In 1988 in Colorado Springs, Mary Lynn Vialpando, age 24, was raped and murdered. 30 years later, detectives link the crime scene DNA to James Papol. In May 2021, now age 48, Papol pleaded guilty and was sentenced to 60 years in prison.

A man found stabbed and burned launches Lt. Joe Kenda on a manhunt; when the trail goes cold, Kenda connects the dots among a string of otherwise-unrelated heartless murders, leading him into his first and only search for a serial killer.

The dead body of Darlene Krashoc is found dumped behind a restaurant in Colorado in March 1987, victim of torture and sexual assault.