Episode one follows the investigation into the murder of 36-year-old Courtney Valentine-Brown, who was found stabbed in a flat in Southend-on-Sea. The episode spans the critical first two days of the investigation as a team of detectives and specialists work around the clock to catch the killers.

The episode opens with senior investigating officer Stuart on his way to the crime scene. Inside, forensics get to work piecing together what may have happened and who was involved based on the extensive blood spatter in the flat.

In a briefing at HQ, the team are given a variety of tasks before they scatter in the quest to find evidence. As the murder happened behind closed doors, there are no eyewitnesses and no CCTV, so they start from scratch trying to unlock clues and uncover leads. The first breakthrough emerges when a witness comes forward saying she saw four people enter the flat just before the murder. She identifies two of them as Kelly King (the flat owner), Ian Slater (her boyfriend), but did not recognise the other two men.

With two suspect names, the investigation gathers pace. Operational Support are called in to lead the search for King and Slater. They eventually track King down and arrest her, but Slater is nowhere to be found.

The manhunt steps up a gear with Steve Robson, a manhunt specialist from the Serious and Organised Crime Unit, deployed. Steve works proactively to hunt Slater down. He visits a range of Slater’s associates, operating on the basis that if you rattle enough family and friends, then the suspect will eventually appear. Show less