CrimeCon 2026

When a person disappears, the silence can be deafening. But what happens when there’s no body, no arrest, and a family still searching for answers?

Brittany Wallace’s father, Greg Wallace, joins Hide and Seek host James Baysinger and former Assistant United States Attorney Tad DiBiase — a nationally recognized expert in no-body homicide prosecutions — to examine one of the most difficult realities in criminal law: building a murder case when a body has never been found.

From the personal devastation of a family left in limbo to the investigative roadblocks and legal strategy required to pursue justice without physical remains, this session pulls back the curtain on what it takes to move a case like Brittany’s forward.

This isn’t just a story about what’s missing. It’s about what can still be proven.

It started as a quiet New Year’s weekend in Los Angeles — and turned into the largest serial arson investigation ever in U.S. history.

Over just three days in 2012, an unknown firestarter ignited 52 major fires across the region — more than anyone in America had ever set in such a short period of time. Panic spread. Media pressure mounted. Political interference complicated the hunt. Investigators faced a daunting question: How do you identify one arsonist when the only witness is fire?

Former Los Angeles Arson Task Force lead investigator Det. Ed Nordskog - who was in charge of this largest ever serial arson investigation in America - takes us deep into the fire forensics that cracked the case. He led more than 400 investigators who raced against the clock, chasing over 700 tips in a high-stakes, 96-hour manhunt. You’ll learn how burn patterns, ignition sequencing, accelerant indicators, and point-of-origin analysis revealed the signature of a single offender. Det. Nordskog will break down how investigators read heat shadows, V-patterns, and ventilation clues to reconstruct each scene — and how subtle consistencies across dozens of fires exposed the arsonist’s evolving methodology.

You’ll also gain insight into how forensic evidence helped separate copycats from the true offender, link scenes across jurisdictions, and predict the suspect’s next moves — ultimately leading to his arrest -- even as he prepared to ignite 17 more fires.

If you’ve ever wondered how investigators “read” a fire scene or how science turns ashes into evidence, this exclusive look at America's largest-ever fire investigation is a session you won’t want to miss.

Scott Peterson became the center of one of the most infamous murder cases in modern American history after he was convicted of killing his wife, Laci Peterson, and their unborn son, Conner. A&E’s upcoming documentary special, "Scott Peterson: The New Evidence" explores a recent bombshell petition that introduced potential new evidence that could challenge the prosecution's account of the murders more than twenty years after their tragic deaths. In the special, veteran defense attorney and ABC News legal consultant, Chris Pixley, conducts an in-depth examination of the evidence, undertaking a meticulous analysis of the timeline and other crucial details surrounding the case, including never-before-heard witness statements and more.

Join Pixley in this session where he will lead a discussion with Scott Peterson’s defense attorney Mark Geragos and retired LAPD Detective and current police practices expert Ninette Toosbuy to discuss the recent developments of the case and revisit some of the most vexing questions about what really happened to Laci and Conner. Pulling back the curtain on a case that continues to divide public opinion, this session examines the evolving evidence and the enduring complexity of high-profile convictions.

For the women who survived Jeffrey Epstein, the story didn’t end with his death - it’s where their real fight began.

Legendary investigative journalist Chris Hansen sits down with Epstein survivors Haley Robson, Jena-Lisa Jones, and Courtney Wild for a powerful, deeply moving conversation about truth, accountability, and the long road toward systemic change. Taking the stage not as victims, but as survivors and advocates, they'll speak with raw honesty about the manipulation, coercion, and psychological control that defined Epstein’s world — as well as the fear, backlash, and retaliation that can continue long after abuse ends.

Chris goes beyond the headlines to focus on their stories: how they survived, reclaimed their power, and why they refuse to let their voices be silenced. Together, these women are demanding accountability, full transparency, and the release of documents that could expose the powerful network that enabled abuse to thrive.

This session is a powerful testament to solidarity, resilience, and the pursuit of justice for all survivors. As Haley Robson puts it: “He’ll never be able to break me or take my soul. That is mine."

On October 11 2024, Leslie "Hope" Houston was found unresponsive in her home— just 24 hours after her daughter, Megan Tomlinson, requested a domestic violence wellness check. Six days later, Hope was taken off life support. Cause of death: intracranial hemorrhage. Manner of death: undetermined. Investigators closed the case.

But Megan wasn't convinced. Refusing to accept that ending, she took matters into her own hands and solved her mother's murder.

Joined by Nichole Schmidt, mother of Gabby Petito, Megan takes us inside her investigation. Together, these two powerful women break down the warning signs of domestic violence, and how even in immense tragedy, a silver lining of hope can shine through.

On November 16, 1983, 16-year-old Sheri Jo Elliott left home to catch the bus to Flint Carman High School. She never made it. Four days later, her body was discovered 30 miles away in a rural ditch. Sheri had been abducted, sexually assaulted, and shot multiple times. Evidence suggested she may have been held captive for days before she was killed. Then, silence.

For four long decades, her case haunted a community. Now, the silence is finally broken.

Hear from Othram Labs Co-Founder Kristen Mittelman, Michigan investigators, and Sheri Jo’s family, who refused to let her story fade. After the case was reopened in 2023, Othram’s Forensic-Grade Genome Sequencing helped develop a suspect profile pointing to Roni Collins, a 75-year-old man living just miles from Sheri Jo’s hometown of Flint.

Before detectives could confront him, Collins died by suicide in 2026. But the truth didn’t die with him. DNA recovered during his autopsy delivered the answer Sheri’s family had waited 40 years to hear – it was him.

This is the story of a case that refused to be forgotten — and the science rewriting what’s possible for cold case justice.

For decades, Michelle Newton was listed as a missing person — but she had no idea.

In 1983, when she was just three years old, her mother, Debra Newton, took her from Louisville, Kentucky under the pretense of relocating for a job. Just like that, the little girl vanished from the life of her father and extended family. Investigators later issued a custodial interference indictment and even placed Debra on the FBI’s Top 8 Most Wanted parental-kidnapping list, but the trail went cold and the case faded from public view for more than 40 years.

In 2025, a Crime Stoppers tip led authorities to a woman living in The Villages, Florida, under the name Sharon Nealy — an identity Debra had used for decades while building a quiet life and remarrying. When police confirmed who she really was and arrested her, the breakthrough also led to Michelle discovering her own history, realizing she had been a missing child her entire life, and reconnecting with her biological father, Joseph Newton, nearly half a century later.

In this remarkable session, Criminally Obsessed host Anne Emerson sits down with Michelle and Joseph to talk about the surreal moment Michelle learned her true identity, what it was like for her to meet the family who never stopped searching, and how they’re all navigating life after uncovering a past Michelle never knew — all against the backdrop of a case that shows how truth can emerge even after decades in the shadows.