The Scream Killers: Hulu's New Docuseries Examines Teen Murder Inspired by Horror Film

On September 22, 2006, Cassie Stoddart, a high school student, was brutally murdered in what became one of the most disturbing cases of copycat violence in recent American true crime history. The perpetrators—her classmates Brian Draper and Torey Adamcik—claimed they drew inspiration from the slasher film *Scream*, leading media outlets to dub them "The Scream Killers."

Now, Hulu is bringing the full story to audiences worldwide with *The Scream Murder: A True Teen Horror Story*, a three-part docuseries that premiered on Wednesday, February 11, 2026. The series examines the brutal crime, the investigation that followed, and the disturbing evidence that ultimately led to convictions and life sentences for both perpetrators.

The murder itself was extraordinarily violent. Stoddart was stabbed approximately 30 times in a house, a crime scene that revealed chilling evidence: blood spatter, bloody clothing, knives, and Halloween masks—props seemingly taken directly from the *Scream* universe. The most damning evidence, however, came in the form of a videotape that Draper and Adamcik had created themselves.

In this disturbing recording, dated September 22, 2006, at 9:50 p.m., the two perpetrators documented their plans and actions with shocking candor. The video captured them planning the murder, making statements like "She's going to die," and referencing their victim being alone in a large, dark house—a scenario directly lifted from horror film tropes. Most alarmingly, the perpetrators also recorded themselves after the crime, celebrating what they had done. This self-created evidence would prove instrumental in their arrests and convictions.

Initially, the investigation took a different direction. Cassie's boyfriend, Matt, was initially investigated as a suspect—a common starting point in homicide cases involving intimate partners. However, he was quickly cleared, leaving investigators to pursue other leads. The community, initially fearing a random killer might be at large, was shocked when the truth emerged: two of their own teenagers had orchestrated and executed the murder inspired by a fictional film.