Original subtitles

[woman] Is there any musical artist that I would kill for?

[newsman] One fan has been so abusive to this reporter

that she's obtained a court restraining order,

keeping him away from her.

[clamoring]

[Loretta] But a suicide and then a murder?

♪ ♪

My name's Major Loretta Greene,

and I'm a detective with the Memphis Police Department.

[birds chirping]

♪ ♪

Detective work isn't just a job,

it's a calling.

If it ain't in you, you'll end up burning out.

So you have to really want something out of it.

[sizzling]

It's like motherhood.

[laughs]

It's not always fun.

- It's a calling. - Uh-uh. Uh-uh.

But you got to pay attention.

The world doesn't want these kids to thrive,

so I have to make sure they do.

I nurture them like I nurture my cases.

I don't miss anything.

Even before my husband passed,

I tried to be around as much as possible,

cooked dinner, homework.

Working and being their mama full-time is hard,

but it's worth it.

Police work is my calling, but family is everything.

Can you tell us how you started to piece these cases together?

[Loretta] I got a call on a cold case

involving blunt force trauma in Nashville.

Tiffany Long. I went to check it out.

When did her sister say she found her, again?

[investigator] Around 7:00 that morning.

Sister was gone most of the weekend,

but found her when she got back.

[Loretta] Did you check her out,

the sister?

She's accounted for.

Was on a date.

You got any witnesses? A receipt?

You know that Whitney song? "If six of y'all went out"?

Lighten up. I'm just asking.

You can't be too careful.

[indistinct chatter over police radio]

[Loretta] Murder's not always as complicated as people think.

It's got some rules to it.

Most of 'em aren't random.

That's why we check the husband, the boyfriend,

the last person they saw.

It's usually an acquaintance or someone's first stop

before a bigger crime.

A robbery or deal gone wrong,

even with a serial killer.

But yeah,

those are rare.

So...

We're thinking our killer comes up from behind, right?

Bang. Tiffany falls into the wall.

Maybe she tries to get to her phone.

Anyway, she goes down.

Then he stands over her, straddles her.

Bam, bam, bam.

Blood on the floor.

He drops the hammer.

Tiffany bleeds out or what?

(indiscernible)

Can I see the pictures?

Damn.

Did the sister give you her social media accounts?

- [investigator] Yeah. - Text me those, please.

[indistinct chatter over police radio]

[car door closes]

[busy chatter]

- Hey, now. - Hi. How are you doing?

I'm too old to be making these out-of-town trips,

and I'm only 25 years old. [chuckles]

Social media is such a great resource for us nowadays.

[scoffs]

I can't tell you how many cases I've solved

thanks to Facebook, Instagram.

I had a murder case, two guys rob and kill a man.

A few hours later,

one of them posts pictures of the stuff they stole

from inside the man's car.

[laughs]

Just telling on theyselves. It's crazy.

People think, just because you're

behind a handle and some filters,

the truth won't still come out. [scoffs]

I know it's not the most...

technical process.

But if you know what you're looking for...

♪ ♪

I knew it.

[siren wails]

It all started with junk food, believe it or not.

About a year ago,

we were assisting with a case in Arkansas.

There was a woman murdered in her home.

Dorothy Daye.

At first, they thought all the usual things.

We interviewed the husband.

Alibi was tight.

So I went back to the evidence.

There had to have been something we missed.

I'm looking at this evidence, and it's striking to me.

All that stuff is regular in my house,

but Ms. Daye was white.

I've never met an old white woman that ate Hot Cheetos.

Definitely never seen a white woman in a bonnet.

[laughs]

So at first, I'm thinking,

"Well, okay. Ms. Dorothy's got soul, I guess."

Whoever this murderer was stayed awhile.

Ate.

That's what seemed odd to me.

They even tried to clean up a little.

Just an odd scene.

Eventually, it hit me.

I said, "Hey,

I think we dealing with a sister here.

The killer sounds like a Black woman to me."

What did the other officers think?

They didn't want to hear that shit.

Said it was all circumstantial.

Apparently they caught a homeless man a few days later

and arrested him.

He ended up getting convicted on something else.

I figured it was over and done with,

but I kept my eyes and ears open

- because I had a feeling. - [siren wailing in distance]

About five months later,

I stumbled on a case out of Fayetteville.

It seemed pretty straightforward.

Four women, all strippers working at the same club,

killed and robbed a man in his home.

They had car trouble.

A man stops them on the side of the road

and offers to help them.

They all go to the man's house,

where he's got a workshop.

Later, witnesses say

they heard a commotion and cars fleeing the scene.

After a brief manhunt, we caught up to the four women.

Three wouldn't talk.

That fourth one, though... [scoffs]

She was mad.

Eventually, she told me there was another girl there

who hung the rest of 'em out to dry.

When we found the car, we took photos.

It was stolen from out of state.

Apparently the whole robbery and murder

was this girl Carmen's fault.

She was a dancer from Texas, new girl,

and she would only dance to [bleep] songs.

[laughs]

Exclusively.

Carmen was a big fan and was obsessed with her.

She wasn't even supposed to be their driver.

Another girl was supposed to go with them,

but she didn't show up to work.

No one's seen her or her boyfriend since.

And how is this related to the Dorothy Daye case?

[exhales]

For some detectives, an answer is good enough.

They're not trying to dig if they don't have to.

But...

...there's similarities in all these cases.

Serial killers are rare.

Cases like that can make a career.

And I get it... [laughs]

it seems like wishful thinking.

A Black female detective stumbles onto

a Black female serial killer.

But the truth is,

a killer like Carmen...

just isn't on their radar.

But I've seen this before.

Seen what before?

Black women falling through the cracks.

[Loretta] So I was following up on it.

The man murdered in this stripper case,

he was supposedly a nice guy.

But if you check his Twitter,

he seems like a jokester or a provocateur.

There's a number of tweets disparaging women, celebrities.

It's mostly shit-talking,

I guess, but it's still rude.

He definitely had some words for [bleep],

mocking her, which seems like nothing at first.

This guy knew what he was doing, going after [bleep].

Her fans are serious.

They call themselves the Hive because she's the Queen Bee,

and they are quick to sting if they need to.

They are merciless online.

You don't talk bad about the queen.

[chuckles] They don't play.

But Ralph... loved riling them up.

The woman in Arkansas, Ms. Daye, also, not a big fan.

I had a hunch... the method,

bludgeoned to death in her home...

I'm on the brink of something big.

And you saw Dorothy's social media.

Now this only seems unimportant

if you don't know about the Hive.

If Carmen was as big a fan as they say,

she was definitely in the Hive.

I just couldn't be sure if Ralph was her first victim.

I had to find out who else this bee had stung.

[laughs] That was good, right?

Make sure you keep that in there. [chuckles]

Hey. I'm Darryl Robinson,

and I've been a [bleep] stan since the beginning.

This queen thing is a cute nickname for some people,

but for me that's facts.

Like, she is the Queen Bee,

and we are her Hive of dedicated devotees.

Like, we sometimes get a bad rap, but...

we're family.

We take care of each other.

Like, we save seats when waiting for the drops.

We share pics and exclusive info when we can.

And we come for bitches that try to step for her.

Period. Just normal stuff.

Look, I heard about the murders.

And, uh, some detective thinks

that someone from the Hive is trying to kill people,

but the Hive doesn't kill people.

Like, we correct bitches who need to be corrected, but,

like, whoever is doing this is not one of us.

They do not represent us,

our community,

our family.

Like, we're not bad people.

♪ ♪

We just love this woman,

and would do absolutely anything for her.

Like, I know I would.

But...

not, like, murder. [chuckles]

No, I wouldn't.

Yeah. Not, like... not, like, murder.

That's too far.

Yeah.

♪ ♪

[birds chirping]

[Loretta] When you start to run out of leads,

you got to make your own.

Uh, not make it up, but...

I decided to look at unsolved murders

with the same M.O. in Texas.

I looked for victims with blunt force trauma.

[scoffs]

And wouldn't you know it,

I found one.

In Houston.

Khalid Woods was killed right in [bleep]'s hometown.

So I got my sister to watch the kids,

and I'm here to ask some questions.

- [door opens] - Hello, sir.

My name is Detective Loretta Greene

with Memphis PD.

I was hoping to talk to Khalid Woods' family.

What about?

Are you a relative?

Yeah, he's-he's my brother.

Okay.

I am so sorry for your loss, really, I am.

I just have a few follow-up questions.

- Was he a [bleep] fan? - Huh?

Was he into [bleep]? Did he love her or hate her?

Uh...

No, um... No, I don't think so.

Wh-Why would he?

Just trying to clear a few things up.

I was looking at the photos,

and I noticed that he had two teacups set up,

like he had company.

- Were you home? - Uh, no.

No, I wasn't, uh...

I was in Dallas at the time.

[Loretta] Okay.

There was no forced entry?

Usually in a case like this,

crime of passion, it is a loved one.

Did he have a girlfriend or an ex-girlfriend?

Yeah, a girlfriend, but she's dead.

- Really? - Yeah.

- What happened? - [bird squawks in distance]

She killed herself maybe a week before Khalid died.

- Damn. - Yeah.

What was her name?

Marissa.

Marissa Jackson.

Thank you, Talib.

♪ ♪

I found Marissa online.

I knew I'd heard that name before.

I'd seen it in Ralph's tweets,

the guy from the stripper murder.

Things are starting to come together.

When a young woman takes her own life,

and then her boyfriend is killed not too long after,

a good detective will find a connection between the two.

Murder-suies are always about love.

Fucked-up love, but love all the same.

But a suicide and then a murder?

[scoffs]

That's motive.

Now, that's worth following up on.

But the question becomes:

who would think the loss of Marissa

necessitated the death of Mr. Woods?

Dre. Looks like her friend.

I wonder where she is. We should talk to her.

♪ ♪

And guess what.

The owner of that strip club says he lost

the start paperwork for Carmen.

I bet that place has a list of violations as long as my arm.

But he did give a description.

[typing]

[scoffs]

Good for nothing.

[laughs]

We need to meet the Jacksons.

♪ ♪

[birds chirping]

Hello, Mrs. Jackson.

My name's Detective Loretta Greene.

- We spoke on the phone earlier. - Yes.

Come on in.

[Loretta] You have a lovely home.

[Patricia] It's definitely a lot of house just for me.

And here we are.

[laughs] That is so beautiful.

[chuckles] We left it the way it was.

[Loretta] Did you know her boyfriend, Khalid?

[Patricia] Not really.

I ran into her one Saturday afternoon

at the mall,

and she was with him.

She seemed happy.

And later that week, she came by

and asked me for some rent money. [chuckles]

I really believe it was for her and her...

roommate.

Uh, but I gave it to her anyways.

Would you like some lemonade?

[Loretta] Sure.

Was Marissa having any problems?

I mean, with Khalid or...

I don't think so.

Who really knows?

- This is a handsome man. - [Patricia chuckles]

Is this Mr. Jackson?

[Patricia] Harris. Yeah.

My husband was very handsome.

He passed in May. Prostate cancer.

I am so sorry.

You must be going through a lot right now.

[sighs]

♪ ♪

[Loretta] Is this her friend Dre?

I saw her in some photos with Marissa.

I was hoping I could talk to her.

Were they close?

Andrea was the foster child that Harris and I took in,

but things didn't work out.

I-I knew that Andrea wasn't your typical child,

but I wanted so badly to help her.

It was a lot to deal with.

And we, and we took her to a child psychologist,

and the state paid for it.

But Harris, he-he thought she was a lost cause.

And what made him think that?

Anything specific.

Well, it was a sleepover.

Um, it happened about a few weeks after the talent show.

- ♪ Charlie Daniels song... - [kids laughing]

[♪ Gretchen Wilson: "Redneck Woman"]

♪ Keeping it country ♪

♪ Let me get a big "hell yeah" ♪

♪ From the redneck girls like me ♪

♪ Hell yeah! ♪

[indistinct chatter, laughter]

- [boy] Stop. - [girl] Boo, get off stage.

- Stop. - [Patricia] We did our best,

but Andrea had such a hard time at school.

Those-those kids were awful to her.

- [laughs] What? - [Dre singing on video]

I totally forgot about this.

Good grief. [groans] Thank you.

I cannot believe she would do that to herself.

Wild.

I loved Marissa.

We were really good friends.

She was super funny and super sweet.

We roomed together

at cheer camp, it was so much fun.

Andrea, she was the Jacksons' foster child.

And she showed up in, like, fifth grade,

and she was super weird and super quiet.

You know how there's always that one kid

that has a wheelie backpack for just, like, way too long?

Yeah, that was Andrea.

Just... off.

[Patricia] She was sensitive.

So was Marissa.

I think that's why they stayed so close.

Uh, Harris, he-he didn't get it.

I think men, in general, don't get it.

There's a closeness with girls

that doesn't always have to mean that they're...

Well, you know, "funny."

And even if she was,

they loved each other.

They needed each other.

But Harris, he-he didn't get that.

♪ ♪

[Meghan] Marissa, yeah, she was a great friend, sister.

She was popular.

She always defended Andrea when people made fun of her.

Stood up for her in class.

I think Marissa was just happy to have a sister.

Andrea definitely was, too.

And they were inseparable.

They made a good team.

Was Andrea into ****** when she was younger?

[laughs] Wow.

Yes. She really was.

She was obsessed. She and Marissa.

They went to all the shows, and they sang all the songs.

I-I think that's why Andrea did the talent show,

so that she could be discovered like [bleep].

She was the biggest [bleep] fan.

Like, above all fans ever.

It was crazy, you know, but all the girls were.

You know, even Marissa.

We went to the concerts and stuff.

Well, I didn't.

Marissa, she invited me one time,

but, you know, after the whole sleepover thing,

I didn't want to be around her.

Andrea.

You mentioned a sleepover?

Yes. For Marissa's birthday.

I knew that the girls didn't like Andrea,

but they were Marissa's friends,

and I just thought that this could help them all bond.

That bitch tried to kill me. [scoffs]

At a sleepover. It was fucking insane.

She wasn't even supposed to be there.

It was some real Flowers in the Attic type shit.

I mean, not with, like, the incest or whatever,

but yeah, Marissa's parents made Andrea stay in the attic.

Harris, h-he didn't want Andrea getting in the way

of Marissa's childhood.

We all used to do this thing

where whoever fell asleep first got slumbered.

And so, I got all the girls to jump on top of Riss,

and... But it was fun, you know?

And next thing you know, I'm being yanked back by my ponytail

and slammed to the ground hard,

and Andrea is just on top of me, choking me.

And they're yelling, "Andrea, stop. Andrea, stop!

Please stop," and Riss is trying to pull her off of me.

[sighs] I will never forget the look on her face.

[Patricia] It was horrible.

The girls were screaming.

Her eyes were just all bugged out.

Harris rushed in there and he broke it up,

but the damage was done.

And Andrea, she just said she was sorry she spilled the milk.

I didn't know what that meant.

I didn't even realize I got stabbed

until they got her off of me.

I had to go to the hospital.

I had to wear a neck brace for the rest of the school year.

Obviously couldn't cheer.

My mom was pissed.

[Patricia] We paid for the girl's medical bills.

Thank God the parents, they-they didn't press charges.

[Gwen] The Jacksons got rid of Andrea shortly after that.

It was quick, and I don't know,

but I got back to eighth grade and I never saw her again.

You know, it is just crazy how you can say deuces

to your foster child like that.

I think she...

I don't know. That girl was...

messed-up.

Do you think Andrea is dangerous?

[clock ticking softly]

Can I hold on to this?

[clock chiming]

[Patricia crying]

I did everything that I could for that child.

I did, I did everything I could... [crying]

We can only do so much, us mothers.

I should've never left her.

I should've never let her leave.

- [sobbing] - Oh, honey. [shushes]

[muffled whispering]

You did your very best, sweetheart, you did.

- [crying] I'm ashamed. - You did your best.

- I'm ashamed. I'm so ashamed. - Oh.

♪ ♪

[sighs softly]

Did you show her the photo?

Yeah.

Perfect. Thanks.

It's Carmen.

Our stripper confirmed it.

[chuckles]

Wow.

- [horn honks in distance] - [railroad bell ringing]

This is sensitive info, so better let me do the talking.

Good cop, quiet cop.

[chuckles]

You're not a cop, but maybe I can deputize you.

So, like I said on the phone,

I just had some questions about a former foster child.

You were her case worker.

Andrea, yes, I remember her.

I can't give too many details, that wouldn't be right.

I just had a few questions.

Now, she was taken in by the Jackson family, correct?

Yes, uh, they had come looking for a daughter

the same age as their own.

And they were a good fit?

Well, yes, they were a nice family,

well employed, and they already had a child,

and we wouldn't place a child with a family

if they weren't suited for it.

They ended up sending her back to you.

Why do you think that is?

Usually when something like that happens,

it's because the family feels overwhelmed.

Overwhelmed?

Most families don't realize,

but a lot of the children that we serve here

have special needs and requirements.

Some parents get overwhelmed by that.

These kids have been through a lot.

They've all dealt with abandonment,

so our ultimate goal is just to find them some stability.

And adoption reversal is definitely a last resort.

Andrea had hurt someone,

so I assume that violence is pretty good grounds

for a reversal.

I don't like the idea of labeling a child as violent.

There are usually some factors

that contribute to a child lashing out.

And what would those factors be in Andrea's case?

You want me to gossip about a child...

- It's not... - ...that was under the care of the state?

It's not gossip, just a little information.

I've already given you

the information that I have, Ms. Greene.

I'm not sure what else I could tell you

that you need to know at this time.

I would just love if you can unpack it

a little bit more for me.

Oh, honey.

I have been doing this for over 30 years, okay?

I love all my babies the same.

I would never do that to any of these children.

Ms. Greene, I don't have any more information...

Ms. Kirby, all I'm saying is that

you're acting like you're not a mandated reporter.

- [overlapping chatter] - Why aren't you trying to give us more information?

What are you hiding?

[Roberta] Oh.

[scoffs] I see.

You want me to tell you her sob story?

That she was touched or something?

That she saw her mother murdered, and from then on

a screw was loose?

We just want you to be honest.

Let me say this.

If you want to help,

you should foster some children.

See for yourself what these children's worlds are like.

And I don't appreciate you portraying them as monsters.

You are doing a disservice to all the children in foster care

with these implications.

- [Loretta] No, Ms. Kirby... - The only reason

why you want Andrea's sob story

is so you can absolve yourselves.

Mm-hmm. You need there to be a reason

she was so messed-up,

so you don't have to sweep your own front door

and realize that you are just as flawed.

That girl was lonely,

and she was looking for acceptance.

And I don't know what has happened to her since,

or why y'all are here, but I'm not gonna help you judge her

for something that you couldn't begin to understand.

- [Loretta] Ms. Kirby, please... - I'm sorry.

I got to go.

[busy chatter nearby]

I thought I told you to be quiet.

♪ ♪

So it's been a couple of weeks now that we've been

following this thread.

What happened when you brought this up to your superiors?

[scoffs]

Of course no one cared.

I got them to put out an APB for Andrea Greene,

but it doesn't seem to be a priority.

Can you believe we have the same last name?

What if we're kin?

I keep asking myself why I'm so drawn to this case,

why I'm so drawn to her.

I look at Andrea's face,

sometimes I see nothing,

and sometimes I see myself.

Now, why is that?

I wonder how different life could've been for her

if say, I had taken her in or my parents.

But anyways, we'll see if she pops up.

They were already looking for her on the break-in supposedly,

but... [scoffs]

I found a couple of other murders that fit the profile,

but...

I need some more evidence.

I just wish I could talk to her.

[laughs]

Maybe at a [bleep] concert.

I could run into Andrea there.

I better start saving up.

Those tickets are not cheap.

♪ ♪

[laughs] Really?

We found her.

They found her.

Is this her brother?

No, that's her. That's got to be.

You don't think it looks like her.

She's going by Tony now.

I knew we'd catch a break.

Everybody here thinks I'm looking at it wrong, but...

I've combed her socials.

I know it's her, but no one believes me.

[laughs]

I'm gonna go down to Atlanta.

See if I can talk to her.

Try and fill in the gaps.

I told them to hold her.

Hopefully she doesn't make bail before I get there.

Do you think there are more murders out there?

[scoffs]

I guarantee it. I guarantee it.

♪ ♪

[engine starts]

♪ ♪

♪ ♪

What you directing?

I'm directing this show

that I'm working on right now

with, like, uh, Chloe and Damson and Dom Fishback.

It's in the works. It's going well.

♪ ♪

♪ Been a Barbie doll type ♪

[♪ Gretchen Wilson: "Redneck Woman"]

♪ No, I can't swig that sweet champagne ♪

♪ I'd rather drink beer all night ♪

♪ In a tavern or in a honky-tonk ♪

♪ Or on a four-wheel drive tailgate ♪

♪ I've got posters on my wall of Skynyrd, Kid and Strait ♪

♪ Some people look down on me ♪

♪ But I don't give a rip ♪

♪ I stand barefooted in my own front yard ♪

♪ With a baby on my hip ♪

♪ 'Cause I'm a redneck woman ♪

♪ And I ain't no high-class broad ♪

♪ I'm just a product of my raising ♪

♪ I say, "Hey, y'all" and "Yee-haw" ♪

♪ And I keep my Christmas lights on ♪

♪ On my front porch all year long ♪

♪ And I know all the words ♪

♪ To every Charlie Daniels song ♪

♪ So here's to all my sisters ♪

♪ Out there keeping it country ♪

♪ Let me get a big "Hell yeah" ♪

♪ From the redneck girls like me ♪

♪ Hell yeah! ♪♪