Homicide Hunter: History and Key Facts

Homicide Hunter (also known as Homicide Hunter: Lt. Joe Kenda) is an American crime documentary television series which aired on the Investigation Discovery (ID) television network for nine seasons starting in 2011, totaling 144 episodes. The series showcases the career of retired Colorado Springs, Colorado, police department detective Joe Kenda. The series combines interviews with Kenda and others, along with reenactments.

Kenda joined the department in 1973 and was promoted to detective in 1977 and assigned to the burglary division. However, after solving a double shooting which veteran detectives believed was unsolvable, he was assigned to the homicide division. The case was presented in the Season 4 finale "My First Case". Kenda states he solved 387 cases (other sources state he solved 356 of 387 cases). When Kenda retired in 1996, he was commander of the department's major crimes unit.

The cases are told by Kenda in his trademark deadpan manner, with touches of dry humor. Re-enactments feature actor and former "Director of Operations" for convicted private investigator Chris Butler, Carl Marino portraying a younger Kenda in 137 episodes, and narration by Josh Casaubon. Episodes also featured filmed recollections by witnesses to the crimes, family and friends of the victims, members of law enforcement and the media, and others. Though the program is reviewed for accuracy, Kenda does not read from a script for the series saying he vividly recalls his cases and is more comfortable speaking extemporaneously.

Kenda recounted that at age nine during a visit to the Pittsburgh Zoo, he experienced what he calls an epiphany about human nature: "There was a big sign, and it read, 'Around this corner is the most dangerous animal on earth' ... and it was a mirror from ceiling to floor. Everyone was looking in the mirror, and everyone was wondering, 'Well, what is this about?'"

Source and attribution

Text excerpted from Homicide Hunter by Wikipedia contributors, available under Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0. The extract is abridged and formatting has been adjusted; the adapted text on this page is shared under the same licence. Revision history.