
Homicide Hunter: How One Detective Solved 387 American Murder Cases
From Colorado Springs to primetime: the true crime series that brought real detective work into living rooms worldwide
In 2011, Investigation Discovery launched *Homicide Hunter*, a crime documentary series that would run for nine seasons and 144 episodes through 2020. The show centers on Lt. Joe Kenda, a retired detective from the Colorado Springs Police Department, who recounts his most memorable cases through a combination of interviews and dramatic reenactments.
Kenda joined the Colorado Springs Police Department in 1973 and was promoted to detective four years later. Initially assigned to the burglary division, he transferred to homicide after successfully solving a double shooting—a case featured in the series' fourth season finale as "My First Case." Over his 23-year career before retiring in 1996 as commander of the major crimes unit, Kenda solved 387 homicide cases, making him one of the most successful detectives in modern American law enforcement.