Watch Killer in the Family
- 2017
- 45 min
Killer in the Family is a made-for-television movie that first aired on May 30, 1983, on CBS. The movie is based on a true story and directed by Richard T. Heffron. The story follows the life of Lee Roy Martin, a man from North Carolina who became a notorious serial killer between 1967 and 1969. Lee Roy Martin is known to have murdered at least four women.
The movie begins by introducing the main character, Lee Roy Martin, as a shy and quiet man who is living with his family in a small town in North Carolina. Lee Roy starts to exhibit strange behavior when he develops an obsession with a local beauty queen named Sue. Lee Roy becomes infatuated with Sue and starts to follow her around, spying on her surreptitiously. Sue eventually becomes frightened of him and tells her parents about his behavior. Lee Roy's parents are embarrassed and ashamed of their son's behavior and plead with him to stop.
Lee Roy's obsession with Sue begins to escalate, and he starts writing her letters and leaving her notes. Sue is scared and asks her boyfriend, Ronnie, to speak to him. Ronnie confronts Lee Roy and warns him to stay away from her. This confrontation sets off a chain reaction of events that turns Lee Roy into a cold-blooded killer.
The first murder takes place when Lee Roy picks up a hitchhiking woman and takes her to a remote area where he strangles her. He then dumps her body and goes back to his normal life. Lee Roy's next victim is Sue, whom he kidnaps, rapes, and murders. He then kills two more women before being caught by the police.
The movie focuses on the investigation into Lee Roy's crimes and his trial. The lead detective on the case, Sheriff Luther H. Little, is determined to catch the killer and bring him to justice. The investigation is a long and difficult process, and the police department has to work hard to gather evidence that will lead to Lee Roy's arrest. The trial is dramatic, with Lee Roy defending himself and trying to argue that he is not guilty by reason of insanity.
The movie also explores the impact of Lee Roy's crimes on his family. Lee Roy's mother is devastated by what her son has done and cannot come to terms with the fact that he is capable of such evil. Lee Roy's sister becomes the target of hatred and anger from the townspeople and struggles to deal with the fallout from her brother's crimes. Lee Roy's father is torn between his love for his son and his guilt over what he has done.
Killer in the Family is a chilling and thought-provoking movie that exposes the dark side of human nature. The movie is well-written and well-acted, with standout performances from Robert Mitchum as Sheriff Luther H. Little and James Spader as Lee Roy Martin. The movie does an excellent job of capturing the mood of the late 60s in rural North Carolina and is a fascinating look at a true crime story that shocked the nation. Overall, Killer in the Family is a must-see movie for anyone interested in true crime or the psychology of serial killers.