True Crime Case Tracker — 2026: The Trials and Verdicts to Watch

The cases worth following, kept current. This is our running watchlist of the most-followed U.S. criminal cases — trials about to start, verdicts pending, sentencings on the calendar, and appeals that could reopen settled questions. We write victim-first: every case here is, first, about the people who were lost. Everyone charged but not yet convicted is presumed innocent. Bookmark this page and check back — the calendar moves. Last verified: June 23, 2026.

Etan Patz — conviction reinstated by the U.S. Supreme Court, June 22, 2026

Victim: Etan Patz, 6, who vanished on May 25, 1979 during his first solo walk to the school bus in SoHo, Manhattan, and became the original “milk carton kid.” Status: Pedro Hernandez, convicted in 2017, had his conviction reinstated 6-3 by the U.S. Supreme Court on June 22, 2026 under AEDPA; he continues to serve 25 years to life. What’s next: the case is now closed; Hernandez was denied a new trial. Why it matters: a decades-long disappearance that reshaped how America searches for missing children reaches a final legal resolution. Read the full case file.

Rex Heuermann (Gilgo Beach) — sentencing June 17, 2026

Victims: the women recovered from Long Island’s Gilgo Beach, whose families waited more than a decade for answers. Status: pleaded guilty in April 2026. What’s next: sentencing June 17, 2026, where he is expected to receive consecutive life terms. Why it matters: a cold case that haunted Long Island for years closes with an admission of guilt.

Lindsay Clancy — trial set for July 20, 2026

Victims: Cora, Dawson, and Callan Clancy, her three young children. Status: accused; has pleaded not guilty and is expected to pursue an insanity defense. What’s next: trial scheduled to begin July 20, 2026, in Plymouth Superior Court, Massachusetts. Why it matters: a wrenching postpartum-mental-health case reshaping how courts talk about maternal psychosis.

Larry Millete — trial underway, verdict pending

Victim: May “Maya” Millete, 39, a mother of three from Chula Vista, California, who disappeared in January 2021. Status: accused; pleaded not guilty to first-degree murder, trial in progress. What’s next: closing arguments and a verdict expected soon. Why it matters: a no-body murder case built largely on circumstantial evidence.

Luigi Mangione — state trial September 8, 2026

Victim: Brian Thompson, the UnitedHealthcare CEO shot in Midtown Manhattan in December 2024. Status: accused; pleaded not guilty. What’s next: state trial set for September 8, 2026, with a separate federal prosecution also pending. Why it matters: a killing that became a cultural lightning rod — and a reminder that a defendant is presumed innocent until a jury says otherwise.

Mackenzie Shirilla — appeal before the Ohio Supreme Court

Victims: Dominic Russo and Davion Flanagan, killed in a 2022 crash a judge found intentional. Status: convicted of murder, serving 15 years to life. What’s next: her attorneys filed with the Ohio Supreme Court in April 2026; the court has not yet decided whether to hear it. Why it matters: a renewed legal fight keeps a case many thought settled in the news.