The annual gathering of true crime creators and audiences at CrimeCon once again served as a spotlight for the genre’s most acclaimed work. At the 2026 edition of the Clue Awards, held during the three-day conference at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas, streaming powerhouse Hulu emerged as a standout, winning top prizes across formats.
Former “Dateline” correspondent Chris Hansen, now the host of “Takedown With Chris Hansen,” emceed the awards ceremony while organizers celebrated achievements in television, podcasts, documentary film and publishing. The program recognized pieces that combine storytelling craft with investigative rigor, and it honored individuals and teams whose work advances public awareness of crime and justice issues.
Hulu’s major wins and notable program awards
At the center of the night’s announcements were two wins for Hulu. The streamer’s comedic mystery series Only Murders in the Building took the award for outstanding scripted series, rewarded for its blend of suspense, character-driven humor and serialized investigation. On the documentary side, Hulu’s “Girl on the Run: The Hunt for America’s Most Wanted” earned the prize for outstanding docuseries, recognized for its deep dive into a high-profile manhunt and the reporting that followed.
Other honors spanned networks and platforms. In the category of TV: Outstanding Docuseries, nominees included international and streaming productions such as “Death Cap: The Mushroom Murders” and “Amy Bradley is Missing,” but the top docuseries award went to Hulu’s “Girl on the Run.” For TV: Outstanding Episodic Series, Oxygen True Crime’s “The Death Investigator with Barbara Butcher” won for episodic excellence, beating several investigative series from networks like Investigation Discovery and Channel 4.
Podcast, film and book winners
Podcasts continued to be a strong presence at CrimeCon. In the Podcast: Outstanding Docuseries category, “Betrayal” from Glass Podcasts and iHeart Podcasts was named the winner, while CBS News’ long-running series took the honor for Podcast: Outstanding Episodic Series with “48 Hours: Post Mortem.” These awards underline the medium’s capacity to sustain multi-episode investigative narratives and to deliver timely follow-up journalism.
On the feature side, the award for Outstanding Documentary Film went to Netflix’s “Unknown Number: The High School Catfish,” a title that explores the social dynamics and consequences of digital deception. The shortlist included films such as “My Father, the BTK Killer” and a theatrical release, “Night in West Texas,” demonstrating the variety of cinematic approaches to true crime subjects.
True crime in print
The printed word also received recognition: Rick Tulsky’s “Injustice Town” won True Crime Book of the Year, highlighted for its reporting and narrative that revisit a notorious criminal episode and its local aftermath. Other nominated works ranged from historical true-crime reconstructions to investigative nonfiction focused on lesser-known tragedies.
Honors beyond entertainment: advocacy and investigation
CrimeCon’s awards extend beyond creative production to acknowledge impact-oriented work. The conference named survivors and advocates as its Crimefighter of the Year: Jena-Lisa Jones, Haley Robson and Courtney Wild were honored for their leadership with The Survivors, Inc., an organization dedicated to supporting sexual assault survivors and advancing systemic change. The award was presented by families previously recognized in 2026, connecting consecutive years of survivor advocacy at the event.
Law enforcement achievements were also celebrated. Law&Crime announced the 2026 winners of its “America’s Greatest Detective” recognition: detectives Tara Augustin and Alyson Dupouy of Montgomery County, Maryland, acknowledged for their roles in progressing the Leslie Preer cold case. Their work demonstrates the continuing importance of local detective efforts and persistent investigative follow-up in solving long-standing cases.
People’s Choice and creator honors
Audience and creator-driven categories rounded out the program. The People’s Choice: Creator of the Year award went to the team behind the podcast “Crime Weekly,” led by Stephanie Harlowe and Derrick Levasseur, reflecting strong listener engagement and consistent output. Other nominated creators included personalities from established true-crime series and podcast networks.
Taken together, the 2026 Clue Awards showcased a cross-section of the contemporary true crime ecosystem: scripted entertainment that plays with genre conventions, investigative documentaries that inform public discourse, podcasts that sustain serialized inquiry, and advocates and detectives whose real-world actions shape outcomes. As CrimeCon continues to attract journalists, creators and audience members, the Clue Awards function as both recognition and a barometer of the field’s evolving priorities.
Full list of highlighted winners
The ceremony’s major winners included: Only Murders in the Building (TV outstanding scripted series), Girl on the Run: The Hunt for America’s Most Wanted (TV outstanding docuseries), “The Death Investigator with Barbara Butcher” (TV outstanding episodic series), “Betrayal” (podcast outstanding docuseries), “48 Hours: Post Mortem” (podcast outstanding episodic series), “Unknown Number: The High School Catfish” (outstanding documentary film), and “Injustice Town” (true crime book of the year). Additionally, Jena-Lisa Jones, Haley Robson and Courtney Wild received the Crimefighter of the Year award, and detectives Tara Augustin and Alyson Dupouy were named America’s Greatest Detective by Law&Crime.
