Four of The First 48's female homicide detectives are highlighted in four condensed stories: in Memphis a confrontation turns deadly, in Cincinnati a single mother is torn between work and home, in Tulsa a family dispute takes a dark turn, and in Atlanta an interrogation room interview turns emotional.

In Atlanta, the gruesome rape and murder of two women in an abandoned house haunts investigators. In New Orleans, detectives embark on a sprawling investigation to identify the suspects who drowned a local couple. And in Harris County, TX, a woman who was burned alive fights to survive, so she can identify her assailants.