crime on tv

Chilling tales of true crime around Texas debut on streaming services

Reporter Jessica Willey uncovers the truth in these true crime tales.

Photo courtesy of ABC13

Americans love streaming their true crime stories. Consider that the Crime Junkie podcast is No. 3 overall on Spotify and true crime is one of most popular genres on the streaming juggernaut Netflix.

A new crime TV show on Investigation Discovery TV called Murder Under the Friday Night Lights covers the murder and rapes of cheerleaders in the small Dallas-Fort Worth town of River Oaks, along with other high school football-related crimes.

Now, CultureMap news partner, Houston-based ABC13, has released the new Texas True Crime series on Hulu and Season 2 of its successful and highly streamed Unsolved series — just in time to chill on the sofa.

All documentaries are available to stream at abc13.com and across ABC13’s connected TV apps on Roku, Fire TV, Apple TV, Android TV, and Hulu.

The creepy stuff kicks off with Texas True Crime: The Candyman Murders on Hulu about a case that haunted a Texas community nearly 50 years ago. ABC13 reporter Jessica Willey revisits killer Dean Corll’s horrific mass murders that labeled him a serial killer — before the term was widely used.

For the uninitiated, the new Texas True Crime library features documentaries about slain Ft. Hood soldier in Vanessa Guillen: Remember Her Name; serial killer William Reece, Tracking the Devil: The William Reece Confessions; and Andrea Yates: 20 Years Since the Tragedy That Shocked the Nation, which centers on the now-infamous story of the Houston mother who drowned her children in the family’s bathtub.

Meanwhile, the Unsolved series follows with ABC13 reporter Courtney Fischer sharing stories of Texas families who are still searching for answers in their loved ones’ murder or disappearance.

Unsolved episodes available to stream include:

Princess Blue
In a follow-up to Unsolved Season 1, the mystery woman known as “Princess Blue” has finally been identified as Julie Gwenn Davis, a teen last seen in southeast Texas in the mid-’80s. Now that investigators have a name, the hunt for her killer is on.
A Life Never Lived
On Thanksgiving Day, Kristen Wilson was found murdered, naked, and possibly raped in her Houston apartment with no sign of the killer. Now, 25 years later, old evidence is getting tested for the killer’s DNA — likely the key to solving Kristen's case.
Disappearance at the Drive-in
This is one of the oldest cold cases in Houston: In 1975, 15-year-old Patricia Kaye Humphreys went to the drive-in movies with her sister and vanished. Her body was found five months later; she had been raped and strangled. Now, police are searching for new leads to solve the case before key witnesses die.

Fischer has worked with more than a dozen law enforcement agencies and dozens of investigators since 2018 to shed light on these cold cases, per a release. Within that time, Unsolved has profiled close to 20 cold cases, several of which have been solved thanks to Fischer’s reporting, authorities note.

ABC 13 adds that investigators now reach out to Fischer in hopes to feature their cold cases on Unsolved.

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In This Week's Top Stories

Global ice cream chain tops this week's most popular stories in Dallas

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Ice cream from Dumont Creamery & Cafe

Editor's note: A global ice cream chain from India that opened two DFW locations was the hottest topic this week in Dallas. Also of note: A buzzy burger restaurant, the death of a beloved Dallas musician-DJ, and an impressive ranking for Flower Mound. Here are the most-read stories of the week. If you're looking for things to do this weekend, we got you: That list is here.

1. Global gourmet ice cream chain debuts in U.S. with 2 Dallas-area shops. An ice cream concept from India has made its U.S. debut, right here in Texas: Dumont Creamery & Cafe was founded in Hyderabad and now has two locations in the Dallas area. Ice cream is the centerpiece with more than two dozen flavors, ranging from Italian-inspired sorbet to a New Zealand-inspired honey ice cream called "hokey pokey."

2. Acclaimed Burger Schmurger pop-up finds permanent space in East Dallas. A buzzy burger pop-up is graduating to brick-and-mortar status: Burger Schmurger, which has earned oodles of acclaim for its smash burger style of burgers, is moving into a permanent home at 718 N Buckner Blvd., the space previously occupied by Bar None which closed in August..

3. Colorful Dallas musician and DJ Mark Ridlen passes away at 65. A bright and colorful light in Dallas' music scene went out: Mark Ridlen, DJ and musician, passed away on November 17, following a bout with cancer; he was 65. As a professional DJ under the moniker "DJ Mr. Rid," Ridlen had been a steady staple on the local creative scene.

4. Fill up on the festive fare in this roundup of Dallas restaurant news. This roundup of restaurant news around Dallas is all about new menus, with lots of festive-themed dishes and menu additions. There's a new brunch at a surprising destination, new cocktails, and lots of hot chocolate, fitting for the season..

5. Well-to-do Dallas suburb lands on top-10 list of holiday big spenders. It looks like Santa Claus is going to be competing with residents in Flower Mound to see who brings the most lavish holiday gifts this year. Festive Flo-Mo ranked No. 7 in WalletHub's annual report on U.S. cities with the biggest holiday budgets in 2024.