Why is ‘Dateline NBC’ not airing tonight? Hit crime show replaced by fan-favorite
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: On Sunday, July 14th, 'Dateline NBC' will break from its usual rerun episode. NBC will instead air an episode from Season 15 of the popular game show 'American Ninja Warrior' at 10 PM.
'American Ninja Warrior' is a sports entertainment reality show based on the Japanese series 'Sasuke'. Viewers can catch the new episode on Sunday, with Season 16 having premiered on June 3rd at 8/7c on NBC. Additionally, episodes are available for streaming the next day on Peacock.
When will the new 'Dateline NBC' episode air?
'Dateline NBC' typically releases new episodes every Friday, while Sunday slots are reserved for reruns of old cases. The next new episode of 'Dateline NBC' is set to air on July 19 at 9 PM ET.
NBC has not yet released details about the upcoming episode, a common strategy to build anticipation. As the air date approaches, more information about the episode will be provided.
Fans can watch 'Dateline NBC' on FuboTV, DIRECTV, and Peacock Premium. Spectrum customers can stream it for free on Spectrum On Demand. Peacock has also made 15 seasons of 'Dateline NBC' available for streaming.
What happened in the last episode of 'Dateline NBC'?
In a previous 'Dateline NBC' episode, the case of Linda Collins, a former Arkansas state senator found murdered at her home in Pocahontas, Arkansas, in June 2019, was covered.
Her body was discovered by her son, Butch Smith, and her father, who visited her house after not hearing from her for several days. They found her wrapped in a tarp in the driveway, and the condition of her body indicated that she had been dead for some time.
Linda Collins had recently returned from a trip to Washington, DC, with hopes of reviving her political career after losing her state senate seat. Her family grew concerned when they noticed her absence from social media and received no responses to their messages and calls.
The investigation revealed that Linda Collins had been stabbed to death. Initially, her ex-husband, Phil Smith, was a prime suspect due to their contentious divorce, which involved $2 million in assets. However, he was eventually cleared of any involvement in her murder.
The breakthrough in the case came from security camera footage obtained from Linda's home. Despite attempts to tamper with the cameras, investigators recovered video showing Rebecca Lynn O'Donnell, a close friend of Linda's, in the kitchen holding a bloody knife. Further evidence linked O'Donnell to the crime, including the theft and sale of gold and silver coins belonging to Linda.
Rebecca Lynn O'Donnell was arrested and charged with capital murder, abuse of a corpse, and tampering with evidence. Initially, she claimed innocence and suggested she was framed, but later confessed to the murder. O'Donnell's motive appeared to be financial gain, as she had stolen valuable coins from Linda and allegedly killed her when confronted about it.
In August 2020, O'Donnell pleaded guilty to the charges and was sentenced to 50 years in prison. Linda's daughter, Tate Williams, expressed the family's pain, stating, "No amount of punishment will ever fill that void that Rebecca O'Donnell made in our lives the day she killed our mother."
