Sky Documentaries has commissioned a three-part documentary reexamining two double murders in the coastal community of Pembrokeshire in the 1980s.
From Magna Studios, the series asks questions about the landmark case, which remained unsolved for years until local community member John Cooper was convicted in 2011 for the murders of Richard and Helen Thomas and Peter and Gwenda Dixon. In 2021, ITV aired the drama series The Pembrokeshire Murders, which prompted local journalist Andy Chandler and legal assistant Hayley Wood to explore whether Cooper might have been responsible for other crimes. Their subsequent investigation raised questions about Cooper’s guilt. The Criminal Cases Review Commission (CCRC) is now reviewing material relating to the case.
The Pembrokeshire Murders (w.t.) features Chandler and Wood, as well as unseen material and archive, first-hand testimony, and expert insights.
Hayley Reynolds, head of documentary commissioning at Sky, said, “Hayley and Andy are two Pembrokeshire locals whose search for answers about crimes that have loomed large in their community for decades takes them somewhere entirely unexpected. What they uncover raises important new questions, turning their investigation into a compelling search for the truth.”
Louis Mole, creative director at Magna Studios, said, “Stories of this scale demand a cinematic sensibility, but also the rigor of journalism and a genuine exploration of the truth. This series embodies Magna’s approach: telling gripping, human stories through the different perspectives of those who lived them, with the craft and integrity to engage and challenge audiences.”
