Brigham City

While driving with Deputy Terry, Sheriff Wes Clayton stumbles upon the beaten body of a young woman in an isolated shack off the road near Brigham City. He immediately contacts federal authorities to handle the investigation and keep the town from panicking. Clayton makes clear his preference to shield Brigham City from the killer's influence, hoping to limit fear and rumor.

Two FBI agents arrive to assist, including Meredith, who privately warns that the killer is likely someone from Brigham City. Clayton remains skeptical and fears turning neighbors against one another. The investigation begins with limited resources, complicating efforts to find leads.

Clayton tries to keep the murder private to prevent fear and suspicion from spreading through the town. He struggles with limited resources and a lack of solid evidence. The case hangs in the balance as residents await any tangible lead.

During the night after a local parade and festival, the body of a beauty pageant queen is found under a gazebo, raped and strangled. Clayton realizes the killer is escalating and must act quickly to protect the town. The revelation shakes the community and deepens the case's urgency.

Clayton deputizes Stu and expands the search to within Brigham City, instructing officers and volunteers to canvass every house for clues. He becomes convinced the killer is inside their own community, which strains relationships as fear grows. The team begins a broad, crowd-sourced investigation.

The team organizes fingerprint collection using beer bottles from a local bar to test against the crime scenes. Clayton leads the effort, hoping physical evidence will spark breakthroughs, but the process yields little progress for now. The town remains on edge as searches continue.

While Clayton is away, Stu visits a convenience store and stumbles upon an apparent robbery, discovering clerk Jamie tied up. The killer shoots Stu dead and abducts Jamie, leaving Clayton to grapple with the realization that the killer is still at large and operating inside Brigham City. The investigation’s stakes escalate dramatically.

Back at the station, Peg confides to Meredith that Clayton’s relentless work stems from a fatal car accident that killed his wife and son, leaving him in a coma for days. This insight helps explain his unwavering commitment to protect his town. Meredith gains a deeper understanding of the sheriff’s motives.

Clayton organizes most male church members to visit every house in search of Jamie, prompting tension within the community. A photographer and his mother become a focal point in the dissent when investigators discover troubling pornography at their home, though there’s no direct link to Jamie. The town’s unity trembles as the hunt intensifies.

That night, Clayton revisits the bottle-rinse testing, re-checking the fingerprints on the collected bottles, including a thermos brought by Peg’s boyfriend. The test yields no new leads, but the effort underscores the stubborn pursuit of a physical match. The investigation remains unresolved, keeping pressure high.

Clayton visits Terry’s house and discusses the fingerprints, uncovering that 'Terry' is actually a returned-missionary who died in a drowning incident before moving to Brigham City. Terry admits his guilt and reveals involvement in multiple disappearances of young women in the area, including Jamie’s fate. The truth shocks the sheriff and twists the case’s focus inward.

Arresting Terry becomes unavoidable, but he draws a gun on Clayton and is shot and killed by the sheriff in front of Terry’s wife, who pleads for him to leave. The sheriff confronts the loss and violence head-on, closing the killer’s circle within the town. The community is left to cope with the brutal outcome.

With the case closed, Clayton is emotionally drained during Sunday church service and initially refuses to partake of the sacrament, feeling undeserving. The rest of the congregation refrain as well, acknowledging the heavy cost of the investigation. Overcome by emotion, Clayton finally partakes in the sacrament, symbolizing a collective, though fragile, healing for Brigham City.