Salt Lake City, 1985. A series of pipe bombs kills two people and severely injures another, jolting the epicenter of the LDS Church. The murders send further shockwaves through the community when a trove of early Mormon letters and diaries are found destroyed in the vehicle of the third victim, Mark Hofmann, a renowned collector of rare documents, including the infamous White Salamander Letter — an artifact whose contents threatened to shake the very foundations of Mormonism. As Hofmann fights for his life, investigators race to uncover the truth. Directed by Jared Hess (Napoleon Dynamite) and Tyler Measom (An Honest Liar), MURDER AMONG THE MORMONS is the first comprehensive look at one of the most shocking crimes to have ever taken place among the Mormon community and the criminal mastermind behind it all.
For more info: www.netflix.com/MurderAmongtheMormons
Commentary: This new, limited series from Netflix has a lot to offer fans of both true crime and national church history. I personally do not remember this story as it unfolded in the 1980s. We forget that in the days before social media and the internet information was not endlessly flashed before our eyes.
The story is a whodunit of sorts. If you are one of “those people” you could easily google it and find out how it ends. But the fun of this journey is watching it unfold over the three episodes. Along the way you will learn a lot about the crime but also get a glimpse into the world of church politics and historic documents. There are stories within the story with this one and the cast of characters you meet are intriguing for sure.
The filmmakers do a good job of balancing archival news footage, home movies, and current personal accounts. With elements of National Treasure and The Maltese Falcon you are presented with many documents and can decide on your own what is real and what is fabricated. The plot twists and turns with each new piece of evidence. Eyewitness accounts offer a backdrop into both the individuals involved and the events that took place. But who do you believe? Once you are done watching it is clear but along the way you will develop your own theories for sure.
Then there is the whole side story of the Mormon church and the leaders of that day. This is a crime that shook the very center of their church and faith. Where there coverups? Some religious tom foolery? Of course! People do not like having their beliefs brought into question. When that happens we can explore the facts and rest solidly on what we know to be true. Or we can shuck and run. Personally I think anything worth believing in is worth investigating. This look into the Mormon politics is another small but interesting addition to the series.
Murder Among the Mormons is an adult series with mild language, elements and graphics. As a limited series it is easy to binge in an afternoon or spread out over a day or two. You will invest in the story quickly so waiting a few days instead of letting that next episode auto play will be tough. You will want to know how this one shakes out; even if you already googled all the answers.
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