T.J. Wilham spent the middle stretch of his career on the other side of the beat that had made his name: after years chasing crime stories as a newspaper reporter, he became director of the Albuquerque Police Department's Real Time Crime Center, then returned to journalism for good. Wilham, a four-time Emmy-winning investigative producer for KOAT Action 7 News and a former Albuquerque Journal crime reporter, died July 15, 2026. He was 50.

An Indiana native, Wilham cut his teeth covering crime for the Indianapolis Star and the Muncie Star Press before moving to New Mexico. In 2004, the Albuquerque Journal hired him as a crime reporter, a beat he worked for eight years.

In 2012, Wilham left the newsroom to join the City of Albuquerque, where he led development of the Albuquerque Police Department's Real Time Crime Center. He directed the unit for six years before returning to journalism in 2018, when KOAT Action 7 News hired him as an investigative producer, the job he held for the rest of his life.

At KOAT, Wilham's investigations drew some of New Mexico broadcasting's top honors. In a single 2024 ceremony, the Rocky Mountain Southwest Chapter of the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences credited him as producer on three Emmy-winning stories: "The Revolving Door" in public affairs programming, "Abe's Last Play" in health and medical content, and "Broken Promises" in politics and government content. His investigation "Rusted" had been an Emmy nominee the year before. The Albuquerque Journal reported that he won four Emmy Awards altogether over his KOAT career.

Wilham was known in the newsroom for his energy. "He had such a big personality and he was so enthusiastic about the stories he was working on," said Dan McKay, a former Journal colleague. "He used to read his stories out loud. He was just the kind of person who involved everyone in the office in his stories." Kent Walz, the former Journal editor who worked with him, called him "a courageous and meticulous reporter" who "took great pride in his work and great pride in getting it right." Walz added that Wilham was "a kind-hearted person who was always smiling and cheerful," and that "the news business can be pretty grim and having somebody like T.J. in the mix made life better."

Richard Berry, the former Albuquerque mayor whose administration Wilham served during his years running the Real Time Crime Center, called him "a unique individual and a talented man" who "had a big, big heart." "We are heartbroken," Berry said. "It's a loss for our community." Lori Waldon, KOAT's president and general manager, said Wilham was "an exceptional journalist, a gifted storyteller, and someone who was deeply respected in our community," adding, "more importantly, he was a wonderful colleague, husband, father, and friend."

He is survived by his wife, Tammi; daughters Tabea, 20, and Regan, 17; and son Ryan, 13, according to the Albuquerque Journal.

Wilham's own career traced an unusual path for a journalist: from a newspaper crime beat, into the police department he had once covered, and back to a newsroom camera. What stays behind is the record of that path, the Real Time Crime Center he helped build inside APD, and the run of KOAT investigations, "The Revolving Door," "Abe's Last Play," "Broken Promises," and "Rusted," that carried his producer credit into New Mexico's Emmy record books.