Village of the Damned (2017)

Legend has it that the quiet, picturesque village of Dryden, N.Y., inspired Frank Capra's vision of Bedford Falls in It's a Wonderful Life. But contrary to that image, Dryden became the setting for a strange string of tragedies and murders between 1989 and 1999 that left residents wondering why death stalked their beloved town. To them it was a tragic coincidence, but outsiders gossiped about a curse, labeling Dryden as a real-life "Village of the Damned." Residents have maintained a code of silence... until now. Nearly two decades after Dryden's dark years ended, America's leading true-crime network, Investigation Discovery (ID), brings the mystery to life in a serialized format that features the town itself as the central character, as well as a Greek chorus of residents that lived through this tragic time. Each episode pries open one chapter from that era, starting with the cold-blooded execution of an entire family, followed by the murder of a beloved football coach, the untimely deaths of two beloved cheerleaders, and the tragic ripple effects that touched all corners of the community. Interviews with law enforcement and other key players transport viewers back to the moments, days, months, and years that followed each crime. Produced by Red Marble Media in association with Spring Theory.