Cold Case Files is a reality legal show/documentary on the cable channel A&E Network and a rebooted series. It is hosted by Bill Kurtis and the original series produced by Tom Golden. The show documents the investigation of many long-unsolved murders (referred to as "cold cases" in detectives' parlance) through the use of modern forensic science (especially recent advances in DNA techniques), and criminal psychology, in addition to recent breakthroughs in the case(s) involving previously silent witnesses.
On January 19, 2017, Blumhouse Television, AMPLE Entertainment and A&E revived the series for a ten-episode run. The well received reboot features highly cinematic recreations and music. The new episodes first began airing on February 27, 2017.[1] Actor Danny Glover took over for Kurtis as narrator for this new 10-episode series.[2] Kurtis later returned. On August 20, 2021, after a four-year hiatus, the series returned with a new season on A&E, again with Kurtis as the host.[3]
Overview
According to A&E, the show has been widely praised by law enforcement agencies, and its investigative reports are commonly used in the training of detectives.[4]
Cold Case Files first aired as a sub-series of another A&E crime documentary program, Investigative Reports, also hosted by Bill Kurtis, which ran from 1991 to 2011. Reruns of the original 1997 series currently air on broadcast syndication in the United States, usually in lower-profile time slots, and on many RTV stations.
The Blumhouse Television, AMPLE Entertainment reboot aired its first episode on A&E on February 27, 2017.[1] The complete first season was streamed on Hulu on January 1, 2018,[5] and later on Netflix on September 15, 2019.[6]
Some episodes of the series have now been adapted into a podcast of the same name, "Cold Case Files," hosted by Brooke Gittings and featuring the voice of the original Cold Case files host, Bill Kurtis. The podcast is part of the PodcastOne podcast network in conjunction with A&E.
Episode list
Season 1 (1999)
No. overall
No. in season
Title
Original release date
1
1
"Hour 1"
January 1, 1999 (1999-01-01)
"A Fingerprint and a Prayer": The murder of Felicia Prechtl by Karl Chamberlain"My Brother the Killer""Murder of Bob Crane""Verdict Reversed"
2
2
"The Boy and the MonsterSecret in the Cellar"
January 8, 1999 (1999-01-08)
"The Boy and the Monster": The murder of Doris Ann McLeod."Secret in the Cellar": The murder of Pearl Bruns.
3
3
"The Texas DrifterThe Fingerprint File'Rose' Among Thorns"
January 15, 1999 (1999-01-15)
"The Texas Drifter": Rapist Lester Don Parks."The Fingerprint File": The murder of Beverly Eller."Rose Among Thorns": The murder of Juliet Rowe.
4
4
"The Answer in the BoxMaternal Instinct"
January 23, 1999 (1999-01-23)
"The Answer in the Box": The murder of Alison Parrott."Maternal Instinct": The murders of Seth and Tegan Davis by their mother Marybeth Davis.
5
5
"The Hunter HomicidesThe Skulls Of Stanley Park"
January 29, 1999 (1999-01-29)
"The Hunter Homicides": The murders of Don Hill and Gregory Allan Wood"The Skulls Of Stanley Park": Skulls are found in 1953 belonging to still-unidentified boys in Stanley Park; in the 1990s, another two skulls, belonging to Ramsey Rioux and Kenneth Lutz, were found in Stanley Park.
"Presumed Dead": The murder of Tracy Jo Shine."The Tow Truck Killer": The murder of Deputy Sheriff William D. Simmons.
18
18
"Portrait of a KillerThe Tortured Truth"
April 30, 1999 (1999-04-30)
"Portrait of a Killer": The investigation into the 1974 disappearance of Michelle Wallace is aided by NecroSearch, who finally identifies Roy Melanson as the perpatrator."The Tortured Truth"
19
19
"Vanished"
May 7, 1999 (1999-05-07)
"Vanished": The murders of Jennie Hicks, Jerilyn Towers, and Lynn Willette by James R. Hicks
20
20
"The Missing and the Dead"
May 14, 1999 (1999-05-14)
The murder of Jean Marie "Annie" McLeod Tahan
21
21
"Silent WitnessInnocence Lost"
May 21, 1999 (1999-05-21)
"Silent Witness": The murder of Dr. Helena Margaret Greenwood."Innocence Lost": The South Bay Rapist – Billy Lee Mayshack.
22
22
"Frozen in TimeLittle Girl Lost"
May 28, 1999 (1999-05-28)
"Frozen in Time": The murder of Denise Anette Huber."Little Girl Lost": The murder of Holly Lee Blake.
"Operation Jambalaya": A New Orleans police officer solves the murder of Marilyn Allen at Camp Pendleton."Footprints in the Snow": the murder of Thomas "Tommy" Bolchen.
26
2
"The South Side Rapist"
January 8, 2000 (2000-01-08)
27
3
"Mark of a KillerDead Ends"
January 15, 2000 (2000-01-15)
"Mark of a Killer": Suspected serial killer Alfred Swinton is convicted of murdering Carla Terry via bite marks on her body."Dead Ends": Murder of 18-year-old Jamie Ellen Weiss by soon-to-be husband, Billy Justin Charles.
28
4
"The Baiting Game"
January 22, 2000 (2000-01-22)
29
5
"Ticket to NowhereThe Paper Route"
January 29, 2000 (2000-01-29)
"Ticket to Nowhere": The murder of Diane Chorba"The Paper Route": The murder of Bertha Neaman
30
6
"Traces of MurderThe Bathtub Killer"
February 5, 2000 (2000-02-05)
"Traces of Murder": The murder of Enrique Elizarbe"The Bathtub Killer": The murders of Michelle LaFond and Dina Kichler
"In the Care of a Killer": Babysitter Tawny Sue Gunter is suspected of killing a toddler, Billy Deon Blankenship, III, in 1990 after a second child, Mariah Lynn Sisco, dies in her care in 1998."Deadly Lies": James Kent Hill is convicted of killing Frank Ross in 1986, after Ross's body was found in a lake.
The murders of Alice, Susie, Wayne, and Patti Huling, Marlys Wohlenhaus, and Diane Edwards.
36
12
"The Widow and the WolfUnicorns and Alligators"
March 19, 2000 (2000-03-19)
"The Widow and the Wolf": A woman suspects that her boyfriend murdered her aunt, Gertrude McCabe, in 1983."Unicorns and Alligators": Joseph Kondro is suspected of killing 8-year-old Rima Traxler in 1985 and 12-year-old Kara Patricia Rudd in 1996.
37
13
"Vintage MurderTrouble in Paradise"
March 26, 2000 (2000-03-26)
"Vintage Murder": Dawn Magyar is found raped and shot to death in 1973. "Trouble in Paradise": The murder of Pegye Jann Bechler
38
14
"The Perfect MurderDeath of the Innocents"
April 2, 2000 (2000-04-02)
"The Perfect Murder": The murder of Kay Sybers"Death of the Innocents": The remains of two infants born to Susan Connell are found in an abandoned mobile home.
39
15
"The Unluckiest ManThe Deadly Triangle"
April 9, 2000 (2000-04-09)
"The Unluckiest Man": Serial arsonist John Veysey murdered his wife, Patricia DeBruyne Kemp Veysey."The Deadly Triangle": The murder of Walter Brown
40
16
"Cat and MouseFinal Fare"
April 16, 2000 (2000-04-16)
"Cat and Mouse": The murder of Alma Nappier"Final Fare": The murder of cabbie John Orner
41
17
"The Cuff LinkGraveyard Shift"
April 23, 2000 (2000-04-23)
"The Cuff Link": The murder of Jeanette Kirby by David Draheim"Graveyard Shift": The murder of Tracy Benge Sewell
42
18
"The Good SamaritanGun Shy"
April 30, 2000 (2000-04-30)
"The Good Samaritan": The murder of Horst Eppenbach, Sr."Gun Shy": The murder of Abby Niebauer
43
19
"A Map To MurderLife on the Run"
May 7, 2000 (2000-05-07)
"A Map To Murder": Serial killer Maury Travis"Life on the Run":Richard Gordon Bannister
44
20
"Soft KillUnsolved"
May 14, 2000 (2000-05-14)
"Soft Kill": Richard Evonitz is sought in connection of the rape and murders of multiple underage girls."Unsolved": The story of the unsolved abduction and murder of Cindy Wanner in 1991.
45
21
"License To KillThe Tell-Tale MarkThe Supermarket Mystery"
May 21, 2000 (2000-05-21)
"License To Kill": The murders of Doreen Moorby and Helen Ferguson"The Tell-Tale Mark": The murder of Amado Hermosillo"The Supermarket Mystery": The murder of Mary Lloyd
Theresa Knorr is suspected in the murders of two of her daughters, and her third daughter finally convinces police to reopen two cold cases.
49
25
"A Sealed FateDeadly Divorce"
June 18, 2000 (2000-06-18)
"A Sealed Fate": Clyde Carl Wilkerson is convicted of murder as DNA links him to two 37-year-old cold cases."Deadly Divorce": Larry Britt is finally convicted of murdering his ex-wife 24 years earlier after DNA from blood found in his truck is matched to her.
On June 10, 1975, Leslee Larson is hiking through Wolf Creek, Montana with her husband, Dennis Larson. A short two hours later, Dennis Larson is asking for help from other Montana locals, claiming that his wife has fallen into the creek.
53
4
"The Merry WidowThe Bad Cop"
January 22, 2001 (2001-01-22)
"The Merry Widow" describes how a woman arranges the murder of her husband to obtain insurance money."The Bad Cop" covers an attempt by a former state trooper to disguise a murder as a suicide.
"Daddy Knows Best" reveals a child-molesting father who killed his wife and nearly got away with it."Dawn of the Dead" pursues the murder of a gas attendant on his first day at work in San Jose, California.
"Death Before I Do": After being tipped to the police by his fiancé, Michael Schultz is convicted for raping and strangling Cindy Berger."Hollywood Homicide": After almost getting away with two murders, Kenneth Dean Hunt is convicted of raping and killing two elderly women, Myra Davis and Jean Orloff, 10 years apart.
Minneapolis police search for a murderer who calls 911 and leaves weepy-voiced confessions.
64
15
"Blood on the BadgeBump in the Night"
April 9, 2001 (2001-04-09)
65
16
"The Lady KillerA Husband's Secret"
April 16, 2001 (2001-04-16)
66
17
"Mistaken for a KillerA Woman Scorned"
April 23, 2001 (2001-04-23)
"Mistaken for a Killer""A Woman Scorned"
67
18
"The Missing HuntersThe Flashlight Rapist"
April 30, 2001 (2001-04-30)
"The Missing Hunters": David Tyll and Brian Ognjan vanished after failing to return from a hunting trip in 1985.
68
19
"Cowboys on the CaseOffice Politics"
May 7, 2001 (2001-05-07)
"Cowboys on the Case": Four retired lawmen (nicknamed the "Cold Case Cowboys") trace a rendezvous with murder with the help of a convict.A rape-robbery in Lookingglass, Oregon was solved when one of the perps bragged about his involvement, but his partner disappeared—for 23 years!
69
20
"The Flaming Gorge FallsCaught in the Mail"
May 14, 2001 (2001-05-14)
"The Flaming Gorge Falls": A man is suspected of killing his family by pushing them off a cliff in 1996."Caught in the Mail": A 13-year-old girl is murdered in Seattle in 1982 and DNA on an envelope may lead to her killer.
70
21
"Murder Checks InKiller in the City"
May 21, 2001 (2001-05-21)
"Murder Checks In": Three women raped and killed in Iowa hotels. Police have a prime suspect in the serial killer case: Donald Piper."Killer in the City": A frightened Bronx woman is stabbed 39 times, but the suspect claims self-defense.
71
22
"The Shopping Cart Killer"
May 28, 2001 (2001-05-28)
New York denizen Arohn Kee is a lesser known serial killer, but no less odious. He preyed on teenage girls in Harlem.
"Love Triangle""2nd Story Rapist": A California district attorney uses an unprecedented legal strategy—a "John Doe" warrant—to solve a rape case.
76
2
"The Calling CardCarol's Diary"
January 8, 2002 (2002-01-08)
"The Calling Card": Donald Sigsbee is convicted of killing Regina Reynolds after accidentally leaving his business card near the scene of her body."Carol's Diary": 16-year-old Carol Hutto's homicide is a cold case for over 20 years until James Kuenn confesses under the threat of DNA evidence.
"Friend of the Family": After 18 years, Manny Pacheco is convicted of murdering his 11-year-old friend, Angela Wong."Remains of Murder": James Crummel reports finding the remains of 13-year-old Jamey Trotter during a hike, and six years later police arrest him for abducting, molesting, and murdering Jamie 15 years earlier.
79
5
"Under a SpellJustice for Lisa"
January 29, 2002 (2002-01-29)
"Under a Spell": Francisco del Junco confesses to killing and torching four homeless women."Justice for Lisa": After 23 years, Stephen Robert Smith confesses to killing 6-year-old Lisa after DNA links him to the murder.
80
6
"A Man ScornedThe Dungeon"
February 5, 2002 (2002-02-05)
"A Man Scorned": Archie Talley is convicted of murdering Elizabeth Herrington, after seeing her with his ex-lover."The Dungeon": John Jamelske kidnapped multiple women and held them in a concrete bunker behind his home.
81
7
"A Killer Named KornThe Night Watchman"
February 12, 2002 (2002-02-12)
"A Killer Named Korn": Donald Korn is convicted of the 1974 rape and murder of Mildred Ruth Doench, and the assault and rape of Dorothy Hendren in 1975."The Night Watchman": Security guard Dimas Garcia is murdered by a local car thief, Steven Peace.
A serial killer is suspected of killing five women in Orange County, California in 1978 and 1979, and of another crime that a man was falsely convicted of.
"The Bitemark": Forensic dentistry is the key to solving a teen's murder, using a photo of a bite mark on the arm of child killer Wayne Garrison."Justice for Eglena": 15-year-old Eglena Deleon is murdered by Guadalupe Sandoval less than a block from a Diez y Seis de Septiembre celebration.
85
11
"Sex, Lies and Murder"
March 12, 2002 (2002-03-12)
The episode describes the investigations that lead to the arrest of John Edward Robinson, the "Internet slave master".
86
12
"The MonsterA Cousin's Promise"
March 19, 2002 (2002-03-19)
"The Monster": Charles Vines is caught raping a 16-year-old, and his DNA links him to the rape and murders of two elderly women. "A Cousin's Promise": Darlene Hines's murderer, James Mertini, is only sentenced to five years in prison.
"The Well": An elderly man is murdered and tossed into his well in 1996, and his stolen guns lead to his killers."The Deadly Ex": When a young mother's body is found beaten to death in her car's trunk in October 1988, her ex-husband is suspected of the crime.
89
15
"Déjà VuSecret in the Well"
April 9, 2002 (2002-04-09)
"Déjà Vu""Secret in the Well"
90
16
"The TourniquetBurning Desire"
April 16, 2002 (2002-04-16)
"The Tourniquet": The murders by Anthony Allen Shore."Burning Desire": After being linked by fingerprints to the death of Andrea Born, Kevin Mitchell points a finger at his friend, J. L. Travis, as the murderer.
"Smoky Mountain Mystery": In April 1979, 41-year-old Harriet Simmons heads to Nashville for a weekend road trip. Eleven months later in Buncombe County the Sheriff's Office finds her skeletal remains."A Drop of Blood": Terry Hyatt
97
23
"Rear WindowThe Peeper"
June 4, 2002 (2002-06-04)
"Rear Window": A 23-year-old fails to show up for work, and police find her body. A suspect emerges, but getting a DNA sample requires finesse."The Peeper": A neighborhood with a peeping Tom is shocked when a man is murdered and assaulted. Clues include DNA and a footprint. Fourteen years later the assailant is caught during another 'peep' job.
98
24
"The ClosersCaught by an Eyelash"
June 11, 2002 (2002-06-11)
"The Closers": Edmund Marr is suspected of killing Elaine Graham, but isn't convicted until 22 years later."Caught by an Eyelash": James Suknaich is connected to the murder of prostitute Kiva Bible by a single eyelash found on Bible's sock.
99
25
"Kidnapped"
June 18, 2002 (2002-06-18)
The parents of Chad Choice, a missing 8-year-old boy in Tyler, Texas, receive a grisly package containing his skull.
One of the most prolific serial killers in U.S. history, dubbed "The Green River Killer," confessed to murdering dozens of women in the Seattle area. Dave Reichert had reopened the case after being elected sheriff and succeeded in solving the case thanks to scientific advances.
A special on the BTK Killer who murdered 10 people in Wichita, Kansas between 1974 and 1990.
102
3
"Death of a DeaconA Wife's Mission"
January 14, 2006 (2006-01-14)
"Death of a Deacon": A deacon suspected of having an affair is found shot to death in Tijuana."A Wife's Mission": A woman claims she was assaulted by the man that killed her husband.
Police in Michigan hope to link Carl Watts to two murders in 1974 and 1979 before he is released from a Texas prison.
105
6
"Caught on TapeA Son Remembers"
February 11, 2006 (2006-02-11)
106
7
"On the Case: Nacole's Killer"
February 18, 2006 (2006-02-18)
Atlanta police detectives attempt to solve the 1995 rape and murder of Nacole Smith.
107
8
"Killer on CampusThe Bow Hunter"
April 2, 2006 (2006-04-02)
"Killer on Campus": A college student is murdered in a cemetery in 1969."The Bow Hunter": A hunter is murdered in 1993.
108
9
"Something SnappedA Killer's Dream"
April 7, 2006 (2006-04-07)
109
10
"Daddy DearestA Pastor's Wife"
May 6, 2006 (2006-05-06)
"Daddy Dearest": Estanislao Gonzalez is convicted nine years after murdering his wife and two teenage daughters."A Pastor's Wife": Pastor Rick Pulley convicted of killing his wife after scratches on his body connect him with her disappearance.
110
11
"A Killer's SkinWhere's Peggy?"
June 3, 2006 (2006-06-03)
"A Killer's Skin": Violent serial killer Raymon McGill is convicted of over a dozen rape-murders spanning over a decade, after accidentally leaving skin cells at the site of a robbery. After he is convicted, police discover there may be an accomplice."Where's Peggy": Peggy Reome's body is found in a storage unit in Clay, New York, 14 years after she was reported missing.
111
12
"Innocence StolenDanger at the Door"
July 8, 2006 (2006-07-08)
"Danger at the Door": Laura Arroyo
112
13
"The InterrogationThe Slide"
July 15, 2006 (2006-07-15)
113
14
"The TauntDeath in Deadwood"
July 29, 2006 (2006-07-29)
"The Taunt": A rapist/murderer's taunting postcard provides DNA to identify him."Death in Deadwood": Deadwood, South Dakota uses the FBI fingerprint database to locate "Outlaw," an elusive hippie who bashed David Rose to death with a 70-pound boulder in 1982.
114
15
"On the Case: A Child Remembers"
August 12, 2006 (2006-08-12)
One detective checks into a rapist/murderer's background, which includes the death of an 11-year-old girl and photos of children. The detective finds out if there are more than the victims the killer has been convicted of. The same detective meanwhile reopens an unsolved domestic killing which ends with the uniting of siblings who didn't know each other existed.
The 1947 murder of actress Elizabeth Short, the oldest unsolved case in L.A.
116
17
"The Deadly StrollUnholy Secret"
September 23, 2006 (2006-09-23)
117
18
"A Deadly AffairThe Sting Operation"
September 30, 2006 (2006-09-30)
"A Deadly Affair" leads to a dead husband in Olathe, Kansas, unsolved for over 20 years."The Sting Operation" catches a drugstore robber who killed an officer in Beebe, Arkansas.
118
19
"NCISExhuming the Truth"
October 7, 2006 (2006-10-07)
"NCIS": Federal agents reopen the 1968 disappearance of a navy ensign who was labeled a deserter."Exhuming the Truth": An Illinois college student is raped and murdered in 1981.
119
20
"Cross Country ConnectionEyes at the Window"
October 21, 2006 (2006-10-21)
DNA links sexual assaults in Florida to a woman murdered in California in 1988.
120
21
"Abandoned HousesA Son's Memory"
October 28, 2006 (2006-10-28)
121
22
"A Knock at the DoorShattered"
November 18, 2006 (2006-11-18)
122
23
"A Deadly PatternA Desperate Housewife"
November 18, 2006 (2006-11-18)
123
24
"Murder He WroteCaught by the Past"
October 21, 2006 (2006-10-21)
A Michigan taxi company owner is murdered outside his home in 1989.
124
25
"Evidence Kit"
October 28, 2006 (2006-10-28)
125
26
"Left for DeadOn the Case"
November 18, 2006 (2006-11-18)
"Left for Dead": Fingerprints on a beer bottle connect two suspects, Andre Robinson and Adrian Sutherland, to the murder of a prostitute, Pamela Shelley."On the Case": Two Kansas City police detectives solve the separate homicides of Linda Winfield and John Sehanchuk using DNA evidence.
Season 6 (2017)
No.
Title
Original air date
1 (126)
"Little Girl Lost"
February 27, 2017 (2017-02-27)
Halloween in a small town is cancelled indefinitely when a young girl named Shauna Howe is kidnapped and killed on her way home from a costume party. Note: First appearance of Danny Glover as narrator.
2 (127)
"Killings on Christmas Eve"
March 6, 2017 (2017-03-06)
The Cold Case of Minnie and Ed Maurin who were murdered on Christmas Eve in 1985.
3 (128)
"She Never Came Home"
March 13, 2017 (2017-03-13)
The case of a gruesome stabbing death of a bullied teenager, Tina Faelz, remains unsolved for 27 years.
4 (129)
"Sweethearts, Silenced"
March 16, 2017 (2017-03-16)
High School Sweethearts Tim Hack and Kelly Drew (both 19) are reported missing after a night of dancing in Wisconsin. Their bodies are found days later in the woods.
5 (130)
"A Family Cursed"
March 20, 2017 (2017-03-20)
Two unsolved murders of loved ones, Zilphia Lowery and Jeremiah Pittman, plague a family; detectives uncover a hidden crime scene that may help solve the 13-year-old cold case.
6 (131)
"The Night Shift"
May 25, 2017 (2017-05-25)
College student Brad Perry shows up to work his graveyard shift at the gas station and is never seen alive again.
7 (132)
"Officer Down"
June 1, 2017 (2017-06-01)
The murder of Sheriff's Lt. Joe Clark was the longest-running cold case in the United States involving a law enforcement officer.
8 (133)
"Circle of Friends"
June 8, 2017 (2017-06-08)
When 18-year-old Shannon Siders' body is found in the woods, everyone in the small town of Newaygo, Michigan, becomes a suspect—but no one is convicted of the crime.
9 (134)
"A Family Secret"
June 15, 2017 (2017-06-15)
A 17-year-old girl, Jessica Dishon, from a small Kentucky town goes missing, then is found strangled two weeks later; a police investigation into the crime uncovers a terrible family secret.
10 (135)
"A Killer Slips Away"
June 29, 2017 (2017-06-29)
Two decades after a close-knit family's loving aunt, Anna Mae Florence, is stabbed in her home, detectives return to the crime scene and discover a pivotal clue hidden in plain view.
Season 7 (2021)
No. overall
No. in season
Title
Original release date
136
1
"The Voice in the Lake"
August 21, 2021 (2021-08-21)
The 2000 murder of 31-year-old real estate appraiser Mike Williams in the Florida swamps
137
2
"Devil at the Door"
August 27, 2021 (2021-08-27)
The murder of 36-year-old computer programmer Lisa Valdez.
138
3
"Missing in Altoona"
September 3, 2021 (2021-09-03)
The 1999 murder of Sherry Leighty
139
4
"The School Teacher"
September 10, 2021 (2021-09-10)
The 1992 murder of 25-year-old schoolteacher Christy Mirack
The first ten episodes were made available to stream on Hulu on January 11, 2024.[7] The episodes were later broadcast on A&E beginning with "Money Moguls and Murder" on November 15, 2024.[8]
No. overall
No. in season
Title
Original release date
169
1
"A Killer Confession"
January 11, 2024 (2024-01-11)
In 1993, the town of Redding, California is rocked by the disappearance of Frank McAlister, who only leaves behind a blood-stained car. 25 years will pass before someone makes a stunning on-air confession.
170
2
"Good Girl Gone"
January 11, 2024 (2024-01-11)
When 19-year-old Tara Sidarovich goes missing from her Punta Gorda, Florida home in 2002, police consider her a runaway. Then her body turns up in a swamp. Shocking prison recordings will send detectives on a nationwide hunt for her killer.
171
3
"Who Killed My Father"
January 11, 2024 (2024-01-11)
In 1974, 34-year-old Freddie Farah is gunned down in his Jacksonville, Florida grocery store, police urgently seek his killer. Four decades later, Farah's son will have a chance encounter with a cold case detective which brings the case back to life and exposes a killer.
172
4
"Damn His Soul to Hell"
January 11, 2024 (2024-01-11)
The 1964 murder of 9-year-old Marise Chiverella leaves the town of Hazleton, Pennsylvania in fear. An intense manhunt yields numerous suspects but no killer. Five decades pass before a student moonlighting as a genetic genealogist reignites the case.
173
5
"Money, Moguls and Murder"
January 11, 2024 (2024-01-11)
In 1977, 23-year-old nurse Deborah Clark is found brutally killed in her Coral Gables, Florida home. Detectives unearth an affair, a jilted wife, and a web of money and power, but no true suspect. It will take 40 years and advanced DNA testing to expose her killer.
174
6
"Evil in Huntington Beach"
January 11, 2024 (2024-01-11)
When the body of a woman turns up in a field in Huntington Beach, California in 1968, police simultaneously seek a killer and the identity of the victim herself. It takes 52 years for detectives to solve this dual mystery and expose a vicious predator.
175
7
"The Smoking Gun"
January 11, 2024 (2024-01-11)
A 2007 cold case resurfaces when a detective reopens the investigation into the brutal killing of 20-year-old Audrey Giannotti, in Laureldale, Pennsylvania. Uncovering hidden secrets, he races against time to bring justice to a family desperate for answers.
176
8
"A Bullet to the Heart"
January 11, 2024 (2024-01-11)
When 36-year-old night manager Rodney Castin is gunned down in the lobby of his hotel in 2000, detectives scour Marietta, Georgia for his killer. Almost two decades pass before an informant's shocking testimony breaks the case wide open.
177
9
"Viciously Murdered"
January 11, 2024 (2024-01-11)
When 22-year-old Susan Schwarz is found shot to death in her Lynnwood, Washington apartment in 1979, police suspect a robbery gone wrong. 32 years pass before a witness reveals a much darker motive that breaks the case wide open and leads to her killer.
178
10
"Death of a Baseball Mom"
January 11, 2024 (2024-01-11)
When beloved mother and sister Janora Stevens is found brutally stabbed in her Tulsa, Oklahoma home in 1987, her family is bitterly divided and increasingly suspicious of each other. The case chills until a trail of tell-tale fibers leads cops to her killer.
179
11
"Sooner State Nightmare"
December 27, 2024 (2024-12-27)
A massive search unfolds in Chandler, Oklahoma when two women and a child go missing from a parking lot in 1992. It will take 23 years and a tip from an unlikely source to piece together a heinous plot of misdirection and murder.
180
12
"Blood Red Snow"
January 24, 2025 (2025-01-24)
When 19 year-old Chris Green is found beaten to death near Bangor, Michigan in 2002, his family fear their son's murder will never be solved. Years pass before shocking revelations from an informant emerge and blow the case wide open.
181
13
"The Evil Among Us"
January 31, 2025 (2025-01-31)
When 8-year-old April Tinsley is found dead in a Fort Wayne, Indiana ditch, the community is shaken. Disturbing letters then appear, penned by her killer, targeting other young girls. Police scramble to catch April's murderer before he strikes again.
182
14
"No Known Enemies"
February 7, 2025 (2025-02-07)
When 81-year-old Helen Gale is found in her burned-out car, investigators of Southfield, Michigan wonder who would murder this pillar of the community. It will be eight years before a blown alibi brings them face-to face with her killer.
183
15
"Contracted to Kill"
February 21, 2025 (2025-02-21)
When 37-year-old Lee Rotatori is found dead in her hotel room in 1982 with a single stab wound to the heart, police suspect the work of a professional. It will take four decades to identify her killer and, in the process, reveal a shocking truth.
184
16
"A Dawn to Remember"
February 28, 2025 (2025-02-28)
When 18-year-old Dawn Koons heads to Bakersfield, California with dreams of stardom, her family back in Yonkers, New York worry she's made a mistake. When her body is found in her bathtub police have a suspect but unmasking her killer takes nearly 40 years.
185
17
"The Campfire Mint Murder"
March 7, 2025 (2025-03-07)
When 9-year-old Candy Rogers turns up dead after selling mints door-to-door, Spokane, Washington detectives launch a dogged campaign to find her killer. What follows is one of the longest Cold Case investigations in the State history.
Specials
Cold Case Files: The Rifkin Murders (2023)
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1
1
"Part 1"
September 30, 2023 (2023-09-30)
Documents the real-time cold case investigation into the two unidentified victims of Joel Rifkin, the most prolific serial killer in New York State history.
1
2
"Part 2"
September 30, 2023 (2023-09-30)
Cold Case Files: The Grim Sleeper (2024)
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1
1
"Part 1"
November 8, 2024 (2024-11-08)
Explores the crimes of elusive serial killer Lonnie Franklin who preyed on vulnerable women over a span of 25 years. Narrated by Regina Hall.
1
2
"Part 2"
November 8, 2024 (2024-11-08)
Spin-off series
Cold Case Files: DNA Speaks (2023)
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1
1
"A Fatal Path"
August 17, 2023 (2023-08-17)
When 14-year-old Nacole Smith is brutally murdered in 1995 on a wooded path in Atlanta, the police and community rally around her mother as she seeks justice. It will take decades and a second brutal assault to finally reveal her killer.
2
2
"A Deadly Heist"
August 17, 2023 (2023-08-17)
When 26-yeard old Minerva Cantu is found lifeless in her Lake Worth, Florida home, police suspect robbery as the motive. But who killed this mother as her infant slept in the next room is a mystery that would haunt one detective for 20 years.
3
3
"Horror in the Dark"
August 17, 2023 (2023-08-17)
When teens Llianna Adank and Eric Goldstrand are found shot to death at a Eugene, Oregon park in 1977, every parent's nightmare comes true. Detectives doggedly pursue leads for 40 years.
4
4
"Justice for Mary"
August 17, 2023 (2023-08-17)
23-year-old Mary Scott is found murdered in her San Diego home in 1969. A case with few leads quickly loses steam. Years later, Mary's daughters grow determined to find answers.
5
5
"Fought Like Hell"
August 17, 2023 (2023-08-17)
In 1982, the blood-smeared car of 27-year-old Stefanie Watson was found in a Laurel, Maryland parking lot. Her family hold out hope she's still alive. When a jawbone is dumped in a neighborhood, a missing person's investigation becomes a murder.
6
6
"A Deadly Premonition"
August 17, 2023 (2023-08-17)
When 31-year-old Linda Slaten is strangled in her Lakeland, Florida, home, a complex web of suspects emerges. The 1981 case takes a dramatic turn when a DNA hit exposes the sinister underbelly of a seemingly peaceful community.
7
7
"Killed for the Cash"
August 17, 2023 (2023-08-17)
In 2002, 58-year-old gas store owner Subir Chatterjee was shot inside his check cashing booth. With the murderer's DNA in hand, one detective refuses to retire until the case is solved.
8
8
"Deadly Web of Lies"
August 17, 2023 (2023-08-17)
When 47-year-old Scott Martinez is found murdered in his La Mesa, California home, investigators can't tell who is telling the truth within his inner circle. It takes 13 years and an advance in DNA analysis to find his killer.
9
9
"Death Downstream"
August 17, 2023 (2023-08-17)
In 1993, the battered body of 16-year-old Shawna Yandell was found floating in a river near Yakima, Washington. Detectives first suspect those closest to her. The case grew cold until new DNA technology revealed a callous killer that no one suspected.
10
10
"Death of a Yellow Rose"
August 17, 2023 (2023-08-17)
When 30-year-old Susan Woods is found drowned in her tub in Stephenville, Texas, suspicion falls on her estranged husband. With a suspect's DNA in hand, detectives go back to the basics to unmask a killer cowboy living in plain sight.
When 13-year-old Krystal Jean Baker is found dead beneath a bridge in Texas City, Texas investigators are stumped. The quest to track down her killer will take investigators 14 years, and lead to a new law.
2
2
"The Devil in Hammond"
January 3, 2025 (2025-01-03)
When a young mother, 26-year-old Selonia Reed is found brutally murdered in her car, detectives turn over every rock around Hammond, Louisiana in search of her killer. Selonia's case languishes for more than 30 years before justice is finally served.
3
3
"Lost Soul in Lafayette"
January 10, 2025 (2025-01-10)
In 2008, the body of free-spirited Bonnie Ruphard is discovered by a jogger in a wooded area of Lafayette, Louisiana. The case sits for a decade until DNA places a sprawling Bayou family under the microscope for her murder.
4
4
"Horror in Starkville Mississippi"
January 17, 2025 (2025-01-17)
When Betty Jones and Kathryn Crigler are brutally attacked in a 1990 home invasion, the tiny community of Starkville, Mississippi, is left living in fear. Decades pass and a detective devotes himself to cracking the case using new technology.
5
5
"Evil in Cajun Country"
January 24, 2025 (2025-01-24)
The town of Alexandria, Louisiana is rocked when the body of 19-year-old Courtney Coco is found dumped 200 miles away in Winnie, Texas. The case cools until a retired homicide detective, turned podcaster, discovers her killer hiding in plain sight.
6
6
"Monster in Bayou Pigeon"
January 31, 2025 (2025-01-31)
In 1991, 29-year-old Curtis "Cochise" Smith, heads out for diapers in Plaquemine, Louisiana and vanishes. 25 later, a body surfaces in the bayou and his murder case reignites. A local with a long rap sheet becomes the prime suspect.
In 2001, 31-year-old Pam Shelly is found in her Cuero, Texas bathroom with a fatal gunshot wound to the head. Her death is initially ruled a suicide. Yet a tenacious investigator's instincts and his suspicion of foul play eventually cracks the case wide open.
2
2
"Thou Shalt Not Kill"
February 28, 2025 (2025-02-28)
When 52-year-old Dan Lavigne is shot dead on his porch in Rapelje, Montana, 2002, deputies find no shortage of suspects. What follows is an 8-year quest for justice that stretches across three states before police finally unmask his killer.
3
3
"Rocky Mountain Murder"
March 7, 2025 (2025-03-07)
In 2005, 43-year-old Carolyn Jansen is found dead, stuffed into a duct-taped container in Aurora, Colorado. Forensics and a fearless DA will finally reveal her murderer after years.
4
4
"Murder in the City of Saints"
March 14, 2025 (2025-03-14)
When beloved 64-year-old Sherry Black is murdered in her rare-books store in Salt Lake City, investigators suspect theft as the motive. The case goes cold until her daughter teams with a wily investigator to bring her killer to justice.
5
5
"Lovers, Lies and Canyon Murder"
March 21, 2025 (2025-03-21)
In 1987 28-year-old Carol Murphy is found dead in a wooded area of Boulder, Colorado. It will take 20 years and a new technology to finally solve her murder.
6
6
"The Death of Lavender Doe"
March 28, 2025 (2025-03-28)
When a woman's burning body is found in an oil field in 2006, the rural community of Kilgore, Texas and a determined lawman do everything to solve her case. It takes 13 years to ID Lavender Doe and nab her callous killer.
Outstanding Nonfiction Series (2005) nomination: Michael Harvey (executive producer), Laura Fleury (executive producer), Tania Lindsay (supervising producer), Michael West (supervising producer), Mary Frances O'Conner (producer), Bill Kurtis (host)
Outstanding Nonfiction Series (2004) nomination: Laura Fleury (executive producer), Michael Harvey (supervising producer), Mike West (producer), Bill Kurtis (host)
