The Weekly Drop: December 15-21, 2025 New True Crime Releases
- The Emerald Sleuth
- 17 hours ago
- 7 min read
Welcome back, couch detectives. The Weekly Drop is back for December 15–21, 2025, with another full slate of new episodes, premieres, and continuing series landing across streaming platforms, cable, and network TV. This roundup pulls every confirmed release into one clean reference point so you can see what’s arriving, what’s still unfolding, and what might be worth prioritizing this week. No hopping between apps, schedules, or press releases. Just the evidence, laid out plainly.
If this post saves you time, tabs, or sanity, consider Buying the Sleuth a Coffee. Keeping these weekly drops accurate takes research, cross-checking, caffeine, and a slightly irrational commitment to tracking true crime releases so you do not have to. Reader support helps keep the investigation running and this site ad-free.
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
December 15th, 2025
Live PD: Greatest Shifts
Live PD: Greatest Shifts airs Monday with two back-to-back new episodes (Episode 26 and Episode 27) 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.
Tuesday
December 16th, 2025
American Monster
American Monster Season 13, Episode 8 (“My Brother's Keeper”) drops Tuesday at 8 p.m. ET on Investigation Discovery, and streams on Max.
American Monster is a documentary series that looks at offenders who appeared ordinary until their crimes came to light. Episodes use home videos, and interviews to show how these individuals fit into everyday life and how investigators uncovered what they were hiding.
The Secrets We Bury
The Secrets We Bury is a feature-length Special Presentation premiering Tuesday, December 16, 2025 at 9/8c on Investigation Discovery. It will also be available to stream on HBO Max following its ID premiere.
With a runtime of 1 hour and 24 minutes, the documentary follows Mike Carroll and his siblings as they seek long-delayed answers about the disappearance of their father, George Carroll, who left his family in the early 1960s.
Through sit-down interviews with the Carroll siblings and intimate archival footage, the film explores memory, family history, and the lingering impact of unresolved loss.
Head over to December’s Surveillance Report to view the trailer.
ABC 20/20
20/20 returns with an all-new episode this week ("Ride or Die," Season 48/Episode 9) airing on Tuesday, (December 16, 2025 at 10 E.T. on ABC) instead of its usual Friday timeslot.
The episode examines the brutal murder of a young mother and the questions that followed, focusing on her ex-boyfriend and his new fiancée as investigators work to uncover what secrets may lie beneath the surface.
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.
Trailer available here: https://www.facebook.com/share/v/1DsJgpJSYS/
Wednesday
December 17th, 2025
Murder in Monaco
Murder in Monaco is a feature-length documentary film premiering December 17, 2025 on Netflix. Set in Monaco in 1999, the film examines the death of billionaire banker Edmond Safra, who was found dead inside his penthouse under circumstances that quickly drew international scrutiny.
Using archival material and interviews, the documentary lays out the known evidence, the timeline surrounding Safra’s death, and the questions that persisted after authorities reached their conclusions. The film focuses on what was established at the time, allowing the case details to speak for themselves.
Head to December’s Surveillance Report to view the trailer.
Body Cam
Body Cam S10, Episode 5 ("White House of Horror") 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 5 (“The Tipster”) 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.
Obsession: The Murder of a Beauty Queen
Obsession: The Murder of a Beauty Queen is a three-part HBO Original true crime docuseries arriving on Max on December 17, 2025. While the series is not listed on HBO’s linear schedule, it is confirmed across multiple platform listings as a Max release.
At this time, HBO has not released an official synopsis, episode runtimes, or case details. Further details are expected closer to release.
No trailer or key art available at this time.
Dateline: Secrets Uncovered
Dateline: Secrets Uncovered airs Wednesday, December 17, 2025 with a new episode ("The Figure in the House" S16, E7) at 8 p.m. ET on Oxygen.
The series revisits some of the most mysterious cases from recent history, taking a second look at investigations that continue to raise questions. Hosted by Emmy-winning journalist Craig Melvin, Dateline: Secrets Uncovered examines each case through firsthand accounts from investigators and family members, offering added context and perspective shaped by time and reflection.
Thursday
December 18th, 2025
After the First 48
Season 11, Episode 8 (“Cold Fury”) airs Thursday at 8 p.m. ET on A&E, with streaming availability on the A&E site and app.
After the First 48 returns to homicide cases first covered on The First 48. The show follows each case from arrest through trial, using interviews with detectives, prosecutors, defense teams, and victims’ families to show how the investigation unfolded in court and how the crime continued to affect those involved.
Interrogation Raw
Season 4, episode 15 ("Stabbed in the Heart") will air Thursday at 9 p.m. ET on A&E with full streaming availability on the A&E site and app.
The series pulls viewers inside the interrogation room to examine dramatic criminal cases from the moment detectives begin questioning suspects, highlighting the high-stakes game of confessions, silence, and breaking points.
Dateline: Unforgettable
Dateline: Unforgettable airs Thursday, December 18, 2025 at 8 p.m. ET on Oxygen ("The Agent’s Wife", S7/E7).
The series revisits some of the most gripping cases covered by Dateline, focusing on stories that stayed with the correspondents long after the investigations ended. Each episode centers on a single case marked by unexpected twists, hidden lives, or justice uncovered years later, with reporters reflecting on why these crimes proved impossible to forget.
Friday
December 19th, 2025
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.
Saturday
December 20th, 2025
Cold Justice
Season 8 (“Inside the Investigation 805") 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 5 (“Left to Unrest”) airs Saturday, at 8 p.m. ET on Oxygen with full-episode 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.
Note: 48 Hours will not have a new episode this week and will instead air a Christmas themed episode from 2011.
Sunday
December 21st, 2025
Snapped: Behind Bars
Season 3, Episode 7 (“Danielle Hudson and Chaz Blackshear”) premieres Sunday at 6 p.m. ET on Oxygen TV, with streaming availability on the Oxygen app afterward.
The series takes viewers behind prison walls where convicted women from the parent series Snapped tell their own stories in exclusive interviews, offering a raw look at how they ended up behind bars.
Killer Relationship With Faith Jenkins
Season 4, Episode 7 ("Deadly Delusion") 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.
Killer Grannies
Season 1, Episode 7 (“Granny's Killer Gravy”) airs Sunday at 8 p.m. ET on Oxygen, with episodes available to stream afterward on the Oxygen app and website.
Killer Grannies is a true-crime series hosted by June Squibb that examines cases where grandmothers committed murder. Each episode focuses on a different investigation, using interviews, archival material, and reenactments to show how these seemingly ordinary matriarchs became unexpected suspects. The series looks at the hidden complexities behind each case and how investigators uncovered the truth.
Wrapping Up: December 15-21, 2025 New True Crime Releases
That wraps up the new true crime premieres and continuing series airing across major networks and streaming platforms for the week of December 15–21, 2025. Whether you’re planning your watchlist or keeping tabs on which cases are still unfolding, this roundup should help keep everything organized and easy to track.
For a full, month-long look at what December has in store, including titles outside this week’s lineup, head over to December’s Surveillance Report. It’s the complete reference for new true crime releases, platforms, air dates, and upcoming documentaries throughout the month.
If I missed a release or something new pops up, drop it in the comments and I’ll update the list.
All social links are below if you’d like to follow along, join the discussion, or stay current as new cases drop.
See you next week,
