Plot Synopsis

Hosted by Hill Harper, HOW IT REALLY HAPPENED is a true-crime series that re-opens high-profile cases and mysteries that grabbed the headlines. In addition to taking a fresh look at each story for missed clues and new conspiracies, the series also includes new accounts from witnesses that have never spoken publicly -- and who now give new perspective to these stories that shocked America. The two-hour premiere of the 12-episode series revisits the infamous trial of The Menendez Brothers, two brothers facing charges for the brutal murder of their wealthy parents. Following the series debut, Lyle Menendez speaks out from behind bars to Chris Cuomo in "The Menendez Brothers: Murder in Beverly Hills The Aftermath," a one-hour interview special at 10pm ET. Subsequent episodes focus on the JFK Jr. plane crash, the DC Madam Sex Scandal, the sudden deaths of music royalty Prince, Michael Jackson, and Whitney Houston, and more.

Season 5 of HOW IT REALLY HAPPENED premiered on Sunday, August 23, 2020 from 9-11pm ET/PT on HLN, with a two-part expose on the baffling case of The Atlanta Serial Killer. Also profiled in this six-episode season are enduring and timely stories on Siegfried & Roy, the Boston bombing, the murder of Michael Jordan's father, the mysterious death of rock legend Tom Petty, and the bizarre case of the Yosemite Mountain Murders.

HOW IT REALLY HAPPENED returned for its sixth season on Sunday, March 14, 2021 from 9-11pm ET/PT on HLN. Episodes include: "Finding Susan Powell"; "Escape from Dannemora"; "Bernie Madoff"; "The Last Days of Glenn Frey"; "The Dartmouth Murders"; and "The Jenny Jones Show".

The seventh season of HOW IT REALLY HAPPENED premiered on Sunday, August 28, 2022 from 9-11pm ET/PT on HLN, with with Jesse L. Martin joining as host. Season 7 kicks off with a two-hour comprehensive look at the baffling case of The Disappearance of Madeleine McCann. The new season includes another two-hour episode that explores the tragic death of basketball superstar Kobe Bryant. Part one will air Sunday, September 4 at 9pm, and part two will air Monday, September 5 at 8pm ET. The rest of the season premieres episodes at 9pm ET on Sundays. Other stories profiled include the murder of actress Adrienne Shelley, the disturbing case of the Hollywood Ripper, and the still baffling story of Lorena Bobbitt.
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Moving to CNN for its eighth season, HOW IT REALLY HAPPENED debuted with back-to-back new episodes on Sunday, April 28, 2024 from 9-11pm ET/PT. Hosted by Jesse L. Martin, Season 8 launches with a special two-hour episode investigating both the Titanic shipwreck of 1912 and the more recent underwater voyage to its ruins that cost even more human lives. Additional episodes focused on the 2001 anthrax terror attacks (May 5); Oscar Pistorius aka The Bladerunner (May 12); the 1990 art heist at Boston's Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum (May 19); a two-part exploration of The Atlanta Olympic Bombing (July 27); and then two episodes on Sunday, November 17 followed by another installment one week later:

"Sante and Kenneth Kimes: The Missing Socialite" (Sunday, November 17, 2024 at 9pm): In 1982, seven Chicago-area residents are suddenly stricken with a deadly illness; although initially at a loss, doctors soon discover a sinister link, sparking a decades-long investigation.

"Tylenol Murders: Killer Capsules" (Sunday, November 17, 2024 at 10pm): In 1998, mother-son duo Sante and Kenny Kimes become suspects in the high-profile case of a missing New York City socialite; the investigation reveals a trail of violence and fraud that spans from the Bahamas to Los Angeles.

"Iran Hostages: The Dangerous Journey Home" (Sunday, November 24, 2024 at 9pm): In 1979, Iranian students stormed the U.S. Embassy in Tehran, taking the staff hostage for 444 days; several former hostages detail their time in captivity and the CIA's plan to bring them home.