Directed by Wendy OrdSearching for a Serial Killer: The Regina Smith Story‘ tells the story of a rookie police officer and single mother who hunts down a sadistic serial killer and begins to uncover clues the FBI missed. Shortly after Regina Smith (Karrueche Tran) joins the Dallas Police Department, she is tested on a harrowing case involving the Eyeball Killer, who removed his victims’ eyes after killing them. As he lays the foundations of the case, he discovers a trail of evidence that leads to the killer’s door.

But as a rookie policewoman in a male-dominated profession, Regina’s voice is not heard and she is forced to risk everything to bring the cold-blooded killer to justice and create a safer world for her young daughter. Lifetime crime income It tells the exciting story of the relentless struggle of a serial killer who terrorizes a city and a police officer who trusts his instincts and does not let go.

In Search of a Serial Killer: The Regina Smith Story Based on True Events

Lifetime’s ‘Searching for the Serial Killer: The Regina Smith Story’ is based on the true story of now-retired Dallas Police officer Lieutenant Regina L. Smith and his pivotal role in catching the Eyeball Killer, Charles Albright. Written by Conor Allyn and Benjamin Anderson, the film moderately dramatizes the investigation and capture of the serial killer but remains largely faithful to actual events. Regina Smith had been with the Dallas Police Department for only two months when the first mysterious murder occurred in December 1990. 33-year-old sex worker Mary Lou Pratt was shot in the head. An autopsy revealed that he had been severely beaten and his eyes had been removed with surgical precision.

When a second sex worker, Susan Peterson, was found murdered in a similar manner just months later, the city was thrown into panic as it became clear that Dallas now had the first known serial killer in history. With connections within the sex worker community, Regina spread the message to be careful and kept an ear out for any information about the killer. Meanwhile, the Eyeball Killer left no forensic evidence behind and the FBI had no leads to follow. They created a profile showing that the killer worked in the medical field and had a preference for Caucasian sex workers.

In the months since the first murder, Regina has been relaying witness statements and information from sex workers who claim to have important information about the case. First, Veronica Rodriguez claimed to have seen Mary Pratt’s killer. Later, Brenda White said, when she got into her car, a man tried to kill her, but the woman pepper-sprayed him and ran away. Smith and his partner, John Matthews, took the description of the suspect given by both women and entered that information, along with a tip from a colleague, into the prison system. This produced a match and returned Charles Albright’s mugshot along with a photo matching the description Brenda White had provided.

Realism of the Movie and Details

Once Regina Smith had gathered as much evidence as she could, she and Matthews personally went to the homicide unit and showed them all the connections made to the information they had collected. Convinced, they assembled a SWAT team to arrest Charles Albright at his home. As a gesture of recognition, they asked Regina and John to accompany them during the arrest. The SWAT team arrested Albright and allowed rookie officers to take him to the homicide unit. Smith noted that Albright had a cold stare and a chilling presence and did not claim innocence as he took him to jail.

In his youth, Albright wanted to become a doctor and surgeon, but was unable to complete his pre-med degree. When he was 16, he spent a year in prison for theft of three guns and petty cash. He continued playing as an adult and earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees. Albright was never able to keep his job for very long and worked as a teacher, coach, and paper deliveryman. Albright was 57 when Mary Pratt was killed, and experts believe he may have killed many people before. At that time, only circumstantial evidence could be found regarding the alleged murders, even when presented to the court. However, hair was found in the Williams murder that an expert said matched Albright’s. The jury found him guilty on December 18, 1991, and he was sentenced to life in prison without parole.

Charles Albright died on August 22, 2020, at West Texas Regional Medical Facility in Lubbock. He never revealed the location of the eyes he took from his victims and continued to maintain his innocence. Regina Smith believes she pickles and preserves eyes because she has a variety of small animals, such as frogs and salamanders, kept in jars in a barn she owns. John Matthews went on to write a book about the case titled ‘The Eyeball Killer’. Lifetime’s ‘Searching for a Serial Killer: The Regina Smith Story’ features Regina Smith as executive producer, ensuring that, aside from a few dramatizations for entertainment purposes, the film tells an authentic and personal story that stays close to the actual chain of events.

Read more: A Lifelong Search for a Serial Killer The Regina Smith Story: Filming Locations and Cast Details