CrimeCon 2024 Recap: A Deep Dive Into the World of True Crime

What do you get when you bring together thousands of true crime fans under one roof? A weekend that’s more gripping than the latest murder documentary: CrimeCon 2024. Held at Nashville’s iconic Gaylord Opryland Hotel from May 31 to June 2, this year’s convention was one for the case files—and Jellysmack was there with our partners at Law&Crime to experience it all.

Now in its seventh year and growing steadily, CrimeCon is the ultimate stakeout for true crime enthusiasts—featuring everything from educational panels on cutting-edge forensic techniques to keynote sessions with leading analysts and commentators. This year’s event brought together justice-seeking non-profits, top podcasters, and crime-solving creators from around the globe. Jellysmack creator partners Danelle Hallan, John Lordan, Stephanie Harlowe, and Annie Elise of 10 to Life were among the hundreds of armchair detectives and real-life investigators who made appearances to spotlight crime’s biggest stories.

From chilling panels to interactive booths and exhibits, here are the CrimeCon 2024 highlights that kept us on the edge of our seats.

Law&Crime Booth

You simply couldn’t attend CrimeCon 2024 without stopping by the official Law&Crime booth. Law&Crime is the leading digital network for high-profile criminal trials, interrogations and unsolved mysteries—so of course, fans showed up and showed out to visit their favorite network destination IRL.

Not only did fans pose for photo ops with Law&Crime’s on-air hosts Jesse Weber and Angenette Levy, they also couldn’t get enough of the exclusive merch from the newly launched True Crime Goods store.

Top CrimeCon Panels

Law&Crime Sidebar: Will New Testing Prove Scott Peterson is Innocent?

In one of the kickoff panels for the conference, Sidebar hosts Jesse and Angenette discussed the recent developments in the infamous Scott Peterson case. The duo explained what the Los Angeles Innocence Project is doing to prove that Peterson was wrongfully convicted, including new DNA testing, and if their efforts could overturn his conviction.

John Douglas in Conversation with Chris Hansen

Former FBI profiler John Douglas, whose book inspired the Netflix series Mindhunter, discussed the patterns and subtle nuances of criminal profiling with Chris Hansen of To Catch a Predator fame. The fascinating fireside chat drew an audience of over 1,000 attendees who hung on every word of the two criminal investigators. 

Nancy Grace Presents: Til Death Do Us Part – The Littlest Victims When Love Goes Wrong

A leading crime analyst and advocate for victim’s rights, Nancy Grace captivated fans with her emotional keynote that intricately wove her personal life and career trajectory into recent tragedies of child abuse and murder. With an overt message to take action when we witness or suspect wrongdoing, Nancy left the audience feeling empowered to heed the call when injustice occurs. 

Standout Events

Book signing with Sean “Sticks” Larkin

On Saturday afternoon, former Tulsa police officer and co-host of On Patrol Live, Sean “Sticks” Larkin held an appearance and signing at the Law&Crime booth for his non-fiction book Breaking Blue: Real Life Stories of Cops Falsely Accused. Dozens of fans waited in a line that snaked around the showroom floor for the chance to meet Sticks and snap a photo with the popular author and TV personality. 

CLUE Awards

The marquee event of the weekend, the CrimeCon CLUE Awards celebrate outstanding individuals and projects in the space. Nominees and industry insiders gathered at a VIP dinner and ceremony on Saturday evening to honor categories in Television, Podcasts, Books, Documentaries, and more. 

As a sponsor of the CLUE award for America’s Greatest Detective, the Law&Crime team played a special role in this year’s event. Detectives from across the country went through a nomination and selection process, with the three finalists humbly sharing their tireless efforts to combat injustices during a conference panel. 

This year’s finalists for America’s Greatest Detective were Senior Inspector Laura Tierney, US Marshals Services Liaison with the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children; Detective Julia Oliveira, Missing or Murdered Indigenous Peoples Investigator with the Yurok Tribe in Northern California; and Gene & Sandy Ralston, sonar technology investigation specialists and the Founders/Directors of Ralston Underwater Search & Recovery Team.

Each of these investigators were well deserving of the award for their incredible work that helps families who find themselves in impossible circumstances. 

“I always say that I can’t provide closure. But I can try to provide answers to what happened to their loved one.” – Julia Oliveira

In the end, it was Laura Tierney who took home the award for America’s Greatest Detective for her exceptional leadership in Operation We Will Find You, which located 225 missing children in the span of just 10 weeks. An incredible feat that those families will be forever grateful for. 

A powerful weekend with die-hard fans, passionate creators, and criminal experts—we couldn’t have asked for anything more from CrimeCon 2024. Thank you to everyone who stopped by the Law&Crime booth and said hi! Until next year—stay curious, stay vigilant, and keep seeking the truth.