According to Schulz, the Madison Police Department took a completely inappropriate approach to deciding which documents to release. However, Jeffrey did have a very solid alibi of being in court at the time of Barbara's murder, which seems to make it physically impossible for him to have committed the crime personally. This issue warrants appellate scrutiny.. It would not be in the interest of our own investigation to release it any further, said Drumm. The HBO true crime documentary series Murder on Middle Beach has reached its conclusion, without any grand reveal regarding who killed Barbara Hamburg. HBO. The police were called, the crime scene was evaluated, and even some DNA was collected. HBO. CT DOT faces criticism following overnight tree-cutting, Haar: Payouts at fading CT trash agency offer lessons in a crisis, State nursing homes could face fine due to too many empty beds, CT legislators revive debate over firefighters' cancer benefits. A hearing was held in February 2020, where Detective Christopher Sudock testified on behalf of the department that the release could jeopardize a prospective law enforcement action, such as a search or arrest warrant, but could not identify any specific actions investigators had planned. And we ended up pitching to Lisa Heller, who was one of our last pitches at HBO and it was just incredibly emotional. "And one of them was, if we don't solve my mom's case, then the documentary becomes a tool for me to get my mom's story out there and provide some momentum." Alex Murdaugh Faces Life In Prison For Allegedly Killing His Wife & Son, Heres What Happened To Riley In 'The Last Of Us' Video Game, Twitter Is Losing It Over Succession Ending With Season 4, Everything To Know About 'And Just Like That' Season 2, Get Even More From Bustle Sign Up For The Newsletter. In a genre that so often luridly dehumanizes its victims, specifically women, as a means for salacious storytelling, "Murder on Middle Beach" is less about clinically dismantling family secrets for their evidentiary value, than it is about assessing how those family secrets bond and tie us and what it means when those bonds are severed. Having access to these files and what the police are doing is one of the key ways we have to hold police accountable, which is a huge issue today. Initial buy-in was about $5,000 and, under leaders like Barbara, women would liquidate savings accounts or refinance their homes for a chance at entering the more lucrative circles of the group. Conway and Ali are the ones who discovered the body and Conway said Ali acted "strangely." The television series, Murder on Middle Beach, documents the story of Madison Hamburgs search for the story behind his mothers murder. The director of HBO's true crime docuseries discusses the emotions of investigating his own mother's murder. I was a drug addict at the time, and really fell into my addiction and hit my rock bottom. While Beach's husband (and Madison's father) Jeffrey was questioned early on about his ex-wife's murder, there have still been no arrests made in the case. Copyright 2023 Design by Julia Balfour, LLC, Federal Grant will Help Stamford Police Catch Auto Thieves, Hundreds of Elevator Malfunctions in Stamford and No Clear Fix, With Ambulance Response Times of as Much as 40 Minutes, Legislators Propose a Funding Fix, Researchers Target Housing in Pilot Program to Reduce Gun Violence, Firefighter in Rehab Calls on Department Leaders to Bolster Brotherhood, As More Weapons are Brought to Schools, Parents and Administrators Seek a Safe Path Forward. Hearst Magazine Media, Inc. All Rights Reserved. In the series, Madison does some digging and is able to obtain school records that show Barbara did indeed drop Ali off at school on the morning of her death, confirming Ali's alibi and eliminating her as a suspect. Klau reviewed the case and found in August that the police department cannot use the mere theoretical possibility of a future law enforcement action to keep the investigative files secret but conceded there is little precedent for how investigators or the FOIC should determine what constitutes such a future action. Filmmakers could learn a lot from how Madison Hamburg focuses on the emotional ripple effects of crime, and the very human toll that loss takes on a family and community. June 3, 2021 8:00AM. On the morning of March 3, 2010, Beach Hamburgwas found dead in the front yard of her home by her sister, Conway Beach, and Ali. The dispute over the records goes back to 2019, when Anike Niemeyer, a filmmaker working with Madison Hamburg, requested all the departments investigatory records from the his mothers case. How did you balance your craft and the desire to tell a captivating story from a film perspective with the personal elementworking with your own family members and telling your own painful story? The police department initially provided two boxes of materials to the filmmakers late last year which the pair said were incomplete before the department reversed course and appealed the commissions decision in Superior Court. The case raises questions about exactly when a cold case is considered cold enough to release the investigative files publicly and likely is destined for much further debate by both the judiciary and general assembly, Klau reasoned. Killed them all, of course.". The department claims the case remains active and releasing the file could hinder a prospective prosecution or even result in witness intimidation. Although it seems like Conway is living a quiet life, she has mourned her sister publicly over the years, holding vigils and vowing to keep her memory alive. The story sort of chronicles and parallels my journey in making this. She remained in class until Conway picked her up. Updated: 10:25 AM EDT October 19, 2022 MADISON, Conn. There are new developments in a Connecticut cold case that was the subject of the HBO documentary "Murder on Middle Beach." One of the. While Tyler appreciated it, it made Conway furious. But it's been tough watching this go week to week and having breaks in between where people on the internet can react to my family. Harmon, however, said police did not say whether the new information led to new activity. I really didn't want my mom's story or my story to be told by someone else. And sort of realizing that what I wanted as a character in the story and as a person is to know what happened to my mom, but I think what I need, and my sister said so beautifully as the beginning of the last episode, is peace. A single mother of two, Hamburg was bludgeoned and stabbed to death in the front yard of her Madison,. "Murder on Middle Beach" is currently streaming on HBO Max. I went to rehab and when I came back to school I was a year behind everybody, and I didn't tell anyone what had happened to me cause I didn't want that label of the kid whose mom was murdered. And I've been really careful not to have hunches and not to express any opinions about what I think happened cause I think that's the biggest challenge with any investigation. It should be noted that this was at the height of the recession, and participants many of whom Barbara recruited from her Alcoholics Anonymous meetings were discouraged from telling their husbands or partners about their participation in the Tables. Reproduction of material from any Salon pages without written permission is strictly prohibited. Drumm told CT Examiner that the Police Department had gone through all the files relevant to the case. Especially my sister, she's the person closest to me, who can empathize the most. And I was just desperately trying to understand how to take the next step with something so personal and not sacrifice anything. At the end of the day, it's not really important that Murder on Middle Beach didn't solve the murder of Barbara Hamburg because that isn't what the documentary set out to do. DNA found at the scene of the crime also did not match his own. Throughout these four episodes, Madison Hamburg, and us, learned the truth about the life Barbara Hamburg really lived - that she was a recovering alcoholic who, at the . Yeah, I can't get into details but I will say that after spending eight years just putting together fragments of memories about my mom or about the case or about a specific time period, the transparency and the accuracy of these facts that have been kept from me for so long has been extremely relieving. He also works to eliminate several of his family members as potential suspects in his mother's murder. Madison Hamburg and producer Anike Niemeyer had requested the files while filming the series and were summarily denied by the department. Madison Hamburg On the Middle Beach Finale, India Oxenberg Finally Feels a Sense of Peace, More Coverage of the Documentaries That Matter, Your Privacy Choices: Opt Out of Sale/Targeted Ads. Beach claims to have been accused of being jealous of her sister's success, but denies it in the docuseries. This may be a long journey, and that may cost a lot of money I would appreciate it if the Attorney Generals Office would take it up, because its in the interest of law enforcement state-wide, not just the Town of Madison, Drumm told commissioners. Elizabeth Benton, communications director for the Attorney Generals Office, said the office was not involved in the case. Throughout the mini-series, the main suspect seemed to be Barbara's ex-husband and Madison's father, Jeffrey Hamburg. Jeffreyrefuses to discuss the case or his marriage with Madison, except to point to Barbara's alcoholism and, prior to recovery, her pattern of black-out drinking as evidence that Barbara wasn't necessarily to be trusted a line he holds even once Madison finds boxes of documents in the final episodes that could potentially implicate him in unethical (and potentially illegal) business practices that made Barbara feel unsafe. She blacks out and wakes up the next morning upstairs on a bed, naked and cashless. ", initially questioned Hamburg after Beach Hamburg's murder, said her ex-husband failed to make alimony and child support payments, behind on mortgage payments for their property, primary custody of Madison and Ali, while their father received visitation rights, 'I'll Be Gone In The Dark' director believes we're drawn to true crime stories because 'you can close the book, you can turn off the TV, when in real life, you don't have that power', The 7 best true crime podcasts you can listen to right now, Watch the haunting new trailer for 'I'll Be Gone in the Dark', HBO's latest true-crime docuseries, The best true crime shows you can watch on Hulu right now. The show follows director Madison Hamburg as he investigates his mother's murder, and talks to his family members about how they were affected. By the end of the series, the only suspect who has a truly rock-solid alibi is Ali, anda number of questions about that, in my mind, remained unanswered: Who was the masked man who was allegedly seen lurking outside Barbara's window the day before she was murdered? The police could have an incentive to just not become the focus of second-guessing, Ecker said. Jeffrey appears in Murder on Middle Beach where he repeatedly refuses to talk about Barbara's murder and insists that his ex-wife had dark secrets that he can't discuss. It's like if you have a piece of popcorn in your teeth, finally getting that piece out. Associated Press articles: Copyright 2016 The Associated Press. Additionally, releasing records that reveal who provided police with information about the crime could prompt witness intimidation, Dugas said. Someone sent me this beautiful essay about their loss and feeling alone, feeling that like they weren't grieving correctly, and the guilt and all these things that come with grief, with something unresolved. 2023 BDG Media, Inc. All rights reserved. And, as Jeffrey alleged via a phone call to Madison, is there any evidence that the documents detailing his financial decisions had been fabricated? But Madisons is not a traditional true crime documentaryhe didnt want to fetishize or agonize over the gory details of the murder. At the time of her death, Beach Hamburg had primary custody of Madison and Ali, while their father received visitation rights. There's been a lot of mistakes and a lot of successes throughout this whole journey, but I don't think I would do anything differently at this point. Platt also cut off her relationship with Barbara, and drew hard lines on what areas were Barbara's Gifting Tables "territory" for recruitment and which were Platt's. She's just such an amazing, beautiful human being and I think that really comes through. The horrific 2010 murder of 48-year-old single mom Barbara Hamburg in front of her Madison, Connecticut, home remains unsolved, but there have been plenty of theories as to who could have. It was looked at routinely and remained a top priority of the department, he said. When Barbara Hamburg was brutally bludgeoned to death outside her home on Middle Beach Road in Madison, Connecticut in 2010, her sister Conway Beach publicly mourned her loss. Beach Hamburg and Hamburg married in 1989, but divorced in 2002. by Johnny Brayson Dec. 4, 2020 HBO The HBO series Murder on Middle Beach has. Murder on Middle Beach didn't decisively eliminate any other suspects. None of that is the selling point of a true crime series. Here, we see how that leads him to investigate his own father, a pyramid scheme The Gifting Tables that his mother was involved in, his sister, and his aunt, Conway Beach. If I didn't ask these questions, the questions would go unasked, but I've tried my hardest to do this what I consider the right way. ------------------------------------------, details presented in "Murder on Middle Beach", killed by someone she had crossed through her participation in "The Gifting Tables,", "The Jinx," the shocking 2015 HBO docuseries, "true criminal justice" documentaries and docuseries. We work on this case weekly, we have a states attorney assigned to us who works on this weekly. Murder on Middle Beach calls a handful of suspects into question. My sister and my aunt are the closest thing I have to my mom, like they're the closest in DNA, and what they sound like. Sign up for notifications from Insider! Its not a normal father-son catch-up scene. Madison police have not yet filed a brief outlining the grounds of their appeal with the Appellate Court, and attempts to reach the department this past week were unsuccessful. The four-part docuseries explores the 2010 murder of 48-year-old mother of two, Barbara Hamburg, who was discovered blugeoned and stabbed to death at her own home in Madison, Connecticut in. Directed by Barbara's son, Madison Hamburg, the docuseries is a chronicle of Madison's return to his home as he is determined to understand . Unfortunately, because of that, when her parents divorced in 2002, she suffered the most. We made a pitch deck and we pitched the networks. ', 6,000 checks go out to Yale workers in class-action settlement involving wellness program, Police: Stolen car found riddled with bullets after gunfire in New Haven near Yale, West Haven mayor under fire after city is left without a finance director at start of budget season, Convicted DiMassa codefendant requests acquittal, new trial in West Haven fraud scheme case, The Best Private High Schools near New Haven, Guide to Legal Cannabis Dispensaries in CT, The Best Private Preschools Near New Haven. His father, Jeffrey Hamburg, quickly became a person of interest. Barbara's daughter was a teenager in 2010, and was with Beach when Barbara's body was discovered. I've written before about the trend of "true criminal justice" documentaries and docuseries the kind wherein the narrative is less about solving a mystery and more about turning the magnifying glass on the legal proceedings that surrounded it are an opportunity for filmmakers to present a fuller picture of criminality and victimhood. That is as it should be. Police Commission Chair Ed Downing warned at the meeting that the appeal could require significant legal resources that could be costly for the Town of Madison. Barbara was killed very violently, likely with a hammer, and detectives have called it a crime of passion and theorize that the killer knew Barbara and had a personal stake in the murder. Opening the file and turning the pages without acting on the file is not evidence the file is going to be used in a prospective law enforcement action, Harmon said. Its been twelve and a half years since my mother was killed, he said. Yet the strangest thing was when Conway stated that Barbara, a week before she was slain, told her about a dream where she was violently murdered but refused to reveal who was behind it. accessed ), memorial page for Barbara Beach Hamburg (29 Apr 1961-3 Mar 2010), Find a Grave Memorial ID . And if they can keep it closed forever, youll never be able to hold them accountable or give them an incentive not to cover something up.. And what we were selling was a personal approach that wasn't a whodunit but more a story about identity, the duality of humanity, and the layers of what we share with each other, how open we are, and just me kind of coming of age and understanding my mother and in turn understanding my identity. "I can't get into details, but it's been extremely illuminating.". It's really interesting. In the following years, they appeared in court together numerous times after Beach Hamburg said her ex-husband failed to make alimony and child support payments. Every Theory About Barbara Hamburg's Murder Murder on Middle Beach calls a handful of suspects into question. It was she who recruited Barbara into the tables, but the latter's ambition eventually caused problems for Platt. Murder on Middle Beach is a four-part documentary by director Madison Hamburg about the unsolved 2010 murder of his mother Barbara Hamburg. An anonymous witness also revealed that she was scared of Conway as she had allegedly threatened her by leaving dead animals on her doorstep, implying that she had the guts and the motive to commit a murder. 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