In the late 1970s, Los Angeles was the serial murder capital of the world. The Freeway Killers. The Toolbox Killers. The Dating Game Killer. The Skid Row Slasher. But none terrorized this city of millions more than the Hillside Strangler, a phantom who struck without warning, abducting, raping, and murdering a dozen women and girls and leaving their bodies displayed on the hillsides like grim trophies.
Now the story is being immortalised in a new limited docuseries, The Hillside Strangler, which premieres globally on MGM+ on January 18, 2026. The streamer has just released a new trailer which you can check out in the player below:
These crimes sparked the largest manhunt in LA’s blood-soaked history, led by a relentless homicide detective named Frank Salerno. His dogged pursuit led to the strangler’s capture and the revelation that these vicious acts were perpetrated by two men, Kenneth Bianchi and his cousin Angelo Buono.
After the longest criminal trial in U.S. history, both were sentenced to life in prison, and Salerno’s work became legend. It was the case that defined his career and set him on the path to later bring down the Night Stalker. Now, for the first time in over 40 years, Frank Salerno tells his story, revisiting the case that changed him forever. But he isn’t the only one ready to talk. Angelo Buono died behind bars in 2002, but Kenneth Bianchi is alive in prison and has never been willing to share his story on camera—until now…
