This is neither the first nor the last documentary about the Washington Sniper case, but it offers unique insights into the relationship between John Allen Muhammad and the waif he took under his wing. The film makers speak to relatives of the victims, police officers, and the usual psychobabbling talking heads. They examine the specially adapted vehicle they used, and even unearth a unique audio of a custody hearing, the unsatisfactory playout of which is believed to have pushed Muhammad over the edge. The other thing, which is barely mentioned here, is his military service, which results not only in men coming home heroes, but corpses, or with broken minds.
When this was made, Muhammad was on death row; he was executed in 2009. In 2013, Malvo claimed he had been sexually abused by Muhammad, but he was and still is clearly trying to work his ticket, futile though that attempt may be. The truth is that under other circumstances their relationship would have had a positive effect on Malvo, who was indeed an abused child, although not sexually so. The question that can now of course never be answered is did Muhammad truly see Malvo as a surrogate son, or simply as a tool he could and did fashion into a killing machine for his own nefarious purposes?
When this was made, Muhammad was on death row; he was executed in 2009. In 2013, Malvo claimed he had been sexually abused by Muhammad, but he was and still is clearly trying to work his ticket, futile though that attempt may be. The truth is that under other circumstances their relationship would have had a positive effect on Malvo, who was indeed an abused child, although not sexually so. The question that can now of course never be answered is did Muhammad truly see Malvo as a surrogate son, or simply as a tool he could and did fashion into a killing machine for his own nefarious purposes?
