Detective Cornell (Juliette Lewis) is officially on the hunt for another murderer on season 2 of Secrets and Lies. 

Cornell Starting Fresh In A New Location?

According to Deadline, the popular ABC midseason anthology series, has officially tapped a new male lead to replace Ryan Phillippe for the new season and mystery, with Michael Ealy (The Following, Almost Human and Think Like A Man) set to portray Cornell's new suspect in the shocking murder of his wife. 

Ealy's character will be named Eric Warner, a smart, well-educated and hard-working heir apparent to his family's private equity firm in Charlotte, N.C. After also becoming newly married to 'the one', his life seems to be falling perfectly into place. However, when he attends a party to honor his father passing over the reins to him, tragedy strikes--when his wife, Kate is murdered and his life changes forever. 

Is Season 2 Already Underway?

Like Phillippe, Ealy has signed a one-year deal for the show, meaning his case will be solved before the season's end.   

The show's first season became a huge hit with fans, as Cornell began investigating Phillippe's Ben Crawford, whose illegitimate son was found murdered in the woods near his home. Throughout the season, Ben worked to prove his innocence, with Cornell eventually realizing he was innocent. By the season's end, his daughter, Abby (Belle Shouse) was revealed to be the killer--but her father took the wrap for her and went to prison instead.  

In a shocking twist online, in the Cornell Confidential companion clips, it was strongly hinted at that Ben had died within his first year in prison--with Cornell later seeking out his other daughter, Natalie (Indiana Evans) helping the detective track down her sister and put her away for her crime. 

Secrets and Lies returns to ABC during the 2015-2016 midseason.

Tags: secrets and lies ABC television