Press release - Series

March 5, 2026

WHEN A UNIVERSITY OF MIAMI FOOTBALL PLAYER DESTINED FOR THE NFL IS SHOT DEAD, ATTENTION TURNS TO HIS TEAMMATE — BUT DID HE PULL THE TRIGGER?

Following a Recent Court Ruling, ‘20/20’ and ESPN Investigate ‘Murder at the U,’ Airing Friday, March 6, on ABC and Streaming Next Day on Disney+ and Hulu

ABC News*

Bryan Pata was a 22-year-old University of Miami defensive lineman, just months away from the NFL Draft and his dream of playing professional football, when he was shot and killed outside his off-campus apartment. As authorities investigated the shooting, his killer seemingly vanished, and the case went cold for 15 years — despite tearful pleas from Pata’s mother for justice. ESPN investigated Bryan Pata’s murder for years, culminating in the “30 for 30” podcast series “Murder at The U.” Their reporting uncovered new developments that reignited public attention around Pata’s murder. Following ESPN’s initial article, authorities arrested former teammate Rashaun Jones in connection with Pata’s murder. The trial recently ended in a mistrial, and Jones maintains his innocence. But the question remains: Who pulled the trigger? “20/20” partners with ESPN on the all-new episode “Murder At The U,” airing FRIDAY, MARCH 6 (9:00-11:00 p.m. EST), on ABC and streaming the next day on Disney+ and Hulu.

All current episodes of ESPN’s “Murder at The U” are available now, with a final seventh episode set to premiere at a later date. ESPN’s “30 for 30” podcasts can be found on ESPN.com, the ESPN App, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, YouTube, iHeart and wherever podcasts are available.

ABC News’ “20/20” is the No. 1 award-winning primetime program anchored by David Muir and Deborah Roberts. A proven leader as a long-form newsmagazine for over 45 years, “20/20” features unforgettable, character-driven true-crime mysteries, exclusive newsmaker interviews, hard-hitting investigative reports, and in-depth coverage of high-profile stories. Janice Johnston is the executive producer. The two-hour “20/20” events air Fridays from 9-11 p.m. ET on ABC and are available to stream on ABC News digital platforms, Disney+ and Hulu.

*COPYRIGHT ©2026 American Broadcasting Companies, Inc. All photography is copyrighted material and is for editorial use only. Images are not to be archived, altered, duplicated, resold, retransmitted or used for any other purposes without written permission of ABC News. Images are distributed to the press in order to publicize current programming. Any other usage must be licensed.

 

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