Watch the Dateline episode “Unmasking the Monster” now

In August 1989, 29-year-old Dana Beatty had an active social life in Cincinnati, Ohio, and a promising career at IBM. She was happy and living life to the fullest.

That all changed when she came home from work one day and a masked attacker was lying in wait. Dressed head-to-toe in black Lyrca and wielding a butcher knife, he forced Dana into her bedroom, where he assaulted her for over five hours.

Dana took note of everything, in the hope that if she lived, she could help police identify her attacker.

Dana survived. But decades passed without answers and without justice, until an unexpected advocate reignited the investigation.

To find out what happened, watch the full episode “Unmasking the Monster” available now on Peacock.

You can also watch on the NBC app or listen to the full episode on our podcast.

Then listen to this week’s episode of Talking Dateline, in which Blayne Alexander and Andrea Canning take you behind the scenes of the episode. You can also watch Talking Dateline on Peacock, YouTube, or by subscribing to the NBC News app.’

When it comes to prosecuting rape, where you live matters. Check out our interactive map, an NBC News exclusive, to find out if there is a statute of limitations on rape in your state.

If you or someone you know has been sexually assaulted, call the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-4673 or go to rainn.org.