The Guzman Arc
Guzman’s Victims
  • Fruit of the
    Poisonous Tree
  • Pina, Ruiz and Colonel Hector Guerrera from a White Hand death squad take Vinnie away and kill him under orders from the Salvadorian Deputy Minister of Defense Diaz
  • Colonel Guerrera lets Pina and Ruiz kill before they reach the Amercan ground
  • Other prisoners throw Hector Guerrera to his death in prison
  • Black Gold
  • Guzman lets a black leader be hanged.
  • The Gift
  • Meltdown
  • Guzman shoots his former right hand and his brother to save Santana.
  • La Mina
  • An albino commits suicide in his bath.
  • Witness Protection for the Archangel Lucifer
  • Guzman killed by a La Mano Blanco death squad
  • Point of No Return
  • Dead Right
  • Changing Houses
  • The principal of a school got killed by some of his students.
  • Total dead, 14
  • Most kills Colonel Hector Guerrer,
    2 dead
  • Amado Guzman, 2 dead
  • Alfonso Pino, 1 dead
  • Ruiz, 1 dead

Guzman: Maximilian Schell
Dag Machado: Carlos Gomez
Winston Chambers III: Fredric Lehne

Gacha: Alex Panas
Michael Santana: Steven Bauer
Hillary Stein: Cecil Hoffman


Fruit of the Poisonous Tree
Original airdate: 11/10/90
Writer: Peter Lance
Story: Stephen J. Cannell, Peter Lance, Rafael Lima
Director: Jan Eliasberg

Bauer and Hoffman
Stephen Bauer as Michael
Santana, Cecil Hoffman
as Hillary Stein

(Two hours) While Frank is in Washington to talk to Paul about returning to work, Dan calls to say Vinnie missed his last check-in. Frank goes to Vinnie’s house and finds evidence that he was kidnapped. Despite Paul’s objections, Frank begins his own investigation, finding out from Carlotta that Vinnie was looking into the death of a priest in El Salvador.

Frank follows the trail to Miami and Michael Santana, a disbarred Federal prosecutor, and the last person Vinnie contacted. Santana refuses to help Frank, saying he doesn’t know anything about Vinnie’s disappearance. Digging deeper, Frank stumbles upon a CIA investigation and is ordered to back off. Frank enlists the help of the local OCB office and they track the men who kidnapped Vinnie to a death squad in San Salvador.

White tells Frank that Vinnie is suspected of gunrunning. The men who kidnapped Vinnie are returned to the States, dead. Frank searches them and finds Vinnie’s crucifix on one of them. Frank has Guerrera arrested for Vinnie’s death. Santana finally agrees to help Frank investigate Guzman. Frank flies back to New York and delivers a eulogy at Vinnie’s memorial service, then announces to everyone that Vinnie was an undercover Fed.

Guest Cast
Col. Guerrera: Mario Ernesto Sanchez


Black Gold
Original airdate: 11/17/90
Writer: Bill Bludworth
Story: Stephen J. Cannell, Peter Lance, Rafael Lima
Director: Jorge Montesi

Guzman promotes Santana. Frank and Santana drift into a new case when they find Haitian boat people in Guzman’s warehouse. Frank tells Santana about a pact he and Vinnie had in case either was to die: Vinnie wanted his ashes spread around first base in Yankee Stadium, and Frank wanted Vinnie to take Drake fishing every year on the anniversary of his death.

Guest Cast
De Jol: Badja Djola
Cheput: Colson F. Gilkes


Martika (Marta
Marrero) as Dahlia

The Gift
Original airdate: 11/24/90
Writer: Stephen J. Cannell
Director: Jorge Montesi

Santana goes undercover to deal with a pair of brothers from the underworld who want a load of Guzman’s gold. The brothers suspect Santana and scare Dahlia as a warning to him. Frank sets Santana up with Lifeguard.


La Mina
Original airdate: 12/1/90
Writer: Peter Lance
Director: Colin Bucksey

Guzman lets Santana in on his money-laundering operation, giving Santana and Frank a perfect opportunity to clean out his enterprise. Guzman panics as the trap folds in and escapes to the Salvadoran embassy.

Guest Cast
Mendosa: Rene Rokk

Albino: Raul Santidrian
Jake: Mark Macauley


Witness Protection for the Archangel Lucifer
Original airdate: 12/8/90
Writers: Peter Lance, Rafael Lima
Story by Stephen J. Cannell, Peter Lance
Director: Jorge Montesi

While Guzman is hiding in El Salvador, Santana comes up with a plan to bring him down. Guzman gets hauled back to US, where he negotiates amnesty for testimony against Gacha. Dahlia is killed. Hillary testifies against Gacha and he’s convicted. Guzman tells Frank he knows who put the order out to kill Vinnie, and he will tell him when Frank promises to move him from a safe house in North Dakota to an estate in [St.Petersburg] Florida. Guzman is killed by La Mana Blanca [plastic bag over the head].


Point of No Return
Original airdate: None, available only in syndication
Writer: Brick Choy
Director: Colin Bucksey

Depressed over Dahlia’s death, Santana refuses Frank’s offer to join the OCB and goes to visit his sister. When her husband disappears, he finds out they’re in serious financial trouble. Santana finally tracks down his brother-in-law and finds out he took off rather than turn into a corrupt cop. Santana joins the OCB when Frank tells him how much money he can earn. Santana agrees, if they’ll forego him having to go through training and send his sister the money.

Guest Cast
Richie Burns: Jim Youngs
Lt. James: Art La Fleur


Dead Right
Original airdate: None, available only in syndication
Writer: James Kearns
Director: Tucker Gates

Due to budget cut backs, the OCB is shut down, and Frank and Santana are assigned to NYC District Attorney’s office. Hillary brings them a new case dealing with faulty helicopter parts.

Guest Cast
Jack Bishop: Stephen Root

Daryl Jenkins: John Cothran, Jr.
Sue Cudahy: Michele Goddger


Changing Houses
Original airdate: None, available only in syndication
Writer: Stephen J. Cannell
Director: Gus Trikoni

Santana works on investigating drugs at his niece’s high school after she is shot. This was the beginning of an arc that was never completed.

Guest Cast
Jesse Hains: Billy Dee Williams
Mrs. Hains: Beverly Todd

Principal: Oliver Platt
Mayor Flanagan: Wayne Tippit