One-Eight-Seven
In South Los Angeles, a place marked by decades of violence, veteran homicide detective Sal LaBarbera fields calls from grieving families marking birthdays and anniversaries of lives cut short. Since joining the homicide division in 1986, during the height of Los Angeles's rock-cocaine-fueled crime epidemic, Sal has seen thousands of cases. Today, while homicides are at a record low thanks to gang intervention and community collaboration, the weight of the work remains. Sal confronts the grim reality of human loss daily, navigating a world where violence feels both incomprehensible and tragically familiar.
Starting out as a teenage fire brigade volunteer, Sal learned early that life’s fragility is often disregarded in moments of senseless violence. Now, after nearly three decades in homicide, he has his own ways of coping: finding solace in a quick joke, a small smile, or precious time with his daughter. Each day, Sal must reconcile the death he encounters with the need to be fully present in his own life—a delicate balance that keeps him grounded as he brings comfort and closure to others.