MGM+ Greenlights True-Crime Docuseries “The Hillside Strangler”

MGM+, a premium linear channel and streaming service, today announced it has greenlit The Hillside Strangler, a new four-part true-crime docuseries that explores the infamous murders that gripped Los Angeles in the late 1970s and the exhaustive investigation that followed. The docuseries will premiere on January 18, 2026.

In the late 1970s, Los Angeles was the serial murder capital of the world. The Freeway Killers. The Toolbox Killers. The Dating Game Killer. The Skid Row Slasher. But none terrorized this city of millions more than the Hillside Strangler, a phantom who struck without warning, abducting, raping, and murdering a dozen women and girls and leaving their bodies displayed on the hillsides like grim trophies. These crimes sparked the largest manhunt in LA’s blood-soaked history, led by a relentless homicide detective named Frank Salerno. His dogged pursuit led to the strangler’s capture and the revelation that these vicious acts were perpetrated by two men, Kenneth Bianchi and his cousin Angelo Buono.

After the longest criminal trial in U.S. history, both were sentenced to life in prison, and Salerno’s work became legend. It was the case that defined his career and set him on the path to later bring down the Night Stalker. Now, for the first time in over 40 years, Frank Salerno tells his story, revisiting the case that changed him forever. But he isn’t the only one ready to talk. Angelo Buono died behind bars in 2002, but Kenneth Bianchi is alive in prison and has never been willing to share his story on camera – until now.

“The Hillside Strangler is a compelling deep dive into an infamous serial killing that terrorized Southern California in the late 1970s,” said Michael Wright, head of MGM+. “This docuseries delivers a riveting experience with unprecedented access to one of the most notorious cases in American criminal history, offering MGM+ viewers the premium, thought-provoking storytelling they’ve come to expect from our brand.”

In a joint statement, IPC’s Eli Holzman and Aaron Saidman added, “We’re thrilled to be working with Michael Wright and his team again on The Hillside Strangler after our first collaboration on The Wonderland Murders, which was a great success on the platform. MGM+ continues to be an ideal home for gripping true crime sagas, and we’re proud to bring audiences the chilling and controversial tale of Kenneth Bianchi and Angelo Buono, crafted alongside our EP partners, Tim Walsh and EP/director Peter LoGreco.”