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The First 48 Presents: Killer Verdict
In every murder trial, the prosecution and the defense present two radically different stories of what happened. In The First 48 Presents: Killer Verdict the viewers sit in the jury box and watch a real-life murder trial unfold. We get to decide which story to believe and reach our own verdict. In this episode, a shooting on a Florida beach leaves a beautiful young woman dead and her husband wounded with four gunshots. In a twist, the authorities arrest the most unlikely suspect--the surviving husband. During the trial, the defense argues they were simply the victims of a robbery gone wrong. The prosecution claims the husband killed April, then shot himself four times to fool investigators. These two dramatic stories play out in the courtroom, leaving everyone to wonder which story is true--and which story the jury will believe.
Update special 07
Update special 08
Update special 09
Update special 10
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Update special 04
Killer speaks
Inside the Tape
Miami City Vice
In a spin-off from The First 48, this special features the most popular detective from the series, Joe Schillaci. He's passionate, crafty and charming, and uses all of these traits to track down the bad guys. Schillaci has just been promoted to Lieutenant and he has a brand new job heading up a high-profile special operations team called the "Jump Out Crew." This crime suppression unit primarily works in plain clothes or in disguise. Schillaci was a member for 7 years, until he left in 1992 after he was forced to kill a drug dealer who pulled a gun on his partner. This special will track his dramatic return to the team, now as it's leader and will also feature highlights from The First 48 as he reflects on his former job in homicide while transitioning into his new role.
The Fallen Angel
A rookie detective works on a case involving a teenage girl who was found naked and shot to death in Atlanta, and all of the homicide detectives help out to try to identify the girl and piece together her last hours of life. (This special repackages "The Fallen Angel" segments from the series "The First 48 Presents: Homicide Squad Atlanta".)
Season 19 First Look
A preview of the upcoming season of "The First 48."
After The First 48: Blindsided/Killing Spree
Now that some of our strongest cases have been adjudicated, we can take viewers inside the powerful and dramatic events that unfolded after the arrest, up to and including the conviction.
After The First 48: Silenced/Downstream Drifter
After The First 48: Blackout
After The First 48: Ashes and Snow/Backyard Murder
After The First 48: Bait and Switch
On a Sunday night in June 2007, Christian Marton and his girlfriend Monica Stafford drove two hours from Axtell, Texas to Dallas where Christian had arranged to buy a car. By the end of the evening, Christian was dead--shot in a robbery attempt. Lead Detective John Palmer and his partner, Armando Perez used both surveillance footage from a fast food restaurant and cell phone records to build a case against the man who planned the robbery. For the man who actually pulled the trigger, Palmer relied on both his fingerprint found at the scene of the crime and an id by Monica. Both men were charged with capital murder. The case went to trial in February of 2009.
After The First 48: Burden of Proof/Last Ride
On an early morning in 2007, in Detroit, Donald Udics and his wife, Barbara, were shot in their home by a man trying to rob them. Barbara died instantly. Don managed to call 911 and was rushed to the hospital. Officers Lance Sullivan and Charles Zwicker arrived at the crime scene and realized the killer had left in one of the Udics cars. The car had GPS and On Star, making it easy to locate. When police saw the vehicle, the driver attempted to avert arrest by speeding away. He ended up crashing into a telephone pole and then tried to make a run for it on foot. The suspect was apprehended and identified. A gun was found inside the vehicle, and ballistics testing confirmed that the gun was the same gun used to kill the victim and seriously wound her husband. The suspect was convicted of First-Degree Murder and sentenced to life in prison.
After The First 48: Last Fare
In March of 2008, Tucson Detectives Jennifer Whitfield and Mike Carroll were called to investigate the robbery/homicide of 27-year-old cab driver and father-to-be Timothy Royce. In what appeared to be a brutal and random crime with no leads, the case took a turn when detectives got a surprise tip to the whereabouts of their suspects. Within days of the crime, detectives were able to close their case, charging three suspects with first-degree murder and armed robbery. Over the next two years the defendants would face Tim's family in court. With the death penalty on the table, this update special filmed every hearing and trial in which the truth about Tim's final moments was revealed.
After The First 48: Disappeared/Red Handed
Now that some of our strongest cases have been adjudicated and many cases have some compelling new developments, we take viewers inside the powerful and dramatic events that unfolded after the arrest, up to and including the trial and conviction.
After The First 48: The Good Book
In November 2006, Dallas detectives investigated the murder of a twenty-nine-year-old mother of four, found burned beyond recognition in her car behind a remote warehouse. Detectives soon discovered that the victim's former boyfriend and father of her infant son, had been stalking her for months, leading up to her death. After tracking down two homeless witnesses and finding a piece of crucial evidence, police were able to charge James Bartley with capital murder. The Dallas DA's office was responsible for bringing the case to a close. In order to do that successfully, the prosecutor and her investigator had to keep close tabs on their key homeless witnesses for years, while the cased awaited trial. When Bartley finally stood trial in 2009, the prosecution worried the jury wouldn't believe the testimony of two homeless crack addicts and find the evidence insufficient to prove Bartley guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
After The First 48: Innocent Lost
In July of 2006, Miami detectives Rolando Garcia and Orlando Silva responded to the shooting death of nine-year-old Sherdavia Jenkins. After a three-week investigation, detectives were able to close their case, charging two men with second-degree murder. Three years later the two men would face Sherdavia's family in court. When one of the defendants agrees to testify against the other, the outcome is unexpected. Filmed by our cameras, the trial would heat up with contentious moments between the defense and lead detective Garcia.
After The First 48: Letter of Intent/Family Friend
In Dallas, Texas in 2007 Darell Billingsela was charged with brutally attacking and killing twenty-two-year old Jessica Lewalling in a jealous rage. Billingslea was a two-time convicted murderer out on parole. Prosecutor Jennifer Bennett was determined to make sure Billingslea would not slip through the system again. And, in February 2007, thirty-six-year old Antoine, "Tony" Hamilton was found shot dead, and left behind a vacant house. His friend, Carlos Mitchell, confessed to the crime. Prosecutor Jenni Morse thought she had a slam dunk case--until the verdict in a similar case shook her confidence in getting a conviction.
After The First 48: Gun Play/No-Tell Motel
Tucson, Arizona. Sixteen-year-old Derreck Burruss and his friends were walking home when they were confronted by two men. The older of the two pulled a gun and shot Derreck in the chest. Lead Detective Bill Hanson and his team arrested fifteen-year-old Raymond Godoy and his cousin, eighteen-year-old Anthony Encinas, for the crime. Derrecks mother, Lakia Culver, would have to face both men in court. And she would be shocked by the outcome of Godoy's hearing. Next, Dallas, Texas. At 12:45 a.m. on the south side of Dallas three men were shot in front of a hotel. Two of them were rushed to the E.R. and the third lay dead on the pavement. The victim was 22-year-old Ivan Rangel. Rangel's friends told lead detective Phil Harding they didn't recognize the men who shot Ivan. It was Rangel's sister who gave Harding his first lead. Her family had been drumming up information about the murder and she named two suspects. But will one walk without any solid evidence against him?
After the First 48: Bail Out
In Dallas, detectives investigated the shooting death of 26-year-old Daniel Barron, who was killed in the doorway of his home. Detectives soon discovered that the victim's residence doubled as a drug den and that he was robbed. A tipster called-in and eventually six suspects were arrested and charged with capital murder. All six individuals admit involvement in the crime and point to 19-year-old Callie Marshall, mother of two, as the group's ringleader. A year and a half later, Callie finally faces a jury of her peers. Will they see a confused girl who organized the robbery in order to bail her boyfriend out of jail in time for Christmas, or a coldblooded killer?
After The First 48: Drama at The Classic/50G Murder
On October 26, 2008, Birmingham homicide detectives were helping with crowd control at the Magic City Classic--a renowned football game between two of the oldest black colleges in Alabama. After working seventeen hours at the game, they were called out to investigate the shooting death of 21-year-old Kenny Wayne Holmes, shot while driving his car. They would eventually arrest the boyfriend of Kenny';s ex-girlfriend and the mother of his one-year-old daughter. The following year the boyfriend stood trial for capital murder. And, in August of 2006, Dallas homicide detectives were called to an illegal dentist office to investigate the shooting death of 67-year-old Jose Raul Diaz. They arrested Felipe Luna and Roberto Rosales for the murder. During his interrogation, Luna confessed to the murder--and said that Rosales had planned the crime, but backed out at the last moment. If convicted of capital murder, both men faced a sentence of life without parole.
After The First 48: Loose Ends
Detectives link Martin Seay to several killings--but he only goes on trial for one. The state's key witness is his former girlfriend, Kandi Hawkins. Hawkins was paralyzed from the neck down when Seay ordered a hit on her. Will her testimony be enough to convict the ruthless killer?
After The First 48: Fifteen
Fifteen-year-old Juanita Payne was killed outside a party by a stray round from an AK-47. Detectives arrest a man they are sure is the killer. But the case begins to fall apart soon after. Will the alleged killer walk free?
After The First 48: Shattered Dreams
In 2008 Mohamed Abdelrahman, a Darfurian immigrant, was shot and killed in his store during a robbery in Louisville. Det. Rick Arnold charged three suspects with his murder. When one defendant turns on the other two, the trial becomes every man for himself. Mohamed's widow, Sumaya Harun watches and worries that the jury will let her husband's alleged killers go free
After The First 48: Better Days/Inked in Blood
In Memphis, a 79-year-old man, beloved in his neighborhood, is shot dead. When the young man accused of the killing comes to trial, his defense attorney argues an unusual defense to get his client off. Will the jury buy it? Also in Memphis, a young female tattoo artist is killed in her shop. The alleged shooter faces the death penalty. As evidence mounts against him, his attorney wonders whether he can save his young client.
After The First 48: In Harm's Way
In 2009, John Craig Froelich, II was shot and killed while taking his girlfriend to buy drugs in south Houston. Sgt. Craig Clopton charged the shooter and his girlfriend with capital murder. Without forensic evidence, prosecutor Terrence Windham had to rely on three eyewitnesses who all had credibility issues. Would the jury believe them on the stand? Or would the shooter walk?
After The First 48: Cold As Ice
In January of 2009, Louisville resident Billy Wagner was killed in the street by a single bullet to the back of the head. After nearly two weeks, Det. Rick Arnold charged 20-year-old Gary Lindsey with murder, but the story was far from over. At trial, a young prosecutor faced off against a power veteran defense attorney. And the jury had to decide: Was the killing self-defense or murder?
After The First 48: Torched/Girl Fight
In Miami, Detective Freddie Ponce arrests a man who tortured and killed his childhood friend. The case is strong--until an unexpected event in the first days of trial puts the whole thing in jeopardy. In Birmingham, a young mother is killed in front of her children. The killer is a young woman with no criminal history. Will this unlikely defendant win the jury's sympathy--and a verdict of self-defense?
After The First 48: Tag Team/Heart of Gold
In Memphis, TN, Lt. Caroline Mason revisits the 2007 homicide of a 19-year-old man shot to death during a street fight that got out of hand. But when 26-year-old DeMario Thomas went to trial in 2009, the victim's mother surprised everyone. While in Louisville, KY, a prosecutor's case comes close to collapse when an unforeseen twist of fate threatens to let an alleged murderer walk.
After The First 48: Rules of The Game
When a popular local celebrity in Louisville is murdered during a drug deal, homicide detectives Brenda Wescott and John Lesher search for his killer. Lashawn "Shizz" Talbert created a popular dance called "The Shizz" In August, 2010 he was driven to a drug deal by a local club promoter named David Curd. They drove to a quiet neighborhood and met a dealer named Kenneth Brown. Brown claimed that Talbert robbed him at gunpoint. Detectives unravel the case and learn about the role of Curd. And in an exclusive interview after his trial, Brown claims self-defense.
After The First 48: Last Call/Road Hazard
A brutal shooting in Memphis leaves a single mom mourning her only son. The main suspect is a high-ranking gang member. Will his violent reputation keep witnesses from testifying? Then--a Birmingham motorist calls 911 in the middle of the night after his car is run off the road. But when responders arrive, they find the caller shot dead. A lone eyewitness steps forward, but will his testimony be enough to convince a jury to convict?
After The First 48: Cold and Callous/Wrong Man
In Harris County, Texas, an innocent fifteen year old is heartlessly murdered by another teenager during a robbery. But when witnesses to the crime are shown photos of the killer, they fail to identify him. Will he get away with murder? And in Memphis, Tennessee, an innocent bystander, trying to break up a fight is killed when he is caught in the crossfire. But the more police question the suspect in the shooting, the more he adamantly proclaims his innocence. Did the police actually have the wrong man?
After The First 48: Stolen Lives/Crimson Trail
In Miami, Florida, 25-year-old Pedro Roteta is stabbed in the middle of the street and left to die. Despite video of the murder and a confession the defense attempts to get immunity based on the controversial "Stand Your Ground" law. Will a judge let the suspect walk out of court a free man? And in Dallas Texas, a man is stabbed to death in an alley and the sole suspect disappears over the Mexican border. Then, after four years on the run, the alleged killed is finally arrested and claims self defense. Will a jury buy his story?
After The First 48: Devil Inside/Flight Risk
After a woman's dismembered body is found beneath an overpass in Tucson, Arizona, the suspect reveals a disturbing dark side--and shocks investigators with a revelation no one saw coming. Will the justice system deliver the ultimate punishment? Then, a weekend getaway in Dallas, Texas turns deadly when a woman is shot to death by her cousin's boyfriend. At trial, it's a game of he said, she said. But whom will the jury believe--the eyewitness or the suspect?
After The First 48: Bad Attitude
After an unidentified man's stabbed body is found in a vacant Dallas, Texas apartment, two suspects both admit to setting up the man for robbery--and blame each other for the murder. Will the prosecutor succeed in determining who indeed is the actual killer? And will justice be served with an appropriate prison sentence for both defendants, or will one get off easily?
After The First 48: Caught Up/Chasing Shadows
In two cases in Louisville, Kentucky, detectives arrested suspects whose actions were caught on videotape? But will the surveillance tapes help the prosecutor s case--or help the defendants walk free?
After The First 48: No Return
A beloved father of three is gunned down outside his home in Atascocita, Texas, during a robbery gone wrong. Investigators catch a lucky break with surprise piece of evidence. But when the two main suspects point the finger at each other, it's up to the prosecution to convince a jury that they're both guilty of capital murder.
After The First 48: Into The Woods
After a 17-year-old girl is found with a bullet through the back of her head in the woods of Katy, Texas, a young man comes forward who who claims to be an eyewitness. Investigators are shocked by the unusual deal he s made with the DA. Is the eyewitness telling the truth -- or is he involved in the murder? And will the prosecution convince the jury that the defendant is the real killer?
After The First 48: Murder on the Interstate/At Close Range
As the First 48 ran out on Phoenix detectives, 16-year-old Lonny Bassett stood accused of brutally killing his two friends with a shotgun. Would his claim to self-defense hold water or would the evidence detectives collected in the first 48 be enough to convince jurors of his guilt? In Miami, a minor altercation on the highway ended with a shooting that took the life of an innocent young man.
After The First 48: The Boogeyman
On March 26th, 2006, homicide detectives were called to the site of a burning car. Inside were the charred remains of 22-year-old Xenia Wilson, the mother of a four-year-old daughter. Detectives Rick Duggan and Randy Laboda closed the case by arresting three suspects: Jose "J.J" & Verduzco, Chito Rojas and Ismael "Boogeyman" Moreno. Verduzco and Rojas pled guilty and agreed to testify against Moreno. The trial would take turns that surprised both defendant and prosecutor. And the case itself would have a tragic postcript.
After The First 48: Return to Sender/Left Behind
In July of 2008, Dallas homicide detectives responded to a shooting on a dark service road on the south side of Dallas. The innocent victim, 19-year old Mikael Hudson, had been killed by a single gunshot fired from a vehicle in pursuit of he and his friends. The two suspects left a trail of evidence that ultimately led to their apprehension and arrest. Prosecutor Andrea Moseley was determined that both defendants would receive equal punishment. In August of 2005, Phoenix homicide detectives discovered the body of pregnant, 20-year old Virginia Rodriguez, who had been murdered, burned and then left to decompose in her apartment for over a week. For over two years detectives pursued her husband, the man they suspected of killing her, who had fled to his native country of Mexico with their two young children. He was finally caught and extradited to the US, but Prosecutor Treena Kay had concerns about getting a conviction.
After The First 48: Signs of Violence
One man was part of a love triangle, the other a complete stranger--both were murdered a week apart. Little did Louisville Homicide Detectives realize these two brutal homicides were linked, until they met Michael Knights and Jeston Murray. Were they both murderers or was one a witness? Both faced the death penalty but only one would go to trial.<
After The First 48: Last Yard
University of Memphis football star Taylor Bradford was killed in his beloved Lincoln Town Car. At first police thought the motive was robbery. Then as they investigated, a love triangle emerged. Finally four men were charged with Bradford's murder. The first to go on trial wasn't even at the crime scene. Could prosecutors convince a jury to find him guilty of murder?
After The First 48: Lester Street
In September of 2010, Jessie Dotson went on trial for one of the worst mass murders in Memphis history. He wasn't accused of killing strangers--he was brother, friend and uncle to the six people he'd allegedly murdered and three surviving children he'd allegedly beaten and stabbed. Even seasoned detectives were horrified by the bloody crime scene. Now, all of Memphis wanted an answer to the same question: How could only one man be responsible for such brutal carnage? (2 hours.)
After The First 48: Torn
In February of 2009, 21-year-old James "Jamo" Allen was gunned down outside of a Louisville, Kentucky housing project. After discovering that his ex-girlfriend knows the truth about the crime, detectives work quickly to track down the alleged killer and elicit a confession from him. Nearly two years later, what should have been a straightforward trial goes haywire when a detective stumbles on the stand and the defense calls a surprise witness. Will justice be served or will the confessed murderer go free?
After The First 48: Final Investment
When a robbery goes bad in south Memphis, one man is dead and very little physical evidence is left at the scene. Detectives track down several witnesses, but the one person who saw the shooting was a 10-year-old boy. Fast forward five years to a dramatic murder trial. The witness is now 15 and well aware of the dangers of testifying. Will he do the right thing? Or not...
After The First 48: Hale Storm
A Louisville, Kentucky family awakes before dawn as a barrage of gunfire rips through their home. When the smoke clears, three teenage boys are bleeding from bullet wounds. One would not survive. The lives of two others would be forever altered. Now, a family friend with violent tendencies stands trial for the shooting, but a lack of eyewitnesses threatens to derail the whole case. Will a jury find him guilty or will the angry suspect walk free?
After The First 48: Bad Company
On a warm, clear night in the desert near Lake Mead, the body of a man--shot dead--was found in the middle of the road. When Las Vegas Metro homicide detectives began investigating the death, they had no idea the case would lead them to a conspiracy that involved five people. Or that it would take six years to bring down the man behind the murder.
After The First 48: John Doe
An unidentified man is gunned down in the Southside of Louisville, Kentucky. With no ID on the victim and few leads, detectives are stymied. It takes an unexpected tip to crack the case. But if prosecutors hope to convict the man s killer they ll need to convince his three frightened co defendants to testify against him.
After The First 48: The Witness
In Liberty City, Miami a well-liked husband and wife are brutally murdered in an ambush shooting. The eyewitness to the crime is the couple s ten-year-old daughter. She is the only thing linking the suspect to the crime. It s up to her to sway the jurors as she gives an emotional testimony in the hopes of putting her parents killer behind bars.
After The First 48: Brother's Blood
When a Honduran immigrant is found stabbed to death in his Miami apartment, his brother claims it was a suicide. But as investigators dig deeper, all evidence points to the surviving brother. His attorney claims self-defense, citing Florida's stand your ground law--but the prosecution fights hard to send the defendant to trial, and ultimately, to prison.
After the First 48: Friends for Life
In Cleveland Ohio, the body of a dead male is found in the middle of a cold, dark street. With little to go on, Homicide investigators are shocked when a witness comes forward to not only say he saw the shooting, but the victim was killed by his life long best friend. More surprises and dark truths come out months later when the case goes to trial. Did the defendant kill his best friend in cold blood, or is the witness withholding information?
After the First 48: Cold Light of Day
In Cleveland, Detectives Mike Smith and Walley Everett investigate the murder of a young woman who's body is burned beyond recognition. A key witness comes forward who leads them to the suspect. But when the case moves to court, the key witness could become the prosecution's main liability.
After the First 48: Dumped
In Memphis, Tennessee a man's body is found dumped in a field. Despite every effort, the case goes cold and the murderer remains a mystery. For six years the victim's father investigates the murder on his own, trying to find out who killed his son. When an unexpected tip leads to the arrest of a close friend of the victim, the victim's family worries that there is not enough evidence to put the murderer away for life. And the details of the brutal killing are finally revealed in court.
After the First 48: Missing/Deadly Ride
In Harris County, Texas investigators are called to an abandoned SUV, its interior covered in blood. The vehicle's owner, a 20-year-old single mother, is nowhere to be found. The Sheriff's department believes she's been murdered, and her boyfriend is the main suspect--but he's not talking. Thirteen hundred miles away an SUV slams into a house, its driver shot dead behind the wheel. Detectives soon have an ID on his shooter, but he's fled the state, and a manhunt is on.
After the First 48: House of Rage (Follow-Up)
A mother of five young boys is found shot to death in her Cleveland, Ohio apartment. A witness emerges, guiding detectives to a critical piece of evidence--and ultimately, a suspect. Going into trial, prosecutors think their case is airtight, but when their key witness falters on the stand, the veteran defense team is poised and ready to dismantle the prosecution's case.
After the First 48: The Ring/House of Pain
In Birmingham Alabama a mother of a two-year-old boy is found stabbed to death in her own bedroom. Investigators have a mystery on their hands when they learn the killer opened the victim's front door with a key and stole her diamond ring. In Cleveland Ohio, two 19 year-old men are shot and killed during a party at an abandoned house. All signs point to a good friend of the victims' as the shooter but no one actually saw him pull the trigger. With no DNA or murder weapon found, the state needs to convince a jury the defendant is a cold-blooded killer.
After the First 48: Prince of Darkness/Last Words
In Harris County Texas, a young mother of three daughters is found in her trailer with her throat slashed. Investigators arrest her alleged killer with the help of a key witness, but the defense turns the tables when the case goes to trial. And in Birmingham, Alabama, a popular man is shot blocks from his home, but manages to name the shooter but investigators need the help of witnesses to put away the killer.
After the First 48: Wild Ride/Jacked Up
In Cleveland, Ohio a grandfather of five is found brutally stabbed to death on a stranger's driveway. Investigators follow a trail that leads to a shocking motive for murder, and ends with a courtroom decision that surprises both defense and prosecution. And in Birmingham Alabama, a man is murdered in front of several witnesses, but for both police and prosecutor the simple case of cold-blooded murder becomes a cat and mouse game between the killer and justice.
After the First 48: Good Man Down
In Cleveland, Ohio, an aspiring police officer is gunned down during a vicious nightclub brawl, and it's all caught on tape. Investigators pore over more than 80 hours of surveillance footage, hoping to identify the triggerman, but the video doesn't show who fired the fatal shot. With so few witnesses willing to talk, the state needs to use the video to convince the jury of the events that led to this cold-blooded killing.
After the First 48: What Lies Beneath
One of the most bizarre The First 48 cases becomes a compelling After the First 48 special. When a body is discovered buried in a basement for six months in an Old Louisville home, the home's owner and his boyfriend are charged with murder. Each claims the other is responsible for the gruesome crime. In two separate trials, the shocking details of their life together come out. And all of Louisville wonders: What really happened in that house?
After the First 48: A Simple Plan
In Harris County, Texas, a 41-year-old woman is killed in her home by four masked men. Investigators have an idea of who did it, but need to get enough evidence to prove it. Then, when one of the defendants faces a jury, the defense turns the table and puts the Harris County Sheriff's department on trial.
After the First 48: Brutal Business
In the Dallas Neighborhood of Oak Cliff, two young men are shot in the head inside a drug house, their bodies found burned in the trunk of a car. Investigators scramble to find eyewitnesses to the crime and the three suspects, but at trial no one can say who pulled the trigger. It's up to the prosecution to paint a gruesome, vivid picture of this brutal crime in the hopes of securing a capital murder conviction.
After the First 48: Uncommon Valor
A 19-year-old with a criminal past comes face-to-face with a good Samaritan trying to save his friends, and a single gunshot sounds. With the legal system put to the test, will a killer be let loose on the Dallas streets, or spend life behind bars?
After the First 48: Trail of Evidence
In Harris County Texas, a 38-year-old man is stabbed to death in his own home leaving behind two children and his wife. Investigators track down the suspect thanks to surveillance video and some good old fashion detective work. But when the defendant claims self defense, the state must put together a case that will convince the jury the dead man was in fact the victim and not a predator.
After the First 48: Burned Alive
A woman is badly beaten, set on fire, and left to die in a trailer on the outskirts of Houston. Investigators discover that the assault was likely a revenge attack--by someone in the victim's inner circle. At trial, the prosecution has the ultimate witness, but the courtroom is stunned when the defendant takes the stand and tells his side of the story.
After the First 48: Into the Night
An attempted mugging turned to murder when a man stopping at a gas station for a lottery ticket and beer was shot and killed. With few leads to go on, detectives spent months hunting down the killers, finally arresting two young men from the neighborhood. At trial, reluctant witnesses and grainy security video bring the case down to one man, whose testimony about the night of the murder was a deciding factor in the case.
After the First 48: Burning Rage
In Birmingham, AL, a woman, her son and her young niece are stabbed more than 75 times then set on fire inside their apartment. Investigators zero in on the victims' relative. But at trial, the defense claims the suspect's IQ is too low to qualify for the death penalty. It would be up to the prosecution to paint a gruesome, vivid picture of this brutal crime to secure a capital murder conviction and the ultimate punishment.
After the First 48: Birthday Girl/Nightmare
In Cleveland, a 14-year-old girl was gunned down at her own birthday party when rival gangs opened fire. After interviewing eyewitnesses, detectives hunted down several suspects. But would the prosecutor be able to bring all of the defendants to justice? 1200 miles south, in Miami, a woman was shot over a dozen times during a drug deal gone wrong and lived to tell about it. When the woman identified the man who shot her and killed her boyfriend, Det. Manny Castillo hoped her story would be enough to convict a killer.
After the First 48: Love Thy Neighbor
An update on a case invovling a Texas man who was gunned down while coming to the aid of his neighbors, who were being robbed.
After the First 48: Easy Money
Update on a robbery at a Cleveland convenience store turns deadly when a store clerk is shot and killed.
After the First 48: Hot Ride
A youth minister is killed during a carjacking; a suspect in the crime turns on his accomplice; a last-minute change of heart impacts the case.
After the First 48: Cold Justice
Kentucky police reopen a murder case more than three decades old and use preserved DNA evidence to bring a suspect to trial.
After The First 48: Kiss of Death
Rochester, N.Y., investigators suspect a prostitute is not telling them the truth about her estranged husband's murder; two witnesses with credibility issues testify when the case goes to trial.
After the First 48: Deadly Dance
A tip provides valuable information in the case of a professional dancer who mysteriously vanished; the prosecution brings loads of evidence and an eyewitness to the trial.
After The First 48: Date Night
Four days before Christmas, a single mother of five is shot twice, dumped on an East Cleveland street, and run over by the killer. As the investigation moves forward, the victim's husband goes from grieving spouse to main suspect. His attorneys question the investigation, saying the state rushed to judgment. But what truly shocks the victim's family is a dark secret about her husband's past.
After The First 48: Murder Rap/New Year's Terror
A former gang member who dedicated himself to ending the violence in his neighborhood is shot dead; police hunt for the elusive culprits in a deadly home invasion.
After The First 48: Twice Told Tale
Prosecutors hope that a name mentioned during the last moments of a murder victim's life will be enough to convict the alleged killer.
After The First 48: The Rookie
Prosecutors work to convict the suspected shooter in a fatal robbery, but the defendant's violent reputation frightens potential trial witnesses.
Inside The Tape Special #8
After The First 48: Fool for Love/Crash
Detective Rick Duggan arrested two suspects for the murder of Leonel Valle. Now the justice system needed to determine which of them was most responsible - the girlfriend, Marsela Cortez, whose fingerprints were found on his empty safe, or her jealous ex-boyfriend, Gerardo Hernandez?
Dark Places
(removed from broadcast schedule)
The First 48 Presents Close to Home
Born and raised in Mobile, Alabama, Corporal Jermaine Rogers has deep roots in his city; covering three cases in which Rogers has a personal connection to the people involved in his investigations.
After the First 48: Crossroads
Two families cope with a tragedy that tears them apart after a man is gunned down in Tulsa, Okla., and left to die in the street alone.
After the First 48: Chain of Death
After the First 48: Spree Killer
After The First 48: Family First
After The First 48: Down a Dark Hallway
After The First 48: Tracked
In Gwinnett County, Georgia, after a hard-working father of three is murdered at his doorstep, his family and friends must process a horrifying betrayal in order to bring the killers to justice.
After The First 48: Old Wounds
In Tulsa, a 19-yr-old woman is killed in a drive-by shooting, but the bullet was meant for someone else. At trial, justice hinges on a witness with close ties to both the victim and the suspect.
After The First 48: Devil's Trail
When a homeless woman is raped and murdered, Tulsa detectives team up with prosecutors and the suspect's previous victim, hoping to stop him before he strikes again.
After The First 48: Trap House
Just before Christmas, a man is killed during an armed robbery gone wrong. Tulsa detectives and the District Attorney's Office will try and convince a jury to convict one of the armed men for murder, even if he didn't fire the fatal shot.
After The First 48: The Dark Trail
After a homeless man is ambushed and murdered on a dark trail in Tulsa, prosecutors and police struggle to track down their key witness, who is living on the streets--the victim's wife.
Blunt Force/Eye in the Sky
A 70-year-old Vietnam vet is found beaten to death in his home, where detectives discover cryptic, threatening letters; in New Orleans, Detective Amy Robinson works the case of a man shot in cold blood behind a convenience store. (Edited from previous episodes.)
No Warning/Over the Edge
In Tulsa, a young mother is gunned down in a convenience store by a shot-gun toting assailant; in Kansas City, a local business man is executed and Detective Jason Sutton looks to his employees for a motive. (No Warning is new; Over the Edge is edited from a previous episode.)
After The First 48: Rogue Gun
After The First 48: Truly Lost
Inside the Tape Special #10
After The First 48: Chat Trap
Gwinnett County detectives investigate the murder of an innocent fifteen-year-old, caught up in a petty crime. But how will the prosecution take on a witness who claims the shooter acted in self-defense?
After The First 48: Out of the Darkness
Detectives in Tulsa have only one witness to a domestic dispute that's escalated to a double homicide--a 12-year-old girl. At trial, their case hangs on this question: will she or won't she be able to testify?
After The First 48: Escape Plan
When Gwinnett County detectives find a mother stabbed to death, identifying her killer falls to her young son. But testifying at trial could be difficult for the child, putting the prosecution's case at risk.
After The First 48: Buried Secrets
A Mobile mother goes missing after blowing millions at the casino. At trial, the DA and detective take a gamble of their own to bring her killer to justice.
After The First 48: Close to Home
When a Tulsa man is killed by a bullet to the head, detectives discover guns hidden in the garage next door. The neighbor's role becomes a question in a case of cousin against cousin.
After The First 48: Mother of Two
When two boys find their mother in the back of her car, Tulsa detectives turn to her family for help catching her killer. But at the defendant's trial, his explosive testimony leaves the prosecution's case hanging on one key piece of evidence.
After The First 48: End of the Road
In Tulsa, a rookie detective is pushed to the brink searching for a beloved man who ultimately turns up brutally murdered. After a grinding two-year investigation, bringing the killer to justice could hang on the testimony of a jailhouse informant.
After The First 48: Backslide
When a Tulsa father of two is shot just blocks from his ex-girlfriend's house, detectives have to decide which of two persons of interest should be charged with his murder. But no sooner is the court case resolved than a conflicting account challenges the result.
After The First 48: Bloodline
After a former Marine is gunned down in broad daylight, Tulsa detectives must track down a family of three, suspected in the killing. But, at trial, justice hangs on whether the gunman and victim are actually who they appear to be.
After The First 48: One Good Deed
Tulsa detectives believe the victim of a shooting was a Good Samaritan who'd been robbed. But at trial, the jury must decide if his killer actually acted in fear of his own life.
After The First 48: Among Friends
Evidence at the crime scene leads detectives in Mobile to believe that a young victim was murdered by two gunmen. But a high-stakes trial leaves the jury wrestling with the question of whether one of the suspects could be found not guilty.
After The First 48: Lips Are Sealed
After a man is gunned down at an after-hours club, investigators and the prosecutor are left with no witnesses who are willing to say they saw the shooting; that leaves the case hanging on the defendant's claim to self-defense.
After The First 48: Cruel Intentions
In Mobile, a woman in a volatile relationship is found dead in her car. Detectives suspect her boyfriend, but, at trial, he takes the stand to brazenly claim she was actually the victim of a drug deal gone bad.
After The First 48: Flashing Colors
A massive, gang-related melee outside a nightclub leaves Gwinnett County detectives struggling to identify just who shot a young murder victim. And the death of one of the witnesses makes that challenge even harder for prosecutors.
After The First 48: Jealous Heart
When a Mobile mother of four is shot just blocks from her home, detectives look to her loved ones to identify her killer. But, at trial, his attorneys claim he acted in self-defense.
After The First 48: End Game
In Mobile, a professor is murdered in his own home. It takes a missing gaming console, and a strategic game of cat and mouse with the suspects, for detectives and prosecutors to get justice.
After The First 48: Friends & Enemies
When three people are gunned down in a Tulsa home, detectives face two suspects, and a web of lies. Prosecutors are left with circumstantial evidence to clinch the case against a calculated, cold-blooded killer
After The First 48: Murder in Mobile
When a transient man is gunned downed, the only eyewitness Mobile detectives have is also a suspect. At trial, reluctant witnesses, defendants pointing fingers at each other, and a surprise ruling from the judge leave a novice prosecutor struggling to clinch his case.
Raw Deal
In Gwinnett County, a beloved rapper is gunned down in a hail of bullets from a drive-by shooting. With little hard evidence, detectives and prosecutors need to rely on a tipster to testify--despite the risks--and bring the suspect to justice.
After The First 48: Ringside Seat
Tulsa homicide delves into a dark world of drugs and prostitution to solve the murder of a man executed in his car in a motel parking lot.
After The First 48: Vengeance
A man shoots four people in broad daylight, leaving Tulsa detectives, attorneys, and everyone impacted struggling to explain his mental state. His case hangs on the question, and on the heated reaction of the victims' families to the course of justice.
After The First 48: The Invitation
In Tulsa, a party becomes the scene of a murder. For investigators and prosecutors, the case is riding on two accomplices betraying their friends, despite the risks.
After the First 48: Freestyling
Tulsa detectives investigate how a young rapper was found shot dead on the street of an affluent suburban neighborhood. At trial, the defense accuses the prosecution's key eyewitness of pulling the trigger.
After the First 48: Thick as Thieves
After a violent melee leaves two young men brutally gunned down, Mobile detectives have to track down multiple suspects to piece together what happened. But without an eyewitness, the prosecution must rely on the defendants themselves to reveal the truth.
After the First 48: Secrets and Lies
When a vulnerable woman is shot to death, witnesses are hesitant to help Tulsa detectives clinch the case. At trial, the defense questions their reliability, and claims the prosecution has accused the wrong man.
After the First 48: Murder on Maiden Lane
In Atlanta, when a young father is gunned down, a rookie homicide detective draws from her own experience losing a family member to murder, to track down his killers. The prosecution's case hinges on a witness grappling with survivor's guilt, who goes missing.
After the First 48: Fatal Mistake
In Tulsa, there's little evidence and no clear motive after a beloved 24-yr-old is gunned down in the backseat of a car. It's up to his friends to help detectives and prosecutors deliver justice, in a tragic case of mistaken identity.
After the First 48: A Killer Fight
After a beloved Mobile man is gunned down in his front yard, conflicting eyewitness accounts leave detectives wondering if the suspect might have acted in self-defense. To find justice, the prosecution will need the community the victim stood up for to come forward at trial.
After the First 48: Meet Up for Murder
After an immigrant, lured by a woman, is beaten to death, Gwinnett County Police discover that one of the three suspects believes no one will care about him because he’s Mexican. The prosecution is determined to prove the assailant wrong, but justice hinges on one brother turning against another.
After the First 48: In A Lonely Place
After New Orleans detectives find a woman’s burned body in her car’s trunk, they discover that her desperate 911 call went unheeded. But her determined mother won’t be silenced, as she turns to prosecutors to bring her beloved daughter’s killers to justice.
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Sign In to Track ProgressThe First 48 Presents: Killer Verdict
In every murder trial, the prosecution and the defense present two radically different stories of what happened. In The First 48 Presents: Killer Verdict the viewers sit in the jury box and watch a real-life murder trial unfold. We get to decide which story to believe and reach our own verdict. In this episode, a shooting on a Florida beach leaves a beautiful young woman dead and her husband wounded with four gunshots. In a twist, the authorities arrest the most unlikely suspect--the surviving husband. During the trial, the defense argues they were simply the victims of a robbery gone wrong. The prosecution claims the husband killed April, then shot himself four times to fool investigators. These two dramatic stories play out in the courtroom, leaving everyone to wonder which story is true--and which story the jury will believe.
Update special 07
Update special 08
Update special 09
Update special 10
Update special 03
Update special 04
Killer speaks
Inside the Tape
Miami City Vice
In a spin-off from The First 48, this special features the most popular detective from the series, Joe Schillaci. He's passionate, crafty and charming, and uses all of these traits to track down the bad guys. Schillaci has just been promoted to Lieutenant and he has a brand new job heading up a high-profile special operations team called the "Jump Out Crew." This crime suppression unit primarily works in plain clothes or in disguise. Schillaci was a member for 7 years, until he left in 1992 after he was forced to kill a drug dealer who pulled a gun on his partner. This special will track his dramatic return to the team, now as it's leader and will also feature highlights from The First 48 as he reflects on his former job in homicide while transitioning into his new role.
The Fallen Angel
A rookie detective works on a case involving a teenage girl who was found naked and shot to death in Atlanta, and all of the homicide detectives help out to try to identify the girl and piece together her last hours of life. (This special repackages "The Fallen Angel" segments from the series "The First 48 Presents: Homicide Squad Atlanta".)
Season 19 First Look
A preview of the upcoming season of "The First 48."
After The First 48: Blindsided/Killing Spree
Now that some of our strongest cases have been adjudicated, we can take viewers inside the powerful and dramatic events that unfolded after the arrest, up to and including the conviction.
After The First 48: Silenced/Downstream Drifter
After The First 48: Blackout
After The First 48: Ashes and Snow/Backyard Murder
After The First 48: Bait and Switch
On a Sunday night in June 2007, Christian Marton and his girlfriend Monica Stafford drove two hours from Axtell, Texas to Dallas where Christian had arranged to buy a car. By the end of the evening, Christian was dead--shot in a robbery attempt. Lead Detective John Palmer and his partner, Armando Perez used both surveillance footage from a fast food restaurant and cell phone records to build a case against the man who planned the robbery. For the man who actually pulled the trigger, Palmer relied on both his fingerprint found at the scene of the crime and an id by Monica. Both men were charged with capital murder. The case went to trial in February of 2009.
After The First 48: Burden of Proof/Last Ride
On an early morning in 2007, in Detroit, Donald Udics and his wife, Barbara, were shot in their home by a man trying to rob them. Barbara died instantly. Don managed to call 911 and was rushed to the hospital. Officers Lance Sullivan and Charles Zwicker arrived at the crime scene and realized the killer had left in one of the Udics cars. The car had GPS and On Star, making it easy to locate. When police saw the vehicle, the driver attempted to avert arrest by speeding away. He ended up crashing into a telephone pole and then tried to make a run for it on foot. The suspect was apprehended and identified. A gun was found inside the vehicle, and ballistics testing confirmed that the gun was the same gun used to kill the victim and seriously wound her husband. The suspect was convicted of First-Degree Murder and sentenced to life in prison.
After The First 48: Last Fare
In March of 2008, Tucson Detectives Jennifer Whitfield and Mike Carroll were called to investigate the robbery/homicide of 27-year-old cab driver and father-to-be Timothy Royce. In what appeared to be a brutal and random crime with no leads, the case took a turn when detectives got a surprise tip to the whereabouts of their suspects. Within days of the crime, detectives were able to close their case, charging three suspects with first-degree murder and armed robbery. Over the next two years the defendants would face Tim's family in court. With the death penalty on the table, this update special filmed every hearing and trial in which the truth about Tim's final moments was revealed.
After The First 48: Disappeared/Red Handed
Now that some of our strongest cases have been adjudicated and many cases have some compelling new developments, we take viewers inside the powerful and dramatic events that unfolded after the arrest, up to and including the trial and conviction.
After The First 48: The Good Book
In November 2006, Dallas detectives investigated the murder of a twenty-nine-year-old mother of four, found burned beyond recognition in her car behind a remote warehouse. Detectives soon discovered that the victim's former boyfriend and father of her infant son, had been stalking her for months, leading up to her death. After tracking down two homeless witnesses and finding a piece of crucial evidence, police were able to charge James Bartley with capital murder. The Dallas DA's office was responsible for bringing the case to a close. In order to do that successfully, the prosecutor and her investigator had to keep close tabs on their key homeless witnesses for years, while the cased awaited trial. When Bartley finally stood trial in 2009, the prosecution worried the jury wouldn't believe the testimony of two homeless crack addicts and find the evidence insufficient to prove Bartley guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
After The First 48: Innocent Lost
In July of 2006, Miami detectives Rolando Garcia and Orlando Silva responded to the shooting death of nine-year-old Sherdavia Jenkins. After a three-week investigation, detectives were able to close their case, charging two men with second-degree murder. Three years later the two men would face Sherdavia's family in court. When one of the defendants agrees to testify against the other, the outcome is unexpected. Filmed by our cameras, the trial would heat up with contentious moments between the defense and lead detective Garcia.
After The First 48: Letter of Intent/Family Friend
In Dallas, Texas in 2007 Darell Billingsela was charged with brutally attacking and killing twenty-two-year old Jessica Lewalling in a jealous rage. Billingslea was a two-time convicted murderer out on parole. Prosecutor Jennifer Bennett was determined to make sure Billingslea would not slip through the system again. And, in February 2007, thirty-six-year old Antoine, "Tony" Hamilton was found shot dead, and left behind a vacant house. His friend, Carlos Mitchell, confessed to the crime. Prosecutor Jenni Morse thought she had a slam dunk case--until the verdict in a similar case shook her confidence in getting a conviction.
After The First 48: Gun Play/No-Tell Motel
Tucson, Arizona. Sixteen-year-old Derreck Burruss and his friends were walking home when they were confronted by two men. The older of the two pulled a gun and shot Derreck in the chest. Lead Detective Bill Hanson and his team arrested fifteen-year-old Raymond Godoy and his cousin, eighteen-year-old Anthony Encinas, for the crime. Derrecks mother, Lakia Culver, would have to face both men in court. And she would be shocked by the outcome of Godoy's hearing. Next, Dallas, Texas. At 12:45 a.m. on the south side of Dallas three men were shot in front of a hotel. Two of them were rushed to the E.R. and the third lay dead on the pavement. The victim was 22-year-old Ivan Rangel. Rangel's friends told lead detective Phil Harding they didn't recognize the men who shot Ivan. It was Rangel's sister who gave Harding his first lead. Her family had been drumming up information about the murder and she named two suspects. But will one walk without any solid evidence against him?
After the First 48: Bail Out
In Dallas, detectives investigated the shooting death of 26-year-old Daniel Barron, who was killed in the doorway of his home. Detectives soon discovered that the victim's residence doubled as a drug den and that he was robbed. A tipster called-in and eventually six suspects were arrested and charged with capital murder. All six individuals admit involvement in the crime and point to 19-year-old Callie Marshall, mother of two, as the group's ringleader. A year and a half later, Callie finally faces a jury of her peers. Will they see a confused girl who organized the robbery in order to bail her boyfriend out of jail in time for Christmas, or a coldblooded killer?
After The First 48: Drama at The Classic/50G Murder
On October 26, 2008, Birmingham homicide detectives were helping with crowd control at the Magic City Classic--a renowned football game between two of the oldest black colleges in Alabama. After working seventeen hours at the game, they were called out to investigate the shooting death of 21-year-old Kenny Wayne Holmes, shot while driving his car. They would eventually arrest the boyfriend of Kenny';s ex-girlfriend and the mother of his one-year-old daughter. The following year the boyfriend stood trial for capital murder. And, in August of 2006, Dallas homicide detectives were called to an illegal dentist office to investigate the shooting death of 67-year-old Jose Raul Diaz. They arrested Felipe Luna and Roberto Rosales for the murder. During his interrogation, Luna confessed to the murder--and said that Rosales had planned the crime, but backed out at the last moment. If convicted of capital murder, both men faced a sentence of life without parole.
After The First 48: Loose Ends
Detectives link Martin Seay to several killings--but he only goes on trial for one. The state's key witness is his former girlfriend, Kandi Hawkins. Hawkins was paralyzed from the neck down when Seay ordered a hit on her. Will her testimony be enough to convict the ruthless killer?
After The First 48: Fifteen
Fifteen-year-old Juanita Payne was killed outside a party by a stray round from an AK-47. Detectives arrest a man they are sure is the killer. But the case begins to fall apart soon after. Will the alleged killer walk free?
After The First 48: Shattered Dreams
In 2008 Mohamed Abdelrahman, a Darfurian immigrant, was shot and killed in his store during a robbery in Louisville. Det. Rick Arnold charged three suspects with his murder. When one defendant turns on the other two, the trial becomes every man for himself. Mohamed's widow, Sumaya Harun watches and worries that the jury will let her husband's alleged killers go free
After The First 48: Better Days/Inked in Blood
In Memphis, a 79-year-old man, beloved in his neighborhood, is shot dead. When the young man accused of the killing comes to trial, his defense attorney argues an unusual defense to get his client off. Will the jury buy it? Also in Memphis, a young female tattoo artist is killed in her shop. The alleged shooter faces the death penalty. As evidence mounts against him, his attorney wonders whether he can save his young client.
After The First 48: In Harm's Way
In 2009, John Craig Froelich, II was shot and killed while taking his girlfriend to buy drugs in south Houston. Sgt. Craig Clopton charged the shooter and his girlfriend with capital murder. Without forensic evidence, prosecutor Terrence Windham had to rely on three eyewitnesses who all had credibility issues. Would the jury believe them on the stand? Or would the shooter walk?
After The First 48: Cold As Ice
In January of 2009, Louisville resident Billy Wagner was killed in the street by a single bullet to the back of the head. After nearly two weeks, Det. Rick Arnold charged 20-year-old Gary Lindsey with murder, but the story was far from over. At trial, a young prosecutor faced off against a power veteran defense attorney. And the jury had to decide: Was the killing self-defense or murder?
After The First 48: Torched/Girl Fight
In Miami, Detective Freddie Ponce arrests a man who tortured and killed his childhood friend. The case is strong--until an unexpected event in the first days of trial puts the whole thing in jeopardy. In Birmingham, a young mother is killed in front of her children. The killer is a young woman with no criminal history. Will this unlikely defendant win the jury's sympathy--and a verdict of self-defense?
After The First 48: Tag Team/Heart of Gold
In Memphis, TN, Lt. Caroline Mason revisits the 2007 homicide of a 19-year-old man shot to death during a street fight that got out of hand. But when 26-year-old DeMario Thomas went to trial in 2009, the victim's mother surprised everyone. While in Louisville, KY, a prosecutor's case comes close to collapse when an unforeseen twist of fate threatens to let an alleged murderer walk.
After The First 48: Rules of The Game
When a popular local celebrity in Louisville is murdered during a drug deal, homicide detectives Brenda Wescott and John Lesher search for his killer. Lashawn "Shizz" Talbert created a popular dance called "The Shizz" In August, 2010 he was driven to a drug deal by a local club promoter named David Curd. They drove to a quiet neighborhood and met a dealer named Kenneth Brown. Brown claimed that Talbert robbed him at gunpoint. Detectives unravel the case and learn about the role of Curd. And in an exclusive interview after his trial, Brown claims self-defense.
After The First 48: Last Call/Road Hazard
A brutal shooting in Memphis leaves a single mom mourning her only son. The main suspect is a high-ranking gang member. Will his violent reputation keep witnesses from testifying? Then--a Birmingham motorist calls 911 in the middle of the night after his car is run off the road. But when responders arrive, they find the caller shot dead. A lone eyewitness steps forward, but will his testimony be enough to convince a jury to convict?
After The First 48: Cold and Callous/Wrong Man
In Harris County, Texas, an innocent fifteen year old is heartlessly murdered by another teenager during a robbery. But when witnesses to the crime are shown photos of the killer, they fail to identify him. Will he get away with murder? And in Memphis, Tennessee, an innocent bystander, trying to break up a fight is killed when he is caught in the crossfire. But the more police question the suspect in the shooting, the more he adamantly proclaims his innocence. Did the police actually have the wrong man?
After The First 48: Stolen Lives/Crimson Trail
In Miami, Florida, 25-year-old Pedro Roteta is stabbed in the middle of the street and left to die. Despite video of the murder and a confession the defense attempts to get immunity based on the controversial "Stand Your Ground" law. Will a judge let the suspect walk out of court a free man? And in Dallas Texas, a man is stabbed to death in an alley and the sole suspect disappears over the Mexican border. Then, after four years on the run, the alleged killed is finally arrested and claims self defense. Will a jury buy his story?
After The First 48: Devil Inside/Flight Risk
After a woman's dismembered body is found beneath an overpass in Tucson, Arizona, the suspect reveals a disturbing dark side--and shocks investigators with a revelation no one saw coming. Will the justice system deliver the ultimate punishment? Then, a weekend getaway in Dallas, Texas turns deadly when a woman is shot to death by her cousin's boyfriend. At trial, it's a game of he said, she said. But whom will the jury believe--the eyewitness or the suspect?
After The First 48: Bad Attitude
After an unidentified man's stabbed body is found in a vacant Dallas, Texas apartment, two suspects both admit to setting up the man for robbery--and blame each other for the murder. Will the prosecutor succeed in determining who indeed is the actual killer? And will justice be served with an appropriate prison sentence for both defendants, or will one get off easily?
After The First 48: Caught Up/Chasing Shadows
In two cases in Louisville, Kentucky, detectives arrested suspects whose actions were caught on videotape? But will the surveillance tapes help the prosecutor s case--or help the defendants walk free?
After The First 48: No Return
A beloved father of three is gunned down outside his home in Atascocita, Texas, during a robbery gone wrong. Investigators catch a lucky break with surprise piece of evidence. But when the two main suspects point the finger at each other, it's up to the prosecution to convince a jury that they're both guilty of capital murder.
After The First 48: Into The Woods
After a 17-year-old girl is found with a bullet through the back of her head in the woods of Katy, Texas, a young man comes forward who who claims to be an eyewitness. Investigators are shocked by the unusual deal he s made with the DA. Is the eyewitness telling the truth -- or is he involved in the murder? And will the prosecution convince the jury that the defendant is the real killer?
After The First 48: Murder on the Interstate/At Close Range
As the First 48 ran out on Phoenix detectives, 16-year-old Lonny Bassett stood accused of brutally killing his two friends with a shotgun. Would his claim to self-defense hold water or would the evidence detectives collected in the first 48 be enough to convince jurors of his guilt? In Miami, a minor altercation on the highway ended with a shooting that took the life of an innocent young man.
After The First 48: The Boogeyman
On March 26th, 2006, homicide detectives were called to the site of a burning car. Inside were the charred remains of 22-year-old Xenia Wilson, the mother of a four-year-old daughter. Detectives Rick Duggan and Randy Laboda closed the case by arresting three suspects: Jose "J.J" & Verduzco, Chito Rojas and Ismael "Boogeyman" Moreno. Verduzco and Rojas pled guilty and agreed to testify against Moreno. The trial would take turns that surprised both defendant and prosecutor. And the case itself would have a tragic postcript.
After The First 48: Return to Sender/Left Behind
In July of 2008, Dallas homicide detectives responded to a shooting on a dark service road on the south side of Dallas. The innocent victim, 19-year old Mikael Hudson, had been killed by a single gunshot fired from a vehicle in pursuit of he and his friends. The two suspects left a trail of evidence that ultimately led to their apprehension and arrest. Prosecutor Andrea Moseley was determined that both defendants would receive equal punishment. In August of 2005, Phoenix homicide detectives discovered the body of pregnant, 20-year old Virginia Rodriguez, who had been murdered, burned and then left to decompose in her apartment for over a week. For over two years detectives pursued her husband, the man they suspected of killing her, who had fled to his native country of Mexico with their two young children. He was finally caught and extradited to the US, but Prosecutor Treena Kay had concerns about getting a conviction.
After The First 48: Signs of Violence
One man was part of a love triangle, the other a complete stranger--both were murdered a week apart. Little did Louisville Homicide Detectives realize these two brutal homicides were linked, until they met Michael Knights and Jeston Murray. Were they both murderers or was one a witness? Both faced the death penalty but only one would go to trial.<
After The First 48: Last Yard
University of Memphis football star Taylor Bradford was killed in his beloved Lincoln Town Car. At first police thought the motive was robbery. Then as they investigated, a love triangle emerged. Finally four men were charged with Bradford's murder. The first to go on trial wasn't even at the crime scene. Could prosecutors convince a jury to find him guilty of murder?
After The First 48: Lester Street
In September of 2010, Jessie Dotson went on trial for one of the worst mass murders in Memphis history. He wasn't accused of killing strangers--he was brother, friend and uncle to the six people he'd allegedly murdered and three surviving children he'd allegedly beaten and stabbed. Even seasoned detectives were horrified by the bloody crime scene. Now, all of Memphis wanted an answer to the same question: How could only one man be responsible for such brutal carnage? (2 hours.)
After The First 48: Torn
In February of 2009, 21-year-old James "Jamo" Allen was gunned down outside of a Louisville, Kentucky housing project. After discovering that his ex-girlfriend knows the truth about the crime, detectives work quickly to track down the alleged killer and elicit a confession from him. Nearly two years later, what should have been a straightforward trial goes haywire when a detective stumbles on the stand and the defense calls a surprise witness. Will justice be served or will the confessed murderer go free?
After The First 48: Final Investment
When a robbery goes bad in south Memphis, one man is dead and very little physical evidence is left at the scene. Detectives track down several witnesses, but the one person who saw the shooting was a 10-year-old boy. Fast forward five years to a dramatic murder trial. The witness is now 15 and well aware of the dangers of testifying. Will he do the right thing? Or not...
After The First 48: Hale Storm
A Louisville, Kentucky family awakes before dawn as a barrage of gunfire rips through their home. When the smoke clears, three teenage boys are bleeding from bullet wounds. One would not survive. The lives of two others would be forever altered. Now, a family friend with violent tendencies stands trial for the shooting, but a lack of eyewitnesses threatens to derail the whole case. Will a jury find him guilty or will the angry suspect walk free?
After The First 48: Bad Company
On a warm, clear night in the desert near Lake Mead, the body of a man--shot dead--was found in the middle of the road. When Las Vegas Metro homicide detectives began investigating the death, they had no idea the case would lead them to a conspiracy that involved five people. Or that it would take six years to bring down the man behind the murder.
After The First 48: John Doe
An unidentified man is gunned down in the Southside of Louisville, Kentucky. With no ID on the victim and few leads, detectives are stymied. It takes an unexpected tip to crack the case. But if prosecutors hope to convict the man s killer they ll need to convince his three frightened co defendants to testify against him.
After The First 48: The Witness
In Liberty City, Miami a well-liked husband and wife are brutally murdered in an ambush shooting. The eyewitness to the crime is the couple s ten-year-old daughter. She is the only thing linking the suspect to the crime. It s up to her to sway the jurors as she gives an emotional testimony in the hopes of putting her parents killer behind bars.
After The First 48: Brother's Blood
When a Honduran immigrant is found stabbed to death in his Miami apartment, his brother claims it was a suicide. But as investigators dig deeper, all evidence points to the surviving brother. His attorney claims self-defense, citing Florida's stand your ground law--but the prosecution fights hard to send the defendant to trial, and ultimately, to prison.
After the First 48: Friends for Life
In Cleveland Ohio, the body of a dead male is found in the middle of a cold, dark street. With little to go on, Homicide investigators are shocked when a witness comes forward to not only say he saw the shooting, but the victim was killed by his life long best friend. More surprises and dark truths come out months later when the case goes to trial. Did the defendant kill his best friend in cold blood, or is the witness withholding information?
After the First 48: Cold Light of Day
In Cleveland, Detectives Mike Smith and Walley Everett investigate the murder of a young woman who's body is burned beyond recognition. A key witness comes forward who leads them to the suspect. But when the case moves to court, the key witness could become the prosecution's main liability.
After the First 48: Dumped
In Memphis, Tennessee a man's body is found dumped in a field. Despite every effort, the case goes cold and the murderer remains a mystery. For six years the victim's father investigates the murder on his own, trying to find out who killed his son. When an unexpected tip leads to the arrest of a close friend of the victim, the victim's family worries that there is not enough evidence to put the murderer away for life. And the details of the brutal killing are finally revealed in court.
After the First 48: Missing/Deadly Ride
In Harris County, Texas investigators are called to an abandoned SUV, its interior covered in blood. The vehicle's owner, a 20-year-old single mother, is nowhere to be found. The Sheriff's department believes she's been murdered, and her boyfriend is the main suspect--but he's not talking. Thirteen hundred miles away an SUV slams into a house, its driver shot dead behind the wheel. Detectives soon have an ID on his shooter, but he's fled the state, and a manhunt is on.
After the First 48: House of Rage (Follow-Up)
A mother of five young boys is found shot to death in her Cleveland, Ohio apartment. A witness emerges, guiding detectives to a critical piece of evidence--and ultimately, a suspect. Going into trial, prosecutors think their case is airtight, but when their key witness falters on the stand, the veteran defense team is poised and ready to dismantle the prosecution's case.
After the First 48: The Ring/House of Pain
In Birmingham Alabama a mother of a two-year-old boy is found stabbed to death in her own bedroom. Investigators have a mystery on their hands when they learn the killer opened the victim's front door with a key and stole her diamond ring. In Cleveland Ohio, two 19 year-old men are shot and killed during a party at an abandoned house. All signs point to a good friend of the victims' as the shooter but no one actually saw him pull the trigger. With no DNA or murder weapon found, the state needs to convince a jury the defendant is a cold-blooded killer.
After the First 48: Prince of Darkness/Last Words
In Harris County Texas, a young mother of three daughters is found in her trailer with her throat slashed. Investigators arrest her alleged killer with the help of a key witness, but the defense turns the tables when the case goes to trial. And in Birmingham, Alabama, a popular man is shot blocks from his home, but manages to name the shooter but investigators need the help of witnesses to put away the killer.
After the First 48: Wild Ride/Jacked Up
In Cleveland, Ohio a grandfather of five is found brutally stabbed to death on a stranger's driveway. Investigators follow a trail that leads to a shocking motive for murder, and ends with a courtroom decision that surprises both defense and prosecution. And in Birmingham Alabama, a man is murdered in front of several witnesses, but for both police and prosecutor the simple case of cold-blooded murder becomes a cat and mouse game between the killer and justice.
After the First 48: Good Man Down
In Cleveland, Ohio, an aspiring police officer is gunned down during a vicious nightclub brawl, and it's all caught on tape. Investigators pore over more than 80 hours of surveillance footage, hoping to identify the triggerman, but the video doesn't show who fired the fatal shot. With so few witnesses willing to talk, the state needs to use the video to convince the jury of the events that led to this cold-blooded killing.
After the First 48: What Lies Beneath
One of the most bizarre The First 48 cases becomes a compelling After the First 48 special. When a body is discovered buried in a basement for six months in an Old Louisville home, the home's owner and his boyfriend are charged with murder. Each claims the other is responsible for the gruesome crime. In two separate trials, the shocking details of their life together come out. And all of Louisville wonders: What really happened in that house?
After the First 48: A Simple Plan
In Harris County, Texas, a 41-year-old woman is killed in her home by four masked men. Investigators have an idea of who did it, but need to get enough evidence to prove it. Then, when one of the defendants faces a jury, the defense turns the table and puts the Harris County Sheriff's department on trial.
After the First 48: Brutal Business
In the Dallas Neighborhood of Oak Cliff, two young men are shot in the head inside a drug house, their bodies found burned in the trunk of a car. Investigators scramble to find eyewitnesses to the crime and the three suspects, but at trial no one can say who pulled the trigger. It's up to the prosecution to paint a gruesome, vivid picture of this brutal crime in the hopes of securing a capital murder conviction.
After the First 48: Uncommon Valor
A 19-year-old with a criminal past comes face-to-face with a good Samaritan trying to save his friends, and a single gunshot sounds. With the legal system put to the test, will a killer be let loose on the Dallas streets, or spend life behind bars?
After the First 48: Trail of Evidence
In Harris County Texas, a 38-year-old man is stabbed to death in his own home leaving behind two children and his wife. Investigators track down the suspect thanks to surveillance video and some good old fashion detective work. But when the defendant claims self defense, the state must put together a case that will convince the jury the dead man was in fact the victim and not a predator.
After the First 48: Burned Alive
A woman is badly beaten, set on fire, and left to die in a trailer on the outskirts of Houston. Investigators discover that the assault was likely a revenge attack--by someone in the victim's inner circle. At trial, the prosecution has the ultimate witness, but the courtroom is stunned when the defendant takes the stand and tells his side of the story.
After the First 48: Into the Night
An attempted mugging turned to murder when a man stopping at a gas station for a lottery ticket and beer was shot and killed. With few leads to go on, detectives spent months hunting down the killers, finally arresting two young men from the neighborhood. At trial, reluctant witnesses and grainy security video bring the case down to one man, whose testimony about the night of the murder was a deciding factor in the case.
After the First 48: Burning Rage
In Birmingham, AL, a woman, her son and her young niece are stabbed more than 75 times then set on fire inside their apartment. Investigators zero in on the victims' relative. But at trial, the defense claims the suspect's IQ is too low to qualify for the death penalty. It would be up to the prosecution to paint a gruesome, vivid picture of this brutal crime to secure a capital murder conviction and the ultimate punishment.
After the First 48: Birthday Girl/Nightmare
In Cleveland, a 14-year-old girl was gunned down at her own birthday party when rival gangs opened fire. After interviewing eyewitnesses, detectives hunted down several suspects. But would the prosecutor be able to bring all of the defendants to justice? 1200 miles south, in Miami, a woman was shot over a dozen times during a drug deal gone wrong and lived to tell about it. When the woman identified the man who shot her and killed her boyfriend, Det. Manny Castillo hoped her story would be enough to convict a killer.
After the First 48: Love Thy Neighbor
An update on a case invovling a Texas man who was gunned down while coming to the aid of his neighbors, who were being robbed.
After the First 48: Easy Money
Update on a robbery at a Cleveland convenience store turns deadly when a store clerk is shot and killed.
After the First 48: Hot Ride
A youth minister is killed during a carjacking; a suspect in the crime turns on his accomplice; a last-minute change of heart impacts the case.
After the First 48: Cold Justice
Kentucky police reopen a murder case more than three decades old and use preserved DNA evidence to bring a suspect to trial.
After The First 48: Kiss of Death
Rochester, N.Y., investigators suspect a prostitute is not telling them the truth about her estranged husband's murder; two witnesses with credibility issues testify when the case goes to trial.
After the First 48: Deadly Dance
A tip provides valuable information in the case of a professional dancer who mysteriously vanished; the prosecution brings loads of evidence and an eyewitness to the trial.
After The First 48: Date Night
Four days before Christmas, a single mother of five is shot twice, dumped on an East Cleveland street, and run over by the killer. As the investigation moves forward, the victim's husband goes from grieving spouse to main suspect. His attorneys question the investigation, saying the state rushed to judgment. But what truly shocks the victim's family is a dark secret about her husband's past.
After The First 48: Murder Rap/New Year's Terror
A former gang member who dedicated himself to ending the violence in his neighborhood is shot dead; police hunt for the elusive culprits in a deadly home invasion.
After The First 48: Twice Told Tale
Prosecutors hope that a name mentioned during the last moments of a murder victim's life will be enough to convict the alleged killer.
After The First 48: The Rookie
Prosecutors work to convict the suspected shooter in a fatal robbery, but the defendant's violent reputation frightens potential trial witnesses.
Inside The Tape Special #8
After The First 48: Fool for Love/Crash
Detective Rick Duggan arrested two suspects for the murder of Leonel Valle. Now the justice system needed to determine which of them was most responsible - the girlfriend, Marsela Cortez, whose fingerprints were found on his empty safe, or her jealous ex-boyfriend, Gerardo Hernandez?
Dark Places
(removed from broadcast schedule)
The First 48 Presents Close to Home
Born and raised in Mobile, Alabama, Corporal Jermaine Rogers has deep roots in his city; covering three cases in which Rogers has a personal connection to the people involved in his investigations.
After the First 48: Crossroads
Two families cope with a tragedy that tears them apart after a man is gunned down in Tulsa, Okla., and left to die in the street alone.
After the First 48: Chain of Death
After the First 48: Spree Killer
After The First 48: Family First
After The First 48: Down a Dark Hallway
After The First 48: Tracked
In Gwinnett County, Georgia, after a hard-working father of three is murdered at his doorstep, his family and friends must process a horrifying betrayal in order to bring the killers to justice.
After The First 48: Old Wounds
In Tulsa, a 19-yr-old woman is killed in a drive-by shooting, but the bullet was meant for someone else. At trial, justice hinges on a witness with close ties to both the victim and the suspect.
After The First 48: Devil's Trail
When a homeless woman is raped and murdered, Tulsa detectives team up with prosecutors and the suspect's previous victim, hoping to stop him before he strikes again.
After The First 48: Trap House
Just before Christmas, a man is killed during an armed robbery gone wrong. Tulsa detectives and the District Attorney's Office will try and convince a jury to convict one of the armed men for murder, even if he didn't fire the fatal shot.
After The First 48: The Dark Trail
After a homeless man is ambushed and murdered on a dark trail in Tulsa, prosecutors and police struggle to track down their key witness, who is living on the streets--the victim's wife.
Blunt Force/Eye in the Sky
A 70-year-old Vietnam vet is found beaten to death in his home, where detectives discover cryptic, threatening letters; in New Orleans, Detective Amy Robinson works the case of a man shot in cold blood behind a convenience store. (Edited from previous episodes.)
No Warning/Over the Edge
In Tulsa, a young mother is gunned down in a convenience store by a shot-gun toting assailant; in Kansas City, a local business man is executed and Detective Jason Sutton looks to his employees for a motive. (No Warning is new; Over the Edge is edited from a previous episode.)
After The First 48: Rogue Gun
After The First 48: Truly Lost
Inside the Tape Special #10
After The First 48: Chat Trap
Gwinnett County detectives investigate the murder of an innocent fifteen-year-old, caught up in a petty crime. But how will the prosecution take on a witness who claims the shooter acted in self-defense?
After The First 48: Out of the Darkness
Detectives in Tulsa have only one witness to a domestic dispute that's escalated to a double homicide--a 12-year-old girl. At trial, their case hangs on this question: will she or won't she be able to testify?
After The First 48: Escape Plan
When Gwinnett County detectives find a mother stabbed to death, identifying her killer falls to her young son. But testifying at trial could be difficult for the child, putting the prosecution's case at risk.
After The First 48: Buried Secrets
A Mobile mother goes missing after blowing millions at the casino. At trial, the DA and detective take a gamble of their own to bring her killer to justice.
After The First 48: Close to Home
When a Tulsa man is killed by a bullet to the head, detectives discover guns hidden in the garage next door. The neighbor's role becomes a question in a case of cousin against cousin.
After The First 48: Mother of Two
When two boys find their mother in the back of her car, Tulsa detectives turn to her family for help catching her killer. But at the defendant's trial, his explosive testimony leaves the prosecution's case hanging on one key piece of evidence.
After The First 48: End of the Road
In Tulsa, a rookie detective is pushed to the brink searching for a beloved man who ultimately turns up brutally murdered. After a grinding two-year investigation, bringing the killer to justice could hang on the testimony of a jailhouse informant.
After The First 48: Backslide
When a Tulsa father of two is shot just blocks from his ex-girlfriend's house, detectives have to decide which of two persons of interest should be charged with his murder. But no sooner is the court case resolved than a conflicting account challenges the result.
After The First 48: Bloodline
After a former Marine is gunned down in broad daylight, Tulsa detectives must track down a family of three, suspected in the killing. But, at trial, justice hangs on whether the gunman and victim are actually who they appear to be.
After The First 48: One Good Deed
Tulsa detectives believe the victim of a shooting was a Good Samaritan who'd been robbed. But at trial, the jury must decide if his killer actually acted in fear of his own life.
After The First 48: Among Friends
Evidence at the crime scene leads detectives in Mobile to believe that a young victim was murdered by two gunmen. But a high-stakes trial leaves the jury wrestling with the question of whether one of the suspects could be found not guilty.
After The First 48: Lips Are Sealed
After a man is gunned down at an after-hours club, investigators and the prosecutor are left with no witnesses who are willing to say they saw the shooting; that leaves the case hanging on the defendant's claim to self-defense.
After The First 48: Cruel Intentions
In Mobile, a woman in a volatile relationship is found dead in her car. Detectives suspect her boyfriend, but, at trial, he takes the stand to brazenly claim she was actually the victim of a drug deal gone bad.
After The First 48: Flashing Colors
A massive, gang-related melee outside a nightclub leaves Gwinnett County detectives struggling to identify just who shot a young murder victim. And the death of one of the witnesses makes that challenge even harder for prosecutors.
After The First 48: Jealous Heart
When a Mobile mother of four is shot just blocks from her home, detectives look to her loved ones to identify her killer. But, at trial, his attorneys claim he acted in self-defense.
After The First 48: End Game
In Mobile, a professor is murdered in his own home. It takes a missing gaming console, and a strategic game of cat and mouse with the suspects, for detectives and prosecutors to get justice.
After The First 48: Friends & Enemies
When three people are gunned down in a Tulsa home, detectives face two suspects, and a web of lies. Prosecutors are left with circumstantial evidence to clinch the case against a calculated, cold-blooded killer
After The First 48: Murder in Mobile
When a transient man is gunned downed, the only eyewitness Mobile detectives have is also a suspect. At trial, reluctant witnesses, defendants pointing fingers at each other, and a surprise ruling from the judge leave a novice prosecutor struggling to clinch his case.
Raw Deal
In Gwinnett County, a beloved rapper is gunned down in a hail of bullets from a drive-by shooting. With little hard evidence, detectives and prosecutors need to rely on a tipster to testify--despite the risks--and bring the suspect to justice.
After The First 48: Ringside Seat
Tulsa homicide delves into a dark world of drugs and prostitution to solve the murder of a man executed in his car in a motel parking lot.
After The First 48: Vengeance
A man shoots four people in broad daylight, leaving Tulsa detectives, attorneys, and everyone impacted struggling to explain his mental state. His case hangs on the question, and on the heated reaction of the victims' families to the course of justice.
After The First 48: The Invitation
In Tulsa, a party becomes the scene of a murder. For investigators and prosecutors, the case is riding on two accomplices betraying their friends, despite the risks.
After the First 48: Freestyling
Tulsa detectives investigate how a young rapper was found shot dead on the street of an affluent suburban neighborhood. At trial, the defense accuses the prosecution's key eyewitness of pulling the trigger.
After the First 48: Thick as Thieves
After a violent melee leaves two young men brutally gunned down, Mobile detectives have to track down multiple suspects to piece together what happened. But without an eyewitness, the prosecution must rely on the defendants themselves to reveal the truth.
After the First 48: Secrets and Lies
When a vulnerable woman is shot to death, witnesses are hesitant to help Tulsa detectives clinch the case. At trial, the defense questions their reliability, and claims the prosecution has accused the wrong man.
After the First 48: Murder on Maiden Lane
In Atlanta, when a young father is gunned down, a rookie homicide detective draws from her own experience losing a family member to murder, to track down his killers. The prosecution's case hinges on a witness grappling with survivor's guilt, who goes missing.
After the First 48: Fatal Mistake
In Tulsa, there's little evidence and no clear motive after a beloved 24-yr-old is gunned down in the backseat of a car. It's up to his friends to help detectives and prosecutors deliver justice, in a tragic case of mistaken identity.
After the First 48: A Killer Fight
After a beloved Mobile man is gunned down in his front yard, conflicting eyewitness accounts leave detectives wondering if the suspect might have acted in self-defense. To find justice, the prosecution will need the community the victim stood up for to come forward at trial.
After the First 48: Meet Up for Murder
After an immigrant, lured by a woman, is beaten to death, Gwinnett County Police discover that one of the three suspects believes no one will care about him because he’s Mexican. The prosecution is determined to prove the assailant wrong, but justice hinges on one brother turning against another.
After the First 48: In A Lonely Place
After New Orleans detectives find a woman’s burned body in her car’s trunk, they discover that her desperate 911 call went unheeded. But her determined mother won’t be silenced, as she turns to prosecutors to bring her beloved daughter’s killers to justice.