James Fyfe leaves his Massachusetts security screening job to follow his dreams of becoming a cop.

New Orleans catches Fyfe’s eye, actually circulating ‘help wanted’ posters amid a hiring slump. Fyfe begins as a patrol officer in Algiers and works his way up the Fourth District Task Force into property crimes.

After time on the Violent Crime Abatement Investigation team, Fyfe finally gets a shot in the homicide division, just as NOLA sees a huge spike in violent crime. While many detectives only handle about five homicide cases a year, Fyfe is assigned to nearly 40 cases over three years because he keeps clearing them!

Since 2022, Fyfe has closed 24 consecutive cases he is assigned to, with his co-workers keeping track on a white board they’ve dubbed the "Fyfe-o-meter."

Fyfe’s work helps the homicide division bring its ‘clearance rate’ from 40% in 2022 to above 76%.

As 2024 nears the end, Thanh Vu tends her supermarket, but three "customers" are seeking more than groceries. Thanh, 61, was held at gunpoint while thieves emptied the register and pocketed cigarettes.

When Thanh fights back, she’s shot and left for dead. 

Joining Nancy Grace:

James Fyfe - Homicide Detective, New Orleans Police Department, Criminal Law Degree from Northeastern University, and Master’s at Suffolk University; Increased Homicide Unit’s Clearance Rate from 40% to 75% from 2022-2024