Chicago PD’s Upton Replacement Brings Back Voight’s Unresolved Murder Case from 4 Years Ago

In the latest developments of Chicago PD, a familiar character has assumed Hailey Upton’s role as a detective in the Intelligence Unit during season 12. This shift raises concerns for Hank Voight, who may find that past events are catching up with him, especially with Upton no longer on the team. Jason Beghe’s portrayal of Voight suggests that his character has evolved over the past four years, but the absence of Upton may bring old issues back to light.

Mark your calendars! The One Chicago universe will return on Wednesday, January 8, 2025, with a lineup of exciting episodes: Chicago Med season 10, episode 9 titled “No Love Lost”airs at 8 PM ET, followed by Chicago Fire season 13, episode 9 named “A Favor”at 9 PM ET, and finally Chicago PD season 12, episode 9, “Friends and Family,”at 10 PM ET.

Tracy Spiridakos’ character, Hailey Upton, departed from Chicago PD following the season 11 finale in pursuit of a new beginning. In the wake of her divorce from Jay Halstead, Upton sought change, and Voight supported her decision to leave both the Intelligence Unit and the city. This opened a vacancy for a detective on the team. The season 12 premiere introduced Emily Martel, a detective known to Adam Ruzek from their days at the police academy, as Upton’s short-term replacement. However, Martel’s tragic demise in episode 1 allowed a familiar face to step up as her more permanent successor.

Kim Burgess Takes Over Upton’s Role in the Intelligence Unit

Burgess Receives a Promotion in Season 12

With Hailey Upton’s exit, it was fitting for one of the original trio from Chicago PD—Kim Burgess, Kevin Atwater, and Adam Ruzek—to fill the gap in the Intelligence Unit. Each character has shown dedication over the years, making Burgess’s promotion well-deserved. Episode 6 of season 12 highlights Burgess’s rise as she officially takes on her new role and showcases her growth from officer to detective, finally stepping into her rightful position during the episode titled “Pawns.”

Chicago PD Season 12 Cast	Role
Jason Beghe	Hank Voight
Patrick John Flueger	Adam Ruzek
Marina Squerciati	Kim Burgess
LaRoyce Hawkins	Kevin Atwater
Amy Morton	Trudy Platt
Benjamin Levy Aguilar	Dante Torres
Toya Turner	Kiana Cook
Sara Bues	Nina Chapman
Shawn Hatosy	Charlie Reid

With this promotion, Burgess has not only stepped into Upton’s shoes title-wise, but her demeanor has also transformed. She is dedicated to proving herself as the best detective she can be, which is evident in her willingness to navigate challenges, even when it meant temporarily stepping away from her original team until Chief Charlie Reid reassigned her.

Burgess’ New Role Could Unveil Roy’s Dark Secrets

Voight’s Dark Past with Roy Walton

Chief Reid’s decision to reassign Burgess to the Intelligence Unit after her promotion appears to serve his ulterior motives. It remains uncertain whether he intends to leverage her relationship with Voight for personal gain, potentially using her as a source of information. If this is indeed the case, Voight might find himself in jeopardy as the unresolved issues surrounding Roy Walton threaten to resurface.

Notably, Upton was involved in the fatal shooting of Roy, and Voight’s subsequent actions to conceal the incident have always hung over him. After Upton shot Roy to prevent Voight from killing him during the confrontation in the season 8 finale, Voight covered up the murder to protect both Upton and his interests. With the evolving dynamics of season 12—Burgess’s promotion and Reid’s enigmatic plans—there’s a good chance that the truth about Roy could soon emerge, possibly compelling Burgess to confront this dark chapter and inform the Chief.

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