Tom Malloy, screenwriter, star and co-producer of the recently wrapped horror feature THE ATTIC, gave Fango the scoop that he and some of his collaborators from that film are already hard at work on their next project, THE ALPHABET KILLER. “The movie is based on a true, unsolved cold case involving a serial killer in Rochester, New York,” Malloy tells Fango. “Also known as the ‘Double Initial Killer,’ he killed three young girls, aged 10-12, between 1970-1973. All three girls had the same first and last initial; what’s more incredible is that their bodies were discovered in towns around Rochester corresponding to that initial—Carmen Colon was discovered in Churchville, etc. The Rochester police interviewed over 800 suspects, but no leads were ever found.”
Malloy’s research involved interviewing Heddy Williams, the detective who opened the cold case many years later. “It was an incredible story,” he says, “and I thought it would make a perfect thriller.” He has set his screen story to the present day; the heroine is a former homicide detective turned crime scene photographer who suffers from schizophrenia, and turns to a paralyzed college professor for help in solving the slayings. The updated approach led to a couple of problems in staying faithful to the true facts—the current prevelance of DNA testing (which didn’t exist 30 years ago) and the fact that the real killer was never found. “Don’t worry, it all pays off in the end,” Malloy promises of his film version. “I wouldn’t leave my audience hanging!”
Malloy is reteaming with ATTIC producers Russ Terlecki of Wideye Films and Aimee Schoof and Isen Robbins of Intrinsic Value Films (who also backed Jeff Lieberman on SATAN’S LITTLE HELPER). Plans call for preproduction on THE ALPHABET KILLER to begin in March or April, with shooting to take place on location in Rochester this summer. “What I hope is that this movie might spur national interest in the case, and maybe unearth some leads that will finally put it to rest.” In the meantime, there’s already a website set up for the project here.
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