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The chilling moniker “Happy Face Killer” conjures up a dark chapter in American true crime history. Keith Hunter Jesperson, the man behind the name, terrorized the United States during the 1990s, leaving a trail of victims and devastated families. This Thursday, Hulu’s “Impact x Nightline” revisits this grim saga with a new development: the identification […]

Impact x Nightline: Deadly Smile: The Happy Face Killer...

Paramount+'s Happy Faceis a new series based on the memoir Shattered Silence: The Untold Story of a Serial Killer's Daughter, written by Melissa G. George, where she recounts discovering her father, Keith Hunter Jesperson, was the real-life serial killer known as the Happy Face Killer. In her memoir and spinoff podcast, Happy Face, George explores the devastation she faced when she realized at 15 years old that her father was a murderer and how she came to terms with that reality.

Paramount+'s latest true-crime series doesn't focus too much on Jesperson committing the heinous acts or the events that led to his arrest in 1995 but starts with him already serving a life sentence. The series takes a different approach by honing in on how the victims' families are affected and doesn't lose focus like other true-crime series that subconsciously tap into one aspect of the overall story that viewers...

Melissa Jesperson-Moore (with showrunner Jennifer Cacicio) discusses her story and her father, the Happy Face Killer, and the new TV series based on it, starring Dennis Quaid. 'Happy Face' streams new episodes each Thursday on Paramount+.

'Happy Face' is adapted from the 2018 podcast Happy Face by Melissa Moore, and her 2009 autobiography Shattered Silence, co-written with M. Bridget Cook. The series tells the story of Melissa Jesperson-Moore, who at age 15 discovered that her father, Keith Hunter Jesperson, was the serial murderer known as the Happy Face Killer.

If serial killers are your thing, Paramount+ has a true crime drama for you.

Happy Face, dubbed "your next TV obsession" by one critic, is adapted from Melissa Moore's 2018 podcast of the same name and the 2009 autobiography Shattered Silence, cowritten by M. Bridget Cook. The eight-episode series, launching Friday, stars Emmy nominee Dennis Quaid (The Special Relationship) as Keith Hunter Jesperson, aka the Happy Face Killer. Emmy nominee Annaleigh Ashford (Welcome to Chippendales) stars as Melissa Moore, Keith's daughter and a makeup artist on a television talk show. The project also features James Wolk, David Harewood, Tamera Tomakili, Khiyla Aynne, and Benjamin Mackey.

Happy Face is developed by showrunner Jennifer Cacicio and The Good Wife universe creators Robert King and Michelle King. It currently has an 83 percent at Rotten Tomatoes (based on six reviews) and a 52 score on Metacritic (based on four reviews). And, as you can see from the reviews below,...

With several documentaries on the Happy Face Killer already out there and so much information available in the media, I guess most of us already know who Keith Hunter Jesperson is, and about all the gruesome murders he committed during the early 1990s. Keith was a pretty simple family man who lived a decent life with his wife, Rose Marie, and his three kids. He worked as an equipment operator for a business owned by Rod Muffett. A few years after his marriage, Keith and his family moved to Canada, as he wanted to join the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (Rcmp) but couldn’t make it through the training due to some injury. He returned to America and started working as a long-haul truck driver to support his family, though the marriage didn’t last, as Rose suspected that her husband was having affairs with different women. In 1990, Rose took...

It's the week of St. Patrick's Day, and you're going to feel lucky when you learn about the best new shows debuting on Netflix and other streaming services during the week of March 17. Once again, there's a full week's worth of new titles, from a murder mystery binge-watch to two chilling weekly series that you need to make room for on your watch list.

On top of the new shows making their arrivals this week, it's also a big week for our favorite weekly streaming series. Severance season 2 comes to an end with its surely shocking finale on March 21, while Hallmark's hit series When Calls the Heart concludes season 12 on March 23. There's also new episodes of The White Lotus, The Righteous Gemstones, The Wheel of Time, and more.

Wondering which new shows you have to add into your schedule after finishing Long Bright River on Peacock and Adolescence on Netflix?...

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Paramount+ is ready with an entertainment-packed January next year. The upcoming month will see the premiere of one of the most anticipated Paramount+ original shows, Happy Face, and the streaming release of the political horror comedy film Rumours. Just like every month, Paramount+ is ready to overload you with great content. So, we’re here to tell you about the 5 best movies and TV shows coming to Paramount+ in March 2025.

Titles with an * will only be available with Paramount+ With Showtime plan.

*Strange Darling (March 1) Credit – Magenta Light Studios

Strange Darling is a horror thriller film written and directed by Jt Mollner. The 2023 film is set in rural Oregon, and it follows a woman who discovers that the man she just had a one-night stand with is a serial killer, and now she must run to survive as the man chases her.

True crime has always cast a perverse spell over society's imagination, but the topic's contemporary popularity boom has propelled it into a consistent limelight. For some, devouring entertainment devoted to crime cases provides a safe avenue for them to explore their primal fears. For others, their fascination morbidly exploits real-life tragedies at the expense of respecting the victims' memories and the privacy of their grieving loved ones. Although Paramount+'s upcoming drama Happy Face is born from this ecosystem, the series voices a rarely seen perspective. Happy Face is based on the podcast of the same name by host Melissa Moore, the daughter of Keith Hunter Jesperson, the serial killer dubbed "the Happy Face Killer." In 2021, Moore told Marie Claire why she decided to come forward after decades of avoiding any association with her vile father: "My intent is to tell these stories that we think we know, but from a different point of view,...

Maintaining close connections with family can be difficult for some. Time, experiences, and bad blood tend to divide even the strongest bonds. In Paramount‘s Happy Face trailer, a daughter rediscovers her father’s horrific nature as another family’s peace and closure hangs in the balance. While there’s no escaping the past, Melissa (Annaleigh Ashford) must come to grips with old scars as the life she tried to bury returns to taunt and dismantle everything she built atop a foundation of lies.

Happy Face is inspired by the true-life story of Melissa G. Moore; the critically acclaimed Happy Face podcast from iHeartPodcasts and Moore; and the autobiography Shattered Silence, written by Moore with M. Bridget Cook. At 15, Moore discovered that her beloved father was the prolific serial killer known as Happy Face. As an adult, she has changed her name and guarded her secret while her father has been serving life in prison.

In the Nineties, Keith Hunter Jesperson murdered at least eight woman over a five-year time span. Soon he got the name Happy Face Killer, after sending law enforcement post-murder notes featuring the cheerful expression. Paramount+ released a trailer Monday for the true-crime series Happy Face, tracing the former truck driver’s murdering spree.

Happy Face catches up with Melissa Moore, played by Annaleigh Ashford, after a decade of no contact with her serial killer father, played by Dennis Quaid. With limited time, Melissa must determine if an innocent man will...

Everything we do has a knock-on effect, especially our crimes. Most of the time, we’re blissfully unaware of the harm we cause others, but in the trailer for Happy Face, a new series coming to Paramount+, a daughter discovers how her father’s vile actions ruined the lives of many. Paramount+ today revealed the teaser trailer and premiere date for its highly anticipated original drama series Happy Face, starring Annaleigh Ashford and Dennis Quaid. The eight-episode season will premiere on Thursday, March 20, with two episodes exclusively on Paramount+ in the U.S. and international markets where the service is available. New episodes will drop weekly on Thursdays following the premiere, with the season finale on May 1.

Happy Face is inspired by the true-life story of Melissa G. Moore; the critically acclaimed Happy Face podcast from iHeartPodcasts and Moore; and the autobiography Shattered Silence, written by Moore with M. Bridget Cook.

The Yoga Teacher Killer: The Kaitlin Armstrong Story premieres on Lifetime on June 15, 2024.

It is the story of a yoga teacher who murdered a professional cyclist in 2022.

Armstrong broke a cardinal rule of yoga, Ahimsa (non-violence), in a way that shocked the Austin, Texas, community where the murder took place. It also stunned the broader communities of yoga practitioners and professional cyclists nationwide.

Who is Kaitlin Armstrong?

Kaitlin Armstrong, played by Caity Lotz in the new Lifetime film, is a convicted murderer. Her crime was particularly shocking because many murderers, such as the Happy Face Killer, are male.

She was convicted of killing professional cyclist Moriah "Mo" Wilson in a crime of jealousy and passion over a love triangle.

Related: 13 Love Triangles That Left Us Genuinely Torn

The murder took place on May 11, 2022, in Austin, Texas

Before becoming a convicted killer, she was a yoga instructor.

She also held...

Releasing on May 14, 2024, The Pillowcase Murders is a somewhat unusual three-part docuseries.

Many true crime movies and series in the past have documented the crimes of well-known serial killers like Btk, but this one brings to light the crimes of a much lesser-known serial killer.

Here is the true story behind the Pillowcase Murders.

What Were the Pillowcase Murders?

The Pillowcase Murders were a string of no less than 22 murders and two attempted murders committed in Texas between 2016 and 2018.

Sadly, the victims were all older women. Each was smothered with her pillow before the assailant stole her valuables and fled.

Some of the women died in their own homes or independent apartments, but many were residents of senior living facilities.

The crime spree went unsolved for two years due to a combination of factors, including incorrect assumptions and alleged mishandling of investigations.

Who Was the Murderer?

The brazen killer behind...

Hey, "20/20" fans. We're back on here to let you know that ABC does have another episode of 20/20 all queued up and ready to go for you guys tonight, August 25, 2023. Tonight's episode will once again be a repeat episode since it's still the offseason. We've got some preview information for this repeat episode for you guys who might not have seen it yet. ABC served up a new, official press release for tonight's August, 25, 2023 repeat episode. So, we're going to certainly reference it for this preview session. Let's get to it. For starters, we've got an official title for tonight's August 25, 2023 repeat episode of 20/20. It's called,"Sincerely, the Happy Face Killer." It originally aired way back on November 5, 2021.

ABC’s ‘20/20‘ brings viewers a gripping account of how a bizarre false confession led authorities astray in the investigation of the first murder committed by Keith Hunter Jesperson, infamously known as the “Happy Face Killer.” This two-hour program, airing on Friday, August 25 from 9:01 to 11:00 p.m. Edt, delves into the chilling story of how Laverne Pavlinac’s fabricated confession diverted attention from Jesperson, enabling him to remain at large and claim the lives of at least seven more women before his eventual arrest.

The False Confession That Derailed the Investigation

In 1990, after the discovery of Taunja Bennett’s body in the Columbia Gorge, 57-year-old Laverne Pavlinac confessed to police that she and her boyfriend, John Sosnovske, had committed the crime. Her detailed and convincing account led to their convictions and life sentences. However, Pavlinac’s confession turned out to be a web of lies concocted to escape an abusive relationship with Sosnovske.

The new season of the true-crime series Very Scary People will premiere on Sunday, April 16, 2023 on its new home, Investigation Discovery. Donnie Wahlberg (Blue Bloods) will return as host and executive producer.

“I could not be more excited for a new season of Very Scary People to air on Investigation Discovery,” stated Wahlberg. “With each episode, we bring new insights into the lives of terrifying criminals to create awareness and hope this knowledge helps prevent similar crimes from happening in the future.”

The new season will kick off with “The Trailside Killer” which delves into serial killer David Carpenter. Per Investigation Discovery: “From 1979 to 1981, Carpenter terrorized Northern California’s typically tranquil hiking trails, shocking the quiet community surrounding them with his cold-blooded violence and led local authorities on a twisted and challenging investigation to bring him to justice.”

The upcoming season also features episodes that focus on Larry Hall, the...

It would be an understatement to say that 2018 was a good year for true-crime podcasting — in fact, there’s a bit of a glut in the crime market these days. The soaring popularity of shows like My Favorite Murder, Casefile and Up and Vanished has fired up the imaginations of thousands of podcasting newbies around the world who are, apparently, eager to dissect cold cases. Do we really need another podcast from a group of girlfriends discussing crime scenes while chugging Merlot? Sure, sure we do.

To help ease the...

This fall, Lifetime will take an uncharacteristic trip into horror lit with Big Driver, an adaptation of Stephen King’s same-named short story from his 2010 collection Full Dark, No Stars. Maria Bello stars in the grim and brutal pic, about an author who is brutally raped and assaulted by a truck driver, only to survive and return seeking vengeance.

The project is an unusual one for Lifetime, though the network has been branching out in recent years with increasingly dramatic original series like Witches of East End and The Lottery. Big Driver is also, like many of Lifetime’s programs, a tale of female empowerment led by a particularly steely protagonist.

Now, the suitably dark first trailer for the movie, which also stars Olympia Dukakis, Joan Gett, Ann Dowd and Will Harris, has arrived online. Check it out below, along with the official synopsis for the adaptation.

From a story by Stephen King,...

We're closing in on the October 18th premiere date of Lifetime's upcoming "Big Driver" adaptation, and on tap today we have the film's official poster art to share plus over a dozen new stills. Check 'em out, and look for more soon!

About "Big Driver" on Lifetime:

From a story by Stephen King, "Big Driver" marks the first collaboration between Lifetime and King. This dark story of a young novelist hell-bent on revenge after falling victim to a brutal crime stars Golden Globe nominee Maria Bello (A History of Violence).

Bello's co-stars include Academy Award winner Olympia Dukakis (Steel Magnolias), Grammy nominee Joan Jett, film and television veteran Ann Dowd ("The Leftovers"), and Will Harris ("NCIS").

In "Big Driver" Tess Thorne (Bello), a famous and revered mystery and thriller writer, faces a long drive home following a book-signing engagement. But while driving on a lonely stretch of New England road,...

From the looks of this effective new teaser trailer for its upcoming "Big Driver" film adaptation, Lifetime really seems to be trying to change its image and appeal to the horror crowd. Will it work? We'll find out October 18th.

About "Big Driver" on Lifetime:

From a story by Stephen King, "Big Driver" marks the first collaboration between Lifetime and King. This dark story of a young novelist hell-bent on revenge after falling victim to a brutal crime stars Golden Globe nominee Maria Bello (A History of Violence).

Bello' co-stars include Academy Award winner Olympia Dukakis (Steel Magnolias), Grammy nominee Joan Jett, film and television veteran Ann Dowd ("The Leftovers"), and Will Harris ("NCIS").

In "Big Driver" Tess Thorne (Bello), a famous and revered mystery and thriller writer, faces a long drive home following a book-signing engagement. But while driving on a lonely stretch of New England road, her tire blows out,...

A couple of months ago we learned that Lifetime was adapting Stephen King's "Big Driver" short story from his Full Dark, No Stars collection, and now the network has released some stills and revealed the film's premiere date.

About "Big Driver" on Lifetime:

From a story by Stephen King, "Big Driver" marks the first collaboration between Lifetime and King. This dark story of a young novelist hell-bent on revenge after falling victim to a brutal crime stars Golden Globe nominee Maria Bello (A History of Violence).

Bello' co-stars include Academy Award winner Olympia Dukakis (Steel Magnolias), Grammy nominee Joan Jett, film and television veteran Ann Dowd ("The Leftovers"), and Will Harris ("NCIS").

In "Big Driver" Tess Thorne (Bello), a famous and revered mystery and thriller writer, faces a long drive home following a book-signing engagement. But while driving on a lonely stretch of New England road, her tire blows out,...

David Arquette and Courteney Cox make better friends than lovers. The famous exes are both engaged to other people, and on Bravo's Watch What Happens Live Sunday, the 42-year-old Happy Face Killer star explained how they've remained amicable since getting divorced. "We just really dealt with it in a very sweet and honorable way. I don't know. We just love each other. Even though the relationship didn't work out, we wanted to still remain friends and treat each other with respect and have a great relationship for our daughter," David said of 10-year-old Coco Arquette. "In the negotiating process of a divorce, we did it with a mindful head: 'What are you cool with?'...

There's already one film on its way based on a story from the Stephen King collection Full Dark, No Stars, and now joining A Good Marriage is Big Driver on Lifetime, which will star Maria Bello, Olympia Dukakis, Joan Jett(!), and Will Harris.

From the Press Release:

From best-selling author and master of suspense Stephen King, comes the Lifetime Original Movie Big Driver, starring Golden Globe nominee Maria Bello (pictured; A History of Violence), Academy Award winner Olympia Dukakis (Sex & Violence, Steel Magnolias), Grammy nominee Joan Jett, and Will Harris (Sky High).

Set to premiere this fall, Big Driver was first published as a novella within King’s critically-acclaimed collection Full Dark, No Stars and tells the story of a young novelist hell-bent on revenge after the core of her psyche is broken following a brutal crime. The film marks Lifetime’s first collaboration with America’s foremost horror authority and begins production in Halifax,...

Add Big Driver, a short story in Stephen King’s 2010 collection Full Dark, No Stars, to the huge list of works by the living literary legend that are in the midst of being adapted to the screen. Lifetime just green-lit a television movie based on the story and has set A History of Violence actress Maria Bello to star.

Big Driver will center on a successful mystery novelist (Bello) who takes an ostensible shortcut on her way home from an engagement at a Chicopee, Massachusetts, library and falls into a trap set by a sinister trucker, who proceeds to brutally rape her and leave her for dead. After recovering from her injuries, the novelist uses the detective skills she picked up from writing mystery novels to track down and take revenge on the trucker and his accomplices.

It’s pretty disturbing material for a TV movie, and King’s short story was sickeningly graphic,...

Maria Bello (Prime Suspect, Touch) is getting behind the wheel of Big Driver, a Lifetime movie based on Stephen King’s horror novella, TVLine has learned.

Oscar winner Olympia Dukakis, rock icon Joan Jett and NCIS guest star Will Harris have also been cast in the project, which marks the first collaboration between King and Lifetime.

Big Driver, which was featured in King’s collection Full Dark, No Stars, centers on Bello’s Tess Thorne (Bello), a famous and revered mystery and thriller writer who faces a long drive home following a book signing engagement. While driving on a lonely stretch of New England road,...

Lifetime's latest original movie, the based-on-a-true-story "Happy Face Killer," was truly disturbing. You'll definitely get creepy chills every time you see David Arquette for the next few weeks.

Arquette played real-life serial killer Keith Hunter Jesperson, a Canadian truck driver who began strangling women as he crisscrossed the country, leaving a confession with a happy face at each crime scene. When a couple took responsibility for one of his murders, he started to get cocky and write letters to newspaper editors and messages on rest stop walls. That hubris ultimately got him arrested.

If you don't want to get caught having committed murder, you should probably not write letters and film videos confessing.

As far as Lifetime movies go, this one was pretty middle-of-the-road. No performances were outrageously campy -- though all low-budget thrillers on this network seem to have some level of cheesiness to them. Gloria Reuben was certainly...

In March of 1995, Canadian truck driver Keith Jesperson’s five-year, eight-victim murder spree ended, but his notoriety had just begun. Livid when a woman falsely confessed to the first killing as a way out of an abusive relationship, Jesperson had sent letters detailing his crimes to prosecutors and media outlets, signing them with only a smiley face — leading one reporter to dub him the “Happy Face Killer.” This month, Lifetime dramatizes Jesperson’s story in the harrowing original movie Happy Face Killer, starring David Arquette in the title role. “It’s a social study and an examination of what leads to … Continue reading →

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