Chicago's Cold Cases Get a Second Look
Retired detective Pamela Childs revisits unsolved disappearances in new Investigation Discovery series
Retired Chicago Police Detective Pamela Childs is taking on some of the city's most troubling unsolved disappearances in Hunt for the Missing: Chicago, a new documentary series launching on Investigation Discovery on March 4, 2026. The series, directed by Geno McDermott and produced by Ricky Lewis Jr., follows Childs as she revisits cold cases from Chicago's South Side, uncovering investigative failures, pursuing fresh leads, and working toward closure for families left without answers.
New episodes will air weekly on ID beginning with the season premiere, "Shadows from the Southside," which focuses on the 2018 disappearance of Kierra Coles. The 26-year-old vanished while three months pregnant from Chicago's South Side, a case that languished with derailed police work and crucial details left uninvestigated. Childs's reinvestigation uncovers a secret relationship and makes progress toward identifying a previously unnamed person of interest held by the Chicago Police Department.
The second confirmed episode, "The Lion's Den," premieres March 25, 2026, and examines the October 9, 2017, disappearance of Marlo Gulley, who vanished around midnight from the South Side. Police had linked his case to three violent crimes, but official narratives may not tell the full story. Childs joins Gulley's family to challenge the established investigation and search for truth.
The series reflects a broader mission: providing families with answers and exposing systemic issues that allowed these cases to grow cold. By revisiting these disappearances with fresh eyes and modern investigative techniques, Childs demonstrates how cases can slip through the cracks—and how determined work can reignite hope.
Hunt for the Missing: Chicago streams on HBO Max, with episodes also available for purchase on Fandango at Home. The documentary features Childs alongside other contributors, including Jerrica Laws. With new episodes rolling out weekly, viewers can follow each investigation as it unfolds, witnessing both the detective work and the human impact of these cases on families still waiting for answers.
