DOCUMENTARY REVIEW: The Texas Killing Fields (2022)

Very Good Docuseries That Doesn't Quite Reach Its Full Potential

During the Buffalo Blizzard of 2022 I watched “The Texas Killing Fields” on Netflix, a three-part documentary just released in late November. The premie orbits around four unsolved murders of women in the small city of Texas called League City during a span of the 80’s and 90’s, with secondary focus on several other female slayings along Interstate 45. Here’s my NON-SPOILERS take:

PROS: A crime documentary depicting law enforcement’s inadequate work is nothing new or original but The Texas Killing Field excels at hammering investigative struggles primarily through the narrative of Tim Miller, father of victim Laura Miller. That’s not to say this film shows that investigators were straight up negligent and combative to victim families and concerned citizens like we saw recently in both the Netflix Jeffrey Dahmer documentary series(s). The three parts of Killing Fields (each under a hour) mostly keep the story and interviews flowing in a fashion that for the most part doesn’t feel it’s dragging their heels. A good docuseries, especially one involving grotesque violence will elicit emotions from the audience and there’s no shortage of outrage and heartbreak felt for victims and families, especially Miller. You can tell Miller’s life was turned upside down by what happened to his daughter, understandably so of course. This man has quite literally dedicated and in many ways sacrificed his life attempting to bring closure for Laura, other victims and himself. Lastly, the directing (Jessica Dimmock) is exquisite with tons of stunning visuals, photography and well done interviews with lots of people involved in the story.

CONS: It angers me League City police refused to take any part in the documentary, like literally not a single talking head from that end. Lots of anger thrown at law enforcement from various victim family members and it’s frustrating to not hear a peep from the other side of the story—makes it feel a bit one-sided. Also, the title and primary focus is on the four Texas Killing Fields murders but a chunk of the story, especially middle episode is dedicated to similar but ultimately unrelated slayings along the Interstate stretch. Tragic for sure but made things drag a little and had me longing to return back what I originally tuned in for. Lastly, I feel for Tim Miller and God only knows what I’d do if forced to live through what he has, but in his (plausible) obsession to find justice he leads an accusation brigade against a suspect that eventually ends in tragedy, one eventually deemed innocent. If nothing else Miller should’ve been held more morally accountable in the story.

VERDICT/GRADE: On the whole I enjoyed this documentary. Whether justice ends up served or not you still have a clear idea of exactly who’s the killer. Documentaries, especially with true crime don’t usually have fairytale endings so don’t anticipate one here. Regardless, I found myself interested, invested and emotional throughout. That said and to reiterate, two factors that for me kept this from reaching its full potential was a failure to get League City to discuss the case and significant time spent on murders, especially one involving a 12-year old victim and subsequent lengthy interviews with her mother that while gut wrenching and tragic, proved to have zero to do with the Texas fields and therefore should’ve been trimmed or not included.  I certainly recommend this doc but wouldn’t go to war defending Texas Killing Fields from its detractors.  Grade: B