TV Recap: ‘Will Trent’ — Salsa, Secrets, and “The Man From Nowhere”
After a string of emotionally heavy cases, “The Man From Nowhere” pulls Will Trent into a world of rhythm, rivalry, and identity when a star salsa dancer drops dead mid-performance. The investigation leads him deep into the competitive dance circuit — and reunites him with fan-favorite emcee Bon Bon Chiffon (Season 2’s “We Are Family” and Season 3’s “Push, Jump, Fall”). As Will navigates a murder staged in plain sight, old insecurities resurface, forcing him to confront what it means to belong.
Season 4, Episode 4: “The Man From Nowhere” - Written by Rebecca Murga
The episode opens at the Salsa Masters semifinals, where dancer Catalina (Ana Isabelle) commands the floor with effortless rhythm. A man named Javi (Jonathan Platero) steps in as her partner mid-routine, igniting jealousy from another competitor, Roxy Vázquez (Itziar Martinez). But the friendly competition turns deadly when Catalina suddenly gasps for breath, collapses, and dies in Javi’s arms.
At the crime scene, Will Trent (Ramón Rodríguez) lies beside Catalina’s body, studying her injuries for answers. He and Pete Chin (Kurt Yue) spot unusual marks on her fingers and neck — something deliberate, something chemical.
Meanwhile, Faith Mitchell (Iantha Richardson) interviews two people Catalina considered family: Ramos Delgado (Juan Javier Cardenas), a Colombian diplomat, and Isabella Delgado (Carolina Gomez), the cultural attaché who sponsored Catalina’s visa. When Amanda Wagner (Sonja Sohn) steps in to offer condolences, her tone makes it clear this death has political weight.
Back with Will and Pete, the toxin theory solidifies. Catalina was poisoned — but with what, and how? Faith warns that an interpreter won’t be available. Will counters: he’s been studying Spanish for two years.
In Spanish, Will begins interviews. Ramos calls Catalina a once-in-a-generation talent. Javi, devastated, says their last rehearsal was for group numbers at the after-party. Catalina loved trash talk. He didn’t see her eat or drink anything before she died — she rarely did while dancing.
Will asks Faith if she notices anything different about him today, pointing out his brown/green suit that is different from his usually green/brown. Before the thought settles, a familiar face drops into a chair: Bon Bon Chiffon (Jonny Beaucamp). The event’s emcee dramatically announces, “People have got to stop getting murdered around me!” Bon Bon confesses an obsession with Catalina — they didn’t know her personally, but watched her apply makeup every day. They take Will and Faith backstage to Catalina’s station. No cameras, no security. Anyone could have accessed her things.
Bon Bon, delighted to gossip, asks Will why he never told anyone he was Puerto Rican — “everyone is talking about it.” Will finds one makeup container that doesn’t match the rest and pockets it for the lab.
They can’t release witnesses yet, so Will takes the mic. When he tests it, he accidentally drops a beat, echoing across the room. Switching between awkward Spanish and English, he announces that interviews will take a few more hours. The crowd boos.
In the APD elevator, Angie Polaski (Erika Christensen) and Michael Ormewood (Jake McLaughlin) commiserate about bad sleep — Ormewood’s son had a sleepover. The doors open to find Captain Heller (Todd Allen Durkin) letting a criminology class dig into an old GBI case. Their assignment: pitch their findings to Angie and Ormewood.
Students Kaia (Kay Benson) and Brooks (Matthew J. Vasquez) present the cold case: Beverly Rutlidge, murdered in 2003 in her wood studio, lived near a halfway house, and was seen alive by a witness who reported a man in a yellow Cutlass tailing her. Detectives dismissed the witness due to credibility concerns. A second article mentions an attacker in a yellow Oldsmobile near Beverly’s neighborhood, confirming the detail was overlooked. Angie pulls Kaia to the archives. Ormewood is left with Brooks.
Back in the present case, Faith gets a call from Pete: Catalina was killed by aconitine, a powder derived from a flower — the same substance found in the mismatched makeup. One dancer hasn’t been interviewed: Roxy Vázquez.
According to Bon Bon, there’s drama — Roxy used to dance with Javi before Catalina “stole him.” With Catalina gone, Javi could help her win the $100,000 grand prize. She’s likely in the basement dressing room.
Will finds Roxy dancing alone, seductively practicing in front of a mirror. She insists on finishing her routine before speaking. After introducing himself, she refuses to answer questions unless Will dances too, giving him a salsa tutorial. Will notices a hummingbird tattoo on the back of her left hand and heavy bruising on her legs. Roxy says they’re from dancing.
When Catalina’s name comes up, Roxy calls her a “pendeja” who thought she was entitled to everything. She insists she doesn’t need Javi anymore. Isabella appears suddenly, saying Faith is looking for Will. Roxy stiffens at Isabella’s presence.
Upstairs, Faith reveals that Javi has confessed. He’s handcuffed and apologizing. Will doesn’t buy it.
In the archives, Angie and Kaia dig through dusty boxes — Kaia can’t believe nothing is digitized. Angie reminds her not to complain when they’re trying to find justice. Kaia uncovers the witness statement from Sam Lopez, who saw a yellow Cutlass leaving Beverly’s studio. It includes a partial plate: LF2.
Ormewood and Brooks run every 2003 Cutlass in Georgia with matching characters. Ormewood grumbles about Kaia sending him voice memos, calling it “annoying.” She calls Brooks instead, relaying the plate. The car belongs to Wayne Hensley (Paul Van Scott) — multiple misdemeanors, domestic violence complaints, no charges. Ormewood takes Brooks on a stakeout.
At the GBI, Will and Amanda watch as Javi claims he poisoned Catalina with the powder bagged as evidence. He says he did it at noon — over 10 hours before she died. Behind the mirror, Will immediately points out to Amanda that aconitine breaks down within four hours. He’s lying. Faith joins them. Will wants to bring Roxy back in.
Will goes to a lunchtime therapy session with Dr. Roach (Margaret Cho), explaining how bothered he is by the salsa dancers being shocked by his disconnect with his Puerto Rican heritage. When he learned his mother’s origins, he felt like he found a connection to home, but they’ve made him feel like an outsider. He blames himself for trying to learn his culture from a book. It makes him feel like he did as a kid, when he would try to disappear. “I’m the man from nowhere,” he sulks. But Dr. Roach shares a story from her college years — a trip to Seoul with a couple of other Korean-American students. They were seen as outsiders, but they knew deep down they belonged. She asks Will what will make him feel like he belongs to Puerto Rico. He says solving Catalina’s murder, and Dr. Roach tries to inspire him to do that.
On stakeout, Angie, Ormewood, Kaia, and Brooks watch Wayne outside a laundromat. He destroys evidence — pocketing his cigarette butt, retrieving his orange soda can after setting it down. It seems that they will go away empty-handed, until he spits gum on the ground as he leaves the facility.
Later, Pete reports the gum matches three rape kits, but not Beverly Rutlidge’s murder. Kaia and Brooks are disappointed, but Angie reminds them this is still a major victory. Their next step is Toni Hollis.
Angie interviews Toni Hollis (Kerry Cahill). Toni hesitates, saying she wasn’t believed 20 years ago. Beverly was the only one who cared about her — she let Toni work in her woodshop. Toni still fidgets with something she carved there, an object that got her through dark times. Toni describes Jim Branson (Casey Hendershot), the halfway house manager. “He’d look the other way if you did him a favor,” she says. Beverly confronted him and threatened to call the cops. A week later, she was murdered. Angie vows to make it right.
Will confronts Roxy with the makeup jar. She admits it’s hers. He tells her that’s how Catalina died. “Javi is lying,” he informes her. “He’s covering for someone. I think it’s you.” Roxy claims Catalina probably stole her makeup. Will points out that if Catalina took something meant for Roxy, then Roxy was the intended target. “Why would someone want you dead?” he asks. Roxy shuts down. “You don’t know this world. I’m done talking.”
Kaia goes alone to Jim Branson’s house, digging through trash for evidence. Jim catches her at gunpoint. Kaia blurts out that it’s a “citizen’s arrest” — then smashes him with a bottle. Ormewood arrives just in time to take Branson down. Angie rushes to Kaia, telling her, “That was so dumb.”
Back at the GBI, Faith and Will bring in Bon Bon for more intel. He says Javi has money problems — family trying to get out of Cuba. As for who would want Roxy dead? Bon Bon points them to Ramos: his business trips frequently align with locations in Roxy’s social media.
Faith suggests they consider Isabella, too. Bon Bon says the couple travels to Colombia right after the finals. Will notes they’ll need Colombia to rescind her diplomatic immunity.
Isabella and Ramos arrive at the GBI to meet Amanda. Will sees a red-flower tattoo on Isabella’s shoulder — the flor de maga. Acting quickly, he suggests that Faith take Ramos to sign for Catalin’s belongings, leaving him and Amanda alone with Isabelle. Will explains the Taino legend: star-crossed lovers transformed by gods into a flower and a hummingbird so they could find each other forever. Will accuses Isabella: she and Roxy are having an affair. Ramos found out. Ramos tried to kill Roxy by poisoning her makeup — but Catalina used it instead. Isabella cries, saying there’s nothing they can do. Amanda promises protection. “You can’t,” Isabella answers, terrified. “You don’t know him.” She leaves for the car. Amanda asks Will what comes next. “We get him,” Will says.
At the Salsa Masters competition, Ramos and Isabella sit at the judges’ table as Roxy enters on Javi’s arm. Ramos looks furious. Upstairs, Will watches the performance with a grin. Ramos spots him and confronts him. Will tells him Javi is no longer being prosecuted. He lays out his theory: Roxy was the real target, just like the political rival who collapsed six years earlier — whose autopsy listed aconitine. Ramos brags that diplomatic immunity protects him. He mocks Will’s disconnection from his heritage. But Will reveals the twist: they were on the phone. Colombia and the U.S. State Department just revoked his immunity. “You’re going to be charged here,” Will says. Police surround them. Ramos is cuffed and escorted out.
Roxy and Isabella embrace and kiss. Will congratulates them. Isabella thanks him for knowing the old legend. “I must have come across it in a book,” he replies. They tell him they’re moving to Puerto Rico to start fresh.
The music starts. They invite him to practice his salsa. Will declines. Roxy teases him: “Why? You got a girl at home waiting for you?” Will smiles. “Maybe,” he responds.
Will returns home, turns on salsa music, and looks at his chihuahua. “I don’t just have any girl waiting,” he says. “I have a gorgeous girl waiting for me.” He picks up Betty, swaying her around the room as the episode ends.
Will Trent returns next Tuesday, February 3rd, at 8/7c on ABC with “Nice to Meet You, Malcolm.”
As Angie and Ormewood track animal-masked thieves across a string of multimillion-dollar heists, Will and Faith investigate the murder of a high-end matchmaking mogul. Meanwhile, Faith meets a mysterious man who is more than he seems.
Songs Featured in This Episode:
- “NUEVAYoL” by Bad Bunny