Warning: The below contains MAJOR spoilers for the Law & Order Season 24 premiere “Catch and Kill.”] Since last spring, fans have wondered how Lieutenant Kate Dixon would be written out of Law & Order with Camryn Manheim‘s exit.

Fans have been waiting for months to find out Lieutenant Kate Dixon’s fate on Law & Order — and the answer wasn’t clear for much of the premiere. Camryn Manheim’s Dixon was noticeably absent when season 24 began on Thursday,

"​​I had the most incredible experience being a part of the Law & Order Universe, and more importantly the Wolfpack," she wrote. "I’m so thankful for the three wonderful seasons that I spent with this wildly talented cast of merry pranksters.

Manheim's Lieutenant Dixon was replaced by Maura Tierney's Jessica Brady. Camryn Manheim left a huge gap in the Law & Order cast when she announced her departure after the season 23 finale in July. Here's how Thursday's season 24 premiere filled it.

The recent release of Law & Order Season 24 has introduced a new era in the long-running show. After a contentious season 23 finale, fans expressed much concern regarding the fate of Lieutenant Kate Dixon.