Death Cap is ultimately a “why-dunnit,” with the question of motive haunting every episode. Do you approach a story like this differently from a traditional whodunnit?
It is absolutely true that in this case, we knew a lot very early - we knew the who, what, where and how - but why is often the most interesting and evasive question in any crime story. In this case, there was a very specific window of time, - about a week following the events of July 29th, 2023, where every piece of evidence, every micro-movement and interaction, had two different perspectives jockeying over the truth. The prosecution laid out an interpretation of events, and then the defense (and ultimately Erin herself) countered. When so much is an agreed-upon fact, this wrestling over the truth becomes a fascinating exploration of criminal justice and lets us explore questions that may never be truly answered.
What were some of the toughest boundaries you had to navigate in balancing transparency, sensitivity and public curiosity throughout the production process?
Anytime you set foot into a small community, for any type of documentary, you are aware that you are an intruder. That was exponentially magnified here, where the victims were beloved leaders of the community. We knew that by being transparent and upfront immediately, we may run the risk of losing some surface- level access. But on the other hand, it created a strong foundation of trust within the community and opened doors that may have never been available if we had breached those boundaries. Those boundaries included respecting the family’s requests for privacy, communicating with local council and community groups about our filming activities and communicating with the appropriate legal teams. Ultimately, knowing that we pursued this story in the most ethical way possible not only allowed our teams to sleep well at night, but also, to be welcomed into the community they were documenting, which is no small feat.
For people who have followed the headlines, what does Death Cap reveal about the case that they cannot get from news coverage alone?
There is critical insight into Erin, exclusive stories from her upbringing and childhood, and deep analysis from forensic psychologists into her mindset and likely psychological profile. We explore evidence that was not allowed to be put before the jury, and we bring the audience to the scene of the crime and the scene of the trial to follow the story in as intimate and immersive a way as possible.
