For true crime fans, How I Caught My Killer, is a compelling, concise, thriller series that highlights murder victims, the investigation into their deaths, and the court cases that follow. The cases for the show are diverse, but they all have one thing in common. The victim’s social media activity is used to help determine the perpetrator of their crimes.
Nikki Kuhnhausen, Candice Parchment, Brandy Rosine, Jesse Valencia, Shaniesha Forbes, April Millsap, John Ray, Ben Renick, and Sarah Butler are the victims in the nine episode first season of the series, and their stories are not only heartbreaking, but riveting to follow. For those who had never watched a true crime docu-series before, you will be instantly caught up in the pursuit of justice.
The facts of the case are augmented with family and friend interviews, as well as supporting characters in the story such as journalists, activists, police, and prosecutors that were all involved in the investigations. In these moments we get a broader look at who the victims were, and the difficulties in the police investigations.
You will learn the facts of each case, the history of the victim’s last moments, and how easy it could be for a victim to become just another case number. Along with the narrative of the witnesses and family members, viewers will also see snippets of interviews from the criminals, and crime scene photos. The facts are laid out, and while it is easy to get caught up in the hunt for justice, How I Caught My Killer lets us meet the people who lost their lives in an honest and intimate fashion.
From Nikki Kuhnhausen, a trans teen who found her place via thousands of friends on social media, to Candice Parchment whose own writing would help find her killer, and finally Sarah Butler whose death and the subsequent investigation would uncover a brutal serial killer who had been preying on young women for some time, How I Caught My Killer shows how even the smallest social media interaction can be the important clue to find the murderer.
There are no happy endings. The investigation process is very slow, and unlike scripted television it does not wrap up immediately. Months if not years go by before the families see justice for their loved ones. In some cases, the audience will see how the long arm of the law is not as advanced as we would like, beset with discriminatory actions by some officers, a legal system that has multiple loopholes, and parents who just want answers.
The scope of the show is painful, but necessary, as it allows an opportunity for the world to learn the stories of the victims. Thanks to How I Caught My Killer the victims get to speak one last time.
What makes How I Caught My Killer so appealing is that the narratives are concise and tight, they don’t shame the victims but treat them as human beings and try to bring the full story of who these people are and their impact on the people around them to life.
Emitting the same vibe as a celebrated show like City Confidential, with a powerful narration guiding the audience through the complexities of the case and how justice is not only slow, but lengthy, How I Caught My Killer brings closure to painful moments, as well as define the victims for the people they were and not the crime that befell them.
How I Caught My Killer is a binge worthy series for true crime fans as they follow the trail of clues in the pursuit of justice.