Devil in the Desert – Details, episodes & analysis

In 2012, a woman was found with her hands bound in the Mojave Desert. She led authorities to a grisly crime scene where a barbaric attack had taken place. This moment marked the beginning of an international manhunt and a sting operation that turned a once-devoted wife into an informant. Authorities zeroed in on the so-called mastermind behind the attack: Hossein Nayeri, a charming man who had ties to the emerging medical marijuana industry in California. Told with police tapes, secretly recorded informant calls and footage of a prison break, “Devil in the Desert" unravels a crime so brutal that it still haunts investigators today. "Devil in the Desert" is a six-part series from 20/20 and ABC Audio. Follow the show for weekly episodes on Tuesdays. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In October 2012, a man is found brutally tortured in the Mojave Desert — setting off a decade-long chase to bring the perpetrators to justice. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

How did a former high school wrestling star from Fresno become the main suspect in a brutal crime? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

A neighbor who sees something odd outside her window leads investigators to their first clue. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

What does Hossein Nayeri’s wife know about his involvement in the horrific crime against Mary Barnes and Michael?  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The wife of Hossein Nayeri is the key to luring him back from Iran. But can investigators trust her?  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Hossein Nayeri and two other fugitives are on the run. Would Nayeri ever face justice? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices