Ep 8. Blame Game/Chasing Shadows

In the eighth episode of The First 48's eighth season titled "Blame Game/Chasing Shadows," viewers are taken through two homicide investigations that prove to be quite challenging for detectives.

The first case revolves around the shooting of 23-year-old Devon Payne in Indianapolis. Payne was a father who had just returned home from work when he was gunned down in his garage. Detectives immediately start canvassing the area and speaking to potential witnesses in hopes of finding some leads. However, their case hits a snag when a witness gives them a name of a possible suspect, but it turns out to be a fake name.

With this setback, detectives must now switch gears and start looking into Payne's background to try and determine who may have wanted him dead. It's not long before they discover that Payne was involved in a complicated love triangle, which leads them to dig deeper into his relationships and ultimately make an arrest. But when the case heads to trial, the defense team attempts to shift the blame onto someone else, causing even more obstacles for the detectives.

The second case takes place in Atlanta and centers around the murder of 21-year-old Anthony Brooks. Brooks was known to have a tumultuous past and his death could have been attributed to a number of things. However, detectives are certain that the killing was gang-related, and they begin working to identify and apprehend the shooter.

As they gather evidence and speak to witnesses, they are able to start piecing together the events leading up to the murder. But just as they are about to make an arrest, the case takes a turn when a shadowy figure appears in a surveillance video and throws off all leads. The person in the video quickly becomes the focus of detectives' attention, but they soon realize that finding this mystery person will be much harder than they thought.

Throughout the episode, viewers are given a glimpse into the tireless work ethic of detectives as they work around the clock to solve these murders. They must navigate through false leads, shifting alliances, and unreliable witnesses to ultimately bring justice to the victims and their families.

"Blame Game/Chasing Shadows" is an intense and gripping episode that puts viewers right in the middle of the action as detectives piece together these complicated and challenging cases.