peaches30-676-626736 This really was a wonderful movie. I was just a child when all this was going on and don't remember the newscasts about it. Later, I watched it with my Mom and she told me she knew some of the people involved. The things that William Bradley did were awful, but it is a true story and people are sometimes evil, without a reason for it. As far as anyone claiming this story and movie are made up, I suggest you look up Main Line Murders on thecrimelibrary.com. The entire true events of this movie are on the website I just listed. Also, if you want more information about other crimes this website is the most reliable and the best resource I have found for doing research on becoming a Forensic Psychologist.

caldwela I found this site by accident. I went to Upper Merion too, 1975. I remember Mrs. Reinert and the rest of the English department. It is sad that we will never know what happened to her children. It was so strange watching the whole thing unfold, involving people I knew; then the books and the movie. Like others have said the movie got a lot of things wrong, but I always figured they were intentionally trying to make things look less like the real thing for some reason. Dr Smith was a joke (we called him JC) but he was the principal. I remember him doing morning announcements and just rambling on and on about nothing. It was great cause we missed part of first period, but he was a weird guy. If you wonder how so many people could be taken in by Bradfield I could never figure it out either. Most of my girl friends had Bradfield's class and they just thought he was wonderful, some kind of genius. I never got it, he always seemed so phony to me, but then I never had a class with him. I had Miss Myers for English and what a shock it was to find out she was dating anyone, let alone living with Bradfield. She was a lot mousier than she was portrayed in the movie, always wore her hair in a bun. I've always had one big question that never got answered: The newspaper stories always talked about JCs family: his wife who died and his daughter Stephanie & her husband who disappeared suspiciously, but they never ever mentioned his other daughter Sherry, she was in my class. The movie didn't go into this side story about JCs daughter & son in law, the local cops thought JC killed them too but couldn't prove anything. It was just odd that in all the background stories that were printed, a second daughter was never mentioned. I always wondered why. Did JC do something to her too?

juliojimenez-2 I went to Upper Merion High School in 1973. The school was a regular school to me. Mr. Bradfield was my English teacher. I learned a lot from him. I invited him and Sue Myers to a bar-be-cue at my sister's house that summer and they came together and he brought me a parting gift which I still own to this day. A swiss Army knife. We all liked him and thought he was the best English teacher. Of course I did not speak any English at that time. So I owe that to him. I left UMHS that summer and based on what happened 6 years later I was glad I did. I could not believe what happened. I was shocked to say the least. I have read Echoes in the Darkness and watched the mini-series when they came out. As recently as one month ago I found out there were two other books out on this; Principal Suspect, by William Coustoupoulus and Engaged to Murder by Loretta Shwarts-Nobel. After reading all books I have concluded that Bill Bradfield masterminded the whole thing and may have paid someone to commit these atrocious crimes. I don' believe that the Mr. Bradfield I knew was capable of such heinous crimes but based on his economic circumstances I believe him capable of masterminding it all. Mr Smith may or may not have anything to do with this. According to the Pa Supreme Court Mr Smith was found guilty with lies from a convicted perjurer cop (Martray) and hearsay from all Bradfield's friends and lovers and that evidence was not admissible. So the state's investigators and lawyers messed that one up since Wambaugh wanted to have a good ending to his novel. Now Smith is a free man and Bradfield died in jail in 1998. Whew... I am glad I got that out.

billycutshaw An truly outstanding, compulsive drama based on a true story concerning charismatic would-be poet Peter Coyote (in a career best performance) and his manipulation of just about everyone he comes into contact with, eventually leading to murder. This is a fascinating, intriguing telling of a rather bizarre murder case with not only Coyote on top form, but also matched by Robert Loggia as his exceedingly odd, certainly unhinged partner-in-crime. Just watch those final moments in the court-room as he completely loses it and incriminates himself. Wonderful stuff! There are also some very fine supporting performances, not least Peter Boyle's turn as one of the investigating detectives.This is really what made for TV movies do best and I would recommend this without hesitation. Once you begin watching, you'll be hooked!