The Alphabet Killer is a crime-thriller film directed by Rob Schmidt and released in 2008, based on the real-life events known as the Alphabet Murders that took place in Rochester, New York, in the late 1970s. The screenplay was written by Tom Malloy and revolves around the story of troubled police officer Megan Paige, played by Eliza Dushku, who becomes obsessed with solving the case and bringing the killer to justice.
As the title suggests, the murders are committed in alphabetical order, leaving clues that point to a ritualistic motive behind the killings. The victims are all young girls who had their names starting with the same letter as the town they were found in. When Megan Paige reopens the case after it was originally closed due to a lack of evidence, she discovers that there may be a connection between the murders that her superiors refuse to acknowledge.
Despite her own mental breakdown and the skepticism of her fellow officers, Megan Paige continues to investigate the case and tries to piece together the evidence, leading her to suspect a local high school teacher, played by Cary Elwes, as the killer, but not everyone is convinced. As time runs out and the killer's next victim is found, Megan takes matters into her own hands and confronts the suspect, leading to a dramatic and unexpected climax.
The Alphabet Killer was inspired by the true events of the Rochester murders that remained unsolved for over a decade. It was praised for its attention to detail and its portrayal of the psychological toll the case took on the investigating officers, but criticized for taking artistic license with the facts of the case. The film offers a chilling account of one of the most notorious cases in American history, and the lengths required to bring the killer to justice.