5 key details about Gary Triano's murder 

The upcoming episode of 20/20 on ABC will focus on the 1996 murder of Gary Triano, full name Gary Lee Triano, a millionaire real estate developer.

Gary Triano was slain by his ex-wife Pamela Phillips, who collaborated with a hitman named Ronald Young to create a pipe bomb, that killed the 52-year-old Tucson native.

For Gary’s 1996 murder, justice was delayed for almost 2 decades. However, after being convicted guilty of the murder in 2010, Young was sentenced to life in jail without the possibility of parole. Phillips was arrested in the coming years and she was sentenced to life in prison in 2014, after being found guilty of first-degree murder and conspiracy to murder.

Season 47, epsiode 14 of 20/20 on ABC will focus on this case. It airs on January 24, at 9:00 pm ET.

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5 details surrounding Gary Triano's 1996 murder

1) Gary Triano’s murder was "quick" and "calculated"

As per CBS News, Gary Triano was on his way home after playing golf with his friends on November 1, 1996. As soon as the 52-year-old got inside his car, he saw an unknown bag in the passenger seat. Triano grabbed the bag next, which contained a pipe bomb that detonated and killed him immediately.

His skull was "blew open" as per OTC. A TV report, that reported this blast, read:

"The bomb was so powerful, it literally sent debris flying 200 yards into the air. The windshield actually few over these trees and in to the swimming pool area." [h/t: CBS]

About the murder, Special Agent Tom Mangan stated:

"It was quick, it was calculated and it was murder" [h/t: CBS]

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2) Gary Triano's death was initially considered a mob attack

Detective James Gamber, a member of the investigating team for Gary Triano's murder, told CBS correspondent Peter Van Sant:

"Right. With the bombing, everybody looked at that and said, 'signature mob hit."

Meanwhile, Pima County Investigator Gene Reedy revealed that Gary was a “target” and was followed before his murder.

Reedy initially believed that because Triano was a debtor, the people he owed money to possibly have killed him. However, this theory was later dropped when the truth surfaced.

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3) Financial motives behind the murder

According to OTC, Gary Triano's ex-wife Pamela Phillips profited significantly from Triano's $2 million life insurance policy.

This policy was established a year before Gary and Pamela separated. Pamela was the trustee, and their children were the beneficiaries. Gary wanted to cancel the policy, but he couldn't because Pamela Phillips owned it and she continued to make payments, even after the divorce.

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4) An alleged affair

According to OTC, Ronald Young was arrested based on evidence suggesting he was recruited to kill Gary. As per OTC, Ronald Young also lived for 21 days near Gary’s home before he was killed to follow his movements.

Some letters surfaced during the investigation that hinted that the then-alleged killers (Pamela Phillips and Ronald Young) were lovers. Phillips however denied such allegations.

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5) Pamela Phillips paid over $400,000 to get her ex-husband slain

As per OTC, after Ronald Young’s 2005 arrest, there was a lot of crucial digital evidence found, that showed that Phillips had paid Young over $40,000 to kill her Gary Triano.

Several recordings surfaced after Young’s arrest that showed the two then-alleged killers discussing the payments and conspiring in the crime.

Meanwhile, Heather Triano (Gary's Daughter) revealed in court that her stepmother Pamela Phillips would talk about hiring a hitman to kill Triano. In court, Heather testified about the same. Laura Chapman (Pamela Phillips's friend) also revealed the same and said:

"She [Phillip] said she would just hire a hit man and have them take him out." [h/t: ABC News]

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To learn more about this case, tune in to ABC on January 24, at 9:00 pm ET.