The documentary filmmakers Jack Hamill and Brenda Hill were initially hired to create a film about the life and crimes of Edward Payne, a notorious serial killer that had terrorized the Pacific Northwest for over a decade.
As they delved deeper into their research and began to uncover new information about Payne's modus operandi, they unwittingly caught the killer's attention. Payne began to monitor their activities and eventually targeted Hamill, luring him to an isolated location and murdering him.
After Hamill's remains were discovered, a police investigation led them to Payne's farmhouse on the outskirts of town. There, they made the gruesome discovery of numerous decomposing bodies in the basement, all victims of the serial killer.
In a shocking twist, it was revealed that Payne had been using the filmmakers and their documentary as a way to draw attention to his crimes and glorify his actions. The stacks of documentary tapes left on the kitchen table were a grim testament to this, as Payne had meticulously documented his murders for posterity.
Through interviews with law enforcement officials, psychologists, and other experts, 15 Murders: Inside the Mind of a Serial Killer explores the disturbing psyche of Edward Payne and the events that led to his capture. With rare footage from the documentary that never made it to the screen, viewers gain a chilling insight into the mind and methods of one of America's most notorious killers.