Into the Mystic (Season 26, Episode 2)
Premise: Det. Vincent Riley is shot while chasing a lead on his own, the suspect is the brother of a killer Price put away, and Walker’s account of the fleeing gunman changes before he testifies.
- Air date
- Season/Episode
- Season 26, Episode 2
- Detectives
- Det. Rob Calvino (James Badge Dale)
- ADAs/DA
- Exec. ADA Nolan Price (Hugh Dancy), ADA Samantha Maroun (Odelya Halevi), DA Nicholas Baxter (Tony Goldwyn)
- Guest stars
- Ryan Eggold as Matt Riley, Chris J. Davis as Ray Biller, Raphael Sbarge as defense attorney Brian Lee, Cadden Jones as Tara Riley
- Director
- Eriq La Salle
- Writers
- Rick Eid
Summary
The Investigation
“Into the Mystic” opens with Det. Vincent Riley making Ray Biller’s roommate phone him, leaving urgent voicemails for Walker and Nolan Price, and heading to a bar at 8th Avenue and 12th Street. He calls out to Ray, shots ring out, and Walker arrives to see a man running north with a gun. Riley dies at the hospital.
Walker, as Riley’s partner and a witness, is benched. Lt. Brady brings in Det. Robert “Bobby” Calvino, who never met Riley, to run point. Walker describes a white man of average build in dark clothes and white Nike sneakers, and admits he ignored Riley’s call while off duty.
Riley’s wife, Tara, reveals months of cash withdrawals. A woman seen shouting at Riley says he ran over her husband and kept sending her money out of guilt; her alibi holds. Riley’s searches and GPS lead to Biller. Price does not know Ray but convicted his brother Wayne of murder, and Wayne was stabbed to death in prison a week earlier. The bar is blocks from Price’s apartment, and video puts Ray near the courthouse, the DA’s office and Price’s building. Biller is arrested at his brother’s funeral and asks for a lawyer. No gun is found, but white Nikes turn up in his building’s dumpster.
The Trial
Maroun wins remand over defense attorney Brian Lee’s bail request, and Riley’s brother, Matt, shouts threats at Biller. Price, a likely witness, sits the case out, and Baxter tries it himself. Lee says Biller had been challenging his brother’s conviction and the DA’s office is targeting him to hide its corruption.
Price testifies that Wayne’s case rested on DNA and a patrol officer’s identification; told the officer first said he never saw the face, Price answers that recognizing a face is easier than describing one. Calvino concedes there is no blood on the seized clothes, no gun, and no proof Biller was the shooter.
Price is told Riley died saving him. In a bar, a man who offers to buy Walker a drink says he might kill Biller if he walks and urges Walker to step up for Riley’s family. In a prep session Walker now says he saw Biller’s face, though his statement said he got no good look. Price believes Walker is lying; Baxter decides to call him anyway.
The ending
Spoiler: The jury finds Biller guilty of first-degree murder. The episode ends at a ceremony adding Riley’s name to the NYPD Wall of Honor, with a tribute naming his children, Bridget and Spencer.
Case outcome: Ray Biller, guilty verdict. Prosecuted by Nicholas Baxter. Conviction rates
Why it stands out
- Det. Vincent Riley, Reid Scott’s character since Season 23, is shot in the opening minutes and dies at the hospital; the last scene adds his name to the NYPD Wall of Honor.
- Det. Rob Calvino (James Badge Dale) arrives in this episode, brought in by Brady to run point on Riley’s murder; he says he never met Riley.
- Price is both the presumed target and a witness, so he testifies about his own earlier case and sits out the trial while Baxter prosecutes in person.