ITV2 is looking into three shocking crimes in its new true-crime series Social Media Murders.
Airing over consecutive nights, each will focus on real crimes that resulted in the death of a young person while exploring the unsettling role social media played in bringing together the culprit and the victim.
Providing a compelling yet cautionary insight into the experiences of young people affected by disturbing 21st century crime, these three films put the victim at the centre of the narrative alongside material obtained from social media accounts and mobile phones, which hopes to immerse viewers in the events as they unfolded.
Here’s everything you need to know including the release date, and which cases will feature.
Social Media Murders release date
Social Media Murders will air on ITV2 and ITV Hub this November. The first episode will air on ITV2 on Monday 15th November at 9pm, and episodes two and three will follow on Tuesday and Wednesday at the same time.
Episodes will be available to stream on ITV Hub once they have aired on TV.
What are the cases in Social Media Murders?
The three films are The Murder of Grace Millane (made by Firecracker Films), The Murder of Alex Rodda (made by Crackit Productions), and The Murder of Molly McLaren (made by Knickerbockerglory Productions).
The Murder of Grace Millane
In 2018, 22-year-old Grace Millane, a British backpacker, went missing while on a Tinder date in Auckland. A week after Grace’s disappearance, 26-year-old Jesse Kempson was arrested and later convicted of Grace’s murder and sentenced to life imprisonment.
Using exclusive interviews with the investigators closest to the case, combined with police interview footage with the culprit Jesse Kempson and CCTV, this film tells the story of a truly chilling case that sparked worldwide media attention.
The Murder of Alex Rodda
In December 2019, Alex Rodda, a 15-year-old teenager, was murdered by 18-year-old Matthew Mason six weeks after they first exchanged messages via social media.
The pair initially forged a relationship through social media platforms like Facebook and Snapchat, which is where the grooming process started.
Material obtained from social media accounts and mobile phones will immerse viewers in the events as they unfolded, symbolising the key role this intermediary played in connecting these two individuals.
Experts will further observe the role social media played in this dreadful crime and also share their views on how the older teenager’s grooming of Alex played out.
The Murder of Molly McLaren
From the producers of Netflix’s American Murder: The Family Next Door, The Murder of Molly McLaren looks at the devastating case of Molly, a 23-year-old who was murdered by her ex-boyfriend Joshua Stimpson in 2017.
This documentary provides insight into a relationship, which began after meeting on Tinder, and was ended by Molly following a few months of dating as Joshua grew more controlling.
Social Media Murders starts on ITV2 on Monday 15th November at 9pm. Find out what else to watch with our TV Guide or visit our dedicated Documentaries hub.