Ep 9. Lonely Hearts

In Cold Case season 4 episode 9, titled "Lonely Hearts," the Philadelphia Homicide squad reopens the 1989 case of Gina Huntington, a young woman found strangled to death in her apartment. Gina was a beautiful and ambitious college student who worked as a cocktail waitress to support herself. The police had initially investigated her death as an apparent robbery gone wrong, but nothing had been stolen from her apartment.

The case resurfaces when Detective Stillman receives an anonymous letter from someone claiming to have information about Gina's murder. The letter writer is revealed to be a woman named Sharon, who had been a friend of Gina's back in college. Sharon admits to harboring a guilty secret for over a decade and wants to come clean about what she knows before it's too late.

As the Cold Case team starts digging into the case, they learn that Gina was part of a group of women who frequented a bar called the Pink Pony. They all had one thing in common - they were lonely, vulnerable, and looking for love. The Pink Pony was a popular hangout for young women who were drawn to the attention and promises of affection from shady men in the bar. Gina was one of those women, and she had engaged in a romantic relationship with a man named Max, a bartender at the Pink Pony.

Max is not the only person of interest in the case. Cold Case detectives also question another bartender named Joel, who had reportedly been fired from the Pink Pony shortly before Gina's death. They also investigate Sharon's ex-boyfriend, who was known to frequent the Pink Pony and had a record of violence against women.

As the investigation deepens, the team uncovers a seedy world of sexual exploitation and desperation. The Pink Pony was a hub for lonely hearts looking for love in all the wrong places. The case takes a twist when they discover photos of Gina and other women taken by a photographer named Eddie, also a regular at the bar. Though Eddie is initially uncooperative and denies any involvement, the detectives eventually catch him in a lie and he confesses to his involvement in the murder.

One of the strongest themes of the episode is the powerful and often destructive emotion of love. The Pink Pony was a melting pot of lonely hearts, all seeking love, companionship, and acceptance. Gina's story is a cautionary tale about the deadly consequences of pursuing those desires in the wrong places and with the wrong people.

"Lonely Hearts" is a gripping episode that showcases the amazing investigative skills of the detectives in the Cold Case unit as they work tirelessly to solve a seemingly unsolvable crime. The case also demonstrates how far forensic science has come since 1989, as the team relies on advances in DNA analysis and forensic technology to help them piece together a devastating puzzle.

The acting is excellent throughout the episode, with Kathryn Morris especially shining in the role of Detective Lilly Rush. The episode is packed with twists and turns and has a genuinely surprising conclusion that will leave viewers on the edge of their seats. Overall, "Lonely Hearts" is a haunting and powerful exploration of the dark side of love and longing, and is a must-see for fans of the show and true crime aficionados alike.