About The Cheshire Murders (HBO)

The Cheshire Murders is a gripping true-crime documentary that first aired on HBO in 2013. Directed by David Heilbroner and Kate Davis, the film explores the horrifying triple homicide that took place in Cheshire, Connecticut in 2007. The documentary unravels the brutal events leading to and following the home invasion, sexual assaults, and murders of the Petit family. It also shines a light on the criminal justice system and the two culprits, Joshua Komisarjevsky and Steven Hayes.

Making / Production

The film was made by filmmakers David Heilbroner and Kate Davis, who meticulously documented the chilling event and the aftermath. They conducted numerous interviews with the victims' friends and families, law enforcement officers, attorneys, and even the culprits, Stevens and Komisarjevsky, themselves. The filmmakers took an unbiased approach towards portraying these events, shining a light on systemic issues within the criminal justice system.

Actors

• Joshua Komisarjevsky - played by himself. In the documentary, he gives chilling confessions about the actions that led to the gruesome events.
• Steven Hayes - played by himself. He also gives frank, disturbing confessions and also delves into his psyche and reasons behind the crimes.

Trivia / Interesting Facts

• The Cheshire Murders was one of the first true crime documentaries to air on HBO, marking a significant milestone in HBO's move towards gritty, real-life programming.
• Despite being relatively low-budget compared to other HBO productions, The Cheshire Murders captivated audiences with its chilling storytelling and clear-eyed look at the criminal justice system.
• The documentary gave a voice to the victims' families, allowing them to express their feelings and thoughts on the brutal crime and the criminal justice system.

Quotes

• "I actually had the printout of the bank withdrawal sitting on my dresser next to the bat I had. It was just a glaring reminder of how close I was to preventing that tragedy." - Joshua Komisarjevsky.
• "We are not insane. We knew right from wrong." - Steven Hayes.

Music, Soundtrack

• Unlike many documentaries, The Cheshire Murders did not have a traditional soundtrack. Instead, the filmmakers used moody atmospheric sounds to augment the chilling content.