PERTH, Australia – Law enforcement often fixates on the wrong theory or suspect when investigating real-life police cases, leading to an imperfect science. A two-part drama about an infamous serial killer case in Perth, Australia, exemplifies this issue.
“Valentine’s Day, 1988,” marks the start of the drama, when a man in a kimono takes red panties off a clothesline, walks into a house, and assaults a woman. The drama then delves into the 1996 disappearance of Sarah Spiers, who was last seen in the Claremont neighborhood of Perth.
Sarah’s family and the police are both convinced something terrible has happened to her. As the police mobilize a task force, they struggle to gather concrete evidence, and prominent reporter Alison Fan is enlisted to keep Sarah in the news. When Jane Rimmer goes missing in June 1996, followed by Ciara Glennon, a serial killer is suspected as the perpetrator.
The drama follows the ongoing investigation throughout the 1990s and into the 2000s, as a person of interest is identified but only provides circumstantial evidence tying him to the crimes. Despite this, the police maintain their watchful eye.
The drama showcases the complexities of a long-running investigation and the toll it takes on the families of the victims. Despite the potential for dramatic momentum, the series delves into unconnected subplots, making the production feel too long and filled with unnecessary filler content. The second episode, which shifts the focus to a new group of detectives in the 2010s, continues the theme of the police struggling against the odds.
While the drama feels drawn-out, it provides a compelling illustration of how law enforcement can become fixated on a person of interest, ignoring evidence that could lead them to the true perpetrator.