Break in the Case

New York City Police Department
Break in the Case

In Season 3 of Break in the Case, we take you behind the scenes of one of NYPD’s most notorious cases from the 1990s, the New York Zodiac Copycat. From 1990 to 1996, a serial killer evades capture while sending taunting notes to the media and the police. For six years, detectives from the Zodiac Task Force follow every lead to the ground. And then, one day, a series of events brings them face to face with the Zodiac. Break in the Case is written and produced by the New York City Police Department and sponsored by the New York City Police Foundation.

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  1. EPISODE 1

    New York Zodiac Copycat: Kid, You've Got the Case

    It’s the summer of 1990, and crime in New York City is at an all-time high. Daily headlines bring fresh stories of random violence and stranger-on-stranger crime. Then, one day in June, someone calling himself “Zodiac” writes a disturbing letter to the New York Post. He claims to have killed three people in Brooklyn according to their astrological signs, and he promises to kill nine more. When the shootings check out, the NYPD forms a Zodiac Task Force. Retired Lieutenant Michael Ciravolo and retired New York Post reporter Anne Murray recount their involvement in the early days of the investigation.

    23 min

  2. EPISODE 2

    New York Zodiac Copycat: We Need to Put This Fire Out

    At Zodiac Task Force headquarters in the Brooklyn Navy Yard, tips pour in from across the city. Even the psychics get in on the action. After one of the victims dies from his wounds in the hospital, the case becomes a homicide.

    24 min

  3. EPISODE 3

    New York Zodiac Copycat: Return of the Zodiac

    In August, 1994, a new letter from the Zodiac lands on the front page of the New York Post. The Zodiac claims to have shot five more victims in 1992 and 1993, in the same geographic area as his first three shootings. A second Zodiac Task Force is formed. Detective Sergeant Joseph Herbert from the 75 Detective Squad focuses on the hard evidence: fingerprints, ballistics, and the Zodiac's letters.

    30 min

  4. EPISODE 4

    New York Zodiac Copycat: East New York Chaos

    One day in June, 1996, a 911 call leads to a shootout and a hostage situation. Detective Sergeant Joseph Herbert is called to his very first hostage job. And then, the unthinkable happens. True to the precinct motto, “Everything happens in the 75,” it all goes down in the 75th Precinct in East New York, Brooklyn.

    21 min

  5. EPISODE 5

    New York Zodiac Copycat: Only Orion Can Stop the Zodiac

    After an East New York man is arrested in the 75th Precinct for attempted murder, the evidence connects him to more sinister crimes.

    23 min

  6. EPISODE 6

    New York Zodiac Copycat: The Trial

    After the Zodiac’s arraignment for three murders and one attempted murder in Queens, a Queens prosecutor must prepare to counter a psychiatric defense.

    24 min

  7. EPISODE 7

    New York Zodiac Copycat: East New York, Then and Now

    The 75th Precinct was a hotbed of crime in the early 90s. In this special episode, officers talk about what it was like to work in East New York back then. We also hear from a present-day Youth Coordination Officer who is trying to improve lives in East New York.

    18 min

  8. SEASON 3 TRAILER

    Introducing Season 3: The New York Zodiac Copycat

    Season 3 of Break in the Case goes behind the scenes of one of New York City's notorious cases from the 90s, The New York Zodiac Copycat. Look for new episodes every Tuesday beginning April 25, 2023.

    1 min
See All Season 3 (8)

Trailers

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About

In Season 3 of Break in the Case, we take you behind the scenes of one of NYPD’s most notorious cases from the 1990s, the New York Zodiac Copycat. From 1990 to 1996, a serial killer evades capture while sending taunting notes to the media and the police. For six years, detectives from the Zodiac Task Force follow every lead to the ground. And then, one day, a series of events brings them face to face with the Zodiac. Break in the Case is written and produced by the New York City Police Department and sponsored by the New York City Police Foundation.

Information

  • Creator
    New York City Police Department
  • Episodes
    24
  • Seasons
    3
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2023 The City of New York
  • Show Website
    Break in the Case

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