Reign of Terror (S01E02)

Michelle McNamara contemplates the 1984 killing of her childhood neighbor, Kathy Lombardo, a tragedy that sparked her enduring interest in unsolved mysteries. Former detectives involved in the East Area Rapist (EAR) investigation from the 1970s, along with amateur sleuths who continued their efforts, examine the surge of serial rapes in Northern California during that period. They reflect on a time when victims frequently felt too embarrassed to come forward, and sexual crimes were often downplayed both in media reports and legal proceedings.