'John Walsh, host of 'America's Most Wanted,' shares his emotional journey following his son's murder: "My heart was shattered."'

For almost four decades, John Walsh has been tracking down criminals on "America's Most Wanted," and he continues to do so.

The creator of the show is returning to host a new season on FOX with his son, who is a child advocate for the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children.

In 1988, the patriarch, who was 78 years old at the time, started the series as a result of a personal tragedy - the murder of his firstborn, Adam Walsh.

"I lived in a safe, enclosed neighborhood and never imagined crime would affect us," Walsh stated to Planet Chronicle Digital. "However, my experiences have taught me that criminals can target anyone, anywhere, and cause harm. It doesn't matter who you are or where you live - they can still harm you."

In the 1980s, Walsh was a successful developer of luxury hotels, but his dream turned into a nightmare on July 27, 1981.

Adam, a 6-year-old, and his mother Reve entered a Sears department store near their Hollywood, Florida, home. The matriarch permitted him to observe a group of other boys playing video games in the toy department while she shopped nearby. However, within less than 10 minutes, he disappeared.

The Walshes, in a desperate bid to find their son, led a massive hunt that was televised. They begged the public for leads and offered a $100,000 reward to bring Adam home.

Walsh remembered paying for the gasoline of those who assisted in the family's search. Meanwhile, the local police were "overwhelmed," resulting in "a significant number of errors" in the investigation, he claimed.

Adam's picture was not shown on national television for 16 days after his disappearance, according to Walsh's previous claim.

"The FBI did not assist in the search for Adam, as they refused to add him to the NCIC database, which contained millions of records of criminals, stolen property, and missing persons in 1981. There were no unidentified or missing files related to Adam's case."

Two fishermen discovered Adam's severed head in a drainage canal in Vero Beach, 100 miles from where he was abducted. Despite extensive search efforts, the child's body was never found.

Walsh's health deteriorated rapidly, causing him to lose 30 pounds and his will to survive.

"I was dying of a broken heart," he admitted.

Jeffrey Dahmer, a serial killer living in Florida at the time of Adam's abduction, was considered a possible suspect. However, it wasn't until 2008 that Hollywood Police Chief Chadwick E. Wagner announced that Adam's case had been solved. Investigation Discovery reported that serial killer Ottis Toole, who had been a prime suspect, was declared the murderer and police were closing the case file. Investigators believed that their case against Toole was strong enough.

In 1983, an inmate at a Florida prison confessed to the abduction and murder of Adam. He also implicated his accomplice and companion, Henry Lee Lucas. However, investigators were unable to find Adam's body, and without physical evidence, the Florida state attorney couldn't prosecute the case.

Over the years, Toole would confess to Adam's murder and then retract his story, the outlet reported. Toole, who was convicted of six murders, passed away in prison in 1996 at the age of 49.

Walsh's pain motivated him to create a purposeful mission. Along with his wife, he successfully advocated for national legislation to improve the search for missing children. He also played a key role in establishing the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children. The nonprofit organization collaborates with families, law enforcement, and the public to prevent child abductions and recover missing children. Additionally, it offers services to combat child sexual exploitation.

Since its inception, the program has helped recover over 450,000 missing children, as stated by Callahan.

The executive director of the organization's Florida branch, Callahan, revealed to Planet Chronicle Digital that Adam has always been a significant part of his life.

"The 39-year-old stated that they were born after Adam's disappearance but grew up in a home that celebrated him. They knew his favorite sports and movies, which were baseball and 'Star Wars.' The parents never just sat them down on the couch and dropped a bomb; instead, they always talked about him. There are pictures of him all across their childhood home."

"Callahan shared that his parents channeled their emotions and anger over what happened to Adam to ensure that his death was not in vain. They said that if Adam's song was to continue, they must do the singing. Callahan saw them do the singing every day and is now trying to continue that legacy in his work at the National Center and with his father on "America's Most Wanted.""

In 2006, 25 years after Adam went missing, President George W. Bush signed the Adam Walsh Child Protection and Safety Act into law. The act created a national database of convicted child sex offenders, strengthened federal penalties for crimes against children, and provided funding and training for law enforcement to tackle crimes involving the sexual exploitation of children online.

Since its inception, "America's Most Wanted" has helped capture more than 1,190 criminals, including serial killers, child abductors and rapists. Initially, Walsh believed the show would be an outlet for him to feature cases from across the country of children who were harmed or missing. The show offers a tip line at the end of each episode where viewers can provide leads in hopes of bringing justice to victims.

"Our love for Adam drove us to persevere in finding him, even though we couldn't put him into the big FBI computer despite our success in putting a man on the moon. It took 27 years to solve his case, but a wonderful retired detective and DA discovered his murder. It's our love for him that has pushed me."

Our first son was that little boy, he remembered fondly. Despite his tragic death, he loved him deeply. He also attributed his resilience over the years to the public's support.

"He recounted how a truck arrived at his home with 40,000 letters and cards, all from people expressing sympathy for his situation. Some of the messages read, "We pray for you," "I have a runaway child," and "I have a murdered child and no one is helping me.""

Walsh stated that his efforts to achieve justice for other families in need are still ongoing.

"I'm a horse enthusiast," he stated. "I reside on a ranch. We need to mount our horses... Therefore, Callahan and I will saddle up... Inform me of the location of those ruffians, and I'll retrieve them."

The popular TV show "America's Most Wanted" is back with a new season on January 22 at 8 p.m. Planet Chronicle Digital and The Associated Press provided information for this report.