One of the latest true crime films gaining renewed attention on Netflix is Suitcase Killer: The Melanie McGuire Story, a 2022 Lifetime scripted drama based on the real-life case of a New Jersey woman who murdered her husband and attempted to cover it up in horrific fashion.
The television film is inspired by true events, and viewers are now digging into the actual story behind the Lifetime movie as it trends after landing on Netflix.
What happened to Melanie McGuire’s relationship with her husband?
Melanie McGuire appeared to have a happy relationship with her husband Bill McGuire. The couple fell deeply in love when they met at the diner where they both worked. They then started dating and taking romantic trips together. The couple moved in together soon after, welcomed two boys and got married. But their life started falling apart in the following years when they became overwhelmed with stress.
Although they bought a home in New Jersey after five years of marriage, the family never had a chance to move in. Before they had a chance to enjoy their home, McGuire drugged and shot her husband, as Netflix’s Tudum reported. She dismembered his body, fit his remains in separate suitcases and dumped it into the Chesapeake Bay. A fisherman found the remains a few days later.
As police started investigating the murder, Bill’s friend identified the body. Melanie was arrested in 2005 after police gathered enough evidence.
What happened to Melanie McGuire?
As Melanie appeared on trial in 2007, prosecutors proved that she bought the weapon to murder her husband a few days before the crime. Investigators also revealed that she murdered her husband because she was having an affair with her co-worker, Dr. Bradley Miller, and she wanted to start a life with him. Melanie was found guilty of first-degree murder in 2007. She is now serving a life sentence.