Ep 5. Dead or Alive

In "Dead or Alive," the fifth episode of the third season of Crossing Jordan, a young woman is found murdered in her apartment. The victim is identified as Melissa Helmars, who had aspirations of becoming a model. Jordan (Jill Hennessy) and Woody (Jerry O'Connell) lead the investigation into her death.

As they gather evidence, they discover that Melissa was in a relationship with a married man named Chris Bradshaw (Casper Van Dien). Chris had promised to leave his wife for Melissa, but never followed through. The detectives also find out that Melissa had been working as an escort and had been involved with a dangerous man named Ivan Beltran (Kuno Becker).

Meanwhile, Nigel (Steve Valentine) and Bug (Ravi Kapoor) work to identify the body of a man who died in a car accident. They struggle to identify him because his face has been shredded by the windshield of the car. Eventually, they are able to identify him as a man named Evan Gonzales, who has been missing for several months. The investigation into his death leads them to a group of illegal street racers, one of whom is a suspect in his murder.

Throughout the episode, Jordan continues to deal with the aftermath of her brother's death. She is struggling to come to terms with the fact that he was murdered and is having a hard time finding closure. She confides in her father (Ken Howard) about her feelings and he encourages her to seek professional help.

As the episode progresses, Woody and Jordan continue to dig deeper into Melissa's murder. They eventually discover that the killer was not Ivan Beltran as they initially thought, but another person entirely. The reveal of the real killer is surprising and adds a twist to the case.

In the end, Woody and Jordan are able to solve Melissa's murder and bring her killer to justice. They also discover that Ivan was not involved in her death and was actually trying to protect her from harm.

"Dead or Alive" is a well-crafted episode that keeps viewers on the edge of their seats with its twists and turns. While the case of Melissa's murder is intriguing, it is the emotional depth given to Jordan's character that truly shines. Jill Hennessy delivers a powerful performance as she struggles to come to terms with her brother's death and find closure.