A&E’s long-running true-crime procedural The First 48 continues its examination of real-life homicide investigations with an episode that starts inside a victim’s home. In Death Comes Knocking, Mobile, Alabama Detective Mark Kennedy is called to a scene where a young father has been shot to death, and the initial clues point toward a conflict that may have turned fatal. The question hanging over the case is whether a recent argument was the catalyst for the murder.
As is standard for the series, the clock begins ticking the moment detectives arrive. The show’s title refers to the critical 48-hour window during which the chances of solving a homicide are highest. This episode follows Kennedy and his team as they work against that deadline, trying to piece together the victim’s final hours. With access to crime scenes, forensic analysis, and interrogation rooms, the series presents an unvarnished look at the methodical, often frustrating, work of building a case.
The narrative hook here is the seemingly straightforward nature of the crime. An argument followed by a death seems like a clear line to a suspect, but as is often the case in these investigations, the truth is rarely so simple. Kennedy must sift through conflicting stories and potential motives to identify the person responsible before the trail goes cold.
The First 48 airs Thursday, June 19 at 8:00 PM ET on A&E.
