CrimeCon 2026

Before we dive in, let's catch you up. Our signature opening video is more than a recap—it's a powerful look at the stories that have shaped the past year in true crime. The ones that stayed with us. The moments that sparked conversation, demanded justice, and brought this community together. A reminder of why we’re all here. Welcome to CrimeCon—you’re exactly where you’re supposed to be.
IMPORTANT NOTE: The opening will play on the video screens in the Ballroom, Breakout One, and Breakout Two simultaneously. The Creator Studio does not have screens. Please select the room that will host the first programming session you plan to attend as that session will begin as soon as the opening ends.

Before we dive in, let's catch you up. Our signature opening video is more than a recap—it's a powerful look at the stories that have shaped the past year in true crime. The ones that stayed with us. The moments that sparked conversation, demanded justice, and brought this community together. A reminder of why we’re all here. Welcome to CrimeCon—you’re exactly where you’re supposed to be.
IMPORTANT NOTE: The opening will play on the video screens in the Ballroom, Breakout One, and Breakout Two simultaneously. The Creator Studio does not have screens. Please select the room that will host the first programming session you plan to attend as that session will begin as soon as the opening ends.

Before we dive in, let's catch you up. Our signature opening video is more than a recap—it's a powerful look at the stories that have shaped the past year in true crime. The ones that stayed with us. The moments that sparked conversation, demanded justice, and brought this community together. A reminder of why we’re all here. Welcome to CrimeCon—you’re exactly where you’re supposed to be.
IMPORTANT NOTE: The opening will play on the video screens in the Ballroom, Breakout One, and Breakout Two simultaneously. The Creator Studio does not have screens. Please select the room that will host the first programming session you plan to attend as that session will begin as soon as the opening ends.

CrimeCon 2026's Expo Hall & Creator Row is presented by Tenderfoot TV!

Step into the heart of CrimeCon! The Expo Hall is your one-stop shop for exclusive merch, discovering content, and interactive experiences from leading brands and partners. Don’t miss Creator Row, where your favorite true crime content creators will be meeting fans, sharing their work, and connecting with the community.

Note that Creator Row remains open during all CrimeCon hours but creators may leave their tables for breaks so be sure to check back often.

Join Spencer Coursen and CrimeCon’s goodest boy, Ronin, for a powerful conversation with survivor, author, and advocate Ashley Spence.

After surviving a sexual assault in college, Ashley turned her experience into action—using the very DNA evidence collected in her case to help secure justice and spark a national movement. Now the founder of the DNA Justice Project, she’s working to ensure no survivor is left waiting for answers.

This session breaks down how forensic DNA actually works, why thousands of rape kits remain untested, and what it will take to fix a system that’s failing survivors—without compromising civil liberties. It’s a candid, trauma-informed conversation about resilience, science, and reform—and the real, actionable steps you can take to help drive change.

He’s back! John Douglas returns to the CrimeCon stage for a session to be remembered. Known as the pioneer of criminal profiling, Douglas has sat across from some of the most notorious serial killers to get inside their minds. Now, he’ll be the one in the hot seat.

In this candid conversation with anchor, legal analyst, and attorney Jesse Weber, Douglas will discuss the toll profiling takes on the people who do it, his thoughts on advancements in forensics, DNA, and AI, and which offenders unsettled even him. Jesse may even throw a few curveballs at the legend — just to keep him on his toes.

Whether you’re a longtime John Douglas fan, an aspiring profiler, or simply obsessed with Mindhunter, this is a can’t-miss conversation with one of the most influential figures in criminal investigation.

Join David Mittelman, CEO of Othram, whose work has helped power thousands of identifications in both cold cases and active investigations. He’ll take you inside how DNA and AI are rewriting what’s possible in criminal justice, and why we are rapidly entering a world where unsolved crime doesn’t have to exist anymore.

Eva LaRue, Athena Klingerman, and Amber Rasmussen—the voices behind the Paramount+ documentaries My Nightmare Stalker: The Eva LaRue Story and Don’t Date Brandon—will take the stage to share powerful, deeply personal stories of survival, resilience, and reclaiming control after trauma.

Joining them is Susan Zirinsky, President of See It Now Studios, who will offer insight into how these stories are brought to life and the responsibility that comes with telling them. Together, they’ll reflect on what they endured, how it impacted their lives, and, in some cases, their children’s, and how they began to rebuild.

Moderated by Inside Edition anchor Eva Pilgrim, the session will also explore how true crime storytelling can empower survivors and shift the focus back to the voices that matter most.

What happens when someone vanishes — with no body, no clear crime scene, and no confirmed cause of death — yet police and prosecutors are convinced it was murder? So-called "no body" homicide cases are the most complex and controversial trials in the criminal justice system.

Former homicide prosecutor Tad DiBiase, the nation’s leading authority on “no body” murder prosecutions, takes us inside these difficult cases. Drawing from decades of experience and landmark trials, DiBiase will reveal how he trains police and prosecutors to prove a murder occurred, what evidence can replace a victim’s remains, and the investigative strategies used to build a case when there is no body.

DiBiase will give a behind the scenes look into how prosecutors convince a jury beyond a reasonable doubt, turning circumstantial evidence into compelling proof of guilt in some of the rarest of trials in criminal law.

Since its inception in 2016, Up and Vanished has become a mainstay of factual true crime storytelling. Host and Tenderfoot TV founder Payne Lindsey has investigated the cases of Tara Grinstead, Ashley Loring HeavyRunner, Kristal Reisinger, Florence Okpealuk, and Joseph Balderas. Five cases across four seasons, with more than 500 million downloads.

This year at CrimeCon Las Vegas, Payne looks back at these cases, what’s happened since, and what still needs to be done to help the families get answers.

But Payne and his team aren’t stopping there. Exclusively at CC26, Payne is searching for his next case. Three surprise guests will join him with cases they want him to investigate. Then, attendees will have the chance to live pitch a case for Payne to consider for Season 5 of Up and Vanished.

You’ll only have one to two minutes at the mic to make your case, but if you don’t get enough time, you can also submit your case to cases @tenderfoot.tv.

Every case deserves publicity. Every case deserves answers. Every case deserves justice. Join Payne Lindsey and the team for this exclusive session and your chance to be part of Up and Vanished Season 5.

Your kids play it. Your nieces and nephews play it. Your grandkids play it. Every kid in your neighborhood probably plays it. Roblox is one of the most popular gaming platforms in the world — but growing concerns about online predators, grooming, luring, and victimization through the platform’s social features have raised urgent questions about child safety.

Veteran investigative journalist Chris Hansen leads this exclusive conversation with “Schlep,” former Roblox user turned whistleblower and child safety activist; Martin Gould, a survivors’ and sexual abuse plaintiffs’ attorney representing thousands of potential Roblox victims; and Liz Murrill, Attorney General of Louisiana, who is pursuing legal action and demanding stronger protections for children online.

Together, they’ll examine what Hansen’s investigation has uncovered, the legal and safety battles underway, and what changes are needed to strengthen Roblox’s security measures to keep your children safe on their platforms against child predators.

Catch up on Chris Hansen’s Roblox investigation HERE.