The First 48

10 Best Episodes of The First 48 - Season 8

The First 48 is a hit true crime docu-series that follows detectives during the hours immediately following a homicide. It is available to watch on A&E and first aired back in 2004. After 24 seasons, The First 48 has created some unforgettable episodes. Below, we’ll be ranking the best episodes of The First 48 and why they have earned their spots on the list.

From the shocking twists and turns of the case, to the heartbreaking stories of the victims and their families, the show has created some truly moving and captivating episodes. Each episode is filled with intense moments that keep viewers on the edge of their seats.

So, without further ado, let’s jump right into the ranking and see which episodes made the cut as the best of the best of The First 48.

Written by Sophie and last updated on feb 13, 2023.

PS: The following content contains spoilers!

PPS: I will admit that parts of this page was written with the help of AI - it makes my work so much easier to not start from a blank page!

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The First 48 - S8E6

#14 - Out of the Past/Feud (Season 8 - Episode 6)

A man is gunned down in front of his wife and children. Detectives look for clues to determine if the murder has a deeper meaning or if it was a robbery gone wrong. A young man is killed in the middle of the day in the prime of his life, in a hail of gunfire. In order to track this killer the surviving victim must be located to get details of the shootout and why it happened.

The episode was rated 6.69 from 32 votes.

The First 48 - S8E11

#13 - Shattered Dreams/Left to Die (Season 8 - Episode 11)

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A Sudanese man from Louisville who fled genocide in Darfur is shot to death in his clothing store, police notice surveillance cameras in the store and look to them for clues. To their horror the cameras fail to identify the suspects. A young couple is shot in their home. The man dies at the scene and the female victim clings to life. She gives detectives the names of two possible shooters, it is up the them to find these suspects and determine whether these two suspects are indeed the killers.

The episode was rated 6.90 from 20 votes.

The First 48 - S8E3

#12 - Crashing the Gate/6000 Motives (Season 8 - Episode 3)

Two people are consumed by gun fire while they sit waiting at the gate of an apartment building. With little to go on detectives rely on the surviving witness to help them solve the case. An elderly man takes a drifter into his home, when the elderly man turns up dead...the drifter is the likely suspect. Detectives will search state to state looking for this suspect.

The episode was rated 7.15 from 39 votes.

The First 48 - S8E2

#11 - Return to Sender/Death Camp (Season 8 - Episode 2)

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A young man lays dead in the backseat of his friend's car. Detectives start looking around the scene and find some mail. Could this be the clue that breaks the case? The streets of Minneapolis are 'home' to the homeless. The brutal beating death of a homeless man sets detectives on a hunt for a killer.

The episode was rated 7.17 from 47 votes.

The First 48 - S8E4

#10 - Obstruction/Flight Risk (Season 8 - Episode 4)

Detectives are called to a shooting that has left a man dead. When a woman shows up to retrieve something from the scene detectives wonder if she knows more than she lets on. A man guns down a mother of two, a witness comes forward to tell detectives the man is headed for Mexico. With the help of the SWAT team, they attempt to cut him off before he can flee.

The episode was rated 7.25 from 40 votes.

The First 48 - S8E8

#9 - Blame Game/Chasing Shadows (Season 8 - Episode 8)

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Two brothers are suspects in the murder of 30-year-old man, in what looks like a robbery gone wrong. Detectives try to get the brothers to turn on each other to see who the killer is. A man is found gunned down in a local parking lot. The clues are few and far between. Detectives get the break they need when the run across surveillance footage.

The episode was rated 7.27 from 26 votes.

The First 48 - S8E10

#8 - Out of Sight/Missing Piece (Season 8 - Episode 10)

After a night out with friends a college students prepares to go home as he is stabbed and killed. Once on scene detectives realize the violence in the area is growing, they come across a man being attacked. Could one of these men be the killer? Three teen boys have an argument, later one of them is shot in a backyard. Detectives set out to find out if these are friends or foe.

The episode was rated 7.47 from 36 votes.

The First 48 - S8E5

#7 - Blood Money/Fifteen (Season 8 - Episode 5)

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A young man lays dead behind an apartment building. Detectives run into problems with the victim's friends. Do they know more than what they are saying? Can the detectives convince them to talk before a killer gets away? A young girl is struck by a stray bullet from an AK-47. This senseless tragedy is made worse by few leads. Detectives will have to track down possible witness after witness to try to find this killer.

The episode was rated 7.61 from 38 votes.

The First 48 - S8E13

#6 - One Heart (Season 8 - Episode 13)

Detectives are after the killer of a 20-year-old gunned down on Christmas Day. Using surveillance footage detectives identify suspects that point fingers at one another.

The episode was rated 7.63 from 24 votes.

The First 48 - S8E12

#5 - Up in Flames/Drive-By (Season 8 - Episode 12)

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A truck is found burning with the body of a murdered man in the back. The fire as destroyed almost all of the evidence. The detectives start with the last known people to see the victim alive. A teenager is playing football in his front yard when gun shots ring out during a drive by, killing the teen. Witnesses are afraid to speak out; detectives must convince them to talk to catch their killer.

The episode was rated 7.65 from 31 votes.

The First 48 - S8E1

#4 - Gone (Season 8 - Episode 1)

Detectives are called to the scene at an apartment, blood covers the apartment. There is no possible way the victim survived this brutal attack. No body is found at the scene and detectives start the search for the killer...and their victim.

The episode was rated 7.66 from 50 votes.

The First 48 - S8E14

#3 - Last Wish (Season 8 - Episode 14)

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After celebrating his birthday with friends and family, the man is found dead on a sidewalk. Twists and turns lead detectives down a crazy path. Finally appealing to the public, they get a lead.

The episode was rated 7.68 from 19 votes.

The First 48 - S8E7

#2 - Devil Inside/Rattlesnake (Season 8 - Episode 7)

An elderly woman is brutally murdered and left under a highway underpass. When satanic symbols are found by the body, police investigate and learn about a similar case. With lots of help they set out to catch a possible serial killer. Local teenage is recklessly shot and killed, the community is gripped by fear. The investigators talk to the neighbors hoping to get one of them to speak.

The episode was rated 7.68 from 19 votes.

The First 48 - S8E9

#1 - Live Bait/Drama at the Classic (Season 8 - Episode 9)

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A young man met a young lady earlier in the day on a bus. They meet up later and he is robbed and murdered, was the victim was set up or killed at random? A man is murdered at an annual football game. Talking to witnesses they determine there was tensions between the dead man and his former girlfriend and her new beau.

The episode was rated 7.71 from 17 votes.

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