Stephen King fans might be disappointed to learn HBO’s The Pet Cemetery Murders: A Ghost Story doesn’t involve reanimated dogs and cats. However, the three-part documentary does focus on the murder of the owner of a pet cemetery.
Written and directed by Being Beethoven‘s Philip Cairney, part one premieres on Sunday, October 11, 2026 at 9pm ET/PT. Part two debuts on October 18, and the final chapter arrives on October 25. Executive producers include Simon Chinn, Jonathan Chinn, Suzanne Lavery, James Marsh, Silvia Sacco, Nancy Abraham, Lisa Heller, and Tina Nguyen.
HBO offers this lengthy synopsis for the docudrama:
“What begins as an investigation into a 1985 murder turns into a haunting exploration of a community’s dark history of violence and bloodshed. Set in the rural bayou outside New Orleans, Louisiana, a harsh landscape steeped in supernatural lore and traditions, the story starts with the disappearance of Dorothy Lou Thompson – the owner of a pet cemetery that had been built on land long rumored to be cursed.
Dorothy’s body eventually turns up wrapped in chains in the Mississippi River, raising questions about her past and the people around her. With no concrete evidence, the case goes cold until 2009 when Det. John Doran reopens the investigation, following up on old leads and digging into the case files. Unexpectedly, a witness comes forward with a terrifying tale of Dorothy’s ghost, which compels him to come forward with information.
Three years later, a second witness claims to be haunted by the murdered woman seeking vengeance. The vexing accounts launch a police investigation into Dorothy’s tragic past, revealing a trail of dead husbands, a domineering mother, Grace, who founded the cemetery after outrunning her own criminal acts, and the long shadow of a community steeped in evil deeds that were buried but not forgotten.
With insight from Dorothy’s neighbors, law enforcement, local journalists, and scholars, the series unearths a labyrinthine tale involving multiple dead bodies, disturbing family secrets, and centuries-old massacres, exposing the deep-seated horror and guilt that still haunt the community.”
The Pet Cemetery Murders: A Ghost Story Episodes
Episode 1 – SUNDAY, OCTOBER 11 at 9:00pm ET/PT
A decades-old Louisiana cold case involving the gruesome death of Dorothy Lou Thompson, the owner of a pet cemetery, gains traction after a startling account launches investigators down various haunting leads.
Episode 2 – SUNDAY, OCTOBER 18
Detectives make strides in Dorothy’s case and an unlikely witness emerges with a vexing admission.
Episode 3 – SUNDAY, OCTOBER 25
Although Dorothy’s murder gets solved, what was unearthed in her case is a trail of murders, mobsters, and a horrific history that still haunts this community.
