‘University of Idaho Murders’: Prime Video Working on Docuseries & Scripted Series!!

Prime Video is getting a jump on the other streamers and has announced its plans to move forward with both a documentary and a scripted series that will focus on one of the biggest true crime cases of the last decade — the quadruple homicide of University of Idaho students back in 2022. To be honest, it’s quite a surprise that the story hasn’t made it to a series or documentary retelling yet, as the tragic crime was committed nearly two years ago and spent a good chunk of time dotting headlines as the manhunt and eventual capture of the alleged killer, Brian Kohberger, went down.

The docuseries hails from Skydance Television and Story Syndicate and will pull much of its information from an upcoming nonfiction book about the case penned by prolific authors James Patterson and Vicky Ward. This will be the latest collaboration to stem from Patterson’s first-look deal with Skydance Television, as the studio is currently working on a Cross adaptation starring Aldis Hodge and will also be adapting other titles including those from the author’s Women’s Murder Club series. Liz Garbus, who has plenty of experience in similar true crime productions such as There’s Something Wrong with Aunt Diane and I’ll Be Gone in the Dark, will serve as a co-director of the docuseries alongside Matthew Galkin (Murder in the Bayou). Garbus is also signed on to helm the debut episode of the scripted project.

The case behind both titles is still ongoing as Kohberger’s trial is a slow-moving one. The slayings took place on a night in November 2022 when four University of Idaho students were viciously attacked and stabbed to death in their off-campus home. While an immediate suspect was not obvious, law enforcement soon centered on Kohberger, a doctoral student at Washington State University who was pursuing his PhD in criminology. After putting the puzzle pieces together, police eventually arrested the alleged killer in December 2022 on four counts of first-degree murder and one count of felony burglary. The case remains shelved until next summer when Kohberger and his attorneys will fight for the suspected killer’s life against the prosecution seeking the death penalty.

Why Liz Garbus and Matthew Galkin Are the Perfect Team For These Projects

There’s Something Wrong with Aunt Diane and I’ll Be Gone in the Dark just begin to scratch the surface when it comes to Garbus’ career in storytelling. With a dedication to the victims, Garbus has also stood behind both scripted and documentary projects, including Last Call: When a Serial Killer Stalked Queer New York, Harry & Meghan, Lost Girls, and more. Likewise, Galkin has previously paired with networks including Showtime, A&E, and HBO to bring audiences hard-to-watch true stories that deserve to have their time in the spotlight.