN ATTACKS. BUT FOOTAGE ALSO. ALLEGEDLY SHOWS. ISRAELI FANS ATTACKING. PEOPLE, RIPPING DOWN. PALESTINIAN FLAGS, AND. CHANTING ANTI-ARAB. SLURS. ISRAEL IS NOW WARNING. ITS CITIZENS TO STAY. AWAY FROM SPORTING. EVENTS BECAUSE OF THE. THREAT OF VIOLENCE. INCLUDING THE ISRAELI. NATIONAL SOCCER TEAM'S. GAME IN PARIS ON. THURSDAY. LESTER? >> RAF SANCHEZ. TONIGHT, THANK YOU. >>> WE'LL TAKE A BREAK. RIGHT HERE, AND IN 60. SECONDS THE DRAMATIC.

RESCUE AT SEA. HOW A CRUISE SHIP CAME. TO THE AID OF A. SINKING CATAMARAN, >>> BACK NOW WITH THE. DRAMATIC RESCUE AT. SEA. A BOAT SINKING IN THE. ATLANTIC, SENDING OUT. A DISTRESS CALL, AND. THE CLOSEST VESSEL. JUST HAPPENED TO BE A. BRAND NEW DISNEY. CRUISE SHIP. LET'S GET MORE FROM. JESSE KIRSCH. >> Reporter: TRAGEDY. AVOIDED AT SEA THANKS. TO A DISNEY. CRUISELINER TURNED. RESCUE SHIP. ON SUNDAY THE.

"SERENITY," A 50-FOOT. CATAMARAN, SPRUNG A. LEAK IN ITS EMERGENCY. HATCH MORE THAN 200. MILES OFF THE BERMUDA. COAST. THE CAPTAIN TELLING. NBC NEWS THE. FOUR-PERSON CREW WAS. BARELY KEEPING UP WITH. THE WATER POURING IN. WAVES WERE 8 TO 12. FEET. THE BOAT WAS ROCKING. >> I THINK THEY DID. THE RIGHT THING, THAT. RECOGNIZING THEIR. CAPABILITIES AND. LIMITATIONS THEY. CALLED FOR HELP EARLY. BEFORE THINGS GOT EVEN. WORSE. >> Reporter: THE COAST. GUARD SAYS THE CLOSEST. VESSEL WAS ROUGHLY 80.

MILES AWAY. A FOUR-HOUR JOURNEY BY. SEA. THAT SHIP WAS THE. DISNEY "TREASURE," A. BRAND NEW CRUISELINER. WHICH THE COAST GUARD. SAYS HEADED TOWARD THE. "SERENITY" AND. LAUNCHED A LIFEBOAT. THE CATAMARAN'S. CAPTAIN SAYS EVERYONE. ESCAPED UNINJURED. HE AND HIS WIFE, THEIR. DAUGHTER AND A COUSIN. ALL HAD TO JUMP ABOUT. TWO FEET INTO THAT. RESCUE CRAFT. THE COAST GUARD SAYS. THE SERENITY'S CREW. TOOK IMPORTANT. PRECAUTIONS. >> THEY WERE VERY. PREPARED, PROFESSIONAL. MARINERS. THEY HAD ALL THE RIGHT. STUFF TO KEEP THEM.

SAFE. >> Reporter: TONIGHT. THE "SERENITY'S" FATE. IS UNCLEAR. BUT THE CAPTAIN SAYS, "WE'RE PRETTY SURE SHE. SANK.". WHILE THE DISNEY. "TREASURE" STILL HAS. NOT TAKEN ITS OFFICIAL. MAIDEN VOYAGE FOR. PAYING CUSTOMERS, THIS. WEEKEND'S JOURNEY. MIGHT BE MORE. MEMORABLE THAN ANY. PLEASURE CRUISE.YS SHE DESER. STEPHANIE GOSK, NBC. NEWS. >>> AND UP NEXT. TONIGHT ON THIS. VETERANS DAY, THE GOOD. NEWS ABOUT A. DAUGHTER'S MISSION TO. FIND HER FATHER AFTER. IETNAM.

>>> PRESIDENT BIDEN. LAYING A WREATH AT THE. TOMB OF THE UNKNOWN. SOLDIER AT ARLINGTON. NATIONAL CEMETERY. TODAY, MARKING HIS. FINAL VETERANS DAY AS. COMMANDER IN CHIEF. AND ON THIS DAY FOR. HONORING THOSE WHO. SERVE THERE'S GOOD. NEWS TONIGHT ABOUT THE. DAUGHTER OF A FALLEN. MARINE WHO NEVER. STOPPED FIGHTING TO. BRING HIM HOME. HERE'S COURTNEY KUBE. ♪♪. >> Reporter: ON A. CLEAR DAY AT ARLINGTON.

NATIONAL CEMETERY. CAPTAIN RONALD. FORRESTER WAS LAID TO. REST, ENDING HIS. DAUGHTER'S 51-YEAR. JOURNEY TO FIND HER. FATHER AFTER HIS PLANE. DISAPPEARED OVER. VIETNAM WHEN SHE WAS. JUST 2 YEARS OLD. >> WHEN DADDY WAS SHOT. DOWN, WE WERE TOLD NOT. TO GIVE UP HOPE. >> Reporter: BUT AFTER. YEARS OF WAITING. KARONI'S HOPE WAS. SHATTERED WHEN ALL. SERVICEMEN MISSING IN. ACTION IN SOUTHEAST. ASIA WERE DECLARED. PRESUMED DEAD. >> I REMEMBER BEING SO. CONFUSED BECAUSE. NOBODY COULD TELL ME.

WHAT HAPPENED TO ANY. DAD. >> Reporter: CAPTAIN. FORRESTER'S NAME WAS. ENGRAVED ON THE WALLS. AT THE NATIONAL. CEMETERY OF THE. PACIFIC, AND A. TORMENTED KARONI BEGAN. HER OWN MISSION. >> THIS KID WANTED TO. KNOW WHERE HER DAD. WAS. >> Reporter: BUT SHE. WASN'T THE ONLY ONE. LOOKING. THE DEFENSE. P.O.W./M.I.A. ACCOUNTING AGENCY, OR. DPAA, WAS CREATED TO. FIND AND IDENTIFY. THOSE LOST IN BATTLE. THEIR SCIENTISTS. TRAVEL AROUND THE. WORLD INTERVIEWING. WITNESSES, EXCAVATING. SITES AND GATHERING. ANY REMAINS LEFT.

BEHIND. >> POCKET KNIFE, A. KEY, TOOTHBRUSH, SOME. DIFFERENT THINGS THAT. MAY HAVE BEEN ON THE. INDIVIDUAL WHEN THEY. WENT MISSING. >> Reporter: ALL. CAREFULLY TRANSPORTED. BACK TO THEIR LAB IN. HAWAII AND TESTED. AGAINST DNA SAMPLES. USUALLY FROM NEXT OF. KIN. >> THERE ARE OVER. 80,000 UNRESOLVED. CASES FROM OUR PAST. CONFLICTS. >> Reporter: DR. DEBRA. PRINZINI IS DEPUTY. DIRECTOR OF THE LAB. >> IT'S REALLY. HUMBLING AND IT'S A. REALLY WONDERFUL. MISSION TO BE A PART. OF.

>> Reporter: IN. 1991 DPAA TEAMS. STARTED SEARCHING A. RICE PADDY WHERE A. U.S. PLANE MAY HAVE. CRASHED IN 1972. THE INVESTIGATION. CONTINUED FOR OVER 30. YEARS UNTIL LAST. DECEMBER. >> SO YOU WERE ABLE TO. IDENTIFY BOTH OF THE. INDIVIDUALS WHO WERE. LOST IN THAT CRASH? >> WE WERE. >> Reporter: KARONI. WAS ABOUT TO LEARN. THEY FINALLY FOUND HER. FATHER. >> WE GOT A MATCH. >> Reporter: HER DAD. IDENTIFIED BY A GAS. CARD WITH HIS NAME ON. IT AND A SINGLE BONE.

FRAGMENT THAT MATCHED. HIS DNA. >> IT MIGHT BE JUST. ONE LITTLE BONE, BUT. IT SURE IS A HUGE LONG. SOUGHT-AFTER ANSWER. >> CAPTAIN RONALD W. FORRESTER. >> Reporter: KARONI. ATTENDED A CEREMONY IN. HAWAII TAPPING A SMALL. ROSETTE NEXT TO HER. DAD'S NAME ON THE. MEMORIAL WALL, SIGNIFYING HE'D BEEN. FOUND. AND THANKING THE MEN. AND WOMEN FROM DPAA. WHO NEVER STOPPED. SEARCHING. >> THANK YOU SO MUCH. YOUR WORK CHANGED MY. LIFE.

>> Reporter: AFTER A. JOURNEY SPANNING FIVE. DECADES AND CROSSING. THE WORLD, KARONI. BROUGHT HER DAD TO HIS. FINAL RESTING PLACE. CLOSURE FOR A DAUGHTER. WHO VOWED NEVER TO. GIVE UP. COURTNEY KUBE, NBC. NEWS, HONOLULU, HAWAII. >> AND THAT IS. "NIGHTLY NEWS" FOR. THIS MONDAY. THANK YOU FOR. WATCHING, EVERYONE. I'M LESTER HOLT. PLEASE TAKE CARE OF. YOURSELF AND.