For the moment, I am just separating the issue of extradition from the issue of an EYEWITNESS IDENTIFICATION.
No idea why it took Dade so long to "solve" the case. I know people want to hypothesize about "new evidence" or "a witness came forward", but even when the detective was testifying (to block ESPN from having access to the records), he said they had one primary suspect and the case was very close to being solved.
And, to be generous to the Dade police, maybe a new piece of evidence DID turn up after the ESPN publicity. But what makes that situation pathetic is that it would have been AFTER the new publicity, which Dade was trying to PREVENT.
I get the issue of having to chase down a ton of bogus leads (when a case is publicized 15 years later), but it seems like most of the solid circumstantial stuff was known 15 years ago.
Sad.