48 Hours “The Girl from Wahoo” February 14 2026 Recap & Preview

This Saturday, 48 Hours presents The Girl from Wahoo, a powerful and long-awaited episode airing February 14, 2026, at 10:00 PM ET/PT on CBS and streaming on Paramount+. The broadcast revisits the 1969 murder of 17-year-old Mary Kay Hesse, a small-town Nebraska case that haunted Wahoo for more than five decades—and one that has finally seen a breakthrough.

In October 1969, Mary Kay was found brutally stabbed to death in her hometown of Wahoo, a quiet community unaccustomed to violent crime. The murder left a trail of grief, confusion, and unanswered questions. Despite initial investigations, the case went cold and remained unsolved for over 50 years.

Now, correspondent Natalie Morales reports on how a dedicated team of investigators, armed with fresh eyes and modern forensic tools, returned to long-overlooked evidence. Through interviews with Mary Kay’s cousins Mark Miller and Kathy Tull, law enforcement officials, and legal experts, the episode pieces together how the case was revived after so many years of silence.

Viewers will hear from former Nebraska State Patrol Cold Case Unit sergeant Bob Frank, as well as Ted Green, a former criminal investigator for the Saunders County Attorney’s Office. Saunders County Attorney Jennifer Joakim and Deputy County Attorney Richard Register explain the legal journey that led to an arrest more than half a century after Mary Kay’s life was stolen.

The Girl from Wahoo is a story about time, persistence, and a community that never gave up. It’s a tribute to the memory of a young girl and the investigators who finally gave her case the justice it deserved.

Watch the full story unfold Saturday night on 48 Hours on CBS and stream it anytime on Paramount+.