“Dateline NBC” rarely shies away from complicated cases, but “Under the Bay Bridge” adds a twist: exploring how investigators sometimes use public perception to their advantage. This Friday, the show examines the murder of Lee, a case where the San Francisco Police Department, specifically Sergeant Brent Dittmer, employed a rather unorthodox strategy.
Instead of correcting the rampant robbery theories swirling around Lee’s death, Dittmer and his team let the narrative play out. While the public believed Lee was a victim of a random mugging, the police quietly pursued a different line of inquiry. Dittmer explains that this misdirection acted as a smokescreen, preventing the real perpetrators from realizing the extent of the police’s knowledge. It’s a high-stakes gamble, playing with public perception, but in this case, Dittmer felt it was necessary to maintain the upper hand.
Adding another dimension to the story is Lee’s former wife, who found the robbery theory hard to swallow. She states that Lee would have happily handed over any valuables to avoid confrontation. It’s this clash between public assumption and personal knowledge that gives the episode its tension. Will the gamble pay off? “Under the Bay Bridge” aims to dissect the strategy and its effectiveness.
Expect interviews with those affected by Lee’s death, illustrating the human cost beyond the headlines and police procedure. The episode also sets out to examine the evidence and investigative work that eventually led to cracking the case.
“Dateline NBC: Under the Bay Bridge” airs Friday, February 7, 2025, at 9:00 PM on NBC.
