General True Crime Shows

[Brattinella]

39 minutes ago, Christina said:

I've never believed DeOrr was ever at that campground. Their house of lies came tumbling down almost immediately.

Ahem...

NO MORE SHOWS ON JEFFREY MACDONALD, INVESTIGATION DISCOVERY!!

Sorry, needed to scream that from the top of my lungs. There is nothing new, there is no bombshell, he's a murderer who needs to fade into oblivion. The commercial looks like they are trying to make him come across as charming and not the piece of shit, waste of air, that he is.

All of these shows repackage the same stories, and every few years we have to hear about old ones again. OJ, Chandra Levy, Scott Peterson, Jodi Arias, Casey Anthony, ect. They're killers, we know, they know, every show says the same thing unless they are trying to make you question the guilt, and it's always for a stupid reason. A witness came forward twenty years after the fact and said "blahblahblah." 

AMEN, sister!

[SunnyBeBe]

For those who may be curious. The Smart movie is actually on the LIfetime channel.  I was thinking it was on A&E.  Oh well, now, I've missed most of it. I hope it repeats. 

[riley702]

Minor quibble - Chandra Levy was the victim, not the killer.

[Lizzing]

13 hours ago, Christina said:

NO MORE SHOWS ON JEFFREY MACDONALD, INVESTIGATION DISCOVERY!!

ITA!  Plus, Fatal Vision is on YouTube for free, so even as problematic as that movie is, there's no reason to try to top Gary Cole's single greatest role until Office Space.  LOL!  (Truth be told, Fatal Vision sucked me in to true crime at 11 years of age.  I didn't buy the hippy story then, and I don't now.)

[JasminePhyllisia]

15 hours ago, Christina said:

I've never believed DeOrr was ever at that campground. Their house of lies came tumbling down almost immediately.

Ahem...

NO MORE SHOWS ON JEFFREY MACDONALD, INVESTIGATION DISCOVERY!!

Sorry, needed to scream that from the top of my lungs. There is nothing new, there is no bombshell, he's a murderer who needs to fade into oblivion. The commercial looks like they are trying to make him come across as charming and not the piece of shit, waste of air, that he is.

All of these shows repackage the same stories, and every few years we have to hear about old ones again. OJ, Chandra Levy, Scott Peterson, Jodi Arias, Casey Anthony, ect. They're killers, we know, they know, every show says the same thing unless they are trying to make you question the guilt, and it's always for a stupid reason. A witness came forward twenty years after the fact and said "blahblahblah." 

Agreed. Can we add Menendez brothers to this list? 

[Brattinella]

I'm guessing that defense attorneys are making these kind of shows possible. 

[Otter]

4 hours ago, JasminePhyllisia said:

Agreed. Can we add Menendez brothers to this list? 

I rolled my eyes so far back into my head when I saw the trailer, they were stuck back there for hours!.  Isn't he dead yet?  

Actually, seeing the trailer for Eric, or is it Lyle, I have to wonder if after all these years they both believe all the lies that were told in the trials.  I have no doubt that Jose was a very strict and demanding father.  I would believe that he may have slapped the brothers when they didn't meet his expectations.  But horrific sexual abuse even when they were adults?  I don't buy it.  And Kitty deserved to be murdered too because she didn't protect them?  How could she if he was such a powerful monster?  

Nothing but spoiled brats who killed for their greed.  Anyway, I'll watch it just to roll my eyes and get them stuck again.  All these years in prison have honed their manipulation skills to ninja level.  

[auntjess]

23 hours ago, SunnyBeBe said:

Oh well, now, I've missed most of it. I hope it repeats. 

I think it's on now, and again at midnight.

[Christina]

22 hours ago, riley702 said:

Minor quibble - Chandra Levy was the victim, not the killer.

That's how the case is known, though. I didn't think someone would read the list and think I was calling her a killer, so it didn't seem necessary to clarify "with the exception of Chandra," the rest are killers.

8 hours ago, JasminePhyllisia said:

Agreed. Can we add Menendez brothers to this list? 

Of course! I also forgot to list Drew Peterson.

When it comes to Jefferey MacDonald though, we should never have to look at him or hear about him again, because he gets a perverse pleasure in knowing his story keeps getting retold. I think Jodi Arias does too, but fortunately, the warden doesn't give journalists access to the prisoners.

Since production companies get releases made out to the company, not the show, they can reuse and repackage the things they have already shot, hire new crappy, inexpensive actors to play parts, and force them down our throats. Very few cases are interesting enough to watch eight times. However, I will watch the hell out of @walnutqueen's future rampage.

[azshadowwalker]

13 hours ago, Lizzing said:

ITA!  Plus, Fatal Vision is on YouTube for free, so even as problematic as that movie is, there's no reason to try to top Gary Cole's single greatest role until Office Space.  LOL!  (Truth be told, Fatal Vision sucked me in to true crime at 11 years of age.  I didn't buy the hippy story then, and I don't now.)

One of the first true crime books I read. 

[Otter]

There was a poster everywhere on the crime boards that first appeared for me on the Scott Peterson boards.  He/she believed  EVERYONE was innocent.  One of the poster's favorite topics and would inject wrongful convictions was Jeffrey MacDonald.  It was annoying.  "Factually innocent" but would never say why and would conveniently ignore questions.  I mean if I came here stating my opinion as fact and ignoring any push back .... I'd think I'd be asked to leave the conversation.  

Ugh, still remember the user name.

[spiderpig]

How about all the Sam Shepard was innocent! stories?  

My family (including me at age 3) were at the Bay Village Chief of Police's house for a July 4th picnic when he was notified Marilyn Shepard had been murdered.  My parents, an uncle who was a TV newsman, and other families who had knowledge of Sam and the case all swore up and down Sam was guilty.  He blamed it on a "bushy haired man" who became a "one-armed man" in the TV and movie versions of The Fugitive.

Of course, David Janssen and Harrison Ford were innocent.  I personally make exceptions for them.

[SunnyBeBe]

I was able to catch the Smart movie.  It was difficult to watch.  I actually preferred the documentary.  But, I think the movie closely followed the way she described events. 

[walnutqueen]

1 hour ago, SunnyBeBe said:

I was able to catch the Smart movie.  It was difficult to watch.  I actually preferred the documentary.  But, I think the movie closely followed the way she described events. 

I am trying to watch it now, but it is a bad Lifetime movie, and Elizabeth Smart's Talking Heads are terrible.  

[One Tough Cookie]

OK people--how happy are we that old Charlie is now having  a serious session with his maker? :). One down, three--Krenwinkle. Vanhouten and Beauselil to go.

Edited November 20, 2017 by One Tough Cookie

[crazycatlady58]

I feel a little  bad that I am happy  he is dead, but not that  bad. I told a young  coworker  the he died and she had  never heard of Charles  Manson. I did not know how to began  to describe  him. I finally  said he was bats**t crazy and to look him up when she got home.

[Brattinella]

4 minutes ago, crazycatlady58 said:

I feel a little  bad that I am happy  he is dead, but not that  bad. I told a young  coworker  the he died and she had  never heard of Charles  Manson. I did not know how to began  to describe  him. I finally  said he was bats**t crazy and to look him up when she got home.

This blows my mind that there are people who don't know about that horrific summer.  Who hasn't read Helter Skelter??

[crazycatlady58]

Well, she is 21 and does not seem  the type to watch crime shows and does not watch the news. She also is not curious about the world . If someone  said something  like  that to me I would  find out what I could  about  the person  they were talking  about. I doubt  she will  think about  it again.

[Annber03]

Yeah, I wondered if people in their teens/early 20s would've understood just why the news of his death was such a big deal. I'm in my early 30s, and I learned about him through documentaries about the "turbulent 1960s", and true crime discussions, along with my parents' memories of hearing about his crimes on the news. 

Never read the book 'Helter Skelter', though. Guessing I should remedy that at some point. 

[Brattinella]

1 hour ago, Annber03 said:

Yeah, I wondered if people in their teens/early 20s would've understood just why the news of his death was such a big deal. I'm in my early 30s, and I learned about him through documentaries about the "turbulent 1960s", and true crime discussions, along with my parents' memories of hearing about his crimes on the news. 

Never read the book 'Helter Skelter', though. Guessing I should remedy that at some point. 

That book is THE definitive story of the Manson Family (Vince Bugliosi is the author).  Also, if it EVER comes back on TV, catch the movie starring Steve Railsback as Charlie.

[spiderpig]

18 minutes ago, Brattinella said:

That book is THE definitive story of the Manson Family (Vince Bugliosi is the author).  Also, if it EVER comes back on TV, catch the movie starring Steve Railsback as Charlie.

Steve Railsback is an excellent actor (The Stunt Man with Peter O'Toole), but he will forever be associated with Manson.  How could he not?  He was perfectly cast.

[SunnyBeBe]

Even with all the true crime shows that I have watched over the years, it FREAKS me out to even see the trailer for the movie Helter Skelter.  Something about it terrifies me.  

[walnutqueen]

2 hours ago, SunnyBeBe said:

Even with all the true crime shows that I have watched over the years, it FREAKS me out to even see the trailer for the movie Helter Skelter.  Something about it terrifies me.  

 

Did I tell my Mansonite story in this thread, or some other?  I don't want to repeat myself if i did. 

Don't really care that he's dead (good riddance, finally) - a lot of people from that era are.  His followers were a hell of a lot scarier than he was.  He was just an evil flim-flam man who used crude tactics to make people do his bidding.  Monster?  Yes.  Scariest monster EVER?  No.

[SunnyBeBe]

What's your story WalnutQueen?  I'd like to hear it.  Nevemind if  it's a repeat.  I'm sure it's new to plenty of us.

Yes, Manson was a quack, but, to a little kid, he and his followers were super creepy.  I also freaked out to the movie The Birds when I was a kid. I couldn't sleep alone for weeks! I"m not kidding.  Whatever Happened to Baby Jane scared me too!  I guess that I was a sensitive child.  lol

[Annber03]

I'm curious to hear the story, too!

4 minutes ago, SunnyBeBe said:

Yes, Manson was a quack, but, to a little kid, he and his followers were super creepy. 

Manson had chilling eyes. Even if one didn't know anything about his crimes, all they had to do was look at him and it was obvious that he was bad news. And just the idea that somebody can be THAT manipulative and controlling is frightening in and of itself, too. 

[walnutqueen]

7 minutes ago, SunnyBeBe said:

What's your story WalnutQueen?  I'd like to hear it.  Nevemind if  it's a repeat.  I'm sure it's new to plenty of us.

Well, I'm pretty sure it's a well-worn story, since i don't have that many, and am old and inclined to repeat myself ...

Back in the day, I ended up living in a barn at the far back of 30 acres in the middle of NoWhereLand, B.C. Canada.  One of the Mansonite "snitches" ended up in my neck of the woods, and was known to a biker dude I knew very well.  This snitch lived in abject fear for his life every fucking day - and perhaps with good reason. 

I was entertaining a couple of high school friends in my barn one dark night when two scary looking guys knocked on the barn door wanting to smoke pot with us (how they found my barn at the back of those 30 acres is still a mystery to me).  They started talking some shit about "Charlie" & such, but I didn't put 2 & 2 together until they were leaving, and commented about how cool my barn walls would look written in my blood.

That's about the time I started to panic, and spilled my terror to my "guardian angel"  (OK, he was a Hell's Angel, and a relative).  I didn't sleep alone again until he came back to my barn to tell me I didn't have to worry about them ever again.  I never asked why, and never will.  I know they "disappeared", and I am not sorry they did.

[SunnyBeBe]

OMG!  Walnutqueen.  I'm positive that I have never heard that story before.  It's a miracle you are alive!  What a close call with some very unstable people. So did the stranger guys show up looking for the snitch? 

[Annber03]

18 minutes ago, walnutqueen said:

They started talking some shit about "Charlie" & such, but I didn't put 2 & 2 together until they were leaving, and commented about how cool my barn walls would look written in my blood.

O.O

...whoa...

YIKES. What a freaky story. I'm glad you're okay, and had somebody looking out for you and making sure those creeps never bothered you again. 

[Brattinella]

Thank you, Sunnybebe, for posting that trailer.  Astonishing how much Railsback looks and speaks like Manson.

Walnutqueen, WOW what a story!  You are damn lucky, young lady!

Oh, and in my opinion, the scariest monster of all was Ted Bundy.

[walnutqueen]

15 minutes ago, SunnyBeBe said:

OMG!  Walnutqueen.  I'm positive that I have never heard that story before.  It's a miracle you are alive!  What a close call with some very unstable people. So did the stranger guys show up looking for the snitch? 

I am assuming that would be a "yes", although how they found my barn at the back of 30 wooded acres when not even my closest friends could see my Coleman lantern light from the road is yet another mystery.

 

3 minutes ago, Annber03 said:

O.O

...whoa...

YIKES. What a freaky story. I'm glad you're okay, and had somebody looking out for you and making sure those creeps never bothered you again. 

Manson was a magnet for unstable people at that time.  Apparently, so was I, but the majority of the unstable people I attracted had very good "hearts and souls".  Those 30 acres also attracted the very BEST that ever described "hippies" - people so honest and giving and loving that they totally won over my straight-laced parents forever.  The barn walls that could've been painted with my blood by Mansonites actually held a wondrous connection between the generations and classes, like nothing else I've ever witnessed.  So it's all good.  ;-)

[Razzberry]

I have insomnia so I end up watching a lot of these shows.  It's one of the few channels that don't go to infomercials. 

My favorite ongoing shows are A Crime to Remember,  People Investigates,  Homicide Hunter, Deadly Women,  Evil Twins.  Who the (Bleep) Did I Marry? was pretty good, but it's done I think.

Looking forward to Deadly Dentists,  Dating Game Killer,  Village of the Damned.  

Hated that William Phelps show with the profiler and fake serial killer phone calls.  The questions they asked were so stupid and obvious.  Typical scenario:

Phelps: "Raven, why would this guy pose the bodies in that way?"

Raven: "He wanted to shock whoever found it.    That's it."    *click*  (maybe even "Raven" thought they were idiots)

Then he and the FBI profiler would act like this was insightful and helpful information.

Edited November 21, 2017 by Razzberry

[Brattinella]

Re: The Dating Game Killer.  This degenerate,  Rodney Alcala, photographed his victims, saying he would make them models/famous.  They don't even know how many women and children he killed, many of the photographs he had are still not identified.  There is a website that has all (or most) of these photos, and hopefully they all will be identified someday.  A true monster.

Here is a starting point for photographs

[punkypower]

Reelz' Murder Made Me Famous had the Dating Game Killer as their last episode.

 

It was VERY well done. Brrr..

[auntjess]

A&E on demand, at least on U-verse, has the Elizabeth Smart shows.

[SunnyBeBe]

On 11/16/2017 at 8:48 PM, auntjess said:

I just watched the first episode of this.
http://www.history.com/shows/the-hunt-for-the-zodiac-killer?gclid=EAIaIQobChMItIqT2r3E1wIVVrbACh2xOgFDEAAYASAAEgIfXvD_BwE&cmpid=paidsearch_&s_kwcid=AL!4850!3!232266130048!b!!g!!%2Bzodiac %2Bkiller %2Bhistory&ef_id=WJEHKAAAACSunBM2:20171117014309:s
They are a lot of cryptographers and computers working on this, as well as retired cops and FBI agents.
I started, thinking I'd ff to see how it ends, but I was fascinated.
Do check it out.

Yes, I saw part of this!  Help me with this.  They are speculating that he first murdered the couple in CA in 1963.  So, that would make him at least in his 70's when he would have worked with that high tech corporation that handles that intel. (Same place that Snowden worked.)  How many men in their 70's would be in such a program?  I doubt any.  That man would have retired many years ago.  Isn't that what they were saying?  

[Josette]

Quote

So, that would make him at least in his 70's when he would have worked with that high tech corporation that handles that intel.

The company predates Zodiac.  The symbols they were talking about were created in the 1970s at the company.

[SunnyBeBe]

13 hours ago, Josette said:

The company predates Zodiac.  The symbols they were talking about were created in the 1970s at the company.

I see. Thanks. 

[druzy]

Investigation Discovery’s New 3-Part Series DEADLY DENTISTS Premieres Friday, November 24

[auntjess]

OK, I had to feel sorry for this defense attorney, on a Forensic Files.  When his client appears at his trial for the murder of 2 women, he's had 2 teardrops tattooed by one of his eyes.

[Otter]

Okay, watched a show about Manson this afternoon. Huh, never heard or read until today that he based his strategy of forming a cult on Scientology.  I watch the Leah R show and makes total sense.  Learn something new every day.

[partofme]

On 11/24/2017 at 10:20 AM, druzy said:

Investigation Discovery’s New 3-Part Series DEADLY DENTISTS Premieres Friday, November 24

I watched the first episode, the title is deceptive, the dentist was the victim.

[hoosiermom]

5 minutes ago, partofme said:

I watched the first episode, the title is deceptive, the dentist was the victim.

I was really upset by his wife who was pure evil. I was hoping she would end up in prison for life but no such luck. We still have karma!

[auntjess]

You will never want to celebrate the holidays en famille again, after watching these shows.
http://www.oxygen.com/homicide-for-the-holidays/blogs/homicide-for-the-holidays-premieres-november-25-at-65c

I think I saw four famiies wipped out last night.

[Lizzing]

On 11/25/2017 at 10:11 PM, partofme said:

I watched the first episode, the title is deceptive, the dentist was the victim.

I was perturbed by the bait and switch title.  It's Home Alone all over again! LOL!

The up close & personal dental work was a bit much though.  I can watch all the crime scene photos they throw at me, but teeth drilling causes me to look away.

[SunnyBeBe]

TONIGHT there is a People Magazine special on ID Discovery channel on the Petite Murders.  It's such a heartbreaking story.  I followed it very closely.  Even though, it's sad, I may watch it again.  I have found that People does a really good job on old stories and I end up learning things that I never heard during the investigation and trial.  The only good point is that Dr. Petite was able to rebuild his life....but still.  

 

http://people.com/crime/petit-family-murders-preview-people-magazine-investigates/

Edited November 27, 2017 by SunnyBeBe

[punkypower]

I watch more general true crime shows than anything else. I never cry, this one had me sobbing. Tragedy on SO many levels!!

Wow at the fuckery of the police. How many times could Jennifer and the girls be saved?

Disappointing another deserved death penalty overturned.

You're right, People does such a good job on these cases. I gave up on Vanity Fair Confidential and Barbara Walters, but People is just breathtaking.

[SunnyBeBe]

I know.  I only saw portions of People on the Petite murders, due to watching another show on another channel.  I will watch it all online later though.  From what I did see,  I thought People did do a good job at pointing out just how inept the police were.  Just heartbreaking.  Untrained, private citizens might have done a better job.  

I'm not sure where to post about this special, but, I suppose it could come under this thread, because it's about Dog the Bounty Hunter and his show/job is about hunting criminals.  I've searched all over and can find no thread on this site for him. his show or the special.  Odd.   Anyway, there was a special last night about his wife's cancer and surgery.  I am DYING to discuss it.  I need someone who has actually had cancer to give a REAL perspective on it.  I've NEVER SEEN anything like it in a true life or fictional account.  It was bizarre is an understatement.  Since, I know there are a lot of insightful and well versed posters on this thread, any suggestion would be appreciated.  

http://www.aetv.com/blog/news/ae-network-to-premiere-two-hour-special-dog-and-beth-fight-of-their-lives-nov-27-at-9p

[andromeda331]

Last night was the first time I saw People, I had purposely not watched it thinking it would be bad. I was very surprised by how good it was and horrified at how the police screwed up. At the end I did see the line that the police department declined to comment I bet. There's no excuse for being on the scene and not doing anything. Its not like they just got there and the house went up in flames. Or that they didn't know what was going on. They knew from the phone call what was going on. To be there for that amount of time and do nothing? They had two numbers, why didn't they at least try both of them? Maybe the kidnappers wouldn't answer the phone but at least they would have tried. But there's no excuse for not trying both numbers. For not trying something. The poor man. I can't imagine how awful it would be to survive but your family didn't. 

[walnutqueen]

FYI - People Magazine Investigates actually has a forum, with episode threads (thanks, @Drogo)  here.

 

ETA - I posted there, because the poor little forum looked sad and neglected, and it deserves some attention, too!   ;-D

Edited November 28, 2017 by walnutqueen

[Annber03]

Yeah, that Petit case is so weird and horrifically sad. Kinda reminded me a bit of the Clutter family murders, in a way. 

I felt for Jennifer, trying to find the best way to alert people to the danger she and her family were in. I'm glad the people at the bank took her seriously and did what they could to help. Just such a shame it wound up being for naught.