The second episode of The Hunting Party Season 2, titled “Adrian Gallo,” aired on January 15, 2026, and delivered one of the series’ most shocking twists. The episode centered on a serial killer who preserves his victims in acrylic resin but concluded with a stunning revelation about the detective who originally caught him .
The Resin Killer and a Detective’s Obsession
The episode’s case focused on Adrian Gallo, an escaped serial killer with a macabre artistic vision. Gallo’s method involved encasing his victims in clear acrylic resin, treating them as permanent “works of art” . The team, led by Bex Henderson, is called to New Mexico after Gallo claims a new victim following his escape from the Pit .
To understand Gallo, Bex and her team seek out Detective Erica Burke, the officer who arrested Gallo over a decade ago. Burke is portrayed by Emmy-winning guest star Niecy Nash-Betts. Initially, Burke presents herself as a dedicated but weary detective who is still haunted by the case, particularly the loss of her partner, Jack, to Gallo . She bonds with Bex over their shared experiences of guilt and loss in the line of duty .
A Shocking Twist: The Copycat Killer Revealed
As the investigation deepens, inconsistencies arise. Bex realizes Gallo may not be responsible for all the murders originally attributed to him . The final act unveils the terrifying truth: Detective Erica Burke is the copycat killer. In a confrontation at a hotel, Gallo himself exposes her, having deduced that she used his crimes as a model and a cover .
Burke confesses that the darkness of the Gallo case consumed her. During an argument with her partner Jack, whom she loved, she killed him. Inspired by Gallo’s pursuit of permanence, she preserved Jack’s body in resin and framed Gallo for the murder. The act awakened a hunger in her, leading to more kills .
“Truth is, Bex, we do this job long enough, the job will leave its mark,” Burke tells Bex earlier in the episode, a line that takes on a horrifying new meaning by the end .
In a final, twisted exchange, Gallo, broken by his time in the Pit, encourages Burke to continue her work and offers himself as her final specimen. When Bex and her team arrive, they find Gallo dead and encased in resin, with Burke fleeing the scene .
The Aftermath and a Warning for Bex
The team tracks Burke to her home, where a shootout ensues. Shane is forced to gun her down . A search of her house reveals her horrifying secret: she had hidden the preserved bodies of thirteen victims inside her walls .
The episode ends with Bex deeply shaken by Burke’s warning about the job leaving a “mark.” She questions whether immersing herself in the minds of killers will inevitably darken her own soul. Her teammate, Shane, offers a counterpoint, arguing that their team and their mission are the “light” that keeps the darkness at bay .
Melissa Roxburgh, who plays Bex, discussed the twist’s impact on her character. She saw Burke as a dark reflection of what Bex could become if she let the obsession consume her.
“I think what I personally have thought of looking at Bex is this is what it would look like if she did let all of that darkness in. This is what happens when you focus on it too much,” Roxburgh said .
Behind the Scenes: Crafting the Twist
Executive producers JJ Bailey and Jake Coburn explained that they wanted to break the show’s format early in the season by introducing a law enforcement figure who is secretly the killer. They were intrigued by the idea of someone being so psychologically infected by studying a criminal that they eventually emulate them .
Coburn praised Niecy Nash-Betts’ ability to play both sides of the character, noting her natural “ferociousness” made the killer reveal believable . Roxburgh also enjoyed the dynamic, appreciating the chance to work with another strong actress and play against the character’s hidden duality .
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Ongoing Mysteries and Team Dynamics
While the “killer of the week” case was resolved, the episode advanced several larger season-long plots. Colonel Eve Lazarus is now officially in charge of the operation, and her mysterious past is under scrutiny. Shane and Hassani discover that her military records are impeccable, but her life before service appears not to exist .
Furthermore, Dr. Charles, the therapist from the Season 2 premiere, is shown to have used extreme and questionable methods on inmates like Adrian Gallo, continuing the show’s theme of institutional corruption within the Pit’s system .
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