Thirty years. That’s how long the murder of Selonia Reed, a 26-year-old mother from Hammond, Louisiana, went unsolved. Found brutally slain in her car, Reed’s case became a chilling reminder of the darkness that can fester even in small-town America. In “The Devil in Hammond,” the second episode of A&E’s Cold Case Files: Murder in the Bayou, viewers get a front-row seat to the relentless pursuit of justice that finally brought closure to this decades-old tragedy.
The episode, narrated with somber gravity by Keith David, doesn’t shy away from the grim details of the crime, reconstructing the events surrounding Reed’s death and the initial investigation that seemed to stall almost from the outset. The narrative effectively captures the frustration of both law enforcement and the community as leads dried up and years drifted by, leaving Reed’s family without answers and a killer seemingly beyond reach.
But the passage of time doesn’t erase the truth. “The Devil in Hammond” shows how advancements in forensic science, combined with the dogged determination of detectives who refused to let the case grow cold, ultimately chipped away at the wall of silence surrounding Reed’s murder. While the episode doesn’t offer a tidy, feel-good resolution — the scars of such a crime linger long after the verdict is delivered — it provides a starkly realistic portrayal of how justice, even delayed, can still offer a measure of solace. The bayou setting, with its inherent atmosphere of mystery and hidden secrets, adds another dimension to the drama, as if the very landscape itself holds the key to unlocking the truth.
“The Devil in Hammond” airs Friday, January 3rd at 10:00 PM on A&E.
