A 40-year-old mother disappears from her home in the middle of the night, and police chase multiple leads before coming up empty. Almost a year goes by until they investigate a very unlikely suspect - a high-school neighbor with an affinity for older women. Then, a teenage boy is murdered in his home and detectives believe his campaign against teen gang activity led to his death. But the community is horrified when police arrest one of their "model citizens" for ordering the hit.
A husband and wife are found shot to death on a deserted stretch of highway. Phone records help detectives uncover a murder-for-hire plot that went horribly wrong, and discover that one of their victims is also their prime suspect. Next, when a 20-year-old woman is found murdered near a freeway exit ramp, the residents of San Diego demand justice. But when a trusted police officer is identified for the crime, the community is shaken to its core.
A delivery man guns down an affluent couple, with their only son barely escaping. The investigation reveals a greedy relative with a motive too close to home. And when a recent victim of burglary is found shot to death in her car, the investigation uncovers a killer the victim trusted without question - the police officer who came to her aide.
Seventeen-year-old Michele 'Missy' Avila is an attractive, popular high school student from the Los Angeles suburb of Arleta, CA. On October 1, 1985, Missy leaves home to hang out with friends at a nearby park, but by day's end, she has yet to return. Three days later, hikers discover Missy's battered body in the Angeles National Forest. With a close-knit family and plenty of friends, investigators wonder, who had motive to murder this lovely, well-liked girl? As the investigation ensues, detectives run through a network of classmates, rivals, love interests and troublemakers in their search for the culprit. Did Missy cross paths with a dangerous crowd? Was she the victim of some secret grudge? Years of dogged investigation are spent before a break in the case finally exposes the shocking truth behind Missy's murder.
In late December of 1988, 36-year-old Beverly Eller is found brutally murdered in her apartment in Griffin, Georgia. The crime scene is shocking, but the killer left few clues behind. Investigators learn everything they can about Beverly, sifting through countless tips and rumours in search of a break. By all accounts, Beverly planned to have dinner with her boyfriend on the night of her murder. Did a lovers' spat turn deadly? Was Beverly the latest victim of a serial murderer plaguing the area? After years without an arrest, a critical piece of evidence surfaces that ties an unlikely suspect to the crime. Dedication and good police pay off as investigators unravel the bizarre chain of events that led to Beverly's tragic murder.
On Oct. 24, 1988, fire fighters discover the stabbed and brutalised body of 29-year-old Robert Haugen in his burnt-up apartment in Sunset Beach, CA. In spite of the blaze, physical evidence is recovered from the scene. By all accounts, the victim was a well-liked local with ties to the community, but the vicious nature of the crime suggests a killer with a serious grudge. Did Robert run afoul of some local drug dealers, or was he the victim of someone closer? Nearly two decades later, a claim of abuse in Las Vegas reveals a connection to Robert's murder. Finally, a surprising culprit with a sadistic dark side is brought to justice.
On a cold February night in 1992, the body of Maryland businessman J. Schuyler 'Sky' Alland is found on a remote stretch of federal land. He's been shot, execution-style, and his luxury sedan is missing. Due to the location, the US Park Police is assigned to the case. Who had motive to murder the self-made millionaire? Was it a crime of passion, or a professional hit? Veteran detective Tim Squires follows a trail of clues up and down the eastern seaboard, encountering a cast of shady characters, all with secrets to hide. Dogged investigation unravels a series of escalating lies that drove one individual to commit murder.
In 1992, St. Louis, Missouri is terrorised by a serial rapist targeting the city's south side. Physical evidence is collected from multiple victims, but after hundreds of DNA tests for comparison, investigators are no closer to catching their culprit. A multi-agency task force follows up on hundreds of leads, interviewing peeping toms, sex offenders, and even law enforcement officers in hopes of rooting out the sexual predator. As years pass and investigators exhaust every lead, more victims come forward. Finally, in 1998, a concerned citizen reports a suspicious man fleeing in a white van. It's the break investigators have been waiting for. Within a week, the frenzied search for the notorious South Side Rapist leads to an unlikely culprit that no one saw coming.
In January of 1972, US Postal worker and part-time bouncer Gerald Jackson is found brutally murdered in his San Diego apartment. His identification, car and stereo are missing, and evidence suggests the victim was attacked in his sleep. Was Gerald the victim of a robbery gone wrong, or did someone bear a deadly grudge? The investigation heats up when Gerald's missing car and stereo turn up in a town near the Mexican border, but there isn't enough to warrant an arrest. In 2008, old evidence and new forensic technology brings the cold case back to life. More than three decades after his tragic murder, Gerald Jackson's killer is finally brought to justice.
On the night of March 9, 1992, 52-year-old Martha Doney is discovered in her Las Vegas home, assaulted and brutally stabbed. Homicide detectives work around the clock to find justice for the single mother of three. Could the killer be someone close- the ex-husband who shared a tumultuous relationship with the victim, or the hot-tempered boyfriend who left town within hours of the crime? Was Martha the victim of a robbery gone wrong, or was an act of kindness used as a ruse for murder? Investigators believe they know the answer, but without solid evidence, no arrest is made. Years later, modern technology breathes new life into the investigation, bringing the case to a surprising conclusion.
In December of 1997, the bodies of three men and one woman are discovered in a Bartow, Florida manufacturing plant. One victim is a partner in the factory. The other three are the adult children of a second partner. All were shot, execution-style. The investigators are left to wonder; was this a robbery gone horribly wrong, or was there a more personal motive at play? In the months prior, multiple employees had been fired. They all had axes to grind with management, but was it enough to commit quadruple homicide? Or was this a random act of violence by a local bar fly who seems to know a little more than he should about the crime? After months of investigation, a crucial alibi crumbles, revealing an intricate murder plot and its devious mastermind.
In April of 1985, 11-year-old Christopher Alan Brown goes missing from his father's home in Flint, Michigan. As family and the community at large launch a full-scale search for the missing boy, investigators consider every possible scenario. Did he run away of his own free will, or was he snatched off the street by sexual predator on the prowl? Three weeks after his disappearance, Alan's body is found in the nearby Flint River. Some believe an accidental drowning is the cause, but the boy's mother and a dedicated investigator see things differently. Years later, a mother's tireless pursuit of justice leads to the discovery of a crucial clue, and to the devastating truth behind her son's death.
In October of 2004, family and co-workers grow concerned when 32-year-old factory worker, Jonathan Blackwell goes missing from his North Carolina home. Hopes are high for a safe return until the former marine's car is found torched in a remote field. Shifting gears from their missing persons case, investigators dig into Blackwell's life in search of a potential killer. Did the son of Blackwell's ex-girlfriend harbour a secret grudge? Did rumours of an affair drive an angry husband to exact unwarranted revenge? After countless interviews and a mountain of tips, a surprising witness may hold the key to Jonathan Blackwell's sudden disappearance.
In July of 2000, 63-year-old Leonard Houda is doused with a cooler of acid in a grocery store parking lot. After suffering agonising burns over more than half his body, he dies in the hospital 11 days later. Investigators are left to wonder, what could have prompted such a vicious attack in broad daylight? Prior to his untimely death, Leonard was manager of a small beachside hotel in Lauderdale-By-The-Sea, Florida. Was there a connection between the attack and the recent acts of vandalism on the hotel property? Was the assault payback for some unpaid debt? Detectives must contend with bum tips, false identities, and a motley crew of eccentric characters before the shocking mastermind behind the attack is revealed.
In 2005, fortune teller Ha Jade Smith and her adult daughter Anita Vo are the victims of a brutal double homicide in their Westminster, CA home. Investigators wonder, which was the primary target? Was daughter Anita targeted by a jilted lover, or was Ha Jade the prey of an angry client from her fortune telling business? Both victims were found with white paint covering their head and hands. Could this be the macabre calling card of a ritualistic serial killer? After weeks of investigation, detectives follow a trail of clues that leads to a cold-blooded culprit.
In January of 2008, 19-year-old Brianna Denison goes to sleep on a friend's couch. The next morning, she's gone. A bloody pillow found at the scene suggests the beautiful college sophomore has been abducted, but no ransom note ever comes. When a week long search finally finds her strangled body in an open field, police must determine if she's been killed by an ex-boyfriend or complete stranger. Until the mystery is solved, investigators must consider every citizen a suspect. After months of interviews and separating fact from rumour, detectives use forensic science and persistent police work to zero in on a cold-blooded killer.
In 1989, Indianapolis, IN high school student Amy Weidner is brutally killed while she stays home sick from school. Items from her home are stolen, but police believe Amy wasn't the victim of a burglary-gone-bad. They suspect this was a targeted, vicious murder. But who want this popular, honour student dead?
In 1987, the idyllic Kentucky town of Central City is shocked when the beaten body of Corrinna Mullen is found in the trunk of her car. The brutal crime strikes particularly close to home since the 20-year-old worked at police headquarters. Was the young mother simply in the wrong place at the wrong time or did her job with the police make her a target?
When business traveller Greg Fleniken is found dead in his hotel room, all signs point to a heart attack. Then an autopsy reveals that, despite any obvious bruising, he's been beaten to death. Who inflicted the bizarre injuries that claimed Greg's life? How they committed the deadly attack without being seen or heard has police baffled?
In September of 1997, Topanga, CA is devastated by the brutal murder of local ranch-owner, Jean Schwartz. As a 26-year resident, Jean was a beloved fixture of the close-knit community, making the search for her killer all the more challenging. Could one of her neighbours be capable of such a brutal act, or had the violence of nearby Los Angeles invaded the idyllic, mountain enclave?
Kenny Conrick was just eight years old when he was abducted, brutalised and murdered in Gary, Indiana in 1979. Who would want this innocent, gentle third-grader dead? Police quickly look at his mother's live-in boyfriend but when he passes a polygraph, detectives embark on a decade-long search for Kenny's killer.
On January 17, 1980, in the desert community of Hemet, CA, a local businessman comes home to a nightmare. His new wife, Elizabeth Crossman, has been brutally raped and murdered in their home. The heinous crime speaks to an act of rage, but the scene suggests a robbery gone wrong. Could the culprit be the stranger seen lurking near the Crossman's home or one of the near-by construction workers?
In March of 2000, the body of 28-year-old Alaskan Native Genevieve Tetpon was found wrapped in a sleeping bag and dumped on the side of the road. At first, police believe she's the latest victim of a serial rapist-killer who's been targeting Native women. But there's one piece of evidence that has detectives wondering if there isn't something more to this case.
The evidence at the crime scene suggests that 15-year-old Nanine Grimes fought bravely as her attacker stabbed her to death. Her desperate struggle provides Thorton, CO police with a sample of the killer's blood. But the limits of 1980s forensic science leaves detectives struggling to determine who would want Nanine dead?
On a cool September evening in Lander, WY, 13-year-old Teri Jo Bradish disappears from a group home for at-risk youths. The next morning, her nude, defiled body is found abandoned off the side of a highway. Who took the vibrant Teri Jo on that final, deadly ride? Was it another teen from the home or did she fall victim to a serial sexual predator?
In the summer of 1981, Southern Illinois University student Susan Schumake is discovered murdered on a popular campus trail. The 21-year-old co-ed was last seen leaving her job at the radio station just before someone grabbed, raped and strangled her to death. Did she fall victim to a paroled rapist working on campus or did a fellow student bring her life to a tragic end?
The summer of 1980 marks the first time a resident of Oswego, OR has been killed. Long-time residents and beloved grandparents, Casper and Otillia Volk have been found stabbed to death in their home. Were these working class retirees the victims of a burglary-gone-bad or were the Volk's targeted by someone they knew?