
Lifetime’s true crime drama, Husband, Father, Killer: The Alyssa Pladl Story, delves into one of the most disturbing family tragedies in recent history. Based on real events, the film explores the shocking case of Steven Pladl, who engaged in an incestuous relationship with his biological daughter, Katie, leading to a tragic murder-suicide across multiple states in 2018.
The tragic case began in the 1990s when Steven Pladl, then 20, met 15-year-old Alyssa Garcia online. They eventually married and had a daughter, Denise, but due to Steven’s abusive behavior, Alyssa placed their infant daughter for adoption.
18 years later, Denise—renamed Katie by her adoptive family—reconnected with her biological parents through social media at 18. She later moved in with them and began a romantic relationship with Steven. The two lived as a married couple, and in 2017, Katie became pregnant with Steven’s child.
By 2017, Steven and Katie were living as a couple, illegally married, and expecting a child. In January 2018, authorities arrested them on incest charges (via Kron4). Just months later, on April 11, 2018, their 7-month-old son, Bennett Pladl, was found dead in North Carolina.
The next day, Steven drove hundreds of miles to Connecticut, where he shot and killed Katie, 20, and her adoptive father, Anthony Fusco, 56. Hours later, Steven was found dead in Dover, New York, from a self-inflicted gunshot wound. Before ending his life, he called his mother and confessed to his crimes. (via The Sun)
The shocking case gained national attention, exposing the devastating consequences of abuse, manipulation, and trauma within the Pladl family.
The Lifetime original movie is available for free streaming with a supported cable or streaming TV package until April 21, 2024.
For true crime enthusiasts, Husband, Father, Killer: The Alyssa Pladl Story offers a chilling retelling of a case that shocked the nation. Don’t miss the opportunity to watch this gripping dramatization before it leaves streaming platforms.