The Alphabet Killer

It takes a really bad, bad attempt at film-making for me to really dislike a film of one of my favourite genres (namely horror or psychological thrillers) and The Alphabet Killer didn't happen to be one of those.

It also takes a lot for a horror film to scare me, too, though I have to admit to jumping a couple of times whilst watching this. Loud noises and things appearing out of nowhere can usually do that!

Mind you, spooky children tend to be one of those things that creep me out as well as rabid dogs (luckily no dogs were present in this film.) Eliza Dushku is one of my favourite actresses as I'm a great fan of Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Tru Calling which was axed only after one season. So, this film had all the hallmarks of the films I'm more likely to watch.

Although I didn't love this film, I most certainly would purchase it when I get the chance and if it ever comes out on UMD, so much the better. This is one film I would like to watch again some time and I can only do that if I can buy it on UMD.

As I've not researched much into the Alphabet Murders that this film was based on, I couldn't say for sure if it followed closely to the facts or not. Mind you, it does state this it is only loosely based on the murders so it's hard to say which facts are true and which are not.

Carmen Colon was 11 years old when she was killed by The Alphabet Killer on or around November 16, 1971.

Her body was found in Town of Riga, Churchville, Monroe County, N.Y.

Her uncle was considered a suspect until his suicide in 1991.

Read the article, Come with Me

The so-called "Alphabet murders" (also known as the "double initial murders") took place in the early 1970s in the Rochester, New York area; three young girls were attacked sexually and strangled. The case got its name from the fact that each of the three girls' first and last names started with the same letters (Carmen Colon, Wanda Walkowicz, and Michelle Maenza) and that the bodies were found in towns that started with the same letter as the girls' names (Colon in Churchville, Walkowicz in Webster and Maenza in Macedon).

Read more about The Alphabet Killer

On April 2, 1973 at about 5:15 pm, 11 year old Wanda Walkowicz went to the grocery store for her mother.

Wanda made it to the store, purchased several items, and was last seen walking home but she did not return.

On April 3, 1973 at 10:15 am, a New York State Trooper, while on patrol, located Wanda Walkowicz's body at a rest area off of State Route 104 in Webster, N.Y.

'Authorities believe the killer worked in a social service agency, school or other institution that gave him/her access to their family records.'

1. All 3 were sexually assaulted and strangled
2. C, M and W are the 3rd, 13th and 23rd letters of the alphabet
3. All three girls were from poor, Catholic families
4. All three girls did poorly in school causing trouble
5. Suspects included Kenneth Bianchi, the infamous Hillside Strangler.
6. The Alphabet Killer is also known as the double initial killing.

Michele Maenza, age 11, was snatched near her home on Webster Crescent in Rochester on November 26th, 1973.

She was eventually found on November 28, 1973, in the Town of Macedon, Wayne County, N.Y.

She'd been raped and strangled.

She is thought to be the third victim of the Alphabet Killer.

"It was very scary and creepy that something like this could happen so close to my home," Enright said. "It was a topic every night at our dinner table and the entire community was nervous."

...this film is definitely one to watch if you are a fan of horror or true crime movies. It will certainly not disappoint in that area. It has plenty of potential suspects to keep you guessing for some time, though I can't really say that the true killer is that much of a surprise when you really think about it.