Ronnie Leatherman’s retirement from Tulsa Homicide was reported in June 2022, with secondary coverage saying he moved into a crime analyst role. His reported on-screen farewell came later: The First 48 Season 24, Episode 4, “Unforgotten: Ben,” which features Leatherman discussing an open case with Detective Lacy Lansdown. The employment change and the television send-off are separate events, and neither has been confirmed in the reviewed primary sources.
What was reported about Ronnie Leatherman’s retirement?
A June 25, 2022 community post linked to a CBR tribute reporting that Leatherman had retired from Tulsa Homicide earlier that month to become a crime analyst. That timing and new-role detail come from secondary and community reporting, rather than a statement from Leatherman or the police department. The June 2022 discussion preserves that reporting trail.
No direct statement from Leatherman or formal Tulsa police confirmation is identified in the reviewed sources. It is therefore most accurate to describe the retirement and analyst role as reported, not independently confirmed.
What was Ronnie Leatherman’s last episode of The First 48?
Search-indexed IMDb coverage identifies “Unforgotten: Ben” as The First 48 Season 24, Episode 4. It says Leatherman discusses one of his open cases with Detective Lacy Lansdown and describes the appearance as an on-screen send-off. IMDb’s page could not be opened directly, so this identification rests on its indexed coverage; there is no basis here to say A&E formally labeled the episode a farewell. The indexed coverage is available at IMDb’s Ronnie Leatherman news page.
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- Miami, Dallas, Vegas, Philadelphia, Phoenix, Memphis murders are committed in these cities every day. But it is the first 48 hours of an investigation that determine whether the murderer is ever caught and brought to justice. As soon as the yellow crime scene tape goes up, the detectives race against the clock to find leads before they go cold. Gritty and fast-paced, THE FIRST 48 raises real-li
The distinction matters: the reported retirement happened in 2022, while the episode is described as a later television farewell. A final appearance on screen does not establish the exact date of a person’s departure from a police department.
Why his departure is notable to viewers of The First 48
The First 48 follows homicide investigations and the work of detectives and homicide teams. Leatherman’s reported appearance in “Unforgotten: Ben” revisits an open case with Detective Lacy Lansdown, giving the episode a direct connection to his work on the series. That documented episode detail explains the farewell framing without needing to claim that all viewers felt the same way or that the series itself changed because he left.
The show’s continuing catalog is available through A&E’s official series page, which also provides episode and streaming access. The page listed 30 seasons and 407 episodes when checked on October 8, 2026; those are the totals displayed by A&E at that time, not a statement about the number of episodes featuring Leatherman.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Does Critical Minutes feature Leatherman’s retirement?
The First 48 Presents: Critical Minutes is a retrospective program hosted by former detectives and built around themed cases from the original series, according to Lifetime’s program page. The reviewed information does not connect Leatherman to the spinoff or say it was created in response to his retirement.
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What remains unconfirmed
- Leatherman’s own explanation of his retirement or career transition.
- Formal confirmation from Tulsa police in the reviewed sources.
- Whether his departure prompted a documented change in the show’s production or audience response.
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