Plot Synopsis

Directed by Erin Lee Carr, I'M NOT A MONSTER: THE LOIS RIESS MURDERS is a two-part documentary that explores the story of a Minnesotan grandmother on the run for shocking crimes. In 2018, a small-town murder in Minnesota shocks a community when 56-year-old wife, mother, and grandmother Lois Riess kills her husband David and goes on the run from the authorities. Years later, Lois sits down with the filmmakers telling her story for the first time. Lois herself attempts to explain her reprehensible actions which reveals a disturbing family history and an addiction to gambling. Anchored by a candid, yet conflicted interview with Lois, I'M NOT A MONSTER: THE LOIS RIESS MURDERS is an examination of an unorthodox killer and a chronicle of the enduring effects of familial dysfunction and mental health strains on a person's psyche. In a revealing first-person account, Lois admits to killing David, pointing to alleged emotional abuse in the relationship, but is unable to justify her methodical, well-planned crime spree that followed, which included embezzling funds, a second murder of a stranger, identity theft, and a callous, detailed coverup of her crimes. As acclaimed filmmaker Carr (and fellow Minnesotan) delves into the motives and mindset of Riess, and as family members, friends, and witnesses recount their impressions of the likeable grandmother, Carr uncovers a deeply troubled past, an extensive gambling addiction, a strained marriage, and a family rocked by mental illness, suicide, and substance abuse. The series explores criminality and accountability through the mystery of a middle-aged woman who couldn't be further from the typical image of a cold-blooded, multiple murderer. The two parts of I'M NOT A MONSTER: THE LOIS RIESS MURDERS debuted at 9pm ET/PT on HBO on consecutive nights, beginning Tuesday, October 15, 2024:

Part 1 (Tuesday, October 15, 2024 from 9-10:30pm ET/PT): Lois and David Riess live a seemingly normal life as parents to three children, several grandchildren, and a thriving business in Blooming Prairie, Minnesota, until, one day, David's dead body is discovered and Lois goes on the run. As Lois, now in prison, recounts her childhood and upbringing, a disturbing psychological portrait emerges of a woman battling many emotional demons. However, Lois's methodical behavior after the murder may show the work of a calculated killer when another body is discovered.

Part 2 (Wednesday, October 16, 2024 from 9-10:25pm ET/PT): After the discovery of Pamela Hutchinson's body in Florida, a nationwide manhunt for the "Killer Grandma" begins and two weeks later, witnesses recognize Lois in Texas. Appearing placid and cooperative, Lois claims not to remember many details of her crime spree, but police have evidence that details her sinister plan.