48 Hours “Fatal First Date” May 17 2025 Recap & Preview

This Sunday, May 17, 2025, at 9:00 PM ET/PT, 48 Hours presents a powerful encore episode titled “Fatal First Date”, reported by Erin Moriarty. The episode recounts a tragic and haunting tale of a first date that ended in an ambush, leaving one person dead and the other barely surviving.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sWhsWUI3cAk

On the night before Thanksgiving in 2021, Chris Smith and Leslie Reeves, who had met online, decided to go on their first date. What started as a typical evening quickly turned into a nightmare when an intruder broke into Smith’s home in Farmersville, Illinois, after 1:00 AM. Reeves was shot and killed, while Smith was shot in the head but miraculously survived.

When first responders arrived, EMT Dennis Hobson, a longtime friend of Smith’s, found him barely alive in a blood-soaked kitchen. Reeves was found dead in the living room. With no weapon found at the scene, investigators were sure that there had been an intruder, but Smith, in a medically induced coma for weeks, had no recollection of the attack.

Months later, when Smith regained consciousness, he was unable to remember any details of the attack or of his time with Reeves. “I wish to God I could remember something … even just a smidgen, but I remember nothing,” he told Moriarty in an exclusive interview.

The investigation focused on Reeves’ ex-boyfriend, Robert Tarr, who authorities believed had secretly followed her that night and broken into Smith’s home. Tarr was convicted of the murder of Reeves and the attempted murder of Smith, though he continues to deny his role in the crime.

48 Hours pieces together the terrifying events of that night, including exclusive interviews with key figures in the case. Don’t miss this emotional and suspense-filled episode as Erin Moriarty unravels the truth behind the tragic events of that fatal first date.

Tune in to 48 Hours this Sunday at 9:00 PM ET/PT on CBS, also available for streaming on Paramount+.