The First 48 Presents Critical Minutes

We revisit three cases from the First 48 archive where families are left shattered by their loved ones’ acts of violence. First, a woman in Tulsa faces a terrible choice after her fiance is shot dead by her own son. Then, a tip from a suspect’s family member helps unravel a Tucson cab driver’s brutal murder. Finally, Cleveland detectives hunt for a man accused of murdering the mother of his child.

Three cases from The First 48 archive where confrontations went from heated to deadly in the blink of an eye. In Tulsa, an encounter on the street escalates into gunfire, leaving a mother dead. Then, in Dallas, a case of brutal overkill takes detectives by surprise. And in Mobile, a security guard at a bar becomes a target for revenge.

In Miami, when a retired police captain is shot in broad daylight, Miami PD launches a massive investigation that leads them all the way to New Jersey. Then, a young corrections officer and her two-year old son are shot dead in their Miami home, sending investigators on an emotional search for answers. And in New Orleans, when one of their own is executed in cold blood, detectives race to stop the suspect before more blood is shed.

We revisit three cases from The First 48 archive that expose the dark and deadly side of love. First, love turns lethal when a Tulsa couple’s argument escalates to double murder. Then, investigators discover jealousy may be the motive behind a man’s stabbing death. And finally, a love triangle ends in murder.

Three cases from The First 48 archive where cameras were the best witness. First, in Tulsa, surveillance captures a group of people en route to a deadly shooting. Then, in Harris County,Texas, a turf war heats up as the camera looks on. Finally, in Cleveland, a brawl in front of six cameras leaves a hardworking father dead.

In New Orleans, a double-shooting on Bourbon Street leaves only one survivor and the hope he can name the suspect. In Birmingham, when a young man and his girlfriend are shot in his home, only she survives. Detectives must determine if the suspects she named are indeed the killers. And in Gwinnett County, when a man stabbed more than 20 times survives, detectives must await his recovery to get answers.

We revisit three cases from The First 48 archive where disputes escalated to violence, and ultimately ended in homicide. First, a vengeful shooting spree in Tulsa leaves 2 slain. Then, a young mother in Dallas intervenes in a domestic dispute and pays with her life. Finally, a Tulsa man visits his ex-girlfriend and winds up dead.

Three cases from The First 48 archive where friends turned into enemies. First, in Cleveland, a backyard hangout turns deadly in broad daylight. Then, in Tulsa, a young man risks his life to save a friend’s. Finally, in Gwinnett County, Georgia, a family man is killed by those he trusted most.

Three Tulsa cases where the suspects are female. A killer unknowingly leads detectives to a body. An innocent mother is viciously murdered with a butcher knife. Then, a homeless couple is taken in by a friend, but when he ends up dead, the woman makes a fateful choice.

Three cases from the First 48 archive follow investigations into the deaths of innocent people who happened to cross paths with a killer. First, a Dallas retiree is found mysteriously stabbed to death in his own bed. Then, a grisly murder outside a local Cincinnati bar sends shockwaves among its patrons. Finally, a father is ambushed and gunned down in a restaurant parking lot in Tulsa.

Three cases from The First 48 archive where witnesses bravely shared case breaking information. First, in Dallas, a young woman found executed in a field is tied to another recent murder. Then, in Tulsa, footage from a double shooting in a motel reveals an important eyewitness. Finally, in Atlanta, after a gang related shooting a community must decide if they are going to fight back.

In Tulsa, detectives rely on DNA evidence to track down the killer of a homeless woman who was raped, strangled to death, and thrown into a dumpster. In Harris County, investigators debunk a suspect’s self-defense argument based on with a footprint located on the victim’s back that suggests he was shot execution style. And back in Tulsa, detectives follow forensic clues after a beloved grandfather is gunned down.