Family of Alleged Serial Killer to Receive $1 Million from Establishment Media Group: Report
The True Crime Genre: Where is the Line Between Storytelling and Profiting off Tragedy?
In recent years, the true crime genre has exploded in popularity, captivating audiences worldwide with videos and documentaries that delve into real-life criminal cases. But amidst this fascination, a question arises: when does storytelling cross the line into profiting off tragedy?
NBC/Peacock is currently in the process of filming a documentary on Rex Heuermann, the suspected Gilgo Beach serial killer, as reported by NewsNation.
Heuermann was arrested in July and charged with the murders of three women found dumped on Long Island’s Gilgo Beach between 2010 and 2011: Melissa Barthelemy, Megan Waterman, and Amber Costello. These murders remained unsolved for over a decade.
Using cellphone records and DNA evidence, including an old pizza crust found in a Manhattan trash can, investigators identified Heuermann as a suspect. He is also believed to be the prime suspect in the death of a fourth victim, Maureen Brainard-Barnes.
Now, NBC is seizing the opportunity to capitalize on the public’s fascination with the case, and they are bringing Heuermann’s estranged wife and children along for the ride.
“They will be filmed throughout the trial and after the trial’s outcome,” a source told NewsNation. “The family will tell their entire story and everything about their life [with Heuermann] exclusively to the [documentary filmmakers].”
Asa Ellerup, who filed for divorce from Heuermann shortly after his arrest, and their two children are reportedly set to receive at least $1 million for their participation in the project.
Since the money will go to the accused murderer’s family, it bypasses “Son of Sam” laws, which prohibit criminals from profiting from their crimes.
This raises significant ethical concerns. NBC, driven by the public’s insatiable appetite for real-life horror stories, is monetizing murder without considering the potential additional suffering it may cause the victims’ families.
On one hand, Ellerup and her children appear to be just as shocked as anyone by Heuermann’s alleged crimes. They are victims themselves, unable to find work and forever marked by their connection to a suspected serial killer.
According to their lawyer, “Their existence now is as bleak and hardscrabble as you can imagine. There’s no Mercedes, there’s no luxury vehicles… Their lives will never be the same.”
On the other hand, it is undoubtedly incredibly painful for the loved ones of the victims to see Heuermann’s family, or anyone, profiting from his alleged crimes.
While his wife and children are not responsible for his actions, it’s understandable why their lucrative media deal rubs many the wrong way. One user on X.com called it “a slap in the face to the victims’ families.”
“Son of Sam” laws were put in place to prevent criminals from benefiting from their crimes. By paying the suspect’s family instead, NBC may be technically following the law, but it raises questions about the ethical boundaries they are crossing.
Legally, it may be a fair workaround. However, from an ethical standpoint, it seems to blur the lines of morality.
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