THE PET CEMETERY MURDERS: A GHOST STORY to Debut on HBO

The HBO Original three-part documentary series THE PET CEMETERY MURDERS: A GHOST STORY, directed by Philip Cairney (Being Beethoven), and produced by Emmy-winning Jonathan Chinn and Academy Award-winning Simon Chinn's Lightbox (HBO's The Princess and Tina), debuts Sunday, October 11 at 9:00 p.m. ET/PT on HBO and will be available to stream on HBO Max. Subsequent episodes will debut Sundays at the same time.

What begins as an investigation into a 1985 murder turns into a haunting exploration of a community's dark history of violence and bloodshed. Set in the rural bayou outside New Orleans, Louisiana, a harsh landscape steeped in supernatural lore and traditions, the story starts with the disappearance of Dorothy Lou Thompson – the owner of a pet cemetery that had been built on land long rumored to be cursed. Dorothy's body eventually turns up wrapped in chains in the Mississippi River, raising questions about her past and the people around her. With no concrete evidence, the case goes cold until 2009 when Det. John Doran reopens the investigation, following up on old leads and digging into the case files. Unexpectedly, a witness comes forward with a terrifying tale of Dorothy's ghost which compels him to come forward with information. Three years later, a second witness claims to be haunted by the murdered woman seeking vengeance. The vexing accounts launch a police investigation into Dorothy's tragic past, revealing a trail of dead husbands, a domineering mother Grace, who founded the cemetery after outrunning her own criminal acts, and the long shadow of a community steeped in evil deeds that were buried but not forgotten.

With insight from Dorothy's neighbors, law enforcement, local journalists, and scholars, the series unearths a labyrinthine tale involving multiple dead bodies, disturbing family secrets, and centuries-old massacres exposing the deep-seated horror and guilt that still haunt the community.

Episode Descriptions

Episode 1
Debut date: Sunday, October 11 (9:00-9:46 p.m. ET/PT)
A decades-old Louisiana cold case involving the gruesome death of Dorothy Lou Thompson, the owner of a pet cemetery, gains traction after a startling account launches investigators down various haunting leads.

Episode 2
Debut date: Sunday, October 18 (9:00-9:43 p.m. ET/PT)
Detectives make strides in Dorothy's case and an unlikely witness emerges with a vexing admission.

Episode 3
Debut date: Sunday, October 25 (9:00-9:53 p.m. ET/PT)
Although Dorothy's murder gets solved, what was unearthed in her case is a trail of murders, mobsters, and a horrific history that still haunts this community.

Featured participants include friends, family, and neighbors of Dorothy Lou Thompson; law enforcement officers; historians, artists, and journalists; and attorneys.

Credits

HBO Documentary Films presents THE PET CEMETERY MURDERS: A GHOST STORY, a Lightbox Production. Directed and written by Philip Cairney; executive producers, Simon Chinn, Jonathan Chinn, Suzanne Lavery, James Marsh, and Silvia Sacco. For HBO: executive producers, Nancy Abraham, Lisa Heller, and Tina Nguyen.

Photo Credit: HBO Max