Top 10 TV Movies from the ’90s Inspired by Real-Life Murder Cases

While there will always be some who question the quality of made-for-TV movies, there can be many hidden gems that are sadly overlooked due to this stigma.

Many actors and actresses first featured in made-for-TV movies before their breakout role. One example is Brad Pitt, who had a leading role in the TV film Too Young to Die? (1990), prior to his breakout role in Thelma and Louise (1991). Another more recent example is Sydney Sweeney and Austin Butler, who both played roles in the TV movie The Bling Ring (2011)—not to be confused with the 2013 theatrical film of the same name—before becoming the in-demand stars that they are today.

On the other hand, some people appreciate the drama and storytelling of a made-for-TV movie. While they cover a myriad of topics, many of these films are based on true events. Here is a list of 10 TV movies from the 1990s that are based on real-life, shocking murders.

Related: 10 Shocking Times Love Led to Murder

10 Deadly Whispers (1995)

Starring actor Tony Danza, best known for the TV series Taxi (1978–1983), this television movie was inspired by the real-life murder of 19-year-old Kathy Bonney on November 21, 1987, in Camden County, North Carolina. For a parent to murder their own child is unimaginable to most people. However, Kathy’s murder was found to be committed by her father, Thomas Lee Bonney.

Bonney and daughter Kathy were driving together after looking at a truck for sale, and an argument soon broke out over Kathy’s boyfriend. Bonney’s version of events was that Kathy reached for his gun first and fired it; this then caused him to snap and shoot her 27 times. Her nude body was found the next day dumped beside a canal, and she was only identified via fingerprints due to the disfigurement of her face. She had not been sexually assaulted.

Thomas Bonney pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity, claiming that he had a multiple personality disorder resulting from a traumatic childhood. He stated that an evil personality, “Demian,” was in control when he murdered his daughter. However, Bonney received the death penalty in 1988, later reduced to life in prison. Bonney attempted to escape from prison in 1995, only to be quickly found again. Now in his 90s, he is currently an inmate in a North Carolina minimum-security facility as of 2024.^[1]

9 What happened to Bobby Earl? (1997)

Also referred to as Murder in a College Town, this TV movie stars Kate Jackson, who played one of the original Charlie’s Angels, Sabrina Duncan, in the hit 1970s TV series. In the film, she portrays the real-life Rose Pratt, who is renamed Rose Earl. It is based on the June 17, 1988, murder of Rose’s son, Roger “Butch” Pratt, in Akron, Ohio, whose name is changed in the film to Bobby Earl.

Rose was very proud when her son became the first member of their working-class family to attend college. He quickly became friends with Edward “Eddy”‘ Swiger, and they both joined a fraternity. The two boys worked part-time for an older woman, Linda Karlen, and her relationship with Eddy soon turned intimate. Eddy was allegedly the “leader” in his and Butch’s friendship. According to police, Eddy planned the murder because he was afraid that Butch would implicate him in two burglaries and a case of arson.

Eddy and several others, including his younger brother and Linda Karlen, kidnapped and beat Butch to death and then buried him, handcuffed, in a shallow grave. A total of five people were convicted in relation to Butch’s murder, who was only 22 years old when he was killed. As of 2024, Eddy Swiger is still serving his life sentence at Grafton Correctional Institution.^[2]

8 Cries Unheard: The Donna Yaklich Story (1994)

Alternatively known as Victim of Rage, this made-for-TV movie features actress Jaclyn Smith, who depicts Donna Yaklich, a real-life convicted murderer. In the iconic 1970s TV series Charlie’s Angels, Jaclyn Smith portrayed Kelly Garrett, also one of the original Angels. The film outlines the escalating events that led to Donna Yaklich hiring two teens to kill her allegedly abusive spouse.

On the night of December 12, 1985, police detective Dennis Yaklich was murdered with a shotgun outside of his home in Avondale, Arizona. His wife, Donna Yaklich, who was in the home at the time, was convicted of second-degree murder due to hiring two teenage boys to kill him. The two boys, who were brothers, testified that Donna told them her husband was abusive and that she would pay them $45,000 if they killed Dennis.

In the wake of his death, she cashed a $250,000 life insurance policy. The brothers were sentenced to 20 years and 30 years in prison and have both since been released. Donna was sentenced to the maximum of 40 years. In 2006, Donna Yaklich was placed in a halfway house after serving 21 years and has since then been fully released into society. Vanessa Yaklich, one of Dennis’s and his first wife’s daughters, spoke out against her parole and maintains that her father did not abuse Donna.^[3]

7 Death in Small Doses (1995)

This film is based on Nancy Lyon’s January 14, 1991, death from arsenic poisoning in Dallas, Texas. Nancy’s husband, Richard Lyon, was convicted of her murder and sentenced to life in prison. By appearances, the Lyons were a happily married, wealthy couple with two young daughters. However, this all ended when Richard began an intimate relationship with a female work colleague. He left his family home and then filed for divorce in the fall of 1990.

By Christmas 1990, Nancy and Richard decided to work on repairing their relationship. However, after feeling severely ill with vomiting and diarrhea, Nancy was admitted to the hospital on January 9, 1991. She went into a coma shortly afterward and died on January 14, 1991. After an autopsy was conducted, her cause of death was revealed to be arsenic poisoning.

During the time she had split with Richard, Nancy found a bottle of wine anonymously at her door in September 1990. She became very ill after drinking some of it. On various occasions leading up to her death, Richard gave Nancy drinks or vitamins, and afterward, she became very sick each time.

Authorities also discovered that Richard had purchased large quantities of chemicals, including arsenic, in the weeks before Nancy’s death. As of 2024, Richard Lyon is still serving his life sentence and has never admitted guilt in his ex-wife’s murder.^[4]

6 Beauty’s Revenge (1991)

This film features Tracey Gold in the leading role, who has started in over 20 movies made for television. Sometimes referred to as Midwest Obsession, the film details the real-life murder of 21-year-old Lisa Cihaski, renamed as “Beth” in the film, committed by her supposed friend, Lori Esker, on September 20, 1989, in Marathon County, Wisconsin. A love triangle fueled with jealousy and obsession was central to this case.

Esker and Cihaski had been friends in high school; however, their relationship turned sour when they both dated Bill Buss, a dairy farmer. Lisa Cihaski was first in a relationship with Bill for three years. After their split, Bill then dated Lori Esker for approximately a year and a half. When they broke up, Buss and Lisa resumed their relationship and wanted to get married.

In a jealous rage, Lori Esker strangled Lisa Cihaski to death while having a heated argument over Bill in Lisa’s car outside of her workplace. In 1990, Lori Esker was convicted of first-degree intentional homicide and sentenced to life in prison. She was released on July 16, 2019, at the age of 50.^[5]

5 A Killer among Friends (1992)

Actress Tiffani Thiessen, who is best known for her role as Kelly Kapowski on Saved by the Bell (1989–1993), plays murder victim Jennifer Monroe in this TV movie. The film is inspired by the real-life murder of Michele “Missy” Avila on October 1, 1985, in Angeles National Forest, Los Angeles, California.

Michele had been childhood friends with Karen Severson; however, their relationship became volatile when they both went to high school. Severson was apparently jealous of Michele’s popularity with classmates and boys. On the night of the murder, Karen Severson and her friend, Laura Doyle, drove Michele into the Angeles National Forest and accused her of sleeping with their boyfriends when they were all out of the car.

The girls then attacked Michele and drowned her in shallow water. She was found three days later, lying face down in the water, with much of her hair torn out and her face pummeled. A 100-pound log had been placed on top of her body to weigh her down. Chillingly, Doyle sent Michele’s mother a sympathy card after the murder, and Severson even moved into Michele’s mother’s home, pretending to support the grief-stricken woman through her pain.

The two killers were not caught until three years later and were each sentenced to 15 years to life. Much to the anguish of Michele’s mother, Irene Avila, Severson was paroled in 2011, and Doyle was paroled in 2012.^[6]

4 Deadly Medicine (1991)

Deadly Medicine (1988), a New York Times bestseller book for 7 weeks, was adapted for television in 1991 and is based on the murders of nurse and serial killer Genene Jones. Susan Ruttan, known for L.A. Law (1986–1994) plays the convicted murderer. Jones worked as a nurse during the late 1970s and early 1980s in San Antonio and Kerr County. As many as 60 infants are suspected to have been killed by her, although the true number is unknown.

Jones, then age 34, was originally sentenced to 99 years in 1984 for murdering fifteen-month-old Chelsea Ann McClellan. Crucial evidence for the other murders was allegedly destroyed in a hospital “cover-up.” Despite this, the other victims’ families understandingly believed that the 99-year sentence would at least keep her in prison for life. However, a legal loophole meant Jones could have been released from prison in 2018 due to over-crowding, much to the despair of Chealsea’s mother, Petti McClellan.

Thankfully, the case was re-opened, and Genene Jones was sentenced to life in prison in 2020 for the killing of infant Joshua Sawyer on December 12, 1981. She will not be eligible for parole until 2028 when she will be age 87. As of 2024, the 73-year-old Jones is still an inmate in the Lane Murray Unit of the Texas Department of Criminal Justice.^[7]

3 Lies of the Heart: The Laurie Kellogg Story (1994)

This made-for-TV film stars Jenny Garth, internationally known for her role as Kelly Taylor on the TV series Beverly Hills, 90210 (1990–2000). Garth depicts the real-life Laurie Kellogg, who was sentenced to 25 years to life in prison for second-degree murder and numerous other charges relating to the killing of her husband on June 9, 1991, in Seneca County, New York.

Kellogg, who was age 26 at the time, was married to 43-year-old Malcolm “Bruce” Kellogg. A teenage neighbor, Denver A. McDowell, admitted to shooting Bruce Kellogg to death and claimed that Laurie Kellogg had influenced him to kill her husband after seducing him and telling him that Bruce was abusive to her.

A total of four teens, as well as Kellogg, were charged in the murder. The trial gained media attention at the time due to allegations of drug use, plus physical and sexual abuse. To McDowell’s anger, Laurie Kellogg was released from prison on April 8, 2019, at age 54. Shooter Denver A. McDowell, now 51, was paroled on October 15, 2019.^[8]

2 No One Would Tell (1996)

Although their names are changed for the film, this made-for-TV movie is inspired by the brutal killing of Amy Carnevale. Candace Cameron Bure, known for her role as D.J. Fuller on Full House (1987–1995), plays the murdered teenager, renamed Stacy Collins. On August 23, 1991, 16-year-old Jamie Fuller murdered his girlfriend, 14-year-old Amy Carnevale, after luring her to his home in Beverly, Massachusetts.

He led her into the woods and stabbed her to death. When she screamed, “Why are you doing this? I love you,” his response was to stomp on her head. Once she was dead, Fuller and some friends weighted down her body and flung it into a pond. One of these friends led police to Carnevale’s body a few days later.

Fuller was tried as an adult, and the defense claimed that his use of steroids and binge drinking rendered him not criminally liable for the murder. However, the prosecution maintained that Fuller was a jealous boyfriend who planned the murder. He was sentenced to life in prison without parole in 1992. As of 2023, Fuller, now in his late 40s, is still incarcerated at MCI Shirley in Shirley, Massachusetts.^[9]

1 Black Widow Murders: The Blanche Taylor Moore Story (1993)

Late Emmy-winning actress Elizabeth Montgomery, famous for her role as witch Samantha Stephens on the beloved television series Bewitched (1964–1972), plays the titular role in this made-for-television movie. Montgomery portrays Blanche Taylor Moore, who murdered her boyfriend, Raymond Carlton Reid, in 1986 by poisoning him with arsenic. She was sentenced to death for this crime on November 16, 1990, at age 57.

However, she is also believed to be responsible for the death of her first husband, James Taylor, who died in 1973 from a supposed heart attack. After exhumation, his body was found to contain high levels of arsenic. Moore was only investigated when her third husband, Reverend Dwight Moore, was admitted to hospital after becoming severely ill in 1989 after consuming a chicken sandwich given to him by his wife.

Blood tests revealed extremely high levels of arsenic. Astonishingly, Rev. Dwight Moore survived. Blanche Taylor Moore is also suspected in several other arsenic poisoning deaths and instances beginning in 1966. As of 2024, Blanche Taylor Moore, now age 91, is still on death row at the North Carolina Correctional Institution for Women.^[10]