Commissions

Greenlit: Murder Made Me Famous, Reelz

Murder Made Me Famous ( x 60′) – Examines killers who gained public notoriety when their crimes whipped up a media frenzy. The unnerving psychology behind murder has long been source material for television, books and movies—celebrities like Rob Lowe, Mark Harmon and Dean Cain have all portrayed criminals discussed in this series—but why do certain killers capture the attention of millions?

Each episode presents dramatic recreations of well-known crimes using archival material and insightful commentary from those connected to the case to help unravel the twisted personalities that were thrust into the spotlight. .

The seriess shares personal accounts from victims’ family members, jurors, members of law enforcement and journalists involved with each case to disclose new information and give viewers an intimate perspective. Featured commentator for every episode is author and PEOPLE crime reporter, Steve Helling, who has covered several high-profile crime stories including the Natalee Holloway and Laci Peterson disappearances.

The opening episode spotlights convicted killer Jodi Arias whose case triggered a flood of public involvement and social media activity. This past April, Arias was sentenced to life in prison without parole having been found guilty of shooting and stabbing her ex-boyfriend, Travis Alexander, to death in the shower. The show dives into Arias’ transgressions and includes interviews with Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio and veteran AP journalist Brian Skoloff, whose book ‘Killer Girlfriend: The Jodi Arias Story’ presents a comprehensive account of the investigation and events leading up to this dramatic trial.

Future episodes explore the following cases:

• Scott Peterson – In a case that unfolded like a Hollywood script, millions were engrossed in the investigation of Peterson’s missing wife, Laci, only to find that confident and charismatic Scott was also a cold-blooded killer who had everything to do with her disappearance.
• Menendez brothers – When their parents were killed in their Beverly Hills mansion, Erik and Lyle Menendez took the public on a ride with a tale full of mobsters and mystery but the pieces didn’t add up and the brothers became a national sensation when they confessed their guilt and claimed years of sexual abuse.
• Ted Bundy – One of the most notorious criminals of the late 20th century, serial killer Ted Bundy used his good looks to charm his victims. He was put to death in 1989 after being convicted of murdering two college women and a young girl—although before his execution, he confessed to dozens more.
• Drew Peterson – The trial that sparked creation of an Illinois law dubbed “Drew’s Law” allowing hearsay evidence to be used in court, in 2007, the former police sergeant became a suspect in the disappearance of his fourth wife, leading police to re-open the case surrounding the death of Kathleen Savio, Peterson’s third wife who was murdered three years earlier.
• Joran van der Sloot – The Dutch citizen made U.S. headlines for his involvement in the disappearance of Natalee Holloway, an Alabama teen vacationing in Aruba, as well as for the murder of Stephany Flores Ramirez in Peru on the exact same day, five years later.

Channel: Reelz

Producer: AMS Pictures

TX: 15th August 2015

Source: Reelz press release