Ep 7. Blood in the Water

In The Lake Erie Murders season 1 episode 7 titled "Blood in the Water," the viewer is taken back to 1989 when the body of 10-year-old Amanda Wienckowski was discovered in a vacant house in Buffalo, New York. Amanda was last seen alive several days earlier and her murder had caused widespread outrage in the community. The case had initially gone cold, but decades later, it was reopened after a new lead emerged.

The episode delves into the investigation undertaken by the Buffalo Police Department and the FBI as they try to piece together the events leading up to Amanda's murder. Interviews with family members, law enforcement officials, and journalists who had covered the case at the time are included, adding a personal touch to the case.

The episode also explores the social context in which the murder took place, particularly the prevalence of drug abuse in the area. Amanda's family members were also struggling with addiction, and the episode looks at the impact of this on her life and death. The investigation itself was also impacted by law enforcement officers who were struggling with addiction, adding a layer of complexity to the case.

"Blood in the Water" takes the viewer through the painstaking work that was undertaken by investigators to uncover the truth about Amanda's murder. The case itself was complicated, with red herrings and false leads, and it took years for the authorities to finally bring the perpetrator to justice.

As with other episodes in The Lake Erie Murders, the cinematography is excellent, with the stark winter landscape of Buffalo providing a haunting backdrop to the story. Interviews with law enforcement officials who worked on the case add to the authenticity of the episode, providing a real sense of the unimaginable challenges that the investigators faced as they tried to bring Amanda's killer to justice.

Overall, season 1 episode 7 of The Lake Erie Murders titled "Blood in the Water" is a haunting and moving account of a murder that shook a community and remained unsolved for years. The episode is a fitting tribute to Amanda, and to the dedicated law enforcement officials who refused to give up until her murderer was brought to justice.