Cold Case (season 7)

After Lilly's car accident, she returns and investigates the disappearance of Darcy Curtis, a twenty-four-year-old woman aboard a magnificent ocean liner in 1966. Long assumed to be a suicide, the case is re-investigated as a homicide when her bones are recovered. Meanwhile, Moe's judgment surprises everyone.

• All music in this episode is by Ray Charles.
• Song featured in the intro: "I Got a Woman" by Ray Charles.
• Song featured in the finale: "What Would I Do Without You?" by Ray Charles.
• After the intro, Detective Lilly Rush is seen testifying in court about the night of her car accident and Moe Kitchener can be seen walking free and he continues to stalk Detective Lilly Rush for several episodes as a result.
• This is the first episode to air in the regularly scheduled 10:00 pm slot in which would last until November 2009.

The team re-examines the 1995 murder of homeless seventeen-year-old amateur skateboarding prodigy Nash Simpson who was trying to earn enough money through skating sponsors to get himself off the street after his brother identifies his belongings upon arriving in Philadelphia.

• Song featured in the intro: "Feel the Pain", by Dinosaur Jr.
• Song featured in the finale: "Disarm" by The Smashing Pumpkins.
• The entire main cast would not appear together in the same episode until episode 17.

The 2004 case of Alex Caceres, a seventeen-year-old boy who was murdered while wrongfully imprisoned in a juvenile detention center is reopened after new evidence suggests that he was innocent, and Scotty is determined to bring justice to the victim, having been attempting to free him prior to his death.

• Song featured in the intro: "In This World", by Moby.
• Song featured in the finale: "None of Us Are Free" by Solomon Burke.
• Jeremy Ratchford does not appear in this episode.
• The story was inspired by the 2008 kids for cash scandal in Pennsylvania.
• This was the lowest rated episode with less than 8 million viewers

The team reinvestigates the 1970 murder of Billy Sanders, a twenty-year-old virtuoso jazz musician who was keeping his hard-partying lifestyle secret from his devoutly religious father when his son arrives wanting to know more about him, having been unborn prior to his death.

• Song featured in the finale: "I'll Be Around" by The Spinners.
• Tracie Thoms does not appear in this episode.
• This episode was originally to air on CBS on October 18, 2009 but was pre-empted to the following week of October 25 for American viewers. Other markets, such as the Canadian network CTV aired the episode at its intended date and time.

The team reopens the 1944 disappearance and murder of Vivian Lynn, a twenty-two-year-old female pilot who was part of a civilian program to aid the Army Air Forces during World War II and was a professional fighter pilot. The team discovers that the plane she was flying in was sabotaged and must comb through the personnel at the base she worked at to find the culprit.

• Song featured in the intro: "Wild Blue Yonder"
• Song featured in the finale: "I'll Walk Alone" by Martha Tilton.
• Tracie Thoms does not appear in this episode.
• There is a final blurb stating that on July 1, 2009, the ladies of the WASP (Women Airforce Service Pilots) were honored with the Congressional Gold Medal by Congress and President Obama for service to the nation during World War II.

When the remains of Sonny Sandoval, a forty-five-year-old jockey who had been missing since 1986 are uncovered in an old horse grave, the team reexamines the circumstances of his disappearance. They soon discover that not only was he retiring after his last race, but also discover his personal life was going off the rails.

• All music in this episode is by Santana.
• Song featured in the intro: "Oye Como Va" by Santana.
• Song featured in the finale: "Samba Pa Ti" by Santana.
• Tracie Thoms does not appear in this episode.

The team reinvestigates the 1991 murder of Donalyn Sullivan, a fourteen-year-old aspiring rapper who was in foster care with her younger sister at the time of her death when a convict discloses information that leads them to the primary crime scene. When the team stumbles upon her songbook, they discover that the lyrics could be the key to catching her killer.

• Song featured in the intro: "Sing a Song" by Earth Wind and Fire
• Song featured in the finale: "Read Between the Lines" written by Jeff Moonie Jr. and performed by Danièle Watts. It is an original song written for this episode.
• Thom Barry does not appear in this episode.
• This is the final episode to feature an original song that was made by the show and is also the first episode to air in its old regularly scheduled 9:00 pm slot which would last until February 2010.

When a Chinese woman discloses information about her son's death, the team reopens the 1983 murder of Jack Chao Lu, a seventeen year old Chinese-American boy whose death may have been connected to the killing of his girlfriend, seventeen year old Tam Sung, a Vietnamese girl by Chinese gang members three months before his own death which Stillman worked on. However, they are hindered by the prejudiced community and a retired officer who appears to know more than he's letting on.

• Song featured in the intro: "Age of Consent", by New Order.
• Song featured in the finale: "Every Breath You Take" by The Police.
• Jeremy Ratchford does not appear in this episode.
• Final appearance of Bobby Cannavale as Det. Eddie Saccardo.

The team investigates the 1999 murder of Luke Cronin, an eighteen year old member of a prep school debate team who supposedly committed suicide after losing his first debate when new evidence points to his death being staged.

• Song featured in the intro: "All Star", by Smash Mouth.
• Song featured in the finale: "Karma Police" by Radiohead.
• Tracie Thoms does not appear in this episode.

The team reopens the 1980 murder of Tommy Flanagan, an eighteen year old ice hockey player who was murdered on his team's ice rink on the same night the U.S. hockey team defeated the Soviet Union at the Winter Olympics, after the prime suspect comes forward with a viable alibi on the night the victim died. The only clue the team has on them is a broken hockey stick, so the team must go through the victim's former teammates to get the culprit.

• All music in this episode is by Bob Seger.
• Song featured in the intro: "Ramblin' Gamblin' Man" by Bob Seger.
• Song featured in the finale: "Against the Wind" by Bob Seger.
• Thom Barry does not appear in this episode.

The team investigates the 2005 murder of Mike Donley, a twenty eight year old Army recruiter who was killed two days before his deployment to Iraq and uncover evidence that the victim may have been involved in a pawnshop burglary that occurred the same night he was killed.

• Song featured in the intro: "I Don't Wanna Be", by Gavin DeGraw.
• Song featured in the finale: "Politik" by Coldplay.
• Jeremy Ratchford does not appear in this episode.

The team reopens the case of Harry Denton, a private investigator who was murdered in 1974 while working to track down a teenage runaway, when his bones are found in the cement foundations of a demolished building.

• Song featured in the intro: "Any Major Dude Will Tell You" by Steely Dan.
• Song featured in the finale: "Forever Young" by Bob Dylan.
• Possibly inspired by the 1966 movie Harper.
• Thom Barry does not appear in this episode.

The team reinvestigates the 1982 murder of Carlos Espinosa, a talented sixteen year old graffiti artist who was killed by a fatal overdose of toxic paint when his mother comes forward with his black book containing unfinished pieces of art and they soon discover a graffiti group that was harassing local artists.

• Song featured in the intro: "You Dropped a Bomb on Me" by The Gap Band.
• Song featured in the finale: "Since You're Gone" by The Cars.
• Jeremy Ratchford does not appear in this episode.
• During the finale song, Moe Kitchener, the man who ran Detective Lilly Rush off the road, is found murdered in his car leaving viewers to wait until the following week to see how he was murdered.
• This is the first episode to be back in the 10:00 pm slot where the show would stay in that time slot for the rest of the run.

The team reinvestigates the 1971 death of Mia Romanov, an eighteen year old circus performer when a circus performer comes forward with new evidence that indicates the girl was dead before the accident that supposedly killed her took place. Meanwhile, Lilly comes under investigation by Internal Affairs after Moe Kitchener, the man who tried to kill her is found murdered outside a bar in his car.

• All music in this episode is by The Doors.
• Song featured in the intro: "Light My Fire", by The Doors.
• Song featured in the finale: "People Are Strange" by The Doors.
• Thom Barry does not appear in this episode.

As the resident police expert on fires and explosions, Louie Amante, is going to marry a woman who was suspected of killing her previous fiancé, Dan Palmer, in 2008, the team reopens the man's case to make sure that their colleague isn't about to marry a murderer. They quickly discover however that there are more suspects than they thought, especially the groom himself.[17]

• Final episode written by series creator Meredith Stiehm.
• Song featured in the intro: "Sweet Thing", by Keith Urban.
• Song featured in the finale: "Out Last Night" by Kenny Chesney.
• Tracie Thoms does not appear in this episode.

The team reopens the case of Mick "The Machine" Malone, a twenty eight year old dock worker who was moonlighting as an indy-circuit wrestler until he was shot dead in 1986 when the gun used to kill him is discovered. The team then discover his wrestling career was putting a strain in his relationship with his son and ex-wife. Meanwhile, Valens secretly looks into a lead on the man who mugged and raped his mother.

• Song featured in the intro: "Livin' on a Prayer", by Bon Jovi.
• Song featured in the finale: "Wanted Dead or Alive" by Bon Jovi.
• Jeremy Ratchford does not appear in this episode.
• Rowdy Roddy Piper was a guest star as “Sweet” Sil Tavern.

Realizing that the missing Vera has finally hit rock bottom, his worried team members hope that a new twist to a 2006 arson case that killed two boys and brothers, which he was secretly obsessing about in recent weeks might supply leads to his whereabouts. They soon find that the guilty man and the boys’ father, Joe Don Billingsley was murdered and after reviewing the case, learns that he may not have been guilty as they thought.[20]

• Song featured in the intro: "Comfortably Numb" by Pink Floyd
• Song featured in the finale: "Wish You Were Here" by Pink Floyd.
• This is the first episode of the season since episode 2 in which the entire main cast appeared.
• This case bears a similar resemblance to that of Cameron Todd Willingham who was convicted of murdering his three children in a fire, and despite new evidence being brought to light disputing the original verdict, executed.

When ballistics tie a recent murder case of Rush's to a serial killer who has been inactive since 1983, a tough FBI agent with ties to Stillman shows up to enlist the team's aid in finding the killer who has eluded her for 27 years.

• Song featured in the intro: "Just What I Needed", by The Cars.
• There is no song used in the finale. The last scene depicts another victim being shot, showing the killer that the team is trying to track down. Song playing on the radio is 'Let's Ride Into the Sunset Together' played by 'Lost Weekend Western Swing Band'.
• Thom Barry does not appear in this episode.
• Part one of a two-part episode.

After determining the serial killer's identity - and some of his likely future targets - the team and the FBI work together to apprehend him while trying to locate and protect the people he's preparing to kill.

• Song featured in the intro: "Snake Song" by Townes Van Zandt
• Song featured in the finale: "Keepsake" by State Radio.
• Jeremy Ratchford does not appear in this episode.
• Part two of a two-part episode.
• This is the first of three episodes in this season where a modified version of the show's opening is seen where the woman can be heard screaming and then cuts to commercial after the show's logo appears on the screen and the show's cast appears on the screen after the first commercial break which would happen again on the final two episodes of the series.

An attraction grows between Rush and FBI agent Ryan Cavanaugh as they travel to upstate New York to investigate the 1969 murder of David Quinn, a soldier who attended Woodstock. Back in Philadelphia, Vera's ex girlfriend from high school asks him to investigate a break-in that occurred at her home.

The team reopens the 1989 case of Felicia Grant, a seventeen year old girl who was killed in a hit-and-run accident shortly after she was crowned prom queen, when the photos from an old camera reveal that she was killed just fifteen minutes after prom. Meanwhile, Rush gets some disturbing news about her sister, Christina.

While Rush and Valens leave Philadelphia to find Rush's missing sister Christina, Jeffries gets a lead in the 1993 murder of Wanda Johnson, a fifteen year old girl who was shot to death and dumped in a seedy part of the city. He and team work on the case, hoping to fulfill the promise he made to her parents to find the killer.

• All music in this episode is by The Rolling Stones.
• This is the only episode where Lilly does not work on a cold case.
• Song featured in the finale: "Winter" by The Rolling Stones.
• This episode features the modified opening which was seen in the episodes "Bullet" and "Almost Paradise".
• Series finale.