Some true-crime stories follow familiar paths, but the upcoming installment of “48 Hours” presents a particularly unsettling scenario: a son’s relentless pursuit of answers about his mother’s murder leads him to accuse the man who raised him. Airing this Saturday, the episode examines the tragic case of Reggie Reed Jr. and the long shadow cast by his mother’s unsolved death.
For years, Reggie Reed Jr. carried the weight of not knowing what happened the day his mother failed to return home. The case grew cold, leaving Reggie with unanswered questions and a void in his life. As chronicled in his book, “The Day My Mother Never Came Home,” his search eventually refocused, pointing suspicion toward his own father, Reggie Reed Sr. Fresh evidence emerged, breathing new life into the investigation in Hammond, Louisiana, and culminating in charges against the elder Reed.
Hosted by CBS MORNINGS’ Vladimir Duthiers, this “48 Hours” piece features exclusive conversations with Reggie Reed Jr., giving a firsthand account of his emotional ordeal and the path that led him to suspect his father. The program also includes input from Reginald Reed Sr.’s defense attorneys, Vanessa Williams and LaToia Williams-Simon, who represented him during his 2022 trial, providing perspective on the legal fight. Detective Charles Muse, the first officer to discover the victim’s body, adds details from the initial investigation.
Perhaps the most disturbing element explored is the suggestion that Reginald Reed Sr. might have used his then six-year-old son as part of an alibi on the day of the murder. It’s a chilling possibility that adds another level of distress to an already heartbreaking family story.
“48 Hours” airs Saturday, April 12, 2025, at 10:00 PM ET/PT on CBS.
