Plot Synopsis

Narrated by Angie Harmon, CELLMATE SECRETS is a one-hour docuseries that revisits some of the most infamous stories of headline grabbing criminals, revealing new insights and information as former friends, guards, cellmates and lovers give first-hand accounts of their time with the famed felons and defendants. The first season re-examines the high-profile case of Casey Anthony, now nearing the 10th anniversary of when Casey was acquitted for the murder of her daughter Caylee, as well as the story of Joyce Mitchell, the woman who aided two convicts in their escape from prison in Dannemora, NY. The series also delves into the inner lives of convicted killers Drew Peterson, Chris Watts, Susan Smith and Shayna Hubers. The program first debuted as a one-hour special, "Jodi Arias: Cellmate Secrets," on Saturday, August 8, 2020 at 10pm. When the program returned as a series, CELLMATE SECRETS aired Fridays at 10pm ET/PT starting June 4, 2021 following enhanced encores of Lifetime original movies centered on them. Episodes include:

"Cellmate Secrets: Casey Anthony" (Friday, June 4, 2021 at 10pm ET/PT): The night opens at 8pm with the movie PROSECUTING CASEY ANTHONY, starring Rob Lowe stars as Jeff Ashton, the Florida prosecutor in the controversial Caylee Anthony murder trial and author of the best-selling book "Imperfect Justice: Prosecuting Casey Anthony", upon which the movie is based. The film reveals Ashton's inside story of the true crime drama that captivated and then shocked the nation when Caylee Anthony's mother, Casey, was acquitted of killing her daughter, despite what many thought to be overwhelming evidence of guilt. In this episode of CELLMATE SECRTS, two-year-old Caylee Anthony was reported missing by her grandmother in 2008 and when Caylee's mom, Casey was questioned, she made up stories about the babysitter kidnapping her daughter and she was arrested for lying to authorities and charged with first degree murder. In 2011 Casey was eventually found not guilty of the murder of Caylee and was released with time served. In all new interviews, Casey's former cellmate and friend Robyn Adams shares how Casey lured her into a deep friendship when Casey first arrived in jail. Prison guard Silvia Hernandez also reveals how she risked her job to help facilitate the secret meetups between the two and she details how her life was ruined because of her involvement with the ladies.

"Cellmate Secrets: Drew Peterson" (Friday, June 11, 2021 at 10pm ET/PT): Preceding this episode (8-10pm), Lifetime re-airs DREW PETERSON: UNTOUCHABLE, based on a true story about charming Chicago-area police officer Drew Peterson's (Rob Lowe) fall from grace after the mysterious disappearance of his fourth wife. Then, in this installment of CELLMATE SECRETS, Chicago-area police officer Drew Peterson's fourth wife Stacy disappeared in 2007, but he remained free for years until his third wife Kathleen's body was exhumed and he was charged with her murder. In all-new interviews, viewers will get a behind the scenes look at Drew Peterson's relationship with his ex-fiance Christina Raines and her father Ernie Raines. Drew proposed to Christina while his fourth wife Stacy was still missing and while Drew was the prime suspect in Stacy's disappearance, Christina moved into the home that Drew shared with Stacy. Ernie did everything he could to separate Christina from Drew, but the couple stayed together for almost three years and broke up after he went to prison. The special also includes new interviews with Drew's girlfriend while in prison, Nicole Speakman. Nicole met Drew when he was in the media for Stacy's disappearance and their relationship became serious after he went to jail for murder. Nicole and Drew were pen pals and she would travel to visit him, until they broke up after she began to suspect that he murdered Stacy and he became very dominant.

"Cellmate Secrets: Joyce Mitchell" (Friday, June 18, 2021 at 10pm ET/PT): Before this episode of CELLMATE SECRETS, Lifetime Channel re-airs the movie NEW YORK PRISON BREAK: THE SEDUCTION OF JOYCE MITCHELL (8-10pm). Inspired by the true story that gripped the nation, the movie tells the story of a prison staffer who helped two convicts escape, leading to a fatal manhunt. Then at 10pm, this episode of CELLMATE SECRETS focuses on Joyce Mitchell, the former prison staffer who helped two convicts escape, leading to a fatal manhunt in upstate New York. It was later revealed that the convicts Richard Matt and David Sweat seduced Joyce and convinced her to participate in their elaborate scheme. Former Inmate Erik Jensen, who worked with Joyce in the Clinton Correctional Facility's tailor shop, reveals how Joyce's incredible need for attention left her open to being manipulated by Richard and David. In a sit-down interview Erik describes tactics that inmates used to manipulate guards and he details the techniques that the two convicts used to convince Joyce to help them escape. Pam White, Joyce's supervisor, recounts how she saw red flags long before anyone else and how she eventually left her position when her complaints were silenced. Kris Mullady, a Corrections Sergeant who oversaw security operations outside the building during the time of the escape, recounts the events that led up to the escape and the behaviors of those involved, including those of Joyce.

"Cellmate Secrets: Chris Watts" (Friday, June 25, 2021 at 10pm ET/PT): The night opens with CHRIS WATTS: CONFESSIONS OF A KILLER (8-10pm), a TV movie starring Sean Kleier as Chris Watts, who tearfully pleaded to television cameras for the safe return of his missing pregnant wife Shanann (Ashley Williams) and their two young daughters. Then, the new episode of CELLMATE SECRETS chronicles how Chris Watts brutally murdered his pregnant wife and his two small children. He left his wife in a shallow grave and he put his daughters in two separate oil tanks. Chris tearfully pled for the return of his family in front of news cameras, but later confessed and it was revealed that he was having an affair with his co-worker. Chris still receives an overwhelming amount of fan mail behind bars and when his cellmate Dylan Tallman responded on his behalf to a fan letter from Christa Richello, it was the beginning of a close and intimate relationship between the trio. Christa, a clinical psychologist, is adamant that Chris Watts is innocent and she's currently writing a book with Chris and her now fiance Dylan. In all-new interviews Christa sits down with cameras and delves into her relationship with the two men, including that the cellmates are so close they consider themselves brothers, although some suspect that there's more going on with the two men. The documentary crew also sits down with Cheryln Cadle, who became intrigued by Chris over the course of his trial and began exchanging letters with him and eventually met him in-person, where he allegedly revealed more to her than he did to the FBI.

"Cellmate Secrets: Susan Smith" (Friday, July 9 at 10pm ET/PT): Susan Smith was convicted of murdering her two young children by sending her car into a lake while her sons were strapped into their car seats. The case gained national attention when Susan told authorities that her car, with her sons inside, had been carjacked by a black man. Now Susan's former cellmates Stephanie Hulsey and Christie Smith are giving new insights into Susan's life behind bars, including detailing Susan's prison love life and how she manipulated other cellmates into securing her drugs. Christie reveals how she helped Susan have sexual encounters without getting caught and both Stephanie and Christie discuss other self-destructive habits that Susan has picked up behind bars. Alfred and Elizabeth Rowe, who had their lives turned upside down by Susan, also sit down together for the documentary and painfully recount Alfred's inappropriate relationship with Susan and her manipulative tactics.

"Cellmate Secrets: Shayna Hubers" (Friday, July 16 at 9pm ET/PT): On October 12, 2012, Shayna Hubers shot and killed her boyfriend Ryan Poston, claiming that it was self-defense. As the trial went on, it came out that she would text him over 100 times to his one response and it was later revealed that after being alone in the interrogation room she said aloud "I did it. Yes, I did it. I can't believe I did that." For the first time since her trial, cameras sit down with Holly Nivens, Shayna Hubers' former cellmate. Holly details how Shayna manipulated her into believing that she killed Ryan in self-defense, but then later revealed new motives and details about the murder. The doc also includes an interview with her former inmate Cecily Miller, who discusses Shayna's behavior after being arrested, including her constant need for attention and how she never expressed remorse about killing Ryan. And the documentary crew sits down with Carissa Carlisle, Ryan's cousin and former friend to Shayna. Carissa reveals how just a few months into the relationship Ryan wanted out and she gives new insight into the lengths Shayna would go to get in contact with Ryan after he blocked her.