Premiering on Wednesday, 25th November, the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women in conjunction with Crime + Investigation's #HereForHer initiative, the film explores the murder-suicides of Paul Newman, who, in February 2016, battered his wife Geraldine to death before killing their two young children and committing suicide; Darren Sykes, who in October 2014, deliberately set fires in his house, killing his two young sons and himself to punish his estranged wife Claire Throssell; and Robert Mochrie, who, in July 2000, killed his wife, Catherine and their four children, aged 10 to 18, before poisoning and hanging himself.
Leading contributor, Professor Neil Websdale - of the Family Violence Center, Arizona State University, and Director of the National Domestic Violence Fatality Review Initiative - offers unprecedented insight into familicide killers' motivations and methodology. Having studied this growing phenomenon for the past twenty-five years, he has established a unique database and review system, which gives clues to the complex psychopathology at work in familicide cases.
While the conditions brought about by the Covid pandemic have seen an upsurge in domestic violence, Professor Websdale and his team are getting ever closer to unlocking the elusive combination of triggers that motivate some men to commit the most terrifying and devastating of all serial murders, taking the lives of their supposed loved ones, as well as their own.
Family Man has been ordered by Dan Korn, VP of Programming at A+E Networks UK, and Diana Carter, Commissioning Editor and Head of Talent at A+E Networks UK.
Diana Carter said: "Following last year's brilliant Murdered by My Husband, we are delighted to be working with Off The Fence again, on this thought-provoking, moving and hard-hitting documentary to mark our #HereForHer campaign on 25th November."
Executive Producers for Off The Fence are Allison Bean and Fiona Scott.
Fiona Scott said: "The film offers an insight into the devastating but secretive crime of familicide and its terrible impact on family and friends. The film is above all, a tribute to the victims, and to those left behind."
