In Lifetime’s Suitcase Killer: The Melanie McGuire Story, first-time feature film director Nicole L. Thompson retells a ripped-from-the-headlines story about a wife and mother put on trial for the murder of her husband, Bill McGuire, in 2004.
To this day, Melanie maintains her innocence and continues to appeal the jury’s verdict of life in prison from behind bars. Thompson calls McGuire’s story “chilling and powerful.”
Suitcase Killer: The Melanie McGuire Story tells the real-life story from start to finish, from when Melanie (Candice King) first meets her future husband, Bill (Michael Roark), to when his dismembered body washes up on a beach inside of a suitcase, and finally to Melanie’s murder trial.
“This is a New Jersey story, and I’m from Newark,” Thompson told MovieMaker. “Bill McGuire, Melanie’s husband, worked in Newark at NJIT. So the story, I just felt so connected… Bill McGuire, spent a lot of time in Atlantic City and being someone from New Jersey I’ve been to Atlantic City. So I felt like I was able to tap into this true-crime [story] based off some of my truth.”
Thompson has directed several short films in the past, including “Blackbird,” which tells the story of a young Black woman whose dream is to become a pilot. She got the opportunity to direct The Melanie McGuire Story through Lifetime’s Broader Focus Initiative, which is dedicated to hiring women of color to direct, write and produce.
She also sought out advice ahead of making her first feature.
Also Read: ‘Blackbird’ Filmmaker Nicole L. Thompson Soars Because of Grandmother’s Sacrifice
“The advice I was given was to make sure, while creating this film, that the characters — keeping their arc aligned throughout the film,” she said. “In filmmaking, you’re shooting out of order. It’s really important that who they are in one moment tracks to who they are later. So that’s one piece of advice I was given, to make sure that I constantly think about where the character is on their journey right now, and moving forward, how do I portray that out of order?”
A fan of true crime herself, Thompson poured over online research about the facts of the case in order to tell the story as accurately as possible.
“I went to the web and looked at every article I could get my hands on,” she said. “I watched the documentary that’s following her story. There are so many articles, and so many news clips, so I just dug deep and got sucked into the story. True crime is very powerful. And I think for this particular story, you know, her being someone who worked as a nurse and found herself in this predicament is very interesting.”
The most important part of telling McGuire’s story, Thompson said, was “making sure that the truth shines through.” She didn’t want to make assumptions about whether McGuire was guilty or innocent, either.
“The goal was to leave it to the audience to decide what happened. Kind of show both sides of the story, both perspectives,” she said. “This is a true story and we want to give it justice.”
Suitcase Killer: The Melanie McGuire Story premieres Jue 18 on Lifetime.
Main Image: Candice King as Melanie McGuire in Suitcase Killer: The Melanie McGuire Story courtesy of Lifetime
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