May 30, 2021
By Nikki Antonesco
Staff Writer
Lovers of true crime, you’re in for some solid entertainment, but it is not without flaws. On April 14, Netflix released the thrilling documentary “Why Did You Kill Me?”
The documentary follows the 2006 murder of Crystal Theobald, a mother of two who resided in Riverside, California. The film depicts the efforts of Crystal’s mother Belinda Lane to track down her daughter’s murderer. After hearing the news about her daughter, Belinda—with the help of a few others—sets up a fake social media account on Myspace to catch the killers.
This movie is worth watching if you appreciated the genre. At just 1 hour, 23 minutes, it is a fast-moving film that keeps viewers interested and curious about what will happen next. Nonetheless, Netflix has some other great documentaries, and this one doesn’t compare to “The Murderer Next Door” or “The Vanishing at the Cecil Hotel.”
“Why Did You Kill Me?” could have been improved if the film included more interviews from the people who were close to Crystal. There was a lot of information included, but there could have been even more in certain parts, specifically when it comes to details about Crystal’s life. Each moment of the movie was good, but there just was not enough content to pull me in the way other true crime documentaries have.
Belinda messages the killers every day trying to sound and act like Crystal, and once she begins threatening them, the cops have to intervene and remind her to stick with their plan. That is easier said than done because Belinda is a very strong individual who wants to get her way.
Crystal was only 24 years old when she was shot to death. Her brother was with her and held her while she died. After this tragic loss, her mother made a promise to herself that she would get revenge, which she achieves through her efforts on Myspace.
Crystal’s cousin Jamie originally pretends to be Crystal in order to lure the killers, but Jamie finds the task to be overwhelming. Therefore, Belinda takes over, and that is when everything gets really serious. She threatens some people online and tries to throw a fake party to see if any of the killers would show up.
Belinda messages the killers every day trying to sound and act like Crystal, and once she begins threatening them, the cops have to intervene and remind her to stick with their plan. That is easier said than done because Belinda is a very strong individual who wants to get her way. She is determined to get justice for her daughter, which is understandable since she is a mother in need of closure.
Unfortunately, the scenes didn’t flow as well as they could; the music is very basic and typical for the genre. The soundtrack could have been unique and memorable, but instead it reminds the audience of cheesy horror movies.
“Why Did You Kill Me?” is a good way for Netflix subscribers to pass the time, but they are likely to forget about it quickly. Nonetheless, viewers will feel inspired by Belinda’s courage. They will surely look up to her and hope that if put in that type of horrible situation, they too would have the inner strength and determination to stand up for the ones they love.
