Cold Case

Lilly investigates the 2003 triple homicide of a restaurant owner, his wife and a busboy, an assignment that she was abruptly taken off of to work her first cold case. She's called in after the accused defendant in the slayings is proven innocent. The case opens old wounds for Jeffries, who knew the victims, and for Vera, who may have mishandled the evidence.

Lilly reopens a case from 1943 in which a female factory worker was found dead after an apparent accidental fall, but the investigation points to murder and reveals that the shy, married victim had secrets that may have lead to her death.

Lilly reopens a presumed homicide from 1979 in which a Jane Doe's blood-drenched shoes, underwear and sheets are found in a trash bag, but no body. The investigation begins when a battered wife accuses her husband of murdering a girl in 1979 and brings in amateur film from the time that supposedly shows him committing the crime.

The body of an inmate who tried to escape in 1968 from a now-closed state penitentiary is discovered when a sinkhole opens up, and Lilly must determine if he was murdered. The evidence suggests that the man was the victim of foul play and Lilly learns that he had escaped from the prison twice before.

Lilly investigates the 1991 double murder of married illegal immigrants from Cambodia who were shot in their apartment and found by their 6-year-old daughter. The now-teenage girl brings the case to Lilly after she discovers that a bracelet once owned by her mother is for sale on the Internet. The probe reveals that the parents had dark secrets unknown to their daughter.

Lilly reopens a 1990 murder case in which a prep-school girl with bizarre markings on her body was found dead in a local swimming hole, after a present-day victim with similar markings is discovered at the same place. The investigation reveals that the victim of the earlier crime was routinely tormented by a trio of classmates who invited her to a sleepover the night she was killed.

Lilly reopens a 1983 murder case in which a gay man was beaten and strangled to death shortly after learning that he had infected his lover with HIV. The investigation reveals that the man had made quite a few enemies in his zealous efforts to educate people about the virus.

The 1953 murder of a white school teacher, a communist sympathizer who was involved in civil-rights issues, is reopened after the victim's youngest son asks for it to be reinvestigated. The probe reveals that the slain man was killed on the same day that the Rosenbergs were executed and was set to testify the next day before the House Committee on Un-American Activities. Also, Lilly's estranged sister unexpectedly shows up.

The headless torso of a woman who disappeared in 1985, on the same day she filed domestic-abuse charges against her husband, is found by hikers in a wildlife preserve. The investigation quickly leads to the grisly discovery of eight more decapitated bodies, the victims of a serial killer.

The widow of a slain Connecticut ADA, whose 2000 stabbing death in Philadelphia was never solved, asks that the case be reopened to clear her late husband's name after he's accused of having stolen money from the DA's office by a colleague running for state treasurer. The investigation reveals that the deceased was prosecuting a high-profile murder case at the time of his death, one that could have boosted his career.

Lilly investigates the 1978 poisoning of a 20-year-old man involved in a cult. His death was originally ruled a suicide, but his sister comes forward with new evidence that points to a deprogrammer her father had hired to kidnap him. Elsewhere, Valens gets some bad news regarding his girlfriend, Elisa.

The 1976 death of a boxer, who died immediately after going 15 rounds in a high-profile fight, is investigated after the referee admits that he took money to ensure that the match went the distance. The investigation reveals that the young boxer was in love with the ref's daughter, and the ref didn't think the fighter was good enough for her. Meanwhile, Valens still grieves for Elisa, but finds some comfort with another woman.

Lilly reopens the 1987 murder of a 6-year-old girl in a park who was apparently an innocent victim of a drive-by shooting spree. The probe gets under way when the assault weapon used in the crime suddenly reappears. The investigation suggests that the intended target was a brash young man who was playing basketball in the park at the time of the incident. Meanwhile, Lilly confronts Valens about him seeing her sister, Christina, and warns him about her past.

The unsolved 1969 strangling death of a 19-year-old girl who was found dead in her boyfriend's apartment is reopened after the man, the chief suspect in the case and missing in Canada for 36 years, returns to attend his father's funeral. But he claims he's innocent and points the finger at the victim's former fiancé with whom she broke up to be with him. Also, Lilly confronts her sister, Christina, about seeing Valens.

Lilly investigates the 1993 death of a mentally challenged teen who was hit by a train, after drawings appear on his grave that indicate foul play might have been involved. The probe reveals that the boy's mother was dying of cancer at the time and that he was being partially cared for by a 19-year-old friend. Lilly also learns that the boy was a target of abuse at his school.

Lilly investigates the 1998 death of a 9-year-old boy who drowned a month after being kidnapped from a department store and held for ransom. The probe reveals that the boy ended up in the home of a pedophile. The case is brought back to life when Stillman's brother, a priest, informs his sibling that a man involved in the abduction confessed to him in 1998, but was recently killed during a robbery attempt.

Lilly investigates the 1982 murder of a surgeon's wife, a crime for which the doctor was sentenced to prison, after new evidence is found that seems to support his innocence. The probe gets under way after a woman who knew the victim is found overdosed in her home. She's wearing a ring that belonged to the surgeon and she fits the description of the woman he claimed ran from his house following the fatal shooting.

The 1995 death of an alcoholic mother that was originally ruled an accident is reinvestigated when her sister comes forward with new evidence that suggests foul play. The probe reveals that she had angry confrontations with several men the night she died. The case holds special meaning for Vera, who was once romantically involved with the deceased woman's sister.

Jeffries reopens the 1963 murder of a black 16-year-old boy whose severely beaten body was found by the then 12-year-old Jeffries in a local park. The veteran detective believes the killing was racially motivated and may be linked to the fact that the boy's father supervised several white men who resented him at a nearby plant. Elsewhere, Valens' drinking becomes a problem on the job.

Lilly reopens a 1985 murder case in which a mill worker was stabbed to death at a gas station in what was thought to be a petty robbery gone wrong. An inmate confesses that he stole the guy's money, but only after he pulled in and found the dead body. The investigation reveals that the murdered man had lost his job and was in financial trouble, which took a toll on his family and his friendships. Meanwhile, a New York City detective comes looking for Christina.

A convicted serial killer will be paroled after 25 years in prison unless Lilly and her team can connect him to the 1977 murder of a young doorman found strangled on a train platform. The killing is eerily similar to other murders committed by the man. Making the case more urgent is the fact that the convicted strangler hints that he will kill again upon release. Elsewhere, Scotty confronts Christina about her past and tries to get her to talk to a New York detective.

A bullet-riddled truck containing human bones is pulled from a river and it's believed that the remains are those of a 17-year-old girl who went missing in 1932. The investigation reveals that the girl was the sister of a bootlegger who happened to own the truck. It's also discovered that the white teen may have been in a relationship with a black girl who had another lover---the jealous type.

Lilly tracks a serial killer who eluded her months earlier. The chase begins after nine human skulls are found in the backyard of an abandoned house where a blind woman, whose killer was never found, was murdered in 1972. The woman's 12-year-old son witnessed the crime, and now is believed to be a mass murderer. Making the case more eerie is the fact that the killer knows intimate details about Lilly's life, which he tries to use against her.