Say what you will about the true crime boom (Osgood Perkins is definitely not a fan), but true crime documentaries are incredibly popular these days – so it’s no surprise to hear that MGM+ has just ordered a four-part docuseries on the case of The Hillside Strangler that will explore “the infamous murders that gripped Los Angeles in the late 1970s and the exhaustive investigation that followed.” It’s aiming for a January 18, 2026 premiere.
Eli Holzman and Aaron Saidman will executive produce the series for The Intellectual Property Corporation, a part of Sony Pictures Television. Tim Walsh, who executive produced IPC’s Night Stalker: The Hunt for a Serial Killer with Holzman and Saidman for Netflix and Prime Video’s On Call, also serves as an executive producer, as does Peter LoGreco, who directs and is the showrunner.
Here’s some information on the case the series will be digging into: In the late 1970s, Los Angeles was the serial murder capital of the world. The Freeway Killers. The Toolbox Killers. The Dating Game Killer. The Skid Row Slasher. But none terrorized this city of millions more than the Hillside Strangler, a phantom who struck without warning, abducting, raping, and murdering a dozen women and girls and leaving their bodies displayed on the hillsides like grim trophies. These crimes sparked the largest manhunt in LA’s blood-soaked history, led by a relentless homicide detective named Frank Salerno. His dogged pursuit led to the strangler’s capture and the revelation that these vicious acts were perpetrated by two men, Kenneth Bianchi and his cousin Angelo Buono. After the longest criminal trial in U.S. history, both were sentenced to life in prison, and Salerno’s work became legend. It was the case that defined his career and set him on the path to later bring down the Night Stalker. Now, for the first time in over 40 years, Frank Salerno tells his story, revisiting the case that changed him forever. But he isn’t the only one ready to talk. Angelo Buono died behind bars in 2002, but Kenneth Bianchi is alive in prison and has never been willing to share his story on camera—until now.
Michael Wright, head of MGM+, provided the following statement: “The Hillside Strangler is a compelling deep dive into an infamous serial killing that terrorized Southern California in the late 1970s. This docuseries delivers a riveting experience with unprecedented access to one of the most notorious cases in American criminal history, offering MGM+ viewers the premium, thought-provoking storytelling they’ve come to expect from our brand.” Holzman and Saidman added, “We’re thrilled to be working with Michael Wright and his team again on The Hillside Strangler after our first collaboration on The Wonderland Murders, which was a great success on the platform. MGM+ continues to be an ideal home for gripping true crime sagas, and we’re proud to bring audiences the chilling and controversial tale of Kenneth Bianchi and Angelo Buono, crafted alongside our EP partners, Tim Walsh and EP/director Peter LoGreco.“
Do you watch true crime documentaries, and will you be watching The Hillside Strangler when it comes to MGM+? Let us know by leaving a comment below.
