Plot Synopsis

Inspired by the reporting of BuzzFeed News' Investigative Reporter Katie J.M. Baker and directed by Joe Berlinger, UNSPEAKABLE CRIME: THE KILLING OF JESSICA CHAMBERS is a five-part docuseries that explores the murder of 19-year-old Chambers and takes an inside look into the trial of Quinton Tellis, a local black man accused of the crime. With tensions high, a small Mississippi town seeks the truth while facing a growing racial divide over guilt or innocence. The investigation of Chambers' murder reveals this small-town cheerleader was a good girl with many secrets. However, the search for justice takes a turn when the authorities charge Tellis, who fiercely maintains his innocence, causing racial tensions to escalate in this rural community that's suddenly thrust into the national spotlight. The series documents the shocking jury decision of Tellis' trial earlier this year, and what lies ahead for the Tellis and Chambers families in the upcoming re-trial. In addition, this series unfolds one of the most talked-about cases on the internet with unprecedented access to Chamber's family members, including her parents, Lisa Daugherty and Ben Chambers; Tellis' mother, Rebecca Tellis, and sister, Laqunta Tellis; the first responders who may have heard Chambers utter her killer's name; BuzzFeed News' Baker, who reported Jessica Chambers' story and the frenzy behind an army of online armchair detectives trying to help find her killer; local journalist Therese Apel; and legal analyst Beth Karas, who has covered the case and trial extensively. But one question remains unanswered: Is the right man on trial -- or is a murderer on the loose?