The BEST episodes of 48 Hours season 13
Every episode of 48 Hours season 13, ranked from best to worst by thousands of votes from fans of the show. The best episodes of 48 Hours season 13!
Television's most popular true-crime series, investigating shocking cases and compelling real-life dramas with journalistic integrity and cutting-edge style.
#1 - Invisible Killers
Season 13 - Episode 23 - Aired 3/2/2000
It was supposed to be the house of their dreams. Now their million-dollar house is worthless. They were forced out when an invisible poison moved in. The whole family got sick - including their young son. 48 Hours tells their story, and shows how bacteria and viruses can infiltrate our lives. Correspondent Erin Moriarty reports on a family whose dream house was transformed into a nightmare by a poisonous mold. The mold spread throughout the house and forced them to leave. Did it cause brain damage? It was a simple visit to the county fair that ended tragically. Peter Van Sant reports on how a small drink of contaminated water scarred a family forever. Last year, Cody Unser, an energetic, athletic 12-year-old, was paralyzed by a puzzling virus. Troy Roberts reports on how Cody, the daughter of auto racing legend Al Unser Jr., is coping with her condition. Peter Van Sant takes a "germ tour" of Tucson, Ariz., with microbiologist Charles Gerba. How contaminated are most everyday places? Find out. Bill Lagattuta reports on Strep B, a bug that can kill newborn infants. See what happened to two families whose children had the disease.
Watch Now:Amazon#2 - Ghosts of Mississippi
Season 13 - Episode 38 - Aired 6/26/2000
In many ways, Columbus, Miss., with a population of 30,000, is an unremarkable small Southern town. "It's a nice place to live, there are a lot of nice people," resident Jane Harmon has said. "But there are a lot of strange things that happen." Chief among those strange things is the fact that between 1996 and 1998 there were five murders that are still unsolved. Correspondent Harold Dow reports on what may be the work of a serial killer.
Watch Now:Amazon#3 - Mr. Wonderful
Season 13 - Episode 1 - Aired 9/23/1999
By all accounts, Matt Mathews can be a charming, intelligent man. He could be a good listener and a good parent. He was also a master con man. Over the years, he conned many women, stealing their hearts and then their money. 48 Hours tells the story of "Mr. Wonderful," a man who, to many women, seemed as if he could do no wrong. Correspondent Susan Spencer investigates the tangled web of lies that Mathews relied upon to create his persona. Was he a former pro football player or a doctor? A race car driver? Or a wealthy heir? Even as he was being put on trial, Mathews continued to defraud other women. Spencer talks to one of those women to find out how she why she allowed herself to be deceived, and also looks into Mathews' past to see if she can discover what led him to such a life. With the help of dogged detective work, Mathews is arrested once again. Find out what happened when he went on trial last year.
Watch Now:Amazon#4 - Justice for Sheila? aka Murder for Hire? - Revisited
Season 13 - Episode 17 - Aired 1/31/2000
Updates add information about the murder investigation of Sheila Bellush, killed in front of her babies. Also known as "Murder For Hire?"
#5 - Who Killed These Girls?
Season 13 - Episode 27 - Aired 4/13/2000
On Dec. 6, 1991, just before midnight, an Austin, Texas, police officer reported a fire at a yogurt shop on the north side of town. Inside authorities found the burned bodies of four teen-age girls: Eliza Thomas and Jennifer Harbison, both 17, who were store employees; Sarah Harbison, Jennifer's younger sister, 15; and Amy Ayers, 13, who had stopped by to visit at closing time. The girls had been shot. The case consumed the Austin community. Since then, police have searched for the killers and hit numerous dead ends along the way. Over the years, there were dozens of suspects. Correspondent Erin Moriarty reports on this long, difficult case.
#6 - Never Forget IV
Season 13 - Episode 31 - Aired 5/11/2000
The two cases were eerily similar. In 1963, in a quiet Ohio town, 15-year-old Patti Rebholz was bludgeoned to death. Police questioned her boyfriend, Michael Wehrung, but for years no one was charged. In 1975, in an exclusive Connecticut suburb, 15-year-old Martha Moxley was beaten to death with a golf club. Police had several suspects, among them 15-year-old Michael Skakel. In this case as well, no was charged for years. Now, police have reopened both cases. But is it too late for justice to be done? 48 Hours investigates. Who Killed Patty Rebholz? Murders didn't happen in Greenhills. But one night in 1963, 15-year-old Patty Rebholz was brutally killed. Police suspected that Michael Wehrung had something to do with her death, but an unusual judicial decision kept him free. Harold Dow reports. A Trial: Years later, prosecutors make an arrest. What happens next? Who Killed Martha Moxley? On the night before Halloween in 1975, someone attacked Martha Moxley with a golf club. The club came from a set owned by her neighbors, the Skakels. No one was ever arrested. But in 1998, police reopened the case. Find out what happened.
#7 - Fatal Attraction
Season 13 - Episode 4 - Aired 10/14/1999
Thomas Capano had it all. A wealthy, charming lawyer, Capano, 50, moved in the highest circles of Delaware politics and had been encouraged by some to run for state attorney general. But in 1996, Capano's carefully constructed life came crashing down, when he became the suspect in the disappearance of Anne Marie Fahey, the 30-year-old scheduling secretary to the governor of Delaware. How did such a seemingly perfect man end up in this position? With help from crime writer Ann Rule, who has written a book about the case, 48 Hours finds out. To most people around Wilmington, Del., Capano was a role model. But behind the mask, another person lurked. Correspondent Erin Moriarty investigates how the man who had it all ended up being sentenced to die by lethal injection. For three years, Capano tried to elude justice. But with a combination of hard work and extraordinary luck, prosecutors convicted him. Moriarty reports.
#8 - Bad Girls
Season 13 - Episode 28 - Aired 4/20/2000
What would drive well-educated girls from a well-off suburb to become armed robbers? 48 Hours examines the case of four Texas teen-agers charged with armed robbery after allegedly pulling a string of stickups last year. Drugs and Money: Around Houston, Kingwood has a reputation of being an oasis from urban problems. But growing up there did not keep four teen-age girls out of serious trouble. Bernard Goldberg reports on this unusual case. Teen-agers On Trial: After two of the girls pleaded guilty, they had to persuade a jury that they deserve mercy. But the prosecutor wanted them to serve prison time. Another girl pleaded innocent, determined to avoid prison altogether. Find out what the jury decided.
#9 - Judging Dr. Morgan
Season 13 - Episode 30 - Aired 5/4/2000
By his own estimate, Dr. Robert Morgan has delivered more than 6,000 babies over his 25-year career as an Indianapolis obstetrician. Many of his patients love him. But some patients say that he is not only rude and unresponsive, but negligent and incompetent. Susan Spencer reports on the bitter fight over Morgan's reputation.
#10 - Never Forget III
Season 13 - Episode 24 - Aired 3/9/2000
Four family members in a rural community were brutally killed in the middle of the night. A teen-age waitress was found beaten to death. A young immigrant girl disappeared without a trace. 48 Hours examined three long-unsolved murder cases that stymied police and haunted families. 48 Hours initially started reporting on one of these cases in 1996. Find out how hard work and new technology can play a role. Here's an update. In December 1978, four members of the Huling family were shot and killed in their rural home. One young boy, Bill Huling, survived. No one was arrested. Correspondent Erin Moriarty reports on the investigators trying to crack the case years later. With the help of a 48 Hours broadcast, new witnesses emerged. Investigators focused on a convicted murderer and rapist named Joe Ture, and took a second look at a mysterious toy car. Police explored a connection between the Huling case and the murder of a young waitress. Reyna Marroquin left El Salvador in 1966, eager for a new start to New York. Then she disappeared. Her family never knew what happened. Susan Spencer tells the story. When Marroquin's body was found last year hidden in an industrial drum, detectives went to work. Could they unravel a 30-year-old mystery?
#11 - Daddy's Little Girl
Season 13 - Episode 21 - Aired 2/17/2000
On Sept. 27, 1995, Mindy Berenyi, then 16, broke into her father's bedroom and took his shotgun. When her father came home, she shot and killed him. Her decision to pull the trigger has bitterly divided her family, pitting grandchildren against grandparents, as well as brothers against sisters. 48 Hours Correspondent Susan Spencer reports on a killing that split a family. One side thinks that Mindy Berenyi is a calculating murderer; the other believes that she was driven to kill by her abusive father. Mindy says that her father Andy abused her, physically and emotionally. Andy's wife, Mindy's stepmom, says that he was strict but that he never crossed the line. Spencer reports on both sides. Mindy's defense rests on a theory called "battered child syndrome." She claims that her father's abuse had left her in such terror that one look from him sent her over the edge.
#12 - Matchmaker
Season 13 - Episode 20 - Aired 2/14/2000
There are more than 70 million single adults in America today. That seems like a lot to choose from, but finding a soulmate is not easy. Americans are working harder these days, and that leaves little time for dating. But the search for true love goes on. Millions are using new methods of matchmaking - everything from online dating services to international singles tours. 48 Hours takes a look at a few of these new-fangled ways of making a connection. Love At First Byte: A singer who lives in San Francisco, Christine LeDoux signed up for Match.com, an online dating service. After going on 15 online dates, will her sixteenth be the charm? As 48 Hours tagged along, she went out with British computer consultant Andy Wright. Find out if the sparks flew. A successful real estate saleswoman in Bentonville, Arkansas, Della Ivy Lavan, also signed up with Match.com. She met a North Carolina man named Scott Bradburg. They seemed to have a lot in common, and Lavan decided to fly to North Carolina to meet him. Will they - and their children - get along? Will Bradburg pass the "car door test?" Hot Pursuit: Looking for love, some single men signed up for a matchmaking tour in Moscow. Dan McGovern, Ed Lee and 28 other American bachelors each paid $3,000 to meet a group of almost 200 Russian women. "You're going to have a few girls that are looking to get a ride to the United States," said Preston Stuckle, president of the company running the tour. "But 90 percent of these girls are just looking for a good man." McGovern ended up meeting a Ukrainian named Julia, while Lee met a woman named Natasha. Did either of them find true love? Find out. Dangerous Liaison? In 1996, Texas oilman Maple Hughes went to Odessa, Ukraine, to find his perfect match. There, Hughes, 63, met Roxana Yani, 40 years his junior. A few months later, the pair married in Las Vegas. Under confusing circumstances, Yani returned to Ukraine. When she didn't return after five months, a despe
#13 - Against All Odds
Season 13 - Episode 42 - Aired 9/7/2000
What can you do when fate deals you an unfair hand, when purely by chance life delivers a devastating blow? Do you have it in you to fight back even harder? 48 Hours explores how people struggle with difficult circumstances. Battling A Brain Tumor: Correspondent Susan Spencer reports on David Bailey, a young go-getter who re-thought his life after being stricken with a brain tumor. In The Dark: Sunlight can kill 8-year-old Katie Mahar. She has XP, a rare and often fatal disease. Susan Spencer describes how she and her family have coped. Saving Amy: Correspondent Jerry Bowen provides an update on 12-year-old Amy Frohnmayer, who has a rare genetic disease called Fanconi anemia. She has just one defective gene but it prevents many of her cells from growing normally. Will she survive?
#14 - Panic
Season 13 - Episode 22 - Aired 2/24/2000
About 20 million Americans suffer from some type of anxiety disorder. Many must deal every day with the fear that at any moment they could be overwhelmed by panic, one of type of anxiety disorder. The symptoms can be overwhelming. "My legs get shaky," says Theresa Murphy, explaining her panic attacks. "I can't control my own body. Everything gets blurry. But when it actually blacks out, and you can't see anything, that's probably the scariest thing." Episodes can last for a few minutes or days, she says. 48 Hours explores anxiety disorders and spends time with several people, including Donny Osmond, who are trying to overcome them. Correspondent Peter Van Sant reports on two people trying out a new treatment for panic disorder. Can one week of intense therapy erase years of anxiety? Find out. Although he has performed before large audiences for most of his life, Donny Osmond didn't know until recently that he had a severe anxiety disorder. Harold Dow finds out how Osmond faced his problem. Richard Schlesinger reports on a new method of confronting anxiety: using dogs as stress-busters.
#15 - Cyberstalker
Season 13 - Episode 25 - Aired 3/30/2000
More than 15 million children currently go online - more than 10 million of then in America. Are they safe? For that matter, are adults safe when they go online? Maybe not. 48 Hours takes a look at cyberstalking and other online dangers. Tracking Cyber-Predators: Correspondent Peter Van Sant reports on Operation Blue Ridge Thunder, a team of investigators in rural Virginia trying to crack down on pedophiles who comb the Web to find victims. Catching A 'Traveler': Van Sant continues his report: After months of work, Operation Blue Ridge Thunder moves to arrest one alleged pedophile. Will it succeed? Love's Tangled Web: Bill Lagattuta explores a new way to check on people you meet online. One woman relied on the service, with some unexpected results. An Online Tragedy: Susan Spencer reports on one man who took his obsession into cyberspace, with deadly results.
#16 - Breaking Point
Season 13 - Episode 26 - Aired 4/12/2000
Every year about 1,000 homicides are committed by people who are mentally ill and not in treatment. Many of these cases have made national headlines; in one case two years ago, a schizophrenic man killed a young woman by pushing her in front of a New York City subway. Often, the families of those with psychiatric problems must decide whether to have their children forcibly hospitalized. 48 Hours looks at this dilemma, focusing on several particularly difficult cases.
#17 - Accused
Season 13 - Episode 29 - Aired 4/27/2000
In 1996, Sheila Bryan was just another small-town mother, living with her husband in Omega, Ga., happily raising their two daughters Kari and Karla. "I'm a mom, and proud to be a mom," she says. But everything changed on Aug. 18, 1996. Susan Spencer reports on a family struggling with an enormous burden.
#18 - Impossible Mission II
Season 13 - Episode 32 - Aired 5/15/2000
In the summer of 1984, Dyke Rhoads, 27, met 24-year-old Karen Spesard. The couple fell in love and were married on March 22, 1986. But less than three months later, on July 6, in their hometown of Paris, Ill., the couple were murdered in their house and stabbed more than 25 times each. After the crime, the killer or killers set a fire to destroy the evidence. The next year, two men, Randy Steidl and Herb Whitlock, were arrested. Whitlock, then 41, was a part-time construction worker and small-time drug dealer. Stiedl, then 35, also worked construction jobs and had several convictions for assault. The motive for the murders, according to prosecutors: a drug deal gone bad. After the trial in 1987, Whitlock was sentenced to life in prison; Steidl was sentenced to death. But are they really the murderers? 48 Hours reports on a case that may not yet be closed. Over the years, Steidl and Whitlock have continued to claim that they were innocent. They weren't the only ones who thought that justice had gone astray. In 1999, David Protess, a Northwestern University journalism professor, and four of his students began to reinvestigate the crime trying to find out who killed the couple.
#19 - Citizen Jane
Season 13 - Episode 33 - Aired 5/18/2000
Jane Alexander didn't expect to spend her golden years as an amateur detective, heading a group that helps families of murder victims solve cases. "I figured I'd just enjoy my grandchildren, of which I have 12," says Alexander, who is 77. But 17 years ago, her life took a totally unexpected turn. Bill Lagattuta reports on this unusual case.
#20 - It's Only Sex
Season 13 - Episode 34 - Aired 5/22/2000
More than ever before, sex seems to pervade American society. From the explosion of pornography on the Internet to Bob Dole's ads for Viagra, sexuality has come to the forefront. However it started, there seems to be a new sexual revolution. 48 Hours takes a look at the role of sex in American society. Not Tonight, Dear: Correspondent Erin Moriarty reports on new scientific discoveries that are helping women who suffer from low libido. Too Much Sex? Some critics say that America gone too far with its sex obsession. Correspondent Bill Lagattuta talks to two experts, Hugh Hefner and Dr. Laura Schlessinger. Each has very different views.
#21 - That's My Child
Season 13 - Episode 35 - Aired 6/1/2000
The bond between parent and child is among the strongest human bonds. But what happens when several people say that they deserve to be parents of a single child? Who should decide and under what criteria? 48 Hours takes a look at several parents fighting desperately for custody of children that they believe are theirs. Will they succeed? Saving Grace: Correspondent Bernie Goldberg reports on the story of baby Grace, who is at the center of a modern custody battle. Does providing biological material give a father the right to be a parent? Millionaire Texas car dealer Don McGill says it does. His ex-wife vehemently disagrees. Find out what happens. Amanda's Story: After giving birth to a son, 19-year-old Amanda Kolle began suffering from postpartum depression. She gave her baby to a friend while she recovered. A few months later, when she went back for her son, she found that he had been given to another couple, who want to keep the baby. Correspondent Erin Moriarty reports on this tangled story. Who's To Judge? After case workers decided that Leanore Weigner had allowed her children to be mistreated, case workers in Pennsylvania took them away from her. But critics argue she was a good parent. Will she regain custody of her kids? Correspondent Erin Moriarty reports.
#22 - Living Better Longer
Season 13 - Episode 36 - Aired 6/15/2000
Has America become obsessed with finding the fountain of youth? 48 Hours examines the lengths to which people will go to feel and look younger. Meet a movie star who can afford to spend a small fortune on the latest anti-aging regimen, and average senior citizens looking to spice up their love lives. Can modern science help turn back the clock? Nick Nolte Searches For Youth: Correspondent Peter Van Sant reports on actor Nick Nolte, who after years of abusing his body with drugs and alcohol has devoted himself fully to his mental and physical health. Can his controversial regimen repair the damage? Find out. A Very Healthy Romance: With five previous marriages between them Syble Bachleda and Harvey Waldron, both retired, never thought they'd become involved in another relationship at their age. But they did. Troy Roberts reports on how romance keeps some seniors healthier. Use It Or Lose It: At the age of 45, Linda Bach went back to medical school. At 52, she was a new resident. Susan Spencer reports on new research suggesting that active people tend to stay sharper mentally. Eartha Kitt Just Keeps On Going: At the age of 74, Eartha Kitt is still performing, enthralling audiences with her energy and panache. Harold Dow talks with her about her longevity secrets.
#23 - Class of 2000: Great Expectations
Season 13 - Episode 37 - Aired 6/22/2000
Four years ago, in cities and towns across America, millions of teen-agers entered the ninth grade. At the same time, CBS News began an in-depth examination of this group, the Class of 2000. The goal: To present a portrait of our country's problems and promise as seen through the eyes of these students. CBS News' 48 Hours completes this four-year project with a look at several remarkable young men and women. As part of this project, CBS News and Simon & Schuster also has co-published an eBook based on the entire four-year project. The eBook, The Class of 2000: A Definitive Survey of the New Generation, is now available in conjunction with the June 22 broadcast. Among the people you'll meet in Thursday's broadcast: From Prisoner To Counselor: For four years, Correspondent Richard Schlesinger has been following the story of Chris Robertson, who has been in jail nine times, mostly on drug-related charges. Find out how Robertson found a way to overcome his problems. A Down-To-Earth Teen Star: Only 18, Lila McCann is already a country music star. But she also wanted to be a regular high school student. She even sang in the choir. Peter Van Sant profiles this unusual young woman. A Very Loyal Friend: Two teens, Kay Poe and her best friend Esther Kim, both wanted to be on the U.S. tae kwon do team. Then, Kay was injured, and had to face her friend in the finals. Bernie Goldberg reports on how Kim resolved the tension between competition and friendship. For more on this story, click on the interactive above and to the right. Once A Gang Member, Now A Mom: Four years ago, Melissa Orona was a committed gang member. Peter Van Sant finds out what has happened to Melissa since then. Graduation Day In Moses Lake: In 1996, a school shooter killed three students at Frontier Middle School. Susan Spencer reports on several members of a community that has had to heal itself.
#24 - Fame
Season 13 - Episode 39 - Aired 7/5/2000
More and more, it seems, Americans are obsessed with celebrity. But is fame all it is cracked up to be? 48 Hours takes an inside look at the nature of modern stardom. Surviving Fame: Correspondent Steve Hartman profiles some of the men and women trying to become stars by undergoing grueling tests on Survivor. 'Whassup' Storms The Country: Richard Schlesinger profiles four friends from Philadelphia whose casual greeting made them famous. Sam I Am: Troy Roberts reports on Sammie Bush, a 13-year-old singer whose talent has brought him to the cusp of superstardom. Marrying A Millionaire: Peter Van Sant profiles Darva Conger, the California nurse who married a millionaire on national television. Afterward, she discovered that celebrity is more complicated than she imagined.
#25 - Tornado
Season 13 - Episode 40 - Aired 7/27/2000
In 1999, tornadoes killed 94 people in the United States, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Every year, hundreds of tornadoes touch down in this country. CBS News' 48 Hours takes a close-up look at this powerful and often terrifying force. A 300 MPH Monster: Correspondent Peter Van Sant reports on the killer tornado that struck Oklahoma in 1999. He focuses on two families, the Tinnemans and the Darnells, who were hit with almost no warning. Afterward, A Paramedic Works Alone: When the tornado had done its damage, a lone EMT found himself treating a gym full of badly injured people. Among those people were members of the Darnell and Tinneman families. Looking For A Stormy Vacation: Correspondent Harold Dow reports on a group of vacationers who spend their time off looking for very bad weather. A Tornado-Sensing Dog: Richard Schlesinger reports on a dog that helped save his owners from an approaching tornado.