Ep 1. Veritas

In CSI NY season 5 episode 1, titled "Veritas," the team is called in to investigate a cold case that has remained unsolved for two decades. The case involves the murder of a young woman named Sara Butler, who was found strangled to death in a park in 1987. Although the original investigation led nowhere and all leads seemed to dry up, new evidence has emerged that may finally lead to justice for Sara.

The episode begins with a flashback to the day of Sara's murder. As Sara is walking through the park, she is approached by a man who seems to be friendly and conversational. The man, whose face is never shown, strikes up a conversation with Sara about her studies at college and tries to get her to come with him to see his "art exhibit" nearby. It quickly becomes apparent that the man has more sinister intentions, and he eventually attacks and kills Sara.

Cut to present day, where the new evidence in the case has surfaced in the form of a DNA match. The team is excited to finally have a lead to follow up on, but they soon realize that the DNA hit is not a direct match to any known suspects. Instead, it leads them to a man named Paul Zito, who was a suspect in a different murder case from around the same time period.

Paul Zito, now in his 50s, is a successful businessman with no criminal record aside from the aforementioned murder case, in which he was eventually cleared due to lack of evidence. As the team investigates further, they discover that Zito had a connection to Sara Butler through her sister, who had briefly worked as his secretary. Despite this possible motive, Zito maintains that he is innocent and seems genuinely shocked that his DNA would be a match to the crime scene.

As the investigation continues, the team uncovers several other suspects and motives, including a man who was obsessed with Sara and a group of teenagers who were playing a dangerous game in the park that night. Eventually, they are able to piece together what happened on the night of Sara's murder and bring the perpetrator to justice.

In addition to the main case, the episode also explores some of the personal lives of the characters. Mac struggles with his guilt over not being able to solve the case sooner, while Stella deals with a difficult decision regarding her relationship with her boyfriend. Danny and Lindsay also have minor storylines that flesh out their characters and personal lives.

Overall, "Veritas" is a gripping and intense episode of CSI NY that keeps viewers on the edge of their seats until the very end. With a solid case, interesting character development, and some unexpected twists and turns, it sets the stage for what promises to be an exciting season.