9 Movies That Helped Solve Real Life Crimes

2. A Death In St. Augustine (2013)

A Death In St. Augustine is a 2013 episode of the hit series Frontline, which details the death of Michelle O'Connell in 2010. She was found with a gunshot in the mouth in the evening she broke up with her abusive boyfriend, who was a police officer.

His gun was found next to her body, and the Sherrif's office concluded that the death was from suicide. Questions lingered over the likelihood of suicide while suspicion lingered around her ex-boyfriend, but because the investigation concluded with that ruling, the case was pretty much closed.

O'Connell's sister said that "The word suicide was thrown around right off the bat without any investigation." Furthermore, the investigation only amounted to around three hours of work, and the family wasn't buying it. The lack of clarity over the case helped elevate it to the attention of Frontline.

When the episode "A Death in St. Augustine" aired in 2013, it directly impacted the case. When the episode and the event were brought to the attention of then-Florida Governor Rick Scott, he ordered the case of Michelle O'Connell to be reopened.

Further evidence strongly suggested her death was a homicide, but various missteps by investigators didn't result in charges being filed. As of late-2020, that remains the case, though the O'Connell family continues the fight in any way it can.