I'll Be Gone in the Dark2020
“After a decade of terror, the Golden State Killer vanished. One woman refused to let him disappear.”
Created by Liz Garbus
🏆 2 wins & 4 nominations total
The premise
An exploration of the case of the Golden State Killer who terrorized California in the 1970s and 1980s, committing 50 sexual assaults and 10 murders, and true crime author Michelle McNamara's obsessive quest to find justice on behalf of his victims.
Horror Vault's take
When prolific true crime writer Michelle McNamara became consumed by the decades-cold case of a predator who terrorized California communities through the 1970s and 1980s, she poured her life into naming the man authorities couldn't catch. This documentary series follows her relentless, deeply personal investigation alongside law enforcement veterans and fellow researchers who refused to let the crimes fade from memory. The result is a portrait of both a monster and the woman who made it her mission to drag him into the light — at profound personal cost. Equal parts crime investigation and intimate character study, it lingers long after the credits roll.
Content: Detailed Accounts Of Sexual Violence, Descriptions Of Murder, Discussion Of Prescription Drug Abuse And Overdose, Survivor Testimony That May Be Distressing
Episode Guide
S1.E1 · Murder HabitPremiere6.8Jun 28, 2020 · 55 min · Dir: Liz Garbus
Delving into the world of online chat rooms and crime blogs, writer Michelle McNamara becomes immersed in the graphic details of the Golden State Killer case, connecting with like-minded sleuths, trading facts, photos and leads. After pitch
S1.E2 · Reign of Terror7.0Jul 5, 2020 · 56 min · Dir: Elizabeth Wolff
Michelle McNamara reflects on the 1984 murder of her childhood neighbor Kathy Lombardo, which she credits with planting the seed for her lifelong fascination with unsolved crimes. Local detectives who worked the East Area Rapist (EAR) case
S1.E3 · Rat in a Maze7.0Jul 12, 2020 · 56 min · Dir: Myles Kane
In 1979, law enforcement is thrilled when the East Area Rapist (EAR) attacks abruptly stop in Northern California, but in reality, the still unknown assailant has moved south to commit a number of gruesome murders in the Santa Barbara area,
S1.E4 · The Motherlode6.8Jul 19, 2020 · 54 min · Dir: Myles Kane
Michelle and her editors agree to push her book deadline after being granted access to the Orange County Sheriff’s Department’s East Area Rapist / Original Night Stalker (EAR/ONS) room. Poring over 37 boxes of files now occupying her daught
S1.E5 · Monsters Recede but Never Vanish7.3Jul 26, 2020 · 54 min · Dir: Elizabeth Wolff
As Michelle’s loved ones cope with her sudden death, her work to unmask the Golden State Killer lives on. Inspired by McNamara’s interest in genealogy and online DNA testing services, Paul Holes, Chief of Forensics in Contra Costa County, r
Where to stream
Cast
Explore related
Ratings & reviews
No reviews yet — be the first to pass judgment.
Sign in to rate this title and warn (or tempt) the next viewer.
More like this
Gone Girls: The Long Island Serial Killer
2025
Dexter: Resurrection
2025
The Twilight Zone
1959 · 25m
True Detective
2014
Twin Peaks
1990
Black Mirror
2011
The X-Files
1993
Dexter
2006 · 60m