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True Crime

True crime cases with a horror edge — investigations, disappearances and the documentaries that cover them.

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New Shock Doc Special Explores The True Crime That Inspired The 'Scream' Franchise

New Shock Doc Special Explores The True Crime That Inspired The ‘Scream’ Franchise

The hit documentary series Shock Docs will next explore the terrifying true-crime of the Gainsviller Ripper that inspired one of the biggest horror franchises in history, Scream. The horrific story of serial killer Danny Rolling, aka The Gainesville Ripper, inspired the films. Now, just in time for the release of the newest Scream movie, Scream: The True Story delves into the real-life horror of a murderer who believed he was possessed by a demon and whose gruesome crime spree inspired the blockbuster film. Launching Friday, January 14 on discovery+, the docu-special – through a groundbreaking paranormal investigation, archival media, and expert interviews – take a closer look at the alleged diabolical forces involved and whether Rolling’s spirit still lurks in the shadows. Beginning in 1989, Danny Rolling stalked and murdered eight victims in Shreveport, Louisiana, and Gainesville, Florida, including five college students. Rolling claimed he was possessed by a demon named “Gemini” when he committed his crimes; he was eventually

Continue reading →
Dec 17, 2021
Skye Borgman Talks About Her True Crime Documentary 'Dead Asleep' - Premiering On Hulu

Skye Borgman Talks About Her True Crime Documentary ‘Dead Asleep’ – Premiering On Hulu

We’ve got something special for true crime fans. We sat down with documentary filmmaker Skye Borgman who has made many documentaries including her 2017 truly disturbing film Abducted in Plain Sight. Her new documentary, Dead Asleep is making its Hulu debut on December 16th and it’s an interesting case. Dead Asleep explores the murder of Brooke Preston by her roommate Randy Herman Jr. who claimed that he killed her while he was sleepwalking. Luckily, the jury didn’t buy it and he was convicted. In Dead Asleep, Borgman dives deep into the case. The documentary not only features information about the case but also interviews with those involved including lRandy Herman Jr. himself. The documentary presents the case and leaves it up to the viewer to decide if Herman was really sleepwalking or if he was actually awake. I will give you a warning, there is a lot of graphic photos included from the crime scene. Kelli McNeely: “What got you

Continue reading →
Dec 16, 2021
The Real Life 'Purge' And Christmas

The Real Life ‘Purge’ And Christmas

Over the years you at one point must have heard people say, or post on social media, that they either wonder if or wish that the Purge was or could be real. The 2013 film The Purge gave audiences uncomfortable feelings, or awkward excitement… and spawned four sequels and a television series. The story takes place in a dystopian/utopia society where once a year all crimes are legal (but people seem to REALLY be into the murdering kind), and the films focus on either an individual or groups of individuals trying to survive the night of lawlessness. In the films the idea behind having a Purge was to give the masses a release resulting in lower crime rates during the rest of the year and the economy thrived from it, spoiler alert, in real life just one purge night would completely destroy a country financially since all emergency services (like fire fighting) would not be in service, a lot of

Continue reading →
Dec 12, 2021
True Crime Documentary 'Dead Asleep' Premieres This December On Hulu

True Crime Documentary ‘Dead Asleep’ Premieres This December On Hulu

Hulu has now announced the premiere date for the true crime documentary Dead Asleep, produced in association with Sky Crime. The film flips the traditional thriller narrative to explore a deeper and more troubling mystery – did a remorseful Randy Herman Jr. really commit a brutal murder in his sleep, or was it a convenient cover story? The documentary follows the case of Randy Herman Jr., a Florida man convicted of a murder he says he committed while sleepwalking in 2017. The film shares exclusive footage of Herman and his family, the defense and prosecution attorneys, journalists who covered the case, forensic psychiatrists, and world experts in violent parasomnia (sleepwalking) to give viewers an inside look at the shocking twists and turns of the controversial crime. A Pulse Films production, directed by award-winner Skye Borgman, who is behind the critically acclaimed documentary Abducted In Plain Sight and recently worked with Pulse Films on their Oxygen special The Case Died With

Continue reading →
True Crime Documentary ‘The Acid King’ Explores A Sacrificial Murder

True Crime Documentary ‘The Acid King’ Explores A Sacrificial Murder

Ahead of its November release, we’ve got the new trailer for The Acid King, a true-crime documentary based on Ricky Kasso, the young man who murdered his friend in an alleged “Satanic sacrifice” in 1984. Directed by Dan Jones and Jesse P. Pollack whose book the film is based on, the documentary examines Kasso’s life and hardships that may have made him a killer as well as the murder Kasso committed and the trial. Ricky Kasso wasn’t a bad kid, but he was lost. To feel better, he started smoking pot, moving on from that to PCP and LSD. He ended up living on the streets and thinking he had nothing to lose. Gary Lauwers went from being a victim of bullying to using drugs to fit in, and finally robbery—but then he made the mistake of stealing from Ricky, and from that moment on, his fate was sealed.” Pollack states in his book. “A few months later, Gary went

Continue reading →
Nov 22, 2021
30 ‘The Silence Of The Lambs’ Facts To Celebrate It’s 30th Anniversary!

30 ‘The Silence Of The Lambs’ Facts To Celebrate It’s 30th Anniversary!

The crime horror/thriller film that gave us the loveable cannibalistic serial killer Dr. Hannibal Lecter turned 30 this year on Valentine’s Day (when it was released in 1991). Since we’re getting closer to Halloween, why not share some interesting facts from both the film and the book that it came from, here are 30 facts about The Silence of The Lambs for you to chew on with a nice Chianti. Hannibal never once said “Hello Clarice” in the film, the misquoted line actually goes “Good evening, Clarice.” Ted Levine drank a lot of coffee before his audition to play Buffalo Bill resulting in a performance that impressed everyone. The real-life “Death’s Head Moth” (known as the Lesser Death’s Head Hawkmoth) does not have a pattern that looks like a skull on its back, but it does resemble a hooded face. Sir Anthony Hopkins based Hannibal’s voice on a combination of Truman Capote and Katherine Hepburn. The infamous dancing scene with

Continue reading →
Nov 21, 2021
Horror Fuel

Ted Bundy True Crime Thriller “No Man Of God” Coming To Blu-ray

In 1980, Ted Bundy was sentenced to death by electrocution. In the years that followed, he agreed to disclose the details of his crimes, but only to one man. No Man of God is based on the true story of the strange and complicated relationship that developed between FBI agent Bill Hagmaier and Bundy. Directed by Amber Sealey (No Light and No Land Anywhere), the film stars Elijah Wood (The Lord of the Rings Trilogy) as Bill Hagmaier with Luke Kirby (“The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel”) playing the role of the infamous killer. Aleksa Palladino (The Irishman) and Robert Patrick (Terminator 2) co-star. Kit Lesser penned the script. The film was produced by Wood, Daniel Noah, Lisa Whalen, and Kim Sherman. Ward and Jess De Leo of RLJE Films negotiated the deal with Whalen and Stacy Jorgensen on behalf of Company X / SpectreVision and the filmmakers. No Man of God lands on Blu-ray and DVD on October 19, 2021, from

Continue reading →
Sep 25, 2021
Horror Fuel

New Clip From ‘Ted Bundy: American Boogeyman’ Shows The Killer In Action

Ted Bundy: American Boogeyman, starring Chad Michael Murray (The Haunting In Connecticut 2: Ghosts Of Georgia, and “Riverdale”) as the infamous serial killer, is headed your way. To celebrate this week’s release we have got a new clip that shows an example of how Bundy used fake injuries to trick his victims into coming close. A specter roams the highways of a gritty and decadent 1970s America, hunting for his next prey—his name is Ted Bundy (Chad Michael Murray). Tracking him down is the intrepid female detective Kathleen McChesney (Holland Roden), working out of the Seattle Police bureau, and rookie FBI profiler Robert Ressler (Jake Hays), the government agent who coined the term “serial killer.” This is the true story behind the manhunt that brought America’s most fearsome boogeyman to justice. Daniel Farrands (The Haunting in Connecticut) wrote and directed the film that also stars Lin Shaye (Insidious franchise, The Grudge, Penny Dreadful: City Of Angels) and Holland Roden (Escape

Continue reading →
Aug 31, 2021
Horror Fuel

A Look At A Non-Horror Horror Film: ‘Come and See’

Being a bit of a history nerd with a love of horror, it would be no surprise that interesting things pop up in my online searches, especially when some sites have a “you may be interested in…” section, and it always seems that this film titled Come and See pops up, finally I looked into it and watched the film and HOLY SHIT does not even begin to describe what I saw. Everywhere I looked afterward it seems everyone has said the same thing over and over, this film is a “non-horror horror movie” which after seeing, I have to agree, let me tell you about Come and See. Come and See is a surrealist anti-war film made in the Soviet Union in 1985. The film was directed by Elem Klimov and was his last as he felt after making the film that he went as far as he could creatively as a director which was not far from the

Continue reading →
Aug 25, 2021
Horror Fuel

‘Aileen Wuornos: American Boogeywoman’ Will Delve Into The Life Of The Infamous Serial Killer

Infamous serial killer Aileen Wuornos began her killing in 1989. In all, she took the lives of five men (that law enforcement knows of). The upcoming film Aileen Wuornos: American Boogeywoman, the companion piece and prequel to Monster, will examine the life and murders of the lesbian killer. Based on Aileen Wuornos’s early life in 1976, the film follows America’s most notorious female serial killer in Florida when she marries an older wealthy Yacht Club president only to inflict mayhem within her new family and Florida’s high society. Directed by Daniel Farrands, the film stars Peyton List in the title role (“Cobra Kai”), Tobin Bell (“Jigsaw” from the Saw Franchise), Lydia Hearst (The Haunting Of Sharon Tate), Nick Vallelonga (Green Book), Swen Temmel (In Time, Backtrace), Meadow Williams (Boss Level. Den Of Thieves), and Andrew Biernat (Shadow’s Edge). Aileen Wuornos: American Boogeywoman will have its Fathom Release (Over 750 theaters nationwide for one night) on September 20, 2021, with a

Continue reading →
Aug 24, 2021

More from True Crime

New Shock Doc Special Explores The True Crime That Inspired The 'Scream' Franchise

New Shock Doc Special Explores The True Crime That Inspired The ‘Scream’ Franchise

The hit documentary series Shock Docs will next explore the terrifying true-crime of the Gainsviller Ripper that inspired one of the biggest horror franchises in history, Scream. The horrific story of serial killer Danny Rolling, aka The Gainesville Ripper, inspired the films. Now, just in time for the release of the newest Scream movie, Scream: The True Story delves into the real-life horror of a murderer who believed he was possessed by a demon and whose gruesome crime spree inspired the blockbuster film. Launching Friday, January 14 on discovery+, the docu-special – through a groundbreaking paranormal investigation, archival media, and expert interviews – take a closer look at the alleged diabolical forces involved and whether Rolling’s spirit still lurks in the shadows. Beginning in 1989, Danny Rolling stalked and murdered eight victims in Shreveport, Louisiana, and Gainesville, Florida, including five college students. Rolling claimed he was possessed by a demon named “Gemini” when he committed his crimes; he was eventually

Continue reading →
Dec 17, 2021
Skye Borgman Talks About Her True Crime Documentary 'Dead Asleep' - Premiering On Hulu

Skye Borgman Talks About Her True Crime Documentary ‘Dead Asleep’ – Premiering On Hulu

We’ve got something special for true crime fans. We sat down with documentary filmmaker Skye Borgman who has made many documentaries including her 2017 truly disturbing film Abducted in Plain Sight. Her new documentary, Dead Asleep is making its Hulu debut on December 16th and it’s an interesting case. Dead Asleep explores the murder of Brooke Preston by her roommate Randy Herman Jr. who claimed that he killed her while he was sleepwalking. Luckily, the jury didn’t buy it and he was convicted. In Dead Asleep, Borgman dives deep into the case. The documentary not only features information about the case but also interviews with those involved including lRandy Herman Jr. himself. The documentary presents the case and leaves it up to the viewer to decide if Herman was really sleepwalking or if he was actually awake. I will give you a warning, there is a lot of graphic photos included from the crime scene. Kelli McNeely: “What got you

Continue reading →
Dec 16, 2021
The Real Life 'Purge' And Christmas

The Real Life ‘Purge’ And Christmas

Over the years you at one point must have heard people say, or post on social media, that they either wonder if or wish that the Purge was or could be real. The 2013 film The Purge gave audiences uncomfortable feelings, or awkward excitement… and spawned four sequels and a television series. The story takes place in a dystopian/utopia society where once a year all crimes are legal (but people seem to REALLY be into the murdering kind), and the films focus on either an individual or groups of individuals trying to survive the night of lawlessness. In the films the idea behind having a Purge was to give the masses a release resulting in lower crime rates during the rest of the year and the economy thrived from it, spoiler alert, in real life just one purge night would completely destroy a country financially since all emergency services (like fire fighting) would not be in service, a lot of

Continue reading →
Dec 12, 2021
True Crime Documentary 'Dead Asleep' Premieres This December On Hulu

True Crime Documentary ‘Dead Asleep’ Premieres This December On Hulu

Hulu has now announced the premiere date for the true crime documentary Dead Asleep, produced in association with Sky Crime. The film flips the traditional thriller narrative to explore a deeper and more troubling mystery – did a remorseful Randy Herman Jr. really commit a brutal murder in his sleep, or was it a convenient cover story? The documentary follows the case of Randy Herman Jr., a Florida man convicted of a murder he says he committed while sleepwalking in 2017. The film shares exclusive footage of Herman and his family, the defense and prosecution attorneys, journalists who covered the case, forensic psychiatrists, and world experts in violent parasomnia (sleepwalking) to give viewers an inside look at the shocking twists and turns of the controversial crime. A Pulse Films production, directed by award-winner Skye Borgman, who is behind the critically acclaimed documentary Abducted In Plain Sight and recently worked with Pulse Films on their Oxygen special The Case Died With

Continue reading →
True Crime Documentary ‘The Acid King’ Explores A Sacrificial Murder

True Crime Documentary ‘The Acid King’ Explores A Sacrificial Murder

Ahead of its November release, we’ve got the new trailer for The Acid King, a true-crime documentary based on Ricky Kasso, the young man who murdered his friend in an alleged “Satanic sacrifice” in 1984. Directed by Dan Jones and Jesse P. Pollack whose book the film is based on, the documentary examines Kasso’s life and hardships that may have made him a killer as well as the murder Kasso committed and the trial. Ricky Kasso wasn’t a bad kid, but he was lost. To feel better, he started smoking pot, moving on from that to PCP and LSD. He ended up living on the streets and thinking he had nothing to lose. Gary Lauwers went from being a victim of bullying to using drugs to fit in, and finally robbery—but then he made the mistake of stealing from Ricky, and from that moment on, his fate was sealed.” Pollack states in his book. “A few months later, Gary went

Continue reading →
Nov 22, 2021
30 ‘The Silence Of The Lambs’ Facts To Celebrate It’s 30th Anniversary!

30 ‘The Silence Of The Lambs’ Facts To Celebrate It’s 30th Anniversary!

The crime horror/thriller film that gave us the loveable cannibalistic serial killer Dr. Hannibal Lecter turned 30 this year on Valentine’s Day (when it was released in 1991). Since we’re getting closer to Halloween, why not share some interesting facts from both the film and the book that it came from, here are 30 facts about The Silence of The Lambs for you to chew on with a nice Chianti. Hannibal never once said “Hello Clarice” in the film, the misquoted line actually goes “Good evening, Clarice.” Ted Levine drank a lot of coffee before his audition to play Buffalo Bill resulting in a performance that impressed everyone. The real-life “Death’s Head Moth” (known as the Lesser Death’s Head Hawkmoth) does not have a pattern that looks like a skull on its back, but it does resemble a hooded face. Sir Anthony Hopkins based Hannibal’s voice on a combination of Truman Capote and Katherine Hepburn. The infamous dancing scene with

Continue reading →
Nov 21, 2021
Horror Fuel

Ted Bundy True Crime Thriller “No Man Of God” Coming To Blu-ray

In 1980, Ted Bundy was sentenced to death by electrocution. In the years that followed, he agreed to disclose the details of his crimes, but only to one man. No Man of God is based on the true story of the strange and complicated relationship that developed between FBI agent Bill Hagmaier and Bundy. Directed by Amber Sealey (No Light and No Land Anywhere), the film stars Elijah Wood (The Lord of the Rings Trilogy) as Bill Hagmaier with Luke Kirby (“The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel”) playing the role of the infamous killer. Aleksa Palladino (The Irishman) and Robert Patrick (Terminator 2) co-star. Kit Lesser penned the script. The film was produced by Wood, Daniel Noah, Lisa Whalen, and Kim Sherman. Ward and Jess De Leo of RLJE Films negotiated the deal with Whalen and Stacy Jorgensen on behalf of Company X / SpectreVision and the filmmakers. No Man of God lands on Blu-ray and DVD on October 19, 2021, from

Continue reading →
Sep 25, 2021
Horror Fuel

New Clip From ‘Ted Bundy: American Boogeyman’ Shows The Killer In Action

Ted Bundy: American Boogeyman, starring Chad Michael Murray (The Haunting In Connecticut 2: Ghosts Of Georgia, and “Riverdale”) as the infamous serial killer, is headed your way. To celebrate this week’s release we have got a new clip that shows an example of how Bundy used fake injuries to trick his victims into coming close. A specter roams the highways of a gritty and decadent 1970s America, hunting for his next prey—his name is Ted Bundy (Chad Michael Murray). Tracking him down is the intrepid female detective Kathleen McChesney (Holland Roden), working out of the Seattle Police bureau, and rookie FBI profiler Robert Ressler (Jake Hays), the government agent who coined the term “serial killer.” This is the true story behind the manhunt that brought America’s most fearsome boogeyman to justice. Daniel Farrands (The Haunting in Connecticut) wrote and directed the film that also stars Lin Shaye (Insidious franchise, The Grudge, Penny Dreadful: City Of Angels) and Holland Roden (Escape

Continue reading →
Aug 31, 2021
Horror Fuel

A Look At A Non-Horror Horror Film: ‘Come and See’

Being a bit of a history nerd with a love of horror, it would be no surprise that interesting things pop up in my online searches, especially when some sites have a “you may be interested in…” section, and it always seems that this film titled Come and See pops up, finally I looked into it and watched the film and HOLY SHIT does not even begin to describe what I saw. Everywhere I looked afterward it seems everyone has said the same thing over and over, this film is a “non-horror horror movie” which after seeing, I have to agree, let me tell you about Come and See. Come and See is a surrealist anti-war film made in the Soviet Union in 1985. The film was directed by Elem Klimov and was his last as he felt after making the film that he went as far as he could creatively as a director which was not far from the

Continue reading →
Aug 25, 2021
Horror Fuel

‘Aileen Wuornos: American Boogeywoman’ Will Delve Into The Life Of The Infamous Serial Killer

Infamous serial killer Aileen Wuornos began her killing in 1989. In all, she took the lives of five men (that law enforcement knows of). The upcoming film Aileen Wuornos: American Boogeywoman, the companion piece and prequel to Monster, will examine the life and murders of the lesbian killer. Based on Aileen Wuornos’s early life in 1976, the film follows America’s most notorious female serial killer in Florida when she marries an older wealthy Yacht Club president only to inflict mayhem within her new family and Florida’s high society. Directed by Daniel Farrands, the film stars Peyton List in the title role (“Cobra Kai”), Tobin Bell (“Jigsaw” from the Saw Franchise), Lydia Hearst (The Haunting Of Sharon Tate), Nick Vallelonga (Green Book), Swen Temmel (In Time, Backtrace), Meadow Williams (Boss Level. Den Of Thieves), and Andrew Biernat (Shadow’s Edge). Aileen Wuornos: American Boogeywoman will have its Fathom Release (Over 750 theaters nationwide for one night) on September 20, 2021, with a

Continue reading →
Aug 24, 2021