MURDER CAUGHT ON TAPE - SURVEILLANCE CAMERAS ARE A NEW TOOL IN CRIME SCENE INVESTIGATIONS

Mary Fulginiti Reports on "20/20," Airing Friday, January 5 on ABC

Plus: John Stossel Reports on the Desire to Be Famous; Photographer Uses Look-alikes to Stage Intimate Moments of the Rich and Famous

Americans have grown accustomed to being filmed as part of their daily routines -- cameras are commonplace at ATMs, convenience stores, gas stations and building lobbies. It is not so unusual anymore for those cameras to catch criminals in the act. But as the number of surveillance cameras increases, it seems not even random crimes on deserted streets in the dark of night can escape, as was the case in a seemingly senseless, cold-blooded murder of a beloved mother that stunned the entire city of Philadelphia. A surveillance camera captures Patricia McDermott with a gun pointed at her head and moments later she was shot to death on a deserted Philadelphia street. After looking at about 50 different video systems in the neighborhood, police captured the footsteps of the killer on at least a dozen different cameras, following him for more than half a mile. ABC News Correspondent Mary Fulginiti reports on how surveillance cameras are a new tool for investigators, helping police piece together crimes. The report, which includes the surveillance camera video, airs on "20/20" on FRIDAY, JANUARY 5 (10:00-11:00 p.m., ET), on the ABC Television Network. Reports include:

Also: It is an American obsession... fame. Why are so many people fascinated by it? Is life easier when you're famous, and does being famous help solve problems? There's even an entire industry dedicated to cultivating new stars, despite the reality that a shot at stardom is literally one in a million. Jake Halpern, author of Fame Junkies, surveyed 600 middle-schoolers and found that they prefer fame over intelligence and looks. John Stossel looks at fame: Who wants it and why.

Plus: Although the paparazzi go to great lengths to catch celebrities doing ordinary things, most photos of celebrities still capture only the staged moments in their lives. But one photographer is blurring the lines between reality and fiction by shooting celebrity look-alikes to comment on celebrity culture. Award-winning British photographer Alison Jackson says celebrities are not giving people the whole truth, and when that is combined with photography, the truth can get lost. "I think the very nature of photography, because of its seductive powers, exploits us," she explains. "We think it's telling a truth, but it's not. It's telling a partial truth." JuJu Chang reports on the controversial photographer and her photos using celebrity look-alikes, including Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie, Queen Elizabeth and Paris Hilton, to name a few. Is it art or just misleading?

"20/20" is anchored by Elizabeth Vargas and John Stossel. David Sloan is executive producer.