The rape and murder of several cheerleaders from a small Texas town of River Oaks will be explored in an upcoming episode of a crime series set to air on Investigation Discovery TV. Murder Under the Friday Night Lights will delve into the 1982 case involving the shocking crimes that shook a high school and community.
The true-crime series consists of six episodes, all involving rape and murder surrounding football. “High school football is a bedrock of small-town America where the hometown team is often the centerpiece of the local community. But sadly, these local traditions can come with an unexpected dark side as the cases in Murder Under the Friday Night Lights show,” said Jason Sarlanis, President of Crime and Investigative Content.
As some may recall, the rapes and murders involved female cheerleaders attending Castleberry High School in River Oaks. A serial rapist attacked several of his victims before killing one, cheerleader Retha Stratton.
“Baffling clues and community pressure pit the local sheriff against a brash private investigator until some very unusual suspects emerge,” the series’ description shares.
The series will also spotlight the controversial sentence given to the suspect arrested for just one rape and murder in the case and his repeated release from prison after terrorizing a small town. A well-known local, the public is stunned when police take him in.
The episode featuring the River Oaks rapes and murder will air on Investigation Discovery TV on ID on January 4 at 9 p.m. The six-episode special will also explore the case of a missing Texas football player from the Texas Panhandle back in 2016. The episode will air one week later on January 7 at 9 p.m. on Investigation Discovery TV.