Bosch: Legacy Spin-Off- Is Renee Ballard Based On A Real…

Summary

Renee Ballard will appear in Bosch: Legacy season 3 and then in her own spin-off series, and the character is based on real LAPD detective Mitzi Roberts.
Mitzi Roberts solved notable cold cases, influencing the character of Renee Ballard in both investigations and character traits.
Roberts' retirement could lead her to consult on the Ballard spin-off, ensuring its accuracy and capturing her expertise.

Bosch: Legacy season 3 will introduce the character of Renee Ballard, played by Maggie Q, before she takes the lead in her own spin-off series on Prime Video. Ballard is a legendary character in Michael Connelly's book series, who often appears alongside Harry Bosch to investigate cold cases. Even though the character is fictional, Connelly did base Renee Ballard on a real life LAPD detective called Mitzi Roberts.

Mitzi Roberts was a consultant on the original Bosch series, but it is unknown if she will be working on the as yet untitled Ballard spin-off series. However, Roberts remains an important inspiration for the titular cold case investigator. The first season of the Renee Ballard series will be based on Michael Connelly's book, Desert Star, and it'll see her take over the underfunded cold case unit in the LAPD, and team up with Harry Bosch to solve a particularly brutal crime.

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By Callum Murray

Renee Ballard Is Based On A Real Life LAPD Detective Who Consulted On The Original Bosch Series

Renee Ballard will show up sooner than expected in Bosch: Legacy season 3, when audiences will finally get a glimpse of the iconic character featured in numerous books in Michael Connelly's legendary book series. However, fans have already seen the real life inspiration for Renee Ballard in the original Bosch series. Ballard was based on a real life homicide detective called Mitzi Roberts, who made a cameo in Bosch season 1 episode 'Blue Religion'. Roberts played herself in a scene where she meets Bosch at the home of a murder victim.

Mitzi Roberts was also a technical consultant on the original Bosch series, offering her vast knowledge of homicide cases to aid the show in its depiction of the LAPD's investigations. In real life, Roberts was responsible for solving numerous cold cases, including the brutal crimes of Samuel Little, a serial killer who murdered many women in Los Angeles in the late 1980s. Little was charged in early 2013 with only three murders, and convicted in 2014. However, Roberts and her team suspect he was responsible for many more murders and could possibly be one of the most prolific serial killers of all time.

Roberts was a lead investigator in the LAPD Cold Case Homicide Unit, which is an obvious inspiration for the cold case unit Renee Ballard will be part of in the spin-off series. Roberts was also tasked with solving one of the biggest unsolved cold cases in Los Angeles history: The Black Dahlia case. The murder of aspiring actress, Elizabeth Short in 1947 had stumped generations of detectives, until Roberts stepped forward to take a look at the evidence. Short's mutilated body was found on the sidewalk in LA’s Leimert Park neighborhood, but answers were hard to come by, and the case went cold. Officially, the Black Dahlia case remains open and unsolved, but Roberts and her team of investigators were able to pinpoint a man called Dr. George Hodel as the likely perpetrator. Hodel was an American physician, who was also accused of raping his own daughter, but later acquitted.

Mitzi Roberts Has Retired From The LAPD Now And She Should Be A Consultant On The Renee Ballard Spin-Off Series

Renee Ballard Season 1
Starring	Maggie Q, Courtney Taylor, John Carroll Lynch, Michael Mosley, Rebecca Field, Victoria Moroles, Amy Hill, Ricardo Chavira, Noah Bean, Alain Uy, Hector Hugo and Titus Welliver
Based on the books by	Michael Connelly
Created by	Michael Connelly, Trish Hofmann, Michael Alaimo, and Kendall Sherwood

Mitzi Roberts retired from the LAPD in April 2024 after 29 years of loyal service. She is one of the best crime fighters the city of Los Angeles has ever seen, and fans of the Bosch-verse are in for a treat when they finally meet the character of Renee Ballard, who is based on her. Deputy Chief Ruby Flores paid tribute to Roberts after she announced her retirement:

Thank you for your dedicated service, Det. Mitzi Roberts. You left an indelible mark on the LAPD and impacted many lives in the communities we proudly serve. Wishing you the best in your next chapter; and know we are grateful for your service.

It's unclear exactly how similar Ballard will be to Roberts in the new spin-off series, but if Michael Connelly's books are anything to go by, they will be more than a passing resemblance. Roberts was a key consultant on the original Bosch series, and it would be great if she got on board to assist with the Ballard spin-off series, and pass on her knowledge of working on a cold case unit. There hasn't been any confirmation of whether she will be assisting with the new show, but Michael Connelly can certainly call on her if he needs any help with the authenticity of the new show. The fact that Roberts is retired now could pave the way for her to work on future Bosch-related projects.