Dateline and its dedicated team of correspondents have been investigating the most shocking, baffling, and complex true crime cases for decades. While they’ve had boots on the ground with stories that have garnered attention nationwide and are still ongoing to this day, Dateline has also traveled to small towns throughout the country to report on cases that have shocked tight-knit communities.
And that’s what’s in store for Dateline tonight on NBC. Read on for everything you need to know to watch Friday night’s episode.
Is there a new Dateline on tonight, May 23, 2025?
No, Dateline is not new tonight. But, you can still watch an episode on NBC on Friday, May 23.
NBC will be airing a two-hour episode from Dateline Season 31 titled, “Footprints in the Snow.”
Reported by Dennis Murphy, the episode investigates the disappearance of Jonelle Renee Matthews, a 12-year-old girl from Greeley, Colorado who went missing just before Christmas in 1984. Her remains were found 34 years later.
“The missing-persons case of 12-year-old Jonelle Matthews in Colorado remains a mystery for more than 3 decades until detectives narrow in on a suspect whose bizarre behavior after her disappearance hints at something much more sinister,” the episode’s synopsis reads.
Throughout the episode, Murphy speaks with Jonelle’s parents, Jim and Gloria Matthews, as well as detectives, the Weld County D.A., and journalists who covered the story.
How can I watch Dateline?
This week’s episode of Dateline airs on Friday, May 23, at 9/8c on NBC.
You can also catch an episode of Dateline this weekend. NBC will be airing an episode from Dateline Season 27 — “Return to the Early Shift” — on Saturday, May 24, at 10/9c.
Reported by Josh Mankiewicz, the episode’s official synopsis reads: “When Kentucky man David Dooley is convicted of murdering his co-worker, Michelle Mockbee, it appears the mystery is solved until a stunning disclosure years later turns the closed case upside-down. Josh Mankiewicz reports on the new trial that had both sides of the courtroom bracing for what would come next.”
