Strong Studios Developing Hall Mills Murders

Strong Studios (Safehaven, Flagrant) is developing the eight-part crime drama Hall Mills Murders, based on a tabloid sensation from the Jazz Age.

Inspired by the 1922 case that arguably began the obsession with true crime in the U.S., the series follows a down-on-his-luck reporter who investigates the deaths of priest Edward Wheeler Hall and his mistress Eleanor Mills. Their bodies were found nestled in each other’s arms, but the pair had actually been brutally murdered, and salacious love notes were found torn at their feet.

Michael Angeli (Battlestar Galactica, Law & Order: Criminal Intent, The 100) is attached as showrunner and executive producer. Additional executive producers are Toni Ann Marcolini, attorney, professor and creator/host of the podcast It May Interest You to Know; David Ozer, CEO of Strong Studios; and Scott Weinstock, executive VP of production and development at Strong Studios.

“We are thrilled to announce that the Hall Mills Murders project will allow Strong Studios to significantly ramp up our production pipeline,” Ozer said. “This sordid story and murder trial led to a three-ring media circus that is recognized to this day as the first of its kind in America to saturate news coverage on a daily basis. We know audiences are fascinated by true crime, and given this is the story that started it all, we have no doubt it will generate interest among broadcasters and streamers, and most definitely with audiences when we premiere.”

Angeli added, “There are so many sensational aspects to this story, from the scandalous affair to the tabloid coverage and the host of colorful characters under investigation—all of the elements needed to deliver a truly captivating series.”