Chicago P.D. Season 13 Episode 3 “Canaryville” Explained: The Dark Truth Behind Sasha’s Death

This episode of Chicago PD is one of those deeply emotional, multi-layered stories that sticks with you. Right away, we hear Sasha’s voice through tapes, she’s talking things out, trying to make sense of her life and the weight she’s carrying. It’s haunting and intimate, making you feel connected to her even after she’s gone.

Sasha’s story is complicated by her mixed-race identity and her father’s suicide about a year ago. That loss is a shadow over her, and you can tell she’s searching for her roots and something stable in her life. These feelings aren’t just hers, they resonate with Kim, who’s watching her own daughter, Mackenzie, grow up. Kim worries Mackenzie might not have all the tools to embrace her own heritage, just like Sasha struggled. The way this worry threads through the story adds a beautiful, human touch to the episode. 

All of these things happen in Canaryville Kim and Adam’s neighborhood so this hits close to home. Bought tells them to go tell Sasha’s mother what happened. By the time they get there it’s clear that word of mouth has spread. They speak to Sasha’s mom and her best friend Lilly is there helping where she can. Kim is searching for clues in Sasha’s room. That is where she finds the tapes that seem like the soundtrack to Sasha’s life and she finds a picture of Sasha and a boy. Kim asks about the boy. Lilly says it’s her brother Tommy and he and Sasha used to hook up. We also learn Sasha recently started working on an election campaign. 

Sasha’s mom says working on the campaign was something new and big in her life, giving her hope and a future. When Kim and Adam go to the campaign headquarters and tell them the news the reaction is not expected. Sasha’s friend bolts and tries to run. When she is caught she confesses it’s all her fault Sasha is dead. We later learn that Agna is a close friend of Sasha, she confides in her that something terrible happened at a party hosted by Alex, the local donor. This friend is clearly shaken and worried, and it becomes clear this party is at the center of a dark secret.

The  police uncover DNA evidence. Tommy’s DNA was found inside Sasha, confirming they had sex the night she died. But the medical exam can’t confirm rape, there were no signs of physical trauma. The detectives wonder if Tommy came back to see Sasha after Alex dropped her off, and what happened next remains unclear.  

Frank  is Tommy and Lilly’s father and a former cop. This adds a whole other layer of family pressure to the case. Frank is deeply involved, and upset his son has been brought in especially by Adam who knows his family and should have given a heads up. Frank is upset and says he will not leave until his son is released. 

Later we find out that Agna and Kim are going to try and get a confession out of Alex about what happened to Sasha that night. But the confrontation doesn’t go as planned, Kim gets drugged with a hand stamp at the party, which turns out to be the method they used to drug the women. This was a chilling moment, showing how dangerous and manipulative the whole situation really is.

Meanwhile, the investigation digs deeper. Alex denies killing Sasha, claiming he only threatened her and drove her home. But crucially, Sasha never went inside, she was standing on her porch, looking down the street at someone. That someone’s identity becomes a big question mark in the investigation.

Kim knows she is missing something, she just can't put her finger on it. Kim goes to the CCTV and puts on her headphones to listen to Sasha’s tapes then recreate Sasha’s last night. It is with this focus that we see Alex was telling the truth. Sasha never went inside the house. When Kim zooms in she can see Sasha staring at someone and when she waits a little longer it’s Lilly that steps into the frame and they walk off together. 

The next day Kim goes to Lilly’s home to confront her. Lilly is home alone and said her dad will be back. While Kim is talking to Lilly you can tell she is uncomfortable. Lily finally admits to a fight with Sasha that night at a cellar, a place they hung out a lot. She talks about how Sasha was changing, pulling away, and how a moment of panic led to tragedy. She didn’t mean to kill Sasha, but when Sasha hit her head hard, Lily panicked and tried to cover it up, even going so far as to make it look like a rape. It’s heartbreaking to see this fear and desperation unfold.

When confronted, Lily tells Kim, “My dad said he would take care of it.” That line perfectly captures the tangled loyalties and the lengths people go to protect family, no matter what. Kim alerts the team they call in his plates and they have an idea where he is headed.  Frank is deeply involved, we see him caught trying to dispose of evidence that Lily had. Evidence that could implicate Lilly in Sasha’s murder. 

Through all of this, Kim reflects on her fears for Mackenzie. She talks about how their home and neighborhood might not be a place where Mack can fully feel at ease or connect with her identity. Yet, despite the uncertainty, Kim is hopeful. She wants Mack to be able to grow into her own person, beyond the weight of their shared past and losses.

One of the most striking things about this episode is how the procedural elements, the investigation, the evidence, the confessions, are woven so closely with the personal stories. Sasha’s voice tapes remind us that she was more than just a victim; she was a young woman with hopes, fears, and a complicated life. And the grief, the search for identity, and the tangled relationships of those left behind give the story a powerful emotional core.

This isn’t just a murder case. It’s a raw exploration of how loss shapes everyone involved, friends, family, even the cops trying to find justice. The episode closes with this sense of messy humanity, reminding us that in the search for truth, the most important thing is understanding the people at the heart of it all.

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