In a chilling new case, the team of The Hunting Party confronted a serial killer obsessed with preserving his victims in acrylic resin, only to uncover a much darker and more personal truth. Episode 2, titled “Adrian Gallo,” premiered on NBC on Thursday, January 15, 2026, and delivered a shocking twist that redefined the entire investigation.
Guest star Niecy Nash-Betts played Detective Erica Burke, a key figure from the original killer’s past. What began as a hunt for an escaped murderer evolved into a complex story of obsession, copycat crimes, and the lasting scars left by confronting evil. This episode tested the team’s trust in their new leadership while exploring the emotional burdens carried by Melissa Roxburgh’s character, Bex.
The Hunt for Adrian Gallo Begins
The episode opened with a flashback to Los Alamos, New Mexico, in 2010. Viewers saw Adrian Gallo, a man with a macabre hobby. He kidnapped victims and encased them in clear acrylic resin, preserving them as if they were art pieces. Gallo was eventually caught and convicted for six murders, with Detective Erica Burke credited for his arrest after her partner, Detective Jack Waylon, became one of the victims.
Following the explosion at the secret prison known as the Pit, Gallo was among the dangerous fugitives who escaped. The team, led by Bex, traveled to his old hunting grounds after a new victim, an elderly man named Mr. Wilkins, was found dead. While it initially looked like an act of revenge, Bex noticed a strange detail: Gallo seemed to be reliving his past crimes rather than simply settling scores.
The investigation led them to seek help from Detective Erica Burke, the officer who originally put Gallo away. Unbeknownst to the team, Gallo found Burke first. He ambushed her at her home, tied her up, and demanded to see “the resins”. A timely phone call from Bex distracted Gallo, allowing Burke to grab her gun and force him to flee.
A Complicated Partnership and a Shocking Discovery
Burke insisted on joining the manhunt, driven by a personal vendetta for her murdered partner. The team, needing her insight, agreed. Burke theorized that Gallo would head to the New Mexico police evidence storage to retrieve his preserved victims. However, when they arrived, they found the storage lockers empty. The resin blocks containing the victims’ bodies were gone.
During the investigation, a new member of the operation, Jonathan Peck, provided crucial assistance. He gave analyst Morales access to a hard drive from Dr. Charles, the therapist who treated Gallo in the Pit. The drive contained disturbing videos showing Dr. Charles destroying the human resin blocks right in front of Gallo as part of a harsh therapy technique called Immersive Accountability Technique (IAT). This proved Gallo knew his original “art” was destroyed, raising the question of what he was really looking for now.
Bex and Burke shared a moment bonding over their shared guilt and trauma from losing their partners. Burke confessed how the Gallo case had consumed her life, an obsession she thought ended with his execution. This connection made the twist that followed even more jarring.
The Copycat Killer Revealed
Clues began pointing away from a straightforward hunt. Bex recalled that during his initial confession, Gallo had only admitted to the first three murders, not the final three attributed to him. She also noticed resin-casting materials at Burke’s home. The pieces fell into place: Erica Burke was the copycat killer.
Bex realized Gallo’s visit to Burke wasn’t an attack, but a meeting. He had discovered her secret. The team tracked Burke to a hotel where Gallo had lured her. By the time they arrived, they found Adrian Gallo dead, perfectly encased in a new resin block. He had willingly become Burke’s final specimen, asking her to continue their shared “work”.
“Truth is, Bex, we do this job long enough, the job will leave its mark,” Erica Burke told Bex earlier in the episode, a statement that took on a horrifying new meaning by the end.
Burke’s confession in the hotel room revealed her motive. She was in love with her partner, Jack, and killed him in a moment of rage when he told her he was leaving the force and moving to Florida after the case. Inspired by Gallo’s method, she preserved Jack’s body in resin and framed the serial killer for the murder. The act awakened a dark desire in her, leading her to kill two more people and blame Gallo for those as well.
A Violent End and Hidden Horrors
The team raced to Burke’s home to stop her from escaping. A tense shootout ensued. During the confrontation, Burke explained that unlike Gallo, who wanted to display his victims, she preferred to keep her “art” hidden. This comment led Bex to a grim realization: the wall Burke had been painting earlier now held a ghastly secret.
Shane managed to flank Burke’s position and shot her. After the gunfire ended, the team investigated her home. They discovered that Burke had hidden 13 additional resin-preserved victims inside the walls of her house. The scale of her secret killing spree was devastating.
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Team Dynamics and Lingering Mysteries
Back at their base, the team processed the event. Shane tried to reassure Bex, arguing that they could fight off the darkness of their job by holding onto the light provided by their team. Jonathan Peck approached Bex, offering condolences for the loss of her former mentor, Odell, and giving her Odell’s nameplate as a memento.
The episode concluded with the team discussing their mysterious new commander, Colonel Eve Lazarus. Background checks revealed an unsettling fact: while her military record was flawless, there was no information about her life before enlisting. It was as if she didn’t exist. This deepened the mystery surrounding the Pit and those connected to it.
Also Read: His & Hers Episodes 4-6 Complete Recap: Killer Reveal and Ending Explained
