Prime Video sets 'Killing Grounds,' Gilgo docuseries promising 'unprecedented access'

Prime Video is joining the list of streamers and cable networks who are seemingly obsessed with the Gilgo Beach serial killer story.

On Tuesday, Prime announced it would be developing a docuseries called "Killing Grounds: The Gilgo Beach Murders." No premiere date was announced. The series will be directed by Emma Cooper, who helmed the 2023 Netflix docuseries "Depp v. Heard" that focused on the 2022 defamation trial between actors Johnny Depp and Amber Heard.

According to a Prime Video release: "From 1996 to 2011, Gilgo Beach, New York, became the haunting site where 11 bodies were discovered, their deaths shrouded in mystery. ... This chilling series unravels one of the most notorious unsolved crimes of our era, now taking a turn as a major suspect heads to trial. With unprecedented access, the inside story delves into the depths of this horrific case, exploring the mind of an individual capable of the unthinkable, while unveiling the systemic failures that allowed him to slip through the cracks. With new exclusive insights and compelling questions, this series ultimately serves as a testament to give voice to the voiceless in a case that has confounded investigators and finally aims to provide long-awaited answers to a true mystery of our time."

Cooper added in a statement, "Working on this story has been a profound privilege. To sit with the families, to hear their voices, and to witness the tireless commitment of law enforcement has offered an insight that is as heartbreaking as it is vital."

Previous Gilgo docuseries include Netflix’s "Gone Girls: The Long Island Serial Killer," Peacock’s "The Gilgo Beach Killer: House of Secrets" and Hulu’s "Truth and Lies: The Hunted." In 2020, Netflix released the fictional movie "Lost Girls" with Amy Ryan as Mari Gilbert, mother of Gilgo victim Shannan Gilbert. A year later, Lifetime aired its own movie, "The Long Island Serial Killer: A Mother's Hunt for Justice," starring Kim Delaney as Mari Gilbert. The A&E cable channel has aired several programs on the subject.

By Andy Edelstein

andy.edelstein@newsday.com

Andy Edelstein, Newsday's entertainment editor, supervises coverage of TV, celebrities, movies and pop music. He has written three books on popular culture, including "The Brady Bunch Book."