Ice-T to Host 2025 Clue Awards; True Crime TV, Film, Podcasting, Publishing Nominees Announced (EXCLUSIVE)
Hip-hop icon and “Law & Order: SVU” star Ice-T has signed on to host the 2025 Clue Awards, set to take place Sept. 6 during the annual CrimeCon convention. Presenters on stage will include “CSI” franchise creator Anthony E. Zuiker, ABC News’ John Quiñones, Dr. Ann Burgess and Matt Murphy.
The Clue Awards has also unveiled its nominees for this year’s event (including a new scripted category), and announced the winners of this year’s “Crimefighter of the Year” award: the families of Liberty German and Abigail Williams, who were victims of the Delphi murders in Indiana, along with lead investigator Lt. Jerry Holeman of the Indiana State Police.
Last year’s Crimefighter of the Year honoree, “America’s Most Wanted” creator/host John Walsh, who is also the co-founder of non-profit organization The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, will present this year’s award. Previous recipients include the Gabby Petito Foundation and the Black & Missing Foundation.
The Clue Awards’ “America’s Greatest Detective” honor, presented by Law & Crime, finalists — which honors law enforcement professionals — include Sgt. Julissa Trapp (Anaheim, Calif., Police Department) for work on the serial killer Steven Dean Gordon and accomplice Franc Cano; Ofc. Jeffrey Babauta (Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission) for asting operation into the world of underground alligator poaching; and Sgt. Matthew Vartanian and Det. Andrew Houghton (Elgin, Ill. Police Department) for work on the 42-year-old cold case of Karen Schepers, which led to the cold case podcast series “Somebody Knows Something.”
Here are the 2025 Clue Award nominees:
TV: Outstanding Docuseries
- “American Murder: Gabby Petito” (Netflix) | Produced by The Cinemart
- “Hey Beautiful: Anatomy of a Romance Scam” (Hulu) | Produced by ABC News Studios and Anchor Entertainment
- “Betrayal: A Father’s Secret” (Hulu)| Produced by Glass Entertainment Group and ABC News Studios
- “Beauty Queen Killer” (Hulu) | Produced by by 101 Studios, Ample Entertainment and ABC News Studios
- “Mastermind: To Think Like a Killer” (Hulu) | Produced by Campfire Studios, in association with Lewellen Pictures
TV: Outstanding Episodic Series
- “Hostage Rescue” (The CW) | Produced by Committee Films and Vice TV
- “PD True” (Paramount+) | Produced by Bright North Productions
- “Crime Beat TV” (Hulu) | Produced by Corus Entertainment Inc.
- “Killer Cases” (A&E) | Produced by The Law&Crime Network
- “Prosecuting Evil With Kelly Siegler” (Oxygen True Crime) | Produced by Wolf Entertainment, Universal Television Alternative Studio and Magical Elves
TV: Outstanding Scripted Series
- “Long Bright River” (Peacock) | Produced by Sony Pictures Television, UCP, a division of Universal Studio Group, Black Mass Productions, Pascal Pictures and Original Film
- “Godfather of Harlem” (MGM+)| Produced by ABC Signature Studios
- “Not My Family: The Monique Smith Story” (Lifetime) | Produced by Undaunted Content, in association with GroupM Motion Entertainment
Podcast: Outstanding Docuseries
- “True Crime News Presents: American Hustlers” | Produced by Frequency Media, in conjunction with True Crime News
- “In Esto Podcast with N Leigh Hunt” | Produced by N Leigh Hunt
- “Up and Vanished” | Produced by Tenderfoot TV
- “Who Killed Jennifer Judd?” | Produced by ID and Ark Media
- “San Miguel Kidnappings” | Produced by Audible
Podcast: Outstanding Episodic Series
- “Courtroom Confidential” | Produced by Via Fortuna Media
- “True Crime News: The Podcast” | Produced by Telepictures Productions Inc., in partnership with Warner Bros Entertainment
- “Crime Fix with Angenette Levy” | Produced by Law&Crime
- “Dead Sleep: True Crime for Bedtime” | Produced by Nancy Miller
- “Betrayal: Weekly” | Produced by Glass Podcasts, a division of Glass Entertainment Group, in partnership with iHeartPodcasts
Outstanding Documentary Film
- “The Menendez Brothers” (Netflix) | Produced by Campfire Studios
- “Serial Killer Capital: Los Angeles” (Oxygen)| Produced by Jupiter Entertainment
- “Left for Dead” (Tubi) | Produced by Streetcar Entertainment
- “The Girl Who Looked Like Me” (ABC) | Produced by ABC News 20/20
- “Sins of the Parents: The Crumbley Trials” (Hulu) | Produced by ABC News Studios
True Crime Book of the Year
- “My Time to Stand” (BenBella Books) | Written by Gypsy-Rose Blanchard, Michele Matrisciani and Melissa Moore
- “The Scientist and the Serial Killer” (Random House) | Written by Lise Olsen
- “The Atlas of Art Crime: Thefts, Vandalism, and Forgeries” (Prestel Publishing) | Written by Laura Evans, PhD
- “The Impostor Heiress: Cassie Chadwick, the Greatest Grifter of the Gilded Age” (Diversion Books) | Written by Annie Reed
- “Story of a Murder: The Wives, the Mistress, and Dr. Crippen” (Penguin Random House/Dutton) | Written by Hallie Rubenhold
- “The Rent Collectors: Exploitation, Murder, and Redemption in Immigrant LA” (Astra House) | Written by Jesse Katz
The Clue Awards recognize “excellence and responsible storytelling” in true crime fare, including TV, film, podcasts and publishing. CrimeCon, which has been held since 2017, is a three-day event that takes place at the Gaylord Rockies Resort & Convention Center in Aurora, Colo. Speakers at this year’s conference, which is produced by Red Seat Ventures, include Zuiker, Walsh, Marcia Clark, Chris Hansen, Kendall Rae, Nancy Grace and others.
