The First 48

Detectives Mike McCleery and Bob Bachelder investigate the murder of a promising high-school senior, shot to death the week before Christmas, and stuffed in the trunk of his car, 25 miles from home.

This special, two hour program features several well known First 48 detectives retelling the most haunting cases from their careers. Through interviews, dramatic recreations, and real case materials, these true crime stories from Memphis, Minneapolis, and Broward County will bring the viewer closer than ever to the personal and professional challenges faced by some of the most veteran First 48 investigators.

New Orleans Detective Ryan Vaught investigates a gruesome and horrific murder: a grandmother and her four-year-old grandson shot in her bedroom, leaving the grandmother dead and the four-year-old struggling to survive.

In New Orleans, a man is ambushed in front of his grandmother’s house. Detectives Jeffrey Vappie and Tim Bender suspect a woman close to the victimthe victim may have arranged the shooting, but they need hard evidence to prove it–and quickly, before it’s too late.

In Cleveland, a man is gunned down at home in front of his family just a few days before Christmas. Detectives Tom Armelli and Bob Ford must delve into the dangerous business of drug dealing to hunt down the killers.

In Dallas, when a young father is gunned down in front of his house, Detective Steve David discovers that the victim had a secret that may have led to his murder. Then, in Cleveland, a mother is found strangled and burned in her kitchen, but Detectives Nate Sowa and Ray Diaz have no witnesses and little evidence to track down her killer.

In Dallas, a young father is shot dead outside a bar, and the killer is caught is caught on video. But can detectives find someone to ID him? Then, in Cleveland, a mother of six is gunned down on her birthday, leaving her family devastated and the homicide team desperate to figure out who pulled the trigger.

In Cleveland, after a beloved neighbor is murdered in his own home, Detective Art Echols is on the hunt for a killer who may be closer than he thinks. Then in Dallas, after a robbery that left one man dead and another severely wounded, Detective Steve David needs to track down two killers before they strike again.

In New Orleans, when a mother of five is found bound and executed in a vacant lot, Detectives Mike McCleery and Bob Bachelder race to piece together the final hours of her life to catch her vicious killer–before he strikes again.

In New Orleans, Detective Maggie Darling is on the hunt for the killers who gunned down a recent high school graduate. Then in Dallas, Detective Steve David races to identify a woman found shot and dumped on the side of the highway before the killer’s trail goes cold.