Coast Parents Look Back On Daughter\'s Murder

- it was 11 years ago when- gulfport residents angela - and chris shortt's lives were - flipped upside down - when their 16 year old daughter- was murdered at - their home in virginia.

- although the case is closed and- the killer behind bars, the - shortt's will be going on - dateline: nbc this evening to - tell- their story.- our own andrew scherer has the- report.

- - angela shortt, mother:"she love- anybody and everybody..

She was- just your happy-go-lucky girl."- caring, silly, a social - butterfly... these are just - some of the ways the shortt's - describe their daughter - meghan.

- meghan's life tragically came t- an end on april 10th, 2008- when she was murdered and - sexually assaulted by a - friend and classmate, leaving - the family with - questions every since.- angela shortt:"why?

Why, why, - what did she do so bad to you - that you had to kill- her?"

- investigators discovered the- suspect, robert barnes, had - previosuly been romantically- rejected by meghan, driving - him to murder.- investigators didn't come acros- barnes first, as the- investigation was first centere- around a family friend.

- angela shortt:"my husband's bes- friend, robert hicke, had, we - had found out through - meghan that he'd been touching- her."

- this shocking revelation led th- shortt's to investigate,- however with meghan's death, no- charges could be- successfully filed.

- feeling like hicke got away wit- it, - the shortt's are taking to- dateline:nbc to tell their- story.- chris shortt:"he's still in - iowa, going to church and - everything else, and who knows- who, what girls he's trying to- groom now."

- and for their daughter's killer- who was sentenced to- life in prison.

- angela shortt:"he has to live - with that.

I mean i've lost my- daughter because of - him... but i cant hold that,- i've forgiven him, as hard as - that is, it's hard, but i cant- hold- that grudge everyday.

- andrew scherer... news 25.- - - - - and tonight's two-hour dateline- begins at 8 p.m.- - - - -