20/20 Tonight (Friday, Sept. 4, 2026): The Hungryland Homicide — What to Know About the Tricia Todd Case

Quick answer: Tonight's 20/20 (ABC, 9 to 11 p.m. ET / 8 p.m. CT) is a repeat: "The Hungryland Homicide", the case of Tricia Todd, a 30-year-old hospice nurse and Air Force veteran who vanished from Hobe Sound, Florida, in April 2016. It first aired May 3, 2024, and streams the next day on Hulu.

Key takeaways

• Repeat, not a new episode. ABC's network listing for tonight is marked (R) with an original air date of 5/3/24. New episodes return Friday, September 25, the Season 49 premiere.
• The case: a young mother disappears after a 2 a.m. stop at her ex-husband's rental; three very different men are questioned.
• The ending is known: her ex-husband confessed, took a plea deal and is serving 35 years.

What is the Tricia Todd case?

Tricia Todd was last seen around 2 a.m. on April 27, 2016, leaving a rental property in Hobe Sound where her ex-husband, Steven Williams, was staying with their 2-year-old daughter. She did not show up for work, and the Martin County Sheriff's Office opened a missing-person investigation that quickly drew national attention.

Detectives looked at three men. A local pastor who had twice crossed paths with Todd on her evening beach walks was cleared by surveillance footage that showed him watching sea-turtle nesting that night. A ventriloquist Todd had been interested in romantically was also cleared. That left Williams, who was cooperative at first and took a polygraph that came back inconclusive.

What does tonight's 20/20 cover?

Co-anchor Deborah Roberts walks through the search, the interviews and the moment the investigation turned on Williams. According to ABC News' reporting, Williams first said the two argued, that he pushed her and she hit her head, and that he panicked and left her. He was initially charged with child neglect for leaving the toddler alone. He later confessed to killing Todd, which he described as accidental, and was charged with second-degree murder.

Where are they now?

• Steven Williams is serving a 35-year sentence under the plea agreement.
• Tricia's remains were recovered in the Hungryland preserve, buried in a plastic tote with acid, a detail investigators described as evidence of premeditation.
• Tricia's daughter was adopted by Todd's brother Jonathan and his family.
• The Air Force declined federal prosecution, citing civilian jurisdiction.

Why 20/20 is in repeats right now

Nothing has gone wrong with the show. ABC parks 20/20 in encores through the late-summer stretch and starts the new cycle with the rest of its fall lineup. Network listings for the past several Fridays have all carried the (R) marker: an August 28 hour with a 2019 original air date, August 21 from 2023, August 14 from 2025.

The one fresh piece of 20/20 this summer was "Dolly Parton: An American Original," a special edition that aired August 25 and repeated the following Sunday. Regular Friday case episodes pick back up on September 25.

That premiere Friday is also a rematch: Dateline's Season 35 opener goes out at 9 p.m. ET on NBC the same night, in the same hour, so the two newsmagazines are back to splitting the true-crime audience. Our viewing guide tracks both, plus 48 Hours, which returns October 10.

How can you watch 20/20 tonight?

• Eastern: 9 to 11 p.m. on ABC
• Central: 8 p.m.
• Mountain: 8 p.m. (check your local ABC station)
• Pacific: 9 p.m.

Missed it? The episode streams the next day on Hulu and in the ABC app. Our viewing guide has the full rundown, including antenna and live-TV options.

What else is on tonight?

NBC is also airing a Dateline repeat tonight at 10 p.m. ET, "The Grudge," about the 2020 attack at Judge Esther Salas's home. Here is what to know before it starts.

Where else can you follow these cases here?

Each show has its own section with previews and follow-ups: the Dateline section, the 20/20 section and the 48 Hours section. Long-running cases get their own update trail in Case Updates, and our viewing guide explains air times and streaming.

FAQ

Is 20/20 new tonight? No. Tonight's episode is a repeat of "The Hungryland Homicide," which first aired May 3, 2024.

When does 20/20 come back with new episodes? Friday, September 25, 2026, at 9 p.m. ET — the Season 49 premiere. NBC brings Dateline back the same night at the same hour.

What time is 20/20 on tonight? 9 p.m. ET / 8 p.m. CT on ABC, running two hours.

Where is Steven Williams now? In prison, serving the 35-year sentence he accepted in a plea deal, according to ABC News.

Listings data via TVmaze and ABC's published schedule. Case facts as reported by ABC News and court proceedings covered there; this post does not add details beyond that reporting.

Sources

• ABC News — Inside the 'Hungryland Homicide'
• The Futon Critic — 20/20 network listings (9/4/26, 9 p.m., OAD 5/3/24 (R); season premiere 9/25/26)
• On TV Tonight — 20/20 listings, Friday, September 4
• Air Force Office of Special Investigations — Steven Williams sentenced to 35 years
• CBS News — remains found in Hungryland preserve
• ABC — fall 2026 premiere dates