WSVN — When we saw Rick Sessions a year ago, he was making a promise to Woodlin Dagobert's family.
Det. Rick Sessions: "We're going to find out who did this and we are going to make sure they get what is coming to them."
This week, the Lauderhill detective came back to see Woodlins family to deliver on his promise.
Det. Rick Sessions: "And everything we got all came back pointing to one person and one person only, and that person was Bobby Mallad."
Mellad is accused of hiding in a stairwell. Then as the 19-year-old Woodlin walked his girlfriend to her apartment, popping out and shooting Woodlin in the back of the head.
Four months after the murder, Det. Sessions called us and told us the case had grown cold. No leads, no suspect. After our Out for Justice story aired Crimestoppers got a call telling Det. Sessions to talk to a woman that she knew who killed Woodlin. Sessions went to work.
Det. Rick Sessions: "Through a lot of hard work and a lot of support from the police department and some help from the public, today is the day were we bring justice to Woodlin's family."
By the time Det. Sessions finished following up, the tip he had a motive that Mellad was jealous of Woodlin, and Sessions also had the gun used to kill Woodlin.
Woodlins family was grateful.
Jeannette Jean: "I think God is going to bless him for me because he dose a good job."
They are smiling thru their grief.
Mariola Baptiste: "We still in pain. It's still hard for us but we're happy because they catch him."
Woodlins girlfriend's arm reminds her every day of her loss.
Keesha Martin: "It say rest in peace Woodlin. It's going to be stuck in my head for the rest of my life because he was with me and we was going home. That's all we were doing."
For 18 months Det. Sessions tracked the killer. The enormous gratitude from Woodlins family brought tears to his eyes.
Det. Rick Sessions: "A 19-year-old kid who was working time, going to school full time, took care of his family. He just didn't deserved to get executed in a stairwell walking his girlfriend home. It's just a brutal way to die."
A brutal way for a wonderful young man to die, but at least he had a detective who made a promise to be Out for Justice.