Ep 2. End of Days

In the eighth season of Homicide Hunter, retired Colorado Springs police detective Lt. Joe Kenda continues to recount some of the most harrowing murder cases he encountered during his career. Each episode features intense reenactments and interviews with witnesses, family members, and Kenda himself as he walks viewers through the investigation and eventual resolution of the case.

In the second episode of this season, titled "End of Days," Kenda delves into the grisly murder of a college student named Ruthie Concha. On a bitterly cold winter morning in 1979, a passerby discovered the 19-year-old's body lying in a field next to a freeway overpass. Concha had been sexually assaulted, beaten, and stabbed to death. Kenda and his team soon determine that the perpetrator likely abducted Concha from the university campus where she attended classes.

As Kenda describes the investigation, viewers see dramatic reenactments of the crime and interviews with witnesses involved in the case. Kenda himself discusses the unique challenges of the investigation, including the fact that Concha's killer wore gloves and was careful not to leave behind any obvious physical evidence. Nonetheless, Kenda and his team methodically work through the evidence and develop a suspect: 23-year-old Robert Baillie, a man with a long criminal history.

But as they close in on Baillie, he vanishes without a trace. Kenda describes the frustration of having a prime suspect within reach, only to watch him slip away. Days turn into weeks, and Kenda fears that Baillie has fled the state or even the country. But eventually, the cops catch a break: a witness comes forward who claims to have seen Baillie shortly after the time of the murder. With this new lead, Kenda and his team finally track Baillie down and bring him to trial.

Throughout the episode, Kenda provides his trademark deadpan commentary and wry humor, even as he discusses the darkest aspects of his job. He describes the murder of Ruthie Concha as "carnage," but also expresses admiration for her family's stoicism in the face of such a horrific tragedy. "I always wonder how families survive something like that," he muses.

Ultimately, "End of Days" is a haunting portrait of a senseless crime and the dedicated law enforcement officials who worked tirelessly to bring the perpetrator to justice. As always, Kenda's insightful commentary and grim humor add depth and nuance to the episode, elevating it beyond a mere true crime documentary. Fans of the Homicide Hunter series will undoubtedly find this episode to be among the show's most gripping and emotionally charged.