The Weekly Drop: January 12-18, 2026 New True Crime Premieres & Episodes
- The Emerald Sleuth
- Jan 10
- 12 min read
Updated: Jan 18
Welcome back, couch detectives. The January 12–18 lineup brings a full week of true crime, with returning series, a few one-off specials, and cases reaching key points in their timelines. This weekly drop lays out what’s airing, when it’s on, and where to watch, so you can plan your viewing without juggling schedules or hunting across streaming apps.
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While I track every release as carefully as possible, schedules can shift and networks occasionally update listings without notice. If something is missing or changes, feel free to let me know in the comments section at the bottom of this page.
Monday
January 12th, 2026
Live PD: Greatest Shifts
Live PD: Greatest Shifts airs Monday with two back-to-back new episodes (Episode 34 and Episode 35) airing on A&E starting at 9 p.m. ET, followed by the second episode at 10 p.m. ET. A&E lists “Stream Next Day” availability on its site and app for on-demand viewing.
The series revisits the most intense and memorable moments from Live PD, presenting real police encounters through curated footage and commentary.
People Magazine Investigates
People Magazine Investigates Season 9, Episode 1 (“Vanished in the Heartland”) premieres Monday, January 12, 2026 at 9 p.m. ET on Investigation Discovery.
People Magazine Investigates returns for its ninth season, continuing its focus on headline-making crimes from across the United States. Drawing on reporting from PEOPLE’s true crime team, the series revisits both recent cases and long-running cold cases, examining how investigations unfolded and how lives were permanently altered. The new season explores high-profile murders and complex cases involving hidden relationships, long-buried evidence, and unexpected developments.
The trailer can be found in the January Surveillance Report.
The Curious Case Of…
The Curious Case Of… Season 2, Episode 1 (“Death by Detox?”) premieres Monday, January 12, 2026 at 10 p.m. ET on Investigation Discovery.
The Curious Case Of… returns for its second season, continuing its focus on real-life scandals involving deception, manipulation, and abuse of trust. Hosted by legal analyst Beth Karas, the series examines cases where public personas and private actions sharply diverged, leading to financial harm, physical danger, or loss of life. Using investigative reporting, interviews, and archival material, each episode traces how unchecked influence and manufactured credibility resulted in devastating consequences.
A preview for the season premiere is included in January’s Surveillance Report.
Fatal Attraction (S16)
Fatal Attraction Episode 23 (“Suffering in Silence”) airs Monday, January 12, 2026 at 9 p.m. ET on TV One. Episodes are available to stream on Philo.
Fatal Attraction continues its long-running focus on real-life crimes driven by obsessive relationships, jealousy, infidelity, and possessiveness. Each standalone episode follows investigators as they piece together evidence and uncover hidden dynamics in victims’ personal lives, examining how relationships rooted in control or fixation escalate into violence. Season sixteen features cases involving affairs, custody disputes, and power imbalances, highlighting how emotional intensity can turn deadly.
Tuesday
January 13th, 2026
Court Cam
Court Cam Season 10 airs Tuesday, January 13, 2026 with two back-to-back new episodes (Episode 14 and Episode 15) on A&E at 9 p.m. ET and 9:30 p.m. ET. A&E lists “Stream Next Day” availability on its site and app for on-demand viewing.
Court Cam continues documenting courtroom proceedings from across the United States, using in-court footage to show how hearings, sentencings, and unexpected confrontations unfold in real time. Season nine features cases that drew public attention for their intensity or unusual circumstances, with context provided through interviews with judges, attorneys, witnesses, and others directly involved. Hosted by Dan Abrams, the series focuses on the mechanics and consequences of courtroom moments rather than narrative dramatization.
Booked: First Day In
Booked: First Day In Season 4, season premiere (“Fugitive Friday Frenzy”) airs Tuesday, January 13, 2026 at 10 p.m. ET on A&E, with next-day streaming availability.
Booked: First Day In returns for its fourth season, following individuals as they move through the jail booking process after arrest. The series documents the initial hours of detention, focusing on interactions between arrestees and law enforcement while outlining the administrative, legal, and emotional realities of being booked into custody. Season four features facilities in Virginia Beach, Flagler County, Stanislaus County, Mesa County, Hancock County, and Clay County, presenting the process from both officer and detainee perspectives.
Evil Lives Here (S19)
Evil Lives Here Season 19, Episode 1 (“Fostering Evil”) premieres Tuesday, January 13, 2026 at 9 p.m. ET on Investigation Discovery with episodes available to stream on Max following broadcast.
Evil Lives Here returns for its nineteenth season, continuing its focus on firsthand accounts from people who lived alongside individuals who later committed serious crimes. The series centers on personal testimony, examining how warning signs were overlooked or misunderstood and how relationships shifted once criminal behavior came to light. Through interviews with family members and close associates, the show explores the long-term emotional impact of discovering that someone trusted was capable of extreme violence.
The trailer for the new season appears in January’s Surveillance Report.
Killer Confessions: Case Files of a Texas Ranger
Killer Confessions: Case Files of a Texas Ranger premieres as a brand new series Tuesday, January 13, 2026 at 10 p.m. ET on Investigation Discovery. Episode 1, “Pathologically Evil,” launches the series, with episodes available to stream on Max following broadcast.
Killer Confessions: Case Files of a Texas Ranger centers on post-conviction interviews and interrogations conducted by Texas Ranger James Holland. The series revisits cases that were once stalled or unresolved, examining how direct questioning, psychological pressure, and sustained interrogation led to confessions or new insights into violent crimes. Through interviews and case reconstruction, the show focuses on offender behavior and the investigative methods used to elicit admissions in complex cases.
A preview for the series premiere is included in January’s Surveillance Report.
Harlan Coben’s Final Twist
Harlan Coben’s Final Twist Season 2, Episode 1 (“Gambler's Debt”) airs Tuesday at 10 p.m. ET on CBS, with live and on-demand streaming available via Paramount+.
Harlan Coben’s Final Twist is a true crime documentary series that examines real cases involving murder, deception, and unresolved questions. Hosted by novelist Harlan Coben, the series applies a narrative framework drawn from his fiction writing to factual investigations, focusing on how hidden motives, false assumptions, and overlooked details influenced case outcomes. Each episode revisits a single case using interviews and archival material to explore competing narratives and gaps in the public understanding of the crime.
The trailer is available in January’s Surveillance Report.
Wednesday
January 14th, 2026
Alaska State Troopers
Alaska State Troopers Season 9, Episode 2 ("Wild and Dangerous") airs Wednesday at 8 p.m. ET on A&E, with next-day streaming availability.
Alaska State Troopers follows law enforcement officers responsible for policing one of the largest and most remote jurisdictions in the United States. Using ride-alongs and field footage, each episode captures criminal investigations, search and rescue operations, and emergency responses shaped by extreme weather, vast distances, and limited resources.
View the season premiere trailer in January’s Surveillance Report.
Ozark Law
Ozark Law Season 2, Episode 2 ("The New Recruit") airs Wednesday at 9 p.m. ET on A&E, with next-day streaming availability.
Ozark Law returns for its second season, continuing to follow the Lake Ozark and Osage Beach Police Departments as they police one of Missouri’s busiest tourist destinations. Set during peak tourist season, the series documents responses to boating incidents, alcohol-related offenses, large-scale holiday crowds, and routine patrols intensified by a surge of visitors. The season also examines pressures facing local agencies, including the challenges of onboarding new officers and navigating legal disputes that affect policing tools and authority.
Watch the season premiere trailer via January’s Surveillance Report.
Desert Law
Desert Law Season 1, Episode 2 (“Standoff”) airs Wednesday at 10 p.m. ET on A&E, with next-day streaming availability.
Desert Law is a new true crime series following the Pima County Sheriff’s Department as deputies patrol more than 9,000 square miles of desert terrain in southern Arizona. Filmed primarily during overnight hours, the series documents patrol operations, DUI enforcement, and investigative work in and around Tucson, highlighting the logistical and environmental challenges of policing a vast and rugged region. Episodes track responses ranging from routine traffic enforcement to serious criminal incidents in remote areas.
The trailer for this series is available in January’s Surveillance Report.
Body Cam
Body Cam S10, Episode 7 ("Flames and Floods") airs Wednesday at 9 p.m. ET on Investigation Discovery (streams next day on Max).
Body Cam uses real body-worn camera footage to document hazardous situations encountered by law enforcement. Each episode pairs the video with firsthand accounts from the officers involved, offering additional context about the split-second decisions made in the moment.
The Murder Tapes
The Murder Tapes Season 10, Episode 7 (“Deadly Detour”) airs Wednesday at 10 p.m. ET on Investigation Discovery (streams the next day on Max).
The Murder Tapes uses real investigative footage to follow homicide cases from the initial call to their resolution. Episodes combine bodycam video, surveillance recordings, and interrogation-room footage to show how investigators gathered and interpreted evidence throughout the case. The series presents a chronological view of each investigation and highlights both the process and the impact on the families involved.
Dateline: Secrets Uncovered
Dateline: Secrets Uncovered Season 16, Episode 9 (“Behind Door 813”) airs Wednesday at 8 p.m. ET on Oxygen, with next-day streaming availability.
Dateline: Secrets Uncovered revisits cases previously featured on Dateline, returning to the evidence with updated context and additional perspective. Episodes re-examine investigations that unfolded over long periods of time, incorporating archival reporting alongside new interviews with those closest to the cases. The series focuses on how overlooked details, evolving forensic methods, and delayed revelations reshaped outcomes that once seemed unresolved or misunderstood.
Thursday
January 15th, 2026
The First 48
The First 48 Season 29, Episode 3 (“A Lonely Place to Die”) will air Thursday at 8 p.m ET on A&E with next day streaming on the A&E app.
The First 48 is a long-running documentary series that follows homicide detectives during the critical first two days after a murder, when time-sensitive evidence, witness cooperation, and investigative momentum matter most. Through real-time casework, forensic analysis, and interrogations, the series documents how quickly leads can emerge or disappear as investigators work to prevent cases from going cold.
Homicide Squad New Orleans
Homicide Squad New Orleans Season 3, Episode 1 (“Teenage Tragedy”) premieres Thursday at 9 p.m. ET on A&E. Episodes will also be available to stream on the A&E app and website following broadcast.
Homicide Squad New Orleans returns for its third season, following homicide detectives in New Orleans as they investigate some of the city’s most violent and complex cases. Each episode centers on a single case, including fatal home invasions, drive-by shootings, and deadly altercations. Produced by Dick Wolf, the series documents how evidence collection, witness interviews, and investigative judgment come together as detectives work toward resolution.
Crime in Progress
Crime in Progress Season 1, Episode 3 (“Twin Baby Abduction”) airs at 10 p.m. ET on A&E streams next day on the A&E app.
Crime in Progress is a documentary series that follows criminal investigations in real time using only body cam, dash cam, and surveillance footage. With no narration or reenactments, each episode tracks a case from the initial 911 call through investigative decisions and courtroom outcomes, presenting an unfiltered view of how cases unfold as events happen and choices are made under pressure.
View the trailer in January's Surveillance Report.
Dateline: Unforgettable
Dateline: Unforgettable Season 7, Episode 9 (“The Day Alissa Disappeared”) airs Wednesday at 8 p.m. ET on Oxygen, with next-day streaming availability.
Dateline: Unforgettable revisits select cases from the Dateline archive through the perspective of the correspondents who originally reported them. Rather than re-presenting the investigations in full, the series reflects on why certain cases endured — whether due to unexpected turns, unresolved questions, or the lasting impact on victims’ families and those who worked the cases. Episodes focus on the emotional, investigative, and human elements that continued to resonate long after the initial reporting ended.
IMPACT x Nightline
Added: 1-18-26
IMPACT x Nightline season 4, episode 13, “Never See You Again,” airs Thursday, January 15, 2026. Streaming is available on Hulu. This episode centers on the decades-long investigation into the murder of a young mother, revisiting how a cold case remained unresolved for more than 30 years before new scrutiny from college students helped push it forward.
The weekly ABC News streaming series delivers in-depth investigative reporting on cultural and societal stories shaping the current moment. Each episode focuses on a single case or issue, using firsthand accounts and direct reporting to provide context beyond standard news coverage. Episodes span topics ranging from cold cases and criminal investigations to art thefts, legal battles, and complex social issues.
Friday
January 16th, 2026
ABC 20/20
20/20 returns with an all-new episode this week (Season 48/Episode 14) airing on Friday, at 9 E.T. on ABC.
20/20 is ABC’s long-running investigative newsmagazine series, known for its in-depth reporting on high-profile crimes, criminal investigations, and complex legal cases. Through interviews, courtroom records, and investigative journalism, the program provides detailed examinations of how crimes unfold and how the justice system responds.
The episode will also be available to stream on Disney+ and Hulu following its ABC broadcast.
Dateline NBC
A new episode of Dateline NBC (season 34 episode 12) airs Friday at 9 p.m. ET on NBC and streams the next day on Peacock.
Dateline NBC is a long-running newsmagazine that investigates crime, mystery, and other real-life stories through in-depth reporting and interviews. The series examines a single case or topic each episode, using detailed storytelling and investigative journalism to provide full context behind the events.
Bloodline and Blind Faith: Untold Stories of the Kirtland Cult Killings
Added: 1-15-26
Bloodline and Blind Faith: Untold Stories of the Kirtland Cult Killings arrives on January 16, 2026, streaming via select local station apps. The documentary is produced by WKYC News Channel 3 and distributed across TEGNA-owned news stations, meaning branding and app names may vary by region.
The documentary revisits the 1989 murders of the Avery family in Kirtland, Ohio, carried out by cult leader Jeffrey Lundgren and his followers. Thirty-five years later, the film centers on first-time interviews with Lundgren’s eldest son, Damon Lundgren, and Danny Kraft, described as his most loyal follower. Through these accounts, along with interviews from investigators, first responders, former cult members, and journalists, the documentary examines how religious manipulation, isolation, and obedience escalated into violence, using archival footage to ground the story in the period when the crimes and trials unfolded.
How to Watch: Stream Bloodline and Blind Faith: Untold Stories of the Kirtland Cult Killings Friday at 9 p.m. on 3News app, WKYC+ (or your TEGNA local news channel), available for free on Roku, Amazon Fire TV, Apple TV, and select smart TVs.
A trailer is included in January’s Surveillance Report.
Saturday
January 17th, 2026
Cold Justice
Season 8 (“Inside the Investigation 809") will air Saturday at 7 p.m. ET on Oxygen, with streaming availability following the network premiere. This special episode offers additional insights and behind-the-scenes details from the case.
Cold Justice follows former prosecutor Kelly Siegler and a team of seasoned investigators as they partner with local law enforcement to work active and long-dormant homicide cases. The series focuses on evidence review, field investigation, and collaborative detective work aimed at moving real cases closer to resolution.
Accident, Suicide or Murder
Accident, Suicide or Murder Season 6, Episode 9 (“The Final Pulse”) airs Saturday, at 8 p.m. ET on Oxygen with streaming available on the Oxygen app and website thereafter.
The series reexamines suspicious deaths where the cause is unclear, following investigators as they work to determine whether a life was lost by accident, by self-harm, or at the hands of someone else.
I Am Mary Jo Buttafuoco
I Am Mary Jo Buttafuoco is a feature-length Lifetime original docu-drama premiering Saturday, January 17, 2026 at 8 p.m. ET on Lifetime.
The film revisits the 1992 shooting of Mary Jo Buttafuoco outside her Long Island home and is told from her perspective, with narration by Buttafuoco herself. It examines the attack carried out by Amy Fisher, the teenage mistress of her husband, Joey Buttafuoco, and focuses on the immediate aftermath of the crime, the intense media attention that followed, and the lasting physical and psychological impact of surviving a highly publicized act of violence. The film also explores Buttafuoco’s path toward recovery, resilience, and advocacy in the years since the shooting.
A trailer is included in January’s Surveillance Report.
Sunday
January 18th, 2026
Snapped
Snapped Season 36, Episode 3 (“Deborah Frazier”) airs Sunday at 6 p.m. ET on Oxygen, with streaming available on the Oxygen App.
Snapped is a long-running true crime series that examines cases involving women accused of murder, focusing on personal histories, relationships, and the circumstances that led to the crime. Through interviews, recreations, and firsthand accounts, the series traces how investigations unfolded and how motives emerged as each case came to light.
Killer Relationship With Faith Jenkins
Season 4, Episode 11 ("Out of the Way") airs Sunday at 7 p.m. ET on Oxygen, with streaming availability on the Oxygen app and website after broadcast.
Killer Relationship with Faith Jenkins explores cases where romantic or personal relationships unravel into violence. Former Manhattan prosecutor Faith Jenkins guides each episode, using her legal background to examine how trust, affection, and intimacy shifted toward jealousy, manipulation, and murder. Through interviews with families, friends, and law enforcement, the series traces each story from its promising beginnings to its fatal end.
The Hillside Strangler
The Hillside Strangler is a four-part documentary miniseries premiering Sunday, January 18, 2026 on MGM+. New episodes air weekly, with the premiere episode airing at 10 p.m. ET.
The series revisits the Hillside Strangler murders that terrorized Los Angeles in the late 1970s, a period when multiple serial killers were active in the city. It examines the abduction, sexual assault, and murders of women and girls whose bodies were left in public locations, and follows the investigation that became the largest manhunt in Los Angeles history.
Using archival material and new interviews, the docuseries explores the work of lead homicide detective Frank Salerno and the investigation that revealed the crimes were committed by two perpetrators, Kenneth Bianchi and his cousin Angelo Buono. The series includes interviews with Salerno reflecting on the case decades later, as well as on-camera participation from Bianchi, who speaks publicly about the crimes for the first time.
A trailer for the series is included in January’s Surveillance Report.
Wrapping Up: January 12-18, 2026
New True Crime Premieres & Episodes
That closes out the confirmed true crime premieres and returning episodes scheduled for January 12–18. This Weekly Drop is designed to keep the timing clear and the watchlist manageable, without the extra noise.
January’s Surveillance Report is live and includes a full month-long overview of upcoming true crime releases, platforms, and air dates. If you’re catching up, December’s Surveillance Report is still available as well.
If a late release surfaces or something slips through the cracks, leave a comment and the list will be updated accordingly.
Links to follow, join the discussion, or stay current as new cases drop are below.
See you next week,
What's everyone watching this week?