Plot Synopsis

Directed by Anthony Caronna and executive produced by Charlize Theron and Liz Garbus, LAST CALL: WHEN A SERIAL KILLER STALKED QUEER NEW YORK is a four-part documentary that centers on 1990s New York City, where homophobia and hate crimes were on the rise with the AIDS crisis worsening and with a serial killer preying upon gay men. Through exclusive archival and first-time interviews with activists, investigators, and family members, the four parter illuminates how the LGBTQ+ community fought to solve the murders and demand fair treatment of queer crime victims. Their work remains relevant today. The series also dives deeply into the prejudices and attitudes of the times, when deep-rooted biases in the criminal justice system and the media's distorted public perception of the victims undermined the investigation and enabled a brutal killer to prey on a marginalized populace. The complexities of the closet combined with a long-standing mistrust of law enforcement further complicated the case. It also highlights the heroic efforts of activists, including the NYC Anti-Violence Project, to force law enforcement to recognize and protect the queer community. Participants include crime scene investigators and law enforcement officers from multiple jurisdictions are joined on camera by Bea Hanson, Matt Foreman and David Wertheimer formerly of the NYC Anti-Violence Project, Marrero, Sakara and Mulcahy family members, former lovers, friends and associates of the victims. The four installments are:

"Peter Then Thomas" (Sunday, July 9, 2023 at 9pm ET/PT): When a dismembered body is found in New Jersey in 1992, the crime scene poses striking similarities to a murder a year prior - a case that went cold. Both victims were affluent and closeted men, last seen at a piano bar in Manhattan. The Anti-Violence Project pushes the police to investigate a potential serial killer stalking gay men in New York City.

"Tony" (Sunday, July 16, 2023 at 9pm ET/PT): A third victim is part of the world of the queer community's most vulnerable population: sex workers of color. While the AVP is pressuring the NYPD and media to connect the murders, another piece of evidence leads investigators to Staten Island.

"Michael" (Sunday, July 23, 2023 at 9pm ET/PT): A clear pattern of a serial killer emerges with a fourth murder, prompting the creation of a multi-jurisdictional task force and the first coverage from national newspapers. An eyewitness leads to a huge break: a potential name and description of the suspect.

"Fred" (Sunday, July 30, 2023 at 9pm ET/PT): A break in forensic technology leads investigators to a suspect: a nurse living on Staten Island. The next step is to decipher his past -- a quest that takes them back almost 30 years to a murder in Maine - and to make sure he doesn't evade justice.