Themes were merged from two of classic mystery author Edgar Allen Poe's stories into "Heartbeat"'s plot: "The Cask of Amontillado" and "The Telltale Heart". Also, Poe's gravestone that detectives Munch and Howard visit is actually the real thing. Poe died and was buried in Baltimore, the setting for Homicide: Life on the Street.
On the DVD's this is episode 405 and it shown in the order it was produced, not when it was originally aired by NBC.
Eugene Elwin was murdered on June 26, 1985.