APB Cold Case

Long before modern investigative tools like DNA analysis, skilled trackers could read clues left behind on the ground—deciphering subtle signs others would never notice.

In this special Behind the Badge episode, we explore the ancient art of man-tracking where oftentimes, the most important evidence isn't found in a laboratory. It's waiting on the ground beneath our feet.

In this special APB: Behind the Badge episode, we return to Lower Manhattan in the terrifying moments following the collapse of the first World Trade Center tower.

A plainclothes police sergeant emerges from the chaos blinded, choking, disoriented—and alone. Nearby, a high school student watching the horror unfold, runs into the smoke and brings the sergeant to safety in a nearby church. What follows is an unexpected friendship between two strangers brought together on one of the darkest days in American history.

In the 1990s, a serial bank robber transformed ordinary heists into a calculated campaign of terror across Central New York. Bold, methodical, and increasingly violent, he taunted investigators while staying one step ahead of the law. As the robber's confidence grew, so did the danger—bringing local, state, and federal agencies to unite in one of the region's largest investigations. This is the story of the elite Bank Robbery Task Force that pursued Public Enemy Number One—and the relentless hunt to stop the man who believed he would never be caught.

When a homeowner digs up an old concrete slab to make way for a garden, he uncovers a skeleton and a long-hidden secret which ultimately leads to another shocking mystery.

On Halloween night in 1968, four-year-old Carolee Ashby was struck and killed by a driver who disappeared into the darkness, leaving behind only rumors, heartbreak, and unanswered questions. More than 40 years later, a cold case investigation uncovered shocking new leads and a long-hidden piece of evidence. This is a story of tragedy, guilt, redemption, and the decades-long pursuit of the truth.

In December 1994, 24‑year‑old Bobbi Ann Campbell drove away from her friend’s home to run a quick errand and was never seen again. Her little girl was left waiting, and investigators were left with speculation but no answers. Months later, Bobbi’s car was found unlocked and abandoned, her wallet, cash, and wrapped Christmas gifts still inside. This episode examines the theory of Bobbi’s final hours and the troubling gaps that have kept this case cold for three decades. The search for the truth continues… Because someone knows what happened.

A 9-year-old girl is last seen heading toward the woods of rural South Dakota in the dead of winter with no coat. She disappears as a snow storm is rapidly approaching. Was she hiding? Did someone pick her up? Search teams have combed thousands of miles of rugged terrain, but the mountains have held onto their secrets. And one haunting question still echoes through the Black Hills… Where is Serenity Dennard?

Twenty days before the murder of Roger Eastwood, truck driver Leon Rascoe was attacked after pulling over to rest on the Pennsylvania Turnpike. Shot at close range with no witnesses and few answers, his case reveals a piece of evidence that connects two murders across state lines.

A routine overnight haul ends in murder when a truck driver pulls over on I-295 in New Jersey and crosses paths with someone he never should have met. Witnesses report two long haired men, a mysterious vehicle, and a timeline that narrows to a single, deadly hour.

In September 1980, two young U.S. Marines—Lance Corporal Rodney “Rocky” Padilla, 19 and Lance Corporal Larry Martens, 21—left Marine Corps Base Hawaii at Kaneohe Bay for a night on the town. Hours later their bodies were found in a remote beach park, beaten and shot in a brutal crime that has never been solved. Investigators believe there is at least one witness who has remained silent for decades. Could that witness and modern forensic science finally solve this cold case?