Journalists Tony Harris & Maria Elena Salinas Set for New Newsmagazines on ID

By: Mar. 30, 2017
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In two original newsmagazines coming to Investigation Discovery (ID) this April, Tony Harris and Maria Elena Salinas rely on their instincts and expertise as two of America's leading journalists to reveal the deeper stories behind crimes that shook communities. In SCENE OF THE CRIME, investigative filmmaker Tony Harris ventures deep into small-town America to pull back the curtain on the often-nefarious players and foreboding places at the center of crimes that happened there. SCENE OF THE CRIME WITH TONY HARRIS sneak peeks Sunday, April 9 at 11/10c on ID, immediately following CASEY ANTHONY: AN AMERICAN MURDER MYSTERY, then continues in its regular timeslot of Sundays at 10/9c beginning Sunday, April 16. Then, in THE REAL STORY, join Univision News anchor Maria Elena Salinas as she digs for the true stories behind national headline-making crimes in search of new evidence, unheard perspectives, and updates to the cases. THE REAL STORY WITH MARIA ELENA SALINAS premieres Monday, April 24 at 10/9c on ID.

"As the only network delivering crime content to fans 24/7, ID is working with America's leading journalists - including Paula Zahn, Tamron Hall, and Chris Hansen - to helm its newsmagazines and provide unparalleled in-depth coverage of the crimes that often shake towns and communities, captivating viewers across our nation," said Henry Schleiff, Group President of Investigation Discovery, Destination America, and American Heroes Channel. "With combined investigative careers of more than 60 years, Tony and Maria Elena's diverse experiences and points of view will bring fresh and exciting perspectives to our expanding audience."

As SCENE OF THE CRIME WITH TONY HARRIS explores unbelievable injustices, Tony Harris travels into the heartland to hear personal accounts from victims, loved ones, and even the culprits themselves share heart-wrenching, sometimes deeply buried, reactions to the moment their lives turned upside down. His composed and calculated approach allows Harris to peel back the layers on what motivates some of our nation's most horrific acts of violence. In the sneak peek episode airing on April 9 at 11/10c, Harris revisits the story of 11-year-old Jodi Parrack who was found murdered in a cemetery in the tight-knit community of Constantine, Michigan. When police narrow in on Ray McCann, the officer who suggested they search the cemetery, it isn't until another young girl is attacked that police realize that they may have the wrong man. The episode unfolds through a series of personal stories as Harris interviews McCann himself, Parrack's mother, and neighbors who never imagined a crime like this could occur in their community.

Additional stories Harris revisits this season include: a death-obsessed "hearse club" member, Loyd Dejohn, as the prime suspect of his wife's murder; the wrongful conviction of two men accused of abusing their young cousins and who are now trying to rebuild their lives after 20 years; a doctor's mysterious death is complicated when it's revealed that he had a number of enemies who wanted to end his anti-vaccine crusade against the medical establishment; and a jury left to determine whether Cherelle Baldwin murdered her boyfriend or rightfully protected herself and their child.

THE REAL STORY WITH MARIA ELENA SALINAS tackles the issues that come along with a national story. By pushing aside the clutter that surrounds a sensationalized case, Maria Elena Salinas brings to light what the media originally missed. THE REAL STORY premieres on April 24 at 10/9c with the heartbreaking story of Long Island resident Martin Tankleff, who as a teenager was convicted of murdering his mother and father. Tankleff's conviction was overturned in 2008 - 17 years into a double-life sentence - after a witness came forward with new information that flipped the case on its head. This vital witness, Karlene Kovacs, publically reveals her identity for the first time to discuss what compelled her to deliver a testimony that ultimately contributed to Tankleff's exoneration. And, in an emotional interview, Tankleff reveals to Salinas his side of the story from the moment he discovered his parents dead to the moment he was released from prison. Today, Tankleff is free and working hard to help other people who claim they've been wrongfully convicted by advocating for a new law that forces detectives to record confessions.

Other high-profile stories re-investigated this season by Salinas include: a mother's decades-long quest for justice to discover the answers about Felix Vail, the oldest serial killer case in American history; the Deltona Massacre, in which a woman and five friends were beaten and murdered by squatters, who she had recently evicted from her grandmother's winter home; a Detroit shooting to which a 14-year old confessed - then recanted - causing Salinas to examine the skewed view of justice when dealing with life on the streets; and the deadliest mass shooting in U.S. history, the massacre at Pulse Nightclub in Orlando, where Salinas uncovers groundbreaking information about the shooter's deepest secrets.



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