The award-winning documentary My Brother’s Killer will premiere on Investigation Discovery on December 3, 2026 after a successful festival run. The film, which focuses on the 1990 murder of Billy Newton, earned the Best Documentary Jury Award at the Outshine LGBTQ+ Film Festival and screened at the 2026 SXSW Film & TV Festival.
“From the moment we saw Rachel Mason’s powerful film and finished processing the stunning revelations of its final moments, we knew we wanted to use our platform to bring this story to the widest possible audience,” stated Jason Sarlanis, President of ID. “My Brother’s Killer chronicles how one man’s tragic passing inspired a decades-long pursuit of the truth and, in doing so, delivers a deeply moving portrait of Billy Newton and the underserved community that refused to let him be forgotten.”
Filmmaker Rachel Mason (Circus of Books) investigated the unsolved murder, partnering with the LAPD as well as Billy London’s family and friends and authors/podcasters Christopher Rice and Eric Shaw Quinn.
“After Billy Newton was found murdered on October 29, 1990, his case was forgotten by most but haunted many: from the LAPD detectives first at the scene to his family in Wisconsin, fellow adult performers, and LGBQT+ community members in West Hollywood – who were left wondering: who would want to harm someone as beloved as Billy?” reads ID’s synopsis. “Over the course of two hours, My Brother’s Killer documents [Mason’s] efforts while examining the vibrant but dangerous landscape of the gay adult film industry in the 1990s within West Hollywood’s LGBTQ+ community.
The film ultimately leads to the shocking revelation of Newton’s actual killer. Featuring poignant personal archival footage of Newton from his loved ones and friends, exclusive and intimate interviews with those closest to him, and a never-before-seen interview with his killer. My Brother’s Killer highlights how collective action and the strong bonds of community helped bring long-delayed justice to one young man’s heartbreaking case.”
