Of all the twisted serial killers in US history, no victim count has come close to the figure claimed by Henry Lee Lucas, a drifter who confessed to hundreds of murders in the early 1980s.
Lucas’s confessions brought a much-needed sense of closure to families and officers alike, and subsequently led to many unsolved cases being closed. However, his story began to unravel after discrepancies and DNA evidence cast doubt on his claims.
Now the case is set to be explored in detail through new Netflix docuseries The Confession Killer, which asks some weighty and uncomfortable questions about the American justice system.
You can watch the trailer for The Confession Killer for yourself below:
Once referred to as ‘America’s Most Prolific Serial Killer’, Lucas was able to provide gruesome details of his supposed crimes, and was even able to sketch portraits of those whose lives he claimed to have taken.
However, dogged journalists and attorneys found his timeline contained some significant impossibilities, with their findings casting serious doubt on his horrific boasts.
According to the official Netflix synopsis:
During the early ’80s, Henry Lee Lucas confessed to hundreds of murders, bringing closure to unsolved cases and grieving families.
Even with no direct evidence linking Lucas to the crime scenes, he stunned authorities with his ability to sketch victims’ portraits while citing brutal details of each attack.
Yet journalists and attorneys found impossibilities in Lucas’ timeline, and DNA testing started to contradict his internationally-reported claims.
The Confession Killer, a riveting five-part docuseries, explores how the man once called America’s most prolific serial killer was really a complex figure entangled in a flawed justice system.
Directed by the Academy Award-nominated Robert Kenner (Food, Inc.) and Taki Oldham (The Billionaires’ Tea Party), The Confession Killer makes for perfect viewing for those interested in the discrepancies and complications of historic murder cases.
Kenner told People:
I hope this series will open up a cascade of willingness on law enforcement’s part to reopen these cases.
If we were to take a conservative estimate, 70 to 100 cases are still crediting Lucas for the crime, whether formally or informally. Probably 160 or 170 were never re-investigated, which is an incredible number.
Hopefully we can get law enforcement at least to re-examine these cases, find out what the truth is and help these poor victims’ families.
The Confession Killer looks to be an absolute must-watch for armchair detectives looking for something to rack their brains over this winter.
You can watch The Confession Killer on Netflix from December 6.
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Jules studied English Literature with Creative Writing at Lancaster University before earning her masters in International Relations at Leiden University in The Netherlands (Hoi!). She then trained as a journalist through News Associates in Manchester. Jules has previously worked as a mental health blogger, copywriter and freelancer for various publications.