Lance Heflin Dies: ‘America’s Most Wanted’, ’48 Hours’ Producer Was 67

Alexandra Del Rosario
·2 min read

Lance Heflin, most known for producing various America’s Most Wanted iterations and 48 Hours, has died.

The producer’s wife, Jan Evans and sons Patrick and Walker, confirmed Heflin’s death on Facebook. His family shared that Heflin died Sunday, November 15 and that his death was not connected to the COVID-19 virus.

“Lance was special to each of us in his own way, bringing joy and laughter to our lives,” the Facebook post from Heflin’s family read.

Born in Independence, Missouri on November 21, 1952, Heflin started his producing career with the TV series 48 Hours in 1988. The CBS series, created by Howard Stringer, highlighted various true crime stories and shocking criminal cases. Heflin served as a producer on 48 Hours until 1989.

1994 marked the beginning of his work for America’s Most Wanted. Like 48 Hours, the Fox crime series highlighted dangerous crime stories and featured interviews with fugitives, witnesses and victims. Heflin began his America’s Most Wanted work as a producer on the Stuart Lee von Adelman version and until he graduated to executive producer for the show’s John Bertsch and America Fights Back iterations. During the span of Heflin’s decades-long producing career, America’s Most Wanted reunited more than 30 abducted children with their families.

He served as executive producer on America’s Most Wanted: America Fights Back from 1989 to 2011. However during his America’s Most Wanted career, Heflin also produced various TV movies and series including If Looks Could Kill, Smart Kids and The 56th annual Drama Desk Awards.

In 1995 he received a Primetime Emmy nomination, which he shared with John Walsh, Jay A. Bakernik and Mitchel C. Resnick for Smart Kids.

Heflin is survived by his wife of 40 years and and their sons. The family created a Facebook group in remembrance of the late producer. Donations can be made in Heflin’s name to The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children at http://www.missingkids.org/donate. A “Celebration of Life” may happen later in 2021, the family shared.

More from Deadline

Best of Deadline

Sign up for Deadline's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.