ABC News Announces “The Interrogation Tapes: A Special Edition of 20/20”

ABC News has revealed a new limited 20/20 series, The Interrogation Tapes: A Special Edition of 20/20, which will look at some of the most compelling criminal cases in recent history through the lens of interrogations, unveiling the tricks of the trade detectives use to coax confessions from suspects.

What’s Happening:

As the stories unfold, experts in the science and tactics of interrogations, along with ABC News legal correspondents Ryan Smith, Brian Buckmire and Jami Floyd, go inside this supercharged space, unpacking dynamic, tense and vulnerable moments at the heart of each case.
Audiences will gain insights into the special techniques employed by different interrogators, how some use the physical space, methods employed when looking for clues, analysis of a suspect’s speech and body language, and how this all can culminate in the truth — or a false confession.
ABC News Studios’ The Interrogation Tapes: A Special Edition of 20/20 premieres Monday, April 1st at 10:00 p.m. EDT on ABC and next day on Hulu.
Additional episodes air on Mondays through May 6th.

Episode Synopses

“With Friends Like These” (Monday, April 1st)

“With Friends Like These” follows the death of 19-year-old aspiring artist Sarah Stern, first reported missing when her car was discovered abandoned on a bridge. Investigators begin to focus on Stern’s childhood friend as a suspect after they cue in on troubling statements and omissions made during his police interviews. However, an up-and-coming filmmaker is willing to go undercover to help the case, which leads to the capturing of a chilling confession.

“The Clique” (Monday, April 8th)

“The Clique” presents the story of the Clear Lake Massacre, beginning with the hunt for the killer of four young people murdered in a home outside Houston, Texas. After years of chasing dead ends, a tipster points law enforcement in a surprising direction — a young woman, once bullied in school, befriended by two of the victims who helped her become a beauty queen. Investigators begin to grapple with a crucial question: Is this former “Miss Irresistible” a mere pawn in a cold-blooded killing or a calculated mastermind?

“The Devil in Disguise” (Monday, April 15th)

“The Devil in Disguise” follows the investigation into the shocking murders of pregnant mother Shanann Watts and her two young children. After Shanann and her children go missing, her husband, Chris Watts, appears on local news to plead for their safe return. However, something in his demeanor seems off to investigators, so they bring him in for questioning. After Watts flunks a polygraph, detectives open the interrogation room to a surprising guest as they try to get to the truth.

“Sins of the Father” (Monday, April 22nd)

“Sins of the Father” unravels the story of Karl Karlsen, whose wife and son died years apart in what first appeared to be horrible accidents. However, suspicious insurance plans and a secret recording put Karlsen in the crosshairs of an hours-long interrogation as detectives seek to unlock decades of deadly family secrets.

“Mystery on the Hudson” (Monday, April 29th)

“Mystery on the Hudson” follows the investigation into the drowning death of Vincent Viafore. After first appearing to be a tragic accident, investigators grow suspicious once they begin speaking with his fiancée. Now, talking to ABC News for the first time, the lead detective of this case, Donald DeQuarto, unpacks how the interrogation of Viafore’s fiancée led him down a path of trying to discover if something more sinister happened.

“Stranger Than Fiction: The Murder of Angie Dodge” (Monday, May 6th)

“Stranger Than Fiction: The Murder of Angie Dodge” tells the story of a false confession and a determined quest for the truth. After Angie Dodge is murdered, police zero in on 20-year-old Chris Tapp as the suspect. Convinced he was part of the crime, authorities relentlessly interrogate Tapp before he finally confesses. Shockingly, Dodge’s own mother becomes certain of Tapp’s innocence after watching recordings of his interrogation, sparking a years-long search for the truth before police can question the real killer.