Killer Story: The Truth Behind True Crime Television

I’m in a corner booth in a quiet, Italian restaurant in Houston, sitting across from a man who was once hired to kill two people.

“All a big misunderstanding,” he says, lifting his hands in surrender. “I’m not that guy.”

I want to believe him, but I’m a natural skeptic.

As a true crime producer for 48 Hours on CBS, I’m often in sticky situations with one side of the law or another. One day, I’m being tailed by investigators. The next, I’m chasing down my own leads on suspected criminals.

Most people wouldn’t believe what it actually takes to get a killer story on the air. I know I didn’t have any idea myself before I started working in the cutthroat industry, where deception and head games take office politics to a whole new level. 

For the first time, I’m bringing you inside the high stakes world of true crime TV and revealing the real-life drama behind 48 Hours, Dateline NBC, and ABC’s 20/20.

Once you know the truth, you’ll never watch your favorite crime show the same way again.