Disclaimer: This article contains mentions of suicide and murder. Reader discretion is advised.
Netflix’s American Conspiracy: The Octopus Murders looks into the mysterious death of investigative journalist Danny Casolaro. The four-part docuseries will exclusively premiere on the streaming service this Wednesday, February 28, 2024.
The synopsis of the docuseries reads, “When journalist Danny Casolaro was found dead in a hotel bathtub, police ruled it a suicide. But his family and colleagues believe he may have been murdered for investigating a conspiracy he called “The Octopus” – a hidden organization connected to stolen government spy software, a string of unsolved murders, and some of the biggest political scandals of the 20th century. Years later, researcher Christian Hansen pushes to uncover the secrets behind Casolaro’s death, and the story that killed him.”
Times Now stated that Casolaro reported on the Cold War and the Cuban Missile Crisis before focusing on investigative journalism. He then began investigating a secret organization he called The Octopus. He believed this organization comprised a few powerful individuals linked to political scandals, murders, and international espionage. While investigating The Octopus, Casolaro met with an unexpected demise, and now, several conspiracy theories have surfaced surrounding his death.
What happened to Danny Casolaro & what are the conspiracy theories surrounding his death?
According to the Chicago Sun-Times, Danny Casolaro started investigating an alleged dispute between the Department of Justice and a tech company called INSLAW while investigating The Octopus. The latter had developed a criminal tracking software program, PROMIS. Casolaro reportedly believed the government stole the program from INSLAW and sold it to other foreign countries. He also believed the US government was using a secret “trap door” entry point to spy on adversaries and allies.
The outlet reported that in 1991, Casolaro traveled to Martinsburg in West Virginia as part of the investigation when he died on August 10. He was meeting with a source who would provide key evidence to prove his theory. A few days later, the journalist was found dead in the bathtub of his hotel room. His wrists were slit multiple times, and there was blood all over the crime scene. Authorities ruled his death a suicide despite finding incriminating evidence at the scene, stated Times Now.
However, Danny Casolaro had told his colleagues and family that he was receiving threatening phone calls. His family and friends believed his death was a murder. They disputed the verdict that his death was a suicide. They suggested that Casolaro got too close to revealing the truth behind the conspiracy, but the people behind it had him killed. To date, his death remains a mystery to all. Rumors allege that people scared of his discoveries about The Octopus orchestrated his murder.
The Chicago Sun-Times reported that photojournalist Christian Hansen picked up Casolaro’s investigation into The Octopus years later. Hansen said, “I realized I should finish the book Danny Casolaro was writing.”
According to Netflix, Zachary Treitz is the director of American Conspiracy: The Octopus Murders. Duplass Brothers Productions and Stardust Frames serve as the producers.
The four-part documentary series will premiere on Netflix this Wednesday, February 28, 2024.
