Plot Synopsis

MURDER MADE ME FAMOUS examines killers who gained public notoriety when their crimes whipped up a media frenzy. To help unravel their twisted personalities, this series presents dramatic recreations of well-known crimes, while also using archival material and commentary. MURDER MADE ME FAMOUS shares personal accounts from victims' family members, jurors, members of law enforcement and journalists involved with each case to give viewers an intimate perspective and disclose new information. 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. Each 60-minute episode highlights a different killer, including: Jodi Arias, who 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; Scott Peterson, a cold-blooded killer who had everything to do with the disappearance of his missing wife, Laci; the Menendez brothers, who became a national sensation when they confessed their guilt over killing their parents -- and claimed years of sexual abuse; serial killer Ted Bundy, one of the most notorious criminals of the late 20th century, who used his good looks to charm his victims; Drew Peterson, the former police sergeant who 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 who 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. Season 2 of MURDER MADE ME FAMOUS premiered on Saturday, July 23, 2016 at 9pm ET/PT on ReelzChannel. In the season opener, "Charles Manson," in 1969, nine people are killed by a notorious cult leader with mostly female followers living in a commune. Among the brutally murdered is pregnant actress Sharon Tate. The two-night murder spree terrorizes Los Angeles and uncovers a bizarre revenge and connection to musical legend Dennis Wilson of The Beach Boys and actress Doris Day's son, Terry Melcher, a producer who failed to promote the musical ambitions of Charles Manson. Subsequent episodes in Season 2 include the stories of Steven Avery, Jean Harris, Billionaire Boys Club killer Joseph Gamsky (aka "Joe Hunt"), and Robert Chambers (aka the "Preppie Killer). ReelzChannel premiered the third season of MURDER MADE ME FAMOUS on Saturday, April 8, 2017 at 8pm ET/5pm PT. In the season opener, "The Craigslist Killer," Philip Markoff, a 23-year-old preparing for a promising future as a doctor, hides a secret that ends up in murder. Season 4 of MURDER MADE ME FAMOUS premiered on Saturday, November 4, 2017 at 9pm ET/6pm PT on ReelzChannel. The season opener chronicles the life of Richard Ramirez, who became known as The Night Stalker for breaking into homes of over 13 people in Los Angeles during a span of only two years, and viciously raping, torturing and often times, performing satanic rituals on many of his victims as he brutally murdered them. During his trial, the courtroom famously included female fans of the serial killer. In 1989, Ramirez received 19 death sentences and died 23 years later from sickness while on death row. The fifth season of MURDER MADE ME FAMOUS premiered on Saturday, April 14, 2018 at 8pm ET/5pm PT on ReelzChannel, with a season opener focused on The Green River Killer. With a total of 49 confirmed murders (he confessed to 71), Gary Ridgway, otherwise known as the Green River Killer, is one of the most prolific serial killer in American history. While married, Ridgway began murdering sex workers and children throughout the 1980s and 1990s. Strangling his victims and discarding their bodies around Seattle and the Washington Green River, Ridgway regularly returned to the corpses for intercourse. It wasn't until 2001 when the nefarious necrophiliac was connected by DNA evidence to the murders of four women. MURDER MADE ME FAMOUS returned with new episodes on Saturday, August 18, 2018 at 9pm ET/PT on ReelzChannel, with a summer premiere focused on Jack the Ripper. The case is undoubtedly the most infamous murder-mystery in history. Jack the Ripper is the name given to the unidentified serial killer that murdered and mutilated five female prostitutes in London in 1888. While there have been more than 100 theories presented on the Ripper's true identity with renowned "Ripperologist" Martin Fido suggesting that a violent, anti-social man named David Cohen is the true killer partly because Cohen's incarceration at an insane asylum happened to coincide with the end of the murders. Although various letters were sent to the press by the alleged killer, one with a human kidney, the case of the Ripper murders will possibly forever remain unsolved. After a 2.5-month break, MURDER MADE ME FAMOUS returned with new episodes on Saturday, November 3, 2018 at 8pm ET/PT on ReelzChannel. In this new episode, "BTK Killer," although a seemingly average husband and father of two, Dennis Rader lived a double life as a serial killer who terrorized the Wichita, Kansas area from the 1970s to the '90s. In letters to police and local news outlets that detailed his murders, Rader would sign them as the BTK Killer, AKA: Blind, Torture, Kill. During all ten of his murders, Rader lived a normal working life and was an active member of his church until he was arrested in 2005. He is currently serving 10 consecutive life sentences.
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ReelzChannel premiered a new season of MURDER MADE ME FAMOUS on Saturday, March 16, 2019 at 8pm ET/PT, with a season opener focused on Pablo Escobar. He was a modern day Robin Hood, with a vicious bite. Pablo Escobar dreamed of being a millionaire as a small child and with ruthlessness and determination, he killed his way to the top, becoming the Columbian Cartel Kingpin of the 1970-80s. Escobar had a saying, "silver or lead," meaning either you were with him and took the bribe or you were against him and you would die by bullets. He turned Columbia into the murder capital of the world, and was responsible for around 4,000-5,000 murders. His dark side unprecedented, Escobar also cared deeply for the impoverished conditions of his countrymen, taking care of the poor and less fortunate. Because of his compassion towards them, when Escobar was eventually convicted his people defended him to the very end.